Denouement

Ran 12.37k at 4:50 ave pace.  Had horrible sleep the night before and no food before the run so a bit tired.  Core workout and stretching at night.

AM: 7.04k at 4:52 ave pace, stretching

PM: Went to aberdeen for a track workout.  It was 5 x 1600m with 90 sec rest, 10k pace.  So the kind of workout that sneaks up on you.  I rested a bit more than 90 sec because the guys I was running with finished a few seconds behind, until the last 2.  6.91k for a warm up, stretching. My goal was to start at 5:45 and not slow down.  I would be tickled pink if I could run a 10k at 5:45 pace.

	1600m	Rest
1	5:43	1:32
2	5:42	1:38	Way too fast in first lap, 82, slowly allowed myself to take some of that time back
3	5:43	1:36
4	5:37	1:34	Felt fatigued from the start on this one, thought I just ran as fast as I wanted to in #5, but I still needed to do #5, Ultramarathon guy keeps up with me on this one
5	5:31		Ultramarathon guy takes off right from the start on this one and gets a 5:19, another guy keeps up with me and pushes me in the last lap
Ave	5:39.2

So I was able to go faster than I thought I could.  My left SI has been a bit niggly when I am not running, but when I run it is fine, including in this workout.  I have a massage scheduled for tomorrow so will have him work on that. 

5.5k warm up.  I got diagnosed with tonsillitis on Saturday, but only feel under the weather, so I am doing this race!  Also the weather was unseasonally cool (about 15C), so it was a good race day.  I ran this last year in 37:30.  This year I wanted to break 37 minutes, but not kill myself doing it, since my marathon was 8.5 days out.

My friendly neighborhood nemesis Yiu Kit Ching was not here, but Ali Chow was.  She is not really a threat though since she is more of a one-pace marathon specialist, and has never broken 38 on a road 10k.  The race is out 2k, back to the start, then out 3k, then back to the start so I will record the splits and compare to the prior year (I had them in my head and so was comparing in the race).

	This year	Last year
2k	7:26	7:31	I started out really mellow, Ali right by me, about 30 guys ahead of us, and I was using to draft as there was headwind, I started to surge to frog hop to guys ahead after 750m
2nd 2k	7:20	7:30	I thought there would be tailwind, and the splits say it is so, but it felt like headwind, after the turn around I had to surge to catch a guy pack to draft but the lead guy slowed and I had to take the lead to make pace, have a pic on my FB of me leading the guys at around 3k
3rd 2k	7:31	7:32	The headwind probably a factor for this and the next k
7th k	3:47	3:46
8th k	3:38	3:50	I felt like the 8th k killed my chances of a sub 37:30 last year so I wanted to run this strong, and was able to :D
last 2k	7:07	7:20	About 3:37, then 3:30 for the last 2k
	36:52	37:30

About 3k cool down. I was happy that no men passed me in this race after about 750m.  That was cool.  Ready for Boston!   

AM: 15 min elliptical, stretching, then 4 miles on the TM in 31 minutes,

PM: 1.5 hour massage, core workout, then stretching.

Detoxing off of Coke Zero in preparation for Boston in one week! 

Last night my son woke me up in the middle of the night because his throat hurt really badly.  So I had a nice 2 hour sleepless period.  So in the morning I got up at the normal time and got the two younger chickies off to school, then did 15 min elliptical and some stretching, then took my son to the doctor, then took a 1.5 hour nap, then did some work around the house, then got a 45 min oil massage--so nice.  Then off to the kids school to volunteer for the athletics club.  Finally got to my workout at 6:20pm.

Met Ali at HKSI.  I thought I might be able to meet the new track coach, but he was not there.  He is a sprint specialist anyway, so meeting him is just a nicety.  Anyway, Ali and I warmed up about 3k, then we did 4 x 1600m at goal marathon pace, launching on the 7 minutes.  I felt pretty bad during the warm up.  It was very humid, though not hot (87-92% humidity) and my throat felt constricted.  I felt ok during the day (just half awake), but felt worse in the warm up than when warming up for the 10k.  I don't thing my antibiotics are helping, it must be viral.  I felt much better after starting the workout, and envisioned the four miles as the last miles of the marathon.  Miles were 6:14, 6:10, 6:12, 6:08, Ali went on to do 2 more.  She was scheduled to do a North Korean marathon this week, but HK pulled the trip due to safety concerns.  2k cool down.  Felt good afterward, but now I am fading.  Day 2 w/o coke zero and I am feeling it!

Used mapmyrun to see how I ran after running with a battery-drained watch.  It was not as cold as Saturday morning, about 44F, similar to race-start conditions.  Lots of stretching, but also a bit too much walking around.  

I went the the elite technical meeting, and found out that I had been bumped up to having water support, so spent time in the evening going back into Boston with my bottles and gus. 

First of all, I feel awkward writing about my marathon when such a tragic event happened associated with this event, which affects many families negatively.  My race didn't go well, but my disappointment was promptly tempered by the tragic bombings at the Boston marathon today.

Last night I just got 4 hours of sleep, but that is not too uncommon, got a good night of sleep the night before.  I took 2 antidiarreheal medicines at around midnight.  For more rest laid in bed resting from 2:15 to 5am, though I couldn't fall asleep, I felt pretty rested.  I went to the elite buses early and at around 7:15 I took 75 mg of indomethacin and a third anti diarreheal.  This is what I normally do before a marathon. 

I met a girl named Kelly who had the same time goals as me yesterday at the elite meeting, so we rode up together and lined up together.  I had written on my arm my splits for each 5k for 2:44 at even effort, which was 19:25 per 5k, I was fine going under a bit in the first half, though it needed to feel easy the first half.  

I realized with about 7 minutes to the start that I forgot to put on glide.  Am I an amateur or what?  I also forgot something else that I still can't remember now.

Here are my splits and description:

Mile	Mile split	5k split	Comment
1	6:16		The front pack starts out SLOW, and most women were in that pack, I back off after perhaps 800m, wanting to keep it easy, and Kelly is in the back of that slow front pack. So we ran together for about 3 min!
2	6:11		There is a headwind, not bad but persistent, so I draft of ladies as much as possible, I feel by now that though I haven't felt my tonsillitis for days, that I felt off, like I was a bit sick
3	6:08	5k 19:10 or 19:11	I continue to draft in a small second pack, about 5 ladies
4	5:57		I start feeling better and pull out from the second pack, trying to chase some stragglers from the 40 person front pack which has started to fall apart
5	6:14
6	6:07	38:12	Feeling good but trying to hold back
7	6:08		Somewhere around 7 miles I start to feel like I am going to need to go to the bathroom early in the race, but I try to hold off
8	6:22
9	6:17
10	6:28
11	6:21
12	6:12
13	6:36		Right after the 12 mile marker I went to the portapotty, took a bit longer than a normal break, but not bad, probably cost me 30 seconds.
14	6:23
15	7:06		Right after the 14 mile marker I had to go to the bathroom again, not a fast experience, I have a bit of a cry in the marathon, because I feel bad, like this is going to be a miserable experience, stomach is upset, and I spend time trying to decide if stomach is strong enough for my 5 hour energy drink which is in my 25k water bottle stop, diluted by water (about 15.6 miles), I am upset about the time lost but feel like I could still be sub 2:45 if I go strong (had a 1 min cushion)
16	6:08		I get my pace back on track, stomach settles and I drink most of my 5 hour energy drink
17	6:40		There is a hill in here, and I don't take it as strong as I should, I am not focused on my watch but on my effort, I try to stay relaxed, a blond chick passes me and attacks the hill, another girl passes me whose goal was 2:46, another girl joins me and we trade off
18	6:44		The girl who I trade off with pulls ahead then falls on the asphalt, she seems to be ok (I talk to her) but falls behind for a bit, a little dazed, first Newton hill here
19	6:21		This is supposed to be a downhill mile, right? I feel like I need to go to the bathroom, but I try to hold off, because the men are about to pass, and no bathroom is close to the road
20	6:35		Small newton hill, men pass me right at the 20 mile mark
21	7:36		I find a bathroom at this mile and obviously spend some quality time in it, because this is a downhill mile!!
22	6:21		Try to get back into the race, legs killing, stomach sour
23	6:53		A bit of downhill, feeling deflated
24	8:03		I am considering how awful it is, all the effort I put forth to get in my best shape and to not get a PR (2:47:08), let alone the sub 2:45 I hoped for, I pass my mom and she takes pictures, I beg vocally for the downhill to stop, it is torturing me. I frantically search the side of the race for a bathroom, I find one and spend some more quality time there. People everywhere, and they noticed me hopping in the john, so when I get out there's some faint cheering, so I raise my hands and I get a large cheer and I get going again
25	6:52		I get into the groove in a limited way
26	6:49		An Asian dude passes me (I think from Japan) but he is going slow, so I keep with him for a while.  He doesn't like it and slowly breaks away.  What is with the hill out of the underpass.  I was going 6:35 pace before that
.22	1:24 (6:33 pace)		I hope no lady will zoom past me and none does, so grateful it is over

 So normally in a marathon I lose 25-90 seconds on bathroom breaks.  This time it was more like 4 minutes.  That only counts the actual potty time, not the overall effect of the abdominal upset.  I was also thrashed from the hills, and have a new respect for this course.  I should have trained more specifically for this course, more hills and downhill training, if I wanted to have my magnum opus here.  But I think I could have totally PRed modestly without the stomach issues.  When I crossed the finish line, there was more relief than disappointment.  I did not break down, I knew the issues were out of my control.  Kelly finished right before me and was really disappointed because she struggled with tunnel vision the last three miles.  I did perhaps make a mistake in taking so much indomethacin so close the marathon.  I have taken 50 mg without any stomach issue, but 75 was more uncharted territory. I did not cry until about 40 minutes after the race, and that was when I was trying to explain to my mom the work and emotional effort I put into the training for this race, because she doesn't really understand running.    

My stomach woes have continued to wipe me out this afternoon and evening (9 trips in 9 hours).  Watched a lot of coverage on the bombing, which occurred when I was in the shower.  Tired and emotionally drained. I am grateful that my mom and my friends are safe, but those injured and killed are someones family and friends.  I wonder how his bombing will affect race logistics at Boston and other races in the future?

Taking a week off of running.  Legs quite sore.  Walked alot around Boston though.  Visited China town (lame, but fun to see how overpriced their goods/massages are), Beacon Hill, the Massachussets State House, Little Italy.  

Flight home.  But first walked 25 minutes to a grocery store and found some pink and white frosted animal cookies for Mickie, his request from America.  Also brought home: handisnacks, fiber one bars, granola bars, trident, teddy grams, wheat thins, cinnamon toast crunch, easter candy for next year, candy for Ben's junk party.

Lost day--got home 5 minutes before midnight.

60 min elliptical, oil massage for $12 USD.  Commiserating lunch with Roberto.  He suggests doing Yokohama again in November.  I will think about it.

60 min elliptical.

60 min elliptical

40 min elliptical in the AM

Wanted to run 12k between Ben's events at a track meet in the afternoon, but they ended up being a bit closer together.  This is my first run after the marathon, I checked out my watch after running about a k and it seemed screwy, 7 something pace, then 8 something pace, and the distance wasn't right, etc.  It took me about 2k to realize my watch was still set to miles/min and miles distance because of the marathon in the US.  So then it all started to make more sense :D  I tried to run faster to get in 6 miles by the time Ben did his second event.  Unfortunately only got 9.32k (watch is now reset to k's) at 4:45/k ave.  And I still missed his last event.  So sad.  But I went to his track meet the next morning (an hour travel each way to watch him do a 200m sprint). 

5:09 pace, woke early and ran around home, slow

4:48 ave pace

Woke up early so stayed up and caught the 5:30 to Tai Wai, started out slow since I basically rolled out of bed and ran to the MTR, so first k was 5:40, then dipped below 5:00 after 3k and fully awake.  Cooler today, 22.5C, 91% humidity

Today was Ben's big "JUNK" party, which means we rented a junk boat for 8 hours, and hung out with Ben's friends and some family friends while visiting a couple of beaches on close-by islands.  So I woke up early and ran close to home. Swam with the boys a bit (it was a cold day so didn't spend as much time in the water as we planned).  The party was a success and I am so glad it is over :D

Easy run, 4:50 pace

First core workout since marathon, at about 90% 

AM: 30 min elliptical then stretching

PM: Arrived at the track with just enough time to jog a single k, then 4 x 1600 (5:40-5:45) at 5k pace.  I thought I might go more like 10k pace (5:50ish), but I am in somewhat of a no-mans land.  I had the choice of going with two guys, one of which would be ahead 10-15 seconds, or with the second group, then I would be ahead 10-15 seconds.  So I started with the faster guys, and just stuck with them.  Only 90 seconds rest, which meant less rest for me.

1 - 5:39, fast guy took off, second guy close, 1:21 rest

2 - 5:42, 1:15 rest

3 - abt 5:38 (was 4:13 at three laps, but didn't lap watch in error), longer rest 2:24 - needed bathroom so jumped in with the second guy at the 300m mark of the last rep, so had to keep going when he finished

4 - 5:39

So happy to be able to go so fast, even though I haven't done fast work in a long time.  It was a short workout, and we were blessed with good weather (it was 28C before a storm that rolled in at 3pm, then dropped to a merciful 22C), so I can tell I am not 100%, but I may not be again, and that has got to be ok.