You are strong inside...now tell your body to follow!!

There are days when your body just don't want to run. You know you have to do it, you push it, your mind says yes but the body doesn't want to obey.  The good news is that there is always revenge!!

Last weekend my body said "NO"  but I pushed it anyway, I did not listen and I kept running in what was one of  the most horrendous runs I have ever had. Not sure why but my legs didn't want to move, they were heavy and I left as carrying two huge rocks!! It was a long and slow torture.

As usually I ran with my friends and thanks to them I was able to keep up running. In general I am in the front of the group and I can easily keep up with them but last Saturday I was just not doing well. I was so slow that they needed to wait for me a couple of time. I did the last 4 miles alone and I really used all my mental energy to get me through it.....I was literally  "out of gas".

Sunday wasn't much different and  finishing 10 miles by myself was again another little torture!!

I can't explain what happened, I can't find any specific reason for not having energy. Yes, I have been working a lot but that is not new.   I think that the body sometimes just don't want to keep up with your mind!! and in that moment is when you need to be stronger than ever. I could have stopped after a few miles but I knew I could regret it later. I felt  as I did  during the last 10 miles of the ultra...tired...very tired...but kept telling myself that I needed to learn how to keep running when I feel that I am dying and that I needed to get those miles done!!

I have been working a lot...and I mean...a lot..so I was a little afraid this was  the reason for the poor performance but surprisingly the following week was really good.   I went running in the morning before heading work as it has been complicated to do it during lunch time or afterwork. I am working an average of 65 hours per week plus I am going to the office on Saturday too.  This makes  difficult to find the time to run, not only for the hours but also because when I have a free minute I  have thousands of errands to do and  a life and friends to catch up with.

This weekend I had a fantastic long run...18 miles in Central Park. I felt strong, with energy all the time and I was able to keep a good pace too. I met my friends at 7:30AM but I head the part earlier to get a loop done before meeting them for the next 2 loops.

Today I did my recovery run alone......did I  just say recovery run??  I am scared about how a 9 miles run is a recovery run !!  I felt good but my quads were a little sore in the down hills, I think I did too many hills on Saturday!! but this is good....Hills are your friends!!!

To give my body a chance to "recover"  I ran almost 1 minute slower than my long run.

It should be good to start with some ice bath  now that the long runs will be increasing but it is still too cold for that!!!!! not sure I can handle them yet. Instead I took a hot bubble bath with some muscle relaxing salts....they are supposed to help with any type of soreness...we shall see tomorrow morning how my legs feel!!

I think the most important lesson I have learned in the last 2 weeks is that sometimes  you can't control how your body will feel, you can eat well, sleep and rest  but you never know what "Mr.  Body" will do in the  morning and that is why  you MUST  train your mind to go through that downside and  keep running.....because as it is said  " MIND OVER BODY".

Be strong...keep running!!!

Last two long runs: 16 and 18 miles
Next two long runs: 18 and 20 miles

Take a look to my next challenge!!!

Just 2 months for the first ultra of this year and 3 months for the next one!! I can't believe I am actually doing 2 North Face Endurance Challenge just 4 weeks apart!! I am freaking excited and nervous!!!! Take a look to what is waiting for me!

Feeling the UltraPassion again :)

Here we go again...training reports!!

Runner snack!! just 1/4 cup

Two weeks ago I started my training for the upcoming ultramorathons during May and June and things have been going really well. The first two weeks weren't that difficult to accomplish but it takes time to get used to the routine again and not to mention that it is busy season at work and I am working ridiculous hours including Saturdays so finding a time to get all my runs done has been the main challenge. 

I have put together my schedule for the 50 Miller and basically I am being a little more aggressive in my long runs than last year training. I think I can consider myself a more experience runner now and using a beginner schedule doesn't make sense anymore, I want to add more long runs so I can start getting my body ready for next year....yeah...I am still thinking to run a 100 miller!!

The schedule is just the barely minimum to do per week...I can't allow myself to do less than that but if I can I am planning to run additional miles.  I am not a morning person....(have I even mentioned it ?? LOL I guess so!!!) .... so waking up at 5 am to go for a run before going to the office it is not really appealing to me. I know the treadmill it is not the best way to train for an ultramarathon and I really don't enjoy running there so much but it is the more convenient way I have found to keep up with the week training,  at least during the peak of my busy season.

I am squeezing  my runs during my lunch time and since I try to take the less possible amount of  time to do this I am focusing on doing tempo and speed work instead of distance during the week.  I have joined a gym just 1 block from my office and I am already an expert in getting there, change, run, shower and come back to the office in just 1 hour!!! LOL...I don't even  dry my hair or get my make up done again....yeah if you were wondering why I look different during the afternoon...that is the reason!! and my hair gets curly when I don't dry it so some people have been confused in the office and asking me " do you look different than this morning??" LOL

Anyway, I have found some good speed work outs you can do in the treadmill and I have been trying a different one every week.

I have also noticed that my performance at work has improved since I am running during lunch time.  I used to feel sleepy during the afternoon and tired around 6PM but I have been having a lot of energy after running.  I can now work later, in a better mood and with tons of energy!!

And more importantly I am not mad for not be able to go running for staying late at work! :)

Saturday runs

During the weekend I am doing my long runs in Central Park. I have to go to the office on Saturday so I need to get my long run done very early in the morning. Fortunately  for me a group of friends from the the Flyers also prefers to get their run done very early  and  we have started a nice  running group a couple of weeks ago and now we are around 10 runners getting together at 7:30 AM to run a variety of miles.

At a  minimum we all run a  loop, that is 6 miles, and after that some of us keep going for additional miles.  After getting my run done ...I keep running!! yeah..I go home, take a quick shower and head the office immediately....I have managed to be at the office around 10:30 AM and staying until 4PM.

On Sunday I am doing my back to back run what means that I need to run around 1/2 of the miles I ran the day before. I am not joining any group to do this because as I go out on Saturday nights :) I try to catch up with my sleep during Sunday morning and I am heading the park a little later than most of  my friends.

Anyway I haven't been running alone because every time I head the park I meet someone I know to run with...I can't believe how many runners I now know....I keep saying hi to people all the time while running...LOVE IT!!

I am starting to build up the millage again so my last two long runs were 12 and 14 miles and the next two weeks I will be doing 16 and 18......feeling the UltraPassion again!!!!