Stop beating myself up

[Teresa1632]

I'm training for my first ever marathon in May. As a 63yr old T1 diabetic, it has its challenges. Fuelling, training, and preventing injury among them.

I'm lucky that there is a local running coach that only charges £2pp for a coaching session once a week. It's a good place to practice speed work and hills, as he us also careful to pace everyone and it's very inclusive - slow coaches like me are given as much attention as the speedy ones. So, I've been doing that once a week, doing 2/3 other runs solo, and going to an amazing yoga/pilates instructor to do core work.

Last long run was 17 miles. This week dropped down to 6 miles, and next week back up to 20 miles.

You'd think with all this effort, my pace should be getting better...only it's not...

Yesterday, I did my 10k run, and came in at exactly the same time as my first 10k last July! Yesterday, the weather was Baltic, and I fought a headwind, sleet, hailstones, puddles, mud and a hilly route. A neighbour (who is a football coach), met me running along in the hailstorm, and said if it was him, he would have headed for home! Despite that, I really thought I was running faster and better. But no. Exactly the same time, almost to the second.

Came home, and wondered if it was worth it, and how I could be doing all this training for no improvement.

After an hour of negative thinking, I gave myself a good slap, and as they say here, told myself to "Wise up!"

I'll keep going!

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Same pace but battling against the weather? Sounds like improvement to me 😍. Well done! Now, wise up and get on with it 🤣🤣🤣

[Teresa1632 Marathon in reply to linda9389]

I have indeed wised up. 🤣🤣.

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon]

I'm not always convinced running faster is better. Enjoying it, regardless of weather is far more important.

Negative thinking has so much to answer for. Doing, and achieving things at all is so much more important than how fast we do it. 👍🏻

[Maz1234]

I don’t know why you are giving your self such a hard time about pace when you have planned to run a marathon and look like you’re doing good in your training by running 17 miles and 20 miles next time. I think you’re doing brilliant good luck with the rest of your training and your marathon in May.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

Nothing wrong with that run Teresa! You’re right on track. 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Haha 😂 yep that “wise up” is such an Irishism 😂

I have read when training for long distance that speed suffers. I honestly don’t know if this is true but it might be something to do with our slow-twitch/fast-twitch muscles. But in any event, you deserve a huge pat on the back for doing this.

You’ve just run 17 miles woman!!!!! Just focus on that for now! Amazing 💪🏃‍♀️🙂

[misswobble Marathon]

Keep plugging away 😃💪👍🏃‍♀️

[Decker Ultramarathon]

You seem to really have the resolve and focus needed to pull this off. Your coach sounds great! Having 17 in your pocket is a mental boost for when you tackle your 20 next week. Running into hard weather and a headwind at the same pace as a normal run sounds like improvement to me! 👍🏼👊

[over61andstilltrying 10 Miles]

Hello fellow 63 year old! You sound to be doing simply amazingly to me!!! 🎉🎉🎉

Same pace but much worse conditions - headwind, sleet, hailstones, puddles, mud and a hilly route!!!- means as others have said, that you have improved masses. then there is what does improved mean? Surely it is not just speed. I do hope that you are healthier and that your stamina has grown and grown. Well done to you!! Fantastic running! And did you say a marathon!! Wow! And double wow to that! Happy running to you! 🏃🏻‍♀️🌸