Today long slow run was a little more difficult than I had anticipated. I spent the entire day yesterday doing things right; I hydrated, I ate well, and I stretched. But then – dinner along and I decided to have a martini in Rowdy’s honor. I undid all my hard work in one deliciously intoxicating swoop. Finally, I’ve learned my lesson. No more martinis. At least until after the marathon. (I’m also considering cutting back on coffee – but that decision is far from final!)
I ran a new course today and I liked it quite a bit despite the hills. Maybe it’s me – but this looks like hill training (green line for hills, red line for heartrate). I’m also considering joining a new running group – a fast, fast group of people but I think training with faster runners will help my training – or kill me.
Thirteen miles, average page 9:55 per mile, average heart rate 162.
You know, alcohol was once used in the same vein as caffeine. Apparently it acted as a relaxant and put off the onset of pain in the later stages of exercise.
Give up coffee? Never. No. Sorry.
Give up coffee?? Gah!! Don’t do it, Susan!
There is a list ……
of what you can and cannot eat/drink the night before long runs ….
In simple terms if it is served at an old folks home it will be ok …… how depressing …. this comment is coming to an abrupt end, it is just so sad.
Giving up coffee can be done!! I’m living proof…I switched to decaf. So, ok, i’m constantly falling asleep at inauspicious times…but I’m not as anxious as I was! Martinis and me=Bad Things. At any time.
Try switching to tequila. What? Oh. Okay. Well you haven’t mentioned all the diet coke you drink and that’s worse than the booze and coffee.
congats on bagging the booze, which is really such a time waster and doesn’t add much to the enjoyment of life. (opinions and noses…all have them and they all smell) what is this new 13 mi route? I’ll be back monday night and could run any morning this week except saturday.
great job on the run.
what a great run!
Wasn’t there a study that was just done about how caffeine is good for you? I’m sure there was a study done…
You said cutting back…not cutting out coffee right!? Sometimes the java is the only thing that gets me into my shoes and out the door for a run or bike…no way I could stop it!
13 miles and hills- solid run!
Running with faster guys and gals is the best way to speed up yourself.
Your heart rate is very constant – and very high. You’re definitely putting in the effort.
Great job! How do you maintain keeping your heartrate so even when you’re running up those kinds of elevations?
Training with faster group is perfect. I also think hills are better than no hills on the course – it gives you rest (as weird as it sounds) while you switch working muscles.
I envy people who like to drink, I find it totally boring…but then again, I drank my share for about 10 years as a real Russian, with straight vodka and unspoken doses. I think it’s enough for a normal life. And no local (American)person can try and tell me about their college beer drinking years – not even close to compare:)
Don’t give up on the coffee…. there’s studies that prove it’s actually good for you! 🙂
13 miles with a great pace, nice job!
Great run and I am so impressed that your HR stayed so steady. I’m pretty sure mine would look just like the elevation profile.
What device do you use? A 301 perchance?
what a nice even heart rate-if you can keep that with the coffee, I say keep the coffee.
Have you ever consider maybe you don’t have enough martini?? 🙂
There must be a study somewhere that say drinking makes u run faster..
awesome job on the hills susan! Way to keep your heart rate so steady.
martinis are evil, they sneak up on you.
Martini in Rowdy’s honour, what happened to my brave scout? Where is he?
martini’s are the devil. specifically choclatini’s. they have almost killed me on two separate occasions.
Hi Susan, came across your site on Cliff’s blog (Christian runner.) Anyway, I too have given up martini’s until after my marathon (May 28), coffee is an essential vitamin for me. I could never give that up.
http://charronrunning.blogspot.com
Nice job Susan. That does look like a hilly run, but don’t go all crazy with the coffee idea. I like your new blogger profile pic, maybe you can use the one of you licking your new iMac next.
I’m not a big fan of martinis, but the my alter ego still rationalizes having a beer the night before a race (“It’ll help me sleep”).
i would just like to let it be known that i will, more than likely, be the last RBF’er to cross the damn finish line in san diego.
everyone is getting so FAST! 9:55 average? you’re killing me! how do you do it?! egads.
well, job VERY well done. and as everyone else said… thats a really steady red line. i’ve never had an HR monitor, but i have a feeling mine would be all over the place! go your heart and its consistent beating! 😉
Good run Susan.
Training with faster runners can help. Just don’t do it every day of the week.
Maybe adding a bit of red cordial to your Martini will help you run even faster? It can’t hurt can it? Great new profile pic BTW – kinda cheeky. 😉
Giving up coffee was tough for me. I still have a cup occasionally, but not anywhere NEAR the 2-3 cups per day I used to have. The caffeine will flush the good stuff from your body. (Minerals, nutrients, vitamins, etc…) When I gave up coffee, I went through the headaches for a few days then slowly replaced it with Green Tea. Jasmine is my favorite. Better for you with just a little caffeine in it. Anyway, good luck with that. I’m still trying to cut back on my beer consumption! Bad Ben doesn’t help much with that! 😉
Came across your blog through my TNT teammate Okolo’s website. Great stuff! I wish I had the willpower to forego weekly martinis..I’ll have one in your honor tonight! 🙂
what do you use for a computer for those graphs? Polar?