Thanks Daniel Powter for the inspiration.
I don’t particularly care for your song or having bad days!! If I didn’t write a post saying I was running the Shamrock Shuffle, I very well may have stepped off the course this morning and walked away with a DNF. However, I hate quitting and the feeling it leaves in my stomach, so I figured I’d rather set a new PR in running my slowest 8k ever than finish with a big, fat DNF.
Within the first quarter mile I learned that I was definitely not recovered from the 20k trail race I ran last Saturday. By the time I was ½ a mile into the race, I knew that I was going to have to back off and settle for a good effort tempo run instead of racing. It’s hard to swallow my pride and let runners pass me that I could normally beat, but today I had to do just that.
Thankfully, my Dick Pond/Fast Track teammates (sponsored by Saucony), Shannon Ring, Meg Sullivan, and Columba Montes , ran very well. Congrats, especially to Meg, who Pr’d today!! We are all awaiting team results and are hoping we placed in the top 5! This year’s field was really, really competitive!
Things I learned today…One; while it’s a good idea to get a good night’s sleep before a race, it might not be a good idea to take a sleeping pill the night before a race. Maybe there are some better ideas for Insomnia? I’ve dealt with it for as long as I can remember. Two; I need to change my training and start adding speed work. I’m excited to be working with a new coach, Carla Hastert, who will be giving me a new training schedule this week. Three; I need to start strength training again, and four; I need to suck it up and run fast. Oh, and number five; training tip of the day…to the guy at the race with the backpack containing smokes, give that up and I’ll bet you will run faster! ( ;
So how did everyone else do?
morethanarunner 
Hi there. Great post and welcome to blogging.
I’m always in awe of Elites and there abilities to blaze their respective races. I’m not a fan of elites who DNF because their times are not par with other elite folks. If you are hurt or medically unable to finish I get that. No problem to DNF.
I’m more impressed with your effort and race today because you just demonstrated to everyone that Elite Athletes are Human. They have good and bad days and sometimes its ok to just say..I’m human. It’s a honor to be able to toe the same start line with you. To have a chance to be anywhere near your tempo easy run (my best effort) is a boost to this average joe’s confidence.
So maybe today wasn’t your best. But maybe…just maybe you inspired an average joe, a fan on the sidelines, or a couch potatoe ….to obtain their best or just to get started.
Suzanne their is no doubt you’ll bounce back…for today this average joe says thanks..for bring out our best effort and allowing us to cross the finish line with you.
See ya on the roads…
Abe
Thanks Abe! That makes me feel better. I knew this morning today wasn’t going to be my best day since I just finished up the season of trail racing. I’m chalking this one up to a nice tempo run and hopefully the next 8k I run I’ll be 2+ minutes faster! How did you do today? It sounds like you had a good day! The weather was perfect.
There is no doubt you’ll be better. Patience..and boy do you have lots of it. 🙂
I did well…considering I hit all bonk runs in preparation for today. Lowered my PR..and regain some confidence…what more can I ask for. 🙂
Looking forward to more post. 🙂
That’s awesome you ran a PR! Congrats!