Spring Wrap-up & week 1 of Marathon Training

So it has been awhile since I have posted anything.  I've been busy with training, moving, work, and things that weren't really any value to my time... Anyway, I just finished my first week of my marathon block and I'm very excited for this fall!

Recaps:

Brooklyn Half Marathon:
Saturday, May 17th, 2014

The race ended up being fantastic, however I did not think that was going to be the case that morning.  The race started at 7:00 a.m., which required us to leave the hotel around 5:20.  By the time we got to the start, we missed baggage check and were forced to put our bags in the "late baggage van".  By the time I got into my corral (which was 6:40) I had barely warmed up.  I then stood in the corral for 30 minutes (the race started 10 minutes late because of parked vehicle on the course).  At that point I thought this wasn't going to be the race... but it was.

The first 5k was fast.  18:20.  The second 5k was slow, I worried I had ruined my race as I slowed down during this portion, however this was the hilliest section.  The second 10k of the race ended up being faster than the first 10k and I held my pace until the finish.  The official race time was 1:18:28, a 2 minute 53 second PR!  This was good for 7th place overall female in a field of more than 25,000 runners!

Bertasso

Karen

F29

625

Scotia

NY

USA

106

7

4

1:18:28

0:18:19

0:37:18

0:55:39

1:14:19

06:00

1:18:28

11

83.90 %

Freihofer's 
Saturday, May 30th, 2014

This course has always been a struggle for me.  I have never run well here, which messes with me mentally prior to the race.  I ran 17:59 for 22nd place, which is by far my fastest Frehoifer's ever.

OK 5K
Saturday, June 7th

This race was a little disappointing.  Although I won, and ran a 1 second PR, I did want to run a little faster.  It's totally fine though :)  5k is not my speciality and I had a blast with my teammates after, we even went to the orchard and tasted some apple infused alcohol :)

Adirondack Distance Run (10 miler)
June 22nd, 2014

This race was one I was a little nervous about.  The course is very hilly.  I hate hills.  After Brooklyn Half I thought about doing this race and trying to break 60 minutes.  I went through the 10 mile mark at Brooklyn well under 60 minutes and figured even though this race was hilly, maybe I could do it.  Then I started looking at the history of race results.  In the past 37 years of the race only a few girls (1980's and one in 1997) were capable of running under 60 minutes on this course.  A lot of the  fast women I have looked up to over the years never broke 62 minutes on this course.  Thus, I changed my game plan and decided I would shoot for anything between 61 and 62 minutes.

It was a great day weather wise for the race, which was beneficial for everyone.  I went through the first 5 miles in 30:01.  I thought maybe a sub-60 was still within reach.  Then came the hills going up to mile 8.  I went though mile 8 around 48:14, mile 9 in 54:11, I started to really dig deep.  However, there still seemed to be hills!  I finished in 60:09 for first place.  This was also the 5th fastest time in the history of the event and fastest female time since 1997.  I was happy. :)

We got in some more miles after the race, I took a quick dip in Lake George before the awards ceremony and then we went to brunch.

Week 1 of Marathon Training:
Once again I am working with Coach Mike from Stride Ahead Coaching and will run a fall marathon (Hartford or Chicago).  This week was about building my miles back up since I took a little break after Brooklyn.  I ran 67.5 miles with my long run yesterday of 15.7 miles (averaged 6:47 pace).  Overall I feel good despite 3 long days in the OR last week and my house warming party :)