How awesome was the relay?  It was much more fun and exciting than I had hoped!!  DH and I arrived around 9 pm in Oshkosh and met Dan who updated me on the details for the next day.  Then Debra and MaryKay showed up and we all talked for awhile. Didn't sleep very well but I was too stoked for the event. Met everyone the next morning in the lobby.  I noticed and informed others that there was a change made in the distance leg #9 and leg #11.  We made the necessary changes.  Then, 3 support vehicles made their way to the nearest Starbucks for the morning java and we waited and visited before Dan started the first leg.  It was pretty chilly, cloudy, windy and we all hoped it would get better.  It didn't.    Deb and MaryKay rode with DH and I as we all talked about how our training went.  My first leg was #3:  6.5 miles.  It was mostly through neighborhoods, on sidewalks, side streets, and roundabouts.  I ran on the dirt portion of the shoulder if there was one and was cautious when running on sidewalks due to uneven surfaces, that hurts!  ouch!!  I did pass about 5 or 6 runners which is very motivating!!  I kept my light jacket on throughout the run; I never got warm! Although the run was great and I felt good, my right foot started to get numb!!  With each lift of my foot, I would wiggle my toes to get some feeling.  It was not a good feeling but I kept a steady pace and didn't look at my garmin throughout my run.  I used the younger runner ahead of me as my pacer and kept within a close distance of her.  She kept looking back and knew I was gaining on her but I didn't catch her, darn it!!  But I also had to keep in mind that I had another 6+ miles to go in my second leg.  Finally, I transferred my bracelet to MaryKay.  I forgot to stop my garmin right away but when I did stop it, it read that I finished 6.5 miles in about 59 mins, about 9 min/mile.

After MaryKay, Deb ran the #5 leg, then Bryan #6, then Dan #7, then I ran #8:  6.1 miles.  We all fought against the wind especially the brunt of it during our second legs as we were more in the open area of the course. I re-laced and loosen my shoe laces prior. This second leg, I was kinda in my element.  It was a hard-packed gravel dirt trail, yippee!!  I was feeling good but by the second mile, my right foot started to go numb again.  I took a 30 second walk break to get some blood flowing.  I wore (usually wear) two socks, so maybe I should have taken one of my socks off.  My left foot was fine.  Anyway, not much I can do about it now so I did what I did in my first leg, wiggling my toes with each step.  The fourth mile was the toughest when I had to take another 30 second walk break to feel my toes again and to hydrate.  Then, I had to take another 1 minute walk break after mile 5.  My last mile, I sucked it up and finished strong.  Finished 6.1 miles in 56 mins, about 9:20 min/mile, counting my walk breaks.  I was happy with that.  I felt the headwind the most from mile 3 to 5 but I kept telling myself that I have run in worst conditions, LOL!! Maybe it was good training that I ran in some brutal crappy winter conditions, LOL!!  I know each of us made it through though with all the cheers from our team along the way, and it was such an awesome feeling each time we handed off the bracelet to the next runner.  As we all ran together with Deb who finished the last leg (and she was fast!!), it was phenomenal that strangers bonded so quickly and became supportive friends!!  Our team finished in 8 hrs, 47 mins!!  Our support team, Dan's DW, my DH and Bryan's SO (Alana) were fantastic every mile of the way!! Bryan's GF, Alana was our personal photographer, ready to run if we needed her too!!  I bet the other teams WISHED they had a photographer like we did, she was EVERYWHERE!!  We all hung around for a couple of hours just re-hashing our separate leg of the run, talking about our training, eating, etc. while waiting for the awards.  MaryKay, Debra, and Serah rode back with us to Oshkosh where we said our goodbyes and hope to run together in another future event.  Grandma's HM in 2015 in Duluth?!? DH and I stayed the night again and drove home on Sunday, RAINY and WINDY the whole trip back!!  My left hamstring felt a little sore but it's all good now; right foot is alive and well, not much soreness, yay!!

Today, we had our dance lesson and we spent the rest of the day at home because it's RAINING, cloudy, and cold again!! I'm glad we didn't run in this kind of weather!!

Rich - Impressive run yesterday.  Hope that achilles is holding up.

adkkev - nice runs.  Like the cross training too!  Keep it up!

Az, Debra and Dan (MaryK and others) awesome job on the relay and RR.  Sounds like it was a good time and great opportunity to meet everyone!  Way to represent all us oldsters.

Took Saturday off and drove down in the evening to San Luis Obispo (SLO).  Arrived around 11pm and talked with DS1 and his SO for a little while before falling asleep.  Went to bed around 1AM with alarm set at 5:30AM.  Finally got up at 5:45 and were out the door by 6:05.  Roads were closed and we were only a mile or so away so jogged over to the start.  Checked sweat bag and they were calling the half runners over to self align with the appropriate pace.  DS1 and I left DW around the 2 hour pace and tried to find the 1:45 group.  We located the pacers for 1:45 and the 1:30 pacers (too fast for me).  Lots of music at the start and some of the younger women were dancing.  They did the count down and we were off.  We were squeezed a bit at first, but it cleared up pretty quickly, except for those staying with the 1:45 pacers.  DS1 and I stayed roughly there for about 1/2 mile when we decided to go a little faster.  Hit mile one at about 7:20.  DS1 asked if the pacers were going slow, I said no they only have to do 8:00mpm.  We hit our first hill, geez I thought this race was supposed to be flat...was I wrong!  Hit the 5K right at 24 minutes.  Around 4 mile marker I spot a young woman also wearing VFF Bikilas, but she's really going up and down, heals not really touching.  As we start to pass her she speeds up.  I'm thinking (and DS1 too) that she's wasting a ton of energy just going up and down and not forward.  When we hit the next hill DS1 and this young lady are flying up it and I'm thinking too fast.  Catch them on the downside.  There's another big hill from mile 5.5 to 7 or so leading up to the turn around with the aide station just before the turn around.  When we hit this hill the young woman is breathing really hard and we slowly pass her.  At the aide station DS1 slows, I assume to get a drink.  I'm tracking several runners ahead.  As I hit the turn around I realize DS1 is 20-30 seconds behind.  I initially thought he'd catch back up, but 1/2 mile later realize he's not.  We working mostly downhill at this point, but we still have to get back up several of the hills we came up.  Around mile 10 were onto a bike path heading for the train station.  There's a run walker that a group of us catch.  I found a little bit disconcerting at first, and then it got annoying when I caught up to a runner and he boxed me in.  Around mile 11 you have to take the pedestrian overpass over the train tracks.  I passed a bunch of people going up and finally was able to shake the run/walker.  We're back on city streets and the group of us are smelling the finish.  At mile 11.5 I say to the young woman I've been tracking since turn around we're going to be close but probably just miss 1:40.  We're pretty much pacing each other until 12.5 when she puts on a little burst.  One final hill before the finish at Madonna inn.  I'm a bit slow going up and lose a little ground.  Mile 13 is right at the top and I start to try the final sprint.  Hit a rock coming down smack in the middle of my right heel - Ouch!

Watch gets this last bit at .19 miles and at a 6:30mpm.  Picked up little bit on people ahead of me and apparently held off a woman trying to chase me down (DS1's SO has pictures - photo bomb!).  Gun time is 1:41:23 - new PR!  Chip time is 1:41:10.I guess I looked bad enough in the chute that was asked a couple of times if I was ok.  Grabbed some water and start looking for DS1.  Just a bit ahead of him is the girl in the Bikilas and he comes through in 1:46+.  We make it through the food line and hit the foam rollers that are there (great idea!).  We head back to finish to find DW who comes through at 2:02.  DS1 is having problems with his feet so we head to first aide to see what they can do (lots of blisters).  Finally grab everyone and head out.

Fletch - sorry, I missed you on the last message.  Good work getting the runs in, in spite of the work demands.  Keep it up.

Rich -  Wow, doesn't sound good on the achilles.  Hoping that it heals soon.

Monday, 4/28, 7.2 miles in 1:07:56 - about 9:27 mpm.  Legs were definitely tired and this was just a recovery run.

Tuesday, 4/29, 7.1 miles in 1:03:09 - 8:54 mpm.  Legs are feeling better, but still recovering so wanted a bit faster but nothing outrageous...

Congrats on the PR, Ray. Great race report!  Sounds like it was a good day for the whole family.

Rich - Glad the Achilles is doing ok for you.  Could you just drop one of the hard days from the FIRST plan, or are you thinking of an entirely different program?

Deb - Hope your trip is going well, and you find someone to join you on the trails.

Az - Enjoyed the race report.  Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun.  Glad you made it back home safely.

adkkev - Nice sunset run.  I love that time of day.

3.25 miles this morning, 8:48 pace.

It's been a while for me and I see some new posters. Great!! wish I could post more but time is difficult these days. I am going stir crazy itching for my race Sunday (Flying Pig) so my mind is going back to last weekend's relay. You know all those running posters w a solitary woman running with perfect form through some dream scape? That's Debra. Srsly! She has Best. Posture. Ever! Makes running look effortless!!

AZ also runs seemingly effortlessly and She. Can. Move! Then AZ's DH? All of the supporters were amazing but I spent more time with him. What a guy! Some moments:

AZ: Honey, I need a tissue. DH: A clean one? ... Driving beside a runner, saw a big dog jump on her heels. DH yells really sternly, "HEY, cut that out!" The dog cowered away and then he said to the runner, "Not you! Keep running!" ... This a few times: Creeping the van along side a runner, "Need anything?" Shakes his head. "We have water?" Shakes his head. "Ok" AZ, "Honey you're breaking their concentration." --- He was also quite seriously watching runners for signs of distress and picked up on a moment when Dan needed a drink and AZ's foot problem. He's definitely a keeper!!

Strong and safe runs, all!!