The One-Two Punch (Round 2)

So, last year six days after completing the Shamrock Half Marathon I ran the Monument Avenue 10k. Not THAT big of a deal, but still in a way ridiculous because I was sore and not entirely rested.

Lets Compare and Contrast Round 1 [2009] and Round 2 [2010] of this One-Two Punch; I just caved and signed up for the 2010 UKROP'S Monument Avenue 10k along with the rest of Richmond, VA. I'm pretty sure the only way this wasn't going to happen was to force my family to keep the television off whenever I was visited them (yeah right) and avoid talking to all friends in RVA until the race filled up. The commercials and hype of this race are Just. Too. Tempting.


Side Note--Indiana Jones is the best running costume I've ever seen.

Round 1 (2009)

• I ran the Shamrock Half by myself. I had other friends that I went to the race with but their pace was so fast they were in Corral 1, and by the time I made it to the starting line they were already 10 minutes or so into the race.
• I ran the Monument Avenue 10k by myself.
  
• I was laid-off in the middle of the two races

Round 2 (2010)

• I will be running the Shamrock Half Marathon with my friend Meghan+accompanied by friends who are faster than us.
  
• I will be running the Monument Avenue 10k with my friend Melissa who is only training for the 10k. She'll be well rested. She wants to get a time around an hour (as do I).
• Job Security (Knock on Wood.)

I think it's going to help me a lot to have a friend by my side in each race. Also, Melissa caring about her time will probably help me to run faster. I just hope I'm not so burnt out that I have to say those four awful words "Can we slow down?" I doubt I will. Telling myself "This is Fun." "You're not that tired." "It's not that far." is really going to be what keeps me going (along with the distraction of conversation with a friend).

Distance wise a 10k is nothing if I'm in the condition to complete a half. But I guarantee I'll be fighting off thoughts like "I'm tired." "I'm sore." and "Why am I doing this?" And worst of all, I'll think about all the other people who are sitting on their ass/sleeping the Saturday after the Shamrock as a gift to themselves for all their hard work. Sometimes running is more of a mental sport than physical. And probably why I like it so much.

If you read my last post, as an update I only ran 6.25 miles. The treadmill and I haven't taken it to 8 miles yet in 2010. We will soon though.

I didn't record the exact time, but I was never going slower than a 10:20/mi pace. I just can't remember how far I ran at a speed faster than that. Probably like half a mile. Haha. This is what I LOATHE about training. I get to the point where 10 miles is nothing. Right now I remember exactly what that feels like. But thanks to the month or two I took off, I'm not quite there again [yet]. I could have done 8 miles the other night, but decided it would be best to wait another week based on how I was feeling/things I needed to do. I have over two months before the half marathon. Why rush to get back to a distance I'll be seeing a lot of before the end of the spring?

It's so tempting with a running blog to only talk about your best runs, but honestly that's not reality.