Log #10: Inner Monologue

I realized today that running is essentially nothing more than a conversation between your brain and your body. Allow me to pontificate:

Today's workout was supposed to look like this:



10-20 minute warmup
3 x 1600m @ 6:41 pace
10-20 minute cooldown

I felt like garbage yesterday because I overdid it Sunday with my long run followed by a metal show that was an hour drive away. I was POSITIVE that today would be a bad work out, and I resigned myself to miserably failing and feeling bad about it all day.

So... I ran to the track near my girlfriend's place (MIT's track in Cambridge, MA if you care) which satisfied my warm-up requirement. I then turned on the rage music on my iPod (today it was "The Bled") and hit start on my stopwatch.

On lap 4, I still felt pretty decent... strange, considering how sure I was that today would be awful. I passed the finish line at 6:36. I actually ran too fast. Oh well, there's definitely no way I can do THAT again.

I rested for a couple of minutes, and began round two. This time, after 2 laps, I started to hear the voice. Not LITERALLY a voice, but my body was definitely talking to me. It said, "Slow down, just a little... you'll feel much better and you'll still probably hit around 6:50 for your time."

My brain told my body "Nah, I think I'll just keep going at this pace if you don't mind.

My body was all, "Ok, but I think you might regret that decision."

So I focused on pumping my arms and making smooth strides and lo' and behold.... Another 6:36. At this point my chest is burning and I'm a sweaty mess, so I walk a lap around the track drinking lots of water. My body is saying, "Well I hope you're happy with yourself. Now there's NO way you're going to run another 1600m since you've already used up all of your energy."

At this point my brain is saying, "Yeah, you're probably right... but, then again, all I have to do is run for six minutes and forty-one seconds... that's only like 2 songs on the iPod."

Body: "Yeah, but you just wait and see. I'm going to make things very unpleasant."

I lined up, turned on the metal, and started going. My first lap felt fine, second lap felt fine.... wait a sec.... third lap felt fine.... uhm.... what the hell is going on here.... fourth lap a little tired but.... 6:34!!!!! WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

The lesson today is that sometimes your body has absolutely no idea what it's capable of doing, and when you ignore it long enough, sometimes it just shuts up and lets you do your thing. For the record, here is what I accomplished today.

10 minute warmup
1600m @ 6:36
1600m @ 6:36
1600m @ 6:34
15 minute cooldown

I feel like a champ, and the rest of the day is now a little bit brighter because I managed to complete the first speed workout necessary for me to pull off a 3:30 marathon time. It's a big step, and I can't wait to see what happens next.