As a novice runner I sometimes am afraid to challenge myself. I get nervous about getting hurt or too tired. Maybe it's just me protecting my body or my thinking that I can't run "that fast".
This week I took those fears head on. I started out on June 23rd with a 4.4 miler which took me 57 minutes. Not my best effort but not terrible either. The next day I ran 3 miles in 33 minutes. After this run I felt pretty good but yearning for more satisfaction! This is when I took the 25th off and on the 26th I ran an 8 miler which took me a dreaded 1 hours and 47 minutes. Although, I felt great afterwords. I accomplished my longest run of the season thus far. As a more experienced and accomplished runner told me it doesn't matter how long it has taken you to run 8 miles because 8 miles is 8 miles. I agree with her thinking. this is also the time where I decieded to go for it and ratchet up my shorter runs
Next, on the 26th I tackled the lake (AKA the resovoir). Man, I started out like a lighting bolt. Now to put this in perspective a lighting bolt for me at this time is less than a ten minute mile. In fact my first mile was 9:44! I felt like a young sprinter!!! My other splits were very good as well at:
Mile 2: 10:27
Mile 3:10:44
Mile 4:10:51.
What was really great about this run was that I was extremely consistent for the whole run. The only time I fell off the pace at all was my last 8/10'ths a mile which is mostly uphill anyways! Such a confidence booster to run such consistent miles at this early in my marathon training.
Now as I have mentioned before my days off are scrambled about because of my work schedule. I can't always have my long runs on Saturday's. In fact, my long runs will rarely be on the weekends! That being said I started my new week of training on Sunday. It was Hot and Humid out and I decided that for my second full week of 'official' marathon training I would run a 3 miler. Once again I felt fantastic. In fact I can see how more experinced runners get addicted to this stuff. I mean again I ran my fastest mile since High School! My first mile was 9:09, my second was 10:17 and my last mile was 11:49. Again the last 7/10th's of this particular track is uphill so I am not terrible disappointed with the last mile. I would like to run it better, but that will come with time.
Today, I really wanted to run around the lake but my body is telling me to take a break. Also, Hal Higdon who's marathon book I have read has really stressed rest days, so today is a rest day. I haven't decided about tomorrow yet. We shall see how the day goes. I am working OT during the day and back in at midnight and I have to sleep sometime. Wednesday will probably be another double shift as well and Thursday is my short (or as my wife calls it my long) day. Let's just see what this week brings. Until my next blog you can follow me on twitter at 1st_marathon.
Nate
