My first offical week of marathon training. However I am still suffering some mystery virus, and no matter how good I feel, I can't run more than a couple of miles before collapsing in a gibbering heap. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to run out the door feeling 95% and return a few minutes later feeling like road kill. It's got to the point where I'm seriously considering two short runs per day as about the only means of getting even a modest amount of miles under the belt.
At least Andy will be impressed to know I went running tonight in a storm. Winter has returned with a vengeance here today, and tonight was like something out of an apocalyptic movie. I didn't finish work until after 10 p.m., and it was a case of not daring to stop and think about what I was doing, but to quickly get the running gear on and head out the door before commonsense took charge of things...
As I think I mentioned before, the streets lately have had ( probably without exaggeration) ten times the usual number of runners as people of all shapes and sizes attempt to get into some sort of fitness for the big annual charity run. However tonight on the way home I looked in vain for even a single runner crazy enough to be out in weather which is about as miserable as it possibly gets here in Adelaide. I did see one cyclist, but I fear he was a commuter, and he did not seem to be enjoying the ride.
Anyway I could feel the dread rising as I stumbled for the door, but pushed it down long enough to get out there and into the teeth of the storm. It was very cold; the wind was fierce and howling through the power lines in the spooky way they do, and the rain lashed down in what I thought was unnecessarily cruel fashion.
The only allowances I made for the conditions were to wear a cap to keep the rain off my glasses, and to run my usual route in reverse, so as to make the muddy sections uphill and therefore less dangerous.
I think I ran through my first ankle-deep puddle within ten metres of leaving my driveway, but Andy would be proud of me, for all it did was make me laugh. I think this is the first time I have been reduced to infantile delight whilst running. To be perfectly honest I absolutely loved it. I found rhythm almost immediately; I seemed impervious to the cold and wet, and for the really tough bits I actually had a tailwind! And so for the first two kilometres I was genuinely enjoying the run. In fact hugely so, and the prospect of running a decent distance looked good. But then dead legs, chest pains and immense fatigue quickly overtook me and I aborted, limping home breathless and angry.
Still, I'm made of sterner stuff than some stupid virus. I'll beat it yet.
For a while there however, I think I experienced something unique. It wasn't a runner's high, as I barely ran 3 kilometres; but the odd sensation of being out in extremely unfriendly weather, and basically doing it all alone gave me an odd kind of gratitude. It's almost like nature was playing a giant trick on us ... on the face of it, the weather seemed appalling, but mysteriously, if you actually embraced it and ran out there without any preconceived thoughts about how bad it was going to be, it was in fact immensely enjoyable.
Speaking of immensely enjoyable, I had the pleasure last weekend of staying in an incredibly peaceful house at an unbelievably quiet spot deep in the Adelaide hills. Here's a photo taken from the back door. The magic part is that those hills are full of running trails. I can't wait until I'm properly fit again.
Another disappointing, tough short run. I feel like a beginner all over again. It's really savage to have been brought back to square one, but I've really no option other than to hit back with lots of short runs. Tomorrow I'll aim for two runs. This evening's effort was a little better than yesterday, but still really hard going.
I wouldn't mind so much if it was something obvious, like a broken leg or whatever, but not knowing the cause is aggravating.
Grrr. Makes me bloody determined to beat it though. I've tasted the good stuff and I want some more.
As that entry was totally lacking in humour, here's a pic of my upgraded PC to compensate...
Another short run, but at least I ran it a little faster and finished quite a bit stronger. Maybe there's hope yet that I'll be ready for the 12km City to Bay run in ten days time. Maybe.
Managed to stagger around a 5km circuit this evening, albeit with a large walking break in the middle of it. Great to get back to a slightly more meaningful distance though. Only 9 days to the 12km race, and things look very dicey. If I can manage the 5km unbroken tomorrow, then I'll look at 8km on Sunday. If I can manage 8km, then I'll run the race.
An odd kind of morning. Woke to beautiful sunshine, and sufficiently few commitments to allow a luxurious lie-in for an hour before donning the running gear and heading into the unknown. As I took off, it dawned on me that at precisely that moment, about 10,000 other runners - far better athletes than I - were running the annual Sydney marathon, which follows the Olympic course, a thought which left me with an odd feeling; a mix of envy and regret. Sad, really. I also realised that in exactly 7 days time the 12km City to Bay will have just started, hopefully with me, but looking increasingly dubious.
I didn't feel good from the start and again had to cut my run short, feeling both angry and pathetic. This is really tedious, and I am becoming paranoid, thinking maybe it's all in my head.
However, it's at times like these I'm glad of the HRM, because it at least confirms that I am getting slowly better, with my average and maximum heart rate reducing along with my times. So while it's still bloody tough, I am at least getting to the tough point faster and easier. Still sounds terribly pathetic. Considering only a matter of weeks ago I was running 15km, and now I'm reduced to 3 or so. Urgh.
I came home, cooked eggs and bacon and read Andy's splendid musings from last Sunday - some of his best writing I feel - and that lifted my spirits. I was particularly taken by the notion that our weather is, for a brief period, rather similar, as you head into autumn and we head into spring. Those rare days filled with the promise/threat of the coming season are so vivid and among my favourite times, so I definitely want to experience them whilst out running. So tonight I'll head out for another run, and see if I can't do my 5km circuit again. Even if I don't make the 12km race next week, I'm grimly determined to get back to some serious distances. Taking longer than I had hoped or expected won't stop it from happening.
God this all sounds so pathetic!
Later that day...
Yes! Hoo-flippin'-ray! Finally, got round the 5km circuit in relative lack-of-discomfort! Is now making me think there was a considerable amount of mind-set missing in previous runs. Either that, or it's a simple case of persistence pays off. Either way, I'm a much happier chappy now. Went out at a steady pace, found my rhythm early (thanks to Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle", a great runners song) and Bob's your uncle.
Now, to get back onto that marathon training schedule!
One word of warning.......don't expect the next run to be anywhere near as good. - That way, if it is you'll have this running lark completely licked , but if it isn't, you'll feel how you expected to feel and therefore completely satisfied.
This approach enables you to crack open a beer whatever the result!
Sorted.
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SP - assisting runners since 2004 (early September....)
Pull yourself together, MLCM, you're starting to make sense. This will never do.
Congratulations on your first week of proper training. Your virus frustrations remind me of a problem I used to have - a pain in my chest that would kick in after just a mile or so. Bad enough to make me stop running. For a while I thought it would never go away, but eventually it did. I decided in the end that it was a kind of stitch, and starting more slowly seemed to help.
Glad you saw the good side of the rain. I've probably said this before, but the mistake people make is to treat it the same way as they'd treat it if they were walking to work in a suit. In that situation, the rain is your enemy. If you're out running, you've no reason to fear getting wet. You're going to have a shower in any case. It's only when you abandon your normal cowering, and decide to cackle and spit in the eye of circumstance that you turn the tables. You simply have to decide to enjoy it. It might be different if it's the start of a very long run and you're worried about getting cold, but mostly, it's really no problem. Just the opposite. It becomes a treat.
All you have to do is decide that it's going to be a treat.
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
6 Sep 04 - 12 Sep 04
, but if it isn't, you'll feel how you expected to feel and therefore completely satisfied. 