Random Inspirational Quote

Early am drive up to Richmond, IN for a small town half marathon.  Cool course - 2 loops with loop 2 as a reverse of loop 1.  A couple of nasty spots with some good hills.  Great weather - 55-60 degrees and sunny with low humidity.  Shaded for 60% of course on paved trail and neighborhoods.

Race start at 7:30 am after waiting around, several bathroom stops, and about a mile WU.  Frequent bathroom stops seems to be one of the side the effects of the newly found vegan way of life... ;)

Taking off from the start I am a little surprised to find myself leading.  I hear about 3 or 4 behind me heavy breathing after a mile.  It is downhill and feels easy going through in 5:56.  I realize today will be a good day for me.  Was a little doubtful/apprehensive after going all out in 5k yesterday.  

Mile 2 levels out and I focus on relaxing... a little too much.  One other guy is still hanging around so I start chatting with him - revealing that he is struggling with the pace.  Mile 2 is a little too laxed at 6:17.  I think I do this guy a favor by dropping him at mile 3, speeding back up to 5:56.  The course rolled steadily throughout and mile 4 was a climb - 6:09.  Mile 5 and 6  inlcudes a long climb that is roughly 3-4% avg.- 6:03 and 6:13.  Still feeling strong and well in control effort wise once the hill is conquered.  Loop 1 is 10k distance traversing through start finish area and timing mat at the hospital.  Back around parking lot cones and turn around and reverse the same loop - and go down that monster hill for most of mile 7 - a very aided 5:43 feels easy.  6:02 for level mile 8, 5:52 for aided mile 9, and now some more rollers - 6:10, 6:08, 6:02.  The last mile of the course is a nasty climb back up to the hospital and finish line.  I feel like I am crushing it, and only manage a 6:13 mile 13 and 6:08 for partial.  GPS is a bit short - 13.01.  Nonetheless, translated, this is a big PR for half marathon.  Race clock finish time = 1:18:44.  Translated Finish time of 13.11 ~ 1:19:20ish.  Call it a PR.      

Lunch time recovery run - 4.1mi 33:16.  Sore left side

AM before work - easy 30min. On TM at gym - 3.5miles.

PM lunch run on Canal and White River in Indy.  Easy to get motivated with a lot people out enjoying the weather. Left groin, IT bothering me still. 1 mile  WU and into 6:30 pace. Randomly, my body /legs kick down in to 6:05 pace for middle 2 miles. Then back down to 6:30.

7.6 miles total - 49:35

Later PM after kids in bed I am still hurting in left leg and attempt to take the bike out for some interval XT work in TH zone... discover that my tire is horriblmisshapen from my terrible tire change attempt. Frustrated with cycling beyond words.  Keeping tires inflated is too much...

Anyway, called it off and layering left leg on the foam roller for 20 minutes of pain.

Lunch run from work out CR by Trinity HS.  7mi. - 56:05.  Tired , but, foam rolling really did the trick.  Almost pain free

early am before work at gym - easy 6mi. TM - 46:00.  zzzzzzz

Easy 12 miles at lunch with Nathan - about 8-8:15 pace.  Always great to run with somebody, especially Nate.

AM TM at gym before work - 4 mi. - 35:15

AM Lunch run - 4.5 miles easy - about 8:30 pace

AM "15k" Trail Race in Southwestway Park near Indy.  These are always fun - trails are a nice departure from punding the pavement.  Got there early enough to get some easy miles in.  Ran most of the course, with several bathroom stops - 7 miles - 1:01:38.  Race start was as crazy as I thought it would be and not as many near the front as I thought.  Me and a group of about 5 go out together.  About 0.1 in to the course it turns in to single track.  One of the crazies up front, who was dressed up in William Wallace costum (I'm not kidding - this guy had half his face painted blue and a kilt!) bites it hard and totally wipes out.  Definitely highlight of the day :)

Anyway, me and 2 other guys continue on, both of them in front of me.  As we round down in to a gulley and the trail widens out, I feel like a pass is on order.  So, I made sure to blow by both of them and put the hammer down on the nasty climb  that follwed.  Only one of them stays with me.  At some point at one ofthe wierd tunr spots where we don't know where to go, he passes me back and leads for a while.  We run "together" for about 4.5-5 miles before I begin to notice the pace slacking.  I sit on him and let it slack for 0.5 miles or so and then blow by him.  He doesn't respond and I hear his breathing get further behind me. 

Solo for last 3mi, or so, and in to the finish in 1:01:09.  GPS 8.77 miles makes it about 7min avg.   TH effort for most of the race (where the second place guys wasn't leading).

2.44 miles CD really slow.