Anyone else familiar with that Rolling Stones song? ^^ I found those lyrics running through my head this morning as I crossed the finish line of today's IBM 10k in 41:23.
I didn't have a horrible race, but I didn't have the race that I wanted. To be honest I signed up for this race - known for it's fast course - in hopes that it would serve as a final confidence booster for me going into Baltimore next week. With a major cold front coming through bringing temps to the 50's this morning and the only variable being the wind, I was hoping I could roll in with a sub-41 race. My PR is 40:52 on a much more difficult course, so it seemed reasonable to me that a sub-41 race was well within my reach.
In fact, my left leg had been playing nice, and I had great workouts all week. The one caveat was that I finally bit the bullet and went to an ART appointment on Friday (basically a very painful massage). I noticed yesterday on my shakeout run that I was sore again - so I'm assuming it was from the appt and that's normal (anyone have experience with this?). But this morning I was still sore (at times I felt like I was being stabbed in the butt) and I could just never get my legs going as fast as I wanted them too this morning. I am hoping that it will just take my body a few days to adjust to the work he did on my legs, and that I was feeling the after affects this morning and they will soon be on their way (if anyone has experience with ART and it's after affects, please share. Actually, please just tell me this is normal, and I will be just fine :)
The gun went off this morning, and I told myself I would ease into it with a 6:30 mile. Usually at 10k's, I go out way too fast and end up running close to a 6:15 mile. This happens 9 times out of 10, then I crash and burn on Mile 2. Well, unfortunately, when I took off at an effort that was comfortably hard, my watch was telling me it was a 6:44 pace. Shit! I told myself to pick it up, but I couldn't much. My first two miles were clocked at 6:41, and I would be lying if I said they felt super easy. By Mile 3, I got my act together and ran a 6:33 mile. Mile 4 was 6:34, Mile 5 6:38, Mile 6 6:35 and the last .27 (according to my Garmin) was at a 6:11 pace.
I ended up 4th in my age group out of 137 and 17th overall female out of 826. I guess it's not too shabby, but it's hard not to be disappointed when you fall short of your goals. 2012 has not been my best year for running, and I seem to keep falling in the pattern of comparing myself now to myself pre-injury. I spent 2010 and 2011 in the best physical and mental shape of my life with highs from the Ironman and 50 Miler. Unfortunately, what's been very hard for me to realize (and accept) is that you can't be in the best physical shape of your life all of the time. You just can't.
Anyway, it's time to get my head on straight and get focused for next weekend. Some days I feel confident, other days far from it. But I'm ready to get out there and see what I've got.
A big congratulations to all of my super speedy friends - Meredith, Mick, Ron - who had great races this morning. Please send some of your speedy ju ju over to me. :)
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But if you try sometimes well you just might find...You get what you need!
ReplyDeleteThought of that part when I read the title to your post!
That's the best part of the song :)
DeleteHey Erin! Funny you asked about ART & bruising - I was just writing a blog post on that. I had the same thing happen on my last ART experience! I came out feeling bruised. I could feel it while running for a few days, then it went away and didn't act up during my race (I did ice it when it felt bruised, just in case). Hope this makes you feel better :) I've been fine since then, but I still don't know if the ART session was really supposed to be that hard or what. It seems a bit much...
ReplyDeleteI'm headed over to read your post! Thanks for your note. I am so glad I'm not alone in my ART experience. I will definitely keep icing it. I was in there for an hour and the whole session was painful (which I expected) but I thought I would walk out of there feeling miraculously healed. But, I'm glad to hear yours went away after a few days. I think it was just a bit of a shock to my body, and it will help in the long run (I had a ton of scar tissue built up). Have a great week!
DeleteOn paper you ran a great race with those negative splits :)
ReplyDeleteI hope your legs/ART pain start to feel great so you can bring it on race day next weekend!
Thanks, Kara! Yes, better to have bombed the first half than second half I suppose. :)
DeleteThe mental game is sometimes the hardest part of the race! Good luck in Baltimore. You've trained well, so if things get tough out there, just unleash your inner badass.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nick and so true! I've been in many races where times get tough and I just had to keep on trucking...that's always been one of my strengths so I can't get weak now! I also need to remember these 5k and 10k's I've been running are totally different than the marathon...the longer I run, the better I run (usually!) so hopefully that will continue to play to my strengths. Hope you and Erica are doing well!
ReplyDeleteSorry this was a bummer race for you but it sounds like you still did well (at least by my standards!). I'm sure you will work out the soreness. I'm looking forward to hearing about Baltimore!! Good luck this week and get some rest!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lauren! I hope you have a great week of training!
DeleteErin, I saw the results and I just had this feeling that you would not be too happy with the results. I think I am starting to know you better ;). I still think you did amazing! And I also know you to be super speedy lady. You said it best yourself, you can't always be at the top of your game. (I am learning that myself!) I do think you are bound to see many more years ahead of being at your best. Hopefully the soreness/bruised feeling is better today. GOOD LUCK this marathon coming up!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Nina! Your are correct, haha. It was one of those races where I knew I was capable of better but just couldn't get my legs to cooperate. But, we all have those days so no use dwelling on it (and let's hope I just needed to get that out of the way - would rather have a bad day this week than next) :)
DeleteThank you for your kind words, and I look forward to seeing you at Run for the Water! I think I've actually convinced Dan to run it as well :)
Still a great time, and was a good test for your injury. Hope you have a great training week.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jason! I hope you have a great training week as well!
DeleteErin, first of all, congrats on a hard fought 10K, aside from the marathon in my opinion, the toughest race distance to really "nail". It's too long to simply mindlessly hammer like the 5K where if you are fit and rested you are going to run fast ... but in the 10K, you can't start too slow or there is not enough race left to compensate and if you go out too fast, disaster.
ReplyDeleteSo - I think given everything that has been going on with you in this cycle, you ran pretty darn well Erin. Could you have been :05 faster per mile on Sunday? Sure. But in the grand scheme of things, 4th in AG at IBM is pretty darn solid a week from your "A" race Marathon.
Look at it as a great workout pre-marathon and go out next Saturday and lay something special down. If you do that, you won't even remember IBM .... safe travels, kick ass.
You're right Joe- thank you - bring it on!! :)
DeleteGeez...I wish I could say don't be so hard on yourself. But I obviously felt the same way this weekend.
ReplyDeleteYou have to let it go, because I promise you some of it had to do with the cold...and some of it had to do with the ART on friday.
Take it easy this week...you are going to do awesome this weekend.
AND if your time is not absolutely what you want...or as good as last years races...by all means beat yourself up (Because you will regardless of what I say :) ) But give yourself a tiny break...because isn't this like your 100th marathon??!!(I know it's not but still you have run a ton of them!) I mean look what you have accomplished so far! You are totally my running hero! (And I know a lot of people look up to you...whether you win races, run slow, run fast, we don't care, you are inspiring!
You're comment just made my day. Thank you. Seriously, MADE MY DAY :)
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