Had a solid week, even though after a great 25k followed by hill repeats and trail run combo, didn't think it would be possible. But, there is a calendar, and I have a goal to reach out for.
So, I did my mile repeats at the track on Tuesday (those were quite miserable, but it's the effort that counts, and the fact that actually did them despite the track being locked in, me climbing over the fences, not feeling while warming up, and having first repeat being in time I can't even tell you about...) - pretty darn proud. Did my 2x30min 6% Dreadmill hill repeats on Thursday mid-day (sneaked out of work), and yes, I stayed on that evil machine for an hour and half...those felt easy for some reason. The Bootcamps prosper, my weight rouitne is fine, my easy runs are, thank God, easy...
My friend Eman asked me to support her group of freshman students and get on their team for Longhorn 10k. So, I did...what the heck, right, tempo runs are an important part of the training...
It was rather large (per trail standards, 1000 people and a few), and 90% of them were UT students (kids the age of my kids, ha!). I felt really old and odd and lonely. But the band played the UT anthem, there was a Harlem shake-out, and a canon, and some fire, and we were off...
I felt pretty crappy, like my legs were lead, and every step was requiring effort. But at mile 1.5 I saw my sweetie Larry, who showed up to support me and take photos, and I perked up and resolved to keep giving my best. There were more hills than I knew existed in mid-town Austin, and most of them in the second half. I didn't smile on the run, I focused on each step and arm pump, and grunted, and worked...They put worst hills at mile 5.7, and then 6.1. Right.
Of course, I can never do math, and only when I rested that last hill, saw Larry, did I look at the clock on top of the finisher's banner and realized I am PRing.
I ran 47:26, a 36 sec improvement from the 10k a month ago (and a negative split on the course by 40 sec). A week after a 25k race in PR and a week worth of workouts. I was surely impressed.
Oh, and I was 16th female out of 507 (and about 150th overall out of a touch over 1000 runners) - there were 2 gal (31 and 32 yo) in front of me, and next "older than 20's" was somewhere in 90 spots below...I am an old mama to those children, but I still kick ass. That felt good!
(Actually, it felt kind of sad, if you think about it, that 18-20-something kids are so out of shape, because I am no fast by any definition, the female winner came in 34 minutes. As I walk on the campus each day, I am overwhelmed of how this generation doesn't care about their health, yet along what they look like, and they are uncomfortable walking, breathing hard, pulling their super-short running (!) shorts down and yet holding a huge sugar drink in hands. It is sad that their moms and dads are physically more fit and are healthier.)
But I paid for it on today's "long trail run", which, after suddenly being overwhelmed with feeling drained, I cut short and went back home. And no, I am not feeling guilty for this either. Gotta listen to my body.
I got a little trip next weekend. I am going to pretend to be Dorothy and get my behind to Kansas. For a little race put on by Ben Holmes and Trail Nerds. Called Free States 100k.
And yes, I got a plan too.
I don't know if I hit it, but I will give it my best shot.
So, I did my mile repeats at the track on Tuesday (those were quite miserable, but it's the effort that counts, and the fact that actually did them despite the track being locked in, me climbing over the fences, not feeling while warming up, and having first repeat being in time I can't even tell you about...) - pretty darn proud. Did my 2x30min 6% Dreadmill hill repeats on Thursday mid-day (sneaked out of work), and yes, I stayed on that evil machine for an hour and half...those felt easy for some reason. The Bootcamps prosper, my weight rouitne is fine, my easy runs are, thank God, easy...
My friend Eman asked me to support her group of freshman students and get on their team for Longhorn 10k. So, I did...what the heck, right, tempo runs are an important part of the training...
It was rather large (per trail standards, 1000 people and a few), and 90% of them were UT students (kids the age of my kids, ha!). I felt really old and odd and lonely. But the band played the UT anthem, there was a Harlem shake-out, and a canon, and some fire, and we were off...
I felt pretty crappy, like my legs were lead, and every step was requiring effort. But at mile 1.5 I saw my sweetie Larry, who showed up to support me and take photos, and I perked up and resolved to keep giving my best. There were more hills than I knew existed in mid-town Austin, and most of them in the second half. I didn't smile on the run, I focused on each step and arm pump, and grunted, and worked...They put worst hills at mile 5.7, and then 6.1. Right.
Of course, I can never do math, and only when I rested that last hill, saw Larry, did I look at the clock on top of the finisher's banner and realized I am PRing.
I ran 47:26, a 36 sec improvement from the 10k a month ago (and a negative split on the course by 40 sec). A week after a 25k race in PR and a week worth of workouts. I was surely impressed.
Oh, and I was 16th female out of 507 (and about 150th overall out of a touch over 1000 runners) - there were 2 gal (31 and 32 yo) in front of me, and next "older than 20's" was somewhere in 90 spots below...I am an old mama to those children, but I still kick ass. That felt good!
(Actually, it felt kind of sad, if you think about it, that 18-20-something kids are so out of shape, because I am no fast by any definition, the female winner came in 34 minutes. As I walk on the campus each day, I am overwhelmed of how this generation doesn't care about their health, yet along what they look like, and they are uncomfortable walking, breathing hard, pulling their super-short running (!) shorts down and yet holding a huge sugar drink in hands. It is sad that their moms and dads are physically more fit and are healthier.)
But I paid for it on today's "long trail run", which, after suddenly being overwhelmed with feeling drained, I cut short and went back home. And no, I am not feeling guilty for this either. Gotta listen to my body.
I got a little trip next weekend. I am going to pretend to be Dorothy and get my behind to Kansas. For a little race put on by Ben Holmes and Trail Nerds. Called Free States 100k.
And yes, I got a plan too.
I don't know if I hit it, but I will give it my best shot.
12 comments:
It's awesome to see how much you're rocking all of these races after what seemed to be a rough patch last fall. I guess hard work and discipline do pay off. :) Congratulations!
Geez you look ripped!
I guess it does:) It all depends on personality, and to me, this is actually fun. It is more fun than try and pretend liking Texas summers and absence of mountains and views - I plan to go easier on myself once move to CO and do other stuff.
Congrats on the shorter distance PR's! From the photos, it looks like you did it with a true ultrarunner's shuffling gait. Isn't it fun to pass people half your age?!
Steve, I am seriously offended of you calling it ultrarunning shuffling gait. I thought it looked pretty darn good.
Wow, great race! And impressive training - I like the idea of 2x30min 6% incline on tmill - I run on my tmill daily (and love it, may be the only one!) but have never tried that, would definitely have to work up to it....might I ask what your pace is for those 30 min sets?
MJ, that was since Scot Jurek's training days, though I was able to run real hills for that long...I set it at 10:40 at first, then go down after 15 min in increments to 9:45.
sooooo.... you are running (not power hiking)those 2x30min 6% Dreadmill hill repeats? I think i need to start doing those!!? :) - Erin
Absolutely yes, running! Every step! 2x45 are coming up in 2 weeks!:)
Inspired by your training! And love the pics - no doubt you left it all on the course looking at those.
I did, Sarah, but already thinking where could I have found another 40 seconds or so? :)
oh my.... ok i need to do those!
Post a Comment