September 1st, 2010
It’s finally happened – the Plateau, she is gone.
Yesterday’s workout was: 10.7 miles w/5 x 1.25mi @10k pace, avg. 3:40 recoveries. I averaged 6:59s. It was 81 degrees and Daniels and Tinman say that’s equivalent to 6:47s in normal temps, so I plugged it into McMillan and dang if it doesn’t spit out my Half PR from last year. Of course, this is all calculated approximation so TWB (tinged with bullshit) but I haven’t been in spitting distance for close to a year, so this is a beautiful thing.
Btw, some weather trivia I just read: this is the hottest Philly summer on record, and by a wide margin. Highs averaged 88.7! Last winter had record snowfall. If this keeps up, I may just move my ass outta here. But back to running…
Race Goals For The 19th
As mentioned, I’m not looking for a PR for this one, instead my main focus will be getting hydration down right. I’ll also be tweaking the nutrition aspect and for the first time, at Adam’s suggestion, will take 2 gels, one 30 minutes in, the next 30 minutes afterward. I think this is a great idea, I’ve always scrimped on that stuff during Halfs but now I have no problem taking gels (they used to remind me of snot but now I find them quite tasty, or else I’ve established a craving for eating snot). But back to the goal…
1:34 has a nice ring to it; challenging, but not tempting fate too much. Having trained in this miserable weather for months, it’s hard to realistically know what’ll happen. It’s like you’re rehearsing for a dance but only marking your moves for months, then suddenly you have a week to dance all-out (assuming we’ll have some cooler weather before the 19th). Should be interesting, if nothing else. Plus, the major happiness with this race is the girlies coming in: there’ll be Reyana coming from California, Rebecca from Alabama, Doggie & Loren and Kat. So it’s a chickfest in the works!
Meanwhile, I’m actually looking forward to my 6@Half pace tempo this Friday (or Saturday if the weather’s better) to see where my heart rate lies. Who is this person? Looking forward to quality runs again? No defeatist attitude? Some actual confidence? She seems familiar but I can’t quite place her. Looking forward to become reacquainted with her as the Fall progresses, though. Speaking of…
Fall Races
I started scouting out races to do between this Half and the November one, and compiled a nice little list, which I’ve put on my At The Races page. I’ll pick 3 but those are the choices so far. It’ll be so good to get back in the game – the longer I’m away, the more nerve-wracking it is to race. Which is another reason I’m happy that September’s Half will be a rustbuster and not one that (in my mind) counts.
Back to the present
I had a fun 11-miler this morning, the first few miles run with blog commenter and friend Steph, who is one half of a pair of athletic twins (missed you today, Linds!). I see them both in the park and they look so remarkably identical, the only way I can tell them apart is one wears red, the other wears blue. I’m still not convinced there are two of them since I’ve yet to see them together.
Anyway, we had a fun time jabbering about the park regulars, it’s so satisfying to have your observations of weirdos and funny running styles confirmed. Btw, they’re not the only twin runners in the park, there’s another set of sisters in their 20′s too, though they’re much easier to tell apart. They’re also very sweet and always say hi.
I’ll end today’s post with a shout-out to my friend Matt Tartar, whom I met doing the Runner’s Roundtable. He’s got a cool podcast called Dump Runner’s Club where he talks of all things running. If you’re a podcast listener, add him to your list, he’s a funny guy and a sweetie, besides.
And that concludes today’s blah blah. I wish you all the blah blah for the next couple blah. Be safe and make sure to blah your blah blah because it might get itchy if you’re not careful.
Posted in 
Tags: 
Congratulations on the new inspired attitude! I am so glad that you are feeling like your old self. Good luck with all your races! I hope ya kill ‘em!
woooah name drop for steph haha i had to ask the other set if they were sisters and they responded in true twin fashion(at the same time) “twins” lol
Christi, thanks doll!!
Linds, I did the same! When they said “twins” I felt stupid, like I should have known, but they’re really quite different from each other. The funny thing is they were never together for like two years, now I only see them together. Anyway, missed you today, I’m still waiting to size you two up next to each other! Oh, and I just stuck your name in the post, too.
hahah TWB. i’m going to have to have to start using that. and holy moly. you are going to rock your race. for real. 1:34 is flying but i think you can nail it
way exciting about the chickfest! i wish i was going to be there!
Add me to the chickfest. I will be eating your dust at RnR, but you are so sweet, I am sure it will be rather tasty!! See you soon!
Karyn, wish you were going to be here, too! Get your ass over here!
Daleen, woohoo!! Can’t wait to see you!
Whoohoo! One thirty four, one thirty four! Imagine me doing a little cheerleader dance. On second thoughts, don’t.
You’re not wearing that outfit you wore in your dream, are you? That might be a little too bouncy for me.
Haha you’re shooting for what I got last year. I got 1:34:34 lol, I was very precise with my numbers…This morning was fun
I’d take that! I’d even take 1:34:59, though your number is way prettier. Yep, it was fun! And guess who I saw on the way back? The Skipper! She was skipping and singing to herself as usual. I also passed bandana guy again, too.
of course, i mean he goes around enough times haha
You’d think he’d be thinner with the amount of time he’s out there.
LOL i just saw this :O haha
September already, where has the time gone!? Have a rockin’ race and I’m going to save that “TWB” designation for something as well.
If it makes you feel any better (Eh, I bet it doesn’t), our August here on our spot of the Gulf Coast has averaged 87F . . . overall.
Awesome to hear about where you’re at. You can totally nail a 1:34. Shit, if things go well, you can even pick up the pace the last couple/few miles and come in ahead of or on the low end of it. Go for it, Flo!
Vince, you poor thing, I don’t know how you Southerners manage it, I would be one 3-month long heat rash. I totally don’t have room to complain next to you guys (not that it’ll stop me any).
Paul, aw, thanks sweetie! We’ll see, I need a week or so running in less heat (we had that tease a few days ago) to really feel ready. Looking forward to November’s race though, I think I’ll have some ass-kicking to do on that one.
We have “straight arm running chick” in the local park — runs with her arms straight down without swinging whatsoever. I don’t know how she does it. I don’t know why she does it either. Were I a charitable sort I’d say there’s some sort of neuromuscular condition or paralysis, but I refuse to be charitable. I prefer cantankerous: she’s a straight-armed running freak.
Lol! Similarly, we have a couple weirdly crooked people that I decided are recovering from strokes. That’s the only nice thing I could come up with. I like your version way better, though.
Good to hear the arrow is defying gravity. You’ve really got to shoot for sub-94:55, as that’s sub-4:30 kilometre pace
I’d be going two 5ks then the Run The Bridge 10K as tune-up races. It takes a couple of races to get used to race pain and to race your best — like Rudisha in the 800m — a WR then a second WR in his next race!
Yeah, thinking of that mix, the 5miler is hilly which I don’t need since November’ Half isn’t, and the 10k is an annoyance, first couple miles are out and back on a bridge, so uphill and congested (done it twice already). We’ll see, might just do 3 5Ks.
C’mon Flo. You gotta mix a longer one in there. Even though I mostly run them incorrectly, 5ks are sorta brainless. They are over before they start. But if they are easier to schedule, you might try a LONG warm up for one (5-8 miles) to better simulate the last 5k of a half.
p.s. consider gimheads.com plugged.
Different strokes for different folks. 5Ks aren’t throw-away races to me, in fact, my one definitive goal this year has nothing to do with Halfs…it’s to break 20:00. The Half is whatever it’ll be, a continuing work in progress that isn’t going anywhere. But 19:xx? That’s fuckin’ sexy to me – a number I can see, smell and taste and one I’ve had my eye on for a year. That said, I’ll probably do the 10k.
Btw, I’m not one of those people who enjoy doing tempo runs in races so I wouldn’t add miles beforehand, though it’s a valid suggestion.
Hee…will listen to a podcast this evening! Thanks. ;-)
okay if the 5k is the goal-3 is a good way to practice. I guess I missed that part
But to be clear,I personally don’t consider them throw away either. But they are so different to me, I don’t find the experience applicable to long races
They’re not applicable to marathons at all – I refuse to do them during marathon training because with marathon workouts, I lose so much of the speed 5Ks require that I find them demoralizing. But the Half is a different animal from a Full – you need both endurance and speed.
While a 5k doesn’t emulate a Half, it helps you get faster towards it. Three biweekly 5ks and a weekly tempo would be a pretty fast recipe. Of course a 10k is going to be better as far as emulating the race, no arguments with that. And like I say, I’ll probably do the 10k – parking is convenient. :-)
Matt, I love you! Thanks so much for the generous plug!! You’re a sweety on about 20 levels. Hugs.
First, I don’t throw 5Ks away. I hate ‘em (not as much as 10Ks) and wish I could run them faster than I do. Nor can I add stuff post-race. I race. I stop. I might jog a bit. But my brain shuts down when I cross the line.
Second, I’ve hooked you into this pick-6-bloggers-or-an-angel-doesn’t-get-her-wings thing. Ignore it at your peril.
Aw Joe, why why why?? I’m so flattered to be among your list, that is so cool, but I hate those things and never do them. They remind me of chain letters and they take too much work, plus I hate contacting people and this one requires 6! I’m sorry…no, I’m really really sorry. I hope you still love me anyway and that no one dies as a result of my lack of participation.
I’m like you about not adding mileage post-race, my reward for racing is to stop running.
When it rains shortly, those are a wingless-angel’s tears.
Lol!! She didn’t just not get them…I fried them off with a magnifying glass.
They don’t call it the city of sisterly love.
what 5k’s are you doing? i’m doing one on sept 26 on the parkway
Not that one, it’s the week after the Half, I’ll want 2 weeks before racing again. Check the At The Races page for the ones I’m thinking about.