Today I went out for the last of my week 4 runs, 4-6-4. The weather has been beautiful here, so it is really hard not to take advantage and get outside and run when I can. Today was no exception. I am lucky that I have a husband who works from home most days, so I can leave the kids here and go out for my run in peace. Plus the afternoon is warmer than at night!
I went out and felt the cool breeze blowing against my face. Once I got started I just let the stress go, the worries go and just focused on running. Unfortunately that was broken when someone flagged me down to ask directions. 20ish seconds later I continued on, but now I had a small deficit in my distance. I guess I decided to push a bit harder and finished up my first 4 minute segment. By the time my 6 minute one began I was ready for the long push and just sang along (as best as I could breathe through) to my music and tracked where in my run I knew I had ended my 6 last time I was out.
Soon I could see my marker in the distance. I had no idea of my time, but I knew I was going faster than I did previous. And then my headband fell off and I had to stop and backtrack the 15 or so paces. Now since I knew I was nearing the end of the 6 I could have just decided to walk from there on...
But No.
I got back into running and ran past my last marker. I made it just a little past it before my dinger hit and my 6 was over. Looking back, had I not stopped for the directions at the beginning and had I not lost my headband, I would have been about 20-30 seconds past this end point. And that was a HUGE marker to see.
I think I had definitely pushed harder in my 6 and had to lessen up a bit in my last 4. I did go past my marker on the 4, but it was not as far as I should have been, had my pace been the same as the 6.
So while my distance is improving, I still do have a long way to go in order to keep my endurance up and not be dying by the end.
**For you seasoned runners, How can you help avoid the stitch? I have been trying hard to keep my breathing long, but I still end up with a stitch in my right side. Its not painful, but it is definitely there. I can tell if I don't figure out how to stop it, this might be an issue for longer runs..***
You are totally getting hooked!
ReplyDeleteKelly, this is just my experience, but as I ran more, I got a stitch less. Sometimes, you can just slow down a bit and run through it. Other times, a quick walk break will help.
I think I read that hydration can be a contributing factor as well, so make sure you have enough to drink. (But not so much it causes issues on the run - it's a tricky balance.)
Having said that, I think you'll start to experience it less and less as you run more.