February 2019 Monthly Running Challenge

greyparks206 wrote: »

Race Report Time...

Whew. Today did not start off well. It's been a horribly stressful week, and, as I mentioned in my last post, I haven't been sleeping well. The only run I got in all week was my crappy 1.5 miles of treadmill struggle on Thursday. When my alarm went off at 4:00 this morning, I very nearly turned it off and laid back down. But I finally convinced myself that I shouldn't let my entry fee go to waste. I drug myself out of bed and dressed, got myself and all the animals fed, and managed to get to the race site with about 10 minutes to spare to pick up my packet and get myself together before the start.

On Thursday, it was 82 degrees here. When I arrived at the race, it was 41 degrees and overcast. Ugh. But this was a Mardi Gras themed race, and the music and energy quickly started improving my spirits. As I looked around, I realized it was going to be a very small race (maybe 15-20 participants, best I could tell), and there was going to be a vehicle following the racers.

I immediately started to get anxious that I was going to fall way behind and spend the whole race being tailed by that car. To add to my nerves, I just got a new iPhone XS this week and didn't realize until I got to the race that this model doesn't have a headphone jack. I usually use MapMyRun to provide pace updates and keep myself on track but resigned myself to running on instinct today. Except that I ALSO apparently don't know how to fully mute this new phone, which I realized 0.25 miles in when my pace update was broadcast from my pocket to the entire race pack. Anxiety level = 1000.

But, soon, I realized that I wasn't just staying with the pack - I was passing people! Soon I found myself running in the first half of our (admittedly small) group. My pace updates were telling my that I was absolutely FLYING (by my standards) - and I didn't feel like I was going to die! About halfway through, I realized that I was on track for a sub-30 minute 5k and started second guessing my app, especially because it was also indicating that I had run a bit further than I expected for that point in the race.

As soon as the finish line came into sight, I realized that MapMyRun wasn't that crazy after all. Official results haven't been posted yet, but I think I was somewhere in the neighborhood of 30:20 on the clock when I crossed the line! There were no age group awards (other than youth/adult splits) at this race, but, best I could tell, I was the 3rd or 4th woman to finish. Small race or not, that's a huge achievement for me. My 2018 finish times for 5k races were 38:40 (April), 39:16 (May), 38:14 (June), and 36:17 (October). This was a SIX MINUTE improvement on my 5k PR! Holy cow. I'm thrilled, to say the least.

MapMyRun and my Fitbit both think the course was about 3.5 miles, not 3.1, and that I ran for about 32 minutes rather than 30. Either way, that's a sub-10 minute/mile pace, so I'm not going to complain. But I'm absolutely logging the mileage as 3.5. Lol.

10.5/55.0 miles for February so far

Wooo hooo well done! That's awesome!

February Running Totals (miles)
2/1 –5.16 course preview
2/2 – 7.29 warmup, commute, 8K XC race
2/3 – 10.81 easy
2/4 – rest day
2/5 – 10.52 warmup, speed work, cool down
2/6 – 8.78 easy
2/7 – 7.59 warmup, speed work, cool down
2/8 – rest day
2/9 – 11.50 warmup, 8 mile race

February running total to date – 61.65

Nominal February mileage goal: 190 miles

Real Goals: Train well toward Boston. Work the February races into the training plan smoothly. Remain uninjured, even if it means cutting back on planned mileage or races.

Today's notes – At Thursday's club practice, my friend Bill opined that I could probably clinch my age group in the Freezeroo series by sleeping in today, so maybe I should just do a long run for Boston training. I thought about that, and decided that a warmup plus the 8 mile race would fit into Boston training as well as anything, so I may as well run the race.

The weather this morning was right on forecast: 18° F (-8° C) with 18-24 mph W wind that I mistook for having a more southerly component because I didn't know which way the road was oriented. Got out for my warmup, wearing new gloves (recommended by @PastorVincent ) and stuffing the Hot Hands I got in Tallahassee into the pockets. That kept my hands from being as cold on the warmup as they had been at the last Freezeroo race, so I used the same gloves for the race.

As I had expected, there was light snow falling and blowing all morning near the lake. The warmup showed the road into the park and the residential streets about mile 6 as snow covered. The little surprise was that Edgemere Drive was snow covered for almost 2 miles, along Long Pond and Cranberry Pond. Either it was Pond Effect Snow, or just ordinary snow drifting in with a strong wind across the ponds, doesn't matter. The footing made miles 5 to 7 more effort than they would have been on clear asphalt. I was wearing Peregrine Ice + shoes; I can now say that they aren't perfect on slick, packed down tire tracks but they're better than the standard Peregrines were and far better than ordinary road shoes.

I've been working fairly hard in training lately, it was cold, and this was not a terribly important race. So I decided running really fast wasn't important. It was important that I finish ahead of one other guy; I saw him at the start, passed him early, and he never caught up. So I concentrated on running at a sustainable pace for the conditions. The actual sustainable pace varied with different road conditions. My mile splits were 7:05, 6:54, 6:50, 6:55, 6:58, 7:21, 7:10, and a 6:46 pace for what Garmin says is 0.99 miles to end. The mile 6 and 7 splits reflect running on mostly fresh snow, wearing myself out. The 6:46 pace for mile 8 was a lot harder than that pace should be for me, reflecting the fact that I was tired from running in the snow. But I finished in 55:54.567 gun time, for an average pace of 7:00 per mile per Garmin, perhaps 6:59 if I call the race 8 miles even.

The result was good for 12th of 133 overall, 1st of 8 in the M 60-64 age group, and my lowest point race in the Freezeroo series to date. Since this is the 5th race and the series is scored as the best 4 results, my performance did no more for my series standings than sleeping late would have. However, my closest competitor got few enough points that he can't overcome my lead even if he wins the last race outright. So Bill was right; I would have clinched my age group by sleeping late this morning. But it feels a lot better to have got out there and run.

I've been a weather wimp lately. Absent a commitment to a group run or a race, there's a good chance I wouldn't have got outside to run today. I'm glad I got out; it was really a pleasant run, with pleasant company both before and after the race.

2019 Races:
January 1, 2019 Freezeroo #2 (Resolution Run 7.5 mile) (Mendon, NY) finished in 50:55
January 5, 2019 Winter Warrior Half Marathon (Gates, NY) finished in 1:30:48
January 12, 2019 Freezeroo #3 (Pineway Ponds 5 Mile) (Spencerport, NY) finished in 33:10
January 26, 2019 Freezeroo #4 (Hearnish 5 mile) (Victor, NY) 4.9 miles, finished in 32:28
February 2, 2019 USATF XC Championship, Masters 8K (Tallahassee, FL) finished in 32:53
February 9, 2019 Freezeroo #5 (Tom Brannon 8 mile) (Greece, NY) finished in 55:55
February 23, 2019 Freezeroo #6 (White House Challenge 4.4 mile) (Webster, NY)
March 16, 2019 USATF Masters 8K Championship (Shamrock 8K) (Virginia Beach, VA)
March 17, 2019 Shamrock Half Marathon (Virginia Beach, VA)
April 13, 2019 BAA 5K (Boston, MA)
April 15, 2019 Boston Marathon (Hopkinton, MA to Boston, MA)
November 3, 2019 TCS New York City Marathon (New York, NY)

I'm not going to type a report on my phone, so the full race report will have to wait until I get back to Dallas tomorrow. For now, I'm letting the recovery tights work their magic on my poor legs, so I'll just leave this here in the meantime:

Day February
1 3
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
7 0
8 4.5
9 12

Total: 19.5
Goal: 110

Not too much to say today. I wore a tank top because it was like 45 degrees when I started but I never really felt it getting warmer. I kind of regretted not having gloves or sleeves for the first couple of miles LOL

@garygse - wow, that is impressive!!! Congrats!
@greyparks206 - wow - that's so great ! What a feeling to think your app is not right and then BAM you are at the finish!

I did the duathlon today. Wow, it was so tough! I went into it thinking it would take me about 1 hour, 15 mins. NO! 1:45.
The hills! This was an hour from my house, out where people practice hills, so stupid me should have realized it would be hilly. But I didn't think the run would be hilly because the video showing it looked flat.
The 5K went well, although I did walk on the very last hill. I don't have an exact time for the 5K. I didn't remember to stop my Garmin on the run until I had been at my bike several minutes and at that point it said 32. The race results don't look right. (see pic at bottom - there is no T1 which I guess means transition 1) and it shows a very long time for the 5K (which appears to include the bike ride?) but I know that had to be a little under 30. When I went through the first tracking gate, there was no beep. I didn't know there was supposed to be at beep at that point. All the others tracking gates made a loud beep when I went through them. Oh well, it's not like I'm using this to qualify for something!

The bike ride was very hilly but I'm quite happy with how I did. I tend to sort of shutdown during hills when I'm with a group. Well, not shut down, I never walk my bike, but just give up and feel frustrated. But this time, I didn't feel frustrated. I just looked at it as I can do this, whenever I get there, I'm there! And like @greyparks206 I started passing a few people going up the hill! I am talking REALLY slow though. About 7mph. Usually I am biking 18-20mph and on hills it varies - maybe 10-16. But I did hit 27 going down hills! WHEEE!

I had anticipated the 20K bike ride being about 30 minutes. Ummm.. NO!
Then after getting back to the bike shoot I had to put back on the running shoes and I said to the referee, please tell me there are no hills on this 2.5K. She said yes, there are more hills. I ran but it was very slow. But everyone was slow at that point (I'm sure the winners sprinted it!)
At the very end the guy in front of me said "thanks for pacing me, I heard you and didn't stop because I knew you were right on my heels". I said "I was trying to pass you!"

I was standing around chatting with people about 30 minutes later and this man was waiting for his wife and when she finished and she was so mad. She said it was awful, she hated it, never doing it again, the wind, the hills, etc. And he said "I don't think you are the last one, there's one person still out there". I thought that was was so mean! I'm surprised she didn't bop him on the head, lol.

I didn't hurry at all during either transition. I tried to hurry a little but I just sort of casually put on my bike shoes and even changed socks. There were a lot of people that were obviously experts that went flying through there. A lady that ran in after me was in and out while I was still figuring out where to put my running shoes, lol. After the bike ride the guy standing at the end of the bike area asked me, aren't you going to run? You aren't done yet! I was looking at the transition as my little break, lol. I mean, I would have stopped for a glass of wine had they offered it!

As hard as it was, I would do it again, because I'm one of the crazies like everyone else!



My legs are incredibly sore now.

Great job on the PR @greyparks206!

@garygse Awesome job! Congrats on the BQ! I can't wait to read the report.

Great job on your first dualthon @ddmom0811!

@Stormtrooper101 Welcome! It's never too late to join this crazy group!

2/1 14.25 miles
2/2 28.49 miles
2/3 14.55 miles, Cycling 1:30:50
2/4 26.56 miles, 280 days on the run
2/5 14.28 miles
2/6 14.25 miles
2/7 14.25 miles
2/8 14.56 miles
2/9 36.62 miles, 285 days on the run, (25°F/-3°C to 238°F/3°C) North wind, gusty, Run took 6 hours