Sunday, June 27, 2010

Run interrupted by a... TORNADO????????

What a way to begin the 16 week journey to my next marathon!!
I headed out for a 7 mile run at Hudson Mills.  It was hot and cloudy and looked like it could rain but it was not windy at all.  As I was running along around 2.5 miles into my run a TRUCK came up behind me on the non-motorized trail and scared the $*%# out of me!  The park ranger said there is a tornado warning and a tornado had been sighted in Washtenaw county and to get in the truck and he would take me back to the parking lot.  Well....I took a look at the sky, it was cloudy and darker off in a distance but it wasn't windy; the tree leaves were just hanging there not moving at all.  I said that I'd just take the short cut back to the parking lot and he said ok and off he went.  (I didn't think he'd actually let me stay out there!)  I really wasn't that far away and I figured I would at least get 3 miles in.   I sped up thinking that if I wasn't going to get the miles in I'd at least get some faster running in.  I reluctantly passed where I would have been turning to run a 4 mile loop and then again only slightly reluctantly turned off the trail to the road-the shortcut back to my car- since it was starting to rain.  I could see my car when all of a sudden it just started downpouring!  The rain was coming down very hard, it hit my skin hard.  I was soaked in just a few seconds!  It stopped raining just a few minutes after I got in the car.  I waited a few more minutes and the black clouds were moving away and the sky was lightening up.  I got out and walked around the parking lot; soaked people were coming in from the disk golf course, must be the park ranger didn't go out picking up disk golfers!!  I was thinking about going back out but there was quite a bit of lightening by then so I decided it best to get going.  I changed my clothes and went to a grocery store a few miles away and when I came out of there it was sunny!  I'd have went back to the park to run some more if not for needing to get home and work on a paper for my English class. 
So much for the first long run of my marathon training program!!  I am glad I ran 6 miles Friday after work.
I have to work in the morning and I am planning on going to the library after work to work on my paper.  I probably won't go running unless I just write like crazy and have my paper almost finished but I don't see that happening.   I really hate to wish the summer away but I will be so happy when this class is over.

Grand Rapids...here I come!!!!!!!!!

Runner Nerd
equal parts runner & nerd today!!

Friday, June 25, 2010

June 25--halfway to......

Can you believe we are now halfway to next Christmas????????????

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

800s

I did speedwork today!!  I haven't done anything speedy in a very long time, I don't even remember when.
I did 800s with a group from the gym.  We did them on a track.  They did 10 but I did 4 then sat one out and did 4 more and sat the last one out.  Eight was enough for me.  I really surprised myself!  I didn't think I could run an 800 anywhere near 4 minutes.  My slowest one was my first one at 4:17.  From there I had 4:11, 4:07,4:02, 4:03, 4:03, 4:08, 4:10.   We did them on 6 minutes.  The plan was to run 800 then walk/jog 1/2 lap and start another.  I did that the first 2 then I just walked straight across the field!  After a few more one of the others started doing that too and by the end some others were too! 
I would like to start going to the running group I used to go to on Tuesday mornings again; I really miss those ladies.  I probably won't be working on Tuesdays that much so hopefully I will make it some weeks this summer.  They do speedwork.  This group meets every Wednesday night but I'm usually working and would not be off in time to get there.  I did not have to work today so I was able to make this workout.

I have one more week until 16 weeks out from the marathon I am running in October.  I'm not ready to start training again but I guess I need to get myself ready.  At least 4 others from my Thursday night running group are also running the same marathon so that will help to have others getting excited about it too.

Well, tomorrow I do have to work and early too so I guess I better get to bed.  I was just so happy about doing speedwork that I had to write about it!!

Runner Nerd

Saturday, June 5, 2010

6 years ago today

6 years ago today all this nonsense started!!  June 5, 2004 I ran my very first 5K!  I had 28:55, I thought I was going to die and didn't think I could possibly ever do that again! Little did I know where that race would lead! 

Two years later I was running 5Ks in the 23s although I can't do that anymore. My 5K PR is on the same course as that first 5K but three years later.
I completed my 4th marathon a week ago!
I guess I have come a long way since then!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Bayshore Marathon

I ran my 4th marathon Saturday! (well, I mostly ran it)
This was my slowest ever marathon.  I knew I wasn't going to PR or anything but I thought I could run somewhere in the area of 4:30.  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!  not quite
I crossed the 20 mile point at 3:33.  I knew it would be tough to run the last 6.2 in an hour but I was confident that it wouldn't be that much over an hour, I figured I'd be well under 5 hours.  Well....... I was wrong again!  Between the 21st mile marker and the 23rd mile marker I didn't do very much running, I walked more than I ran.  My calves were cramping and getting the feeling like they were being twisted kind of like when you wring out a washcloth and my right foot started cramping and felt like it was trying to curl up inside my shoe.  Running made the foot thing better but also made my calves really hurt.  As I was approaching the 23rd mile marker I told myself that I'd had a walking break that even Jeff Galloway would think was ridiculous and that I was going to run from 23 to the finish line, it's ONLY 3 miles.  I kept telling myself that I only have 3 miles to go and I go out and run 3 miles all the time.  There was a water stop at the 23 mile point so I drank water and took off running and was surprised that I was running ok.  I thought I was running at about the pace I started at.  I crossed the halfway at 2:12 which is about a 10:15 pace.  My miles were all between 10:00 and 10:37.  The last aid station was at 24.5 miles, I walked through just enough to drink a cup of water and continued on.  I had grand plans to pick up the pace at the 25 mile marker cuz it's only a mile!!  I don't know if I picked up the pace or not but the last half mile was tough.  To add to that there were people everywhere yelling "you're almost there" and "the finish is just around that corner"  I was back on the college campus and there were a few turns and I was seeing things I saw at the very beginning but no finish line in sight.  I knew the finish was on the track and I thought that I had to run all the way around the track but it was only a very short portion of track.  The track finally came into view and then the finish line.  I did it!!!  I ran a marathon!! I had decided during the last part of the marathon that I am not running again for a month. I also changed my mind about the marathon I'm signed up for in October--don't want to do it now.
Right after I finished I heard an announcement that the FINAL shuttle bus to the hotels was leaving soon.  HUH??  I did the math in my head...7+5=12 (7am start + 5 hours = 12 noon) and the buses are supposed to run until 1:15pm.  I checked my watch just to be sure and it was just a few minutes past noon.  I had to get my bag from the bag check area and get to the bus, no time for food.  All of the water bottles had the caps removed.  When I was getting my bag I spilled what water was in the bottle so I had no more water.  I finally found where the buses were and got on the right one and then they were saying that they might not leave until 1:15.  Never again do I not drive myself to a marathon if I am not staying in a hotel close enough to walk.  They did leave shortly and I got back to my hotel with enough time that I didn't have to hurry to get checked out on time. 
Sooooooo, here I am nearly a week after the marathon.  I'm feeling pretty good now.  As for not running for a month...I ran a 10K yesterday!!  Yep, a midweek 10K to celebrate National Running Day!  It was put on by the running store out in the middle of nowhere on dirt roads.  Last year I PR'd there and won the masters!  It's just an informal race where you look at the clock or your watch as you cross then write your name on the big poster board.  The "awards" are leftovers from previous races.  I wasn't sure what would happen when I started running last night but it went ok.  I surprised myself with a 56:50!!  I was actually very proud of myself!!!  Tonight was Thursday night running group.  I ran 3.5 miles and felt pretty good.  I guess I am recovering.  I still don't know if I want to do this again in October.  16 weeks out from Oct. 17 is only 2 weeks away.  I don't know what to do.  I'm registered.  4 others that I know of from the Thursday night group are also registered.  My plan was for this spring marathon to be for staying in shape over the winter and base building for the fall marathon where I want to break 4 hours.  Now I'm not so sure.  Right now I don't even want to think about doing this again.  I guess I just need more time. 
I have a few stories from the marathon but they will have to wait until later.  I need to get to bed.
Runner Nerd