Yoga is good for what ails me after 8 miles

A spectacular Juneathon FAIL on Saturday...I just didn't get up! and by the time I did, it was time to head off to the Hard Rock Calling festival in Hyde Park, where I proceeded to drink rather a lot of beer before the rain came down and sent us home to play Guitar Hero Metallica. Sunday I did manage to wake up in time to run 8 miles before part 2 of the festival. And what a great 8 miles it was. I planned to do 0.1 walking in every mile, which kept me feeling fresh. I have found a great greenspace to run in and got to explore the natural woodlands of England, which was really cool. Very quiet and peaceful, much nicer than the marshes where I feel completely exposed. No cows though.

And then this morning a really good yoga practice, very sweaty [must be all the toxins from 3 concerts in 3 days] but it only really took one sun salutation to get me warm. Katie kind of laid across my back in downward dog at one point, making me keep everything in alignment while working my heels down. Weird, but effective. Edited to add, because I got distracted and busy this morning: I was sooooo stiff and sore yesterday, my feet were swelling something awful and my hips were feeling the twinges of IT issues. But after this morning, I feel refreshed. My hips (well, those muscles on the outsides of them) still ache a bit, but I feel human again. Must remember that yoga and running are a good balance for one another, though I'm pretty sure running does not help my yoga.

Only one more day of Juneathon. I'm not happy to see it end, and will try to keep up for July!

Juneathons: 27/29 + 2 extra credit

Mysore: the class you take by yourself

Last night I got home from work and, since I'd had a lie-in that morning, still needed to run. I was scheduled to do an interval pyramid that would have had me running, for intervals, about 5k, plus the warmup, cooldown, and recoveries. I cut it short and only did about a half hour total in the interest of getting home before 8:30. I had snuck in and tried to get in-and-out without waking the dog since I think it's kind of mean to come in, take him for a walk, then put him back in his crate right away. I won't do that again - he was quiet the whole time I was home but apparently started howling shortly thereafter, and Meg could hear him from the end of our lane (200 yards or so)! Serves me right for lazing about yesterday morning, though.

Then this morning I was off to yoga. Katie had me start on the next pose, ardha baddha padmottanasana (half-bound lotus intense stretch posture). I am in serious need of some chest opening, as I couldn't even grab my elbow, let alone the toe of my foot! With practice all things will come, I guess. Still also working to get my hand flat in parivritta trikonasana (is it spinal flexibility or tits in the way?) reach the floor in utthita parsvakonasana (will I ever get there?), skipping parivritta parsvakonasana (see: spinal flexibility, arm length from above), and requiring a little help through the utthita hasta padangusthanasana series (though so do many people much further along in the sequence than I am, I think it's just a really tough one). In a hurry, I managed to quicken my breathing to do my practice in 35 minutes today, yikes!

I was thinking about my relationship with yoga this morning. It's been something I do, off and on, since I was in high school (see also: running). I started, when I was about 15 and living in a small backwoods town, by trying to learn yoga from a book and practicing on my own in my room. I took a class one semester in college, but it was really of the 'advanced stretching' kind and I wasn't engaged or challenged enough to stick with it - it just fulfilled a PE requirement. I took vinyasa classses semi-regularly in graduate school and after, through my gym, until I met Meg (I even got her to take a few with me while we were 'wooing' but once we moved in together that was all over - now she does what she calls 'no-ga'). When we moved to New York I found a studio nearby and took some classes from them. I struggled a bit because either I wasn't regular enough or the classes weren't regular enough to ensure that there was always one at my level - sometimes I'd go and not get the workout I needed, while other times it would be so far above my abilities as to not be enjoyable. I never found a teacher or class I really clicked with, and we were so broke at the time that for something that wasn't exactly perfect it just wasn't worth the money. I bought David Swenson's Practice Manual and started doing ashtanga by myself at home, reverting to my yoga roots. I didn't know enough at the time, however, to realise that you shouldn't do the entire primary series before you're ready! and I was frustrated at how bloody hard it all seemed to be, and gradually I let this practice lapse. It didn't help that doing yoga at home often meant that the (actual) dog tried to 'help' during downward-facing-dog by licking my face. Meg for my birthday one year set up our spare room to be a little yoga studio for me, and I did yoga on my own with DVDs until we left that apartment. When we moved to London I started taking the odd class here and there.

And then I found mysore. It's exactly right for me. It's a class, but it moves at the level you're at, and the level you're at that day. It rewards regularity and discipline in your practice. It increases in difficulty slowly, letting you ease into things, without the feeling of competitiveness I sometimes get in called classes. It's independent, and yet there's a community in it. I see the same people every day I'm there. I've only been going a month and yet already people say hello. I've had 3 different teachers (plus the one who taught my 'intro to mysore' class) since the regular teacher is away, and they've all helped me improve my practice. What can I say, I'm a convert.

Juneathons days 20-22: a computerless weekend

I spent a wonderful weekend with no computer so am now catching up on a whole weekend's worth of Juneathons and blogs.

Saturday was Juneathon-lite: Friday was Meg's birthday and we 'celebinebriated' it in style, so Saturday I just went for a short bike ride to The School of Life where I had a bibliotherapy consultation (5.5 miles round trip, approx 40 minutes total). I am excited to read the 'prescriptions' that come out of this program, since in the 40-ish minutes we were talking she already recommended about 5 books that sound interesting as opposed to my usual practice of wandering around grabbing things at random off the shelves based on their covers (note: you actually can judge a book by its cover: if the writing on the front is in a 'comic' or 'handwriting' font, I won't like the book).

Sunday I did the first long run of my official half-marathon training. I was scheduled for 8 miles but since that's further than I've run all year, I elected to cut it down to 6 miles. Actually, I'm quite pleased with myself - when I was doing marathon training my longest training run was (yikes!) half the distance of the real thing, and I've already run that far in training. If I'd been able to run the whole distance without stopping at the pace I ran today, I'd have done a 2:30 half, which would be absolutely incredible for me. Now, I had a few stops in there, so it doesn't really count, but I'm still quite happy. I also discovered a new route - the Capital Ring. I can't believe I've lived here 2 years without running on this lovely green path. I'll almost certainly be doing more long runs on it, though I don't think I'll use it much before work as it's clearly the home of quite a few homeless people and thus probably a little quiet for my taste early in the morning (especially in the winter when it's likely to be dark). 6.13 miles, 1:14:35

This morning I of course went to yoga where I did utthita hasta padangustanasana all by myself! as Katie was busy helping someone brand new. It's certainly harder by myself and I didn't do part B very strongly, but I can definitely feel improvement over when I first added this pose on.

Juneathons: 21/220 (+ 2 extra credit)

Is it time for real training already?

I've been lazing about my training lately - check out the calendar, where most of my runs are sub 3 miles, listed as "easy", and are still helping me put more distance in the first half of June than I did in the first 4 months of the year combined. So imagine my terror when I checked out the calendar this weekend and discovered that the Aviemore Half Marathon is now exactly 16 weeks away. Coincidentally, that's the length of the FIRST program I'll be giggling at the workouts suggested by aiming to follow for this race. No mental warmup, no easing into the training, just 'get your butt in gear now' style ass-kicking coming my way.

This morning Coach FIRST recommended 12 400m intervals. I did 6. He recommended I do them in 2:38. Since I had the Training Partner (Garmin) set on intervals I'd designed at home I didn't know how slow fast I was going until later, but I was pleased to see that I was pretty consistent, 5 at 2:25 and one at 2:38. I decided to stop after 6 since even cutting it short would make this my longest single run (except for the Crisis Square Mile fun jog-walk-beer drinking event) this year, and I'd like to be able to move for the rest of the day, do yoga tomorrow, and continue with the program, so I thought trying not to overdo it would be wise.

I have forgotten how much I enjoy intervals. I feel energized and happy to start the day, which is important for me right now. I'm also enjoying reading back to last year this time when I was also half-marathon training, but in a bit better shape and hoping for a faster half in the fall. Maybe it'll catch up with me?

But yeah, can't believe actual training time has snuck up on me so much.

400m intervals for 3.25 mi (incl warm-up/cool-down) in 46:07 (incl rest times of 6x1:30) = 3.25 mi in 37:09 active, 11:25 pace
Juneathons: 16/16 (+2 extra credit)

The Jetlag 10k

I live an exciting life, let me tell you. My jetlag and I got off a plane at 6:30 this morning, slept until 2, did a little work (and catching up on blogs...429 posts left!), then spent Friday evening running 10k. [And Week 1, Day 2 of 100 Pushups - maxed at 4 + down but no up]

Life is finally settling down again. No photos from the holiday yet but it was amazing. The baby is so cute, and seriously the happiest baby I've ever met. My time in New York was as expected - I got to hang out with a few friends but mostly work stuff.

I do miss NYC though. My morning run there was awesome, despite the heat and humidity even at 6:30 am. I miss seeing loads of runners in the morning (London is definitely an after-work workout town), and watching the city wake up. I'd never run along the East River at that time of morning before, and didn't realize it was home to quite so many people - some of whom had amazing setups, including one couple who managed to bed down in the garden, under a tree, and were almost definitely the last to wake up that morning as it still looked cool and dark even as the rest of us were sweating. Some people might find that off-putting, but it really felt like home to me, though of course I wish there was no need for anyone to sleep on the street ever. I had a lovely chat with a guy who was fishing for breakfast as well.

No time but an ORN

Running to a meeting (in NYC) but before I forget wanted to write today's Obligatory Running Note - 4.5 miles, 1 hour. 3 1-mile repeats (sort of). Week 1, Day 1 of 100 pushups. Maxed out at 4.

That's not really the point, now, is it?

I beat back Morning Brain this morning, who reared her ugly head at 5:45 with thoughts of going back to sleep and putting off the run until tomorrow afternoon. Rational me was awake enough to say, "remember how great you felt on Tuesday when you ran before work? Get up." and I only hit snooze twice (8 minutes total - I have a short snoozer) and was out of bed before 6. Yay me.

Took the first 2 miles nice and easy, as prescribed by the schedule: 12:09 and 12:36. Next three were scheduled to be at 11:06 pace. I ran each of them faster than that (10:25, 10:43, 10:38) but I stopped to catch my breath at the mile markers, kind of missing the objective of key run #2 - to run fast when tired. Duh. Then a nice slow jog with some walking mixed in for mile 6 (13:45) and I'm home just in time to catch Meg before she gets in the shower and leaves my key-losing self locked out on the doorstep for the second time in 2 days.


6 miles, 1:10:55 (11:50 pace)

I [heart] intervals

I love interval training, I really do. It appeals to my competitive nature, and if I'm honest it gives me time to rest my lazy butt! I went out for the first Key Run #1 on my new half marathon training plan this morning - 12x400 (well, quarter miles). Target time: 2:30. Actual times: 2:15/2:30/2:49/2:49/2:40/2:21/2:14/2:25/2:45/2:25/2:59/2:15 - average 2:32. Pretty good, I'd say - but I did take some extra rest in there.

I didn't set out with any particular route in mind, just up the road. At some point I saw the sign for the New River path and decided to take it up through Haringey. A little dodgy in some places because I couldn't see much in front of me, but I felt safe since I was basically running behind people's back yards, though I have to admit I was thinking about Jog Blog's discussion of dodgy-looking men on the path and whether she'll be attacked or not. The path was really overgrown but it was so nice not to be running on concrete I didn't mind the thorny bushes attacking me. I seem to have missed the path when it crossed the road, because then I was back on the concrete pavements sucking diesel fumes. But I did not get lost even though I have never run in this particular area before (yay me) and maintained enough internal geography to be heading back home at the right time to hit Finsbury Park with one interval left to run and then just over a mile home to cool down.

Does anyone else think about food while running? I was kicking myself for not putting a pot of coffee on before I left, and planning my breakfast (toast with peanut butter, which I did not get because I didn't get to the work kitchen before they put the toaster away for the day, and a latte which I did finally get at 11:30) and snacks (deciding that the mid-afternoon desire for a chocolate bar means I need to have a yogurt and some fruit then, but I still didn't go to the supermarket before work to get them) and realising there's tons of fruit in my kitchen that really needs to be eaten up before it goes off and generally making myself hungry.

Half-ass training

Only 2 posts ago I went on and on about the 10ks I planned to run this summer, and how I was going to do FIRST-like training for them, and blah blah blah. I'm going to do the same here about my new half-marathon plan, which should have me running a 2 1/2 hour half marathon in October - that's an 11:15 pace, people! I totally know I can do it.

I did have to make a little modification, because I should have started training last week, so I had to cut the second-to-last key runs (skipping a run of 12 miles, plus a 5x 1k and a 6 miler with 3 at short tempo pace) but I think it will be ok. I probably should cut one more week in recognition of my holiday plans but I think what I'll do instead is just recognize that something will get cut and go forward as if I've done those runs anyway.

Allergy season isn't exactly the best time to start up again, but at least I'm not dealing with the heat wave the rest of you are.