Run Redux.

I've had some trouble readjusting to the East Coast. Let's leave it at that. I had an amazing trip, got in way more training than I expected, and also was able to pretty much hit every workout this past weekend while painfully trying to cure my jet lag.

Most Tuesdays I have a tempo/lactate threshold interval run. They hurt, in a good way. I like them because I have seen progress, been able to learn about HR and pace and hills and wind. But I also I dread them. Like I said, they hurt.

So I set my alarm to do the run Tuesday morning (warm up + drills, 2x15 minute LT intervals with 5 minutes active rest, warm down). I finally caved and took something to help me sleep on Monday evening. When I woke up, thinking my alarm had gone off, I convinced myself with every reason available that I should keep sleeping and do the run in the afternoon. When I picked up my phone to reset my alarm, it was actually 4am and my alarm had, in fact, never gone off.
Fail #1.

Skip to Tuesday evening. I rushed home, the weather was great, my stomach felt fine, and I had a quick snack. I headed out about 6pm. After the first 15 minutes and a quick stop at McDonalds (that is roughly .25 mile from my house) it was very clear that my stomach wasn't going to agree with this run, and mentally I just wasn't there either. So after completing warm up and some drills, I decided to simply listen to my body and enjoy the weather. 50 minutes and 4 miles of walking/jogging/running later I was feeling defeated and down on myself.  So I made a mental deal with myself: I would not look at this run as a failure, I was being honest and listening to my body, and I would try one more time, Wednesday morning, to get the run done.
Fail #2.

Fortunately, it seems the jet lag has finally passed. I was able to fall asleep at a roughly normal time last night. [I did however, have a dream that when I woke up, it had snowed and I couldn't find my Yax Trax, so I clearly couldn't do the run.]  I woke up, only snoozed once, and was out the door by 6:45am. From the get go, it was clear there was no pep in my legs, but I mentally committed to the run. Whatever the HR was I was going to complete the 15 minute intervals - and I wasn't going to look at pace until I got home. So I did it. Yes it was sort of awful and I couldn't get my heart rate over 150, but it is done. The pace and HR aren't even close to what they were for the same run 3 weeks ago, but mentally, this was a win.

In the past 4 weeks, I have learned that you can't take Ironman training workout-by-workout. You will slowly go insane and have no confidence and doubt every step (or stroke) you take. Traveling has taken a toll. My body has been confused and screaming at times - but I've gotten the work done. Sure, there was a week when I felt like I hadn't swam in YEARS, and yes, this morning's run I couldn't get my HR out of the 140s during 'tempo' - but I am focusing on the big picture:

• In the last 30 days - between 2 international trips, moving, and managing a huge project that kicks off tomorrow (fingers crossed), I have run almost 100 miles.
• Despite the random off day, swimming feels the best it has in years and I am completing sets and holding intervals that make me really happy and REALLY excited for this year.
• I am still 4 months from my race.

Focusing on the big picture is the only way I am going to stay sane right now. And after 1 more flight this weekend, my feet will be FIRMLY planted on the ground through August.

Now, for some random musings:
1. Why are all the squirrels near the airport black? Had anyone else noticed this?

2. Ducking into holly bushes to avoid bike commuters riding 3 abreast on a narrow trail - not recommended. I have scratches on my face to prove I didn't win.

3.  I really want to start bike commuting, but I'm weirdly scared about it for some reason. This makes no sense. I live 10 miles from work, I can ride 9 of those 10 miles on trails. It takes roughly 45 minutes to drive to work in the mornings - riding should be a no brainer.

I love fall.

With amazingly cool temps, I kicked off September with a tempo run that turned out to be a 4-mile PR and the best pace i have ever run any race. ever. 7:19.

the miles are paying off. good stuff, super motivated.

Another reason to hate the treadmill.

Today I ran on the same treadmill that I ran my first miles after my injury.  It was in Cape Town in March that I started to test out my newly healed femur, with dismal results.  I was discouraged and sore, but so happy to have the confidence to give it a try.

So, 5 months later, I returned to the same treadmill.  Not by choice.  It is raining and hailing with gale force winds in Cape Town. 

I hopped on, walked a bit to warm up the legs.  I knew the treadmill would be in kilometers, but I figured 10k in an hour was a good recovery pace after the 18 on Saturday.  However, something was wrong.  10k/hour felt REALLY fast.  I thought maybe the 18 miles took more out of me than I thought.  I seriously couldn't hold 10k/hour pace...

I was sweating all over, sucking my water bottle, and my heart rate was through the roof.  I just couldn't do it.  I settled into a comfortable 8.6kilo/hour pace.  I was bummed, but then started to think more.

There is NO WAY this treadmill was right.  Then I started to do math....

Maybe the treadmill wasn't in kilometers after all?  NO WAY....no way I had been trying to run10 MILE/hour pace.  Wait....

So I sweated through 8 kilometers (miles?).  My heart rate was under control, but I just couldn't figure out the pace.  Hmmm, 8 miles in 57 minutes...hm, just over 7min/miles.  No freaking way.

Two of the cutie trainers that been watching me struggle (and probably laughing hysterically at the silly American girl) came over and said hello.  I politely smiled, tried my best to bat my eyelashes while still profusely sweating and said

"This may be a silly question, but is this treadmill in kilometers or miles?"

They looked at each other and laughed.  I wanted to run away and hide.  They asked what I thought it was.  I told them that I had just run the slowest and hardest 8k of my life, or just ran a 10k PR.

They laughed a bit more, then assured me the pace on the treadmill was fast.  They said there had been problems with the belt and that when they got it fixed it came back a bit 'fast'.  They were not sure exactly of the discrepancy, but said people estimated 6kilo/hour speed was more like 8, and 8.5 was more like 11.5.  So using that math, I ran 6.9 miles.  

Sweet.  So I accidentally did a tempo run.  And now when I think back, I actually felt pretty damn good at that pace.  Hopefully tomorrow I can just run outside.

Drills, Strides and TEMPO!

Tonight I joined my Tuesday night running group for the first time since my injury. I did high knees, butt kickers, and 4x4s with no pain. And then the most exciting part: I did 3 strides that felt AMAZING. I felt light on my feet, strong and it just felt amazing to be running fast again.

The group work-out was a 5 mile tempo run, and there is obvsiouly no way I was doing that, but I decided I wanted to try to do 1 miles (from 72nd street transverse up to Engineers Gate) with a bit of intensity. I did a few intervals on the treadmill last week that felt fine, so I was confident my leg would hold up. My coach did not agree, but I had my mind set on it.

It felt GREAT. It felt so good to push the pace, to make my lungs burn a bit, and the best part was that my legs felt STRONG. I held myself to 1 mile, and ran easy the rest of the 4 mile loop and did my normal 1/2 mile cool down walk home from the park.

The minute I got home, I emailed Dr. M, the ortho, to make sure it is OK to start adding in a bit of tempo. I don't want to add in speed work, per say, but I am hoping to add in a short tempo run or fartlek every week. I do have plans to do some racing this summer, and I think the only way to prepare my legs and hip for race pace is to do some strong running.

So I am keeping my fingers crossed for a positive response from the Doc, and optimistically I can share this with my coaches so they are on board with me adding in some intensity (notice I am not saying SPEED, as this is not what I mean...I just want to feel a bit of a burn in the lungs, and get my cheeks pink!!)