Arc's iCan 5K and Week 16 Summary

There are days I question my sanity... or my motives. Yesterday was one of them.

First off, I didn't want to get out of bed. It was cold and dark. It had been raining for the last 2 days. My race yesterday was a cross-country race. I've been really tired all week, ever since I ran the hills in Louisville, and I simply didn't feel like racing. However, since I was signed up, I got up and drove to Columbus.

So why the heck was I doing this? It's suppose to be my speedwork for the week. But really, on a wet cross-country course, I'm not sure how much "speed" there will be. It will be a workout, that's for sure. Plus, I wanted the points. It's a Crossroads of Indiana points race. I know I'm not going to be able to make it to every race so I might as well get to the ones I can to get my points.

This year the Crossroads race series has a new points system. The Overall winner points are still the same: 10-8-6 for first-second-third. The age group points are different. It used to be 5-3-1 for first-second-third; now its 4-3-2, then everyone that participates but doesn't place gets 1 point. That makes the age group placing a lot tighter. Grrrr.... not happy about it but, like everything, it's a business. It's to the race series advantage to get people to participate in more races. And, overall, I do like the way the series is run. All the races are reasonably priced - $10 to $15 usually, with the no T-shirt option. It's my kind of race as I don't want to pay extra for T-shirts, medals, and swag. There are usually 100-200 runners so it's not crazy crowded either. I've run enough of them now that I know all the "regulars" and the race director cheers me on by name since I've become one of those "regulars."

So... cold wet morning. I did have the sense to wear old shoes and pack dry shoes and socks. I checked out the course. It was your classic high school cross-county course. Three loops with several hills, gullies, and you ran though, then around some trees. The whole course was flooded. Standing water everywhere. The gully was a small stream. There was mud around all the trees. This was going to be a muckfest. My feet were soaking wet within the first 10 steps. I got back to the starting area and re-tied my shoes - much tighter and double-knotted the laces. I felt like my shoes were going to get sucked off my feet with every step I took...

The race itself was pretty much awful. SO much work!!

Mile 1 - 8:41

After that, I quit looking at my watch. I think at one other point I glanced down and it said I was running at 10:10 pace. In any case, I decided the splits were irrelevant. No one was running a fast race. I was actually passing people all throughout the race but since it was three loops I really had no idea where I was in the overall placing.

It got to be such a miserable slog that I considered just jogging it out but I didn't. Here are the rest of my splits from my Garmin...

Mile 2 - 9:08
Mile 3 - 8:59
last 0.1 - 1:16

Official time - 28:01
Pace - 9:01

My shoes stayed on... barely. I had mud spatter to my thighs!

 

 

I was actually really surprised to find out I had placed third overall in the women's race. The winner ran 27:08.

 

 



Winners were awarded pint glasses

 

 

So here's my training summary for the week...

 

Sunday - rest

Monday - 4 mile pace run

Tuesday - 12 miles hills

Wednesday - rest

Thursday - 4 miles (felt horrible and cut an 8 miler short)

Friday - rest (extra rest day cause I still felt horrible)

Saturday - 5 miles (I think I ran my warm down on the streets as fast as my race!)

 

Week 16 Total Miles: 25

 

I'm resting again today. My legs feel a bit over trained. I'm in my taper now so I'm hoping they will start feeling better soon. I'm planning to go to Louisville tomorrow to tackle those hills one more time before my marathon.

 

Turning the Corner and Facing the Beast

Yesterday I told my Sole Sisters that I felt I had turned a corner in my training. I had a 4 mile pace run on the schedule. My legs were still dead from my 10 mile pace run on Friday and my 20 mile long run on Saturday but I made myself do it and pulled it out!

Mile 1 - 8:30
Mile 2 - 8:35
Mile 3 - 8:39
Mile 4 - 8:32

Overall, it was SO much harder than Friday but I kept my head and made my splits. SO HAPPY!!

I had to do my pace run yesterday because I went to Louisville today to face my "beast" - the hill in the middle of my marathon. This is the elevation chart from the Derby Festival Marathon website...

 

 

That hill in the middle of the race is in Iroquois Park - the highest point in Louisville. You enter the park around mile 11.5 and exit it around mile 15. I feel like if I can make it through the park then I might make my time.

 

Anyhoos... I had a long day as things didn't exactly go as planned.

 

Since G's room is currently non-existent, she is sleeping on the couch. She got cold in the middle of the night and crawled in bed with me and Clark. Belle sleeps with us. Belle and Stella are now co-existing in harmony so Stella likes to sleep with us too. So now we have me, Clark, G, the dog and the cat all in bed together. Clark got up at 6 am to use the bathroom and then declared there were too many people in "his bed." I was going to get up at 6:30 am anyway to leave at 7 am for Louisville so I got up and went to the couch. G followed me and went to the other couch. Stella followed me and curled up on my chest. I couldn't wake a sleeping cat that was snoozing so comfortably on my chest so we all slept til, um, 9 am.

 

I finally got on the road a little after 10 am. Then I hit construction on the highway. Grrrr... It took me over 3 hours to get to Louisville.

 

I got to Iroquois Park and started driving the course. That put me in full on freak out mode. The beast of a hill was much more than just a "hill." It looked like a small mountain. It was steep enough that there were switchbacks.

 



I parked the car and started breathing again. One foot in front of the other...

The first big hill was 0.5 miles long then there was a downhill. Phew... then another hill, about 0.2 miles long, then a little downhill, then another 0.5 mile long hill, another downhill, small hill, downhill, then big 0.5 mile hill followed by a long downhill and then rolling hills til the park exit. So... three big 0.5 mile long hills and two smaller 0.2 mile hills, then some rolling hills to the exit.

Some of the switchbacks were so severe that you could almost run a straight line if you ran the angles, however the camber of the road was also so steep that it was easier to run in the middle of the road where the camber wasn't so steep.

I did this course 3 times. This is what the elevation looked like on my Garmin...

I was ready to die.

So I froze on my long run Saturday. This is what it looked like after my run today...

I was so hot I felt like my head was going to blow up.

It was a beautiful day. However, note to self... do not wait until almost 2 pm to start running 12 miles on a warm day!

So, I've faced the beast. I'm a little scared. OK, I'm more than a little scared. I don't know if I can handle these hills halfway through a marathon. Maybe I should have picked a different race. Well, too late now. I just need to stick to that 3:50 pace runner like the original plan. I may try to get down to Louisville one more time next week... earlier in the day!

This Week's Project

Once again, my house is looking like something out of an episode of Hoarders.

Everything that used to be in G's bedroom is now in the living room. My Spring Break project is redecorating her bedroom. I last redecorated that room 7 years ago when both G and J lived in that room. Since then, her big sis has moved to a room of her own and G wants different paint, carpet
 and décor. Sigh...

So far, I've pulled almost everything out of the room. It's simply amazing how much crap you can find under a dresser and a bed! We are now down to this...

Actually, that second bedframe is now broken down and the closet is empty. I need to wash down the walls and rip out the carpet. After that, I'll paint the room. I did have enough sense to actually pay someone to install the new carpet. The carpet is ordered and I am hoping it will come in this week so I can schedule installation for the end of this week or early next week.

G also wanted this bedspread for her bed.

It costs $1630!!! Like for JUST the bedspread - not all the other pillows, sheets, etc in the photo. Luckily (for me) it only comes in King and Queen sizes, not twin. Sorry G, can't order it. I did, however, figure out how to make a "replica" bedspread from lace and fabric from JoAnn so that's on the burner for this week too.

What are you doing over Spring Break?

What's your next project?

Derby Training Week 15 ... Did It!!

This was a good week. I had the right balance of work days and workouts and I was able to manage both for once. The weather is getting better too. I committed to running the rest of my runs outside to get used to running the roads and hills. It got cold and rainy towards the end of the week and I really wanted to retreat back to the comfort of my hamster track but I stuck to it and ran outside.

Monday - 10 miles
Tuesday - 5 miles
Wednesday - kettlebell class
Thursday - 5 miles
Friday - 10 mile pace run
Saturday - 20 miles

Week 15 Total Miles: 50

Not much else to say today!

Don't Be Stupid

"Don't be stupid."

That was my mantra for my pace run today. I think I've had more bad pace runs than good ones lately. Today was my last "long" pace run before my marathon. 10 miles. After my disaster 2 weeks ago where I blew up after 5 miles, I really needed a good run.

Sometimes I think I'm just kidding myself thinking I can run a Boston qualifying time. There are days that I think, when push comes to shove, I can pull it off. Other days I think I don't have the endurance to keep pace for 26.2 miles and I wonder, when will I fall apart... 16 miles? 18 miles? 20 miles? 22?

Today's goal was 10 miles at 8:45 pace. 8:50 pace if needed. I just wanted a consistent run.

"Don't be stupid." None of this blasting off for a couple miles and then blowing up.

I was suppose to do this yesterday. However, it was rainy and windy yesterday so I ran 5 miles instead and moved my schedule around. I'm glad I didn't attempt this yesterday cause I ended up getting hit in the thigh by an errant baseball halfway into my run, and then it poured rain on me.

I didn't get around to running today until 5 pm. The kids are on Spring Break and I was having too much fun running around with them and spending hundreds of dollars at Target. Finally, I got myself out the door to play in 5 o'clock traffic.

"Last hard thing I have to do this week." I find myself saying that a lot to myself lately.

"Don't be stupid."

Mile 1 - 8:26   Don't be stupid
Mile 2 - 8:39   Better
Mile 3 - 8:40
Mile 4 - 8:37
Mile 5 - 8:35

Mile 4 is mostly uphill. Mile 5 finishes on an uphill and then I get to turn around and do it all over again. I've been working on striding up all my hills. I think making myself run on the roads for the last 2 weeks is paying off.

Mile 6 - 8:29   Don't be stupid
Mile 7 - 8:35
Mile 8 - 8:34
Mile 9 - 8:27

So I'm still feeling pretty good and I realize I'm going to make my goal. In fact, I feel great! I'm thinking about adding on another 3.1 miles to see what kind of half marathon time I can run today.

"Don't be stupid." Today is not the day to be trying for an unofficial half-marathon PR. Just run what's on the schedule. I have 20 miles tomorrow. Just finish strong today.

Mile 10 - 8:15

 

 

DONE!! I really needed this today. I think so much of distance running is mental. Today I had my head in the game. I think if I can just work on my mental endurance, I CAN DO THIS!

 

That's where my head is today. I've got my last 20 miler tomorrow. I'm going to do 4 more loops of rolly hills and enjoy myself.

Spring Break

 

Spring Break. Just 2 years ago, Spring Break used to be the start of my running season. It's incredible how much things have changed over the last year!

Most years, I sign up for the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. I think I just do it out of habit now. And most years, I always want to run it faster than the year before. It's my mentality when I toe a starting line. Whether I'm prepared or not, if I toe a line, my intention is to run a race, run faster than I ever have before.

I admit it - I am a fair weather runner. I don't generally run outside if its too cold or too hot or if it's pouring rain. I just don't enjoy it. Therefore, most years, I would start my running for the year on Spring Break - in Florida - on a strip of A1A that runs the length of Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce where my in-laws stay in the winter.

Before the new balanced school year calendar that started this year, Spring Break was the first week in April. That would give me, oh, 3-4 weeks at best to go from 0 to 13.1. And yes, I had mastered my 0 to 13.1 training schedule. It always got me to the finish line... in 2-O-something, but never less.

Last year I decided I wanted under 2:00 again. Besides, I wasn't getting any younger and 0 to 13.1 in 3 weeks is kinda hard on the body. I started this blog on February 18th (first post HERE) to push myself a little harder.

Last Spring, I didn't know if I'd ever break 2:00 again but I did. 1:55:45 on May 4th. That made me dream bigger. So now I'm chasing Boston. Something I would never have even thought about at this time last year... and in the process, I ran a 1:53 half in September and had a sub-2:00 split during my marathon in November.

Spring Break 2014. 10 miles today. I've got 50 miles on the schedule this week. I'm planning to run my third 20-miler of the year at the end of the week. What a difference a year makes!

Derby Training Week 14... Recovery

It's one of those moments that sticks with you...

There I was, a first year medical resident on the surgery service. Low man on the totem pole. It was Saturday morning. First day of gun season (for deer) in Michigan. My senior surgical resident called in sick. Then the junior surgical resident called in sick - or rather - his wife and kids were sick and he had to stay home to care for them. Then the first year surgical resident had a family emergency and had to go home. So that left me, who wasn't even a surgery resident, carrying the entire surgery service for the hospital. Then we got a big trauma - some guy who was unlucky enough to have got shot in the head AND chest while deer hunting... it was a sucky day.

So later, the senior surgery resident, who I got along with really well and had a hell of a lot of respect for told me this... He was responsible for everyone on the service and he felt bad calling in sick. However, he was really sick. In the medical profession you spend a whole whole lot of time being a student of sorts. You are an adult. You've graduated college. You've even graduated med school. But then you're a resident and treated like a kid again. At some point though, you will become top dog and there will be no one else to tell you what to do. You are an adult. You will have to decide what to do. You have to be responsible for yourself. You will have to decide if you are too sick to go to work or not. No one is going to send you home from work and there will be no one to ask permission to leave work. If you don't give yourself permission to be sick, no one else will.

This is so true. It's something I see regularly at work. It's adults seeking permission to be sick. It's obvious they're sick. They have a fever of 103. They're throwing up. They feel like crap. Then they say, "Do you think I should stay home?" Duh. What do you think I'm going to say? These are the normal hard-working people* who go to work everyday for a living. They don't need work notes to call in sick yet they want someone else to validate the fact that they are sick and want permission to call in sick.

So, long story short, we're all adults and you have to know when to say when.

Last Saturday after my race was when. I went to work after my race and felt fine. And then I didn't. And then I really didn't. My stomach hurt. I thought I was hungry. I tried to eat. It just made me nauseous and my stomach hurt more. Then all my insides felt like they were going to fall out. It got to the point where I couldn't concentrate on anything I was doing because I was too fixated on either getting to the bathroom or trying to calm my belly cramps. I finally threw in the towel with 3 hours left in my shift.

"Hey guys, I have to go home."

No questions asked. My co-workers booted me out the door. No one wanted to catch whatever badness I had.

I made it home and got as far as my couch. From there I just wanted to die. Sunday was just a lost day. After 24 hours of popsicles and saltines though, I felt a little better. Monday, I ventured out for a run...

So this was a recovery week. Perfect timing. I needed all kinds of recovery. My body needed recovery. My soul needed recovery from this never-ending winter. The sun finally came out. I spent the week running outside. Never mind that it was windy; I was outside in the sun!!

So here's how the week went. All my runs were relaxed and outside.

Monday - 6 miles
Tuesday - 5 miles
Wednesday - kettlebell class, 5 miles
Thursday - 6 miles
Friday - kettlebell class, 12 miles

Week 14 Total Miles: 34

Next week is my last BIG week before the taper. This is it! Time to get all my serious training done. Time to really get my head in the game.


*as oppose to some of our "regulars" who come in for a work note once a month because they've not gone to work that day for some reason or another and need a note saying they've been to the hospital; the ones that ruin it for everyone else and make some employers require work notes