Wednesday, May 4, 2011

How did I get slower?

For real.  I've been training for months now and the best part about running was that I kept getting better and better at it.  Honestly that's 90% of the reason I've stuck with it (the other 10% falling into the category of awesome booty and insanity).  I hate losing and have been known to throw objects fits during family games of Phase 10.

To say I'm a poor sport is putting it nicely.  I don't know why losing brings out the bratty five year old in me, it just does.


I'm sure my friends and family reading this will celebrate in the fact that I am admitting my competitiveness and superiority complex for all of the world (yes, all the tens of people that read my blog).  Friends and fam, I know it's annoying but that's just how I am.  And it's your duty to love me in spite of it.

Which brings me to my point.  My last, oh, four or five runs I have slowed down significantly.  Around 30 seconds a mile.  I ran 5 miles on 4/18 in 41:46, an average pace of 8:22/mile.  Since that run, no matter what the distance (seriously, 3 miles, 5 miles, 8 miles), my pace has dropped 30 seconds a mile.

I've come up with a few excuses explanations:

1.) It's gotten signifcantly hotter and all my runs are outside.
2.) Between my last good run on 4/18 (a Friday) I had a bad long run on that Wednesday, some good speed training on that Friday...and then a four day break.  Not a four day break from working out, just a break from running.
3.) I'm running all my runs too hard and my body needs a break.  I've read a lot about "run slower to run faster" but I choose to ignore this and want every run to be better than the last (see above about obsessive competitiveness).

My plan is...run slower.  This is going to be extremely hard for me.  I've been known to leave 10 year olds in my dust just for the sake of winning.



That's just how I roll.

1 comment:

  1. An excellent post! I love your honesty. Competition can be a great motivator! But it can also warp reality by encouraging unrealistic expectations. Reading your blog I can hear that you already know the solution to this little set back. Certainly all the potential explanations are playing a part, but the common theme is caring for you body. The heat and the four day break both relate to the limitations of the body. I bet if you tried slowing down and showing your body that little extra bit of care now (when it is telling you in 30 second increments that it needs it) you will come out of this faster and stronger than before!

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