The Weather Improves!!

Day 2 of weather obsession: Overcast with a high 46. Let's bank that one!! Maybe banking anything these days is a bad thing. Let's put it in the mattress!

I swam last night, first time since pre-Thanksgiving. I felt sharp the first oh, 25 meters...then my lack of swimming endurance set in. I did the short workout so I could be home in time for 24...priorities you know.

This a.m. I ran 6...the plan was closer to 10, but today is April 7 in the deep south and it is 35 degrees with wind gusts of 20 mph. Not my idea of a nice taper run. And since none of these runs really matter. I just did 6. It was slow, I think I am feeling the DOMS of Saturday, and that is ok.

Needling today, and...I might go to the mall...aay, the Taper Madness

The Taper Begins...

Today is the first day of my Boston 09 taper. I get a little crazy. All the running, all the training, all the everything...and now I cut back and relax. Right.

I go into this on a very positive note. I ran 17 on Sunday, with the racing shoes. My first mile was sub 9 minutes, then mile two, then mile three. Then I decided to to do some marathon pace miles. Do them until I couldn't hang on anymore, or I hit 17 miles.

I saw a lot of sub 8's when I glanced at my watch, but nothing could prepare me for my garmin review when I hit 17. My average, for 17 miles, was 8:05 per mile. I started to cry, first with joy, then with fear that I had peaked...: -)

Sunday, I set out for 8 with JW and BJ at the river. Bill and I ended up with 7.5 averaging a little over 9 minutes per mile. Very little pain or soreness. I finished the day with a pilates class.

I declare myself ready for Boston 09!!

So day 1 of race day weather obsession: Rain

Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can changed your life!

My community service announcement for day...has anyone ever run in racing flats??

I decided to make the investment. I wore them for the first time this a.m., for a track workout. I figured I would test them out and then wear them for a long run and if that felt good, take them to Boston. (Even though they are turquoise and my Boston outfit is fushia...I will have to top this all off with the yellow PTC hat and offend everyone...)

I should tell you, the last two weeks have had a lot of crappy runs. So crappy, I had to bail on a 17 miler on Saturday and take Marta home.

So yesterday I did 10, to remind myself, I can run, finished fast and was a little worried I might have done too much for today to go well.

I did a 5 mile warmup. I immediately loved the feel of the shoes. The two miles went as they always do, slow, trying to wake up. Then me, or shoes, freaking took off!!! I did the next two, sub 8?? Then a mile hill climb at 8:20? I was so happy, I ran another mile, just because, at 7:45???

Then I got to the park and thought, crap Amy, you still have to do 5 @ 600M. To make a long story short, my previous average for this workout was 2:36, about a 6:55 per mile pace. I am sure you know where this is going, today I average 2:29, with a 6:40 average.

I love my racing flats!!!

It wasn't a totally succesful morning. I ran in the park and took off long sleeve jersey to do the sprints. I always leave my gloves at the start and finish to have a start and stop line. Today I left my shirt also. I finished the last one and jogged back to the other end to get my shirt, and you guessed it, it was gone...they did leave my glove.

I guess I should be grateful that they waited until after I finished the last one to take the shirt, so that it didn't interrupt my concentration. I must have sensed it, when I dressed this a.m., knowing it was going to warm up, and I would want to take off my shirt, I wore an old one.

Did I tell you I love my racing flats?!

Speed Thrills!

This a.m. was my 4th speed workout of the training cycle. Which is 4 more than I did for Columbus and 3.75 more than I did for Boston last year! (Last year, I did one 800M, started the second and just stopped...and never went back...: - ) I hate speed work, but 4-4, yeah!

It was uneventful. Not my best paces, my warm up went slow and the track was heavy. It is packed dirt? And with a weekend of rain, it was messy and it slowed me down. That is my excuse anyway...: - )

My paces, if anyone is interested, are 5@600M based on the pace for a mile:

7:14
7:15
7:07
7:05
7:02

It is an average of 7:09, the goal was 7:05, but remember the dirt was heavy!

You will notice I picked up speed as I went along. I also picked up a cheering squad halfway in. There were some guys also doing speed drills and they would cheer me as I went by, starting with #3. Hey, I enjoy performing for a crowd...!

I was happy, happy with the consistency, getting out there when I don't want to do it. Last week, while in FL, I had to do 5@1000M. Kicked a$$. It was flat, no cars, I averaged 6:50, nice!

Last week was a lot of wine fueled drinking, so as you can imagine, wasn't great. I did those 1000's on my first morning there, so I wasn't drunk yet. I got the miles in, but they were unpleasant.

This is 'Peak Week', it is just work, sleep, eat and run, and try to make it to Sunday with 62 miles in the book.

Gasparilla 2009

A long overdue race report from Gasparilla..it was a really great race weekend. I landed in Tampa, to perfect weather, ditched my jacket immediately! M and I hit the expo, (always my weakness, but I did ok, it set me back a t-shirt, hat and new swim suit, which I actually needed!) Then we hit a restaurant patio, ahhh, Florida in the winter...: - )

To make a long story short, we headed back to the airport to pick up J, only to find out she had boarded a city bus. I didn't know Tampa had buses. She can travel by bus, because when we finally found her, she brought along a backpack, for the entire weekend. My hair upkeep alone needs a backpack?

Saturday was the 5K, which started at the very leisurely 9:30 a.m. That allowed us to hit the Marriott breakfast buffet!! Those of you who have traveled with me for races, know I love the breakfast buffet!!

Saturday a.m. was another beautiful Florida winter day, light breeze, tickling 75 degrees. The 5K start was packed. I am very conscientous about putting myself in an appropriate start, to my finishing time. M and I started at the front and were trying to work our way backwards. It was too crowded, we camped at the 25 minute finishing group. I compromised and told myself, I had paid it forward so many times, putting myself in the correct starting order, only to hit the riff raff in front of me. I shouldn't have worried, we never stopped passing people as the race went on.

We had a tough first mile,working through the riff raff, but by mile 2, we settled into a nice pace. I warned M, I would own her with .5 to go. There would be no quit. We dropped 3 minutes from WPB, so it was a very successful race!

We found J at the finish and just enjoyed the sun and a few beers at 11a.m.! We headed back to the expo, (of course). While J and M went ahead, I stopped for a massage on my calf. Of all the trials of the last 12 months, my calf had escaped unscathed, until now.

The expo got me again, this time, for my Boston Outfit. I found a really cute skirt and long sleeve top, to go with a top I had already purchased, and was debuting in Tampa! I will be pretty in (hot) pink!

So fast forward to the main event. It is windy, with predicted rain. I should I also say, at about 4 p.m. Saturday, we realized the half start was not at 8 a.m., but 6 a.m., hmmm, how did I miss that?

With a 3:45 wake up call, we are out the door at 5:15 a.m. (no buffet..: - ( It is windy, God's Fan, we would call it. God's Fan on high. As we lined up, the announcer told us the weather service had advised race officials that sometime in the race, there would be a period of intense rain, and 40 mph winds. As only runners up at 6 a.m. can do, we whooped it up, bring on the wind! Hey, there is always the chance it could be at your back?

It was a tough start, very crowded, no advance start for the wheelchair racers. Lot's of turns, onto cobblestone streets had me apprehensive. It wasn't until I got through the 3:30 marathon pace group, that I could settle in.

I found it humid, but J said later it didn't bother her. By mile 4, I was dumping water in me and on me. I was fine with my pace and felt I could challenge 1:40 until about mile 7, when the Squall moved in. Around mile 7, M saw me and yelled the wind would be at my back from here to the finish. Knowing I had to go out and back, for the final 6, I wondered how that would work?

Her info was bad. At mile 7.65, (I looked) I faced the Squall head on. I hate wind!! You have to run twice as hard. I went from a consistent 7:35 to 8:30. 1:40 was gone. But I must be growing up, because I was ok with it. I did start shouting at people, asking them where the turn around was, where I would be able to finish with this glorious wind at my back.

Race spectators have no sense of distance. For the last mile into the wind, it was: 'just up ahead', 'not too far' or the racer's favorite, 'you're almost there!' If I can't hold my breath, it is not close.

I made the turn, and I swear the wind stopped. At this point, with 2.5 to go, I just wanted to find my stride and finish strong. I 'turned it on' with a mile to go and a little bit into that, I feared I turned it on too soon. I thought I might be sick. Then I saw I girl in front on me with cute pink shorts, (my signature color) and set about catching her. I started this about 300 feet behind her.

At this point, I wished I had someone yelling at me, telling me to ignore the pain, focus on the finish and celebrate the final .5...this is why we train, right? For this moment. So I yelled at myself, with results. I closed the gap with Cute Pink Shorts girl. She saw me come along side of her and we raced to the finish. That is why we train. We did one of those hugs where you are really just holding each other up. The finish alone, erased any disappointment of missing the now elusive 1:40.

We found J and walked back to the hotel in the eye of the Squall. I will try to post the video. The weather completely sucked. The beach was out. But after bankrupting a buffet, we spent the afternoon in our hotel room, laughing uproariously at the photo's and video's of the weekend. Somehow, it was one of the best race weekends EVER. Thank you M and J, I can't wait until next year!

The Lost Week

Something is wrong...

All the old stuff? Clearing up, now the other leg decides it wants some attention. I ran 11 on Saturday, nothing special about it.

Well, I should say nothing special. I did a four mile warm up and then ran a 10K, (bandit) with some friends. They all wanted Peachtree qualifying times. I agreed to run at 8 mpm, (my marathon goal pace) which would get them in at the required 50 minutes. I got two of three through.

More fun, another friend wanted to break one hour. I ran 6 and went back to find her. I found her about .5 from the finish, and it would be close. I don't know her well, and didn't know how hard I could push her. I tried to stick to the basics, distraction and encouragement. We made it with 1:30 to spare. We were both thrilled. For me, it is the little victories that keep us going.

Back to me, I was out all day on Saturday. That is a lesson for me. I don't go out, this is what happens. I was on my feet, in boots, all day. I woke up Sunday a.m., (hungover) and with a tender pain behind my knee in my left leg...heretofore mentioned, 'the good leg.'

I am just ticked. Mad at myself for being out so long. I did fun an easy 6 yesterday. The pain seems to lessen as I get moving. I made an executive decision to not run today. Let it rest. I did my core stretching, got up, and the pain is lessoned/gone. When I sit, get up, it is back. I am just ticked!!

It was a lost week. I was supposed to take it easy, but I am not happy. It was a wasted week.

It was ok...

Today was my first speed workout in, a year. I don't like them. I would say hate, but that is such an ugly word, but it applies to my speedwork.

The morning called for 8, with 5@ 600M at my 5K race pace. I decided I would do a 5 mile warm up and finish at the park, get my 600's in and run a cool down to hit 8m.

I was up late, (for me) watching and voting for American Idol, (again, new blog material). And caught a news update about the weather, rain, wind, all day. Being that the weather channel can stick their out the window and correctly report the weather, I wasn't worried.

I got up at 5 a.m., heard the rain. Crap. With the needling, the race and a social outing this weekend, I don't have enough mornings to skip this workout and make it up this week.

So I dressed for the gym, and the treadmill. I will say I hate running on the treadmill, with no fears of appearing ugly. I hate it.

I was dressed, packed, walked outside. I noticed the pool looked calm. Thank you God!! Rain stopped. I checked the radar and it did appear I had a window. Quickly changed to outdoor running clothes.

So I am doing my warm up, and I pass a guy leaving the Marta wearing, 'The Jacket'! I was wearing the Adidas jacket. I gave him a shout-out and he saluted! We veterans have our language!

Back to the warmup. Three miles in I hear thunder. Crap. I make haste to the park, to do the 600's at the oval. I am doing them, outside.

So 5 at 600 meters. I hate these things. The first four go ok. I am supposed to jog in between but I walk, oh well. Number 5, not so good. I stop. 378m in. WTF? It's pouring, I am tired and I hate track work. I tell myself this entire morning will be a waste if I don't find the drive to run another 222m...pretty sad, huh? I found it.

The five averaged a 6:55 mpm pace. My 5K pace is 7:06, so ok. I walked home, in the rain, hitting 8 no longer seemed important. It was an ok workout.