Up at 5:15 for this one so I could have breakfast and get the first round of caff down to wake me up before I had to leave at 6:45 to meet my friend Dima from our running club who was picking me up. We left just after 7 so we could get to the start by 9 ish. the Bus that takes runners to the start leaves at 10. At 8:30 I downed a 5 hour energy. Despite falling asleep just past 11, I woke up at 4:30 and barely dozed before I had to get up. Caff was a must.
We got to Kirzhach just after 9, got our numbers and got the bus just after 10. The start is in the place where Yuri Gagarin's plane went down in 1968. We all went over to the memorial to pay respects. I pplaced 2 flowers on the memorial and was off to warm up.
The half start was at 11:15. This year, I decided to take the first 10k nice and slow because this is a hellaciuosly hilly course on really crappy roads and most of the evil big climbs are in the first 10k. Last yr those hills kicked my ass! Once I got through the 10k I decided to go to work- pace dropped to 4.10 and I just parked there til 17K when I decided to floor it and went3.58, 4.03,4.02,4.09(hill in last K) to the finish. Despite not having any water on the course this yr, I sliced 3 min off my time from last yr! I typically run this 3 +min slower than my flatland time which is a very good sign. I'm in far better shape than I have been in the spring for several yrs. I need to be smart and stay healthy touch wood before the marathon next month.
about to chick some guys toward the end:
I won this one again like last yr. Masha Milevskaya was the 2nd woman. She's also in our club and a very good runner and has run 17 min 5ks. She hasn't raced in a couple yrs and it was good to see her back!
On Sunday, i deliberately skipped the 20k and ran a 30k long run instead so my legs would be fresher for this race. 3 half marathons inside 13 days is just not where I cared to go. Below- kicking it into the finish.
Weather today was perfect at+5-7C and some clouds. I'll attempt a half for time on May 7th on a flat fast course if the weather in May is still cool. that will be my final race before Riga in the 22nd. Riga will likely be my only marathon this yr because of my ultrarunning obligations in July at the World Cup 50K Series then the 100k Worlds in Spetember.
Now it's just training til the end of the monthwhen I'll jump into a 10k on the 30th for speedwork.
Masha and I cleaning house today:-) ,1, 2 overall and in our age gp.
We got to Kirzhach just after 9, got our numbers and got the bus just after 10. The start is in the place where Yuri Gagarin's plane went down in 1968. We all went over to the memorial to pay respects. I pplaced 2 flowers on the memorial and was off to warm up.
The half start was at 11:15. This year, I decided to take the first 10k nice and slow because this is a hellaciuosly hilly course on really crappy roads and most of the evil big climbs are in the first 10k. Last yr those hills kicked my ass! Once I got through the 10k I decided to go to work- pace dropped to 4.10 and I just parked there til 17K when I decided to floor it and went3.58, 4.03,4.02,4.09(hill in last K) to the finish. Despite not having any water on the course this yr, I sliced 3 min off my time from last yr! I typically run this 3 +min slower than my flatland time which is a very good sign. I'm in far better shape than I have been in the spring for several yrs. I need to be smart and stay healthy touch wood before the marathon next month.
about to chick some guys toward the end:
I won this one again like last yr. Masha Milevskaya was the 2nd woman. She's also in our club and a very good runner and has run 17 min 5ks. She hasn't raced in a couple yrs and it was good to see her back!
On Sunday, i deliberately skipped the 20k and ran a 30k long run instead so my legs would be fresher for this race. 3 half marathons inside 13 days is just not where I cared to go. Below- kicking it into the finish.
Weather today was perfect at+5-7C and some clouds. I'll attempt a half for time on May 7th on a flat fast course if the weather in May is still cool. that will be my final race before Riga in the 22nd. Riga will likely be my only marathon this yr because of my ultrarunning obligations in July at the World Cup 50K Series then the 100k Worlds in Spetember.
Now it's just training til the end of the monthwhen I'll jump into a 10k on the 30th for speedwork.
Masha and I cleaning house today:-) ,1, 2 overall and in our age gp.