Training good - Racing BAD

Running through Big Rock forest preserve

On Rock creek road out for 17

 Training is going good. I have been feeling continuously better on my long runs. Was able to do some 7:45 miles in the middle of a 18 mile run and finish the last 10k around 8:00 miles or less. Not completely sure because my watch died - but I was running with Matt - and keeping up... and he's fast. My speed workouts/hill work outs have been good. I feel stronger and faster... Have not felt too burned out too often. I feel like it's coming together well.

Our group after the race

HOWEVER - just because training is going good does not mean that I have learned to race. I'm still quite horrible at it. I ran the peapod half marathon in batavia yesterday and am not happy with my performance. I know I could have done better because my sister did better & I was at least as trained as her. Infact I have had better training runs for a while now - so I should have been capable of her time or BETTER. However, I finished in 1:47 and she finished in 1:44. I was doing OK till about mile 8. it was not easy, but I was hanging in at my goal pace (7:55) then I just started slipping, and before I knew it I was walking up a hill and walking for a while after a water stop. One of my runner friends passed me, I should have been able to kick it up and keep up. I could have.
 But I didn't and couldn't. It's so frustrating. It's like i'm just mentally weak when it comes to races. I'm thinking if I do not have any races that are concidered good to me, meaning meeting my goals etc. that I will quit racing next year and just train with everyone. I love running and being with the group... getting better. But it's just so heart breaking when all my hard work does not show at all on race day. Why spend all that money if I'm just going to under preform and end up being upset? I'm considering a running psychologist, and a running coach.. But I really can't afford all that.

Debi and I after the half

Next up is some cool training runs I hope. Next week is starved rock - not sure what the following week will be, then we have an easy week and then the Fox valley marathon. I'm not all that exited about that right now. i'm exited about Starved rock training run... I kept thinking, that if I just keep racing someday I will just be good at it, I will figure it out, get past what ever my deal is with it... but it has not happened yet... I suppose I still came in 10th out of 65 in my division.... and placed pretty well over all... but I know I could have done better. Debi did better.

Wow it's August - Time to train again



Well It's August already, and much has happened. I went to a Cardio Specialist and he said I may have Atrial fibrillation or some other things that are similar. One is common in athletes. Once I get into this next training session I am going to wear a heart rate monitor for a whole month to see if anything is going on. Some of the symptoms are really similar to mine - shortness of breath, exhausting, just being tired all the time, heart beating irregularly... This may explain my "runners burn out". Hoping after my nice month off (somewhat off) I'll be good to go for a while. SO far so good. Worse case scenario the bottom lobe of my heart will just beat really hard and the whole thing will stop and I will die... but the Dr. is not favoring that digenesis thankfully.

The Team at the start

Running in from a leg

 The Ragnar Relay race was fun. We started out in Madison - My leg was the first one - about 4.5 miles. It was pretty along the race, and I ended up with only one person in front of me with an average of 7:40 or so. Then everyone else ran their legs - pretty much all of us did the first legs fast - some of us (not me) did ALL the legs really fast... I just had 4 good ones... We kept at it all day and all night. my next leg was around 5pm - Then around 11. The night runs were interesting - we ran with head lights on a trail (paved) it was tunnel vision, and chasing the red lights on people's backs was fun... My next leg was  3am, then 6am... 

At the Finish!

Road Kills Marked on the van

One of the team members got hurt, something popped in his hip, Myself and the injured runners wife ran part of the last of his leg, it about killed him to let us, but it was the right choice... We finished up all running together in Chicago around 4pm - I was so tired, When I got home though, my mom had a birthday party at my house for my little nephew.... that was exhausting. but I made it, and my bed never felt so good that night. I ended up with 34 miles, and a pretty cool medal. It was fun to have the experience with everyone else - it's funny... When I was a Kid I never would have though Old Boring Audlts (as they all were) would ever want to do something like the Ragnar race.... Just goes to show me that getting old is not as bad as I though, and not what I expected it to be.

After that was my wedding - now not only am I old - but i'm MARRIED and old! Oh boy. Its good though. I'm happy to have it all over with. It went awesome. I did not find a cake topper with runners on it though - that was a little disappointing.

We stayed pretty active on our honey moon too We went to Costa Rica - Walking along the Beach, I got out for 2 runs, we went for a 5 hour hike, I think we may have almost killed our tour guide. I asked him "So your going to go to the Gym after this right?" and he said "NO, i'm going home, taking a shower and going to bed" hahah It was funny. We also went white river rafting, Kyaking in the Ocean (we got in trouble for going out too far.... Kinda regretted it trying to get back, the tide was trying to take us....) It was good though, I enjoyed the time off.

When we got back I go right into running again thoroughly persuaded I had gained 10 pounds. Turns out I did not, not even close, actually stayed exactually the same, pretty sure that had to do with being food poisoned for a day, my stomach did not digest anything right for a week after that.

So far I am signed up for the Pea Pod Half marathon,  the Fox Valley Marathon (sponsored by Thirsty Fox Pub!) We are going to design a post race menu too - i'm exited. and the Madison Marathon. Official training started this week. Saturdays long run is going to be 14.... SO far so good, I'm tired today, but had a good bike ride on lunch break yesterday (10 miles at around 17.5mph) then weights and abs and a 4m hill work out after work, then a 7.5 easy run this morning. So I suppose I can be tired....