5 Weeks to M day!!!!!!!!

Yep, it's now 5 weeks till the Bayshore Marathon!!  Today I went to Grand Rapids to participate in a big group training run put on by the Grand Rapids Running Club and was run on the Riverbank Run 25K course.  The 25K course is 15.5 miles.  I used a restroom in a park along the way which was quite a ways off of the road so I was a couple tenths of a mile over so I just ran a little farther down the street and made it an even 16 miles.  It was chilly and had rained on and off on my drive over there.  It rained a bit at the start but it stopped and did not rain any more during the run.  Did I mention that it was chilly??????  Well, it was!  I parked in a parking ramp about 1/2 block from the start and since this was just a training run and there was nowhere to leave anything I took off my jacket and left it in the car.  I wore shorts and a short sleeve shirt.  Everyone was in a covered area at the entrance to a bank since it was sprinkling.  I did not see anyone else in short sleeves and most everyone had jackets on.  I was wondering if I was way underdressed.  I did eventually see others in short sleeves and shorts but not very many.  I was quite chilly when I started but by 2 miles was warmed up.  There were times when all of a sudden I would be cold but most of the time I was fine.  I am now glad that I wasn't wearing a jacket.  Of course, as soon as I stopped running I was totally freezing and my car was farther away than it was from where we started.  The finish is a block over so I walked to my car and then drove to the YMCA (not very far) to use the locker rooms to shower.  I am a Y member so I am allowed to be a guest at other YMCAs several times per year.  I drove home with the heater on high.  I finally began to feel warmed up about an hour later and then, of course, I stopped at a rest area and had to get out of the car!!  
I'm glad I went; it was fun.  It took a big chunk out of the day.  It's nearly a 2 hr drive so I was leaving at 5:30 am.  The run started at 8 but I don't think it started right at 8 because a 3 different people made announcements and stuff.  By the time I ran 2.5 hours and ate really yummy whole grain rolls at the finish line and then walked back to my car it was 11:00.  I wasn't long in the Y and it was nearly 2pm when I got home.  So, for getting up so early to run it sure took a big chunk out of my day but I'm still glad I did it.  The Riverbank 25K is 2 weeks from today.  This will be my 3rd year of running it.  
My hamstring did not bother while I was running so I am happy about that!! 
Well, I am tired and going to bed.  I was working on homework but can't stay awake any longer. 
Runner Nerd
mostly runner and just a little nerd today