Where I am..

Not literally but in my mind inching closer to the uphill trail.

DNF

It is weird because I have only had one other DNF in my life; I tend to finish anything I start. I have only never finished one book, Vanity Fair (I even managed to make through Twilight). This week marked a couple of DNFs in my life.

The first DNF was my 3k race. I might have tried to do too much too soon, with 2 laps to go in the race; I simply stepped off the track. My right calf just tightened up. The twelve hours of driving could have not helped either. I was a bit disappointed but not really. I was able to see my teammates and cheer them on. I got to watch a very good 800 race that included Sarah Bowman, Hazel Clark, Phoebe Wright and the rest of the UT Knoxville girls. Bowman won in a 2:02, I think.

The other DNF was my honors project and well it was not if I did not try to finish it. The odds were against me and sometimes, you can’t always overcome them. The project got started late due to my committee of professors just not getting back to me to approve the project the first time. I moved off campus for this last semester which made everything pretty tough. Time was short. No matter how hard I tried I could not learn how to do the statistics I needed to do without a class. I’m upset with it but I’m graduating this week and that makes me happy.

This week looks like a week of rest and planning out the rest of my running schedule till Chicago.

Crazy..a bit

Am I crazy? I like to think of myself as naïve or maybe a dreamer. Why am I asking this? Well, I’m traveling back to TN this weekend and I trying very hard to jump into a track race either a 10k or 5k after running my first half on Saturday. I looking to leave fairly early Friday, grab a hotel and then roll up to UT Knoxville’s track for race. I’m not quite sure if I’ll be able to get in yet but this seems really appealing. I’m in such good shape it seems like a waste not to try. It would be my first race at either distance on a track but if I can do a half I can do anything right?

First Half Marathon!

“That was rough” was the first thought that passed through my head as I finally crossed the finish line of the two rivers pikermi (half marathon). I really do not know what I was expecting; I was not expecting the last two miles of the half to make my legs feel like they had been hit by sledgehammers numerous times.  In the feeling of pain, the last two miles felt like what I typically feel like in the last two laps of a steeplechase (Though I was a bit less fearful, there is a less of a chance of me falling into a pit of water).

I woke up early after a late night working on a paper on King Lear (first mistake) and I was barely able to stomach a cup of coffee and oatmeal (second mistake).  I somehow managed to leave my watch in the locker room at RW (the reason I buy cheap watches). This meant that I ended stopping by Walmart at 5:30 in the morning. There are some strange folks in the store that early in the morning but no lines. Without problems and few strange looks, I was able to purchase a watch ($7.95) and make my way to Danville, PA.

Danville is located about 1:45 away from Emmaus and it is a small town located in the mountains. I was able to arrive in time to grab my race number and warm-up. Warm-up was not great; I should have run a little longer. The chip that was handed out was semi-odd, it was an ankle bracelet with a chip. I felt like I had been put on house arrest like Paris Hilton. Take notice here, that I did not eat anything.  The race director ushered us to the new start at around 8:30. The reason I say new start is because they changed the course 2 days before. The whole pack of us walked back and forth trying to find the line. About 10 minutes later, we finally found it. I positioned myself midway into the pack; I did not want to go out too quickly. The race website had told us that chips would start when we passed the start line. The odd bit of this was that there was no mat or sensor near the start. Come to find out the chips started with the gun.

I made it through my first mile without going crazy (7:20) and the next five miles came smoothly over rolling hills. I came through mile six in 43.42 which was about on the pace I was looking for. I just kept repeating to myself to relax and race the mile that I was in. It was a small race but there was enough people for me to catch runners and provide motivation. I was running strong and felt really good. The only problem was that I had the hardest time at water stops, I had practiced taking liquid about every twenty minutes or so. I guess I got too wrapped up in the race and did not notice that I only took fluids maybe twice within the race.

I happily approached mile eleven right at 1:19.55. I was right around where I wanted to be and was quite happy to only have two miles left.  The race went into a trail and that is where they decided to build a wall. A wall knocked me flat.  No, I’m not talking about a real wall that would just be cruel but a wall for me. I had not eaten/drank enough for the 88 degree day and suddenly my paced slowed to 10 minutes and I was crawling. My feet clumsily found every root and rock possible on the trail and the mile marks seemed further and further apart (there were rumors that course might have actually been long due to course change say closer to 13.6). When we were told that there was a mile left I nearly cried.  Within that last mile I reverted to a slow shuffling pace with slight pick-ups. Everyone that passed me was encouraging but I felt like rolling into a ditch to take a nap.

I finally hit the finish line in 1:41 (according to my watch that I started when I crossed the start line). I was covered in salt and needing some water.  I finished off two bottles before I even got on the bus.

Overall, I loved the distance and I’m already planning my next. I made some rookie mistakes that I should have known better (interning at RW should have taught me something about this).  I still think I can hit that 1:35; I might need to add in some longer runs and maybe some longer tempos. I haven’t done real speedwork in months.

Question is how do I go about my summer planning starting in June (the month of May is about to get crazy!). I would like to race a 10k and couple of 5ks and maybe another half marathon (pikermi) before Chicago in the fall.  Any recommendations are welcomed.

I forgot to mention one the biggest mistakes, I forgot sunscreen. Thank goodness I just tanned and no sunburn. I think I will permanently have a sports bra outline on my back.  

The past few weeks

My time at RW is drawing to a close and I’ll be moving on (literally) in about a week. There will be many conclusions written but I’m ready for some new chapters.

First, a quick recap of the last two weeks, I raced the Emmaus 4 miler with a crazy strong field. I ran much faster than I expected PR’ing through the 5k (20:25) in the 4 miler.

The next week was off to Boston where I had my first marathon experience, though not running, and it was quite eye opening. Just to see a city completely taken over by runners was amazing (perfect civilization perhaps? Everyone I met had accomplished this amazing goal and I could not help but be impressed. I sat next to Boston runners on both planes and there is nothing quite like being a part of the fellowship of runners. I might actually have free housing if I ever feel like going out to Bend, Oregon.

I watched the race from the pressroom that had 4 large screens and an old-fashioned wipe board to keep splits. The sound of typing filled the room. There were plenty of mutters of “what is he doing”. I was lucky enough to film the press conferences (the Ryan Hall clip is some of my handy work).  By far it was a great experience. Needless to say, I have the bug. I want to go back to Boston but next time I want to be running it.

Wednesday after Boston, I ended up going to Philly for the Penn Relays with Flotrack. Spent three straight days talking on camera about the fast races. My Lady Vols swept the distance relays. It is so odd to think that I race against Phoebe Wright in high school. Virginia’s Robbie Andrews killed in the 4x800 meters.

I actually stood feet away from Bolt (yes, he is really that tall). The fans were so loud. You could not hear the announcer or the gun. He brought the meet to a standstill.

Which brings us to this week. It has been fairly calm considering it is finals week for me. I’m on a bit of a taper before my half (pikermi?) on Saturday. The rest of the web department (yes, we tend to run together) is just getting back into form after Boston.

I’m nervous/excited (nerexcited) about Saturday. I’m really interested in seeing what I can do. Training has been going exceeding well (thanks RW Challenge Plan). My goal was 7:30 pace but the last few weeks HMP has turned into 7:00 flat without much effort. Tempo runs have been going as quickly as 6:30. I did a 15-mile long run at 7:30 pace.

My main goal is not to go out too quickly (Negative Splits as Bart Yasso always suggests). Terrence Mahon (Kastor and Hall’s Coach) told the crowd at the NYC half to start out slower then expected pace-so I think start out at 7:30 and if feeling good start to drop. Goal time is ideally is 1:30, would be happy with a 1:40 and would love to break 1:29. Those all might be lofty goals.

So when do I grow up?

How do I know when I have become an adult?

I keep asking myself this question. Was it when I turned 18? Was it when I turned 21? Those are just numbers applied to me on how long I lived on this earth. What if we had a different calendar? I could be 456 goblyguck old. Is it when I graduate college and have that diploma in my hand? What if I had been born in a different era when 13 yrs old was the typical marrying age and you were considered an old maid by the time you were 20 yrs old?

Do I know it when my old friends stop coming home for the holidays and move to far off places, get married and have children of their own? If that is the case, then I do not want to be an adult. I still like seeing my old friends and swapping life stories.

Is being an adult mean going to work everyday and having responsibilities? Does it mean going back to an empty apartment and a sink full of dishes?  Is it when I travel on my own and people call me “Mam” or “Miss”?

Will I ever know when I am a grown-up?

Boundless?

So much has happened in the last month or so. Of course, I haven’t updated about any of it. Some bullet points would include:
•    Went to New York City! Helped cover the half marathon and had a blast.
•    Went home for Easter and saw the family and Faye Zheng
•    I’m going to the Boston Marathon to help do press conference video with Runner’s World
•    My name appears in the Masthead of the latest issue of Runner’s World
•    Have had about 3-4 nervous break downs about my honor’s project
•    PR’ed in a 4 miler but more importantly PR’ed through the 5k.

All of these are very interesting topics but of course I am going to choose me running faster then I ever have. Personal records are so nice to come by especially when you think you will break a certain time and especially when you had no idea that you were going to break it. Training has been going well but I feel no fitter than I did during XC season. Yet, I was able to blast through the 2-mile mark at 13:00. I did however freak at this point and slow down (note to self just keep pace). I was able still to come through the 3 mile mark in about 20:25-so 5k around 20:35ish or faster. I came back and finished it off with a 7:00 mile. It is just so absolutely astounding to me about how fast/fit I am right now. I never really expected it. I apparently have no idea what my real boundaries are as of late.

It is a great feeling to feel boundless.