August 23, 2009 - Race results and weekend training

And it was written: http://www.charmcityrun.com/eventResults.cfm?eventid=880

I finished with a time of 47:05 (7:35 / mile) and good enough for 8th place. While happy, I know I could have went harder. A few things were working against me:

1. I forgot my watch. So after the first mile where I asked someone our split, I had no idea what my pace was. This made it difficult to properly pace myself, so to avoid over-running int the first 4 miles, I went easier than I would have liked to. This is a mistake that is a result of carelessness in planning and one I can't afford to make again.
2. I wore my trail running shoes which were great for support, but after the second water crossing my water resistant shoes were filled with water! I finished the last 2 miles with my feet soaked and socks saturated. I need to think about stuff like this in the future and have the right gear.
   
3. I didn't know the course. I had no ideas how many large hills there were and on a few of them saved some energy expecting more.
4. I didn't sleep enough this past week. Two nights I got less than 6 hours of sleep and on the night before the race I was in bed around 11:30 PM and up at 5:00 to prepare. That's just not optimal.
   

The trail itself was interesting. The race began with a gradual hill up a main road, then quickly turned into a field and a steep ascent. I hit the first mile at 7:00 which was pretty solid for the grade of the course. Once in the woods though, this pace was easier said than done.

The trails were steep, muddy and sometimes rather narrow. There were two very large hills that really challenged all the interval and hill training I've been doing, but these are where I made up a lot of ground on people. I have to say that the workouts I do daily from http://www.crossfit.com was one of the reasons I had so much success working up the hills. The focus on core, balance, and explosive strength were key in maintaining composure on those gnarly inclines.

The water crossings were fun, but gave me some trouble due to my shoes taking on too much water and not draining. The last mile I'm sure my split was 6:00 or so, I went all out and when I finished I knew I had given that last segment my all. It was a great feeling.

After the race I hit a roadside stand for fresh produce and headed home, a bit tired from being up so early and a bit elated from knowing I pushed myself hard. My roommate Jonathon and I ate eggs and bacon, with some broccoli and tomatoes. After, I went out to Harper's Ferry with my friend Sarah for a nice 2 hour hike following by a delicious barbecue! Having not eaten red meat in almost 3 months, I enjoyed a burger with cheese and some mayo on it (two things I've been avoiding)! It was delicious.

Today was back to being focused though. Oatmeal with walnuts for breakfast, then a hard workout (detailed below) with Jonathon. We were out the door at 9 AM and done by 11 AM. I was treated to a deep tissue massage by my friend Sarah at the Baltimore School of Massage which was perfect for post-race recovery. A few hours and a big brunch later (eggs and veggies) and I feel great. Tonight is off to a nice Opera night dinner at Sotto Sopra in Baltimore, MD. It's a 'cheat' meal but I think I've earned it and look forward to my first plate of pasta in 3 months (since Italy!).

Training: My focus the next few days is to hit the crossfit workouts hard and get into the pool a few times for longer swim workouts. I leave Thursday for 8 days in Yellowstone, so I'll look to do a long run on Wednesday.

Sunday's Workout (with Jonathon):
(Friday's WOD) from http://www.crossfit.com:
Walking lunge 100 ft.
21 Pull-ups
21 Sit-ups
Walking lunge 100 ft.
18 Pull-ups
18 Sit-ups
Walking lunge 100 ft.
15 Pull-ups
15 Sit-ups
Walking lunge 100 ft.
12 Pull-ups
12 Sit-ups
Walking lunge 100 ft.
9 Pull-ups
9 Sit-ups
Walking Lunge 100 ft.
6 Pull-ups
6 Sit-ups
Walking Lunge 100 ft.
3 Pull-ups
3 Sit-ups

That's 700 ft. of lunges, 84 Pull-ups (all strict) and 84 sit-ups in what took me 20 mins. After, I jumped rope, cooled down on the treadmill and did 10 more L-Pullups for good measure.

First Race is done. I went hard but I know there is a lot of room for improvement. I have to keep focusing on eating well, training hard and enjoying some downtime to reflect and recover. Thanks to all my friends and family for their support and seeing me through my journey. It means a lot to know I have so many great people around me that stick by me through thick and thin!