RnR Montreal HM

I was thinking of not writing a report at all, but I really think I should talk about this "race" to get it out of my system.  Although this was not a goal race and I was not racing, the plan was to test my GMP outside since I have been stuck indoors since April.  So, the plan said 5 easy, 8 @ MP.  I had done this workout before the Paris Marathon at the A1A Ft. Lauderdale HM and it went well that time, finishing in 2:10 something.  This time, I was running faster than then and my GMP was faster, so I was curious to see what I ended up with, maybe a 2:08-2:09?  Something to tell me I was on the right track.

As you know, I have been training for the Chicago Marathon and since our weather has been like this since April, with July, August and September looking like this morning, noon, and night, at feels like of 100Fs.

There was no way in hell I was going to do MP runs outside, so I stayed on the TM.  Every day.  So, this would be the first time I would run outside since basically April.  Although last time I did this workout I had a cutback week, this time my coach had assigned me a normal week with 56mpw, a 16 miler on the weekend prior (with quality miles) and another 16 miler on Wednesday (with more quality miles).  My legs were trashed, to say the least.

We left Miami on Friday with a husband that had been throwing up since 3am, even in flight.  Due to problems with the parking at the airport, we almost missed the flight (even though we arrived 2 hours prior to it) and my husband was this close to quitting and driving back home.  By mid Friday he felt much better.  We arrived in Montreal late afternoon, drove to the hotel, and enjoyed the area.  Went to the expo on Saturday morning, spent the afternoon in Montreal's Old Town, tried to connect with Cyberic (we ran late and by the time I contacted him again it was too late for him to meet, my fault) and enjoyed great food and people.  Happylily had left Montreal on Friday afternoon due to her race being in Ottawa, but she was very nice and sent a delivery of Canadian bagels to the hotel.  I still have two frozen here to eat this weekend.  Thank you, Lily!

By the time I got to the hotel on Saturday night, I was the one sick.  I had stomach issues for most of the night, and I woke up with the fear of not being able to run without stopping to use the bathroom.  I had two Imodiums (which I never take but it's a staple of my husband's pre-race ritual, had some water, and tried to eat something.  I wasn't having it.  I just felt blah, not sick.

We got to the start line with time in advance so we went to the bridge near the start, hoping to meet Cyberic.  Every tall skinny guy in blue we saw was suspect.  Until he came by us and said hi.  

He was as nice as he is online and it was a pleasure to finally meet him.

Off to the race!

We parted ways and I entered Corral 12.  I started exactly at 9am.  Too late for me but the weather here is nothing like back home.  It was windy and mid 50s, I think.  This race is not as flat as the course elevation pointed out.  And it's nothing like Miami where is nice and flat with 0ft elevation either way.   This had some nice rollers, two hills, and the rest was flattish but never flat, IMO,  I am sure Cyberic will find it flat as a pancake, though, ha.

The sun came out after my Mile 5 and that's when things started feeling bad for me.  I started running easy miles.  Except my HR said I was racing a 10K.  I was not racing by HR but I sure did not want my HR to be off either.

Here are the splits of my easy miles.  I felt fine during them, enjoying the sites, but never felt right.

1	Interval	1 mi	10:29	10:29	10:29	86	136
2	Interval	1 mi	10:10	20:39	10:10	145	156
3	Interval	1 mi	10:04	30:43	10:04	153	160
4	Interval	1 mi	9:59	40:42	9:59	156	161
5	Interval	1 mi	9:56	50:38	9:56	157	164

After this, I took my first gel and started my MP run.  Or so I thought:

6	Interval	1 mi	9:15	59:53	9:15	162	169
7	Interval	1 mi	9:34	1:09:27	9:34	164	171
8	Interval	1 mi	9:16	1:18:43	9:16	162	166
9	Interval	1 mi	9:50	1:28:33	9:50	161	166

Completely off on a stable pace and with a HR creeping into the 170s. This is not going to end well.  And it ended between Mile 9 and 10.  With me puking by the side of a bridge.  Awesome.

After I puked, I decided to just give up.  Seriously.  I hate running HMs but this one was taking the cake.  I just decided to not even try to hit MP for the next 4 miles.  In fact, if I could've quit and get to the finish line other than running, I would have.

10	Interval	1 mi	10:41	1:39:14	10:41	153	164
11	Interval	1 mi	11:37	1:50:51	11:37	147	156
12	Interval	1 mi	10:10	2:01:01	10:10	154	161
13	Interval	1 mi	11:10	2:12:11	11:10	154	162
14	Interval	0.29 mi	2:42	2:15:05	9:19	161	170

Mile 10 included the puking incident, Mile 11 the first hill.  Somewhere between 12 and 13 there was a larger hill that I just basically walked.  I know the splits do not look as bad as I thought they did but at that time I felt like I was just walking the rest of the way.  Looks like I recovered enough to run 9:19mm to the finish so yay me.  I suck.

Finished in 2:15:05.  And I felt like a loser.  On my birthday.

Anyway, after a few days of introspection and a 10 miler with 5 X 1 mile @ 8:34mm on Wednesday, I realized I was sick.  I actually came to Miami with 4lbs less than when I left.  There was definitely something going on with me on that day.  But, part of me feels like I've wasted all these weeks for nothing.  That I am slower than when I ran Paris even though all my workouts have been faster.  That the TM is lying.

Anyway, I feel better now and have been hammering this week well.  But with two weeks until Chicago, I'll remember this as I head to the start.