The Good Life

Yes, I have it; The good life.

Despite a little setback with my kidneys, which appears to be fine now, training appears to be going really well. I mean, I''ve taken my secret weapon out for 5am mile repeats on the track and came in at 6:12, 6:12, 6:12 and 6:14. And I've had some great long and hard rides. Judi and I did some good mileage despite getting caught in a dowpour the weekend before last.

Yesterday was, yet another, rainy day in Cincy. And also the day of the Flying PIg Marathon and Half Marathon. I partook in the latter. I had a goal in mind, but I was very afraid of this goal. Last year, I ran 1:33.40 and it was my first half mary. This was my second, but I'm running much better this year, so I wanted to go 1:30. It's a hilly course. And I had a good plan in place. 

But, as we all know, things don't always go according to plan. I started out with the 1:30 half/3:00 full pace group. And for the first 5 miles, things felt easy. And then, I got off track, mentally. I started thinking about how much it might hurt later, I got away from how I was feeling at the moment. I got a cup of water and the pace group gapped away. I totally panicked. I knew the big hill was coming and I knew i didn't want to surge, so I stayed back, freaked out. Marc was with me, and told me to just break the hill into sections. I did. My pace dropped as I watched my Garmin pace sink further than i liked. I gave a kid a high five on the way up the hill. I got to the top, no longer able to even see the pace group. At the top of the hill, I totally broke. My 1:30 was out the window. I knew it. Despite Marc's encouraging words and telling me we were going to "reel some bitches in", I stopped in the middle of the road, shouted "i can't do this. it's too much pressure". It was right before the full/half split. the girl right in front of me yelled back at me "Just run. I'm doing the whole thing". So I did.

I picked myself up, and started running.

Marc turned off to meet me later (he's doing Cleveland in two weeks, so he just had to be out there for support for his runners). The next couple miles, I just tried to regain my composure. I saw some friends cheering and then my dad (who took this pic - eerily similar to last year with the dark rain). I passed through mile 9 at a 1:33 pace and then mile 10 at a 1:34 pace. WTF? I got pissed. And then I just decided to enjoy myself if I was going to be slow. I thanked all the officers blocking traffic, I smiled at the crowd and just got in a better place.

Marc rejoined me and we went downhill. I focused on keeping my legs beneath me and just churned along, refusing to look at my splits, but feeling the vibration and beep with each mile that ticked by. Marc told me I was "smoking it", but I didn't know whether to believe it since he'd been telling me I was doing good all along. Once back into downtown, we had an out and back and i saw the pace group...not too far ahead, maybe a couple mins?

Before he turned off again, with just a few tenths of a mile left, Marc told me I was running 6:20s. WHHAAAAT? Really? I kicked it in as hard as I could and finished 13th in 1:31.31.

I have a lot to take away from this race. It was a PR, which I should be thrilled about...but I let my head get the best of me for a bit. The good news, I was able to regain my composure and get my head back in the game. So, I basically need to figure out how to not reach that breaking point.

I've talked to quite a few people about it today. My coach suggested I shout at those negative thoughts when they creep in. And my training buddy from IM#1 reminded me of just how grateful i should be to be able to do these things. A coworker just thought the whole things was amazing. And Marc let me know he's been there before.

We have good days and bad, but in the end, a good life is what it's all about. And even if every day isn't a good day, this is a good life.

Ahhh....fall!

After a very hot and humid summer in Cincinnati, the weather has finally broken. And we have some relief!

It's amazing!

I mean, it suddenly feels easy to breath on a long run. Shoes don't weigh an extra 3 pounds after a few miles. In fact, morning rides actually require arm warmers. OK, maybe they aren't required, but it's definitely more comfortable with them.

I'm loving it. Hopefully it holds for the 100k Sunflower revolution ride in the morn...and more importantly, for all my teammates racing Rev 3 tomorrow. So many of these guys have been an incredible part of my training and life throughout the last year.  Also a shout out to Holly racing Worlds in Budapest and Scott, my uber super Triple T partner, doing IMWI.

Plans

Ok, admittedly, I HATE planning! Mostly because, from my experience, nothing really ever goes the way it's planned. I've learned that I am better off having a "soft" plan and rolling with the punches rather than having a hard, definite plan and getting bent out of shape when things don't go as I expected.
 
That said, the race plan for this year is still kinda up in the air. I may or may not do Great Floridian. I have every intention of doing TTT, Leadville Silver Rush 50 Trail Run and Long Course AG Nationals.
 
I did just registered for the Cabin Fever ROGAINE. It's a 6 hour foot race. It's my first of this kind, but I'm looking forward to it. I just hope it isn't like 5 degrees outside that day.
 
Following the swim yesterday, I hung with mom and my niece, which is always fun and before I knew it, I was lying in bed reading. And then dragging myself out of bed to get to the pool again.
 
And this morning's swim was, um...fun?
It started out just fine.
A warm-up and then lots of 50s - 22 of them. 
Then came the monster main set: 5x500.
I tried to weasle my way over to the next lane that was doing a shorter version. Not so much. Coach Aaron made me stay.
The worst part wasn't just the length.
It was that they were on 1:30 pace. Which isn't hard when you're doing a 100. Or even one 500. or two? But five? Five 500s?!?
Ugh. My lats were definitely feeling that work.
 
Tonight is a quick brick. The ride will be inside. Those weather guys don't know what they're talking about. After yesterday disappointed and never reached the above freezing mark after a predicted high of 46, they changed the forecast for the entire rest of the week! Still grey and dreary. And cold. I'm glad I didn't bank on riding outside this week.
 
Like I said before, I try not to have plans so it's easier to adjust when the unexpected happens...like this craptastic weather.

I hope i have power

So, I absolutely love running in the rain. Yesterday after work, it was raining. It was also about 37 degrees. I like both these factors.

I set out for my run in an IM cap, a lightweight fleece, capri tights and my Zoots (cause the water flows oh so freely through them). Oh, and I had on gloves. I felt good from the onset. And I headed toward downtown. I passed a couple guys with shit-eatin' grins and waved. These were the only other two crazies out last night.

A couple miles in, I started to feel my upper body warm up. I unzipped a bit.

A mile later, I was regretting that move. The cold started to settle in. I think it rained down my top. That didn't help.

The last couple miles my pace kept creeping faster. And I think it's because all I could think of was getting the run over with and into a hot shower. I was running with my hands covering my frozen nips. My legs had long gone numb.

I walked inside and stripped down and literally had to wring out my clothes in the bathtub. Even my gloves. Immediately to a hot shower where I felt like my skin was burning off. I thought for sure I'd lose some sensitivity due to nerve damage and frost bite. It was hard to eat after such trauma. I don't know if I was more upset that I was so cold or by the fact that I felt betrayed by my instincts to love the rain running.

I piled on layers and cranked up the heat for bed.

And I awoke to 54 degrees and wind. Like crazy blustering wind. Like, the kind of wind that is scary to be outside walking your dog in kind of wind. And then the radio told me that we're dropping to 18 degrees by this evening. And more wind. Lots of it. Like 60 mph gusts. Remnants of Ike kind of wind. So, I jumped on the trainer and finished watching Whatever Works before heading into this dreadful place work.

It is now 31 degrees. And it is still wet out. That means we'll have some glorious ice out there. And there are almost 10,000 people without power because of the crazy wind. Ugh. I hope I'm not one of them. I'll have to jump on the trainer for warmth.