Safe Pick Ups.

"Being mindful of your effort puts you more in tune with the running experience. Focusing on your effort, your breathing, your gait, and how you feel increases your awareness of the moment."

Runner's World Train Smart Run FOREVER.

I was trying to recite these words, this quote, less than a mile into my run on the TM this morning. Jeff was on the TM next to me sweating with a very serious look on his face. To my right, I could see the track as I watched this man running like a gazelle. He ran effortlessly in his white high socks and hipster beard. 

I was trying to tap into their suffering to inspire me to embrace the SUCK.

"BREATHE"

"RELAX"

"PICK UP YOUR FEET ANITA" 

Here is the ULTIMATE GOAL for this SPRING. 

**To PICK UP MY PACE W/O GETTING INJURED OR DAMAGING MY LONG RUN. 

How I plan to do it, besides carefully.

• Add a 5th day of training 
• Add strength at least one day a week
• Be mindful of what I am eating. 
• When adding strength you can do legs and run but run FIRST. I do this on Wednesdays @ GAC
• I am running 2 of the 5 days short. Less miles, FASTER PACE. 

WEDNESDAYS WORKOUT:

Treadmill workout. 

I started the TM punching in 7.2- 8:20min/mi. 

The idea is to get comfortable running this pace and slowly get faster.

2 weeks ago, I was running a 7.0 and my heart was beating in my ears. The problem is with the ultra training my body got used to a slower pace.

One of the things I did 2 weeks ago is I TIMED how long it took for me to get settled into that base pace of 7.0. 

5 minutes. 

Timing my agony helped to remind me that I was not going to DIE. I just had to count down the minutes till I could breath, talk or smile. 

BACK to TODAY. Even though I was running my base pace faster than I had been the last 2 weeks, I actually felt better sooner and my "BAD" feeling wasn't even as bad as it had been 2 weeks ago. This was a good sign. 

• Goal Mileage: 5 miles. 
• The TWIST. Don't let your body get too comfortable. Remember, this is what got me in this mess. The only way to get faster is to GET FASTER and for me, without injury. 
• The LAST 200M of each mile I picked up my pace to a 10K pace. 
• After doing 5 miles like this, I ran another 800M's, running strides. 

I felt GREAT. My face looked like a cherry tomato and my chin was dripping sweat but I felt accomplished and uninjured. 

Prior to running Jeff and I stretched, rolled and did abs. And again after we ran we walked a mile discussing training, stretched, rolled and I did legs. 

THE key for me is I do NOT want to sabotage my Thursday group run, often a long run.  I can run a little sore, however, it wouldn't be right to make others run slow because I put myself in the hurt locker. It is finding balance and being considerate. 

Increasing my speed, my distance and not getting injured. 

"Finding the right type and amount of training is the key to maintaining running as a healthy lifelong activity."

JEFF'S Golden nugget: Run NUMB. When doing a faster long run if you "feel" your legs towards the end of  your run you need to go faster. Finish feeling NOTHING, Empty the tank.

*One of the things I enjoy every evening is enjoying a cup of tea. Paula gave me a box of assorted teas at Christmas and I am going through them fast. Faster than my running fast! 

Tonight's tea: English breakfast with sugar cubes, sugar cubes because they remind me of tea time with my grandma. 

If you are running on the TM avoiding the icy roads and bitter temperature play with different combinations of intervals. 

Todays run: Faster than AVERAGE pace. Pick up the pace for the last 200 meters of EACH mile. Keep your incline at a .05%. 

Anita.