Tuesday, February 21, 2012

The need for speed

Cue obligatory quote from "Top Gun":


On a side note, I did a google search this morning for "the need for speed."  I ended up getting several results for "the need for speed run cheat."  Since Google can pretty much read all of our minds at this point, I thought I was being implicated with a targeted message.  Turns out that there's actually some Xbox 360 video game entitled "Need For Speed: The Run" with various cheat codes, i.e. codes that trigger a favorable event or effect for yourself as a player.  (I'll have to ask my nephew Reid or my niece Blair about this game since I'm too old to know about these things anymore.)

This is more along the lines of my video game familiarity.

One of the changes I've made to my training over the past year is to slow down my training pace.  I've read from many sources that you should train at a comfortable pace that allows you to converse while running.  From a numbers perspective, this is anywhere from 30 to 90 seconds per mile slower than your marathon pace, but that when in doubt you should run more slowly.  I've even heard that it's impossible to train at a pace that is too slow.  (Never fear, folks, if there's anyone that can train at too slow of a pace, I'm sure I can.)

Training at this slow of a pace feels very counterintuitive to me, especially because I'm so slow to begin with.  My fear is that my body will get used to running so slowly and that when it comes to race time, it will be that much harder for me to kick it into gear.  I know that this is what speed training is for, and I have been good about consistently doing my weekly fartlek workouts.  But building speed has proved to be extremely difficult.  I find it much tougher than building distance, and one of the most mentally-frustrating areas of my training.
Flashback to high school physics, put into direct application.
Speed training is incredibly challenging on a purely internal basis.  But then, my foray into the blogging world has revealed countless runners that are so fast and don't even think about it.  I read dozens of race recaps for folks that are disappointed that they didn't break whatever time in whatever race... but their so-called "disappointment" is so much faster than I could ever even dream of achieving.  Some of these folks literally run faster uphill than I can careen my tricycle down a mountain.  Yet, they beat themselves up over it.

I am amazed at the number of runners I read about that place at races, whether overall or within their age groups, as well as those that are so disappointed when they don't place.  Are you kidding me?  Do you know how thrilled I would be to even be entertaining the thought of contending for a race placement?  I would consider it a personal victory to even qualify for a starting corral at a race.  I read about folks working towards getting into start corral A, B, C, D, etc.  Maybe someday if I continue to work really, really hard I can qualify for this one:

I've also read a lot of derogatorily-toned articles, blogs, or comments about those 11- or 12-minute-per-mile "power walkers."  Certainly there are plenty of folks that can run much faster than that - and they deserve to be proud of themselves!  I also know that in today's world, it's difficult to say almost anything without offending someone.  But from someone who would love an 11-minute-per-mile marathon pace, it can be discouraging to read these things. 

Are there any other penguin/slow runner bloggers out there?

A lot of people forget what a gift it is to be able to run, period.  There are thousands of people that physically cannot run or even walk, and thousands of other people that cannot afford shoes.  Similarly, my hope is that I never take myself for granted, either.

I am slow and I have been nagged by injuries throughout my running career, but I am privileged to be able to run at all.  These are little things to some.  But I believe that all achievements in life are worth celebrating.

15 comments:

  1. Running 26.2 miles at any pace is an incredible accomplishment. I think most people would find it hard to "walk" a marathon (i.e. 20 minute pace for 26 miles). Anyone who accomplishes this at any pace should be truly proud of themselves.

    And for the record, you are at least 90 seconds per minute faster than your husband...and my max length is about a 5K.

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    1. Also for the record, you can write a due diligence report and manage the project about a million times better than I can! That, and about a gazillion other things!

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    2. If by gazillion you mean none...I agree. :)

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    3. Gazillion > Trillion > Million. You get the idea!

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  2. I love this! I'm sure it wasnt but i feel like the one paragraph is for me.. I am often whining how I will never get third in a race...perspective (yet again from your blog).

    I figure eventually the need for speed demon will eventually quit possesing my body...right? Or I guess old age will do it...lol

    PS. HABE--ummm last 5K you ran was...when???lol

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    1. Thanks, Julie. I never cease to be amazed by your running talent. Be VERY proud of what you can do and do NOT take it for granted. EVER.

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  3. You doubt me Julie ???

    August 2008, and the writer of this fabulous blog was my running partner.

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  4. My mom and I were talking about speed a lot this weekend. (My mom walks half marathons which takes her 3:45 usually.) I was telling her that I think it takes so much heart to walk, or run slowly, or finish a race at the back of the pack. There is no glory, the crowds are gone, the water stations are a mess and sometimes out of water. The one marathon I have completed took me more than five and a half hours and I spent a lot of that time worrying that I wouldn't make the cut-off or they'd be out of medals. Try not to worry about speed; you have heart!*

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    1. Thanks so much, Amy. Thank you also for understanding the extra challenges for those finishing a race at the back of the pack. I ran a half-marathon last year with epicly bad weather where the course marshalls abandoned the turnaround point and they ran out of Gatorade, as you mentioned. Fun times!

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  5. It sounds like another blog set you off... and I can totally imagine the type you are talking about. I pick up on that from a lot of bloggers - the I am too slow, or YOU are too slow talk. I try to be light hearted about it on my blog. I've had major injuries (once 3 stress fractures at a time) that had me joyous to run 11 minute miles! Anytime my average pace is below 10:00 now, I am excited. I will never be a super speedy runner, but I am happy to run!

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    1. You are correct on all counts! It is frustrating how outsiders certainly do tend to overlook the impact of injuries (or the other hundred factors) that might impact our running performance.

      Three stress fractures at a time!?!? WOW - that must have been unbelievably challenging. Congratulations on pushing through all of your injuries and staying on track!!!!!

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  6. I too have become somewhat obsessed with pace. All thanks to my over-obsessed-with-pace friend that has rubbed off on me (and don't get me started on my husband that's trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon...it's mind boggling to me that anyone can hold that pace for 3 miles let alone 26).

    If you want to narrow down who this aforementioned friend might be...let's just say that her height does not break the 5' mark. Although my legs are longer than hers, I will not ever be faster...oh well. I am confident though that someday soon she will break through and will place 3rd in her age group and I'll be so proud of her when she does :)

    Running is so much about beating your own records though. It doesn't really matter how you compare to others, what matters is that you continue to improve your own distance, pace, form, whatever, and that you pat yourself on the back for it :)

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    1. I so hear you on the Boston Marathon qualifiers. I also look at the Olympic marathoners and their 2-hour finishing times - I can barely drive 26.2 miles in 2 hours, let alone run that fast!

      I am confident that our friend will soon achieve all her goals and more, too! I see continually great things to come for ALL of us this year. It's going to be a great year!

      And you are absolutely right about running being about challenging ourselves and patting ourselves on the back when we improve. All achievements are worthy of celebration!

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  7. There seems to be two camps of runners: those who are welcoming and supportive of ALL runners (even run/walkers) and those who feel like you need some kind of qualifiers to be a "real" runner (pace and/or distance). The latter also doesn't seem to be very supportive of other runners, and tends to beat themselves up over pace, and just generally seem very snarky and unhappy in general.

    I prefer group #1, and those are the runners I try to associate with, online and off.

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    1. Maggie, very well said! I couldn't agree with you more on the two camps of runners. Positivity breeds more positivity, and negativity breeds more negativity - so #1 is the clear choice!

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