Doing What I Can

6.1 easy this morning, all in the dark, about time for daylight savings time

easy morning run in Iowa, beautiful weather

easy morning run again, another great day. looking about perfect conditions for tomorrow's half, going to go all out and try to get my sub 1:18/ New PR

Back in Iowa today to attempt a PR at the half distance. I have PR'd in mileage both weekly (80) and monthly (263) in October, all at altitude, so I knew I had a great chance at attacking my PR of 1:18:15 from 2012. Coming back home to Iowa at 900 feet in elevation made a huge difference as well as it was super easy to breathe. Plus, this course was pretty favorable to running a good time, slight drop and favorable temps and wind at the back today. 

Woke up about 4:20, had my normal pre-race snack and then relaxed until going to get the packet and driving to the start line. My 16 year-old brother was running with me today, as this was his first HM. Got a decent warmup in, and was suprised to find that even though the race started at 8am, it was still pretty dark out (last day before daylight savings time). Unfortunately, my watch deleted all my splits, which I am very mad about because I wanted to dissect my performance today. Oh well, the final time is all that matters. I started out with the leaders and we hit 5:59 the first mile. My goal was 5:56 pace and hold it as long as possible. I remember going through 3 in around 17:21, 4 in approx. 23:20, 5 in 29:0X, 10k was 36:3X, so I knew I was trucking along at a good pace early. I caught myself hitting a 5:44 3rd mile and conciously slowed down to my goal pace so as not to overdo it. However, after 10k, I decided to try to maintain the minute cushion I had built to ensure a sub-1:18. Because the watch didn't get the splits, I do remember seeing them flash at each mile (which was pretty consistent with the course markers) and most were between 5:50-5:55. I don't believe I hit a single mile in the whole race slower than 5:59, so that was positive to not be in the 6's for any mile. At the turnaround in the banner lakes park, I saw my brother entering and ran over to give him a five as he went one way and I went the other, that was pretty cool! Last 4.5 was a part of the trail that was super flat and super straight, so mentally a little rough to see the extended trail ahead, but I am pretty familiar with this particular trail and kept grinding out the 5:53 avg. Mile 10 was somewhere under 59, I think 58:53 or so. I knew a sub-1:18 was in the bag at that point. Crossed the line in 1:17:22, a PR by 53 seconds!!!! My watch had 13.15, so I ran the course amost perfect. 

Overall, I am very, very pleased with this effort. I told myself at the start of this training cycle that a sub 1:18 and possible even a sub-1:17 shouldn't be out of reach for me if I had the training base. After putting in the miles, I was rewarded with a perfect day, an almost perfect taper, and a well-executed race. I felt great almost the whole time, and was surprised with how comfortable 5:53 pace felt. I honestly thought that my half PR of 1:18:15 from 4 years ago was the peak of my fitness ability (I was 26 and living in Germany, eating super clean and training well). However, I am glad to now report that even at 30, I am not done achieving PR's yet! I think realistically my ceiling in the half is in the 1:15's. A few more solid mileage cycles and I'd love to see where I can get in a year or two. For now, just enjoying a massive PR on basically a home course. 

Side note- My brother finished his first full in 1:35:04, which he was pretty happy with. He is prepping for Nike cross regionals in a week or two and this training effort should propel him to future success.

easy run this morning, 7:4X pace + strides, a lil sore.

good run tonight, 8.5 in 7:16 avg pace

6.3 tonight in 7:20 avg pace

easy run this morning.

easy pre-race 4, legs pretty heavy still

Local turkey trot today - about 2000 runners total (a lot of 10kers too). I was still pretty tight from my PR half last week, so the 10k was out, but I decided to try a "cut-loose" 2 mile. My goal was 10:45 or better, but my legs were heavy all week and this morning I just couldn't get loose even after warming up for over 2.5 miles. Chip time was 11:03, although my splits were 5:31, 5:30 and 2 seconds of change (even though I had it pegged almost spot on 2 miles). Not a bad result, especially considering I spent last week back in Iowa and at 900 feet and now after being back just 4 or 5 days at altitude, running a race. I can tell I'm not fully reacclimatized yet on that front. Regardless, the tired legs caught up to me, and I just didn't have much turnover. Fun race, beautiful morning (a little chilly low 40s but no wind helped). On the cool down got a migraine started so that wasn't fun. 9.3 total on the day. Will see what my final fall race will be coming up next.

Good run tonight, dark almost from the get-go. 11.3 in 7:19 avg pace + strides. Officially over 2000 miles on the year today, about a month earlier than last year

some speedwork tonight, 3x1 repeats with 1 mile jog between each, 8.9 total. Goal was all-out, but just didn't have much pop tonight. 5:36, 5:46, 5:34, still adjusting back to the altitude, but the last one was downhill so I was not impressed, must need to scale back the speed for a lil bit

easy paced run tonight, started out with 7:16's then slowed way down intentionally, 7:33 overall avg pace for the run, legs feeling pretty tired, strides

morning run on tired legs, 7:29 pace

good run tonight in 7:16 avg pace, cold one tho

7.6 tonight, felt really tired, so i turned it in early, strides + ice bath after

pre-race week

7:19 avg pace, felt good

easy run today, strides

Local turkey trot today. Course seemed pretty reasonable, only 189 feet of elevation gain over the 10k. The only downside was the weather, temps were great -around 39-41, but the wind was 20mph sustained with gusts higher out of the west and north. I knew this would be challenging as the course is exposed for large portions of it. My goal was to try to get under 37 min (5300 feet so this would have been a good pace for this altitude). I was a little concerned that wasn't possible when I saw the conditions, but I stayed positive. 2 mile warmup then the race. Not only was it because the wind shifted from being at my back to in my face, but the 2nd half of the race merged the 10k runners with the masses of 5k runners and the trail was so narrow, that the 10k runners overtaking had to go off-roading into the weeds to pass, so that was very disconcerting and chaotic. I managed though and was weaving in and out/battling 5k people the rest of the way in, which was the only real damper to this event minus the wind, which actually didn't feel as bad the 2nd half of the race. Spits were all over the map. Splits:

1- 5:52

2- 6:17

3 - 5:59 (18:08 through 3 miles)

4- 5:48

5- 6:20

6 - 6:03 (18:11 through last 3)

change - :55

total 37:14, roughly 6:00 pace

Overall, I was happy with the effort, this was 11 seconds faster than my BolderBoulder time and the conditions were much worse today. Right near my goal, and that is always nice. 3 mile cooldown, now to decide whether to go one more 10k or to call the season finished, take a break, and start on my Boston training cycle.

8.7 in 7:24 avg pace, probably done for the cycle, just mentally drained and could use the extra week on the Boston cycle