Sunday, June 12, 2011

Multitasking 101 - Thinking While Running


Can I just say boo?!!! My final run of last week - my long slow distance - sucked! It's my own fault, I know. I had 20k written on my program so whenever anyone asked how far I was going I said 20k. Doesn't matter that I'd been pretty sick the week before. Doesn't matter that I didn't complete any of my sessions this week (on purpose because I was recovering from last week). Doesn't matter that on Thursday I'd decided to just run about 15k. And it doesn't matter that I only get about 4 hours sleep the night before (also my own fault for having coffee in the afternoon)

Saturday dawned and all my good intentions went out the window. I did every thing possible to make it a hard run for myself. I went out too hard and got into an interesting conversation with a much faster runner. I didn't turn around with that runner when she cut her run short. I proceeded to tag along with another group of much faster runners. I forgot to take my gel at 45 mins. I finally turned around at 9k because I couldn't face the hill that was between me and the 10k turnaround. Then I ran another couple of k before I remembered to take my gel. I got to run alone for a while and didn't back off the pace much. Then Coach Chris caught me up and I felt I had to keep up with him (as if I ever could!)

And then, like a gift from heaven, I was struck with stomach cramps. I had to find a toilet and this gave me the perfect opportunity to ditch Coach Chris. I still had about 5k to go and even though I finally backed off a little, the damage was done. Why, oh why do I do this to myself? I am a fairly intelligent woman. I did well at school. Got a good degree. Can run my own business and a family without killing any kids or swearing at customers. But when it comes to running sometimes I act like a total retard. (I'm sorry that I'm not very politically correct) Certainly my neurons don't spend a lot of my running time actually working.

So today, having learnt the lesson of Saturday, I went out for my 12k run. Still ran probably a little harder than I should have but it was much better than Saturday.

11 comments:

  1. Maybe you've learned a lesson from this run? Maybe next time you've been ill etc you'll cut a long run short? Maybe not! I know, I'm just as bad at this, and I've got a degree too...

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  2. Oh dear...do you mean to tell me that we never learn! Yikes :)

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  3. You know it's a bad run when stomach cramps are a "gift" - hehe. I've been there. Way to plug through - now put this one behind you!

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  4. Well, you want to do your best and your brain is programmed like mine thinking we're super-human. Now, most times we are - as you know :) - but every now and then our super-human cape has to be washed. Dangit!

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  5. I made the same mistake! Lesson learned!

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  6. Bad runs happen. Sounds like you made up for it on Sunday, which is good!

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  7. In the end these runs are good for you and prepares you for tough times during races. I do agree that we learn lessons the very hard way.

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  8. Well... if you put all your positive energy into your kids and customers, no wonder your runs suffer. :-)
    Seems you need hugs so I am sending some your way.

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  9. You make many many good choices as a runner too. Don't beat yourself up.

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  10. Yay for better than Saturday.

    Yay for the Queen. ;)
    Yay for cupcakes.

    Yay. You're going to email me the recipe. Right? Right? Right?

    Pretty. Please. ;)

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  11. I have forgotten many a time to take a gel - even during races. So now I use mile markers as milestones when to take something.

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