It has been and continues to be a long trip back from injury, but I have started to make some progress that actually feels like that - progress. I spent nearly a month running no more than 1 mile at a time, and not very many times a week. I then graduated up to 2 miles, and then finally 3.1 miles where I have been for some time once again.
There has just been something about going beyond the 3.1 mile distance that has been intimidating, even to the point that it seemed that I would never make it beyond the 5k distance. That is, until this past week.
June 2nd was a really nice Saturday, but I had a lot on my plate. I finished up a couple things and then headed out for a late morning run. 69 degrees and sunny and yet I still almost talked myself into cutting it to the 3.1 mile distance again. The discipline won out and I ran my first 4 miler in over 6 months!
The run was slow, but consistent with splits of 10:09, 10:08, 10:06, and 9:32 which I was very pleased with given the hills I once again started to incorporate into my run. I dropped back to the 3.1 and even 2 mile distances since then and just today ventured out for my second 4 miler. Today's splits were not quite as consistent, but in the end a bit faster at 10:22, 9:59, 10:04, and 9:18.
It is hard to believe that I had not run 4 miles straight since November 22nd, but I guess these times will come. I have a long way to go still, but I will get there. The next time I post I will be officially registered for my first 13.1 back after the injury..... how is that for motivation?
Keep the encouragement coming, and tell your friends about 26.2 Quest!
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Friday, 15 June 2012
Mile Distances
Thursday, 7 June 2012
Half Marathon
While running was something I craved for so long, recently I have found it to be little more than a chore. I guess that is what the road to recovery looks like after an injury that doesn't ever seem to give in. Maybe someday I will relive through words all I have been through these past months but for now I want to focus mainly on what the future holds.
The decline started well before the debilitating injury and so I have had to sit out two big races that were previously on my schedule. Some of that has been chronicled here on the site, but honestly, I find it difficult to write about running when I can't lace the shoes up and feel the wind in my hair and the bugs in my teeth. The 13.1 Atlanta was the first of those, while the second was the Publix Georgia Marathon.
While the injury took it's toll in both fitness and spirit, it also messed with my healthy eating and ultimately I gained some unwanted weight. As if the running is not hard enough already to build back up, I am having to do it while carrying much more than I have since 2007.
Running is not nearly as fun as it used to be, however I am determined to return to the days when I couldn't wait till the next easy run, long run, or when I was just hitting the trails to let the trouble of the day melt away. I have been running pain free for a little over a month now, but still need to get on a regular schedule and start building the miles.
I find that I hit snooze much less if I have a goal, and what better goal to set than one of 26.2 miles. The only problem is that I am not crazy, just a little overzealous at times. That being the case I will step back and rethink the insanity and take smaller steps. I will be running a 4 miler later this month and then make my way down Peachtree in July, but these will only serve as stepping stones on my way back to the 13.1 half marathon distance.
I have run the 13.1 Atlanta multiple times and have been a part of it in some way every year so what better race to put on the calendar as a "goal" than the Allstate Life Insurance 13.1 Marathon Atlanta on October 7th. The race will once again start and finish in Town Brookhaven on Peachtree and wind around the surrounding neighborhoods while also covering a few miles on Peachtree itself. If you are looking for a fall half marathon I highly recommend this race, and there is no better time to register than now.
Want to run the Allstate Life Insurance 13.1 Marathon Atlanta for free?
I welcome you to hang around and follow my recovery and path to the 2012 13.1 Atlanta. Better yet, why don't you join me in running it? If you hang around here at 26.2 Quest you may even find yourself lucky enough to run this race for free this year. As I did last year, I will have some race entry giveaways as the race gets closer. Make sure you follow now so you don't miss these announcements.
Thanks for hanging out while I haven't been around as often, I look forward to interacting again very soon!
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Thursday, 1 March 2012
The Returning Long Run Legs
It has been a long time since I have run a distance that I would previously call a long run. My running has recently been cut back so much that I affectionately referred to even a three mile run as a “Long Run” not too long ago. It doesn’t seem too long ago that I would talk about 10 miles like it was no big deal, even priding myself that I was perpetually in half marathon fitness – but then life happened. Work and then ultimately injury stepped into the picture and I found myself sitting instead of running, even to the point that I went more than just a few days or weeks without lacing up for a single run.That time has now pastAfter many discouraging attempts at returning I am happy to say – that time has now past. Simple one mile runs which left me sore the following day are once again nothing but a memory as I slowly test the long run legs ever so cautiously. Just one week ago the longest run I had attempted was five miles, but I am happy to say that the roads and trails have been nothing but accommodating with each new foot-fall.Yesterday a friend and I met for an early morning long run on some local trails. He is running the Pinhoti 100 in just a couple weeks and I committed long ago to crew and pace him a bit. The pacing will not be the previous agreed upon distance of 20 miles, but will be a challenge none the less. We hit the trails at 5:30 and just ran until my body told me I was finished.…that run that reminds you that all is not lost, that you will returnI ran just shy of 9 miles, and really didn’t quit because I was tired or hurting, but rather because I had asked enough of my legs and if I continued to circle I would be tempting fate. The run felt good, and yet was a push. If it was nothing else, it was a confidence run – that run that reminds you that all is not lost, that you will return.As I continue to lengthen the long runs I will be thankful each time that I can run. Instead of feeling sorry for myself that I am not as fast as others, or cannot endure as long, I will be thankful that each step will not be my last. Time to update your feed reader to something that says 26.2 Quest even more - http://feeds.262quest.com/262quest read more..