Running IS Math!

Miles Run This Week: 4
Days until Burlington: 138

Apparently, I'm not the only one on Resolutionpalooza. When I walked by the BSC in Central Square last night - there was a line 5 people deep to check in. Like it was a bar. Really? Really. So I kept walking. Totally not worth fighting for a tiny sliver of mat to do some planks on. Now Tuesday was a rest day, and Friday will get a nice workout.

Since college, I've been advocating for a points-based-ranking system for gym space and equipment. If you got a point every time you went to the gym (and like...2 when it's not January/pre-swim suit season/really effing hard to get out of bed that day) - if you had more points than a Sallie-come-lately, you can kick them off of a treadmill or take their weights (especially if they don't actually know how to lift - without correct form, you're not doing anything, cupcake). This is a much better alternative to weaving between girls wearing makeup with their hair down who are waiting to use the elliptical.

But so it goes. A good chunk will burn out in another 3 weeks, and I can probably squeeze an after work session, rather than begrudgingly dragging myself out of bed at 5:45 when it's 10 degrees (10!!!!) outside to make sure I can sweat in peace.

So, I already wrote about my MapMyRun download, and the epiphanies that went along with it.  I'm now just discovering all the tools that go along with the app on the actual website. I can actually record the weather, my mood, and write some notes to go along with each run I record (and I can manually add workouts in case I'm 'mill bound one day). This is going to make my "Keep a running log" resolution a ton easier. Usually keeping information online is tough for me - what do you do when you're not near a computer? But now that I can use my phone to track my workout, and update on the fly, this might actually not be too bad.

The RW "Run a Marathon in 4:30" training plan looks like it only has running 4 days a week, with a lower long-slow-distance run starting point and lower weekly mileage than my current plan. I like this for a couple reasons:
(1) Even though I said I wanted to run 5 days a week through December and January, in reality, I'm only hitting about 3 days. So even if I can get up to 5 days a week, it's not make-or-break at this point.
(2) The weekly mileage starts at 15 miles - the plan I currently have is 25 miles. My average weekly mileage for the past 6 weeks is about 12.5 - so 15 is within reach. I'm slated to do 19 this week, and peak around 23. But still, even if I can't get above 20, it's not make-or-break anymore.

This takes the pressure off of me to try and perform at such a high level before I start training - because training to train is pretty stupid. So this will be a nice base building 6 weeks - long miles, staying within 50 to 60% of my max heart rate.This apparently does science-y things like increase your blood volume (which helps when you need to bring oxygen to your muscles) and improve glycogen storage (which is fuel for running - "carb loading" fills up these stores) and strengthens the connective tissue in your body (which helps with the impact of running on your body). I'll probably repeat this period in June of this year - to come down off of the marathon high, and ramp up into training for DC in July (July 8th!).

I'm still going to try and have 6 cardio sessions a week - but make everything but running non-impact. I'm going to try and find my max heart rate tomorrow during my first weekday spin class! So much for Running Not Being Math - all those years of decimals and percentages and calculations are certainly helping now. Are heart rate-based workouts and training only something for the elite? I guess I'm going to find out (hopefully not the hard way).

Also - for the record - I have yet to do any yoga in 2012. But I stretched a ton while strength training this morning! It's a start. That's what it's all about, right?