Resolution 5K Beach and Trail Race - Recap

This was the 3rd time I've run this race.  I missed one race due to not being able to tell time.  It is one of my favorite courses on in the Off Rhode Racing 4th Season Trail Race series.

Driving out to Scarborough State Beach I remembered I had totally spaced on looking up my course PR, to know exactly what to make my goals.    I vaguely remembered it was in the 31 or 32 range as I had just put together a sheet with my 2015 races and course PRs for those races.  Anyhoodles, goals.  A goal was sub 30.  B goal was to PR the course, not knowing specifically what I was shooting for. C goal don't die.    Last year the course was wet this year it was frozen.  Definitely helpful for a faster time for me. Plus I've been pretty curious if I am getting any faster.  I don't believe I am.  A race is a perfect venue to do an assessment.  Daily runs probably aren't as telling as actually racing?

I picked up my bib #2, oh wow.  Last time I had bib #2 (Sea Legs Shuffle 2013) it didn't bode well for a good race. I did my best to put that aside and really it was not the bib it was my inability to prioritize in 2013 that was my downfall.  Crutch found me and we chatted.  I didn't really do anything close to a warm up, maybe 1/10th of a mile, doesn't count towards anything. 

Mike lined us all up and talked to us through the megaphone, no one could hear.  Too much chatter in the peanut gallery.  Off went the siren and the space watches.  I started out fast and too far up front.  The most defeating part was Steve Schonning hobbling by me on his bum foot. There were a lot of people passing me.  How in the hell could I be in last place already I thought to myself.  I did take a peek at my watch and saw a pace in the 7s and thought, well you can't hold this slow up a bit...    I settled in the 9s and the few times I did take a peek at the space watch I expected to see a 10.  Nope.  Huh.  (there were some 10's, never when I peeked, though, pshew) I just kept running and breathing and focusing on the person in front of me and closing the gap.

Mile 1 is all on the beach, less than 100 steps in I managed to twist that damn right ankle a bit on a big stone.  This reminded me to pay attention to where I was going to be running.  People flying by me, crap.  Still on the beach and the watch buzzed at 9:05, ok I'll take that, then began to wonder, that is fast for me for a 'trail', am I going to fast?  You feel fine, keep it up you silly girl. 

Mile 1?  Photo by Jana Walker
I am actually running, but it really doesn't look like it.

Mile 2 Off the sand, on to hard top and then on to the trail.  Keeping with my running / breathing / reeling people in strategy.  Space watch beeped...  9:36 pace once  Ok so yeah I got wrapped up in another persons race for a bit and freed myself up.  Just run, don't get defeated, you only have a mile to go!

Mile 3 trail got slippery in spots.  I noticed the trail was much wider and more open, the hurricane in 2013 really cleared things up and opened up the trail.  I passed a few people, focusing in on the Turtle who was in front of me.  Oh goodie, time to run through the stone house!  It looked a little slippery, Scott was there snapping pictures, and then it was back on the beach.  I got passed in the last 400 yards.  I couldn't catch her. 9:01

Mile 0.1 finally the end 8:45

I had to take a double take at my space watch 28:32.   Wait. What?  A 3 something PR?  And sub 30 on a trail?  That is my fastest trail time yet! I definitely met my A goal by a wide margin!  Official results: 28:29 3:30 PR.  Wowza...    Link to results here.

I suppose this running circles around EB Lot L is actually paying off, that and breathing.  Oxygen to those leg muscles to keep them moving!  Huh, I'm amazed and pretty pleased!  Ok I'm really pleased!

Sincerely,
Beth, smiling.

Weekly Log 1/5/15 - 1/11/15 - final

My youngest brother once told me "I spent a week in the Hartford Airport one day".  That is how this week felt.   This is a recap of my month this first full week of work in January.  Hmmm…  that really doesn't work … it wasn't arduous just felt really really long.

Anyhoodles,  I knew this week was going to be a bit tricky to fit it all in after I discovered Wednesday I needed to be in NY on Thursday.

	Run	Walk	Bike	Notes
5-Jan		1.7		TRX!
6-Jan	4.0	2.0		Yoga
7-Jan	3.0
8-Jan		1.1		NYC
9-Jan		3
10-Jan	4			Long Run
11-Jan	3.1	1.7		Resolution Trail Beach 5K

Monday – TRX /Walk

Mondays are my rest day and I really try and abide by them but if my usual lunch time appointment gets cancelled I do have my gym bag on hand to go out for a run!  I feel like an absolute slug on Mondays and that kinda sucks.  I may take Gazelle up on 5:30 a.m. spin class at the YMCA.  Yeah, me and 5:30 a.m. aren't exactly the best of friends, maybe we should reconcile?  It’s low impact and cardio, still counts as an active rest?  Besides I haven’t been on a bike since 30 miles in October.

Speaking of bikes, there may be a new one in my future!

TRX was good, definitely felt the 3 week break.  Then again I didn't lose as much as I thought.  Trying to figure out how to convince Dave that I should go to Mexico for a week with the girls in April...  thoughts on how to sell this?

Tuesday – Speedwork / Run / Yoga

And back to speedwork, this time with Runner Dave (as opposed to husband Dave) it was cold.  When I got there Dave finished his warm up lap and we went right to it.  I suppose I’ve hit some sort of a plateau and am consistently running this 1/3 of a mile at an 8 pace give or take 5 seconds.   It definitely feels like I am slacking (shhh, don’t tell Dave and Steve) and could push harder.  Thoughts?  Other than ‘suck it up buttercup and put in the effort’ I am focusing on not losing speed on the back stretch, which is probably why I’m losing a little speed on the front stretch?  Might it be worth it to look at the paces for the different sections?  And on breathing, deep and completely exhaling and not panting.  So much to think about.

Jennifer wasn't up for a run run, so we race walked, good enough to call it a run considering that is the pace we used to run a mile at when we first started running!  Followed this up with some Yoga, besides the two or three classes from Dace, it has been a while since I've found a class I like.  I was hesitant; I didn't want any of that competitive yoga that seems to happen in the local studios or the ‘hot’ yoga.  I want a nice Iyengar class, slowly building different poses to open up the body, a few sun salutations and a capstone pose.  Seeing who can stand on their head in the middle of the room the longest or sweating gallons just isn't my thing.  Jennifer assured me this wasn't one of those classes.  And it wasn't.  It was perfectly what I like.

On another note, Jennifer kicked butt at the hip hop bingo at the bar!

Wednesday – Run

I was tired and it was cold.  Three layers on top and two on the bottom and I was warm enough, too warm on top, actually.  The problem was I simply was not motivated to deal with the wind up the back stretch of the route around work.   Easy three and done.  

Dave had taken the dogs to the beach, fed them, let them out, cleaned the kitchen, and started some chicken for me for dinner, and went off to his Radio Controlled club meeting.  Ahhh, what a nice welcome home, some alone time and no chores to do.  The New Years cards arrived so I got those all set up and put together in envelops and spent an hour trying to figure out how to print labels.  My handwriting is atrocious, the mailing labels aren't because I’m lazy, they are because I want them to get to their destination.    Gizzy didn't get a walk because he had been to the beach earlier in the day. It turned into a pretty productive evening for me.  

Sign up for the Pan Mass Challenge alumni started on the 7th.  I am signed up to ride from Wellesly to Provincetown MA the 1st - 2nd of August.  Depending on my ability to recruit a friend to ride with me (read: if she won't) I am considering switching to the Sturbridge start.

Thursday – Walk

I had to cover a meeting in NYC in the a.m. and couldn't sucker someone to stand in for me. The session went really well and I was happy to have the thank yous and good jobs first hand and in person, so a good trip.  I wasn't sure what train I’d be able to get home.    As luck would have it my last meeting let out early and everyone was drifting out of the office around 4 p.m.  this is highly unusual for the crew I work with.  I took advantage of that and got on the 4:39 train, I was home by 7:45 just as Dave was getting off the trainer and we were able to have dinner together.  

The big news of the day was Gizzy’s first bootless walk. It was short as it was still cold, not wicked cold like when I got up at 5 a.m. just cold. He did well sans boot for our mile walk and the pad looked good when we got back to the house, although I think it may have been a little tender so we will need to wean him off the boot, not go cold turkey.  

Friday - Walk

Friday started out great, other than the blood draw that left me with a bruise on my arm.  I look like an addict.  Running was planned for the afternoon.  The snow was over a layer of ice, nahhhh...  I missed out on my opportunity in the a.m. and then bailed.  Lazy?  Yeah, sure...

Gizzy was up for a long walk and we walked long.  He is completely bootless and did well.  Other than the snow getting in his toes and making him panic and freeze, no pun intended, in place.   He does NOT like snow packed in his toes.  I'd get him some mushers wax but he'd probably panic with that too!! 


Saturday - I spent my short (not long) run seeking lightly traveled roads. Sidewalks are rarely cleared around here so to the road it was.  I found some interesting roads and hills in Westerly's North End and then made my way back home after 4 miles.  Nothing close to 10...  feh, it happens.

Sunday - Resolution Trail and Beach 5K  recap.   And I walked just under 2 miles with Giz in the sun.  Nice cool down to help the ache in my ankle and knee.


Sincerely,
Beth, not really hating the cold, really!

Published 1/9/15
Final  1/11/15

Wordless Wednesday

This is for you, Mikey B!

Sincerely,
Beth, who would rather run outside!