Two more
Posted by Kurt Philion on Saturday, June 11, 2011
In less than a week I'll be taking part in two more races for this year. This will be run event five and six for Freedom Runs - as I've completed two 5K's, the first of four halfs & a 25 mile stint that consisted of 84 'down & backs' along with 80 laps (20 miles) on the track in Waubun in line with the Mahnomen County Relay for Life. That should be the only event that isn't an actual race that I'll be taking part in this year. At some points, even that turned into a race just to get done in time, finishing fifteen minutes before the time I was allowed.
This week I'll be taking part in a 5K and the second of 4:13 schedule. Both will be on the eastern edges of a couple states, first in Hillsboro, ND on Thursday evening at 7:00pm then less than 36 hours after that run, I'll be taking part in the Gary Bjorkland Half Marathon, part of the Grandma's Marathon festivities in Duluth, MN.
So far this year, I'm three for three in PR's. I ran a 24:02 in West Fargo to start off the year with that 5K, the next day in a hillier and windier Eagan, MN Tribute to the Troops 5K, I finished four seconds under that, with a 23:58. My goal this year was accomplished for a 5K which was to finish one in 24 minutes. That's a little under an eight minute mile for 3.1 miles. I was very satisfied with both 5K finishes this year, just a little disappointed I didn't get the 24 minutes I set out to in that first one and only missing by two seconds but none the less, beat my previous 5K from last year that day by almost a minute.
At the Fargo Marathon I also set a personal record finishing the half just over two hours, at 2:00:45. My goal was to get under two hours, but again, very satisfied shattering my previous best by almost six minutes.
Before I never made it a big deal of finishing in a particular time. This year has been a bit different. I've realized the more I lay out in terms of goals, not only state them to myself and others by words but also writing them down and checking them off when they're completed, it makes that task so much easier to view for the future. I have now told several and will type it out in this blog that I will set two PR's again this coming week at both events. I need to beat 23:58 for a 5K (my new goal: 23 minutes) and break 2:00:45 in Duluth at the half marathon. My goal is still the two hour barrier. I felt that I was on good pace to get that in Fargo, but that's the way it goes. It still felt good knowing the previous time was left way in the dust.
Along with the setting goals, talking about them and laying them out in front of me to see...the real work has been done without speaking words. They're done on a treadmill, elliptical machine, with kettle bells, med balls, dumb bells, jump ropes, boxing gloves, dedicated trainers, mental toughness to work through the pain and gain the strength needed not only physically but mentally, to endure the long runs that will be finished. I thought about this while driving the other day: With all of the training time dedicated towards a run or several runs throughout the year, whatever you set out to do personally, it gets you prepared for only a couple hours of an event. Countless hours of sweating, moving and strengthening your muscles to get them ready to go. But the longer I thought about it, the more I thought that this doesn't just help with one race that lasts for what seems to be an eternity for some and others it seems to sail right on by...but you gain an energy you can't really explain without doing it yourself. Focus, energy for daily activities, drive to keep going with any situation you're part of and yes, it helps with your sleeping so your body will get the rest it needs to keep on keeping on. A workout in the morning is like starting the car and letting it run for 15 minutes on a day the temperature starts out twenty below zero. It circulates the blood (or in a car's case, the fluids such as oil) necessasary to help get oxygen to every part of your body, in essence, giving your muscles the ability to work at better if not full capacity. I don't always work out in the morning, in fact rarely do I work out in the morning. I do so whenever I'm able to with my schedule.
With the incorporation of some new cross training this year and one other transition that I feel has been one of the most beneficial, changing from "regular running shoes" to the Vibrams. They make it feel as though you're walking barefoot. Usually people are fearing for my safety when they ask about them, but they've helped to strengthen my toes, feet, ankles, calves, thighs & hamstrings so they're not as sore after workouts, regardless of what kind of shoe I use. I've gotten so used to them, that I decided it's time to try them out for my first half marathon in a little black sole with some nylon covering the feet, keeping these "toe shoes" attached with one single velcroe strap. Do they really work? They do for me. I can take the harrassment, jokes and stares with no problems. Just recently I had a kid come up to me and tell me "Those are the ugliest looking shoes I've ever seen!" It's an opinion, and maybe a pretty good observation, but ugly or not, they do the trick. Oh yeah, he also added "Aren't you embarrassed to wear those things??" I'd wear high heels if they improved my 5K time by almost two minutes in a year and my best half marathon by almost six minutes after a year.
I've got the mind set that I will set two more personal records on the course in Hillsboro, ND Thursday June 16th (5K) & the course in Duluth, MN during the Bjorkland Half Saturday June 18th. 7:00pm start Thursday night, 6:30am start in Duluth on Saturday. If you're at either event, be watching for the red, white & blue. In Duluth, there will also be a flag carried in the Grandma's Full Marathon by my friend Jean. We'll have both races covered there!
Trainer hard, train smart and most of all, have fun when you're out preparing to break your personal best this season!
This week I'll be taking part in a 5K and the second of 4:13 schedule. Both will be on the eastern edges of a couple states, first in Hillsboro, ND on Thursday evening at 7:00pm then less than 36 hours after that run, I'll be taking part in the Gary Bjorkland Half Marathon, part of the Grandma's Marathon festivities in Duluth, MN.
So far this year, I'm three for three in PR's. I ran a 24:02 in West Fargo to start off the year with that 5K, the next day in a hillier and windier Eagan, MN Tribute to the Troops 5K, I finished four seconds under that, with a 23:58. My goal this year was accomplished for a 5K which was to finish one in 24 minutes. That's a little under an eight minute mile for 3.1 miles. I was very satisfied with both 5K finishes this year, just a little disappointed I didn't get the 24 minutes I set out to in that first one and only missing by two seconds but none the less, beat my previous 5K from last year that day by almost a minute.
At the Fargo Marathon I also set a personal record finishing the half just over two hours, at 2:00:45. My goal was to get under two hours, but again, very satisfied shattering my previous best by almost six minutes.
Before I never made it a big deal of finishing in a particular time. This year has been a bit different. I've realized the more I lay out in terms of goals, not only state them to myself and others by words but also writing them down and checking them off when they're completed, it makes that task so much easier to view for the future. I have now told several and will type it out in this blog that I will set two PR's again this coming week at both events. I need to beat 23:58 for a 5K (my new goal: 23 minutes) and break 2:00:45 in Duluth at the half marathon. My goal is still the two hour barrier. I felt that I was on good pace to get that in Fargo, but that's the way it goes. It still felt good knowing the previous time was left way in the dust.
Along with the setting goals, talking about them and laying them out in front of me to see...the real work has been done without speaking words. They're done on a treadmill, elliptical machine, with kettle bells, med balls, dumb bells, jump ropes, boxing gloves, dedicated trainers, mental toughness to work through the pain and gain the strength needed not only physically but mentally, to endure the long runs that will be finished. I thought about this while driving the other day: With all of the training time dedicated towards a run or several runs throughout the year, whatever you set out to do personally, it gets you prepared for only a couple hours of an event. Countless hours of sweating, moving and strengthening your muscles to get them ready to go. But the longer I thought about it, the more I thought that this doesn't just help with one race that lasts for what seems to be an eternity for some and others it seems to sail right on by...but you gain an energy you can't really explain without doing it yourself. Focus, energy for daily activities, drive to keep going with any situation you're part of and yes, it helps with your sleeping so your body will get the rest it needs to keep on keeping on. A workout in the morning is like starting the car and letting it run for 15 minutes on a day the temperature starts out twenty below zero. It circulates the blood (or in a car's case, the fluids such as oil) necessasary to help get oxygen to every part of your body, in essence, giving your muscles the ability to work at better if not full capacity. I don't always work out in the morning, in fact rarely do I work out in the morning. I do so whenever I'm able to with my schedule.
With the incorporation of some new cross training this year and one other transition that I feel has been one of the most beneficial, changing from "regular running shoes" to the Vibrams. They make it feel as though you're walking barefoot. Usually people are fearing for my safety when they ask about them, but they've helped to strengthen my toes, feet, ankles, calves, thighs & hamstrings so they're not as sore after workouts, regardless of what kind of shoe I use. I've gotten so used to them, that I decided it's time to try them out for my first half marathon in a little black sole with some nylon covering the feet, keeping these "toe shoes" attached with one single velcroe strap. Do they really work? They do for me. I can take the harrassment, jokes and stares with no problems. Just recently I had a kid come up to me and tell me "Those are the ugliest looking shoes I've ever seen!" It's an opinion, and maybe a pretty good observation, but ugly or not, they do the trick. Oh yeah, he also added "Aren't you embarrassed to wear those things??" I'd wear high heels if they improved my 5K time by almost two minutes in a year and my best half marathon by almost six minutes after a year.
I've got the mind set that I will set two more personal records on the course in Hillsboro, ND Thursday June 16th (5K) & the course in Duluth, MN during the Bjorkland Half Saturday June 18th. 7:00pm start Thursday night, 6:30am start in Duluth on Saturday. If you're at either event, be watching for the red, white & blue. In Duluth, there will also be a flag carried in the Grandma's Full Marathon by my friend Jean. We'll have both races covered there!
Trainer hard, train smart and most of all, have fun when you're out preparing to break your personal best this season!
