Empty Nest Runner

2nd day of track prac!  Lil mileage + circuits.

Plan was for everyone to run 1.5 miles to me and then turn around, run back to the track and do some circuit work.  As always happens in the beginning of the season...a new boy will join and not understand that ol' ladies can really run too.  Energized by his foolishness, the boys took off at 6:30's with him.  SO, did 1.5 in 6:40 pace and gleefully watched most of the team pretty much fall apart (except my top guys that went ont o run an additional 4 miles at that pace...).  My rule is, you can go as fast as you want, as loong as you can sustain!  I let them catch their breath until (mostly) everyone caught up and off we went again.  I let them get a bit ahead to talk to the not so silly, taking it aerobic kids, and then proceeded to run them down.  Went just fast enough to be annoying and push the pace, but really did not want to kill myself today.  Quite fun!  We talked as a team about how the lead group had EVERYONE running out of their zone for today.  We all had good chuckles and we will modify tomorrow to be super easy. (Cuz I know I will pay for what I did tomorrow as well...but I won't let them know...)

4 sets of 4 different ancillary exercises with lap in between and 4 mile cool down with Angela.

(OH, and an old High School teammate totallyy face booked me last night!!!  YAY!)

Easy recovery run

SO, I had planned to go like 38 million miles today, but I got a bit distracted...

Was a little late to practice as I put on a memorial service for the patient that was murdered a bit ago.  Interestingly, not too many of our current clients really knew the guy, but pretty much all my fave patients came to the memorial anways...so pretty much me and my faves crying some tears.  One read, "the Lord is my Shephard" and I did several readings from my guys favorite philosopher and had time for folks to make reflections about making today count.  Neat thing is that the staff that showed up really thought that everyone was there for the client, and so it made them feel better...and the one friend that did show up for him also was overwhelmed by everybody's support. SO pretty spectacular all the way around.  AND the fact that they know he was murdered over drugs will hopefully make an impact as well.  Gorgeous day (thankfully, cuz the service was outside...)  Gotta love how street folks truly stick together when they need to...

Track prac day 3--so the AD let me know that the football coaches are a bit pissed at me, as he is taking some of their money to pay me some dollars this season (usw. I am only paid for XC season and not indoor or track...) SO, I made sure I waved at them extra heartily today...

Let the kids have an easy recovery day.  Newbies did 25 minutes and then returned to the track for some core work.

Hopped on the track to get some more miles in and wait for the higher mileage folks to return.  Went out for another 20 minutes with a late comer to practice (he is in a cooking competition this week and has to work out alone...) Headed back to the track with full intentions of running, but instead hung out and talked to Will Seidel, Cornell alum and 800m specialist that is apparently training with brad hudson's new distance coaching project.  Will might join us this season as a pacer as he gets used to the altitude over the next couple of months!

Track prac day 4

60 degrees but WINDY!  newbies had 20 minutes of fartlek sets of 1-2-3 with equal rest and then "follow the leader" on trails for cooldown.

Others and adults had:

w/u, stretching, drills

2 miles at marathon pace (7:10) + 5 minutes active jogging rest (boys + matt-6:00)

2 miles at half marathon pace (6:50) + 4 minutes active jogging rest (boys + matt-5:45)

1.25 miles at 10k pace (6:39) + 3 minutes active jogging rest (boys + matt-5:35)

5 minutes @ 5k pace (6:08) (boys + matt-5:15)

Focus was on breaking down a workout or race (or sometimes races at one meet) and only focusing on THAT portion--not what came before or what is coming after.  Great mental workout to be ablet ot be present in the moment and not get anxious about what is left and really be able to nail down that portion with control.  Dan Spale from Runners Roost and Matt Hajny (marathoner) joined in.  Boys felt like it was really hard while they were doing it and had been anticipating this workout all week.  But after, they said they could hae done more (though it was intense).  My paces were a littel slower than what I had wanted, but not by too much.  i was yelling (ahem, coaching) and giving verbal feedback to the fartlekers throughout workout, so probably could have gone a touch faster.  Amazing, though, that when coaching, you are really not inside your head at all...now if I could just find people to bark at for 26.2 miles in April, I might just accomplish something!

Did 1.25 with the boys as a group and then returned to the track to get the rest of my miles in for the day.

Football coaches left equipment out and left the shed wide open today.  they  must think that I need to earn my raise or something...

Kickball & Trail

Did trails near reverse Bowl with the kids and then let them play kickball for some team buidling, active recovery and cross trianing all in one.  I needed tofinish my mileage ADN supervise, so I mapped a quarter mile loop around the kickball field and proceeded to run around the game. 

Looks like I might race a 10 miler on Sunday in Pueblo.  Should be interesting after doing 66 miles this week!

Drew had midterms today and FINALLY was allowed to run after 2 weeks of pneumonia...can't wait to see him for Spring Break.  YAY!

Adams State Video Series

RunnerSpace is doing a series on  my son's College XC/track team (the winningest team EVER!)

 http://www.runnerspace.com/video.php?do=view&video_id=38064#ooid=RlMjBiMjpQr4WMBceoi5WwKkwZwldLzl

SO, Drew is wearing black puma tank with forest green shorts.  At 1:17, he has a green long sleeve/ half zip looking at the van; at 1:44 he has messy hair standing behind Coach Martin.  At 3:08 he is in motion; sharing the lead at 4:02--I'm such a proud mama!  (I should add that this was taped just a couple of weeks ago--BeAUTIFUL Colorado sunshine!!)

Pre-race run

If the weather holds out, I am planning to race a 10 miler in Pueblo tomorrow morning.  Jogged over to Harriman lake, ran around once and jogged back.  4 x 100m strides.

Still awaiting my time...they had a computer malfunction and could not do the awards ceremony...

Woke up at 4:30 (not my thing) and drove out to Pueblo this mroning to get ina  nice 10 miler.  Planned to do it at marathon goal pace and drop it down if I needed to actually race, race.  Breakfast was eaten in the car, so I was REALLY happy that there were real bathrooms by registration!

Got there in plenty of time, as the weather totally held out for the drive.  It was 32 when we arrived and high 40's throughout the race.  opted to race with a singlet and arm warmers.  Was glad for the arm warmers at the beginning, but totally did not need them for the race.

Course was on a bike path along a river and was out and back.  Settled into a 7:00 min pace, but was confused by who was in the 10 miler and who was inthe 10k as they started together.  First 2 miles were really easy and uneventful.  Ran up to a guy that had pink running shoes and tried to strike up a conversation...he was not into talking at all, so I had to try to make a new friend.  One gal kept surging ahead and then kinda dying.  SO , to put her out of her misery, I dropped to 6:20's for a while just to see how long she could go (kinda like an ice cream truck that goes JUST a little too fast, but slow enough to be in reach?)  Anyways, she did not want to have fun with me anymore, so I kept at it for about 30 more seconds then settled into high 6:40's.

The volunteers were great!  Track and cross country kids from the neighboring school were out there cheering and handing out refreshments (as well as course marshalling).  At the turn off for the 10k, it seemed like everyone left, and I was a bit lonely. 

The kids kept telling me I was number one female, so I settled in for a marathon pace type run (which seemed nice, seeing as I ran 68 miles this week!).  Unfortunately, they ether missed or did not recognize that one of the other participants that was ahead of me was, in fact, a female....By the turn around point, I realized tht it would take me 6:10's to 6:20's to close the gap.  AND when I realized that I was WAY ahead of third, i opted to settle back into my blissful MP. 

Everything was smooth until around 8 miles, when I started to have to focus to keep my pace.  No pain or discomfort, really just a focus thing.  No one passed me until about 800m out, when a couple of guys that had been drafting opted to make a move.  Tucked in with them, caught one back before the final hill and run up the back of the other when we got onto the track in the stadium.  We spoke briefly and darted off together.  Wanted to look good for my pic, so let him get a couple of steps ahead so I could smile pretty!  (Must have made an impression, cuz I ended up talking to the photographer ALOT after the race...hee!)

SO, garmin says 6:52 average pace (we will see what the official results say...) Did a little bit before to warm up and covered some slow, easy distance after to cool down to round out 17 miles for the day.  Very satisfied, though wish I knew there was another chick as it would have been fun to push each other!

Confident that I can hold same pace through half marathon in 2 weeks (and maybe knock it down a bit on fresher legs?)  All in all, very fun race and absolutely worth the drive, as I would not have done that type of quality in  a long run by myself.  One more 65 mile week and then a small taper before my practice half!

(Drew-recovering from pneumonia--got to run 60 minutes today!!!!!!!!)  Time for chocolate!!!!

(OH!!!  Just found out that Squirrel ran a 5k today!!--oops I meant Saturday... Way to go!)

Football wars continue... Easy recovery day. Snowed (kinda') last night and so the ground was uber slick. Paced the guys from behind at 7:20 (letting them go out as fast as tehy wanted as long as they didn't fall off my pace at the tail end).  Felt relatively fresh and was surprised.  Would have liked to see how far I could take that after racing yesterday, but alas...

The girls are finally growing as a team (I have had only two at a time...)  Working heavy ont he recruiting with Anglea and we figure that we potentially now have 12!  YAY!  5 were at practice and worked out with Angela (I really don't have the girl coaching gene...) BUT, I had 32 boys! Hmmm...

Cooled down with lunge matrix and myrtle.  This was the first Monday that I could actually do lunges following my mega weekends..so double YAY!  (The kids were waiting in anticipation as I normally wince through my half lunges...we were all surprised that I could actually do them!)

SO, i texted and emailed my distance crew about meeting at Runner's Roost after practice for a pizza party and shoe demonstration.  I RSVP'd for 13 (the ones that needed new shoes) and WOWZA like 40 kids/parents/random friends all showed up.  i was supposed to be on hand to help the store associates best guide the kidoos into what type of shoes they will need (trainers/flats/spikes combos of each) to make sure that I don't have a 2 miler in throwing shoes...I didn't even know some of the kids that showed up OR their events.  Apparently the football coaches found out and sent their kids my way as well.  Needless to say, the football team ate all the pizza!!  What a crazy night!  I learned alot about shoes for throwing and sprinting?!  Gives whole new meaning to "fake it til you make it!"  I am SO going to oil the throwing implements tomorrow and hide the starting blocks...

Happy Fat Tuesday! Thought I'd celebrate with a little interval work and girl scout cookies!

w/u, stretches, drills, 2 pick ups

6x1200 with 2 min active rest (apparently I accidentally did 7??) @ tempo or 10k pace

SO, as always, not easy to coach AND get my workout in simultaneously.  Goal was 6:32, but depending on who I was running with, my pace was a bit wonky.  (6:20, 6:07, 6:42, 6:38, 6:36, 6:40, 6:34)  Somehow, I managed to get in 7--not sure how, guess I lost count and just kept on running?

Cool thing was that at any given time, i was with the slowest boy group.  last season, the majority of vaarsity boys were having trouble holding 6:40 for any length of time, and now they were anywhere from 5:45 to 6:40.  SO excited about this season.

Cooled down with Angela and her dog, Annie.  Annie ran a piece of my last one and REALLY helped!  Went over to Runners Roost this evening for a kickoff for Team Challenge-a half marathon group that I coach for 16 weeks to raise awareness and funds for Crohn's and Colitis research and treatment.  We are planning to go to napa in July!!

Now about those Girl Scout Cookies...mmmm....

Recovery run!  SO, meant to go much further today...

Played "Flip me the Bird" with the kids--tag game involving a rubber chicken, that also involves running and teamwork.  Then , we went out to the trails/woods nearby for a moderate run.  Was the only coach today, so I had to get back with the earliest group o' kids and did not get my mileage in.

Met with a very upset Angela (other coach) who just came back from her faculty meeting.  Glad I am not a teacher, as they are debating whether giving students a zero (when they do not turn something in) is bad for their self-esteem, and instead should give them like 60% to give them a chance.  REALLY???  Is this up for discussion???  To me, a zero is a zero...

i could totally call my 4 miler a 14 mile run then, and then blame society when I do not get the time I want in my next marathon.  Sounds fair...

Hills!

Felt really, really tired today.  Glad that I have a cut down week next...

Ran a bit over 2 miles to our "hill"--it is quite steep and goes for at least .75

4 X 3:00 with jog down rest at "steady".  Phew!  KICKEd our butts...Took a  quick drink break up top, jogged down then did 4 x 1:15 at "hard" was supposed to be "quick" but we were not feeling it!

Ran back 2 miles VERY slowly...

SO, Drew went to a play tonight (cuz there's this girl...) and is leaving for Albuquerque tomorrow morning for D2 Indoor Nationals AND it is the start of their spring break (worry, worry, worry)  Hopefully he will be able to come home for a few days, but it's up to coach...

First track Meet 2011 SO, tonight was our first track meet.  We put everyone in that did not train consistently over the winter, to give them a chance at a varsity meet (specially cuz it was 100% relays, which are always fun!) 

All of our returnees either PR'd today or came within seconds of last track seasons PR's.  Great way to open the season!!  Ang and I were pretty much delirious by the end of the meet.  AND it was running almost 2 hours ahead of schedule, so our DMR'ers were stilla t there various dwellings minutes before the race.  We had stand ins for the boys.  3 of them showed up just as they were starting, and still pr'd!  For the girls, we only had 2 that could run (the others that were there had already capped out their events) SO we ran 2 of them and basically told them that if noone was in the exchange zone when they finished to casually step off the track...just as leg 3 was starting, number 3 showed up, and just as leg 4 started number 4 showed up.  CRAZY!!!!!  Needless to say, the parents were not impressed...oops!  We always warn the runners that they need to be at the meet at least an hour before their race...our bad!  Who knew?

SO, tomorrow is our first state qualifying meet, so we will run our big dogs adn see what they got!

Did easy mile with the kiddoes after all the events were done and then ran 5.5 in the dark at home...still retty tired this week.

I have been taking a chance at not cutting back every 4th week, just to see how my body responds...will probably not do that again for awhile!  LOVe that I have been lingering around the magical 65 mile week and all that enzymatic goodness! 

But, am TIRED!

Drew called me from Albuquerque.  they are on spring break ADN at the d2 natinals.  Called me to find him a hotel room...apparently the young men and women thought it would be ok to put 8 in a hotel room.  worry, worry, worry  SO found him a room within walking distance to the convention center pretty cheap, so that even if he is the lone "square", he can suck up the cost.  Hey, is that another gray hair??

Was able to get my mileage done between events at the Elizabeth Invite track meet.  SO, warmed up with the milers, watched the race, then did 4.5 with Angela, went out and did 4 more before the 800, ran around inside of field between 800 and 2 milers, ran while girls were running on field, watched 2 mile, ran some more and cooled down with the 2 milers.  Phew!  that was a very long (timewise) way to get my mileage in...and more importantly, it inhibited my between event feedings...

So this will be a relatively low mileage week to rest the ol’ legs.

Went with the boys for a “long run”. Ran to the Lake and then went along the trails by neighborhood near the lake that we have not yet played in and ran back. Most of the way to the lake was 7:10’s (kids got a major head start and we had to play catch up) then paced the next 4.83 at 7:20. the way back (1.64) was WAY slow

5 x 1 mile at 10k pace (goal was 6:31)

Did not have time to warm up so took the first mile with the girls group and paced them for their first mile.  Next 3 did with the boys @ 6:31, 6:30 & 6: 27.  Had to get the last one in by myself with son cheering on @ 6:22 pace.  Happy I could keep focused for the last one by self!

EZ 3.3 with the kids that are racing tomorrow + added 5 miles after everyone left practice

Track meet  9

Had to try to get in tempo run at the track meet and squeezed it in just before and as the track meet was starting.  Continued to get in the rest of mileage in between events as best I could.  SO, 20 minutes tempo at 6:34 pace and LOTS of EZ stuff on wither side.

Pre-race EZ 4 + 8 strides

SO, Friday night, practice was delayed due to pictures being taken.  I was not informed that our other coach (who was in Las Vegas for March madness) postponed practice until after 3:30, whereas I would have preferred to have practice and then sit for pix so that I could get on the road in a timely manner… Inevitably, practice did not even start until after 4p, which meant that I did not get on the road until 6p.

I had made plans to travel with a marathoner that I coach and was unpleasantly surprised to see that no hotel reservation had been made or any other planning commenced on his part.  I say this in frustration, as I do not charge for my coaching services and lately been frustrated that, other than the kids, my adults do not make any plans.  They expect me to do everything for them.  Really?  Is that my place in life??

SO, he showed up for practice and was in some kind of funk.  I was thinking “Oh, this will be a neat 4 hour drive.  Yay!”  SO, I spend all day working as a psychotherapist, helping to instill faith in the faithless and hope in the hopeless (I work with homeless addicts), then I race across town to work with some incredible kids and hopefully, just hopefully, instill in them a sense of belief in self that they can accomplish ANYTHING they put their mind to.  SO, maybe I am just plumb out of niceness by 6:00 every day.  It’s not like I go home and kick my 3 dogs that I rescued, but sometimes I just don’t want to ride for 4 hours in my car with someone that I need to build up.

FINALLY, set up a hotel (which again would have been nice if it had been taken care of already…) and being cost conscious went for a Super 8…NEVER, NEVER just do a  Super 8. OH, and right before the car ride, Matt informed me that he had been eating chili all week and would likely have some gas.  I responded that if he felt that familiar feeling, to please let me know so that I could let him out for a few seconds, as I really did not want to travel for 4 hours in a smelly car…Really?

Drove the 4 hours really trying my best to be pleasant but not trying to be a therapist.  Ate dinner that I had cooked the night before and had rewarmed for the ride, so had a very happy and full belly without the stress of having to find somewhere to eat along the way.

Arrived at 10p to a very icky hotel, where the guys across the hall were playing very angry music to all hours of the night.  Remarking at how loud they were, I had hoped that my seemingly male travel companion would “take care of it”.  But, alas, after my shower, the music was still thumping and my travel companion was nestle sleepily into his bed. Really?  Did he expect me to go across the hall and confront these dudes alone?

Could not sleep well, as the ride set off my neuropathy a bit in my right leg…oh, and the angry music…and the incredible amount of car noise…and the occasional flatulence in the bed next to mine…At 5 a.m. some brilliant fellow felt it necessary to set off his car alarm below my window, not once but 3 separate times, at intervals that corresponded closely to the amount of time it was taking for me to just start to fall back asleep.  Amazingly, the dude was actually in the car when it happened.  ALL 3 TIMES!

SO, now I was awake, which was a shame as the race was not starting until 10a.m.  Got up and had my perfunctory cup of oatmeal and banana, washed down with some Gatorade (as I did not have any juice).  Packed up and left for the canyon, as it was another hour and 20 minutes into the canyons to reach the shuttle bus.

The drive was spectacular!  The road drove through canyons that were strewn with red rock and reflected the amber warmth of God’s creation.  Luckily, there was only one more flatulent incident from my “happy” companion.  Other than that, the drive was without incident and we arrived in plenty of time to register/ pick up our packets and head to my car (which was strategically parked right next to the shuttle pickup!)

Luckily we arrived when we did, as a line suddenly emerged from nowhere for pickups and there were only two people handling that process. SO, whole others were waiting in line outside in the chilled air, I hunkered down in my car to await the shuttle.

2 busses arrived on time and took participants both to the 5 mile start and the half marathon start.  To my amazement and wonder, I was shocked to see only one port-o-let at the 5 mile start.  Now ay there would only be one at the half, right?  UGH!

We were the first to arrive, and sure enough, there was only one potty for the entire half marathon group.  I scuttled away from the bus, still wearing my Birkenstocks to jockey for a good position in line located about 200m away.  As the other busses arrived, I counted my blessings that I was not about to stand in an hour long line…

Warmed up without incident and joined the ever growing exodus towards the outlying brush areas to do one more pre-run constitutional.  Jogged towards the start and began to assess the competition.  Looking around, it appeared to be a rather small field with a few ladies that looked like they might be serious competition. 

The race itself begins 13 miles away from an incredibly beautiful resort area.  We would run on the road (as there is little to no traffic) and be able to look at the amazing scenery around us with little distraction.  The canyons are like being at the bottom of a miniaturized version of the Grand Canyon, except that cattle roam free and there is a road instead of a river…the course itself has a net drop (not much) and is consistently rolling, though not arduous by any means.  The side of the road where we had to run was a bit loose, so I opted to run on the road as often as possible to negate the slippage factor.

Through the first mile, a gal ran directly (and I mean directly) beside me.  He labored breathing was only upstaged by the fact that she kept rubbing elbows with me.  The field was quite small and there was no one to her left, but for whatever reason she felt a need to “stay close”.  We passed through mile one at 6:40, for me very comfortably.  (My goal was to run my marathon pace of high 6:50’s unless I needed to up the ante to race someone).  I decided that I was going to test the water a bit and dropped down to 6:20’s which in fact dropped her as well as pretty much the rest of the crowd.  Ran second mile with a few guys and could see 4 other guys ahead of me that were really out of my league.

After mile 2, I was all alone.  This would continue until the last aid station at 11.5  SO, I settled into marathon mode and enjoyed the scenery.  Worked on taking lots of water at each station and tried to take 2 gu’s as well (drinking and fueling are my downfalls on runs…)  REALLY got distracted by the beauty that was the canyons and probably slowed a bit too much.  When I reached 11.5 and slowed to take in my sugary goodness, a dud came out of nowhere and passed me.  He must have been creeping up on me over the last few miles, as I did not hear him at all!

Hopped on his train and hammered out 6:40’s for the next mile when his legs just kinda fell off.  Slowed to talk to him and talked about brining it in together.  He was sweet and said that I should finish first at the line, but I told him that he renewed my energy and drive and deserved to finish with me.  SO, we got a bit confused as to where the finish was as we surged in.  A volunteer at the only road crossing we encountered said something unrecognizable as we searched for the finish.  Unfortunately for us, we did not realize that we needed to take a turn into the resort to find the finish line and as we were discussing where the finish might be, another dude came ripping past us.  We tried to go with him when I realized that I really needed to use the bathroom.  Weighing the options of either risking a potentially embarrassing finish, I decided to just ease into the finish instead of playing chase…

SO, took 6^th overall and first female with a conservatively comfortable time of 1:32 (just a bit slower than my marathon pace).  I realized that I volitionally lazed out and lost focus as there was literally no one to run with for 9 miles.  SO, happy that I won, but not pleased that I did not exercise some fortitude to just get to the grind and hammer out the miles at my predetermined pace.  Walked away from the race, however, knowing that I can comfortably cover 13 miles at the MP pace that I have set.

Went over to talk to my marathoner, who had crushed the course record and won by 10 minutes.  Since I have been working with him for the last 6 months, he has taken 12 minutes off his half marathon time, and this was his first win ever.  Pumped is an understatement re: how he was feeling.  Unfortunately, he got to the point of boasting dramatically, recounting over and over how there was no one in site and had PLENTY of time to stretch and do a number of things before the next person even came into view.  Really?  Is that what this was about?  I now that I am already droning, so I will not go over every embarrassing detail re: his behavior or how cocky he was.  AND all along, he never once thanked me for coaching him or helping him…Really?  When I mentioned to him that if he was interviewed by the small resort periodical, I asked that he try to mention “Team Fartlek” (which is our community team name encompassing winter and summer training for the kids as well as the various adults that I coach full time) at which point he questioned why and wanted to know who had picked that name (Really?  It has been the team name for almost 6 years…)  Sorry, but what a blankety-blank!  This is also coupled with the fact that he often questions my workouts and belittles me when I tell him that I need to get my mileage in after workouts.  Needless to say, pretty sure that my coaching relationship with this individual is finished!

Sorry I am venting, but I am just plain done with being taken for granted!  The way that he behaved regarding his shameless self-promotion following the race just kinda sealed the deal…

SO, highly recommend the race, but will go with friends next time…

Ran workout with the level 2 guys while tier 1 was at a meet.

5 min at half pace “steady” to re warm up

5 x 3 minutes beginning at around 10k pace and trying to progress faster each rep with a 2 minute jog in between for recovery.  The wind was brutal so took them down to a bike path to hopefully have some shelter from the trees.  On the “hard stuff” ran with the wind to our back and with the “recovery stuff” went back into the wind.  Ran each one faster and felt like the last one was almost a full out 800m sprint.  Unfortunately the Gramin was not charged, so do not have empirical date to support this…

Ran 5k back to school for recovery, got in to my car and headed out to the track meet.

Kept in motion through the meet, except for the times when our guys and gals were running.  Warmed up and cooled down with all our athletes and was able to get in 7.4 more miles!

Kids had EZ recovery day following either doing track meet yesterday or super hard workout.  Ran Bowl Run at 7:30’s with guys and then added 10 additional miles in the trails by the school afterwords.  Nice EZ recovery miles on soft surface.

6.4 miles EZ

Ran 15 miles each on Tuesday and Wednesday and just really felt like going EZ today…

I have not blogged in a while due to crazy life happenings…Sorry if I worried anyone.  Apparently, my computer—which is rather old—has finally kicked the bucket and I am too poor to get another one…

Drew came home for spring break, my ex showed up suddenly from across the ocean, and the other distance coach left for March Madness, Vegas style leaving me with lots o kids to coach and her dog to watch!

Also, tried to help kick start the Team Challenge season with some recruiting/ info sessions…SO, just LOTS on the plate right now.  I hope to get caught up on the ol blog on Saturday while I am waiting for Drew to race at CSU-Pueblo.. 

In the interim, I did get my race report up for the Gateway Canyons “Better Half” Half Marathon for 3/19/11…

Rocky Mountain Road Runners 20 miler

2:22

Showed up 15 minutes before the race (poor time management on my part), waited in the bathroom line, lined up and we were off.  Felt a twinge in my left foot at around 5 miles, but figured I could loosen it up due to the relatively slow pace that I was running…

Went into this race with the plan to run 15 miles at marathon race pace (since I was near that for my half marathon last weekend), and then jog back the last 5 miles.  The race was your choice of a concurrent 10 miler or 20 miler, starting at the same time and on the same route.  Course was on bike trail that was relatively flat (a few minor inclines and declines) and set up as an out and back to the 5 mile mark (meaning the 10 milers finish and the 20 milers go back out to repeat the course).

Had someone to run with for the first 5 miles, but then he opted to not use any water stops and surged ahead as I grabbed my stuff.  I could have surged to catch up, but did not want to ruin my game plan of having even splits through 15. Was spot on pace at 5:00, but slowed the next 5 miles to 7:11 pace (versus 6:59). Ran miles 10-15 completely alone and slowed a bit more to 7:24. At 15, jogged back at 7:40’s to finish the 20.

Ran very comfortably and was never in any distress—still able to converse with runners going the opposite directions and with the volunteers to let them know what I needed coming through the water stations.  Disappointed that I just don’t seem to have the mental toughness to run my 6:50’s alone (which is something that I recognize and the reason I keep entering “races” to run my marathon pace…)  So will try again in 2 weeks on the same course to get in 17 at marathon pace and then jog in the last 3.  I still feel confident that if I can be pretty close to my paces with no one to run with at this kind of altitude, I should be good to go at the end of April.

Somewhat concerned about the twinge in my foot though…so will take it super easy on Monday.

5 miles 7:10 pace

Belmar Running Club social run

Worked on Wednesday from 7 am to 8 pm so did not eat dinner until 9p.  FINALLY went to sleep somewhere around 1 am—just could not settle in as I am dealing with some pain issues.  When my neuropathy is kicking, I have sleep disturbance, which compounds the pain issues further over the next few days…sigh…woke at 5am, as I had to be at work to meet a coworker at 6:45 am.

All of this is leading to why I ran with a social club this evening…stay with me….SO the kids are on Spring Break and are working out during the morning while I am at work, so I have not had anyone to run with at all this past week.  I opted to take 2 days off (which turned into 3 due to crazy work yesterday) to rest my feet a bit. 

Left work a bit early and went home for a nap—which was a crazy nap.  The wind has been kicking up and so my dogs have been absolutely traumatized leading them to be super needy.  One dog literally crawled into my shirt, one dog slept on my head and the third I used as a pillow.

Woke at 5pm and realized that I could just make the Running Club group run.  Since I normally coach after school, I have not yet had the pleasure to join them.  As we were gathering, without notice, a few of the guys took off and started the run.  I was caught behind a woman that had been long leashing her 2 rather large dogs that were very interested in going with me.  Every time I tried to pass, they would get really excited and try to move with me.  After politely (or maybe not) informing her that I really was trying to pass them, she gently corrected them and I had to go way out towards the street to get around them.

I spent the next half mile trying to catch up to the second to lead group.  I tried to engage in some conversation, but at the sound of a feminine voice the pace shot up dramatically as the guys clearly are not used to running with a woman.  The chase for the lead pack had begun!  AND I like challenges.  Just like with my boys, I decided that whatever pace the testosterone laden fools were going to set was the pace we were going to keep.  After a mile at 6:50 pace, the guys began to realize that they were not going to shake me…the moment comes in every run of this sort where the guys realize that I am going to keep the pace, they sigh and begin to fade off.  Right before that happens, their breathing begins to change signaling their distress or the fact that they really are at their tempo or subtempo pace.  I call that “breaking the group”.  Now that was NOT my intention in joining a social run.  Why can’t guys just run with me without it needing to turn into a (for them) a race??  SO, it becomes my social obligation to break them, literally, of this habit!

Ate up the lead pack by mile 2.5 and pushed them into the water station at the local Runners Roost store.  The lead pack guys made a quick transition and tried to leave before the group had a chance to get some water.  WELL, the chase was on once again…they did not learn the first time…suckers! 

Chased down the lead pack and this time caught them before the first half mile, but had to push 6’s to do so.  Started talking with them quite conversationally, and let them slow to 7:20.  At a lull in the conversation though, I picked back up to 7:00 to help keep them honest.  Needless to say, they fell off hard before we returned to our meeting place.  Jogged around for a bit to keep loose until the rest of the group arrived.

It really did not have to go down that way.  If they had only held their comfortable pace, I would have been happy doing 7:30’s or 8’s.  They chose to engage in running combat in an effort to ditch me, so they needed a lesson.  Went to the social snack time and giggled as some of those same guys had a hard time walking after sitting for a spell….I really would have just been fine going their pace but was not going to be relegated to sit back with the women in my “place”. Can’t wait to go back to see if they want to try this again…