Medals holder from my brother

My brother made this holder for me. He made it all by hand with an old piece of wooden from a church he is restoring

Bye bye 2011....it was a great running year!!

I am so original that I have been doing my balance of the year!!! LOL...I am sure this is a very original idea right??.......After carefully thinking about it I am really happy with the balance.

My youngest follower!!

I only have one of my goals still pending (a sub 2 half marathon) but I have achieved all the other goals I had for the year!! woohooo....at least now I have already one goal for 2013 :)...it is always good to keep something to be looking forward for...(this is a nice way to say it !!). I have run 3 marathons, one 50K, one 50 miler, 5 half marathons and other races...doesn't seem a lot but I am happy it is much more that the previous year......and now I feel I even need to do much more in 2013!!!

After the NYC marathon last November I haven't been running that much,  may be just 3 times!! yes really!! Two weeks after the marathon I ran 12 miles with some friends that were running an ultramarathon  and in someway and started to have a horrible pain in my hip during that run.  

The day  after that I went on vacation to Argentina, to visit my family, and I was hoping to get some runs done there since it was spring and I was missing the warm weather. I rested for a couple of days and when the pain was gone I went for a short run. I only did 4 miles but after that I had such a horrible pain that was even difficult to walk.  I decided to take the rest of my vacation easy and I didn't run at all for the next 2 weeks.

Back in NY  and with no signal of hip pain I decided to go for run....I did 6 miles and that afternoon I couldn't even walk again.  I had a party that night and walking with high heels were really painful. 

The pain stayed with me constantly for the rest of week and not even anti inflammatories helped.

You might wonder what the doctor said? ..well...I didn't go... :)....I know what I have and I know what they will tell me....I took another 2 weeks off, no running at all and just doing some training on the stairs (oh...I got into the Empire State Building run up!!!)....the pain was still there...

I got obsessed again doing research about osteoarthritis, treatments, supplements etc...I am really scared about not be able to be as active as I am now......always the same conclusion....it is not proved that running can make it worst but it is not recommended and in general everyone says that people with osteoarthritis eventually has to stop running as the pain is really strong.  

Berlin

Also,  I have read that as you are loosing  cartilage between your joints the movements are less smooth and you also lose flexibility to move your legs...dammit...I am already slow enough and now I am loosing movements!!! ##@@#&$#@$%&$@

Anyway...I won't let this to interfere with my running dreams...(I hate people that complains all the time)  ....I have been running with this pain for the whole year and I am glad I have never used it as an excuse...if you can't handle it...go home!! LOL... but stop using things as excuses!! That is my motto!

I started to feel better this week and since Sunday I have been able to exercise 4 consecutive days and my pain is not that bad...it is even less every time I run (knocking wood)....hopefully I will be back in full training soon!!! God that I miss that!!!

Running with Bart Yasso!

After 2 vacations, post marathon blues, the holidays and not being able to run...well....lets just say that I have started an strict diet this week!!!!

I have signed for 2 races in January, before my time off,  so  I am not sure I will have enough time to train for them but I might just do them anyway and have fun!! 

I am having a hard time deciding which marathons/ultramarathons I want to do next year...I do hate my busy season at work because most of the races I really want to do are a couple of weeks after my busy season so I know I won't have enough time to train for them...I need to think a little more about what I will do next year...I still have 2 days until 2013!!! but I better decide soon as races are filling out  so fast now...even ultras!!! unbelievable!!! I was looking at one 100 miler @ July...and it is already full!!! I couldn't believe it...more than 350 people signed up already....and there is a waiting list....yeah a waiting list for a 100 miler!!!  ARE WE ALL CRAZY!!!! HAHA

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HAPPY RUNNING MY FRIENDS!!

....look who is back :)

I have totally failed in my goal of keeping my blog updated!! I haven’t written in a very long time!! So many things have happened that now it is even tough to try to summarize what I have been up to! I don’t want to spend much time trying to tell you all the things that I have done but will try to do a brief summary and then once again try to go back to normal posting J How many times have I said this??

Since my last post I have run several races, the most important once are the Queens half (July), Conservancy run for Central Park 4 miler (first PR in a long time!),  Berlin Marathon(September – I will have an special report on this one) and Staten Island Half (October).

Training has been going great and I have been doing speed classes all summer. I PRd in Berlin even though I was sick for the previous 2 weeks and I wasn’t feeling totally recovered that day.

The second half of the year was more about quality on my runs than distance. As per my running related volunteer work, I have paced several long runs as the Long Training Run 1(July) and 2 (August)  and the 3 Bridges Run (October), all 20 millers and I also have been a mentor in Team for Kids all summer. I really enjoy to do these activities and help other runners with their training as they also help me to stay motivated! Irena blowed away my 100 bike ride, yeap it was schedule for that weekend so it got cancelled. They couldn't reschedule it for another weekend so now with the fall here I will need to wait until next year to sign up again for it....bummer.

Next challenge is NYC Marathon in just 10 days, I haven’t decided yet if I am racing it or just doing a fun run....sounds crazy to say that you do a marathon for fun right?, may be I will refrain for saying this to non runners :) as they already have enough material to call me crazy.   I did push a lot in Berlin…I gave everything I had and I don’t want to push my body after what happened there (details to come!!). I got the PR I wanted for this year so I don’t feel the need to race NYC but who knows….maybe I have a good day J

What do you do when you are supposed to run but you don’t feel like doing it?

May be you need a rest day…so take it…..listening to your body is very important but if you are just being lazy…..

Last night I needed to run but I felt like just sitting down and watch TV. I was not sored, I was not injured, I hadn't worked hard.......I had no real excuse......I did it for 5 minutes and then I stood up and got ready. I told myself to at least get dressed and see if I was feeling better about running…. But I was feeling the same way…” I don’t want to move my legs, I don’t want to go anywhere” ….I evaluated my options:

1- Take a rest day

2- Go the gym

3- Run anyway

Option 1 had most of the votes  but I knew that I was going to hate that decision later. I went to the gym during lunch time and did weights and abs so option 2 wasn’t really very good…that left me with only one option……go running… but how to make sure I was going to really finish my run ?? I have a list of things I do when I feel this way…

1- Do an easy run. You don’t want to run, you feel lazy but you finally decide to put yourself out and do it…so at least don’t kill yourself…take it easy and give your body a little of the rest it is asking for. Make it fun, enjoy it!! Go to your favorite place.

2- Run in a place where you will meet people you know. You might end running with someone and that will motivate you or if you are like me and you don’t like people to see you walking… ……there is no way I will walk where someone might see me 

3- Run far from home so you are not tempted to cut miles every time you loop around your apartment!! I try to split my run in 2 and run away from home until half the distance……there are not way to come back other than running!!! …and don’t take your metro card with you!!

4- Think about this run as an endurance training…….you are tired you don’t want to run, your legs don’t want to move…that is how I feel in the middle of an ultra!! But you keep going…you need to finish it…running in a bad day allow you to practice how to keep running when your body says STOP!! This is a good training!!

5- Think about your goal… there is much more than today’s run in your decision!! Focus!! focus!!

6- I don’t listen music when I run but if this helps you…set your favorites songs and rock it!

I finally went out and did the 6 miles I had in my schedule. I ran an easy pace what was a good recovery from the long run and bike ride over the weekend. Also, since I have speed class tonight, a slow run couldn’t kill me. I was tempted to stop several times but kept telling myself that if this were one of my ultras I couldn’t stop……that I needed to push it…..I started to think about the last 50 miler and how tired I was but I kept running…so HOW COME I WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO RUN 6 MILES!! I also thought about the 100 miler and how mad I want to do it….but wait…how come I will ever train for that if I don’t even want to run 6 miles!!....KEEP RUNNING CLAUDIA!!!! ....as I always say…EVERYTHING IS MENTAL!!! I felt so much better when I was done!!!

God... 6 miles can be so tough sometimes!!!

A little behind with my posts but moving forward with my training!!

With all the craziness of the long weekend I didn't post about my last week training and now  just seems to be so far away!!  

I think the balance of the last week and a half is good...except for Sunday :) ....I have been feeling really good and my legs feels almost normal again....I think I am finally recovered  from the ultra and can focus a little in my speed.....Berlin: I am going for you and a PR!!!!


Monday:  Hill work out....1.5 miles warm up  7 x 1/4 mile hill repeat  recovering on the downhill (I am following Scott Jurek advice to adapt the ultra training for my marathon training) 1.5 miles cold down

Tuesday: Speed Class ...1 mile warm up, run 3 min On, 1 min Off, 2 min On, 1 min Off, 1 min On, 2 min Off...and repeat...we did it in a hilly area of the park so it was a combination of speed and hill work...and a very humid and hot afternoon!! (On= fast, Off= recovery pace)

Wednesday: 17 miles bike ride

Thursday: 7 miles tempo run

Friday: off from running or biking - I did crunches, push ups and others....oh yes...I am starting with core training!! it was about time!!

Saturday: 16 miles @ Marathon pace
Sunday:  well....I was supposed to ride 40 miles :) but when I woke up it was raining and ...well.....I took an additional day off...shame on me! I was lazy!!

Monday: 8 miles - easy

Tuesday: Speed Class - 1 mile warm up - 12 x 400's repeats fast with 1 minute recovery in between....first time in a long time I was able to run some of the repeats at 6:38!!! and the others at 7:30!!! for my pace...that was fast!

Wednesday: I was a mentor with Team for Kids and we did speed work out... I was the pacer for the slow group so the pace was slower than my own speed class but still a good workout... we did  1.3 miles warm up,  5 x 400's repeat  with 300's recovery in between, 1.3 miles cold down.

Everything is mental....if you think you can do it...you will do it!!! keep training!!

I have been spotlighted!!!!

As some of you know I am a member of the New York Flyers. I really like and enjoy running with them because there are so many talented runners in the club!  as a new runner I am learning from them in every run!! I also like that there are many different types of runners in the club so I can be running with a sprinter one day and with an ultramarathoner in the next one. 

The  club has a blog and also a quarterly newsletter where sometimes they Spotlight some of the runners with a biography.....I have to admit that I was really surprised when the editor told me that they wanted to include me as the member spotlight for the June newsletter....I don't think I have a very interesting story not to mention that my runner career is really short and not  really very outstanding :) anyway I was honored and I accepted. 

Can you believe that some members that I didn't know have recognized me in the street and told me that they like it!! LOL...it is kinda fun but at the same time a little scared....people I don't know now know things about my life.

The newsletter it is only available for members so I can't share the link, which is sad as it is a really nice article with photos etc....but I thought it could be nice to share it with my blog readers too....after all it is already out there ...and what is in the Internet  it is not private anymore!! but don't expect any juice info here...it is not that personal!!! LOL

Spotlight on Claudia

CPA / Runner / Ultra Marathoner

In case you were wondering where my accent is from ...

The Early Years

I was born and raised in a small town approximately 30 miles from Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. Although it’s a short distance, I didn’t spend much time in the city when growing up. My family has a huge house there, and I spent a lot of time outdoors. My grandfather used to have a big garden that at times seemed more like a farm than a garden. He had rabbits, ducks, chickens and a lot of vegetables. I still remember when my baby brother was born, my grandfather gave me one of his rabbits to sleep with as I didn’t want my mother to go to the hospital without me. I squeezed the poor rabbit the whole night! I was just 3 years old but remember that night very clearly. (Or maybe I have heard the story so many times that I think I remember it?)

When my grandfather passed away I picked up his farming hobby and started my own garden. For many years I had not only beautiful flowers but also tomatoes, lettuce, carrots etc. I spent a lot of my free time working in the garden. I used to dream about having my own Japanese garden at home but I didn’t have money to buy all the materials I needed.

I was a very active child and spent a lot of time playing outside, climbing trees and fighting with my brother and cousins; I was the only girl in the family so I needed to learn how to defend myself.

I have a very small family: my grandma, my mother and my brother. We are a very typical “Italian” family. My grandparents were from Italy and we kept most of their lifestyle where family and food are the center of the universe! Life in Argentina is different from the lifestyle here. Families live together and when you go to college you don’t leave home. Actually most of the people leave home just when they get married! Can you imagine that? And even then you probably buy a house a few blocks away from your parents or in-laws. I always thought my life would go in that direction too.

My teenage years were very tough and I needed to grow up very fast, but I had a wonderful mother who took care of my brother and me and to whom I owe everything I am now. I learned at a very early age that if you want something you need to work for it, that nothing is granted in life.

My mom taught me the importance of education. She always took care of giving me the best education she could afford, even if that meant that she couldn’t go on vacation, buy a new dress, or even a good meal. She took me to English classes because she thought it was good to learn a second language, wow! as if she knew my future! Mothers know, right? But I was horrible at it! It was really difficult for me and I used to tell my mom that I didn’t need it because I would never live in a place where people speak English. Lesson learned — NEVER SAY NEVER.

However, I was a good student, a nerd actually. Seriously! I always wanted to get the best grades and be the best one at school. I was the one sitting in the first row all the time and knowing all the answers, but English was always my Achilles heel. If you haven’t spoken with me I must warn you, I have problems with the “J” sound — it comes out “sh”. I can’t pronounce GYM and when I say “John” people think I am saying “Sean”. Other than this, I think you should be able to understand me!

Anyway, the classes helped me to make some money. I started my own “business” teaching English to other kids in the neighborhood. I wasn’t that good, but for those kids, who had no idea about English, I was like Mark Twain. And their parents were happy to pay me for their lessons.

During high school I was part of the softball team at school. I was a pretty good pitcher but I was not crazy about sports, and I dedicated most of my time to study. In my family, school and study were a priority, and sports and arts were not important for anyone around me, as I grew up without considering these essentials.

College Bound

I studied accounting at the University of Buenos Aires where I got my degree as a Public Accountant. In Argentina, the most prestigious universities are public, and most students have to work full time as well as attend school. I wasn’t the exception and I knew I would have to work if I wanted to study because I needed to help my family.

I started working in an administrative position in a full time job just 15 days after finishing high school. I was 17 years old and I haven’t stopped working since then.

For the next six years I worked all day and then commuted for two hours to attend classes at night. The system is different in Argentina. Once you choose a career it generally takes a minimum of six years to complete if you are a good student. During those years I was very busy working all day, going to college at night and studying on weekends. Sports were not part of my life at that time. In fact I was totally a couch potato! When I think about those days and how active I am now I cannot believe the difference!

My career brought me to the Big Apple!

During my last year at college I began my career as an auditor. I joined an international firm as a beginner auditor assistant and started a great career.

For the next nine years I gained experience. Year after year I was promoted until I became a Senior Manager. I was lucky enough to find my career and what I like to do when I was very young. I love my work and I am not shy to say that I am really good at it.

Six years ago my boss told me that they wanted to send me to New York City for two years to represent Latin American in the Global Methodology department of the firm. It was a good opportunity for my career, but I was really confused about it at the same time. I never thought about leaving my country and my family. I didn’t even have a passport because I had never travelled outside Argentina before.

It was a tough decision since I was very close to my family and I felt responsible for them. However, my mom, even though she really didn’t want me to leave, gave me her blessings and told me that I needed to take the opportunity. Everyone was trying to convince me, but I was feeling very guilty about leaving my family. I remember a female partner in the office who called me and said “You can’t say no! Do you watch Sex and the City? Your life can be like that! You must go to New York!”

I came to New York to meet the people I was going to work with and they took me in a boat ride around Manhattan. It was night and there was a band playing “New York, New York”, on the boat. That was the first time I saw the city. It was like in the movies for me, I never dreamt of something like that, and I was pinching myself to make sure I was really awake. I felt on the top of the world!

Some months later I moved to New York, I had a job but no family or friends. I didn’t know anyone in this country, but I felt in love with the City immediately and I knew I had arrived home!

Getting Active

I joined a hiking group and I started to go hiking almost every weekend, but sometimes the hike was just too slow for me. I had too much energy to just keep walking and I started to run in the trails. My friends were telling me that I should join a trail running group, but at that time I had no idea that such things exits. These were my first steps to trail running!

The next few years were amazing for my career and my personal life. I got to learn a lot working for the most important partners in the firm as well as travelling around the world for free!

I had a great position that allowed me to travel for meetings to many countries in Europe. Work was not very demanding though. It was something easy for me and that gave me a lot of free time to enjoy my trips and also New York. Also, during this time I took the CPA exams to become a CPA in the US. It was a reward for many years of hard work.

After three years of “Living La Vida Loca” they wanted me back in Argentina, but I was not ready to leave yet. Mom gave me her blessing again (I told you we are a very Italian family!) and I decided to quit my job and stay here.

New job, new life and a new love — running

It wasn’t the best time to take this decision as it was the beginning of the 2008 economic crisis and most people were laid off. I was really lucky and it just took me one resume, one day and one interview to get a job in a similar company in the same position. My mom was right, studies do help and a good resume can open many doors even if you don’t have any contacts.

Finally, after many years of hard work, I took 3 months off before I started working in my new job. It was at this time I started to run.

My first time running was with a co-worker who almost forced me to go with her. I always thought that running was so BORING! She took me to the reservoir and we ran two loops non-stop — my first 3 miles ever! I had no idea about running or running gear; I didn’t have running shoes so I ran with golf shoes! Yes! I ran for the first time with golf shoes, cotton jersey and cotton spandex in a very warm July day!

The next day I went back by myself and I did 2 loops again. The following week my friend took me to Urban Athletics and I bought my first pair of running shoes.

For the next 3 months I kept running the reservoir loop adding a little more every few weeks, my goal was to be able to run a complete loop in the park without stopping. How easy does that sound now, but at that time it was a huge project for me.

The day before the 2008 NYC marathon I was able to run my first Central Park loop. While doing it I crossed the finish line and saw the preparations for the marathon but I had no idea what that was all about. I was totally clueless about running.

The next morning, I saw in the news that they were running just 2 blocks from my apartment and I went to First Avenue to check it out. I didn't even know how long a marathon was at that time. I was on First Avenue and could feel the energy of the crowd cheering the runners on. I decided right then that I was going to run the following year and the crowd will cheer me on too! I went back home and Googled the NYC Marathon. It was too late to do the 9+1 so I decided to join Team for Kids, and five months before the marathon I started training with them. First, I needed to build a base, so in January 2009 I ran my first half marathon having only done a 10 mile run on the treadmill! I didn’t drink water because I didn’t want to stop and I didn’t eat a gel because I didn’t know about them!

I learned all these things with Team for Kids and it was there where I also learned about the Flyers. Glen Wiener and Brian Hsia were my coaches. After the marathon I decided to join the Flyers because I wanted to keep running.

So, a year later, there I was, running the 2009 ING NYC Marathon and thousands of people I didn't even know were screaming my name for 26.2 miles. That day I knew I would never stop running. I love running because I feel peace when I am out there. I can connect with my body and the environment. I don’t think about anything else other than the road, and since I don’t use an iPod (not even in my lonely long runs) I can perceive things that otherwise I would have never noticed.

Running long — Ultras

Soon after running my first marathon, my friend Celia Kajula started to speak about this crazy idea of running an ultra. I thought she was crazy because we just ran our first marathon and almost couldn’t even walk for a week afterwards. She kept speaking about it, and at that time I also became friends with Deanna Culbreath, an amazing ultra marathoner. So I started to Google about ultras and getting more and more information. Soon the idea sounded interesting.

Just some months after running my first marathon and before even signing up for my second marathon, I was already signed up for my first ultra, a 50 miler, which I did last October in 10:05 hours. I will never forget the moment when I crossed the finish line; it was the most amazing feeling of accomplishment I have ever felt. That day I knew that I am going to run ultras for as long as my body will allow me.

I was motivated by the idea of expanding my physical and mental limits. I need motivation all the time, I need a goal. The idea of completing a 50-mile ultra seemed a new frontier for me. I believe that with proper training and dedication anyone can run far. Having the determination and persistence needed to train for an ultra is the most important part of the training. I wanted to explore how much determination I had to push myself when my body says “STOP!”

A week before starting the training for my first ultra I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my hip, and even though three doctors recommended that I not run longer than 5 miles at the time, I decided to keep running. I did everything I could to recover from the pain: exercises, joint supplements, ice baths. I almost did the whole training in the Bridle Path to avoid the concrete. Have you ever run 27 miles in the path with no iPod? Trust me — it is boring! I have run several “solo” marathons in the Bridle Path.

I have a very demanding job and during winter I work around 70 hours per week, including Saturdays. Training with this busy schedule it is not easy and most of the time I need to do my long runs before going to the office. It is not easy to squeeze a 26 miles long run and get to work on time when you are a slow runner!

I have been training with some Flyers that fortunately for me are early birds, so we get together on Saturdays at 7:30 AM to do loops in the park. Just to mention some: David Gains, Ed Altman, Elle Green, Steve Hewett and others.

Sometimes I go earlier and do 1 or 2 loops alone and then I join them for the rest of my long run. I am happy to be in such a great running club and have the privilege to run with people with so much experience who are so supportive. Being a relative new runner, I am like a sponge absorbing all the information I can from all the amazing people in our club.

A couple of weeks ago I ran the 50K North Face Endurance Challenge Bear Mountain as a training run because in a few days I will be running the North Face Endurance Challenge Washington DC 50 miler. I am looking forward to it. [Editor: Claudia fiinished the DC 50 miler on June 4th in 80° temps!] My dream is one day to be able to run 100 miles.

Giving Back

Running has given me so much that I wanted to give it back. Last year I joined the NYRR Young Professional Committee. The group raises funds and awareness for NYRR’s community-based youth running programs which promote physical health, emotional well-being and personal achievement in schools and community centers in New York City, across the United States and around the world. I am very involved with this group and we organize many events during the year. I hope the Flyers keep participating in these events as it is a great way to spread our love for running!

Other random things about me:

• Until I was 20 years old I seriously considered being a nun.
• I love cooking. I almost never order food and I can’t leave my apartment without having breakfast first, never! My grandma always told me that you have to have something in your stomach before leaving home and even now I still follow her orders!
• I am very determined. When I was in my early 20’s I decided to move a pile of rocks the height of a house with my own hands. I got blisters, calluses and my hands were bleeding, but I moved the rocks. It took me 3 complete weekends.
• I have a running blog that is on my firm's intranet. At the last Christmas party some people wanted to have a picture with me. So funny! The day before my first ultra, the marketing department sent an email to the whole firm saying "Run Claudia, Run!" I got around 200 emails wishing me good luck. They are very supportive with my running. I guess there are not that many “ultra auditors” .
• I met my best friend at college 18 years ago — this is the longest relationship I have ever had! In all these years we have never fought.
• I have more good male friends than girlfriends, but my few girlfriends are gold!
• I am very handy and I can repair almost everything at home. I also know how to change all the fluids and the oil in a car.
• I ran a race dressed up as a fairy and my picture was the main photo in the NYC marathon website for a week!
• I don’t hunt but I know how to shoot a gun.
• I don’t know how to swim so I will never do a TRI, but I just bought a road bike and I hope to do a duathlon soon.
• I love horror movies and I don’t scream watching them.
• I don’t like avocados! Why does everything in New York have avocados?

Long run and bike riding!

Just a short update on the training side....The second half of the week went even better than the first one!! I think I am finally recovering and I can start my new training plan for the second half of the year.  I felt much stronger and I haven't have a single pain or soreness.  Friday was my first day off since the previous Friday and I really enjoyed!!!  On  Saturday morning I met my usual Saturday running group and we all went for a long run. Some of us needed to do 16 miles and others 14.  I am one of the slower in the group so when they  are doing their " easy runs" for me it is really like a tempo run!! LOL 

I still need to figure out  my pace "goal" for the next marathon. With all the ultra training I am not sure anymore about my pace. I have been slower but because I was tired.  I am not really sure how much I can improve if I am not exhausted for running a "marathon" every weekend!!  I think it will take me a couple of weeks  until I can see the effects of being "rested" and the result of the speed work on my pace. 

I did the 16 miles faster than my last road marathon pace but slower than my half marathon pace on Brooklyn a few weeks ago (Not that I was looking to do that pace for this run as that was one of my best half) .

I have also  started to do more cycling this week and hopefully I will keep doing it at least 2 times per week. My goal is to do a short ride during the week (@ 15 miles) and a long one on the weekends.  It is a great cross training and  I am also hoping to do a Duathlon sometime soon.

Thursday: 15 miles bike ride

Friday: Off
Saturday: 16 miles (2 complete loops in Central Park + 1 lower loop)
Sunday: 32 miles bike ride

How to train for any distance as an ultra-marathoner!!!



Scott Jurek and I

 I am sure you have already noticed that I am very organized and basically a nerd!! I have spread sheets and lists for everything!! So when I attend to runners conferences, forums or presentations I take notes!! Lot of notes!!

A time ago I went to a presentation from Scott Jurek where he shared with us tips to apply ultra marathons training for marathons an half marathons.

I am sure he won’t sue me for sharing this!!!

All the training data comes from my notes from his presentation and I will just add some comments and order to the info. (Appologies in advance if any of my data is wrong...I did my best to take good notes :))

He started speaking about Specificity. Something that seems to be basic but maybe sometimes we can easy forget about this.

“ Training should be relevant and appropriate to the sport in order to produce desired training effects.”

In another words, we should know the event requirements i.e. endurance, speed, distance, terrain etc. We should also know our strengths and weaknesses and do specific “smart” training and be aware of our body. Always ask yourself “ Why am I doing speed? Why am I training hills? etc ” Know the why of each work out”

Back to Back

One of the key training "secrets"  from ultra-marathoners are the “ Back to back long runs”

This is a technique to develop endurance and it consists of 2 long runs performed on consecutive days to train muscle fatigue.

It is a way to simulate muscle fatigue at 2/3 or 3/4 of race distance. This can be applied in the following way to shorter distances training:

                                      Saturday                                    Sunday


Ultras:                          30- 40 miles                              25-30 miles


Marathon                     15-16 miles                               14-15 miles


Half                               7 -9 miles                                   7-8 miles


1 every 3 to 4 weeks.

Uphill tempo runs

Uphill tempo runs should be done at lactate threshold (85% to 90 % of 10K – 15 K race pace) for 20 to 50 minutes. A good guidance to know this pace: it should be a pace you can hold for at least 60 minutes.

This type of run develops aerobic power and specific strength for up hills.

Ultra:                         2 x 40-50 minutes up hill.

Marathon:                  2 x 20- 30 minutes or 1 x 30- 50 minutes

Half:                           1 x 20 – 30 minutes

If you don’t have a hill around, you can still do the workout using the treadmill at a 3% to 5% for beginners and 5% to 10% experienced runners.

Down hills repeats


Consecutive down hills runs of 1 to 30 minutes develops eccentric strength and muscle fatigue resistance.

Ultras:                                      2 x 20-30 minutes.

Marathon:                                 7-10 x 1-5 minutes

Half:                                     7-10 x 30 seconds to 1 minute

If you don’t have a long downhill around just repeat a small downhill more than 10 times.

Recovery runs

Easy runs (50% to 60% effort) of 30 -75 minutes.

Allows the body to actively recover from hard efforts with mild aerobic training effect. It can be done before and after hard sessions.

Ultra:                  60- 75 minutes

Marathon:           45- 60 minutes

Half:                    30- 45 minutes

Doubles

Running twice in a day at 50/75% effort. Develops fatigue resistance, aerobic conditioning and in some cases acts as active recovery.

Ultra:                                    60-70 minutes

Marathon:                             45-60 minutes

Half:                                      30-45 minutes

Thanks Scott!!!

 

Now get out and move your legs!!! Everyone can train as an ultra runner!!!

Mid week balance: Almost back to normality!!!

This week training has been much better!! I am slowly going back to normality!!  Last Sunday I did my longest ride bike ever 29 miles and I think I am finally liking this new sport.  I just needed to start doing it with friends, it so much fun!! even if you are not riding with them all the time just knowing that they are around and that they will  pass you or you will pass them or just get together at the end...it is much more excited with friends!!!

I am also enjoying my role as a mentor but I have learned one lesson: the days I am assigned to work with the beginners I need to get my run done before, I can't count on getting my miles with them as you never know when you will need to walk  the whole work out to help someone.

Yesterday I did my first speed class of the year!! wow...I have really avoided it for this long? It is not a secret that I am not a fast runner but  I used to have a decent pace which I have lost during the last year for just focusing on ultras. I didn't do speed classes and  I was tired all the time for doing so many long runs that my races very getting just slower and slower!!! It was time to do something about it!!!  I will try to focus more on  my speed during this second half of the year...we will see if I can stay away from ultras for some months...and work more in my half and marathon pace ...Berlin here I go!!

Soaked but happy!!

This is what I have done these days:

Sunday: 29 miles ride bike

Monday: 5.5 miles run

Tuesday: Speed class -  @ 1 mile warm up - 1 x1 mile, 2 x 1/2 mile, 4 X 1/4 mile- @ 1 mile cold down

Wednesday:  6 miles ...soaked tempo run with my friend Celia (tempo for me, like a walk in the park for her!! she is much faster than me!!)....final pace a little slower that our plan...it was pour raining, we got soaked and we were dragging our soaked shoes around the park...couldn't even see where we were running!! Murphy law: after 30 minutes the rain stop and it was sunny!!

Just 2 days until Friday!!! woooooohoooooo...hang it there!!

Are we, simple mortals, condemned to the one day rule?

It has been 2 weeks since my 50 miler ultra and I haven't totally recovered yet. Even though I wasn't sore after just 2/3 days,  my legs are still tired. I am happy that I didn't get injured and that my hip pain latest just 2 days but  I was hoping to recover faster from the muscle fatigue :( to start my training for my next marathon. I took a week off and started running last Sunday again. During the week I worked out every day except Friday but I am not happy with the quality and quantity of my runs.

Sunday: 3 miles
Monday: 6.5 miles - easy- as I was mentoring a beginners group
Tuesday: 15 miles bike ride
Wednesday: 4.5 - again very easy with the beginners group
Thursday: 13 miles bike ride - Hard...hills repeats
Friday - off
Saturday - 6 miles

This is really a low millage week for me  but  my legs feel "heavy" and  I can't run fast. Also I am really tired!! I have been sleeping so much!!! 

Today I was hopping to do 2 loops in Central Park but I was running so slow that it didn't make any sense to keep going.  I was energy less even though I had a lot of carbs yesterday.

After my previous 50 miler I did some research and read forums and most of the articles mentioned that in "general" takes 1 day per mile   to recover after a huge effort. That means 50 days!!!  I think that the last time took me like 3 weeks and then I ran the NY marathon and around mile 22 I felt pretty tired. I was hopping that being this my second 50 miler I could recover sooner.

There are many people that are ready to race again just after a couple of days, not to mention those ultra runners that runs another ultra just the next weekend!!! 

I think  is so hard to tell how long it  could take to each person  to recover. Everyone is different to start off, we are trained to different levels of fitness and of course we all  have different predisposition to recovery naturally. 

I also looked at my races and workouts during the last 2 months and it does make sense that my legs are tired...after a very hard training and crazy work seasons.  I noticed that for the last 3 months I have done much more long consecutive runs (20+ miles) than never before and just during May I ran : a trail hilly marathon, a 50 K at Bear Mountain ( the most difficult course I have never run) and the 50 miler......all this in just 44 days!!!  May be I do need to give my legs  some credit and let them to be lazy for a couple more days!!!

Dear Legs: I  will try not to get mad with you these days, I am thankful for all the effort and  good times you gave me and I will patiently wait  until you recover.  I know you will then catch up with the training,

Love my inner runner!

Listen to your body!!! it is also part of your training!!

Running with Marshall Ulrich...it wasn't an empty run!!

During the last 2 years I have been very lucky and  had the opportunity to run with many elite runners. Most of them has been very nice but everyone knows about my preference for Scott (Jurek) who until know has been by far my favourite runner. This Sunday I had the honor to meet and run with Marshall Ulrich and he definitely made it to the top, now Scott has to hare his podium!!

We were a small group for the run so we all get to run and chat with him. Since the moment we met him I noticed how nice and kind he is.  He introduced himself to everyone and during the run he was very chatting and asking questions about how we have started running, why, etc.  I mentioned I am from Argentina and he told me about his expedition there to climb the Aconcagua and how he lost his passport in the mountains and needed to get a new one in Buenos Aires. 

He is a very charismatic person and you just need to look at him to discover that he is also a gentleman. He seems to be very calm and down to earth.

After the run more people joined us and Marshall did a presentation of his book "Running on Empty" which  relates part of his life and how he started running,  but mainly  it relates his run across America. 

I have to admit that I wasn't aware of all his accomplishments and once  he started with the presentation I was astonished!!

I am now in Chapter 5 and with every page I read I keep saying "wow"!! 

It is very interested to read how he started running, why and how running changed his life in so many aspects.

The love he felt for his first wife is just a story by itself, one that could easily make it to a movie.

I am not an avid reader and I have to admit that as much as I like running, in general I don't like reading running books. Nevertheless, I can't put this book down!! 

It is more than a story about a runner, it is real, touching and inspiring in much more aspects than running. It is a book about running that even non-runners could enjoy.

 It is the story of an ordinary man that one day became extraordinary.

He is an  ultramarathoner, explorer and  elite extreme endurance athlete. You name it and he has done it all even though he didn't start running until he was 28 years old! 

• Completed  more than 120 ultra marathons averaging over 125 miles each.

• Reached the summit of each of the Seven Summits, including Mount Everest, all on first attempts.

• Competed in all nine Eco Challenge adventure races – something only two other people in the world have done – and has completed 12 expedition-length adventure races.

• Crossed Death Valley a record 21 times, including a solo and 586-mile quad crossing.

• Completed a 3,063-mile run across America, equal to 117 marathons in 52.5 days, breaking the Masters and Grand Masters record; the third-fastest crossing ever on the San Francisco to New York City route.

• Won the Badwater 146-mile race from minus 282 feet to the 14,494-foot summit of Mount Whitney a record 4 times – and still holds the record to the summit.

• Finished a record 15 Badwater146 ultra marathons.

• Completed the Leadville Trail 100 and Pikes Peak Marathon on the same weekend – a feat no one else in the world has achieved.

• Completed all six 100-mile trail races, finishing top-10 in five of them, in the same year – and was the first person ever to do so (in 1989).

• Won two silver medals in the national 24-hour championships, with a PR of 142 miles.

You can closed your mouth now!!

And what's next???

I can’t believe that I already ran the ultra…I mean…I had that in my mind for the last 5 months and now it is gone…I feel empty. I worked so hard to accomplish this and now in just 11 hours it was over. It is rewarding and sad at the same time. It was even tough to move the race from the box “ what I am running next” to “ Races Completed”. I think it will take a couple of days or weeks until I get engage with my next challenge and I feel excited again with my training and the new goals.



I need to give a rest to my legs!

Last night I did my first serious run after the ultra and it was really tough! My legs felt perfectly well during the week and I thought I was 100% ready to start training for Berlin but I guess I still need to recover a little more. After just running 1 mile I could feel my legs very tired and heavy. I did 6.5 miles  that felt like another 50 miler!! After all it has just been 9 days since the ultra!!!

I was supposed to start with speed classes this afternoon but I have made some changes to this week schedule so my legs can fully recover. It doesn’t make sense to start a new training season with tired legs. Instead I will ride my bike tonight!! I have a Century coming soon and I haven’t started training yet so it is a win win situation…cross training and put some miles on the bike!!

I have been working on my schedule for the next 4 months so I can accommodate both, running and biking. Of course running is most important for me.
I know I said I couldn’t run another ultra soon as I wanted to focus on my speed for the second half of the year so I can PR in Berlin but the bells are ringing again and I am looking for another 50 miler …..I am addicted!! Not sure whether I will do it or not yet but I have started to look at some 50 miler for the end of the year.
I am very looking forward to another training season!!! It has being just 9 days but I already feel training withdrawal!! I need to go back to the routine and my goals!! I am missing the excitement of training!! Yes I know…it has only been a week!! LOL

Did I tell you I am going to be a mentor in Team for Kids this year? I am very excited about it!!! My first day as a mentor is tomorrow and I have been assigned to help the 4 miler group. I will be the sweeper and run in the back to make sure nobody is left behind and help the people that may struggle with the distance.

And here we go again!! I think I have too many goals for the second half of the year…not to forget that I am also going on vacation to Europe for 2 weeks plus I have a friend visiting and we will be doing some short trips to DC and Boston….it is going to be a busy summer/fall!!!


The next 6 months at a glance:


Berlin !



- Queens half - July

- North Fort Century : 100 miles bike ride - August

- Berlin Marathon – September

- Staten Island Half – October 9!!...just the day after I arrive from Europe  it will be a tough one!

- NYC Marathon- Nov 7th

- Possible another 50 miler??? @ November 19…to be confirmed…

You can do more things that you think you can!!