Day 32 and Day 33, Friday Feb 14, 2014, and Saturday Feb 15, 2014

Day 32 and Day 33, Friday Feb 14, 2014, and Saturday Feb 15, 2014


Today I am 1/3 through my challenge. I didn't even realize that until I wrote down the days. What a nice Valentines gift to myself! I was at the gym Friday and did arms and abs. I did mostly "pull" muscles, so I did tricep pull downs, lat machine pulls, free weight pulls, and alternated with ab exercises.

Saturday was a beautiful day -10 (Must be a Canadian, when a beautiful day is -10 degrees Celsius!) I finally got to do my long run outside. I am way ahead of my training program, so I am concentrating on mileage and not so much on speed or tempo, which is a good thing, because my pace is really slow right now. I like to plan my long runs so that for the most part I am running from start point to midway and back. I don't like to do loops otherwise I could see myself cutting my running short. If I am 6 kilometers away from my car at halfway, I have no choice but to run back! LOL.

The first thing I usually do is pick a route, I use "map my run" on the computer and find it is very accurate. Also it tracks other runners routes, so you can use someone else's route for fun. I don't like to carry water so I drive my route first, which also gives me an idea how busy the road are and if there are any issues with traffic etc, and I drop off water along my route. That way I don't have to carry water with me. I always lotion up my feet well, hydrate with water, have at least 2 coffee, supplements, and breakfast. Then I turn up my Nike app and go. I don't know if I can explain to you what goes through your mind when you are running for almost 2 hours. I always start off with everything bothering me for the first two miles, my socks itch, my bra is irritating, my bula is twisted, my earphones aren't staying in, everything hurts. Then after about 3 km my body hits a pace and it's like "well if this is what we are doing today, I'm in" and after that I kinda get with the program. I go through times when I feel like I can't go another step, to feeling like I won't ever stop. After about 5 kilometers, I finally look up and around, and that is usually my first "bliss" moment. I realize how beautiful it is outside, how good the music is, how great my body feels and I usually get my first water break.  I alternate between feeling good and bad all through my run, until I have about 5km left to go. Then it seems easy, like I have done 5km so many times, that is all I have left?

There are two facets to any good training program. 1. Mental preparedness and 2. Physical preparedness. Physical in my case is broken down into mileage. I have to follow a training program and know on race day that I can (and have) run that mileage. Mental preparedness is following the physical program. I say that in the only way I know how, what I mean is that when I am running, sometimes my mind thinks I can't go another step, and somehow my body does it anyway, and sometimes physically I am so tired or sore, and don't think I can go another step and somehow I  think my way through it. Either way from talking to lots of runners every one does it there own way. You need to use the training program that gets you there on race day. If that is your goal.

Have a GREAT day!