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Scandia Run 10K

August 12, 2017 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: weirdly humid (and at times, misty!), 60F

Comments:
Felt good this AM. Slept OK (but a little disrupted: too much food-beer, too late, again).

Keith and I dropped of CA's rental car, then drove the U-van up to Junction City for the Scandia Run 10K. This race is over 40 years old, and I first ran it in 2001, but I haven't been back since '10 or so. And in the spirit of "road truth", I thought I should do it, despite the hard session on Thursday and the fatigue of ...really the past couple weeks.

Warmed up just under 3 with Keith, then strides. Took some inhalar puffs for the thick (smokey and humid) air, then toed the line with several of the other masters-age and high-caliber runners.

I had to deuce, though. I'd already deuced like THRICE this morning (x2 at home, then at registration), but it waved again. Uh oh. I did eat some small volume of collards at noon, but otherwise a typical day... but the lines were too long, so I didn't.

This race is super-flat: straight shot 800m, then turn out into the country, do a big square around some fields, a three-quarter mile out and back, then back into town, with the same half-mile straightaway finish.

Got out comfortable and didn't look at splits at all. I ran with Leo Alipont, while several guys got out front, including Keith. Apparently I forgot to start my watch, but I got the first mile split from Leo, before he pulled away.

The form focus today was simple:

- Forward (Tall, but load the hips; and left)
- Arch
- Quick cadence (pull, arm swing)

That felt pretty good, and I was pleasantly surprised when we hit 5:45 for the first mile. Solid...but didn't feel easy. I got a wave of defeat, thinking about how this used to be my marathon pace.

After the 2K or so...the gut started to rumble. Fuck. As Leo and Keith pulled away, there was one guy just in front. I kept contact with him and dug into my stride, but still slowed down.

As we made the loop around the fields...that's when I thought I should step off. I can only remember ONE time in a roadie that I've had to deuce (and that was a half-marathon, about ten miles in, in 1998). AND...shit, I've been outstanding in ultras, the past year, in particular, with high-fat. But...the gut has definitely been OFF.

I almost pulled off twice to deuce behind a bush. I didn't want to embarass myself, especially wearing my Uhan Performance singlet, but...fucking hell, by mile 3, I couldn't hold it anymore. Thankfully I found a bush around a small curve, stepped off, dropped the shorts, and "opened the spigot"...looked around to wipe for like 2 seconds, found only dead, scratchy straw...then pulled them up and kept going!

After that, I felt a TON better...for like a mile. Pace sped up and I felt like I had some momentum. Caught up to, then passed the guy in front of me, but the next guy was Leo, now wayyyy in front, with Keith even farther.

So I dug in. Tried to stay positive, by saying nice things to the other 10Kers coming inbound. Then, with 2.5K to go, we joined up withe the 5Kers (which was annoying, weaving past them), but I still tried to be encouraging.

I hit the 5-mile just under 30 (29:30?) and did the math that it'd be close to break 37, so I pushed it a bit...

...and, for the umteenth time this summer, I experienced a substantial right rib-diaphragm cramp. I was able to hold it off while speeding up, ever-so-slight, over the final half-mile, but was doubled-over as I crossed the line, "comfortably" at 36:4x.

Ugh. WTF.

Two things:

1. I'm going to see my MD next week. I called him last week when I had another super-nasty GI episode, as well as the massive fatigue and weight loss, about testing for a resurgence of Giardia. It's gonna happen. This is bullshit. I'm just WAY too tired, and the gut - which used to be stellar - is now terrible.

2. My stride is off, and I need to see Mike, my PT. Haven't seen him in nearly two years. But there's obviously something off with both the right ab cramp, and the left hip pain (anterior-medial), which I had the last two miles. I don't think I'm major shifted, but something might simply be off.

It's frustrating, but all part of The Gaaaayyyme, I guess.

Cooled down easy with Keith (who ran 35:3x off like zero training), then home.

Splits (note: the course markings were ALL fucked up, and Keith had like 6.4 miles on his watch, but these are my splits)

5:45 (from Leo)
5:55
5:57
5:53 (including deuce stop)
5:59
5:53
(1:08)