Posts Tagged by summer running
When 7 Miles Feel Like 20
| September 10, 2012 | Posted by Lauren under Marathon Training, Running |
As so often happens after big race weekends, I came back from Hood to Coast with high hopes. The relay gave my running confidence a huge boost, and spending a weekend surrounded by runners usually leads to one thing — the desire to run more.
{Picture via Caroline}
Unfortunately my big plans about upping the mileage and diving head first back into training didn’t exactly play out. Because Hood to Coast knocked me out in the worst way, and it seems to be taking me weeks to recover.
I guess that’s what happens when you fly to another coast and run a race on zero sleep that you really aren’t in ideal shape for, faster than you have any business running. But that hasn’t exactly lessened my frustration over the fact that my body doesn’t seem to be bouncing back as quickly as I would like.
I tried to be patient at first. The day after I got home from HTC, I came down with a severe respiratory infection. That, combined with high levels of exhaustion, forced me to take off more days than I actually ran. I told myself to relax and just embrace the recovery, figuring that I would re-structured my plan to get back into it after a few days.
I guess my body needs extra time to recover from this level of excitement… (Thanks Robyn!)
I’m sure you can guess where this is going…
Last week started off well enough. I had a few great runs early in the week and was excited to attempt some speed. So last Thursday I set off for a 7 mile tempo run, eager to get my legs moving again. Sadly, however, my legs weren’t feeling that same excitement.
I felt like my legs were filled with lead right from the start, and my slow warm up did nothing to loosen them up. In the end, my planned tempo run basically became two fast miles sandwiched in between {what felt like} a death march. I tried to pick up my pace twice, both times with the same result. I would start off feeling okay, like I might be able to hold a quick pace for a few miles. But by a half mile in I was overcome with the sensation that every ounce of my energy was literally seeping out of my legs. It was as though I had holes in my skin. With every step that I took, all my speed and strength were just pouring out onto the pavement. It was an unsettling feeling that quickly left me doubting that I’d even make it home. Somehow I convinced myself to hang on for the remainder of that first fast mile before I gave myself permission to slow down again. I jogged the next mile, stubbornly decided to give the speed one more effort, and promptly failed…yet again.
At this point in the run my new plan became to just finish the dang thing without walking. My 7 mile run (which, at this point in training, shouldn’t be that hard) may as well have been 20. As I shuffled along during those last couple of miles, I lost touch with all rational thought. I told myself that I’d probably never be able to run fast again. It didn’t matter that I’d just raced HTC…my prime was most certainly over and I may as well just accept it now.
And then I began having flashes of myself lying helpless on the side of the road for hours before a random passerby came to rescue me…
Like I said, just a tad bit dramatic. And although I did feel better after my run (and made it home alive and unscathed), the rest of the week didn’t improve. A few awful recovery miles on Friday left me feeling wiped out. By the time the weekend rolled around, I was congested, nauseous and exhausted. My little family went for a short hike on Saturday morning and I found my heart rate soaring with the tiniest incline. I was out of breath and having a hard time keeping up.
This was about when my spirit broke. I came home and spent a long time lying on the couch feeling sorry for myself. Sunday morning, instead of waking up early to try my long run, I slept through both Evan and my alarms and woke up after 10 am feeling discombobulated. I skipped the run again, and instead spent the day perfecting my recipe for homemade Italian bread (so at least I accomplished something, right??)
I wish I could say that I woke up this morning feeling like a brand new woman. But despite the promise of a new week that brought with it the perfect running weather, I did not. I knew that it was important for me to just get out there and run whatever I could manage, even if that meant I couldn’t run long. So I made a plan – I’d do a couple out and back routes, and see how far my legs would take me.
I ended up covering 12 miles. It wasn’t fast, and it certainly wasn’t quite the same as the 17 that I had scheduled (though it took enough out of me to have been!). But it was something.
I spent this morning’s run doing a lot of reflecting…trying to figure out what the heck is going on with me lately and (more importantly) how I can make it better. I know I need to give myself a bit of a break. Sometimes you don’t bounce back from things as quickly as you would like. As much as I wish I was feeling stronger at this point in my marathon training, I have to remember that I’m only working off of two months of running — after almost 4 months of essentially doing nothing but sit on my butt. It feels like I’m making excuses for myself, but oh well…
At the very least, these past couple of weeks have served as good reminders. First, that my speed is still there. It may be tucked away most of the time, but when I need it (like for relay weekends), it’s hiding in reserves ready to come out. Second, my strength is not. Which brings me back to my initial goal all over again. The main point of this training cycle is to build up endurance. To become a stronger runner. I am not going to get to the starting line of NYCM in the best shape of my life, but that is okay. I need to focus on building up the miles and getting myself as ready as can I can be in the time that I have.
I also clearly need to start taking better care of myself. By getting more rest, eating better, taking vitamins, and letting go of some of the stress I’ve been internalizing over the past month. If nothing else, these crappy runs have been a wake up call that I can’t just float my way through training this time around.
This weekend I’ll try running long again. That’s all I can do, day after day. Just keep on keeping on. And really, when it comes down to it, this important truth (which I tweeted last week after my disastrous tempo run) is why I keep on running day after day, week after week, year after year:
Even if the run sucks or workouts don’t go as planned, I always feel better on days that I run than days that I don’t.
Always. always. always. AMEN.
Taking the Good with the Bad
| October 4, 2011 | Posted by Lauren under Marathon Training, Motivation, Running |
Anyone who has been in a relationship with running for a period of time knows that you don’t stay in the honeymoon phase forever. Being in a lifelong relationship with the sport means that you are committed to a life of ups and downs. Sometimes the “up” phases (or down phases) can last for months – other times the rollercoaster ride is all part of the day to day.
It won’t be any surprise to you all when I say that my relationship with the marathon training part of running has been in a bit of a “down” phase this summer. While I’m still committed to toeing the line in DC at the end of this month, something has changed within me (name that musical) this summer. For whatever reason, I’m just not loving the process of training as much as I have in the past. It’s not the marathon itself that I’m struggling with – it’s the training. (Yes, I know you can’t get to one without the other.) As a result, I’ve already started dreaming up new goals for after this race is over. (Something I plan to talk more about in a future post).
Despite a marathon training cycle that has been a bit lackluster, my summer of running has not been all bad. In fact, I’ve experienced some pretty high highs – starting with a new 5K PR when I least expected it and finishing with two relays within a few weeks of each other. For all my problems with sucky runs, overall, running has definitely made for a very fun summer.
But more than anything this summer, I’ve learned to take the good with the bad. To appreciate the gift of the great runs, and to tough it up during the bad runs. I know this is all just the nature of this sport.
The thing that’s a little harder to accept is how that can change from one day to the next.
Last week was the perfect example of that. On Wednesday morning, I found myself with a very limited amount of time to run. I realized I could squeeze in 5 miles – if I kept a speedy pace. After a moderate warm-up mile, I figured that since I was going so short anyway, I might as well turn my run into a bit of a workout. I really wasn’t sure what my legs were up for, so I just dropped the pace below 7:00 minutes/mile and started running. I ended up getting faster with each mile (finishing up at 6:34) and ended feeling like I could have run faster and further. That day, I was over-the-top in love with running.
A similar thing happened again on Friday evening. Do you ever get the feeling that if you could just run fast enough, wings will sprout from your shoes and you’ll fly away? (No, just me?) Well that’s how I felt on Friday. The plan was to just go out for a run and not think about pace. After about a mile, however, the only thing I wanted to do was run fast. Since this doesn’t exactly happen everyday, I figured I might as well embrace it. All I wanted was to feel like I was flying. I was pushing the pace, but I wasn’t tired. I was floating in the clouds. It was one of those runs that left me thinking – THIS. This is what running is all about!
And then the weekend came. I slogged through a recovery run on Saturday, cutting it shorter than my original goal because my legs just weren’t feeling well. And on Sunday, when my goal was to run “just” 13 – 15 miles, I woke up with a head that was not in the game. Despite my awesome runs from earlier in the week AND the cooler temperatures, going out and running for a couple of hours did not sound the slightest bit appealing. But the miles had to be run, so I dragged my butt out the door, thinking that if I could run 20 the week before without any real problem, I could certainly run 15.
Unfortunately I had already set myself up to fail before I even started running. And even though I really focused on changing my attitude at the beginning of the run, my body was just not cooperating. My breathing felt way too heavy, my heart was racing, and my legs were filled with lead. Why, when I was running a much slower pace, did my body feel like it was working harder than it did when I was running sub-7:00s earlier in the week? Why was this cut-back run feeling so much harder than my 20 miles did the week before?
If someone had been following with a camera on my long run, I’m sure this is what I would’ve looked like.
I never did settle in or find my groove during the run. Instead, highlights of the morning included: forcing myself to run for an hour before taking a break, stopping in front of a random stranger’s house and half-heartedly pretending to stretch out my tight calves while I stewed about the situation, and tricking myself into taking the long way home – which gave me 5 more miles for a total of 13.1 for the day.
I know we’ve all been there. Sometimes, for no real reason, running is tougher than we want it to be. But other times, everything falls into place and you feel like you could run forever. Part of being a runner means learning to take the good with the bad. Not every run is going to feel effortless, just like not every run is going to be torturous.
This summer I must sound like a yo-yo – one day I’m talking about how tough running is, and the next, I’m loving it.
But that’s the reality of the phase I’m in right now. I’ve gone through long stretches of time where every run feels great, and I’m more in love with the sport than ever. But sometimes my motivation and desire to run changes every day, and I can’t really figure out why. All I can do is take things one run at a time, knowing that each time I lace up my shoes, I’m stronger for it.
Despite that, I can admit that it’s not really fun to feel this way – I wish I could ride the high of running forever. And sometimes the fact that I don’t actually makes me feel like an imposter. Because real runners love running all the time, right??
Sure. And dark chocolate doesn’t have any calories…
To Race or Not to Race?
| September 20, 2011 | Posted by Lauren under Marathon Training, Running |
I’m not sure how it happened, but this summer I’ve gone a little race happy. Since June, I’ve done a 5K, two 10-mile races, a half marathon, and two 200-mile relays. And this is on top of the two relays and half marathon I did in May. To some, this may not seem like much. But considering that this is more than I used to do in an entire year, things are definitely changing over here in {ontherun}land.
The truth is, the girl who fell in love with marathon training because of all the long slow miles alone has suddenly come to dread them. And if you asked me today, “Would you rather go out and run a nice easy 10 miles alone or do a 10 mile race where you’ll be running so fast you’ll want to puke?” I’d choose the race. Hands down. I can’t tell you how or why it happened, but somewhere along the way, I fell in love with racing. And I’ve come to crave that feeling of pushing my legs to move faster than I ever thought they could.
But because of this, I find myself 6 weeks out from MCM without a single 20-miler under my belt. Since my goal usually is to run three 20′s before the race, this fact has me more than a little nervous. I know it’s not the end of the world if I just run two, but it does mean that I’ve got to toughen up and get myself out there for my first 20 this weekend – only one week post RTB Relay (recap coming soon!).
I have to admit that this sort of terrifies me. Through no fault but my own, my training this summer has been sub-par. I’ve gone through the motions, but I haven’t comitted the time and the miles that I did while training for National Marathon last March. I’m still committed to running MCM in October (don’t worry, that’s not what this post is about!) but I’ve got to use these next 6 weeks to really get my attitude in check – particularly because the next 3 are going to be especially tough.
So that brings me to this weekend, and the 20-miler that’s looming on the horizon. I’ve been trying to think up ways to make those long, lonely miles seem more bearable. And after a long summer of racing, my mind immediately asks, why not race??
Fortunately for me, there just so happens to be a Half Marathon this weekend in the same location as the 20-mile race I loved last March.
I’ve heard of the Wicked Half in the past, and have always thought it’d be fun race to run. I love the North Shore of Massachussetts, so doing a half marathon up there would be a lot of fun. But at this point, I’m just not sure if it’s the best idea.
On the positive side:
- Breaking a run down into a warm-up, a half marathon, and a long cooldown sounds much more manageable than running 20 straight miles
- I’d have support for 13.1 of those miles, which cuts down on the amount of water and fuel I’d need to bring.
- I wouldn’t have to stress about mapping out a course beforehand – all I’d need to do is show up and start running.
- I’d be surrounded by people, which would definitely help keep me motivated.
- I think it would be a lot of fun.
But on the negative side:
- I have a hard time running my “training pace” during races, and will most likely push harder than I should.
- It’s only 13.1 miles – adding 7 on top of a race may be harder than I think, especially if I get on the line and start running too fast.
- It starts really early and isn’t exactly around the corner. Traveling 1.5 hours for a 7 am start means it’ll be tough to fit in a few miles before the gun.
- The fact that I keep signing up for races is sort of the reason I’m in this mess to begin with. Is adding another one to the mix really the answer?
- {And finally} I keep racing but not PR’ing. Although I don’t expect to PR every single race I run, maybe it’s time to scale back and start focusing on running quality races over quantity.
I’ve been staring at the registration page for the Wicked Half for the past two days, and I still haven’t made up my mind. I can’t figure out what I’d rather be doing this Saturday morning – and what would make the miles go by quickest.
So, since all of you always have great insight, I figured I’d just ask. What would you do – race or not? And if you just think I’m crazy, that’s okay too. Feel free to tell me. I don’t hold any illusions that I’m the most logical runner in the world.
The {ontherun} Guide to Racing for Fun
| July 30, 2011 | Posted by Lauren under Running |
I’ll be the first person to admit that I’m not exactly the most successful “run for funner” out there. I’m so notoriously bad at it, in fact, that EC has started placing bets before every race I claim I’m just doing for “fun.” The deal is that if I do end up racing, I have to pay him.
Spoiler alert: I (supposedly) owe him a lot of money.
I say the line is too blurry to really know who won the bet, and have yet to pay up.
But the fact of the matter is that even when I go in with the best of intentions, there’s just something that comes over me on race day. Because deep down, my warped, twisted mind actually thinks competing is fun – in a “this hurts so good” kind of way.
So if I wanted to keep myself from competing* in last night’s Blessing of the Fleet 10-mile race (and avoid repeating this awful race strategy), I knew I needed to come up with plan. What follows is my definitive, super expert guide to racing purely for fun.
The {ontherun} Guide to Racing for Fun
1.) Choose your race wisely.
This is key. The right race can make all the difference in how you feel when you’re running it. Rhode Island might be a tiny state, but the Narragansett Lions Club sure knows how to put on a race! Road closures, tons of water stops, awesome crowd support along the entire course – it seriously was like one great big party out there.
2.) Choose your race outfit wisely.
The brighter the better. Bonus points if your shirt matches your shoes. And if you race in a skirt (yes, Dad, I raced in a skirt. Please don’t disown me).
You can’t see them too well, but rest assured that the colors in my shirt and my shoes are a perfect match. Score!
3.) Make sure that outfit matches your {ontherun} partner.
It’s a well-known fact of life that coordinating outfits lead to fun races. How can you not have a good time when you look this good?
4.) Travel to the race in style with the {ontherun} crew.
Races are always more fun when you have someone there who can help calm those nerves….and feed you treats before the starting line.
Still not quite sure what she put in those things…
Yep, it’s always better to go to a race with someone who has a calming presence. Who will say really nice things to you before the start and build you up, not tear you down. Someone just like Becky…
5.) Break the tried and true “don’t try anything new on race day” rule.
Okay, so this one has the potential to be a little dangerous, but nothing takes the pressure off quite like trying a bunch of new things on race day. Last night’s race represented a lot of firsts for me – first evening race, first time running a long race in my flats, first time running a real race in a skirt (relays don’t count), first time running with nuun (maybe I shouldn’t admit this since they are taking me out to Oregon for HTC next month but…I just love running with water!).
Some of those firsts were actually huge successes! Even though there were way more water stops than I had expected, I was surprised by how happy I was to have nuun with me. The air was so thick with humidity that I was drenched within the first mile, and thankful for the extra hydration. Running in the Adios was also a great choice. The bottoms of my feet were a little sore at the end, but I felt as light as air the whole way (Asics, I’m sorry but I’m starting to seriously cheat on you). The skirt, however – well, let’s just say that this article of clothing will continue to be reserved for “fun” runs.
This is my “laugh all you want, but I know I’m rockin’ this look” face
6.) Resist every urge to sprint out at the start when every man, woman, and 5 year old child surges out around you.
Seriously, I’m not sure whether these people thought we were running a 5K or what, but people were crazy at last night’s start. It was all I could do to not get caught up in it. Even though I consciously put on the brakes, the first mile was still much faster than I had planned.
7.) Tell yourself that you are not, under any circumstances, allowed to run under 7:30s for the first 5 miles.
Okay, well, maybe for just a couple. It must have been all downhill…or something.
8.) Make a race playlist that includes cheesy tunes that you publicly make fun of but secretly find super motivating.
The lyrics might not be the deepest, but I promise you – nothing pumps you up more on a run than songs like Jordin Sparks “I am Woman” or Seal’s “Amazing.” Laugh now, but you try listening to them and not start believing that you’re awesome.
9.) As a reward for (trying) to hold back during the first half, give yourself permission to just run by feel for the rest of the race.
I used my Garmin a lot during the first 5 miles to keep my pace in check. But once I passed the halfway mark, I stopped looking at it and just started running. There was a lot of gradual downhill in the second half of the race and last night I just felt like flying. Maybe it was all the kids lining the course giving high-fives, or the spectators blaring music on the front lawn. Maybe it was the shoes, or the nuun, or the fact that I was in a really good mood. For whatever reason, running just felt so dang good. And I’ve learned that when running feels that awesome, your best bet is to embrace it.
So I came up with a new plan – run negative splits.
10.) And when the race has been run, celebrate your success with a friend!
Perferably one who is just as crazy about running as you are.
There you have it. 10 simple steps to ensure your next race is a blast. Especially when it means that your long run is out of the way, and a whole weekend of relaxation is ahead of you.
Final stats (official):
Time: 1:13:21 (7:20/mile)
Place: 245/2,614 (17/382 in AG)
I think I’ve found my new favorite race!
—–
*I use the term “competing” loosely here. Truth is, I wouldn’t have been able to compete last night even if I wanted to. There were some crazy fast runners there. Exhibit A: top 10 females all averaged 6:41/mile and under. And the winning female came in under an hour. Meaning she ran sub-6 minute miles for 10 miles! Rock star. (Side note: apparently she’s from Providence. Maybe I should hunt her down and beg her to teach me her ways??
The Real Reason I’m Not a Morning Runner
| July 19, 2011 | Posted by Lauren under Running |
Thank you all for your nice comments on my last post. I’m glad so many of you can relate. The funny part about all this is that when I created that poll last week, I was sort of surprised that the majority of people said they’d rather PR and come in last than win and get a PW. I was going to tell you that my feeling was the opposite. That I’m competitive, so would rather win. But, while I didn’t actually win the overall race or run a personal worst, Saturday’s age group win sort of made me re-think all that. Anyway, moving on…
–
Morning runners (n): A motivated, overly perky group of individuals who enjoy getting up before the sun to log in miles when the rest of the world is sleeping. Individuals who defy norms about being tired and sluggish when first waking up and instead can’t wait to work up a sweat upon rising. i.e. not me.
I have confessed to you before that I am not a morning runner. Not only do I have a hard time motivating myself to run first thing in the morning, but I also don’t enjoy it as much (or so I tell myself). I actually love coming home from a long day of sitting on my butt and going outside for a run. It breaks up the day, wakes me up a little bit, and just makes me feel better all around because I’m finally moving.
The problem is, afternoon summers are hot. And this year, it seems like the temperatures are higher than ever. Which means my afternoon runs have shifted from something I love to something that I’m just trying to survive. In case you haven’t experienced this for yourself, running through a world that has been baking in 80/90 degree sun all day isn’t really all that much fun.
Any rational person would have switched to running in the morning right now. But I have not. Why? Well – depending on the day, I have a million and one different excuses:
- I go to work too early (truth: I could switch my schedule)
- I run faster in the afternoon (truth: not since the temperatures rose above 80 degrees)
- EC’s coaching schedule often means that if I want to hang out with him at night, it has to be after 9…which then makes me go to bed too late (truth: well, that is the truth, but he doesn’t coach every night, and something tells me that going a couple of days without seeing him probably wouldn’t kill me. (Sorry EC!))
- Etc, etc, etc
But the real reason I don’t get rid of all those excuses and just get up and run in the morning? It’s simple -
I’m stubborn.
Just like someone else I know…
Those who know me well won’t be surprised. It’s probably the trait that drives my family the most nuts (the one and only vice I have, of course). Because I can be stubborn to a fault. And yes – sometimes this stubbornness works in my favor. It’s that same stubbornness that helps me keep pushing through a marathon when I want to quit, that helps me stick to a fast pace during a race, even when I’m not really trained to do so, and that has kept me running all these years, through many life changes. Unfortunately, sometimes (in running and in life) that stubbornness can get in my way.
In this case, I realize that being stubborn about my running schedule is silly…okay, downright stupid. There’s no good reason to cling onto these afternoon slogs through the heat, or to keep my work schedule the way it is, preventing morning runs. And there’s no reason to continue stubbornly insisting: “I’m not a morning runner!” I talk a lot about having the right mental attitude to overcome things in running – and this situation is no different.
So I’m determined to change. By putting it on the blog, I’m not only admitting to you all how ridiculous I am (so that you’ll mock me into changing my ways), I’m also making sure it actually happens. Because just like declaring your relationship status on Facebook, it’s not actually official until you put it online. 
But I’m also writing because I need your help.
I’m calling all morning runners!
What helps you get up and get going first thing in the morning? I know I should do things like lay my clothes out the night before and go to bed early enough that I don’t feel like death when I get up early. But I want to know – what really wakes you up?
Do you drink coffee before you run or are endorphins enough for you?
Do you actually love running in the morning as much as you all say you do (I’m suspicious…)?
And finally – what keeps you waking up and getting out there, morning after morning? What motivates you to run so early (besides the heat)?
My goal is to arm myself with a few new tips and tricks, and get my stubborn-self out there tomorrow morning. I’ll let you know how it goes…
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