Sunday, December 07, 2008
Today's Run: 4 miles (yesterday) 5 miles (today)
Run Time: 42:41 minutes, 54:50 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 896.3 miles
Thoughts on the Run:
Getting close to 900 miles since I started this journey, won't be long until it's one thousand. Exciting!
I didn't log yesterday's run, but I ran it. Not very eventful.
Today was a different story. At 36 degrees when I set out, it was by far my coldest run so far. While I still had my old reactions about running in the cold (not looking forward to it) I've been focused on changing my mind. I realized part of why I had been miserable running in the cold was because I had decided that running in the cold was a miserable experience. I've been focused on it being an exhilarating experience instead, and it's working. I captured the feeling I had in South Dakota at the top of the slope of Terry Peak, staring out over the crisp blue skies above the Black Hills just before plunging down the run ... and while running is nowhere near that same experience, the association allowed me to enjoy the run.
So, the first mile I was just adjusting to the shock of how cold it truly was. It seemed all of my muscles ached and it was very hard to keep a pace. I couldn't seem to catch my breath. But I pressed on and after about a mile, I started to warm up and was getting into it. By the halfway mark, I had warmed up significantly and was even hot, so I took off a layer and was running in a short-sleeved shirt.
The hills on the way back were especially challenging and left me gasping for breath. I did not let them defeat me on the way up and ran them nonstop, but did have to slow the pace and rest on the backside.
I realized that I was over an 11 minute mile as I hit mile 4, but knowing that the rest of the way was mostly downhill, I decided to push hard and make up my time and beat the 11 minute mile. So, I increased my pace and focused on it as if it were a mile race.
I ran hard, finished feeling a little ill, but the taste of victory was far sweeter and I beat the 11-minute pace (came in just 10 seconds short ... the mind is powerful tool!).
Another week to a close and another victory, even though I missed a tempo run I still focused on moving forward and didn't let it wreck my momentum.
Take care,
Run Time: 42:41 minutes, 54:50 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 896.3 miles
Thoughts on the Run:
Getting close to 900 miles since I started this journey, won't be long until it's one thousand. Exciting!
I didn't log yesterday's run, but I ran it. Not very eventful.
Today was a different story. At 36 degrees when I set out, it was by far my coldest run so far. While I still had my old reactions about running in the cold (not looking forward to it) I've been focused on changing my mind. I realized part of why I had been miserable running in the cold was because I had decided that running in the cold was a miserable experience. I've been focused on it being an exhilarating experience instead, and it's working. I captured the feeling I had in South Dakota at the top of the slope of Terry Peak, staring out over the crisp blue skies above the Black Hills just before plunging down the run ... and while running is nowhere near that same experience, the association allowed me to enjoy the run.
So, the first mile I was just adjusting to the shock of how cold it truly was. It seemed all of my muscles ached and it was very hard to keep a pace. I couldn't seem to catch my breath. But I pressed on and after about a mile, I started to warm up and was getting into it. By the halfway mark, I had warmed up significantly and was even hot, so I took off a layer and was running in a short-sleeved shirt.
The hills on the way back were especially challenging and left me gasping for breath. I did not let them defeat me on the way up and ran them nonstop, but did have to slow the pace and rest on the backside.
I realized that I was over an 11 minute mile as I hit mile 4, but knowing that the rest of the way was mostly downhill, I decided to push hard and make up my time and beat the 11 minute mile. So, I increased my pace and focused on it as if it were a mile race.
I ran hard, finished feeling a little ill, but the taste of victory was far sweeter and I beat the 11-minute pace (came in just 10 seconds short ... the mind is powerful tool!).
Another week to a close and another victory, even though I missed a tempo run I still focused on moving forward and didn't let it wreck my momentum.
Take care,
Labels: mindset, running in the cold
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