Breakthrough

I am so happy with the way my running is progressing this fall. I am running stronger and faster, and it feels good. When I finished my run this morning, I was proud of myself and my running.

When I started running, I read as much as I could about how to start running. I mean, it sounds easy…just go out and run…but it turns out, there is quite a bit to learn. Everything I read aimed at beginner running emphasized that slow was the name of the game. If you wanted to make it the distance and cross the finish line (how ever far away that finish line may be) strong, you had to go slow and avoid crashing.

This is exactly how I ran during the training for my first marathon. I repeated “slow and easy, just take it easy Becki, nice and slow” over and over on every long run; and, it worked. I progressed from 10 to 12 to 15 to 18 to 20 milers and finished each one tired but strong and with confidence.

I was so careful not to go out too fast and that caution developed into apprehension and fear. I honestly believe that I have been afraid to go fast, thinking that if I ran fast I would crash. I was afraid of the fatigue and ache. I was afraid of the pain. It is so silly but somehow so very, very true. As I continued to run after my first marathon, I never really let go of the “slow and easy” approach.

However, something changed after I was injured last year. My running mantra changed from “slow and easy” to “steady and strong” as I rebuilt my running base. I credit this new mantra for helping me improve my marathon time by 15 minutes and finishing strong in my third marathon.

That race was just the beginning because this summer and fall, after recovering from the marathon, I have been focused on increasing my weekly mileage. Forty miles used to be my marathon peak week and now, after slowly building up all summer and fall, for the past month it has been my normal weekly mileage. I feel like a whole new runner – stronger, faster and more confident in my ability.

…and it shows. I have run a PR at every race distance this fall except for the marathon. My 5K PR dropped by two minutes and I know I could have run that one faster (I was just starting to lose my fear of running fast and was still transition to higher mileage). I smashed my 10K PR by over six minutes. I brought my 10 mile race PR down a minute after a tough a race (well, tough for me). However, the one that proves to me I am truly improving is my new half marathon PR, dropping it six minutes and feeling like I could have run forever as I crossed the finish line even after a ridiculous 6.25 mile “warm up” run. I wish I had a marathon planned this fall because I know I could make a serious dent in that PR as well. I think this is sufficient evidence that I’ve had a breakthrough in my running. I’m so excited to see what this new level of running holds for me.

Daily Dozen:
6 miles in the morning (rainy and cold)
Strength Training @ lunch hour