MasterMind

Anyone else play MasterMind as a kid? This particular game was not my favorite, despite my fondness for colors and patterns, but I want to be a MasterMind. A master of mind. A master of mine. Today's run highlighted a few weak spots in my Mind game.

I struggle to keep from saying that today's run was a failure. Instead I choose to say that there are lessons to learn and the timing of the lessons is perfect. Had these things come to light later in my training, I might not be able to work them out in time for the event.

So what's my problem?

I planned to run 10 miles today but only ran 6.5.

Someone smack me! I just said that I ONLY ran 6.5 miles?

It was an out and back run I planned. I parked towards the middle instead of the end. I didn't really know where the mile marks were. As I approach my car I assumed that I still had a 4+ miles left in the other direction.

I should pause here and tell you that the route I planned was hilly, containing 400 more feet of climbs (crammed into 3 less miles) than the Seattle 1/2, which I ran just 5 days and another 8.5 miles ago.

Throughout 80% of my run I felt stellar, solid, almost like a real runner. I hit the hills like they were mine! I owned 'em. "I run hills strong!" Until...

... on the last decline headed towards my car I made the mistake of looking at my watch and attempted to do the pace math. By my mileage guestimate and time calcuations I was running slower than 12min miles. Oh! Not happy. My soaring spirit plummeted.

I kept up a half-vigilent front against negative thought onslought, but lost ground quickly. By the time I passed my car, I had convinced myself that I had run too much this week, that my performance was poor, I was too tired to run the rest, i didn't wanna, the hill in front of me was too big, that I might be late to pick up Hannah, and so on. AfraidNancy gobbled up every negative morsel. Arg!

It took only two minutes of walking to decide to quit. BraveNancy offered up lots of options to keep going ... just walk it .... walk up the next hill and run back down... run for just a little while... do the distance and let Hannah wait. I studied the HUGE hill in front of me and chose a bowl of Pho noodle soup (sans noodles) instead. Double ARG!

HERE is the kicker... when I got home and mapped my route and calculated my pace I was actually doing well considering all factors. (Triple ARG!) There were construction stops, traffic lights, and mondo hills, and, as it turns out I still averaged 11:46 min miles! Not sure why 11:46 is acceptable, but 14 more seconds per mile is not, but I like the 11 in front instead of the 12.

My week total is 29.5.


A MasterMind's Plan:

On my long runs when my car is my aid station, I will learn to be happy to arrive at my car and motivated to leave it again. I will work on some dandy happy thought that makes this a reality.

I will remember my goal: FINISH a full marathon the same day I started.

I will LET GO of any and all finish time and pace expectations for the marathon.

I will leave my watch at home, at least for my long runs. This is a tuffy, I can do it.

I will remember that that God is in my corner on this goal as much as anything else! Today's proof: On a day when I feel I have failed, my pics from the Seattle Half come in. Perfect! Look at that! Here I am approaching the finishline - look how strong I am after 13.1 miles! I can do this!

DATE: 30-Nov-07
MILES: 6.55 miles
TIME: 1:16
PACE: 11:46
ROUTE: 228th in Bothell (check out the elevations!)
NUTRITION: 1/2 bfast cookie before, bottle of water.

Blessings!

Nan, the MasterMind Marathoner