Saturday, March 27, 2010
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
back at it.
I mean to go to bed just now, but I came to check out a 3 mile route (yes, I know I should have that one down by now) and I got distracted...or focused. My half-marathon was on Saturday. I just read a great feature in the most recent Runner's World. And in my photos, I actually look like an athlete-like a runner, kinda. So, I am inspired. And even though the half was ROUGH, I still like running.
First of all, the half was rough. I did 11.some miles two weeks before the race and while it was darn hot out that morning, it was a really good run. That being said, two days later I woke up and did 5 miles, went about my day-to-day, and on my way home that evening I crashed on my bicycle. Now, listen...a million reasons later, I still haven't figured out what exactly caused me to lose control, but I have given this much thought (after lying in the ER and spending quite a few hours at dentists and just lying around-in general). My conclusion is this-I completely took for-granted that I was absolutely, without a doubt dehydrated from my two hard runs and then did my normal life, had some adult beverages, I go too fast on my bike and I don't always make the biking my #1 priority. So, I crashed. I had 2 CT Scans of different parts of my head. I had about 12 x-rays done in 24 hours. But, I am ok. Physically, I am ok. I cried myself to sleep that first night. I may not have cried since. But, I am ok.
So, approximately 12 days before my race, I have to put my training on hold. I did not run again until 7 full days later. That next Tuesday morning, I woke up and did 4.5 miles. It was ok. I felt alright. So, I decided to still do the race. I thought it maybe would just be like a taper. So, I rested the remainder of the week and got up Saturday morning (naturally, not giving myself adequate morning time) and headed to the start line.
I got there-to the Memorial Union here in Madison and felt kinda like I was home. Like a home I haven't spent much time at lately, but nonetheless, like I was home. And as I made my way through the masses to find my pace group...I felt so many emotions rush by me. I felt excited. I hardly felt focused. I was a little cold. But I think the most difficult part was that I felt absolutely, completely 100% alone. My training buddy was back in the pack somewhere. A woman I know pretty well was ahead of me. I had no spectators wishing me well at the start line. It was lonely. And here's where I pause (in real time) and think, "wow, duh..running isn't about the other people. why do i run? its about me. it is about finding yourself and doing your thing." Anyway, the start happened and I struggled, mentally, for the next hour and forty-seven minutes trying to find myself out there on that course.
There were highs and lows. At one point I felt great. At another, I felt some tears running down my face. Why couldn't I focus? Why did I feel so alone? Why did I crash? Why did it hurt? Needless to say, the race went on. The day went on. I found myself working endlessly to be in a "good" place and while I struggled, I think that day I found something out about myself. I am strong. I can do it. I don't need anyone else to get what I want. Literally, I might feel like stopping (like walking) but I kept moving forward. What else can you truly do, in running-or in life, but to keep moving yourself forward. That is really all there is.
And hey, I still like running...so tomorrow, I am back at it.
First of all, the half was rough. I did 11.some miles two weeks before the race and while it was darn hot out that morning, it was a really good run. That being said, two days later I woke up and did 5 miles, went about my day-to-day, and on my way home that evening I crashed on my bicycle. Now, listen...a million reasons later, I still haven't figured out what exactly caused me to lose control, but I have given this much thought (after lying in the ER and spending quite a few hours at dentists and just lying around-in general). My conclusion is this-I completely took for-granted that I was absolutely, without a doubt dehydrated from my two hard runs and then did my normal life, had some adult beverages, I go too fast on my bike and I don't always make the biking my #1 priority. So, I crashed. I had 2 CT Scans of different parts of my head. I had about 12 x-rays done in 24 hours. But, I am ok. Physically, I am ok. I cried myself to sleep that first night. I may not have cried since. But, I am ok.
So, approximately 12 days before my race, I have to put my training on hold. I did not run again until 7 full days later. That next Tuesday morning, I woke up and did 4.5 miles. It was ok. I felt alright. So, I decided to still do the race. I thought it maybe would just be like a taper. So, I rested the remainder of the week and got up Saturday morning (naturally, not giving myself adequate morning time) and headed to the start line.
I got there-to the Memorial Union here in Madison and felt kinda like I was home. Like a home I haven't spent much time at lately, but nonetheless, like I was home. And as I made my way through the masses to find my pace group...I felt so many emotions rush by me. I felt excited. I hardly felt focused. I was a little cold. But I think the most difficult part was that I felt absolutely, completely 100% alone. My training buddy was back in the pack somewhere. A woman I know pretty well was ahead of me. I had no spectators wishing me well at the start line. It was lonely. And here's where I pause (in real time) and think, "wow, duh..running isn't about the other people. why do i run? its about me. it is about finding yourself and doing your thing." Anyway, the start happened and I struggled, mentally, for the next hour and forty-seven minutes trying to find myself out there on that course.
There were highs and lows. At one point I felt great. At another, I felt some tears running down my face. Why couldn't I focus? Why did I feel so alone? Why did I crash? Why did it hurt? Needless to say, the race went on. The day went on. I found myself working endlessly to be in a "good" place and while I struggled, I think that day I found something out about myself. I am strong. I can do it. I don't need anyone else to get what I want. Literally, I might feel like stopping (like walking) but I kept moving forward. What else can you truly do, in running-or in life, but to keep moving yourself forward. That is really all there is.
And hey, I still like running...so tomorrow, I am back at it.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
FIVE Miles!
(and tomorrow I've got 10 miles...)
Today's workout was 5 miles at pace. I woke up at about 5:50am, however a little over an hour earlier, I had woken up with a pretty massive charlie horse in my lower left leg. And you know what they say, "what starts in chaos..." Okay, well it wasn't that bad, but I pulled myself out of bed, tried to map out a nice, easy (for the mind, anyway) 5 miles and got myself on my way. First, I notice there are a lot of sirens in the neighborhood, so naturally, I get distracted and completely go away from the route I've mapped out. Ok. Nonetheless, now that I've done about 7 or 8 weeks of training I decided I wouldn't let it stress me out and to just have a goal to be home before I get to 45 minutes. 45 min would have meant 9 min miles, and so that was my goal. Like I said, it was a little rough getting out of bed this morning to begin with. So, I run. And about 2 miles in-more cramping, yet this time it is in my abdomen. I haven't had a side ache in a LOOONNNNGG time. At least not one like this. My breathing was all off, my stride changed...to say the least, it was painful. Ok, changed the song on my iPod, since one of my policies for aches like that is to sing (or speak). I thought I had read somewhere that you need to push more air out and to regulate your breathing you should do that. Really, what do I know. But I think it kinda works. Ok, charlie horse-check, side ache-check. Now we are to at least 3 or 3.5 miles. What else could go wrong. As I run down a (rather large) hill and round the corner for the last mile and a half I notice this shooting pain radiating through the left side of my back. I try to notice if I am doing something to cause it-no, I am not bouncing back and fourth; no it is not happening just when one of my feet hits the ground. Weird. So, I push through until about 4.5ish and fortunately get stopped at a light where I simply bend over and in a yoga like pose-with my hands between my knees I sort of do the "angry cat" pose while standing up....and voila...much better. So, I pull myself together and finish it out.
Wow. And all of that before 7am. I thought maybe my motto for the day would be TGIF...but then I realized that I've got 10 miles to do tomorrow. Perhaps my motto should be GOTV (get out the vodka) or GBIB (get back in bed). Until I decide, check out this 5-miler (5.2383, to be exact) !
Today's workout was 5 miles at pace. I woke up at about 5:50am, however a little over an hour earlier, I had woken up with a pretty massive charlie horse in my lower left leg. And you know what they say, "what starts in chaos..." Okay, well it wasn't that bad, but I pulled myself out of bed, tried to map out a nice, easy (for the mind, anyway) 5 miles and got myself on my way. First, I notice there are a lot of sirens in the neighborhood, so naturally, I get distracted and completely go away from the route I've mapped out. Ok. Nonetheless, now that I've done about 7 or 8 weeks of training I decided I wouldn't let it stress me out and to just have a goal to be home before I get to 45 minutes. 45 min would have meant 9 min miles, and so that was my goal. Like I said, it was a little rough getting out of bed this morning to begin with. So, I run. And about 2 miles in-more cramping, yet this time it is in my abdomen. I haven't had a side ache in a LOOONNNNGG time. At least not one like this. My breathing was all off, my stride changed...to say the least, it was painful. Ok, changed the song on my iPod, since one of my policies for aches like that is to sing (or speak). I thought I had read somewhere that you need to push more air out and to regulate your breathing you should do that. Really, what do I know. But I think it kinda works. Ok, charlie horse-check, side ache-check. Now we are to at least 3 or 3.5 miles. What else could go wrong. As I run down a (rather large) hill and round the corner for the last mile and a half I notice this shooting pain radiating through the left side of my back. I try to notice if I am doing something to cause it-no, I am not bouncing back and fourth; no it is not happening just when one of my feet hits the ground. Weird. So, I push through until about 4.5ish and fortunately get stopped at a light where I simply bend over and in a yoga like pose-with my hands between my knees I sort of do the "angry cat" pose while standing up....and voila...much better. So, I pull myself together and finish it out.
Wow. And all of that before 7am. I thought maybe my motto for the day would be TGIF...but then I realized that I've got 10 miles to do tomorrow. Perhaps my motto should be GOTV (get out the vodka) or GBIB (get back in bed). Until I decide, check out this 5-miler (5.2383, to be exact) !
Friday, July 24, 2009
NINER!
Nine Miles from downtown Madison......on a fantastic Saturday morning.
Okay, I am having wishful thinking about it being so fantastic-but a girl can dream, can't she?! :) Right now we are having a little bit of a thunderstorm (finally, some summery weather) and I am just hoping that it all clears up come morning. Gotta get those nine miles in. Gotta stick to the plan.
(or try this route. its pretty similar, though less hilly, i think)
Okay, I am having wishful thinking about it being so fantastic-but a girl can dream, can't she?! :) Right now we are having a little bit of a thunderstorm (finally, some summery weather) and I am just hoping that it all clears up come morning. Gotta get those nine miles in. Gotta stick to the plan.
(or try this route. its pretty similar, though less hilly, i think)
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Off -days
Thursday is my off-day in this program and to tell you the truth, I feel like a lazy, fat pig on Thursdays. Ok, Sunday is also my off-day, but for some reason, I don't really feel quite as bad. And, as I write this, I am thinking that perhaps its the weeks when I've got the intervals (400m repeats) that I feel most bad. That is probably the honest truth right there. My shins are still aching nearly three days later and I still feel rather depleted. Hmm. So I blog and I find my answer. I like this. I like it a lot.
Okay, now that I've solved today's big dilemma, I should be getting to bed. 4-miler at pace in the morning! Woohoo. Yay me. This should be good. It will be nice to get back into it in the morning. Later!
Okay, now that I've solved today's big dilemma, I should be getting to bed. 4-miler at pace in the morning! Woohoo. Yay me. This should be good. It will be nice to get back into it in the morning. Later!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Mostly for my own memory.
I mapped another 3-mile run out for this morning. Its hardly different, but slightly and since I have at least one run at that distance every single week, I'd better map them all out.
So, we (my two friends who are also following the same training plan as I am) have surpassed the half-way mark to race day, as of this past Saturday. Hooo-ray! For me, the milestone was that (is that) I ran Saturday's workout at a pace that I would find acceptable come race-day. The real distance was 6.5 miles and my total time came to 55min. making my pace 8:27. The last (and only other) half marathon I completed I went at about 8:29 pace. My ultimate goal is to go faster than that, but I have been trying to pace consistently faster than that, especially in the past two weeks of my training. I've run some of my 3-4 milers as fast as 7:34 pace...to about 8:10. And, I've been doing my speed-work quite a bit faster...on accident at first, but nonetheless, faster.
And most importantly, I've realized two things in the last 6 weeks of training.
1. keep a journal of some sort of your training. I have known this, but was recently reminded of its significance. If you pay attention to that, you'll discover some really cool things about yourself. (right now, google calendar is keeping my WHOLE life in order-including my running)
2. pay attention to what your body is telling you-to what you feel. this can be helpful especially if you're keeping a good training log and if you've never really trained before.
3. (ok, there's three) find a good running or training buddy. For one, its nice to at least be able to check in with someone once in a while. (my running buddy is new at this and has recently started calling me "coach" which i think is adorable). Also, once you find a good running buddy, you'll know it and that's a pretty awesome thing!
So, we (my two friends who are also following the same training plan as I am) have surpassed the half-way mark to race day, as of this past Saturday. Hooo-ray! For me, the milestone was that (is that) I ran Saturday's workout at a pace that I would find acceptable come race-day. The real distance was 6.5 miles and my total time came to 55min. making my pace 8:27. The last (and only other) half marathon I completed I went at about 8:29 pace. My ultimate goal is to go faster than that, but I have been trying to pace consistently faster than that, especially in the past two weeks of my training. I've run some of my 3-4 milers as fast as 7:34 pace...to about 8:10. And, I've been doing my speed-work quite a bit faster...on accident at first, but nonetheless, faster.
And most importantly, I've realized two things in the last 6 weeks of training.
1. keep a journal of some sort of your training. I have known this, but was recently reminded of its significance. If you pay attention to that, you'll discover some really cool things about yourself. (right now, google calendar is keeping my WHOLE life in order-including my running)
2. pay attention to what your body is telling you-to what you feel. this can be helpful especially if you're keeping a good training log and if you've never really trained before.
3. (ok, there's three) find a good running or training buddy. For one, its nice to at least be able to check in with someone once in a while. (my running buddy is new at this and has recently started calling me "coach" which i think is adorable). Also, once you find a good running buddy, you'll know it and that's a pretty awesome thing!
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