I have been 12:15/mile girl, and I have been 15:50/mile girl. I have perfected the Imma Punchya face and use it interchangeably with the Imma Cry face.
I am training for a half marathon - I even picked one out - the Rock N Roll Half in San Antonio on November 14, 2010. Now I have a solid timeline and goal. I just need to be faster.
Sooo - I chose to sign up for a USA Fit Training program at the local running store (Fit 2 Run). I chose to do the 5K/10K/Go Faster group. I figured since I was already "running" 5Ks - this would be the group to join. The other one was Couch to 5K - and I had already left my couch - damn thing is really comfy though.
I have also been working with a personal trainer at the gym for a couple of months now. So Tuesday and Thursdays Fred forces me to work and cry. Now - Mondays and Wednesdays I get to pay other people to make me run and cry. How stupid am I??
I talked to the running store owner, Kim, and she said that it was a one mile time trial on Monday (04/26). I figured I had done 3 miles and even 4 miles - 1 was gonna be easy! How wrong can one person be!
I showed up amidst fit people, and was like the proverbial wallflower at a dance. I just hung out in a corner and gawked at the fitness of the people in training.
And then they said that for the Go Faster group it would be a 1 mile warm-up jog, followed by a 2 mile time trial, and then a 1 mile cool down jog to get back. Are you F'ing kidding me!!!
But it was either that - or stay with the couchers - I chose embarrassment.
So we jogged - or rather they jogged - I did my clodhopper slow-ass thing. Everyone else was at the sea wall and stretching when I finally arrived - warmed up from a nice, light 1 mile jog in.
One of our coaches (a 4:20/miler - holy crap!) took off down the sea wall to the one mile turn around. The other (another 4:20/miler) stayed at the end. And off we went - we were to run down at 80% our top speed and then turn around at the General Joe's Chinese place and come back. Top speed - please! I have three speeds: stop, go, go slower. That's it!
All I know is that I didn't know where this Chinese food place was, but I was cussing it damn near the whole way. The other Go Fasters were heading back and cheering on my slow, insane self. I would be lying if I said that didn't appreciate it, and also that I wanted to punch them (just a little).
So I found Leno - FINALLY - and God love him - he had water! I drank a little and he jogged next to me. Let me re-phrase that. He jogged up and down in place while I barely maintained a forward motion.
We started out at Murdoch's Souvenirs. I know this because one the way back - it was all I could think about. That damn blue building sitting on piers over the water. My Mecca - my joy - because there I could stop.
See that big ball of concrete - that is where we started, and where I finished! It took me 27:49:99 to make it back - averaging out to a 14:15/mile. Truly sad.
Everyone - the 7-8 minute milers - stupid Go Fasters - were already back at the store. Leno stayed with me and we walked back. I told him my reasoning, and he encouraged me to continue - but that if I wanted to - I could join the other group. I told him I would like to stay - as long as the coaches didn't mind training someone as slow as me.
Thus ended my first day of running club training. I was embarrassed, tired, hungry, and had to go home to four dogs. Go team go!
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