Keeping Pace

Keeping Pace

Archives for September 13, 2006

Finding a Little Separation

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In today’s earlier post, I noted that my marathon training didn’t seem as focused as my training was for Grandma’s. I expressed concern, and rightfully so. My focus and motivation takes my running from just something that I do to the point where I can push a bit harder and consistently to the end. I will always love running (even on the days when I don’t feel much like running).

But work has been hard for me lately. It has been hard for everyone left at the old company. We are looking for direction, focus, and motivation. They are lacking and it can be hard to sift through the rubble of our deconstructed company and escape from the soot for my training. When I go outside for my runs, I want to leave it all behind and not carry it on my shoulders during my training. I have to separate my work from my personnal life (from my parenting, running, and interactions with anonymous).

I managed to have that separation today, at least for a little while. Mark and I did Yasso 800s as planned. It was great. My mind only wandered off a little bit. Mostly, I stayed focused.

1.3 mile warm-up: 11:33
3:50 minute recoveries (jog/easy run)
1.32 mile cool-down 11:45

1/2 mile intervals*:
(1) 3:41
(2) 3:55
(3) 3:41
(4) 3:46
(5) 3:43

* I didn’t program the distance interval (left it open) so these times are based on mile pace divided by 2 for those intervals where the distance exceeded 0.5 miles. Average pace for 7.01 mile run = 8:35/mile.

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Shifting Gears

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My training for the California International Marathon (CIM) has supposedly been my focus. It has felt as though I am just going through the motions, however. I say this only because I have been comparing it to my training for Grandma’s Marathon where the training felt so intense and focused. I’m already seven weeks into this training program and it still feels like maintenance running. There’s no intensity, no vision of the finish line, and I am a bit nervous about that.

It’s time for a shift – a look at my intermediate goal.

The Nike Women’s Half-Marathon has been planned out since January (perhaps earlier). While the plan was always for this to be a “for fun” run, with no real intentions of racing, I may need to use it as a measure of where my training has taken me so far. I had entertained thoughts of using the San Jose Rock ‘N Roll Half-Marathon to gauge my fitness level, but I just can’t cough up the funds with another race only two weeks later. It doesn’t look like a good plan at this point.

I am left to trying to generate some enthusiasm for making Nike a good race. I need a reason to push hard in these coming weeks so that I can power up those hills. There is one reason that I would want to run a good race, and that would be to be a little more competitive against my older sister. Linda is fast. She BQ’d last year at CIM without even trying to. Then, she didn’t go to Boston because it really “wasn’t her dream”. That’s right; it wasn’t HER dream, it was MINE. She said she would only go if I BQ’d.

Okay, so whatever. Linda is also running Nike. In fact, she urged me, and many of her friends, to register and we are all staying overnight together in the city for the race. I’m excited about that; she has very cool friends who ALL run FAST.

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