ORRRC Half Training Week 5: Race Week

The last few magnolias on Monday night

Welcome to another Weekly Review linkup with Hoho Runs and MissSippiPiddlin. I'm training for the ORRRC Half, which is this Sunday, April 10. Read more about my race here. 

Week of March 28-April 3

Monday: 2 miles, 8:45 pace
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 5.5 miles, 9:24 pace
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Iron Furnace Trail Run, 4.5 miles (recap)
Sunday: Scarlet Sprint 5K (recap)

Total: 15 miles
2016 total: 310.37

I got a new hat in the mail Tuesday

I haven't had a low milage week in eons. Whoopsie. I ran 12 last Saturday and a 16 mile bike ride Sunday, so I wasn't in the mood to kick off Monday with a 5 mile run. Instead, I waited til right before dark and set off for a quick run. Two miles later, my legs felt good, but I was okay with stopping.

I worked late Tuesday and Alex's new workout schedule includes a Tuesday rest day, so I joined him. I need to re-work my schedule. Peer pressure is tough.

On Wednesday, we went to a long lunch at work where I had a strong beer. On top of that, I arrived home very hungry, so my run started after dinner. I ran to the nearby bike path and went toward campus. I had to dodge geese and gnat clouds and all the while my stomach was turning (digesting dinner and maybe that lunch beer?) and I felt pretty icky. I stopped a few times for traffic and photos, but even though I felt gross, it was still a good run. I should have made it 6 miles, but at the time I was ready to be finished.

Thursday was another rest day. Mostly because I had to stay late at work and by the time I got home there was a severe storm warning. Guess what? It totally passed over my neighborhood! I was so mad at myself for not getting outside. (Rain doesn't stop me, but forecasts calling for wind and lightning give me pause.)

Our campsite Friday night.

Friday was another rest day. I had to pack for our camping trip (Lake Hope State Park) in the morning and we left right after work to get to Iron Furnace packet pickup. It's normally an hour and a half drive, but it was more than two with rush hour traffic. Oh well. Once we got there the park was gorgeous and the weather wasn't too chilly.

Posing after Iron Furnace

Saturday was the Iron Furnace Trail Run. We did the 4.5 miler instead of the 13.1 and I am a-ok with that. A half on that trail would be hard. Of course, after I finished I wasn't very tired so I started to think, "maybe next year..." Read my Iron Furnace recap here. (I got a top 10 finish!) After the race we went to Clear Creek Metro Park, then drove home. Alex got called in to work for the high winds on Saturday night and I did a bunch of boring stuff at home.

We ran the Scarlet Sprint 5k on Sunday. We were both tired from Iron Furnace, but I managed a squeaker PR. My recap is here. After the race, we ate Thai food and were completely lazy. It was a packed weekend and I am thankful for downtime.

Thoughts
This was my first week in months of three rest days -- and I felt it! I was cranky and felt gross. I'm going to blame work because I stayed late almost every day. Even so, I had two strong races this weekend. And though they only added up to 7.5 miles total, they were quality miles. I felt challenged and they (hopefully) helped prepare me for next weekend. Because...

....the ORRRC Half is this Sunday! 

I'm equal parts terrified, hopeful, and relieved. Whatever happens – PR or not – it'll be over this time next week and I can move on to my next goal. ;)

What are you looking forward to?
Do you get nervous before a big PR attempt? (Especially specific time goals)
Have you ever run a trail race?