I only just started dabbling in long distance on the track at the very end of last year where I threw myself into a couple of 5000s. This year in the spring I did a 10000 for the first time as a tune-up for a marathon. It was hard. It was different than any kind of race I had run before and I had a lot of “learning opportunities” but my time qualified me for the USATF Club Track & Field Championship and it just so happened to be hosted here near Seattle this year (it was in New York last year.)
I was really excited about the opportunity to run with National level talent and maybe push myself to a time I know I am capable of but haven’t had the opportunity to run. The 10000 distance has been difficult for me to train for. It’s either been a stepping stone in marathon training or piggy-backed off of races during cross-country but never something I’ve had a chance to focus on. I was finally going to be able to focus on it and execute a training plan and eventually a race with a PR in the crosshairs.
But of course life rarely goes the way you plan it and my lofty 10000 meter attack plan had to be put on the back burner. I had a sub-par marathon due to sickness and then needed surgery (my doc believes the two very well could have been related) which I thought would be routine but ended up being a projected 6 week recovery.
Boo-Hoo, poor me etc, etc. It really wasn’t that bad.
I was almost completely sedentary for the first week after surgery but was able to do a few things the second week. By day 13 I was already up and running again but had lost quite a bit of fitness. By this time I had two weeks to slowly add easy mileage and then 4 weeks to actually start to add some quality workouts in. By the time of the race I had only been able to get about 5 quality workouts in, all of which were an absolute struggle. Just the way workouts always are when you are coming back from a break. I just hadn't had that, “ahhhh I’m starting to feel like I’m back” kind of workout.
So, with all of this in mind I had to start to think about how to create goals around this race.
I knew I couldn’t be competitive, unfortunately. I won’t go as far as saying devastating, but it is really difficult to go into a race, particularly a National Championship knowing you can’t even try to be competitive. But, such is life. Around 2 weeks out Alysia Montano ran the 800 at the National Championships at 34 weeks pregnant. She felt that she deserved to be there (as she had previously hit the qualifying standard) and although she couldn't be competitive, she could show up and run her own race. This motivated me to go ahead and show up and race MY own race. My goals were simple: 1.to put all ego aside and finish, no matter how far behind I got and 2.To use the opportunity to hold onto my form, particularly when the going got tough.
To add to the complexity, Seattle was experiencing a heat wave. The forecast said 90 degrees Friday evening and our coach warned us of how hot it can be on the track from the radiating heat (he said when the air temp was 85 at Hayward once, he took the temp coming off the surface of the track at 100 degrees.)
We arrived at the track Friday evening in the hottest part of the day. We all checked in, got hipped (numbers attached to both hips and chest) and warmed up. Our coach encouraged us to wear hats so that we could tuck plastic bags of ice with holes in them underneath. We looked, uhhh, awesome. Yeah. Awesome. As a team, we took off for a short warm-up together. Warming up is absolutely critical no matter what kind of race you are doing but warming up while it’s already 90 is tricky. You need to go just long enough to get the benefits without taking away from your race. After our warm-up we doused our heads with water, re-hydrated a little and retreated to the cool locker room until about 15 minutes before the race. We were then escorted out to the track, placed the ice under our hats and did a few strides.
Finally we lined up, ran one more stride and then got in pace on the dashed line. “On your mark…” everyone moves up to the solid arc. Then “BANG!” I made my way to lane one as quickly as possible but filed in as far back as I could. On a good day I figure I would probably be about 2 minutes back from the leaders and today I figured it was going to be about 5 minutes, so I didn’t want to get in anyone’s way. I had agreed to pace my friend in the first 800 at about 95 seconds a quarter. We hit that pretty right on and then she took off and I was allllll alone. I had mentally prepared for this though so I just focused on the task at hand. My number one concern was trying to keep cool. It was more of a survival tactic than racing. On each side of the track was a big bucket of icy sponges and water (totally unheard of for a track event but necessary in this heat!) I would grab an icy sponge, squeeze it over my head, tuck it in my bra and run 200 meters where I would remove the sponge (which was already hot) drop it by the volunteer and grab another. Rinse and repeat. Occasionally picking up a cup of water to sip. I came into the first mile at 6:25 which I knew was too fast for me today but I had paced that first 800 so it was ok. I slowed a bit and got into a rhythm. Run. Ice. Run. Ice.
[img]http://i.imgur.com/oxghKIv.jpg[/img]
At about 6K it started getting pretty tough. I focused on keeping my chest up, shoulders relaxed and eyes forward. I made keeping cool my job and just tried to soak in the experience as I watched the race unfold ahead of me. I got lapped. It stung a little. My coach continued coaching me through and I felt guilty for a moment. Guilty I was taking his time, guilty I was taking the volunteer’s time but then I pulled myself out of the cloud of negativity and kept my chin up. My co-workers had come down to spectate as well as my partner. They were cheering for me, my teammates were cheering for me.
The bell rang and I had one lap to go. I buckled down and gave it my all. I stayed smooth and strong and ran to the finish. I was all alone at this point. I crossed the line with a smile on my face. I was proud that I had finished.
Times in general were slow, due to the heat but my teammates had gone 1-2-3 in beautiful fashion. I was so proud of them and to be part of such a supportive and talented club. There was a DNS and a DNF so I didn't technically even get last place (small victories.) My legs actually felt really strong and I just think it’s my cardiovascular system that needs some continued work.
After I had time to digest the race I came away with a new hunger and desire to keep on with my training. I know that just like life training and racing has its ups and downs. My coach said something along the lines of, “No valleys no peaks,” and I've got to believe that is true. I've been in this valley for a little bit now but I think it’s time to start climbing that mountain, taking with me all these experiences that put me right here in this moment, in this place.


[img]http://i.imgur.com/HEWzE9x.jpg[/image]



You can watch it for your self if you woud like: http://clubtrackchampionship.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?event_id=...

My teammates interview: http://clubtrackchampionship.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?event_id=...

[img]http://i.imgur.com/s7SWXCq.jpg[/image]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/xh85Z6g.jpg[/image]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/gcBtJkQ.jpg[/image]