Hello everyone!
I have an announcement. While "Catching Up" has enjoyed a fabulous run, I am shutting down this running blog.
I have actually started a new blog, following a dream of mine to have my own website, so I will only be blogging there from now on.
But, don't fret! I will still be blogging about running!
Every Monday is "RunDay" on the blog, so I will still be posting about my training and races every week.
Feel free to check it out! And, thank you for reading!
-Hanna
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Tragedy...and perspective
A shiver passed through the running community last week when the news came out that two people died at half-marathons last weekend.
One of them was a 16-year-old girl named Cameron. Cameron and her best friend had excitedly trained together for their half marathon for weeks. Moments after the girls crossed the finish line together, Cameron collapsed and couldn't be revived. She was an otherwise healthy, active girl who played softball and swam for her high school.
Her death was not only sad, but scary. When healthy, active people die with no explanation after a race, it makes me realize: it could be me. Especially since I don't have the relief of already knowing I can safely complete one.
I know, that's a morbid thought. I know how statistically unlikely it is to die in a race and that I can be 99% sure I will be just fine; my chances of dying in a full marathon are actually about .000007%. But I'm not writing this to talk about how scary it is when runners die. Cameron's tragedy gave me some perspective in an unexpected way.
When I first read this story on Runner's World, I read the comments and one woman talked about how she had a heart condition, but still ran several half marathons - she just makes sure to take it slow and go at a pace that works for her body. I realized that woman could be any of the runners around me during a race. Or jogging by me on the sidewalk. Running is a personal journey, and every person in the starting corral is on a different chapter of theirs. We all have our own stories.
It's so easy to assume that all runners are the same, and the only thing that separates us is that some of us are faster and better than others. But we're not all the same. By getting so caught up in competitiveness and finish times, I'm missing something important. Every person out there is an inspiration. Some may run slower, some may have to walk half the race. But everyone out there has made an effort to get up and be active, to work hard to achieve something, to challenge themselves, and to have fun. Each person out there had a choice to get up and run or not, and they all chose to run. They all said no to laziness and inactivity. Every racer, not just the top finisher, is admirable. And I'm cheating myself out of so much of the richness of this experience by ignoring that because I'm too obsessed with my finish time and my own performance. Everywhere around me are runners who have used running to beat addiction, lose weight, overcome health issues, or just become better people. And we're all here, accomplishing something together. A race isn't just a race, it's a big giant celebration of the best parts of humanity. We do ourselves a great disservice by not remembering that.
I would rather Cameron's tragedy not have happened, and that instead she and the other half marathoner who died last weekend got to absorb all of the joy of their accomplishments and the lives that lay ahead of them. I can only hope that Cameron and her family would be glad to know that her story has made me, and many other runners, more mindful of what really matters and more in tune to the real joys and inspiration that the sport has to offer.
And now, instead of being scared of my first half marathon, I couldn't be more excited about it. Just writing this blog entry has me thinking about all of the fun I'm going to have on race day, running with one of my friends, being back in Kenosha, achieving a huge goal, and being part of the race day camaraderie. I hope I even make a new friend or too :-)
One of them was a 16-year-old girl named Cameron. Cameron and her best friend had excitedly trained together for their half marathon for weeks. Moments after the girls crossed the finish line together, Cameron collapsed and couldn't be revived. She was an otherwise healthy, active girl who played softball and swam for her high school.
Her death was not only sad, but scary. When healthy, active people die with no explanation after a race, it makes me realize: it could be me. Especially since I don't have the relief of already knowing I can safely complete one.
I know, that's a morbid thought. I know how statistically unlikely it is to die in a race and that I can be 99% sure I will be just fine; my chances of dying in a full marathon are actually about .000007%. But I'm not writing this to talk about how scary it is when runners die. Cameron's tragedy gave me some perspective in an unexpected way.
When I first read this story on Runner's World, I read the comments and one woman talked about how she had a heart condition, but still ran several half marathons - she just makes sure to take it slow and go at a pace that works for her body. I realized that woman could be any of the runners around me during a race. Or jogging by me on the sidewalk. Running is a personal journey, and every person in the starting corral is on a different chapter of theirs. We all have our own stories.
It's so easy to assume that all runners are the same, and the only thing that separates us is that some of us are faster and better than others. But we're not all the same. By getting so caught up in competitiveness and finish times, I'm missing something important. Every person out there is an inspiration. Some may run slower, some may have to walk half the race. But everyone out there has made an effort to get up and be active, to work hard to achieve something, to challenge themselves, and to have fun. Each person out there had a choice to get up and run or not, and they all chose to run. They all said no to laziness and inactivity. Every racer, not just the top finisher, is admirable. And I'm cheating myself out of so much of the richness of this experience by ignoring that because I'm too obsessed with my finish time and my own performance. Everywhere around me are runners who have used running to beat addiction, lose weight, overcome health issues, or just become better people. And we're all here, accomplishing something together. A race isn't just a race, it's a big giant celebration of the best parts of humanity. We do ourselves a great disservice by not remembering that.
I would rather Cameron's tragedy not have happened, and that instead she and the other half marathoner who died last weekend got to absorb all of the joy of their accomplishments and the lives that lay ahead of them. I can only hope that Cameron and her family would be glad to know that her story has made me, and many other runners, more mindful of what really matters and more in tune to the real joys and inspiration that the sport has to offer.
And now, instead of being scared of my first half marathon, I couldn't be more excited about it. Just writing this blog entry has me thinking about all of the fun I'm going to have on race day, running with one of my friends, being back in Kenosha, achieving a huge goal, and being part of the race day camaraderie. I hope I even make a new friend or too :-)
Monday, March 24, 2014
Training Milestone Alert: 13 Miles!! I did it!
Well folks, I've done it. On a clear, sunny, but very cold Sunday morning, I did what felt for the longest time like only a distant possibility: I ran 13 miles.
So, I can do it after all!
I never thought I'd hit 13 miles this far ahead in my training. But I've really been in a groove with my half marathon training ever since I got back from El Salvador/being sick (one of the reasons I decided to skip out on a 15K race I had signed up for this weekend, a decision that clearly paid off!). For the past couple weeks I've been feeling great after my runs, and I rocked my 12-miler last weekend, so this weekend I just went for it. And now I know: I can do it. I can run 13 miles.
I can run a half-marathon!
So, what now? I have 5 weekends left before the big day, and this is what my long run schedule is looking like going forward:
March 29 or 30: 11 miles
April 5 or 6: 12 miles
April 12 or 13: 13.5 miles
April 19 or 20: 11 miles (whoo hoo taper time!)
April 26 or 27: 9 or maybe just 8 miles
So, now that I know I can run those 13 miles? Time to work on that pace! I haven't been thinking about time on my long runs, since the important thing is to take them easy and complete the miles. Even though most of my long runs will be shorter than 13 miles from now until May, I'm still not going to "race" through any of them, but I am going to keep working on my speedwork and tempo runs during the weeks. For the past couple months, I have typically done one speed intervals workout and one tempo run per week (I must confess, I use the word "tempo" lightly - whether I push the pace, and how much, usually just depends on how I'm feeling that day). I did my 6 mile run on Thursday at tempo pace and it went superbly well: 6.12 miles in 57:00, which is right on the heels of my 10K race times! I'm hoping that by really polishing up my speedwork and tempo runs for the next 5 weeks, I'll start getting myself ready to rock this half marathon!
Ideally, I would also like to start doing more strength training. I've been notoriously bad about this in my time as a runner. It's just hard to find the time to work it in when I'm already running 4 times a week. But I will try.
I must admit, folks, I'm REALLY getting excited! The weeks countdown is in single-digits, the weather is starting to get a little better, and I'm really starting to feel in the zone and see improvements in my training!
May 3rd, bring it on. I'm ready for you!
I never thought I'd hit 13 miles this far ahead in my training. But I've really been in a groove with my half marathon training ever since I got back from El Salvador/being sick (one of the reasons I decided to skip out on a 15K race I had signed up for this weekend, a decision that clearly paid off!). For the past couple weeks I've been feeling great after my runs, and I rocked my 12-miler last weekend, so this weekend I just went for it. And now I know: I can do it. I can run 13 miles.
I can run a half-marathon!
So, what now? I have 5 weekends left before the big day, and this is what my long run schedule is looking like going forward:
March 29 or 30: 11 miles
April 5 or 6: 12 miles
April 12 or 13: 13.5 miles
April 19 or 20: 11 miles (whoo hoo taper time!)
April 26 or 27: 9 or maybe just 8 miles
So, now that I know I can run those 13 miles? Time to work on that pace! I haven't been thinking about time on my long runs, since the important thing is to take them easy and complete the miles. Even though most of my long runs will be shorter than 13 miles from now until May, I'm still not going to "race" through any of them, but I am going to keep working on my speedwork and tempo runs during the weeks. For the past couple months, I have typically done one speed intervals workout and one tempo run per week (I must confess, I use the word "tempo" lightly - whether I push the pace, and how much, usually just depends on how I'm feeling that day). I did my 6 mile run on Thursday at tempo pace and it went superbly well: 6.12 miles in 57:00, which is right on the heels of my 10K race times! I'm hoping that by really polishing up my speedwork and tempo runs for the next 5 weeks, I'll start getting myself ready to rock this half marathon!
Ideally, I would also like to start doing more strength training. I've been notoriously bad about this in my time as a runner. It's just hard to find the time to work it in when I'm already running 4 times a week. But I will try.
I must admit, folks, I'm REALLY getting excited! The weeks countdown is in single-digits, the weather is starting to get a little better, and I'm really starting to feel in the zone and see improvements in my training!
May 3rd, bring it on. I'm ready for you!
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
What I talk about when I talk about "Catching Up"
My blog is called "catching up". I thought it was a cute running pun that also conveys the sense of being on a journey.
But after some introspection I realized, it actually means a lot more than that, more than I could have known back then.
And I'm still learning.
So, what do I mean when I talk about "catching up"?
Am I trying to catch up to other runners?
Well, no, that's silly. Let's say I knew a gal with a half marathon PR of, I don't know, 1:42, and a marathon PR of 3:45. And let's say I took up training with the intention of beating those times. Ha! I'll show her, right?!? Well, even if I succeed....what exactly have I accomplished? Okay, so I beat some arbitrary times. Whoo hoo. In the meantime, I embarked on a running journey that meant absolutely nothing to me and my life. What a waste! It's impossible to "catch up" to someone else because their journey is their own.
Am I trying to catch up on my health and fitness?
Certainly, this is part of it. I can't think of a single runner who doesn't count the health and wellness benefits among their reasons for running. I joined a gym at the beginning of 2013 and got two free personal trainer sessions when I started. In my first session, my trainer asked me (as part of a routine set of questions) at what point in my life was I in the best physical shape. He told me that most people say high school. That has stuck with me ever since. High school?!? That seems wrong, on so many levels. I am an active, vital, healthy person and I don't want high school to be the best shape I was in for the rest of my life!
Am I trying to catch up to finally having a certain race under my belt?
Sort of, but not really. This whole journey started when I decided to train for a half-marathon, and then changed when I decided I wanted to do a full marathon as well. But if I define catching up as being able to say I have this or that race on my belt, where does it end? I may have accomplished a half marathon, but then I'd have to catch up to a full. And once I tackle a full, well, I've still never qualified for Boston. And if I do qualify for Boston, I still haven't done an ultramarathon. And once I've done an ultramarathon I haven't done an Ironman. And once I've done an Ironman, I haven't made any Olympic teams. I think you get the idea. No matter how much I accomplish, there's always going to be something I have not done. Running isn't just about races. There are many devoted runners who don't race, and they still have something they are constantly trying to catch up to in their own journeys.
Am I trying to catch up to certain times?
I think this makes sense as a good goal to have, but I don't think it holistically defines why I'm running and what my journey is about. Plus, my goal times are always changing based on the progress I made and, sometimes, just based on what kind of mood I'm in at the moment, so that makes it kind of hard to "catch up" to them.
But, that does lead me into what I really do mean by "catching up". Back when I started this blog, it was called "Anti-Runner Aims for the Half". I called it as such because when I started this journey, I didn't like running yet. I wasn't running because I loved running, but rather, because I had something to prove to myself and I wanted the satisfaction of setting out and achieving a concrete goal.
But after a while, I did begin to love running. So the blog had to change, and that's when it became catching up. At the time, I chose that title because it was a fun play on words and because, in some way, it did encapsulate what I was up to even if I couldn't articulate it at the time. I was trying to catch up, and I have been ever since. I've been trying to catch up to me. With every step of this journey, I've realized that I'm capable of so much more than I expected of myself. Each good training run and successful race show me that I can do more. And I want to do more. I sold myself short in the beginning, and now I'm trying to catch up to the person I know I can be. I feel like I need to catch up for all those years I dismissed running and exercise and didn't get to improve myself the way running is improving me now.
And I guess, in an ideal world, I'll never truly feel caught up. May your reach always exceed your grasp, as they say. I'll always want to do better and reach higher - and I should. But that's okay. Because, as they also say: the journey IS the destination.
But after some introspection I realized, it actually means a lot more than that, more than I could have known back then.
And I'm still learning.
So, what do I mean when I talk about "catching up"?
Am I trying to catch up to other runners?
Well, no, that's silly. Let's say I knew a gal with a half marathon PR of, I don't know, 1:42, and a marathon PR of 3:45. And let's say I took up training with the intention of beating those times. Ha! I'll show her, right?!? Well, even if I succeed....what exactly have I accomplished? Okay, so I beat some arbitrary times. Whoo hoo. In the meantime, I embarked on a running journey that meant absolutely nothing to me and my life. What a waste! It's impossible to "catch up" to someone else because their journey is their own.
Am I trying to catch up on my health and fitness?
Certainly, this is part of it. I can't think of a single runner who doesn't count the health and wellness benefits among their reasons for running. I joined a gym at the beginning of 2013 and got two free personal trainer sessions when I started. In my first session, my trainer asked me (as part of a routine set of questions) at what point in my life was I in the best physical shape. He told me that most people say high school. That has stuck with me ever since. High school?!? That seems wrong, on so many levels. I am an active, vital, healthy person and I don't want high school to be the best shape I was in for the rest of my life!
Am I trying to catch up to finally having a certain race under my belt?
Sort of, but not really. This whole journey started when I decided to train for a half-marathon, and then changed when I decided I wanted to do a full marathon as well. But if I define catching up as being able to say I have this or that race on my belt, where does it end? I may have accomplished a half marathon, but then I'd have to catch up to a full. And once I tackle a full, well, I've still never qualified for Boston. And if I do qualify for Boston, I still haven't done an ultramarathon. And once I've done an ultramarathon I haven't done an Ironman. And once I've done an Ironman, I haven't made any Olympic teams. I think you get the idea. No matter how much I accomplish, there's always going to be something I have not done. Running isn't just about races. There are many devoted runners who don't race, and they still have something they are constantly trying to catch up to in their own journeys.
Am I trying to catch up to certain times?
I think this makes sense as a good goal to have, but I don't think it holistically defines why I'm running and what my journey is about. Plus, my goal times are always changing based on the progress I made and, sometimes, just based on what kind of mood I'm in at the moment, so that makes it kind of hard to "catch up" to them.
But, that does lead me into what I really do mean by "catching up". Back when I started this blog, it was called "Anti-Runner Aims for the Half". I called it as such because when I started this journey, I didn't like running yet. I wasn't running because I loved running, but rather, because I had something to prove to myself and I wanted the satisfaction of setting out and achieving a concrete goal.
But after a while, I did begin to love running. So the blog had to change, and that's when it became catching up. At the time, I chose that title because it was a fun play on words and because, in some way, it did encapsulate what I was up to even if I couldn't articulate it at the time. I was trying to catch up, and I have been ever since. I've been trying to catch up to me. With every step of this journey, I've realized that I'm capable of so much more than I expected of myself. Each good training run and successful race show me that I can do more. And I want to do more. I sold myself short in the beginning, and now I'm trying to catch up to the person I know I can be. I feel like I need to catch up for all those years I dismissed running and exercise and didn't get to improve myself the way running is improving me now.
And I guess, in an ideal world, I'll never truly feel caught up. May your reach always exceed your grasp, as they say. I'll always want to do better and reach higher - and I should. But that's okay. Because, as they also say: the journey IS the destination.
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| The beginning: the Color Run/Walk (haha) in July, my first 5k |
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| The latest: placing in the top 10 in my age group in TWO 10Ks. The highlights of my running journey...so far!! |
Monday, March 10, 2014
Long May You Run
One of the things running bloggers and runner friends seem to love to talk about is the dreaded long run.
I was beginning to think I've been doing something wrong, because long runs haven't been bad for me. Long runs are demanding, sure, but they've never been hellish for me like they seem to be for other runners. They never required me to summon Herculean amounts of strength and energy and they never completely wiped me out for the next 1-2 days. Granted, my long runs haven't been that long so far, relatively speaking, but whenever I hear runners griping about the long run I can't help but think: are long runs really THAT bad, folks? Or am I not doing them right? Do I just have a higher pain threshold? Are some people just natural complainers? What gives?
The other day, I was discussing long runs with a running friend of mine and she mentioned how a long run ruins not only that day, but sometimes the whole weekend if it's on a Saturday or the following Monday if it's on a Sunday, too. I didn't really know what to say because this has not been my experience, but I didn't want to be all, "well I always feel fine after MY long runs!" My long runs are always pretty exhausting, and make me kinda sore, and some of them don't go as well as others, but I usually am able to go on with the rest of my day and feel normal once they're over.
That is, until yesterday. Yesterday I did an 11-mile long run (it's amazing how close I'm getting to 13.1!). It wasn't a bad run and went swimmingly for the most part, but on my way back I hit a wall at about mile 8.5. Suddenly home seemed another 11 miles away. My legs ached and it felt like torture trying to pull myself through those last couple miles.
I got through it. I managed to make it the rest of the way, without stopping or walking. But when I got home I just crashed. I curled up in bed, not even bothering to change out of my cold sweaty running clothes, and slept for an hour. And, it felt great. Today my knees still ache a little bit.
So, you win, long run haters. You were right and I was woefully naive: they are hard and they do sometimes torpedo the rest of your day. I'm gonna be optimistic and chalk my extreme exhaustion up to the fact that I was coming out of a 2 week hiatus and trying to compensate by jamming 19 miles into a span of 4 days (that may not seem like a lot, but up until this point I've been doing that much and sometimes less in a whole week).
While I was running on that wall, it was impossible to believe that I could get through a half marathon in 8 weeks. 11 miles is SO close, but it sure didn't feel that way yesterday! I could not have handled another two. So, how much better can I really get in 8 weeks? Each week that goes by and the half marathon gets closer, I wonder more and more what it's going to look like. I toy with different time goals, but the truth is I really have no idea what I am or am not capable of. What does May 3rd have in store for me? What will 13.1 miles really feel like? So much wondering. I'm so anxious and excited and want race day to hurry up and get here, but at the same time, I'm constantly worried that I'm not prepared enough and that I'm going to let myself down. Will I regret all that hill training I didn't do? Should I have increased my weekly mileage sooner? Am I doing speedwork right?
Anyway, regardless of what it means, I'm choosing to let it motivate me instead of discouraging me. This week I am increasing my tempo and easy run mileage and I'm excited to kick a 12 miler's butt this weekend (12. Holy crap. That's 1.1 miles away from a half marathon)!
Here's to you, long runs: the (mostly) good, the bad, and the ugly.
I was beginning to think I've been doing something wrong, because long runs haven't been bad for me. Long runs are demanding, sure, but they've never been hellish for me like they seem to be for other runners. They never required me to summon Herculean amounts of strength and energy and they never completely wiped me out for the next 1-2 days. Granted, my long runs haven't been that long so far, relatively speaking, but whenever I hear runners griping about the long run I can't help but think: are long runs really THAT bad, folks? Or am I not doing them right? Do I just have a higher pain threshold? Are some people just natural complainers? What gives?
The other day, I was discussing long runs with a running friend of mine and she mentioned how a long run ruins not only that day, but sometimes the whole weekend if it's on a Saturday or the following Monday if it's on a Sunday, too. I didn't really know what to say because this has not been my experience, but I didn't want to be all, "well I always feel fine after MY long runs!" My long runs are always pretty exhausting, and make me kinda sore, and some of them don't go as well as others, but I usually am able to go on with the rest of my day and feel normal once they're over.
That is, until yesterday. Yesterday I did an 11-mile long run (it's amazing how close I'm getting to 13.1!). It wasn't a bad run and went swimmingly for the most part, but on my way back I hit a wall at about mile 8.5. Suddenly home seemed another 11 miles away. My legs ached and it felt like torture trying to pull myself through those last couple miles.
I got through it. I managed to make it the rest of the way, without stopping or walking. But when I got home I just crashed. I curled up in bed, not even bothering to change out of my cold sweaty running clothes, and slept for an hour. And, it felt great. Today my knees still ache a little bit.
So, you win, long run haters. You were right and I was woefully naive: they are hard and they do sometimes torpedo the rest of your day. I'm gonna be optimistic and chalk my extreme exhaustion up to the fact that I was coming out of a 2 week hiatus and trying to compensate by jamming 19 miles into a span of 4 days (that may not seem like a lot, but up until this point I've been doing that much and sometimes less in a whole week).
While I was running on that wall, it was impossible to believe that I could get through a half marathon in 8 weeks. 11 miles is SO close, but it sure didn't feel that way yesterday! I could not have handled another two. So, how much better can I really get in 8 weeks? Each week that goes by and the half marathon gets closer, I wonder more and more what it's going to look like. I toy with different time goals, but the truth is I really have no idea what I am or am not capable of. What does May 3rd have in store for me? What will 13.1 miles really feel like? So much wondering. I'm so anxious and excited and want race day to hurry up and get here, but at the same time, I'm constantly worried that I'm not prepared enough and that I'm going to let myself down. Will I regret all that hill training I didn't do? Should I have increased my weekly mileage sooner? Am I doing speedwork right?
Anyway, regardless of what it means, I'm choosing to let it motivate me instead of discouraging me. This week I am increasing my tempo and easy run mileage and I'm excited to kick a 12 miler's butt this weekend (12. Holy crap. That's 1.1 miles away from a half marathon)!
Here's to you, long runs: the (mostly) good, the bad, and the ugly.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
A new chapter in training: the Mikaela Method
Buenos dias!
I'm back from a wonderful trip to El Salvador with Habitat for Humanity. It was a terrific experience and building a home definitely got me caught up on some strength training!
Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to dive right back into running, I have had to delay running even further because I came back to the US with an ear infection and have not been feeling well enough to run. Needless to say, I am not happy. I have about two and a half weeks until a 9.3 mile race and less than two months until a half marathon and I am starting to get really stressed about whether I can be ready in time. Before I left for El Salvador, I was actually ahead in my training, with long runs up to 10 miles. I'm hoping that these miles will still be "in the bank" once I start running again this week, even if I am behind. Big races loom on the horizon, and I have no time or miles to waste!
Anyway, this break came at a perfect time, because I have been doing a lot of thinking about my training. I recently read an article about Mikaela Shiffrin, the 18-year-old skiing phenom who won gold at the Sochi Olympics. The article was about Mikeala's training and how her central strategy is to "compete less, train more". Her coaches actually have her opt out of most of the skiing competitions throughout the year so that they can spend that time working on the basics and getting her better at the sport. Apparently many athletes, including Tiger Woods, have similar training philosophies. Competition-focused athletes are doing what it takes to beat their competitors, while training-focused athletes are actually trying to get better at their sports.
I wonder how much better I could be at running if I applied this methodology to my training. Instead of putting so much effort into getting good times in all of my small races, what if I focused that energy on training and becoming better at running? Instead of simply getting the miles in so I can have a good showing at the next race, what if I decide to really get serious about speed work and strength training and long run technique? Do I really want to get through my first half or full marathon, only to wonder how much better I could have performed if only I had spent more time solidifying the basics and less time just trying to beat my race PRs?
Obviously, there has to be a balance. I don't regret any of the races I've done. Even in Mikaela's philosophy, some competition is necessary. All of my 5Ks and 10Ks are great practice for what the race day environment is like. The small successes I've had along the way have given me great boosts of motivation, and having races throughout the long winter months provides incentive to stick with my training. But I think of how much energy and effort I pour into each one, and I've wondered more than once whether it is only distracting me from my bigger, more important goals.
So, as I start this new chapter in my training, I'd like to try out Mikaela's method. I don't want to just log miles for the sake of it, I want to vary my training and do each exercise with purpose and take it seriously. I want any successes I have in competition to be because I made myself into a good runner, not because I mustered up enough energy to eke out a good performance on race day. My successes thus far show me that I do have some innate ability as a runner. Imagine how much better I could be if I harnessed that ability and fine-tuned it with some good old fashioned training!
I'm going to incorporate more speed work and tempo runs into my training. I'm also going to start strength training again. Not only that, but I'm going to be a LOT better about warming up before runs and doing deep stretches. Ideally, when the weather is nicer I'll be able to incorporate some hills into my training, too. I've never really done hill-focused running before, but I suppose I ought to give it a whirl!
Wish me luck as I dive back into things. It's not going to be easy with all the time I've had off and recovering from illness, but, here's hoping it's not as bad as I fear ;-)
I'm back from a wonderful trip to El Salvador with Habitat for Humanity. It was a terrific experience and building a home definitely got me caught up on some strength training!
Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to dive right back into running, I have had to delay running even further because I came back to the US with an ear infection and have not been feeling well enough to run. Needless to say, I am not happy. I have about two and a half weeks until a 9.3 mile race and less than two months until a half marathon and I am starting to get really stressed about whether I can be ready in time. Before I left for El Salvador, I was actually ahead in my training, with long runs up to 10 miles. I'm hoping that these miles will still be "in the bank" once I start running again this week, even if I am behind. Big races loom on the horizon, and I have no time or miles to waste!
Anyway, this break came at a perfect time, because I have been doing a lot of thinking about my training. I recently read an article about Mikaela Shiffrin, the 18-year-old skiing phenom who won gold at the Sochi Olympics. The article was about Mikeala's training and how her central strategy is to "compete less, train more". Her coaches actually have her opt out of most of the skiing competitions throughout the year so that they can spend that time working on the basics and getting her better at the sport. Apparently many athletes, including Tiger Woods, have similar training philosophies. Competition-focused athletes are doing what it takes to beat their competitors, while training-focused athletes are actually trying to get better at their sports.
I wonder how much better I could be at running if I applied this methodology to my training. Instead of putting so much effort into getting good times in all of my small races, what if I focused that energy on training and becoming better at running? Instead of simply getting the miles in so I can have a good showing at the next race, what if I decide to really get serious about speed work and strength training and long run technique? Do I really want to get through my first half or full marathon, only to wonder how much better I could have performed if only I had spent more time solidifying the basics and less time just trying to beat my race PRs?
Obviously, there has to be a balance. I don't regret any of the races I've done. Even in Mikaela's philosophy, some competition is necessary. All of my 5Ks and 10Ks are great practice for what the race day environment is like. The small successes I've had along the way have given me great boosts of motivation, and having races throughout the long winter months provides incentive to stick with my training. But I think of how much energy and effort I pour into each one, and I've wondered more than once whether it is only distracting me from my bigger, more important goals.
So, as I start this new chapter in my training, I'd like to try out Mikaela's method. I don't want to just log miles for the sake of it, I want to vary my training and do each exercise with purpose and take it seriously. I want any successes I have in competition to be because I made myself into a good runner, not because I mustered up enough energy to eke out a good performance on race day. My successes thus far show me that I do have some innate ability as a runner. Imagine how much better I could be if I harnessed that ability and fine-tuned it with some good old fashioned training!
I'm going to incorporate more speed work and tempo runs into my training. I'm also going to start strength training again. Not only that, but I'm going to be a LOT better about warming up before runs and doing deep stretches. Ideally, when the weather is nicer I'll be able to incorporate some hills into my training, too. I've never really done hill-focused running before, but I suppose I ought to give it a whirl!
Wish me luck as I dive back into things. It's not going to be easy with all the time I've had off and recovering from illness, but, here's hoping it's not as bad as I fear ;-)
Friday, February 21, 2014
Separation Anxiety
These past couple weeks have been very frustrating for me. Even though I ran two successful races this month, my training is really starting to suffer. I'm not injured, I'm not sick, I'm not tired - I'm just lazy.
Maybe it is something about this month, because it's not just running. I've been terribly unproductive at work. I skip meetings and procrastinate volunteer homework until the point of almost forgetting it entirely. I leave for El Salvador in less than three days, and there have been a bunch of errands that keep popping up. I've been eating crappy take out instead of grocery shopping and cooking meals. And I just can't find it in me to run. I can't get up early, and after work I'm just too drained to go. Usually it's not hard for me to make myself go for a run after work (even in the winter), in fact, I often look forward to it. But lately, for whatever reason, I just can't go. I've been useless and it's so frustrating.
It also worries me because I'm about to take 10 days off from running. When I get back, I'll only have 20 days to get fit for a 9 mile race, and two months to get in peak shape for my first half-marathon. Slacking off this week when I'm about to leave for 10 days isn't going to make THAT much of a difference, but it sure isn't helping, either. What to do?!
A bunch of worried questions keep pinging around in my mind: How far behind will I get? Will I come back and be almost able to pick up right where I left off, or will I struggle to get through a moderately-pace four miles? Will I have enough time to get in peak shape for my May 3rd half?
I've heard various things about how long you can go without running and still maintain your fitness level. Some say as long as two weeks, others say as short as 5 days. Obviously, it depends on the individual, and I can't really know how it will affect me until I get back. And how does the work I'll be doing in El Salvador factor in? I may not be running, but we are going to be doing physical labor all week.
I can't really do anything differently here. This trip is important, and running has to take a back seat for a while to make room for it. So, what matters is what I do once I get back.
Starting March 3rd, running needs to become one of my top priorities again. I really need to get it into my head that these big races are no longer really far off: they are coming up very soon. This is the time when my training needs to kick into high gear and I need to take it seriously. Skipping runs is going to become more and more dangerous from now on. I need to start carving out more time in my days for training. I also need to start challenging myself a little bit more so that I'm actually growing and getting faster.
I need to devise a training schedule for March-April, and stick to it. I haven't been using a schedule for most of my training - I just make sure to do at least two runs during the week, maybe some strength training, and one long run. It's worked okay so far, but I can't help but think that on weeks like this, a schedule might have helped keep me on track. I've found that making schedules and to-do lists really helps me focus and get things under control. I'm more likely to do something if I've simply written it down and planned it into my day.
That schedule needs to include long runs on the weekends, like usual, but I need to beef up my runs during the week. I need to do three runs instead of two, or two runs and strength training, or two runs and XT, or even three runs and strength training. Working out three times a week isn't acceptable for someone who is about to take on some serious distance races.
I'm hoping the slowly-improving weather will help. March isn't exactly known for its lovely weather, but things will start getting better. Yesterday, for example, it's 45 degrees and sunny outside! Gorgeous weather likes that makes me ache to go running!
So, starting in March you will see me enter a new phase of my running. Well, maybe not that new. I'll just be running a lot more :-)
Maybe it is something about this month, because it's not just running. I've been terribly unproductive at work. I skip meetings and procrastinate volunteer homework until the point of almost forgetting it entirely. I leave for El Salvador in less than three days, and there have been a bunch of errands that keep popping up. I've been eating crappy take out instead of grocery shopping and cooking meals. And I just can't find it in me to run. I can't get up early, and after work I'm just too drained to go. Usually it's not hard for me to make myself go for a run after work (even in the winter), in fact, I often look forward to it. But lately, for whatever reason, I just can't go. I've been useless and it's so frustrating.
It also worries me because I'm about to take 10 days off from running. When I get back, I'll only have 20 days to get fit for a 9 mile race, and two months to get in peak shape for my first half-marathon. Slacking off this week when I'm about to leave for 10 days isn't going to make THAT much of a difference, but it sure isn't helping, either. What to do?!
A bunch of worried questions keep pinging around in my mind: How far behind will I get? Will I come back and be almost able to pick up right where I left off, or will I struggle to get through a moderately-pace four miles? Will I have enough time to get in peak shape for my May 3rd half?
I've heard various things about how long you can go without running and still maintain your fitness level. Some say as long as two weeks, others say as short as 5 days. Obviously, it depends on the individual, and I can't really know how it will affect me until I get back. And how does the work I'll be doing in El Salvador factor in? I may not be running, but we are going to be doing physical labor all week.
I can't really do anything differently here. This trip is important, and running has to take a back seat for a while to make room for it. So, what matters is what I do once I get back.
Starting March 3rd, running needs to become one of my top priorities again. I really need to get it into my head that these big races are no longer really far off: they are coming up very soon. This is the time when my training needs to kick into high gear and I need to take it seriously. Skipping runs is going to become more and more dangerous from now on. I need to start carving out more time in my days for training. I also need to start challenging myself a little bit more so that I'm actually growing and getting faster.
I need to devise a training schedule for March-April, and stick to it. I haven't been using a schedule for most of my training - I just make sure to do at least two runs during the week, maybe some strength training, and one long run. It's worked okay so far, but I can't help but think that on weeks like this, a schedule might have helped keep me on track. I've found that making schedules and to-do lists really helps me focus and get things under control. I'm more likely to do something if I've simply written it down and planned it into my day.
That schedule needs to include long runs on the weekends, like usual, but I need to beef up my runs during the week. I need to do three runs instead of two, or two runs and strength training, or two runs and XT, or even three runs and strength training. Working out three times a week isn't acceptable for someone who is about to take on some serious distance races.
I'm hoping the slowly-improving weather will help. March isn't exactly known for its lovely weather, but things will start getting better. Yesterday, for example, it's 45 degrees and sunny outside! Gorgeous weather likes that makes me ache to go running!
So, starting in March you will see me enter a new phase of my running. Well, maybe not that new. I'll just be running a lot more :-)
Monday, February 17, 2014
Love is a Battlefield - My 2nd 10K
Well, folks, I did it. Two weeks, two 10Ks!
You may recall from my last post that I didn't do nearly as much mental preparation (read: worrying and obsessing) for this race as I did for my last one, because what could I really do in two weeks?
My training did suffer in between these two races - I actually only ran 3 times in the past two weeks (one of which was a 10 mile long run, to my credit!). I was disappointed in myself for slacking off, but I wasn't really worried about my performance. I knew that in the week leading up to this latest race, it wasn't really going to make that much of a difference that I hadn't added one more 4-5 mile run. In fact, I figured it might actually help because I would be more well-rested. The only run I did that week was 5 miles on Wednesday, and it was terrible - apparently I was still recovering from my 10 miler 3 days ago.
We had beautiful race weather on Sunday - sunny and cold but not freezing. The course was mostly clear except for one particularly brutal patch that was hard packed snow and was AWFUL to run on. The course was a double-loop of a 5K, so we had to run over this section not once but twice. And of course, the second time it came up was in the last .5 miles of the course! Arg!
I managed to finish the course in 54:00. This is 52 seconds slower than my previous time. I'm not at all dissatisfied with this time, but I was a wee bit confused because I really felt like I was running faster during this race than the last. For the first three miles, my times at the mile markers looked better than they had two weeks ago, so I thought I was on track to beat my time. I guess I must have slowed down at some point during the 2nd half, or that snow got to me more than I thought it did. The competition also seemed a little tougher at this race. I definitely saw more runners ahead of me at the turn-arounds, and more runners were able to gain on me and pass me throughout the race.
Oh well, it was still good enough for 9th place - and another medal! Whoo hoo!
If you'll recall, my take-away from my last 10K was "trust in your training". So what did I take away from this 10K? Well, for starters - you should still trust in your training. But the word that comes to mind when I recall this race is: fight.
Racing 6.2 miles is hard. It really is. And if you want to do well, or even finish at all, you have to fight your way through it. Because it's not easy. It's exhausting and challenging. You have to fight through every mile to get to the finish. You have to keep those feet moving even when your body gets worn out, and you have to tell yourself to keep going, you can do it, you'll get there.
You only get one shot to go out there and do a good job. It's not like training, where you can just do better the next day, or do it over if you don't like your result. This is it. You have to put everything you have out on that course and fight. Even if you don't care about your time or your placement, and you're just running for fun, you still only get one shot at making it a fun race and having a good time out there. Whether you didn't train as much as you'd like, or you just flat out didn't train enough, you have to go out there and give it your all. If for no other reason than you paid for it. Might as well go out and get your money's worth.
So far in my 2014 races I have learned that it's important to trust in your training, no matter how slowly it feels like it's going. And now I've learned that, although a race is fun, it's also a battle. You have to fight your way through. If you do your best and still don't place well, it could be a number of things: your competition was tough, the course was weird, etc. But you still get to walk away knowing you did your best and had a great race.
Now, looking forward: my next race, on March 22nd, is a 15K. This is also my last race before my half marathon. Honestly, I'm kinda freaked out! Running a 10K is really tough - how am I ever going to do well in a 9.3 mile race, let alone finish it?! More than once I've toyed with the idea of switching to the 10K. I won't, though. I know that racing 9.3 miles will be good preparation for racing the half marathon distance, plus, I don't want to back down from a good challenge! But, I am nervous. I will definitely have to amp up my training when I get back from El Salvador!
You may recall from my last post that I didn't do nearly as much mental preparation (read: worrying and obsessing) for this race as I did for my last one, because what could I really do in two weeks?
My training did suffer in between these two races - I actually only ran 3 times in the past two weeks (one of which was a 10 mile long run, to my credit!). I was disappointed in myself for slacking off, but I wasn't really worried about my performance. I knew that in the week leading up to this latest race, it wasn't really going to make that much of a difference that I hadn't added one more 4-5 mile run. In fact, I figured it might actually help because I would be more well-rested. The only run I did that week was 5 miles on Wednesday, and it was terrible - apparently I was still recovering from my 10 miler 3 days ago.
We had beautiful race weather on Sunday - sunny and cold but not freezing. The course was mostly clear except for one particularly brutal patch that was hard packed snow and was AWFUL to run on. The course was a double-loop of a 5K, so we had to run over this section not once but twice. And of course, the second time it came up was in the last .5 miles of the course! Arg!
I managed to finish the course in 54:00. This is 52 seconds slower than my previous time. I'm not at all dissatisfied with this time, but I was a wee bit confused because I really felt like I was running faster during this race than the last. For the first three miles, my times at the mile markers looked better than they had two weeks ago, so I thought I was on track to beat my time. I guess I must have slowed down at some point during the 2nd half, or that snow got to me more than I thought it did. The competition also seemed a little tougher at this race. I definitely saw more runners ahead of me at the turn-arounds, and more runners were able to gain on me and pass me throughout the race.
Oh well, it was still good enough for 9th place - and another medal! Whoo hoo!
If you'll recall, my take-away from my last 10K was "trust in your training". So what did I take away from this 10K? Well, for starters - you should still trust in your training. But the word that comes to mind when I recall this race is: fight.
Racing 6.2 miles is hard. It really is. And if you want to do well, or even finish at all, you have to fight your way through it. Because it's not easy. It's exhausting and challenging. You have to fight through every mile to get to the finish. You have to keep those feet moving even when your body gets worn out, and you have to tell yourself to keep going, you can do it, you'll get there.
You only get one shot to go out there and do a good job. It's not like training, where you can just do better the next day, or do it over if you don't like your result. This is it. You have to put everything you have out on that course and fight. Even if you don't care about your time or your placement, and you're just running for fun, you still only get one shot at making it a fun race and having a good time out there. Whether you didn't train as much as you'd like, or you just flat out didn't train enough, you have to go out there and give it your all. If for no other reason than you paid for it. Might as well go out and get your money's worth.
So far in my 2014 races I have learned that it's important to trust in your training, no matter how slowly it feels like it's going. And now I've learned that, although a race is fun, it's also a battle. You have to fight your way through. If you do your best and still don't place well, it could be a number of things: your competition was tough, the course was weird, etc. But you still get to walk away knowing you did your best and had a great race.
Now, looking forward: my next race, on March 22nd, is a 15K. This is also my last race before my half marathon. Honestly, I'm kinda freaked out! Running a 10K is really tough - how am I ever going to do well in a 9.3 mile race, let alone finish it?! More than once I've toyed with the idea of switching to the 10K. I won't, though. I know that racing 9.3 miles will be good preparation for racing the half marathon distance, plus, I don't want to back down from a good challenge! But, I am nervous. I will definitely have to amp up my training when I get back from El Salvador!
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Oh, why not? Another 10K!
Deja vu? Nope, I really am running another 10K on February 16th, only two weeks after my first!
And yet, my mindset going into this race is completely different.
Obviously, this is no longer my first 10K. I have that experience under my belt now and I don't need to worry about not knowing whether I can make it through or what it's going to be like.
I could worry about beating my new PR of 53:08 or placing in the top 10 for my age group again. But, I'm just not. Two weeks isn't really enough time to significantly improve a PR that is already pretty great to begin with, so putting pressure on myself to overcome it is futile. And, as long as I give the performance I'm capable of, my age group placement is really dependent on how many other people are competing in my age group and how good they are. Whether 53:08 is good enough for 6th place or 25th place is entirely dependent on my competition. And that is something I have no control over. Since the weather is going to be almost 20 degrees warmer for this race than it was for the last two, it's very possible there will be a lot more people racing this time. So, que sera.
I know it sounds cliche, but I really just want to go out there and have fun. That's why I like racing: it's fun. It's fun to put on my tunes and let the crowd and the camaraderie push me through the course, and it's fun to feel that blissful exhaustion at the finish line.
I think a big part of my new attitude this time around is that I have a lot more on my mind. I'm leaving for my trip to El Salvador in less than two weeks. I've been reading more, and doing more social things, and watching the Olympics. Not that running has taken a back seat! No sir-ee, I am not neglecting my training. But I've had other things to keep me occupied this month so I haven't been obsessing about this upcoming race.
And finally, I've started to feel like I'm just kinda over these small races. My first half-marathon is less than 3 months away. Actually, it's 11.5 weeks away. That's not a lot of weeks, considering I started training for it over 8 MONTHS out. In less than 3 months I'll know what it's like to finish a half-marathon. In less than 8 months, I'll know what it's like to finish a MARATHON. Now, don't get me wrong: I don't think small races are beneath me and I'm not scoffing at them (after all, I am still running them, right?) It's just that the achievement of my BIG goals looming on the horizon makes it kinda hard to muster the same level of excitement for 5 and 10Ks, you know? I just want that half to be here NOW. I'm sooo anxious for my big races and spring'summer running weather I could burst.
So, here we go. Another notch in my hydration belt! The good news? The high on Sunday is in the mid-20s! For the first time since October, I get to run a race in temperatures over 20 degrees! WHOO HOO!!!!
And yet, my mindset going into this race is completely different.
Obviously, this is no longer my first 10K. I have that experience under my belt now and I don't need to worry about not knowing whether I can make it through or what it's going to be like.
I could worry about beating my new PR of 53:08 or placing in the top 10 for my age group again. But, I'm just not. Two weeks isn't really enough time to significantly improve a PR that is already pretty great to begin with, so putting pressure on myself to overcome it is futile. And, as long as I give the performance I'm capable of, my age group placement is really dependent on how many other people are competing in my age group and how good they are. Whether 53:08 is good enough for 6th place or 25th place is entirely dependent on my competition. And that is something I have no control over. Since the weather is going to be almost 20 degrees warmer for this race than it was for the last two, it's very possible there will be a lot more people racing this time. So, que sera.
I know it sounds cliche, but I really just want to go out there and have fun. That's why I like racing: it's fun. It's fun to put on my tunes and let the crowd and the camaraderie push me through the course, and it's fun to feel that blissful exhaustion at the finish line.
I think a big part of my new attitude this time around is that I have a lot more on my mind. I'm leaving for my trip to El Salvador in less than two weeks. I've been reading more, and doing more social things, and watching the Olympics. Not that running has taken a back seat! No sir-ee, I am not neglecting my training. But I've had other things to keep me occupied this month so I haven't been obsessing about this upcoming race.
And finally, I've started to feel like I'm just kinda over these small races. My first half-marathon is less than 3 months away. Actually, it's 11.5 weeks away. That's not a lot of weeks, considering I started training for it over 8 MONTHS out. In less than 3 months I'll know what it's like to finish a half-marathon. In less than 8 months, I'll know what it's like to finish a MARATHON. Now, don't get me wrong: I don't think small races are beneath me and I'm not scoffing at them (after all, I am still running them, right?) It's just that the achievement of my BIG goals looming on the horizon makes it kinda hard to muster the same level of excitement for 5 and 10Ks, you know? I just want that half to be here NOW. I'm sooo anxious for my big races and spring'summer running weather I could burst.
So, here we go. Another notch in my hydration belt! The good news? The high on Sunday is in the mid-20s! For the first time since October, I get to run a race in temperatures over 20 degrees! WHOO HOO!!!!
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Running and Balance
As many of you know, in a couple weeks I am leaving on a 10-day trip to El Salvador with Habitat for Humanity, where myself and a team of other young professionals will be building homes for families in need.
Natrually, I can't help but worry about how this will affect my training. It's doubtful that I'll be able to do any running in El Salvador, since we will be on a tight schedule during the day and we're really not supposed to go anywhere alone for safety reasons. I mean, it's not like I'll be sitting on the beach drinking margaritas for 10 days (wouldn't that be nice!), we'll be very active, but the thought of getting "behind" does make me nervous - when I get back I will have just over two months until my first half marathon.
I know, I know, I shouldn't worry - I'm at a good place in my training, my long run is up to 10 miles, I will be fine for a half marathon in May even with the break. But, that's me: worry worry worry.
Every once in a while, we all encounter something that jolts us into stepping outside of ourselves for a moment and getting some perspective. This trip is an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I get to travel to another country. I get to go on an adventure. I get to bond with other young professionals. I get to escape to a warmer climate. And, most importantly, I get to help people in need.
So...what's the big deal that I'll miss a few runs?
A couple months ago, I read an article in Runner's World about the importance of tapering before big races, which emphasized that a big part of staying sane during the tapering process is keeping yourself busy with other hobbies, interests, friends, etc.
But what about when you're not tapering? As I'm learning now, balance is just as important during the times when you are training hard as it is when you are tapering.
When you love something, it's really hard not to get caught up in it. I did fall in love with running after I started it, and sometimes all I want to do is talk about running, and make running friends, and talk to them about running, and train, and train and train and train so I can get good. But love without balance turns into obsession. Running is a big part of me. It's one of the biggest, actually. But it's still not the only part of me, nor do I want it to be.
If all I cared about was running....what would happen to the friends in my life who aren't runners? I would alienate and then lose them. What about all those hours in the week when I'm not running? I would be bored and restless. Now, this is pretty extreme. I don't know any runners who are actually like this. But the problem is that my love of running and motivation to run present themselves more urgently and have a tendency to take over other things in my life.
Here are some of the other things that I love, that need room in my life:
And yet, I still have it easier than many runners, who are balancing their running with having children and working full-time! Not having children affords me the luxury of pursuing a lot more commitments in my life...but that doesn't make it easy! This is the point where I am building a foundation for the type of person I want to become and what my life is going to be all about. I need to choose wisely.
So, how do I go about balancing all of these things in perfect harmony? What's the magic formula? There isn't one. Most people go their entire adult lives trying to figure out balance, and who knows how many of them are successful.
Juggling activities, commitments, and interests is just something I have to work on. But what I can do is remember this: having a life outside of running enhances my running. Doing other things that give me energy makes me feel fresh and recharged going into training or a race. I contribute to the diversity of the running community by being a unique runner with my own mission and reasons for running.
And, hopefully learning all of this NOW will help when I have to endure my first dreaded taper! Eeek!
powered byNatrually, I can't help but worry about how this will affect my training. It's doubtful that I'll be able to do any running in El Salvador, since we will be on a tight schedule during the day and we're really not supposed to go anywhere alone for safety reasons. I mean, it's not like I'll be sitting on the beach drinking margaritas for 10 days (wouldn't that be nice!), we'll be very active, but the thought of getting "behind" does make me nervous - when I get back I will have just over two months until my first half marathon.
I know, I know, I shouldn't worry - I'm at a good place in my training, my long run is up to 10 miles, I will be fine for a half marathon in May even with the break. But, that's me: worry worry worry.
Every once in a while, we all encounter something that jolts us into stepping outside of ourselves for a moment and getting some perspective. This trip is an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I get to travel to another country. I get to go on an adventure. I get to bond with other young professionals. I get to escape to a warmer climate. And, most importantly, I get to help people in need.
So...what's the big deal that I'll miss a few runs?
A couple months ago, I read an article in Runner's World about the importance of tapering before big races, which emphasized that a big part of staying sane during the tapering process is keeping yourself busy with other hobbies, interests, friends, etc.
But what about when you're not tapering? As I'm learning now, balance is just as important during the times when you are training hard as it is when you are tapering.
When you love something, it's really hard not to get caught up in it. I did fall in love with running after I started it, and sometimes all I want to do is talk about running, and make running friends, and talk to them about running, and train, and train and train and train so I can get good. But love without balance turns into obsession. Running is a big part of me. It's one of the biggest, actually. But it's still not the only part of me, nor do I want it to be.
If all I cared about was running....what would happen to the friends in my life who aren't runners? I would alienate and then lose them. What about all those hours in the week when I'm not running? I would be bored and restless. Now, this is pretty extreme. I don't know any runners who are actually like this. But the problem is that my love of running and motivation to run present themselves more urgently and have a tendency to take over other things in my life.
Here are some of the other things that I love, that need room in my life:
- Reading. This is my oldest passion and, unfortunately, the one that gets thrown on the back burner often. I belong to a book club and enjoy the opportunity to discuss books, so it's important to me that I make time to read so I can continue to cultivate this part of me and develop better connections with other bibliophiles
- Spending quality time with loved ones.
- Sleep. This one seems obvious, but in addition to needing sleep, I happen to really enjoy it. I actually sacrifice quite a bit because I insist on going to bed early enough to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night - even if I'm not tired.
- Keeping a clean, tidy house. I suck at keeping up with housework. I value a clean, comfy living space very much, but for some reason, I can't seem to make this a priority.
- Making friends and networking. This is important to me, and as an introverted homebody, I have to work 3x as hard as others to be successful at this. I belong to a couple of volunteer organizations, so it's important to make time for the events and meetings these organizations have so I can get to know people better.
- Volunteering. I am on the marketing committee for a great local organization called Ex Fabula, and I also take advantage of several volunteer opportunities through another great organization I'm a member of called WGIRLS Milwaukee. These need time because I've committed to them, because it's crucial for me to serve my community, and because being involved further helps me with making friends and networking.
- Writing and other projects, e.g., this blog!
- Unstructured time to hang out, go somewhere, watch TV, whatever! It seems counter intuitive to schedule in unstructured time, but it is important. Some people try to squeeze productivity into every free minute of their day, but I don't believe in micromanaging my life that way. I need down time!
- Having a healthy diet. It's really difficult with a busy schedule, but I try as often as possible to do some home cooking during the week so I have something healthful to eat and don't have to waste money on eating out. And, obviously, this is necessary for a runner!
And yet, I still have it easier than many runners, who are balancing their running with having children and working full-time! Not having children affords me the luxury of pursuing a lot more commitments in my life...but that doesn't make it easy! This is the point where I am building a foundation for the type of person I want to become and what my life is going to be all about. I need to choose wisely.
So, how do I go about balancing all of these things in perfect harmony? What's the magic formula? There isn't one. Most people go their entire adult lives trying to figure out balance, and who knows how many of them are successful.
Juggling activities, commitments, and interests is just something I have to work on. But what I can do is remember this: having a life outside of running enhances my running. Doing other things that give me energy makes me feel fresh and recharged going into training or a race. I contribute to the diversity of the running community by being a unique runner with my own mission and reasons for running.
And, hopefully learning all of this NOW will help when I have to endure my first dreaded taper! Eeek!
Monday, February 3, 2014
Trust Your Training - My First 10K
I'd eaten my Cheerios and drank my glass of orange juice. I'd picked an outfit. I'd put in my training. I'd worried all week about weather conditions. And now, here I was: the frigid morning of February 2nd. Others were preparing for Super Bowl parties and I was nervously waiting to start my first 10K race.
When I run a 5K, I may not know what time I'll get, where I'll place, or whether it will be a good race or a bad race. But I know what it's going to take and I know what it's like to race 3 miles. I didn't know what it's like to race 6 miles. It could be way easier than I expected, or it could be much harder. It could fly by, or I could run out of steam midway through. I have run 6 miles and more in training, but only for long runs, when I intentionally take it easy. I'd never raced it. Could I do it?
I bounced around in the starting corral with the other runners, trying to keep warm. Please, please please pleeeeaaassee pace yourself, I begged myself for the umpteenth time in the past few weeks. DO NOT START TOO FAST!
I had learned my lesson from my last 5K and as I made my way across the starting line, I knew I couldn't let the initial first couple minutes of bottleneck bother me this time. It's ok, I told myself. Besides, everyone else here is impacted by it too.
I managed to hit a sweet spot with my pacing early on. I was working hard, but I hadn't pushed myself to my limit either. I was impressed when I passed the first mile marker and it said 8:37. Not bad! Even more good news was waiting for me at the 3 mile maker: if this were a 5K I would have beat my best time by a whole two minutes!
As I began seeing the faster runners pass me on the turnaround, and the runners behind me that I passed on turnarounds, it hit me: I could pull this off. I was running a good pace, there were still a ton of people behind me...it's very possible I actually COULD medal! So I pushed myself hard through the rest of the course, thinking about that medal, imagining it as mine to lose. I was still careful not to push too hard, but I knew I could NOT slow down. And I didn't. Adrenaline pumped me through those next two miles.
Then, around mile 5, I started to feel that clench in my stomach when I'm starting to run out of energy. No, I thought, no no no no no do NOT burn out now! You're so close! For most of the race, I had maintained a fairly isolated position in the crowd where very few people were running around me. I knew that at this point I wasn't going to catch up to anyone and the pack behind me probably wouldn't catch up to me, so I was able to relax a little bit. But I kept fighting through. As I rounded into the home stretch, I forgot about how tired I was and pushed myself to the finish line. The timer ticked on as I approached the mat: 53:26...27...28...29.....
I had run my first 10k in 53 MINUTES!! My boyfriend greeted me at the finish line and only then did I realize the sheer amount of energy I had used to race those 6 miles. I could barely speak!
Well, that was that. It was over. I felt great. 53 minutes was an awesome time and no matter what, I was confident I hadn't placed last in my age group (my fear going into this). I stepped up to the receipt reader to get my official results and when the woman handed it to me, she said, "Congratulations!"
...oh my god. That means...that means....I had done it?!?
I snatched up my receipt and looked for my age group results. Sure enough: 6th place!!! I had done it!! I had earned my first race medal!! And I had done it in my first ever 10K, at that! I had beaten women in my age group who have run multiple 10Ks before. I couldn't believe it!
This frigid February day had just become the highlight of my running career so far.
Usually it's only bad experiences that have clear "take-aways". We are accustomed to having to learn from our bad experiences because that's how we make sense of them, and we just take the good experiences and run with them. Despite how well this race went, I still learned one very important thing: trust in your training.
I was able to run those 6.2 miles and keep a good pace because of all that training I put in. Even though I had never raced 6.2 miles before, or even run it very fast, all the training I did helped. It all meant something.
Doing the majority of my running outside, including long runs and tempo runs, even when it's bitterly cold, and dark, and slushy and snowy and miserable, has made me a tougher competitor and prepared me to run even in the most dreadful conditions. Although those runs can be miserable, I'm secretly glad that this season came at this point in my training. When my bigger races come up later this year, in more ideal weather, I will have already faced down most of the worst possible conditions to run in.
Even though they are shorter runs, doing speed work on the treadmill has helped too. It has made me push myself and test the limits of how long I can run at really fast speeds.
Trust your training. In between races it begins to feel stagnant, and it's frustrating that you can't quite get it to where you feel you should be for a race. But it's working. All of it counts. All of it makes the race performance possible. Trust your training, and trust the race day adrenaline. A good race will show you what you are really capable of, but you can't get there without training. Always do your best in training, knowing that it will pay off even if it doesn't seem like it will.
When I run a 5K, I may not know what time I'll get, where I'll place, or whether it will be a good race or a bad race. But I know what it's going to take and I know what it's like to race 3 miles. I didn't know what it's like to race 6 miles. It could be way easier than I expected, or it could be much harder. It could fly by, or I could run out of steam midway through. I have run 6 miles and more in training, but only for long runs, when I intentionally take it easy. I'd never raced it. Could I do it?
I bounced around in the starting corral with the other runners, trying to keep warm. Please, please please pleeeeaaassee pace yourself, I begged myself for the umpteenth time in the past few weeks. DO NOT START TOO FAST!
I had learned my lesson from my last 5K and as I made my way across the starting line, I knew I couldn't let the initial first couple minutes of bottleneck bother me this time. It's ok, I told myself. Besides, everyone else here is impacted by it too.
I managed to hit a sweet spot with my pacing early on. I was working hard, but I hadn't pushed myself to my limit either. I was impressed when I passed the first mile marker and it said 8:37. Not bad! Even more good news was waiting for me at the 3 mile maker: if this were a 5K I would have beat my best time by a whole two minutes!
As I began seeing the faster runners pass me on the turnaround, and the runners behind me that I passed on turnarounds, it hit me: I could pull this off. I was running a good pace, there were still a ton of people behind me...it's very possible I actually COULD medal! So I pushed myself hard through the rest of the course, thinking about that medal, imagining it as mine to lose. I was still careful not to push too hard, but I knew I could NOT slow down. And I didn't. Adrenaline pumped me through those next two miles.
Then, around mile 5, I started to feel that clench in my stomach when I'm starting to run out of energy. No, I thought, no no no no no do NOT burn out now! You're so close! For most of the race, I had maintained a fairly isolated position in the crowd where very few people were running around me. I knew that at this point I wasn't going to catch up to anyone and the pack behind me probably wouldn't catch up to me, so I was able to relax a little bit. But I kept fighting through. As I rounded into the home stretch, I forgot about how tired I was and pushed myself to the finish line. The timer ticked on as I approached the mat: 53:26...27...28...29.....
I had run my first 10k in 53 MINUTES!! My boyfriend greeted me at the finish line and only then did I realize the sheer amount of energy I had used to race those 6 miles. I could barely speak!
Well, that was that. It was over. I felt great. 53 minutes was an awesome time and no matter what, I was confident I hadn't placed last in my age group (my fear going into this). I stepped up to the receipt reader to get my official results and when the woman handed it to me, she said, "Congratulations!"
...oh my god. That means...that means....I had done it?!?
I snatched up my receipt and looked for my age group results. Sure enough: 6th place!!! I had done it!! I had earned my first race medal!! And I had done it in my first ever 10K, at that! I had beaten women in my age group who have run multiple 10Ks before. I couldn't believe it!
This frigid February day had just become the highlight of my running career so far.
 |
| My first medal! |
Usually it's only bad experiences that have clear "take-aways". We are accustomed to having to learn from our bad experiences because that's how we make sense of them, and we just take the good experiences and run with them. Despite how well this race went, I still learned one very important thing: trust in your training.
I was able to run those 6.2 miles and keep a good pace because of all that training I put in. Even though I had never raced 6.2 miles before, or even run it very fast, all the training I did helped. It all meant something.
Doing the majority of my running outside, including long runs and tempo runs, even when it's bitterly cold, and dark, and slushy and snowy and miserable, has made me a tougher competitor and prepared me to run even in the most dreadful conditions. Although those runs can be miserable, I'm secretly glad that this season came at this point in my training. When my bigger races come up later this year, in more ideal weather, I will have already faced down most of the worst possible conditions to run in.
Even though they are shorter runs, doing speed work on the treadmill has helped too. It has made me push myself and test the limits of how long I can run at really fast speeds.
Trust your training. In between races it begins to feel stagnant, and it's frustrating that you can't quite get it to where you feel you should be for a race. But it's working. All of it counts. All of it makes the race performance possible. Trust your training, and trust the race day adrenaline. A good race will show you what you are really capable of, but you can't get there without training. Always do your best in training, knowing that it will pay off even if it doesn't seem like it will.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Meaning In Between
Lately, I can't help but wonder if I'm doing it all backwards.
Maybe it would have been better to do these smaller races (5Ks, 10Ks) after I had successfully completed my half-marathon. The half-marathon was my initial big goal, what pushed me headfirst into my journey to become a runner. Maybe if I had waited until I knew the thrill of successfully completing my half-marathon after all those months of hard work, it wouldn't matter so much where I place or how fast my time is in each of these 5Ks and 10Ks because I'd know what's really important. I needed these races for practice and I really enjoy racing them, but they mean different things to me than the bigger races and I think that training my attention on each of them is obfuscating my overall vision and inspiration for running in the first place.
It's a tough balance between wanting to do well and wanting to do well enough. Where is that fine line? They tell us it doesn't matter where you finish, as long as you went out there and ran. I want to believe that, but telling myself just isn't enough. If I don't perform as well as I know I'm capable of, how can I just not care? In my most recent 5Ks, I placed 17th and 13th in my age group, respectively. That's pretty darn good for a beginner. If, after even more training and growth, I went back and did another 5K and were to place 35th or 50th in my age group even though I tried my best, how could that not be disappointing? Once you see what you're capable of, how can you go back?
But doubt becomes exhausting, and as I chew on these questions and more in the days leading up to my first 10K, the questions in my mind have shifted in the other direction. What does it matter? What difference does it make? I mean, really. I'm just spinning my wheels when I obsess over times and placements and future races because, at the end of the day: I am where I am. That's it. I will train and I will try and whatever the result of that is, well: it is what it is.
Since I don't believe in vague platitudes as affirmation, let me try to explain better. It's exhausting worrying about other people's times, or learning the times of people I know and thinking, "wow, that's really fast, I can never be that good," or, "I could do that, right? I really hope I can beat that." I am not those people, and I never will be. It would be great to be as fast as the faster runners I know...but if I'm not, I'm not. Some people have been running since they were in grade school. Some people just have more innate ability. I have what I have. It's natural to feel competitive with your contemporaries, and to feel a little jealous of people who are just better than you. But really, isn't it kind of stupid to measure and compare myself against a different person, with a different body, and a different life?
It would be great if I could be really fast, too. I would love it if one day I could run a marathon in under 4:00, or a half marathon in under 2:00, or get an age group medal in a 10K. What runner wouldn't? Maybe I will one day. Or maybe I won't. Maybe I will just never be fast enough. And my biggest struggle as a runner is to get myself to a point where that's okay. I'll be honest, I'm still not there. I wonder if it's not actually harder work to get to that point mentally than it is to get my body fast enough to meet those goals.
And what if those things did happen? Then what? Well, I'd have a pretty medal. And some hella bragging rights. And I'd feel really good about myself. But in the end....it's really just one good race on one good day. No matter how good or bad you race, it's all over once you cross that finish line. Then everyone celebrates their accomplishment for a while, takes a moment to bask in euphoria or wallow in disappointment, and by the next day everyone has moved on with their lives.
I guess that's the hard thing about being an athlete or a performer. You pour all of your time and effort an energy into these big events, and in an instant, they're over. It's bittersweet for both winners and losers: if you did well, you can't make it last, if you did poorly, you can't get it back.
The running I do in between races has to mean something. It has to be worth it. There has to be a reason, beyond simply shaving a few minutes off an old race time, to lace up and hit the road. My journey to become a runner is centered around figuring out what that something "more" is. I know it's there, otherwise I would have quit already. For some people, it's because running builds strength in mind and body. For others, it's the satisfaction of watching yourself get better at something, of setting goals and achieving them, of going out and doing the one thing you didn't think you could do (like run a half marathon!!). And for some, it's simply because they enjoy running: they run for the runner's high, and the exercise, and the feeling of being healthy, and that's enough for them.
I think for me, my "something more" is a combination of all of those. I need to hone in on what exactly it is, because I need it. I need it to keep me in check when I start obsessing over beating old times and comparing myself to other runners. I need it so I remember how it felt to be a new runner, how happy I was just to be out there and setting goals for myself.
Maybe it would have been better to do these smaller races (5Ks, 10Ks) after I had successfully completed my half-marathon. The half-marathon was my initial big goal, what pushed me headfirst into my journey to become a runner. Maybe if I had waited until I knew the thrill of successfully completing my half-marathon after all those months of hard work, it wouldn't matter so much where I place or how fast my time is in each of these 5Ks and 10Ks because I'd know what's really important. I needed these races for practice and I really enjoy racing them, but they mean different things to me than the bigger races and I think that training my attention on each of them is obfuscating my overall vision and inspiration for running in the first place.
It's a tough balance between wanting to do well and wanting to do well enough. Where is that fine line? They tell us it doesn't matter where you finish, as long as you went out there and ran. I want to believe that, but telling myself just isn't enough. If I don't perform as well as I know I'm capable of, how can I just not care? In my most recent 5Ks, I placed 17th and 13th in my age group, respectively. That's pretty darn good for a beginner. If, after even more training and growth, I went back and did another 5K and were to place 35th or 50th in my age group even though I tried my best, how could that not be disappointing? Once you see what you're capable of, how can you go back?
But doubt becomes exhausting, and as I chew on these questions and more in the days leading up to my first 10K, the questions in my mind have shifted in the other direction. What does it matter? What difference does it make? I mean, really. I'm just spinning my wheels when I obsess over times and placements and future races because, at the end of the day: I am where I am. That's it. I will train and I will try and whatever the result of that is, well: it is what it is.
Since I don't believe in vague platitudes as affirmation, let me try to explain better. It's exhausting worrying about other people's times, or learning the times of people I know and thinking, "wow, that's really fast, I can never be that good," or, "I could do that, right? I really hope I can beat that." I am not those people, and I never will be. It would be great to be as fast as the faster runners I know...but if I'm not, I'm not. Some people have been running since they were in grade school. Some people just have more innate ability. I have what I have. It's natural to feel competitive with your contemporaries, and to feel a little jealous of people who are just better than you. But really, isn't it kind of stupid to measure and compare myself against a different person, with a different body, and a different life?
It would be great if I could be really fast, too. I would love it if one day I could run a marathon in under 4:00, or a half marathon in under 2:00, or get an age group medal in a 10K. What runner wouldn't? Maybe I will one day. Or maybe I won't. Maybe I will just never be fast enough. And my biggest struggle as a runner is to get myself to a point where that's okay. I'll be honest, I'm still not there. I wonder if it's not actually harder work to get to that point mentally than it is to get my body fast enough to meet those goals.
And what if those things did happen? Then what? Well, I'd have a pretty medal. And some hella bragging rights. And I'd feel really good about myself. But in the end....it's really just one good race on one good day. No matter how good or bad you race, it's all over once you cross that finish line. Then everyone celebrates their accomplishment for a while, takes a moment to bask in euphoria or wallow in disappointment, and by the next day everyone has moved on with their lives.
I guess that's the hard thing about being an athlete or a performer. You pour all of your time and effort an energy into these big events, and in an instant, they're over. It's bittersweet for both winners and losers: if you did well, you can't make it last, if you did poorly, you can't get it back.
The running I do in between races has to mean something. It has to be worth it. There has to be a reason, beyond simply shaving a few minutes off an old race time, to lace up and hit the road. My journey to become a runner is centered around figuring out what that something "more" is. I know it's there, otherwise I would have quit already. For some people, it's because running builds strength in mind and body. For others, it's the satisfaction of watching yourself get better at something, of setting goals and achieving them, of going out and doing the one thing you didn't think you could do (like run a half marathon!!). And for some, it's simply because they enjoy running: they run for the runner's high, and the exercise, and the feeling of being healthy, and that's enough for them.
I think for me, my "something more" is a combination of all of those. I need to hone in on what exactly it is, because I need it. I need it to keep me in check when I start obsessing over beating old times and comparing myself to other runners. I need it so I remember how it felt to be a new runner, how happy I was just to be out there and setting goals for myself.
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| A quote in my "Run Pretty Far" calendar that I like. Like life, running is a journey and I want to make sure I do it right! |
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
6.2 or Bust: Getting Mentally Ready for my 1st 10K
On February 2nd, not only will I run my first race of 2014, but also my first ever 10K! As I prepare to run 6.2 miles in competition, I'm feeling both energized and a little nervous.
I always think it's better to end on a positive note, so I'll talk about the "nervous" part first :-)
My long runs are up to 8 miles now (by race day, they should be up to 10). So, I CAN run 6.2 miles...but can I race it? I'm trying to be confident that I can, even if it seems daunting right now. I only recently passed the point where I can run 6.2, let alone up my pace during a run that long! I still have over two weeks before the race, and I have been starting to do more speed and tempo work in my training, so I'm hoping that I will be able to reach a good pace during that 10K, even if I can't sustain it the entire race.
Also, the dynamics of a 10K race are different. 5Ks were a lot less pressure, because twice as many people run the 5Ks in the Winter Run Series. Many people run/walk or jog the 5Ks and they attract many first-timers, so as long as I'm in good shape I'm pretty much guaranteed to finish at a comfortable place in the standings. 10Ks, however, usually only attract other runners such as myself. In the Winter Run Series, there are usually about 25-40ish people in my age group for the 10K. From looking at results I can see that all of them got pretty decent times. So, even if I run a great 10K and finish with a good time, it's still very possible I could be in last place. I know that shouldn't matter, but let's be honest - no one likes being in last place!
Now, on to the energizing part!
Despite all that I am nervous about, I'm excited to start running 10Ks. I guess after racing a few 5Ks, I'm just ready to take on a new challenge. I remember my first 5K in October, how exciting it was to be doing this for the first time and how I couldn't wait to just get out there and see what I was capable of. And now I get to feel that again! I have this sense of a "clean slate" - it's nice to have something new to think about, to write about, and to train for.
I think, in the end, my excitement outweighs my fears. Because at the end of the day, I really just love races and I can't wait to get back out there and take on another one!
I don't want a repeat of my last race, where I became obsessed with doing really well and forgot what it was all about. I'm trying to remind myself that even if I come in last place, that's not what this is about. I'm a new runner running her first 10K - what's important is getting this experience, having fun, and being proud of myself for taking on a new running challenge.
I always think it's better to end on a positive note, so I'll talk about the "nervous" part first :-)
My long runs are up to 8 miles now (by race day, they should be up to 10). So, I CAN run 6.2 miles...but can I race it? I'm trying to be confident that I can, even if it seems daunting right now. I only recently passed the point where I can run 6.2, let alone up my pace during a run that long! I still have over two weeks before the race, and I have been starting to do more speed and tempo work in my training, so I'm hoping that I will be able to reach a good pace during that 10K, even if I can't sustain it the entire race.
Also, the dynamics of a 10K race are different. 5Ks were a lot less pressure, because twice as many people run the 5Ks in the Winter Run Series. Many people run/walk or jog the 5Ks and they attract many first-timers, so as long as I'm in good shape I'm pretty much guaranteed to finish at a comfortable place in the standings. 10Ks, however, usually only attract other runners such as myself. In the Winter Run Series, there are usually about 25-40ish people in my age group for the 10K. From looking at results I can see that all of them got pretty decent times. So, even if I run a great 10K and finish with a good time, it's still very possible I could be in last place. I know that shouldn't matter, but let's be honest - no one likes being in last place!
Now, on to the energizing part!
Despite all that I am nervous about, I'm excited to start running 10Ks. I guess after racing a few 5Ks, I'm just ready to take on a new challenge. I remember my first 5K in October, how exciting it was to be doing this for the first time and how I couldn't wait to just get out there and see what I was capable of. And now I get to feel that again! I have this sense of a "clean slate" - it's nice to have something new to think about, to write about, and to train for.
I think, in the end, my excitement outweighs my fears. Because at the end of the day, I really just love races and I can't wait to get back out there and take on another one!
I don't want a repeat of my last race, where I became obsessed with doing really well and forgot what it was all about. I'm trying to remind myself that even if I come in last place, that's not what this is about. I'm a new runner running her first 10K - what's important is getting this experience, having fun, and being proud of myself for taking on a new running challenge.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Race Recap - Running into the New Year - literally!
How did you celebrate on New Year's Eve? I don't know about you, but part of my celebration was running a 5k! I loved the idea of this race from the minute I heard about it. A NYE 5k, how cool is that?!
I have to admit that this race was a little disappointing. I really wanted to beat my previous time of 28:22, and sadly, I was not able to do that.
Because of the weather, there were some last minute changes to the course, but it was still less than ideal. I appreciate the volunteers and staff of this event going out of their way and working harder to accommodate these conditions, and I understand there is only so much that could be done. Much of the course was pretty slippery, and the beginning was really narrow so there was some considerable bottleneck going into it. Because of the iffy roads and the freezing cold temperatures that day, a lot of people didn't show up and it seemed like morale was a little bit down. I know it was for me, because I was there by myself (Kevin had to work and couldn't come with me, and none of my friends were there). So I think that I and many others just wanted to run the race and get out of there.The festivity I imagined around this race just wasn't there.
Well, except maybe for these folks:
If the temperatures had been slightly more bearable and the roads/course not so affected by ice and snow, this event would have been a blast. And, I probably would have performed better.
I understand that these things aren't under my control. There is nothing I can do about the weather and the course conditions. Once it gets to that, I just have to do my best and be proud of myself for it.
I read a great article in Runner's World recently about bouncing back from disappointing races. The first step, they say, is to acknowledge what was and wasn't under your control. The weather wasn't under my control, but some factors were under my control.
Once the bottleneck at the beginning eased up, I overcompensated trying to make up the time lost from the slow start. That was a mistake. Before I even hit mile 1 I was worn out. My legs felt heavy and tired for every step of that race. For the first time ever, I wasn't enjoying a race, I just wanted it to be over. And then, the pinnacle of lack of preparation: my shoe came untied (really?? REALLY?!?).
Also, I think I had some unrealistic expectations going into this race. I really built this one 5K up in my mind and for some reason, it was uber-important to me to beat my previous time. This is my last 5K before I go on to bigger races (well, for the forseeable future anyway), and there's a chance I won't be as good or fast in longer distances, so I guess I wanted to get one last taste of victory before the hard stuff comes. I remember the thrill of my November 5K and how good it felt to beat my time, and I wanted that again. I actually trained harder for this one than the previous ones, and I didn't want all that to be for nothing. Or maybe it's just that it was the last day of the year and I wanted to go out in a blaze of glory.
It wasn't until my drive home that I realized I had become way too obsessed with this one race. I wanted to beat my old time so bad that I lost my perspective. This is just one race, it's not the be-all-end-all of everything. I had to remind myself that I have bigger goals - my halves and my full - and I need to remain focused on those. Those are what's really important, those are what I'm running for. I love small races and it's important to me to do well in them, but I need to remember to put things in perspective. Beating my goal 5K time and being higher up in the results than I expected are great feelings, but not as great as the feeling of crossing the finish line of my first half and then my first full marathon.
I also needed to put things in perspective to remind myself that just because I didn't live up to my expectations, doesn't mean I did that badly. I came in at 29:21, which is still a respectable time considering what we had to work with. I was 14th in my age group of 50 women. That's not bad at all! Hey, I'll drink a complimentary beer to that!
My next race (and 1st for 2014) is a 10K on February 2nd, one month from today. That's right, I'm movin' on up! A 10K will be much more challenging for me and I'm both nervous and excited to take it to the next level. Stay tuned!
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| Mustering a smile post-run |
I have to admit that this race was a little disappointing. I really wanted to beat my previous time of 28:22, and sadly, I was not able to do that.
Because of the weather, there were some last minute changes to the course, but it was still less than ideal. I appreciate the volunteers and staff of this event going out of their way and working harder to accommodate these conditions, and I understand there is only so much that could be done. Much of the course was pretty slippery, and the beginning was really narrow so there was some considerable bottleneck going into it. Because of the iffy roads and the freezing cold temperatures that day, a lot of people didn't show up and it seemed like morale was a little bit down. I know it was for me, because I was there by myself (Kevin had to work and couldn't come with me, and none of my friends were there). So I think that I and many others just wanted to run the race and get out of there.The festivity I imagined around this race just wasn't there.
Well, except maybe for these folks:
If the temperatures had been slightly more bearable and the roads/course not so affected by ice and snow, this event would have been a blast. And, I probably would have performed better.
I understand that these things aren't under my control. There is nothing I can do about the weather and the course conditions. Once it gets to that, I just have to do my best and be proud of myself for it.
I read a great article in Runner's World recently about bouncing back from disappointing races. The first step, they say, is to acknowledge what was and wasn't under your control. The weather wasn't under my control, but some factors were under my control.
Once the bottleneck at the beginning eased up, I overcompensated trying to make up the time lost from the slow start. That was a mistake. Before I even hit mile 1 I was worn out. My legs felt heavy and tired for every step of that race. For the first time ever, I wasn't enjoying a race, I just wanted it to be over. And then, the pinnacle of lack of preparation: my shoe came untied (really?? REALLY?!?).
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| Waiting to start the race...guess I should have been paying more attention to these laces! |
Also, I think I had some unrealistic expectations going into this race. I really built this one 5K up in my mind and for some reason, it was uber-important to me to beat my previous time. This is my last 5K before I go on to bigger races (well, for the forseeable future anyway), and there's a chance I won't be as good or fast in longer distances, so I guess I wanted to get one last taste of victory before the hard stuff comes. I remember the thrill of my November 5K and how good it felt to beat my time, and I wanted that again. I actually trained harder for this one than the previous ones, and I didn't want all that to be for nothing. Or maybe it's just that it was the last day of the year and I wanted to go out in a blaze of glory.
It wasn't until my drive home that I realized I had become way too obsessed with this one race. I wanted to beat my old time so bad that I lost my perspective. This is just one race, it's not the be-all-end-all of everything. I had to remind myself that I have bigger goals - my halves and my full - and I need to remain focused on those. Those are what's really important, those are what I'm running for. I love small races and it's important to me to do well in them, but I need to remember to put things in perspective. Beating my goal 5K time and being higher up in the results than I expected are great feelings, but not as great as the feeling of crossing the finish line of my first half and then my first full marathon.
I also needed to put things in perspective to remind myself that just because I didn't live up to my expectations, doesn't mean I did that badly. I came in at 29:21, which is still a respectable time considering what we had to work with. I was 14th in my age group of 50 women. That's not bad at all! Hey, I'll drink a complimentary beer to that!
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| Since I had already taken 2 pictures in front of this thing, I was a little embarrassed to go back and ask another stranger to get a shot of me with my eyes open |
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| "Linked together for hope": a world record attempt at 500 people running a 5K linked together! Don't think they reached 500 though :/ |
My next race (and 1st for 2014) is a 10K on February 2nd, one month from today. That's right, I'm movin' on up! A 10K will be much more challenging for me and I'm both nervous and excited to take it to the next level. Stay tuned!
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