At some point every Sunday night, I take a few moments to reflect on my previous week. This reflection, for the most part, becomes my week in review post. One thing different about this week’s review: it is 830am as I write this. I am writing early today because I have a busy day and a paper to write tonight; I don’t want to get caught up writing this later and lose valuable paper-writing time. I have already procrastinated enough!
Coming off Spring Break I knew it was back to the grind- and was it ever!! This past week was filled to the brim with school-work, softball and life in general. Week nights were all late nights and both weekend nights were spent studying. I need my life back! Have I mentioned my need for the semester to be over?!?!?!
I am happy to report that I did get in all my training runs and I am going to bike for an hour later this morning and do some strength training. In reality that means I only had to forgo one bike and the swim. I have been really bad at getting swims in and I while it is my strongest discipline, I know I need to get more on top of my swim training. Right now though, all my concentration is on my upcoming 10-miler and half-marathon. Any biking and/or swimming I fit in are all a bonus. As long as my runs are completed then I feel accomplished. After May 17 it will be back to a three-discipline focus. And by then school will be out for the semester. And that will make me a very happy girl J
This week I ran really well but had some pain for the first time in almost a month which kind of freaked me out.
My Tuesday run went really well. I felt good, paced great and was generally just happy to be out running. I felt really on. I finished at just about sub-30 minute 5k pace which is a major goal for me this year.
Yesterday’s run was completely the opposite. I went out for 8 miles and right from the beginning I just felt off. Despite feeling off, I was running great- keeping my pace @ 10min for each mileà that is until that familiar pain began to surface. It was right around mile 6 and it totally ruined my mental game; all I could think about was the pain in my knee. I pushed through for one more mile but called it a day after 7…I just didn’t want to push it with these important races looming. I ended up with 7miles in an hour and sixteen minutes- that last mile killed my time/pace and really bummed me out. I was really concerned about how this would affect my 10-miler next week and if I could even run it (ugh-negative mental thoughts!) but I came home and iced me knee and when I woke up today it felt good as new.
Even though I feel great today, I certainly don’t want to push it; therefore I have decided to treat my 10-mile race next week as a training run for my half. As much as I might want to get out and push it or “race” per say, I am going to just enjoy being there. Broad Street is a race I have looked forward to for over a year, so just being a part of it is exciting for me. Like with every race I enter, the ultimate goal is to finish. That is always goal #1. For Broad Street, goal #2 is to enjoy the run as a training run. This upcoming week I will take it light with training and focus on mental preparation.
How do you mentally prepare?
Hope everyone has a great week! Hopefully you are all enjoying equally amazing weather 🙂
Also, best wishes to Rebekah…she is running OKC Marathon today (her first!) and has been through a lot to get there- I hope you rock it Rebekah!