The Slacker in me is a little confused right now. I decided to take it easy this week after the my painful race on Saturday. Was that really just a few days ago? Sunday was a puppy walk and Monday was an easy run. What I didn’t mention before is that after that somewhat stiff 4.5 mile run, I went for another puppy walk. Total miles for the day 7.5. Not exactly low key.
So pretty!!!
Tuesday I did take a rest day, which I won’t lie was pretty nice. By Wednesday I was itching to run. The weather outside looked marvelous and I couldn’t wait for work to be done for the day. I figured I could do an easy 3.5 miles in the 40ish minutes of daylight remaining. This time I was prepared with my belt and my Garmin. Just after starting my run I remembered what I had forgotten. Wednesday was a high wind advisory day. Holy crap, it turned a mild 58 into about 38. My ears were so cold!!!!
same location, new angle
I felt like I was crawling. I was a little stiff and not loving that the route from work is pretty much all downhill and then uphill back. I didn’t make it to the the 1.75 mark before turning around because I realized that would put me halfway down the blind curve-hill so I turned around just before. Other than the wind, the weather was great and the views were awesome. I stopped a few times to take pictures. I stopped my Garmin around the 5k mark and walked the rest of the way back to my car. Checked my Garmin while stretching- 29:14. Big oops.
Oops
Like I said, a little confused. I felt slower than that. I made sure to stretch and foam roll really well last night. At least as well as I could. There’s something about the foam roller that makes me feel completely uncoordinated. 🙂 My leg feels mostly ok today. It doesn’t help that I have had a few meetings this week, so that has meant skirts and heels. And I haven’t taken my comfy boots to the repair shop yet. Even with a tall heel they felt like slippers.
Love the smell of eucalyptus
Today was a rest day and tomorrow will be too. I admit to feeling lazy and its making me antsy. I know I need to rest a bit and it is annoying. Luckily or not, next week will be really busy at work as well, so I am thinking maybe another step back week. 😦 My training should still be on track even with that. My 2014 mileage goal is on track as well. I was over what I needed in January and I should be above in February as well. Now I just have to convince myself it’s not a bad thing to cut back next week.
Thanks for listening to my rambling twitchiness. I should be working on a paper but I am channeling my inner Slacker and marathoning Netflix instead. I’m on episode 4, I may have created a problem. 🙂
How have your week’s been?
Can you believe there are only 8 days left in February?!
After Thursday’s recap, I took Friday as another rest day. Attempted Runner asked if I had thought about just doing the last 3ish that I needed to hit 80 on Friday. But I don’t generally like running the day before a race plus work turned into a longer day than planned. After work I had the very exciting Friday night plans of making a new playlist and picking out the clothes for today’s race. I probably should have done laundry. Then I tried to get to sleep earlier. That never seems to go according to plan. Instead it was spent tossing and turning.
hmmm, shorts or pants?
The Super Fun Run is a small 5k /10k that raises money for the local Boys and Girls Club. I ran it last year with a few friends and it was my official 5k PR and the first time that I know of that I age group placed. I was 1st!!! So I was excited going into this race. I was torn between running the 5K or the 10K and I admit it was pride that made me choose the 5K.
My goals going in were- A- beat official PR- 29:36 B- beat unofficial PR- 27:41 (during HOB 10K) C- shot in the dark- sub 27
Apparently I can’t handle the cold. My alarm went off and after turning it off I checked the temp. Mid 20’s. Ugh, so I went with the pants. At the last minute I grabbed a headband to cover my ears. Even though the race was within in walking distance of my house, I still drove down. Why? It was freakin’ cold and I had to have somewhere to put the shirt and goody bag after bib pick up. I waited as long as I could in my car after getting my bib before heading to start line.
There were a few pre-race announcements, a count down and then it was go time. We ran across a baseball field and up a driveway before hitting pavement. From there it is an out and back course with a few turns to add mileage. Knowing the course and the small hill in the middle, I was aiming for a 3 mile sandwich- fast, medium, fast. My toes were so cold, I could not feel them. I felt like I was running awkwardly. I kept hoping they would warm up but they never did. 😦 3/4 of a mile in, I had a tightness in my chest and breathing sucked. It hurt to breath. A little past the mile 1 marker and halfway up the hill, I had to walk. Ugh!!! The downhill that followed was great, though.
Mile 1 was actually a great pace but I felt like I was in trouble. I kept pushing but had to take another walk break on the next incline. Meanwhile, 2 women come flying past on the return and I think crap! I wasn’t even halfway and they were already headed back. The turn around point was about 50 yards past the only water station so I grabbed some on the way back.
I cranked it up and flew down the downhill. However my lungs were so very angry and when I hit the return uphill there was no way I was running it. Another walk. After that it was mostly flat and I tried to push it but I just felt like I could not get enough air and that I was crawling. I didn’t even look at my Garmin the last 1.5 miles. My toes were still frozen, my chest hurt but my head was suddenly too hot. I ripped off my headband and kept going. I took 2 more walk breaks. I rounded the final corner and crossed the finish line. I stopped the Garmin at 27:56.
Now I realize that more than half the country and Canada are dealing with sub zero temperatures, crazy windchill and mountains of snow, so today’s 30 should have been no big deal. However, I would rather run in 115 weather than cold. I have no training with cold running. It is dark and cold when I leave for work, but then I get a nice warm car for the next 45 minutes. I am always cold, I have a space heater under my desk that I run every day at work. Seriously. This race kicked my ass. Overall I took 5 walk breaks and they weren’t just at the inclines.
I met my mom and Zoey after crossing the finish line. I drank some water and tried to catch my breath. She and the puppy left and I hung around to try and get some clue of the official standings. I couldn’t remember seeing that many people coming back before I hit the turn around, but I was kind of on my own planet.
Official Time- 27:54 8th finisher overall 3rd female finisher, 3rd female age group
I have no reason to feel down. I made my primary goal but missed B by 15 seconds. I am proud of what I accomplished but wish I could run the course again about 15 degrees warmer. It was 30 when we started and it was still 30 when I left the race. The website said that only 1st age group finishers received a medal so I ending up leaving early. I could not handle the cold anymore. And those 2 women who flew past me? They finished in 18 minutes. Hot damn! I wish I could be that fast!
I was supposed to run another 9 miles after the race to complete my long run for the week but I made it home and ended up sitting on the ground by the slider in the sun until I could feel my toes again. I’m so weird, I know. 🙂 My legs felt stiff all day so I decided to push my long run back to tomorrow.
The shirt this year was actually really cute and much better than last years. This was an actual dri-fit tee and last year’s was all cotton and not football themed at all. I did treat myself to some post race frozen yogurt- 9 hours later when I was warmer. 🙂
Race day!!!! However, I was so comfy this morning; I had a very hard time getting out of bed. I pushed it as far as possible before getting up and ready to go. I ended up choosing to go with my new capris and a green running tank. I have a problem eating food before a race but I got one Belvita cracker down, grabbed my Gatorade and candy corns and was out the door.
As I wandered down to the starting line, it was so cold. My arms and toes were so cold but I had nowhere to stow a jacket, so I made sure to stand on the sunny side of street. Waiting to line for the starting gun, I always have a sudden moment of panic. A dizzying array of thoughts that all lead back to “oh my god, why am I doing this, I’m gonna fall on my face”. There was a little delay with the starting gun, had to wait for the police escort to get back! Another thing I like about this race- a motorcycle cop leads the way for both the 10K and the 5K. He arrived and we were off!
I normally start out too fast and slow from there. This time I wanted to maintain pace as best as I could. I had a goal in mind but wasn’t sure if I could pull it off, but I was going to try. So I focused on my breathing, picked someone in front of me to pace-stalk and kept going.
Mile 2 I was feeling good, hit the turn-around at 2.2 miles and headed back to complete the first loop. Here I discovered a new running fear. I have always been afraid of being the last to finish a race and yes I know that last is better than never started. However at 2.5 miles, the leaders with the lovely pace officer were heading towards their mile 5. Umm, what? Was I going to get lapped before I had even completed the first lap? Yikes!
Sprinting to the finish!!! 10K
It didn’t happen, whew. I rounded the corner to finish lap 1 and the Grizzly Academy in uniform was standing in a line over half the block, cheering runners on. Good pick me up! Now, here’s a question, does a 5k PR count if it’s during a 10k? When I ran passed the clock, it said 27:44… hell yeah! But now I had to maintain it, and I really wanted to take a walking break. No! This was partially practice for my upcoming half, so I pushed on. By mile 4.5, the person I was pace-stalking graduated from a 1 block lead to a 2 block lead. I was actually maintaining pace, so they must have been one of those people talented enough to pull negative splits. Finally mile 6 and the finish line was just around the corner. Just keep running, just keep running, just keep running and done! 55:57. Only by 3 seconds but still 55 minutes!!!! Part of me wanted to do a little jig but I was tired! And I had another race in 15 minutes.
Steady!
Met up with my mom (photographer) and C and her husband at the finish line. I was running the 5K with them. Took some photos and had a quick shirt/ bib/ chip change. I also refueled with some Gatorade and a few candy corns. Yummy, carbs and sugar. Ok, time to line up again. I told C and her husband that I would probably tire quickly and drop back. The gun rang out and we were off!
Wardrobe change!
I was able to stay strong with them for the first 1.5 miles. Plus it was kind of nice having someone to talk to while running. The halfway point was a little rough, but I hung in there and we kept running. Around 2.2 again, I really wanted to walk but forced myself to pick it up a bit. Yeah that lasted for like a block. Just before the 3 mile mark, C’s husband starts telling us to pick it up; we could do it, just run! Seriously dude? But we did, rounded that last corner and finished at 30:22. C and I managed to finish at the exact same time, he finished a few seconds ahead. I’ll take it!!! Way better than I was aiming for. I told him thanks because without his prodding, I so would have walked at least part of that.
We didn’t plan to match,we’re just good like that, hehe
Then I realized, I had just run a 10K and a 5k without any walking! Where did that come from! We took some more pictures and waited for everyone we knew to cross the finish line. I also ran over to the race truck to check the official finishing times, have to see it to believe it you know.
Then C and I lined back up. We were running the half mile with a co-workers son. Yep, another race. I think I lost my mind. He was so cute and so excited, though, I was hoping he would go slow. Starting gun sounds and he was off like a bullet. Woah, C and I had to bolt to catch him. He held strong till about the 3rd block, and then he needed a walk. Oh, thank you. So we walked half a block and then ran the other half. Rounded the corner and he slowed. It was piggy back time! C carried him for a block, then he ran/ walked another 2. 2 blocks from the end, we rounded a corner at the park and there was a park bench. Perfect time to take a seat! We got him moving with another piggyback ride before he ran the final block and collected his super cool dog tag. All in all a success! And fun, too.
I was so done then, but M showed with Baby G. I stuck around a little longer.
Cutest running partner ever!
Eventually it occurred to me that I really needed food and a chair, so I headed out. I met my mom for lunch and re- fueled with some amazing pizza! Later in the afternoon, I indulged in some racing of another kind. We went to the movies and saw Rush. It was seriously good. Very loud and very intense, but very good. Don’t hold the popcorn in your lap; you may tip it when you cringe! Not my usual cup of tea but I wouldn’t mind seeing it again.
Amazing goodness
Tomorrow should be an easy 3, but we will see how it goes.
Hope everyone had an amazing weekend! Any one run a race or see any good movies?
Ok, this was supposed to be up last night, so read it like it’s still Thursday:) Stupid power outage!
So, Thursday is here and as I previously mentioned, it is a day that I usually choose to be a Slacker:0 I am not sure if it is the fact that I have a race in 2 days (eek!) or that yesterday’s run was slow enough it should be called a walk. So this morning I packed my running gear thinking I may do an easy 2 miles after work if it went well.
Work was crazy and halfway through the day; I felt it, a little twinge in my left ankle. Umm, no thank you. I haven’t even worn heels in 2 days, ugh. I figured I would hit the park and just take it easy see how it feels and go from there. On a side note, I finally figured out how to get to the good parking lotJ
So I start with a little walk before picking up the pace. I feel twinges for the first half mile or so, and then it settles down. Woo Hoo! The plan was to do 2 laps and quit. Well, I settled for 3 and almost beating my 5k PR. Umm what? How did that happen? Feeling good now, only to see how it feels tomorrow.
As much as I like this running path, there is one section that tests me every time. It’s the 50 yard dash while holding your breathJ. There is about a 50 yard section toward the back of the lake which reeks!!!! It smells like something died and quite frankly, I don’t want to investigate. It’s a true test of your determination, you don’t want to slow down, but you really don’t want to breathe either!!!
So tomorrow will definitely be rest day, plus it’s my birthday so what better reason to be a Slacker? After work that is.
Slacker Runner 