Sunday, July 10, 2011

Switching Gears and Run.Love.Bride

With my first half-marathon of the year under my belt (I've done six half-marathons since 2007 in case you were wondering), I am now focusing my training on one of my goal races for the year... the Ragnar Relay.

Official "Van 2" photo (with my goddaughter being held by Travis) from the 2010 relay
The training program I developed for myself last year worked great, so I'm revisiting it again this year.  What makes it so helpful are the following guidelines:

1. Run in the heat to get used to race day conditions.

It was already scorching hot early on in my first leg of the relay
I will be doing plenty of running after work when temps are in the 80s and 90s.

2. Hill training

Teammate Jack crests a nasty hill during his first leg of the relay
I have a few hilly routes that I run specifically for Ragnar training.

3. Run 2 to 3 in 24 (run two or three times within a 24-hour period).

Photo taken after yesterday morning's run.  I ran Friday evening, as well.
Last year during the relay, I ran my first leg about 5:00 Friday afternoon, my second leg about 3:00 in the morning Saturday, and my third leg about eight hours later.  Relay runners need to get used to running on tired legs.  I usually do 2 in 24 every week or every two weeks: run 2-4 miles on Friday evening, followed by a Saturday morning run of 5-7 miles.  In August, I will have the opportunity to do 3 in 24 with a training run sandwiched between two races I'm planning to register for.

I probably do a lot more training for Ragnar than other people, but I like to be prepared. :)

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If you follow Linzi over at beyond DESTINATION 26.2, then you know she is getting married this month!  Hooray!

Aneta over at My Running Bucket is hosting a virtual race in honor of Linzi.


I chose to dedicate my Saturday morning run of 5.6 miles to Linzi.  This run was a tough one, having already put in 3 miles the night before AND running in heat and humidity yesterday.  But I gutted it out and finished in 52:55.

I'm going to be jumping on board the marriage bandwagon come September, so I don't have any advice for her that comes from my own experience.  All I know, from what others have told me, is that marriage is wonderful but it's also hard work.  It's a lot like running.  Sometimes, you have awesome training runs and races where everything goes perfectly, and then sometimes you have runs (like mine on Saturday) where it's hot and your legs are feeling sluggish and you want to give up but you tough it out anyway.  Marriage will be the same way: you'll have periods where everything is great, but then you'll have some rough patches along the way (sickness, financial problems, career woes, etc.).

Future hubs and I are going to have a well-known Scripture passage read during our wedding.  Even if you're not Christian, this passage can still serve as a way to gauge your relationship.  Is my marriage (or my relationships with my parents, siblings, children, etc.) reflecting love in this way, even in the rough patches?

Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8, New International Version)

Best wishes to Linzi and J. Alabama as you start your new life together!

If you have any advice or well wishes for Linzi, be sure to visit her blog and leave a comment.

16 comments:

  1. You're so dedicated and awesome. I learn a lot from reading your blog!!! I am in awe of your amazing ability to push through!!! Great set of recent runs. One of the guys in my half mary class is a Ragnar Relay alternate for a team. Good luck training through the heat - you're smart to do it - it will definitely pay off in the end, but it's definitely difficult! I'll be thinking of you while I'm out on my hot summer training runs!!!

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  2. I have to disagree.... I don't think marriage is hard work. Sure, there are disagreements and compromise but hard work? Not at all.

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  3. I can't wait to hear more about how the Ragnar goes! I had so much fun last year, and agree, having practiced some running in the heat would have been good!

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  4. Kudos to you for running, myself? Not. a. runner.

    Came to your site via Sara's blog.

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  5. Ragnar sounds soooo fun! Run at 3 am?! Bet that's a crazy experience.

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  6. I would love to run a relay one of these days, and I think I would put just as much into the preparation as you do. Might as well make the most of it!!!

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  7. With the Great Lakes Relay this weekend, Leo has been in serious relay-training mode, so no, you're not the only one who takes relay training seriously. I'm actually rather thrilled to not be doing this year, which I'll be blogging about tomorrow probably.

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  8. Awww!!! Thanks for running in my honor Richelle! And I am super excited for you and your future hubs to tie the knot too!

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  9. Sounds like you have your training plans down. Have fun at the relay. The hardest part for me was training in heat when I have done them.

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  10. I know peeps who have run Ragnar.. they LOVE IT!!!!!!! Marriage.. yes HARD WORK. I'll be married 17 yrs this August and it wasn't all roses. That being said it takes commitment, love and lots of prayer. I wouldn't change it for anything

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  11. A good plan but take care and save energy for the day of the race.
    Marriage? This is my 32° year.....no advices...

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  12. I've run quite a few relays but I must say I've never trained for it. I've always used the relay as training for some other race.:) For me a relay is all about fun, so have lots of it.

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  13. Thank you for posting these tips Richelle!!!! So key right now. I'm training in heat, so OR weather well feel pleasant come August. Yes, on hills, my 2nd is is rated "very hard" yikes! And doubles and triples are a must!!!

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  14. great job on ur run and thnx for participating in Run.Love.Bride!

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  15. Thanks for this post. I am freaking about hood to coast and dont have a plan. Nice job and cure tank!

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  16. I never thought about what would actually go into preparing for a big relay. Good tips you have there! Perhaps some day I'll get in on something like that, if I get over my shyness and start working harder!

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