Remedy for One Sore and Crazy Mother Runner

My first half of the year has left me not only disappointed, but bewildered at why I couldn't catch my breath and how I couldn't turn my feet over fast enough to break two hours. A 2:03 is still a a course record for me at The Florida Halfathon in Fort Desoto, and I did finish in the top 27% of my age group—but it just wasn't where I wanted to be. Was it the change from the negative degrees of Michigan's harsh winter to the 80s that got to me? Is the air that different? The prior day's runs in Florida all seemed slow even though my company was enjoyable.

New Hoka Conquest:
Still need to prove themselves to this Dorothy.

I  am inherently hard on myself and I struggle to find out what I have been doing or did wrong. I felt and looked 10 pounds heavier in photos. What is up with that?!! I wore the new Conquest Hoka shoes that I bought for races this year, but had only trained in them up to 8 miles at a time. My Conquests are racer red. Feeling the magic from the Wizard of Oz yet? Although they make me feel like Dorothy, my quads just wanted to me to click my heels three times and go home. I hate to say anything negative about Hoka, but these are not as cushioned as my Bondi Bs I have used for the past couple years. The outside of my quads had an unfamiliar ache by mile 4. It built the rest of the 13.1 miles. I was sore for a few days to follow. I have to take full responsibility for not further testing these shoes before I raced them. I will have to run some more in them to further check if it was just me or the shoes. 

Mental Remedy: Turn up the Volume

Back home to Michigan, this last week's pay back was 56 miles with three one hour 4 mile runs of hill repeats. I have never done three in a week before and usually only train with one session a week. But dam if these Positive Beat Downs don't make me feel stronger, dig deeper, run a little faster on the flats and most importantly—SEE just how strong I am. With the ice finally melted from my familiar slope, I took them outside and sliced through the first session with more to give. Amazing! That treadmill repeats this winter has paid off.

25 repeats = 4.2 miles = 1,248ft total ascent = 54 minutes

I am less apprehensive about injury and overuse now that the prior pain in my leg from Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome seems in control with the CherryFlex that I still take twice a day. For now I am going to keep up these hill drills and see what results. Easier race speed is what I am looking for with better breathing.

And Finally…I realize that this may sound like one Crazy Mother Runner thing to do, but it makes perfect sense to me and my goal list for 2014. I am running a Ultra Trail 50k this coming weekend. I just entered it two days ago! How do I train for a marathon coming up next month? Run a 31 miler and call it good long run.

I think I am trained up for it. It won't be a speed test. Just a sit back and enjoy the journey kind of race.  I am laughing right now, thinking of my pack I need to get together. I am just lucky/blessed to have a run buddy ready for the shenanigans and some gilled cheese sandwiches in the woods! It just may be Tutulicious if our race tutus make it here in time.