My friend was late and I got there early so I had a good hour to spend alone. This is what I had:
I love that place. It's very simple, quiet, old fashioned and sunny. The food is like something your tita or lola would make for you, with recipes handed down from generation to generation. Being there reminds me of Bacolod in my younger days. I don't know why. Maybe the way the sun falls on that place and the many trees around the cafe.
Got to Ultra early and decided to start on the training ahead of the others so I could leave early. Had family dinner tonight.
As expected after recovery week, they increased the distance for our intervals. From 3x800, we're now at 4x1200. Ack.
Sometimes I feel the coaches are conspiring against me. It's like 'torture (insert my name here) day' sometimes. This is one such day.
Coach Rio said target time for the 1200 was 6min. The first set, no one timed me (and Sandy who decided to do early training too) so it was okay. Still tough but okay.
Sandy had to sit it out after the first lap because she was feeling pain in her lower leg.
I asked Coach Willy to pace me and he said yes. It always works better for me when someone paces me. Second set, we clocked 6:15. Coach Willy wasn't happy. I was just glad to have made it through the second set.
Third set, he really almost killed me. The times I'd refuse to pick up my pace, he'd run in front of me and unconsciously, I'd gain speed. Ack. At one point I felt I was going to dream of the back and calves of Coach Willy. Hahaha!
We finished the third set at 5:55. Kainis! I was whining now and saying 'ayoko na!' because I was really out of breath and my legs were starting to feel really tired. Not painful, just really tired.
Finally, I decided to ask Coach Rio again what the target range was and hello, it was between 6-7min pala!!! Ano ba!
This buoyed my spirits and gave me strength to do the last set. This time at a no longer death-defying 6:20. But the coaches kept teasing me na 'kaya mo naman eh'.
It's good to be pushed because it most often leads to improvement. But sometimes I also feel I have to put my foot down and say I can't do what's being asked of me. After all, it's my body and I know what it can and cannot take.
I have a tendency to follow and quietly endure pain. Long ago in boxing I suffered a fracture in my forearm because the coach told me to hit harder. I hit harder and felt a sharp pain run through my arm. I kept on hitting the mits because the coach said so. Then came the second shot of pain. I only stopped when the bell rang. By then I knew I had broken something. I had to wear a cast and go through therapy. I haven't gone boxing since then.
It wasn't the coach's fault. I should've stopped when I felt the first shot of pain.
My goal is to be in this for the long haul. That's why I'm being more careful now. I don't want to push too hard to the point of injury. That is my personal responsibility and I have to learn to follow only to the point that I can handle.
Enough drama.
I am thankful though for the push. I know I've improved. Nagbunga and pagod ng coaches. Like this mango tree I saw outside the cafe. Go ahead, click on the picture. Summer is truly here. :)
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