Mixed Doubles 10K - Recap

Mixed Doubles Relay seem to be something of a new event.  Amby Burfoot brought it to SE CT, this was the second year! Very cool race.  

Thing was a partner is necessary, and a male.  Or go to the singles bar, never really was my thing.  Don was looking for an older partner, always scheming that one.  After I got snubbed by Don, I hoped Steve would accept my invite. It was like one of those Sadie Hawkins Dances,  UGH...    Steve isn't all that competitive and agreed to be my partner.  Pshew...  best to know your audience, right???  I completely accept those who are competitive and are in it to win it.  Me?  Well I usually want to push the edge of what is my current best.

I went into this with not much of a plan (this seems to my MO this year).  Figured even with my plodding pace we would be under an hour.  Hills on Friday was an iffy idea at best for any success at sub 30 on Saturday.   Steve figured 24, as he has a chest cold.  What is it with runners and racing sick???

Anyhoodles....

Results here.

49:15 for the team
3rd in our age group  (100 - 109)
32nd in the open group 

Steve ran a 21:44, quite far off the mark from 24!  I took off a bit fast and it took me a bit to get into a sustainable pace.  I ran a 27:31  (expecting 29).

Mile 1:  8:48  - a little fast, however it was very very flat.
Mile 2:  8:57 - one foot of elevation gain.  I should really not look at my watch and run by feel.  (oh I did grab water at the water stop)
Mile 3:  Don's partner passed me.  8:50 and it was a whole 12 foot decline.  At least I kept close to the pace I set in mile 1
Mile 0.12: 7:38   yeah, like I can sustain THAT!! All the cheering and finally being D.O.N.E. is what gets anyone across that finish line right?  

That hurt.  It could have hurt a lot more.  My friend Rod reminds me 5Ks are not fun they are supposed to hurt.  Guess I have some more work to do?

It is hard to know which is the best part, nearly besting my 5K PR or meeting Ray Charbonneau and his wife Ruth.   Ray's book "Chasing the Runner's High. My sixty million step program" really brought me to the point of knowing I could accomplish a 50K once I set my mind to it.  To say it was weird to introduce myself to him and tell him I was a fan is an understatement.  To have him say "I had no idea I had a fan." was, well overwhelming.  

I should re-read his book and get inspired for that 50 miler I promised myself!

Yeah my 5K PR from Mews 2012 27:27 and coming so close with this 27:31 was pretty freaking cool too! Strava gave me 27:22 as my 5K best effort.  Hmmm, should I claim this as a PR race???      Nahhhhh....  

Net, net, this was a FUN race I will definitely do again!!

Sincerely, 
Beth, enjoying competition

Weekly Recap 9/22 - 9/28

I'm floored, Mike B updated his blog!!!  Set me on my back foot for sure! 

Monday - Run 4 / Dog Walk 2

TRX was cancelled at the last minute.  Glad I did 200 crunches!  The run was good.  The weather is so beautiful and I needed a break from writing up close out reports,  Ugh.  Trying to make heads and tails of someone's notes really sucks.  Tis what it tis.  Guess this is why my pay is getting cut by 20% so I can hopefully get it back in 2016 as a bonus.  Bite me.  Anyhoodles the run was good.  I felt fine and guess this would make the 7th day running in a row for me?   

Tuesday - Run 3.1 / Dog Walk 1.8

Ro is coming back from injury and wanted an easy rudn.  Yeah, we all know, Beth runs easy.  I run my own pace, and I'm mostly fine with that.  We did the button hook loop from the guard shack to the gate.  Nice pace.  

Wednesday - Run 6 / Dog Walk 2

What is this now day 9?  Begs the question do I attempt a streak or not.  So far I'm feeling fine.  What is it my BIL considers a run 1K?  Hell I can do 0.6 miles... although that really seems like a non event to me. 

The run was good.  I put a project to bed and was happy to get the hell away from my desk for a while.  It has been pretty lonely this week, not a lot of people in the office.  I felt kind of peppy.  Took a left out of the guard shack.  I need to learn to love that slow climb up Shennecosett... What do the young kids call that?  "The Butch"  Feh it really is nothing in the grander scheme of hills...  

Jax had his staples removed and was released for activity.  Dave took him to the RC field to let him run.  I couldn't leave Gus home when I walked Giz so I took the both of them.   Jax was happy to be able to run and jump and play, for sure.

Thursday - Run 3

Mike B stopped by as the rain was going away, he was off for a run.  I kept checking National Weather Service, it really looked like the rain would be gone by 5:45, when Ro and I were going to meet for the Sneekers Fun Run.  Mike's parting words were:  "It's going to rain."  Damn HIM!!! It did, started dripping about 5:30 and rained the whole run.  

Surprisingly Ro ran in the rain.  We both had on our Mt. Washington shirts.  Great minds think a like right??

Giz wasn't getting a walk in the rain.   He did have to model his new winter sweater and was not at all pleased.  It was hugely discounted and I couldn't of bought the wool to make it for that price.  

He was not pleased.

Friday - Run 6 / Dog Walk 1.9

Jennifer and I were going to run the Nooseneck 18 course.  Then she texted.  Um we are doing hills, right?  Let's just do hills.  So we did.  Up and down the first 0.7 miles 4 times seemed to be the limit...

We went off to Dan's for some hydration and fried pickles. I was a bit dubious on the fried pickles.  They were very good!  Loved the tab we were "Da Girls".  

The hill was good.  I felt really strong and was pleased overall with my 'pace'.  Nice way to end the week.

Gizzy isn't feeling all that well.  I've never seen him not want dinner.  Obviously this is worrisome considering his age and the life expectancy of boxers.  He was up for a walk and only on his terms.  I had hoped to stroll to the library and bring back a book.  He wasn't having any of that.  Good sign, right?  So we walked where he wanted to walk.  He ate half a lawn of grass.  Hopefully that purges what is bothering him.  

Saturday - 3.1 / 1 mile walk

After looking at old videos of Sage and Gizmo out on Quonnie, I got up feeling like I needed to take Gizmo to the beach, so I did.  Dave was off to go fly RC planes.  Oh well.  We enjoyed some time on the beach and Giz enjoyed being free of the oppressive leash.    Met up with a woman with a 6 year old and 7 month old boxer girls.  They were all ready to play.  Giz was curious, that would have been way to much excitement for my old man.  It was nice to be out on the beach with him, I swear he smiled when he smelled the sea air and figured out we were going to the beach.  His hearing is pretty much non existent, even asking him if he wanted to go for a ride to the beach didn't garner a reaction. 

Mixed Doubles 10K in the afternoon, write up here.

Sunday - 20 Bike

Yeah that streak isn't going to happen.  My legs were not happy yesterday and today, well the first few miles on the bike were torture.  I went out with no plan. Probably best.  I wasn't going to get a 50 mile ride in today.  I contemplated 30, but took the left to home instead of straight.

Sincerely, 
Beth, considering this streaking thing...

Posted 9/26
Final 9/28

Wordless Wednesday

 

SIncerely,
Beth, lacking in anything interesting to post other than Kilroy visiting my desk and writing in my notebook....