Distance - 10 miles + 7 miles
Pace - 10:33 and 10:20
Skipping Saturday long runs now presents serious struggle. We'll have to try not to do that again. ;) Before training started up at the end of last month, it seemed easy enough to find a sub group to run with Sunday morning whenever needed. Now that training is *officially* Saturday, Sunday = crickets.
I wanted flat. But I really dreaded 20 solo. It crossed my mind to throw it out to all the run threads that I'd be doing a 20 miler at Riverside, and that any and all cameos would be appreciated. Maybe I'd find enough folks that would at least adopt-a-mile? LOL. That didn't feel like enough commitment pressure, though, and I was feeling like I for sure needed some commitment pressure. The idea sounded fun though; I'll have to keep it in my bag of tricks for future reference.
Luckily, instead, I found this fun group hosting a long run! I can count on one hand the events that I have participated in that were not ATC. The novelty was entertaining. I felt like should be challenging them all to a rap battle or a dance off or something. bhahahaha.
But they were all very welcoming, and the paces were roughly where I needed them to be. (There was a group leading the way up in front; they kept me entertained for about 1.5; there was a group behind which I hung with after that right through about 9 miles.. until I lost them to a Starbucks run (mid-run Starbucks can be a thing ... ???? ... lol. I like it Runningnerds, I like it.). Two ladies in particular ran almost twin to me right from 3-9 miles, and that was perfect. The course .. um .. I guess ATC is not unique in its petulance for torture. Rolling hills ALL. The. Way. I purposefully kept the pace really easy; I didn't know how much of a toll the 5K PR was going to take, and at that point in the morning, I was fully intending to do a continuous 20 miles.
Unfortunately, most in this pack were just going to ten, and by the time I got through with the rolling hills, all I wanted to do was gab with the new friends about their marathons. We chatted, and chatted. The longer I stayed, the less resolved I was to head back out on the same hilly course. In fact, even taking it back to Riverside sounded terrible. So I stayed and gabbed some more. By the time I got to Riverside, I decided on just the first loop out: 7 total. This came a little faster, but since it already felt like cheating because I had put like 1-2 hours in between of hanging out, and driving, I felt completely indifferent about just calling it at the parking lot. (17 total). None of it felt "long."
In other news: I met "Tes!" .. one of two other leaders on the Grand Prix F35-39 list that I've looked at all year. It was HILARIOUS. She knew my name, too, and we laughed at that connection. We told each other we'd be "watching." Cracked me up. Too bad my times for Finest were in such a messy state. The song: its like rain-eee-aaain on your wedding day .. its a freeeeee ride, when you're already late' was stuck in my head for hours. LOL. I met Tes, but I couldn't really talk about race results and whatnot, because it was too complicated. Of course.
Monday
Distance - 6.2
Pace - 9:50
I <3 Mondays. It just feels so "free style" on Greenway. This is what I'd do every day, if I wasn't such a koolaide drinking social butterfly. (Okay, not butterfly .. maybe social donkey? I'm kinda pulling myself 'there' but then I like it? haha). No hills, a small pod, lots of quiet reflection alone running, no pressures. Run to the best of my ability, never beyond it. Just fun.
That said .. it took a LONG ASS TIME to warm up. Michele and I ran together for a good 4 miles. That's the first time in a good bit we hung to the same pace. Woo. In the last two miles, I did my little hill surges and then picked up the pace for a "get done" finish. She fell back, but not by much, and I was really happy to see that she is not losing too much ground for all the misery that her training cycle has put her through. Kyle brought up the rear. Lately. he's been keeping this one a true easy, since he uses Tuesdays as a tempo. That works for me ... because I don't need to race him at the 6 mile mark ever anymore. LOL. :)
Tuesday
Distance - 3.1
Pace - 9:30
Luxury is feeling totally ready to get out of bed at 4:00 am, and then letting yourself not, because you love you. LOL. I slept like 10 hours, got up with hubby, and drove the girls to school, before hitting the treadmill at LA F for a quickie 3.1, and then work. I didn't want a pressured run. Motivated to push myself, yes, but not pressured. And sometimes, I go *too* hard at 10KTuesdays, and then start tanking next work outs, etc. This week, I want to really keep myself religious about getting the distance in. That means not being a fool. The pace was the same as 10Ktuesday, but on a flat treadmill, the effort was for sure more controlled. I ran the first mile at 10 on the dot, the next one at 9:40, and then hit it hard the last mile, upping the speed every 60 seconds through 2.5, and then every 30 seconds through 3.0, and every like 10 seconds for the last .1. This way is mucho fun for me.
I'm going to do this again Thursday, for 2 x 3 mile repeats. Maybe before taking the kids to school, and with enough time to get in a refreshing swim? One can wish.
Unfortunately, thoday is quite a bit short of the 8-10 total on the schedule, but running by feel seems to be working so far. I think I will hit 40+ this week, since I ran Sat. and Sun., so not stressing it.
Approaching the one month mark, I am feeling the drain, but also doubling the resolve. A person can do anything for 6 weeks, right? I can let other things fall to back burner without serious impact for just 6 weeks. It makes me want to hit my schedule with as much commitment as possible.
Oh and duuuuuuude:
That's "Tes" in green from the Grand Prix F35-39 list of names. Duuuuuuuude. Serious cosmic irony at work here!! bhahahaha. Powers that be, could we please discussed this forced nemesis thing? I'd like to request a slower one! *^_^* #mikewasowskied
Wednesday
Distance - 2 miles
Pace - 10:08
I felt a little guilt about shorting Tuesday, and needed to hit my 10k steps for the day, so another very short treadmill run / walk. Enough to hit the goal, while still remembering that I am going on 5 days of running without a break. I know I don't like to "jog" any more, so to keep it super easy and just for steps, I did run walk.
Thursday
Distance - 1 WU, 3 mi by 800m x 2, 1 CD
Times - 10:30, 27:19, 26:56, 10:20
Badass treadmill work out! Three miles and treadmill go hand in hand for me. Whenever I can't fit anything else in, 5K on the treadmill always seems mentally doable. So running this on mah machine seemed like the best way to pull out of myself the intended work out. The only unfortunate thing is that there is really no telling what the goal pace should have been for these. I was for sure pushing, but I never felt as rough as I do during track work outs. Whether this is because you can't "sprint" 3 miles, or because I had no goal in my mind, I don't know. But anyhoo, because total mileage was 6, I figured as close to goal 10K race pace as possible should do it. That's still 9:08, which I hit the first interval, and crushed the second. I felt really strong, running 1st mile at 9:30 - 9:40, and then upping the pace by one every lap the 2nd mile, and every quarter lap or so the last mile. Thought in my head: was this "wonder woman" and not "make it hurt" because: I ran alone .. because the pace was a little slower than it could have been .. because I had a RIDICULOUSLY awesome new play list .. because I'm always training so I am always still improving, even from week to week .. or because I paced negative? I will keep trying to answer that question every time I run a 5K from here to the end of time, I think. :)
Downloaded a random "cardio" playlist. Holy crap. Talk about illegal drug. I was bookin' it listening to this. That creeps a little plan into my head: save the headphones for miles 20 - 26.2 as a last ditch come to Jesus moment? :) I'd hate to miss the cheering, though, so we'll see! Maybe miles 16 - 23? Hmmm.
Friday
Stupid alarm. Womp, womp. No Riverside. Normally, I'd be happy enough, but I kinda like Riverside! I see a theme emerging: I love Mondays, Fridays, treadmills. (all flat, relatively cool mileage). I dread Tuesdays, speedwork, and have a serious love/hate relationship with Saturdays. So basically .. 10Ks would have been a good "quit while you're ahead" distance, hills suck, and so does pushing myself. Ha. I guess that's the whole point of the training schedule!
Hoping to get another quickie 5K in right after work to make up for lost morning. If it gets too late, I won't. 20 miler can't be messed with.
Total: If Friday afternoon and Sat. AM goes according to plan, I'll be at .. YIKES .. 61.3
*drop mic*
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