I woke up this morning to a glaring fact, one that I kind of knew already, but was unaware of the extent: I did not run hard at all yesterday. I mean, when I got out of bed today not only was I not sore but my legs didn't even feel like I had run yesterday. After 6.2 miles of the Dreaded Druid Hills, I expected at least a little "ouchy" going down the stairs. But nothing, nada. In fact, my muscles actually felt kind of fresh. Sooooo, off to the gym for today's cross-training, and some atonement. I forced myself to do 6.2 miles on the elliptical, with resistance up to 15 for several intervals, in under 60 minutes. It hurt. Worse than yesterday's race for sure. I hobbled back to my car on jelly-fied legs sound in the knowledge I had duly made up for any slack from the previous day.
Today's Miles: 6.2 that don't really count
Total Miles: Still 92
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Holy hills, Batman!
So here's the official description of today's race, the Dreaded Druid Hills:
First 5K is fairly flat with some very gentle rolling hills. Next 3K contains at least seven killer hills in the back roads of Druid Hill Park. The last 2K is flat, but who cares at this point, most runners are ready for the race to have been over a long time ago. This is a very challenging event. The hills in the back of the Baltimore Zoo seem relentless with their curves and seemingly never-ending elevation gains.
Challenging?!?!? Try sadistic, inhumane, or barbaric. Seriously. In retrospect it's laughable that I actually tried to do some hill training in preparation for this race. There is nothing you could do to prepare for that course. Thankfully I had made the decision going into it that I was going to run nice and easy and not try to channel any sort of inner mountain goat. After coming off a week-long vacation there's a lot to do around the homestead and I really didn't want dead legs and crippling muscle cramps to hold me back. (If I took an honesty pill I'd admit that I wish I had actually pushed it a little more--the time that goes with an easy attempt isn't so pretty.)
The course was basically out and back so you knew what you were facing for the second half. At one point, around mile 4 or so, we were near the crest of one of the hills and some poor guy next to me kept chanting "Oh god, let this be the last hill." What I knew, and what a local running coach cheering on the runners at the top also knew, was that we still had a heck of a doozy waiting ahead. Obviously I wouldn't make a good running coach because I tried to shield poor out-of-breath, about-to-collapse running man from that information but "Bob the Coach" yelled out "Heck no! You've got Kilimanjaro around the bend."
And by Kilimanjaro he meant the hill labeled "Mile 5: Slow Down. Ha! Ha! Ha!"
All in all, today was great. I got to experience my first hot weather race where they actually hose you down as you run and throw ice-water soaked towels on your head when you finish. I tried not to freak out too much at the hosing even though all I kept thinking about was how water created that horrible squeak in my old shoes and I didn't want my still fairly new ones to end up the same way. Really, getting doused while running should be a choice, right?
Running Partner ran today too. It was her first race ever and she totally rocked it. That girl has got determination like I've never seen. I was so proud of her. I think she finished in about 54 minutes. My time, I guess I should at least share it, was 1:03. The good news is I still had plenty of energy to go to the farmer's market afterward (post-shower--no worries) and am heading out to a neighborhood party in just a few minutes. It's all good.
Oh, and how could I almost forget, the race organizers sent out an email last night with two important notes:
1. No strollers would be allowed on the course because one of the hills, known as Dead Man's Hill, is officially closed to any wheeled traffic after the number of fatalities suffered by cyclists in the past few years.
2. Zoo officials were beginning to express concern about potential loose animals.
And I still ran anyway. That's the craziness of this sport.
Today's Miles: 6(.2)
Total Miles: 92
First 5K is fairly flat with some very gentle rolling hills. Next 3K contains at least seven killer hills in the back roads of Druid Hill Park. The last 2K is flat, but who cares at this point, most runners are ready for the race to have been over a long time ago. This is a very challenging event. The hills in the back of the Baltimore Zoo seem relentless with their curves and seemingly never-ending elevation gains.
Challenging?!?!? Try sadistic, inhumane, or barbaric. Seriously. In retrospect it's laughable that I actually tried to do some hill training in preparation for this race. There is nothing you could do to prepare for that course. Thankfully I had made the decision going into it that I was going to run nice and easy and not try to channel any sort of inner mountain goat. After coming off a week-long vacation there's a lot to do around the homestead and I really didn't want dead legs and crippling muscle cramps to hold me back. (If I took an honesty pill I'd admit that I wish I had actually pushed it a little more--the time that goes with an easy attempt isn't so pretty.)
The course was basically out and back so you knew what you were facing for the second half. At one point, around mile 4 or so, we were near the crest of one of the hills and some poor guy next to me kept chanting "Oh god, let this be the last hill." What I knew, and what a local running coach cheering on the runners at the top also knew, was that we still had a heck of a doozy waiting ahead. Obviously I wouldn't make a good running coach because I tried to shield poor out-of-breath, about-to-collapse running man from that information but "Bob the Coach" yelled out "Heck no! You've got Kilimanjaro around the bend."
And by Kilimanjaro he meant the hill labeled "Mile 5: Slow Down. Ha! Ha! Ha!"
All in all, today was great. I got to experience my first hot weather race where they actually hose you down as you run and throw ice-water soaked towels on your head when you finish. I tried not to freak out too much at the hosing even though all I kept thinking about was how water created that horrible squeak in my old shoes and I didn't want my still fairly new ones to end up the same way. Really, getting doused while running should be a choice, right?
Running Partner ran today too. It was her first race ever and she totally rocked it. That girl has got determination like I've never seen. I was so proud of her. I think she finished in about 54 minutes. My time, I guess I should at least share it, was 1:03. The good news is I still had plenty of energy to go to the farmer's market afterward (post-shower--no worries) and am heading out to a neighborhood party in just a few minutes. It's all good.
Oh, and how could I almost forget, the race organizers sent out an email last night with two important notes:
1. No strollers would be allowed on the course because one of the hills, known as Dead Man's Hill, is officially closed to any wheeled traffic after the number of fatalities suffered by cyclists in the past few years.
2. Zoo officials were beginning to express concern about potential loose animals.
And I still ran anyway. That's the craziness of this sport.
Today's Miles: 6(.2)
Total Miles: 92
Friday, June 27, 2008
Vacation, All I Ever Wanted
Ommmmmm. This was my route for the last week. All I had to do was lace up my shoes, strap on my Garmin, and find out where that road took me. Mountains in the distance, a huge lake to the side; turtles, groundhogs, even a bear, oh my! A girl could get used to runs like that.
(Okay, so maybe the bear was really a dog. But a big, scary, bear-like dog nevertheless.)
Tomorrow: Race Day!
Vacation Miles: 10
Total Miles: 86
Friday, June 20, 2008
Only the Lonely
With Running Partner out of town and Running Neighbor not interested in a 7-miler, today I was on my own. At first it was great. We're getting reading to go on vacation and I did a mental check of my packing list. I envisioned myself putting specific items in the suitcases, hoping the imagery might possibly prevent me from forgetting something crucial, like a bathing suit or my son. When that got old I sang the first verse of Best of Both Worlds again and again (Hannah Montana version not Van Halen--that's just where I am in life). But then even that got old too. Hard to imagine, I know.
I found myself thinking about RP and wondering what she was doing. I tried to guess what RN and I would be talking about if she were with me. I came to the sad realization that I was, in fact, lonely. And I still had 3.92 miles to go--not that I was obsessing or anything. Alas, with stiff upper lip, I ran on.
The cosmos must have been watching poor little Runner Girl, however, because a sweet gift was waiting just a short mile later. While running past a line of cars waiting at a stop light, Runner Girl heard her name being called exuberantly. She turned and saw Long Lost College Friend! Oh smiley, splendid pick-me-up! No time or opportunity to stop and chat, but it wasn't needed. Just seeing LLCF was the fuel needed to carry on, chin up, head high, happy run home.
Today's Miles: 7
Total Miles: 76
I found myself thinking about RP and wondering what she was doing. I tried to guess what RN and I would be talking about if she were with me. I came to the sad realization that I was, in fact, lonely. And I still had 3.92 miles to go--not that I was obsessing or anything. Alas, with stiff upper lip, I ran on.
The cosmos must have been watching poor little Runner Girl, however, because a sweet gift was waiting just a short mile later. While running past a line of cars waiting at a stop light, Runner Girl heard her name being called exuberantly. She turned and saw Long Lost College Friend! Oh smiley, splendid pick-me-up! No time or opportunity to stop and chat, but it wasn't needed. Just seeing LLCF was the fuel needed to carry on, chin up, head high, happy run home.
Today's Miles: 7
Total Miles: 76
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The Road Less Traveled
Woohoo! Another benefit of a running partner: you learn new running routes. Yesterday's post was almost about having to run the same darn roads over and over (and over and over) again. I'm seriously in a rut here, folks. Yesterday, however, I saw Running Neighbor outside and she said she would plan today's route. Just be at house at her 6:30.
So this morning I set out, GU'd up of course, at 6:15 not 6:30--she's not going to catch me with that one again--and the darn woman was already waiting at the bend between our two houses! I mean I'm all for enthusiasm and what not, just not that early. I save my enthusiasm for the more genteel 9 o'clock hour.
As we started running, her exuberant, me along for the ride, I quickly realized she must be some kind of genius. How else can you explain the simultaneous abilities of raising three kids AND remembering there are four points on a compass? When she turned left at the top of our street, I about fell over. Holy moly! I thought. She's turning left! What a renegade! We're going into totally unchartered territory! I've been more of a north, south, and east girl myself but I have to say, after this morning, west side represent fo' sho'!
Not to mention, I didn't have any trouble keeping up with Sister Speed today. (Do I have to admit she did her long run last night and I had fresh legs?)
Todays' run: 3 miles on the West side.
Today's Miles: 3
Total Miles: 69
So this morning I set out, GU'd up of course, at 6:15 not 6:30--she's not going to catch me with that one again--and the darn woman was already waiting at the bend between our two houses! I mean I'm all for enthusiasm and what not, just not that early. I save my enthusiasm for the more genteel 9 o'clock hour.
As we started running, her exuberant, me along for the ride, I quickly realized she must be some kind of genius. How else can you explain the simultaneous abilities of raising three kids AND remembering there are four points on a compass? When she turned left at the top of our street, I about fell over. Holy moly! I thought. She's turning left! What a renegade! We're going into totally unchartered territory! I've been more of a north, south, and east girl myself but I have to say, after this morning, west side represent fo' sho'!
Not to mention, I didn't have any trouble keeping up with Sister Speed today. (Do I have to admit she did her long run last night and I had fresh legs?)
Todays' run: 3 miles on the West side.
Today's Miles: 3
Total Miles: 69
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Running on Empty
Blork, my own hard-headedness even drives me nuts sometimes. For instance, I know that I absolutely can not run well on an empty stomach. It's a tried and true fact. Yet this morning I downed nothing more than a few quick sips of water and headed out the door. Stupid, stupid, stupid. A large part of the training process is learning what works and what doesn't, right? Like an 18-wheel semi with the needle on "E" I chugged, sputtered, and basically conked out at about two miles. Diligent (masochistic?) trainer that I am, I continued on though and ran the final mile to get today's required three done. I have to say it wasn't purty.
So why did I go out empty? The problem is that when I run before breakfast time, the only thing I can stomach is some GU. There are two issues with that:
1.) It's GU. I mean, goo. Literally goo. Yuck. And at 6 a.m.--double yuck.
Ah well, I guess it's time to officially hang-up my dreams of being hardcore and settle instead for being secure in the knowledge of my own body's needs. As non-hardcore as they may make me. Not too bad a trade-off in the end, I guess.
Today's Miles: 3
Total Miles: 66
So why did I go out empty? The problem is that when I run before breakfast time, the only thing I can stomach is some GU. There are two issues with that:
1.) It's GU. I mean, goo. Literally goo. Yuck. And at 6 a.m.--double yuck.
2.) As soon as I reach for a packet, an annoying, niggling voice in my head starts squawking, "That's 100 calories of nothingness! You can go ahead and discount that first mile because you need it just to break even now. Buck up, lady, get out there! GU for three miles?!? C'mon. You are SO not hardcore."
Ah well, I guess it's time to officially hang-up my dreams of being hardcore and settle instead for being secure in the knowledge of my own body's needs. As non-hardcore as they may make me. Not too bad a trade-off in the end, I guess.
Today's Miles: 3
Total Miles: 66
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