Globaldisc
Had not ran in 2 weeks....battled the flu....loss 7 .lbs....ate like crazy last 5 days to replenish
my body...gained 3 .lbs back. I refrained from running the last 4-5 days, though I thought I could
I did not want to risk this flu bug lingering and it's been in the single digits at my daily
running time.
It was about 7-8 degrees at race time, 5 Miler, beautiful blue skies...but darn cold. Lots of people
vaselined their faces, I wore two pairs of gloves, a thermal top, and a nike neoprene-like racing
top over that, running tights, a single pair of coolmax socks and Gel Racer V flats (knit cap too).
At the start, my face was cold, my feet were damn near numb. But I felt good that I was running
again. Race started and running was feeling pretty good...it's strange when you take time off...and
then run again....as you're remembering how you do this. My personal battle is that I usually come
out too fast....so when I clocked my first mile at 6:30....I felt "OK" as I thought I should do this
race at 6:22 or so per mile.....so I knew I was not coming out to fast. However it was just past
that first mile that I started thinking, "what the F%#$ am I doing here?", how damn cold it was, how
my feet were freezing but hands warm...and how now saliva is forming on my face(freezing).
I was with my usual crowd up til about 1.5 miles in the race....and that's when I noticed I had no
upper gears in me to kick in to. I basically said to my self...."Oh ****"....this is it?.....it was
then that I started coming to terms with the fact that I have no energy and simply said to myself,
"today's not your day....just mail it in...don't quit....but just make it through and go back to the
drawing board afterward".
That's basically what I did. At mile two I was simply realizing there's no taking time off and
picking up where you left off. I suffered through this damn race, doing my best, but seeing runner's
not at my level....passing me. I watched that happen for the next 3 miles. I finished the race and
kept jogging right through the finish and to my gym where I spent about 60 minutes pumping it up. I
then went to a local store where I bought about 5 pairs of thermal tops and bottoms and 2 face mask.
I then went to my local GNC and figured I have got to replenish all that's been lost w/the flu. It's
back to the drawing board for me and I will be doing a 9 miler tonight...0 degree or not.
Donovan is right about the % you lose in your running (and running efficiency) when you take time
off. I was so disgusted w/the race....I did not want to know my time...I am sure it was the worse
race of my life. One key mistake I made was in footwear...I should have been wearing a stability
shoe. I did not have the strength top properly run in a flat (toe striking). And a mesh shoe
w/a single pair of coolmax socks ain't exactly the key to keeping your feet warm. When you don't
quite have your full energy level....where a shoe that gives you the support you're going to need.
Until I have me strength back...I'll be midsole at best, and likely heel strikng quite a bit.
The thing though that I took out of this race was "tipping my cap" and saying kudos to all those
runners that have been training in these cold cold East coast days. It shows on race day. The cold
weather is no excuse....you can see who's been training...and who has not....on race day. People who
are no where close to your fitness level...will smoke you on race day....as they've been training.
The running gods have a way of rewarding those that have been sticking with their training despite
the weather.
I got humbled and reminded again today running is a year round and near-daily sport. On a side
note....as I U-turned after the finish line and started jogging home...I was seeing people
finish...and spotted a few runners that are better runners than me...finsihing 20-30 seconds after
me......I thought, "Oh....you haven't been running either"?.....
Andrew...
my body...gained 3 .lbs back. I refrained from running the last 4-5 days, though I thought I could
I did not want to risk this flu bug lingering and it's been in the single digits at my daily
running time.
It was about 7-8 degrees at race time, 5 Miler, beautiful blue skies...but darn cold. Lots of people
vaselined their faces, I wore two pairs of gloves, a thermal top, and a nike neoprene-like racing
top over that, running tights, a single pair of coolmax socks and Gel Racer V flats (knit cap too).
At the start, my face was cold, my feet were damn near numb. But I felt good that I was running
again. Race started and running was feeling pretty good...it's strange when you take time off...and
then run again....as you're remembering how you do this. My personal battle is that I usually come
out too fast....so when I clocked my first mile at 6:30....I felt "OK" as I thought I should do this
race at 6:22 or so per mile.....so I knew I was not coming out to fast. However it was just past
that first mile that I started thinking, "what the F%#$ am I doing here?", how damn cold it was, how
my feet were freezing but hands warm...and how now saliva is forming on my face(freezing).
I was with my usual crowd up til about 1.5 miles in the race....and that's when I noticed I had no
upper gears in me to kick in to. I basically said to my self...."Oh ****"....this is it?.....it was
then that I started coming to terms with the fact that I have no energy and simply said to myself,
"today's not your day....just mail it in...don't quit....but just make it through and go back to the
drawing board afterward".
That's basically what I did. At mile two I was simply realizing there's no taking time off and
picking up where you left off. I suffered through this damn race, doing my best, but seeing runner's
not at my level....passing me. I watched that happen for the next 3 miles. I finished the race and
kept jogging right through the finish and to my gym where I spent about 60 minutes pumping it up. I
then went to a local store where I bought about 5 pairs of thermal tops and bottoms and 2 face mask.
I then went to my local GNC and figured I have got to replenish all that's been lost w/the flu. It's
back to the drawing board for me and I will be doing a 9 miler tonight...0 degree or not.
Donovan is right about the % you lose in your running (and running efficiency) when you take time
off. I was so disgusted w/the race....I did not want to know my time...I am sure it was the worse
race of my life. One key mistake I made was in footwear...I should have been wearing a stability
shoe. I did not have the strength top properly run in a flat (toe striking). And a mesh shoe
w/a single pair of coolmax socks ain't exactly the key to keeping your feet warm. When you don't
quite have your full energy level....where a shoe that gives you the support you're going to need.
Until I have me strength back...I'll be midsole at best, and likely heel strikng quite a bit.
The thing though that I took out of this race was "tipping my cap" and saying kudos to all those
runners that have been training in these cold cold East coast days. It shows on race day. The cold
weather is no excuse....you can see who's been training...and who has not....on race day. People who
are no where close to your fitness level...will smoke you on race day....as they've been training.
The running gods have a way of rewarding those that have been sticking with their training despite
the weather.
I got humbled and reminded again today running is a year round and near-daily sport. On a side
note....as I U-turned after the finish line and started jogging home...I was seeing people
finish...and spotted a few runners that are better runners than me...finsihing 20-30 seconds after
me......I thought, "Oh....you haven't been running either"?.....
Andrew...
