So I am not in a good place with my running. Like at all. I ran with my work friend after work yesterday. During the run she took 2 phone calls and returned a text message, never breaking stride, never out of breath. Me, on the other hand, well I was sucking air. The entire run was just tough. To make matters worse I see on the interwebs that the 101 year old runner ran a 5K and is faster then me.
It doesn't help that I trained work friend to run her first half marathon. It wasn't very long until she was running circles around me. She ended up kicking my ass in the half marathon. She now runs an average of 11 minute miles and could probably greatly improve her pace if she could find a better running partner that doesn't run 13/14 minute miles. I suck.
I will always be the "runner" at the back helping the race director pick up the orangee cones as everyone else has drank their free beer and have headed home. I will probably never run a sub-3 half marathon. I either need to just accept that or find another way to get some cardio in. I have been running for 5 years and I am pretty sure my pace will not improve much at this point.
Yeah, I know, running is an individual sport and I shouldn't compare myself to others, but that is very hard to do, especially when everyone is flying by you.
I can blame my horrible pace on the heat, the humidity, my heart rate issue, heck I can blame it on the moon being in Gemini but the common denominator is that I might as well be a walker the pace I run.
This might be hard to believe but this is making me want to cry, I am just so frustrated with myself right now. When I had Lap Band surgery I thought losing 65 pounds would greatly improve my running pace but it didn't, not even a little. I am just always going to be one of the last ones across the finish line. I just need to do some self reflection and see if that is enough.
Supposed to do a 10 mile run this weekend. This could make it interesting.
Sorry for the downer post but I need to vent.
I think your running game is great! Maybe you should run by yourself for a bit until you get your self confidence back up. I work my ass off all week with a PT and spinning...but my worst work-out of the week is boot camp. Why? becuase it involves comparing myself to other people. I leave whipped and upset most every Saturday. Why can't I do????
ReplyDeleteYou know the saying, I'm sure:
ReplyDelete"The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running."
You do *not* suck - you RUN! That's inspiring to those of us who are just thinking about starting to run :)
I hear you, oh man. When I started Ragnar I was feeling so great and then BLAM - I was roadkill for so many people. Just passed by right and left! BUT...you are doing it!
ReplyDeleteAs for speed advice, I have none - I don't do speed work, I don't know how to get faster, I just sort of run? - but maybe try incorporating some fartleks or just one mile speed trials into your running and see what happens? One of my teammates for Ragnar is a running coach and he told me "when you feel sluggish, speed up." I've tried that a bit and it does help!
Oh Terrie. All I can think is you are RUNNING and you should be proud of yourself for that.
ReplyDeleteI know you have knee issues. The is very likely a large part of it. But you don't give up and that makes you a superstar in my eyes.
If it makes you feel better I still average a 15-16 minute mile. ;) We all run at a different pace. And while it is hard not to compare... you really can't. The fact is this. You run. You are fit. You are hella healthier than you were before. Embrace that. :)
ReplyDelete