Kim is a beast...

Thursday, September 09, 2010

I get such a rush from watching kids race that I’ve had a hand in coaching. I had that chance again last night as Kim Lorentz blazed around Firestone Metro Park – the University of Akron’s home course, to an Invitational victory. She went out hard and dared the competition to stay with her. This would be no strategically-determined sprint for the finish, but instead a gut-busting, who can run hard the longest kind of race. All about strength and pain and who can stand it the longest. It has been her style…she’s hard as nails and after only 3 minutes into the 5K race, I could see the strain on the faces of the three girls trying to stick with her. She’d open up about three yards on them and judging by their body language, I knew it would be all Kim from there to the finish.

She continued to widen that gap and cruised home with a 20-second victory. She missed her course record by one second, but was all smiles after the race. She’s had a rash of injuries throughout her college career, but has persevered…inspiring me to overcome my recent bouts with maladies. I think she will go far this year and expect to see her in the NCAA cross finals this fall.

I seem to be getting myself back in the groove. I knew it would be tricky working out with the time constraints created by going to her race and having to get home for Savannah’s farewell dinner. I had packed the bike in the car and managed to squeeze in a ride prior to Kim’s race on the roads south and east of Firestone. I didn’t know where I was going and found myself on roads crowded with traffic, but was determined to get in at least a one-hour ride. I accomplished this goal – logging 75 minutes. There was a strong head wind on the return of this out and back and I made the most of it pushing hard the entire time. The last trip to the Adirondacks is a little over a week away, so I want to put the finishing touches on my conditioning. Riding is all I have so I have to really push it hard.

It was another heavy, family dinner though. Baked spaghetti (cheese, bacon and other amazingly good-tasting, fatty stuff) followed by a dessert of apple pie and ice cream. It had been almost 48 hours since my last taste of ice cream and I was suffering from acute withdrawal. I made up for it quickly. I did manage another late-night walk in the neighborhood with Holly, though not enough to offset that meal. Tomorrow…long ride for sure.

Bike duration: One hour and 15 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 125.
Calories burned during workout: 1,125.