Well, this was my last set of mile repeats today as I prepare to run a 2:15 half marathon in the Tri-Cities marathon relay, and it wasn’t a stellar performance. I set out at 8am to do eight mile repeats at ten minutes each, but after five I got some mighty nasty menstrual cramps that slowed me down. I took a few easy laps around the track to see if I could get my mojo back, but actually, the slower I went, the worse they became.
Not that I think anyone is interested in my menstrual cramps, but since this is my blog, let me just say what’s on my mind. I hate those things. They’re actually fairly new to me. I was always one of those lucky girls who cruised through the month feeling none the worse when “my time” came, but the closer to menopause I get, the more inconsistent the whole cycle is. As I think I wrote earlier in the year, I’ve been taking some compounded progesterone to get everything evened out (which was going well for several months). Turns out, though, you can get “saturated” when you’re taking hormones. That’s what happened to me this week, according to my doctor.
So, I did the best I could today for the state of my body. I’m no expert when it comes to speed work, but I do have a few races under my belt; I know the MOST important thing about how a race will go, next to getting in my long runs, is feeling good the morning of the race. My goal now is to feel good this week and wake up on race day (Sunday, October 28) raring to run. We’ll see what happens. I’m optimistic: Bill has promised me wine tasting on the way home no matter what!
Sometimes life throws us some curveballs! I know that in my running life, off and on over the last 3 weeks I have had some very mean intestinal problems. Some days I feel good, and get my run in feeling great, others I feel terrible and poop every mile, or slow until I can find a bathroom. It’s awful, and maybe not the same thing, but just pure uncomfortable!
Oh, that sounds pretty similar Brandon. I guess we can’t feel good all the time! xo
Cami, my brother, who is an experienced 3-hour marathoner (unlike slow-me), swears by track and ‘sprint’ workouts, like you’re doing. It is grueling and the payoff works – by training the brain & the muscles that faster/harder is okay. Keep it up…the result will be fabulous. And I always go back to something Second Wind taught me…life doesn’t have to be perfect!! And what counts is how we handle it.
Good reminder, Kevin. :}
Cami, Cheers to resting and Being Rested for Race Day:)
Wait to go Coach:)