January 18th, 2012
I finally got around to planning my Spring schedule – an activity rife with my usual mixture of excitement and fear. I think this is my first season where I don’t have a goal Half, or any Half for that matter, it’s just 5ks, 10ks and a 10-miler in May. You can see what’s up on my At The Races page.
The first race, a low-key neighborhood 10k, is in 6.5 weeks and I’m nervous about it. Normally, that’d be a good amount of time to get race-ready but I’m still catching up to my pre-injured self, so if I do it (notice, I just gave myself an out) I need to be prepared to suck wind, treating it as a rust-buster with bonus rust (Now! 30% more stagnation and shitty results as our gift to you…)
I have to start doing the mental work I’d begun when I signed up for all those Fall races, the thing that tells my sub-conscience races are fun, recreational and an entertaining way to spend a weekend morning, they’re…well, they’re not a measure of where you’ll be stuck from that day forward.
I want to be more open to the idea of having crappy races, knowing it’s just a comma in the big running story and not an indicator of the future. Only time will tell what we can achieve, let it unfold and show you the rest of the story at its own pace.
So that’s my homework, some self-propaganda.
A Few Excellent Links
I’ve posted some of these on Facebook but since all you readers aren’t my FB pals, you might enjoy them. There are also some I’ve never posted so something for everyone. Enjoy!
- Since I’m so immersed in doubles right now, thought I’d share this swell article on them.
- Here’s a truly fabulous resource that’ll keep you off the injured list or help get you off it asap. It’s a Self-myofascial Release Manual that shows you all the different muscles and how to attack each with foam roller, Stick and/or tennis ball. Trust me, open it up, scroll to the middle and you’ll get an idea of why you need this link.
- A nice article on Dathan Ritzenhein after coming in fourth at the Olympic Trials. I thought it interesting what he said about not doing a tune-up Half, choosing to do two 5ks instead (boils down the brain/confidence thing!). Poor guy has had an unbelievable amount of medical issues that it’s amazing he did as well as he did this last weekend. I really hope he gets to rock his shorter race stuff in the Olympics, I’m a fan.
- Here’s a great post-race video interview with Kara Goucher where she talks about her race tactics at the Trials, getting back her fitness and training with Shalane among other stuff. She’s so darn likeable.
- Behold a fabu collection of post-Olympic Trials recaps. Tons of goodness in these! I especially liked 5th place Janet Cherobon-Bawcom’s interview. This was the first marathon she actually raced and she ended up with an 8min PR. “…and we have a rule in our house that you never complain if you ran a PR” – that made me smile. But all of them are good, interesting to read about the slower ones and DNFs too.
And lastly a couple songs. This first one is Airborne Toxic Event’s “All I Ever Wanted”. Honest injun, I ran 8-miles with it today and kept hitting replay for the entire 8 miles. There are several versions and videos of it, but I’m a sucker for strings, so this is my favorite one.
I posted this on Facebook a couple months ago and I still love it like crazy, totally gives me the sex vibe. Even the geese in the park look at me funny when I’m running to it. I know they want me.
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Woo hoo! Race calendar planning is indeed both fun & stressful. that’s what i’m doing this week! Airborne Toxic Event gets a thumbs up but I don’t really like that Lana del Rey song. It just drags for me. But, to each their own.
I totally get that (the Lana del Rey song being draggy). For me, it makes me think of hot, humid summer nights and wrapping yourself around your man, transparent dress dropping to the floor…I obviously need to get laid.
Have fun race planning!
did you read my mind? I do not have access to FB during the day but was wondering what post marathon trials interviews, feedback, blogs were out there.
My day at the trials is long gone and passed. I’ve been asked, does it make you sad that you’re not there? No, because that was another life. I love the life I live now, even though I will not argue if I ever find those times again, but anywho I digress…I watched the trials and my heart went out to every runner out there. All so brave and so full of soul. I’m sure we know what their reply to “All I ever Want.” If it didn’t happen on Saturday, I hope their dreams come true.
Speaking of All I Ever Want, I heart Airborne Toxic Event. When their song “Sometime After Midnight” was released, it gave me goosebumps. I loved this song and like you hit replay for an entire run. The song brought me to another place.
“or at least that’s when
you lose yourself
for a minute or two”
and isn’t that why we run, train and race? To find that other place, a place where dreams are made?
so thank you for bringing me back to a happy place. Hamstring do what you want. I can wait, I’ll figure you out. I know where my dreams are and with that…”All I Ever Want” is to run!
Cheers to you Fabulous Flo!
I didn’t know you were a Trials gal but am not surprised at all given your incredible speed. You’re so impressive with that and your body building not to mention your Cool Mommy-ing. But I’m sorry to hear your hamstring is giving you shit still, may it get gone asap!
Ditto “Sometime After Midnight”, I played that thing endlessly. It was stupid of me not to explore more of their music, but I’m a singles gal, never seem to get curious enough for full CDs anymore. But now that I’m in love with Mikel Jollett, that’ll have to change.
1996 Trials and placed 53rd (ah my claim to fame.) Best day ever and for real, they gave us all the free Red, White and Blue M&M’s we wanted. I remember walking behind Joan B-Samuelson and she grabbed a huge handful of em. WHAT?! YES! You go Joan! Ever since then M&Ms have a special place in my heart.
back to tunes, Mikel Jollett is the most adorable ever! Hamstring is just crabby…I’d give it a time out but he’s had his chance. Right now I’m thankful for Yoga and active isolated stretching as it’s doing the job. So I’m going to follow your flow and plan some spring races ; )
Wow, what fabulous placing, you really went and conquered! Definitely a great claim to fame. As for the present…happy race planning. May the hamstring listen up and realize it has a lots of work to do soon.
Kara IS awesome, just like myofascial release!! Ok those two maybe don’t fall into the same category together…but I digress… ;0
Wow, nice racing calendar. Look forward to hearing about them!
Wasn’t Kara indulging in a little expectation-lowering before the OT, just like you’re doing now? (I kid) (OK maybe not entirely). She ran a smart race BTW.
Race schedule looks great! Sometimes I think a PR comes when you least expect it. I know you are worried about lost fitness from your downtime, but 6 weeks is a long time. You might surprise yourself out there.
Have you ever done a Race for the Cure? I did one down here a bunch of years ago and it was a complete and utter cluster. It’s now one of the few races on my “never again” list.
Keep up the good work!
HEy – we’ll both be doing Broad Street, hopefully!
Again, thanks for the links. I’m an FB pal, but sometimes I don’t get to FB for a day or two and things go unseen.
Happy racing! Remember, crappy races are just as good as fast ones if you learn something from them .)
Thanks for the great links! The SMR link is fab!!