Running Fast, Running Stupid

What a difference a week makes. Last week I ran a total of 14.2 miles at an average pace of 7:41 min/mile. This week I ran 29.1 miles at a sizzling 7:13 min/mile average pace. I know what you all are thinking. Geez, Laminator, aren’t you piling on the miles a bit quick? After all, it’s barely been two weeks since you’ve started training again, and you’re already pounding the pavement harder and faster than you did before you got injured. Are you crazy? Haven’t you read all the great tips from your RBFs at the Runner’s Lounge on the proper way to “Build Miles and Go Long”? You think just because you have a BQ degree you’re somehow exempt from the 10% Rule? I know you all are thinking these things because I’ve been thinking these things all weekend, even as I’ve ran hard for 4 consecutive days without a break. But it is really not my intention to tempt fate or incite the wrath of the running gods. I start each of these runs with the intention of going easy and slow, but always find myself pushing it hard and fast at the end. I congratulate and curse myself as I scroll through my garmin data at the end of every run. The conversations I have with myself during these times are pretty funny. They go something like this:

“Wow, Laminator. You were blistering on the road today. Great job!”

“I suck. I was supposed to have a recovery day. Recovery pace is not 7:02.”

“But you had the right idea and started slow. It’s not your fault that it was a great weather day and you were able to run in shorts for the first time in a long time. You should congratulate yourself and announce to the rest of the world that the Laminator is back, baby!”

“But that’s what I said yesterday, and I promised myself that I was not going to go fast today. I know I’m supposed to take a rest day because I’ve already surpassed my mileage for the week two days ago. Yet I went out and subjected myself to further injury by running so far and so fast. That’s not good practice for the experienced runner I profess to be. I should’ve known better.”

“Dude, were you not the one who announced in your New Year's Running Resolutions post that you were going to run 300 more miles this year than last year? Have you not checked your log recently? Because of your stupid injury, you’re already more than 100 miles behind schedule. How are you ever going to make that up if you’re always so cautious, limiting yourself by these “unspoken” rules? Who are these so-called experts anyways? Have you ever met them, or spoken to them in person? For all you know, they might be all anecdoctal, made up by some fictional character and spread down through the generations by word-of-mouth like Santa Claus or the Loch Ness Monster.”

“I still should have played it safe and stuck to my recovery schedule of running around 20 miles, 3 days a week, at least until my first race at the end of the month. It’s so early right now, I have no idea what my training pace should be.”

“Well, you better figure it out soon. Did you see where Nancy and MarathonDudeBill is in their training? Wait…of course you didn’t. They’re already way past you and leaving you to breathe in their dust.”

My point is, dear readers, that none of this was actually my fault. It’s a classic case of “Do say I say, not as I do…” brought about by too much blog reading this weekend. Thanks everyone (and you know who you are!) for inspiring me to run so hard so soon after my injury. I never would have done it without your help. Now if you will excuse me, I must go and soak my feet in an ice bath to relieve the cramping.