*Ran a PR marathon less than a month ago but at times it seems like 2 years ago!!! Finished my marathon training cycle which was about 10 loosely structured, but strong weeks (on a solid base). Less miles than I've run in the past but feeling great and healthy!! PR's in the 800, the mile, 5K, HM and marathon in a period of about 3 months. Lots to smile about.
*I recovered from this race PROPERLY. I felt amazingly good after the fact but kept my runs short and easy for a couple of weeks and no speed. For the first time EVER, I felt complete peace in doing this. I enjoyed every run I was able to get in but did NOT feel the stress of losing my precious gains or having to maintain my fitness level..... If injury has taught me one thing, it's that my body can come back, even stronger, from a loss of fitness. It responds WELL to rest and recovery and I need this so much. A spring chicken, I no longer am!!!
*Recovery was made easier based on the fact that I have been working A LOT the last month. A LOT of very physical work. Many many hours, but by choice, and extremely satisfying for me:) I find busy-ness (always uncertain on how to spell that and much to lazy to google) often reduces my stress level. When I'm busy or preoccupied with specific intentional thought, I have less time to let my wind wander and obsess about silly things....Working full-time has honestly been a stress reliever for me. Financially, things are more relaxed with hockey season looming and I just feel a sense of purpose in certain areas... I'm really so very satisfied in many aspects of my life right now actually.... A wonderful place to be. I feel at peace and I've let go of some things that I've somehow allowed to cause issue in my life the past year. Just really really HAPPY!
*As I mentioned I've been keeping my runs fairly short. 30-40 minutes a day and then a little longer on the weekends. Reduced mileage, no stress of pace, no specific speedwork, and some other unidentified contributing factors have led to a faster overall pace especially this past week....I am NOT "training" so I have little concern about the "right" way or fast/slow or HR or anything right now for that matter! My concern is letting off a little steam and grabbing an endorphin snack for a half an hour in whatever way feels right:) Ran 4 miles in a 6:50 average the other day and a 7:19 average for 31 miles so far this week. Runs seem very different to me right now. I look at 4-6 miles as such an easy thing to accomplish in a day and I'm enjoying the way I'm viewing running in my life for this "in limbo" period.
*My initial plan was to move into training for 5k even yet this fall. I have never specifically trained for anything but a marathon and quite frankly I've always hated the 5K. I mentally struggle with this distance. It's OK if I'm using it for a marathon as a training tool because the pressure is lower but otherwise I mostly avoid it! I've really never pushed the envelope with speed though and I think I actually have more potential here than I've let myself believe. Interesting talks with a knowledgeable friend who has ran WITH me and always believed this in me led me to exploring this....That being said and regressing back to where I was initially going with this paragraph, I've decided to hold off on it for another month. The Thanksgiving season VERY busy for me with work, my kids have 12-15 hockey practices a week with games and tournaments and I think I will just hold on for one more month of doing what I'm doing before I jump back on the training wagon since I'm enjoying it!! I don't have a specific goal race in mind until a HM next spring so lots of time in there to work on and race 5K should I choose!
*For every marathon I promise myself a reward. I don't consider a PR a good enough reward... The reward has to be material-ha! When my husband gets a deer (his hobby) he gets a $700 hideous mount to hang on the wall so therefore I too deserve a reward for my hobby and the effort I put into it-ha! Kidding....kind of:):) This year I wanted a weekend away with my husband (no kids) which I got and thoroughly enjoyed last weekend and then also I splurged and bought myself a new Lululemon jacket and tights which literally cost more than my grocery budget for 3 weeks....and I have athletic HUNGRY kids....
COMPLETELY random sidenotes.
*My sister Keri is adopting a beautiful baby girl from Congo. She was in the process of adopting from Ethiopia when a child found abandoned in the capital city of Congo was just placed in her virtual arms and she felt compelled to bring her into her family. This has been an emotional and very exciting time. My family is CLOSE. I am VERY close with my 4/5 sisters.....So much going on trying to bring this baby home!! Once the paperwork is done and your WAITING child has a name and a face....it becomes impossibly difficult to play the waiting game....Keri is truly a remarkable person. A wonderful person, a wonderful writer who expresses her feelings so very well.
*My sister Christy is due the beginning of February! I'm pumped for babies!!!
*My kids are AWESOME! Loving their ages and especially loving high school humor. So blessed!
*Buying a ticket to Boston in April! Very excited to spectate and cheer on some great running friends and to actually SEE the super elites!!! Moreso however, I'm just excited for a weekend away by myself and a chance to spend some time with people who are important to me!
*Really looking forward to the hockey season! My kids are on SUPER teams this year with SUPER coaches and SUPER teammates and SUPER parents. I'm really excited to travel with my friends and cheer on my kids! Really really excited!!!
*Go VOTE!
*And next week, back to picture of my kids swinging next to animals on the swingset. The life of a redneck wife and mother in small town America during hunting season......
10 comments:
Yippie! A Jenn Post on a Saturday night for people like me with 3 young kids and a husband a watching football (boo)! So much here. Much I already know but so much good stuff! So glad you rewarded yourself...You are welcome to pass on any old lulu clothes that you no longer need or can fit in your closet. ha! Your running...so glad you've been able to recover so well and that you have found yourself in such a good pressure free place. This new job seems so great for you too...I can understand this picture you describe of the satisfaction that comes from being focused and having hard work. Not having too much time to fret about things that probably don't matter...just being able to use your brain and connect with adults and work hard and then come home and just be able to enjoy the rest of life so much too! Really happy to see you in this new phase.
And your sisters and babies...this will be an exciting new chapter in life too. So happy for both of them with their different stories...such joy. Thinking of both of them...especially Keri as she gets ready for this beautiful adoption.
Yes, Vote! Voting this weekend for sure.
So glad I've decided to do this other marathon so that I can enjoy Boston more....I do plan on still being there. So yay! I better get lots of Jenn time. :)
Okay, I might go to e-mail now...as you know I'm behind there. xo
So good to hear (read???) from you! Congrats on all the PR magic that you've been blessed with! You deserve it girl. And the rest, so under appreciated until you actually take that full testing period and realize how awesome it feels. Love unstructured and unfocused training.
Congrats on being an auntie x2!
You could buy a ticket to Colorado, too, for next year :). One day, perhaps....we could run some fun trails and have a blast!
LOVE hearing all the happiness in your words - that's what life is all about.
I am also really relaxing the recovery from the marathon and taking my time. It feels way better than I thought and surprisingly I'm not strangling anyone in my household. Yet. :)
Love hearing from you. Miss you and hope your happiness continues to grow (and next time, buy from Athleta....that's where I'm working now ;)).
xo
Post marathon bliss....I love it!
Boy, you aren't kidding about BUSY! I am so glad you have been recovering well and enjoying this other kind of "busy season". It must be a good contrast to have a job that requires fitness and brains, rather than just brains :) No more push-ups on the bathroom floor at work, I guess!
Wonderful thing that Keri is doing, and YES she is a great writer, and her actions are very inspiring. I hope she gets her baby soon!!
Running - I can tell you are savoring each one! And I am certain you'll be in great shape for a 5k or half, when you are ready to do them! Enjoy the meanwhile :)
Your marathon reward sounds perfect! And so does your planned trip this spring.
Glad to read one of your posts. I have missed them!
Lots to say but I am loving this happy, productive, relaxed, confident and appreciative Jenn. Work has been awesome for you. As my MIL says, always good to have your eggs in different baskets....though I say, even better when the baskets are full of eggs and the eggs are happy:) Hm...where was I?
Running - awesome! 7:13 pace for an entire week is awesome. So are 4 miles @ 6:50. Smart to take the rest. You are not losing any fitness running like this:)
New babies in the family=awesome! Particularly when your own 'babies' are making pumpkin bread and keeping the house clean:)
Can't wait for Boston. It will be awesome. trail running, fun running and noone injured. Maybe do the BAA 5k together. I will take time off this time coz you gals party hard and noway I can go to work after chatting until 2am:)
Great PRs and so many of them! Of course Lulu has to enter into a reward. The babies sound very exciting!
Congrats to you on such a busy and exciting month! An especially big congrats on the new family additions :-)
It sounds like you recovered perfectly from your marathon (not an easy task, I know!)
Maybe we'll meet up in Boston this year? I'm planning a winter marathon to be super speedy in so that I can relax and "enjoy" Boston, hopefully avoiding the dreaded vomiting face plant at the end! Good luck with your super busy schedule! it's great to see you back in the blog world :-)
It's always fun to read about your goings on :) Glad that all goes well! How wonderful for your sisters and their growing families!!!!!
Love reading these types of posts. Sounds like you are in a good place in your life! Please post pics of your recent Lululemon splurge!!!
Great post! Holy cow you're running fast!
It's so exciting that new babies are a coming! I need my brother and his wife to have some babies. I'm all set with being up all night with screaming little ones, but holding and hugging them is fun. ;)
Post a Comment