Looking back, planning forward

Last year around this time I was setting some goals for myself.  Here they are:  Goals for 2012

This is what I was able to do:

My original running goals for the coming year were:

• √Run 5k under 21:40 Ran 21:13 in March 5k
• Run the Flying Pig Half Marathon or the Cap City Half  in under 1:45 managed 1:51 (holy hills!)
• Run the Air Force 10k or Half in under 46:00/ under 1:45Ran Full marathon instead!
• Run the Columbus Half Marathon in under 1:45  wanted to run this...next year...

My realistic goals for 2012:

• √Run/Finish a 5k by March
• Run/Finish the Flying Pig 10k in May
• Run/Finish the AF 10k in a "decent" time 
• Finish Columbus Half

My more realistic goals for 2012:

• Increase flexibility in calves so they are at least 10 degrees
• √Walk a full day without any heel pain
• √Start running again
• Strength training and core
• √Spinning- don't go under 11 for resistance- bike at least 20 miles per class 

So what are my plans for 2013?

• Run 13 13.1s in 2013 
• I haven't fully committed to this since as of today, I still am working on my IT band issues.  But the year is long, and who knows? Last year I never would have imagined I would run 2 full marathons in 2012. 

• Run Cincinnati's Flying Pig 3 way- I've already signed up and this will be my "A" race for the spring.  5k and 10k on Saturday, 1/2 marathon on Sunday.  This is more of a challenge in training.  I'm looking forward to track workouts and speed training.
• Run Air Force 1/2 marathon in 1:45
• Run Columbus Full or Half in under 4:16/1:42 We'll see about the full...
• Run at least 5 ORRRC races and at least 2 with the boys.
• Try to run with Up and Running at least 2 times a month

Harrigan's race recap/PR!

 I was a bit nervous going into this race since I haven't run a race since the Columbus half marathon in October.  I'd run the Harrigan's 5k in Kettering last year and pr'd  running a 21:40.  Ten seconds faster than my old high school pr of 21:50. 

I wasn't expecting anything to great this year.  I figured that my training runs have been about 8:30 pace so I'd probably do better so I was hoping for around 22-23 mins.  I didn't want to set myself up for disappointment.  My training has been much lighter than last year by this time.  In fact, I only ran 2 times this week.  At the same time, I've been surprised how much spinning 3-4 times a week has kept in in shape as I dealt with plantar fasciitis.  I have felt stronger on my runs and consistently run about 8:30 pace for training.  I decided this race, I would not look at my Garmin for my pace, but to just go on how I felt...

 COLD...it was COLD.  Brrrr.  I got to Harrigan's about 40 mins before and stood around with everyone else.  I was totally regretting my fashionable running skirt,  cute purple compression socks, t-shirt, arm warmers (with my hoodie as my only cover up!)  It was cold.  35 degrees.  Everyone else was wearing tights, jackets, earbands, etc.    I knew once I started running I'd be fine, but that was a long 40 minutes!

Start to mile 1-  Forgot to start my Garmin until for about 40  6:seconds after the start (rookie Garmin user) doh.  I passed a bunch of girls I knew (who are much younger than me, and my motivation for the rest of the race- really hoping they wouldn't pass me later in the race).  I couldn't feel my feet yet.  They were frozen blocks of ice.  Reached the first mile in 6:40-  starting to panic a bit, that has to be my "adult" PR for a mile. 

Mile 2-3 Hoping keep it up...I kept waiting to feel "the burning lungs, I'm going to throw up" stage where I slow down and back off.  Nothing. Passed the 2 mile marker 13:something.  Pretty good.  Started to recognize the course from the beginning which meant it was almost done.  I pushed it as much as a I could.  Turned the corner, saw the finish line, saw that timer was still at 20 mins.  What?!  By the time I reached the finish line it was 21:13 (6:51 pace).  I'll take it.  Wow.  How'd that happen? I dropped 27 seconds off my 5k time.  That's huge. 

So, for someone who hates running on the track (umm, Carrie, talking to you), spinning definitely helps with the speed. I'm so happy to see that it does actually help my running.  I've been having a hard time looking at my schedule to try to fit in spinning. It can be such a hassle at our rec since there are only 14 bikes and you have to get there 50 minutes before to line up otherwise you're out.  By the end of the evening it can take almost 2 hrs of your night,  not good when the spring gets going and kids have soccer starting soon. 

So my stats are bit messed up since I started my Garmin late.

Mile 1- 6:40 at mile 1 clock (Garmin time 6:55)
Mile 2- Garmin time 7:12
Mile 3- Garmin time  6:31 (wow, did i really run that fast?! at the end?!)
Overall time for Garmin: 20:38
Overall Official race time 21:13
Place overall: 49/970
Place in sex:  11 overall female- I didn't count the rest, the results didn't sort them by sex
Place in age group 2nd!
Oh, btw- those girls never did pass me.  Looks like I'll get some street cred with them! :-)

2011 Recap

Background:
  I ran in high school.  I was alright as a runner, my PR in HS was 21:50. I loved it, love the social aspect of it but never really set any goals.  I just ran as fast as I could.

After high school, I was an exchange student in Spain where I started to smoke (it pains me to even admit that now!) and continued to smoke through college.  I never ran, I am lucky that I have good skinny genes since I never had to worry about my weight.

When I got my first job, I had the opportunity to be an assistant coach for the HS xc/track team.  I remembered how much fun it was to run again.

I signed up  to run the Marine Corps Marathon in 2001.  I worked with the AIDS marathon training group in Washington, D.C.  I was in the "Alberto Salazar" 12:00 min/mile pace group.  It was a great way to get back into running.  The rest of the time I lived in the DC area, I almost always did a run/walk.  Then I had kids....and stopped running.

Once we moved to Ohio, I started doing zumba and did that for about 2 years before I started actually running again.  I decided to sign up for the Dirty Dude Girl trail run in one of the MetroParks in our area.  I did pretty well for myself (31:30 with tons of mud on the course)- I'd only been "training" for about a month.  Started to train for some local 5ks and the rest is history...

Fast forward to 2011

I'd been doing a lot of local 5ks in the fall of 2010 and continued to do more in 2011.  We had a "wellness challenge" at work where we were on teams and if we worked out a certain amount or ran local charity races we'd earn points. My team was very competitive, so any opportunity we had i.e. 5k races, we took it.  My running partner and I had decided that we were going to do the Flying Pig 10k in Cincinnati at the end of April- so we had a bigger goal.

2 races really stood out for me in the spring before "the Pig".  I ran the Harrigan's 5k in March.  It was a great day to run- freezing in a t-shirt but I had my new Saucony Kinvaras on- super light weight running shoes.  I forgot to start my watch and never saw the mile markers- so I was just going on how I was feeling.  I remember not believing the time when I rounded the final turn and saw the clock 21:40- I bet my high school pr by 10 seconds!  It was a 19 year old PR.  Awesome! Who says you get slower as you age?

The next race was kind of silly, it was our work's "Wellness Challenge 5k".  Anyone who'd been in the contest was supposed to do it.  I didn't know how we'd do but I decided that I was going to try to run again for a good time, I ended up leading the entire race and actually won it overall.  I've never won a race ever...not even in high school- I was always 2nd or 3rd.  I was pretty pumped- the best part the award for 1st place- the lovely rainbow participant ribbon.  Now I know the point was to get everyone out there and moving...but still.  Could I at least get a blue ribbon?

The Flying Pig 10k is kind of like the stepchild to the Flying Pig Half and Full marathon since it's the day before and not a many people do it.  My running partner and I had been following Hal Higdon's 10k intermediate plan and we were feeling pretty good about it.  We had perfect weather- unlike the marathoners the next day- got to love Ohio weather in the spring!  I ran 47:23, got 5th in age group, 19 overall for women.  My first 10k in 10 years and 5 minutes faster. 

After the pig, I was not sure what I wanted to do...I needed to think about a fall race just to keep the momentum going, and around this area, it's the U.S. Air Force Marathon in Dayton in September or the Columbus Marathon in mid October. 

I did both of those, which by then I started this blog so you can read about the Air Force 10k here or the Columbus 1/2 marathon here.

Both were PR's for me but since the Columbus marathon I haven't really run since PF has stopped me in my tracks.
That would be 90 days without running.  With the exception of last Saturday's quick attempt and today's/tomorrow's run (which I've already planned to spend the rest of the day off my feet since I won't be able to walk the rest of the day but hell with it, last week's run was AWESOME even if I couldn't walk later.

So, It was a good year for me and running.  PRs in the 5k, 10k, 13.1.  I can't complain.  Really, I could and you know I do, but it was a good year. Plantar Fasciitis might have me down right now but I know I will shake it- and it's just my heel- I have my overall health which is the most important.   So here's to a great 2012!