Thursday, May 14, 2009

This training stuff really works

Keep in mind that I'm training to Train. I'm not really Training for a race yet, because according to all the experts you have to be able to accomplish a little bit of sustained running (three miles seems to be the starting point) before you begin Really Training.

Until yesterday, I couldn't manage even one mile. Yesterday, my first mile was smooth as silk. And my total time came down, as well, averaging out to 12:36/mile for four miles.

The new Runner's World came yesterday and I actually saw the words "thirteen-minute mile" printed in their pages. It was in a training article, in which they suggested that if you normally run a 10-minute pace, you might want to back it off to 13 minutes starting out. (I'm in the office, the magazine is down a flight of stairs and in my house – a separate building – so I don't really have all the details.) Suffice it to say I was startled to see anyone being told to run a 13-minute pace for anything from the pages of RW!

I recently finished reading a book that Wendy recommended more than two years ago. Yes, I'm slow, but you knew that when you read my average pace, didn't you? Heh. Anyway, I finished the Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer and have been using one of the recommended techniques the past couple of runs. They suggest creating a little mantra, a paragraph of encouraging sentences that you say to yourself as you run. I'm sure I'd get tired of it after 13.1 or 26.2 miles, but it works pretty well for four. (Mine is eight sentences, and I'm not sharing. Heh.)

I ran in the afternoon yesterday, instead of first thing in the morning. The day was perfect – a light breeze, temperature was 70-ish – and I guess since I'd been up and busy for several hours, maybe my body just worked better. I don't know. I do know that as the days and weeks roll from spring to summer, morning runs will be the norm. It's the only time of the day when it's cool enough for me to get out. But this year we're having spring, (as opposed to moving straight from winter to summer) and I'm really enjoying it.

Instead of starting with a quote tomorrow (since I'll be meeting with Important People in Washington, DC), I'll leave you with a bit of inspiration, and hope you have a kick-ass weekend:

"Don't lower your expectations
to meet your performance.
Raise your level of performance
to meet your expectations.
Expect the best of yourself,
and then do what is necessary to make it a reality."
~ Ralph Marston

1 comment:

Laura N said...

Good for you! Does it make you feel any better that my 4 mile run on Thursday avg. 12:51/mile? I totally understand about training to train.

I love that quote. But, man, that's hard. It's a challenge for me to expect the best of myself. I'm such a "I'll shoot lower & if I do better, then great!" kind of gal. You give me something to think about.

Hope your D.C. trip was productive.

Run well this weekend!

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