Embracing Hills

 

The first time I did a hill training on 4/20th during this training cycle on the road to the 2024 Bermuda 10K, I stopped about half way up the hill. On the final hill repeat, I struggled to the top of the hill.  I celebrated what I was able to do trusting in my body's tremendous capacity to continue healing and to go the distance again.

This morning, Ruth Anne and I returned to the same hill on Cleveland Road for hill repeats. It's the hill where we trained for the 2009 Boston Marathon. I imagined our personal trainer Janine at the top of the hill with her stop watch telling us to push, push, push. I remembered how Deena Kastor described reeling in her opponent in her memoir, "Let Your Mind Run." I reeled in the Stop sign at the top of the hill as I was able to run the entire distance of the hill! There is a steeper hill opposite the hill on Cleveland Road. Since I know that Bermuda is known for its steep hills on the 10K route, we decided to incorporate the second hill in the hill repeats.

 

When we got to the final hill repeat, I felt the burn in my lungs and nausea. I wanted to stop before we got to the top but I knew this is where the mental AND physical training come together. Ruth Anne was my cheerleader and said, "Reel in that Stop sign. Reel in that Stop sign." I did it! I pushed myself farther and faster during today's hill repeats.

 I am giving myself plenty of time to train for the hilly Bermuda 10K mind and body in January. It's been several years since I trained for an in person road race and it's been years since I trained for anything longer than a 5K. The setback in '21/'22 was physically and mentally painful. While I never gave up on  my health and wellness journey, I had given up on training for any more events. There's a quote in Deena Kastor's book that says, "There's one thing about the mind. It forgets."

 

 

 

 

 

My mind sure did forget. I forgot how much I had done to heal my life and how much I accomplished by running 3 Bermuda Half Marathons after a serious knee injury. The doctor and PT's said it was an injury that would sideline me. They said I should stop running or cap my distance at a 5K and prepare for a total knee in a few years. Coincidentally, a Facebook memory popped up about my reunion with Dr. Ryan Means, the chiropractor who partnered with me after the knee injury. Follow this link to the blog post.

Embracing hills on the roads and in life remind us of our strength and resilience. We can always go a little farther than we think we can. After my hill training I was reminded that the setback is not the final destination. Every training run and strength training workout, especially on the hills, brings me one step closer to destination Bermuda 10K!

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary

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Thank you to Mike Reilly for featuring my story on Stories From the Finish Line Sponsored by CURAD Performance Series to inspire others.

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