a breakthrough
I quickly wanted to THANK YOU all who stopped by to leave an encouraging comment. You all made me feel better about where I am at this point in my running. In fact, it was the comments that helped me chug along and complete a 4.5 mile run yesterday evening.
I forced myself not to worry about my pace and thus, it was a very enjoyable run. I felt like I made some breakthroughs in my running. FINALLY! I'm not skimping on my distance anymore and it must be correct what most people say..."slow and steady does win the race."
I will come back to blog more about last night's run. Although it was pleasurable, I made the mistake of running too far out and so I returned back to my car when all was dark. I was so scared! I had a small container of pepper spray and I felt safer in having it but being Navajo and constantly hearing stories about
skinwalkers as a kid...I wasn't sure that mace was enough to deter a skinwalker. Childish fright...but (haha) I still have fears about them as an adult.
Luckily, I said a small prayer before I started off on my run and asked the spirit of the surrounding plants to watch out over me and to keep me safe. In particular, I sought the protection of the sagebrush or
ts'ah.
I had my cell phone with me and snapped a couple of pictures of what my trail looks like.
game on
I swear--I'm constantly switching sides on a see-saw where one side thinks I will be ready for the marathon and the other side doesn't think I will be so it suggests the half-marathon with a goal of blasting my time of 2:22:23.
The other evening, I thought I had made up my mind about not doing the marathon. But after I read about Bella's struggles of near abandonment of her first marathon (Portland) but her intent to keep on running and race this coming weekend, I regained my running spirit.
Yesterday, I signed up for a month membership to our local fitness center in Window Rock. It's not exactly 24 hour fitness caliber but it'll do. They only have three treadmills of which only one works properly. Thank goodness people are not frequenting the gym with vigor yet. I ran on that one good treadmill yesterday. 3 miles with one break.
Not too shabby given that I'm recovering from a cold.
I believe that I lost my will due to frustration. My main running trail is infused to heck with hills but it's the safest, most frequented trail that I have no choice but to use it due to safety issues. The evening prior to yesterday, I ran that trail and felt like such a loser because I couldn't run more than 5 minutes after my initial 10 minute run. I'm too hard on myself and I know that I can't help it because a) I was still a bit sick with a congested chest b) I was coming off a week long break from battling the cold c) I was not properly "carbed" up and d) the elevation was making me angry.
Therefore, I thought that maybe I'd feel better if I ran on a flat surface. Thank goodness for that one working treadmill. My form was more fluid and my stamina was right on. I'm glad I ran yesterday because now I feel like I CAN do the marathon.
I'm dreading the upcoming winter months though. I'm worried that we're going to have one heck of a winter given the unusually long and abundant monsoon season that hit us. It's times like these that I wish I had my own personal treadmill.
This evening, I'm trying for 4 miles on the treadmill. If I can eek out an additional mile, we're golden.
My Mojo says HI
Today was supposed to be a long run but I ended opting out because it was getting dark and I have to get a powerpoint presentation finalized for tomorrow morning. I have an important meeting in Flagstaff tomorrow afternoon. Weren't it not for that, I would have completed at least 5 miles today.
I believe I covered 5k distance this evening.
I went down to my old high school track. It's not quite the same as the last time I really ran round it a couple years ago because of the cool new astroturf and the springy new track covering. (Obviously, I don't know the technical terms for both! ha) But everything looked and feeled the same.
Everytime I run the old track, I remember the time during my junior year when our school put everyone through a physical fitness test to comply with some state or national test. At the time, I was taking a chemistry class and we weren't given fair warning as to when our class had to go out to the track to run our mile. One day out of the blue, a messenger was sent to our class and we were told it was our turn to run along with a couple of other science classes.
Unfortunately, I went to school that day in a skirt and some flats. Remarkably, I was the second girl who finished and the 10th overall. I ran a mile that day in about 8:06 with the worst gear possible. haha
As for the evening, I feel a bit more confident in my running.
Yesterday I felt extremely distressed about my lack of progress. Today, I felt like I was getting my mojo back. I was able to run my first mile in 9:52 min. I think I ran my second mile at about 10:30-ish because I ran the other practice football field adjacent to the track once. I took a five minute breather because it was rightly deserved because it was the first time since I've been on the rez that I've run more than 20 minutes non-stop!
I ran my last 1.2 miles around the entire school campus in about 12:48 minutes. Slowly but surely, I am getting back to where I once was and it feels reassuring and wonderful!
And for a treat, I came home to a nice warm mug of Navajo tea...only the best tea in the whole wide world!!
Sun- 3.2 miles, avg pace=10.30ish
Adjusting
Elevation.
It can be your best friend during training...and then again, it could feel like you're absolute worst nightmare. Since I've moved back to the rez, I feel like I've digressed to remedial runner.
I try not to let my lackluster runs get the best of me but it's hard when I used to do 3-4 mile runs with no problem. Now I'm lucky if I can even run just under 3 miles...and that's with lots of walking breaks to catch my breath!
I was really discouraged a couple weeks ago because I thought that I should have acclimated to the high elevation by now. It's taking me a lot longer than I thought. The actual difference in elevation didn't make sense to me until I put it into relative distance last week.
I'm running at an altitude that is a MILE higher than what I'm used to!
In Tempe, the elevation was about 1600 ft or so. In the high hills of Gallup, NM where I run the elevation is about 7000 ft! With a difference like that, no wonder why I'm still not where I should be after close to a month! I think another problem I have is that I want to run at the pace I am used to running in Tempe but I can't here without losing all my breath after only 4 minutes and feeling like my chest is tightening.
Maybe I'm pushing too hard too fast.
I've been thinking and thinking alot about whether I have adequate time to train for the marathon in January. I haven't stuck to my Higdon plan and I'm already behind. I have to scrap that plan and go with a 16-week one now. I have this idea that if I fall behind on this new plan, I'm not going to do the marathon during PF Chang's but will do the half-marathon instead. Maybe I'll shoot for the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon.
I'm not going to give in the towel yet though.
In the mean time, I'm still adjusting.
Must Watch BB
Am I so lame for skipping out on a 3 mile run today to watch the last episode of
Big Brother 7 All-Stars before the Season Finale next week? haha
Before I moved in with my roommate, I had never even watched a single episode of BB. Now she has me addicted to it! Last week, Will was evicted from the house which left Janelle, Erica, and Boogie.
After tonight, it's down to Erica and Boogie.
I was rooting for Janelle. *sad face*
Was the episode worth a missed 3-miler? I'm still mulling over that decision, folks but I'm feeling some big time guilt. This is precisely why I never really watched TV before I moved here to NM. I always thought that people let precious moments of their life pass by while they sat glued to the telly watching others live theirs.
Sadly, I've become one of the telly goons.
But...it's just one show! After next Tuesday, I should be okay. That's when the Season Finale will air and then I won't have anything to keep me from running.
I know!
I will wake up early tomorrow morning to make up for the missed 3 miler. Now if I can just get pass the habit of hitting the snooze button.
