You Can’t Spell “Craptastic 12 Miler” Without “Crap”

Yeah, it sucked.

I headed out to run some of the half marathon course (race in 4 days!!!). (Editors note: this run was along the same road as the race, but this run was on the trail along the road. The race takes place on the street.) It was the same 12 mile training run that I did last year just a few days before the race. It was my final long run to see how I stacked up to last year.

I drove the course the day before, and I noted landmarks every 1/2 mile so I could track my splits. Here are the notes taped to my arm before the run:

Here was the “out and back” route I was going to run:

I got to the designated point, and started running. A few blocks later, I was on Shepard Trail. It was plowed, but not well. My YakTrax were doing their job.

Mile 1: 7:29
Mile 2: 7:34

A little slow, but there was a fair amount of snow to work through on the path. Just after the first mile, the path was no longer plowed. There were a lot of deep footprints, a few deer tracks, but no flat, smooth areas. “This is going to suck,” I thought. That lasted nearly 2 miles, until about the mile 3 marker.

Mile 3: 7:35

Back to plowed paths.

Mile 4: 7:17

Coming up on mile 5, the path became unplowed again. And not just “not recently plowed.” But more like, “not plowed all winter.” SH*T. What’s the deal St. Paul? You plow some parts and just leave others?! WTF?!? This map is the same map as above, but this one shows the areas in red on the elevation chart that were NOT plowed:

Does that make any sense to you?!? I QUICKLY decided that I couldn’t run another mile on this AND THEN turn around only to do another mile more. I turned around at mile 5 instead of mile 6 - I figured I’d make up the extra 2 miles back near where I started.

Mile 5: 7:25

Because of the crappy non-plowed trail, mile 4.5 to mile 5.5 was one of my slowest miles in recent history. Because of that,

We.
Shall.
Never.
Speak.
Of.
This.
Mile.
Again.

Thank you.

Mile 6: 7:50
Mile 7: 7:15
Mile 8: 7:51
Mile 9: 7:32
Mile 10: 7:08

I was able to start picking up the pace, but I should have been able to go faster. All those sinking and uneven foot-strides really beat me up, and my times were really suffering. (My knees were getting sore too.) I got back to my car at mile 10, and then turned around to run out 1 more mile and back 1 more mile. That’s torture (to be “done,” but to have to turn around and do more).

Mile 11: 6:33
Mile 12: 6:28

Total: 1:28:10. Dang. I was REALLY hoping for about 4 to 7 minutes faster. Talk about 1 final letdown before the big race. This was supposed to be the “confidence booster run,” and not the “kick me in the nuts run.”

I got to the car and grabbed my camera.

It wasn’t SUPER cold (around 10 degrees with not much wind chill), but I still got nice and frosty. My eyelashes and facial stubble had ice crystals covering them. I also snapped a photo of the notes taped to my arm, as they (and my hoodie) were soaked through with sweat:

When I looked in the mirror in the car, I saw all the ice crystals on either side of my hat. Apparently, my ears give off enough moisture to save small equatorial countries from major summer droughts:

At home, I got out my “athletic logs” from the last few years and compared my long runs. This first set is training for my first half marathon a year ago, and the next set is times from the past few weeks:

Dec 07 / Jan 08:
7 miler: 51:57
8 miler: 59:39
9 miler: 1:06:31
10 miler: 1:13:45
11 miler: 1:18:28
12 miler: 1:25:43

Dec 08 / Jan 09:
7 miler: 46:29 (5:28 better)
8 miler: 52:57 (6:42 better)
9 miler: 1:02:02 (4:29 better)
10 miler: 1:07:28 (6:17 better)
11 miler: 1:12:41 (5:47 better)
12 miler: 1:28:10 (2:27 worse)

Everything was GREAT until yesterday’s 12 mile run. I hope I can just blame it on poor conditions. I know I need to tread lightly here: if you can’t run this fast, I’m not trying to be insulting. I’m just hoping for the best possible race that I can run!

The good thing about that tough run yesterday is now ANY sort of PR will be considered great! I know I’ll be able to finish the race (my “D Goal”). I hope I can go sub-1:30 (C Goal). I’d LOVE to PR: sub-1:29 (B Goal). And my “A Goal” is to have my finish time start with 1:26 or 1:27! We’ll see what happens.

The half marathon is just 4 days away!!! Pharmie, Jeremy, and Jen are running the half with me. And Borsch and Kaeti are thinking about doing the 5K. (Am I missing anyone?) Wish us all luck!!