As I had mentioned here, my goal is to run at least 750 miles during 2015. This averages out to 62.5 miles per month. In January and February, I logged exactly 62.5 miles each month. The perfectionist in me was liking being perfectly on track!
Then, came the month of March. During the first half of the month, I was actually ahead of schedule due to training for and running the Rock N Roll DC Half Marathon. The second half, I started teetering off of the wagon (this was for numerous reasons).
Last Saturday (March 28), I was looking at my training log and realized I was only at 46.5 miles for the month. If I was going to hit my requisite 62.5 for March, I needed to log 16 miles by Tuesday (March 31).
It didn't seem like it would be a problem to run an average of 4 miles per day for the remaining four days of the month. I was already running the Shamrock Shuffle 8K on Sunday, which would come close enough to 5 miles. So I ran 3 on Saturday, and planned to run another 4 per day on both Monday and Tuesday. No problem-o!
On Monday, my intention was to knock out the day's 4 miles after I got home from work. However, things didn't go as planned - and in this case, it was a really good thing. As I shared here, my wonderful husband surprised me with last minute tickets for Monday night's Blackhawks game! A live Hawks game will always take priority over pretty much anything I might have planned. So without a second thought, running plans got scrapped for that night. (Although, I did sprint through the United Center concourses so I could get to my seat in time to watch the pre-game warm-up. Priorities!!! =) )
This meant that I now had 8 miles on tap for Tuesday. What to do? Unless I plan in advance, I don't have time to run more than 5 miles at a time on a weeknight or during the workday. I sure as heck wasn't going to be waking up early to run before work, either. Basically, I had two choices: 1) Do a double-run day, or 2) not meet my monthly mileage goal.
Believe it or not, I was unreasonably disgruntled at the prospect of my training log being short for March. Therefore, I decided that if all went well, I would attempt a double-run day. The plan was to visit my company's fitness center in the early or mid-afternoon to run 4 miles. Then, I would try to knock out the remaining 4 miles later that night.
Again, things didn't go as planned. It was busy in the office. So busy that I didn't make it down to the fitness center until about 4:30 PM. Yikes!
Fortunately, once I got going, I felt pretty good. I decided that it would help to finish 5 miles at the fitness center. Psychologically I thought it would be easier to only have 3 miles left for Round 2.
I knocked out the 5 miles, then headed home. I was STARVING after my run and was in no mood to cook. Instead, I dragged Adam to the prepared-foods counter at the grocery store to pick up dinner.
While I was eating, it was still in the back of my mind that I had another 3 miles left on tap. I tried not to overanalyze it, but I kept thinking, am I really going to do this?
After dinner, I gave myself some time to let things settle in my stomach. Then, around 7:50 PM, I put on my running shoes again and went upstairs to my home building's fitness center. Treadmill number two for the day!
Those three miles weren't my finest. I am not used to running so late in the evening, especially after dinner. My stomach was feeling a little unsettled, which made me uncomfortable. But, I told myself it was only three miles. I also kept telling myself that I needed to train myself to run when I didn't feel like it.
I kept the pace very slow to keep my stomach at bay. It made the three miles feel even longer. I was so happy that it was only three and not four!
Slog, slog, slog, slog, slog. Then finally... done! Hallelujah!
I have never been so happy to enter those miles into my training log. Hello, 62.5 miles per month in January, February, AND MARCH!
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| My perfectionism will live to fight another month! |
Since I am injury prone, it very well may have been ill-advised for me to do a double-run day for such an arbitrary reason. But I was still proud of myself for pushing through. It was empowering to train like a more hard-core runner for one day!
Maybe, just maybe with some better planning, I might even try this again someday in the future?!?!??!
Ha ha! Nice work getting the 62.5 in under the wire!
ReplyDeleteI was going to ask what you thought of the double! But good point, since you are injury prone, probably best to not make them a regular part of your schedule... yet! :)
Thanks, Kim! I know that my monthly mileage goals are like half of what you run without even breaking a sweat, LOL. But it's always nice to meet a goal!
DeleteThe double felt really empowering! I think it would have been better if I had spaced them out more, though, e.g. first run in the morning, second run in the early evening. Doing the two within just a few hours of each other was not ideal. But maybe when I'm feeling motivated, I'll try adding a double of just a mile or two, then gradually working up. How about you - what has your experience been with doubles?
LOL! Don't compare! We are completely different people with different schedules and goals! We each do what is best for us! (ha, or what we THINK is best for us!)
DeleteYeah, so close together, and with dinner in between, I am not surprised the second one felt a bit meh! More spread apart (even am and lunch or lunch and pm) might make you feel better!
I really love doubles and have had great experience with them. I like to do an early am run, and lunch or (rarely) after work. They are such a great way to get the miles in, when your schedule is nuts, and to prevent some of that long run wear and tear. However! I am not a proponent of making the weekly LR in to a double! I see plans that do that and don't quite get it. That wouldn't mentally work for me. (physically, yes, lol)
Don't laugh, but I envy that you are able to go through your running shoes so quickly because of your high mileage! You know that I love experimenting with running shoes, but it takes me so long to retire each pair. That by itself is great incentive to run more, right? Hehehe.
DeleteI am not surprised at all that you love doubles. =) It does make it a lot easier to get the miles in. Normally on an 8-miler, I would be taking a GU and starting to get bored towards the end. But splitting it up, no GU and no boredom! I do completely agree with you, though, that the true long run should not be split up because then you lose a lot of what makes the long run effective!
Completely understand the numbers thing! I'm so impressed you've hit that exact # every month. But now you can't run over that either. Ha.
ReplyDeleteLOL, I was also thinking about how it would upset the perfect row of numbers if I ran more than 62.5! You TOTALLY get it. But, I definitely think I could better justify exceeding the goal than falling short. It would be a good problem to have. =D
DeleteThat's hilarious! I'm pretty neurotic about my miles too. I've got a positive balance in the bank right now. Which is good because I promised my coach I'd take 2 weeks off in May. Whaaaaa? That means I won't have 100 miles for that month...
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being positively banked on your miles!!! And I can understand how you must be feeling about the 2 weeks off in May. ARGH!!!!! It's like tapering! BUT - your legs are going to feel SO GOOD after those two weeks off. And then you'll really be able to nail those miles afterwards!!!
DeleteI rarely do double-day runs but I actually like them! My legs always feel so much looser on the second run. Maybe that's why my Ragnar runs are usually faster than I predict!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I was thinking the other day about how you like running the day before a race. There really is something to be said about those shake-out results! And that would make perfect sense for Ragnar. That is probably the most valid scenario I can think of for testing the impact of doing doubles or even triples!
DeleteWay to commit yourself and get it done. I need some of that motivation!! Can you share?!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering how your tummy would do after dinner, and also worried about the injury factor knowing you are trying to push in a bunch of miles at month end, so I'm glad to hear all went well. BUT!!! Don't make the last minute mileage cram a habit!! ;-)
Thanks Natalie! [Sending you motivational vibes!!!] But I still say that you did SO MUCH WALKING during your vacation to Europe, that you got plenty of fitness going for you. Seriously, this is the reason that we can all indulge at meals on vacation, yet not gain any weight, right? Thanks for the concern over my tummy and my injuries! And YES - no more last-minute mileage cramming if I can help it. =)
DeleteWay to get it done! I'll usually run a little extra to get a certain # (if I'm actively paying attention to it) but then again, I am not trying to get certain mileage because I don't want to feel guilty for taking rest days (when i need them).
ReplyDeleteThanks Xaar! You are much smarter than I am when it comes to being practical and reasonable about not pushing things too much in training. =D My lesson learned is that I need to plan better in the future so that I don't end up cramming miles at the last minute!!!
DeleteI actually did my first double day ever yesterday! It wasn't quite a 100% double day, because my first mileage came from November Project, and though that involved a lot of running, it wasn't constant running. I logged 2.7 miles during November Project and really wanted to hit five total yesterday, so I did 2.3 more later that afternoon. Don't think it's something I'll be doing regularly -- I, too, am injury prone, and would prefer to not hurt myself -- but it was a nice way to get in mileage without doing it all in one fell swoop.
ReplyDeleteOh wow!!! Congratulations, Bethany!!! That is awesome and very empowering! When I mix up my workouts between running and something else, I always like to do the running first so that my legs are fresh. I find it challenging to lift or do strength work first, and then run. I have been hearing so much about November Project - it sounds really hard-core. So I tip my hat to you for completing November Project FIRST, and then adding more miles on top of it!
DeleteThanks so much, Amanda!!! It's amazing how 3 miles is normally no big deal, but when done as a double-run, they seem like they take forever!
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed with your commitment to getting your miles in for your month. What do you use as your training log?
ReplyDeleteThanks Zenaida! I use the Runners World online training log: http://runnersworld.com/log
DeleteWhat do you use?
Way to put the nose (or feet?) to the grindstone and make your mileage goal. I admire your commitment. Is it weird I've never had a mileage goal? I pretty much just run.
ReplyDeleteThanks Marcia! It's actually a recent development for me to have a mileage goal, too. In the past, I would just run whenever I felt like it. But I've seen so many people target certain mileage figures for the year that I figured I would give it a go. Lo and behold, setting the goal has helped me!
DeleteI go crazy when it comes to numbers and goals too. Good for you for going for it. Hopefully it doesn't end in injury, like you said. I don't have any mileage goals right now. I've decided on a fall marathon (Twin Cities!), and I'm getting tunnel vision in regards to that. I really really want a PR, and it's been consuming my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy! WOO HOO on Twin Cities! I have heard AMAZING things about it - the scenery is supposed to be just gorgeous. You'll be there during the peak of the fall foliage, too, which will make it even more picturesque. I am cheering for you to have an amazing training cycle and I cannot wait for you to nail a new PR this fall!!!
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