End of 2014 races

I wanted to do a recap of my last race weekend of 2014...too long for a FB post, so blog it is...and this is my only blog for now, so it will live here. Day 1: Donut 5 K Holiday Run I didn't plan on running this. I planned on running the Huff 50K. When I didn't finish Chicago and decided to make Monumental a full marathon I knew I needed to run another half marathon before Sam Costa in March...I want Sam Costa to be my 40th half marathon. It meant I was running Santa Hustle since I don't do the winter night trail race as I would die from my own klutziness (suicide mission). That ruled out the Huff since Santa Hustle was the day after and I didn't want to risk a half DNF. The 5K's of Christmas/Donut Holiday Run was the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) 5K Indiana championship race and as state rep I should be there anyway...so I ran it. And if I was going to run a 5K I might as well go for the PR, right? Coach Matt Ebersole cleared going for the PR and I planned on it. Race morning I decided to do a warm up mile and I was glad I did...made me decide to repin my bib a little lower and made me not as cold for the start (was wearing shorts and a short sleeve shirt at 31 degrees). Warm up mile was around 11:45 pace. Thought that was good for warm up, but not fast enough for the race if I wanted the PR. I lined up farther toward the front than I normally would because I knew the route got narrow pretty quick and I didn't want to get trapped. I also saw a guy in jeans and a cowboy hat in front of me...gah! Race started and was going well. Didn't look at the Garmin except for mile splits. Pam Hollick and her son Nico passed me, it was good to see them. First mile was 10:20, which was great. I managed to keep left of everyone getting water and donuts at the first stop and kept running along. Second mile split was 10:35 - slower but still great. I knew I likely had the PR, but I wanted to hold it and see how big it could be. After the second mile someone told me I looked cold. I really wasn't cold, felt good actually. Started having some problems breathing with the phlegm monster, but kept going. Chicked Nico near the end, but then he whizzed by me. Mile 3 was 10:49, I was slowing down but knew I had it. Finished in 33:02. PR from last February was 34:43 so I was pretty happy with the 1:41 PR. I went back to where I saw Curt Canter cheering people and joined him. Saw Chrissy Vasquez on her way to the finish. Then I started getting cold and went in for warm/dry clothes. I was pretty happy with the race. Day 2: Santa Hustle Half Marathon Last year this race was FRIGID and I had nothing but bad words to describe it. I wasn't looking to do much with this, just have a 39th half marathon finish. Barbara and William Gubbins had stayed the night with me and we went down to the race, parked at the zoo but I know the short cut to Celebration Plaza so it wasn't a big deal. Lined up near the back and we started the race together, hanging together for the first mile. It was an 11:40 mile and I knew that was too fast for what I had been planning. I slowed down in the second mile but also lost my buddies (who ended up a bit behind me but Barbara was running injured). Second mile was a more reasonable 12:38. Kept clicking off miles and feeling pretty good. Remembered to use nutrition and take water even though I didn't really feel like drinking. Wasn't cold, glad I hadn't overdressed (capris and long sleeve shirt). As we were approaching the hill behind the velodrome these people told me I couldn't drop pace because they had been pacing off me. That was a pretty bad plan on their part since they didn't know my race strategy and I wasn't paying attention to running even splits, but whatever. Powered up the hill and then needed nutrition again. Ran the rolling hills and was still cranking off some pretty good splits. Decided to push at mile 10 if I had anything in the tank. Ran a fast mile after 10 (11:49) and decided it wasn't worth it, backed off back to where I had been. By this time we had a head wind too, so I wasn't going to fight it. Still knew I was probably going to be faster than the 2:47 I had anticipated. Ran well in the final mile and cranked it to the finish for a 2:40:50. Was not planning on running that fast. Third fastest time. Should have been really happy with it. But still just feel weird about it since I wasn't trying. Monday I swam 2,000 yards focused on happy memories of my Grandma Szabo. She has the flu and they had to put her on oxygen Saturday night. She isn't expected to live. Tuesday I planned on running a VERY slow 4 mile recovery run. I got the club run and Christa said she was going to run slow too and decided to run with me...slow for her and slow for me are not quite the same and we busted out 4 miles at 11:40 (not recovery pace). Felt good but I know I should have run slower. I am in a weird place with my running. I am getting faster and doing well, but m expectations are all over the place. Coach Matt is going to help me with it and all will be well. In the end I will finish 2014 22 miles short of my goal of 1,200 running miles. It is ok. Last year I was just shy of 1,050 and that was great. No regrets.