To Interval or Not to Interval. Plus, I Get to Run, And Why

While we were finishing up our stay in Hawaii last week one thing I was really looking forward to was coming home to cooler temps.  I kept seeing low 60s in the morning.  That's pretty much perfect.  I got up this morning and checked my weather app:

Oh wait!  That's Honolulu... we're home in Simi Valley now:

This is a cruel trick of Mother Nature!  California hasn't gotten the memo that it's Fall now.  The highs have been in the 90s everyday since we got home and this morning was the warmest yet.  My schedule was intervals.  Mile repeats.  I was ready mentally until I saw the temperature.  That was warmer than last Friday when I started getting heat exhaustion.  I knew it would be a mile by mile decision.  I did my 2 mile warm up then hit the lap button to start running my first interval.  I started pushing the pace and felt okay for about a half mile when my heart rate started ramping up and I started feeling nauseated, again.  I'm really trying to be smart without being a major wimp, so I backed off and just ran easy for 7 miles.  I had water with me, but I think my body is sending early warning signals at this point.

This was a tough decision for me.  I really wanted to see improvement.  I wanted to feel like I was flying again.  But 79 degrees is not the day to find out if heat training has helped.  I got home to an email from MapMyFitness.com.  "6 Highly Effective Habits of a Consistent Runner."  It was exactly what I needed!  Point number one was on point:

1. Listen to your body.
Tweaks, niggles, whatever you want to call them … if your body is warning you that something may be off, don’t ignore it. Often times, when runners fear missing out on training, they’ll run through the pain, which, unless they are some sort of genetic freak, will almost always lead to injury. I prefer to take the cautious route and give any issues time to heal before I hit the road again.
By now, I know my body well enough to decipher between a serious threat and a minor issue. But even so, I’m not hesitant to tend to the sore area for a few days, cross-train, foam roll, get a massage. Sitting out of a workout or two can be frustrating, yes, but it’s a far better option than being forced on the sidelines for months further down the road.

So I'm not the only one who is cautious?  This was written by longtime runner and triathlete, Sarah Wassner Flynn.  I've DNF'd my share of training runs but I've never had a long term injury or stress fracture.  (Knocking on wood here!)  I need to remember this when I'm feeling like a wimp and realize that maybe I'm being smart instead.

One of the many thoughts going through my mind while I was running was, "I get to run."  Running isn't my job, I won't lose a paycheck because I didn't do today's intervals.  PRs and medals are cool, but running is much more than that to me...

On April 27, 1990, I celebrated my 26th birthday (I'll save you the math and tell you I'm 51 now.)  On that same day my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She was 50.  She fought an 8 1/2 year battle and we lost her on October 10, 1998.  My mom gave birth to four children in five years.  She loved her family and put taking care of us ahead of herself.  She struggled with obesity for years and lived a sedentary lifestyle.  I started running about a year before we lost her.  I knew that the odds for me were stacked because of Mom's breast cancer, but I also knew a healthy life style could make a difference.  (I've had annual mammograms since my 30s and they've always been fine.)

Mom's High School Band picture in 1956

I thought a lot about my Mom during this morning's run.  It's been 17 years and I always think about her even more during Breast Cancer Awareness month.  I may never win any races, there are plenty of people who are faster than me, but I still get to run and my number one "why" is for my health.  I'm dedicating the rest of my runs this month to her memory.  She's totally bald in the picture below, wearing a hat that said, "Another Bad Hair Day!"  She never let cancer take away her sense of humor.

What's your "Why" for running?  
Do you run through pain or are you on the cautious side?

Running and Relaxation

I received this quote the other day from Runner's World:

Running is a form of relaxation. 
That's one of the curiosities of life - that such a high-energy activity could be so relaxing.  
~Lee C. Bollinger, President of Columbia University 

Do you ever feel that way?  You're out running, pushing hard, but you feel yourself relax.  I think running is a great stress reliever!  I've laughed, cried, problem solved, and prayed all while out on a good run.  I can't run away from problems, but I've come home lighter and happier by running my problems away!

Running with Joy

I love this quote:

As expected I've been thinking a lot about my upcoming marathon.  It's very difficult not to compare my readiness this time to last time.  It's been dragging me down and making me doubt my abilities.  Training for my first marathon was charmed, no injuries, life was smooth, good weather, and my confidence was high.  This time around I've dealt with a pulled glute from a poorly executed cartwheel, hot temps, plus the major stress of my Dad being hospitalized 700 miles away for the past 6 1/2 weeks.  When I compare results, it's depressing, so I have to look at the facts and know I've done my best and that has to be enough.

It's also not a good thing to compare my running journey to anyone else's.  I don't know what they've been through and they don't know what I've been through.  The winner of last year's Santa Barbara Marathon finished in 2:22:28, the fastest female finished in 3:03:26.  I am in no danger of winning!  But, after looking through the results, I also found that many groups had finishers in under 3 hours, but they also had finishers in over 5 hours.  The fastest in my age group (female 44-49) was 3:38:35 and the slowest was 5:37:37.  But you know what?  None of that matters.  They are all marathoners!

So how can I get back to running with joy?  My plan for next week is to finish.  I don't have a time goal.  Yes, I'd like to PR (faster than 4:53:33) but I'm not going to worry about it if I don't.  I have decided I will smile at every mile marker.  That's right, that is my number one goal for this marathon - to enjoy the journey. To remember that I love running and how great it makes me feel. I know enough to know there will be tough miles, miles that mentally tear you down, and miles that physically wear you out, but I will finish with a smile. I will smile at and thank as many volunteers as I can.  I won't be first and I, hopefully, won't be last.  But 10 days from now I will be a two time marathon finisher!

Thought for the Day

From Runner's World:

Relish the bad training runs. Without them it's difficult to recognize, much less appreciate, the good ones.
~Pat Teske

 I needed this reminder!

The Voices in My Head

It started last night after I picked up my packet...

What in the world are you thinking?
Ummm...
26.2 miles!  That's a long way.
Well, yeah, but...
What makes you think you can finish this?
I've been training for it?
Yeah, and how fast have you been?
Fast enough...
What if you bonk?

It was enough to give me heartburn! And lose a lot of sleep last night.  I turned the voice of Negative Nancy off.  Here is what I know:

I have trained for 17 weeks to finish this marathon.
I know it will be hard.
26.2 miles is a long way.
But I have run 18 miles.  I have run 20 miles.  I have run 22 miles.  I have run over 600 miles since the first of the year.
I have gone through two pairs of shoes and the ones I'm wearing have about 30 miles on them.  Enough to be comfortable, but not worn out.
I trust my fueling strategy because it is what I have done for over 600 miles.
I am not trying to beat anyone.
The only medal I'm trying to get is my finisher's medal.
Yes, I want to run my best and finish in under 4 hours, but if I don't it's not the end of the world. 
I will finish.

This is my final post until after the race.  Don't forget to enter the contest to guess my marathon finishing time... because I AM going to finish.