Denouement

I was concerned about if I would be sore from Saturday, but a nice walk on Sunday and some stretching helped and I felt good today.  After a slow start, I dropped the pace, and ended up with 4:45 ave pace/k.

PM: core workout 

AM: 4.92 miles on the TM easy.  Planning to join Alison with her workout in the PM.

At lunch I met with Coach Paul Wright, who is the head coach of the Hong Kong teams and a member of my congregation in HK.  We discussed my plans and how I could train with Alison Chow, the top female marathoner who is back in HK.  I am excited to train with her again. 

PM: 8 x 2k (1 lap jog between) on the track with Alison.  Coach Paul told me that the pace would be 3:50-3:55.  That is nice, my 26k race pace.  4.3k warm up. But at the track after the warm up, he said the pace would be 90/lap, or 3:45.  That turns this workout into a totally different beast.  I adjust into "Try to survive the workout, hang onto the back of the pack" mode.  Alison had about five male pacers in the workout, then it was me and her.  There were four coned off patches it the first lane of the track.  Two on the first 100 curve, one right before the 200m mark, and one as you curve at about 220m.  Since the workout is 40 fast laps, I knew that I would hate these cones for forcing me on the outside of lane one at these spots.  I tuck behind Alison in the pack.  I know that theoretically I should lead at times, but I am not wanting to go any faster than 90 and I am not sure I can even do the whole workout.  There was a bit of wind, but there is also some psychological strain/benefit (it can be both, right?).  The pack generally got 88-89 on the first lap (so I was 89-90).  My first four were 7:31, 7:31, 7:31, 7:31 (hit the toilet and take a gu in the fourth rest instead of lap jog). I should mention it was hot--about 80F and humid, so we were drinking from our water bottles after every rep except the first one. 

In the fifth rep I felt the pack slow in the 4th lap, so I take the lead and I get a 90 sec lap, then once ahead break out a bit and get 7:26.  I think, dang it! Now I have just raised the bar.

In the sixth one, I surge again when I feel the pack slow, and get 7:23, though my middle laps were a bit saggy (89-90).

In the seventh one, Coach Paul tells me to go "easy" the first three laps (to stay with the pack), then stride out.  I pretty much obeyed (at least 2.5 laps with the pack, though I think I lead it after 1.5). 7:21 I try to focus on running relaxed through it.  That's the purpose, to try to learn how to run relaxed at a faster pace.

In the eighth one, Coach Paul tells me to stay with the pack for the first two laps before opening up.  I do that.  First lap was 89, the second I think was 87, the rest were faster, 7:11. 

This has to be the longest and hardest and most successful track workout I have ever done.  These longer workouts will reap some dividends, I hope.  Just 3k cool down. 

Met Alison at HKSI for 45 minutes of pool running, though I did do two laps of swimming to show her how bad my running form is.  It was horrible.  I felt like I was going to drown.  Swimming is not my forte.  Then I got into running clothes and did 6 miles easy (was going for 40 min but had no watch).

PM: core workout 

Ran with Solange.  Easy 20k run with 12 x 1 min on/off fartlek.  Next big workout is a big tempo with Roberto on Monday, so won't do anything hard between now and then. 3:33 pace for the fast bits.  I challenged Solange, who is new to training (hard vs easy runs) to stay with me for the last two, and that was hard for her, but she did it and I was proud of her (there were a few "gimme five"s in there).

A day of cooking for Ben, who turned 12 today.  He received the priesthood today, which is wonderful since it was on his bday and he will have the priesthood when he goes to the priesthood session with Paul on Saturday. 

Ran by myself. 4:38 ave pace for 13.26k.

Played tag with the kids at Kowloon Park in the afternoon after 1.5 hour massage (Anthony said my legs are very tight!)> Core workout in the PM. 

Ran nice and easy, 4:51 ave pace.  Listened to a beautiful rendition of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing by Mark Shultz, a perfect way to prepare for Easter.  You can listen to it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OozJfq_kcMM.  This is my favorite hymn hands down. 

Big workout on Monday: 18k tempo. Yikes!  But Roberto will be doing it with me, so I know I can do it ;)

If I do still have any blog followers you have been sorely disappointed in me :(  I am a bad blogger.  I am in week 2 of a two week spring break.  Why they torture parents with such a long break is a mystery to me.  Oh, wait, it's so the rich expats can go on a proper "holiday"  to Thailand or Bali.  We stayed home, and I have been playing entertainer.

Anyway, I met Roberto and Alison for my big 18k tempo, dress rehearsal for my 26k race in 13 days.  I wanted to do a pace similar to my standard chartered half (3:53/k) after starting at 4:00 and slowly accelerating.  Roberto thought 3:57 was more realistic, and it was hot and the 3:57 ended up being very realistic.  Alison was going to start with us and see if her ankle would allow her to do the tempo for 24k.  5k warm up. We did the first 3k at 4:00-3:58, my lower back was giving me some trouble, some tightness, then it loosened up and I accelerated, and Alison didn't respond, she seemed to slow, so we didn't see her again.  Roberto carried two water bottles filled with some type of drink, which was good since it was rather warm (24C?) and humid and I ended up sweating quite a bit.  We generally kept 3:57ish, which was the best I could do. The 10-15k section was hard, but we dropped the pace a bit on the last 2k, though Roberto dissuaded me from actually kicking in the last k.  It was a success (3:56 or 3:57 ave pace), but leaves me hungry for more, and I really want to go sub 3:55 pace in the 26k.  I just need to be smart because it will be a LONG race and I will suffer if I go out too fast.  I am hoping for 7-12C which might just happen.  Cooled down with Roberto a scant 2k, then ran 3k more at home.

Core workout in pm 

40 min elliptical, then 8.02k in 4:49 ave pace in the heat of midday.  It is starting to heat up :(

Swimming at night with the kiddos.  They are rascals.  

60 min elliptical, then 10 miles in the heat of the midday :(

Ran 21.22k by myself. 4:47 ave pace.  

Half a core workout.

Playing the tag game infection with my kids and their friends should count as cross training.  I am not good at the explosive sprint and jumping through bushes.  It was fun.  Had my primary kids over for a pizza party and I also made choc chip cookie bars so my eating was, well, not so great.  

Met Roberto for an "easy" run around Ma On Shan at the wee hours of the morning (6:15, I am so wussified compared to my Utah working mom schedule, MacK you would be ashamed).  13.87k at 4:33 ave pace.  

Roberto is priming me for my Italy trip.  Buen Giorno! Gratzie! Cuanto?  That's about it. 

Met Ali and Roberto.  Started easy but did a progression run, last bit had 12 minute progressively harder, 4:15 ave pace for first, 4:05, then 3:50.  I wanted to finish faster, but Roberto restrained me.  Excited to race!

5 easy on the TM.  The taper is sweet.  Core workout in the PM

I met Alison and did 5 of her 25 3 min on/1 min off fartleks.  Warmed up 3k then did the 5 fartleks, averaged 3:48/k pace on those, a bit over 5k cool down. 12.85 k total

Ran 10.07k @ 4:47 ave pace

Can you say 2 hour nap?  It was much needed after having a hard time falling asleep last night.  I didn't workout until this evening.  The metro out to HKSI was stalled because of an passenger related accident, and I didn't know how long I would be waiting on the metro, so I hopped off at Tai Wai and ran the 3.8k to HKSI I met Ali.  Her workout was 20 x 400m starting every 2:30.  Her pace was 75 to 85 (I did not know they would be so fast).  So I planned to do 8-10, doing every other one.  Kind of like a very long stride, but my target was 85.  So I was the caboose the whole workout, which was fine.  My splits were: 85, 84, 83, 83, 85, 84, 85, 80. I decided to just do eight, since the purpose was just to do a bit of speed and touch base with the cheetah in me :D

Got into Italy at about 8:30, got a car, drove to my hotel, got there at about 11:45.  I took a shower, had lunch, napped then went for a shake out run.

When I stepped outside for my run, I was hit with bright light, the sun was shining but the temperature was still mild.  I was struck with a wistfulness for home.  I miss this clear sunshine without the humidity.  And the smell.  The earth overwhelms the cement and you can smell it. I ran 7k around Sarnico, then on the other side of the lake, ending at a grocery store.  I found fly tape!  I have been looking for fly-tape in HK for weeks, as the fruit flies started appearing with the warm weather.  

Woke up at 5:10am, but was thankfully able to fall back asleep until 7:10.  I went out for an easy 30 minute run through Sarnico again.  After cleaning up I went down for breakfast.  It was a buffet.  I had rolls with brie (yay brie, I have been craving you) and a very nice thinly sliced ham, some yogurt, a roll with nutella on it, a sweet roll, and about 50ml of chocolate milk.  There was no fruit in the spread which surprised me, but as you can see I got plenty to eat.

I took a walk close to my apartment.  I walked in an area close to some apparently unused train tracks.  There was dirt and grass underfoot, a grove of trees to my right, and there was no one in sight.  I could hear the squawking of geese on the lake nearby but not in sight.  I could hear birds.  The distinct sound of a chainsaw caused a swelling of longing in my heart.  I miss Utah.  Being here makes me miss home.  The smells, the sounds.  I sat for a bit and took in the sensory reminders of how different my new home is.  

Race tomorrow!  The course is mostly flat, but a bit rolly at the beginning, then a nice hill at about 17 - 18k, then a bit rolly to the end (it's a 26k race).

Ciao. 

What a race!  I kept a 3:56 pace for the 18k tempo with Roberto 13 days before this race, and that was hard and I felt myself flagging at around 14k in that, but it was a bit warm for that run, so I was hoping with cool temps I could do 3:55 pace for this race, but that was B goal.  C goal was to not totally embarrass myself (totally dying, not placing top 10, a bathroom incident, or 4:xx pace would all qualify).  The “A” goal was to run faster than my average pace at the Standard Chartered Half marathon, which was 1:22:05, which was 3:53 pace.  This course definitely was rolly in places, but the hills were manageable, nice and wussy, the perfect kind of hills for me.  I thought I would go out at 4:00/k the first couple of k’s to warm up, and try to keep the pace comfortable the first half, then keep a good effort up the biggest hill between 16.5 and 18k, then use the downhill to kick it back into a gear and finish strong.  With the above overall paces as guides depending on how I FELT.

The race started at 9:30 and my hotel was a scant 500m from the start line, which enabled me to have a relaxed morning (that is up until 20 minutes til race time, then I was scrambling).  I ate a substantial breakfast (one packet of oatmeal, two hard rolls with brie).  I then did a walk to the race area to ask a couple of questions, then went back to my hotel and stretched and rolled.  In my hotel I have the smallest TV screen I have ever seen in a hotel.  It is about a 14, maybe a 15”.  And all channels are in Italian, but there are three music channels that play mostly songs in English, so I would go through those (Mtv, Virgin and Playme), catching up on what’s hot, though they would also play old songs too.  Anyway, I went outside and ran 2.5k, enough to see the first 1k of the race, and it is flat the first half then a gradual uphill. This suggests no faster than 4:00 first k, because of hill and warming up. 

I have some issues getting my back to the drop off.  I can’t find my glide, I never did, and got a couple of reddish marks thanks to that.  I opt for no sunglasses (it sprinkled a bit in the warm up), and no gloves.  I don’t know what the starting temp was, but I would take a stab at 10C.  I had light arm warmers (black knee high nylons with a hole in the bottom for my hands), but 5 minutes to the start the sun came out and I rolled them down, but I kept them around my wrists because there were darker clouds in the direction we would be running (I never used and dumped at 10k).  At the start the top 10 or so male and female runners are announced.  There is a helicopter taking video.  The start was very obvious (a 10 count down in Italian with people changing in English) but still an (apparently) Italian man jumped the gun, however the directors don’t make us come back.  We start out fast.  Within 300m I probably have 10 ladies ahead of me, I look down at my watch and pace so far was about 3:45.  So I dial back a bit.  We hit the uphill and I take it easy, come in at the 1k at around 3:52.  I don’t want to start that fast but that k is now done and there’s nothing I can do about that. There’s some headwind coming off the lake, and I am at the back of a pack that is about 12 men and 3 women strong, so I hang with them and draft, draft, draft.  The whole course was very curvy so I also paid close attention to tangents.  I stayed in the back of this pack for probably 3-4k, we are going a bit faster than I would like (about 3:52) but I am afraid there might be no-man’s land behind me and wanted the pack for strength and drafting.  Naturally and slowly the pack broke into smaller groups, and I would hang with a group, draft and pass, draft and pass.  At one point (probably 10kish) I was taking the wind and was thinking, “How did this happen?”  Probably a combo of a good tangent and the group spreading out.  Sometimes a runner would be 20m ahead, then I would do a better tangent then all the sudden they are 10m ahead, so that’s one way I picked people off gradually.  Green shirt girl and I were back and forth for the first 4k, then she fell back, then another girl who was at the lead of the pack and I traded off for a while, but I never saw her after 9-11k.  First 5k was 19:20ish, second 5k was 19:05.  I was trying to keep the effort relaxed, but was also concerned about my pace thus far.  Around 8k we entered a tunnel and I thought, oh no, a repeat of Yokohama in the same part of the race—don’t go too fast.  So there was a person ahead of me and I told myself to just go the same pace as him, and that helped me stay calm. I think I might have passed him by the end of the tunnel but at least I didn’t tear it up while gps-less.  By 13k, I was feeling good and knew I just needed to stay relaxed through the hill at 18k.  Team Italia was able to send me because of one of our sponsors, Unigasket paid for the race. Well the Unigasket contact/big wig biked the race beside me or just ahead for 2k on (he had a bike permit so was officially sanctioned to do this).  He had been silent up to this point, but I told him, “Over halfway done!” I had an African girl ahead of me about 200m, and my goal was to slowly catch her by 18k (the top of the hill).  Big Wig tells me I am in 7^th or 8^th place for the women.  Well I passed her at around 14.5k without a fight, which made me miss my 15k split but according to my watch’s automatic 5k split it was 19:15. That then brought me to blonde petite chick. (I am not mentioning all the men I also passed, there were probably 2 guys for each girl I passed?) and I passed her and a man on the long uphill at around 17.5k!  Me, this is me, we are talking about.  Passing people on the uphill.  I crest the hill and try to push the downhill, going quite a bit faster than 3:50 pace for a k or so.  I remember being at 19.2 thinking 7k left—that’s nothing! The fourth 5k was 19:04. Close to this point big wig tells me that the next girl is about 200m ahead, but I don’t see her.  Then he tells me she is 150m ahead.  And I am wondering if he is feeding me a line to keep me going.  Then by 22.5k I am getting close to passing a man during a really curvy section of the run, and I look at the man closer and realize his butt looks a lot like a girl butt.  This is a girl butt!  So I pass a short haired girl who doesn’t respond.  This is fun.  Now there is no one in sight.  I have one last gu (this is the psychological gu) at 23.5k and I know I have one mile to go.  Right after taking the gu I fall apart for about 50m.  Those who know me know that means I slow and start to whimper-cry.  Big Wig has been encouraging me since 15k or so, and I know I have a witness if I wuss out at this point, and it is totally unnecessary.  So I got my crap together and decided I would not slow.  So there you go.  The 24.5-25k bit is a nice uphill, probably only 1 or 2 percent but it’s cruel to put at the end.  Big Wig tells me to not give up now, and I don’t, though I can’t say I conquered the hill.  My last split was 19:07  There is a short downhill then 50m flat for the end,  and I see 1:35:xx when I can finally see the timer with my sorry eyes, so I give a wussy mini-kick and come in 1:35:53. 

My watch showed the course short, 24.85.  Big Wig says it is 25.2 and that’s what the k markers showed.  There were some long tunnels with curves that would have affected my gps.  I did a mapmyrun and it came in just over 25k but I didn’t have the patience nor the satellite image accuracy to get all the curves right, so I think it was 25k-25.2k, somewhere in there.  I would like to think it was 25.2, that would be awesome because that actually puts my ave pace at 3:48.  Either way, it was one of those magical races where all went well, and my race was as good or even better than my training.  I am grateful, so grateful for this gift. 

I am grateful to Unigasket, Team Italia, and Roberto. Roberto is the one who obtains the sponsors for Team Italia, the one who helped me navigate preparing for the event, negotiated workouts with me, trained me on the three Italian phrases I know :D  Plus he helped me not despair when I moved to the HK. 

Paul has been a dear with the kids, even taking them to church in my absence.  Normally they take a “church holiday” when I am gone, and they have to wake up at the crack of dawn (for him :D)—7:30 to get there on time.  He said they got to church 10 minutes early—WHAT??!!!  Being here alone has been a bit lame, so I am excited I am coming back in 2013 with Paul (he has a conference in Milan). 

Ciao (yup, that’s one of the phrases).

The second big event that the race directors planned in association with the race was a recovery run this morning with the Puma promoting manager, Gennaro di Napoli, and the NYC champion, Gianni Poli.  Running with celebrities.  Not only that, but it was a 9k loop around the big island in the middle of Lake Iseo.  It is Monte Isola and the largest freshwater island in Europe (it’s claim to fame).  There were only about 20 people who went, and the boat was big enough for 300 or so.  I chatted with an Italian who now has his home in Bermuda but is here vacationing in Italy.  I also chatted with di Napoli.  He ran down for me some of his impressive running accolades at my request, and he told me about his career.  He worked for Saucony for 6-7 years then Puma raided Saucony, including him and a designer, to launch a running emphasis.  He said that they first launched in the Boston area, and they are currently launching in Italy. When I told him that Saucony isn’t found in HK he told me flatly that he did not believe it.  I will have to look around some more to see if I misspoke :/ The run around the lake was beautiful.  It was raining, and the island was lush and had a couple of villages with old buildings, tiny vineyards, only authorized cars allowed. At one point a little road going up a hill had a bugle with a circle and slash.  No bugles allowed up this hill!  I cracked up at the sign.  Perhaps that is the road up to a shrine they have on the island.  It reminds me of some “no devil” signs (pictures of devils with circles and slashes) Paul and I saw in Northern California in our ill fated attempt to find the redwoods in the summer of 1996.  Back to 2012, I wonder how many of the residents on the island keep to the island. There were two private islands we saw on the run and the boat ride.  Those private islands had impressive villas on them.  When we got to the boat we took some pictures, then once inside I took off my shirt even though I only had a thinner sports bra on, and got on a dry shirt.  I was the first to unrobe just a bit, but soon everyone is stripping down to undergarments in very mixed sex company, and I was pretty surprised, though as runners, we do lose some of our modesty. No one attacked each other so I guess it was all ok :D

8.67k @ 5:22/k pace. 

I ran a mile trying to shop a little bit, but the grocery was still closed at 8am and of course little shops were too and it was raining, so I just jogged back tot he hotel.

Long flight home.

Turns out personal movies on airlines are NOT edited :/ 

No sleep on airplane, got home at 9am, took a two hour nap then zombied through the rest of the day.  opted for no run.  No cross training.

Weighed myself this mogning and it was not pretty.  How could I gain 10 pounds in 10 days?  I know I induged, but seriously? 

I ran the Tai Wai to twin bridges loop.  No watch but I think it is 10.9k. 

One hour elliptical.  

Core in evening. 

Ran from my home to Kowloon Tsai Park, did four loops there and back home.  Again watchless.  I could get used to this.

Then skyped with Tara Summers :D

Went to Roberto's work to hand over some Italian goodies.  Mong kik shopping, then 60 min elliptical.

JJ left scouts without Mickie and came home from Wan Chai (35 min from our home by metro) without Mickie, so Mockie and all the leaders were freaking out and searching for him.  There was nothing I could do since I knew 95% chance of him just being on his way home on the mtr, so I waited and he got home, then I called the leaders in Wan Chai, and one of them insisted on driving Mickie home.  I have instituted new procedures with these little guys to make sure this doesn't happen again.   

We played squash (Me and the three boys) from 10-10:30.   

Met Jane and Kate on Bowen Road for an easy run.  Went watchless again just because the watch wouldn't register.  Before the run I have a 10 minute walk uphill with lots of stairs, and it started to rain hard, so hard I am soaked through in minutes.  By the time we started running it had lightened up and finally stopped after a few k.  I really enjoyed socializing with the ladies.  The run went so quickly even though i know we were running a relaxed pace.  Next week I start training again, but taking this week easy was nice.

PM Core workout.

Met Roberto.  We started out with almost 5k flat, at a progressively faster pace (started out 4:40s but dropped from there).  Just before 5k we entered Chinese U hill territory.  He had warned me he was going to take me on a little incline.  4:26 ave pace for the first 5k.  I was a bit freaking out as we head into Chinese U because it was hot and I felt like I should have grabbed some water at a bathroom before hitting the hills.  For just over 2k we climbed, with some brief flat and downhill areas.  When we hit 7k mark I cry uncle.  We had been climbing and the hill showed no sign of ending and I didn't want to hammer my legs before my workout tomorrow, because what goes up must come down and downhill can trash your legs.  I was frustrated at having to turn around, basically a defeat (the hills won yet again), but it was the right call.  Tomorrow I have an unprecedented workout: 12 x 800m, starting on the 4:00 mark.  I suspect that Coach Paul with want me to do them at 2:45 but I am hoping 2:50 will be ok because this workout honestly scares the pants off me.

14.5k @ 4:41 ave pace total