Me and The Boys

Halvsies

After a brief moment of insanity, during which I contemplated signing up for a fall marathon (after I saw that a bunch of people from the running club were doing it), I have reminded myself that I do NOT want to spend my summer going through that kind of training again.

Nor do I want to complete a marathon this fall, have a few weeks of downtime, and then almost immediately begin training again, for Boston.

I don't want to do it, and I'm not going to do it. And I'm almost certainly going to need to be reminded of that a few more times this summer. The idea sounds exciting now, but I know full well that 6 weeks from now, as I was staring down yet another grueling week of training, I'd be thinking about what a stupid, rotten idea it was.

I am, however, seriously considering adding one more half to my schedule. Which is only half crazy, right?  

I was very happy to find out about the United Healthcare Triple Crown, since I knew I'd be working on taking some time off my half-marathon PR once I finished Gansett, and participating in the series would add a nice twist to that endeavor.

I quickly signed up, and am looking forward to the next race in July - speedwork is back in my vocabulary (and back on my weekly schedule), as are tempo runs, and I'm going to get back up to double-digit long runs this weekend, too.

I don't expect a PR in Jamestown, given that it's going to be July, which means heat and humidity, but I do plan to give it my all and hope to come as close to my PR as possible.

But at the same time, I'm also looking back, and looking at the bigger picture - tallying up what I've run so far, and figuring out how many more races I can fit into my schedule this year.

I ran New Bedford in March, United Healthcare in May, will run Jamestown in July, Zooma in September, and Amica in October. And I don't like odd numbers, so I think running the 2nd annual Surftown Half in September would round things out nicely.

I ran this race last year, and it was, hands-down, one of the most beautiful race courses I've ever run on. Scenic from start to finish - and mostly flat, too.

And it just had a really fun vibe to it, from the surfboard mile markers to the awesome race shirts (the only race shirt I've ever received compliments on), to the festival set up in the parking lot next to the race start.

And I'm certain the race is going to be bigger this year, but the size last year was perfect - not too big, not too small. So even though it will likely be bigger this year, I don't think it will be too big.

I'm not committing yet, but I am seriously contemplating it. I'm loving the reduced mileage and the easier training schedule, but I am eager to challenge myself and get in some good race efforts this summer and fall, and I'm realizing why so many people love the half-marathon distance so much. And there are just so many great races out there - it's hard to limit yourself!

Would I qualify as a half fanatic?  Probably not. But I'm definitely starting to see the appeal!

United Healthcare Half-Marathon, Providence - My First Pacing Duties

I completed the Cox Rhode Races Half-Marathon - the first leg of the United Healthcare Triple Crown - yesterday, and I can honestly say that it was one of the most rewarding race experiences I've ever had.

I offered a while back to pace my friend Deb who was also running, and helped her put together a training plan and provided moral support and encouragement through the ups and downs of her training cycle.

As race day got closer, we reviewed her time goals, and I knew that I would be able to run the distance at the pace she was aiming for, but I was a little nervous about whether or not I'd prove to be a good pacer. It's something I've never done for anyone, and never had anyone do it for me, either, so I didn't have any experiences to draw from.

In the end, though, I figured that I should just do what I imagine I'd want a pacer to do for me - keep me on track, and keep me motivated.

Race-day weather was beautiful - cloudy and relatively cool (low 50s). I was kind of wishing the sun would come out, but as it turns out, it was nice that it didn't. The few times it did peek through, it immediately started to feel much, much warmer, and we were glad to see the cloud cover reappear and stick around for most of the race. 

We lined up at the 10:00 pace marker, as that was our plan for at least the first 8 miles. I've never been so relaxed at the starting line of a race - it was nice, but felt kind of odd, too.

A friend of Deb's was also planning to run with us, and I snapped a few pictures as we waited at the start. I decided Friday that it would be fun to bring my camera and try to take some pictures during the race - something I've never done before, because I'm always too busy running as fast as I can, and not wanting to waste a single second. 

The gun went off, and it was a good 30 seconds before we crossed the mat, but then we were off, heading along the river and chatting away.

It's a very different experience running toward the back of the pack. Things are a little less serious, and a lot more chatty. Everywhere around us, people were talking and laughing. It was fun! Which is not to say that I don't usually have fun when I race - I do enjoy it, but in a different way.

But I was definitely enjoying this, too! There were a few times during the first mile that we were going a little too fast, but in the end, we ran it in 10:06. The second mile got away from us a bit - we ran that one in 9:46. But quickly got it back under control for miles 3 and 4, both of which came in at 10:01. And at Mile 4, our time was just over 40 minutes, so we were right on pace.

Everyone seemed to still be feeling pretty good at this point. We had run a few of the hills on the course, and I tried to beef up the encouragement during those : )  The course has a decent amount of hills, but most of them are pretty gradual inclines, so they don't really affect your time all that much - they just sap your motivation. I was doing my best to keep everyone upbeat and get them over those hills without feeling too beat up, and I think I was doing an ok job.

We ran miles 5 and 6 at 9:59 and 10:08, and at some point in there, I ran ahead to snap a picture. I had hoped to take a few more, but once we picked up the pace after mile 8, I wanted to stay right with Deb and her friend. But I'm glad I got at least that one shot.

Mile 7 has the longest hill on the course. Again, not terribly steep, but loooooooooong. We got over it, though, and it only slowed us to 10:20 for that mile. And we cruised along for Mile 8, finishing it in 9:52.

This was when Deb had planned to pick up the pace, and she was ready for it, so we agreed that we were going to push it to 9:45 and see how that was feeling. 

Only problem is that we suddenly found ourselves running a 9:00 pace - oops! As soon as I saw that, I let everyone know, and we got ourselves back down to 9:45 pretty quickly, and ended up finishing Mile 8 in 9:52.

I didn't want to push too hard, but I was pretty sure Deb had a little more in her, so I worked hard to keep us closer to 9:45 for Mile 10, and it worked - 9:46.

We were heading into the bike path section now, and back towards the city. Just a 5K to go. I didn't want to really push the pace too early, so we settled in for a 9:42 for Mile 11.

Going into the race, Deb had hoped for a sub-2:10, but had a "B" goal of 2:15. I knew she'd get her "B" goal no problem, but I wanted her to get under 2:10. Even before we started running, I wanted that for her, but then once we were out there, her goal became my goal. I wanted that sub-2:10 for us just as bad as I wanted my 3:38 in Gansett.

And as we headed into Mile 12, and I was watching the clock and running numbers in my head, and I knew we were going to be really, really, really close to sub-2:10, I got that same feeling I get when I'm chasing down a goal of my own, and it was tough for me not to start sprinting to try to get us there. But I also knew that I had to make sure that we saved some energy for the final stretch.

I knew Deb was getting tired. Mostly because she told me she was!  But I could see it on her face, too. But I also knew that she was not going to throw in the towel. Mile 12 beeped at 9:26.

And as we crossed the Mile 12 marker, we were at exactly 2 hours. I thought for sure we had the sub-2:10, but I didn't want to take any chances, so we picked up the pace yet again.

I glanced down at my Garmin and saw that we were well under a 9:00 pace, and I knew how bad Deb must have been hurting at this point, but we both knew that we were so close to that goal, so we didn't back off.

And I didn't tell her how fast we were running. Throughout the entire race, I had given very frequent updates on our pace, but now, I knew and she knew that it didn't matter - she was giving it her all, and it would either be good enough or it wouldn't, but she would walk away knowing that she had left it all on the course. 

As we hit the 13-mile mark and approached the final turn, I still wasn't entirely sure whether or not we had done it, since my Garmin time and the clock time were not in sync, and I wasn't sure exactly how far off they were. But I wasn't about to mention that, because we were still going to go for it, no matter what.

We ran the final .1 at an 8:10 pace : ) 

As it turns out, our official time was 2:10:58. Not the "A" goal we were shooting for, but a FIFTEEN minute PR for Deb. FIFTEEN minutes!!!!! 

I am immensely proud of my friend, who faced numerous setbacks with her training (due to illnesses, asthma, and other roadblocks), but who stuck with it and ran a great race, and is well on her way to a sub-2-hour marathon in the not-so-distant future.

And I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to experience the race from this perspective. Helping someone achieve their goal is every bit as rewarding and satisfying as achieving your own - maybe even more so.

It was also just plain fun to be out there with a friend, sharing those 13.1 miles, talking and laughing, making the miles pass so much faster.

And since this was a much slower pace than I would normally run a half, I'm feeling great today, and basically counting it as a long training run. It's awfully nice to come home from a half-marathon and feel like you have energy to spare!

I'll be back to my usual racing self at the next Triple Crown race - in Jamestown, in July - but I'm really glad I kicked things off this way.

For so long, running was such a solo endeavor for me, but I'm happy to be finding ways to make it less solitary. I'll still savor the times I run alone, because I do need that quiet in my crazy busy life, but there's so much to be gained from running with others, and I'm glad I'm finding that side of it, too.

And because I always post the numbers -

2:10:58

10:01 pace

139 and 140 of 275 in our age group

1299 and 1300 of 2700 overall

The 5K Works Its Magic - State Police 5K Foot Pursuit

I knew a while ago that the running club was putting together a women's team for a 5K this weekend, and I spent a lot of time hemming and hawing about joining them. I knew I was going to be burned out and tired and still recovering from Gansett, but I was so tempted to go out there and run a short, fast race - something I haven't done since the Super 5K in February.

I finally decided to go for it, and signed up Thursday night, and I am so, so glad that I did.

I found the other team members at the start, including a friend I've run with several times, and who's always slightly ahead of me at most races. She was looking for someone who was running approximately a 7-minute first mile, and that was about the pace I figured I'd be at, but I told her I didn't know if I'd be able to keep that up for the entire 3.1.

We stuck together for mile 1, and although we ran the first 1/4 mile a bit too fast, we quickly slowed down and finished the first mile in just over 7 minutes.

I could tell, though, that she wasn't letting up, and as much as I wanted to keep up with her, I told her I was going to back off. I wasn't looking for a PR today, and I wanted to have some sense of enjoying the race, instead of feeling like I wanted to die. And on top of that, since I'm still awaiting PT and chiropractic help for my left leg, I figured playing it a little safe was the way to go.

So I watched her take off, and decided my new goal was just to keep her in my sight. That, I thought, was doable. I was still working hard, but I wasn't leaving it all on the course, and I was fine with that.

I was also running without music. I've honestly gotten so sick of my running playlist, I just wanted a break from it. And it was pretty fun to hear the sounds all around me, instead of just tuning everything out - something I think I'll definitely do more often for shorter races.

Mile 2 beeped at 7:02, and I felt pretty good.

I've never done this race before, so didn't know the course, but was happy to find that it was nice and flat and fast, with some nice stretches running by the ocean, including the final mile.

I was getting tired, but I managed to pick up the pace just a little bit, finishing mile 3 in 6:57, and the final .1 at a 6:42 pace.

It was really refreshing to finish a 5K and feel like I still had some energy left. Normally if I felt that way, I'd be mad at myself for not pushing harder. But this time, I was glad I had held back. I still finished just 30 seconds off my PR, and more importantly, I enjoyed myself, and didn't ask too much of my still-not-completely-recovered legs.

And it was incredibly motivating to find that, even though my last few runs have felt terrible, sluggish, and slow, my legs haven't forgotten how to run fast. As I was slogging through my last 5-miler at barely an 8:35 pace, I couldn't imagine how I'd ever be able to run 7-minute miles again. So reassuring to put yourself to the test, and find that you passed!

And of course now I'm really anxious to get back to track workouts and tempo runs, so that the next time I run a 5K, I can try for a new PR, and start chipping away at those 39 seconds and work on my goal of going under 21 minutes.

Not jumping into that just yet, though - I'm going to give myself another week or two of easy runs, and hope that they feel better than the last two weeks have.

The numbers from yesterday -

22:07, 7:07 pace

8 of 88 in my age group

119 of 722 overall

The Truth Comes Out

A commenter on one of my recent posts suggested that I link my list of completed races to the accompanying race reports, and when I read that suggestion, I realized that I should have been doing that all along, and I'm not sure why I hadn't. Thanks for the suggestion, Scott N.!

I just finished putting in those links, and it was really fun to go back and revisit some of those old races, particularly the really early ones. Amazing to see how a 26-minute 5K was just as exciting to me then as a 21-minute 5K is now. The times may change, but the feeling of success stays the same : )

We've had a great vacation week, but I think Gabe and Dante are getting sick of all the togetherness, and they spent most of the day Friday bickering and fighting, and driving me and Scott insane.

Scott took them mini-golfing Friday afternoon, and the outing ended in a spectacular blowout between Gabe and Dante, which resulted in the two of them spending a very long time in their room.

While they were up there, they wrote notes of apology to Scott, and Gabe's was very eloquent. He wrote really nicely about what he was sorry for, and that he hoped the note would make Scott feel better.

And it ended with this gem - "You're the one I really love."

The funny thing is that I suspect if he wrote me a note of apology, it would end with the same sentiment. He's a sly one.....

Post-Gansett Thoughts

If you're ready for me to stop talking about Gansett and move on to other topics, you'll have to wait just a wee bit longer.

After the post-race glow subsides a little, and you're able to walk up and down stairs without wincing, it's a little easier to process how things went, and figure out how you really feel about it.

And truth be told, despite what a great experience it was, I do feel a little disappointed.

I worked really, really hard these past 4 months, and until the very end, all my workouts were going so well. I was sure I'd be able to pull off a 3:38. I truly felt I was in good enough shape to do it.

There were some times of doubt, but not as much as I had going into Hartford. I was really, really nervous about Hartford. Since it was only my second marathon, and I was aiming for a nearly 30-minute PR, I had a lot to be nervous about.

But this time I really felt like my 'A' goal was going to happen. I felt pretty confident that I'd cross that finish line in less than 3 hours and 40 minutes. But, of course, I didn't.

Yes, I know I still got a really nice PR, and I displayed some serious mental toughness during those last 8 miles, and I am very proud of that.

But when you pour your heart and soul into something for 4 months, and you only have a few hours to put it to the test and make it happen, and you know full well that it's going to be a long time (in my case, another year) before you make another attempt at it, missing that goal is a little tougher to take.

As much of a toll as this training cycle took on me, and as burned out as I was, and as vehemently as I vowed to everyone I talked to that I would never again run two marathons 6 months apart, I found myself thinking yesterday that maybe I should take another crack at it this October.

But I won't. Not because I don't want to - I want that 3:38, and I don't want to wait a whole year for it - but because I know that I don't have it in me to go through that type of training again right now, and my heart wouldn't be in it 100%. And because I promised Scott (and myself) that I would not be spending this summer training for a marathon. I want to enjoy my summer and enjoy running without putting too much pressure on myself.

I still find myself trying to figure out exactly what happened Saturday; why I fell apart so badly at mile 18. I still think it was a combination of factors, and given the fact that my face was crusted with salt when I finished, I suspect that in addition to not drinking enough water, I also probably needed more electrolytes.

And I know it sounds ridiculous to complain about the fact that it was in the 60s by the time I finished, since that seems arctic compared to the temps in Boston Monday, but it was definitely warmer than what I had been used to running in, and after 18 miles, those effects are felt so much more dramatically.

I'm not offering these things up as excuses - it's just helpful for me to try to sort it all out, so that I can fix any potential problems before I do this again.

But for now, I'm going to try to not dwell on what went wrong, and focus on what went right. It was an incredible race (I don't know if any other finish line will quite compare to that one), and although I had some pretty dark moments, my overall sentiment was one of overwhelming happiness - because it was such a special race to me, and because I still managed to shave more than 2 minutes off my Hartford time.

So I'll leave the bad stuff behind and move forward. I'm actually already looking forward to running a few easy miles this weekend. No specific pace, no specific distance.  Just a run. I can't wait!

My Soundtrack and My Goals for Gansett

Thus far, this week has been the complete opposite of last week. My crabby, depressed, anxiousness has turned into confidence, excitement, and optimism. It's been such a relief to shake off the dark cloud I felt like I had hanging over me, and feel happy about running and hitting the starting line at Gansett.

That being said, I haven't run very much this week at all. I was planning on doing my final track workout on Tuesday, but my sore butt and hips were sending me a different message. So I skipped it and went for a walk at the beach with Carmine instead, and I'm so glad I did. I felt very stiff and achy when I first started walking, but when I was done, I felt great, and have continued to feel better since then.

I hate skipping any workout on a training plan, and it's especially tough during taper, when you feel like you're barely training at all, but I know full well that not running those six 200-m intervals will have absolutely zero affect on my race.

To remind myself of that, I flipped back through my training log and looked at all the workouts I have done over the past 16 weeks. That's where my race is going to come from - not this week - and it was really encouraging to see in black and white how much work I've put into this. I know it will pay off.

I did get in my final training run today, and the tightness was still there, but it was much less pronounced, and went away much quicker once I was warmed up. I know I'm probably going to need some PT and several chiropractor visits to get this all sorted out once the race is over, but I also know that once I drop back to a more normal training schedule, I probably won't even have to worry about it.

And the good news is that today's run was awesome!  I felt such a burst of energy, and had trouble keeping myself to just 3.5 miles, and staying at a moderate pace. That's the kind of run I've been waiting for for such a long, long time - the kind of run that makes you remember why you love to run, and makes you believe that you can do just about anything that you set your mind to. It's been a long time since I've had one of those runs, and having it today - two days before race day - was pretty perfect timing.

One of the things that's kept me busy this week (besides eating lots of carbs) was finalizing my playlist. I will be seeing a few familiar faces out on the course, but much of it will be a solitary endeavor for me, so having my music is going to be really important.

It wasn't easy coming up with another huge playlist, though, as I was getting kind of sick of some of the music I listened to training for and running Hartford. I did a lot of searching, and found lots of great songs through the playlists that the fabulous ladies at Run Like A Mother have shared on iTunes. And like all my playlists, there's a little bit of everything in here - even kids' music. As I've said before, nothing is off limits if it keeps me moving through 26.2 miles.

So here's what I'll be listening to as I run Gansett in TWO DAYS!!!!!!!

The Sound of Sunshine - Michael Franti & Spearhead - super fun, upbeat way to head out down Ocean Road

Beauty in the World - Macy Gray

Stone in Love - Journey

Where the Streets Have No Name - U2

Calamity Song - The Decemberists

Section 9 (Light & Day / Reach for the Sun) - The Polyphonic Spree

Wide Open Spaces - Dixie Chicks - this was on my playlist when I ran my first half-marathon in 2 hours and 14 minutes, 5 years ago. Never did I imagine then that I'd one day be aiming for a 3:40 marathon - but here I am : )

Hey, Soul Sister - Train

Closer to Fine - Indigo Girls

Rain King - Counting Crows

I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas - one of Dante's favorites

No Bad News - Patty Griffin

Don't Turn Out the Lights - NKOTBSB - embarrassing, yes, but also has a great beat for getting your feet moving

...Baby One More Time - Britney Spears - like I said, it takes a little bit of everything to get through 26.2 miles

Basket Case - Green Day

Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall - Coldplay

Don't Stop Believin' - Journey

Bad Romance - Lady Gaga

Mr. Brightside - The Killers

Under Pressure - Queen & David Bowie

O-O-H Child - The Five Stairsteps - so I can try to trick myself into thinking that "...things are gonna get easier....."

Brighter Than the Sun - Colbie Caillat

Something That I Want - Grace Potter

Single Ladies - Beyonce

American Idiot - Green Day

Pony (It's OK) - Erin McCarley

Firework - Katy Perry

Set Fire to the Rain - ADELE

Let It Grow (Celebrate the World) - Ester Dean - fun song from The Lorax - thanks to Gabe for discovering this one for me!

The Lucky Ones - Brendan James

Happy Hour - The Housemartins

Lose Yourself - Eminem

If It's Love - Train

Without You - David Guetta & Usher

Dynamite - Taio Cruz

Sing - My Chemical Romance

We Are the Champions - Queen

Loser Like Me - Glee Cast

Move Along - The All-American Rejects

The Middle - Jimmy Eat World

Tonight Tonight - Hot Chelle Rae

Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani

Eye of the Tiger - Survivor

Viva la Vida - Coldplay

Another One Bites the Dust - Queen

I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones

My Body - Young the Giant

Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine

Fly - Nicki Minaj & Rihanna

Brian Wilson - Barenaked Ladies

Raise Your Glass - Pink

We Found Love - Rihanna

Where We Belong - Thriving Ivory - love the lyrics to this one - "Hearts racing like a rocket at the speed of light, Don't fight it we've been running for far too long, We're going back where we belong"

Tik Tok - Ke$ha

Let It Grow - The Lorax Singers - I've been listening to this in the car with the boys constantly the past few weeks - the three crazy little boys whose faces I'll be seeing just moments later as I cross the finish line - no better way to inspire me to keep putting one foot in front of the other

Here's To Us - Halestorm - I always like to finish with an anthem-y type of song, and this is the one that's clicking for me right now, so there you go

 

This playlist is actually a few minutes shorter than what I anticipate my race time to be, because I know that I am going to have at least a few spectators at the finish line - Scott, my three little guys, my parents (who are driving up nearly 2 hours to see me finish, for which I am eternally grateful), and a close friend and her family - and I want to hear them cheering, so my iPod will be turned off before I head into that final stretch.

In some ways I feel like I've been waiting eons for this day, and in other ways I feel like I can't believe it's already here.

Bib numbers for the race are assigned by qualifying time, and mine is 44 (out of 55 females). As I've gotten faster over the past few years, I've gotten used to being toward the front of the pack at races, or at least usually in the middle. But this time around, I'm going to be bringing up the rear!

I'm fine with that, though. I earned my spot fair and square, and I'm proud to be running this race at all. I may be in the back of the pack, but two years ago, I wouldn't have been able to even be in the pack.

My main goal is to enjoy this race, but of course I have time goals, too!

My "Everything Went Perfect And I Nailed It" goal is 3:38

My "Not Quite My Day, But Still Pretty Awesome" goal is 3:40

My "Did My Best And I'm Happy With That" goal is anything under 3:43:12

But no matter where I am, and how long it takes me to finish, it's going to be a great day : )

Half The Distance, Three Times The Fun

Haven't even crossed the finish line in Gansett yet (only 10 days to go, though!!!!), and I'm already planning what comes next.

I think this is a good thing, though, because as weary and tired of training as I am right now, I know that it won't be long before I'm ready to dive back into it again. This time for shorter races, though!!!

For a while now, I've known that post-Gansett, I wanted to really focus on my half-marathon time. I have some decent speed and plenty of endurance, but getting faster at the marathon distance takes such a huge toll on your body - not to mention so many more hours on the road. And after doing it twice in 6 months, I'm kind of all set with that.

So the half it is - three of them, to be exact - the newly created United HealthCare Triple Crown race series. I'll not only be running all three half-marathons, but I've also been chosen to be a blog ambassador! 

At least once a week, I'll blog about my training for each of the races, so that readers can follow along as I prepare for and run three 13.1-mile courses throughout this lovely state I call home. And in return, I've received complimentary entries to those races. I joked to Scott that this is the closest I'll ever come to getting sponsored - and hey, I'll take it!!!

I'm really excited about these races, and even more excited to be sharing my training along with the other Rhode Scholars who are contributing.

The first race is in Providence in May, the second is in Jamestown in July, and the final race is in Newport in October. I know the courses for the Providence and Newport races, and both are great, so I'm sure the Jamestown course (a brand-new one) will be, too.

Each race is going to be a little different for me, and my training will reflect that.

The Providence race, the first in the series, is going to be my first time ever pacing another runner. It's on May 6, which is just 3 weeks after I run Gansett, and I normally wouldn't have signed up for a half-marathon in that timeframe, but I've run this one every year since its inception, and now that I have a good streak going, I don't want to break it!

But I had no intention whatsoever of even approaching a race pace this year, knowing that a race effort that close to a full marathon would not be a wise choice.

So when I found out a friend had signed up, I volunteered to run with her. She's hoping for a PR, and the pace she's aiming for will be a great recovery pace for me, so it's a match made in heaven!  And I'm really looking forward to the experience of running a race with someone, which is something I've only done one other time.

And aside from 2011, when I was 3 months postpartum and my only goal was to finish, I've never run this race at anything less than an all-out effort, so I'm going to really enjoy just running for the fun of it.

One of my motivators for signing up was to keep the streak going, but the other draw was that it's a great race. Not too big, but big enough to be exciting and festive and draw a good amount of crowd support - along with a nice course that showcases a lot of great areas of Providence.

It'll be a fun day, and once I cross that finish line, I think I'll be ready to start digging into some training plans and formulating some more definitive goals for the Jamestown and Newport races, which will hopefully include some faster times and at least one PR! 

It's Here, It's Here - It's Finally Here!!!!!!

Taper, that is.

I've been looking forward to this day for quite some time now, and I am so excited that it has finally arrived.

This morning's workout - one-mile repeats, run at 7:08, 7:08, and 7:00 - marked my last workout before I begin to taper for race day.

And it is not a moment too soon.

I went to the chiropractor yesterday, as I was badly in need of some adjusting for my cranky hips and lower back, and will go again next week, too.

Tomorrow I have a PT appt, to give my occasionally aching shin some TLC.

I'm sore, and I'm tired, and my body is begging me to ease up a bit already, and I'm more than happy to oblige!

Even better - my frame of mind has done a complete 180. I've gone from feeling worn down and beat up and burned out to feeling energized, excited, and READY to run 26.2 miles!!!!

Yes, taper will make me feel antsy and like I'm not training enough, and I'll begin to wonder if I really am ready for this, as race day draws closer and closer.

But I know I'm ready, and I know that these next two weeks of slightly less strenuous workouts are going to do what they're supposed to do - make me healthier and stronger.

I can't wait to experience running on rested, refreshed legs - something I haven't done since November.

Now it's time for the fun stuff - making a pace band; identifying spots on the course for Scott and the boys to come see me; putting together a playlist; scoping out the 10-day weather forecasts; deciding what I'm going to wear......

As I've said to myself on many a training run and during many a race, it's all downhill from here : )

A PR, and Some Lessons Learned - New Bedford Half Marathon

I went into the New Bedford Half hoping for a PR, but also viewing it as an experiment and a testing ground of sorts.

I wanted to start slow, and really practice pacing myself so that I didn't go out too fast (something I still struggle with on training runs and at races). And I also wanted to see, once I did start picking up the pace, just how fast I could go in a longer distance race.

I'm now in my second round of marathon training in just 9 months, which means I have a LOT of speedwork under my belt, as well as a LOT of long runs and a LOT of tempo runs. The improvements have been apparent in my 5K time, and in my training, but I wanted to put them to the test at a longer event, and see what I could do.

The late start time (11am) meant that I didn't have to get up crazy early Sunday morning, even though the drive to New Bedford is just over an hour. But of course I was up crazy early anyway. I wasn't that nervous about the race, since I wasn't terribly focused on a specific time goal, but the excitement and nervous energy kicked in as it always does, so I found myself alone in the kitchen at 5:30am having my coffee.

Helping Scott get the kids dressed and fed and ready for their day helped distract me and keep me busy until I left the house around 8:30.

I got there with lots of time to spare, which was good, because it took me a little while to find a parking spot, and I ended up parking on the street a few blocks away from number pickup. I had plenty of time, though, to get my stuff, bring it back to my car, make a few pit stops, and then head up to the start.

The weather was supposed to be fairly warm (near 60), but there was a decent breeze off the ocean, so I was glad I had chosen to wear my arm warmers with my tank top and shorts. They worked out perfectly - I never got too warm, but they also provided much-needed coverage when we ran into that cool ocean breeze many times during the course of the race.

Once I was waiting at the start, I went through my usual nervous moments, and then as the clock ticked down toward 11am, I got myself into that wonderful calm moment of peace that I seem to always enjoy just before the gun goes off.  I think once I know that I'm really on the verge of actually getting going, I can finally calm down and get myself centered.

And that's where I was when my feet crossed the mat. Ready, and happy to be finally racing.

I was bound and determined to NOT go out too fast, and as I knew it would be, it was a real challenge. This is a seriously competitive race. Tons of track clubs and running clubs are in attendance, and lots of people use it as a tuneup race for Boston, so the talent is impressive, and the field is very fast.

I held back, though, and just kept repeating in my head that I needed to run my own race. I knew full well that even if I had the race of my life, I wouldn't be anywhere near fast enough to even come close to placing in my age group, and although a PR would be nice, it was more important to stick to my plan and start slow.

So I was actually really pleased when I saw my Garmin reading 8:18 for the first mile. And even happier when I saw 8:20 for the second mile. Victory - finally - a race where I was able to keep my speed in check for the first two miles!

It got a little harder after that, though. I was glad I was sticking to the plan, but I was really having to fight the urge to not panic that maybe I was going too slow, and that it was feeling too easy.

The long hill at mile 3 kind of squashed that way of thinking, though. I did run that mile slightly faster - 8:11 - but it definitely did not feel easy.

Once I recovered from the hill, though, I felt like it would be ok to slowly begin to pick up the pace, and mile 4 came in at 8:02. Still somewhat conservative, but a little faster. And I was feeling pretty fantastic at this point. Aside from the mile 3 hill, most of the course had been flat, and the stretch ahead, from what I could tell, looked like more of the same.

So I gave myself permission to head into a tempo-run pace, and see how it felt. I wanted to just go with it and see how long I could hold that pace. I've had so much success with my 8-mile tempo runs throughout this training cycle, I thought for sure that I'd have no problem running the remainder of the race at that speed (or at least close to it).

And for a few miles, I didn't have a problem with it. Miles 5, 6, 7, and 8 - 7:30, 7:32, 7:26, and 7:37. And not only was I holding a great pace, but I felt amazing!  I wasn't struggling in the least bit - I was comfortable, I felt like I was flying down the road, and having the time of my life.

Then we turned the corner to run along the ocean. It was very scenic, and flat, but the wind. Ugh. The wind. I don't know how strong it actually was, but I do know that it was strong enough to almost instantly turn my floating-on-air feeling into a trudging-through-mud feeling.

And I'm not entirely sure how long that oceanside stretch was, but it felt like it lasted forever. My awesome 7:30-ish pace had suddenly become a 7:50 pace, then a 7:46 pace.

When we finally turned and left the ocean behind us, I thought I'd be able to get back to that faster pace, and I tried. I tried so, so hard. But it just wasn't going to happen. 7:53 and 7:47 for the next two miles.

I wasn't giving up, though. I was fighting, and I was working so hard, but no matter what I did, I just couldn't get back to that pace - and I definitely couldn't get back to feeling amazing. I wanted out. I wanted to be done.

And then there was the hill at mile 12. I had heard about it, so I knew it was coming, and I hadn't been all that concerned about it. I run lots of hills on my training runs, and I've run lots of races that have hills at or near the end, so it's not something that really gets me worried.

But now, with the way I was feeling, I was dreading it. There was no choice but to put my head down and get up it, though. There was no way I was stopping to walk. I refused.

Mile 13 was a completely demoralizing, discouraging, and depressing 8:03.

Thankfully, I had just enough for one last little kick to the finish, and was happy to cross in 1:44-something, which I knew, adjusted for the gun time, would translate to 1:43-something, which I knew was a pretty decent PR.

I almost never feel really hungry after a big effort like that, but this time, I was starving, and grabbed several slices of orange. Orange slices have never tasted so good : )

It's hard to describe how I feel about this race. I walked away with a really nice PR (almost 2 minutes), but I feel like I executed it so poorly, and I had such a hard time running the second half of the race, it's hard to really enjoy it.

I am proud, though. To take nearly 2 minutes off your half-marathon time in less than a year is no small feat, and I guess the fact that I did that despite feeling like crap for half the race means I should be that much more proud of it.

But I also want to keep in mind how awful I felt, so that I never make that same mistake again. I did well easing into the first few miles, but when I picked up the pace, I thinnk I picked it up a little bit too much.

I also think I should have taken a Gu or some kind of fuel at the halfway point. Up to now, I've never fueled during a half, and I've never felt it really had any negative affect on me. But I've also never pushed quite that hard during a half, and I think that had a lot to do with why I faded so badly during those final miles.

So I'm not going to feel too discouraged, and instead am going to see this as a very valuable learning experience. And for the first 7 miles, I was really enjoying myself - the race is very well-organized, with lots of spectators, a nice course, and the best water stops I've ever experienced. Every water stop was spread out over several hundred yards, making it so easy to find someone to grab a cup from without having to worry about crashing into other runners.

Which is a great segue into the other valuable thing I learned from this race - I am able to drink water while running!  I've wanted to try this other times, but always opted to just stop and walk. But this time, I went for it - I grabbed a cup, pinched it together, and was able to take several good sips and spilled almost none of it on myself. So that was my other little victory for the day.

All in all, kind of a tough day, but still a good effort, still a PR, and still a great training experience as I get closer and closer to April 14. 

The final numbers -

1:43:43

7:55 pace

38 of 338 in my age group

812 of 2771 overall

And now, I continue to move forward.

Four weeks 'til Gansett!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ready to Tackle 13.1 For the Seventh Time

The best way to describe the last few weeks of marathon training is emotional upheaval. I keep going back and forth between exhiliration and despair. Exhiliration that the end is in sight, and my training is on track, and I'm well-positioned for a great race. Despair that I still have 4 more weeks of training ahead of me, including a few more grueling track workouts and one more 20-miler.

Because I'm running the New Bedford Half on Sunday, I backed off a bit on my tempo run Thursday. I ended up running an average 8:04 pace, with the first few and last few miles easy, and just a couple of fast miles in between. It was a nice break mentally and physically.

The race is going to be good, too. So much more fun to line up and run 13 miles in a race, rather than set out on a long run all by my lonesome. The excitement of race day is going to inject some much-needed fun into my training.

The weather is actually looking like it's going to be even warmer than I had hoped. Not hot, by any means, but close to 70, which is going to feel pretty darn warm - especially for the middle of March!  I love the warm weather, but I am a little concerned that it's going to slow me down.

That being said, I'm not super committed to a time goal for this race. I'd love to PR, and I'd love to come in right around 1:43 (which would be a PR by almost 2 minutes). But if that doesn't happen, I'm not going to be terribly upset.

My primary goal is to pace myself properly!  I NEED to not go out too fast in Gansett, which is going to be extremely difficult, for so many reasons - Scott and the boys will be there to see me start (they weren't there at either of my other two marathons, so this is a huge deal!); it's my third marathon, and one I feel extremely honored and proud to be running in; and finally, the first mile is flat as a pancake, and is part of the Super 5K course which I recently started at well under a 7:00 pace, and I'm going to need to work really hard to remind my legs that this is NOT the Super 5K, and is nowhere near a short race, and I need to save my energy.

So this weekend's race, instead of being focused on my overall average pace, I'm going for some serious negative splits. At least the first 3 or 4 miles will be run at approximately marathon pace, or even a little slower.

After that, if I'm feeling good (and I hope that I am), I'll push it to close to a tempo run pace, hoping for a few miles around 7:40, and then if I feel up to it, I'd like to finish the second half at a 7:30 pace. I've been able to run several of my 8-mile tempo runs at well under a 7:30 pace, so I think this should be very doable for me, but as always, I won't know until I'm actually out there.

So instead of thinking speedy thoughts, I'm thinking 'smart pacing' thoughts.

And as the title says, this will be my seventh half-marathon. Not counting the year I ran just 3 months postpartum, and the Surftown half, which I ran as a training run, my half-marathon times have gone as follows: 2:14:34, 1:53:25, 1:50:09, and 1:45:09.

I see a very nice trend there, and I'm hoping it continues : )

I'm strong enough. I'm fast enough. I'm ready for this.