Old Pros 10K July 4, 2009

Wed - MJ Tribute Spin Class with Nat and V.
Thurs - 5 mi
Fri - 5 mi
Sat - 10mi (10K Race)
Sun - 7 mi + gym + 1 mile jog home
Mon - 7 mi
Tues - 4.5 (Achilles pain) + PT

Mileage June 19 - July 5 = 42mi (6 days of running)

Old Pros 10K

Time: 38:30
Pace: 6:13
Place: Overall - 6th. Age Divison - 2nd
Splits: 6:09, 6:22, 6:12, 6:13, 6:20, 5:57, ??

The experience of running has changed dramatically for me since college. First of all, I've had to fight to be able to run for over two years now. That's given me a new appreciation for how much it means to me, and a stronger drive to take advantage of my abilities in running. I also have more control over how much I run, how fast I go, and what races I do.

But I think one of the most exciting things for me is I feel like i've finally gotten rid of the demons which have haunted me since High School. My confidence was shaken and I don't think I ever really recovered. But for the first time in forever I don't have this feeling of impending failure when i step up to the line. This past race I had a goal of running a specific time for the 10K, and I KNEW I could do it, despite not being all the way in shape. It was teh strange confidence in my abilities that I never fully embraced. Part of it is being in a new environment. It's not HS or collegiate racing anymore. Another part is that I am tackling distances which I have never raced before. I'm starting fresh with no PRs and no expectations. And also I've had a significant break from competitive running. This fall will mark the first time I am running a season in shape in over four years.

In other running related news, I've been given the privilege of joining our local adidas-movin' shoes team. I am super excited about this because I really do enjoy being on a team and I'm already friends with a good portion of the guys on the team. I've been getting to know the women on the team as well and am excited to get to know them more and race with them this fall.

Ok, that's long enough.

Track Workout (!!!)

Monday - Run (PM)
Distance: 5.0
Avg Pace: 7:33

Tuesday - Track Workout (PM)
2 mi w/u
4x mile w/ 400m recovery. Splits: 6:10, 6:14, 6:12, 6:06
4x 200 w/ 100m recover. Splits: 39, 39, 40, 37
1.5 mi c/d
Total Miles: ~9.0

Went to my old High School track for the mile repeats. It actually felt really good to get on the track, which was surprising because I've been avoiding track workouts like the plague as of late and having been sticking with the simplicity of tempos or repeats on the roads. I think I need to work on getting out to the track more often.

I felt decent, but my legs felt dead. I'm sure its the combo of not enough sleep the last few days, traveling and wine tasting over the weekend, and PT that morning. I also made teh mistake of eating a sushi lunch beforehand...stomach was not happy. But I recovered very quickly, despite the short distance between miles.

A real update!

Why, oh why is it so hard for me to keep with this lately?

Oh that's right. For the last two weeks i've been either working, running, sleeping (not enough), or socializing. Non-stop. I haven't chilled out and relaxed since...

And the only reason I am now is because I am delayed at the airport. And exhausted. And hungover. All I want to do is curl up in a little ball and sleep. But it's been worth it. It's good to be busy at work, Mileage is increasing and the minor twinges I was getting before have faded, you can sleep whe your dead, and I have amazing friends who i am so lucky to have in my life. So, on that note a very quick and dirty summary due to the fact that I'm a week behind.

Sunday - Off

Monday - 8 miles
Tuesday - 6 miles
Wednesday - 8 total miles -4 mile tempo at avg. 6:27, 2 w/u and 2 c/d. After work. Felt good.
Thursday - 6 miles
Friday - 5 miles
Saturday - OFF
Sunday - 6 miles SLOW due to mass consumption of wine during wine tasting on Saturday.

Weely Mileage - 39 (note switched long run from Sunday to Monday so mileage is skewed. Mileage from previous week was under 30...If i hadn't switched days both would have been in mid thirties)

I panicked a little last week because my knee was kinda bugging me again. Not bad, but still bugging and it hasn't hurt at all lately so to feel it again made me nervous. But I think it was just a result of some longer runs (I hit a nine miler the week before) and just the general increase in mileage to the mid thirty range. Things are feeling good again so Julie's happy.

Another race is coming up on the 4th of July. Pretty excited because it's a good course and I am def getting stronger so it'll be nice to see what I can do. Sub-39 would be ideal. We'll see how I feel. I've been burning the candle at both ends so hopefully I'll be rested enough by Saturday that I can race strong. I'm also a little nervous because I'll be racing in a new singlet, one that I need to prove I'm good enough to wear...but more on that later :)

Wow, super proud that I managed a real post.

Another Recap post.

Mon - OFF

Tues - Run (AM) + PT
Course - Streets of Del Mar
Distance: 7.0
Notes: Felt DEAD.

Wed - OFF

Thurs - PT (AM) + Run (PM)
Course: Cliffs
Distance: 6.0
Time:
Avg Pace: 7:54

Friday - Run (AM)
Course: 101 Highway
Workout: 2 mi warm up + striders 3xmile w/ 400m rest: 6:13; 6:32, 5:58 2.5 mi cool down
Notes: second mile mostly uphill while last mile had more downhill, which accounts for the huge variance in pace

Saturday
AM - Bike Ride
Course: 101 Highway w/ Nat and V
Distance: 27.95
Time:
Avg Speed:

PM: Run
Course: 101 Highway
Distance: 5 mi

Sunday - Off

Behind on life...

Mon - Stationary Bike + abs/arms (AM)
Distance: 11-12mi
Time: 60ish mins

Tues - Run (AM) + PT
Course: 101 Highway
Distance: 6.0
Time: 45:47
Avg. Pace:7:37

Wedensday - Run (PM)
Course: Carmel Valley Loop
Distance: 8.11
Time: 64:03
Avg. Pace: 7:53
Notes: little aches and pains, achilles, knee (not pes ans)

Thurs - Run (AM) + PT
Course: Cliffs
Distance: 4.5ish
Avg. Pace: SLOW

Fri - Bike (AM)
Course: 101 Highway
Distance: 17 mi
Time: 1:10 (forgot to restart garmin after flat so time and distance are low)
Avg. Speed: 14.3

Sat - Bike (AM)
Course: Rode with Nat around Carmel Valley, Del Mar, RSF
Distance: ~18mi

Run (PM)
Course: 101 Highway
Distance: 6.0
Time: 44:00
Avg. Pace: 7:19

Sun - Run (AM) + Gym
Course: Cliffs --> TP State Reserve
Distance: 9.0
Longest run since injury 2007!!! Not too speedy cuz legs were dead from double on Saturday.

Weekly Summary

Running Mileage: 34
Days of Running: 5
Biking Mileage: 46
Days of Biking: 3

Highly unexciting post. Life is busy, so I haven't posted anything for a week. Will try to do better.

Iron Girl 10K

10K RACE - AM
Distance: 6.2 mi
Course: Streets of Del Mar + Del Mar Race Track
Time: 40:18
Avg. Pace: 6:30
Place: 10th overall (fifth man in but due to chip time was bumped back. So strange to be beaten by someone who finished behind me!) 4th in age division.
warm up: 2 mi at 7:40
cool down: Banana nut muffin (what? that's not a good cool down?)
Total miles: 8.2

Race Summary

Really pleased with how this race went. First of all, felt exhausted the week before pretty much 24/7 and after my failed attempt at a tempo just wasn't sure if the legs were going to respond to a race. But my plan was to take it out easy for the first two miles to avoid blowing up after three and hobbling in to the finish.

My Goal was 6:30-6:45 pace, so I was really happy to have finished on the low end of my goal. I took it out in high 6:30's and just felt GOOD. I've never truly raced a 10K before except once in College over the summer and it was actually like an 11K+ or something like that (Falmouth road race). I really like the longer distance. The first couple of miles are relaxed and it wasn't until I'd gone through mile 5 that I began to really have that feeling of oh-dear-god-I'm-racing-don't-die-don't-die. Overall, my times were pretty much faster each mile with the exception of mile 5 which was a clusterfuck to say the least. I'm going to gripe for just a moment. The 5K started 5 mins after the 10K which wouldn't be bad i the 10K didn't do the 5K loop twice. Thus I spent the entire 5th mile weaving in and out of kids, old people, joggers, walkers, and just all kinds of people in my WAY. I was in fifth place so should have had the entire road to myself but instead I wasted energy weaving and getting cut off. I estimate the entire endeavour cost me about 13-15 seconds. Poorly planned on the part of the race directors, in my opinion.

But, back to being positive. It was great to have the support of my friends that were at the race. It meant a lot to have some people cheering for me in my return to the world of racing. My mom also was there and she did the 5K and ran the whole first mile without stopping! I'm so proud of her for doing her first 5K in quite a long time and actually running! I think she's going to be able to run a whole 5K soon which is pretty exciting!

So I'm excited to be back in the world of racing. July 4th 10K should be the next jaunt unless something else comes up before then. Should be able to run a much faster time there because it's flat, I'll be in better shape, no race track sand to trudge through, and thank god i will not have to weave through an entire 5K race. Lookin' to go sub-39. Bring it.

Still behind...

Wednesday - Run (AM)
Course: Solana Beach roads
Distance: 7.67
Time: 58:00
TEMPO? Felt like crap. Seriously considered just not even tempoing and jogging the run. Finally manned up and just started. Intended to do 3 mi tempo but just couldn't get the body to hit a decent pace. After hitting mile 3 was so annoyed that tagged on an extra mile of 'tempo'. If it's going to be slow, might as well make it longer.

Thursday - Run and PT (AM)
Course: Cliffs
Distance: 4 miles
Blister Pain! Had to turn around after 2 and barely made it back. Damn blisters.

Friday - Off

Saturday - Run (AM)
Course: Cliffs
Distance: 4.5 miles
Still probs with Blisters.

Blogging re First race to come.