I have been nursing a couple of tender muscles for about a month. They are not bad at easy paces, but get really agitated if I try to go faster than threshold. Running 4 races at pretty much VO2 max pace must have upset your quad pretty badly, but you got some hardware to look at when the hurt becomes bothersome. Congrats on some good racing.
My first ever race report--- hard lessons in running
The Aching Quad is a well-known and much talked about event in the running community around here. It is held in some weird holy light and revered as a great feat..... I, however, thought it was silly and not even that hard. Lesson #1: The Aching Quad is so named for a reason!!<br><br>
Here's the set-up:<br>
Friday 7:30 pm: 5K<br>
Saturday 7:00 am: 1 mile<br>
Saturday 8:30 am: 2 mile<br>
Saturday 7:00 pm: 5K<br><br>
Sounds easy, right? I mean, I run marathons...<br><br>
Friday morning I wake up with butterflies in my stomach. I hate 5K races and I hate them even more here in town. I am well known in town and in the running community here because I helped open the only specialty running store--- the closest one was over an hour away. So, I have this intense feeling like people assume that means I can run really well and they are watching me as someone they are aiming to beat. So, I always sike myself up and get way overwhelmed. Friday night, I set out with Mortimer and I am cruising out. About a 1/2 mile in, Mortimer looks at the Garmin and says, "Uh, Becca, we are doing a 6:15 pace..." Me: "It feels great!! But, ok we can slow a bit..." Mile 1: 6:45 Mile 2:7:15 and then Mort left me in the dust. It was sooooo hot (90*) and it rained just before the start so it was like running in a steam room! Horrible! The last mile was the most treacherous thing I have ever physically done, Ending time: 22:56-- Now, that is a PR for me but it was at great cost. I cried on the way home cause I really thought I could at least do a 22:30. I think I started to fast....ya think? Heartrate maxed out at 199 bpm.<br><br>
Saturday morning dawns and we are headed down to the lake for a 1 mile race. This is shear torture, let me tell you!! 6:34 mile but my hart rate monitor read me at 203 bpm. I thought my chest was exploding and death would surely ensue. If I never race a 1miler again, it will be too soon,<br><br>
8:30-- yes, 1 hour and 23 minutes later we start the 2 miler. I am leading my age group and have some cushion, so I tell Mortimer that I am not gonna bust my ass. In reality, I could not have if I had wanted to. We decide first mile at 7:30 pace and then we split at that point. Mile 1:7:23 Mile 2:7:23 I liked this run. It was the only time over the weekend that my heartrate was semi-reasonable. Max HR 194-- on the HILL where the 2 miler finished.<br><br>
Saturday night: Three miles has never seemed like such a huge task in my entire life. I decide that I am winning my age group still, so no way am I gonna risk injury. I have no self-respect and I do not care about beating myself. 1 mile in i think "Ha! Who am I fooling?? Beat myself! I am lucky to put one foot in front of the other." 24:30 I cruise through. That last mile was so hard. We had a pretty decent wind in our faces for this race and I truly exhausted every bit of glycogen in my body!<br><br>
The awards ceremony was at Hooter, 2 Amberbocks later my quad were feeling a bit better. I did not win the women's overall, but I cam in 3rd, I think. I did win my age group, though. And I expressed to everyone at my table that I had a ten miler to do Sunday morning. I am, afterall, in training for a marathon.....Hahahahahahahahaha. 3 miles this morning was everything I could squeeze out of my legs and I am desperately trying to not go to the bathroom cause just sitting on the toilet is excruciating! Maybe running a marathon isn't the end all and be all of running that I thought it was. I have NEVER felt like this after a marathon. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Smile">
Here's the set-up:<br>
Friday 7:30 pm: 5K<br>
Saturday 7:00 am: 1 mile<br>
Saturday 8:30 am: 2 mile<br>
Saturday 7:00 pm: 5K<br><br>
Sounds easy, right? I mean, I run marathons...<br><br>
Friday morning I wake up with butterflies in my stomach. I hate 5K races and I hate them even more here in town. I am well known in town and in the running community here because I helped open the only specialty running store--- the closest one was over an hour away. So, I have this intense feeling like people assume that means I can run really well and they are watching me as someone they are aiming to beat. So, I always sike myself up and get way overwhelmed. Friday night, I set out with Mortimer and I am cruising out. About a 1/2 mile in, Mortimer looks at the Garmin and says, "Uh, Becca, we are doing a 6:15 pace..." Me: "It feels great!! But, ok we can slow a bit..." Mile 1: 6:45 Mile 2:7:15 and then Mort left me in the dust. It was sooooo hot (90*) and it rained just before the start so it was like running in a steam room! Horrible! The last mile was the most treacherous thing I have ever physically done, Ending time: 22:56-- Now, that is a PR for me but it was at great cost. I cried on the way home cause I really thought I could at least do a 22:30. I think I started to fast....ya think? Heartrate maxed out at 199 bpm.<br><br>
Saturday morning dawns and we are headed down to the lake for a 1 mile race. This is shear torture, let me tell you!! 6:34 mile but my hart rate monitor read me at 203 bpm. I thought my chest was exploding and death would surely ensue. If I never race a 1miler again, it will be too soon,<br><br>
8:30-- yes, 1 hour and 23 minutes later we start the 2 miler. I am leading my age group and have some cushion, so I tell Mortimer that I am not gonna bust my ass. In reality, I could not have if I had wanted to. We decide first mile at 7:30 pace and then we split at that point. Mile 1:7:23 Mile 2:7:23 I liked this run. It was the only time over the weekend that my heartrate was semi-reasonable. Max HR 194-- on the HILL where the 2 miler finished.<br><br>
Saturday night: Three miles has never seemed like such a huge task in my entire life. I decide that I am winning my age group still, so no way am I gonna risk injury. I have no self-respect and I do not care about beating myself. 1 mile in i think "Ha! Who am I fooling?? Beat myself! I am lucky to put one foot in front of the other." 24:30 I cruise through. That last mile was so hard. We had a pretty decent wind in our faces for this race and I truly exhausted every bit of glycogen in my body!<br><br>
The awards ceremony was at Hooter, 2 Amberbocks later my quad were feeling a bit better. I did not win the women's overall, but I cam in 3rd, I think. I did win my age group, though. And I expressed to everyone at my table that I had a ten miler to do Sunday morning. I am, afterall, in training for a marathon.....Hahahahahahahahaha. 3 miles this morning was everything I could squeeze out of my legs and I am desperately trying to not go to the bathroom cause just sitting on the toilet is excruciating! Maybe running a marathon isn't the end all and be all of running that I thought it was. I have NEVER felt like this after a marathon. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Smile">
1 - 20 of 24 Posts
It does sound like kinda of a weird race, like you said. You and Mort were doing so kick-ass running, though. Very nice times!
That actually sounds like a fun race. Very different. I don't know what you're talking about with this quote:<br>
Judging from your times, which are pretty kick ass by the way, I'd probably view you as someone to beat too.<br><br>
Congrats on the placements and the race!
Judging from your times, which are pretty kick ass by the way, I'd probably view you as someone to beat too.<br><br>
Congrats on the placements and the race!
I hate that though.... it gives me performance anxiety <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/sad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Sad">
Dude!<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/occasion14.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="occasion5">
<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Very Happy"> Running marathons is indeed NOT the end all be all of running! Nice job on the 4 races. You're nuts!! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/wink.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Wink"> (and I like that)
That sounds like a lot of fun 'becca.<br><br>
Great job out there.
Great job out there.
Becca - you rock woman!! Nice races (and I totally get the crying thing. . . <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Very Happy">) and nice first race report!!
You're wicket speedy... <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Smile">
Nice running! Now these are my kind of races. 26.2 phooey!<br><br>
Great job and some nice times! I wished more places did stuff like this instead of just the run-of-the-mill 5k.
Great job and some nice times! I wished more places did stuff like this instead of just the run-of-the-mill 5k.
Girl, you're smokin' fast!! Whoa! Way to win the age group, tough out the heat, and kick the Quad's butt!!
Around here we have several "series" races like this....but this is definitely the toughest one...
Pretty cool race! I dont think they have anything like that around here. Great job!
I like the idea of it but I'm pretty sure my quads would agree with yours ....owie!<br><br>
Nice work!
Nice work!
Hang on - awards ceremony at a Hooters? I'm so there next year!!
Even more reason for me NOT to race anything 5K or shorter <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Very Happy"><br><br>
Seriously, the aching quad sounds like an appropriate name, but it definitely sounds a lot more fun than the run-of-the-mill 5K event. Congrats on a very nice AG finish and getting every bit of that glycogen outta' ya.
Seriously, the aching quad sounds like an appropriate name, but it definitely sounds a lot more fun than the run-of-the-mill 5K event. Congrats on a very nice AG finish and getting every bit of that glycogen outta' ya.
with 2 free beers each-of choice- and free mild wings <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Smile">
1 - 20 of 24 Posts
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