Marathon Training: Week 3

 Week three started with nice easy miles. As I went out to my first quality workout of the week, I reminded myself how quality workouts used to really stress me out. I think it was due to a couple of reasons. I didn't have as much "experience" in serious training. I wasn't as strong as I currently am and I doubted myself. I almost always overthought the workout! 

 Although training isn't always easy, I go about it a little different than I used too. I try to leave the thinking to my coach. This is hard and I still struggle with it. I have proven to myself I can run the pace I'm training for! If I don't hit pace for one run, I will be ok and I'm not a failure. Chances are, I'll have a bad run or two in the mix! The big picture is the math problem leading up to June 4th, the marathon. One or two bad runs are expected. 

 This week ended with a race. Last week I talked about "being tested." I like to work in a few races during marathon training, not only get a good strong workout in, I need to go through the emotions of "race day" as it's pretty intense emotionally and physically. Going through this is extremely helpful and I feel necessary to do at least once. I will be doing two more races during my training cycle leading up to Newport. Each race will be much shorter than the marathon but all will be hard as shorter races are run at a faster pace, testing my abilities to handle the pressure come June 4th. Running has so much mental in it! If you don't practice the mental practice races and training runs, you are missing it big time! 

 Yesterday I had a chance to practice. I stayed nice a calm pre race. My husband raced too. We arrived in plenty of time to get our race bibs, go use the bathroom and then do a warm up. The warm up is always important but I felt even more so this morning as the wind made it bitter cold and we would be running HILLS! It ended up being colder than I thought with the wind chill so at the last minute I decided to wear a light long sleeve, rather than my usual race tank.  We started from the finish line on gravel going slightly up hill. The hill didn't bother me but I did start boxed in by other runners. The slower runners were a slight problem and the gravel felt slick. I carefully weaved through the runners and found my pace group. 

I took the first incline really well, and then headed downhill like a speeding bullet. I was playing back and forth with a lady in a purple shirt. After about 1.5 miles in, I realized purple shirt and I were neck n neck for women's 3rd place! The 2 women in 1st and 2nd were young and extremely fast. They were going to have there own battle and I wouldn't be in it! Ha! I decided it was time to duke it out with purple shirt. I had to find out who was the stronger runner so I gave her one for her money, She gave it right back. I love this game! It's really a fun part of racing. After we passed back and forth a few times I really pushed the pace as we headed back up the hill. As I got to the top and got to cruse for a bit I realized my game had worked. I had broke her! She wasn't on my tail anymore! I wondered when she would be back? Would I break??? 

I hit the halfway point and headed down hill FAST! I knew I would have to come back up this hill to get to the finish line and it was going to be hard! I got to mile 4.5 and had to turn around and go back up the steep hill, over a mile long! Was I even going to make it? 

At this point you can give up and walk because nobody really cares if you do or not, you can walk off the course because it's hard or you can dig deep and say, what if I actually make it to the finish line without walking! I felt nothing but run up the hill! It got really hard as there was no leveling out for this final 1.4 miles of up! All I knew was to RUN to get to the top! I once had a coach that told me, "push it up the hill Julie, you'll recover...I promise, you'll recover!" I always tell myself this when racing hills now.  I didn't stop, not once. I saw a couple of my running friend on that hill, giving me a little hope and encouragement. I was able to finish strong!

I am thankful for another week of training. I am very sore today, but I know the process. I will recover! Yesterday's race was a great test and I feel like I passed in my own little weird way! 

If you've taken the time to read this, I love you for it! 

PS Purple shirt never even came close to me as I ran up that hill! I beat her! Ha! 

Jerry and I both won 1st in our age group. Jerry 2nd male and Julie 3rd female. We are too old to beat the teenagers! ha!!!