February 1st, 2010
And I Am One
The schedule called for a 10 on Saturday with 8MP, then 17 on Sunday. I was fine with it until Saturday came and it was 8 degrees windchill (and that’s from an inland weather station, the river’s gotta be worse). Somehow the idea of pushing MP in that kind of temperature was not thrilling me in the least.
I wanted to want to do it, I really did. So I looked at my schedule to see what my options were. I noticed that today would start my first cut-back week which meant next weekend’s runs were to be a 7 and 13 with no quality involved. Checked the weather and saw that next weekend would be in the 30s (tropical!), so after much hemming and hawing and still feeling loserish, I decided to switch weekends.
The two thoughts that kept me from feeling full-on Loser is that
A. I’m not going to be running Boston in 8 degree weather and since the MP miles were guaranteed to be harder than normal, it’d make me feel unnecessarily negative, and
B. My body doesn’t know the calendar, so if my cutback starts two days earlier it’s all the same to the legs. Nothing lost.
Once I got outside, I was extremely happy with my decision. Despite 2 pairs of gloves, my fingers went numb pretty fast so I had to keep messing with my hands to keep some life in them. I ended up making it a peppy GA run because I wanted to get home, so 7@8:09.
Yesterday was much warmer at 24 degrees but I stuck to the cut-back schedule and did 13@8:35. Again, it was a good decision because I felt creaky and old – a rare occurrence with me, but there it was. In fact, somewhere in the middle of the run I was wishing Boston had a Half I could drop down to. If only.
So yeah, I wussed out but it won’t affect anything, I won’t be skipping or losing any quality work. Funny how a little rearranging can make you feel like you’re doing something wrong nonetheless.
The Newsletter
I’m sure you’ve noticed the new addition to the right menu and the page to which it links. I’ve decided it would be fun to add a newsletter to the mix and while I’m not sure of the final format, there are some things I’d like to talk about via the newsletter – jabber about goals, motivational ideas, links to interesting articles and whatever sounds worthy of sharing. I’m also very open to suggestions from you guys, so if you have anything you’d like to see, please let me know via email.
And because I think a bribe should always be involved when someone is kind enough to supply an email address, I’ve put together a big-ass pdf of running links accompanied by comments on why I like them or how to use them, etc. Thus, Flo’s 103 Fabulous Running Links is my entry into the bribe market. Of course I hope you guys sign up, but don’t feel obligated in any way, I know what it’s like to get too much email so I’ll love you no matter what.
That’s it for today’s adventure in one-sided conversation. Have some good runs, my darlings, be safe and stay warm. Only 1 million days left to Spring! Feels like it, anyway.
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I hope that it warms up a bit in Philly for you (but not here) and you’re able to break out of this funk.
Thanks Robert, no funk going on pour moi! I’m actually in great spirits these days, just ready for some 40 degree weather again! Ahhh, a gal can dream.
hope that it warms up for the both of us! i hate it when my fingers/hands go numb but alas it seems that winter in NE makes that a reality.
I know, I’m going to dance through my runs once it warms up, lol. This winter is definitely worse than last. Keep those fingers warm, girl!
we can all HOPE it wont be 8 degrees for Boston.
Heard about the year of the Noreaster? YUCK
Oh yes, I remember that and seeing the photos. Please please please don’t be pouring rain on April 19th. Please please please….
we can always lay and bed and order room service.
A bit of the Kara Gouchers about that swap-around. Congrats to your coach.
I love tons of letters and spaces, so count me in.
Lol, thanks for joining, my Aussie pal.
You are not a Loser! There is no way I could run in that below 30 mess. I don’t see how you northerners do it. I’d be confined to the TM for sure.
Oh, you’re such a liar, of all the women I know with a steel resolve, you’re at the top of the list. But I appreciate the sympathy.
I’m with you, totally sick of this weather and ready for warmth. Bring it on groundhog!
My sentiments exactly! Oh, and just for correctness sake, when you asked about my upcoming races, I left out the Shamrock Half in March, silly me. And now you can rest easy.
I love the pic of you and the running link…and you aren’t a wuss. I did 16 on sunday and my legs were stinging the whole time- not fun afterwards when I could barely feel them.
Thanks for the pic compliment! Good on you for getting your 16 done. Did you know I saw someone in shorts on Saturday when it was 8? I actually said “Shorts!” as I passed him and he just said “uh huh”. I bet he was thinking “I can’t feel my legs, either”.
I’d be pretty pleased with 13@8.35 in a training run – does that make me a wuss all the time:)
This might be me being a bit dumb, or just a language barrier (me from the UK!), what is 8MP and a peppy GA run? – MP? GA?
Oh and on being from the UK – it took me a while to realise your temperatures were in F not C – that would be wussy complaining about running at 8C
Lol, those acronyms are secret and I can’t share them with you, especially because you’re from the UK.
MP is Marathon Pace and GA is General Aerobic (your regular runs). MP is pretty common but now that I think about it, GA is probably solely Pete Pfitzinger’s term (author of Advanced Marathoning), so I should of just said easy run. Glad you asked.
Thanks – not too dumb then
What’s that book like by the way? I have no plans to run a marathon in the next 100 years(!), but would it be relevant for the half marathon and below?
It’s a really good book but I wouldn’t bother for less than a marathon, it’s totally specific to the distance. Brad Hudson’s Run Faster would be more useful as a general training book.
Andrew – Don’t the age groups stop at 80 or something like that? If you wait for 100 years you might be at a disadvantage. One of those young 80-year-old whippersnappers could make off with your AG award.