Has anybody ever heard of Health Care Co-Ops? The Soccer Mom vote brought them up this week and I am intrigued by the concept, but don't know much about them. It doesn't seem however, to be what I would consider any sort of long term viable option, as I see a real need to move towards socialized health care. It is perhaps what I consider to be one of the biggest and most important issues our country faces.
But, the issue is so multi faceted that I don't even feel like discussing it right now. Maybe I can revisit this another day.
In the mean time, I am trying my best to take my own health care into my own hands.
If anybody is paying attention, I have been posting my 1 mile run times over on the right side of my blog.
Has anyone noticed that the last two days I added almost a full minute to my time? I am running a mile in more time instead of less, and I am pushing 3 weeks into this project. I just want to give up halfway through my runs, and I feel like dead weight on the treadmill. I am trying to figure out why this is happening. Is it the humidity? It is because of my monthly cycle? Am I just already getting bored of this little project and want an excuse to quit? Is it what I am eating? Is it a complex interplay between these factors?
My other theory, and I think this is maybe a little closer to the reality, is that I am a little paranoid since that whole passing out thing. When I start to feel even a little lightheaded, I slow right down.
Here is the other factor, and a call for input.
When I was running my best time, I was starting at 4 miles and hour for a few and then going to 5 miles and hour and ending up at 6 miles an hour, and sometimes back down for parts of the run. Really, I was all over the place. The last two days, I have been starting right off at 5 miles an hour, which is a 12 minute mile, and trying to just hang there as long as I can. I am trying to do this because I am trying to train my body to keep up with a steady pace. But it isn't working. Before I hit minute 5, I am in agony and want to stop. I end up slowing waaay down for a minute or two, then try it at 5 again, and then whip it up to 6 miles an hour. BUT, by the time I hit 1 mile, I don't really feel like I need to stop or die. I could keep running if I wasn't under the time pressure of needing to get back to the baby. In the end though, I added a minute to the time.
So, my question is- what should I really be aiming at here? Should I continue trying to stay at 5 miles an hour until I can hang with it to almost the end, where I kick it up to 6 earlier and earlier to make my best time? Or should I go back to my previous method of running at speeds all over the place to try and get my best time? I was going faster then, but maybe I should just keep up with the whole idea of trying to teach my body to keep steady at 5?
Am I even making any sense? I am just rambling here, huh. Sorry.
Okay, well, if you have any advice for me on my mile project, I would love to hear it. This is really doing a number on my attitude. Good thing Adam is a such a good sport. He picks me up every morning by saying, "Hey that is great- you ran a mile and thats what counts!"
I love that man.
3 comments:
Don't be too hard on yourself. I would try to train your body to go 5 mph for longer amounts of time. You might want to change it up by going outside. When I run on a treadmill, I like to break it up by time or .25 mile increments. Run fast for 3 minutes - slow for 3 and so on. The running faster does increase your steady speed. It does not hurt as much at 5 mph. Food, cycle, humidity, all play a role in performance. Personally, I would like to be able to sustain a 10-minute mile for the duration of a marathon. I am able to sustain 12:30 at present. I can go faster in a shorter race. Keep it up but try not to burn out - perhaps some rest days will do you good.
Well, it all depends on what your goals are. Studies have shown that there is actually more benefit from doing interval training. It's actually quite easy on a treadmill. Walk for a minute and run for a minute. Each minute you run, increase the speed. Your first running interval to 5.0, your second interval run at 5.5, third interval, 6.0...etc until you hit a speed that's your limit. Stick with intervals for about a month (no steady state running), then try the steady state again and see how much improvement you have. You'll be surprised.
Also, how many days a week are you running? Your body might just need more rest time in between runs.
Do the intervals 3-4 days a week. for about 12 minutes total (6 walking, 6 running). Let me know how it goes.
good luck,
your health and fitness professional
Thank you guys for the advice!
I think this is all really good news for me. I like running intervals better. It feels better, and makes running more enjoyable.
I am probably running about 4-5 days a week, I always shoot for 6 (Mon thru Sat) but it seems like something usually kills a couple of days anyway.
You guys both just gave me what I needed to stop beating myself up about it. I can run intervals, and I don't HAVE to do it 6 days a week.
Now I just need this f'ing humidity to let up.
And Micah- I had no idea you ever laid eyes on this blog. Thanks for taking the time to post that.
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