Empty Nest Runner

Still awaiting my time...they had a computer malfunction and could not do the awards ceremony...

Woke up at 4:30 (not my thing) and drove out to Pueblo this mroning to get ina  nice 10 miler.  Planned to do it at marathon goal pace and drop it down if I needed to actually race, race.  Breakfast was eaten in the car, so I was REALLY happy that there were real bathrooms by registration!

Got there in plenty of time, as the weather totally held out for the drive.  It was 32 when we arrived and high 40's throughout the race.  opted to race with a singlet and arm warmers.  Was glad for the arm warmers at the beginning, but totally did not need them for the race.

Course was on a bike path along a river and was out and back.  Settled into a 7:00 min pace, but was confused by who was in the 10 miler and who was inthe 10k as they started together.  First 2 miles were really easy and uneventful.  Ran up to a guy that had pink running shoes and tried to strike up a conversation...he was not into talking at all, so I had to try to make a new friend.  One gal kept surging ahead and then kinda dying.  SO , to put her out of her misery, I dropped to 6:20's for a while just to see how long she could go (kinda like an ice cream truck that goes JUST a little too fast, but slow enough to be in reach?)  Anyways, she did not want to have fun with me anymore, so I kept at it for about 30 more seconds then settled into high 6:40's.

The volunteers were great!  Track and cross country kids from the neighboring school were out there cheering and handing out refreshments (as well as course marshalling).  At the turn off for the 10k, it seemed like everyone left, and I was a bit lonely. 

The kids kept telling me I was number one female, so I settled in for a marathon pace type run (which seemed nice, seeing as I ran 68 miles this week!).  Unfortunately, they ether missed or did not recognize that one of the other participants that was ahead of me was, in fact, a female....By the turn around point, I realized tht it would take me 6:10's to 6:20's to close the gap.  AND when I realized that I was WAY ahead of third, i opted to settle back into my blissful MP. 

Everything was smooth until around 8 miles, when I started to have to focus to keep my pace.  No pain or discomfort, really just a focus thing.  No one passed me until about 800m out, when a couple of guys that had been drafting opted to make a move.  Tucked in with them, caught one back before the final hill and run up the back of the other when we got onto the track in the stadium.  We spoke briefly and darted off together.  Wanted to look good for my pic, so let him get a couple of steps ahead so I could smile pretty!  (Must have made an impression, cuz I ended up talking to the photographer ALOT after the race...hee!)

SO, garmin says 6:52 average pace (we will see what the official results say...) Did a little bit before to warm up and covered some slow, easy distance after to cool down to round out 17 miles for the day.  Very satisfied, though wish I knew there was another chick as it would have been fun to push each other!

Confident that I can hold same pace through half marathon in 2 weeks (and maybe knock it down a bit on fresher legs?)  All in all, very fun race and absolutely worth the drive, as I would not have done that type of quality in  a long run by myself.  One more 65 mile week and then a small taper before my practice half!

(Drew-recovering from pneumonia--got to run 60 minutes today!!!!!!!!)  Time for chocolate!!!!

(OH!!!  Just found out that Squirrel ran a 5k today!!--oops I meant Saturday... Way to go!)

Football wars continue... Easy recovery day. Snowed (kinda') last night and so the ground was uber slick. Paced the guys from behind at 7:20 (letting them go out as fast as tehy wanted as long as they didn't fall off my pace at the tail end).  Felt relatively fresh and was surprised.  Would have liked to see how far I could take that after racing yesterday, but alas...

The girls are finally growing as a team (I have had only two at a time...)  Working heavy ont he recruiting with Anglea and we figure that we potentially now have 12!  YAY!  5 were at practice and worked out with Angela (I really don't have the girl coaching gene...) BUT, I had 32 boys! Hmmm...

Cooled down with lunge matrix and myrtle.  This was the first Monday that I could actually do lunges following my mega weekends..so double YAY!  (The kids were waiting in anticipation as I normally wince through my half lunges...we were all surprised that I could actually do them!)

SO, i texted and emailed my distance crew about meeting at Runner's Roost after practice for a pizza party and shoe demonstration.  I RSVP'd for 13 (the ones that needed new shoes) and WOWZA like 40 kids/parents/random friends all showed up.  i was supposed to be on hand to help the store associates best guide the kidoos into what type of shoes they will need (trainers/flats/spikes combos of each) to make sure that I don't have a 2 miler in throwing shoes...I didn't even know some of the kids that showed up OR their events.  Apparently the football coaches found out and sent their kids my way as well.  Needless to say, the football team ate all the pizza!!  What a crazy night!  I learned alot about shoes for throwing and sprinting?!  Gives whole new meaning to "fake it til you make it!"  I am SO going to oil the throwing implements tomorrow and hide the starting blocks...

Happy Fat Tuesday! Thought I'd celebrate with a little interval work and girl scout cookies!

w/u, stretches, drills, 2 pick ups

6x1200 with 2 min active rest (apparently I accidentally did 7??) @ tempo or 10k pace

SO, as always, not easy to coach AND get my workout in simultaneously.  Goal was 6:32, but depending on who I was running with, my pace was a bit wonky.  (6:20, 6:07, 6:42, 6:38, 6:36, 6:40, 6:34)  Somehow, I managed to get in 7--not sure how, guess I lost count and just kept on running?

Cool thing was that at any given time, i was with the slowest boy group.  last season, the majority of vaarsity boys were having trouble holding 6:40 for any length of time, and now they were anywhere from 5:45 to 6:40.  SO excited about this season.

Cooled down with Angela and her dog, Annie.  Annie ran a piece of my last one and REALLY helped!  Went over to Runners Roost this evening for a kickoff for Team Challenge-a half marathon group that I coach for 16 weeks to raise awareness and funds for Crohn's and Colitis research and treatment.  We are planning to go to napa in July!!

Now about those Girl Scout Cookies...mmmm....

Recovery run!  SO, meant to go much further today...

Played "Flip me the Bird" with the kids--tag game involving a rubber chicken, that also involves running and teamwork.  Then , we went out to the trails/woods nearby for a moderate run.  Was the only coach today, so I had to get back with the earliest group o' kids and did not get my mileage in.

Met with a very upset Angela (other coach) who just came back from her faculty meeting.  Glad I am not a teacher, as they are debating whether giving students a zero (when they do not turn something in) is bad for their self-esteem, and instead should give them like 60% to give them a chance.  REALLY???  Is this up for discussion???  To me, a zero is a zero...

i could totally call my 4 miler a 14 mile run then, and then blame society when I do not get the time I want in my next marathon.  Sounds fair...

Hills!

Felt really, really tired today.  Glad that I have a cut down week next...

Ran a bit over 2 miles to our "hill"--it is quite steep and goes for at least .75

4 X 3:00 with jog down rest at "steady".  Phew!  KICKEd our butts...Took a  quick drink break up top, jogged down then did 4 x 1:15 at "hard" was supposed to be "quick" but we were not feeling it!

Ran back 2 miles VERY slowly...

SO, Drew went to a play tonight (cuz there's this girl...) and is leaving for Albuquerque tomorrow morning for D2 Indoor Nationals AND it is the start of their spring break (worry, worry, worry)  Hopefully he will be able to come home for a few days, but it's up to coach...

First track Meet 2011 SO, tonight was our first track meet.  We put everyone in that did not train consistently over the winter, to give them a chance at a varsity meet (specially cuz it was 100% relays, which are always fun!) 

All of our returnees either PR'd today or came within seconds of last track seasons PR's.  Great way to open the season!!  Ang and I were pretty much delirious by the end of the meet.  AND it was running almost 2 hours ahead of schedule, so our DMR'ers were stilla t there various dwellings minutes before the race.  We had stand ins for the boys.  3 of them showed up just as they were starting, and still pr'd!  For the girls, we only had 2 that could run (the others that were there had already capped out their events) SO we ran 2 of them and basically told them that if noone was in the exchange zone when they finished to casually step off the track...just as leg 3 was starting, number 3 showed up, and just as leg 4 started number 4 showed up.  CRAZY!!!!!  Needless to say, the parents were not impressed...oops!  We always warn the runners that they need to be at the meet at least an hour before their race...our bad!  Who knew?

SO, tomorrow is our first state qualifying meet, so we will run our big dogs adn see what they got!

Did easy mile with the kiddoes after all the events were done and then ran 5.5 in the dark at home...still retty tired this week.

I have been taking a chance at not cutting back every 4th week, just to see how my body responds...will probably not do that again for awhile!  LOVe that I have been lingering around the magical 65 mile week and all that enzymatic goodness! 

But, am TIRED!

Drew called me from Albuquerque.  they are on spring break ADN at the d2 natinals.  Called me to find him a hotel room...apparently the young men and women thought it would be ok to put 8 in a hotel room.  worry, worry, worry  SO found him a room within walking distance to the convention center pretty cheap, so that even if he is the lone "square", he can suck up the cost.  Hey, is that another gray hair??

Was able to get my mileage done between events at the Elizabeth Invite track meet.  SO, warmed up with the milers, watched the race, then did 4.5 with Angela, went out and did 4 more before the 800, ran around inside of field between 800 and 2 milers, ran while girls were running on field, watched 2 mile, ran some more and cooled down with the 2 milers.  Phew!  that was a very long (timewise) way to get my mileage in...and more importantly, it inhibited my between event feedings...