Friday - 8 miles at a 7:13 pace
Miles this week - 40
Miles this month - 136
Miles this year - 136
Saturday - Off
Sunday - - Race day. This is going to be a quick recap, because I'm beat. I woke up at 5:30 and made my way to the Pettit. I felt good. No nerves and the foot felt good. I eye'd up my other runners and was able to find the other people in contention. The gun started and I blew my race plan out of the water. I originally wanted to stay in the pack and then open it up after the first half. Well, I took the lead, but ran with Julie Spencer for the first 10K. After the 10K she dialed it back a bit and I continued the same pace (around 1:40 per lap or a 6:04 mile). To make a long story short I continued this pace until mile 19. At that point I could feel my left ankle tighten up and I figured I would dial it down a bit and start running 1:50 laps (6:40 miles). At this point I had a 2 lap lead on Julie and a 3 lap lead on everyone else. I thought if I could run for a few miles at a 6:40 I would pick it up for the last mile or so; basically, just go for the win. Well, That worked until mile 21 and I had to say "when". The ankle wasn't feeling good and I could feel the pain. So, I stopped after 21 miles. I was so close, but still far enough away that I had to stop.
I don't know if I'm more disappointed that I DNF or that I didn't stick to my race plan. The funny thing with this, though, is I felt great. I think I could have carried that pace the last 5 miles. The leg turn over was right on and then breathing felt good. But would the ankle have been able to take more of the beating if I slowed it down in the start? Who's know. I guess it's one of those things that I could analyze this to death and come up with something different each time. I guess the lesson learned is the respect the marathon distance. Even on your best day you could have your worse day.
With all of this I do have my splits up to the 1/2 marathon time. The 5K was way too fast (17:22). I was still a little fast for my 10K (36:15) and right where I wanted to be with my 1/2 marathon time (1:17:32 ). Maybe I should have run the 1/2 as my time was faster than the winning time.
Now it's time to heal the ankle (hopefully a week or two). The legs, though, feel great.
Miles this week - 21
Miles this month - 157
Miles this year - 157
" . . .And miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep."
4 comments:
Hopefully you can find some positives in this. I think you could have PR'd yesterday had the ankle held up, so maybe adjusting your plan wasn't a bad thing. You should be in great shape for Boston.
I was wondering what happened to you because you were smoking everybody. Discretion is the better part of valor. Good luck in Boston!
I'm impressed that you stopped when the ankle acted up. There is always another race! Incorporate rest in your training and you will last a long time. Doug Curtis said he put his feet up at the first sign of aan injury. That is why he lasted so long.
Tom Cameron
So sorry Dana. Sounds like you really had a good one going. When you heal up it should mean good things in Boston. I love the "off the couch" blog entry about explaining the "owie" to your daughter.
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