Ups and Downs of Training

The Bad Run

Tuesday of this week I went on my first 3 mile run since I ran my half marathon in October, and broke my foot.  I had named this the turning point of my "training" and that if I did well, I would be all set for full blown marathon training.  It's now been about 7 weeks since my surgery, and I've been running for 3 of those weeks (small distances).  I was not prepared well... I had been slacking on drinking my water for the last week, I didn't have much to eat the day before (or anything to eat that day prior to the run) and I was laking on sleep... along with other issues I was having unexpectedly (sometimes being a woman just sucks).... I also thought the temperature read 69 degrees... when in reality it was more like 86, still not sure I misread that!!!

Anyway, I went out for my run feeling really good, my 2 mile run on Sunday rocked and I was VERY happy with how relearning to run has been going.  I thought that the 3 mile run would be smooth and easy.  I did take a different route, because it was too hard to make an extra mile into the route I had been running, and there were alot steeper longer hills then I normally run, but at about the 1.5 mile mark I wanted to die.  My pace was a good 2 minutes slower then my pace had been on Sunday (NOT good) and I was only at the half way point which included alot of those steep up hill roads... at the 2 mile mark I physically was still doing the motions of running, but I am sure a crawling infant would have beat me with no problems... I finished the 3 miles without stopping, but my pace was ridiculous... instead of 13min miles I ran 16min miles... YUCK!

Now if I was a new runner, that probably would have been the end of my dream to run a marathon.  But because I trained for a half marathon last year I know that bad run days happen, and considering everything I had going against me, its probably amazing that I even finished.  Friday when I go out again I'm sure to do better, I know it wont be easy, but it shouldn't be the end of my running, marathon training is still on!  I know that I am still a runner, because even after that hell run, my body doesn't hurt.... I can remember the first time I ran a 5k, I was sore for days :-)  So my body still remembers that running is part of me!

The Good Swim

Today I went for swim #2, I had my new one piece ( a little snug, but it'll work) and my new googles (totally awesome goggles!!) this round.  My goal was just to do 400 yards... swim half lap crawl, 1.5 laps of side stroke for recovery, repeat.  I didn't have a time in mind, I just wanted to complete the distance.  I ended up doing all 500 yards (triathlon distance) and I did it in 18min, which is the same as my race time during last years tri :-)  I have 9 more weeks to get down to my goal of 15min for the swim, which I now know is possible! 

About an hour before doing this I met Josh so he could try out swimming (he's doing the Tri this year with me), I swam a couple of laps there too (Noelridge) but I was having problems swimming in their pool so I got out and just watched Josh do his part, and went to my gym afterwards where I am comfortable (less people, the sun isn't bothering me, the water is deeper (water at Noelridge was only waist deep...).  So here's to an awesome swim, especially for it only being #2 of the season!!