10/11/05: Ho Chi Min…Take 2—But Don’t Fall in the Mud!

Ohh, today’s XC practice run was…in one word: fun. Mayyybe not the kind of fun I would do every day. But (in Steve Shepard’s own words: “A change of pace from the average strength training schedule…”), I couldn’t agree more. I got there super early…lots of mosquito repellant…got in a warm-up run…I felt ready other then needing to use the facilities. The course itself was pretty challenging in my opinion: not a lot of chances to pass others…some rivers/creeks to jump over (and hopefully not fall in)… a couple of us got lost at one point….or thought we got lost…

Although I didn’t have a smokin’ finish time, (I averaged a 10:29/mile), I was pretty proud of how I ran. This was ‘the confidence building’ run that I have been needing the last few weeks. I ran strong, smart and I had really good endurance and was able to make up some time at the end of the run. I only walked when I had to. Fellow SMARTie Lynnlee helped me run the middle part of the run where I felt unsure of my feet (and tweeked my dumb right ankle again a few times). I finished the run with some jete’s across the finish line, never being soooo happy to finish a run in my life. Seriously, the last K of the run was pretty dark and scary and tree-shaded…I couldn’t have been happier to see the sky above me again.

Coach Tom King even gave me the ‘Rockit’ sign and that totally made me smile and made the end of the run even better for me….afterwards, I chatted with Steve about next week’s XC run as well as Thursday’s Jump-O-rama workout, PIM coach Lisa about a strategy for the 10K relay on Sunday, and even got to talk to the current XC race’s woman’s open leader (sorry, I don’t know her name—anybody?!) who asked how my run was and said she thought she did good although she was behind the leader the first part of the run. Overall, a good time. And I am so sorreeeeeeeeeee today. But a good sore.

The STATS:
Between 7-8k (roughly 5 miles?)
48.55 minutes of total running

Average pace:10:29/mile

Heart-rate: 177 ave 191 max
Weather: upper 80’s, low humidity.