Off season hibernation

Well, it's been awhile I've posted!

It's off training season for me, so I've been taking it really easy since my marathon almost one month ago.  If there's one thing going by a strict(er) training schedule has done for me, it's tempered me.  Even a few months ago, I was super eager to beginning training for the next marathon and always push the pace. But this time around, with the hip, adductor, upper thigh pains, I've been a lot more cautious and taking the recovery days when necessary. Future self note: You can't do 2 marathons in 12 weeks!

I have, however, decided to participate in the +Runner's World Magazine RunStreak!

I'm not doing any crazy mileage - just 1-2 miles to keep the streak alive.  It's day 12, though!  I got this.  :)

The past two weeks...

Gallop & Gorge 8K: the first non-PR race of the year

My NC +Oiselle teammates convinced me to do this turkey trot with them and I thought, why not?  It was 2.5 weeks after my race and it's in my neighborhood!  I was able to run to the starting line.  This has never happened before, haha!

Cold, cold day. 26 degree to start! Also, that starter turkey creeps me out. Photo courtesy of Cardinal Track Club

Unfortunately, the race didn't go as well as I wanted.  I set my goal time based on my 10k, which was a 7:32  pace.  You'd think it'd be attainable given that 10>8.  But no, I felt like crap that morning.  I think I went out too fast in the first mile - struck a 7:30 mile, whereas I usually keep it comfortable and then accelerate.  I couldn't keep the pace and was nauseated the entire nearly-5 miles.  It was so bad that after the race, I was gasping for breath and so out of it that Ellen and Electric Lime separately asked me if I was ok.

Struggling. Future self note: don't be too matchy with your colors. You looked like a smurf!

 The good thing was, that I got to run in a race with my teammates and see many beloved, familiar faces.

Crayola crew! Electric Lime coming from Richmond. Miss that guy so much.

Though Allie said she felt barfy too, she was the 2nd overall woman! Ellen got our AG award. These birds are seriously amazing.

I've been really fortunate that this year has been filled with only PRs.  Sure, I didn't make my A marathon time goals, but I always exceeded my previous performances.  I think few are as lucky as I've been this year, but my luck ran out this race. I've never run an 8k, I have run a 5 miler before, so I compare this with my 5 miler time. Not a PR.  That's fine, though. I'm not too sad about it, given how ill I felt during the race.

Gallop & Gorge 8k
November 28, 2013
Gun time: 39:03:37
Pace: 7:51
Entire field: 249/1246
Division: 10/83

A Richmond Thanksgiving

After the race, it was time to drive to Richmond to spend time with one of my favorite people, Jen!  I had more car issues that nearly deterred me entirely from leaving Chapel Hill, but decided to trek to Richmond anyway.  My roommate helped me slap on my spare tire, but I felt nervous driving that many miles on a doughnut.  My bf and my roommate thought it was fine, but there's conflicting info out there about whether what I did was safe.  Oh well.  A nervous 2.5 hour drive later, and I got to see Jen!

She was visiting her dad for the holiday (I guess her mom makes a yearly trek to the motherland during this time), and per their "tradition", they almost cleaned out the Sichuan restaurant with their order! 

10 dishes came for us. 10. Also, I'm seriously impressed with this restaurant, Evo Fine Sichuan. Good Chinese food in Richmond? Who knew! (Apparently Jen's Dad)

Love this girl.

The rest of the weekend was amazing. I was so well fed and rested there.  Unfortunately, given my car issues and saturated frustration with it, I didn't make the 2nd part of my trek up to DC to see Megan and Herman.  Herman is an amazing cook and I'd been craving his specialty buttered turkey since he made it 2 years ago.  Sigh.  Luckily, I will be seeing them this weekend along with my bf!  Can't wait. 

In other news, I can't believe another year/semester is ending.  Need to put the pedal to the metal and work on getting out of here...