Ilona's Race Log

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7/24/10
Severson Dells Scamper – Rockford, IL
Distance: 5K
Goal: To see how fast I can finish, since this is the first race I’ve done in decades
Conditions:
Result:
Garmin splits:
Placement:
Notes: Wouldn’t you know it? My first race in decades and it’s cancelled due to conditions (rain/flooding)! Since I was up and ready for a run, I decided to log 4+ miles at Blackhawk Springs Forest Preserve. No surprise that as I neared the path nearest the Kishwaukee River, I found it was impassable.

8/21/2010
CornFest – DeKalb, IL
Distance: 10K
Goal: <10:00/mi
Conditions: temp 72F, 78% hum, 0 mph winds
Result: 9:25/mi (58:21:90)
Garmin splits: 8:51, 9:01, 9:24, 9:21, 9:32, 9:41, 8:59
Placement: 13/28 (division), 358/564 (overall) [results]
Notes: Was great fun (a little gut problems early in morn); Beth really pushed me to sprint at finish.

9/4/2010
Leader-Telegram Buckshot Run – Eau Claire, WI
Distance: 5 miles
Goal: <9:25/mi
Conditions: temp 53F, 69% hum, 10 mph winds
Result: 9:05/mi (45:37)
Garmin splits: 8:50, 9:00, 9:17, 9:07, 9:24
Placement: 17/40 (division), 112/308 (female), 304/590 (overall) [results]
Notes: Felt really strong here (the cool weather was a nice bonus); ran 10 miles the next day fast pace. Race video.

9/11/10
Thin Mint Sprint – Stillman Valley, IL
Distance: 8K
Goal: Just to enjoy the experience
Conditions: temp 57F, 93% hum, 7mph winds, drizzle
Result: 9:23/mi (46:42.4)
Garmin splits: 8:56, 9:40, 9:29, 9:10, 9:28, 8:51, 9:19, 9:38, 9:05 (combined races = 8.33 mi)
Placement: 6/15 (division), 62/124 (overall) [results]
Notes: This was a 2nd race after running a 3.5 mi trail run an hour earlier; legs felt v. heavy throughout.

10/9/10
Prairie State Half Marathon – Libertyville, IL
Distance: 13.1 miles
Goal: <10:00/mi, or at least finish!
Conditions: 56F at the start, 71F at the finish w/the sun beating down, low humidity, slight breeze
Result: 10:23/mi (2:15:21.9)
Garmin splits: 9:19, 9:17, 9:24, 9:25, 9:39, 9:48, 10:05, 10:10, 10:41, 11:04, 10:52, 12:46, 10:52, 10:35
Placement: 18/41 (division), 309/469 (overall) [results]
Notes: Felt strong first 9 mi, then heat/sun sapped strength…mi 12 worst mental/physical struggle. At least I have lots of room to improve next time out!

11/07/10
Canal Connection – Utica to LaSalle-Peru, IL
Distance: 10K
Goal: < 58:21
Conditions: sunny, 51F, 38% hum, 14mph winds (mostly tail)
Result: 9:21/mi (58:02)
Garmin splits: 9:10, 9:04, 9:00, 9:05, 9:31, 9:32, 9:56 (9:15/mi)
Placement: 17/42 (division), 414/677 (overall) [results]
Notes: No chip timing; started in middle of the pack, not at starting line, so I think that factored in a bit on my time. I felt good, relatively strong the first 4 miles…at mile 5 I could feel the energy go and I just couldn’t kick it into gear at the end at all. Need to do a better job of sleeping (had not slept well all week leading up the race, and that zapped my strength).

12/18/10
Winter Survivor Series #1 Race: Huskie Trail – Rock Cut SP/Loves Park, IL
Distance: 5K
Goal: Not a serious race for me. Wanted to go easy since hip has hurt since Canal Conx; so, goal was merely to finish on my feet (and snap a bunch of pics using my new camera).
Conditions: sunny, temp 16F, 70% hum, 12mph winds, 5-6” of fresh snow; trail was often only wide enough for single file line (not easy to pass)…wore older shoes w/screws in them
Result: 12:50/mi (39:53)
Garmin splits: 13:23, 12:53, 12:48
Placement: 15/15 (division…first time in 45-49 set), 317/346 (overall) [results]
Notes: Started in the back of the pack because I was committed to not running this full steam; just wanted to try my hand at taking pics while running + didn’t want to get in anyone’s way. Also wanted to stay injury-free, and was trying to keep left hip from getting worse.


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|||| Year's recap in my dailymile 2010 training report. ||||
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1/15/11
Winter Survivor Series #2 Race: Pierce Lake Trail – Rock Cut SP/Loves Park, IL
Distance: 10K
Goal: Cross the finish line without any injuries.
Conditions: partly sunny, temp 22F, 68% hum, 12 mph winds, ~1” of fresh snow; trail covered w/jagged roots, rocks + hard ice (from that 48-hour 50F melt we had a couple weeks back), but a few spots had a nice soft cushion of exposed fall leaves and grass; middle few miles were pretty flat; a few hills to contend w/the 1st + last mile (total elev gain: 172ft).
Result: 12:08/mi (1:15:25)
Garmin splits: 12:02, 11:16, 11:53, 11:59, 12:29, 12:39. 12:08
Placement: 9/10 (division), 240/274 (overall) [results]
Notes: Started in the back of the pack again because I was committed to staying injury-free. After working through a mile #1 frozen toe (thankfully, it warmed up), I felt strong throughout. Didn't run foolish or dangerous, but I did my best from start-to-finish. Spent the last mile or so talking with Norm Yarger (70 years old and I finished just seconds before him ;-), which was a highlight.

2/19/11
Winter Survivor Series #3 Race: Willow Creek Trail – Rock Cut SP/Loves Park, IL
Distance: 15K
Goal: Improve if I can on my series pace, concentrating on race (still, I did try to snap a few pics along the way).
Conditions: temp 36F, 39% hum, 6mph winds...a calm, sunny, warm-for-February day. Course included wet prairie grass; black ice; stretches of hardened ice w/ripples + hard edges from this week's daytime thaw/nighttime refreeze cycle; snow; slush; sections of deep, deep slick mud pits; lots of hills (2 were so steep, they required ropes to pull yourself up + over them); fallen logs to hop over; tree branches to run under + limbs to push to the side to protect from getting whacked in the face; a cold water stream to navigate over using a couple of beams; and even a walkway w/4 sections of wooden stairs to jog up + down (total elevation gain: 538 ft).
Result: 11:51/mi (1:50:33)
Garmin splits: 11:33, 11:12, 10:58, 12:30, 12:29, 11:51, 12:34, 10:56, 11:23, 10:40
Placement: 9/10 (division), 176/233 (overall) [results]
Notes: Had used visualization the previous days before race, seeing myself running strong throughout and finishing on my feet. I was surprised that I actually had that experience. While I'm no challenge to anyone in my division or overall, I was *very* pleased with the way I felt and performed.

3/19/11
Winter Survivor Series #4 Race: Cowboy Trail – Rock Cut SP/Loves Park, IL
Distance: 20K
Goal: Initially, my goal was to run this last race as seriously as possible; then the flu hit. Fever broke about 36 hrs before the start of the race, so my goal was merely to make it to the race, run it smooth + easy, have a good time + snag the long-awaited orange series t-shirt.
Conditions: sunny, temp 45-50F, 54-44% hum, 6-8mph winds -- perfect for a trail race. Course was not as treacherous as last month's 15k; warm + dry week preceding helped a lot. Still, we ran on the equestrian trails, so there were extra heaping hurdles to look out for. ;-). Also ran through a beautiful prairie grass field; pine forests + open clearings; deep mud to contend with on large patches of the trail; (surprisingly) ice + snowy spots; lots of log hurdles + jutting-up-from-the-ground roots (especially the last couple of miles).
Result: 11:31/mi (2:23:03)
Garmin splits: 12:12, 11:34, 11:48, 11:22, 11:44, 11:13, 11:32, 12:44, 11:38, 12:04, 12:53, 11:58, 11:15.
Placement: 7/9 (division), 199/251 (overall) [results]
Notes: