Going through menopause means my hormones are all over the place, making it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. I had planned to wake up at 6:30 a.m. to run my hill repeats as scheduled by my coach, but I forgot to set my alarm and woke up at 7:30 a.m. By the time I got out of the house, it was after 8 a.m.—a no-go in the summer with the sun already up and the heat and humidity in full force.
Broken Garmin
To make matters worse, my Garmin’s band had broken. I had to tape it up, and it dangled uncomfortably like a loose bracelet. Despite these setbacks, I did my one-mile warm-up around the neighborhood. The street right behind my house has a massive hill, about a tenth of a mile long, perfect for hill repeats (so I thought).
My coach’s plan was a one-mile warm-up followed by 10 hill repeats—running up at a moderate speed and walking or jogging down.
However, fiddling with my watch to set the right distance for the workout turned out to be a mess.
I ended up doing more than 10 repeats, and it was one of the hardest experiences I’ve had.
By the fourth hill, I was already out of breath. I started off too fast and didn’t have the stamina. By the sixth repeat, I felt delusional and exhausted, ready to sit on the ground and wait for someone to pick me up.
Big Mistake
I realized my mistake: I hadn’t had breakfast and wasn’t prepared for the energy needed for these repeats. I don’t know what I was thinking. I suppose all the other Thursday workouts were on the track, and I didn’t eat those other times, but since hills are more demanding, I should have eaten something.
I ended up doing a little over three miles on the hill and told my coach this was one of the most horrible experiences and that I didn’t like him anymore. He laughed and said it would make me “strong as a bull.” A bull??? Ok, sir!
After the 10th repeat, I walked the cool-down mile back home. I was depleted.
I anticipate doing more hill repeats since I live in Atlanta, a very hilly city, but this was not my finest hour.
It was slow and extremely difficult. Next time, I’ll find a more approachable hill, not such a steep one, and give it another go. I tried to convince my coach to reduce the repeats to five, but he insisted on sticking with 10. He says, I will understand why he’s keeping at 10 at a later time.
Hills Pay the Bills
Despite the struggles, this experience reminded me of the importance of preparation and pacing.
Every run, no matter how tough, is a step toward becoming a stronger runner.
Until next time, keep pushing forward!
