Track Day, OMG so nervous

I always look on my schedule on Sunday to prepare myself for the week and I knew their were two workouts that made me nervous, Tuesdays 1hr 25 minute run with 2 x 15 minute Zone 3 efforts on the road and todays, 5 x 1 mile repeats at the track or road. I haven't had to do much speed until recently and it hards mentally for me to wrap my brain around it. Tuesdays workout was ok, I wasn't completely stoked about my performance on the road, I got my HR to the bottom of Zone 3 but I couldn't get my legs to turnover faster, their was a good headwind and some nice hills/inclines so I know my times were affected by this, still I was hoping the 15 minutes would be faster. I recovered well, ate what I needed and tried to rest, wednesday was just TRX and a short swim to help prepare for today's mile repeats. The last two times over the past two weeks I had to do them it was 4x 1 mile repeats of which I did on the treadmill at a 0% incline. My speeds were good, my heart rate got up to a max of 171 but the averages were low 160's, I was proud of the times I was getting but I'm never too sure how the times on the treadmill would convert if I did them outside or on the track. However, I would be lying if I didn't say the treadmill relaxes me I feel safe and in control of the elements. That being said today was a day I needed to embrace both mentally and physically, I needed to do this outside on the track or on the road and I decided the track.

I drove to Gordon College and sat in my car for awhile, staring at the track, I decided I would run a few errands first and then come back. Eventually I decided to just get it done, suck it up, enjoy the suck as MACCA likes to say, just do it.  I love to run but it humbles me everytime I do it. It likes Yoga to me or pilates, it looks like it should be so easy but it really isn't so I'm always in awe of the people that can do these forms of exercise and do it well, just like running.

Anyhoo, I decided to run my warm up in my Zr pace and man did that suck, it was slow and I was already battling the I'm going to run these repeats 4 minutes faster, ok, sure Donna. But I told myself to snap out of it and just do it. I decided not to look at my watch for the first mile, run by feel and just see what happens. Well 7:02 happened. Man that sucked, ok, lets do this again, 6:57, 6:55, 6:55, 6:57. I did it, I Pr'd my track experience, I've never done mile repeats in the 6's anywhere, I worked for everything I had out there. I know these times are not the quickest but for a 44 year old mother of 4 I was so proud of  myself that it could of been Kona for me today. I don't even know what to say but I was real happy and I want to thank all my friends on facebook who encouraged me to make the track my bitch today and to give it all my heart and I did. Thanks to Pat for telling me I could do it and hopefully the mental block with running will start to fade now. Anyhoo, off to kids activities. Thanks for the support guys.

Busy, Busy times

So life has been busy since the last time I wrote. I ran a half marathon at the end of September which was successful, a PR by about a minute, not huge by any means but still going in the right direction. Recovery from the race was good which hopefully means my fitness is returning after the big taper into my " didn't do ironman".

With regards to my injury things have been going well, I have been receiving ART twice a week ( thank goodness its covered by insurance) and once a month I travel to West Boylston, Mass to see Mike Roberts PT guru to keep me heading in the right direction. As of yesterday things are looking really good and he has advanced me on my exercises except that he has put a kabosh on some of my TRX exercises because of my poor form and that it was probably exacerbating my pelvic instability. He tweaked those exercises and gave me ones that did the same thing but didn't cause issue with my already existing issue. Anyhoo, things look good and hopefully we will be on the bike shortly.

Training for my 2nd outright marathon is much different then when I trained for my first, I think my longest run at that point was 16, which I did on the treadmill at a speed of 5.8mph and I was sore for like a week. I barely broke 5hrs at the Chicago Marathon so heres hoping for a much better finish this time around. The Miles Standish Marathon/Relay is new this year and there isn't a lot of information regarding the course the support, etc.  but its local and convenient, its a measured course and thats all that matters, I don't need the pomp and circumstance. Anyhoo, its going well and I'm hoping to stay injury free for a long time.

Times are crazy now and things have gotten really busy with the kids regarding school, sports and everything else they do, trying to be the mom who is class parent, class volunteer, driver, homework supervisor, food maker, discipline person, etc.. is tiring but I wouldn't have it any other way. Life is busy for everyone and I'm no different then anyone else. I like to bitch but only for the cathartic nature that it allows me to have, I am blessed in so many ways for my great family and friends who support me and my crazy family.

Anyhoo, today's my birthday, not my typical " OMG its my birthday days" but I'm 44 and well life goes on and there is a lot to do today. I was able to get my swim in which was nice and i'm hoping to get a little run in later while the sun is still shining, we'll see. Anyhoo, time for a doctors appointment for my daughter and pick up for the kids and then the sporting activities ensue. See you soon.