Christi

5 ez on the treadmill

Ugghh...I wanted to do a great workout today but I was fighting 25 mph winds and cold...yuck. (Why is it every time I want to do a hard workout the wind doesn't cooperate?) Anyway goal was to do the first 6.5 ez and finish with the last 6.5 at half marathon race pace. First 6.5 was around 7:28 pace. Took 1 gu/gatorade stop-then the splits for last 6.5 was 3:12 for 1st 800, 6:24, 6:31, 6:33, 6:44, 6:46, 6:35. (The first 2 miles downhill-complete headwind though-last 4.5 at the track) I will just have to chalk this one up to a good effort. My splits kept getting slower in spite of running the same effort and I really tried to kick it in for the last one-and only managed a 6:35. Oh well..Moab half was super windy last year so maybe this is just good practice:) I pray its not windy though!! I would rather run in rain than wind any day.  

5 ez miles on the mill today

Got up this morning for the famous yasso 800s...I look forward to this workout and do it before every half or full to see where I am at. Today was perfect conditions-35 degrees and no wind for once in my life! yeay! .5 warm up then did 10x800s at the track with 2:40 400 jog in between. Splits were 2:55 (slow start) 2:49, 2:49, 2:48, 2:49, 2:48, 2:48, 2:49, 2:48, 2:47. (really tried to kick it in for the last one-but had no leg turnover-I was pretty tired) Anyway-I was really happy with this workout-these times were close to the times I ran in the same workout before St George marathon last fall. ( I didn't feel as strong running them as back then-but I was happy to see my times were only about a second off per 800 of where I was) so this makes me happy. Now I will start to taper off for the half.

5.5 ez on the mill

Did 2x2 miles today with 1 mile in between. It was beautiful outside today!! After 3 miles at 7:08 avg pace did 2 miles straight at 6:17 and 6:07. Did 1 mile in between at 7:30 pace then finished with 2 miles at 6:05 and 6:02. Chose a flat route for the "fast miles."  Felt pretty good today!!

7 miles around 7:30 pace. Finished off with a couple strides

Did a fartlek type run today. Ran 3 mile warm up and then went straight into 6x400s with .15 jog in between. 400 splits were 1:25, 1:21, 1:23, 1:23, 1:23, 1:20. Felt good today.

Got up and did warm up followed by 2.25 miles around half marathon pace. First mile was 6:26, (oops-too slow) then 6:18 pace for last 1.25. (thats better)

2 ez miles followed by .25 at 6 minute pace. Then strides...Heading to Moab in a couple hours for the half ....I pray its not super windy tomorrow!!!!

I have been dreading writing this race report because this race is one I don't really care to remember....I hate to be negative but this one might be a little negative. Anyway-I woke up ready/excited to race-but my attidue started changing a little when I went outside and it was already windy...Then we got up the canyon and it was even more windy.( I felt I was having dejavu from last year's race) I was bummed because I really wanted to run a 6:20 pace and beat my time from last year...I knew it would very difficult in the crazy wind. (At least I ran into my old friend/teammate Kristen Coombs and she distracted me from being negative with her bubbly positive energy) 

Anyway-the race starts and my first split is 6:05 (first mile is downhill) At this point I am only in 4th place. The next two miles are 6:21, 6:34. (the wind is blowing like a madman) and I am already feeling tired from battling it..("This is way to early to be feeling this fatigued"-I thought)At mile 3 Melody from the blog passed me looking strong...I tried to stay close to her-but couldn't)

Miles 4,5,6 were 6:41, 6:37, 6:37. At this point I am  just trying to stay positive, my body was not feeling good, which was making it hard on my brain. (also the fact I was only in 5th place and couldn't even see the first place girl in front of me-I knew that this was probably not going to be a repeat win for me) I did take a gu at mile 6 which seemed to help me get through the next couple miles.

Miles 7,8,9 were 6:51, 6:38, 6:31. (Note to self-gatorade doesn't feel good in the eye..As I was trying to drink my gatorade, a gust of wind blew it in my eye- and it stung...ouch!!) The dust in the air didn't seem to help my eye problem either..boohoo..Anyway, at this point I think there may have been a tailwind for all of .3 miles of the race so I made the best use of it as possible and around mile 9 passed the girl in front of me...I really wished I had a group to draft with like last year-but there was not  and I found myself running alone most of the time...

Miles 10,11 were 6:48, 7:09...Let the slow miles begin...I kept trying to tell myself to "stay strong and focus" but it was so hard...The excitement of racing was totally gone and I felt like I was doing a training run-I had to keep reminding myself that I was racing and to keep pushing even though my body and mind were completely exhausted and wanted to be done..

Miles 12,13 were 7:01,6:59. (last .15 was 1:00-I showed the course as being .05 long) I did see my family at mile 12 and even they couldn't lift my mood. All of the sudden with about .5 to go I saw a girl in front of me...I had no idea she was there! I tried to reel her in-but she was still too far..She ended up beating me by 14 seconds) (Even though my last miles were so slow I must have gained on her) My final time was 1:27:54 (more than a minute and a half slower than last year's windy race)

I usually LOVE racing, but today just didn't go my way...It was hard and my body and mind weren't on cue..I know the wind took it out of me physically and mentally and there were faster girls today... I wanted to place so much higher and run so much faster but I will just chalk this one up to a race to learn from and move on....I think I need a little break so I plan on no running for at least a week, maybe longer..

On a positive note I got to cool down with Melody from the blog who placed 2nd!. I know she was no where near the time she wanted to be either and reading her blog reminds me of how I felt during the race also:) (Too bad I don't live in Utah anymore-she would be an awesome training partner- She is a strong runner and I am sure she will do awesome at Boston!)   

After taking 8 days off since my half I did 5 today outside...I thought I would feel refreshed after taking a long break, but it was hard!! What is going on?? My pace was only 7:20 pace and you would've thought I was running 6:30 pace..I know for me that running and preparing for a race takes alot out of me mentally and physically...(even though I didn't have a great race-and it was only a half-I think it still wore me out mentally, emotionally, physically) ect. I will plan on easing into hard training for the Utah Valley Marathon which is mid June...I think I will also get my iron checked-bc I was low often in college and haven't been checked since...Anyhoo-hopefully I will start to feel better and I can start training hard for the marathon....I feel like my body has been felt physically "off" for about the past 2 months..I know I was still running decently fast training times-but I would come away from hard workouts feeling absolutely spent-not stong like last fall when I was training for St George..I am normally very positive and love the challenge and thrive off of pushing myself during training...It makes me happy and gives me a "high"-Right now I am definitely not feeling that way..Has anyone else ever felt this way at times? If so-what did you do? Sorry to be so negative--but this is how I feel right now..    

Did my normal 6.5 loop in 7:06 pace. Felt ALOT better than Monday-but this pace still felt harder to me than it should have...Hopefully slowly but surely I can ease back into hard training...Right now I just feel I need to take it easy for a little bit and maybe my mojo will come back.. (Though I know I can't take it ez for too long since the marathon is 11 weeks from Saturday)

Did 5 miles around the park (only 200 meter loop) getting progressively faster. 7:23,7:13,7:12, 6:44,6:13. (6:57 avg) Felt a little better today than earlier this week. 

Got up and did 8 miles outside. (Was determined to go by feel today so I didn't look at my watch) Avg pace was 7:17. This pace felt somewhat comfortable-not really ez-but not too hard. Then I did 5 on the treadmill when I got home. 7:20-7:30 pace..Have been wearing my new saucony wear testers this week and they are giving me the worst blisters!! Hopefully they will go away soon! (Have been feeling better as the week has gone on)