Running Renaissance: One Skip Ahead of my Doom

[DopeyBadger]

Wonderful recap! Way to go!

 

[GollyGadget]

Right??!! I feel like I'm the butt of one of those "How do you keep an idiot in suspense" jokes...

Hopefully you know this but I want to make it abundantly clear that I was not trying to make anyone feel dumb. It just seemed like the perfect place to stop. Plus at that point in the race, I had no idea where he was or if he was even awake

 

[Cabius]

At this point, I’m not sure when I’ll run another marathon but it will be sooner than never. I need redemption. But I also may stick to shorter distances for a while and save the marathon for a few years. I guess time will tell.

You need redemption from... a sub-4 marathon? Would that my sins were as grievous!

Congrats on a great run!

 

[SheHulk]

Hopefully you know this but I want to make it abundantly clear that I was not trying to make anyone feel dumb. It just seemed like the perfect place to stop. Plus at that point in the race, I had no idea where he was or if he was even awake

Haha no just that feeling of waiting for the next thing to be said! A W E S O M E race, especially at Disney and getting some character pics in there. You should be really proud. Pain is temporary, but online race results are permanent.

 

[garneska]

Congrats on the sub 4.

 

[GollyGadget]

Wonderful recap! Way to go!

Thank you!

You need redemption from... a sub-4 marathon? Would that my sins were as grievous!

Congrats on a great run!

I need redemption from suffering through the last 25% of it, not the time. My first marathon was an even worse experience and I had hoped that I had lived and learned from that one. Guess I still have some learning to do!

Haha no just that feeling of waiting for the next thing to be said! A W E S O M E race, especially at Disney and getting some character pics in there. You should be really proud. Pain is temporary, but online race results are permanent.

I don’t know about permanent, but the results definitely lasted longer than the pain.

Congrats on the sub 4.

Thank you!

 

[Baloo in MI]

Wow, sounds like you put everything you had into that race! Great job and congratulations!

 

[azrivest]

that's a great pic with your marathon ears

 

[surfde22]

By mile 25, I knew that my goal was in reach and at mile 26 I even thought about walking because that had to feel better than running did. I kept going and even pulled off a strong finish once I saw the clock. I was very close to having a finish time with a lucky 7 and I needed to at least try for it.

I remember the moment I realized I was going to break 4. I had probably realized it coming out of BB, but it was when I left HS it fully hit me. I was fighting back tears the rest of the race. I had worked so hard for it and a marathon had finally come together for me. I knew I had an outside chance of going under 3:50, and spent most of the race from there trying to calculate how late I could wait to start a kick and still get there. Just before the 26 mile mark I knew I had to go for it if I wanted it, but my legs said no at that point. Still super happy with my time. And congrats on breaking 4. It’s a huge milestone!!

 

[lookingforsunshine]

WAY TO GOOOOOOO!!!!
You are amazing!!!

that's a great pic with your marathon ears

Second!

 

[GollyGadget]

Wow, sounds like you put everything you had into that race! Great job and congratulations!

Thank you! Was definitely a grind at the end.

that's a great pic with your marathon ears

I feel like it’s hard not to look like a dork in them but I someone pulled it off for that photo

I remember the moment I realized I was going to break 4. I had probably realized it coming out of BB, but it was when I left HS it fully hit me. I was fighting back tears the rest of the race. I had worked so hard for it and a marathon had finally come together for me. I knew I had an outside chance of going under 3:50, and spent most of the race from there trying to calculate how late I could wait to start a kick and still get there. Just before the 26 mile mark I knew I had to go for it if I wanted it, but my legs said no at that point. Still super happy with my time. And congrats on breaking 4. It’s a huge milestone!!

It’s always rewarding when things finally come together.

WAY TO GOOOOOOO!!!!
You are amazing!!!


Second!

Woo! Thank you!

 

[striker1064]

Congrats on a great race! Love your pictures as well.

 

[GollyGadget]

Congrats on a great race! Love your pictures as well.

Thanks!

 

[GollyGadget]

Spring Training
First, thanks for letting me share my marathon experience without too much judgement. Hopefully it didn’t come across as whiny. Running isn’t always picture perfect so I do my best to give an honest account of my experiences, good and bad. Luckily for me, the good far outweighs the bad.

Now let’s play ball!

After a two week hiatus, I’m starting a new training block today featuring several races this spring:

1. Drake Road Race 5K (4/23/23) - mostly running this one so I can get the special bulldog challenge medal. Also, it finishes on the track at Drake University, host of the Drake Relays the following week which adds a certain “cool” factor that I’ll be on the same track as Olympic athletes…just several days apart
2. Grand Blue Mile (4/25/23) - the second half of the bulldog challenge but more importantly, my “A” race for the season. I’ve never raced a mile and I’m looking forward to the new challenge. Maybe it will make me faster? Maybe it will be even more humbling than the marathon? Maybe I’ll love it so much I give up distance racing? Stay tuned to find out!
3. Des Moines Women’s 10K (5/7/23) - Hoping to officially break that 50 min barrier!
4. Dam to DSM (6/3/23) - using this to assess where my distance fitness is before heading into fall. It’s a net downhill course so that works in my favor but it’s VERY likely to be hot & humid. Primary goal is to enjoy the experience and the free beer at the end

4 races in 41 days is a lot for me but I’m really looking forward to the change of pace (pun intended ). I also want to stick to strength training this time around. Someone hold me accountable!

Any tips for how to track this? “What you measure, you motivate” and such. I don’t really care about the normal details like reps or sets. Just that I’m actually consistently doing something. I started with 10 minutes of legs yesterday and now it hurts to walk, way worse than the day after the marathon Definitely starting from ground zero.

Happy running y’all!

 

[lookingforsunshine]

ed ). I also want to stick to strength training this time around. Someone hold me accountable!

We can help each other with this

ETA: I like the app I just started but if you just have a time goal right now maybe a habit tracker?

 

[GollyGadget]

We can help each other with this

ETA: I like the app I just started but if you just have a time goal right now maybe a habit tracker?

What app are you using? Does it require weights? I've found that I travel enough that I need body weight only options.

Right now I'm following a 4 week plan from Nike. It's only 3x10 min workouts per week which is exactly where I need to start. But I'm not sure what I'll do next...

 

[Herding_Cats]

What app are you using? Does it require weights? I've found that I travel enough that I need body weight only options.

Have you considered resistance bands? They can seem kind of cheesy (and there's a little bit of a learning curve), but you can definitely challenge yourself with those if you wanted to move beyond body-weight only exercises at some point.

 

[GollyGadget]

Spring Training Week - Phase 1 - Week 1/13

Okay, not really. At least I hope not. The only thing that should be in danger is my PRs. I'm mentally breaking this training block into two phases because it's a pretty long one and I need smaller chunks. Phase 1 is basically everything up to my A race and phase 2 is the 6 weeks after.

Let's do this!

Monday - Easy 3 - this was my first real run since the marathon. It was very hot and humid and my legs were still quite sore from Sundays workout but I got it done.

Tuesday - Easy 3 - my legs were still sore but the weather was slightly better. I tried to catch the sunrise but I was a bit too late and it was cloudy. Still beats winter mornings in Iowa I also did 10 min of upper body.

Wednesday - Off - no running today and I could finally walk normal again... Except for stairs. Those were still a challenge.

Thursday - Easy 3 + .5 - I've been running 10 min run/walk intervals with my partner every other day so I tried to run 2.5 miles on my own and then run together. However I went to explore a new trail and made a wrong turn so went a smidge longer.

Friday - Easy 3 - Ran along the beach again. I don't remember much else but I completed my second strength workout for the week which was actually 10 min HIIT and kind of fun.

Saturday - Easy 3 2.7 - Went for a morning run and expected to complete the rest of the mileage with my partner but then he decided he didn't want to run so I'm a little short for this day . Also, got stopped by a drawbridge less than half a mile in. Definitely not something I have to plan around in Iowa.


Sunday - Easy 3 - this run went really well. Still easy pace but felt much easier than the others. I finished the week with 10 min of "backside basics" and hoped that I wouldn't be as sore as I was after "lower body basics". I seem to be doing better but can feel some soreness in my hamstrings which is giving me some painful flashbacks to the end of the marathon but overall not too bad.

Total for the week was 18.6 miles in 3:28. Looking forward to bumping it up this week and very happy to be back. I was going a bit sideways without the runs and my mood was suffering.

Happy running y'all!

 

[SheHulk]

Have you considered resistance bands? They can seem kind of cheesy (and there's a little bit of a learning curve), but you can definitely challenge yourself with those if you wanted to move beyond body-weight only exercises at some point.

Speaking of cheesy, I have the ones branded Booty Bands, on recommendation from a friend! I like working out with them and they were a 4-pack with different levels of resistance. My other friend told me they are basically TheraBands with pink and purple coloring, Kardashian-style marketing, and a 200% markup. But hey, I'm worth it!

 

[kps7795]

Speaking of cheesy, I have the ones branded Booty Bands, on recommendation from a friend! I like working out with them and they were a 4-pack with different levels of resistance. My other friend told me they are basically TheraBands with pink and purple coloring, Kardashian-style marketing, and a 200% markup. But hey, I'm worth it!

Yes, you are worth it!