Sunday, May 24, 2020

Weekly Sweats: If Not Now, When?

This week: 24.45 miles, some welshing and redemption on the weight lifting front, and my fastest mile ever.


I'm linking up with the Weekly Run Down, please head over to Kim and Deborah to check it out. 

Monday: The week got off to a slow start due to lack of sleep.  I couldn't bear the idea of doing weights but got my act together enough to run 4.25 miles with a few strides.

Tuesday: Normally speed day, but we had unreal rain and I knew that the trail where I do speed work would be a mud pit.  I have a "plan B" cul-de-sac for speed but I wasn't feeling it.  I set off aimlessly not sure where I was going to run or how far I was going to go.  At some point during the run it dawned on me that it was the anniversary of my first half.  So I decided to run "half of a half" for 6.55 miles.  Later that day I realized that I'd also worn the same shirt.

Wednesday: a rest day, but I did some soul searching and plotted my next moves on the running front.  My tentative plan has been to keep my mileage high while the weather was still cool and then make the switch over to speed training this summer.  Friends, it is getting to be summer and the forecast indicates that next week will be toasty.  All signs point to now being the time to make the transition from distance to mile/5k/10k.

Between you and me and anyone else who wants to know...I am scared stiff of the change.  Folks, it hurt when I did the virtual 5k and virtual 10k last month.  It hurts to do a mile test.  In the moment my focus was on the pain and not the PRs.  Sure I'm in a rut but it's a comfortable rut.

Bear with me while it sounds like I'm making a very clunky segue, but a few weeks ago I listened to the audio book of Unorthodox (y'all may be familiar with the Netflix show).  A quote that the author was inspired by and that stuck with me was "if not now, when?"  Google tells me that the full quote is:

If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?

A very good question in the context of starting speed work.  Change is uncomfortable but...if not now, when?

Thursday: "Now" time.  5.15 miles total including the dreaded mile test.  The workout is:
  • 15 minutes warm up
  • 30 seconds fast/1 minute recover x 4
  • 2 minutes fast/2 minutes recover
  • 1 mile as fast as you can
  • cool down
I don't know why I dread it so much, this is my third time doing it and spoiler, each time it's gone well.  I did it for the first time here (9:48) and the second time here (9:16).  I haven't done any mile-specific speed work since that last trial.  My fastest mile this year in my virtual 5k was 9:44.  My goal this summer is to hit sub 9, so those were the numbers bouncing around in my head. 

I added a #jedimindrunningtrick.  I don't just read running blogs, I take notes.  Jessie recently did a mile time trial and set it up as 1/4 mile x 4 for pacing and I copied her.  Folks, you know and I know that there is no difference between running one mile and running 1/4 mile x 4 without stopping....but I am here to tell you that mentally it is a ton easier.


I held myself back a bit in lap 1.  Lap 2 was windy and uphill (um the walking trail where I do speedwork has a net 7 feet of elevation but I am very much hung up on the "uphill" side and the "downhill" side).  Mentally it was so easy to leave the bad split behind and put my energy into the fresh start of the next quarter mile.  It also helped that I couldn't see my overall mile time until the workout was over, I could only guess, which made me very curious and very eager to finish the workout.  Make no mistake, I was sucking wind in the last quarter mile, but it just wasn't that bad, you know?

Ooh look, "if not now, when?" = Strava bling
OK, now I feel pretty confident about getting to sub 9 this summer and I'm glad that I stopped dragging my feet and got down to business.  It feels good to take chances and get results.

Friday: I felt kind of sore from the mile test so I set out for a few easy miles for no expectations.  I ended up with 4.5 miles at "fast for me" speed.  I did some more "if not now, when" soul searching and got some quality weight time over lunch.

Saturday: Long run day EXCEPT that it was very hot.  Inevitably I will be doing my long runs on the treadmill this summer, but I want to put that off for as long as possible.  For the third time this week I set out with no expectations.  After 3 miles I realized that I was at the point of diminishing returns, so I headed back home and hit an even 4 miles.  At 3.95 miles I started to get dizzy, a very familiar feeling for summer runs, so I was glad that I called it when I did.

Sunday: off!

36 comments:

  1. I'm glad you searched for the full quote. I really like it!
    I hate speed training.
    I hate time trials.
    I especially hate the short mile test.
    All the more you have my full admiration for pulling this one through. WELL DONE! And a well deserved PR to show off. Great!
    I am determined to do some speed training this week. Because, if not now, when?

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    1. Exactly, and once it's done you get to say "I did it" instead of "ugh I don't want to do it".

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  2. I'll admit that I rarely do speed work and haven't done a mile test in SO long! I'm so glad that breaking up the mile into 1/4 segments helped you get a great time! It's crazy how the mental aspect of running is just as important, if not more, than the physical part of running.

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  3. Awesome job on that 1-mile PR!!!! Yes, speedwork is painful. UGH...and I've been doing the frickin' 5K's for two months (in the wind, none the less)LOL But, as we've discussed, that which sucks is worthwhile in the end (like my new mantra?) Seriously, I"m really happy and excited for you. And, Unorthodox was an amazing story...only fitting there would be an amazing quote coming from it.

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    1. Running a 5k in the spring in Iowa every week is probably just as tough as the training in elevation that the elites do. Maybe Iowa training will be the next big thing in running!

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  4. woohoo look at you on that speedy mile! I have not done something like that in a long time. I am really excited for you. Thanks for linking

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    1. Thanks Deborah! It's a fun way to mix things up.

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  5. I love your Jedi mind trick! Way to break that mile down in to quarters. And good for you for pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. I think I am going to get back to intervals on Wednesday of this week, I like the new mantra - "if not now, when?" Thanks for the motivation.

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    1. That Jessie is a smart one! Good luck on your intervals.

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  6. That sub-9 is most definitely within your grasp! Congratulations on your fastest mile yet!

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    1. Seriously Jessie, your trick of breaking the mile into quarters is genius! I can't wait to use this in more of my training (and to keep reading your blog for more steal-able ideas like this).

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  7. Awesome job on your mile trail! Breaking it down does wonders mentally. That "if not now when? question is what prompted me to run my first marathon back in 2007. We all know how that turned out. Haha! Love the Strava bling!

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    1. Nice! In case anyone doesn't know, your "if not now when" = all of the world majors;-)

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  8. Yay Strava bling. You did amazing
    I'm with you on comfortable ruts. I keep fearing knee pain at the 1.5-two mile mark. Eventually I'm going to have to ditch the road blankie and go back to Central Park.

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    1. Well, your situation is a bit different - I was procrastinating, you're dealing with something that hurts. Nothing wrong with a road blankie!

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    2. we all need our linus blankies

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  9. I bet you could hit sub-9 by July 4th. You are so close! Funny, these days I can dig up motivation for a strength workout more easily than for a run — running takes more prep I guess.

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  10. Great job on that mile trial! You are so close! I used to love speed work--I do love to run fast, but I'm really enjoying just running--this trail vibe is fitting me right now.

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  11. I've never done a mile test- it sounds so intimidating! You have made so much progress with your times already. I love the idea of breaking it into 1/4 miles without stopping.

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    1. It is, but honestly the hardest part is that I'm expecting it to be hard which makes it harder than it has to be, if that makes sense.

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  12. Congratulations!! That is so awesome! Great job! When we least expect it is when great things happen. I agree that breaking things up helps out a lot. I remember when I had to run 10 miles on the treadmill, I would do 2.5, quick break, 2.5 quick break, 2.5, longer break, and then 2.5. It made such a difference instead of telling myself that I had to run 10 miles.

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    1. Exactly, the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.

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  13. Awesome work!

    I fully support Jedi mind tricks! If you can just find the right one, you can really "trick" yourself into almost anything. I love seeing you knock out your goals and you are absolutely going to go sub-9! I have no doubts at all!

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    1. Thanks Jenn! Now I just need to find a jedi mind trick for the summer heat.

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  14. I've never done a mile test, I just run for fun... maybe thats crazy. Good luck reaching your goals.

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    1. Nothing crazy about it! The only reasons to run are b/c you want to or if someone is chasing you;-)

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  15. Yeah fastest mile!! I feel you on the temperatures, humidity is back in full force here :( and I've been meaning to listen to unorthodox. I loved the show but I hear the book and her real life differs quite a bit...

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    1. The book is very different from the show (she worked, went to college, and blogged during her marriage and went to Germany much later) but both the show and the book are really good, definitely worth a read/listen.

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  16. Way to go with your mile trial! I haven't done one in ages, but I can imagine that trick of breaking it up into quarters was a huge help to get through it mentally. I have no doubt that you'll get that sub-9!

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    1. Thanks Michelle! It's fun to have a "summer project" to work toward.

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  17. Oh my goodness look at all the Strava bling! You totally crushed that. I loved reading about your process for doing this and how you broke it up. Way to go!

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    1. Thanks Elizabeth! It's just so fun to think about what could happen from here.

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  18. Congrats on your fastest mile! You are totally going to get that sub-9 this summer!

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  19. Great work. I think I've never done a mile test.I have incorporated speed runs and intervals, but never done a mile test. You're showing us that they're worthwhile!!

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