Training for a Belt Buckle

Provo Half Marathon

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Location:

Sandy,UT,USA

Member Since:

Jan 01, 2008

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

PR's: 50 Mile 13:07 (Pony Express 2010), 50K 8:35 (Buffalo Run 2008), 25K 4:02 (Buffalo Run 2006), Marathon 5:09:12 (St George 2008), Half Marathon 2:28 (Provo 2008), 10K 1:17, 5K 27:54

Short-Term Running Goals:

After 1/9/2010 - I am taking a year off from marathon length distances and focusing on building up my base speed on half marathons and shorter distances.

2010 Speed Goals:

Build up my base speed on training runs to 10 MM miles or better
Half Marathon - break 2:05 (9.5 MM avg)
10K Goal 1 - break 1:00 (9.67 MM avg)
10K Goal 2 - break 55 minutes (8.87 MM avg)
5K Goal 1 - break 26.35 minutes
5K Goal 2 - break 25 minutes

Long-Term Running Goals:

Long Term Goals:

Complete a 100 Mile race
Complete a 100 K race
Break 12 hours in a 50 mile race
Run all portions of the Wasatch 100 course
Break 5 hours in a marathon
Break 4.5 hours in a marathon
Qualify for and run Boston

Personal:

I need to figure out something inspiring or funny to write here. For now - I'll let the suspense build.

For further unexciting information on my life, check out my blog: Adventures in Running

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	0.00	Year:	0.00
Vibram FiveFingers Lifetime Miles:						452.95
Montrail Streak Lifetime Miles:						195.69
Montrail Vitesse (9.0) Lifetime Miles:						89.75
Mizuno Wave Ascend 3 (2009) Lifetime Miles:						228.50
Brooks Advantage (Blue) Lifetime Miles:						271.42
Crocs Black Lifetime Miles:						80.85
Vibram FiveFingers - Black Lifetime Miles:						65.50
Hoka Mafate Lifetime Miles:						36.95
Hoka Stinson Evo 2012 Lifetime Miles:						53.50

Sat, Aug 09, 2008

Race: Provo Half Marathon (13.1 Miles) 02:28:59

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
13.27	0.00	0.00	0.00	13.27

PR Time!!!!!

I ran the Provo Half Marathon this morning. I am very happy to have a new PR. The previous half marathon PR was 2:41 in 2006 - so I was able to drop 12 minutes.

I have run the Provo Half 3 previous times and I was very disappointed in the organization of the run. I think they were scrambling to change the course because of the fires above Bridal Veil Falls - but after all these years I thought they could have done better. They suggested you come early on Friday and pick up your number and get a free GU - and I came within an hour of them opening and they had run out of GU. Not that I cared - its the principle of the thing.

Race started about 15 minutes late. They decided they had to get the final buses out of the canyon - so tried to find ways to move them through 2500 runners. I finally went back and got in the port a potty line and decided to just run my watch time.

We started at the top of South Canyon and ran 4.5 miles down the hills to Vivian Park. That was the first aid station. My knees were a little twingy - but never got worse the entire race, so I was happy with that. My goal was to run 8 minutes, walk 2 minutes the entire race and see how that felt. After Vivian Park, they put us on the highway for 2.5 miles. A lot more uphills than the previous course and my knees were not too happy about the concrete. Finally - another aid station at 7 miles. From then on we were on paths or parking lot and that was a lot easier on the body.

Overall, I felt good maintaining that rhythm. I dropped down to 1.5 minutes walking after 10 miles and ran the rest of the way in from 12 miles on. My legs and body felt really good from 7-11 miles and so I know I am training in the right direction. I could have pushed harder, but this was more a pace test and a knee test and I am satisfied. It is really different this last year to finally be in a position where I am passing runners and surrounded by runners the entire race. My first years - I was usually in the back and alone the entire time. I had a potty stop at mile 7.5 and was able to catch and pass the runners I had been with at about mile 10.5. The last mile I was passing lots of people. That sure is a motivator!

Overall - a good run. Average pace 11:14 (my goal was to average under 12:00). 1526 Calories burned.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 0.00	Weight: 0.00

Comments

From MichelleL on Sat, Aug 09, 2008 at 14:22:30

Great job on the nice PR! It is so fun to pass lots of folks, and so nice that your potty break didn't set you back any. I am glad your knees held up.

From tarzan on Sat, Aug 09, 2008 at 14:24:06

Thanks! It was a nice day for running - with a good breeze to cool us off.

Are you the one who pool runs? How many minutes do you count for a mile?

From marion on Sat, Aug 09, 2008 at 14:39:05

Fantactic race!@! I thought you were going to party wiht me? Way to smash your PR! Good girl! YIPPEE!!! YAH HOO!!!! Most excellent race, grass hopper!

From MichelleL on Sat, Aug 09, 2008 at 14:51:04

Maurine - yeah, I pool run. Just once a week to help my legs be fresh the day before a race/long run without decreasing mileage. I think the number of minutes you count per mile should be relative to your average running pace and whether you are doing "speed" in the water. I do alot of my easy runs at 8 min pace, so I count my pool running 12 min = 1 mile, mostly because I think any cross training conversion to miles run should be slower than your easy pace. If I did "speed" in the pool (warm up then do 1 min easy/ 1 min hard, 2 min easy, 2 min hard, etc) I would probably count it 10 min = 1 mile. So if your easy pace is 15 minutes, I would personally count 20 minutes of pool running as one mile. It thus takes more time to get in the miles when pool running, but my legs always thank me for the break from the leg pounding.

From Tom on Sat, Aug 09, 2008 at 14:55:41

Congrats on the PR! Sounds like you ran a smart race. Good job!

From Kim on Sat, Aug 09, 2008 at 15:17:33

Way to go girl! I wish it were easier to meet people at the races. That is one nice thing about having the fastrunningblog tshirt or singlet. It makes it easy to go introduce yourself to someone. Congrats on the PR!

From leslie on Sat, Aug 09, 2008 at 15:35:57

Maurine, you are always so wise! Grrrreat run and great pace!!!! I am glad the knees did well, and you didn't push beyond your limits. PR's are the best!! I hope you are treating yourself to a fabulous dinner and a good book, or watching the Olympics! Have a great day,and I am glad you felt good enough to run and to run WELL!!!!! Poor Marion will have to drink Margaritas alone, no! wait a minute! We can run AND drink Margaritas!!! Life is good!!!

From Brent on Sat, Aug 09, 2008 at 17:15:57

300 commando points for the PR. Good luck on your maraton goal.

B of BS Rools out

From Curtis on Sat, Aug 09, 2008 at 19:59:01

Way to hang in there on a very difficult race. The cement was very brutal. Awesome job today.

From Kelli on Sun, Aug 10, 2008 at 15:19:12

Hey---great job!!! We must have used the same potty for our potty break---wasn't it a welcome site?? And I love when you pass all of those people back, whether it was for a walk break or a potty break!!

From Jon on Sun, Aug 10, 2008 at 19:19:40

Good job on the PR!

From leslie on Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 21:51:22

Hey, we need an update!!!! Don't tell me you are kicking back eating bon-bons!!!

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