I feel like my past 7 runs have been good...or even great...runs! That's amazing to me! Usually I have 1 or 2 or 3 'good' runs, and then a 'bad' run. Well, I've been on an incredible streak! So, it was bound to happen. Today... I had... a bad run.
So, what is a bad run? When I finished running & went to pick my daughter up from swim practice, I told another mom (a triathlete) that I'd had a 'bad run.' She said, "Any run is a good run! It's better than being on the couch!"
True...but I do feel some runs are 'good' and others are 'bad.' I'll still take the bad ones, though! Though sometimes they make me want to quit running! (Can you imagine?)
So, what was wrong today? I did eat horribly yesterday. I had several sweets & then we have Cheetos & Chips Ahoy in the house right now. Those are bad news for me! So, maybe that was part of the problem. Also, I have been really running HARD the past 2.5 weeks and making some incredible gains. So, maybe I was just tired! (I did have to stop and stretch my calves twice...they were tight!)
A bad run, to me, is when I can't do what I set out to do. When I go on a run, I have certain goals. It might be a distance. It might be a certain time. Or, it might be a combination.
Today's run was 10 intervals of a 2 minute run followed by a 1 minute walk. I've done this run 3 or 4 times in the past month or so, and I've always had energy left to run another FAST 1/2 mile...that is FAST for me. So, that was the plan!
Well, my 2 minute runs have been getting down close to a 10 minute/mile pace. So, for 2 minutes I'm running at close to 10 mins/mile... and I do that 10 times.
I started out great, though it was really a hard run... so I was probably going too fast! My first 2 mins was at a 9:40 pace...I think that's my fastest! But, they went down hill from there. The next two were in the low 10's. And, they got slower & slower. I had 5 of them in the 13-14 min/mile range! Ugh! That's not where I planned to be at all! And, when I was done with my 10 intervals, I had nothing left to give...I just walked the couple of blocks to swim practice.
So, that's a bad run. I have this grand idea of what I'm going to accomplish, and my body just cannot...will not... do it!
At least I have a bunch of 'good' runs fresh in my mind so I'm not thinking about giving up this time! And, I know the next good run could happen any time.
Tomorrow is my day off, and Saturday is supposed to be my long run. But, I might switch and do a 15 mile (or so) bike ride on Sunday & then do my long run on Monday. We are supposed to be at the lake house, hopefully through Monday, so I'll have HILLS to run & ride on!!!
I'm also hoping to start taking at least one spin class per week next week. I haven't taken a spin class in 7-8 years! But, I really want to do some long rides this fall and next spring. So, I'd love to start spinning...even though the classes start at 5:30 & 5:45!!! Yikes!
Friday, June 24, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
What Can Happen When Someone BELIEVES in YOU!
I am still in FL & having a wonderful time. We are having a great vacation...and I've had 3 wonderful morning runs on the beach!
My last run was Friday. My sister-in-law, the one who got me started running, got up at 6 am to run on the beach with me. (by the way, she used her Vibrams that she always uses, and had some toe problems like I did when running barefoot) Unfortunately, it was very overcast & we didn't see the sunrise. But, we had a great run!
She is a faster runner than I am, but hasn't been running much for the past month. We started with an easy run...which was faster than my usually 'easy' pace. We were going about 11:30 while I am almost always above 12 mins. We dropped down to 11:07 & held it there for about 1/3rd mile.
I had an idea. My fastest mile EVER was just the week before, and it was 11:30. Maybe my sil could pace me to a PR. I suggested it & she said sure! I was getting ready to say, "how about 11:07?" when she piped up, "you can do it in under 10."
"You think so?" I didn't think that was possible, but loved that fact that she believed I could. "I'll try!" was my reply.
We finished out our 1st mile. Then, we started our timed mile. "Go!"
She quickly jumped in front of me. I kept her about 5 or 6 strides in front of me. I glanced at my watch...8:30! I never run this fast!!!
She kept that pace for about 1/10th a mile then dropped a little...to somewhere in the 9's. At about 1/4 mile, I caught up to her...and ran past her! WooHoo! I was running hard, but it felt great!!
I kept running & she was no longer running behind me. I worried a little, but I figured she'd yell out if she was in trouble.
Every time I glanced at my watch, it was a 9 something. Wow!! I was going to break 10 minutes if I could keep this up! That was a goal for 2011!!!
At about 2/3rds of a mile, still feeling strong, I made a big arch so I could check on my sil. She was a long ways back, but slowly jogging towards me.
I pushed & pushed.....My breathing was fast, but I WOULD make it to a mile without stopping.
I DID IT! 1 mile...and, I knew I'd busted through my 10 minute goal. I checked my Garmin history...9:43! 9:43??? Wow! My old record was 11:30! How could I have ran 9:43!!!!
I was thrilled! My sil caught up to me & I shared the news. It was because she believed in me that I was able to accomplish this. She said she'd been my rabbit & set me on my pace. As much as that, it was her belief in me that pushed me & helped me make my goal.
After that, she did some drills with me. We did high steps. We ran backwards. And, we did 5 or 6 short, 20 second, all out sprints.
We've done the sprints before & she smoked me. For the first one, she just ran away from me. Hmmmm. 20 seconds isn't long. I can run faster.
So, I did. On the next sprint, I took off, and outran her! A lot! The same happened on the next...and the next! I can sprint! When I checked Garmin, it said my fastest time was a 6 something. Yes!
So, I'll be doing these drills AND a fast (sub 10...right?) mile once a week now. I am scared that I won't be able to do it as fast at home by myself. But, it's a matter of belief...and I know I CAN do it. So, now I have to DO it!
By the way, my quads were so sore yesterday...and this morning! But, they'll get used to it.
I can't wait to see where my running times are during this fall. I see PRs in my future!
How badly do you want it?
My last run was Friday. My sister-in-law, the one who got me started running, got up at 6 am to run on the beach with me. (by the way, she used her Vibrams that she always uses, and had some toe problems like I did when running barefoot) Unfortunately, it was very overcast & we didn't see the sunrise. But, we had a great run!
She is a faster runner than I am, but hasn't been running much for the past month. We started with an easy run...which was faster than my usually 'easy' pace. We were going about 11:30 while I am almost always above 12 mins. We dropped down to 11:07 & held it there for about 1/3rd mile.
I had an idea. My fastest mile EVER was just the week before, and it was 11:30. Maybe my sil could pace me to a PR. I suggested it & she said sure! I was getting ready to say, "how about 11:07?" when she piped up, "you can do it in under 10."
"You think so?" I didn't think that was possible, but loved that fact that she believed I could. "I'll try!" was my reply.
We finished out our 1st mile. Then, we started our timed mile. "Go!"
She quickly jumped in front of me. I kept her about 5 or 6 strides in front of me. I glanced at my watch...8:30! I never run this fast!!!
She kept that pace for about 1/10th a mile then dropped a little...to somewhere in the 9's. At about 1/4 mile, I caught up to her...and ran past her! WooHoo! I was running hard, but it felt great!!
I kept running & she was no longer running behind me. I worried a little, but I figured she'd yell out if she was in trouble.
Every time I glanced at my watch, it was a 9 something. Wow!! I was going to break 10 minutes if I could keep this up! That was a goal for 2011!!!
At about 2/3rds of a mile, still feeling strong, I made a big arch so I could check on my sil. She was a long ways back, but slowly jogging towards me.
I pushed & pushed.....My breathing was fast, but I WOULD make it to a mile without stopping.
I DID IT! 1 mile...and, I knew I'd busted through my 10 minute goal. I checked my Garmin history...9:43! 9:43??? Wow! My old record was 11:30! How could I have ran 9:43!!!!
I was thrilled! My sil caught up to me & I shared the news. It was because she believed in me that I was able to accomplish this. She said she'd been my rabbit & set me on my pace. As much as that, it was her belief in me that pushed me & helped me make my goal.
After that, she did some drills with me. We did high steps. We ran backwards. And, we did 5 or 6 short, 20 second, all out sprints.
We've done the sprints before & she smoked me. For the first one, she just ran away from me. Hmmmm. 20 seconds isn't long. I can run faster.
So, I did. On the next sprint, I took off, and outran her! A lot! The same happened on the next...and the next! I can sprint! When I checked Garmin, it said my fastest time was a 6 something. Yes!
So, I'll be doing these drills AND a fast (sub 10...right?) mile once a week now. I am scared that I won't be able to do it as fast at home by myself. But, it's a matter of belief...and I know I CAN do it. So, now I have to DO it!
By the way, my quads were so sore yesterday...and this morning! But, they'll get used to it.
I can't wait to see where my running times are during this fall. I see PRs in my future!
How badly do you want it?
Monday, June 13, 2011
Beach Run
We are in Florida for vacation. This morning, I got up at 6:20 & headed to the beach for a run. We'd walked on the beach last night and I was 'itching' to run on the beach.
I had just read a little article that said the best way to run on the beach was barefoot. Sounded good to me! So, off I ran.
The beach was beautiful! The sun was a big red ball. There were only a few other people on the beach...a few fishermen & a few other runners - who were all wearing shoes. I loved the feel of the wet sand on my feet & thought they didn't know what they were missing. But...I thought too soon!
After about a mile m big toes were hurting a little. I checked to make sure they weren't getting bloody or raw & they looked OK. I kept running. It was beautiful! And I was running pretty fast!
At 1 2/3rds mile I was up against a jetty. I saw about a dozen surfers in the water, but they weren't catching ant waves. I stopped & looked around & soaked my feet a few minutes while enjoying the scenery. Then, I started to run again.
Well, my toes started hurting more including the toes next t the big toes. At about 2.5 miles, I finally decided I had to stop running. One of my toes was really raw & painful. So much for running barefoot in the sand!
I will head out again tomorrow morning...with shoes on! I hope to run a lot farther, but we'll see how it goes! I mainly want to ENJOY the run!
Hope everyone else is enjoying their Monday's! Oh, and I'll try to figure out a way to take a photo in the morning.
I had just read a little article that said the best way to run on the beach was barefoot. Sounded good to me! So, off I ran.
The beach was beautiful! The sun was a big red ball. There were only a few other people on the beach...a few fishermen & a few other runners - who were all wearing shoes. I loved the feel of the wet sand on my feet & thought they didn't know what they were missing. But...I thought too soon!
After about a mile m big toes were hurting a little. I checked to make sure they weren't getting bloody or raw & they looked OK. I kept running. It was beautiful! And I was running pretty fast!
At 1 2/3rds mile I was up against a jetty. I saw about a dozen surfers in the water, but they weren't catching ant waves. I stopped & looked around & soaked my feet a few minutes while enjoying the scenery. Then, I started to run again.
Well, my toes started hurting more including the toes next t the big toes. At about 2.5 miles, I finally decided I had to stop running. One of my toes was really raw & painful. So much for running barefoot in the sand!
I will head out again tomorrow morning...with shoes on! I hope to run a lot farther, but we'll see how it goes! I mainly want to ENJOY the run!
Hope everyone else is enjoying their Monday's! Oh, and I'll try to figure out a way to take a photo in the morning.
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