The last couple days

So, the last two days I worked with the girls I'm training in the heat.  It's been in the upper 80s to lower 90s.  Yesterday we did hill sprints.  I did 12 and they did 8 each.  I got one of them to puke so, great success?  Today was a wagon wheel.  It was ok, but I got tired. Ended up having to walk for a little bit.  Not sure how far I went.  The slowest girl ended up doing about 3.6 miles, so I'm going to say I did about 2 more.  Went ok.  Tomorrow is 3 miles at race pace. Hopefully Mila will come with me.

Is there such thing as a lazy 11 mile run?

Because, if there is then that's what we did yesterday.  We were supposed to start at 7.  My partner woke up at 650, 5 minutes after I texted her that I was ready.  So, we didn't actually start til about 745.  Add on the fact that she hasn't run 2 steps in 3 weeks and the pace slowed shortly after we started.  At around mile 5 her knee started hurting.  We were on an out and back course so we just kept going that last half mile before turning around.  Ended up walking and finishing in 2:30.  So, we've got some work to do before November 11th.  Hopefully the knee isn't anything serious.  Also on the path they were running a 20 mile race.  Actually saw a couple people I know. One of them got chewed out by a biker for not hearing when the woman screamed LEFT!!! she then proceeded to stop her bike to yell at this girl.  That's the problem with races out there, they can't exactly close off the course.  I'm sorry, but I'm thinking the girl that's challenging for a top 10 spot should get the right away, not some woman out joy riding.  Wish I would have thought of something smart to say in the moment. Well, today is off and tomorrow is CrossFit.  Maybe I'll have some AF people to torture with the workout.

up and down the hill

So, I might as well revive this blog and add some workouts.  I'm training a few co-workers for their first half marathons.  One is coming up on November 11th, the San Antonio Rock n' Roll half marathon. The other three are doing the 3M half in Austin in January. I ran the Rock n' Roll half last year as my first, and to date only, half marathon.  I had shot for a 2:30 and finished in 2:22.  Keeping true to tradition, I'd done the first half at 1:07 and the second half at 1:15.  This year, the goal is 2:30 again.  However, I will be just running with my friend.  So, I'm going to take a camera, take pictures, and try to keep her motivated. I probably won't even bring my iPod which is strange for me.  I always have music or podcasts going.  I think I'm actually going to do the 3M with my other three in January too.  However, I'm going to shoot for 2:05.  At the AF marathon, I'd finished the first half in 2:10.  This was after I took my time and ran the first two miles in about 21 minutes.  So, I bet I can do it.  What I am having a bit of a challenge doing is getting the girls trained up while working on my own too.  Especially the three that are still almost three months out. And only about one of the four seems to be as motivated as I am.  It would be nice to have my brother down here but I fear that I'd do to him what the girls are doing to me.  Sure we could run together, but it might hurt him.  I guess we'll see.
Anyway, today called for a 4 mile race pace run.  I'm a little torn at what pace to do this since in January I'm shooting for 9:32 pace but the one I'm running in 3 weeks is only at a 11:27 pace.  I decided to try for a 9:30 pace.  After I finished running down the hill (my neighborhood is perched on a hill that's about a 2% grade for 1.7 miles) and around the neighborhood I was at about a 8:35 pace.  So I walked a bit.  I'm pretty competitive, even it's with myself, and I finished in just over 36 minutes for a touch over four miles.  so, faster than I'd planned.  Tomorrow is a rest day before Saturday's 11 mile long run.  It was beautiful this morning.  Not a cloud in the sky and mid-60s.  Beautiful running weather.  Hopefully Sunday isn't a downpour like last Sunday.