Once again, it's been a long time. But, once again, I've gotten to a point where I need to talk (write) about running. I have no ill will toward the people around me, but none of them run so it's hard for them to understand my obsession... which is understandable!
As of this year, I have improved in some ways dramatically, and in others I feel I have fallen short and kind of gotten off track. I have found a way past the mental barriers that I felt, for the longest time, forced me to stop when I was running long... and, for a few months there, when I was running short. I "had" to stop and walk every mile for at least a block or two because I couldn't push past that block. But I knew that if I pushed past it once, I could do it again and again, and if I never let that victory go - never let that mentality creep in again - I would be set. I did just that; I made up my mind and simply ran without stopping. I only focused on running without stopping. Not speed. I wanted distance.
Now I'm to the point, once more, where 3 miles seems like a much too short run, 4 miles seem just right, 5 is a bit of an adventure, and 6 is my long run. I'm doing about 15 mpw, and I'm really enjoying it. I'm upping it to 20 in February and in March, hopefully more.
The part that I feel like I've gotten off track with is effort in other areas - primarily speed. I can run for ages but I'm embarrassingly slow. It's running form and a pace that's only slightly faster than my normal walk. I'm not happy about it. I know that I'm probably never going to be a super fast runner. I tend to do well with distance however - I don't get injured, I enjoy it, and I can increase distance quickly and easily. But I want to be able to finish a marathon in under 6.5 hours!
The route that I have been primarily running for the past year - close to two years, actually - is a relatively flat 1 mile loop around my neighborhood. Not only are my distances getting such that this is an impractical loop, but since it's so flat, I have no hills to challenge me. I do so much better with hills. I hate them, but I love them because I can feel myself getting stronger, and it's a wonderful feeling.
I am changing up my route for a longer out-and-back, which is, admittedly, flat, however I plan on using it on my long runs where I am adding distance and on days where I'm simply doing active recovery. I have another route planned that has two or three (four or five, if I choose) hills in it, going one way. It's another out-and-back, sort of... more like a to-and-from. At any rate, I'm hoping that training on a more difficult route, plus adding form drills and speed workouts, will help me improve. I am also trying to increase my core workouts per week and I'm going to do more strength training.
2015 here I come! I am also going to start marathon training in March. It will not only be my first marathon, but that particular marathon's inaugural run. I'm super excited!
In other aspects of my life, I'm trying also to keep my life a little more balanced and well rounded. I'm making time to do my other hobbies - writing, drawing, reading, languages - as well as making sure I have at least a little time to clean up my apartment. It's challenging, but I want to have a well rounded life... and not just a well rounded one, one that I enjoy. I don't really believe that a person has to give up things they love for the sake of living "normal". Everyone who has ever been great has the same number of hours in a day as we do, so I don't see why I have to give up anything.
Today is a rest day. I already feel like I want to run, but I know it's an ill-advised idea. I'm still sore from yesterday's long run and I still have to work at 1, where I will be on my feet for some hours. Tomorrow I am going to try out one of the new routes, probably the flat one, and do speed training (sprints or fartlek).
Run well :)
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