3 days to go

This morning the organizers of Leiden Marathon sent us a reminder that our race is to start in 3 days. As if I did not know! I have trouble in falling asleep for days already, my metabolism has gone crazy, my legs feel heavy (after 5 km of running yesterday evening I had to stop!), my breath is shallow, both knees aching now, not to mention my mind and the voices in my head that keep telling me that there is no way to manage a 20+ km run! What is going on?

I guess it is the pre-race stress and I keep calming myself down that everybody feels it one way or another and that it is a good thing as it helps me to get focused. Or am I just fooling myself? Let’s not forget I was not making any proper long runs in the last month, my body has probably already forgotten my first (and last) 17km training run…

Nevertheless, on Sunday morning, I am predetermined to be out there and fight everything that comes across my path (myself to start with). My first priority is to finish the race. If things go well I would be very happy with any time under 2:30.

P.S. No explanation for this move – but I did register V and me for the 10 km Mattoni Grand Prix in Prague on September 8.

Chasing my tail

Three months ago I was happy to run the distance to the small harbour in the neighborhood and back – all together a bit more than 10 km. Tonight I wanted to run there again – nice evening long run, no stress, just me and the road.

As V. decided to go swimming, I laced up my shoes and hit the road straight away. For some reason, I started to check my watch almost every km – or what I thought was a km. The thing is, I don’t have one of those Forerunners at my wrist as I don’t need a beep to remind me how slow my pace is. Not just yet. When it comes to running, I am still very much at the beginning of the journey. I don’t want to know the times – or do I?

Before I knew it, I started racing… with myself! Along the road, there were several points I recognised and remembered (windmill, waterway marker, bike path crossing, harbour entrance etc). As I was passing them by, I tried to memorize the lap times to be able to compare them with the lap times on my way back. Then I started thinking what was the time I reached when running that very same track for the first time, in January? I completely lost myself in my calculations. I did not listen to my music and what was worse: I did not listen to myself.

And before I knew it, without remembering anything about my run, I was back at home clocking my fastest 10K. But did it make me any happier?

Janathon Day 24

Me: “How comes you missed me? I am wearing a bright orange jacket and I was waiting exactly on the spot I told you I would be.”

My big brother: “You’ve lost 100 kg since I last saw you so I just did not recognise you.”

Even though I’ve only lost 24 kg, this was the most motivating remark in many years.

Back to Janathon: 7 km on the treadmill today. I am sure, my dear readers, that you will allow me and V. to share a pizza tonight.

Janathon Day 16

Mid January, mid Janathon. Can’t resist posting this one:

Which is actually NOT how I feel about my Janathon physical activities as I went running again tonight (yes, dear reader – after my loooong run yesterday I was out there again and the light blue shirt got all wet and sweaty and will see the inside of our washing machine for the 16th day in a row. Well – sort of. As I have other T-shirts ready to jump in :-).

Numbers for today:

Sweaty light blue T-shirts: 1

Tired legs: 2

Lazy dogs at home: 1

Kilometers ran: 5

Janathon Day 9

“A treadmill is an exercise machine for running or walking while staying in one place,” Wikipedia says. And that is exactly what I hate about it. You sweat and hurt and make weird noises while remaining on one spot. Yes, I know how important treadmill is, especially for me, a slow runner who cannot keep her pace. But still – until yesterday I never made it further than to 30 minutes of running in the gym.

So when 2 hours ago V. stood on the machine next to me with the expression of the power woman on her face telling me she would run at least 5 km, I had two choices: go spinning/elliptical training, or pick up the glove. 45 minutes and 6.2 km later I was done with today’s Janathon session.