PEAR BLOSSOM 2011!!!

This was it! An exact year of racing marked by the Pear Blossom 10-mile race today! So I may not be the fastest runner in this race, but I'll be honest! I kicked ass today! lol! All those early mornings and crappy weather made me tougher and I took on the Pear with a vengence! I was secretly hoping for 1:30 which is 9min/mile pace over 10miles. I hadn't sustained that pace that far yet. Well I came in at 1:30:29!!! 9:03min/mile pace!!! My half marathon pace in October was 9:26min/mile so for me this is a huge leap!!! The beginning was tough because so many people passed me! I had to keep telling myself that it would pay off later to pace myself and that a lot of these people would hit a wall for starting too fast!

I wouldn't have changed a thing I did in this race because I felt amazing! I tried to keep the 9:20 pace and went a lil faster due to adrenaline. I attacked the hills with a lil T-Pain blasting in my earbuds and took advantage of the declines. And raced a chick like hell at the end cuz there was no way I was going to let her beat me! hahaha! I think I figured out how to "reel in" a runner! I sped up, then she sped up and somewhere from deep within, my competitive spirit burst wide open! My sprint at the end was at a 5:47min/mile pace! Think I beat her by one shoe length!!! Can't wait to see what is next! Once I realized a 1:30 time was in sight, I gave everything, and I do mean everything!!! Cuz I feel it today!

Celebrated with a bacon cheeseburger at Red Robin!!!! I burned 1200 calories during the race and have every intention of getting those back! Saw a shirt during the race that said, "I run because I love to eat!" Enough said!

"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about." - PattiSue Plummer, U.S. Olympian

DAY 9

Last "easy run" before race day!!! 4 miles below freezing, sucking in the thick fog. My run was slow but I pushed hard. Hoping this pace isn't what I will be running on Saturday! There has to be a reward for the diehards who get up at this hour, right? Not sure why this week is so up and down, other than the weather has changed every single morning so far! Regardless, if it all helps me to attack Pear Blossom with 100% effort, it will all be worth it!!! Praying for sunshine on Saturday!

DAY 8

SoI did my tempo run for 3miles in 27:28! =) 9:09/mile pace! I slowed down for a car and to navigate around a pothole but worked really hard this morning and was in much better spirits for a run than yesterday! It's amazing how one day changes so much from the day before! And how much easier it is to get on the road when it's NOT raining! Still freezing, but no rain! Just felt better today!!! Update is short cuz I have munchkins to chase!

 

Ability is what you are capable of doing.
Motivation determines what you do.
Attitude determines how well you do it.
--Lou Holtz

DAY 7

My workout sucked this morning! I don't have proper rain running gear for colder weather (of course the sun started shining later)! I had shorts on, got out of my car and decided to run on the treadmill ( I know I know) and that lasted maybe a mile and a half! I get ADD bad on that stupid machine! lol! So I lifted lower body and decided to go home and try again this eve! =)

Went out this eve for attempt #2 at an "easy run" and booked it again (on the road, across bridges, through puddles, etc)! =) Kept my pace. The air is different in the eve so warmup breathing is different. My attitude was much better on round two and I got to witness an amazing sunset! I felt refreshed at the end and in much better spirits! Ready to tackle a tempo run in the morning!!! Runs will have there ups and downs, but it's how you tackle it that makes all the difference!

"Tough times don't last but tough people do."   - A.C. Green

WEEK 2 DAY 6

I went out to HVHS track and booked it at 430am this morning! I admit I went a little faster than I should have on my 800s (Not on purpose, just was thinking fast)! lol! The only time I got anywhere above 4:15 pace was in the last fast 400 I looked and saw 8:58/mile and picked it up to finish the entire lap at 7:10/mile pace. I felt good this morning, but will do better about sticking with the correct pace! Different parts of my muscles are more sore now which is awesome! It's also becoming much easier to keep my pelvis in proper position! I will get there! =) Just learning what the different paces feel like!

First time was 4:15 exactly. Second time 4:07. Third time 4:08. Fourth time 3:56. These speed drills are tough to execute in the wee hours of the morning in the freezing cold, but they will help me achieve my goals for Portland and hopefully help me kick some butt at a couple 5k's this year!!! Great start to week #2!!!

Day 5

Not gonna lie! I thoroughly enjoyed my off day yesterday after four days of pushing my body so hard! But those rest day are necessary: for the the body & the soul! Because the next morning, you can go out strong again! Ran a total of 9 miles (including warmup run to the park starting spot) in mostly sunshine with 5 other people! One of them being my amazing coach and he is TOUGH! I ran a clocked 8.79 at an average 9:21 pace! That is faster than my half marathon pace so I am elated to see that! I know the strenuous training schedule will pay off in the end! I usually run so early in the morning that I rarely have the opportunity to run with other people. It's amazing how much peer pressure can push you so much further!!! I loved it! I would clock this run as a success! One week til  Pear Blossom 10-miler!!! I'm gonna fly!!!! Thank you Stan for an awesome run this morning!!!!

Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors.
Try to be better than yourself.
--William Faulkner