On Saturday, I ran in a 10k: Yuma's New Year's Resolution Run.
I didn't even get a picture this time. Not even a pre-run picture of me in the kitchen like my last 10k. Bahaha! I will throw in a picture of my race shirt for visual interest, however.
I won this shirt from a contest I entered back in the fall. I had to talk about a day in my life. Apparently, it's entertaining enough to win stuff.
SUAR is awesome!
The race was a serious rerun. Many of the same runners... pretty much the same course. It was changed up a little to make it actually a "10k" instead of 5.95 miles like last time (according to my Garmin).
Saturday's race plan was simple: Keep it controlled, conservative and finish strong. 2 weeks out from my marathon is not the time to give it my all to a rinky dink local race. Not to mention I had 22 miles on the schedule for today. I viewed this 10k as a replacement for a strong tempo run. I ran it at about 80% and finished in 45:45. I think I finished first female, but I won't know until tomorrow. Yes, it takes an entire weekend here to get official results for a race with about 250 people in it.
Anyway.
Moving on to today's long run: My coach had told me to see how I felt and downgrade to 20 miles if need be. I headed out the door thinking I'd do 21.
Yikes.
The winds were absolutely BRUTAL today. Just awful. And I definitely picked the wrong direction to run. The first 8 miles felt pretty good. Then I turned around. HORRIBLE. A 9:26 pace felt like an 8:26 effort. I had to sort of do a zig zaggish pattern in order to get home without completely draining myself. I'd run into the headwind for a bit, then take a L. Run that way for a while, then take a R back into the headwind. Then another L... and so on and so forth. Also, I had a GU gel that apparently had a leak in it, so that spewed all over the inside of my fuel belt. Boo.
I was glad when it was all over. I called it a day at 20.25 and ended up finishing at a 9:09P. Fine by me. That's pretty much exactly what I wanted to do today considering I exerted myself pretty hard yesterday.
And with that final 20-miler, I ended the week with 58 miles!
This training cycle has been fantastic. Now I begin my taper... if you can call it that. Doesn't feel like I'm tapering!
Lots of focus on hydrating, proper nutrition, and REST these next two weeks.
Just remember it's these monster runs that make the goods one that much sweeter! Oh, how I HATE the wind!!
ReplyDeleteSometimes it just feels like it's all headwind! You did a great job and sounds to me like you are primed for a killer marathon!
ReplyDeleteARGH I hate hate hate wind!! Great job though, I am a huge wind wimp and would have thrown in the towel.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your taper!
ok - awesome 10k, first of all! and first female (most likely!) - wooooo!
ReplyDeleteyour long run sounds like it was tough - but you conquered it and are going to kick some serious butt in your marathon! i'm sooo excited for you and have loved reading all about it!
oh - and 58 miles for the week!? so grear. i'm trying to peak close to 60 this cycle too. it will be the most i have ever run!
Wind is horrible! I am so glad I don't usually have to face it. Great job on the long run!
ReplyDeleteAlso, nice work in your 10k! I hope you won the first female! That would be awesome!!