Running away from August! Onward into September!

[OakLeaf]

Mmmmmmm, cookies.

I did heart rate intervals today. Haven't really been doing much speedwork, but it felt good. I'm pretty well mentally exhausted and over-taxed, so I wanted a compressed workout.

I'm signed up for Columbus half in October, not as a goal race but just for the heck of it, but I'd like to at least not embarrass myself. It's not too late to get in a couple of longer runs before then ... I haven't been running much over 9.5 consistently.

[lph]

I don't usually post here because I'm not that much of a runner, though I'm gradually trying to get there.

But today I got myself a new mental prop. Running is pretty hard work to me, and I like using mental images and music to keep me focussed. And struggling up one of the small, steep hills on my semi-commute run I started thinking how these tough little hills where I feel slow and unfit are the ones that are actually making me strong, not the easy stretches where I just fly. And I got the image of loading a spring, like winding up something. Loading a spring is hard work, and you have to put in a steady effort rather than a short burst. But once it's loaded you can release all that energy later.

Works for me :-)

[GLC1968]

LPH, I like that image!

I did my 9 mile run on Saturday. Funny thing was, it felt better (and was faster) than my 8 mile run last week so I am definitely making progress. My DH just broke down and signed up for the half I'm doing in December. This is HUGE for him as 1) he is not a runner, 2) the longest he's ever run was 6 miles with me two years ago and 3) he is terrible at sticking to commitments to race or train. I sent him my training plan after modifying it a bit for him and hopefully, he'll stick with it.

Next weekend, I'll be in FL for my 10 mile run. I'm torn. I like the trail i'm planning to run on and the general flatness of the area...but I'm not looking forward to the heat and humidity.

[OakLeaf]

Be careful with that heat, GLC. Don't know what the temperatures have been up by you, but most of FL is still getting heat indexes in the mid to high 90s. Glad you have a nice place to run though ... IME what Florida lacks in brutal 20% grades, it more than makes up for in boring.

I just did a weetie little recovery run yesterday. My lack of speedwork was, ahem, apparent the next day. . Yoga today, going for 11-ish tomorrow.

[yellow]

As I was trudging/plodding/attempting to run/hiking/running today, I had this image of myself as a tail-less Shamu, trying to swim through stale molasses. Or perhaps a 3-legged elephant trying to run through a mud bog. Pathetic with a capital P. I would really like to know where my strong, pain-free legs are. It was so discouraging that I began trying to convince myself that my life would be just fine without exercise. It was a whole lot of garbage--stomach hurt, back was cranky, legs really hurt, I had massive chub rub, ad nauseum. Yep, one of those days. The trail was in great shape (we got some rain over the weekend that really knocked the dust down) and I saw no one else out there. Lots of fall colors, too. So I guess it wasn't all bad I do think, however, that I left my mojo in Tahoe in mid-July. I wish I could coax it to come back to Utah. I know, wah.

lph, I have a similar image I use sometimes. I think of a string pulling me up (as in keeping my upper body stacked over my hips) and my legs being like a wind up toy; the more that string pulls, the longer my legs will stay "loaded" (keep going). I should have used that today but I think I was wallowing in my misery too much to think clearly

[lph]

As I was trudging/plodding/attempting to run/hiking/running today, I had this image of myself as a tail-less Shamu, trying to swim through stale molasses. Or perhaps a 3-legged elephant trying to run through a mud bog.

Nah, you were just loading the spring Wouldn't want to break the spring now, would you!

[skhill]

We're having a return of summer this week, yuck. 75F and humid at dawn; felt like I was running through sludge. I went through the university campus for the first time since classes started, and now I remember why I don't usually go there on school days. Even at 6:30 AM there was quite a bit of traffic and inattentive drivers.