I'm just not sure what's up with this running stuff. I freely admit I'm not running as often as I need to, but even with work, the holidays and the crisis of the week with my #$*^# dog (Umpteem vet visits and nearly a thousand bucks in recent months. This week it's pancreatitis from garbage can foraging.) I'm still getting in more gym time than the average guy, so it seems ludicrous to bemoan a dearth of training time when I'm still charting improvement, however slight.
When I first started running I could only run around 4.2 mph, and I was fine with that mainly because I didn't know how fast people actually ran. I still choke when I see some of the girls running at 7+ mph. The trainer mentioned that I should be running at least 12 minute miles, and when I realized that was 5.0 mph I had no idea how I would manage it. That seemed incredibly fast. But she's a personal trainer and I'm not, so I did my best to work at that pace, and have been doing so for a while.
Trouble is, there are days when that pace works great, and days when it just about kills me. And then there are days, like yesterday, when it starts to feel slow and I'm able to crank it up to 5.3, sometimes even 5.4 (~11:10 pace) and it feels great. But that same workout yesterday where I was able to make it up to 5.4 started out running at 4.6 and it felt like I was going to die. I just don't get it.
The other thing I noticed is that I don't find that running zone on the days my body can only run in the 4s. I only seem to reach that floaty place when I'm running my intervals at a 12:00 pace or faster.
I guess I'm just too new at this whole running thing to know what's what. Is it normal to fluctuate over such a wide pace range from day to day? Is it normal to feel like dying in the first 20 minutes of a 30 minute run, and feel like you can conquer the world in the last 5? Is it wrong to be trying to work at a pace someone else recommended, or is it good to have that to push me?
I have no idea. My solution to everything is to read a book about it... but they haven't yet written this book. Even the "Complete Idiot's" running book, which has been a fantastic resource, doesn't cover problems this far from the reality of normal Runners. Hell, the marathon pace table in the appendices only goes down to a 12:00 mile - seeing that was when I knew I was dealing with a different animal.
Maybe someday I'll have an epiphany and it will all make sense. Or maybe not. I guess the only way to find out is to keep running.
4 comments:
Hey Siren...first of all I love your disclaimer on your site. I too tend to be sarcastic in my posts and comments...so I really have to be careful!
And about the running thing..just do your OWN thing. Consistently-that's the key. Some days will be slo-mo and then you will have that "no effort" run some day (yes you will!) and you may never question your idea of "being" a runner again! Good luck!
When I first started running I was doing so at your pace. Within a few months, and some speed training and hill workouts, I had increased my pace to 6 mph...it can be done. I still remember the day my body "felt ready to take it up a step". I'm a firm believer that if you push yourself..a little...when doing speed training your body eventually lets you know when it's ready to run longer at an increased intesity. I still have off-days when my pace is totally bullshit. You have to give yourself permission to have those days; there are weeks when my running simply sucks. The longer you stick with it the more comfortable it becomes. The first bit of my runs are also my worst. The bad bits eventually get shorter..so you'll have a crappy first mile and 9 glorious ones during which you're high as a kite:)
God luck!!
oh and by the way..."The Complete Running Guide For Women" - Claire Kowalchik - is a fabulous book. There's lots of information in it about increasing your speed/distance. It's a tremendous resource.
Thanks guys! I really appreciate the input. And I'll definitely check out that book : )
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