Looping the Hen

The Great Fool of China

Generally, when runners talk of the Wall, they tend to mean the distance in longer races where you would prefer to collapse and die (well, maybe not die), than continue to run. It is both a physical and mental barrier.

Although I think I am getting closer to being able to push through the physical barrier, the mental one killed me today. Statistically, the race was a success for me. I PR'd the Running of the Fools 5k in 24:25 or so (average 7:54 mile), a little above my goal of 24:48. I ran great the first two miles (15:08), both at 7:34, better than I could have hoped for. The problem was the last mile where I hit my wall.

This was almost the same type of course as a race I ran earlier in the season, the Frostbite 5k. Except this one was worse, and killed me mentally. It isn't that the course had any huge hills; it was the fact that there was no flat ground. The first 3/4 of a mile was a tiny up grade, but I could feel it. I always run my weekly course with a couple of big hills, so I thought I'd be fine. And then it kept going, up, down, up, down, up, down. I crossed the 2nd mile feeling ok physically, but my brain was already in retreat-mode.

I couldn't believe it but I actually ended up walking twice, for around 40 seconds total, and I did my third mile in near 9 minutes because of it. I regularly run 5+ miles now without walking, but my brain just gave up today.

The one silver lining is I felt that if the course had been even a little bit flat, I could have kept very near my first two mile pace. That would have been 23:30. And thus that will be my new goal!

I think I am doing well, as I really have only been running 1 day a week, with another 2 days on the elliptical and lifting weights. For the spring I am going to try to add another run to my schedule, one long run to match what I have been doing, and one speed or hill workout.

Next time I shall not hitteth the wall!