Fartleks and Running Skirts
Yesterday morning, I awoke before the alarm and rolled out of bed feeling good. I went to the kitchen to begin my normal routine, and found a note from Johnny: "Paki called, is not running in the morning." After brushing my teeth at the kitchen sink so as not to wake up Ash, I dressed in the living room. I sucked down a gel, and headed out into a beautiful 73 degree F, 32% humidity morning.
After a mile of warm-up, I decided to turn two miles of the run into a fartlek - and what fun! Speed up, slow down. After about a mile of this, I was tired but kept going. After two miles, I stayed steady at a good clip, and felt tired, but in a good way. I headed into my final two miles feeling great and cruising along. I looked up and saw a familiar gait approaching me. It was Paki! She woke up feeling great, and headed out to meet me. We got to run together for about a mile and a half, then we parted ways and each headed home.
I entered my time into my breakingthetape log, and my pace was a joyous 10:32/mile for 5.4 miles, yay! I noticed when doing the fartlek portion of my run that the tendons behind my knees hurt. This seems to happen to me whenever I do speedwork, whether it's intervals or a tempo run or a fartlek run. Does anyone know why this might happen? My guess is I need to build more strength in my legs...
During my run, I realized I had not done any tempo runs during this training cycle, like I did for the Pemberton 50k. I'm a little worried about that! But I have done a few fartleks, which I didn't do last time. At least the cutoff is 12 hours for Sugar & Spice (I hear it's beautiful in KY in the summer, you should come and see it!) - I don't have to worry about time! I *think* I've done more vertical elevation this time around, and more longer runs. After S&S, I'll have a few weeks of recovery, and then I'll start a 16-week training cycle for the Sole Run 50k. I'm going to try to maintain strength training throughout that cycle, and add in speedwork (but only if I can do it without hurting!!!).
I'm joining the trend of talking about running skirts. It's been a hot topic on a number of running blogs recently (such as here and here), and I'm joining in the conversation because I saw two runners wearing one over the last week. The first was an incredibly fast woman running Phoneline Trail last Saturday. It was hot, and she had no water, but she was at that pace both times I saw her. She definitely gave the skirt some trail "cred." The second sighting was on yesterday's run. The skirt just looked really comfy. Paki was with me when I saw it, and we started discussing them. Paki thinks that a running skirt with no shorts underneath is just a tennis skirt, and I said I'd never wear a skirt with shorts underneath - what's the point of that?! It'd just be too hot! So, I'm still not sure whether I'd run in a skirt. The "no chafing" that has been reported on numerous reviews is tempting, though.
Next Up: How Ultra Running is Helping Me Learn How to Move Through the Freeze Response
Comments
not sure how I feel about those skirts...I am seeing them more and more though, but usually only at races, and not out on the trails.
Posted by: Jennifer | May 18, 2006 04:41 PM
i feel oddly qualified on this issue and am not sure if that should disturb me. however...
i don't see the point of shorts underneath either. why not just wear shorts? seems to me if you are wearing a skirt with shorts underneath, then you are totalling mitigating the non-chafing aspect of the skirt.
when I, a man, wears loose shorts, i chafe. when i wear lycra shorts. i do not. and I can say for certain that i wore a skirt, i would not chafe at all.
somehow, i just know all this is going to haunt me in ways i can't imagine. :)
Posted by: Mark | May 18, 2006 05:35 PM
You need the shorts underneath because they have a cute pocket for your iPod....
Posted by: jkrunning | May 18, 2006 05:56 PM
I saw a few of the SkirtSports at my 1/2 last weekend. They're cute. I'm intrigued. But not enough to shell out the $$.
Posted by: Sarah | May 18, 2006 06:45 PM
I was at Fort Knox, KY in the army way back when (early 1980's). June is great month, really beautiful as you said. Late July and August can get downright ugly with high humidity and temperatures.
Posted by: Jack | May 19, 2006 02:40 AM
I saw one gal wearing the skirt at the Ice Age 50Miler. My immediate thought was--how easy it must be for her to hit the woods and go to the bathroom in that! That could inspire me to buy one!
You're really trying to sell that Sugar & Spice race to us.....I'd actually consider it if I was trained better...maybe next year!! ;)
Posted by: Lora | May 19, 2006 03:07 AM
A friend here started running with a skirt and loves it. It's one with mesh shorts underneath. She got it to reduce the chafing and reports the only odd side effect are some interesting sweat stains on very long runs.
And I'm starting to think that we should organize an official RBF women's group to run Sugar & Spice next year, based on your final report for this one. I've never been to Kentucky.
Posted by: Anne | May 19, 2006 03:46 AM
I liked both reviews on skirts (Mark's was so fun!), but they are expensive...and I will chafe exactly because of no fabric between legs - I do worse with extra-short shorts. But they are cute, some of ultragirls wear them (Catra for one), and one bannes the inside part:)
And your pace is just absolutely flying! Angie, you have a gift you weren't aware of of!
Posted by: olga | May 19, 2006 05:38 AM
So I got the idea that the temperature was hot, but was the chick in the skirt hot? That's what us guys really want to know.
I will be ducking now before I get smacked.
Posted by: Rob | May 19, 2006 06:55 AM
Flying objects coming Rob's way! haha..
I've seen a girl in a running skirt at just about every run I've done. They are definitely getting more popular. I'm not sure if I want to try one or not for the same reason as you Angie.
Posted by: Jessica | May 19, 2006 07:36 AM
ohohoh! I want to play...
I've only done one run in my running skirt, and it was incredibly comfortable. I have yet to break out the hot pink leopard print skirt. I think I may take it for a spin on my long run today, though. I'll let you know how the longer distance skirted run goes. But I totally agree - wearing shorts underneath totally defeats the purpose.
Posted by: sarah | May 20, 2006 06:23 AM
I realize it's a bit late on this one... but I've never been one to keep quiet. So here goes the answer to WHY SHORTS?
For me, lycra shorts are great. Super comfy, no chaffing, etc. But I always seem to run errands before/after my runs which means I end up at the grocery store, coffee shop or wherever in sweaty lycra. EWWH!! The skirt just makes running apparel more appropriate for life that happens off the trails.
Posted by: Heather | April 27, 2007 03:15 PM
One of the main reasons for that little skirt AND the shorts, is that some of us runners may be a little larger and don't look fabulous in just the lycra...I realize many runners don't have that issue, but they are VERY cute and VERY comfortable and I for one, had no issue forking out the dough!
:)
Posted by: Donna Aponte | May 5, 2008 10:20 PM