Week In Review: Pre-Race Ponderings

Monday

Distance: .5 WU, 3.1, .5 cool down walk

Pace: 9:04 (for the work .. I reset after the WU, and hadn't done the cool down yet when I took the picture. no watch.)

About this run:

I ditched Kyle this afternoon because I am a wimp about running in the rain, and right at about 5pm, it was really coming down.  Whether the excuse of wanting no blisters on race day is legit or not, I can't be sure.  

Because running on the treadmill is boring, I didn't do the cool down to 5-6.  I just did .5 WU, and 3.1 trial run, plus a CD walk after.  I played with the incline: either 1.0, or 0.5 for all except the last 0.1 meters at flat, which in the race will be a good bit of down-hill.  This wasn't exactly so that I could mimic the course, but I didn't want to totally discount the work out in my head for being on a treadmill, and knew that would happen if I didn't at least have a little incline challenge.

This trial run is a nice boost for my ego; it was later in the evening, not a race, not with anyone, on a boring treadmill, no music .. and still faster than at Hearts & Soles.  So I CAN do better.  It still does not 100% lock it up (like say if I had run a 26:07, lol), but it helps me believe that something with a 27 lead digit is very much within the realm of possible again.  So my goals for MJFC5K:

10% - 2015 Peachtree qualifying time for Wave D -  27:28 (8:52 PACE)

50% - PR - 27:46 (8:57 PACE)

75% - Lead with a 27 digit (9:02 PACE)

90% - Better than Hearts & Sole 28:34 (9:13 PACE)

The trickiest question by far for me then is: do I let my body pace the first mile, and bank time, hoping that its not actually banking time, but a happy surprise new pace at which I can run the whole race ..  or force myself to run no more than 8:52 pace for mile 1, and hope I can convince myself to just tear it up with all I've got left in the last mile, after I am tired (?).  The first approach is how most of my other 5K PRs were hit.  I didn't even watch my pace; I ran hard the 1st mile (and I'm not talking like 8:45 .. I'm talking like 8:20s), wall-ed & nursed the second mile (9:30s), then kicked the last mile (whatever math gets me back to 8:58 avg pace).  Not doing that scares me, but it's also nice to imagine a scenario where a 'steady wins the race' approach could make a PR not feel as rough, and I never have to worry about tanking from having gone out too fast.  I suppose the decision will come on race day, and not before.  Its a very small race, and starts down hill.  The gradual incline return makes up most of mile two, and mile 3 is a slight downhill again, except right at the finish, where it flattens, and maybe inclines a tiny bit again.  So the course itself will almost prod me to hit it hard at the start, easy at the middle, and with all I have left at the end.  Decisions, decisions.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Commence selling of souls to devils.  Pre-race rituals span the gamete, but my go-to for "Important Races" is 'to die for.' Alas the dirty work has been done, and I survived to live another day.  Hurrah!

.. begin TMI for the ladies only and/or for the fellows who don't mind funny lady TMI ...

LAWD!  Dear, dear lawd!  Why do I do this to myself???  What possible reason would anyone ever have to WILLINGLY allow (and pay for) the torture and mutilation of ones most intimate of lady parts?

I can't claim ignorance.  I have danced this dance before.  Unfortunately, it is a vague recollection that is quickly muddled in the mind, as is the case with most instances of serious shock.  And I'd put it off for too long ...  Cuba vs. Brazil in the death match of a century, live on pay per view.  DING, DING, DING!

How, pray tell, will this help me?

I spend 45 plus minutes willing myself not to Hadouken kick the sweet lady with a thick accent in the gut, mashing her up against the inspirational quote wall.  At first, I kept myself from doing real damage only barely, but because she is always so very sweet and pleasant when you first walk in.  It would just be in bad form to knock out the person who lovingly covered you in talcum powered, like no one has done since the blessed mother who birthed you.  Ten minutes in, that excuse no longer applies.  Now I will myself not to kick her out of sheer fear.  If this is what she does for a living, I start to imagine that on impact of knee to gut, she'd laugh heartily, grow to a height encompassing the entire building, and breath fire on the whole of our universe.  I keep still when she tells me to, fight back the tears obediently, and try hard to believe her when she says: okay one more and almost done.  

... again, and again.

Ha!  I was playing with writing myself a little message somewhere near my Tom Tom watch for the race, and played with where I would put it this AM.  When I saw it on my hand mid-appointment, hilarious!  Possibly not how Coach Bianca envisioned us using this hashtag! ;)

The most bitter sweet words you'll ever know:  okay, now turn over and spread your cheeks!  LAWD!

... And I have now done all I can ...

In more standard news, since I skipped Tuesday (5-6 miles), I owed SOMETHING tonight.  Enter bargaining.  Treadmill, not rain.  One mile WU.  1 mile PR.  One.one mile walk.  OR, no mile PR = 2 more miles at 10:30ish easy(er) pace.  Result: hit! :)  (nothing makes for motivation like the possibility of shortening a workout!) New unofficial one mile PR: 8:12.  Woop.

Plus .. Coach Bianca's torture-fest (aka Mizuno Wednezday strength training) was virtual today.  Normally, when she is in town, they are too far for me to attend.  But when she is out, she posts them to the training FB site, and I am tempted to try.  Today's madness:

Dynamic Stretching, then warm up:  Lunge walks, Side Shuffle walks, line jumps forward, line jumps side to side, high knees and butt kicks (x2).

I was already dead by here!  Then slow glute activation -- clam shells, fire hydrants, wall hikes (x2).

Finally, before the work out, without knowing why, she had us pick a TWO word reason for why you love to run.  My answer: butt wellness.  I really meant butt envy.  As in, I want Bianca's butt.  I should have gone with that.  Butt wellness translated to:

B - 15 push ups
U - 1 Min Plank
T - 30 Tow Touches
T - 30 Tow Touches
W - 10 Push Ups
E - 40 Mtn Climbers
L - 2 Min Wall Sits
L - 2 Min Wall Sits
N - 10 Jump Squats
E - 40 Mtn Climbers
S - 10 Burpees
S - 10 Burpees

I had to stop there because I was going to puke!  God, for a girl who can run a lot, I am seriously out of shape! lol.  After your own two words, she also wanted: Mizuno WedneZday.  If I did that, buh bye race goal.  Maybe buh bye life! LOL.  But it is a wake up.  I will try to get in at least the same virtual Mizuno Wednesday workout each Wed. until I can get through the whole thing.

A. 30 Toe Touches                                                                           N. 10 Jump Squats

B. 15 Push Ups                                                                                  O. 20 Jumping Jacks

C. 1min Plank Hold                                                                           P. 20 ToeTouches                           

D. 15 Burpees                                                                                    Q. 45s Plank Hold            

E. 40 Mountain Climbers                                                               R. 20 Jump Squats           

F. 15 Push Ups                                                                                   S. 10 Burpees

G. 1 Min Plank Hold                                                                         T. 30 Toe Touches

H. 30 Jump Squats                                                                           U. 1 Min Plank Hold

I. 1 Min Wall Sit                                                                                 V. 30 Mountain Climbers

J. 30 Jumping Jacks                                                                          W. 10 Push Ups

K. 20 Push Ups                                                                                  X. 50 Jumping Jacks

L. 2 Mins Wall Sit                                                                               Y. 90s Wall Sit

M. 50 Mountain Climbers                                                             Z. 20 STAR JUMPS

Thursday 

Distance: 1 mile WU, 2 mile race pace, 1 mile CD (modified from 2 mile WU, 2x2 mile intervals, 1 mile CD .. for race's sake).
Pace for work interval: 8: friggin 52.  BOOM!

The hey is in the barn now, so to speak.  I can hold the race pace for two flat miles at moderate effort.  On race day: hopefully less wind, more adrenaline, and people to chase.  Also 1.1 more miles, a few gradual inclines, and no speedy Coach Gazelle zooming by to give me something to chase hard for 0.5. But clearly, I've set the right goal.  Possible, but tough enough that I have to fight for it.