"sigh"

I finally found out the "official" time of my YMCA 1/2 Marathon last weekend...

2:08:43???

What fa duck?

Seriously, I was so disappointed, especially as my Nike + system had me at 2:05.

I think I trust my Nike + system more as there was no chip timing, and I did not actually cross the start line until a ways in. Im estimating at 2 minutes? Is that even right? dang.

One bad point about the race is that they had the 1/2 Marathon and the 5K start at the same freaking time.

Chaos ensued.

Anywho, I am disappointed in my time, especially as I felt so much stronger and mentally disciplined. I even beat another running comp. by 12 minutes! At the 2 mile marker, she passed me by, talking a bit, then saying see you later as I said hav a good run. Caught up to her at mile 5.5, I had had her in my sights the entire race up to that point, but I actually was able to catch up to her and run with her for about .5 miles while talking the entire way. She had to stop at mile 6.2 as she was running with dead legs, ya know, that heavy feeling that makes your legs feel like they weight 40 lbs each. So she stopped and I kept going and did not see her again until 12 minutes or so after I finished. Sweet.

So alas, I actually put on 20 seconds for my best 1/2 marathon time.

I don't get it.

I felt so strong and so good this run, but my time didn't reflect it.

Shit.

More incentive to kick as at Las Vegas.

My running comp. had also run the day before with me at the NARD 5k, she said she though that may ahve been why she was feeling it that day. Me? I felt fine.

Who knows.

My dad said that somedays, its just not your day. I guess that Sunday was not mine.

But anywho.

This week I ran a total of :

Mon: Supposed to cross-train but took a day off.
Tues: Supposed to do 4 miles but I was being lazy.
Weds: 7.01 miles @ 58:52. 8:23 min./miles.
Thurs: 7.02 miles @ 58:59. 8:23 min./miles.
Fri: Rest day.
Sat: 5.00 miles in 41:56. (my time) 42:04 stopwatch time.
Sun: 11.01 miles in 1:30:15. 8:11 min.miles.

Total: 30.04 miles.

I did hit a Veteran's 5k Pr. 41:56 my time, 42:04 stopwatch time.

That morning was hella cold! My lungs were tight, my hands were numb, and my legs were covered in goosebumps. It was so cold I could see my breath in front of me.

I took a quick jog down the road to warm up my tight muscles and expand my cold constricted lungs.

Lined up, and we were off. I had my tunes on, but maybe because it was so cold, I couldn't turn em down from the max level they were on. I was stuck with my ears being blasted and not being able to hear my breathing. shit.

Off we all went, ladee'z bearing down the road at top speed. I kept my pace down and let the rabbits out the box, wondering if I would eventually overtake them. I ran my own race and was soon bypassing runners, both male and female, leaving them to eat my dust. heh.

Up ahead, the 2 miles loomed ahead, a steady incline untill the turn to hillage that would make or break most of the pack. On the incline, I was catching up to the girl who kicked my ass by 2 minutes last year, and there she stood as I flew by. Nice. This chick was running ahead about 100 meters, and I steadily crept on her. We turned left onto the old G-wash road, keeping it to the right as we had been instructed, and she was so close I could touch her shirt. I passed her on the outstep, and let the downhill take my legs. I jammed it to the bottom crest and then stepped it up on the uphill, but then, that chick whose hair I almost touched went on the LEFT HAND SIDE, the easy cut a couple of meters side, and passed me again. That burned me up, one thing I can't stand are cheaters. I used that and passed her like she was standing still, hearing her suck it in and falter as she tried to keep up with me. I took hills and glided up and down. Pushing myself to run fast on the inclines, and letting the hills take me on the declines. Soon, we reached the turnup side to the right, and I stepped it up. Feeling good, I pushed it and took it all in. I never saw that girl again, except when I was done and she finished 2 minutes after me.

She actually won 1st place in the 20-29 division while I took second in the 30-39 division. An old High School Cross country legend took first in my division.

This weekend made up for my disappointing race weekend before.

Oh yea, and I ran a nice new route for my 11 today.

I love running days like this.