Summary of the past ten days: vacation ended, work resumed, and my gym is closed for annual maintenance. After the successful completion of my 14 mile run at the beach, I pretty much did no other form of physical activity for the next 5 days. Three days after we returned I begrudgingly began to unpack and accepted the fact that I was going to have to start running again. Monday I ran my best 5 mile time yet, 50 minutes. Tuesday I took off. Wednesday I ran 6 miles, also for my best time yet, 55 minutes. Thursday I took off. Friday I ran 5 miles, and I have no idea what my time was because I had to pee so badly by the time I finished.
Saturday's Team in Training group run was scheduled for 16 miles, starting in Vienna. After being out somewhat late the night before, enjoying some of the absolute best food and wine the area has to offer, I decided to do the run on my own to avoid the drive out to Vienna. In addition to avoiding the drive I could also sleep about 30 minutes longer, still start earlier, and my mentor that I like to run with was not going to be there anyway.
I managed to get up despite my strong desire to put the run off until Sunday morning, got dressed, strapped on the atrocious water belt filled with orange Gatorade, charged my IPod for a few minutes, then headed out to the trail. I was running the W&OD from mile marker 27.5, out 8 miles west into Leesburg, turn-around at mile marker 35.5, and back. I started at 7:05, the weather was mostly overcast, and really humid.
The first two miles were pretty tough. Everything felt off - my knees, how my feet were hitting the ground, my pace, everything. I finally warmed up near the start of the 3rd mile, and began the countdown from 8 - which I also did on the return, it is mentally easier to think about two 8 mile runs than one 16 mile run. My IPod battery died with about 6 miles to go. I drank every last drop of Gatorade the miserable water harness contained. It is possible that I lost an excess of 4 pounds in sweat alone. And the last 3 miles nearly killed me. I think I may have only been semi-conscious during the last mile. But, I finished. On my own. At 10:25. 16 miles. 3 hours, 20 minutes.
During the weekend distance runs, I usually find myself wondering if it is this hard to run 8, 10, 12 miles - how am I ever going to finish the marathon? This time, when I hit the final mile marker, I just wondered how is it going to feel when I finish the marathon?
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Did It
Re-ran the 14 miles Wednesday, same course which I attempted on Sunday.
Start Time: 5:35AM
Turn-Around Point: 7:01AM
Finish Time: 8:32AM
I did it.
Start Time: 5:35AM
Turn-Around Point: 7:01AM
Finish Time: 8:32AM
I did it.
Knocks You Down
Dated: 8/16/09 (late post, no wireless internet at the beach)
We arrived in the Outer Banks yesterday, in Duck, after an approximately 11 hour drive. Mapquest estimated it at 5 hours and some change. Because of our departure time I could not do the distance run with the team in training group, so I scheduled the run for this morning at the beach. 14 miles. Over half a marathon. You know, there are actually half-marathon races. So basically I was supposed to run a half-marathon plus 9/10 of a mile this morning. Regrettably, despite all the confidence and assuredness I displayed in my last blog, I failed. Then I cried.
I have a tendency to analyze everything to death and I have decided that there are several reasons I failed. In fact, last night I predicted this morning’s failure – which is in itself one of the many reasons I failed. I have compiled a top ten list.
10. Ate Fast Food. Between getting ready to go to the beach and driving to the beach I ate fast food more times in the last two days than I have in the last two months. Thankfully I do not have access to a scale currently and can be blissfully unaware of the damage caused by the likes of fish fillet sandwiches and beachfront pizzeria pizza slices.
9. Not Enough Sleep. Again, between getting ready to go to the beach and getting here so late last night, I also slept less in the past two days than has been the case since I was suffering from insomnia.
8. IPod Battery Died. Obviously I was running alone, so I brought my IPod along to keep me company for the over three hours I estimated that the run was going to take. The battery died somewhere during mile 2 or 3. Instead of the welcome distraction that it usually provides, I had the pleasure of stuffing it into the horrific water belt. I could not put it into the little pouch thing because my cell phone was there, so I had to shove it into one of the elastic straps for the water containers, and it would periodically start whipping me with the headphones as they slipped out.
7. Not Enough Water. Related to reason #10, I spent two days reverting to old habits of coke drinking, and did not even supplement my beverage choice with an occasional bottle of water.
6. Potty Break. When I reached my turn-around point at mile 7 I had to go to the bathroom. Shocking I know. Fortunately, my turn-around landmark was a hotel. Unfortunately, it was set off the road a little bit and it took probably 2-3 minutes to get inside, a few minutes in the restroom, then another 2-3 minutes to get back to the road. Ultimately, it amounted to a 10 minute potty break in the dead middle of the longest run of my life. My body thought it was over, that I was done. Clearly an unanticipated variable in the ongoing negotiations between my brain and my body.
5. Not Running Enough Last Week. Sunday I took off. Monday I ran one lap (1.25 miles) around the lake, then was coaxed into doing a yoga class at the gym. Tuesday I ran four miles on the trail. Wednesday I went to the gym and did an ab workout and 30 minutes on the stair climber machine. Thursday I ran one lap around the lake, and then went to my regular core strength class at the gym. Friday I did nothing - I got everything ready for the beach. Saturday I did nothing – I drove to the beach.
4. Driving the Route Last Night. Because there are not consistent mile markers along the beach road I was going to be running on, I had to go out last night after we had unpacked and drive the route so I would know where I was going and where I needed to turn around. The speed limit is 35mph, and I swear that just the first 7 miles out took almost 20 minutes. I was watching the odometer by the tenth of a mile, and it took forever. Every other distance run has been along a running/cycling trail, with mile markers every half mile, and you absolutely never drive the exact route you are running, it is impossible. Now, not only do I know far 14 miles really is, I also know why no one ever drives the route that they are going to have to run. Additionally, with the lack of mile markers along the way, it was impossible for me to have any idea of how far I had gone or how much further I was going to have to go (other than when I reached the turn-around), which was supremely frustrating.
3. Lack of Intrinsic Motivation. I am afraid that I perform better when I have someone else to please or something to prove, in this case, my former trainer or my mentor. Today the only person that I was really accountable to was myself, and I failed. This is a major problem, because it cannot be solved with simple analysis, decision, or action.
2. Predicted Failure. About 9 hours into the 11 hour drive, before some of the top ten list even existed, I predicted that I would fail. As soon as I said it, naturally at the same time I was thinking it, I knew that I had committed a mortal sin. Everyone says it, because it is true, distance running (or any other endurance event) is almost entirely mental. You don’t have to believe you can do it, you must know that you can do it; it is just not enough to want to do it, or hope to do it, you cannot just pray about it. You have to know it. The second you do not know it you are done. I was done at about 7pm last night, despite the fact that I didn’t actually quit until 10.5 miles into the run.
1. Without Failure There Cannot Be Success. How does one know hot if they do not know cold? How can there be light without dark? In the same sense, what is the value of victory if one has not also experienced defeat? I am sure that there are all sorts of quotations about success and about failure, but without my only source of information (the internet, and there is no wireless in our beach house) I am left with what I remember (not much). In the second most memorable scene from Jerry McGuire (no, I do not want to debate the merit of Jerry McGuire having memorable scenes) when they are in the locker room and Tom Cruise does the whole “help me help you” monologue, there is a hard to read sign in the background which reads, “Success is simply getting up one more time than you are knocked down.” I am going to get back up and re-run the 14 miles on Wednesday morning.
We arrived in the Outer Banks yesterday, in Duck, after an approximately 11 hour drive. Mapquest estimated it at 5 hours and some change. Because of our departure time I could not do the distance run with the team in training group, so I scheduled the run for this morning at the beach. 14 miles. Over half a marathon. You know, there are actually half-marathon races. So basically I was supposed to run a half-marathon plus 9/10 of a mile this morning. Regrettably, despite all the confidence and assuredness I displayed in my last blog, I failed. Then I cried.
I have a tendency to analyze everything to death and I have decided that there are several reasons I failed. In fact, last night I predicted this morning’s failure – which is in itself one of the many reasons I failed. I have compiled a top ten list.
10. Ate Fast Food. Between getting ready to go to the beach and driving to the beach I ate fast food more times in the last two days than I have in the last two months. Thankfully I do not have access to a scale currently and can be blissfully unaware of the damage caused by the likes of fish fillet sandwiches and beachfront pizzeria pizza slices.
9. Not Enough Sleep. Again, between getting ready to go to the beach and getting here so late last night, I also slept less in the past two days than has been the case since I was suffering from insomnia.
8. IPod Battery Died. Obviously I was running alone, so I brought my IPod along to keep me company for the over three hours I estimated that the run was going to take. The battery died somewhere during mile 2 or 3. Instead of the welcome distraction that it usually provides, I had the pleasure of stuffing it into the horrific water belt. I could not put it into the little pouch thing because my cell phone was there, so I had to shove it into one of the elastic straps for the water containers, and it would periodically start whipping me with the headphones as they slipped out.
7. Not Enough Water. Related to reason #10, I spent two days reverting to old habits of coke drinking, and did not even supplement my beverage choice with an occasional bottle of water.
6. Potty Break. When I reached my turn-around point at mile 7 I had to go to the bathroom. Shocking I know. Fortunately, my turn-around landmark was a hotel. Unfortunately, it was set off the road a little bit and it took probably 2-3 minutes to get inside, a few minutes in the restroom, then another 2-3 minutes to get back to the road. Ultimately, it amounted to a 10 minute potty break in the dead middle of the longest run of my life. My body thought it was over, that I was done. Clearly an unanticipated variable in the ongoing negotiations between my brain and my body.
5. Not Running Enough Last Week. Sunday I took off. Monday I ran one lap (1.25 miles) around the lake, then was coaxed into doing a yoga class at the gym. Tuesday I ran four miles on the trail. Wednesday I went to the gym and did an ab workout and 30 minutes on the stair climber machine. Thursday I ran one lap around the lake, and then went to my regular core strength class at the gym. Friday I did nothing - I got everything ready for the beach. Saturday I did nothing – I drove to the beach.
4. Driving the Route Last Night. Because there are not consistent mile markers along the beach road I was going to be running on, I had to go out last night after we had unpacked and drive the route so I would know where I was going and where I needed to turn around. The speed limit is 35mph, and I swear that just the first 7 miles out took almost 20 minutes. I was watching the odometer by the tenth of a mile, and it took forever. Every other distance run has been along a running/cycling trail, with mile markers every half mile, and you absolutely never drive the exact route you are running, it is impossible. Now, not only do I know far 14 miles really is, I also know why no one ever drives the route that they are going to have to run. Additionally, with the lack of mile markers along the way, it was impossible for me to have any idea of how far I had gone or how much further I was going to have to go (other than when I reached the turn-around), which was supremely frustrating.
3. Lack of Intrinsic Motivation. I am afraid that I perform better when I have someone else to please or something to prove, in this case, my former trainer or my mentor. Today the only person that I was really accountable to was myself, and I failed. This is a major problem, because it cannot be solved with simple analysis, decision, or action.
2. Predicted Failure. About 9 hours into the 11 hour drive, before some of the top ten list even existed, I predicted that I would fail. As soon as I said it, naturally at the same time I was thinking it, I knew that I had committed a mortal sin. Everyone says it, because it is true, distance running (or any other endurance event) is almost entirely mental. You don’t have to believe you can do it, you must know that you can do it; it is just not enough to want to do it, or hope to do it, you cannot just pray about it. You have to know it. The second you do not know it you are done. I was done at about 7pm last night, despite the fact that I didn’t actually quit until 10.5 miles into the run.
1. Without Failure There Cannot Be Success. How does one know hot if they do not know cold? How can there be light without dark? In the same sense, what is the value of victory if one has not also experienced defeat? I am sure that there are all sorts of quotations about success and about failure, but without my only source of information (the internet, and there is no wireless in our beach house) I am left with what I remember (not much). In the second most memorable scene from Jerry McGuire (no, I do not want to debate the merit of Jerry McGuire having memorable scenes) when they are in the locker room and Tom Cruise does the whole “help me help you” monologue, there is a hard to read sign in the background which reads, “Success is simply getting up one more time than you are knocked down.” I am going to get back up and re-run the 14 miles on Wednesday morning.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Deal Breaker
Last week's training log...
Monday - 2.5 mile recovery run (2 laps around the lake)
Tuesday - 5 mile run - final run with "trainer/friend"
Wednesday - in the gym - chest and abs
Thursday - 1.25 miles (1 lap around the lake) & Core Strength training class in the gym
Friday - 5 mile run
Saturday was my first group run with Team in Training in about a month. The distance run was only 8 miles this week. We ran on the W&OD in Sterling, much of the same course that I had run the week before when I did the 12 miles on my own. Luckily my mentor Caroline was there, so I had someone to keep me company. I did not properly hydrate either before, during, or after the run which I definitely was regretting by the time we reached the turn-around point. My final time was 1 hour, 33 minutes.
This coming week the distance run jumps up to 14 miles. I will be leaving for the Outer Banks at the same time as the group training run with TNT, so I will have to do it on my own Sunday morning at the beach. The prospect of this run is somewhat daunting given that 14 miles is more than a half-marathon! Fortunately, since my "trainer/friend" was such an unreliable moron, I have already proven to myself that I am capable of completing this alone. Really I guess I should be thanking him for his total lack of care, concern, or consideration. Needless to say, he is no longer my "friend" or "trainer."
As Liz Lemon (30 Rock) would say, "That's a Deal Breaker, Ladies!"
Monday - 2.5 mile recovery run (2 laps around the lake)
Tuesday - 5 mile run - final run with "trainer/friend"
Wednesday - in the gym - chest and abs
Thursday - 1.25 miles (1 lap around the lake) & Core Strength training class in the gym
Friday - 5 mile run
Saturday was my first group run with Team in Training in about a month. The distance run was only 8 miles this week. We ran on the W&OD in Sterling, much of the same course that I had run the week before when I did the 12 miles on my own. Luckily my mentor Caroline was there, so I had someone to keep me company. I did not properly hydrate either before, during, or after the run which I definitely was regretting by the time we reached the turn-around point. My final time was 1 hour, 33 minutes.
This coming week the distance run jumps up to 14 miles. I will be leaving for the Outer Banks at the same time as the group training run with TNT, so I will have to do it on my own Sunday morning at the beach. The prospect of this run is somewhat daunting given that 14 miles is more than a half-marathon! Fortunately, since my "trainer/friend" was such an unreliable moron, I have already proven to myself that I am capable of completing this alone. Really I guess I should be thanking him for his total lack of care, concern, or consideration. Needless to say, he is no longer my "friend" or "trainer."
As Liz Lemon (30 Rock) would say, "That's a Deal Breaker, Ladies!"
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Negotiation
The past week was not my strongest training effort to date...
Monday - Recovery Run (3 laps around the lake - 3.75 miles)
Tuesday - Hills (again, hell). We ran a up and walked down a much longer hill this time around. It was hotter than hell and there was some random red negligee and black stockings in the middle of the street, about halfway up the hill. This may not be humorous if we were say, in Las Vegas, but we were running in a suburban development, a country club community, in Northern Virginia.
Wednesday - In the gym. Abs and Arms workout.
Thursday - Ran 2.5 miles (around the lake twice) then went to core strength training class.
Friday - Ran 6 miles on the W&OD to prepare for distance run on Sunday.
Saturday - Off.
Sunday -
This morning's run was scheduled for 6:20am on the W&OD, starting in Sterling and going east. My "trainer/friend" did not show up, surprisingly not the sleaziest thing he has done to me in the past year, and so at 6:50 I started the 12 miles.
Today was probably the first time that I really looked like a "serious" runner - I finally bought some dryfit running skirts with coordinating tanks and halter bras. Of course the cute little light blue ensemble I chose for this morning was marred by the presence of a hideous black and red water belt. Ugh.
I started at mile marker 24, was running out six miles to 18, then back. The first 4 miles were really tough, I had not run this part of the trail before and there were a lot more hills than I expected. I lost track of my mileage and at one point thought I had run 4 miles and then saw the next mile marker and realized I had only gone 3 1/2, which sucked. The weather was great, it was overcast and cool, so breathing was definitely much easier. There was intermittent rain to rinse the sweat off of my face, arms, and legs.
The last mile and a half was also really hard, both physically and mentally. It seemed as if each step required my mind to convince my body that I was not actually going to die, that it just felt that way. I am not sure, but I think there was an ongoing hostage negotiation between my head and my feet, translated twice in between, once by my hips then again by my knees.
I only stopped twice, once to tie my shoe and once to pee. I never walked once. I did, however, still cheat a little - I brought my IPod. The battery survived the entire 12 miles, miraculously so did I, as I was serenaded by Eminem, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Wyclef Jean, and Cher.
The run ended with a huge hill, which I sprinted up and then down, hitting mile marker 24 on my descent. 2 hours, 25 minutes. I completed today's run in the exact same fashion as I have accomplished and managed everything else of note in my life, on my own.
Monday - Recovery Run (3 laps around the lake - 3.75 miles)
Tuesday - Hills (again, hell). We ran a up and walked down a much longer hill this time around. It was hotter than hell and there was some random red negligee and black stockings in the middle of the street, about halfway up the hill. This may not be humorous if we were say, in Las Vegas, but we were running in a suburban development, a country club community, in Northern Virginia.
Wednesday - In the gym. Abs and Arms workout.
Thursday - Ran 2.5 miles (around the lake twice) then went to core strength training class.
Friday - Ran 6 miles on the W&OD to prepare for distance run on Sunday.
Saturday - Off.
Sunday -
This morning's run was scheduled for 6:20am on the W&OD, starting in Sterling and going east. My "trainer/friend" did not show up, surprisingly not the sleaziest thing he has done to me in the past year, and so at 6:50 I started the 12 miles.
Today was probably the first time that I really looked like a "serious" runner - I finally bought some dryfit running skirts with coordinating tanks and halter bras. Of course the cute little light blue ensemble I chose for this morning was marred by the presence of a hideous black and red water belt. Ugh.
I started at mile marker 24, was running out six miles to 18, then back. The first 4 miles were really tough, I had not run this part of the trail before and there were a lot more hills than I expected. I lost track of my mileage and at one point thought I had run 4 miles and then saw the next mile marker and realized I had only gone 3 1/2, which sucked. The weather was great, it was overcast and cool, so breathing was definitely much easier. There was intermittent rain to rinse the sweat off of my face, arms, and legs.
The last mile and a half was also really hard, both physically and mentally. It seemed as if each step required my mind to convince my body that I was not actually going to die, that it just felt that way. I am not sure, but I think there was an ongoing hostage negotiation between my head and my feet, translated twice in between, once by my hips then again by my knees.
I only stopped twice, once to tie my shoe and once to pee. I never walked once. I did, however, still cheat a little - I brought my IPod. The battery survived the entire 12 miles, miraculously so did I, as I was serenaded by Eminem, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Wyclef Jean, and Cher.
The run ended with a huge hill, which I sprinted up and then down, hitting mile marker 24 on my descent. 2 hours, 25 minutes. I completed today's run in the exact same fashion as I have accomplished and managed everything else of note in my life, on my own.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)