Training, Sugarcane 10K, Etc.

The Maui 1/2 Marathon is in two weeks.  My longest long run to date is 10 miles.  I know I can do the distance and I'm not worried, but I'm not as happy with my progress as I thought I would be at this point.

This year marks the 10 anniversary of the last 1/2 marathon I did.  I have not run more than a 10K since then (and there were many years in between of NO exercise at all).  Since I plan to enter the Honu 1/2 Ironman next June, I thought it would be a good time to concentrate on running.

I was a runner before I was a triathlete.  While training for triathlons the last two years, I focused more on cycling and swimming, especially swimming, and really took running for granted.  If I was going to miss a training session, running would be the first to go.   I knew running would always be there, patiently waiting in the background like an understudy waits in the wings.  

Now that I've been focused more on running, I realize what a mistake that was and plan to keep an eye on my run training through the fall and definitely when I start to train for Honu.  I need to run a LOT MORE and want to really be comfortable running 15-20 mile distances.  Perhaps even a January marathon.  We'll see.

I ran the inaugural Sugarcane 10K yesterday.  Early start (7:00 a.m.), along the Mokulele bike path, a slight uphill at the start, then a gradual downhill most of the way to the finish.  There were about 50 runners and, surprisingly, no one under the age of 20!  I hoped to run sub-10-minute miles, and the Garmin reported an average pace of about 9:30, so I was pleased.  

From about mile 2-4, another woman was running at my right shoulder and just behind me, pacing me.  It was good in some ways...I pushed closer to nine minute miles during that time because the competitor in me did not want her to pass (and by her labored breath I could tell she was working hard), but I slowed down after a bit because I realized I was not running my own race, and I really needed to stick closer to 9:45-10:00 in accordance with my training schedule.  It made me realize that a sub-9-minute pace is possible for me, but at some point in the future.  I just can't sustain that over longer distances right now, but I have hope!

I also realized that, despite the push, I do not like people pacing or drafting me in a race.  It's distracting and takes my concentration away from MY race.  My husband says it's because I have personal space issues, which is true.  If you stay 6+ feet away from me, I'm fine, but get inside that 3' bubble and it makes me nuts (but that's a whole other story).

The feet are cooperating and I feel good.  Still have a little twinge in my right hip, but yoga is helping, and I plan to go to the chiropractor on Wednesday to see if that will help a little bit more.

Hope you had a race or fun event this Labor Day weekend!