'Merica. Alright, now that THAT is out of my system... Waking up this morning was very surreal. It was race day. I Woke up to the sound of my alarm and the rain pouring out of the sky and onto my roof. This was going to be a very wet endeavor. As I got up to get ready I thought, what do I need to do? Am I ready? In college a typical pre-race morning included packing my bag (full of extra everything), having all the elements to my uniform, constructing the perfect race-day hair, and of course my peanut butter and banana toast. I had to remind myself that I was doing a 4 mile run... in Keene and to chill out. I wasn't there to win. I was there to run and feel good- rain or shine. So I had some water, did my hair (braids of course), and was sure to pack some extra footwear for after the race. Soggy socks and sneaks = pruney toes (yuck!) I got there and I was amazed how big the turn out was considering the rain. My plan for the race was to go out conservatively and finish strong. My goal was to run faster than 32:00 (8 minute pace). This was a very attainable goal for me, but I played the set low expectation get higher result game (and it worked). It was very casual being at the start line. Which was refreshing. There was no pressure. The rain was beginning to let up and as I looked around at all runners corralled with me at the start I thought: "Alright, this is it." Off the line we went. As we all took off I remember to stay relaxed. The first mile has the slightest uphill gradient. I was getting past by heaps of people and I'm thinking to myself, WHAT THE HECK? Am I really this slow??? Regardless, I maintain the pace. And, I'm sure glad I did. I hit the first mile at 7:16. If I can keep that up, I'll be in good shape. I began passing people back in the next few miles. I was only passed by one person in the last 2.5 miles of the course (pretty awesome right?) The stretch back on the railroad bed was long. My 4 on the 4th Veteran friend had warned me of this during our warm-up. I just stayed relaxed. I was so happy with how the race was going and I was confident that I could muster up a good kick. As my friend Thomas had said, "The Titus will come out".... On the bike path back I began singing in my head: I'm Happy By: Pharrell Williams https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM&feature=kp After I was done singing that... I was still on the bike path (O'dear). I was definitely feeling tired, legs were feeling a bit heavy but, I was almost done!!! Now came time for the kick. There was a big group of people I had closed in on in those last 4 minutes. So in true Titus Tidal Wave fashion I lifted my knees, I pumped my arms, and I KICKED. According to CoolRunning.com I finished the 4 mile race in 28:44 (7:11 AVG/Mile). The kick took a lot out of me though!!! A couple of dry-heaves, a charlie horse and a walk later I was ready to celebrate. Happy Fourth of July!!! Congratulations to all of the runners! Have a great weekend! Full Results: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/14/nh/Jul4_Pathwa_set1.shtml |
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Today I did an easy 3 miles on the trails. I purchased an arm band to wear on my bikes/runs for easy picture snapping. So far so good. I took the Masi out for a stroll through campus, she did great for her first day out :) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I had my first "Pre-Meet Day" for the first time in two-years. Wait, what?! Over the last week I had started thinking more and more about signing up for a race... I would sign up for something in the fall. This would give me plenty of time to prepare and be where I want to be. Be strong and be fast. However... Today I signed up for not one, but two races! That means I'm REALLY doing this now. I signed up for 4 on the 4th in Keene, NH- Which is TOMORROW. AND New Hampshire Cross-Country Festival at Derryfield Park, Manchester, NH. Also my racing schedule will of course include Keene State Alumni Race at Keene State College, Keene, NH. The 4 on the 4th is a four mile race through Keene, NH. The 4 on the 4th is a race that everybody does... though, I have never raced it. In the past I had always been out of town on the 4th. Since this year I am very much so in town, I should do the race. Especially since half of each persons entry fee goes toward Pathways for Keene. http://www.pathwaysforkeene.org/ Pathways for Keene is an organization that works to build and maintain the network of trails in the Keene area. Trails which I run on daily. So, if I bomb this race it won't be a total waste. Alright, crushing those negative thoughts right now. I can run 4 miles. I can finish strong. Boom there go the fireworks. Today I was super efficient in running errands. I had a game plan.
The only thing I wasn't very efficient with was getting in a run. Oops. I blame the torrential down pour and delicious shrimp scampi I had whipped up. With the help of my friends at EMS in Peterborough, NH I have successfully purchased my first bicycle! All bikes up until this point I had received or graciously acquired. The two wheeled machines that fall into this category have contributed towards a sense of independence as a youngin', have helped me cross-train through injury, and have helped me get from point A. to point B. around town. Especially after the Fixie event, I wanted and needed something new. I'm looking forward to the adventure with my Masi. The last few days around here have seemed jam-packed. Though I haven't RAN trust me, I have BEEN ON THE RUN... The combination of working, moving, and settling into a new apartment there has been much to do. As I look around where I am sitting now... still much more to do.
BUT THEN I thought, how cool would it be if I went ....this far? Or did ...this loop? So I did. I biked for 1 hour and 15 minutes. My butt is still sore. In College was use to do workouts up and around Ash Hill. They were about 1500m repeats which incorporated the very hill I challenged myself up. I knew it would be hard. I knew I would be winded and sweaty. So I took a little water break and snapped some pictures. As I approached the hill in front of me I flashed back to all of my teammates who use to pass me as I remained seemingly motionless; trucking my way up. I can't be the only one with (DHD) ? degenerative hill disorder: A disease where as you progress up the hill you visualize it getting steeper as you uncontrollably become slower. As I deciphered through my infinite wisdom, I remembered that running is a mental sport, right? So all of this is just in my head. You gotta be... hangin' tough (Shout-out to Joyce) Now, I don't know if you have ever biked up a steep hill. If you haven't I will tell you right now it is hard. So I'm pedaling and realize that my bike doesn't change gears... ever. Which is why I usually stay on the flat. I'm already into it, no excuses. I get 3/4 of the way up and I think either A. I'm about to tare a muscle or B. start rolling backwards (I didn't particularly care for either option) So, I set a small goal. I was realistic,specific, and my time frame... immediate. My goal was to make it to such and such a tree then you can walk... I did. I made it! When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. Confucius ... Confucius wasn't on a fixie going up Ash Hill. It's O.K. to adjust your goals. We adjust goals to create success. Success is encouraging, motivating, it builds confidence, and strengthens the end goal. So, what is my end goal? I don't quite know yet... I know it is to be a better person, I know it's to be stronger bough mentally and physically. I know it's to be healthy, and to be happy for a long time. We are faced with challenges that test our goals daily. I am still working on strengthening my action steps to meet the expectations I have for myself. I expect myself to be successful. This morning I got up and ran with my old pace pusher of a coach, Pete Thomas (AKA: PT Cruiser). He wanted to run on the railroad bed, and we ran the same route as I had the day prior. There was good shade over the trail in the morning and to my delight, not a single fly! I wasn't going to time the run, as I figured I would be a little sore from yesterday but was curious what kind of pace we would whip up. We got to the turnaround 1.5 miles at 12:05 (about 8 minute pace) I wanted to stretch out my hip which was a little sore, but Pete kept me going. I was thinking about how If I was alone I definitely would've stopped... As we are cruising back going over the trestle, you can see down to our finish. I felt like I was on E.
I figure the faster or stronger I finish, even though I am using more gas, the sooner I will be at ease. I feel this way when I'm driving. The idea of running out of gas makes me anxious, I don't like it. I don't want to be that helpless person on the side of the road with a thirsty vehicle. I would rather cease my anxiety the sooner the better. So speed up and fill up!
I kept form in the last 100 meters or so with the encouragement of Pete Thomas. With a chirp, I was finally done. I check out my watch and I had run 23:23! A second faster than yesterday! I came back in 11:18 (about 7:30 pace) I thought that was pretty cool. How is this possible? I had two completely different runs, on the same route, with a nearly identical time. Running is weird like that sometimes. It felt good to end my run strong, I felt greater satisfaction in my run than if I had putt, putt, all the way home. Don't let the run end you, you end the run. I think I just made that up? That's pretty good... This morning was my first run in a few days. So far at this point in my running I have not run more than 3 miles at one time. I'm trying to build a solid base and am being cautious of injury, I'm in no rush and I want to run the right way, I want to enjoy it. I set out on my run with the little chirp of my watch. I start off and am thinking about how good it would be of me if I ran 5 miles! Quickly I talk myself back down to 3. It was hot, about 80 degrees. I wanted to have a good run. I decided to run out at a controlled pace and if I felt good on the way back I'd see if I could pick it up.
As I'm making my way down the trail I am greeted with a BZZZZ ... Grrrrrreaaat. A horsefly. I used my long brown ponytail to whip it away, and kept pace. I began thinking more about this fly, continually swarming around me. My old racing instincts kicked in. I was thinking about racing in a pack. How annoying it could be however, covertly helpful. Annoying in the sense that you're bumping elbows and stepping on heels but, helpful in a competitive sense... these people that are bumping into me, this fly that is trying to bite me... well, honestly, you're pissing me off and I really don't want you to beat me. I continue on, If I pick up the pace anymore I'll drop dead by the end of this run! I approach the turnaround, I strategize my next move. I take my split 12:45 for 1.5 Miles = 8:30 pace. Not bad, but I can do better. I ask myself, "I wonder how fast I would have to run in order to ditch this fly..." I turned around and took off, I swung my arms, I lifted my knees, and I pushed off the earth below me. I knew that fly was going to be right on me. I revisited the feeling of racing in the 5K. Being in that last mile and having someone that I've already passed breathing down my neck. I keep form, and focus on the trail ahead. I think, "I won't let them catch me." I finished the run in 23:24 for 3 miles. I came back in 10:39 = 7:06 pace. I worked hard. It felt great. And sure enough, not 30 seconds after I completed the run the BZZZZ ... was back! I didn't let the BZZZZ... get the best of me. I succeeded in my pseudo race and I felt good about my run. Many runners enjoy the lack of competitive atmosphere. They strictly run for themselves and their personal enjoyment; something I admire. It is a concept that I am still working on grasping. In an effort to do it for the love of the run I will continue to run in different places around the area, run with different people, and not always run with my watch. Not all your mileage has to be precise, nor does everything need a time and pace. I'm starting a blog. Why? What do I even have to share? My run inspired me. I wonder sometimes, does anyone else think what I'm thinking? Or feel what I'm feeling? I'm starting this blog to help me share and reflect on my day to day. I have recently made a few changes in my life. One of which, is genuinely trying to improve myself. I want to be at my best. O.K., now how do I do that? One way is I've started running again, and it feels great. Prior to the last couple of weeks I don't think I've run more than four days in the same week in two years! There are many different kinds of runners out there... I'm the kind of runner that began with more of a hate than a love for this unique sport. Over the years as I've overcome challenges, persevered through plateaus and injuries, have found success, have faced failure, and have made lifelong friends like many, within this community of crazy people. I will begin to explore answers to the following questions: How is running so simple yet, so challenging? How do we balance running with all of life's distractions? How does running or being physically active balance us? I intend to use this as a medium of sharing my runagogy with whoever tunes in... There will be great days and challenging days just as there will be fast days and slow days. Thank you for reading along, Here we go... |
AuthorMy successes and challenges in a world of opportunities and distractions Archives
November 2015
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