Have mostly recovered from the cold/flu that hit me last week, and it got up in the mid-30s today, so I decided a little jaunt around the park was in order.
I did four on the treadmill yesterday afternoon and that was okay but outside is so much better if I can avoid the ice.
Did a mile warmup on the treadmill first, and then out for the three miles around the park. Wore moderately heavy tights and my heaviest running top, gloves and my nike cap---just about right for the temp and the distance.
Went okay. Going to try to build back up to a decent long run this weekend. Yesterday I took out the schedule and tried to see if it was still possible to get some decent training in before Little Rock. It appears that it will be but who knows if I will actually do it.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Dirty Dozen Trail Awards
This morning I attended a brunch at The Running Spot, where we got our awards for the trail running series. If you did at least six races, you got a participation award---the vase-type item on the right in the pic. The urn-like item on the left is for placing in the top 12 runners based on your best five placements. I guess I have to mention that on the men's side it is fairly competititve, but as few women currently compete in these events, it is a lot easier for us chicks. There were only ten women who completed at least five races, so everyone of us who did that made the Dirty Dozen.
If I had tried harder in the first few races, I would have finished in 6th place, but the women in the top five actually were pretty quick, so I probably couldn't have beaten them even if I tried. The women behind me, however, were well back.
If I had tried harder in the first few races, I would have finished in 6th place, but the women in the top five actually were pretty quick, so I probably couldn't have beaten them even if I tried. The women behind me, however, were well back.
Thursday, December 09, 2010
It's a treadmill week
Well, it does warm up to about 30 during the days, and sometimes there is even a bit of sun. But I am so paranoid about ice that I've been sticking to the mill.
Today sucks because I am waiting for the Duke Energy guy to come and "upgrade" our gas and electric meters. The time window for this visit is 12-4. It is past 3 pm now and now sign of him (I assume it is a him). I am afraid to venture too far from the front door, in order to intercept and turn off the dog alarm (as best I can). The treadmill is in the basement so I can't get on it until after the guy leaves. Because, I am not running on it while he is here! But first he has to arrive.
Not to mention that I haven't showered or changed out of my dog walking clothes, because the plan was to run after the Duke guy left and then shower. I figured he would show up close to noon or even before (like last time they were supposed to come). But no.
I also have turned up the heat upstairs because Tommy says when they do this meter thing they are going to turn off the gas, so the pilot will go out in the upstairs furnace. And if figured if I let it be a little warmer up there than it would be warm enough until Tommy gets home to light the pilot again. The downstairs furnace is not a problem but the hot water heater will be. Oh yeah, hot water. I guess if the Duke guy ever comes I will have him light the pilot on the hot watr heater.
Been thinking about maybe doing a 5k this weekend but haven't signed up for anything. Not bringing Ed. His feet have been irritated by the salt on the roads, and I am having a heck of a time keeping them clean and dry. He gets a soak in epson salts every morning after our walk, and then I blow dry his feet and after that he has to wear his cone if it looks like he is going to start chewing on his feet. So no running for him.
Today sucks because I am waiting for the Duke Energy guy to come and "upgrade" our gas and electric meters. The time window for this visit is 12-4. It is past 3 pm now and now sign of him (I assume it is a him). I am afraid to venture too far from the front door, in order to intercept and turn off the dog alarm (as best I can). The treadmill is in the basement so I can't get on it until after the guy leaves. Because, I am not running on it while he is here! But first he has to arrive.
Not to mention that I haven't showered or changed out of my dog walking clothes, because the plan was to run after the Duke guy left and then shower. I figured he would show up close to noon or even before (like last time they were supposed to come). But no.
I also have turned up the heat upstairs because Tommy says when they do this meter thing they are going to turn off the gas, so the pilot will go out in the upstairs furnace. And if figured if I let it be a little warmer up there than it would be warm enough until Tommy gets home to light the pilot again. The downstairs furnace is not a problem but the hot water heater will be. Oh yeah, hot water. I guess if the Duke guy ever comes I will have him light the pilot on the hot watr heater.
Been thinking about maybe doing a 5k this weekend but haven't signed up for anything. Not bringing Ed. His feet have been irritated by the salt on the roads, and I am having a heck of a time keeping them clean and dry. He gets a soak in epson salts every morning after our walk, and then I blow dry his feet and after that he has to wear his cone if it looks like he is going to start chewing on his feet. So no running for him.
Monday, November 15, 2010
I have a headache
Which can be an excuse for a lot of things that I am not getting done today. I did run 3 miles around the park with Ed, faster than usual despite a few Ed-imposed "breaks." I gave Maggie a bath. I folded some laundry.
Maggie had diarrhea this afternoon and that is stressing me out. Is it something she picked up at the agility trial this weekend? Is it stress-related? Is it from eating too much "junk" all weekend?
Will my headache go away soon? Do I need to make more coffee?
Maggie had diarrhea this afternoon and that is stressing me out. Is it something she picked up at the agility trial this weekend? Is it stress-related? Is it from eating too much "junk" all weekend?
Will my headache go away soon? Do I need to make more coffee?
Sunday, November 07, 2010
The rest of the world knows
The rest of the world knows who won the NYC marathon today, but since I've been up in Mason, OH running a half-marathon, and have been avoiding news sources since I finished, I don't know yet. Am getting ready to watch the taped coverage on NBC beginning at 2 pm. I hope Meb, Ritz & Shalane had good races. Don't spoil it for me!
I had a great half-marathon. 2:06 and change, did not slow down in the second half but finished strong, my best half in a long time. I have to look it up, but I think it's been a few years. It was a beautiful morning to run. Really glad I went up to Mason and did that race. Sure beat the 8 miler I was scheduled to run by myself.
I had a great half-marathon. 2:06 and change, did not slow down in the second half but finished strong, my best half in a long time. I have to look it up, but I think it's been a few years. It was a beautiful morning to run. Really glad I went up to Mason and did that race. Sure beat the 8 miler I was scheduled to run by myself.
Saturday, November 06, 2010
Why are running shorts getting smaller?
I stopped by Fleet Feet to pick up my race number for the half marathon tomorrow. The shirt is a lot nicer than last time I did this race. It's a shortsleeved black technical top in a woman's cut.
Anyway, browsed the sale rack for a few minutes. Mostly running shorts on sale now that winter is a'coming. I haven't bought any shorts for awhile, and my casual observation is that they seem to be getting smaller. Shorter. Not just lower cut but with very tiny inseams. Since I am not getting any smaller myself, I view this as a very disturbing development.
I did not buy anything.
Anyway, browsed the sale rack for a few minutes. Mostly running shorts on sale now that winter is a'coming. I haven't bought any shorts for awhile, and my casual observation is that they seem to be getting smaller. Shorter. Not just lower cut but with very tiny inseams. Since I am not getting any smaller myself, I view this as a very disturbing development.
I did not buy anything.
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Mt. Airy 27k trail race
This was the final race in the Dirt Days Trail series. For this one, we returned to Mt. Airy Forest, on the west side of Cincinnati. Mt. Airy is the largest US park located within a city limits. It's bigger than Central Park. I did the 5.6 mile race here back in April.
The 27k has been added on to an already existing event, the Stone Steps 50k race. I've attended and participated in that one a couple of times but never finished. In fact, I've never gotten past the first 8.5 mile lap. The first year (2003) it was just shortly after my knee surgery, so I showed up to volunteer for awhile. I returned to run in 2006 & 2007, hoping to get a long run in but never expecting to finish. I had hoped to get a little further than one lap in 2007, but it was not to be.
The last few years, there have been other events---dog shows, probably---that kept me from running. Plus the probability that I would not be able to finish a 50k race within the time allowed. So I was excited when they added the 27k event, because I thought that was something within the realm of possibility for me.
And so it was, but it wasn't pretty.
I've never run farther than that 8.5 mile loop on any trails. My longest "training" run for this event was about seven or so in Ault Park last week. So, I went into this long trail run about as trained as I ever seem to be for my marathons---not much. Just another exercise in mind over matter.
This is one part of the trail series that I could have skipped and still maintained my standing in the "Dirty Dozen" of the top 12 women in the series. I would improve my point total by completing it---knocking out 30 points from one of those early jogs and replacing it with a number less than 20. There were just 20 women registered for this race, so even if I was last, I would improve my point total.
Since you have to complete five races in the series to be ranked, I also figured out that I could not be knocked out of the rankings, no matter who showed up to do this last race. There were just four or five women who had done four races, which meant that they could possibly get in the Dirty Dozen if they did this one. But all except one of them was slower than me, so they wouldn't be able to knock me out of my spot. (The one exception is a speedster who actually did show up and won the race, which put her in first place and moved me down to seventh.)
I also couldn't possibly move ahead of the woman who was just ahead of me in the rankings. Well, it would be theoretically possible but it would require me to finish twelve places ahead of her among the women. Since we seem to run about the same pace, and there were only twenty women registrered for the race, this was really not going to be happening.
I didn't need to run the race to be in the Dirty Dozen, or to have finished the required six races to get the special "participation" award, and finishing it wouldn't make any difference to anybody...except me.
We had great weather for a change this year---high 50s-low 60s at the start, and it didn't get much warmer, a little sun and dry. Arrived at the start a little before 8 am for the 8:30 race. The 50k runners started at 8 am and the "trekkers" (just two of them this year) started at 7. If I ever do the 50k, I might have to do it as a trekker in order to get that extra hour.
I wore my CW-X compression capri tights that are so kind to my knees and a short sleeve top. On my feet, I went with the Saucony Xodus trail shoes. I did have my thin tyvek jacket from the Las Vegas marathon on as well, but I took it off right before the start. I had a parking space in the oval right near the road crossing where we came out of the shorter loop, so I could have left my gear in the car, but instead I put a bag up in the shelter area with everybody else's. That was just a tad more convenient. I had to pass through the shelter at the completion of each loop, so if I needed anything it would be handy. I had packed a spare pair of shoes (my Salomons) and socks, and it's always comforting to have the option of making a switch mid-race if you want.
I wore my old fanny pack that holds a 20-ounce water bottle, and I brought along a couple of GUs and a pack of GU Chomps (strawberry flavor, yum). I decided to have a gel or some chomps every three to four miles or so, and I needed to carry the water to wash it all down. Also, I couldn't make it through a 17 mile race without having some water every mile or so, and this was the only way to get it. There weren't any aid stations out on the trails, so without my water bottle I would only be able to drink when I cam though the shelter after each loop. I did need to refill it each time but that was no big deal.
Chatted a bit with Brenda W., tried to absorb the instructions from the race directors (I was still going to need help after each loop trying to figure out which way to run next!) and at 8:30 we were off. I quickly fell to the back of the 50-person pack. I was not going to push it. By the time we hit the actual trails, there were probably only about 10 people behind me, and after about a mile or so I let most of them go by. Brenda was ahead of me but I didn't care. This was just about finishing, I kept telling myself.
The trails in this park are, from my perspective, rather technical. There are some fairly steep sections, a lot of singletrack with loose rocks, and then there are the infamous Stone Steps. Not to mention, something called Gummy Bear Hill that I thought was worse than the steps. You climb up the steps, so it's not like you're going to fall. But you run down this Gummy Bear Hill thing (before you run up it!) and you actually could fall. I didn't feel comfortable running freely in my decrepit, elderly state, so the necessary braking action really took a toll on my quads. I am wondering if that is where the Gummy Bear name comes from.
There were mile makers---red paper plates attached to the trees---so I could keep track of my pace. Mile 1 was 10:08---probably faster than advisable for me and still I was almost in last place even then! Mile 2 was 10:31. In mile 3, we climbed the Stone Steps for the first time, so that was a 14:03. Mile 4 was an 11:26, and mile 5 (including the Gummy Bear Hill) was 14:31.
We came out of the first loop in the middle of mile 5 (approximately 5.3 miles), crossed the timing mats and passed through the shelter, where I had a cup of Heed and refilled my water bottle. My time for the first loop was 1:04:43. I took off in the wrong direction for the short loop, and had to turn around and come back. A bit embarrassing!
Sometime during miles 2-5, I had actually managed to pass a couple of people, including Brenda. Going into the second loop, I was two minutes ahead of her. That would soon change.
The second loop is what I guess you call a lollipop loop, so there is this section in the beginning where you have to get out of the way of the faster runners who are coming toward you. For me, this was not just the 27k runners but also the 50k runners. A lot of getting out of the way. I was also beginning to get lapped by some of the 50k runners coming up behind me. I don't even know what loop they were on at that point.
Mile 6 was 19:32---this included my refueling stop and my little detour, but still seems a bit ridiculously long. I guess I was getting fried already at that point. So, I'm only good for about 5 miles of trail running! Mile 7 was 20:57. Oh yeah, I got lost during this mile, in about the same place that I managed to get lost in 2006, so that did account for a couple of minutes of it. When I got back on the course, Brenda was just ahead of me and that was the closest I would get to her.
(I know, it is quite ridiculous to be obsessed with my position in this race relative to this nice person that I barely know, but really, I'm just using this as a yardstick of my own fitness. Really.)
Seems like the mile 7 marker was in the wrong place, because mile 8 was 6:38. After the 3.2 mile second loop, I came through the shelter again in a combined time of 1:51:50. Slow as this is, it is still quite a bit faster than my time for my previous two attempts at the 50k race. The first year it took me 2:25, and the second time it took me 2:09. So 1:51 is a huge improvement.
My left foot had really started to bother me during this second loop, so I decided to change shoes while passing through the shelter. The right foot felt fine, so I just switched the left one. Yes, this meant I was wearing mismatched shoes, but it's not the first time. I figured that in a trail race, on terrain that is uneven to begin with, it would make even less difference than usual. I think this whole idea that your shoes have to match is just to make it easier for the shoe companies, anyway.
Also, the chip was on my right shoe, and it would have been a major PITA to change that over to another shoe.
This time I took off in the correct direction. Mile 9 was 16:19 (including the time it took to change my shoe). Mile 10 was 15:10. Mile 11 (Stone Steps again) was 20:15. Mile 12 was 16:37. Things were getting bad, but not as bad as they would become. The shoe change didn't really seem to help. It wasn't any worse, but it wasn't any better. I was glad I had switched, though, because if I hadn't I would have thought that I should have and been regretting it. But basically I was just dragging that poor left leg around. It's not just the foot, but that poor old arthritic knee, which had already barked at me a few times when I landed on the loose rocks and slipped a bit.
I was considering dropping out. I was weighing the possibility that I was doing serious damage to my body, and also again realizing that I didn't NEED to finish this race. But I kept going.
Mile 13 (Gummy Bear again) was 21:15. I made it back to the shelter from loop 3 in a total combined time of 3:27:04. The first two times in the shelter, I refilled my own water bottle, but this time I let a volunteer do it for me. Just 3.2 miles to go. Too bad it was going to take an hour!
Mile 14 was about 18 minutes (12:24 from the shelter). Mile 15 (which I assumed was at the # 7 marker, which was now laying on the ground somewhere) was 13:44, but that was obviously wrong because it wasn't like I was getting faster. Mile 16 was 26:04! I think if you just combine miles 15 and 16, it comes out to me toodling around at about 20 minute pace. I got passed here by one woman whom I had been ahead of the entire race. She told me that I was "a really fast walker" --- I think she meant this as a compliment but it was hard to take it that way.
And then, it was another 8:08 for the last little bit which must have been less than a mile. And finally it was over, in a total time of 4:27:26.
Bob Roncker took my picture at the finish line and I think he even gave me a hug, but I'm not sure because I was a touch delirious. There wasn't much left in the way of food. I had a handful of Oreo cookies and a few orange slices. So much for all the hype about the great food at the ultras. Imagine if I had actually been doing the 50k. There really wouldn't have been anything left.
As I was walking down the hill to the car, I heard them announcing the name of someone who actually finished behind me in the race. So I wasn't last, but almost. 45 of 46 finishers and 14 of 15 women. There were a couple of people who DNF'd so I guess you could say I beat them too. Age-graded, my time was 35 of 46 runners, a little bit better but not much.
At the time I am finishing this post, a couple of weeks after the race, we are still waiting to hear about when we will get our completion awards and whatever they are giving out for the Dirty Dozen. I am guessing it will be sports bags for the completion awards, and like I really need another sports bag. I hope it is something more interesting for the Dirty Dozen. I am a trail goddess, dammit, and I demand a Shiny Metal Object!
The 27k has been added on to an already existing event, the Stone Steps 50k race. I've attended and participated in that one a couple of times but never finished. In fact, I've never gotten past the first 8.5 mile lap. The first year (2003) it was just shortly after my knee surgery, so I showed up to volunteer for awhile. I returned to run in 2006 & 2007, hoping to get a long run in but never expecting to finish. I had hoped to get a little further than one lap in 2007, but it was not to be.
The last few years, there have been other events---dog shows, probably---that kept me from running. Plus the probability that I would not be able to finish a 50k race within the time allowed. So I was excited when they added the 27k event, because I thought that was something within the realm of possibility for me.
And so it was, but it wasn't pretty.
I've never run farther than that 8.5 mile loop on any trails. My longest "training" run for this event was about seven or so in Ault Park last week. So, I went into this long trail run about as trained as I ever seem to be for my marathons---not much. Just another exercise in mind over matter.
This is one part of the trail series that I could have skipped and still maintained my standing in the "Dirty Dozen" of the top 12 women in the series. I would improve my point total by completing it---knocking out 30 points from one of those early jogs and replacing it with a number less than 20. There were just 20 women registered for this race, so even if I was last, I would improve my point total.
Since you have to complete five races in the series to be ranked, I also figured out that I could not be knocked out of the rankings, no matter who showed up to do this last race. There were just four or five women who had done four races, which meant that they could possibly get in the Dirty Dozen if they did this one. But all except one of them was slower than me, so they wouldn't be able to knock me out of my spot. (The one exception is a speedster who actually did show up and won the race, which put her in first place and moved me down to seventh.)
I also couldn't possibly move ahead of the woman who was just ahead of me in the rankings. Well, it would be theoretically possible but it would require me to finish twelve places ahead of her among the women. Since we seem to run about the same pace, and there were only twenty women registrered for the race, this was really not going to be happening.
I didn't need to run the race to be in the Dirty Dozen, or to have finished the required six races to get the special "participation" award, and finishing it wouldn't make any difference to anybody...except me.
We had great weather for a change this year---high 50s-low 60s at the start, and it didn't get much warmer, a little sun and dry. Arrived at the start a little before 8 am for the 8:30 race. The 50k runners started at 8 am and the "trekkers" (just two of them this year) started at 7. If I ever do the 50k, I might have to do it as a trekker in order to get that extra hour.
I wore my CW-X compression capri tights that are so kind to my knees and a short sleeve top. On my feet, I went with the Saucony Xodus trail shoes. I did have my thin tyvek jacket from the Las Vegas marathon on as well, but I took it off right before the start. I had a parking space in the oval right near the road crossing where we came out of the shorter loop, so I could have left my gear in the car, but instead I put a bag up in the shelter area with everybody else's. That was just a tad more convenient. I had to pass through the shelter at the completion of each loop, so if I needed anything it would be handy. I had packed a spare pair of shoes (my Salomons) and socks, and it's always comforting to have the option of making a switch mid-race if you want.
I wore my old fanny pack that holds a 20-ounce water bottle, and I brought along a couple of GUs and a pack of GU Chomps (strawberry flavor, yum). I decided to have a gel or some chomps every three to four miles or so, and I needed to carry the water to wash it all down. Also, I couldn't make it through a 17 mile race without having some water every mile or so, and this was the only way to get it. There weren't any aid stations out on the trails, so without my water bottle I would only be able to drink when I cam though the shelter after each loop. I did need to refill it each time but that was no big deal.
Chatted a bit with Brenda W., tried to absorb the instructions from the race directors (I was still going to need help after each loop trying to figure out which way to run next!) and at 8:30 we were off. I quickly fell to the back of the 50-person pack. I was not going to push it. By the time we hit the actual trails, there were probably only about 10 people behind me, and after about a mile or so I let most of them go by. Brenda was ahead of me but I didn't care. This was just about finishing, I kept telling myself.
The trails in this park are, from my perspective, rather technical. There are some fairly steep sections, a lot of singletrack with loose rocks, and then there are the infamous Stone Steps. Not to mention, something called Gummy Bear Hill that I thought was worse than the steps. You climb up the steps, so it's not like you're going to fall. But you run down this Gummy Bear Hill thing (before you run up it!) and you actually could fall. I didn't feel comfortable running freely in my decrepit, elderly state, so the necessary braking action really took a toll on my quads. I am wondering if that is where the Gummy Bear name comes from.
There were mile makers---red paper plates attached to the trees---so I could keep track of my pace. Mile 1 was 10:08---probably faster than advisable for me and still I was almost in last place even then! Mile 2 was 10:31. In mile 3, we climbed the Stone Steps for the first time, so that was a 14:03. Mile 4 was an 11:26, and mile 5 (including the Gummy Bear Hill) was 14:31.
We came out of the first loop in the middle of mile 5 (approximately 5.3 miles), crossed the timing mats and passed through the shelter, where I had a cup of Heed and refilled my water bottle. My time for the first loop was 1:04:43. I took off in the wrong direction for the short loop, and had to turn around and come back. A bit embarrassing!
Sometime during miles 2-5, I had actually managed to pass a couple of people, including Brenda. Going into the second loop, I was two minutes ahead of her. That would soon change.
The second loop is what I guess you call a lollipop loop, so there is this section in the beginning where you have to get out of the way of the faster runners who are coming toward you. For me, this was not just the 27k runners but also the 50k runners. A lot of getting out of the way. I was also beginning to get lapped by some of the 50k runners coming up behind me. I don't even know what loop they were on at that point.
Mile 6 was 19:32---this included my refueling stop and my little detour, but still seems a bit ridiculously long. I guess I was getting fried already at that point. So, I'm only good for about 5 miles of trail running! Mile 7 was 20:57. Oh yeah, I got lost during this mile, in about the same place that I managed to get lost in 2006, so that did account for a couple of minutes of it. When I got back on the course, Brenda was just ahead of me and that was the closest I would get to her.
(I know, it is quite ridiculous to be obsessed with my position in this race relative to this nice person that I barely know, but really, I'm just using this as a yardstick of my own fitness. Really.)
Seems like the mile 7 marker was in the wrong place, because mile 8 was 6:38. After the 3.2 mile second loop, I came through the shelter again in a combined time of 1:51:50. Slow as this is, it is still quite a bit faster than my time for my previous two attempts at the 50k race. The first year it took me 2:25, and the second time it took me 2:09. So 1:51 is a huge improvement.
My left foot had really started to bother me during this second loop, so I decided to change shoes while passing through the shelter. The right foot felt fine, so I just switched the left one. Yes, this meant I was wearing mismatched shoes, but it's not the first time. I figured that in a trail race, on terrain that is uneven to begin with, it would make even less difference than usual. I think this whole idea that your shoes have to match is just to make it easier for the shoe companies, anyway.
Also, the chip was on my right shoe, and it would have been a major PITA to change that over to another shoe.
This time I took off in the correct direction. Mile 9 was 16:19 (including the time it took to change my shoe). Mile 10 was 15:10. Mile 11 (Stone Steps again) was 20:15. Mile 12 was 16:37. Things were getting bad, but not as bad as they would become. The shoe change didn't really seem to help. It wasn't any worse, but it wasn't any better. I was glad I had switched, though, because if I hadn't I would have thought that I should have and been regretting it. But basically I was just dragging that poor left leg around. It's not just the foot, but that poor old arthritic knee, which had already barked at me a few times when I landed on the loose rocks and slipped a bit.
I was considering dropping out. I was weighing the possibility that I was doing serious damage to my body, and also again realizing that I didn't NEED to finish this race. But I kept going.
Mile 13 (Gummy Bear again) was 21:15. I made it back to the shelter from loop 3 in a total combined time of 3:27:04. The first two times in the shelter, I refilled my own water bottle, but this time I let a volunteer do it for me. Just 3.2 miles to go. Too bad it was going to take an hour!
Mile 14 was about 18 minutes (12:24 from the shelter). Mile 15 (which I assumed was at the # 7 marker, which was now laying on the ground somewhere) was 13:44, but that was obviously wrong because it wasn't like I was getting faster. Mile 16 was 26:04! I think if you just combine miles 15 and 16, it comes out to me toodling around at about 20 minute pace. I got passed here by one woman whom I had been ahead of the entire race. She told me that I was "a really fast walker" --- I think she meant this as a compliment but it was hard to take it that way.
And then, it was another 8:08 for the last little bit which must have been less than a mile. And finally it was over, in a total time of 4:27:26.
Bob Roncker took my picture at the finish line and I think he even gave me a hug, but I'm not sure because I was a touch delirious. There wasn't much left in the way of food. I had a handful of Oreo cookies and a few orange slices. So much for all the hype about the great food at the ultras. Imagine if I had actually been doing the 50k. There really wouldn't have been anything left.
As I was walking down the hill to the car, I heard them announcing the name of someone who actually finished behind me in the race. So I wasn't last, but almost. 45 of 46 finishers and 14 of 15 women. There were a couple of people who DNF'd so I guess you could say I beat them too. Age-graded, my time was 35 of 46 runners, a little bit better but not much.
At the time I am finishing this post, a couple of weeks after the race, we are still waiting to hear about when we will get our completion awards and whatever they are giving out for the Dirty Dozen. I am guessing it will be sports bags for the completion awards, and like I really need another sports bag. I hope it is something more interesting for the Dirty Dozen. I am a trail goddess, dammit, and I demand a Shiny Metal Object!
Monday, October 18, 2010
Running with my best buddy
Thinking about taking Eddy along to NJ for Thanksgiving, and maybe doing the annual 5-mile race with him on the Friday. I have never gone over 4 miles with him but I think it would be okay if we go slow.
Today I decided it is finally cool enough to start taking him along on short runs again. He always wants to come along! So I took him out for a 2 1/2 mile loop of the park, very slow and easy. After all, we are both still tired from the weekend of agility. And he was so sick last month. But I think he has recovered.
After we finished, I went back out for a one mile trail loop by myself. I am going to gradually increase his distance as the weather gets colder. I am looking forward to bringing him along on a few of the fall and winter races.
Today I decided it is finally cool enough to start taking him along on short runs again. He always wants to come along! So I took him out for a 2 1/2 mile loop of the park, very slow and easy. After all, we are both still tired from the weekend of agility. And he was so sick last month. But I think he has recovered.
After we finished, I went back out for a one mile trail loop by myself. I am going to gradually increase his distance as the weather gets colder. I am looking forward to bringing him along on a few of the fall and winter races.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Harbin Park XC Maze
This was the next-to-last race in the trail series, on Sunday, Oct. 10. I love how these little trail races are getting me out to places that I'v never run before. This one was in Harbin Park, in Fairfield, OH.
I guess there are actually some real trails in this park based on my Google search, but our race took place on a double-loop maze marked out on the grassy open fields with yellow caution tape. The course was actually set up for a bike race, part of a cyclocross festival. I know very little about this event but I guess it was kind of a big deal. A much bigger deal, I suspect, than our little trail race.
Anyway, we got to run on the course before the bike races started, and they didn't start until an hour after we were done, so I didn't hang around. Supposedly there were 450 people entered in that (vs. 51 runners in our race).
Enough about the bikes.
I got there about 45 minutes before the race. We had to park in a little lot downhill from the packet pickup and start/finish of our race, so I got a bit of warmup jogging back and forth. Then I set out for a more proper warmup on the trails, so I could get a feel for what was to come. Basically non-stop rolling hills, mostly on a relatively packed and dry grass surface, but with a few sharp turms around trees/roots, one stretch of tall grass (did they forget to mow this part or was it intentionally left that way?). Also, a couple of "sand pits"---these I did not include in my warmup. They were really no big deal, just a bit of sandy area outside some playground equipment. Maybe 100 feet each time? Or less.
Spotted my age group competitor. I had decided on a strategy of running just behind her and kicking past her at the end. That was the tentative strategy, anyway. It really didn't matter too much where I finished in this race if I just want to stay in the Dirty Dozen. With so few women in the race, I could finish last and still improve on my 32nd place from the Ault Park Race. And no matter how far ahead I finished from my competition, it wouldn't change my spot in the Dirty Dozen because my first few placements were so uncompetitive.
But I wanted to do as well as I could, for myself.
The course was set up so we first ran around on one side of the park, then crossed over the road and hit the other side (where I had done most of my warmup). Then we would cross through the start/finish area again, and repeat the whole thing.
My competitor (whose name is Brenda), chatted me up a bit at the start. Asked me about my shoes (Saucony Grid Xodus). It's true, you don't see them much. She admired the pink soles, said they had street cred. Shouldn't that be "trail cred"?
And then we were off, and I just tried to keep her in sight. I didn't want to be too obvious about hanging off her shoulder, so I let her have a little distance in front of me. Basically, I was just not going to pass her. It was a challenging course, but the pace was not too uncomfortable for me. The sand pits and the grass were all on the back half of the course. The front half did have one very steep downhill section.
I learned that the best way to run through the sand is on your toes. No big deal even if you aren't trained for it if it's only for a short distance. The tall grass was no fun but at least I was prepared for it. There were also two little segments on the asphalt and it felt good to stretch out my legs and glide through those sections.
As we came out of the tall grass the first time, I pulled up closer to Brenda. Her breathing sounded pretty labored to me. Mine wasn't as bad, especially since I was trying not to sound so tired! So I pulled up even with her, and then, just after we passed the start line and began our second lap, I pulled ahead. I decided that she sounded so fatigued I would push the pace and see what happened. She did not go with me.
My first lap was 19:25. Since each lap was supposed to be a bit over two miles, I was pretty pleased with that considering the terrain. On the second lap, I really pushed on the downhills. I discovered that the best way to run them was to sort of leap in the air and skip down, rather than trying to maintain an even stride. There is so much about trail running that I still have to learn! How come I did not figure this part out until just now?
So, between really pushing the downhills and also anytime we went around a corner and I figured Brenda couldn't see me (something I learned from reading accounts of some elite races), I had soon pretty much dropped her. I didn't want to be so obvious as to turn my head to look, but with all the twists and turns and doubling back, I could pretty much check on her location without turning my head.
Managed to also pass a few old men before the finish. Didn't have to kick this time so didn't puke. Second loop was 19:11 (negative splits!), for an official time of 38:36. Interesting that it felt like I was pushing so much harder in the second half, but my time was just 14 seconds faster. It takes more effort and concentration to maintain the same pace in the second half of a race. Duh.
My latest nemesis finished about 1:30 behind me. So, I beat her by seconds two races ago, about 30 seconds last time, and 1:30 this time. Has she figured out yet that we are racing?
We chatted a bit after the race and formally introduced ourselves. She seems like a very nice lady. She works with someone I know from the dog world. She asked me for pre-race diet advice. I gave her my honest opinion (yogurt, banana, coffee), rather than trying to throw her off by telling her to eat a big steak five minutes before the start.
My finish put me 6 of 14 women and 37 of 51 runners (19 of 51 based on age-grading). Although this finish allowed me to lose my 32 points from the Ault Park Race, replacing it with the 6, it is still not enough to move me ahead of Brenda in the standings. At this point, I don't see that happening, unless there is some ridiculously large number of women showing up for the 27k race and a whole bunch of them finish in between me and Brenda. Actually, it's probably not even mathematically possible for me to pass her, no matter what.
In any case, it's unlikely, because the 27k field is limited to just 50 people and most of them will probably be men. And I'm going to have to take it really easy since I am intimidated by the distance. I have never run that far on trails before. There will be no deliberately hanging off Brenda's shoulder and hoping to kick past her at the end. I will start slow and just hope to finish. If I am able to run aggressively at all, it won't be until the second half of the race on the last small loop. But mainly I just have to finish. Any finish at all, even last place in the race, should improve my point total by replacing my 30th place points from the French Park race with some smaller number. It will keep me in the Dirty Dozen, probably still in 6th place, but not ahead of Brenda. Good enough.
I guess there are actually some real trails in this park based on my Google search, but our race took place on a double-loop maze marked out on the grassy open fields with yellow caution tape. The course was actually set up for a bike race, part of a cyclocross festival. I know very little about this event but I guess it was kind of a big deal. A much bigger deal, I suspect, than our little trail race.
Anyway, we got to run on the course before the bike races started, and they didn't start until an hour after we were done, so I didn't hang around. Supposedly there were 450 people entered in that (vs. 51 runners in our race).
Enough about the bikes.
I got there about 45 minutes before the race. We had to park in a little lot downhill from the packet pickup and start/finish of our race, so I got a bit of warmup jogging back and forth. Then I set out for a more proper warmup on the trails, so I could get a feel for what was to come. Basically non-stop rolling hills, mostly on a relatively packed and dry grass surface, but with a few sharp turms around trees/roots, one stretch of tall grass (did they forget to mow this part or was it intentionally left that way?). Also, a couple of "sand pits"---these I did not include in my warmup. They were really no big deal, just a bit of sandy area outside some playground equipment. Maybe 100 feet each time? Or less.
Spotted my age group competitor. I had decided on a strategy of running just behind her and kicking past her at the end. That was the tentative strategy, anyway. It really didn't matter too much where I finished in this race if I just want to stay in the Dirty Dozen. With so few women in the race, I could finish last and still improve on my 32nd place from the Ault Park Race. And no matter how far ahead I finished from my competition, it wouldn't change my spot in the Dirty Dozen because my first few placements were so uncompetitive.
But I wanted to do as well as I could, for myself.
The course was set up so we first ran around on one side of the park, then crossed over the road and hit the other side (where I had done most of my warmup). Then we would cross through the start/finish area again, and repeat the whole thing.
My competitor (whose name is Brenda), chatted me up a bit at the start. Asked me about my shoes (Saucony Grid Xodus). It's true, you don't see them much. She admired the pink soles, said they had street cred. Shouldn't that be "trail cred"?
And then we were off, and I just tried to keep her in sight. I didn't want to be too obvious about hanging off her shoulder, so I let her have a little distance in front of me. Basically, I was just not going to pass her. It was a challenging course, but the pace was not too uncomfortable for me. The sand pits and the grass were all on the back half of the course. The front half did have one very steep downhill section.
I learned that the best way to run through the sand is on your toes. No big deal even if you aren't trained for it if it's only for a short distance. The tall grass was no fun but at least I was prepared for it. There were also two little segments on the asphalt and it felt good to stretch out my legs and glide through those sections.
As we came out of the tall grass the first time, I pulled up closer to Brenda. Her breathing sounded pretty labored to me. Mine wasn't as bad, especially since I was trying not to sound so tired! So I pulled up even with her, and then, just after we passed the start line and began our second lap, I pulled ahead. I decided that she sounded so fatigued I would push the pace and see what happened. She did not go with me.
My first lap was 19:25. Since each lap was supposed to be a bit over two miles, I was pretty pleased with that considering the terrain. On the second lap, I really pushed on the downhills. I discovered that the best way to run them was to sort of leap in the air and skip down, rather than trying to maintain an even stride. There is so much about trail running that I still have to learn! How come I did not figure this part out until just now?
So, between really pushing the downhills and also anytime we went around a corner and I figured Brenda couldn't see me (something I learned from reading accounts of some elite races), I had soon pretty much dropped her. I didn't want to be so obvious as to turn my head to look, but with all the twists and turns and doubling back, I could pretty much check on her location without turning my head.
Managed to also pass a few old men before the finish. Didn't have to kick this time so didn't puke. Second loop was 19:11 (negative splits!), for an official time of 38:36. Interesting that it felt like I was pushing so much harder in the second half, but my time was just 14 seconds faster. It takes more effort and concentration to maintain the same pace in the second half of a race. Duh.
My latest nemesis finished about 1:30 behind me. So, I beat her by seconds two races ago, about 30 seconds last time, and 1:30 this time. Has she figured out yet that we are racing?
We chatted a bit after the race and formally introduced ourselves. She seems like a very nice lady. She works with someone I know from the dog world. She asked me for pre-race diet advice. I gave her my honest opinion (yogurt, banana, coffee), rather than trying to throw her off by telling her to eat a big steak five minutes before the start.
My finish put me 6 of 14 women and 37 of 51 runners (19 of 51 based on age-grading). Although this finish allowed me to lose my 32 points from the Ault Park Race, replacing it with the 6, it is still not enough to move me ahead of Brenda in the standings. At this point, I don't see that happening, unless there is some ridiculously large number of women showing up for the 27k race and a whole bunch of them finish in between me and Brenda. Actually, it's probably not even mathematically possible for me to pass her, no matter what.
In any case, it's unlikely, because the 27k field is limited to just 50 people and most of them will probably be men. And I'm going to have to take it really easy since I am intimidated by the distance. I have never run that far on trails before. There will be no deliberately hanging off Brenda's shoulder and hoping to kick past her at the end. I will start slow and just hope to finish. If I am able to run aggressively at all, it won't be until the second half of the race on the last small loop. But mainly I just have to finish. Any finish at all, even last place in the race, should improve my point total by replacing my 30th place points from the French Park race with some smaller number. It will keep me in the Dirty Dozen, probably still in 6th place, but not ahead of Brenda. Good enough.
Monday, October 11, 2010
New Hampshire Marathon
Ok, it's been just a little over a week since this race on Oct. 2, and I find I am already forgetting a lot about it. It was a tough course, it was a nice day, I got it done. That's most of what I remember!
This was state #34, marathon #39 for me. Picked it because it fit my schedule and could be combined with a visit to see my daughter, Susan. She drove up with me from Boston and did the accompanying 10k. We tried to get my sister to come along also but that didn't happen.
The original plan was that we would drive up on Friday so we could attend the pasta dinner, but Sooze had to work. But with race day packet pickup available, that was no big deal.
Dinner with Sooze
I arrived Thursday evening, got the rental car and drove Susan home from work. I was all stressed out about driving in Boston, at night and in the rain, but it was honestly a pleasant surprise. Maybe it is because people in Boston actually know how to drive, unlike the drivers in Cincinnati? Parked on the street in Somerville, also no big deal.
We had dinner at Posto, an upscale pizza place a few blocks from Susan's apartment, and similar to this place. Our waitress, unfortunately, encouraged us to over-order by making it sound like the portions were small. We will blame it on her. We ordered two appetizers: meatballs and another type of balls that were made out of fried polenta with a rather unpleasant and heavy handed lemon flavoring. And we each had our own pizza. Sooze had one with sopressatta that she thought was a bit too spicy. I went with the mushroom pizza, which I did enjoy. We also had two draft beers (Smuttynose Pale Ale) each---big mistake.
The Day Before---Not Off to An Auspicious Start
I felt okay the next morning when Susan left for work but a little while later I began feeling awful. Needed coffee but Susan doesn't have a coffeemaker, and it took awhile before I felt strong enough to go outside. Had three cups of Via. Still had a pounding headache, accompanied by nausea and the sweats. Spent a lot of Friday in the bathroom. Food poisoning? Some weird 24-hour bug? Later, we determined that it was just a hangover. Susan had one also, but she had to suck it up because she was at work.
Okay, I had meant to spend a fairly low key day anyway but this was ridiculous. Hung out in Susan's apartment until I felt well enough to venture out and put our suitcases in the car. Watched some New England cable news station, where they kept predicting torrential rainfall. They were making it sound like it was time to build an ark. So I wanted to get the bags in the car before the rain started since the car was a couple of blocks away.
I did this in two trips. On the way back from the first excursion, I stopped in the corner store and picked up some Gatorade, Lipton teabags, and bananas. Two cups of tea later, I was ready to take the second bag to the car. I was caffeinated, yes, are we keeping track? Three cups of Via, two strong cups of tea.
In the afternoon, as I began to feel a bit better, I was able to distract myself with a little television. I watched the Temple Grandin movie, starring Claire Danes. Pretty good. I had forgotten I wanted to see that, and there it was. And next, I watched a true classic of its genre, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, starring a very young Keanu Reeves and some other guy who was, I think, more famous at the time but now nobody can remember who he is. This is the one where the evil robot likenesses kill Bill & Ted and try to rewrite history by wreaking havoc at the Battle of the Bands. In the meantime, Bill & Ted play games with Death in an attempt to win back their lives. Instead of chess, they play games that Bill & Ted have a shot at winning, including Battleship and Twister.
Susan's roommate came home just before I started watching Bill & Ted. She immediately retreated to her room for a nap, leaving me alone with Bill & Ted.
At the appointed hour, I got in the car and drove downtown to pick up the Sooze. Thank goodness for the GPS. This accomplished, we headed out to I-93, New Hampshire-bound. It was supposed to be a two hour drive, and it only took us about two and a half hours. In the rain. On a Friday night. I don't think that is so bad. I am really wondering what all the whining about Boston/New England driving is about. Seriously.
We arrived a little after 9 pm, and found a little family-style Italian restaurant down the road from our hotel. We were both hungry now so that worked out great. We took our doggy bags back to the room because we had a microwave and fridge, and I knew I would want to finish this food up after the race.
We were staying at a Comfort Inn, one exit up the highway from Bristol and an easy 10 mile drive. It had been recently remodeled and was very satisfactory. I had thought about booking us at a B&B but that can be such a crapshoot, and everything looked kind of scary/sketchy on the web sites. In any case, I knew at any B&B we'd end up with a cramped little room and maybe just a double bed to share, perhaps not even our own bathroom. We were a lot more comfortable at the Comfort Inn, and the breakfast was not bad, either.
Race Morning
The race didn't start until 9 am, which was great. We could get a good night's sleep and even eat breakfast in the morning. We departed around 7:45, and arrived around 8 am. We were directed to park behind the middle school that served as the staging area for the race. The atmosphere was not unlike a good-sized neighborhood 5k, with packet pickup in the school cafeteria, and small groups of runners gathered outside.
Susan was amused at the Marathon Maniacs (easy to spot in their bright yellow attire) and various other members of the 50 States Club whom I pointed out to her. Chuck Engle seemed to be the only person doing a proper race warmup, and I correctly predicted that he would win the race. It did seem that the vast majority of the marathon runners were members of the Maniacs or the 50 States or both. And most of them were doing a "double," with the Portland, ME race the next day. Susan told me that I should wear my gear Maniac gear, too, so I could properly "represent."
No timing chips for this little marathon. Can't remember the last time I ran a race without a chip. They even use them at some of our local 5ks now. The race shirts were kind of disappointing, light-blue, long-sleeved cotton with an orange, red & black (fall colors?) design that clashed with the light blue. Not much else in the goody bag, except a coupon for a free ice cream cone at the Newfound Bakery, which we made use of later in the afternoon.
The half-marathoners took a bus out to the mararthon turnaround at the Sculptured Rocks, which departed at 8:30 am. The 10k runners would start with the marathoners, and turn around just past the 3 mile mark.
We hung out in the car until it was time to line up at the start line in front of the school. Shared a laugh about one guy who was wearing a very threadbare pair of bike shorts. When he bent over, you could totally see right through them, and when he stood up, they were very saggy in the butt. Maybe they were his lucky shorts, but I think it is time to retire them anyway.
The Race
The start, like most of the race, was uphill (as I ponder once again how it is that a loop course can be net uphill). Susan stayed with me for about the first mile, then wisely dropped back. She was taking it easy. I was, too, but nothing was going to be easy enough. Mile 1 was a 10:57, mile 2 was a 10:15.
As we passed the mile 2 marker, I started looking for a water stop, which was supposed to appear every two miles. Nothing. Tried not to let myself get too irriated by this, but began to wish that I had carried my own water. After we passed mile 3 and still no water, I was becoming concerned. Also, worried for Susan, whom I assumed was having to run a 10k with no water. Finally at about 3 1/2 miles, we found the first water stop. Turns out this was really the second stop. The first one was at 1 1/2 miles, but it was on the opposite side of the street from where we were running, and we all missed it---or at least all the people running near me did.
From this point on, however, the water stops did come every two miles with regularity, so that was a relief. Mile 3 was an 11:25; mile 4 was 11:42. Mile 5 was 10:07---guess that must have been downhill. Mile 6 was 11:25; mile 7 was 11:16; mile 8 was 11:59.
The course was scenic but hillier than I expected. For some reason, although I knew New Hampshire was hilly, I thought that we were literally running around Newfound Lake which to me meant flat, despite what the elevation chart said. Plus there is the fact that I seem to be hopeless at interpreting elevation charts. Fortunately, I train on hills and I was not expecting to have an easy time of it anyway. But it was kind of crazy how hilly the course was versus my preconceptions of how it was going to be.
We passed an inn/restaurant with a big sign out front advertising a Japanese steak house with fine Italian cuisine. I puzzled over this and decided we would have to check it out later.
Here's a little bit about the people around me through most of the race:
There was a tall, thin woman dressed (overdressed, I thought) in long navy blue flared pants and a blue turtleneck. She had what looked like a space blanket tucked into her fanny pack. There was another woman with blond hair in turquoise shorts. Both these women looked like they should have been going faster than back there with me, but perhaps they were saving themselves for Portland.
There was a couple, from Australia I surmise from their accents, wearing 100 Marathon Club singlets.
Mostly we were running in the road beside a heavily wooded area with the trees just starting to change color, and occasional glimpses of the lake below us to the left. At this point I was really thinking give me an urban, flat marathon any day over hills and scenery, especially if it is the same scenery all the time.
At about mile 8 1/2, we made a left turn for an out-and-back segment with the turnaround at the Sculptured Rocks. This was probably the flattest portion of the race, but even this was not that flat.
On the out-and-back, I got to see most of the people who were ahead of me---although, not Chuck Engle, who had probably already gone by. There were a lot of people ahead of me, and none of them looked like they were exactly flying, either. It's a toughie, this one.
Mile 9 was 10:31; mile 10 was 13:06; mile 11 was 12:11, mile 12 was 12:07; mile 13 was 13:23.
Things I do remember from this stretch: a Boston Terrier in a yard, barking. A couple of Pomeranians chained up (who chains up Pomeranians?) in front of a very slummy looking shack. The chains were bigger than the Pomeranians. Seriously, Pomeranians? Figures that most of what I would remember are the dogs. A Golden Retriever laying at the feet of some spectators, its head turned away from the action. Reminded me of Libby. Dog was not interested in the race at all--unlike the Boston Terrier and the Pomeranians.
The wind picked up and I had to put my jacket back on. Thought a few times about the possibility of turning around early and cutting a few miles off this race. But since I am only doing the 50 states for myself, it would mean I'd only have to come back to New Hampshire and run another marathon anyway. This is not something I am doing to impress anybody except myself, and I'm not lying to myself about what I have done and what I haven't.
At the turnaround, a woman with a clipboard recorded our race numbers. I guess that is how they controlled for cheating. It was somewhat comforting to know that they were not just relying on the honor system and honest people like me.
Mile 14 (14:57!) was not too long after the turnaround. I called Susan, to let her know that things were not going well, and it could be as much as 6 hours. Mile 15 was 13:44; mile 16 was 14:20; mile 17 was 15:50.
Mile 18 was 13:04. At this point, I was thrilled with any time below 14 minutes. Somewhere in here, we left the out-and-back and made a right turn to return to Bristol on the other side of the lake. The scenery was a little different now, as we were actually running closer to the lakeshore, and there were many little cottages (some even painted red) that reminded me of Sweden. On the other side of the street were (no doubt) expensive condos that reminded me that I was not in Sweden.
A complication which made for some unpleasantness in the latter miles of this race was the rather heavy traffic coming towards us. I understand that they can't close a lane to traffic for this tiny little race. So it is what it is. But it was kind of scary and not fun. There was really no berm for much of this stretch, so when you had to get out of the road there was often nowhere to go. This would be my only real complaint about this race. I don't think there is anything that can be done about it, so I would just warn people attempting the race to be ready for it.
Mile 19 was 14:30 and mile 20 was 14:38. A guy running in Vibrams commented that we just had a couple of 5ks to go. I told him that I preferred to think of it as just an hour and a half to go. That's because when you say 5k to me, I think it means that I have to run fast. And that was for sure not happening. An hour and a half is a long time, but it was realistic.
I keep using the word "running" but I guess it goes without saying that we weren't really "running" the way most non-runners think of it. We were making the motions of running, but in slow motion.
Mile 21 was 14:22; mile 22 was 13:18; mile 23 was 15:34; mile 24 was 15:04. Just a half hour to go! I called Susan again to let her know of my impending arrival.
I was passed by a woman who agreed with me about the traffic and said that the race was certainly not her favorite. Then I was passed by the woman in navy blue. The final woman to pass me was wearing a Maniac shirt with 8 stars or so on the back. As I am only a one-star Maniac myself, I was quite impressed. Mile 25 was 15:05; mile 26 was 14:10.
Sooze was standing by the side of the road. She tried to take my pic but said it didn't come out. I made the turn down into the parking lot and across the grass of the little park behind the middle school to the finish line. Somebody told me to smile but I didn't see a photographer. Last .2 took me 2:50, for a final, official time of 5:41:50..One of my worst times ever! Worse than Flying Monkey! Worse than Humpy's after Logan died! I think actually my second slowest ever.
I will blame it on being untrained, sick for a month before the race, sick the day before the race, and the race itself being quite challenging. The woman's winner didn't even qualify for Boston! That says something about the degree of difficulty.
Like the race shirt, the medal was nothing remarkable. This is a fairly low-cost marathon, so I guess you can't expect much, but they didn't even have the year engraved on it (it was printed on the ribbon instead), and it had a rather generic look.
Susan had my turkey sandwich ready and waiting, which was a good thing since there was not much food left. I was officially 211 of 246 marathoners, 59 of 71 women and 16 of 24 women in my age group.
Post-Race
We drove (that is, I drove, which is so much fun after a lengthy slog-fest) back to the hotel but at least it was not too far. After cleaning up and eating "lunch" of our leftovers from the night before, we decided to drive back to the Bristol area for our free ice cream cones. Unfortunately, the GPS decided that the best way to go to the bakery was over the backroads. Off-roading in the Yaris! Turns out there are a lot of unpaved roads in the Bristol area. It was like a roller coaster ride.
Found the bakery and got our ice cream plus coffee. The ice cream was disappointing. Seemed like they were trying to use it all up before shutting down for the season. Had a stale taste. We didn't finish our cones. Spotted the Italian/Japanese steakhouse across the street and decided on that for dinner.
What it was: a restaurant inside an inn which included a cozy inner room with American-style cuisine, a small room off to the side with a hibachi grill and a Japanese guy doing the steakhouse thing for people seated at a table around him, and a larger room that opened to a big deck where you could order American, Italian or Japanese. Oh, and what looked like a biker bar upstairs. Very confused place.
We sat in the larger, outside room and ordered steaks. They were okay. We took our leftovers back to the hotel to eat with breakfast. Steak and eggs!
Sunday morning, after breakfast, we drove back along the race course so I could show Susan what she missed by not doing the marathon. We stopped at Sculptured Rocks. Small, and quite underwhelming. Looked kind of like a section of an amusement park water ride. Or Class 5 rapids for Barbie and Ken? So after a couple of minutes of looking at that, it was time to hit the highway.
And that's the story. In summary: a nice little race but nothing fabulous. But overall, not bad. Challenging course. I stunk, but that was not unexpected.
This was state #34, marathon #39 for me. Picked it because it fit my schedule and could be combined with a visit to see my daughter, Susan. She drove up with me from Boston and did the accompanying 10k. We tried to get my sister to come along also but that didn't happen.
The original plan was that we would drive up on Friday so we could attend the pasta dinner, but Sooze had to work. But with race day packet pickup available, that was no big deal.
Dinner with Sooze
I arrived Thursday evening, got the rental car and drove Susan home from work. I was all stressed out about driving in Boston, at night and in the rain, but it was honestly a pleasant surprise. Maybe it is because people in Boston actually know how to drive, unlike the drivers in Cincinnati? Parked on the street in Somerville, also no big deal.
We had dinner at Posto, an upscale pizza place a few blocks from Susan's apartment, and similar to this place. Our waitress, unfortunately, encouraged us to over-order by making it sound like the portions were small. We will blame it on her. We ordered two appetizers: meatballs and another type of balls that were made out of fried polenta with a rather unpleasant and heavy handed lemon flavoring. And we each had our own pizza. Sooze had one with sopressatta that she thought was a bit too spicy. I went with the mushroom pizza, which I did enjoy. We also had two draft beers (Smuttynose Pale Ale) each---big mistake.
The Day Before---Not Off to An Auspicious Start
I felt okay the next morning when Susan left for work but a little while later I began feeling awful. Needed coffee but Susan doesn't have a coffeemaker, and it took awhile before I felt strong enough to go outside. Had three cups of Via. Still had a pounding headache, accompanied by nausea and the sweats. Spent a lot of Friday in the bathroom. Food poisoning? Some weird 24-hour bug? Later, we determined that it was just a hangover. Susan had one also, but she had to suck it up because she was at work.
Okay, I had meant to spend a fairly low key day anyway but this was ridiculous. Hung out in Susan's apartment until I felt well enough to venture out and put our suitcases in the car. Watched some New England cable news station, where they kept predicting torrential rainfall. They were making it sound like it was time to build an ark. So I wanted to get the bags in the car before the rain started since the car was a couple of blocks away.
I did this in two trips. On the way back from the first excursion, I stopped in the corner store and picked up some Gatorade, Lipton teabags, and bananas. Two cups of tea later, I was ready to take the second bag to the car. I was caffeinated, yes, are we keeping track? Three cups of Via, two strong cups of tea.
In the afternoon, as I began to feel a bit better, I was able to distract myself with a little television. I watched the Temple Grandin movie, starring Claire Danes. Pretty good. I had forgotten I wanted to see that, and there it was. And next, I watched a true classic of its genre, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, starring a very young Keanu Reeves and some other guy who was, I think, more famous at the time but now nobody can remember who he is. This is the one where the evil robot likenesses kill Bill & Ted and try to rewrite history by wreaking havoc at the Battle of the Bands. In the meantime, Bill & Ted play games with Death in an attempt to win back their lives. Instead of chess, they play games that Bill & Ted have a shot at winning, including Battleship and Twister.
Susan's roommate came home just before I started watching Bill & Ted. She immediately retreated to her room for a nap, leaving me alone with Bill & Ted.
At the appointed hour, I got in the car and drove downtown to pick up the Sooze. Thank goodness for the GPS. This accomplished, we headed out to I-93, New Hampshire-bound. It was supposed to be a two hour drive, and it only took us about two and a half hours. In the rain. On a Friday night. I don't think that is so bad. I am really wondering what all the whining about Boston/New England driving is about. Seriously.
We arrived a little after 9 pm, and found a little family-style Italian restaurant down the road from our hotel. We were both hungry now so that worked out great. We took our doggy bags back to the room because we had a microwave and fridge, and I knew I would want to finish this food up after the race.
We were staying at a Comfort Inn, one exit up the highway from Bristol and an easy 10 mile drive. It had been recently remodeled and was very satisfactory. I had thought about booking us at a B&B but that can be such a crapshoot, and everything looked kind of scary/sketchy on the web sites. In any case, I knew at any B&B we'd end up with a cramped little room and maybe just a double bed to share, perhaps not even our own bathroom. We were a lot more comfortable at the Comfort Inn, and the breakfast was not bad, either.
Race Morning
The race didn't start until 9 am, which was great. We could get a good night's sleep and even eat breakfast in the morning. We departed around 7:45, and arrived around 8 am. We were directed to park behind the middle school that served as the staging area for the race. The atmosphere was not unlike a good-sized neighborhood 5k, with packet pickup in the school cafeteria, and small groups of runners gathered outside.
Susan was amused at the Marathon Maniacs (easy to spot in their bright yellow attire) and various other members of the 50 States Club whom I pointed out to her. Chuck Engle seemed to be the only person doing a proper race warmup, and I correctly predicted that he would win the race. It did seem that the vast majority of the marathon runners were members of the Maniacs or the 50 States or both. And most of them were doing a "double," with the Portland, ME race the next day. Susan told me that I should wear my gear Maniac gear, too, so I could properly "represent."
No timing chips for this little marathon. Can't remember the last time I ran a race without a chip. They even use them at some of our local 5ks now. The race shirts were kind of disappointing, light-blue, long-sleeved cotton with an orange, red & black (fall colors?) design that clashed with the light blue. Not much else in the goody bag, except a coupon for a free ice cream cone at the Newfound Bakery, which we made use of later in the afternoon.
The half-marathoners took a bus out to the mararthon turnaround at the Sculptured Rocks, which departed at 8:30 am. The 10k runners would start with the marathoners, and turn around just past the 3 mile mark.
We hung out in the car until it was time to line up at the start line in front of the school. Shared a laugh about one guy who was wearing a very threadbare pair of bike shorts. When he bent over, you could totally see right through them, and when he stood up, they were very saggy in the butt. Maybe they were his lucky shorts, but I think it is time to retire them anyway.
The Race
The start, like most of the race, was uphill (as I ponder once again how it is that a loop course can be net uphill). Susan stayed with me for about the first mile, then wisely dropped back. She was taking it easy. I was, too, but nothing was going to be easy enough. Mile 1 was a 10:57, mile 2 was a 10:15.
As we passed the mile 2 marker, I started looking for a water stop, which was supposed to appear every two miles. Nothing. Tried not to let myself get too irriated by this, but began to wish that I had carried my own water. After we passed mile 3 and still no water, I was becoming concerned. Also, worried for Susan, whom I assumed was having to run a 10k with no water. Finally at about 3 1/2 miles, we found the first water stop. Turns out this was really the second stop. The first one was at 1 1/2 miles, but it was on the opposite side of the street from where we were running, and we all missed it---or at least all the people running near me did.
From this point on, however, the water stops did come every two miles with regularity, so that was a relief. Mile 3 was an 11:25; mile 4 was 11:42. Mile 5 was 10:07---guess that must have been downhill. Mile 6 was 11:25; mile 7 was 11:16; mile 8 was 11:59.
The course was scenic but hillier than I expected. For some reason, although I knew New Hampshire was hilly, I thought that we were literally running around Newfound Lake which to me meant flat, despite what the elevation chart said. Plus there is the fact that I seem to be hopeless at interpreting elevation charts. Fortunately, I train on hills and I was not expecting to have an easy time of it anyway. But it was kind of crazy how hilly the course was versus my preconceptions of how it was going to be.
We passed an inn/restaurant with a big sign out front advertising a Japanese steak house with fine Italian cuisine. I puzzled over this and decided we would have to check it out later.
Here's a little bit about the people around me through most of the race:
There was a tall, thin woman dressed (overdressed, I thought) in long navy blue flared pants and a blue turtleneck. She had what looked like a space blanket tucked into her fanny pack. There was another woman with blond hair in turquoise shorts. Both these women looked like they should have been going faster than back there with me, but perhaps they were saving themselves for Portland.
There was a couple, from Australia I surmise from their accents, wearing 100 Marathon Club singlets.
Mostly we were running in the road beside a heavily wooded area with the trees just starting to change color, and occasional glimpses of the lake below us to the left. At this point I was really thinking give me an urban, flat marathon any day over hills and scenery, especially if it is the same scenery all the time.
At about mile 8 1/2, we made a left turn for an out-and-back segment with the turnaround at the Sculptured Rocks. This was probably the flattest portion of the race, but even this was not that flat.
On the out-and-back, I got to see most of the people who were ahead of me---although, not Chuck Engle, who had probably already gone by. There were a lot of people ahead of me, and none of them looked like they were exactly flying, either. It's a toughie, this one.
Mile 9 was 10:31; mile 10 was 13:06; mile 11 was 12:11, mile 12 was 12:07; mile 13 was 13:23.
Things I do remember from this stretch: a Boston Terrier in a yard, barking. A couple of Pomeranians chained up (who chains up Pomeranians?) in front of a very slummy looking shack. The chains were bigger than the Pomeranians. Seriously, Pomeranians? Figures that most of what I would remember are the dogs. A Golden Retriever laying at the feet of some spectators, its head turned away from the action. Reminded me of Libby. Dog was not interested in the race at all--unlike the Boston Terrier and the Pomeranians.
The wind picked up and I had to put my jacket back on. Thought a few times about the possibility of turning around early and cutting a few miles off this race. But since I am only doing the 50 states for myself, it would mean I'd only have to come back to New Hampshire and run another marathon anyway. This is not something I am doing to impress anybody except myself, and I'm not lying to myself about what I have done and what I haven't.
At the turnaround, a woman with a clipboard recorded our race numbers. I guess that is how they controlled for cheating. It was somewhat comforting to know that they were not just relying on the honor system and honest people like me.
Mile 14 (14:57!) was not too long after the turnaround. I called Susan, to let her know that things were not going well, and it could be as much as 6 hours. Mile 15 was 13:44; mile 16 was 14:20; mile 17 was 15:50.
Mile 18 was 13:04. At this point, I was thrilled with any time below 14 minutes. Somewhere in here, we left the out-and-back and made a right turn to return to Bristol on the other side of the lake. The scenery was a little different now, as we were actually running closer to the lakeshore, and there were many little cottages (some even painted red) that reminded me of Sweden. On the other side of the street were (no doubt) expensive condos that reminded me that I was not in Sweden.
A complication which made for some unpleasantness in the latter miles of this race was the rather heavy traffic coming towards us. I understand that they can't close a lane to traffic for this tiny little race. So it is what it is. But it was kind of scary and not fun. There was really no berm for much of this stretch, so when you had to get out of the road there was often nowhere to go. This would be my only real complaint about this race. I don't think there is anything that can be done about it, so I would just warn people attempting the race to be ready for it.
Mile 19 was 14:30 and mile 20 was 14:38. A guy running in Vibrams commented that we just had a couple of 5ks to go. I told him that I preferred to think of it as just an hour and a half to go. That's because when you say 5k to me, I think it means that I have to run fast. And that was for sure not happening. An hour and a half is a long time, but it was realistic.
I keep using the word "running" but I guess it goes without saying that we weren't really "running" the way most non-runners think of it. We were making the motions of running, but in slow motion.
Mile 21 was 14:22; mile 22 was 13:18; mile 23 was 15:34; mile 24 was 15:04. Just a half hour to go! I called Susan again to let her know of my impending arrival.
I was passed by a woman who agreed with me about the traffic and said that the race was certainly not her favorite. Then I was passed by the woman in navy blue. The final woman to pass me was wearing a Maniac shirt with 8 stars or so on the back. As I am only a one-star Maniac myself, I was quite impressed. Mile 25 was 15:05; mile 26 was 14:10.
Sooze was standing by the side of the road. She tried to take my pic but said it didn't come out. I made the turn down into the parking lot and across the grass of the little park behind the middle school to the finish line. Somebody told me to smile but I didn't see a photographer. Last .2 took me 2:50, for a final, official time of 5:41:50..One of my worst times ever! Worse than Flying Monkey! Worse than Humpy's after Logan died! I think actually my second slowest ever.
I will blame it on being untrained, sick for a month before the race, sick the day before the race, and the race itself being quite challenging. The woman's winner didn't even qualify for Boston! That says something about the degree of difficulty.
Like the race shirt, the medal was nothing remarkable. This is a fairly low-cost marathon, so I guess you can't expect much, but they didn't even have the year engraved on it (it was printed on the ribbon instead), and it had a rather generic look.
Susan had my turkey sandwich ready and waiting, which was a good thing since there was not much food left. I was officially 211 of 246 marathoners, 59 of 71 women and 16 of 24 women in my age group.
Post-Race
We drove (that is, I drove, which is so much fun after a lengthy slog-fest) back to the hotel but at least it was not too far. After cleaning up and eating "lunch" of our leftovers from the night before, we decided to drive back to the Bristol area for our free ice cream cones. Unfortunately, the GPS decided that the best way to go to the bakery was over the backroads. Off-roading in the Yaris! Turns out there are a lot of unpaved roads in the Bristol area. It was like a roller coaster ride.
Found the bakery and got our ice cream plus coffee. The ice cream was disappointing. Seemed like they were trying to use it all up before shutting down for the season. Had a stale taste. We didn't finish our cones. Spotted the Italian/Japanese steakhouse across the street and decided on that for dinner.
What it was: a restaurant inside an inn which included a cozy inner room with American-style cuisine, a small room off to the side with a hibachi grill and a Japanese guy doing the steakhouse thing for people seated at a table around him, and a larger room that opened to a big deck where you could order American, Italian or Japanese. Oh, and what looked like a biker bar upstairs. Very confused place.
We sat in the larger, outside room and ordered steaks. They were okay. We took our leftovers back to the hotel to eat with breakfast. Steak and eggs!
Sunday morning, after breakfast, we drove back along the race course so I could show Susan what she missed by not doing the marathon. We stopped at Sculptured Rocks. Small, and quite underwhelming. Looked kind of like a section of an amusement park water ride. Or Class 5 rapids for Barbie and Ken? So after a couple of minutes of looking at that, it was time to hit the highway.
And that's the story. In summary: a nice little race but nothing fabulous. But overall, not bad. Challenging course. I stunk, but that was not unexpected.
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
State-to-State # 8
I ran the 8th annual State-to-State Half-Marathon on Sunday, Sept. 26. I have to keep doing them to keep up the streak. It is far from my favorite race but maybe someday I can be the last woman or even the last person from the inaugural race still running it. Maybe they will give me some kind of really cool recognition or prize. And that is really the main reason I keep showing up every year because it is not that great of a race, and if it didn't fit my schedule as a training run there are plenty of other things I could do with my time (like usually a dog agility trial).
I just wanted to get it done and recorded and not push too much since after all I did have that marathon to look forward to less than a week later. Had a bit of stress getting to the race this year because Tommy was out of town and I had to make sure the dogs were taken care of. Decided not to bother walking them beforehand. Was almost cool enough that I could have brought them along and left them in the car, but decided they were better off at home. Worst case scenario was I would have to clean up some poop, and even that was unlikely. They are good dogs.
Anyway, did get there a little later than usual so as not to leave the dogs for too long, and did have to park a little farther away than usual, but no biggie. The race shirt was a bit nicer this year---long sleeve, technical top. It's white but at least the hideous race logo is small for a change.
One funny thing but all too typical for the somewhat scattered organization at this race---they had run out of pins by the time I arrived to pick up my number. They sent somebody out to Walmart to get some more. A little while later when I checked back at the registration table, they handed me two gigantic baby diaper-style pins. Note to self: always bring a set of pins along to the race just in case.
Sunny but cool and windy weather, certainly not the worst I've experienced at this race. Overall time was about the same as last year, just a hair slower. I was actually faster until mile 8, then slowed down a lot in the last five miles. This did not bode well for the upcoming marathon. I could tell myself I was taking it easy but we know the truth.
One thing new at this race is we were interupted by a train in the first mile. Apparently the race committee was unable to get the transportation company to change their train schedule this year. I made it across the track before the train, but some did not. This was the closest I have ever come to getting run over by a train, but I was not letting it get in the way of my race.
Here are the splits:
1) 9:56
2) 10:11
3) 10:02
4) 10:07
5) 9:55
6) 9:45
7) 11:06
8) 9:42
9) 11:16
10) 11:30
11) 12:01
12) 11:20
13.1) 12:21
So you can clearly see that the wheels did come off after mile 8. Or maybe it was even earlier than that. I'm not really trained to go farther than a 10k. But I do.
My official time was 2:19:10.7, which put me 390 of 513 overall and 5 of 8 in my age group. Creeping up in the age group through attrition!
I just wanted to get it done and recorded and not push too much since after all I did have that marathon to look forward to less than a week later. Had a bit of stress getting to the race this year because Tommy was out of town and I had to make sure the dogs were taken care of. Decided not to bother walking them beforehand. Was almost cool enough that I could have brought them along and left them in the car, but decided they were better off at home. Worst case scenario was I would have to clean up some poop, and even that was unlikely. They are good dogs.
Anyway, did get there a little later than usual so as not to leave the dogs for too long, and did have to park a little farther away than usual, but no biggie. The race shirt was a bit nicer this year---long sleeve, technical top. It's white but at least the hideous race logo is small for a change.
One funny thing but all too typical for the somewhat scattered organization at this race---they had run out of pins by the time I arrived to pick up my number. They sent somebody out to Walmart to get some more. A little while later when I checked back at the registration table, they handed me two gigantic baby diaper-style pins. Note to self: always bring a set of pins along to the race just in case.
Sunny but cool and windy weather, certainly not the worst I've experienced at this race. Overall time was about the same as last year, just a hair slower. I was actually faster until mile 8, then slowed down a lot in the last five miles. This did not bode well for the upcoming marathon. I could tell myself I was taking it easy but we know the truth.
One thing new at this race is we were interupted by a train in the first mile. Apparently the race committee was unable to get the transportation company to change their train schedule this year. I made it across the track before the train, but some did not. This was the closest I have ever come to getting run over by a train, but I was not letting it get in the way of my race.
Here are the splits:
1) 9:56
2) 10:11
3) 10:02
4) 10:07
5) 9:55
6) 9:45
7) 11:06
8) 9:42
9) 11:16
10) 11:30
11) 12:01
12) 11:20
13.1) 12:21
So you can clearly see that the wheels did come off after mile 8. Or maybe it was even earlier than that. I'm not really trained to go farther than a 10k. But I do.
My official time was 2:19:10.7, which put me 390 of 513 overall and 5 of 8 in my age group. Creeping up in the age group through attrition!
Glenwood Gardens Night Race
I am back from New Hampshire (which I did manage to finish but not in a respectable time) and trying to catch up on a lot of things. And I realize I never wrote about the trail race I did a few weeks ago, nor about the State to State half marathon.
So this is about the trail race. Technically, not really a trail race. We ran around a park, and about half the race was on a paved trail, and the other half on gravel. But it was at night, so that should count for something. They are considering it part of the trail race series and it counts toward your points.
I was still recovering from the bronchitis so I didn't want to push too hard, but I also wanted to demonstrate that my placement in that last race was no fluke. So I ended up pushing it anyway.
Wore my new Petzl headlamp, and it seemed like everybody else had theirs on also. They gave us little red blinking lights to clip on our backsides so you could see the runners in front of you, and they had also marked the trail with little red lights. But other than that, it was completely dark.
For a warmup, I did multiple loops of a little grassy island up near the park clubhouse/pavillion-like structure where the race registration took place. I was one of the few people warming up, and many people were not even dressed in running clothes. Bob Roncker said we would have food after the race, which raised unreasonable expectations in my head. Turned out it was just the usual bagels, bananas and apples you might find at the end of a morning race. Bummer.
I had a brief chat with a woman at the start who had moved here from Minneapolis and she was all about how much better the racing scene was there than here. She was also whining about how she had nobody to run with because she had young kids and couldn't ever meet up with any of the groups. My heart bleeds for you. If you were looking to hook up with me, guess again because you are clearly too much of a whiner. Left her in the dust right away.
We started out downhill, and it was hard to figure the pace because I couldn't see. Just tried to stay out of trouble. We did about a mile loop on the paved part, and then came out of that loop and onto the gravel. I felt like there were plenty of people behind me. I was wearing my new Saucony Xodus trail shoes and they might have been overkill on the pavement but they were great on the gravel, and very comfortable.
On the gravel I was running next to a guy who started running on the side where the grass was. I gave that a try and decided the gravel was easier, and eventually I did leave him behind, although it did take awhile. It was so dark and I had never been in the park before, so I had no idea where I was or how much longer we had to run.
I had passed a bunch of men and a few women, and then about a quarter mile from the finish I passed an older, fit looking woman, who turned out to be one of the women from the previous race who is just a year older than I am. I want to beat her everytime. She is so much more fit looking than I am. I totally kicked her butt this time. She is still ahead of me in the standings because of me goofing off in the first couple of races, but now that has changed for good.
Really pushed it crossing the finish line just to make sure she didn't catch me, and I managed to both throw up and pee my pants. It's been a long time since I've pushed that hard! Official time was 32:39, my fastest trail race so far. This put me 14 of 33 women and 61 of 93 overall. But my age graded time put me 32 of 93, not too bad.
Notice that the smaller trail races yield a better point value towards The Dirty Dozen...wonder if they will adjust for that next year. I'm hoping that in my last two races I can wipe out yucky scores from the Ault Park and French Park races. Looks good for a better score in the 27k at least, since the field is limited to just 50 runners and there probably won't be that many women competing.
Got the updated Dirty Dozen rankings the other day, and I am # 6 woman, just behind the woman I have beaten in the last two races. I don't know if I can pull ahead of her or not, even if I do beat her in the next two races, because she has run well all the way through and I am just starting to figure this trail racing thing out.
So this is about the trail race. Technically, not really a trail race. We ran around a park, and about half the race was on a paved trail, and the other half on gravel. But it was at night, so that should count for something. They are considering it part of the trail race series and it counts toward your points.
I was still recovering from the bronchitis so I didn't want to push too hard, but I also wanted to demonstrate that my placement in that last race was no fluke. So I ended up pushing it anyway.
Wore my new Petzl headlamp, and it seemed like everybody else had theirs on also. They gave us little red blinking lights to clip on our backsides so you could see the runners in front of you, and they had also marked the trail with little red lights. But other than that, it was completely dark.
For a warmup, I did multiple loops of a little grassy island up near the park clubhouse/pavillion-like structure where the race registration took place. I was one of the few people warming up, and many people were not even dressed in running clothes. Bob Roncker said we would have food after the race, which raised unreasonable expectations in my head. Turned out it was just the usual bagels, bananas and apples you might find at the end of a morning race. Bummer.
I had a brief chat with a woman at the start who had moved here from Minneapolis and she was all about how much better the racing scene was there than here. She was also whining about how she had nobody to run with because she had young kids and couldn't ever meet up with any of the groups. My heart bleeds for you. If you were looking to hook up with me, guess again because you are clearly too much of a whiner. Left her in the dust right away.
We started out downhill, and it was hard to figure the pace because I couldn't see. Just tried to stay out of trouble. We did about a mile loop on the paved part, and then came out of that loop and onto the gravel. I felt like there were plenty of people behind me. I was wearing my new Saucony Xodus trail shoes and they might have been overkill on the pavement but they were great on the gravel, and very comfortable.
On the gravel I was running next to a guy who started running on the side where the grass was. I gave that a try and decided the gravel was easier, and eventually I did leave him behind, although it did take awhile. It was so dark and I had never been in the park before, so I had no idea where I was or how much longer we had to run.
I had passed a bunch of men and a few women, and then about a quarter mile from the finish I passed an older, fit looking woman, who turned out to be one of the women from the previous race who is just a year older than I am. I want to beat her everytime. She is so much more fit looking than I am. I totally kicked her butt this time. She is still ahead of me in the standings because of me goofing off in the first couple of races, but now that has changed for good.
Really pushed it crossing the finish line just to make sure she didn't catch me, and I managed to both throw up and pee my pants. It's been a long time since I've pushed that hard! Official time was 32:39, my fastest trail race so far. This put me 14 of 33 women and 61 of 93 overall. But my age graded time put me 32 of 93, not too bad.
Notice that the smaller trail races yield a better point value towards The Dirty Dozen...wonder if they will adjust for that next year. I'm hoping that in my last two races I can wipe out yucky scores from the Ault Park and French Park races. Looks good for a better score in the 27k at least, since the field is limited to just 50 runners and there probably won't be that many women competing.
Got the updated Dirty Dozen rankings the other day, and I am # 6 woman, just behind the woman I have beaten in the last two races. I don't know if I can pull ahead of her or not, even if I do beat her in the next two races, because she has run well all the way through and I am just starting to figure this trail racing thing out.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Recovery and running out of time
I caught a nasty bug a couple of weeks ago and I'm still dealing with the aftermath. It started on the Monday after that last trail race, with a wicked scratchy throat that soon turned into a bout of bronchitis. I took a whole week off from running, then got back into it a little last week and figured I would be back to normal this week. Enough time off combined with the dearth of long runs to derail any chance of running a decent marathon in New Hampshire, but not a showstopper.
But then over the weekend at the dog show I started coughing more, and I guess I coughed so much on Saturday that by Sunday I felt like I had cracked a rib. Pain got worse as the day went on, and I almost went to the emergency room Sunday night. So Monday morning I called the doc and got in to see him that afternoon.
He said no cracked rib but I had irritated the cartilage that connects my ribs to my chest wall or something like that. And maybe a touch of something bacterial now too. So he gave me scrips for a Z-pak and some codeine-laced cough syrup and sent me on my way. Wasn't until today that I felt ready to try running again.
Did three miles on the treadmill. Not too much pain, and actually felt better after the run. So I guess I'm on the mend for real now. The marathon plans are in shambles though. I am going to have to do a lot of walking.
Next up, the nighttime trail race this Saturday, and then the half-marathon next weekend.
But then over the weekend at the dog show I started coughing more, and I guess I coughed so much on Saturday that by Sunday I felt like I had cracked a rib. Pain got worse as the day went on, and I almost went to the emergency room Sunday night. So Monday morning I called the doc and got in to see him that afternoon.
He said no cracked rib but I had irritated the cartilage that connects my ribs to my chest wall or something like that. And maybe a touch of something bacterial now too. So he gave me scrips for a Z-pak and some codeine-laced cough syrup and sent me on my way. Wasn't until today that I felt ready to try running again.
Did three miles on the treadmill. Not too much pain, and actually felt better after the run. So I guess I'm on the mend for real now. The marathon plans are in shambles though. I am going to have to do a lot of walking.
Next up, the nighttime trail race this Saturday, and then the half-marathon next weekend.
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Powder Keg 5k race report
I have a wicked cold--first one since last October--so I am not in an especially jolly mood today, but I am going to take some time to write about Saturday's race.
This was another one of those trail series things, a new one they just added. It was actually more like 3.5 miles but they advertised it as a 5k. It was up in Deerfield Township, exit 25 off I-71, a place I never go voluntarily.
The race was on trails surrounding the old Kings Mansion property. If you check the link, you'll see it points to a plan that was commissioned to figure out what to do with this historic structure. Unfortunately, if you go there, as I did for this race, you'll see that the township was unable to execute the plan. At least, from the looks of things. Interesting old Italianate home, in great disrepair.
We had some nice cool weather leading up to race morning, and it was still pleasant for the race. As we have had no rain in recent memory, the trails were very dry. This was good since I was wearing shoes with very little traction. I've worn them to walk the dogs a few too many times. But they are very comfortable and have served me well in my last two trail races, so that is what I went with.
There was a bit of confusion and congestion at the packet pickup, but since this was just a 200-person race it was okay. I got there around 8:30, picked up my packet (which included a cotton t-shirt and yet another sport tote bag, nice swag but not like I need more of these things). Went for a little trot around the grassy mounds surrounding the mansion, and a little on a paved path. Was a little worried about my knee, and also traces of a cold that apparently was coming on since I am in the thick of it now. And had a weird twinge also in the left leg up where the hip attaches to the groin area. But after a warmup I felt okay.
Had to chuckle at the start as the race director told the people pushing strollers that this was a trail race, and he did not mean the Loveland Bike Trail, so if they thought they were going to run it pushing strollers they'd better think again. He even offered to refund their money.
I lined up behind a couple of older women. One was a little chunky (like me) but looked like she knew what she was doing. The other one had gray hair, so looked a little older, but more fit. Turned out to be a good position because they were both in my age group. What I wanted to do was stay as close as I could to the fit one.
We were off and running down the grassy hill, and then into the woods. It was quite congested at the entrance to the trails but because of my good position at the start I did not lose too much here. The trails were quite narrow throughout the race, and in many spots it was impossible to pass.
The first segment was what they called a lollipop loop, and the problem with that was when the fastest runners were coming back---finishing the bottom of the business end of the lollipop, as it were---they risked colliding directly with the slower runners who were just entering the circle. In fact, this almost happened to me---I almost took out a couple of the race leaders. So they need better course marshalling at that point because it is a bit of a blind corner and dangerous.
This segment of the trails wasn't bad to run on, but there was one enormous overturned tree that we did have to climb over. This thing was chest high, so I literally had to stop and crawl over it. At this point, Fit Old Lady in Orange was out of sight, but I was ahead of Chunky Lady in Black. On the way back over the tree the second time, I realized that Chunky Lady was right behind me.
Chunky Lady decided to engage me in a bit of conversation, including asking me my age. Okay, lady, if you think you really have a chance of beating me, then you probably shouldn't reveal that we are in the same age group when we are running the same pace midway through the race. Game on.
I stayed ahead of her for a bit but when we came to the water stop I let her get just ahead of me. The great thing about this was I could watch her on the trail and it helped me know where to safely step. It enabled me to conserve my own energy. It was especially helpful when we ran through an area of very rough broken pavement---must have been a little road in there at one time.
There were other interesting parts along the way. At one point we were on a very narrow ledge looking over the river--the Miami? The Little Miami? And if you weren't careful you could fall off and roll down a steep cliff into the river. And there was a very steep wooden stairway that we had to climb up, which at the top, had you literally climbing with your hands instead of running with your feet.
It was just after the top of this stairway that I was able to reestablish contact with Chunky Lady, who had become somewhat fatigued. Also at this point I was surprised to see Fit Old Lady. I ran the next stretch basically even with them, but sensing that when we got to the end I could absolutely outkick them.
We came out into a clearing and a course marshall told us we had a half mile to go, which seemed like a bit much. We did some turning and weird looping around through the grass, and before too long (not a half mile I don't think) we were approaching the finish line, at which point I could easily kick it in and leave Chunky Lady and Fit Lady in my dust. Uphill on grass, too, and I didn't even throw up.
My official time was 37:56, which is quite a bit faster than in my previous trail races. However, I know that I did run this one more aggressively, and despite the treacherous segments and a few climbs, it was overall less hilly than Hyde Park. I hope that explains it. I hope that I am just getting better at this type of racing. Because the race director, in his online results, said that some people were misdirected off course by one of the marshalls and this may have affected the results. I don't know if it made people faster or slower. I do know that I was with Chunky Lady for a large portion of the race, so if I was off course than so was she.
Anyway, I would have liked to stay for the awards, but I had to get home to the dogs. I did hang around for about a half-hour, munching on a bagel and a banana. They also had hot dogs but I was not in the mood. But I had to finally leave, since it didn't seem like they were getting ready to do the awards anytime soon. Too bad because it turns out that I did win my age group and I would have liked to have gotten that prize. My two competitors for it were in fact Chunky Lady and Fit Old Lady and I beat them by 6-8 seconds.
I have one more race to do in order to be in the running for the Dirty Dozen awards. These go to the top 12 men and women who do 5 of the races. I am scheduled for three more. Before the Powder Keg race, there were only four women who had done enough to be eligible, but that may have changed with this race. I checked the results and it looks like Fit Old Lady has now done five. And she was a lot faster than me in her other races. But now I know that I can take her, so Fit Old Lady, you are my new target at the next race!
This was another one of those trail series things, a new one they just added. It was actually more like 3.5 miles but they advertised it as a 5k. It was up in Deerfield Township, exit 25 off I-71, a place I never go voluntarily.
The race was on trails surrounding the old Kings Mansion property. If you check the link, you'll see it points to a plan that was commissioned to figure out what to do with this historic structure. Unfortunately, if you go there, as I did for this race, you'll see that the township was unable to execute the plan. At least, from the looks of things. Interesting old Italianate home, in great disrepair.
We had some nice cool weather leading up to race morning, and it was still pleasant for the race. As we have had no rain in recent memory, the trails were very dry. This was good since I was wearing shoes with very little traction. I've worn them to walk the dogs a few too many times. But they are very comfortable and have served me well in my last two trail races, so that is what I went with.
There was a bit of confusion and congestion at the packet pickup, but since this was just a 200-person race it was okay. I got there around 8:30, picked up my packet (which included a cotton t-shirt and yet another sport tote bag, nice swag but not like I need more of these things). Went for a little trot around the grassy mounds surrounding the mansion, and a little on a paved path. Was a little worried about my knee, and also traces of a cold that apparently was coming on since I am in the thick of it now. And had a weird twinge also in the left leg up where the hip attaches to the groin area. But after a warmup I felt okay.
Had to chuckle at the start as the race director told the people pushing strollers that this was a trail race, and he did not mean the Loveland Bike Trail, so if they thought they were going to run it pushing strollers they'd better think again. He even offered to refund their money.
I lined up behind a couple of older women. One was a little chunky (like me) but looked like she knew what she was doing. The other one had gray hair, so looked a little older, but more fit. Turned out to be a good position because they were both in my age group. What I wanted to do was stay as close as I could to the fit one.
We were off and running down the grassy hill, and then into the woods. It was quite congested at the entrance to the trails but because of my good position at the start I did not lose too much here. The trails were quite narrow throughout the race, and in many spots it was impossible to pass.
The first segment was what they called a lollipop loop, and the problem with that was when the fastest runners were coming back---finishing the bottom of the business end of the lollipop, as it were---they risked colliding directly with the slower runners who were just entering the circle. In fact, this almost happened to me---I almost took out a couple of the race leaders. So they need better course marshalling at that point because it is a bit of a blind corner and dangerous.
This segment of the trails wasn't bad to run on, but there was one enormous overturned tree that we did have to climb over. This thing was chest high, so I literally had to stop and crawl over it. At this point, Fit Old Lady in Orange was out of sight, but I was ahead of Chunky Lady in Black. On the way back over the tree the second time, I realized that Chunky Lady was right behind me.
Chunky Lady decided to engage me in a bit of conversation, including asking me my age. Okay, lady, if you think you really have a chance of beating me, then you probably shouldn't reveal that we are in the same age group when we are running the same pace midway through the race. Game on.
I stayed ahead of her for a bit but when we came to the water stop I let her get just ahead of me. The great thing about this was I could watch her on the trail and it helped me know where to safely step. It enabled me to conserve my own energy. It was especially helpful when we ran through an area of very rough broken pavement---must have been a little road in there at one time.
There were other interesting parts along the way. At one point we were on a very narrow ledge looking over the river--the Miami? The Little Miami? And if you weren't careful you could fall off and roll down a steep cliff into the river. And there was a very steep wooden stairway that we had to climb up, which at the top, had you literally climbing with your hands instead of running with your feet.
It was just after the top of this stairway that I was able to reestablish contact with Chunky Lady, who had become somewhat fatigued. Also at this point I was surprised to see Fit Old Lady. I ran the next stretch basically even with them, but sensing that when we got to the end I could absolutely outkick them.
We came out into a clearing and a course marshall told us we had a half mile to go, which seemed like a bit much. We did some turning and weird looping around through the grass, and before too long (not a half mile I don't think) we were approaching the finish line, at which point I could easily kick it in and leave Chunky Lady and Fit Lady in my dust. Uphill on grass, too, and I didn't even throw up.
My official time was 37:56, which is quite a bit faster than in my previous trail races. However, I know that I did run this one more aggressively, and despite the treacherous segments and a few climbs, it was overall less hilly than Hyde Park. I hope that explains it. I hope that I am just getting better at this type of racing. Because the race director, in his online results, said that some people were misdirected off course by one of the marshalls and this may have affected the results. I don't know if it made people faster or slower. I do know that I was with Chunky Lady for a large portion of the race, so if I was off course than so was she.
Anyway, I would have liked to stay for the awards, but I had to get home to the dogs. I did hang around for about a half-hour, munching on a bagel and a banana. They also had hot dogs but I was not in the mood. But I had to finally leave, since it didn't seem like they were getting ready to do the awards anytime soon. Too bad because it turns out that I did win my age group and I would have liked to have gotten that prize. My two competitors for it were in fact Chunky Lady and Fit Old Lady and I beat them by 6-8 seconds.
I have one more race to do in order to be in the running for the Dirty Dozen awards. These go to the top 12 men and women who do 5 of the races. I am scheduled for three more. Before the Powder Keg race, there were only four women who had done enough to be eligible, but that may have changed with this race. I checked the results and it looks like Fit Old Lady has now done five. And she was a lot faster than me in her other races. But now I know that I can take her, so Fit Old Lady, you are my new target at the next race!
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Just missed it!
Official finish time of 55:15 for 4th place of 39 in my age group. Just missed third place by one second! Would have gotten it in a non-chip-timed race. I could have found one more second if I knew that was all I needed. Age group awards go to the top three.
Lady Distance Classic 2010
I had a good race this morning at the Lady Distance Classic 10k. My goal was around 57 minutes, and I finished in 55:16 (unofficial), so I am pretty pleased. This is a tough course and I'm still not in very good shape---though I am making progress. Last year I "ran" it while recovering from injuries and was about 12 minute slower.
It's the 8th year for this event, and I have participated every year, running the 5k for the first four years and switching to the 10k (to get a longer "training" run in, mostly) more recently. I did manage to place in my age group in the 5k a few times, but that's basically impossible in the 10k---although as I age, if I can maintain this pace, it might be possible through attrition. That's right, I just need more women my age to die off.
Besides just feeling the urge to keep this streak going, there are a few things that bring me back to this race each year:
I did, however, make some purchases at the store:
I know, I do wear these things outside to run in, but I feel quite anonymous most of the time when I'm running so it's easier to appear in public half naked. Different thing when trying something on in the store. Bad enough that I had to look at my thunder thighs and the cellulite in my upper arms, I am not sharing that with anybody outside the immediate family.
Left the house at 6:15 this morning for the 7:15 race start. As the race has grown in size, they have had to arrange parking at Raymond Walters college, which is about a half mile from the start and maybe a mile from the finish. In the early years, we just parked in the lot at the rec center, Then gradually, they had to expand the parking to neighboring lots that belonged to businesses that were closed on the weekend. And now it's too big even for that.
Parked the car and headed towards the start in a slow jog. Didn't feel that great but I've learned you can't tell anything from the warmup.
Continued running up the the hill past the start line, until I had covered a mile, and then turned around to jog back. Was feeling better by that point. Found a quiet spot (well, relatively quiet spot in the huge crowd of lady penguins) to do some active stretching.
Oh, about the general ambiance. This is one of the things I don't like about this race, the female camaraderie and general yuckiness of it. I guess it would be okay if I was there with somebody to talk to, like the year I went with Susan. But by myself, it is no fun. I don't mind being alone, except in a crowd of people who are all there in groups.
Took my place at behind the start line and waited for the singing of the National Anthem. Usually they have somebody good, who can actually sing, like a voice student from CCM. But this year they had some kid that supposedly they enlisted just moments before, and she didn't sing it any better than I would have. Which I guess accounted for her request that we all sing along, as it was necessary to drown her out. But we didn't and it didn't, and she couldn't sing.
Tried to put myself in a more competitive position this year than the last few times, since I am a bit more fit and didn't want to get boxed in. There were a surprising number of hefty penguins even fairly close to the start. You get a lot of that at this race, plus women wearing the race tee and with their numbers pinned to their back. But I managed to find a good spot for a change.
First mile, mostly uphill, I settle right in to a pace that feels sustainable but quicker than a training run, Hit the mile marker in 8:40, at least 10 seconds faster than I expected. This was encouraging. Grabbed a cup of water at the first stop, walked for about 20 seconds and drank most of it.
Last year the "stroller brigage" (an actual, separate race category with prizes and everything---the top three women this year win new strollers!) passed me in the first half mile, and they start a minute after the runners. This year, I didn't get passed by the top three women until close to the two mile mark, so obviously I was having a much better race. Mile two was an 8:27. Woo.
Near the end of the third mile, I had to face the psychological pain of knowing that I would be done soon if i were doing the 5k, as we pass by the turn to the finish line and have to listen to the announcer cheering people home. I was encouraged to note, however, that my time seemed to be a bit faster than my 5k time from the Fairfax race last month. This is not an easy course, either, so that says something about how my training and general fitness has been going---even if I am still a fat pig.
Hit mile three (and second water stop) in 8:58. That's 26:05 for 3 miles. The next mile begins with a repeat of the race start, so it's mostly uphill. Still wasn't feeling too bad. Just tried to keep a steady pace. The four mile mark is just inside a residential neighborhood. 9:03 for that mile. I would have liked to be keeping it under 9 minute pace, but I was already still way ahead of my plan so it didn't really bother me, and anyway, that mile WAS uphill. Saw old running buddy Bob Platt directing us around a cul-de-sac, and heard him cheering for someone named "Jennifer" who was coming up alongside me.
This Jennifer had a very heavy footfall and was really chugging for air, and I expected her to be some gigantic lady penguin, but one of those who despite appearances is still faster than me. When I turned to look at her, I was surprised to see that it was Jennifer Black, twin sister of my congresswoman. Far from a penguin. Both these ladies are pretty competitive age group runners. Jennifer is a little slower than her sister, but the fact remains that I've probably only beaten her in a race once, maybe not even once, and that was when I was in a lot better shape than I am now.
Anyway, I let her go by. She's not in my age group anyway. She's older. Maybe I just gave up because I didn't think I should be able to keep up with her. So she gradually started to pull away.
I concentrated on more accessible targets. There was one woman, for example, whom I had noticed at the start. She had that kind of broad-shouldered, triathlete kind of body---fit, but with the extra fat layer of someone who spends a good bit of time in the water. She was wearing a little dark pink running skirt that was getting hiked up by her fanny pack, and now we all could see that the panties underneath the skirt were white, and oh this was so not a good fashion choice. So I wanted to beat this chick if only so I wouldn't have to keep trying not to catch a full-on glimpse of her ass. I'm sure Tommy would have loved this but it was not for me.
Mile five was 8:44. Maybe I had pressed a bit too much trying to keep up with Jennifer, and pass white panty girl, but suddenly I was in distress. This also coincided with the significant hills of the last mile. I slowed to a crawl. Continued forward motion but incredibly slowly. Gagging and wheezing and spitting. I was still going to get a better time than expected, just had to get through it.
After a little bit of heaving, I gradually started feeling better. Some women passed me but not white panty girl. Mile 6 was a 9:40, but I didn't look down at my watch just then. Got passed by some tall woman I hadn't seen before, but managed to kick past her at the end. Should make for an interesting finish line photo. Kicking doesn't matter much if you're in the pack at a chip-timed race, if you aren't sure that somebody crossed the start line at the same time you did. But I kicked like it was the Olympics, and I had to beat her for the gold.
And then there was some vomiting, you betcha. Good thing I had only one cup of coffee this morning and that was it. Coulda been worse.
Grabbed a water bottle and headed into the fitness festival. One of the irritating things about this is the heavy congestion getting in, with all the penguins finishing their 5ks right at the time I finish the 10k, plus all their penguin relatives who are there to cheer them on. I actually observed one penguin almost get into a fight with the volunteer who was cutting the chips off our shoes. The woman walked past the volunteer, and the volunteer said "ma'am I need to remove your chip" and I seriously thought the penguin was going to smack the poor volunteer. She did start mouthing off at her. I know. She was one of those big, tall, hefty, hostile types, and the volunteer was just this little blonde thing. I switched to another line so I don't know how it ended.
It's better if you do the 5k, because the penguins aren't back yet when you finish. Yes, I am fully aware that I am a penguin compared to all of the women who finished ahead of me. But I do try to be polite.
I guess it was a harder push for me this year after all, so I wasn't as hungry as usual after the race. All I wanted was a banana and a bit of bagel, something cool to drink and then to head back to the car. But for once, there were no bagels or bananas to be found. I did have a small piece of the traditional Cake by Margo, but just a tiny piece for a change and I didn't even enjoy it as much as usual. Skipped the Starbucks, too, because I was too hot still for coffee and there was a line. Ended up with a large lemonade in a big cup of ice from Penn Station, thought about a sno-cone, but instead had a small strawberry smoothie on my way out. Poured some of that into the lemonade so I'd only have one thing to carry.
Not as many good freebies as in previous years, either. There was a sample size of Secret in the bags they handed us at the entrance, to which I added a tube of chapstick and some hand sanitizer.
And now I await the race results. Last year I was 10 of 30 in my age group. It would be nice to think with this much faster time that I had improved on that a bit, but it depends on who else was there.
It's the 8th year for this event, and I have participated every year, running the 5k for the first four years and switching to the 10k (to get a longer "training" run in, mostly) more recently. I did manage to place in my age group in the 5k a few times, but that's basically impossible in the 10k---although as I age, if I can maintain this pace, it might be possible through attrition. That's right, I just need more women my age to die off.
Besides just feeling the urge to keep this streak going, there are a few things that bring me back to this race each year:
- Nice technical tees in a woman's cut provided by Brooks (although they were that yucky gray color this year, what is up with that, I think this is the third gray tee I've gotten at a race this year);
- The "fitness festival" post-race, which usually has a better supply of eats than we see at typical races.
- And...that's it, really. Oh, except that there aren't that many opportunities to race at the 10k distance.
I did, however, make some purchases at the store:
- A cute black running skirt with the race logo on it, at 20% off
- A bra top, not so cute in white with yellow piping, but at 40% off, and frankly I don't care what my running clothes look like as long as they are comfortable and fit.
I know, I do wear these things outside to run in, but I feel quite anonymous most of the time when I'm running so it's easier to appear in public half naked. Different thing when trying something on in the store. Bad enough that I had to look at my thunder thighs and the cellulite in my upper arms, I am not sharing that with anybody outside the immediate family.
Left the house at 6:15 this morning for the 7:15 race start. As the race has grown in size, they have had to arrange parking at Raymond Walters college, which is about a half mile from the start and maybe a mile from the finish. In the early years, we just parked in the lot at the rec center, Then gradually, they had to expand the parking to neighboring lots that belonged to businesses that were closed on the weekend. And now it's too big even for that.
Parked the car and headed towards the start in a slow jog. Didn't feel that great but I've learned you can't tell anything from the warmup.
Continued running up the the hill past the start line, until I had covered a mile, and then turned around to jog back. Was feeling better by that point. Found a quiet spot (well, relatively quiet spot in the huge crowd of lady penguins) to do some active stretching.
Oh, about the general ambiance. This is one of the things I don't like about this race, the female camaraderie and general yuckiness of it. I guess it would be okay if I was there with somebody to talk to, like the year I went with Susan. But by myself, it is no fun. I don't mind being alone, except in a crowd of people who are all there in groups.
Took my place at behind the start line and waited for the singing of the National Anthem. Usually they have somebody good, who can actually sing, like a voice student from CCM. But this year they had some kid that supposedly they enlisted just moments before, and she didn't sing it any better than I would have. Which I guess accounted for her request that we all sing along, as it was necessary to drown her out. But we didn't and it didn't, and she couldn't sing.
Tried to put myself in a more competitive position this year than the last few times, since I am a bit more fit and didn't want to get boxed in. There were a surprising number of hefty penguins even fairly close to the start. You get a lot of that at this race, plus women wearing the race tee and with their numbers pinned to their back. But I managed to find a good spot for a change.
First mile, mostly uphill, I settle right in to a pace that feels sustainable but quicker than a training run, Hit the mile marker in 8:40, at least 10 seconds faster than I expected. This was encouraging. Grabbed a cup of water at the first stop, walked for about 20 seconds and drank most of it.
Last year the "stroller brigage" (an actual, separate race category with prizes and everything---the top three women this year win new strollers!) passed me in the first half mile, and they start a minute after the runners. This year, I didn't get passed by the top three women until close to the two mile mark, so obviously I was having a much better race. Mile two was an 8:27. Woo.
Near the end of the third mile, I had to face the psychological pain of knowing that I would be done soon if i were doing the 5k, as we pass by the turn to the finish line and have to listen to the announcer cheering people home. I was encouraged to note, however, that my time seemed to be a bit faster than my 5k time from the Fairfax race last month. This is not an easy course, either, so that says something about how my training and general fitness has been going---even if I am still a fat pig.
Hit mile three (and second water stop) in 8:58. That's 26:05 for 3 miles. The next mile begins with a repeat of the race start, so it's mostly uphill. Still wasn't feeling too bad. Just tried to keep a steady pace. The four mile mark is just inside a residential neighborhood. 9:03 for that mile. I would have liked to be keeping it under 9 minute pace, but I was already still way ahead of my plan so it didn't really bother me, and anyway, that mile WAS uphill. Saw old running buddy Bob Platt directing us around a cul-de-sac, and heard him cheering for someone named "Jennifer" who was coming up alongside me.
This Jennifer had a very heavy footfall and was really chugging for air, and I expected her to be some gigantic lady penguin, but one of those who despite appearances is still faster than me. When I turned to look at her, I was surprised to see that it was Jennifer Black, twin sister of my congresswoman. Far from a penguin. Both these ladies are pretty competitive age group runners. Jennifer is a little slower than her sister, but the fact remains that I've probably only beaten her in a race once, maybe not even once, and that was when I was in a lot better shape than I am now.
Anyway, I let her go by. She's not in my age group anyway. She's older. Maybe I just gave up because I didn't think I should be able to keep up with her. So she gradually started to pull away.
I concentrated on more accessible targets. There was one woman, for example, whom I had noticed at the start. She had that kind of broad-shouldered, triathlete kind of body---fit, but with the extra fat layer of someone who spends a good bit of time in the water. She was wearing a little dark pink running skirt that was getting hiked up by her fanny pack, and now we all could see that the panties underneath the skirt were white, and oh this was so not a good fashion choice. So I wanted to beat this chick if only so I wouldn't have to keep trying not to catch a full-on glimpse of her ass. I'm sure Tommy would have loved this but it was not for me.
Mile five was 8:44. Maybe I had pressed a bit too much trying to keep up with Jennifer, and pass white panty girl, but suddenly I was in distress. This also coincided with the significant hills of the last mile. I slowed to a crawl. Continued forward motion but incredibly slowly. Gagging and wheezing and spitting. I was still going to get a better time than expected, just had to get through it.
After a little bit of heaving, I gradually started feeling better. Some women passed me but not white panty girl. Mile 6 was a 9:40, but I didn't look down at my watch just then. Got passed by some tall woman I hadn't seen before, but managed to kick past her at the end. Should make for an interesting finish line photo. Kicking doesn't matter much if you're in the pack at a chip-timed race, if you aren't sure that somebody crossed the start line at the same time you did. But I kicked like it was the Olympics, and I had to beat her for the gold.
And then there was some vomiting, you betcha. Good thing I had only one cup of coffee this morning and that was it. Coulda been worse.
Grabbed a water bottle and headed into the fitness festival. One of the irritating things about this is the heavy congestion getting in, with all the penguins finishing their 5ks right at the time I finish the 10k, plus all their penguin relatives who are there to cheer them on. I actually observed one penguin almost get into a fight with the volunteer who was cutting the chips off our shoes. The woman walked past the volunteer, and the volunteer said "ma'am I need to remove your chip" and I seriously thought the penguin was going to smack the poor volunteer. She did start mouthing off at her. I know. She was one of those big, tall, hefty, hostile types, and the volunteer was just this little blonde thing. I switched to another line so I don't know how it ended.
It's better if you do the 5k, because the penguins aren't back yet when you finish. Yes, I am fully aware that I am a penguin compared to all of the women who finished ahead of me. But I do try to be polite.
I guess it was a harder push for me this year after all, so I wasn't as hungry as usual after the race. All I wanted was a banana and a bit of bagel, something cool to drink and then to head back to the car. But for once, there were no bagels or bananas to be found. I did have a small piece of the traditional Cake by Margo, but just a tiny piece for a change and I didn't even enjoy it as much as usual. Skipped the Starbucks, too, because I was too hot still for coffee and there was a line. Ended up with a large lemonade in a big cup of ice from Penn Station, thought about a sno-cone, but instead had a small strawberry smoothie on my way out. Poured some of that into the lemonade so I'd only have one thing to carry.
Not as many good freebies as in previous years, either. There was a sample size of Secret in the bags they handed us at the entrance, to which I added a tube of chapstick and some hand sanitizer.
And now I await the race results. Last year I was 10 of 30 in my age group. It would be nice to think with this much faster time that I had improved on that a bit, but it depends on who else was there.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
I don't like my new running log at all
So, it turns out I don't like it. Now, am I going to use it for the rest of the year (50 more weeks) or am I going to give up and order the kind I have been using for the past 15 years or so?
It is cumbersome, that's the main thing. I don't like having the week spread out over 4 pages. That is just ridiculous. And the "intensity factor" thing I am just using to record my shoe mileage. And I am missing the helpful charts from the Glover book, which it turns on I relied on a lot (pace and race time predictors, etc.)
Have been getting some good runs in lately, though. Have found a new way to get the long runs done on these hot days when I can't get started at 5 am. What I do is just a very short 1-3 miler outside and then I come in and do 1-3 on the treadmill. Well, what I actually do depends on the weather when I start and what happens to be on TV at the time. Like, if it's raining then I start on the treadmill, but if it just looks like it might rain any minute, then I start outside. Because it usually doesn't and then I get some miles outside before it does. And if there is something absorbing on the TV when I'm on the mill, then I might stay until it is over. Like that movie "Shaun of the Dead" that I got sucked into on Sunday afternoon. And I go back and forth, mill and outside, until I get the mileage done.
I don't have to carry water, I don't have to carry GU, I don't have to plan a route because I can just run wherever for a couple of miles (which opens up many intriguing possibilities for place I don't ordinarily run to and from that are a short distance away), I don't have to worry about bathroom breaks and where to take them, I don't have to feel guilty about leaving the dogs for long periods, I don't have to drive anywhere. It is great.
I got a 10 miler done last Monday, and another 12 this Sunday. And I didn't feel as beat up as I usually do after. That's something.
Another new thing I'm trying that I do like: GU Chomps. So far I've had the orange and the strawberry. Very satisfying. I don't know how they would be to carry on a long run, but with this new method that involves me having to walk through the kitchen every couple of miles, they work great.
It is cumbersome, that's the main thing. I don't like having the week spread out over 4 pages. That is just ridiculous. And the "intensity factor" thing I am just using to record my shoe mileage. And I am missing the helpful charts from the Glover book, which it turns on I relied on a lot (pace and race time predictors, etc.)
Have been getting some good runs in lately, though. Have found a new way to get the long runs done on these hot days when I can't get started at 5 am. What I do is just a very short 1-3 miler outside and then I come in and do 1-3 on the treadmill. Well, what I actually do depends on the weather when I start and what happens to be on TV at the time. Like, if it's raining then I start on the treadmill, but if it just looks like it might rain any minute, then I start outside. Because it usually doesn't and then I get some miles outside before it does. And if there is something absorbing on the TV when I'm on the mill, then I might stay until it is over. Like that movie "Shaun of the Dead" that I got sucked into on Sunday afternoon. And I go back and forth, mill and outside, until I get the mileage done.
I don't have to carry water, I don't have to carry GU, I don't have to plan a route because I can just run wherever for a couple of miles (which opens up many intriguing possibilities for place I don't ordinarily run to and from that are a short distance away), I don't have to worry about bathroom breaks and where to take them, I don't have to feel guilty about leaving the dogs for long periods, I don't have to drive anywhere. It is great.
I got a 10 miler done last Monday, and another 12 this Sunday. And I didn't feel as beat up as I usually do after. That's something.
Another new thing I'm trying that I do like: GU Chomps. So far I've had the orange and the strawberry. Very satisfying. I don't know how they would be to carry on a long run, but with this new method that involves me having to walk through the kitchen every couple of miles, they work great.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Fairfax 5k race report
No one reads them anyway so I will just put it here. I did this one on Saturday morning. I haven't done it in a bunch of years. I guess the date conflicted with dog shows or something. It's in the neighborhood and even closer than I realized when I actually decided to run to the start instead of driving my car.
Yeah, so to make it a longer run, I ran to and from the race. It's a bit over 2 miles from my house. Last night I suddenly realized just how familiar I am with the course, since I have to drive about half of it everytime I go to and from the dog training club. And the route there is part of a 4-mile out and back that I do pretty regularly.
The nice thing about the run there is that it was mostly downhill until the end, which I walked so I would not be too out of breath when I went to pick up my race number. I was pretty sweaty and disgusting by that point, and feeling quite self-conscious.
It was a very small crowd this year, less than 75 people for the walk and the run. Don Connolly (race director) actually told us all at the start that they would just skip the award ceremony and hand us our medals as we crossed the finish line, since they had more than enough medals to give one to everyone there. That worked for me, because I didn't want to stay for the awards ceremony since I needed to get going on that jog back home before I stiffened up.
A newspaper article had said that they were hoping to get over a hundred people this year. I guess there was just too much competition, with at least two other 5ks going on at the same time this weekend. I know there were more people there last year, when Susan and Becky ran it. I think there was a high school girls team that showed up last year, and they skipped it this time for some reason.
It's a double loop course. They always describe it as mostly flat, which is ridiculous because it is more than half hills. For some reason, the hills didn't seem as long or as steep to me this year. I've done this one in the 23-24 minute range, but that was a long time ago. Last time, I was in the 27s, but that was on a year when I had already done the Madiera Mile and the Hyde Park Blast in the days right before this race. My goal time was 28:30 (9:10 pace), very modest but in line with my current training and racing.
At the start, lined up behind the fitter-looking women. Not too many of them, so couldn't go too far back. Went through the first mile under 9 minute pace, and was pretty pleased. Passed a woman wearing an Ipod right away, and happy with that too. Passed two of the fit women right before the first water stop at the halfway point back by the start/finish area. Just kept thinking, glide, glide, glide---that is kind of my new mantra, I guess. I am smooth and I glide. I just glide right past you.
Well, before too long the fitter of these two women couldn't take it anymore so she passed me back. I let her get ahead but stayed pretty close behind her. Sometimes drafting off her, sometimes just using her for shade. Second mile was in the 8:40s. Woohoohoo. And I wasn't even feeling too bad.
Didn't see a mile marker for 3. Tried to finish strong without throwing up. Could have caught that woman but that would have meant throwing up. Her friend was struggling and well back. They turned out to be younger than me anyway.
Finished in an official time of 27:24, which was much better than my goal, and even a little faster than the last time I did this race. Had a cup of water, walked around in circles for a bit to catch my breath, and then grabbed another cup of water to sip on as I started the slog home. I basically walked until the water was gone and then switched to a jog. It wasn't as awful as I expected, even though it was mostly uphill.
In the end, I was 8th woman overall (not saying much since it was such a small race) but only 3 of 3 in my age group. The women who beat me (by several minutes) were so far ahead that I never saw them after the start.
So, glad I got in this pretty good little workout close to home, and I will try to make it back there for this race when the schedule permits.
Yeah, so to make it a longer run, I ran to and from the race. It's a bit over 2 miles from my house. Last night I suddenly realized just how familiar I am with the course, since I have to drive about half of it everytime I go to and from the dog training club. And the route there is part of a 4-mile out and back that I do pretty regularly.
The nice thing about the run there is that it was mostly downhill until the end, which I walked so I would not be too out of breath when I went to pick up my race number. I was pretty sweaty and disgusting by that point, and feeling quite self-conscious.
It was a very small crowd this year, less than 75 people for the walk and the run. Don Connolly (race director) actually told us all at the start that they would just skip the award ceremony and hand us our medals as we crossed the finish line, since they had more than enough medals to give one to everyone there. That worked for me, because I didn't want to stay for the awards ceremony since I needed to get going on that jog back home before I stiffened up.
A newspaper article had said that they were hoping to get over a hundred people this year. I guess there was just too much competition, with at least two other 5ks going on at the same time this weekend. I know there were more people there last year, when Susan and Becky ran it. I think there was a high school girls team that showed up last year, and they skipped it this time for some reason.
It's a double loop course. They always describe it as mostly flat, which is ridiculous because it is more than half hills. For some reason, the hills didn't seem as long or as steep to me this year. I've done this one in the 23-24 minute range, but that was a long time ago. Last time, I was in the 27s, but that was on a year when I had already done the Madiera Mile and the Hyde Park Blast in the days right before this race. My goal time was 28:30 (9:10 pace), very modest but in line with my current training and racing.
At the start, lined up behind the fitter-looking women. Not too many of them, so couldn't go too far back. Went through the first mile under 9 minute pace, and was pretty pleased. Passed a woman wearing an Ipod right away, and happy with that too. Passed two of the fit women right before the first water stop at the halfway point back by the start/finish area. Just kept thinking, glide, glide, glide---that is kind of my new mantra, I guess. I am smooth and I glide. I just glide right past you.
Well, before too long the fitter of these two women couldn't take it anymore so she passed me back. I let her get ahead but stayed pretty close behind her. Sometimes drafting off her, sometimes just using her for shade. Second mile was in the 8:40s. Woohoohoo. And I wasn't even feeling too bad.
Didn't see a mile marker for 3. Tried to finish strong without throwing up. Could have caught that woman but that would have meant throwing up. Her friend was struggling and well back. They turned out to be younger than me anyway.
Finished in an official time of 27:24, which was much better than my goal, and even a little faster than the last time I did this race. Had a cup of water, walked around in circles for a bit to catch my breath, and then grabbed another cup of water to sip on as I started the slog home. I basically walked until the water was gone and then switched to a jog. It wasn't as awful as I expected, even though it was mostly uphill.
In the end, I was 8th woman overall (not saying much since it was such a small race) but only 3 of 3 in my age group. The women who beat me (by several minutes) were so far ahead that I never saw them after the start.
So, glad I got in this pretty good little workout close to home, and I will try to make it back there for this race when the schedule permits.
Friday, July 09, 2010
Trying to decide
Can't make up my mind if I will run today or not. Doing Fairfax Day 5k tomorrow. Not that I am going to be competitive. Well, I guess if I am going to run I should get to it.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
My New Training Log
It is time to turnover to a new training log. For the past, what, 10-12 years I have been using "The Runner's Training Diary" from Bob & Shelly Glover. Obviously I must like it, or else I really don't like change. Or both!
I do like it, but they revised it a couple of years ago and I liked the previous edition better. Because I really don't like change at all! Mostly, what they did was put a bunch more info in the back. Good info but not really needed, and it makes it more difficult to flip back and forth between the diary pages and the yearly summary pages and the charts and schedules---all of which I use a lot.
So I decided to try something new. Ordered "The Runner's Diary" from Matt Fitzgerald. Will start using it next week. But have dipped into it a bit and not sure I like it better. There are a few things I'll like but other things I will miss.
What I don't like so far:
I do like it, but they revised it a couple of years ago and I liked the previous edition better. Because I really don't like change at all! Mostly, what they did was put a bunch more info in the back. Good info but not really needed, and it makes it more difficult to flip back and forth between the diary pages and the yearly summary pages and the charts and schedules---all of which I use a lot.
So I decided to try something new. Ordered "The Runner's Diary" from Matt Fitzgerald. Will start using it next week. But have dipped into it a bit and not sure I like it better. There are a few things I'll like but other things I will miss.
What I don't like so far:
- Bigger, more awkward size, plus oversized cover pages that will get bent and look messy
- Doesn't have the handy marathon training schedules like the Glover book
- Has pace charts, but not the handy predictor charts that Glover has
- 4 pages per week vs. 2 pages per week in Glover, will make it hard to flip around from week to week
- Doesn't have the little spot to write in what shoes I wore, so I have to just put it in the regular notes
- Monthly Planning Calendar pages where I can record a summary of my planned runs for the whole month
- That's it, actually, I can't find anything else I like better at the moment
- The spaces to record your nutrition for the day, because although it sounds appealing who knows if I will actually be able to keep up with it
- The "rating" space, because again, who knows if I will actually use that
- Intensity Factor, which might be fun to track if I can get the hang of computing it easily. You are supposed to take your current, "functional threshold pace" (the pace you could sustain for an hour in race conditions), convert that to seconds per mile, and then compare it to how fast you ran your workout. So you get an intensity percentage. Now who knows what my FTP is? So I am just going to figure it on a 60 minute 10k or something like that. Anyway, whatever you use, as long as you keep using the same thing I guess the Intensity Factors could be compared to each other. Doesn't this sound like too much work, though? That's what I'm thinking.
- Weekly Summary, again could be good if I use it, but will it be too much work.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Egg Nog Jog
I never wrote about the last 5k I did back in December so I wrote about it today. And here it comes, below. First, somebody just asked me for my blog address. Since I don't really want my blog to be a public thing, I told him I had deleted it! This is more like a diary and it creeps me out that strangers might find it. I would use an actual diary or journal but I've never found one I liked. And so, we blog. Once in awhile, in a great long while.
This is the 5k I ran back on December 19. I ran three 5ks in the month of December, because I missed racing and I was hoping it would help me gain some speed. This was the last of the three races.
This one takes place in the Cincinnati neighborhood known as Mt. Adams. That means it’s not flat, although the race route itself is not as hilly as it could be. Mt. Adams is an area of upscale shops and restaurants where Tommy and I spent a lot of date nights back in the day (or night). It is also the home of the Cincinnati Art Museum, Playhouse in the Park, and Krohn Conservatory (all located in Eden Park, part of which you run through during the Flying Pig).
My original plan was to bring my dog Eddy along for this one, as he had joined me on the previous two 5ks earlier in the month and we had a lot of fun together. But a snow/ice storm on race morning changed my plans. His feet are very sensitive and I didn’t want him running on the salt encrusted roads. I also didn’t want to take a chance on me losing my balance on the ice while I was also holding onto his leash. So Ed stayed home.
On the upside, this meant that I could hang out after the race in the coffee shop/wine bar that was the site of the awards ceremony.
Last time I ran this race was ten years ago, when I finished in 24:16 according to my records, and placed third in my age group. Two age groups later, I was not expecting a time that fast, but still hoping for a placement. The day before the race, I picked up my number and t-shirt (and chip, yes, chip for this relatively small local race) at the running shoe store, where I overheard the manager (who is one of our local studs) talking about how last time he ran it (when he was in high school), he and the other leaders took a wrong turn that resulted in the course being shortened. Turns out that was the same year that I last ran it! So I know I can’t expect too much.
On race morning, I drove our old Ford Explorer to the start because it seemed best equipped to handle to road conditions (and the chance that somebody might skid into me). Hilly Mt. Adams is not big fun to drive around in on a snowy morning. And even on a good day, it’s no fun trying to find a parking space there. I drove around the streets near the coffee shop a few times before I found a nice, big space in front of a townhouse about two blocks from the start.
Mt. Adams is just a couple miles from my house but I realized I had not been there in years. The wine shop where we used to go for tastings is gone, but the Blind Lemon where we used to sit on the back patio and listen to music is still there. The coffee shop and wine bar that we runners are hanging out in are new to me, though.
Warmed up my legs running around the block a few times from my car, and was especially glad that I didn’t bring Ed because the roads were heavily salted. Lined up at the start back with the old geezers. Race start was uphill but it leveled off a bit soon enough. I saw the “man who doesn’t wear shirt but should”---he was wearing a shirt this time though and I passed him sooner than usual, which was a good sign. Also dumped a number of the geezers.
We ran around the Playhouse/Museum area (relatively flat part) and I saw a guy running with a Beagle. He would have to win First Dog this time.
Missed the first mile marker. Mile two had a significant downhill section, and then we hit a flat out-and-back across a grassy (or rather, snowy and slushy) field (what?!) which was quite unpleasant. I am guessing this was the section of the course that was left out in 1999, because I know I would have remembered it. There was some lady in pink that I was trying to pass.
My time on my watch at the mile two mark was 17:18 but this included a little bit of extra time getting to the start. Mile 1 was more like 9 minutes, mile 2 with the downhill was like 8 minutes. In the third mile we had to climb back uphill, and I did manage to pass pink lady. The most unpleasant part of this mile was a section where we had to run up a little parking area ramp that had not been salted. It was quite slippery and I had to stop and walk up it carefully to keep from falling.
The finish line was near Rookwood Pottery and The Celestial restaurant, which is a few blocks away from the wine bar. I don’t know why they set it up that way but that’s how they did it. My official time was 27:22, which was slower than my two previous 5ks, but I didn’t have Ed pulling me and this was a more challenging course.
I got some dry clothes from my car, changed in the car (!) and headed back up to the wine bar. They were serving egg nog, which turns out to be a most excellent recovery beverage. They also had pizza but I stuck with bagels. Found a seat at the bar and waited for the awards. I get impatient with this stuff now but it helped that there was this rather cute, Jon Bon Jovi-like guy standing next to me. (Don’t tell Tommy). So while I sat there all gross and grimy and old and fat and disheveled and sucking down the egg nog, I could fantasize that Jon Bon Jovi found me cute as well, though we never acknowledged each other’s presence. I had never seen this guy before at a race---I am sure I would have remembered!---but he looked like a regular runner and he had friends there that he was talking with about training plans for the week, etc.---not that I was eavesdropping or anything.
Anyway, eventually they got to my age group, and surprise, Jon Bon Jovi is in my age group (just like the real Bon Jovi), which I find out because he gets a prize. And then, I get one, too. I am third in the age group. I get my hardware and head back for the car, humming… oohhhhh we’re halfway there, ohhh ohhh livin’ on a prayer, take my hand, we’ll make I swear-air, ohhhh livin’ on a prayer, livin’ on a prayer…( #1 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the 80’s per Wikipedia). (I tried putting up a link to the Alvin & Chipmunks version of this song, which the dogs find quite disturbing, but I couldn’t get it to work. Search for it if you dare!).
Anyway, I was 3/12 in the age group, 44 of 149 women, and 146 of 359 overall.
This is the 5k I ran back on December 19. I ran three 5ks in the month of December, because I missed racing and I was hoping it would help me gain some speed. This was the last of the three races.
This one takes place in the Cincinnati neighborhood known as Mt. Adams. That means it’s not flat, although the race route itself is not as hilly as it could be. Mt. Adams is an area of upscale shops and restaurants where Tommy and I spent a lot of date nights back in the day (or night). It is also the home of the Cincinnati Art Museum, Playhouse in the Park, and Krohn Conservatory (all located in Eden Park, part of which you run through during the Flying Pig).
My original plan was to bring my dog Eddy along for this one, as he had joined me on the previous two 5ks earlier in the month and we had a lot of fun together. But a snow/ice storm on race morning changed my plans. His feet are very sensitive and I didn’t want him running on the salt encrusted roads. I also didn’t want to take a chance on me losing my balance on the ice while I was also holding onto his leash. So Ed stayed home.
On the upside, this meant that I could hang out after the race in the coffee shop/wine bar that was the site of the awards ceremony.
Last time I ran this race was ten years ago, when I finished in 24:16 according to my records, and placed third in my age group. Two age groups later, I was not expecting a time that fast, but still hoping for a placement. The day before the race, I picked up my number and t-shirt (and chip, yes, chip for this relatively small local race) at the running shoe store, where I overheard the manager (who is one of our local studs) talking about how last time he ran it (when he was in high school), he and the other leaders took a wrong turn that resulted in the course being shortened. Turns out that was the same year that I last ran it! So I know I can’t expect too much.
On race morning, I drove our old Ford Explorer to the start because it seemed best equipped to handle to road conditions (and the chance that somebody might skid into me). Hilly Mt. Adams is not big fun to drive around in on a snowy morning. And even on a good day, it’s no fun trying to find a parking space there. I drove around the streets near the coffee shop a few times before I found a nice, big space in front of a townhouse about two blocks from the start.
Mt. Adams is just a couple miles from my house but I realized I had not been there in years. The wine shop where we used to go for tastings is gone, but the Blind Lemon where we used to sit on the back patio and listen to music is still there. The coffee shop and wine bar that we runners are hanging out in are new to me, though.
Warmed up my legs running around the block a few times from my car, and was especially glad that I didn’t bring Ed because the roads were heavily salted. Lined up at the start back with the old geezers. Race start was uphill but it leveled off a bit soon enough. I saw the “man who doesn’t wear shirt but should”---he was wearing a shirt this time though and I passed him sooner than usual, which was a good sign. Also dumped a number of the geezers.
We ran around the Playhouse/Museum area (relatively flat part) and I saw a guy running with a Beagle. He would have to win First Dog this time.
Missed the first mile marker. Mile two had a significant downhill section, and then we hit a flat out-and-back across a grassy (or rather, snowy and slushy) field (what?!) which was quite unpleasant. I am guessing this was the section of the course that was left out in 1999, because I know I would have remembered it. There was some lady in pink that I was trying to pass.
My time on my watch at the mile two mark was 17:18 but this included a little bit of extra time getting to the start. Mile 1 was more like 9 minutes, mile 2 with the downhill was like 8 minutes. In the third mile we had to climb back uphill, and I did manage to pass pink lady. The most unpleasant part of this mile was a section where we had to run up a little parking area ramp that had not been salted. It was quite slippery and I had to stop and walk up it carefully to keep from falling.
The finish line was near Rookwood Pottery and The Celestial restaurant, which is a few blocks away from the wine bar. I don’t know why they set it up that way but that’s how they did it. My official time was 27:22, which was slower than my two previous 5ks, but I didn’t have Ed pulling me and this was a more challenging course.
I got some dry clothes from my car, changed in the car (!) and headed back up to the wine bar. They were serving egg nog, which turns out to be a most excellent recovery beverage. They also had pizza but I stuck with bagels. Found a seat at the bar and waited for the awards. I get impatient with this stuff now but it helped that there was this rather cute, Jon Bon Jovi-like guy standing next to me. (Don’t tell Tommy). So while I sat there all gross and grimy and old and fat and disheveled and sucking down the egg nog, I could fantasize that Jon Bon Jovi found me cute as well, though we never acknowledged each other’s presence. I had never seen this guy before at a race---I am sure I would have remembered!---but he looked like a regular runner and he had friends there that he was talking with about training plans for the week, etc.---not that I was eavesdropping or anything.
Anyway, eventually they got to my age group, and surprise, Jon Bon Jovi is in my age group (just like the real Bon Jovi), which I find out because he gets a prize. And then, I get one, too. I am third in the age group. I get my hardware and head back for the car, humming… oohhhhh we’re halfway there, ohhh ohhh livin’ on a prayer, take my hand, we’ll make I swear-air, ohhhh livin’ on a prayer, livin’ on a prayer…( #1 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the 80’s per Wikipedia). (I tried putting up a link to the Alvin & Chipmunks version of this song, which the dogs find quite disturbing, but I couldn’t get it to work. Search for it if you dare!).
Anyway, I was 3/12 in the age group, 44 of 149 women, and 146 of 359 overall.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Not good
So, next Sunday I will be participating in yet another marathon that I am not properly trained for. Things were going pretty well until a few weeks ago. In addition to the 12 miler I posted about in December, I got in a 14 miler and a 16 miler. That last one was in mid-January. I got up to 8 Yassos, also not too shabby. Then things fell apart.
Got busy, got lazy and got injured. And for the last week I haven't run at all, trying to just recover enough from the stupid injury in order to be able to get my shoes on and start the race.
It's some weird thing with my right toes. And that right foot is bad enough without this new problem. It started about 2 weeks ago, when I noticed that during a short treadmill run my foot felt like there was a small stone in the ball of the foot or like my socks were bunched up or something. But when I took the shoe off, it was more like a big red cyst under the skin, or a blister except it wasn't a blister, if that makes any sense. I tried different shoes, but by the end of the week the cysts or blisters or swelling or whatever it is had spread to several other toes, and the baby toe was particularly a mess. Red and swollen and itchy.
No problems anywhere else on my body so not an allergy.
I think it may have something to do with having to wear snow boots for the dogs walks for much of the past 2 weeks. Maybe those boots are too tight in the toes and that is causing the abrasions? Anyway, Thursday I order a bunch of new shoes online. The ones that arrived, a half-size larger, did not solve the problem, and now I am waiting on a pair that is the same size as I have been wearing but in a D width.
On Friday, I went out to DFW shoe store and found a pair with a wide toe box to wear just for walking around. On that day, the only shoes I could get on my feet to go out were the huge snow slippers that I keep in the basement to step outside in the backyard with the dogs. Awful. Anyway, these new shoes are Merrills, which I have had trouble with in the past but these seem to be okay. More flexible than the Merrills I had before, and a nice wide toe box.
Am waiting for my shoes to arrive so I can try a treadmill run. If they are going to be my marathon shoes I have to test them before the race!
I did have moments of panic last week that I had some weird cystic foot disease, or diabetes, or gangrene. But with rest and wider toe boxes the toes are looking better, so I'm not running out to the doctor just yet. Plus he'd only tell me not to do the marathon and we can't have that. And I am too embarrassed to show my feet to anyone. So they have to get better without medical assistance.
But I'm not very psyched for my visit to New Orleans. I can hardly walk. So I don't think I am going to enjoy it much.
Got busy, got lazy and got injured. And for the last week I haven't run at all, trying to just recover enough from the stupid injury in order to be able to get my shoes on and start the race.
It's some weird thing with my right toes. And that right foot is bad enough without this new problem. It started about 2 weeks ago, when I noticed that during a short treadmill run my foot felt like there was a small stone in the ball of the foot or like my socks were bunched up or something. But when I took the shoe off, it was more like a big red cyst under the skin, or a blister except it wasn't a blister, if that makes any sense. I tried different shoes, but by the end of the week the cysts or blisters or swelling or whatever it is had spread to several other toes, and the baby toe was particularly a mess. Red and swollen and itchy.
No problems anywhere else on my body so not an allergy.
I think it may have something to do with having to wear snow boots for the dogs walks for much of the past 2 weeks. Maybe those boots are too tight in the toes and that is causing the abrasions? Anyway, Thursday I order a bunch of new shoes online. The ones that arrived, a half-size larger, did not solve the problem, and now I am waiting on a pair that is the same size as I have been wearing but in a D width.
On Friday, I went out to DFW shoe store and found a pair with a wide toe box to wear just for walking around. On that day, the only shoes I could get on my feet to go out were the huge snow slippers that I keep in the basement to step outside in the backyard with the dogs. Awful. Anyway, these new shoes are Merrills, which I have had trouble with in the past but these seem to be okay. More flexible than the Merrills I had before, and a nice wide toe box.
Am waiting for my shoes to arrive so I can try a treadmill run. If they are going to be my marathon shoes I have to test them before the race!
I did have moments of panic last week that I had some weird cystic foot disease, or diabetes, or gangrene. But with rest and wider toe boxes the toes are looking better, so I'm not running out to the doctor just yet. Plus he'd only tell me not to do the marathon and we can't have that. And I am too embarrassed to show my feet to anyone. So they have to get better without medical assistance.
But I'm not very psyched for my visit to New Orleans. I can hardly walk. So I don't think I am going to enjoy it much.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)