Nothing easy about 20 Miles

I wish I had something inspiring to say about my 20 miler today. Only thing I got is I survived! As many 20 milers that I logged in the last 3 years, I can't say they get easier at all. Nope they don't!

I had a killer block of workouts this weekend. 10 with 8 miles @ 7:59 average pace followed by 20 miles today with the last 4 miles 7:55, 7:55, 7:56, 7:43. Not 100% sure but I think Coach wanted me to run hard on fatigued legs which stimulate lag stage race fatigue. Legs were more fisty than fatigued but so ready to have a recovery day!!

Another tough week logged in the books! 64.5 Total which I think is a weekly mileage PR.

M - 9 Easy + Strides

T - 1 W/U, 3X3, 7:36, 7:33, 7:33 - 7:40, 7:36, 7:35 - 7:40, 7:35, 7:32 - 1 C/D = 11 miles

W - Off (first one in 13 days)

Th - 6 Easy

F - 8 Easy + Strides

S - 1.5 W/U, 8 @ MP 7:59, 1 C/D = 10.5

S - 20 with last 4 Hard Effort

Total Miles - 64.5

Liberate from my Fear of Failure

Today I found myself chatting openly to someone about my dreams and gaint aspirations as a runner. I have tended to shy away from truly & openly discussing what I have hoped to accomplish as a runner. Mostly out of fear that if I don't achieve these goals those people I had shared with me would look down apond me and think or say I knew you couldn't to do it. So I have never openly discussed how truly & deeply I want to accomplish some amazing marathon times in the few years. Today without my normal inward tendencies I blurt out to someone that I hope to one day win a marathon. Wow! Did I say that?? Yep, I did. Now it is out there...I let the cat out of the bag. Now I know this is going to be long path and I don't have any thought of like winning Boston or Chicago or some mega marathon but a small town marathon - Yes, it is ambitious and will take a lot of work! Plus I think the journey and all the milestones in between will be amazing! First goal is run sub 3:35 at Houston marathon in 9 weeks. Than 3:20s in June in Charlevoix and just maybe a sub 3:20 in December 2012 - somewhere :-) I have all the tools now to go on this journey so why the heck not purse something truly great!! I deserve it :-) Right!!

I can say I no longer have a fear of the failure and can openly talk about my dreams. I have faith in my heart that one day I will accomplish all the dreams my heart and mind conceive.

When talking with this gal about my dreams, I remembered a poem a friend once shared with me. When you dream and shine your light, you unconciously allow others to believe in themselves and shine there light!

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear in that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the World. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won’t feel unsure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. As we let our own Light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear ,our presence automatically liberates others."

Dreaming Big & Chasing Big PRs in 2011

So I start thinking about what races I wanted to do after Houston. Yes, I know I should be solely focused on Houston but I think all runners dream long-term as was short-term. Thought about the Virginia Beach Marathon in March and Charlevoix in June. Coach nixed the idea of both in favor of my long term development as a runner rather the short-term excitement of competing in marathons so close together. So nixed the VB marathon idea in favor for doing another marathon build up which would bring me closer to a sub 3:30 marathon in June which would be amazing! I want redemption in Charlevoix! What better way to get redemption but run a crazy awesome time on this course and PR on the course by over 30 minutes. That sounds like so much fun and totally worth the work & effort it will take to get there.

Chasing your dreams ain't easy or everyone would be doing!! It takes passion and unyielding since of determination.

You need a lot of passion for what you're doing because its so hard. Without passion, any rational person would give up.So if youre not having fun doing it, if you dont absolutely love it, youre going to give up. And thats what happens to most people, actually.If you look at the ones that ended up being successful in the eyes of society, often times its the ones who love what they do, so they could persevere when it got really tough. And the ones that didnt love it, quit. Because theyre sane, right?Who would put up with this stuff if you dont love it?So its a lot of hard work and its a lot of worrying constantly.If you dont love it, youre going to fail. - Steve Jobs

Patience is the road less taken

Yesterday, while excitedly driving to my recovery run destination. I was on my way to one of my favorite places to run the Winthrop Athletics Fields & Lake for a 6 mile recovery run. I was excited to get my run underway as it was a beautiful & warm fall afternoon. Well wouldn't you know it - I got behind someone who insisted on driving about 5 mph under the speed little which may not seem a lot but when one is anxious to arrive at their destination it makes you a little antsy behind the wheel. I kept reminding myself to have patience and remember that I will get to my destination exactly at the time I was predestine to be there. So I sat back and relaxed and was sort amused at how slow we were traveling along these 2 lane back road. Now I could get all upset honk, ride this guys tail and/or curse this driver but what difference is that going to make in the end. If I did this then I may end up not at my destination at all but on the side of the road getting a ticket for rear-ending someone. You get the gist of this..ahy?

Well this got me to thinking about how I need the same patience needed on this drive was the exercise in patience I need to have in my running & training. Have patience, even when fitness is slow going. Have the patience and resolve not to get to antsy with trying to force it but just allowing it to happen. Have with faith that I will arrive at my destination exactly when it is intended for me to arrive - huge marathon PR. If I tried to force training with antsy impatience, I would end up frustrated and probably with an injury.

So I sit back patiently and enjoy the ride! Good things happen for those who have patience.

- Patience, Believeth & Faith

My First Post

I am been trying to find away to get away from the Facebook world. Although I have to admit I loved reading FB to my coffee in the AM. I decide to ditch FB for some more positive and heathly reading matters while having my coffee. I recently started following some inspiring runners blogs. This sparked my interest in having were to write about my running aspirations and daily musings.

Here I go...

This the first week of a 3 week high mileage block! I completed it without issue or fatigue. Yeah!!!

My week looked like this -

M - 6 Easy

T - 8 Easy

W - 10 Easy

T - 2 W/U, 2X 3 - 7:36, 7:28, 7:31 & 7:29, 7:33, 7:31 - 1 C/D

F - 8 Easy

S - 16 Easy @ 9:22 Average

S - 6 Recovery

Total - 63 Miles

The only thing I am watching and taking care of is a funky hip on my left side. With seems to stem from some tightness in the hip flexor & quads. Taking care to stretch, stick and ice as well as getting some ART on it this week. Should be a blip to soon be over with some care. Best that I am healthy and feeling strong.

Trying to stay positive in all things not only in my running but mindful of the thoughts that cross my head. Remember at all times that what you think about, you bring about. Also, to think & talk about what I love in my life at all times. This takes lots of discipline and being mindful of what you let into your head takes immense amount of discipline and focus. It is way tougher than one would think! Mental toughness & discipline is the key to taking my running to the next level.