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March 25, 2006
22! (sans PR this time)
Before I launch into a recap of my run, I want to give a shout out to Corrado (a loyal reader of the eliterunning blogs) and wish him the best of luck in the Rome Marathon today! I am eager to hear the results =)
When my alarm clock screamed at 5:30 this morning, my initial reaction was to turn it off, bury myself underneath my covers, and go back to sleep. But B. was wide awake, Ajax (our dog) was anxiously wagging his tail in anticipation of breakfast, and the CNN news anchors looked hyper-caffeinated. So I got up, chugged some caffeine myself and rolled out the door at 6:05 to pick up my friend, Corvette, and we hit the lakefront to meet up with a group of Boston Bound Chicagoans.
I have never run with this group before, but I immediately felt welcomed and found a group of about 4-5 people to hash this run out. The workout that they were doing was six 3.7 mile loops. Loops 1-2 were easy, 3-5 were supposed to echo marathon pace, and the final loop was a cool down.
On the first two loops, I felt sharp pains shooting across my left glute. I was a little concerned, but I guessed that once we picked up the pace a little, my stride would normalize and my glute would loosen up. Fortunately, that's exactly what happened. The first two loops were almost painfully slow, but on the third loop, we hiked up the pace to a more comfortable 7:25 (I think we were doing 8:00 minute pace before). I was surprised at how comfortable and easy this pace felt . . .especially since I have been feeling a little fatigued lately,
We ran the 4th loop totally schizophrenically. J. bolted into the wind like an untamed animal and killed us for 2 miles! We ended up running the final 1.7 a little bit slower than I would have liked, but we picked up the pace again the last quarter for an average of 7:13. I was still feeling great at this point, and the pace was still comfortable.
On the fifth loop, another woman and I decided to lead the men and run a more steady effort. It paid off. The group averaged 7:03 pace and I was a little faster with a sub 7 pace (probably around 6:55). This loop felt more challenging and the effort was definitely more uncomfortable, but not so uncomfortable that I felt like stopping. I was actually stunned at how good I felt and at how my body took over and floated into cruise control.
We ran the final loop as a cool down at 8:05 pace. Overall, a good effort and another confidence boosting long run before Boston.
B. (my husband) just landed in Jackson Hole for a quick weekend of snowboarding! I already miss him - we celebrated our 5 month wedding anniversary on March 22nd. I bought him a dozen roses and chocolates and a cute little curious George monkey.
So far I have managed to continue ignoring my studies. I went for a walk with Ajax and we stopped off at the dog park to play; I am impressed at his newly acquired retrieving skills (as opposed to keep away). He is such a well behaved dog, and I love the fact that even when he is off leash, he follows me every step of the way. He is my best companion - he is currently curled up next to me as I write this.
I really need to study!
Posted by bridget at March 25, 2006 04:22 PM
Comments
Dear Bridget, a big thank-you for the nomination of "loyal reader." It is true, I enjoy the blogs here and getting to know y'all.
Now the story: my Rome non-marathon. I thought I had recovered from my left calf contracture (after 9-days rest and a couple of reassuring runs) but no such luck. Started out easy at 7:00 (looking to gradually pick it up and finish smiling) but I had to pull out at 15K. It was really a case of listening to my own best advice. But that did not soothe (at all) the very familiar split-second decision of not finishing a race (while you bite hard on your bottom lip and implode with a "damn! I am upset" if-I-were-not-grown-up-I'd-have-a-tantrum...)
Anyway, it's over. 3-and-a-half words that surgically deal with the entrails of starting and not finishing. I am going to see a physiotherapist to bring down my calf's swelling, and foresee resting for at least a couple of weeks.
Note: in this last year I have a little too-casually understimated the possibility of injury becoming (once again since college) an issue for me. After running totally (yes, really) injury free (and without a watch, nor times, splits, repeats, intervals, ect) for several years, I decided that I would like to run fast. And faster if I could. The longer the better. No goals as such. The idea is that it might/should be possible to roll out of bed (or at any other time of day and night), run a good distance fast, and then just get on with life. Without injury and fast. Talk about ambitious. Not all the time (rest and recovery are fundamental) but at will. Idealistic? Meaning: I like the idea of races and the like-a-thons, but for your sense of self, why let an official event define your Speed and not Speed itself? Measured with the same criteria, of course (Speed is Speed, and we are not escapists,) but why the limitation?
Yesterday I talked to a friend who runs a 2:16 marathon and I asked him how he thought he would do today. He said: "You know, I felt great 20 days ago, but that was 20 days ago." It's not like you can call a few thousand people on the day you feel great and say: "Ok guys, let's run a half marathon, I feel great today!" On the other hand, sometimes the two factors (the date of the event and the day you feel great)coincide and that's a wonderful, wonderful feeling. Because, one thing is feeling great all alone. Another is to feel great with the rest of the world. Even if it is that very same "world" which will not hesitate a second to brand you with a DNF if that day, that single day, was not great for you. Maybe that's why people who pursue and are passionate about running, all have some sort of solitude wired in their circuits. And have this ongoing mind-and-gut-wrenching dichotomy between our alone/together, public/private, inner/outer selves.
So, to close this rather long post and take no longer advantage of your kind hospitality, I will confess the following: I have developed this primoridal desire to be able, to know, that I can run fast. Without letting it take over my life with races, schedules, intervals, camps, tapering, and so on and so forth. Yet without dogmatically diminishing the role of any the above (and all the other useful running "things.") It may be, I realize, an animalistic approach but that's just my point: wild animals don't train and exercise. They don't race. They just run. When they need to, they run. I wonder if it feels wonderful for them. And when it hurts, they don't run. Seems worthy to note also there are fortunately fewer human "predators" that seek lame humans than their counterparts in the animal kingdom. But how many humans can honestly afford to be injured anyway? For how long? To what extent?
On this note - which finds me smiling at myself for being wildly utopistic -, I send you and all runners (able and injured) my best wishes, sparing all thoughts on how much I am looking forward to getting better again, hoping it will not be too long. Win or lose, have to smile. That's what I like about sportsmanship. Ciao, Corrado
Posted by: corrado giambalvo at March 26, 2006 03:29 PM
Hi!!! I just read about your plans for Boston and your source of motivation for entering the race and running on a course I KNOW you love (ms. you got proposed to on the course...)!
I'll be there cheering for you!!!
Posted by: Audrey at March 26, 2006 08:10 PM
Did I miss the story about getting proposed to on the course? Do tell...
Posted by: Caitlin at March 27, 2006 04:09 PM
just got the press release from tom - i am too excited for words!!!
Posted by: Katie at March 27, 2006 05:47 PM
bridget, thanks for the comment. i have been lax in getting around to reading/commenting on all the blogs on alison's site but am trying to get around to it. carly may very well crack 2:40. looks as though you are on track for great boston 06. i will be sure to yell loudly from just beyond the 5 mile mark in framingham. happy training.
Posted by: ryan at March 28, 2006 07:01 AM
Hi Bridget
I just stumbled upon your Blog by accident. I read that you are running Boston this year. So am I!!! Just had my last long run this past weekend and am starting to taper off. Can't wait!
Good luck to you on race day!
Posted by: Chris at March 28, 2006 04:48 PM