Silver Linings and Delusions

The past week has been an OK week, with regards to keeping active. The week of the "snowpocalypse", which was the week before last, I didn't do jack crap. Not a single workout.

The Sunday after the snow, I got ready to go on my run. The hardest part is just getting started but if I try not to think about it and just robotically put my running clothes on, then I'm almost there.

As I waited for my iPhone to charge, I heard the familiar sound that I had received a text message. I checked and it was my buddy Nancy, asking me if I was planning to run. How serendipitous. Whilst I didn't think I would make good company, seeing that I had not ran in a week's time, she decided I would do just fine.

We did an unbelievable six miles at Shelley Lake. And it went by fairly quickly. The pace was still a bit quick for my comfort but it was doable with a partner. I drove home feeling like a queen.

The rest of the week went well: I played my first wallyball (freeplay) game in nearly a year. Most of my friends know that *that* game is my favorite. I've missed it and, feeling out of the game, I found I fell right back into the groove. The following day was recreational volleyball and, again, another day of fun and a good workout.

I got both my runs in - Tuesday with my other friend Melisa (one "S") and Thursday was a solo run before the volleyball game.

Today I was scheduled for a 5K today (thank you Melissa - I'm using her training plan) . Since I am apparently suffering from race fright, I did this one on my own.

Murder Path

I decided I would walk to Lake Lynn and just start the race pace there. I took the murder path and a picture of it. What you can't see, although the picnic table is a close sign, civilization in the name of apartments are on either side of the trees. Of course, they can be seen in the winter. I am always prepared to scream bloody murder so that someone in those apartments will hear me. Whether they actually come and save me is a different story.

Once I got to the lake, I stretched a bit and was on my way. I tried not to start out too fast, thinking about how I can tend to do that in a race...but I did want to have a quicker pace than my normal 11+ minute miles that I do on the long runs.

As I ran their first mile, I was thinking: wow, I should slow down. I must be doing close to 10 mn/miles, or even sub. Once I got to the one mile mark, my RunKeeper app said I was doing 10:56. WHAT? That shit HURTS. I'm breathing fast, my thighs hurt. How can it be just a hair under 11 mn/miles?

Well, that must be because I went slow in the beginning. I've picked up the pace now...the second mile will definitely drop. Mile two: 10:54 mn/mile. OK. This is ridiculous. I was really booking then. WOW. I'm glad I didn't REALLY run a 5K. I was expecting to do 10 mn/miles today.

I know I quickened my pace even more when I felt like I was getting close to my 3.1. I'm thinking: geez - if I'm tired this quickly, how the hell am I going to manage 10 MORE of these miles?

I end with a 10:45 average pace overall. And I was beat. Sweatin' all over the place. I just started walking to cool down and get my heart rate down. Once I found a good spot, I stretched the shit out of my thighs, calves, feet, and hips. That felt good. But I was half a mile away from home...so that was going to be a long walk back.

My overall miles - temp 41:
First: 10:57
Second: 10:47
Third: 10:34

So, at least negative splits. Last week, I ran six miles at 10:54 average, with two walk breaks...but today felt HARD.

Fortunately, I changed my estimated finish time for the race from 1:50 (what the fuck was I thinking?) to 2:15. I told Melisa that I was pretty sure she was signed up for the same 1:50 pace. She didn't believe me until she re-read her emails. Ironically, her original estimated time WAS 2:15...and as she said, she changed it to be like $Bill and I.

My playlist, including the walk to and from the park:
Teeth - Cage the Elephant
Absinthe with Faust - Cradle of Filth
Addicted to Love - Alex & Sierra
Afterlife - Arcade Fire
All I Want for Christmas Is You - Alex & Sierra  *need to remove this one
All You Do Is Talk - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC)
Am I Only - BRMC
Angel with the Scabbed Wings - Marilyn Manson (MM)
Antichrist Superstar - MM
Awful Sound (of Eurydice) - Arcade Fire
Bad Girls - M.I.A.
Beat the Devil's Tattoo - BRMC
The Beautiful People - MM
Berlin - BRMC
Best Song Ever - Alex & Sierra
Bitin' the Bullet - Grouplove
Black Magic - Magic Wands
Black Mud - The Black Keys
Black Skinhead vs. Elephant - Kanye-Tame Impala mash-up

Oh one funny thing: I bought new running pants yesterday. There's a tag that says: hidden key pocket. I couldn't find it. I even had Tim look for it before I ran. No can find. It's that hidden. I finally saw it after I took them britches off.