I know. It is already September 12th, but the end of August was nuts, so this August run update is coming late!
So. August. It was a good month. A great month. I am literally feeling so blessed that I feel like I am walking on clouds. THANK YOU G-D!!! OK, moving on to more running. Regarding the “do I actually like to run?!” I truly get this question daily. From everyone to random strangers, to my best friends and family. And here is the answer: it is complicated. I see running and I as being in a long term relationship. We are SUPER tight and I am in love…but some days/months/years…it sucks lol. So, long story short, I don’t like running…I LOVE it. And…I am a RUNNER! But day-to-day, I don’t always WANT to run. Guys, it is hard! And there are for SURE times when I do NOT like running as much as my norm. Here are some of those times:
- Getting back to training- I feel like getting back to training after a time off, be it from an injury, pregnancy or any other break is SUCH a tough challenge. I can’t decide if it is worse mentally or physically but I know that this is my LEAST favorite time period for running. I try to remember that it won’t always feel so shitty…and it won’t. I promise!
- Typical poop runs- Look, it happens. And the worst part is spending said shitty run trying to figure out why your run feels so yuck. You know you’ve been there! Some reasons that I have been able to pin down: getting a cold, menstrual issues, mental/physical exhaustion, etc.
- When I have other stuff I need to be doing- Guys, I struggle SO much with this. It is SO challenging to carve time out of my day to run. I stay at home with the boys and there is not a ton of down time. When I do finally get the time to run, I often spend a LOT of said run thinking of what i SHOULD be doing instead (i.e.: laundry, prepping something for the boys or my new job, etc.). Anyone else have that issue?!
Anyway, so the answer is YES I do actually like running. Especially when I am in “good running shape.” I always qualify this as meaning that I feel consistently good at a 8:35 outside pace (I run slower on the treadmill for fear of permanent joint damage) and a tempo pace of a little less than 8s.
A tempo run is a faster-paced workout also known as a lactate-threshold, LT, or threshold run. Tempo pace is often described as “comfortably hard.” Tempo running improves a crucial physiological variable for running success: our metabolic fitness. (source)
I LOVE when my body just feels like it is working so well together and I can think about things other than how painful it is 🙂 THAT is my “good running shape.” What do you qualify as being “in good running shape?” What indicators do you use? As an aside, I actually do NOT use races to necessary qualify my current running condition. I feel like they are too small a snapshot to aggregate a “current running shape” picture. Oooook, enough running ramblings for now! I will be back soon with a non-running post soon. Promise 🙂 Maybe.
Wait! One more thing: the RnR Philly half is this coming Sunday and guess who is SUPER undertrained!? I know. 170 miles in a month does not SEEM undertrained, however my longest run was only about 9. I have done some two-a-days that have equalled 11 but no more than 8-9 at a time! Argh! How did this happen?! 13.1 should be interesting! XO!