As race day is closing in on me I get to experience all kinds of feelings. For starters I am nervous and several thoughts bug me throughout the day. Will I make it? Can I do this? Wow is this really happening? I even dreamed I miscalculated my own time and ended up in the car we Dutchies call 'Bezemwagen', which I think would translate as some kind of Zamboni ..it isn't though. But as the duration of my runs is growing, so is my confidence. Today I ran a 13 km run. I never ran that far before and I felt good, like I could keep going and this is exactly what I would like to feel next sunday. I want to enjoy myself, I want to feel good about this race and I want to finish it. Curious how I actually did and where I ran? well why don't you take a look?
Can I do this? I believe I can. After all these months of training, injuries, recoveries, running throughout the summer in extreme heats and right now facing the challenges of heavy rain showers and wind I have learned a few things. I have learned that your body responds to the way you treat it and it either rewards you with a great run or it punishes you by making you struggle. So treat your body well and it will return the favor. Treat it like trash and it will respond accordingly. I have learned to listen to my body and to take it easy when it is asking me to do so and to pick up the pace when it will allow me to. I can distinguish real pain from little pains and aches, I have learned to keep going and to let go at the same time. I have learned to relax while I'm running and I have learned that being fast is not always the key to succes. I value these lessons and I feel truely blessed that I got to experience the 'ALL' of training for a 10 mile run. But I am not done. After next week's 10 mile run at the dam-tot-damloop 2013 I will keep on training for the half marathon in Amsterdam. Right now I can't imagine I will ever be able to run the distance, but I never thought I would be able to run a 13km run either and today I did. So I'm just going to stick with my running schedule and I am sure I will get there.
In this last week I do have some small things I need to figure out. There is this eating thing for instance. Even though I did manage to get my regular food at a 100% healthy DRI, I did experience hunger at my run last Thursday. I ran home from work, which is an 11km run, but at km 8 I started to get really hungry and that didn't feel right. I read an article in last Runner's World issue that suggested to take wine gums with me. I tried that today but it is sincerely hard to chew on them while running because everything gets sticky and nasty and swallowing them is nearly impossible. I managed to eat two at km 5 and another 2 at km 10 and it did work but the trouble I had to go through...too much of a hassle. So I do have to make a stop at Perry Sport and get some gels. I have next Thursday's run to test how I respond to those gels. Apart from the food thing there is also the fuel belt battle. I got one from a collegue and it is a very nice fuel belt by RedEx BUT...when I fill up all 8 small bottles...the darn thing just will not stick to my hips but it ends op sliding down over my ass and falls on the floor. So that's no good. I need a fuel belt that is not made from an elastic band with velcro to tie it around your waist. And finally there is this silly but non the less kind of important question on what to wear? Here's the thing: I will NOT (repeat NOT) run in shorts. I will run in a functional T and long tights. So just for the occasion I decided to get silly and get me some colored tights I am sure are not standard.
Yep they're a bit crazy but than again...I am going to run half a marathon in a few weeks. I think it is safe to say that these crazy tights fit my crazy ass.Is there anything else I need to do? Yes! Stay fit and healthy and motivate you guys!! Why? Because ZZF (zeldzame ziekten fonds)still needs sponsors and so I turn to you. If you can spare but only one euro per mile it would help a lot. Seriously. There are a few rare diseases children under the age of 5 suffer from and most of them do not live to tell the story. I think that is unacceptable! So if you enjoy my stories and you believe children have a right to live a long and healthy life than sponsor me RIGHT HERE and believe me every eurocent does count. Thank you!
Until we read again, as always LOVE MARLIES,
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