I really am starting to blossom in this heat. I have had a mental shift this week on how I view summer training. I realized that this heat & humidity can only make me stronger. So I am no longer just surviving it but I am flourishing in it!
I think I have found my sweet spot in training which is the 69-72 mpw range - anything below that feels like a down week anything above feels like I am starting to get weary.
Week in Review
Monday (AM) 8 easy + Strides (PM) 4 easy
Tuesday 2 w/u, 2X3 mile @6:58 1 c/d
Wednesday 6 Recovery
Thursday (AM) 10 easy (PM) 3 easy
Friday 3 w/u, 16 X 300, 2 c/d
Saturday (AM) 8 Easy (PM) 3 easy
Sunday 13 with 8 X 90 second surges @ 6:27 pace
Total Miles - 72 miles
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Friday, June 29, 2012
Trust your Struggle
I keep this in my head and it comes in handy for AMs and days when I am struggling. Struggling with low energy, lack of focus, a new ache or pain or just the balancing act of it all. Today I woke up that calf being tight again when I was walking especially on the stairs I could feel it's tightness. Add overall low energy and this heat wave that is looming - I am struggling to stay focused and positive.
It is funning how you can have some great days like yesterday that turned into days of struggling the next day. Who knows why? But I was on cloud nine yesterday and really focused and excited but today I am struggling to find energy.
On days like today, I wonder how I am going to contiune to pull down 70 mile weeks in the midst of this heat and summer break. It is truly hard for me to be focused during the summer. Not only because the kids are home but because of the relationship I have always had with summer. Like it is the chill season where you relax a lot, swim a lot in the pool and having lazy evenings drinking some firefly lemonade. Summer has always been my down training season where I had start ramping back up for the fall in August. This is not the summer I have had in the past so I am learning to adapt but there is a voice inside me that yearns for those times too and thus I struggle.
These are thoughts & quotes that I try to counter that voice of doubt & fatigue -
You can't have the rainbow with the rain.
The thing you want is on the other side of this struggle. You can have anything you are willing to struggle for.
A smooth sea never made for a skilled sailor.
Do not pray that your path be easier but that you are blessed with more tools and resources to navigate your path.
“Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle and a victory.”
–Mahatma Gandhi
Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.
Whatever the struggle, continue the climb. It may be only one step to the summit.
For better or worse, our future will be determined in large part by our dreams and by the struggle to make them real.
It is funning how you can have some great days like yesterday that turned into days of struggling the next day. Who knows why? But I was on cloud nine yesterday and really focused and excited but today I am struggling to find energy.
On days like today, I wonder how I am going to contiune to pull down 70 mile weeks in the midst of this heat and summer break. It is truly hard for me to be focused during the summer. Not only because the kids are home but because of the relationship I have always had with summer. Like it is the chill season where you relax a lot, swim a lot in the pool and having lazy evenings drinking some firefly lemonade. Summer has always been my down training season where I had start ramping back up for the fall in August. This is not the summer I have had in the past so I am learning to adapt but there is a voice inside me that yearns for those times too and thus I struggle.
These are thoughts & quotes that I try to counter that voice of doubt & fatigue -
You can't have the rainbow with the rain.
The thing you want is on the other side of this struggle. You can have anything you are willing to struggle for.
A smooth sea never made for a skilled sailor.
Do not pray that your path be easier but that you are blessed with more tools and resources to navigate your path.
“Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle and a victory.”
–Mahatma Gandhi
Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.
Whatever the struggle, continue the climb. It may be only one step to the summit.
For better or worse, our future will be determined in large part by our dreams and by the struggle to make them real.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
I Ran
I was able to run today. Woo Hoo! Calf was a bit sore but held up fine for a nice 6 mile run. It was the prettiest AM we've had in a while. I totally enjoyed every a moment of this run and said many prayers of gratitude that I was able to run today.
Now I think I am out of the woods on this calf issue. I am contiuning to ice, heat and self massage & AIS. Post run I was thinking about how I have not been doing a very good job of taking care of my body in the past couple of weeks. I was rushing the post run stretching & flexibilty stuff and/or totally skipping it all due trying to get evertyhing in before I had to get kids off to camps or get them from camps or just trying to get out of the heat. Sometimes after a run I could barely tolerate the heat & sun to do my cool-down stretch routine. Honestly having to do that soemtimes a twice a day was making think I could skip it once an while. Yes, I was not being the runner that I am in the school but this issue was a reminder that stuff is important as the running. Do all the work not only the running. I have to figure out a way to be better about all this stuff for the next 6 weeks! Can't take my body for grant as I ask a whole lot from it.
"Be good to yourself. You are God manifested, and that's reason enough to treat yourself kindly." - Wayne Dyer
Now I think I am out of the woods on this calf issue. I am contiuning to ice, heat and self massage & AIS. Post run I was thinking about how I have not been doing a very good job of taking care of my body in the past couple of weeks. I was rushing the post run stretching & flexibilty stuff and/or totally skipping it all due trying to get evertyhing in before I had to get kids off to camps or get them from camps or just trying to get out of the heat. Sometimes after a run I could barely tolerate the heat & sun to do my cool-down stretch routine. Honestly having to do that soemtimes a twice a day was making think I could skip it once an while. Yes, I was not being the runner that I am in the school but this issue was a reminder that stuff is important as the running. Do all the work not only the running. I have to figure out a way to be better about all this stuff for the next 6 weeks! Can't take my body for grant as I ask a whole lot from it.
"Be good to yourself. You are God manifested, and that's reason enough to treat yourself kindly." - Wayne Dyer
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Training Pause Maybe??
Today I had a big workout planned that I was sort of scared of. It was 2X3 miles @7:05-6:55 pace. Yep that is faster than I just ran that 5K. I was preparing for it by not thinking too much about it as to not let it freak me out. There is something soothing about a warm-up that helps calm the nerves a bit. During the stride portion of my warm-up, I noticed one of my calf muscles feeling funky. Nothing too concerning but noticeable.
I decided to take this work out indoors on the treadmill as to get away from the mid-morning heat. Plus I really like having water on hand.
Okay jumped on and hit 8.6 on the treadmill and went sailing through the first one pretty easily but I was starting to feel that calf muscle. With one mile left, I dropped the pace 8.8 which is 6:53. Just want to finish this off and stretch the tighting calf.
4 minute rest to stretch and calf was tight and a little tender. I made the call to get through the workout on it and said a prayer I was not going to do any damage.
Killed the second 3 mile interval mostly because I wanted to get off the calf sooner than later. Run first miles @ 7:03, second @ 6:58 and third @ 6:53.
Now to attend to the calf. Yes, sore to the touch after run and funky to walk on. Luckily I had a pre-scheduled massage this afternoon. She went to town on my calf muscles which were in need of some deep work as they had been negilent for 2 months. Especially needed the work with sn increase in speed & sprint work that demands more out of the calf especially in racing flats on the track.
Coach Jeff thinks it is going to be fine with maybe one day off or two days to let the muscle fibers heal. Since I have had only 1 rest day since my cruise in May, he thinks it will do more good than harm to rest so I can be strong for the weekend. I am hoping it feels good tomorrow so I can run easy as it suppose to be like the nicest and coolest AM that we have had in 2 months. 55 with low humidity folks!!! Please, Please, Please do not have me resting on a day like that!! What the kicker is that our weather is going to be like 100 + over the weekend so I was looking forward to enjoying a run before I had to gut it out in the tough conditions of this weekend.
So I lay here with my compression socks on thinking positive & healing thoughts.
I decided to take this work out indoors on the treadmill as to get away from the mid-morning heat. Plus I really like having water on hand.
Okay jumped on and hit 8.6 on the treadmill and went sailing through the first one pretty easily but I was starting to feel that calf muscle. With one mile left, I dropped the pace 8.8 which is 6:53. Just want to finish this off and stretch the tighting calf.
4 minute rest to stretch and calf was tight and a little tender. I made the call to get through the workout on it and said a prayer I was not going to do any damage.
Killed the second 3 mile interval mostly because I wanted to get off the calf sooner than later. Run first miles @ 7:03, second @ 6:58 and third @ 6:53.
Now to attend to the calf. Yes, sore to the touch after run and funky to walk on. Luckily I had a pre-scheduled massage this afternoon. She went to town on my calf muscles which were in need of some deep work as they had been negilent for 2 months. Especially needed the work with sn increase in speed & sprint work that demands more out of the calf especially in racing flats on the track.
Coach Jeff thinks it is going to be fine with maybe one day off or two days to let the muscle fibers heal. Since I have had only 1 rest day since my cruise in May, he thinks it will do more good than harm to rest so I can be strong for the weekend. I am hoping it feels good tomorrow so I can run easy as it suppose to be like the nicest and coolest AM that we have had in 2 months. 55 with low humidity folks!!! Please, Please, Please do not have me resting on a day like that!! What the kicker is that our weather is going to be like 100 + over the weekend so I was looking forward to enjoying a run before I had to gut it out in the tough conditions of this weekend.
So I lay here with my compression socks on thinking positive & healing thoughts.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Do the hard work
Gosh I am feeling all inspired to write more of my thoughts.
I was thinking of this topic while grinding out 8 lovely miles on a very hot AM. Say 80ish with high humidity. Luckily I was running a trail that provided lots of shade, a nice breeze and lots of wildlife. Anyway it was a hard run in that it was not the most comfortable feeling as sweat was rolling off me saturating my clothes and I could feel the wheezing of my lungs trying to gather some oxygen but at the same time there several things about it the made it doable like I said shade, breeze and wildlife.
So an easy 8 miles that was a bit uncomfortable made me think of this of a quote I had come across "Do the Hard Work". Sometimes we wait for all the conditions to be perfect to get after it. It has been my experience that the conditions for chasing your dreams are rarely ideal. For me, I have had to come to accept the summer time training conditions as they are and commit to doing the work. All of it - the hard work especially of gutting out those miles in tough conditions.
I was thinking of this topic while grinding out 8 lovely miles on a very hot AM. Say 80ish with high humidity. Luckily I was running a trail that provided lots of shade, a nice breeze and lots of wildlife. Anyway it was a hard run in that it was not the most comfortable feeling as sweat was rolling off me saturating my clothes and I could feel the wheezing of my lungs trying to gather some oxygen but at the same time there several things about it the made it doable like I said shade, breeze and wildlife.
So an easy 8 miles that was a bit uncomfortable made me think of this of a quote I had come across "Do the Hard Work". Sometimes we wait for all the conditions to be perfect to get after it. It has been my experience that the conditions for chasing your dreams are rarely ideal. For me, I have had to come to accept the summer time training conditions as they are and commit to doing the work. All of it - the hard work especially of gutting out those miles in tough conditions.
Using your gifts
Do you know your gifts? Are you using your gifts?
I think the most powerful and amazing feeling is knowing your gifts, honoring your gifts and using them. The joy of finding them and using them is amazing. It gives you the courage not to compare your gifts to others gifts. It allows a since of pride in what God has given you. You do not wish for different gifts or gifts that are not yours.
I honor my gifts by using them daily and knowing that I am perfect as God created me. I do not need to punish myself for not being like someone else. I accept that I that I have gifts that others do not have and they have gifts that I do not have. I celebrate my gifts while celebrating their gifts. Not judging myself or them for not sharing in the same gifts.
I think as mothers & women we can often get in a trap of comparing our journey and gifts to other mothers/women. I see this so often in the community I live in. I celebrate the uniqueinss of the stay at home mom who takes extra pride in the decorating of her home, the dress of her children and rpide she takes in partiticpating at the school activities. I celebrate the working mom who strives to balance a career with the demands of motherhood. But I also celebrate my uniqueniess as a mom & women. My gift is not in creating a Martha Stewart life for my family or children. My gift is in setting a example and role model of going after your dreams and overcoming obstacles and doing it with passion and love. Those are my gifts to my children and family. I embrace them and know it why I was put in on this earth. I do not measure myself again other women and mothers but I measure myself against how much love, passion, courage I show my children & family day in and day out. Lessons are caught not taught - I must be in life what I hope my children are in their life. Courageous, Strong and Willing to fight the good fight for whatever passion stirs in their hearts.
I think the most powerful and amazing feeling is knowing your gifts, honoring your gifts and using them. The joy of finding them and using them is amazing. It gives you the courage not to compare your gifts to others gifts. It allows a since of pride in what God has given you. You do not wish for different gifts or gifts that are not yours.
I honor my gifts by using them daily and knowing that I am perfect as God created me. I do not need to punish myself for not being like someone else. I accept that I that I have gifts that others do not have and they have gifts that I do not have. I celebrate my gifts while celebrating their gifts. Not judging myself or them for not sharing in the same gifts.
I think as mothers & women we can often get in a trap of comparing our journey and gifts to other mothers/women. I see this so often in the community I live in. I celebrate the uniqueinss of the stay at home mom who takes extra pride in the decorating of her home, the dress of her children and rpide she takes in partiticpating at the school activities. I celebrate the working mom who strives to balance a career with the demands of motherhood. But I also celebrate my uniqueniess as a mom & women. My gift is not in creating a Martha Stewart life for my family or children. My gift is in setting a example and role model of going after your dreams and overcoming obstacles and doing it with passion and love. Those are my gifts to my children and family. I embrace them and know it why I was put in on this earth. I do not measure myself again other women and mothers but I measure myself against how much love, passion, courage I show my children & family day in and day out. Lessons are caught not taught - I must be in life what I hope my children are in their life. Courageous, Strong and Willing to fight the good fight for whatever passion stirs in their hearts.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Week in Review
Officially the hottest and swampiest week thus far here in South Carolina! I am fairing better than I thought. I think what has really helped keep me tough through it has some awesome running company in the past week. I got to run with a dear friend and lots of new running friends. I usually am fine training alone but I have really needed the company and friendship to help grind out these miles is these adverse weather conditions. I actually read the humidity is the poor man's or lowlanders subsitute for alitude training. I am banking on that so when fall weather arrives, I suddenly feel like superwoman.
Monday (AM) 6 easy (PM) 4 easy
Tuesday 8 easy
Wednesday 3 w/u, 1 mile @ 6:30, 1000 @ 3:55, 800 @ 3:00, 600@ 2:10, 400 @ 1:25, 2 C/D
Thursday (AM) 10 easy (PM) 4 Easy
Friday 6 Easy & Strides
Saturday (AM) 2 w/u, 5K race, 1 C/D (PM) 6 Recovery
Sunday 14 easy (Soupy & Swampy)
Total = 71 Miles
Monday (AM) 6 easy (PM) 4 easy
Tuesday 8 easy
Wednesday 3 w/u, 1 mile @ 6:30, 1000 @ 3:55, 800 @ 3:00, 600@ 2:10, 400 @ 1:25, 2 C/D
Thursday (AM) 10 easy (PM) 4 Easy
Friday 6 Easy & Strides
Saturday (AM) 2 w/u, 5K race, 1 C/D (PM) 6 Recovery
Sunday 14 easy (Soupy & Swampy)
Total = 71 Miles
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