Sundays are for family, religion, parties and long runs. As the wind whipped the cool rain against my forehead dripping down my eyes, the only people I see out are other LDRs. They all have mixed expressions of focus, loathe, pain and why???? Needless to say, this morning weather was more like a mid-October day. I will take the sub 70 temperatures during mid-August but with the needling rain and wall of wind… I would rather the heat.
“Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance”
I failed to prepare. On so many levels. I paid for it every step of the run. Let us start with the simple fact of laying out your clothes. I knew it was going to rain but was not anticipating the cool weather or the wind. Waking up with a throbbing headache trying to figure out a running outfit is as bad as needing to get ready to go to an event and you have yet even think about it. IT SUCKS. Spandex bottoms and matching sports bra are my go to. But I need a shirt. Somehow I think it is a great idea to wear a cotton Nike tank. I literally wear this after races. Today I thought it would be a great decision to run in it, in the rain. Genius.
Continuing to get ready in the dark with the curtains preventing the day from entering in the room, I am a mess. Making coffee, a 2-minute project takes me a solid 11 minutes which is causing me to run behind my estimated start time. Another mind-blowing decision today was to do a fasted cardio. YEA girlllll. Get out there battle the beast weather on half a cup of coffee. Half, I was so distracted by absolutely not having my shit together that I could not even keep track of where I placed my Homemade Pike Place with vanilla almond milk.
Let’s get on to gear prep. Trainers, headphones, waistband, water bottle and watch. Sneakers are on and laced, stole my husbands beats ( mine are in the back of my beach chair… in the shed at the shore) using the armband due to the disappearance of the waistband, do not have any filtered water so no need for a water bottle and my watch is somewhere in Kansas.
Crushing it
The weight of having to go back 8 years and train without my GPS watch with my pace, lap, time, cadence, Vo2 Max and heart rate was a motivation killer. My Garmin forerunner 235 shorted after I used a different charger and had to send it back for them to repair. PS the watch is amazing and they took care of me within 1 minute of a phone call to them. Thank you Garmin. But that doesn’t help my current situation. I wrote down my estimated splits for 5k, 5 miles, 10k and 10 miles on my arm, old school and kissed my husband goodbye and trotted out the door.
Todays Run – Workout
Long Run 11 miles 1:30-1:34 total hours 8:12-8:31 pace
So mentally I am starting from a place of negativity and hope to outrun it. This is the first task of the run. Let it go and focus on your goal for the day. The goal for the day was to build up to my pace, start slow about an 8:30 and stay there for a few miles and finish the second half of the run with negative splits. Besides the drizzle, my body feels strong running through the first mile. Mile one for me is forever my enemy. When people say they hate running, I think of my first mile, always and understand the hatred. Between tightness, cramp, finding your pace, place, step overturn, tight shoulders, gear adjustments, and your breathing rhythm; MILE ONE BLOWS.
Without the watch I need my calculations recorded to I use map my run. It hits me with my first-mile split. 8:40 hahahah I am basically walking. No wonder I am not battling mile one. Racing mentality, what do I do, make up for it and run a 7:30 mile for 2. I have failed my goal already. So now I through a few more goals at myself to keep myself focused and motivated.
Arm swing technique keeps my brain occupied as I trudge along becoming part of this storm. I hit my 5k one minute under what I was supposed to. At this point, I am just going by feel. The armband with my phone in it is soaked, as is my non-moisture wicking shirt. My music is still playing, of course, it is a show with all new music, nothing to shut my brain off and turn on cruise control to. My distance calculations have now stopped. I am now running through Mid-town Hoboken knowing I am on my way back. Good thing I know this route, know my mileage. Mother Nature is a fierce Bitch showing her power over technology. I bow to you. I am thankful for the reprieve from the humidity and the heat. I am thankful for the opportunity to run along the Hudson River overlooking one of the most famous cities in the world. The throbbing heated pain in my feet remind me of NYC as Saturday was spent at the Natural Museum of History with my best friend; my husband. Normally I could spend the hour and a half of my run recalling all of the exhibits we walked through yesterday. Walked through, in flat plastic flip-flops. Another preparation failure.
At this point, the wind is picking up and it feels like I am in Alaska but I am the sled dog pulling the sleigh. I can not get a grip on where I am with how much longer to go in time and distance. I am a rookie running blind today. This is not the way to PR.
As I am finishing the final mile, the rain lets up and I can take a minute to relish in the fact that I, in fact, finish in my anticipated time. 1:30:26 – 8:15 pace. It feels slow though. But all things considering how hard I was riding myself and how inadequate my preparation I am ok.
I see my phone click over to 9:45 as I climb up my obnoxious amount of steps, especially after a long run, through the door. I get to see my friends today, but I have to travel out to Long Island and I know the drive will equal my run time. The party starts at 12. The fatigue and full weakness due to my lack of food is catching up with me as I shower and race to get ready. I do not have time for food so I pour the remaining pot of coffee in my indestructible bronze thermos and take off. Audible on the road with a full effort of 11 behind me I drive right past my disappointment and into the laughs and smiles of my friends and their beautiful families.
Today was a good day.
Tip of the Day TOD
Prep your gear with options before a long run. Clothes, shoes, supplements, charged headphones, phones, watches and anything else you want for that day.
Racing your thirties 