“The true height of your potential is not the height of the peak you’ve reached, but how far you’ve climbed to get there.”
6/4: Easy run
The run felt like mud and I had a hard time finding positivity. Not every day is filled with sunshine and butterflies, but every day is an opportunity to show up. The extraordinary heat and humidity made it a scorcher, even at 9:30am. I was sweating after my warmup. The 80% RH at the start of the run meant I had to really back off early. Getting oxygen to my working tissues was more difficult, even with scaling back the pace significantly.
I thought about the purpose of the run and how it fits the larger picture. I tried to zone out to see a larger perspective because having a narrow window was causing me to lose hope in “finding fitness” in time in 16 weeks. I couldn’t help to feel that I should have been more along the continuum than I am. Sometimes zoning out can help the overall picture become clearer.
“Effort and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.” – JFK
One workout does not depict the journey. I’ll take this workout, put it away, and move on. Progress is progress, no matter how small or incremental.
– What went well: sleep, hydration
– What could have gone better: weather elements, mobility, mindset
– Shoes for this run: Brooks Ghost 15 (white)
6/5: Speed play
Another fartlek day was on the agenda. I am still learning the purpose of these repetitive short bursts of speed and how that translates to the marathon distance, but it was a chance to do something more intriguing than easy boring running.
The thought of the treadmill crossed my mind but I didn’t want to deal with the ramp up-and-down times. I faced the inevitable soaker of a run, 75F with 85% RH. Nothing was dry when I was done. Between the intervals, I walked to regain my composure in the humidity. After the intervals, I stopped for H2O to quench my thirst before finishing the cooldown miles. I had placed a bottle perfectly under a tree which came in handy.
Aside from my lumbar spine that has been squirrly this week, nothing else bothered me. I felt almost like a fresh crayon out of the box, except the humidity kept me honestly in check. I appreciated every single cloud that kept that sun from cooking me to a crisp.
I kept my focus on this phrase that I read recently: “The antidote to fear is action.” I kept a strong hold on the intervals and put this short 5mi run into my bank of confidence. Every workout that I deem “successful” helps my confidence and focus to grow more. I keep going back to the question of “What would a successful race day be like?” and I’m still defining what that might look like. In the meantime, I’ll be looking for more speed play because that’s where I thrive and jive. Considering the weather, I was content with this run.
– What went well: mental fortitude for tough weather, flat course
– What could have gone better: nothing
– Shoes for this run: Brooks Ghost 15 (white)
6/7: Easy run (Happy Hour)
One of my favorite things is a happy hour stroll after the work week. It gives me time alone in my headspace to unravel things and envision the weekend ahead. I escaped work a little early and headed out for a short jaunt at my happy place. The run was planned as a short easy stroll.
I changed up my playlist for this run and that gave me a jolt of energy that I needed. I was a bit all over in my headspace this week and needed to recenter my thoughts. I’ve had some tough thoughts and feelings to sit with and then get over this week. Today’s mantra was “Believe in you.” So many times I have doubted myself and continue to do so especially this week, but at the end of the day what matters is being proud of myself, to see it and believe it, and to go get it. And to keep celebrating my own wins along the way.
As I wrapped up the run, the sun was setting and the serene views were flourishing. It was everything I needed physically and mentally. What a good way to recenter and accomplish the run’s agenda.
– What went well: headspace
– What could have been better: missed one fuel gel
– Shoes for this run: Brooks Ghost 15 (black Goretex)
6/9: Long run
Today was a BIG day – not in terms of metrics, but in terms of milestones. It has been 371 days since my last double-digit run. On 6/4/23, I went out for an ordinary 15-mile run and had problems after…a year-ending hip injury. On 6/9/24, I went out for a 10-mile run…and celebrated after. What you don’t see in between is: the heartache of months seeing friendships dissolve, confidence shattered, frustrations fuming, failure surmounting, and overcoming the hardest struggles physically and mentally with patience and perseverance. The hip injury (the sharp pain!), the back strain (the jolting pain!), the viral illness (so long!), the rib strain (the nagging pain!), the broken toe (the annoyance!), and the fears (so many!) took so much from me. Yet, what kept me going was hope and grit…how much do I have? A lot.
The anxiousness of this double-digit run started two days ago, but really hit last night. After stalking the forecast, I decided I would do a morning run – when I usually sleep-in on Sundays. After yesterday’s beefy solid strength sesh, I laid out everything I would need for the morning run. This was more prep than I do for work! I unwinded around 8pm so I could beat my 6:30am alarm. I was able to get a headstart at 6:00am to fuel (cheerios, applesauce, water, bagel). I played with the pup while I did some spine and hip mobility drills, even though I actually felt pretty good getting moving. My husband told me to “have fun out there,” as I lugged my run bag and snack bag out the door, with my shoes laced and my hydration pack in tow. Soon, it was time for my commute pre-run fuel (Maurten 40g bar) and so much more water. My emotions were high during the commute, as I caught myself with watery eyes as I reached my destination. The anxiousness yet joy for today’s run was like fearful eagerness with a side of healing. Finally, I did my warmup drills and it was time to go get 10-miles on the books. The weather was slightly overcast, 55F, but with a high 88% RH. It felt nice, but thick to breathe.
What’s fascinating about the run is that it actually went better than I visualized, but I picked the course last night in my head and delivered it today. I knew the exact scenery that I passed and the turnaround point matched perfectly. 5-miles out to the northeast and 5-miles on return to the southeast is what I picked. This route was not lackluster in hills but kept them toasty in the middle segment. I wanted to hold back as much as I could for the first half and then crank it up slightly in the second half. However, my two major goals were to seek redemption on my long run endurance by having zero stops and to not have any year-ending injuries from this double-digit run.
The run felt pretty good, considering I lifted a ton of weights yesterday. I wasn’t fresh, but the week’s schedule and volume allowed me to not be banged up and I actually felt the best I’ve felt on a run in a while, from start to finish. I somehow managed to miss one gel, which might explain a little energy dip uphill around mile 7, but I was able to cram in 140g carbs, 200mg caffeine, and 500ml water during this run. Coming into the home stretch, I looked down at my hand for a reminder of today’s mantra: “Seeing if it will work out will be the best adventure.” This mantra was hope-filled and just what I needed. I kicked a little harder, as Lady Gaga came on my playlist, to finish my best mile of the run. At the end of the run, I caught up with a long time runner friend, exchanging sweat-filled hugs, high fives, and stories of resiliency – he had a heart scare and I had my injuries. Yet, here we were: stronger at last.
The time from 371 days taught me that I am capable of a heck a lot. This double digit run is a strong leap of confidence as I continue the road to redemption for 26.2, with plenty of double-digit runs in my future. I am hungry to succeed and that showed up today. The journey to 26.2 continues on a good trajectory, with meeting my two goals: gritty endurance with no stops and zero year-ending injuries from this double-digit run. I was finally proud of myself and that’s all that matters.
– What went well: sleep, hydration, pacing control, finishing kick, cool weather, no stops!!
– What could have gone better: anxiousness, one missed gel, humidity
– Shoes for this run: Brooks Ghost 15 (white)
Re-Energized Running 
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