WEEK 8: 33 miles and DH Jones 10-miler

Monday: off
Tuesday: Lift + 2 miles TM; dead legs; log 2
Wed: Pisgah with Griffin and Greg- trails just ok.  Mini-vistas; Log 6
Thursday: Surry Dam with Tat; Legs dead tired and flat out painful- torture; Log 7
Friday: Treadmill, felt a little better; Log 6
Saturday: off- stood outside in the freezing cold watching two games of lax at Tufts; Log 0
Sunday: DH Jones 10-miler; 1:22:13/8:14pace Log 12

Not a great week.  My legs were pretty sore and dead on every run until Friday and even that day wasn't an awesome run.  I guess I didn't recover from the 15 on Sunday well.  Just haven't felt overall good since being sick.  I still had high hopes for a 10-mile PR on Sunday though...

We got down to Amherst early and I really felt ready to go as far as eating, going to the bathroom, having a nice warm-up, and being dressed perfectly.  It was windy but sunny and a perfect temp for running.  I ran this race 2 years ago and ran 1:20, so my goal was anything below that.  I didn't want to go out too fast and I knew the course was hilly- so work the downhills.  The race started normally enough, and off I went.
Mile 1: 7:56. perfect. 
Mile 2 is downhill and I "worked it" to a 7:09...oops, but it was downhill afterall. 
Mile 3 back up and into the WIND...my Right Piriformis started to hurt because of the wind pushing me over to that side...8:33. eh ok I can recover that...
Mile 4 still going up.  Now I was pissed and walked...8:57,  I'm lucky it wasn't 12 minutes
Mile 5 onto the dirt road and I think some downhill recovery...8:21.  Gotta go faster than that to recover the almost 9 minute mile!
Mile 6 I was wallowing in self pity about why I was SUCH A WUSS but pulled off an 8:06. Hmmm maybe I can at least feel good about the finish
Mile 7 7:45, felt good in small bursts...hold on.
Mile 8 Dead squirrel.  At least I'm not that poor little guy!  8:17. 
Mile 9 I know what's coming ...just suck it up...8:15
Mile 10...I didn't suck it up...the hilll here was way longer than I remember...Caught a couple people on the downhill finish but then felt like I was running in sand around the parking lot....8:49.
Finished: 1:22:14/ 8:14 pace

Not a great day, but I'm not that upset.  Well, two things upset me: First, I wimped out on the hills, plain and simple.  I even work on that when training.  Second, I'm mad at myself for not realizing at 5 miles I was less than a minute off my goal of 1:20 and shouldve really concentrated to go after a negative split. I was too busy beating myself up.  Dumb.  I do this for fun right?!  I changed my attitude and recovered a little bit those last miles.  While struggling up the hill on mile 9 I told a girl who passed me "good work"" - that's a good attitude right?!  (I passed her on the downhill...even better) I finished at 1:22:14, a couple minutes slower than I had hoped. I shook it off fast and tried not to be too disappointed when asked.  Greg waited for me to finish before going on his cool down - that always makes me feel like the luckiest girl at any race!  :)

Anyway, I was reading my post of this race report from 2 years ago and had to laugh at how happy I was to be a "solid 8-minute miler"!  So while being a little slower does stink, at least I'm out there and it's an activity I can enjoy with my husband...and Griffin and friends.  It's all about perspective.  Sure, I still would like to be more like a solid 7:45 minute miler (ok 7 minute miler) at these races, but it is what it is and I can just keep working on it and see if I get any better.  More importantly I plan on being a sub 4-hour marathoner!  That's definitely possible with more work and an attitude adjustment.  I think my perspective got a little screwed up once I started dating Greg and hanging out with the ridiculously fast boys!  I have to remember it's fun to be a part of in any way, shape, or speed.  I'm still just getting started!
Going into New Bedford...the goal is still sub 1:45 (7:59 pace).  No reason that can't happen, but it's not the end of the world if it doesn't.  This weekend in Caumsett I think I will work on pacing a little bit..a couple slower 5K's and work up to faster ones.  It should be a fun weekend.  No pressure.  It's a process and I love it!