Building a Mystery

Two things to share from the past week or so of running.

The first is that last Saturday I ran the farthest that I've ever ran before.  It was a 14 mile run, with a nine minute mile pace. Overall I felt pretty good which is encouraging.  At the end of it my feet and back were a little sore but I didn't have any lasting aches or pains or tiredness the following day. When I finished even knowing that I would have 12 more miles to go I didn't feel like that was totally unattainable.  Of course there is something to be said about the fact that there WAS (or is) 12 more miles to go and who knows how that is actually going to feel especially as the pace is supposed to get faster.

The second share was tonight I did six 800 repeats (pace per mile, so divide in half, was 6:27, 6:34 and 6:37) and as I did them I kept hearing my old high school teach coach, Kenny, saying "all I ask of you is thirty hard minutes a week" referring to our weekly speed workouts. I did not like them then, and now they are a challenge, but there is something so rewarding about them. And thinking, all I have to do is given thirty hard minutes, makes it all seem more manageable. Granted it does end up being longer than thirty with these workouts but I try not to focus on that. Instead all I think is what would Kenny think of me now, doing these long distance workouts, when I could barely manage to run a 5K due to not caring to train or push through discomfort.

Amazing what age can get you.

Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Once upon a time I ran two ten mile runs on a treadmill during the winter in which we got somewhere in the neighborhood of like about 6 feet of snow during the winter (fun fact:  I honestly have no idea how much snow we got but about 6 feet sounds like a lot and it was a lot).  And then one day, I have no idea when, I stepped back on the treadmill  and was unable to even go a quarter of a mile before I started to have the beginnings of a panic attack and had to get off before I feared I would fall off. I tried a couple more times and about two years ago I just decided I could never run on the treadmill again and haven't since.

Flash forward to today. We had some thunderstorms happening and so I was unable to go outside and do a tempo run.  At first I just decided I would do some cross training for the same for about the same distance. And then I thought "no get your act together" and just get on a treadmill and get this done.

So I did. There were many times today during the 6 miles (1 mile at about a 9:30 mile, 4 miles between an 8:00 and 7:41 mile pace and 1 mile cooldown at about a 9:30 pace) that I just wanted to jump off the treadmill and I could feel myself starting to have some aniexty.  But I kept my focus as well as my ability to zone out and did it. Something like gives me some inspiration for the remaining weeks to keep centered on the fact that this is something I can do if I keep at it and keep my focus.

For Every Job that Must Be Done*

And the first week of training is officially in the books.  Here are just some of the things that I've taken from this first week.

- It's difficult to start training and upping your mileage when your boss is on vacation. There are many days where I just wanted to sit on my butt instead of doing a run, but I did what needed to be done. #ineedavacationfromhervacation

- Speed work is going to always be a mental challenge. I've already done three weeks of it and I am not looking forward to next Wednesday. #amitoooldforthetrack?

- Long runs will need to start earlier and earlier. I swear at times I felt like I was swimming and my hair looked like I had been. #summertimehumidugh

- Only 15 more weeks to go and in some ways that actually doesn't seem like it will be as daunting as it first looked to be. #maybeicandothis?

- Running with an audiobook on the lawn runs might be the key to making it through these miles. #storytime!

- I'm going to need at least two more pairs of shoes. #imnotevenupsetbythis

* There is an Element of Fun

Ready, Steady, Go

Here is the amazing and magical thing about running: sometimes you just have a fun that just works.  Today I had one of these runs. It was a 6 mile, easy paced run.  For the last couple of runs it has been warm and humid so I was little bit trepidation about going out for this run wondering how drained I would feel. However keeping the steady pace, 8:39, I never felt like I was really working at this run. It was just one of those runs where the speed, cadence, posture, etc. all just worked. It was also one of those runs where the daunting task of training and actually running a marathon seemed like something that could be attained. Not to say I instantly knew I would meet my goal but I did feel like I could actually (maybe) do this if I was able to keep focused. It was one of those runs that I hope I have often  during this training as it was something that made everything seem easier.

But I've Read the Script and the Costume Fits*

To be fair, the official start of marathon training could have begun at any point I said that it began. I was easing into the official 16 weeks start by continuing to do longer runs as well as starting to do the speed work (see previous posts).  But I decided that today was the official start to Baystate marathon training. The start was a 10 mile run and my training plan suggested the pace would be 9:22, but I kept mine just under 9:00 (literally, 8:59). The run was VERY humid and felt a little bit like a battle, but it got done. Through a lot of it I did keep thinking "holy cow I have to run how much farther and how much faster?!?"  I think that mental battle will continue pretty much through this entire training until I'm at the start line and see how Baystate turns out. I am trying to follow the plan and like so many other people who probably question how on earth will I be able to race when I do long runs that I struggle through and a pace slower than the race. But people much smarter than me and much more involved in running have determined that this can be the best approach so I will take it as it is and I will continue to push through for another 16 weeks.

 One thing I will say is when I started out the run I was able to mentally zone out so that 10 miles didn't seem quite as daunting of a number as it once did. That's not to say that the run wasn't very difficult at times and I wasn't very much looking forward to the end of it but mentally I feel like I was able to wrap my head around the distance and now it's just a matter of wrapping my head around the discomfort.  I also ate the same breakfast that I'm used to and will for the next two weeks, but I know I'lol need to pay better attention in the coming weeks and probably adjust my sleep schedule/pre-race time. In weeks time the plan calls for 14 miles which will be the longest consecutive run that I've actually ever done and it'll only get longer from there!

*So I'll Play My Part

(S)he's Going the Distance*

I have always taken perverse joy and speed workouts. When I was in high school track my workouts focus mostly on 100, 200 or 400 repeats. Sometimes there were hurtles literally throwing in the max depending on what was going on. I've  been known to schedule a ladder workout or two for Frisbee team that I've been on in the past. I find satisfaction in working hard, facing some pain, and overcoming it to see the results. I've never, however, done long distance speed work out.  And I am finding this is going to be a different beast entirely. 

Before the Run to Remember I started trying to do some temple run and did one 400 repeat based on a quick training program I found.  The tempo runs were  but on Tuesdays when I would try to keep up with a certain group of runners from my run club. They were hard, they hurt, and they seem to go on FOREVER.  With the goal of Baystate to qualify for Boston I know I need to work on my lactic acid threshold as well as my VO2 max and, unfortunately, that means long distance speed workout.

So I started this Wednesday with mile repeats. I did a 1 mile warm-up, 1 mile at 7:10, 400 meters in between, 1 mile at 7:00 and 1 mile cooldown.  And the funny thing was I found myself zoning out like I used to when I did my track repeats either in high school or with ultimate. I found the time going by and the countdown is not seeming to drag like I expected them to. I also found that I wasn't entirely sure how to gauge my comfort level and that will be one of the interesting developments in this training. I'm going to have to learn how to gauge when I really don't have a lot left because it is different to push through 200 meters or chase down a disc on a field that it is to run three more miles (or more).

Despite finding myself fairly exhausted Thursday (although I still met up and literally almost walked my way through 3.35 miles with friends) now reflecting during my rest night I find that I am somewhat excited (?!?)  to see what I will learn about what I can do. And what I cannot do. 

*(S)he's Going for Speed.

Another One Bites the Dust

When you run regularly it is important to remember that there will always be good days and bad days. Equally or maybe more important is to remember a good run one day does not guarantee the next one will be good or better. Same when you have a bad run. Today was a Bad Run and so, I am trying to remind myself that my next run, and particularly, my next long run, won't be terrible.

Today's run was hot, unfocused, hot and too long for only 6.5 miles. And hot. Did I mention that? I am working on pacing myself for long runs which, right now, are starting short, but even with that I was dying. I walked which is just something I don't really do. I struggled to keep my breathing normal and my Garmin told me I should rest for four day (FOUR) after this because it took so much out of me.

I am now trying to recovery and stay focused and not concern myself with the idea that my next run will be awful. I am trying to remember all the other terrible run I had but how many good runs I've had and how those tend to be the norm. I feel like these next twenty weeks will continue to be a mental up and down like this.