Yesterday morning my running partner and I went for a quick four mile training run. I'm not sure how we both knew it, but we predicted a crappy run. It was indeed a very crappy run, but a run none the less.
The route we chose started up a slow, gradual incline, which brought us to the entrance of our neighborhood. We have run this route before (we actually ran it Saturday morning), but something about it yesterday made it extra challenging. After we turned onto the main road I was having increasing doubts about whether I would be able to finish the run. For whatever reason my brain seems to be my biggest enemy when it comes to running. I know I am physically capable and able to do a four mile run and I can probably do it faster than the last time I ran that distance, but that doesn't show me down. I run these ideas through my head, "I'm too tired. Buddy is running too fast for me to keep up with her pace. I'm hyperventilating. I'm about to fall out on the side of the road. I can't do this. I can't."
After I let all these stupid notions run through my head, we made it to our halfway point and turned around. We came to an intersection and sprinted across the road to avoid having to stop all together. I think that was the perilous moment for both of us. We both cramped up and had to show down for a good half mile. When we made it down the last little hill, we sprinted the last tenth of a mile to finish strong, or as strong as two crampy girls could finish. We both lamented that wasn't our best run, but as we reminded each other - it was a run. Not every run is wonderful or goes exactly how you want, but we checked it off our marathon training list for the day.
I struggled this morning when I ran by myself, but at least I did it and felt pretty good about it.
Tomorrow we cross train.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Am I crazy? It is entirely possible...
So last year my running buddy and I took it upon ourselves to train for and participate in a half marathon. We both agreed the accountability of following a training program and relying upon one another for training runs would set up a solid foundation to fulfill our running dream.
We started our training program and in November of 2013 completed our first half marathon in Pinehurst, NC. My running partner's family was there to cheer us on at the finish line, along with a mutual friend of ours. There is something special about crossing the finish line to cheerleaders and accepting a finisher's medal, then searching for a place to stretch out sore, over-used muscles. I can still remember the humidity in the air and the sense of relief when my toes finally crossed over that finish line. We were smart enough to run the course one time before our race - I'm so glad we did that, because the course was full of hills - many up, a few down, but all of them challenging in some shape or form. The scenery was beautiful, we ran through the town of Pinehurst, all around the lake and alongside the famed Pinehurst golf course. The street names were so clever, it was fun to run through the neighborhoods and admire the beauty of the homes there and the ambiance of the town. If we had just shown up and never experienced those hills, I fear I probably wouldn't have finished the first half marathon, or if I actually did, it would have been with a terrible finishing time. I didn't have any preset notions about specific times, I just wanted to cross the finish line under my own steam and of my own volition. I'm happy to report I did!
A friend in the neighborhood mentioned she was going to participate in the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Raleigh in April of this year. I mentioned this to my running buddy and we decided we, too, would run. Our neighborhood friend ended up backing out, but we ran the race. Going into that race, I didn't feel as prepared since I was coming off an IT band injury and hadn't run any significant distance since December, not to mention packed on about ten pounds. We started in different heats based upon our projected finishing times - I'd chosen my time in November, prior to my knee injury, and probably should have pushed back my time. Let's just say that race wasn't nearly as awesome as the first one, but I eventually crossed over the finish line, although I didn't feel nearly as wonderful and proud as I did coming across the first finish line.
So, is it crazy that we decided to run a full marathon this year? A full 26.2 miles in Raleigh in November 2014? City of Oaks Marathon, here we come!
We started our training program and in November of 2013 completed our first half marathon in Pinehurst, NC. My running partner's family was there to cheer us on at the finish line, along with a mutual friend of ours. There is something special about crossing the finish line to cheerleaders and accepting a finisher's medal, then searching for a place to stretch out sore, over-used muscles. I can still remember the humidity in the air and the sense of relief when my toes finally crossed over that finish line. We were smart enough to run the course one time before our race - I'm so glad we did that, because the course was full of hills - many up, a few down, but all of them challenging in some shape or form. The scenery was beautiful, we ran through the town of Pinehurst, all around the lake and alongside the famed Pinehurst golf course. The street names were so clever, it was fun to run through the neighborhoods and admire the beauty of the homes there and the ambiance of the town. If we had just shown up and never experienced those hills, I fear I probably wouldn't have finished the first half marathon, or if I actually did, it would have been with a terrible finishing time. I didn't have any preset notions about specific times, I just wanted to cross the finish line under my own steam and of my own volition. I'm happy to report I did!
A friend in the neighborhood mentioned she was going to participate in the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Raleigh in April of this year. I mentioned this to my running buddy and we decided we, too, would run. Our neighborhood friend ended up backing out, but we ran the race. Going into that race, I didn't feel as prepared since I was coming off an IT band injury and hadn't run any significant distance since December, not to mention packed on about ten pounds. We started in different heats based upon our projected finishing times - I'd chosen my time in November, prior to my knee injury, and probably should have pushed back my time. Let's just say that race wasn't nearly as awesome as the first one, but I eventually crossed over the finish line, although I didn't feel nearly as wonderful and proud as I did coming across the first finish line.
So, is it crazy that we decided to run a full marathon this year? A full 26.2 miles in Raleigh in November 2014? City of Oaks Marathon, here we come!
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