Believe to Achieve

easy pace 38 frigid degrees, shorts.  yup.  but long sleeved shirt and gloves.  frost everywhere.  at mile five hamstring spoke up again.  before that didn't notice it.  so i had to forego my 10 min at steady state and 3x2 min at half marathon pace that my friends told me they were doing.  I ran home very slowly at that point and was at 6.5 miles.  Avg pace 8:50 for the run.  then I got on the mile with two ties around my lower and middle hamstring.  And did my 10 min on the TM at 7-7:30 pace, using the hand rails at times to let up on some weight.  Dang nab it!! this is not going to be good at mile five in sg!!  blah blah blah.  drama.  

Nice drive down with Jane, Kim, Jenny, Angie, Julie E and Summer.    I was quietly pondering whether I could pull off the entire run.  So I was full of self doubt physically with the left hamstring and burning pelvic pain.  I scraped my left hamstring with the real deal tool onThursday hoping to waken it out of pain.  It was pretty bruised up with petechiae.  Bed by 1030 pm.  I awoke at 405am.  We picked up Melanie and Julie E at 435am and 440am.  Got on 5 am bus.  Race started late by 15 minutes.  Didn't bother me. Stood between 3:25 and 3:35 pacer.  In first mile I knew it was going to be tough.  Hamstring was very sore and at mile four I naturally picked it up and my hamstring zapped me into submission.  I thought for sure I would have to stop and get a ride back.  But i just ran at a cadence that my hamstring stayed calm and as I climbed veyo it calmed especially going slow.  My pelvis started to act up as soon as I began the descent at mile 15 so I just kept an even effort.  My hamstring could only handle a 7:40 pace or slower. Felt hopeful at mile 22 that  I could finish this.  I put ice in my shorts that some people were handing out hoping it would calm my pelvis/lower back but instead it felt like icing in the AF river--- firey ice pain then numbness.  So I retrieved all the pieces and tossed them aside.  I was on a roll at that point and that played a little with my mind but  only cost me 30 seconds.  As soon as my bum was no longer numb I picked it up again.  Never felt taxed aerobically. Felt easy.  So not very sore at all.  Just hamstring and left IT band. And my burning pelvis.  Weather was PERFECT.  So beautiful!!  Never hot.  The volunteers were incredible.  Thanked every aide stations for being here. They are so NICE!!   Here are splits:  

1:51:26 first half; 1:44:11 second half

8:27

8:30

7:52

9:00 (potty)

7:56

7:41

7:41

9:00 (veyo)

8:41

8:20

8:37

9:58 (2 minute potty stop avg pace went from 8:20 to 8:33)

8:01

8:05

7:46

7:57

8:00

8:00

8:27 (the hill at mile 19)

7:49

7:28

7:46

7:45

7:51

7:55

8:09

and 7:51 for 0.35 miles.