Marathon Training Week 2

Total mileage: 32.73

I am not writing a detailed day by day of my past week, because every run, no matter what the distance or workout, would result in the same review. It would sound something like this, "I did my miles today and I hated every step. Didn't hit the intended pace and felt like shit. It's way too hot right now and it makes me not even like running. I am wondering why I care and do any of this." Well, that's not all true. I did do one run on the treadmill in my air conditioned gym and was spot on with pace and felt bored great.

I think today there is more to be said about motivation. There is definitely a time to rest or change things up, but I believe our bodies and minds lie about when that is. If fitness routines were always fun and easy, everyone would do it. Most people don't do it, because sometimes working your body just flat out sucks ass. Excuse the swearing, but really, it just does. This week I pushed through feeling overheated and hating every step of almost every run and made the miles happen regardless. This is how and why...

1. I assessed my body during every moody cranky-pants run.

Me 1: Okay self, where are you hurting?
Me 2: My feet are good. My legs are a little tired maybe, but no pain in any joints or anything. My heart feels fine. Core is great... blah blah blah."
Me 1: Then don't be an excuse-making sissy and just run!

It's really important to listen to my body and I learned this the hard way of running through pain for weeks and giving myself a hip injury last fall. I will rest if I feel an injury lurking or I'm up all night with a fever hacking up a lung. Otherwise, what's the problem? It's hot and it's not a pleasure to run? I'm training to qualify. I ain't got time for that sort of pansy-ass nonsense.

2. Habits are important. What you do religiously gets easier. If slacking becomes a habit, that gets easier too. I know me (and probably know you too when it comes to this issue). I brush my teeth at least a couple of times everyday. It doesn't matter if I am tired, if I don't like the toothpaste or if I want to watch Full House reruns. I don't even think about it. I do it. No doubts. No questions. It's my routine. On the other end of the spectrum, I was going to yoga multiple mornings per week and then one day, I didn't feel like getting up at 5am. Sleeping in felt so wonderful I did it again. And again. And again. And again to what feels like infinity. Guess what, I'm struggling with that early morning yoga routine even though it makes my day and helps my body feel strong and happy. Running cannot be yoga. If I start making excuses now, I will make excuses again later. I don't want to not qualify in October, because I let excuses mess up my routine.

3. I reminded myself of the $$$. I paid for a personalized training plan. Nothing says "Don't be a freakin' baby," like putting your money where your goal is. Granted my coaching is probably not the most costly coaching on the planet. However, since I avoid flushing money down the toilet just to see what happens, I should also avoid spending money on a service I don't use. So again, without good physical reason, I need to push through.

The past week turned out to be one for also evaluating small goals and other ways I can work on supporting my training. It shouldn't be all about running. Here's what I came up with.

1. Run earlier to avoid the heat. Working on a new early morning get up and go routine to avoid the worst of the heat and not feel quite as shitastic while running.

2. Hydrate! In this heat I will feel my best if I am not all shriveled up and dehydrated, so I made up a few easy ways to get the water that I need and feel better while I'm running (I hope).

3. Yoga needs to be a part of my routine again. Although this was not written into my running plan, I was doing it multiple times per week when I was at the peak of my recent training, recovering easy, and setting PRs. It probably also had a lot to do with other cross training and consistent training, but I have noticed I'm feeling tighter (although pain free) and moodier about life and my runs, so maybe I need to bring the yoga back. It was going well, so why mess with a good thing? Yoga is added to next week's plan (and done for today, because why wait?).

4. I made sure to add rolling to my cross training. With each break between sets, I roll a different body part. Within my workout, I get to all of them.

My hope is this line of thinking and new small goals will help me feel motivated, physically and emotionally cared for and able to get through adjusting from New England icy-snow-packed-freezing-can't-leave-house to New England humid-boiling-just-so-dang-thirsty-wanna-die weather.