You love to hate them, you hate to love them. Treadmills are the best invention ... and the worst miles I will ever put in.
I'm not sure what it is about treadmills that makes me want to quickly find a new hobby. Maybe its the running for ___ miles but never getting anywhere... or the terrible pounding elephant sound that each stride makes ... or maybe its the fact that there is this display board, with numbers, and my time, and how far I have gone, but yet how far I still have. to. go. "A watched pot never boils" just like a watched treadmill screen NEVER MOVES.
I live in the tundra. Yes folks, the tundra of St. Paul, MN. Training for a summer marathon sounds peachy, until the program starts in the thick of winter. My best intentions are to bundle up and brave the winter weather, but then I take one step outside and the treadmill all of a sudden sounds like a better option. Its one thing to run in cold temperatures, but its another thing to run in cold temperatures with arctic winds blowing at your face! Not. fun.
So Mr. God-Foresaken Treadmill, thank you. Our love/hate relationship will get me through the winter training and prep me for sunshine, dry sidewalks, and warmer temperatures .... oh how it can't come fast enough ....
Friday, February 29, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
A Weekend of Firsts
First race of the season.
First long run.
Both a success! I signed up for a 5K "Frolic" in White Bear since it was right near my house and wouldn't require getting up too early on a precious Saturday morning. The "frolic" description was appealing, but didn't keep me from waking up and feeling the need to try to set a PR. Really?! A PR after 1 (yes, read that ONE.) week of marathon training (oh yeah, Hi! sorry forgot to mention, marathon #2 training just started, more about that another day)?! A PR in 10 degree weather?! A PR on icy roads?! "But of course!" my ever competitive brain chirped.
With about 300 running friends, Saturday morning was the fastest 5K I've ever run, or tried to run for that matter. I set off at a good pace and held it the entire way. It wasn't fun. Well, finishing with a PR was fun. Running faster than I thought I could was fun. But the feeling was NOT fun. So why is it that I can't wait to do it again?!
24:37 - a 7:56 pace. I really didn't know I could do that! Imagine what I might be able to do with a bit more training (read: > 1 week!)
And Sunday was Long Run #1. 6 miles. I felt eerily good. Until it was over. My legs do not quite know what all that running was all about. Lets be sure not to tell them we are going to add 20.2 miles to that in a mere 17 weeks :)
First long run.
Both a success! I signed up for a 5K "Frolic" in White Bear since it was right near my house and wouldn't require getting up too early on a precious Saturday morning. The "frolic" description was appealing, but didn't keep me from waking up and feeling the need to try to set a PR. Really?! A PR after 1 (yes, read that ONE.) week of marathon training (oh yeah, Hi! sorry forgot to mention, marathon #2 training just started, more about that another day)?! A PR in 10 degree weather?! A PR on icy roads?! "But of course!" my ever competitive brain chirped.
With about 300 running friends, Saturday morning was the fastest 5K I've ever run, or tried to run for that matter. I set off at a good pace and held it the entire way. It wasn't fun. Well, finishing with a PR was fun. Running faster than I thought I could was fun. But the feeling was NOT fun. So why is it that I can't wait to do it again?!
24:37 - a 7:56 pace. I really didn't know I could do that! Imagine what I might be able to do with a bit more training (read: > 1 week!)
And Sunday was Long Run #1. 6 miles. I felt eerily good. Until it was over. My legs do not quite know what all that running was all about. Lets be sure not to tell them we are going to add 20.2 miles to that in a mere 17 weeks :)
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