Sunday Run Day!

Sunday is my running clinic day!

In January I joined the Peninsula Runners TC10km Running Clinic at Cedar Hill Rec Center.  My first day i couldn't decide which group to join, "run fast" or "run strong".  The run fast group seems a little challenging, and the run strong group didn't seem quite challenging enough. I joined the run fast group, not sure what the heck I was thinking!!


I run with my clinic group on Sunday's, and we have 2 homework runs to complete throughout the week.  This group has really helped me stay motivated and do my homework runs. I'm terrified of not being able to keep up with the group!  

I use the Nike+GPS on my phone iPhone to time my runs and track my distance.  The nice thing is it saves all your info online. It creates maps, and keeps track of my fastest 1km, 5km, 10km, mile, longest run, and furthest run.  It also allows you to set personal goals which i find useful to stay motivated.
http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/nike+-gps/id387771637?mt=8 


Today's run was a TOUGH one.  Our plan was 60 minutes, 10 minute warm up, 45 minute tempo run, 5 minute cool down.  Our clinic leader is very ambitious and mapped out a 14km run for us! Yikes!  I asked him how he planned for us to run 14km in 60min and he basically said who cares about the 60min!!


Ordinarily I would be up for the challenge, I am learning to enjoy pushing myself, but for the past 2 weeks I have had this awful sinus cold.  I took 10 days off from running, and only got back to things last Wednesday.  My runs up until today have been a struggle.  Today was NO exception. 


Of course our clinic group leader throws a curve ball and says "Lets do a timed 1km and see how fast we can go" BAH! At about 6.5km we started our timed km.  I was already exhausted. I still picked up the pace a little and clocked a 4'33km, which happens to be my fastest km so far in a long run.  After that I barely made it the rest of the way home.  KM 11 was a slow gradual uphill climb, and I just could not find it within myself to keep running, i have to take 5-10 step walking breaks. NOT a good feeling at all.  I don't know about you, but I am very easily discouraged.  Not being able to keep my pace hurts me deep!!!


Despite the tough course, how awful I felt, and how much my legs felt like lead from the get go, and the fact that I wanted to sit down from the minute I started, I still managed to finish 13.8km, my farthest run yet.  I ran my fastest 10km - 56.27, my fastest 1km 4:33, and my longest run at 1hr 14 min.  Not a bad accomplishment for a Sunday morning!


My lesson for the day.... when you feel like rubbish, and run like rubbish, I am pretty sure you can find something positive about your run!!  And just keep in pushing....

Happy Running to you all....


JoJo!!