Week 1 of Training has been completed!
So I made it through my first week with only 9 miles under belt. Tomorrow I start week 2 (obviously) and I begin the week with a 4 mile run. Can't wait because I am pretty sure I can run it with relative ease.
This week was marked with a lot of revelations on my runs. So here is what I learned:
I hate treadmills. We have had some bad weather up in this neck of the woods this week. Now it isn't Seattle Snowmageddon weather, but it has been annoying enough to keep my from running outside. My friend Casey assures me that running in snow is fun, but I am pretty sure slipping on ice is not. Its not that it has been super cold, but some of the sidewalks and trails that I run on tend to have ice because the shadows from the trees don't exactly allow the sun to melt the ice on the concrete. So, Thursday I headed to the gym to run on the treadmill. I've never been fond of it, but I decided to try it again and maybe this time I would feel differently. No. I didn't. Many people don't understand why I hate treadmills because it allows you to watch tv while running. Even my semi-quasi hero, Dawn Dais, loved the treadmills for that reason. I just can't stand running in place for that long. It's not that I couldn't run a continuous 5k its just that I didn't want to because I was bored. This is perhaps the only time when I truly hate running. I am forced to bounce up and down at a predetermined speed while staring at other people bouncing up and down at predetermined speeds in a stuffy sauna environment. There is no fresh air, no change in scenery, and no autonomy. I loved my Friday run much better because I was in complete control. I ran up the hills I wanted, I explored the various side streets, and I did it while taking in the cool crisp air. I guess the difference between me and the rest of the treadmill loving world is that for most of them running is a necessary evil, while running for me is a form of entertainment and a source of enjoyment. I just don't know about something that makes me feel like a hamster in a wheel.
I also realized I am good at pacing myself. This has been a comment made to me by many an individual over the past several months. Amanda, Annie, and my hubby have all said I have a very steady pace. Up, down, or flat I maintain a very steady pace. It's dropped from a 16 flat to a consistent 14 flat. My goal is to get down to a 12:30-13:00 min/mile by April 1st. I think I can come close. Pacing is probably the best advice anyone can give you. I read a lot of running books and running websites. One piece of advice that always struck a chord with me was that when running don't try to "keep up" with other people, know your pace and know your limits.
In the countless races that I have been apart of I can say that sometimes, even me the perpetual tortoise, has often surpassed the hares out of the gate. The best example I can think of was at Baltimore. My friends and I decided to run the half marathon together. The only problem is that only one of us trained and we all had a different pace. I cramped up after the first half mile in my calve and I told my two friends to leave me behind. What I saw was a lot of people sprinting and running at excessively fast paces. They passed me and left me in their dust, but these individuals didn't look like they were in any better shape then me. So I continued walking until I felt like I could run. Then I busted out my amazing 15 minute/mile pace. It was slow going, but as the miles racked up I saw many of those same individuals who sprinted passed me doubled up in pain on the side of the street or now walking because they were out of gas. I continued running. Eventually, I passed the Dunkin Donuts guy in a coffee costume who had also passed me. Rule #1 when running, never let the guy in the costume beat you. Although, I must pay homage to the man because running in a costume is not easy. I did so this past Halloween as a Banana in Pajamas. I was definitely a crowd favorite. But back to my original point, know your pace and don't let anyone pressure you into running at a faster pace. Running is an individual sport, and if you aren't listening to you, then you will not do well.
Total Miles Run: 9
Until next time, Happy Running!
So I made it through my first week with only 9 miles under belt. Tomorrow I start week 2 (obviously) and I begin the week with a 4 mile run. Can't wait because I am pretty sure I can run it with relative ease.
This week was marked with a lot of revelations on my runs. So here is what I learned:
I hate treadmills. We have had some bad weather up in this neck of the woods this week. Now it isn't Seattle Snowmageddon weather, but it has been annoying enough to keep my from running outside. My friend Casey assures me that running in snow is fun, but I am pretty sure slipping on ice is not. Its not that it has been super cold, but some of the sidewalks and trails that I run on tend to have ice because the shadows from the trees don't exactly allow the sun to melt the ice on the concrete. So, Thursday I headed to the gym to run on the treadmill. I've never been fond of it, but I decided to try it again and maybe this time I would feel differently. No. I didn't. Many people don't understand why I hate treadmills because it allows you to watch tv while running. Even my semi-quasi hero, Dawn Dais, loved the treadmills for that reason. I just can't stand running in place for that long. It's not that I couldn't run a continuous 5k its just that I didn't want to because I was bored. This is perhaps the only time when I truly hate running. I am forced to bounce up and down at a predetermined speed while staring at other people bouncing up and down at predetermined speeds in a stuffy sauna environment. There is no fresh air, no change in scenery, and no autonomy. I loved my Friday run much better because I was in complete control. I ran up the hills I wanted, I explored the various side streets, and I did it while taking in the cool crisp air. I guess the difference between me and the rest of the treadmill loving world is that for most of them running is a necessary evil, while running for me is a form of entertainment and a source of enjoyment. I just don't know about something that makes me feel like a hamster in a wheel.
I also realized I am good at pacing myself. This has been a comment made to me by many an individual over the past several months. Amanda, Annie, and my hubby have all said I have a very steady pace. Up, down, or flat I maintain a very steady pace. It's dropped from a 16 flat to a consistent 14 flat. My goal is to get down to a 12:30-13:00 min/mile by April 1st. I think I can come close. Pacing is probably the best advice anyone can give you. I read a lot of running books and running websites. One piece of advice that always struck a chord with me was that when running don't try to "keep up" with other people, know your pace and know your limits.
In the countless races that I have been apart of I can say that sometimes, even me the perpetual tortoise, has often surpassed the hares out of the gate. The best example I can think of was at Baltimore. My friends and I decided to run the half marathon together. The only problem is that only one of us trained and we all had a different pace. I cramped up after the first half mile in my calve and I told my two friends to leave me behind. What I saw was a lot of people sprinting and running at excessively fast paces. They passed me and left me in their dust, but these individuals didn't look like they were in any better shape then me. So I continued walking until I felt like I could run. Then I busted out my amazing 15 minute/mile pace. It was slow going, but as the miles racked up I saw many of those same individuals who sprinted passed me doubled up in pain on the side of the street or now walking because they were out of gas. I continued running. Eventually, I passed the Dunkin Donuts guy in a coffee costume who had also passed me. Rule #1 when running, never let the guy in the costume beat you. Although, I must pay homage to the man because running in a costume is not easy. I did so this past Halloween as a Banana in Pajamas. I was definitely a crowd favorite. But back to my original point, know your pace and don't let anyone pressure you into running at a faster pace. Running is an individual sport, and if you aren't listening to you, then you will not do well.
Total Miles Run: 9
Until next time, Happy Running!
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