This is the part of a 1/2 marathon training plan that I dread. The weekend's 10–13 mile run looms over your head all week. I don't remember feeling that way last October when I trained for the Oktoberfest. It must be the weather. Dreary, gloomy, cold, wet. Yuck.
Saturday's long run was miserable this week. We were supposed to run 12, and cut it back to 10.5. My body was tired and heavy, my stomach protesting the entire time, and my mind wasn't in it. I can usually get through the physical stuff, but my mind can really drag me down. It didn't help that, in an effort to mix things up a bit, I chose a "new" route. Holy cow, it was the hilliest route I've ever run – and I've run some hills!
Anyway, it's a new week.
Last week's plan:
MONDAY: 6 mile tempo run done
TUESDAY: strength work done
WEDNESDAY: 4 miles of speedwork done
THURSDAY: strength work done
FRIDAY: strength work skipped
SATURDAY: 12 mile long run ran 10.5
SUNDAY: rest ran 3 with Amy
Goal: 22 miles – Actual: 23.5 miles
This week's plan:
MONDAY: rest - rest - rest!!
TUESDAY: 4 miles tempo run
WEDNESDAY: strength work
THURSDAY: 3 miles of speedwork
FRIDAY: 12 mile long run
SATURDAY: strength work
SUNDAY: rest
Goal: 19 miles
I detest this month ever year. While our winter weather has not been terrible, it was been long and dark. I too have been in a mental funk and even my beloved Curves routine has suffered.
ReplyDeleteThankfully March is nearly over and we will soon be ale to be outside, in real sunshine. In the meantime, I am looking forward to seeing the girl's school talent show! Yeah something special to look forward to.
I hear you. Can I get an AMEN?!?! There are somethings that are just harder than others. My best advice...although you are a better runner than I am, is to not change your route. At this point in your training, it's not necessarily a bad thing to cling to what you know. When my brain starts to go to the dark side, I try to sing along with my music, think about work, think about my to-do list, and sometimes, when nothing else works, I recite Dr. Seuss' ABC book. Big A Little A, what begins with A? Aunt Annie's Alligators, A-a-A. Usually by the time I get to Mice in the Moonlight, M-m-M, I've settled down.
ReplyDelete