These past week I’ve been adjusting my running schedule, as I’ve mentioned in several posts, looking for that magic number that will work for me physically AND mentally – as well as fit into my already crammed schedule.

A few things I’ve done:

• Decreased mileage from 30 to about 25-26
• Added in some cross training
• Increased stretching
• Been flexible with schedule- if I don’t get up at 5, I get up later and run with the toddler in the stroller

I actually feel much better in terms of health. More rested, looking forward to the runs again, less stressed, no knee pain, no back pain, etc . . . and not fatigued during the day.

However, my time has taken a hit. Since I didn’t do any speedwork the past two weeks, I noticed my 9:15 miles are now around 9:25.

A few weeks of speed training and, gulp, my time has decreased.

I’m not going to push working on that now. I’m still adjusting the schedule and ‘taking it easy’ for a few weeks to get my running spirit back in order. However, I do need to add in a few sprints during my short Thursday runs, when I also do cross training. So tomorrow I will work on a three miler with a few sprints in the mix, before getting onto the bike and doing a few miles.

How do you fit in speed work when you are running less? And when you stop speedwork for a while, do you see it in your regular running times?

If you are like many runners you are obsessively possessed with the sport.

Yep, I said it. Maybe you don’t vomit green or you can’t turn your head 360 degrees, but if you are a runner, chances are you constantly think about running.

What’s my speed?

How far did I go?

When will I run again?

Sound familiar? Look, I know you: I am you!

So it’s no wonder that we sometimes burn out, whether our bodies tank because we are doing too much or mentally we are unable to sustain a ten mile-or ten minute-run!

When this happens, it means we need to do some change ups. I’ve talked about this in previous posts, some of the aftermath of overtraining. This might include:

• being overly tired, despite a great amount of sleep
• feeling as though exercise, and running, is a chore rather than something you want to do
• getting injured
• ignoring and injury to continue running

For me, this list would also include being dizzy, losing too much weight, and getting frustrated with everyday things that should not be frustrating.

To tackle that head on, I’ve begun my cross training routine again. I had given that up when we moved since I wasn’t training for a particular tri, but now I have my sites on a tri this fall and figure I might as well begin X-training – especially since I was suffering from some runner’s burnout.

This morning I did 5 on the bike, 3 on foot. It went well, and I felt pretty energized when I finished. I can’t wait to get into the pool, wish the water would hurry up and heat! Next year, I’m definitely joining the Y to get in my swim workouts when the pool lis cold. I miss swimming; I think I love it as much as I do running. The cardio is awesome and the workouts are powerful. The bike – not so much for me. I enjoy it, I guess, but I don’t feel like I’m working extra hard when I’m pedaling. Still, I do like the fact that I can go much further than running during the same amount of time.

Every athlete can benefit from cross training. It keeps the various muscle groups working, it reduces your chances for injury (over repetitively doing the same thing – like running 6 days a week), it frees you up mentally (I feel) because it allows you to concentrate your efforts on a variety of training routines rather than just one, and since each exercise works different muscle groups it really helps improve your overall athletic ability.

Are you burned out? Try something new tomorrow. Bike rather than run, or split it up: Bike for a few miles, run the rest. Try swimming, which rocks when it comes to cardio and calories burning (in comparison to other exercises). Do a mini-tri, which was one of my favorite workouts in LA: bike, run and swim each in a set period of time – say one hour – breaking it up into 20 minute increments for each sport. Fun! Challenging! And sure to get you out of the workout doldrums!

Til tomorrow (my running day off, now that I have switched my long runs to Sunday), happy running!

Does it seem to you that working out requires a constant change of schedules?

Just when I get it down, something happens to blow it all up!

Last night my husband said he wished I would run on Fridays instead of Saturdays, so we could sleep in together.

Now, Saturday has been my long run day for a loooong time! Yet I knew he always wanted it to not be. I hated saving it for Sunday; I really rather get it out of the way.

But, to keep marital relations in tact, I’m doing it: I’m making the switch!

I know, doesn’t seem like a big deal to some, but if you are a runner you know what this means: flopping many days, not just one!

So now my running schedule will be:

Sunday – long

Monday – short recovery

Tuesday – off

Wednesday – 5 or so

Thursday – 4 or so

Friday – 3 and a bike ride/swim

Saturday – Off

Of course this means either run tonight, four nights in a  row, or take two nights off. Still not sure what I’ll be doing.

In other news, my blood work all came back normal! The doctor seems to think my blood pressure could have been dropping, but as I posted earlier, I’m not convinced.

Since all is thankfully well, I’m going to be cutting back just a bit on my runs and eating more. I’ve gained back a few pounds already – I’m sick of eating all the time, but it’s working!

I added in the gatorade to my runs, and this Sunday – new long run day of course! – will be adding in eating a power bar during the run for the extra calories and energy.

So far, I have felt better this week. I believe the extra calories and the cross training is working.

And how have your runs been?

And happy Easter!

So yesterday I headed off to the doctor’s office for myself -something I rarely do.

Yet I felt that some things I’d been experiencing warranted a blood draw.

In the past three weeks I’ve been extremely tired. I’ve also had some episodes of dizziness/lightheadedness – one of which was the blackness washes over you as you walk across the room variety – no fun! I’ve also had a few headaches – one a migraine that not even ibuprofen could fix – and I’ve been feeling rather run down.

As a distance runner, I sometimes don’t know how much of what is going on with me is due to not training correctly and how much could be an issue – so I figured I’d let an expert decide.

I did find out a few things:

1. I’m not anemic, my first thought
2. My blood pressure is low but normal, she says, though it came back at 114, which looks ok from what I can tell (runners have lower blood pressure anyway and it appears low is under 90)

She mentioned I could be experiencing drops in my blood pressure throughout the day, which would explain dizziness.

I’m not so sure it is that, though. She did a CBC, and I’ll get the results in a few days.

I have tried not to google anything (lupus comes back!) but that’s hard for me. However, I believe part of this could be training related. I’m wondering if:

1. I’m not getting enough sodium based on the change in humidity from Ca. to here
2. I’m not getting enough food for my training needs (I have lost a few pounds and I’ve mentioned before that’s not good for me)
3. I’m not getting enough rest

So, I’ve decided to make a few changes in my fitness and diet.

1. Eat more calories. I’ve been doing this the past few days to see if I can bring my weight back up. I lost 3 1/2 lbs, which for me is quite a bit. I want to be back up to my regular weight as quickly as possible. I don’t want to have to keep a calorie journal because i do so poorly at this – and I don’t have time. But if need be, I will. (big sigh!)
2. Drink Gatorade on long runs. I’d stopped doing this when my runs dropped below 10 miles. Now I’m at 10-12 so I want to add it back in. However, as humid as it is here in the summer, I think I’ll add it back in one runs over 5. And I will mix the gatorade with water since the straight stuff about kills me to drink!
3. More rest. I’ve been going to bed and trying to get 8 hours a night.
4. Drop back to 5 training days, two off. I added a day of running a while ago so I’m doing 5 days of cardio. Then I would do strength on Monday and Friday so I was actually working out -even if not cardio – almost everyday! Now I will only do 5 days, whatever I can fit in. That’s it!
5. Cross train. I want to do my first tri next fall so I’m adding in swimming and biking – today I biked for the first time in a while, only 3.5 miles after a 3.1 mile run. When the pool warms up enough I’ll begin swimming.

I’m not sure if there is something weird going on in my body or if I’m just tired and overtraining and not training responsibly.

I do know that when I’m training for a race I’m very cautious about what I eat and what I weigh and how much I rest, and when I stop training all of those great words of wisdom head off with my running shoes. So, perhaps I’ve just been making poor choices.

In other news . . . .

I’m excited about cross training. I miss swimming, and think that once this summer ends and winter rolls in again I’m going to join the Y so I can continue swimming workouts. I really feel 5 days of running for me is a lot – maybe I’m not yet ready for that many miles and two young kids, or maybe I need to reconfigure my workouts some so I’m not always getting up at 5 AM and I can have some sleep in days.

I have to pull up the tri I want to do and post it. Once I get my goal out there, there will be no turning back!

Happy running (biking and swimming!) Off to the Burger King play area – yes, I said it, I do live in a small town now! – for some entertainment for the kids until I go grocery shopping. My mom is coming in for Easter and I have a new menu planned – can’t wait!

So I have been a food eater on my long runs. Anything over 12 miles, and around mile 7 I begin munching on something – usually a power bar, though in my first marathon I ate goldfish like they were going out of style (and then wouldn’t eat them for months after!)

Now I have a new strategy: Begin eating at mile 7 and make the power bar last for quite a few miles. If I eat too much too quickly my run suffers; if I don’t eat at all, my stomach feels empty.

I’ve tried gels, but don’t find they stick with me. Though they give me energy, I need something in my belly for the long haul.

So today’s question is this: When doing the distance, do you prefer to eat something or use a gel? And why? Also, at what mile do you begin?

No run today, just core and arms. Yesterday I did an easy 4 after Saturday’s 12. My legs felt good but tired. Still battling my weight. Today the scale dropped down so I’m 4 pounds lighter than i need to be. I ate everything in sightthe last two days, too, and when I say everything, I mean everything! If this doesn’t fix itself soon I’ll have to count calories, which I hate to do. I never carry through with it, it’s time consuming, and I just don’t have the extra minutes in the day!

Giveaway! Yes, we haven’t done this – I was so tired last week I didn’t come online, so today since my daughter is off for spring break she will be picking the winner of the core giveaway and I will post the results tomorrow. Good luck!

Happy Running!