Week 4 Chicago Marathon Training / Freedom Run Race Report

Sunday
XT at Cycle Bar in Dunwoody

Continuing to get more and more legit at this. ;)  All stats better the third time!

CLASS RANK

13 / 33

---

CALORIES BURNED*

584

*estimated

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AVERAGE/MAX RPMs

82 / 143

---

AVERAGE/MAX WATTS

127 / 302

 

Lavender towels on our heads .. that's how we roll. :)

In the afternoon, the gang met up for some other-than-running fun.  Yup, we do that too, some times.  Gotta keep it happy!  Unfortunately, I didn't get Kyle drunk; a must if I were really wanting to safe guard my top 5K PR standing tomorrow.  Haha.

Monday

Memorial Day Freedom Run - Cumming, GA

Distance: 6.22 and 8 miles

50% goal - sub PR - Hit

Pro Tip:    KNOW THY COURSE!

Oh. Em. Gee.  I bet no one else knows that there is a dessert-like mountain-ish gateway to the pits of Hell in Cumming, GA!  Lol.  So much for hokey little small race in the middle of nowhere that will land us some prime running.  The scale on our ad hoc elevation for this one was WAY OFF.  BY FAR, some of the hilliest running I've **ever** raced.  It reminded me of Martin's Landing near Riverside.  Slapped on top of that: NO sun protection what-so-ever in about 85+ degree sun-blaring conditions.  I did not even come close to the 10% goal, but 2 miles in, I was uncertain about the 90% goal, so to have taken a PR (50% goal) was a definite win!  Two things kept me going: 1. Michele and her friend, Tom, were a stone's throw up front the entire time, and 2. at a small race like this, even if you are sucking, maybe everyone else in your age group is sucking a little harder?  Too early, that 9:08 average pace said good bye.  It was hard not to just ditch it and walk up the never-ending mountains after that.  But I kept watching Michele and Tom, and kept thinking that, if nothing else, steady-pacing it out was a great accomplishment and good training.  I was rewarded for the effort when .. BOOM!: 3rd in Age Group! :) 

 My only regret:  I waited too long to try and catch Tom and Michele.  I had it at the end, but didn't have enough course left.  Plus, rotten Kyle tipped them off with a "she's coming" in the finish shoot.  Bahaha. I ended up 58:20 , she at 58:14.  A 3-way tie would have been ideal.  Not important for anything goal-wise (Kyle has the 10K top PR from a month or two ago, and ran the 5K this race), but still, I could have, so I wish I would have. ... of course, if I had sooner, she might have bested 58:14, so um .. woulda, shoulda.  ;)  It was the only minute or so in the whole morning where I had gas in the tank to spend actually racing.

Immediately following the race and awards, we hopped in the cars, and hit Fowler for the remaining 8 miles on the calendar.  The going was GRUELING!  By the time we got done, it was NOON, and like 90 degrees.  I had trouble with an 11 minute pace!  I kept making deals with myself:  get to mile 4 (aka mile 10), and then run walk 3-1s from there back if you need to.  Then at 10 miles, I told myself: if you were down at Riverside with Harley, or TJ, or Angelina, you would not walk, and you'd be pushing 10-10:30s.  Don't walk.  Only later did Harley comment: "I did 14 too. Lots of walk breaks because of heat and hills. Need to keep up with you !"

<3 my tribe. :)  So nice to know I am not the only mortal one. Anyone who thinks that running is a solo sport is clearly doing it wrong in my opinion.  Hopefully this run will be a one-off, and not indicative of the entire marathon training cycle.  Fingers crossed!  Must find cooler temperatures, even if it means .. eeep .. headlamps. ;) 

Tuesday

Distance: REST

I am enjoying the blogging.  Each year, I am going to try to keep picking a different challenge.  Last year, it was 100 selfies, this year, its keeping this blog, next year, maybe something else.  It helps me not inundate social media with run posts, and to chronicle a fun time in my life.  Pretty sure I am the only one who really reads these so far, but that's just as well.  I like being inside my head.  If I ever goal viral, I'd have to sensor myself, lol. 

Wednesday

Distance: 1 mi WU, 6 x 800, .5 CD, plus 6 laps

Indicator time suggests about a 4:06 for these.  We were headed down to Riverside, but ended up rained out.  Option #2 was back up to LA Fitness for some treadmill intervals.  Michele doesn't run on a treadmill at all.  So it took us time to get used to the mechanics.  (For example, that the speed won't immediately kick up to 7.4, even when you are ready to start there).  The 1st one was at 4:15, second at 4:08, and from there all but the last were between 4:02 and 4:04.  The last one was 3:50.  If I use my 5K PR rather than my indicator
time, these should be at 4 on the dot, so by any account, we put in good effort! :)

Since we were at LA F., might as well hit the pool, too.  I could have gone on, but I do these much slower than M, and she skipped her cool down mile (not important if swim cools you down; important if you don't count swim as miles), so I was already ten minutes behind.  By the time I hit 6, she was at 12 and ready to hot tub.  Who can argue with hot tub?? :)

Thursday
Distance: XT

Best intentions. :/  This whole summer thing is really going to bust my bubble.  Oldest needed the car to take to work.  Luckily, I can just ride in with hubby.  But that means nothing on the stop-at-LAF front before/after work front.  I contemplated a quickie 5K after Ashley got out of work, but honest engine, I was beat.  And sore.  I started this 30-day core challenge.  I am always surprised when something basic like that tires out my legs.  But apparently there are still muscles in there that squats will get, but running 14 miles won't.  So I gave myself a pass.  On the one hand, I feel justified, since that is the 'plan.'  Up the long run, but don't completely start a 7 day marathon training program until after Peachtree.  On the other hand, that scares me a bit.  What if I can't get out of that mindset when the time comes?  What if I keep blowing off mid-week work outs?  Meh. :/



Friday
XT

Saturday
Distance: 3.1 + 7.5 + 4

This one was better, but not perfect.  The heat, and stops and starts are really draining.  That said, we hit 14.5!  Getting half of the extra distance in before training was very helpful, weather wise.  Not worrying about pace at all yet is really helping, too.  I have to thank the participants for that.  Blaming them makes it easier on the ego. ;)

Total - 34.1

4 Days to Go: Why I Wanted to Fun Run a Marathon

Monday 
Rest

Tuesday
Rest

Is there a medal for the prettiest hooves? :)

Wednesday
.5 WU, 4 x 1000 with 400 recovery, .5 CD

Time goal: 5:09

Interval 1: 5:09
Interval 2: 5:09
Interval 3: 5:06
Interval 4: 5:49

Aw, it was nice to be at Riverside.  So many speed demons, so many familiar faces. <3ed it!

I had kicked some serious HR butt at work, and that adrenaline rush made me seriously READY to DO-THIS_THING.  Lol.

The two first intervals felt HARD though!  The 'track' for these had both 'ups' and 'downs.'  It was also probably in about the mid to high 70s.  The 3rd one required more than just a 400 recovery (read: chat away with buds for a good 2-3 minutes before having another go!  But with that recovery, and three to chase (Jody, Craig, and at the last, Jerry), this one felt much easier than the first two.  We had said only 2-3 instead of the 4-5, so that our taper wasn't too aggressive, so the 4th was just me by my lonesome at a more moderate effort.  I think it was going to be slower regardless, but it might not have been 5:49 if not for FP.  So overall, thumbs up Indicator chart! :)

In other news .. we forgot to take a picture!  T...H...E..  H... O..R..R..O...R!

haha.

Thursday / Friday / Saturday
Cross-training:  Swimming tonight.  Maybe 1 - 5k Friday, and biking (leisurely) on Saturday's bike tour.  A little nervous about the biking.  I don't think I have biked anywhere in a decade.  I think I need training wheels!


What my biking experience looks like to date. :) 

About this crazy idea Michele and I had
I can't remember what the conversation was about, but certainly it started with whether or not Michele was wanting to tackle the full distance at all this year.  (This is before Brandi and I convinced her completely to throw her name in the hat for Chicago).  At some point she must have jokingly said 'lets just do it.  Lets change our half-marathon registration to the full-marathon at the Flying Pig.  Pull the band aide off, so to speak.'  Ever since then, the idea has been playing around in my head.  And its crazy.  But so am I.

Reasons to
Why did this come to appeal to me SO MUCH?  I know its difficult to imagine, but I actually see it now as the "fun" option.  Fun run a marathon?  Without training enough?  What are you thinking, right?  Well, if you've been reading these for any length of time, you know that I struggle with my 'mental game.'  Why am I doing this?  I can't do that.  I can't run that fast again. Etc., etc., etc.  As we approach race days, the anxiety just builds and builds.

But I KNOW when I DIDN'T struggle with this: 2014.

When I was an underdog.  Running a distance for the first time.  When I was 30+ lbs heavier than I am now, with at tops a 10 miler under my belt, and just worried about not getting picked up by a swag wagon my 1st time out.  When I walked if I needed to.  And ran slower than that.  The sheer exhaustion, the sheer pride, the sheer joy was in NO WAY negated by a 2:55:00ish finish time.  In fact, heck, PR baby!! There's no way to describe it.  I was FLYING on AIR!!

Physically, 1/2 marathons don't feel that way any more.  I'm not a superhero after, by any means, but I don't lay on the couch icing, and rolling, and napping, unable to climb steps or hobble out of cars for weeks on end.  I don't have one cycle under my belt, I have 3, with 2 peachtree training sessions and a W5K thrown in for good measure.  The last cycle right after another.  I've run 13.1 at least a dozen times now.  This is a different kind of prepared for the same race.

To run a half at my goal (PR) pace I need to approach 9:30 avg pace, though (or such; I'm sure I'll look it up specifically before race day).  Any less, tantrum Judy.  Any better, happy Judy.

To run a marathon, I can plan to keep a steady easy-ish pace of 10:30 for the first 13, and the typical run lead pace of 12-12:30 the rest of the time.  Or even better .. WHATEVER the HECK I want.  It will be a big adventure!  Happy Judy, 100% guaranteed!

I kinda want to finish my 1st marathon (pre 1st really) like Judy 2014 did.  Taking selfies if I feel like taking selfies, making friends when I see someone struggling or walking, completely intending to finish in 6:30 minutes and nothing more.  Maybe with some buds on the 1st 13.1.  Way behind those buds for the 2nd half, but maybe finding some new ones or the final pace group to hang onto at the end.

There is just NO WAY Chicago will end up that way.  I will have trained up.  Trained hard!  I will owe it to myself to go out there and GET.IT.  Whatever 'IT' ends up being.  And I am okay with that.  Its going to be AWESOME.  But after 2+ years of running, it will NOT be like my first 1/2 at that point.  Ain't nobody got time fo dat on their first trained up for marathon! lol.

So this just sounded like the perfect nod to who I am and where I've been.  And good precursory information for Chicago, too.  Plus it will be such inspiration to be a part of the  group that did train for a full-marathon this spring .. if just for some of the miles.

And physically, I just *know* I can handle it.  How many people don't end up 'over doing it' now and again.  I haven't 'over done it' in at least a year.  I don't get seriously sore any more ... unless I try doing something with ab or arm involvement, lol .. but see, that's what I mean.  My legs NEVER get THAT sore.  But they can!  They have.

I'm not crazy.  I'm not thinking I can run the entire thing.  I don't want to do it in 5:30.  I'm not even too proud to DNF the sucker.  That's the freeing thing of not having trained.  Bail on it at mile 20 .. who cares!  If you took the weakest most first cycle, entry-level marathoner from the 2016 Fall training, and butted them up with me, I would dare any one to tell me I wasn't as capable.  Not to belittle the efforts of any such person, but I'm not going to negate all of my work either.  Full distance under belt or not, I have been MUCH more diligent in my running in 2015 than 2014, and in 2016 than in 2015.  That counts for a lot!  And I DID a half in 2014 .. before all that!

Comparing that to what I'll do in the Fall is like apples and oranges.  Thinking this will negate anyone eles's efforts, or what my race in the Fall will be, is just completely invalid to me.  There's no room for comparisons in running.  Note to self:  Do you, boo!!

So ... New adventure?  Sign me up, please!

But ...

Reasons not to
1. More likely than not, its going to pore.  I don't love the idea of running in the rain.  For 26.2, not ideal.  And I won't really know if this is the case or not at the expo, when the decision needs to be made.

2. I could get hurt.  Not just the blissful exhaustion mentioned above that I never really approach now after a 1/2.  But REALLY hurt.  And then I'd have 20+ I told ya so's on my hands, instead of the normal support you get when you get injured, because it would be my fault.

3. There's something about peer-pressure.  If you are not able to make 20+ of the closest, most supportive people in your life say at least that, 'well, hey, I think you're cheating yourself of the full 20+ week experience, and I wouldn't do it, but your decision is at least marginally not ridiculous, so go for it if you want to'   well.. the fact that I've only gotten one, maybe two of those, and the rest more like CAPS LOCK NO DON'T DO IT.  That's enough serious doubt to negate any of my own feelings on the topic. :/

4. Michele could get hurt.  This one is unacceptable, and concludes the debate.  I'd want her to have a choice in whether or not she is running her first marathon this way.  I don't want her to have to, just because she thinks I need support.  If she got hurt, I'd regret the whole thing, and that's not acceptable.  I could run it without Michele, not even letting her in on it when I go to change my bib, so that she feels no pressure what so ever, but then I'd have asked her to sign up for a different marathon she didn't necessarily want to do, and then be ditching her to go run my own 1st marathon alone anyway.  Either way, not the friend I need to be now that she's voting for not doing it!

So I still wanna .. but its not in the cards.  I'll BRING.IT (whatever IT still is) to run the best half I can.  If I run a PR, joy to follow.  And if I do a little poopy-diaper-baby thing for an hour after the race because I didn't, so be it too.  By brunch / post-pig-party-fest, I'll be back to myself as if it never happened.

 (unless Michele surprises me by changing her bib first without telling me! haha.  So 99.9% I am not running my 1st marathon on Sunday. Hee hee.)

Week in Review: I'm Running a Marathon Y'all!

Monday
Mizuno Monday became Tuesday morning's fun fest this week.  Monday became rest.

Tuesday
Strength training at White Column with the Bookin' Borrachas



Oh dear me.  Not only was I sore for days, but I was so tired from the early alarm that I bailed on the Tuesday evening 10K.  There were other reasons, but I might have been able to handle them if I hadn't been so sleep deprived.

At the gym, we did all sorts of strength-style works out for approximately 40 minutes.  Once per week minimum .. check!

Main reason I bailed on the 6.2 later that evening:  Emily's return to tumbling / cheer classes.




It was SO weird / fun to be back here after a year off; the original sport of obsession.  The only difference with this fam is that it does not motivate ME.  I can't believe I could ever sit still this long WATCHING workouts.  Half way in, I was already up and taking mini walks here and there, itching to DO something.  But it was fun to see my mini up to her amazing acrobatics.  Just admiring her flexibility puts me on proud mama status.  :)

Wednesday
WU. Indicator Run - 1.86. CD
Time - 16:07

Improvement!  Take that Spring 16:49. :) Of course, average pace for this is not better than 5K pace at Singleton, and this was completely flat.  I smell a little sandbagging. bwhahaha.  In my defense, though .. evening run .. hot run .. and plain old every run can't be of astronomic importance.  I am improving.  That's all I need.

Thursday
The Chicago Marathon gods are so merciful!  This was nothing like the NYRR.  By 6:30 AM, I had an email in my inbox saying that my registration had been accepted!

Oh. crap!



I'm running a MAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAATHOOOOOOONNNNN!

Friday
Rest

Saturday
4.5 + 4 hill repeats
Avg Pace: 12:04 + fast

I'm officially running 3 - 1 intervals at 12 min avg pace for these.  When I am lucky (and if I cheat a little ;).  Sunday = long run day is official.

Sunday
Distance: 10+
Avg Pace: 10:28

This run, compared to last Sunday's 13.1, felt HARD!  I am not sure if it was the lower mileage during the week, the temperature, the smaller group, or running slow intervals the day before, but I was NOT. FEELING. IT. Very grateful for Michele.  She kept an easy pace, and we ran the entire thing side by side.  Even after I did the whole airplane-almost-fall / twisted ankle thing, and forced us to walk a couple of minutes. but I walked it out with no trouble, and we were finishing strong in the blink of an eye.  Proof that this is at least 50% mental, though: I thought the whole thing was a slugfest compared to the 13.1; when I looked up the times, we were at exactly the same average pace for both.  (Last Sunday was 10:29).

Coming up



My first travel race!  Headed to Cincinnati, OH this coming weekend to take on the Flying Pig! :) Half-marathon #4 total; half-marathon #2 in 2016.

Very excited about traveling with 20+ friends.  Hotel-ing, running, and breaking bread (plus maybe a few beers) with a big ole pod of runners.  How fun will that be!! *^_^*

Goal wise, I am again trying to be very conservative.  Its only been about a month since the Publix half PR at Publix.  The Pig course proposes to be equally hilly, possibly wet, and I have not incorporated much hill work in the time since official Spring training ended.  So:

10% anything above 2:09:59
50% - 2:09:59
90% goal - opt out, and fun run the marathon

Very okay not hitting a PR, also.  Refer back to Wednesday's 'every run can't be of astronomic importance.' :)





















Other

FRI. DAY. !!!

Tuesday
Distance: 6.2 (#10kTuesday late shift)
Avg Pace: 10:09

This week, we spent a lot of time asking ourselves:  why do we even do this?  Its hard to justify the maybe 'middle' (?) of a running career.  Just a beginner is way long gone.  With it goes the satisfaction of exponential growth.

I am happy with this run, mainly because ...

Fact: Westside is hilly.
Fact: 70+ degrees is not the same as 50 and below
Fact: Milk is not a friend.

But to entertain myself, and really give myself perspective, I scrolled through some history for 6.2 training runs: (and Westside course especially)

10/2014 - 11:31
to
10/6/15 - 10:04
one year = at least 1:30 min per mile shaved

10/13/15 - 10:08
11/10/15 - 12:30 - in pain
12/10/15 - 10:26
12/29/15 - 9:58
2/02/16 - 10:17
2/09/16 - 10:22
04/13/16 - 10:09
6 addt'l months = flat lining

At the very least, proof that I haven't gotten super faster, but I haven't really gotten slower, either.

The difficulty is that my brain discounts anything that isn't major progress.  If I can run sub 10 min pace for 13.1, and continue to shave time off of that distance with each training at races, why can't I consistently keep a high 9 for something as short as 6.2 now?  Or can I, but am I not choosing to?

I think the truth is that I can; I just need to want to.  And it might be going against the "easy" plan for a Tuesday or two, but maybe that's how you get faster?  With a little more push?

I look forward to seeing how/if this mental prep gives me any more or less juice next Tuesday!


Wednesday
Distance: 1/2 WU, 5 x 600s

Meh, the distance was short.  And I didn't think to account for it until after I finished.  (If I would have done the math, and figured out that we were supposed to be at .37, I could have adjusted and run by watch, but it didn't dawn on me).  I ended up at .33 for each '600.'  All of the slight downhill lengths were about 2:20 - 2:37, all of the slight uphill intervals, closer to 2:46 - 2:50.  (More on that when I actually retrieve my watch.)  Pretty confident I could have hit the goal of under 3 minutes, as per indicator chart, for all of these.

Next time, I will double check Mr. Enrique with a warm up GPS-tracked interval. ;)

Now I just need to decide which is better: Riverside or Gwinette.  I think the drive is similar.  The number of participants is similar.  When we have a track at Gwinette, that will be a plus.  When we get kicked to the sidewalk without notice, (like last night), that will be a big con.  I think there are faster people at Riverside (Enrique didn't actually run speed work, so I'd venture to guess Michele and I were it as far as speed work - speed work people).  Riverside is gravely, and scary, but not when its light out, like from now until July.  Miss Jerry, Kyle, Birgit .. and selfies! No major picture takers among the Wed. crowd. Lol.

There are other shenanigans that will play into this decision .. but lets keep it classy! Ha ha. Lets just say I don't know if I can handle the giggle-fest that is Michele + Pam + Me in N. Gwinette.  Bahahaha.

Thursday
Thursday is now a rest day.  Weird.

Friday
I rested this day, too.  Just cuz.

Weekend: The 'Other Race' Recap

Saturday & Sunday

Women's 5K
Distance: 3.1
Avg Pace: 9:40

How best to describe this race: womp, womp!

There was just NO motivation what-so-ever to kick hill butt.  For what?  Better than last year's 33?  Under 30, which I have hit consistently for over 6 months?  A PR being out, I just sandbagged.  Hard core sandbagged.  I didn't find any trainees to pace, so I started with Brandi and a trainee running for under 30.  These two, Birgit and Michele really ran to bank time in mile one, though.  Or at least it felt like it to me .. the girl who hadn't run a mile since Tuesday.  I let it go and just ran for good fun after falling back from them a little bit.  (At the end, I finished closer to Michele than expected; I should have tried to be a better friend and stay with her .. but who knows when she'll have a 29 day, and when she'll have a 26 day.).  I even walked for a minute.  That is the first race I've allowed myself to just toss in the towel and walk a little on in AGES.  (Probably not since this race last year).  To put it in real perspective, I ran faster dressed in a tutu and earmuffs last December.  I ran faster two days later this Monday at the kick off for Alpharetta Peachtree training (9:35 avg pace, for 4 mi with plenty of elevation up and back on Westside).  

Fortunately, I had nothing ventured, so no temper tantrums. :)  The only inkling of regret was that in that it was such a wasted opportunity.  Brandi & Birgit were running slower than their usual, so I if I had been up for it, they really could have motivated me.  And the race was PACKED with spectators .. All the guys who couldn't run.  Last, my favorite part of the whole race:  Bianca ran me up the last hill!  A last hill like that deserved a great race to go with it!  But alas, too late.  All ready over.

  So what I do have to show for my morning is some serious girl bonding fun!!

#proud mama.  Emily has been running at least a couple of times a week for a few weeks now.  She didn't run this race completely intending to do her 1st 5k.  The real reason was that she wanted to get to a hair appointment, and logistically, it only worked if she was already with me.  Plus, we had a bib.  So proud of her though.  If you read between the lines of the snarky teenage-isms, I can tell she had a blast, and might have found another athletic interest! :)  In hind sight, I should have just run with her!!  She wants to do a color run next; I'll do that one along side her and her friends for sure. :) :) :)

What an amazing session!  This group rocks. <3

I LOVE this stinkin' picture!  Face is ridiculous, but look at my friggin legs!! :) Look at that A bib.  Lets not discuss fleeting outcomes.  Lets focus on long-term progress.  And long-progress equals 1st RACE IN SHORTS WITHOUT CHAFING BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL. 

March 26th: the day I finally feel like a runner!  Because shorts, yea! :)

Sunday
Sunday, Emily and I tackled a Jillian DVD together.  This spring break ready thing is giving me a lot of mileage outta her!  Woo.  and boy did that make me SORE!  (Its Wednesday as I write this, and I am still feeling the ass kicking!)  And we only got through HALF the tape.  Why can't I work out my core without using ANY of my legs???  Mtn climbers don't FEEL like core.  Meh!

Weekend: Publix Half-Marathon Race Report

Saturday
Distance: 3.1 and Expo with the run buds!
Course: Greenway
Avg Pace: 10:20 (10:48, 10:18, 9:51)
What hurt: Legs made of lead during; Serious 'Top of Foot' pain after.

The plan for the morning was that Kyle, Michele and I would meet up, do a quick 3 easy to keep loose, then drive to the expo, and finally do a course drive, maybe grab lunch.  Fun pre-race morning bonding time. :)

In hind sight, this little run served its purpose.  On Saturday, though, it scared the crap out of me! It was perfect weather, flat, and I was hangin' with my buds.  But while we set out to do a 'very easy' run just to keep things loose, I was actually SHOCKED that all my legs seemed like they COULD do was run an easy three! Eeeep.  Since when.  The legs just didn't want to turn over.  Michele and I stayed together, though, and that's always fun.  When we were done, as usual, the thoughts in our heads were along the lines of: I will never be able to run faster than this .. and for 10 MORE MILES???! Never.  But we got the run off our to-do, and next up .. off to my 1st Expo! :)

Jeff Galloway, the father of run/walk! :)

We're not mean to each other .. really! ;) But here's the story behind these pictures: .. someone started a thread on Facebook about accountability, and goals for the Publix Half/Full Marathon.  I had very modest expectations.  We've spent months hearing about how hill-a-cious this course is, and not much has really changed from this session since the last in terms of overall speed for me, such that I could concretely say I'd banked a PR.  (Not like, say, from half-marathon #1 to half-marathon #2 one year, and 15 lbs later .. I didn't count on shaving 40+ minutes, but I knew I'd PR last Fall, right?).  This go around, not so much.  So, my PR is 2:14 and something seconds ..  comment Judy: 2:13:59.  

Enter Kyle comment: 2:13:58 for Michele and 2:13:57 me.

LMAO! Commence epic text / thread / picture shenanigans.  He swears that by setting a 2:13:59 goal, I was trying to take the lead 1/2 PR for our little mini group  (never mind that all our times were 2:14 and seconds.  I was surely thinking of breaking HIS PR and not MY PR when I made the comment.  LOL.)  Anyhoo, it was the big joke that got our minds off of the race.  #crushkyle hashtag is born.

Then, the story on this one goes like this... Michele and I are in B corral and Kyle is in C. Helpful Michele tells Kyle he needs to sign up at the 1:50 pace group to get into B so we can all start together. So he does. And now heeeee's baaaaack.  So I'm joking around that I don't want him anywhere near me.  This is a crush-off!  Haha.  She says "we would have to be at 1:45 to be in corral A". While we had no aspirations of being in that pace group, it was another perfect opportunity to tease Kyle. The take away for Kyle is, if you didn't keep stopping to buy stuff we wouldn't have had so many opportunities for mischievous pictures!!!

After the expo we decided to drive the course.  ALL 13.1 miles.  Boy was that torture.  BUT!  It helped A LOT with envisioning the elevation & route the next day.  

By the time we got to lunch, I was hobbling. :/  Top of foot pain.  After lunch, I decided to take a risk.  Pedicure with some foot massaging to make it all better?  Fingers crossed it didn't make it all worse!  Then I started up with Ibuprophen, and that through Saturday night and Sunday morning shut Top of Foot pain up good.  Hurrah!  

Me: Don't touch the callouses.  I need those. 

Wonder Woman fast!

I spent the rest of the day organizing .. pre-race gear, my run drawer, the laundry.  The cleaner my house, the calmer I stay.  Ultramarathon Man put me to sleep at the desired time, and pre-race day could not have gone any better!

Sunday
Course: Publix Half Marathon
Official Finish Time: ******* 2:10:12 *******
Avg Pace: 9:56 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Overall: 2708th of 5941
Female: 1080th of 3168
Female 35-39: 195th of 528

BOOM!

Oh the joy.  The sheer and absolute joy!  What a fantastic race!! :)  I was WAY early to carpool; oops.  But that ended up being the only mistake of the morning!  Yippy.  I started the race with familiar faces all about me.  I gave Michele my first mile and change, but she really took off from there.  Before I knew it, we were running under 9s before mile 3.  Time to say Good Bye to Ms. Michele already!  It was going to be too much of a risk to try and hold her pace, hoping she'd fall into something more reasonable sooner rather than later; I knew I couldn't bank on that.  So as much as I love running with her for more of the race, the only chance of it would be if I worked my way back up to her in the next 10 miles, after she'd finished her going out fast phase.  That ended up not being the case; she had the under 9 start under her belt solid.  And I never saw her again.  Woo, Craig!

Next was Kyle.  And oh dear, it only took me 2-3 more miles to say good bye to him also.  Can't even be mad at the dude. lol.  He knows his long-distance strengths, and boy has he sped up.  Much progress for me in that this didn't even phase me. :)   (No toddler tantrums in running. Haha)  I was actually completely confident in deciding to let each of them go; I had a race plan strategy of tightening up my pace delta / spread, and of running positive with fairly consistent splits, due to the lay out of the course.  If running with them didn't help me in that effort, I had to let it be.  

Marjorie (behind Michele and I in start picture) proved to be my best hang time bud.  We were together for about the entire thing, with her leading the way through maybe mile 8 or 9, and me out in front by a hair the rest.  In hindsight, I might have been able to give a little more in middle miles, but never having actually run this race, I would not have known how much would have been TOO much.  Too much would have meant a walk late in the race, and maybe forgoing my PR all together.  Couldn't risk it.  And the actual race, maintaining the average pace I was coveting, in its entirety did not completely kick my ass.  I felt fueled, I felt hydrated.  There were a few moments where now I wished I would have dug a tiny bit deeper .. in the park, and before I could see the finish line.  More PR than expected is ALWAYS a good thing.  But per watch, I was already solidly maintaining a good bank on 2:13; there was not motivation to possibly risk it all and end up (eep) without a PR.  So maybe, just maybe, I can PR some races without complete puke-fest efforts?  Maybe that's reserved for special special occasions, and shorter distances?  Or maybe I have to train on that more; getting more comfortable with 'losing my shit' so to speak, and knowing what that looks like for each distance, while still knowing I won't end up with a DNF.  Whichever it is, this race, with its -4 min ~30 second shave on the PR goes down as both a major win, and even more learning. HAPPY DANCE!!!!!!!!!!!

And .. and ... and.  HAIR GAME!  Hair PR for sure! ;)  Emily made these for me the night before, and with enough hair spray .. they stayed in overnight!  Woo. :) :) :) One 2016 resolution goal down.  And hair game is for sure now a part of pre-important-race ritual.  More boxer braids in this girl's future. Haha!

Women's 5K Training & Other Nonsense
Distance: WU .5, 3 miles at 2-1 intervals.

After the show, its the after party, right?  More running!! This is the LAST Sunday training run for Women's 5K.  I was a little emotional. *^_^*  I could hardly run/walk, but I tried my best because there were for sure enough participants in the 2-1 intervals in need of a lead.  So Involuntary marathon training, Day 1, check!  As soon as we returned to Armour for the final stretch, I started to walk.  Run-leading from behind because one tight calf said NO WAY to anything else at that point.  The ladies were so awesome; I'd call an interval, and the participant in front of me would call it for the participant in front of her.  Run-lead hack. Picked up a jog again, and finished off the 5K.  During stretching, I also found myself a pod of trainees to run the race with.  Very excited.  They have a goal of coming in under 40.  We .. of course .. are going to CRUSH that. ;)  I think they're capable of under 35.  But ssssshhhh, we won't tell them that right yet.

Good Measure Meals "After" Weigh-In
Drum roll please.  When we started the Women's training session, Good Measure Meals had us use their Tanita scale for Body Composition metrics.  I <3 numbers. :) I didn't really think that there had been enough time to see measurable results, especially as a lead who already was working out pretty intensely before training started, compared to say the participants who probably would see the most rapid of changes, as they were just committing to all of this for the first time.  But I am very happy to report these changes:

1/20
Weight 145.6
Fat % 36.4
Fat Mass 53lbs
Metabolic Age - 49
BMI 28

3/20
Weight 140.4
Fat % 34.7
Fat Mass 48.8
Metabolic Age - 44
BMI 27.4

WOO!

Ongoing Target Goals
BF % 27
Target Weight: 125
Fat to Lose: 15

Other Nonsense
And then .. just when the weekend (and this accounting there of) could not get any longer, I noticed that I had 37,800 steps on FitBit upon landing at home.  The Walking Dead or walking around the living room and kitchen to hit 40,000?  I choose both!  :)  If he didn't before, my husband now thinks I am COMPLETELY BONKERS.  "You ran a half marathon?  Why are you walking around in circles?"  Well .. ummm.. because badges! ;)

Coming Up
A break!  As much as I have enjoyed both spring training sessions, I am also very excited to put the doubling up to bed for a while!  We'll take it easy this week; even the Women's 5K will end up not being at race effort.  Next week, we'll go back to whatever corresponding week will get us to the Flying Pig 1/2 marathon on May 1 in race shape.  (I think this puts us 'back' at 11-12 mile long runs starting this or next weekend).  I'll be out the week of 4/4.  SPRING BREAK.  WOO.  Still running, though.  But running along highway 30A, without work and other responsibilities sounds A-MAZING.  My idea of a vacation, for sure!  The Saturday we come back is the 1st day of In-Training for Peachtree.  Kyle & I will be leading up the 10 minute pace group out in Suwanee.  Very excited to get that started.  So coming up summary: Women's 5K race day, Peachtree Kick Off, Spring Break, Peachtree training start, Singelton 5k/10k, then Flying Pig 1/2, and post Pig, kick tri-training into the next gear.

Did I say break?

Weekend: Begin Taper!

Saturday
Distance: 9.5
Avg Pace: 10:28
Course: Pleasantly flat!

Our bitter-sweet final run as a training session!  Gosh, I love my tribe!

This run was fantastic.  I began it dreading it (because I begin every run stiff and dreading it).  And the temperature was a surprise kick in the butt.  With no transition, all of a sudden, a shirt seems like too much, where just two weeks ago, three layers, gloves and ear-covering headband didn't even seem like enough!  Thanks, Atlanta!!!  But by mile 2, I was loosened up, and by mile 4-5, I was ready to rock and roll!  The only hiccup occurred at about mile 8, when we hit the only real incline of the entire run.  (We'd had 1-2% gradual rises, but this is just a steeper shorter section.  Usually it doesn't count as major hill work, but today it was the first real encounter with 'up.')  That's when Stupid Top of Foot made its move.  And at first I thought, power through.  Then two seconds later, I revised thought .. don't be an idiot; its just a taper run, and you have plenty of margin off your "easy" pace already.  Walk up the hill, and run if it stops hurting when you crest.  Harley (my hero), dropped back a bit, walked me to the Jimmy Johns sign, and then we both got back "on."  Apparently I got a little TOO on.  By the straight away into ATC, Harley was alternating between holding me by the back of my shirt, and straight up running smack dab in front of me.  Hee hee.  His theory that 1.  I had just been walking due to pain, and 2. that we should all taper / finish together just didn't mesh up with 1. I had just walked, so I felt reinvigorated, and 2. Stupid Top of Foot is so quiet for the flat parts.  Plus, after walking, then not feeling Top of Foot, I had started to work hard again to catch the original mini-pod.  After catching them, body said keep up kick, not taper.  So I didn't. :) And it felt good to finish up strong.  What a fantastic end to a fantastic session!  Last Jan - March, after my first half-training, I really dropped it back.  I can thank Spring session for the world of difference that early 2016 has been.  I have kept my base high, and I am very excited to see how that helps me grow during Peachtree and Fall.  No catching back up hopefully means that I can focus on even more speed (and/or even more mileage).

The other AWESOME thing that happened was that I (with some BIG help from Brandi) MAYBE convinced Michele to throw her name in the Chicago marathon lotto.  WooOOOOOOooooooo.  Good luck to both of us.

Don't ask me how I end up front and center in every single ATC group photo.  (Hint: 5'0.) 

Swimming once a week is now in full swing! Love it.  (when I don't drown).  Did more than I had planned on Friday: 6 x100 (yards or meters?  who knows).

Sunday
Distance: .5 WU, 3 mile 2-1 intervals, 5 hill repeats, and .5 CD
Pace: 12:30 including WU/CD (whaaaatt?  Ladies were hitting 9-9:30s for 2 min runs!  Speed demons!)

Coning duty training.  We gotta start 'em young! :) 

We're getting into the final stretch for this session, too.  We have a Tuesday run this week, and then Sunday 3/20 will be this group's final training session before the Women's 5K race! EeeeEEEeeeep and *sniff* *sniff.*  (Eeeeep for me mainly because ..oh boy.. the final training session is also post-Publix half-marathon on 3/20...  ZzzzzZZZZzzzz.  But at least, hey, its after the race, so who cares!).  As far as the race itself on 3/26, Women's 5K owes me nothing.  I've run flatter recently, so a PR attempt would be stupid.  I know with absolute certainty that I can beat last year's time of 33+, so that couldn't even be a 99% goal.  I'm also 95% sure that I can finish in under 30; if I didn't, it'd be for a stupid reason outside of my control.  Any time goal in between would just be a random meaningless time that does nothing for me.  SoOOooooOOooo ... I am hoping to maybe farm myself out to some of the ladies, and see if I can't find a pod of like-paced participants who would like to run this with a pacer.  I am guessing that some of the ones who would be most interested could run it in 33 - 35ish?  If I can't find anyone who has a specific goal, then I'll maybe run/walk it with Pam, and all the other HIPsters celebrating one lead's return after hip surgery.  I guess I could probably find #potato, too, or M's butt if I feel up for challenges.  Either would also be mucho fun.  Anyway, we'll see, and can't wait for the bling!  Its totes adorb this year. :)