Thursday:
The plan today was to do 8 easy miles. Dror said to do 8:30 pace. I woke up really tired and decided I would meet the group and keep it super easy and include all the stops. Well, when I got there it was Todd, Angela, Sarah and AndrAa. We started out and within the first 1/2 mile I was ahead of them and I just kept going.
I didn't stop at the water stops, I just did my own thing. Well, when I hit mile 7 going into my 8th mile I caught up with them... which means they were at 5-6 something. I passed them and finsihed the run...
8 Miles at 7:50 pace - OOPS!
I was really scared I ruined any chance of doing well on my 1/2 on Saturday... but when I told Dror, he said I would be fine.
Friday:
I drove up to my parents and hung out with my Mom all day and did some serious shopping. Great times, but definitly no rest. My day started at 4am!
Around 5 I went to John and Stephanies and we started planning dinner. I was really worried about this part, but I was trying to be nonchalant about it. Well, lucky for me they asked what I wanted and I told them what I usually eat before long runs. CLEAN! Clean tomatoe sauce (usually just plain tomatoes), Garlic and ground beef with gluten free noodles topped with parmigiana... they were 100% down with that so Stephanie and I headed to Whole Foods and got the ingredients. I also picked up some Organic Red Wine... my one indulgence ;)
Saturday:
I woke up at 4:40 and had my coffee and started my morning routine.... bathroom and get dressed.
I had a weird feeling about me. It was excitement and cluelessness about what was in store. I had NO idea what was about to happen. I was really nervous about the weather. Stephanie and I had been watching and it was going to be hot and humid. I kept reminding myself that this was technically just a training run and not to think about it. I decided my ultimate goal was to break 1:37 but was going to be ok with breaking 1:38. I didn't think I could maintain 7:30's for the entire thing, but was going to try.
We got to the Starting area around 6:00am. We got out and headed to the porta pottie then went back to the car so I could eat my peanut butter sandwhich and get ready to do my 2 mile warm up.
I did the warm up and then had to pee again. Well, all of a sudden the porta pottie line was SO long. I talked Stephanie into going with me to pop a squat... well I did, behind a barricade, near tons of people walking by... but I didn't care!!!
We started to line up and went all the way to the front. The cannon went off and we were running! I felt relaxed and easy. Well, I hit the first mile around 7:00 flat... I got a little nervous but just decided to go with it. This was just a training run - if I crashed it was fine, and I also knew there were bridges coming that I would be slowing down for...
Bridges came and they hurt and sucked, but I got through them.
7:22
7:19
Once over the bridges I tried to settle into a pace and get comfortoable. I started passing girls and next thing I knew I was just around guys. I was nervous and excited - but I wasn't dying. Everything felt so peaceful and normal - like it was nothing for me.
7:13
7:17
7:16
7:14
Once we headed out of this neiborhood area I spotted one of my moms friends and she was cheering me on. Then I kept going, I was after mile 7 and I wanted to pick it up. I had to contain myself because I didn't want to have to recover from this race since I was still in training for my marathon.
7:04
6:54
7:05
During these fast 3 miles I was actually talking to these guys!! I had energy and I was talking and I was at 7:00 pace?!
Then the obstacles came. We were running around the river. The sidewalk had lots of curves and slight inclines and then we came up to this part that led up to a bridge it would incline than platuea it did this about 10 times and then you spriral down about 7 times. The Garmin stopped tracking the distance and the time kept going.
7:26
That mile is not accurate.
Mile 12 was difficult. It was HOT. There was NO shade and no crowd. It was basically awful.
7:24
Then Mile 13 I went after it
6:37
I finished and couldn't believe what I had just done. 1:33:16
The feeling of confidence and happiness were so overwhelming. I know I could have gone faster, I could have actually PR'd. I am extremely happy with the results - it is game on for the 1/2 after NYC!!!!
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