Busy Race Weekend - September recap

Had a busy weekend with 2 races. Miles for Smiles 5k and the Texas 10 Katy.

The Miles for Smiles race was a one off kind of thing for me. It was only $10 so I figured why the fuck not. Never mind I was going to be running 10 miles the next day, no need to think about that. Thing I really liked about the this races was that it took me to a part of Houston I wouldn't have otherwise checked out. Turns out there is ssssooooo much more to run than just the few big running areas. This was the inaugural race for the GMS Foundation, they provide dental work for those who can't afford it. So the cause was good. This was a no frills race, RoadID bibs (which are 100% free if you stuff racers packets with information about them, not judging it's a great idea for small races), no medal, no timing. NO TIMING! For me that was probably the best thing this race had to offer, not b/c I am a "back of the pack" runner but because it took the pressure off, I could take the whole race easy and not feel bad b/c somewhere there was a clock watching me. I really enjoyed the location, Stude Park. It's a very active park, 3 run/walking paths, 1 mile, 3/4 mile and 1/2 mile loops that all came back to each other making varied routes if you wanted one. B Cycle has a drop/pick up spot here also. Why you might ask, well because this park also has a GREAT paved trail that runs along side the bayou along I-10. From what I can see on the online maps it hooks into the Height Bike Trail around Hogan St. on the other side of I-45. The path looks as if it lined for runners to bust out speed work. Which is also a bonus. Thing that killed me about it is that it has actual HILLS, OMG! Pretty much all downhill to 45 and then the course was uphill most of the way back. This is where I took it slow, I knew if I tried to bounce up to the top of the hill I would be in no condition for my race on Sunday. Unofficial time 38:11. Oh and a wore the sparkle skirt I made to run in.

The Texas 10 Series came to Katy. For once, a race that was about 15 minutes from the house. Not that I didn't leave super early, like always. One of these days I swear I am going to show up for a race well before the race crew does. I passed the cone truck on the way in, so yea I was a bit early. It was a humid day for a race, it had been raining off and on all night so dawn brought on more of a sauna than an actual day break. Met up with the Mom Run This Town Katy group for a little prerace moral support. They are really a good group of runners. We all realize we have our own races to run and were there to cheer on each other. So we break the group about 15 minutes before the race so we can all get our prerace activities done. For me that meant finding a place to get a warm up in. I got about a half mile in, just enough to warm up my ankles and calves. The race started a few minutes late and like with most bigger races you couldn't hear any announcements but the start horn was no issue. I took the first few miles too fast, I kept trying to coach myself to slow down and finally about mile 4 I found my stride. I was running 12 m/m at a 8:1 I was really comfortable there. I think this is where I am going to sit for the next few races I have coming up. Mile 5 came and my first lap was done 59:06. I was well above the pace I had set on my pace card, trucking away. Mile 6 hit me like a brick, GI issues. You know that saying "never trust a fart" well...I slowed down to a 13m/m pace and hoped I would not be the next runner caught having a "Bad Human" moment. One of the ladies in the MRTT group came up behind me, I told her of the issues I was having and she nodded a knowing look, we've all been there, and reminded me that there is a port-a-potty just up ahead. Yep she was right, right at mile 7 was a port-a-potty and it's finally started to rain. The rain was a blessing for the few minutes that it happened. This is where my race went to shit. I thought I was going to die in there. Lord knows I killed anything living in there. It felt like it was never going to end, in my mind I really thought they would find me at the end of the race passed out in there. I finally pulled it together, put my big girl panties back on and got out back to my task at hand. I walked half way to mile 8 then began my race again. I looked ahead and I picked a rabbit, this girl who had been annoying the crap out of me sprinting 100 feet and then walking then sprinting again, she was wearing a bright blue shirt so she was easy to keep in sight and I began to haul my ass to her. I got stuck in an 11m/m pace and it started to kill me. By the time I rounded the corner and the last water stop I passed her when she stopped for water, a little past I ran up to the MRTT runner who I had left at mile 7. I asked if I could pace with her for the rest of the race, she was cool with it so we pushed each other to the finish line. My time at this point was really good. If I hadn't lost my shit at mile 7 I would have made this race easily in under 2 hours. Finish time was 2:02:26. I stayed to help cheer in the rest of the MRTT group, which if you know me is something I really never do, when my race is done I'm done and I go home.  I ended September on a high note!

September mileage - get this - 93.85 miles.
Coming up in October: Connect to C.A.R 10k and the Houston Half Marathon
Running 7, 11, 12, 13.1!

I'm Dying Out Here

Fall starts in a week and it's a good thing cuz it's been so hot. I've become running lazy. I skipped the Harra Party in the Park so I could switch back to Sunday long runs. Ok, that's at least what I am telling myself. In reality I think it was more likely I didn't want to get up that morning. Likewise this past weekend I skipped the flash mob 10k so I could sleep in Saturday morning, but is sleeping until 7 am really sleeping in? In most circles probably not but for runners it's unheard of. I did get out yesterday for my cut back long run. Easy 6 was all I was looking for and it's pretty much all I got. I stopped on my route to pick up the chubs some smokes and had a quick chat with the guy at the Exxon and it turns out they have a nickname for me "runner lady with red blinking light on her ass" not quite as cool as "stands with a fist" but more fitting I'm sure.

I can feel the weather wanting to change. It was cooler out this weekend. maybe? I think? or maybe it was that the sun isn't coming up until 7ish so it isn't heating up so fast while I am out there. Training wise I have changed a few things.  Gone are the days of the double run. With school being back the chubs is getting freaked out about me coming home late, I guess 7th grade math is too much for him. During the week runs are all now back to back to make up for miles I am losing by cutting out the afternoon run. Tues is now speed day with Wednesday being tempo run and Thursday just for the miles. I have also decided to take some time off my long run pace. The summer heat dictates that I keep it real slow but with fall weather hopefully around the corner the time for increased speed is upon me and I think this year I would like to learn how to control it before it get really nice out there and I try to take my LSD's at a jackrabbit pace. Moved from 13:30 to 13:00 this weekend. I would like to get my LSD pace down to 12. I know that means I also need to up the speed work and tempo runs but hopefully I will be able to. Last weeks tempo run was at 12:05, this week I am going to shoot for 11:45 which is just under my goal pace for the Texas 10 Katy. Last weeks speed work was done at 11:30 pace so I am going to try to maintain or better that in the next few weeks. Oh and I am now getting up a bit earlier to get an extra mile in every day, so my mileage keeps about the same. This week my LSD hits the 10 mile mark. First 10 mile run since March so I am sure it will be a challenge. So it looks like I am looking at 10, 10, It looks like I can squeak a cut back 7, 11, 12 and then it will be end of October and my first half of the season.

Slay the Summer

Rule the Fall...is the mantra I have been getting thru summer with. It's not mine, the BCS Marathon posted it on their FB page sometime in June and it fit. I have felt thru most of the summer that most runs have slayed me but I have continued on. Lets see, from last I was here it was end of June and TONS has happened since.

July brought me 1 official race, the Run Wild 5k on July 4th. Its was in Uptown which has become somewhat of a haunt for me this year. It was my second race there this year. The race is put on by the Runner's High Club. I seem to be following them this year. Next year I am thinking about joining their group when marathon training starts. Anyways, this was my first race wearing a Tutu. Turned out it helped me run faster...so I could take the damn thing off. Mistake learned. I am self conscious enough without having a red, white, and blue light up, blinking stared tutu to help me stand out. It was so funny about 20 seconds into the run the battery holder for the light came out of the waist band causing me to almost trip over myself as I shoved it down the front of my skirt. Won't do that again, but I do have plans to make a "Sparkle skirt" for the Texas 10 Katy.

I also managed a good lot of virtuals, For the Love of the Kids Beat the Heat 5k, Grumpy Run 10k, The Virtual Run Queen's Quarter Marathon, Poker Run 5k, the MRTT Running Mad (more of this one next) and the Nerd Herd's Happy Birthday Harry Potter 5k. I closed out the month of July logging in 82.81 miles.

Now on to the MRTT race. I joined a online run group. Turns out they have a chapter here in town and they got together to run the virtual the nation chapter was putting on. What a great group of woman. As many different running paces and intervals and goals as there were woman and yet everyone was really upbeat and supportive. No divas. No drama. Proof that women can get along.

August kept up with the heat and the chubsband was nice enough to let me free one night a week after work to get a few hot ass miles in. There is a great little mostly shady park on my way home that is very well marked. It's 6 miles out and back but it has one HUGE draw back. Just past the 1.5 mile marker is a meadow. It's about a 1/2 mile back to where the shade begins again. I have managed to get across it once since things heated up. Thing is once you get across it you have to turn around and do it again before you burst into flames. It really has been that hot this year. Last week I noticed that the trees are starting to believe fall is on it's way, leaves are turning like mad on the path, which gives me hope that soon this heat and humidity will break. Better running weather is just a few more months away.

On the racing scene I picked up two IRL. Early in the month was the Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer 5k. This one is starts and finishes at the Aquarium in downtown. I did this one last year and it nearly took me out. What a difference a bit of training will do. I started something new with this race, the pre-race warm up. Prior to this race on race day I pretty much showed up and went at it with little to no pre-race anything. I pounded out 2 miles at my LSD pace before the race. It was amazing. No first mile quad cramping or ankle tightening and I managed to run at an almost non-heat pace finishing in just under 36 minutes. I know that sounds slow but it's more than 3 minutes off of this race from last year and this year I didn't want to completely die afterwards. This one is also put on by the Runner's High Club.

Two weeks later I ran the Lake Houston 10k in Kingwood. I normally don't like driving too far for races, my rule of thumb is to not drive for longer than I am going to run. This one is borderline for me...so I sped a little to get there. What a beautiful run. Tree lined streets, along side a water way, at dawn, sun rising, heat sweltering. Very well put together race. Cold towels in 4 spots of the course, water and gateraid every mile, mini expo where the vendors didn't run out of swag. I even got parking about 200 yards from the start/finish. My mum got me one of  those Garmin running devices for my birthday and this was the first race I got to try it out on. I had a good time trying to turn this race into a tempo run. For the heat I would be lucky to run 12:45 but I set the pacer to 12:15. Putting that with my new found love for pre-race warm ups I managed to surprise myself. I was able to hold the faster pace and finish in 1:16:31. I think I may repeat this race next year.

Virtually I ran, Team Hope 5k, Evil Smiley 10k, the Muffins 2 Marathons Double Dip with back  to back 5k's and I earned my Birthday Bash medal on 8/22 with that days run taking me over the 39 miles I set to do for it. I finished August logging in 73.94 miles, I know but I was on vacation and sick for a week and I have a million other excuses for the drop in miles but half training has officially started so it's only up from there.

Here we are 3 days into September and I have already logged a race. The Alaina Dixon 5 miler, guess where? In Uptown and guess who put it on? The Runner's High Club. 1 hour was my goal but it was too hot for that. I clocked in at 1:01:44. I'll take it! Nothing like a 5 mile tempo run. I even found out that there is a sidewalk along side the feeder road on 610 right before Uptown, so now I have a good pre-race spot for the next time I am in the area.

Coming up, HARRA is having a Party in Memorial Park, which is a good enough excuse just to get a change of scenery, I need 9 miles that weekend, Sun & Ski is having a Flash Mob 10k, just in time for a cut back week, the Miles for Smiles the day before the Texas 10 Katy. Going to hover in that 9-10 mile long run place until the end of the month before I step it UP for my first half of the fall season at the end of October.

Goals: 3-4 days with 1 double day, 2 days yoga and weights and one day full rest (read as not leaving bed). Miles somewhere in the 90 neighborhood.