Freihofer's Run for Women 5k race report.

No dramatic lead-in: You all know from my last post that I did not achieve my goal of finishing under 23 minutes. I was bummed yesterday but I'm OK with that today.

On with the race report!

On Friday, I went to the expo, picked up my bib and t-shirt and was able to sneak in a chiropractic adjustment (thank you, NY Chiropractic College!). Oh, so good. I got a little massage, the adjustment and some ART and left there feeling terrific!

The race didn't begin until 10:15 on Saturday morning so I had plenty of time to eat breakfast and leisurely get ready for the race. I had a pre-race breakfast of peanut butter & jelly on whole wheat, lots of water and some coffee. Then, Owen, Conal and I headed out on what we thought would be a quick drive to the Empire State Plaza. No such luck. Traffic (huh?) was backed up so we waited and waited and waited and slowly made our way to the parking lot. At one point, Owen suggested that I hop out of the car so I could go ahead and not get stressed by sitting in traffic. I did just that.

So, I warmed up, met up with my friend, Gina, who was running her first race (yay!), and eventually made my way to the starting area. There were 4000 women running in this race so the starting area was packed. I watched the elite runners file in from the side and just kinda gawked at their perfect little running bodies. Every one of them looked like they were made for running. I felt like a hulking who-knows-what compared to those lithe women!

And they are fast! The winner, Teyba Erkesso from Ethiopia, finished in 15:26. That's a 4:59 pace! Sheesh! The Ethiopians and Kenyans dominated, by the way, with the first American, Tera Moody, finishing in 13th place in 16:24.

Me? Not so fast.

I had a goal: 22:59. I visualized myself crossing the finish line in that time. I knew I could do it. I had put in the time with the speedwork, the hills, the long(ish) runs, everthing. 7:22 per mile was what I was going for. Didn't happen. Here's what did:

I went through the first kilometer in 4:40, so a little off pace but since I didn't want to start out too fast, that was OK. I told myself to pick it up and I went through the first mile in around 7:30. No problem. Pick it up a little more. I tried. I pushed through the second mile. I don't remember what the 2k split was (9 something) but it doesn't really matter because my undoing came at 3k/2m.

I made a huge mental error.

I was running through the second mile and just waiting to get my split. I saw the clock up ahead and when I was close enough to see the time, I saw 13:22. Wow. That's fast, I thought. When I ran past the clock it was around 13:45 or so. OK, really, I thought. That's too fast. You're going to burn out. Slow down.

I slowed down. I felt happy to be on-pace, but I knew I needed to slow down.

Only, I shouldn't have slowed down because the clock that I saw was not for the 2m mark, it was for the 3 flippin' k mark! UGH! As soon as I saw the clock for the 2-mile split, I wanted to cry. I had already slowed down, thinking I was ahead of pace, and then wham! I ran past the 2-mile clock in just under 15 minutes but I was so, so, so discouraged. It was just a big kick in the shins and my momentum was gone. How had I made such a stupid mistake? I mean, what was I thinking? Did I think that I had run the second mile in 6-ish minutes? Really??? Well, no. See, I wasn't thinking. Or, wasn't thinking clearly. I just completely messed up with the 3k/2m clocks and it set me back.

From there, I had a tough time with the race. I was angry with myself for my mistake and I knew that by slowing down at 3k, I was completely off my pace. To top it off, all of the negative self-talk was not doing me any good at all!

I ran as well as I could over the last mile and tried to finish strong. I crossed the line in 23:46. Not bad, I know, but not what I would have liked.

The interesting thing is that a year ago, I ran this race in 24:16. Had I run 23:46 last year, I would have been ecstatic! What a difference a year makes . . .

What did I learn? Well, the biggest thing I learned is that mistakes happen and it is how you deal with them that matters. I did not deal with my mistake well. I need to work on being mentally sharp so I'll have to figure out how to fit that in to my training. And, I'll just keep doing that speedwork. I know I have 22:59 (or better!) in me. I just have to bring it out.

Stats:

Finish: 23:46
Overall pace: 7:40
Age-group place: 30/489
Overall place: 299/3685
Age-graded %: 63%

* * *

The day finished off very well. Owen and I went out for a delicious dinner at a place called Marche. It was the best meal either of us have had in ages! Then today, Owen gave me an AWESOME birthday present: A Garmin Forerunner 305! WOO HOO! It is charging now . . . I can't wait to take it out for a run. I catching up, techno-world, so watch out!

~ Felice

Too slow.

I didn't do it.

Crossed the line in 23:47, almost a minute slower than I had hoped. Bummed.

Chin up, right? Yup, chin up. And with that chin back in its upward position, I'll take a look at what happened, see what I can learn from this race, and then get started training for the next one.

And I'll write a full race report for your reading pleasure. So, look for that!

~ Felice, the Still Sorta Bummed Runner

Tempted by the fruit of another.

I'm going to come right out and say it: I cheated. But when I tell you the story, you'll understand. At least I hope so!

I hadn't meant to cheat. I've long been a Brooks Addiction girl. They've served me well for years and years. They cradle my gimpy toe and keep my wackadoodle pronation in line. They are solid. Solid, supportive, clunky. And always there for me.

So I hadn't even been looking, as satisfied as I was with my Brooks. I hadn't gone to any running stores, hadn't slipped on any Nikes or Mizunos just for fun, hadn't even gone to the running shoe section in the online stores.

They found me, people. I swear it.

A nice lady emailed me and asked if I would be interested in trying a pair of New Balance running shoes. Yes! I practically shouted. I would! I love running gear! Love it all! (Was I too excited? A little over-eager? Perhaps . . . ) She gave me a code and sent me to the web site to select my shoes. I found a sharp looking stability shoe (the 768), ordered it and awaited its arrival.

And then the package arrived (very quickly, I might add) to even more excitement than the original offer of free shoes. I opened the box and stared in awe of the 768's sleek running superness. Owen warned me not to get caught up in their looks. "You love your Brooks for a reason," he said. Um, yeah. He was right but, dang, these new shoes were hot!

I tried them on. Cushy. Cushy and sleek. And fast-looking. Oh, I was going to love them.

My nerves got the better of me, though, and I didn't try them out for a week. I guess I didn't want to be disappointed. And I wasn't. I took my new kicks for a run on the treadmill one afternoon and they were a soft ride. They felt great -- very different from the ultra-control of my Brooks. So I took them out again, this time for speedwork. Yes, they felt terrific.

Then came the true test: A run over my regular, hilly route.

It was the end.

They just couldn't cut it. My feet felt too . . . too . . . free? I don't know. They felt like they were all over the place when I was running downhill and they were too bendy on the uphills. I don't know how else to describe it. They just didn't work. I went back to my trusty Brooks for my next hilly run and it felt right.

Tempted, yes. I was tempted by the New Balance and I will fully admit that I plan to wear them for treadmill runs and keep my Brooks for all outdoor runs. Luckily for my Brooks, this means they'll get the bulk of my runs. But, once a week or so, when I hit the 'mill, the New Balance will be on.

Do I feel guilty? Nah . . . I now know that, truly, my Brooks Addictions are for me. We're a perfect match.

If you are wondering (and you probably aren't), tomorrow I will wear my trusty Brooks for the big race. No cheating there! I'm seriously nervous, by the way. This afternoon I'll head to the expo and then tonight I'll tell myself -- repeatedly -- that I can run fast enough to finish under 23 minutes.

And I will write more about the tennis ball. I haven't forgotten the requests for more info!

OK, happy Friday. I hope all the racers have a great time this weekend!

~ Felice

Running injuries and treatment.

Take it and Run Thursday topic: Running injuries and treatment. OK, Runners' Lounge, I'll give you what I've got!

If you've read this blog for any length of time, you probably know that I have a nagging, painful injury: a bunion on the big toe of my right foot. That one is chronic. Chronic, annoying and, after stopping the yoga, not getting much worse. But not getting better, either. There is little I can do (aside from avoiding high heels and using my yoga toes) while waiting for my appointment with the podiatrist but when I finally do get in to see that Magic Foot Doctor, and he magically takes away all my pain, I'll be sure to share whatever I learn.

Until then, what do I have for you? Well, you may recall that I've had several other minor running injuries that, unlike the bunion, have come and gone in a flash. If, that is, you consider a day or two a flash, which, when referring to running injuries, I do. Yes, aside from a twisted ankle last fall (which was a shopping, not running, injury) none of the injuries have kept me from running for long.

I believe that I owe my (mostly) injury-free running to the following:

• Rolling -- not stretching -- before a run. This may make some people cringe but, for me, stretching before running just wasn't working. My muscles need to be warmed up before I can stretch so I use The Stickto roll out my out my legs pre-run and save my stretches for afterward.
• Sitting on a tennis ball. OK, the humble tennis ball may just be my favorite running gadget of all. For real. At the first sign of a tight ITB, hip, or hamstring, I'm on the ball. Nothing works better (well, maybe weekly massages would but that's not in the cards . . .)!
• Resting when necessary. What I have found is that rest is often necessary. I rarely run more than three days in a row and never more than four. That's what works for me. My body operates best when I balance quality runs with rest. And when I feel an injury coming on, I'm not afraid to take an extra day (or more) off. I would much rather skip a run or two than a month of running.
• Taking on the hills. Maybe it isn't normal to love hills as much as I do but I swear by them. Hilly routes, hill repeats, hill fartleks -- I love them all. I believe that hills helps improve your form and strength and when you run them for speed, there is much less impact on your legs so the workouts are less taxing on your body. Hills are your friends!

That's what works for me right now. I hope some of it can work for you, too!

~ Felice