Hi-yooooo!Fresh off my triumphant finish at the Sporting Life 10k run in Toronto! Okay, I gotta admit, I didn't triumph as triumphantly as I was hoping to. I finished in 1:07:07, which is exactly 2 minutes faster than last year. This is not insignificant, but less than I was shooting for. I feel like I did not have the mental strength to soldier through, take fewer walking breaks, etc. With about 2-3 km (1.5-2 miles) left in the race, I knew that if I could focus enough to slow down my pace but keep it steady, without anymore breaks, that I could meet my goal. And I made the choice not to suffer for it. I did a good job and I'm proud of my improvement. I'm just not one of those athletes who knows how to suffer.
And really, the race felt like suffering to me. About halfway through I was thinking to myself about how much I just wanted to walk the rest of the way. I don't know if this is just something runners go through when they are out there on race day, or it's because it doesn't come naturally to me or what. Maybe I just have to keep working at it, to improve my fitness, so it isn't so difficult to finish. The first 20-30 minutes of the run went great. Although, okay. That's where there are a couple of really great downhill grades. (The advantages of which, by the way, are purchased on credit with payment in full to be delivered to my thobbing quads the next day.)
I am still determined to improve, and try again in July for the 10 miler. I think I need to train outdoors more. I figured out why the treadmill is so much easier: it creates momentum that you have to make on your own when you run outside. Anyway, I know I have been improving my times and my endurance, and I'm motivated to keep working at it, but I just want to say: don't love running. Love the challenge, though. And the benefits I've seen. It's good to set goals and work to achieve them.
Congrats to all the Ladies of the Cancer, by the way. They totally smoked. I think five (?) of them broke an hour, and the others were not far behind. Hat tip to the Torq and Kat ("wrath of" in the comments) for all their ever-lovin support and encouragement.
Okay, the other triumph this week: lost 2.4 pounds! WORD. My metabolism is like a tourist meandering along Yonge St., taking in the sites, in no great hurry, and I'm trying to get around them so I can pick up my pace. Er, I think that metaphor got away on me. Point being: slow. So if I lose more than a single pound in a week, it's great news. Thus, I was very happy with the number. I am through trying to believe that the numbers on the scale don't mean anything! I love the numbers!
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Fantastic news about your race! And 2.4lbs!!! I TOLD you a glass 'o two of vino wouldn't hurt! Huzzah!
ReplyDeleteYep, the numbers on the scale, sadly, mean everything to me...
Thanks for coming out Friday - awesome to see you!
xo Barbopolous
YEEEES TEAM!
ReplyDelete107 is an EXCELLENT time. i'm very proud of you.
i'd like to try and hit just below 30 minutes or there abouts for the 5k for charity i'm doing on the 29th of may.
Wowee Wow Wow!!! Great job all around. I'm very proud of you Ms Linnyqat.
ReplyDeleteCookie
1:07 is awesome! go team Liyndsaey!
ReplyDeleteI had a triumph on the scale this week too!
Yay Lindsay! From what I understand, that feeling of wanting to walk the rest of the way is common - a lot of runners I have known have commented they have felt that way.
ReplyDeleteAnd the weight loss, congrats! I know what you mean about the scale. Now that I have a scale that is accurate 99% of the time, I love the numbers, too. (Though I wish my metabolism would pick up the pace, I am coping.)
xox
D
OMG! 2.4 pounds is over 1/5 of a catsweight, my official unit of measurement.
ReplyDeleteWay to meow and paw to paw ==3
COMMENTS, COMMENTS, COMMENTS! I love the comments.
ReplyDeleteBarbtastic, you DID tell me the wine wouldn't hurt, and it seems you were right! Although, obsessive confession: I didn't eat dinner on Friday night, just had a couple glasses of wine with you, lugged my drunktastic boyfriend home and went to bed. He calls it the "Skip A Meal" plan. Whatever. Maybe he should write a book and get rich off fat chicks like us who are desperate for new ideas. Heh.
wratha, you have been so awesome, cheering everyone on! Thanks a million times over for the cheerleading. I am confident you can do 5k in 30 mins. (In fact I think I may have actually finished the first half of the race on Sunday - the super downhill part, natch - in 30 mins. Before I died. But like the phoenix and/or Jesus, I live again.) Go TEAM KAT!!!
Cookie, aw! Thanks. I'm kinda proud of me too. Are you still working with a personal trainer? I have only 5 sessions left with Derek. [sniffle]
L-Mac2, hey, I just saw you in the hallway a few minutes ago and told you how awesome you were! Right after you told me how awesome I am! Go Team Liyndsaey! I love that we encourage each other.
Diane, hey, hi sweetie! Thanks so much for validating that my reaction on race day was not uncommon. I think it's like childbirth (I mean, so one hears!) - the memory of the pain starts to fade away after awhile and maybe you just remember how great you felt after it was over. Great to hear from you. Let's all obsess over numbers!
Lola, I love it. A catsweight is less than a stone; easier to achieve. Also cuter. My grand total is 18 pounds. That's like, one and a half cats that I've shed! Where did they go? purrs and nuzzles and scritches to you, grey one.
Terrific news all around, Lindsay -- you're an inspiration! I'm really, really happy for you. ONWARD!! xx tandy
ReplyDeleteI think it's amazing that you ran that race all the way to the finish. High 5! I do not run. I cannot imagine running except to the bathroom.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to ask you if you work your core specifically and especially when running. I understand having a strong core has a multitude of benefits. My own core needs strengthening.
Another hi5 on the weight loss. I haven't been diligent and put back on the 10 pounds I lost in the last 3 months. Sigh. I'm such a doofus.
Your efforts are fantabulous.
Smooches,
Patti
tandy, thanks so much for the encouragement. Much appreciated!
ReplyDeletePatti, well, I didn't run it all the way to the finish, but on the other hand I didn't give up and take a cab, so I guess I can feel pretty good about that!
As for core: Derek and I do some core stuff - not a lot. Usually at the end of a session when we have five mins left, we'll do bicycle crunches (one elbow goes to the opposite knee) or I lift an exercise ball with my legs. We will often do upper body and shoulder stuff on a stability ball because that works your core as well. He incorporates core-strengthening bits into exercises that are primarily targetting other areas.
I do think that a strong core is a big asset in running, particularly if you're going longer distances. It can be hard on your lower back, so a strong core helps with that. I need to do more work on my core, to be sure. There's a 15 minute "Awesome Abs" class at the gym that I went to. Once. Horrible. I would drag my ass out to it more often but I noticed on the schedule that it's now a 30 minute class. Double the horror.
Re: your weight gain, trust me, I know exactly how you feel and then some. I have lost EIGHTEEN POUNDS since the start of February, and I am only now back to where I was this time last year after losing 15. So, yeah. We are both doofuses. Doofi. Or... human.
Big love and smooches to you.