1 week to go, 6 loops of 5.4 miles and 3 arduous 4 mile runs.
This week was satisfying because it posed a good challenge and I still managed to work towards a taper by running less in each session. I did the 5.4 mile loop each day from Monday - Saturday and added in some 4 milers on Wednesday - Friday. Granted my longest training run in terms of distance was only 5.4 miles but the 4 mile run I did in my other 3 sessions was a harrowing experience each time.
The woods I had done my previous long training runs in have a hill that was used as a scrambling hill track for motorbikes in the 1920s. The hill is only 200m but at it’s steepest the gradient is 1:1.5 or 67%!
When I was training for the Beauty and the Beast marathon I got quite familiar with running up this and could stay on my feet all the way up. The most laps I did on a long training run was 12 but I decided to try 6 on my first attempt since it had been a while.
I think I had underestimated this based on how many laps I had managed to do previously. There is a good quote I like to remember when I expect things to be easier than they end up being.
“What makes earth feel like hell is our expectation that it should feel like heaven”-Chuck Palahnuik
It was this sort of faux-entitlement which led to me struggling. It was almost as if I thought the hill would be easier because I’d previously ran hilly marathons and a 35 mile ultra . The first 6 laps of this route on Wednesday I was crawling up the last 40m or so and couldn’t comprehend how I possibly managed to stay upright so easily before.
One of the reasons I think I took to long distance running is I am very good at being stubborn and it is a sport which rewards this personality trait. It was solely because of this I did the same 6 laps the next day. Luckily for me I managed to keep my hands clean for the duration of the last 2 laps. I may crawl when I have to, but it is no-ones idea of plan A!
I got up the hill 6 times again on Friday and was not even close to having to crawl for any of it. My HR was disgustingly low by the time I reached the top on my 2nd lap (96bpm). This is a brilliant illustration of how a change in expectations can alter the outcome. Once I had crawled up the first couple of times, it became de rigueur and I stumbled at around the same point each time. Conversely once I had worked out how to keep from needing to crawl, I was completing laps without concentrating on staying on my feet.
The pace of my 5.4 mile loops was diminished considerably by the extra efforts in the woods but I think this will serve me well for next week as my legs will be more acclimatised to persevering once the pace drops. I had another woman advise me near the end of my run on Friday morning to get my legs up at 5.35am while being driven in the opposite direction in a white van. Following the theme of “12 weeks to go…” I beamed a big smile and thought she must be a “side piece” fleeing before the driver’s partner returned home!
Other than that, the 5.4 mile loops were uneventful. My mind was free to wander and they were nowhere near as draining as the runs in the woods.
Possibly the most beneficial aspect of my running this week was the “bounce-back-ability” I showed once my illusion of being capable of flying up a hill I’d avoided for the best part of 36 months was shattered. Instead of coming up with an excuse and getting the rest of my miles in on the roads, I put myself back in position to correct it less than 24 hours later.
Even though this week was genuinely the closest I’ve come to doubting my ability during my preparation for this race, I’m happy this happened this week and not when I’m half way up Skiddaw. At least now I know if it does, I can bounce back from it and carry on regardless.