Ironman Memphis 70.3

What was I thinking?

Rain Rain go away...

So after posting about how I was back and training hard, I got a little case of strep throat, which sort of stopped me for a few days. I am a firm believer in resting and letting the meds work rather than try and push through the illness, which in my experience only makes it worse. So I laid off for a few days while I healed. And I am ok with that!

My goal date was to get back to it on Sunday. Last week was a recovery week anyways, so I do not feel like I missed a whole lot by taking a few days off, which was really only Wednesday through Saturday. By Sunday though, I was ready to get back to the plan. My plan called for a 2.7 mile run (I love this sprint triathlon plan). The only issue was that it was raining on Sunday.

I had no desire to go to the gym to run on the treadmill, I wanted to run outside. So after church, and before lunch, I threw on my rain jacket and some shorts and my white, no sun seeing for months legs went out and ran.

Now, nothing makes me feel more like an athlete training than training in conditions that most people would not train in. I did see cars driving by as I ran, and I like to think they were saying to themselves, "dude is a beast!" or something to that fact. In reality they were probably thinking more along the lines of "idiot, it's raining" or its even possible they could not have cared less that I was running. But I cared dangit!

I loved it. I actually love running in the rain, when it is warmer. It was 55 degrees on Sunday, so that made it not quite as fun as I would have liked, but  fun nonetheless. But the important thing to me was just getting out there and doing it anyways. The important thing to me was that I did not let the weather act as my excuse. I very easily could have decided to take a nap on the couch, but I am not where I want to be.

So rain, rain, stay if you want, it won't bother me!

Don't Be a Phoebe

This is how I feel. I want to feel like I am running like Crowie, robotic, focused, showing no emotion. Not cramped up, hobbling with a look of constipation on my face, or worse...walking. I want good form and I want to look like a runner because I am a runner. I have never really focused on any type of form or really anything about running except getting the miles in. Well this has all changed recently.

I have been doing alot of my runs on the treadmill lately. Now, before you start in about how much you hate the treadmill, believe me, I am there with you. I do not like the treadmill either, but I am starting to like it a little more then before. I know that treadmill runs and road runs will give you different times due to the road and weather conditions, and I know I run faster on the road than on the treadmill, but this is not the point of me using a treadmill. So what is the point? The point for me is a couple of things. I have been working on cadence, speed work and mental toughness and yes, form. All of this on a treadmill run. The weather has been up and down here, but I could have done alot of these runs outside, but I do not think I would get the same workout.

I have really been focusing on cadence lately. Taking a smaller stride. I have been trying to hit that elusive number of 90. I can;t say I have been successful, but I am currently hitting a cadence of about 88 with a heart rate around 155-160. This seems to work for me. Today I had a great run, 7 miles in 1:02:17, and I felt great afterwards, like I had more in the tank. I think next time I try and speed up the pace!

I have also been doing alot of speed work. 1/2 mile repeats and different speed intervals. On a treadmill, it is much easier for me to speed up the dreadmill to the pace I want and then run it out. Again, I understand that the treadmill speed can be misleading, so do not dwell on that point as much as the part about my pace being sped up. I honestly believe this has helped me a lot.

Mental toughness is something I have been struggling with for a few seasons. What better way to get tougher by staring at wall for an hour while running. I find it tougher to run a 7 miler on a dreadmill than a 7 miler outside.

Also my form has been getting better. I have been working on keeping my hands high (nips to hips). I tend to let my arms fall to my side and I know that hurts my form and my pacing. If I do not keep my hands high while on the treadmill, I ultimately will end up hitting the stop button, launching me forward and lookin like a fool!

I am going to get outside and run, do not worry about that, but I have enjoyed these treadmill runs lately and I think I will continue to get some in going forward.  I may never look like Crowie running, or Macca, or any other professional triathlete and that's cool, but I never want to run like Phoebe!!