1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,100 Today's episode of the doctors running podcast is sponsored by 2 00:00:03,100 --> 00:00:05,200 inside tracker, here at doctors are running. 3 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,600 We're always interested in more information about our bodies to 4 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,300 help do what it takes to be a strong and healthy as possible 5 00:00:10,900 --> 00:00:12,600 inside. Tracker helps us take one step 6 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:14,700 closer to that goal. With a personalized approach to 7 00:00:14,700 --> 00:00:17,100 Health and Longevity by providing highly specific 8 00:00:17,100 --> 00:00:19,200 performance, Focus blood work analysis. 9 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:21,700 One of the things we love most is that they give you clear 10 00:00:21,700 --> 00:00:24,800 simple recommendations on things you can control to optimize your 11 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,000 health. Things like changes in diet, 12 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,800 supplements work outs and other lifestyle choices. 13 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:32,500 So if you're ready to get a crystal clear, picture of what's 14 00:00:32,500 --> 00:00:34,800 going on inside your body along with science back 15 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:36,900 recommendations to optimize what's not working. 16 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,200 Then visit inside tracker today for a limited time. 17 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:42,900 You can get 20% off your entire inside tracker order. 18 00:00:43,100 --> 00:00:46,700 When you sign up using inside tracker.com doctors of running 19 00:00:47,100 --> 00:00:49,600 that's inside. Tracker.com and doctors of the 20 00:00:56,500 --> 00:01:00,300 hello and welcome to the doctors of running podcast, where we We 21 00:01:00,300 --> 00:01:03,600 a group of doctors of physical therapy discuss the art and the 22 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,500 science of the stuff that we're putting on our feet today. 23 00:01:06,500 --> 00:01:10,900 We've got me Andrea Myers and Megan Flynn here and we're going 24 00:01:10,900 --> 00:01:15,700 to talk about our 2022 racing and training what we learned 25 00:01:15,700 --> 00:01:17,800 from it. And what we're going to do 26 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:22,300 differently or the same in 2023. Thanks so much for joining me. 27 00:01:22,300 --> 00:01:25,500 Megan of course it's important today. 28 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,400 Yeah, I love doing our episodes together. 29 00:01:30,100 --> 00:01:33,200 So I thought we'd start out first just talking about why 30 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:38,400 it's important to reflect on past racing seasons and maybe 31 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:43,000 some different strategies that people use for reflection sewn. 32 00:01:43,500 --> 00:01:47,100 Like, I know the main way that I reflect as I put a lot of notes 33 00:01:47,100 --> 00:01:52,000 like in training Peaks, which is the training app that I use, my 34 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:56,800 coach can read it, I can look back and read things and it the 35 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:00,800 sooner I write down my thoughts about bout a raise or work out 36 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,900 the better. I can learn from it because even 37 00:02:03,900 --> 00:02:07,200 a few days later, you kind of forget all the details, right? 38 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,300 That's true. So how do what methods do you 39 00:02:11,300 --> 00:02:13,700 use to help you reflect on your racing? 40 00:02:14,700 --> 00:02:18,200 So, I the main thing that I use to reflective journaling, like I 41 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,600 keep a training log and I write down like, just the basic notes 42 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,300 by the workout when I have a race went anything like that. 43 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:27,300 But I also have like a separate notebook. 44 00:02:27,300 --> 00:02:30,400 That I write down very Held about what I was feeling 45 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,600 thinking. And like you said, I like to do 46 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,300 that right after the race after the workout. 47 00:02:35,300 --> 00:02:36,800 Because, I mean, let's be honest. 48 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:39,600 Like, during the race you're probably in like a lot more pain 49 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:41,600 than you care to admit, like a week down the line. 50 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,500 Exactly. But then when you look back on 51 00:02:43,500 --> 00:02:46,200 your journal and you see, oh yeah. 52 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:48,800 That's right. That really there really wasn't 53 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,100 comfortable. I find that to be like, pretty 54 00:02:51,100 --> 00:02:53,100 important. Yeah, definitely said right 55 00:02:53,100 --> 00:02:55,900 after the race. Yeah, it's like human nature to 56 00:02:55,900 --> 00:02:58,600 forget about really painful things that your go through. 57 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:02,400 So yeah, if you don't write it down right afterwards, you will 58 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:05,700 forget a lot of things that you experienced and often. 59 00:03:05,700 --> 00:03:08,300 Those are the things that you need to learn the most from, 60 00:03:08,700 --> 00:03:11,200 right. Especially I find after like, if 61 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:15,800 it's a PR Reese like it's a PR, you're uncomfortable at some 62 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:17,800 point, right? Because you end and you finish 63 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:21,900 with this like a huge positive at a huge positive Point. 64 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,400 You're more or less inclined to remember, oh yeah, that was 65 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:27,500 really uncomfortable because it's something I've never done 66 00:03:27,500 --> 00:03:30,000 before, right? But the next time you saw the 67 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,800 line and you think of it was all great. 68 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,600 You're not expecting or remembering that uh, The 69 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:36,900 discomfort that it took to get there. 70 00:03:36,900 --> 00:03:39,100 Yeah, that's a good point. Like when you have a really good 71 00:03:39,100 --> 00:03:43,000 race like PR your had a good result you tend to forget the 72 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,600 negative things. Unlike you look back in the at 73 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:47,000 their race. And you think oh I did 74 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,100 everything perfectly but you might not have and there could 75 00:03:50,100 --> 00:03:53,200 have been things that you could learn from that race even though 76 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:57,300 it went really well. Okay well what can I take even 77 00:03:57,300 --> 00:04:01,200 maybe the few negatives that happen and be even better next 78 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,600 time? Yeah, like say you had like up 79 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:08,800 like Like, I mean, a moment of Doubt or something during a PR 80 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,100 race. Like yeah, you could probably 81 00:04:11,100 --> 00:04:14,600 improve that by not letting that negative thought slip in. 82 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,500 But the only way you're going to really remember that is the is 83 00:04:17,500 --> 00:04:19,600 journaling I think. But right, definitely, that's 84 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:20,700 what works for me. Yeah. 85 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,700 Yeah. Or like let's say you had like 86 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,900 in a marathon, let's say you had a few miles where you're just 87 00:04:26,900 --> 00:04:30,200 wanted to quit like you're so miserable but then like your 88 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,200 figure out a strategy to get yourself out of that like that's 89 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,200 great, right? Down and like write down what 90 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,100 got you out of that pattern because that's what's going to 91 00:04:40,100 --> 00:04:44,300 help you in the next race too. Absolutely. 92 00:04:44,300 --> 00:04:47,300 Yeah. I know one Runner. 93 00:04:47,300 --> 00:04:51,200 Who not only does she Journal she also like draws in her 94 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:54,900 journal and it's so she post photos of like her completed 95 00:04:54,900 --> 00:04:58,800 journals and it's so cool to see like, just so creative and 96 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,500 artistic. She is such a nice. 97 00:05:01,500 --> 00:05:04,800 I know my if I ever tried to do any drawings like that, no. 98 00:05:04,900 --> 00:05:07,700 No, I wouldn't even know it. No, I'm not gonna it would be 99 00:05:07,700 --> 00:05:11,200 like, testing stick people. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 100 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:14,200 That would be. That's my limit yet another 101 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:16,100 person. I know it does a really cool 102 00:05:16,100 --> 00:05:18,700 thing and I'm sure there's a lot of people out there who do this, 103 00:05:18,700 --> 00:05:22,600 but they take their race numbers and they write down there like 104 00:05:23,100 --> 00:05:26,600 journal or like race report to themselves on the back and then 105 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:29,900 they save those. Yeah yeah I think that's really 106 00:05:29,900 --> 00:05:31,900 good. Yeah because then it's like 107 00:05:32,100 --> 00:05:34,800 you've kind of got this tangible thing from the race. 108 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:37,900 And you know, you can like put in a scrapbook or put on your 109 00:05:37,900 --> 00:05:41,800 wall or whatever. But then like you can read like 110 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:45,200 your written words again. Like reading something in your 111 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,300 own handwriting. I think is more meaningful than 112 00:05:48,300 --> 00:05:50,500 reading. Something that you typed, right? 113 00:05:51,300 --> 00:05:54,000 Yeah. And that's in your, I mean but 114 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,200 you I keep all my bibs. My raised beds anyway. 115 00:05:56,200 --> 00:06:02,600 So these here, I like that idea. I'm exposed to that excellent. 116 00:06:03,100 --> 00:06:07,900 The I think like Eating on a race workout, just anything 117 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,800 throughout training. I think that's important for 118 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:15,200 like, any Runner, any athlete really did grow and progress. 119 00:06:15,300 --> 00:06:16,300 Right? Absolutely. 120 00:06:16,300 --> 00:06:21,800 Yeah, because the only way to get better is to learn and what 121 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:26,900 we did last year, if we do the same thing over and over, we're 122 00:06:26,900 --> 00:06:28,600 not going to get different results, right? 123 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:32,800 Like we have to change to improve and that could be 124 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,600 changing your training method. Could be training changing 125 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,800 mental training strategies. That could be changing nutrition 126 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:44,500 strategies but the only way to figure out what maybe you should 127 00:06:44,500 --> 00:06:49,700 try changing is to look back and reflect on, what worked, what 128 00:06:49,700 --> 00:06:52,100 didn't what could maybe be better for sure. 129 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:56,400 So I'm going to ask our subjective for today and then 130 00:06:56,400 --> 00:07:00,300 we'll dive into what both Andrew and myself learned from our 131 00:07:00,300 --> 00:07:04,500 racing in 2022. So what did you learn from your 132 00:07:04,500 --> 00:07:06,700 training? And racing in 2022 and what will 133 00:07:06,700 --> 00:07:11,300 you do differently in 2023? You can lose your answers in the 134 00:07:11,300 --> 00:07:17,000 comment section below and then we'll we'll dive into our our 135 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,300 races. So Megan, you had kind of a 136 00:07:20,300 --> 00:07:24,800 different 2022 than other Seasons, your became a 137 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:29,500 multi-sport athlete and you discovered a love of cycling but 138 00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:32,500 you're still hadn't like a really, your had some successful 139 00:07:32,500 --> 00:07:37,100 races and I know you learned a lot from Ear went through last 140 00:07:37,100 --> 00:07:40,000 year. So tell us how 2022 started for 141 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:41,400 you. Yeah absolutely. 142 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:47,300 So 2022 was definitely a lot different in 2021. 2021 was a 143 00:07:47,308 --> 00:07:55,000 big jump in training for me a lot of PRS and it was fantastic 144 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:58,000 year. Then coming off of like all of 145 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:02,200 that not taking like all the like rest period and needed and 146 00:08:02,300 --> 00:08:04,700 all that it came back and taught me a few things. 147 00:08:04,900 --> 00:08:07,000 From there. But yeah, like he said I didn't 148 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,800 I was not expecting to become as into like biking swimming or 149 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:13,300 anything. Like if you ask me like, 150 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:18,600 honestly like months ago years ago and he said, like, you be 151 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:21,500 biking as much as I'm biking like now I would have laughed at 152 00:08:21,500 --> 00:08:24,600 you because I used to hate that he hated the trainer so much. 153 00:08:25,900 --> 00:08:30,000 But um yeah. So last sir, sorry August was 154 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:35,799 two years ago. I did see I am 2021, it was Most 155 00:08:35,799 --> 00:08:40,299 intense training black, highest volume highest intensity that 156 00:08:40,299 --> 00:08:43,299 I've done, and I felt great during it, but it definitely 157 00:08:43,299 --> 00:08:45,600 took a toll. I mean, it's just a lot of time 158 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:50,900 for one like, the Met, like, not just the physical aspect of 159 00:08:50,900 --> 00:08:54,200 marathon training. Like everyone knows there's a 160 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:56,600 huge mental part to it to you. Put a lot into it. 161 00:08:56,900 --> 00:09:02,300 So after that, I was ready for a break and I did not take the 162 00:09:02,300 --> 00:09:04,700 appropriate amount of time to rest, which I know. 163 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:09,000 Now, looking back, and it was probably, like, I'm glad I 164 00:09:09,008 --> 00:09:11,900 stopped raining as much as I had been, because I think I was, 165 00:09:11,900 --> 00:09:15,200 like, teetering on the line of like, close to burn out, because 166 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:20,300 it was just a lot, everyone needs a break, so I didn't take 167 00:09:20,300 --> 00:09:23,700 that time. And my workout was still going. 168 00:09:23,700 --> 00:09:25,400 All right. I felt a little sluggish, but 169 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,300 it's like, okay. Like that's part of training. 170 00:09:28,100 --> 00:09:31,700 And then, I did a Four Mile, or in Central Park in February, 171 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:35,800 like two months. No, yeah, two months after see I 172 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:40,300 am and it was hard. I was like, I feel like, you 173 00:09:40,308 --> 00:09:42,200 know, at the start of the race, it always feels a little bit 174 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,000 harder and then you like, sat alone, I never settled in, and I 175 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,300 looked at my watch, and I was like, what is going on? 176 00:09:48,300 --> 00:09:51,300 This is slower than I ran the marathon at Port. 177 00:09:51,300 --> 00:09:56,700 I Points like what's happening. So after that, I ended up just 178 00:09:56,700 --> 00:10:00,200 kind of like tell myself. Okay, regardless of like, what 179 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:01,400 my coach at the time, was telling me. 180 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:04,800 I'm going to I'm going to back off because horses Even like 181 00:10:05,100 --> 00:10:09,500 that wasn't fun. I don't know if you've had any 182 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,500 any experiences like that. But, oh, for sure. 183 00:10:12,500 --> 00:10:15,300 Everyone's the next both in cycling and running. 184 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:18,300 Yeah, yeah, your million eventually, your body makes your 185 00:10:18,300 --> 00:10:20,800 stop. If you don't ya, stop on your 186 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:23,400 own. Yeah, yeah. 187 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:26,700 Well, fortunately, at that point, like I hadn't pushed 188 00:10:26,700 --> 00:10:29,600 through as much to likely myself to an injury at least. 189 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:32,200 Not yet. But anyway. 190 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:34,100 Yeah. So that was my sign that my ADI 191 00:10:34,100 --> 00:10:35,900 was exhausted and just needed a rest. 192 00:10:36,100 --> 00:10:44,500 So don't look so big. Um, I probably I'd say probably 193 00:10:44,500 --> 00:10:50,000 like two three months even of just like like I don't really 194 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,500 stop running. I just kind of backed off of 195 00:10:52,500 --> 00:10:54,700 work outside and do workouts for a while. 196 00:10:55,500 --> 00:10:57,900 I didn't have long runs. I just kind of like, when I went 197 00:10:57,900 --> 00:11:02,000 out to run, I was just running, like, for me and like, just for 198 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,700 fun, like, just not putting any stress pressure on the workouts 199 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:08,200 or anything. So that was fun. 200 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:09,000 I enjoy. That. 201 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:12,600 And then I got to the point that I really missed the harder right 202 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:16,400 skills and I was starting to get, I know we probably have 203 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:19,400 talked about this but like you like start to fall into that 204 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:22,600 moderate intensity and every run I was going out. 205 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:25,900 I was ending at like a progression like I was doing a 206 00:11:25,900 --> 00:11:28,100 progression around every day because I got right. 207 00:11:28,100 --> 00:11:31,900 It's time to start adding back some higher intensity days so I 208 00:11:31,908 --> 00:11:35,800 can keep these intensive. The easier days easy and not end 209 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:40,900 up injured. So I started like building. 210 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:44,800 I was coaching myself at the time and it was like, okay, let 211 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:47,700 me was the first time I was really coaching myself to. 212 00:11:48,100 --> 00:11:51,100 Let me just like right down my weekly plan, and then I'll 213 00:11:51,100 --> 00:11:53,400 execute it. And then I'll see how I feel and 214 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:56,200 make my next week, which work for a little bit. 215 00:11:56,400 --> 00:12:00,400 And then I know for myself. Now I'm not great at coaching 216 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:02,500 myself. I love to coach other people, 217 00:12:02,500 --> 00:12:06,000 but coaching myself, I think is one of the biggest challenges 218 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,800 for me. Because I was like, oh it's not 219 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:12,100 enough or I'm doing too much of going back and forth, like there 220 00:12:12,100 --> 00:12:14,200 is nothing in between those extremes, right? 221 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:19,600 So I ended up reaching out to an old teammate of mine. 222 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:24,800 Who's also she's she's an elite Runner and I was like, can you 223 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:28,900 like she wasn't really compete as much anymore, but can you 224 00:12:28,900 --> 00:12:31,600 help me just come up with a plan like maybe we can collaborate 225 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:33,700 and go from there. So we we started working 226 00:12:33,700 --> 00:12:38,900 together. I did a 5K in June is my first 227 00:12:38,900 --> 00:12:43,300 race back after this, like break, as I don't need to see 228 00:12:43,300 --> 00:12:47,500 where I'm at like as I go to see like if I can get anywhere near 229 00:12:47,500 --> 00:12:53,300 what I was running last year and I didn't and it was I mean, it 230 00:12:53,300 --> 00:12:57,600 was that first like rust Buster that you pretty much have every 231 00:12:57,600 --> 00:12:59,100 season. Anytime you take a break after 232 00:12:59,100 --> 00:13:02,300 any injury like that first race, it's going to hurt and it's 233 00:13:02,300 --> 00:13:05,300 probably not going to go. Don't lie. 234 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:09,800 But so I went into it. I was a little upset with the 235 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:12,600 result, but then I was like, wow, I really, I miss this, like 236 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:17,100 I miss this competition, so they okay. 237 00:13:17,100 --> 00:13:19,400 Let's like let's really get back into it. 238 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:23,100 Let's focus on the next thing and like really work toward the 239 00:13:23,100 --> 00:13:24,600 Big Goal at the end of the year, which was see. 240 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:31,900 I am, I think a week after that I ended up with an injury that 241 00:13:31,900 --> 00:13:37,300 ended up like I mean, it still bugs me to this day but like the 242 00:13:37,300 --> 00:13:40,600 next week I went to do a workout and I had this like sharp pain 243 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:45,500 in my hip was like, oh no, all right, try to ignore, you didn't 244 00:13:45,500 --> 00:13:50,700 go away. But so then that brings into I 245 00:13:50,708 --> 00:13:55,200 think for me the biggest takeaway from 2022 like normally 246 00:13:55,200 --> 00:14:01,400 any time like something, any any injury really or anything that 247 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:03,200 hold me back and my running training. 248 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,700 It's usually very, very negative for me. 249 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:12,000 So, instead of that this time, my boyfriend, excuse me, do 250 00:14:12,300 --> 00:14:14,500 cycling. He's like, let's you know, what 251 00:14:14,500 --> 00:14:19,000 I tried running workout and I got the sharp pain like four 252 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,100 times. Like I'm done, I called him to 253 00:14:21,100 --> 00:14:22,100 come. Pick me up. 254 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:24,600 I was like, I'll just go to the gym and do a workout on the 255 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:25,700 bike. Fine. 256 00:14:25,700 --> 00:14:27,800 I hate to endure a trainer, but whatever. 257 00:14:28,900 --> 00:14:32,900 So it was like, no, we're going to a cycle shop, and we're going 258 00:14:32,900 --> 00:14:35,100 to get to A bike. This is like July. 259 00:14:35,100 --> 00:14:37,600 Nobody wants to be inside on a bike in July like won't be 260 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:40,600 outside. So we bought a bike that day. 261 00:14:41,100 --> 00:14:45,900 We went out and then just did a lot of biking swimming for like 262 00:14:45,900 --> 00:14:49,600 for a few months and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. 263 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:55,900 But but yeah. So I ended up when I started 264 00:14:55,900 --> 00:14:59,100 running again. I think it was like end of 265 00:14:59,100 --> 00:15:02,600 August. So I stopped running in end of 266 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,100 June. Started running again, end of 267 00:15:05,100 --> 00:15:11,400 August, but in that time I had been biking so much. 268 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:14,300 And, you know, you know, of all people like you can get in 269 00:15:14,300 --> 00:15:18,700 really, really good shape. Just cycle your whole exit, very 270 00:15:18,700 --> 00:15:24,900 strong, but yeah. So during that time was like, 271 00:15:24,900 --> 00:15:28,300 you know what, let me like, I'm making the most of it. 272 00:15:28,300 --> 00:15:31,000 I'm biking more than ever. I'm swimming more than I ever 273 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,200 have. Let's sign up for a trial. 274 00:15:33,300 --> 00:15:37,100 Ethel on and pray that I can run by it. 275 00:15:37,500 --> 00:15:40,900 And if not then, oh well, there's remember how much it was 276 00:15:40,900 --> 00:15:42,300 but I was like you know what it's worth. 277 00:15:42,300 --> 00:15:44,100 It gives me something to shoot for for now. 278 00:15:45,100 --> 00:15:52,000 So that was in September. I did a Sprint Triathlon. 279 00:15:53,600 --> 00:16:00,100 And I remember that being like, there's no like you you're 280 00:16:00,100 --> 00:16:02,200 getting into the competition but there's zero. 281 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:04,200 Like I didn't put any pressure For myself. 282 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,300 It was my first one. I've never competed in a swim 283 00:16:08,300 --> 00:16:12,800 event a bike event or I've never run coming off of a bike. 284 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:19,200 So I was like whatever. Let's just let's just dive in. 285 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,900 Yeah, exactly. Which it's funny. 286 00:16:22,900 --> 00:16:25,700 You say that. So at the start of the swim, I 287 00:16:25,700 --> 00:16:29,900 had been told run in as far as you can and then start swimming 288 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:34,500 everyone else do this. I am I trying to run through 289 00:16:34,500 --> 00:16:38,100 these people kicking and all that but the sun was definitely 290 00:16:39,100 --> 00:16:43,700 interesting to me. That's like I mean they swim in 291 00:16:43,700 --> 00:16:45,500 the pool, you something like you training. 292 00:16:45,500 --> 00:16:48,500 Like at least I came by myself in the pool. 293 00:16:49,500 --> 00:16:53,600 You're not ready for or I wasn't ready for Open Water swimming. 294 00:16:53,900 --> 00:16:57,500 With hundreds of people around me and not being able to see. 295 00:16:57,500 --> 00:17:04,000 Yes, At one point I was like, I just stopped, I was like, 296 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:07,200 completely vertical with people are like kicking and like, you 297 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:12,800 know, that's like I'm gonna make it move like, you know, it's 298 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:16,000 almost like a 5-10 minutes swim in a Sprint. 299 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:23,900 Yeah, just get there. But yeah, so then so when I got 300 00:17:23,900 --> 00:17:30,700 out of the water, my mindset was like Swim is like the only one 301 00:17:30,700 --> 00:17:32,300 that really like requires your arms. 302 00:17:32,300 --> 00:17:35,700 So I'll just use like, just like fatigue my arms out. 303 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,400 And I remember getting out of the water and being shocked. 304 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:41,100 How tired my legs were? I don't know. 305 00:17:41,100 --> 00:17:44,900 Have you ever experienced that? Well, um, I've the only 306 00:17:44,900 --> 00:17:47,900 Triathlon I've done was as a child, so I don't really 307 00:17:47,900 --> 00:17:52,400 remember that, but I was a swimmer when I was younger, so I 308 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:56,300 definitely know how tired your legs get swimming, and then I 309 00:17:56,308 --> 00:17:58,100 was so surprised. Yeah, and then you're good on 310 00:17:58,100 --> 00:18:00,500 the bike. And You're like, oh no. 311 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:08,700 Yeah, like oh my gosh, I have to write the run from the water to 312 00:18:08,700 --> 00:18:11,200 the bike. Hmm my legs felt so heavy on 313 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:16,200 like this is, this is fun. What a great idea that guy. 314 00:18:19,500 --> 00:18:26,100 Yeah, so that was after that that race that was the first 315 00:18:26,100 --> 00:18:30,700 harder run I had done since since the The injury started. 316 00:18:30,700 --> 00:18:36,200 So I think that for me was a big test of our my legs ready to get 317 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:41,800 back to running and yeah tested them after probably my hardest 318 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:44,900 bike ride ever and it was fine. That's great. 319 00:18:44,900 --> 00:18:53,500 Is a nice reminder of how much like I want to say Fitness was 320 00:18:53,500 --> 00:18:57,300 lost but like Getting your running legs back. 321 00:18:57,300 --> 00:19:00,200 Yeah, like how much that takes like coming off like from Viking 322 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:03,300 a ton to just going back to running or finding your legs and 323 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:07,100 getting used to, like, what a temple is and and all that. 324 00:19:07,100 --> 00:19:11,700 So during it was a three mile, ER, at the end, not a 5K. 325 00:19:12,900 --> 00:19:16,800 And I went through the first mile, I was like, I'm flying and 326 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:20,200 it was like my old clothes to my old Tempo piece. 327 00:19:20,900 --> 00:19:23,800 Okay, I'm not paying. So, this is good. 328 00:19:27,900 --> 00:19:32,500 But yeah, so after that I think a big takeaway from that whole 329 00:19:32,500 --> 00:19:37,000 section of the Year for me like I said was like cross-training 330 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,500 can do a lot more than you're giving it a chance to do. 331 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:44,800 It can really complement your training and get a stronger than 332 00:19:45,300 --> 00:19:48,800 then you could with just running and it works different muscles. 333 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:53,000 I mean swimming's great core upper body do that. 334 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:58,000 So after the Why is like okay, let's see what I can do. 335 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:02,400 I think, see IM was like, eight or nine weeks away and my 336 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:05,800 longest run was like three months my God, yay. 337 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:10,200 Well, let's see, yeah. Let's try to make sure the start 338 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:11,300 line. Then we'll make to the finish 339 00:20:11,300 --> 00:20:14,800 line and we'll go from there and anything in between is sure. 340 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:20,500 So it's like I have to probably find a half marathon or 341 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:24,700 something to just like At least see where I am halfway through 342 00:20:24,700 --> 00:20:27,900 training and get back into that longer racing mentality because 343 00:20:27,900 --> 00:20:31,800 it had been I mean if I hadn't done that would be like a year 344 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:35,700 since the previous longer race which was see I am in 2021. 345 00:20:37,100 --> 00:20:40,000 So I signed up for prints and half marathon. 346 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:44,100 I was between I was between that one and then there was another 347 00:20:44,700 --> 00:20:46,200 by the beach. I was like oh that'd be good. 348 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:50,500 It's flat and ended up picking Princeton because we just 349 00:20:50,500 --> 00:20:52,000 adopted a puppy and I want him to be there. 350 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:57,100 That's a very good reasons. I know I want him to be there 351 00:20:57,100 --> 00:20:59,800 and I don't want to have to like, I don't know, leave him in 352 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:02,000 the crate all the time. So yeah, I ended up going with 353 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:08,300 Princeton but yeah. So that course is it's known for 354 00:21:08,300 --> 00:21:11,000 being really hilly, which then I was thinking more like that 355 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:14,800 might be good because this whole training Cycles, going to be all 356 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:18,100 about effort. So, instead of like, what I had 357 00:21:18,100 --> 00:21:22,700 been doing like in 2021, is I have these strict Paces that I 358 00:21:22,708 --> 00:21:28,300 have to hit and I would hold myself to that regardless of how 359 00:21:28,300 --> 00:21:31,500 I was feeling. Like, I like to think I can, 360 00:21:31,500 --> 00:21:36,700 like, go based off of effort, but not having Pace goal in mind 361 00:21:36,700 --> 00:21:40,800 during any workout and just going off of like, How you're 362 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:43,900 feeling like during like my long run work outside? 363 00:21:43,900 --> 00:21:48,200 Ask myself can you realistically hold this for 26 miles, right? 364 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:52,900 And if the answer was no, then I back off regardless of like 365 00:21:52,900 --> 00:21:55,100 okay, it feels easy but like I know I'm not going to hold this 366 00:21:55,100 --> 00:22:00,800 for 26 Miles because with marathon training as a lot as as 367 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:05,700 you know like it's you're never really redlining and training in 368 00:22:05,700 --> 00:22:09,900 any of those marathon pace runs you should feel comfortable. 369 00:22:10,100 --> 00:22:14,500 Really uncomfortable, I guess. But yeah. 370 00:22:14,500 --> 00:22:20,400 So Princeton came around and we're not really being like with 371 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:22,900 this one. I wasn't I wasn't necessarily 372 00:22:22,900 --> 00:22:27,000 like nervous for like I usually get before races. 373 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:32,400 I think it was because I was more like excited about just 374 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:35,100 getting back into that race like getting back into the racing 375 00:22:35,100 --> 00:22:41,500 community and just getting like Used to that again, but yeah. 376 00:22:41,500 --> 00:22:46,400 So at all, so not expecting a PR also took pressure off. 377 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,900 Like I knew I wasn't none of my workouts that indicated I was 378 00:22:49,900 --> 00:22:52,000 anywhere near running a PR. So I was like, okay let's just 379 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:56,800 see what I can do. - split would be great and just have fun. 380 00:22:57,700 --> 00:23:00,800 There's actually my boyfriend as a video like they were at a few 381 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:06,500 points of the of the race and he had the he had her dog chogi. 382 00:23:07,700 --> 00:23:10,300 Yes, need dr. Elliot can do keep up awesome. 383 00:23:11,500 --> 00:23:14,000 And I actually like, went over to the side and like, pet him. 384 00:23:15,300 --> 00:23:16,500 It was a lot of fun. Yeah. 385 00:23:16,500 --> 00:23:21,700 And I feel like I had lost that, like, fun aspect of it during 386 00:23:21,700 --> 00:23:23,400 the 2021, like, yeah, I enjoyed it. 387 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:28,200 It's ever who doesn't like pra but, like, not losing sight of, 388 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:31,600 like, the pure joy of running in training. 389 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:34,900 So that was a big thing for Princeton like, I was way off a 390 00:23:34,900 --> 00:23:44,100 PR, but I was so happy after you believe that was a blast but 391 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,700 yeah. So after that I think it was 392 00:23:46,700 --> 00:23:53,700 like a pro 4 weeks away from. See I am I if I had to guess I 393 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:58,100 signed up for a Turkey Trot it was like a small like local one. 394 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:01,100 Well, it was actually ended up being pretty big, but it was a 395 00:24:01,100 --> 00:24:05,300 local one that I had gone to last year to watch as I go with 396 00:24:05,300 --> 00:24:08,000 my family and they all this would have been So much fun. 397 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:12,300 But at that time, I was 10 days away from see IM in 2021. 398 00:24:12,300 --> 00:24:14,700 And I was afraid that like, because I knew I was like, 399 00:24:14,700 --> 00:24:16,500 teetering on the edge of too much. 400 00:24:16,900 --> 00:24:21,600 There's afraid if I threw in like a 5k, I tear my hamstring 401 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:25,100 or like something would break. So I didn't do it. 402 00:24:25,300 --> 00:24:27,100 I'm 20 21. I was looking forward to in 403 00:24:27,100 --> 00:24:29,800 2022. So, let's see what I can do and 404 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:33,900 this was like again, like ten days before. 405 00:24:33,900 --> 00:24:40,100 See, I am this this past year. And it was like probably the 406 00:24:40,100 --> 00:24:43,100 best thing that could have happened in my training, just 407 00:24:43,100 --> 00:24:46,400 gave me like a confidence boost and it showed me like, okay, 408 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:51,800 you're you're in better running shape then like you thought, or 409 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:54,200 at least you had more speed than you talk. 410 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:57,200 So I ended up being pretty close to 5 K PR. 411 00:24:57,300 --> 00:25:00,000 Okay. If on the roads at least I think 412 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,700 it ended up being a three mile ER because they had there was a 413 00:25:02,708 --> 00:25:06,600 construction on the course but I think converted I was probably 414 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:08,900 like 10 seconds. Off-road PR, which to me was 415 00:25:08,900 --> 00:25:12,300 like what that's incredible. Especially at the end of 416 00:25:12,300 --> 00:25:15,100 marathon training. Yeah, that's yeah. 417 00:25:15,100 --> 00:25:19,100 It was a nice confidence boost that I think was needed before. 418 00:25:19,100 --> 00:25:22,900 See IM. The yeah. 419 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:29,900 So then see, I am rolls around and I was just happy to get to 420 00:25:29,900 --> 00:25:35,100 the starting line and I hadn't had any pain since I started 421 00:25:35,100 --> 00:25:37,500 running. So, probably since like, Like 422 00:25:38,700 --> 00:25:41,400 obviously, probably since, like, July was the last time I had 423 00:25:41,500 --> 00:25:46,900 felt any discomfort. So that was like, going back to 424 00:25:46,900 --> 00:25:48,500 the journaling that we had talked about. 425 00:25:48,500 --> 00:25:52,300 I journaled so much during this training block, just like 426 00:25:52,300 --> 00:25:55,900 reminding myself how I felt during this, like if they're 427 00:25:55,900 --> 00:25:59,400 like just being grateful, like writing down, like I'm just glad 428 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:01,600 I can run. Well, why like all that and 429 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,900 going back to like reading that before? 430 00:26:04,900 --> 00:26:10,000 See I am. So let's see. 431 00:26:10,100 --> 00:26:15,600 See I am was like it was a pretty amazing experience for me 432 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:21,400 like going into it knowing like again, like knowing my workout 433 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:25,600 for an indicating I was ready to PR but my goal was let me just 434 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:30,900 run a respectable race in like in my eyes like don't crash and 435 00:26:30,900 --> 00:26:33,900 burn. Who was number one, finish will 436 00:26:33,908 --> 00:26:35,200 actually start to finish was number one. 437 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:41,900 Don't crash and burn with number two, And then see if I could get 438 00:26:41,900 --> 00:26:46,700 under it set, like a few different time goals that I 439 00:26:46,700 --> 00:26:50,400 didn't really want like to be my primary focus there. 440 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:54,200 So I was like, let's just go under 315 then let's say 310 441 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:57,800 three. And then if it's an amazing day 442 00:26:57,900 --> 00:27:04,200 and I find myself in your PR sure, but that race was a big 443 00:27:06,100 --> 00:27:08,600 mental. Mental battle for me. 444 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:13,200 I think it was like more of Physically at her because it's a 445 00:27:13,208 --> 00:27:17,200 marathon but the mental part of it really played a big part. 446 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:23,000 And I think that like the mental training aspect of it, I think 447 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:30,100 is the big my big takeaway from see I am so leading up to it 448 00:27:30,100 --> 00:27:32,600 knowing that I wasn't where I wanted to be physically like 449 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:36,700 looking back a year ago at CI M 2022. 450 00:27:36,700 --> 00:27:40,000 I had a much different vision of it before the whole year. 451 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:43,700 So taking In that and throwing that away. 452 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:48,000 And then revisiting like, why am I doing this? 453 00:27:48,500 --> 00:27:51,600 You're not doing this, like just for the times you're not doing 454 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:55,500 this for anything. It's why are you doing this? 455 00:27:55,500 --> 00:27:59,800 So I had that written down, I wrote like one word, on my arm 456 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:01,300 that just kind of like reminding me. 457 00:28:01,300 --> 00:28:04,300 So, what if I did forget during the race, I had that right there 458 00:28:07,100 --> 00:28:09,200 by. He's like every mental strategy, 459 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:11,500 monitored any distraction, I could during the race. 460 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:14,600 Anyone that I saw on the sidelines. 461 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:18,600 Like even if I knew them or not, I would just like, yell back at 462 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:20,700 them. I saw like a few Vizslas that 463 00:28:20,700 --> 00:28:23,500 which is kind of dog. We got I saw a few Vizslas on 464 00:28:23,500 --> 00:28:26,500 the side that I like kind of reached over. 465 00:28:27,300 --> 00:28:31,900 But anything that might distract myself and then it really became 466 00:28:31,900 --> 00:28:37,800 important Mile and he was around my 18, that injury came back and 467 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:42,300 I had like that one instance of like, Oh my God. 468 00:28:42,300 --> 00:28:45,200 Like it's just like a quick like, a quick sharp pain. 469 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:47,900 I was like, okay, it is one of those. 470 00:28:47,900 --> 00:28:49,600 I'm going to race. I'm here, I'm not going to not 471 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:53,200 finish. So I stopped a few times in the 472 00:28:53,200 --> 00:29:00,100 last 10 K and just did some of my PT exercises and then the 473 00:29:00,100 --> 00:29:04,200 last like five k, maybe a little less than 5 K. 474 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:07,500 I just like stopped carrying of follows like you're going to 475 00:29:07,508 --> 00:29:09,500 finish this. So don't stop anymore. 476 00:29:09,500 --> 00:29:14,700 Young ever crossing the line, and just being like, Ecstatic 477 00:29:14,700 --> 00:29:18,800 with the result, like I was again, knowing your PR, but just 478 00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:24,400 very proud. And I think that was like, Like 479 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:29,500 nice combination of 2022 for me. Like just be proud of and happy 480 00:29:29,500 --> 00:29:34,300 where you are and like enjoy it. I think that was my my biggest 481 00:29:34,300 --> 00:29:37,700 thing. But yeah, that was my last race 482 00:29:37,700 --> 00:29:42,100 of 2022. I think just to sum up and I was 483 00:29:42,100 --> 00:29:46,400 like a lot. I think the biggest thing is 484 00:29:46,500 --> 00:29:50,900 listen to your body regardless of what any coaches telling you, 485 00:29:50,900 --> 00:29:54,000 you know, your body best do. And ignore it when it's telling 486 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:57,400 you that you need a break, I think. 487 00:29:57,400 --> 00:29:59,800 If I had taken a break, my 2022 might look different. 488 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:05,000 But I also think I needed a year like 20 22 in terms of like the 489 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:09,300 cross training and that brings like another lesson incorporate 490 00:30:09,300 --> 00:30:12,100 across training, into your, into your training. 491 00:30:12,100 --> 00:30:16,500 It can be a huge, huge help and I think, I don't think see, I am 492 00:30:16,500 --> 00:30:19,100 would have gone anywhere near as well. 493 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:20,600 I don't even know if I would have made it to see. 494 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:24,900 I am, if I hadn't started with the crushed, And keep an open 495 00:30:24,900 --> 00:30:27,600 mind. I like I said, I used to hate 496 00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:32,000 hate biking and now I love it. I liked every day for the last 497 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:36,100 like month month and a half. But yeah. 498 00:30:36,100 --> 00:30:40,400 And then yeah, I mean kind of opened my eyes to like a new 499 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:43,500 world for me. Like, triathlons likes at some 500 00:30:43,500 --> 00:30:48,000 point in the future. Yeah, that was my 2022. 501 00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:49,700 I think that's a really good point. 502 00:30:49,700 --> 00:30:52,500 Megan about cross-training runners. 503 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:56,500 I think more than maybe other disciplines get really caught up 504 00:30:56,500 --> 00:31:01,200 in mileage, like we think that our miles per week is like the 505 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:04,300 one thing that sums up like how hard we're training, or how 506 00:31:04,300 --> 00:31:06,400 serious, we are, how fast we are. 507 00:31:06,900 --> 00:31:11,200 And that's not really the case. There is correlation of course, 508 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:14,700 between like weekly mileage and performance. 509 00:31:14,700 --> 00:31:19,900 But some people do better with a little lower weekly mileage and 510 00:31:19,900 --> 00:31:22,500 maybe one or two days of cross-training thrown in. 511 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:26,500 And some people do really well with high mileage and no cross 512 00:31:26,500 --> 00:31:31,400 training, but a lot of people like you found adding in that 513 00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:35,100 cross training actually made you stronger, like you probably 514 00:31:35,100 --> 00:31:40,200 noticed like you're a lot stronger on Hills running and it 515 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:44,100 gives you the ability to recruit your muscle fibers a little bit 516 00:31:44,100 --> 00:31:47,300 differently, it just gives you more of a reserve. 517 00:31:47,300 --> 00:31:53,100 I think so. Don't I 100% agree. 518 00:31:53,100 --> 00:31:57,200 Don't be afraid to cross train, don't be afraid to like one or 519 00:31:57,200 --> 00:32:01,400 two days a week instead of doing you know six or seven days of 520 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:04,800 running because you might actually find it makes you a 521 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:08,200 better Runner than you are when you're just running for sure. 522 00:32:08,500 --> 00:32:09,400 Absolutely. Yeah. 523 00:32:09,500 --> 00:32:15,000 And I don't think I used to do like double runs two times a 524 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:18,500 week in 2021. I don't know like saying this 525 00:32:18,500 --> 00:32:20,300 now I don't know but I don't know. 526 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:23,800 If I'd ever do another run double, I think if I started 527 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:29,100 double workouts again, I would do a rot one month and then bike 528 00:32:29,100 --> 00:32:31,100 instead of running again, because it's so much easier on 529 00:32:31,100 --> 00:32:34,600 your body to solutely. Recovery is so much quicker and 530 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:37,700 you get the same benefits. Like it's great on. 531 00:32:37,900 --> 00:32:40,800 Yeah. Like, I find the bike to be like 532 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:44,700 my magic wand for, like muscle, soreness, or fatigue. 533 00:32:44,700 --> 00:32:50,000 Like, I could be so sore from a race or like a hard workout and 534 00:32:50,300 --> 00:32:53,800 I You like, 30 minutes, really easy on the bike and I get off 535 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:57,500 and I feel like a new person and I mean, like, the intensity that 536 00:32:57,500 --> 00:33:01,200 I did is like the equivalent of going for a walk, the because 537 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:04,800 you're on the bike and putting so little impact through your 538 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:07,700 muscles and your joints. It's just so much better for 539 00:33:07,700 --> 00:33:11,100 recovery than going for a super slow run. 540 00:33:11,500 --> 00:33:17,200 Yeah, I 100% agree. So it's a lot about my 2022. 541 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:21,300 Now let's get to your 20 22, Andrea. 542 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:25,200 Well, I had 2022. Was definitely a year of change 543 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:27,700 for me, too. I also ended up switching 544 00:33:27,700 --> 00:33:32,800 coaches. So, I had, basically, for those 545 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:37,200 who don't know my background, I have ran all of my life since I 546 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:42,900 was a little kid and then I got injured in college and took a 547 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:47,700 cycling, just as a way of cross training and that led me to 548 00:33:47,700 --> 00:33:50,300 racing professionally as a road cyclist for a while. 549 00:33:51,100 --> 00:33:54,900 And I took several years off of running just to focus on cycling 550 00:33:55,300 --> 00:33:59,500 and then you know as the years went on, I kind of it was hard 551 00:33:59,500 --> 00:34:04,200 to find things that motivated me with cycling Zone like I took a 552 00:34:04,208 --> 00:34:09,699 mountain biking, I started doing more like hill climbing like I 553 00:34:09,708 --> 00:34:12,699 did the race at Mount Washington a few times and that gave me 554 00:34:12,699 --> 00:34:16,600 like a new goal to work towards, but I just got to the point 555 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:22,199 where it was like, I don't want to drain 15. 18 hours a week for 556 00:34:22,199 --> 00:34:26,300 the same old thing anymore so I started running a little bit 557 00:34:26,300 --> 00:34:29,800 more each year like I've got a bunch of triathlete friends who 558 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:34,300 would you know sneakily invite me on their runs and suddenly I 559 00:34:34,300 --> 00:34:38,500 found myself doing like 12 or 13 Mile runs with them. 560 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:44,800 They knew what they were doing. So basically I you know over 561 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:48,300 probably like the past, I don't know six years I've been 562 00:34:48,300 --> 00:34:53,000 gradually increasing my grunting and In 2021. 563 00:34:53,500 --> 00:34:57,800 I decided I was actually ready to run another Marathon. 564 00:34:58,200 --> 00:35:04,900 So I got a coach and you know, her method worked for me like I 565 00:35:04,900 --> 00:35:09,000 had an awesome race like much faster than I ever thought 566 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:15,200 possible but after that race just the the type of training 567 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:19,600 she had me do didn't work for me like it was too dissimilar to 568 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:21,200 what worked for me. On the bike. 569 00:35:21,500 --> 00:35:25,800 I really needed to spend a lot of time building my threshold 570 00:35:25,900 --> 00:35:29,400 before doing a lot of like anaerobic work and I was kind of 571 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:33,900 doing the opposite with her and it was like just making me peek 572 00:35:33,900 --> 00:35:38,000 way too early and then I just felt like really burnt out like 573 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:40,800 way too soon in the season because that ever happened to 574 00:35:40,808 --> 00:35:44,000 your Megan with training, we're like you do too much, speed work 575 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:48,500 too early and then you're just like you, you know, get really 576 00:35:48,500 --> 00:35:52,300 high on your - and then like Crash and Burn. 577 00:35:52,300 --> 00:35:54,200 You feel super burnout? Oh, yeah. 578 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:58,000 Yeah, look, the first like, like you feel great? 579 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:01,300 Within like the first three to four weeks of training, and then 580 00:36:01,500 --> 00:36:04,800 it all catches up to your eye. And yeah, I'm like you're just 581 00:36:05,100 --> 00:36:06,100 you're too far behind. Yeah. 582 00:36:06,100 --> 00:36:09,500 Your Peak is lower than what it would have been. 583 00:36:09,500 --> 00:36:13,800 If you spent more time doing like threshold ish work, and 584 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:18,700 then like capping it off with more speed work as you get 585 00:36:18,700 --> 00:36:22,100 closer to a season. So I just, you know, I wasn't 586 00:36:22,100 --> 00:36:24,900 even running that high of mileage and I just felt tired 587 00:36:24,900 --> 00:36:27,700 all the time. My races weren't going well. 588 00:36:27,700 --> 00:36:32,200 So, and at the same time I'd also quit my clinic job and 589 00:36:32,200 --> 00:36:34,400 like, went all in on starting my own business. 590 00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:36,600 So it was just, it was all time for a change. 591 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:43,900 So I found like a base training plan, written by a coach that I 592 00:36:43,908 --> 00:36:47,800 did, like in the fall and the beginning of the winter in 21, 593 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:52,400 and it was like, exactly. How I trained on the bike and I 594 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:56,600 was like, wow I feel this feels so natural and like the mileage 595 00:36:56,600 --> 00:37:00,500 was higher already than what I had been doing in the middle of 596 00:37:00,500 --> 00:37:04,300 my season. Like this is what I need and I 597 00:37:04,300 --> 00:37:09,800 think that's one of the best lessons that I got out of 2022 598 00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:14,500 is it's so important to listen to your body and like your body 599 00:37:14,500 --> 00:37:17,900 will tell you, if something is working for you or if it's not 600 00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:21,100 and just because like one Training Method, Works well for 601 00:37:21,100 --> 00:37:24,300 your friend doesn't mean that it's going to work well for you 602 00:37:24,300 --> 00:37:27,500 who might have slightly different muscle physiology. 603 00:37:27,500 --> 00:37:31,100 Maybe you're more of like a slow twitch type Runner or you're 604 00:37:31,100 --> 00:37:35,500 more of a fast which type Runner everybody responds differently 605 00:37:35,900 --> 00:37:38,700 to different training. So it's really important to 606 00:37:38,700 --> 00:37:42,300 figure out what works for you and then stick with it. 607 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:48,300 So, I after doing this base training plan, I contacted this 608 00:37:48,300 --> 00:37:50,400 coach and I said, hey, I really love this training. 609 00:37:50,500 --> 00:37:53,300 Plan while you're actually coached me and fortunately, he 610 00:37:53,300 --> 00:37:58,000 said yes. So I mean by the end of January, 611 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:02,800 I think I was doing like around 60 miles a week which was like 612 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:07,200 the highest mileage I had done ever, you know, leading into my 613 00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:10,700 2021 Marathon. But again, like just felt like a 614 00:38:10,708 --> 00:38:14,500 totally different athlete because the type of training I 615 00:38:14,508 --> 00:38:17,500 was doing was different. It was a lot of threshold, like, 616 00:38:17,500 --> 00:38:21,900 short threshold efforts to like, Nothing longer than a mile, but 617 00:38:21,900 --> 00:38:24,600 a lot of it with like, short rest. 618 00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:28,500 And I think that's key to, like, I definitely am more of a fast 619 00:38:28,500 --> 00:38:31,900 twitch type athlete. So if you give me long, 620 00:38:31,900 --> 00:38:36,400 recoveries, it's going to let me kind of cheat and like push a 621 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:40,300 little too hard but because I can recover, I'm basically 622 00:38:40,500 --> 00:38:45,800 always overtraining but if you do, you know medium-length 623 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:49,100 efforts with short rest, it really keeps you honest, because 624 00:38:49,100 --> 00:38:52,500 you're not getting full. Cutlery between three people. 625 00:38:53,700 --> 00:38:58,200 So I like by January. I was like, this is amazing. 626 00:38:58,200 --> 00:39:00,700 I feel, you know, the best I have in years. 627 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:05,000 I feel the way I did when I was in the middle of bike training, 628 00:39:05,300 --> 00:39:09,200 you know, I don't feel beat down and burn out like I didn't 2021. 629 00:39:09,800 --> 00:39:14,200 So I started thinking about like what I wanted to do for the 630 00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:17,100 year, and I definitely wanted to do a marathon. 631 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:22,800 But for me last year, Here at least the idea of training 632 00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:25,900 through the winter for spring Marathon did not sound very 633 00:39:25,900 --> 00:39:28,400 appealing. So I decided I was going to do a 634 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:31,300 fall one. So my idea was just going to 635 00:39:31,308 --> 00:39:34,200 build like spring and summer. Get us fit. 636 00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:39,000 As I can do some shorter races, you know, recover and then build 637 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:45,000 back up for a full Marathon. So I did like several like 638 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:50,200 little tune-up races in February and March like a seven and a 639 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:51,900 half. Mile radius around a lake. 640 00:39:51,900 --> 00:39:55,500 That was my first race that like the end of February. 641 00:39:55,500 --> 00:39:59,700 It was probably like 30 degrees out and super windy, you know, 642 00:39:59,700 --> 00:40:02,700 like the type of race that, that, you know, you're not going 643 00:40:02,700 --> 00:40:06,600 to have like a PR race. But you're just there to get a 644 00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:10,200 race under your belt, and, you know, get it done and same thing 645 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:14,900 like just shaking out the cobwebs figuring out. 646 00:40:14,900 --> 00:40:16,800 Well, what is my actual race Pace? 647 00:40:16,800 --> 00:40:18,400 Right? Like I've been doing all this 648 00:40:18,400 --> 00:40:21,800 training, but how is that going to To translate to racing. 649 00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:26,400 And you know, I pleasantly surprised myself with the pace 650 00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:29,400 that I ended up doing. It was a little faster than what 651 00:40:29,400 --> 00:40:32,200 I thought I was going to do and, you know, that's all you can 652 00:40:32,200 --> 00:40:34,700 really hope for with your first race of the year. 653 00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:39,600 So, I did a second race. The following weekend that was 654 00:40:39,600 --> 00:40:42,900 just like a 5-mile aura that had a few Hills. 655 00:40:43,300 --> 00:40:46,800 It was a really small race. So I ended up basically by 656 00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:52,400 myself the whole time, but same thing like, Because you're as 657 00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:55,200 you're building your Fitness, you don't really know like what 658 00:40:55,200 --> 00:40:57,700 you're capable of, right? Like you have to go off of 659 00:40:57,700 --> 00:41:00,900 effort and that's how I erased on the bike. 660 00:41:00,900 --> 00:41:05,200 Like in cycling, we have power meters that really helped us 661 00:41:05,200 --> 00:41:09,700 dial in our effort, but I really don't like racing looking at my 662 00:41:09,700 --> 00:41:13,300 power meter because it's just it's too much information for 663 00:41:13,300 --> 00:41:16,500 me. Like I always preferred to race 664 00:41:16,500 --> 00:41:20,500 based on feel rather than like hitting a number. 665 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:23,700 Because let's say you're in the middle of a race. 666 00:41:23,700 --> 00:41:29,000 And you look down and your power is lower than you expected, but 667 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:31,500 you're dying like that doesn't help you. 668 00:41:31,500 --> 00:41:33,800 It just makes you feel worse about yourself. 669 00:41:34,300 --> 00:41:37,200 And if you're in the middle of a race, and you look down in your 670 00:41:37,200 --> 00:41:40,900 power is higher than your expected and your feel good. 671 00:41:41,200 --> 00:41:44,600 Well, you're not going to slow down, you're just going to keep 672 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:47,100 going because you feel good and it feels appropriate. 673 00:41:47,300 --> 00:41:51,100 So in running, you know. Yeah, we have the In power 674 00:41:51,100 --> 00:41:55,300 meter, I tried that and I can't say I really felt like it was 675 00:41:55,300 --> 00:41:59,000 anywhere near as useful as a cycling parameter just because 676 00:41:59,400 --> 00:42:04,300 it's measuring two totally different things in running. 677 00:42:04,300 --> 00:42:07,600 We really have to learn to listen to our bodies and like 678 00:42:07,700 --> 00:42:09,800 run by effort which is what you talked about. 679 00:42:09,800 --> 00:42:14,600 Like you spent all last year running by effort because these 680 00:42:14,600 --> 00:42:17,800 goal Paces that our coaches give us or training plans. 681 00:42:17,800 --> 00:42:20,500 Give us their based on like race. 682 00:42:20,600 --> 00:42:25,700 Racing in an ideal conditions, meaning like no wind temperature 683 00:42:25,700 --> 00:42:31,100 around 50, no Hills. And I've never done a race like 684 00:42:31,100 --> 00:42:35,400 that, I don't know about, you know, so maybe an indoor track. 685 00:42:35,400 --> 00:42:42,200 Yeah, but never out, oh, no. So, you know, even even with her 686 00:42:42,200 --> 00:42:46,400 running, so many people take like their goal Paces as gospel 687 00:42:46,400 --> 00:42:50,600 and like get upset if they're like two seconds per mile off. 688 00:42:52,100 --> 00:42:54,800 Peace. Your body doesn't know Pace. 689 00:42:54,800 --> 00:43:00,100 Your body knows effort and sometimes your pace is going to 690 00:43:00,100 --> 00:43:01,800 be a little faster than your expect. 691 00:43:01,800 --> 00:43:04,900 Sometimes it's going to be a little slower, but the more you 692 00:43:04,900 --> 00:43:10,700 can just learn to trust your body and Race by feel and 693 00:43:10,700 --> 00:43:15,000 trained by feel actually rather than like just being dependent 694 00:43:15,000 --> 00:43:19,200 on what your watch tells you the better eraser you're going to be 695 00:43:19,700 --> 00:43:22,500 for many. Ins one, your watches and always 696 00:43:22,500 --> 00:43:25,300 accurate, right? Like one of my friends watches 697 00:43:25,300 --> 00:43:28,700 during a marathon you know suddenly said she was doing like 698 00:43:28,700 --> 00:43:31,900 15 minute miles and she definitely wasn't. 699 00:43:31,900 --> 00:43:36,200 And it did that for I think the last five miles of the race for 700 00:43:36,200 --> 00:43:40,900 her so she just had to run based on what she thought marathon. 701 00:43:40,900 --> 00:43:43,300 Pace was. Guess what she ended up with 702 00:43:43,300 --> 00:43:45,300 like a five-minute PR in the marathon. 703 00:43:45,300 --> 00:43:50,600 So sometimes we can't just rely on. 704 00:43:50,700 --> 00:43:53,100 Our watches, right? We've got to learn how to rely 705 00:43:53,100 --> 00:43:58,000 on ourselves, so and this 5-mile race definitely helped me like 706 00:43:58,300 --> 00:44:04,300 get back into the feeling of. Okay, what just what's the 707 00:44:04,300 --> 00:44:06,200 fastest? I can go and make it to the 708 00:44:06,200 --> 00:44:09,200 Finish Line without dying. We're like, with dying at the 709 00:44:09,200 --> 00:44:12,600 finish line and it was, you know, a good race. 710 00:44:12,600 --> 00:44:15,500 I won the women's race. It was small, you know, nothing 711 00:44:16,000 --> 00:44:19,300 definitely not a big race, but it gave me a lot of confidence 712 00:44:19,300 --> 00:44:22,700 that my training was Working that I was on the right track 713 00:44:22,900 --> 00:44:28,100 and I didn't really have races like that the year before or 714 00:44:28,100 --> 00:44:32,700 after the marathon I just felt like I was getting tired and 715 00:44:32,700 --> 00:44:36,400 slower. So like those first two races of 716 00:44:36,500 --> 00:44:42,500 22 definitely like gave me a ton of confidence that my training 717 00:44:42,500 --> 00:44:44,300 was, right? I was on the right track. 718 00:44:44,300 --> 00:44:47,300 I could see that my fitness had already like tremendously 719 00:44:47,300 --> 00:44:52,600 improved in a few months, so I was Really excited to like keep 720 00:44:52,600 --> 00:44:58,100 training and racing which of course led me to the like big 721 00:44:58,100 --> 00:44:59,800 goal. I had in the spring, which was a 722 00:44:59,800 --> 00:45:03,700 half marathon in April, I got a cold the week before the race. 723 00:45:03,700 --> 00:45:08,600 So I, you know, I know a lot of people would race with the cold 724 00:45:08,600 --> 00:45:16,300 but I've done so many bike races sick or injured and like I just 725 00:45:16,300 --> 00:45:20,700 I'm kind of done like torturing myself in that sentence and And 726 00:45:20,900 --> 00:45:25,100 like I didn't want to have bronchitis for two weeks if I 727 00:45:25,200 --> 00:45:28,700 did a half marathon sick, you know, I didn't I wanted to be 728 00:45:28,700 --> 00:45:33,100 able to keep running and training so I just I was like 729 00:45:33,100 --> 00:45:36,000 it's not worth it, there are so many more races to do. 730 00:45:36,300 --> 00:45:40,500 So I deferred that race. And you know, one of the things 731 00:45:40,500 --> 00:45:44,600 I really love about my coach is, he's like, remember your health 732 00:45:44,600 --> 00:45:49,400 is the most important thing? And, you know, so many times in 733 00:45:49,400 --> 00:45:53,900 bike racing, that was But I was told either explicitly or 734 00:45:53,900 --> 00:45:58,300 implicitly like I did a whole seven-day Grace with a stomach 735 00:45:58,300 --> 00:46:04,100 bug and I got a couple of good results doing that but it took 736 00:46:04,100 --> 00:46:08,700 me over a month to recover from doing that to my body you know. 737 00:46:08,700 --> 00:46:11,400 Like I had to go to the hospital and get an IV. 738 00:46:11,400 --> 00:46:16,200 I was so dehydrated after doing that so like I've just I've 739 00:46:16,200 --> 00:46:20,500 learned and I'm no longer willing to torture. 740 00:46:20,600 --> 00:46:24,900 Myself to Joy particular is like, there's always going to be 741 00:46:24,900 --> 00:46:29,100 another race and it's not worth like driving myself into the 742 00:46:29,100 --> 00:46:32,500 ground one. Because no, real like I'm doing 743 00:46:32,500 --> 00:46:34,700 this for fun. No one's paying me to do both 744 00:46:35,200 --> 00:46:38,900 and to, you know, I need to be able to go to work and like 745 00:46:39,700 --> 00:46:43,200 beer, you know, be there for my family and all of that. 746 00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:48,400 So, yeah, so I did not do the half marathon, which was fine. 747 00:46:48,500 --> 00:46:53,300 I'm going to do it this year and I Recover and started building 748 00:46:53,300 --> 00:46:55,700 back up again. And then I was signed up for 749 00:46:55,700 --> 00:47:00,000 this really cool race that is right near where I live in May, 750 00:47:00,300 --> 00:47:03,900 it's called The Mark Twain race, as Mark Twain used to live in 751 00:47:03,900 --> 00:47:07,600 this town Redding. Connecticut, his property is 752 00:47:07,600 --> 00:47:10,700 actually up for sale. If anyone is interested, it's 753 00:47:10,700 --> 00:47:14,500 this like wild-looking property on the side of the super Steep 754 00:47:14,500 --> 00:47:18,100 Hill, I think it's for sale for like, a few million dollars. 755 00:47:18,100 --> 00:47:24,800 But yeah, it's not But this race is really hilly. 756 00:47:25,900 --> 00:47:31,400 It starts in a grass field and goes on a few trails and a dirt 757 00:47:31,400 --> 00:47:33,500 road. So it kind of had like a little 758 00:47:33,500 --> 00:47:37,000 bit of everything and it was around the time. 759 00:47:37,000 --> 00:47:42,500 I was testing the New Balance, super comp Pacer and the Nike 760 00:47:42,500 --> 00:47:45,600 streak fly and I really loved both of those shoes. 761 00:47:46,100 --> 00:47:50,400 But I didn't think either of them would do very well on the 762 00:47:51,000 --> 00:47:56,600 Like off-road parts of the course particularly at the Pacer 763 00:47:56,600 --> 00:48:00,400 because like the outsole is so soft. 764 00:48:00,400 --> 00:48:02,100 Even just to running on the roads. 765 00:48:02,100 --> 00:48:07,200 I remember I got a few rocks like embedded in the outsole and 766 00:48:07,200 --> 00:48:11,500 like I would have to stop during my workouts and get the rock out 767 00:48:11,500 --> 00:48:13,800 because you could feel it through the shoe. 768 00:48:15,100 --> 00:48:18,800 So I actually decided to use the vapor fly for this race because 769 00:48:19,200 --> 00:48:22,700 actually because David And, you know, our doctors of running 770 00:48:23,300 --> 00:48:25,900 colleague here. He uses his Vapor Flies for 771 00:48:25,900 --> 00:48:28,700 everything, like he uses them on Trails. 772 00:48:29,100 --> 00:48:32,600 I think he has a photo of his Vapor Flies, like completely 773 00:48:32,600 --> 00:48:35,700 covered in mud. So I was like, all right, David 774 00:48:35,700 --> 00:48:39,300 uses his Vapor Flies for trail running so my Vapor Flies will 775 00:48:39,300 --> 00:48:42,800 be good for this race that has like, you know, maybe a mile and 776 00:48:42,800 --> 00:48:48,500 a half of Trail and dirt road and I think one of the special 777 00:48:48,500 --> 00:48:51,900 things about this race is, it's So close to where I live. 778 00:48:51,900 --> 00:48:56,700 I've ridden my bike on those roads, you know, hundreds if not 779 00:48:56,700 --> 00:48:57,500 at that. Wasn't. 780 00:48:57,500 --> 00:49:01,700 I'm so like, I know every inch of the course, like the weekend 781 00:49:01,700 --> 00:49:05,600 before I went out and did like, my long run on the course just 782 00:49:05,600 --> 00:49:10,100 to remind myself and like there were, there's a lot of hills on 783 00:49:10,100 --> 00:49:14,400 this course and as I did, like, an easy long run on the course I 784 00:49:14,400 --> 00:49:19,500 made sure to check like, okay. What's my like Landmark to know 785 00:49:19,900 --> 00:49:22,000 that I'm near the top of this hill? 786 00:49:22,600 --> 00:49:26,800 What's my Landmark for like a half mile to go whatever? 787 00:49:27,100 --> 00:49:30,500 Because that helps me and I'm sure it helps a lot of people 788 00:49:30,500 --> 00:49:34,800 just like, chunk the course plan their efforts get through the 789 00:49:34,800 --> 00:49:39,000 hard parts. So I did that race again. 790 00:49:39,000 --> 00:49:42,000 Like you talked about with the Princeton half marathon because 791 00:49:42,000 --> 00:49:45,600 it's so hilly, you can't have a pace goal, it's going to be all 792 00:49:45,600 --> 00:49:49,200 over the place. So I really just focused on all 793 00:49:49,200 --> 00:49:51,100 right. What's my effortless effort is 794 00:49:51,100 --> 00:49:54,200 going to feel like a little bit harder than threshold because 795 00:49:54,200 --> 00:49:57,000 it's a seven mile race and like the whole race. 796 00:49:57,000 --> 00:50:00,700 I'm just thinking. Okay, am I over and am I under 797 00:50:00,700 --> 00:50:03,500 my right there? That's kind of how I would ride 798 00:50:03,500 --> 00:50:07,900 time, trials in cycling races like you had to be like so 799 00:50:07,900 --> 00:50:11,700 careful. Not to cross that line into like 800 00:50:12,300 --> 00:50:14,900 over threshold because that's where you're going to start 801 00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:19,100 crashing and burning. And I feel like I did a pretty 802 00:50:19,100 --> 00:50:22,600 good job of that. Again, this was not like a huge 803 00:50:22,600 --> 00:50:27,200 race so I ended up actually leading the race most of the 804 00:50:27,200 --> 00:50:31,400 race like men and women. And I knew that there was this 805 00:50:31,400 --> 00:50:37,400 teenager somewhere behind me but I hadn't heard him behind me for 806 00:50:37,400 --> 00:50:41,700 probably like the last. I don't know two miles and the 807 00:50:41,700 --> 00:50:45,300 race finished like in the same grassy field. 808 00:50:45,600 --> 00:50:49,100 So as I came around In the corner for maybe like the last 809 00:50:49,100 --> 00:50:53,500 100 meters. This kids for ended past me and 810 00:50:53,500 --> 00:50:59,900 I lost the overall race lead by like tear seconds now that's but 811 00:51:00,400 --> 00:51:03,100 you know if I'm gonna lose to someone I think getting beat by 812 00:51:03,100 --> 00:51:05,800 a like a teenage boys. Okay. 813 00:51:06,300 --> 00:51:09,400 Probably it made his. Yeah yeah. 814 00:51:11,000 --> 00:51:14,600 Always remember the other definitely but like that race 815 00:51:14,600 --> 00:51:19,000 was a good confirmation for me. And I'm like, okay, I've learned 816 00:51:19,000 --> 00:51:22,400 how to listen to my body. Again, I don't need to like be 817 00:51:22,400 --> 00:51:26,100 dependent on my watch. I got over this cold and like, 818 00:51:26,100 --> 00:51:28,000 got back to training, I'm feeling good. 819 00:51:29,300 --> 00:51:34,500 So I kind of like that one race a month for most of last year. 820 00:51:35,000 --> 00:51:39,600 Seon Joon, I did a 5k. Same thing, like, like all the 821 00:51:39,600 --> 00:51:43,600 Reese's I did last year were hilly which it's hard to find a 822 00:51:43,600 --> 00:51:46,300 flat race around here, just because Connecticut, so hilly. 823 00:51:46,900 --> 00:51:52,100 And this 5K was a I had done the same race last year and it 824 00:51:52,100 --> 00:51:54,400 starts out. The first smile is like 825 00:51:54,400 --> 00:51:58,300 completely downhill. The second mile is pretty flat 826 00:51:58,500 --> 00:52:03,000 and then the third mile, of course, is all uphill and maybe 827 00:52:03,000 --> 00:52:08,600 like the last less than half mile, you finish slightly 828 00:52:08,600 --> 00:52:12,900 downhill again. So the first year I did like I 829 00:52:13,200 --> 00:52:16,000 just paste it wrong, you know? Because you think you don't want 830 00:52:16,000 --> 00:52:18,500 to go out too fast. Send a 5k, right? 831 00:52:18,600 --> 00:52:23,000 But because it's all downhill you actually have to be like 832 00:52:23,000 --> 00:52:27,700 significantly faster in that mild than like, what your goal 833 00:52:27,700 --> 00:52:31,100 average pace is right. So, I kind of looked at, you 834 00:52:31,108 --> 00:52:36,300 know, Strava is such a nice tool for like, reconning, erase that 835 00:52:36,300 --> 00:52:38,800 you're going to do because you can look at what other people 836 00:52:38,800 --> 00:52:41,900 have done. Like, oh, this guy won last year 837 00:52:41,900 --> 00:52:44,800 and here's how he pasted. So I looked at a bunch of like 838 00:52:44,800 --> 00:52:46,700 the top Runners and it's like, okay. 839 00:52:47,600 --> 00:52:52,900 The top people, their first mile was like 20 seconds per mile 840 00:52:52,900 --> 00:52:56,300 faster than their average pace. I was like that's what I'm going 841 00:52:56,300 --> 00:52:59,000 to do, you know? And like you have to have like a 842 00:52:59,008 --> 00:53:01,300 lot of confidence to do that, right? 843 00:53:01,300 --> 00:53:04,000 Because you're going to die. If it doesn't work out, 844 00:53:04,000 --> 00:53:09,500 especially in a 5K in a 5k, 20 seconds faster, that seems so 845 00:53:09,500 --> 00:53:13,500 scared. But that's when, you know, I was 846 00:53:13,500 --> 00:53:17,300 like, I'm gonna do it, you know, if it doesn't work out then, You 847 00:53:17,300 --> 00:53:19,500 Know lesson learned it's just a local race. 848 00:53:19,500 --> 00:53:23,900 So like I was basically trying to average like six minute pace 849 00:53:23,900 --> 00:53:28,300 for this race. So I went out and you know got 850 00:53:28,300 --> 00:53:32,000 on the downhill part went through mile one like I think it 851 00:53:32,000 --> 00:53:35,600 was right on 540, I'm like, oh gosh, here we go. 852 00:53:35,800 --> 00:53:39,300 You know. And, you know, Second Mile, it's 853 00:53:39,300 --> 00:53:42,300 like just stick with effort, you know, you know you're gold 854 00:53:42,300 --> 00:53:45,100 pieces but just stick with your effort. 855 00:53:45,200 --> 00:53:48,100 Second Mile, right. It at six minute. 856 00:53:48,500 --> 00:53:52,300 It's like, all right, moment of truth, third mile. 857 00:53:52,800 --> 00:53:56,200 What can you do on this hill? And you know, at that point, 858 00:53:56,200 --> 00:53:58,800 you're dying, right? It's the third mile of a 5k. 859 00:53:58,800 --> 00:54:05,300 So I just pushed and and I think the third mile was like 618 or 860 00:54:05,300 --> 00:54:09,200 something. So like I paste it exactly how I 861 00:54:09,200 --> 00:54:12,300 had planned. And I ended up winning again, it 862 00:54:12,300 --> 00:54:17,900 was like a small race so but I was so happy with just Like I 863 00:54:17,900 --> 00:54:22,900 had a plan, I executed it, it sounded scary especially like 864 00:54:23,300 --> 00:54:29,200 the going out so fast part but the effort felt even you know as 865 00:54:29,200 --> 00:54:33,500 it even has like a 5k effort can feel but like that first mile 866 00:54:33,500 --> 00:54:39,500 didn't feel like I was going out so fast that I like blew myself 867 00:54:39,500 --> 00:54:45,500 up too early so that definitely taught me a lot about like okay. 868 00:54:45,500 --> 00:54:49,600 If I am doing a Hillary Grace. How much faster am I going to be 869 00:54:49,600 --> 00:54:51,400 on the downhill versus the uphill? 870 00:54:51,700 --> 00:54:53,400 So that's different for everybody. 871 00:54:54,200 --> 00:54:57,100 It depends on like you're running style like your specific 872 00:54:57,100 --> 00:54:59,600 strength. But I've always found that for 873 00:54:59,600 --> 00:55:03,300 whatever reason, this is since I was like younger, but I can run 874 00:55:03,300 --> 00:55:06,500 downhill really well, which I don't know why I just kind of 875 00:55:06,500 --> 00:55:09,000 let go and let gravity do the work. 876 00:55:10,200 --> 00:55:16,700 So I know that I can run faster potentially downhill than like, 877 00:55:16,900 --> 00:55:21,400 What pacing would suggest. So I just have to plan races 878 00:55:21,400 --> 00:55:23,900 like that. So I know to use my strengths 879 00:55:25,500 --> 00:55:31,900 and that race took me into this firecracker on that I have done 880 00:55:31,900 --> 00:55:36,600 for the past several years. It's like in the town that I do 881 00:55:36,600 --> 00:55:40,700 all of my runs and I live right on the border of Two Towns and 882 00:55:40,900 --> 00:55:44,900 it gets like a bigger field and you know ever since I started 883 00:55:44,900 --> 00:55:48,400 running again, it's like oh It would be cool to win this race, 884 00:55:48,400 --> 00:55:51,700 but like that's never going to happen because really fast 885 00:55:51,700 --> 00:55:54,800 people show up. But like again, like training 886 00:55:54,800 --> 00:55:58,200 was going well, like feel like fitter than ever. 887 00:55:59,000 --> 00:56:05,700 I just got in a pair of alpha flies off of flies The 888 00:56:05,700 --> 00:56:09,900 Originals. So again, like I've run on this 889 00:56:09,900 --> 00:56:12,100 course, like a million times, right? 890 00:56:12,100 --> 00:56:17,200 Just in, like my everyday run. So I literally know like Every 891 00:56:17,200 --> 00:56:19,700 meter of the course, I know where the hills going to start 892 00:56:19,700 --> 00:56:24,100 and I know like all the tangents like everything. 893 00:56:24,500 --> 00:56:29,400 So, this course it has like a little Hill like up and down in 894 00:56:29,400 --> 00:56:33,500 the first mile and then the second mile is actually the most 895 00:56:33,500 --> 00:56:36,700 climbing, the third Mi kind of downhill. 896 00:56:37,100 --> 00:56:42,000 The fourth mile has like a little climate and then the 897 00:56:42,000 --> 00:56:45,300 fifth mile has that like, same up and down just in the other 898 00:56:45,300 --> 00:56:49,100 direction and Then the Finish is like slightly downhill. 899 00:56:49,500 --> 00:56:54,100 So like I knew again, like, okay, the first Mi going to be 900 00:56:54,100 --> 00:56:57,700 about on Pace, the Second Mile needs to be slower because it's 901 00:56:57,700 --> 00:56:59,900 uphill. The third miles going to be a 902 00:56:59,900 --> 00:57:02,000 little faster because it's not downhill. 903 00:57:02,500 --> 00:57:06,300 And then the fourth and fifth miles, you've just got a you 904 00:57:06,300 --> 00:57:08,900 know use what you've got left to finish. 905 00:57:09,400 --> 00:57:14,400 So you know this fast woman showed up and I was like okay 906 00:57:14,400 --> 00:57:16,700 like she I think she had gotten second in that. 907 00:57:16,800 --> 00:57:19,300 Cited earlier in the air. It's like, alright. 908 00:57:19,300 --> 00:57:22,000 I'm not going to try to stay with her because that would be 909 00:57:22,000 --> 00:57:25,700 dumb. So gun goes off, I go out at my 910 00:57:25,700 --> 00:57:28,800 Pace. We're like right next to each 911 00:57:28,800 --> 00:57:31,300 other. Like, all right, so we go over 912 00:57:31,300 --> 00:57:33,200 the first Hill and come back down. 913 00:57:33,500 --> 00:57:37,200 It's a little faster like 10 seconds faster than I had 914 00:57:37,200 --> 00:57:41,200 planned like. Okay, you know, be smart, don't 915 00:57:41,200 --> 00:57:44,000 be dumb. So she was definitely pushing 916 00:57:44,000 --> 00:57:46,600 it. So I was like, not going to do. 917 00:57:46,800 --> 00:57:49,100 This, I'm going to run my race, I'm going to let her go. 918 00:57:49,300 --> 00:57:55,700 So I backed off a little bit and just ran like my effort on this 919 00:57:55,700 --> 00:58:01,500 like second hilly Mile. And, you know, I could see her, 920 00:58:01,500 --> 00:58:04,900 but she wasn't really putting any more time on me. 921 00:58:04,900 --> 00:58:08,500 She did mostly put time on me on, like, the flatter section 922 00:58:08,900 --> 00:58:13,100 leading up to the hill and then I caught her, by the end of the 923 00:58:13,100 --> 00:58:15,500 third mile. Because again, like I was just 924 00:58:15,500 --> 00:58:19,300 running based on And I could definitely tell that she had 925 00:58:19,300 --> 00:58:25,000 like really pushed that hill but then maybe had pushed a little 926 00:58:25,000 --> 00:58:26,800 too hard. So I caught her and I passed 927 00:58:26,800 --> 00:58:29,000 her. I was like, you can't look back. 928 00:58:29,000 --> 00:58:32,400 You can't. Thank you just have to run and 929 00:58:32,400 --> 00:58:36,100 like you know, when you're in a race and you're like if this is 930 00:58:36,100 --> 00:58:39,600 going to go well I have to completely shut my brain off so 931 00:58:39,600 --> 00:58:43,000 that like I do not pay attention to the pain that I'm going to 932 00:58:43,000 --> 00:58:46,000 experience in a minute that is what I'm more. 933 00:58:46,000 --> 00:58:47,900 You think the Worst exactly. Yeah. 934 00:58:47,900 --> 00:58:51,400 I was like you have to stop thinking otherwise you're just 935 00:58:51,400 --> 00:58:53,100 going to die. So that's what I did. 936 00:58:54,700 --> 00:58:57,200 I ended up beating her violate 30 seconds. 937 00:58:57,200 --> 00:59:03,100 I think big like PR for both the distance and I think I was three 938 00:59:03,100 --> 00:59:07,700 minutes faster than 20 21 and one year. 939 00:59:07,800 --> 00:59:11,800 Yeah but like that was it's you. That's the difference was like 940 00:59:12,800 --> 00:59:15,800 in 2021, I had come off of a marathon. 941 00:59:16,800 --> 00:59:18,900 Bird. And then my coach had me, start 942 00:59:18,900 --> 00:59:21,600 Speed work. Like I had done so little 943 00:59:21,600 --> 00:59:29,300 threshold between like may, you know, like may-june to the start 944 00:59:29,300 --> 00:59:35,800 of July, your can't do a 5-mile race based on doing like to 945 00:59:35,800 --> 00:59:40,200 hundreds and for hundreds at, like, mile Pace that just 946 00:59:40,200 --> 00:59:43,900 doesn't work. Whereas that is not ready for 947 00:59:43,900 --> 00:59:46,600 know, you have to have a button, you know what you're doing. 948 00:59:46,700 --> 00:59:51,400 What you're asking for. So yeah, so obviously taking the 949 00:59:51,900 --> 00:59:54,600 my strategy in 2022. Worked a whole lot better. 950 00:59:55,900 --> 00:59:59,500 So after that it was like, alright, it's time to kind of 951 00:59:59,900 --> 01:00:03,700 not shut down, but like I'm doing a marathon in December. 952 01:00:03,700 --> 01:00:05,500 I was signed up for the Kiowa marathon. 953 01:00:05,900 --> 01:00:08,900 It's like, I've been training for seven months. 954 01:00:09,800 --> 01:00:11,500 It's time to back off a little bit. 955 01:00:11,500 --> 01:00:19,700 So it was basically, like less Intensity, but not like a lot 956 01:00:19,700 --> 01:00:22,900 less mileage but like enough, we're like, I definitely felt 957 01:00:22,900 --> 01:00:27,700 like I recovered. And then like, kind of my first 958 01:00:27,700 --> 01:00:31,100 like checkpoint was a 10-mile race. 959 01:00:31,800 --> 01:00:33,300 I think it was Labor Day weekend. 960 01:00:33,300 --> 01:00:40,200 Yeah again like super hilly. You know just had a overall Pace 961 01:00:40,200 --> 01:00:43,400 goal in mind. I knew like my Mi splits, we're 962 01:00:43,400 --> 01:00:46,600 going to be all over the place because of how Hill This course 963 01:00:46,600 --> 01:00:49,800 was but it was actually nice in this race. 964 01:00:49,800 --> 01:00:53,100 Was I actually had a group to run with there were like maybe 965 01:00:53,100 --> 01:00:55,100 five guys. I was running with the first 966 01:00:55,100 --> 01:00:57,500 half of the race. It was interesting because 967 01:00:57,500 --> 01:01:00,800 you're I could tell that like one of them, he was using it as 968 01:01:00,800 --> 01:01:03,600 like a marathon pace. Run because, no matter, if we 969 01:01:03,600 --> 01:01:07,400 were on like a hill uphill downhill flat, he was running 970 01:01:07,400 --> 01:01:12,800 the same pace and it's like either he's like sandbagging or 971 01:01:12,800 --> 01:01:15,300 he's going to die or he's just you know years. 972 01:01:15,400 --> 01:01:17,600 Seeing this as a workout. And this actually isn't that 973 01:01:17,600 --> 01:01:20,300 hard for him and it didn't turn out to be the case that he was 974 01:01:20,300 --> 01:01:23,200 just like doing it as like a Tempo, not a race. 975 01:01:23,800 --> 01:01:29,300 But like I was really trying to run by feel so I would you know, 976 01:01:29,500 --> 01:01:32,900 lose a little ground on these guys on the uphill and then I'd 977 01:01:32,900 --> 01:01:35,800 immediately come back to them on the downhill because like I was 978 01:01:35,800 --> 01:01:41,900 trying not to like Spike on every little Hill and then like 979 01:01:41,900 --> 01:01:45,100 almost the climbing was in the second half of the race. 980 01:01:45,500 --> 01:01:49,800 So, you know, I let a few of those guys go, then I cut a 981 01:01:49,808 --> 01:01:55,200 couple of them towards the end and again like, you know, PR at 982 01:01:55,200 --> 01:01:59,500 that distance, like really happy with like the pace based on how 983 01:01:59,500 --> 01:02:05,300 hilly it was sewn, just went into marathon training feeling 984 01:02:05,300 --> 01:02:11,200 really, confident, feeling good, like all year and no injuries 985 01:02:11,200 --> 01:02:17,100 like no little nagging things. I Have really good PT friends 986 01:02:17,100 --> 01:02:20,400 that I used to work with. If I ever if I feel like oh, you 987 01:02:20,400 --> 01:02:24,000 know, something's a little off if I can't fix it myself I just 988 01:02:24,000 --> 01:02:31,800 go see them. Like I really try to I really 989 01:02:31,800 --> 01:02:34,500 tried to like nip these things in the bud. 990 01:02:34,800 --> 01:02:39,700 If like I feel a little nagging thing like just go get a treated 991 01:02:39,700 --> 01:02:42,700 work on my mechanics a little. So I don't let it turn into a 992 01:02:42,700 --> 01:02:47,200 bigger thing. So I had a couple months, no 993 01:02:47,200 --> 01:02:49,400 races. I was supposed to do a 10-mile 994 01:02:49,400 --> 01:02:51,800 race at the beginning of November. 995 01:02:53,000 --> 01:02:57,300 Same thing, I got a cold the week before and it's like 996 01:02:57,600 --> 01:03:00,800 there's no way I'm going to force myself to do re sick, you 997 01:03:00,800 --> 01:03:02,400 know. Five weeks out from a marathon 998 01:03:02,400 --> 01:03:06,400 that just doesn't make sense. Like, I've done a lot of work, 999 01:03:06,400 --> 01:03:10,200 I'm fed, like just get healthy and get back to training. 1000 01:03:10,200 --> 01:03:15,100 So, I skipped that race and all of marathon training. 1001 01:03:15,800 --> 01:03:18,900 I was testing out different shoes, trying to decide which 1002 01:03:18,900 --> 01:03:21,500 ones to use. I was really going back and 1003 01:03:21,500 --> 01:03:26,900 forth between the original Alpha fly and the Endorphin Pro 3, I 1004 01:03:26,900 --> 01:03:30,900 loved the alpha fly firm that 5-mile race I did. 1005 01:03:31,000 --> 01:03:34,300 In and I was going to use it for the 10-mile race I did. 1006 01:03:34,300 --> 01:03:40,700 But the pair that I had then during a workout this part of 1007 01:03:40,700 --> 01:03:46,200 the sole peeled off and I had to stop and like peel the rest of 1008 01:03:46,200 --> 01:03:48,200 it off because it was just like hanging there. 1009 01:03:49,000 --> 01:03:53,800 So I didn't have Alpha flies for the 10-mile race and it also 1010 01:03:53,800 --> 01:03:57,800 kind of made me a question. Like do I want to take the risk 1011 01:03:57,800 --> 01:04:03,100 of that happening in a marathon? I don't know about. 1012 01:04:03,100 --> 01:04:05,900 Is this ever happens to people that like they are pods? 1013 01:04:05,900 --> 01:04:09,800 Also make me a little nervous with the alpha flies like how 1014 01:04:09,800 --> 01:04:13,500 fragile our they have you ever heard of anyone having issues? 1015 01:04:13,700 --> 01:04:17,100 Yeah. So I've heard of like a few 1016 01:04:17,100 --> 01:04:22,600 people have said that they liked the out, the outside part of the 1017 01:04:22,600 --> 01:04:25,700 heel peeled off. Yeah, and then also the week, 1018 01:04:25,700 --> 01:04:28,500 leading up to see, I am for me, I have been breaking in my pair 1019 01:04:28,500 --> 01:04:33,100 of Alpha Phi is that I was going to race in And they started 1020 01:04:33,100 --> 01:04:37,900 squeaking every step during during the workout. 1021 01:04:37,900 --> 01:04:40,900 Like, oh my gosh, like, this is gonna drive me crazy. 1022 01:04:40,900 --> 01:04:42,900 And anyone that I'm running with you wrong with me. 1023 01:04:43,300 --> 01:04:49,900 So I had another pair, but I ask somebody when at Sea, I am, if 1024 01:04:49,900 --> 01:04:54,900 they could take a look and they looked like it was somebody that 1025 01:04:54,900 --> 01:04:57,800 like worked for work for Nike, I had them, look at it and they 1026 01:04:57,800 --> 01:05:01,100 showed like in the air bubble, it had like a little like An 1027 01:05:01,600 --> 01:05:04,200 extra bubble inside of it and they were like, as soon as that 1028 01:05:04,200 --> 01:05:07,200 contacts are getting the squeak. So they were like, we can like, 1029 01:05:07,200 --> 01:05:10,300 put something underneath anyway, but they ended up fixing it and 1030 01:05:10,300 --> 01:05:12,800 it wasn't like squeaking. But yeah, the air the air bubble 1031 01:05:12,800 --> 01:05:16,200 like if that started during yeah, he's I lost my money. 1032 01:05:18,800 --> 01:05:21,100 So that's why I didn't use the alpha fly. 1033 01:05:21,200 --> 01:05:25,700 And I had used the Endorphin Pro 3 in the 10-mile race and just 1034 01:05:25,700 --> 01:05:31,900 loved it like it was awesome. So I decided I was going to race 1035 01:05:31,900 --> 01:05:36,000 in that and the pair I had to run in all your head, too many 1036 01:05:36,000 --> 01:05:38,400 miles on it. I could just definitely feel 1037 01:05:38,400 --> 01:05:42,200 like the responsiveness was going down. 1038 01:05:42,300 --> 01:05:46,400 So maybe a month before the marathon, I ordered a new pair. 1039 01:05:46,800 --> 01:05:54,600 It was these this is their visit Pro colorway and they came with 1040 01:05:54,600 --> 01:05:59,500 different laces, then all of the other endorphin groceries, 1041 01:05:59,500 --> 01:06:04,300 there, these Rope laces and just a warning. 1042 01:06:04,300 --> 01:06:08,100 To anyone who buys this colorway, the row places are not 1043 01:06:08,100 --> 01:06:12,400 as comfortable as normal voices. So I swapped them out. 1044 01:06:12,700 --> 01:06:16,900 So just be aware if you love this color like I do, which is 1045 01:06:16,900 --> 01:06:20,300 why I got them, you might not love the laces that come with 1046 01:06:20,300 --> 01:06:23,400 them so don't be afraid to swap them out. 1047 01:06:23,500 --> 01:06:27,900 So anyway, I was really confident in the Endorphin Pro 3 1048 01:06:27,900 --> 01:06:31,800 going into the marathon because I had raced in them. 1049 01:06:31,800 --> 01:06:33,600 I had done so many workouts in them. 1050 01:06:33,600 --> 01:06:39,800 Long runs like no foot discomfort, no issues in the 1051 01:06:39,800 --> 01:06:42,900 rain. Like just really confident that 1052 01:06:42,900 --> 01:06:48,400 they would be comfortable and I get to Kiowa and I was staying 1053 01:06:48,400 --> 01:06:52,600 with family on the island and they're like, guess what? 1054 01:06:53,200 --> 01:06:56,100 They repaved. All of the roads ahead of the 1055 01:06:56,100 --> 01:06:59,200 race. It wasn't fresh blacktop, I was 1056 01:06:59,200 --> 01:07:01,300 like, that's awesome. Because the roads there were 1057 01:07:01,300 --> 01:07:06,900 getting a little like torn up. So it rained all night before 1058 01:07:07,400 --> 01:07:12,700 the race and when I got dropped off to the starting line, just 1059 01:07:13,100 --> 01:07:18,500 walking towards the start area. My feet were slipping and I was 1060 01:07:18,500 --> 01:07:23,600 like, oh no, like what is going on, but you know, how, like, 1061 01:07:23,600 --> 01:07:27,400 fresh blacktop can be really oily when it's, when I think 1062 01:07:27,400 --> 01:07:32,600 that's what the problem was. So You know, the restarted, I 1063 01:07:32,600 --> 01:07:36,100 had my grace plan, like not going out to your fast like 1064 01:07:36,100 --> 01:07:41,500 staying on pasting focused and I felt amazing, like, I was right 1065 01:07:41,500 --> 01:07:44,200 on Pace. My heart rate was like a little 1066 01:07:44,200 --> 01:07:47,700 bit lower than I had expected. Like I was barely breathing 1067 01:07:47,700 --> 01:07:51,600 hard, I felt so good and I was like, alright, just stay calm. 1068 01:07:51,600 --> 01:07:54,600 Like it's early, don't get excited. 1069 01:07:55,100 --> 01:08:00,700 And by like mile 13, like I definitely felt my Strings in my 1070 01:08:00,700 --> 01:08:04,200 calves starting to tighten up. I was like alright it's fine, 1071 01:08:04,200 --> 01:08:08,000 you know you're halfway or going to get feel tired but then like 1072 01:08:08,000 --> 01:08:12,300 each mile is just like slowing down and like, you know that 1073 01:08:12,300 --> 01:08:15,300 feeling were like you're not trying to slow down but your 1074 01:08:15,300 --> 01:08:18,399 body is just slowing you down. It got to the point where like 1075 01:08:18,399 --> 01:08:22,000 my legs just felt like, you know, like cement. 1076 01:08:22,000 --> 01:08:24,100 So I was like, all right. You're going to walk for 30 1077 01:08:24,100 --> 01:08:28,700 seconds so I did and like walking felt worse than running 1078 01:08:28,700 --> 01:08:33,300 because of like how tight My calves had gotten so like I went 1079 01:08:33,300 --> 01:08:37,399 back and forth like this for a few miles and it was like this 1080 01:08:37,399 --> 01:08:41,500 is just not worth it. Like if walking makes me feel 1081 01:08:41,500 --> 01:08:47,600 worse, like I'm going to have to like jog walk, the next like 1082 01:08:47,700 --> 01:08:51,600 eight miles and what is that going to do to my body? 1083 01:08:51,600 --> 01:08:54,399 And how long is it going to take me to recover from it? 1084 01:08:54,500 --> 01:08:57,300 I knew that I could make myself do that. 1085 01:08:57,800 --> 01:09:02,800 But like, why you You know, like, I didn't need to prove to 1086 01:09:02,800 --> 01:09:05,899 myself that I could finish a marathon because I know, I can 1087 01:09:06,600 --> 01:09:10,399 like I didn't need to prove to my family that I could do it 1088 01:09:10,399 --> 01:09:13,800 because they know I can. It's like, why would I torture 1089 01:09:13,800 --> 01:09:17,399 myself for another like over an hour? 1090 01:09:18,000 --> 01:09:23,200 Just to say that I did it and like, I really, really hate 1091 01:09:23,200 --> 01:09:26,200 dropping out of races. Like I've dropped out of some 1092 01:09:26,200 --> 01:09:30,000 cycling races because of injuries or, you know, just 1093 01:09:30,200 --> 01:09:34,100 Feeling well and every time it's like it's so disappointing that 1094 01:09:34,700 --> 01:09:40,100 that happened, you know? And it's like after, like, 1095 01:09:40,100 --> 01:09:43,300 probably the like fifth or sixth time, I walked and my calves 1096 01:09:43,300 --> 01:09:46,000 felt worse. I was like, no, I'm like I'm not 1097 01:09:46,000 --> 01:09:50,399 doing this to my body. Like I just have to stop and be 1098 01:09:50,399 --> 01:09:53,800 okay with it. So, yeah point, I feel like the 1099 01:09:53,800 --> 01:09:57,100 way that you like, but you just said, like, the way you felt at 1100 01:09:57,100 --> 01:10:00,000 the start, you knew I'd like the taper. 1101 01:10:00,100 --> 01:10:04,400 The training like everything was perfect and was working because 1102 01:10:04,400 --> 01:10:06,800 nothing should feel right. Start. 1103 01:10:07,100 --> 01:10:10,400 And then if you like, if you had say, you had pushed through 1104 01:10:10,400 --> 01:10:12,200 that, you don't know how long you would have had to take off. 1105 01:10:12,200 --> 01:10:14,500 Exactly. You lose some of that Fitness 1106 01:10:14,500 --> 01:10:16,700 like now it's it's all still there. 1107 01:10:16,700 --> 01:10:18,300 Right? Who's those months of training? 1108 01:10:18,300 --> 01:10:21,800 Yeah, I didn't have to take like two weeks off of running 1109 01:10:21,800 --> 01:10:24,400 afterwards because I had destroyed my legs. 1110 01:10:24,400 --> 01:10:28,000 You know, like I took four days off of running and then started 1111 01:10:28,000 --> 01:10:30,000 doing like some really short easier. 1112 01:10:30,200 --> 01:10:33,800 Again, you know, like a definitely kept me from getting 1113 01:10:33,800 --> 01:10:36,600 injured for sure, but it also kept me from needing to take 1114 01:10:36,600 --> 01:10:40,800 like, extended time off because of what I did not only to my 1115 01:10:40,800 --> 01:10:46,000 body, but like what it does to you mentally to like make 1116 01:10:46,000 --> 01:10:48,000 yourself, do something like that. 1117 01:10:48,500 --> 01:10:51,600 It can be worth it depending on the situation, right? 1118 01:10:51,600 --> 01:10:55,900 Like there are some races where it is worth it like basically, 1119 01:10:55,900 --> 01:10:59,700 mentally, torture yourself and I've definitely done that in 1120 01:10:59,700 --> 01:11:03,600 many. Bike races, but it just didn't, 1121 01:11:03,600 --> 01:11:06,600 it wasn't worth it, to do that to myself in this race. 1122 01:11:06,600 --> 01:11:11,400 So I, I just made the decision to stop and I'm glad that I did 1123 01:11:11,400 --> 01:11:15,500 like, what would I? I didn't have to prove anything, 1124 01:11:15,500 --> 01:11:18,200 right? It like it was just it was time 1125 01:11:18,200 --> 01:11:21,400 to pull the plug and start over. So that's what I did. 1126 01:11:22,600 --> 01:11:27,300 That's probably one of like the toughest decisions as a runner 1127 01:11:27,300 --> 01:11:31,100 to make, but the like with it The hardest decision is 1128 01:11:31,100 --> 01:11:32,800 sometimes like the right decision, right? 1129 01:11:32,800 --> 01:11:35,800 Yeah. Like now you can like your eyes 1130 01:11:35,800 --> 01:11:39,300 can be ahead to the next thing. You don't have to deal with like 1131 01:11:39,800 --> 01:11:43,000 coming back from that was just like, like you could probably 1132 01:11:43,000 --> 01:11:45,300 look at it as like a really intense longer. 1133 01:11:45,500 --> 01:11:46,300 Yeah. Yeah. 1134 01:11:46,400 --> 01:11:49,300 I mean, yeah, it was still good workout, right until like my 1135 01:11:49,300 --> 01:11:52,000 legs shut down. So, you know, I think it was 1136 01:11:52,000 --> 01:11:55,200 definitely combination of like my feet slipping a little bit 1137 01:11:55,200 --> 01:11:59,300 and that just changing like, how I was using my muscles and, you 1138 01:11:59,300 --> 01:12:03,700 know, maybe See, I just had a bad day, too, like everyone can 1139 01:12:03,700 --> 01:12:05,800 feel good the first half of a marathon. 1140 01:12:05,800 --> 01:12:07,500 It's the second half that counts. 1141 01:12:07,900 --> 01:12:12,200 So and I'm definitely not like holy blaming like my shoes for 1142 01:12:12,200 --> 01:12:15,300 my batteries, right? Like it's certainly possible to 1143 01:12:15,300 --> 01:12:21,400 just have a bad day but yeah, I'm I am still glad that I made 1144 01:12:21,400 --> 01:12:24,700 the decision that I did because I don't think it would have been 1145 01:12:24,700 --> 01:12:28,400 good physically or mentally to push through all of that. 1146 01:12:29,700 --> 01:12:34,300 And And having a bad race like that definitely gives you fire 1147 01:12:34,300 --> 01:12:39,000 for your next race. And it has convinced me that it 1148 01:12:39,000 --> 01:12:44,100 is worth it to train for a, you know, Springs that /summer 1149 01:12:44,100 --> 01:12:47,200 Marathon. So my friend and I decided to 1150 01:12:47,208 --> 01:12:50,700 sign up for grandmas and June. Yeah. 1151 01:12:50,800 --> 01:12:52,200 Something up for that one. Yeah. 1152 01:12:52,300 --> 01:12:55,000 Only fun. It will be fun. 1153 01:12:55,000 --> 01:12:59,300 Yeah. So yeah, you know what I would 1154 01:12:59,300 --> 01:13:03,700 say that I And from last year like it's almost all of the year 1155 01:13:03,700 --> 01:13:09,500 was good and then ended by like a batteries but like I'm 39 I'm 1156 01:13:09,500 --> 01:13:11,000 going to be 40 in a couple months. 1157 01:13:11,500 --> 01:13:15,500 Like I had my best year as a runner last year and like I have 1158 01:13:15,500 --> 01:13:20,500 no doubt that I can still improve so having that knowledge 1159 01:13:20,500 --> 01:13:22,600 definitely gives me a lot of motivation. 1160 01:13:22,600 --> 01:13:26,300 And like I love seeing all of the women who are like even 1161 01:13:26,300 --> 01:13:29,500 older than me who are still running like their fastest 1162 01:13:29,500 --> 01:13:31,900 times. Like, I read an article about a 1163 01:13:31,908 --> 01:13:35,600 woman in New York City, whose like in her late 40s, running 1164 01:13:35,600 --> 01:13:40,800 her fastest marathons ever, you know, like it's never, it's 1165 01:13:40,800 --> 01:13:46,500 never too late to, like find something to improve it, you 1166 01:13:46,500 --> 01:13:51,400 know. So I'm like super motivated to 1167 01:13:51,400 --> 01:13:55,700 see just what I can do this year and next year and five years 1168 01:13:55,700 --> 01:14:00,600 from now, you know, I also learned Like, even though I was 1169 01:14:00,600 --> 01:14:03,700 pretty much injury-free last year, it definitely taught me 1170 01:14:03,700 --> 01:14:08,100 that like I need to pay more attention to my weak points. 1171 01:14:08,100 --> 01:14:12,600 And for me, probably my weakest point is my left ankle which I 1172 01:14:12,600 --> 01:14:16,700 had early bad sprain on a few years ago and I've always been 1173 01:14:16,700 --> 01:14:20,000 good about doing like strength work and Bounds work. 1174 01:14:20,000 --> 01:14:23,500 But I was like, you know what, it's not enough because I still 1175 01:14:23,500 --> 01:14:27,700 have this issue of like Landing too far laterally on that foot 1176 01:14:27,700 --> 01:14:31,000 and sometimes it causes some comforter on my fifth MTP. 1177 01:14:31,000 --> 01:14:33,700 So I was like, what else can you do to help it. 1178 01:14:33,700 --> 01:14:39,000 So I decided to finally, after my friend, telling me how great 1179 01:14:39,000 --> 01:14:41,800 hers is for six months. Get a mobo board. 1180 01:14:42,100 --> 01:14:44,900 Do you use one of those? Yeah, they're fantastic. 1181 01:14:44,900 --> 01:14:47,900 They used to have one when I was working at the running clinic in 1182 01:14:47,900 --> 01:14:49,300 New York. Yeah they're great it's actually 1183 01:14:49,300 --> 01:14:51,900 move on like the plain of your ankle joint. 1184 01:14:51,900 --> 01:14:54,600 Exactly. Looking like last week to try to 1185 01:14:54,600 --> 01:14:57,200 buy enough young and they're not that expensive. 1186 01:14:57,200 --> 01:15:01,200 I think they're like $80 like Compare that to like a bosu. 1187 01:15:01,500 --> 01:15:06,000 We're like other balance tools, it's really a good deal but like 1188 01:15:06,000 --> 01:15:08,300 for me so much with them to have my gosh. 1189 01:15:08,300 --> 01:15:10,700 Yeah, your couldn't do so many exercises on them. 1190 01:15:11,000 --> 01:15:14,000 But for people who don't know, the mobile board has like a 1191 01:15:14,008 --> 01:15:18,800 cutout for your small toes. So really teaches you when 1192 01:15:18,800 --> 01:15:24,000 you're standing on one leg to drive with your big toe and to 1193 01:15:24,000 --> 01:15:27,800 load that part of your foot. And that's exactly what I have 1194 01:15:27,800 --> 01:15:31,300 had trouble with since Die. Well, probably before I sprained 1195 01:15:31,300 --> 01:15:33,200 my ankle, which is why I sprained it. 1196 01:15:33,500 --> 01:15:37,800 But I just haven't done a good job of like really loading. 1197 01:15:37,800 --> 01:15:42,700 My first MTP joint and I swear after two weeks of using this 1198 01:15:42,700 --> 01:15:45,400 thing, my foot feels totally different when I run. 1199 01:15:45,700 --> 01:15:49,100 I see the difference in like the running Dynamics data, I get 1200 01:15:49,100 --> 01:15:53,500 from my heart rate monitor and just in how I feel. 1201 01:15:53,900 --> 01:15:59,100 So like it's easy to think that like you're doing everything you 1202 01:15:59,100 --> 01:16:01,800 can. Turn, you know, keep yourself 1203 01:16:01,800 --> 01:16:05,800 healthy and improve your running but sometimes there's more that 1204 01:16:05,800 --> 01:16:08,500 you could do, or maybe there's something that would be better. 1205 01:16:08,500 --> 01:16:12,400 That you can do that. Can help you improve or help you 1206 01:16:12,800 --> 01:16:16,700 be a better Runner. I think the other big lesson 1207 01:16:16,700 --> 01:16:19,800 that I learned from last year is, you know, I'm really 1208 01:16:19,800 --> 01:16:24,300 grateful to the coach that I had in 21 because she gave me the 1209 01:16:24,300 --> 01:16:28,000 confidence to, like, run a marathon which I hadn't done 1210 01:16:28,400 --> 01:16:29,700 since I was in college. College. 1211 01:16:30,000 --> 01:16:35,000 But, you know, I started saying that, like, you know, her method 1212 01:16:35,000 --> 01:16:38,400 just wasn't working for me. I talked to her about it and, 1213 01:16:38,400 --> 01:16:42,300 but, you know, everybody kind of has their way of doing things 1214 01:16:42,300 --> 01:16:47,300 and some coaches are better at like adapting to each individual 1215 01:16:47,300 --> 01:16:51,000 Runners needs than others. And, you know, when I saw that 1216 01:16:51,100 --> 01:16:54,400 it just wasn't working. Maybe I should have switched 1217 01:16:54,400 --> 01:16:57,600 coaches or approaches sooner but at least I did it. 1218 01:16:57,600 --> 01:17:02,300 And, you know, I've seen, Much better results this year than 1219 01:17:02,500 --> 01:17:06,400 their previous. So I would really encourage 1220 01:17:06,500 --> 01:17:10,300 anyone who feels like maybe their training just doesn't 1221 01:17:10,300 --> 01:17:17,700 align with like their body's way of improving, talk to your coach 1222 01:17:18,100 --> 01:17:21,500 and you know, if it's still not working, maybe it's time for a 1223 01:17:21,500 --> 01:17:25,300 change. It's okay to change approaches. 1224 01:17:25,900 --> 01:17:27,400 What worked for your five years ago? 1225 01:17:27,400 --> 01:17:29,000 Maybe won't doesn't work for you. 1226 01:17:29,000 --> 01:17:30,500 Now that That you're a different Runner. 1227 01:17:31,400 --> 01:17:33,300 Yeah, completely agree with that. 1228 01:17:33,300 --> 01:17:37,900 And similar for me, I am very grateful to like the coach that 1229 01:17:37,900 --> 01:17:39,900 I had from. I think I started with them to 1230 01:17:40,100 --> 01:17:45,700 2019 up to 20 21, but they, like, reintroduced me to running 1231 01:17:45,700 --> 01:17:48,600 and showed me that like, like my eyes. 1232 01:17:48,600 --> 01:17:51,300 Like, as soon as I was done with college was like, okay, well, 1233 01:17:51,300 --> 01:17:56,100 that's it for the track of them. See ya, but he re opened my eyes 1234 01:17:56,100 --> 01:17:59,300 to like oh no, you can keep working and you can keep going. 1235 01:18:00,900 --> 01:18:03,200 Like towards a PR's and and more. 1236 01:18:03,800 --> 01:18:07,300 But like he would said, I mean, that's 34 years, that's a big 1237 01:18:07,300 --> 01:18:10,200 three or four years and my body changed, it wasn't working for 1238 01:18:10,200 --> 01:18:13,300 me anymore. So being able to like what you 1239 01:18:13,300 --> 01:18:16,700 said, re-evaluate and see what's best for you for your body for 1240 01:18:16,700 --> 01:18:19,400 your training, and then following that. 1241 01:18:20,100 --> 01:18:22,200 Yeah, yeah. That's that's key. 1242 01:18:22,300 --> 01:18:26,400 Like if every Runner room listen to that, I think people would be 1243 01:18:26,400 --> 01:18:31,400 in a better place for sure. So what's coming up for 23 1244 01:18:31,400 --> 01:18:36,300 Megan? Well, let's see, so I had signed 1245 01:18:36,300 --> 01:18:41,500 up for Jersey, City Marathon, and I don't think I'm going to 1246 01:18:41,508 --> 01:18:46,100 be doing that because like I had said and see, I am, I that hip 1247 01:18:46,100 --> 01:18:49,300 pain started coming back. So I've been taking some time 1248 01:18:49,600 --> 01:18:51,400 off. Making sure I actually get back 1249 01:18:51,400 --> 01:18:54,400 into training without being rushed into it. 1250 01:18:54,400 --> 01:18:57,600 Like, like, I did for Seattle, which worked out, but I don't 1251 01:18:57,600 --> 01:18:58,900 really want to do that again, right? 1252 01:18:59,100 --> 01:19:02,700 So I'm probably not going to do that, but I have that in my back 1253 01:19:02,700 --> 01:19:06,400 pocket, if It does work out and then I have Grandma's in June 1254 01:19:06,900 --> 01:19:11,700 and then in the fall I'm trying to decide between either Chicago 1255 01:19:11,700 --> 01:19:16,300 or see I am again but I love. See I am I'm like I know the 1256 01:19:16,300 --> 01:19:20,800 course, it's just a great race. So I probably like probably 1257 01:19:20,800 --> 01:19:24,100 gonna go see I am but we'll see you in a few scattered in 1258 01:19:24,100 --> 01:19:27,200 between there. Just to again get back into 1259 01:19:27,200 --> 01:19:29,900 racing and because now it's been a few months already. 1260 01:19:29,900 --> 01:19:36,200 But what about you Grandma's? And then like just a few races 1261 01:19:36,200 --> 01:19:41,100 between now and then to build into it, like a 10K, a half, and 1262 01:19:41,100 --> 01:19:45,200 then grandma's and then I'll have to figure out what I want 1263 01:19:45,200 --> 01:19:46,300 to do. I'm not sure. 1264 01:19:46,300 --> 01:19:52,400 I'm a to Marathon a year person. So maybe focusing in the fall on 1265 01:19:52,400 --> 01:19:57,700 like a fast half or something, but right now, I definitely have 1266 01:19:57,700 --> 01:20:02,200 a lot of drive to have a good race in June. 1267 01:20:03,200 --> 01:20:06,300 Yeah, actually it's something that just reminded me something 1268 01:20:06,800 --> 01:20:09,400 that I had been thinking of its with all this biking and I was 1269 01:20:09,400 --> 01:20:10,800 going to ask you. Yes, definitely. 1270 01:20:10,800 --> 01:20:14,800 But like trying to find like an actual bike race and see like if 1271 01:20:14,800 --> 01:20:17,900 that's something I could do, I'll have lots of suggestions 1272 01:20:17,900 --> 01:20:25,600 redrawn to look out. More suggestions are coming. 1273 01:20:26,400 --> 01:20:31,000 Yes animals will do well, this was so great Megan to just to 1274 01:20:31,000 --> 01:20:33,600 recap our years. And I hope that You our 1275 01:20:33,600 --> 01:20:36,200 listeners learned some things from us. 1276 01:20:36,200 --> 01:20:40,100 I think, you know, Runners don't always talk about like in-depth 1277 01:20:40,700 --> 01:20:43,300 their Reflections on their ear and like we can learn so much 1278 01:20:43,300 --> 01:20:46,300 from each other. So, I hope that you guys learn 1279 01:20:46,700 --> 01:20:50,700 something from our experiences the past year as always. 1280 01:20:50,700 --> 01:20:53,500 Please leave us a comment on YouTube. 1281 01:20:53,500 --> 01:20:56,400 Send us an email. It's doctors of running at 1282 01:20:56,400 --> 01:21:00,200 gmail.com. There's anything, you'd love 1283 01:21:00,200 --> 01:21:02,800 Megan and I to cover in the future, let us know. 1284 01:21:03,400 --> 01:21:05,500 We love to hear from you guys. Thank you. 1285 01:21:05,500 --> 01:21:07,000 All right, thanks Megan.