A Thought on Race Goals and Chattajack!

Thanks for the supportive comments on my last post. It's hard enough to completely miss your goals when no one knows them. It's way harder when you have to break the news to people you respect and who were cheering for you!

Hanna's comment in particular got me thinking. She brought up that maybe the pressure of this race impacted how it went. My last two 5k PRs were both unexpected and I hadn't advertised much confidence in myself beforehand. In fact, I kept my pie-in-the-sky goal private for Sup & Run and I didn't have major goals for Howl.

But I built up Sanibel.

Hanna's comment made me reflect on A1A this year. I ran that full without telling anyone but a few select people. I wanted to remove the pressure of race day by just treating the race like a solid long run and it really worked - I redeemed myself and nabbed my hard-earned PR!

Still the best feeling ever!

(Last night I was rereading my BDR and A1A recaps to help me remember how BDR fueled me for A1A. Disaster races can be really good in the long run. You know, there are times I'm really glad I have a blog.)

Of course, a marathon is different. There's a little less pressure in the sense that finishing at all is a huge accomplishment, and I wasn't ever planning to gut out super-fast miles, either. But I should probably apply what I learned about that race - which is that if I just let myself have some quiet determination and don't make race day a big deal on the blog (the lead-up, the goals, etc.) then I'm able to have a more successful race - to all my races. I'm able to just race it without any outside noise creeping in.

That's not to say that support isn't appreciated! But I wonder if my mind buckles under the pressure.

I also think that I have such a history with Sanibel now, having run it five times, that I need to pick a different 10k when I'm ready to try for a PR again. Even though I love the course and the atmosphere, there's just too much baggage to run it with confidence and freedom.

I hope I can remember all this as my next few races come up this winter. (More on those later.)

I feel way better after taking Sunday and Monday off and enjoying a nice run Tuesday. I gave Elizabeth my full attention as I listened to her race experience. It's clear she enjoyed it and she's excited to run a half; her competitive nature came out and she had fun picking people off as she ran. But she still doesn't "get" why people spend money on races (totally understandable) and she didn't feel totally "life changed!" by finishing because, in her words, it was "only 6 miles". She's become a jaded racer and she's only run one race!

I love this pre-race picture of us! We always take post-run photos so this is the first time you get to see us looking cute and excited beforehand!

In other news, Chattajack is this weekend! Remember last year when Matt paddled ~32 miles in Chattanooga? Well, it's time for him to repeat his performance!

He's switched up his board class this year and has trained using a totally different method and plan than last time; he's really gunning to make it to the podium.

That's Matt leading the pack, obviously.

So, needless to say really, I won't be around the blog much this week because we'll be traveling. But when I get back I'll make sure to post a recap of his race, like last year! (Hopefully this year's recap doesn't include a busted board or any other obstacles on our way up to Tennessee!) In the meantime, you can follow me on Instagram to see how things are going and follow Matt on race day.

Do you think vocalizing your goals helps, hinders, or doesn't impact your performance?
Do you have any baggage surrounding certain races?
Wish Matt good luck this weekend!

ABK

Sanibel Race for FISH 10k 2016

If you read my weekly recap on Sunday, you already know how this story ends. I missed my time goals - all of them - and just didn't have a good race. I'm definitely disappointed, but it's been especially hard to swallow because I don't know what went wrong.

From the moment I woke up, I just didn't feel...right. I wasn't excited. I felt a little nauseated - the kind where you know you have to eat something to settle your stomach - and just not great. Low energy. No adrenaline. Just...blah.

This was my fifth year running this race and for some reason I just wasn't as excited as usual!

I was excited for Elizabeth, of course! She met us at the house at 6:20 and we drove together to the race in Sanibel. We used the bathrooms and got in line and then...ran.

This drone photo of the race, courtesy of SanCap Aerial Photography, shows that it was a little smaller than in past years.

By the first mile marker, I already knew it wasn't going to be my day. I couldn't find a groove; my legs didn't hurt and my breathing was alright but something felt off.

At mile three I paused for water and let Elizabeth go ahead of me. By that point I knew I was well off track of my goals, and I wanted to salvage the race and just finish it, but I really couldn't even dig for a negative split. I just kept fading.

This recap is kind of awful because I can't think of what to say! There was no reason for my lethargy. I had a good dinner. I slept well. I had a good breakfast (UCAN, some coffee, and a Gu). The weather was a lovely 74 degrees and not too humid. It should have been a perfect day to PR, but my body and mind were just not there.

In retrospect, these splits are ugly but they're not as bad as they could've been.

At the finish line, I saw Elizabeth at the end cheering and I waved; Matt was recording me. The finish was ugly; the woman behind me started to overtake me and cut in pretty close, and I stepped on her heel by accident. It seems like a little thing, but usually I can at least sprint my finish and finish strong. It was like the epitome of the whole race: awkward and uncomfortable and out of character.

But I caught her eventually.

The highlights came after the race finished. Elizabeth told me a woman had approached her at the finish and asked, "Are you Elizabeth? I recognize you from Ali's blog!" (She found us again later and I got to meet my first real-life fan, which was so cool! She told me I'd inspired her and that she had gone back and read old entries, etc. Even though my race was bad, this really put things into perspective and made me feel much better, so thank you, Esther! Also - congrats on placing first in your AG!)

Us with Esther and her friend Jenn!

She did it!!!!

Another woman came up to me and told me, "I don't usually like tattoos, but yours is so positive and motivating!" Last year at Sanibel an older gentleman complimented my tattoo, too, now that I think of it.

Elizabeth had a wonderful finish time and ran a strong, steady race. I am absolutely thrilled about that; I really wish I could've been with her at the end but I know our training together helped her get there and I feel lucky to have played a small part in her success.

Matt was able to get a picture of Elizabeth's finish! Super strong!

Matt earned himself a PR - he ran "easy" because Chattajack is coming up and still managed to place 4th. Sean finally nabbed a spot on the podium this year after a few years of trying, coming in 2nd in his age group.

Our division - there were only 29 this year. My adjusted time was 1:03:57. The race was definitely smaller than last year!

Sean and Matt's finishing times.

So really, there were some major highlights for the day. Still, I went home feeling let down. After a nap, everything sank in and I cried a little because I just felt so disappointed that my body didn't perform the way I wanted it to. This was a harder pill to swallow than BDR because I really can't pinpoint what went wrong, and anytime you finish a marathon it's worth celebrating. It's hard to say the same for a 10k.

But I'm glad I ran it, and I feel really lucky that I have running friends to turn to who understand my disappointment and know just to what to say to make me feel better!

Today, I'm reflecting on the fact that this race was a huge improvement from my last couple 10ks. I've taken about 5 minutes off my recent times, which shows that my improvement is measurable even if it's not as drastic as I was hoping for. I'm pleased with my progress. I know that I have it in me to have run this race better, but it is what it is. It wasn't my day.

I know I'll continue to get faster if I keep working, and this single race doesn't define my journey. I'm not ready to find a redemption race, but I am motivated to keep chipping away at my times and improving my paces.

And I know, of course, that I'll run it again next year. For some reason I just love this stupid race!

ABK

Race Weekend is Here! - Officially Setting 10k Goals

On Sunday, when I posted my weekly workouts recap, a few of you asked why I was doubting my ability to run a 57-minute 10k.

Your confidence in me is touching. I can't help but wonder if it's misplaced!

Here's the thing: Two weekends ago, I held an ~8:30 pace to achieve my new 5k PR. That's amazing to me. I can't believe I did it; I honestly cannot even fathom holding that pace for 4 miles, let alone 6.2. The 10k is a whole different animal than the 5k.

I think maybe I can hold 9:30 for a 10k, or even 9:30 for five miles and then a faster finish. That would give me a sub-60 race. Like I mentioned a few weeks ago, I'm not sure what my 10k PR really is, and I know I'd be happy with a sub-60 race.

But I don't want to let myself off the hook. I know you all believe in me; I'd hate to disappoint you. At the end of the day, though, this race is about me and my goals, so...

These are public now, so I have to be accountable!

I want to really give this race my all. In a way, the last year of training has been for this race, so I owe it to myself to really go for it. 

And of course, I have other goals. I also want to run a smart race, to avoid walking, and to start at a decent pace and maintain it without burning myself out.

This is Elizabeth's first race, and it's important to me that she enjoys it; she knows I may not run it with her, but I want her to finish feeling proud and exhilarated! (Even though she's already run the 10k distance before, I told her there's nothing like crossing a finish line, and I hope she understands what I mean by late Saturday morning!)

She keeps saying, "I don't get why an 'official' 10k will feel different than just running the distance..." Hopefully she'll see!

I know my legs can do it; I know they can outrun discomfort. If I can breathe through it, I think my goal is within reach. I need to trust my training, turn off my brain, and let my body do what I've been consistently training it to do.

Wish me luck!

Any 10k tips or tricks?

ABK

Rethinking My 10k Goals (& PR, Apparently)

I'm beginning to think my goal for the Sanibel Race for FISH 10k needs to be adjusted. (And so does my PR, apparently...skip to the bottom for a weird twist.)

When I first decided to make 2016 the year of short distances, setting new PRs wasn't really a factor a goal but it was on my mind as a way to keep myself on track. I wanted to get consistently faster in a way that would mean on a daily basis I could hold a faster pace than I'd been doing since marathons entered my life. 

My average pace in 2012 was comfortable sub-9 for distances up to the 10k.

Generally, that meant I wanted to be back in the 9s, but hopefully racing in the low-9s or high-8s. That meant a 5k PR in May.

But as I look at my paces on my 4-mile runs and how much effort those paces are taking, I'm wondering if the goal I've been thinking about for the 10k is totally outlandish. 

For reference, most of my 4-mile runs are in the low-10s or high-9s right now. My A goal for the 10k was 57:00, which is a 9:10 pace. Can I run 40+ seconds faster per mile for two extra miles? I don't even know if I could push that pace for four right now!

I do know that I'm not ready to give up, but I'm already feeling discouraged. I'll continue speed work and building mileage, and I still have about a month to go until race day, but because I'm beginning to doubt my capabilities, my motivation is diminishing, too.

My current 10k PR is 58:41*, which is a 9:27 pace. I'm honestly not sure I could match that right now, let alone beat it. But I do know that if I could hold a 9:39 pace for this race and break an hour, I'd be happy. After all, getting faster is a process with no real end in mind. One race and its outcome isn't going to define the progress I've made; it will be a checkpoint on the way to continued progress.

This first year was the only year this race has been chilly (in the 60s/70s) and I was running the bridge 4x a week and running long every weekend in preparation for my first (real) half marathon.

Because the truth is, I ran 58:41 years ago when my running looked very different, and my 10k paces more recently are closer to 1:05 (on average - I've run them faster and slower in recent years). 

This is from 2014...In 2015 I ran my slowest yet at 1:14, but it was part of a 13-mile long run, so it was slow on purpose.

So if I can at least see some progress, I'll be happy.

I'm not totally giving up on the idea of a PR for this race, but looking at the work I'll need to do in the next month to get there, I'm trying to figure out how realistic that dream is, and if it needs to be deferred...at least for now.

*When I wrote the original post about the 2012 race and my PR, I recorded my time as 58:41 so I must've gotten that from somewhere. But when I checked Athlinks just now, it says my time was 1:00:05, so maybe I can readjust my goals and still technically PR. Does this mean my PR has been a lie/figment of my imagination all this time?! Where did I get 58:41 from?! Was that the time originally recorded but I somehow missed an adjustment the race organizer made later on?! Have I never broken 60-minutes in a 10k?!

This post has officially raised more questions than it's answered.

Help me out guys - what's my PR?
Do I have a chance to break it, whether it's 60-minutes or 58:41?
I'm beginning to feel the PR is arbitrary because it's so old...so how do I set a realistic and challenging goal for this race?

ABK

Sanibel Race for FISH 10k 2015/Virtual Runner's World Hat Trick

This year, when the Sub30Club rolled out its second annual Virtual Runner's World Festival races, I decided to run the hat trick. I felt like it would be a good challenge and the mileage would coincide nicely with my marathon training.

Completing the hat trick meant completing a 5k, 10k, and half marathon between the dates of October 15-18.

Thursday evening, I ran my 10k. I definitely felt my mentally shift this week, and this run helped to trigger that. There was nothing spectacular about it, but usually my weekday runs are 4-5 miles, and it felt good to have a real reason to push beyond my usual mileage.

Saturday, I had the Sanibel 10k. I love this race, and this was my fourth year running it. Because I needed to get enough mileage to cover the half of the hat trick, I woke up at 4am and ran just short of seven miles. Then, I drove to Sanibel.

My conversation with Matt when I left the house:
Me: Bye honey, I love you.
Him: Bring a towel; you're going to be so smelly!

I timed my arrival at Sanibel to be just 30 minutes before the start, because I already had my bib and wouldn't need time to warm up.

I parked and got situated, used the bathroom, etc, with plenty of time. In fact, almost too much time; my legs started to really cool down! I did some dynamic stretching to keep them warm and lined up toward the back of the start.

My mentality for the race was to go very slow and very easy. I ended up finishing with possibly my slowest 10k ever, but I was perfectly happy with it! I was proud of how steadily I held my pace, especially given that I'd run beforehand.

This is one of those races that attracts lots of inexperienced runners. Usually there's a lot of dodging and weaving in the beginning, but this year felt smoother. I did play leap-frog with a couple who were running/walking, and didn't seem to know that walkers should move to the side...That was a little frustrating to deal with the entire race. But you now, sometimes things like that just happen and we can't let it get to us on the course!

This was my first race of fall, and I got a little emotional in the first couple miles.

The most frustrating thing was being the only one who knew that the reason I was so lethargic toward the end was those earlier miles! Around mile 5 I took a walk break while I unwrapped a lifesaver and a couple of ladies passed me; one said, "Come on, cutie! You're almost there!" I wanted to shout, "I'm usually much stronger in a 10k! This is mile 12 for me!"

The packed-shell road from mile 4 to 5.5 is a little narrow, but I appreciated the shade!

This was the first time I've run Sanibel without a buddy. Because of the logistics of running beforehand and Matt's own training, I went alone.

I also had to head out immediately after finishing because Elizabeth was coming over with her husband to help with drywall in our kitchen, so I didn't enjoy the usual post-race celebration this year. Although I really enjoyed the race and got a little emotional at the thought of race season starting again, this one felt a little more practical than festive.

(Oh, and just to clarify: Elizabeth and I hung out on the lanai while the guys worked in the kitchen.)

Roniel and Matt making progress on the kitchen.

Anyway, my stats aren't stellar for this race, which is fine! I saw Sean afterward; he did really well. I also saw Lisa, one of my Ragnar teammates, and we exchanged a high-five as we passed each other. That really helped! Here's my long-run fueling reminder for next time:

Obviously I'm going by chip time here.

Total mileage and pace Saturday.

Finally, Sunday was the last run of the hat trick: the 5k. Elizabeth joined me at 6:45 and we just went out nice and slow and enjoyed the morning.

The temperature was 69 when we began, which was surprising and refreshing. My legs felt great! Elizabeth isn't really a runner (she prefers pretty much any other type of exercise over running) but wanted to come along.

Three virtual races and my first real race of the season, done! I'm feeling really accomplished and a little impressed with my mileage this week!

27 miles...not bad! I actually feel like I'm marathon training!

Now, it's time for a much-deserved rest day!

Do you like virtual races? I like that they motivate me to get running, but I don't really count them as a real race.
Have you ever done a multi-race challenge over a weekend?

ABK

Race Season is Here!

You guys, I'm so excited! Every spring, I stop racing when the mercury climbs; usually, that's in April. That means it's been four months since I last pinned a bib to my shirt.

I love racing, and I get kind of antsy and sad when I don't have a race on the horizon. But now, it's fall! And that means it's time to race.

These starfish have terrible running form! They look like Phoebe!

My first real race of the year (I can't count the virtual Harry Potter race, because Montana alone couldn't bring the race atmosphere!) is this coming weekend. The Sanibel Race for FISH 10k is one of my favorite races; I first ran it three years ago, and have run it every year since.

I forgot it was coming up next weekend, and that it was a significant race, until Sean reminded me.

I also signed up for the Virtual Runner's World Festival Hat Trick through the Sub30Club because...well, the challenge seemed like a good idea at the time! It coincides with the Sanibel race, so at least one of the three distances (5k, 10k, and half) will feel like a "real" race.

This is a good time for races to come back into my life. I finally had my first really good run since early September. It felt cooler outside, even though apparently the "feels like" temperature was 88. I guess it was the lower humidity. Anyway, the run felt effortless. My paces were even and close to 60 seconds faster per mile than I've been running lately...And that's including the bridge!

My friend Elizabeth has been injured and wanted to see how her foot would feel on a run, so we did .88 together at her stepdaughter's soccer game; then I continued on my own.

Most importantly, I felt happy during the run. Mentally, I was there. I felt confident the entire time. I ran it alone, which helped me feel like I was taking control of my training again. I've been relying on friends to keep me accountable while I've been in this rut, and this was the first time I really felt like I could rely on myself.

(Sidenote: Yes, I nearly got hit by a car on this run, but it was a good run anyway. Some oblivious driver ran a red left-turn arrow and nearly hit me in the crosswalk. I'm okay, just angry!)

I needed that run. And I need this upcoming race! I know the excitement is going to help carry me on as training continues, and I'm glad, because the big day - BDR - is only about eight weeks away!

Have you been enjoying the dip in temperature?
When does you race season start and end?

ABK

Sanibel Race for FISH 10k

I couldn't have asked for a better race Saturday. I need to be honest here: I didn't have a strategy or plan in mind until about a mile into the race. I knew I wanted to run conservatively because I have Rocktoberfest tomorrow, and I knew I wanted to beat my last time on this course (65:00), but I also knew my PR on the course (58:41) was out of reach. Beyond that, I had no plans.

But let me start from the beginning. (It's a very good place to start.) 

Kristin planned to meet me at my house with Kristina - her babysitter and an old student of mine - at 5:30am, then I would drive to the race, which didn't start until 7:30. We wanted ample time to get there. So at 4:50 I got up and had iced coffee, put on the day's racing outfit, and had a Glutino poptart.

I knew it would be a good race when I woke up to this!

When we got into the car, this is what greeted me:

Matt couldn't make this race, but he made sure I knew he was thinking of me!

We headed out right on time and got to the race venue early. We already had our packets, which were full of some pretty fun stuff this year, so we had time to use the bathrooms, eat an Espresso Love Gu, and get everything ready before lining up.

Our race packets included a backpack, water battle, t-shirt, frisbee, B12 shot, and protein powder sample.

Kristin and me pre-race.

Really excited at the starting line!

In the first mile, my legs felt a little...sore? Achy? I don't have a good word for it. They felt like I'd been doing anaerobic exercises recently, which I haven't been. They didn't really hurt or even feel weak, but they didn't feel fresh. Still, I kept a nice pace for that first mile and just reminded myself over and over to take it slow in the first half.

It was then that I decided to chase 62 minutes. It's a nice round number that means a sub-10 pace, which would be just fast enough to feel accomplished without burning myself out for Sunday's race.

I hit the 5k clock around 32 minutes, at which time I felt I'd been moving along at a leisurely pace and was taking it too easy. I made the conscious decision to put a little more fuel on the fire. 

At this point, I began to pass many of the people who had sprinted ahead of me around miles 2 and 3. This always seems to happen; I get a kind of sick pleasure out of being "slow and steady" and watching so many people burn themselves out. That's terrible sportsmanship, but it's true. I'm proud of myself for knowing how to stay on pace and keep the bigger picture in mind.

Around mile 4.5 I saw Kristin coming along the turn-around and she high-fived me. (At mile 5.5, I returned the favor and cheered for Kristina as she came up the road.) I usually slow down 2/3 into a race, and for this one that distance corresponds to a dirt road from mile 4 to about 5.5. This time, I didn't let myself slow. In fact, I kicked it up and kept a faster pace at that point, even holding it to mile 6. When I knew I was close, I dropped the hammer.

Rounding the final turn...

As usually happens, once I cranked up the pace at the end, those around me followed suit. The dash to the finish was neck-and-neck-and-neck.

My sprint at the end was the epitome of ugly running...my form was atrocious, my lips were pulled back in a snarl, and I was taking the biggest, ground-eating-est strides I could. But I had to. The clock read 1:01:50 when I rounded the corner, and I wanted 1:02 so badly I could taste it.

Boom. Mission accomplished. Negative-split race and right on time!

 Let's take a moment to appreciate this face:

Matt calls this my "Terminator Face."

Here's something important that occurred to me as I grabbed a water: my last race in April was a 10k that I ran as an end to my training for the winter/spring before taking a little time off. I ran it to enjoy it, and came in at 65 minutes. (This seems to be my usual when I'm not trying.) Running harder - but still holding back from what I knew I could do - boosted my confidence for the marathon. I know a 10k is less than a quarter of the marathon distance, but just remembering what it feels like to run a good race has helped tremendously.

And funnily enough, I felt I didn't get enough of a workout. 10k seems...downright short, really.

One other cool thing that happened at the finish line was that an older guy sought me out and told me he'd been trying to read my tattoo most of the race, and he really liked it and found it motivating.

Kristin came in at 59:43, meeting her sub-60 goal, and Kristina - who was running her first 10k ever - placed first in her age group! All-in-all, we were very happy with our performances.

Post-race breakfast!

Meg (you may remember her from Ragnar, too) met us at the finish and we went to breakfast at one of Sanibel's many kitschy restaurants.

After returning home and taking a very brief nap, I hung up my medal and we went out to meet Kristin and her husband Stephen for an Oktoberfest lunch at a local pub. We enjoyed drinks and bar food; it was the perfect way to cap off the day's festivities.

This year's medal is definitely the cutest!

My solid race has me beyond excited for tomorrow's...Or, you know, by the time you're reading this...today's!

ABK