KristenRuns

This was the Navy’s Coronado Bay Bridge Run (4 miles). The race starts on the Embarcadero by the Convention Center and goes over the Coronado Bridge, finishing over in Coronado’s Tidelands Park. It’s the only time the bridge is open to foot traffic all year. So it’s a must do for any San Diegan! (It would also be a fantastic destination race.) Over 10,000 people showed up to run (or walk) and raised money for wounded warriors and other worthy causes.

The race lends itself to a fun run, and I wanted to run this race as a fun run, but I just don’t have that in me. I raced it – but I didn’t race it too hard, after a pretty intense week of running. Plus one more intense week to go before I start tapering for the San Diego Rock N Roll Half Marathon on June 1.

This was a tough race from the start. Maybe it was my fatigued legs, but I struggled with the baby hills in the first mile (6:30). And then, the big climb (complete with headwind) up the bridge was in mile 2 (7:30, no Garmin data on elevation on the bridge – shows a flat line – but it was steep and long). By the time I crested the bridge, I could barely be bothered to enjoy the 360 degree views of the Silver Strand, Pacific Ocean, San Diego Harbor, Coronado, and downtown. I felt pukey. So I coasted downhill on the bridge in mile 3 (6:42). (I could have pushed a lot harder here, but eh…) I was well recovered for the 4th mile, which was totally flat (6:13).

My average pace was 6:47 – which, on paper, is a bit troubling because I am going for 6:50-6:55 pace in my half. But I feel really positive about the 6:13 in the final mile. It felt almost effortless after several very tough miles that I recovered from pretty quickly.

Splits

1 – 6:30

2 – 7:30

3 – 6:42

7 – 6:13

27:07 (6:47)

3rd female of 2548 / 54th overall of 4840 runners (over 10,000 runners and walkers!)

AM - a little core, a little legs, a little stretching (with Brandon). Muscles not sore from the race, but joints (feet) are feeling it. How can I get my joints to recover faster????????????

PM - 60 minute yoga class. And it felt sooo good! Inspired me to go back to work and type out some pain in the rear emails that I had been procrastinating on for several days. And I'm still smiling. :)

Less than 2 weeks before the SD RnR Half, and I am feeling the urge to exercise compuslively to cram in more training (resisting that urge). And also expressing some regrets on how my training has gone. I wish I had run more easy runs and more of these medium-length easy runs. Going to look through my log tonight to remind myself how much hard work I put in for some positive thoughts. 

Easy miles (8:00-ish) on Ocean Beach bike path, plus I ran the Sports Arena bridge an Mission bridge. This was a few more miles than I had planned, but I just had to take advantage of the perfect running weather this morning - cool, cloudy, a slight ocean breeze.

Easy miles on the Embarcadero. Saw the Dole ship - this carries all the Dole bananas and pineapples imported to the west coast.

Some yoga and stretching at the gym afterwards.

Threshold run (Ocean Beach) - 2 x 15 at half marathon pace (6:50) with 1 minute recovery. This is the hardest (AND LAST!) threshold workout of my training cycle. I did this same workout last Thursday on the treadmill (wild fires, smoke, hot). I needed to see how I would fare outdoors.

I did the first 15 minutes at 6:52 and the second 15 minutes at 6:51. While I was running, I was disappointed that this pace did not feel effortless. But then reminded myself that if a threshold run felt like an easy run, I wouldn't be running fast enough.

To get myself to relax, I surveyed the way my body felt from head to toe and relaxed everything one by one: the head, face, shoulders, arms, breathing, legs, knees, calves, and feet. Everything felt good, so I told myself, "This is what The Run feels like." I visualized  feeling this way during the race and pushing through to the end.

Kinda hokey I suppose, but when I was a gymnast, I always visualized my routines and especially nailing the hardest tricks before I competed them. It works!

30 minutes elliptical and 30 minutes yoga before work.

Long run on Ocean Beach bike path and in Mission Bay. Most miles areound 8:00. I haven't run this far in ages. Got turned around on Fiesta Island and ended up running about 3 extra miles. Napped for 2 hours after this one. Would have been better to run this distance last week, and a little easier this week . . . Oh well, now I taper.