Dear Coach Derrick,
Thank you so much for another GREAT year of training. I still can't believe that the girl who met you for coffee to discuss training 2 years ago was me. She had many dreams and I'm the one who gets to live them.
You took a "middle of the packer" and moved me that much closer to the front, but more then that your positive approach to running and life has also been a great inspiration to me. I am just discovering that running is a sport that bestows upon its participants so many gifts beyond winning and medals. There is the discipline and satisfaction one gains from putting in the training, the never ending journey of self awareness every race reveals and the amazing camaraderie of other runners as an omnipresent force making this whole experience a safe place to explore and challenge our limits without the fear of failure or judgement pushing us forward towards our greatest potential.
I am so appreciative to have had the opportunity to share my journey with you and Sara and the group of runners who have also found refuge here in the SHA family.
Thank you again and I am looking forward to another year of training and self discovery for myself and everyone here.
Sincerely yours,
Eliza Murphy
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
NO DOGS?
I have meant to put these photos from a trip to Florida up for a while. I just think the sign is hilarious.
I am pretty sure that the dog has more chance of outrunning that alligator then the guy does.
The trail this sign was posted on looped around a swampy area and despite the sign I actually went for a jog there as it is the only dirt trail around and I was getting tired of running on the paved roads. It was the dry season so most of the alligators were not that far inland...I hoped.
Post Sandbanks 5km race I felt really good with no knee or calf problems for my effort. Just to be on the safe side I made sure to ice my knee and calve/achilles daily for the first few days. I had some easy NO Garmin runs and an amazing long run with a 50 minute slow tempo in the middle of it as preparation for the longer Sydenham 8km race which is only 3 weeks away.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
STEPS
A great week of training in Florida. The humidity and heat was crazy and I tried my best not to complain about the added discomfort and instead concentrated on running strong and with purpose. I had 2 aqua-runs this week and 4 road runs including a very successful interval run on Tuesday and a great long run on Saturday.
I find I spend a great amount of my running time thinking about my running form. One day I hope that such mundane thoughts will no longer clutter my brain during runs however at this point in my running career I am still figuring out how to put one foot in front of the other. I wrote this poem about my running form struggles.
I find I spend a great amount of my running time thinking about my running form. One day I hope that such mundane thoughts will no longer clutter my brain during runs however at this point in my running career I am still figuring out how to put one foot in front of the other. I wrote this poem about my running form struggles.
STEPS
Sometimes the steps are HARD: SLUGGISH, SLOW and HEAVY,
Sometimes the steps are EASY: EFFORTLESS, FAST and LIGHT.
Yet every step does carry me: BODY, MIND and SOUL,
Across the distance by but, the POWER OF MY MIGHT.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Monday July 27th to Sunday August 2nd
Things felt really great this past week and I am almost ready to retire my poem from the top of this Blog. If all goes well this week then I will take it down.
I had 7 days of workouts including 3 days aqua-running, 3 days trail running and 1 day rowing on the Egometer due to rough water. My knee was good as gold all week and it was nice to finish each run without that horrible building knee ache which has been my cue to pack it in lately.
It has been 3 months since my knee problems began and one year since I ran in the Kingston Tri which was the goal race that got me training in the first place. It will be nice to start working towards some new/old goals now including the Sandbanks 5km and the Sydenham 8km.
I had 7 days of workouts including 3 days aqua-running, 3 days trail running and 1 day rowing on the Egometer due to rough water. My knee was good as gold all week and it was nice to finish each run without that horrible building knee ache which has been my cue to pack it in lately.
It has been 3 months since my knee problems began and one year since I ran in the Kingston Tri which was the goal race that got me training in the first place. It will be nice to start working towards some new/old goals now including the Sandbanks 5km and the Sydenham 8km.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Aqua-Running...A Devious Plan?
"Aqua-Running"... is it a true alternative to "Land-Running"or just one coach's devious plan to keep an unsuspecting land-runner occupied and sane while her broken body heals?
I had that thought the other day while I was aqua-running at my usual snails pace and being blown out of the lake by the swimmers including World Champion Triathlete Scott Takala. What if this aqua-running thing is just an elaborate scheme that my coach thought up to keep me off my feet so as to let my runner's knee heal? I really hope that all of this treading water fast and going nowhere slow will somehow translate into maintaining my running fitness and get me land running more again soon.
Last week's training was a smorgasbord of fitness activities having added sculling into the mix on Monday and Wednesday nights, core on Tuesday and Thursday, aqua-running Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and land-running Monday, Thursday, Sunday. With all that I put off weights until my day off Saturday and only did my arms plus leg rehabs and pull-ups. It was a bit intimidating to get back on the water in a scull but by the end of Thursday's row I felt I was almost back in the swing of things. I also feel that I really hit my aqua-running groove on Friday's interval run and land-running had me meeting or exceeding my planned time outs before yee ole knee began to whine.
I had that thought the other day while I was aqua-running at my usual snails pace and being blown out of the lake by the swimmers including World Champion Triathlete Scott Takala. What if this aqua-running thing is just an elaborate scheme that my coach thought up to keep me off my feet so as to let my runner's knee heal? I really hope that all of this treading water fast and going nowhere slow will somehow translate into maintaining my running fitness and get me land running more again soon.
Last week's training was a smorgasbord of fitness activities having added sculling into the mix on Monday and Wednesday nights, core on Tuesday and Thursday, aqua-running Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and land-running Monday, Thursday, Sunday. With all that I put off weights until my day off Saturday and only did my arms plus leg rehabs and pull-ups. It was a bit intimidating to get back on the water in a scull but by the end of Thursday's row I felt I was almost back in the swing of things. I also feel that I really hit my aqua-running groove on Friday's interval run and land-running had me meeting or exceeding my planned time outs before yee ole knee began to whine.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Monday July 6th to Sunday July 12th
This week I was back to 6 days a week of training. By adding the Aqua-Running to my schedule I am finally able to get consecutive days of running in again . It's not real running but I will take it over having 3 days off a week anytime.
-Monday was 35 min. running with 2 x 8 min. light tempos and 2 min. recovery's.
I only made it through 30 of the planned 35 min. due to a building knee ache but luckily managed the tempo segments fine and ran them perhaps a bit fast at 4:12 pace. Derrick suggested that perhaps my fresh legs played a factor with my speed but I am wondering if my Garmin is just completely messed up. Plus weights x3 and leg rehabs.
-Tuesday was 30 minutes of aqua-running.
I think my first attempt of aqua-running went quite well. I still had some form issues to work out but could see how this would be a good substitute for running on land. As I fastened the aqua blue float belt around my waist and headed towards the lake I could sense that some kids who had barely grown out of their water wings were a bit confused at my getup. In a way I kinda felt like a Superhero in my Super Belt as I waded deeper and deeper into the lake. Finally I could walk no more so as instructed just kept my legs moving like I was running on land. I was able to go across the lake and back before my teeth began to chatter from the cold water so I ended my test aqua-run a bit early at 27 mins. Missed core again...felt bad but got over it.
-Wednesday was a 30 minute easy run. I found my legs felt a bit tired and heavy from the aqua-run the day before.
-Thursday was another aqua-run for 30 minutes with 5 x 90 second intervals and 30 seconds recovery.
I did even better on my second attempt and the water was warmer so no teeth chattering. I also saw the cutest gaggle of geese out aqua-running. There was 20 of them and as they passed in front of me in a long line I felt as though I could have joined right in behind them. Plus stretch/core class.
-Friday was 35 minutes running with 15 minutes Diagonals on the soccer field.
Same workout as last week with 5 more minutes of Diagonals. I wore a patellar tendon strap which seemed to keep my knee a bit more stable. Plus weights circuit x3 and leg rehab exercises.
-Saturday was my one day off this week. Only one day off, how did that happen? Feels fantastic to have added in the aqua-running on what would have been off days due to my knee. Plus leg rehab and pull-ups
-Sunday was a 40 min long run. My knee was just about to complain as I hit the 40 minutes. I can't figure out how Derrick got that one just right. It is nice to have someone calculate all this for me.
-Monday was 35 min. running with 2 x 8 min. light tempos and 2 min. recovery's.
I only made it through 30 of the planned 35 min. due to a building knee ache but luckily managed the tempo segments fine and ran them perhaps a bit fast at 4:12 pace. Derrick suggested that perhaps my fresh legs played a factor with my speed but I am wondering if my Garmin is just completely messed up. Plus weights x3 and leg rehabs.
-Tuesday was 30 minutes of aqua-running.
I think my first attempt of aqua-running went quite well. I still had some form issues to work out but could see how this would be a good substitute for running on land. As I fastened the aqua blue float belt around my waist and headed towards the lake I could sense that some kids who had barely grown out of their water wings were a bit confused at my getup. In a way I kinda felt like a Superhero in my Super Belt as I waded deeper and deeper into the lake. Finally I could walk no more so as instructed just kept my legs moving like I was running on land. I was able to go across the lake and back before my teeth began to chatter from the cold water so I ended my test aqua-run a bit early at 27 mins. Missed core again...felt bad but got over it.
-Wednesday was a 30 minute easy run. I found my legs felt a bit tired and heavy from the aqua-run the day before.
-Thursday was another aqua-run for 30 minutes with 5 x 90 second intervals and 30 seconds recovery.
I did even better on my second attempt and the water was warmer so no teeth chattering. I also saw the cutest gaggle of geese out aqua-running. There was 20 of them and as they passed in front of me in a long line I felt as though I could have joined right in behind them. Plus stretch/core class.
-Friday was 35 minutes running with 15 minutes Diagonals on the soccer field.
Same workout as last week with 5 more minutes of Diagonals. I wore a patellar tendon strap which seemed to keep my knee a bit more stable. Plus weights circuit x3 and leg rehab exercises.
-Saturday was my one day off this week. Only one day off, how did that happen? Feels fantastic to have added in the aqua-running on what would have been off days due to my knee. Plus leg rehab and pull-ups
-Sunday was a 40 min long run. My knee was just about to complain as I hit the 40 minutes. I can't figure out how Derrick got that one just right. It is nice to have someone calculate all this for me.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Monday June 29th to Sunday July 5th
This was the training week I was hoping would put an end to my knee troubles. It started out encouraging but began to fall apart half way into my Saturday run when I had to stop my tempo early. I did manage to set a push-up and pull-up record though so that is something to hold on to. The knee is being real stubborn so Derrick has loaned me his aqua belt for a little water running. Stay tuned to next week to see how that turned out.
Despite the discouraging run on Saturday I was happy with my other workouts and that my speed has not abandoned me completely. I do feel however that I should back off a bit now that I have confidence that it is still there.
I like to reaffirm my running goals on a daily basis to keep my mind focused on the future and not bogged down in the disappointment of my current knee problems. I repeat mantras such as, "I will run a sub 20 minute 5km in 2009....I am a fast runner who runs hard and finishes strong". Keeping my mind full of positive thoughts keeps me moving forward mentally if not physically at this point in my training.
-Monday was weights x 3 circuits plus rehab for knee.
I decided to go for a push-ups record so as per usual counted backwards from my goal # of reps. This time I was going for 30 so counted down to 1 then dropped to knees to do 10 more. Arms were toast for the rest of the workout though it was nice to have a new baseline. Dropping down to knees to get in 5 or 10 extra has been key to getting my reps up over the past year.
-Tuesday was running 25 min. with diagonals on the soccer field.
I ran for a total of 15 min. corner to corner with a recovery run over the top or the field then corner to corner etc. etc. This was a fun workout and easy on the legs. "Easy on the legs/knee" seems to be the theme of my workouts these days.
Skipped core due to lack of babysitting for the day. Almost talked my daughter into doing the class with me but she backed out at the last minute.
-Wednesday was my day off. I may have done leg rehabs and pull-ups but if I don't write it down I forget quickly. Thank goodness for running journals( I use Training Peaks with my coach).
-Thursday was the run I had been looking forward to all week. 31 minutes with 4 repeats of 3 min. with 3 min. recovery.
I did my warm-up, recovery's and cool down on the grass edge of the track and ran the interval repeats on the track. I had my Garmin with me but really wanted to run how I felt. I was hugely surprised after the workout when I noted my pace and realized I ran 4:42, 4:45, 4:26 and 4:00. I almost made it around the track twice on my last 3 minutes. I swear I was NOT STRAINING.
-Friday was weights and rehab for knee
-Saturday was a 45 minute run with a 15min. tempo thrown in to mix up the speed.
My Coach thought that if I could make it 45 minutes without my knee complaining then the worst was behind me. Unfortunately my knee was unhappy from the get go and put an end to my little running party 10 min into my tempo(25 min. into the run) and I walked/jogged(mostly walked) home.
Plus 3 x leg rehabs and pull-ups with 5-4-3 reps(must admit that I was not lowering myself much during the set of 5 but was a nice way to mix it up a bit)
-Sunday was another day off
Despite the discouraging run on Saturday I was happy with my other workouts and that my speed has not abandoned me completely. I do feel however that I should back off a bit now that I have confidence that it is still there.
I like to reaffirm my running goals on a daily basis to keep my mind focused on the future and not bogged down in the disappointment of my current knee problems. I repeat mantras such as, "I will run a sub 20 minute 5km in 2009....I am a fast runner who runs hard and finishes strong". Keeping my mind full of positive thoughts keeps me moving forward mentally if not physically at this point in my training.
-Monday was weights x 3 circuits plus rehab for knee.
I decided to go for a push-ups record so as per usual counted backwards from my goal # of reps. This time I was going for 30 so counted down to 1 then dropped to knees to do 10 more. Arms were toast for the rest of the workout though it was nice to have a new baseline. Dropping down to knees to get in 5 or 10 extra has been key to getting my reps up over the past year.
-Tuesday was running 25 min. with diagonals on the soccer field.
I ran for a total of 15 min. corner to corner with a recovery run over the top or the field then corner to corner etc. etc. This was a fun workout and easy on the legs. "Easy on the legs/knee" seems to be the theme of my workouts these days.
Skipped core due to lack of babysitting for the day. Almost talked my daughter into doing the class with me but she backed out at the last minute.
-Wednesday was my day off. I may have done leg rehabs and pull-ups but if I don't write it down I forget quickly. Thank goodness for running journals( I use Training Peaks with my coach).
-Thursday was the run I had been looking forward to all week. 31 minutes with 4 repeats of 3 min. with 3 min. recovery.
I did my warm-up, recovery's and cool down on the grass edge of the track and ran the interval repeats on the track. I had my Garmin with me but really wanted to run how I felt. I was hugely surprised after the workout when I noted my pace and realized I ran 4:42, 4:45, 4:26 and 4:00. I almost made it around the track twice on my last 3 minutes. I swear I was NOT STRAINING.
-Friday was weights and rehab for knee
-Saturday was a 45 minute run with a 15min. tempo thrown in to mix up the speed.
My Coach thought that if I could make it 45 minutes without my knee complaining then the worst was behind me. Unfortunately my knee was unhappy from the get go and put an end to my little running party 10 min into my tempo(25 min. into the run) and I walked/jogged(mostly walked) home.
Plus 3 x leg rehabs and pull-ups with 5-4-3 reps(must admit that I was not lowering myself much during the set of 5 but was a nice way to mix it up a bit)
-Sunday was another day off
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday June 22nd to Sunday June 28th
Well Blogger since we last spoke I was headed out for a 35 minute run on Sunday the 21st of June. That run went well and this Sunday I increased my long run up to 40 minutes without a word from my knee. I am still running every other day though due to a disastrous attempt on Monday the 22nd to run on consecutive days. I could not finish the scheduled 20 minutes and after a minute of trying to ignore the building pain finally had to stop 30 seconds short.
-Monday was a disaster stopping at 19:30 of a 20 minute run Plus weights and leg rehabs
-Tuesday was core/stretch and I also saw my Chiro. for some Active Release Therapy and discussed the Pros and Cons of running using The Pose Method.
-Wednesday had me running 25 min. with 3x2 min repeats and 2 min recoverys on the grassy edge of the track. The repeats felt so good that I declared "Life is Good...Again". Plus leg rehabs x3 and pull-ups
-Thursday was core/stretch
-Friday was 25 min. on grass Plus weights and leg rehabs x3
-Saturday was a total day off
-Sunday was the BIG 40 minutes with a bit of Fartleking thrown in to break up the speed. Plus leg rehabs x2 and forgot pull-ups
I am excited also that this Wednesday is the 2009 Limestone Mile Road Race. This race will be my focus over the next year as I plan on running it in 2010.
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