How to Bottle a Run
I don't rightly understand it. How can some runs be so bad, and then a few days later, you have one of the best runs of your life?
We had to do 9 miles yesterday. We decided on a new route, on a country road that went for many miles, with lots of beautiful scenery and rolling gentle hills. I actually purchased 2 Camelbak Flashflows and packed them with a couple packets of JellyBelly Sports Beans (I just can stomach the thought of taking in the Gu--I am not one that really digs that consistency).
We started out shortly after 8:00AM. I think one of our problems in the past was that we went out too late and got zapped by the heat (and we weren't carrying water with us--yeah..we were pretty stupid). On our longest run of 7 miles we were both pretty wiped out without bringing any sort of water with us. There is a park with water available, but we only hit it our 1st and 6th mile......
Anyways...armed with a good breakfast, hydration system and sports beans we set off. I can't say that anything really profound happened. We started out really slow, walking the first 5 minutes and then doing 3/2 intervals. I felt pretty good for the first few miles and sis was dragging a bit and falling a little behind. I had to slow my naturally slow pace so she could keep up. At about 3 miles she had a package of sports beans. We were still doing fine at this point, but I was worried that my sis was losing steam.
Around the 4.5 mile turning point, my sis got her 2nd wind and was starting to do the pacing for us. We both got pretty chatty at that point and the miles just melted away. I've got the garmin set for intervals and it beeps for our rest periods. On our long runs, I'm always waiting and waiting for that darn beep to go off. On this run, it would beep and we would look at each other and wonder where the 3 minutes went.
At 7 miles, my sister told me she wasn't feeling challenged enough and maybe we should do four-one intervals. So we started running 4 minutes and walking 1 minute. Even then, I had to watch the garmin and we kept running over 4 minutes (like 4:30) before I notice that we should've started walking 30 seconds before.
It was almost surreal how easy it was--I didn't even say a loud or think "fuck me" the entire time! We came back to the house in great shape and hungry for a good lunch.
Later that day I took my daughter and friend to Berkeley to go clothes shopping. We must've walked 4 miles there too. I did start feeling sore towards the end of the day.
Today I feel a little sore, but overall I feel great.
I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm looking forward to our 10 mile next week. I don't know if it was one of those things that made that run so good or the fact that we were well hydrated, or had energy beans, and it wasn't really hot, or what.....If I could bottle the secret recipe of that run I would.
We won't change a thing for next week's 10 miler. Will we have the same result? Time will tell.
We had to do 9 miles yesterday. We decided on a new route, on a country road that went for many miles, with lots of beautiful scenery and rolling gentle hills. I actually purchased 2 Camelbak Flashflows and packed them with a couple packets of JellyBelly Sports Beans (I just can stomach the thought of taking in the Gu--I am not one that really digs that consistency).
We started out shortly after 8:00AM. I think one of our problems in the past was that we went out too late and got zapped by the heat (and we weren't carrying water with us--yeah..we were pretty stupid). On our longest run of 7 miles we were both pretty wiped out without bringing any sort of water with us. There is a park with water available, but we only hit it our 1st and 6th mile......
Anyways...armed with a good breakfast, hydration system and sports beans we set off. I can't say that anything really profound happened. We started out really slow, walking the first 5 minutes and then doing 3/2 intervals. I felt pretty good for the first few miles and sis was dragging a bit and falling a little behind. I had to slow my naturally slow pace so she could keep up. At about 3 miles she had a package of sports beans. We were still doing fine at this point, but I was worried that my sis was losing steam.
Around the 4.5 mile turning point, my sis got her 2nd wind and was starting to do the pacing for us. We both got pretty chatty at that point and the miles just melted away. I've got the garmin set for intervals and it beeps for our rest periods. On our long runs, I'm always waiting and waiting for that darn beep to go off. On this run, it would beep and we would look at each other and wonder where the 3 minutes went.
At 7 miles, my sister told me she wasn't feeling challenged enough and maybe we should do four-one intervals. So we started running 4 minutes and walking 1 minute. Even then, I had to watch the garmin and we kept running over 4 minutes (like 4:30) before I notice that we should've started walking 30 seconds before.
It was almost surreal how easy it was--I didn't even say a loud or think "fuck me" the entire time! We came back to the house in great shape and hungry for a good lunch.
Later that day I took my daughter and friend to Berkeley to go clothes shopping. We must've walked 4 miles there too. I did start feeling sore towards the end of the day.
Today I feel a little sore, but overall I feel great.
I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm looking forward to our 10 mile next week. I don't know if it was one of those things that made that run so good or the fact that we were well hydrated, or had energy beans, and it wasn't really hot, or what.....If I could bottle the secret recipe of that run I would.
We won't change a thing for next week's 10 miler. Will we have the same result? Time will tell.
posted by Taunya at 9:12 AM
8 Comments:
Oh, it is nice to hear that I am not the only one that has good runs and not-so-good runs. It can be frustrating when you have a really good run one week, and then the next week it was crap. Just crap. (see my post from friday) Good job though! It is a GREEAATTT feeling after a run like that! Keep it up! I would also like a copy of that recipe when you get it all put together... :)
Dang, what was in that Camelbak! :-) Last Monday I ran 6 miles with a friend, and by mile 4 my legs felt like rubber, so I ate a gel. I felt kind of wimpy eating a gel for such a short run, but I felt better almost immediately. I always pack a gel in my water belt, and put sports drink in my water bottle, especially in hot weather. I'll take any edge I can get!
Some times it all comes together, sometimes it all falls apart. I certainly don't know why. But I do love it on the good days!
Awesome run. Aren't those Sport Beans AWESOME? I am still waiting to find a store who will sell the Fruit Punch flavor because they mostly sell the Lemon-lime or orange.
4/1's are my BEST friend!!!
great job!!
Sounds like you had a good work out. Sometimes those workouts vary depending on what you have done training wise, how much you have rested and how your food intake has been.
You should do great on your 10 miler.
Isn't it great when you start to look forward to the long runs? Kudos to you!
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you during your 10 miler. And, if you are able to bottle the good run mojo in a bottle please send me a bottle.
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