When the novelty of something wears off, its a whole new ballgame. Thats what I learned during week 3 of training for my first half marathon. Weeks 1 & 2 of training for the Smuttynose Rockfest were exciting, new, and fun. I was all amped up to stick to the training regimen, get new shoes, and log some miles! Although I was traveling and had to shuffle around my training schedule, I didn’t have much issue. Week 3, though, was a bit different.
I was NOT out of town as much but I was BUSY! Work and life take up a lot of hours, and making sure to block out training time each day was a huge challenge. The novelty of it all had worn off, and I felt it start to become a chore. I did not like this feeling at ALL. I started thinking about some of my clients- plenty of folks in the past have told me that exercise is such a chore for them and they dread it. My response had always been a combination of disbelief and inability to comprehend such a thing. However, this past week I was in the same boat. I was having some issues with my new sneakers and couldn’t decide if they were helping or hindering my runs. I decided to do a little test- I did a 4mile run with the Newtonsand another 4 mile run with my old Nike Free’s. In the end, the Newtons ended up winning by a long shot. It will take a few weeks for me to fully adjust to new sneakers but I now have the hard evidence that my new shoes make me feel better during and after my runs.
On Sunday, I decided against running a 5k as my training program suggested, and instead I went to the Newton North High School track and did a speed workout. I warmed up with a half mile run, then did a “ladder”:
100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m
and I ended with running another mile. Man, it was HUMBLING. My legs were screaming by the end; talk about lactic acid buildup! I finished just as the rain started to fall, and though it was a huge challenge, I felt very accomplished in the end.
Though the novelty has worn off, and the training program has started becoming a bit more challenging, I am determined to stay focused and reach my goal of completing this half marathon as BEST I can. Quitting is NOT an option. Sulking and whining about what I have to do is NOT an option. Going through the motions and training in a half-assed manner is NOT an option. I promise myself to put in 150% whenever I train, and I know it will pay off when race day comes.
I’m learning to take my own words to heart: when it stops being fun, thats when the work happens!!!
I was NOT out of town as much but I was BUSY! Work and life take up a lot of hours, and making sure to block out training time each day was a huge challenge. The novelty of it all had worn off, and I felt it start to become a chore. I did not like this feeling at ALL. I started thinking about some of my clients- plenty of folks in the past have told me that exercise is such a chore for them and they dread it. My response had always been a combination of disbelief and inability to comprehend such a thing. However, this past week I was in the same boat. I was having some issues with my new sneakers and couldn’t decide if they were helping or hindering my runs. I decided to do a little test- I did a 4mile run with the Newtonsand another 4 mile run with my old Nike Free’s. In the end, the Newtons ended up winning by a long shot. It will take a few weeks for me to fully adjust to new sneakers but I now have the hard evidence that my new shoes make me feel better during and after my runs.
On Sunday, I decided against running a 5k as my training program suggested, and instead I went to the Newton North High School track and did a speed workout. I warmed up with a half mile run, then did a “ladder”:
100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m
and I ended with running another mile. Man, it was HUMBLING. My legs were screaming by the end; talk about lactic acid buildup! I finished just as the rain started to fall, and though it was a huge challenge, I felt very accomplished in the end.
Though the novelty has worn off, and the training program has started becoming a bit more challenging, I am determined to stay focused and reach my goal of completing this half marathon as BEST I can. Quitting is NOT an option. Sulking and whining about what I have to do is NOT an option. Going through the motions and training in a half-assed manner is NOT an option. I promise myself to put in 150% whenever I train, and I know it will pay off when race day comes.
I’m learning to take my own words to heart: when it stops being fun, thats when the work happens!!!
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