"I want this shit forever, man"

The title of this blog entry is my favorite workout song of the moment: "Forever' by Drake. (With Kanye, Lil Wayne and Enimem. Sooo good. Too bad I am starting to torture myself and am beginning to train without music. I figure if I can't have music during St. George, I should ditch the music and entertain myself with some crazy thoughts. This was had a lot of heavy training. 21.4 hours hours of mclovin! I think sometimes I forget that I am still dealing with an injury, but it is hard for me to back off. Everyone, including my dad who was dubbed "Pistol Pete" in high school, is telling me to listen to my body..but I love the training and I have so much fun doing it! It is so much easier to ignore the pain and just get the work done!

Saturday marked my first century ride. I actually listened to people and did it at a comfortable-easy pace. My Garmin ran out of batteries after 30 miles, which blew! I finished with Christiane in about 6 hours. We spent about 20-25minutes in each aide station which nearly killed me, but I had to remember that it was just a training ride and not a race. Before Palm Springs, I had only been on a 70 mile bike ride, so it was nice and reassuring that I am actually physically able to ride 100+. It was really entertaining to ride by men and have them kill themselves to try to hang on my back wheel. I realized that I really hate when people draft off me that I don't know. If you're going to draft, we can should be able to take turns. Hello, I get tired, too! I especially hate when people draft off me during swimming because it is too bizarre when I do a flip turn and someone's nasty goggle/cap face is in mine. Anyways, after we all finished the race, Christiane, Mikey, and I had a nice dinner before heading home to San Diego that night.

Saturday night I was asleep before 10 pm, but I was still exhausted this morning. I wasn't in the same mind set as I usually am before a half marathon. Usually, I salivate over the numbers, but I was too tired and didn't plan ahead to do that this time. As soon as I woke up, I did my normal pace tattoo on my arm, but I kind of just wrote them assuming I would be able to run a 1:43.15. I started off with a good friend Mark, who is an excellent pace guy and distracts me during the run. With us was Michelle who was planning on breaking 1:45. She was worried about me dropping her, but after mile 2.. I was in her dust! She absolutely killed the course, finishing in just over 1:43. Almost 3 minutes better than last year. The first mile was fine because it was all down hill, but as soon as we started running on the flats and uphill, I realized that I would not be able to hold pace with Michelle. I don't know if I gave up too quickly, or if my legs actually were not capable of pulling me at that pace. Around mile 3 I met up Lina and we decided to run together. I definitely was holding her back, but she is so obsessed with not getting injured so she didn't really push herself this race. Quickly after I began running with her, Liz came trotting by us. She was holding a solid pace and soon passed us. Lina and Mark were telling running horror stories to make the miles go by while I was having a bitch fit behind them because the fatigue in my legs basically left, but pain in my knee and hip set in. Before the turn around, I decided that I needed to stop being a twerp and actually run this race. At mile 8 I was feeling good. The pain was still there, but I just ignored it. I felt kind of cool because we passed people going in the other direction and I actually knew lots of them! Ms. Popular right here...haha sike.

Anyways, with the help from Mark and Lina I was able to finish in 1:48:55...definitely not a PR or even a good race, but I finished. I was soo tempted to turn around at mile 4 and just say F it, but I'm glad I finished. My running really needs to improve before St. George...but overall I think I had a solid week of training. I just signed up for the Gran Fondo Century.. I don't know why since I don't really want to get on Hi Maintenance (my divo bike) for awhile, but it was be great training for St. George!