A Good Start

It has been 2 months since the Charleston Marathon and I’m still on a running high from breaking the 4 hour barrier.  I thought I would spend the rest of the year focusing on ultra distances and had my eye on a 50K and a 50 miler or two.  However, after Charleston, I found myself wondering just how much faster I could run the marathon and I got very excited at the idea of finding out. 

I found a mid-summer marathon that I’d like to focus on, Mad Marathon; its small (my preferred size race), its in Vermont (pretty and convenient to my parents) and it is a first-time event (for some reason, I like doing first-time events).  After a week long vacation, I am back to running regularly and find myself focused on running a faster marathon in 16 weeks.

This morning was my first of several “pace” runs.  I ran the first mile as a warm up and then started pushing the pace to get close to a 9 minute mile, which is what I would like to run at the Mad Marathon this summer.  I’ve always found it difficult to run at race paces during training.  Put me at the start line of a 5K and I’ll rip off an 8:30 first mile, no problem, but in training I find it difficult to even run a regular 10 minute pace.  I convinced myself that that is just the way it is so why fight it? 

However, running faster in Charleston has given me the confidence to push the pace every once in a while and tell myself that I can and will run faster.  This morning, running to work, was my first test of my newfound confidence.  To my surprise and delight, it worked.  After mile 1, my pace picked up and even though I was feeling the effort, it got easier and I found myself in a nice running rhythm, not trying any harder but running faster and faster paces.  Mile 2 showed a 9:20 pace.  Mile 3 was a 9:13.  Mile 4, when I thought I was not pushing as hard was a 9:09 and Mile 5 was a 9:03. 

It felt good to be out on this cold morning, my backpack thumping on my back, speeding along the trails to work.  What better way to start this round of marathon training?  Mad River Valley, here I come!

Daily Dozen:

6.3 miles run to work, 4 miles at pace 

Capital Challenge - Race Report

I am a runner redeemed.

Wednesday morning I ran the Capital Challenge, a 3 mile charity race in DC that is invitation-only for teams representing the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branches of the Federal Government and the Media. I ran a one of several teams fielded by the company for which I work. Approximately 700 people were running the race.

I had signed up for the race knowing that I wouldn’t be recovered from the marathon I was running the previous Saturday so I had submitted an estimated race time of 30 minutes. Of course, at that time, I didn’t realize I would only be allowed to run 22 miles of the marathon and therefore was not nearly as beat up as I thought I would be. My legs were feeling very good Wednesday morning.

As the starting whistle blew I decided to go ahead and push the pace just to see what I could. I was pushing but not too hard (no hard, labored breathing…yet) and hit the first mile in 8:06 (take off a few seconds because I started about 15 second after the gun). Wow! Great! I wonder if I can maintain this pace.

I blow past the water stop and push on to the turn around, 1.5 mile mark. I make the sharp 180 degree turn and push harder. I had only seen a handful of coworkers ahead of me and I wanted to see how many of them I could catch.

I ran. I pushed and ran harder. I hit the mile 2 marker in 15:57. What?! I’m actually speeding up. GO GO GO. Just one more mile.

It was unusually cold this morning, in the low 40s and there had been a sharp wind as we were standing around waiting for the race start. The wind that I thought would be at my back (or at the least coming in from side) was actually blowing straight at us, nonstop, for the entire third mile. I have said it before – I hate the wind. However, I knew I couldn’t let it defeat me on this day. I had had enough of being defeated by mother nature while running.

I pushed. I started breathing harder and harder and tried to keep it as steady as possible. I cajoled. One more mile. That’s nothing. You can’t outrun a tornado but you can make it to this finish line in under 24 minutes. Come on. RUN. Then, finally, I heard the announcer. There was a slight bend in the course and a few seconds later (though it seemed like minutes) I saw the banner for the finish line. Get there Becki. You just have to get to that spot and then you can stop. I promise. That’s it. Just get there.

The clock read 23 something and I pushed as hard as I could – 23:36. Holy crap, I did it! If this had been a 5K, I would have PR’ed by nearly a minute. Apparently running 22 miles of a marathon a few days prior really helps my speed (or at least it did this once). Running and finishing this race well, felt good. It still feels good. I have a much more positive outlook on running today compared to the few days after Nashville.

Am I still planning on attempting a marathon in few weeks…oh yeah!

Pros
-Small race = higher placement (254 out of 700)
-Low entry fee ($17)
-Very enthusiastic race organizers
-Nice, technical running shirt

Cons
-Invitation only race

"I'm OK"

I’m afraid. I’ll admit it.

I’m afraid of running fast. I’m afraid of how it’ll feel, which let’s be honest, is a fear of pain. I’m afraid I’ll injury myself and never run again. I’m afraid I’ll get halfway through a run and not be able to make it back home. To put it simply, I’m afraid I’ll fail.

Of course, “fast” is a relative term and for me, a solid 10:30 minute mile is my norm, meaning “fast” is anything under 10:00 minute mile. This is not “fast” by most other people’s understanding of the term.

Regardless of the pace associated with “fast” I’m still afraid of it.

That being said, the feeling of running fast is exhilarating. When I’m running fast, my mind doesn’t wonder, it is focused; I’m in the zone, hypnotized by the increasing, steady rhythm of quicker footfalls as they fall in sync with my heavier breathing.

“Fast Feet” and “Run Faster” replace my usual mantra (“Steady and Strong”) and there is usually only one thought that is able to penetrate the hypnotic state: “See this isn’t so bad, I’m OK….I’m OK.”

And then the euphoria ends. Sometimes it lasts for a few minutes and sometimes it’ll stretch to a few wonderful miles but it always ends. My focus wavers. My leg turnover is no longer even. My breathing is bordering on gasping. I’m no longer OK.

But I am OK. I can’t see it in the moment because as the fear takes control, I forget that the pain has always been temporary, I’ve always made it home under my own power and I’ve accomplished so many seemingly impossible things in my short running life – I finished my first marathon strong, I’ve run a sub-2 half marathon and I get out there most mornings and enjoy the physical act of running…and I love it. Despite those moments of doubt, I am OK.

I haven’t figured out how to ignore the fear and stay focused but it is a challenge I am willing to tackle. I just have to remember, even when my legs start to fill with lead and my breathing resembles Darth Vader on a bad day, “I’m OK” and I have to believe it.

Today’s Daily Dozen:
4.02 mile run, 1 mile warm-up, 2 miles @ tempo (aka “comfortably hard”), 1 mile cool down
Core workout w/ Stability Ball @ lunch hour