SHAMROCK REFLECTIONS

Finisher's medal, which doubles as a bottle opener. I don't run for the medals, but this one is pretty cool.

It has now been two days since Shamrock and I can look back and reflect on what was a pretty successful race for me. Setting a PR was pretty exciting, especially given the layout of the course (read: very hilly for a long time) and the crowds. Had I been able to run a more direct line I could have shaved 90 seconds off my time (10/sec mile of weaving per Endomondo, which I can believe). That would bring me down to about 1:11:00. I figure with a flatter course I could slice some time off my mile splits as well, so I am not that far from a sub 1:10 15k.

My traffic plan.

That will be the next step on my 15k quest. The question is, when will my next 15k be? It's not a super common distance but it does pop up. Definitely Shamrock every year, but if I really want to gun for a great time I'll need a flatter course. Zena is out in that respect too. So I'll keep my eyes out for a smaller, flatter event to try. A sub 1:10 is 7:30/mile or less, which would be a huge challenge. Right now my 10k PR isn't even that good, so I'll just keep having to work at it.

It would also help if I wasn't stopped by traffic. I went back an looked at a map to make sure my outrage was justified and it totally was. I could see them not closing that ramp because some people live right off that offramp. There are a couple of stoplights before you hit Naito Parkway, where the race was and I got stopped. Basically you force everyone to take a right where all that red meets the green. That way local traffic can find their way home, and people trying to access the city can loop back down on Moody Avenue and re-enter on I-5 North and choose a better route.

Considering the fastest 15k people aren't even a threat until 45 minutes after gun time you'd only really need to keep this in effect for 90 minutes at the most. This intersection doesn't even come into play for the 5k or 8k. FIX THIS!

I went to run group on Monday night, the day after the race. I felt worn on Monday but not too sore. I planned to run 3 miles but ended up running almost seven (!). Bad decision. It was one of those things where I got to the turnaround for 3 miles and I was in a group of people and we were talking and I still felt fine and I didn't want to be that person, so I just continued on. A mile later my body was like "okay, enough" and it started to suck pretty hard. Those last three miles were a slog.

Luckily, the next day (today), I didn't feel too bad. Just the same worn but not sore feeling. Going to take a few days off and recharge. I also did something to my left ankle. It started to hurt about mile five at group run and by the end I was limping. It got pretty bad once I stopped running, I was walking like an old man. Really hurt. Luckily today it feels much better, still a bit weird, but nothing like yesterday. I probably just strained some tendon and inflamed it or something, so I'll just take it easy and keep an eye on it.