Melissa's Fargo Half Marathon Race Report

Melissa is one of my good running buddies. We did the bulk of our long runs together for the Twin Cities Marathon last year, and since then, I've been giving her training plans to follow, partially because then I have a built in running buddy, but mostly because she has such potential as a runner, I really wanted to see how fast she could get this spring. So yes, I guess there are bonuses to being my running buddy if you're in need of a coach. :P

I asked her if she wanted to write up her race report from the Fargo Half Marathon, because she had an awesome day despite really cruddy conditions. Prior to this spring, Melissa's half PR was a 1:56 ish set at Mankato just a few weeks after her first full marathon. I knew she was much faster than her time showed, so we spent a lot of time slowing down her long runs, slowly increasing her weekly mileage, keeping the majority of her miles really really easy conversational pace, and then tackling some hard workouts on workout days. She set a couple of minute PR at the Skedaddle Half Marathon in April, with the pacing plan that she should feel like she was really holding back almost the whole time, as her A goal was Fargo.

Go Melissa!

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My race plan from my BRF Jeri:

5x8:45
5x8:15
3.1x8
Time=1:49:48
I of course NEVER look at the weather before a race but I know Jeri does so after hearing people say, “it’s going to rain and be windy,” I asked Jeri. I know she has been looking for the past week  and it was easier to ask her. She confirmed! 

 I was aware of the wind because let’s be honest, it’s Fargo, but I was NOT expecting the cold and rain! I was hoping for warmth! 

Anyway, race day came and I slept AMAZING but I could not  and the weather was cold, rainy and windy like everyone was saying. At that point I decided today was probably not going to be a PR because of the weather and I was worried about a stomach cramp! We left the hotel and I started joking about how “beautiful” the weather was because we can’t change it and I wanted to have fun since I wasn't going to PR.
After talking with Jeri, I decided go go out a little more conservative. 

My first mile was 9:04 and after that I kept looking at my watch and 8:30’s were coming up and I felt so good 
Mile 2: 8:34
Mile 3: 8:33
Mile 4: 8:33
Mile 5:  8:26
After mile 5 I still felt strong and no stomach cramps . I made sure to stop at 3 water stops for some Gatorade because I have trouble fueling during a race and the thought of GU’s make me want to vomit. 

Don’t worry- I’ve learned after a few terrible races that I have to eat breakfast, especially when I struggle fueling during.  I’ve found a bagel with PB, honey and half a banana works pretty good. 

Ok back to the race!
After mile 6, I was like “I can do this!” I picked up the pace mile 7-9.
Mile 6: 8:26
Mile 7: 8:15
Mile 8: 8:18
Mile 9:  8:20
Then that darn wind seemed to find me and I I can’t remember what mile, but I’m pretty sure 10-11, I stopped at a water stop for Gatorade because I didn't want to bonk! 

Mile 10: 8:29
Mile 11: 8:28 

At the water stop I found Glenda and she yelled, “Go Melissa, Go!” So I did!

Mile 12: 8:06
Mile 13: 7:49
0.12: 6:47 

Of course that gave me a huge boost! I took off and looked down at my watch and saw the time and realized, I’m going to PR and I still feel so strong!
I finished with a time of 1:50:10. Dang 11seconds! Right Jeri?!? But it was a PR by 3.5 minutes from Skedaddle so I’ll take it. Jeri was once again right when she said, “you are gonna PR!”  

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The best part of this (other than the monster PR, obvs) was sitting in the locker rooms after the race looking up everyone's official times and seeing that Melissa ran a 1:50:10. Without thinking, I remarked, "You couldn't find 11 seconds, Melissa!?!?" totally joking, but it was pretty funny. Honestly Melissa doesn't run very well in the cold (unlike me, ha) so on a good day, I actually had her pegged closer to a 1:48. We'll switch our focus to marathon training here shortly, but we also signed up for a half a month after Twin Cities, so I wouldn't expect this half PR to stand into 2020.  

RRCA Certification

I'm so excited!

This May, I am signed up to nerd out for two full days for my RRCA Coaching Certification. I've been reading endurance running and training books for the last 11 years, so I'm excited to earn some official credentials! I'm also really interested to see what information melds with what I've already learned and what contradicts my current understandings and belief systems regarding training. EEEE!!!

Speaking of coaching, I still have 1-2 spots available for coaching if you are interested in chasing some big goals and dreams. Let me know if you're interested!

2019 Coaching Goal Accomplished

I'm super excited to be crossing off one of my 2019 goals already:

Coaching 5 runners toward their running goals.

I just added my 5th runner to my schedule and I'm so excited. The runners I'm coaching are all so vastly different and it has been such a joy to customize a training cycle specifically or them, to fit their daily lives and make them a stronger runner.

I've gotten in a nice pattern where I've been adding new runners about every 3-4 weeks. I seem to get into a nice rhythm with my new runners in about 3-4 weeks, figuring out what works well, laying out a communication strategy that works best, and just getting to work!

If you have spring goals races, or a big fall goal and want to talk about some base building to hit your goals, let me know!

For more information about coaching check out this page on the 605 Running Co. website.

6 miles out of a movie + Coach + The Sickness

Monday I had 6 easy miles on the schedule.  The weather was gorg, and I had my iPod loaded up with some slow tunes to help with the slow pace.  I uploaded Regina Spektor's new CD Far, and also Ingrid Michaelson's newest Everybody.  It was literally the most beautiful run I can remember.  There's something about listening to slow, meaningful music which provides the perfect soundtrack to the fall colored leaves that randomly fall off the trees while you're running down the trail.  I literally think I smiled the entire 6 mile run.

Highlights of the run:

• I saw a dude with rollerblades and those big stick things to make it look like he was XC skiing on the trail.  I saw him twice.  His sticks were so long (twss) that he almost pushed me off the trail.  Jeepers.
• I also saw a dude in full on bright orange gear.  We're talking head to toe overalls/coveralls depending on where you're from.  I mean, I know we're in pheasant hunting season and all, but I'm not super concerned about being shot WHILE IN TOWN.  Perhaps I should be?  I dunno.

I did 6 miles in 57:09 for a pace of 9:32.

1. 9:26 
2. 9:25 
3. 9:29 
4. 9:39 
5. 9:40 
6. 9:27 

It's actually pretty humorous, because I was running INTO the wind for the first 3 miles, and WITH it for the last 3.  You'd think it'd be the other way around.  I realized that it's hard for me to run easy/relaxed into the wind because of my training as a sprinter.  We were taught how to work against the wind, and apparently I do that without thinking, even when running 6 miles instead of a 100 m. dash.  :p

I got a super exciting email from one of my BFFFs over the weekend.  This is the chica that got me on to running.  She decided she wanted to challenge herself to try a half marathon, and saw me running all the time and thought I should do it too.  I found some training programs, and totally thought they were doable, and our friendship was formed.  :)

[Dang totally thought I had a pic of us post-race to include in this post...turns out I can't find it.  Le sigh.  This one was pre-going out to Holocene in Portland when I went to visit her summer 08.]

Email

Subject:  Why not?

Because I know you love this kind of thing... I need you to make me a half marathon race schedule. Ridiculously short amount of time. The Angkor Wat Half Marathon Run is December 6th.   :D

m

Um ya, did I mention she's in Cambodia right now!??!  So of course I got super excited and came up with a training program for her.  Plus now we're training for HMs that are a week apart.  WHOO!!  I told her she has to refer to me as Coach from now on, but other than that, a training program was created.  :)

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I probably should've known based on all the snot rockets blown/loogies coughed up in recent runs, that I have "the sickness."  I went home from work Tuesday at about 10am and today, Thursday is day 3 of being home.  Not only does it suck to be sick, but I had planned on doing a 5k on Saturday.  I had a great impromptu training schedule created for this week, and no where in there does it say, "Eat a ridiculous amount of food (ya, apparently my appetite is out of control.  I still blame this weekend's starve-fest.), drink a gallon of OJ, sit on the couch, watch all the runners run by your place."

I do feel a LOT better today but just staying home so I can hack up the last of the phlegm in the privacy of my own home, instead of in front of clients, or on the phone with clients.  I'm classy like that.  I do still plan on running the 5k on Saturday :s unless my sickness takes a few steps backwards.  Fingers crossed that they don't, please?

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Being home has its perks.  I got to watch Away We Go, which has Jim Halpert from The Office in it, and Maya Rudolph from SNL.  It was sooooo good.  I will probably have to buy it actually (I rarely buy movies).  I also watched Monsters vs. Aliens which was also really really good.  :)  I've been on a music searching spree also.  I may have a new music post in the works for the near future.  :)

Good luck to ChasRunner who's going to kick butt in her marathon this weekend.  Kill it Girl!

P.S.  Thanks for all your super sweet comments on the wedding pics.  Apparently the crazy red wasn't quite so bad.  I still think it'll be the first and last time my lips see it.  :)

Dear Spring, I Heart You.

Today was the most beautiful day ever.  Well....  It ended up being beautiful after a co-worker and I spent 25 minutes bitching about how the weather report was calling for sun shiny amazingness all week, and we had yet to see it.  It's amazing how much of a difference great weather makes for your runs.  I had an easy 3 miles on the schedule and felt like I was effortless flying.  It was great.  I ran 3.02 miles in 25:45 for an average pace of 8:32/mile.  Definitely not an "easy" pace, but I swear it felt easy.  

Speaking of easy paces, that's something I really struggle with and would appreciate any and all suggestions on:  I struggle with what paces to run my training runs at.  Right now I'm training for a 5K.  My best time was about a month ago of 25:48 (8:19 avg. pace).  I would like to get down to sub 8 minute mile pace.  I will be starting my half marathon training in mid-June.  My best time is 2:07, and am shooting for somewhere in the range of 1:55-2 hours for the one I'm doing in September.  When I try to use the Runners World website for training plans with paces calculated they seem really off.  Anyway, any suggestions on this would be greatly appreciated.  :)

In other exciting news,  I was talking to one of the boyfriend's friend's fiance (follow that all right??) about my training and she offered to help me out with some tweaks to my next training plan and joining me for some of my speed work runs.  I went to college with this chica, and she is amazing.  Nationally ranked in cross country for division 2 and the steeplechase, 3000 m & 5000 m for track.  Seriously I wish I knew some better and more exact stats on her, because this small blurb is not even close to doing her justice, but that would be kind of creepy of me to do that without her knowledge, so I won't.  :)  Obviously she has benefited from some great coaching, and is just naturally a gifted athlete, so I'm super excited to use her expertise.  Plus it'll be nice to have someone else to blab about running too.