Half Marathon VS. 10K

I ran in the Teton Dam Marathons 10K last Saturday.  Remember last year?  I did the half marathon and enjoyed it quite a bit.  I had also been running for five months previous and spent 2 and half of that officially training.  I was totally prepared.  And I laugh at how I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to do it.

This year, I waited too long to start training.  Well, running again because the saddest thing is that I hadn't run for more than 3 weeks strait at a time since I finished that Half Marathon last year.  April rolled around and I kept thinking.. one year ago I was running 6 miles without stopping.  Then May rolled around and I thought... one year ago I was running 8 or 9 miles without stopping.  It was depressing.  But, I put off running because I kept thinking, I might be pregnant by June and running would be much harder.  So I didn't get myself out the door to run. 

Well, beginning of May came around and Chelsey, one of my friends asked me to run the Teton Dam 10K with her.  By that time we had already decided to continue waiting to start trying, so I knew I wouldn't be pregnant.  So, I started running again.  I had only been running for four weeks by the time last saturday rolled around.  What's amazing, is that 2 weeks before the race I was running and had meant to run 4 miles and felt so good I ran 5 and a half.  I was so happy that my body jumped right back into it.  Then Monday happened (Memorial Day) and I ran 3 miles and felt like poo.  Wednesday, felt even worse - Thursday same thing.  By that time my throat had started killing so I knew I was sick. 

I never kicked the cold/sore throat (Strep? who knows) by the time the race was and so I ran that 10K (4 miles up hill and only 2 flat/downhill) and didn't enjoy it.  I mean... I enjoyed it, I find I really enjoy a race although, I'm not really racing anyone, my goal is to run the whole thing without stopping and hit around a 10 minute mile. 

The results?  Last year I ran 13.1 miles with a 10.14 minute mile.  This time it was 10.21 minute mile!  What the?!  I ran less than half the distance and it took longer!!!  I realized that I need to do better training, run for more than 4 weeks before a race, RUN HILLS and do interval stuff. 

How did I feel?  Like poo.  I wished I had gone to the doctor the first morning I woke up with my throat in shreds and my voice gone.  I enjoyed the experience but after I crossed that finish line I didn't not feel the euphoria I did last year.  Last year I was inexpressibly happy and felt so good that I had accomplished that.  I was ready to do it again the next weekend.  I smiled the whole day.  This year I was like, "Oh, so glad that's over."  

Lesson learned:  Train, intervals, hills and DON'T GET SICK. 

I also decided that barring I'm not too pregnant or haven't just barely had a baby I will run in that race every year.  Even if I am 8 weeks postpartum and only do the 5K.   Although, they give you the really nice running shirts if you run in the half or the full.  If you do anything else you just get a cotton T-Shirt.  So, I'm aiming for the half if not the full (someday) every time so I can get the nice running shirts every time! 

Here are some last years and this years:

Last year this was the picture soonest to the finish line.  Jaren showed up about 15 minutes after I was done...

This year:  So he made sure to be there super early this time!

This Year: (since I didn't have any of him right after wards last year, here is this years)

This year:  Lindsey came!!!

Last Year:  I got a medal!  I think they only go to the Half and Full Marathoners, because I didn't get one this year. 

 

This Year:  no metal :(

 Last Year:  Number

This Year:  Number (last years was green (for halfers) this year was orange (for the 10K)

 

Last Year:  Family Picture!

 This Year:  Family!

 Last Year:  The Nugget

 This Year:  The Nugget!

 I just want to leave you with a picture of the year 2030's most beautiful woman in the world.

She's watching Dora :)