Soul Buster II + Electronics = Mental Mess!

Time: 5:00am
Location: Runtex to Track
Workout: 18, changed to 16 changed to 14 due to map + 6 miles of track work
People: Dee for long run and rest of Team for track!
Weather: perfect, not too cool and not humid as the forecast claimed
Comments: Dee and I started at 5am since we were originally planning to run 18. After getting to Killer's water stop, we were given a choice of running 16 instead, since the track workout was in fact the goal for today's SB. Andy and Javier passed us during the run and we found out they were doing 18. So that made sense that we did 16. Nothing too eventful happened on own run, we didn't have anything new and exciting to talk about. I noticed I'm 100% used to running without my iPod finally, so I'm proud of that.

What I'm not proud of is that for some reason me and electronics can't seem to get along. I have two Garmin's. I have a 305 and a 405. This morning, I woke up extra early since we're mimicing race day and I wore my regular stopwatch on my right wrist and my 305 on my left. The battery was low last night, so I stuck it on the charger. At mile 6, Garmin died. WHAT THE HECK?? No biggie, because Dee had hers to gauge our miles and average pace, but irritated that I can't see the paces myself. I shake it off and continue on. Thankfully, I have my watch to pace my splits on the track.

We followed the directions with perfection, but when we ended at the track, we were only at 14.1 miles, what the heck?? I noticed I have an ego problem with miles. I'm ok with being a 50 mile per week person on the Team, which is the lowest miles per week, but I really struggle with doing workouts that are shorter than everyone else or even for what was originally prescribed. I want to go through what everyone else is going through at my own level. We got to the track and only Sisson and Ruth were there, no Killer. I was in a mental panic. Should I run one mile out somewhere and back to get to 16, should I just start the track, what do I do?? I asked Sisson, but he's not my coach and gave me the same type of speech Killer did, that the track is the important lesson in this, so I disheartedly started the track workout.

Workout on the track: 2 miles at MGP (8:47), 2 miles at HMGP (8:20), and 2 miles at 10k (7:52)

According to what I saw and can remember, I did my first mile at 8:37, 10 seconds too fast. My 2nd mile was too fast, but I dont' know what it was. My HMGP miles were perfect according to my 400 meter splits, I was never over my 2:04. The 10k, it was hard to hold on to that pace. I know I was pretty darn close to hitting it on my 1st mile, but the 2nd mile fell apart in the first 800 meters until Sisson told me to do HMGP. For some reason, it translated to reverse pyschology in my head and I did a, "Half, forget that, I can do 10k, leave me alone!" and it worked. I sped up (not exactly to 10k, but way faster than the slowing pace I was cratering to) then the last 400 I blew it out. I was supposed to run my 10k 400 in 1:58 and I remember my watch saying 1:52, so I made up 6 seconds in the last 400.

Lori and all the PP peeps were out to cheer and it was soooo incredibly helpful. It's amazing how much energy and love you can feel when the ones you love are out there. I truly appreciate having Lori there, she's injured and I know it took alot to come cheer us on, knowing deep down she should have been out there with us. There's a reason Sisson is the owner of Rogue. That guy, no matter what comes out of his mouth, inspires me. I'm envious of his students that get to have him on a weekly basis. He would shout words of, "You can do this", to "Gut it out, put in the work", to "You're going too fast, it's gonna hurt later!". No matter whether it was nice and encouraging, or in your face, you suck, it pushes me to not want to disappoint. Good stuff. Next year when I'm done with this Ironman stuff, I want to be coached by him. Maybe I'll be fast enough by then...

Soaked in Barton Springs, came home, showered, and sat down at my desk with a fresh piece of paper to write down all my splits. My watch said, FULL. Son of a (*^&%!!! It only recorded 3:00 minutes of my entire flipping workout. I almost came to tears. How completely irritating to try and be soooo prepared and have two backups fail on me. I called Dee to get our average on the 14 miles, but the track stuff, there was no way I could gauge myself off hers, because we lost each other after the first mile.

Lessons and things I learned from the Soul Buster:

1. I need to double check battery level on Garmin (since I have two!) and clear all memory for track workouts on my simple watch.
2. I need to run my own race. I think I was more pre-occupied with how my friends were doing than 100% concentrating on what I was doing.
3. Seems the more I prepare, the more things go wrong.
4. It's in the past, I can't control that both of my geek-o-meters failed and I need to move on and think of the positives. I finished the workouts, I ran my ass off for the 10k and I'm proud of that.
5. I need to remember what the 10k pace felt like during the last 10k of the marathon. When I thought I was done, I wasn't, it was mental. I need to engrave that into my brain. WHEN I THINK I'M TOAST, I HAVE IT IN ME TO FIGHT THROUGH IT AND I CAN DO IT!!!
6. I'm grateful to be healthy. I have some minor heel pain and calf issues, but overall, I'm healthy. My heart goes out to those that have put in the same effort and work as I have and are plagued by injuries. I can't imagine those mental demons...
7. This program is working. Never in a million years did I think I'd be capable of the possibility to run a sub 4:00 marathon and my goal of 3:50 is so close I can taste it. I need to stay focused for the remainder of the program.
8. My friends and teammates are making this an experience I could never forget.