Believe to Achieve

Just one of those twilight zone runs.  I was going to do a 5x7:05 pace TM run after good warmup then a good cool down so called Kim at 810am.  She said "hey why don't you come with me, my husband has the day off and is driving me up AF canyon 8 miles".  Of course I dropped everything and hurried over there.  We began our run at mile marker 12 up AF canyon before the fork in the road a ways.  We took off at what felt extremely easy 7:17 for the first mile (we were trying to go slow, a warm up, then do 5 to 6 at 6:30).  We quickly were able to pick it up to 6:30s no problem.  Tried a caffeine gu (I don't even think it is that much, have to look it up) just before taking off, never again.   My heartrate soared on the major uphill out of the canyon at mile 5.  I have always had this problem with caffeine, plus I took it on an empty stomach, so I don't know why I did that.  Just thought I would see.  Wouldn't want to take that at SGM unless after Veyo where the downhill doesn't affect your heart.  Here are our splits:  1:  warmup  7:17   2:  6:27  3:  6:26  4:  6:30   5:  6:54 (huge incline, we were booking it, Kim did her's at 6:50)  6:  6:23  7:  6:17   8:  cooldown 7:24  (this actually felt ridiculously easy, even slow)  9: 8:10  (This felt like we were running in slow motion and there was a good hill up to Kim's house).    We were really happy with this run.  Especially for me since I just ran 18 on Saturday at 7:33 pace.  So getting excited, hoping this is a good sign.  Kim felt way awesome too.  We are getting in the zone.   Got to work tonight so that puts a damper on things but I see the light.  SGM is not far off now.  I can hold on for these next few weeks.  

Night shift recovery day.  As I left work at 630am I felt a twinge in my left calf.  That twinge turned in to some major sciatica/shin splint issues with my left leg only.  That's what happens when you try for the third time to use those new sneakers you are not sure you like or not.  They started to feel comfortable so I tried them yesterday.  My old ones have holes on the top and major tread wear.  Worn in two marathons and one 32 miler and for over 1500 miles.  Scary huh? 

Oh give me strength!!!  This was one of those "I don't think so runs" but I gave it the best I could.  I was still tired from lack of sleep but I told myself "just do it".  So I ran my usual route to Kim's house (2.35 mi).  Warmed up a mile on the TM and gradually got it to a 7:53 mile.  Now the big stuff:  6 ( but did 7) by 880 (that's how Kim's TM is set up).  I didn't know what mph was for a 3:05 so first put it at 10mph and worked my way down to a 6:11 pace which ended up being 9.7 mph.  Ran this 7 times with a 1:30 rest interval which I was true to, I would wait for the TM to really be at the pace I needed then start the time to 3:05 then crank it down to 6 mph (10:00 pace) cause I was winded.  I think due to the fatigue.  My HR was higher even on the warmup run to Kim's.  My left leg was in such pain that I just had to focus.  Mostly the left leg shinsplint from the downhill run Monday with new shoes.  Stupid, I know. Went home unloaded dishes, ate then went up to the river and iced times 5 minutes.  HR even now seems unusually pounding like.  Probably hormonal.  Just before I left for my run I was suddenly freezing to death and actually had to blast the heat in my car while I drove my kids to school.  I was shivering as I took off.  Then when I got into Kim's TM room and did the workout I sweated so much I thought I pee-d my pants cause I was dripping sweat from my shorts in the back.  But then I felt my back and it too was dripping.  I must have been out of my zone for sure today.  I was fatigued going into this workout, what could I expect?   Ran a 3.49 mile cooldown.  Made it longer cause HR too high after the 2.35. Recovery day tomorrow.  MP run Friday then my 5 of 7 nights one more time before SGM.  Goodness Gracious!!!  There is light!!

Ran slow.  Feeling achy, slight sniffly, flu-like.  First mile 9:05.  Avg pace 8:46 for 5.45 total recovery miles.  Kim had a bad cold on Monday when I ran with her then it got worse when I went to her house to use her TM but she wasn't there.  Figure I might as well get it now BEFORE the SGM not two days before.  Not that I am asking for it just not going to hide from it.  Think I won't get the full blown thing, crossing fingers.  When I got home my oldest daughter woke with a sore throat and draining nose.  Double whammy.  Tomorrow's run should be interesting strength-wise.  

Kim met me and my dear faithful and sleepy husband at my house at 435am.  We drove to Riverwoods and left Kim's car there then Troy drove us to the start of the Provo River Half Marathon for a 510am start.  Kim had a head lamp, I had a tiny flashlight.  It was PITCH BLACK for the first four miles.  Very Halloween-like.  The cows moo-ing sounded like those in the movie Cars.  I think they were tipping as we sped past them.  It was difficult to keep pace at first in the dark and cold.  Perception was off obviously.  I always run slower in the dark.  Our plan was to run MP average for the whole half.  We stopped at the Vivian park potty for one to two minutes.  Very strong smell of cologne in the women's bathroom.  Odd.  Not good for me of course so b-lined it out of there and started our flatter part of the course to the big uphill at mile 6.3 to 7.5 turn around.  Gross.  Headwind was intense and it was still very dark.  Shadows were playing tricks on us.  We had our headphones on at this point as we weren't as scared as up South Fork.  It took the edge off.  We didn't talk much here cause we couldn't hear each other.  We eventually passed two runners and two bikers.  We picked up the pace after the turn around and were happy to get under 7s for 6 of the 13 miles.  It was tough for me as three intense workouts in one week is a little much but it is all in the name of SGM PR.  Time will tell.  Will be taking it down a notch next week and even more the next.  Here are our splits: 

1:  7:12

2:  7:15

3:  7:10

4:  7:05

5:  7:10

6:  6:47

7:  7:24  Major uphill!!!!  Head wind.  We pushed hard.  This mile is out in the open and not on the trail so the wind is felt much greater.

8:   7:27  Major uphill for half of this.  Legs vacationing at the turn around so pace slower.

9:  6:54  Time to pick it up so we did.

10:  6:38 Little too early of a surge.  Must slow it down.  Still dark.

11:  6:53 

12:  6:57  Hey I think Kim can turn off her headlamp. I see a glimmer of daylight.

13:  6:49

13.1 @ 6:41 pace.

Wow we did it and the world still looks asleep.  Hopped in the car and made it home by 7:10am.  Average pace: 7:02.4.  Yee Haw.  Now to go, go, go the rest of day before my big 5 of 7.  I will try to pencil in a nap around 1pm.  And a blizzard of course.