Auntie Em Goes Running

Worlds shortest track workout!  Warm up, drills, 6X200 (target .48), cool down. 

200s were .45, .45, .46, .46, .46, .47.  Slower all the time!

Last longish run before Chicago.  Some easy, some at MP.  Tried out my marathon shorts - turns out I have to wear the hideous pink ones that I think might be to short to wear in public, because they have a whole row of handy pockets across the back.  I like them much better after trying out all the pockets on this morning's run.  

I will be the old lady running in the short short bright pink shorts!  With a row of muffin tops along the back to hold my stuff.  I will try to get a picture, especially of the backside, which looks quite funny!

 Have a great weekend, everyone - happy trails!

Easy recovery ride.   Rode for an hour and a half under skies threatening to rain, but didn't get wet.  How sweet is that?  

30  minutes easy; 15 mintues at marathon.  About.  My shin hurts, my foot hurts, I am tired.  All normal I think!  Going to Seattle today to shop for bikes and skate skis!

Track workout on a gloriously beautiful crisp Fall morning!  wu, including drills and 5X strides, then 3X1600 at marathon pace.  7:56 (whoops!), 8:20, and 8:23.  Then 5X200, at the hard-to-achieve .48.  If you look closely, you'll see that I actually slowed down enough to get one at EXACTLY .48!  Whoo Hoo!  .45, .46, .48, .46, .47.  

Came home to do strengthening session at home, as the infield was too damp - ewww! I did planks, squats, lunges, balance ball exercises, hip and core strengtheners, and some lazy stretching (the kind where you lay down on the floor).

Getting my pre race massage today and coaching girls on the run.  AND, I have to make 4 days worth of food so that my daughter and my mom don't starve to death while I am in Chicago running my marathon.  I would hate like anything to arrive home to them starved.  It would sort of take the fun out of my marathon trip.

5 easy miles plus some strides.  Lots of nervous energy; had trouble keeping it slow.  But I did - 8:49, 8:58, 9:30, 9:23, 9:17.  

My entire right leg hurt, so I didn't run much.  No big deal; I don't really have to run until Sunday.

This is just an estimate of the mileage.  I didn't wear my Garmin; just wanted to jog a bit today in preparation for the long run tomorrow.  Everything feels great!

This is really a race report, but a DNF, so I don't think the blog will let me list it as a race report.  Sorry if anyone here in blogdome was waiting for my report; I am almost unable to use Fast Running Blog from my Ipad because it just isn't supported by the system I guess.  I am finally home now, so I can catch you up!

I believe I mentioned previously in the blog that the marathon did not place me in my seeded corral and that they would not fix the mistake when I called them.  I panicked briefly, then decided that it was no big deal; I would just go ahead and run the race I knew I could run starting in the open start.  When I got to the expo on Friday evening, I went straight to the Nike Pace thing and tried to sign up for the 3:40 pace group.  My plan was to hold onto that pace (8:24/mile) until mile 20, then decide whether or not I could speed up slightly and try to finish in about 3:37.  Well, guess what?  There is no 3:40 pace group in the open start!  For the open start, pace groups started at 4:00 or 4:25.  So, they gave me the 3:40 paper to pin to my back and suggested that I arrive early, get in front of the open start area, and try to catch up to the 3:40 pacer when the race started.  Another setback, but I decided that it was in fact the only reasonable thing to do.  I still was confident that 3:40 was within my reach.

On race morning, I woke up at 4:30, because that is when room service arrived with my bacon and eggs.  I can eat no grains on race morning, and I do best with some fat in my stomach three hours before the start.  So bacon an eggs, plus coffee.  I crawled back into bed and tried to rest.  But by 5:00, my friend Aeron was texting me like mad; she had a plan for "sneaking" into my proper corral.  By 6:00, I was convinced, and she showed up at my hotel at 6:30 so we could go to the start together and carry out her plan.  Her corral was D, although the corrals are all lumped together once you get beyond the fences and checkpoints separating the corral starters from the open start.  There is a separate number, printed on the same material as the bibs, with your race number and the corral designation.  This extra number is for your bag check, and its slightly smaller than the actual bib, but otherwise identical.  On our way to the start, we took Aeron's bag check paper, crumpled up my bib on the front of my t shirt, and pinned Aeron's bag check number over the top.  To me, it looked like a total paste up job, but at the three checkpoints, we were waved right through!  All the officials are looking for is that A,B,C,or D designation, so they glance pretty quickly.  I had a near panic moment at the last checkpoint, because it was only a few minutes until start time, and if I got turned back, there was NO WAY I could get all the way back to the open starting area in time.  But, we were waved on through.  Lots of last minute giggling over this one!  As soon as I was in the mass of runners within the corral, Aeron and I separated; she was running a 4:00, and I wanted to push forward until I could at least see the 3:40 pacer.  I met another woman who wanted to do the same, so we shouldered our way up as far as we possibly could and waited for the start. 

The first few miles were difficult, because there are several short tunnel sections, where the Garmin was not accurate.  Even so, I achieved decent (not entirely too fast) splits here.  My huge problem as a distance runner is that I go out WAY too fast, and I was very determined not to do that today.  So, all was good and pace was so good, even though I NEVER achieved this pace in training.  I just did it.  At one point, the woman that I was running with saw the 3:45 pacer up ahead, and suggested that we catch up.  I refused, since my Garmin was telling me that we were exactly on target for 3:40, and I was right.  That 3:45 pacer was going WAY to fast.  Things were good until about mile 8; legs felt fresh, breathing normal, effort easy (ish).  Then there was a rather sharp pain in my right calf.  I slowed slightly and waited to see what would happen; by 9 I was limping, and the pain was radiating from high part of my calf up into the hamstring.  I pulled over at the aid station and got some ice.  End of story.  

EXCEPT (and there always has to be more to the story, right?) the experience of getting transported back to the start line on a school bus was absolutely hilarious.  I think I am the kind of person who immediately resorts to humor when I feel bad, because I just thought the image of all the wounded racers clutching dripping ice bags (heat was now approaching 80 degrees), piling onto a yellow bus hysterical.  We stopped twice to pick up more wounded, and ended up with around 50 runners on the bus.  It was a little bit like a war zone thing, especially because we had to drive FOREVER all around Chicago to get back to the race start because so many roads were closed from the marathon.  Picture the aisles of the bus with tiny rivers of water now, as all the ice has melted.  Some of us (the bad kids in the back of the bus, with whom I proudly identify), began to swap race horror stories and sing songs. 

Finally back at the start/finish area, I went about reconnecting with my husband, who agreed to try to meet me at the finish.  We had a back up plan to meet about four blocks away on the steps of the Chicago Art Institute.  I don't think we ever would have found each other at the finish; mobs of people, many of the finishers falling down from the heat (now 90), ambulances everywhere, dogs, children, wheelchairs, finishers wandering around with beer, you get the picture. 

My leg seems reasonably good today (Wednesday).  I was able to walk a fair amount yesterday without limping, and am going to ride my bike this afternoon.  I hope for the best.  The emotional healing will take longer.  I felt so prepared, so rested, so calm.  I didn't lose weight, sleep, or sanity over this race.  I spent hours visualizing and planning my race strategy and goals.  And, with the help of my coach, they were reasonable goals.  I trusted my training and felt good about my execution of it like never before.  I felt strong physically and mentally.  But, still, another DNF in a marathon (#$&*@).  

 I had already decided to spend the winter running months on speedwork, with shorter races.  I love fast, and the effort of training for the marathon leaves me feeling like I am constantly holding back so I can go the distance.  I need a release from that pressure for a bit.  Also will be doing more intense workouts on the bike, to prepare for another duathlon in March, and I'm taking a "total immersion" swimming class to prepare for triathlons.  I seriously love these multisport things.  I don't know how to go about repairing the mental damage from this marathon thing, but April brings Paris, and the marathon there, so we will see what happens!  There is also a 5K in Paris, I think.  Do you think that is too far to travel for 5K?

Thanks, y'all for your support and for reading this (not) race report.

Fabulous bike ride!  The weather was perfect - cool and sunny.  The miracle of biking is that it is such a great workout for certain injuries.  Didn't hurt my calf at all, and I was able to do a decent hill repeat workout, and sort of a long one!  Cheered me up a bit.  

Just a jog, very slow, very easy.  OK.

Easy miles.  My legs are two different lengths today, interesting.  Guess its not so surprising that running is slow and painful.  HMMM

My attitude today sucks.

Update in the PM:  A run fixed it.  7.89 easy miles in bright cold Fall weather.  My gratefulness index shot up by about 200%.  

Beautiful day for a bike ride, so that's what I did!  I am enjoying my post marathon freedom from training schedules, and I'm doing whatever feels good to do.  Today is cool (around 55 I think), clear and sunny with absolutely no wind.  I chose a loop around Lake Samish for today's ride for two reasons:  lots of Fall colors and lots of hills.  

Total riding time was 1:18:58, average pace of 15.4 mph and total mileage of 20.3.

I am hurrying off to go to a wild fungus and mushroom show down the street.  We have been picking and eating many many chantrelle mushrooms lately.

Yoga class this morning.  I have missed way way too many yoga classes, and it felt really good to get back to it.  I plan to take four this week.

Easy jog this afternoon with a huge and noisy group.  Wanted to try out my new shoes (Kinvaras), but couldn't find them in my car.  I keep all my shoes in my car (along with extra shorts, yoga mats, bike helmets, and the like), so I don't know what is up with the new ones.  They are going to have to learn to stay in the car!  I suppose they want special treatment, like being put in a closet or something.  Hah!  Not happening.  When I see them again I will make that very clear.

The Nike LunarFlys which I just bought for the marathonthatdidn'thappen are completely useless for any off pavement running; they have a groove in the sole of the heel which catches rocks and stuff.  Somewhat annoying. 

Day off!  I felt so frisky by mid afternoon from a general lack of activity, that I rode my bike over the the grade school where I coach Girls on the Run.  I made the mistake of running over there last week on Thursday, and that was bad, because I couldn't carry bananas when I run, and the girls really NEED bananas after they run.  Granola bars are provided, but if they ask for something healthier, they should get it, right?  So, I buy bananas every day and bring them.  I can carry them on my bike.  I got there a bit early to mark out a 1/4 mile loop for them to run, so that we could practice getting a 2 mile run.  I used my Garmin and tried out my mean green shoes (the arrogant ones, the very same ones who demand special treatment).  After their little outing today,  I believe they will indeed get some special treatment!  They are superb little shoes!  They are super light, lighter than ANY of my other shoes, yet my wandering right foot does not want to wander in them!  Its like a miracle.  AND, they are pretty.  This has never happened to me before, and it makes me unspeakably happy.  Pretty shoes, I mean.  I am considering buying five extra pairs.

All this rambling and not even about running!  That's all I have to say about that.

First real run in the new shoes.  They are GREAT!  I still think I need a new leg, though.

5am track workout; spooky mist hanging over the track, and a huge full moon!  47 degrees.

I did 24 minutes of running drills and related dynamic stretches.  Then 2.10 miles of easy running at AP 9:02.  Then 15 minutes of walking meditation.  Then 1.02 more miles at 8:49.  The mean green shoes enjoyed the walking meditation.  I enjoyed the way the mean green shoes felt while I ran, and I really liked my new leg. 

Then I went to yoga.  Then I was starving.

1.25 hours on the bike as: 30 minutes warm up, 5X6 minute really hard intervals, with RI of one minute in between.  Cool down for the rest of the time.  This ride felt really really good.  I guess all the easy running saves a lot of energy for the bike.  

Update:  Went and met a friend who has several pairs of the skate ski trainers.  They are like mini skis with wheels; you use them on roads with ski poles.  He coached me for an hour or so.  I think I'll try this during the  next month or so until the snow comes; then I'll be totally ready for skate skiing when I get the chance!  Yet another way to have fun!  I only skinned one knee.

Drills, slow running and more drills.

Yoga. 

Trail drills for 40 minutes, then yoga class.

2 miles easy easy running (AP 14.2), followed immediately by 1.5 hours on the stationary.  Added some intervals to this bike workout - 4X6 all out effort.

Drills, jogging and yoga.  Ho hum.

10 minutes drills on the trail, then 27.15 minutes of runnning, very very slowly.  I think I am starting to enjoy slow running!  Better than no running.  10 more minutes of drills at the end, and a few strides!  Just to remind the speed muscles that I expect them to be on alert.  

These past few weeks, I feel that I am relearning to run from the very beginning.  As much as I miss what I used to consider running, I am truly finding this period satisfying in a strange way.  We will see where it all leads.

Yoga class

Early early run, trying out some of my new reflective gear.  I counted the drills in the mileage for the run this time, since I focused on drills where there was actual forward movement.  You don't even want to know AP on this one!

I actually slept last night really well for the first time in like two weeks.  I think I dreamed.

I've been a bit absent from this blog lately; my training plan is now all recorded on training peaks because my coach started that, so now I have two "blog" like things to maintain.  I like you guys the best though, and I'll get myself organized to post in here more regularly again.  Meantime, I have filled in this week with all workouts to date.

Off to yoga now.

More drills and slow running at the track.  This session lasted an hour and 20 minutes - long time to do drills.  I tried some acceleration; still can't go fast, but its better.  

It has been so long since I had a workout that tired me out in any way; I think I will go absolutely bonkers. 

Early morning track work, slow running with drills. The session lasted one hour and 10 minutes.  Obviously, I run more than 3 miles, but I don't really keep track in these drill workouts.

It was cold!  45 degrees; I felt like I could have had gloves on this morning.  Watched a gorgeous sunrise from the track.

Bike ride this afternoon, still not raining, still cold (but warmer than this morning!), somewhat windy.  I tried for a tempo like effort with a warm and cool down.

Day of rest!  Just 45 minutes of strengthening and stretching and yoga like stuff on my mat.