My expectation for the race was 2:10 or better. While I think I'm coming around on my running fitness, I am still stressing about the remodeling and not sleeping as much as I should. Sidebar: on Friday, when the contractors were here, I went downstairs to hop on the bike and it had been moved--TRAINER AND ALL! I about blew a gasket and asked why they had moved it without asking me, and proceeded to read them the riot act. DON'T TOUCH MY FUCKING BIKES. I don't know what is on their hands. I freaked out that they had picked up Skull Kingdom without disconnecting her from the trainer, and I had a 1-hour angry ride after that, where I'm sure I went harder than I should have.
Back to the race--I locked onto a group of 3 runners, and I could just tell the guy with the yellow shirt was pacing them. I've been around long enough to recognize someone running a perfectly even pace, and I introduced myself to the pacer, Doug. I asked what he was pacing them to, and he said 2:05. I thought we were slightly off that pace, but I figured, what the hell, may as well hang on.
I should have stopped before the race to poop, and I had "that feeling" the entire way, which I am sure slowed me down a bit. I was able to talk while running with them, so I know I could run faster, but I could feel some accumulated fatigue and knew I'd need to HTFU to keep on pace. At about mile 9, someone's wheels came off, and it wasn't me, and it wasn't Doug, so I just ran ahead. There was a girl in the group that hung with me for a bit, but then even she dropped off. I finished in 2:07:17, which included time to stop at my car and put my windbreaker and gloves in (let's call that 15" as I was pretty focused on doing it quickly), and then the CAUTION tape to mark the finishing chute on the grass was blowing all over the place, so I kind of did a zigzag there at the end, which probably cost me another 15". Whatever. I feel good that I did not bag it (except for mile 13--I was a bit tired and that one went just over 10'), I ran the whole fucking race needing to go potty, I was not tapered for this, and what the hell, I ran 2:15 at Cary 3 weeks ago. At least my time is coming down. I think I'm good for 2:05 in a half and maybe I can get that down to 2:00 by July. I don't know. Ask my coach!
Before and after the race, I hung out with a couple of guys running the Skecher's tent, where they were selling the Go Run shoes, which I had wanted to try based on friend's recommendations. These guys were fun to talk to, and I was a bit wired before and after the race, so we had a great time. I ended up buying a pair of the Go Run's, and hope to use them for some grassy speed work soon. They feel like slippers!
On the way back to my car, I stopped (finally) by the food table and there was a box of pastries, and I spotted a bear claw in there and I was in heaven! I broke it in half (it was about 8" long) and began stuffing it into my mouth--it was so tasty! I knew that this would digest pretty quickly before my swim. Coach had put the swim on the schedule for Sunday together with a 5-hour ride, but I was like fuck that noise--even though that is a great workout to swim long and then bike long, and I HAVE done those fucking workouts--just 4 months ago, remember??? But this weekend was not the time to do that combo the day after a 1/2 marathon and with no rest before.
Since my Y doesn't have much lap swim on Saturdays, and I was in the general area, I decided once again to drive to the Buehler YMCA in Palestine (really the town is called Palatine, but I like the biblical moniker better). I got there, and there was a sign about the pool being closed from 1-2PM for an Easter egg hunt, and I was momentarily freaked out, but then I realized it was the FAMILY pool that was closed, and the girl at the desk could tell how happy I was--it was obvious I was there to swim because my fins are on the outside of my Speedo bag.
Just like 3 weeks ago, I hit up the hot tub first to stretch out my legs, otherwise I would cramp like I had the bends. Then I hit the pool, and the water was a great temperature--not too cold, and not warm, either. Here is the "fun" workout I did:
1500/1000/500
warm up 400 every 4th length backstroke
8x50 @ 1:00 odds hard, evens moderate
1500 descend by 500 rest :45
1000 with paddles moderate rest :45
500 hard effort
200 warm down
Um...wow that was sure fun after a race. I didn't start thinking my coach was Evil Bitch until about halfway through the 1000 with paddles. On the plus side, a workout like this gives you precious little time to think (if you are used to long workouts like I am, that is), and believe it or not, it went by pretty fast. I was done in 1:20. When I finished, I wanted to kill someone or make them do what I just did for punishment for no good reason. It's just this feeling I get sometimes. I never verbalize it, though ;)
I went back into the hot tub to stretch out my upper body and warm up, since I knew I'd be pretty chilled. I got in and it felt good, and then I was doing a psoas stretch and one of the jets hit my right adductor, and it started to cramp up! I was sort of laughing, but I think I said some bad words, and I know I made a crazy face, because adductor cramps are just odd--I think this is the first time I had one! I have had every muscle in my feet cramp (and they did a little while I swam but not too bad), my quads, never my hammies though. Anyway, I am sure the other people in the hot tub thought I was going to die or something, but I just adjusted my position and the cramp passed quickly. Still, I thought it was hilarious, and I said, "Don't worry, I'm fine," even as, I'm sure, they thought who is this fucking crazy woman with the flamingo suit.
I'd drunk Infinit during the race, had a bear claw, drank more Infinit during the swim, and I had some string cheese and Endurox in the cooler in my car. While I was hungry, I figured the faster I got home the faster I got beer, so I chowed down a piece of cheese and put the Endurox into the cup holder and headed home.
It was gorgeous out, and I had the car windows down a bit, and I tried not to speed like a crazed motherfucker--there were all forms of cop on I355--blatant State boys, camo cars, 1/2 camo (I saw one flashing briefly then it just stopped), and lots of people getting pulled over, so I just tried to not be the fastest one on the road. I did not time my trip home as I sometimes do--I just focused on GET HOME AND GET BEER. At least I was already showered up and clean, so all I had to do when I got home was take all the crap out of my car.
Mmm...BEER. And how nice to be able to go into the fridge and pull out a roasted 12-lb. turkey for lunch! Well I had cooked it on Friday, and will freeze about 1/2 of it, but I need to get my feed bag on to work on this thing, so I yanked off one thigh, popped some leftover couscous into the microwave, sipped beer, and pondered how fucking great my life is! So I finished chowing down LUNCH about 3:30, caught up on Facebook, went to the grocery store, came home, decided to eat one of the two Cadbury Creme Eggs (I haven't had one in a few years) I bought as a treat which I figured I deserved, stretched some more, then started in on dinner around 6:00PM.
I decided I needed more carbs so it was rice with cheese and turkey, and about 30 minutes later, I ate the other Cadbury Creme Egg, what the hell, right? Then I realized I was fucking tired, so at 7PM I headed upstairs to relax on the bed and watch TV for a bit, ate a handful or so of jelly beans (I keep them on the bedstand now because I need to eat constantly, and even though I was stuffed from dinner, I know I needed more calories), and I passed out at 7:30.
I woke up this morning feeling like there was a hole in my stomach, so I have strapped on the feed bag for my ride today. It's going to be a cool-ish day, but no fucking way I'm riding on the trainer, so I will head to Fermilab and do 5 loops (about 100 miles) and call it a day. I am already salivating over the McDonald's cheeseburger that I will get right as I exit Fermilab. I am earning my treats now, and honestly, it's tough for me to stuff all the calories down, but I am trying valiantly. Before I ride, I will have English muffin with copious Lingonberry jam (from IKEA, which I like to call "Divorce World," because that's where people go to buy new furniture when they get divorced), a hard-boiled egg, 2 bananas, a can of Coke, and the cooler will be packed with 5 hours of Infinit, a couple of pieces of string cheese, a package of peanut butter and cheese crackers, water and maybe some Gatorade for a change of flavor. Also Endurox to drink right when I finish and then I'll hit up the McDonald's on my way out.
Tomorrow I get a rest day, and if I get through the ride today, it will be another 20+ hour training week. This shit is hard core training, and I can't believe I feel as good as I do. Well, ask me again at about 3PM today!
Sweet little medal for my efforts yesterday, huh?
