I Can Do Hard Things

3.8 miles solo

AP:  8:25

TT:  32:02

Splits:  9:27 (mile long hill), 8:35, 8:01, 5:57 

Ummmm....I'm not not sure why I was so speedy this morning, but I was. I couldn't believe how good and strong I felt! Yippee!!!

2.2 miles with my son Carter. He really wants to run the ward 5k in a few weeks and has been pestering me to take him running. I surely won't say no to that!! We ran to the high school and watched football practice for a few minutes, then ran home. I love running. With him!

AP: 9:30

TT:  51:54 - Up to canal and back

AP:  8:41

Splits:  9:26, 9:09, 8:55, 8:47, 8:11, 7:23 

I was really hoping for a slow and easy run after yesterday's harder run.  But when I got to my turn around point, I felt really good and didn't realize how fast I was going.  

Quick stretch and foam roll

We spent all day at Lagoon. 

I feel like I've been hit by a semi-truck!  Lagoon totally wiped me out yesterday.  All day in the hot sun!  I didn't go on a ton of rides because I get motion sickness.  So thankfully I didn't have a migraine headache and nausea!  I ate so much junk yesterday and didn't get a lot of sleep!

I was feeling hammered when I woke up this morning.  So I did 5 very easy mile on my home TM at 6.0mph.  It took a few miles to shake everything out.  I wore my Kinvaras yesterday on the run and I noticed my achilles and the outside of my ankle are a bit swollen and achy this morning.  Hmmmm....interesting.

I'm taking the next 2 days off as a taper for Hobble Creek.  Hopefully the swelling will go away with the rest.

Stretch, foam roll and scraping. 

Planned taper - rest day.

Ankle is totally swollen.  I've been icing all day long.  It almost looks like a sprained ankle, but I don't remember spraining it???  

Another taper day - rest day.

I was starting to stress out a bit because my ankle was still totally swollen.  My PT was able to get me in.  They did estim, ultrasound and soft tissue work.  Then the PT did some manipulations on it.  The swelling went down a ton and it definitely felt better.  He said I could run on Friday.

I have no idea what I did to cause the swelling. 

Hobble Creek Half Marathon Splits
		2011	2012	2013
	TT	1:45:20	1:43:02	1:43:53
	AP	8:08	7:56	7:56
	1	8:03	8:07	8:03
	2	7:54	7:57	7:40
	Water-3	7:56	7:50	7:41
	4	7:29	7:46	7:37
	5	7:50	7:48	7:40
Rollers	Water - 6	7:48	7:43	7:38
Rollers - Trail Starts	7	8:12	7:52	8:02
Sun comes out	Water - 8	8:18	7:45	7:38
Big hill	9	8:00	7:45	7:56
Neighborhood	Water - 10	8:34	8:08	8:42
	Water - 11	8:26	8:13	8:33
	12	8:30	8:18	8:49
	13	8:05	7:44	7:50

I had mixed feelings about going into this race.  My mileage hasn't been huge, but it has been faster.  So I wasn't sure how that was going to play out.

Mile recaps:

1 - So darn congested.  I followed a girl for the first mile that would barge right through people.  I just coasted right in behind her.  I noticed a girl from the gym.  She gave me a shout out and took off.

3 - Caught up to gym girl (I didn't stop for water and she did).  I asked her what time she was going for today - low 1:40's.  I decided I wanted to hang with her for as long as I could.  She was very chatty with her friend and I didn't utter a word (working too hard).

4,5,6 - Hung with gym girl wondering when I was going to blow up.  Gu at mile 6.

7 - There is a big hill here and I was feeling strong going up it.  I left gym girl.  Sad - she was pushing me hard.

9 - I noticed a girl from my ward at the bottom of the hill.  I didn't feel very social or talkative, so I tried to blow right by.  But she hollered out to be and tried to hang with me.  Nothing against her but I was barely hanging on and didn't to talk or try to race her. I was getting thirsty at this point.  Being thirsty is never a good thing.  The sun was BLAZING hot and I was starting to get tired.

10 - The wheels came off and I didn't have another gear.  I walked through the water stop and drank 3 cups of water.  Then I felt pukey.  My legs were getting heavy and I knew my lack of long runs was starting to catch up to me.

11 - Walked through another water stop.  Really starting to struggle physically and mentally.

12 - It took forever for this mile marker to appear.  I had hit the wall and was losing steam.  Still hanging on with ward girl.  I really didn't want her to beat me.  

13 - I saw my son waiting to run with me.  LOVE IT that he wanted to do that, but only ran until where my family was standing.  Next year I'm going to tell him to finish with me.  My legs were so done.  I felt the vomit coming.  I had a very small kick.  I had to sit in the race chute for awhile to make sure I didn't vomit.  I knew I had ran my limit if I had a case of the pukes.

So overall thoughts:

1.  Pleased with my time considering my lack of long runs and speed workouts.

2.  Displeased with my last 3 miles.  My wheels fell off the wagon and I couldn't recover.  I'm not sure if I had gone a little slower on the downhill miles if it would have made a difference. 

3.  Ankle held up alright, but is swollen again.  I stood in the ice bath after the race and have been icing all day.  I think I need to have a lower mileage week next week.  I still had another week until rest, but I think I need to give this ankle a chance to heal and reduce the swelling. 

4.  They need to start this race 1 hour earlier.  It was too hot. 

I'm very sore and tired. So glad it is over!