Some days I feel strong, powerful, and amazing when I'm running
Then I have a couple of runs like my race last week and my long run yesterday, and I feel very sloppy, slow, and quite UNamazing
I used the "climb" rating feature on MapMyRun to compare the hills on the Harpers Ferry Half to the hills I typically run, and it's didn't exactly boost my confidence.
Three of hills on the Half are a category 5 - which is the lowest on their scale...originally I thought 5 was the highest rating, and I almost cried.
The hills near me don't 'meet the criteria to be rated.' In other words, they're not steep or long enough to warrant a rating. gulp.
As I ran yesterday, the doubt monkey was all over my back with negative chatter.
The hills will be steeper and longer.
The weather will be hotter.
If you can't hack these pitiful little hills, how do you think you're going to run a more challenging course...much less PR?
And so on
As I sat in my first ever ice bath, my thoughts leveled out a bit.
I have 6 more weeks before the race and 4 more to work on building and strengthening.
The hills around here really aren't all that small (I'm technically challenged and couldn't figure out how get the miles to show as well, but the dark dots at the bottom are the even numbered miles)
When I sort through all the crap, it comes down to a couple of basic points
~ I'm happy as can be simply because I can run. My IT band has quieted itself. My foot is no longer broken. I can run. Cool!
~ I'm training smarter, listening to my body instead of charging head first, and I can run!
Come race day, I need to keep those two things in the front of my mind. I need to trust that I've trained the best that I can. And I need to believe that race day will be the fruition of my hard work.
And that I'm going to have a darn good time because I'll be running!
1 comment:
I have ups and downs with running too!! Somedays I feel strong and capable, others I feel like a big ole oaf stumbling around. Stick with it!!
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