The last two weeks of long runs have sucked. All I have done is complain. I am sorry. But, when conditions are miserable it turns you into a miserable person.
That all changed on yesterday's 17 mile run. Why did it go so well? First of all, it was about 50 degrees, which for me means shorts and a light long sleeved shirt.
Other things I did right:
1. Company. I had Ken with me for the first 8 miles, so when he peeled away I only (only?) had 9 more miles to do alone. For me, during long runs and races, I have to have a way to break things up. Otherwise the distance is too daunting and I feel defeated before I’ve even started. Yesterday I did a loop with Ken then did a 9 mile out and back. Somehow it felt do-able (if 17 miles ever does).
2. Purpose. I thought of Meg throughout this run. I thought of Sherry throughout this run. I thought about their families. I thought about the unbearable sadness. I wondered why these things happen. I vowed to make every day I am here the best day possible.
3. Water Break. I stopped at 10 miles at my favorite country store for a water refill. I did not blow up the bathroom (or even use it) so I did not leave a tip so they could buy more Lysol and a plunger. Maybe next time. A girl can only hope. This is right across the street from where I had a bathroom emergency a few months ago. I think I am banned from there.
If you live in Boulder County (and if you especially are a cyclist), you know this place well.
It is the oasis/watering hole for runners and cyclists.
I won’t talk about the time in September while Ironman training that I had
my cycling jacket stolen here. Is it dumb I still look for my jacket every time I am here
(even though it’s been 4 months?) I keep thinking someone’s conscience
will get to them and I will get my highlight yellow Pear Izumi jacket back).
4. Music. I brought music for the last 9 solo miles. I love doing long runs and races where I don’t do music for the first half then give myself a boost when I start listening. Favorite song to run to right now? Overseer – Supermoves. There are really no lyrics, but it will get your ass moving I promise.
5. Nutrition. I had two GUs (one pomegranate blueberry Roctane and one triple berry) and lots of water (52 oz). I just realized there is a “plain” GU flavor. That would be like chewing plain gum or using plain toothpaste. No thanks.
6. Love and Hair. I came home and made out with Heidi. Some may find this gross, I find it romantic (I love how she even closes her eyes).
7. Rolling. Not on the foam roller, but on this torture device. My feet really started hurting during this run and it felt so good to roll on some balls. (TWSS?)
8. Stuffing My Face. I came home and made an egg/cheese/bagel panini the size of my head (sorry no picture) and a huge cup of coffee.
9, Bathing. I came home and took a bath (no ice involved. I know ice baths are good for recovery, but I don’t care. Too frigid and I am not a damn polar bear). I read People magazine in the tub (sorry no picture).
With only 7 weeks to go until the LA Marathon, I’ll be ramping up my long runs over the next few weeks per Coach Kastor – they will be 19, 21, 17, 22, and 14 miles before I start tapering down a bit.
A huge thanks to ASICS who sent me the Gel Noosa Tri 9 shoe this week.
How’s that for a trendy look?
This is a new shoe to me. I think it runs big (they are both size 9!) and is a bit wider than my Mizunos, but I do like the shoe and have had some comfortable runs this week breaking them in.
If you ran this weekend, what’s one thing that went right?
Favorite song on your iPod right now? I also like Timber (predictable, I know).
SUAR
PS: Don’t forget all C9 stuff at Target is 40% off today (using coupon code GETFIT if you order online, more info HERE). I ordered this jacket online and it went from $34.99 to $20.99. Score! Also, if you haven’t entered my $200 Target gift card giveaway what the hell are you waiting for? It’s free money.
I like to break up my long runs with NPR/podcasts for the first half and music toward the end. I noticed the plain flavored GU last time I was at my running store. I had the same reaction as you...it must taste like paste or sour cream or something. Uck.
ReplyDeleteMy heart belongs to Mizuno, but those Asics are a thing of beauty.
ReplyDeleteI ran hill repeats and managed not to throw up or cry. Does that count? I will not say how much I farted.
ReplyDeleteRan my long run with an audiobook today. First time I've done it, and found it helped me keep a much steadier pace than when I run with music. Enjoyable, will do it again.
ReplyDeleteFavorite song on my running playlist right now: Wake Me Up by Avicii.
Ran a tough, icy, snowy, blowy, cold, 8 today. Here's what I say. Anyone who does those Tough Mudders or "adventure runs"...show me what you've got NOW. Run outside, long, in the Midwest. I was leaping over snowdrifts...slipping on ice....got blown backwards in the 30 mph gusts..pelted with ice shards...wind chill of 0...here's when it counts. Show me what you've got.
ReplyDeleteMy music got me through it. Best song right now? Happy by Pharrell. Corny, I know but I picked up the pace when it came on. Somehow...it felt warmer (for a few mins).
I love that song too! And American authors Best day of my life
DeleteAdded that one to my playlist! Thanks!
DeleteI'm doing a 25k trail run in February and decided to do a "dry run" yesterday. It was literally miles and miles of mud. I was glad that the mud didn't suck my shoes off. I did, however, perfect my technique for getting the mud off the soles of my shoes though.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE when long runs go well! Having company makes such a big difference, so does having the right fuel (I learned this the hard way!).
ReplyDeleteIt's also nice when the weather is warm in the winter :)
Karen @karenlovestorun
One more thing..Beth...pretty brave wearing yellow shorts. I only wear black myself. Just an observation.
ReplyDeleteYeah that was risky. Fortunately it went my way.
DeleteI ran 5 hung-over miles ramping up for my spring half marathon. I ran at the Jersey shore, where the wind only blows north, and unfortunately I was running south, so my face looked sandblasted by the time I met my husband for breakfast. That was the best part. Have you ever run hung-over? It's the best medicine!
ReplyDeleteDid the Houston half after throwing up the day before. Wanted to get a pb, but just happy to finish 1:50. Now got to do another to get under that time ...
ReplyDeleteThose new Asics look awesome!!!
ReplyDeleteI like to soak in the tub (not ice!) and read after a long run!!
I break up my runs by doing some intervals or telling myself a nine miler is 3 3-milers or 5 miles is only 20 laps of the track. (That didn't work well!)
ReplyDeleteRan four days this week--my goal. Ran four miles today on a new route. Happy I can run :) I like to listen to dance music, current fav is Cannonball bay Showtek.
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ReplyDeleteOn 4+ hours sleep and battling a cold, I did 9 at only slightly slower pace than I had originally planned. Nice nap after. Good day. Thanks for asking.
ReplyDeleteOur little group ran for Meg on Saturday...we talked about road safety, live GPS tracking...I also shared with them the Target sale - which I hit HARD today! Scored some wicked awesome deals. Thanks for sharing the tip! (Thanks also for sharing that sometimes doing long runs kind of stink...not always rainbows and butterflies.)
ReplyDeleteAwesome Long Run! :) The Tripleberry GU is the very first kind I ever tried! Still remains one of my faves! :)
ReplyDeleteLOVE the new kicks!! So bright and shiny! :) 7 weeks and counting eh? Good luck!! :)
Great experience! I've never done long run before aside from short distance trail running, but I guess this experience of yours could pull my feet back on the trail. I'm inspired. (-_+
ReplyDeleteHuge sandwiches and coffee are the keys to all success in athletics! Nice work with the 17. :)
ReplyDeleteI made a playlist for my half marathon this weekend and it helped a lot... I don't typically run with music- even for my long distance training runs and marathons but I have been out of the race game for a while so I wanted to make sure I was distracted. Timber definitely made that list- there is something about it that makes it catchy... oh wait, that's because it's a pop song.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had an awesome run!
You totally hooked me up with the Target workout clothes! Went yesterday and scored awesomeness and saved about $60! That' tells you how much I bought! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOne good thing on my run yesterday… I finished it! 10 brutal miles which is loooong for me right now!
I only ran 5 miles on the treadmill (sidenote: I can remember commenting on your blog once about how I wished I could someday say "only" 5 miles. Look at me!). I, too, thought about how blessed I am to be able to run.
ReplyDeleteFavorite song to run to right now: When We Were Us - Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert. Yes, I'm a hick.
coach kastor is awesome, you are going to have such a wonderful time with the whole asics team!!!
ReplyDeleteNice to hear you had a good run, it's always so encouraging. I ran my long run on Saturday and the temps were great (for winter in Canada), ran another 6 on Sunday and it was a little colder out. Also thought a lot about all those runners who are no longer running...sad.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your posts. I have to break up my runs too, although I'm not anywhere near 17 miles. And too funny, I do the opposite with music. The last "section" of my runs, I pull my headphones to mark how close I am. When I get really tired and am about to almost die, music just tends to annoy me.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks to your tip with the GETFIT code (and my wife's RedCard discounts), I ordered 2 pairs of shorts, 2 short sleeve T's, and 2 long sleeve T's all for a little over $50. You really can't beat it...
Glad you had a super run. I'm both excited and dreading getting back into that kind of mileage for the Pittsburgh Marathon in May.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with the breaking up method. I have a river-side towpath near my home in Bethlehem, Pa., and some runner friends opened my eyes to the glory that is 10 miles on the towpath and then the other 10 miles elsewhere in town. Suddenly 20 feels (slightly) less torturous.
As for music -- I have the same strategy. I love Pandora because it always seems to know what I want. The genre station 'Indie Dance Music' is superb. HIGHLY recommend.
What went right for me this weekend was a surprise 7-miler. Went for 5 with a friend, thinking we might do 6 but somehow finished 7. If only I could make this happen in the double digit jaunts ;-)
I noticed the plain flavored GU for the first time this week, too. From what I've heard, it actually tastes like honey, which I wouldn't mind. A lot of the GUs have a similar undercurrent of flavor, anyway.
ReplyDeleteyes, honey would be fine...sounds good actually
DeleteI thought of Meg this weekend too. Very, very sad.
ReplyDeleteAs for music, I like Starships by Nicki Minaj. The thing that went right this weekend was just the fact that I ran because it was my first run outside since Sept right after my mom died. I just haven't felt up to it till now. It felt great to get back out there. :)
I'm so sorry about your mom. I hope being out there cleared your head...I bet she was with you!
DeleteSuccessful long runs are the best thing ever!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat went right for me running wise this weekend was entering the right group for my races!!! I ran the Louisiana 5k and full and chose on enter the open Athena division instead of my AG. Paid big dividends. Scored a 1st place in the marathon and 2nd in the 5k. Definitely not my best times but not my worst either. I will take it considering I missed 3 weeks of training (2-20 milers) due to messed up Achilles. I went not even knowing if I was going to run the full.
Plain GU is actually one of my favs and tastes like cake frosting to me. So get it!
ReplyDeleteI ran on Saturday, just under 3.5 miles...it was cold and windy! I like that idea of breaking up the time that you listen to music during a run. And ooh I love cheap running clothes, very tempting to buy!
ReplyDeleteI did 9.5 miles yesterday. It was blah. nothing special. no runner's high......At least my "emergencies" (3 of them to be exact) happened before my run though! I guess that counts as "something that went right".
ReplyDeleteI feel like I can completely relate to how you feel about long runs. They can be so daunting and especially alone. I did a 20 miler by myself one time and I've vowed to never do that again. It was beyond hard. Anyways, love how certain places find it okay for us runners to just use the bathrooms. What would we do if we couldn't take a pit stop. I run with music when I am by myself and I really love Tedeschi Trucks, Mumford and Sons and quite a few others. Sort of non traditional I know! I ran on Saturday at the Zooma Florida Half Marathon so I got in 13.1 miles.
ReplyDeleteI had an 8 mile solo run this weekend, from the house, on a deadline so hubby and 4 yo could go to the stock show and I could stay home with our almost 2 yo. I got it done with time to spare, and yes, the CO weather was awesome (I, too, was thinking of Meg and her family). I didn't like the route exactly, ended up running through and out the back side of an apartment complex (people prob thought I was wierd), but I got it done and felt great afterwards! Nice job on the 17 and I do like your fancy new sneakers!
ReplyDeleteUmm, plain GUs are delicious. They're like Vanilla Bean, only not so vanilla beany that your face feels like it's going to peel off from the sweetness. Perfect when you've been running over ten miles and anything sweet/sticky makes your throat gum up.
ReplyDeleteAnd those shoes are beautiful.
Dedicated my 14 mile run to Meg, stopped, walked, found shelter in the heated bathrooms, ran a cross country ski trail and came out of my running slump!
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