Stress

Daily Quote: "You will enjoy running more and get more benefit from it if you stay flexible about when, where and how fast you run. Make adjustments. Fine-tune. Be proactive. Be realistic." --Marc Bloom.

I'm losing my mojo for running, I don't look forward to my runs as they don't help relieve my stress or depression as it once had.  I've lost my joy.

I believe that the rigid and very challenging marathon training schedules in the book, "Runner's World, Run Less, Run Faster," are making me faster, but at the cost of my enjoyment.  If I don't enjoy the running, than what's the point?  I might be too unrealistic with my sub 3:30 marathon goal.

Another factor is dreaded treadmill, or what's known as the dreadmill...this summer Las Vegas has suffered the hottest temperatures on record and as usual I was forced on the dreadmill for the duration of the summer, but usually by now I'm on the roads, unfortunately Vegas is still too HOT!  I know my running would be more enjoyable if my Long Runs were on the roads.

Also, I work 12+ hours driving for Checker Cab Company, which is a very dangerous and stressful job in Las Vegas.  In fact, yesterday a huge charter bus backed into my cab severely damaging my front bumper.  Thankfully no injuries for either bus driver or me, and we both didn't have passengers.  It's difficult to squeeze in my marathon training with such a tight and long work schedule. 

Often in the morning I have to literally drag myself out of bed to run as I took a long time to unwind and relax after work before sleeping.  Last night due to the cab accident my sleep was fitful.  I need to find more time to rest as to benefit my running and make me more alert for work.

Today is my interval workout, which for me is the most difficult workout of the week (my other workouts are a tempo run and a long run).  Being an older runner I don't have the fast twitch muscles that a younger runner has, which is a major reason I'm a distance runner. As usual my workout is from the book, "Runner's World, Run Less, Run Faster," if you own the book I'm on the "Boston Marathon Qualifying Training Program For Men 45 To 49 (3:30)," Week 11, pg 229. I'm 58 years old and have already qualified for Boston twice in the past and don't plan on running Boston again soon, currently I'm striving for a personal record of 3:30, hence I'm training with this Men 45 to 49 (3:30) marathon training schedule.

My resting morning heart rate was 40 bpm, which is within my average range 38-41 bpm, nevertheless I still had to force myself to the gym as to keep myself accountable for my marathon training.  I only run three times a week now, and feel if I miss just one workout it'll be disastrous for my marathon goal.  I definitely have a perfection complex, which will be discussed a little tomorrow.

Precor Treadmill set at a negative -2% decline.
1 mile warmup at 10:00 minute mile.
2 x 1200m at 4:55 (2 min RI)
4 x 800m at 3:13 (2 min RI)
1 mile cooldown at 10:00 minute mile.

Average heart rate: 170 bpm.  Cardiac drift: 182 bpm.  (Note: my maximum heart rate is 188 bpm)  Surprisingly, I'm showing a little improvement in my cardiac drift, which last week's interval session was 185 bpm.

A very hard workout, almost couldn't finish that last 800m, really had to force myself mentally to finish as I had so many negative thoughts.  Normally I would feel some satisfaction from completing the tough plan as scheduled, but today just felt tired and depressed, which is definitely not a good sign.

UPDATE ON MY 27TH ANNUAL FOREST CHALLENGE REPORT:   Last Saturday I didn't have my finishing time nor placing in my race, I now have those figures.  My time in the challenging 11 miler was 2:22:20, good enough for 24th place overall, and 1st Place in my age division of 55-59 years old.  Oh yeah, being first place in my age division wasn't such a big feat, since I was the ONLY runner in my age division.  Also, only one photo was taken of me during the race, I was buried in the starting sprint and photo was blurred.  Still no update on my LVTC Competition Series ranking.