Group Training: Week 1, Part 2-End ~ Run with the Big Dogs OR Stay on the Porch

**LONG post, but trying to get all the details out there, as requested.


Thursday's drive to training gave me these all the way (and a little traffic) ....

instead of the red lights I had to answer to on Tuesday.  I took this as a good sign.  

I ran into Kitzzy as soon as I arrived, another local blogging/running buddy.  It's really fun to have so many local bloggers!  She started Galloway mid-season last year and came back for more, an indication  that it MUST be a great program. :)  BTW: Kitzzy had an epic weekend w/ a tri and lived to tell the tale. LOL  Check out her blog and read her "Dear John" letter... so funny, so creative! 

I didn't see Lauren this day, but texted to check on her.  Turned out, her new training group was going to work out quite nicely after all.  She's become my 2nd virtual daughter, so I have to look out for her.  :)  Mom's instinct and all that....

Thursday turned out to be  my  turn  to  learn  about  technical running,  as our training options were explained to us.

“Hi guys… Thursdays will be our track day, at which time you will not be running with your group, but instead working on your speed, timing, pacing, stride, etc….” and with that, Donna showed us our options and briefly explained them.  Notice the lantern by which we read the board.  And yes, these are the instructions that Lauren and I saw Tuesday that made no sense to us... Yep, my turn figure this stuff out!  400s??  Huh???

Now, even though there are many seasoned runners in the Galloway program, there are (apparently) many newbies, too, so when Donna asked, “Does everyone know what they’re doing?” the silence was deafening and the nervous chatter began. Hands went up and questions followed.

Within minutes, Donna deftly explained what 400s, 800s, 1200s, and 200 actually mean. She also recommended we work on our intervals and Magic Miles if we needed to.  Oooohhhhh!!!!  New stuff.  I'm ready.  Sort of.    

So much for thinking that Galloway training isn’t technical.

I found Debbie, our pace group leader from Tuesday, and talked with her again about being uncertain where I belonged. She suggested I run my Magic Mile, since I had missed the previous Saturday's morning session to do this as the first day of the new training group (I was still a Marathonfest wannabe then!).  The MM would determine my current pace.  Then, we could get a better picture of which "class" (pace group) I should be in.

I dutifully headed out to the track to follow her instructions:

Walk two laps to warm up, then set my watch, and take off for four laps around the track at a consistent pace (or in technical terms: 4 x 400s). Follow that with two more laps of walking/slow running.

Magic Mile: 11:46 (Actually a little faster than I expected it to be.  I am the Turtle Runner, after all.)

When I shared this with Debbie, I saw a bit of “I told you so,” and she actually said, “See.  My MM was 11:19.” She was making the case for me staying in her pace group. I still wasn’t convinced.

At about that time, I met Kathy, another pace group leader, who mentioned that it’s not uncommon for new Galloway group members to take a few weeks to find their correct pace group. Kitzzy agreed.  Said she bounced around in groups for a few wks last year.  This made me feel better.  Flexibility.  A chance to figure it all out.  Hopefully.

Kathy and Kitzzy ~ after trackwork

She also mentioned what her group’s pace is, their intervals (which I was still not completely clear on, but learning), and her targeted half marathon race time: 2:45. Hmmm… this might be a good fit. I asked if I could run with her group Saturday, and she agreed.

Debbie listened, and I’m sure she was thinking, “You’ll find out!” She said, “Just let me know what you decide.” (Guidance counselors know best and I should have listened!)

I also got a copy of one of Jeff Galloways’ books that day from Donna, another  perk of the program (along with several others!), AND the password to the Members side of the Galloway Training site.  Now I had homework and access to schedules and more detailed info; I was ready to make sense of it all!   :)  

Between Thursday’s trackwork and late Friday night e-mails,  it was agreed  I’d try running with Kathy’s pace group for Saturday’s first long run.

Little did I know what I was in for…..

Saturday morning arrives....

I was excited for Saturday morning's first long run with a group.  I was really jazzed about moving my long runs from Sunday to Saturday and having the rest of the weekend with Hubs.

Somehow, I got a few minutes behind getting out the door, in spite of being up plenty early.  My body has already acclimated to the 3:30 - 3:45 schedule (oddly!), and waking up wasn't an issue.  Putzing around the apartment was.  

We were to meet our groups at 5:45, and I had planned to arrive at 5:15, to get in a good 20 minute warm-up.  I always walk 1/2 mile or more before running.  The old creeky body requires it.  I arrived at 5:45ish, in time to park and find my new group.   No warm-up this morning.  Problem. 

After signing in, finding our groups, and getting instructions, we took off ~ literally.  


"Oh crap.  This is not going to be good,"  I thought, as we jumped right into the group's pace.  Our group was a small one, about six us plus Kathy, the group leader.  I was near the back, running with a few other gals.  We chatted a bit.  I mentioned that I was a blogger.  We laughed about  pictures  and what I could and couldn't include (no back views, please).  I promised.  Our intervals were 2/1, which meant 2 minutes running/1 minute walking.  A few of us even joked about being the back of the pack.

As it turned out, I would have had only back views had I been taking pictures!  But I'll get to that in a minute. 

I want to add here the irony of the day:  Debbie's group, you know the one I thought was too slow for me, was running alongside us for the first 3 miles.  They were running 1 1/2/1 intervals.  The intervals ended up spreading us out, but the irony was not lost on me.  I thought about shifting groups a few times during those first few miles.

I probably should have.

As we ran those first three, I stayed near the back of the group, chatting with new friends (remember, I'm new at the whole talking thing, so this was BIG for me!).   Amy, a second-season Galloway group member,  ran effortlessly.   I sucked air.   Not a good sign.  "Labored breathing" I believe is the term she used to describe it.  

For readers who know our area, we ran a three mile loop through Baldwin Park, and returned to GMS for a water break, drop off those who needed to go to work, and decided how many more miles we'd run.  My goal for the day was five.  The group decided on six.  I thought about running my final 2 on my own.

I probably should have. 


We headed out, in the opposite direction this time: a  1 1/2 mile out-and-back through a beautiful part of Winter Park.  From the moment we took off, I was in trouble.  

I was the back of the pack.  No.  I was farther than back of the pack.  And my worst fear, the reason I've avoided running with other people, happened ....

Amy said, "Oh, I'll run with you. I don't mind running your pace at all."  

I was mortified.  The very thing I've had so much anxiety about was happening at that very moment.  

Me:      "No, go ahead. Really. I'm fine."    

Amy:    "No, really. I don't mind at all."  

And so we ran (and talked....sort of...) for the next three miles ~ up inclines, down inclines, far, far back from the group.  I just flat-out couldn't keep the pace.  Even with the walk intervals. 

I was so disappointed. I wanted to turn back.  I wanted to just finish the darn run on my own.  I kept doing the whole "self-talk" thing:  It's okay. This is a learning experience.  Now you know which group you belong in, etc....  

And I would've been okay with that, but someone, a kind person, chose to run with me.  And that gave me bigger anxiety, which of course, she didn't know.  (And I would've done the same thing for another runner.) 

It was like the running gods said, "Okay, Ms. Smarty Pants, you think you can run with the big dogs.  Let's see what you've got."

Clearly, I didn't have it.  At least not this Saturday morning.

We stopped for a water break at the 1 1/2 mile mark, turned around, and started back. I just kept saying to myself, "I can do anything for 1 and a 1/2 more miles!"  But I needed to walk.  And I fell farther behind. 

Our small group rounded a corner and were out of sight.  I was truly dead last (but still moving!). 

When Kathy fell back to run with us, (Amy was still being a dedicated running buddy - THANK YOU,  new friend!), my anxiety ramped up to all-out upset.  I was so bummed out, but trying really hard to see the positive in this experience:  I'm learning a lesson, I'll have a story to share with others, etc.... yada, yada, yada.  I was very disappointed.

We made it back to the parking lot a short time later, and by then, "we" had decided that THIS group was definitely not the right fit for me.  At least, not right now.  The group graciously offered to welcome me back if I was ready at a later time.  (Thank you, kind people.) 

I ran into Debbie again, and told her, "You were right.  See you Tuesday."  She just smiled. 

After plenty more water and a few pictures,

Our small group, minus a few... Thanks, guys!  What a fun group of ladies. 

we headed to our cars.  

While I felt the accomplishment of completing the six miles, I was really feeling queazy and beat up........ physically and spiritually.

Okay, running gods.  You win.  Today.  You told me to listen to you.  I didn't.

I probably should have.

Humility is a tough pill to swallow,

but an excellent way to learn a lesson. 


And there you have it....
the first week of group training.


New skills.
New friends.

New lessons learned!  

I'm ready, running gods!  Bring it on!  :) 

Happy running, friends.....

Robin

Own your journey.  One run at a time.™