I feel good, if not a little tired (surprise!!)
This was the 4th Saturday practice we've had and it wasn't too hot (we've been meeting around 6) but it was SUPER HUMID, so we were sweating in no time, but I did have my handy dandy hydration belt! It has two 10-ounce bottles and a little pouch for energy gels and such. (I apologize for the atrocious spacing, another thing I have yet to figure out). ANYWAY, mine's blue, but I wanted pink, but TriSports was out. I try not to pout about it, but it's hard.
I ran with my friend J again and it was nice to have a companion- it really helps pass the time and sets your cadence. The Nike team was out there too (they're training for a marathon in San Fran in October, so they're up to 10-12 miles these days). It was so neat to pass them- we would cheer each other on, then we would keep trudging.
We've adapted to the run/walk method of completing a marathon. Let's face it- I'm not training to win this race, and probably 90% of the people who are running it will walk at some point. Our coach told us that by running for x number of minutes and walking for 1 or 2, we would shave some serious minutes off of our time. Yeah right, you say. Well, coach Rick took about a half hour off of his time when he did run/walk.
Ugh, ok, FINE. I'll WALK. But only for 1 minute, and I'll run for 10.
Worked like a charm. It was awesome. While the legs were a bit heavy at the end, we weren't doing "The Marathon Shuffle", as Rick calls it.
I find myself becoming anxious and wanting to increase the mileage, like, NOW........Not like I could DO 10 miles tomorrow, but I want to start. I don't know why, I guess I'm just itching for the longer distances, since it IS a marathon, and it IS over 26 (don't forget the .2!) miles.....how is "only" running 5 miles going to help? I know, I know, it's rhetorical. I know the answer, I'm just throwing the question out there.
I think next week will be good in the sense that we're changing directions on the path, so a change of scenery will be welcome. However, J will be at Sea World in wonderful San Diego, so I must toe the line alone on this one. We'll see what happens.
After that we're going to start doing hills- so we'll run Sabino Canyon a few times.
Not familiar with Tucson? (The 520, as I like to call it) Check out Sabino Canyon at:
http://www.sabinocanyon.com/index.htm
It's 3.7 miles out and back (so, I guess it's more like 7.4), and it's a wonderful place- so beautiful and ALIVE. There was some flash flood damage from last year's monsoon season and it was closed for a long time, so I'm eager to return.
Yes.....Arizona has monsoons and flash floods. We get regular rain from June-August, so don't give me that "It's a dry heat" crap. Come visit me mid-July through late August. We'll see what's dry, because it certainly won't be you. :)
And not marathon related, but something else that's near and dear to me: Marching Band!
Last week was band camp for the Pride of Arizona, the University of Arizona's marching band. I was in it for four years, 2001-2004, and I miss it a lot. In fact, it's always this time of year that I start dreaming about it too. Like the other night, I dreamt that we were performing for the president and I couldn't find my music and plume (you know, those big feathery things on the hats [also known as a shako, and Todd wants his back]).....
Marching band kids (I can say "kids" now, I graduated!) work so hard. At the U of A, they easily put in 20-25 hours a week for 1 class credit. Practice from 3-6 MW, 3-10 on Friday, 8-noon on Saturday, then back on campus at 5 or so for a game, then they *might* get home before 11. Maybe. But they love it, *I* loved it. I still do and always will.
I am lucky enough to be with someone who understands this- he was a drummer on the snare line at U of A (not an easy feat- tryouts are killer), but as irony would have it, we didn't know each other then- we met after we'd both graduated from college. Anyway- he gets the need to stop by that final night rehearsal of band camp and see the show so far. He gets needing to go by the warm up drills before a game. Everybody who was ever in this marching band gets it.
So, on that note, I leave you with the cheer of the trombone section in the Pride of Arizona.
"Don't stop, get it get it!"
This was the 4th Saturday practice we've had and it wasn't too hot (we've been meeting around 6) but it was SUPER HUMID, so we were sweating in no time, but I did have my handy dandy hydration belt! It has two 10-ounce bottles and a little pouch for energy gels and such. (I apologize for the atrocious spacing, another thing I have yet to figure out). ANYWAY, mine's blue, but I wanted pink, but TriSports was out. I try not to pout about it, but it's hard.
I ran with my friend J again and it was nice to have a companion- it really helps pass the time and sets your cadence. The Nike team was out there too (they're training for a marathon in San Fran in October, so they're up to 10-12 miles these days). It was so neat to pass them- we would cheer each other on, then we would keep trudging.
We've adapted to the run/walk method of completing a marathon. Let's face it- I'm not training to win this race, and probably 90% of the people who are running it will walk at some point. Our coach told us that by running for x number of minutes and walking for 1 or 2, we would shave some serious minutes off of our time. Yeah right, you say. Well, coach Rick took about a half hour off of his time when he did run/walk.
Ugh, ok, FINE. I'll WALK. But only for 1 minute, and I'll run for 10.
Worked like a charm. It was awesome. While the legs were a bit heavy at the end, we weren't doing "The Marathon Shuffle", as Rick calls it.
I find myself becoming anxious and wanting to increase the mileage, like, NOW........Not like I could DO 10 miles tomorrow, but I want to start. I don't know why, I guess I'm just itching for the longer distances, since it IS a marathon, and it IS over 26 (don't forget the .2!) miles.....how is "only" running 5 miles going to help? I know, I know, it's rhetorical. I know the answer, I'm just throwing the question out there.
I think next week will be good in the sense that we're changing directions on the path, so a change of scenery will be welcome. However, J will be at Sea World in wonderful San Diego, so I must toe the line alone on this one. We'll see what happens.
After that we're going to start doing hills- so we'll run Sabino Canyon a few times.
Not familiar with Tucson? (The 520, as I like to call it) Check out Sabino Canyon at:
http://www.sabinocanyon.com/index.htm
It's 3.7 miles out and back (so, I guess it's more like 7.4), and it's a wonderful place- so beautiful and ALIVE. There was some flash flood damage from last year's monsoon season and it was closed for a long time, so I'm eager to return.
Yes.....Arizona has monsoons and flash floods. We get regular rain from June-August, so don't give me that "It's a dry heat" crap. Come visit me mid-July through late August. We'll see what's dry, because it certainly won't be you. :)
And not marathon related, but something else that's near and dear to me: Marching Band!
Last week was band camp for the Pride of Arizona, the University of Arizona's marching band. I was in it for four years, 2001-2004, and I miss it a lot. In fact, it's always this time of year that I start dreaming about it too. Like the other night, I dreamt that we were performing for the president and I couldn't find my music and plume (you know, those big feathery things on the hats [also known as a shako, and Todd wants his back]).....
Marching band kids (I can say "kids" now, I graduated!) work so hard. At the U of A, they easily put in 20-25 hours a week for 1 class credit. Practice from 3-6 MW, 3-10 on Friday, 8-noon on Saturday, then back on campus at 5 or so for a game, then they *might* get home before 11. Maybe. But they love it, *I* loved it. I still do and always will.
I am lucky enough to be with someone who understands this- he was a drummer on the snare line at U of A (not an easy feat- tryouts are killer), but as irony would have it, we didn't know each other then- we met after we'd both graduated from college. Anyway- he gets the need to stop by that final night rehearsal of band camp and see the show so far. He gets needing to go by the warm up drills before a game. Everybody who was ever in this marching band gets it.
So, on that note, I leave you with the cheer of the trombone section in the Pride of Arizona.
"Don't stop, get it get it!"
3 comments:
I sweated just reading this
I can't imagine running in the humidity! I broke out in a sweat just walking out to get the mail! Listen to your coach ;)
As a former band parent....I get it! the local school here won the State Band Contest this year!! Yea!!
hugs
Karen
keep on keepin' on! i'm v. impressed with your running skillz.
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