Walter Mosley says if you want to be a writer you have to make yourself write every day. Do I want to be a writer? I guess maybe I haven't decided yet.
But I am definitely a runner, even if I don't look like one. Here is my report from the Spirit of St. Louis Marathon, which I completed on Sunday.
Overall, pretty nice marathon, reasonably good organization, weather was okay, I finished in one piece. Glad we went. This was my 29th marathon and 26th state (counting DC).
Earlier last week, I debated the wisdom of traveling to St. Louis to compete in the marathon, untrained as I am. Decided to go anyway, since the cutoff time was seven hours and I figured I could manage that even if I walked the entire way.
We stayed at the Adams Mark in downtown St. Louis, which was the host hotel and site of the race expo. Nice enough hotel, but not-so-great service in the hotel café where we ate lunch on Saturday. The hotel is designed so that many of the guest rooms have at least a partial view of the Gateway Arch, which is right across the street from the hotel.
The race expo was nicer than expected and we bought a lot of stuff, including those fancy CR-X tights that are supposed to make you go faster. Even Tommy bought a pair of the tights. The tights were 50 percent off, too bad they really only take seconds off your time. Tommy registered for the half-marathon.
Saturday evening I attended a meeting of the 50 States Marathon Club, which was holding one of their quarterly reunions at this race. Paid up a few years of dues and got myself back on the mailing list.
Saturday was very cold and very rainy. We elected not to go to the pasta dinner, held at the City Hall. Over the years, I have found it safest to avoid pasta dinners held at locations that do not normally serve food, and this one didn’t sound too promising. We also didn’t want to get our car out of the garage, and the location around our hotel featured mostly chain restaurants catering to the ballpark crowd, and other hotel restaurants. Since the service in our hotel wasn’t so great for lunch, we walked across the street to 400 Olive, a pretty good little restaurant in the Hilton. I had very good pappardelle pasta in a cream sauce with lobster, tomatoes and asparagus. The cheerful server kept refilling our bread basket, and we left the restaurant very satisfied.
As at some other marathons we have experienced, we had a bit of trouble figuring out the location of the start and finish line, and how we would get there. Stopping by the marathon information booth back at the expo, I was distressed to learn that the start was at least a mile away from our hotel, and the race organizers had arranged no transportation. But we decided that as long as the weather cleared up, the walk would be no big deal.
Sunday morning, we left the hotel at 6:30 for the 7 am start. The temperature was about 38 degrees, but it was dry and sunny. I wore capri tights, and three layers on top---a thin technical long-sleeve top, another heavier technical top with a half-zipper, and a long wind jacket. And of course, gloves and a hat. I didn’t need any throwaway clothes because we got warmed up on our jog up to the start line and then we didn’t have to hang around too long once we got there. I took the jacket off after the first mile, and the zippered top after the second mile, but I needed my gloves off and on for most of the race, as it was quite windy.
The half-marathon started with the marathon and followed the same course until about mile nine, before turning around and heading for the finish. There was also a four-person marathon relay. The race brochure encouraged relay team members to head for the finish as they completed their legs, and try to all cross the finish line together. I wondered what ill-informed race committee member came up with that bonehead idea that would likely lead to congestion and confusion at the finish line.
We lined up with the other slugs near the back. Tommy was aiming for a two-hour half. I was expecting to do a lot of walking, and I really had no idea how I would finish. I had even toyed with the idea of starting with a walk, but decided that I would start at a deliberately slow jog, follow my normal race strategy of one-minute walk breaks per mile, and just see how things went.
I agree with Ken about the course being quite pleasant. It was a bit hillier than I expected but not as hilly as Charlotte. I don’t know what I was expecting, really, since I hadn’t thought much about it. We started with a couple of miles through downtown, through the Anheuser-Busch Brewery (I totally missed the Clydesdales and the smell of beer, which Tommy claimed was overwhelming) then back through downtown, up through Forest Park (very pretty, huge city park), through Washington University campus (also very pretty, as I had always heard), through the Clayton neighborhood (upscale shops and restaurants), back through the park and back into the city (retracing some of our steps from earlier miles).
On Marathon Guide, I have read some complaints that the course could do more to showcase city landmarks and maybe swing by the baseball stadium, but we know how tricky marathon course design can be. Nothing’s perfect. This one is pretty good.
The course had water stops approximately every two miles (very well supported with water and Gatorade), three gel stations for those who don’t bring their own, reasonably accurate mile markers (mile 5 a bit short), and a road surface that was fairly level. This could be a good BQ course if you don’t mind a few rolling hills.
Had some nice little chats along the way with a guy who was running his first marathon. He had injured his calf muscle after his 17-mile long run and never got any further than that in training. I lost touch with him around mile 22 and I hope he finished.
I ran the first 11 miles between 10:00 – 10:30 pace, and felt surprisingly good. Entertained the thought of a 4:30 finish. But I knew by mile 15 I was going to be in trouble, since I hadn’t done any long runs farther than that and the last one was over a month ago! Slowed down a little in miles 12 – 13, and then by mile 14 was on a 12:30 pace. I expected that I would gradually get slower and slower until I was limping along at 15-minute pace, but the happy surprise for me was that it never got any worse than this. I managed to hold a steady 12:30 pace for the next few miles, and then picked it up a little the rest of the way, to finish in 4:57:28. This was just a little bit slower than Richmond last November, but with a much more even pace. Not so bad, I thought, considering I wasn’t trained.
They were serving Michelob Ultra at mile 24, but I was by then focused on new goal of breaking five hours so I skipped it!
There was one couple that I first noticed around mile 15 who looked like they had just jumped on the course to run a few miles. They seemed to appear out of nowhere. They were wearing marathon bib numbers but they were dressed as if for a warm weather 5k, not a chilly marathon. And they each looked fresh as a daisy. As they pulled away from me, I couldn’t help wondering if they had actually run the previous 15 miles. So it made me very happy to catch up with them around mile 23 and leave them in the dust.
Post-race, picked up the very large finisher’s medal, grabbed some pretzels and a banana, and started walking back to the hotel (just a couple of blocks). Tommy caught up with me, carrying a bag with a ham sandwich from Hardees. He says he tried to find me a turkey sandwich and this was the closest thing he could find. I was so pleased with my race that I cut him some slack, although I did point out that there was a turkey club on the menu at our hotel and even with their crappy service he probably could have gotten one delivered in time. So Tommy is improving in this regard, but before our next race I think I will scout out the options for my turkey sandwich ahead of time and leave him with clear instructions about how to purchase one.
After I got cleaned up, we walked across the street to the Max & Erma’s in a neighboring hotel for burgers. Then we walked over to the Arch, which I had never seen up close before. I really liked that you can just walk right up and touch it. I think it is such a lovely thing, so simple and elegant.
Later in the evening, we tried in vain to find an interesting restaurant within a short walk of our hotel that was open on Sundays, before giving up and heading back to 400 Olive in the Hilton lobby. This time I just had a salad and a crab cake appetizer, which were both very good. Even though it bothered me to eat in the same place twice, I guess it was better than eating bad food in two different places.
Today after the drive home I am quite sore but no permanent damage. I have been a bit worried about my knee lately but that seems fine. My quads and hamstrings are sore, but that is to be expected, and the heel doesn’t feel any worse than usual. Now I just have to decide when to start training for Milwaukee (in October) and if I can get myself up for anything before that.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Trying to get started
Just back from walking the dogs, trying to get a plan together for that magical 15 miler that is going to give me the confidence to believe I can finish a marathon two weeks from now. Good runs on Weds., Thursday and Friday but took yesterday off and for some reason rest days sap my confidence. Thinking about the Lunken bike trail or maybe Milford. Of course, as I sit here the skies are clouding up and it's starting to look like rain. To get 15 miles at Lunken you have to run the loop three times. Maybe I need an IPOD after all.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Recovery and hope
Ran 5 miles yesterday at a good clip without foot pain. Guess I have recovered from the race. Gonna try to get a 15 miler in this weekend, which will give me the confidence that I can at least finish the race in St. Louis in one piece. Gonna keep the Brooks Addictions on the shelf until after the marathon, based on how they made me feel last Sunday. Who knows, maybe the $40 creamsicles will end up as my new race shoes.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Making myself do it
Just like running, gotta make myself show up to the page. So...creating two new blogs, one about the dogs, one about my boring life in general. Confine this one just to reflections on running.
Ran my 3 miler around the park yesterday, late afternoon. Horrible, horrible. Today, ran 5.3 on the treadmill in my new Creamsicle-colored shoes. Felt pretty good in those $40 shoes. Go figure.
Ran my 3 miler around the park yesterday, late afternoon. Horrible, horrible. Today, ran 5.3 on the treadmill in my new Creamsicle-colored shoes. Felt pretty good in those $40 shoes. Go figure.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Getting it done on a hot day
The Race: 30th annual Mercy Heart Mini-Marathon 15k (www.heartmini.org ) in Cincinnati, OH. There is also a 5k race and a 10k non-competitive walk.
The Course: Out and back along a scenic parkway, with some pleasant river views but no shade (on hot days) and no protection from the wind (on cold days) and no flat portions (every day). Always a challenge.
My Goal: Pre-race I am thinking a 1:22 would be nice. This proves to be more than a bit ambitious…
The Reality: Lack of training and a hot day conspire to give me a 1:28:52. Okay, at least it’s faster than the year when I was recovering from knee surgery, but it’s slower than last year and that’s not good!
What I bought at the Expo, where all apparel was 70 percent off and shoes were $40: A pair of Smartwool base layer tights, a winter running hat with ear flaps, a regular running hat in bright blue (I can’t run without my hats) and a pair of Adidas Supernova Cushions in Creamsicle Orange. Spent about $76 for all this stuff, not bad.
How hot was it?: I don’t know about the exact temperature at the start, but when I finished I saw a thermometer on a bank read 74 degrees. It did climb over 80 in the afternoon. When you’ve just come out of some of the coldest temperatures of the winter, it’s hard to heat-acclimate to 70-plus degree temperatures overnight.
I took the doggies out for a little walk around the block in the morning before driving down to the race, and I broke a sweat then so I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty. I was already down to shorts and singlet so I couldn’t really take much more off!
Drove downtown about an hour before the 10 am start. It’s bad news to start a race at 10 am on a day when the temps are going to climb to the 80s! Went out for my warm-up jog around 9:30, perhaps a bit early but I was getting bored. I did two laps of one block, then two blocks of another block near the start, thinking all the while that downtown is really gross and no wonder I don’t come down here anymore if I can avoid it. It’s sad but it’s true. Even the Tiffany’s is gross. Bet they’re sorry they moved here.
Lined up with people who looked like me, for lack of a better idea. I guess there were pace signs but I didn’t see them. This year for the first time, we had chip timing, so it wasn’t going to matter so much where I started from. Took me around three minutes to reach the start line, which was the longest ever for me in this race. But, didn’t have to run around many people even though it was crowded, so I guess I was in the right place.
Last year I managed to run a fairly even pace despite the hills. This year I did not:
Mile 1 – 8:45 – hey right on pace but not for long
Mile 2 – 9:24
Mile 3 – 8:36
Mile 4 – 9:18
Mile 5 – 9:19
Mile 6 – 10:24, actually I forgot to stop my watch at mile 5 and had to figure this one out later. This mile included the little side stretch up the steep hill that they throw in just for kicks, and I was pretty fried.
Mile 7 – 10:17
Mile 8 – 9:38, I spot two people I recognize and actually pass them. The first is an old geezer who generally runs about the same pace I do. Today he is wearing an ancient red cotton singlet which I guess is a race t-shirt from maybe 30 years ago when this race first started. The second person is “tan guy who doesn’t wear a shirt and should” --- today he is without shirt, naturally. He beat me in that 5k a few weeks ago so passing him today is at least something. Since I am seeing these guys that I recognize from other races way back here with me I guess I am where I am supposed to be, and it isn’t just that I’m having an off day. They are probably thinking, there goes “heavy-breathing fat woman,” damn she is passing me! I am having a bad day!
Mile 9 – 10:01
Last .3 – 3:09, no reason to do anything more than jog it in.
Cross the finish line and some other old geezer shakes my hand, thanks me for pulling him along. I was unaware of his presence during the race. What is up with these old geezers?
Most disheartening thing, at least three times in the last three miles, various women asked me how I was doing and tried to say something encouraging to me as they passed me. Did I really look that bad? What is up with this? Look, when you’re going to pass me, just pass me. Especially if we don’t know each other. Jeez. They are lucky they didn’t get hit.
Okay, so my finish time put me 41 of 152 women in my age group and 442 of 1443 women---although due to some error at the time of registration they had me listed as “male,” seems to be a trend for me at this race since last year they did not record my finish time at all. Doesn’t matter since the age group awards only went to the top 11 women in my age group anyway. I was 1397 of 3038 runners overall. Among the women who kicked my butt were my Congresswoman (www.jeanschmidt.com ), she of the big mouth and diminutive stature, and another friend from my dog-training club, who just started running last summer.
Post-race, I skipped my planned cool down jog since the area around the finish was so congested and I just wanted to get out of downtown. So, had a banana, disgusting Quaker rice cake, tasty fake lemonade (did not realize it was fake until later), the traditional hot dog and some water and headed for home.
Was going to use this race to help me decide whether or not I should still go to St. Louis for the marathon in a couple of weeks. Have decided the unusually warm weather prevented an accurate judgment, so despite lack of training am heading to St. Louis anyway, for another five hour slog through my state number 26.
The Course: Out and back along a scenic parkway, with some pleasant river views but no shade (on hot days) and no protection from the wind (on cold days) and no flat portions (every day). Always a challenge.
My Goal: Pre-race I am thinking a 1:22 would be nice. This proves to be more than a bit ambitious…
The Reality: Lack of training and a hot day conspire to give me a 1:28:52. Okay, at least it’s faster than the year when I was recovering from knee surgery, but it’s slower than last year and that’s not good!
What I bought at the Expo, where all apparel was 70 percent off and shoes were $40: A pair of Smartwool base layer tights, a winter running hat with ear flaps, a regular running hat in bright blue (I can’t run without my hats) and a pair of Adidas Supernova Cushions in Creamsicle Orange. Spent about $76 for all this stuff, not bad.
How hot was it?: I don’t know about the exact temperature at the start, but when I finished I saw a thermometer on a bank read 74 degrees. It did climb over 80 in the afternoon. When you’ve just come out of some of the coldest temperatures of the winter, it’s hard to heat-acclimate to 70-plus degree temperatures overnight.
I took the doggies out for a little walk around the block in the morning before driving down to the race, and I broke a sweat then so I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty. I was already down to shorts and singlet so I couldn’t really take much more off!
Drove downtown about an hour before the 10 am start. It’s bad news to start a race at 10 am on a day when the temps are going to climb to the 80s! Went out for my warm-up jog around 9:30, perhaps a bit early but I was getting bored. I did two laps of one block, then two blocks of another block near the start, thinking all the while that downtown is really gross and no wonder I don’t come down here anymore if I can avoid it. It’s sad but it’s true. Even the Tiffany’s is gross. Bet they’re sorry they moved here.
Lined up with people who looked like me, for lack of a better idea. I guess there were pace signs but I didn’t see them. This year for the first time, we had chip timing, so it wasn’t going to matter so much where I started from. Took me around three minutes to reach the start line, which was the longest ever for me in this race. But, didn’t have to run around many people even though it was crowded, so I guess I was in the right place.
Last year I managed to run a fairly even pace despite the hills. This year I did not:
Mile 1 – 8:45 – hey right on pace but not for long
Mile 2 – 9:24
Mile 3 – 8:36
Mile 4 – 9:18
Mile 5 – 9:19
Mile 6 – 10:24, actually I forgot to stop my watch at mile 5 and had to figure this one out later. This mile included the little side stretch up the steep hill that they throw in just for kicks, and I was pretty fried.
Mile 7 – 10:17
Mile 8 – 9:38, I spot two people I recognize and actually pass them. The first is an old geezer who generally runs about the same pace I do. Today he is wearing an ancient red cotton singlet which I guess is a race t-shirt from maybe 30 years ago when this race first started. The second person is “tan guy who doesn’t wear a shirt and should” --- today he is without shirt, naturally. He beat me in that 5k a few weeks ago so passing him today is at least something. Since I am seeing these guys that I recognize from other races way back here with me I guess I am where I am supposed to be, and it isn’t just that I’m having an off day. They are probably thinking, there goes “heavy-breathing fat woman,” damn she is passing me! I am having a bad day!
Mile 9 – 10:01
Last .3 – 3:09, no reason to do anything more than jog it in.
Cross the finish line and some other old geezer shakes my hand, thanks me for pulling him along. I was unaware of his presence during the race. What is up with these old geezers?
Most disheartening thing, at least three times in the last three miles, various women asked me how I was doing and tried to say something encouraging to me as they passed me. Did I really look that bad? What is up with this? Look, when you’re going to pass me, just pass me. Especially if we don’t know each other. Jeez. They are lucky they didn’t get hit.
Okay, so my finish time put me 41 of 152 women in my age group and 442 of 1443 women---although due to some error at the time of registration they had me listed as “male,” seems to be a trend for me at this race since last year they did not record my finish time at all. Doesn’t matter since the age group awards only went to the top 11 women in my age group anyway. I was 1397 of 3038 runners overall. Among the women who kicked my butt were my Congresswoman (www.jeanschmidt.com ), she of the big mouth and diminutive stature, and another friend from my dog-training club, who just started running last summer.
Post-race, I skipped my planned cool down jog since the area around the finish was so congested and I just wanted to get out of downtown. So, had a banana, disgusting Quaker rice cake, tasty fake lemonade (did not realize it was fake until later), the traditional hot dog and some water and headed for home.
Was going to use this race to help me decide whether or not I should still go to St. Louis for the marathon in a couple of weeks. Have decided the unusually warm weather prevented an accurate judgment, so despite lack of training am heading to St. Louis anyway, for another five hour slog through my state number 26.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Cavalier 5k
With nervousness and trepidation ---guess it's been too long since I raced! --- I made it out the door and over to the start line of my little 5k race today. Not as nice a morniing as yesterday when it was warm and sunny. Today it was still quite warm, temps in the 50s, but it was overcast, a bit windy, and there were occasional showers.
This race is a benefit for a local Catholic high school. This is just the second year for the race. The course is set up on a bike trail at a municipal airport about 3 miles from my house. This has become a popular staging area for small races, as it offers several organizational advantages --- no need to close any streets to traffic, a shelter area for registration/awards with indoor bathrooms, and plenty of parking. A crowd bigger than about 250 people might be too much, though, for the narrow bike trail to accomodate easily. Today there were about 150 runners, maybe another 50 walkers.
My goal today was just to get a data point on my current speed or lack thereof. I was hoping for a time in the 25s, but it's been so long since I've raced a 5k that I really didn't know what would happen.
Part of my nervousness was due to my fear that Creepy Guy might show up. I tried to dismiss this issue, telling myself not to let him spoil my fun. The rest of the nervousness was due to how fat I am, how slow I am, and my fear of injury and/or embarrassment.
Left the house around 8 am for the 9 am start. A small group had already gathered in the tennis center where they had set up registration. Race t-shirt is a very Irish kelly green cotton. I've stopped buying these now for all but the most special races but this time it was included in the registration fee. Returned to my car to read a few pages of "Marathon & Beyond" until it was time for my warmup. As I sat down in my car it started raining heavily. Bummer. I hoped it would let up before my warmup, and for the race start.
By about 8:40, the rain had in fact lessened. I put on the lightweight nylon anorak I had brought along and went out for my 11 minute warmup jog. About halfway into it, I thought I saw Creepy Guy running back along the path. Bummer. Anyway, couldn't be sure, and WAS NOT GOING TO LET HIM SPOIL MY FUN.
Returned to the car for a stretch and a sip of water, and then it was time to line up at the start. Saw one fast looking woman who could be in my age group but nobody else familiar. Tried to avoid looking for Creepy Guy. Took off the anorak and tied it around my waist. I was careful to line up in a spot where I would neither get run over nor have to run around a lot of people, as I knew the course would narrow fairly quickly. For this race, it meant behind the fast young guys and right behind the possibly fast young girls, but in front of most of the other middle-aged women and men.
We made a short loop of the parking area, and then hit the bike trail. After about a quarter mile, I started passing people, more people than I'm used to, but I didn't have to run around them so I think I positioned myself just right. After about a half mile, passed one tall, fit looking woman wearing an Ipod, who could have been my age (turns out she was). Got passed around the first mile marker by a young woman and a man who ultimately finished just ahead of me. Saw "tan guy who usually runs shirtless and shouldn't" (today, he was wearing a singlet) but I couldn't quite catch him today.
Hit mile one in 8:13, quite a bit slower than I had hoped. So, no wonder those half-mile repeats at 8:00 minute pace have felt so difficult! Then it started raining and the wind picked up. We were running into the wind, but at least I could look forward to the wind at my back for the second half. And although the trail is fairly flat, I think there is a slight uphill grade going out so it would be easier coming back.
Approaching the turnaround, I tried to count the woman who were ahead of me. I counted five, but I must have missed a couple because I ended up as eighth woman overall, and wasn't passed by any other women after the first mile. Did not stop for water, which is rare for me. Even in a 5k, I usually have to slow down and get a drink.
Mile 2 time was 8:21. Geez, a time in the 25s wasn't looking too good. But I was happy that I was out there running and beginning to get the endorphin rush that comes with a hard workout.
I was breathing hard, a lot louder than usual I think. I'm sure the people around me were nicknaming me "heavy breathing fat lady." There were two guys just ahead of me and although I must have sounded like I was going to die, I still felt like they were going a little too slow for me. But I didn't want to pass them and then find out I was wrong. And it was tough to get around them on the narrow bike trail with other runners and walkers still approaching us from the opposite direction. I did finally pass them, and they passed me again about a minute later. But, not too long after that, one of them had to stop to walk and they fell behind. I heard the one guy apologizing to the other guy for not being able to keep up the pace. So I was too fast for them after all. Haha!
I passed a couple more people in the last mile, but no other woman to make it a real race. Just wanted to get it done. Mile 3 time was 8:07, but I didn't look at my watch until later. Managed 49 seconds for the last .1, again no need to bust a gut with no competition at that point.
Post-race I immediately put that anorak back on and after a short walk, decided to go for a one mile cool down run. This was a first for me, as usually I just stretch a bit. But since I had decided to hang around for the awards, it seemed like a good way to keep warm and kill time. This little jog felt really good and I think I am going to make this a permanent part of my post-race routine.
I finished my jog and headed to the car for a bit, as it had now begun raining harder again. Debated how long to stay in the car, and whether I really wanted to stay for the awards, in case it really was Creepy Guy I had seen. Thinking that it would be good if it really was Creepy Guy because now I would know for sure I could do a race and he would not bother me.
I took off the anorak, put on a dry shirt, grabbed an umbrella and headed over to where I thought the awards would take place. Turns out I just missed them. By the time I found the right location ---back by the registration area, duh --- they were finished. Saw possible Creepy Guy just departing.
Back home, I have discovered from the results that I finished out of the hardware anyway, so it was just as well I missed the awards. Because how embarrassing is that, when you hang around, cheer for everyone else, and don't hear your name called? My final time of 25:29 put me 2 of 9 in my age group (award only went to age group winner), 8 of 56 woman runners (8 of 117 woman runners and walkers) and 50 of 150 overall. And...that wasn't Creepy Guy I saw after all. Is that a good thing, or a bad thing? Anyway, it's a good thing I did the race, as it would have been really sad to take yesterday off when it was so lovely out, and then skip this race to avoid an encounter with Creepy Guy.
This race is a benefit for a local Catholic high school. This is just the second year for the race. The course is set up on a bike trail at a municipal airport about 3 miles from my house. This has become a popular staging area for small races, as it offers several organizational advantages --- no need to close any streets to traffic, a shelter area for registration/awards with indoor bathrooms, and plenty of parking. A crowd bigger than about 250 people might be too much, though, for the narrow bike trail to accomodate easily. Today there were about 150 runners, maybe another 50 walkers.
My goal today was just to get a data point on my current speed or lack thereof. I was hoping for a time in the 25s, but it's been so long since I've raced a 5k that I really didn't know what would happen.
Part of my nervousness was due to my fear that Creepy Guy might show up. I tried to dismiss this issue, telling myself not to let him spoil my fun. The rest of the nervousness was due to how fat I am, how slow I am, and my fear of injury and/or embarrassment.
Left the house around 8 am for the 9 am start. A small group had already gathered in the tennis center where they had set up registration. Race t-shirt is a very Irish kelly green cotton. I've stopped buying these now for all but the most special races but this time it was included in the registration fee. Returned to my car to read a few pages of "Marathon & Beyond" until it was time for my warmup. As I sat down in my car it started raining heavily. Bummer. I hoped it would let up before my warmup, and for the race start.
By about 8:40, the rain had in fact lessened. I put on the lightweight nylon anorak I had brought along and went out for my 11 minute warmup jog. About halfway into it, I thought I saw Creepy Guy running back along the path. Bummer. Anyway, couldn't be sure, and WAS NOT GOING TO LET HIM SPOIL MY FUN.
Returned to the car for a stretch and a sip of water, and then it was time to line up at the start. Saw one fast looking woman who could be in my age group but nobody else familiar. Tried to avoid looking for Creepy Guy. Took off the anorak and tied it around my waist. I was careful to line up in a spot where I would neither get run over nor have to run around a lot of people, as I knew the course would narrow fairly quickly. For this race, it meant behind the fast young guys and right behind the possibly fast young girls, but in front of most of the other middle-aged women and men.
We made a short loop of the parking area, and then hit the bike trail. After about a quarter mile, I started passing people, more people than I'm used to, but I didn't have to run around them so I think I positioned myself just right. After about a half mile, passed one tall, fit looking woman wearing an Ipod, who could have been my age (turns out she was). Got passed around the first mile marker by a young woman and a man who ultimately finished just ahead of me. Saw "tan guy who usually runs shirtless and shouldn't" (today, he was wearing a singlet) but I couldn't quite catch him today.
Hit mile one in 8:13, quite a bit slower than I had hoped. So, no wonder those half-mile repeats at 8:00 minute pace have felt so difficult! Then it started raining and the wind picked up. We were running into the wind, but at least I could look forward to the wind at my back for the second half. And although the trail is fairly flat, I think there is a slight uphill grade going out so it would be easier coming back.
Approaching the turnaround, I tried to count the woman who were ahead of me. I counted five, but I must have missed a couple because I ended up as eighth woman overall, and wasn't passed by any other women after the first mile. Did not stop for water, which is rare for me. Even in a 5k, I usually have to slow down and get a drink.
Mile 2 time was 8:21. Geez, a time in the 25s wasn't looking too good. But I was happy that I was out there running and beginning to get the endorphin rush that comes with a hard workout.
I was breathing hard, a lot louder than usual I think. I'm sure the people around me were nicknaming me "heavy breathing fat lady." There were two guys just ahead of me and although I must have sounded like I was going to die, I still felt like they were going a little too slow for me. But I didn't want to pass them and then find out I was wrong. And it was tough to get around them on the narrow bike trail with other runners and walkers still approaching us from the opposite direction. I did finally pass them, and they passed me again about a minute later. But, not too long after that, one of them had to stop to walk and they fell behind. I heard the one guy apologizing to the other guy for not being able to keep up the pace. So I was too fast for them after all. Haha!
I passed a couple more people in the last mile, but no other woman to make it a real race. Just wanted to get it done. Mile 3 time was 8:07, but I didn't look at my watch until later. Managed 49 seconds for the last .1, again no need to bust a gut with no competition at that point.
Post-race I immediately put that anorak back on and after a short walk, decided to go for a one mile cool down run. This was a first for me, as usually I just stretch a bit. But since I had decided to hang around for the awards, it seemed like a good way to keep warm and kill time. This little jog felt really good and I think I am going to make this a permanent part of my post-race routine.
I finished my jog and headed to the car for a bit, as it had now begun raining harder again. Debated how long to stay in the car, and whether I really wanted to stay for the awards, in case it really was Creepy Guy I had seen. Thinking that it would be good if it really was Creepy Guy because now I would know for sure I could do a race and he would not bother me.
I took off the anorak, put on a dry shirt, grabbed an umbrella and headed over to where I thought the awards would take place. Turns out I just missed them. By the time I found the right location ---back by the registration area, duh --- they were finished. Saw possible Creepy Guy just departing.
Back home, I have discovered from the results that I finished out of the hardware anyway, so it was just as well I missed the awards. Because how embarrassing is that, when you hang around, cheer for everyone else, and don't hear your name called? My final time of 25:29 put me 2 of 9 in my age group (award only went to age group winner), 8 of 56 woman runners (8 of 117 woman runners and walkers) and 50 of 150 overall. And...that wasn't Creepy Guy I saw after all. Is that a good thing, or a bad thing? Anyway, it's a good thing I did the race, as it would have been really sad to take yesterday off when it was so lovely out, and then skip this race to avoid an encounter with Creepy Guy.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Pondering competitions
Yesterday I made it out for another good six mile run after I walked the dogs. Today, I am resting, although it is sunny and fairly gorgeous for early March and I would love to be out there pounding the pavement. But I am signed up to run a 5k tomorrow and I want to run it on fresh legs.
Looking forward to the race, although I am currently quite fat and hope I do not feel too out of place among all the skinny runner types. It's a small race, so a fatty like me will stand out more in the crowd.
Am also hoping to avoid encountering an acquaintance from a few years back, a kinda creepy guy who doesn't live around here but sometimes shows up at races in this area. I discovered that he was here last week for another race on the same course, so perhaps that means he won't be around this week. If he's there, I have to figure out how to handle it. Maybe he won't recognize me. If he does, I guess I can be polite. And then leave immediately after the race without staying around for the awards ceremony!
Long story about why I (and many of my close friends) think this guy is creepy that I won't recount here. I love to race, and I wish I could just look forward to tomorrow without this dark cloud hanging over it.
Today, also pondering some upcoming obedience trials for my dog kids. Looking at some in early April and late July up in Michigan that sound like fun.
Looking forward to the race, although I am currently quite fat and hope I do not feel too out of place among all the skinny runner types. It's a small race, so a fatty like me will stand out more in the crowd.
Am also hoping to avoid encountering an acquaintance from a few years back, a kinda creepy guy who doesn't live around here but sometimes shows up at races in this area. I discovered that he was here last week for another race on the same course, so perhaps that means he won't be around this week. If he's there, I have to figure out how to handle it. Maybe he won't recognize me. If he does, I guess I can be polite. And then leave immediately after the race without staying around for the awards ceremony!
Long story about why I (and many of my close friends) think this guy is creepy that I won't recount here. I love to race, and I wish I could just look forward to tomorrow without this dark cloud hanging over it.
Today, also pondering some upcoming obedience trials for my dog kids. Looking at some in early April and late July up in Michigan that sound like fun.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Back at it
I happened upon a blog by a guy who writes about running, and was inspired to access my old blog and try to get going again. Every day I have thoughts that I wasnt to write down, and then I don't. I don't write in my journal, I don't write for publication, I do hardly any writing at all except replying to emails and commenting on friends' Flickr pictures.
This is easy enough to do, so why don't I do it? Okay.
Yesterday I figured out that if I can run a sub 4:06 marathon at Milwaukee in October, I will qualify for the 2009 Boston race. I get a bit of a time advantage because my birthday regularly falls just days before Boston, you run the qualifying time for the age you will be on Boston race day (regardless of your age on the day you qualify), and the qualifying period always extends for more than a year. I guess every five years I will get that extra little five minute advantage. So I can run sub 4:06 at age 48 and run Boston a few days after I turn 50. Or I can run a sub 4:01 and run Boston at age 49. But let's not push it.
Anyway, I found this realization tremendously exciting, and was inspired to go out and run 6 miles faster than I have all year.
This is easy enough to do, so why don't I do it? Okay.
Yesterday I figured out that if I can run a sub 4:06 marathon at Milwaukee in October, I will qualify for the 2009 Boston race. I get a bit of a time advantage because my birthday regularly falls just days before Boston, you run the qualifying time for the age you will be on Boston race day (regardless of your age on the day you qualify), and the qualifying period always extends for more than a year. I guess every five years I will get that extra little five minute advantage. So I can run sub 4:06 at age 48 and run Boston a few days after I turn 50. Or I can run a sub 4:01 and run Boston at age 49. But let's not push it.
Anyway, I found this realization tremendously exciting, and was inspired to go out and run 6 miles faster than I have all year.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Feeling Blue
This is my neighbor's dog, Blue. My neighbor has sold her house and is moving on Saturday. The deal on the house she was buying fell through, and she is going to be "in limbo" for awhile. So she is looking for a new home for the dog. Blue is over ten years old and has lived next door pretty much her entire life. I would take her but I do not think she would get along with my big, boisterous girls and my wild boy puppy. In all the years we have lived next door, she has never had a chance to meet my dogs, so now does not seem like the right time.
But I feel sad for Blue. My husband says my neighbor is making a mistake, and both dog and owner still need each other
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Today I feel small and worthless
It's one of those days, or one of those weeks, when I feel like I have absolutely no value as a human being. I'm having trouble getting started on anything, and finishing anything that is already started, because it all seems so pointless.
What is wrong with me?
What is wrong with me?
Saturday, June 10, 2006
6 months later
I go back and forth trying to decide if this is even worth my time. Mostly I think I would rather just write in my journal. Certainly don't want to make my private thoughts public. But, do I write in my journal? No. Do I spend hours staring at my computer screen and typing inane emails that don't matter? Yes. So maybe this makes more sense.
Thinking about using this to enter my race reports, and put them here instead of on the relatively inactive forum where I normally publish them.
Last night ran a neighborhood 5k race. It was one of those Friday night races with a party afterward. This particular race benefits an organization that provides advocates for children in the legal system, and is sponsored mostly by local law firms.
The course is a double-loop of streets I run regularly, and the start/finish area is about a mile from my house. They don't give out age group awards, but rather glass beer steins to the first 25 men and women. Two years ago I finished 22nd and got one of those beer steins. It required me to just about run my heart out. Last year I started the race but gave up the effort when my first mile was over 8 minute pace. To get a beer mug as a woman, you pretty much have to run in the 25s, and that isn't going to happen if you can't break 8:00 in the first mile.
Last night I somehow talked Tommy into joining me, and we also arranged to meet up with our friend, Steve. So that made it more of a social thing for me. I was going to run hard, but finish the race no matter what, promise of a beer stein or no.
But...managed to position myself well at the race start so I could avoid running around a lot of people. Observed that the "fast" women I usually race against did not seem to be in attendance, and most of the other women there did not appear particularly fast.
Things seemed to work out well from the start, as I didn't have to jockey for position, and not too many people went whizzing by me. First mile time was 7:44. That was a nice surprise, just a few seconds slower than two years ago.
In the second mile, I concentrated on staying strong. I didn't sense that there were too many women ahead of me, and based on that first mile pace, I was pretty confident that I was going to get one of those beer steins. I was passed by one other woman, about my age, but that was it. Another woman, much younger, caught up to me and for awhile we ran side by side. I didn't notice much about her except that she appeared quite young and was wearing a gray cotton t-shirt.
My time was 8:12 for the second mile. The second mile is the hardest part of this race, because it is almost entirely uphill. So this amount of slow down was just about right. And in fact, it was 12 seconds faster than I had run this mile two years ago.
Right at that point, the girl in the gray cotton t-shirt dropped back, as if she suddenly ran out of steam. And from that point in the race (despite the presence of 330 other participants) I was really running all by myself.
The last mile is mostly down hill, except for the very end when you have to go uphill to finish. I was almost certain I would get a beer stein, but I was trying not to think too hard about that, and just kept telling myself that I was having a very good race and I should just keep going and finish strong.
My pace for the final mile was 7:47, ten seconds faster than two years ago. I kept pushing and pushing, really motoring to the end. I ran the last .1 in 46 seconds. That was two seconds faster than two years ago. I crossed the line in 24:29, gasping for air but not about to puke.
As I exited the chute, they told me that I was the 16th woman, and handed me my beer stein. Tommy found me, and I walked around for a bit, trying not to fall over. I have never felt quite so wiped out at the end of a race.
I recovered eventually (I would say, right about now, almost an entire day later). I feel good about how hard I ran and about not leaving much out there. I looked back over my race times, and realized that this was the fastest 5k I had run in three and a half years.
Thinking about using this to enter my race reports, and put them here instead of on the relatively inactive forum where I normally publish them.
Last night ran a neighborhood 5k race. It was one of those Friday night races with a party afterward. This particular race benefits an organization that provides advocates for children in the legal system, and is sponsored mostly by local law firms.
The course is a double-loop of streets I run regularly, and the start/finish area is about a mile from my house. They don't give out age group awards, but rather glass beer steins to the first 25 men and women. Two years ago I finished 22nd and got one of those beer steins. It required me to just about run my heart out. Last year I started the race but gave up the effort when my first mile was over 8 minute pace. To get a beer mug as a woman, you pretty much have to run in the 25s, and that isn't going to happen if you can't break 8:00 in the first mile.
Last night I somehow talked Tommy into joining me, and we also arranged to meet up with our friend, Steve. So that made it more of a social thing for me. I was going to run hard, but finish the race no matter what, promise of a beer stein or no.
But...managed to position myself well at the race start so I could avoid running around a lot of people. Observed that the "fast" women I usually race against did not seem to be in attendance, and most of the other women there did not appear particularly fast.
Things seemed to work out well from the start, as I didn't have to jockey for position, and not too many people went whizzing by me. First mile time was 7:44. That was a nice surprise, just a few seconds slower than two years ago.
In the second mile, I concentrated on staying strong. I didn't sense that there were too many women ahead of me, and based on that first mile pace, I was pretty confident that I was going to get one of those beer steins. I was passed by one other woman, about my age, but that was it. Another woman, much younger, caught up to me and for awhile we ran side by side. I didn't notice much about her except that she appeared quite young and was wearing a gray cotton t-shirt.
My time was 8:12 for the second mile. The second mile is the hardest part of this race, because it is almost entirely uphill. So this amount of slow down was just about right. And in fact, it was 12 seconds faster than I had run this mile two years ago.
Right at that point, the girl in the gray cotton t-shirt dropped back, as if she suddenly ran out of steam. And from that point in the race (despite the presence of 330 other participants) I was really running all by myself.
The last mile is mostly down hill, except for the very end when you have to go uphill to finish. I was almost certain I would get a beer stein, but I was trying not to think too hard about that, and just kept telling myself that I was having a very good race and I should just keep going and finish strong.
My pace for the final mile was 7:47, ten seconds faster than two years ago. I kept pushing and pushing, really motoring to the end. I ran the last .1 in 46 seconds. That was two seconds faster than two years ago. I crossed the line in 24:29, gasping for air but not about to puke.
As I exited the chute, they told me that I was the 16th woman, and handed me my beer stein. Tommy found me, and I walked around for a bit, trying not to fall over. I have never felt quite so wiped out at the end of a race.
I recovered eventually (I would say, right about now, almost an entire day later). I feel good about how hard I ran and about not leaving much out there. I looked back over my race times, and realized that this was the fastest 5k I had run in three and a half years.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
I hate this time of the year
I hate Christmas. I hate the forced scurrying around, the fake happiness, the pressure to do all the Christmas-y things.
Or maybe what I really hate is not being in a family situation where Christmas-y things are expected and get done. Because I love Christmas lights, Christmas cards, Christmas parties. I love Midnight Mass, getting my picture taken with Santa, cookie exchanges, and going caroling.
But I married somebody with no family traditions, and no interest in establishing them.
If he really loved me, he would understand how I feel about Christmas lights. If he really loved me, when I tell him that I am depressed about Christmas, instead of telling me that I should just deal with it, he would understand that what I need him to do is go hang some Christmas lights.
Just needed to get that off my chest. Sigh.
Or maybe what I really hate is not being in a family situation where Christmas-y things are expected and get done. Because I love Christmas lights, Christmas cards, Christmas parties. I love Midnight Mass, getting my picture taken with Santa, cookie exchanges, and going caroling.
But I married somebody with no family traditions, and no interest in establishing them.
If he really loved me, he would understand how I feel about Christmas lights. If he really loved me, when I tell him that I am depressed about Christmas, instead of telling me that I should just deal with it, he would understand that what I need him to do is go hang some Christmas lights.
Just needed to get that off my chest. Sigh.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Consistency is everything
Ok, figured out that I need to make myself do this everyday. Just like running! And what am I whining about, it's not that hard. Easier than journaling even.
Yesterday I did my weights. Today I ran on the treadmill. Not keeping up well with the diet but it's not a great time of the year for that anyway.
Ordered my holiday greeting cards. Resolution to make myself feel less depressed this holiday, more in tune with the season: do one Christmas-y thing each day. So today was ordering holiday cards. Hooray for me.
Yesterday I did my weights. Today I ran on the treadmill. Not keeping up well with the diet but it's not a great time of the year for that anyway.
Ordered my holiday greeting cards. Resolution to make myself feel less depressed this holiday, more in tune with the season: do one Christmas-y thing each day. So today was ordering holiday cards. Hooray for me.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
We can't stand to look at each other
One of my failed attempts to take a holiday photo of the girls yesterday.
The more things change, the more they stay the same
Am trying yet another diet/exercise online program, this time the one offered through Runners' World. Like eDiets & SparkPeople, it offers both meal plans and workout programs. In this case, the meal plans seem simpler and more like the kind of food I would normally buy/eat anyway. The big benefit to this one is the workout program. The exercises are more challenging than what I saw from the other two programs. I did like the food logging features on SparkPeople but in the real world it was a pain in the butt to keep up with it. And the silly point system was not a real incentive for me to participate.
Anyway, trying it out, will see how it goes. To support my weight training efforts, today I bought a simple weight bench and a bunch of new and heavier dumbbells. Set them up right here in my office, so I can easily follow the workout for the day from my computer and not have to go to another room to get it done.
Actually did some obedience training with the dogs for the second day in a row. That's another thing I need to keep up with it, because it makes such a huge difference in the quality of their lives, to say nothing of the possibility that I might actually get a decent performance out of Libby in the obedience ring for a change.
Didn't run today becausee I am still sore from the long one yesterday, but took the girls for a nice hour-long walk around the park. It was cold but sunny.
Anyway, trying it out, will see how it goes. To support my weight training efforts, today I bought a simple weight bench and a bunch of new and heavier dumbbells. Set them up right here in my office, so I can easily follow the workout for the day from my computer and not have to go to another room to get it done.
Actually did some obedience training with the dogs for the second day in a row. That's another thing I need to keep up with it, because it makes such a huge difference in the quality of their lives, to say nothing of the possibility that I might actually get a decent performance out of Libby in the obedience ring for a change.
Didn't run today becausee I am still sore from the long one yesterday, but took the girls for a nice hour-long walk around the park. It was cold but sunny.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Figuring it out
After much duress, finally figured out how to get a photo into my profile. Still trying to decide if this is better than the Earthlink blog I tried to start a couple of months ago. Right now I think this will be better if I can get the hang of it. Plus I can easily link it to my Flickr site.
Trying to figure it out
Still taking baby steps. Trying to see if this is a way I can make myself write.
Attempted to run 15 miles today, last long run before the marathon in a couple of weeks. Only got through 13.775. Felt kinda weak and queasy.
Wondering if this will work any better than the blog I tried to create a couple of months ago. Wondering if I have anything compelling to day. Wondering if I should even bother trying to communicate with the outside world.
Attempted to run 15 miles today, last long run before the marathon in a couple of weeks. Only got through 13.775. Felt kinda weak and queasy.
Wondering if this will work any better than the blog I tried to create a couple of months ago. Wondering if I have anything compelling to day. Wondering if I should even bother trying to communicate with the outside world.
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