Friday, February 13, 2015

Running by effort

I have been busy that's why I'm a bit behind on my blog posts. Don't panic, I have been keeping up with all my runs. Another 20 miler last Sunday, I'm done with the really long runs now. Tapering until the marathon February 28.

Last weeks total mileage was 52 miles. All ran outside in a pretty brutal week. Temps around -30C/-22F. Windy. I added a layer for my legs (3 layers now) and that actually really helped. It's hard to find the right pant for winter temps. Some have extra wind stopper pads on the front but then my hamstrings get extremely cold. Legs need to warm up so more layers work.

Arizona and I are going to be friends, I can feel it!


Tapering for Phoenix now. I'm very excited to spend a few days in warm temperatures. I also will be visiting my son in Seattle for 2 weeks so I'm for sure going to be spoiled weather wise. I know Seattle can be rainy in winter but I don't mind. I love it there and I think it's gorgeous!

I have been running by effort these past few months since the NYC marathon. No use of a gps since it's only going to be frustrating. The run will feel hard but the gps will show a slow jog. So that's why I am also going to run the marathon by effort, no watch. I am curious how I will do. Will I have a hard time even finishing it or will I have maintained a fairly decent fitness level? I don't know, we'll see. Either way it's going to be interesting.



I gauge my effort by the way I breathe. Long run effort is usually breathe in 3 steps, breathe out 2. Nice and easy. A tempo run I will usually run at 3 steps breathe in, 2 out then 2 steps breathe in 2 out. So that counts 3 in 2 out, 2 in 2 out. Faster effort like longer track workouts, a shorter race or the end of a longer race I breathe 2 steps in 2 steps out. Then you have all effort, 400 meters etc, anything goes, just breath hard and run hard until you feel like puking.

I have been racing one half marathon and one full marathon without a gps watch and I loved it. It's great to just listen to your body and run accordingly. It feels a lot more free from numbers. Also you don't have to panic if the watch doesn't receive the correct data like in big cities. Just go naked!
Interestingly I have been doing quite well at the naked races. My half marathon was actually a pr and at the full I was only 2 minutes off my pr but felt extremely good until the end.

Just try to run without a watch if you can. Even if it's just your easy runs. You'll love it!

I want to be this dude!! (stolen from the adventure running blog)



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