Tempo in CLT

Goal:
2.5m @ 600, 800m jog, 1m @ 540 or faster, 800m jog, 2.5m @ 600

Actual:
3 miles warmup at 530am
2.5 miles via 557, 602, 251 for 14:50 total
800m jog in 3:43
1 mile in 531
800m jog in 412 includes quick water stop
2.5 miles via 551, 552, 251 for 14:34 total
2 miles cool down for 12 total

It definitely doesn't feel like September yet! The humidity this morning in Charlotte was strong and I could tell by the amount of sweat drenched in my shorts after just ten minutes of running.  Further solidifying my belief that Charlotte is quite possibly one of the best cities for "urban running," a group of about 8 people headed over to the Dilworth Speed Loop to knock out a variety of workouts.  For this one, I had the company of David Willis and Billy Shue and we are all in about the same shape, so it worked perfectly.  While it was not as easy as I would have liked for the last 2.5 miles, I felt really great on the fast mile. Slowly getting into half marathon shape again!

5x2K w/ 90s Rest

Goal:
5x2K @ 5:50 with 90s jog rest

Actual:
4 miles warmup
5x2k w/ 90s jog at:
715, 718, 710, 728, 720 (with rest got in 7 miles in 42:40)
3 mile cool down for 14 miles total

Had a huge crew for this one at 5:20AM: Laurie, Eric, Billy, and Phil.  We knew about the snowstorm that was supposed to hit so we got knocked this one out early before the snow started falling. I felt good on the first three and hung with the group, even though the pace was faster than what I wanted to be running. I paid the price for the faster pace on the 4th one and slipped into the 6:00 range instead of 5:50, but somehow was able to pull myself back together on the 5th and final repeat.  Billy and Laurie were way ahead of me on the 4th and 5th, but fortunately, I had Eric in front of me as motivation to catch.  I wasn't entirely pleased with this workout, but I was happy that I didn't give up when that was really the only thing I wanted to do during the 4th one.  I haven't a workout quite yet where I was really thrilled with the outcome, but I know it will come soon.  In the end, I have to be pretty thrilled about running 7 miles total in about 6:05 pace.

3x3 Miles on the Sugar Creek

Goal:
3x3 mile at 608,613, 600-605, 550-610 with 800m rest @ 3:30-3:40

Actual
2.3 miles warmup
3 miles in 18:32 (615, 608, 609) 800m rest ~3:15 (6:30 pace)
3 miles in 17:45 (5:54, 5:55, 5:55) 800m jog in ~3:30 (7:00 pace)
3 miles in 17:39 (5:52, 5:56, 5:55)
2.7 mile cool down for ~15 miles total

It's mornings like these that I am really proud of what Aaron, Jay and I started with the Charlotte Running Club. Even as everyone's fall marathoning season comes to a close, I somehow am able to find multiple people to work out with me.  I feel like I'm in college when my alarm goes off at 5AM; it's as if I'm going to meet up with my teammates for an early practice.  In so many ways, Paul, Billy and Caleb are my teammates.  After all, I've been running with these guys for years.  All the boys met me at 530AM at my house and we headed to the speed loop to start our first set of fun on the same course that I've been doing for all my long marathon workouts.

First set:
We ran right into the first set and started out at a comfortable 615 pace and then hovered around 610. We were all in our comfort zone and talked the whole time. After we completed the first set, I purposely kept the rest a little brisk because I wanted to "cheat" a little so that I could get a faster overall time for the whole 10 mile distance.

Second set:
Here, I still felt really comfortable even though we went out fast and had to slow it down considerably after 800m. I was slightly worried that I would be hurting on the third set since we were hitting sub-600s instead of 605, but I felt really relaxed and positioned myself right behind Billy and Paul so I didn't have to do that much work. Caleb stayed by my side so we had a nice pack going. Our last mile was perfectly on 558-556 pace the entire split so I liked how we kept that pace even throughout.

Third set:
During our rest, I told Paul and Billy that I wanted to go out around 555 and just see where we ended up but no faster than 550. We went through perfectly for first mile and then settled a little bit on the second mile so I pushed it up a notched so we could still hit sub-600. On the last mile Billy and Paul made a small 5-10m gap on me so I just maintained my pace and got a little faster at the end to close with my fastest set of the day.  This last set didn't feel too taxing physically, but more from a mental perspective to keep my confidence as the boys pulled slightly away.

I am very pleased with this workout because I mostly followed the paces that Terry prescribed.  Even though I was a tad quick on the second set, I was still able to make my third and final set the fastest for the day. At the end of the workout, my left calf and hamstring felt a little tight.  I need to focus on these things over the course of the next couple of weeks as I still have about three solid weeks of training before I begin the taper.

Long Run with MP Miles

Goal:
8 miles easy, 8-10 miles @ 6:13-6:07, 2 miles cool down

Actual:
8.2 miles warmup ~1:00:00
10 miles in 1:00:45 with splits of
615
610
603
557 (downhill)
603 (30:28 half split)
608 (u turn)
601
603
602
558 (30:12 half split)
2.3 mile cool down for 20.5 miles

This was my first straight up marathon pace tempo in a really, really long time. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't nervous.  I was.  But I also knew that my training over the last two months had gone really well.  Last Tuesday, I ran a solid 10 mile wave tempo at 6:12 average, and I wanted to beat that average time this turn around.  I did a very similar course as I did last week, starting at the Dilworth Speed Loop and heading down to the Greenway through the neighborhood streets.

For the first 8 miles, Matt and Phil joined Billy, Chris and I, and then after the first hour, the three of us continued with the tempo.  Chris stayed with us for the first two miles and then peeled off to do his own thing.  I was very grateful to have Billy there for moral support, because after the first mile's effort felt hard, I questioned if I could hit my goal pace for this tempo.  In some ways, I'm glad I felt this in the workout because it helped me prepare for the same scenario should it happen on marathon race day.  Even if I feel terrible the first couple of miles in the marathon, it doesn't mean that the story has already been written.  If I trust that they will begin to feel better, then it's a better mental approach.  Sure enough, after that tough first mile. my legs started to feel stronger and hitting sub-6:10 felt easy.  I knew that Terry wanted me to hit 10 miles if I felt good, and I paced myself well so that I wouldn't feel tired and quit at 8 miles. After we coursed through the streets near the greenway, our final two miles were an out-and-back on the greenway from Freedom to the dunkin donuts and back.  I like ending my tempo here because the tight turns and the u-turn force me out of my rhythm and I really have to focus on keeping the pace.   I also asked Billy to go ahead and run a bit faster so that he could simulate his own marathon pace.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this workout as it shows that the work that I've put in over the last two months is really beginning to pay off.  I only have a little over 7 weeks until the Cal International Marathon and I'm really excited to punch my ticket to the Olympic Trials 2016.

4x2 Mile with 2:00 Rest

Goal:
4x2mile with 2 min rest @ 6:00, 6:00, 5:50, 5:50

Actual:
2.5 mile warmup
4x2 mile with 2:00 rest in 47:36
5:58 / 6:00 - 11:58 (2:01)
5:53 / 5:58 - 11:51 (2:00)
5:52 / 5:58 - 11:49 (2:15)
5:58 / 6:00 - 11:58
1.8 mile cool down for ~13 miles

Honestly, if it weren't for Billy and Phil, I definitely wouldn't have done this workout.  I went to bed last night with a sore ab, and I just thought it was a tummy ache at that point.  Little did I know that the pike ab exercise I did on Tuesday morning would such a negative effect on my pathetically weak ab muscles.

On the warmup, it felt like someone was stabbing my lower ab with a knife.  My form was all messed up and I felt like I was hunching over to accommodate for the pain.  I decided to do the warmup and try one interval and assess the odds of my workout success after that.  Before starting, I performed a little self massage on my lower right ab and reluctantly toed the line with the boys.  Surprisingly, the ab wasn't too bad on the first one, so I decided to go for another one.  On the second, it still wasn't great, but not noticeably terrible like it was on the warmup.  Somehow I was able to finish all four of the intervals without pulling any ab or fainting from pain.  These weren't at the times that I had been hoping for, but given the circumstances, I was really pleased with this effort.

Minuters on the DSL

Goal:
3x2 Mile

Actual:
3 mile warmup
12x Min (@ 4:50-5:15 pace)+ 400m in 74
3 mile cool down for ~ 10 miles total

I felt like I had done 2 mile repeats only a couple weeks ago and I realized that I hadn't done any speedwork lower than 800m in a while, so I decided to keep Billy company on a pre-race workout.  I've also felt a little run down, so I figured this switch would be a good move.  We ran really fast for the first 6 intervals, around 4:50 pace and then slowed up a little bit towards the end.  However, the average for the total run, with rest, came out around 6:06 pace, so it shows that we basically ran a decent tempo for 4 miles.  After we finished 12 minuters, we did a 400m with Caleb and the guys flew past me, making me feel like I was for sure running an 80 sec quarter.  Instead, I came through in a surprising 74, even after slowing up considerably as I neared the finished line.  In all honesty, this workout felt ridiculously hard.  It was nice to get some speed in the legs because I am focusing on some of the shorter distances in the upcoming month.

12x400m with 1:00 Rest

Goal:
12x400m with 1:00 rest

Actual:
3 mile warmup
12x400m with 50-60 sec rest at 78-80 depending on uphill/downhill
3.5 mile cool down for 10 miles total

Was supposed to do this workout on Tuesday, but a tight left calf made me push the workout back a day.  I did this in the late afternoon with Billy after work while he did 6x800m on the Dilworth Speed Loop.  We started at the start line and ran back and forth between there and the 800m mark.  As always, 1/3 were downhill-ish and 2/4 were uphill-ish.  I got to run the first half of Billy's workout with him as he continued to finish out his interval.  It worked out quite perfectly for my first legit workout back.  While I didn't feel amazing and felt like I was actually running 75s instead of 78s, I was very happy with this workout.  I didn't feel my calf and I was able to sustain the effort the entire way.  It may not have been pretty, but I've got to be consistent to bring my fitness back to where I want it to be.  Garrett biking alongside me helped tremendously and forced me to push up the inclines when I really didn't want to.   Looking forward to a long run with a tempo this weekend with the Cupid's Revenge group.

1000m Repeats in Dilworth

Goal:
8x1000m at 320-324 with 2 min rest

Actual:
21 min warmup for 2.7 miles


3:33 (200)
3:23 (202)
3:26 (158)
3:24 (201)
3:22 (200)
3:24 (1:57)
3:22 (201)
3:22

25 min cool down for 3.3 miles for 11.3 miles total

I'm busy catching up on my blog posts.  It's been a rather crazy week as I am swamped at work, looking for a new car to buy as Redbird is dying on me, and spending time with Garrett. 

This workout was early in the morning hours and we finished the 1000m repeats before the sun had even come up.  There really isn't much to report here except that it was really humid and that I contemplated dropping out of the workout.  I didn't want the boys to completely own me so I kept at it and finished the entire planned workout.  It's always hardest to get past that mental barried of thinking that you can't do it, when in reality you can.  It's all a matter of believing in yourself and tricking your mind into thinking that your body doesn't actually hurt nearly as much as it thinks. 

It was nice to have Aaron around because he hung back with me for a couple when I really thought I was struggling, when in reality Spada and Billy were just having a great workout and I was still hitting my goal times.  With such little rest and following my first weekly mileage of 80 miles, I'm glad I finished this workout within my target range of times.  Next up I've got a 5 mile wave tempo on Friday.

Tempo Fail

Goal:
5 Miles at Half Marathon Pace or Faster

Actual: 
~4 miles warmup
3.5 miles at 604 pace
~3 miles cool down for ~11.3 miles total

I think I was being a bit too aggressive with my goals for this workout given my schedule this week.  I had a good long run with a tempo on Sunday, a great mile repeats workout on Tuesday, and expected to continue the upward trend this Thursday.  Instead, I found that my legs were tired and that they just didn't have the energy to keep treking up and down the Booty Loop's hills.  Even with the solid pack of Spada, Bilbrey, Carolyn, and Shue, I was just tired.  Plain and simple. Spada and Billy rocked it and Carolyn kept up with us for the first 800m and then did her own thing.  It was exciting to see her face out there with us.  I like her spirit!

With just 9 days until the 13.1 Minneapolis, all I can do is wipe this one off the slate and trust that the miles that I've put in over the summer have indeed kept my fitness at a level that will help me achieve my goals. 

Perhaps I would have run better if I had done this work out on Friday, but family is more important.  I leave tomorrow morning early to head to Michigan for a cousin's wedding.  I will be seeing family members that I haven't seen in over five years on Friday, which leaves me no time to workout.  I also will be meeting my little second cousins.  Playing with them will probably be a work out in itself!

7x1000m Repeats in Dilworth...Again

Goal:
8x1000m at sub-3:20 with 300m jog rest

Actual: 
3+ mile warmup
7x1000m at interval (rest)
3:24 (2:17)
3:19 (2:35)
3:19 (2:22)
3:19 (2:35)
3:18 (2:34)
3:18 (2:54)
3:18
3+ mile cool down for ~11 miles

After making Meagan get up way earlier than she would have liked, I wanted to make it up to her somehow.  I decided to drive over to the start of the Dilworth Speed Loop to place three bottles of ice cold water waiting for us at every interval.  Turns out we had five people doing this workout, so I figured three bottles would be sufficient for the lot of us.  I did this workout back on June 28th, so I had high hopes to run just as well as I did then.  Turns out we ran almost exactly identical to how we did then, except that I didn't drop a 3:14 for the last two.  Regardless, I am pleased with this work out because I ran under 3:20 which is always a great time for me.

Fortunately I had the company of Spada, Billy, Eric, and Meagan to help push me. Unfortunately, Meagan had to drop off after a couple because it just wasn't her day.  Since she disappeared in such a stealth mode, the boys had to listen to me between intervals as I worried out loud about her whereabouts and also her gimp shin. For the intervals 1-5, Eric and I really worked together as we ran side-by-side and pushed each other to run decent times.  It was fun even if we had to yell at Billy for staying in the middle of the road on one occasion!

After the fifth interval, I was tired of taking the lead, so I told Billy to lead.  This was a good learning lesson for him as he typically just runs side by side with me.  I was hoping he would realize that he can execute his own strategy by taking the lead.  Sure enough, he felt great and ran some really fast times.  This helped me maintain my pace as I watched Billy pull away from me.  Spada and I ran together for all of these and it seemed like we both weren't feeling as great as we had the month earlier.

At the end of the work out, Spada jumped into his car and I was left to listen to Billy and Eric analyze their work outs.  It's funny how everyone handles their post-workout.  Spada jumps into his car without a cool down, Billy talks about the last time he did 1000s (February 2010) and his latest Grand Prix race, Eric analyzes his final striders and form, and I just listen to them all and maybe say a word or two but then keep the rest of my own analysis in my head.  I'm probably just creating a rough draft in my head about what I'm going to write about in my blog. 

Needless to say, the difference amongst all of us is what keeps these work outs exciting.  It definitely breaks up the monotony of just running solo. 

Success in Summer: 4x1.5 Mile

Goal:
4x1.5 mile at 6:00, 5:50 and faster with 3:00 jog rest

Actual:
26 min warmup for 3.2 miles

Total Time - Mile Split - (rest)
1 - 8:37 - 5:45 (3:00)
2 - 8:34 - 5:41 (3:00)
3 - 8:37 - 5:43 (4:30 - pee break)
4 - 8:31 - 5:38

18 min cool down for 2.2 miles

After a quick chat last night, Meagan and I decided to do our workout in Dilworth instead of at McAlpine.  Due to this July heat, we wanted to start off at a relatively conservative pace (6:00) and get faster.  This morning, Meagan and I met at the Freedom Park bathrooms at 7:05AM to continue our way up to the corner of Worthington and Dilworth Rd E to meet Caleb and Billy.

After situating my water bottle in a nearby tree and wiping my sweat off with the towel that I brought along, we toed the white line and waited for the beep of my garmin.  For the first one, the pacing was left up to me and Meagan told me she was going to rely on me to bring us through in a controlled pace.  Through the first 600m, we were around 5:55 pace.  Apparently my internal pace calculator didn't like that and by the mile, we had picked it up to 5:45.  It should be noted that there is a nice down hill that helps propel the pace to a faster time.  We formed a nice square with Billy and I in the lead, Meagan on my shoulder, and Caleb behind Billy.  I felt really controlled and relaxed at the completion of this one.  On the second interval, the goal was to go out easy again but somehow we came through in 5:42.  My body felt great though so we continued to push through.

For the third and fourth intervals, I noticed that in the first 600m, my legs felt really heavy and sore, but that the feeling would go away as we got further into the repeat.  I will account this to the slight uphill that characterizes the first part of this loop. Further, my breathing adjusted as my legs adjusted.  I felt like my breathing was a lot heavier in the first part and then would settle down at the same time my legs felt better.  I would rather that my breathing is not affected by how my body feels, so I really need to focus on not letting my physical feelings affect my mentality and therefore my breathing. If I start to get freaked out, it affects my breathing and that could be detrimental, especially in a longer race. 

I'd also like to point out that I ran all of these faster than when I did this workout in the same location back on June 3rd.  It was hotter today, so that's a really good sign of improvement.

I will also note that I'm really proud of Meagan because she was having a hard time breathing on the third one, but she really pulled it together on the fourth interval to bring the breathing back under control.  What i love most about working out with Meagan is that when she's having a hard time, I can provide her the words of encouragement that she needs to hear.  She does the same thing for me when I'm having difficulty.  The two races we have planned for this fall - the 13.1 Minneapolis and the Army Ten Miler - will be really special for me because I know that Meagan and I will be able to work together to push each other and also have a great time doing it. 

Caleb also stayed with us through 2.5 intervals and Billy shined on the fourth. All in all, we had a good time in the 80 degrees this morning.  The best part was definitely getting cold water on Rebecca's porch. 

16x1 Min Bonk

Goal:
16x1 min with 1:15 rest

Actual:
~3.8 mile warmup in 29 min
14x1 min with 1:15 rest, then 2x30 seconds
~2.2 mile warmup in 18 min for 11.5 miles total

After last night's run, I was weary about my work out this morning.  I knew that it was going to hurt, which is why I actually switched my scheduled workout for 1000s out with next week's workout of 16x1 min.  I figured such a decision would be less painful and I really want to run strong in my 1000s. 

This morning, I left my house at 6am with Billy to meet Eric at the tennis courts in Freedom Park.  We added on some more miles before beginning our minuters.  There really isn't much to report except that I felt pretty good considering the fact that I had been in an airport or airplane for 20 hours the day before.  That feeling of strength left me after 12 intervals.  On thirteen, I felt tired and heavy and struggled to keep up with the boys on a measly 1 min pickup.  My legs felt like they were dragging through wet concrete, so I decided to stop on 15 and 16 at 30 seconds, before my legs really were starting to shut down.  My breathing was heavy as well, so the work out ended on a rather negative note. 

However, I am happy that I was able to get through 12 without a problem, especially given the circumstances.  With just a little more rest, I'll feel better soon.  I'm confident that things will be back on track later this weekend after my body has had time to adjust.  To speed up that process, I got a massage today from Byran at Balance Bodywork and he worked his magic on my sore muscles. As I continue to run 80+ miles, massage will be a critical component to my regime.

12x400m with 200m Rest

Goal:
12x400m with 400m jog rest

Actual
2.5 mile warmup
12x400m with 200m jog rest 75, 75, 75, 79, 74, 74, 73, 73, 71, 74, 72, 71
2.5 mile cool down for 9.5 miles total

Last night before this workout, I texted Mark to make sure that I was really only supposed to do 12 400m repeats. That number seemed rather low and I was expecting to do at least 16x400m.  He texted me back and said that 12 was the correct number and that the goal would be to try to run as close to 75 seconds but with a full 400m jog rest.  I like to go above and beyond...or I just don't like to take 400m jog rests because then I have to wake up earlier, so I decided to only do 200m jog rest with the group. 

Meagan, Billy, and Eric all met at my place at 615am to jog to the JCSU track for an early workout.  We all agreed that a 400m rest sounded way too long so we decided to stick with a 200m jog and, if it felt too taxing on our bodies, to adjust accordingly.  Turns out we didn't need to adjust our jog distance, but we did adjust our jog pace. 

After we arrived at the track, a stray dog kept us company as he followed us around.  He did seem like a pretty happy dog despite not having a home and he provided a feeling of comfort to me in an odd way.  Paul and Stephen were doing an 800m workout while Jason and another guy were just finishing up their 400m repeats.  For our first one, we jumped in with Spada to help him on his last lap of an 800m. That was fun because we ran fast without even knowing it. 

The plan was to run in two pairs - Meagan and I and then Billy and Eric.  We would alternate inside/outside of lane 1 as well as alternate leading with the boys.  It worked out quite well because it broke up the monotony of running 4.5 miles around the track.

I am guessing that Meagan and I did a good job of pacing us through the the first 2 400s because we cruised through in 75 for both of those.  However, I wasn't checking the 200m split, so it's all speculation.  You can ask Eric what our splits were because he was glancing at his Garmin to make sure we were in check.  On the fourth interval, Meagan whispered we were too fast in the first 100m, so the boys in the lead slowed down a tad too much after the 200m mark.  That's why we ran a 79.  It's funny because that seemed rather effortless and pedestrian compared to what we had been running.

After having about 75 seconds of rest between each interval, we decided to take a 2 min rest after the 8th 400m and to splash some lukewarm water over ourselves.; This must have bode well for us because Meagan and I lead us through a 71 second quarter for the 9th one.  It was a lot of fun to go fast but it definitely hurt.

Toward the last 4 intervals, I was starting to feel some fatigue in my hamstrings and quads, but I still felt really strong and confident that I could keep posting some solid times. It was especially helpful to have Meagan alongside me the entire time. I felt like we were on a college team together and working out for some big race. It's always fun to run with the guys because undoubtedly they help make us stronger runners, right?

Again, I walk away pleased with this workout. While wearing my trainers, Nike Pegasus, I was able to post some fast times on the track. I'm hoping these faster times will help me maintain a faster pace on my longer tempos so that a PR is realistic for me in the marathon next January.

9 Mile Tempo at McAlpine

Goal:
9 mile progression tempo starting at 630 and getting faster

Actual:
2 miles warmup
9 mile tempo in 54:45 with splits of 6:20, 6:17, 6:13, 6:11, 5:55, 5:58, 6:02, 5:58, 5:48
2 miles cool down

I've woken up early every single day for the past three weeks, and this morning was no different.  In fact, I've gotten on this new kick where I want to wake up every day at 5:20am and be out the door by 5:45 for whatever run I've got on tap.  This means that I should be getting to bed earlier, but my boyfriend is just too endearing for me to pass up a conversation with after his baseball games.  Even with a later bedtime, I've been getting 7-8 hours of sleep regularly and sleeping like a baby for every single second of those hours.  This morning, I woke up to the sound of my alarm and put my running clothes on in the dark and performed my normal morning rituals before heading out to the Old Bell entrance of McAlpine.

I had a nice crew of company this morning for the tempo:  Adrian Stewart, Jason Martin, Aaron Linz, and Billy Shue.  We only did a two mile warmup with a bigger group that was doing an easy run and started from the Old Bell mark, ran to the 4 mile mark, turned around, jumped on the last mile of the course, and headed back to where we started from.

The whole crew of us worked together through 3 miles before Aaron split off to catch us on the back end and Billy and I continued to pick up the pace so eventually AJ and Jason slowly slipped behind us, but not by much!  Billy and I ran side by side for miles 3-6 and it was fun to work together with him as we both maintained a solid pace.  Since I am Billy's coach, I was paying attention to his breathing because he's been ordered to take a down week to give his body a rest from all the racing he's been doing.  I could tell that he was fine, but didn't want him to over do it so I determined he would only do 6 miles.

On my end, everything felt fantastic except for my legs.  They just felt heavier than usual. All other components felt absolutely fantastic though! My form, my breathing, and my confidence were all right there and I knew that I could power through the tempo with some solid times with my tired legs.

After 6 miles, Billy stopped as I had instructed him to do so, and Aaron picked me up to join me for the last third of the work out.  Aaron had all sorts of energy and although my breathing wasn't very labored, I wasn't ready to expend my energy talking.  We exchanged some words and his energy helped motivate me.  I really wanted to run sub-6 in those final three miles so I utilized Jordan Kinley's tactics by telling myself that I only had 18 minutes left of running and kept counting down.  Before I knew it, the mile marker was suddenly there and I told Aaron "UNA MAS" and we powered it in.  I closed in a 5:48 which is really great considering it's mid-summer.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this workout because I was able to progressively get faster on a pair of tired legs.  I love how even though everyone had varying types of a tempo today we were able to make it work so that we would be able to help push each other at varying points of the work out.  I love running tempos with other people because it makes the time go by faster and it's always fun to hear how everyone else did.  Jason and AJ had a really solid 6 mile tempo and Aaron helped me out for my latter part.  I could get used to him just running for fun because I keep getting him all to myself in workouts.  It's definitely very nice of him to keep my company.

I'm hoping that I can keep this momentum moving forward until August, when I'm racing the 13.1 Minneapolis with Meagan Nedlo.   The key through this month of July is to maintain my mileage in the upper-70s and to listen to my body as the weather begins to get hotter and more humid.

Fortunately, I get to spend the weekend in Asheville with my parents this weekend.  The following weekend I'll escape some of the NC heat and head to upstate New York to see Garrett for the last time this summer.  Just a short week later, I'll head to California to visit my sister. Obviously July is a month filled with travel for me, but it will be well worth it as I'm spending it with my favorite boy and my family! I am looking forward to running in new places!

10x90 Second Frollick in Freedom

Goal:
10x90 seconds with 3:00 jog at 5k pace or faster

Actual:
2.7 mile warmup
10x90 seconds at 5:05-5:25 pace in Freedom Park
2.2 miles cool down

For this workout, Billy and a surprise guest, Michael Hefner, met up at my house to run some intervals through Freedom Park and the Sugar Creek Greenway.  We met Eric halfway and began our workout near the restrooms. 

The key for this workout was to feel good and strong the entire time. While I struggled more when Billy and Michael pulled away from me, I was able to pull myself together mentally to finish out with strong splits.  It was exceptionally helpful to have Eric there to push me through and help me maintain a fast clip throughout the entire interval. 

Considering that I was wearing my trainers and that we were running through some sections with rolling hills, I'm pleased with the times that were posted in this workout.  It's good to get the legs moving at a faster clip as I head into the Ukrop's 10k in less than three weeks.  I can tell that my legs are coming around and that with a couple more weeks of solid training, I will feel fresh and confident. 

Dedicated to Sally

Goal:
5x6 min with 2:30 rest at 5:50 pace and getting faster to 5:30

Actual:
3.5 mile warmup
4xmile with 2:30 jog rest at 5:50, 5:50, 5:45, 5:56, then 800m in 2:48 and 400m in 1:17
2.1 mile cool down

Today I woke up to work out with Meagan and Billy.  Then I heard the sad news about Sally Meyerhoff.  I cried. And cried.  And cried. 

Despite the fact that I had only exchanged a few emails with Sally in the past and had just met her in person at Houston for the first time, I always found inspiration in Sally.  I looked up to Sally as one of my running idols because of her red hair and because of her ability to run a 2:35 marathon.  I tried to help her get on the Charlotte Running Club XC team for the USATF Club XC Championships and at Houston we promised that we would link up to run together whenever I visit my brother in Phoenix. 

From that 5 minute snippet of conversation at Houston, I was able to tell that she truly was a beautiful person, with a tremendous heart for her family and friends, who possessed a true appreciation for her sport, sponsors, and believers.  According to her blog on Feb 3, she lived life without regrets because "we never know how much time we have in life."  I am happy that she lived her 27 years of life without regrets, because her life was tragically taken from us yesterday.  From her Facebook page, it is clear that she had a positive influence on so many people in the community and will be greatly missed.  While I did not know Sally well, I know that the entire US running community is deeply saddened by this loss.  For this reason, Meagan and I decided to dedicate each of our intervals in our workout today to each member of her family and her 4 precious dogs that she gushed about in her blog.

While we ran with heavy hearts, we completed this workout, albeit slower than Meagan and I would have hoped, with Sally on our mind every step of the way.  In the grand scheme of things, we are grateful to be here in this world and running with our friends.  The only thing that matters today is that I have the opportunity to live and breathe, which is something that should not be taken for granted.  You are in our hearts, Sally! 

Week in Review

70 Miles

7 Runs

15.2 Mile Long Run to pace Allen to a 1:29:20 Half

10 Hours of Driving

3 CRC Champions and 1 Runner-Up at Myrtle Beach

Wow, a lot happened this week! This week started off with a great workout and ended with a great weekend spent with friends. I couldn't have asked for more. Earlier this week, I read Allen's blog post about wanting to run a sub-1:30 Half Marathon at Myrtle Beach. I immediately texted him and told him that if he gave me a cookie, I would pace him to a PR in his half. He graciously accepted my offer (Side note: I never got a cookie, but I carelessly lost his 2009 race bib, so we're even).

After picking John up from school at 3:15PM, we set off in the Redbirdmobile, with Myrtle Beach in our (far) sights. While I had examined the map before getting in the car, I did not realize until we were four hours into the drive how much it really was going to suck. Back roads, stop lights, slow moving tractors, and the South Carolina low country do not make for a pleasant or speedy drive. By the time we were 20 minutes outside of Myrtle, John commented that I definitely was not made for road trips. Not at all. I'm a jet kind of girl; jump on the plane and get to LA in five hours. Wham, bam, done. Get in a car, use a tank of gas and stop at 1923 stoplights and arrive at the Myrtle Villas, where John was staying with Ben and Megan Hovis.

In the end, the drive was worth it. I got to spend three days in SC with Garrett and some of my greatest friends and watch them all accomplish their goals. Since Allen recaps his race in his blog, I won't go into any detail regarding that. However, the after-race experience is noteworthy. After I made it back to the finish chute, where Allen was wearing his medal, I was thanked by six people for being so encouraging throughout the race. They told me that my comments helped them achieve their goals and that they were so grateful for my positive presence. It was a great feeling to know that I had not only helped Allen, but several other runners of whom share the exact same passion for running as I do.

After that, I found out that not only had my roomate John Compton won his first ever Half Marathon, but that Alice Rogers had won in the women's race and that Megan Hovis had followed close behind. Ben Hovis placed sixth overall, which is pretty impressive considering he is only running four or five days a week right now. Allen Strickland broke his own PR and qualified (I think?) for the NYC Half Marathon. I'm sure there were other Charlotte Running Club members in the half marathon, and I applaud their efforts as well. It was a great day for CRC!

The success didn't just stop there. After we changed our clothes, I was able to watch a woman run 2:40 to win the Myrtle Beach Marathon, with Billy following behind. I was able to capture a photo of his finish below. Scott Helms finished the marathon as well, falling just short of his goal due to the heat and some hurt legs!

After Billy's race, we headed over to the HM awards ceremony, where Alice and John were bombarded by questions from a reporter for the Sun Times. After they received their awards, we made our way back to the Hovis' place to pretty up and eat cupcakes before lunch. We meandered over to Margaritaville and enjoyed a "team" lunch with Garrett, Allen, John, and the Hovii. In a celebration of Ben's birthday, we played a 18-hole round of putt-putt and enjoyed the 70+ degrees. Despite John's terrible golfing form, he was able to hit three hole-in-ones, propelling his team to victory over myself, Garrett and Allen.

All in all, it was an amazing few days to be in Myrtle Beach. Everyone who competed in these races ran their little hearts out and deserve to be recognized. Most importantly, they should all be commended for their comraderie and their sportsmanship that was showcased. John cooled down with the guy who got second in the Half, Billy congratulated Kathleen Castles for her outstanding effort to win the entire marathon, and the entire group cheered in the marathoners. When I ran at Wake, I was proud to be a Demon Deacon and I feel that same pride in my city of Charlotte because of the intricate web of runners who support each other. Let's keep up the great work!

OrthoCarolina 10k Race Recap

My mom got in a bike accident and fractured her shoulder, so she's got lots of time to read my blog. She asked that I update my blog since she is bedridden and this is the one thing I can do to make her feel better while her shoulder aches.

Today I laced up my (fairly) new Nike Pegasus to toe the line at the inaugural OrthoCarolina Classic 10k Race. In the early morning hour of 645, I met up with Aaron and Jay to pick up our packets and to warm up through the first 1.5 miles of the course. We picked up Allen Strickland and it was nice to have him join us for the easy jog throughout the streets of Elizabeth.

Once we got back, we found an entourage of CRC running fans. If you want a testament of the camaraderie that the Charlotte Running Club exhibits, then check out this list of people who came out to support the members racing: Billy Shue, Jason Martin, Mark Hadley +2, Alice Rogers, Adrian Stewart, Justin Breland, Lauren Robbins, and Jay’s Dad. If you count correctly, you’ll see that ten people woke up to cheer us all on. Pretty impressive stuff.

After we said our thanks, we all parted to our vehicles to pin our race bibs, to attach our D-tags, and to take that last swig of water. With the expectations that the race was starting at 745am, we meandered over to the poorly marked start line and waited….and waited…and waited until almost 8am when a strong police man got out of his undercover car, walked up to the starter and said “You are starting this race now.” Apparently they were waiting to get the timing equipment from the finish of the 5k race, but with the cop’s orders we took off without that equipment.

I went out in a casual clip, situated behind Alejandro, with Jay and Aaron pulling away as they took off with some Queens kids. Chris Lamperski passed me in the first 400m and I asked him what pace his Garmin said we were going. He said “5:20.” Crap. Too fast. I slowed down (and you’ll see just how much when you get to the mile split). I passed Alice’s cheering squad (Justin, AJ, Jason) and maintained my pace through Elizabeth Ave. At some point, a woman pulled up alongside me and she told me she was visiting Charlotte and asked if I was from here. I asked her what pace she was looking for, and she said she wasn’t sure and then I told her I was looking for 550 pace. Well 50 meters later we came through the mile in 609 so I immediately said “Crap, I’m too slow, I gotta go!” In hindsight, that was probably very rude, so I do hope that Emily Potter understands why I took off in a mad dash: I had goals to meet! I never got to talk to Emily more, so if she sees this, I hope she emails me (I couldn't find her on facebook).

The rest of the race could be categorized as a race against my own mind, in no man’s land, with the exception of two miles in which Justin was kind enough to keep me company.
Continuing on with the race, for Mile 2, I took off and ran a 548 through Plaza Midwood. At mile 3 (550), I was still solo, with Alejandro as the next person in sight - a distant 200m ahead of me. Fortunately, at mile 4 I got picked up by Justin, Alice, and Jason who ran with me through the downhill mile. We cruised to a 544 split for the 4th mile. We saw Aaron walking up one of the hills because he was done pacing Jay. Out of the goodness of his own heart, Justin decided it would be a good idea to stick with me through mile 5, which features a couple of nasty uphills. Boy, was I grateful. We went through in 550 and Justin was telling me really encouraging things. Aaron was behind me for the 6th mile but this did not stop him from cheering me on. It was really great! I finished up with the clock stuck on 36:33 - a full minute than what I ran last year at the Hit the Brixx 10k, which is a comparable course. I was pleased. (Editor's note: pictures to come!)

I regrouped with my boys and we cooled down for a good three miles. The awards ceremony occurred immediately after we got back from our cool down, which is something that I'm not used to. I'm very appreciative of the gift certificate and the check they gave out to the top three male and female finishers. Once I grabbed my award, I got lots of free goodies that were out for the post-race expo. I was impressed with the variety of vendors and the variety of free items available. Look forward to running this again next year!

Later during the day, I ran a nice 5.4 miles with Jordan and my legs felt great!

Beat the Heat 5k Race Recap

There's a certain beauty and excitement that lingers with one after a successful race, and such is the feeling that is still with me today. Racing always excites me because it puts to test all of the hard work that I've pounded out on the pavement, the trails, and the grass fields. When the plans and goals all come to fruition, there is sweet victory for yourself. Or, if the goals are not met, tweaks to the training plan can be made, and you wait for the realization of that plan to unfold with the next race. Such is the cycle, and this cycle allows for us to always push ourselves to the limits and to see what kind of pain we can handle the next time around.

With that being said, I've spoiled the ending to my race recap for Beat the Heat 2010, but you all already knew the ending thanks to all the support that stems from the Charlotte Running Club and Theoden Janes, the Perez Hilton of the Charlotte Running scene.

Regardless, I'll start at the beginning. I lazed around during my day of nothingness, the highlight was when I walked to Woodies' Auto Shop to pick up my car. At one point it dawned on me that the weather could be bad in Winston, so I checked it out and, sure enough, there was lightning in the hourly forecast. I crossed my fingers and hoped that the race would still go on and left Charlotte at 430pm to make the trip to my alma mater, Wake Forest. Since people in North Carolina don't seem to know how to drive in any sort of precipitation from light rain to a couple of snow flurries, there was a bit of a traffic jam on I-85 and this made my trip about 15 minutes longer than normal. I made it to the race with one hour before the start, and I immediately hopped into the porta-jon and then picked up my bib.

I began my warmup and, within 10 meters, I spotted Bill Shires and we ran the entire course. I learned more about Bill's bruised ribs from an unfortunate bike accident and this helped pass the time. Also, I spotted all of the women who I expected to be there. My goal going into the race was to get third place, but I wanted to go in a controlled fashion so that I would not crash and burn in the last half of the this speedy race.

During my drills, I spotted Billy Shue, who was kind enough to drive up from Charlotte to watch Bill and I race. It sure did mean a lot to both of us! By the time I had completed my A skips, karaoke, and strides, and laced up my racing flats, the race was about to begin. I meandered up the hill to the start line, gave the Demon Deacon a high five and said "Go Deacs!" and took off for another stride. I strategically placed myself on the start line far away from any of the other girls who have posted very fast times in the past month - Stephanie Pezzullo, Allison Grace, and Amber Moran. I did not want to get caught up in the excitement and go out too fast, and this proved to be a smart decision.
The race director shouted go and we were off in a tightly packed group. I situated myself in the top 50 of the pack for the first 400m and then it eventually evened out as the half mile approached. I saw Moran and Pezzullo tucked in close behind Grace and I figured the pace was quick. I didn't want to go out too uncontrolled, but needed to keep them within my sights. They were about 20-30m ahead of me. I came through the first mile in 5:26 with Bill on my shoulder. My breathing felt a little more difficult than expected, and I worried for a moment. Instead, I decided to make a conscious effort to keep the pace honest, and latched onto a young man.
The second mile features a slight incline for the latter part, but I didn't much notice. I saw Billy sprinting toward my group to capture some photos of us in action, and I smiled to myself. His enthusiasm goes practically unmatched! During this mile, I could feel Moran fading backwards toward me and I picked it up a bit to make a move on her. When I passed her, I provided some words of encouragement. I figured if she stuck with me, we could help each other post a fast time. At this point, I was feeling pretty confident and came through the mile in 5:32.

At the start of the third mile, there's a legitimate hill about 200m long and I passed a couple of guys here as I tried to post a faster mile split than my previous one. Luckily, the last 600m of the race features a nice down grade which propelled me to make some ground on Pezzullo, now within 5-8 seconds of me. I wasn't sure how far back Amber was so I was listening for someone to cheer for her. When I passed the three mile mark in 530, I heard someone say "You can catch her" which triggered a response in my legs that I haven't felt in quite some time. I pressed at an all-out sprint so that I could ensure a third place finish. While my legs were turning over at a speed that they have not seen since college, I saw the clock tick over to 16:47 and I knew I had a legit shot at breaking 17:00. When I crossed the line, I had closed in 31 seconds (4 seconds faster than I closed at CPCC Skyline) with an overall time of 17:01.
In the chute, I congratulated Pezz and Grace and thanked Amber for helping me out. I'm always impressed at how encouraging and supportive the women at these races are. In the end, I think we all recognize that we all share the same love for running and that, despite the competitive nature that seems natural to us all, there is a shared sense of respect.

In comparison to last year's race, I ran 38 seconds faster than 2009 and posted much more even splits. I can't complain about the improvement that is indicative in those times. This served as a huge confidence booster as I am one week out from beginning my marathon specific workouts in preparation for Twin Cities Marathon in less than 3 months!

I found Billy and Bill so we all cooled down together even though Billy was rocking a WF polo shirt and cargo shorts. I got a horrible side stitch 2 miles in so I called my cool down short by one mile and opted to find some grub instead. I ran into Joel Tull, who was our massage therapist when I was at Wake, and happens to still be the favorite massage therapist of both Garrett and I. We enjoyed a short but pleasant conversation before he had jet off to get back to Greensboro to give a rub down to a client.

Like last year, I was impressed with the post race food - bananas, oranges, watermelon, energy drinks, soda, water, pizza, granola bars - that never seemed to run out. The race organizers got the results up in a timely manner and presented the awards before the sun set so that I still had time to get to Whole Foods to pick up a cucumber avocado roll. I think the Twin City Track Club does a great job at organizing races and I always look forward to attending their events.

Overall, it was great to post a solid time, run with some great competition, and see some old friends from Wake Forest. I look forward to the next weeks of training with the CRC!!