Friday, September 12, 2014

Bad Decisions

So....
 
I am realizing that I made a mistake with this running/training group I joined.  Maybe its just the group I actually run with, more than likely...but I was with Kenyan Way for far too long to be able to keep with this group past this cycle.
 
My plan is to finish out the long runs up until the Houston Half at the end of October, then switch over to another pod for Aramco Houston in January.
 
I ran with them a couple of weeks back when I had to split up my run between the 2 groups.
 
Even from the beginning I had to just tune out what all 3 of the coaches would blabber on about, because first off I am not a first time runner, long distance racer.  Second of all I could outrun all of you and have actually.
 
While I do appreciate the lack of competitiveness and the system of run/walk and yet still being able to turn out a decent time at the end...I still have a competitive spark and honestly why not run longer and faster instead of just alllllllllllways the same intervals and speeds?  Dumb.
 
Anyway, all that aside, what really got me riled up was 2 separate emails this past week.
 
The first one was when he sent out the email for the start times of the 2 runs, 1 being super early for those running 23, the 2nd would be part of that 23 but the 2nd loop is 13 miles and starts around 5-5:15.  In that email he stated that I was doing 13. 
 
Which I WOULD be if my 11 miler 2 weeks ago hadn't turned into a 9 miler.  So I backed up my long runs to be 11, 13 and 15 instead of 13, 15 and 17.
 
When I replied back I said that I was only doing 11 due to the previous LR fiasco.  He replied back to me saying that I should still do 13 because the longer runs were coming anyway.
 
Um. No.  And not just no, but NO.
 
No coach in their right mind would EVER suggest going from 9 to 13 miles.  You stupid idiot.  Of course I didnt say that, but what I DID tell him in my reply was no, I was doing 11, 13 and 15.  15 would be my longest and I was OK with that.
 
Seriously.  I wanted to just go off on him in email but obviously didnt.  I do realize this is run/walk style but still.  No.
 
Theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen...yesterday another LONG email from him about how he is achy and not sure if he was going to run the first loop...SAG on the 2nd for sure..where the stops would be.  And then proceeded to put out suggestions for the group since 2 of them would be doing 23 and maybe on the 2nd loop make the intervals 30/30 or 1:30/45.  Something like that.  Same mile pace overall just different interval.
 
OK hold up.
I am NOT doing 30/30.  I struggle just to keep my head in the game with the 2/1 or 3/1.  Plus its WAY too slow for me but again I joined so that I had a group to run with on Saturday.  I dont want to go have breakfast after...I dont want to see all the group texts throughout the week...I just wanted people to run with.
 
I reply back to the group asking if maybe an idea of what they are going to interval at, and the coach emails back with "I dont know why you are asking June, but if its because you want to go faster blah blah blah" and that "if I did something other than that, he couldnt promise me SAG.  I just replied back with I would probably start with the group, cut off and head back to base for my 11. 
 
It just all hit me wrong.  I KNOW what I am doing, I have been doing it for a while now with the help of a great coach and I learned a LOT in those years with Sean Wade.
 
I just dont like this guy.  So after the Houston Half I am going to run with the other guys group.  At least I know ALL of his group is training for Houston in January and we will all be on the same schedule.  This nonsense of different people, different races and whatnot is just a cluster.  I seem to be by myself most of the time anyway.
 
I am hoping running with the other pod will give me a bit less frustration with this group/process.
 
Knowing that in 2015 I do not plan to do anything farther than a 10K, I dont care past my last long run.  Heck as it gets cooler I might just finish out on my own.  That way I can run whatever intervals I want which were typically 7-8 min with a 1 min walk.
 
I'm just kinda sorta pissed right now.  I just emailed the group leader to see if Jays group is running tomorrow and what time and how far?  If its comparable to mine then I am going to run with them.  Jays group is much faster.
 
Please please please let the email come through...
 
But then again, it is supposed to be storming tomorrow morning so I may be treadmilling it for 2 hours anyway.  Not like I havent had to do that before while living in Nebraska!!!!!!!!!!
 


2 comments:

saroy said...

30/30?? You know I love me some run/walk and have been doing only that for the last several years...but I would go batty with a 30/30. The sweet spot for me seems to be about a 5/1.

June said...

Thankfully that was NOT the case!!!