Nov. 10th - 16th

The week that was. It was a pretty good week all in all with some hook ups that will hopefully not be all that bad. It was another low week of mileage but I think it will be good in the long run. Here is how it all went down after a couple of days off the week before and finally back into the swing of things.

11/10 - 9 miles

11/11 - Race day - 8k - 28:31 2.5 mile w/u and 1.5 mile c/d (9 total)

The race was an interesting one to say the least. We had a holiday wine and food tasting the night before which may not have been the best idea the day before a race, but being that I wasn't really planning on racing it anyways I figured I had nothing to lose. Well it ended up going pretty well for the circumstances and I ended up with the victory. The course itself is on of the worst things that I have personally ever run on in my life. I did this race a couple of years ago but I do not remember it being this bad. You would be running in a straight line and all of the sudden you sould be almost falling over due to the terrain being so shitty. It was like running in a field following a tractors tires just after it had rained and then frozen. There was ruts everywhere and it seemed like every other couple steps your would be rolling your ankle. I forgot my watch so I have no splits but I know that I went through the first mile in 5:31 and turned around at right around 14:10 ish I think but am not suite sure. I looked at my watch after I turned around and it was at 14:45 and I figured I was about 150-200 meters from the turn around. Also I think I was right around 22:45 at the 4 mile mark so that would make the last mile right around 5:45. That is the best estimates to what my splits were for the race.

I got a stitch at about 1.5 miles and it just would not go away at all but I was able to hold it the best I could and run through the pain to the finish. 28:31 on this course is nothing to be ashamed of by all means but I think I easily could have run under 28 if I would have not been out the night before and actually worked the last mile instead of realizing that I was going to win and then just coasting in for the win. If it would have been on a non-European style course I would like to think that mid 26 min would not have been a problem. Next year I will go under 28 minutes if I run it.
Grade - B
An honest effort but I should have done better and not cheated myself.

11/12 - 10 (1:09:30) HR 142
Easy day

11/13 - 9 (1:01:15) HR 150
Easy run with LaBlanc

11/14 - 9 (1:03:00)
Easy run. Really windy.

11/15 - 14 (1:35:00)
Nice easy long day. Got a little tired towards the end of the run but it wasn't that bad at all. Probably just a little tired from the long week.

11/16 - 8 miles (1:02:00)
This was a much needed really slow day. I honestly don't know if I have ever ran that slow on an 8 mile run ever, but it felt really good.

I have been doing a lot of reading this week about training and I am finally starting to put things together and developing a plan for myself in the up coming months. It is in the early stages but it there isn't a whole lot to be doing right now but running. The one thing that I need to do is to start realizing what the purpose of each run is. There is always a plan for what you are doing that day but what is that plan??

Ever since that cross race this week my foot has been hurting. The terrain really sucked and my ankles have been really loose since then and my archs have been really tight. I have been running through it but last night I tried a really hard massage on my right one and it hurt like hell just to walk last night (Monday) afterwards. These last two days have been kind of hard so I might just take another easy couple of days just to see how this foot pans out. It is hindering me a little but it is way more just and annoyance that never goes away.

I was really pleased with the cross race and I know that I am in really good shape right now and will be fine in the months to come. Motivation will be the key. If anyone has helpful suggestions it would be much appreciated.