my makeup may be flaking

36:47 a 3-second post mayan apocalypse PR, possibly. I actually ran 36:45 at the Classic 10k in 2013, but I believe that was short. 37:05 last year

Didn't feel great on my warmup, just a general feeling that I get prior to workouts and races that I'm not going to be firing on all cylinders. I think it's due to lack of electrolytes. I decided that I would therefore try to be conservative at the start.

The race started very similarly to last year. One guy in grey leapt out to about a 5-10m lead almost immediately and a large pack coalesced behind. I ran next to Graham Merfield, a fellow brit, who was 2nd last year and I decided that I would try to stick with him for a while.

The first half mile is a little chaotic: down a very steep hill, 90degree turn, steep uphill, 90 degree turn, uphill, 90 degree turn, downhill. Then we start to run down a nice long downhill (which we'll run the other way to finish). During this, some guy in black passed me and caught the leader. Things started to sort out and we were left with 4 people together and 2 guys out in front. Right before the mile, there's a steep uphill (there'll be lots of those in this race) and that spread things out. The top two guys pulled away and the chase pack spread out. I was 4th at the mile in 5:46 (5:41 adj), about 3 seconds behind Graham in 2nd and about 10 seconds behind the leading two. I was 5:40 at the mile last year.

I catch up to Graham again briefly on a downhill, but again lose him on the subsequent uphill. This is exactly how the race went last year. Two guys were out in front with Graham and I in 3rd and 4th, and me mostly suffering to stay with Graham. Reach two miles in 11:22 (5:46 second mile, 5:35 adjusted) and it seems like the guys in front of me are getting further away. "That's ok", I think to myself, "maybe they'll get tired". However this doesn't seem likely as during the 3rd mile their lead stretches to about 100m (20-25 seconds) and I start to hear footsteps.

Right before the 3 mile mark Aaron Roseberry catches me. This is also just like last year, as he caught me at the same point last year. The 3rd mile ends with a steep uphill (there are lots of those in Atlanta) and I feel like I'm running about 7min pace. Hit mile 3 in 11:39 (6:07, 5:50 adjusted) in 5th place. Someone informs me that it's 'downhill all the way', which is certainly false seeing as it's a 90ft net gain in the second half. However there is some downhill for a time which allows me to catch back up to Aaron who sniffs and promptly drops me again. Well I tried.

Then something funny happens, I look up the road and see that the top three guys have gotten closer. I decide to see what happens if I surge. I first pass Aaron, then close the gap to Graham and pass him. Next, one of the leaders starts to flag and I catch and pass him. I go from 5th to 2nd in about 3 minutes. Mile 4 is a mere 6:06, but I suspect this mile is long by about .08. The course itself is about .08 long and this seems to be where the error is. This means that my actual pace was 5:39 and my adjusted pace was 5:16. Doesn't seem all that plausible, but I did make up a ton of ground.

That 4th mile really took a toll and I'm feeling nauseous and faint, but I'm only about 2 seconds back of the leader so I figure I may as well try to win. I catch up to him and just  stick on his shoulder for about half a mile. When the course starts to go up again I throw in another surge and there's no response, but I am not feeling well at all. 5:55 for mile 5 (5:33 adj).

I just barely hold on at the end 6:00 (5:36 adj) for mile 6 which allows Aaron Roseberry to catch back up to me. I absolutely crush the last little bit (67 for .2, 5:13 pace, 4:46 adjusted) to win by six seconds over Aaron.

	Split	3/8	2/16	1/14	11/5	10/29	10/8
Mile4Mark	8:51	8:51	9:11	8:54	8:55	8:54	8:58
Mile3Mark	6:14	15:05	15:48	15:13	15:18	15:19	15:33
Beltline (3M)	3:15	18:20	19:09	18:27	18:30	18:38	18:47
Mile2Mark	2:08	20:28	21:27	20:41	20:42	20:54	21:01
Mile1Mark	5:52	26:20	27:44	26:37	26:33	26:54	26:56
Finish	0:43	27:03	28:33	27:23	27:19	27:39	27:42

Thursday means it's time for wacky workout wednesday!

This has quickly become my favourite workout. Just pick a normal running route, pick some arbitrary starting and stopping points (that don't involve crossing any roads) and figure out the deets later.

I was so so much faster than the first time doing this. For this workout and the last (another workout PR) and my last race (a PR and win on a difficult course) I've worn my new balance 1080s which have been in hibernation since the mayan apocalypse. I brought them out because my Skechers were basically disintegrating and I'd been too lazy to get new shoes. Sooo, maybe the improvement is just to changing up the shoes.

First 1.1 miles along Lullwater in 6:46.6 (6:10, 5:44 adj pace). Last time 6:59.

.14 uphill in 46.8 (5:34,4:42 adj pace) Last time 49

.48 uphill in 2:48.3 (5:51, 5:14 adj pace) Last time 2:53

.2 uphill in 70.3 (5:52, 5:07 adj pace) Last time 73

90 seconds rest

.46 in 2:28.4 (5:23, 5:26 adj pace) Last time 2:31

90 seconds rest

.37 in 1:58.8 (5:21, 5:05 adj pace) Last time 2:04

90 seconds rest

.54 uphill in 3:11.1 (5:54, 5:13 adj pace) Last time 3:21!!!!

4:30 jogging rest

.15 in 41.1 (4:34,5:00 adj pace) last time 43.6

Switched to a fresh pair of Skechers today and concluded that the improvement is mostly due to going from ancient shoesto new ones.

The plan was to do 4 by mile with 90 seconds rest on the bike path. It was hot so I didn't want to push very hard. First rep was very controlled 5:31.9. However, even on that first one something didn't feel right.

After I crossed the line and stopped my watch I started to feel very nauseous and dizzy. I was still trying to get my bearings when the 90 seconds was up. I slowly wondered to the start line and started the 2nd rep. I decided that I would just try to ease into it. 6:17 for the second mile, which is slightly uphill.  I don't feel quite as bad so I decide to keep going. Mile 3 is 5:59, which is just terrible, but whatever, at least it's half marathon pace. After the 3rd rep I once again start to feel dizzy and struggle to make it to the line. This last one goes terribly, only a 6:45. Sometimes my body just rebels against me.

I jogged about a mile until I was feeling ok again and then did 4 by rhino hill. (39.7,42.2,43.7,39.9). I was a little wobbly on the jog home but no collapsing (which has happened)

As to the terrible workout, this will just be another entry into the list of terrible workouts inflicted upon me by the mayans. Prior to the ATC half, I ran 12:47 split for 2 miles (6:43 pace) that w as extremely painful. I then average 6:06 pace for the race itself. It won't be nearly as hot on Sunday.

	Split	3/16	3/8	2/16	1/14	11/5	10/29	10/8
Mile4Mark	8:56	8:56	8:51	9:11	8:54	8:55	8:54	8:58
Mile3Mark	6:27	15:23	15:05	15:48	15:13	15:18	15:19	15:33
Beltline (3M)	3:13	18:36	18:20	19:09	18:27	18:30	18:38	18:47
Mile2Mark	2:11	20:47	20:28	21:27	20:41	20:42	20:54	21:01
Mile1Mark	6:01	26:48	26:20	27:44	26:37	26:33	26:54	26:56
Finish	0:43	27:31	27:03	28:33	27:23	27:19	27:39	27:42

Not sure about the time, results have me at 18th place and 1:20:52, but that's not right. The clock read 1:20:38 when I went under it and the guy 1 step ahead of me had that time, and he crossed the startline before I did. However my own watch read 1:20:50, but I probably didn't stop it right after crossing the line and my last .1 was like :38 seconds. So whatever, I don't really know.

The splits were also probably a little bit weird. I've mapped this course like 10 times and I can't get it to come out right. My conservative estimate is 5:59 adjusted pace, which is fine, but not great. I wouldn't have been surprised if I ran 1:17 today, but I also wouldn't have been surprised by a 1:25.

I probably should have warmed up a bit more, although I felt good the 1st mile, my heart was not doing well from miles 2-5. First mile was 5:51, but downhill (5:58 adj). I was already feeling dizzy and nauseous and I could feel a complete meltdown coming. I didn't want to back way off so I just sort of rode a wave of uncomfortableness 2nd mile 6:14 (6:07 adjusted) and I got passed by about 10 people. This pace should have felt really slow to me and it did, but my heart was pounding in my ears.

Just tried to hold it together for mile 3, but I was seriously considering quitting. 6:15 for mile 3, which has a ton of climbing (5:57 adj pace) which was a bit encouraging and people stopped passing me. Reached 5k in 20th place in 18:59. Mile 4 contains another serious hill and I spent most of it drinking as much powerade as I physically could 6:24 for that mile (5:59 adjusted again). That meant that I was at 24:45 for 4 miles, which is way behind sub 1:20 pace already.

Mile 5 I begin to revive a little and suddenly I change gears. My good feeling only lasts for about 2 minutes though. However, I can feel my body coming to life. 6:04 for mile 5 (6:07 adj). I miss the gatorade in the next mile and waste way too much time trying to find some. 6:32 (6:09 adj pace) for mile 6! 38:34 and 22nd place at 10K. That's 49 seconds slower than my last 10K. This is not going well.

Mile 7 is, somehow, 5:47 (5:32 adj). I suspect that mile 6 was in the wrong spot as mile 6 sucked so much. Mile 8 and 9 are nice downhills. 6:02 and 5:50 (6:13 and 6:03 adj). Unfortunately the last 4 mile are pretty tough. 6:30 (5:55 adj) for mile 10. I'm now 61:33 for ten miles and 18th place, which seems a bit more respectable. 6:09 for mile 11 (6:11 adj), 6:24 for 12 (5:51) and 6:04 for mile 13 (5:54 adj).

I'm slightly disappointed with my effort. I think if I'd had more confidence in myself I could have gotten sub 1:20, but I gave up a little mentally in the last couple of mile.

Wacky Workout Wednesday

Thoracic Thursday?

Switched to morning tempo runs to beat the heat and because I generally seem to suck at running in the morning, which is when races are.

Not a great run, but I got better as I went.

7.4 mile tempo in 48:48 (6:36 pace/6:21 adjusted)

Segments: 0-3 miles in 19:46 (6:27 adjusted)

3-4.94 in 12:53 (6:19 adjusted)

4.94-7.4 in 16:08 (6:15 adjusted)