Well, I just had my inaugural 10k event. Although I am not disappointed, I am surely not happy. I finished 2 seconds behind my PR. I feel that I should have beaten it flat out!! My goal was to take it easy this race and just break 45 minutes. But, I committed the cardinal sin... well at least one of them. I did a tempo run 2 days before the race. I was supposed to do a easy run, but just got too impatient and thought that I had something to prove. So a 6.5 mile easy run turned into a 4.25 mile tempo. I also committed another cardinal sin... i ate at a 'so-called' fancy restaurant the night before. I was STUFFED!! Between 3 people, the bill came to over $300. My kinda eating, LOL. Funny thing is... the restaurant was kinda empty. I know we are in a bad economy and all, but if there are more waiters than patrons, then something is wrong. I had a 13oz Filet well done and butterflied!! <-- big mistake. Calamari apetizers... baked potato... broccolli (I swear it looked like asparagus)... desert... oh did I forget a sample of some type of champagne, and I dont even drink. I guess you can do the math and know that I WAS NOT paying for this meal. LOL. All of this at about 8:30pm and the race was at 9:00am the next morning. When I got home, i tried to down as much maalox as I could to get this stuff outta my system. I swear I had like half a cup of oil in my filet... just to keep it moist I guess, since I like it well done. I can hear the groans now... but if I wanted a bloody slab of meat, I would go to a farm and take a bite outta the nearest cow's derier and be just as happy. But I digress... Of course I woke up the next morning feeling about 15 lbs heavier and slightly nauseous. Thought the maalox would have kicked in... tried a BM without success. LOL. So it was off to the races.
I tried warming up but it was very difficult. I tried doing some strides to jump kick my carbo metabolism, and it felt like i was a tortoise full of rigormortoise. Stretched and everything. I had not run in a race in months, so i was nervous. I had on my Brooks T3 Racer (yes I know they are dated). They have about 100 miles on them, so yes I know i'm pushing it with this 195lbs frame. Trying to be as light on my feet as possible, I wore these super thin Nike running socks, granted the T3's have like no cushion. So we line up... and I get a couple of rows behind the elites, because I KNEW there was going to be some idiots that will walk within the first quarter to half mile, and impede my progress. It was a surprisingly smooth start (i'm starting near the front from here on out). Didnt have to elbow the fat old lady with all the gear and ipod and Isotoner shoes. Didnt have to do the Running Jump Scissors manuver to squeeze between to people walking side by side. Didnt have to do the Jerk N Swirve to avoid running into people's heels. Best of all... I didnt have to scream "HEY!!", clip the back heel then push to the side, while finishing off with a snot rocket some 7 year old that was trotting along. For some reason, this run felt "weird", I'm usually pretty comfy at the start. My first half mile was about 6:30 pace according to Garmin (which I pledged that I would not rely on). So I slowed it down a bit to get 6:57 at the mile mark. A near perfect first mile. 7-7:10 was my goal. They claimed that this was a fast course, but it just seemed like it was a very gradual uphill run for the majority of the race. There were some downs, but they were quick and steep downs... i like gradual downs.
The second mile came faster than i anticipated. My Garmin said i ran it in like 7:04, but the auto-lap sounded like 7-8 seconds earlier than the 2mile mark. Silly me, was like "ok 7:04 is fine", but 4got that it sounded 7 seconds early!!! So i prodded on at this pace. I tried to draft some people, but as the race got further, it was harder to find someone to draft. I drafted this older guy for about 1/4 mile until he moved to the side and slowed down... knowing what I was doing!! LOL. He tried to draft me, but I picked it up and left him behind. Stupid mistake, because I ran mile 3-4 in 7 minutes flat. I admit, my "goal" was being thrown outta da window, I was just goofing around sorta. I had hit the 5k mark at 22:35, but that was guntime, so it took me like 20-25 seconds to cross the start mat, so I was on target still. At mile 4.5, there was a 360 degree turn. I HATE those!! I just cant seem to gauge the "tangent", and its hard to pick up speed again. At least I got a glimpse of the Elites as they ran by me coming the other way. I tried to mimic their forms... ha!! That was a joke!! Why can't i just stay focused?? I swear I had like 1000 things going 100mph in my brain the whole race... like:
"Its a marathon... not a sprint"
"Cadence... 180 steps per minute"
"Shorten your stride... pick up the tempo"
"Dont let her pass you!!"
"Catch him!!"
"You are going to die before the race is over!"
"Ugh... why am I running this??"
"I wonder where the finish is"
"Why do I hear footsteps behind me... STOP DRAFTING ME!!"
"I'm getting tired, I need to draft somebody"
"Another hill?!?"
"Dont take my picture at the top of the hill... u know i'm struggling!!"
I could go on and on... Now, I made sure that I double tied my laces before the race, because I didnt want to have them come untied. This guy running in front of my had just that happen just prior to the turnaround. He stopped and tied them. I was like "I would just keep running if I were him", then low and behold... mine comes untied. I dont know how... they were in a knot. So this race is not going as planned. I didnt stop either. Then at mile 5, there was a monster hill about the size of a house, and steeper than I dont know what!!!!! It killed me!! I most definitely wanted to stop at the top, but a couple of men persuaded me to go on... they said "keep going... the downhill is around the corner". I knew better than that!! So I run another half and low and behold... another steep hill!!! This time the "You are going to die" slogan kept repeating in my mind. But I made it. So now I'm like "OK, I cant just keep going up!!!" Then right ahead was a very steep downhill. A break at last!! But wait!!!!!! At the bottom of the hill was a BIG puddle of water. Cant go around it or else slip in the mud. Cant jump over it... its too wide. So just run thru it. I stepped into this puddle, and I swear it came up almost to my knees!!!! I thought I was in a steeplechase or something. I was drenched from chest down, plus my shoe was untied and my feet was sore on the balls. There was some young lady standing just past there, seeing the anguish i was in... said "Less than a mile left". Then outta no-where, the untied-shoe guy catches up to me and passes me. I was TOTALLY unfocused at that point. Hit the six mile mark and he was a good 10 seconds in front now. So now its a 1/4 mile sprint... sorta. I had nothing left. My feet hurt. I was soaked and emotionally drained. I never caught the guy, but I gained ground on him. So I cross the finish. I was beat.
This was a tough run for me... much worse than my 10k that I PR'd. I just need to stay focused. Well it was my first race of the year. So i await my official time... 45:04. 2 second off my PR. But I didnt break 45 like I planned. But I was expecting like 45:45 or something. This was a poorly run race for me IMO. But overall, I was happy that I ran within 4 seconds of my goal. I'm my worst critic. If i ran 42:04, I would be mad that I didnt break 42. Lastly... I get home... feeling as nauseous as ever. My stomach churning!! My body feeling warm. And I reaped what I sowed the previous night... with some sickening excretous. LOL. (dont you just love my choice of words). My focus now is to get speedwork in. I felt kinda weird running so fast during my strides, and I have a 5k next weekend. My goal is a paltry 21:15 or better, but by years end... <20>
I tried warming up but it was very difficult. I tried doing some strides to jump kick my carbo metabolism, and it felt like i was a tortoise full of rigormortoise. Stretched and everything. I had not run in a race in months, so i was nervous. I had on my Brooks T3 Racer (yes I know they are dated). They have about 100 miles on them, so yes I know i'm pushing it with this 195lbs frame. Trying to be as light on my feet as possible, I wore these super thin Nike running socks, granted the T3's have like no cushion. So we line up... and I get a couple of rows behind the elites, because I KNEW there was going to be some idiots that will walk within the first quarter to half mile, and impede my progress. It was a surprisingly smooth start (i'm starting near the front from here on out). Didnt have to elbow the fat old lady with all the gear and ipod and Isotoner shoes. Didnt have to do the Running Jump Scissors manuver to squeeze between to people walking side by side. Didnt have to do the Jerk N Swirve to avoid running into people's heels. Best of all... I didnt have to scream "HEY!!", clip the back heel then push to the side, while finishing off with a snot rocket some 7 year old that was trotting along. For some reason, this run felt "weird", I'm usually pretty comfy at the start. My first half mile was about 6:30 pace according to Garmin (which I pledged that I would not rely on). So I slowed it down a bit to get 6:57 at the mile mark. A near perfect first mile. 7-7:10 was my goal. They claimed that this was a fast course, but it just seemed like it was a very gradual uphill run for the majority of the race. There were some downs, but they were quick and steep downs... i like gradual downs.
The second mile came faster than i anticipated. My Garmin said i ran it in like 7:04, but the auto-lap sounded like 7-8 seconds earlier than the 2mile mark. Silly me, was like "ok 7:04 is fine", but 4got that it sounded 7 seconds early!!! So i prodded on at this pace. I tried to draft some people, but as the race got further, it was harder to find someone to draft. I drafted this older guy for about 1/4 mile until he moved to the side and slowed down... knowing what I was doing!! LOL. He tried to draft me, but I picked it up and left him behind. Stupid mistake, because I ran mile 3-4 in 7 minutes flat. I admit, my "goal" was being thrown outta da window, I was just goofing around sorta. I had hit the 5k mark at 22:35, but that was guntime, so it took me like 20-25 seconds to cross the start mat, so I was on target still. At mile 4.5, there was a 360 degree turn. I HATE those!! I just cant seem to gauge the "tangent", and its hard to pick up speed again. At least I got a glimpse of the Elites as they ran by me coming the other way. I tried to mimic their forms... ha!! That was a joke!! Why can't i just stay focused?? I swear I had like 1000 things going 100mph in my brain the whole race... like:
"Its a marathon... not a sprint"
"Cadence... 180 steps per minute"
"Shorten your stride... pick up the tempo"
"Dont let her pass you!!"
"Catch him!!"
"You are going to die before the race is over!"
"Ugh... why am I running this??"
"I wonder where the finish is"
"Why do I hear footsteps behind me... STOP DRAFTING ME!!"
"I'm getting tired, I need to draft somebody"
"Another hill?!?"
"Dont take my picture at the top of the hill... u know i'm struggling!!"
I could go on and on... Now, I made sure that I double tied my laces before the race, because I didnt want to have them come untied. This guy running in front of my had just that happen just prior to the turnaround. He stopped and tied them. I was like "I would just keep running if I were him", then low and behold... mine comes untied. I dont know how... they were in a knot. So this race is not going as planned. I didnt stop either. Then at mile 5, there was a monster hill about the size of a house, and steeper than I dont know what!!!!! It killed me!! I most definitely wanted to stop at the top, but a couple of men persuaded me to go on... they said "keep going... the downhill is around the corner". I knew better than that!! So I run another half and low and behold... another steep hill!!! This time the "You are going to die" slogan kept repeating in my mind. But I made it. So now I'm like "OK, I cant just keep going up!!!" Then right ahead was a very steep downhill. A break at last!! But wait!!!!!! At the bottom of the hill was a BIG puddle of water. Cant go around it or else slip in the mud. Cant jump over it... its too wide. So just run thru it. I stepped into this puddle, and I swear it came up almost to my knees!!!! I thought I was in a steeplechase or something. I was drenched from chest down, plus my shoe was untied and my feet was sore on the balls. There was some young lady standing just past there, seeing the anguish i was in... said "Less than a mile left". Then outta no-where, the untied-shoe guy catches up to me and passes me. I was TOTALLY unfocused at that point. Hit the six mile mark and he was a good 10 seconds in front now. So now its a 1/4 mile sprint... sorta. I had nothing left. My feet hurt. I was soaked and emotionally drained. I never caught the guy, but I gained ground on him. So I cross the finish. I was beat.
This was a tough run for me... much worse than my 10k that I PR'd. I just need to stay focused. Well it was my first race of the year. So i await my official time... 45:04. 2 second off my PR. But I didnt break 45 like I planned. But I was expecting like 45:45 or something. This was a poorly run race for me IMO. But overall, I was happy that I ran within 4 seconds of my goal. I'm my worst critic. If i ran 42:04, I would be mad that I didnt break 42. Lastly... I get home... feeling as nauseous as ever. My stomach churning!! My body feeling warm. And I reaped what I sowed the previous night... with some sickening excretous. LOL. (dont you just love my choice of words). My focus now is to get speedwork in. I felt kinda weird running so fast during my strides, and I have a 5k next weekend. My goal is a paltry 21:15 or better, but by years end... <20>
10Ks sure are long aren't they? Dude, I was dying reading your thoughts during the race! You have a lot of natural speed, can't see what you do when you get some consistent training in.
ReplyDeleteWell, good start for the season. Unfortunately I was NOT impressed with the Martian races this year. I agree with Nettie. Get some consistent training with more mileage, and you will really be flyin'!
ReplyDeleteT
Not bad to run near-PR pace after the brutal winter and recent speedwork. You'll be killing this race time shortly, for sure. Good luck at the Mini!
ReplyDeleteGood to see you blogging, DWW!
ReplyDelete