I was frustrated last week. I was run down, burnt out, and just down on myself and my performance. I feel like I’m always making excuses (it doesn’t matter how true they are…it’s just how it seems to come across). Yes…I worked really hard in an Extreme Heat Warning…and clawed my way through two workouts that included some speed work. And at the beginning of the week last week…my body said…”ENOUGH!” And it was a huge struggle. The worst part is when my body can’t do something physically, it mentally rips me apart. I’m not good at dealing with things going wrong. I’m not good at feeling like I’m not living up to my potential.
I am my worst critic. I am very hard on myself. And I know this. It comes with the territory of being a Type A Virgo. Perfection is all I know. So, when things skew off the line…well…I pretty much beat myself up over it for a long time.
Well, my coach…I LOVE MY COACH…noticed this downward trend. And when he sent me through my plan for this week, he assigned me 0 miles. All I had were guidelines. The distance, and most of the paces were up to me. This…was the RESET WEEK. I have never felt better for an entire week of runs than this week. This was exactly what I needed to regain a bit of confidence in my abilities, the process, and learn to have some fun along the way.
My coach, Daniel, may be the smartest coach in the history of…ever. So, let’s dive into this week, shall we?
Monday: INSTRUCTIONS: BASE RUN – COVER YOUR WATCH OR DON’T WEAR IT!
I discovered something last week when I did my tempo repeats on Thursday…if I covered my watch, I wasn’t stressing as much over pace. I couldn’t judge it. It was what it was…and it actually was good when I uploaded the data. Right on target, even. When I run tempo or speed with the watch uncovered…all I do is stress and get wound up. This covering the watch thing…this works for me. I have a little Nike sweat band that I got once to cover up my Garmin during The Color Run…and I dug it out again this week to wear…EVERY DAY…because this week was up to me. I held my usual base pace and smiled…a whole heap! I ended up doing a full 7 miles at base pace and probably could have kept going, but I had other things happening that day. So I fit in my additional hip strengthening exercises and met with Corey as well for my personal training session. It was the perfect way to kick off the week.
Tuesday: INSTRUCTIONS: ANGRY RUN – THIS IS THE “GET MAD” RUN. LET YOUR FRUSTRATIONS, STRESSES, ANGER, FEAS, AND ALL OF IT COME OUT. BE MAD ABOUT ERIE. STOP AND CRY IF YOU NEED TO. RUN FAST IF YOU NEED TO. GO FIND SOMETHING TO PUNCH (I liked that part, LOL). DON’T RUN FROM YOUR FEELINGS – INVINTE THEM AND RUN THROUGH THEM. THIS IS THE RUN YOU GET TO HAVE ALL OF WHAT YOU’VE BEEN FEELING. THIS IS ALSO THE RUN WHERE YOU LET ALL THAT GO. IT MIGHT BE FUN OR IT MIGHT SUCK. IT IS WHAT IT IS. DO IT. THEN WAKE UP TOMORROW A NEW RUNNER WITH A NEW MIDSET AND NEW APPROACH LEAVING ALL THIS CRAP BEHIND.
Deep breath, friends. Because this run…this was actual therapy. I decided to actually run this as if it were an actual temper tantrum of fit. So, I headed out and did the first 2 miles as a warm up. Because every good tantrum starts with a build-up. After that, I ran quick fartleks each mile for 5 miles…using each mile to symbolize some stress, frustration, or part of my life that has been holding me back: cancer, my fall race debacle messing up a ton of my plans, friends who aren’t taking care of themselves, work, myself…and maybe a few other things that got worked in halfway through each mile. It sucks when you don’t like how you feel because people make and actions and yourself make you feel like less of a person. This run helped me work through that. And I rounded it off with 2+ miles cool down…because every fit of anger and tantrum ends with a cooling down period. I basically did a 15K that morning. And I needed that.
Wednesday: INSTRUCTIONS: NO WATCH ALLOWED! FOCUS ON THE GOAL OF THE RUN = RECOVERY! GO AS FAR OR SHORT AS YOU NEED, AS FAST OR SLOW AS YOU NEED, WALK OR RUN AS YOU NEED.
Even with the permission to go longer, I actually made this a short, base pace, recovery run. I did wear my watch, but as with the two previous mornings, I covered it and just ran comfortably. I had the same pace as Monday when all was said and done…and was happy to keep it short and easy. I stopped at 4 miles. But they were 4 wonderful miles. I then decided that since I had the time, and Thursday’s run was up to me, I could FINALLY return to a Wednesday morning spin class. I was SO happy being back in Michelle’s class. Spin class is therapy for me. It’s hard work, it’s challenging, but it’s a great non-impact way to get some more endurance in. And since Wednesday is always Endurance Ride Wednesday…it’s my favorite. I met with Corey later that afternoon for personal training. We had to change up the original plan as he snapped the resistance band. It involved a lot of squats. Because he’s evil.
Thursday: INSTRUCTIONS: FUN RUN – PICK OUT YOUR FAVORITE WORKOUT…COULD BE ONE I’VE GIVEN YOU, ANOTHER COACH, YOUR FAVORITE FROM 5 YEARS AGO. IT CAN BE A WORKOUT GEARED FOR 5KS OR 10KS OR A MARATHON. WHATEVER YOU WANT – RUN IT!
I have never liked, loved, or enjoyed speed workouts. Ever. Not ever. Not in the history of EVER. So I was really stumped on this one. But, when all was said and done and I headed out (watch covered) that morning, I set myself up to run Mona Fartleks. Daniel got me hooked on these from the first time he assigned them. They’re actually kind of fun, and still challenging at the same time. The basics: 2 mile warm up, 2×90 sec, 4×60 sec, 4×30 sec, 4×15 sec (with equal recovery after each at a pace faster than base pace), 2 mile cool down. Got it done, putting in 7 speedy miles that morning. Then I worked in the 2nd day of the additional hip strengthening exercises to my physical therapy stretches I do every morning.
FRIDAY: Always a rest day. I slept in. I took a shower. I stretched. I finished off the My Favorite Murder book, “Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered.” I went to work. I cooked. I ate food. I let my body recharge. I watched “Designated Survivor” and then went to bed just after 8 pm. I set an alarm so I could get up, stretch, put on sunscreen, and head out early for my long run…of no set distance.
SATURDAY: INSTRUCTIONS: RUN IN YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO RUN! WATCH IS ALLOWED, BUT TURN OFF NOTIFICATIONS AND PROMISE YOURSELF NOT TO LOOK AT IT ANY MORE THAN 1 TIME EVERY 2-3 MILES. 10-20 MILES…I REALLY DON’T CARE!
I got up early and had a small bite to eat. I stretched while I hydrated. I lathered myself up in sunscreen. I tied on my new Adidas Boston Boosts. I fixed up my nutrition. Anyone else loving Maurten? I drank down the Maurten 320 Drink Mix and packed one of the Maurten 100 Gels to take with me. Maurten has worked wonders for me. No energy crashes. No stomach problems. It’s brilliant. And I have had 2 very energetic and great long runs using it. I’m sold. So if any local peeps want my barely used container of UCan…let me know. I didn’t know how far I’d run that morning. I covered my watch. I did a short warmup mile before hitting the actual roads and just letting myself go. I told my roommate that I may have to call her to come get me if I decide I’m done before getting home. But despite hills and the hotter morning, this run was better than last week’s 19 miler. And I only had to stop for traffic and at one point to make a tight turnaround. That was it. And I still had some in the tank when I made my way back to the apartment complex. I ended up doing 20.25 miles…surprisingly at marathon pace. And I felt so good. I smiled. I said good morning to people. I was working, but I wasn’t straining, fighting, or dying at any point. I needed this. I needed this more than I knew I needed this. I want running to always feel like this. I need the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon to feel like this. First 20 miler came early for me…but I feel good. I felt good the rest of the day. Walked the malls, did the grocery shopping, made dinner, stretched, foam rolled…yep…it’s good! It’s all good.
SUNDAY: INSTRUCTIONS: NO WATCH ALLOWED! RECOVERY RUN!
With no expectations and no pace requirements, and a heavy heart from all the mass shootings this country is dealing with…I headed out this morning to chase the sunrise. And that’s what I did, pausing at every mile (for the first 3) to take pictures of the sun coming up over the horizon and the cotton-candy sky that emerged from the dark night. I ran the Fast Freddie course here…putting in 5.0 miles for the 50 states of this country. Feeling blessed to wake up and be able to run easy, refreshed, and without care, when people are waking up and maybe missing their loved ones today due to a senseless act of violence. With that being said, this recovery run was the last of my reset week and I enjoyed every step of it. I needed this reset week more than even I knew. This is why I hired Daniel. He knew exactly what to hit me with this week so that I could shed frustrations, anger, and disappointment and find a new focus and really prepare myself for the upcoming weeks leading into the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. I feel better about it. I feel refreshed. I feel ready.
So today I have a bunch of meal prep to do and some things to get done around the apartment today…and await this week’s plan. I’ll embrace the good…the bad…the hard and easy this week. When you’re struggling…don’t be afraid to reset. Don’t be afraid to build from the experience. Come back to it feeling ready, refreshed, and with a laser focus on your goals. Just don’t forget to keep it fun and enjoyable.
Okay…new week, new training plan. Let’s go.
The Celiathlete 