Believe to Achieve

Ran the BIG WORKOUT, revised edition.  I don't know why I thought a third SW in a week (although the first one this week was cut short pathetically) was necessary but I wanted the 18 miles to fly by.  They went by quickly but man they hurt more.   Especially after the power lunges Friday at 330am.  Should have known 24 hours later I would be tight/sore.  Picked up Kim, Kerri and Jane at 635am and drove to the JRP 1500 north start and ran north 5 miles.  We were doing great on our warm up with an avg at 8:25 then we ran 4 x 2 miles with a mile at easy pace in between sets.   We lived for our rest miles.  The first one was pretty funny as we had no idea it would turn in to a 6-7% grade uphill in places especially the second mile it was intensely uphill.  We ran those under goal pace. The wind picked up and we were huffing and puffing.  When Kim stops  talking that's saying something.  

PART  ONE including 3 mile warm up.  Here are all the splits to mile 15 (*MP miles):  8:45 (dirt pile, road block), 8:24, 8:14, *7:25 Hill, *7:49 EVEN STEEPER HILL, 8:32 (back down hill, ahh, too bad it's a rest mile), *7:01, *7:07, 8:49, *7:08 (turned around at dirt pile and headed back up so we could end at dirt pile),* 7:03, 8:54 (dirt pile avg) stopped at car, (south portion begins)*7:07, *7:09, 8:36.  On our rest miles we kind of jogged in place for a few seconds to catch our breath so this decreased our avg pace for sure.  Kim and I ran all 18 together.  Jane was right there.  Kerri only wanted 16 she ended up with 17 and her avg was a lot better than she thought she could do for a long run.  She has only been running for a few years and she is running so well!!! 

PART TWO:  8 x 1 min on/ 1 min off.  So glad only doing eight would get us to our goal  of 18 miles with  one cool down mile.  Splits: 6:37, 8:36, 6:37, 8:40, 6:39,  8:40, 6:32, 8:31, 6:34, 8:10, 6:28, 8:34, 6:19, 8:11, 6:31 9:06.  SO DONE!!  Cooldown mile: 7:48.  Avg pace with our trotting ends of our 4 x 2 miles = 7:48 avg for all 18.  We were pleased considering only one water stop which I took a sip of water, sip of gatorade and one gu.  Muscles feel worked over.  Achilles burned briefly without ace bandage.  I am starving although I already ate.  The wind chill took most of that run from me as well as that ridiculous grade on our speedplay.  Kim, Jane and Kerri "say" they are glad they ran like that but who knows what they were really thinking : D.