A somewhat disappointing morning for me, but I'm trying not to get too down on myself.
Positive: I got a PR! And I beat Adam! And someday when I race a 10k again and I'm not sick, I still have a completely beatable PR, so there's lots of room to improve.
Negative: I was crashing and burning. I've written before about how important negative splits in races are mentally, and I missed that big time. Arranged by fastest to slowest, for me it was miles 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 6.
Lesson Learned: Don't go out too fast! Pace from step 1. My mile 6 split was slower than my mile 1 split.
Lesson Learned: Wear a hat if it's raining or misting.
Lesson Learned: Capri pants are better for racing than long pants for me, but really, shorts are probably always okay in Texas. I was overdressed for 40 and misting in capris, short sleeves, sleeveless, arm sleeves.
Lesson Learned: I need to get better at my new watch! I tried to hit "lap" during the race, and I stopped the timer for almost a mile (haha, if only that had been my finish time, I would have been thrilled!). Thank goodness I'm so paranoid that I also wore my old trusty watch -- it's gotten me through 100+ races and I see no reason to put all my faith in new technology until it's proven itself many times to me.
Race Review: Hot Chocolate 10k in Addison. Course was kind of sucky with a total of 4 fairly big hills (running up and down a bridge four separate times). Chaos I feared at the mid-point (when 5kers stopped and we kept going) wasn't bad! It was very well-managed. After race was good, lots of hot chocolate in the finisher mugs, plus pizza and pancakes. Took a long time to start age group awards. Age group awards weren't anything too special (medal showing a mug of hot cocoa). As a personal aside, I absolutely loved seeing my husband 4 times during the race (I was able to throw him my ear band once and my water bottle once). And it was fun to see his coworkers as well who were a little spread out and were talking lots of trash to me (yelling that my husband could run faster than that, telling me to pick it up, telling me to move my butt), but it gave me some levity and made me smile and look forward to seeing him and them. But hubby could see how badly things were going for me toward the end.
So, a PR is a PR, right? It was just so disappointing for me to realize I hadn't paced well. It's disheartening to be slowing down so much toward the end, and getting passed... No age group awards for this girlie!
But I'm not experienced at racing 10ks (so pacing was bound to be difficult), it was my first race in a long time (2+ months), I'm sick, and I dressed poorly. So it will be better next time.
As I said above, if I'd done really great, it would be hard for me to do better at the next 10k, whenever that may be. Instead, next time I race a 10k, another PR should be in the bag! It'll be like back when I first started racing, where I could improve at any distance by many, many minutes!
And the silver lining is really beating Adam. I can't wait to tell him!!! I need to figure out how. I've been thinking of making this little book for him (I meant to do it for Xmas, but it was taking too long so I didn't include it with the other things I/we got him).
As I said, we've been arguing about whether his 10k tri split counts for our running title competition. I sent out a question we drafted together to a ton of runners and got their opinions. I was thinking I'd write a legal opinion ruling on the controversy (likely concluding that a tri split does not count, which I think is the correct answer), and attach all the responses as exhibits. I should work on it this weekend, because now I can include a footnote saying that the entire thing is moot because I hold the title either way!!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Pressure is ON. Racing tomorrow.
Oh my, nerves are kicking in. Big time. Saturday I am doing a 10k race. Tomorrow. It will be my first real race attempt since the Half in early November. Yikes. I've run races since then (including a marathon), but those have just been for fun. This is a real race for me. Lots of pressure, both external and internal. And lots of reasons why I'm more nervous.
External pressure: Hubby. He is going to be working on Saturday, but is planning to come to the race to cheer. I know he wants me to kill it. He is always so excited and proud of me when I get a PR. My favorite story (which I've shared before) is of how much he bragged about my marathon to one of his coworkers. He runs too but we don't run together very often. He's faster than I am at short distances, but I win at long distances. I'd love to someday be able to do a series of track races to determine at exactly what distance I can first beat him. But I love it how excited he gets when he thinks I have a smoking fast time. I can hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes and his smile. And I can feel it in his hugs. He is definitely my biggest supporter and I want to post a finish time that will make him extra proud of me.
External pressure: Hubby's Coworkers. If you saw that link in the last paragraph, you'll know that my hubby also tends to share my race results with his coworkers (which must be so fun for them, haha!). Actually, a lot of the guys he works with run (or used to run) or are otherwise into fitness. So they generally understand exactly what the difference is between running a mile in 7 minutes or a mile in 9 minutes or a mile in 13 minutes, whereas that small distinction doesn't mean much to the vast majority of people. His coworkers usually hear about the results of all my good races (I don't think he tells them when I crash and burn). But since my hubby is going to be working on race day and is still planning to watch, I have a feeling that a whole bunch of his coworkers are going to be watching as well. This race is really right there for them, and because the race sold out, it's fairly large, so I'm guessing almost all of his coworkers who are also working on Saturday will see the race. Whether they recognize me is another question since I know I look different when I'm running hard (one time hubby didn't even recognize me in a 5k race!). But I'll see them and wave, and I want them to be impressed with how hard I'm running, or where I am in the field.
External pressure: Adam. I don't even think he knows I'm making another run at his title (and I'm not planning to tell him, but I still count this as external pressure since I'll tell him after the fact, regardless of the race results). My main running-related goal in 2011 is to beat him at the 5k, but a lot of what's behind that goal, which I've tried to explain, also applies to the 10k, but to a lesser extent because the 10k just isn't as cool as the 5k and because it's not exactly clear which of us holds our 10k title. He has never actually raced a 10k so he is claiming that his (certified and chip-timed) 10k split from an Olympic tri in Chicago should count. It's something he and I have argued about for approximately a year now. During that year, I've tried to beat his time twice. Right now, I'm about 15 seconds behind him. If I can bust it out tomorrow, the controversy about whether a tri split counts as a running record will be moot. I'd love it.
External pressure: Running Coach. This race matters for my entire Boston training plan. A lot. In fact, it's definitive. This is an excerpt from my coach's email to us: "The results from Saturday will determine your Heart Rate Zones & pace for all runs during this program & whose group you will be running in." He also mentioned that we need to be well-rested and ready to run, and that the weather was going to be good. And just to remind us that this isn't going to be fun: "The test is 30 minutes of extremely hard running. You have to commit yourself to 30 minutes of well paced effort. If you start too fast you won’t be getting accurate results." Well, I have news for him, I'm not even close to doing a 10k in 30 minutes (but that's not really news to him, there's no way anyone who knows me would think I'm that fast). But the point is, this race needs to be at a very, very high heart rate and truly represent my maximum effort. And if my heart rate's low, that means I'm going to have to use an even lower heart rate for my training easy runs, which means slower pace, and my marathon PR dreams may fade away. So I need to kill this, and I need my heart rate to show that I'm killing it.
External pressure: Running Group. This wouldn't ordinarily be a big deal, but I recently learned that someone I run with thinks I'm training too fast for my own good. This (inexperienced!) person has no comprehension of what my heart rate is, nor really what my goal was at MTCM. Instead, this person is looking at my MTCM finish time and deciding what pace is appropriate for me. This person does not seem to comprehend that actually, my goal at MTCM was not to run as fast as I possibly could, my goal was to qualify, ideally with a couple minutes of cushion, and to be able to get back to running right away. When I ran MTCM at the beginning of October, I already knew I was planning to race hard at a half almost exactly one month later. Going all out in a marathon isn't conducive to that. Which I know. I've run a bunch! So instead I looked carefully at what I wanted to accomplish at the marathon -- to qualify. And to me, that was like a pass-fail test, like the bar exam. I don't think it's efficient or desirable to get 100% in that case, instead, I like to allocate my time to make sure I can securely accomplish my goal (passing), but there's no point in doing more. Obviously this isn't true of all areas of life, but the bar, and my marathon goal at MTCM, are actually good examples. If I'd gotten one of the top five scores in the state on the bar exam, my life would not be any different or better (I might not have had as much fun the summer I studied though). If I'd run a 3:20 marathon at MTCM, my life would not be any different or better (I might not have had a life outside running, and I might not have gotten my half PR a few weeks later). Sorry, I'm venturing off topic now and just venting. It was very frustrating though for me to hear this person's comments about my running. Anyway, I am running with people now who are all much stronger runners than I am, and I want to do as well as possible to impress them, silly as that sounds.
Internal pressure: needs no explanation. I like getting PRs. It somehow makes me feel validated in my choices. Sometimes running can make other parts of my life suck. I don't drink very often (though I love getting drunk). I don't stay out late (though I love staying out late). I get up early to train and to race (though I love sleeping in). I cross-train (though I love sitting on the couch watching tv).
The thing is, I don't think I'd really be happier if I drank and went out at night (that would actually be bad for my marriage probably since hubby goes to bed early as well and wouldn't be out with me!) and slept in in the morning and just relaxed. But sometimes there would be some momentary satisfaction.
I'm happy with my choices, but like I said, when I have a solid race, I feel like I'm validating the choices I made to myself. Having my pants fit also validates my choices. It was a scary and uncomfortable couple weeks there at the end of the year. I gained several pounds between White Rock and this week. Fortunately the button indentations on my belly seem to be subsiding and I'm starting to feel a little more room to breathe.
But the bottom-line is that I want to do well for my own reasons too. I want to do my best. I want to know I gave it my all and didn't give up early. I want to run hard and as fast as my legs will take me.
But for a multitude of reasons, I'm worried it won't be a good race. Trying to follow the advice I'd give me if I read this blog, I should try to identify exactly what my fears are.
Basis for Fear: I haven't raced since early November. I'm out of practice. I like it when I'm in some kind of racing routine. I get used to what it feels like to be uncomfortable and make myself keep pushing (though I'm not even close to mastering this skill). For over two months now, if I've felt like I'm running too hard, I've just slowed down and haven't thought twice about it. Now, I know if I were reading this, I'd say to myself that this means my legs are ready to race! But that's not true because of my next fear:
Basis for Fear: I haven't done any speed work since Nov. 18. Don't think I'm exaggerating. I looked it up. And that day I ran 4 mile repeats roughly at the pace I'd like for the entire 10k tomorrow. But tomorrow there won't be any chance to catch my breath after each mile! So while maybe I'd be able to overcome my fear about tomorrow based on the fact that I haven't raced lately, that fear only subsides if I've done the groundwork. If I've been at the track running repeats, it's maybe good that I haven't raced in a while. But I haven't been doing that. Instead, I've been doing long (it's all relative, I know 9 isn't long in marathon training, but at this stage, it still counts) and easy paced runs. That's not the recipe for a 10k PR. Nor is it a recipe for 30 minutes at a very high heart rate and maximum effort. Ugh. I wish I'd done some track work in the last few weeks at least.
Basis for Fear: I'm still sick and don't really seem to be feeling much better, though the number of pills in my little steroid dose-pack is rapidly dwindling. I felt pretty awful yesterday, but somewhat better today. My primary symptom (aside from the gallons of fluid coming out of my nose) is that I feel like I can't breathe. My lung capacity just feels low. I'm coughing a lot and coughing up all kinds of nastiness. But even when I'm not coughing, I feel like I can't really catch my breath, like I can't inhale deeply. Again, not a recipe for 10k success.
Basis for Fear: I'm worried it's going to be too cold. The cold weather sometimes really bothers my asthma. I definitely prefer a cool race to a hot race, but this is going to be cold, cold, cold I think. For me, the ideal start temp at a race of almost any distance is about 45. The ideal finish temp is also 45, which doesn't work well for long races like a marathon! In terms of attire, I'm not sure what I'm going to wear. I think the race temp is going to be mid-30s. That usually means I wear capri length pants, but wow, I hate racing in them. As awful as I look in shorts, that seems to work a lot better for me when I'm trying to run hard. I also usually race in my team jersey, which is sleeveless. I could wear that tomorrow with arm sleeves, but I don't think it will be warm enough. But then again, since I haven't raced in so long, maybe I'm forgetting how fast I heat up during a race. In reality, capri pants, my sleeveless shirt, arm sleeves, and ear warmers (and gloves) might be the best choice. I need to get that all set up tonight.
Basis for Fear: Bonking history. When I first started running, it felt like I could go forever. Almost every race was a PR. But that only lasted for a few years. I got into better shape and my times evened out. Now at most races, it takes major effort for me to be even a minute or two faster than my current PR, and at some distances, like the 5k, I can't even conceive of improving by a full minute. At the 5k, I'd be happy with 20 seconds, and I think that might even be asking a lot. But in my quest for good races, there have been several times where I've gone out hard and then crashed and burned. The worst was during an evening 5k a couple years ago -- it's a story I'm reluctant to share, so I am glossing over the details. In short, I overheated just past mile 2, fell down, got up and ran a little more, then went down again (briefly unconscious), fortunately right in front of some police officers. They picked me up and actually ended up detaining me until they realized the ambulance wasn't able to find us and I convinced them I was going to refuse treatment anyway. My bestie had also been racing that day, and she was on the scene shortly after I'd gotten up, and she stayed with me. We walked to the finish line together, and she even stayed with me during all the puking that happened on the way there and then a few times at the finish. What a disaster. And trust me, it's not my only major crash and burn. Sometimes when I want a PR too much, I put too much pressure on myself and I bonk. I don't know how to stop this, aside from saying no pressure, but if there's no pressure, then I don't PR. There has to be a balance, and I'm still working on finding it. But with every race where I know I want to push hard, in the back of my mind, I can always remember other times when I've pushed hard and it hasn't ended well. Fortunately though I also have lots of races where I've pushed hard and succeeded! I just need to think about those. Since this race is running my 5k PR course twice, hopefully I'll be able to draw on the 5k success to keep my mindset postitive but my effort strong.
Basis for Fear: Sucky Course. I wrote about this a couple days ago. It's not a PR course (even though it is technically my 5k PR course (in my heart, I think I'd have been faster if I'd raced that day on a better course)). A double out-and-back for the 10k. A big (for Texas!) bridge that I will need to run up on four separate occasions (up on the way out, up on the way back, up on the way out on loop two, and then up on the way back on loop two). I don't like this course. I like running in the suburb where it's being held a lot. Just hate that stinkin' bridge. I guess the upside of this though is that I know the course pretty well. I haven't run it more than a few times ever, but I drive it a lot when I'm near my husband's work and it's very familiar.
Bottom line: All this pressure and fear is weighing on me right now. I can feel it in my stomach. And it's all that's filling my head. Good thing I think I've got a busy day at work, that might distract my mind a little. I hope. Well, I'll post soon and let you know if it was a bust or if I have a new 10k PR that's all I dream it will be... Until then, deep breaths...
External pressure: Hubby. He is going to be working on Saturday, but is planning to come to the race to cheer. I know he wants me to kill it. He is always so excited and proud of me when I get a PR. My favorite story (which I've shared before) is of how much he bragged about my marathon to one of his coworkers. He runs too but we don't run together very often. He's faster than I am at short distances, but I win at long distances. I'd love to someday be able to do a series of track races to determine at exactly what distance I can first beat him. But I love it how excited he gets when he thinks I have a smoking fast time. I can hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes and his smile. And I can feel it in his hugs. He is definitely my biggest supporter and I want to post a finish time that will make him extra proud of me.
External pressure: Hubby's Coworkers. If you saw that link in the last paragraph, you'll know that my hubby also tends to share my race results with his coworkers (which must be so fun for them, haha!). Actually, a lot of the guys he works with run (or used to run) or are otherwise into fitness. So they generally understand exactly what the difference is between running a mile in 7 minutes or a mile in 9 minutes or a mile in 13 minutes, whereas that small distinction doesn't mean much to the vast majority of people. His coworkers usually hear about the results of all my good races (I don't think he tells them when I crash and burn). But since my hubby is going to be working on race day and is still planning to watch, I have a feeling that a whole bunch of his coworkers are going to be watching as well. This race is really right there for them, and because the race sold out, it's fairly large, so I'm guessing almost all of his coworkers who are also working on Saturday will see the race. Whether they recognize me is another question since I know I look different when I'm running hard (one time hubby didn't even recognize me in a 5k race!). But I'll see them and wave, and I want them to be impressed with how hard I'm running, or where I am in the field.
External pressure: Adam. I don't even think he knows I'm making another run at his title (and I'm not planning to tell him, but I still count this as external pressure since I'll tell him after the fact, regardless of the race results). My main running-related goal in 2011 is to beat him at the 5k, but a lot of what's behind that goal, which I've tried to explain, also applies to the 10k, but to a lesser extent because the 10k just isn't as cool as the 5k and because it's not exactly clear which of us holds our 10k title. He has never actually raced a 10k so he is claiming that his (certified and chip-timed) 10k split from an Olympic tri in Chicago should count. It's something he and I have argued about for approximately a year now. During that year, I've tried to beat his time twice. Right now, I'm about 15 seconds behind him. If I can bust it out tomorrow, the controversy about whether a tri split counts as a running record will be moot. I'd love it.
External pressure: Running Coach. This race matters for my entire Boston training plan. A lot. In fact, it's definitive. This is an excerpt from my coach's email to us: "The results from Saturday will determine your Heart Rate Zones & pace for all runs during this program & whose group you will be running in." He also mentioned that we need to be well-rested and ready to run, and that the weather was going to be good. And just to remind us that this isn't going to be fun: "The test is 30 minutes of extremely hard running. You have to commit yourself to 30 minutes of well paced effort. If you start too fast you won’t be getting accurate results." Well, I have news for him, I'm not even close to doing a 10k in 30 minutes (but that's not really news to him, there's no way anyone who knows me would think I'm that fast). But the point is, this race needs to be at a very, very high heart rate and truly represent my maximum effort. And if my heart rate's low, that means I'm going to have to use an even lower heart rate for my training easy runs, which means slower pace, and my marathon PR dreams may fade away. So I need to kill this, and I need my heart rate to show that I'm killing it.
External pressure: Running Group. This wouldn't ordinarily be a big deal, but I recently learned that someone I run with thinks I'm training too fast for my own good. This (inexperienced!) person has no comprehension of what my heart rate is, nor really what my goal was at MTCM. Instead, this person is looking at my MTCM finish time and deciding what pace is appropriate for me. This person does not seem to comprehend that actually, my goal at MTCM was not to run as fast as I possibly could, my goal was to qualify, ideally with a couple minutes of cushion, and to be able to get back to running right away. When I ran MTCM at the beginning of October, I already knew I was planning to race hard at a half almost exactly one month later. Going all out in a marathon isn't conducive to that. Which I know. I've run a bunch! So instead I looked carefully at what I wanted to accomplish at the marathon -- to qualify. And to me, that was like a pass-fail test, like the bar exam. I don't think it's efficient or desirable to get 100% in that case, instead, I like to allocate my time to make sure I can securely accomplish my goal (passing), but there's no point in doing more. Obviously this isn't true of all areas of life, but the bar, and my marathon goal at MTCM, are actually good examples. If I'd gotten one of the top five scores in the state on the bar exam, my life would not be any different or better (I might not have had as much fun the summer I studied though). If I'd run a 3:20 marathon at MTCM, my life would not be any different or better (I might not have had a life outside running, and I might not have gotten my half PR a few weeks later). Sorry, I'm venturing off topic now and just venting. It was very frustrating though for me to hear this person's comments about my running. Anyway, I am running with people now who are all much stronger runners than I am, and I want to do as well as possible to impress them, silly as that sounds.
Internal pressure: needs no explanation. I like getting PRs. It somehow makes me feel validated in my choices. Sometimes running can make other parts of my life suck. I don't drink very often (though I love getting drunk). I don't stay out late (though I love staying out late). I get up early to train and to race (though I love sleeping in). I cross-train (though I love sitting on the couch watching tv).
The thing is, I don't think I'd really be happier if I drank and went out at night (that would actually be bad for my marriage probably since hubby goes to bed early as well and wouldn't be out with me!) and slept in in the morning and just relaxed. But sometimes there would be some momentary satisfaction.
I'm happy with my choices, but like I said, when I have a solid race, I feel like I'm validating the choices I made to myself. Having my pants fit also validates my choices. It was a scary and uncomfortable couple weeks there at the end of the year. I gained several pounds between White Rock and this week. Fortunately the button indentations on my belly seem to be subsiding and I'm starting to feel a little more room to breathe.
But the bottom-line is that I want to do well for my own reasons too. I want to do my best. I want to know I gave it my all and didn't give up early. I want to run hard and as fast as my legs will take me.
But for a multitude of reasons, I'm worried it won't be a good race. Trying to follow the advice I'd give me if I read this blog, I should try to identify exactly what my fears are.
Basis for Fear: I haven't raced since early November. I'm out of practice. I like it when I'm in some kind of racing routine. I get used to what it feels like to be uncomfortable and make myself keep pushing (though I'm not even close to mastering this skill). For over two months now, if I've felt like I'm running too hard, I've just slowed down and haven't thought twice about it. Now, I know if I were reading this, I'd say to myself that this means my legs are ready to race! But that's not true because of my next fear:
Basis for Fear: I haven't done any speed work since Nov. 18. Don't think I'm exaggerating. I looked it up. And that day I ran 4 mile repeats roughly at the pace I'd like for the entire 10k tomorrow. But tomorrow there won't be any chance to catch my breath after each mile! So while maybe I'd be able to overcome my fear about tomorrow based on the fact that I haven't raced lately, that fear only subsides if I've done the groundwork. If I've been at the track running repeats, it's maybe good that I haven't raced in a while. But I haven't been doing that. Instead, I've been doing long (it's all relative, I know 9 isn't long in marathon training, but at this stage, it still counts) and easy paced runs. That's not the recipe for a 10k PR. Nor is it a recipe for 30 minutes at a very high heart rate and maximum effort. Ugh. I wish I'd done some track work in the last few weeks at least.
Basis for Fear: I'm still sick and don't really seem to be feeling much better, though the number of pills in my little steroid dose-pack is rapidly dwindling. I felt pretty awful yesterday, but somewhat better today. My primary symptom (aside from the gallons of fluid coming out of my nose) is that I feel like I can't breathe. My lung capacity just feels low. I'm coughing a lot and coughing up all kinds of nastiness. But even when I'm not coughing, I feel like I can't really catch my breath, like I can't inhale deeply. Again, not a recipe for 10k success.
Basis for Fear: I'm worried it's going to be too cold. The cold weather sometimes really bothers my asthma. I definitely prefer a cool race to a hot race, but this is going to be cold, cold, cold I think. For me, the ideal start temp at a race of almost any distance is about 45. The ideal finish temp is also 45, which doesn't work well for long races like a marathon! In terms of attire, I'm not sure what I'm going to wear. I think the race temp is going to be mid-30s. That usually means I wear capri length pants, but wow, I hate racing in them. As awful as I look in shorts, that seems to work a lot better for me when I'm trying to run hard. I also usually race in my team jersey, which is sleeveless. I could wear that tomorrow with arm sleeves, but I don't think it will be warm enough. But then again, since I haven't raced in so long, maybe I'm forgetting how fast I heat up during a race. In reality, capri pants, my sleeveless shirt, arm sleeves, and ear warmers (and gloves) might be the best choice. I need to get that all set up tonight.
Basis for Fear: Bonking history. When I first started running, it felt like I could go forever. Almost every race was a PR. But that only lasted for a few years. I got into better shape and my times evened out. Now at most races, it takes major effort for me to be even a minute or two faster than my current PR, and at some distances, like the 5k, I can't even conceive of improving by a full minute. At the 5k, I'd be happy with 20 seconds, and I think that might even be asking a lot. But in my quest for good races, there have been several times where I've gone out hard and then crashed and burned. The worst was during an evening 5k a couple years ago -- it's a story I'm reluctant to share, so I am glossing over the details. In short, I overheated just past mile 2, fell down, got up and ran a little more, then went down again (briefly unconscious), fortunately right in front of some police officers. They picked me up and actually ended up detaining me until they realized the ambulance wasn't able to find us and I convinced them I was going to refuse treatment anyway. My bestie had also been racing that day, and she was on the scene shortly after I'd gotten up, and she stayed with me. We walked to the finish line together, and she even stayed with me during all the puking that happened on the way there and then a few times at the finish. What a disaster. And trust me, it's not my only major crash and burn. Sometimes when I want a PR too much, I put too much pressure on myself and I bonk. I don't know how to stop this, aside from saying no pressure, but if there's no pressure, then I don't PR. There has to be a balance, and I'm still working on finding it. But with every race where I know I want to push hard, in the back of my mind, I can always remember other times when I've pushed hard and it hasn't ended well. Fortunately though I also have lots of races where I've pushed hard and succeeded! I just need to think about those. Since this race is running my 5k PR course twice, hopefully I'll be able to draw on the 5k success to keep my mindset postitive but my effort strong.
Basis for Fear: Sucky Course. I wrote about this a couple days ago. It's not a PR course (even though it is technically my 5k PR course (in my heart, I think I'd have been faster if I'd raced that day on a better course)). A double out-and-back for the 10k. A big (for Texas!) bridge that I will need to run up on four separate occasions (up on the way out, up on the way back, up on the way out on loop two, and then up on the way back on loop two). I don't like this course. I like running in the suburb where it's being held a lot. Just hate that stinkin' bridge. I guess the upside of this though is that I know the course pretty well. I haven't run it more than a few times ever, but I drive it a lot when I'm near my husband's work and it's very familiar.
Bottom line: All this pressure and fear is weighing on me right now. I can feel it in my stomach. And it's all that's filling my head. Good thing I think I've got a busy day at work, that might distract my mind a little. I hope. Well, I'll post soon and let you know if it was a bust or if I have a new 10k PR that's all I dream it will be... Until then, deep breaths...
Thursday, January 13, 2011
New Toys! (a/k/a My Sucky Morning)
I have vented here before about my recent frustration with getting a new garmin that I ordered on Amazon from Beach Camera.
It finally came yesterday! Yes, more than two weeks after I ordered it. I held my breath as I opened the box, expecting yet another misdirected order. Whew, it was my garmin! I'm so happy to finally have it that it's hard to stay as pissy and irritated as I was. A few days ago, I was all ready to post some negative feedback on Amazon and tell any other potential customers what a mess they'd made of my order, but I didn't want to do that until I finally had the garmin in my hands. And just like that, a lot of my ill will toward Beach Camera melted away.
Unfortunately, there hasn't been time to play with it yet. I had to leave work early to volunteer (I was helping out with this weekend's race at the running store, distributing numbers and packets when runners came in). Then I got home and our neighbor came over to watch "Lo Scapolo" (The Bachelor) with me.
I feel bad about even asking her to watch. It's such BAD tv. But it was fun anyway. And since she speaks Italian as well, there was no need to break my resolution of speaking Italian in the evenings on weekdays on the second floor.
But that meant that when I headed out this morning to run, I was basically messing with the watch for the first time. I got the heart rate monitor on, but it had never properly linked up with the watch. And I hit the timer to start my run, but I must have hit something else because it stopped after a mere two seconds and didn't record any of the run. I tried again for one lap around the block when I got home and it seemed to work, so it was no doubt operator error this morning.
Really looking forward to trying it tomorrow during boot camp. This watch is supposed to take into account your sex, age and weight, plus elevation, etc. and calculate how many calories you burn during a workout. It will be very interesting since I don't really have any idea. I've always heard you burn about 100 calories per mile. I tried some formula once that was supposed to be more personalized and I think I ended up around 90 calories per mile, but I have no idea if I did that correctly.
Then I got home and had a disaster occur during breakfast. We got a new blender for Xmas but I hadn't started using it yet. This morning I was making my smoothie in our old blender and of course the frozen fruit was all stuck together and the blades were idly processing spinach. Being the wise woman I am, I poked in a knife, which is usually sufficient to get the fruit to move a little and start getting chopped.
I have no idea what went wrong, but a moment later, the walls, counter, floor and my clothing was covered in green liquid, the glass blender jar was cracked, and the motor was making a shrieking noise. Lovely.
So I decided to open the box with the new blender, which fortunately my folks had just FedExed and we'd gotten on Monday.
But of course, I've used our old blender for years, so I made a few inaccurate assumptions. I used the last of our frozen strawberries, my other normal ingredients, and the last of our soy milk. I set it on the blender but didn't start it b/c I wanted to clean up the old blender mess a little more before it got too sticky.
A minute or two later, I heard a weird dripping noise from the new blender. Turns out I needed to really screw the new top on (which I hadn't done). So the last of our soy milk leaked straight through the motor onto the other counter. Ugh! Major frustration. And of course when I walked over to deal with it, I got liquid all over my second outfit of the morning! At least I hadn't showered and put on work clothes yet I guess.
I finally added some juice and used the new blender. I have to get used to it, but I'm sure it will be fine. Just a little chunky this morning!
So overall, this morning kind of sucked. Neither of my new toys have worked exactly as planned, but at least I have them and I have faith that they'll work tomorrow!
It finally came yesterday! Yes, more than two weeks after I ordered it. I held my breath as I opened the box, expecting yet another misdirected order. Whew, it was my garmin! I'm so happy to finally have it that it's hard to stay as pissy and irritated as I was. A few days ago, I was all ready to post some negative feedback on Amazon and tell any other potential customers what a mess they'd made of my order, but I didn't want to do that until I finally had the garmin in my hands. And just like that, a lot of my ill will toward Beach Camera melted away.
Unfortunately, there hasn't been time to play with it yet. I had to leave work early to volunteer (I was helping out with this weekend's race at the running store, distributing numbers and packets when runners came in). Then I got home and our neighbor came over to watch "Lo Scapolo" (The Bachelor) with me.
I feel bad about even asking her to watch. It's such BAD tv. But it was fun anyway. And since she speaks Italian as well, there was no need to break my resolution of speaking Italian in the evenings on weekdays on the second floor.
But that meant that when I headed out this morning to run, I was basically messing with the watch for the first time. I got the heart rate monitor on, but it had never properly linked up with the watch. And I hit the timer to start my run, but I must have hit something else because it stopped after a mere two seconds and didn't record any of the run. I tried again for one lap around the block when I got home and it seemed to work, so it was no doubt operator error this morning.
Really looking forward to trying it tomorrow during boot camp. This watch is supposed to take into account your sex, age and weight, plus elevation, etc. and calculate how many calories you burn during a workout. It will be very interesting since I don't really have any idea. I've always heard you burn about 100 calories per mile. I tried some formula once that was supposed to be more personalized and I think I ended up around 90 calories per mile, but I have no idea if I did that correctly.
Then I got home and had a disaster occur during breakfast. We got a new blender for Xmas but I hadn't started using it yet. This morning I was making my smoothie in our old blender and of course the frozen fruit was all stuck together and the blades were idly processing spinach. Being the wise woman I am, I poked in a knife, which is usually sufficient to get the fruit to move a little and start getting chopped.
I have no idea what went wrong, but a moment later, the walls, counter, floor and my clothing was covered in green liquid, the glass blender jar was cracked, and the motor was making a shrieking noise. Lovely.
But of course, I've used our old blender for years, so I made a few inaccurate assumptions. I used the last of our frozen strawberries, my other normal ingredients, and the last of our soy milk. I set it on the blender but didn't start it b/c I wanted to clean up the old blender mess a little more before it got too sticky.
A minute or two later, I heard a weird dripping noise from the new blender. Turns out I needed to really screw the new top on (which I hadn't done). So the last of our soy milk leaked straight through the motor onto the other counter. Ugh! Major frustration. And of course when I walked over to deal with it, I got liquid all over my second outfit of the morning! At least I hadn't showered and put on work clothes yet I guess.
I finally added some juice and used the new blender. I have to get used to it, but I'm sure it will be fine. Just a little chunky this morning!
So overall, this morning kind of sucked. Neither of my new toys have worked exactly as planned, but at least I have them and I have faith that they'll work tomorrow!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Interesting Real News
Two interesting things I saw yesterday in news reading and thought I'd share. First, sad news.
It makes me teary. I just figured I'd add it here to have my own documentation of the event and because it didn't seem to get much press (likely because he wanted the news withheld until after the funeral).
I haven't actually watched Band of Brothers. I have the DVD box set and of course I've read the book (I like Ambrose's WWII stuff a lot, haven't read his other periods, would have been so cool to have met him though, an inspiring author, would have been awesome as a WWII studies mentor), but I'm generally more interested in the War in the Pacific and I don't know how I feel about watching this big production with actors and angles and editing and storylines and stuff. But I'm sure I'll watch it one of these days, mostly because so many people who know me well have told me they think I'll like it.
As an aside, one of the only shirts I remember seeing during the White Rock marathon on another runner was this guy wearing a black Easy Company shirt that said 101st Airborne, Bastogne to Baghdad. He passed us on the northeast side of the lake and then I remember passing him somewhere in the last mile. Wish I'd asked him about his shirt, but we weren't at the same pace during either encounter.
Second, not surprising but amusing news.
Source: http://draftmag.com/beerrunner/want-to-exercise-more-drink-more-beer./
Very funny! I don't consider myself a heavy drinker by any stretch of the imagination. But December is always a month where I consume much more than usual, so it's awkward in January to say I'm not really a drinker. Hubby drinks wine with dinner more often than not but I usually don't (unless we're on vacation overseas, in which case we both usually drink at lunch and dinner). I'm likely to drink if we go out for dinner, but lately we don't do that too often. And I don't go out for happy hour very often these days either, less than once a month probably lately. But I'm about 1 bazillion times more likely to get completely plowed on a crazy night than my husband is. That seems to happen less than 4 times per year on average, though this year might have some skewed numbers with two brothers getting married (and two future sister in law bachelorette parties!), plus other weddings, Oktoberfest, post-marathon celebrations, hopefully a post-5k-PR celebration, friends visiting, etc. But when I'm out, sometimes it means I'm out hard-core, and I'm getting to the age where I don't recover quite so quickly, so I do it less and less often...
I think I spend about 3 hours per week cross-training and about 5 hours per week running. That's a rough estimate for now. The numbers will no doubt be significantly higher in March or so, but they'll average back down after Boston. But I'd still guess that's more than the average person? Or more than the average alcohol abstainer?
Anyway, thought I'd share both bits with you!
Dick Winters, WWII hero of ‘Band of Brothers,’ diesSource: http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110110/ts_yblog_thelookout/dick-winters-wwii-hero-chronicled-in-band-of-brothers-dies
By Brett Michael Dykes – Mon Jan 10, 11:29 am ET
Dick Winters, a highly decorated World War II hero who became a household name when his heroics were chronicled in a Stephen Ambrose book that later became the HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers," has died. He was 92.
A very private and modest man, he died last week but requested that the news be withheld until after the funeral, a family friend told the Associated Press.
After enlisting in the Army on Aug. 25, 1941, the Pennsylvania native enrolled in Officer Candidate School, eventually being commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in 1942. He was assigned to the 506th regiment of the 101st Airborne Division -- known as Easy Company -- and was deployed with his regiment to land by parachute in France on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
By leading the takeover of a German artillery bunker on Utah Beach, Winters and his company saved countless lives from relentless cannon fire -- an action that earned him the Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest honor an American soldier can receive. Winters and Easy Company later fought near the Belgian town of Foy during the Battle of the Bulge, liberated the German concentration camp at Dachau, and occupied Hitler's mountainside retreat, Eagle's Nest.
In 1945, one of Winters' soldiers, Floyd Talbert, wrote a letter to Winters from his hospital bed to express appreciation for his leadership in battle.
"You are loved and will never be forgotten by any soldier that ever served under you," Talbert wrote. "I would follow you into hell."
Below is a brief video that opens with Winters talking about being a leader, and follows with some of the soldiers who were under his command talking about his exploits: [VIDEO OMITTED B/C I'm not tech-savvy enough to know how to paste it]
Shaken by what he experienced in war, Winters reportedly vowed to live a simple life if he managed to survive, and that's just what he did. After returning home, he married his then-girlfriend, Ethel, bought a farm in Pennsylvania and raised a family. He reportedly never talked about his war experiences until Ambrose came calling in the hopes of documenting Easy Company's role in winning the war. Winters said he honored Ambrose's request because he felt it important for future generations to learn about the war, its consequences and the sacrifices made by soldiers. He later wrote his own memoir, "Beyond Band of Brothers."
Winters was leading a quiet life of farm retirement in Hershey, Pa., when "Band of Brothers" turned him into a minor celebrity. People who knew him say that he never really became comfortable with life in the spotlight. He had fielded countless requests for interviews and personal appearances over the past decade or so, most of which he turned down.
Winters was, by all accounts, exceedingly modest. When someone would ask him whether he considered himself a hero, he would usually respond by saying, "No. But I served in a company of heroes." Chroniclers of the World War II era, however, such as legendary NBC newsman Tom Brokaw -- who detailed the lives of Winters and others like him in his "Greatest Generation" series of books -- beg to differ.
"Dick Winters was the quintessential American infantry officer -- brave, canny and modest," Brokaw told The Lookout. "His heroic leadership of the Band of Brothers is a one-man course on how to become a warrior without losing your humanity."
It makes me teary. I just figured I'd add it here to have my own documentation of the event and because it didn't seem to get much press (likely because he wanted the news withheld until after the funeral).
I haven't actually watched Band of Brothers. I have the DVD box set and of course I've read the book (I like Ambrose's WWII stuff a lot, haven't read his other periods, would have been so cool to have met him though, an inspiring author, would have been awesome as a WWII studies mentor), but I'm generally more interested in the War in the Pacific and I don't know how I feel about watching this big production with actors and angles and editing and storylines and stuff. But I'm sure I'll watch it one of these days, mostly because so many people who know me well have told me they think I'll like it.
As an aside, one of the only shirts I remember seeing during the White Rock marathon on another runner was this guy wearing a black Easy Company shirt that said 101st Airborne, Bastogne to Baghdad. He passed us on the northeast side of the lake and then I remember passing him somewhere in the last mile. Wish I'd asked him about his shirt, but we weren't at the same pace during either encounter.
Second, not surprising but amusing news.
Want to exercise more? Drink beer.
That’s the findings of two studies reported on in the New York Times.
This is expected and no surprise to Beer Runners, of course. But the Times reported that the answer to an American Journal of Health Promotion article asking “Do Alcohol Consumers Exercise More?” was “a resounding if counterintuitive yes.”
“In fact, the data show, the more people drink, the more they exercise,” the studies demonstrated.
Specifically, the findings show that heavy drinkers exercise about 10 minutes more per week than moderate drinkers and 20 more minutes per week than abstainers. Even binge drinking “increases the number of minutes of total and vigorous physical activity per week.”
Researchers are befuddled by these findings, and speculate that exercise and drinking stimulate the reward centers of the brain. Another theory suggets that running provides a “neuroprotection” against binge drinking killing brain cells.
But those are all just guesses. What do you think? What makes you a beer runner?
Source: http://draftmag.com/beerrunner/want-to-exercise-more-drink-more-beer./
Very funny! I don't consider myself a heavy drinker by any stretch of the imagination. But December is always a month where I consume much more than usual, so it's awkward in January to say I'm not really a drinker. Hubby drinks wine with dinner more often than not but I usually don't (unless we're on vacation overseas, in which case we both usually drink at lunch and dinner). I'm likely to drink if we go out for dinner, but lately we don't do that too often. And I don't go out for happy hour very often these days either, less than once a month probably lately. But I'm about 1 bazillion times more likely to get completely plowed on a crazy night than my husband is. That seems to happen less than 4 times per year on average, though this year might have some skewed numbers with two brothers getting married (and two future sister in law bachelorette parties!), plus other weddings, Oktoberfest, post-marathon celebrations, hopefully a post-5k-PR celebration, friends visiting, etc. But when I'm out, sometimes it means I'm out hard-core, and I'm getting to the age where I don't recover quite so quickly, so I do it less and less often...
I think I spend about 3 hours per week cross-training and about 5 hours per week running. That's a rough estimate for now. The numbers will no doubt be significantly higher in March or so, but they'll average back down after Boston. But I'd still guess that's more than the average person? Or more than the average alcohol abstainer?
Anyway, thought I'd share both bits with you!
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