Denouement

Well, this race was kind of a mixed bag.

Tom and I were planning to trade off 1/4 miles leading and drafting.  I think that it went really well.  It felt good to be behind him on my off quarters.  I am not sure if it is the actual drafting or the emotional support, or how that prevented me from going out too fast, but I think it was a great help.  We stuck together for the first 4 miles right on pace or a couple of seconds faster for the mile splits, but somewhere in the fourth mile and then the fifth my watch went crazy on me and showed me a pace much slower than we were going.  I told Tom, "I think we have slown down," but he assured me we were on pace for another 6:45 (this was toward the end of the fourth mile).  He led the first quarter of the 5th mile, and I let him go.  There was a slight uphill at that point, and I was confused by my watch but most of all I was not tough enough to hold on!!!!!!!  Dang it, I shouldn't have lost touch with him.  Well, my watch was still screwy for the rest of the race so I couldn't gauge my pace well, but I caught a guy in the fifth mile and I think another one in the sixth.  I should have caught the last guy between Tom and I, but I just didn't have the drive to finish the race well. 

On the flip side, this is my best 10K in years.  I did a 43:24 on July 24th, and my fitness has come a long way since then.  On the 24th race, I slowed down in mile 3, and slowed further to a 7:28 in mile 4 and never went below 7 minute pace again.  On this race I stayed on pace through mile 4, and slowed to 7 minute -7:10 pace for mile 5 and 6 (I don't have reliable splits but extrapolating from the beginning miles and my ending time).  When I finished the race, my distance said 6.00 miles, and Tom's watch caught 6.19 miles so there was something up with my watch.  My time on my watch was right on though with the runnercard results.  My overall pace for the race was between 6:45 and 6:50, so I was close to my overall goal for the race, and I won the race which was also a bonus. 

Since this was to be mostly a training run, a tempo run, I suppose I should be happy.  The race puts me just under 3:10 for the St. George so that's in line with my expectations.  I am still not sure what to target for St. George.  The SF 1/2 marathon this Saturday should help since it is a flat hard course.

Easy recovery run in SF.  My legs are feeling kind of worn out.  I am a little concerned about the effect of the weeks of high mileage, so I did less today since my runs for the next couple of days will have over 10 miles each.

8:46 ave pace.

10x800m with Craig.

My goal was to do 3:10's with 3:10 as a rest.  We did not do the same 1/2 mile for each repeat, but there were some hills throughout.  This makes the splits less even and comparable, but it is hard for me to find someone to train with, and I haven't found anyone willing to do the repeats on the same stretch. 

We warmed up for 2.27 (starting at 10 minute pace, dropping to 8:30ish) 21:00 to Osborne corner in SF riverbottoms.   Then we started our repeats.

1 - 3:05 slight downhill (3:06 rest)

2 - 3:04 flat (3:03 rest)

3 - 3:19 steep uphill for part, slight uphill for rest (up Zephyr hill for those who are from SF/Salem area)  this one was a disappointment time wise, but I wanted to keep the effort consistent since I had so many more reps ahead of me (3:11 rest)

4 - 3:04 reverse of rep #3 (3:07 rest)

5 - 3:08 flat (reverse of #2)

6 - 3:13 slight uphill (reverse of #1)  this one made me mad because I was on target for sub 3:10 for the first half but struggled through the second half of the repeat (3:13 rest)

7 - 3:00 downhill and flat - this is the hill down to treeline road from Osbornes (3:13 rest)

8 - 3:03 slight downhill and flat (3:05 rest), was raining now hard and I was running toward the storm and the lightening.  I was thinking, "Why am I running as fast as I possibly can into a storm?. . .If lightening comes at me, would I be better off with my feet on the ground or off the ground?"

9 - 3:13 slight uphill (3:14 rest)  Heavy downpour during the first half of this repeat.

10 - 3:05 slight downhill (reverse of #9) Rain lighter on this one.

I only had .6 or so warm down because I was already late for getting home so hubby could go to work.

Even though I didn't hit my target for every rep, I was feeling good (though tired) in my last reps.  I felt stronger than the 8x800m workout from two weeks ago.  I averaged 3:07.4 per rep, compared to 3:12 average two weeks ago.

I am writing this up in the evening and my legs are slightly sore but not too sore which I think is a good sign.  I am feeling upbeat!

4 -

Ran down Payson Canyon.

I first ran up the canyon one mile (9:07 mile 1) while waiting for the driving situation to shake itself out, then got picked up and was driven to the top.  It was cool at the top but no wind or rain.  I wore a long sleeve shirt and was soon regretting that choice.

The first mile down  (mile 2) was easy and still warming up (7:39), then miles 3-8 were under 7 minute pace, with the fastest mile at 6:37.  I then pulled back to about 7:20-7:30 pace so that the run wouldn't hammer me too hard. 

The run was very enjoyable and seemed to go by quickly. 

Overall pace was 7:07 for the downhill portion (11 miles at 1:18:18) then jogged to corner and back to the car.

easy run @ 8:35 ave pace.

SF half tomorrow.

Well, this race was really a good one for me.  I felt good, and I ran according to how I felt.  My primary goal was to be 7:15-7:20 pace (marathon pace) during the first half, even allowing myself to slow more for the uphills.  My Garmin proved unreliable again in this race (should I return the dang thing?), showing a pace slower than the what my actual time between mile markers showed.  I will post my Garmin splits though they are generally slower than my time between mile markers (my overall distance according to my watch is 12.95, and I am sure the course was dead on).

I warmed up 2.5 miles before the race.  I bought new running shorts yesterday with three mesh pockets in the back, and I put a gu in one and I lost it somewhere in my warm up!  I was assured there was gu on the course.

1 - 7:04 I felt good but felt like I may be getting myself in trouble by going out too fast.

2 - 7:17 I think this was the first mile that measured significantly longer than the mile marker, the real pace for this mile was probably more like 7:12.  I started to run with a man from Hawaii.  He was too small of a frame to draft much off, but he was a great companion.

3 - 7:21 according to garmin, but 7:10 according to pace from marker to marker

4 - 7:11, there was the uphill to Osmonds in this mile, stayed strong, fell behind Mr. Hawaii in the uphill but caught up on the gradual downhill

5 - 6:59, gradual downhill and flat, felt good, started to think that perhaps I would do much better than my projection of 1:34ish

6 - 7:20, (7:10 by marker) Zephyr hill in this mile and water station.  There was a water station at about 5.6 miles but NO GU!!  Mr. Hawaii heard me ask for one and was kind enough to share one with me.

7 - 7:18 (7:26 by marker) crest the final hill and suddenly realize I am over halfway done, and I am looking forward to a couple of downhills.

8 - 6:41 - downhill baby! I pass Mr. Hawaii.

9 - 7:01 still feeling good, and I pass Hal as he slowed down too much at the water station.

10 - 7:01, some downhill, I close the gap on Hal and Mr Hawaii, but never quite get them, but I kept them in touch and ran the same pace, which was an improvement on many races where I just let people pass me and then the fact that they pass me encourages me to slow down.  So am toughening up.  My next step is to actually catch up to them and give them a run for their money.

11 - 7:08 I realize I will break 1:32 if I keep around 7 minute pace

12 - 6:56 I am feeling good

13 - 6:37 pace for the last .95 my Garmin recorded.

These splits were generally slower than actual because my Garmin measured short, but they show that I did do negative splits.

I kicked at the end somewhat but Hal and Mr. Hawaii stayed ahead.

Overall pace is 6:59.4 (yes, Tom, the .4 matters and it matters that it was under 7 minutes).

I then ran .6 cool down then had to get home.  When I got home I ran really slow to the nearby park for a pancake breakfast as part of Woodland Hills Day, still in my running outfit.  I wasn't very hungry (one sausage, half a big pancake, and some toxic Sunny D) so when the boys wanted to play I said "Sure" and I did the "Sasha", I ran around the park while my boys played and got in about another 1.5 miles.

I wonder if the "flat 1/2 marathon" on the race predictor means a flat 1/2 marathon or if it nets flat (has uphill and downhill but starts and ends in the same place).

This race and others predict me under 3:10 marathon in St. George (this one predicts 3:06!!) but I am afraid to go out planning for under 3:10 since it is my first marathon ever.  Tom has given me a spreadsheet that gives projected splits which takes elevation gains/losses in account, but I am not sure what my goal ending time should be.  I surprised myself with the race today, but I don't want a negative surprise in St. George.  I am going to need some advise on this topic.  Help!