7 Mile Tempo at McAlpine

Goal:

60 Min Tempo at 6:15-6:25 Pace (adjusted due to surface)

Actual:

7 Mile Tempo for 44:09 at 6:18 pace

After visiting my Physical Therapist, Angela, at Carolinas Rehabilitation on Thursday, I had developed a large bruise 7 inches long on my IT Band after a Scraping therapy session. Angela used the Graston tool to scrape along my IT Band 9 times. While I was warned of bruising, I will admit that it made foam rolling a bit more painful. The morning of this tempo, I was flaunting the awesome bruise below. Good thing it is winter so I didn't scare any people away with my discolored leg.

I had been warned that the cold would make it harder for my IT Band to feel good, so I took the necessary precaution and warmed my leg during my drive to Mcalpine to meet Stephen and Megan. The temps at the start of our run were in the upper teens, which did not bode well for me. Megan and I met at the main entrance and ran to meet Stephen halfway on the way to Old Bell. After catching up with some good conversation (I hadn't seen Stephen or Megan in over a month), we started our tempo.

With the start of the tempo, I didn't feel too bad. I was glad that my knee actually was pain free, and I wondered if it was due to the IT Band Wrap I was wearing that has been endorsed by Scott Jurek. Stephen was our fearless leader as he lead me through the first three miles in a 615 pace average.

Once we got onto the asphault portion of the trail, however, every good thing unraveled. Little did we know that the next two miles of aspault would be covered with black ice, making it very difficult to go fast. This also put much more wear and tear on my IT Bands and I could feel them getting more and more fatigued with each slippery step. I told Stephen that they were getting tired, and we kept trucking along. We ran our slowest mile here (6:27) and I didn't want the rest of the miles to be that slow. At the 4 mile turnaround, I made a very conscious effort to pick it back up to a respectable pace, which we did. However, I felt like I had spent every ounce of my energy on those two miles of ice, and my legs were working much harder than they should be.

After 6 miles, I informed Stephen that I would be ending early, at the 7 mile mark. He was a good trooper and when we stopped, he informed me that I didn't feel too good on my last tempo before Twin Cities and still ran a sub-2:42. I think that Stephen and I both work well together because we know how to listen to our bodies and minds to know when enough is enough. We also know that it is pointless to spend too much time talking or thinking about a workout that was below our own expectations. The best thing to do is to recognize a weakness for the day and to move on. I know that I ran 26.2 miles 8 seconds faster than I did in this tempo today, but the important thing is that I did get a good effort in. I hope that I can run 6 min pace or faster at Houston, but the key will be to get my IT Band feeling normal again.

I enjoyed a long 4 mile cool down with both Stephen and Megan, where I learned more about Stephen got into running. He went from a 2:42 to a 2:38 to a 2:32! That's pretty much amazing. Megan is less than 100 days from the Boston Marathon, where she will revisit the city where she ran a blazing 2:37:xx marathon at the 2008 Olympic Trials. I believe that all the hard work she's been putting in will definitely pay off come April.

Splits:
616
611
620
627
618
619
614

6x5 Min at McAlpine

Goal:
6x5 Min at sub 5:45 pace with 2 min rest

Actual:
2.64 miles warmup
6x5 Min at 5:37-5:42 pace with 2 min jog rest
~1 mile cool down for 10 miles total

I recruited Meagan and Heidi to run this workout with me so that I would have some company at McAlpine. Heidi runs for NYAC, graduated from Duke XC/TF in '04, and heard about the CRC through the Club XC race. Jordan of course showed up to support his girlfriend and to pace us ladies through the mud.

I was worried about my IT Band rubbing against my knee, so I took all the necessary precautions beforehand: I alternated ice/heat (ending with heat), stretched, and performed my strengthening exercises that I found on youtube. I even curled up on my heated blanket to ensure that my entire IT Band received enough warmth to be ready for the soon-to-be assault on my body. Finally, I tucked a hand warmer into my capris so that my IT Band connector would be warm.

After a 20 minute warmup, we made our way to the 1.75 mile marker at McAlpine in an effort to avoid all hills (big or small) and all cambered surfaces. The plan was to make our way towards Old Bell, turn around and then head back onto the first two miles of the XC Course, skipping the hill. Jordan and I lead the way for the first 2, and I felt strong and consistent on these. My breathing felt a little out of whack, so I'm not sure what that was all about. By the 3rd and 4th intervals, Meagan and Jordan had created a 5 meter gap on me, so I made a surge to finish back up with Meagan by the finish. I was not as lucky on the 5th and 6th ones, as Jordan and Meagan made a sizable gap on me of at least 10-20 meters. I was still maintaining my original pace of 5:40, so I'm guessing she was running 5:30-5:34 pace.

For each of the intervals, I tended to finish about halfway in between the 1.2k and 1.6k marks, a little past 1.4k. I felt the worst on the 5th and 6th intervals because my IT Bands on both sides just felt very weak and fatigued. It could be from the exercises I've been doing, or just from general weakness in those areas. It could also have been from the increased number of turns and the uneven, soft surfaces that were causing me to utilize my IT Band more for balance. ALl said and done, considering that I felt no pain in the side of my knee and that I hit a faster pace than my goal Half Marathon pace, I am really pleased with this workout.

Meagan should be very happy and confident about her workout as well because not only did she rock the 6x5 min portion of the workout, but then she knocked out a 20 min tempo afterward. While her decision to run the Houston Marathon is still to be determined, it is clear that she is definitely strong enough to post some fast times within the next couple of weeks. It will be fun to watch, even if from behind!

Splits
1: 5:40 pace (.88 miles)
2: 5:37 pace (.89 miles)
3: 5:37 pace (.89 miles)
4: 5:40 pace (.88 miles)
5: 5:42 pace (.875 miles)
6: 5:42 pace (.875 miles)

Now I'm off to see Dr. Price, in hopes that he can give me some more pointers to getting my IT Band back to normal!

2010 in Review

While I was at Wake Forest, when my teammate Merry and I were having a bad season, we would muse that when we looked back on our college days, our best and our worst races would not be the defining moments of our collegiate experience. Instead, we both agreed that we would remember the overall experiences with our friends that were most memorable. Experiences like road trips to meets (like getting so lost in the Boston ghetto that we were late for a meet and had to have the race postponed for us), experiences like Student-Athlete Semi-Formals (where the track team always was the first on and the last off the dance floor), experiences like the Annual Sketch Party (where teammates' feet feel through the ceiling in the attic) - these experiences are what I remember most and I revisit these memories often.

In the same light, I could choose to list whatever accomplishments I achieved in the year 2010, but breaking a PR does not compare to the friendships that I've acquired. It does not compare to the trips that I've taken...nor does it come close to having my parents there as I debut in my longest race ever. Unlike college, where I had the rare opportunity to travel to places like Stanford or Oregon to race against some of the best, I kept the majority of my 2010 racing within a 200 mile radius of Charlotte (with the exception of two big races - Cherry Blossom and Twin Cities).

What I liked most about 2010? All the new friendships that were formed. Fortunately for me, some of the best female talent is centered right here in NC, so I had lots of competition in Meagan Nedlo, Molly Nunn, Addie Bracy, Megan Hovis, Kelly Fillnow, Alice Rogers, Alana Hadley, and many many more. Megan and Addie have already qualified for the Trials and I know that Meagan, Molly, and Alice have the determination and talent to do the same in just a few weeks. I have enjoyed racing against and running with all of these women in 2010 and look forward watching their 2011 accomplishments unfold on the roads. With many miles on the roads, through rain, sun and sleet, I have gotten to know each of these women and know that these relationships will carry on into many more new years.

Although I just mentioned some people above, to list all the people who I have gotten to know better is probably a bad idea because someone will inevitably get left out, but I can list people in groups. The standard Thursday Dowd run boasts so many runners that I actually look forward to seeing them every Thursday in the hours of dark-thirty. I got to know some of Charlotte's finest masters runners this year and had the opportunity to work out with them on a regular basis. I've shared sweat and water with some of the best sales and technical representatives in Charlotte. I've road tripped with Aaron, Jay, and Matt to races and long runs. I've had the Thunder Road Marathon Champion, Jordan Kinley, slow down countless times to pace Meagan and I. I've continued to meet more and more members of the Charlotte Running Club, all individuals which are making an impact on our running community.

I've continued to build upon my relationship with the founders and board members of the Charlotte Running Club. As our Club evolves, I watch as our relationships evolve as well. We accomplished a lot in 2010, but we know that there is so much more to be done in order for us to make some noise regionally. I've shared in fun CRC socials that have ranged from taking a shot of tequila to celebrate CRC's first birthday, to singing karaoke, to racing in a prediction run. At all of these events, I was able to put one more face to a name, and to help one person find a running buddy. I was able to connect with my current coach, Mark Hadley of Maximum Performance Running, who has helped me move achieve some fast times.

What do I most remember about the summer? Running in super hot, terrible weather and then heading to the Hepp Hovis Training Facility to eat and swim. Those are some of the best days! Nothing like running together and then hanging out for a couple of hours with your legs surrounded by a body of water. We are all forever indebted to the Hovis' for their graciousness in allowing us into their home. These summer long runs aren't remembered for the sweltering heat, but for the company and food that was shared afterward.

These are the long runs that helped propel me to success in my debut marathon and to make my dream of making the Olympic Trials a reality. Without the company of many friends on so many long runs, I doubt I would have been able to have as much fun as I did during the Twin Cities race. The slew of texts, facebook messages, and voicemails that I received from friends and family after this race might be up there as one of my top memories from 2010. The support, love and friendship radiated from each of those messages, and I was so proud to be able to call Charlotte my home. To make the moment even more special, I was able to share in this entire experience with my parents and high school coach at my side. Not only did they bounce around the course, but they took pictures, provided words of encouragement, and gave me a hug as soon as I crossed the finish line. Did I mention that my parents and coach are 58 and 61 years old? I'm pretty sure they have more energy than me sometimes. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Personally, I celebrated my third anniversary with Garrett while we were in Costa Rica with my family. I've continued to learn more and more about Garrett's family and have enjoyed every moment with them, which is quite often in comparison to how often I see my own parents. I have been blessed to have a second family so close to me in North Carolina. However, since my family is all over the place (and since I've gone to some good races), it has given me the chance to go so many places this year! The list is great! Costa Rica, California (three times - LA, SF, LA), Boston, Illinois, Orlando (twice), Minneapolis, DC, Nashville. I traveled quite a bit this year, but it was totally worth it.

While I may have just slated 2010 to be one of the best years ever (which is was), that doesn't mean there weren't any lows - there were definitely some, but the best is to always learn from those experiences. I had a terrible race soon after the Marathon at the Huntersville 10k, where John and I thought there was prize money but instead we won a blanket. I did terrible on my GMAT (and probably did not put in the amount of work that was necessary). When I list these things now, they seem so menial (especially considering that my best friend Merry is fighting poverty in the Dominican Republic), so it's probably best to just stop writing anything. 2010 was one of the best years I've had since college, and I hope that 2011 will bring the same happiness to all.

Week in Review

49.6 Miles
6 Runs, 1 Double
2 Days off
1 tight IT Band

Well, this week started off quite well for the first three days and then quickly deterioated with the snap of a finger. I was excited at the idea of hitting 80 miles for the first time since before the Twin Cities Marathon, but those hopes were dashed when my knee hurt really bad on Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday, I took completely off and allowed my knee time to get back to its normal size. I popped ibubrofen, iced four times a day, and limited my walking.

By the time Saturday rolled around, after doing a couple of trial runs in my hallway, I felt confident that I could perform my duties of sweeper at the CRC Hangover Prediction Run. I ran easy for a little over 30 minutes to realize that there was no pain, just a really tight IT Band that I needed to roll at least five times a day. After this, Garrett showed me band exercised that would help strengthen my IT Band and my Hamstrings.

On Sunday morning, I was unsure if I would be able to run on my leg for over an hour, but was pleasantly surprised that I could put my left IT Band through not only 1 hour and 46 minutes of work, but also put it through 30 minutes at an average of 6:26 pace. Meagan did a fantastic job of putting in this effort, especially after doing a workout the day before.

Do not fret, I iced and rolled later in the day. Just because the leg seems to be back to normal does not mean that I go back to my old ways. Rolling and stretching have become a part of my daily regime and I will be seeing a physical therapist for more exercises to prevent this from happening in the future. I'm hoping that next week's week in review will showcase a weekly mileage of 80+. Houston is in just 4 weeks!