sub-3 or blow-up trying

Mixed results about today's race.  First, to put everything into perspective, this is my 4th time running Litchfield and I pr'd by 6 1/2 minutes.  I've definitely had a great year of running.  However, I have had several training runs in the past month on this course that have exceeded today's performance.  For whatever reason, my legs are in the midst of a 2 week "dead zone". 

I started the race among about 1,300-1,400 runners, including several elites.  The temperature was good for a 1pm start (65 degrees), yet the sun was out and there was 78% humidity (non-factor).  I started out with a firm pace, but then adjusted quickly towards a significantly slower pace...just didn't have 6:30 minute miles in me today.  Here are the splits I was aware of...

Mile 2:  12:30 (steep downhill in mile 1 and modest uphill towards the end of mile 2)

5K:  20:02 (same time as my 5k from last week with 4 miles to go)

Mile 4:  27 minutes (significant uphill portion...mile 5 included some trail running for maybe 3/4 mile and then my pace got back to around 6:50 on the street...spent 1/4 mile or so running and talking with Rod Dixon- former Olympic runner from New Zealand)

Mile 6:  41 minutes (translates to 6:50 pace...ran to this point in just over 39:40 a few weeks ago...what's going on?)

Mile 7 begins with a hills with a 9% grade, so my goal was to finish things off within 50 minutes...held my place and finished strong in well under 50...I'm not sure the exact time so I'll make adjustments once official result are out.  Finished in approx 49:30.

I don't feel as though I've lost fitness...I could probably go out right this minute and run the same course in the same time or faster...I'm not tired at all and will probably run again this evening.  I'll just keep plugging away and hopefully start getting some zip back in the legs.  Overall, still a fun experience today!

Legs still felt fresh so I did a 5-mile workout in the TM in our basement.  2 mile warm-up followed by some speedwork separated by .25 mile recovery- 1 mile (6min pace), recovery, 1 mile (6min), recovery, 1/2 mile (6min pace)...had to stop because I was sweating so bad the TM was getting dangerous.  I'm realizing the need to get 1-mile repeats back into the circuit + TM helped discipline me to keep the legs moving (don't want to fall off). 

PM:  5 miles at gym + 10 minutes weights

EVENING:  5 miles at home...both recovery mode (8:20ish pace)

AM: 15 minutes weights + 6.6 trail miles in Whites Woods.

PM:  9.75 mile run out towards Morris and down through the cemetary. 

Both runs were easy 8:30-9min pace.

Noon:  A little experiment this week.  I've tapered for the last 2 road races and the legs felt pretty dead.  This week I've poured on the mileage already and will participate in an evening 5k.  It's a bit of a challenging course (21:30 last summer) w/two thirds of it going uphill.  Last year I pr'd in a 5k (19:09) about one month after running this particular race.  If I get anywhere near 20 minutes tonight I will feel good.  My goal would be to then pr within a month (under 19min).  No more tapering for smaller races and I'm really interested in seeing how the legs respond to tonight's effort.  Got in 4 miles during lunch with 8- 30 second strides built in.  Felt descent.

PM:  Got to the race site and ran through the course + an extra half mile (3.6 miles), followed by the actual race...it was a very tough course (rolling hills with 2/3 being more up than down), so I decided to start out conservatively.  Here are the splits...

Mile 1:  6:25 (rolling hills, gradually going up)

Mile 2:  13:20 (6:55 pace...a couple steeper hills and then flattened out...kept same effort)

Finish:  20:13 (6:15 pace for the final 1.1...held a steady pace and coasted in feeling strong)

Overall, very happy with the effort.  It was a good training run on a high mileage week.  I pr'd on my time on this course from last year by over 1 1/2 minutes.  Placed 9th out of about 150 runners, including 3rd in my age division.  Got home and did an extra 3.4 on the TM, including 2-mile repeats at 6 min pace + 800 in 3 min.  Feel as though I'm beginning to regain form. 

Pouring rain outside...started to do a recovery run on the TM, but then the motor blew after 1 mile.  Fortunately, we have a 1-year warantee on parts/labor, so the place we bought it from is being very helpful to replace it promptly.

Did a long run today on my old familiar route...did the first 12 miles in 1:33:24 (7:47 pace) and stopped by the house to switch socks.  It was humid out so I was drenched.  Grabbed a banana, half piece of bread, quick drink, ditched the shirt and I was off again within 3-4 minutes.  Got 1/4 mile down the road and realized I forgot to set my watch, so I jogged back and started the second half over again.  Ran 8 miles in 1:01:32 (7:42 pace).  Although it was humid, I kept everything at a manageable, steady pace.  Feel good about the run.  Last summer I was just beginning to build for these 20-milers, so I'm a step ahead.  The legs keep feeling better and my pants are starting to get a little looser- not sure if I've lost weight, but I'm getting better toned. 

Ran a 14-mile route with Ed today through Morris and into Bantum.  Forgot to start my watch, so just ran by feel.  Most of our run was between 7:20 and 7:40 pace w/mile 13 timed at 7:03.  Thought I'd be sore or sluggish today, but was surprisingly fine.  I'll have to weigh myself this week.  I think I've finally lost the post-Boston weight.