Believe to Achieve

Our Stake changes church times with the new school year so this week we now start going at 1pm.  And it happened to be Fast Sunday.  I totally believe in the reason of the fast I am just not good at it.  I would rather run 4 marathons in a row then go without food for almost 24 hours.  Seriously.  However the blessings for those we fast for are far greater than my need to eat so I stick it out.  Then my stomach goes through some shock after finally eating and well, add the 23 miler in from the day before and a sudden change of plans to run the Onion Days 10 K with Melanie on Labor Day.....YIKES.    So I ate 5 chocolate chip cookies before bed.  By 2 am,  stomach pains.  I guess eating cookies wasn't the best idea.  We did have a nice barbecue chicken and baked potato meal after church though.  YUM. 

Mel picked me up at the bank where I parked my car and we headed for Payson.  Just like old times.  Me and Melanie just being ourselves--- runners and buddies, adventurous times over the years as we have pushed ourselves to do well together.  We ran a 2.34 mile warmup at 8:10 pace then within a few minutes the race started.  Me a bandit.  Mel official.  I just wasn't thinking I would want to race two days after the big run Saturday.  Mel felt the same way but she and I are trying to break our bandit habit.  She is obviously doing better in that goal.  So off we went at 7:05 am.  No plans to PR but I did in a way since my garmin measured what I ran to be 6.24 miles in 40:58.  If I had run better tangents I would have been in at 40:42 for 6.2 miles (a 5 second PR).  Oh well.  My bad.  I was all over the road.  I never looked at my pace except at each mile (I had it in hide mode) when my garmin beeped and showed me the split.  I should have looked at it at mile 5.  I knew I was most likely slowing due to the hill but if I saw my watch showing that I know I would have sped up because HELL--0 my 20th mile of my 23 mile Saturday was a 6:49 as well.  Granted this mile in the 10 k was uphill but really?  Duh.  But you know what?  I never felt like pushing it in this race.  I ran comfortable fast.  It all felt nice and controlled.  No heavy breathing.  No feeling like I am going to die.  No "get me the heck out of this race" feelings/thoughts.  Just the feeling like  I didn't feel like racing.  Burnt out.  Conserving.  No need to push, push, push.  JUST YET.  Here are the splits:  6:24 (right behind Lily, Melanie about 10 seconds ahead of her), 6:27 (next to Lily, want to stay with her and motion her to stay with me, running with someone is so liberating if you aren't trying to race each other but trying to help each other, you share the work), 6:30,  (3 miles in 19:21, the clock reader said 19:15 but my garmin didn't read that mile until after I passed her, but either way I look at it--- 5K PR, in a 10 k race-- surely I could run that last .1 in less than 43 seconds, my PR was 20:04, COOL  : D).    Anyway mile 4-- 6:30.  And then yahoo we get to run east into the sun coming up blinding us.  But luckily it is not blazing hot out.  Alleluyah.  But with the sun and the hill at the same time I lost perspective for a bit.   I didn't look at my pace and then when it flashed my split as 6:49 I was like YIKES what are you doing, lazy Julie get it in gear....but then I just kept my watch in hide mode and focused on the slight accent before the final turns to the finish. Mile 6-- 6:44.  I could see Melanie just beyond the guy in front of me.  Last .24 miles in 1:31.  I had no kick.  I still wasn't even breathing hard.  I was just like not caring about pushing it.  I was slightly worried about my sore back from waverunning Saturday and the fact that it was pulling a bit on my hamstrings so  I didn't overly put it in gear.  It is hard to explain but it didn't matter to me.  It was like a nice speedwork out without all the stress I usually have when running SW.  I finished right beside the finish line, luckily the road was wide enough that I could run beside the finish shoot.  AP for 6.24 miles = 6:34.  Time 40:58.   Mel came in second overall  and I just 36 seconds behind her.   We ran a 2 mile cooldown together at 8:19 AP.  Then Mel drove me to Pleasant Grove to my car off the freeway exit there and I literally jumped out of her car and ran towards Noah's Ark there in PG and got in 3.5 miles at 7:58 pace.  I was getting VERY lightheaded from fasting yesterday and not eating much before the race (1/2 fruition bar and 3 gu chomps before starting).  I decided to go home and eat something then finish up my 16 miles for the day.  First went to Macey's to get milk and bread.  Ate some toast at home and three hershey chocolate bar squares with some milk and OJ and off  I went for 2.1 more miles at 7:52 pace.  I have to say breaking up a 16+ miler like this is harder than running all of the miles together.  Sweat then cool off, sweat then cool off, sweat then cool off, sweat then cool off.   Three hours later BYU women's soccer game at home then 7 Peaks Water Park  for the last time this season.  Work the next three days in a row.  Blah.

7, not on purpose, progressively faster split miles before work at 4:50am.  First mile 8:51, last mile 7:32.  AP 8:00.  Did the same loop six times then decided to break out of that habit for one last mile.  Not sure why  I felt the need to run like that.   Taper in sight.  Looking forward to a little break after my last 20 miler Saturday.  I think all in all  I ran about 12   19-26.2 milers since UVM-- -let me go check and  I will fill it later.    Nope only 10 and one was only 18 miles.  A lot of 15-16 milers as well.   I seem to like to run long.  Thinking ULTRAS are my next adventure after SGM.    I also would like to SWIM across a large lake. 

AP for 5.5 = 8:10.  Easy pace before work at 5:02 am.  Tired but forced myself out there.  Once I am out there I feel great.  I honestly think I could swim a marathon.  Just throwing that out there. 

slow easy paced miles in my trail shoes again (like yesterday).  AP for 5.7 miles @ 8:12 pace.   No music as usual.  Me and the early morning sometimes eerie outdoors. 

Stomach felt really gross at 4 am.  Got up to try and settle stomach for an 1 1/2.  Then got too tired to go running so tried to fall back to sleep but couldn't but then it was time to be up with my teenager and get her off to school/make lunches.  Three in a row 12.5 hour shifts kill me off.  Legs feel sludge like from cheeseburger Wednesday and french fries yesterday.  Made it out the door at 7:44am and did an out and back hilly 10 miler.  AP to mile 5, 8:22.  AP 5 to 10 miles, 7:27.  Total AP for 10 miles = 7:54.  Wore my really old mizunos, hence while now  I feel really achy.  Cleaned all four of my bathrooms.  Fun.  Showered.  Blogging.  Eating.    Has anyone seen all the flooding pictures back east?  so very sad for all those people and their homes.  I am from New Hampshire so my hometown is also affected. 

Another sleepless night.  What is with me?  But that doesn't matter I totally hugely PR'd today and I could have gone faster if I had motivation.  I just told myself the whole race that I could slow down after mile 8.  Then when I got to mile 8 I decided I would slow down at mile 10 and THAT's FINAL.  I mean mainly this half marathon is about teaching my legs to run fast CONSISTENTLY.  When I got to the 4 miles of rollers my legs kind of went through a "shock" of which muscles to use and it took two miles to get out of that slump.  By mile 13, I was feeling like I was ready to push again because my muscles adjusted to the nicer/easier grade.  I know this was a wicked downhill half but let me say you either run fast or put on the breaks.  Which do you pay more for in the end?  Last year I held back at the Halloween Half and BOY was I SORE for over a week.  I don't think I will pay too much for it.  I already feel like after a normal 20 miler now.  This is how it all started.  Drove to Payson at 4:30am.  Got my number.  The bus took forever to get to the start.  It was stopping "for air" on the way up.  My honda had no trouble driving it in normal speeds.  But I seriously had to pee badly and anytime I hold my pee in for long lengths of time I feel like I have to go all the time even after I finally go and I am trying to break out of that mishap.  TMI, too bad.  : D.  When I got to the top the air was crisp and I had my arm bands on my legs again just to keep warm.  I pottied, of course, then went right into running uphill for 2 miles then turned around.  On the way back  I tested the roads out with the descent and did about 3 x .1 mile pickups.  It felt fine.  My inner thighs were a little tight.  Ran a little harder than I should have yesterday (10 miles at 7:54) but I like to train thru my races to get my miles in.  After I got back at a lot quicker pace than I expected I had time for another 1/2 mile up and back down so  I warmed up for 5.1 miles at 8:06 pace.  Left my leg warmers on for the race because I pulled them up and the sweat started to cool me down too fast.  BRRRRRrrrrrr.  It felt better to leave them on plus I was hoping they would protect me from some major fall if it happened.  YIKES.  So glad it didn't.  I have to say this was the funnest half course I have run.  SO INCREDIBLY BREATHTAKING>    I took time to notice the mountains and the sun rising.  It seriously was incredible and the miles flew by.  When the gun went off  I was in front and then another chica passed me within .2 miles and I got nervous.  I slowed and just kept it real and see what my legs wanted to do today.  After the first mile at 6:11 I was laughing at myself.  I ran the first mile of the Hobble Creek half faster (6:08) when I was sick.  This might not be a good sign for me, but then I just kept my garmin in hide pace mode and would only look at the split for the miles.  Each time I got under 6 pace  I was in shock.  I didn't know I could hold out for that long.  BUT I gave my body a way out.  Make it to 8, then rest and coast in, no make it to 10 then rest.  Well  to 10 is where I got and it was flat with rollers and my mind played tricks on me.  I told myself "who cares?" you are PRing anyway.  There was a guy about 1 minute behind me and about 45 seconds ahead of me.  No rush.  No one to push to get to.  Just coast.  I took a water at 4 of the five water stations, alternating actually with taking powerade.  At the mile 9.5 station I wasted energy asking for a DEcaffeinated gu and the girl was confused.  There was only one worker here.  She tried to read the packaging.  I told her strawberry banana is DEcaf but I was cruising too fast and even slowed that  I didn't get a gu or water.  Oh well.  So I ran this race with 3 GU chomps 15 minutes before the race and 1/2 gu at the same time.  That's it for fuel.   Without the water there I was a little parched but didn't let it affect me too much and said "oh well".  Here are my splits: 

6:11,  6:05, 6:05, 5:54, 5:54, 5:48, 5:52, 5:54, 5:57, 6:15(course flattens out), 6:34 (leg adjustment some hillage in here),  6:35 (more rollers and anxiety about PRing majorly I have to take a breather because I am in shock, literally), 6:22 (got it together and downhill not so steep now),  6:17 for last .1.  My kick is SERIOUSLY lacking but what can I expect after 6 miles under 6 pace?  I find it intersting that my mile splits are right on with my 8 x 800s pace I did on the treadmill three weeks ago at 5:56 pace!! coincidence?  I don't think so.  Thanks TM for training my legs!! : D).    Came in second overall behind Danielle Johnson who ran a 1:16:35 I believe.  HOLY FLIP!!! She is seriously cruising.  So glad she is 30 years old.    Looking back I think I should have tried harder to keep on pace to at least a 6:15 for those last 3 miles but I really was panicking about my PR that I should just give myself a break right?  I just need to believe in myself more.  Three WEEKS until ST. George and the elusive sub three hour barrier to be broken. 

Finished this run with Rachelle for a two mile cooldown.  Asked Danielle before I saw Rachelle and she said she didn't know if she would be able to run after that race.  Rachelle and I started out and I got why she thought that.  My quads went into a spasm and I was a bit worried.  Then I just relaxed and it went away as we ran up the course .9 miles and turned around.  It was fun to see everyone running the ending.  I had to leave to see my two daughters soccer game (one at 10am , Orem,  and one at 11am, Springville) so I missed a lot of the post race hoopla but I did first take myself back to the mouth of Payson canyon and ice myself in the river.  AHHHHHHH!!!  I am really happy I dared to improve in this run.  Hope tomorrow my body is happy!!