The PR that almost was.... non-Mermaid Half Recap

Remember last week, when I was all hopped up making goals and PR attempts at my goal race on Sunday?

So I had a goal. 2:20. I felt READY - the course was totally flat, I hydrated and fueled like a pro. It was totally going to happen, I just knew it.

Saturday morning, I was supposed to go with Sarah and Pam to cheer on Skinny Runner at her first ultra, but couldn't make it work with some plans #1 made. So instead, I spent the morning chauffeuring the kid, and shopping.

I have resisted the Lulu-aide for so, so long. But everything there is like magic.

I actually walked out and didn't buy anything.

But the time is coming. I can't hold off much longer.

Anyway. Saturday, I did that stuff. And not much else. Drank tons of water. Ate tons of carbs. Went to bed super early, with an alarm set for 3:57.

Woke up. Coffee. Hung out. Dressed obnoxiously.

Drove the 90 minutes south to Mission Bay...

And getting closer, I note how overcast it is. Nice, I thought. I LOVE overcast.And then, around Del Mar, it starts pouring rain. I do NOT like running in cold, pouring rain.

Get to Mission Bay, and try to follow the directions on the Mermaid Half website - which I checked pretty obsessively, thinking I had the start time confused (note, I didn't). Driving. Circling. Huh. There's no start line.

Then I check their facebook page, thinking surely I can't be the only one confused about where to go.

And start seeing posts like,

and....

OH.

Aaaaannnnnnd, yeah. So, the race was Saturday. NOT Sunday.

Oops.

So, that sucked.

I drove back home, through the rain, and by the time I made it back to Irvine, it was getting toasty, and the sun was out. But I was ready, so I ran 13.1 anyway.

I ran a bike path loop twice (exactly 5 miles, each loop), then a loop around my neighborhood once (just over 3.1). I decided to follow my pace strategy anyway, and see what I could pull out, and run a pretend race. Because... why not, I guess. It's not like i had any other plans for the morning....

1-2.5 - shooting for 11min pace. I think I averaged 11:15 - I was blah and not really feeling like running, and had an earphone malfunction, and walked to sort out my cords. Oh, plus this out part of the loop is a slight uphill the whole way - it's the last piece of the PCRF course in May. Rude.

2.5-5 - wheeeeee downhill. Shooting for 11-10:45ish. I think I hit this - but I haven't really looked at my Garmin data yet.

5-7.5 - mother effer up hill again. Unsure why I would do this to myself. Seriously, it's like a build-your-own-race-course, and I choose this? Dumb. Shooting for 10:40-10:30. I think I was pretty close.

7.5-10 - wheeeeee downhill again. Felt FANTASTIC. Aiming for 10:30-10:15. Did well under - mile 9 was 9:50. Felt like I could run this pace for DAYS.

10-11.5 - Shooting for 10:15-10. Mile 10 was sub-10. Mile 11 started same pace. Hit about mile 11.5, and within 20 feet it was as if I could not move another step. the 9:45 pace that felt effortless 400m ago, was immediately turned into 11:40, and HARD. Eff that.

11.5-13 - Shoulda been 10-9:45. Eeked out a 10:20-ish. Want to die. Roasting, it's a thousand degrees and sunny. Pretty sure I will not survive. Want to take advantage of auto-pause, but I feel like that's cheating, so I don't. I walk a bit. I run. I hate life. I'm miserable.

13-13.1 - 8:55. Done.

My shiny new PR*: 2:19:24.

I had a secret, back-of-my-mind goal of 2:15. Considering Mermaid is pretty pancake flat, and was in cooler, less sunny weather, I bet I would have made it.

Oh well.

Maybe next time.

Mermaid Half - The One Where I Make Goals

Run last night - 4 miles, attempted 2 easy, 2 @ goal pace (10:40). Actually did 10:47, 10:50, 10:12, 10:33. Yes, I own a Garmin. Yes, I used a Garmin. Yes, I suck at pacing.

Remember waaaaay back in May, I wanted to run a 2:20 at PCRF Half? And then I didn't?

And THEN I attempted again at Long Beach? And failed again?

Wanna guess my goal for Mermaid Half this weekend?

Hint: It rhymes with fwo:fwenty.

B Goal: PR. That would be anything better than 2:29:48.

C Goal: Don't Die.

Anyone else running Mermaid this weekend?

See you later today with Team Gab Week 4 Giveaway Winner!

Three things Thursday

1. It occurred to me that I haven't gone into a race with a goal since Long Beach in October.

2. So now I'm appropriately nervous.

3. But at least my outfit will work.

Team Gab Week 3 Winner!, and PFTW

Sorry for my delay, I was busy frolicking in Snowpocalypse. I owe a recap link-up post, which I am slowly working on, as well as a winner for week 3, which I have!

Winner winner = Karen at La Chanson De Ma Vie. Congratulations, and THANK YOU, Karen! Check out the Team Gab giveaway post to select your prize, and email me at hmgiraffy@gmail.com with your selection!

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Things that happened last week:
Monday: 4 miles easy "recovery". I use the term "recovery" very loosely; I felt fine.
Wednesday: 6 miles speeeeed work. On schedule: 1 mi warm up, 1mi @ 9:21, 1200 @ 9:09 pace (6:47), 2x800 @ 8:56 pace (4:28), 2x400 @ 8:30 pace (2:07), 400RI. Actual: 1mi @ 9:21, 1200 @ 6:47, 2x800 @ 4:23, 4:24, 2x400 @ 2:04, 2:05. 1:05:28, 10:54 avg pace.
Friday: Burned a hundred billion calories fretting about flying to, then driving through, Snowpocalypse.
Saturday: 3.4 torturous miles with a 4:1 run/walk. 40 minutes. That's not an exaggeration. Followed by 3 mile walk on the treadmill, 47 minutes. Altitude is no joke.

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Plans for this week:
Tuesday: 5 miles easy
Thursday: 4 miles, 2 easy pace, 2 half goal pace
Sunday: Mermaid Half!

Looooooooks a lot like a taper week......

I'm also desperately seeking a reason I need to NOT register for Princess, which, coincidentally, falls on a weekend Evan Dando and those two guys he calls the Lemonheads are playing in Florida. I am 100% positive I will not stop obsessing over this until Princess sells out (I won't buy a bib, because this would be my Coast to Coast run).

So if you're on the fence about running Princess, please, for my sake, go register. The faster it sells out, the faster I can move my obsession along to the next shiny object.

Three Things Thursday

1. What are you doing February 11, 2012? Registration is only $40 for the half, but I think it goes up tomorrow....

Link HERE

2. I'm meeting the very pregnant Snork at the gym tonight for some treadmill time. I'm scheduled for 5 miles SPEED WORK. Anyone done speedwork on the treadmill?? How does that go for you?

3. Check out my sidebar for a couple of fun virtual races coming up! I'm a sucker for these things :D