Linda, then it makes running even more important (crazy work). Are you running yet?

Mike, Still busy at work?

Theresa, no more procrastinating. Race report.....

Kevin, hows life with no children at home? I fantasize about the day...

Painful run today. I should never have ran. But I did. Still in pain and its 6pm. Then lots of leafy yard work. I hate new england in fall!

Laurie

Laurie, just busy.     close calls!  were those this morning?   I had a couple in my neighborhood too, but it was earlier, so a little dark.  once i had to leap onto the grass to avoid a car and there was a skunk. hmm, what to choose.      what was painful the other day?    are you stretching your calves yet?   my shins started acting up a little again a couple of days ago (& btw, almost anything besides my Frees make my shins hurt)... but stretching more often, using the stick & then last night the foam roller has seemed to help.  good luck!

Mike, I'm sorry that things didn't work out.   ((())).  and now you're tired & have a weird schedule.  rain on top of that doesn't help....  I think you need some cocoa.  

Linda.... oh, just a big hug.   You have every reason to feel that way.  I really hope things get re-arranged for you soon.   Well, I guess they won't be done for you.   Your job, like everything else.   Too bad no pt at the current job.    I forget.. is your insurance through them??    What are the options you have?

Kevin, that's so sad about your DW's friend.      Have you gotten the little hurts worked out?   gone back to Maine yet?    as far as my race goes... thanks!    I'm trying not to have too many expectations, they creep in & I have to weed them out again.  .  ;-)   I want to do my very best & am trying really hard, but I don't want to be disappointed. 

6.24 miles of intervals this morning.

Frances & Roberta, I hope you are both well.

Teresa,  how are you feeling after your half?    a RR???    any school decisions?

Eliz, are you feeling better?

OK, here's my race report, such as it is!

I nervously tracked the weather the last few days of the race.  The forecast varied, with showers supposedly ending an hour before race time.  When I woke up Sunday morning, though, the rain in NH was stopping around 6 am.  Whoo hoo!

I drove down to Portland (yes, down, lol) to pick up my running partner, Martha, who had volunteered for the race.  She wasn't up to running it since her training was limited this year due to a hip injury.  On the way through Portland, we saw that traffic for the Maine HM and Marathon was backed up onto the highway, just 25 minutes before the start time of the races (7:45).  I was glad we weren't in the middle of the mess!

We got down to Hampton around 8:30 as planned.  Martha found THE closest parking place to the registration area.  We wandered over and quickly found John A. from RA.  We discovered that we're both from Texas!  I was wearing my black short-sleeved tech top with a UT Longhorn symbol, along with a Texas necklace and burnt orange shorts.  Registration was well-organized, so it didn't take long to get my bib, D-Chip (disposable timing chip), and long-sleeved, light blue tech shirt (really nice!).  John said he didn't sign up for the shirt, because he has so many, already.

It was still an hour before the race, so Martha and I just took a long walk next to the ocean.  The sun kept teasing us - sometimes totally obscured by clouds, sometimes shining through weakly.  I couldn't decide whether to wear sunglasses!

We ran a little bit, and then stood in a very long line for the public bathrooms.  The facilities were large enough that we got through pretty quickly.  Then we followed the crowds towards the start line.  I was looking for the 11-minute pacer, because I thought it would be fun to start with them.  But all the pacers were just in the middle of the crowd, so I couldn't find him/her.  I also couldn't figure out where the actual start line was.  The telephone pole with the huge START sign on it obviously WASN'T, because many runners were way in front of it! 

When the gun went off, I started at a steady pace.  Never did figure out where the official start line was, so I just hit my Garmin after 15 seconds or so.  The crowd moved me right along, and I felt good.  My frist mile went by in 10:29, way too fast!  But it was so weird - it didn't FEEL fast at all.

I managed to stick to my 1 mile run / 1 minute walk routine for about 2 1/2 miles, lol.  The first water station was at that point, so I walked while I drank.  For the next few miles, I ran 1/2 mile and walked a minute.  After turning away from the oceanside sidwalk, we headed through a nice neighborhood.  There were a few people out cheering, but not too many.  There were a couple of more aid stations, and then around 7.5 miles, some neighborhood girls had a table with ice water on it!  I hadn't intended to stop again, but I couldn't resist since they were so nice.  The neighborhoods got nicer and nicer, until we were going by mansions with tennis courts! 

I played leapfrog with the same group of about 10 people most of the way.  We didn't talk much, but at one point a woman announced we were at the halfway point.  Ack!  I was getting tired.  An older man (70 or so) shuffled by me.  I didn't know it was possible to shuffle that quickly! 

When we reached the ocean, a little past mile 8, we were directed onto a NARROW strip of asphalt.  It was kind of a pain, because in my running segments I would normally have passed the slower runners, but I couldn't.  About this point, I was tired enough that I started going 1+ minute run / 1 minute walk.  I kept up that ratio for the duration of the race.  A few people passed me during this stretch along the ocean, but I think I passed even more runners.  It was great to see the finish line far off in the distance!  I ran more than a minute at the end.  I passed the 13-mile marker, and the last 0.1 mile seemed to last forever!  As I approached the finish line, I could hear Martha cheering for me, and telling me to smile for the camera.  She handed me my finisher's medal when I stopped.  That was nice!  My time was 2:35, about 5 minutes slower than I'd hoped for, but that's OK.  My training got a little derailed in August due to a busy schedule and out-of-state visitors (hmm, we always get a lot of those in Maine during the summer for some reason).

I talked to John A. for a minute, then needed to sit down because I was feeling faint.  I didn't see any benches, and didn't think I could make it all the way to the ground.  So I went over to the medical tent and rested on a cot for a minute.  I think they appreciated having a "patient," because everyone seemed to finish the race pretty strongly.  Martha said she was surprised at how well everyone did.

In a little while, after Martha was done handing out medals, I changed clothes and we headed over to the beer tent.  We had waited too long, because all the beer was gone!!  We got pieces from the very last pizza, and some hot soup.  They also had Klondike bars. 

Martha and I had a good lunch at Stonewall Kitchen in York, and I got home around 3:45, in time to take DD to her piano lesson at 4:30.  To celebrate, DH and I went to see "The Informant," a very entertaining movie.  We ended the evening by going to Denny's!  We're big spenders.

I really enjoyed this race, and would like to run it again.  I have to figure out a way to run more miles.  I have the time, it's just motivation I seem to lack.  Increasing from a consistent 4 days a week to 5 would help a lot, I think.

Theresa, awesome report. How do you feel about coming this far? Did you ever think you would be running a half when you started running?

Eliz, there you are again. I didnt know you were ill. Must have missed something somewhere. Before I send in my half million, whats a life saving station?

Mike, I think I am going to join you on the trail runs. More fun that way. Look for an old woman who favors her left side.

 Dont work too hard. Its not worth it.

Deb, both incidents were the same day this week. Last time I ran.

I dreamed I could dive the full length of a 25 yd pool and swim like a fish. I should have got my but out of bed earlier and hit the pool. But I am in a major funk cuz of work. I am too worn out to do anything  and hate leaving the house. The job is killing me and its wearing me out.

Linda, I think I need to join you in a new job quest.

Laurie

Hey all -

good news, I actually got on the treadmill tonight.  I did 35 minutes including a 3/3 runwalk  4 times.    I think the overworked, stressed & overtiredness has been my problem.  I caught up on sleep & was feeling much better today.. oh & work is looking better.  Looks like we are going to get a little extra help.

Debbie - apparently they want me around, lol.. 

Mike - no, not getting laid off, we have had lots of layoffs & we are spread really thin now.  Plus people are quitting too.  Things are looking better for the company finally..  I have been given extra work supervising an area, but there are issues & I got stuck working wayyyy too much the last couple of weeks & my job suffering (& the family too).    My foot is getting better slowly & it's looking like I can walk or run a little with a brace on.  Without it on, my foot is still pretty wobbly running or walking fast.  Breathing? is amazing...  No problem on the treadmill today (i'm just out of shape), and I've been walking around quickly like a normal person

Teresa - thanks for the RR!  Sounds like you had a great time

Roberta - congrats grandma! 

Thanks for reading my long report, guys!  No, I never dreamed I would enter a race that long!  A few years ago, I was happy to just walk four miles!  I remember being very impressed with myself, lol.

Good luck, Roberta, you can do it!!

Another 2 miles on the treadmill - 2 sets of 10/3 run walk & only 5 min warmup & cooldown walking.  It felt awesome, natural & yeah Laurie NORMAL is good   I'm soooo encouraged!