This week it was do or die when it came to a 10 mile run. My cold still isn't completely gone, but I'm feeling much better than I did a week ago. I'm not taking medicine around the clock either which is a good thing. Everyone whose been around me for the past week has told me "I sound A LOT better." Anyone who hasn't seen me for a week immediately asks, "Are you SICK?"The yin and yang of this cranks me up.
Last fall I went on long runs with my friend Meghan. It's been a lot harder to coordinate our long runs this winter, so it's usually just me on a hot date with the treadmill. Between iTunes and college basketball, I stay entertained. BUT entertaining yourself for a 6-8 mile run isn't really the same as 10 miles.
Last night the sales manager at the gym came and ran next to me for miles 2-4. Can we say: GOD SEND. This was not planned, but he wanted to talk about work/sports/life. Honestly, we could have talked about anything. He jokes around a lot like me. And for those two miles I took a break from my iPod. When he finished his two mile run he told me
"Have fun with those ten miles dude"
and I, PRAISE GOD, only had a 10k left to do on my own. I do six mile runs on my own all the time. I told myself "You've got this."
I started the run out at a pace of 5.7 (or 10:31min/mi) just to be sure I wouldn't cut this run shorter than 10 miles. After the first hour (5.77 miles) the treadmill stops, so I used that for my Gatorade chug (And to blow my nose.)
Side note--Sometimes I make fun of things I see at the gym on twitter. It would make my day if someone tweeted: "Just saw a girl at the gym run for an hour, stop to blow her nose and cough, then she started running again?! What the hell?" I guess I'd have to find it too...
Anyway, I maintained the speed of 5.7 until I reached 8 miles. I then sped the treadmill up to 5.8 When I was almost to 9 miles I put the treadmill on 6.1 and started gradually picking up the pace. I know I was running at 6.5 my second to final lap. The last lap I finished with a sprint.
I completed 10 miles in 1:42:38. That's a personal (training) best for me!
Some additional thoughts are that I probably have it in me to pick up the pace a little earlier in the run than I did. And I'm not so sure why I've avoided doing more than 10 miles pre-half marathon. It makes so much sense to do more.
And (WARNING: I'm going to get sentimental here) the online blogging-running community has proven to be a huge motivator this time around in my training! I'm pretty much flying solo. Not discussing my training with friends much. I started this blog for a documentation of what it looks like to casually train for a half marathon, not thinking I would get encouragement or regular followers. So a final thought I have is, IF you are secretly reading this AND secretly thinking about running a race. Start a blog as you go through the process! I might just stalk you...)
5 comments:
Awesome job!! And on a treadmill no less - you rock!
Totally agree with you on the running blog community being motivators. I know it certainly helped me. :)
Great treadmill run. Running on the contraption is annoying but can be preferrable to going out in the weather.
Spring is almost here though!
It's nice to have followers on my blog! I didn't think I'd have any. haha. I just did it because I enjoyed reading someone else's as they went through the training (Thanks Melissa!) so I thought, why not track my progress too?
10 miles on the treadmill! Good for you! I might try to do my 8 mile run on Saturday on the treadmill if it's too cold out. I ran 6 miles last night at 6.3 (I used to struggle to run anything around 6.0). I think I'll try to run the 8 miles at 5.7 in hopes I don't hit a wall while running it.
Wow, Mary Lou Retton is rockin the one piece. You know, in an 80s hot kind of a way.
It is interesting, I’ve never spoken to anyone ever on a treadmill. I’m pretty animated when I talk (as you can imagine) so I’ll bet I’d probably fall off.
I couldn’t agree with you more about your mushy last paragraph. Keeps me sane(r th an I would be normally) Feel free to shoot me an email if you want to vent about training (you should have it now) *said in the least creepy way possible*. I basically am in the same boat as you. In fact, most of my friends who used to read my blog no longer do because it is so running focused. I think that my mom is the only holdout. :)
@WannabeRunner and @NewbieRunner... Do you guys know each other outside of blogging? Just realized the similar user names.
@BrianFlash Thanks for the encouragement and stopping by!
@Adam--Interesting "fun fact" that I probably should have realized, but didn't. You almost have to do a lot of runs on your own when traveling. Anyway, the running blogging community benefits by your friends not being avid runners! Haha.
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