From Slowest Run EVER to a PR...in 900 Words or Less
"I ran nine miles this morning. I can have a banana nut muffin." I surely didn't expect the incredulous looks I got from the baristas behind the counter at Lola's (short-hand for Lola Savannah Coffee Lounge, 3001 Ranch Road South, Austin, Texas, 78734). They know me. They know I run. And write. And drink coffee (but never Java Estate). They also know that I eat the occasional 'life changing chocolate chip cookie' or, like today, a banana nut muffin. Maybe it was the early hour that surprised them. After all, it's not yet 0900 and I'm in my office AND I've run arguably farther than either of them have probably ever run. I did explain that I started in the 5 o'clock hour, not because I'm some gung-ho-can't-wait-a-minute-longer-into-the-day-to-run kind of runner (I wish...), but because it'd be too monstrously hot later in the day. For me, it's O-Dark-30 or it's nothing.
I hoped that a miracle might have happened in the five weeks since I'd run last. I'd head out into the early morning 80-degree-80-percent-humidity and find it so refreshing that I'd turn in a smokin' fast PR through nine miles. Yeah, not so much. Oh, I ran a PR, just in the opposite direction. I don't think I have ever run that slow. By myself. On a training run. Ok, so I was still on sub-two hour half marathon pace, but juuuuuust barely.
My usual water stop was shut down so I didn't get the couple quick sips I expected to get at Miles 3 and 6 and I never, ever, ever run with water (Call it 'Camel Training') so I pretty much drained every ounce of fluid from my body. But consolation prize - I increased my protein intake by a couple good sized gnats. Run before dawn and breathe through your mouth and let's see how you fair. Miraculously, the teeny bit of stretching I did before the run helped - I managed to stave off muscle cramps. My right hamstring threatened but I told it that it needed to fuck off and, surprisingly, it did. The tendinitis that has plagued my right foot since my spring run-cation got a little twingy but I managed to change my gate just enough to keep it at bay. Apparently, running slow has its benefits. Oy.
Fortunately, two things worked to keep me fairly positive through the run. (1) It was dark and I couldn't see my Garmin if I'd wanted to, and (2) I stuck to using heart rate as my key indicator. I knew my pace - my watch gives me mile splits - and I knew I was running slow, but my heart rate was up so I was happy enough for most of the run. I felt good through six so I picked it up a little for the last few miles. My last mile was the fastest of the day...which isn't as awesome as it sounds. It means I could have run faster ALL EIGHT OTHER MILES. Eh, good to know.
Seriously, when I headed out this morning, I hoped for survival. Period. Yes, I was cautious. I hadn't run that far since - I dunno - April? I've indoor cycled - hard - a lot and theorized, based on past experience, that it would count for something. But I honestly had no idea. It was warm and humid, though thankfully breezy in places (That's when you know it's hot and humid - you actually welcome a head wind). The only thing I'd done outside was play a little tennis so I was as far from acclimatized as it's possible to be. I could have blown up, cramped up, and had to limp my way back to my car. Given all that, I set a pace I thought I could hold for the entire run and accomplished what I set out to accomplish. Even though hindsight says I could have run faster, I'm largely ok with it.
122 days. That's how long I have until I officially begin my half marathon season in Reykjavik. I've been telling myself that as long as I finish in less than two hours, it'll be a good day. Today's run has me thinking. My training is going better than expected. My cardio power is there. My ability to stay in it mentally is coming along. If I can slog through a couple more pre-dawn runs this summer and get my long run up to twelve (just three more miles than I did today), my legs will be ready. What about speed? Cooler weather could give me as much as a minute per mile and it stands to be cool bordering on COLD in Iceland in October. If the course is agreeable and there isn't a blizzard, sub-1:45 might be do-able. That's almost end of the season fast; I've never run that fast so early in the year. That means, if I can attack rather than merely survive the hills on the backstretch of the Austin Half (Enfield for the initiated), I could PR my last official half marathon in the 45-49 bracket before jumping to the 50s next season.
I prolly oughta simmer down. How did I go from slowest training run EVER to a PR in less than 900 words? Must be the coffee and banana nut muffin. Well, that and I do write a lot of fiction.
I hoped that a miracle might have happened in the five weeks since I'd run last. I'd head out into the early morning 80-degree-80-percent-humidity and find it so refreshing that I'd turn in a smokin' fast PR through nine miles. Yeah, not so much. Oh, I ran a PR, just in the opposite direction. I don't think I have ever run that slow. By myself. On a training run. Ok, so I was still on sub-two hour half marathon pace, but juuuuuust barely.
My usual water stop was shut down so I didn't get the couple quick sips I expected to get at Miles 3 and 6 and I never, ever, ever run with water (Call it 'Camel Training') so I pretty much drained every ounce of fluid from my body. But consolation prize - I increased my protein intake by a couple good sized gnats. Run before dawn and breathe through your mouth and let's see how you fair. Miraculously, the teeny bit of stretching I did before the run helped - I managed to stave off muscle cramps. My right hamstring threatened but I told it that it needed to fuck off and, surprisingly, it did. The tendinitis that has plagued my right foot since my spring run-cation got a little twingy but I managed to change my gate just enough to keep it at bay. Apparently, running slow has its benefits. Oy.
Fortunately, two things worked to keep me fairly positive through the run. (1) It was dark and I couldn't see my Garmin if I'd wanted to, and (2) I stuck to using heart rate as my key indicator. I knew my pace - my watch gives me mile splits - and I knew I was running slow, but my heart rate was up so I was happy enough for most of the run. I felt good through six so I picked it up a little for the last few miles. My last mile was the fastest of the day...which isn't as awesome as it sounds. It means I could have run faster ALL EIGHT OTHER MILES. Eh, good to know.
Seriously, when I headed out this morning, I hoped for survival. Period. Yes, I was cautious. I hadn't run that far since - I dunno - April? I've indoor cycled - hard - a lot and theorized, based on past experience, that it would count for something. But I honestly had no idea. It was warm and humid, though thankfully breezy in places (That's when you know it's hot and humid - you actually welcome a head wind). The only thing I'd done outside was play a little tennis so I was as far from acclimatized as it's possible to be. I could have blown up, cramped up, and had to limp my way back to my car. Given all that, I set a pace I thought I could hold for the entire run and accomplished what I set out to accomplish. Even though hindsight says I could have run faster, I'm largely ok with it.
122 days. That's how long I have until I officially begin my half marathon season in Reykjavik. I've been telling myself that as long as I finish in less than two hours, it'll be a good day. Today's run has me thinking. My training is going better than expected. My cardio power is there. My ability to stay in it mentally is coming along. If I can slog through a couple more pre-dawn runs this summer and get my long run up to twelve (just three more miles than I did today), my legs will be ready. What about speed? Cooler weather could give me as much as a minute per mile and it stands to be cool bordering on COLD in Iceland in October. If the course is agreeable and there isn't a blizzard, sub-1:45 might be do-able. That's almost end of the season fast; I've never run that fast so early in the year. That means, if I can attack rather than merely survive the hills on the backstretch of the Austin Half (Enfield for the initiated), I could PR my last official half marathon in the 45-49 bracket before jumping to the 50s next season.
I prolly oughta simmer down. How did I go from slowest training run EVER to a PR in less than 900 words? Must be the coffee and banana nut muffin. Well, that and I do write a lot of fiction.
Comments
Post a Comment