I definitely got faster this summer. I owe most of that fabulous fastness to the girls. In fact, I got so friggin fast they have practically stopped running. Intimidating I am. I see them sometimes on street corners, drinking from their hip flasks and staring at me in awe.
okay okay …. after achieving their goal with style and smiles, they have moved on to other things. Which also reads as abandoned and alone! I’m working through this, I only woke up crying twice this week.
I don’t want to lose any speed I got this summer, and there wasn’t that many people at our pace that I could suddenly attach myself too. Say hey there, I’ve been wanting to hang with you. Running alone is completely out of the question. Firstly, it sucks, second, it’s boring, and finally, I won’t push myself at all, ever.
So that leaves, try and get faster (aka puke-plan).
There is a group that runs faster, probably 9 min miles on long runs. My plan was to latch on to them, like jon gosselin is hanging on to his 15 minutes, when the training starts again in January.
Around 2 months to get my ass back in shape.
That was my plan, until they emailed me and asked if I would like to run with them last night. Obviously my 15 minutes is not over! People want me! I was all excited by the invite, and quickly type ‘you bet ya ass’ and hit send.
As 5.30 approached yesterday I started questioning my response. This was going to hurt. It would have hurt a month ago when I was in tip top shape. I started getting all maybe I shouldn’t go … I’m going to die … I hate running … all very rational.
I went.
There were 7 of us. All faster than me. All sub 4-hour runners. I felt like a sacrificial lamb.
The route … hills. Tuesdays are hill training. People that actually run hills on purpose. What the hell. I decided not to ask how far. No good can come of this knowledge.
We did 5 miles of hills with an average pace of 9.06 min/miles. Thanks to the sweet baby jebus the last mile was all down hill.
… I survived!
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
holy sub 4 hour runners…I have been having this get faster dilemma too with running groups here. I want to be part of the in crowd…so I’m trying to work on my speed and post marathon I should get much faster
Lucky for you it was the baby jeebus you found. He likes to help the lost and the lonely. Sometimes the grown up jeebus would just leave you as roadkill out there in the hills.
Great work Alison. Keep it up! I find it difficult to increase my speed. I like (well like is relative) to do speed workouts during my runs and that really helps.
Good luck to my fellow Bootie Buster teammate!
Way to hang with the fasties!
I h8 hills!
Hope you told the girls they’re soft. If not, put the boot in.
The new group sounds perfect. You survived well!
of COURSE you survived. your awesomeness is actual, while your doubt is completely mental. now, if we can just convince your doubt that the reverse isn’t true, you’ll be all set to hang with the fasties on a permanent basis.