Man I am so beat up right now. My legs are killing me. Last week I ran my last 22 mile training run and I did not hurt anything like this.
Saturday I raced the 5/3 Riverbank Run 25K. This is the 2nd time I have done this race and it has turned out to be my worst race to date and yet I still set a personal best. How can that be you ask?
Well, let me tell you.
The race started and I staged just in front of the 9 minute per mile sign thinking "hey, two weeks ago I did a 15 mile training run at a 9 minute mile average. So I should be able to pull that off again and most likely a little better." So that was my plan. I was standing with one of the girls from my running group and we talked a little about our goals for this race. I said I did not care really as long as I beat last years time and did not hurt myself doing it. Seeing how I have to run a full marathon in two weeks.
We crossed the starting line and I seen two other girls from the group (Jana and her friend Tami). We ran up to them and ran together for the first two miles. Jana started to drop back. She's the smart one, she knows how to pace herself. Then the girl I started with, Amber got ahead of me so I ran with Tami for the next mile or so and then she had to take a conference call for work. Yeah, she was one the phone for a work meeting while running the race. lol
This is where I left her and caught back up to Amber. Her and I ran the next 3 to 4 miles together and then I had to slow up a little and just let her go. But I kept her with in 30 seconds of me for the next mile or two. I crossed the half way point (7.75 miles) in 1:08:06, that's a 8:47 per mile pace. I felt ok for the most part. Getting a little weak and sore but I have been worse then this so I tried not to think of it. In the next 3 miles I crashed and I crashed hard. My legs started to cramp up on me. So with the marathon coming up I did not want to hurt myself, I started to run/walk. With each walk it got harder and harder to run again.
It was a miserable thing to deal with . My legs would cramp so bad that it would stop me dead. Have you ever had a calf cramp in the middle of the night? The one that pulls you from a deep sleep with agonizing pain? That, is what I was having. The calves would cramp so bad that the muscle was indented.
The last .1 mile was the worst. I could see the finish, there are thousands of people cheering you on and I just could not do it. I would try to run and with-in a few steps the legs would lock right up and I would have to stop and rub them out so that I could take another step. I actually walked thru the finish line.
I just could not believe it.. While crossing the line I glanced at the clock. The time was 2:30 and some change. CRAP, that's going to be really close to my time from last year. I had no idea if I was faster or slower, and to tell you the truth, I did not care. It was over and I wanted a beer.
Well, my official time was 2:27:10 Thus giving me a PR by 7 seconds. Yup. last years time was 2:27:17... So It was my best worst race ever... Need to fix what ever I messed up on this time and not do it at the marathon. If I crash out at 10-11 miles, that's going to make for a long 15 miles more of walking.
I'm thinking the to fast of pace in the first half and low potassium may have been the problem. On my long runs, the ones that went well I loaded up on banana's and raisins the few days before and the morning of.
Just needed to rant a little.
Saturday I raced the 5/3 Riverbank Run 25K. This is the 2nd time I have done this race and it has turned out to be my worst race to date and yet I still set a personal best. How can that be you ask?
Well, let me tell you.
The race started and I staged just in front of the 9 minute per mile sign thinking "hey, two weeks ago I did a 15 mile training run at a 9 minute mile average. So I should be able to pull that off again and most likely a little better." So that was my plan. I was standing with one of the girls from my running group and we talked a little about our goals for this race. I said I did not care really as long as I beat last years time and did not hurt myself doing it. Seeing how I have to run a full marathon in two weeks.
We crossed the starting line and I seen two other girls from the group (Jana and her friend Tami). We ran up to them and ran together for the first two miles. Jana started to drop back. She's the smart one, she knows how to pace herself. Then the girl I started with, Amber got ahead of me so I ran with Tami for the next mile or so and then she had to take a conference call for work. Yeah, she was one the phone for a work meeting while running the race. lol
This is where I left her and caught back up to Amber. Her and I ran the next 3 to 4 miles together and then I had to slow up a little and just let her go. But I kept her with in 30 seconds of me for the next mile or two. I crossed the half way point (7.75 miles) in 1:08:06, that's a 8:47 per mile pace. I felt ok for the most part. Getting a little weak and sore but I have been worse then this so I tried not to think of it. In the next 3 miles I crashed and I crashed hard. My legs started to cramp up on me. So with the marathon coming up I did not want to hurt myself, I started to run/walk. With each walk it got harder and harder to run again.
It was a miserable thing to deal with . My legs would cramp so bad that it would stop me dead. Have you ever had a calf cramp in the middle of the night? The one that pulls you from a deep sleep with agonizing pain? That, is what I was having. The calves would cramp so bad that the muscle was indented.
The last .1 mile was the worst. I could see the finish, there are thousands of people cheering you on and I just could not do it. I would try to run and with-in a few steps the legs would lock right up and I would have to stop and rub them out so that I could take another step. I actually walked thru the finish line.
I just could not believe it.. While crossing the line I glanced at the clock. The time was 2:30 and some change. CRAP, that's going to be really close to my time from last year. I had no idea if I was faster or slower, and to tell you the truth, I did not care. It was over and I wanted a beer.
Well, my official time was 2:27:10 Thus giving me a PR by 7 seconds. Yup. last years time was 2:27:17... So It was my best worst race ever... Need to fix what ever I messed up on this time and not do it at the marathon. If I crash out at 10-11 miles, that's going to make for a long 15 miles more of walking.
I'm thinking the to fast of pace in the first half and low potassium may have been the problem. On my long runs, the ones that went well I loaded up on banana's and raisins the few days before and the morning of.
Just needed to rant a little.
