2/9/10

Good Run Gone Bad

Not all runs go well. Instead of trying to forget about this critical run gone bad I rehashed it right here so that I can look back after this marathon to recount how my training went. Let me start off by saying that training had been going superbly until this past Saturday.

I had an aggressive run planned thanks to coach. I was really looking forward to this run because I felt ready for it. I love to run long and I love to push myself. When I was "just a marathoner" I would always put in three 20 - 22 mile runs per marathon. This was standard. This time around is differnt. Up until this Saturday I had put in one 18 miler and one 20 miler making this 20 miler on Saturday rather important.

The plan was to start out easy for 3 miles. Then pick up the pace to 8 mpm for 5 miles, then pick it up to 7:40s for 4 miles, then 7:30s for 4 more miles, then 7:15s for the remaining 4 miles. I did everything to make the run go as smoothly as possible. Off to bed early, healthy eating the days leading up, a good breakfast, brought my own nutrition. I've been wearing the Nathan Belt. It has 3 good sized bottles. I love it because I can get as many liquids and gels as I could can possibly want.

So off we went at 7:am. I kinda knew I was a bit off from the start but nothing was blaringly out of wack to get worried about yet. As a matter of fact I was on perfect course until mile 16. The last mile of the 7:30 leg. I remember feeling like my legs were simply trashed. I was loosing my umph. I was dragging down my running pal Dave. I was gettingn pissed at myself for slowing down. Finally, at mile 17 he let me go. Thank God because at that point I was not sure of what I would do next.

I trudged on back to the car slowly. I thought, I'll gather myself, have a drink, and see if I can pull something out of myself. After a few minutes of rest I took off down the road. After a half mile at a 9:00 pace I realized it was not going to happen. I think it actually got colder at this point as well. My face was frozen. I turned around and said "f" it.

What I did next was another last attempt at finishing on a good note. I went home and hopped on the treadmill to try to force my legs to go faster. I got up to about an 8:45 pace. That was about it. I got in another mile at that pace and ended with 18 miles total rather than 20. Ugh!   I looked like hell and Kathy told me so. Thanks!  It ruined my entire day. I was totally mentally screwed for the rest of the day. Not only that I was exhausted.

After a good two days of trying to forget about this run I tried to figure out what went wrong. What was the culprit. I will say that my hamstrings felt extremely fatigued. Perhaps I did one to many straight leg dead lifts last week. Perhaps my body was actually fighting off a cold. Or, perhaps I've been under tremendous stress with life in general. Perhaps I'm just a friggin wimp. I reallly don't understand what happened.

In the end I just know that these things do happen and they can send you into a tizzy trying to figure it out. I also know that regardless of how this run went down it is just one training run in the grand scheme. I have trust in THE GRAND MASTER PLAN and know that I am still capable of having a fantastic race. Onward I say!

5 comments:

mjcaron said...

Meg has left a new comment on your post "Good Run Gone Bad":

Great attitude, leave that sucker in the dust and move on. You are capable, strong and able to do much more, believe it!

(sorry Meg, accidentally deleted your comment so I'm posting under my own sign on)

mjcaron said...

cheryl has left a new comment on your post "Good Run Gone Bad":

one tough run just makes you tougher! I wouldn't overthink it, it sounds like you have been having some great training so far.

(just reposted Cherly's comment as well)..

Running and living said...

Bad runs happen to great runners:)
I would try the run again when you feel up to it (if all systems are a go). You gotta get that sucker! And you absolutely can. Just a bad day, that's all! And the weather did not help. I was out there on Saturday and my face froze, too. Not to mention my butt!

GoBigGreen said...

Sounds like it was one of "those" days. I am inspired that you are training for a marathon in the dead of winter. My girlfriend is training for Boston and i know it is about all she can do to get herself out the door, much less worry about a pace. Tucson will be a huge bonus for all of us! Cant wait!

Heidi Austin, PT, DPT said...

we all have our days... and sometimes we will never know what the culprit is. shrug it off and round 2 will be better :)

Blog Archive