Friday’s are my tempo run. Tempo runs kinda scare me – they are fast, and push my body to an uncomfortable place (but that will make me stronger and faster, right?!)
I’m usually on the track with Coach George & Capital Area Runners at 6:00am every Friday. Running with a group (and a coach) is motivating. It doesn’t make the run less hard (physically); it just makes it less hard (mentally).
I didn’t sleep well last night. I couldn’t get up this morning. I tossed and turned – should I wake up, exhausted, and try to push through the run? Or should I sleep in, wake up rested, and run solo?
I decided to run solo. My workout scared me: 1×3 miles, 1×2 miles, 1×1 mile with 1.5 mile warm-up/1.5 mile cool down.
Tempo runs on the track, solo, are hard. My mind played tricks on me.
Maybe I’ll just run 1×3 mile, 2 x 1mile
My legs feel really tired
Maybe I should run 2 x 2 mile
In the end I decided to run the ENTIRE workout – no substitutions, no deletions. I’m glad I did. Mentally, I feel really good. Physically, I feel really good. I know Boston is NOT going to be easy. I know my GOAL is NOT going to be easy.
I rocked my workout for the day – maybe running solo isn’t so bad after all…
1 x 3 miles – 6:31, 6:32, 6:28
1 x 2 miles – 6:30, 6:28
1 x 1 mile – 6:05
The track solo scares me any time–I just cannot go as fast as when I have company! But I always get it done, one way or the other. Great work out there on your own!!
I rreeeeaaalllyyy struggle with the mental side of running, esp when I am running alone. It’s so easy to quit b/c no one will see me. I make little deals with myself and sometimes that helps!
Deals?! Very interesting! Do you mind sharing a couple? 🙂
I generally think about my boys on pinterest to overcome my mental challenges. 😉
congrats on running the whole thing and feeling awesome for doing it!
ha, this is *awesome* I love your boys on pinterest 🙂
Those are some amazing splits. I love track workouts with groups and I have come to love track workouts by myself even. For some reason, I run much faster on the track and feel like I accomplished something out there. But I can tell you, on my last track work out, I tried making deals with myself, the entire time. Telling myself I could slow down and I finished. Nice job!
I try to do countdowns in my head during speed workouts. I knock one thing down at a time, and that helps me so much. I also envision myself finishing my races at a great time. That always helps me!
And last but not least, I have Whitney Houston’s ‘One Moment in time’ playing on my iPod. “To taste the sweet, I face the pain”.
Good luck!!
Ali
We missed you this morning! That was a tough workout, but I felt so good once I was done. These runs are definitely little confidence boosters.
I do well on a schedule and plan. If is says I am supposed to do a certain workout I just do it. I may negotiate with my pace – telling myself that I don’t have to run as fast – just get the miles in – but I usually end up suprising myself.
I have to keep reminding myself “don’t let your doubts, your fears, or your discomfort stop you from kicking butt!”
I pep talk myself and focus on how AWESOME it will feel to JUST DO IT. I am struggling right now- due to the fact I am stuck running on the treadmill…where I really have a hard time running more than 5.5-6.5 miles. I am pushing my speed though, which will get me through till I can run outside again!
Your amazing!!! You inspire me!!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
Nice! We missed you!
Ah, yes, overcoming the mind. It’s really all that holds us back, isn’t it? I agree with the above comment on music; having motivational music really pushes me along. Whenever the voice in my head tells me to slow down, I try to focus on how good it will feel to know that I gave my all. I’ll envision myself crossing that finish line, completing my goal, doing what I set out to do.
I admit, this doesn’t ALWAYS work, but it works when it matters most.
for me, I try to focus my attention the best I can at what I am going through. I look for small goals that help get me to the big one.
How do I overcome mental challenges? Really, any way I can, my friend!
I wish I had one or two tricks that worked reliably every time, but often it seems like I need more like 15 or 20, and I may have to go through five or ten on a given today before I find one that works for me. The mental part is SOOOO much harder than the physical!
Melody, you are getting SO fast! I am thinking you are gonna have a really fast boston marathon!! I could not do that workout at those paces right now, you are amazing!
My running has been so mental lately! Track workouts are tough solo…no one to make sure you don’t cheat. Kudos to you for pushing through!! When workouts are hard I break it down into small pieces. Once I get through one piece I psych myself up for the next!
I always end up bowing out of hard speed workouts. I have to be in a certain determined mindset to finish a hard workout.
wooooo! you are so speedy and determined, i love it.
it is hard to go your own way sometimes, and make a decision different from all of your buddies. i went through that this morning when i decided to do my 20 miler on the treadmill instead of in the snow and ice. ALL my running buddies poked fun at me saying i am not as “hard core” as they are. i know they are joking and have NO hard feelings, but i had some self doubt wondering if i was really taking the easy way out. but then i really listened to my heart and understood that there is no “easy” way out of a 20 mile long run other than not doing it at all. and i wasn’t comfortable running on the ice, so i had to make the best choice for ME.
way to go getting out there and kicking that track’s BUTT! you are going to rock your boston goal!!!
You amaze me! I can’t believe you did 20 miles on the treadmill. I’m SO proud of you. Way to PUSH it and overcome those mental challenges. You’ve got Boston!
I was sad to find you not working the Brooks booth in Houston. I was anxious to meet you in person. (boo)
super tempo running. I do most of my hard runs, solo. I’ve found it hard to find a training partner in my area with similar schedules, paces, and really wanting “to push it” I’m thankful, that I’m very much goal oriented, and don’t mind going it alone. I do wish I had some training partners to “push me.”
I know! My mom told me all about your trip – I was SO jealous. Hope you had a blast!
I love tempo runs…especially since I started HR training, most of my runs are in a super low heart rate zone and I have to run slower than I like. Tempo runs allow me to run at the paces I love. Way to go getting out there and getting that track work done!
Congrats on getting in a strong solo workout!
I really wish I had a group to do my speed work with. I need to run with people faster than myself so I can get faster. I run all of my tempos and repeats alone and I don’t think it’s necessarily helping me to improve.
You are FAST. I am hoping to get faster as time goes on. This is also my first Boston, and after being injured last fall, I am slowly gaining back all of the fitness that I lost. I’ll get there. 🙂 I think it’s great that you have a group to run with, although 6am sounds pretty rough.
This pretty font makes me want to keep writing! haha.