Denouement

Had a horrible night's sleep! I couldn't fall asleep and when I finally did well after midnight it was a light sleep, not restful. So yesterday I was feeling good, like the 70 mile week last week didn't hurt my legs, but my legs ached this morning, probably from not enough rest. My groin pain has been so good all week but of course it aches today. I met MacK and Josse in SF, and our loop got really windy and miserable as we got close to the mouth of the SF canyon. So 1-2 miles into a very stiff headwind. Pretty cold. Then we headed away from the wind and of course the tail wind doesn't feel as nice as the head wind felt bad. I felt just like I did during tax season, extremely fatigued and legs have no go. Well, enough whining. I got the run done. I am hoping to run 70-72 miles this week, with the 10 mile race on Saturday. In my visualization last night I kicked some butt in the race, so that's how its going to turn out on Saturday, right?

Ave pace 8:20

weight 124

laid in bed for 45 minutes after my run since the kids weren't up yet, probably only got .25 sleep though.  Did a 1.5 hour nap in the afternoon.   

I got better sleep last night, but still had some trouble falling asleep. I remember in college I had to get some sleeping pill because of mindracing at night, but hopefully this is just related to Paul being on a business trip. Waking up super early for a 5am run doesn't help either.

Met MacK and we ran to the SF ballpark and back, then had to add on another mile. My groin is bugging me again today, not hurting exactly but there. I didn't feel full of energy, probably due to inadequate sleep. In the future I'll need to veto Paul's business trips the week of a race!

Ave pace 8:12 for 12 miles

weight 124

Ran 1.2 with the kids, I'm counting as .65 because .1 in the middle gets a full count because I was backtracking for Ben and I was going 9 min pace for that piece 

I met MacK, Josse, and Ali at mile 10 of the Hobble Creek 1/2 marathon course, which is the mouth of Hobble Creek Canyon. The plan was to go up 5 and then down, warming up 3 then tempoing the final two up and then tempo 2 down. I was wanting to stick with the ladies, and have it be threshold for them and marathon pace for me. MacK and I had a chat yesterday about being "present" at a workout or race no matter how you feel, something I think takes mental toughness to a new level for her. So she was not to lose contact with me.

Mile 1 - 7:04 This is mile 7 of Hobble Creek in reverse, an uphill mile overall, but rolling, so some downhill at the start, MacK and Ali were with me for .5, Josse lagging a little after .25, then after .5 I can just hear MacK, and I was trying to keep my effort at least marathon pace and I feel a loss of contact. By the end of the mile I was on my own.

2 - 6:56, this mile is more clearly uphill, mile 6 of Hobble Creek in reverse, I am pushing more into threshold pace, at turnaround I see the order of the ladies are the same, with space in between, MacK, Ali, then Josse

3 - 6:08, I have to wake my legs up at the beginning of this mile ("Wake up!!! This is a downhill mile") so I think I was generally going 6:00 pace except for the beginning), felt like right around 10 mile race pace

4 - 6:07, the dreaded mile 7 of Hobble Creek. I have to say I don't like this mile very much because there's too much uphill in this mile (Hobble Creek is a smoking fast downhill course, for ya'll out of staters), I am very glad we are training on this course because I think it will make me stronger, this mile ends with a nice uphill.

I turn around after finishing the tempo and start jogging back. I see Josse and Ali right at the start of the downhill, Josse a tad behind, then like a cougar she makes a move on the uphill. Nice strong finish. MacK is cruising along in her "I'm going fast but only comfortably fast" behind them. I start to yell at her, then turn around with her, she tries to explain something about stopping at the top and I tell her, "No talking! You aren't done yet!" So I tell her to come along and we finish her last .2-.3 together. MacK has killer speed and just needs to get more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

This run was really enjoyable, I am glad we are running Hobble Creek in our training this year.

The difference between mile 1 and 4 would be closer than 2 and 3 if there was equal effort, so mile 1 will count as a marathon pace and the rest threshold.

I took two Imodium AD last night (testing drugs for race day) and I had no bathroom breaks and no feelings of needing one -- so sorry for more info than ya'll wanted, but this blog is my only running journal so this stuff is important. Have to prevent the 3 bathroom break scenario for future marathons. Especially since I plan on doing PF Chang's in January and I think its an Urban marathon. No sagebrush.

When we got to the bottom we added a mile.

Ave pace 7:51 for all.

Weight 124

Ran 1.28 with the kiddies.  JJ (not quite 4 years old) ran the first .25 miles with us then another  .12 at the end with us.  When he runs he's fast!  I'll count this at 1/2 mileage

The only way to get 8 hours of sleep was to sleep in and run on the treadmill, and I'll do another run this evening if my leg allows. My legs felt ok during the run, I was playing with the idea of doing two 10K paced miles in the middle, but my legs didn't feel fresh enough. I stretched after one mile, then hopped back on the treadmill. Boring!

When I got off one ankle felt weak, BAD! BAD! But after walking a little I realized its that inside tendon which was giving me trouble in April/1st half of May. I am two days away from a race, so instead of waiting to see how it feels tomorrow I made an appt with Dr. Brady this afternoon and am currently icing it. I hope its not a true setback of that injury. These are the risks of higher mileage.

7:40 pace, 1.5% grade, 7 miles

Ok, so my pain went away about 1-1.5 hours after my run. But it was probably the 800mg IB because it started to hurt again in the afternoon, I could feel it more going up stairs. Not a bad pain but there.

Dr. Brady says it's probably from running too many miles on the treadmill after not running on it at all, possibly also aggravated by my Wed. workout. The way he explained this injury to me before was that it was tendonitis, from tight calf and hamstring muscles. Today he called it shin splints. I said, I thought it was tendonitis.  He said that's the problem with a diagnosis.  When he first was talking to me about it he was comparing it to achilles tendonitis, it was a tendon issue but not achilles tendonitis.  According to him, shin splints is a low grade stress fracture, and that whenever there is a stress fracture there is also tendonitis, that the bone, muscle and tendons are not in a vacuum so if there's a problem with one there is very likely a problem with the other.  So I need to read up more on shin splints because my pain is on the inside of my shin bone, and inch or two to the inside.  I thought shin splints was just on the shin bone, but he says no.  So Dr. Brady said I should take this evening and tomorrow off, but he is also an advocate of not running every day, so it's hard to take his advice verbatim.  I think I may take the day off tomorrow though just because if I did run it would be only for 5 or less miles, and those miles might do more harm than good.

He did ultrasound, electro-acupuncture and worked the heck out of the shin area, digging in his forearms.  I thought I was going to die!  He also worked my groin lightly a bit.

I think I'll post this in the injury discussion forum to get the community's take on this injury in general.

56 minutes at the Payson pool, clumsily pool running.  I don't have an aquajogger belt (yet), so I tried a couple of things but ended up holding two smallish kick boards while doing jogging motion with my legs.  In reality I only was doing something close to a running stride when I really concentrated.  Alot of times it was just more of a high knee kick. If I need to do this pool running I'll need to get more advice on form.  My neck was sore when I got out because by using kickboards, I wasn't in a straight up and down position.  I can see first hand why fartlek is used in pool running.  It is way easy to zone out.  I was fine with it being an easy workout today though because its my first time and I have a race tomorrow.  

I am hoping my pain yesterday was an aberration, not a reflection of an injury that will interrupt training.  We'll see tomorrow, won't we?

So I won it! Sweet!

I got somewhat typical pre-race bad sleep last night. I dreamt I ran it in 1:26 or so and had amnesia regarding the first 9 miles (couldn't even remember running them). So glad that didn't happen.

My dream goal after Painter's in January was to break 1 hour for this race, but from my recent training, my realistic goal for the race was 1:02. I tried to follow Sasha's advice to run by feel, but of course I was also looking at my watch quite a bit since I was not in contact with runners after mile 2. For those who don't know, this 10 mile course is a good downhill for the first 3.1 or so then a much more gradual downhill 4-9 miles, and pretty much flat mile 10.

I warmed up with Josse and James for a couple of miles, painted FRB down my legs while waiting in line for the portapotty. BOLD! We just barely had enough time to run two miles, stretch, then the race started.

1 - 5:43, started out a little too fast, a pack of three guys forms at front (James is the only one I know), no girls yet

2 - 5:53, feeling good in the legs, but I am feeling like my breathing (aerobic capacity?) is what is holding me back from going faster, I am behind the pack of three guys and grey shirt (fourth guy)

3 - 5:55, starting to feel like maybe I went out too fast, not sure how the less steep downgrade will go.

3.1 (on the trail point) 18:35, well ahead of where Sasha said I should likely be -- 19:15, I'm not panicked, but a little concerned, some young lady says Go Melissa, and I say, "It's Michelle", she says sorry. It ended up being Josse's sister (we met in Ogden).

4 - 6:09, adjusting to flat course, can only see grey shirt ahead

5 - 6:07, I hit their 5 mile marker at 29:28, but my watch doesn't register 5 until 29:48, going by their markers I realize I have a shot at breaking an hour.

6 - 5:59

7 - 5:56

8 - 6:10, starting to feel the wheels wobble, but 6:10 is still ok at this point

9 - 6:18, well this is where I slowed down enough to kiss sub 1:00 goodbye. I had to work really hard to keep even this pace

10 - 6:02, worked hard in this mile, the last 1/2 mile I got a killer cramp but told myself it would hurt if I ran fast or slow, still I think it cost me 5 seconds. I was grunting and crying the pain was so bad at the end. There goes the theory that those at the front look glamorous at the end.

Total time 1:00:13

I am really pleased that I did this well, just over 6:01 pace. I think the course was accurate overall. My watch measured it 14 feet longer than 10 miles, so that's just about right. I sure wish I could have broken an hour, but I guess that leaves something to be done next year.

It was great to hang out with Paul (my husband -- he ran the race and got a great time 1:20:01!!!). Josse and I ran him in and we were yelling at him and helped him pick it up that last 1/2 mile.

I also always enjoy hanging out with my running buddies, Josse, James, Kent-- Hey where was Clay? I am wondering if he went.

After the race Josse and I ran 5 miles (5.33 for me), and I just felt great gratitude to God for giving me this time in my life where I have the time and ability to test myself and my running abilities.

I didn't have pain in my shin, except some feeling in the first three miles of the race (steeper downhill), I think it was just feeling the pounding from gravity on the bruised area. I didn't were my snazzy Saucony Type A2 racers because I wanted to be more cautious on my legs. I wore my lightweight trainers instead.

I did an ice bath of course when I got home.

Ran with Benji. After lunch. We were going to do 1.5 miles but he was suffering the whole time so we just did one mile. This was my first jog in my orthotics. I am counting this mile as 1/2 mile since pace was slow (11:30ish).