Hey whats up

Hey what’s up? I didn’t quit training I just forgot to write for awhile. I have been running and in fact I made the foolish decision to run a longer race. That has required me to up my training runs and to really focus on running more than the other two.


The longer race is called Sun Mountain 25K which = 15 miles. That will be on Father’s Day so I really don’t have time to waste.

I have never run 15 miles and this will be a trail run in heat with a mountain in the way. It proves my “stupidity of three” theory. Which if something is stupid do it 3 times? Wait I think that’s a rule of comedy not stupidity. Doh! Seriously I am just following Seth who says I can do it. Because he did it last year so he is proving the misery loves company idea. Especially in running, that is how I got out here in the first place.
So once I realized the most I have run is 5 miles and the race will be 3 times that I decided to switch my training goals from miles to time. I predict it will take me 3 hours + running to complete the 15 miles. SO last week I started increasing my time on my runs from 60 – 70 minutes to 90 minutes. Then last weekend I did my first 120 minutes. Ohhh that smarts! I still feel that one and it is Thursday. At this point in time I cannot imagine running for 3 hours. I am scared to think how I will feel during that.

During the two hour run I really wanted to stop. I was no longer enjoying it after 90 minutes and really did not think I could make it. But I did make it. Like a phoenix shooting out of the flames. No that is not the analogy I would use. More like a Cockroach crawling out of the rubble. At any rate this week I did my first short run on Monday which was 60 minutes and I hope I did another 60 minutes today. Ran today at lunch and my back is still buggin. I know I can run through it but I need to figure out what I am doing wrong.
It feels good to know I ran 10 miles and I ran for 2 hours straight but I think it will feel better after I forget how it felt. I have described this place before but I am currently in the “prove it” place. I did the 120 minutes once and so the next time I need to “prove it” to myself that I can do it again. It is a strange way my brain works, inside my head is a cold dark place. My training schedule is to run a couple short runs during the week and one long run going from 120 to 140 to 160 to 180 and then ease off the two weeks before the real deal.
I can’t simulate the heat I am going to face or the Mountain elevation gain but Oh well. I think it is safe to quote Armegeddon “The scariest environment imaginable.”
Swimming is doing okay but I am frustrated at not making much progress. I mean I still have a challenge when I breathe because it throws my rhythm off and causes me to be very inefficient. I feel like I have not made any progress in the pool in awhile.
Biking is on hold until I can get my clip in shoes. One more paycheck and I should be able to get them. I will put more into the biking after the Sun Mt. run

It is surprising how much of this is a mental challenge while I am running. I hit this point of self doubt on every run where the voice in my head is telling me all sorts of excuses and crazy stuff. Fighting off that doubt is this little voice of "Yes I can." Funny because most of the time 90% I complete every run I set out to do. I never thought I would run a mile and half and I did it. Inever thought I would run the Heggenes hill and I did it. I never thought I could run 5 miles and I did it. Hell I did more than that at lunch today. Still even with all these little victories I have to have the same discussion every run.

"I can stop in a minute"
"Your not even half way you probably won't make it."
"You've done this before you don't need to do it again."
"You hate this and have done a lot so you should stop."

This usually goes on about the 3-4 mile mark and can last awhile. Even when you tell yourself you can't do it. Nobody says you have to listen.

Well now that I am running much farther I get a whole new experience.
I have met the monster who lives behind all this self doubt. He a comes out of his cave about the 90 mark and this time he is serious. After 100 minutes he doesn't go away he stays with you. Dancing with the beast and soon, real soon I need to learn to become friends with the beast because we have a ways to go yet. Miles to go before I sleep.
Talk to you soon.