Ok so where did January go? Wow. Wrote this a few weeks back (yes, continuing the trend...at least you can count on some things). So 15 weeks out from IMTX. Ya. Okee Dokee. And determined to have a post for Jan.
So. f'Epic. That’s a word I created on New Year’s Eve. On that day, I swam the longest, by far, that
I have ever swam in my life. The annual
Dynamo SmashSwim. I’d heard about it
before. In fact I recall April getting
up at some ridiculous hour and swimming a ridiculous distance last year, and me
just not even comprehending how that could ever be possible. This year there was a 15k (new this year),
10k and 7.5k option. Before this day,
the most I had done was 4800 yards. It
was the day that MR was on deck, early in my Dynamo Masters days – so maybe
June-ish? And I knew it was coming, I’d even put it in my calendar:
We started at 3:45 am – and there were 55 people there! I love Dynamo!!! My goal was to swim 7500 at
least, and then go as far as I could after that. I managed to swim 9200 meters in 3 hrs. I was a little peeved with myself afterwards,
when I did the math, and it works out to 9950 yards. Dammit!
Another 50 and I woulda hit the 10k in at least one permutation J
But that’s okay – we will leave that for another day. It was an absolutely incredible feeling to accomplish
this. More than double what I have ever
swam (and that was only once). And let me
say, there wasn’t really a lot of rest in there. It was long sets, and pretty much just swim
swim swim. One of the coolest parts of
it though was that after maybe, 6 or 7k, I think it’s possible that my stroke
actually got better. Well, I wasn’t
watching from the pool deck ;) but it felt smoother and Maria wasn’t yelling at
me. ;) Seriously though, it was like my
body just started doing what it was supposed to be doing without the laser
focus I have to bring to it every length to get that. Pretty cool.
So this is just another example of re-setting perspective early in the
season. I have to acknowledge that there are truly no excuses after this. I can
swim, and I can swim far. And a few weeks after that, MR said 'you actually look like a swimmer KF'. Now that's a declaration of improvement in my books!
And then a few weeks later, another epic day, and rejigging of
perspectives. I ran Hogpen. Yep.
I.Ran.Hogpen. And it’s now official –
I LOVE HILLS. This was the final
certification in my “Love Running Hills” course. Plus, it’s another classic
Green day, and we had several dozen of us out there yesterday. So if you’ve a regular reader, or if you are
from GA, you know Hogpen. It’s one of
the 6 gaps, and possibly the hardest one.
Only one harder is Brasstown, and it’s not one of the “six”. This #RunTheHog race is an 18km race from XXX
State Park outside of Helen, GA to the top of Hogpen Gap, about 2000’ up. Elevation is 3500’. My Garmin shows a total running gain of 2500 (and loss of a mere 800). My instructions:
Get after the first 4 miles, and then don’t stop running. Ok! So that’s what I went after. Now, for me, this is a perfect winter
training experience, because I always hold back too much at the beginning of
the race. Time to crack that nut! And crack it I did. I took off fast, which isn’t that hard given
the first mile is all downhill. But even
during the harder bits of that first 4, I just went, and went hard. And then we made the turn onto Hogpen, and I
knew it was really starting. The first
couple miles weren’t actually that bad.
And mile 6.5 there is that beautiful downhill that lasts a little more
than a half mile. I’ve been working hard
on my downhill form, and holy mackerel!
It has paid off in spades. I saw
this earlier in the race too, but I was literally FLYING past people on the
downhill. I’ve always taken advantage of
the downhills, but I’ve reached a whole new level here. I’ve learned it’s about leaning forward and
just letting your legs just fall forward, as opposed to actually making a full
stride with power the way you would on a flat. Of course, you can’t be afraid
of the speed – and there’s a ton of it – I was hitting sub 6’ miles. (which just completely blows my mind when I
think there are folks who regularly run faster than that…on flats and
hills!). A couple of girls were passing
me on the uphills but I put a good ¼ mile into them on that downhill. With only a single exception, by the end of
the day I beat all of them.
Immediately following that downhill is the toughest section
on the course. 2 full miles of climbing,
without a break. And hitting 14%+
grade. That’s pretty darn steep is grades mean nothing to you. But the beautiful thing is – I
never stopped running. Not one
step. It was quite an experience. I entered this race in a different frame of
mind. I really didn’t think too much
about it before, and I truly just focused on the current moment. More than I ever have. Part of that is a result of the work I’ve
been doing personally and professionally – it has really changed me. But without a doubt, staying in the Right Now
was a big part of it. Yes it hurt. But it was all manageable. And I just kept thinking, keep running. Keep turning over the feet. Glutes.
Glutes. Glutes. And, the Dynamo Cheering Squad didn’t hurt
either J They were AWESOME as always. Hit mile 10, and kicked it up a notch. I wanted to be in the pain cave and still dig
deeper. And the last quarter mile, I
actually passed a guy, and managed a 9’08 mile.
Finished 40th overall, 1st in my AG. Time of 1:39:xx. What??!!
Dang. There is just no reason not
to have a half marathon now under 1:40.
I never dreamed I would do that kind of time on this kind of
course. San Juan – bring it on. Hills, Schmills.
So it's been a month, that's for sure. And having an early season A race has been a little bit of a mental adjustment that hasn't quite set in fully I don't think. Coach thinks I'm fine, and a mere 11-12 weeks away from being super fit. That's the right timing given the race is in 15. Feeling good about the swim, aside from a new pesky little problem in my right shoulder/delt. Although all ya'll will say its from the aforementioned swim, in reality I believe it is from all the damn overhead painting I've done in the basement. Very happy with where my run is going. Not as confident on the bike, but it appears that we will get the required 'long' and 'f'epic' out of that next weekend as I do a couple of centuries back to back. At least that's the plan.
And since it's still Jan, I'll put my new year's stuff here after all. No resolutions for me this year. Didn't feel right this time around. And as I was thinking that the last few days of the year, one of my new wizard friends posted something about choosing a word for the year instead. A word that would guide the choices you make and the paths you walk. And as I swam that morning, and came home, trying a few words out loud, which were all okay but without that 'right' quality, I said 'heart-open' and it just vibrated. So that is what will guide me this year, in and out of racing. One month in, and the universe has definitely been testing me. So far I'm doing pretty good ;)
Happy Training, in full heart-open beauty,
Kat
