Monday, November 8, 2010

I Believe In The Training

In good news, my calf is on the mend. I've run a couple times over the past couple of days and as long as I keep it flat and easy and short, I'm pretty much okay. I saw a gal who did an ART session with me this afternoon and while I don't think it was the complete magic cure I was hoping for, it was somewhat helpful. She told me that I have been doing all the right things (ice, eccentric calf raises, massage, trigger point, etc) so it is healing faster than it otherwise would. So that is good. Plus, now I have that really cool tape on my calf. All the cool kids have it, didn't you know? Ha.

What was a bummer was that I missed out on the half marathon yesterday. Grrrrr. Instead of running it myself, I had to live vicariously through Nalani, who was instructed to go to the well yesterday. Of course she had pacing instructions, but they were aggressive and right on the edge of her current ability based on the training she has been doing. I knew she was ready to run a good race. And she did. She dropped over 14 minutes off her half marathon PR from last year. 14 minutes!!! She ran exactly what I was hoping she would run, and it just solidified in my mind that specific training works. Her race yesterday was not a fluke. She earned it, every step of it, and that is just really freakin' cool in my mind. I could not be more proud of her!

We talked about it this morning (of course, since I was living vicariously through her I wanted to know every detail!) and she mentioned how a year ago if someone would have told her that she would average 7:30's for 13 miles she would not have believed them. Shoot, even 3 months ago it was tough to imagine that as a realistic possibility. But I designed an appropriate training program for her, she executed it to a T, and she did it. 7:30's for 13 miles. Amazing.

Then she said to me (she's always so encouraging!), "Well now you know that you can do it too." And she's right. Well, minus my little calf injury right now, lol. But prior to the last 2 weeks, given that we did such a huge chunk of our training together, at the same paces, I do believe it is in me to do what she did! That is so cool. Mostly because I never really believed that I could be a good runner, but now I think I can be. Which is again, really freakin' cool.

Okay okay, it's all very wouldda couldda shouldda DIDN'T right now, but to that end, I am seriously ready to get all healed up so I can execute the kind of training that I know will yield some race results that a year ago I thought were just flat out out of reach. YAY! I am feeling quite encouraged. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go do my calf raises...

9 comments:

Beth said...

Congrats to Nalani!! And to you as well because, like Nalani said, I'm sure you would have been right there alongside of her had your calf been cooperating!! Great to hear you are healing up well Michelle!

Running and living said...

Yup, I believe in specific training, too! Must have been hard to sit and watch Nalani race, without being able to race yourself. But all the training you did is in you, a building block for whatever comes next. Glad the calf is better!

cherelli said...

hey awesome work Miss Coach!!! Nalani sounds like she responds perfectly to your training...and I can't wait til you get to prove to yourself you can be a fast runner too! Hope the calf continues to get better really quickly :)

Kim said...

AWESOME that you are healing up and a big congrats to your athlete as well for running a beautifully executed race!! That is tough to run even like that and she did wonderful!! Yay for getting back to health for you!

Rebecca DeWire said...

That is a MAJOR PR for your friend! Wow,so exciting for a couple reasons 1) you coached her 2) it sounds like you could have run a big PR,too! I hope your calf cooperates and heals ASAP.

Lizzie said...

I remember when I knocked 2 minutes of my 5K time based on what my trainer laid out for me - it's amazing to see it visualize in front of you!! Looking forward to seeing you do the same with the run :)

GoBigGreen said...

YES YES, now i didnt run a 26.2 but michelle i ran once, in the pool, and once on land...in more than 2 weeks before Bous and i was fine! You can do it, you will be fine, and fake it and keep saying " I am not injured." over and over again:)But i think you are mending and you wont need to fake it!!
keep doing your eccentric calf work :)

Katie A. said...

Yayyy for Nalani! So exciting she knocked off 14 mins!
I'm a true believer in following a plan and running the paces you plan, and wouldyaknow, it worked! You've got in you, too!
Glad the calf is on the mend ;)

Regina said...

Run Nalani Run! That is great! Now you just have to heal up and get your huge PR too, and you will.

so there is hope for us non runners who think "I am not a runner?"