Weekly Log 10/13 – 10/19

A recovery week of sorts.

	Run	Walk	Other
10/13	4.1	3.5
10/14	5.8	2.6
10/15	4.2	1.9
10/16	0	0
10/17	7	2.2
10/18	6.8	3
10/19	0	2.1	Yoga

Monday – recovery run?  Everything worked after the ½ my knees were a little angry with me going downhill, this seemed to be a theme for the week.

Tuesday – Double – walked with Ro at lunch, grabbed a couple mile run down to EB and back – knees not happy with those hills, ouch.  After work I ran with Faith for the first time. We met up at Bluff Point for an easy run and it was an easy run.  Faith talked most of the time, we got the basics covered, same age group, no kids, been running about the same length of time.  She is more domestic than me so we talked a lot about food.  I think I was inspired because I went home and made biscuits!  Dave bought the buttermilk for them the day before and when I was rummaging around in the fridge looking for something to eat I spied it and remembered that I was supposed to make this new recipe, so I did.  Buttermilk biscuits from Smitten Kitchen super easy to make and tasted yummy!  Great with honey!

Wednesday – Pretty peppy lunch run, knees not happy.

Thursday – Rain – I did nothing… nada… zilch…  my knees were quite happy about this, so we will call this a rest day?

Friday – Jennifer and I were meeting at the beach for 10 miles, her last long run before Marine Corps Marathon – her first marathon.   She was touch and go if she was going to run it or not, after a horrible August it seemed like no, then yes, then no, and finally yes.  The first mile was ouchy on my knee and Jennifer was lively, mile 2 I didn’t feel the knee and we were zipping along Ocean Drive.  Mile 3 things started to crumble.  Jennifer let out a blood curdling scream and took off like a crazy person arms flailing.  I jumped a mile in the air the gardener in the lawn yelled “Is everything OK.”    She saw a snake.   All was OK the gardener and I recovered from our mini coronaries and Jennifer went on to explain why she has a fear of snakes.  It is COMPLTELY justified, not a girly thing.  Imagine wondering why the bannister in the house feels funny and looking over and seeing a Black Snake… we walked a bit this mile…  I think it was deserved.  Mile 4 was pretty even and uneventful.  Mile 5 met us with another snake and a little bit of walking.  Mile 6 the third and final snake propelling us into mile 7 where we both called it a day for the run!  Even with the walking we kept a good pace!

Saturday – Met up with Crutch and Don to run Chatfield Hollow.  Holy hills… beautiful beautiful course just 1000 feet of elevation over 6.2 miles?  I think I will drop down to the 10K, especially if it is going to rain leading up to and on Sunday.  Call me a wimp, not concerned.  Footing was iffy in parts when it was dry.  I can’t imagine what it will be like with the rocks greasy from days of rain and covered in leaves?  My knee felt great after this run.  Go figure.   After I got home and iced I took Gizzy out for a hike in Pequot Woods.  He was psyched to get in the car and then even more psyched to go someplace new.  Love the expressions on that old guys mug.  I’d of loved to let him off the leash but his hearing is bad, on top of the fact he plain ignores me when he is busy.  Even with the oppressive leash he seemed fine taking in all the new smells. 

Sunday –  I did domestic chores (considered cleaning my car, um, no, it can stay a disaster – ha ha Mike B) and went shopping.  Home in time to rush off to Yoga class.  One of the guys Dave rides with (Bill B – Chris G you work with him!) his wife is training to be a yoga instructor and has to do a certain number of hours with students.   This was my second class with Dace and it was great!   I have been away from yoga for too long and hopefully this will reignite that fire.   And what happens in yoga stays in yoga so I enjoyed Bill telling tales on my husband very much!!  If you are interested let me know 4 p.m. on Sundays in North Kingstown, I am sure Dace would welcome more students.

Sincerely,

Beth, so not on top of this blogging thing lately… 

Newport 1/2 Marathon - Recap

The third year I have run this race.  2012 recap 2013 recap   Now I'm seeing the benefit of this blog and seeing what I wrote and remembering where I was in my life at these points.  Fascinating...

A lot has stayed the same and as much has changed.  The adrenaline/excitement of training for my first marathon was mostly what fueled 2012.  The exhaustion of a too hectic race schedule and over commitment de-fueled 2013.  I vowed to do things differently in 2014 and I have.  Still I was not looking forward to this race.  I had it as Registered - Debating on my race list.  My very short race list ( I learned a lesson - who knew at my advancing age I could learn a lesson???).

2012 was a success because it was a PR for me.  I remember that race and I was so high on everything.  I miss that feeling, I really do.  I kinda wish I was that thin again too...  it was too thin as I'm reminded...

2013 was a success because we got Nicole a PR 2:29, a 7 minute PR.  I read the recap and remember how I was really feeling... I'm glad for what I captured in writing.

2014 I did not follow my training plan to PR.  Nicole and I talked, I so wanted to bail on this race.  I missed the RI triple crown of road and trail racing due to that stupid cruise so really what was the point of any of this.  Nicole talked about wanting to PR, her PR is 2:24, we got that together in Providence.  Did I think I could pace her for a 2:20.  Sure.  I’ll give it a shot.  We have to stay under a 10:41 pace.  As the miles ticked off, I let her know if we were good or off pace, we had a couple quick miles and more than a couple slow miles, and I pushed her the last three miles, really pushing her last mile to get to the finish line.

Good training plan / Poor execution

I think the phrase “so what is the point of any of this” really sums this race up for me.

Going into this third Newport ½ I wasn't trained for what I wanted to do, sub 2 hours, I was even doubting my ability to even run 13.1 miles.  If it wasn't for Nicole really wanting a PR I may have turned off the alarm Sunday a.m. and went back to sleep.  It really helped me to have some needing me to help them. 

Getting to the race start was its usual mess of traffic.  People panicking that the last bus was really going to leave at 6:45 and they wouldn’t get to the race.  We got on a bus before 7 and they were lined up to get runners to the start.  Trip to the porta pottie, remembering that last year the ones at the end had the shortest lines, and again they did people we passed in line getting to the tail end of the line of porta potties were probably still in line.  The herd mentality is a funny thing.  We got lined up, kicking ourselves for no throw away gloves, all the while knowing we’d be warm by the end of the first mile.  Wondering if long sleeves were going to be a mistake.

Mile 1 I kept slowing Nicole down.  We talked a bit, not really all that much.  Mostly just take it easy the first couple miles, there will be middle miles you are thankful for the rest now.  Dead on with pacing.  10:41

Mile 2 we went fast, there was a good bit of downhill, I figured it would be ok we could cash in on these seconds later.

Mile 3 & 4 we slowed up a bit, still putting a little aside for the slower miles in the middle.

Mile 5 is what did us in last year, we stopped at the porta pottie, lost 6 minutes. 10"33, perfect.

Mile 6 probably the less scenic 10:23, still a little fast.  But I know how the end went last year...  I debated putting more or less in the bank.

Mile 7 – 10  along the ocean, we fought some wind and some rolling hills.  At this point we drafted a bit.  We should have done more to conserve energy (don’t worry, the people we drafted off of finished ahead of us).  Nicole was starting to really feel the pain of the pace.   Some spectator said you only have 2 miles to go, when we really had 2.8.  This was not nice, don’t do that people, please. 10:46 / 10:22 / 10:41 / 10:58   Yes, we lost a little ground.  I really need to learn to do math in my head.  

Mile 11 – 13.1 When we hit 10 I said it’s a 5K left, we were at 1:45.  35 minutes it was going to be tough to bring up our pace much over this last 5K.  Nicole was willing to endure the pain and I pushed her, mile 11  10:52 mile 12 10:51 mile 13 10:00 mile 0.1 9:02 mile  (negative splits at the hardest part). We had the last big downhill for mile 13 bringing down the pace, I banked on this too much, and I also banked on the spectators staying out of the race course.  Silly me.  I pulled Nicole with “COME ON NICOLE” through the last 0.3 miles.  She did it.  The absolute look of relief as she crossed that finish line and finally looked at her space watch 2:19!!!!!!!!!!!  We both screamed!  She did it!!  We did it!!

Nicole was so quiet the whole run, this was so odd.  I feared not running much with her had become a problem.   No she was focused and concentrating.

2:19:29  

And for Christy -- We passed a Team Beef singlet in the last mile of the race.  I thought of you!

We did it!  Another 1/2 with Nicole and another PR for Nicole!!!  The point I questioned, well, the point is success.  Seeing Nicole so happy and thrilled was all I needed.

Sincerely,

Beth, long sleeves were not a mistake!

PS - Ocean's Run in March will be my sub 2 race. Just putting that out there.  Speed work starts Tuesday, in earnest....

Weekly Log 10/6 – 10/12

	Run	Walk	Bike
Monday		5.2
Tuesday	3.8	1.1
Wednesday	3.0
Thursday	6.1 (double)	0.6
Friday		3
Saturday		2.7
Sunday	13.3	2
Total	26.2	14.6	ZERO - blargh

Monday I was sick – I think I may have over done it over the weekend and crashed around 8 on Sunday night waking up around 7 for the sole purpose of calling in sick.  I couldn’t even pull myself together enough to even go into work to spread around what I’m told is my 3 illness this year.  Dave keeps track and commented that this is the most unhealthy I have been in the last 17 years.   I keep thinking I never get sick, and am reminded of the Spring cold, the Summer cold, and now the Autumn cold.  Huh… who knew?  Obviously I’ve blocked all this out. 

Speaking of blocking things out, thoughts of another ultra are dancing around in my head as well as a road marathon.  Not until next fall.   The rational me is busy running around my brain stomping out these thoughts. 

After sleeping till noon I took Jax on a walk, and then back to sleep and I took Giz and Gus on a walk.  The fresh air felt good and I felt closer to human on Tuesday.

Tuesday I had a nice run, my nose was running like crazy, not even anything good enough for a decent snot rocket, blargh.  Gizzy and I had a nice walk and I was ready for bed.

Wednesday  Easy run.  My mom was supposed to call with her CT results.  She never called.

Thursday Double I waited until 10 to call my mom.  My dad answered her phone, interesting.  I asked “what’s up” and he said “talk to your mother”  She was busy ironing curtains and what did I need.  Um CT results?  Oh yeah, they called Tuesday everything is fine.  Beth, this is year 5 of NED (no evidence of disease), 7 years post diagnosis, I think you’d be calmer by now.  Um, no, now it is time to panic! 

She went on to explain her oncologist has some concerns about my father’s COPD and he needs to go in for some cardiac testing.  Versus the pulmonary testing he had before diagnosis a year ago.   So she was a little miffed she wasn’t the focus of the appointment. 

Makes sense the primary care giver gets left behind and their health tends to suffer as a result.  I’ve never met Dr. K I have read and heard wonderful things about him.  This really sealed the deal for me.

I texted Dave with the good news and I went out for a celebratory run.

Text from Thursday 10/9/2014

Thursday night was also the Sneekers run, Ro and I ran, her first run back from her vacation to Italy. 

Friday I picked up my Newport ½ Bib and met up with my cousin Kate in Newport for dinner and drinks.  She spent the last month on a boat in the Atlantic doing seismic testing as part of her Geology PhD program.  She was happy to see a new person, being with the same people for a month is a little tedious!  Saturday she was on her way back home, hoping her boyfriend cleaned the cat box at least once a week while she was gone.

Saturday   I went to the Hartford Marathon to cheer on running friends.  It was raining.  I could have bailed, it was cold and raining.  I wasn’t going to do such a thing.  There was a spot on the out and back where I could cheer at mile 14 and mile 20.  It was PERFECT!  I got there just as the first wheel chair passed by and in a few minutes the pace car and Matt Pelletier leading a pack of three.  And 30 people later I spied a Gazelle working hard and looking strong and sort of miserable, he eeked out a smile hearing his name cheered.  Next up were Mike B and Shara.  Nice hand slap as they passed looking strong and sort of miserable.  Along came Don.  I totally forgot he ran the center line, so no pictures, damn.  I switched to the other side of the road knowing Matt would be on his way back as well as get out of the throngs of crowds now showing up with their obnoxious golf umbrellas blocking my view all the while keeping an eye out for Faith. 

Crossing the street to Mile 20, i was only Matt and one other person,  Gazelle not losing any steam, flashed a HUGE smile.  He knew he was killing his race.  Animal!!

Shara was trucking along, I commented she finally ditched Mike B, that garnered a smile.  Looking good as always!

Mike B a few minutes later, he was hurting.  Still wanted a hand slap and I reminded him this is where the race starts go get ‘em.

At this point I was soaked and so ready to be warm and home.  I bailed on Don and Faith… sorry guys!!!

As I drove home, I watched the texts come in with the times.  Three BQ times!  Don PRd 20 minutes on his Vermont Marathon in May (missed BQ by 13 minutes).  Faith, well I’m just getting to know her…  this was her 5^th and not her last marathon from the FB posts it was a good race for her.

So happy to offer some support for such miserable race conditions.

Sunday  I had my own race to run,  Newport ½ Marathon.  Link here

Sincerely,

Beth and another week down.... plod plod plod