"Ask not what your team can do for you, but what you can do for your team."
-Ian Adamson

Monday, December 6, 2010

Peaks of Otter Christmas Classic 5K

I stressed for weeks about the Turkey Trot. Weeks. Would I be fast enough to beat 23 minutes, would it be more like 24? Then I went out and surprised even myself. So with the Christmas Classic ten days later I thought to myself, self, you can go out there and do it in under 22 minutes, end the year with 21:5something.

That week: no speed work, no long run, no Fartlek, no hill repeats. How I thought I was going to go out and shave another 30 seconds off my 5k time I'm not really sure but I think it had something to do with everyone claiming this course was far easier than the Turkey Trot.

So race day I barely warmed up, ate nothing and still thought I had a chance at under 22 minutes. Then the horn and I took off, I mean took off. I realize a minute in I'm running with the elites of Lynchburg, I mean the fast girls and the fast boys. A quick look at my Garmin told me I was running 5:30 pace. 5:30! I freaked. I was running far too fast. I was supposed to be pacing at 7 even at least the first two and a half miles. So I tried to slow down but then there were other girls passing me, and that is so difficult for me. I ran that first mile in about 6:40 which isn't super fast but is really faster than I should have been going that early on with The Hill ahead.

Then of course there is The Hill. You know the one where they give the first male and female to the top $50 because that kind of hill needs that kind of reward. I held strong for that hill, which is about 1.5 miles in, but by the end of it I was wondering how I was going to keep going.

At 1.87 miles I was bonking. I have never wanted to quit a 5k like that, and I mean I have had some bad races but have never felt so much like quitting than I did at that moment (and I mean last year I ran that race in freezing rain and ice!). With a half mile to go I was running about 8:40 and berating myself every step of the way. About this time a cute blond that looked about my age passed me in much better running gear and I wanted to stomp her out. That is mean. I know. But I was angry and tired and wanting so badly to quit. With only a parking lot left to the finish line I pulled out my sprint enough to pull ahead of her by four seconds, only to find out afterwards that she was not in fact in my age group. Oh well.

So I didn't do so well. But the worse part is the emotional turmoil I put myself through on the course. I didn't set a PR but my time wasn't to be ashamed of. I need a course in self confidence and relaxation.

However, I did find another 5k this upcoming Saturday and have been wondering, do I have the sub 22 5k in me for 2010?

I know this much, negative 8 wind chill factor or not, I'm going to the track tomorrow night.

Results:

Alexis

22:31
3rd in age (25-29)
10th female finisher
66th out of 345 finishers

November Training Summary

*I lost the piece of paper with everyone's monthly totals on it that I'd calculated. So until I find it, here are my totals because I can remember them (or get help from Runner's World).

Running

Alexis

105.4 (month) 758 (year)


Biking

Alexis

11.5 (month) 450.5 (year)



This was (by less than a mile I will admit) the biggest month for me of the entire year thus far. I attribute that to a knee that if feeling really good (thank you, thank you, thank you), some wonderful friends who have been meeting me at 6 a.m. to run and a fantastic husband who has been seeing to it that I keep my mileage up even though he can't. I am hoping, despite blistery cold weather, to see 110 miles for December.

I have been thinking pretty seriously about running my first Ultra next year, and in February no less. To be serious about that run I need to be serious about my mileage. A 50k is not going to be something I can accomplish without serious training and focus.

Genesis House Turkey Trot

I stressed about this race. Really. Last year I ran it and was really unhappy with my time. This year I really wanted to prove something to myself about the last year and really own this race. I ended up running it twice ahead of time. The previous Saturday morning I went out with a group and ran it, once the right way and then we turned around and ran it backwards. Still not satisfied I convinced a friend to run it with me again on Tuesday. I was so nervous, it was completely like me.

I ran it, head to head, with the same friend who ran it with me on Tuesday. We were tied for the entire event, pushing each other the whole way. It was an awesome race. Especially because in the last .1 I pulled ahead by 7 seconds and beat my friend. Also, it was almost a PR for me. Last year I ran it in 27:50, this year, 22:26. Over 5 minutes faster. That's why I was so shocked when I came in 3rd in my age division. Last year I would have taken 1st if I'd run it in 25 flat. The Lynchburg competition is growing.

Todd didn't run the Turkey Trot this year, his knee is giving him a little trouble so he's drastically cutting back until the New Year.

Alexis

22:26 7:14 pace
3rd in age out of 74
87th overall out of 1057 finishers

Valley View 5 Miler

This was another race that I had a time goal (45 minutes) that I didn't meet but ended up exceeding my expectations for placing. This was a tough course as it had a one mile uphill finish.

Todd

1st in age division (30-39)
43:19

Alexis

3rd Overall Female
46:01


This was my second time coming in 3rd Overall for Females in this race series. Next year I would like to run the series again and see if I can place Overall each time. However, I also want to run the Deep Hollow Half next year instead of the 5k so we'll just have to see.

Apple Valley 5k

This was the first 5k I got the chance of running for a second time. I was really hoping to shave 7 minutes off of my 2009 time but I don't think I did. I have been waiting to post the results to get official race times but neither Riverside Runners or Gross' Orchard have ever posted final results. However, we do know how we placed in the race, so without further ado:

Todd
22/211
2nd in 30-39

Alexis
27/211
1st in 19-29

I think I finished about 4o seconds behind Todd but only four people finished between us. We recieved homemade ornaments for awards that are currently on our Christmas Tree.