Race Goals: 605 Running Co. Half Marathon

I love racing. And I love goals. And I love racing to try to hit goals. This spring I have 3 half marathons, which gives me 3 opportunities to knock out some great race times and performances.

I have some numbers floating around in my brain, but for this first half of the spring, my goal is to go out, run hard, find a gear that is uncomfortable and to dig deep and keep pushing as the later miles start to wear on me. I've really put in a lot of work this training cycle and I'm excited to see where it has got me mentally and physically!

Sioux Falls Half Marathon Goals

Sunday marks my 12th half marathon and my 7th consecutive Sioux Falls half marathon.  Interesting fun fact:  the half in 2005 was my first race longer than one mile.  Neat-o, no?  This is the race I look forward to the most each year, because it's an awesome race, the finish line is walking distance from home, and I run the route most days on my training runs.

This fall, this half is my "goal" race.  Last year, my goal race time eluded me, so this year I'll take another crack at it.  So without further adieu, my race goals:

Goal A:  Somewhere in the 1:48-1:50 range.  This was my goal for last year, and I lost my shizz/mojo way early on in the race.  It will be tough.  I will look grimmacing in most if not all race photos, and it will hurt.  But it's doable.

Goal B:  PR.  Current PR is 1:50:57.  So dang close to sub 1:50, but I honestly didn't have another 57 seconds left in me that day.  Race course PR is 1:53 something.

Goal C:  Be thankful you're able to run and enjoy the day.  **For the record, I would rather accomplish these goals while also accomplishing goals A or B.** :D

So there you have it.  Kyle surprised me with some sweet running shorts I've been coveting to complete my fall Team Green ensemble.  Like a dork, he made me try them on, and then I had to find a shirt to wear with them.  And then I had to see if I "looked fast" in them.  Ignore the uber messy bedroom featured behind me.

And since I can't be the only cutie featured in this post, I made Kyle try on my race shirt from this race 2010.  I was psyched because it was the first year they had tech shirts.  And then I cried when I saw how giant the SMALL was.  For reference, Kyle is about 110+ lbs. over me.  Doesn't he look cute in this pic?  Normally he look slike a big goober in photos... can't all be as photogenic as me I guess.  Bahahahahahah.

River Rat Half Marathon Race Goals

Wednesday I had a ten mile run to take care of.  Originally this had been scheduled for Monday and was supposed to be a marathon pace run.  Because of weather (and my lazy weekend schedule) I rested Monday and it got pushed to Wednesday.  I was pretty hesitent about running that hard of a workout so close to my half this weekend, so I decided to just do an easy-paced 10 miler.

Imagine my surprise when I looked down at my garmin at .8 miles and saw that what I thought was my easy pace was actually marathon pace.  Hmm.... ok.  I decided I would do 5 miles MAX at MP.  Uh.... can marathon pace pleeeeeeeeeease feel like my easy pace on May 21st?  That'd be neat-o burrito.  (EEP!  ONE MONTH!)  Throughout the run I went back and forth between thinking that this pace would be a cakewalk for 26.2 miles and that I was going to crash and burn at mile 18 and want my mama.  So it was nice to have the typical neurotic runner brain back for awhile.  ;)

I ended up with 10 miles in 1:33:26 for a pace of 9:20.  Average MP miles: 9:06 (5 o' them).

I also remember how much I love running at dusk/in the dark.  There's something very peaceful about running at night.  I miss it. :)

As I mentioned briefly yesterday (in between rabid raccoon assaults), I have been thinking a lot about my race strategy for Saturday's half.  My half PR has been at a bit of a stand still.  Yes, I PR'd technically in August on an uber flat course, but it was barely (like 15 seconds) and on a short-ish course.  So really the fastest I've covered the 13.1 distance was in December 2009.  Time to do some work on that puppy!

Even though the course is a toughy, I still would like to pull off a PR.  Random note: this will be half marathon #10, and the first one I've raced on a hilly course..... pacing the Mankato half is the exception.  Some recent tempo runs have given me the realization that the first hard mile always sucks and feels like crap, so I'm hoping to start a smidge slower than necessary to accomodate that crappiness, and then get faster from there.  I usually (attempt to) employ a negative split strategy. 

For Saturday the plan is:
Miles 1-3 8:40
Miles 4-7 8:35
Miles 8-10 8:30
last 5k BTTW

I usually like to think of half marathons as a hard ten miler with a 5k race on the end.  For some reason, it mentally breaks it up enough in my mind to make it doable.  Since coming up with this plan, I've let Jason analyze it based on the hills, and it has been tweaked slightly.  So excuse me while I memorize my mile pace times (and/or etch them on to my arm....)

I'd be ecstatic with a sub 1:50, so I guess we'll call this my A goal.  However, I don't want to put too much pressure on that, because I think that's why I panicked and gave up this fall.  I should be able to PR (goal B), and even if it's by the skin of my teeth, I'll be ok with that, because it's a much tougher course than I've ran before.

The race field should be fairly small, so I see this as a potential positive and negative.  Positive:  I could win an AG award!  And you'd best believe this'll bring out the competitor in me.  Negative:  If there's no one around me, that competitiveness could be lost quickly.  Based on last year's results, I could've placed 2nd, so a top 10 would be AWESOME (there are a lot more registrants than last year) and top 3 in my AG is goal #2.  The fact that my AG is 19-30 chaps my behind, but that's neither here nor there.  :p  Luckily Miss Angie, just had a birthday kicking her out of my AG.  I wouldn't want to have to fight her for an AG award (jk, she's much faster than me, there's no fighting too it :P)

Sioux Falls Half Marathon Race Goals

It's that time of year again:  my favorite race!  This year marks the 6th consecutive year of running the Sioux Falls half marathon.  Without further adieu, I give you my race goals:

Goal C:  PR.  My current PR is 1:52:42.  It should be a given to "hulk SMASH" this time goal.

Goal B:  Sub 1:50.  I broke 2 hours last year at this race, so it'd be very apropos to say goodbye to the 1:50s at the same race.

Goal A:  1:48:xx.  When I had originally started my training for this race, I had thought 1:45 would be ballsy and bad assed enough to pursue.  Somewhere along the way I psyched myself and started focusing on 1:48.  I know I should be able to break 1:50, but I don't want to be content in coming in just under.  Secretly, I want to run a 1:48:33 which is Jenn's current PR, because we constantly joke that we are the same runner. ;)


This week has been spent getting in some slow short miles.  I sometimes struggle getting out the door when I have 8 tempo miles on the schedule, but 3-4 easy?  No problem.  I heart mini-half marathon tapers. :)

I did a stellar 4 miles in a steady downpour of rain and loved every minute of it.  I wore a hat so I could do without the rain pelting me in the eye, and had a blast.  [Random note:  I was a lifeguard for....7-8 years?  And hated swimming with my face in the water.  I hate getting it wet, what can I say?  Don't ask what this says about my future budding tri career. :p]  It was very refreshing to return home, drenched, but not by my own perspiration, and by the elements instead.

This morning I hit the bike path for an eas 3 miles.  The cool temps are making me so stinkin' happy.  The wind, however, is making me want to line my pockets with heavy rocks.  When it was time to turn around on the trail, I wanted to keep going!  Ooooh just realized the next time my feet hit that part of the trail I'll be rounding out the final mile and a half of my half.  Bring it.
Check out the trifecta of CSN giveaways, like whoa:

Evolving through Running

Shut up and Run

Emz

Oh, one more thing.... GO SAINTS. ;)

Someone's Been Bit by the Photo Bug + Race Goals

Since I didn't have a photo yet for my Project 365, I decided to take my camera with me on my run tonight.  Grrrrreat idea, I managed to get some awesome shots as the sun was thinking about setting.  To be honest I was way more concerned with taking pictures than I was with running, so it was a pretty slow and leisurely 5 miles, but that's a-ok because I have a half marathon on Saturday!

I always wish I had a camera when I run up on this spray painted smily face on the trail.  It always makes me smile.  :)


Urban Wildland Half Marathon Goals*

Goal C
Do not have as horrible of a race as the death march of 2010.  Also, Sub 1:55.  Assuming nothing terrible happens, this should be a given.

Goal B
PR.  My current PR is 1:53:09.  Totally doable.

Goal A
Sub 1:50.  Again this is doable.  If the weather is right and I'm feeling like a B.A., this will be the goal I will line up with in mind.

*I'm not feeling creative enough to come up with a special theme for these race goals.  Perhaps these will be reserved for MARATHON!!! goals. :)  Nothing will ever top the Dinosaur-themed goals, however.

I think my race strategy will be to split up the race into 4 sections and try to run it with negative splits (per usual).  I'm thinking 8:45, 8:35, 8:25, 8:15.  Should equate to a PR.  I did get an email today from the race director with "hot weather racing safety instructions."  Dude, this'll feel like running in Antarctica compared to the last 1/2 I did.  :p  I'm super excited to meet up with Alyssa and tear up the town afterward.  Look out TC I'm coming for you!  PR or puke.  Heh.

Randomly funny note worth mentioning:  I have "liked" Dallas White Rock Marathon on Facebook.  Today they posted some of their favorite photos from the race last December.  Of course I flicked through them to see if there would be any of yours truly (there wasn't).  I was shocked at how many of the photos had runners in sweats/pants/long sleeved shirts/hats/gloves!!!!!!  Please just glance (or scroll) to the sidebar here for my photo where I'm wearing my usually green tank and shorts.....and am soaked with sweat.  Unreal.  Crazy Texans. ;)

I <3 me a good bridge.

This bridge is a personal fave.

Gotta admit that SoDak does give some killer sunsets.

I'd be willing to bet that the extreme humidity is the magic behind it's beauty. 

It'd better be good for something.