Chicago Marathon Training: Week 3

Sunday
Distance: 13.1
Pace: 10:10

Great run!

I am enjoying Sunday mornings at Riverside in Roswell sooOOOOOoooo much.  It's beautiful, its chock full of familiar faces, and varying paces.  Bummer ATC no longer runs out of this location.  Happy its back on my schedule of run commitments, at least.

This run felt a bit harder than last week's.  Saturday was another night where sleep was messed with.  (Two nights in a row for those of ya keeping track).  Surprising enough, though, I was 110% sure I was going to REALLY TANK this one..  and by tank I mean 13+ if I could even maintain that (not to be pacist .. that's just my particular definition of tank right for me right this second).  Anyhoo .. I was surprised to find that I think we were a little more eager in the earlier miles than I should have been!  Right at under 10 all the way to the bathrooms at the 1/2 way point.  It wasn't until about mile 12ish that it all caught up to me, and come 13, I for sure did not have the Judy express kick in the reserve tank that I pulled out last Sunday.  As soon as 'beating last week's pace' went out the window, slugging it out to the moment I could stop was the only motivator!  But sheesh, so okay with that.  10:10 on 13.1 for a training run .. yes, please!

The only problem .. by October, this would be the HALF WAY POINT.  Seriously unable to even imagine.  *commence panic mode again* :)

The rest of Sunday was all about napping, pedicures / massage chairs, and prepping food and laundry for the week ahead.

Happy camper.

Monday
Rest

Let myself off the hook and got the sleep I was needing. No swim this AM .. maybe tonight, or Tuesday morning.  2 mile walk with Bill around the hilly neighborhood in the evening after dinner.  Fitbit steps for the win!

Tuesday
AM workout

16 laps in the pool.  Swim PR.  Boom!

Plus .. someone asked me where I got my really cute all-white suit, and said it looked really good on my tanned skin.  Compliment.  About me.  In a swim suit. Double boom!

Tonight is the 2nd All Comer Track & Field event associated with the Grand Prix, (a grouping of about 12 ATC races each year where participants earn points for both how well they do, and how many events they attend.  So far, I am at 100% attendance, and with the 5th place AG placing at Singleton and 4th at the last All Comer, I even have a few extra points!  I am 9th of 50 women 35-39.  Never-the-less, I am feeling motivated, but calm.  I don't have a goal time.  If I place 5th or better, that would be awesome.  But I am going to try and chill about that.  The mile PR I took last time more than covers everything I could have ever hoped to get out of both these events!! :) Four of us are going to dress in similar shirts, and do another relay.  Having fun with the squad there is #1 goal. (Lets see if I can manage to stay that way when/if they send out names / heat line ups. giggle).

PM workout

4 x 400 and 800 meters (3:36)

The pictures are going to have to speak for the night:

So much energy! :)


Team 'We've Got the Blues" :)
On that 4 x 400, by the time I got on the track, ALL of the other teams were FINISHED.  I had to run one hard lap BY MY SELFIE! Guess that's just the attention seeker type of girl I am. LOL!


This little picture right here is me learning a valuable lesson. ;) (and possibly hooking me on another "thing" about running that is probably more important in short distance).  For the Grand Prix, doesn't matter.  In a large road race, doesn't matter.  But on a track, lane by lane, it MATTERS who sprints to the finish line first, and who doesn't!  That girl in the blue?  If I had had ANY idea that she was there, fighting to catch me, .. oh boy, it'd have been on.  But no, I had no clue .. so we ended up crossing like at the same moment, or maybe even with her in front by a nose.  In the words of Peter Griffin: doesn't that just grind your gears??? lol. Self: welcome to track! Haha.

Barring that faux pas, extremely pleased with the time, and the night!  5th place in my AG!  Party time. *^_^*

This might just be my favorite group of non-blood related people ever. <3

And then ... some how .. THIS happened!!! Holy f$$^&**&# s&^##(t!!!!!!!!!!!!!  3rd in Grand Prix standings for my age group.  Someone get me an oxygen mask!  I'm going to hyperventilate.  Lol.  I kid that this is just the standings for the best of the mediocre women of a certain age willing to attend many, many ATC events (and it is), but it still tickles me to all get out to be where I am!!!! *^_^*

Unfortunately, I took a peak at what passes for good at the next event (a 4 miler), and for 2015, that was: 29:36 for 5th place. Bahahahahahahaha.  That's a 7:25 pace .. for 4 miles.  So basically, I am going to throw a grand prix 3rd place standing celebration now, so that I can enjoy myself while I have it, and wave good bye to it shortly with dignity and grace!! haha.  But for this month .. BOOM! :)

Wednesday
Woo!  Finally, a speed work evening that did not send me home, tail tucked between legs, wondering if I shouldn't just quit now and take up salsa dancing or the clarinet or something.

Distance: 1 WU, 10-12 400m repeats, .5 CD
Goal: 2:02
Temperature: 345 degrees, I'm sure.

HIT!  HIT 11 times!!! Hit by pacing myself and SLOWING myself DOWN a good bit of the first 6, to have just enough energy to finish ALL of them right under 2.  Doing as I am told to a tee?  How 'bout them apples?!! *^_^*  Only the last one was balls-to-the-wall (and by 11th, balls to the wall ended up being 1:45).

Why did we do 11, you ask?  Besides because we are rebels and Level 2.5 just what works for us? Lol.  No.  Well, I was counting .. but I was also counting my watch workouts.  For each 200, I stopped and started again.  (I am sure their are fancier ways to split 400s, but this works just fine for me).. EXCEPT that my watch can only show me the last 10 workouts, and I already have two "saved" slots for races I want to use as "race this" times.  Sooooo ... when we hit 8, I thought we had done 8.  When I thought we had done 9, I looked at watch (and counted like 30 times), and it said 8.  Brain drained that I was, I said to M and Enrique, oh damn, I thought we were at 9, but sorry, we're at 8.  So we did two more.  And I look down .. and that's when it dawns on me .. because we are still at 8 laps.  Ooooooops!  Sorry, M!

Thursday
Rest

Really wanted to make it to swim, but fell a bit short on time.  Boo.  Will try for tomorrow.

Feeling a little guilty that this week will fall very short of 30+, but also recognizing that the track meet took up a good bit of time, for very little mileage.  (both in that I didn't want to wear the legs before, and in that the late night threw me off schedule, etc., for all of 1 mile).  And that this Monday, I am caring at least a little bit about the Memorial day freedom 10k, so slight taper would be much better than either a Friday run, or tacking on miles Saturday.  Especially with spin on Sunday .. that will be plenty of shake out.

Friday
Swim

Saturday
Distance - 7 miles easy

I'll come back to update this one. :)

Upcoming
Memorial Day Freedom Run 10k, Cumming.

I really wish I had asked someone to pace me this coming Monday.  I do so much better when I have that additional motivation.  9s for a 10k is in my wheelhouse; I know it.  But it's just on the OUTSKIRTS of that "universe-of-possible."  I'll really have to fight for anything under 58, I am sure.  Just don't know if I have it in me without the 'elephant's feather.'  Why don't I find a pacer, then? .. well, the logic on that is kinda like tidying for the cleaning lady.  Lol.  I don't want to let a pacer down.  So I want to be REALLY comfortable that I can hit the goal I say I want.  (yes, so that means that when I get to that point, why do I need the pacer??  silly logic.  Judy logic. lol).

So its just M and I, running like the wind.  (hopefully!) And here are the goals:

90% - Under 60
50% - PR of anything under 58:42
10% - 56:45 (Maintain 1:59:59 1/2 pace for 6.22 / 9:08 pace)

Also up coming:  on Monday, after the race, we'll try to tack on enough mileage to total our first 14 miler.  Sounds tiny compared to 26.2, but it officially puts us on the path to big distance!  It won't be a continuous run; we'll have awards, and driving to a more familiar location.  Not ideal for a first conquering of a distance mental game wise.. (does that really count as 14, etc) .. but .. good for easing in, and also offset by the fact that first 6.2 will be run at 10k race pace.

Total - 25.1

Chicago Marathon Training: Week 2 of 22

Monday
Blissful and earned recovery rest day.  Just got in my 10,000 steps, and done.  Hubby and I went over to Bells Park for an after dinner 2 mile walk. I'm so proud of him.  He's finally giving fitness a bit of a shot.  The high cholesterol and blood pressure labs really were a blessing in disguise.  Not that I am happy that they came back at: "how are you not dying?"levels, but ...  Go, Bill go!)

Tuesday
AM

10 laps in the pool.  Swimming every "there" freestyle, and every "back" as a back stroke.

PM
Distance: 6.2
Pace: 10:02

A fantastic run!  Second fastest Westside Rd 10k ever. :) (9:58 was the best last October, but the weather was VERY different then than tonight, so I will for sure take it!).  We took it out zippy, slowed a skip for the hill to Windward, and then kicked it into PRO / ONB gear for the downhill to Westside.  Took the "big" hill fast, and then the rolling hills on Thompson even faster.

Progress!

Wednesday
Distance 1 mi jog, 3 mile tempo, .5 mile jog
Pace: 9:40 for the tempo.

Oh well, they can't all be winners.  Haha.  It was humid, muggy, and evening.  I had wondered if I could keep flat 9s for this.  As I drove down to Riverside, I thought: "maybe 9:15s."  During stretching: "it'll probably be more like 9:30s", and by the time I was running: "keep it under a 30 minute 5K, and call it a night." Lol.

I can blame whatever, but the bottom line was that I just didn't want to.  It wasn't an "Important Run."  After, I felt no soreness, and definitely needed no major recovery.  But that's going to happen now and then.  Last time I checked, there were no medals at Riverside, so I am okay with this. :)

Thursday
Rest.  Blah speed work night yesterday = lets not hit the treadmill this AM.  Lets recover well for the weekend.  Got my 10,000 steps in (walked 2 miles after dinner with Bill at Fowler park this time), and done.

Funny thing about walking on the Greenway .. this ridiculous sense of accomplishment I get from running .. its not easy to see from the outside. Lol.  I'm watching folks schlep by, and thinking .. I have to look like I am doing more than that at least, don't I?  Bill's teasing as they go by that he doesn't see any running.  "that's not running .. that's elongated walking"  (he might have gotten punched in the arm then. lol).  Anyhoo, it certainly feels amazing, and I said they were probably running another 10 miles, and I'd like to see him do any better.  So there. lol.

Friday
11 laps in the pool.  I tried going a full here and there freestyle before each backstroke 1/2 lap, and woo, I could manage that! Sweet.  I also had my breathing come to me MUCH more easily.  Thinking that 1. I am getting better, and 2. that it helps to have rest. :)

Saturday
Distance - 6 miles + 4 hills

Er.meh.gawd! Concert at Lakewood on Friday night?  What was I thinking?!?!  This morning was the first time in a long time that I hit a good 95% on the bail-o-meter on a Saturday.  I didn't get into bed until about 1:30am.  The saving graces were that: 1. I posted pictures of the concert, so "Can't come.  I don't feel so good." would get a LOT of razzing. 2. I was pretty sure that if I REALLY needed it, I could ask for an even more modified position on the roster. (say, the walkers who take itty bitty stabs at running an itty bitty bit .. or home base).  3. there would be a good hour between this and cycling where I could nap.  All of that was a little unnecessary.  Except for sandbagging the hill repeats a little (because puking doesn't look good on a run lead. ;) ), running with top of 3-1s was easy peezy.

Proud of the pod, too!  We were sure turnout would be affected by the cloudy / possible rain weather, but we actually had the largest count to date.  Woo. :)

As far as the run, I think our distance is catching up with participant pace.  A few in my pod of 5-7 were tackling 6 for the very first time.  We began with a steady run.  A few of the group was keen on my suggestion that at race day, they might want to build in a bit of run time before starting intervals, just to get out in front of the starting bottle neck.  Smart as this little group is, they wondered if we couldn't go ahead and start practicing that way now.  So this AM, we ran .5, and then began 3-1s.  Averaged about a 12:30 pace, and leap frog-ed with the all-runs at 12 most of the way back.   The only bummer was that I had to leave two participants behind when the two of the front of the pod wanted to get going before the other two arrived at the water station.  I was 99% sure those two would just start running 2-1s with Kyle, but when we all got back to base, the two said they ran 3-1s back until mile 5, and then walked the last mile.  Noooooooo.  I cooooooooullllllllddd haaaaaveeee SAVED themmmm!  LOL.  If I would have been with them, or if another run lead would have come across them, they might have been motivated to finish out the distance at a slower run/walk pace.  Oh well.  Of the two who I did stay with, one needed encouragement up the final hill, and the other was giving it all she had just to stay with the 1st.  So I was helpful where I was.

Workout #2

Cycle class!  This lost no excitement for not being the 1st time.  <3 this!!  It was SERIOUSLY harder this time.  That was a bit confusing considering we had not just done 12 miles at 10:08 .. just 6.2 at 12:30.  Either the lack of sleep, or the fact that I was working a little harder.  (Funny, if you had asked me which day I had performed better, I'd have SWORN it was the first time, just by feel.  But



This compares with the first time, where I burned 367 calories, avg/max watts 97/239, and biked only 8.8  total miles (compared to 11.1) in the same 45 minutes.

The cherry on the top was that since Bill is looking at getting an exercise bike for home, he was game to try this out.  Now, going from COMPLETE couch potato to spin mania could have been a bad idea, and I was nervous for him. But he seemed completely at ease doing his own thing.  He didn't bother with the calls and whatnot.  But I am sure he enjoyed himself! And sweat.  :)  We treated ourselves to date lunch after, and I was a very happy girl.


Total: 29.2 + 2 Swim Session + 1 Spin + walks

Other

IT'S WORKING

I am FINALLY losing weight again!!!
Start Weight 03/2014: 205
2016: 145
5/20/2016: 138.4

WooOOOOooOOOOOOoooooo.  Haven't seen a new scale number in since .. forever. :)

Helping me this week to get there ..

1.  Good Measure Meals.

Kyle had such fantabulous results after two months of actual commitment to this that I had to give it another go.  I started Tuesday, and immediately began to see big changes.  With the portions, and the healthy choices, I am feeling very satisfied, too, which is a big help in wanting to continue with anything.

   

Some of the yummy things I eat on Good Measure Meals. :) 

2.  Fitbit

If you didn't notice, there was a lot of talk about steps in this entry.  Another change I committed to was to change up my rest days just a hair.  Since May 9th, I've been going strong with my daily step count hitting 10,000. And it didn't take much to get there.  Of course, I was hitting it on days I'd work out.  How can you not when you go out for a 12 mile run?  But then I noticed that Monday, if I didn't pay attention, I'd clock in a humdinger of a day with something like 3000-4000 steps.  If I ate that day like a post-run 12 mile runner might, then I was seriously resetting the work that I'd done over the weekend.  By just committing to 'Do No Harm' on rest days with a walk at lunch, or after dinner, I really think I help myself not start from a negative place when I do run.  

3. Variety

If both of those things weren't enough, I'll also point to the fact that I have been legitimately cross-training for the past few weeks.  Adding workouts like walking, swimming, biking and core exercising are helping me attack different fatty areas of my body, I am pretty sure.  Call it muscle confusion, or whatever, but I am absolutely sure these "others" are helping a ton.  The one missing link is that last one: core exercising / strength training.  Swim and cycling are classes / activities I can fit in to the schedule, and now that I am going along, feel like "things."  Strength training, whether I do it at home, at work, with a video, or on machines, still just feels like rolling around on the floor.  If I even start, I abort before I even break a sweat or get sore.  Perhaps I should sign myself up for something serious, like a personal trainer for a few months, or Orange Theory.  Unfortunately, I don't have the time to give this yet, so for now .. solution to be determined.

Weekend: the BIG exercise. :)

Saturday
Distance: 5 miles, 4 x hills
Pace: 12:45

Peachtree In-training continues.  This has been a bit interesting, in that I thought it would lean closer to half-training in terms of Run Leading, but has actually felt a bit closer to Women's 5K.  This means that the Run Leads are needing to stay ever flexible about their pacing, because the participants just don't have the distance under their belts.  I was originally tagged as an all-run 10s lead.  But there just are not enough participants.  The three who were tasked to 9s and up can easily handle the handful interested in any and all complete run.  So I have fallen into place with a pod of 3-1 run/walkers who tackle most runs at ~12 - 12:45.  (This is the top of that group; no faster run/walkers)  The pluses of this out way the cons. The group is tight nit, looks for me, and we have established quite a bit of camaraderie.  (We all know each other's names, and they're completely determined to stay together the entire morning.  Its pretty awesome).  Plus, the location is just breath-taking.  Can't discount that.

The one squeak of flexibility I did kind of boggarted in return for seriously being so off pace was that I **ssssssshhhhhh** didn't wear my Mizunos.  I love them, use them for most of my runs, and all of my races.  But if I am going to be running 12s for such short distances, the way that I can justify that chunk of time is to throw on the Vibrams and get in those "getting to know you" runs they require.  5 miles at 12ish was just right.  I adore how light and zippy they went along.  More running Vibrams again, I think!

Sunday
Distance: 12 miles
Pace: 10:08

This run was a serious confidence boost!  I did not struggle with the pace TOO much.  For almost all of the run, I was not huffing and puffing, but just pacing steady, able to chat a little, etc.  The few times I started to drag, and fell maybe 10-25 meters behind, I just committed to do a 30 second stride.  "If, after that, you can't hold their pace, fall back, but at least give it a shot."  I'd catch back up, and feel zippier for the stronger effort.  This happened maybe three times through the 12, and kept us all together until the very end.  And at the very end, I had effort in the tank, so I kicked, and pushed M & K's pace up for about the last mile.  Good go, J!

This sits nicely among recent times: right before Pig, we were doing these Sunday long runs at closer to 10:30.  And if you think back to Thanksgiving 1/2, my RACE pace was 10:06.  .. so BOOM!

And ...

50 minutes of spin!

We changed shirts, grabbed a bagel, and then .. to Dunwoody!

The Cycle Bar is A-mazing! 6 of our tribe-mates are fundraising for New York, and this was a first event for that.  I'd only used an indoor bike once this year, in January, and before that, quite possibly never.  No outdoor biking for years, either.  So after 12 mi, I was pretty sure I'd look like this at the back of the class:



But .. music .. mood lighting .. a gun-ho instructor .. a leader board with names on it .. and odd/even bike contests.  It was basically a 30 person fitness party!  Yea, my butt will not like me tomorrow, but halfway in, brain said GO TIME.  I gave it all I had, and probably sweat more in that 50 minutes than the ~2 hours I was out at Riverside.

The place was seriously posh, too.  Cool lavender towels, post-session snacks, a meditation song at the end in a dark auditorium.  They thought of everything! I will for sure try to fit in something like this again.

Plus ...

10 laps in the pool.

Crazy ideas just breed in my brain like magic. ;)  We'd almost done a half-triathlon.  Backwards.  All we needed was the 3rd sport. Besides, after all that sweating, I could use some refreshing.  Swimming was TOUGH.  My legs were okay, but being tired made it hard to breath consistently.  Never-the-less, that's the longest I've gone, with 10 25 m there's, and 10 25 m backs.  The Jacuzzi time helped, too. :)

So marathon training week one of 22, done.  Without counting this Sunday, mileage was 18.3.  Next week, it will be back up over 30 or more until about October! (Eeep).

Weekly Recap: All Comers Track Event at Emory

Monday
Distance: 3.5
Pace: 9:45

Because I skipped Sunday, I figured I'd pony up to LA Fitness before work and clock a 5K, just to catch up.  And I enjoyed myself!  I kind of like this schedule:  drive a kid or two to school, shoot by LA Fitness, join all of the 'career people' doing their fitness thing, put in a short 30-45 minutes, and then get to work.  It feels like a 'thing.' Lol.  Or at least more reasonable than 90-120 minutes before work.  I can see why people move to two work outs a day.

The run itself was not very miraculous.  I stupidly "parental controlled" myself into wifi-less-ness.  (Note to self: take MY phone off of the monthly data restriction; I'd never gone over before, but I take it being in Cincy this month pushed me over my allotment).  Anyhoo, that meant no music.

Treadmill - music = BORING.

It'd been a bit since I ran on a treadmill, so I opted out of incline. We'll get back there, but not this morning.  In hind sight, I could have pushed the pace quite a bit more to start, even for just an easy pace, but I didn't want to go over board.  By mile 2-3, I was making up for lost time pronto.  Next time, I can for sure do that sooner.  For just a 5K, easy pace should for sure be lower into the 9s.

Tuesday AM
Distance: 7 x 50 m laps (7 - 25 m there and 7 backs .. pool distance confuses me!)
Time: who cares



Look at me.  I swam.  Without Michele!  I think that means MAYBE I am a little committed to this sprint TRI thing after all.

One of the girls needed to be dropped off early at school again. (testing week).  I didn't want to run; figuring I'll save the fresh legs for the All Comers track meet tonight.  So I decided on a bit of swimming.  It didn't take very long, I for sure don't feel like this gives me much by way of cardio, but I can feel it in my arms, so rather than go as long as I think I should for cardio / heart rate / oxygen maxing out, etc., I stop when I think my arms are going to end up too sore.  Hopefully T-Rexing like this will be a thing of the past sooner rather than later if I just keep at it. :)

Excited about All Comers tonight, but racing just for fun, so a lot less anxiety than last year.  I have never done either distance, so PR palooza guaranteed.  The only source of anxiety this year is: please don't let me be the one who drops the baton! :)

Tuesday PM
Distance(s): 4 x 400, 200, and 1 mile
Times: ~1:39, 42:01, and 7:47!

What a fun event!  So much camaraderie and energy can be felt on a track field.  This annual event for certain holds its own special place in running.  It was everything I remembered it to be from last year ..and more! *^_^*

Most of the day, I managed to keep cooler, calmer and more collected (*from now on CCC) than usual.  I'd done this before, but not enough to be so pressed for any kind of outcome.  The only thing that threw a monkey wrench in there was getting the heat list midday.  With ages.  And names!  Firstly, it was pointed out to me that I was seeded earlier than some speed demons I know. ;)  Maybe I was a little too ambitious with my math?? 44:99 was the guess I used to register with.  Uh oh.  Next, it was pointed out that there were only 13 women in my age group, all but two who were seeded below me.  The two remaining were IN MY HEAT.  So it could literally end up being a race to the finish for placing (anything 5th or better gets Grand Prix points).  So these are the thoughts rattling around in my brain.  Shoot for the moon, right?  Plus, I repeat: don't drop the baton!!

To start, for fun, I ran the 4 x 400 with the 10kTuesday gang.  It felt hard, but at the time, it didn't feel hard for the right reasons: i.e. feeling like flying.  I just felt hot, and heavy footed.  The time: 1:39ish was perfect, though.  For a race I was trying to run moderate, rather than hard, it was a great outcome.

Team #10kTuesday with Enrique drafted in as anchor! :) 

Then to the matter at hand: 200 m.  Well, the results were seriously mixed.  The good news: 42:01 put me solidly under predicted pace.  Boom!  AND .. AND .. AND .. 5th place in my age group, which I think should give me a few extra Grand Prix points for the year .. maybe?  I think.  Not so good news:  In general, right after I felt like: oh damn, its over??? I was just getting ready to start racing!  Boo!  So that was not a great general post-race physical assessment of effort.  And 2.  I did not get 3rd or better.  and 3. I had result-checked the woman in my age group who came in 4th .. I should have beat her because my time was a solid chunk better than hers at Singleton.  Waaaaaahhh.  Teen tiny bit of baby toddler Judy.  But I was too happy with the time and everyone else's excitement, and the Grand Prix ranking, to get too bent out of shape.

Then came the surprise no-mixed-results cherry on top ...

By the time we knew it, with pictures and gabbing, it was 8:15 pm, we still hadn't left and the mile was about to start.  I hadn't planned to stay for the mile, but the weather was feeling lovely, and now that I've started keeping an eye on weekly total miles, I thought, heck why not get in at least a little more distance.  There was a small fear that I wouldn't be able to repeat last year's 8:16.  Would I be able to discount that if it happened?  Yes, I told myself, because its late, I've already run a good bit, and so what if it ends up just being a race I ran rather than oh man, what a race I ran.  That happens.  Get used to it.  But .. oh, man what a race I ran!! :)

At the last moment, I almost weenied out.  First they called 4:10s, 4:20s, under 4:45s .. oh okay, is this how we roll?  Then under 5:30, and 6.  Then "everyone else."  Bahahaha. So this everyone else heat puts me toe to toe with Enrique, a bunch of track high schoolers, David Bloomquist, and almost NO ONE that looks like they might run an 8, 9 or more mile, like I might.  Rough!  The two who kept me CCC were Kathy and David.  Both have such an altruistic nature to them, its contagious.  Very zen to draft off of them for a bit before 'just another run.'

And boom:  7:47.  New mile PR.  And fast enough to give me the mile PR for #100selfies mini-group.  Pacing was my god-sent tool in the tool belt this go, where in the 200 it hurt me.  I stayed quick for a half lap, steady for most of three laps, and then gave it more gas at the 200 mark (see, learning .. I had done 200 before, and felt unfulfilled .. better up the anty NOW rather than at the straight away if I don't want to feel that way again), plus a mighty big kick to the finish at 100!  I got an inkling that maybe I had it when my watch told me to slow down.  It was too dark to see my pace, but I had set ridiculous lap pace goals; if it was telling me to slow down after two laps already, I was going to do. this. thing. ;)  I had a run angel with me, too.  David Bloomquist ran along side me THE WHOLE WAY, and gave me some bursts of encouragement here and there that I was extremely grateful for. A good bit of the tribe was still around, too, so I heard the 'Go Judys' all the way to the clock!  Hi-fives and sweaty hugs, and I was officially spending time in that special (and now a bit rare) run nirvana place.

Oh and P.S., I can not really remember anything about running cross-country and track Freshman year in high school, and the 'time bug' for sure had not bit me then.  (I think my eyes pretty much glazed over every time the Varsity gang's convo turned to minutes, seconds and splits; I was too new to the entire thing to understand.  Plus, results weren't tracked like they are now: it was a clipboard and a stopwatch.  But the two times I remember are 33 minutes for my first 5K (Before I really started training .. freshman mostly ran 2 miles, so 1st 5K stands out), and a 7:14 mile.  The other number I remember from back then was 10 minutes .. when the coach once said during a random 5 miles: "come on, ladies, that was a 10 minute mile.  My grandma can run faster than that!" lol.  I take it 10s were not common for us back then.

But ... SOOOOOOooOOOOOOO, if I can take off about 30s from last year to this year, next year, I could very well be FASTER than I was when I ran track.. as a 16 year old! Goals!!! :)

Oh and ...

If You Can't Beat Em (or get us to stop competing), Join Em?

My little mini-pod of Michele, Kyle, and Pam has really become some of the best friends a girl could ever want.  That said, when three out of four of us finish one 1/2 marathon at the same time of 2:14, it adds a crazy dynamic to how we run together, and feed off each other.  This never would have crossed my mind AT ALL last year, but this year, it seems to be completely unavoidable to compare! So now we have mini-pod PRs.  I say this while rolling my eyes, but refer to the section title.

200 meters	Kyle	34:69
1 mile	Judy	7:47
5K	Judy	26:46:00
4 miler	Michele	36:33:00
10K	Kyle	57:30:00
PTRR 10 miler	Judy Judy	1:03:59 1:40:53
half	Michele	2:03:49
full	Kyle	6:07:41
	Kyle	Judy	Michele	Pam
AG/Hardware	1	1	1	2

Let the games begin, and may the odds be ever in your favor? Lol.


Wednesday
Distance - 1 mi WU, 3 x 1 mile (hard) with 400 recovery

Oh god. No other way to say it except: what a fuck-fest this was! Lol.  80+ degrees, and my legs WOULD. NOT. MOVE.  I took the WU slow, and interval 1 as another WU mile.  I didn't even stop my watch to distinguish between the two; guessing the pace for the 1st mile interval was between 9:30 and 10.  (Goal for these: 8:45).  Ouch.  The saving grace was finding Craig and Jody for lap 2, who were also not interested in tackling these full out.  (Or at least, they weren't after power housing through a first one at 8:20 something).  So we took my 2nd at a more respectable 9 - 9:15, and the last one at about 9:20.  Even that was stretching what my body was wanting to do; gotta love the assistance of a little camaraderie.  We're all in this together intervals for the win!  .5 CD, and done, with nothing to write home about, but another workout under the belt.  Lets chalk that up to staying out so late at All Comers.

Thursday
Distance: 3.1 (out of 6.2)

After Wed., evening, I don't know what possessed me to not only tackle a forth day of running, but also in the early morning (aka, not even 10 hours later).

I knew I wouldn't have time for the 6.2 miles I was owing, but tonight the fam wants to head to Taste of Alpharetta, so 5K before work after drop off at school was the best I could do.  I will get a good bit of walking tonight, but won't have time for exercise.  So I figured I would hop on the treadmill at the gym and just BRING IT.  (and by BRING IT, I mean crawl through a drudgery of slug-tastic awfulness just to say I did something. bah!).  I started with 3-1 intervals (which tells you where my head was .. I haven't done these for my own workouts since last IT4P)  After one mile, I still couldn't find my legs, pace, or the mental game, so I just ditched running all together, and Facebook / walked on the treadmill for a mile.  FANTASTIC, J.  Just FANTASTIC.  lmao.  After mile 2, I was finally ready to do something, so I ran the last mile at 9:45.  So another ugly looking check in the log book, but damn it, a check.

I need to give the legs the rest they are obviously begging for.  Tonight will be just walking, and tomorrow will either be complete rest, or a bit of swim.  (how a new activity like swim counts as rest is beyond me.. fine, you caught me .. it is not the brightest idea if I want to be rested for big mileage weekend, but hey .. that's how I roll?).

Friday 
Rest

Week in Review: Late Spring Thinkin'

Monday
Rest

Tuesday
More rest

Happy to see that our singlet picture earned itself the honor of being 'Track Tee Tuesday.'  The Atlanta Track Club posts one picture each week of someone wearing an ATC t-shirt somewhere interesting, and this week, we were it! Woo.

These "uniforms" really were fun.  Atlanta Track Club was very well represented. :)

Wednesday
.5 WU, 4 x 1200, .5 CD

We got kicked off the track again.  Bummer.  Not that I wanted to do the entire work out.  The plan was a 'shake out' run, since we haven't run since race day Sunday.  The ideal is that you run a recovery week similar to tapering post-race.  But very honestly, I'm not at all broken.  So I was also planning to trial run a 200 on the track in prep for the All Comer's annual track and field event next Tuesday at Emory, and then maybe easy pace for the intervals and CD. I didn't get to do that, but never-the-less, I did a bit more than the tanked workout we intended.

Indicator goal if we were 'really' doing this: 6:22

Interval 1 - 7:02
Interval 2 - 9:42
Interval 3 - 7:22
Interval 4 - 6:30

That last one was to prove I could "really do this." It was about as hard as I expected it to be!

Next, my WingFoot (the Atlanta Track Club magazine) came tonight.  And I guess I am having a Ms. Popular week, because not only were we Track Tee Tuesday, but I got my picture in Wingfoot!



Marathonfoto also had their action shots ready and waiting for me tonight .. the exhaustion that is me running 13.1 miles in ALL of its glory.  Despite the pained expression, I absolutely adore these.  1. Fun hair game!! lol.  and  2. I see myself as 'padded but no longer ultra lardy.'  haha!  Not the runner's body I am ultimately after, but I see TONS of progress over the body I had even a year ago.  3.  The people around me get faster and faster looking every race.  Proof that I am doing incredible things!!

Plus ...


If this is one of the actresses from Game of Thrones in a running picture, I have to say I think I'm in good company!!! ;)


Thursday
Nada

Friday
More nada

Saturday
Distance: 10 miles + 4 x hills
Pace: ~12:30 and 10:30

Beautiful day in Suwanee.  Gosh, I really love this location.

It was a run of oddity.  When I was running with the participants, I was GUNNING to GO!  It was tough to make the pod the priority.  But besides that itch to speed up, the morning couldn't have been more perfect.  I ran 3-1s with a group of about 5-6 who all stayed together as a pod.  We had time for a good bit of 'getting-to-know-you"  And at least two who tackled 5 miles for the very first time!  Awesome accomplishments!

Ran the hills all out.  Brad pushed me a good bit.  Zoom zoom!

The additional 5 miles after that were ROUGH (with Kyle and guest starring Michele .. who we had planned to meet at McFarland, but she finished Alpharetta way before we finished in Suwanee, so she just drove to us!  Yea, my run partner is better than yours!! lol).

Rough for exactly the OPPOSITE reason of first 5 miles. After 3-1s, 10:30 with no walk interval felt HARD.  At mile 3 (aka 8), I just decided not to fight for the pace, and fall back a little to Kyle & Michele.  As soon as I could just see them in front, but wasn't fighting to keep their negative splits, I was happy.  The recovery time actually left me a great place to fight the last mile hard, and I came pretty close to catching back up all together.


When we got done, we took a walk around that Town Center.  Farmer's market AND Woofpalooza.  Woo! 

Sunday 

Some of this ..



And a little of this ..



But no running.

I had a FABULOUS Mother's Day.  Chicken soup for the run soul day.  And then watching hubby do what he likes to do for fun is always a decent idea.  ROCK ON!! ;)

Total (Sunday - Saturday) - 28.6


Upcoming

May will be light on racing from here on out.  The half-marathon on the 1st is behind me, and now a 200 meter dash on Tuesday, 5/10, and an 800 m race Tuesday, 5/24.  In June, just one 5K on the books for 6/11 (Braves Country).  July Brings Peachtree 10k (7/4), and the official beginning of marathon training.  Eeeep. August will bring two other 5Ks.  And that's really it for right now.  So these next few months, I will be training long distance, and racing short.  In the Fall, training and racing for long.

The other thing that is patiently waiting for my attention is the August sprint TRI.  I need to add a second (and some weeks first) swim day starting this week, and at least one bike day per week here as soon as possible.

Doing better on the diet front.  Not perfect (see Mother's Day shared dessert, lol), but a good bit better than the binge-fest I had degraded to here of late.  The looming marathon training has really re-enforced that the body I have on 10/09 will be the body that needs to come along for 26.2 miles of fun.  Do I really want it to be ALL of the body I have today??  Eye on that prize is really helping me make better choices.

Race Recap: 2016 Flying Pig, Cincinnati

Saturday
Travel racing is officially a thing!

I slept over at Michele's, so that we could expedite the 4 am departure.  (Yes, you read that correctly.  Eeeeepppp).  And even at that, we arrived at the airport with less than 45-60 minutes to departure.  Silly me, I thought we had PLENTY of time.  And OF COURSE, this would be the first random Monday morning that Atlanta is backed up from security TO BAGGAGE CLAIM!

We were still in the line at the stated boarding start time .. and then ... oh. em. gee ... still in the line at the stated final boarding / door close time.

As soon as they let me through security, I RAN.  (This is what we've been training for all along, right?  Kind of! lol.)  Pretty sure I put the fastest mile of the weekend on my feet in a desperate attempt to REACH THE GATE.  And I did.  After we boarded, they let on two more.  And then 5 minutes later, re opened the door for another four+!  Tisk, tisk Atlanta ..  staff those security gates appropriately in October please.  (and mental note: add an hour buffer to plans.  better still, no first of day, or last of day flights)

We got there with plenty of time to watch the two races.  Cheering was SO. MUCH. FUN.  The nose and ears were a BIG hit. :) Some serious smile miles on the pig nose.  And the 5K kids were the best.  At the finish line, all you need to do is tell a kid he or she is looking so strong, and are almost there .. and boom, they TAKE OFF!!  Seriously fun to watch. *^_^*

I dare you not to smile, tired runner. ;) 

After the races, to the expo!



This might have been the only part of the weekend that was not completely fun.  (Well, okay, two things .. but the other was not running related.)

THE decision.  I was tempted.  I asked the bib pick up folks what the process would be if I happened to want to switch races.  I walked over to the customer service table they directed me to.  I took note of the form I would need to complete.  I found out how much it would cost.  And then we went to go walking while I thought about it.  And thought about it.  Finally, I thought about it some more.  And I just couldn't make the decision to do it by myself.  I'm not sure what Michele would have decided if I would have just done it, but I just couldn't talk myself into doing it alone.

The following day, I would be furiously thanking all of the commentators that brought me to hesitate!!  But at the expo, when the decision was firm, I just felt bummed and outta gas. So we quickly did a cursory round of exploring, and then were outta there.


Sunday
Distance: 13.1
Time: 2:11:something

Wowzer.  What a course.  I seriously loved it, but my mental game was not prepared!  I hit it hard out of the gate, but let the hills gas me prematurely in miles 6 - 9.  By the time I hit the 10-11 mark, I knew I couldn't get back my PR pace.  This actually shot me in the foot: if I had done the math better, and realized I was still within a minute, I would have probably pushed it.

That said.. no toddler tantrum.  Reasons I think I avoided it:

• Recent PR
• The serious adventure the course itself presented.  Miles 6 - 9 were literally straight up.  And scenic.  There is something amazing about cresting a mountain with views out to the entirety of a world below.  I don't know how all that elevation compares to Publix, but the visibility of something like this just FEELS like a more major miraculous accomplishment.  Plus, unlike in ATL, for the ups, you get some serious downs.  Even if it didn't PR me, at least you are feeling like you put a little zoom in. 
• Kyle and Michele were off their PRs too.  (plus 3/4 of the rest of the tribe)
• The weather got hot and post-rain humid FAST.  I can let that account for why I couldn't push to serious physical hurt.

This is a major blessing, because except for the expo, I spent 100% of my weekend smiling, laughing, and enjoying myself!  Getting better about that.  Yey!

When we were done, I felt what I like to describe as post long race flu.  Feet ache, backache, chills, cranky.  We found beer, advil, and did a poor man's yoga for about an hour at the stadium seating by the river.  It was gorgeous.  And just about all I needed to be back at 100%.  In the blink of an eye, I was making Kyle time how fast Michele and I could get up the stairs. bahahaha.  So all we need to do is run our first 1/2 at race pace, stop and have a beer/do yoga /pound Advil for 30 minutes, and then run the second half in 2:20.  2:10 + 30 + 2:20 = 5:00.  Done. :) haha.  Or we could .. um .. train. hee heee.

Watching the Marathoners
This was awful.  And awesome.  Awful because by the time we got there, every finisher looked like death warmed over.  They were bleeding, and limping, and crying, and basically the most unhappy group of people we'd ever seen.  The weather was probably partial to blame, but Michele and I just kept saying: oh my god, what have we done.  Over and over.

Then we saw OUR marathoners.  Yes, they looked miserable, too.  But LOTS less miserable.  And on seeing us, the uplift was immediate.  Afterward, Tina and Rebecca did all of the post-race celebrating more or less like any of the rest of us. This reiterated the idea of preparation, which brought on ..

The List
In part, due to watching the marathoners come in, for the rest of the weekend I started to compile a list of (serious and not so serious) Dos and Don'ts for Chicago.  On the final night, at 10 pm or so, most of the tribe sat around in the lobby recapping, and so far ..

Marathon Virgin Do(s)
Double the Guu
Salt
Advil
Excessive airport travel time
gas car the night before
wax EVERYTHING
wear sunscreen (said with a fearful footnote that the conversation might be turning into a 90s pop song)
be mindful of time changes
explore coffee options ahead of time
schedule travel with enough down time / expo time
no same day travel post-race

Marathon Virgin Don't(s)
No crying
No spontaneous bleeding
No limping
No walking in the chute
No losing skin
No blisters
No pool after marathon.  Hello chafing.
No farting in your ventilation-less trash bag (figured that one out the hard way. bahahaha)

Marathon Virgin Maybes
Hold hands with your favorite run partner (lol)


Hair (and matching outfit) game