Lilies for Lily 5K

Today was my 2nd slowest 5K ever.  Grr.  How did I regress that bad? 

I signed up for the Lilies for Lily 5K in Neffsville the afternoon after I ran the MHA Ladies 5K, convinced that I would break that 30-minute 5K barrier I've been trying to bust through.  It's the first race I've ever ran by myself, without a support system there.  I just wanted to better my time, not make a whole day out of it.

(On top of that, it was for a great cause.  Lily is a 7-year-old who had a choking accident and now suffers from brain damage due to the incident.  The 5K was put together as a fundraiser to help her family with medical costs.  You can donate to the organization on the Lily Grace Higgins website or through the Lily Grace Higgins Fund Facebook page.)

These past two weeks since the MHA race, I have been absolutely off my game.  I have only ran once since then and my diet has just gone to crap with the last weeks of school.  So many social things, so many bad choices.  I figured it wouldn't hurt that much since a typical workout for me is a 5K anyway.

I showed up this morning, feeling pretty confident... stretched out really well, something I don't usually do.  I started at the very front of the pack to make sure I didn't get stuck behind anyone and could just do my own thing.  I was SO proud of myself because my first mile was 9 minutes and 43 seconds.  WOO!  Fastest ever.

Then my body shut down.

I was cramping so bad that with every strike of my foot on the pavement, my abdominals hurt.  I could feel them jiggling.  I couldn't catch my breath or take in breaths that felt deep enough because of the humidity.  I started to walk hills.  I was just done.  I wasn't mentally there and I wasn't feeling my best physically. 

About halfway through, I got a giant bug in my eye and ran the last half of the race trying to fish it out.  I was moving slowly as it was and I didn't want to stop dead in my tracks to figure it out. (I didn't get it out until I was in the car, by the way.. gross.  Just a big ol' gnat.) 

The last 3/4 of a mile were fantastic, looping back around to where we started on a nice downhill grade.  I really pushed myself through the end, but was so pissed when I turned the corner and saw the timer.. it was at 36 minutes and I came down to the finish, crossing at just over 37 minutes. 

What the hell.

I was so angry with myself that I couldn't even be proud of the sub-10 mile that I started with and had worked so hard to nail.  Had I kept up that pace, I could have gotten very close to breaking 30 minutes.

I'm going to use today as a lesson.  I learned that:

1. Nutrition plays a huge part in my running and I can't forget that.  Whether I'm training for faster 5Ks, longer runs, or even Zumba, I can't let that part of the puzzle slide.

2. Humidity and I are not friends. Therefore, I need to get my ass outside more often and run through the humidity, even if it's just one or two mile runs.

3. No more wine the night before a race. Need I say more?

4. I can totally run a sub-10 mile and not die.

5. Races are just as doable when you do them by yourself.

6. You can't go two weeks without running and expect your best time.

7. I freaking hate hills.

8. I need to stop being afraid of hills.

Saturday is the Tiadaghton Run, a race I've wanted to do forever.  My parents' house is on the race course for this and I've spent so many summers watching people run past, wishing I could do it.  I signed up for it this year and have decided to run the 10K.  It's a pretty hilly race, so I am telling myself that I will haul ass walking up the hills and nail it on the downhills.  I have to control the food this week and make sure I get out twice to keep myself rolling.  Friday will be an off day because I have 6 Zumba classes and at leat 2 runs this week... that's a lot of working out in 4 days!

Being Honest With Myself

I have a confession to make.

I am burnt out.

I got to week six of 1/2 marathon training, and just hit a wall.  I've thought about it, I've tried to work around it, and I've tried to push through it.  It's not that I don't think I can do it, it's that I don't want to do it.

Whaaaaat?

Honestly.  There is nothing inside of me that wants to go out and run 10 miles.  There is not a single part of me that wants to log 20+ miles of running a week.  Sure, I feel proud of myself when I do that, but I'd rather run 3 miles every day and improve my 5K and 10K times than run 1/2 marathons and push myself to do something that I honestly don't want to do.

I went to the gym last Saturday and worked out on a machine for the first time in like a year.  It was the first time in a long time that I actually enjoyed my workout, other than when I'm doing Zumba.  I was pushing myself, breathing heavily, and dripping sweat, but I was loving it.  I wasn't counting down the miles or the seconds or fidgeting with the machine to pass the time. 

I am learning that it's one thing to push myself, but it's another thing to force myself to do something that I genuinely don't want to do.  I'm still excited about the two 1/2s that I have coming up because I can't wait to see how I do, but after the 2nd one in September, it's all 5Ks and 10Ks from here (except for the Megatransect that I will be kicking ass at). 

I can't wait to run for the sake of running, not because it's part of my training.

And speaking of 5Ks, I am running my first 5K on my own tomorrow - the Lillies for Lily 5K near Lancaster.  I wanted to beat my time from the MHA Ladies 5K, but these past two weeks have been so busy that I am not sure if I will be able to or not.. the last time I ran was last Tuesday. 

I'm so very ready to crack down on the fitness and the weight loss this summer.  Monday is the day.  I'm working a CUH-RAY-ZEE Zumba schedule this summer and I'd like to keep running 3 days a week, as well as introduce some strength training and other classes if they fit. 

It's my Biggest Loser summer. ;)

MHA Ladies 5K Recap

Saturday morning I ran my second 5K on 2011, the MHA Ladies 5K here in York.  I was in the mindset to set a PR and was really hoping for under 30.  I knew I'd been training harder in the past few weeks than I had been leading up to the Race Against Racism in April, so I thought I'd be able to push myself on this course, thinking it was primarily flat based off of what I knew about the neighborhood.

Um.  Wrong.

Never do that, okay?

It was pretty hilly.  Rolling hills, anyway.  It started on a hill.  It ended with a hill.  It had hills in the middle.  Ick.  I know I shouldn't be complaining because I've conquered some pretty gnarly hills this year and will be facing some rough ones during 3 of the races I have on tap this year.  I was just not mentally prepared to run any sort of hill and knew I wasn't going to break 30 with them in the course.

Grr.

Anyway, I felt pretty water-logged heading out.  I was determined not to cramp, but I overdid it with hydration.  I started cramping at about 1/2 mile in, but told myself that I could be okay with being uncomfortable for 30 minutes.  I tried to keep D. in my sights as I ran because she's fast, so I felt like if I could keep near her, I'd be good.  Wrong.  I didn't know the course at all, so the first 2 miles seemed ridiculously long, and I was also pretty cocky about my pace, so I was confused when I didn't see the first mile marker by the time my 3rd song on my iPod had ended. 

What hauling ass looks like.. or just pissed off running. 
Somethin' like that.

There was a woman who ran in front of me (I called her Skinny Backpack Bitch in my mind.  I don't think she's really a bitch, it just seemed like a good way to end her name... much more of a bite than Skinny Backpack Girl or Skinny Backpack Woman) who would sprint, stop and get a drink of water out of her backpack and I'd pass her, then she'd sprint and pass me again.  After 2 1/2 miles of this, I got so pissed off that I ripped my headphones out of my ears and just ran the last .6 as hard as I could. 

Did I beat her?

You bet your ass I did.

I also beat myself, setting another 5K PR of 32:17, over a minute faster than my time for the Race Against Racism.  Not bad considering the course was hilly and I didn't know the layout. 

I'm so hell bent to break 30 that I signed up for another 5K on June 18 that I'm running by myself for no reason other than a.) it's a good cause and b.) I REALLY want to beat my time again.

By the way, this was my friend Michelle's first 5K and we've been training like crazy for this.  She kicked ass and finished in just over 42 minutes.  I felt like a proud mama bear watching her cross that finish line!

The "Hasty Ladies" ready to roll.

1/2 Marathon Training: Weeks 4 & 5 Recap

Week 4:
Tuesday:
Scheduled: Easy Run - 2 mi @ 14:45 pace
Completed: 2 mi @ 13:21 pace
Good run, slow & steady to take it easy on the knees.  They'd been killing me pretty badly over the weekend.

Thursday:
Scheduled: Tempo Run - 6 mi @ 13:16 pace
Completed: Emmm.. 2.29 mi @ 10:46 pace
Running short on time this week because I decided to go home for the weekend last minute and knew I'd put in some heavy mileage over the weekend.  Really should have focused on hitting that 6 miles in one run, but I felt good about getting up first thing in the morning and at least getting 2 in WITHOUT music! :)

Sunday:
Scheduled: Long Run - 7 mi @ 14:45 pace
Completed: 7 mi @ 12:46 pace
Drove up to Ramsey with my parents and ran home.  I ran this without any music, just talking to my family and enjoying nature.  It was SO hot and I cramped up pretty early in my run, but once I hydrated I felt pretty good.  7 miles is doable, I just have to be in the mindset to do it.

Week 5:
Tuesday:
Scheduled: Easy Run - 4 mi @ 14:36 pace
Completed: 4.48 mi @ 13:23 pace
Hit the treadmill for this one.  Hated it, but it was too humid to get this in outside in the afternoon and had plans in the evening.


Thursday:
Scheduled: Easy Run - 4 mi @ 14:36 pace
Completed: 5 mi @ 14:12 pace
Cramped.  Hot.  Felt like lead, but I nailed it with one to spare.

Sunday:
Scheduled: Easy Run - 3 mi @ 14:36 pace
Completed: 3.1 mi @ 10:24 pace (MHA Ladies 5K)
Cramped again.  Struggled with the hills, but set a PR! (Will update soon!)

I've been doing pretty good with getting 3 days of running in a week.  These next two weeks are going to be very difficult to get the distance in, so I'm aiming for 3 days of 30 minute runs.  I realize the 1/2 is less than 5 weeks away, but this is the last full week of school and next week is full of events going on, so I need to be realistic. 

I am accepting the fact that I don't think I'm meant to be a 1/2 marathoner.  My 7-mile run last Saturday was rough, but it was flat and I was with my family.  I cannot wrap my head around the concept of going off on a 7-miler by myself on the Rail Trail or something.  I don't mind walking it at all, but 7 miles just seems unreachable.  I will put forth my best effort for Fueled by Fine Wine and the 2nd 1/2 coming up in September, but I need to be honest with myself... I will be happy running 1/2 of a 1/2 marathon.  I'm proud of the fact that I've worked so hard and have come so far, but I know that I do not have enough time to train and be as prepared as I should be for Fueled by Fine Wine.

My legs have felt like shit these past few weeks, especially this last one.  I put in over 20 miles of running and walking while I was home over Memorial Day and didn't really have any time to take it easy afterwards.  I'm hoping that by taking it easy during these next 2 weeks will allow me to absolutely nail my training during the 3 weeks leading up to the 1/2.