Baltimore Marathon Training Week 16

Monday: 6 Miles  (46:43)

With two weeks out until Baltimore, I wanted to spend this week focusing on running consecutive negative splits and pushing the tempo as much as possible. At this point, my base is built to the best of my ability, my speed however, still has to be improved and I am still trying to find my "sweet spot" for non-race day running. Reflecting back over today's run, I am pleased with the outcome, but it came at a cost. My stubbornness can at times be a blessing and a curse, today’s run was an example of that. While the run was invigorating, it caused other things to happen that weren’t necessary after reflecting over everything. Sometimes, I need to get out of my own way and let things go, rather than dwelling and while they helped me run at a much quicker pace, the end result wasn't what I was striving for.   

Quote of the Day:

“No matter the situation, never let your emotions overpower your intelligence.”  

Tuesday: 6 Miles  (43:58)

After pushing the tempo yesterday, my goal was to start out fast and continue to push the envelope to see what I could achieve. Having ran the last two miles yesterday under a 7:30 pace, I was determined to see if I could return to that and stay under that pace for the duration of my run. Fortunately, I was able to hit 5 of my 6 miles under that pace as well as run negative splits. Though I still had another .2 miles to go, I crushed my 10k PR by more than 2 minutes, proving that I have increased my speed and that my base building and tempo running is paying off. I am excited after Baltimore to run other race distances to see if I can improve my PR’s as I can focus more on speed work and hopefully run a race well enough to place within my age, which I am finding is hard to do.

Quote of the Day:

“You are confined only by the walls you build yourself.”

Wednesday: 3.1 Miles (24:27)

Before leaving for the Outdoor Leadership Experience Potosi, MO, I was adamant about getting a run in to continue my days of consecutive running streak. While running around my neighborhood is less than thrilling, I was faced with little time to get my run in and refused to make an excuse for not completing it. Though I was able to keep my negative splits, I didn't really put much thought into my run. At times, like today, I just sync into auto pilot and spend more time in my thoughts rather than my pacing, with packing and go through my mental checklist, it was probably beneficial to spend today thinking, rather than focusing on pacing. I am pleased to see that I am running more shorter distances at a faster pace than I did in the first few weeks of training.

Quote of the Day:

“Commitment means staying loyal to what you said you were going to do long after the mood you said it in has left you.”  

Thursday: 3 Miles (26:10)

With another negative split day in the books, I can say this was by far my most enjoyable run of the week, simply because of the scenery. After the first day of OLE I had several things to think about and reflect upon as I ran. There is something to be said about such a tranquil place such as Camp Lakewood. It has brought out a calmness within but also plenty of opportunities to be reflective of my practice and life, which aren’t necessarily calm at this time. I am excited to see what the next several days hold and hope to continue to be reflective and get something out of this experience, I know the view alone has brought about a level of peace that I desperately needed.

Quote of the Day:

“Stop letting people who do so little for you control so much of your mind, feelings, and emotions.”   

Friday: 3 Miles (26:00)

A fifth consecutive day of successfully running negative splits, though today was less than peaceful. The problem with my thinking can at times be a surplus of time to think, for thoughts to connect, emotions to spiral and in an instance a flood of thoughts instantly brought to the forefront that can change my attitude instantly. Today, I allowed my thoughts to control me and they altered my state of being and before I realized it, the peaceful environment around me was irrelevant and the rage that filled my mind eliminated any thoughts I had of peace and positive self reflection. Running has taught me a lot, but it still hasn’t allowed me to eliminate all of the negative thoughts that still swirl in my mind. Does this ever go away, or this just simply apart of life?

 

Quote of the Day:

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”  

Saturday: 3 Miles (24:42)

With another negative split day in the books, I am relieved that at least ⅔ of my runs here allowed me to dig deep into self reflection and think about ways that I could take the information gained this weekend back home and continue to work on improving my leadership abilities. Overall, I spent 3 days in an environment that challenged my thinking, made me reflective on personal and professional self, and connected me with amazing leaders that ultimately became friends. This journey couldn’t have come at a better time and though it exposed some of my own flaws that still exist, I needed to address them and I needed to have this environment to tackle them head on rather than avoid them. I know that in the end, I will be a better person in both facets of my life because of this experience.  

Quote of the Day:

“Running has given me many things but there greatest gift has been the people that it’s brought into my life.”

Sunday: 10 Miles (1:30:39)

While I didn’t run negative splits, I enjoyed running with Robert and Ashley this morning. On the eve of my taper week, I enjoyed slowing up the pace and simply being in the moment with both of them. I reflected this morning over the connections I have made along this journey and I am thankful that this led me to so many great things that have happened in my life. I have established friendships with people and built them upon a foundation that has common goals, perspectives, and respect for what the other does. I am blessed to have made developed these friendships, and thankfully even created deep friendships with some that are now so close to me in my life. We are a group that pushes each other, encouraging each other and supporting each other along the way, selfless, pure friendships.

Quote of the Day:

“A person’s mind is so powerful.  It can invent, create, experience, and destroy things with thoughts alone.

Final Thoughts:

Next week, I will be reflecting over the Baltimore Marathon. With 580 miles in the rearview mirror, it is bittersweet but also nerve racking knowing that I will breaking 600 miles during the marathon next weekend. Refusing to think negatively about what might be, I am reminded of quote that I have read weekly and continue to feel the affects it has on my life day. Here it is:

“There is something magical about running; after a certain distance, it transcends the body. Then a bit further, it transcends the mind. A bit further yet, and what you have before you, laid bare, is the soul.”

My body has changed in this process, hell, it had too, both positive and negative, The constant pains and at times fatigue though make me appreciate this journey, before, it would have resulted in me gracefully bowing out of such a challenge. But now, I have embraced these feelings as I know the end result far exceeds the feelings that I have.  

My perspective, my mind, has shifted in perspective due in large part my training. At times however, the past can rear its ugly face, by my mental threshold has increased exponentially and I can almost always move past the spiraling thoughts. My tolerance for pain has become a mindset, my tolerance for outside influences has shifted and my overall state of being has been changed through this process. You might say, running saved me, from myself.

My soul… The spiritual aspect in all of this has been the most transformational. I no longer spend my days, well most days, worrying about things that are out of my control. I am the captain of my soul, no one has taken that control and no one ever will. At some points in my journey, the moments of weakness, I clinged to things to help me get through. But as each week has passed, I have remained focused on the fact that I and i alone control my destiny and what I do daily and what I will become from this is me and only me. I can’t put my faith in things or people, they will all let me down. I can however, put my faith in something stronger and know that each day I am striving to get there and no one is responsible for that, except myself. It’s liberating and empowering and ultimately, I am giving myself that power, no one else.