Nov 25, 2007

ten hills

this is how many hills i put into long run experiement #2. now, the long runs are not only an experiment in nutrition, but in the course as well. i need to get ready for this:

that's just the first 13.1. here's the second half:


there's a loop through a park with three big hills that i do all the time, so they are the most familiar and least painful. there is another hill that always remains a pain in the ass no matter how many times i go up it. and there are two hills that i avoid at all costs. one is just shit hard and long, and of course this is the one that coach advises is most like the hill at mile 22. and the other hill i ran by accident last summer & swore i'd never run again. that one is shit harder. and longer and steeper. and i put them both in the last 4 miles of todays' 15 mile run. this is now my new loop for the next 11 weeks. i'll add mileage in at other spots in the loop to ensure that those two shit hard hills remain in the last 4 miles of my run. every sunday.

nutritionally, despite the fact that i felt like i was packing for a day hike, today's run was fairly uneventful. it was a clementine day. i could bring this with me - didn't have to stash bananas at anyones' house. and i thought it might be fun to try something else too, so i brought a zippy bag full of bear naked granola. and i had some at mile 3 and 11. granola is hard to eat on the run out of a zippy bag with gloves on and some of it falls down your shirt and then you have granola in your boobs. and you are running and the granola is hard and this does not feel good. no more granola. but the clementine? that was dreamy. had it at mile 7. drank my heed and my water.which was easy. cause it was right there. on my ass. so handy.

there was no iamrunnerwomanhearmeroar this morning. it was more - just.get.this.run.done. at the top of maple road which sounds so lovely and benign, but kicked my sorry ass, i wanted the run to be over. and i walked. for a bit. but you get home faster if you actually run. i was only 3 miles from home, and it was perfect serendipity that the plan b theme song came on. --every plan b needs a good theme song.

so there it is. long run experiment #2. it was hard. i don't know if it was hard cause of the hills, or a food thing, or just cause i was tired. it was just hard. i couldn't have mapped a harder course if someone paid me to. but that's what i'll be doing for the next eleven sundays. i need to get used to it. i need to not want to die at the top of maple three miles from my house. although today dying would have been preferable. i wrote to coach and told him maybe one day he could just meet me at the top of maple road and shoot me.

now, to go start the refueling process. i will not start this week in a calorie deficit and have another shitty week of sluggish runs. scrambled eggs? oatmeal? what goes best with a nap?

9 comments:

RunToTheFinish said...

I'v started forcing myself to run some of the hills I often avoid as well and I think it makes me a little mentally tired before I run, but I know and can see already I'm better for it.

Good to know granola is not a runners best friend on the go.

Unknown said...

The hills kicked my behind today too! We decided to crash part of the Seattle Marathon, so we caught the last 4 miles of it, which includes a couple of hills. The last mile or so is downhill, then we had a couple of flat miles. But then we had to slog up a mile-long hill toward the end (14.5 miles total). I kept telling myself the hills will make me stronger, but I think my body would have preferred the couch!

Vickie said...

LOL! De ja vu! And my favorite quote? Its faster if you run than walk. How many times did I tell myself that? Even in the most horrid races, I had to use that logic to get me to the finish line. Just remember that one for whenever you may need it.

Frayed Laces said...

Oh, the dreaded granola boob chafing. Happens everytime. Good job on your run--it's great to hear how you're nutritionally getting better and better.

Anonymous said...

15 miles is a long run - 14 is my longest, ever, and I crashed and burned due to under hydration and improper fueling! And my course was as flat as a pancake - to throw those hills in the last 4 miles ... you are going to be one BAD MAMMA JAMMA in eleven Sundays, that's for sure!

Anonymous said...

ha! i walk one of the hills in the park. every time.

Laurel said...

Ugh, Bear Naked in the boobs on a run sounds awful! Talk about chafing!

Bob - BlogMYruns.com said...

Good Job Zanne, way to work those hills and FOCUS more on ur nutrition...

a good energy bar that has a fig newton texture ...so it's pretty easy to eat on the run and wash down with water is the ORGANIC FOOD BAR...also I love it on days as a meal replacement for afternoon after my nap :-)

You should find those bars at a local nutrition store to try one or two and see if u like it...Have a great week!

zanne said...

thanks bob ... will totally check it out!