A clydesdale no more!

Started the morning with a session at the gym.  Tough workout made much worse by the assessment by the trainer that I have absolutely no ab muscles.  He saw me struggling with one of the exercises and wanted to feel my abs.  After much poking and prodding, I don't think he could find them.  You would think that after running thousands and thousands of miles that I would have accidentally developed some ab muscles.  Got home and decided to run a few miles to clear my head and lift my spirits.  My legs were still tired from the workout and took a mile to get into a good rythmn. 

Hot and windy and I am very tired so the run kind of suffered.  Happy to get some miles. 

A little bit of everything at the gym today including a 7 minute run (1 mile).  After the gym, I went out for a few more super easy miles.  Not sure if it is really worth putting in these miles but I'm trying to make an effort maintain decent weekly mileage.  Checked my body fat % just for fun and it is down 3% in the last month and 7% since January.  Still have quite a ways to go. 

Did not feel well at all this morning.  Skipped the gym because I am pacing the 1:35 group at the American Fork half tomorrow.  I was afraid that if it was a heavy day, I would be too wiped out to run well tomorrow.  Was hoping for a few spunky miles to get used to the 7:15/mile pace but never could get going.  The race is a downhill course so I will be fine but wished I felt better going into it.

Stumbled out of bed at 3:45 this morning - literally.  No idea what my problem was but I was light headed and couldn't stand up straight.  I imagine this is what being drunk feels like.  I had serious concerns about running this race.  Got ready, got to the busses and didn't feel any better.  Figured that I would give it what I had and hope for the best.  Pacing 1:35 is a little different.  The runners are a little more serious and it is too fast of a pace to hold a conversation.  My main focus is to maintain a good, even effort and just be a target for the other runners.  Becky had an aggressive goal of 1:35 as well so her plan was to stick with me as long as she could.  As the race started, I had a real hard time locking in the pace.  Becky had commented that it felt like we were going a little slow and sure enough we were 10 seconds/mile slower than we wanted.  I was finally able to find the right effort during the second mile and settled into a nice rythmn.  We built a 30 second cushion and maintained that. I walked the second aid station to give back a little time and Becky continued on.  That was the last I saw of her.  Actually, I was able to watch her the rest of the race from a minute behind her.  The rest of the race was pretty uneventful.  Was close to right on pace at every mile marker.  The hill during the 11th mile took a decent amount of effort but once you crest it, it is smooth sailing the rest of the way.  I was 10 seconds ahead of schedule at mile 12 and kept the pace even during the last mile.  Somehow ended up 30 seconds early. Finished a little too soon but it was close enough.  Becky ended up running 1:33:42 which was incredible.  She was worried about 1:35 and she absolutely destroyed her goal. 

After looking at the splits, it looks like it was mile 10 that did me in.  I don't think I gave the big drop at the end of the 10th mile enough credit when I developed the pace weights.  I am not going to adjust it because I don't want to take the seconds away from any of the other miles.   

Mile	Actual	Target	Seconds Diff
1	7:10	7:15	-5
2	7:05	7:17	-12
3	7:19	7:19	0
4	7:14	7:06	+8
5	6:56	6:53	+3
6	6:52	6:53	-1
7	7:07	7:10	-3
8	7:08	7:19	-11
9	7:25	7:21	+4
10	7:11	7:28	-17
11	7:29	7:28	+1
12	7:21	7:21	0
13	7:26	7:28	-2
13.1	0:49	0:48	+1