Changing Plans

Last weekend I was scheduled to run a 5K - something I haven't done in ages! One of the downfalls of marathon training is that you're running 13+ miles almost every weekend for months. To squeeze in a shorter distance race it usually means doing the long run AND the race. (Unless the race is a half marathon and then I give myself a pass.)

10K to 5K

Upon the urging of Miss Jojo from the San Francisco Marathon and Sam from Operation Jack, I signed up for the ACT Today for Military Families 10K in Mission Bay. This race included a 10K, a 5K, and a kids fun run to raise money to support military families with autism. I was scheduled to run 16 miles last weekend and decided that I would run the 10K, and then run 10 more miles around Mission Bay.

I wrote out a schedule on Friday night before going to bed (to make sure I wouldn't be late), but the next morning I was dragging a bit and was behind schedule, and ended up going out the door with an arrival time at the race of 10 minutes pre-start time. Unfortunately my GPS sent me to the wrong address, and after entering it again and still ending up at the wrong address, my 10 minutes dwindled down to 0 .. and soon I knew I wouldn't make it in time. I called David to ask him to look at the website for me to find  a better address and to read me the schedule of events. The 10K (which I was missing) started at 7:30am, but the 5K didn't start until 8:00am .. which I could probably make. AND .. if I really kept having direction problems, I could always make the kids dash at 9:00am. Har har, thanks David for pointing that out.

I finally got to the race around 7:45am, parked, walked a MILE to the start line, and then milled around for a bit. I knew that my friend Dan and his family were going to be there, so I wandered around looking for them. I was excited to find them by the start line and finally got a chance to meet his wife and two adorable daughters! It was nice to finally meet them in person after reading about them online in Kerstin's blog.

Before I knew it race time had arrived! I was sad to have missed the 10K but hadn't run a 5K in a while so figured it would be fun as well. I started out in front with a bunch of Marines and dashed off in a fury with the lead pack for a while. I was running a sub 7:00 pace for a while but was hurting by mile 1. I slowed down a bit and settled in around a 7:30 pace. The course went around Fiesta Island (which I am so sick of after the RNR Marathon, the Fearless Triathlon, and the Tri Club races) and was flat but windy. I had a few people pass me but held my ground pretty well. I knew a couple girls were ahead of me but was pleased to see that not many passed me! As we ticked through the second and third mile I was neck and neck with a girl who looked about my age. I've been edged out for a place in the top 3 many times by a matter of seconds, and now I'm alert to girls who look like they are in my age group and do my best to run them down to the finish.

One girl in particular was just ahead of me from mile 2 to 3, but right near the finish shoot I kicked it up a notch and passed her by about 10 yards as I came across the finish line. Man that felt great! (But darn, she started 3 seconds before me and claimed 1st in our age group. Argh!) I love knowing I have energy at the very end! Running fast for short distances is way out of my comfort zone right now, and I was hurting towards the end. I checked my watch and virtual trainer after finishing the race and was ELATED to see I had nailed my goal! A 7:30 pace exactly! Whoo hoo! I finished in 23:20! Was that a PR? I'd have to check when I got home.

 My Eight Chins & I Powering Through

As it turns out this was a PR for me (19 seconds faster than my stale 2008 PR), I also placed 2nd in my age group out of 37 (missed 1st by 3 seconds!!), placed 4th among all of the women (276 total), and placed 31st overall out of 514. Wow! I did great!

My WINNING Medal Collection

(I've placed a few other times but didn't get medals)

Shorter Long Runs

I needed some time to cool down and walked back to my car, and then decided to head over to the harbor to finish my long run. By the time I got to the harbor I was tired, but figured I'd get over it. Yeah, I didn't. About 2 miles into my run I turned around and decided to give it another go the next day. Sadly, the next day wasn't much better and I only made it for 9 1/2 miles. I was scheduled for 16 miles this weekend and raced 3, ran 4, and then ran 9 1/2 the next day. Total mileage was over 16, but none of it was consecutive. Sigh.

Focusing on the Run

As this next weekend approached I thought about how I've been overloading my training by trying to combine racing with long runs.  A few weekends before when I was scheduled to run 20 miles I squeezed in a Tri Club club triathlon on Saturday, and then tried to run 20 miles Sunday. I was beat and sore and only made it through 17 miles (which I still think was a huge accomplishment), but it wasn't the 20 miles I physically and mentally needed. I did the club race because I was getting nervous about the Super Seal Triathlon, and wanted to have a practice race to re-acquaint myself with the sport. Although my running suffered that weekend I really think it did help me with my triathlon the following weekend. (More on my blog: Super Seal Triathlon.)

This past weekend I was scheduled to run 20 miles again ... and again a club race was going to happen. I registered again (I'm addicted to free racing) and figured I almost made it to 20 last time, I'd definitely make it this time! A friend of mine from GOTR also registered which I thought would make the event even more fun!

Evaluating Priorities

As the weekend approached I started to get worried. I hadn't run 20 miles since the Rock n Roll Marathon last June. That race was horrible for me and completely ruined my self-confidence in distance running. Because of the mental anguish I experienced during and after that race, I actually decided to quit full marathons. (More on my blog I'm over the Marathon) That didn't last toooo long, and here I am back again with a marathon 3 weeks away. My friend got sick recently and pulled out of the club race, and with the pending rain and my stress over the 20 miler, I did as well. Wise choice young grasshopper! I mean Monika!

On Saturday I headed out to run my 20 miles. I was happy to have put running first, and knew it was a good decision. Getting 20 good miles in 3 weeks before my marathon is key. Doing another club race and having a mediocre triathlon performance which would only serve as a training run for a race that wasn't until June was really not a priority, and I'm so glad I realized that. I was apprehensive at the start of the run and self-doubt crept in. I started thinking about my last marathon and how I had a total mental breakdown. Around mile 7 I actually started crying as I was running. :o( Not ugly crying sobbing, but a few tears were shed. I never wanted to be in the place that I was in that last marathon, and I hoped that this coming marathon would be so much better. I pulled it together and focused and churning out the miles.

I had decided a while ago that I need to do this next marathon without my usual pressure of a sub 4:00 finish. My goal at this point is just to finish a race without a meltdown, and to build my confidence back up. With that in mind I try not to look at my watch. I glanced at it now and then to see my pace, but never looked at the overall time. I had set my virtual partner for a 20 mile run at a 9:30 pace - totally conservative. Inside I wanted to finish at a 9:00 pace, but didn't want to stress about it. As I neared the end of my run I was ecstatic to realize that physically I felt okay. Nothing hurt too much and I felt like I was running at a good pace for my body. As I approached the finish of my run I switched over the virtual trainer view on my watch to see if I was ahead of behind my opponent. I was ahead! I was actually ahead by a mile! whoo hoo! I ended up finishing my run at 3:00:50, which is a 9:02 pace. I did it! YES!!

Three Weeks to Go

So now, eleven weeks into my training I think I'm ready. I have three weeks to go before the marathon, and now its focus time! I need to spend these last few weeks not getting hurt, building up my self-confidence, and reminded myself that I LIKE running, and that is why I do it. I'm honestly nervous to run a full marathon again, and I'm praying so hard that it goes well. 

For now .. its taper time! Usually this means I start to get restless, but now that I'm a "triathlete", it just means that I can swim and bike more to keep my nervous energy at bay. OC Marathon, I'm ready for you!