Ha yes, mental toughness. I just wanted to cry thinking about having to do my stupid 7 miles last night. I just couldn't face the idea of going out in the dark, ice, cold...And as expected, they sucked. But I did them. I guess there is something to be said for forcing yourself to complete sucky runs bc when it gets sucky in races you are probably less likely to give in because you know you can put up with the suck.
cmb, sorry about the surgery. Hope the healing process is fast and painless.
onemile, I think that is normal. I feel the same way when it's Summer down here. It's part of the mental rundown. Stay the course and you shall be rewarded.
Damaris
As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.
Fundraising Page
And morning! 5 miles with strides tonight. Start temp is 44F (but feels like 36F) and 18mph wind. I will be freezing. Long sleeves for me. Yeah, long sleeves. I like the cold but I'm not used to running in 30-40F AND wind. This will be the coldest marathon I've run. And it's in South Florida. Say what?
Smashy!!!
embrace the suck...embrace it.
PRs: 21:35 (5K); 1:46:46 (HM); 4:30:46 (FM)
I seriously recommend a balaclava in those temps. Maybe even two!
CMB, good luck on the surgery. I'm wishing you a speedy recovery. Are you planning on attending the race as a spectator?
I probably will do at least a little bit of spectating - the marathon comes down a road a couple of blocks from my hotel around mile 8 or so, so I will probably go out and try to spot my husband there. I haven't decided if I'm going to try to find him anywhere else, or if it will just be too awkward trying to get around with the ankle.
Rollcast - we already have dinner reservations at Mr. B's
Onemile - I feel you on the winter weather. I was getting really tired of it too - it's really hard to get out the door when it's cold and dark and miserable. It should be getting better soon, at least
My wildly inconsistent PRs:
5k: 24:36 (10/20/12)
10k: 52:01 (4/28/12)
HM: 1:50:09 (10/27/12)
Marathon: 4:19:11 (10/2/2011)
on those kind of runs I try and tell myself that "it's nothing compared to mile 21".
PR's : HM 1:51:15 - 5K 21:27
Sounds gross but the shrimp and grits are so good they require a moment of inner-reflection. And I am not a huge grits kinda guy. Their grits shouldn't even be called grits, they are more of a smooth silky couscous (Sp?).
Good morning everyone -I need to read through a week's worth of posts - will catch up later
In the meantime, had a graphing question for the website - Does anyone know if there is a way to graph dates on the x axis and show 2 lines on y axis (avg and max heart rate) I don't think there is a way, but wasn't sure if anyone knew a trick or if the forum admin could help ? thanks !
PB's 10K 47:15 (9/13) HM 1:45 (9/13) M 3:57 (10/13)
Running Blog http://davesdigitaldestinations.blogspot.com/
Rusk Runner
7.25 true recovery miles today. HR below 70% MHRR @ 9:48 avg pace (mcmillan rec recovery jog pace for GMP).
Roll - There is nothing, repeat, nothing gross sounding about shrimp and grits.
PRs...5K - 20:36, 4mile - 26:15, 13.1 - 1:32, 26.2 - 3:42
Just Run!!!
Three Martini Lunch
Morning all.
cmb: Sorry to hear that you will have to have surgery. Hope that the healing goes quickly! Enjoy New Orleans! Add getting po'boys at Parkway Tavern (in Mid-City) to your list of places to eat your way through. And for when you are not mobility-impaired, Jacque-Imo's or Gautreau's (both Uptown) are fantastic.
Roll: You're making me hungry talking about divine shrimp and grits.
onemile: way to push through it! I agree with cbus, that this is the mental toughness training part of marathon training.
indy: nice recovery miles!
Cbus, Docket, Sprinkles, Banshee, and anyone else I missed: Hi!
Me: 13.2 LR @ 8:27 this morning. This one was much more pleasant than last week's because it wasn't windy. I did check, and this run was exactly three seconds slower than the same run (exact same course) I did last Saturday. I figure this sort of consistency is a one-off exercise. If I'm able to hit that pace for several more LRs in a row, then I think I might have learned some pace discipline.
M: 3:31:56
HM: 1:37:33
Good luck with the surgery Cmb!
Onemile, I agree with Cbus and Indi, you are doing a great job cranking out the miles and preparing yourself. If things get tough in the race you can look back on some of these tough workouts and know you can do it.
When the weather gets milder and you don't need the heavy clothing you will feel your running become so much easier, and faster.
If you are really stale and de-motivated you could take a day off without it affecting your overall training.
Short slow run for me tonight, then longer tomorrow and Monday. My son was to run with me but went ice fishing with a buddy on Lake Simcoe.
PBs since age 60: 5k- 24:36, 10k - 47:17. Half Marathon- 1:42:41.
10 miles (unofficial) 1:16:44.
Whippet
Josh- That's actually really interesting. Right now I'm on a vega kick because I have it in the house. I believe the part about food passing through us too (fiber does that). I am considering exercise calories to some degree. With my weight where it is I am comfortable adding more. This is especially true as training gets more crazy.
Everyone who has obstacles: I hear ya! I'm a lawyer at a big law firm in Manhattan and most of my friends don't even work out because they don't find the time - they pay for it in their health big time later on. I come in later on days that I have longish runs in the morning, and sometimes I don't do recovery runs or I run two back to back days and just cut some MP miles to make it happen- we do what we can. No plan is going to be perfect. NOne of us have a doctor who can verify in the morning whether we should run with our head cold or not, and sometimes we are just plain exhausted and need a rest day. In any event- we are the real rockstars!
Me: Watched Flight last night after dinner with DH- was an awesome movie- LOVE Denzel Washington movies. Woke up this morning with my sinuses playing crazy and am now drinking tea and planning to go out on my 4 mile recovery run. This week has turned into a bit of the standard Pfitz cutback week, so I am going to switch it up next week and do the higher mileage week then and just cut my losses this week- I'm sick and rundown from too many hours at work, and still have to work this weekend etc. So, instead of 16, tomorrow will be 12. Then
Monday -10 (with teammate) + Spin with favorite instructor
Tuesday- Rest day (boss is in the office)
Wednesday- 9 miles in the morning w/ the 4 at MP that I missed this week
Thursday- Recovery day of 5 miles that was supposed to take place on Wednesday
Friday - Rest day
Saturday- 5 mile recovery
Sunday- 10 miles at MP (part of Central Park Half Marathon) and 6 recovery at the end
13.1: 1:45 | 26.2: 3:55
Ball of Fury
Sorry guys! Just time for a drive by as we are on our way to DDs birthday party. Unexpectedly went to the neighborhood Mardi Gras party last night (we live on Bourbon Street!) and did not feel well this AM! Booze will kill ya! Anyway, was supposed to do 10 and I made it to 6.3 before my hip, knee, and ankle said "NO MORE!" Was a little slower than normal too (9:40ish) but at least I got something done!
Cmb: so sorry about the surgery! Will pray for a quick recovery!
Others: Will catch up with you tomorrow!
PRs: 5K 22:59, 10K 46:54,HM: 1:51:15
White Lightning
cmb - good luck with the surgery, you'll still have a blast in NO
onemile - I totally feel where you're coming from so just hang in there. Just imagine how easy running is going to be in a short while when springs comes. I do that everyday. I woke up in the middle of the night last night having a nightmare that the marathon course was icy and I spent a few hours researching where I was going to re-locate farther south where it never freezes. It was a long night. Once my mind starts racing, that's it, I was set on moving
Indi - Fitzgerald posted the link to the kindle version on amazon last night
DTF - dont think you can do it, or I can't figure it out
Flinders - nice run. Working on my pace discipline now as well, every mile I'm setting a goal and that's what I try to run
Sprinkles - I'm very slowly thinning out and i'm just eating when I'm hungry, which seems to be all the time. I'm 170 now and hoping to drop to 165 by my race or at least close to it. I keep thinking its not working but I've lost 6 pounds since December, feel that's a fairly healthy weight lost. I'm slowly figuring out what works for me but I know when I cut calories, i'm not hungry and I don't lose anything. When I eat more often i'm starving all the time and the weight seems to go down. I noticed the other day I thought I ate my workout calories back like I hoped and realized I was 1500 calories short for the day, way too much of a deficit.
I'm very lucky to be able to live and work from home so getting my workouts in is pretty straight forward except the summer can get a bit tricky. Its amazing to see how you guys get your workouts in with so many other obligations.
Me - Really rough night last night, woke up around 1am and couldn't fall back asleep so pretty pooped. Got my 4.2 recovery miles in at 10:31 and 64% HRR. First recovery that I didn't feel like I was going to die. 50F outside but feels like 30 with the wind, just can't win. I saw the temp and was ready for shorts and t-shirt. Had to drive back home to get my tights and jacket, total bummer.
Play the Game Hard!