So at some point most years, usually sometime in the fall, my brain and heart transition over to 'running season'. This year it's started a little earlier than years past- and last year I kinda missed it completely b/c I had IM Cozumel so late in the year. I think missing it last year makes it more appealing to me this year? Anyway, like most Hawaii runners, I enter the Honolulu Marathon every January when they open it up to local residents for the bargain price of $26. I figure $26 is a decent gamble in case I find myself with the desire to run a December marathon... Currently, I find myself with the desire to run a December marathon. :)
In good news, we have a whole local 'race' series for marathon prep. I don't really consider these 'races' as much as opportunities to have catered long runs with lots of people around... chances to practice pacing and fueling and mindset and maybe some suffering too. The first race, the 15K, was cancelled due to the "hurricane" we didn't have, but it's been rescheduled for this Sunday so yay! Running season starts this weekend!
I had a look at my schedule for next week and there are SEVEN runs on there! YAY again!! I love that. Given that running does not come very naturally to me, running frequently has been quite beneficial for me in the past so I'm definitely looking forward to increasing my run volume and frequency. Biking obviously takes a backseat. To be honest, I'd be happy to just completely hang up my bikes for the next couple of months but Marilyn has some other ideas... so I'll still be riding some.
And of course I am not going to stop swimming! :) The only swim races left on the schedule for the year are a 5K and a 7K... Marilyn must have looked at that and decided that I needed to swim long (a logical conclusion) but damn if anyone would have seen my face when I was looking at my swims scheduled for next week... narrowed eyes and jaw dropped open... I mean really, you know when *I* am looking at a swim session and thinking that's crazy, it really is crazy. But of course in some sick way I'm sorta looking forward to the challenege. I know my swim gets better when I swim a lot (#rocketscience) so it's all good.
My most recent swim workout ended with 10x50's fly. Um, what?!? Before I even went to the pool I was all set up in my mind with what I was going to write in my post-workout notes... "Sorry coach you over-estimated my abilities here I cannot do 10x50's all fly..." Shoot, I was thinking that even every other one would be super hard... maybe I'd challenge myself to do 2 in a row then the 3rd ones easy free/recovery? I wasn't sure... But through the whole workout I was thinking about that last piece and finally thought, Maybe she's not over-estimating me. Maybe I'm underestimating myself?? You know, to decide that you can't do something before you even try is kinda shitty... So I started the first 50 trying to stay as relaxed as I could while still technically swimming fly. And then I did the second one. And the third one too. And it wasn't pretty, but it was fly, and I was doing it! By #4 I knew I was going to do them all so I just sort of closed my eyes (yes while I was swimming) and kept bringing both my hands out of the water at the same time... stay relaxed, stop thinking about it... and before I knew it I was on #10. Really cool and confidence building and I'm glad I gave myself the chance to try it. I think this is a mindset I am going to have to figure out how to transfer over to some of the run sets coming up on my schedule as well...
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