Fox Cities Recap, what's next???

So its been a week and I've had more than ample time to think about my race. Wait, I mean my PR - that's right, 2:16:37 - 9 minutes better than my previous PR! Mostly an exercise in reflection and so I have this in one place, I wanted to document my first 4 half marathon finisher times. They are as follows from most recent on down, yes a little regression at the Mini Indy - easily the least favorite half I have done.

2011 Fox Cities - 2:16:37
2011 Mini Indy - 2:34:08
2011 Oshkosh Half - 2:25:38
2010 Fox Cities - 2:37:55

To me, this shows that I put in the work and saw some results. It also proves to me that really, anyone else can do the same. I AM a runner! Over the past year I've been able to cut off 20+ minutes from my finishing time.

Back to FC2011 experience...I actually had a race plan. Yep, I sure did. I still had my goal set at 2:20, no matter what Megan might have thought. A solid second experience in backing into a goal, I probably should have set my goal at 2:15. I did mention this to Megan, who promptly set my next goal for me. More on that later.

Since I had a few great 7 mile training runs I used those as a basis for my goal. The plan was to run the first mile and check my time, no footpod, just against my watch and the course and then check it every few miles from there. I wanted to hit 7 miles by 1:12 - 1:13 and mile 10 by 1:45. If I did that then I'd have 35 minutes to run the last 3.1. No problem - and if it hit it before then, cool. What I did not want to do was be staring at my watch the whole time. I had decided I wanted Chad and Meg to drop me off at the starting line because I'd have to get up WAY too early if I took the shuttle. Chad said he was excited to go watch and proud of me for sticking out the training through the summer. That was pretty cool, because it was an investment on all our parts.

I make it to the start (thanks Chad and Meg for getting up so early) and meet up with my running buds before hand. Say hi, good luck, chat with Myriah and Josh a little and hit the line for the porta john. Nervous bladder, might as well wait for the race to start while waiting in line to pee. Sweet. Jen waits with me, which is awesome, so I have someone to talk and listen to with my nervous energy. I shared my race plan with her and we head to the starting line with like 2 minutes to spare. Great timing. We get lined up and off we go. No ipod or anything for me this year, I've grown to love the sound of everyone's feet at the start and then focusing in on my breathing as I go.

Seriously, like quarter mile in I see Amy about 10 steps in front of me. AWESOME was all I could think. I haven't run much with Amy over the last few months and thought dang, I'll take an opportunity to run with her for even a mile. She's one cool cat and the mom of 4 so always has good and challenging experiences to share. I love that about her! Plus, I can totally check out people's running outfits and comment to her on what I think and she doesn't think I'm too strange or mean or whatever. Love it. Actually, I only had good things to say this time around. There was some chick running in front of us in pinkish red spandex capri leggings and I thought she was rocking them. Seriously. If I wore something like that it'd probably look like, well, I never would so probably no need to go there:). Back to running with Amy - we rocked it out together until almost mile 10. At the onset though we both agreed that we'd run our own race and feel no obligation to stick together if one of us was feeling the need to pull ahead. Um, I was pretty sure it'd be me as I knew Amy had run a few half marathons sub 2:20 and I think the Mini Indy in less than 2:15.

Our conversation stemmed from the night before the race, training, family (her little bro just had a baby), husbands, whatev, was pretty awesome just to flow from one thing to the next. She also runs with a Garmin (I finally got one, but save that for another post) and would hold me back a little here and there. A few times she's telling me we are running at a 9:40 and 9:45 pace. I'm like WHAAAAT? And we are still talking and I'm not dying? I think it was around mile 7 that our conversation trailed off a little though we were still together. At one point she told me to keep breathing. Hmmm, how did she know that's what I needed to hear? I was starting to freak out that I went out too fast but still pretty sure I'd back into my goal. Oh yeah, somewhere around mile 5, I took a gatorade instead of water and promptly spilled it all over my left hand. I spent the next few waterstops trying to unsticky my hand. Yeah, I made that word up. I HATE sticky.

Around mile 7 or 8 I see Chad and Meg on the tandem. That was pretty fun even though Megan refused to wave or say much. HA, no offense here, that kid cracks me up. They rode along side us for a little and said they'd see me in the park. Just before Jefferson Park I started to feel a blister on the outside of the ball of my foot, it seriously stung and I was like dude, WTH, this can't be happening. Funny thing is the sting went away after about a quarter mile, not sure what was up with that, but I was definitely glad. Somewhere between mile 9 and 10 I cannot catch a deep breath and it starts to get inside my head a little. I dropped back from Amy and tried to ease up a little and catch my breath. Amy asked if I needed some encouragement or if I really felt I needed to drop back. I loved that she offered, but I felt like I needed to back off a little. All I can think is that I'm going to hyperventilate if I don't settle down and that was freaking me out. After about a mile I do settle down and feel like I can push it some more. Well, that lasted for about a mile...then I started sucking wind again. Although by now I knew I'd hit and beat my goal, ugh, such a mental game. I literally walked 10 steps just over the end Theda Clark bridge into mile 12. As I started onto the bridge I saw Chad and Meg and I was struggling. They rode along side me for a little bit then I told them I'd see them at the finish. SO damn close.

Then I see Sherry, fellow runner and work friend. Sherry has been dealing with an injury for the last month and was unable to do the race this time around. Last year's Fox Cities Half was the first for both of us. She told me she had tears in her eyes she was so excited for me as she was tracking me on her mobile and knew I'd beat my goal. Love that about here. She asks if it'd be cool for her to run to the finish with me and of course I said yes. She was SO full of energy I was a little jealous. It totally helped to have her push me along that last mile. I wasn't going to let myself walk and it really was not an option if she was running me in.

There's always 2 mats at the finish line and I'm never quite sure which is the one where I can stop running. Think by now I'd have figured that out. I hit stop on my watch and know I'm sub 2:17, just not sure how close. Sherry walks me over to some dudes under a tent on computers and they look up my official time. Woohoo, I effing did it. I find Amy and Deanna, say hi and see how they finished (both awesome), then I notice Jen is by the Fleet Feet tent. She freaking kicked her PR majorly and finished in 2:19 and change. She was hoping to finish by 2:25 and for sure better than 2:30. I've logged the majority of my long run miles with her and can't tell you how cool I think it is that she rocked it.

We sit and chat for a few then I head out. I really would have liked to see the other Fleet Feet training team come in, but we had people coming over for the Packer game and we had no food prepared and a house in disarray. Shocker, I know. Megan informed me of my next goal on the walk back to the truck. 2:12. You know, I think that's doable.

In retrospect I'm totally thrilled with the result. Getting to run with Amy for the first hour and 45 was awesome and one of the best parts of the race. After a little more dissection, I'm disappointed by my drop off in pace the last 3 miles and need to figure out how to make that not happen again. More over race distance training runs? Fighting off the mental demons? Probably no simple answer, but that's what this journey is about.

As I was writing this I remembered one thing that did not happen during this race. I never once thought why in the heck do I sign up for these damn things. Not once! And that's pretty cool!

Up next?
A few friends and I are doing the Fall50 in Door County. Four person relay + 50 miles = what I'm sure will be fun, fun times. I'm sure a 5K or 10K will also happen at some point this fall. After that? Time to log some pool time and get ready to tackle my first triathlon next year. Yes, I am putting that in writing. I'm still aiming to run 15 - 20 miles per week mixed in with some cross and strength training and will probably sign up for another half in the spring. I'm hooked.

pja

Sunday Funday, Taper and Running Friends

My Sunday funday was running 13+ miles. Yesterday morning's run was canceled due to the lightning and pouring rain. Good by me, as I imagine the humidity alone yesterday would have made for a miserable run - I almost forgot what it felt like to run in moderate temps. It was barely 50 when I left home this morning, so strange. After 2 miles I ditched the long sleeve UGLY Mini Indy shirt and rocked the rest in a tank and shorts. Seemed weird but a welcome change to get a little chilled along the way. I finished today and felt like I still had some to give so that was a great way to end another long training run. Today's main topic of discussion was race strategy. Last year's strategy was just to survive my first half and have an open mind about doing it again someday - guess I've come a long way since then.

Talking over race strategy with Jeff and Jen was pretty helpful. The last few weeks I've had the best runs when I don't dedicate so much energy to my pace. I've tried to have a few landmarks along the route so I have a general idea of where I am against my goal. Right now I'm leaning toward trying to do something along those lines, I think it will be challenging but doable. Jeff knows how much I get in my head if I think I've gone out too fast so his advice was to really focus in on where I want to be time wise at mile 3, 6, 9 and 12. Definitely great advice for this chicklet. It is going to be really strange to be out there running my own race rather than alongside my training buddies. I also need to decide if I'm going to carry water along with me, in the past I've felt like the water stops are a crutch I use to slow down. If only all of life's decisions were this trivial, eh?

Is it really time to taper?
I suppose last week was the start of the taper since that was the last 15 miler, but I feel like its really here this week with only a 9 miler on the schedule for next Saturday. I mean, that's in addition to the 3, 6, and 3 I'll run during the week. Guess its still a 22 mile week so nothing to shake a stick at. Just in case you might be into shaking sticks... Tapering tends to make me a bit antsy, but since I know I put in the work I am going to do my best to trust that and enjoy it. Its kind of like I look forward to the taper and dread it at the same time!

And this is what running friends are for...
So last Friday I get a Facebook message asking if I'm going to be there on Saturday for the long run. It goes to three of us and of course we all respond with a resounding YES we can't wait, uh huh right. Totally paraphrased, but the conversation goes a little something like this...
Instigator: Are you guys going to be there this Saturday?
First responder: Yeah, bright and early.
Me: Yeah me too, but probably not as bright as First responder above me.
Third responder: I'll be there, but haven't run all week and am crabby.
Instigator: I'm crabby too since I haven't been able to run much (injury), be sure to be there so we'll run ourselves into a good mood.
First responder: I'm crabby too, still stuck at work.
Me: I was crabby last night and quit 1/4 mile into my run. Amazing what a being home alone, a beer or 2, pita chips and havarti can do to a foul mood. Looking forward to seeing all your crabby asses in the AM.
Then we go on to wonder in writing if this is how most running friends talk. Since I've not been privy to anything quite like this group before its hard for me to say. All I can really say is that these are some cool chicks - I love the banter and totally dig the support.
Priceless!