TRIED & NEW

"I'd rather fail at a goal that most people won't attempt than live without trying.  Because what if trying manifests into doing?!  Think about all  the possibilities of what you could become."

~ Allie Kieffer

This past Monday I shifted gears from a training perspective.  I'm now focusing on my next marathon, which barring any issues, will be Chicago in October.  I tend to log a shit ton of miles in my marathon training cycles, it's just what works for me, so while it's a little daunting to be starting again, I'm also pretty excited about it because I get a kind of sick high from all the hard work.  It's basically a five month long intensive physical and mental challenge that often comes in second only to being a Mom.  Bring it on, I'm ready.  I have 12 & 14 year old girls, so that can be a whole different level of intense.  This will be my twenty fourth marathon and I've got systems in place that are tried and true from years past that I will continue to follow because they have proved effective over the years.  Things like, as I already mentioned, running high mileage, getting as much sleep as possible, eating more whole foods and less sugar (excluding ice cream which is a summer must-have, no exceptions), more stretching and rolling, and so on and so forth.  Over the last couple weeks, however, I've been compiling a list of new things that I really want to focus on specifically for this training cycle in hopes that they will make a difference come October.  I'll just come right out and say that my goal is to run a faster marathon.  Given that it took me nine attempts to run a sub-3, it's a very lofty one.  I know this.  But, if I've learned anything over these last three years it's that the big, scary goals, even if they seem out of reach, are worth the effort as it's more fun to try and fail than to not try at all; 'fun' being a relative term here.  Seriously, though, breaking that 3 hour barrier was one of the most rewarding things I've ever done in my running life, so why not put another big one out there to aim for?  Because if it does happen it will be that much more epic.  Have I convinced you yet?  It doesn't matter, I'm really trying to convince myself.  It may take a while.  I'll keep you posted.  In the meantime, here are a few of the things I plan to do differently this time around.  I've got twenty weeks of miles and madness ahead of me.  Hope you'll follow along.  I'm going to need support and I'll take anything I can get.  Giddy up.

~ Run as many miles with people - friends, teammates, family members - as possible.  As I've gotten older, I've found that I prefer running with company.  It takes the focus off of me and my frequent pain and/or exhaustion and puts it on the conversation at hand which inevitably makes the run go faster.  I really want to rope my 12 year old into running with me more this summer as her interest in racing was sparked this spring through her school team, but she has told me she doesn't like to run in the heat, so this will definitely be a challenge.

~ Stretch and roll the hell out of my calves.  Stretching and rolling is always on my list.  But, I am prone to plantar fasciitis and get it often in both feet, though thankfully never at the same time.  Knock on wood.  I'm going to make a conscious effort to stretch and roll my calves out both before and after I run on a daily basis as the less strain I put on those muscles the less likely I am to have to deal with PF.

~ Run at least one, if not two or three 100 mile weeks.  It's no secret that the more you run, the better your cardiovascular efficiency.  I happen to be lucky in that my body can handle a lot of mileage.  Thus, I'm going to give it a go. Assuming I can deal, there is not doubt that this will make a difference for me on race day.  Gulp.

~ Carve out time out for post-run dynamics after every run, excluding my long run.  I actually did them during my Baystate training as well, though not as frequently.  They help prevent injury, build muscle memory and improve form so there is absolutely no reason not to make them a priority.

~ Carve out time for core at least three times a week.  I have completely fallen off the core wagon this spring and it's time to get back on.  A strong core is the foundation of all running.

~ Focus on one day and one workout at time.  My coach gives me a few weeks of workouts and I often look at the entire week or month and get stressed out.  My goal for this cycle is to dive head first into one and only one run at a time so I can get the best out of myself for that day.

~ Take one positive thing out of every single workout, even when it's crappy.  As a lot of runners do, I easily get down on myself when things don't go as planned.  But, rather than dwell on the fact that I couldn't get it done the way I'd hoped, I'm going to find the good in each one.  Because it's always there.  And walking away on a positive note sets me up for success as I put it behind me and move on.

~ Run at least once a week without my watch.  Just pick a route that I'm familiar with and run free.  To remind myself that, above all else, I run for fun and because it brings me joy.

Listen to this:
Saw Lightning - Beck