Getting run instructions and listening to dedications.
I'm running way too fast. It's so nice to have company, I can't help myself.
I've run 3 marathons, and though I trained for 2 of them with Team in Training, I trained for all of them largely alone. I never found anyone my pace. Perhaps my pace was erratic, but I think I was just single-minded, and unconsciously chose not to alter my speed to align with others. On the team, I would pass teammates (or they, me), chat for a moment or just offer a quick "Go Team," and then be on my own again.
I have to admit, I was complicit in my own solitude. I was so afraid of being last and left behind on long runs that I regularly arrived for the earliest wave. Staggered starts put the slowest runners first, with faster folks arriving at the workout 1 or even 2 hours after the first wave sets off. The intention is to get everyone to the finish line at around the same time to celebrate the run together.
Maybe it was a lack of confidence in my own ability, or maybe fear of abandonment, but the thought of leaving at the prescribed time based on my average pace created tremendous anxiety for me. What if I arrived back and everyone had left? What if they hadn't left, but were annoyed to be waiting for me? And worst of all, what if all the food was gone by the time I got there? Ack! So I would set off at the crack of dawn with the slowest runners on the team, and would take about 15 minutes to thoroughly out-pace them with my solid 9:50/mile (I was slower before starting triathlons).
So there I was, on a team of 75+ runners, but training alone.
I don't need to run with others. I trained for my latest marathon completely on my own. The 18 and 20-milers were tough, but I had music, and I kept it interesting by mapping routes through areas I didn't know. It was doable, but not ideal. I thought it might be nice to have company once in a while.
So here we are now, our 4th week of training, and I ran with others each weekend. It's a miracle!
On the first couple of runs, I started with the largest group, but slowly out-paced them, and had that sinking "surrounded but alone" feeling from teams past. But each time, by stretching just a bit, I could catch up to the small group of faster runners ahead of me.
At this point in the season, when volume is low and runs are less than an hour, I can handle an 8:30/mile pace (though I like 8:45 better). Pushing myself that little extra bit is fine, but this is nowhere near marathon pace, let alone IRONMAN pace. It's not sustainable, and I'll need to start scaling back and training at the right speed soon to get my body used to the feeling of it.
I push myself because running represents rare chatting time. There's no real conversation during the swim except for brief rests at the end of the lane, and I don't enjoy talking much on the bike (too many moving parts, too many cars), so running is where friends are made (there, and eating afterward). I don't talk much myself, particularly while running 15 seconds faster than my 10K pace, but I like listening and being with a group.
And it seems that the group is all boys. I feel certain there are women on the team who can handle sub-9:00s, but they haven't shown themselves yet. Maybe they are smarter than me, and running at a more appropriate pace. Perhaps when I slow to my race pace, I'll also get to know the girls. But for now, I'm enjoying the experience of running with the boys.
I've run 3 marathons, and though I trained for 2 of them with Team in Training, I trained for all of them largely alone. I never found anyone my pace. Perhaps my pace was erratic, but I think I was just single-minded, and unconsciously chose not to alter my speed to align with others. On the team, I would pass teammates (or they, me), chat for a moment or just offer a quick "Go Team," and then be on my own again.
I have to admit, I was complicit in my own solitude. I was so afraid of being last and left behind on long runs that I regularly arrived for the earliest wave. Staggered starts put the slowest runners first, with faster folks arriving at the workout 1 or even 2 hours after the first wave sets off. The intention is to get everyone to the finish line at around the same time to celebrate the run together.
Maybe it was a lack of confidence in my own ability, or maybe fear of abandonment, but the thought of leaving at the prescribed time based on my average pace created tremendous anxiety for me. What if I arrived back and everyone had left? What if they hadn't left, but were annoyed to be waiting for me? And worst of all, what if all the food was gone by the time I got there? Ack! So I would set off at the crack of dawn with the slowest runners on the team, and would take about 15 minutes to thoroughly out-pace them with my solid 9:50/mile (I was slower before starting triathlons).
So there I was, on a team of 75+ runners, but training alone.
I don't need to run with others. I trained for my latest marathon completely on my own. The 18 and 20-milers were tough, but I had music, and I kept it interesting by mapping routes through areas I didn't know. It was doable, but not ideal. I thought it might be nice to have company once in a while.
So here we are now, our 4th week of training, and I ran with others each weekend. It's a miracle!
On the first couple of runs, I started with the largest group, but slowly out-paced them, and had that sinking "surrounded but alone" feeling from teams past. But each time, by stretching just a bit, I could catch up to the small group of faster runners ahead of me.
At this point in the season, when volume is low and runs are less than an hour, I can handle an 8:30/mile pace (though I like 8:45 better). Pushing myself that little extra bit is fine, but this is nowhere near marathon pace, let alone IRONMAN pace. It's not sustainable, and I'll need to start scaling back and training at the right speed soon to get my body used to the feeling of it.
I push myself because running represents rare chatting time. There's no real conversation during the swim except for brief rests at the end of the lane, and I don't enjoy talking much on the bike (too many moving parts, too many cars), so running is where friends are made (there, and eating afterward). I don't talk much myself, particularly while running 15 seconds faster than my 10K pace, but I like listening and being with a group.
And it seems that the group is all boys. I feel certain there are women on the team who can handle sub-9:00s, but they haven't shown themselves yet. Maybe they are smarter than me, and running at a more appropriate pace. Perhaps when I slow to my race pace, I'll also get to know the girls. But for now, I'm enjoying the experience of running with the boys.
Week 4 Mileage
Tuesday, December 4 Swim Marker Set - 1,000 yards in 20:32 35 minutes and 1,400 yards total The marker puts me on pace for about a 1:25 race swim, an hour ahead of the 2:20 cut-off. Wednesday, December 5 Run Marker Set - 3 miles at 23:51, plus 1 mile warm-up Markers are as fast as you can consistently maintain for the distance. My first 2 laps were too fast, and there was 1 in the middle that was slow, but otherwise, I maintained an 8:00/mile throughout. Core - 20 minutes Thursday, December 6 Spin canceled at the last minute - bah! Friday, December 7 Spin - 60 minutes Used The Sufferfest Cycling Video - descending intervals - heart rate elevated! Saturday, December 8 - Coached Bike - 2 hours, 26 miles From Danville High to within 2 miles from the summit of Diablo in 1:30, and 30 minutes to get back. Core - 20 minutes Sunday, December 9 - Coached Swim - 1 hour 20 minutes, 2400 yards Altitude training using breath control drills - BRUTAL! Run - 48 minutes, 5.3 miles Core - 45 minutes | Totals: Swim - 1 hour 55 minutes, 3800 yards Bike - 3 hours, 23 road miles Run - 1 hour 20 minutes, 9 miles Core - 1 hour 25 minutes |