Working the long run

Today’s long treadmill run didn’t go exactly as planned. It was tough. It was hot in the  gym. Every little niggle started to bother me, from issues with the toes on my left foot (the ones that bled during the marathon), to pain in my right arm to cramps in my side. Point blank, I did not hit my scheduled paces.

But that doesn’t mean the run was bad.

In fact, in the spirit of my resolutions for 2010, here are things which went right in today’s run:

1. I started with a good attitude. I was early to the gym, waiting in the parking lot for it to open. I was excited to start, ready for the challenge of those tempo paces.

2. My nutrition was good. My pre-run breakfast was good. I took two gels and drank diluted Gatorade Endurance during the run.

3. I fought through the doubts. There were points on the run when I wanted to cry. There were points when I wanted to give up. I didn’t. Well, I nearly cried, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

4. I executed Plan B. Now, I didn’t enter the run with a Plan B. I didn’t sit and think what I would do if the run pace just wasn’t happening today. Because my intention was to meet the challenge. But I have experience now. I know what to do when things go wrong, or shall we say, less than right. With 45 minutes left in the 2-hour run, I started a clean slate. Refocused, I changed my outlook, changed my pace goals and finished the workout strong.

~ by amymoritz on January 10, 2010.