Lisa's spring race thread-OTMH Classic 5K update p6

[blank]

Nice racing Lisa! I'm sure you will go sub 21 at the Emilie's 5K.

[UltraQueenga]

That's a great report and a nice race line-up Lisa!! Looks like you're off to a good season. Those short and fast races are inspiring.
Best of luck for the spring season!!

[QuickChick]

Today I did race #2 of the season, the 21K Montreal. I wasn't really sure what to expect for this one- my long runs have been decent but not terribly long, with my longest being 22km, and I haven't done a ton of speedwork- only a hard 20/hard 15 run the Wed after the 5K, and a couple decent tempo runs home from work. My tempo pace has been 4:40-4:45, so I hoped that on a good day, this would be a realistic estimate of my half marathon pace.

This morning I made a few gambles... #1 being my wardrobe choice of a tank top, arm warmers and shorts. It started to pour pretty much as soon as we started running, and it was cold. I was actually OK for the first 16km or so- I was cold but not uncomfortable. The last 5, I was pretty miserable and wished I had worn another layer.

Gamble #2- I started out at my estimated half marathon pace. I figured I would rather start out optimistically and flame out than start out slower. I don't regret this decision, but it didn't pay off either. I felt pretty strong at the start- I was not exactly comfortable, but not uncomfortable either. Lorne blew by at 2K or so and I just knew he was going to be way ahead of his 1:40 goal!! He was on fire and I was so happy to see that. Sanders and I ran for a bit and chatted, which was great. Bruyere caught up to me at 2km or so and we hung together leapfrogging back and forth till 13 or so. Then I started to feel the effects of my lack of mileage/long runs/speedwork, and I started to slow down. I stayed fairly focused and tried to keep pushing, but I just kept fading. I tried thinking about the first 16km as "the first race" and the last 5K as the second race, and tried to call on my pain tolerance from Good Friday to get me through the last 5K. It was different though- my lungs were OK (whereas in the Good Friday 5K I was gasping)- it was my legs that I just couldn't motivate! I'm not sure honestly how much was mental and how much was physical. I was feeling more and more uncomfortable and cold as the race went on. At about 16km we must've switched directions or something, as I really noticed the wind and I felt like I was getting even wetter. I did NOT walk (I walked a couple times in Ottawa when I ran my half PB) so that's good, and I feel like I tried my best, but I'm afraid I could've done better from about 13km (when I lost Heather and Sanders) and the end. I didn't push myself to keep up with Heather when she pressed forward, and unfortunately I have to admit I just didn't believe I had the speed to do it- I resigned myself to the fact that she was faster and thought I would flame out. Perhaps I did have the speed and I wimped out, I don't know, but honestly I have to say I need to work on both my physical strength but also my mental strength.

I finished at 1:43:04, which is 1:02 slower than my pb from last year. This isn't great, but it isn't awful either- I'm not really bummed out, but I'm not super happy either. I know my pb last year came after more long runs, more speed, and a confidence-boosting huge 10K pb, so 1 minute off isn't that bad. I'm running better right now than I was last year, though, so I was really hoping for better. Oh well. I may do the half in Mississauga, or I may just try to really bring it in the Sporting Life, Ottawa and the Boilermaker and save another half for summertime or early fall. We'll see. I know I'm capable of sub 1:40, or at least faster than 1:42- it'll just take a few more weeks of training.

My splits...
1- 4:39
2- 4:41
3- 4:34
4- 4:54
5-6 9:45 (2km)
7- 4:51
8- 4:44
9- 4:55
10- 4:53
11- 4:49
12- 4:43
13- 4:50
14- 4:47
15- 5:05
16- 5:11
17- 4:51
18-19- 10:23 (2km)
20-finish 10:25 (2.1 km)

[ultraslacker]

I didn't push myself to keep up with Heather when she pressed forward, and unfortunately I have to admit I just didn't believe I had the speed to do it- I resigned myself to the fact that she was faster and thought I would flame out. Perhaps I did have the speed and I wimped out, I don't know, but honestly I have to say I need to work on both my physical strength but also my mental strength.

I think this is really important, and you can take it as a learning experience. You still did great (especially considering the conditions!). :)

[Doonst]

Solid effort Lisa, your PB in Mississauga or Ottawa will be sweet.

[Sir Crashalot]

Missed you out there this morning
Nevertheless, nice bit of running for someone who is a winter hatah!

[mcshame]

Lisa, these were not the best conditions for you, kind of your Kryptonite. It was getting very wet and cool at the end of the race and you were not dress optimally for it. But, it was easy for me to pick you out of the crowd!

Nice to see you and say hi, even if it was just briefly.

[Jo-Jo]

I didn't push myself to keep up with Heather when she pressed forward, and unfortunately I have to admit I just didn't believe I had the speed to do it- I resigned myself to the fact that she was faster and thought I would flame out. Perhaps I did have the speed and I wimped out, I don't know, but honestly I have to say I need to work on both my physical strength but also my mental strength.

I think this is really important, and you can take it as a learning experience. You still did great (especially considering the conditions!).

I can really relate to your comments here. I want to PB in a Half this year...but I know I have to work on both my physical AND mental strength.

Your reports always inspire me...you're brutally honest...with yourself...and with us. I admire that.

So looking forward to seeing you at NCM

[Pat Menzies]

Definitely not the best conditions for someone to wear their "Kara" outfit
The 11 km you need to tack on your tempo home from work is purely mental.
I admit to being a bit puzzled by your lack of speedwork comment. I count about 12 tempo runs or workouts in your log before this race. Last year you had exactly zero indicator workouts before Sporting Life and just one before Ottawa.
I'm afraid the step between here and 1:35 is entirely in your head.

[Jo-Jo]

I'm afraid the step between here and 1:35 is entirely in your head.

I have to admit...I agree with Pat.

[Tori]

Your description of the weather gave me the shivers. I am not a good wet weather runner so I totally admire that you went out and still had a really quick race even when you were cold. I think it goes to show that you have it in you though for a super fast race this year.

[Habs4ever]

I agree with Jo-Jo about your honesty in your reports. Work on the mental and you'll do it. Great race considering the conditions, ( I hate rain ).

[Marg]

Definitely not the best conditions for someone to wear their "Kara" outfit
The 11 km you need to tack on your tempo home from work is purely mental.
I admit to being a bit puzzled by your lack of speedwork comment. I count about 12 tempo runs or workouts in your log before this race. Last year you had exactly zero indicator workouts before Sporting Life and just one before Ottawa.
I'm afraid the step between here and 1:35 is entirely in your head.

He knows you... I trust him.
You are awesome, no matter what.
I'm glad I got to see you this weekend... and will see you again in a few more weeks.
Way to tick off another great race.

[QuickChick]

Re: the lack of speedwork, I mean in the last 2-3 weeks. I feel like I get faster quickly from speedwork, and I feel like I slow down quickly when I don't do it for a couple weeks, too. I guess the 5K counts, though...

[Robbie-T]

Good run QC, but yeah sub 1:40 all day long.

[Tred Miller]

Great effort considering the conditions. My fingers became numb during the last 5km. Nice to see you and Dave before the race.

[Darth Tater]

Good run in yucky conditions. You get your mental on, you'll kick some half marathon ass.

[La]

As I said to you yesterday I love your attitude and how you put it all out there. You don't sandbag or downplay your abilities or your goals. Go big or go home, right?

Oh, and I was cold just looking at you!!!

Well done!

[purdy65]

Lisa,

Sigh... I dream of a 1:43 half! You are speedy - regardless of not getting the PB. Conditions don't sound like they were optimal for it anyway!

I think the attitude is great! Congrats!

I'll be hammering the SL10K as well - and the Mississauga half.

Lisa

[b_squared]

That's a solid early season race...I bet you'll have great success as the season unfolds!

[IronColl]

Racing in those conditions is definitely hoodie worthy. Congrats on being so close to that PB so early in the year!

[Hermes]

A very solid effort in miserable conditions. And you're right about the wind picking up near the end. I too felt colder and less motivated. I think you just like it hotter, Lisa. And when you're having fun, you run better. I'm sure there are lots of great races coming up ahead soon! Summer is a comin'!

[CinC]

Get the mental sorted out and I strongly believe the physical will follow.

Go back through the race and figure out the positives and negatives to take your forward on the next one - regardless - congrats girl. You're amazing in my books - esp when I see your paces!

[barebuns1]

Congrats on both of the race reports. great time in the 5k and the half marathon.

[QuickChick]

Sporting Life 10K RACE REPORT...

Last year this was such a breakthrough race for me. I ran faster than I ever thought I could (42:43), and it really kicked me into a new gear training-wise. However, all year I had this nagging feeling that it had been a fluke... silly I know, but all my other race times have not lived up to that one. What was different about that race... perfect weather? NO expectations or pressure? Who knows. It felt incredible the whole time- I gutted it out for maybe a km, but it just felt great to be running so fast. This time... not so much!!

We got to the race area at about 7:20, and easily took care of all the necessary pre-race business. I found myself with a solid half hour to warm up, and not feeling at all stressed. I ended up warming up about 15 minutes with some strides.

The race felt hard right from the gun. The first 4K were pretty good- 4:11, 4:05, 4:20, 4:18. Then it started to feel incredibly hard. I was red-lining the whole time, and getting slower. My 5K split was 4:40 for 21:37. Then... 4:31, 4:32, 4:43. Ouch. I was able to pick it up just a bit in the last 2K, which I'm glad about anyway- 4:39 and 4:23 were my last two splits. In the last km a guy next to me answered his cellphone, which threw me into a bit of a rage and made me run faster for part of that km. I did not look at my watch at all and I'm glad, as I was really disappointed with my final time of 44:24. I felt like puking at the end and so because of that and because I was disappointed, I had a bit of a sucky teary-eyed walk of shame through the chute. Then I saw a shirtless angel who told me very earnestly that he had heard the course was 800m long. That's all I needed- I laughed and pretty much immediately felt better. Pretty much all our group was a minute or two off what they were hoping for as well... I'm not glad about that, but perhaps something was tough about the day that affected all of us. It wasn't really hot, about 20, but it was sticky and muggy. I'm not sure it really slowed me down all that much as I wasn't particularly overheated- I dumped some water on myself and drank some at both stations, though, where last year I didn't even consider taking any.

Now I have to figure out what to do next. Where did that 1:41 (NOT 2:19 as I originally thought) go? I'm about the same weight I was last year, but I'm going to be more careful till NCM and see if I can drop a couple pounds. This year I feel like I've been running better than I was before last year's SL race. I've definitely been doing more fast running. I have much less endurance base than I did last year, which I mentioned in my 21KMtl report. However, I certainly have enough base that I should be able to run a strong 10K. Overall I feel like I'm fitter this year than I was last year at this time, but my race results aren't showing that at all. I don't feel like I've been that wimpy- I've really suffered in my races and mostly pushed through it, so other than a few km in Montreal I don't feel like I've been a suck- I've run really hard. Some progression runs would be a good thing, as I've been fading really badly so far this year. Some more speed work, also. I had a great workout last week (6 x 1500) but before that my last V02 max workout had been St. Patricks Day. I've been doing OK for tempo runs, and I guess those will help too.

I may... MAY do the Mississauga half on May 16. It'll depend on whether I feel like I'm running well in the next couple of weeks, and whether I can improve my time from Montreal. I'll keep you posted. I'm totally on the fence. Any ideas/opinions about whether you think this is a good idea or a bad idea are welcome.

Ottawa could be hot, and it's not QUITE as easy a course, so I think my goal for Ottawa will be to better my SL time from THIS year. Or just run like hell. Maybe that's a better goal.

Big shout-out to Pat Menzies for being a great pacer. As always he quietly just stayed a bit ahead, and said something nice every few minutes. He thought we were going to be doing 4:12/km, but was very nice when we discovered that wasn't going to happen.