Over the past 3 weeks, I have trained for a duathlon I will do with my amazing father. He will bike, I will run. Or, rather, I will run, then he will bike, then I will run, then he will bike, then I will run again.
Have I mentioned that I hate to run?
When I agreed to this (stupid) race, I did so mostly out of pride. You see, I come from a family of runners/bikers. I have always been the one who did something else. Or nothing. Mostly nothing. But I did NOT run. So when I got back into shape a couple of years ago, I had to throw running into the mix, and I joked that I only do it to prove that Ican. About a year ago, I even ran an 8k. I shocked myself. Ran a decent time. Ran faster in the race than I’d ever run on my own. It was a fluke, I’m sure. Because after that, I think I ran maybe…20 times before four weeks ago? I don’t know.
I hate to run.
Those runners and bikers in my family are amazing. Have you ever done something just to prove to everyone that you’re almost as amazing as you think they are?
You know what’s funny about that?
They totally have no idea. They don’t even care. And they’re not being cruel or snide or spiteful or anything at all of the sort. They just have no idea.
So I committed to this (stupid) race 4 weeks before race day. I haven’t run basically at all in MONTHS.
How the HECK do you train for a duathlon? The race is 1.9 miles running, about 25 minutes while dad bikes, 1.9 miles running, another 25 or so minutes while dad bikes, and then 1.9 more miles. Sure, I can run about 2 miles at a time. I can run 4 miles, even. But almost six?
Huh. No freaking clue.
I figured…hmm…6 miles…that’s about 10k, right? And I found a training program for a 10k. The thing is…with only 4 weeks to train…hehe…yeah. Not quite as much time as you should really take.
But I’ve been doing Insanity. And that after a round of P90X2. And countless Beachbody programs over the past two years, back to back. I should be fine, right?
Mmhmm. Sure.
To say that I maybe picked the wrong training program might be an understatement. I have hated every single moment of it. Every run has felt like torture and death. The days I wake up and have to do a long run? I want to die before I even hit the treadmill. And yes. I know that running on a treadmill is mostly like torture anyway…but I am so much worse running outside. Not only do I HATE it, but I also can’t keep a pace. Thank heavens there are people at the race who actually can keep a pace.
Runners at the race? Don’t follow me. Seriously. Or at least don’t expect me to help you pace yourself. So not happening.
But the problem with this training plan was that the days between runs where you’re supposed to cross train…well, there’s no time frame or exertion level suggested. So…I’ve been doing Max Insanity workouts. In my complete discouragement today (oh, the mental block is HUGE, friends), I googled a few more training plans. In each one, I found something that the plan I arbitrarily chose is lacking: the statement that your cross training days are supposed to be lower key. They should rest your fatigued running muscles.
Have you ever done a Max Insanity workout?
Oops. Guess why every run has felt like torture and death?
So, for the next 8 days, I will back off a little bit. Tomorrow I will run 2 miles and strength train. Saturday and Sunday I will rest. Monday I will run 3 miles, Tuesday I will cross-train for 30 minutes (that sounds like a Pure Cardio day to me), Wednesday, I’ll run 2 miles, Thursday and Friday I will rest, and Saturday, I’ll run that (stupid) race.
And I don’t think I’ll ever run anything competitively after that. Ever. Again.
Oh, sure, I’ll run. To prove that I still can. But my (stupid) pride won’t be part of the picture. So, Paul, Sarah, Kevin and Dad? You rock. Go rock that race. I’ll meet you at the finish line long after you get there. And I’ll cheer you on next time. But I’m done training for this nonsense.
One more week.
All Is Grace 