Tuesday Training Update: Moose on the Loose RP

When posting my training updates last week I just felt sort of blah. The training was solid, but my heart just wasn't into the whole running thing. For whatever reason, I was in a funk.

This past week the training was just fair, but I managed to bring back the joy. I had a race to look forward to! I was excited to run this 10 miler for two reasons. First, my friend Amy was running (and she's a phenomenal runner). She's run a 1:30 half marathon, and a 3:20 marathon more than once at Boston. This year she was training for a 3:10, but sprained her ankle within the first few miles. Still she managed to pull off another 3:20 and spent most of the summer in rehab (that can happen when you run 20 plus miles on a sprained ankle). Can you tell I was excited to run with her? The second reason I was looking forward to the race? I wanted to get a feel for how my training is going. The second reason made me a little nervous.

Although I was feeling good about having a race to run, I still had some obstacles to overcome during the week. The long run last Sunday took more out of me than I care to admit. I wound up being really sore until Thursday. It didn't impact my training, but I was nervous that my legs would be dead for the race or worse, I'd have asthma issues during the race. Also, the KT tape that works so well for my Achilles gave me blisters on my arches that started out small, but got bigger throughout the week. I forgot how tricky blisters on the arches can be. Given the circumstances, I chose to play the relaxed runner, take the training in stride, and focus on the race.

Finally, the race report! I ran the Moose on the Loose 10 mile trail race on Sunday. The race was reminiscent of my high school and college cross-country days. There were approximately 250 runners. And all them were serious. The race is part of a series of races that comprise the New Hampshire Grand Prix, which consists of a number of running clubs competing against each other. Most runners were wearing uniform singlets. Most runners were on a team. I was an outsider. Amy introduced me to her team members, and everyone was really nice. It was fun.

The actual race is a 2.5 mile trail loop. Four loops equals 10 miles. My first 2.5 mile loop was at 6:40 pace. LOL, probably a little too fast, especially considering is was hot and humid. The race summary on Cool Running noted that temps hit the low 90's during the race (not sure that's entirely true, but it was definitely in the 80's). I crossed the 5 mile mark in a little under 35 minutes. Don't remember 7.5 mile time. Crossed the finish line at 1:12:24 (7:15 pace). In case you're wondering, Amy whooped my butt by about a minute and 20 seconds. I did finish second in my age group (to Amy), and I was the 9th female finisher of 97.

I was only slightly disappointed in my time. If the weather had been cooler, I'm confident that I could have come close to breaking 1:10. Three or four weeks ago I ran a 7.5 tempo run at 6:54 pace, but then it was only 70 degrees. Did I mention it was really hot on Sunday? Given the heat, I'm at peace with my time. Also, I didn't make myself sick, had no asthma issues, and didn't get sore. So I'm calling it a successful race. Oh, as a side note, I've realized I'm like the only runner on the planet that can't seem to drink water and run at the same time. It's ridiculously embarrassing, seriously. After hitting a few water stops running, I realized I was never going to get any in my mouth if I just didn't stop. I did wind up stopping maybe four times, only to get a tiny measly sip of water down my gullet. Yet everyone else running around me had seemed to master this capability. I have so much to learn! Last note, I checked the time with McMillan's Running Calculator and I should be able to pull off a 3:22 marathon (assuming I continue training well).

Overall, it was a great week for running!

Last Week's Training Log:
Monday: 3 x 1600 meter row at 6:15 pace + 60 minutes on the stationary bike
Tuesday: 5 mile run at 8:17 pace (92 degrees and humid)
Wednesday: 6.25 mile run at 8:11 pace (82 degrees and humid)
Thursday: 5 x 1600 meter row at 6:26 pace + 50 minutes on the stationary bike
Friday: 60 minutes on the stationary bike
Saturday: Off
Sunday: 10 mile race 7:15 pace (upper 80s and humid)