You've trained for this, the same way you've trained the rest of your body. During your training, you ran your LR a day or two after your speedwork. I'm sure that wasn't comfortable! Then, of course, you didn't get much downtime before you were back at it with your MLR. Every workout you did, for several weeks, was on tired legs with some amount of fatigue. And I'm sure there were times when you felt like it sucked and wanted to stop. Not only did you get it done, you got up and did it again the next day.
The really uncomfortable part of the race will be maybe a half hour at most, right? I'm sure you've been out there and uncomfortable for much longer than that already. Heck, your race will already be over before you get past the "time on your feet" point where your long runs started to get uncomfortable, I bet!
Also, I know that a ton of your recent training has been at 10K pace. Remember that you're not going to have to come near that pace for your HM. Instead of running faster than your LT, you'll get to run slower.
You've put in the work, physical and mental. You're ready!
I've reached the point where I've pushed through that pain so many times, I feel fairly confident in my ability to overcome it. In a race. I still fear the pain of training runs to a certain extent, because I don't always have the drive to push myself through them at the intensity I should. I guess it's not the pain I fear in those cases as much as it is my weakness in fighting it when there isn't a race time on the line.
Same here. While the intensity isn't the same you'll encounter in a race, there's a number of key workouts that you want to nail in any serious race prep. Given the volume and the fact you'll likely be called on to do those under less than ideal conditions / dead legs it can wear on you. What I do is remind myself what's important is the entirity of my training [beyond my specific schedule] that matters, not any one workout. That said there have been times I've crossed fingers and told myself before a key workout "put up or shut up".
Youth Has No Age. ~ Picasso / 1st road race: Charleston Distance Run 15 Miler - 1974 / profile
Keep in mind that I'm a mid-to-back-of-the-packer, so "racing" for me is different than for the speedy folks who have a shot of placing.
I never thought of it in terms of fear of pain, but I'm starting to think I don't like racing.
I like having a race planned, because it gets me out the door to run on days when I don't necessarily want to. But on race day, I don't always like the process. Getting up early, trying to time the eating / elimination, getting my laces adjusted so that I don't have to stop to fix them later, staying warm while waiting for the race to start -- I don't like that part. During the race there is usually a point when I I'm hurting and think "this sucks, why did I want to do this?".
Maybe the pre-race problems I have are because I don't race enough to feel confident in my routine. Or maybe I'm just a wuss who is afraid of pain.
Uffda
Nope. The only thing I've feared lately is puking at the end of a 5k. Why does your body want to do that?
At distances over Threshold pace, I don't have any sort of that discomfort. It's more of running the right pace so your legs don't poop out. Stay hydrated and eat the right stuff so your calves don't seize up.
- Andrew
You've trained for this, the same way you've trained the rest of your body. During your training, you ran your LR a day or two after your speedwork. I'm sure that wasn't comfortable! Then, of course, you didn't get much downtime before you were back at it with your MLR. Every workout you did, for several weeks, was on tired legs with some amount of fatigue. And I'm sure there were times when you felt like it sucked and wanted to stop. Not only did you get it done, you got up and did it again the next day. The really uncomfortable part of the race will be maybe a half hour at most, right? I'm sure you've been out there and uncomfortable for much longer than that already. Heck, your race will already be over before you get past the "time on your feet" point where your long runs started to get uncomfortable, I bet! Also, I know that a ton of your recent training has been at 10K pace. Remember that you're not going to have to come near that pace for your HM. Instead of running faster than your LT, you'll get to run slower. You've put in the work, physical and mental. You're ready!
Good point. For shorter races, you're talking 5-7 minutes of serious discomfort and the marathon, the last 10k - so 45 minutes. You have to find something positive to latch onto - how much training would go to waste if you gave into momentary discomfort or what little time is remaining. I tell myself the faster I run the sooner I'm done. It's important to be in control of the pain rather than it control you. And these types of reinforcements are exercised in training too, you can't [or shouldn't] expect to just flip a switch. It must be ingrained into your consciousness just like your physical training.
This is why I do mile / 3k speedwork for my 5k prep, 10k for my half and long half marathon intervals for the marathon. Sure makes race pace feel relaxed in comparision [for a while].
Nope. The only thing I've feared lately is puking at the end of a 5k. Why does your body want to do that? At distances over Threshold pace, I don't have any sort of that discomfort. It's more of running the right pace so your legs don't poop out. Stay hydrated and eat the right stuff so your calves don't seize up.
Ugh, I hate this. I have come pretty close several times.
Good point. For shorter races, you're talking 5-7 minutes of serious discomfort and the marathon, the last 10k - so 45 minutes. You have to find something positive to latch onto - how much training would go to waste if you gave into momentary discomfort or what little time is remaining. I tell myself the faster I run the sooner I'm done. It's important to be in control of the pain rather than it control you. And these types of reinforcements are exercised in training too, you can't [or shouldn't] expect to just flip a switch. It must be ingrained into your consciousness just like your physical training. This is why I do mile / 3k speedwork for my 5k prep, 10k for my half and long half marathon intervals for the marathon.Sure makes race pace feel relaxed in comparision [for a while].
This is why I do mile / 3k speedwork for my 5k prep, 10k for my half and long half marathon intervals for the marathon.Sure makes race pace feel relaxed in comparision [for a while].
This is the first time I have done this and have noticed the difference in how my 5k paced workouts felt. We'll see if it makes a difference in my upcoming 5k race.
Good question. I wouldn't say I fear the pain, but I go in knowing it's going to suck. That requires getting into the right frame of mind and focusing before the race. I can't just walk up to a starting line and race. I need to psych myself up.
I like this answer. I don't "fear" pain but I know what is coming. But in a way that brings a certain confidence level because I've been there before. All part of the psyching up process.
I will say that there always seems to be a little voice in my head wondering if my training was enough to meet my goal.
Walk-Jogger
"We don't run in order to experience pain. We run to practice courage in the face of pain." - Jeff Edmonds
Retired & Loving It
Another good technique is to do a float workout where you go back-n-forth between race pace and faster than race pace. For the marathon for example I would do one mile @ marathon pace followed by a mile @ half marathon pace [or even 5-7 sec./mile faster] followed by another marathon pace mile. You could do shorter repeats and for the 5k you'd definitetly want to cut down the 800-1000m or you could shorten the faster portion; 800m / 400m / 800m / 400m. Knowing you not only have another gear but feel comfortable using under duress it is a big time plus.
uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI
I don't fear it but I know it's going to hurt. I have raced 5k, 10k, HMs, and two fulls, and they ALL hurt. Maybe it's because I know ahead of time it's going to hurt that I don't fear it, but like Baboon said, I have to get psyched up for it. Besides, the pain is temporary and you will later thank yourself for putting up with it.
#artbydmcbride
I just remind myself; the faster I go, the sooner the pain will end!
Runners run
Former Bad Ass
I don't embrace the pain neither I want to, even if it means leaving time on the course. That's not me. So, I don't fear pain on race day. Although in Chicago, I got plenty of pain (not the one we're referring to).
Damaris
Thanks everyone, for all the thoughtful responses, quotes and encouragement.
LRB -- I wonder if part of my worries are that I think I may be overreaching in my goals for this race. I'm secretly hoping to take 3 1/2 minutes off my PR (to get to that mythical sub-2) when the reality is that it took me the two prior years to shave ONE minute off my HM time. I'm trying to change my mindset and just focus on running a good race and let the time be, what it will be. I'm building this up into more than it should be.
Moth -- I do think I tend to fear my reaction to the pain, more than the actual pain. I had a race last year where the voice inside my head won, and I was really disappointed with myself.
Baboon -- Thanks for your reminder to psych myself up for dealing the the suck. Picking up on what Step said, I need to remember I've dealt with the suck successfully before, I can do it again.
Lily -- I've never give birth, so I can't draw on that experience. I was reading a book about English history and one queen who had 14 children (by two husbands). I guess she got used to the pain cave.
Zelanie -- Since I've done all my speed work at 10K, I hope that will pay dividends on race day, but it's funny, I think right now it is what is partially causing my fear about the upcoming race. I get uncomfortable quickly at that pace and my last 10K race was a battle with that voice inside my head beginning at mile 2. I realize I've been visualizing 13 miles worth of that level of discomfort.
All that being said, Philliefan, your post struck a bit of a cord with me. Like you, I don't race much, and like you, I find myself not enjoying the "race morning" routine. Because I live in a rural area, I usually have an 1 1/2 hour drive to build into the schedule. The logistics of getting up in time, driving, parking, bib pick-up, are their own stressors. I do wonder why I do this to myself.
Part of me wishes I could just race for fun and enjoy the day with zero expectations (or discomfort). I mean, it's not like I have any chance of winning awards. But, I can't seem to do that. If I'm going to be out there, I know I'm going to want to run as hard as I can.
Life is good.
ootb, I understand your fears. I do think you have trained very well for your goal and that a 4 or 5 minute PR is very reasonable. However, we do not control everything on race day and, sometimes, we go into our race more fatigued than usual, or the weather is not conducive to a PR, or the course is harder than we had expected, etc... When this happens to me, I tell myself that whatever the outcome of my race is, I will not be disappointed (easier said than done, I know). The work is done, the training was honest, whatever happens on race day won't change that. If a PR is impossible that day, I pick another race soon after. Good training is never wasted. Try to enjoy the race no matter what it brings you.
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010