PR Half Marathon

Fall arrives in South MS 

seems strange when I think about the leaves changing in  mid-Sept.,  at the Top of Utah marathon in Logan, but mid to late Nov. is our typical,  peak of fall color.

This morning,  I headed down with friends to run the Gulf Coast half marathon on the Stennis Space Center campus.  

It's become tradition for me,  and it's actually one of my favorite half or full marathon courses, 

IF the weather is right  (it can be HOT AND HUMID at this race)  

 Flat, fast, and cold,  my kind of race !

  

 I mean, feast on Thurs.,  and race on Sat. - seems smart to me. 

We were excited to be greeted with chilly race conditions.  

with the extra few lbs. of recent wks, I had low expectations, but always go into great weather races with HIGH hopes.   Apparently the humidity was LOW because I felt really good today.  

cold and low humidity = happy, happy me

I ended the day with a new half PR - 1:46:35

Today's time is 51 seconds faster than my 2010 half marathon PR race, on this same course.  Typically, I don't run a lot of half marathons, but that will change this winter.  

It was a PR kind of day and several of our friends left the Gulf Coast with new personal records.  

 

Gulf Coast Marathon Stennis 2012
13.17
8:05 avg

1.  8:09
2.  8:04
3.  8:03
4.  8:01
5.  8:05
 6.  8:18 

6- maybe one of the miles heading North,  into the wind
7.  8:10
 8.  7:58 
9.  8:06
10. 8:05
11. 8:05
12. 8:04
13. 8:02
.1   1:18 

it really doesn't matter how you get to the finish line, but 

I do enjoy running even splits.    

Good Things - 

friends,  

PR - duh,
I won masters female

friends PR too, 

beautiful chilly race weather, 

feeling great on the run, 

EVEN Splits

gradually getting back on track with food & portions this wk

I saw a friend at the race who has dropped a few lbs.,  and looks SUPER - we discussed, and she inspired me !

Room for improvement or DUMB things - 

** 44 year old,  NOT warming up before the half, especially on a cold weather day  - classified under DUMB !

 at 1.75 miles my right hamstring felt strained - we were running on an angle.  it faded after a half mile-1 mile, but it was a reminder - no cutting corners -

the extra lbs - yes I ran a PR with the extra weight, BUT what can I run a few lbs lighter ?  - "room for improvement"

November Update

Hello Friends !

Thought I would do a quick bullet point update.

arrived in the mail Monday!  

Happy Thanksgiving !

**Over the past 7 weeks, I've averaged 40 miles per wk
Low week - 29 miles,  last week -a recovery week
High week - 46 miles

**As of today, I have 220 miles left to run to make my goal of running 2012 miles,  in 2012.
(need to average 40 miles each wk through the end of the year - no problem! )

**I'm in the middle of a shoe crisis.  I've been in Adidas Cushion Response 17,  for several years.  Prior to these shoes (when I was younger maybe ??), I bought any cushioned, "on-sale", running shoe and it worked.  That changed, but the Adidas worked GREAT for many years.  Then like all shoe companies, they changed the shoes - the newer model didn't work, so I bought up all of the CR17s that I could find online.  Currently, I'm on my last few pairs (I rotate shoes).  Recently, I've been trying some different options.

Brooks & Mizuno - tried but didn't like.  I've been using these for shorter mileage days for a while. 
No big issues, but no big comfort either.

More recently, I bought some Nike Pegasus and Asics Nimbus.  I introduced these while still rotating through my Adidas.  2 weeks ago, I developed what I think is shin splints, but only on the left shin.  Leading up to the mild shin pain, I had most recently ran in the Nimbus.  I immediately scaled back the intensity. I know, without a doubt that ice works very well for me.  So I  iced, iced, iced, heated prior to running,  added some rest days and then the step-back week (last wk).

In addition to being extra cautious, I also moved back into ALL ADIDAS running.  The shin has gradually improved, and currently it's just a "faint feeling" from time to time.  I would describe this as a nag.  I'm VERY fortunate!  I've been running for years, and this is my first mild case of shin splints.

When the pain has completely faded away, I will try to add the Nike, or the Nimbus back into the rotation, but this time I will add one brand of shoe at a time, and I will do it even more gradual than before.

 At this point, I will say, that I'm slightly STRESSED.  My fear is not being able to find a comfy shoe.  Also, I'm stressed about this EXPENSIVE (for me) experiment.   My hope is that I can add the new shoes more gradually, and maybe my spoiled "HappyFeet" can continue on their path of many years of HappyFeet running.

**On Oct. 26th, I ran the Pumpkin Dash 5k and I ran a PR - 22:55 on the Garmin, 22:51 Official results

**On Nov. 17th, I ran the Run for Life 5k in Houma, LA.  Perfect conditions, flat and fast course and my time was 23:40 Official and Garmin time.  Three weeks later and 45 seconds slower - ???.  I'm afraid you read it correctly.   What happened ?  you know the deal - my weight is NOT stable - up and down, up and down.  Nothing like a slow 5k to get me motivated to reduce my calorie intake, AGAIN.   How can it be that I'm already up in lbs. BEFORE the holidays !

pics from the 5k - 11-17-12

Houma, LA

**This Sat. I will run the Stennis Half Marathon.   This is a fun race and several runners from Hattiesburg always show up.  This year I will be riding down with some local friends (Terri, Dawn, and John Mark).  Should be a FUN day with friends.  After the 5k, I have no big expectations with the extra lbs.,  but I will run a quality run and burn some calories.   I have another half marathon in a couple of weeks.  I'm hoping to drop the few extra lbs by then and be ready to race that one in Madison, MS on Dec. 8th (if the weather is right).

I love a Sat.,  after Thanksgiving race - 

BURN BABY BURN !