I'm adding a weekly request to the top of my wrap-up posts: if you know any bloggers based out of Eugene (Oregon), send 'em my way!
Thursday workout: 5 miles, easy, Pace Gloves
Friday workout: 3 miles, easy, Pace Gloves
Saturday workout: measly 40-minute hike, cut short by foggy views
Sunday workout: 4 miles, treadmill, socks
Weekly total: 24 miles
This week was kind of all over the place. I started strong with two 6-milers, one at tempo effort, and then sort of petered out. I'm feeling a bit lost, really. The concept of gradually easing back into running sounds simple enough, but it seems I'm not any good at it. I just want to be back where I was (basically, running 5-6 times and 40-ish miles per week). I was planning to be there a week from now. My body obviously has other plans. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say I wasn't really ready to run the mileage I ran last week, which was both surprising and demoralizing. I mean, I took three weeks off running, not three months! Aren't I a beast? Shouldn't I be running marathon distances "totally by accident!" every day?
I also continue to struggle with this whole "listening to one's body" horseshit. I know I should be ohm-ing and kumbaya-ing and having serious conversations with my body about feelings or whatever, but we don't really do that. Typically I tell it what to do and it just does it. Now, however, it's apparently giving me the finger. "I'm tired of obeying your every wish. It's high time we focused on me, me, me. Here's some knee pain. It's probably nothing, but it could be something. I'm not telling you which it is. I'm going to go listen to Nirvana and be angsty."
I guess I'm no good at running for fun. To me, all running is fun, even when it's not. I just like it to be structured fun, usually of the Hanson variety. In other news, I've turned into an old man.
I spent the majority of the weekend library-ing, which was unfortunate because it's been stupid pretty here. Of course, the one time I ventured outside there weren't any views until just as I was leaving.
There are mountains back there.
Clearing up. Also, a few weeks ago I saw an idiot driving like a bat out of hell plunge into that thing. It was incredibly satisfying.
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Today's kind of a momentous occasion. One year ago, I finally wised up and left New York City, a place I had lived and despised for two whole years. I reflected a bit on my time in New York in this post, but since I was my only reader back then, I'm reposting my (slightly modified) lists of "things that sucked hard" and "things that sucked slightly less hard" about New York. Indulge me.
Things that sucked hard:
-SO F*$#ING HOT
-SO F#($ HUMID
-SO MANY F032ING PEOPLE
-related to SO MANY F%^@ING PEOPLE, NOT ENOUGH F^*@ING SLEEP
-trash
-everything about MTA
-not having enough money, time, or energy to actually do the interesting things New Yorkers are supposed to be doing every waking moment
-spending every minute of every day angry about one thing or another (see above)
on the other hand...
Things that sucked slightly less hard:
-easy access to other places (you rock, Lucky Star!)
-Royale burgers with bacon and blue cheese
-halal stands as far as the eye can see
-food delivery
-pizza (are you sensing a theme here?)
-feeling safe (I mean this sincerely)
-bars that don't seem to close
-Central Park. Although it's not "real wilderness" (no matter how many people try to tell you this, IT IS NOT TRUE. YOU CANNOT GO HIKING IN CENTRAL PARK), it is still pretty cool, as are the paths along the East/Hudson Rivers
-did I mention easy access to other places?
Wow, I was obviously still pretty ragey about the whole thing when I wrote those. I actually had plenty of really fun times while in New York, but it wasn't the city that facilitated those fun times. In fact, it often hindered it. I could have had the best time ever sealed in a cardboard box with my New York (who were really my college) friends.
I'm slightly less... psychotic? about New York a year out, but I definitely don't see myself going back for... another decade. You can thank me for not crowding its already-claustrophobic streets.
Questions:
- Ever been ragey about a place?
- Are you good at "listening to your body?" Teach me how.
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What if you made yourself a schedule of mostly short, easy runs? Like, actually take a calendar and stick the workouts into it? That way, you'd have something to follow (which I know you really like).
ReplyDeleteThen, each day, ask yourself if you feel able to do THAT workout. If not, then skip it. Could you substitute a walk or hike instead, for an equivalent amount of time? Or maybe dedicate the I can't run days to something else you want to learn? Like, if you don't feel up to a run on Wednesday, then you spend your 40 minutes practicing your knitting/pencil sketches/souffle making/something? I sometimes suggest that my runners choose a "life goal" to focus on for the first month or two after a marathon, so that they can put their organized, structured, time-conscious habits to a good use. Just a thought.
Ragey about a place? Not off the top of my head...I think I was *slightly* ragey about Los Angeles when I first started dating KMN, but after awhile, the place grew on me - and after living there last summer and exploring some of its finer points, I actually find myself missing it on some days.
Yeah, I think that's what I'll end up doing. I'm kind of thinking of doing the Hanson build-up because that worked so well for me before (and started with five weeks of really, really easy running). Of course, that would mean no half marathon for me, but I'm not totally wedded to the idea of doing that race, especially if the ol' body isn't up to it.
DeleteAhaha, knitting/pencil sketches/souffle making are three things I'll definitely never be able to do (although I did make a scarf once). But I suppose "doing homework" is a worthwhile activity. But I have so much excess energy right now, I might just have to replace it with walks, which are sooooo boring.
Hmmm. The girl who could not NOT follow her exact schedule to the T now is having problems getting back to it? Do you need more structure or less? It sounds like more structure and I like Holly's suggestion! I am completely opposite and I only used to run when I needed it/felt like it, so structures and schedules are harder for me. Working on it though...Working on it.
ReplyDeleteTotally more structure. I guess I didn't make that very clear. I just... don't know how to wing it. It's pathetic.
DeleteAnd old man in a Jeano's body? Call Adam Sandler! Sounds like his next movie.
ReplyDeleteHave you found the Hanson section on how to get back into running after your marathon useful?
I'm ragey about the location of my work building!
Am I good about listening to my body? rarely. Usually only if I feel sick lol
Hmm...that's tough. I wish I had advice for you on how to trick your body into being so structured and getting all bouncy about running. Sometimes your brain and body just has other plans. Maybe you should have some wine before you run then you'll forget exactly how you feel and just run, run, run. Probably not a good idea, actually.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I've only been to NYC a hand full of times, but it was plenty for me. I am NOT a fan of all the people and their craziness-- I need SPACE! And cleanliness. And less homeless people.
Sorry your body is acting like a teenager. Hope the knee thing isn't anything major. I don't particularly listen to my body unless it screams at me, so I can't really help you there.
ReplyDeleteHaha that idiot driving like a bat out of hell hitting that thing... Karmas a bitch, buddy.
NYC sounds.... fun? I've never been but I'd really like to see and experience it for myself some day. I have absolutely no desire to live there, but to get to spend an extended trip there would be cool. Particularly over Memorial Day, because word on the street is all New Yorkers leave the city for beachy places (at least according to that book and movie "Something Borrowed").
Do you read Sweaty Emily's blog? http://www.sweatonceaday.com/
ReplyDeleteShe lives in DC now but is moving to Eugene. She's a beast.
I am having the SAME problems getting back into running...but haven't been bold enough to write the post about it yet. Hold strong...I'm sure (correction - I really HOPE) it will get better soon!