PC2PG Race Recap + Weekending!

(Bra, shorts, shoes)

Just one of those races where you go into it thinking you know about where your fitness is at, and then you find out a few miles into it that you were wrong and going to have a bumpy ride🤣🫣

My coach asked why I felt like I was going to puke pretty much the last ten miles after I told him, and I wish I could have said it was from eating something differently. The truth was that I was working really hard and trying to hit the paces I used to do last summer, and I’m not where I was fitness-wise last summer!

I woke up at 5:30, took a shower (a must for me before a race), ate some bread and apple sauce packets, and then grabbed my niece to come to babysit.

Andrew drove me to the start, and I got to avoid the 5 am bus situation. We ran 2.8 miles together for a warm-up because I needed 20 miles and wanted to get in a small chunk before the race. I also did some 20-second strides in the parking lot before the race started.

We ran into Heather (Lauren’s sister and our cute photographer) and did a little of the warmup with her too.

I wore a sweatshirt because I expected it to be chilly, but my expectations were very wrong.

It was a small race, and the gun went off at 7:10 am.

I was already pretty sweaty from the warm-up and wished it was a 6 am start time… Not only for the weather but also because the trail we were running on gets SO busy on Saturday. It felt like we dodged cars the first 3 miles on the road and then bikes the last 10 miles on the trail. But the gorgeous views along the entire course make it all worth it!

For the first 3 miles, you fly downhill.   That felt so good and got in my head that I would get a 1:21 for the day.

I was in first and then yoyoed with my friend, Kari, for the next 8 miles. She and another girl passed me in the final two miles, and I took 3rd.

I took a caffeine gel before the warm-up and didn’t take another gel until mile 3 in the race, which was probably a mistake… I try not to go more than 4 miles without a gel on big runs like this, so that was a little late for me. I took another gel again at miles 7 and 12.

I brought my own bottle with electrolytes to drink throughout and grabbed cups from volunteers to dump water on my head. I’m praying for a much cooler and less humid marathon day 🤞🤞.

It was one of those races where I was so tempted to jump in the car with Andrew each time I saw him. Fighting through those feelings makes runners so tough.

I put music on at mile 6, which helped me to hold on and not jump in the car to get donuts with Andrew.

The glorious finish line.

I was so ready to be done. It’s funny how we get the paces we should be running in our heads even when we aren’t doing the same amount of work it once took us to run similar paces.

A 1:25:25! We can’t always be in PR shape, and this summer, I did not put in the work for a pr or a 1:21 as I hoped for on Saturday, so I’m really happy with the day.

6:04, 6:01, 6:10, 6:16, 6:36, 6:24, 6:29, 6:39, 6:40, 7:12, 7:11, 7:04, & 6:38.

During mile 12, Connor Mantz and Jared Ward went by me SO fast (they were doing a workout, not part of the race), which motivated me to push it a little more.

PS The finish line was at the junior high that I went to.

Memories!

Another medal to add to the rack.

1st and 2nd… both in their 40s, so strong and crushing their training.

They flew by me!

We then set out for another four miles to finish up with 20 for the day. Andrew joined us too!

Here are a few more highlights from the weekend:

A BYU soccer game and cougar tail.

And a relaxing day at home on Sunday with the family.

We celebrated Brooke’s birthday with our families. I used to love making cakes, but now I love buying them at the grocery store and decorating them.

I love her love for art!  My mom brought her these watercolor pencils and they were a big hit.

Here is what week #3 of official training looked like:

Monday: 10 miles @ 8:27 average.

Tuesday: 13 miles @ 7:39 average. W/U, 8 x 2’ (1’ easy), 1’ (2’ easy)… 24 minutes total of speed, C/D. 1.11 miles later with Knox.

Wednesday: 7 miles @ 8:36 average.

Thursday: 9 miles @ 8:24 average.

Friday: Off… My body was telling me I needed one.

Saturday: 20 miles! Half-marathon @ 1:25:25 (significant drop in first 3 miles).

Sunday: Off

60 miles (the goal was 65 miles, but I didn’t have it in me to do another 5 miles).

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How was your weekend?  

Tell me a must for you before a race!

Ready for fall or clinging on to summer?

At what age has been your best year of running?