Who'll stop the rain?

The last time I did a flyaway, to Quebec City last year, I caught the beginnings of Hurricane Irene. This time, it looks like I'll be heading into heavy rain in California.

The weatherman's been in a teasing mood for the past week. Rain. Sunny. Rain. The closer race day (Sunday) gets, the more hope fades for a dry race. It might stop raining a few hours after. Hopefully that'll be a few hours earlier. A co-worker lent me a transparent cycling jacket which in worst case scenario weather should provide excellent protection. Any stalls at the expo will doubtless sell out of that kind of thing.

It's a question of waiting to see what happens on race morning. Runners can stay on the shuttle buses until 15 minutes before gun-time. If the wind is in my favour, a PB could still be on the cards. Otherwise, I will treat it as an epic test of fortitude and enjoy laughing in the cloudy face of adversity.

Come back, legs

Can now draft posts on my iPhone. Isn't that great? Just don't ask me where I'm sitting as I write this...

So my chiropractor was concerned enough to tell me to come back just 1 week later. Left hip flexor again, showing the effects of running in "mashed potatoes" (snow) for over 30k on a Sunday.
2 mid-week runs on the bike have seen a quick recovery. Last Sunday was a 22k which I did in exactly 2 hours, and only a slight pulling.
The more general lifeless feeling of high levels of fatigue was still there. I know however that strength will return by race day. Before the Harvest Half, it was only 4 or so days beforehand that they roared into life.
I can't wait for the blowtorch sensation to fade, as right now another familiar feeling is reintroducing itself: pre-race excitement. This emotion is one of the many reasons why I run.

Peak week done, thoughts on California International Marathon

I felt felt a touch burned out after sunday's long run. This coming week is only a little less workload than that just gone, but the easing off should start the build-up towards race-day energy levels. Snow and cold inevitably slows you down. There's the weight, drag and resistance of the extra clothing, the loss of efficiency from the low temperatures and loss of traction (both in slipping and snow absorbing the energy being put into the ground that would otherwise go into more forward motion). Feeling rather flat, I made my sunday run time-based instead of distance - 2 hours 45 minutes.

 

"Trust the process" is a mantra I've read and practiced for training. I felt rather wiped before the Harvest Half, with the feeling of speed and strength only coming to me a few days before the race. Look how that turned out:)

Last marathon I did, Calgary in May, I aimed for 3:10 and got 3:20:47 having to stretch 4 times (though still a 9 minute PB in my second marathon). For CIM on December 2, and with a watch that doesn't seem to have a "too fast" warning, I'll set it for 3:20:00, and pull slightly ahead of it. Gaining one minute every 8.5k will add up to a 3:15. I'd like this 3rd marathon of mine to not involve having to stop and stretch at all. Most vitally of all, I should finish one more race with the Mobot.