Davis Stampede + Super Bowl Sunday

I had this bright idea that it would be *fun* to run a half-marathon as a *training run* in advance of the Napa Valley Marathon on Mar. 6.  When the alarm bells rang, the bright idea seemed like a dim, distantly memorable nightmare.  But I got up, ran some miles in advance and towed the line.  

I decided my goal was to run 1:35 for the distance.  The first few miles were easy and too fast (7 mpm or under).  Around miles 7-10, things got ugly.  Since my watch doesn't really work, I have no idea what the pace was.  The last two miles I got remotivated and ended up at the finish line in 1:34:58. That works out to basically 7:15 mpm pace.  I had two seconds to spare.  Though had I not stopped at mile 8 for like 30-40 seconds, I might have had more.  Basically I've determined a major flaw in my training.  While I have done "long" runs, I tend to stop during those runs to "Gu" up or just catch my breath.  So a 20 mile run really is just a series of shorter runs.  Distance running requires endurance, which I don't have.  So today, the 13.1 kicked my ass (though I did meet my goal) precisely because I couldn't stop (with exception of the 8 mile mark) and couldn't stop the watch.   So I have exactly 1 month to the day until Napa.  No clue what a plausible goal is.  1:35 times 2=3:10 and that is not a possible goal at this time.  So we'll see.

On the Davis Stampede?  I waited in line yesterday for 45 minutes to pick up my race number.  So I wasn't happy.  But the management of the race today was tremendous.  Conditions were not ideal: a stiff headwind from the north/northwest and for the exposed parts of the course, it actually was pretty warm.   Ultimately, I'm glad I did it, though halfway through, I was not too happy. 

Total miles for the day....around 18.5 or so. 

NOW, it's Super Bowl time.   Enjoying some Sierra Nevada Torpedo Ale.  Going to eat tri-tip, buffalo shrimp w/blue cheese dip and celery and what have you. 

I love watching the Super Bowl even if the Chiefs seemingly will never, EVER make another appearance.  I'm rooting for the Packers.  It will be a cold day in hell before I pull for the Steelers.  Prediction: Packers 24, Steelers 20. 

I'm tired.  But all is good.

Out.