In case you're not familiar with the whole 2 x 1600m notation jazz, that means I had to essentially do two mile repeats at warp factor 10 (pictured). Then I had to do two half mile repeats even freaking fast than that (around a 7:47 pace). Do not be at all impressed with those times when you realize that most runners who can really run (unlike myself) run at those paces as a WARM-UP. I know; I've seen them next to me at the Y when I am secretly trying to race the person next to me on the treadmill and realize these people will always, always win.
It was an OK run. My legs were still pretty tight from the 15 miler from hell on Sunday, but they warmed up some after the first mile. I just wish I weren't stalked on the treadmill the entire time.
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| Hyooman....done yet? |
They're not cheering me on. One of them is waiting for the warm treadmill belt and the other is waiting for the warm sweat on my legs. These are my treadmill running crosses to bear, I guess.
Another cross I bear is my own running stupidity. I make dumb running mistakes all the time (re: back-to-back weekends full of marathons), as you already know if you are one of the few that even read this blog. I thought it might be a good idea to list out some of my dumber (more dumb? who knows) running mistakes I've made over the 7 years of my running career so you don't have to make them...that is, if you haven't made them already. Get ready for some bullet points!
My list of dumb running things: (to be expanded as needed)
- Thinking "I don't need to go to the bathroom before this 5K; I can hold it for 3.1 miles." Let's just say my grey running capris were a darker shade of grey by the end.
- Going out for my first 20 mile run ever in sub-freezing temperatures with bottles of water...that froze by mile 5, forcing me to eat gritty snow on the side of the road for the rest of the run. (Everyone always says your first 20 miler will make you feel so powerful and strong...all I wanted to do afterwards was punch all the people.)
- Going out for a long run with a water bottle in slightly above-freezing temperatures after a fresh snowfall and dropping the water bottle on a corner for me to grab on my way back...only to find that the snow plows had come through whilst I was away and had plowed it into oblivion. This caused more gritty snow-eating.
- Taking a pit-stop in a cornfield and popping out right in front of the farmer
- Promising myself I won't go out too fast on every marathon (LIES)
- Signing up for a mud run and getting injured right in the middle of marathon training
- Thinking "Bah! I don't need to take a gel until the half marathon mark of this marathon!"
- The one time I ran a marathon (Austin) without eating breakfast and was fantasizing about teleporters at the end
- Driving halfway to a half marathon and realizing my bib is back at home, ready to race on the counter.
- Almost losing my fingers on my right hand by running in a polar vortex and taking off my sweaty glove in 20 mph freaking freezing winds to call the husband to come get me
- Not checking the weather before a long run on a trail and ending up running through hail and tornado sirens (got that 16 miler in though!)
- Learning the hard way that a huge iced mocha before a half-marathon will leave you wishing you had put a change of clothes in the car. Especially since you wore light capris and a white shirt that you had to pretty much throw away.
- Also learning the hard way that jalapeno anything is NEVER a good pre-run idea.
- And fiber. Learned this during Chicago one year, when I found out they do a nice job having lots of port-a-johns early on in the race. So no fiber at all the day before a marathon...and no fiber, jalapenos, and iced mochas. Got that?
What can we learn from this dumb post?
- Mile repeats still suck. But they're good for ya.
- I pretty much let the animals do what they want because I don't want to be killed in my sleep one day.
- A lot of my selfies give you a nice view of my armpit. I apologize.
- I've done a lot of dumb running things so you don't have to.
- Well, unless you want to do them. But I can tell you they're not as fun as they seem.
Tomorrow's workout: Bike ride? Maybe? Don't be disappointed if I do weights.
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