I've been watching the show I Used to be Fat on demand on MTV. It's addicting. Not as addicting as Teen Mom, but what is?! Anyway, the episode I just saw had a girl who weighed >200lbs & her goal was to get a 10 minute mile. Her trainer told her that she could physically do it, but she was just holding herself back- mentally. After a couple months she overcame that mental barrier & did it... without ever really running much before. It kinda made me feel like a loser (for lack of a better word) since I've been hovering around 10 minute miles for my entire life (pretty much), but don't consistently do them.... at least for any reasonable distance. I've decided that it's ridiculous actually.... I ran a 10K last year at a 9.12 pace, but when it comes to turning that damn treadmill to 6.0 I hesitate.
Let me use today's run as an example. I ran 4 miles in 41 minutes. My first 2 miles were run at 5.6-5.7 mph. The third mile was 5.7-6.0. My final mile was 6.0-7.0, and most of that mile was kept at >6.5 mph. So, I'm obviously capable of running at 6.0 or greater all the time, it's just that number that psychs me out when I know I have to maintain it for >3 miles.
Thus, I have determined that this whole running thing is a mental challenge for me. Sure, I have days where my calves are too tight to continue, or the arch of my foot is stopping me from running (my 2 classic "injuries"), but on 97% of the days I'm just fine to be running at a reasonable (ie >6.0 mph pace). All of this led me to bust out my training journal from last year. I was absolutely flabbergasted when I started to look at my runs. A huge portion of my runs had me running miles & miles at 5.0-5.5 mph. Seriously. No wonder my husband repeatedly told me last year that I wasn't challenging myself enough & that I was capable of running better & faster. In the end I finished my half marathon in 2:13, even with my lousey, inadequate training! In defense of my training last year, all I really wanted was to finish the half. I never had a goal time during my training, and even the day of the race I only wanted to finish it in 2:30. Well, now that I've got that under my belt it's time to take it to the next level!
Let me use today's run as an example. I ran 4 miles in 41 minutes. My first 2 miles were run at 5.6-5.7 mph. The third mile was 5.7-6.0. My final mile was 6.0-7.0, and most of that mile was kept at >6.5 mph. So, I'm obviously capable of running at 6.0 or greater all the time, it's just that number that psychs me out when I know I have to maintain it for >3 miles.
Thus, I have determined that this whole running thing is a mental challenge for me. Sure, I have days where my calves are too tight to continue, or the arch of my foot is stopping me from running (my 2 classic "injuries"), but on 97% of the days I'm just fine to be running at a reasonable (ie >6.0 mph pace). All of this led me to bust out my training journal from last year. I was absolutely flabbergasted when I started to look at my runs. A huge portion of my runs had me running miles & miles at 5.0-5.5 mph. Seriously. No wonder my husband repeatedly told me last year that I wasn't challenging myself enough & that I was capable of running better & faster. In the end I finished my half marathon in 2:13, even with my lousey, inadequate training! In defense of my training last year, all I really wanted was to finish the half. I never had a goal time during my training, and even the day of the race I only wanted to finish it in 2:30. Well, now that I've got that under my belt it's time to take it to the next level!
So, I've decided to kick myself in the ass & get in gear. In my head I've always thought my goal time for finishing a half marathon is 2 hours. I've never said it out loud 'cause I was afraid that I couldn't do it, and I didn't want everyone to realize that I did not attain my goal! Whatev. Now I've said it & hopefully announcing it will make it more real & I can start to take my running seriously.
Here goes nothin'!
