Running in the front of the pack

I ran the Run through the jungle race Saturday May 14th -- the race I've been training for. My training schedule worked up to my hardest week 48 miles. 2 weeks ago I ran a 14miler long run as part of the week, my half marathon time would have been 1 hour and 48 minutes, and that was not at race pace -- it was also with 13mph winds. I felt pretty good about the training schedule, I followed it pretty much completely except for burning out on some of the speed work outs. I think i'm sick of the track, I want to do some hills or maybe just do speed without worrying about time, just running hard. For the race I didn't run it as fast as I thought I would or could however, it was hot right in the middle of the race, the sun came out and heated everything up, then it was ready to rain, started to right after I finished... So, the humidity was at it's peak. My legs felt great the whole time, I was running along at a 6:30 pace for the first mile, feeling pretty good, but then I just got really out of breath. Had to be the humidity. I had also forgotten how many hills were on the course, as well as it being mostly gravel with big pot holes. The last mile was slow too because it had steps, loose gravel, turns and was between 2 cages with 2 tigers fighting over who got to chase witch runner.

I kept looking behind me towards the end as my pace was dropping to see if any girls were behind me because I knew I was number one girl the whole race -- I didn't see any and was relieved that I didn't have to go any faster. I wish that their had been because I think I could have pushed harder. the next day my legs weren't even sore. I did get first place female runner and brought home the troughy, so that was exiting. I was about a minute ahead of the second place woman and Debi was right behind her, I guess she got passed right around end of the race. It was SOOOO cool being in the front of the pack. I want more of that feeling. I was the only girl up their with all the guys with big calf muscles... It was also fun beating all the guys that were behind me... I feel like I could have pushed harder, gone faster, but I just get discouraged when I can't breath, and humidity is my least favorite running condition. Just the same.... Regardless of how hard I could have pushed or how much faster I could have run, I still got first place overall female! I want to do it again.

I really need to continue to work on my diet plan, I need to add more fruit and rice and potatoes to my diet. I've been having salads for lunches, maybe add some juice and a slice of bread with hummis. dieting days will be over soon and I will need to up my calories for high mileage training -- no more fasting on mondays when that starts. I want to line up a few more races -- i'm thinking of a 20 mile race in Sept. I think, a half in Batavia in August, a 5k in june. I'd like to get some trail running in and do a 10 miler trail race -- I think it will make training more exiting and interesting.
I"m also finishing up my training schedule. I think I'm going to incorporate the one I developed with the help of several other schedules, but combine some of the runs (2 6's into a 12) so that I have more days off and can focus on strength training those days and recovery.It just makes more scene to run more long runs and have more rest days since I am training for a marathon after all. It'll probably be 9+ mile runs on Monday 8+ mile runs on Tuesdays Wednesdays off/YMCA weight and ab routine, Thursdays speed work outs, Friday off, Saturday long runs 14+ -- the miles will be about the same as the other schedule, just higher millage, leaving room to do night runs if I want on days that have rest day as the next day & room to be more flexible. SO, that's the plan. this week I ran 6 yesterday, 8 today, but it was rough because I fasted dinner to dinner on Monday, so even though I had a big dinner Monday night I was still hungry at mile 4. then tomorrow I think i'll do 1m warm, go to track, 2m fast, some lounges and squats etc. then 1mfast then run 1m home cool off. then Thursday do a 6, Friday 5 or 6 and Saturday or Friday night if I want to flip flop them, do 13 or 14 -- I don't really know why I want to keep my miles so high, I should really rest.... But i'm a runner, not a rester.... I guess that's why.