I know I'll have a "Perfect" Training Cycle - Chicago, 2011

Today was a hot and humid day, but we got outside for our runs. The dewpoint when we left the house was at 72 degrees and as Martin and I headed to the start of our run, I told him that my 8 miler would be a 4 miler and that I'm switching the days around this week to accommodate the heat and he agreed.

We're running in the Race to Taste 5K on Sunday and looking forward to it. We ran it last year and had a blast! We tried gazpacho soup for the first time last year and learned we love it! Hopefully, we get more this year!

4 miles in the books. We are going to pick up a HR monitor this week, as my other one is broke.

Thanks for reading! I'll post how my run goes tomorrow...

Hi Lisa,

You've had some really nice runs lately, but even better, you are building up some positive momentum for the future. Keep up the great work and attitude!

I just think it's awesome your husband is helping you train and coaching you!

Have a great 5K on Sunday!

Smart idea to switch it up based on weather. Nothing wrong with that. Quite the opposite. It is exactly right. Too many of us don't have the discipline to be flexible in their schedule. I included. I have been better but still need the reminder.

Good luck this weekend on the race you have good momentum like Matt said!

Matt W wrote:Hi Lisa,

You've had some really nice runs lately, but even better, you are building up some positive momentum for the future. Keep up the great work and attitude!

Thanks Matt, I have had some nice runs lately and I'm still working on the mental aspect of it. I tend to let little things creep into my head and they snowball into something massive. In other words, I'm working on making mountains out of molehills at times. It's a work in progress, but I'm trying.

Julie wrote:I just think it's awesome your husband is helping you train and coaching you!

Have a great 5K on Sunday!

Julie!! Yeah, it's pretty cool that he is helping me and coaching me. He gets frustrated with me at times (see above reply to Matt), like I said, I'm trying. It's fun to be running with him again! Those are some of my favorite times out there! The 5K should be fun...I hope they have the gazpacho soup at the finish again...if not, I'm sure I'll get to try something yummy again this year!

Kenny B. wrote:Smart idea to switch it up based on weather. Nothing wrong with that. Quite the opposite. It is exactly right. Too many of us don't have the discipline to be flexible in their schedule. I included. I have been better but still need the reminder.

Good luck this weekend on the race you have good momentum like Matt said!

Thanks a lot Kenny! Switching it up is smart and I think the hard part with doing so it the mental challenge of it, at least for me. I think the hardest part about yesterday's run wasn't so much the heat, rather, it was my mind getting to me. Martin jokingly said I was shuffling....that seed planted firmly into my head (because I'm really trying to not shuffle and improve my stride, but again, I'm still learning and don't really know how) and just grew and grew. So I had to reel myself back in and look around at everyone else that running around me and pay attention to how they looked. They looked just like me - shuffling because of the heat. I turned the tables from concentrating on anything negative and worked on what was positive on the run. Funny enough, when I shifted my focus, I relaxed and ran a bit easier.

I am planning on running an 8 miler today, and Martin will be running with me...I'm looking forward to it! Hopefully the weather holds up!

Julie wrote:I just think it's awesome your husband is helping you train and coaching you!

Have a great 5K on Sunday!

Got to admit I'm envious not only that you have such a great coach but 24/7 access. Seems like a marriage made in heaven! What are you thinking of for your replacement HR monitor? Just a HR monitor or a gps/HR combo like the new Garmin 610?

[quote="Mrs. Schuey"]

Matt W wrote:

Thanks a lot Kenny! Switching it up is smart and I think the hard part with doing so it the mental challenge of it, at least for me. I think the hardest part about yesterday's run wasn't so much the heat, rather, it was my mind getting to me. Martin jokingly said I was shuffling....that seed planted firmly into my head (because I'm really trying to not shuffle and improve my stride, but again, I'm still learning and don't really know how) and just grew and grew. So I had to reel myself back in and look around at everyone else that running around me and pay attention to how they looked. They looked just like me - shuffling because of the heat. I turned the tables from concentrating on anything negative and worked on what was positive on the run. Funny enough, when I shifted my focus, I relaxed and ran a bit easier.

I am planning on running an 8 miler today, and Martin will be running with me...I'm looking forward to it! Hopefully the weather holds up!

Screw Martin tell him it may be his perception your shuffling but in your mind your hovering!

[quote="Kenny B."]

Mrs. Schuey wrote:

Matt W wrote:

Thanks a lot Kenny! Switching it up is smart and I think the hard part with doing so it the mental challenge of it, at least for me. I think the hardest part about yesterday's run wasn't so much the heat, rather, it was my mind getting to me. Martin jokingly said I was shuffling....that seed planted firmly into my head (because I'm really trying to not shuffle and improve my stride, but again, I'm still learning and don't really know how) and just grew and grew. So I had to reel myself back in and look around at everyone else that running around me and pay attention to how they looked. They looked just like me - shuffling because of the heat. I turned the tables from concentrating on anything negative and worked on what was positive on the run. Funny enough, when I shifted my focus, I relaxed and ran a bit easier.

I am planning on running an 8 miler today, and Martin will be running with me...I'm looking forward to it! Hopefully the weather holds up!

Screw Martin tell him it may be his perception your shuffling but in your mind your hovering!

Haha! I like the hovering thing....I'm going to apply that to my next run, no joke! Poor Martin has a lot of patience with me, I love him for it...my stride will come. Like he's said, the more I run, the more my stride will find it's home.

You're absolutely right about your stride coming into form on its own. I went from being a severe heel-striker (at all times) to a mid-foot striker (still a little bit on my heels when I'm really tired) just by running more - a lot more. My legs sort of naturally adjusted their stride accordingly over a couple months. It was neat when I realized it had happened one day.

Mike MacLellan wrote:You're absolutely right about your stride coming into form on its own. I went from being a severe heel-striker (at all times) to a mid-foot striker (still a little bit on my heels when I'm really tired) just by running more - a lot more. My legs sort of naturally adjusted their stride accordingly over a couple months. It was neat when I realized it had happened one day.

It will happen! Like a new baby learning to crawl then walk. Tell Martin to enjoy the process and look at you with wonderment.

Kenny B. wrote:

Mike MacLellan wrote:You're absolutely right about your stride coming into form on its own. I went from being a severe heel-striker (at all times) to a mid-foot striker (still a little bit on my heels when I'm really tired) just by running more - a lot more. My legs sort of naturally adjusted their stride accordingly over a couple months. It was neat when I realized it had happened one day.

It will happen! Like a new baby learning to crawl then walk. Tell Martin to enjoy the process and look at you with wonderment.

Wonderment? I don't think the Schuey family needs to get any cuter, Kenny.

Tom H wrote:

Julie wrote:I just think it's awesome your husband is helping you train and coaching you!

Have a great 5K on Sunday!

Got to admit I'm envious not only that you have such a great coach but 24/7 access. Seems like a marriage made in heaven! What are you thinking of for your replacement HR monitor? Just a HR monitor or a gps/HR combo like the new Garmin 610?

We both have the 405. Were thinking about getting the 610 but for the price and the fact that our 405's are still working fine we can't see spending the money for the 610. So the I will look to see what the cost is for just a new HR monitor for the Garmin and get that for her. She was using mine but since I came back from my little piriformis syndrome deal I have been using it to see my data. Plus she really doesn't like wearing mine because she says I'm a pig when I run another words I sweat way to much.

Kenny B. wrote:Screw Martin tell him it may be his perception your shuffling but in your mind your hovering!

HaHa that is to funny, I was going to say something else but I will keep it clean

As for her shuffling I was trying to point out to her yesterday that it was darn humid with such a high dew point that it was zapping her energy and that how amazing it is that weather like that can have such a impact on our from and running. In all fairness I have to admit that I was feeling it yesterday also and I told her that as she spends more time in the warm weather like me she will adjust more to it. But then again you can only adjust so much to the weather we had yesterday.

One more point Kenny she's always hovering and gliding along so gracefully when she runs. I love going out and running with her when I get the chance it's a lot of fun.

I actually told Lisa today that if I have to adjust my running or even my goal time for Chicago this year I will to spend more time running and helping her to become a better runner. I have far exceed what I ever thought I would do in the marathon, plus I will always have another marathon to train for and focus 100% on my goals. I'm willing to sacrifice my training to help put her in the best position to experience the joy and feelings I have by giving it 100% and hitting a goal.

[quote="Schuey"][quote="Tom H"]

Julie wrote:

I actually told Lisa today that if I have to adjust my running or even my goal time for Chicago this year I will to spend more time running and helping her to become a better runner. I have far exceed what I ever thought I would done in the marathon, plus I will always have another marathon to train for and focus 100% on my goals. I'm willing to sacrifice my training to help put her in the best position to experience the joy and feelings I have by giving it 100% and hitting a goal.

That is so nice.

Schuey wrote:
I actually told Lisa today that if I have to adjust my running or even my goal time for Chicago this year I will to spend more time running and helping her to become a better runner. I have far exceed what I ever thought I would done in the marathon, plus I will always have another marathon to train for and focus 100% on my goals. I'm willing to sacrifice my training to help put her in the best position to experience the joy and feelings I have by giving it 100% and hitting a goal.

Yeah, do the right thing man.

Besides, it gives Jerry a chance to catch up now that we are in the same AG.

Schuey wrote:One more point Kenny she's always hovering and gliding along so gracefully when she runs. I love going out and running with her when I get the chance it's a lot of fun.

Ass kisser!

Schuey wrote:I actually told Lisa today that if I have to adjust my running or even my goal time for Chicago this year I will to spend more time running and helping her to become a better runner. I have far exceed what I ever thought I would do in the marathon, plus I will always have another marathon to train for and focus 100% on my goals. I'm willing to sacrifice my training to help put her in the best position to experience the joy and feelings I have by giving it 100% and hitting a goal.

Um, not acceptable! We have a competition to win here and I need big AG/PR points from you! Now get on it!

I can't keep up with all the posting around here. Keep running & stay on track Lisa!

Great running this week Lisa! I like what you did with your inspirational poster. I need to put something like that on my wall to remind myself to get up early to run and beat the heat.

Schuey wrote:

I actually told Lisa today that if I have to adjust my running or even my goal time for Chicago this year I will to spend more time running and helping her to become a better runner. I have far exceed what I ever thought I would do in the marathon, plus I will always have another marathon to train for and focus 100% on my goals. I'm willing to sacrifice my training to help put her in the best position to experience the joy and feelings I have by giving it 100% and hitting a goal.

Simpy awesome!!!

Thank you Mike, Kenny, Dave, Jim, Jerry, Vivian, Seth, Tom and my hubby! I appreciate all of your input and I'll be counting on it more than you know. Please don't stop posting your ideas and feedback, I use it more than you know!

I named this post after Kenny's point about hovering......tonight I did that.

Martin and I headed out for my 8 mile run and the temp was 70 degree, 71% humidity, 60 degree dew point with winds at 20 mph. We chose to head out to Northerly Island and then pop out onto the road near the Planetarium and then ran parallel to Soldier Field past McCormick Place and then turned around about a 1/2 mile past there to head home.

I did not wear my Garmin on this run, as I was going off of feel and I had Martin with me. My legs took about 1 1/2 miles to shake out and every so often I would see Martin looking at his watch. We get around Northerly Island and when we got got onto the road, Martin said, "how are you feeling?" I said that I couldn't run any faster and he said, "ok, well, we'll just stay at this pace then." I thought that was cool and he told me to focus and relax. I "cleared the mechanism" (a Love of the Game reference that I think is so powerful) and chilled out and went with it. A little while later I told myself to think of something happy....I don't know, like puppies and babies....like the scene in Waterboy when the coach looks at the rival coach across the way with a huge baby head...No, not me. WHY DO I INSTANTLY THINK OF...."I want to Piss on you" by Dave Chappelle?!?! Yes, that is what I thought of. Great, now I am repeating to myself to, "clear the mechanism" every 5 minutes with the sound clip from his show playing in the background. Man, I miss watching Dave's show..."I'm Rick James, bitch!"...ah...The "Piss on you" is a spoof that Dave did in light of the R. Kelly stuff that came out years ago about tapes of him peeing on people.

Sooo..a little bit more running and Martin said to me, "Ok, I'm not going to do this again during a run, but when you said you couldn't move your legs any faster, do you know your pace was 9:14?" I said, "no, I thought I was running around a 10:00 - 10:!5" and he said, "do you feel like you're running at the same effort?" and I responded, "yes.." he told me that I was actually running a 9:00 mile! Haha! Then we get to the point in the run where I just had 1 mile to go and Martin said to me, "just run with me and don't ask questions. Just keep up with me". I didn't respond; I just went. I stayed relaxed and had the friggin' "piss on you" song blasting in my head and we get to a 1/2 mile and he said, "ok, slow it down". I ended up running a 7:37 half mile and I didn't realize I was running that fast. I thought to myself, "boy, not too shabby for a 150 pound, 5'7" chick!" Wait until I'm down to 130!! This is a fun journey!

So, basically, this run reiterates the fact that I need to just practice in relaxing and "clear the mechanism". I am learning more every time I run that running really is a mental thing for me. It either makes or breaks my run.....

Martin pointed out a few things with my stride that were really helpful and we ran a different route to mix it up. It was a really nice run and I loved being out there with Martin!

Here are my splits:
Mile 1: 10:00
Mile 2: 9:32
Mile 3: 9:24
Mile 4: 9:13
Mile 5: 9:01
Mile 6: 8:57
Mile 7: 8:43
Mile 7.5: 7:37
Mile 8: 9:30


Oh, and for your listening enjoyment, here's a clip of Dave Chappell's "Piss on You"....listen and laugh. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZN565uhnGc

I bet you surprised yourself with those ass-kicking splits at the end of your run tonight, huh?
So much for "I couldn't run any faster."!

Seth Harrison wrote:I bet you surprised yourself with those ass-kicking splits at the end of your run tonight, huh?
So much for "I couldn't run any faster."!

Yeah she was surprised. I made her pick-up at the end. I just told just trust me and stay with me and she did! She did awesome tonight. I told her she can run fast, she just has to keep her mind out of the way. To be honest I feel she could had ran a little faster and there is no doubt she could have ran the 7:37 for the whole mile. We are going to take baby steps and I just want to keep building her confidence and keep working on the mental side of the game.

Seth Harrison wrote:I bet you surprised yourself with those ass-kicking splits at the end of your run tonight, huh?
So much for "I couldn't run any faster."!

I did actually surprise myself. In fact, when I was posting about my run tonight I asked Martin to tell me my splits, thinking they'd be between 9:30 - 10:15...When he started reading them off I kept saying, "what?" "no..." "there's no way!" "are you sure?"

Yeah, so much for "I couldn't run any faster"! Haha! That was just what I needed to put into my pocket for my next run.

Schuey wrote:

Seth Harrison wrote:I bet you surprised yourself with those ass-kicking splits at the end of your run tonight, huh?
So much for "I couldn't run any faster."!

Yeah she was surprised. I made her pick-up at the end. I just told just trust me and stay with me and she did! She did awesome tonight. I told her she can run fast, she just has to keep her mind out of the way. To be honest I feel she could had ran a little faster and there is no doubt she could have ran the 7:37 for the whole mile. We are going to take baby steps and I just want to keep building her confidence and keep working on the mental side of the game.

I love you Martin, and I thank you for helping me with my running. You're bringing the runner in me out and I'm enjoying this journey with you!

Er, Schuey. Remember she is the enemy. You are on different teams. Wedding rings don't apply here. You belong to the team for running purposes. Don't give in to the Dark Side . . .

I'm going to let you in on a secret. You impressed the pants off your husband today, whether he's told you or not. I know that for me - and I think this extends to the Bull, as well - there is no time during which I find my ladyfriend more attractive than when I start ramping up the pace on the bike and she's not just holding my wheel, but right there next to me. Now, do with this information what you will.