Mile 1: 8:01
Mile 2: 7:58
Mile 3: 8:16
Mile 4: 8:15
Mile 5: 8:12
Mile 6: 8:17
Mile 7: 8:21
Mile 8: 8:35 Crash
Mile 9: 8:45 and
Mile 10: 8:45 burn
Mile 11: 9:02 into
Mile 12: 9:26 the
Last .44: 8:42 ground
Finish time: 1:45:55 (8:32 min/mile). There was a chip finish, but no chip start, so that time includes a few seconds getting to the starting line.
My very sweet co-worker and her boyfriend were in the neighborhood and stopped by at the end of the race. I'm putting on a good show for the picture but you (or at least I) can tell by looking at my face that I'm not doing so hot.
So yeah, the first 7 miles were pretty all right. The last 5, not so much. Mile 12 in particular was not the highlight of my life. My legs just would not go. I've been thinking about what went wrong in this race, and I've come up with 5 factors, listed in no particular order.
1. Went out too fast. It doesn't look like it, but the first part of the course was really hilly. I think even though my pace wasn't out of control fast, I think it was too fast for the nature of the course.
2. Temperature. This was definitely the warmest race I've done since we moved to WI, and probably the warmest run I've done since last summer. Yes, it was only in the high 50s or 60s, but remember, Wednesday and Thursday of last week we had overnight freezes. I'm way more used to running at 30 degrees in heavy clothes than I am in a tank top and shorts at 60 degrees.
3. Hydration. I stopped and drank at every aid station, but I think my body is just not used to sweating that much and needing that much water.
4. Training. Plenty of speed work (as you can see from the first half) but not enough volume.
5. Racing two weeks in a row. My body and mind are just not used to giving 100% two times in such a short interval.
So what does it all mean? I think 8:15 is still a reasonable goal pace for my half marathon at the end of May. I have at least 3 more long runs to do in what will hopefully (please, God) be warm weather to work on both my endurance and tolerance to heat. It will start at 7am instead of 9am. It won't be the week after a race. The course will (maybe?) be flatter. Looking at the course map, I can't tell if we have to run up Observatory Hill the hard way or not. Otherwise I think it will be flatter than yesterday's race. So that's how things stand for me right now.
Quick recap of the rest of the week:
U- Yoga
M- Strength training
T- 6mi in 55:10 (9:12 min/mile)
W- 6mi in 55:36 (9:16 min/mile)
R- Strength training
F- 4mi in 36:44 (9:11 min/mile)
S- Lake Monona 20k 12.44 mi in 1:45:55 (8:32 min/mile)
I briefly entertained the idea of running this morning, but a lot of my parts still hurt. Better to take a day off now and get back into the swing of things sooner than to get injured and be out for awhile. Plus I'll cross train by cleaning, doing yoga, and working all afternoon at Love Madison (which I'll talk about more tomorrow).
There were three other things that happened yesterday that were definitely successes.
1. Massage- Awesome. How could it be any other way?
2. Dinner- The cheese sauce in my spring vegetable carbonara became cheese sauce, not scrambled eggs!
3. Due to some serious coupon-age and a 40% off everything sale at Ann Taylor Loft yesterday, I got this top
this top
and this skirt
Pretty good deal, I have to say.
Well, this post has rambled on long enough. Time for me to get moving. Enjoy your Sunday!
