Distance Dreamers Questionaire, week #2

Before I dive into this week's Distance Dreamers questions, I first want to tell about my workout this morning. I am VERY proud of what I did this morning, even if it was a short workout.

My legs were totally shot this morning as I started my 17.62 mile bike done on the hilly part of the Westchester Tri Course. But I still was able to manage a 19.2 mph average. My legs did the classic feel like crap at the beginning, throughout the climbing and on through till the end, until the final 3 miles when they finally warmed up.

Then it was off for a 4 mile run. In weeks past, I have been doing bricks in dry heat and that resulted in some speedy runs. When it has been humid, like this morning, that run is like a slow death march through maple syrup. This morning I FINALLY broke through the fumidity! I knocked off 4 miles in 31:15 for a 7:49 pace. My splits came out as:
7:32
7:57
7:52
7:57

I feel VERY victorious and ready to kick Timberman's boot-ay in 10 days and counting!
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Abbi over @ Higher Miles gave us two more questions to answer as part of the Distance Dreamers first time marathoners group.

What is your best running memory/experience?
What is your worst running memory/experience?

I am going to go with worst first, except it was also my "best" in terms of time, but definitely the worst in terms of the experience and definitely THE worst running memory. My goal this season was to nail the half marathon, and I PR'ed it with a 1:45:19 at the NYC Half Marathon. However! To get there, meant "holding" on while trying not to "go" while going. Get it?!??! I was good until about mile 4 when I started to feel "movement." By mile 8 it was excruciatingly painful mentally to pass by a porto potty. I can't even describe the last 5.1 miles (other than the sub 8 min miles); I wanted that PR!!! I got it, but then had a miserable few following days recovering. Apparently its not healthy to hold it that long?!?!? Ok folks, enough said! But I did get that f-ing PR! haha!

My best experience was also this season when I PR'ed the Half Marathon during a Half Ironman Triathlon @ Ironman Mooseman 70.3, with a 1:50:03. It wasn't my fastest half marathon, but it was the most victorious half marathon. That day was epic. Not only was it only 62 degrees and POURING rain, but it also had one of the hardest bike courses on the 70.3 circuit. Look below at the elevation profile on the bike!!!

So after the bike my morale was shot, I was freezing cold and my legs were giving me two middle fingers. Stick a fork in me, right? So I transitioned and started the half marathon totally mentally unprepared to duke this one out.

My legs suddenly opened up and I ran like a man possessed knocking off sub 8 min miles. My legs felt great! That one run that day saved my season because while I was out on the bike that day, I was ready to quite triathlon all together. That was how miserable I was! Now I prefer racing in the rain because it keeps me cool and allows me to go faster.

I am a big believer in that the worst experiences are also your best, because something good always comes out of them that you will never discover if everything always went right 100% of the time.