Just taking a few moments tonight to check in and say I’m still out there putting in the miles. My recent long runs are listed at the bottom of this post.
My long run on the 19th was the most mentally challenging yet. Just two and a half miles into it I came off a jogging portion and found my thoughts dwelling on many other things, none of which was related to fitness in any way. I actually got a little down and even mad at myself over nearly two months of slacking. I came very close to calling that run short and going home. But I talked myself into completing my planned seven miles regardless of my attitude or pace. As I was walking mile four, my GPS showed my pace had decreased to a nineteen. I began to tell myself I had to get my head straight and I began looking at the positive side of the past four weeks.
My attitude did turn around and soon I found myself thinking about things like what if Clint Eastwood made another sequel to “Every Which Way But Loose” and this time Philo Beddoe was fighting Rocky Balboa. In other words my thought process was back to normal.
Somehow I managed to break a fifteen average. I really thought the slow walking was going to kill my time.
Coming off the June 19th run I felt that I needed to do some work on boosting my cardio. To do this I hit the YMCA four times last week for three elliptical climber workouts and one standard elliptical workout.
The verdict is still out on if I’ve seen improvement from that directly but I have to say my Walk/Run on Saturday was both a challenge and a personal success. As I approached mile four I realized that I was on track to average a flat 13:00 pace. I just missed the four mile goal and I dropped back into a brisk walking pace as I began figuring up what my time needed to be at miles five and six to reach that thirteen minute pace. I increased my pace into a comfortable jog but I missed the pace by seconds at both mile five and six. By now I was determined to give whatever I had in me and man did that wear me out. I thought back to how I had lost my focus the previous week and I compared this week against that. This gave me another boost to keep pushing forward. At the end of the run I was pleased to see I had squeaked under a thirteen to finish with a 12:54 average.
Going forward it would be great to keep an average pace in that range but in the weeks ahead I am going to be focusing my long runs at seven miles while working to eliminate the walking portions. That will be my main focus in July. I just want to work with a distance range that is comfortable and connect those dots. If all goes well I will push August out to eight to nine miles.
I’m still considering the Des Moines half in October but I am not going to commit to it until I can assess August.
5/29 Walk/Run. Six miles. Averaged pace 13:43
6/5 Walk/Run. Seven miles. Averaged pace 13:39
6/13 Walk/Run. Seven miles. Averaged pace 13:28
6/16 Biking. Eighteen miles. Average speed 5.46 MPH
6/19 Walk/Run. Seven miles. Averaged pace 14:45
6/25 Walk/Run Seven miles. Averaged pace 12:54
4 comments:
The title says it all! The more you piece together and muscle through those workouts, the easier it is going to get for you.
Find your STRONG!!!!
I feel like I'm going to need it as well with the heat and humidity starting to move in on us.
i hate monkeys
Glad you worked through the bringing. I sometimes do that too. I have to leave home at home, and I have learned to focus on how my body is doing while getting the miles in.
When I go out to do miles and I am already moody, I end up mad and I quit.
Run Disney has posted training programs for the races. Check them out.
Awesome that you stuck with it Jeff...So here's the thing with walk breaks - they can make you faster if you use them wisely. Not only that, but they can totally make you feel better at the end of the long run. I understand wanting to eliminate the walk breaks too though - you just have to do what keeps you feeling good and moving forward.
You're times have improved already, so keep at it and you'll totally meet your goals in January.
Work through those bad times like you did and you'll end up feeling better for it!
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