12 Miles with Trey Songz

For the typically working woman (or man), our long distance runs fall on Saturday or Sunday because we simply have more time to complete them.  Running for 2 to 4 hours (sometimes 5 depending on distance and pace), the only option is to complete them in the morning or cut out part of your weekend day.  Like many, I chose the early morning so I am finished by the time my family and friends wake up so I am not missing out on anything.

With that being said, these long runs are physically demanding, but also mentally straining.  The mental battle of wanting to stop, slow down, go back to bed, walk a little, cry a little, all seem so tempting.  You begin to think: No one is watching.  It is not a race.  If you are training smart by only increasing your mileage about 10% each week with proper pace, there is no reason (unless you are hurt or sick) to stop on your long runs.  Push through mentally.  This will then prepare you for your race.  At mile 20, you want to have the confidence and mental strength to continue on.

Find out what motivates you, and use that to push yourself through training.  Why are you training?  Why are you running?  Why have you decided to take on this journey?  Dig deep and remind yourself why you have to get up early on a Saturday, why you can't stop midway up that hill, and why you must finish.

My mental struggle came early on today.  I planned out a 12 mile course that I knew would be grueling- both a physical and mental battle.  There is a 4 mile loop around my house that is in short, a long distance hill workout.

Data pulled from Garmin Connect after my run

I woke up at 5:45am to eat breakfast:

• cup of black coffee
• 1 egg and toast
• small bowl of cereal (unsweetened almond milk)

Fell back asleep until 7am. Warmed-up for about 8 minutes and started my run.  I ran rather conservatively due to a long week, heavy legs, and my goal of completing this run with a consistent pace and ending with negative splits.  

About 2 miles in, and I made a choice to have purely have fun with this run.  I changed the setting on my watch so I could not longer see my pace, and  I turned on Trey Songz and listened to him the remaining 10 miles.  When I was on unoccupied roads I danced a little, sang a little, but most importantly I wasn't thinking about the hills and how tired my legs began to feel.  I completed the 12 miles, and ended with a negative splits. My overall pace was a little slower than goal marathon pace:

What I learned from training for my last marathon was that you have to remember to have fun.  When our training gets tough and our passion to do well in our next race is so strong within us, we can become too serious and focused which takes the fun out of running.  Remember why you are running in the first place.  Loosen up, and never forget to have some fun or you will lose your love for the sport.