Reflections on Week #7

The track at our local high school finally reopened!
And the mountain came out to celebrate with me.

Good week! Lots of miles compared to what I am used to, and in fact, we are nearing the limits of the distances I have run in the past (both continuously and weekly). Overall I am feeling great. My improved form has meant not only less physical discomfort but more enjoyment on my runs. The weather is gorgeous, my kids are in school again part-time, I'm only a few weeks away from my second vaccine dose... things seem to be on the up after many, many months of not.

That being said, I am definitely intimidated by the coming weeks. My second-ever half marathon is 7 days away, and as my first half was not the experience I had hoped it would be, I'm changing my mindset this time around. Last June when I ran the North Olympic Discovery Half Marathon, I had high expectations. While I did have a shin/calf injury, I was able to complete all my training and arrive prepared – or so I thought. I was ready to run a strong 13.1 miles, cross the finish line, and beam with pride at my hard-won accomplishment.

In a nutshell, the course was quite hilly and challenging, and while I did cross the finish line, I felt... let down. Not necessarily because of my finish time (2:22), although it would have been nice to be faster. I wasn't sure exactly why at the time, but those feelings of happiness, relief, and pride never came.

Following that race, I spent several months seeing specialists to heal the leg pain I was still feeling despite taking a complete break from running. I also learned about postrace letdown, which resonated very much with my experience.

I am approaching next week's Snohomish Women's Run half-marathon with a different mindset. Instead of anticipating my performance and how accomplished I'll feel when I finish, I am focusing on feeling strong and happy during the race, regardless of my pace. If it's not fun, why bother? I am also working on recognizing that persevering through the training itself is actually a greater accomplishment than what I do during one 2.5 hour race. And finally, I want to view this half marathon as a part of my ongoing journey as a runner, instead of as a final finish line.

Wish me luck!

Mileage for week 7: 24 miles

Total mileage: 129.5 miles

Days until marathon: 90 days