Running Shorts

Validated

I ran this course last year and I thought, "Wow, that is a hard course."  After today's race J4 told me he thinks it's the hardest 10 mile course HE'S ever run too (and pre-race he had been talking about another challenging 10-miler in his past).  I felt the same validation I got when he visited from Boston a while back and he told me running up the street leading up to my apartment was "Like running up Mt. Washington."  It makes me realize-HEY, I AM NOT CRAZY!  THIS STUFF IS AS HARD AS I THINK IT IS!

Today's race was pretty typical for me.  I was overconfident/can't pace and I started out to fast.  In my defense, the race starts steeply downhill for a few miles so it's hard to know how fast you should be running and I also wanted some time in the bank for the uphill latter half of the race.  I struggled near the end where there was a pretty nasty headwind to add anguish to the uphills.  I definitely considered walking.  I did not, however, and finished in 1:12:13-seven seconds faster than last year.  I didn't drink any water on the course and I think avoiding water stops helped me get those seven seconds, as well as not dropping anything (ear warmer, gloves) as I tend to do in winter races.  I was 29th woman which is worse than last year, but there wasn't too much I could do about that.  I couldn't go any faster.

J4 was ahead of me for about half a mile (he admittedly started too fast too) and then realized he was running too fast and I passed him.  I was ahead of him for about two (maybe three?) miles before he passed me back for good.  I tried to figure out how far ahead of me he was (his lead kept increasing) since there was a bet on whether he would beat me by two minutes or not.  The difference in our finishing times (58 seconds) did not cover the spread and my sister's boyfriend won the bet.

I am in a bit of hurt actually as my body is sore.  J4, however, is off playing indoor hockey!

Giddy-up!

I'm back from a week in Atlanta.  I was in training which meant I was in training during the day (while working), eating dinner w/ my colleagues at night, doing training homework at night, working at night, and trying to fit in my runs.  I ran about 23 miles from Monday through Friday and while that's low I'm camly calling that a good taper for my 10 mile race tomorrow.  This week was preceded by a high mileage week (highest ever!) and then a speed week (racing and a lot of hard running).  I ran 1:12:30ish last year on this hard course and I was the 20th woman.  I'd like to be in the top 19 tomorrow.  That said, I was in the mist of training for Boston in 2011 and I was pretty fit so it will be a challenge to match that time.

My parents came into town today and my whole family went to the Georgetown b-ball game and then dinner.  My brother and my sister's boyfriend now have a bet going on whether or not J4 will beat me by 2:20 in the 10 miler tomorrow.  My brother thinks J4 will beat me by more than that margin and my sister's boyfriend has a beer waiting for him if J4 doesn't beat me by that margin.  It's so healthy they're betting on that I'm sure.  Better giddy-up Audrey!!

Today's race was nuts!

At 23 degrees F, feels like 12, this was the coldest race I have ever run.  Warming up was unpleasant. After my warmup and before the race I put some chemical heat warmers on my socks and donned a neck warmer.  I still wasn't excited about getting out of the car again.  I did one more warm-up lap around the HS track and found J4 and we tried to wait out of the wind.  I was shivering so he put his arms around me and we tried to keep each other warm.  Ordinarily that's the kind of thing I would see and think, "Get a room please," but I was cold and we were at a Valentine's Day race!!  I think there is more grossness leeway.

We went over to the start and lined up near the line and were soon off!  There were a handful of women ahead of me including some in pink tutus.  In the first 50 yards I definitely regretted running 10 miles yesterday.  J4 was behind me (he ran 11 miles yesterday) but he passed me about 1/2 mile in.  Then a couple of women passed me: yellow jacket woman and blue sweatshirt girl (she was younger).  We all maintained this positioning for a while as we went over the rolling hills course.  I will say, when you are only running 3.1 miles the race passes quickly.  One mile came around and I realized-only 1/2 a mile before the turnaround!  It was kind of awesome.

There was snow and ice on the course and as the race progressed J4 yelled out from ahead of me where it was icy and slippery.  

I slowly reeled J4 in and passed him with about 1/2 mile to go and yellow jacket and blue sweatshirt girl were just ahead of him.  I passed those two just before we turned onto the track for the last ~250 yards.  J4 was cheering me on and yelling at me that the women were going to try and catch me and to MOVE.  The girl in blue got the closest and I was properly motivated to keep it up.  In the final backstretch J4 made his move and sprinted past me with a kick I haven't seen before even by Usain Bolt!!  There was definitely some primal male power fueling him if you ask me!  :)  He beat me by 2 seconds with a 20:54, someone finished between us, and I rolled in with 20:56.  The girl in the blue sweatshirt finished...behind me.  I'm not sure of her time.  Then yellow jacket woman rolled in followed by her boyfriend 35 seconds behind her.

J4 and I cooled down and also signed up on posterboard as a team in the boyfriend/girlfriend category.  At the end of the day I was 2nd F 30-34, J4 was 5 M 30-34, and, most importantly for the Valentine's Day race, we were #1 boyfriend/girlfriend!  Woot!  (We're standing in front of the bf/gf sign below). Yellow jacket woman and her boyfriend were second in the category so it was close!

Blogworthy

Someone who blogs here just ran their highest mileage week ever!!  50 miles.  Bam!  It was unplanned and even includes a 3.5 mile day when I had to wake up at 4 AM to travel for work and then couldn't motivate for more than 30 minutes at 8 PM.

Basically the 50 miles happened b/c I was hungover from my brother's birthday party so instead of doing my long run on Saturday I did a shorter run in the afternoon (7.5 miles or so) and then a long run today, Sunday.  During the run J4 and I realized I had run every day this week-which I never do-and we did some math to figure out my mileage-which I never keep track of.  We determined 13.5 miles would bring me up to 50 for the week so that became the plan for today.  13.69 miles at 8:19 min/miles later...done!  I'm stoked!

Back home

I'm back from a few days in New Jersey.  I'm going to be spending a lot of time there over the next few months so during this trip I figured I better suck it up and figure out where the nearby running routes are.  I had been running on the treadmill during my past few trips there b/c I was running early (it was still dark out and I was worried the suggested trail wasn't safe) and it was cold.  However, treadmill running is not ideal b/c I am always either waiting for a treadmill and/or I am stressed about being allowed to stay on the 'mill long enough for my 6 miles as there is a 30 minute time limit.

So yesterday and today I waited until just before sunup and started running at 7 AM and found the gorgeous trails near my hotel (with another runner alerting me to a bald eagle up ahead!).  So I was all excited about my new running routes...and then I found out I'm at a different hotel next week b/c mine is sold out.  D'oh!!

Also, notably, J4 and I are using my travel to each indulge in the stuff we like that the other does NOT!  For example, I was all into sushi this week (takeout delivery to the hotel since I am afraid to eat the hotel's food anymore-they were the source of my food poisoning) and J4 had NPR on BEFORE I EVEN LEFT THE HOUSE on Wednesday at 5 AM!  I don't like NPR and I definitely can't fall asleep with anything playing (NPR or music).

I don't have too much to report.  I'm still enjoying the Hansons book I am reading and I have two races planned this month: the Valentine's 5K and Club Challenge miler.  The goal for tonight is to stay awake long enough to help my littlest brother celebrate his 21st b-day at midnight.