"I’ve got my memories
Always inside of me
But I can’t go back
Back to how it was
I believe now
I’ve come too far
No I can’t go back
Back to how it was
Created for a place
I’ve never known
This is home
Now I’m finally
Where I belong
Where I belong
Yeah, this is home
I’ve been searching
For a place of my own
Now I’ve found it
Maybe this is home
Yeah, this is home
Belief over misery
I’ve seen the enemy
And I won’t go back
Back to how it was
And I got my heart
Set on
What happens next
I got my eyes wide
It’s not over yet
We are miracles
And we’re not alone
Yeah
This is home
Now I’m finally
Where I belong
Where I belong
Yeah, this is home
I’ve been searching
For a place of my own
Now I’ve found it
Maybe this is home
Yeah, this is home
And now after all
My searching
After all my questions
I’m gonna call it home
I got a brand new mindset
I can finally see
The sunset
I’m gonna call it home
Home
This is home
Now I’m finally
Where I belong
Where I belong
Yeah, this is home
I’ve been searching
For a place of my own
Now I’ve found it
Maybe this is home
Yeah, this is home
Now I know
Yeah, this is home
I’ve come too far
And I won’t go back
Yeah, this is home"
~"This is Home" by Switchfoot
My last day of high school is tomorrow. My last day of walking down the hallways at my school, hearing JS yell out "k-funk" and eating lunch on the stairs in the foyer. My last day of sitting in my coach's class, laughing at him because I know more to the story than everyone else. My last day of going to hang out in his room 6th hour with JS and having fun. My last day of walking through the school, past the green lockers and my favorite teachers and my friends, knowing that this hallway belongs to me. That this is my school.
That will be my last day of seeing all those familiar faces, going past the dirty corner, hearing my teammate yell out hello, having people crowd my locker. My last day of my math class trying to get our teacher to get us to leave lunch early. My last day of my friend waiting for me so we can walk into class together. My last day with my fellow classmates. I may not be friends with all of these people, but they are familiar to me; I know their names, faces, personalities. I'm going to miss these people, even the ones that I don't like. They are part of me, part of my school, part of my graduating class.
What I might miss most about high school though, is having a place to belong. I love being able to go to school knowing that there is a group of people who care about the same things I do, who accept me for who I am. My running buddies are the best friends one could have. They've seen me at my best and worst, and they are still my favorite. I have my other school friends, and they are awesome, but they really don't understand my running. They wouldn't understand that I love just talking with my teammates after practice at the bench where all the distance runners seem to be. My fellow squirrels are what I will miss the most. They will be there, and I can talk to them, and run with them, but it won't be the same. I love being part of that team, I love being a scampering squirrel, and I'm going to miss this so much.
At the beginning of the school year, I realized how much I didn't want to leave high school, how much it meant to me. But as it became closer to graduation, the coolness of being a senior sets in and you forget what it really means. That you have to leave the place that has been your home for the past four years and your friends. But it still doesn't seem like I could really have my last day of high school tomorrow. Maybe this is because that I don't want to leave it. But I have to. I will have to walk down those hallways and say goodbye to what has been my home. I'm really going to miss my high school.
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
I'M A WIMP
I am ashamed of myself. I was a wimp today. I was one of those soft people. I did not run.
It wasn't that cold outside but it was really windy and it was also snowing. I was going to run from school but then I decided there was way too much snow on the sidewalks to do so. I could've gone home and ran on the streets but I didn't. I told myself that this would just be my day off because it was miserable outside. But instead I was really just being lazy.
Whenever I decide not to run because the weather sucks or because of any reason, I feel like I should feel good. But I don't, I just get in an extremely bad mood because I'm mad at myself. Which is what I am right now. I'm mad at myself because I didn't have enough motivation to do what I could have. It's true I didn't have a good day and running outside would only have accomplished mental benefits, not physical benefits with about 12 minute miles, and I've been increasing my mileage for weeks while having a day a week off. But that doesn't mean I can be a wimp. Which is why I am posting this on my blog. Not because I need anyone else to read it, but so I can read it and remember what I am supposed to be doing.
It wasn't that cold outside but it was really windy and it was also snowing. I was going to run from school but then I decided there was way too much snow on the sidewalks to do so. I could've gone home and ran on the streets but I didn't. I told myself that this would just be my day off because it was miserable outside. But instead I was really just being lazy.
Whenever I decide not to run because the weather sucks or because of any reason, I feel like I should feel good. But I don't, I just get in an extremely bad mood because I'm mad at myself. Which is what I am right now. I'm mad at myself because I didn't have enough motivation to do what I could have. It's true I didn't have a good day and running outside would only have accomplished mental benefits, not physical benefits with about 12 minute miles, and I've been increasing my mileage for weeks while having a day a week off. But that doesn't mean I can be a wimp. Which is why I am posting this on my blog. Not because I need anyone else to read it, but so I can read it and remember what I am supposed to be doing.
Monday, January 18, 2010
WHEN IT'S COLD OUTSIDE, I RUN
There was an article in last Monday's paper about cold weather running. I thought I would take a look at it even though they might not bring up any new tips I haven't heard. So I'm reading along but it was kind of short and they basically interviewed a lady who said winter running doesn't suck. And then I look at the picture of her and read the caption. She was from Dallas, Texas. I guess I wasn't aware that Texas had a real winter.
It's nothing against the great Lone Star state. I have family there and we've visited. I thought Texas was awesome, but a little warm. But seriously, if you are going to write an article about winter running, Texas is not exactly what you are looking for. I guess the article was written for a Dallas newspaper so maybe it's more the newspaper here that is at fault. But to even write an article like this.
Here in Iowa, we have winter. We had three snow days in December because of a blizzard. That was fun. Over Christmas break, we had that little snowstorm that kept everyone from going anywhere. We didn't get snow days out of that. And for awhile we've been having temperatures that are sometimes in the teens. Last week, we found out that it was supposed to get into the thirties. I know all those people in the south are complaining about their cold weather where it might get below freezing during the night. They should come here, where people are actually excited about temperatures in the thirties. I stepped outside one morning when it was in the high 20's and I told my mom that it felt warm out. Here in Iowa, where we have winter, people enjoy temperatures above freezing. We celebrate them.
In this article, the lady says she loves early morning runs. In places that actually have winter, there are windchills of -30 degrees, so you don't exactly seen many people out. She does say that at first you really don't want to be out there, which is true a lot of the times. But then she gets that crisp morning air which is so much clearer in the winter. When I feel that cold winter wind I hope that it doesn't give me frostbite on my face later on. But on to her tips.
Her first tip is to keep your hands warm with gloves, but mittens on the cold days. I don't wear gloves above 30 degrees. One day I wore double gloves but that was because it was one degree and I was only doing about 3 miles so my hands wouldn't be able to warm up. The day I ran 7.85 miles in 7 degrees, I wore one pair of gloves. My hands did get a little cold but I couldn't really feel my face so I didn't pay attention to that. And these are just cheap knit gloves, no fancy brand name stuff. I like them just fine.
She advises you to have layers to shed. I wear enough clothes so that the first mile is really cold but after that I'm pretty cold. It makes you run faster anyways. She talks about the different shirts you should wear, I have one underarmour like shirt that's incredibly warm and I usually wear that with a tshirt, sometimes a fleece jacket if it's cold. And when I say cold, I mean under 10 degrees at least. Then she talks about tights and she mentions some tights with fleece lining which is pretty cool. Not sure why you would need them in Dallas. I wear double tights a lot, a thick pair over a light pair, and I tuck the thick ones into my shoes so my ankles don't get cold. I've been able to wear one pair of tights though for about the last week which I have very much enjoyed.
Her third tip is to stretch. I don't stretch in the winter. This may not be the best for my legs but stretching becomes procrastinating very easily. Just tell yourself you'll stretch for awhile and then delay your run, and then you have to do a shorter run because it will get dark. Stretching decreases your motivation when it's cold. You just have to make yourself go outside and run.
Most running articles make me mad because they are written for joggers. This one made me mad because the coldest it has been in Dallas is 28 degrees. Here in Iowa, it was 5 degrees. The next day it was one. But 28 degrees is one pair of tights weather. Weather that makes you want to run because you have to enjoy it.
My winter running tips with therefore be as follows:
1. Don't procrastinate. There are many excuses in winter. Don't listen to them.
2. Don't care too much about the times. Last year I could run 9-11 minute miles during the winter. That track season I could easily run 8 minute pace at longer distances. Pay more attention to the miles.
3. Run in the streets. Sidewalks get icy and people don't shovel them. I'm more of a street runner even during the summer but running in tire tracks gets you a lot more traction.
4. Make yourself go out there and run. Force yourself. It doesn't matter if it feels like a chore. It will be worth it.
5. Remember one of my favorite running quotes "There is no bad weather, only soft people."
Some people have to run during actual winter when it's actually cold. Those people are so much stronger than those who think they have winter.
It's nothing against the great Lone Star state. I have family there and we've visited. I thought Texas was awesome, but a little warm. But seriously, if you are going to write an article about winter running, Texas is not exactly what you are looking for. I guess the article was written for a Dallas newspaper so maybe it's more the newspaper here that is at fault. But to even write an article like this.
Here in Iowa, we have winter. We had three snow days in December because of a blizzard. That was fun. Over Christmas break, we had that little snowstorm that kept everyone from going anywhere. We didn't get snow days out of that. And for awhile we've been having temperatures that are sometimes in the teens. Last week, we found out that it was supposed to get into the thirties. I know all those people in the south are complaining about their cold weather where it might get below freezing during the night. They should come here, where people are actually excited about temperatures in the thirties. I stepped outside one morning when it was in the high 20's and I told my mom that it felt warm out. Here in Iowa, where we have winter, people enjoy temperatures above freezing. We celebrate them.
In this article, the lady says she loves early morning runs. In places that actually have winter, there are windchills of -30 degrees, so you don't exactly seen many people out. She does say that at first you really don't want to be out there, which is true a lot of the times. But then she gets that crisp morning air which is so much clearer in the winter. When I feel that cold winter wind I hope that it doesn't give me frostbite on my face later on. But on to her tips.
Her first tip is to keep your hands warm with gloves, but mittens on the cold days. I don't wear gloves above 30 degrees. One day I wore double gloves but that was because it was one degree and I was only doing about 3 miles so my hands wouldn't be able to warm up. The day I ran 7.85 miles in 7 degrees, I wore one pair of gloves. My hands did get a little cold but I couldn't really feel my face so I didn't pay attention to that. And these are just cheap knit gloves, no fancy brand name stuff. I like them just fine.
She advises you to have layers to shed. I wear enough clothes so that the first mile is really cold but after that I'm pretty cold. It makes you run faster anyways. She talks about the different shirts you should wear, I have one underarmour like shirt that's incredibly warm and I usually wear that with a tshirt, sometimes a fleece jacket if it's cold. And when I say cold, I mean under 10 degrees at least. Then she talks about tights and she mentions some tights with fleece lining which is pretty cool. Not sure why you would need them in Dallas. I wear double tights a lot, a thick pair over a light pair, and I tuck the thick ones into my shoes so my ankles don't get cold. I've been able to wear one pair of tights though for about the last week which I have very much enjoyed.
Her third tip is to stretch. I don't stretch in the winter. This may not be the best for my legs but stretching becomes procrastinating very easily. Just tell yourself you'll stretch for awhile and then delay your run, and then you have to do a shorter run because it will get dark. Stretching decreases your motivation when it's cold. You just have to make yourself go outside and run.
Most running articles make me mad because they are written for joggers. This one made me mad because the coldest it has been in Dallas is 28 degrees. Here in Iowa, it was 5 degrees. The next day it was one. But 28 degrees is one pair of tights weather. Weather that makes you want to run because you have to enjoy it.
My winter running tips with therefore be as follows:
1. Don't procrastinate. There are many excuses in winter. Don't listen to them.
2. Don't care too much about the times. Last year I could run 9-11 minute miles during the winter. That track season I could easily run 8 minute pace at longer distances. Pay more attention to the miles.
3. Run in the streets. Sidewalks get icy and people don't shovel them. I'm more of a street runner even during the summer but running in tire tracks gets you a lot more traction.
4. Make yourself go out there and run. Force yourself. It doesn't matter if it feels like a chore. It will be worth it.
5. Remember one of my favorite running quotes "There is no bad weather, only soft people."
Some people have to run during actual winter when it's actually cold. Those people are so much stronger than those who think they have winter.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
MY FAN, THE BUS DRIVER
I run the same route almost everyday. It should become boring but it usually doesn't. I could change it up and add in a couple of different streets, but I often lose my motivation and it makes running seem like a chore when I do so. Because I often run the same places over and over, I start to recognize people. There's the guy who only seems to be outside when he's clearing his driveway because of the snow. He likes to shout at me that I'm crazy. There's a guy who asked me how many miles I do a day and one time a mailman waved at me instead of running me over. It wasn't the creepy mailman either who likes to sit outside houses for 10 minutes doing what looks like nothing.
It seems like when you are running by yourself, it compels people to wave, or honk, or yell at you. A couple of days ago, a seemingly random person waved at me while driving by, although he later turned out to be one of my friends back from college. I've had a kid around my age stand in the street and stare at me (probably because of my knee socks) while getting dropped off. Those same people who dropped him off later drove by me and yelled something. I've had a car full of teenagers yell something at me towards the end of my run, but again, I couldn't understand them. And then there was the furniture store truck that drove by me and honked, completely freaking me out. I actually enjoy when people somehow let me know that they've seen me (most of the time) because it feels like they are cheering me on. But out of all the random people who do this, or all my neighbors who like to talk about seeing me, there is one guy who stands out above them all. And that is my friend, the bus driver.
My basic route is 5.65 miles, although it can be increased by running some parts again. Most of this route is also the bus driver's route. Depending on what time I start at, how fast I run, and how many miles I am doing, I see him at different parts during the week. It's somewhere between 4:15 and 4:35 when I see him because he drives one of the Catholic school buses. Most of the time there's no kids on the bus, and he's just driving it back to drop it off. Whenever I see him though, no matter where along my route I am, he acknowledges me in some way. It started out with just waving, but lately he's been honking at me too. He's always smiling at me and it always feels like he's cheering me on. On the hardest days and in the worst weather, when he honks he seems to say that even if you feel like nobody is watching, that no one cares, and everyone thinks you're crazy, I support you. And so I want to thank my fan, the bus driver, for making me feel like someone who doesn't even know me thinks I can run fast and complete all my miles, even if I don't always feel I can.
It seems like when you are running by yourself, it compels people to wave, or honk, or yell at you. A couple of days ago, a seemingly random person waved at me while driving by, although he later turned out to be one of my friends back from college. I've had a kid around my age stand in the street and stare at me (probably because of my knee socks) while getting dropped off. Those same people who dropped him off later drove by me and yelled something. I've had a car full of teenagers yell something at me towards the end of my run, but again, I couldn't understand them. And then there was the furniture store truck that drove by me and honked, completely freaking me out. I actually enjoy when people somehow let me know that they've seen me (most of the time) because it feels like they are cheering me on. But out of all the random people who do this, or all my neighbors who like to talk about seeing me, there is one guy who stands out above them all. And that is my friend, the bus driver.
My basic route is 5.65 miles, although it can be increased by running some parts again. Most of this route is also the bus driver's route. Depending on what time I start at, how fast I run, and how many miles I am doing, I see him at different parts during the week. It's somewhere between 4:15 and 4:35 when I see him because he drives one of the Catholic school buses. Most of the time there's no kids on the bus, and he's just driving it back to drop it off. Whenever I see him though, no matter where along my route I am, he acknowledges me in some way. It started out with just waving, but lately he's been honking at me too. He's always smiling at me and it always feels like he's cheering me on. On the hardest days and in the worst weather, when he honks he seems to say that even if you feel like nobody is watching, that no one cares, and everyone thinks you're crazy, I support you. And so I want to thank my fan, the bus driver, for making me feel like someone who doesn't even know me thinks I can run fast and complete all my miles, even if I don't always feel I can.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
THAT'S NOT REALLY ME
In the midst of filling out college applications and scholarships (and not having ran all last week because there was an incredible pain in my foot, and not having run for the last three days because of a combination of a blizzard and wind chill temperatures, which did get me three snow days), I have realized something important. The ability to make up information to make yourself look good is underrated.
Technically, I guess it's not making up stuff, it's just writing the story in a way that makes you look better than you should. I'm not really that kind of person though, kind of like how I don't like making excuses. Because the colleges don't really want to know you, they want to know how good you think you are. And besides that, the one thing they truly care about is leadership. Which I am getting tired of real fast.
I'm sure leadership is a great quality to have, but it's not the top quality and plus someone is going to be needed to follow all these leaders. And maybe the real reason that I now detest leadership, is that I'm not really a leader. I don't do clubs or councils, they are too much like team sports, and I'd rather be doing something else. I don't organize community service activities, although I do volunteer. I'm involved in two sports that do not truly have team captains, although I can claim being a cross country captain because I participated in captain's games at our pep assembly. Licking peanut butter off of fiberglass while wearing a pirate mask should count for something afterall. I'm the oldest child in my family, which can also give me a little bit of leadership. But I don't have official leadership titles or duties. As my coach once told me, I lead by example and not by talking.
I'm sure this probably makes me sound like a loser who doesn't deserve a scholarship, but I'm really a good student. I have a 4.2something GPA, have a great ACT score, and have numerous academic awards. I am ranked 12th in my class of like 400 kids. But the answers to these scholarship applications evades me. Even when I try to write about something I actually enjoy, like running, I just don't know what to say. These people aren't going to understand it. And it won't stand out from all the others. Even if I use running as my example in my "challenging situation", it's not going to be interesting to someone not a runner. They won't really get it.
Although the leadership questions bother me, I could see the merit of asking them (except I don't think it is worth the multiple essays I have had to write on the subject). A question that really bothers me, is when they ask "do you want us to know anything else about you" or "what should we know about you". Do they really want to know anything about me? Do they really care? Because this is what I would tell them:
I love running. I dislike it very much sometimes, but it plays a huge role in who I am. The aspect of hard work, quiet determination, and perseverence are all parts of running, and therefore they are a part of me. I also enjoy the sport of professional cycling. Those aspects I have previously described can also be found in this sport. And plus, there is just something that draws me to the sport. Which is why I follow it even though I have few people to discuss it with.
I am often described as a quiet person, which I do not enjoy, because really, I'd talk more if everyone would just shut up. I also tend to take a cynical view sometimes, when not talking about what I really love. I'm not looking forward to college because I am going to have to leave a lot of what I consider me behind. I won't have any practices to go to, or teammates to cheer on. I won't get to see my friends everyday, I'll have to live somewhere else, I'll be forced to make my own decisions, I'm not going to know the teachers, and I don't even get a locker. I kind of like what I have now and am not exactly thrilled about having to change.
I am going to major in engineering because of the process of elimination of all the careers I do not like. My favorite school subject is history but there is no real career in that besides teaching. I really only like male teachers, because they treat you like adults and not little kids, and plus most kids hate history so it would not be enjoyable teaching them. One of my friends (whom I have many sarcastic, cynical conversations with) once asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up. He told me he wanted to be a migrant farm worker. I told him I wanted to be a podium girl in the Tour de France. Which is really what I'd rather do,
And now I would like to thank the scholarship commmitte for reading my essay about me. I am not the prime example of the potential of greatness of our youth. That's because I am a real person who has unique hobbies and decision making issues. And that is what you should know about me. Besides the fact that I was tired of filling out scholarships midway through my first one.
Technically, I guess it's not making up stuff, it's just writing the story in a way that makes you look better than you should. I'm not really that kind of person though, kind of like how I don't like making excuses. Because the colleges don't really want to know you, they want to know how good you think you are. And besides that, the one thing they truly care about is leadership. Which I am getting tired of real fast.
I'm sure leadership is a great quality to have, but it's not the top quality and plus someone is going to be needed to follow all these leaders. And maybe the real reason that I now detest leadership, is that I'm not really a leader. I don't do clubs or councils, they are too much like team sports, and I'd rather be doing something else. I don't organize community service activities, although I do volunteer. I'm involved in two sports that do not truly have team captains, although I can claim being a cross country captain because I participated in captain's games at our pep assembly. Licking peanut butter off of fiberglass while wearing a pirate mask should count for something afterall. I'm the oldest child in my family, which can also give me a little bit of leadership. But I don't have official leadership titles or duties. As my coach once told me, I lead by example and not by talking.
I'm sure this probably makes me sound like a loser who doesn't deserve a scholarship, but I'm really a good student. I have a 4.2something GPA, have a great ACT score, and have numerous academic awards. I am ranked 12th in my class of like 400 kids. But the answers to these scholarship applications evades me. Even when I try to write about something I actually enjoy, like running, I just don't know what to say. These people aren't going to understand it. And it won't stand out from all the others. Even if I use running as my example in my "challenging situation", it's not going to be interesting to someone not a runner. They won't really get it.
Although the leadership questions bother me, I could see the merit of asking them (except I don't think it is worth the multiple essays I have had to write on the subject). A question that really bothers me, is when they ask "do you want us to know anything else about you" or "what should we know about you". Do they really want to know anything about me? Do they really care? Because this is what I would tell them:
I love running. I dislike it very much sometimes, but it plays a huge role in who I am. The aspect of hard work, quiet determination, and perseverence are all parts of running, and therefore they are a part of me. I also enjoy the sport of professional cycling. Those aspects I have previously described can also be found in this sport. And plus, there is just something that draws me to the sport. Which is why I follow it even though I have few people to discuss it with.
I am often described as a quiet person, which I do not enjoy, because really, I'd talk more if everyone would just shut up. I also tend to take a cynical view sometimes, when not talking about what I really love. I'm not looking forward to college because I am going to have to leave a lot of what I consider me behind. I won't have any practices to go to, or teammates to cheer on. I won't get to see my friends everyday, I'll have to live somewhere else, I'll be forced to make my own decisions, I'm not going to know the teachers, and I don't even get a locker. I kind of like what I have now and am not exactly thrilled about having to change.
I am going to major in engineering because of the process of elimination of all the careers I do not like. My favorite school subject is history but there is no real career in that besides teaching. I really only like male teachers, because they treat you like adults and not little kids, and plus most kids hate history so it would not be enjoyable teaching them. One of my friends (whom I have many sarcastic, cynical conversations with) once asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up. He told me he wanted to be a migrant farm worker. I told him I wanted to be a podium girl in the Tour de France. Which is really what I'd rather do,
And now I would like to thank the scholarship commmitte for reading my essay about me. I am not the prime example of the potential of greatness of our youth. That's because I am a real person who has unique hobbies and decision making issues. And that is what you should know about me. Besides the fact that I was tired of filling out scholarships midway through my first one.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
BACK ON THE RUN
After ignoring my blog, I have found that my running has been sucking. It's been hot, I've been running with my teammates which makes me feel the need to race and doesn't give me a chance to go at my pace, I've had to schedule my runs around work, I've been having to run in the mornings when I'd rather run at night, my routes aren't that great, I've haven't been doing what I'm supposed to on my xc training schedule, and on and on. So as I said, my running has been sucking. At the beginning of my run today, which began at 8:00 and was a much cooler 79 degrees, I figured that my problem was that I needed to fall in love with running again. It shouldn't feel like every run is forced, it should feel good. I needed a magical run, something to show me that I have made progress and that I do love running. I found one of those runs today. I can actually post about how running is awesome, which is different than what I have been feeling.
I finished supper around 7:11 and I usually try to wait an hour afterwards before running but I needed to get my miles in before it got dark. I drove to a mile long trail that has marks every .1 along the loop. It's gravel and pretty flat. There's a lot of trees and enough people to let me race someone but without feeling crowded. I do a lot of my summer training along this mile long loop and the surrounding neighborhoods. It gives me a comfortable feeling because I know I don't have to race anyone but can if I want to.
My first mile felt slow. I took Saturday off so my legs were kind of tight. I was going to do 6 or 7 miles if I could fit them in before darkness but I wasn't sure if my legs would let me. I had been running about 8 minute miles on my runs so I was pretty surprised when I passed my first mile in 7:36. I thought I had started out too fast like I have before but it didn't even feel like I was going that fast. I didn't try to speed up and passed the second mile in 15:11 or 15:18.
The third mile was the hardest. I could feel myself slowing down and kept telling myself not to let me feel that. If I didn't let myself know I was getting slower than I wouldn't. I was getting slower though, and was at 22:55 at the third mile.
I realized that I could break 45 minutes, the unreachable number. So I took off. The fourth mile was at 30:15, the fifth at 37:30, and the sixth at 44:36. I broke 45 minutes and didn't feel that exhausted when I was done. This run meant that my miles have been doing something for me.
I can't get myself motivated to run miles in the heat for xc season. This run taught me that maybe I should just run for now. I don't have to train for something that seems far off, I can train for what I can do now. Each run should be me trying to do my best so I can improve now and not later. The hills I've been doing will improve me later but I have to let myself show the improvement sometimes. I have to love running in order to improve. And after this run, I realized that I do.
I finished supper around 7:11 and I usually try to wait an hour afterwards before running but I needed to get my miles in before it got dark. I drove to a mile long trail that has marks every .1 along the loop. It's gravel and pretty flat. There's a lot of trees and enough people to let me race someone but without feeling crowded. I do a lot of my summer training along this mile long loop and the surrounding neighborhoods. It gives me a comfortable feeling because I know I don't have to race anyone but can if I want to.
My first mile felt slow. I took Saturday off so my legs were kind of tight. I was going to do 6 or 7 miles if I could fit them in before darkness but I wasn't sure if my legs would let me. I had been running about 8 minute miles on my runs so I was pretty surprised when I passed my first mile in 7:36. I thought I had started out too fast like I have before but it didn't even feel like I was going that fast. I didn't try to speed up and passed the second mile in 15:11 or 15:18.
The third mile was the hardest. I could feel myself slowing down and kept telling myself not to let me feel that. If I didn't let myself know I was getting slower than I wouldn't. I was getting slower though, and was at 22:55 at the third mile.
I realized that I could break 45 minutes, the unreachable number. So I took off. The fourth mile was at 30:15, the fifth at 37:30, and the sixth at 44:36. I broke 45 minutes and didn't feel that exhausted when I was done. This run meant that my miles have been doing something for me.
I can't get myself motivated to run miles in the heat for xc season. This run taught me that maybe I should just run for now. I don't have to train for something that seems far off, I can train for what I can do now. Each run should be me trying to do my best so I can improve now and not later. The hills I've been doing will improve me later but I have to let myself show the improvement sometimes. I have to love running in order to improve. And after this run, I realized that I do.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
WHY DISTANCE?
On Monday, I had a very interesting practice. I was the only distance runner there, because three of the girls were at a fresh/soph track meet and two girls couldn't come (we are down to only six distance girls when we had about 20 in xc). My coach gave me a sort of private practice which was very weird. Very, very weird. He did have a point though, when he was analyzing the running form of the people on the track around us. While telling me how my form has improved, he also mentioned how other people could become better. As one boy ran by, my coach told me that he ran like an xc or distance runner although he was a hurdler. Because this kid also plays football (I think) there's no way this would happen, though he'd probably be pretty good. It made me wonder if I chose the right distance or if I would be better being a sprinter while in high school. Then, I couldn't help but thinking about how I chose to be a distance runner. Or how I didn't really choose, but instead how the sport chose me.
In first grade I ran my first mile in about nine and a half minutes (yes, I know all my elementary school mile times). I beat everyone in my combined first/second grade class except three or four boys. It gave me such an exhilarating feeling, I was hooked. I wanted to become faster, to get even better.
I rocked the mile throughout elementary school, continually beating almost everyone. Occasionally some boys would get ahead of me, but they knew I could run just as fast as them. This early talent led me to join YMCA track and field, which is just a bunch of little kids pretending they know how to run. In the short events, such as everything from the 60m to 400m dash, I was just one among the pack. But in the 600m (which I thought was really long), I was good. And so I became a "distance" runner in elementary school.
In middle school, I continued running the longer races, sometimes being the only one from my school. I didn't have the initial burst of speed needed to be a sprinter but I could outkick all my teammates in the last lap of the 1500m. I still don't have that speed, which is evident by our workout yesterday, but I do have that kick.
I wasn't really a "distance" runner though, until I went to high school. Now I feel the urge to just go for a seven mile run, not thinking much of it. My race distances have become a little longer and I'm a lot faster but I still run the distance events. A decision that went back to elementary school. I think I made the right choice.
In first grade I ran my first mile in about nine and a half minutes (yes, I know all my elementary school mile times). I beat everyone in my combined first/second grade class except three or four boys. It gave me such an exhilarating feeling, I was hooked. I wanted to become faster, to get even better.
I rocked the mile throughout elementary school, continually beating almost everyone. Occasionally some boys would get ahead of me, but they knew I could run just as fast as them. This early talent led me to join YMCA track and field, which is just a bunch of little kids pretending they know how to run. In the short events, such as everything from the 60m to 400m dash, I was just one among the pack. But in the 600m (which I thought was really long), I was good. And so I became a "distance" runner in elementary school.
In middle school, I continued running the longer races, sometimes being the only one from my school. I didn't have the initial burst of speed needed to be a sprinter but I could outkick all my teammates in the last lap of the 1500m. I still don't have that speed, which is evident by our workout yesterday, but I do have that kick.
I wasn't really a "distance" runner though, until I went to high school. Now I feel the urge to just go for a seven mile run, not thinking much of it. My race distances have become a little longer and I'm a lot faster but I still run the distance events. A decision that went back to elementary school. I think I made the right choice.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
NOT EASY
"It doesn't get easier, you just go faster." -Greg Lemond
(My race report from yesterday's meet is in the process of being typed but this post is about today's run. And how it completely sucked.)
I've always liked that Greg Lemond quote and now I have an excuse to use it. My run backs up the claim he made.
Many of the distance girls have been sick including my fast teammate JS who was also gone for the meet. One of the girls (RB) was back though and she was running on fresher legs than I was. We were told to do 6 miles so I decided to go about 8 minute pace as long as I could beat RB. My legs didn't feel too tired which was surprising and it was really nice out, almost 75 degrees in March. It was a little too warm for a nice run so the weather had some effect on me. It was also St. Patrick's Day which, because I am a redhead and Irish, should have given me extra strength to run with.
The first mile was in 7:52 which was good. RB was a little behind me which was also good. My legs began to get more tired throughout the run but I was at the halfway mark at 23:27. RB was running about 20ft behind me and I wasn't sure how she felt. I knew I shouldn't have been racing her, but I really wanted to beat her, as I usually did, not only because I'm competitive but to show my coach that I was continuing my improvement.
After I turned back, my legs became exhausted. I was fighting every step and not concentrating on my form, which is evident by my almost tripping (again) on a piece of the trail. I couldn't dwell on my embarrassing moment because I was having trouble just moving forward. The urge to walk was strong but I knew I couldn't no matter how hard it became because I had come beyond the giving up hope and walking thing, and RB was closing the gap. I refused to look at my watch until I got to 1.5 left (35:35) but even then I could feel my remaining energy leaving. My legs had become numb, I could hardly lift them up and so it became a step at a time.
The 6th mile was hard. I had passed a few of the 5 mile girls but because I refused to look back, I wasn't sure how far behind RB was (for some reason this still mattered). Running up a hill with about a half mile to go, a sprinter was running the opposite way and passing me, smiling and telling me I was doing a good job. As nice as this was, I felt like smacking her and screaming. I was going as fast as I could yet it felt like I was barely moving. My legs were so very tired and my good form had been gone miles ago.
I reached the parking lot of my school ready to fall to the ground. A quick glance showed me that I had actually increased my gap but I still sprinted, slowly, the last few feet. As soon as I came to the grass, I flopped to the ground and sat, which felt very nice. When my coach asked me how it went, I told him that it was terrible. He seemed genuinely concerned but I had no reason for why it was so hard. My meet shouldn't have had that much effect but neither should the heat. My run just incredibly sucked.
My time for 6 miles was 48:22. The last 3 miles were done in 24:55, more than a minute slower than the first half. I don't have an explanation for why it was so hard, but it was. I may have gotten a lot faster but it's still not easy.
(My race report from yesterday's meet is in the process of being typed but this post is about today's run. And how it completely sucked.)
I've always liked that Greg Lemond quote and now I have an excuse to use it. My run backs up the claim he made.
Many of the distance girls have been sick including my fast teammate JS who was also gone for the meet. One of the girls (RB) was back though and she was running on fresher legs than I was. We were told to do 6 miles so I decided to go about 8 minute pace as long as I could beat RB. My legs didn't feel too tired which was surprising and it was really nice out, almost 75 degrees in March. It was a little too warm for a nice run so the weather had some effect on me. It was also St. Patrick's Day which, because I am a redhead and Irish, should have given me extra strength to run with.
The first mile was in 7:52 which was good. RB was a little behind me which was also good. My legs began to get more tired throughout the run but I was at the halfway mark at 23:27. RB was running about 20ft behind me and I wasn't sure how she felt. I knew I shouldn't have been racing her, but I really wanted to beat her, as I usually did, not only because I'm competitive but to show my coach that I was continuing my improvement.
After I turned back, my legs became exhausted. I was fighting every step and not concentrating on my form, which is evident by my almost tripping (again) on a piece of the trail. I couldn't dwell on my embarrassing moment because I was having trouble just moving forward. The urge to walk was strong but I knew I couldn't no matter how hard it became because I had come beyond the giving up hope and walking thing, and RB was closing the gap. I refused to look at my watch until I got to 1.5 left (35:35) but even then I could feel my remaining energy leaving. My legs had become numb, I could hardly lift them up and so it became a step at a time.
The 6th mile was hard. I had passed a few of the 5 mile girls but because I refused to look back, I wasn't sure how far behind RB was (for some reason this still mattered). Running up a hill with about a half mile to go, a sprinter was running the opposite way and passing me, smiling and telling me I was doing a good job. As nice as this was, I felt like smacking her and screaming. I was going as fast as I could yet it felt like I was barely moving. My legs were so very tired and my good form had been gone miles ago.
I reached the parking lot of my school ready to fall to the ground. A quick glance showed me that I had actually increased my gap but I still sprinted, slowly, the last few feet. As soon as I came to the grass, I flopped to the ground and sat, which felt very nice. When my coach asked me how it went, I told him that it was terrible. He seemed genuinely concerned but I had no reason for why it was so hard. My meet shouldn't have had that much effect but neither should the heat. My run just incredibly sucked.
My time for 6 miles was 48:22. The last 3 miles were done in 24:55, more than a minute slower than the first half. I don't have an explanation for why it was so hard, but it was. I may have gotten a lot faster but it's still not easy.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
ANOTHER PR
Today I flew.
On my 6 mile run there was nobody to push me because some of my teammates weren't able to come to practice. So I had to push myself. I probably should've taken an easy day but my first mile was in 7:34. I fell into my rhythm and hit the halfway mark in 22:29 which is on pace for 45 minutes. My legs made me feel like I was just cruising along and had given me no idea of how fast I was going. Once I figured out that I only had to run 7:50 miles on the way back to get under 46 minutes and that I had the possibility of getting around 45 minutes, which had seemed like my new unreachable number.
My feet felt like they were barely touching the ground in the second half. They were getting a bit tired but my legs felt good. My nose was dripping all over which created a small problem but when I passed some of the girls up a hill on the way back, I forgot about it. I did something uncharacteristic of me, I ran the second half faster in 22:02.
That gives me a time of 44:31. My teammate told me that I had been a beast on my run and I'm inclined to agree. My coach told me I shouldn't have tried to PR but sometimes you don't get the option of choosing. Yes, it was probably stupid and my legs will start to hurt but I had to do it. Sometimes you have to fly.
By the way, my new 6 mile PR is almost 2 minutes less than the previous one. This was also run only a few days after a race, which makes it even better.
On my 6 mile run there was nobody to push me because some of my teammates weren't able to come to practice. So I had to push myself. I probably should've taken an easy day but my first mile was in 7:34. I fell into my rhythm and hit the halfway mark in 22:29 which is on pace for 45 minutes. My legs made me feel like I was just cruising along and had given me no idea of how fast I was going. Once I figured out that I only had to run 7:50 miles on the way back to get under 46 minutes and that I had the possibility of getting around 45 minutes, which had seemed like my new unreachable number.
My feet felt like they were barely touching the ground in the second half. They were getting a bit tired but my legs felt good. My nose was dripping all over which created a small problem but when I passed some of the girls up a hill on the way back, I forgot about it. I did something uncharacteristic of me, I ran the second half faster in 22:02.
That gives me a time of 44:31. My teammate told me that I had been a beast on my run and I'm inclined to agree. My coach told me I shouldn't have tried to PR but sometimes you don't get the option of choosing. Yes, it was probably stupid and my legs will start to hurt but I had to do it. Sometimes you have to fly.
By the way, my new 6 mile PR is almost 2 minutes less than the previous one. This was also run only a few days after a race, which makes it even better.
SHOWING OFF
Yesterday, in track practice, my calves hurt. A lot. But not as much as they have before. Which is good.
Most of the boy's and girl's team was doing this pacer test which involved running back and forth across the gym and making it to the line before the beeps which speeded up. My coach gave JS and I the option of running the pacer test or jogging around the gym because we had run about twice as much as everybody else. Guess which one we chose.
Jogging around a gym is even less exciting then you might think, which we realized after a minute or two. We were watching everyone else do the test and we agreed that most of the team, both boys and girls, completely sucked. The top girl made it to level six with 18 more to run before she dropped out. And many of the boys, although I think it was their second time so I'll give them some slack, were terrible. It didn't even look that hard and nobody seemed to be going that fast which made me think that maybe we should try it.
While we were discussing how badly in shape everyone was, our legs were loosening up and feeling better. JS brought up the idea which I had been thinking about, why don't we try to do the pacer test? I told her we should show everyone how to do it and so we jumped in for the second start.
Needless to say, we dominated. Neither JS or I had even discussed the possibility of not finishing the test and we weren't about to give each other the honor of being the final girl. We both ended up being the only girls to finish the pacer test (eight levels and 70 straights altogether) although it was a little harder then it looked. Towards the end, when I could feel Tuesday's race in my legs, we still didn't know how many levels there was altogether. I was hoping there was only a few left and it was confirmed by one of the distance guys that was running next to us (who finished every time) who told us that we were almost done. And thankfully we were, so we got the priviledge of being one of the few to finish.
Our coach didn't say much after that but he was smiling so I think he was glad we decided to run it. He did tell us later that we couldn't do another (although I kind of wanted to do another) but I think he also wanted us to run it at least once to prove something to the sprinters. Which brought up the reason why we ran it in the first place. It should've been an easy day and we didn't have to do it. We chose to do it.
I think the main reason, although there was more than one, is that we wanted to show off. JS and I love racing and the only thing better than racing people you don't know, is racing (and beating) people you do know. We wanted to show that at least some of the girls were good and prove to those same girls that we were better.
It's also because we wanted to race the boys. Ever since I was a little kid, I have loved racing boys because they get so upset when a girl beats them. They still do. JS and I were just as excited to beat them now then when we did years ago. And considering how many of them didn't finish at least one (although some finished them all which I'll give them credit for), we were showing them that yes, there are girls that can still beat them. One of our purposes was to impress both track teams which I think we might've achieved judging by the compliments we later received.
Most of the boy's and girl's team was doing this pacer test which involved running back and forth across the gym and making it to the line before the beeps which speeded up. My coach gave JS and I the option of running the pacer test or jogging around the gym because we had run about twice as much as everybody else. Guess which one we chose.
Jogging around a gym is even less exciting then you might think, which we realized after a minute or two. We were watching everyone else do the test and we agreed that most of the team, both boys and girls, completely sucked. The top girl made it to level six with 18 more to run before she dropped out. And many of the boys, although I think it was their second time so I'll give them some slack, were terrible. It didn't even look that hard and nobody seemed to be going that fast which made me think that maybe we should try it.
While we were discussing how badly in shape everyone was, our legs were loosening up and feeling better. JS brought up the idea which I had been thinking about, why don't we try to do the pacer test? I told her we should show everyone how to do it and so we jumped in for the second start.
Needless to say, we dominated. Neither JS or I had even discussed the possibility of not finishing the test and we weren't about to give each other the honor of being the final girl. We both ended up being the only girls to finish the pacer test (eight levels and 70 straights altogether) although it was a little harder then it looked. Towards the end, when I could feel Tuesday's race in my legs, we still didn't know how many levels there was altogether. I was hoping there was only a few left and it was confirmed by one of the distance guys that was running next to us (who finished every time) who told us that we were almost done. And thankfully we were, so we got the priviledge of being one of the few to finish.
Our coach didn't say much after that but he was smiling so I think he was glad we decided to run it. He did tell us later that we couldn't do another (although I kind of wanted to do another) but I think he also wanted us to run it at least once to prove something to the sprinters. Which brought up the reason why we ran it in the first place. It should've been an easy day and we didn't have to do it. We chose to do it.
I think the main reason, although there was more than one, is that we wanted to show off. JS and I love racing and the only thing better than racing people you don't know, is racing (and beating) people you do know. We wanted to show that at least some of the girls were good and prove to those same girls that we were better.
It's also because we wanted to race the boys. Ever since I was a little kid, I have loved racing boys because they get so upset when a girl beats them. They still do. JS and I were just as excited to beat them now then when we did years ago. And considering how many of them didn't finish at least one (although some finished them all which I'll give them credit for), we were showing them that yes, there are girls that can still beat them. One of our purposes was to impress both track teams which I think we might've achieved judging by the compliments we later received.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
TOUCHING THE FLOOR
It has been over 2 weeks since I have last posted but in my defense, I have been busy. It started with the week before finals and all the projects that came with it and then the week of finals consists of studying. Plus, I've been having difficulties thinking up topics to write about because my running has been going pretty nicely. Of course, that changed on Friday.
We were given a day off a school and because of our conflicting schedules, our newly nice coach decided to let us run on our own. In retrospect, this was a bad decision. We had a track workout consisting of 16 200's at 45 seconds with varying breaks on Thursday but I thought a 5 mile tempo run on Friday sounded good.
It was beautiful on Friday with temperatures above 50 degrees. This motivated me although I was running by myself. The first half I was struggling with a fast pace, my legs felt good but my stomach didn't. It felt like I was running on empty, but I wasn't. Looking back, I was probably partly dehydrated because I was just getting used to the temperatures. On the way back, I was forced to take two walking breaks before I found my rhythm again.
I was moving steadily, although a bit slowly, when I tripped on the sidewalk about a half mile from my school. I'm still not sure what exactly happened; I know I wasn't watching my feet so I might've been looking back at the traffic to find a place to cross the street or I might've been concentrating on my form. All I do know is that suddenly I was on the ground and had literally rolled into a dirt pile. My first thought was "what the heck just happened?" before standing up and looking around to make sure there were few witnesses to my lapse in gracefullness.
I then assessed my injuries and determined that although my palms were burning, they were only scraped and that the dirt caked to my shirt would come off. The focus of my attention was then on my right leg which had received some road rash. There was a big spot near my knee that was bleeding but my leg didn't hurt until twenty minutes later when it became extremely painful. The rest of me seemed okay so after a walking break where I regained my composure, I ran back so I could get my miles in.
Luckily, I had brought water with me so I could wash my palms and leg off. When I began driving home, I noticed that my right elbow was scraped up, similar to a teammate who tripped and fell on Thursday after coming into contact with a sprinter in lane one. The majority of my injuries was on my leg however, but it didn't look as bad when I cleaned it off.
On Saturday though, I found that both my hips were bruised, with my right one being the worst. I am no longer able to put pressure on my right side or cross my legs. Even an accidental touch to my bruise is painful. And I am sick. A runny nose combined with a shortage of Kleenex and a sore throat does not bode well for my first indoor track meet of the year on Tuesday. I have taken the rainy weekend off however, to rest up and heal in order to be in prime shape for my meet. Hopefully, it will work and I will be feeling better so I can show off what my training has achieved.
We were given a day off a school and because of our conflicting schedules, our newly nice coach decided to let us run on our own. In retrospect, this was a bad decision. We had a track workout consisting of 16 200's at 45 seconds with varying breaks on Thursday but I thought a 5 mile tempo run on Friday sounded good.
It was beautiful on Friday with temperatures above 50 degrees. This motivated me although I was running by myself. The first half I was struggling with a fast pace, my legs felt good but my stomach didn't. It felt like I was running on empty, but I wasn't. Looking back, I was probably partly dehydrated because I was just getting used to the temperatures. On the way back, I was forced to take two walking breaks before I found my rhythm again.
I was moving steadily, although a bit slowly, when I tripped on the sidewalk about a half mile from my school. I'm still not sure what exactly happened; I know I wasn't watching my feet so I might've been looking back at the traffic to find a place to cross the street or I might've been concentrating on my form. All I do know is that suddenly I was on the ground and had literally rolled into a dirt pile. My first thought was "what the heck just happened?" before standing up and looking around to make sure there were few witnesses to my lapse in gracefullness.
I then assessed my injuries and determined that although my palms were burning, they were only scraped and that the dirt caked to my shirt would come off. The focus of my attention was then on my right leg which had received some road rash. There was a big spot near my knee that was bleeding but my leg didn't hurt until twenty minutes later when it became extremely painful. The rest of me seemed okay so after a walking break where I regained my composure, I ran back so I could get my miles in.
Luckily, I had brought water with me so I could wash my palms and leg off. When I began driving home, I noticed that my right elbow was scraped up, similar to a teammate who tripped and fell on Thursday after coming into contact with a sprinter in lane one. The majority of my injuries was on my leg however, but it didn't look as bad when I cleaned it off.
On Saturday though, I found that both my hips were bruised, with my right one being the worst. I am no longer able to put pressure on my right side or cross my legs. Even an accidental touch to my bruise is painful. And I am sick. A runny nose combined with a shortage of Kleenex and a sore throat does not bode well for my first indoor track meet of the year on Tuesday. I have taken the rainy weekend off however, to rest up and heal in order to be in prime shape for my meet. Hopefully, it will work and I will be feeling better so I can show off what my training has achieved.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
FOUR MILES
On my first real high school track practice I ran 4 miles. Having not trained over the winter, I had also not run over 2 miles consecutively. That run was terrible. I had to walk some of the way and I couldn't believe we still had a week of practice left. I thought of that as a long run but it turns out it wasn't. It took me over 40 minutes and I was exhausted at the end. I had no idea how I was ever going to get through track.
On Thursday I ran 4 miles. I set a new PR in 30:34 even though it felt like I was struggling. My legs didn't feel too bad though with only 16 miles ran so far this week. Besides the PR, there was one more thing that made this run special. The lead runner was me. My faster teammate wasn't there but I would've been able to keep up with her like I have most of the week. With or without her though, I was in the front. I've been in the front before but never by myself. I was running at a faster pace then everybody else on my team. This time, I was the one everyone tried to catch. This fact was not lost on me, as evident by the random smiles on my face. I felt like I had truly made it. I was flying in front. I was the leader of the run.
I didn't realize until I was stretching afterwards that I had run the same exact route when I first started. My running has changed so much since then, and not only in my endurance. I now look the part of a runner and I am good friends with many of my teammates. I now understand that these miles are neccessary for me to succeed. I love running more than ever. I have run miles and miles since that first practice and have worked hard to get where I am now. It hasn't been easy but on Thursday, when I was in the front, I knew it was all worth it.
On Thursday I ran 4 miles. I set a new PR in 30:34 even though it felt like I was struggling. My legs didn't feel too bad though with only 16 miles ran so far this week. Besides the PR, there was one more thing that made this run special. The lead runner was me. My faster teammate wasn't there but I would've been able to keep up with her like I have most of the week. With or without her though, I was in the front. I've been in the front before but never by myself. I was running at a faster pace then everybody else on my team. This time, I was the one everyone tried to catch. This fact was not lost on me, as evident by the random smiles on my face. I felt like I had truly made it. I was flying in front. I was the leader of the run.
I didn't realize until I was stretching afterwards that I had run the same exact route when I first started. My running has changed so much since then, and not only in my endurance. I now look the part of a runner and I am good friends with many of my teammates. I now understand that these miles are neccessary for me to succeed. I love running more than ever. I have run miles and miles since that first practice and have worked hard to get where I am now. It hasn't been easy but on Thursday, when I was in the front, I knew it was all worth it.
Friday, February 20, 2009
SOARING, FLYING
Earlier today, I set a new PR, breaking the one set on Tuesday. Including this week, I have run 6 miles under 50 minutes three separate times. Two of those runs came this week.
September 22, 2008- 48:17
February 17, 2009- 47:11
February 20, 2009- 46:26
The strangest thing about my run was that I didn't feel like I was going that fast. My legs have been tired so I just wanted a long, slow easy run. I set out to do my own pace and not race with my faster teammate or my coach. I just wanted to get some recovery miles in. During the first half, it felt like I was doing a pretty good job of that. My teammate was ahead of me but still in sight while my coach was behind me. I was feeling good but more of a relaxing run good. Then I reached the halfway point. My watch read 23:11. Tuesday's PR mark at that spot- 24:00.
My initial reaction was to make sure my watch was still going and that I didn't bump any of the buttons. Once I was assured of this, I just thought to myself how awesome it was that my "slow" run was on track to be a PR. I didn't speed up, well maybe a little. I just made sure my teammate didn't get too far ahead and kept going. I did race up the last .75 mile stretch to make sure I got my time but I didn't go fast enough to feel like I needed to stop. I checked my watch once I was done and there was that wonderful number. 46:26 which is a 7:45 minute pace.
I found my teammate after I finished and checked to see what her time was to make sure I hadn't messed my watch up. She said it was 45:something which meant my time was for real. I had really gone that fast. I told her that I didn't believe I went that fast and she responded by saying "Yeah, we were really flying out there".
I'm still in disbelief about my time though. I believe I can run that fast but I didn't feel like I was today. Slow recovery runs aren't supposed to go that fast. It was supposed to be around 50 minutes but I was so much speedier. The biggest thing is that this was after four days of running fast. I'm not complaining though, I'd like these days to come more often.
September 22, 2008- 48:17
February 17, 2009- 47:11
February 20, 2009- 46:26
The strangest thing about my run was that I didn't feel like I was going that fast. My legs have been tired so I just wanted a long, slow easy run. I set out to do my own pace and not race with my faster teammate or my coach. I just wanted to get some recovery miles in. During the first half, it felt like I was doing a pretty good job of that. My teammate was ahead of me but still in sight while my coach was behind me. I was feeling good but more of a relaxing run good. Then I reached the halfway point. My watch read 23:11. Tuesday's PR mark at that spot- 24:00.
My initial reaction was to make sure my watch was still going and that I didn't bump any of the buttons. Once I was assured of this, I just thought to myself how awesome it was that my "slow" run was on track to be a PR. I didn't speed up, well maybe a little. I just made sure my teammate didn't get too far ahead and kept going. I did race up the last .75 mile stretch to make sure I got my time but I didn't go fast enough to feel like I needed to stop. I checked my watch once I was done and there was that wonderful number. 46:26 which is a 7:45 minute pace.
I found my teammate after I finished and checked to see what her time was to make sure I hadn't messed my watch up. She said it was 45:something which meant my time was for real. I had really gone that fast. I told her that I didn't believe I went that fast and she responded by saying "Yeah, we were really flying out there".
I'm still in disbelief about my time though. I believe I can run that fast but I didn't feel like I was today. Slow recovery runs aren't supposed to go that fast. It was supposed to be around 50 minutes but I was so much speedier. The biggest thing is that this was after four days of running fast. I'm not complaining though, I'd like these days to come more often.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
WINTER TRAINING
Right before our school went on Christmas break, I talked with my coach and asked him how many miles I should be running. He told me I ought to be up around 30, which made me lie and say I had done 28 the previous week. I would've done 28 miles but the day I had scheduled a 7 miler, there was some nasty weather. It scared me though, into thinking that I would be completely terrible come February. I had finished my first season as a member of varsity for xc and ran at the state track meet for my previous track season. That small taste of being good had me wanting more. It seemed that the 5 or 6 days a week that I had spent running since November wasn't good enough. I wanted to be more than good enough though, I wanted to accomplish something more. The effort it would take to achieve this took something that I wasn't sure I had.
I was running almost everyday, yet I wasn't doing enough running on those days. The cold weather and lack of daylight to run in wasn't exactly motivating me, but it didn't seem to be the biggest problem. I could overlook these things as long as I wasn't bored. A good route would get my mind off of winter and allow me to focus on something else. The problem was finding somewhere to run. I had found myself doing the same route over and over without any changes. I didn't know where else to run though without running up large hills. One day I ran up those hills, being driven by immense boredom I had concocted a 5.65 mile route consisting of 3 large hills. There was new scenery to watch and it was more of an out and back route that made it harder to skip out on. The challenge it gave me was even better, it forced me to expend the effort that I might make me better.
The weeks since then have involved running that same route while changing up some of the ins and outs. The hills may have gotten a little easier but they were still tough. I found myself having to stop some days and rest my legs but I always went on without walking up them. However, there was one hill that challenged me more than the others. It wasn't the longest or the last one, but it was the steepest. It seemed like no matter how I paced myself, I could not get up it without stopping. Until one day I did. I slowly struggled up it with terrible form but I made it. From then on, the hill no longer seemed as big of an obstacle. It wasn't every day that I could run up it without stopping, but I no longer viewed it as a problem or something that should stop me. It wasn't out to get me, it was just there.
One of my neighbors (also a runner) who lives down the hill, was talking about me with my mother yesterday. He told her that I was built like a Kenyan (only a runner would think this was a compliment) and that I should run the Bix this year. He also said that he was both impressed and inspired by my hard work and determination. He has seen my running up our hill and thought that while some people may have raw talent, not everyone has dedication.
My first reaction to this, was to enjoy his compliments but also to underscore them. I thought that if he would have known how hard it was to get myself outside, how I had struggled with those hills, or how I couldn't wait to get my run over with, that he would disagree with what he had said. I thought I could've done more, that the extra miles I had done weren't enough to benefit me. Even when talking to my teammates who haven't been running very much, my opinion didn't change.
I now look on it with a different perspective. I think of how I was miserable through most of my runs, but I also think of how I did those runs. No one was forcing me to run those hills yet I did. Maybe I do have determination. Maybe all that running I did amounts to hard work. Maybe that was what my winter training was about. Not hitting certain times or doing a certain number of miles, but the going out and running part. I think that is what has made me stronger runner more than anything.
The willingness to undergo tough workouts and do the extra mile is something I hope will carry over to track practices. I have complained many times about our practices, but this winter I found that even the hardest were necessary. I now find myself willing to do those practices because they may be hard but the mental and physical benefits are far greater than the effort I give. To quote my beloved Nickelback "what's worth the price is always worth the fight".
I was running almost everyday, yet I wasn't doing enough running on those days. The cold weather and lack of daylight to run in wasn't exactly motivating me, but it didn't seem to be the biggest problem. I could overlook these things as long as I wasn't bored. A good route would get my mind off of winter and allow me to focus on something else. The problem was finding somewhere to run. I had found myself doing the same route over and over without any changes. I didn't know where else to run though without running up large hills. One day I ran up those hills, being driven by immense boredom I had concocted a 5.65 mile route consisting of 3 large hills. There was new scenery to watch and it was more of an out and back route that made it harder to skip out on. The challenge it gave me was even better, it forced me to expend the effort that I might make me better.
The weeks since then have involved running that same route while changing up some of the ins and outs. The hills may have gotten a little easier but they were still tough. I found myself having to stop some days and rest my legs but I always went on without walking up them. However, there was one hill that challenged me more than the others. It wasn't the longest or the last one, but it was the steepest. It seemed like no matter how I paced myself, I could not get up it without stopping. Until one day I did. I slowly struggled up it with terrible form but I made it. From then on, the hill no longer seemed as big of an obstacle. It wasn't every day that I could run up it without stopping, but I no longer viewed it as a problem or something that should stop me. It wasn't out to get me, it was just there.
One of my neighbors (also a runner) who lives down the hill, was talking about me with my mother yesterday. He told her that I was built like a Kenyan (only a runner would think this was a compliment) and that I should run the Bix this year. He also said that he was both impressed and inspired by my hard work and determination. He has seen my running up our hill and thought that while some people may have raw talent, not everyone has dedication.
My first reaction to this, was to enjoy his compliments but also to underscore them. I thought that if he would have known how hard it was to get myself outside, how I had struggled with those hills, or how I couldn't wait to get my run over with, that he would disagree with what he had said. I thought I could've done more, that the extra miles I had done weren't enough to benefit me. Even when talking to my teammates who haven't been running very much, my opinion didn't change.
I now look on it with a different perspective. I think of how I was miserable through most of my runs, but I also think of how I did those runs. No one was forcing me to run those hills yet I did. Maybe I do have determination. Maybe all that running I did amounts to hard work. Maybe that was what my winter training was about. Not hitting certain times or doing a certain number of miles, but the going out and running part. I think that is what has made me stronger runner more than anything.
The willingness to undergo tough workouts and do the extra mile is something I hope will carry over to track practices. I have complained many times about our practices, but this winter I found that even the hardest were necessary. I now find myself willing to do those practices because they may be hard but the mental and physical benefits are far greater than the effort I give. To quote my beloved Nickelback "what's worth the price is always worth the fight".
Thursday, February 12, 2009
WHY I RUN (and why I am awesome among other things)
Old 5 mile PR: 38:50 on a rainy day in September with my fastest teammate (great weather conditions).
New 5 mile PR: 37:32 on a windy day in February by myself with 7mph winds.
In my own modest opinion, I totally rock. I beasted this run. I'm still finding myself doing victory dances when I think of it.
I'm not usually this excited when I PR, although this record was one of my fastest and one I was particularly proud of. So I guess I sort of knew that I'd be extra happy when it fell. But since it fell 3.5 days before track starts, it feels even more amazing. This feeling of great accomplishment is one of the best.
My run started out in not so prime conditions. I had decided to run a 5 mile route that went to another high school down the street, but I didn't know what the weather was going to be like so I had to guess (I was right on) and when I went outside, the wind almost knocked me over. It didn't get better because the first half of my route was straight into the wind. I had taken yesterday off so my legs should've felt rested, but when I was less than a mile into my run, my legs were heavy and weren't moving very fast (although it might've just seemed this way). I was struggling against the wind and a slight but long hill was coming up. I contemplated turning back but decided I'd look even stronger if I went on and I wanted to show off to all my classmates who drove by in their cars.
I went on and the wind lessened up a bit. Then I spotted two girls from the high school I was running to. When I spot other runners, especially those I want to impress, I become a vulture and chase them down. Not only would my school look good, but I would look good and they wouldn't (I become a nasty person when I run). I, of course, began speeding up the pace and was less than 5 feet away when.....they started walking. What kind of people start walking when they're about to be passed? I hate when people do this, just let yourself be passed or go faster.
About 100m later I saw another runner from the same school, which I was now in front of, and once he went by me I considered turning around and racing him just for the heck of it but decided that I needed to go the full distance. Plus he was a high school guy so I thought he might be to fast for me to race.
I went about 200m more and actually went the full distance of the route before turning around. I checked my time a few seconds later and it was.....19:35!?! Immediately I tried remembering my PR (I thought it was around 38:30) and knew I was on good pace to beat it. I had just run against this terrible wind yet I was racing right along. I knew I had a good chance of making it because not only would the wind be at my back, but after a long hill it would be downhill. On my way back, I went as fast as I thought I could keep up, because suddenly I really, really wanted that PR.
I sprinted up the hills but also concentrated on my form. At the large intersection which divides the road between the two schools in half, stood the high school guy. He was certainly surprised to see me. Luckily, the uncomfortable silence we stood in was soon over and across the street we went. Naturally, I started racing him. It was at this moment that I decided I wanted to beat this kid. I was feeling good and beating him would make me feel great. Plus he was a boy (males seem to get especially upset when they're passed by a girl) and he was from the other high school. He was also running at the exact pace I needed to run so whenever he sped up, I followed. If he slowed down, I kept going. I wanted to see the look on his face when I passed him. I did get to see parts of it as he kept looking back at me once he realized I was racing him. I was right behind him when he suddenly turned the corner. I could not believe it. We had only been racing for about 400m and he already quit. The road he was taking wasn't even a good option, it offered about 600m more and there were few sidewalks. This made me upset because I love beating guys and he wasn't going to give me the satisfaction (it was a good move on his part though).
I ran even harder once I was alone, half hoping my coach would drive by and see. Even at the faster pace I wasn't getting tired. I felt like I was flying, the noise of my feet pounding the pavement was the only indication I was on the ground. I felt amazing. At the large intersection, I wasn't sure if I was going fast enough to get the PR but with each step I could feel it slip into my grasp. When one of my classmates ran by, I barely noticed him because I was so focused. Because I was going to get my PR.
I sprinted up the parking lot to my school and stopped my watch. I wasn't sure what my old PR was so I knew I needed low 38's to get it. I looked and it was.....37:32. Immediately a huge smile graced my face and it stayed there as I slowly walked back and forth. I was extremely excited and had suddenly gotten a huge burst of energy. I was also filled with a rejuvinated love for running.
I had done it. I had beat myself and achieved a new PR. It was just an awesome feeling to know that the miles and miles of hard work I had put in over the winter were finally paying off. That I was ready for track to start and that even before the start of the season, my PR's were being replaced. Even though the weather was unfavorable and there was no one to push me except myself, I had done it. This PR is proof of the hard work and determination of those miserable long days spent in the snowy streets running. It is also proof that I can do so much more than I thought was possible.
And Happy 200th Birthday to Abraham Lincoln, who gave me a little extra power on this fabulous run. It was superb, kind of like he was.
New 5 mile PR: 37:32 on a windy day in February by myself with 7mph winds.
In my own modest opinion, I totally rock. I beasted this run. I'm still finding myself doing victory dances when I think of it.
I'm not usually this excited when I PR, although this record was one of my fastest and one I was particularly proud of. So I guess I sort of knew that I'd be extra happy when it fell. But since it fell 3.5 days before track starts, it feels even more amazing. This feeling of great accomplishment is one of the best.
My run started out in not so prime conditions. I had decided to run a 5 mile route that went to another high school down the street, but I didn't know what the weather was going to be like so I had to guess (I was right on) and when I went outside, the wind almost knocked me over. It didn't get better because the first half of my route was straight into the wind. I had taken yesterday off so my legs should've felt rested, but when I was less than a mile into my run, my legs were heavy and weren't moving very fast (although it might've just seemed this way). I was struggling against the wind and a slight but long hill was coming up. I contemplated turning back but decided I'd look even stronger if I went on and I wanted to show off to all my classmates who drove by in their cars.
I went on and the wind lessened up a bit. Then I spotted two girls from the high school I was running to. When I spot other runners, especially those I want to impress, I become a vulture and chase them down. Not only would my school look good, but I would look good and they wouldn't (I become a nasty person when I run). I, of course, began speeding up the pace and was less than 5 feet away when.....they started walking. What kind of people start walking when they're about to be passed? I hate when people do this, just let yourself be passed or go faster.
About 100m later I saw another runner from the same school, which I was now in front of, and once he went by me I considered turning around and racing him just for the heck of it but decided that I needed to go the full distance. Plus he was a high school guy so I thought he might be to fast for me to race.
I went about 200m more and actually went the full distance of the route before turning around. I checked my time a few seconds later and it was.....19:35!?! Immediately I tried remembering my PR (I thought it was around 38:30) and knew I was on good pace to beat it. I had just run against this terrible wind yet I was racing right along. I knew I had a good chance of making it because not only would the wind be at my back, but after a long hill it would be downhill. On my way back, I went as fast as I thought I could keep up, because suddenly I really, really wanted that PR.
I sprinted up the hills but also concentrated on my form. At the large intersection which divides the road between the two schools in half, stood the high school guy. He was certainly surprised to see me. Luckily, the uncomfortable silence we stood in was soon over and across the street we went. Naturally, I started racing him. It was at this moment that I decided I wanted to beat this kid. I was feeling good and beating him would make me feel great. Plus he was a boy (males seem to get especially upset when they're passed by a girl) and he was from the other high school. He was also running at the exact pace I needed to run so whenever he sped up, I followed. If he slowed down, I kept going. I wanted to see the look on his face when I passed him. I did get to see parts of it as he kept looking back at me once he realized I was racing him. I was right behind him when he suddenly turned the corner. I could not believe it. We had only been racing for about 400m and he already quit. The road he was taking wasn't even a good option, it offered about 600m more and there were few sidewalks. This made me upset because I love beating guys and he wasn't going to give me the satisfaction (it was a good move on his part though).
I ran even harder once I was alone, half hoping my coach would drive by and see. Even at the faster pace I wasn't getting tired. I felt like I was flying, the noise of my feet pounding the pavement was the only indication I was on the ground. I felt amazing. At the large intersection, I wasn't sure if I was going fast enough to get the PR but with each step I could feel it slip into my grasp. When one of my classmates ran by, I barely noticed him because I was so focused. Because I was going to get my PR.
I sprinted up the parking lot to my school and stopped my watch. I wasn't sure what my old PR was so I knew I needed low 38's to get it. I looked and it was.....37:32. Immediately a huge smile graced my face and it stayed there as I slowly walked back and forth. I was extremely excited and had suddenly gotten a huge burst of energy. I was also filled with a rejuvinated love for running.
I had done it. I had beat myself and achieved a new PR. It was just an awesome feeling to know that the miles and miles of hard work I had put in over the winter were finally paying off. That I was ready for track to start and that even before the start of the season, my PR's were being replaced. Even though the weather was unfavorable and there was no one to push me except myself, I had done it. This PR is proof of the hard work and determination of those miserable long days spent in the snowy streets running. It is also proof that I can do so much more than I thought was possible.
And Happy 200th Birthday to Abraham Lincoln, who gave me a little extra power on this fabulous run. It was superb, kind of like he was.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
SIMPLY WONDERFUL
It was an amazingly beautiful day today. And I'd say this even if it wasn't February. Or in Iowa.
It must've been around 60 degrees and it felt just like spring. Of course that meant I spent most of the day looking longingly out the windows. When I finally got outside, birds were singing, the sky was blue, and I didn't feel cold in my shorts. Simply wonderful.
I ran 5 miles after school with one of my friends on the team. She's pretty fast but she didn't train over the winter so now my easy runs feel fast to her (which secretly makes me feel awesome). I had to go a bit slower than I usually do but I was happy to run with someone else. I did feel like running extra fast so it was kind of a letdown and I even thought about running a couple more miles after we were done, but decided against it because I don't want to overdo it the week before track. We stretched outside after our run and I later played volleyball with my dad though, so I still could enjoy this fabulous weather. If it would have been less windy I might've even done my homework outside.
The temperatures have certainly had an effect on my training. Our run was at a 8:36 pace and felt slow to me, but I've been having trouble getting under a 9:00 pace when it's 30 degrees or less. I wasn't sure if this was because I was out of shape or the weather. The miles seem to be paying off although I'll have to wait for track to start to see the full result. My run really boosted my confidence though and I can't wait for track to start so I can really see how fast I am.
It must've been around 60 degrees and it felt just like spring. Of course that meant I spent most of the day looking longingly out the windows. When I finally got outside, birds were singing, the sky was blue, and I didn't feel cold in my shorts. Simply wonderful.
I ran 5 miles after school with one of my friends on the team. She's pretty fast but she didn't train over the winter so now my easy runs feel fast to her (which secretly makes me feel awesome). I had to go a bit slower than I usually do but I was happy to run with someone else. I did feel like running extra fast so it was kind of a letdown and I even thought about running a couple more miles after we were done, but decided against it because I don't want to overdo it the week before track. We stretched outside after our run and I later played volleyball with my dad though, so I still could enjoy this fabulous weather. If it would have been less windy I might've even done my homework outside.
The temperatures have certainly had an effect on my training. Our run was at a 8:36 pace and felt slow to me, but I've been having trouble getting under a 9:00 pace when it's 30 degrees or less. I wasn't sure if this was because I was out of shape or the weather. The miles seem to be paying off although I'll have to wait for track to start to see the full result. My run really boosted my confidence though and I can't wait for track to start so I can really see how fast I am.
Monday, February 9, 2009
GOALS
The warm weather we've been having (I've been wearing shorts in February) has made me more focused on my running. Running in all this crazy weather helped me finish a goals project for my psychology class. One of my goals had to do with running and although I went a bit over the top, I thought it was pretty good so I'd like to share it.
My Personal Goal
Sometimes I run because of a track. It’s a blue track, one where athletes from all over the world run at in April and where Iowa’s best runners compete at in May, but nevertheless it’s still a track. But through the winter, running through cold, snow, wind, and ice, the idea of running on the track at Drake University in Des Moines keeps me going. I’ll run an extra mile, do another lap, or run up that hill again for the chance to run a few laps around Drake’s track. Because I know it will be worth it.
I know this because I have run there before. When I was in the area during September 2007, I ran a 1500 by myself. While running those laps in the empty stadium with my feet slapping against the blue, I wanted to run there again. I wanted to race there with the stands full of people and other girls beside me. I thought this was a long off dream, maybe something I could accomplish my senior year. Or that maybe it would just remain a dream, something I would always wish I had achieved.
Yet eight months later I was there. I was realizing my dream. I had qualified for the state track meet with my 4x800 team, which we discovered after an agonizing wait. My race was on the first day of the meet, so I first had to take my A.P. World test. When driving to Des Moines, I prepared myself for this monumental event. The circumstances surrounding my race weren’t the best because not only was I incredibly nervous, but I had lost most of my voice, had a bad cough, and was aware of the warm weather. But when I arrived, having not even yet run, but only looked at that beautiful blue track and the crowds of people in the stands, I knew I had made it. As I ran my leg of the 4x800, I looked at the people, heard the cheers, glanced at the famous track, and realized how many great runners had taken these very same steps before me. I had made my dream come true in about two and a half minutes. And now I want to do it again.
In May of 2009, I want to be running around that oval again. I want to be running faster, be better prepared, and healthier than I was in that memorable race. I want to run at Drake in the state meet. Of course, by saying this, it won’t automatically come true. I have to depend on my teammates to do their best and help me get there. If I don’t qualify for an individual race, than it will be my teammates who assist me in attaining my goal. Not only will I have to encourage myself, I have to encourage them. We will have to work together in practice and meets to be able to run at the best meet of all.
Runners, specifically female runners, acquire the most injuries of any sport. They can happen by running too much, not enough, or even the right amount. When training by myself, I have to learn how to stop before doing too much so I am in the right shape in May. Running all the time isn’t good for my body so I will need to take breaks, no matter how many miles I have run. I’ll have to depend on my coach during the season to make sure his workouts don’t give me injuries. I have to take some responsibility also, by communicating to my coach about my running. I am still the one who needs to listen to my body and take breaks however.
Having said this, the only thing that can really stop me from getting to the state track meet is me. I am voice inside myself that makes excuses and takes unnecessary breaks. But I am also that same voice that has the ability to make me run miles after miles no matter what the weather or how I feel. I am the one who will receive the rewards so I am the one who has to work to obtain them.
To make it to the state meet, I’ve had to start training much earlier. I started running in November for the races in May. None of this has been easy. Because of the lack of daylight, I have to run right after school, which means I have to be home right after school. If I miss a run, then I have to trade in my rest day to make sure I get enough miles in. I don’t always get enough miles in, so I am not allowing for my training to be at the highest level. This might hurt my performance when I need to do my best. I also have to fit my homework in somehow so that leaves less time for friends or fun things.
Most of my time is taken up with hard work and it makes me feel like I’m constantly in training. In order for my training to be at the highest level, this is necessary. For example, lunch has to consist of healthy and filling meals so I don’t get hungry or sick during my run. That means no pizza, hot dogs, chips, or fries, while eating more of fruits and vegetables. I have had to widen my eating palate and as a result, the food I have given up no longer seems as appetizing.
This goal is very important in my running right now. Running at Drake is symbolic of the fact that you are good at running. That you have made it, you have achieved what thousands of others have wanted to do. It acknowledges that you have sacrificed so much in order to be at this spot and are willing to do it everyday with no recognition. Running on that breathtaking blue track was one of the most amazing events in my life. Just thinking of it, knowing that I have run at Drake Stadium where Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson, Jesse Owens, Alan Webb, and many other great runners have also run, it gives you the greatest feeling. One that I am willing to work at to feel again.
My Personal Goal
Sometimes I run because of a track. It’s a blue track, one where athletes from all over the world run at in April and where Iowa’s best runners compete at in May, but nevertheless it’s still a track. But through the winter, running through cold, snow, wind, and ice, the idea of running on the track at Drake University in Des Moines keeps me going. I’ll run an extra mile, do another lap, or run up that hill again for the chance to run a few laps around Drake’s track. Because I know it will be worth it.
I know this because I have run there before. When I was in the area during September 2007, I ran a 1500 by myself. While running those laps in the empty stadium with my feet slapping against the blue, I wanted to run there again. I wanted to race there with the stands full of people and other girls beside me. I thought this was a long off dream, maybe something I could accomplish my senior year. Or that maybe it would just remain a dream, something I would always wish I had achieved.
Yet eight months later I was there. I was realizing my dream. I had qualified for the state track meet with my 4x800 team, which we discovered after an agonizing wait. My race was on the first day of the meet, so I first had to take my A.P. World test. When driving to Des Moines, I prepared myself for this monumental event. The circumstances surrounding my race weren’t the best because not only was I incredibly nervous, but I had lost most of my voice, had a bad cough, and was aware of the warm weather. But when I arrived, having not even yet run, but only looked at that beautiful blue track and the crowds of people in the stands, I knew I had made it. As I ran my leg of the 4x800, I looked at the people, heard the cheers, glanced at the famous track, and realized how many great runners had taken these very same steps before me. I had made my dream come true in about two and a half minutes. And now I want to do it again.
In May of 2009, I want to be running around that oval again. I want to be running faster, be better prepared, and healthier than I was in that memorable race. I want to run at Drake in the state meet. Of course, by saying this, it won’t automatically come true. I have to depend on my teammates to do their best and help me get there. If I don’t qualify for an individual race, than it will be my teammates who assist me in attaining my goal. Not only will I have to encourage myself, I have to encourage them. We will have to work together in practice and meets to be able to run at the best meet of all.
Runners, specifically female runners, acquire the most injuries of any sport. They can happen by running too much, not enough, or even the right amount. When training by myself, I have to learn how to stop before doing too much so I am in the right shape in May. Running all the time isn’t good for my body so I will need to take breaks, no matter how many miles I have run. I’ll have to depend on my coach during the season to make sure his workouts don’t give me injuries. I have to take some responsibility also, by communicating to my coach about my running. I am still the one who needs to listen to my body and take breaks however.
Having said this, the only thing that can really stop me from getting to the state track meet is me. I am voice inside myself that makes excuses and takes unnecessary breaks. But I am also that same voice that has the ability to make me run miles after miles no matter what the weather or how I feel. I am the one who will receive the rewards so I am the one who has to work to obtain them.
To make it to the state meet, I’ve had to start training much earlier. I started running in November for the races in May. None of this has been easy. Because of the lack of daylight, I have to run right after school, which means I have to be home right after school. If I miss a run, then I have to trade in my rest day to make sure I get enough miles in. I don’t always get enough miles in, so I am not allowing for my training to be at the highest level. This might hurt my performance when I need to do my best. I also have to fit my homework in somehow so that leaves less time for friends or fun things.
Most of my time is taken up with hard work and it makes me feel like I’m constantly in training. In order for my training to be at the highest level, this is necessary. For example, lunch has to consist of healthy and filling meals so I don’t get hungry or sick during my run. That means no pizza, hot dogs, chips, or fries, while eating more of fruits and vegetables. I have had to widen my eating palate and as a result, the food I have given up no longer seems as appetizing.
This goal is very important in my running right now. Running at Drake is symbolic of the fact that you are good at running. That you have made it, you have achieved what thousands of others have wanted to do. It acknowledges that you have sacrificed so much in order to be at this spot and are willing to do it everyday with no recognition. Running on that breathtaking blue track was one of the most amazing events in my life. Just thinking of it, knowing that I have run at Drake Stadium where Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson, Jesse Owens, Alan Webb, and many other great runners have also run, it gives you the greatest feeling. One that I am willing to work at to feel again.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
RUNNING UPDATE
A running update for the week so far.
I took Monday and Tuesday off and my quad felt like it was gradually getting better. It still hurt a bit when walking up stairs or any kind of incline, but I was worried I'd take too much time off and not ready to start track on February 16. I always worry about this even though I have been told over and over again that I should make sure my leg is better before starting to run again. On Wednesday it didn't hurt at all so I went ahead and ran a little more than my planned 4 miles.
I actually didn't feel like running, another reason I don't like to take too many days off, so I was intently looking for the slightest pain. I was kind of sore when I started out but that's because I took two days off. There wasn't enough pain throughout the run to find an excuse to stop, so I ended up running 6.5 miles. Yet there was still pain. Not where it has been hurting so that was good. But now the front of my right quad down to my knee hurts. The left side of my left leg was also kind of sore, but that might be from taking a break. My right leg is hurting right now though, so this might be a different kind of soreness. It almost feels like my knee can't support me, so I end up limping on the wrong side. I'm still deciding whether or not to run today but it depends on how my leg feels later in the day. I don't want to take another day off but I might have to.
Since the beginning of my run was spent making sure I wasn't hurt, I needed something else to keep my mind occupied when I did the extra miles. I ended up doing repeats along a flat stretch of sidewalk. A sidewalk that is now mostly cleared off because one of the houses with an icy sidewalk, has dumped about a foot of sand on it. This may be because they were reported to the city by a certain runner, but they could have cleared it off over two weeks earlier.
One thing I noticed while running along the road was that there was trash everywhere. Most of it was just sheets of newspaper or magazine ads but there were also two plastic bags. This was probably because it was garbage day and windy out but it made the street look like a dump. So I helped save the world by picking up some of the trash. I picked up the paper as I ran and dumped it in the recycle bin of some random person. I'm sure they were wondering why there was still trash in there, but they'd probably thank me for helping the environment once they found out what I was doing. Or they would give me a weird look like everyone else was doing. Not only did I save the environment, I also picked up a garbage bin that was in the middle of my street so someone wouldn't hit it. As a runner I felt it was my duty to do these little things. Plus, it made me feel guilty as I ran by but that is more of a minor factor.
I took Monday and Tuesday off and my quad felt like it was gradually getting better. It still hurt a bit when walking up stairs or any kind of incline, but I was worried I'd take too much time off and not ready to start track on February 16. I always worry about this even though I have been told over and over again that I should make sure my leg is better before starting to run again. On Wednesday it didn't hurt at all so I went ahead and ran a little more than my planned 4 miles.
I actually didn't feel like running, another reason I don't like to take too many days off, so I was intently looking for the slightest pain. I was kind of sore when I started out but that's because I took two days off. There wasn't enough pain throughout the run to find an excuse to stop, so I ended up running 6.5 miles. Yet there was still pain. Not where it has been hurting so that was good. But now the front of my right quad down to my knee hurts. The left side of my left leg was also kind of sore, but that might be from taking a break. My right leg is hurting right now though, so this might be a different kind of soreness. It almost feels like my knee can't support me, so I end up limping on the wrong side. I'm still deciding whether or not to run today but it depends on how my leg feels later in the day. I don't want to take another day off but I might have to.
Since the beginning of my run was spent making sure I wasn't hurt, I needed something else to keep my mind occupied when I did the extra miles. I ended up doing repeats along a flat stretch of sidewalk. A sidewalk that is now mostly cleared off because one of the houses with an icy sidewalk, has dumped about a foot of sand on it. This may be because they were reported to the city by a certain runner, but they could have cleared it off over two weeks earlier.
One thing I noticed while running along the road was that there was trash everywhere. Most of it was just sheets of newspaper or magazine ads but there were also two plastic bags. This was probably because it was garbage day and windy out but it made the street look like a dump. So I helped save the world by picking up some of the trash. I picked up the paper as I ran and dumped it in the recycle bin of some random person. I'm sure they were wondering why there was still trash in there, but they'd probably thank me for helping the environment once they found out what I was doing. Or they would give me a weird look like everyone else was doing. Not only did I save the environment, I also picked up a garbage bin that was in the middle of my street so someone wouldn't hit it. As a runner I felt it was my duty to do these little things. Plus, it made me feel guilty as I ran by but that is more of a minor factor.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
ACHES
I finished up my 33.7 mile week with a short 2.8 mile run this morning. I saw another runner which was pretty unusual so I raced them for awhile. My run was nice because it was still a little warm out at 31 degrees but.....my leg hurts. Not my whole leg, just my thigh or my quad as it should be called. It's been bugging me for a few days but now it's a steady ache. This has happened to me before and strangely enough the only time it's hurt since then is when it rains heavily. It's kind of hard to describe, but it's like an internal ache or a dull pain deep in the center of my leg. It doesn't really hurt, it just aches. No matter how much research I do, I can't seem to figure out what it is. It doesn't seem to be getting better but I need it to. It's frustrating because it's not enough to take a day off but it's enough to make runs miserable. It's bothering me though and it won't stop aching.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
SHORTS IN JANUARY
It was a lovely warm day in Iowa today with the temperature at 41.2 degrees when I went out for my run. It was only the third time this month that the temperatures were above freezing, so I took advantage of the weather and wore shorts as I did about two weeks ago. I actually got warm running in shorts which might have been surprising to the all the people outside in winter coats.
The high temperatures meant that the snow from weeks ago was melting. This left puddles. For those two houses along my running route who don't shovel their sidewalks, it meant a small river. Of course, I didn't notice this at first so I ran straight into the puddles. My shoes became soaked only ten minutes into my run and there were even more puddles to deal with. So I did the only thing I could do. I jumped in them. I must have looked like an idiot to the cars passing by but it made my run a lot more fun and took my mind of my tired legs. Sure, my shoes were soaked, my former white socks are now brown, my shorts were damp from my splashing, and my legs were wet, but it was fun acting like a kid. It made my 6.92 miles seem like nothing as I tried to make my splashes bigger and better.
Since it was warm there were many people outside. Lots of cars drove by me on one part of my route where I have to run on the sidewalk. Some drove close to the edge of the road so they'd hit all the puddles making big splashes that I had to avoid. Along with the splashing cars, I had two people yell at me. I've had people yell at me before but usually only one person per run, when I'm running by myself. With the team it seems like everybody yells but that must be their way of supporting us because they don't go to our meets. I kind of like the cheers because it lets me know that people are watching me which makes me go faster. It also reminds me of meets and it makes my run more fun. Some guy in an old truck that was riding close to the edge of the road yelled something uncomprehendable at me during my run but they were not able to get me wet. Less than ten minutes later a car drove by with one guy hanging out the window yelling "Hey yo" at me and waving. Strange people must only come outside when it's warm.
I appreciated the warm weather and would like to see more of it. Not warm warm, but 40's and 50's I like. Just running in shorts makes me go faster. It also helps me ignore how sore and tired I am. Hard work becomes much easier.
The high temperatures meant that the snow from weeks ago was melting. This left puddles. For those two houses along my running route who don't shovel their sidewalks, it meant a small river. Of course, I didn't notice this at first so I ran straight into the puddles. My shoes became soaked only ten minutes into my run and there were even more puddles to deal with. So I did the only thing I could do. I jumped in them. I must have looked like an idiot to the cars passing by but it made my run a lot more fun and took my mind of my tired legs. Sure, my shoes were soaked, my former white socks are now brown, my shorts were damp from my splashing, and my legs were wet, but it was fun acting like a kid. It made my 6.92 miles seem like nothing as I tried to make my splashes bigger and better.
Since it was warm there were many people outside. Lots of cars drove by me on one part of my route where I have to run on the sidewalk. Some drove close to the edge of the road so they'd hit all the puddles making big splashes that I had to avoid. Along with the splashing cars, I had two people yell at me. I've had people yell at me before but usually only one person per run, when I'm running by myself. With the team it seems like everybody yells but that must be their way of supporting us because they don't go to our meets. I kind of like the cheers because it lets me know that people are watching me which makes me go faster. It also reminds me of meets and it makes my run more fun. Some guy in an old truck that was riding close to the edge of the road yelled something uncomprehendable at me during my run but they were not able to get me wet. Less than ten minutes later a car drove by with one guy hanging out the window yelling "Hey yo" at me and waving. Strange people must only come outside when it's warm.
I appreciated the warm weather and would like to see more of it. Not warm warm, but 40's and 50's I like. Just running in shorts makes me go faster. It also helps me ignore how sore and tired I am. Hard work becomes much easier.
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