Trails
Tessa I may have lost my mind...I'm considering the 100k there next year. If that goes well then I should be on track to do Brazos Bend 100 miler in Dec 2019 when I turn 55. I had some blood drawn today to check my kidneys and thyroid and that should help me decide if ultras are ok health wise. As long as I get up and move around some I'm not overly sore. Granted there was very little running and mostly walking with 3 miles of lurching along...lol. So happy the kitties got adopted so quickly.
Cupcake Connoisseur
Been busy today! Lots of clogged toilets and other random janitorial issues. Busy day full of crap basically.
I did go ahead and sign up for Fargo Marathon in May. Should be fun! Since Sandy offered a place to stay - it shouldn't be that costly! I also booked a sports massage on Sunday. That is going to be painful..but a good pain I hope!
I called one of the doggie day cares up the street and they were very nice and helpful! I think I am going to drop Ruger off one day this week and see how it goes. I would like to send him there 2 days a week..
Susan – What a great picture! Top 5? That is awesome! Nice of BF to surprise you You had a good weekend!
Kathryn – You did such a great job on the race! Enjoy your sightseeing today!
Docket – Good luck with the miles and the weights maybe. Hehe. Yes! Ruger is my snuggle buddy when HCBF is gone!
Diane – Yes! Keep getting up and walking a bit..that helps a lot. I hope that your back is okay! How is it feeling now?
Cathy – Woohoo! 2 miles on the treadmill! You are moving on up J Did you decide to go get the foot checked out? DD did a great job on the race!! She really PR’d!! She is definitely a tough girl Do you get a Swedish massage? I booked a sports massage this weekend..I am sure that is going to be painful. Oh man you are going to have perfect race weather this weekend. I will keep an eye out for your Facebook posts on your DD getting a PR. Shins are still a little cranky..just the left one. I expected it to bother me during the run this morning..but it didn’t. If it did I was going to cut the mileage. Thanks for the sweet words on my anniversary! You’re really sweet.
Ginny – Wow, sounds like a good workout this morning! Nice job on the 6 yesterdsay. So, are you racing this upcoming weekend? I thought you had mentioned something about a 25K or 20K. Maybe I am crazy?
Tessa – I probably will opt out of Pinelands. Trail races scare me…especially since I would have to train on trails and that is probably not safe at 3am. LOL. Someday…I decided to sign up for Fargo on May 19! Oh man you were on schedule to do a 3 hour conference call?! Ew. That would make my day! AWW good news about the kittens!!!
Okay duty calls. Have a great afternoon/evening everyone!
October 4 - Milwaukee, WI - 26.2
November 14 - Richmond, VA - 26.2
March 21 - Virginia Beach, VA - 26.2
WINE o'clock somewhere!
Sitting at the hotel lobby, pooped out today at the museums after the race yesterday. My friend from Portland and I went to the Natural History (they had the COOLEST live butterfly exhibit), American History (eh), and the Air and Space (neat.) Obviously we cruised through. Butterflies were by far the best thing.
So, I got into the hotel in DC on Friday at noon. Immediately met a woman (slightly crazy) who was from SA/Corpus! We spent the entire day together - expo/shopping, then dinner. I had reservations for 2 for Italian so she joined me. I was decent ($$), but not good at the expo. Bought a 1/4 zip, jacket, and MCM pendant. I said I HAD to finish the race as I bought the marathon gear.... Crashed after dinner at 8:30 and slept nearly 12 hours.
Saturday I went to the zoo and walked a bit too much. Then met Sandy and her friend Wendy for a late lunch at a really yummy Mexican restaurant. After we honored Lizzie by going to her all time favorite cake place - Baked and Wired. Yummy. I still have 1 left, need to eat it before I fly. Then I met up with my GF and her sis/BIL for dinner, eh. Cafeteria style Italian. Not bad, but zero atmosphere. Went to bed around 9 maybe?? Had wicked nightmare about not making it to the start of a race (not MCM) and woke up completely panicked in a sweat.
Sunday, up early at 4:45. Went down to the hotel coffee shop and got a horrendous latte, banana, and terrible danish and bagel. So bad, I could only eat the banana. Met another woman in the lobby and we headed to the start together. Took the Metro, but should have walked as it was WAY quicker to walk. Oh well. Got to the race bag drop area around 7, waited in line for the Port-o-potties for 30 min and headed to the start, we were there at 7:40. Start was supposed to be at 7:55, but there was a suspicious bag and the start was delayed 10 min. I crossed the start at 8:20 I believe.
I started in the 4:45-4:59 group at the back. There weren't any official corrals really, we all just walked to the start as things moved forward. I thought I would be embarrassed being that far forward, but there were MANY people far slower than me who were far in front of me.
The first 2 miles were uphill, with the worst hill from 2-2.25?? Not fun. My GF and her sis came out and cheered me on around mile 3, then my GF was at the finish, though I didn't see her. The first 9-10 miles were pretty, running through forested areas along a parkway. I took advantage of all the downhills and ran them mostly without walking unless they were long. I thought I should conserve a bit. Around mile 8-9 Sandy/Wendy caught up and passed me.
I can't do Tessa's incredible mile to mile recollection, mine all become a blur. We ran through Georgetown, then along the river, then up to the mall. I was very pleased with my pacing. I was virtually spot on every mile. I got behind overall aggregate time from the horrible weaving you had to do. The crowds never thinned out and there were walkers everywhere. Often blocking the entire roadway. I get it, but it was frustrating.
So, there were 3 cutoffs - the first "Gauntlet" (mile 17), the "Beat the Bridge" (mile 20), and the Crystal City "Gauntlet" (mile 22.) As most know I was petrified of not making it. WOW, at mile 15 I finally relaxed and knew it was in the bag, I was 45-50 minutes ahead. PHEW.
The bridge. It was horrible. A 2 mile soul sucker. It went on forever. It was ugly, it was hot, it was miserable. So, finally we got over and got some water and refreshed. At mile 22 the Hash House Harriers were out with BEER, lovely BEER. Good beer too. I took a couple of dixie cups and it was so lovely. About a mile more, there was a lady handing out blue jello shots, not bad. The last few miles were eh. Not pretty. The "horrible" hill at the end wasn't too bad, but I was walking. Finished in 6:07:04 as I mentioned. Just 2 min and 1 second after my goal time. 14:00 minute mile on the dot which was my ultimate desire. Even though 3,000 people finished after me, they say the "official" finish is a 14mm pace and I desperately wanted to do that. SCORE, I did.
During the race I did my run/walk till the soul sucking bridge, where I started mostly walking. I was keeping a good pace still - 15:30-16:30 walking. Everything hurt, my legs were not numb, but weird feeling. My feet were killing me as usual, and my left knee was touchy which has been the case recently. Oh, and my hammies, for much of the race were yelling at me.
Somewhere around 20,500 folks finished, I was about 17,500 or so. The last recorded time was about 7:30. It was definitely a warm day out, low/mid 70's. But for many parts of the course there was shade. My complaints were that there were nowhere enough potties along the course. (I went without due to the lines.) And there could have been more water stops. Probably felt that way just because it was pretty warm out.
Overall, it wasn't as phenomenal of a race as I expected (still cool though), but then being such a back of the packer lots of spectators lost enthusiasm and went home. And there weren't a ton of Marines on the course, though PLENTY of cuties at the finish. All very nice and really encouraging. I would say the ending was the second best, second only to my first marathon where I bawled after finishing. (For those of you who don't know, it was in Athens in the Olympic stadium, epic.) I am pretty sure I would do MCM again though. Still a great marathon. Cool medal.
Sunday after the race my GF met me for a well deserved beer in the hotel bar. Then I showered up and we met again for a lovely swanky Indian restaurant. VERY delicious, not your usual curry. I usually sleep like crap after a LR/marathon. The first few hours were just that way, then around 12/1 I fell back asleep and it was pretty darned good.
Today as I mentioned where the Smithsonian Museums (FREE!!) Since I petered out, I am just sitting in the hotel bar enjoying a cocktail waiting to uber it to the airport. Flight isn't for many more hours. That's OK, better than being disappointed at not seeing things.
That is that. I know I rambled on for a while about non-race things. Truth be told, I can recollect my meals FAR better than the races, which is par for the course. Thanks for reading those of you I didn't bore to tears.
Now to go back and read stuff from the past few days, especially Diane's RR. Diane, you impress me!
Kathryn
Kettle Moraine - June 2024
Beast of Burden - August 2024
Hennepin Hundred - Oct 2024
Javelina Jundred - Oct 2024
Diane, without reading everything previously, come do Brazos Bend 50 miler with me Dec 2018!!! That is if I am still running...
K
MM#5991
CONGRATULATIONS to all the weekend racers. So excited for all of you.
So my tapering madness saga continues. Race day is Nov. 5. I chose this race with the hopes that the weather would be colder. There is a definite cooling trend the next couple weeks. It drops from high of 80ish yesterday to a high of 50ish on Saturday Nov.4. Of course the next day this jumps to low of 50 and increasing into the 60s with sun. Anyone familiar with my story knows I cannot do sun. Did Damaris register for my race? This is her weather. LOL. Also, I am itching to do another ultra. I want my own buckle. I need a Lori friendly course so of course I have been researching. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHck
Plus I am a bottomless pit. Eating machine. I am ravenous. All the time. I am more hungry now than when I was in full out training.
Off to empty out the fridge again. :O
Lori
*it's Bertha or me. My money is on me.*
**"There is no growth in the comfort zone and no comfort in the growth zone".---- Sandy**
Hey all! 8 easy miles for me this morning. Well, 3.5 easy miles, 1 kinda out of control mile with Riley, then 3.5 more easy miles. Legs were tired from yesterday's awesome yet evil tempo workout. I was tired too.
Couple of personals, back later for the rest.
Liz, yes, I take Riley to daycare once a week. Did twice a week when I was working. It wears him out and he loves it. It's also good for him to be able to play and socialize with other dogs. You should be able to get a tour of the place either before or when you drop him off - my place was happy to show me around. I like that they are cage-free (Riley never did get used to the crate, so he wouldn't like a normal boarding place), they just have different rooms for dogs based on size and personality, and the dogs all get plenty of playtime. They have two outdoor play areas, one for bigs and one for littles, as well as a pond that they occasionally take dogs swimming. They are careful when they get a new dog to see how he behaves with other dogs before letting him into the "general population." I would definitely give it a try with Ruger. Assuming he gets lots of playtime with other dogs, after a few times he'll get really excited to go so you'll know he's happy. And if anything like Riley, will fall asleep on the car ride home (which for us is only a mile and a half), and then sleep all evening and night. We took Riley on Tuesdays and Thursdays when I was working full time, which worked well to keep him pretty tired the whole week.
Diane, I'd say see how you feel the next couple days and if all is good, why not do the 50K? A rail trail course would be less physically jarring/taxing than what you just did, plus you won't be coming off a car wreck. You've got 6-7 weeks to recover. Congrats again on the finish by the way.
Yay Skye on the 5K!
Cathy, congrats to DD and to your trail group! That's awesome.
Okay, gotta go. Lots to take care of yet this afternoon. Not to mention a whole bunch of books I was on waiting lists at the library for have all come available, so I now have 5 books on my Kindle to read in less than 2 weeks. Of course they are all due back before I get on a plane in two weeks to go see the family.
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Kat I am much more impressed by your road marathon. Not sure I could do one and certainly not that one. Way too many people for me. The 50 miler sounds intriguing so I'll keep it in mind. So far only Pinelands is concrete.
3.5 easy miles and core work.
Turtles, yea, no clue I had picked the most advanced plan. Now that I have level 3, this week seems easy. The easy runs are way shorter than what I've been doing. Apparently I need a level 3.5.
KatS, congrats on the race. I didn't realize MCM had multiple cut off points, I had only heard of beat the bridge. The cupcakes looked really good, I wouldn't have had the restraint to have any left by now.
I'm just moaning because it's back to worK. Monday is my swim day.
Dhuffman, glad you are feeling better. You should be so proud of yourself! A 50k!
Crazysue, cute picture of you and Skye. Will BF be home for awhile?
Kats, nice job! I enjoyed reading your RR. Woot woot on 14 mm.
RTurtles, congratulations to your DD and to your team win!
Lizzie, nice run, so sorry to hear your day was full of crap literally. Haha.
HuronHeart