Hanging On

Literally and Figuratively

Hanging on at track
Last night was the Tues track practice. 12x200. Sounds easy. Much better than the 12x400 from 2 weeks ago. Well, they used to be better when I had more speed and strength! The dilemma...go with the 1st group (faster intervals+ less recovery) or hang with the second group. I have no business being with the first group right now. I am just not there physically. But, I remembered something that Ben Knoerschild (fabulous runner) told me a long time ago. He was not a fast runner, but he just decided one practice after many cross country practices to try to run with the first group- and the rest was history. So, at the last second I jump on with the 1st group and go! And, it is hard. My legs have no speed, no strength.

I just hang on the back. The very back...but I hang on.

At the 6th interval, Coach Paul asked me how I was doing, and I replied "getting in shape hurts. I am on the back, but I am still barely making the interval...should I drop to the second group?" He said no, stay with the first until my times drop off. My breathing was so hard- I was pulling my sports bra off of my chest after every interval because I couldn't get enough expansion in my chest. Like I said before, getting in shape really does hurt. Well, I made all 12. On the very, very back, mind you, and not fast. But, mentally I think the back of the 1st group was better for me than the front of the 2nd group.

Hanging on at swim
I show up to swim this morning (my legs still somewhere on the track) and Coach Rob puts me in Andrew's lane. Ummm, no thanks, I said. He is way too fast, and he is. Can I get in another lane? No, get in with Andrew. Great. And, Andrew is probably 5 minutes faster than me per mile- on his easy day...I really have no business being with him.

But I try to hang on, again.

I draft and I push myself. I hang on for some of the pull sets, all of the the fin sets....and only 1 of the swim sets. I lost my arms somewhere after that 400 pull when I tried to keep up, and it was downhill after that. (My arms and legs are somewhere together- hopefully resting right now). Yes, I have no business at all being in that lane. But, I did try to challenge myself and hang on.

Thank goodness I had an hour and a half ride right after that swim with 25 hill repeats. My morning just would not have been complete without it! I did make the best of it by enjoying the most gorgeous morning at Shelby Forest. For those of you that do not know Shelby Forest, it is a hidden gem...full of hills, trails, and wildlife. And, just when I was disappointed that I didn't see a single animal, a wild turkey ran in front of me! Yippeee!!!!

The only thing I am not holding on to today is where I was yesterday, and last year, and 5 years ago. It does not matter what my fitness was in the past; it only matters where it is now and where I want to be. So, I am going to keep moving forward to stop moving backward!