Since I haven't updated Coursing in quite some time, I'm stuck backdating a series of blog posts with simple recaps.
Early 2015 had me running the Chicago Lakefront without any main goals for the year, aside from running some spring CARA Circuit races.
It turned out that I crammed the races in over a very short period of time, and made my ultimate spring goal race the Soldier Field 10.
I had a handful of weeks in the 70-75 mile range, and peaked out around shamrock with about 85 miles in a 7-day stretch. It wasn't big mileage, but it was quality and reasonably steady. I wound up with 1395 miles through June 30th. After SF10, my mileage was reduced to recovery mode before rolling back up towards the Moscow Marathon, which is September 20th.
Spring Race Recap:
3/15 - Cary Half (1:17:02)... This was merely a rust buster and tune up / long tempo.
3/29 - Shamrock 8K (27:10 unofficial chip, 27:15 elite gun)... This was to be a target race, but I mentally was not committed. I stupidly drank a few days prior and had a hangover the day before the race. It was dumb. Weather was a bit windy, cold, and not idea for a PR race. Hence, I choked.
4/12 - Oak Park GLF 5K (16:26)... Had a wedding the night before (Craig and Emily McGinnis)... This was to be a redemption race from Shamrock. I didn't expect a PR due to the wedding, but I did want to use it as a tune up for Ravenswood 5K. I targeted ~16:20. I ran 16:26 via 5:09 w/ the wind, 5:22 into wind, 5:22 into wind, 0.32. I was very pleased.
4/18 - Lakefront 10 (57:19)... This was a windy mess. I treated it as a tempo run. Extremely windy in the second half, which I ran alone. Three of the miles were over 5:50, everything else pretty much averaged 5:40.
4/26 - Ravenswood 5K (16:15.6 PR)... I went for the PR. When out a bit hot in the first mile, with the wind (5:08), then settled in on a steady 5:18 in 2 and 3. I closed with a very decent kick in the final 100m. This is technically was a PR 5K for me, though the Ravenswood website rounded up to tie my 16:16. Weather was perfect.
5/9 - Quarryman 10Mi (57:56)... This was a bitch of a race! It was hilly, very humid, and windy. In the end, I was very happy though as it was a nice negative split. Unfortunately, I was outkicked by a Rich Heffron on the final down hill and home stretch.
5/17 - Childrens Hospital 5K (17:08)... THIS WAS MY FIRST WIN...EVERRR!!!! The finishing time itself wasn't anything special to write about, but the fact that I won makes it a proud accomplishment. Literally, it was the first time in my life that I won a race! In spite of running 18 miles aggressive the day before, I knew I had it wrapped up after the first half mile. There weren't any challengers to force me to push the pace. I easily had over 30 seconds between myself and second. It felt a little unfair that I won so easily, but nobody else showed up. The entertainment came from having pedestrians on the lakefront cheer and congratulate me in a way that I haven't seen before. Until now, I've long been a brides maid and never the bride...
5/23 - SF10 (55:31)... This was my goal race for the spring season. The other races were merely workout runs or trials of miles. Also, until now my Berlin Marathon was my pinnacle race. I felt so incredibly fantastic during that race, that I was afraid I couldn't replicate that feeling and/or effort again. Until now.
Soldier Field 10 was beautiful! The weather was totally ideal (which is a shock for a lakefront race in May), and everything fell just the way I would've wanted. I blazed 55:31 and a negative split. At no point was I ever out of control or in doubt. My first 5 miles were spent running with a pack while eyeing some faster runners ahead of me. I played it cool early and then began my hunt after the turn. I used the small packs in front of me as bait to pull myself faster and past them. I beat a number of guys that had either been ahead of me or at my pace for the spring season. I was out at roughly 5:35-40s and back in 5:30-33s. I was very strong. In a way that I hadn't experienced since Berlin. I closed with a 5:22 mile. It felt amazing the whole way. I wanted to keep going.
Technically, via McMillan Running, that 55:31 suggests that I can overtake my 2:36:26 from Berlin. I've long found his calculator to be tried and true for my training and racing. For the next several months, this is my guidepost for a possible Moscow PR.
