THOU SHALT BE A COMEBACK

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Not sure if this is my official time yet--still waiting for the results on the internet--I saw the clock coming through so this is within a few seconds anyways.  I forgot to stop my Garmin until I was at the end of the finish chute and by then the time was 21:00. 

Update:  official time 20:22. Anyways, this race was no PR but considering that it was 12 degrees and I think the course was a little long(my Garmin measured 3.16),I am okay with that.  Update:  the course is certified I just checked so Garmin is wrong, it is an accurate 5k.  I also know that this is the best I have ever felt in a 5k--I never really felt that super aerobic distress so I'm sure I could have ran it harder--but I didn't, and that's okay because it was worth feeling this good and strong in a 5k.  I decided to just run, have fun, and get a speed workout before the half in a few weeks.  I would've liked sub-20, but there will be some of those this year--I will get to them!  I got there, jogged 3 miles to warm up, then stripped down to tights and under armour shirt and did a few strides.  We were all sort of milling around trying to figure out exactly where the starting line was because it wasn't marked when someone started telling the front row where to stand.  I got a few rows behind the front and had actually turned around and was looking to see if anyone I knew was there when BANG the gun went off a minute early and with no warning, so everybody sort of jumps and turns and starts running.  I think we were all startled. I just went out at what felt fast but smooth.

1.  6:20--cruising, feeling good

2.  6:34--settling into a pace that feels very smooth.  I feel strong and breathing is fairly easy; this puts my two-mile time at 12:54 which is an unofficial PR--I never broke 13:00 in high school.

3.  6:34--wow my body  must really like the pace--still feeling good, shouldn't feel this good in a 5k but it feels good to feel good at this speed.  I never visited the puke zone in this race. 3 mile time is 19:29.

last bit--looking around for the finish, it is around the corner which is not how I understood it on the map.  Oh well--sped up and finished but no eyeball-bulging sprint I'm afraid.

Alright, will fix the time when I know it for sure.  Race analysis:

Bad: 

1.  I don't seem to be pushing it in races lately.  I'm sure my competitive desire that pushes me into the super pain zone will return eventually.

2.  I need to lose 5-10 pounds.  No excuses.  It will shave my times, I am sure of it.  I'm the shortest and thickest girl out there as far as the local front-of-the-pack crowd.  My arms are twice as big around as the rest of the gals and we won't talk about my tummy.  I think it is time to give up starches and sweets for a while and really concentrate on fruit, veggies, and some protein.  I know I am not built like a Barbie or a stick, but I can pinch and inch and it's not muscle--so it can go!

Good:

1.  6:34 pace rocks and feels good, very manageable.  Aerobically I have improved a lot

2.  I just felt good today so there!

Nice and easy.  I believe it was 7 degrees with wind chill -4.  Me and Gary were the only ones who made it to the 7am run.  He is young, 21, super nice guy and actually his race times are close to mine but a little faster.  We were stiff in the cold and were going about 9:30ish pace picking our way over loads of ice until about mile 10, at which point Gary was plagued with stomach cramps and we slowed down and at one point he had to walk.  He told me to go ahead but in the cold and ice I didn't think he should be alone so I stayed with him.  I am in no rush today anyway!  He made it to a pit stop at mile 13 and after taking care of business was good to go again.  We got back up to speed and finished the super cold run.  Only fuel was water, and the piece of cheese I ate for breakfast.  I can feel that I have run two days in a row on asphalt and concrete in my joints.  One of my ankles is a little twingey too.  Glad tomorrow is a day off and I will be hitting the dirt roads for the next week.  10:02 average pace over all.  

8:06 average pace. 12 degrees- quite nice compared to Saturday.  Started to feel really good after a while and picked up the pace.  Ran mostly over packed snow on the dirt roads. Slowest mile 8:59, fastest 7:21.

one circuit of strength drills.  Right knee is a little IT band buggy.  Will keep an eye on it.  The sore foot and ankle from Saturday have faded away.

8:24 average pace.  The plan was to take it super easy so first mile was 9:17, did the last few miles at 7:40 pace--for some reason running in the winter with the snow is just uplifitng to my spirit and after a while I can't help but pick up the pace and smile when I am running.  Super cheesy, I know.

8:57 average pace.  Nice and easy, went a little extra because tomorrow is going to be -5 and I may get up early and drive into town to hit a treadmill.

7:53 overall average pace.  Treadmill day!  Temps -10 outside with howling wind.  Drove to building 1 to the treadmill I can use for free.  Felt weird to run in shorts and a T-shirt and boy 67 degrees feels downright HOT.  Sweated a ridiculous amount.  Set incline to 0.5% since I am taking it easy on my knee still. 

2 miles at 8:41 pace

4 miles at 7:30 pace(brisk but fairly comfortable--marathon pace in April?)

2 miles at 6:58 pace(now this just felt much harder than it does outside-half-marathon pace?)

1 mile cool down 9:13--10:00 pace.

Once again, hats off to the folks who run on the dreadmill often because it kicks my tail.  Although, I think I may start running on it once a week for tempo-type runs like this to build up stamina--the treadmill belt doesn't slow down!

8:23 average.  Treadmill again.  Woke up to -18 with wind chill this morning.  A little scary cold for me.  Took it easy, starting at 8:41 pace and then going to 8:20 pace for the majority of the run.  Back on the road with the group tomorrow--it is supposed to get up to 6 degrees at noon so that's when we're going for an easy 10! 

And, in other news, I took my nursing boards(NCLEX) this morning.  The computer shut down at 75 questions, which is the minimum possible, which means I either ACED it, or, totally and completely BOMBED.  I will probably not know until Monday, since it takees 48 hours to pay money with a credit card online to get your "unofficial" results.  Thinking about it just makes me want to vomit.  Failure is really not an option at this point.

Nice and easy with the group.  It was cold but bearable.  We had to stop a lot for traffic and to pick our way over ice everywhere so that made pace slower.  10:48 average! :)  My legs are greatful and I got to have a really good talk with a super nice girl named Wendy.  Next weekend I am traveling with the group to do the wickedly hilly Topeka to Auburn half marathon.  This is  no PR course but it should be a heckuva workout!

I passed the NCLEX and now I am an RN!

8:20 average pace.  Felt lousy when I got up.  Felt lousy when I started the run.  I did what I always do and run until it feels good, which was about at mile 6.  Last mile in 7:19 felt easy.  That may be a good pace to shoot for on the 1/2 marathon on Saturday.  Some of my running group have run it and say it is nothing but hills, one after another, plus 4 miles of gravel, and that one incline in  particular toward the middle is so steep and long that a lot of people end up walking.  Sounds challenging,  I am going to use it as a hard hill training run and to make flat races seem easy, no plans to PR.

8:49 average pace.  Nice and easy.  It was foggy and frosty, so I had white eyebrows and eyelashes when I was done.  I have always thought that look worked for me.  Taking it easy all week to be rested for Saturday.

8:53 average pace.  Prescription for a slow pace:  Eat 3 wheat pancakes with peanut butter and sugar-free syrup, drink a glass of milk, then immediately go for a run.  Started out at a pedestrian 9:30 pace and sped up at the end to beat the 9:00 girl.

Found a marathon training schedule from a 2004 Runner's World article.  I like it.  I think I will start it on Monday.  Mileage will be 52-70 per week.  This schedule addresses my weaknesses.  It focuses on two key workouts each week with the rest of the mileage filled in with easy running.  My tentative goal is a 3:15 marathon in April. What do you guys think?

Paces:  Tempo  6:52--Marathon Pace 7:25, steady pace 8:09

8:38 average pace.  It was 39 degrees today, so to celebrate I wore shorts and it was GREAT!  I have been eating more lately and let me tell you my energy levels have risen and today I felt really good.  did the last little bit at 7:16 pace and it felt like I was jogging.  Hope I feel that way on Saturday for the last 5k of the 1/2 after 10 miles of hills in my legs..,

9:04 average pace.  Very very easy with a few bursts of target race pace in which I was all over the place ranging from 6:48 to 7:45 pace.  Haha I also varied the terrain between uphill, downhill, dirt, mud, and asphalt.  "The Tribe" leaves together in a rental van tomorrow morning for the drive up--race doesn't start until 11:00.  I am just going to relax and have fun and if the race comes to me and am ready to push it then so be it but if I get going and just want to get a hard workout that is fine too--no pressures.  

I felt awesome during this race.  I rode up with "The Tribe"--6 runners plus a photographer(Kurt's girlfriend).  We did a lot of laughing on the way up, got there with little time to spare.  Ten minutes before gun time I was pinning on my number.  Had time to jog around the start line a few minutes, do a few strides, and then we were off.  30 degrees and foggy.  It was kind of cool how people would disappear and reappear in the fog.

mile 1 6:55 gently downhill.  When the dust settles I am in 6th place

mile 2 7:10 down then up, feeling very strong and rocking steady

mile 3  7:22 still climbing, up, up, and then a steep down at the end

mile 4 7:23 up up up, about 150 feet, and then down down down and I am flying.

mile 5 7:13 down then up then flat.  I pass two gals and move into 4th

mile 6 7:30 The infamous Urish Hill begins, about 170 foot ascent.  I remember what Wendy at the running group had talked about and my mantra is "short choppy steps" while I try not to break the imaginary pringles in my hands. 

mile 7 7:36  Reach the crest of Urish Hill while a photographer records.  I hoop and holler and start going down

mile 8  6:52  Down is cool!  I like down!

mile 9 7:24  As we move off the asphalt and onto country roads I pass another gal and move into 3rd.  It is foggy and I don't see the other two gals.  The road is icy in places, muddy in others, but not too bad.   I  am used to this terrain at home.  Up, then down, then up, then down but nothing steep or long in this mile.  Still feeling fantastic.

mile 10 7:00 a little up and then down down.  I cross the 10 mile marker and a guy yells my split it is 1:13 something, way better than I was expecting on this course.

mile 11 7:53  up up up, about 100 foot climb this mile.  Legs suddenly start to feel a little rubbery but fortunately the feeling passes. 

mile 12  7:22 the uphill gets only very slight at this point and then the crest, over the crest, and crazy down.  I feel like I am going to catapult down this one too.  I can't believe I am already at the 12 mile mark this is going fast and no crash, no tiredness, I feel as strong as I did when I started.\

mile 13 and the finish 7:19 and as always forgot to stop my watch. The course moves back onto asphalt goes up, down, up, and then down into the finish.  can't see the finish line in the fog but hear it well before I get there.  The crowd support at this little half is incredible. 

Very happy with a 1:36, I knew I wouldn't PR but was surprised to get this close.  New realization, I LIKE hills.  This is new.  The constant changing of gears througout the race is actually mentally engaging and time goes fast.  It was great fun.  It makes flatness feel like flying too.

The damage:  The knee that was sore all week didn't even hiccup. Still hasn't today. The top of my foot that has been sore since I tied my shoes to tight a few weeks ago didn't bother me during the race, but I felt it this morning.  This evening it is almost gone--barefoot around the house is good.  Usually after a long race my quads are trashed, but not this time.  I have soreness in my calves, glutes, and hamstrings, but not as severe as I was expecting.  I will probably be mostly recovered by tomorrow.

I won some sweet Mizuno running pants and shirt, another nice wicking shirt, some nice running socks, a mug, and a medal.  Ate pizza with the Tribe and we drove home--took a while in the fog.  Spirits were high,  Steph and Tex got age group awards, Kurt and Carlos smashed their times from last year, and Stace made a decisive comeback from her stress fractures.

It's gonna be a good year

A most unimpressive 9:28 average.  Still sore so plodded gently along, ran out of time because I had to get Nick to the dentist.  Marathon training starts this week.  A little slow of a start today haha but I will kick it into gear later this week when all systems are ready to go.  Knee and foot feel great.  My calves are where the soreness still lingers.

8:32 average.  Legs still lingering sore but after a few miles warm up felt good as new, kept it easy but did a test sprint the last .1 and everything felt good.  I think I will do some tempo work tomorrow per my new marathon training schedule but will probably due it on a treadmill to minimize the impact on my foot which is still a little sore on top.  The treadmill also serves to keep me from falling off pace.  hopefully by next week by foot will be 100% and I will do the tempo work on the road.

Workout 1 today.  The target was 3x1.5 at tempo(6:52) pace with .5 recovery at steady(8:09) pace.  Was too tired to get up early and drive to the treadmill so I did it on dirt roads with rolling hills.  A bit of a speed killer but gotta keep the impact to a minimum still.

2 mile warmup 10:00, 9:19(anticipatory slowness?)

1.51 in 10:42(7:05 pace), had to do a 180 halfway through

.49 recovery in 3:55(8:01 pace)

1.52 in 10:34(6:57 pace, getting closer), another 180 halfway through

.48 recovery in 3:53(8:03 pace)

1.51 in 10:12(6:45 pace) no hairpin turns this time

1 mile cooldown in 8:49

overall average for tempo miles 6:55 pace so close to target.  Tough workout and I got a blister under my big toe--haven't had a blister in a while--probably from tying my shoes so loose across the top to make my foot feel better.  Foot is doing good but is not 100% yet.

one circuit of strength drills. 

9:08 average pace.  Nice and easy recovery run from yesterday.  Tomorrow is a "steady" pace 13-miler which equates to target marathon pace +10%, which is 8:09 pace. I am looking forward to it--that doesn't kick my tail near as much as the tempo stuff does.

Key workout 2 this week.  Target was to run steady for 13 miles at target marathon pace + 10%, which for me translates to 8:09 pace.  First mile can be used as a warm up before hitting the pace. Warmed up at 8:36 and then spent the rest of the run trying to slow to 8:09 pace.  I felt good and it was hard.    Splits were 8:36-8:09-8:03-7:50-7:51-7:52-7:57-8:00-8:04-8:09-7:55-7:54-7:49----8:01 overall average so close enough.  Tomorrow is a relaxed 10-miler with the Tribe.

9:01 average pace.  Ran with the Tribe.  It was a good time as always.  I have a serious blister under the ball of my big toes and this red tender area around it that goes in between my toes.  I can't hardly stand to walk on it so I hope it gets better this weekend.

OUCH!  My infected blister hurts between my big toes and the toe  next to it and on the ball of my foot.  I can't walk without limping.  At least I'm on antibiotics and this should be resolved in a few short days.  To comfort myself I made 3 different kinds of muffins(with whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and olive oil of course)--oatmeal peach, cinnamon raisin, and chocolate chip.

8:20 average pace.  Broke in some new shoes.  I felt stiff and heavy when I was running, but the infected blister is a lot better and it was runnable once I painted some second skin over it.  I think the antibiotics are making me tired.  May push tomorrow's tempo workout to Wednesday if I still feel this wiped out.

Another workout today.  Target was 2x2 miles at 6:52 pace with a .5 mile recovery in between at 8:09.  Went better than that.  Went and ran in Paul's Valley which is more or less flat.

2 mile warmup 8:55, 8:54

2 mile tempo 6:52, 6:47

.5 recovery in 4:05(8:10 pace)

2 mile tempo 6:38, 6:42

2 mile cooldown 8:34, 8:19

7:45 overall average pace.

Felt strong the whole time, although the last mile of the second tempo I was definitely feeling it and got ever so slightly nauseated in the last quarter mile.

One circuit of strength drills.

So, two weeks of eating as much as I want as long as it is healthy, which equated to a lot more food and a lot more energy, and the verdict on the scale is....  no change whatsoever.  Haven't gained, haven't lost, but definitely have been feeling better.  I will stick to eating this way.  I'm not hungry and honestly am not missing the junk much.

8:25 average pace.  Pressed for time--had to take Vanessa to my mom's and go to work.  One of the places I applied for called and offered me a job, but the pay increase is marginal and the benefits cost way more than where I work now, so looks like I will be turning that down and holding out for something better.

My progressive long run was not supposed to be until tomorrow, but since we are supposed to have 6 inches of snow by tomorrow morning, I decided that despite my tired legs I was going to do it today.  The way my training program describes it, I am supposed to run at a regular training pace until last 40 minutes or so, and at that time progressively accelerate , so 20 minutes at MP+20 seconds, then MP+10 seconds for 10, and then the last10 minutes at least are at target MP.   Once again, I overshot it, with my last 3 miles all at faster than target marathon pace, which is 7:25/mile.  I was in no hurry the first 11 miles, as you can tell by my splits, but was surprised at how well my tired legs responded when it was hammer time.  Last mile I was tired and struggled a little.  Glad it is done, I am wiped out.  25 degrees and a little wind.

Splits 9:12, 9:00, 8:58, 8:50, 8:27, 8:22, 8:37, 8:36, 8:54, 8:37, 8:13, 7:43,7:35, 7:24, 7:17, 7:10

Had to get up early after working late last night and plow my way to work to staff an extra truck for the snow.  We worked 4 hours to get through morning traffic and then tapped out.  It really wasn't too bad.  Came home, ate, cuddled with the kids, took a nap, and when I got up there was a lot of snow.  I turned into a wimp and drove to building 1 for 8 miserable miles on the treadmill.  8:20 average pace.  Have to run 11.5 tomorrow to meet my mileage goal this week of 63.5.  Will be getting up early to run with the tribe so it should be fun and relaxed.

9:31 average pace.  Ran with the tribe.  Got ahead of the group a little bit with Eddy and then we got lost and jogged circles.  Finally found the group again and then I peeled off down central because they were doing 18 and I am not.  Central stunk for about 3 miles because it was too busy to run in the street but the sidewalks were covered in snow and it was deep so I did a lot of bunny hopping.  Good ankle stabilizeer workout that is for sure.  Totally exhausted today, Vanessa was coughing and having some problems breathing all night and me and David didn't sleep hardly at all--she couldn't sleep because she was absolutely miserable.   She is doing okay today but we are having to do breathing treatments every two hours.  Hopefully this is the worst of it and she gets better now.