Fabulous Farrell with a Fantastic Friend

I didn't want to get up this morning to run. I was tired. My legs were tiiirrrreeeedddd. Oh my how they were tired. But it was Fabulous Farrell Road hill repeats with Training Planner. I couldn't bail. And I am so glad I didn't. I had the best run this morning.  

It was just Training Planner and I this morning. It was exactly what I needed. I hadn't really talked to her since my bad week and even then it was just thru texts. I needed real conversation with her. I needed to hear her voice and see her. And our conversation was real. She told me about her training and how she "now knows how Tami feels" when being pushed and not the pusher ;-)  We talked about racing and "just running". We talked about training and the different methods. We talked about bad weeks and good weeks. Ok, maybe she did more talking and I was listening but I was actively participating in my head... I can't talk and run.   Especially at a 12 minute mile! That's almost tempo pace. But I felt good! Actually I felt great! I could have ran 4 more miles with her and skipped the hills altogether!  She is just so insightful.

So the hills...I did 2; she did 3. I wanted 3; she wanted 4. Next time we decided! 

I finally feel refreshed. Ready to go. Confident. Excited. Still nervous but I got this.  I know what I have to do. I was reminded this morning of why I run. 

This has been a good week. 

Long run is late this week (Sunday). 

It's only 6! ;)

Run. Strong. 

-t-

P.S. I didn't get a picture of us this morning. I didn't need one. I have it in my head. And it's beautiful. It's bright and happy. We are smiling. Exhilarated and Refreshed. Like rainbows and unicorns. It. Just. Felt. Right. 

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Run.Strong.
-t-

When it comes together....

I think I can safely say that the sinus infection the first 3 weeks of training is really what brought me down and made my runs just downright suck! 

Today I had the best 400's! Well, better than the first time I did 400's. 

2:35; 2:23; 2:23;2:22;2:34;2:36

I realize they weren't the 2:15 target pace. But they sure did beat the times from the first week! 

And I was equally impressed that I accomplished those times less than 12 hours after a tempo run in which Boss Lady pushed me! 

And I was very surprised by those times because I felt really good. I just felt good. Maybe I could have been faster. Maybe I could have pushed myself harder. Maybe, maybe, maybe...  No maybe about it, I did PRETTY DAMN GOOD! 

And the weather! Wow! Wonderful weather! I think that makes all the difference too. I actually had a long sleeve shirt on. It is August, right? Whatever. I'm good with it. Tan may be fading, but my running isn't! Ha!

But tonight, I'm sore. My legs are achy. Restless almost. All day I just wanted my compression socks on. I forgot them at home this morning. I think I need to invest in a pair to keep at my office. I will sleep in them tonight. I wish I could wrap my entire body in compression. It would feel so good. 

Instead I will wear them tonight and dream of happy things. Like a PR, better speed times, 3 Fabulous Farrell Road repeats.... Oh yeah, those are tomorrow! 

Run. Strong.

-t-

A new house!

Tempo Tuesday. Done. 3 miles. Times not great but better than first tempo. Kelly and Boss Lady really pushed me and I had fun distractions tonight! Katie, who after tonight will be renamed ROCKSTAR because she managed to push a double jogging stroller with her beautiful toddler daughter getting in and out to run with us while her 5 year old son rode his bike, came out too! Hence the children being pleasant distractions watching them run and laugh. And oh how I wanted to get in that stroller at times....but I didn't.  Cristen just got back from vacation last night so she wasn't able to join us 😕. 

The run was good. It wasn't too hateful. But it wasn't too loving either. But I enjoyed it. And the fact that it started with some baby Brantley lovin' and Carson time was a nice bonus! And I knew that the sooner I got back I could get some more!

So we did. And I pushed through those 3 miles. I know the plan calls for more miles by now, but realistically, my head doesn't want more. And my pace is still not where it should be.  One. Step. At. A. Time. 

Boss Lady did PUSH me the last .10. She asked that I give it my all. And she said PLEASE. How was I gonna turn that down?!?! So I did. But, when my watch beeped at 3 miles, I stopped. And I didn't hesitate. It is good to be pushed. Oh, and I did tell Kelly to "shut up"... And then promptly apologized. She meant well. She was cheering me on telling me I could do it. She understood though. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. 

Funny story...3/4 of a mile to go to the finish, Boss Lady notices a play house siting on a curb. She runs over there and I continue on.  She catches up. Tells me the play house had a sign on it that said "FREE" (of course it did...she is so lucky with stuff like that!). She moves it up onto the driveway, tells the homeowners she will be back to get it. And then runs to catch up with me.  We finish the run, get back to her house, get the truck and go get the house. Carson is soooo excited when he sees us pull up with this house! Squeals of joy! Boss Lady's husband, well, wouldn't say joyful, but still smiling! Too funny! 

As I was leaving Boss Lady's house, I was smiling. This run had a happy ending. And I was happy. I felt good on the run. I did it. I felt better than I did on my first tempo. I'm actually looking forward to Tempo Tuesdays. Wonder what we will find on the next run!

Run. Strong. 

-t-

Is it the small victories?

Last week was mentally tough and I am not sure why. My speed work was not so great; actually, there wasn't a victory in it at all. I missed my tempo run. And wasn't happy with that. Hills had to be moved up a day so that I could get in my long run on Friday instead of the weekend as it was Nate's 13th birthday and we had a million things planned. So that was all caddy-whomped too.

It was just a bad week. I broke down in a couple of texts to Training Planner and Boss Lady. I didn't let them hear me cry, but I was crying in my texts (and now they know I was crying...sigh). So, ask me why I was crying... Or don't. But I am gonna tell you.   Mentally drained. Mentally unsure about myself. Feeling like a failure. A let down if you will. I just felt like my entire world and everyone around me was crashing in. I couldn't keep anyone happy with anything I said or did and I surely couldn't keep myself happy.

I reflected back on my training last year and how happy and excited I was to be out there. The drive and push around me. And lately, it's just felt like negativity. Maybe mine own. Maybe that of people around me. I can't pinpoint it. And really at this point, it doesn't matter. What does matter, is that I feel like I am coming out of it.

As I celebrated Nate's 13th birthday this weekend, it occurred to me that maybe I was my own worst enemy. Here I was celebrating my one and only child's 13th birthday and celebrating myself too. Ask me 13 years ago to run and I probably would have said "to the ice cream truck?" Ask me to run today and I will say "how far? 5 miles? more?"

The 10 miles on Friday was good. Maybe it wasn't quite 10, but it was close. And honestly, it just felt good to be out there with the drive and push I needed. I needed to overcome whatever it was lagging me all week. I needed a small victory, in a large way. So, on this particular long run, I focused on me. I pushed the negativity aside. I forgot that I almost had a teenager. I let my body feel the run. I allowed my head go wherever it wanted to go. And it worked. I walked when I had to walk (very little I might add). I talked when I needed to talk (I think this was the quietest run Kelly and I have ever been on). I didn't focus on the pace on my watch, or from the Nike app (it was slow though). And when it came right down to it, when my body said "enough" I let it say enough. But not because I was weak, or tired, or couldn't breathe; but because I allowed myself to enjoy the run. I pushed myself when I needed pushed, and I let it go. 

This training is nothing like last summer's training. And maybe that is what I need to remember. This is a new year. A new run. Sure, it's Akron again and I have a lot to prove. I want a PR. But in all honesty, I'm not looking for a 30 minute PR. Shaving 3 minutes off last years' time would be a PR. Don't get me wrong, I'm not settling by any means. I will train and I will run like I am supposed to. But I have to take pride in the small victories or having a good long run, or a 400 that meets the 2:15, or tackling the 5 hills by the end of September, or meeting a 3 mile tempo at the pace I should be at. I need to celebrate the small victories and make them a big victory for myself.

That would be a small victory.  

It is the small victories.

Run. Strong.

-t-

P.S. This post is dedicated to my Dad and Deb. After a talk with my dad last night, I realized that it is the small victories that count the most. For Deb, it's coming back to a 10-mile race after 2 years of injury and placing first in her division. For dad, it's a 9:53/pace for a 5k because he runs 5 miles at least 4x a week and 3 miles is nothing on race day for him. He gently reminded me that I have small victories in everything I do...from raising my son to running a 4th 1/2 marathon...I need to remember that I have come a long way and I have so much farther to go, but to enjoy the small victories, because it's the small victories that get you to the bigger victory.

Week 2 and some other musings...

Week 2 of 1/2 training in the books. Not too great, but not too bad. Time to put it in the past and move on to the next week. Evaluate what was wrong and try to make it right.

The first step to that is the official diagnosis of a sinus infection. Antibiotics, inhaler, Sudafed. Life is finally feeling better. Still carrying tissues on my run and in the car and in the bar and at the pool and wherever I may go. But at least the end is in sight and I know I will get better.

Lori and I at mile 4 water stop!

Really needed to get the 8 miler in this past weekend. Sunday was the only day available for Cristen. I didn't want Sunday. Saturday, Aly and I were going out to celebrate BFFAE's birthday. I wanted to enjoy myself (even though I was the DD). I didn't want to be the downer and be home at 10pm so I could get a good nights sleep and run 8 Sunday morning. So, Friday evening it was. I met Kelly and Cristen at the bike path on Rip Rap and off we went...only after I conveniently stuffed tissues in my water bottle (no I am not posting the pic Kelly took!). I was doing okay. Had to stop a couple times to blow my nose and catch my breath but it wasn't too hateful or humid. Kelly's friend Lori met us right before Old Springfield with ice, cold water! What a lifesaver! I had water in my hand-held but it was warm and almost empty, so the ice cold water and friendly face were nice pick me ups. And pick up they did. On the way back, Cristen got into her groove and took off for a good mile or so. We we caught up to her, I was ready to take off! And I did. Found my groove and went with it. I slowed just as I was coming back to Taylorsville...you know, the winding hill. Yeah, let's walk to the top and then start off again. And we did pretty good all the way to 70 and then it just kinda died from there...pretty sure Kelly wanted to at that point. All the aches started settling in. We still had a good mile to get back to our cars. Cristen ran a little more and I did too just to keep moving at a pace to keep the aches at bay. And then it just all fell apart.  I was getting major belly pains. Kelly had hip pain. Cristen was just D-O-N-E. But we made it. Barely. I did a couple down dogs and relieved my belly of some serious flatulence! Ahhhhh, that has never felt so good! 

But it was done. And we could now sleep and enjoy the weekend.  Mostly sleep.

So, this week. Week 3. What does it bring...mile repeats, Tempo Tuesday (yes, I'm gonna give it another whirl!), Fab Farrell Road repeats, 10 miler long run...and some cross training. I'm gonna clean up my bike and hit the road for a couple miles. Work in some abs and arms.

On another note,  

CRISTEN FINALLY SIGNED UP FOR AKRON!!!!

Woooohooooo! So excited for her and Kelly to be a part of this crazy adventure I have been on! It's always nice to get new recruits! 

Speaking of new recruits....I know a few people who follow my blog (ahem, Allison D.) who are inspired by my running and are working up the courage to join the running crew...I'm gonna get her out there yet!  

Boss Lady sent me this saying yesterday she saw on Instagram... she said it reminded her of me....

I have to say, that every single one of my friends, whether they be running friends or my lifelong friends, do exactly this. And I am constantly adding new friends to my life everyday that do exactly this. And I feel very blessed.

Run. Strong.
-t-

 

*Less than stellar*

That is about how I have been feeling the last couple of days. Illness. Sickness. Just plain yuckiness. Thought maybe it was allergies, at least 3 weeks ago that is what I attributed it to. This week, pretty sure it's more than allergies. Swallowing feels like shards of glass. Ears feel like someone is jabbing screwdrivers in them. It's just downright painful from the neck up (no comments from the peanut gallery, please). 

I managed to get the Tempo run in Tuesday with Boss Lady, Cristen, Kelly, and a newbie to our group, Katie. That was different. It was hard. I would even say hateful. The first mile was great good. Yeah, just good. I could have sworn the Tempo pace was 11:45. Turns out it should have been 11:15. I did 11:47. I realllllly wanted to stop after that first mile for just a minute to breathe. No. Boss Lady was mean (wink).

Boss Lady:  "Training Planner said no stopping". 

Me: "Training Planner isn't here."  

Keep running. Fine. Mile 2 I am seriously dragging behind. Boss Lady finally allowed to walk about 50 feet (to the stop sign). And boy did I milk that! The last mile was still dreadful, but it was a lot easier than mile 2! Even with the slight hill! And I finished. My miles were way off even the wrong goal pace. After it was all said and done, I did feel good. It felt good to get a solid, hard run in. And then I felt disappointment later that night....I could have done better. But I truly believe that whatever this crud is in my head/chest is what is dragging me down.
 

Katie, Kelly, Boss Lady, Me, Cristen

I need Training Planner to tweak this plan. It just seems a little to unrealistic. I hate to admit that and even think for a minute that I cannot meet my goal. Or that I am being lazy or weak. Or that I just suck. And maybe all these feelings of doubt and inadequacy are due to whatever this crud is I have in my chest and head. 

And you aren't going to believe this...

I missed hills this morning. I couldn't do it. I was so downright exhausted. My throat felt like it was on fire. My ears were pounding. My entire body felt like it had been put thru a meat grinder.  I have NEVER missed a run during training. Never. Ever. And today, I did. And I feel sooooo bad about it. Guilt. But honestly, there is no way I could have done it. I need that long run (8) this weekend. I have to feel better by Sunday. 

So I made a doctor appointment for this afternoon. I don't like going to the doctors (despite what some people think).  I need an inhaler. Nasal spray. Oxygen. Truckload of Kleenex. Please. I beg. Just make me feel better. Cause I don't have time to be sick. Too many people counting on me to run and train. I need to run and train. And being sick isn't in the cards.

And I hope, once I feel better, that my love of running and training come back! Cause right now, there is no love!  

Run.Strong.Sick.
-t-