Confessions of a crazy runner...

It's time for true confessions here on Sweat Like A Pig. In a few minutes, we're all going to sit in a circle and pass the Olympic relay baton around. When you get the baton, you have to make a running-related confession. You'll feel so much better, trust me. And it will make me feel better about making my confession.

But first, I'm going to stall for a bit by talking about Tuesday's FAST workout. It was a simple enough workout, in concept. The execution was another matter entirely, though. After our typical ~1 mile warm-up into the cemetery, we were instructed to run 4 x 1 mile repeats at about Steamboat race pace. The first two repeats should be a little slower, and then the final two should be a bit faster - so a sort of progressive build. Also, the second half of each 1 mile repeat was supposed to be faster than the first half. Ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. I find that amusing because the second half of our 1 mile loop is mostly uphill (and, conversely, the first half is mostly downhill). So we're supposed to run faster UPhill than downhill. Uh huh. Suuuuure Coach Bekah... whatever you say....

First, let me say, in true Central Illinois fashion, the weather was miserable. It was hot, humid, sticky, and icky. I tried to run about my stretch goal pace for Steamboat (9:00 min/mile), and I was mostly successful (my mile repeats were 9:12, 9:06, 9:00, and 8:54). But it darn near killed me. And, might I add, we got 2-3 minutes of recovery between each mile repeat.


Now, I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that the Steamboat race officials are not going to stop the race clock after each mile I run so I can stop, grab my sides, bend over and wheeze for two minutes.

Drat.

So it looks like my stretch goal is, well, too much of a stretch. It's okay. I still think I can make my main goal, which is, of course, to PR. My current Steamboat PR is 40:13. I'd like to go sub-40:00, which I think is within my reach. The stretch goal, finishing in 36:00... well... I think the weather fates will have to be on my side for that result to transpire. And as anyone who has ever run Steamboat can attest, it's just not Steamboat without the steam. It's always hot, humid, and miserable. Always.

Now that we've talked about the FAST workout and Steamboat goals, I guess it's time for the confession pow-wow. So everyone gather round and let us pass the Olympic Relay Baton of Truth.

You first. *quickly passes baton to the right*

*baton is quickly passed back to me like a hot potato*

Oh, alright! I'll go first. But your confession better be good.

Here goes: *deep breath* I'm running three races this weekend. Three. Races. In two days. Actually, all in less than 30 hours, if you want to get technical about it. But who's keeping track, really? Oh. You are. Right.

Now, to be fair, the only one I plan on actually racing is the Steamboat 4-Mile. That's the first race of the weekend, bright and early on Saturday morning.

Then I am heading up to Chicago with my hubby and some friends to run the Skirt Chaser 5k on Saturday evening. In this race, the women get a 3-minute head start over the men, and whoever crosses the finish line first is the winner... and many times it is a woman! I won't be out to win it though! It will just be a fun 3 miles in Lincoln Park. Plus, all the women get a running skirt! Too bad the men don't get skirts too. That would be quite entertaining.

Finally, on Sunday morning, we are participating in our first "adventure race", the Warrior Dash. It's not so much a running race as it is an obstacle course. Sure, there will be some running to get from obstacle to obstacle... but really, it's all about the obstacles. And the mud. There will be lots and lots of mud. I typically try to avoid mud when I run, so this will be quite a change of pace for me.

So that's my confession. I'm running three races in one weekend. Wow, it feels so good to get that off my chest!

*passes baton to the right* Now you go. What's your running-related confession?

Peace. Love. Train.