scared of the run.
sooo....
i have a small weetle confession to make.
i..
think i'm scared of running outside.
*sigh*
ever since i started training for my HIM this year... its been cold. and cold, for me, means... treadmill.
and while most people would hem haw and complain, actually... i feel like it's kind of been a good thing.
when i'm on the treadmill... i go faster.
i crank it up to eleven (which in my case is actually seven) and i make myself go. GO. and then after a while when i'm dying, i dial it down. and then back up, and down and up and down...
but i dial it down to a pace that's still pushing me to go. to get faster. to RUN.
in the real world?! when i dial it down?!
i dial it d-o-w-n.
and with no bright numbers looking up at me, its easy to talk myself into that slower pace. to take a break. to focus on what hurts, the fact that i'm kinda tried and... peter out.
i NEVER peter out on the treadmill. i just. keep. going.
i don't know what it is... (outside of the fact that i'm always comparing myself to the folks running next to me) its just that i know as long as that ground keeps going, my legs will too.
and i don't really have that luxury outside. if i stop mid-trail i know i'm not going to smash my face on the ground and go shooting backwards into the woods, ya know?
it just ain't gunna happen that way.
so... that's my problem. that's my confession that makes absolutely no sense. who in their right mind chooses to run indoors?!
nobody!
but i'm scared of being slow again. i'm scared this speed i have is a fluke. that without people playing racquetball to watch and distract me, without a moving ground to run on, without the knowledge that there are people behind me, that can see me...
i'm scared i'll lose all this and be slow.
and i've worked so hard for the last few months to not be slow. i really don't want to have to start all over again come spring.
UGH!
what am i gunna do...!?!!
Comments
Run outside...
Sure, on a treadmill you have moving ground and trying to run faster then the person next to you to distract you and keep you moving, but outside you have all the good stuff about running. The sun and the wind(ok, that can be bad sometimes)and fresh air and trees and real road/trail that aren't the same 10 feet recycled over and over.
You have cars and people looking at you like you're crazy and fat people wishing they were skinny like you, hot guys wishing they could be with you, and soon you'll have your puppy to run with.
And you'll still be fast, you won't lose it. You're mentally strong enough not to.
So, run outside...
Posted by: Stewart | February 26, 2008 6:03 PM
Or you could just run outside one day a week or something - you'll get plenty of fresh air putting the hours in on the bike...
Posted by: Danielle in Iowa | February 26, 2008 6:23 PM
Time to run with Garmin.
Posted by: stronger | February 26, 2008 7:59 PM
Start your outdoor runs on a track doing speed work. Then, when it is time to road/trail run you will be speedy McSpeedster!
Posted by: 21stCenturyMom | February 26, 2008 9:05 PM
what's wrong with slow?
once you get used to running outside then you can focus on speed. but you should be up to speed in no time!
Posted by: miss petite america | February 26, 2008 10:40 PM
i like the treadmill for the same reason. i was scared to run outside again too-- didn't know if the speed would transfer, etc... but... it DID... so just gain some confidence, enter a race (because a road race is like being on a treadmill), and RUN.
Posted by: curly su | February 27, 2008 6:54 AM
run against your Garmin training buddy ... he's a little like the people watching you at the treadmill ... and a little like the continually moving treadmill belt - he definitely won't stop because you felt like stopping or slowing down.
Posted by: *lisa* | February 27, 2008 9:06 AM
You won't be slow. Just trust yourself.
Posted by: Dana | February 27, 2008 9:49 AM
as a running coach and someone who does a fair amount of dreadmill running including speed inntervals, i can guarantee you that your hard efforts will transfer out onto the road. you may not even notice it right away, but trust that if you've been able to crank it up to 7 and hold it, you're doing some major endurance building. go out for something short the first time. i think you'll be surprised!!
Posted by: monica | February 28, 2008 1:12 AM
So, cold is what, -15F? I did a 14 mile run with a co-worker on Saturday. At the start it was hovering around 0F, which was better than the -5F they forecast. It was the first time I ran wearing tights AND sweats, and I wore my ski gloves. It wasn't too bad, in the end.
Posted by: Iron Pol | March 9, 2008 6:36 PM