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Monday, December 1, 2014

On the Clock- Week 1

Alright, folks. It's December 1st and it's time to start training for a Spring 2015 Marathon.


And while this time around, things are a little different, I've still spent 20 minutes drafting an email to Coach with 9 bullet points about what I need/want/expect with this training cycle.

Possible Coach reaction.

I am nothing if not self-obsessed. 
Highlights include:

Emphasis on the Long Run: 90% of the time, I get the long run done. 99.99% of the time, I just lollygag my way through it. I don't practice focusing on a pace, or picking it up (even though a lot of times, I'm instructed to by Coach). This is CRUCIAL. I have really been shortchanging myself with my training, by not giving the long run the respect it deserves. It's time to buck up and start doing it right. I want to get in the habit of the long runs being about more than just distance. I think if I can nail that, if I can do my long runs honestly, my racing potential will skyrocket.

Life Happens, Get Over It: I am no longer the 25 year old with tons of free time, no work stress, or responsibilities. I don't have a 8-5 desk job anymore. I have to work late, work from home, send emails on days off, meet clients early, go to after work hour board meetings and deal with a lot of stress. I also have a dog. There are going to be days that I just either can't get a run in or just don't have the energy to do it. THAT'S OKAY. Instead of letting that just add more stress to my life... I need to just move on and hope for a better work-life balance the next day.

I'm not expecting a PR: I am not delusional. This training cycle is actually more about the training than it is about the race. I want to get into a good rhythm of training again and I want to work on my training weaknesses. I want to show up on race day, in good shape, and run a good race for my fitness level at the time. I want to use this training cycle and race as a springboard for a fall goal race attempt. 

I know the first month (at least) is going to SUCK: It's going to hurt. I'm going to be disappointed by my paces. But, I have to keep reminding myself, there's only one way to go... UP. If I put in the time and effort, it will get better. 98% of the time, running sucks. The other 2% makes the other 98% worth it.

Now, with all those disclaimers out of the way... let's do this!



2 comments:

Nikki said...

Just discovered your Blog via Running Off the Reese's...and after reading about 10 seconds worth (and seeing the "Always Sunny in Philly" gif) there was no doubt it was getting added to the favorites list. And hey, maybe reading about your races etc. will encourage me to get back into running. There's always hope lol!

Amy said...

Welcome! If you like Sunny gifs and any other gifs for that matter, you have come to the right place.

Thanks for commenting!!