It also says I'm on target with my mileage, which is a first for me during any training plan. Actually, there's been a lot of firsts and positives for me during this training cycle, and they have really boosted my confidence in terms of reaching my marathon goal (beat a 4:10). Kids, I think I may actually show up at the start line with a feeling of "I totally got this" rather than "OMG I hope I don't die and maybe just maybe I could hit my goal if I just don't die." Here's what's helping me get to the "I got this" mindset:
1) I made an commitment early on the RUN ALL THE RUNS.
In the first week of the training plan, I remember looking at a 4 or 5 mile run on the plan and not wanting to do it, wanting to just skip and go back to bed. I almost did until I caught myself and thought, "I can't start off this training plan this way. I have to do ALL the runs." Something clicked in my brain at that point, and from then on I was willingly waking up during AM hours beginning with 3s on a regular basis to get in all those crazy miles (12.5 mile runs before work WTF). And I am proud to say I have done every single damn run--including the cool downs, which I had a bad habit of skipping--on that plan. Even the runs that scared the crap out of me just looking at them in the app. Speaking of scared...
2) I'm no longer scared of some of my usual running obstacles.
That aforementioned 12.5 mile run before work? No longer afraid of that distance (even if it is almost half a marathon...jeepers) when I see a workout. Hills? The roads around my house are full of them, and I have run 3 loops of the same crazy hills on many a long run now. When I saw the hills in my half marathon last weekend, I didn't freak out or think twice--just put my head down and got up those suckers and sailed to a sub-2 half. Like I said, my mental mindset during this plan is just a quiet "I got this" rather than a freaking out OMG I WILL DIE.
3) I'm feeling stronger than ever.
On Monday, I had a 20 x 400m workout...about 10 miles when everything was run and done. This morning I had a 9 mile threshold workout (2 x 2 miles). For both of those workouts I just jumped on the treadmill and attacked the workout like it wasn't no big thing.
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| Workouts: Prepare to be attacked. |
And I felt strong during both of those workouts, even though the threshold workout was at a faster pace than normal because I was a stupid person who told the app "yes" when it asked me if I wanted to train at the faster pace I ran at my tune-up half-marathon. That 20th repeat on Monday wasn't completely exhausting and I wasn't hanging on for dear life during the last quarter of the 2nd 2 mile repeat this morning. It's a nice feeling, feeling like you've actually progressed in your training rather than feeling like you're torturing yourself for nothing every morning.
4) I have tie-dye shoes.
If these don't make you feel all warm and fuzzy and confident inside as a runner, I don't know what will you cold insensitive block of ice you.
You know what else we have? LEARNINGS:
- It's amazing how much better you get at running when you actually run the runs. All of them.
- It's amazing that I accidentally took a picture of myself this morning and it turned out so well it looked like I was about to pounce on the camera.
- Its amazing that hills ain't no big thing anymore. Unless it's a big hill, that is.
- It's amazing how magically awesome those tie-dye shoes are.
Tomorrow's workout: Some much needed cross-training, seeing as I have run three days in a row this week. Then a quick little 19 miler on Saturday on those crazy hills.
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