One day last week I gave in. I did what I know you should never do. I allowed myself to not run, despite time in my day. And "spring" like temps. To me, once you allow An Excuse to keep you from working out, you've opened that door. Who knows. Maybe that missed day saved me from giving into a cold. From injuring myself. From getting hit by a truck.
Either way, today was a no brainer. My run was happening. A completely open day. AND "springISH" like temps. As I headed out the door I was feeling sluggish. That early afternoon fatigue exacerbated by too many carbs on the day and not enough fruits and veggies (and caffeine).
It had been a week since I last ran. And I only had one work out logged within that week (hey, I had better things to do. Like a Beer Tour. And...recovering from the Beer Tour). So theoretically my legs should have been fresh. Plus I wore my calf sleeves for that extra spring.
Except that fresh boing was not there. Within two steps I knew what type of run I was going to have. Heavy legged. Slow times. Blech.
But yet I ran. And I knew I would. Because I had decided to. And despite the heavy legs, slow miles, and partially ice covered trail, I decided at two miles into my run to turn my planned four miles into five.
And that's the thing with running. While I am not in my top running shape right now. And while I am tired. And fighting this damn cold that I seem to fight all winter long ever single since Greta entered the world...well. Once you decide to do it. You DO IT. And that's the mental game of it all.
So while my sneakers aren't earning the miles that they will this spring through fall...my mind is getting the exercise it needs.
Happy Running!
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Pre B2B
I always seem to blog when B2B surfaces...I think it is because of the natural reflection that occurs when the race approaches...You are surrounded by B2B mentions the week leading into the race. It has become a familiar place to be. Similar to Christmas. Sights, sounds and feelings.
I am really excited to be able to run it again this year. Even though I kind of hate it.
I am really excited to be able to run it again this year. Even though I kind of hate it.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Continue
As the distance grows between the marathon and me, it becomes clear...I do not want to do another one anytime soon. Can't say never. Can say not this year.
Ended up getting a B2B number, so that is my next race. Most likely ME 1/2 last weekend in September too.
After over a month, my legs are beginning to feel fully recovered. Have had runs where I feel "normal". Recovery was more brutal thatn I thought...but in a subtle way. Exhaustion just was the under lying theme for every run for the past month. Heavy, tired, exhaustion.
Ended up getting a B2B number, so that is my next race. Most likely ME 1/2 last weekend in September too.
After over a month, my legs are beginning to feel fully recovered. Have had runs where I feel "normal". Recovery was more brutal thatn I thought...but in a subtle way. Exhaustion just was the under lying theme for every run for the past month. Heavy, tired, exhaustion.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Doooooooooooooone
I had visions of crafting a witty clever blog about the marathon to post on my other blog...But I don't know if I can do that. As with any race, you think about the things that were "off"...that may have contributed to an off performance. Whereas in reality it may be as simple as the fact that 26.2 kicked my ass.
My last runs before the race were not good runs. I was tired. The day before the race? Tired. The morning of the race? Tired. Mind and body. And maybe just "thinking" that, was enough to throw me off. Sore throat. Stuffy nose. And reading that taking a NAISD before running might be a death sentence. I always took Excedrin before I ran. The caffeine boost and pain relief always helped me. But I decided the I didn't want to mess with the medical warnings that were part of the race packet...
I also know that not training with Russ and then attempting to run together didn't help matters. Russ has a completely different running style than me...he surges as needed to keep his overall pace. I am pretty good at being consistent with my pace. It all felt wrong. I also couldn't get into my zone. I never did. I was distracted by the runners surrounding me. I didn't enter a zone at any point in the race.
And it was warm. Not HOT. But it was very sunny. And by the end it was 78. Too hot for me to run 26.2....
I knew at around 5 or 6 miles my mind was very off as compared to other long runs.
I settled in a little bit shortly after that.
But at mile 9ish there was a 3/4mile climb. And it drained me. I gasped to Russ that I did NOT want to try to "make up" that time. Because that is how he was running---pushing us to a 9 minute mile to make up for the start time...way too fast for me when I had been hoping to keep a 9:45 pace (for a 4:15 finish). Another thing I realized is that while most of my long runs came in at a 9:45-9:50 pace (my 18 miler was a 9:30 pace)...all of my miles were between 9:50 and 10. I would often lower my overall pace just through speeding up for my last 2 miles. So those surges really may have affected me more than I thought. Or not. Again, who knows.
Either way, by 10 miles I was draining. To the point that around the time I turned to Russ and said "I have to walk"...Now I get that many people use walking as part of the training, but I never ever walk. I just don't. Because of fear of never starting again. So at that point it became clear that this race was NOT happening. We started running again but by 13.1, I needed to walk again. And I told Russ to move it along. I was done. Out. And I really didn't want or need anyone to be with me. I wasn't angry. Or frustrated. Disappointed? Sure. And mildly concerned with how the hell I was going to "end this". I walked. And then ran again. And realized that walk/running actually does make sense. I drilled it up Battery Street...the worst part of the course but the best part because it was the most incredible crowd support I ever experienced.
I continued a 2 mile run/quarter mile walk (which was too far to walk for the record) for a bit...and then at some point everything just started unraveling. The running became less, the walking more. It was hot. I was tired. But I knew I was going to finish that mother fucker. I thought of Greta. I thought of Kyle. I thought of the kids at school. I had to finish.
The crowd support throughout the race was so amazing. Without the spectators handing out water and ice pops (best treat EVER when running on a hot day)...I really don't know if I would finish.
By the end I was barely moving. Apparently there was one mile in there that I basically walked the whole mile (viewing the mile by mile break down on my garmin was amusing).
I finished. I didn't even f'ng care about the time. I just knew that my marathon experienced was OVER. And that was good enough.
For a moment.
Then I realized I HAD to do another one.
To see what I can do.
So that is what I am doing.
Starting training Monday for the Maine Full.
Goal: to PR of course...Sub 4:30 would make me ok. Sub 4:15 may be enough for me to never run another marathon again.
But probably not.
Maybe I am a marathoner?
Giving myself a full week off from exercise.
Can't wait until Monday...
My last runs before the race were not good runs. I was tired. The day before the race? Tired. The morning of the race? Tired. Mind and body. And maybe just "thinking" that, was enough to throw me off. Sore throat. Stuffy nose. And reading that taking a NAISD before running might be a death sentence. I always took Excedrin before I ran. The caffeine boost and pain relief always helped me. But I decided the I didn't want to mess with the medical warnings that were part of the race packet...
I also know that not training with Russ and then attempting to run together didn't help matters. Russ has a completely different running style than me...he surges as needed to keep his overall pace. I am pretty good at being consistent with my pace. It all felt wrong. I also couldn't get into my zone. I never did. I was distracted by the runners surrounding me. I didn't enter a zone at any point in the race.
And it was warm. Not HOT. But it was very sunny. And by the end it was 78. Too hot for me to run 26.2....
I knew at around 5 or 6 miles my mind was very off as compared to other long runs.
I settled in a little bit shortly after that.
But at mile 9ish there was a 3/4mile climb. And it drained me. I gasped to Russ that I did NOT want to try to "make up" that time. Because that is how he was running---pushing us to a 9 minute mile to make up for the start time...way too fast for me when I had been hoping to keep a 9:45 pace (for a 4:15 finish). Another thing I realized is that while most of my long runs came in at a 9:45-9:50 pace (my 18 miler was a 9:30 pace)...all of my miles were between 9:50 and 10. I would often lower my overall pace just through speeding up for my last 2 miles. So those surges really may have affected me more than I thought. Or not. Again, who knows.
Either way, by 10 miles I was draining. To the point that around the time I turned to Russ and said "I have to walk"...Now I get that many people use walking as part of the training, but I never ever walk. I just don't. Because of fear of never starting again. So at that point it became clear that this race was NOT happening. We started running again but by 13.1, I needed to walk again. And I told Russ to move it along. I was done. Out. And I really didn't want or need anyone to be with me. I wasn't angry. Or frustrated. Disappointed? Sure. And mildly concerned with how the hell I was going to "end this". I walked. And then ran again. And realized that walk/running actually does make sense. I drilled it up Battery Street...the worst part of the course but the best part because it was the most incredible crowd support I ever experienced.
I continued a 2 mile run/quarter mile walk (which was too far to walk for the record) for a bit...and then at some point everything just started unraveling. The running became less, the walking more. It was hot. I was tired. But I knew I was going to finish that mother fucker. I thought of Greta. I thought of Kyle. I thought of the kids at school. I had to finish.
The crowd support throughout the race was so amazing. Without the spectators handing out water and ice pops (best treat EVER when running on a hot day)...I really don't know if I would finish.
By the end I was barely moving. Apparently there was one mile in there that I basically walked the whole mile (viewing the mile by mile break down on my garmin was amusing).
I finished. I didn't even f'ng care about the time. I just knew that my marathon experienced was OVER. And that was good enough.
For a moment.
Then I realized I HAD to do another one.
To see what I can do.
So that is what I am doing.
Starting training Monday for the Maine Full.
Goal: to PR of course...Sub 4:30 would make me ok. Sub 4:15 may be enough for me to never run another marathon again.
But probably not.
Maybe I am a marathoner?
Giving myself a full week off from exercise.
Can't wait until Monday...
Monday, April 23, 2012
Well...
19 was rough for me. But I plan to slaughter 20 in 2 weeks.
Avoiding Pre-Race Jitters
Visualization
Each day spend 15 minutes visualizing your race. Close your eyes before you get out of bed in the morning and play out the race in your mind. See yourself on race morning. You are calm and organized, your emotions are controlled. See yourself on race day, from the moment you wake up to the moment you cross the finish line.
Visualize your success
See the clock. See your goal time. If you visualize success over and over again, chances are you can will it to happen on race day!
Organization
Make sure you are organized the day before the race. Race morning is not the time to decide what to eat or wear. Have everything set out the night before and perform your morning automatically like you do every day in training. Nothing new!
Focus
Focus internally on performance rather than outcome. All energy and focus should be on yourself, taking care of your body so that it can perform the way you want it to. Focus on what you are doing at that very moment. Live in the here and now. Don’t think too much, just simply do what you have trained your body to do day in and day out.
Mental Cues
Have some emotional and biomechanical cues or mantras that you will say to yourself throughout the race to help you remain focused. Mental cues include: “I feel strong”, “I am confident”, “I will succeed.” Anything that keeps your emotions in check and triggers internal confidence and a positive attitude are good mental clues. Biomechanical cues are also very important throughout the second half of the race. Many runners look at the elites and wonder how they make it look so easy. It is not easy for them. They have just practiced running efficiently when they are exhausted. This makes them more efficient and eliminates wasted energy and pace declines. Some biomechanical cues include: high cadence, run from hips, efficient stride, no wasted energy, smooth and light, relax the face… Never ever say to yourself, ”I am so tired, my knees hurt, I have to slow down.” Instead say, “Stay strong, I have worked so hard, I will be done soon, keep pushing, I will take it one mile at a time, etc.”
Remember the goal of the taper is to reach a state of physical AND mental preparation that leads to optimal performance. Now go have the race of your life!
Avoiding Pre-Race Jitters
Visualization
Each day spend 15 minutes visualizing your race. Close your eyes before you get out of bed in the morning and play out the race in your mind. See yourself on race morning. You are calm and organized, your emotions are controlled. See yourself on race day, from the moment you wake up to the moment you cross the finish line.
Visualize your success
See the clock. See your goal time. If you visualize success over and over again, chances are you can will it to happen on race day!
Organization
Make sure you are organized the day before the race. Race morning is not the time to decide what to eat or wear. Have everything set out the night before and perform your morning automatically like you do every day in training. Nothing new!
Focus
Focus internally on performance rather than outcome. All energy and focus should be on yourself, taking care of your body so that it can perform the way you want it to. Focus on what you are doing at that very moment. Live in the here and now. Don’t think too much, just simply do what you have trained your body to do day in and day out.
Mental Cues
Have some emotional and biomechanical cues or mantras that you will say to yourself throughout the race to help you remain focused. Mental cues include: “I feel strong”, “I am confident”, “I will succeed.” Anything that keeps your emotions in check and triggers internal confidence and a positive attitude are good mental clues. Biomechanical cues are also very important throughout the second half of the race. Many runners look at the elites and wonder how they make it look so easy. It is not easy for them. They have just practiced running efficiently when they are exhausted. This makes them more efficient and eliminates wasted energy and pace declines. Some biomechanical cues include: high cadence, run from hips, efficient stride, no wasted energy, smooth and light, relax the face… Never ever say to yourself, ”I am so tired, my knees hurt, I have to slow down.” Instead say, “Stay strong, I have worked so hard, I will be done soon, keep pushing, I will take it one mile at a time, etc.”
Remember the goal of the taper is to reach a state of physical AND mental preparation that leads to optimal performance. Now go have the race of your life!
Kim Loeffler, MS Exercise Physiology, Pro Triathlete and Coach
Kelly Liljeblad, Elite 2:32 Marathon Runner and Coach
Kelly Liljeblad, Elite 2:32 Marathon Runner and Coach
***KBVCM website
Friday, April 13, 2012
Cannot believe there are only two monster runs left in the training. 19 next weekend, 20 two weeks after that.
Kind of looking forward to a nice 13 tomorrow. Will be warm, which I do not like running in warm temps at all. But a little sun does the body good.
Shoe still bothers my bone for first 1/2 mile of any run and hurts to the point that I can't walk really well but for whatever reason, once I am in that 1/2 mile--the pain vanishes. So I guess I am fine with the Mizunos. I will say that this week I felt that they had broken in...I know "they" insist that there should be no real break in period with new shoes, but I say that is BS. The shoes feel more comfortable now.
The other foot issue is toes that rub together forming blisters in between my toes--I highly doubt this is a shoe issue and is just a mileage issue.
Yesterday was a 5 mile easy run and I just felt full of energy. I love runs like that.
Kind of looking forward to a nice 13 tomorrow. Will be warm, which I do not like running in warm temps at all. But a little sun does the body good.
Shoe still bothers my bone for first 1/2 mile of any run and hurts to the point that I can't walk really well but for whatever reason, once I am in that 1/2 mile--the pain vanishes. So I guess I am fine with the Mizunos. I will say that this week I felt that they had broken in...I know "they" insist that there should be no real break in period with new shoes, but I say that is BS. The shoes feel more comfortable now.
The other foot issue is toes that rub together forming blisters in between my toes--I highly doubt this is a shoe issue and is just a mileage issue.
Yesterday was a 5 mile easy run and I just felt full of energy. I love runs like that.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
18 done
And it was great. So great that I pushed out an 8:06 for my last mile. My overall pace was 9:30...way too fast. I've got to ask Hal if I am screwing myself by doing this. In my mind it is just building cushion to hit the 9:45 target pace for the marathon.
Oh and I will never, ever use cliff blocks again. Ew. I am so over them.
Oh and I will never, ever use cliff blocks again. Ew. I am so over them.
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