weekly wrapup

still working on figuring out the whole public/private aspect of things, but I like the idea of a digest in both places.

Last week I got back to it pretty quickly and put in about 20 miles before the week ended. I also had the opportunity to get out and ride my bike, which I loved because it gave me the chance to watch the sun rise and get a good workout in before gobs of people hit the path. Sunday morning it was lightly raining and I did 8 and felt pretty good. I told myself that if my legs were complaining at all that I would cut it short, but I got to the 7 mile turnaround before I knew it, so I just kept going. What's funny is that my super-easy feeling pace was actually 30 seconds per mile faster than my "marathon race pace," so I was happy to feel like things were truly coming around in the recovery area.

I set out this week to do a few things, 1) get some light speedwork in and 2) get a steady schedule set up for lifting. I miss strength training a LOT. I miss feeling strong. I felt during the last training cycle that I was very disorganized and chaotic and thus, ended up being really sporadic. There's nothing worse than sporadic strength training, because you never really feel like you're seeing results and it feels like it's more of a hassle than it's worth.

So this week I did a fairly easy interval session on Monday night and then hauled my ass to the gym to lift legs on Tuesday morning. And let me tell you, those suckers have been hurting ever since.

I did two easy general aerobic runs this week, a five miler on Wednesday and three yesterday, and then this morning I was up bright and early to do some tempo miles. I had intended to do 2x2 miles, but ended up doing 2 and then 1, all at tempo speed, but I was just out of it by the end of that third mile so I opted to just cool down. 5.5 running this morning and then an additional 3 miles walking (mostly to the gym, to the El, etc.) so not too bad of a morning. I will eventually transition to running these outside since it's getting to be super nice out, but for right now I'd like to get an idea of what paces feel like and program it into my head. It's been so freaking long since I actually paid attention to pace that I generally have NO IDEA whether I'm running a 9 or 10 minute mile. These tempo runs should also make me a bit more prepared for the LT runs when training for Chicago REALLY starts.

It's weird, but it's like a light switch flipped inside of me and I am really, really enjoying running so much these days. It's this sort of running utopia where I just can't wait to get out there and get a few miles in, and it's such a great feeling. I remember the first time I experienced it running track and cross country in high school; I had mostly run for the fellowship and because it was just "what I did," but then suddenly I ended up getting enjoyment out of just the running aspect of it and it was like I was on a running high all the time. This state generally only happens when my body is in good enough shape to not make the running feel like "work," and I feel like I'm mostly there right now and it's a great feeling. (although, I have a feeling that once i'm putting serious miles in again, it's going to feel a whole lot like work again.)

The other time that I remember feeling this way is after my mother died. I was relying a lot on running as a form of therapy for me (thus the header up there) and it came through every time I was feeling poorly. The past few years, I have been relying on other things for support. And that's great and all, but every once in a while you get this huge reminder that in the end, you have to stand on your own two legs and support yourself. I have, unfortunately, learned that the hard way. I leaned a lot on my mom for support before she died, and her dying was one of the things that first taught me this lesson: nothing in life is constant or guaranteed. except yourself.

This week marks the year anniversary of the time I spent in the hospital with my father before he died. Sunday will be the anniversary. And yesterday, I received that little reminder that the trails, and my ability to go exert some energy on them, are sometimes the only thing I need to keep myself upright and moving forward through life.

The past few years I've been really relaxed about training and keeping myself in shape. I went for about a year of not really running consistently at all. And that's all going to change. Because I need to be healthy and comfortable enough to get out there and crank out a few miles when I'm feeling crummy. It's pretty much essential to my well-being. And I'm there now, so how hard can it to maintain, right? so here's to my mental health being just as important in my running as my physical health. And to being able to stand on my own two feet.