Blog Archives
Badass Long Run
Feelings at the end of an exceptionally grueling workout range from:
- Exhausted
- Hungry
- Defeated
- Satisfied
- Proud
- Ecstatic
- BADASS
To reach Badass status, you have to complete conquer a workout that initially scares you and/or finish feeling like you are stronger than you’ve ever been. *Not to be confused with extreme cockiness. If you find yourself checking yourself out in the mirrors at the gym, you have gone too far. ;)
Most days I feel a combo of Satisfied and Hungry. Last weekend’s 14-miler crept into Ecstatic territory. Yesterday, finishing 16 miles in under 2 hours was most assuredly an “I feel like such a badass!” moment. A sweaty badass. (And Eminem wasn’t even involved!)
Long runs are the pinnacle of endurance training, and I truly look forward to my double-digit outtings. But I think it’s only natural to feel a little daunted heading into the longest run in years. 16 miles is the most I have run at one time since the summer before my senior year in high school (I am now a junior in college) when I had my high school boys team and coach with me to talk and joke around with.
Typically long runs are on Sundays. This week I knew that the 16-miler would be in the back of my mind all day Saturday. I wanted to tackle it and have the rest of my weekend to relax! So I enlisted my parents to hop on their bikes and keep me company for the nearly-two hour run as soon as we woke up yesterday morning.
Side note! I envy girls who can run with a flawless ponytail. My hair is naturally curly and fine, and 60+ minutes of swinging back and forth in a ponytail turns my hair into a giant knot. My mom is convinced we have to cut it out every time, but fortunately I have a bit more patience and spend 10 minutes combing it out after my shower. Well I have finally found a cure! French braid & baseball hat = tangle-free. :)
About half way in, my pace was steady and I really believe that positive thoughts are absolutely necessary. Long runs are just as mental as they are physical, because at some point boredom tells your brain that you want to stop. YOU CAN KEEP GOING! I didn’t hit the “bored” point until mile 12, so I pulled out my ipod and let Bruno Mars/Hunter Hayes/Gavin DeGraw push me for the last quarter. And never NEVER let the thought “I don’t know if I can do this” pop into your mind. It’s poison. It’s a lie. It creates doubt and doubt is a primary cause of failure. This is what I tell myself at the beginning of long runs:
I didn’t look at my pace until I finished all 16.1 miles. Discovering I had finished well-under my 2-hour goal time set me into badass bliss and I’ll admit I was pretty proud on my cooldown. Without being a science person, I do know that endorphins are involved in physical activity. I think I have an EXTRA release of the feel-good brain chemicals when I run further! There was an article in my Women’s Health magazine that said “Cardio is like cilantro; you either love it or hate it.” I’m not sure I agree. I like cilantro in small doses in my salsa or certain dishes but too much is overpowering. There can be an ‘in-between’ for cardio too if you’re not as enthusiastic about 110 minute sweat sessions as others. So no matter what your distance/time/efforts, if you have conquered a goal you absolutely deserve to feel PROUD of yourself.
In the past week, I have run 80 miles. (The most ever in 7 consecutive days!) I originally planned to take advantage of the less-crowded-than-usual gym for an afternoon in the weight room after I hit “publish” on this post, but I think the mileage is catching up to me and I could fall asleep as I type. I think I will print out a couple of my at-home-workouts from Pinterest, grab a couple of my sets of weights and do a home version in the comfort of my room. :)
What workout makes you feel like a badass?
“If you can dodge a wrench…”
Recently, our training schedule has moved Sunday Long Runs to Saturday mornings, and I’m not sure how my legs feel about it. Fridays are usually hard track workouts, and a 12-14 mile long run within 24 hours is a little rough. This morning I knew I’d need a little something extra to get through.
Half way in, my running buddy and I both took our gel packs for some extra carbohydrate & caffeine energy. Personally, wasn’t a fan of the Power Bar Energy Gel and I couldn’t finish the whole thing. Tooooooooo sweet! I would much rather have something less sugary tasting. However we did manage to get through a windy, hilly 12 miles in 1 hour and 36 minutes, 8:00/mile so it must have done the trick.
After the out-and-back run along a gorgeous winding road, a few of my cross country teammates and I got ready for the “Jocks vs. Joes Dodgeball Tournament,” an annual event put on by our Student Athlete Committee. Teams show up in costumes, though not as snazzy as the ones from the Dodgeball movie.
I’m not sure who created the bracket but we were seriously at a disadvantage when the first round put us up against 5 football players. Even our sprinting skills couldn’t help us. Needless to say, we did not advance to the final bracket. 
There’s always next year!
Have you tried any energy products during long runs? Reviews?
Going Long – 5 Reasons to Add a Weekly Long Run
The weekly long run is the perfect end-cap to a week of training. Almost every running program will include one day a week with some extra mileage, whether you’re training for a 5k or a marathon. With good reason! The long run does more than just burn a few hundred more calories.
Yesterday my dad rode his bike next to me along the running path for my morning long run, all 14 miles. It couldn’t have been more beautiful out!
I love my Garmin!
The out-and-back route took just under an hour and 45 minutes, or 7:30 per mile. Although the distance can vary from person to person, a good estimate of how far your long run should be is 20% of your weekly mileage. This week I ran 70 miles, therefore my long run is 14 miles. A 60-mile week would include a 12-mile long run. A 35-mile week = 7-mile long run.
5 Reasons you should go long:
1.) Most obviously, long runs increase endurance. If you run 4-5 miles daily, you could hit a plateau. Increase the mileage on your weekend run and watch your mid-week runs feel easier!
2.) Long runs teach your body to maximize efficiency and use fat for energy. Initially, your body uses its carbohydrate/glycogen stores for energy. As you run longer and burn up your glycogen, your body has to turn to fat for energy. With each long run, your effort should feel easier and easier.
3.) Long runs can be the most peaceful! Worst thing you can do is go into the run with an attitude of just “wanting to get it over with.” Every minute will seem like eternity. If you know you are heading out for a 75 minute run, be mentally prepared and positive. Yesterday, I was so excited for my long run, because I hadn’t been able to run a straight 14 miles at all at school, due to weather and lack of trails and boredom on the treadmill. When my dad and I headed out into the sunshine, I was looking forward to getting some quality miles in and made sure to enjoy the run. If you’ve never experienced the “Runner’s High,” go out for a long run. You’ll have a sense of pride in what you can accomplish!
4.) Long Runs don’t stress pace. You should feel comfortable the whole time, and if you have enough energy left, you can pick it up at the end. But you should never feel like you are straining or struggling on your long runs.
5.) Post-Run Brunch. Need I say more? Your carbohydrates have been depleted and need replenishing. Your metabolism is revved. You have most-assuredly earned a hearty brunch (that is NOT to say you’ve earned donuts or cinnamon rolls, your body deserves better than that!) But a fresh batch of whole wheat banana pecan pancakes?
I can go for that! Thanks Mom! :) (My dad accompanies me on my run while my mom stays back and cooks us breakfast….lucky girl!)
I was oh-so-proud of my little Missy at the breakfast table yesterday; she takes after ME:
Coffee love runs in the family ;)
The traditional ‘Day of Rest’ is also good for getting in quality exercise! The most important thing is to ease into long runs though, adding about 1 mile per week so you don’t over-do it your first time out. Enjoy your Sunday!
