The racing and playing wiped me out this past weekend and I've had a hard time getting back into the swing of things. My hamstrings and quads were so sore from Statue to Statue that I walked 3 miles on Monday and skipped running Tuesday--opting for some stretching instead.
Wednesday after J. got off work we went out for a 6-mile run together. I was still dragging but managed to do the first 2 1/2 miles at a 9-minute pace--petering out quickly after that to a 10 1/2-minute pace. If I repeat this process over and over again I guess I'm sure to see results . . . maybe being able to hold the faster paces for longer.
Temps were supposed to get up into the mid 80s on Thursday so I decided I'd take an easy run at noon--ya know, to get used to the heat. Once it gets hot down here it stays HOT. I ditched the GPS, my watch, my cell phone, and struck out for a ZEN run--with no care as to how long it took me. I love these runs. These runs are my achilles heel because I always prefer to run like this. As J. observed on our Wednesday run--"Man, you just really don't like to be uncomfortable." I guess that really means--"Man, you're a wimp. Suck it up and just run faster. It won't kill you." And he's right. I know I can run harder. I just don't--the slowing down is almost automatic.
So for me to be a faster runner I have to change something even more fundamental than how quickly I can turn over my legs. First, I have to ignore that nagging voice in the back of my head that says, "STOP! Nausea will overtake you in 30 seconds if you don't slow down. Not to mention your chest may explode." And I have to find some deep-seated motivation to push harder--that's tricky.
I hate and avoid at all costs anything competitive. When I was younger I took swim team at the Y. On the days that we had to compete I would hide in the bathroom--and I was actually a really good swimmer (Sorry Mom and Dad :). You may find this strange considering I love races, right? Well--that's what makes running so amazing. It isn't really competitive. Everyone is out there having a good time and encouraging everyone else (at least that's how things are in the back of the pack). Stepping it up means I have to hang with the folks who tend to be a little more "competitive"--especially in triathlon. They all seem to get a kick out of beating folks in their age group (even though they say they're just content to beat their times from last year). Instead of their minds nagging about oncoming nausea or a heart attack theirs scream, "Push HARDER idiot--that guy/girl up there is in my age group!" or "Heh, I just passed that dude that thought he was the #@*# last year. Eat my dust!"
I like to just smile--a LOT--J. has even given me heck about it in my race photos. "You smile too much--looks like you're taking it easy," he says. So here's the ultimate question I have to answer:
Can I be a "fast" runner without tapping into some unfound source of beat-down-my-competitor aggression?
Looks like I need to do more mental training instead of heat training. I'll ponder all of this on my next run . . . or perhaps I should just start by running faster.
Sorry for the rambling--HAPPY FRIDAY!
And for anybody racing this weekend, "Go GET 'em!" See, working on it already.
3 comments:
Your way may be better. I'm still not sure why I kill myself to get to the high end of mediocre.
However, I do enjoying finding a nemesis in a race and trying to bury them!
JG
john has always always been physically competitive. that is just his inborn nature. maybe you are not that way. that is okay. just have fun and enjoy yourself. like john said, "when we die it won't matter how much taxes we paid." maybe it also won't matter how fast we ran, just as long as we kept moving and tried to help others along the way.
I agree jg--you make some very good points. I know I definitely was not born with that competitive nature. All we can do is keep moving--and relishing any enjoyment had along the way.
Hope you're having a great beach trip!
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