After last weeks blog about my mental sanity you'll be pleased to hear that:
A) I survived
B) There was no need for a Samaritans call out and
C) I'm glad it happened.
Why am I glad it happened? Well, I think one of the problems with blogging is that sometimes things sound worse than they are. I guess that's my fault as a blogger, maybe I'm a secret drama queen!? But incase you're now feeling duped, to clarify I didn't make up or embelish any of the tale that fell out of my brain through my fingers and onto the computer screen last week, it was all true and that was exactly how I felt. I love that I'm surrounded by people who care and thank you for every last word of advice and consideration, I soaked it all up and listened, I even had an easy week of training ;) But I can honestly say that yes it was still a good thing. I love the fact that I'm learning about myself, my boundaries and what makes me tick, in fact if anything surely those feelings are the ones that make me feel the most alive because they're so raw. Had I not tested myself in Lanzarote, had I not tried to be one of the faster lot then I would have sat in my comfort zone, enjoying riding round but never really testing myself. I like to know what I can and can't do and now I know. But I also know that when push comes to shove I'll go down with a fight and I have got the mental strength to hang in to the very last minute. I'll take that over comfort zone any day, as messy as that is going to be on the odd occasion!
I'm also not ashamed to say that I'm still suffering the fall out from such training but I know it WILL make me stronger long term. This week I've really enjoyed un-timed and easy 3km technique sets in the pool every morning. I've done a few easy hr turbo sessions to keep the bike legs moving and last but not least and the biggest tell of all I've bimbled my way through a few miles of running in the lead up to the Brass Monkey Half Marathon which was this morning. I've been torn all week about whether or not to do it. One day it was a definite no and the next it was a yes. Suffice to say I decided to run it under the premise that it was to be a training run. I know I'm fit enough to run well but obviously still being fatigued means that today isn't the day for that. I ran completely within myself, never having to motivate myself and keeping an eye on my heart rate so that I didn't switch off. It was the oddest thing to be running comfortably yet at the same time knowing that if I tried to push the pace it wasn't there. I definitely did the right thing. If I'd just gone out all guns blazing I would have crashed and burned and hated every second and then been incredibly disappointed with my time, instead I ran to the best of my ability today. And also from todays result - 1hr 38- I know I still need another easy week before picking up the intensity.
We finished the weekend with lashings of my home-made chocolate birthday cake to celebrate our Godson Charlie's 1st birthday, my friend Lies' 30th birthday and also my good friends little girl Emily's 3rd birthday. My brother Jonny and niece Kelsey were here and we spent all afternoon in the kitchen yesterday covering ourselves in icing for todays party and it was lovely. Balloons, ice-cream, pass the parcel and crazy dancing in our living room with the kids just puts everything into perspective. Life's for living and for learning and for loving but it won't always be easy, but who wants easy every day? Maybe just every other day ;)
Before I sign off I'd like to say hello to the lovely lady who I thought had lost her marbles when she spoke to me as we were running today just before the 10 mile mark. I didn't quite understand what she was saying when I heard the words Lanzarote and internet, it made no sense, I smiled and said nothing, but then she wished me good luck for Lanzarote to which I was a bit confused as I didn't recognise her, but it appears that folk have stumbled upon our weary warblings out there in the real world and bless her she said she recognised me and wanted to wish me luck. I hope you had a great run and thank you for your kind words, apologies for my blank looks!
And of course to the boys that always pull it out of the bag when it matters. To my husband who starts the year with a much wanted 1.19, finally shedding 1.20, you're always my hero. x And to Top Twenty Tony who stormed round the course pb'ing with 1.16 (oh what I'd do to be able to run like that!) To Ben G who managed to hold onto an awesome time while impressively blowing himself to smithereens in the process. I'm impressed Ben and now you know there's definitely a sub 1.30 out there for you :) To Debra Brown who ran a fantastic time, pb'ing for fun but frustratingly missing out by a nano second to take her under the 2hr mark, no waving, smiling or acknowledging the crowd next time Debra, that must have cost you a second at least ;) To Dave M who has more energy than a Gibbon on speed (and that's while he's running) great time 1.20, over the moon for you. And to every last Virgin Road Runner who did themselves proud out there today, Richard, Barbara, Kaye, Nicky & Vikki, well done all. x
Time to get that recovery sleep in.
"Simply pushing harder within the old boundaries will not do." Karl Weick
H. x
3 comments:
Fame at last, a posting on "the blog" thanks H
I can tell you for sure I was not waving or cheering to the crowd, no-one I knew was at the finish line but I am well plesaed with my laps and the garmin shows how hard I worked right to the line, just a shame I didn't even believe I could run 9.23 miles to get me 2:03 which is what I was aiming for as I was only slower in two miles out of 13 both of which involved gel and water intakes. It was only as passing spectators/marshals coming through Bishopthorpe that the little seed entered my head perhaps you can dip under two hours. It just wasn't meant to be but my goals set back in 2005 suddenly begin to feel realistic and capable of being taken this year.
Are you any nearer on defining your goals for 2009 after last week's crisis??
Effectively you did run 2hrs, and what a great feeling that is for you knowing that it's all there for you to dip under given the right race and it's fantastic to see your improvement :)
I think my goals for '09 lie in how I feel in Lanzarote. I'm not sure my goal was ever to get to Kona, mainly because finishing an Ironman was always top of my list. I'm still questioning Switzerland after Lanza so I'm just going to leave that hanging in the ether until I race in Lanza and see how I feel about Ironman then!
Fantastic, after all finishing 1 never mind 3 ironmans is an outstanding achievement and then hopefully you can relax on the beach in Hawaii in October whilst there supporting your wonderful husband, fingers crossed!!!
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