What's good for you?

You know you have those weaknesses you should address right?

No, I'm talking running related here, but feel free to extrapolate to NRR - non running related.

I've known for some years now that I am really awful going up hard, short little hills.  And yet I don't really do anything to work on the difficulty.  I'm not 100% certain what will help that difficulty but I have some ideas. I've started to try charging up short, steep hills when I find them.  I figure that is the only way.  I also think some general jumping plyometric exercises would be good too.  I've been hesitant to do these as I was (keyword there) so injury prone but I think I could handle it now.  There is this little problem with finding time and trying not to look too silly when out there running though.  I'll admit to that. 

I've been settling for speed work lately.  Meaning, if the schedule calls for a particular distance or number of repeats, I've been easily talking myself into accepting less than what the schedule calls for.  Now, there are very valid reasons to respect that and take it easier at times but I've been guilty of calling it quits early for purely mental reasons.  Probably in the past six weeks, I've been better at both hitting the times and number of repeats which a workout calls for.  Sometimes I have to trick myself into it, but at the end of the day I'm always glad I did it. 

It's that mental side of running which is so tricky and where I've not worked as hard as I should.  I know that.  I've even blogged about it.  I went into Lincoln feeling very unprepared for a long race mentally.  I've not raced a half or a marathon distance in some years.  Even the longest distances I've raced (around 7 miles) happened in the middle of relays.  Relays have a different feel for me.  I will run my best because it is not only myself I'm running for but for my team. 

To prepare adequately for the upcoming Seattle Rock n Roll Half marathon I needed to find a 10k to race.  And I found one at the perfect time for training. 

The Heroes Half is a new event with both a half marathon and a 10k.  The 10k goes around a popular running route of Lake Union.  It's not flat but it's about as close as you can get around here.  It has some very short steep hills which I knew would be a challenge.  Plus it had the added amusement of possibly getting stopped by a bridge going up.  The waterways have priority around here except at certain hours M-F.  This didn't happen fortunately, but that bridge hits just at a point where it would be really nice for a break! 

I'd kept training as scheduled. This meant I biked twice this past week (bike to work month - more on this next week) and hit running workouts.  I had a great track workout on Tuesday and got in my long run for the week on Wednesday.  As much as I try to keep it easy on the bike, commuting home gets me worked up and I often find myself charging uphills trying to (and often succeeding) in catching people on the hills.  Rested, my legs, were not. 

That 5 am wake up for a 7 am start was tough.  I nearly bailed but I really wanted to do this race plus I was looking forward to seeing a lot of friends at the race.  I found the best parking space and got registered for the race and went to warm-up.  I was there early enough that i had no problems with any logistics of the race but I heard from some friends, that there were some issues.  As a first year race, i'd expect there to be glitches and there were. 

I had my own glitch.  I'd forgotten to charge my garmin.  I thought I'd have plenty of juice but bike commuting is about 90 minutes total for the day and the battery just doesn't last as long.  Oh well.  I'd be running this one by feel. 

My plan was originally to go out around 7:50 pace.  I figured I'd have a very quick start, settle down for miles 1-3.  Mile 4 has 3 short steep hills and I'd knew I'd lose time.  After a gradual climb off of University Bridge (if we didn't get stopped because of a sailboat needing the bridge to rise), it was a flat to downhill final mile back to Gasworks. 

I started with Coach Lesley.  She'd give me a split the first quarter of mile and then take off.  She's a very gifted runner and ended up being 2nd female overall.  At about a quarter mile, we were at 7:15 pace.  Ok time to back off and settle into the work and that's what I did.  I'd started with the first wave of runners (projected pace 8:00 and under) and felt like I was at the very back just watching everyone fly off.  Oh well.  I did always have a few people ahead or behind which helped. 

Everything felt pretty good until mile 3.  This is where the whole mental side of running kicked in.  And oh the demons were having their way with me.  There was much grumbling and grousing and "I am never racing again."  But I didn't stop and I didn't slow (well much..).  It was hard to tell with no pacing reference.  I could hear how I was breathing compared to some of the people around me.  I didn't sound any worse than they did which gave me hope. 

And then those horrible short hills came.  And oh it was worse than I expected.  I got dropped by all who were ahead of me and also passed.  I just could not keep up.  I didn't worry about it because what could I do?  Just stay with it and get back onto fluid running once on the flat and downhill.  Three more of these horrible hills and I was cursing!  DAMNIT!  I need to figure out why I suck so badly at these types of hills. 

I wanted to walk.  I wanted to just give up and trot in but I stayed with it.  Keep the form loose.  Make sure the shoulders are relaxed and keep those arms moving.  Don't think about it.  I made some time up climbing the gradual hill up from University Bridge.  Ok that's better.  The downhill back to the Burke-Gilman Trail was nice.  Thank the cop directing traffic at the messy intersection of NE 40th St, The Burke-Gilman and 7th Ave NE and I was back on the Burke-gilman with a mile to go.

This was it.  There were people out just running which I blew by.  Ok that felt good!  There were cyclists out for their ride who gave me a "good job" as I went by.  I could've done without the guy cycling by smoking a cigarette.  OMG.  At that point in the race, I wanted to hurl at that smell.  Stay focused. 

I approached Gas Works park and the finish and I could see Les was coming out to cheer and it looked like CJ was out cheering too.  I'd scouted out the finish of the 10k and knew we'd be directed across the street and onto a gravel bit and then a short downhill section.  Turns out CJ had appointed herself course monitor and volunteer and was giving directions to runners.  It wasn't real clear where half marathoners would go along the course. 

I got some nice cheering coming into the finish and I could see the clock time of about 49:20.  DONE!  I was rather disappointed by my time but knew I'd run hard and pretty well.  I'd battled the demons and taken steps to getting that distance racing mentality back. 

This time is about two minutes off my PR set a number of years ago but it perfectly predicts where i thought I was for a marathon.  I trotted back to where CJ and Les were still cheering and added my cheers too.  And then I realized that I had probably looked pretty good coming into the finish.  A lot of people (both 10k and half'ers) were looking done in. Hunh.  Good to know.   I felt strong overall coming in and working hard but not completely done in. 

I watched quite a few other friends come in and headed home.  I started to feel the effects of the race not too long afterwards. I felt subtly ill and my legs were so sore!  I ate well even though I wasn't all that hungry.  Eventually later in the day I felt more like myself. 

And then the results were posted.  As expected Les had placed high.  And then looking at the top master's female finishers I was second.  Holy cow!  I started giggling uncontrollably.  Me?  Second master's female?  Haha!  I figured I'd place in my age group as there weren't all that many runners in this race but overall? 

amazing.  I was the 38th runner overall (men and women) and now realize why i never saw too many people.  I was about 5th female runner overall too.  And now I can see why I was getting some nice cheers coming into the finish.  There just weren't that many runners in yet. 

the best part?  I went for a nice easy run this morning and felt great.  Legs are a bit tight but not sore like I was expecting.  I can feel the race in chest and upper body muscles.  Yes, i was working hard.  I was racing.

It was good for me.