Today I ran over thirteen miles. In the grand scheme of things, that's no big deal ... except that it's by far the furthest I've run in quite a some time and I really enjoyed it. For all that I may spend a bit of time on a running forum, my running itself is really sporadic. Training-wise there are other things which I would rather do and my runs get shoe-horned in around that. That allows me to keep up a fairly decent running base when there are no upcoming races but lately, that's been about it.
Of course, I'm well aware that I need to get a few miles in my legs (okay, more than a few!) so I decided a couple of days ago that I would head out for a nice LSR today. My tactic when aiming for distance has always been to choose a new route. I find running the same routes frequently can be tough mentally. My usual 5K route for example; I know that, without fail, I will feel like walking before I've got halfway. I don't but that's the mental battle I'm fighting most of the way. With an unknown route, I won't know when the hard parts are coming and I don't know if there are any bits which may defeat me. Since I don't know, I rather optimistically assume that I can do it and, what do you know, I can. In retrospect, it's probably just as well that I hadn't checked today's route out in advance ... or I would have noticed that the first seven miles were all uphill. Hey ho.
As well as getting the miles in, another thing that I really need to work on is taking fuel on board during the run. It's not something I've ever really done. I experimented with a sports drink once on a training run before a half marathon race. All I got for my trouble was instant heartburn and a visit from my old mate Jimmy Smits (you do the rhyme). I had porridge with a banana in the morning and turned up for the race with a bottle of water and that did me fine. I had a small moment of doubt when I saw almost everyone else (i.e. everyone except the bloke standing having a fag and the guy who was running in jeans and converse baseball boots) armed to the teeth with gels. Kind of like the sports nutrition version of this:
... without the gun (or the apparent stick in the ass).
I think if you eat well as a rule and make sure of your carb intake in the couple of days before the race, there's no need for added extras during a half. Forty miles on the other hand? That will require fuelling. Since it's something I know I may struggle with, I'm introducing it as early as I can to maximise my chances of getting used to it. I have (as ever) been doing my research and a popular food item for ultras is Battenburg cake which just happens to be one of my most adored things ever to shove in my mouth. I love it!
There's something about the sponge and the squares and the colours and the marzipan - love it!!! It has been one of my favourites since I was a little girl so I'm taking this as a sign that me and ultras are made for each other.
In the realm of getting used to things, the final component of today's run was that I wore my back pack. It's not uncomfortable by any means but it's also not something I'd choose to wear if I thought I didn't have to. It did allow me to be very prepared however. I packed: two mini Dairy Milks, a flapjack and a banana, my phone, an MP3 player, a spare pair of gloves, an extra jacket, some money and my travel pass. I had no idea where exactly I would end up so I thought I might end up getting a bus back home (which I did). Strangely, no one sat next to me as I sat there in my soaking wet, sweaty clothes with salt crusting my face, blue-lipped, scoffing my banana and glugging chocolate milk. I needed the jacket and gloves because I get horribly, horribly cold after any run over ten miles. I did not need the MP3 player. Sometimes I train with music, today I was happy enough to just let my mind wander and I had plenty of time to think. I feel like I processed a whole lot of stuff that's been preying on my mind this week.
I also thought a lot about various people that I feel connected to and while I'm not a deeply spiritual person as such, there was a long period during the run where I just felt really fortunate to be out there, to have a body that is capable of feats of endurance, to be moving in a way that feels absolutely right and to know that I am lucky enough to have people in my life who get what that feels like and don't disapprove of my nuttiness. In short, my mind stilled ... and I was content.
I almost want to leave it there but I have more to say. Damn, there goes my big poetic finish! One of the other things I was doing during the run was visualising myself in the races I'm entering this year. Positive visualisation! I've been doing this on the bike as well (can't seem to do it in the pool ... yet). I also realised that while I think I'm merely urging myself on in my head, given the strange looks I was getting it would appear that I actually do talk to myself out loud. That might not be quite so bad were it not for the fact that I refer to myself by a nickname - bye bye dignity!
I'm also a bit clearer on what other strength and conditioning work I want to maintain while I'm training for this year's races. I am cutting my strength training to mainly bodyweight exercises and one free weights session a week and I'll also be making sure that I don't shirk my core work. As I started to tire today, I noticed a couple of areas of weakness (will be interesting to see how my adductors feel in the morning!) but nothing drastic. Anyway, it was a positive sort of day and I feel a bit better about the upcoming season ... and about things in general.
excellente! x
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