Race Recap: Great Pumpkin 10K

This past weekend was the Louisville Sport's Commission Great Pumpkin 10K. The Louisville Sports Commission (LSC) is a great organization dedicated to bringing Sport to Louisville; for both professionals and amateurs. They've set up our "pro" soccer team, are working on an NBA team, and also host a bunch of new road races.

Every spring there's a big "Triple Crown of Racing" that immediately precedes the Kentucky Derby & Triple Crown of Horse Racing. The LSC had created the "Fall Runathon", a schedule that include the Louisville Pure Tap 5k, Great Pumpkin 10K and Urban Bourbon Half Marathon. Josh & I elected not to do the 5K mostly because we haven't had any good experiences with massive 5k's (like not even being able to get to the start line at our last one!).

Pre-Race
The race itself didn't start until 9:00 a.m. but I wanted to get up early enough to eat and get a lot of fluids. I woke up around 7 after a terrible night's sleep and had some power aid and a handful of pretzels. The weather App on my phone said it was 45 degrees and would be in the 44-49 degree range through to mid morning. I had no clue what to wear. I dutifully checked the "What should I wear" on Runnersworld.com - my go-to site when I'm clueless about clothing - and it suggested both shorts and a t-shirt and capris and long sleeves. ugh. My endurance Shorts had been working wonders throughout the whole training cycle so I decided to go with those and a lighter long-sleeved pullover. Best of both worlds I figured.

We headed out to the race site around 8:15. The park where the race was held is out on the county line directly across from a Golf Course that recently hosted the PGA Championship. It's a HUGE new park that's still being developed. We had to park a little way's back from the start line and walk. It was cold. I was really doubting my clothing choice and just trying to be optimistic about the experience. I get to run, so how bad can it really be? We had to high-tail it to the start and just barely managed to get to the line before the gun went off.

The Race

When Josh & I race together we never manage to get anywhere near the front of the pack. This always irks me. I hate the first 10 minutes where you're dodging all of the walkers and slow(er)pokes right out of the gate. Oh well, that's what we do so that's what we do. My only goals for this race were (1) to finish feeling strong and (2) to negative split. I set my virtual partner for 11:30 since 11:15-11:20 is what we want for the Half. The first mile felt great and not too fast, though Garmin soon told me it had been. I told Josh we needed to back off and he just sort of slipped in behind my back shoulder and let me (Try) to set the pace. 

The course was BEAUTIFUL! On the way out we were running mostly on freshly paved roads through the park. The "Hills" were mostly overpasses over beautiful streams. The sun was out, taking the chill out of the air, but it wasn't warm at all. Our second mile was closer to what I wanted and we tried to maintain the pace. 

However, the MAJOR incline at the third incline was vicious. I charged up it, feeling strong and powerful. What I didn't realize was that there was a gradual incline for the next quarter mile following it. I couldn't catch my breath or get a real handle on my cadence. At that point you're on divided highway and it's split between people going out and people coming back. I plodded on and hoped that the turnaround was somewhere near. Once you got to the turnaround all of the 'up' turned to 'down' and it felt a LOT better. It was so downhill in fact that when we finally got back on flat ground I felt like we hit a brick wall. The flat popped up right at the 5th mile so it was 2 to go. I pumped up the volume on my iPod and dug in. I felt great. It was beautiful and I knew I could finish really strong. 

Can you see the difference between miles 3 & 4? Whew

And I did! I finished feeling strong and tired but not exhausted or overdone. Since we have a half coming up I really wanted to see how I felt at that pace rather than leave it all out on the course. I think I did really well and I"m really proud of the race. 

After the Race

The only negative about the race was that there was only one road out. So we sat in the car and listened to the radio for awhile. We feasted at Frisch's and I (over)indulged in their breakfast buffet. If you live somewhere where Frisch's Big Boy isn't an option, I feel bad for you. It's the bees knees. 

After some napping we headed off to pick our pumpkins and buy 10 gallons (practically) of Apple Cider from a local farm. It's a neat little fall tradition we've started and a beautiful drive. We came home and napped some more and then decided to watch a movie. After the race I was wheezing pretty bad and couldn't get a handle on my breathing. I think it was allergies, really. I took a benadryl and slept like a baby. All-in-all, a pretty nice little saturday. 

Chocolate milk at the finish line!

Next up is the Urban Bourban Half on 10/25!

Thanksgiving & Humble Pie

I checked the blog to make some layout changes earlier today and realized that the last time I posted was October 11th. Well....whoops. Suffice it to say, work has been absolutely ridiculous. Sworn in October 4th and then BOOM, immediately in the deep end. It started out harmless enough, and then somehow within the last 3-4 weeks I've been working 11 hour days Monday through Friday and Sunday afternoons.

Ron, thoughts?

Last time I posted, I was still "Undecided" about the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon. Suffice it to say, I made a decision: I did not run. It was one of those things where I knew there was only one right choice, but it didn't make it any easier. I've never quit a race I entered or failed to finish one that I started. I sold my bib to a friend who wanted to run, so at least it didn't go to waste. Still, it was a big, steaming slice of humble pie that was very difficult for me to choke down.

Since then, my running has been minimal at best. The first week or two I was working this schedule I was absolutely wiped out once I got home. I can't express how hard it is to be a newlywed, let alone a runner, when you work 8-7 and fall asleep on the couch at 9:30. No, I'm not exaggerating....that's really how it was. Very very unglamorous.

Sleepy Puppy, Sleepy Mom

Never fear, however, because I'm finally back in the groove. I'm finally starting to get the schedule under control - or at least being more comfortable with it - and working exercise into the routine. At first I felt really guilty for leaving work at 7 and going to the gym for an hour: I have a husband and a puppy at home who miss me so much and I'm going to further delay my arrival? After the first day or two though it started making sense: workout after work, stay up later and enjoy more quality family time (and be a nicer person around said family). We're still adjusting, but it's been really enjoyable having an hour to "detox" from work before I come home.

The rebirth of the Runner-Me couldn't have come at a better time! Last week marked the beginning of the 2012 Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge. Last year was my first experience with the Challenge and it gave me the kickstart I needed to stay honest and motivated over the holiday (Read my turkey day wrap up from LAST year here!). The challenge is exactly what I needed to get me back in the habit of exercising and generally being good to my body (which I've not done at all lately).

Like most people, Thanksgiving is a real test of both my willpower and predisposition towards Gluttony. One of my favorite traditions for years now is participating in a Turkey Trot. I used to run by myself at my local Y but now that we spend the Feast Weekend with Josh's family, we've joined in on their fun. The Boston Marathon it is not, but it is a lot of fun and an awesome excuse to wear a ridiculous hat.

Much to my family's embarrassment, I wore the hat the whole way!

We ran 10:09 min/miles which is better than I could've asked for considering my complete lack of preparation, minimal water intake the day before, and lack of breakfast or fuel. Not too shabby.

So what's on the docket for this week? Trying to earn those coveted HBBC points of course! First and foremost though my main goal is DRINK MORE WATER. I've been indulging in too much soda and coffee to get me through the day rather than giving my body proper hydration. To fix that, I've packed several small water bottles and removed all the soda-machine change from my bag. Bring it on, Monday!

Where-O-Where

I've had this post written forever but no pictures to go with it.  Call me lazy, but I just haven't had any motivation to do much of anything, let alone copy and edit all of the ridiculous photos that could accompany this otherwise boring post. So we'll just add some random pictorial interest points in along the way.

Where I've been

It's been almost three weeks since the bar exam! At the end of the day, it was exactly as horrific as everyone had told me it would be. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like my months of study really got me anywhere (and I'm not alone in feeling like that). Oh well - I find out in late September whether I get to do it all again. 

Since then, I've been doing a lot of nothing. It's been glorious. I wake up, drive Josh to work and go to the gym where I immerse myself in Olympics coverage. Then I come home and spend most of my time like this:

Or sometimes this:

There are days that I feel really guilty about Josh going off to his 9-5 and me turning around and going to the gym or back to the house to take the pup to the park. But mostly I'm just trying to enjoy this lull while I've got it.

Where I Am
I started training for the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon last week! After a few weeks of sloth & gluttony it's really nice to have some structure - and just to be running again period. I've decided on ____ key markers to gauge my progress through this training cycle. I'm hoping by focusing on a few key things I can see gains overall at the end and not just in my splits or my overall time (which will be badass, of course). They are:

Speed

Stepping back from running this summer has really upped my speed. During the exam period it was too hot to get any real distance in so short runs were all I could muster. I'm really going to try to focus on speedwork this time around to keep my legs peppy. I'm going for an A time of 2:20 (10:41 min/mi) & a B time of 2:24 (11:00 min/mi) both of which I think are really do-able.

Flexibility

The big gains I made in flexibility over the spring were lost over the summer. I'm just barely able to touch ye-old-toes. How important is flexibility in running? Not too much, truly. But being flexible makes me feel strong, and it really helps me release tension. A flexible back and shoulders is important in keeping me calm and relaxed, so I definitely have some work to do here.

Weight Management

I am a champion stress eater. I could stress eat this guy outta this world. That being said, the exam was definitely a set back for this particular fitness point. But I'm back on the healthy body bandwagon and making strides!

Endurance

Despite the recent need for speed, my lungs and legs have kept some of their stamina up. I can get in five miles (about an hour of activity) without feeling 'tired'. I'm interested to see how my first 5+ miler goes!

Recovery

Active recovery is the name of the game this time around. I've been using my HR monitor to keep me on track, making recovery runs actually restful. Nothing really to report on this point right now because I haven't done much that would require recovery :)

Where I'm Going
79 Days until my next half marathon! I'm so excited I could burst. It feels like the Derby Fest was so long ago and I"m eager to get out and race again.

Just before the bar I got hired on to my dream job as a public defender here in town. I can't tell you what a blessing this was, as it was the only job in the world I wanted (besides professional pool lounger, of course). I start on the 27th and I'm eager to figure out how to work running into my new 60 hour work week :)

Perhaps the biggest destination on the horizon....Marriage-ville! We're only 18 short days away from the nuptials and I couldn't be more ready to go. We're also 18 short days away from the start of UofL Football season. If I told you how many people have complained that the two days are the same, you wouldn't believe it.

Happy Running!


Where have you been? I'm trying to catch up!

Five Quick Updates

Lets just start by saying that these last two weeks have been absolutely crazy. If you follow me on DailyMile you may have noticed...

Or if you realized I haven't posted in a week

I'm going to do this in some sort of orderly way lest it devolve into complete long winded chaos (too late? too late).

1. Last Friday Josh's whole family rolled into town and we celebrated our graduation from Law School. On Saturday, we actually marched across the stage and received a piece of paper that tells us how to receive our actual diploma at a later date.

(Juris) Doctors!

2. When we were not celebrating we were moving into our new house. I don't care how far you're moving, it's always stressful. Granted it was only really Josh moving (I'll move in at some later undetermined date) but it still managed to stress me out. I have had the opportunity to do some running around the new neighborhood though (not really reflected above). We're only 2 miles from my favorite park so I'm pretty excited about the possibilities.

Upside? Awesome new bloggy space in the new house!
(Including giant new computer thanks to Josh's folks)

3. I'm LOVING my new job! It is mindless, friendly work that doesn't require any added responsibility or outside work. It's perfect. The only downside is the standing. For those of you who work in the service industry and spend so many hours on your feet and still manage to run so far and so often...I salute you! After a 5 hour shift last night my feet were so sore and tired and my legs were beat up this morning. It's a nice challenge, but definitely hasn't helped my running motivation.

4. Miss Eleanor has been a joyful - and exhausting - addition to our lives! The vet thinks she's mixed with basset hound by the way and thus the really huge looking feet (which are actually just really low knees). We took her on a long walk Thursday and she's a perfect lady on a leash. So excited for her to get big and strong so she can go exploring with me.

But we like being lazy too

5. I'm setting some goals for the upcoming week. Not knowing my new surroundings - or how my legs are going to feel at any given moment - I'm going to go based on time this week. Goals include,

• 150 Minutes of Cardio
• At least 3 Runs
• At least one run in the morning
• Getting my new running shoes!!

I think it's equal parts challenging and doable

That's it for me! We're off to Lowes to pick up an air conditioner and yard tools. All of the sudden we're so domestic. It's not too shabby.

Happy Running!


Anybody raced lately? How'd it go?
How do you manage your fitness/running in the midst of chaos?

Marathoner x 2

Well, the DerbyFestival Marathon is over and done with. I am a two time marathoner.

First and foremost I am so happy that I finished, and that I finished healthy and strong. Was it the day that I was hoping for? No, it honestly wasn't. I'm still a little bit bummed about the experience and my finish, but I'm trying to look past that. I crossed the finish line in one piece, got a great medal, and had my two biggest cheerleaders (mom and dad) and the best coach in the world (Josh) there to see me through. At the end of the day, that's what matters most.

I'm working on a detailed race report so stay tuned! For now, my finish stats:

I hope the rest of you racers had a great weekend! For anyone who just got to go out and run, I hope you enjoyed every minute that you got to put one foot in front of the other.

Every year after the holidays we take stock of our lives and come up with a new set of resolutions for the coming days. Often these "resolutions" are overly ambitious and lofty pronouncements created after the two weeks of sheer gluttony and laziness we call "The Holidays". While made in good faith, these resolutions are often so ambiguous and unrealistic that we leave ourselves room only to fail. When a news anchor for CNN was asked what his resolution was he happily announced "I want to be a better husband and father." What does that even mean? Laughing, Josh said "it means he wants to stop cheating on his wife." Fair enough.

Thinking about Mr. News Anchor brings me to a good point about these resolutions: we set our sights on this improbable goal without any roadmap to get there. What good is 'I want to be a better father' if "i will stop cheating on my wife' is not included? Exactly. In the January 2012 issue of RunnersWorld, Ed Eyestone examines this problem with runners and comes to a similar conclusion. If you want to succeed, you need to set a defined goal and focus on the specific requirements for reaching it. For 2012 I have a couple of running and non-running related goals, and here are my plans for reaching them!

Run a Marathon

- Derby Festival Marathon April 25 2012

- Create a training plan and post it on the fridge (DONE!)

- Find a running group/partner to complete long runs 

- Run at least one 20 miler

- Use the blog & daily mile to keep me accountable for my training

Healthy Body for the Wedding

(Best way I could think of to say 'lose weight' without actually saying it)

- Maintain free lifetime Weight Watchers membership in 2012

- Try new vegetables and recipes! Add good finds to the blog

- Take stock of what I'm eating, how I feel, & how it effects me (30 day food journal challenge)

- Continue my effort to take the word "Fat" out of my vocabulary

Keep the Apartment Clean

(this one is my adult goal, mostly because having a messy apartment stresses me out!)

- Start from a "clean" slate by floor to ceiling scrub down (Done!)

- Bi-weekly cleaning on Sundays 

- Empty sink at night (no dirty dishes in the sink overnight!)

So it's taken me a little time to get these worked out, but I think I'm on the right track! One week down, 51 to go. You may note that there are a few big ticket items absent form this list (i.e. graduate from law school, pass the bar, get married). As far as I'm concerned, those aren't "goals" in the traditional sense. What it takes to accomplish/achieve those things was set in motion long ago and there's little I could do now to alter those outcomes. But I'll probably keep you up to date on all of that stuff too, you know, just in case ;)

Happy Monday Everybody!