Failure & Success

Not all attempts at workouts are going to be successful.

For some reason I was more ok with this than I thought I would be. On Thursday night I was very excited for my tempo run. Hopped onto one treadmill did a great warm up and felt fantastic then hopped off to get some water (yes, when I run I spontaneously turn into a rabbit). Then I got back on my treadmill, but it had decided it wanted to sleep and would not wake up. I got onto another (old) treadmill just as I guy was switching to a new one.

Me: "Is this treadmill working?"
Dude: "uhh..."
Me: "more or less?"
Dude: "more or less"

Alright then, jump on and turn to my 8:57 mile pace and it immediately felt weird. My legs felt like you had attached lead weights to them. OH EM GEE. I was only able to run for 1.5 miles (much less than the 4), and I got off the treadmill thinking that maybe I was tired and today wasn't my day. OR maybe it was the treadmill that the other guy didn't like. Who knows? It was a failed work out. But these things happen you know? I went out to dinner with a few girlfriends to Coconuts, which has never failed to be fantastic (the friends and the restaurant).

Last night I attempted again. Although it messes up my schedule I think getting the runs into the schedule is more important than the schedule itself. I tried a new treadmill, and it was a new day, and I completed the 4 mile tempo run! With a 10 minute warm up and a 8 minute cool down (I was too hungry to finish the cool down), I ran for 55 minutes! That was great.

It was easier than last week, but it didn't feel like anything special. Less of a sense of accomplishment than  a sense of "good, you finished what you had left unfinished". Odd satisfaction. Anyways, I'll most likely do the long run tomorrow, my calves are feeling a bit sore (yay!)

I'm going to start researching what to eat before and after runs....

NOM NOM NOM. Just a word of advice if you start training for anything: you will be thinking about food just about as much as you think about the training. Just a heads up. And now for the Dim Sum...