WOW! Did I Just Do That? Luzhniki Intnl. Half 23-June

Well, just as planned, I spent June getting back the speed in my legs that the 100k sapped from me most of May. I stuck to my high volume stuff to keep my endurance base up, but complemented it with short, fast races to try and get that legspeed back as detailed in my previous posts. I was going to try and maybe chase down the A standard for Chicago at 1:25:59 knowing that I was at the very least in 1:25-6 shape. I could also get it with ba 3:10 merathon which would be a cakewalk in cool weather, but there is nowhere for me go run right now in the middle of the flippin' summer. I have not run a marathon for time since 2009 because of my 100k commitments and now I will have to sit Chicago out this year. Without an elite start,there is no point in running Chicago. There are just too many damn people and it's one big clusterf#ck unless you start up front. I've said this before, but I do not do marathon tourism. I go somewhere to perform and put down a solid time. Marathon tourism is for the rich who can afford it and who don't really care about their performances. I care about mine and will run either in Valmiera or in Vilnius after 50k World Cup, then I need to pick a 50k or 50miler in the US late fall.

So all the work was now done and hay in the barn. I wanted to try a fast half especially after that horrific performance at the half in May. Coach told me to go out conservatively in the first 5k or so but basically not fart around much longer because after that it was time to bust ass. Go out smart and conservatively meant 4.10 km-about 6:40 mile. So that's what I did. I HATE going out fast. It's almost always a death sentence in the second half of the race and a classic mistake. I'd rather run smart and tactical. So off we were and I ended up running with Zina again and Valeriy. Valeriy offered to pace Zina at 4.10 and I thought, "PERFECT, I'll tuck in behind them." Valeriy is nice and tall too and it was windy so tucking in was smart. Just between 5 and 6k we hit the far turnaround. Course is two loops, no rocket science here. Coach was standing at the turnaround with a Vitargo bottle I grabbed and took off. He told me it was time to pass Zina and Valeriy. I thought it was still a little early and made a move just past 7k. I took off at 3.55-4min/km pace(6.20+-mile pace) and caught the next group of guys and the woman who was running in 5th. She was a new face-very young too maybe early 20s. Katya? Yes, Katya someone was cheering for her a little further up the road. Ok, I'll just tuck in behind these nice tall guys running my planned 4 min/km pace and cruise for a while. Actually, we were running a blistering pace going from 3.55-4 +- a little on eack km. Oh dear, I felt fine and was relaxed, but would I be able to hold up?

                                               the beginning of a very brave move

                                                  breaking away from Katya and the group at 11k

just about to join Nadya and Julia (still hiding behind a dude)

About 100-150m up ahead, were the 3rd and 4th ladies. Julia and Nadya were running together. By the time we hit the turnaround just past the 10k to head out on the 2nd loop, our group had caught up to them via our blistering pace. Nadya and Julia were a couple meters ahead and I got risky and left our group and joined them and a few other guys running nearby. Nadya and Julia are head and shoulders above me especially at the short stuff. I ran with them until about 12 km and thought, " JEEZ, what have I done? Should I be running with these girls? I had to make a decision. If I took off and risked it, I would need to open a huge gap so that even if they sped up at the finish, they'd not come back and kick my ass so long as I was able to maintain this blistering pace. I never like to pass unless I'm pretty sure I can hold on and not slow down later. I was feeling fine. A couple of the guys started to take off and I saw our pace had dropped to just over 4 min/km. That's when I made a very ballsy decision and took off after the guys. Back to 3.50s pace(6.10 ish miles) into the wind to catch the guys and let them block wind for me and hopefully pull me far enough away from the girls. I thought there's only 8+km to go and considering I'm a 100k runner, that's nothing.

 I never looked back to see how much I'd gapped them. I didn't want them to think I was not going to be able to hold pace. Cruise control set back right at 4 min again and off we were. Just after 15k and before the far turnaround, one of the officials told me I was running 3rd and leading a group...OF GIRLS! God, I so wanted to ask how far behind they were and never once looked back. I didn't want them to call my bluff. Far turnaround-Coach handed me off another bottle which I needed badly. I didn't feel I had had enough to drink in the first loop and worried I could run out of gas in the final few kms if I didn't get something down.That's when he told me to hold pace and bust my ass. I also counted back how far the other girls were as I headed back for the final 5+km to the finish. OH SHIT- just over 20 sec and 100m or so. I need to BUST MY ASS and at the very minimum hold at least 4 min pace to the end even if it starts to hurt. Julia and Katya were running together and Nadya had dropped back. I was most concerned with Julia and Katya who were not terribly far back. If I even cracked and slowed down 2 sec a km, it was game over and I knew it. They'd get too close and maybe outkick me to the finish. My ultrarunning legs don't have the best finishing kick but I can hold an even pace for a long time and that's just what I needed to do. 6.20s miles bare bones minimum to the end or it was over. I was very lucky to still be running with a couple of tall guys who weren't dropping either. We were still hammering hard and I was ok with it. At 19km though, I started feeling I was working. 18k 4.02.....no, I can't afford that, too slow....next couple k sub 4 and I was redlining. Hello Pain Cave! Task was just to maintain this blistering pace and even if the girls kicked in the last 1-2km, making up over 100m would be really hard for them. 20km-almost home...garmin showed 3.52 at about 800 to go  dropping down to 3.40 (5.50mi pace) over the last 500m. I've got the pedal to the floor at this point and any faster and I'm either going to keel over and or puke or both! Yeah, I'm hanging in the Pain Cave now! I REALLY DID not want to give  up 3rd place this close to the finish. I could see a pack about 100m back and I knew the 2 girls were in pursuit. I hate being the damn carrot! Out of serious fear of getting my ass kicked in that last 500m, I hauled it in at that 3.40 pace. I made it! Thank God! I thanked the guys for helping me along. One crashed in the grass and I also wanted to keel over in the grass but feared I wouldn't get up! Finish 1:26. Julia and Katya were 19 and 24 sec back. I made it because I was able to hold pace and not crack. If I had to sprint those girls to the finish, it would have been the end of me. This is my fastest time posted at Luzhniki since 2002 when I first ran a 1:26 there after a 1:25 2 weeks prior. It was cool then too. The weather gods were kind-15C in the morning and 20 for the race -mostly overcast.

                                                             just over 1k to go

I've never gone top 3 in this half. This race generally attracts the top runners. Top 2 ladies are elites. Top lady-Oksana B finished 1:21 and Tanya P.(who was 2nd when we ran on March 8th) finished 2nd in 1:24. Dima Safronov won the men's race in 1:05. he will run the Olympic Marathon in August in London-Go Dima! Nice tune up race! Coach's son was 2nd.

The awards ceremony was quite coo. Top3 were invited on stage and awards were given by former olympians. That was pretty cool!

What's next? July- back to the grindstone. I have 50k World Cup to prepare for. I'll run the 2 mile for speed in between then I need to decide- Masters NCs in the 10,000 and 5,000 or Zelenograd Half. 

Speeding!

Well, that's what I said I'd spend June doing and that's what I've been doing. On June 12th, I ran or rather swam the Kremlin Mile. First off, the Kremlin Mile was not held in front of the Kremlin this yr as usual thanks to all the demonstrators and protesters in that area for the Russia Day holiday. Next, God just did not like the women's race that day. Just before we were to start, a full blown, crack, boom, bang thunderstorm started. High winds and pouring rain were on the menu. The starter led us into the underground passage where we were to exit onto the 2loop course. Just as we were going to go up the stairs, he called a 15 min rain delay. The wind was howling and it was pouring with lightning and thunder to boot. After the rain slowed a bit, he took us up to the start. The course was now under ankle deep puddles and I scrapped my plan to run for time today and instead just figured I'd run tactical and try and get into the  top 3. Yeah, I was going to have some serious company today. Lena, who I ran with indoors most of the winter was there, Sasha, who had run a 3.17 1000m at the xc meet the week before was capable of a sub 5.30 mile, and Zina Semyenova. Zina is still Zina and even though she's 49, she's ageless to me and FAST!

http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/letter=0/athcode=115565/index.html


She has countless titles and pretty much rules Twin Cities. Zina is to be respected. Winning Twin Cities in 2:40 in 2008  in a downpour at 45 is just too cool. So off we were for our swim. Zina and Sasha went out fast with Lena just behind and I kept within striking distance of Lena. 400 m in, I passed Sasha and tucked in  closer to Lena. Zina was still up front. At 800, 1000m Lena and I are running together with Zina up ahead. Sasha has dropped back. With about 350 to go Lena passed Zina...then so did I. I used that little downhill to gas it as hard as i could to open a gap. Zina could still kick my ass in the final 100m. Lena and I just went for broke pulling away with she finishing just ahead for the win and Zina behind us for third. Lena is running the 5000m on the 23rd at the Moscow Masters Champs. I am very pissed off they scheduled the meet the SAME DAY as the Luzhniki Half. I really wanted to run the 5 and knowing Lena would run meant it would be a good race and we'd push each other to a fast time. I'm in at least 18.40s shape right now and might not be once I start doing long races again.
                                                                       pics- Aleksei A.

                                                               Lena and I passing Zina -final 300

                                                                     Passing  Sasha

                                                           Lena Just a little ahead of Zina

Pic Andrey Sedin-Leonid and I looking like drowned rats after the race

                                                               Pics- Leonid Isaev

                                                                       Awards

Next on tap was the 3000m at the Med. Institute on Sunday the 17th. I wanted to try and put down a damn near PR effort at this one.  This one was held where I used to run the hour run sometimes in the winter during the last week of December usually on some weeknight just before the New Year. I had never seen this track free os snow and ice! It was really nice actually- surface was of excellent quality. So, when I showed up for this one, the organizer suggested I run with the slower men's heat as opposed to with the women. Well, I was under the impression the guys were going to go 10.30 or under. I needed a rabbit for the 11 min mark. Lesson learned: if they ask you to run with the boys, RUN WITH THE BOYS! There was one woman I knew from the 2 mile xc run and I thought she might run with me. She finished about 10 sec behind me at the 2 mile when we ran in May. Ok but then when i foolishly ran the half a few days later, she ran the 10 and was ahead of me. It's hard to tell which one of us would be faster because both times I saw her in early May, I was still very much on dead legs post 100k. So, I ran with the girls instead of the boys.....BIG MISTAKE!
I had company for aout 800m then realized how slow I had gone out and took off like a bat out of hell. I hate leading  especially when I have to cut wind! There was a noticeable wind on the backstretch too. Plan was to go out 3.45/km ish and then gas it from there. I screwed up running the first 800 probably too conservatively abd first 1000 in 3.49/50! DAMN too SLOW! So down the ladder I went 3.45, 3.40. It ended up as more of a glorified tempo run as it's a real pain to run by yourself. I ended up with my best official track time aside from a 10.47 I once popped years ago in a time trial in training. The boys in the slower guy's heat ended up with a pack 11 min +- I could have likely knocked 5-10 sec off my time by the grace of running with sokme of the guys to have them block wind for me at the very least! Ok lesson of the day- RUN WITH THE BOYS nex time they ask me to.

So on Monday, the 18th in the evening I had one more date with speed- the 1000m. at Moscow State with friends from the running club. I teach astudent near the university on Monday and just decided to go run at the university after class and do the 1000 for fun. Coach was not happy and really didn't want me to run claiming I'd likely put down a crappy time anyways having raced just yesterday. Well, this time we split into 2 heats, boys+me  and the ladies. This time I was asked to join the boys and decided to risk it on my non fresh legs. This time I made the RIGHT decision. Off we were and I had a rabbit! YEAAA! Yuri was just a little ahead in the first 400 and also blocked the wind on the backstretch (yes a little windier on Monday for the 1000 than it was for the 3000). Just before the 500, I passed. I have a habit of just croaking in the last 200 of the 1000- these short races just aren't my thing. hauling in....3.23-really? I had planned about 10 sec slower at best being it was a day 2 race. Then I thought after a while....need to check the archives, but this is definitely PR territory. The fast miles I ran in my heyday in Alaska had slower 1000 splits and about the only comparison I have is my 2.35 800 I ran in Alaska in 2004 but never ran it to the 1000 so don't know. I ran a 3.18 on the road in 2010 but I feel track times are more valid as there is no argument about the accuracy of the distance. After checking the archives in the evening, it was indeed a track PR by at least 4 seconds. This confirmed what I already suspected-I'm in 5.20 s smthg mile shape. Coach didn't want me to run this but my intuition said otherwise. I was not even thinking PR especially at age 37 on a short distance. I was shocked. Damn, I thought - on fresh legs I need to set the bar under 3.20 at the very least. Sometimes you find PRs when not looking for them. Coach was a bit surprised too. Recovery secret: 2 ice baths post 3000m one when I got home one before bed, Vitargo Gainer's Gold, glutamine, ZMA , and lots of sleep and stretching!
I'm now resting up for the half on the 23rd. I have been trying to get speed into my legs to  help cut my times at the  longer stuff. Hope the plan works. The whole irony about the 1000m  PR is that I didn it in an I-Don't-Care -Race. I was just going to try and see what I could do on a day 2 race and had no intentions on burning the barn down on legs that weren't fresh.
As far as a fast 5 or 10 on the track- I will try and make it out to Cheboksary for Russian masters NC's in a month. I wanted to fly but that's over 500$(nuts because I can get anywhere in Eurpoe for less than half ) and the train sucks. I have to go out early to have an extra sleep day after that if I take the overnight train.


more pics here from the 3000-

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151050419732433.490261.542177432&type=1&l=45083dd33e

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151050419732433.490261.542177432&type=1

New Balance 10k and 2 Mile xc Series and Speeding

Well, after the marathon, there was no rest for the wicked just yet. Six days later, I ran the New Balance 10k just like I did last year. I went with the 10 this year instead of the 5 because I just wasn't up to going all out fast in a 5 yet after all this long stuff. OK, I'll admit, I really hate racing on not recovered legs, but, yeah this race is very well organized for one and...yeah...not going to lie, but top3 get nice swag from NB.

                                                                  finish

                                                                 

                                                     about 1000 runners at the start

starting 2nd 5k loop walkers on the first loop

Putting this all into perspective, May was a damn busy little month. Over the course of 28 days, I ran a 100k,2 mile,1000m,5000 TT, half marathon, and marathon. Do the math and it works out to a over a marathon per weekend! So it was not a shock that my legs were not too happy to be doing a 10k afer all of that. I typically need 8-10 days for speed to fully recover after any marathon be it a training one or all out. Day 6 means I'm going to race on heavy legs and race on heavy legs I did. Yes, I eeked into 3rd by holding off a woman who was really trying from behind, but my time was really pathetic and a good 3 min shy or what I would be capable of fresh.

Oh, and to make things interesting, some not so smart foreigner DUDE registered as a LADY and initially screwed up how the awards would have gone, hence showed up the de facto winner. I recognized the name from the marathon results last week, because I'd been helping the secretary by passing corrections to the results on to the organizers.Plus, I'd seen this DUDE's face on Facebook and just knew he was no LADY! There really was no excuse for this since this organization had online signup in English as an option where MALE and FEMALE  were clearly separate options.
This is a good cause. The entry fees all go to benefit kids with Down Syndrome. The organizers do a great job to boot as well.

2 Mile XC Series 2-June:

Legs recovered after the 10k and marathon literally the next day. Had the 10k been ONE DAY LATER,  my performance would have been halfway decent. June -my plans for June are to work on getting my speed up while continuing to train for 50K World Cup. Translation: I'm going to race LESS and  do some SHORT races from now until the half marathon on the 23rd. I really suck at short stuff, but need to work on my raw speed because it will carry over into my loger races this fall. I still do high volume and long intervals and or tempos, but I'm also getting short, fast intervals worked into the big picture. Before the 2 mile, I did 20x 400s in the low 80s. My legs still felt a bit rusty because it had been a while since I had done good quality short intervals but things started to click. Three days later, I raced the 2 mile xc. I went out at 3.53 km and thought, "Damnit, I went out too fast," but that turned out to be just right and I ran even splits finishing in 12:31,which is very likely an xc/dirt/trail PR for me. On the track, I'd be at LEAST  40-45 sec faster. If I go all out on an xc 5k my best is right about 20 min, however on the road, that nets me at least smthg 18:40s-50s. This would have been a low-mid 19 5k if I had continued on and I was not slowing down. That's a very good sign of what I may be capable of on the road or track now. I'm 37, but should not yet rule out chasing PRs at the short stuff. Oh, by the way, I won the 2 mile to secure my lead in the summer series. 2nd woman was the lady on my heels the week before  in the 10k. She's a mid distance specialist and finished in 12:47 (my winning time in May immediately post 100k).

                                                  I had just chicked this really cute guy here  :-)