Run to the Sun

Whew! Just over 60 days till the mini, and it's definitely crunch time. I ran the Frostbite 5k last week, the Run to the Sun this week, and then Anthem is next week ... I'm glad I'm running the Triple Crown series this year, since it's my first year of racing, but I'm already thinking I may lighten the spring race load next year.

Run to the Sun was a nice race yesterday -- some of you were probably there -- flat course, compared to the races I've been running in the parks! It was well-organized, although there was a pretty crazy bottleneck at the finish line. The goodies from Java Brewing Co. were fantastic, though!

A lot of folks from the Ken Combs contingency were there (my mom, Doug, Kevin, Drew, Angie, Liza, Erin, and the superstars Jill, Shannon and Diane), and everyone seemed to have a good race. I put out a respectable 28:41, second in my age group (to the aforementioned Diane) -- 11th female and 42nd overall. I was excited to be on the first page of the results (there were 10)!

I logged 25.8 miles this week, including a 7x800 speed workout, a 4 mile race, a 7.5 mile long run and a few easy runs. I think I'm ready for a soak in a long bath; I'm definitely feeling the miles in my quads.

Spring?!

I am so excited to be starting off the week looking at warm weather everyday. I hope it holds up, because we ran yesterday while it was 14 degrees, and I'm about sick of my face being chapped.

It's been tough running through this bout of cold weather, but I'm definitely thankful for it. When I ran the Frostbite 5k on Saturday, I could tell the intensive training I started in January is worth it. When I was running 5ks in the fall (before I had decided to run the Triple Crown and mini), I wasn't doing more than a four mile run. I didn't yet understand how running longer would make me faster when running shorter distances.

I am delighted to say I was very wrong. The combination of long runs, speed workouts and just more running overall has certainly improved my 5k racing. Prior to Saturday, my best time was from October, a 24:39. I came into Saturday's race hoping to break 24:00, which would have meant 8 minute miles. I wasn't sure I could do it, I hadn't been feeling very fast last week. But, I cruised through the first three hills, clocking 7:30-something the first mile. I crested the hill by Hogan's Fountain happy that the hills were over, but worried I couldn't maintain the pace. The downhills made that much easier, and I used those to catch my breath. I slowed a little on the flat stretch heading to the finish, and I had been warned that you had to run past the finish line before getting to the chute. I picked it up once the finish line was in sight, but held back and let some people pass me as we went by the chute. I could tell they didn't know where the finish actually was, because I passed them about 30 seconds later. I opened it up after rounding the final turn, and came in at 21:45, good enough for second in my age group.

It was a fairly fast race; all the runners from our Ken Combs "running support group" did well. I think everyone PR'd, and we all felt that our training has been worthwhile.

I went out and ran again today with some faster and more experienced runners. We did a 60 minute run at a pace slightly faster than what I would usually run, but not so fast I couldn't do it. It felt like a good run. But, definitely sore now.

This week
Monday: 3 or 4 miles
Tuesday: Speed night - 7x800 with 400 jogs
Wednesday: 5 miles
Thursday: 5 miles
Friday: off
Saturday: Run to the Sun 4 miler

Chilly + rain = not fun

Wow! I was excited about the warmer temperatures until the precipitation made it just as bad. We did speed night at Waggener High last night, 200m with 200m recoveries. I did a mile warm up and 3 miles worth of 200 on/200 off. We were scheduled for 4 miles, but as I entered the third mile, the rain really let loose. I was also having some pain in my lower leg, which I think was caused by running sideways along some embankments Monday.

Probably short run today, a little longer on Thursday, then off on Friday before Saturday's race. Weather is still predicted to be nice.

That's all for now -- keep on running!

Altius, Citius, Fortius.*

Wow, 30 miles this past week -- a personal record. It didn't even feel that hard! Easy runs on Monday and Thursday, speedwork on Tuesday, moderate runs on Friday and today, and a long run on Saturday.

Definitely have condemed my old shoes to non-running use. My new Speedstars are very airy, which will be great in the summer but makes for chilly feet right now. So, I wore my old Verdicts on Monday and Tuesday to keep my feet warm, but the worn down cushioning wrecked havoc on my ankle. Picked up some new Balega socks on Saturday, which were a little chilly at the beginning of my Sunday run but were very cozy about a mile into it.

The Frostbite 5k is coming up, and I'm hoping to break 24 minutes (and my PR of 24:39). I'll probably do a short tempo run today so I know what 8 minute miles feel like, followed by speework on Tuesday and light runs Wednesday and Thursday. Friday will be an off day, with the race on Saturday and a long run on Sunday in Iroquois park. (We want to tackle that route before the mini rolls around!)

Weather this week looks unpredictable at best; warmer temps but chance of snow followed by sun and 20s. Looks like race day should be nice, though. Cross your fingers!



* "Swifter, higher, stronger." My usual mantra.

A quick introduction ...

Hello! I am excited to be blogging for BeyondTheDerby.com, and hope you will check out the site on a regular basis. There is a lot of great information not just on the Louisville running community, but on high school, college and other community sports as well.

You can check out the "About Me" section for a brief overview of who I am, so I'll skip over that here.

My first post is on my first off day (from running) in a week -- and what a week it has been. This is my first winter running, so of course it would be the coldest I recall in recent years. When Larry Holt (owner of Ken Combs Running Store) and I planned the store's training group, the idea behind it was to keep runners running when it got cold. Then it didn't get cold for a while, and I started to think running until shorts season would be easy ... Until last week. But thanks to my newly-found running pals (you know who you are!), it has been pretty easy to keep going. Easy enough that I skipped an off day for a short run through the Scenic Loop (Cherokee Park) on Saturday.

Layering is definitely important on these cold days; you want warm air to stay in but moisture to wick away. I think technical fabrics are considerably more important in the winter than in the summer. But, I also think you can stay comfortable without looking like a Mizuno ad -- I run in a fleece vest I'm pretty sure came from Wal-Mart.

My biggest winter woe has been chapped skin, mostly my hands and face. I've been slathering on the lotion pre-run and post-shower, but to no avail. I may try something a little more heavy duty if this cold, windy weather persists -- Aquaphor, perhaps, or something else with petroleum jelly. What about something like Bag Balm or Udderly Smooth, I wonder? (If you have suggestions, email them to me at tf.lightfoot(at)insightbb.com.)

We are less than a month away from the beginning of the Triple Crown races (don't forget early registration ends Feb. 19), so I'm beginning to feel the pressure. The 5k and 10k are no problem, and I suspect after I run 9 miles this coming weekend and 10 miles the week after, the 10 miler will seem easy, too. I hope to get in a 13 mile run the second weekend of April, just for metal preparation for the mini. I've not ran a race over 5k yet, so the idea of 13.1 miles is frightening. Physically, I think I'm just about there, and with just over two months of prep, I think I'll be fine. Looking at the course map, though ... It starts to look a lot more daunting.

This blog will probably track that semi-fearful, awe-inspiring feeling I have as I approach the mini. Expect updates about my training schedule, race times (I have two planned before the Triple Crown), and more. Oh, much, much more! I won't say advice, because I lack the experience to give much, but hopefully some interesting insights and a little entertainment.

Check out the other blogs, and come back to BeyondTheDerby.com soon!