Hills

I have read other people's blogs (yes I am a blog stalker) saying how they get so nervous before races. I wouldn't say that I am nervous before races. If I have done the distance before I am not very nervous at all. However, for a race like my upcoming Ironman, I am a little nervous. More nervous for the run probably. Mainly, because I have never run 26.2 miles before, even on my long run days. I have no idea what that will be like. I guess my goal will be to focus on one mile at a time..26 water stations.

Anyway, I have been running hills and stairs in attempt to be prepared for hills. I will say that if I am not better at running the hills I will be very disappointed, with all the work that I am doing with these. It's funny because when I am running them I think of my kids at practice that want to quit when we are running sprints. If I wasn't there they would quit, they always have some excuse. They need to come watch me run hills/stairs. I want to quit, but I am running for time. I could go all the way and all the way down (going down the stairs gives some recovery time) but I mix it up so I don't get any recovery time, until it is actual recovery time. I run every second of every run, even when I don't want to. Then when it comes to recovery time, when that is over, no matter what I start again (my hr has lowered but everyone wants more rest). I think to myself, how many people would be out here running the stairs and running exactly the time that they are suppose to, how hard do other people work??

Anyway, I enjoy my hill/stair running. Not because it is fun, but because in my mind I am doing something that not a lot of other people would be doing, or working as hard at it, so I guess I think it gives me some advantage (when I don't have many other advantages!).