Winter Motivation

It’s a beautiful 16 degrees and 24 MPH winds day here in Nebraska. You wish you were here! Said no one ever… 

The reality is winter is here to stay for a while. I know I’m seeking a source of motivation to get me through these next couple months stuck inside. Motivation comes from the pursuit of a goal. So I decided to consider my winter goals (maybe even print them off and stick them on my tread) and use them to get my booty moving when it’s cold and I’d rather just eat Christmas cookies! 

GOAL #1 – Improve speed through mile repeat workouts on the tready.
I’ve been doing these workouts the past few weeks. I do one mile warm up, then 3 mile repeats with a quarter mile recovery in between. I want to do more miles at pace, and improve the pace. 

GOAL #2 – Get some muscles
Strength training sort of took a back burner all year. I squeezed it in here and there, but never consistently. This is something I struggle with. Last week for example, I was on an awesome strength training streak and it came crashing down when I was sick and didn’t workout for four days. The week before I did little to no strength training. I seem to go on week by week streaks. One good, one bad, repeat. My goal is consistency. I have been hitting Body Pump once a week and doing weights on my own at least one other day. I plan to bump that up. 

Load up dat bar!

GOAL #3 – Try something new!
I’ve desperately needed a mix up here for a while now. Our YMCA offers Insanity in the form of group fitness, but I’m really skeptical. I know a few people that have ended up with injury. Right now, my consideration is the Focus T25. I just need to break down and order it! I think I could motivate myself for 25 minutes at home without plopping on the couch. 
 

GOAL #4 – REST a little!
I found this out from being ridiculously sick. I can scale it back a bit and still keep my goals in check. Mentally, I’m having a hard time grasping at lowering the weekly mileage, but I know it’s necessary. 

 
Come spring, I’ll report back on these goals!

Blessings in Disguise

I am so incredibly proud of the things I’ve accomplished this year.  I wish I didn’t have the lingering feeling of failure.  I hate feeling it, but buried beneath the half marathon PR and medals, there it is.  It makes its way out every once and awhile, when I least expect it.  That stupid marathon that should have been… It used to eat at me continually.  I would search races around the country within reach to still attempt to train and sign up for.  I considered running 26.2 miles around town just do say I freakin’ did it.  I’ve realized now how completely ridiculous that would be, and how to just straight up GET OVER what didn’t happen this year, reflect on what DID, and look forward to the year ahead.

So, this morning at 5am and 30 degrees, mid run, I finally compiled a list of POSITIVE things that came out of my training experience, and reasons why I’m thankful for the “failure”.

•        MOST IMPORTANTLY by NOT running the marathon, I HEALED and didn’t do serious, long-term injury to my hip.
•        I conquered my fear of long runs.  I gained so much confidence by doing those long runs.  I was pretty darn nervous the night before my first 20 miler.  Knowing that I’ve see that 2 as the front digit on my watch definitely gives me confidence as I start my 2014 training cycle.  It’s nothing to be feared.
•       I got what I really wanted.  I really, really wanted a 1:45 half marathon in 2013.  I was hoping to get it in June before I started marathon training.  I didn’t get it, but by not running the marathon, I was able to pick up the Omaha half and get my 1:44.
•      I gained speed and strength.  I felt pretty weak going into the Sioux Falls half, I had taken time off, and was doing no major strength training in my healing efforts.  I was SO SORE for a solid week after this race, but it was like my muscles rebuilding and gearing up for bigger and better.  I’m really proud of the paces I ran my recent 15K and 10K in.
•     I have more mental strength and determination than ever before.  Last year, I would never in a billion years dream of running at 4am or running when it was 29 degrees out.  This morning, I got out of my warm bed and ventured out with no real goal other than 7 miles.  No reason to HAVE to.  Nothing to train for.  I’ve learned how to take the pressure off of myself.  That is HUGE. 

    This morning I came to accept what didn’t happen this year, and embrace the positive things that did.  I reflect back on the whole Sioux Falls weekend in general, the circumstances surrounding the weekend, the heat… it wasn’t supposed to happen.  It just wasn’t my time.  But, I was supposed to try.  I was supposed to register, train, and focus on a marathon.  Every situation brings something to our lives, be it a lesson, a success, a failure, a blessing… The standard “everything happens for a reason” quote really does always ring true.

 Something random from me for the day... my new coffee flavor is Dunkin' Donuts Apple Pie.  PLEASE TRY THIS!  It's sooooo good!  I go on coffee hiatuses over the summer months, and when I come back, I come back strong!

 

Running Quiz

My running idol Janae @ The Hungry Runner Girl posted this a while back.  I stumbled across it again, and decided to have some fun!

1.  On average how many races do you run a year?
Well, last year I ran 7 races, this year I've ran 8 so far?  I didn't actually look, and I can't always count... so I guess my average would be 7.5!  Yeah, half a race.  I went there...

1st Race EVERRR

2.  Things you have to run with: 
My iPod nano, Nike Plus Sportwatch, Pro Compression, and depending on the distance and weather, my Nathan Shot Bottle with Powerade Zero.  I rarely run without music, sometimes it's refreshing to, but most of the time I need it.  It took me a LONG time to be able to convince myself I don't always need my shot bottle.  It was my baby blanket.  I always have to have my watch. ALWAYS.  I can't run naked.

 
3.  Where do your workouts come from?  A training plan, a coach, whatever you feel like doing that day or what your training partner is doing that day?
When I'm training for a race, a rough idea of a workout comes from a training plan.  Right now I'm doing whatever I feel like.  I don't have a training partner... and I don't have a coach, BUT I'm considering the online coach for next year!


4.  How many miles on average do you put on a pair of shoes?
300 has seemed to be max at this point.  My poor shins and feet just crumble after 300.

Wave Rider LOVE! The only shoes I run in

5.  Cell phone- do you bring it with you on your run or leave it at home?
I almost always leave it at home.  I've been in several situations where I've wanted or needed it, but I still haven't learned my lesson to bring it.  I hate arm bands, but I did pick up a nice little hand held phone carrier.  


6. What was your last running related injury or have you been an injury free runner?
What's an injury free runner?  My most recent was my hip flexor.  I've dealt with shin splints, and my swollen foot issue last year.  

7.  Is your current running goal about running a farther distance (adding more mileage) or getting faster or BOTH?!?
My CURRENT goal is speed.  I don't have any more races or anything major going on, and I'm really just watching precious outdoor time tick away (Nebraska winter right around the corner).  I've found the cooler temps right now have made speed effortless.  I feel much stronger and faster than I did at the beginning of the year.  Of course the long term goal will always be about the marathon.

8.  Speedwork—->  at the track, on the treadmill, on the roads or never do it?
Tready.  I can't seem to get myself down to a track, and roads are hard, I would probably end up tripping and falling.

9.  Stretching after a run:  hit the ground after a run and get stretching, stretch in the shower, stretch once you get to work/school, skip the stretching? 
IMMEDIATELY after!  I've learned my lesson!  After every run I grab some Powerade Zero, some chocolate milk, and hit the foam roller and stretch.  Every. single. run.  I used to think I could stretch in the shower and call it good.  And surprise, I got hurt.

10.  What was your reason(S) for starting to run?  
I used to do a mile here or there for cardio.  I don't remember why I signed up for that first 5K, but I can't imagine life had I not!

  

Overnight Success

A few months ago we had a mandatory division meeting at work. Our VP read a blurb to us from Jon Gordon's blog. I listened to every word she read, and of course, my mind related every single word to running. (Yeah I focused on the work part too… ) I posted the segment on Instagram, and immediately had a flood of other runners ask if they could re-post. I’m sharing it again, and relating it back to my running… 

“You work really hard for 10 years.” Ok, more like a year…
 
“You show up every day. You do the work. You see yourself as an artist dedicated to your craft with a desire to get better.”  Every day… 5 AM. Cross training, weight training, core training. Every workout has a purpose, and that desire to get better is more like a FIRE. I WILL get faster and stronger!

“You try new things.” Lots of new Mizunos! Pro Compression. Foam rolling. Stretching. TEMPO runs! 

“You fail.” Many a failed workout. And that stinger…one failed marathon attempt…
 
“You improve.” Oh my gosh, YES! I PR’ed my last half, I ran a 1:10 15K, I’ve gotten faster, stronger, and SMARTER just within one crazy year! And I’m very proud of that.

“You grow.” I’ve learned a lot of tough lessons, accepted things for what they are, and I’ve grown up! 

“You face countless challenges and tons of rejection that make you doubt yourself and cause you to want to quit. But you don’t.” HIP INJURY. 

“You keep working hard, you stay positive and persevere through it all with resilience, determination, and a lot of hope and faith.” Some days I didn’t stay so positive. I got pretty down on myself. But ultimately I did keep working hard. Really hard actually. I was just SMARTER about it. I was determined to get back out there and run faster and better than ever. And I DID! I am proud of the PR I accomplished in Omaha. I had a friend ask how I managed a 4 minute PR. I said train for a marathon, not be able to do it, get a big chip on your shoulder, and go crazy. Very scientific. 

“Then you make it.” 

Every runner, or athlete, out there knows there is no such thing as an overnight success. And when it really comes down to it… why would you want to be? Shouldn’t the journey and the chase EXCITE you?! What motivation would you have to put in the work if you could really just go to bed one night, and wake up the next morning and run a BQ race without ever putting in a single, sucky training mile? If success really happened overnight, would we do the rest of the time? We all want to “make it” and be a “success” but I think it’s more about the road, the journey to the success than it is the actual spot at the top of the mountain.