weekly check-in

[ilanarama]

Hello, runners? How goes it? Did you race this weekend? Are you racing next weekend? How goes the change of seasons in your part of the world?

Here's your inspirational quote for the week:

"We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves...The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable." - Sir Roger Bannister

Comments

[sophinisba]

I had a really hard time in the early part of last week, with the worst day being last Tuesday when I tried to run on the route where I'm supposed to do a 10K this Saturday. I've been getting really painful stitches in my side, which hadn't been an issue in a long time. I don't know if it's a change in the weather or anxiety about the race or my job or this cold I'm getting or what, but it hurt and I felt really discouraged. I got in a nice long run on Saturday though and I've been feeling a little more confident since then.

Total last week was about 15 miles. Planning on taking it easy this week in preparation for Saturday.

[ilanarama]

Huh, I haven't had side stitches in a long time but oddly in my trail race a few weeks ago, two of my friends had problems with it (who hadn't had them, either).

You don't, of course, need to take it TOO easy. I would suggest that if you don't have a particular program, that on your last run before the race (Thursday? I usually like a day off before races) you do some strides toward the end - smoothly accelerate to as fast as you can go with good form, hold that speed for 10 seconds or so, and then smoothly decelerate to easy pace. Jog easy until you feel like you've recovered, and then do it again. 3 or 4 of these is a good tune-up.

[sophinisba]

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll give that a try on Thursday.