The end of the week is both training log and race report. Overall this was a good week, even though the rodent said 6 more weeks of winter.
Monday – 3.050 yard swim mid-afternoon. Monday was a weird day where I struggled with my blood sugar all day and worked from home so I could try to stabilize it. I finally was in good shape by mid-afternoon and decided to get it in while the pool was likely less crowded.
Tuesday – Half mile repeat day. Six of them with 2:00 recovery in between. I started the warmup with a guy who was in his third mile already and only running five miles. So it was a bit fast. My 800s were ok, but not fabulous: 5:20, 5:19, 5:32, 5:19, 5:31, 5:32. I managed to hang myself out about 2.4 miles from the start when I only needed a mile cooldown. 7.5 total miles.
Wednesday – 3,000 yard swim. Thought my swim coach was trying to kill me with the late 5×100 with a resistance band around my ankles. It was the day of the team party so I moved my ride to Saturday (with coach’s permission).
Thursday – 5 mile easy run before I met with the personal trainer and did core work. He actually liked my plank form and said I did well this week.
Friday – 2,700 swim. The plan was 100 less, but the first part was 500 with drills and I forgot to use the drill timer so I added 100 and then started the workout. More resistance band death, but only 2×50.
Saturday – I rode an easy 15 miles on the trainer riding next to my husband on the other trainer, which was fun.
Sunday – RACE REPORT
A few weeks ago, before he updated my plan, I told coach that I could do a brick workout, riding the trainer in the hallway at the race venue (a school) and then running the Groundhog 7. G7 is one of the races my club stewards and it is a free community race on Super Bowl Sunday. It is timed and a great course. Coach bought the idea and put it in my training plan.
I went to the school around 11 AM to be able to get there and unload everything, then set up the bike. I got on the bike around 11:55 and had quite a few people give me quizzical looks or stop by to chat or grab a selfie. Coach was there to volunteer for the race and he stopped by the hall to chat while I was riding too. I finished my 15 miles and then got off the bike and ducked into a stairwell (guarded by Mr. Anise) to change into outdoor running clothes. I drank a container of coconut water and snarfed down a huma gel and headed to the start line.
The start was a little congested, as usual, but fine. I went out too fast, running the first mile in 10:45. It is both good and bad to be super warmed up. Good because you’re warmed up and ready to run, bad because you go too fast. With the course being backwards I knew that most of the hills were in the first few miles, before we got on the rail-trail. The second mile was more in line with reality at 11:01. The third mile was 11:16, but included a tight turn. After that there was a water stop and I used a Honey Stinger gel right before that and ran through the stop getting a cup of water and splashing it everywhere (I usually walk water stops). Mile 4 was 11:08 and we were settling into being on the trail and out of the wind. Mile 5 was 11:04. At this point I knew I had a chance at PR if I could hang on. My husband was the photographer near the hairpin turn at 5.5 miles. He said to go for it. I finished mile 6 in 11:10. I was starting to feel like I could have used more nutrition on the course, but I was determined to keep going. With a quarter mile left I made the last turn and saw coach. I was focused and didn’t say anything, just kept hauling it. The last mile was 11:04. Total time 1:17:40 – a 36 second PR.
On my cool down I stopped and talked to coach for a minute. I asked if he would take a PR…he said yes. :)
, share lanes, etc.; pedestrian networks which allow a person to complete 3-10 miles of distance, either continuously in one direction or through a loop course; a running track that is maintained, well lit, and open to the public; water fountains along a trail or pedestrian network; bathrooms; available parking near a trail or path system; trails/paths maintained year-round with snow removal in winter; and emergency phones on pedestrian networks and pedestrian networks well-lit after dark.
Indianapolis, my hometown, was named the RRCA Outstanding Runner-Friendly Community of the Year for 2016. It was a great opportunity for the community to be recognized at the RRCA convention in Detroit and then for Indy Runners to present the award to the Mayor of Indianapolis (who is a runner) at a club run in the early summer.
