Dam lessons learned

  So, this past Saturday I ran Iowa's largest distance classic, Dam to Dam 20K.  This would be my longest race to date, in fact, I've never raced longer than a 5K (mistake #1).  I have run many long runs ranging from 8-13 miles every weekend, but my weekly training was lacking.  About 6 weeks ago I ended up injuring my leg and had several xrays, followed by an MRI.  The conlcusion...a stress reaction.  What is that you ask?  I was told it is a stress fracture waiting to happen.  The sports doc gave me permission to run the race, but only train with zero pain until then.  That left me opting for the elliptical most days and missing out on the planned tempo runs, speed workouts and even easy runs.  My weekly plan of 30 miles quickly turned to 16.  YIkes!!  My final long run on the TM was brilliant by my standards.  I ran 2 miles hard and walked 1 minute to simulate water stops.  I was able to proceed for 10 miles before I had to get off because the TM's filled up.  NO problem, I had gained the confidence I needed.
  The entire family and I headed to Des Moines on Friday evening for packet pickup.  I was anxious, but still feeling a little confidence carry over from my last run.  Here was HUGE mistake #2.  I know that my perceived effort on the TM is different than the road.  I battled to keep my pace on the road the first runs I did in the spring.  However, what I didn't realize is over the 12.4 mile distance, just how much the effort would consume me.  Lesson #1...train more outside in the elements!!!!!!
  The kids (yes, there are 5 if you haven't realized), hubby and I got back to the hotel at about 9pm.  We got them all settled and I tried to get to rest.  I watched the entire movie Titanic and was still far from dreamland.  I beleive I saw every 15 minute increment until 1:19 am and then may have slept for a few minutes at a time until 4:30am.  Yes, I'm sure I got no more than 1 1/2 hours of sleep. 
  When the wakeup call came I drug myslef out of bead and got into my race gear.  I tried to force myself to eat a banana and some Cheerios.  (which I may have gotten down 1/2)  Fueling properly just might be another issue ya think?  I headed to get on the bus at 5:00am.
  The first few miles of the race went relatively well.  I was on pace (wanted to finish in sub 2) for about the first half, then things went bad fast.  I got sick about mile 6.  I think I drank too much too quickly due to not being used to the humidity.  After that I was cautious about what I drank, which I think proceeded to dehydrate me even further.  By mile 8 I was walking as much as I was running.  So much for running 2 miles hard and walking 1 minute.  I was barely running a 1/2 mile then walking a 1/2 mile.  My legs felt numb and I had to concentrate on evey step to make sure my feet were hitting the ground.  I was never soo happy to see my kids and hubby at the finish.  Bless there hearts, my kids were all holding signs that said "my mommy rocks"!!  So sweet, especially since I was far  from rocking it.  My pace was nearly 3 minutes PER MILE off from what I had hoped.  I guess the bright side is that I learned alot of lessons and I have set a really low bar to shatter next year.  Oh yes, and I'm sportin' the bling to prove it, which makes it all worth it.

Confidence Creeps in

  I say creeps, because I am very wary of letting it fulling take me over.  I have gone more than a month without following my training plan whatsoever.  After my leg injuries started I have had to settle for 2-3 runs a week, rather than the 5 my plan specifies.  I have settled for the weekend long run and maybe a run of 2-3 miles mid week and that's it.  No tempo run, no speedwork...Yikes, it's scary to type that out!!  Anyway, I did my final long run on Sat.  It was on the TM as recommended by the doc, to help keep the impact down.  Great idea except...I love the TM and my confidence soars on the TM.  I really need a long run on the roads just to prove I could do it, but this will have to do.  I tried a new plan of running 2 miles at about a 9:00 pace then walking 1 minute (to simulate water breaks)  It seemed to work good.  I was able to keep the pace the entire time.  It was a little rough by 8, but doable.  Now, If this run just translates to the road, I"ll be in good shape come Sat.

Trials and Tribulations

  Well, I haven't posted in a while because there hasn't been much to say, (unless of course you like reading the sob stories and whining that I've been doing these days.)  I did run the 5K Earth day run and placed third in my age group.  Was soooo hoping for another medal to add to me new iron medal holder, but alas, the awards were water bottles.  Nothing wrong with that, but I am kinda partial to some bling versus a water bottle my kids will steal sometime in the first week.  The run wasn't bad, the temperature (high 30's) was fine, the 30 MPH winds were brutal, but for 3.1 miles, not so bad.  My calf cramped the last 1/2 mile and since then I've been having some huge issues with it.  My life revolves around XTing, icing, compression..repeat., repeat...  It seems I recover all week, run long on the weekend and recover all week.  I saw the sports doc on Monday who did xrays and scheduled me for an MRI on Friday.  Hopefully I'll get some answers.  Dam to Dam 20K is in 2 1/2 weeks and I haven't got any good training runs in in nealy 3 weeks.  UGH!  Looks like if I am able to run, any time goals are out the window.  Keep your fingers crossed that I'll get some results soon.  Thanks

Officially wimped out

Well, it's official.  I called the race director today and changed my entry from 10K to 5K.  Call me scared, but I'm not feeling the need to run my first 6.2 in 40mph gusts and snow/rain.  I know it would be a perefct time to set a really low PR and have no place to go but up, but I also don't want to have this awful 1st experience and dread ever doing it again.  So, it's official, I'll only be running 3.1 tomorrow..in the rain..or snow..and the wind...UGH!!

Winning combination?

  Wind and cold...NOT a winning combination in my book. 
  I'm really trying to NOT get myself all freaked out about the upcoming 10K Saturday, but when the forecast came out and is predicting 39 for a high and 20-30 mph winds I tend to get a little nervous.  I have trained lots for this race, hit my pace many a time and done all I can to be prepared, but not sure I can prepare for that.  My first fault is that nearly all of my training has been on the treadmill, and the switch to the road has been a wake up call.  I definitely need to find my road legs.  My recent runs have left me less than sure about my confidence level.  I've had a few great ones, and few that leave me wondering why I am attempting my first 10K so early in the season.  (I've run the distance plenty, but the outside pace seems so different) 
  The wind is what is really scaring me.  I am a total fair weather runner.  If the wind is over 10mph I opt for the TM.  The race is right off the lake, so the certainty of lake wind and cold is 100%.  I may need to reevaluate my time goals.  The good news is that since this is my 1st 10K, I'll surely be giving myself lots of room for improvement in future ones.  LOL.  I will try to be calm and see what the day brings, but YIKES I'm getting nervous!!

Most excellent adventure

Okay, maybe not an adventure, but compared to the miles and miles I put in on the treadmill this winter, a romp around our small little town 4 times was quite an adventure to me.  I put in several outside runs last week.  The first was horrid and painful to the ego, then they progressively got better.  My goal Sat. was to start at a decent 10K pace to test my confidence for an upcoming Earth Day race, run the 6.2, rest or walk a bit, and then finish out with 5 or 6 easy miles.  I decided to carry my water in a new Athleta hand held I had purchased, but wasn't really crazy about carrying something.  I carried it the first 3 miles then flung it in my sisters yard on the way by.  I didn't bring any mid run fuel, mostly because I haven't found anything that I like.  I tried to stay at a 9:00 pace or below for the first 6.  Success!!  I finished in 54:54, which is something like 8:49 I think.  I'm gonna shoot for 8:40 on race day.  I slowed the pace after the first 10K and finished with a total of 11.25 miles.  My pace for the day was 9:47.  Not bad at all for my first long run.  I was hoping my legs wouldn't be screaming at me for going from 3.25 miles to 11.25, but so far they've felt good.  I iced and used the stick several times and I will run some repeats tonight at the gym, so we'll see.  Feeling pretty confident for next weeks race.

Redemption

  Feeling SOOOO much better after today's run!!!  I still kept it short, only 3.27 miles, but I finished uploading the Garmin with an entirely different attitude.  Today my overall average pace was 8:29, as opposed to yesterday's 9:30.  Woo HOo, 1 minute per mile faster.  I think yesterday the shock of getting back on the road scared me.  I didn't remember what it was like to have to hold my own pace rather than relying on the whirling belt of the treadmill.  I was proud of myself for jumping right back in to another outside run today rather than literally running from it.  I actually couldn't wait, I knew I had something to prove.  Now all that being said, I am still intimidated by the 10K coming up.  Haven't decided for sure if I will change the registration to 5K, or suck it up.  A few more test runs of longer distances will tell this coming week, but one thing is for sure.  This girl is BACK!!!

Did you continue your winter training outside in the cold, or were you a treadmill runner?

Did/Do you have a hard time getting back on the road?