After many sleepless nights and after giving it much thought, I finally have a "Plan B".
I figured that at the very least, I would set a PR in Arizona, because my training had been so much more intense than it was for my 3:51. So even if I didn't BQ, my PR would "tide me over" until the next marathon attempt. But now I feel like I am in the best shape of my life, with no marathon PR to confirm it.
My first thought was to run the Shamrock Marathon on March 22, where I set the PR last year. But then I realized that it was too soon to fit in a solid training cycle, but too far to simply rely on what I've built up over the past seven months.
So, after much research, I discovered a marathon just outside of Columbus Ohio on February 15: The "Last Chance For Boston" Marathon. Ironically, the Boston marathon is now full and registration is closed. But the original intent of this marathon was to give runners one "last chance" to qualify, if their fall marathon didn't go as they had planned.
Even if I had BQed in Arizona, I still would not have been able to run Boston 2009. I have a whole year to BQ, so I am not necessarily trying to do that on February 15. Really, all I want is to shave some time off of my PR and salvage some of the intense training I've been doing for the seven months leading up to Arizona.
The "Last Chance For Boston" Marathon will likely be very cold. February 15 in Ohio with an 8:00am start time should be in the upper 20's or lower 30's. But it could be much colder, and there is always the possibility of a snow storm or freezing rain. I've decided to drive to the race (actually, Brent is going to drive!) so if the weather is really unfavorable, I won't lose money on air fare. After that cold, windy 4-mile race on New Year's Eve, I am confident about running in the teen's, but single digits would probably be a deal-breaker for me. As would any kind of winter precipitation.
One more thing to note about the course. It's only one-mile long. I'll run this loop 26.2 times for a full marathon. The race is chip-timed, and every time you cross the timing mat, someone tells you how many miles you have completed. There are many advantages to this. First, the course has a 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 mile marker. This should make pacing a lot easier, considering I don't use a Garmin. Secondly, it's flat, so there are no hills to contend with. Finally, it makes it easy to layer up and throw away clothing, because you come to the same point each mile. I know that this will be "boring" and very mentally challenging, but since I am used to doing lon runs on the treadmill, I think I can easily handle to monotony of a 1-mile loop.
Thankfully, the marathon is run counter-clockwise, so faster runners can pass on the inside of the loop and run the tangent. During the the 4-mile race, which was run clockwise, I had to pass runners on the outer edge of the loop, lengthening my course.
February 15: Last Chance for Boston Marathon
March 22: Shamrock Half Marathon
April 5: Cherry Blossom 10-Miler
May 3: New Jersey Marathon
It's more races than is really ideal to train optimally for a marathon, but I really enjoy the Shamrock and the Cherry Blossom, so I am sacrificing an ideal training schedule to do some races that I really want to participate. And if I miss my BQ in New Jersey because of this, I can always try for it in the fall.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Melting in the Arizona Sun
To train for my 3:51 marathon:
- Seven weeks of consistent training
- Average 40 miles per week
- Peak mileage was 48
- Seven weeks of consistent training
- Average 40 miles per week
- Peak mileage was 48
To train for yesterday's marathon:
- Six months of consistent training
- Average 50 miles per week
- Peak mileage was 56
- Six months of consistent training
- Average 50 miles per week
- Peak mileage was 56
I ran the P.F. Chang's Rock 'N Roll marathon yesterday. I awoke at 2:00am the morning of the race. That's 4:00am EST, when my body always wakes up naturally. I could not get back to sleep, so I just played around on the internet and watched TV until it was time to get dressed.
I started to realize how thankful I was that I would be running this race with a perfect training regime behind me, without any injuries, and without having gotten sick in the past few months. I had been plagued by injuries and illness a lot during 2008, and finally I felt awesome, and ready for my BQ. I got dressed in my running skirt,sports bra, visor and sunglasses. I headed out the door and walked to the area where the shuttle would take me to the race start.
I got on the shuttle bus and arrived at the race nearly two hours before it started. Better to be safe than sorry! It was dark and in the lower50's. My feet went numb because I wasn't wearing my "warmer" socks. The weather prediction was for a much hotter race than I had originally anticipated so I wore my lightest pair of socks.
Miles 1-5
I lined up in the start corral and one of my friends from the Runner's World forums found me. We had eaten dinner together the night before along with Yulyia. We chatted for a bit and then the race started. We didn't plan on running together, so I let her pull ahead while I stayed back. The 3:40 pace group was in the corral behind mine, so I let them pass me in the first mile.
I lined up in the start corral and one of my friends from the Runner's World forums found me. We had eaten dinner together the night before along with Yulyia. We chatted for a bit and then the race started. We didn't plan on running together, so I let her pull ahead while I stayed back. The 3:40 pace group was in the corral behind mine, so I let them pass me in the first mile.
I've always walked through the water stations because I am a believer in Galloway's theory that just a 10-second walk is enough to help preserve your legs. On the plane, I sat next to a woman who consistently ran about 3:20, and she told me she did the water station walk breaks always.
My goal was to go out at a pace of 8:30 and then speed up to goal pace (8:24) by about mile 4. I missed the first mile marker, so I had no idea what pace I was at. During the third mile, the 3:45 pace group passed me. I knew that there was no way they were going at a 3:45 pace. They had to have been going much faster. This is the reason I don't run with pace groups. But it annoyed me that they were now in front of me and I felt like I was on target for a 3:42 at that point.
I passed the mile 4 marker, and my split was a 7:48. I was sort of pissed because I only sped up due to the fact that the 3:45 group passed me so quickly. And even after the 7:48 mile, I was still behind them. I knew that a 7:48 was way too fast, so I slowed down substantially.
I didn't really feel good during these first miles. My stomach felt kind of heavy (I drank a ton of water) and I felt BLAH. But I reminded myself that I typically don't feel "right" about a run until mile 5 or 6.
Miles 6-10
These were probably the best miles of the race. I averaged about 8:25 during this time and felt relatively strong, despite the stomach tightness I was having.
These were probably the best miles of the race. I averaged about 8:25 during this time and felt relatively strong, despite the stomach tightness I was having.
At about mile 7, I passed the 3:45 pace group and I told myself I would not let them get ahead of me again.
I debated how much water I should drink. It was starting to heat up and the sun was beating down on me. And yet my stomach cramp seemed to begetting worse and worse, and I was beginning to have some upper back pain.
Miles 11-15
This is really where the race fell apart for me. I wanted to cross the halfway point at 1:50 or 1:51 because I knew that a lot of people were tracking me and I wanted to give the impression that I was right on target. But as soon as I crossed over the halfway point (1:51:5x), I dramatically slowed down. Little did I know that my stupid D-Tag wasn't even registering my splits. So it didn't even matter.
This is really where the race fell apart for me. I wanted to cross the halfway point at 1:50 or 1:51 because I knew that a lot of people were tracking me and I wanted to give the impression that I was right on target. But as soon as I crossed over the halfway point (1:51:5x), I dramatically slowed down. Little did I know that my stupid D-Tag wasn't even registering my splits. So it didn't even matter.
Igot to the mile 14 marker and I hunched over in pain from my stomach cramp. My back was also really hurting. Additionally, I had major foot pain. I had felt this same foot pain before in a hot half marathon, so I wasn't terribly worried. I think it was from my foot swelling so much in the heat and then pushing against the top of my shoe. But it only hurt when I ran on it, so it almost felt like a stress fracture. I just reminded myself that I had felt this before and it turned out to just be pain from the shoe.
The 3:45 pace group paced me at about mile 14, and I realized that there would be no way I could BQ. The bestI could hope for would be a PR.
Miles 16-20
I've never hit "a wall" during a marathon, but starting at mile 16, the whole race felt like one big brick wall. And I knew it wasn't my fault.I know I had trained better than I had for any other marathon. And I didn't go out too fast with the exception of the one mile that was7:48. I was even giving myself walk breaks.
I've never hit "a wall" during a marathon, but starting at mile 16, the whole race felt like one big brick wall. And I knew it wasn't my fault.I know I had trained better than I had for any other marathon. And I didn't go out too fast with the exception of the one mile that was7:48. I was even giving myself walk breaks.
The foot pain started to get really bad. I sat down on a curb and removed my shoe.The top of my foot was red and swollen, and my big toe felt weird and numb-like. I eventually put the sock and shoe back on and continued. At this point, I could still feasibly PR if I miraculously got my speed back.
Miles 20-25
After crossing the 20-mile mat about 10 minutes off of my target pace. I realized that a PR was not going to happen for me. At about mile 21 I sat down on a park bench for about a minute and watched the 3:50 pace group speed by me. I remembered how easy it felt to run at a 3:50 pace for most of the Shamrock marathon. I remembered how awesome that felt. And now, despite the fact that I had trained 500% longer and with much greater weekly mileage, I couldn't get my butt off that bench. The heat was just zapping me.
After crossing the 20-mile mat about 10 minutes off of my target pace. I realized that a PR was not going to happen for me. At about mile 21 I sat down on a park bench for about a minute and watched the 3:50 pace group speed by me. I remembered how easy it felt to run at a 3:50 pace for most of the Shamrock marathon. I remembered how awesome that felt. And now, despite the fact that I had trained 500% longer and with much greater weekly mileage, I couldn't get my butt off that bench. The heat was just zapping me.
I guess I am just really sensitive to the sun. I do fine if it's upper 60's and overcast (Miami Marathon, Richmond half marathon) but if it's at all sunny, I feel it. My face always gets bright red after speed work and stays that way for over an hour.
The red face even happened to me as a child and teenager after 4minutes of doing a dance routine all-out. At this point, it was about 62 degrees and very sunny. My body didn't feel hot in the traditional sense because it's a dry heat that I am not used to. But it was reacting the same way it did when I ran the really hot VA Beach half in 2006, and also some 10Ks as well. I totally bonk in the heat, always.
I got up from the bench and I realized that I simply couldn't run. But then I reminded myself that this was all mental, so I just told myself"yes, you can run". So I did.
I had a friend waiting for me at mile 25. I didn't want him to leave or think that he missed me, so that was really all that was motivating me. I kept making bargains with myself: "Just run to that water station up ahead, then you can walk."It was a run/walk from there out. My running pace was actually about9:00/mile, but there was so much walking that my splits were about 10:30's.
I started to hear the songs on my iPod that I was hoping to finish to, so I just turned the damn thing off and took my headphones off of my head. It was too depressing to be at mile 22 and hear my finish line songs.
Finally, I came to mile 25 and stopped to chat with my friend Steve. I told him that I was having the worst marathon of my life and how much pain I was in. He said "you're almost done. . . just go run to the finish now!" And I said that I wanted to just stop and chat with him for longer. So that lasted for about two minutes and then I finally made my way to the finish. If it weren't for him being there, I would have had no motivation to run at all during that last portion.
He took this photo of me:
26 and the Finish
I did a run/walk to the finish, but did run that last 0.2 very strong and smiled for the camera as I crossed the finish line in about 4:10.My gun time and net time are identical on the web site, but I was a 4:10 according to my watch. A few years ago, I would have been elated with this time. But now, I realized I was 30 minutes off of my goal.
I did a run/walk to the finish, but did run that last 0.2 very strong and smiled for the camera as I crossed the finish line in about 4:10.My gun time and net time are identical on the web site, but I was a 4:10 according to my watch. A few years ago, I would have been elated with this time. But now, I realized I was 30 minutes off of my goal.
My friend, Eric, found me and I started bawling my eyes out the moment I saw him. My foot was killing me, I was so exhausted. And I just felt like such crap. They were handing out popsicles and mine tasted amazing at that point.
Final Thoughts
I just find it highly ironic that I have never had a bad marathon until now. And I had run 7 previous marathons. Each marathon had been better than I expected, and I had always exceeded my goal by 2-5 minutes. And yet, I never had a training program that was so strong. I did everything "right" this time around. I trained for a full 18 weeks (actually more if you consider everything I was doing in July and August before I got sick). And I averaged about 50 MPW. I did multiple 20 milers and in the past, the most I had ever done was just one.
I just find it highly ironic that I have never had a bad marathon until now. And I had run 7 previous marathons. Each marathon had been better than I expected, and I had always exceeded my goal by 2-5 minutes. And yet, I never had a training program that was so strong. I did everything "right" this time around. I trained for a full 18 weeks (actually more if you consider everything I was doing in July and August before I got sick). And I averaged about 50 MPW. I did multiple 20 milers and in the past, the most I had ever done was just one.
I definitely don't think I was over trained. I think I was optimally prepared to BQ, or at least set a significant PR. But I don't deal with heat well. The foot pain and the stomach cramping also really played a factor before the heat started to kick in. Last summer, I ran a 4-mile race at a pace of 8:56 because it was so hot and sunny. Slower than my marathon PR pace!
If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't have changed anything. However, if I knew that the heat was going to be this bad, I would have changed to the half marathon at the expo and not even run the marathon to begin with, I was really lucky to have gotten through this training without any injuries, but extremely unlucky when it came to race-day weather.
Now I am trying to think about my next marathon I want to redeem myself ASAP because I know I am in such great shape! But I also don't want to rush recovery. Today my legs feel better than they typically do after a marathon, probably because I did so much walking. And yet, I ran the London marathon in about the same time, and recovery only took me a few days. (It was a fun run, and I didn't exert myself the way I did yesterday). I will either do the Shamrock Marathon on March 22, which might be too soon, or the NJ Marathon in early May, which seems like too far away!
I just have to say that the best thing to come out of this was all the support from all of my friends. The RWOL BQ girls especially! Not to mention all the support I have from my three friends who live here in Phoenix. They were so amazing to help me with everything. What's most important is that I have an incredible support network.
In a way, I feel like I let you all down because I know you were all rooting for me. And then I just ended up with this epic failure. But ultimately, I know I did the best I could in those circumstances, and I'll just have to pull myself back together and crank out the next one.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Patience is a Virtue!
Calm, patient, relaxed, centered. . . these are words that really need to describe me at the moment but totally do not. I am totally on edge about this marathon on Sunday, which is natural during the final stages of the "taper". I am not questioning my training or my athletic ability, but just hoping that all the logistics go well-- I arrive on time, I don't forget anything, I don't get sick between now and then, etc.
Aside from those elements, the only thing that could possibly stand in the way of my 3:40 Boston Qualifying time is the weather. The first half of the race should be in the 50's and sunny. It's not ideal for me (I prefer overcast) but it's manageable. The temperature will probably hit 60 degrees by the time I get to the 20 mile marker, but with "brilliant" sunshine and no clouds, that will be a real-feel 68, which ends up feeling like 88 when you are running. Ouch.
I ran London and Houston in similar conditions. The temperature never got above 60, but I was still a bit too hot for ideal performance.
As of now, I am anticipating that the heat could slow me down by as much as 3-4 minutes, which are critical when I am trying to reach a lofty goal of 3:40 to begin with. I might have to bank some time in the first half in antipication of the second, although not too much as I need to avoid "bonking". I'll be wearing sunglasses, drinking plenty of water, and possibly running in just a sports bra (no tank).
Looking back on my training, I have all the confidence in the world in my ability to perform well:
You can see the Shamrock Marathon as the first long red vertical bar. Not nearly as much training behind it as what I have now.
My average weekly mileage was 51, excluding the month of September when I was sick. Peak mileage was 56. In my speed sessions, I have been hitting all the proper paces that correspond with a 3:40 marathon, and typically on a treadmill, where it's much more humid than it will be on race day. And a few degrees warmer, too!
If you would like to follow my progress, go to www.rnraz.com on Sunday morning. There will be a link for live tracking. My bib number is 2465. The race starts at 7:40am local time, which is 9:40am Eastern. Splits are given at the 10K, half, 20-mile and finish. I expect my splits to be 52:xx, 1:50, 2:47, 3:40.
Aside from those elements, the only thing that could possibly stand in the way of my 3:40 Boston Qualifying time is the weather. The first half of the race should be in the 50's and sunny. It's not ideal for me (I prefer overcast) but it's manageable. The temperature will probably hit 60 degrees by the time I get to the 20 mile marker, but with "brilliant" sunshine and no clouds, that will be a real-feel 68, which ends up feeling like 88 when you are running. Ouch.
I ran London and Houston in similar conditions. The temperature never got above 60, but I was still a bit too hot for ideal performance.
As of now, I am anticipating that the heat could slow me down by as much as 3-4 minutes, which are critical when I am trying to reach a lofty goal of 3:40 to begin with. I might have to bank some time in the first half in antipication of the second, although not too much as I need to avoid "bonking". I'll be wearing sunglasses, drinking plenty of water, and possibly running in just a sports bra (no tank).
Looking back on my training, I have all the confidence in the world in my ability to perform well:
You can see the Shamrock Marathon as the first long red vertical bar. Not nearly as much training behind it as what I have now.
My average weekly mileage was 51, excluding the month of September when I was sick. Peak mileage was 56. In my speed sessions, I have been hitting all the proper paces that correspond with a 3:40 marathon, and typically on a treadmill, where it's much more humid than it will be on race day. And a few degrees warmer, too!
If you would like to follow my progress, go to www.rnraz.com on Sunday morning. There will be a link for live tracking. My bib number is 2465. The race starts at 7:40am local time, which is 9:40am Eastern. Splits are given at the 10K, half, 20-mile and finish. I expect my splits to be 52:xx, 1:50, 2:47, 3:40.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
2008 Recap
2008 was a good year for me running-wise, with the exception of a knee injury in the Spring and a 5-week long illness in the fall. Since I started racing in 2005, I know that my "gains" will be less significant as time goes by, so having another year like 2008, with significant PRs at several distances, will be unlikely. While there are still many good things to come in my running career (or so I hope) I'd like to take a moment to reflect back on 2008.
Races & Places
The furthest I traveled for a race this year was the London Marathon in April. Other interesting locations were the Houston Half Marathon, Richmond and Virginia Beach (for the Shamrock marathon and the Rock 'N Roll Half). The other races were all in the Washington DC Metro area.
Marathons
Shamrock Sportsfest Marathon, March 16, 3:51
Flora London Marathon, April 13, 4:11:57
Training Miles
I ran 1746 miles in 2008. This is exactly 150 miles more than my total from 2007, which was 1596. I had injuries in both years, but the injuries in 2008 sidelined me more than in 2007. The total is less than what I had hoped for (I was going for 2000), but after my injury healed, I ran 1130 miles for the second half of the year. Had I been able to do this for the first part of the year, I would have exceeded my goal.
Highest Mileage Month: 225.5 (December)
Lowest Mileage Month: 39.9 (May)
Highest Weekly Mileage: 56 (December 1-7)
Lowest Weekly Mileage: 0 (A few times due to injury and illness)
Average Training pace: 9:25/mile
In 2007, my highest monthly mileage was 168, and highest weekly mileage was 48.
Injuries
For the first half of the year, it was one injury after another. But once I got smarter about training, my injuries vanished. Injuries included:
- Pinched Peroneal Nerve in early January
- Strained Tibialis anterior (outer shin muscle) in March, April, and May
- Outer Knee pain, from using the wrong shoe in March and April
- Patellar Tendonitis from April to July
- Virus throughout the entire month of September
Bad Racing Experiences
The worst race of the year (and perhaps my life) was the Rock 'N Roll VA Beach half marathon. I had been coming down with some sort of viral infection, and didn't realize it at the time. It was also 93% humidity and the upper 70's. I would have DNFed if I thought I could get a way back to the finish line. I have never felt so wasted during a race and immediately after. Following this race, I was sick for nearly five weeks.
I also attempted to run a 10K just as I was recovering from being sick, and I ended up really messing it up. It was so bad I didn't even post a blog about it. I felt like shit throughout the entire run, with a time that I was completely ashamed of. Not to mention that the 10K is already the most challenging distance for me.
PRs
I set a PR at every distance this year, except for the 10K. And I did not race a 10-miler, so there was no PR to be had. I also ran my first 20K, but I used it as a "marathon pace" training run.
5K: 23:22 (7:31 pace)
4-mile: 30:16 (7:34 pace*)
20K: 1:44:26 (8:25 pace)
1/2 Marathon: 1:48:43 (8:17 pace)
Marathon: 3:51:49 (8:51 pace)
*Course may have been 3.9 miles, but damn, it was hilly!
Running Buddies
Brent and I ran the Shamrock Marathon together (well, not together, but we drove together, etc) and a 10K. It was great to take a trip to Houston to visit one of my best running friends (and best overall friends!) Randi. She ran the full while I did the half. My friends in London, Zoe, Rosa and Charlotte were amazing when I went over there. They totally took care of me. Also a shout out to Lauren who ran the VA Beach half and the Leesburg 20K with me. And then there are the "usual suspects" who I often see at local races.
Also extremely important is my running support network. The Big Cat Race Team (especially George/La Lynx), the "Think Fast" ladies and the "RWOL BQ" girls have been incredible in supporting me.
Randi and me before the Houston Marathon
At a London restaurant after running the marathon with my British friends.
Brent and me before a 10K
Power Songs
5. Fall Out Boy- Beat It
4. Paramore- Misery Business
3. Good Charlotte- I Don't Wanna Be In Love
2. Jason Mraz- The Dynamo of Volition
1. Counting Crows- Cowboys
2008 Races
January- Houston Half Marathon: 1:50:43
March- Shamrock Marathon: 3:51:49March- Scope It Out 5K: Dropped out, Injured
April- Flora London Marathon: 4:11:57
April- GW Parkway Classic 5K: 23:55
May- Cascades Firechase 10K: 58:30 (injured, training run)
June- Lawyers Have Heart 10K: Too slow to mention!
June- PRR Twilight Festival 4-miler: 35:33 (100-degree heat)
August- Leesburg 20K: 1:44:26
August- VA Beach 1/2 Marathon: 2:03:xxSeptember- Hartford Marathon: Dropped out, Sick
November- Richmond 1/2 Marathon: 1:48:43
November- Turkey Trot 5K: 23:22
December- Christmas Caper 10K: 49:36
December- Fairfax 4-Miler: 30:16
Weather
Nearly all of my races this year have been in extreme weather. I have had horrible luck with weather. The Shamrock marathon was very windy. The London marathon had torrential downpours. The PRR Twilight 4-miler had a 100-degree heat index, and I actually had to walk part of the last mile. The VA Beach half marathon had 93% humidity, and we all know how that turned out. My 10K in December was extremely chilly with a headwind. My 4-miler last night was held during a wind advisory with 20-25 MPH winds, gusting up to about 40 MPH. The best weather was probably during the GW Parkway Classic 5K. But I was injured during that one!
2009 Goals
Basically, my main goal is to qualify for the Boston Marathon. The 1130 miles that I ran from July-December will hopefully get me there when I make my attempt in a few weeks. If not, I may try again in early May, or just wait until the fall.
I'd also like to run 1978 miles, because that was the year I was born.
And most importantly, my goal is to remain injury free.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
New Year's Eve 4-Miler
I ran the inaugural Fairfax Four Miler last night (New Year's Eve) in the midst of a high wind advisory.
When I got the flyer in my mailbox for this race, I was extremely excited. I didn't have plans for New Year's Eve yet, and I was scheduled for a speed workout of 4 x 1600m that day. (That's four 1-mile repeats for those of you who are not runners). Doing a 4-mile race in place of this workout would be a welcome change.
Because I am now tapering for my marathon on January 18, I didn't want to push it too hard. I decided that I wouldn't "race" it at full effort, but rather use it as a fast tempo run, aiming for a pace of 7:50/mile.
Race day arrived and there was a wind advisory. Winds were blowing at 20-25 MPH with gusts up to 50 MPH. In fact, there was so much wind, that a powerline went down on the certified race course, so they had to scramble at the last minute to design a new course. The new course was 4 laps there were just shy of one mile each. They mentioned that it was no longer certified, and I heard some people saying that it was only 3.9 miles instead of 4. However, being that this is a 4-loop course, I had to be on the ouside of the loop for the last two laps, because I was passing walkers and slower runners.
Perhaps the worst thing about this new course was that it was much hiller than the original. Each lap had about three hills, and at no point during the race was there a flat surface:
One lap of the 4-mile course.
Note the 6% grade! And we had to run up that thing 4 times. The toughest hill, in actuality was the last hill of the lap. It just seemed to go on and on. And during the last two laps, the course was crowded with walkers and slower runners, so I had to weave through them.
To add insult to injury, this was obviously an evening race (7:00), and we all know that I am very much of a morning person, and I am often in bed by 7:30!
I arrived at the race, got out of my car, and immediately started to warm up. I wanted to do a one-mile warmup, but it was so hilly around the race and I didn't want to wear myself out, so I only did a half mile warmup. The wind was making things extremely difficult and the windchill factor was in the teens. The coldest race I have ever run.
I decided to stick to my plan of 7:50's. This was going by feel, of course, as I don't have a Garmin. I ended up averaging 7:34/mile. I think because of all the hills, I knew I had to exert more effort to get up to 7:50. I have been doing A LOT of hill training over the past two months, so the hills didn't take as much out of me as expected.
My time was 30:16, average 7:34 pace. If the course was actually 3.9 miles, my pace would be 7:45. Given that I ran on the outer edge of the loop, I'd say my true pace probably feel somewhere between 7:34-7:45. I guess I will have to live with the ambiguity!
I placed 10th out of 163 in my age group, putting me in the top 6%, and beating out 94%.
I placed 142 of 1007 total runners, putting me in the top 14%, and beating out 86%.
Considering I did not race this at full effort, I am thrilled!!!! I feel very well prepared for my marathon in less than three weeks. I will continue to do shorter, faster runs to keep my legs fresh without the burden of high mileage.
After the race, all the finishers got Nike hooded sweatshirts. And they were gender-specific so mine fits quite nicely. I met up with my friend Brianna very briefly. And then I met up with Katharine and Mike. When we picked up our bib numbers, we got coupons for free food at the surronding restaurants. So the three of us made the rounds to get free hot chocolate and pizza. I had already redeemed my ice cream coupon before I met up with them. Yeah, I ate ice cream even though the temperature was in the teens!
When I got the flyer in my mailbox for this race, I was extremely excited. I didn't have plans for New Year's Eve yet, and I was scheduled for a speed workout of 4 x 1600m that day. (That's four 1-mile repeats for those of you who are not runners). Doing a 4-mile race in place of this workout would be a welcome change.
Because I am now tapering for my marathon on January 18, I didn't want to push it too hard. I decided that I wouldn't "race" it at full effort, but rather use it as a fast tempo run, aiming for a pace of 7:50/mile.
Race day arrived and there was a wind advisory. Winds were blowing at 20-25 MPH with gusts up to 50 MPH. In fact, there was so much wind, that a powerline went down on the certified race course, so they had to scramble at the last minute to design a new course. The new course was 4 laps there were just shy of one mile each. They mentioned that it was no longer certified, and I heard some people saying that it was only 3.9 miles instead of 4. However, being that this is a 4-loop course, I had to be on the ouside of the loop for the last two laps, because I was passing walkers and slower runners.
Perhaps the worst thing about this new course was that it was much hiller than the original. Each lap had about three hills, and at no point during the race was there a flat surface:
One lap of the 4-mile course.
Note the 6% grade! And we had to run up that thing 4 times. The toughest hill, in actuality was the last hill of the lap. It just seemed to go on and on. And during the last two laps, the course was crowded with walkers and slower runners, so I had to weave through them.
To add insult to injury, this was obviously an evening race (7:00), and we all know that I am very much of a morning person, and I am often in bed by 7:30!
I arrived at the race, got out of my car, and immediately started to warm up. I wanted to do a one-mile warmup, but it was so hilly around the race and I didn't want to wear myself out, so I only did a half mile warmup. The wind was making things extremely difficult and the windchill factor was in the teens. The coldest race I have ever run.
I decided to stick to my plan of 7:50's. This was going by feel, of course, as I don't have a Garmin. I ended up averaging 7:34/mile. I think because of all the hills, I knew I had to exert more effort to get up to 7:50. I have been doing A LOT of hill training over the past two months, so the hills didn't take as much out of me as expected.
My time was 30:16, average 7:34 pace. If the course was actually 3.9 miles, my pace would be 7:45. Given that I ran on the outer edge of the loop, I'd say my true pace probably feel somewhere between 7:34-7:45. I guess I will have to live with the ambiguity!
I placed 10th out of 163 in my age group, putting me in the top 6%, and beating out 94%.
I placed 142 of 1007 total runners, putting me in the top 14%, and beating out 86%.
Considering I did not race this at full effort, I am thrilled!!!! I feel very well prepared for my marathon in less than three weeks. I will continue to do shorter, faster runs to keep my legs fresh without the burden of high mileage.
After the race, all the finishers got Nike hooded sweatshirts. And they were gender-specific so mine fits quite nicely. I met up with my friend Brianna very briefly. And then I met up with Katharine and Mike. When we picked up our bib numbers, we got coupons for free food at the surronding restaurants. So the three of us made the rounds to get free hot chocolate and pizza. I had already redeemed my ice cream coupon before I met up with them. Yeah, I ate ice cream even though the temperature was in the teens!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
The Curse of the 10K
I don't know what it is about the 10K. I have never run one that I was satisfied with. Except for maybe my first 10K, and I was happy just to be in the top 25% of the women.
Today I ran the Christmas Caper 10K as a tune-up race for the Marathon. It will be followed by a 17-miler tomorrow to prepare my legs to run when fatigued. This race was tiny. The official results aren't posted yet, but I would guess that maybe only 150 people ran the 10K, and probably 200 people ran the accompanying 5K. It was a true 'no-frills' race with no t-shirt, and it only cost $5.00. So, even though the field was small, there were a lot of really good runners out there.
The race was not chip timed, and there were no mile markers. It was 40 degrees and overcast, but it felt more like the upper 20's with the wind. Headphones were not permitted, so I had to go without. The race was a two-loop course know as Hains Point in Washington DC. I had run this course as part of the Marine Corps Marathon.
Going into this race, I told myself that my main goals were to stay relaxed, not go out too fast, and not put too much pressure on myself to perform. I figured I would go out at a 8:00 pace for the first mile, and then try and run 7:40s for the rest of the race, in the hopes of breaking 48 minutes. All of my recent races and training runs indicate that this is possible. I ran a 7-mile tempo run at a pace of 8:00, and felt like I had plenty of 'gas in the tank' afterward, so running a 10K with race adrenaline should have been at a noticeably faster pace.
There was no taper for this race. I ran 10 miles with hills on Thursday and then an easy 5 miles on Friday. Additionally, I went to my company's Holiday party last night and was up past midnight. I woke up at 4:00am, which means less than 4 hours of sleep. I'm not trying to make excuses, just trying to factor in all the variables.
I warmed up for about half a mile and then waited for the race to start. I was shivering in my skirt (no tights). The race started and I tried to hold back a bit. There was a 10 mph headwind since we were right next to the water, and so I figured I wouldn't push hard at the start. I didn't know if there would be mile markers, but I wasn't really expecting them given the size of the race. There was a marker at mile 1, but then nothing after that. I ran the first mile in 8:01, which I was pleased with, considering the headwind.
I picked up the pace a bit, but I wasn't sure by how much. There was a woman about 10 feet in front of me wearing a Chicago Marathon jacket from 2007. The year it was really hot. She seemed to be holding a nice steady pace, so I decided to let her pace me. There were no more mile markers, and I didn't have my music to focus on, so I just kept my eyes on that woman and focused on running at her pace. After the first loop, I was neck-and-neck with her. I don't know if she slowed down or if I sped up. We ran together for about a mile and then she got ahead of me again. At about mile 5, she passed this one girl who seemed to be slowing down. And then I passed her as well. Since I couldn't focus on my pacing strategy, I was really focused on what these other women were doing. Shortly after the Chicago woman and I passed that girl, she gunned ahead at a fast speed and flew by both of us. Neither of us could catch her.
I just assumed that a PR would be 'in the bag' because I am in such better shape now than I was last year when I set my PR. So, I kept looking at my watch and assuming I would get to the finish line at 47 or 48 something. But I started to get discouraged when the finish line was not coming, and I crossed in a disappointing 49:36.
13 seconds slower from the PR I set last December. Although this race was a lot more controlled than that one. (I had gone out t 7:30 back then and blew up during the last mile). I really think that if there had been mile markers and I had realized that I wasn't going at my target pace, I could have sped up. But I was so fearful of bonking, that I guess I held back a little too much.
Both of the women beat me by seconds, but the Chicago woman was 40, and the other woman was in her 20's. Which means we weren't competing against each other for an age group award.
The woman in the Chicago jacket said she thought it was a tough course with the wind, which reassured me. Additionally, she had just run a marathon in 3:45 a few weeks ago. That was comforting to hear!
I was definitely not pleased with my time, considering that all of my other races predict something faster, and I am in much better shape than I was last December when I PRed. But I am not discouraged about the marathon because I have had some amazing training runs over the past month.
I did win third place in my age group (30-39), but that's not saying much, given the size of the race. I took home some Balsam & Cedar Oil Diffusers as my award.
If I can get through the 17 miles tomorrow after having done this 10K, I will be pleased.
Today I ran the Christmas Caper 10K as a tune-up race for the Marathon. It will be followed by a 17-miler tomorrow to prepare my legs to run when fatigued. This race was tiny. The official results aren't posted yet, but I would guess that maybe only 150 people ran the 10K, and probably 200 people ran the accompanying 5K. It was a true 'no-frills' race with no t-shirt, and it only cost $5.00. So, even though the field was small, there were a lot of really good runners out there.
The race was not chip timed, and there were no mile markers. It was 40 degrees and overcast, but it felt more like the upper 20's with the wind. Headphones were not permitted, so I had to go without. The race was a two-loop course know as Hains Point in Washington DC. I had run this course as part of the Marine Corps Marathon.
Going into this race, I told myself that my main goals were to stay relaxed, not go out too fast, and not put too much pressure on myself to perform. I figured I would go out at a 8:00 pace for the first mile, and then try and run 7:40s for the rest of the race, in the hopes of breaking 48 minutes. All of my recent races and training runs indicate that this is possible. I ran a 7-mile tempo run at a pace of 8:00, and felt like I had plenty of 'gas in the tank' afterward, so running a 10K with race adrenaline should have been at a noticeably faster pace.
There was no taper for this race. I ran 10 miles with hills on Thursday and then an easy 5 miles on Friday. Additionally, I went to my company's Holiday party last night and was up past midnight. I woke up at 4:00am, which means less than 4 hours of sleep. I'm not trying to make excuses, just trying to factor in all the variables.
I warmed up for about half a mile and then waited for the race to start. I was shivering in my skirt (no tights). The race started and I tried to hold back a bit. There was a 10 mph headwind since we were right next to the water, and so I figured I wouldn't push hard at the start. I didn't know if there would be mile markers, but I wasn't really expecting them given the size of the race. There was a marker at mile 1, but then nothing after that. I ran the first mile in 8:01, which I was pleased with, considering the headwind.
I picked up the pace a bit, but I wasn't sure by how much. There was a woman about 10 feet in front of me wearing a Chicago Marathon jacket from 2007. The year it was really hot. She seemed to be holding a nice steady pace, so I decided to let her pace me. There were no more mile markers, and I didn't have my music to focus on, so I just kept my eyes on that woman and focused on running at her pace. After the first loop, I was neck-and-neck with her. I don't know if she slowed down or if I sped up. We ran together for about a mile and then she got ahead of me again. At about mile 5, she passed this one girl who seemed to be slowing down. And then I passed her as well. Since I couldn't focus on my pacing strategy, I was really focused on what these other women were doing. Shortly after the Chicago woman and I passed that girl, she gunned ahead at a fast speed and flew by both of us. Neither of us could catch her.
I just assumed that a PR would be 'in the bag' because I am in such better shape now than I was last year when I set my PR. So, I kept looking at my watch and assuming I would get to the finish line at 47 or 48 something. But I started to get discouraged when the finish line was not coming, and I crossed in a disappointing 49:36.
13 seconds slower from the PR I set last December. Although this race was a lot more controlled than that one. (I had gone out t 7:30 back then and blew up during the last mile). I really think that if there had been mile markers and I had realized that I wasn't going at my target pace, I could have sped up. But I was so fearful of bonking, that I guess I held back a little too much.Both of the women beat me by seconds, but the Chicago woman was 40, and the other woman was in her 20's. Which means we weren't competing against each other for an age group award.
The woman in the Chicago jacket said she thought it was a tough course with the wind, which reassured me. Additionally, she had just run a marathon in 3:45 a few weeks ago. That was comforting to hear!
I was definitely not pleased with my time, considering that all of my other races predict something faster, and I am in much better shape than I was last December when I PRed. But I am not discouraged about the marathon because I have had some amazing training runs over the past month.
I did win third place in my age group (30-39), but that's not saying much, given the size of the race. I took home some Balsam & Cedar Oil Diffusers as my award.
If I can get through the 17 miles tomorrow after having done this 10K, I will be pleased.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
17 w/ 14 @ MP
Lately, I have been second-guessing my BQ attempt. Training is going flawlessly, but I am not seeing the gains in speed that I had hoped for. I did just set two PRs in the half marathon and the 5K, but they weren't significant enough for me to really think that a BQ was in the cards for me.
Now, my confidence has been restored.
This morning, I ran 17 miles. The first three were slow warm-up miles and then the remaining 14 were at marathon goal pace. I was aiming for 8:23-8:24 as my target. I did just run 13.1 miles at an average 8:17 pace in Richmond, so it seems like this training run shouldn't be an issue. However, that was in the context of a race, with race-day adrenaline and a mini taper. This run comes after having run 90 miles in the first 12 days of December, including two 12-milers just this week.
It was cold and sunny, with the occasional 15 MPH wind gust. It was about 31 degrees at the start and probably around 36 at the end. I wore the shoes that I am planning to wear in the marathon, my beloved Brooks Adrenaline GTS 6, which have been discontinued for two years, but I have a few remaining pairs, which I reserve for occasions like this. I won't wear the shoes again until race day.
As I began the run, I realized that I was wearing an extra 3-4 pounds of clothing, not to mention the water bottle I was carrying. I felt weighted down and I was wondering if I could actually hit target pace with this extra clothing. After the three warmup miles, it was time to start running at marathon pace. I sped up to something that felt noticeably harder, but still comfortable. I clocked the first mile at 8:32. I typically start all my runs slower and end faster, so I was fine with this pace for the beginning.
1- 8:33
2- 8:32
3- 8:31
4- 8:22
I picked it up during the 4th mile, because I knew I had to, and I was finally warmed up to my new faster pace. It didn't feel easy and I was seriously doubting that I would be able to do the full 14 at this kind of pace. But, I reminded myself that usually my runs don't feel good until I am 5 or 6 miles into the run (which is why I am horrible at 10Ks)! Sure enough, I did start to feel good during mile 5.
5- 8:26
6- 8:24
7- 8:15
8- 8:12
I ate sports beans at mile 5 and mile 10. I typically do not use any sort of fuel on my long runs because I want my body to learn how to burn fat for fuel. But today was an exception and almost like a rehearsal for the race. It was also good practice in eating the beans while maintain the target pace.
9- 8:14
10- 8:19
11- 8:19
Interestingly, I did not have to stop for traffic at all during this run. There were three spots where I had to cross busy intersections and I was extremely lucky that I had the right of way each time. I was looking forward to my forced stop at mile 12, but it didn't happen. Which is for the best, anyway. I threw away my empty water bottle and cranked out the last three miles.
12- 8:22
13- 8:11
14- 7:55
The 8:11 was a surprise. I felt myself slowing down, but I think I must have mentally told myself that I really couldn't afford to slow down, so I overcompensated. And then I knew I could nail the last mile at a sub-8:00.
The average pace for this run was 8:20, which is the pace of a 3:38 marathon. The total time was 1:56:40. Yay!
The great thing about this run was that my legs didn't hurt or get tired. After having running so many miles in the past two weeks, my legs felt awesome. I think I might have some minor soreness tomorrow, but I will definitely be ready for another 50+ week next week.
Only two weeks of hard training remain, and then I begin my taper. I am so very thankful that I have managed to complete all of these training runs without getting injured. I just need to make it to Phoenix in one piece and the weather has to cooperate! I would actually prefer to race in weather like today (35 degrees) then something in the low 60's, which is what Arizona is typically like.
Now, my confidence has been restored.
This morning, I ran 17 miles. The first three were slow warm-up miles and then the remaining 14 were at marathon goal pace. I was aiming for 8:23-8:24 as my target. I did just run 13.1 miles at an average 8:17 pace in Richmond, so it seems like this training run shouldn't be an issue. However, that was in the context of a race, with race-day adrenaline and a mini taper. This run comes after having run 90 miles in the first 12 days of December, including two 12-milers just this week.
It was cold and sunny, with the occasional 15 MPH wind gust. It was about 31 degrees at the start and probably around 36 at the end. I wore the shoes that I am planning to wear in the marathon, my beloved Brooks Adrenaline GTS 6, which have been discontinued for two years, but I have a few remaining pairs, which I reserve for occasions like this. I won't wear the shoes again until race day.
As I began the run, I realized that I was wearing an extra 3-4 pounds of clothing, not to mention the water bottle I was carrying. I felt weighted down and I was wondering if I could actually hit target pace with this extra clothing. After the three warmup miles, it was time to start running at marathon pace. I sped up to something that felt noticeably harder, but still comfortable. I clocked the first mile at 8:32. I typically start all my runs slower and end faster, so I was fine with this pace for the beginning.
1- 8:33
2- 8:32
3- 8:31
4- 8:22
I picked it up during the 4th mile, because I knew I had to, and I was finally warmed up to my new faster pace. It didn't feel easy and I was seriously doubting that I would be able to do the full 14 at this kind of pace. But, I reminded myself that usually my runs don't feel good until I am 5 or 6 miles into the run (which is why I am horrible at 10Ks)! Sure enough, I did start to feel good during mile 5.
5- 8:26
6- 8:24
7- 8:15
8- 8:12
I ate sports beans at mile 5 and mile 10. I typically do not use any sort of fuel on my long runs because I want my body to learn how to burn fat for fuel. But today was an exception and almost like a rehearsal for the race. It was also good practice in eating the beans while maintain the target pace.
9- 8:14
10- 8:19
11- 8:19
Interestingly, I did not have to stop for traffic at all during this run. There were three spots where I had to cross busy intersections and I was extremely lucky that I had the right of way each time. I was looking forward to my forced stop at mile 12, but it didn't happen. Which is for the best, anyway. I threw away my empty water bottle and cranked out the last three miles.
12- 8:22
13- 8:11
14- 7:55
The 8:11 was a surprise. I felt myself slowing down, but I think I must have mentally told myself that I really couldn't afford to slow down, so I overcompensated. And then I knew I could nail the last mile at a sub-8:00.
The average pace for this run was 8:20, which is the pace of a 3:38 marathon. The total time was 1:56:40. Yay!
The great thing about this run was that my legs didn't hurt or get tired. After having running so many miles in the past two weeks, my legs felt awesome. I think I might have some minor soreness tomorrow, but I will definitely be ready for another 50+ week next week.
Only two weeks of hard training remain, and then I begin my taper. I am so very thankful that I have managed to complete all of these training runs without getting injured. I just need to make it to Phoenix in one piece and the weather has to cooperate! I would actually prefer to race in weather like today (35 degrees) then something in the low 60's, which is what Arizona is typically like.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Peak Week! (Part II)
Back in August, I wrote a blog called "Peak Week!". As the name implies, the blog was about my week with the highest mileage prior to the marathon. With this training cycle, I am mixing my previous program (Pftizinger) with another program (RW Ultimate). I thought I really benefitted from the 55-mile week in the previous program, so I decided to keep it in my training plan. Except for I added a mile to the long run and ended up with 56 miles.
I thought I would do a comparison of both weeks: August 18 vs. December 1. That week of August 18 was one of the last weeks I was able to complete before getting sick at the VA Beach half marathon on the 31st.
Monday: Recovery with Strides
Monday's run is 6 recovery miles, including six 100m strides. Not much change between August and now, as recovery runs are supposed to be run very slowly. In August, I was doing recovery runs at an average pace of 10:25 and now I am doing them at an average pace of 10:15, and my heart rate is actually lower for a faster pace. The pace of the strides is still the same, only strides have gotten a lot easier.
Tuesday: 12 with 7 Tempo
Tuesday is one of the most challenging workouts in the program: 12 miles with 7 at tempo pace. I did 4 warump, 7 tempo, and 1 cooldown. Here is where I see a real difference. I put in the same level of effort as I did in August, and ended up with a much faster tempo. Both runs were done on a treadmill, so weather was not a factor.
In August the miles were: 8:18, 8:16, 8:09, 8:05, 8:03, 8:03, 8:00.
8:08 Average.
This week, the miles were: 8:06, 8:05, 8:03, 8:03, 8:00, 7:57, 7:50.
8:00 Average.
Best of all, I felt like I had energy left over, and could have continued running at that pace. My 10K PR pace is 7:57, so I am thinking I can probably shave at least a minute off of that, if I don't go out too fast.
Wednesday: Rest!
Thursday: 12 Miles
In August, this run averaged a pace of 9:23. This week was actually slower- averaging 9:30. This was partially because I added "hills" (treadmill inclines) at grades 5%-6% during the run, for a minute at a time. While maintaining my pace. I've been adding hills to all of my medium-long runs, and also running a hilly route for my long runs. I think this has helped immensely, even though my marathon is relatively flat. Hills help with leg strength.
Friday: 5 Recovery
Not much exciting here.
Saturday: Long Run
The program calls for 20 miles, which I did in August at an average pace of 9:32. Yesterday, I decided I would do 21 miles, just to push my limits a bit, and log my highest weekly mileage ever. I ran a much hiller route, and averaged a pace of 9:26. Further, faster, and hillier.
I do have some lingering soreness in my quads today, but I think I will be ready to go again on Monday. Oh yeah, and this run was freezing. It was overcast and about 32 degrees. It took me nearly an hour to fully "thaw" afterwards.
I'm very pleased with my 56-mile week. And if you count the run that I did last Sunday, it's actually 60 miles in 7 days! As for the marathon itself, I only have six weeks until the big day. Right now, I feel pretty confident in a 3:45. I need a 3:40 to BQ, and I am not sure if that will be feasible. I have a few more tune-up races this month and some speed sessions which will help me determine what I am capable of.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Blood From a Turnip
"Setting a PR in the 5K is like squeezing blood from a turnip," one of my wise runner friends once told me. Back in June 2007, I squeezed two seconds out of it, down to 23:30. I hadn't squeezed anything since. . . until today!
I ran the 20th annual Virginia Run Turkey Trot 5K in Centreville, VA. This is a large 5K with about 3,000 participants. This is my third consecutive year running this course, and my course record was 23:32 from 2006. Last year's race was a disaster.
I was really hoping for and expecting a PR today. By how much, I had no idea. All of my training is targeted towards a January 18th marathon, which means that the bulk of my speedwork is only just beginning. Up until now, most everything has been focused on endurance and lactate threshold. A 5K is mainly a test of your VO2 Max, and I haven't been doing that kind training.
The weather was sunny with no wind, and the temperature was a frigid 33 degrees. I wore tights, and actually put my skirt over my tights for the first time ever. It was surprisingly comfortable. I wore my lightweight Mizuno Elixirs which are simply awesome for short races and speedwork. The course was rolling hills, with two longer/steeper hills (but that weren't terrible).
My strategy for this race was to not go out too fast (I ruin almost all my short races this way) and to not look at my watch. I wanted to wear a watch so I would know my time immediately, but I didn't want to look at it. I lined up toward the front, but not the very front. I didn't want to go out too fast so I made sure I was back some. The people around me were talking about running a pace of 8:30, and I was hoping for about 7:30, but I didn't move. The race started and it was really crowded. I didn't want to expend energy weaving through too many people, and I didn't want to go out too fast, so I just tried to stay relax and go with it.
I came to the first mile marker and hit the split button. I wanted to record my splits but not look at them. Well, I "accidentally" saw that I ran a 7:54. Not good. (I would later learn that this was more like a 7:50 because I started my watch too soon). I told myself not to worry and that I could easily run the rest of the race at a pace of 7:20. And that's exactly what I did.
I gave myself a bit of a push and I told myself to just maintain that faster pace. I passed a bunch of people at this point, weaving through them left and right, but I was determined to run at my pace and not let the crowd stop me from getting a PR. I zoned out. I focused on the music in my iPod. There were two long hills. I told myself that I had been training on hills so not to be intimidated.
All of a sudden, I noticed that I was turning back onto the main "drag" that meant that the race was almost over. I didn't even see the second mile marker. I looked at my watch and it read 19:04. Where did all that time go!? It just went by soooo fast because I was so focused, or perhaps I was zoned. Whatever I was doing, it worked.
Someone on the Runner's World forums said that you are supposed to feel like you are on the verge of vommiting during a 5K. So, I reminded myself that the pain I was feeling was normal and good, and that I could survive just a few more minutes of it. I told myself that I could NOT slow down and that I would sprint to the finish. I was grunting loudly. Every 15 seconds or so, I would let out this loud grunt that was totally incontrollable and really embarassing!
As I approached the finish line, I looked at the clock, which read 23:35. I knew I had a PR so I just did this sprint, and passed a few runners in the last 50 meters or so.
My official time was 23:22, with an average pace of 7:31.
This is a 5K PR by 8 seconds, and a course PR by 10 seconds.
I placed 5 of 136 women aged 30-34, beating 96.3% of them.
I placed 56 of 1421 total women, beating 96.1% of them.
After the race, I ran another 5 miles at a pace of about 8:50. Including the warmup and the race, I ran 9.1 miles today.
I'm very pleased with my performance, especially since this is the ONLY 5K where I have ever run negative splits. Maybe the crowd at the beginning was a blessing in disguise.
Time for Turkey! Happy Thanksgiving to all my blog readers.
I ran the 20th annual Virginia Run Turkey Trot 5K in Centreville, VA. This is a large 5K with about 3,000 participants. This is my third consecutive year running this course, and my course record was 23:32 from 2006. Last year's race was a disaster.
I was really hoping for and expecting a PR today. By how much, I had no idea. All of my training is targeted towards a January 18th marathon, which means that the bulk of my speedwork is only just beginning. Up until now, most everything has been focused on endurance and lactate threshold. A 5K is mainly a test of your VO2 Max, and I haven't been doing that kind training.
The weather was sunny with no wind, and the temperature was a frigid 33 degrees. I wore tights, and actually put my skirt over my tights for the first time ever. It was surprisingly comfortable. I wore my lightweight Mizuno Elixirs which are simply awesome for short races and speedwork. The course was rolling hills, with two longer/steeper hills (but that weren't terrible).
My strategy for this race was to not go out too fast (I ruin almost all my short races this way) and to not look at my watch. I wanted to wear a watch so I would know my time immediately, but I didn't want to look at it. I lined up toward the front, but not the very front. I didn't want to go out too fast so I made sure I was back some. The people around me were talking about running a pace of 8:30, and I was hoping for about 7:30, but I didn't move. The race started and it was really crowded. I didn't want to expend energy weaving through too many people, and I didn't want to go out too fast, so I just tried to stay relax and go with it.
I came to the first mile marker and hit the split button. I wanted to record my splits but not look at them. Well, I "accidentally" saw that I ran a 7:54. Not good. (I would later learn that this was more like a 7:50 because I started my watch too soon). I told myself not to worry and that I could easily run the rest of the race at a pace of 7:20. And that's exactly what I did.
I gave myself a bit of a push and I told myself to just maintain that faster pace. I passed a bunch of people at this point, weaving through them left and right, but I was determined to run at my pace and not let the crowd stop me from getting a PR. I zoned out. I focused on the music in my iPod. There were two long hills. I told myself that I had been training on hills so not to be intimidated.
All of a sudden, I noticed that I was turning back onto the main "drag" that meant that the race was almost over. I didn't even see the second mile marker. I looked at my watch and it read 19:04. Where did all that time go!? It just went by soooo fast because I was so focused, or perhaps I was zoned. Whatever I was doing, it worked.
Someone on the Runner's World forums said that you are supposed to feel like you are on the verge of vommiting during a 5K. So, I reminded myself that the pain I was feeling was normal and good, and that I could survive just a few more minutes of it. I told myself that I could NOT slow down and that I would sprint to the finish. I was grunting loudly. Every 15 seconds or so, I would let out this loud grunt that was totally incontrollable and really embarassing!
As I approached the finish line, I looked at the clock, which read 23:35. I knew I had a PR so I just did this sprint, and passed a few runners in the last 50 meters or so.
My official time was 23:22, with an average pace of 7:31.
This is a 5K PR by 8 seconds, and a course PR by 10 seconds.
I placed 5 of 136 women aged 30-34, beating 96.3% of them.
I placed 56 of 1421 total women, beating 96.1% of them.
After the race, I ran another 5 miles at a pace of about 8:50. Including the warmup and the race, I ran 9.1 miles today.
I'm very pleased with my performance, especially since this is the ONLY 5K where I have ever run negative splits. Maybe the crowd at the beginning was a blessing in disguise.
Time for Turkey! Happy Thanksgiving to all my blog readers.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Half Marathon PR, Long Overdue!
Background
Going into this race, I felt like a PR was pretty much a guarantee, provided that the weather didn't interfere. I set my half marathon PR of 1:50:43 (8:27 pace) back in January in Houston, and I hadn't even been running in the three weeks leading up to it due to an injury.
Part of my success there was due to the fact that I told myself to relax and have fun with it. I learned that the less pressure I put on myself while racing, the better. I expected a half marathon PR back in August when I ran the VA Beach half marathon, but due to the wicked humidity, and the fact that I was coming down with a nasty virus (that the race worsened, like 10 fold), I ended up with a disappointing 2:03, and I felt like death when the race was over.
On Friday night, I arrived at the hotel that I had booked last-minute. They had forecasted major thunderstorms for Saturday morning, so I figured I would rather face rush-hour traffic with no thunderstorms on Friday than have to deal with that on race morning. The hotel was really nice, and it was located about 15 minutes away from the race. I found a small Italian restaurant nearby and I ordered ziti marinara for carry out and ate it in my hotel room. I am not sure how an Italian restaurant can mess up something so simple, but this pasta was awful.
I also realized that this was the first race that I had ever traveled to where I was alone. Usually I go to races where I know someone who lives there, or I travel with somebody. But for the first time, I was carb-loading alone.
Race Morning
I looked out my window and there was no rain. All the weather web sites were still forecasting a 100% chance of rain during the race with 100% humidity. Temps were supposed to be in the lower 60's. I ended up wearing a sports bra (no shirt to cling to me if it got wet) and a hat to keep the water off of my face.
I drove to the site of the race and calmly told myself not to panic as I could not find parking. So many roads were blocked off, that I couldn't get to the lots that the race web site said to use. At one point, I found myself going down a dark alley under the stadium and I was all freaked out. I finally found a lot that was really close to the start line, but that the web site hadn't mentioned.
Miles 1-4
The race started and memories of the marathon from last year came flooding back. The first two miles were on the same streets and I just reminded myself of how it took a while to get into my "groove"
back then, so it was okay to not feel great at the beginning. I really didn't want to go out too fast, or waste energy weaving through people, so I let the crowd set the pace. It felt like a pace of 8:45, and I told myself that any pace was acceptable for mile one, but it ended up being 8:15 and I was pleasantly surprised. All I had to do was to maintain that exact pace for the remainder of the race.
I carried a small water bottle with me for the first few miles. I was mentally prepared for a somewhat steep hill at the end of mile 3, which during the marathon, was the end of mile 19. I was thankful that it was only mile 3 and so glad that I wasn't having to conquer that hill at mile 19 again. After that, we ran on a track through a stadium and then around a large parking lot. This was cool because I could see a very long stream of runners behind me and ahead of me. Everyone was sprawled out around the track and the parking lot. I must have slowed down here, although it didn't feel slower.
Mile 1: 8:15
Mile 2: 8:14
Mile 3: 8:10
Mile 4: 8:23
Miles 5-10
During this whole time, there was not a single drop of rain. The temperature was in the mid 60's and
very humid. I tried not to get freaked out by the humidity, and just told myself to push through. I had my first pack of sports beans during mile 5 and my second pack (with caffeine) during mile 10. I ate about 3/4 of each pack.
The course wound through some neighborhoods, and this was not part of the full marathon course. There was no mile marker 5, (or at least I didn't see it) and I told myself not to worry about it and just keep going. I crossed the 10K timing mat at 51:03, which was perfect! This was a pace of 8:13, and exactly on target with where I wanted to be. I wondered if my friends were getting the text messages they signed up for. I would later find out that the timing system was completely messed up.
Mile marker 9 was misplaced and this messed me up. According to my watch, I ran a 6:43 mile, which I knew was not correct. However, there was a downhill during that mile, and I did feel fast, so I figured there was a good possibility that I had run a sub-8:00 mile. I told myself to slow down so that I wouldn't hit the wall during the last few miles. This was a mistake. I came to the next mile marker in 10:21. I had no idea what those two miles averaged at the time, but it ended up being the slowest part of my race.
Mile 5: 8:09
Mile 6: 8:09 (both of these miles averaged 16:18)
Mile 7: 8:18
Mile 8: 8:15
Mile 9: 6:23 (probably around 8:15)
Mile 10: 10:23 (probably around 8:45)
Miles 11-13.1
I was finally in the home stretch. I told myself that nothing could stop me now! Well, the wind did its best to stop me. By this point, the temperature had risen to about 68 degrees, with high humidity, and the winds were really picking up. I couldn't draft off of anyone because there was no one close
enough to me. I never felt like the wind was at my back-- it seemed like a strong headwind for these last three miles.
I was looking forward to that last mile because I knew that it was mainly downhill. It was mainly downhill, but I was also fighting wind, so it was a really weird sensation. The last quarter of a mile was a steep downhill and I wanted to make the most of it. I lengthened my stride farther than it's ever been and I felt like I was flying. I was afraid of slipping on the wet pavement, but I stayed focus and tried to really hammer it home with the help of that downhill.
I sprinted to the finish line and my legs were moving faster than I have ever felt them go, with the momentum of that hill. I don't know how fast the sprint was because I didn't stop my watch until a few seconds after crossing the finish line, and as of now, my chip time has not been recorded by the race.
Mile 11: 8:23
Mile 12: 8:29
Mile 13: 8:02
Last 0.1: ?
After the Race
Because I have far too many race photos of me hitting my watch at the finish line, I waited until I was well beyond it to stop my watch. My watch time ended up being 1:48:45, but I'm going to call it 1:48:42 to account for the fact that I waited a few seconds to stop it. (Yeah, I am OCD that way).
Because of so-called weather issues, my chip time is the same time as my gun time in the official results. About half of the other runners have that as well, so I hope they correct it. I am really not a fan of the D-Tag. I think I have complained about it in every blog of every race I have run with it. My VA Beach half marathon splits were incorrect for about a week, and then they were finally fixed. I hope they are able to fix my official results, because this is a PR for me!
I drove back to my hotel, showered and checked out. I then went back to the race where I met some marathoners from the Runner's World web site for a beer and lunch. The marathoners suffered some major heat/humidity. It was actually sunny with temperatures rising to about 74. This was nowhere in the forecast!
Didn't Push Hard Enough?
When I crossed the finish line, I felt amazingly good. I typically am out of sorts for about 5 minutes after a half marathon. I have never felt so good at the finish line! Nothing hurt, either. I had no
soreness or leg aches during the race. I felt like I could have kept going at that same pace for a few more miles, but it would have been hard to speed up. Once again, this is a testament to my endurance abilities over speed.
I didn't feel sore or stiff for the rest of the day, and today, there is just some minor soreness.
The good news is that I won't have to sacrifice this week of training due to recovery. I will hopefully be able to log another 50-mile week instead of having to take extra days off for recovery. This was not my "A" race, so it makes sense that I didn't push it. On the other hand, I am really curious what I could have done if I had pushed harder. Or if there was no wind or humidity. I am planning on the half marathon this spring, so this just sets me up for even more PRs!
STATS
My time was 1:48:42, with an average pace of 8:17. This is a PR by 2:01. I have not set a PR since March, so it felt awesome!
Here are my rankings:
I am very pleased with my rankings. Sure, I think I could have run faster, but maybe not because of the wind and the humidity. Next up is my annual Turkey Trot 5K.
Going into this race, I felt like a PR was pretty much a guarantee, provided that the weather didn't interfere. I set my half marathon PR of 1:50:43 (8:27 pace) back in January in Houston, and I hadn't even been running in the three weeks leading up to it due to an injury.
Part of my success there was due to the fact that I told myself to relax and have fun with it. I learned that the less pressure I put on myself while racing, the better. I expected a half marathon PR back in August when I ran the VA Beach half marathon, but due to the wicked humidity, and the fact that I was coming down with a nasty virus (that the race worsened, like 10 fold), I ended up with a disappointing 2:03, and I felt like death when the race was over.
On Friday night, I arrived at the hotel that I had booked last-minute. They had forecasted major thunderstorms for Saturday morning, so I figured I would rather face rush-hour traffic with no thunderstorms on Friday than have to deal with that on race morning. The hotel was really nice, and it was located about 15 minutes away from the race. I found a small Italian restaurant nearby and I ordered ziti marinara for carry out and ate it in my hotel room. I am not sure how an Italian restaurant can mess up something so simple, but this pasta was awful.
I also realized that this was the first race that I had ever traveled to where I was alone. Usually I go to races where I know someone who lives there, or I travel with somebody. But for the first time, I was carb-loading alone.
Race Morning
I looked out my window and there was no rain. All the weather web sites were still forecasting a 100% chance of rain during the race with 100% humidity. Temps were supposed to be in the lower 60's. I ended up wearing a sports bra (no shirt to cling to me if it got wet) and a hat to keep the water off of my face.
I drove to the site of the race and calmly told myself not to panic as I could not find parking. So many roads were blocked off, that I couldn't get to the lots that the race web site said to use. At one point, I found myself going down a dark alley under the stadium and I was all freaked out. I finally found a lot that was really close to the start line, but that the web site hadn't mentioned.
Miles 1-4
The race started and memories of the marathon from last year came flooding back. The first two miles were on the same streets and I just reminded myself of how it took a while to get into my "groove"
 |
| Mile 1 |
I carried a small water bottle with me for the first few miles. I was mentally prepared for a somewhat steep hill at the end of mile 3, which during the marathon, was the end of mile 19. I was thankful that it was only mile 3 and so glad that I wasn't having to conquer that hill at mile 19 again. After that, we ran on a track through a stadium and then around a large parking lot. This was cool because I could see a very long stream of runners behind me and ahead of me. Everyone was sprawled out around the track and the parking lot. I must have slowed down here, although it didn't feel slower.
Mile 1: 8:15
Mile 2: 8:14
Mile 3: 8:10
Mile 4: 8:23
Miles 5-10
During this whole time, there was not a single drop of rain. The temperature was in the mid 60's and
very humid. I tried not to get freaked out by the humidity, and just told myself to push through. I had my first pack of sports beans during mile 5 and my second pack (with caffeine) during mile 10. I ate about 3/4 of each pack.
 |
| Somewhere around mile 10 |
Mile marker 9 was misplaced and this messed me up. According to my watch, I ran a 6:43 mile, which I knew was not correct. However, there was a downhill during that mile, and I did feel fast, so I figured there was a good possibility that I had run a sub-8:00 mile. I told myself to slow down so that I wouldn't hit the wall during the last few miles. This was a mistake. I came to the next mile marker in 10:21. I had no idea what those two miles averaged at the time, but it ended up being the slowest part of my race.
Mile 5: 8:09
Mile 6: 8:09 (both of these miles averaged 16:18)
Mile 7: 8:18
Mile 8: 8:15
Mile 9: 6:23 (probably around 8:15)
Mile 10: 10:23 (probably around 8:45)
Miles 11-13.1
I was finally in the home stretch. I told myself that nothing could stop me now! Well, the wind did its best to stop me. By this point, the temperature had risen to about 68 degrees, with high humidity, and the winds were really picking up. I couldn't draft off of anyone because there was no one close
I was looking forward to that last mile because I knew that it was mainly downhill. It was mainly downhill, but I was also fighting wind, so it was a really weird sensation. The last quarter of a mile was a steep downhill and I wanted to make the most of it. I lengthened my stride farther than it's ever been and I felt like I was flying. I was afraid of slipping on the wet pavement, but I stayed focus and tried to really hammer it home with the help of that downhill.
I sprinted to the finish line and my legs were moving faster than I have ever felt them go, with the momentum of that hill. I don't know how fast the sprint was because I didn't stop my watch until a few seconds after crossing the finish line, and as of now, my chip time has not been recorded by the race.
Mile 11: 8:23
Mile 12: 8:29
Mile 13: 8:02
Last 0.1: ?
After the Race
Because I have far too many race photos of me hitting my watch at the finish line, I waited until I was well beyond it to stop my watch. My watch time ended up being 1:48:45, but I'm going to call it 1:48:42 to account for the fact that I waited a few seconds to stop it. (Yeah, I am OCD that way).
Because of so-called weather issues, my chip time is the same time as my gun time in the official results. About half of the other runners have that as well, so I hope they correct it. I am really not a fan of the D-Tag. I think I have complained about it in every blog of every race I have run with it. My VA Beach half marathon splits were incorrect for about a week, and then they were finally fixed. I hope they are able to fix my official results, because this is a PR for me!
I drove back to my hotel, showered and checked out. I then went back to the race where I met some marathoners from the Runner's World web site for a beer and lunch. The marathoners suffered some major heat/humidity. It was actually sunny with temperatures rising to about 74. This was nowhere in the forecast!
Didn't Push Hard Enough?
When I crossed the finish line, I felt amazingly good. I typically am out of sorts for about 5 minutes after a half marathon. I have never felt so good at the finish line! Nothing hurt, either. I had no
 |
| Crossing the finish |
The good news is that I won't have to sacrifice this week of training due to recovery. I will hopefully be able to log another 50-mile week instead of having to take extra days off for recovery. This was not my "A" race, so it makes sense that I didn't push it. On the other hand, I am really curious what I could have done if I had pushed harder. Or if there was no wind or humidity. I am planning on the half marathon this spring, so this just sets me up for even more PRs!
STATS
My time was 1:48:42, with an average pace of 8:17. This is a PR by 2:01. I have not set a PR since March, so it felt awesome!
Here are my rankings:
- 25 of 334 for women ages 30-34, beating 92.5% of my age group.
- 126 of 2038 women, beating 93.9% of the women
- 423 of 3620 total finishers (male and female), beating 88.4% of all runners.
I am very pleased with my rankings. Sure, I think I could have run faster, but maybe not because of the wind and the humidity. Next up is my annual Turkey Trot 5K.
Friday, November 14, 2008
The Calm Before The Storm
I used to be relatively lucky with race weather. This year, it's been one weather disaster after another, for the most part! At the Shamrock marathon, I faced some strong winds, at the London marathon, periods of torrential downpour, at a four-mile, a 100-degree heat index, at the VA Beach half, 93% humidity.
Tomorrow, for the Richmond half marathon, they are forecasting thunderstorms, with rain heavy at times. Some forecasts predict that the storms will be over by 8:00am, leaving lighter rain, while other forecasts have the thunderstorms continuing on through the race. What this means for runners is:
- Wet, heavy shoes, with the potential to blister
- Lack of crowd support and entertainment
- Fewer volunteers
- Increased risk of slipping/falling
- Chafing, heavy clothing, etc.
I am worried about all of these things, plus straining my groin like I did in London because those muscles work overtime to help you maintain your balance on wet pavement. I am more worried about getting sick, given my experience at the VA Beach half marathon, which resulted in me being sick for about six weeks. And of course, I am agonizing over what to wear. I packed pretty much my entire running wardrobe! The key item, though, will be my hat with a visor to keep the water off of my face. I've proven on a few occasions that I race well in the wind, so I am not worried about that.
On the plus side, it won't be cold. It's supposed to be in the lower 60's, so I won't need gloves. I am seriously thinking that running in a sports bra without a shirt might be the best option to avoid a soaking garment just hanging on me the whole time. Body Glide will also be key!
My original plan was to drive down to Richmond (90-minute drive) at 5:00am and arrive at 6:30 for the 7:30am race. However, the storms are supposed to be quite severe during that period, which is not safe. Not only is it not safe, but it would take a lot more time than expected, and I wouldn't be able to "relax" and just cruise my way along. Upon hearing the forecast, I booked a hotel this morning, so I am leaving work at 3:30 to drive down there. There will still be rain and darkness to contend with, and a lot of traffic, but it will be safer, and I won't have to worry about that stress on race morning. I think that I would seriously be tempted to not even leave my house in those conditions!
My original goal was 1:47:xx, with an average pace of 8:10-8:13. Based on my speedwork sessions during the past few weeks, this goal seemed to be well within my reach. Heck, even a 1:46:xx was looking like it might be possible. But now, I am not so sure! My main objective will be to avoid slipping and injuring myself, and I am hoping that the weather doesn't dampen my mood. Being mentally "happy" and "excited" is a key element of racing. I likely won't have my iPod, either.
You can track me via text message alerts or emails by going here. I don't think you will need my bib number, but just in case, it's 5567. The race is using the D-Tag system, which is known for incorrectly recording splits. So if I seem to be running really fast or really slow, then it's probably just the D-Tag!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Zipping Along
I gave myself some royal treatment this week. A pedicure on Monday, a hair cut on Tuesday (I have bangs again!) and a sports massage on Wednesday evening. Next Tuesday is my 30th birthday, so I am trying to really enjoy the last few days of my 20's.
Following my birthday, I'll be running the Richmond half marathon on the 15th, and then doing a 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving.
Training has been going well. I ran my "first" 20-miler over the weekend at an average pace of 9:32. It's actually my 4th 20-miler, if you count the runs that I did in July, August and September. I have two more planned before the marathon in January, and hopefully one of those will be 22 miles.
I followed Saturday's 20 miler with 11 miles on Monday morning (including hills), 5 miles on Tuesday (including strides), and then 11 miles on Wednesday morning. That's 47 miles over a 5-day period! Wednesday's 11 miles was interesting:
- 2 miles warmup: 9:50 avg.
- 3 miles @ marathon pace: 8:29, 8:29, 8:28
- 4 x 800 Cruise intervals: 7:38 pace for each, 1:30 recovery jogs.
- 3 miles tempo: 8:03, 8:03, 8:00 (8:02 avg)
- Cooldown
The average pace over the 11 miles was 8:37.
I was surprised I made it through this workout as well as I did. I did not expect to be able to complete all three tempo miles at the end, but I did, and I even sped up on that last mile. I'm also seeing heart rate improvement in terms of my HR being lower than it used to be for the same paces.
All I need to do is steer clear of injuries and illness for the next nine days, and I will be ready to set a nice half marathon PR.
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