What's going on

OK, in the last 24 hours I have done so many things wrong. Of course they dont seem wrong while I'm doing them, only partially maybe midway and totally wrong in hindsight.

I took 2 days off of running as per PT Pete. I think the last time I took 2 days off was right after the NJ marathon. I was surprised by how crazy it made me. 

Last night, I trekked to the Bronx to run cross country. There's one more race in the summer series that I'm going to miss so I wanted to do this one. It was hot, but luckily the humidity was low. I warmed up for 2 miles with Claudia. Everything felt fine. I had no real goal for the race. So we lined up and off we went. I think I may have taken the flats a little fast. Again. I felt mostly sorta ok. A few women passed me, I passed a few, I went back and forth with one girl the whole way and got her for good on the last flat half mile. I also managed to hold off 2 girls right at the line. I knew they were close because some kids kept running in front of us and I could hear her yell WATCH OUT so I kicked it up for like the last 10 feet to keep them from passing me. 23:54. Not bad for a hilly course and 80 degree weather. I then did a mile cool down.

Then, I started getting horrible horrible ladytime cramps. I was a mess. This sometimes happens after a hard run though it hasn't in a long time. I waited for my gang of folks, claudia was running with Hilary who is rehabbing a stress fracture and got on the train. I was soaked. All the bathrooms in the park were closed so in my own special klassy way, I changed out of my shorts on the subway.  While I am known for just changing my shirt in public after races (it's legal for women to be topless in the state of New York. A law I love) I think dropping trau on the train might have been a first for me.

I shuffled home, still feeling like crap but well enough to get a half galloon of ice cream on the way. I got home, put myself in the shower and just laid there. I felt terrible. And I hadn't seen Loren all week and she was finally home. I downed a few advil and laid on the bed. Ice cream ended up being my dinner.

So with all this, why did I think it would be a good idea to get up and run 10 miles this morning? Well, it wasn't a good idea. Loren and I got up a little after 6. It certainly had cooled off over night with some rain and we were out the door by 7. My foot was on fire before we left, which is pretty common for first thing in the AM. Loren was doing 4 so left me a little after 2.5. I trudged on hoping I'd warm up enough so my foot wouldn't hurt. It usually does warm up. Not so much today. Then thunder. Then pouring rain. That actually may have been the best part of the whole run. I decided to cut it to 8 and the only reason I didn't cut it more was 8 would get me home. I felt terrible. All the things pointing to why this is not a good idea came up in my mind, too little too late. Oh well. I got home in time to see Loren leaving for work. I put myself in and ice bath then rolled by foot on a frozen water bottle for a few minutes shy of forever.

I feel better now. I'm seeing Pete and 1 and think I will feel even better then.

the ghost of the bear

Oh loyal readers, all 3 of you, I have no running news of my own today, but please adjust your sets and head over to Girl In Motion for an amazing story of the Philly Distance run.

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you may need to change your shorts when all is said and done.

I believe in rebirth, for I have seen the cemetery twice

So today was a tune up race. I switched my schedule around so I wasn't doing my long run the day before a race. I did that on Friday. I figured oh good,  a nice 4 mile cross country race. This should be good, I should nail this one. 

I was hoping for sub 8, maybe just around 8 minute pace.

I was wrong.

Loren and I headed up to Van Cortlandt park for the race. I love running up there, I love cross country. I do not love the 4 mile course that has us see Cemetery hill.

Twice.

I much prefer the back hills, maybe because I am so much more familiar with them.

As we started, I kept telling myself to hold back and stay in control. Since this race starts on a flat straight away, people go bombin out like their pants are on fire, get into the wood, and fall apart. I kept it together. I ran my first mile just under 8. Then I got to the hills and, well, honestly, I dont know what happened. I didn't expect to run it all at that pace, I knew I'd loose a bit on the up hill but I'm a really good, fearless, downhill runner. I was hittin sub 7 coming out back to the flat. 

Again, I tried to stay in control on the flat part of the course. I knew something wasn't right when I HR stayed below 190. If I'm really pushing, I should see 190-194. I never got outa the 180s and I felt like I was really giving it a go.

2nd time up the hill, still wasn't feeling it. Granted, I have not done hill specific training this year though I have done a lot of hilly running. Once I got to the top, I tore down it again disappointed I was no where near my goal time. I just went all out out of the woods and back to the flat. My last mile i eeked out in 7:59.

When I crossed the finish line is 32:47, I was pissed. I had run a better 4 miler a few weeks ago after I ran 6 miles before. A woman from VCTC, who've I've had a friendly rivalry with for years, finished right ahead of me. She turned and said good race, not bad for this course on such a hot day. I was still so mad at myself I just sorta grumbled.

I found Loren, who ran sorta on a whim to see how she did.

She casually said 3rd. I said oh well it's a tough age group and she said no, overall.

So at least someone had a good race.

We had pizza and talked about why I didn't have a good race. I think it comes down to being dehydrated, it was hot (though not humid or it would have been so much worse) and since my HR wouldn't go up where I know it will go, being tired. Or maybe that's a hill of beans and I just had a bad day.

I'm over the big hump of my training. I can see the light to marathon day to the point of knowing all the long runs I have left. I know I'm tired so I'm just going to try and let this one go and have faith that come race day, I'll be ready for my 3:45.

suck....eggs

Somedays the runs are just not good.

Today, the run was just not good. I had PT yesterday, my ass still hurts, I had a mini leg stroke at 4am so I didn't sleep well.

Whine one one

Anyway, the 8 miles are in the books. It's done and that's really all that matters.