Sick, Race & Hill Repeats!

Yesterday afternoon, about 24 hours after I finally registered for the Mercer Island half...(so I could have lunch with new running friends) I started feeling sick! Really...really?  It started with a sore throat and now I feel a little sick to my stomach…GREATTTT. I was so excited to have time to run 8 or 9 miles this morning but had to cancel that plan. It's a perfect day for a run and figured it was a great day for that distance. I am really hoping it's just a morning thing and that I will start feeling a little better this afternoon.

Training never goes as planned, does it? We have to roll with the punches and figure it out daily. After registering for the Mercer Island half I was so excited. The chance to meet new friends; run a beautiful course…doesn’t get much better. Then my excitement turned to doubt as I started doubting if I am ready, have I run enough, is my marathon training working? Maybe I am not running enough during the week? Should I be doing my speed work…I keep putting that off due to time and track availability? I haven’t been lifting weights…would that be helping? Training schedules don’t count in sick time or vacation…shoot! It’s weird how you can feel great about things and then you register for a race and it makes you question the very thing you were feeling confident about. Does this happen to you?

Monday I decided to do hill repeats to replace my speed workout around the track. I think hill repeats might be better for me. Does that sound crazy? We can’t use the tracks around here while school is in session which limits me to weekends, but the hills…they are always so kindly available for me to run. I picked my hill, but first did a warm up. Thought I would run the .25 mile hill…speed up it and then slowly run down, but half way up I figured half would be good so it turned out to be .11…I will take it…and run with it. I did 4 speedy climbs and then decided that was good and went on a nice run before swim class.

3.15.10 Stats:

Miles: 3.28

Pace:  9:57

Time: 32:42

Calories: 429

803.52 – 3.28 = 800.24  miles left to run in 2010

Splits:
Lap 1: 4:07 (.42 Miles...warm-up)
Speedwork Start
Lap 2: 55 (.11 uphill)
Lap 3: 1:02 (down)
Lap 4: 58
Lap 5: 1:07
Lap 6: 58
Lap 7: 1:06
Lap 8: 1:00
Speetdwork End
Lap 9: 10:05 (1 mile)
Lap 10: 10:33 (1 mile uphill)
Lap 11: 45 (450 feet)
Not a typcial speed workout...but it worked for me!

Can you see Mt. Rainier out there...this is my favorite spot to run!  Great view!

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I loved that my friend, Tall Mom on The Run made goals for Mercer…I will follow her lead!

Mercer Island Goals:

• FEEL GOOD! Not sick!
• Not doubt myself and my training up to this point.
• I don’t think I am going to shoot for a PR because it’s hilly and my last hilly half I came in 10 minutes later then my first half that was a lot flatter course. So my goal will be 2:20! Any less will be great...Anything can happen...right!
• Be CALM and ENJOY!
• Stay mentally positive, upbeat and not think that I have to do 2 – 13.1 miles in June. I am hoping it makes me more excited about my marathon.