Back to training - 18 miles

After almost 3 months off of training, I'm back on a new training plan for this 50k race in January. This weekend's long run - 18 miles. I was pretty scared driving over 520 today imagining running that far after not having run more than 11 miles since Ironman. It's more mental, but I also wasn't sure when it would start to hurt. On the trails, would it start to hurt at 13.1 miles? Maybe 15? No, the answer was 10 miles. It started to hurt at 10 miles. The trails seem to work my muscles a lot harder than roads do. I don't know if it's because there's more climbing and descending, or if it's because I have to push harder on the soft ground.

Has been helping inspire me every day, great book

Bridle trails, I love you. But I did not love the pouring rain for an hour today.

Nothing about training for endurance sports is easy. It's about embracing the pain and continuing to push forward. Luckily, I've trained my mind to enjoy it - to know that once it starts to hurt - that's when the real progress, work and improvement begins. I like the pain. I know it's strange, but it's how I know I'm getting better and stronger. I missed this feeling.

Happy Saturday. :-)

Comments

Back to Normal Life

"I can't wait to have my normal life back again!" I said that multiple times a week during training. Every time I said that it was after turning down a happy hour after work, a night out downtown with friends, a weekend away... At the time I meant it. I was counting down the days until I could do all of that stuff again. I basically stopped drinking alcohol for 6 months. It was too hard to drink and wake up at 5 am the next day for training. Have you ever tried to run for three hours or bike ride for 5 dehydrated? It sucked constantly turning people down, but I had to. I couldn't wait to finally be able to say yes! While I have thoroughly enjoyed reconnecting with all the people I care about the last few weeks and am looking forward to more this next week... I still just miss training. It's a void that I haven't figured out yet how to fill in the next 6 months without training. I've started running in the mornings again, for about an hour or so at a ti...

From birthing a baby to Ironman (and KQ) in 15 months

In my mind, doing a full Ironman 15 months after having a baby sounded completely doable. This might sound stupid - but I didn't realize how FULL TIME being a mom is and how difficult the postpartum baby journey could be. It hadn't occurred to me that Isaac and I couldn't train at the same time unless we had someone over watching Chloe. I know that might seem like such an obvious thing to think about, but when I deferred my 2021 Ironman CDA entry (I was 7 months pregnant), it seemed totally doable AND seemed like Isaac should also race with me! After I had Chloe, I had postpartum anxiety. I'm a pretty relaxed person normally who doesn't worry about much. Most things don't phase me - I'm going to end up where I'm supposed to be, if I'm supposed to be there! Motherhood felt like it flipped my world upside down. It was constant stress and I literally felt like I was losing it. I didn't know who I was anymore... I know hormonally things are all over ...

A Letter to the Addict in My Life

This post is not about running. This post is not about Ironman. It's not uplifting. But it's how I'm feeling and I need to write it down. And I'm sure this will resonate with some. As we approach the holidays, everyone gets so excited to spend time with their loved ones- happy, laughing, fun, warm memories. While I definitely look forward to spending time with my family, I start to feel dread creep up as we approach this time of year. I start to feel anxious, angry, frustrated. For me, the holidays are a time I have to face the addict in my life. I have to spend my holidays keeping up stupid small talk, avoid bringing up the elephant in the room. It goes against everything I am - I am a blunt, straight forward person that has the hardest time NOT stating what is obviously in front of me. I wish I could tell you, because I want you to know: I am angry. I am frustrated. I am hurt. You are a shell of a person. Every day you choose pills and alcohol over ...

Seattle Ironwoman

Search This Blog