Sore. Actually sore from my "run" at Atlantic Station. Bad .. 12 minute miles for 10 miles shouldn't make me sore. I let myself lose A LOT these last two weeks. Good ... well, maybe a rest + soreness = re-torn up muscles that WILL get even stronger?
The schedule called for 5. I ran out of time at both ends of the day, and decided that the 10 miler counted. Plus sore quads and calf cramps = nada.
Tuesday
I woke up with enough time to do 3.1 on the treadmill before work. I wanted a distance that I feel really, really comfortable with, so that we had no more surprise hits to the mental game. I also wanted a pace that I felt 200% comfortable with to start. Easy squared. And that was *just* what the doctor ordered. I ran mile 1 at about 10:30, mile 2 at about 10, and mile 1.1 at closer to 9:15 - 9:30. No ankle pain at all! All running. No boredom. No existential 'lets just stop because why the hell do I do this.' No hurdles. I'll take it.
Taking a planned pass tomorrow: I can *finally* go to book club tonight. My book club is the ish, and Halloween book club is just better than yours! Period. Lol. Stay tuned for the hilarity that is Halloween Book Club pictures. The theme is Alice (less in Wonderland, than the new creeper version. So Alice... Dark.) After that, I just can't be blamed for the rest of this week. Event on Wednesday night (not to mention 38th birthday!!), itching to do a strength training class on Thursday, hopefully a little Riverside action Friday AM, and then Saturday might be a dud due to costumes at training run. (Fun pictures part II, though). I've been telling myself that Sunday runs are coming, too. I just can't do well weekdays on such lack of sleep, mainly because .. I have teens! They are nocturnal creatures, and its not fair to them or to me to skip out on ALL of it. Running is important. Its not everything. So I am giving myself a couple more weeks to find a schedule that works without guilt. Especially birthday week! But running Sunday morning seems like the way to go for at least two solid days of longish effort.
Wednesday
The Book Club bunch OUT DID THEMSELVES with our "Alice" inspired tea party. At 12AM, I rang in 38 with Long Island Ice Tea, and some very good friends. I will undoubtedly pay for the late night through the rest of the week, but it was WORTH IT! *^_^*
This picture makes me SOOOOOooOOOOOOoooo happy. Look at all that sexalicious progress! ;)
Despite the late bed time, I not only managed to pop out of bed at 5:30 Wednesday morning and put in a great day at work, but then I also made it to Urban Tree Cider for a REALLY fun auction / fundraising event through Kilometer Kids. It was a blast to share the evening with the run community. If I could expand the day, I'd have also squeezed in some birthday miles, but alas, not in the cards.
One auction item that had for certain caught my attention was pacing by Olympian Amy (Yoder-Begley). The stipulations were a bit daunting: "pacing for a 20-24 minute 5K; expires 2017." EEEeeeePPP! Participating in the auction itself was exciting. And terrifying. A present from my in-laws (really the only "my" money I ever consider 100% guilt-free spendable all year) became earmarked for this amazing present to self. And when I won, I gave a big WOOP, I won!!! ( Two seconds later, I also gave an "Oh f*ck, I won!" Ha.)
My Facebook and text messages and phone calls were AMAZING, too. The overwhelming love was incredible. I am truly blessed.
Thursday
WHAT DID I DO????
I mean REALLY .. WHAT. DID. I. DO????? I can barely hit a sub-30 on the treadmill this week, and I ponied up to the sub-24 bar??? WHAT. IS. WRONG. WITH. ME. ?????? LMAO. That's like a 7:40 minute average pace. times 3! Current avg pace PR is 8:08. I'm going to need a nutrition plan (minus another 70 lbs should do it. muhahaha), and a trainer, and to go back to Orange Theory, and swimming, and Cycle Bar, buzz cut my hair, and start running 60 miles per week. ... All that and/or a skate board. lol. Terrifying!
On the other hand, the "why do we do this running around in circles thing?" answer is kinda BACK. Buh bye marathon depression. Immediately, I could feel the determination of having another goal taking back over. The "schedule" for 2017 is slowly coming together in the back of my head. NOLA 1/2 (JUST HALF) and Zinger 5K in the spring; Fall marathon late in the year (most likely NYC). One "obstacle" type race (something like a TRI or anything involving mud counts). No Publix, or maybe 1/2 as a tempo training run. And a more casual take-it or leave-it attitude toward the rest of the ATC line up. (Grand Prix is NOT a thing in 2017). In December, we'll hopefully do our "meeting" (where we get tipsy and throw 85 other things onto the game plan), but I *think* this is pretty much how my year will shape out.
Unfortunately, not a great "Day 1" ... I needed sleep much more than I needed Core Abs workout at LA Fitness. Hoping to get a walk in at lunch, and a video in the evening. Time to get back on track with step count, at least. I am also feeling very accountable on the nutrition front today. Every time I even think of splurging, I see Amy's face. LOL.
Friday
Distance - 4
Pace - 10 flat
Progress. This run felt ENTIRELY too hard. But it was better than pushing too hard, and then bagging it. I have the Riverside crew to thank for that. I was solidly the party in the back of this crew (return pregnant mama included. Inspiring!). But I didn't 'lose all my friends.' Stretching time, and moments during the run are plenty to get me feeling great about getting up and getting back out. Success.
Saturday
Distance - 7.5
Pace - Oh who gives a carp.
This was a mess of a run. I have a bit of a cold. My stomach LOST. ITS. MIND. on waking up. I feel like I gained 5 lbs since starting with the food bank. For all these reasons, I had already decided I was going to head out with the 11s. Turns out, there is no pace that makes distance running easy when you're just not ready. At mile 2, I had to seriously stop for a potty brake. I left the Kroger 1/2 wanting to just head back. But I saw some run walk 12/13s, and decide if nothing else, I could keep burning calories one way or another. Well, that was a good idea, and it was a bad idea. Good because run 3-1 was about as well as I was going to fair. Bad because when I run differently than how I've trained, things start to hurt. The ankle sprain is solidly heeled; no peeps out of it. But by mile 4.5, my left knee was REALLY angry. :( At the return water stop, where we typically are just a 5K from home, I couldn't even walk without pain. The effort became about 1-1, or maybe even 1-3. I gave myself a really good rest between 3 to go and 2 to go. Then fortunately, I started coming upon people I knew .. the 9s / 10s. Especially Michele, who very much gave me my last 1.5. Running was still really tough, but with the distraction, I was able to let the knee pain fall to background noise, the pace creep up (not to fast, just to normal for that pod), and with lots of chatter and cheer from my run friend, a solid mile at all run.
It really feels like the best of scenarios AND the worst of scenarios. Best because if you had to pick, I think anyone would vote to have their body and mind fall apart AFTER their goal race for the season. And that's exactly what happened. Upsetting though because yes, this seems to be a common thing, but no, it does not seem to impact people as much as its impacted me. I have literally fallen apart in the last couple of weeks. Yes, I also threw a major monkey wrench into my schedule that no one else did. But it just seems like everything that could possibly keep me from jumping back is.
Still can't accuse me of not having fun! ;)
Total: Respectable 24. Proud that I've 'just kept swimming.'
No comments:
Post a Comment