Training beginnings

My running weakness is an anomaly. I have done copious research – of my own experience, and online. Nobody actually knows what causes this problem, but we all have our own theories. I am one of a group of women that experiences “extreme abdominal cramps” during what is predominantly shorter runs, either at a fast pace or going uphill, and regardless of what time of the month it is in our cycle. These cramps are ridiculously painful, they have been described as “debilitating”, “like getting shot in your pelvis” etc., and necessitate a slow walk, or more commonly, a fetal slump on the side of the trail, for its cessation.

I mention this because this occurred yesterday morning. Still a “successful” run, as I did indeed wake up at 6:15 am and get out and complete two fast miles before said slumping, it is nevertheless a brutal enemy. As the time has now changed, I have moved by weekly runs from running around the business district downtown after work to the careful navigation of leaf-piles in the neighborhood at a significantly earlier time. As of now, my schedule is comprised of shorter runs during the week (one hill run, one speed, one medium-length run, one easy run or a cross-train day), a day off before my long run on Saturday, and a short run the day after the long run. This is designed to maximize recovery after and resources during the long run that will be the crux of the training, along with the regularity of very slowly increasing daily runs. The goals are: do not overtrain, maintain the schedule, listen to your body, complete the long runs.

Paraphrased from Rory as she mentioned in relation to her previous half marathon trainings, ‘it is often the first five miles that are the hardest’. After this last Saturdays’ six mile run, I say “True Dat”. Especially in this cold, I look forward to runs that take two to three miles to warm up my body, and two more miles to locate the internal rhythm that, once synched with the subtle movements of the orbiting and gravitational earth, can slide you along for forever. Thus yoga and stretching and careful listening will become more and more primary as the temperature drops and the miles rise. Also I have to remember to eat more. Please don’t let me forget guys, I have a habit of doing that – I prefer the second beer to the second helping.

Today I opted out of my morning run for a long yoga session, as my shins and hips were noticeably as tight as a rubber band pulled around a basketball. I am terrified of developing shin splints as bad as sophomore year. Unbearable. Unwalkable. Certainly unrunnable. So I have dedicated myself to a run this evening from work, around the white house, around the capital mall, it is one of my favorite runs. Mom, I know you are worried, it being dark and dangerous things being possible, but it is precisely worrying about the possibilities of these things ALL THE TIME that has kept me from pursuing just this goal previously. It will be rush hour, there will be police around, I will not wear my ipod, and I will wear white so as to be seen. And, I will thoroughly enjoy it.

I will be posting thoughts on my training for the 2010 Paris Marathon during the next 23 weeks. I apologize if it is seemingly irrelevant, or sometimes an overshare.