Another birthday, another bridge, another run

June 19, 2003

I turned 17 and my mom made a delicious pork tenderloin dinner - my favorite. I decided soon after dinner that I wanted to go for a birthday run. I was in my little hometown of Spencerport, NY. Now, I was a weekend warrior at bet - I would go out and run 2 miles at a time, maybe a couple of times a week very sporadically. But I decided to run. I remember wearing this thin purple top that wasn't really a running short and big gym shorts. It was about 7:30 or so, and I remember running over the bridge near the Erie Canal. As I climbed over the bridge, at a pace much slower than I run now, I began to cramp up and it was very painful. Clearly, my dinner was too heavy. I know I got through that run, but I still to this day remember the deep stitch in my side, and I've never felt that bad.

I have since conquered that bridge and also figured out the timing between eating and running. That bridge nearly always figures into my runs at home. And I have to laugh now when I think of that run. I was just so inexperienced but obviously still felt some reason to go and and run.

Flash forward to June 19, 2013

I turned 27 in Washington, DC and also wanted to get in a run. I did it this time before dinner. It was just 3 miles, over 300 miles away from that other birthday run. But I also went over another bridge (going over I-495), so instead of crossing the historic Erie Canal, I crossed over highway traffic. It was just for fun, my little me time. No cramps, no worries. Just fun and enjoying the beauty of the run.

 No particular milestones associated with turning 27, nor the end of 26. It was a great year but it also presented challenges and tough moments as well. Getting through those hard parts were also rewarding too.
My time is running out on the East Coast. I fly out to Santa Cruz on Sunday for seven weeks of rip roaring fun with gifted children and faculty in an intense academic exploration program. And I am excited - I love this program very much and it is incredibly stimulating and rewarding. And fun too! But I am sad too, and feeling the crunch now of fitting in time with everyone: family, friends, Pat before I go.

I am very much enjoying the fun runs right now. I've been picking the mileage and pace as I go. Some days the watch stays behind, other days I try and press the pace. I won't do another race until the Wharf to Wharf 6 mile at the end of July. It won't be a goal race for sure, as I won't follow a schedule again until early July. But it will be after a month of Santa Cruz running. This is where I do my best running all year, mainly because it is all hills all the time and perfect weather (50-75 degrees each day). But I am getting ahead of myself. Still here and hot in DC! 

One more shot at the mile: McMullen Mile

Admittedly, my track prep for the mile has been probably one of the worst build-ups ever. I think I missed at least one workout a week. To be honest, I didn't care. My big road races (10 mile and 10k) of the spring went so well, that the mile seemed more like an afterthought. Maybe I was letting go of some of my type A personality: I didn't have to be rigid.
I did have some good track workouts. I've been able to consistently run 200s in 40 seconds, and 400s in  84, with a lot more ease than last year. That was a big improvement. But I also have done a lot of traveling. We went to NYC for Memorial weekend to visit family. Last weekend I was in Baltimore for a work conference. All of this meant that not all runs fit into the schedule. Letting go? Loosening up? Prioritizing? You be the judge.
In non running related news, my dissertation proposal passed last month! If you don't remember, last year, I hit some stumbling blocks trying to come up with a dissertation topic. I held onto the mantra "not in vain" - that all of the work would eventually pay off. After a year of hitting the books really hard and working with my committee, the proposal passed. It was a big milestone - it makes me now ABD (All But Dissertation). There are no other official benchmarks in the doctoral program until the dissertation passed and ABD turns into Ph.D. Needless to say, I had worked my butt off to get that, and that victory mattered more than any running one.
The weather in Rochester (yes, I'm home in Rochester visiting my parents - more traveling!) has been rather iffy. Granted, the much cooler temperatures have been a warm welcome after last week's 90 degree days, but the rain I could do without. Now, I have been fairly blessed in terms of race weather conditions. Sometimes it has been cold or windy or even a little rain, but I've never really raced in pouring weather. It was time for me to get what was coming to me. You pay your dues, right? I've had beautiful marathon weather - time to get drenched.
In a nutshell, it was a steeplechase. Huge puddles were all around the track. I lined up in the elite heat (sub 6) for women, threw my goals for the PR our the window, and was ready to go. And we were off in the rain. Lap 1: 1:28 - most of the girls were way ahead of me, and I was just trying to hang on. Feet were already drenched, and I was debated getting closer to lane 2 where it was less puddly. Lap 2: 2:56 or 8 - I'll really have to dig in, but can I? 4:28 for Lap 3 and I am feeling so over this. I finished in 5:59, just under the 6:00 heat, and happy to be done. With the warm up and cool down for the race, I totalled 8.5 miles for the day. Bring on the (gluten-free) beer!
So what I can I take away from all of this? Lessons learned (from the professor):

• I am not a miler and I knew that going into this. But it is still a good experiment to try that shorter distance stuff.
• These track races were not goal races. My big races of the 10k and 10 mile of the spring were the big ones. This was just - gravy? Another opportunity to get some racing?
• Consistent training leads to better racing. I admittedly slacked off in the past month. It had been a challenging semester and I needed something to give. Normally, I am consistent as anything and it pays off.
• But is it really slacking off? I'm starting to think it was a lesson in letting go. Not all races are perfect, and nor should they be. I had a banner season - I had ran 39:28 for the 10k and 1:05:52 for 10 miles. Those are great. We don't get it all, and I will take what I worked for.

And now it's time for just fun runs. No schedule - just enjoying the game for what it is.
And that's why we all got into it, right?

• 

Potomac Valley Track Club All-Comers Meet

If I had to define myself as a runner, it would be a middle distance road racer. People still call me a marathoner, even though it has been 2 years since my last one. But I would say now that I'm a distance racer, focusing on everything from the 5k to the 10 mile. But now once a year I switch gears and try the track for a month. It is more to work on speed than anything. So, May 19 was my first mile race of the year. My PR is 5:51 (from June 2012). But I wasn't aiming to PR this time - just get in some more practice in the event. The last time I had a real track season with multiple races was 9th grade 2000-2001. It was indoor track, and my best 1500 was 7:25. I did not like track, and that was the last time I ran consistently until fall 2008. But I digress. Last year, my mile was at a mile only event, not a full out track meet. But the Potomac Valley Track Club has a series of all-comer meets that go all day and have all of the major track events. I was happy that the mile was early on. I got to watch the hurdlers first. My warm up was okay. Sarah said that it probably wouldn't be a PR day - it was kind of drizzly out and i was in the middle of training. I really just wanted to go under 6, but I also didn't sweat it out. My dad was in town, and we even had some bubbly the night before (yes, I was totally breaking one of my cardinal rules) - I was going to have fun. Because if you let running dictate your life all of the time, where is the fun? I wanted to have fun.
They called the milers out, and divided us into 3 heats. The first was 5-5:25- no thank you. The second was 5:25-6:00. I slid into this one, figuring that even if I was near the end, I'd rather hang on behind the fast people, than lead the heat and probably not go as fast. It was great watching the first heat. A couple of women ran under 5:20 , which was remarkable. Some of the girls in both heats were on one of the local racing teams, and it was intimidating hearing them talk about their workouts. It reminded me of high school, when we stood outside before a final exam and talked about our studying. Then we were called by the start and lined up. There were about 15 people in my heat (mixed gender) - I never had run with so many people on the track. The gun went off and we were off. It took a while to really get moving, as it was crowded! I actually felt boxed in at one point, but I thought that might actually be a good thing. It would keep me from going out too hard and blowing up. I think I went through the first lap in about 1:28 (and that is factoring the 8 meters extra to make it a full mile, not 1600m) and felt pretty good. It was at this point that I felt like I could move out a bit more. I think the second lap was about 2:54 or 2:56. At this point, I was in the dreaded third lap, but hanging on just fine and came through that in 4:24. I could hear someone behind me and she just took off. I was not dying but definitely didn't have any gears left. Nonetheless, I was really pleased as I saw the clock when I ran by.
5:51! I tied my PR. And for a first race in awhile, I was really pleased. It showed that if I lock in and have a few strong weeks of training, I can smash the PR and go under 5:50. Lots of exciting things happening, and this is just one of them!

After lap 1

Time Trial and Back in Track Mode

After writing about the break from schedules, last week I got back into a running schedule. Once road racing ended, I am turning my focus to the track. I did this last year, and did one mile track race in June. This year, I've got 2 1 mile track races scheduled, 1 for May, 1 for June. My year-round focus is not the track - I just don't have that fast-twitch speed. I started training last week. And on Tuesday, I had my first time trial of the year.

It had been raining for a couple of days, and there was some wind, but we were going to do the workout anyways, which was going to include an 800m (2 lap) time trial. While I won't ever compete in an 800m race, the idea was that this would jump start my mile training. Last year, I did it in 2:46, and this year we were hoping for 2:40. Plus, it would in theory make the mile not seem as painful, at least not as fast. So we did our usual 2.5 mile warmup, and then threw in a few 200s, just to warm up the legs (both in 40 seconds) before rolling into the 800. I did have some nervousness about this, and I usually don't get nervous for track workouts. But this was going to be so hard and fast. Sarah told me to tuck in behind her, and we were off. Now, she is a 36 10k runner - this pace is not all out for her. Which is good, because she made it look effortless, and I could just hang on behind her. We went thought the first lap in 80 (1:20), right on pace, but I was doubting my ability to hang onto this. With 300m to go, it just felt so uncomfortable and hard. I ended up finishing in 2:44, all out of breath and that feeling of blood in my throat. You just don't get that feeling in the longer races, but this was a sprint. We took a few easy laps of VERY slow jogging, and then continued the workout with 3x400. These were descending: 88, 85, 84. The first one felt more like a trot after the 800, but by the second 2, I could feel the 800 from earlier. And it just kept raining. It felt as if it would let up every other interval, and then start raining again. A couple of easy laps, and then 4x200m. The first 3 were in 39, and then she said to go all out for the last one - 38! I had never run a 200 that fast. Last year, it took me a while to run 39, and this year, i was doing it consistently in week 2 of training. All promising. It poured during our 2.5 mile cooldown, and we were just soaked, muddy, drenched, you name it. But it was also exhilarating. I so rarely get to do the hard workouts with a partner, and this made it a lot of fun. During the easy parts, we chatted about grad school (we are in the same program - she just defended her dissertation), running, teaching, etc. The workout was a great confidence booster. Even though I didn't hit that 2:40, I'm still chipping away at it. These shorter distances require a different skill set, and I'm just in experienced there. But I am looking forward to getting in more practice at it!

Enjoying the unscheduled runs

Last weekend's Pike's Peek 10k was the end of my spring racing season - a great way to end it. Before gearing up for the next adventure, I've been enjoying a gap between schedules. And I love schedules - I can check things off my list and roll with it. But for brief periods of time, I do appreciate the unscheduled runs.
I can dictate the runs, how long they are, and not get caught up in meeting any formal expectations. Now, all runs should be fun, and they mainly are, but there is something liberating about just going out for a run without thinking how it is an important building block in training. I got in 37 miles last week in just fun runs. And I felt like each run was appreciated for its own sake. It wasn't phoned in to make it fit in, it happened because I wanted to run.
Lately, because I'm more productive in the mornings, I've been doing most of my runs in the late afternoon. But after a sleepless night on Tuesday, I found myself up working very early. Why not get in a morning run, since I was already awake? I took to the mall, and after a Cherry Blossom season of tourists, was welcomed to a peaceful, quiet Mall. As I approached the WWII memorial, I could hear a lot of shouting. It was the local ROTC battalion, carrying flags, chanting out commands, as they got their morning run in. To see them en masse like that was so moving. I continued on, passing the Lincoln Memorial and then crossing the bridge to Arlington. That bridge is part of so many big races here that I've done: Marine Corps Marathon, Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, Army 10 Miler, and so a whole host of memories came flooding back. I was also just moved by how lush everything was: the grass so green, and the blooming flowers so bright. Everything was fresh, just like it should be in Spring. After getting near the Arlington cemetery, I headed back to DC. Instead of following the Mall path precisely, I detoured and ran along the Constitutional Pond. Very beautiful landscaping, and even more quiet. An oasis in a bustling city. I could hear myself think, and instead of the thousand thoughts running through my head as usual, there was peace. And as I embarked back on the path, towards the Washington Monument, the ROTC battalion emerged yet again, vigorously chanting and running. The sun was slowly rising, brightening the mall. No photograph could capture this beauty justly. In the end, I had covered about 8.5 miles, and had my breath taken away, not from the labor, but the pure sensory experience. It was perfect - nothing could have been better.I have also had great experiences beyond the mall, but DC's great running trails, like the Capital Crescent and Mount Vernon trails. But there is another which I had yet to enjoy: the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad trail. In total, it stretches about 40 miles, with markers every half mile. And lucky for me, where I'm moving to soon, it is only a mile away from my new apartment! I had a chance to try it out over the weekend, and I am completely in love. It is much hillier than some of the other DC trails, and so it can simulate better racing conditions than just a flat, straight path. Now, instead of taking the metro to get to a trail for tempo runs, it is nearly in my backyard. Plus, it has lots of opportunities to hop off and run through the local neighborhoods as well. I look forward to exploring and seeing all of these new places. I tend to only create a couple of routes (mainly because I am so bad at directions and fear getting lost on the run), so these areas will give me more flexibility.And at the end of the day, that's a good thing for me - more flexibility. I cannot become rigid and entrenched in my ways. So for the time being, in this gap between seasons, I am flexible in the run and hoping that will help me to loosen up in life in general.

I ran for Boston: Pike's Peek 10k

Sunday was the Pike's Peek 10k. And no, not the one in Colorado. The Rockville Pike - this 10k is a 3,000 person race and $1,000 on the line for the winner. Spoiler alert: it's not me. But, what it means is that the competitive is incredibly fierce, and a lot of big runners come out to score a good pay day. And for me, it meant there were a lot of fast runners to hang onto!
After the Cherry Blossom 10 miler 2 weeks ago, I had done a few workouts to keep the speed intact, but basically the hay was already in the barn. My PR from the fall was 39:50, and I was hoping to chip about 10 seconds off of it. After all, I had knocked off 18 seconds in my 10 mile time, so I probably wasn't going to be able to milk much more out of the 10k. I was a woman on a mission, and Boston only added fuel to the fire. I was going to run well for my adopted city and put everything out there to make that happen. They gave out blue and gold ribbons, which I attached to my 2011 Boston shirt. Boston Boston Boston.
My boyfriend had driven me to the race, and I do really love that he's embraced and supported my running as much as he has. It was a cold morning for April - 35 at the start! I was actually glad that the hot streak had fizzled out. I got in my warm up, and took my spot in the first wave (yes, they actually break this up into corrals with separate starts, which is pretty cool). I was fairly far back, as the bigwigs were out there. Even my coach/trainer/grad school friend Sarah was racing too - although beyond the start, I knew I wouldn't see her for the rest of the race. We bowed our heads for a moment of silence, which it was definitely hard to keep emotions in check. Another pause, and we were off.
This is a point to point race. We made one turn out of the parking lot, and then it is straight for the last 6 miles. There are a lot of rolling hills, but because it is relatively straight, you can just push hard and not have to ease off for so many turns. Things felt so fast going out - and that's because they were - 6:12 for the first mile. I could ease off and relax, because that way too fast. Yet, I also had in my ear a loud breather named Hector (his name was on his shirt), whose breathing was so distracting that I just wanted to get away.

Getting away from Hector (in bright blue)

Less than .2 to go!

Have you ever ran alongside someone whose breathing (or moaning, as it were) just made you yourself feel sick? I needed to get away, but that wasn't a good reason to press the pace either. I picked things up just enough to get out of earshot, and continued on. There were a few steep uphills, although nothing harder than what I had trained on. I just aimed to be not too aggressive on these. I came through mile 3 in about 19:12 - and while there wasn't a 5k mark, I knew I was right under 20 minutes for the 5k, and needed to pick things up in the second half. 
The 10k is my favorite race in terms of pacing. I can really determine how much to put in, and how to just pick things up a little at 5k, 4 (little more), 5 (throw it all down), in order to negative split (second half faster). Damn it, I was going to push hard - this was for Boston! Things had spread out with the people, so I was working to try to catch up with the next pack. I didn't feel the sense that I could blow up. Unlike Cherry Blossom, when I felt just awful the whole time (even though en route to a PR), I felt strong this time and consistent with the pace. I was getting a lot of cheers with my Boston shirt of "Go Boston" and there were a lot of other Boston alumni out there too. 
This was the first time in a while where I didn't write on hands my expected splits - I was hoping that I could just go and not be fixated on the numbers. Bad choice - here I was, running 9+ mph trying to do math in my head to see if I was on track. I thought I was pretty close, but math is hard while running!
After cresting the last hill, someone shouted, "It's all downhill from here," and really, it meant half of a mile of just going for it. I just put everything I had with the finish in sight. Right after I got through the 6 mile mark, there was Pat cheering for me (you can actually see him in the picture - he's taking a picture - very meta), giving me that final boost for the end. I was all in, and my eyes widened in shock as I crossed the finish line.
39:28
6:22 pace
Overall: 148/2446
Women: 32/1276 (you can tell how competitive it is!)

Student and Coach (or PhD candidate and PhD)

Age group: 14/150
To put it into perspective, I ran 2 5ks and an 8k earlier this spring all at a slower pace than this 10k - proof that it takes time to build up speed. Goal races are there for a reason, and it takes a season to get there.
This was a big victory - for me and for Boston. It was faster than I believed I could go, and really, that's what Boston stands for at its best - conquering the insurmountable. 
I caught up with Sarah after and she ran very well (36:32) - once we started, she was so ahead of me, I didn't see her until the end. She just defended her dissertation on Tuesday - showing that the PhD is achievable. Really, she's showing me how to get both done: fast times and a successful dissertation. 
It was a phenomenal morning - better than I could have imagined. And Boston was very much on all of our minds that morning, as it will be for months to come. Boston is a place where heroes are made, and this weekend was a salute to Beantown's heroes.

A run to remember

Heartbroken and Hopeful for Boston

My heart is broken for Boston and I don't know how to put that ache into words.
To the runners: I am sorry that the race that was supposed to be your Olympics turned into an utter nightmare. You have hundreds of thousands of Boston alumni behind you, and millions of runners who are behind you.
To the spectators: You are the lifeblood of the running community. You pull us through our races, and it is you who we look for. We are here to support you now. I read that crowdfunding has already led to $1 million raised to help with medical expenses. I cannot describe how sad I am for the three victims of the bombing, for the scores of wounded with irreparable damage, and the friends and families of the victims and. I just cannot fathom all of this.
My marathon, the Boston Marathon, gave me some of the happiest days of my life. And I still cannot fathom that that day has now delivered one of the most horrific acts of terror in recent history. That finish line delivered such promise and hope, and now is permanently enmeshed in the public memory in a tragedy.
Thinking of the Boston Marathon has always brought a lump to my throat, for it brought back memories of joy. Now, I'm moved to tears when I think of it the end of the innocence and of an era when running was so purely joyful. In 12 seconds, that joy disappeared.
I know that Boston will come back stronger. Boston is amazing. The citizens went under lockdown and the police enforcement knew what to do to get suspect #2. There are so many stories of heroic acts of bravery that have been pouring through all week - it makes me proud to be affiliated with the city.
I knew more than a dozen people who ran on Monday, and I am so proud for all of you, those who finished and those who didn't. I got to track one of my closest friends, Jenny, who ran her Boston debut and finished under 4 hours. 4 years ago, she could run a 5k, and now she ran Boston. I'm beyond grateful that she and everyone else I knew was okay. A lot of great stories happened and races unfolded before 2:50 on 4.14.13, and we need to remember that too.
We need to remember the resilience of Boston and our country. We need to remember that gutted feeling of utter sadness and fear and learn yet again how to create a world that uses love, not violence. We need to remember Marathon Monday for both the good and the bad.
I'm running a 10k tomorrow, and I have more determination than ever to run strong - Boston strong. They handed out ribbons at packet pick-up last night - not that I needed a reminder. For the city that has given me so much, I run for them. I love Boston and its people, and I'm proud to be connected with one of the greatest cities in the country.

Cherry Blossom 10 miler: 6 months for 18 seconds

Would you rather coast on the way to victory? Or is there something to be said about scrapping your way to the finish line, fighting and throwing down the gauntlet for the triumph?
While the former is certainly easier, I do love a good fight to the finish. And my PRs have been a mix. I've had banner days when the road rose to meet me, and there have been other days when I've clawed my way the whole time. I was not sure what was in store for me at the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile. Rightly so, as this past week was one of the most challenging and rewarding weeks of my career. I had a presentation for my department on Wednesday, when I reported on my progress for my dissertation proposal. I was incredibly nervous and very relieved My schedule has gotten so busy that the only blogging I've done lately has been after races! Hopefully after the semester is over I'll be able to get back in the habit. After all, I love to write anything (which is good that I'm taking on a dissertation), and I find blogging to be so much fun, and I miss doing it on a regular basis.
All of my running eggs were going into the Cherry Blossom basket. I hadn't PRed yet this spring, and Sarah said that it meant that all of the strength training was going into this race. And that was scary too. While it is not a marathon, this was supposed to be my premier race of the season, and I really wanted it to count. My PR from last fall, 1:06:10 was still relatively shiny, but I also wanted to go sub 66 minutes.
I was seeded relatively well for this race, up several corals from the last time I did this in 2009 (I ran 1:23:30). At the start, I felt good and ready to take things out hard. There wasn't anyone else who I was running it with: I would be just doing all the work to get there, not tagging onto anyone else. When the gun went off, I was struck by how far back I was...or that some people were standing closer to the front that they should have. It meant my first mile was 6:50...about 15-18 seconds slower than goal pace, and I just felt stuck. Would I be bobbing and weaving for a place? I hoped not. It took about 2 miles for me to get settled in. My heart felt like it was racing: I needed to calm down and get in a relaxed groove. I could relax a little because even though the paw wasn't ideal, I was going to see my boyfriend soon, who was camped out along the course just before the 3 mile mark. And that gave me a little boost, but before I knew it, the moment was over and I was all alone again.
I was struck by how tired I felt. This felt incredibly hard, and I felt overwhelmed by how tired I was so early into the race. Was it because of my intensive week leading up to it? Was it the final hard weeks of training? Probably a combination of both. I was kind of freaked out (I had never felt so mentally worked up during a race)...in some races, I've felt that I could shift into another gear. In this case, I felt all in the whole time. So, if I was feeling tired now, at mile 4, how the heck could I sustain this pace for 6 more miles?
I came through the 5 mile (halfway mark) at 32:56, which was on pace for my PR goal, but I could just feel my effort flagging. It was a no excuses day, as the race director announced, the weather was perfect, and I did not want to blow it. I was coming up on Haines Point, an area of DC where I've run some great 10k races at. I had told myself to just hang on to get to there and hopefully I could reign things in. At the 10k mark, I was at 40:50-which this time last year was a 10k PR. But on Sunday, it just felt a small benchmark en route to finishing this friggin race. At mile 7, we started to really get a strong headwind, and with the 40 degree weather and being near the Potomac, it felt icy cold. Was this race ever going to end? I just felt awful: so tired and worn out.
2 miles to go, and I told myself that PR or not, it was all going to be over in less than 14 minutes. I was running with 2 people carrying flags on poles and wondering how they were beating me. Another guy stopped at an impromptu beer table and chugged a cup of beer. Come on, pick it up! 1 mile to go, and I was checking my watch, wondering if I could get back that PR that I had been working for all year. With 3/4 of a mile, they had banners marking off each 400m left, and all I could do was recall my workout of 20 x 400 at 6:20 pace. Surely I could just knock off 3 of those.
There was a small hill to crest with 400m left, and after that, I could finally see the finish line and the clock. I started to pump my fist and manage a small whoop of joy and nearly started to weep as I crossed the finish line.
1:05:52
6:35 per mile
24/2819 in age group (25-29)
73/10321 women
412/17530
An 18 second PR
It all paid off. Things felt bleak for the first 6 weeks of 2013, like I couldn't get more than a few consistent runs in. All of the work of strength training, cross training paid off and I was able to finally resume a regular running schedule. This race and what it stood for just meant so much for me. I scrapped my way to the finish and was met with victory. And it all comes back to my favorite Deena Kastor quote, "Sometimes the moments that challenge us the most, define us." I got to define myself as the scrappy, then happy runner at Cherry Blossom.
I was sore through Wednesday. Not post marathon sore but sore enough that it still hurt to turn over in bed and my quads screamed as I walked down the stairs. Proof that I ran outside of myself and had put everything into that race and left it out there on race day.
At this point in my running career, I've made enough progress that PRs won't mean multiple minutes knocked off of my time. 18 seconds may not seem like much, but I worked my butt (and legs) off to crack into 1:05. This was the perfect way to end a week of evaluating. While stressful, I got to demonstrate my research abilities, teaching, and running - 3 components that define me.

Scope it out 5k

I've finally been in DC long enough that I've run most of the big courses and races. And while it is nice to try new things, it is also great to return to familiar races. The Scope It Out 5k was the first time last year that I broke 20 minutes. While last year, it was my goal race for March, this time it is just a tune-up race en route to my big April races (Cherry Blossom 10 Mile and Pikes Peak 10k). So there was no taper this time: I trained through this one, with a difficult workout just prior:
I had a great, hard workout on Tuesday that was a brand new one to me. Many of my workouts that I've done are similar iterations of each other. Mile repeats, or 800s or progression runs: I have been doing them all since 2010, and only the times have changed. It's rare these days to have a brand new one, but I got one sent to me that I was so anxious to try out:
20 x 400m with 100m jog in between each, starting at 99 seconds and work down to 94 seconds, knocking off 1-2 seconds per "mile" (4 x 400). So, in a way, it was like a 5 x 1 mile progression run, just broken up differently. I think the most 400s I had ever done was 10, and here we go doubling that and picking up the pace. I was anxious: both excited and nervous for this mighty different workout. There was a sense of duality about the whole thing: both nervous and excited. It looked both long and short (after all, each interval would be done in under 100 seconds). The recovery was the shortest, but the number of intervals was the greatest. But I averaged 1:35 for them (6:20 pace) and even got the last one in 88 seconds!
It overall was a success. Standing at the start, it seemed daunting. And there were moments throughout, lap 6, 12, 17, for example, when it just felt arduous. I was constantly toeing off and it was literally flying by. My mind shut off the rest of the world, the rest of my day, the things to be done. It was just e and the track. In the field, the women's lacrosse team was practice, and occasionally my eye wandered over to them. And in the baseball field behind me, the men's team had a baseball game, and so sometimes my ears picked up on the cheers or the crack of the bat. It was a great workout, but definitely not an easy one right before a race. I also was helping my boyfriend move across town and got in some good lifting in the days leading up to it, and that wiped me out a bit.
I had a nightmare the night before the race that I missed the start of the race and had to just do it as a time trial all alone. But was very relieved to wake up and just have it be a dream. I did my warmup from my house and got there with plenty of time to spare.
Last year, I was the fifth woman, and as a result, I figured I could get up to the front this time. No Olympians or trials qualifiers. Just a couple of other fast looking women. One woman told me, "You look serious," and then proceeded to move a few rows back. When the gun went off, I tried to take off as fast as I could, but it was hard to get the legs moving. I saw a few girls go out way in front, but a couple who were more in reach. I came through the first mile in 6:25, which was a little slower than I had hoped. I started to pick things up a bit...but things were pretty spread out, so it felt almost more like a solo run with a few scattered guys around me. I couldn't even see the women in front of me. Mile 2 was 6:17, so I was definitely picking things up and working my way through it. Last year, I felt so light and easy doing it. Not this time, but I was making progress, and mile 3, 6:11, the finish line was in sight. I did my best to finish strong, and I did in 19:50 flat.
26/2280 overall
4th woman
So while this was not a PR (off by 30 seconds), I was really pleased with the effort. This was not my goal race, but now I am getting to the point where I am running sub 20 in the 5k with some degree of consistency. I am learning to push at the end when it is uncomfortable, and I look forward to using this speed in my April races!
(These pictures are from my last race, the St. Patrick's Day 8k, but on the same course. Weather was much sunnier that day!)

Making a run on the Capitol!

What a difference a month makes: St. Patrick's Day 8k

Exactly 4 weeks ago, I had my rust buster 5k, which I averaged 6:33 pace. It didn't feel great, and I was in the middle of a yucky stint in training. A week after, I finally got on track, and had 3 weeks of very consistent, near-perfect training. I was ready and excited for my 8k today. Sarah told me to aim for somewhere between 6:30-6:25 pace. Part of me was a bit dubious: a month ago, I couldn't even average that in my 5k. But, as I reflected on some pretty good runs, I decided I needed to just go for it.
Spring ahead! Really, on race day, I had to lose an hour? Oh well. I actually got a pretty good night's sleep for spa change and even woke up before my alarm. Always a good sign. The weather was absolutely gorgeous: sunny, low 40s and no wind. Perfect perfect. And the race was close enough to my apartment that I could run there and have that serve as my warmup. I made a friend (someone else running to the race) and we ran most of the way together. Still amazing how that world of running can just open up so many conversations. It served as a nice distraction, and before I knew it, it was time to toe the line. I positioned myself in the fifth row. I knew our local Olympian Clare Hallisey was there, as well as a few Olympic trials qualifiers and it was my hope that I could just hitch on behind them and go. Looking at last year's results, I was aiming to come in between the top 20-30 women.
I came through the first mile in 6:20, which was too fast, but I've come to expect that. It doesn't freak me out anymore, and it just means I pull back in mile 2. And that is exactly what I did, getting through it in about 6:30. I was feeling good, and while it was a fast pace, and faster than my workouts, I was hanging on fine. There were a lot of people around me, and I was using them as motivation. Yeah, it is nice to be up in front and place really high, but it is much harder/lonely. You end up doing much more work. But that was not the case. I felt myself holding back a little, and I knew I would start aiming to pass people at mile 3, with a second kick at mile 4. And that's exactly what I did, slowly picking off person by person and moving up. The final mile (well, .97) was hard, and there is a point when you can see the finish from far away. But before you get there, you go around a block, and then back to the finish stretch. It definitely plays with your mind. At this point, I had been getting closer to another girl, but could not catch her. I didn't care: there was only so hard I could push at that point. As I was getting closer to the finish line, I could see the clock in the 31:50s ticking. I was hauling ass, and the announcer even said, "Is she going to make it?! She's so close!"
31:57!
Woooo! 6:26 pace and right where our plan had been. Yes, that was my 10k pr pace too, but this is still early in the spring season.
20/2214 women
120/3772 overall
I came in the top 20 women and the fact that some of women ahead of me were elite runners...I will take 20 just to be within shouting distance to them. It was a beautiful day for a spring race and a great confidence booster. Yes, 2013 started off slowly, and with some bumps, but I am in a groove now! Last month, I pushed to run 6:33 pace for a 5k, and I ran this month faster in a longer race. These things take time, and I look forward to getting in some more races this spring.