Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Starting off... 10x100 strides - 124 days to go

After my 10-mile race on Sunday, I took a hard earned rest day on Monday.
Tuesday, today, I began my Pfitzinger 18-week program. I attempted the “7 miles w/10x100 strides” workout. Let’s just say that I barely know what this looks like, but I gave it a shot. It’s tough cranking out those sprints in the midst of a steady 7-miler.

I felt reasonably good and did at least 8 or 9 sets of strides. I think I lost count, however, and am not sure if I made 10.

Today’s workout was a total 7.3 miles in about 53:30, which included the sprints. Didn’t even feel that sore from Sunday’s hard race.

Another rest/x-train day on Wed, and then Thursday calls for a “General aerobic run” of 9 miles.

Running and its adverse social impact? I have co-workers who go out to lunch often. I want to socialize and build relationships with them. However, I run in the morning, which can put a squeeze on my schedule sometimes. I don't have time take a 60 minute lunch sometimes, because I take my extra time for running.

Secondly, I don't need to be eating the crap that they eat on a daily basis... chinese, burgers, fries. But if I always decline, I'm fearful I will be isolating myself. Can anyone relate?

9 comments:

LeahC said...

Good job on the strides! for sure you are so speedy :-) Make sure you are recovering all the way between each sprint, but if you are and each sprint is still a quality sprint then you are fine. nice job!

i love the question about lunch. I don't have to worry about the time constraint becasue being a grad student we pretty much set our own schedules but as far as the food goes. If you don't want to eat the fast food you could bring a lunch with you and then still have lunch time with folks, but not having to eat the crap food. Or try and push places where you could get a healthier option to eat.

Triseverance said...

Nice work on the strides, I tend to put them at the end of the run but have heard from many that sprinkle them in, like Leah said just make sure you are completly recovered.

Lunch, you need to find balance plain and simple. Both are important. You don't run every day, you need to make time for the social aspect of work. Ya know the part that my wife thinks is far less important then it really is. Playing golf with clients is to her just playing golf. Going to happy hour with business associates is just having beers. yada yada yada. Don't let yourself become isolated, but also never sacrafice your goals.

Anonymous said...

I have the same problem all the time...I don't really feel like going to lunch, happy hour, or staying out late with my grad school classmates (I had the same problem when I was working)...but I do feel like it's bad for me not to network. I usually force myself to go occasionally and just consider it part of the job. However, I would be lying if I said I went enough. Sometimes I just don't go with the justification that life is too short to spend time doing what you don't feel like doing. In short, I could do a better job of getting myself to such social events.

SRR said...

YES!!! I relate so much to that social aspect, because the teachers I used to teach with ate like SHIT! I would never go into the faculty room for that very reason! What's the solution? Stronger will power? I have that, but what they eat makes me sick.

yumke said...

I can identify. I walk into work already having done my run. At lunch, I'm soups and salads, no sweets, no fried food.

And since i'm running a 5 mile race tonight, i went out in search of carbs in the form of a small takeout bowl of rice from a Chinese resto (followed by a clif bar and a banana in a few hours)

Ah, running life...

Bridgette said...

Not that I am by any means a runner....I do know that training takes up a lot of my limited social time.

I would say that if you make the effort every once in a while, it should be enough. That way, you stay interesting... but not a weirdo & anti-social. :)

It is hard to bring food to a restaurant...and sometimes not allowed. Plus, while everyone is getting their food, you're staring at yours wishing you could eat, but you want to be nice & not be a huge pig & be done while they're eatin! I would just opt to eat a salad or something like that, if you feel like it has been too long.

Bob, happy hour with the associates isn't JUST BEER! It's also MARGARITAS & JAEGER SHOTS! ;)

mg said...

I go home at lunch to deal with puppy, but my husband kind of deals with a similar lunch situation. It would be much healthier/cheaper if he either came home or brought a lunch, but when he does that his friends stop calling him to do anything. It's rough.

BTW, I lived in Newtown when I was in elementary school so your CT-related posts take me back!

taylor said...

I can TOTALLY relate. I work in the advertising industry so there's always bad food around the office and people going out for fun lunches. It's hard to draw the line, but, it's only for 3 more months. After that you can join them for all the lunches your tummy can take.

Good luck training!

Unknown said...

I suppose this means I will have strides in my program as well. I have never done strides so that should actually be interesting. Nice job on the 10 miler.