Doing What I Can

6 easy plus strides

4.8 easy this morning

back in carlisle for today's 3.25 pre-race + strides, tomorrow is the big half, goal is sub-1:17, feeling like anything is possible and why not?

Goal fall race today - the hillbilly hike HM back home in iowa from indianola to my hometown of carlisle. Ran a PR here just a year ago and have had a great fall of training so was hoping for another - but it just wasn't in the cards.

Got up at 4am just so I could be awake for a while before running, got the packet and to the start line by 7, it was still dark until just right before the race started (last day before daylight savings time). normal warmup of 1.6 and pre-race routine. Day was decent weather, about 44 degrees with light mist at the start and overcast, slight ENE wind 5-6mph, which on this course is a slight headwind, which is opposite of the pure tailwind we had last year. Told my brother good luck, he was going for sub 1:30. 

The start was weird, some guy just stopped and started counting down and yelled "go" so really could have been anyone, but we all took off - kind of unorganized. seemed to be close to on time, although I thought it would start way late given the relative disorganization about 5 minutes before the official race time. Luckily my watch kept my splits this time! Here they are:

1- 6:03 (slow start, but didn't want to go out too quickly)

2- 5:58

3- 5:48 (17:49 at 3 miles)

4- 5:45

5- 5:55

6- 5:59 (17:39 next 3, 35:28 at 6 miles, 36:3X on 10k, pretty good split, most of the downholl in this first part and I wanted to really open it up to bank some time. happy with where I was here, but knew I was already in for a tough day as my turnover just wasn't great

7- 5:59

8- 6:01

9 - 6:05 (18:05 last 3, 53:33 for 9 miles) 

10- 6:10 (at mile 9 we come out of the protected part of the trail and run in a relatively open stretch eastward. even though it was only 5-6 mph, I definitely felt the headwind on this 2-3 mile stretch and my times slowed considerably even though my effort felt normal) wasn't getting the turnover either, so just not a great combo and I was grinding for sure) 59:43 at 10 mile mark, not terrible at all, but not PR pace by about 1 minute

11- 6:07

12- 6:01 ( 18:18 last 3, 1:11:51 for 12 miles, just under 6 pace) turned the corner for home at 11.2 miles and finally had the headwind turn off) threw in a concious surge, and was nice to see my mile times come down again - maybe it really was the cold wind in my face that slowed me down, deep down I know I was tired though, not sure if its just the crazy mileage year, but just couldn't go much faster even though i was trying

13 - 5:52 (nice way to finish, one of my fastest miles of the day

change - 42 seconds -not sure exactly how far this was, just put change cuz its what my watch had, i was kicking

total - 1:18:27, 5:59 avg pace, 3rd fastest time I've ever run. 

Overall, I am happy with this effort. I ran as hard as I could today effortwise and just wasn't a PR day. Still a really good time for me, and although that sub 1:17 is still elusive, I learned a lot today. Namely, I learned that I can grind and even though my mile times may start slipping, that slide is not irreversible and I proved I can turn it around (like i did with my last 3 miles). My body could be pretty tired from this record mileage year and I've really been hitting it hard with 2 fulls in the spring and then not a ton of rest between cycles. Lots of excuses, but the time today shows that I am really either a little worn out or the simple fact that last year's PR was perfect conditions and everything came together and with all the success I've been having lately, its a good reminder that not every day is a PR day. Again, overall, a very good effort, one of my best half marathon times ever, just really pushing myself right now and setting my expectations above and beyond.

My brother ran his PR at 1:30:01 and finished 14th and won his age group (he is 17). always fun to be able to bond over running! 1.6 cooldown

Decent run today, except for the stomach problems that sped me home a little early. 6.3 in 7:2X pace, cold night but wasn't too sore

decent run tonight on a cold one here in iowa, 8.3 in 7:16 avg pace, stomach problems towards the end, heading back to CO tomorrow

9.5 tonight back in colorado, cooler evening, getting rapidly colder as the run progressed 7:21 avg pace, slowed considerably after it got dark because of the uncertain footfalls + strides

run after school today, all dark all run, 7:2X pace, felt pretty good

speedwork today, felt pretty decent, although it was a tough workout. mile warmup and then 7x800s in 2:41, 2:39, 2:40, 2:40, 2:40, 2:42, 2:40, then 2x400 in 79 and 76. 2:20 rest after the first 3, then a few at 2:30, then some equal rest, 1:20 between the two 400s, ran 2.4 cooldown, tired now, but good workout

9 miles tonight, felt pretty good for the first 5-6 miles considering the hard workout I had last night, 7:21 total avg pace + ice bath

6.4 easy tonight after work, 7:2X avg pace, felt just ok

decent run tonight, legs felt tired though, 7:18 avg pace

easy mileage this morning, 6.15 avg pace in 7:31 avg pace + strides

easy morning run today

pre-race

Pumpkin Pie 10k today at city park in Denver, My first ever comp'd race as they took my elite entry and said my PR could get me on the podium, nothing like a free race!

Forgot my watch and my sunglasses, so just kind of how its been this week. Haven't felt the greatest legwise all week too so the watch was the icing on the cake. Warmed up for about 2 miles, had my normal pre-race stuff. Goal was sub 37, but once I got going and didn't have any splits anywhere (except for the first mile where I asked the guy next to me who said we were at 5:50. Other than that, I was on my own and just ran by feel. They said they'd have the 5k split since it was just a double 5k loop, but alas, they didn't even have that for us as we ran through. Ran in 5th most of the race, ended up 6th place. final time was 37:06, found out later I was at 18:23 at the 5k so that means 18:43 second 5k, not too bad in terms of even splits, felt a lot worse the second 5k so to only lose 20 seconds isn't that bad. Would have liked to have either my watch or at least a clock at the finish line because then I coulda kicked harder to get under 37 but its okay, still pretty good for an altitude 10k. Stacks up well with my other 10ks here at 5000+ feet so it means I'm in pretty normal fitness. will see what is next. cooled down for 2.5 for a total of roughly 11 miles

decent run tonight 8 in 7:16 or 7:18 pace  + strides

cold 5 this morning

beautiful day today, 3.5 in 7:22 avg pace, strides - 5k tomorrow

Drove up north today to run a turkey trot I found online. Ran around a golf course trail which was pretty cool actually - course was pretty flat, lots of little undulations but nothing higher than like 10 feet. Just short quick ups and downs, weather was perfect - nearing 50 at the start - for a turkey trot that's pretty remarkable. Ended up running 17:32 but had to stop my watch at the 5k because the course was about .1-.2 long, which added about 30-40 seconds to the overall time, which I'm not sure even what they had me at and/or if it was accurate - they had some timing problems. My watch had me at 17:32 for 3.11 so I'll go with that. My splits were pretty good - 5:34, 5:41, 5:39 and :37 for the .11. Felt pretty good and nice to have a little speed left. This was at 4700 feet so a little lower than Thornton (5300 ft) but still elevation. Regardless at sea level (or in Iowa) I would probably be nearing sub-17 as I was this summer. Got a long c/d in of 4.8 miles and enjoyed the nice weather and the scenic town of Windsor, CO. Overall, fun race and course (even though a little long - I'll never learn to stop registering for these small local races just because they are cheaper). They also screwed up the awards somehow, I finished 3rd, but they had me at 4th because apparently someone in the wave behind me was sposed to be in my wave? The race seemed a little small to have wave starts and they said gun time was the award time, but didn't follow that through. Might have won some cash for 3rd place, but probably not a ton. Either way, I didn't say anything and wasn't too upset - it's a 5k on Thanksgiving, I'm just happy and thankful to be healthy and able to go run today because there are a lot who cannot. May try to hang on for one more 10k this fall before taking a break before my 2nd Boston cycle.

almost identical to last year if I stop my training cycle here - last year I ran a decent run on the day after thanksgiving too and took a break - this year I wanted to get a race or two more in but two factors are telling me to take a break - 1. lack of race options and 2. probably more importantly, this abdomen pull or pain or whatever it is thats been bothering me for the better part of a year now off and on, probably need some extra rest to let that heal before I start training for Boston