In that time I did have some running related fun. Me, coach (Wendy) and coach's husband (Tim) went to Houston together to watch the Olympic Trials. It was, in a word, a blast. I originally intended to run the half marathon (of the regular Houston Marathon, the day after the Olympic Trials)...all three of us did. For some reason it helped us justify the expense of the trip. But with my lack of training between November 7 and January 16, I decided I didn't want the pressure or stress. It was a good thing, in the end, because it allowed me to stay up late and party with Kara, my good-friend-turned-second-time-Olympian, along with some of her other friends and family (AND a couple of other Olympians...pretty cool for a geeky Track and Field fan like yours truly).
So now it's April and I am itching to get back at it. But the "it" I want right now isn't more marathon training. Blah. Blech, even. That just doesn't sound like much fun. I want to get in shape! That may seem funny...but I do not get in shape training for a marathon! Because I never find time for strength or core training with all of the miles I need to log. So while I gain endurance, I don't really get "in shape." As of late (at least when it comes to running) I have been craving two seemingly unconnected things: fast track running and technical trail running. That's what I want to do right now. So that is what I am going to do. Well...it's what we're going to do.
That's right. Coach is still on board despite my awkward new request to have her help train me to run faster races and challenging trails. The good thing about Wendy is that these two opposing desires make complete sense to her...and she is totally on board. So this spring/summer, I am going to run fast. Not like, old-school Sara Jane fast. My hamstrings simply don't allow that. No more 100-meter dashes in these legs. But I've never really raced something like a 5K before. And I want to do track workouts. Not to train for a particular race or distance - but simply because I want to do track workouts. I love the track. You might remember me taking a trip down memory lane last spring - when I first started training with Wendy - when she let me do a track workout. Or at least she let me do my workout on a track.
So I am going to do some workouts on the track, I am going to do some workouts on trails, I will still do lots of runs on the roads (albeit shorter ones)...and I will also add strength and core workouts. These are very important to me. Since I started marathon training in 2007 I feel I have completely lost any sense of strength and overall fitness. I just run lots of really slow miles. And it's what it took for this former sprinter to run marathons - and for me to ultimately drop 40 minutes between Marathon #1 and #6 - but for now, I am bored with that.
What's on tap? Well...I am running a 5K tomorrow. It should be fun. I am going to run it as fast as I can and see what happens. I am by no means in 5K shape (whatever that is), but that's OK. Most of the 5Ks I have run have been of the slow jogging, talking, charity-sponsored variety. Tomorrow I am just going to run as hard as I can and see what happens.
I've got a few more things on the horizon in the coming months...but I'll keep them in my pocket for now.
*****
Here are a couple of my favorite pics from the Olympic Trials:
The Finish Line! (The day before the Trials)
Me and Wendy the night before the Trials
Me, the Olympian, and my friend Kelly (her sister) the night AFTER the race - celebrating! (And reminiscing about the old days!)
You can check out more pics from the weekend here.
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