Intervals - the necessary evil

Now that I'm firmly into marathon training, I have been initiated to interval training. I really don't like intervals. No, that's not true. I don't dislike them. I find them hard. They test me. They push my boundaries and I don't always like this. But I see it as a necessary evil because when you're in a race, you will have bits that you won't like and if you can push through it instead of allowing them to defeat you, half the battle is won right at that point.

So back to our training. We gather at the store, my watch is set up for my intervals. 6 minutes warmup, then 12 minutes tempo pace, followed by 6 minutes recovery at lsd pace. NO BREAKS  We leave the store and I have about 30 seconds to make sure the GPS kicks in. Some days it works, some days it doesn't. Last night was just on the verge of leaving and bam, it kicked in... close call. So off we go, like the proverbial bats out of hell. I really have to work on that and make sure I seed myself better in the pack so as not to let myself go too fast or at least readjust quickly.

We get down to the waterfront, then turn east to a path. This helps because there are no traffic lights, no interruptions. It's straight running. So here is where I find my training is lacking. I haven't had enough straight running. It sometimes become an issue. Or it might be that I go too fast, I don't know. But when I do these, I have to really concentrate not to panic and stop. My breathing goes all over the place, I look at others and they're all running effortlessly (at least in my eyes) and I can't help but feel inadequate. But dammit, I soldier on!

One of the coach comes up to me and ask me how I'm doing. I tell him that I'm trying to find my breathing. I think he gets the message and leaves me alone. Because at this point I'm struggling with my breathing, my posture, ensuring my shoulders are low and back, looking ahead instead of the ground. And I keep saying "don't panic, don't panic"... I sort of enter into survival mode: I break it down in segments. It helps a bit but the dark thoughts still enter my mind. I keep thinking that I need the washroom but eventually realize that it's just my brain playing tricks on me. So I tell myself to stop being such a sissy and that I signed up for this and that I better embrace it or leave it. The choice is mine and mine alone. Nobody is forcing me to do this.

So my breathing finally settles, my desire to pee subside and I'm able to enjoy (if such a word can go with this) or at least not find it too excruciating. I start to see some of the fast ones coming back, most  wave back at me, there's a kinship in this! I then see a woman that I find a bit intimidating because she is VERY fast. She's taking a walking break. For some reason, this helps me a lot. If she needs one then it also means that she might not be the superwoman I put her to be. This is not a mean/petty thought... this is just me seeing her and then realizing that she is like me and I shouldn't let her speediness intimidate me. 

As all this is happening, I realize that I'm almost at the turnaround point YAY!!!  There are people ahead of me, behind me, I'm not on my own. This lifts my spirits. As I go towards the turnaround point, the coach gives me a thumbs up. I nod because at this point I cannot hear anything. My music is so loud, I need it to keep going. I take a minute walking break then start again. As usual, the return goes better than the going there. A few others and I get to a traffic light that is lonnnnng.... ahhhh a pause. We totally enjoy it. Then we go again. I know we're very close and they don't have a watch so I'm calling the intervals. Finally we make it back to the store. In my typical fashion, I do my all out sprint to a cheering crowd. The coach tell me my form is spot on. I'm happy.

What I'm less happy with is the fact that the socks I wore, the Drymax, gave me blisters. So it's definitely back to the Thorlo socks from now on during the summer. And that when I have a blister NOT to wear the Vibrams as it aggravates them. It's not as bad as it used to be but it's bad enough to have to just wear my Crocs to work.

Today I feel fine, looking forward to my next interval training. My legs feel great, I'm a bit tired but overall, the training is really starting to paying off.

Tomorrow is my day off. I decided to give my foot a chance to heal so that I can have a good race on Saturday. 5k Price and Remembrance. It was my first race ever so there will always be a soft spot in my heart for it.

Onward...