And while I didn't mean to let a week go by without posting, it's been a crazy one and I just haven't had a chance to write out all the stuff I'm thinking... So, look forward to some upcoming posts about running without a watch, what I'm doing between now and the Philly HM in 3 weeks, what I learned at MCM, balancing running with a social life with my (non-running) friends, and more...
It's been a week, and today I was on the other side of a race. I worked a water stop at a local 10k that the running store where I worked this summer sponsored. I had a blast with my coworkers today -- cheering everyone on and getting them water was really fun. I got to cheer on a few friends and my sister, too. My sister ran her very first 10k, and her first race that I wasn't running, too. She did great! 51:07 was her chip time!
Of course I was excited for her, and wanted to hear all the details from the running side. This is a race I've had my eye on for the past few years, but I've never been able to do it because of other distance races around the same time. Now here's where this post gets tricky. I know she has read my blog, and so there's a good chance she'll read this....
When I heard her time, I was excited for her, and then a little jealous that she seems to have gotten the natural runner genes that I didn't get. I work hard at my running; she only puts in about half the time I do, and yet always seems to run fast. Naturally, I wondered how well I'd do in a 10k -- I've never raced one.
So I set out for my run this afternoon, and planned on about 6 or 7 miles. By the end of the first mile, I thought about running hard to see if I could pull off a time close to hers for the 6.2. So I pushed it. It didn't hurt, and I really didn't pay attention to my watch, but I knew I was running harder than I should a week out from the marathon. Let's see what happens, is what kept running through my head.
Ok, so the distance wasn't certified, and I did have to stop twice briefly for red lights/traffic, but when I hit what I thought was the 6.2 mark, my watch said 51:01. Huh. Maybe I could hang with her in a 10k. Turns out when I g-mapped the run, I hit the 6.2 mark a little before where I thought it was, so I suppose that means I would've come in just under 51.
Not that it matters, really. I know running is an individual thing. It just sticks in my head sometimes that it seems to come so easy to her, and not to me. I really am happy for her that she had a great race today. There isn't anything she said she would've changed about the race, and that's a great feeling.
5 comments:
What a great effort and hey, you answered a question of your own ability. You have the physical ability and certainly, the heart.
Damn I'm glad you didn't run it today. Trying to keep up with you would have made me puke at the finish line. :) If you don't put pressure on yourself about the running and you do it just to DO IT, you will beat me everytime. Every single time. And let us not forget that had your interest and success in running not motivated me to get into it a little, I wouldn't have run a race today. Thankfully it did, so I did, and as a result, I get to walk away with a good feeling about a fun accomplishment. So thanks. I wouldn't have felt that today if you had not laced up sneakers in a more serious way two years ago. :)
I love 10k races. I think that might be my favorite distance (maybe cause its my best time!). I've never trained for that distance either. It would be fun to see what training for it would result in.
And your sister is right - when you don't have the pressure that you put on yourself, you do much better! You just need to figure out a way not to put the mental pressure on yourself for races. And be sure to let all of us know when you get it figured out, because I think we all do it to some extent.
Great post, and great comment by your sister. When I see things like this it makes me jealous...wish I had that kind of relationship with my siblings.
That being said...I still think there should be the Lora-Aimee-Thanksgiving-Day-Turkey-Trot-Challenge. Loser has to do the dishes. :)
and yeah, Lora, it is a great t-shirt. Planning on wearing it for my Mom when T and I run the 10k on Thanksgiving.
Like KP, wish I had that kind of interaction w/my bro. Running ain't his sort of gig though. Come to think of it, I don't know what is his gig...jk.
Anyway, sounds like you're going to calibrate your GPS. Good plan. I run a lot of my training runs w/out ever looking at my watch. Goes something like this:
Start - push button to make sure something other than 00:00 shows up.
Run - look at the birds, rivers, ponds, whatever (not many other runners where/when I run).
End - hit button, look at the time. Pat self on back.
Eat (my favorite part of the run).
Good post Lora.
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