Archive for October 1st, 2008

Back on March 18th, I wrote in a blog post, “…we got our tickets then went next door to the huge Asian market that recently opened where, at Lara’s advice, I bought some White Rabbits, yummy Asian candy that I can only hope are not laced with battery acid or antifreeze or whatever the Chinese are exporting in food these days.”

So how lovely to read on CNN Health yesterday, in an article about melamine tainted milk from China, the very last paragraph, “The FDA also recommends that U.S. consumers not eat White Rabbit Creamy Candy, which in China has been found to contain unacceptable levels of melamine. The candy’s maker, Guanshengyuan, has recalled its exports of White Rabbit Cream Candy.”

You know, this would be simply hilarious if it wasn’t for a small niggle in my blood test results from last week.  Seems my kidney function is a tad off and I have to go back for another test in a couple weeks.  I’m sure it’s not connected, probably just something left from the dehydration incident, but I did eat two or 3 bags of those White Rabbits since March, and melamine affects the kidneys, so it’s freaky-deaky, if nothing else.

Back to running…

Today was a  scheduled 8miles w/3×1600 @ 5K race pace w 2min. rest intervals.  Since I wanted to use the park markings instead of my Garmin, I went for 3xmile, my favorite (cough, cough) interval distance.  Honestly, I’m pretty good with shorter intervals, I can find the fun in it, but miles?  No fun to be had there, just looking for the end from about 1/4 mile in.  I can’t help it, I hate ‘em.

As you remember, I’ve been basing my intervals off a 3:40 marathon goal’s corresponding McMillan calculated 5K, so 7:15s.  Even though I’ve downgraded to a 3:45 marathon goal since my hell race, I figure I should keep the same workout goals since I’ve been doing them all along and hitting my paces well.

So was it any surprise that I berated myself when the first interval came out to 7:23?  Thank god the next one was right on target, 7:15, but oh my…the last one?  Horrible, terrible, must quit running forever with a shameful embarrassment of an interval, 7:29.  Average for the interval set: 7:22.

I wasn’t surprised the intervals were all over the place, this was the first time I used the 1/4 mile park markers instead of relying on Garmin feedback, and I’m sure I’ll get better the more I do it, but this was not the collection of 7:15s I was seeking.

The whole way home my confidence was shot, I was thinking how I’ve been deluding myself this whole time, I suck, blah blah, loser, blah, I’ll be lucky to crack 4:00, etc.  Then I realized two things:

1. A mile is longer than 1600m, so my 7:23, 7:25, 7:29 miles actually come out to 7:20, 7:12, 7:26 1600s, which averages 7:19.  Better!  Still…not quite what Pete Pfitzinger told me to do. But wait, what does our friend McMillan say?

2.  McMillan says that 1600s for a 3:40 marathon should be between 7:13 and 7:29.  Hey! Mine were 7:20, 7:12 and 7:26.  I CAN LIVE!!  No shameful runner death for me today.  I’m right where I need to be.  McMillan’s the man!

So life is back to normal after my death trudge home (could I be any more dramatic over a few lousy seconds?).  Now it’s time to ponder the fact that I ate candy containing the same substance as the cheap table top I’m typing on.  Neat.