Even though I did quite a bit of "recreational" running ("Run for fun? ... What's the fun in that?") in college and even did some 5Ks and 10Ks after graduation, the running part of the tri worries me the most. Partly because I am going to have to do it at the end (after swimming and biking) and partly because even though I have run in the past, it has never come easily to me.
So this morning, I ran six miles. Okay, to be more exact, I ran/jogged/walked/lumbered for 6 miles. It took about an hour, which is a pretty slow pace, but hey, this is the first time I've run more than 4 miles in OVER FIVE YEARS.
Derek, who ran a marathon in Alaska last year, recommended that I try "5-1"s, which is running for 5 minutes and then walking for 1 minute. The theory behind this technique is that running and walking use different sets of muscles ... so instead of "running until you drop" and then walking the rest of the way, if you start interjecting some walking earlier in the "race" you will actually be able to run longer and faster.
Anyway, being as out of running shape as I am, I modified this to 4-1's ... which I did for about the first mile and a half ... and then it became 3-1's and then 2-1's and then 1-1's by the end. What surprised me what that my heart/lung capacity was NOT the limiting factor for the run distance/speed; it was my legs that were getting tired. This was definitely not the case when I ran in college. (All that swimming is really helping my cardio!) But I really never out-and-out stopped at all the whole time, so I am happy!
The first run of my triathlon training is behind me. :-)
So this morning, I ran six miles. Okay, to be more exact, I ran/jogged/walked/lumbered for 6 miles. It took about an hour, which is a pretty slow pace, but hey, this is the first time I've run more than 4 miles in OVER FIVE YEARS.
Derek, who ran a marathon in Alaska last year, recommended that I try "5-1"s, which is running for 5 minutes and then walking for 1 minute. The theory behind this technique is that running and walking use different sets of muscles ... so instead of "running until you drop" and then walking the rest of the way, if you start interjecting some walking earlier in the "race" you will actually be able to run longer and faster.
Anyway, being as out of running shape as I am, I modified this to 4-1's ... which I did for about the first mile and a half ... and then it became 3-1's and then 2-1's and then 1-1's by the end. What surprised me what that my heart/lung capacity was NOT the limiting factor for the run distance/speed; it was my legs that were getting tired. This was definitely not the case when I ran in college. (All that swimming is really helping my cardio!) But I really never out-and-out stopped at all the whole time, so I am happy!
The first run of my triathlon training is behind me. :-)
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