Pig Simulation Run

First of all CONGRATS to MEB!!!!! And to Rita Jeptoo... course record! Amazing! And congrats to everyone else running today. I've been glued to my computer all morning! So proud and happy to have one of the Bitches out there running Boston for the first time (which means, I'm the only bitch who hasn't made it to Boston).

On Friday, I decided to do a Pig Simulation run. A couple of months ago, I was looking at the course elevation map and trying to figure out what I could to do to try and mimic the epic hill in the beginning of the race.

Id

Fun times.

For shits and giggles I decided to try and compare that hill to a hill at Percy Warner Park. So, I looked at the Monkey Marathon.

Ridonkulous.

But, if you'll notice... the hill at mile 18ish at the Monkey is fairly similiar in elevation and distance. And, I know that hill. It's the backside of 9 mile hill in PWP. I decided that it would be about perfect to go to the Park... run the boulevard first (about 6 miles) and then start to chug up the hill. I figured it would be a good workout  and simulation for race day. I would practice my form and maybe more importantly... practice not checking out mentally as soon as I get to that monster.

Friday morning was the perfect day. I was skipping work that day (I worked on April 16th even though our office was closed, so I decided to take Friday off instead. Boom). But, when the morning came... I was trying to chicken out. Luckily, I was somehow motivated to drive myself to the park, so once I was there... I was like.. okay, let's get this shit done. 

I hadn't really thought too much about my strategy, except that I wanted to try and keep around an 8:30 pace. That was a mistake. I hopped out of the car, started my watch and I was off. OFF LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL.

 Or ya know... like a squirrel in a plane.

By the time I finished the boulevard and started up the hill.... it occurred to me... HEY DUMB ASS. MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE EASED INTO THE PACE, so you'd still have some gas left in the tank.

It's amazing to me, that after years of running

and years of being coached I can still

be such a fucking idiot sometimes.

Needless to say the hill felt like DEATH. There is no telling what pace I slowed down to while chugging up the damn thing, but I tried to capitalize like hell on the downhill.

Reenactment.

At the end, I collapsed in a heap and of course.. I also forgot to bring water with me. Amateur. I ended up with about an 8:40 pace for the entire thing and I think it's a great exercise/workout for the Pig, but I think it would probably be better to run it around 9:00 pace the whole way, instead of trying to kill myself. 

This is how it mapped out.

I'm hoping to do this run one more time before the race at a much easier pace. I also think it would have been VERY beneficial to do this run as the first part of a long run. (For instance, do this and then run out to Radnor Lake and back, which is about 9 miles). If ever do the Pig again... I will definitely incorporate that route into my training.