Denouement

Ran 11.5 k easy. Went to a new PT today.  He focused on my lower back since that's been bugging me.  He didn't seem concerned about my tight hamstrings.  He did some things the other PT didn't do, but didn't do other things.  Can I find a one stop shop please!

AM: Ran 3 miles easy to loosen up, stretching.

short nap

PM: Got to the track over an hour early.  Good call.  Ran just over 5k warm up while watching the mens 5k, fun.  My Team Italia men did well.  Did some strides with a female teammate, then lined up.  This is my first track race in 14 years.  The start was funny because it was a waterfall start, being a 10,000m, but the ladies did not bunch up. I was the only one in lane one, my teammate, also American, in lane 2, then the asians bunched up in lanes 3 and outer.  Anyway.  I wanted 88-89 per lap and to break 37.  Thought I had an outside chance of breaking 36:38, my best 10k since college (unaided) but I had no competition in the race.  

First mile: 88, 87, 88, 88: 5:52

Second mile: 87, 88, 89, 89 5:53

Third mile: 90, 90, 90, 91 6:02 (trend not good)

Fourth mile: 91, 91, 92, 92: 6:06

Fifth mile: 92, 92, 92, 92: 6:10

Sixth mile: 92, 91, 91, 79: 5:53

I think I lap my first lady around lap 5 or 6, and lap the final lady (my friend and teammate) with five laps to go.  One of the hard things about this race is the need for mental toughness.  I have no men to race, I am just ticking the laps off.  After 7 laps I am already tired and see there are 18 to go.  It was hard, and I felt like quitting, but in the end persevered.  I thought I was going to be above 38, so was pleasantly surprised to be under.  You can tell from my last split I didn't give it all in the race, and wished I would have pushed harder, but I'm a bit rusty on track racing.  It was a good learning experience.  I am excited to have my rival Yiu Kit Cheng in my 5k on Saturday.  

Cooled down just 1200m.  They were turning off the lights on the track so that was my hint to pack up. 

Met a french lady that Roberto put me in contact with.  Ran midday from Shatin to the Science Park area.  12.32k, 4:4? ave pace.  Nice to get to know someone new.  I will be meeting with her again on Friday.

Had a ladies church meeting last night and had a fun time getting to know other ladies.

I am speaking on February 24th at the LDS Asia Women's Conference on "Spiritual Lessons the Marathon has Taught Me."  It has been very good for me, preparing for this the last two months.  I have been reflective and so appreciative of my running experiences over the last 23 years.  I still have to polish the 45 minute presentation though!  I will work hard on it today (when I say hard I mean at least an hour ;) ).

Ran by myself 20k.  Wanted a medium long run today since I will be racing Saturday so won't get a long run in then.  

13.07k in 4:5? pace with S. again.

5k on the track.  My rival Yiu Kit Ching was there, and she is fast at the fast stuff (has gone up from the 1500m, not a marathoner yet), so I knew I had my work cut out for me.  The plan was to stick right behind her and surge if I felt good in the second half.  So would love to win, time goal is to break 18 minutes.  

Warmed up 5k, then roll call was not where I expected it.  I am last to roll call, and they gave numbers according to roll call.  We walk to the starting line (200m mark) and then do some strides.  Then we line up.  On the 10,000m on Tuesday we could line up how we wanted so I went to lane 1, then they motioned to me I needed to go to the end.  They made us do the waterfall start according to our check in order, so I was out in lane 8.  I'm embarrassed and flabbergasted.  I don't know if this will affect the start or not.  Turns out it didn't.  Gun shot and I get in quickly, right behind Christy (YKC's english name).  First 200m 40 seconds.  I feel so fresh.  Need 86 to keep 18 pace.  

Lap 1 (after the 200m), 86, feeling very fresh

2 - 87 (what? I am not liking this), 1000m at 3:35, not fast enough in my mind

3 - 86, 

4 - 83, (surging lap for passing) after 3.5 laps I take the lead, I am concerned about keeping pace for breaking 18

5 - 86

6 - 86

7 - 86

8 - 

9 - 86

10 - 87 with three laps to go Christy passes me and gets a couple of seconds on me, as you can see by the split I don't respond, the pace is getting hard to sustain

11 - 86

12 -  78 (thinking, I want to break 17:50)

17:46 end time, Christy ended up 12 seconds ahead, so about 4 sec faster per lap in the last three laps.  

Perhaps I should have waited and not passed her?  But I ran a pretty even race and got a good time.  This is my best 5k since college.  College is a bit of an unfair comparison, too, since in college I was training for the 10k on the track, which is alot more transferable to a 5k than marathon training is.  Next have two 10ks on the road in March, then 25k in Italy in April.  That’s why I am not going to go to Boston.  I plan on doing Boston in 2013 :D  For real this time.