It's All Relative

Saturday's run was just 15 miles. I realize how crazy it is that I think of it as "just 15 miles". It was over in a flash, or so it felt. It was the coolest morning for a run so far and though I was shivering at the beginning, it was perfect once the sun came out. I couldn't believe when we got to the halfway turn around. We ran at a very good pace and I had to slow down from the head of the pack towards the end. I think it took me just over 2 hours -- which is great considering my Half Marathon PR is just shy of 1:53. I definitely won't be running the full at this pace though. I can't sustain it for that long.

This brings me to the idea that 15 miles seems short. When I started training in June, I was pretty nervous. The longest I had ever run was 13.1 miles. I knew my goal was a marathon and so I'd have to get to 26.2, but the idea seemed so untangible. In my mind, anything more than about 15 miles seemd out of reach. But each week we would increase the long run by a mile or two. Before I knew it, I was facing a 17 mile run, a 19 mile run, and ultimately a 21 mile run. These seemed doable! And I did them.

This reminds me of something we talk a TON about in my education classes -- scaffolding and the zone of proximal development. The ZPD is the area between what a student can do by themselves and what they can't yet attain. Teachers should meet students in this zone and scaffold (provide incremental supports) to lead them into the area that was once unattainable. Thus this becomes their new ZPD and the process continues.

To me this is just like marathon training. You start in your "ZPD" and "scaffold" your way into longer runs that once seemed out of reach. You did 15, why not 17? It's only 2 more. All of a sudden, your running further than you ever thought you could! All of a sudden, 26.2 is so close you can almost feel it. But not quite yet, there's still lots of work to be done!

Anyways, that about sums up my thoughts in a nutshell. 15 miles is short if you think of it in relation to the fact that I did 21 miles the weekend before. It's all relative. I could elaborate but I like to be short, sweet, and to the point. 15 miles on Saturday was a great run, and to be honest it was almost over too fast. I actually forced myself to slow down a bit on the last mile and a half or so just so I could enjoy it and savor the last little bit. Crazy maybe?

Sunday was a rest day. M/T/W/Th are hour long runs. Friday rest. Saturday just 12 miles. I will be out of town this weekend, so I'm glad I'm not missing the next 20+ miler!

33 days till the Rock!

21 Miles!!!

I did it! I completed the 21 mile run and unbelievably did it quite comfortably! The course was absolutely beautiful. We started on the east side of the lake, ran around part of the lake and into some neighborhoods. We turned around at Good Latimer in Deep Ellum (this wasn't quite halfway). This is when I started feeling really hungry. I was worried this would ruin my run, but it didn't. I guess I'd rather be hungry than feel sick! From there, the course led us back through the neighborhoods and then we did a loop through a different neighborhood to make up some mileage since the turn around wasn't the half way mark. These neighborhoods were quite hilly! But it seemed ridiculously easy to me due to the fact that the hills I run in Fort Worth are ten times steeper. After this loop, we were back at the lake (west side). So we finished the loop around the lake. Once I hit the lake, I was feeling tired but very strong so I pounded it home. At this point, I couldn't stop till I was finished. Stopping at the water stops, even if just for a minute, makes starting up again painfull! I have my water bottle, so unless I need to fill up with water, I try not to stop. When I got to the last water stop I asked the Dallas coach that had been leading us how much farther it was. He told me less than a mile. I literally did not believe him. I thought he was playing a mean joke on me by saying it wasn't even a mile till the finish line. He was right though!

It was fun running in Dallas. They didn't have mile markers and I don't have a GPS watch so I literally didn't know how far we had run! At a water stop, I thought we were maybe between mile 4 and 5 but someone told us we were at the 6 mile marker. When I thought we'd only run 12, we were actually at 13.5. Knowing I only had 7.5 miles left at that point was amazing. It seemed so doable!

This was definately one of my strongest runs. This is also due to the fact that I took it a bit slower than normal. But these longs runs are about time spent on the feet not about finishing in record times. After I was finished, I ate a bowl of fruit (grapes, melon, strawberries, cantelope, etc.) they had provided for us. I was so hungry!! I'm not a huge cantelope fan but I scarfed those pieces down. Then I headed home -- oh and stopped at Starbucks before getting on the highway :)

I was pretty tired the rest of the day but not terribly sore. I did a short, slow 20 minute jog yesterday for recovery. Today I'm going to rest and let my body recover. This Saturday we have 15 miles -- this seems so short!!

This has definately boosted my confidence for the marathon. Knowing I made it that far and still felt like I could go further is a huge psychological advantage. 5.2 more miles definately won't be an easy feat, but I'm up for the challenge. Then I can get my 26.2 sticker :)

40 days till White Rock!!

Twas The Evening Before...

I can't believe that tomorrow I will be running 21 miles! And I also can't believe that I am excited about this. I'm also nervous! Feelings of excitement and nervousness are a fun combination. I know it will be challenging and painful at times...but I'm ready for it. I feel ready physically and more importantly I feel ready mentally. We are doing the run at White Rock Lake, which is where the actual marathon will be. I'm excited to get some good training in on parts of the actual course and a change of scenery is always nice.

Sometimes logistics can be a bit stressful - gotta get to the place and not forget anything (definately can't forget my water bottle and NUUN tablet for electrolytes and Shot Blocks for nutrition). Normally, for my group runs in FW I just have to be there by 5:45 and I live like two miles away. Not the case tomorrow. I have to be there by 5:30 in the morning. I'll try to get up at 4:00 am (that's early even for me!!), eat a good breakfast (need that energy!!), and get to the meeting spot by 5:30. We start the run at 6:00. I can't wait! Hopefully my next post will be one of a 21 miler success...

First Long Sleeve Run of the Season

A cold front blew in last night with the storms and I awoke to wonderful running weather! I pulled out one of my long sleeve running shirts for the first time since like February! Truth is, I'd probably have been okay without it once I got warmed up but I wore it just on the principle that I could. Yay Fall weather! During our hot summer runs, our coaches kept saying that summer training would pay off once the temperatures dropped. And boy were they right. My run was great and very enjoyable.

Saturday's run was only 12 miles and I actually did it on my own on Friday morning instead. This was so that I could go home and not have to worry about it. It was pretty weird not to get up at 5:00 on Saturday morning. I did go out at about 8:00 for a short thirty minute jog. Sunday was also 30 minutes easy. Yesterday, today and tomorrow are all one hour runs and Thursday is 45 minutes. As usual, Friday is off and Saturday is....twenty one miles! Wow. I am amazed that this actually seems doable. 3 months ago it seemed like a lifetime away. I'm planning to do a post soon about this phenomenom. There's been talk about doing this run at White Rock Lake but no official word yet. I hope we do because we'll get to do part of the marathon course. Good preparation for the real deal, which by the way, is in 46 days! This is also my 23rd birthday and I can't think of a better gift than running my first marathon.

19 Miler Success

Saturday morning was 19 miles and...I made it!! I still almost can't believe it. By no stretch of the imagination was it easy, but I completed it. It was humid, windy and just plain icky outside so that made it a bit harder. We ran out the first 9.5 miles at a pretty good pace and it definately had repercussions at the turn around. All of a sudden we were running into the wind and my legs just felt like lead! But once I hit the 7 mile marker (12 down, 7 to go), I got a second wind and settled in to a good rhythm. The last two miles or so were a complete mental challenge. My knees were beginning to hurt and my feet were just flat out sore! But two miles left when you've already completed seventeen? Really puts things into perspective.

After the run, I refueled at Chic-Fil-A with low fat chocolate milk (apparently a great recovery drink due to its ideal protein to carb ratio!) and a chicken breakfast burrito. Then I drove home to Allen for a long weekend. TCU had Monday and Tuesday off for Fall Break. By mid afternoon I was really tired and a bit sore. So I tried to take a nap but was unsuccessfull. I seriously have an inability to take naps! But I at least rested up a bit and then went out with Daniel to watch the USA vs Honduras soccer game at a local restaurant/bar. USA won and Clint Dempsey had a pretty sweet goal. After the game we went to see The Ides of March. George Clooney and Ryan Gosling...need I say more? :)

So Monday was a 60 minute run or cross train day. I decided to do a 40 minute run and some lunges. I haven't done lunges in forever and boy did it show! I used to be able to do tons and tons of lunges with hardly any pain the next day. But man I am so sore. I managed a good run yesterday despite the soreness, but today it's rainy and I'm still really sore. So I'm taking today off. It's smarter to rest then risk injury.

This Saturday we only have 12 miles. I'm glad for the cut back - I need it!! 12 miles used to seem like forever when I was training for my two half marathons but now it's usually over in a snap! Or at least it seems that way.

52 days till White Rock :)

Inside The Two Month Mark

Last Saturday we had a shorter run (never thought I would say 12 miles was short!). We ran 6 miles out at just under a 9 minute pace. Then half a mile a bit slower. At mile 6.5 we started a 30 minute tempo. So we ran at about a 7:45 pace for thirty minutes straight. I was kind of nervous about this and when my coaches were discussing our target pace before we started, I was literally thinking "Yeah, right! I can't do that!". But I did! I am continually amazed at myself and what I can do. Once we started the tempo, my coach said the key is to find a good pace, get into a rhythm and just relax. I thought she was crazy. But again I was shocked at how "relaxing" it could be! After the tempo, I jogged the rest of the way back to Luke's. This is always a very taxing part of a run. But if I try to block out some of the discomfort and tackle it mentally it's not near as bad. Thinking that I have less than ten minutes left till I'm done is quite comforting! My feet just seem to keep on trekking...

Training this week has been going well and I've felt very strong.
Here's what my schedule was:
Monday: 60 minutes
Tuesday: 20 minutes warm up, 20 minutes faster, 20 minutes cool down
Wednesday: 60 minutes
Thursday: 45 minutes
Friday: REST!

We have 19 miles on Saturday morning! Oh goodness!!

Only 58 days until White Rock!! Woohoo!!