Week 1/Day 4

WHAT I DID

I ran with my group this morning--three miles!!  My left calf hurt a tiny bit, but NOTHING like it did before I went to Spine Care.

Before I looked at my times for yesterday and today, I was really thinking I did better today with the  group---but as it turns out, that's not so!  And I know why (see next section for What I Learned #1).

I was certainly not front, or even mid pack....but I was also certainly not last!  I started out doing four/one intervals, but changed that up some in the middle with some extra little walk breaks and then at one point I felt especially good so I just kept running--for EIGHT MINUTES!!  When I checked, it was just over the two mile mark (WIL #2).

My total time was 36:29, which would make it an average 12 minute mile (yesterday's average was 11:30).  My fastest pace today was 8:48 (yesterday's fastest pace was 7:42).  Yesterday's average speed was 5.2, today's was only** 4.9. 

WHAT I LEARNED

#1)  I had longer walking intervals today than I did yesterday.  When I was by myself, most of my walk intervals were 30 seconds, today they were mostly 1 minute since I was trying to stick with the plan--but since I added a couple of extras in there it made for longer walking intervals.....

Well, let's see if that's correct....((WARNING...the rest of this paragraph is filled exceptionally boring statistics))...today I ran a total of 30.5 minutes (.83 of the total time) and walked 6 (.16 of the total time).  Yesterday I ran a total of 19.5 minutes (.84 of the total time).  Well, how about that....it wasn't that much better yesterday....except that my speed was a little bit faster.  I'm going to have to look at the mile breakdown to find out what my slowest mile is....my guess is it's going to be the 2nd....because I really felt like the third mile today was pretty darn good.  ((I'm going to try to bribe my incredibly handsome and intelligent math wiz/running expert husband to help me with all the data I'm gathering about my runs so I can figure out where I'm slowing down  (WIGTD #1).

#2)   I was talking with one of the coaches Tuesday night and telling her toward the end of the second mile I felt great, like I could keep on going for miles.  She said we're training for 6.2 miles...I just have to realize the first two are going to suck for me, but the last 4.2 should be better!  I don't think it was a coincidence that I had my best interval at the two mile mark!  If I can hang on for two miles, I should have a better run experience after that.  I don't think for one second I've run long enough to get a "runner's high", but I can completely see how people would want to go run for hours on end.  I'm looking forward to that day....as crazy as that sounds. 

...and, AGAIN, dress cooler than I think I need to.  It's going to start warming up outside, I've got to remember to dress cooler or I'm going to over heat.  The other day when it was snowing, I saw a guy out in that mess with shorts and a sleeveless shirt.  He was one of those 1% body fat serious runner types...I thought he looked like he could freeze to death.  But, my guess is he had been out there for hours so he probably felt perfect.

 

WHAT I'M GOING TO DO

#3--stop using the word "only" (**above)....I'm a 40 year old, arthritic, recovering couch potato---there's nothing "only" about it.


#2.  Dress cooler than I think I need to!!!

#1.  Bribe my incredibly handsome, unbelievably intelligent, supremely macho, running statistic expert husband to take a look at all the data from my Garmin so he can help me figure out where I'm slowing down and how I can improve.

Yes, I do know I just started a little over 2 months ago ((TWENTY SIX TRAINING DAYS!!!))...and yes, I know if I just keep running I will improve...but I'm an optimizer.  Although I don't "connect the dots" between what I do and what happens very well, I do try very hard to look at what I'm doing and see how I can do better.   ....and Yes, I remember when I said I didn't care about my time...but I was obviously WRONG about that!!!  I think I said I didn't care only because I didn't believe I could really do it...and now, I believe I can....so I want to do it as good as I'm able!!

I'm sure in about 3 1/2 weeks I'll be back to thinking I can't do it (notice the timing there)...or at least struggling with negative thoughts....and I hope I can remember to look back to this post because today (like Tuesday)...

I KNOW I CAN DO IT...and not only that....DO IT WELL!!!!!

Thank you for stopping in, come again soon!!

:D