OK, so if there ever was a post that I was excited to write, THIS IS IT!!! If you can't feel the excitement by the time your done reading this, then I need you to check your pulse, and make sure your alive! LOL!
So, as before, I had been through some adversity here lately. But, took it the best I could and kept my head held high. This weekend was the Knoxville Expo 10K. Probably one of my favorite events of the year to run.
It's funny, because I wasn't sure I was gonna get to run this year after the ankle. I had to fight tooth and nail to get healthy enough to be cleared to go from coach. It wasn't till after Last Saturday's Long Run that I was finally able to officially be told that I could register.
This past week was also a shift change at work to 3p-Midnights which meant I had to switch training all around. I was ok with this, but expected to be clunky going into this past week.
Honestly, looking back, things went so smooth. Both of my runs last week I was able to just settle into a pace and stay there. I have often struggled with that, but for some reason, this week seemed to change things. I had a great week. Friday night, I came home and jumped in bed . Slept exactly 2 hrs and 15 min. Normal for me race nights. I got up , ate a PB sandwich, and then headed out . I was at the venu by 5:45 am and the race wasn't till 8 am. I had sometime to relax, and reflect, among the things was a conversation that me and coach had the night before that went a lil something like this....
"This is a TRAINING RUN! A year ago, you went full tilt. Look how far you have come! This is a training run. A race as a TRAINING RUN!" I couldn't believe it. That hit me and fired me up so much.
As I got ready, I kept telling myself, DO NOT COME OUT TOO HARD! Use this to work paces and speed work as instructed. Be calm, have fun.
When the gun went off, I was very cautious to not fly out to start. It was almost like clockwork, I slipped into my zone and was steady. I was so happy to be running. Just over joyed. I had my speedwork to use at my leasure once every mile. The first half of the course was what I had seen in March in a 5k. So, I was just rolling along. I looked down at my watch and was steady fready at 35 min for the first half. 3 min off my 5k PR . I knew if I kept up at that pace, i would have an Overall PR, and that was NOT the goal. Sure, it would have been kinda nice to have it again, but nope. Smartness took over, and I throttled down a little bit and just relaxed. It was very hot by the 2nd loop, which was comprised of the same loop from last year. A little tougher. Seemed to be that I was meant to throttle back at this point. Still kept steady. Doused my self with water as necessary and finished out the 6.22 miles. Even better, at all the pictures being taken I was acting so stupid. Flexing, smiling , waving , I was having a BLAST.
The time I came in was 1:20 and some change. Friends this was a ZONE 2 easy run. This is still a 13 min time shave off the course time that I set last year. Just UNREAL! I texted coach. She was ESTATIC! So was I . I can say that we both shed a few tears. Seriously, it was an unreal trip. It was one that you just dream of. Probably, in my 2 years of running, it ranks in the top 2 if not the BEST trip. Just over the top with how things went. It was hot, there were hills, and all this other good stuff, and I still put a beatdown upon that course.
Also, after this race, as I talked with coach, It became so clear that I am so close to something I never dreamed possible, putting miles together under 10 min each. So, my new goal is simply, lets put the time and training in , and go after getting a couple miles under 10 min . Just a little sub goal to keep me pushing and inspired.
So, after an INSPIRING weekend, full of joy, It's back to work. Time to get bigger, stronger, and FASTER! The next few weeks are going to be filled with training and pushing myself to get better each day. I won't be racing again for 4 or 5 weeks, and then that one will be the last trip until the MCM unless we add in a shakedown run or something.
Just wanted to keep you all afloat of the fantastic weekend that was.
Until Next Week...
From one "Idiot" to another
John
IRC#2148
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