A couple of quandaries. I’m starting to stress a little about the next trail race this Sunday. The great thing about the Maze was that I went in to it worry free with no expectations. My main goal was to just not get hurt. I hardly even thought about it in the days leading up to the race. But since I won that race, I feel like I have to “perform” in the next race and “defend my title”, and I’ve been thinking about it. Ugh.
Secondly, I’m just going to come out and admit that I want to run a marathon. I know it breaks Andre’s heart (he’s a “5k/10k guy”) but I feel like I’m ready. But I can’t decide which one to run, when, or why. I don’t really want to train over the summer, but the Chicago group is starting and it’d be nice not to train alone. I could wait until the fall, but I feel like I’m running really well right now and would like to keep the momentum while I have it. Do I want to travel? Do I want to find a “fast” course? Do I want to train through the holidays? A big race or a small race? Does it have to have meaning, be a destination race, or can it be any random 26.2 miles? Why not just wait until February and do the next Austin marathon? Any thoughts out there?
Recent runs: I managed sixteen miles on Saturday, and it was substantially more difficult than last time. It started out well enough with an easy pace and a couple of water stops over the first 8 miles. I never did get “in the groove” though and made the turn at 65 minutes with Lisa P. We really picked up immediately thereafter and did the next two in about 12:45. Slowed a bit the next few miles until I picked it up again on the hills of Exposition. I was cruising pretty well, running alone by this point, guessing I was around 6:20/6:30 pace. But it came crashing down on Lake Austin Blvd as I started getting pain in my hip flexor and, as they say in the biz, “G.I. issues”. I could have run through the pain, but the “issues” forced a pit stop at the Austin High tennis center. I limped the last two miles home in about 15 minutes for a 55 minute last half (not counting the pit stop of course). Total time for the 16 was right at 2 hours.
Sunday I ran a bit with Jess and hit a 50 mile week (51 actually) for the first time ever. Funny that I think that’s a lot. Lisa P. told me she was doing 65-70 mile weeks.
Monday was the firecracker in a flood. The rain came in a downpour all morning as we ran the Bouldin loop. Easy start, raindrops in the eyes, inches of water under foot, the hills felt simple, a train crossing, and I felt like I was flying the last couple of miles. Really, I was so conscious of my gait and pace, I remarked to myself that it felt like the fastest I’ve boogied in any run or race. And it didn’t feel hard. When I was done I felt like I could have gone another three (and thought about it). Running in the rain is worth the pain of admission.
Finally, a few final loose ends regarding recent races. From an article on the Rogue website:
The 10k race saw some old favorites as well. Yancy Culp and David Vance were in a heated battle for the champion of the 10k. David won by running a close race in 42:27 and Yancy a 43:31.
Ahem.
Rich sent along a couple of pictures from the Congress Avenue Mile.
Passing some dude.
Trailing Erine
I say, pick one in a place you want to take a vacation to, and then take the family and have fun. Don’t worry about the race this Sunday it will be a blast… this one is really fun.
David –
Last year I was the second place woman in the Maze. I had never placed in anything before in my life, and remember the same thoughts b/f the loop. You can always do what I did – screw up your alarm, MISS the start, get pointed in the right direction and then gradually pass people (or get stuck behind long bottlenecks). It takes ALL of the pressure off!!
Oh… and all the cool people are running NYC. :-)
What? You were drafting!?! No wonder you had such a great kick. Bastard. :)
if you’re gonna run the loop, can you please post a prediction of your time? you were so ridiculously off for the CAM (you way underestimated yourself), that i think this would be a fun exercise… for me.
the only thing that makes me sad about you running a marathon is that we’ll have to find someone else to run with on saturdays. and then, maybe you’ll start skipping the PBJ because it’s not intense or long enough. we’ll be so lonely.
i like the chicago idea by the way. i think rogers will be there.
The NYC lottery signup closes in 2 days. It only costs $10. Let fate decide!
somehow i missed the rogue snippet the first time i looked at this entry. not to give you a big head, but i don’t see how winning by a minute equals a “heated battle”. may you win the next race in a similarly undramatic fashion.
still waiting on a prediction….