Stuff happens, I now believe.
I haven't run since Wednesday but when I got to the track, something went off and I ended up doing just 10km in an hour, then walked home.
What happened?
Two things:
a) I was fatigued thanks to a series of four-hour 'sleeps' for I had to clear some side job;
b) I was disillusioned, somewhat (I got to the track later than 3.30pm, Jack wasn't coming, I weighed 79.6kg etc).
Excuses aside, it was a friendly run.
I took off at 4pm sharp. There was one other guy running but he was too overdressed for that kind of weather - sunny and all.
I set off to do 21km, hopefully in less than the previous 129min. I started off with a friendly pace which I maintained till the 5k mark - 29min.
I think this is where things went off. I did a simple sum and realised that if I maintained the pace, I'd do 20km in 116 min and 21km in about 122 min. However, it is a fact that I would slow down ... I just felt tired, wanted to stop and leave ... some little pride told me no, I mean, how do you go to the track just to do 5km?
The remaining 5kms were the slowest - in my mind - that I have done in ages. All sorts of things stood in the way: sweat flowed into my eyes, a little runny nose, an aching butt, rumbling stomach, a paining shin ... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!
So I ran on, undeterred ... my mind was on the 10km mark with hopes of a slow 5km run afterwards... anyway.
Come the 25th lap, I decided to do a death dash - worn out but still with enough energy to last a fast lap. At the end of this last lap, I was out of breath and coughing like a small African drum. I then walked home... 11km of nice walking.
On my way, I met these huge, fat, shapeless Arab-looking guys heading to the track and wished I could go back to psyche them up.
PS.
1. I have to admit: I will not be doing Saturday runs any more. It just doesn't work. I get home as 'early' as 2am; by the time the alarm goes off at 5am, tehe body seems to say no way!
2. I have to work on my motivation. I need it so much ...
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Pole. This has happened to me too. I know what your problem is: great ambition and not giving yourself a fair chance at giving your goals a shot. Now that Lewa is off and Ndakaini is in September, try not to do 21Kms in under 2 hours in July. It takes time and hard work. Concentrate on building up your weekly mileage. Gradually. You need more than four weeks to see real changes. So anza hizo mileage and measure your progress by them and incremental times over a fixed distance. I will use the 12K as my measure till Stanchart - so I probably have some twenty-something 12Ks to run - that is more than 600 laps. And that is excluding the several >16Kays I will also be running on Sundays - see?
ReplyDeleteIts personal and will test your will, focus, mettle, staying power and dedication. But it will make you all the better for it. And the benefits are countless.
Cheers
A
Another thing, read other runner's blogs. You will find encouragement. Plenty of it. And link to them @ your blog.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Thanks man. I've soaked it all in ... 4 weeks...am with it.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Another thing. Develop a training plan. This is the time. It will keep you focused and will give you daily and weekly goals.
ReplyDeleteA training plan helped me last year. I think it will help me this year too.