I am still on cloud 9 after my race over the weekend. It's amazing to me how the race atmosphere can make one run much faster then imagined. If you'd asked me whether I could run a 1:32 before the race, I would have bet you that I could not. I was secretly hoping for a 1:35, but believed it to be a long shot. But I am happy I pushed through and did not settle for less, like I did in many previous races. The fact that I felt so good made a huge difference, of course, but I know I worked at that by checking in with my body and telling myself things like: "Muscles don't ache, you are feeling great", "You did awesome on the hill, now sprint on the downhill while breathing deeply. See, your breathing is back", "You are doing awesome". I also think smiling helps me a lot. Yes, it can be fake at times, but it makes me feel better, it is giving my brain the message that I am doing well, and the brain believes it!
No rest for me after the race, though. I switched my training so that I did an easy but longish run on Monday, and a track workout today. Legs were a little tired on Monday, but no soreness at all. They were back today. I love my legs! My track workout for today called for 10X400m @ 6:00pace. As I started to warm up, I thought that the 400s are the perfect distance to try to run by feel. I ran the first repeat with my eye on the watch, trying to get the feel for the 6:00 min/mile pace. I ran it between 5:50-6, so overall good. I ran the next 4 without looking at the watch, and they were all between 5:50-6:00. Yay, this run by feel might be actually working. But then I got tired. Repeat 6 was a 6:05. Hrr. I looked at my watch during all other repeats; it felt like I was running faster, but I was not, and had to push it harder than during the first few repeats to keep the pace under a 6:00. And this is what my problem with running by feel is. Fatigue affects perception of effort. Without my watch, I would have slowed down during my last 400m repeats. But the watch helped me push through. And I was able to keep that pace. And the faster pace, the pushing through the fatigue during these repeats is what will make me faster, and what will give me confidence that I can push through when tired. The watch helps me outsmart my brain, who wants me to slow down. The watch is also helping me not go out too fast at the beginning of a race, when I feel so goo. The trick, for me, is to not let the watch hold me BACK during races, when I am rested, and perhaps can run faster than what I believe I can based on my watch. And that's something I am getting better at!
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16 comments:
Wow! Tough workout...awesome job.
You continue to impress me! You do so well at your track-speed workouts...and this after a big race:)
Hmm, that's some relationship between you and your watch. If you can use it as you say then you are going to continue to race well. Use it to stop you going out too fast, ignore it through the middle stages if you are feeling fast, then switch on to it again at the end to keep you honest in those last miles.
I gotta get me one of those watches!
Great stuff. Paul :-)
I agree with Paul. I have to get me one of those watches.:) Of course, I don't have your fast legs, so it probably won't have the same effect on me. Great job on the track workout!
Watch or no watch, that's definitely just a runner's personal preference. It's awesome that you didn't let your watch hold you back last weekend! You ran so great!
I can't believe that you're able to look at your watch a lot when you run 400's! I always just start the watch and go. I never look until I'm crossing the finish. And it's not so much that I don't want to know the time, but to lift your arm such that you can see the watch means your arm isn't pumping. I always feel like that will slow me down.
Nice workout BTW!
That track workout after your half mary is impressive.
Until this year I never ran other than by feel. I can't decide if I prefer those days or not.
You are amazing! Untapered legs. Wow. That's a huge pr. I love your smiling tactic. I'm going to try that this weekend.
I'm so happy your swimming is coming along and your feeling so good about it. It's amazing how much your core is engaged.
Congratulations!
Wow!! That is one smoking half. I love the way you finished and it shows that you truly mastered the pace.
Congrats again!
A great workout after a nice half! My watch is a friend and an enemy, I agree.
wow, awesome workout!
Great workout. I too am considering trying to wean off the watch but am conflicted. You're right...it does delivery valuable info. What to do??
I totally related with your track workout; the faster the pace, the faster the recovery, the faster I went..not "6:00 fast but my kind of fast." Anyway, doing the 800's and adding one every week as really been amazing for my mind and training because I was once fatigued at 6 of them, then 7 and so on but adding one is tricking my brain because I am forced to keep the pace through the fatigue up to the one I have to add and then I'm so ready to be done with the last one, I kick it in gear. Fatigue definitely affects my perception of effort and finally I'm learning to use it to my advantage. So exciting. Also, I"m doing a two week taper too so I have one more week!
This is interesting... I'm relating your running view to my view when it comes to swimming... I know that feeling of getting tired and slowing down and how much harder you feel like you're going when you're tired... but I think with swimming I *know* that so well that I'm still able to keep an even pace (or even bring it down) because I meter my effort accordingly- knowing that the first 100 is going to be fast with very little effort but then after that the effort gets more and more... Sometimes I do misjudge though and decided that a certain pace is going to require a MASSIVE effort so I give that effort and then shock myself at how fast I actually went. Those are the fun days! :)
When do you recover? I am amazed by your ability to get so much high quality training in...
Interesting post! Fatigue affects perception of effort-so true. I am trying to use my Garmin as a tool and not be a slave to it as at times when I know my pace I panic because it is faster than what I thought I could be doing and immediately slow down. On the otherhand, it does help me start slower which is the only way I finish strong! You are doing unbelievable with your training. Awesome track workout, unbelievable half! Really, shoot for 3:15. I think you could even break that on a great day!
You are amazing! I am glad I found your blog!
I think there is no end to what you can do, you're pulling times out that are just aching to get ou there....I have no doubt you will see an amazing time in Boston!
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