Sunday, September 8, 2013

Satisfaction

The word of the weekend was satisfaction.

"Satisfaction - the fulfillment of one's wishes, expectations or needs, or the pleasure derived from this."

I definitely had wishes and needs satisfied and there was pleasure derived from it.

I finished my 37k run. That was a wish and a need (if I'm going to run the marathon in just under
five weeks time). And I think that the agonising that I did over it made finishing all the sweeter. I didn't want to feel as bad as I had the week before. I didn't want to be running over five kilometres on empty with an alarm sounding in my head telling me I was an idiot for even attempting it. And I didn't want the rest of the weekend to be a wipe out.

I devised a plan with Coach Chris made under the assumption that last weekend's run had been bad because I hadn't totally recovered from my stellar half marathon the week before that. The plan involved making sure my fuelling started the day before - good quality carbs at every meal and lots of water. Then during the run I was to keep my pace very moderate and start fuelling earlier and often. Coach Chris devised a route that would allow me to be close to home if I should fall in a heap again or to cut things short if I felt like I was flagging.

And the plan worked really well. Even though I'd only managed a couple of hours sleep beforehand. 

The first 14k went by quickly. That's the time when the group is still together and there's enough energy to chat. But after 14 k there's still 23k to go so I was still a bit concerned even though I was feeling good. 

The next section involved 8k out along the river - still feeling okay and enjoying the company. Then it was 5.5k back to the bridge where I had to decide if I still had enough in the tank to go the 3.5k past the bridge and back. And I did. 

I'd been running with just one other at this point and his turn around was 1k past the bridge so I assumed that I was going to be on my own for the last 8.5k. But I was wrong. I ran into two other friends on the way back and ended up with company all the way home. 

I won't say it was easy. The last few kilometres were hard work. But I didn't have to walk on the 
bridge like I did the week before. And my feet didn't get as sore even though I'd run further. 

There were times during the last bit that I really questioned why I'd wanted to run a marathon in the first place - it's certainly not because of the fun factor. It's because of that feeling you get when you achieve something that you thought was beyond your capability. And that feeling is satisfaction.

There was also the satisfaction of being able to explain to strangers that the reason why I was walking strangely was because of the 37k I'd done that morning. And there was the satisfaction when I rolled over in bed that night and could feel my tired, achey legs that the doubts I'd had all week had been quelled - at least for another 6 days when I have to do it all over again. 

And there was enormous satisfaction in being able to lace up again yesterday afternoon and add another 12k to the weekend's total. To say nothing of the satisfaction of beating the girl in the green shorts who didn't realise that she was in a race with me as we ran along Hillside Tce into the university. The satisfaction continued when the race finished just as she was starting to catch me back - unfortunate timing for her.

But the weekend wasn't just about running satisfaction. There was the satisfaction of getting the seed out from between my teeth - can't tell me that those little things aren't as satisfying. And the satisfacation of having my baking turn out just like I'd wanted, despite spring-form tin failure.




Probably the only unsatisfying experience I've had in days is not being able to get this post looking exactly the way I wanted. For some reason the spacing of the middle section is all wrong and it's cutting off all the tails of the y's, g's and p's. Hopefully you'll be able to translate it because I've had absolutely no luck in fixing it without one of my sons over my shoulder telling me that it's easy.

14 comments:

  1. 37km are you mad, I never run that far in a training run.. I did however manage 30 on Sunday, don't thing another 7 would have gone down well.
    You've now got me thinging, what soute of long runs was I doing 15-20 years ago, I'm going to look in my old log books..
    37km well done.

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    1. I'm just doing what my coach set. And he's taken the advice of Steve Moneghetti.

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  2. Very well done on your run, the coach's advice helped good this run. Definitely an advantage to have someone to help you with what's the best for you.

    Your cakes look absolutely beautiful and delicious.

    You've asked if Bella is a water dog. Not really, sometimes she goes in the water but most of the times she doesn't. She hates rain, I had to drag her outside yesterday morning in the rain, she didn't want to go out.

    But she loves chasing ducks. A few weeks ago she was chasing one and didn't notice there was water because it was all green and she fell in while chasing the duck :) She was on the leash so I could pull her out immediately but I was laughing because the look on her face was priceless.

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  3. Cakes look awesome as does your spacing! Congrats on that long long run! Glad you figured out a way!

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  4. It might just be your computer - the spacing looks quite all right on mine!

    That sounds like an epic weekend. Good on you for the 37k and for the whole fuelling plan. I am tragically bad at planning to fuel (or, you know, planning in general) so I often end up working late and eating terrible takeout the night before my long run, or staying out late and finding myself with friends at a joint that serves fried chicken and beer and no other carbs, and so on, with disastrous consequences! Hang in there and enjoy the whole marathon training journey :)

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  5. Yay for a successful 37k! This bodes very well for your marathon. Your treats this week look amazing (what else is new?) Pity the tired spring form. Mine doesn't get a fraction of the workout yours does, but I like it that way, as I'd eat everything.

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  6. WooHoo - great job on the run - so awesome that you ended up with company the whole run! And, I love it when you beat people who maybe don't even know there is a race!!! (I'm the same way.)
    Cupcakes are beautiful!!!

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  7. The formatting looks great on this end. And you are clicking along quite nicely for your marathon! Great work.

    Send me those treats!

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  8. Great run ... I had to check on my abacus thats 22MILES wowzer! I'll be thinking of you when I try puff out 2 bladdy miles tomorrow.
    ps hope you snuck a few of those cakes for yourself :-)

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  9. So nice to have so much satisfaction in both the big and little things. YOur running is going so well. What a great feeling. And your desserts. Oh my! I love that satisfied feeling for a successful feeling of what you have done.

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  10. Your letters with dangling parts look great on my end; must have been one of those things in life that are unexplained.

    Great job on the 37k (Had to get out my metric conversion calculator to see how far you went:)); I'm happy to hear it went well - a huge confidence boost for your marathon. Keep being kickass strong...it's not just satisfying, it's also gratifying.

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  11. Great post! achieving satisfaction through your feelings is the power move. It strengthens your position and not weakens it.

    Great job on your 37k long run!



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  12. I agree, I didn't notice any spacing issues, but maybe you fixed it already. I want you to make me a pretty cake for my Bday and send it to me :)

    37K - dang. I was planning on 22 miles this weekend, but only managed 20. That's ok, it was way, way too hot for much more.

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  13. Bah! That girl in the green shorts, doesn't know what she's up against! ;-)

    Glad this week's run went well and I hope you go into the next few weeks of training more confident.

    I met two marathon peeps (one full, one half) on the weekend and they were impressed at your 37km runs!

    Deb

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