The Good News

As promised in my post yesterday, I want to talk about some good things happening right now. They feel so few and far between because my focus is on how hard this eating (not eating) thing is for me.

So, about 2 weeks ago I decided to change up my mid-week runs. I usually run on the treadmill during the week because it's just easier and when it's easier I actually DO it. I've been so focused on intervals that I would still interval even if I was running 3-4 miles. I might try longer intervals. I was doing intervals like run for a half mile, walk for 1 minute, repeat. Then, I think a few times I ran for a mile, walked for a minute or two and repeated. When I didn't really feel like running I'd do my normal 4/1 intervals. As a result, my 3 mile runs were also going VERY slowly and it was frustrating me.

You getting sick of this one yet? Yes? Oh well...get used to it!

I've said it before and I'll continue to say it (hopefully it'll change one of these days); I am S.L.O.W. But, I do try to focus on improvement and not worry so much about what the speed is. You have to start somewhere and at least I'm doing it! So last year around November I was probably in my "prime". I had lost almost 40lbs, was finally under 200lbs, and was increasing my running times every time I ran. I completed the Aurora turkey trot (4 miler) in just over 44 minutes. This was crazy fast for me. I believe it was some time in October 2011 that I decided to get on the treadmill and just keep running. After warming up for about1 minute, I set the treadmill at 6.0 mph (10 min/mile). I ran until that treadmill showed 3 miles and the time was just over 30 minutes (to account for the 1 min warm up at a walk rate). My dream right now (and then) would be to run 10 minute miles (or faster). That is a painfully slow run for most people who run and that would be lightening fast for me.

Anyway, I'm not really sure what happened....other than the normal holidays and such; but I fell off the wagon...HARD. Perhaps it was because I no longer had a race to train for. Perhaps it was because it was winter; but I stopped running nearly as much as I was. I started eating more and was gaining back my weight. I hadn't completely lost it. I was still doing 3 miles on the treadmill in less than 35 minutes in January 2012. But, instead of getting better, I was staying the same. Running anywhere between a 10:56 minute/mile and an 11:30 minute/mile (on the treadmill). My long runs were seemingly getting slower and slower.

So, back to what I was originally saying...I decided to change up my treadmill runs. Right before I was scheduled to run 21 miles I realized.....how stupid am I?!?!? CLEARLY if I can run/walk for over 4 hours (my 18 mile run); I can run for 3 miles without stopping. So that's what I did. On August 23rd I got on the treadmill and after a 1 minute warm up, I set the treadmill to 5.0 (12 min/mile) and started to run. When I hit mile 1, I increased the speed to 5.1 and then to 5.2. I think for the last .1 miles I upped the speed to around a 5.4 or something. I finished 3 miles that day, without stopping, in 35:18...an 11:45 minute/mile. This was still slow, but I ran 3 miles without a walk break and I felt great. I decided at that point, that from now on, my weekday runs are going to be non-stop. My runs since that date have looked like this:

8/26 - 8 miles outside 1:47:38 - 13:28 m/m
8/29 - 21 miles outside 5:03:49 - 14:28 m/m
9/3 - 2 miles treadmill 23:29 - 11:44 m/m
9/5 - 3 miles treadmill 34:51 - 11:37 m/m
9/7 - 3 miles treadmill 34:43 - 11:34 m/m
9/9 - 6 miles outside 1:12:56 - 12:09 m/m
9/11 - 3 miles treadmill 33:56 - 11:19 m/m
9/13 - 3 miles treadmill 33:40 - 11:13 m/m

Notice a trend there?? I notice a few.

1) I have run every other day consistently since 9/3. This may not seem like a big deal to many (especially since I'm supposed to be marathon training); but it is a HUGE deal for me.

2) Because I've started running every other day, I am starting to see consistent improvement. I have now had 6 non-stop runs on the treadmill and EACH one has been faster than the other. This is what my training looked like last year. THIS is what gives me that runner's high - that feeling of improvement.

3) I suppose this isn't a "trend", but after having completed 3 non-stop treadmill runs; I ran my fastest 6 miles since about October 2011! Coincidence??? I don't think so.

I already knew this, but I'm being reminded constantly that running is so mental. Even with these 3 mile treadmill runs...my legs feel like they can keep going forever, but I'm having a mental block continuing. I keep thinking about pushing it to 3.5 or 4, but then I stop. It's mental. I decide to give myself a chance to get used to 3 miles non-stop before I increase it. Of course the next mental battle is getting outside and running 3 miles without stopping. I know I can do it. I just have to do it! Right now I'm not worried about that though. I truly am focusing on the marathon right now. My weekends are devoted to longer runs (which will be intervals); and my weekday runs are going to stay between 3 and 4 miles.....most likely on the treadmill. I plan to continue to do my weekday runs without stopping. And we'll see where it goes from there!

Clearly this post is plenty long. I have plenty more I can say on this topic, but I'll stop rambling on for now.