Monday, November 19, 2012

Turkey Trot RR

Saturday was our Turkey Trot through downtown.  The race is only in it's 2nd year.  It's a 5k (actually a bit short I think...3.04 miles).  Anyway, last year I managed 3rd place overall women and awesome Brown's Shoe Fit donates 6 pairs of free shoes of your choice to the top 3 men and women so I was out to win shoes again this year.

I'm pretty tired...9 weeks away from the next marathon and running some pretty tough workouts and over 50 miles per week.  I worked all week to prepare myself mentally "it's only 3 miles...who cares how bad it hurts for 21 minutes?? You got this!"  Last year I went out too fast and slowed a lot during the 2nd miles that has a really big hill in it (21:28 finish time).  This year I stayed cool the first mile....swift but not exhausting (I really wanted to break 21:00) a 6:45.  Second mile, big hill, start passing people (I live downtown so I know the hill very well) 6:50.  Third mile, work to hang on and push to the finish...and I do. 6:44.  20:21 finish time.  2nd place for women.  Wahoo!  Free shoes!  Felt pretty strong into the finish.  A very encouraging day in the midst of marathon training.  :)

The next day was a 15-mile "Long" run.  In Hansons marathon method, that means a pace-ish run.  Pace should be between marathon goal pace (7:40ish) and easy pace (8:45-9:15).  So my long run pace is 8:15-8:25.  The book says to just chill out and run it easy.  So I did the first mile easy 9:24, but felt good so I went with it. 8:33, 8:21, 8:26, 8:11, 8:14, 8:20, 8:06 (gees), 8:17, 8:28, 8:29, 8:33, 8:25, 8:19, 8:09.  Not bad after a PR in a 5k.  Two hours later I was tired and had some nice tightness in my calves and feet.  Is there anything that could make me feel better? Yep! We had Thanksgiving early so I got to eat like a pig (my mom is a wonderful cook).  I had extra helpings of dressing, gravy and sweet potatoes.  I never got full....that's the way to end a long run!

You can't judge how a run is going to go based on how you feel.  I was tired and sore for both great runs.  The more time I spend on the road, the more I realize that SOOO much of this running thing is just a mental game.  "How much pain are you willing to endure today?"

Monday, November 12, 2012

16 degree run...in NOVEMBER

Seriously, it was 16 degrees when I left my house this morning.  It's November 12.  That is quite early for a 16 degree morning in New Mexico. 8 miles easy.  12 mph wind.  8:55 average.

But I was running today. No matter what. Cold, hot, rain, snow, wind, whatever. Afterall, today is my Marathonniversary. One year ago today I ran my first marathon (Rimrock Marathon near Grand Junction, CO).  Rimrock Marathon RR

I remembered that day as I ran today; how I felt scared, empowered, strong, vulnerable.. It was a day that changed me forever...




Sunday, November 4, 2012

Long Run....a good one...FINALLY

I've had an exhausting few weeks.  Concert preparation (lots of practicing), increase in mileage for marathon training, built a chicken coop and run out of random material laying around at my dad's wood shop and then researched and purchased 22 laying hens.  My right hamstring has been getting pissed weekly (after speed workouts and tempo workouts).  I foam roll, massage, compress, etc.It gets a little better, then I go out and run hard again and it all comes back.  Got a killer massage on Wednesday that I mostly cried through but felt SOOO much better afterwards. Thursday's 7-mile tempo run brought nearly a total mental breakdown with the tight-again hamstring.  I chose my "long run" route to do the tempo run since my river route was under construction, which means some pretty good uphill for the first 4 miles (400-500 feet of rise).  Well, I got to mile 3ish and just couldn't hit marathon pace.  I was pushing so hard and was so tired and it just wasn't happening.  I literally stopped (which I never do on a run) and walked (which I only do in absolute dire circumstances) and had a small temper tantrum and a serious discussion with myself about whether or not we are really going to do this thing....cause if so, we need to find a way to run 7:38s today.Period. After my 1 minute breakdown I only had another half mile of uphill, then there was some flat and then downhill.  My pace picked up (not 7:38 exactly but 7:41s were close enough for me).  When I got home I still felt angry and a little crushed.  Maybe the pace isn't right for me. Maybe my goals are too lofty. Maybe it's too soon to get that much faster.  Friday's run was easy and nice with my gorgeous puppy dog (I still call him puppy even though he is nearly 2 1/2).  7 miles. Hamstring was tight.  I went and got a new pair of shoes (both my other pairs are done...400 miles on one pair and at least 600 on the other). I got Brooks Pure Connects (my third pair of them)...this time in ORANGE:
Saturday was 7 miles easy and I kept going quite a bit faster than my "easy" should have been.  Kept having to tell myself to slow down.  Helped my parents do a bunch of painting on ladders and scaffolding and my hamstring screamed the whole time. Last night when I got home I decided to try using some heat on my hamstring, and then roll it and do some serious quad and butt stretching.  Woke up this morning feeling way better.

I'm doing the Hansons Marathon Method.  Speed and Strength workouts are faster than marathon pace.  Tempo runs are AT marathon pace.  Long runs are in between marathon pace and easy. Easy runs are...well, easy.

So, Long Run today.  14 miles.  Need to hold 8:18-8:42.
Today was the day I needed it to be. Beautiful. Fast. Good. Encouraging. Empowering.
DH decided to go with me on his bike (he has plantar fasciitis and has increased to running 2.5 miles) so we'd stop at the track first for him to do his running and then we'd head to the river trail. When we arrived at the track, the National Guard was there running....2 miles for time.  They were on the inside of the track so we took the very outside lane.  I kept having to slow down. I felt fast and strong. My first three miles on the track were too fast. When we got to the river, I was able to hold conversations with DH pretty easily.  Now, this is not a "pace" run but it's definitely not easy either...and it's on tired legs (rest day was Wednesday).  Pace needs to be 8:18-8:42.
Paces were:
8:48 (on the slower end to let the hamstring warm-up)
7:53
8:01
8:09
8:25
8:24
8:20
8:18
8:14
8:20
8:11
8:23
8:39
8:25

Finally, the run I needed.