“Marathons aren’t easy, so training for one shouldn’t be either.” ~Running Boston and Beyond
Yesterday, I had a very good reminder of sucking it up and getting my $hit together. Hitting the re-set button, mind you.
I run five days a week, including strength, do yoga twice a week, and cross train one day a week, so I get one day off a week. So by my 6th day of workouts, which happens to be my Thursday morning track workout, I’m pretty beat. It’s all good, I truly love training, and it’s what I expect.
We had 400 repeats on our schedule yesterday, on the 2:05, and we were to go no slower than a 1:55. So that means that if you finish in 1:55, you have ten seconds of rest before you start back on the 2:05. The faster you go, the more rest time you have. I thought they were challenging, but a lot of fun at the same time. Coach Tom told me from the get-go that I was doing 12, so I strategically brought my times down and tried to bust out my last 400. Then he told me to keep going. Do another one. So I did another one. It kind of frazzled me since I’m the Type A runner who, when am told to bring times down and end on the fastest, I try my hardest to do just that. I HATE not making my times and I don’t want any coach to think I can’t keep up. I couldn’t quite keep it at the pace I did the prior one, and when I crossed the line, I crouched down to catch my breathe. Coach asked me if I was ok….. and I uttered the phrase I hate. I said, “Yeah, I’m ok, I’m just tired” to which Coach replied, “Well, you’re running the Boston Marathon”.
So after my extra 400, I was to do yet another one, and I was glad to. Yes, I AM running the Boston Marathon. Hear me roar for God’s sake. After that workout, I needed two extra miles to get 7 total, and I gave myself an arsk whipping.
GET COMFORTABLE WIHT BEING UNCOMFORTABLE. Get over your anxiety, your fear, your worrying. Stop it. It’s wasting your energy. And then one of my son’s favorite songs came on, Animals by Martin Garrix, the one I’m adding to my marathon playlist, and it became clear at that moment that I’m going about this thing all wrong. Stop being frazzled and crazy-eyed. Stop being a nut case.
What NOT to be.
Focus. Think clearly about what you are doing. Go about it strategically, methodically, and you’ll find your goal.
Yes. I AM living my dream.
Running Boston And Beyond 
Sometimes it is good to take a step back and look at the scenario from a different mindset and perspective. Your coach gave you a GREAT motivational boost right when you needed it most…you are living your dream, so do the best you can right now so when it really matters most to you you can do/be your best 😉
Thanks 🙂 when I do get tired, the excuses pop up. Instead if trying to keep my times, I just kind of let it go. I didn’t put my absolute best effort in, and I didn’t realize it at the time. It really bothered me that I didn’t throw up trying!! Or something just as good but less dramatic 🙂 And the coach is training for a sub-2:30 Boston. Do you think HE doesn’t give his best effort in his extremely difficult workouts? Of course he does. Perspective is good at this point. Thanks for reading my reply book 🙂 Ha!
That track workout sounds amazing!
I love track workouts! Even the ones that kick your butt!
Good for you, working hard is the best.
We will always be uncomfortable. Because when a certain time gets easier, we will push further. That’s just how it works.
You’ll do great in Boston.
Thanks!
Good reminder. I’ve been feeling sick all week, and it finally caught up to my training today during a 20miler. Those last five miles were an act of sheer will. The only thing that kept me going was thinking it was going to make me mentally tougher.
Of course, I’m not running Boston yet 😉 One day I hope to get there…
It’s amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it! Hope you feel better soon!! Take care of yourself and don’t stop dreaming of that BQ! It took me four years but it was worth it 🙂