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August 4, 2007
Corner Turning?
Nah, probably not quite yet. A curve in the road distinct enough that it requires one of those yellow diamond signs telling you there is a curve ahead? Maybe, perhaps.
One of my summer bread-and-butter trail runs is a 6 mile single-track loop with about 1100-1200 feet elevation gain. My normal time for this loop last summer was 56-58 minutes. Up until 2 days ago, I hadn't yet cracked the 1 hour mark (by several minutes even) this summer. On Wednesday, I ran it comfortably in 58 minutes.
Today, I did a speed workout, an exact replica of the same speed workout I've done twice so far this summer. Both previous attempts at interval work were just plain sad. The workout is 5 x 1/2 mile with 2:00 jogging recovery. Today's workout went nicely, very nicely. I felt strong and solid, and my times reflected an notable increased fitness from the first two attempts.
I did the workout on the gravel road (barely) pictured below, the Old Yellowstone Trail. It seems I've gone around some bend in my training, perhaps as indistinct as the curve in this pictured road (It curves off to the right in the photo.). I'll take it!
Posted by Meghan at August 4, 2007 1:49 AM
Comments
Meghan,
Yay! It's good to feel it coming back, isn't it? I was just thinking today, as I ran 10 miles with heavy legs, that pretty soon I'll get over the hump and comfortable again at higher mileage (both in the long run and weekly). Your curve in the road is my hill - I'm still climbing though.
Posted by: backofpack at August 4, 2007 2:14 PM
Glad to hear you're coming back. I know you're listening to your body and that's why you chilled-out for a while, and it sucks that it happened in the middle of prime summer racing, but in the long-run, it won't matter. Even during the slump you were getting stronger in ways. You just keep plugging away with a healthy lifestyle, healthy workouts, and especially a healthy attitude! No matter how healthy, there's always ups and downs. You had the brains and emotional maturity to follow your needs.
Looked at long-term, you're still building your life-long base. So a few down times won't matter. You'll be famous 10 years from now.
When I was your age, I would destroy myself. I'd hurt my lower back, pull a muscle in my upper back, burn out,... I only ran consistently for about three years, way back, um, 25 years ago or so. Then it was one injury after another until I quit running.
Luckily, I still coincidentally continued to build a fair running base by climbing mountains.
There's still plenty of time for races this year. Just make sure you keep bringing your photographer along. She takes great photos!
Posted by: JeffO at August 4, 2007 2:46 PM
It's a great feeling, isn't it? Like Michelle, I am still up the hill before the curve, in fact, I think I am taking a break somewhere in a lower third of that hill:) but I don't mind. Happy for your running though, don't get ever disappointed, you'll be back and over tha curve in no time! Life is moving on forward, there is no way back...
Posted by: olga at August 5, 2007 1:11 PM
Hi Meghan, Sounds like your training is going well. The dirt road looks like a great place for intervals. The 6 mile route sounds great! Glad you are feeling strong! :)
Posted by: Mary at August 5, 2007 9:17 PM
Hi Meghan, Sounds like your training is going well. The dirt road looks like a great place for intervals. The 6 mile route sounds great! Glad you are feeling strong! :)
Posted by: Mary at August 5, 2007 9:17 PM
Hi Meghan, Sounds like your training is going well. The dirt road looks like a great place for intervals. The 6 mile route sounds great! Glad you are feeling strong! :)
Posted by: Mary at August 5, 2007 9:17 PM
Sounds like the ol bod is firing on all 8 cylinders again! We all know this just didn't happen overnight. Great job training and working through niggles to get to where you want to be. Attack those hills!
Posted by: Eric at August 6, 2007 10:59 AM
Meghan,
Enjoying your blog! The Yellowstone area remains one of my favorite places ever, and the BEST place for running :)
Glad your running is improving...I'm in a similar boat and understand how good it feels!
Take care,
Joan
Posted by: Joan at August 7, 2007 7:27 AM
Great Job Meghan, ur getting that eye of the tiger back it looks like :-)
Posted by: Bob Gentile at August 7, 2007 4:48 PM
Yay, I'm so happy you're having some gratification beaming back at you from the ol' wristwatch. I love how you showed us the road where you do your half milers. I love picturing places. To echo Jeff O but with a variation, I was doing a whole lotta nothing at your age. So speaking of curves, and reading them, as I've said before, you're ahead of it. You could take 10 *years* off and come back stronger than ever - how would that be for a respite? No, we'd miss you and your blog too much. Way to hang in there. Keep smiling.
Posted by: Kendra Borgsmoke at August 10, 2007 8:03 PM