2014 Clove Run

It's a good thing I'm not stressing out about races anymore since I didn't do nearly as well as I have in the past. I started out just a wee bit too fast for me, totally unsurprising because the race was pretty small this year, and I hoped I could keep it up, but I didn't. I tried to surge a couple of times but I kinda just didn't have it in me. My right heel has been bothering me a bit so it may have been that, but really I think I just petered out. We finished in 28:56.

Side by side

I kinda don't care.

The entire time I ran Vader was by my side. We finished at exactly the same time, but because of age groups and gender differences he wound up with a 2nd place medal! I ran the 1 mile with the Princess before the 5K and that was fun… and long. My mother was there to watch us, as well as my MIL who always volunteers for the race so it was a real family affair.

 Finishing the 1 mile.

We finished in time to get back home so I could cheer my friends on. A couple we saw as we were driving, but we pulled in the driveway just as Sara was coming so I hopped out and was able to give her a high-five. When I was confident my friends had passed I got back in the car and drove back to the start so I could watch them cross the finish line. I am so used to taking pictures on my iPhone though that I screwed up with my camera and instead of hitting the picture I button I turned the damn thing off. So I have very few pictures. But I saw them cross in real life, so that's good. All but Mr. Speedy himself who finished the 10 mile race in 1:03 (I think) and took home 3rd place!

Me, Sara & Melissa.
Sara & Melissa had just finished 6 miles before running the 10! 

Afterwards we took advantage of my mother visiting and Vader and I went out to dinner and a movie (Guardians of the Galaxy in 3D) to celebrate our anniversary a day early. I also decided to check out a new-to-me store at the mall--Track & Trail--and was able to score not one but TWO new pairs of running shoes. My Merrell Dash Gloves are still in good shape but the bottom of them (Vibram soles) are starting to look worn in places. The treads are smoothed over. Since I have nearly 1000 miles on them I thought I could use a new pair. Minimals are great because you don't have to replace them every 300-400 miles, but you can't wear them forever either. I got an updated Dash Gloves pair that I couldn't find online and I also splurged and got the Bare Access Arc 3 for my long runs. It's still minimal with a 0 heel drop but it has a slight bit more cushioning that I hope will be good for my long runs. I kind of forgot that last year when I was training for the half I had to wear the ankle brace which meant I had to wear my thicker Mizunos. So maybe my feet just need a tiny bit more cushioning for those long runs and that's why my heel is starting to irritate me. Let's hope, because I am not prepared for the alternative (I'm not even thinking the PF word!).

March stats and milestones

Like I said, March wasn't the best for me. But it wasn't the worst for me either. I had good speedwork sessions, long runs with friends, and I ran a mile with SkyWalker.

Stats:

Mileage: 48.8
Runs: 10
Cross training Days: 12

I did lots of good cross training routines. I joined a forum on Jessica Smith's website for extra accountability.

I've switched my speedwork to traditional intervals instead of the fast 30 second pickups. I did fast quarters and tomorrow I will do half-mile repeats. I'll get up to mile repeats before my goal race in May. I've failed miserably at the tempo runs and discovered that they were actually causing me more stress than they were worth. I've also had a hard time with my long runs, feeling like I just have no energy and am dragging through the whole thing. So I decided to focus on the intervals and drop the tempo run. I think I need more easy runs and less stressful ones… I might replace the tempo run with some (treadmill) hill runs or just keep it easy. My "tune-up" race is in just a couple of weeks so I'll see where I am then and re-evaluate.

While on my last long run, I passed 700 miles on my Dash Gloves. The beauty of minimalist shoes, no cushioning to break down means no reason to buy another pair until they start falling apart. So far, so good:

Taken right at the 700 mile mark.

I'm hoping April is a bit better and I can get some stroller runs done. Running outside--even with a stroller--is so much better than the treadmill. I am grateful for it and the week I couldn't use it sucked, but it just doesn't compare to outside.