Race Report Times Two!

Since my last post, I've raced twice. On June 19, I ran the Steamworks Brewing Half Marathon and June 27, I ran the Cherry Garcia 10-K. I can enthusiastically report that I scored a PR at both races. I'm still in the turtle slow / run-walk category, but a PR is a PR. ************************************************************************************* Race #1 - Steamworks Half - 2:29:09 (11:38 Pace) - I really enjoyed this race last year and this year was no exception. Similar to my November Turkey Trot experience, I had a wee bit too much fun connecting with old friends the night before and my "just one beer and in bed by 10" turned into "just three beers and in bed by midnight." Henceforth, I felt a little like vomiting when I woke up at 6am the next morning and that feeling continued all day. BONUS! I was able to hang in there and was right on track to crush my sub-2:30 goal until I hit mile 11. I forgot that the last two miles are all hills and between being exhausted from pushing really hard, feeling sick to my stomach and tough-ass hills, I did shed a tear or two in mile 13. Thank God I didn't see my parents around then, I probably would have asked them to drive me to the finish line and screwed up my record. None of that mattered though when I realized I was still going to break 2:30. I crossed the finish line and then in a new and fun way to celebrate (remember last time I tripped over the finish line) I promptly threw up. That was a running first for me. At the finish line, a nice lady leisurely offered to remove my timing chip and in a demon possessed voice I said, "Lady, you better hurry." We made up later when she brought me a glass of water, I said sorry for the demonic possession and almost vomiting on her and all was well. The post-race party was great, they have fantastic microbrew beer. Despite my inability to eat anything, I did manage to put back a couple amber ales. Good race all-in-all. ************************************************************************************* Race #2 - Cherry Garcia 10-K 1:08:33 (11:05 Pace) - Since my husband and I are "Race Medal Whores," meaning we'll do just about anything to get a race medal, we quickly signed up for the first event of the "Chunky Challenge." There is some loose affiliation with Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, which is served after both races. If you complete this race and the Chunky Monkey 10-K, you get a special medal. Well, it's funny how a week can change your perspective. Up to this point, I hadn't run a 10-K below 70 minutes. I was really hoping to break that mark and did so pretty easily. The funny thing was that I was really down on myself during this race for being an 11-minute miler. Only 106 people ran the 10-K, which means it's lonely at the back. Since it was a two loop course and we shared the course with the 5-K folks, I just felt like I was getting continuously lapped. I also lived in complete fear of my worst running nightmare, being the last person to cross the finish line, since I didn't see many other people near the end. Last week I was pretty thrilled with my overall 11:38 pace and this week, I just couldn't help but focus on how much I hate being slow. So, I'm working on that. (Both the slowness and being overly critical of myself for the slowness.) I guess my favorites parts were a) the number of times people asked me why I was running for "Jerry Garcia" and b) the fact that I kept the winner of the race from lapping me three times. This guy appeared to be of Kenyan heritage and I picked him out as the winner long before we started. We ran two laps on a track to start and he naturally lapped me there. Then, on the two-loop course, he lapped me again. Then, as I was running into the finishing area, I noticed he was about to beat me to the gate and so I picked it up and made sure I got in there first. (Mind you, he had been finished with the race for over 30 minutes, but was coming back for more pizza or something...) ************************************************************************************* My goal for next month's 10-K is to increase my running and decrease my walking. I'd really like to run 100% of a 10-K sometime this year. My problem is that when I run, I run about an 8:30 pace. I am then so exhausted I need to walk. I really struggle to slow my legs own and will have to learn how to truly run a consistent 11:00 pace.

Here We Go - Weeks 6 - 11

Well, I have arrived at race week. This coming Saturday Daniel and I will run the Steamworks Brewing Half Marathon. Training over the last few weeks has been primarily good. Highlights: 7-miler in Park City, Utah (see picture of part of the route below), solid 10-miler this past weekend where I was able to beat my goal race pace, 4-miler in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Lowlights: 8-miler on narrow road in Taos, New Mexico (mainly because there was no shoulder and I had to jump in the bushes to not get hit), 1-mile long hill on my 4-miler in Pagosa (BRUTAL – my dad does this hill almost daily and I don’t know how). Nolights: week 6 in which I logged a stunning 2 miles. All in all, my highlights out number my low lights and I’ve felt pretty good about my training. I LOVED this race and the afterparty last year, plus it’s our last visit to Durango before we move. It should be an awesome weekend and a great race. ************************************************************************************** So, my race goals are (in order): 1) Don’t trip at the finish line 2) Enjoy the scenery of my favorite place in the world 3) Don’t miss the start due to waiting in the port-a-john line and 4) Run the race in under 2:30. I think these are mostly doable (#3 does look a little shaky). I ran this race last year in 2:32 and ran my last half in 2:42 (although there was a 7 minute bathroom delay in there). I think sub-2:30 is possible, but I’ll report back post race! **************************************************************************************