Running. So many random thoughts about running.
My feet HURT. The plantar is being stupid.... my ankle is being stupid.... the new blister that keeps wanting to form (nice hot spot go figure) is being stupid. It's all just stupid. Add that to the general achy leggies and I'm well...it's just stupid.
Next up in running news. Humidity. It's stupid hot and stupid humid. I walk outside and the humidity just sucks the breath out of ya. But I have my scheduled run days and I'm running them...regardless of the humidity (I do try to go early in the day!)
But I did run on Sunday. It was a ROUGH. It was a bit later than I would have preferred. We went to the canal and ran. The plan was for 4 sets of eight-three intervals. I struggled after the second 8 minute run had passed and I have to admit, I walked a bit and we only ran about 4 minutes of the last 8 minute run interval (we were back to the car). But I was out there putting the miles on my legs.bbi can't help it that the weather and experience was stupidly brutal!!
This morning (Tuesday) was my next scheduled run. I went out at about 7AM. It was still humid. (As a side note, stripping off hot sweaty clothes when I'm done running is just really nasty and wrong..it's like peeling a wet layer of skin off of my body........but I digress...back to the subject at hand.) I set out to do at LEAST three sets of my intervals. I made the first 8 minutes......did pretty good on it too. It was slow but I wasn't praying for it to end. The second 8 minute interval I was doing and I hit a "oh my word I have to walk right now" feeling. I slowed to a walk and within seconds I got the notification through my headphones that the run interval was over. The next run interval was the same....I gave up seconds before it was over. I will say that after that third run interval I only walked for 1 minute (versus the three that was scheduled) and then I ran for 7 minutes more...before walking a 5 minute cool down. I was proud of myself. This was definitely NOT stupid.
So, the lesson I learned today? Intervals DO work. They push me on long after I would have caved and walked long before. HOWEVER, I have been doing the 8-3 intervals for the last week and a half to two weeks. It's a good length for me because I really do have to push myself to finish the 8. The three may be a bit long but it's all good. The problem? My body is becoming accustomed to the 8 minutes of running. I think my body is sensing that the 8 minutes is up and is shutting down. Ok, that was a bit dramatic, it's not really shutting down but it's telling me that it's time to stop running. What does this mean? It means that on Tuesday I will be running 5-2 intervals. Or maybe 6-1. How about 9-4? I will be doing SOMETHING other than 8-3. My body was becoming used to it....and that's not what I want. I don't care what I run....I'm focusing on the miles. The rest will fall into place.
After running so much on the treadmill, I ran outside this past weekend and really struggled with the heat and humidity. It is definitely an energy zapper. I like the idea of switching up the intervals so you don't get used to them.
ReplyDeleteI love the cookie quote at the top.....that is so me!! :)
ReplyDeleteI am proud of you for running. Please, be careful in all the heat & humidity. You don't want to get in to trouble with heat exhaustion or worse.
ReplyDeleteLori
Love that end quote its so very true! Keep pushing!
ReplyDelete