Post-Run Analysis and Official Pictures!

These are the official pictures from the half-marathon.  I hate that they are so expensive because I want these four.  But that would be fifty dollars!  So I think I'll just order one.   Probably the one with me waving my hands, though I like the close-up one because it actually looks like I'm running. I didn't like any of the official finish line pictures because they are taken from so far back.  That little black thing hanging from my waist is my spibelt with energy blox and my walkman inside.

So these last couple days I've been thinking a lot about the event.  I have a couple should've and could've thoughts, I should have pushed myself, I could have run faster.  You get the idea.  I know why I didn't, I was nervous about finishing, nervous about being able to run the whole time.  I'd never run a half-marathon and didn't know the course and I erred on the side of caution.  And, I suppose, if I were in that same situation I'd do the same thing again.  Which leads me to - Next Year!  I am very likely going to do this again next year and am excited at the prospect of finishing faster.  I know I can. 

This year I kept my heart rate to an average of 144.  Compare that to my 12 mile run the week previous where my average heart rate was 153.  So if I push myself just a bit I know I can do better!  I was actually slower in my training run with a higher heart rate but I hadn't tapered and I wasn't running with a total loss of elevation like the Kaiser course.  I mean, take a look at the elevation profile.

That's nice isn't it?  No reason I can't do better next year.  And that's a good feeling.  Also, I'll know the course, I'll hopefully be lighter, and I likely won't have all the busy-ness in the week and days leading up to the event.  I wonder what my goal finish time will be?  I'm tempted to pick something now but that's silly, I have no idea what kind of shape I'll be in in a year from now.

Back to today, which is a day off from the gym.  Tomorrow I'll run, probably 25-30 minutes.  I need to keep my running up to some degree because of the 10k in April but the focus for now will be on the bike.  Speaking of that, I have a test-ride planned for this Sunday afternoon with Melissa (we're doing the Cinderella Classic together).  I just mapped it out on mapmyride, a tad over 33 miles with three category 5 climbs (that's the lowest category).  The Classic is 66 miles with two category 5 climbs so this Sunday's ride should give us a good sense of where we are.

Oh my, it's like I'm leading three lives in one - family mom Michelle, working Michelle and run/bike/swim Michelle.  Good thing I have the energy or I don't think I could keep up with my own life!