I'm done running!!
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Well, not really, but it makes me feel better to think so. I did my last official long run for Ironman Florida last night. Next weekend I will run 10-13 or so and then just 6-8 the weekend after that. It is sick and somewhat nice at the same time to say I only have to run 10-13 next weekend.
I am so thankful to have been through this before because if I had not, I could see some serious freakouts on my part going on right now. It is soooooooo nice to not have the fear of God in me anymore like I did before my first ironman. I do think that fear makes that first experience that much more special, but at the same time, once you have even just one finish under your belt, things are a lot easier - if you let them be.
Doing a long run after work on a Thursday night was definitely out of the norm for me. I was worried by about mile 2 that it was the worst idea I had ever had...not to mention the heat index was over 100 when we started, on a day that tied a heat record from 1931. However, once the sun went down, 85 degrees felt quite pleasant. I knew if I didn't die it would end up being a great idea...I just had to actually get through it first. Over half of our run was well after dark, but again that was actually good training for IMFL as over half my run there will probably be in the dark. Besides the fact that my legs were threatening to detach themselves from my body by about halfway through the run, it was actually quite enjoyable. I had Cassie and Raymund's company, and we had many of the streets/trails to ourselves.
My legs did start screaming kind of early last night - screaming "stop! please! we're tired! you've made us run long runs of 15-21 miles every week except one for the last seven weeks and that one week was a half ironman race, enough already!" I could have easily freaked out and said "if I hurt this bad at mile 9 of an easy training run, how in the world am I supposed to run 26 miles after swimming 2.4 and biking 112?" Then I just have to look back on my experience and trust in my training and trust in the process. Before CDA this year and IMAZ last year, I had a 16 mile long run three weeks out. Both times those runs were harder than the 20-21 mile long run I had done the weekend before. Without fail, history repeated itself last night.
My legs hurt more last night than they have in a long long time - more than they did in any race I have done this year, including Ironman CDA. But, I know it is not injury and is just pure fatigue, and my body saying "yes, it is definitely time to be done with this long run stuff." I'm so glad that sign comes at just the right time every time around. Had that come at mile 10 last weekend, I may have started to worry a bit, but it came almost exactly when expected (albeit maybe a little louder than I was expecting!). I also think last night and the 18 miler I did two weeks ago after the hardest 100 mile ride I've ever done have done wonders for me mentally. I would hope they make me stronger physically, but I know they made me stronger mentally. I am learning to listen to the things my body tells me that are important, and to shut up the rest. Last night I did a long run only 5 days after my last one...usually I do them 7 days apart. Safe to say there is a huge difference in 5 and 7 days to recover! Yet as the pain increased last night my pace did not really decrease, and I was pretty good about just "dealing with it." I did call it done at 15.5 miles though and plan to walk the last 1/2 mile....but then walking hurt more than running and I ran it on it, which in itself again was a good lesson for me.
So now just a tiny little 2.4 mile open water swim tomorrow and a little 100+ mile bike ride on Sunday stand in between me and that highly sought-after little three week period we call TAPER! A few prayers to get me through these last two days certainly wouldn't hurt!
...now time to go pass out in a carb coma from eating too much Taco C at lunch...my skinny jeans don't look so skinny anymore and I'm about to explode!
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*
*
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Well, not really, but it makes me feel better to think so. I did my last official long run for Ironman Florida last night. Next weekend I will run 10-13 or so and then just 6-8 the weekend after that. It is sick and somewhat nice at the same time to say I only have to run 10-13 next weekend.
I am so thankful to have been through this before because if I had not, I could see some serious freakouts on my part going on right now. It is soooooooo nice to not have the fear of God in me anymore like I did before my first ironman. I do think that fear makes that first experience that much more special, but at the same time, once you have even just one finish under your belt, things are a lot easier - if you let them be.
Doing a long run after work on a Thursday night was definitely out of the norm for me. I was worried by about mile 2 that it was the worst idea I had ever had...not to mention the heat index was over 100 when we started, on a day that tied a heat record from 1931. However, once the sun went down, 85 degrees felt quite pleasant. I knew if I didn't die it would end up being a great idea...I just had to actually get through it first. Over half of our run was well after dark, but again that was actually good training for IMFL as over half my run there will probably be in the dark. Besides the fact that my legs were threatening to detach themselves from my body by about halfway through the run, it was actually quite enjoyable. I had Cassie and Raymund's company, and we had many of the streets/trails to ourselves.
My legs did start screaming kind of early last night - screaming "stop! please! we're tired! you've made us run long runs of 15-21 miles every week except one for the last seven weeks and that one week was a half ironman race, enough already!" I could have easily freaked out and said "if I hurt this bad at mile 9 of an easy training run, how in the world am I supposed to run 26 miles after swimming 2.4 and biking 112?" Then I just have to look back on my experience and trust in my training and trust in the process. Before CDA this year and IMAZ last year, I had a 16 mile long run three weeks out. Both times those runs were harder than the 20-21 mile long run I had done the weekend before. Without fail, history repeated itself last night.
My legs hurt more last night than they have in a long long time - more than they did in any race I have done this year, including Ironman CDA. But, I know it is not injury and is just pure fatigue, and my body saying "yes, it is definitely time to be done with this long run stuff." I'm so glad that sign comes at just the right time every time around. Had that come at mile 10 last weekend, I may have started to worry a bit, but it came almost exactly when expected (albeit maybe a little louder than I was expecting!). I also think last night and the 18 miler I did two weeks ago after the hardest 100 mile ride I've ever done have done wonders for me mentally. I would hope they make me stronger physically, but I know they made me stronger mentally. I am learning to listen to the things my body tells me that are important, and to shut up the rest. Last night I did a long run only 5 days after my last one...usually I do them 7 days apart. Safe to say there is a huge difference in 5 and 7 days to recover! Yet as the pain increased last night my pace did not really decrease, and I was pretty good about just "dealing with it." I did call it done at 15.5 miles though and plan to walk the last 1/2 mile....but then walking hurt more than running and I ran it on it, which in itself again was a good lesson for me.
So now just a tiny little 2.4 mile open water swim tomorrow and a little 100+ mile bike ride on Sunday stand in between me and that highly sought-after little three week period we call TAPER! A few prayers to get me through these last two days certainly wouldn't hurt!
...now time to go pass out in a carb coma from eating too much Taco C at lunch...my skinny jeans don't look so skinny anymore and I'm about to explode!
Comments
Well done, Kathleen! It's right around the corner, so exciting! What number will this be for you again? Good luck!! :-)
Oh, I was going to comment on the "hay is in the barn" reference from the other day too. haha. Nice. Also, are you still using compression socks? I saw some at the IMCanada expo by CEP.. they're kind of awesome.. and Hot Pink!! Thought I'd give you a heads up. :-)
Happy training. Good luck with the 100 miler!