The week before a race, you're supposed to cut back on running so when race day comes, your muscles will be fresh. The irony of this is that just when you're really feeling good and strong as a running -- poof -- you're supposed to stop running.
I did the six miles yesterday and even with my slow trot of a start, and lots of hills in my route, my average pace was 9:10. My goal for the race is a finish with a "1" at the beginning. There. I've said it. Two years ago I ran a half marathon in Folsom and finished in 1:47, which is an 8:15 pace. (I trained way better for that race with my Real Marathon Running friend Jenny.) In order to finish in under two hours, I'll need to average 9:00 per mile. What is in my favor is my hill training and my pigheadedness. What works against me is not knowing if I will be able to move in a race this crowded, and not knowing how intense the hills will be.
Enough about running. Let's talk about my husband. He tells everyone I'm his trainer, but that's not really the truth. I try very hard to just let him do what he wants to do, and to only offer advice when asked. So he manages his own workouts, and he does a great job of it. Yesterday he did one of his favorite Crossfit workouts: 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 bodyweight squats. You just repeat that progression for 20 minutes and try to do as many rounds as you can. He managed to do TWENTY TWO rounds (that's 110 pullups [!] 220 pushups [!] and 330 squats [!]). So what did he do today, when any normal person would take a day off? Oh, just did a little 4 mile run! I think he may take a day off tomorrow, and it's certainly well deserved.
What else? Well, my birth mother is coming for a visit tomorrow and we're all very excited. Sandy is so much fun -- for example, at age 65, she just competed in her first ballroom dancing competition (and took first place in the novice division!), she achieved a DTM rank in Toastmasters (tough to get, for sure!), and she's just a fantastic person. She'll be here through Friday night, and early Saturday I'm heading to San Francisco for all things Nike and running!
One final note: I haven't been brave enough to try on the new pants since bringing them home from the store. What if there's special magic in the Ann Taylor store that makes things fit better? Maybe after the race I'll be brave enough to try! (I'm not kidding -- the pants are still wrapped in tissue paper and sitting on the loveseat in our bedroom!)
3 comments:
Leslie, you are a born winner, and a truly class act.
If you wanted to do as well as you say, you could, and the best thing is, even if it doesn't happen, you will do much, much better believing in it, than settling for being in the top 30%, and possibly only scraping 30%, or possibly less.
You are doing brilliantly, so just keep being confident, and believing in your Head and your Heart to guide you and you will have every chance to win and be successful.
I have total and unwavering belief in you, and that's not going to change.
WELL DONE on all the things you have ben eachieving, and GOOD LUCK. You are amazing, and you put people HALF your age in the shade.
:-) :-).
Matt
It's those hills that I'm a little unsure of. I have no choice but to hill train where I live, but it's hard to gage those hills in SF just by looking at the elevation charts! My running times have been all over the place lately, and my last half marathon was not pretty. I'd like to finish between 2:15 and 2:20, or better, of course. You've been posting some wonderful training times, and I hope you meet your goal with a time with a "1" in front of it! See you in SF!!!!!
Put those pants on your body woman!!! You have nothing to be affraid of...I promise.
I think, in Tims eyes, you are his trainer and he admires what you do. You may view it as you only do a little, but to him, that is a lot. Believe him, keep doing what you're doing, and love that he thinks the world of you.
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