Well this week provided some interesting thoughts, accomplishments, and some realities. The thought process going through any training process is sometimes mind boggling. You go through so many highs and lows it is hard to keep all of them real and not let them bog you down. At one point you accomplish something you never thought you could and the next, reality smacks you right in the face and starts to get you down. That is the hard part, getting back up after you get down. I think if you truly want to achieve your goals, you have to find a way to overcome those lows and get back after it.
This week, I did not have the huge numbers in training, like over a 100 miles for the week. However, I felt like I upped the intensity for three days getting in some good bike rides and runs. Trying to account for the St. Patty's day race in there as well it made it a little harder to get the big numbers but I am ok with it. I will get back to that this week!
Some of my big accomplishments for the week....I rode outside for the first time doing hills on Tuesday and felt pretty successful with that, the next night I was able to ride 40 miles and try pace riding. Those were big for me mentally after training inside for the winter. Secondly, I was able to swim a full two miles in one of my workouts in the pool. That is the longest I had gone in the pool this year too. Mentally, that was a challenge and I was able to really focus on form. Thirdly, I was able to run some mile repeats. I was able to record my two fastest miles ever, a 5:48 and 5:57. I felt really good mentally and physically accomplishing these goals. They were not necessarily goals I wrote down and set out to get but more like mile markers for me along my journey. Then came reality!
The reality set in yesterday about a mile into my first 5k of the year. I really set some high expectations into the run. I am not sure why I did this, being the first of the year, but I did. Probably because of my mile splits the other day. I kind of set myself up for the failure here but I am not going to be disappointed in my effort. I ran a 21:30, which is my second fastest 5k ever. I now know that I need to get on the track a little more if I want to be 5k ready. I have been training long distance to fast should not have really been it for me. Although, I did have some awesome help yesterday in John O'Brien, our LIVE UNCOMMON Team Captain, and Katie Gaffney, my REVOLUTION Race Teammate trying to give me a push. I appreciate that from them, I could not ask for better teammates! Considering this is the first 5k of the year, I will get my goal of under 20 minutes, sometime in the future, I know I CAN!!! I am going to take a little rest again today, as my hamstring is a tad tender this morning and I do not want to risk any injury to it. I will enjoy my last day of break and let it heal!
However, none of the above can even compare to the "Dad" high I had yesterday after the 5k and parade. When I came home, my oldest daughter, 7 years old, came to me and said, "Dad, I want to run those races like you!" For me that was my biggest accomplishment I could have had, my daughter wants to do things like I do, I AM setting a good example for her. If you know Olivia, she does not want to do anything unless it is on her terms, no pushing that envelope at all. Believe me, I have tried! When she came to me she was serious and usually she means it when she says she wants to do something. For example, when she wanted to join the Backwater Gamblers Ski team, she said "let's join" and that was that and she has been awesome at it. I expect nothing less on this venture. She was excited and we talked about it and she is going to run the Project Renewal Kids run on April 21st. I am so excited to see her take this on. Yesterday, she even ran about a mile loop around our house, I did it with her, pretty cool, for a dad! Last night she wanted me to wake her up so she could run this morning. I did let her sleep in thinking this would not be the case in the morning. This morning when she came downstairs, she was ready to run! Running shoes on, hair up in pony tail, ready to go! She went out for 1/2 mile in 4:13. So very proud of her. If it lasts, which I think it will, she will be good. If it doesn't last, at least I know she is thinking about being healthy and living that UNCOMMON life! I will keep you posted on her progress!
Until next time, see what YOU CAN do! Get out there and make it happen, nothing CAN hold you back if you BELIEVE YOU CAN!
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