It's a very slow process - two steps forward, one step back - but I'm inching in the right direction. - Rob Reiner

March 26, 2012

A Pretty Much Perfect Weekend!

I haven't posted a blog in 2 weeks.  Work and training is keeping me super busy.  My half ironman training kicked off 2 weeks ago, just in time for my busiest period at work too.  I am seriously having trouble juggling it all right now and trying to have some kind of life on top of it.  Unfortunately blogging is one of those things that gets pushed to the bottom of the list when things get crazy.  Sorry guys, I'll try to do better.

Anyway, training is off to a great start.  So far my shoulder is holding up well during my swims - which are pretty short right now, only about 1000-1250 yards per workout.  I want to do more, but that's all the training plan calls for, so I am sticking with the lower mileage to hopefully keep my shoulder injury at bay.  So far, so good.

Saturday was an absolutely GORGEOUS day in Kansas City.  I met up with a group on Saturday morning for my first outdoor ride of the season.  We met at 8am so it was a bit cool, around 50, but the sun was shining and it was simply beautiful.  It was a bit windy with winds about 12-15 mph, but it wasn't too bad.  Most of the people that were riding are all training for the same Half Ironman so that was good too. I did 30 miles and felt great.  I was pretty ready to be done with the ride after 30, but I was surprised with how good my legs felt. I remember my first outdoor ride last year, and it was tough, alot tougher than this one.  It made me feel great about my off-season training and conditioning.  I was obviously doing something right.

After my ride Sat, I got in a quick 1250 at the pool and then headed home.  Jim and I had plans to see the Hunger Games. I had read the book, so the movie was of course not as good, but overall I enjoyed it. 

Sunday, was pretty much just like Saturday, except the weather even a little nicer.  Temps around 50 in the am, reaching low 80s in the pm with absolutely no winds.  Jim and I headed over to a group run Sunday morning at 7am.  It is a huge group run (as you can see from the pic).  They map out an out and back course of 8 miles so you can pretty much do any mileage you want from like 2 miles to 16 miles, which is great.  I was planning to do 12 miles.  I met up with a girlfriend to run.  I was kind of excited about this because I usually never run with anyone.  It was so nice to have someone to run with.

A few of the people at the group run.  Almost looks like a race.

I discovered something on Saturday.  I am a little faster than I let myself be.  My friend is a faster runner than me.  She generally averages around 10:30-11:00 min miles.  When she asked me to run with her, I said well I would love to, but I’m slower than you.  She said no problem.  It was going to be hard for her to do 12 miles – it would be her longest run in probably a year – and it had been 3 weeks since she had done 10 miles.  We started out and of course were talking and when we reached 1 mile I was right at an 11 minute pace (my warm up mile is usually 12:30).  I said, oh we are going to fast.  Next thing I know mile 2 is in the 10s – I say again oh we are going to fast.  She said – you seem like you are just fine.  I thought, well I do feel fine, but can I last for 12 miles if I go out this fast.  Next thing I know we’ve knocked out 8 miles and I’m averaging a 10:45 pace.  What the heck??  And, I’m feeling great!!  About mile 8.5,I could tell my friend was starting to get a little tired and she stopped to walk a minute.  She laughed and said well “I lit a fire under your _ss, and now I’m the one who can’t keep up”.  So we slowed our pace for those last 3 miles and stopped to take a few walk breaks.  And I still ended up averaging 10:55 overall for 12 miles!!!  That’s 20 seconds per mile faster than my half marathon PR a few weeks ago.  I learned something – I can push myself a bit harder.  And I know I could have finished that run a little faster……hmmm…..maybe another PR in a few weeks??? 

Look at all those 10s!!  I've never done that before.

After my great Sunday run, Jim and I had dinner with my sister and a couple of her friends.  It was a great way to finish off the evening!  It was simply a wonderful, just about perfect weekend.

Hope everyone else had a GREAT weekend too.  What did you do?

18 comments:

  1. How exciting to find you can run faster! I can't imagine the time needed for a half ironman. How many times a week do you do each discipline? I need to start my sprint training in a week along with continuing to train for several halves. But last year when I did my duathlon I did no specific training other than riding and running and it worked out fine. And I am doing all I can with the swimming God knows.

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  2. WOOT!!!! to your increased pace. I totally can run faster if I have the right people with me. Good job, Michael!

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  3. Look at you! It's funny how running with someone else can make you see that you can maybe push harder than you thought before.

    Can't wait to see the Hunger Games. My daughter went without me (sad face) so now I'm waiting for my turn :)

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  4. nice job, Michael.......what a huge group to run with. Makes it much easier to find someone to run with. And your pace was terrific!

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  5. That is just awesome Michael! I notice the same thing sometimes when I run with my faster friends. It is like my brain is programmed to think that I can't go faster than a certain pace when in reality I really can.

    Way to go!! Sounds like such a fun weekend.

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  6. I'm throwing down the gauntlet...there better be a 9:59 in the next half marathon!

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  7. Great run, Michael! I totally admire you for training for a half ironman. Don't know if I could ever find the time for that.

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  8. That does sound like a perfect weekend, Michael, and I'm psyched that you're "finding your fast". I'm looking forward to seeing the Hunger Games, too, but don't expect to be wowed as I was by the books.

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  9. Nice running girl! you should run with the group more often :)

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  10. i just got so excited reading about your LR pace!!! incredible! great work...sounds like you are rocking the training :)

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  11. WOW! congrats Michael you are really getting stronger and faster. Nice long run! I am so excited for you :)

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  12. Awesome long run! That is a huge running group.

    I took the kids to see The Hunger Games this weekend too. I agree, the book was better but the movie was still fun to watch.

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  13. It is somewhat of a revelation when you find yourself feeling good about a pace that is faster than you anticipated. Happened to me saturday. I decided I might want to bond with a Ragnar teammate or two since they will be forced to smell me for 36 hours straight in a van (hahaha) & went out for a run saturday morning. She pushed me below 10 min pace for several miles, and even when she had to stop at 6 miles, I was able to keep the pace just around the 10:10 pace for the last 2 miles. Crazy!
    Congrats on a great run...I forsee great things in your upcoming half!

    And who ever said that the swim leg of a tri had to be completed with a freestyle stroke? You can always breaststroke it, which will protect your shoulder more in the long run.

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  14. Oh, and you are BRAVE to go see Hunger Games the first weekend. Having a 13 year old, I know the theater was almost exclusively populated by this age range ;)

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  15. Great run. You're going to have to re-brand yourself as the runner who's not as slow as she lets on.

    I went to see Hunger Games on Friday night and enjoyed it. I hadn't read the book but now I'm thinking that I'll have to.

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  16. You really did have a perfect weekend! Especially with your pace on the long run. Thats awesome! I finished reading Hunger Games yesterday. I will probably watch the movie. I am now reading the 2nd book... Catching Fire.

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  17. Awesome run! Good luck with your training. Don't apologize for not blogging, do what you have to do.

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  18. Good for you and pushing yourself. I need a friend like that bc I know I wont do it on my own.

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