am i ever glad it's friday. i need to catch up on some major zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's
i've been in zombie mode since well before halloween.
and i need to run. i need to run long. it's time.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Thursday, November 01, 2007
november already?
i ran twice this week at lunch. it seems easier than trying to squeeze it in before work. it's turning out to be a good way to unwind and get out of the building for awhile.
you may have noticed that i changed the appearance of my blog again, i was going for more of a fall theme. i think it needs help.
so i finally got someone at samsung to admit that the usb cable i need to charge my camera isn't out of stock but is no longer available. a tech guy said they were working on another compatible option and for me to call next week.
this has officially become the most boring blog on earth.
you may have noticed that i changed the appearance of my blog again, i was going for more of a fall theme. i think it needs help.
so i finally got someone at samsung to admit that the usb cable i need to charge my camera isn't out of stock but is no longer available. a tech guy said they were working on another compatible option and for me to call next week.
this has officially become the most boring blog on earth.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Signs
so the party was a hit. despite a rocky start with middle school this year M has found herself a nice set of new friends. good girls, polite and fun to be around, a mothers dream really.
speaking of mothers, mine should be blowing in soon ripe with vacation lore as she just returned from Ensenada yesterday.
thus far i've had a few short exploratory runs. it really feels like fall running through piles of leaves along the quiet neighborhoods. i spotted more than a few runners this morning and i felt so good just to be running, not training. just running for the joy of it.
i've been interrogating colleagues all week about their schooling. i've had mixed reactions but mostly positive about my recent interest in not only returning to school but my interest in getting my "R" which distinguishes a certified occupational therapy assistant from a full fledged registered occupational therapist.
it's no secrete, my frustration with the medical model, the nursing home mentality and futility of it all at times. for a few years now i've grown less and less enthusiastic about my chosen profession and increasingly frustrated by the limits imposed on assistants.
i think i had a bit of an epiphany this week. for years i denied ever wanting to be an OTR. i was quite content in the assistant role. OTR's have way more responsibility , not to mention paperwork. as an assistant i just had to render treatment outlined by the OTR. i have my share of paperwork and required documentation but for the most part am free to provide direct patient care.
the last few years i've had this unidentifiable malaise. this lack energy or enthusiasm for what i do. i just attributed it to general burn-out and hoped it would be fixed with a vacation and maybe working less hours. still no matter what i did to the schedule it always feels like i'm just a worker bee, a mindless drone billing minutes.
it never occured to me that i was experiencing a change. it never occurred to me that i wanted more say, more impact on the way i did my job. talking to my boss, i asked her about going back to school and what kind benefits are available for that. she responded immediately and showed me in the handbook the dollar amount provided by the company for job related coursework. my interest in getting that R shot up tenfold.
now i have ALLOT of work ahead of me before i can even be considered a candidate for a masters ot program, uh uh a MASTERS. lots of undergrad to complete. i spoke to an admissions person at samuel merrit last week and i told her my storey and where i am academically. she is familiar with PACE program and said that was very good place to start but to go ahead fax her my western career college transcript, sam merrit is a private school and their board is more likely to consider my ot assistant coursework at a non accredited school more so than a state school.
so back to the epiphany. it struck me like a ligtening bolt. seriously, moving up in my profession could quite possibly mean a whole new approach to my career. i'd have so many more choices. not to mention the pay increase. i'm just keeping it real ya'all.
i took a peek at what the masters program entails, and i'm not even going to lie. i didn't know what a thesis was. still don't really but it looks really hard. they say running is a good metaphor for life. never was that more true than now. looking at the master program requirements, was like a non-runner dreaming about ultrarunning.
but the truth is i'm not a non-runner and i do have some schooling under my fuel belt. i know a thing or two about self pacing and energy conservation. breaking down big tasks into smaller more manageable bites. i know that i've gotten this far not by looking too far ahead but by keeping focused on my immediate surroundings and by looking up periodically.
getting off the couch is always the hardest part. i have so much to do but i know one step at a time has never ever once failed me. at dinner the other night this was what my fortune said:
You have the ability to plan a practical course for yourself and follow through.
i can recognize a good sign when i see it.
speaking of mothers, mine should be blowing in soon ripe with vacation lore as she just returned from Ensenada yesterday.
thus far i've had a few short exploratory runs. it really feels like fall running through piles of leaves along the quiet neighborhoods. i spotted more than a few runners this morning and i felt so good just to be running, not training. just running for the joy of it.
i've been interrogating colleagues all week about their schooling. i've had mixed reactions but mostly positive about my recent interest in not only returning to school but my interest in getting my "R" which distinguishes a certified occupational therapy assistant from a full fledged registered occupational therapist.
it's no secrete, my frustration with the medical model, the nursing home mentality and futility of it all at times. for a few years now i've grown less and less enthusiastic about my chosen profession and increasingly frustrated by the limits imposed on assistants.
i think i had a bit of an epiphany this week. for years i denied ever wanting to be an OTR. i was quite content in the assistant role. OTR's have way more responsibility , not to mention paperwork. as an assistant i just had to render treatment outlined by the OTR. i have my share of paperwork and required documentation but for the most part am free to provide direct patient care.
the last few years i've had this unidentifiable malaise. this lack energy or enthusiasm for what i do. i just attributed it to general burn-out and hoped it would be fixed with a vacation and maybe working less hours. still no matter what i did to the schedule it always feels like i'm just a worker bee, a mindless drone billing minutes.
it never occured to me that i was experiencing a change. it never occurred to me that i wanted more say, more impact on the way i did my job. talking to my boss, i asked her about going back to school and what kind benefits are available for that. she responded immediately and showed me in the handbook the dollar amount provided by the company for job related coursework. my interest in getting that R shot up tenfold.
now i have ALLOT of work ahead of me before i can even be considered a candidate for a masters ot program, uh uh a MASTERS. lots of undergrad to complete. i spoke to an admissions person at samuel merrit last week and i told her my storey and where i am academically. she is familiar with PACE program and said that was very good place to start but to go ahead fax her my western career college transcript, sam merrit is a private school and their board is more likely to consider my ot assistant coursework at a non accredited school more so than a state school.
so back to the epiphany. it struck me like a ligtening bolt. seriously, moving up in my profession could quite possibly mean a whole new approach to my career. i'd have so many more choices. not to mention the pay increase. i'm just keeping it real ya'all.
i took a peek at what the masters program entails, and i'm not even going to lie. i didn't know what a thesis was. still don't really but it looks really hard. they say running is a good metaphor for life. never was that more true than now. looking at the master program requirements, was like a non-runner dreaming about ultrarunning.
but the truth is i'm not a non-runner and i do have some schooling under my fuel belt. i know a thing or two about self pacing and energy conservation. breaking down big tasks into smaller more manageable bites. i know that i've gotten this far not by looking too far ahead but by keeping focused on my immediate surroundings and by looking up periodically.
getting off the couch is always the hardest part. i have so much to do but i know one step at a time has never ever once failed me. at dinner the other night this was what my fortune said:
You have the ability to plan a practical course for yourself and follow through.
i can recognize a good sign when i see it.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
racing
i woke up around 6:30 am with a headache and cramps. i went about making the coffee pondering whether or not i had time to go for run before work and then it hit me: "oh shit!" i forgot to call last night about jury duty. i scrambled to find the summons and called. i was to report in HAYWARD at 8:30 am. i went from groggy and foggy to frantic in about 30 seconds.
why the hell it's called rush hour is beyond me because NO ONE but me seemed to be in a hurry on I880 this morning. fortunately i had mentioned jury duty to my boss last week, and i was suppose to call her the night before after i found out if i was suppose to report. but since i forgot to call the night before i had to leave a message and then i called work again while stuck in traffic....naturally, they were swamped and could i come in the afternoon if i was dismissed? "uh, yeah ok, i'll try." crap! that meant i had to go home and change first. my head already exploded yesterday and what little brain matter i had left was now oozing out of my ears.
i raced to the courthouse. got lost, got through security, got lost again and managed to look pitiful enough for an attendant to escort me to where i was suppose to be.
and then i waited.
and waited.
and waited.
this went on until around 10:30 when those of us who were trying to get out of serving filed off in a separate area and waited (some more) to meet individually with the judge.
it was a civil trial and was expected to run well into december...my employer only pays for the first five days of jury duty so i was dismissed on a financial hardship.
i raced back to the parking lot that by this time was a sea of other dismissed jurors trying to get on with the rest of their day and i waited
and waited
and waited.
earlier, on the way to the courthouse from the parking lot i lost my parking stub and when i finally reached the exit booth the girl had to get special instructions on how to deal with me, good thing i stamped my employer verification form that proved i was at court so i was able to exit for $2.50 and not the all day fee.
I880 merges with 80 which takes me straight to my house. it should've been so simple. how the hell i ended up crossing the bay bridge is any ones guess. and when did the toll fare go up to 4 bucks anyway? good god i suck...this was redonkulous (my favorite new word, heard it on Dexter the other night). i'm literally counting dimes and nickles trying to come up with 4 bucks, much to the dismay of the drivers behind me i'm sure, though at the time i couldn't have cared less.
so i turn around at treasure island, haul ass to berkeley, change, grab food and race to concord for 5 hours of work. i'm glad to report that no other drivers or patients were harmed in the making of this day.
why the hell it's called rush hour is beyond me because NO ONE but me seemed to be in a hurry on I880 this morning. fortunately i had mentioned jury duty to my boss last week, and i was suppose to call her the night before after i found out if i was suppose to report. but since i forgot to call the night before i had to leave a message and then i called work again while stuck in traffic....naturally, they were swamped and could i come in the afternoon if i was dismissed? "uh, yeah ok, i'll try." crap! that meant i had to go home and change first. my head already exploded yesterday and what little brain matter i had left was now oozing out of my ears.
i raced to the courthouse. got lost, got through security, got lost again and managed to look pitiful enough for an attendant to escort me to where i was suppose to be.
and then i waited.
and waited.
and waited.
this went on until around 10:30 when those of us who were trying to get out of serving filed off in a separate area and waited (some more) to meet individually with the judge.
it was a civil trial and was expected to run well into december...my employer only pays for the first five days of jury duty so i was dismissed on a financial hardship.
i raced back to the parking lot that by this time was a sea of other dismissed jurors trying to get on with the rest of their day and i waited
and waited
and waited.
earlier, on the way to the courthouse from the parking lot i lost my parking stub and when i finally reached the exit booth the girl had to get special instructions on how to deal with me, good thing i stamped my employer verification form that proved i was at court so i was able to exit for $2.50 and not the all day fee.
I880 merges with 80 which takes me straight to my house. it should've been so simple. how the hell i ended up crossing the bay bridge is any ones guess. and when did the toll fare go up to 4 bucks anyway? good god i suck...this was redonkulous (my favorite new word, heard it on Dexter the other night). i'm literally counting dimes and nickles trying to come up with 4 bucks, much to the dismay of the drivers behind me i'm sure, though at the time i couldn't have cared less.
so i turn around at treasure island, haul ass to berkeley, change, grab food and race to concord for 5 hours of work. i'm glad to report that no other drivers or patients were harmed in the making of this day.
Monday, October 22, 2007
non-training
i haven't let more than 4 days go by in between runs for over a year. after 7 days off my 4 miler on sunday was challenging. drinks on friday and saturday, rich food, less sleep and poor hydration didn't help either.
when i was training i often thought about how nice a non-training run would be. no pressure no plan just run to run. now here it was a week after the race and i was thinking how easy it was getting to keep putting it off. by the time sunday rolled around i finally laced up and headed for the nearby baytrail. as i stepped outside the bright sunny sky and the right itune had me all "what was i thinking?" sure i started out a little too fast and the second half felt harder and longer, but i was happy to be running again.
miagoddess truly is a goddess. she graciously offered to keep M over so T and I could have a little "aaalone time" on saturday night. it was heaven, we had drinks and dinner at jack london square, and listened to David Sanchez, a young hot talented Brazilian saxophonist at Yoshi's jazz club.
so seriously i need to rethink this post marathon non-training run running mode i'm trying to enter without being too much of a slacker. i have a few balls in the air, running will keep me grounded just nothing too structured or long for awhile.
i can't help but wonder how the southern cal bloggers are all doing. the elements are fierce right now. my thoughts and prayers also go out to the fire and law enforcement officials. be safe and well everyone.
when i was training i often thought about how nice a non-training run would be. no pressure no plan just run to run. now here it was a week after the race and i was thinking how easy it was getting to keep putting it off. by the time sunday rolled around i finally laced up and headed for the nearby baytrail. as i stepped outside the bright sunny sky and the right itune had me all "what was i thinking?" sure i started out a little too fast and the second half felt harder and longer, but i was happy to be running again.
miagoddess truly is a goddess. she graciously offered to keep M over so T and I could have a little "aaalone time" on saturday night. it was heaven, we had drinks and dinner at jack london square, and listened to David Sanchez, a young hot talented Brazilian saxophonist at Yoshi's jazz club.
so seriously i need to rethink this post marathon non-training run running mode i'm trying to enter without being too much of a slacker. i have a few balls in the air, running will keep me grounded just nothing too structured or long for awhile.
i can't help but wonder how the southern cal bloggers are all doing. the elements are fierce right now. my thoughts and prayers also go out to the fire and law enforcement officials. be safe and well everyone.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Steps
it's been a week since the race and with the exception of scooting across the street before the stale yellow light turned red i haven't run a single step.
other than cut and color my hair, paint my nails and shop i haven't really done much in the way self-care (exercise).
seems life is no less busy now that i no longer have a training schedule looming over head. there's always a million other things vying for time and attention.
i will NOT be hosting thanksgiving this year. getting this house in shape for M's party next week has only served to strengthen my resolve on that one, though my weakness for guilt induced gatherings is trying to have the last word.
i've been thinking about going back to school. i called berkeley city college the other day and spoke with the assistant clerk at PACE (it's basically a curriculum set up for working adults who wish to obtain a liberal arts degree) and she sent me their assessment schedule and i think with allot of hard work i could get around having to take algebra over and register for classes in the spring.
i'm not exactly sure but i'd like to major in english. i think i have some potential and it seems to be where my interest lies. i have few classes on my trascript that may transfer over but the bulk of my general ed. was on a career college level and aren't transferable..
i've been thinking about this for a long time.
career college was an easier choice, i had years of experience as an rehab aide and it seemed like the natural progression. it was only 18 months and i had a good paying job immediately upon graduation and a pay boost when i passed the state boards. that was nearly 8 years ago and while i'm good at my job i'm not happy.
i long to do something truly meaningful. i long for a more in depth understanding of the world and my place in it. i feel unfinished. maybe i'm being too idealistic, thinking that a college degree is going to miraculously transform me. maybe i'm going through a midlife crisis, ya think?
all i know is that life is too short. i have bills, a mortgage, a family that relies on my benefits. i know on some level that this is a ridiculous proposition. the timing is horrible. lifestyle changes and midterms won't be easy that's a given, but the marathon was a good lesson in "hard" and i think i could do it.
and it has been my experience that once i get that thought in my head i usually follow through.
i guess that phone call was a different kind of step. a baby step, but one in the right direction.
other than cut and color my hair, paint my nails and shop i haven't really done much in the way self-care (exercise).
seems life is no less busy now that i no longer have a training schedule looming over head. there's always a million other things vying for time and attention.
i will NOT be hosting thanksgiving this year. getting this house in shape for M's party next week has only served to strengthen my resolve on that one, though my weakness for guilt induced gatherings is trying to have the last word.
i've been thinking about going back to school. i called berkeley city college the other day and spoke with the assistant clerk at PACE (it's basically a curriculum set up for working adults who wish to obtain a liberal arts degree) and she sent me their assessment schedule and i think with allot of hard work i could get around having to take algebra over and register for classes in the spring.
i'm not exactly sure but i'd like to major in english. i think i have some potential and it seems to be where my interest lies. i have few classes on my trascript that may transfer over but the bulk of my general ed. was on a career college level and aren't transferable..
i've been thinking about this for a long time.
career college was an easier choice, i had years of experience as an rehab aide and it seemed like the natural progression. it was only 18 months and i had a good paying job immediately upon graduation and a pay boost when i passed the state boards. that was nearly 8 years ago and while i'm good at my job i'm not happy.
i long to do something truly meaningful. i long for a more in depth understanding of the world and my place in it. i feel unfinished. maybe i'm being too idealistic, thinking that a college degree is going to miraculously transform me. maybe i'm going through a midlife crisis, ya think?
all i know is that life is too short. i have bills, a mortgage, a family that relies on my benefits. i know on some level that this is a ridiculous proposition. the timing is horrible. lifestyle changes and midterms won't be easy that's a given, but the marathon was a good lesson in "hard" and i think i could do it.
and it has been my experience that once i get that thought in my head i usually follow through.
i guess that phone call was a different kind of step. a baby step, but one in the right direction.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Golden Hills Marathon Report 2007
i awoke feeling well rested and headed toward the kitchen for my usual pre-race ritual of coffee making. to my horror i was out of coffee and after bitching at T about it for a few minutes i walked over to the donut shop and bought a cup, grumbling and feeling guilty for getting so annoyed.....hmmmm, this day was getting off on the wrong foot already. i guess i had a few pre-race jitters after all and the upset to my routine kinda threw me.
i'm so glad i picked a race closer to home, i was able to leave the house at 8 am and be there in plenty of time for check-in, which essentially meant walking up to a woman at a picnic table and saying "hi, i'm here" T hung out with me for a little bit, i met catra's friend jolynn, and after awhile T sensed that i was settled he took off for home. he would be spending the day with M shopping for birthday party/halloween decorations. btw, M's had a change of heart regarding a home party and assured me that she's still my little girl, yeah!
the air was cool and crisp, and while in line at the porta john, an extremly fit young man, a real cutey patooty with a brazillian accent was shivering and hopping around to keep warm. i looked him over and said "yep, with zero percent body fat it's gotta be hard keeping warm." he smiled at that and wished me luck as we headed over to the start.
one of the first things i noticed at this event were all the western state shirts. quite a few really. i thought to myself, yeah, this little race is a recovery run for these folks. the 50 miler's had a 6:30 am start from the opposite end, and carl one of the directors reminded us to share the trail. at times when jolynn and her friend and i were together we would see the 50 milers coming towards us, and we'd exchange "good job, looking strong, yeah!"...but whenever we saw the ladies they got the biggest props. these women are my heroes!
as i predicted the trail was good and muddy, i carefully selected just the right stick to scrape off the mud and then found my place way in the back of the pack. as usual i didn't hit the garmin right away, throwing me off a bit for distance. not allot but enough to mess with my gu schedule. i forgot to shut it off as i crossed the finish too and it still read 25.84...so me!
despite the mushy trail conditions everything pointed to a good race day. the weather was sunny and cool. the vibe was mellow and charged at the same time. i felt so at home, so good that even when i noticed my ipod was hadn't rec'vd all the new tunes i just purchased. it didn't phase me a bit. i was ready to do this thing.
as was the plan i walked the majority of the hills, flew down the downhills and plodded/shuffled/walked along the flats. i played leap frog with jolynn and her friend (i'm so bad with names!!) for quite awhile we'd run some together and either i would stop, they'd stop. jolynn's friend and i caught up with each other several times over the course.
now ya'll know i love me some fast downhill. it's one time i'm truly appreciative of my ample backside and thighs. the wet conditions did little to temper my enthusiasm and it was during these sections that i felt best strength wise. i have to wonder though if holding back more would of left more gas in the tank towards the end.
Gear
function wise everything was holding up well. i decided against the camelbak, and chose my big fanny pack(mistake) and a another handheld. this race was so well supported that i could of easily taken my smaller waist pack with two bottles and been set. oh well, live and learn. i wore comfy shorts and a singlet. the only chafing i experienced was a tiny spot on my left ribcage where the pack rubbed after doffing my singlet (i had a sports bra on!) feet were all good, not a single blister or hot spot.
Pain
the one pain that showed up fairly early on and would remain with me the entire day was a tight left lower calf. i'd stop to strech it out perodically. it didn't feel like a cramp, as it was duller in sensation, but i wasn't too sure. i hadn't experimented much with electrolyte supplements and was wary of trying them now. the pain persisted like i said so i gulped a handful of salty sunflower seeds and when that didn't seem to help i did take one e-cap by mile 20. the pain wasn't causing any real problems just distracting and annoying.
Terrain
hills and more hills. the start was pretty mushy like i said, which was a good thing really as it guaranteed a nice slow start. i'd walk for a while until my shoes got too heavy and i'd scrape the mud off with my carefully selected stick. once i got to the top of the first serious section of seaview, i found my running legs. this part was in pretty good shape a little wet in places but for the most part totally runnable. it wasn't long before the next climb though. i kept to my plan and slowed to walk. this pretty much describes the entire day. i have to say the toughest part of the day for me was Bort Meadow, that fucking climb was the longest hottest stretch of the day.
Support
as i mentioned this race was very well supported. i never felt more cared for. you could tell these folks really wanted us to have a good day. people were just so nice and helpful. when we got to the first of several road crossings each time i felt like a baby chick be carefully escorted by the mama duck, our cross guards were on the J.O.B no doubt. for the most part i didn't linger too long at the aides stations. (hey kinda like you olga!) at sibley i did use the restroom. at bear station i filled up my bottles, and casually glanced at the array of food, a volunteer teasingly said, "hmph, turning your nose up at my pbj's huh" i assured her they were lovely, but that i had a plan and didn't want to mess with it, being this was my first marathon. at the second to last aide station, a man said "it's all downhill from here" i smirked and said "uh uh". at the last AS i stopped for bit to stretch my calf, boy that drew allot of attention "here hon, get in the shade" "you want a pretzle, fluids??" i was a little embarrassed by all the attention to tell you the truth. i assured everyone i was okay, and then i saw jolynn's friend pull in and go. i had to keep moving. she was my rabbit.
The Final 10k
this is were the reality of my lack of training really sank in. another women at the last aide station cruised in and asked how much further, a volunteer shouted out 3 miles, the fit older gal, perked up and said "oh, see ya!" and was gone. i could only wish for that kind energy at this point. according to my garmin i was at mile 23:84 when my fantasy of 6 hours came and went. remaining consistent with the rest of this course that last 3 miles were hilly too! jolynn's friend and i played leap frog for a good bit, at one point we hung together , but she was much stronger than i on the flats and i once again was looking at her from way behind. i'm pretty sure she came in a minute or so ahead of me. when i saw the finish line i tried to look less like how i felt and with a huge smile on my face and quick glance at the clock i crossed the finish in 6:29.
i told T to be there by 3 o'clock, even though i wasn't overly confident about finishing within 6 hours. i didn't see them anywhere and i kinda just walked around for abit . i was done. no big wave of emotion, just happy to have done what i set out to do. i wonder if i had been greeted by a familiar face at the finish if i would of lost it, so maybe it was better i got to the finish on my own. i was able to cheer jolynn in and not long after that my peeps arrived with chocolate milk. M even made me crown, so sweet.
and so there you have it. my first marathon report. i did what i set out to do, not exactly how i envisioned it but i can live and learn from it. it was really great meeting jolynn and her friend, they made a long hard day fun and added a friendly element of competition that made me work harder. i do hope our paths find eachother again. they are my heroes too! i'm sorry i never found #551, randy i hope you had a good day!
i already had a mad crush on trail running when i set out to do this race. i'm totally smitten, head over heels in love now. i want to be that gal at mile 23 that say's "see ya!" i want to get better, i want work harder. also, i want to thank everyone who followed along and wished me well on this crazy trip. i have even more respect and admiration for you guy's now that i've towed line myself. but right now i want to clean up this house and get ready for a birthday party at home. life is so good.
i'm so glad i picked a race closer to home, i was able to leave the house at 8 am and be there in plenty of time for check-in, which essentially meant walking up to a woman at a picnic table and saying "hi, i'm here" T hung out with me for a little bit, i met catra's friend jolynn, and after awhile T sensed that i was settled he took off for home. he would be spending the day with M shopping for birthday party/halloween decorations. btw, M's had a change of heart regarding a home party and assured me that she's still my little girl, yeah!
the air was cool and crisp, and while in line at the porta john, an extremly fit young man, a real cutey patooty with a brazillian accent was shivering and hopping around to keep warm. i looked him over and said "yep, with zero percent body fat it's gotta be hard keeping warm." he smiled at that and wished me luck as we headed over to the start.
one of the first things i noticed at this event were all the western state shirts. quite a few really. i thought to myself, yeah, this little race is a recovery run for these folks. the 50 miler's had a 6:30 am start from the opposite end, and carl one of the directors reminded us to share the trail. at times when jolynn and her friend and i were together we would see the 50 milers coming towards us, and we'd exchange "good job, looking strong, yeah!"...but whenever we saw the ladies they got the biggest props. these women are my heroes!
as i predicted the trail was good and muddy, i carefully selected just the right stick to scrape off the mud and then found my place way in the back of the pack. as usual i didn't hit the garmin right away, throwing me off a bit for distance. not allot but enough to mess with my gu schedule. i forgot to shut it off as i crossed the finish too and it still read 25.84...so me!
despite the mushy trail conditions everything pointed to a good race day. the weather was sunny and cool. the vibe was mellow and charged at the same time. i felt so at home, so good that even when i noticed my ipod was hadn't rec'vd all the new tunes i just purchased. it didn't phase me a bit. i was ready to do this thing.
as was the plan i walked the majority of the hills, flew down the downhills and plodded/shuffled/walked along the flats. i played leap frog with jolynn and her friend (i'm so bad with names!!) for quite awhile we'd run some together and either i would stop, they'd stop. jolynn's friend and i caught up with each other several times over the course.
now ya'll know i love me some fast downhill. it's one time i'm truly appreciative of my ample backside and thighs. the wet conditions did little to temper my enthusiasm and it was during these sections that i felt best strength wise. i have to wonder though if holding back more would of left more gas in the tank towards the end.
Gear
function wise everything was holding up well. i decided against the camelbak, and chose my big fanny pack(mistake) and a another handheld. this race was so well supported that i could of easily taken my smaller waist pack with two bottles and been set. oh well, live and learn. i wore comfy shorts and a singlet. the only chafing i experienced was a tiny spot on my left ribcage where the pack rubbed after doffing my singlet (i had a sports bra on!) feet were all good, not a single blister or hot spot.
Pain
the one pain that showed up fairly early on and would remain with me the entire day was a tight left lower calf. i'd stop to strech it out perodically. it didn't feel like a cramp, as it was duller in sensation, but i wasn't too sure. i hadn't experimented much with electrolyte supplements and was wary of trying them now. the pain persisted like i said so i gulped a handful of salty sunflower seeds and when that didn't seem to help i did take one e-cap by mile 20. the pain wasn't causing any real problems just distracting and annoying.
Terrain
hills and more hills. the start was pretty mushy like i said, which was a good thing really as it guaranteed a nice slow start. i'd walk for a while until my shoes got too heavy and i'd scrape the mud off with my carefully selected stick. once i got to the top of the first serious section of seaview, i found my running legs. this part was in pretty good shape a little wet in places but for the most part totally runnable. it wasn't long before the next climb though. i kept to my plan and slowed to walk. this pretty much describes the entire day. i have to say the toughest part of the day for me was Bort Meadow, that fucking climb was the longest hottest stretch of the day.
Support
as i mentioned this race was very well supported. i never felt more cared for. you could tell these folks really wanted us to have a good day. people were just so nice and helpful. when we got to the first of several road crossings each time i felt like a baby chick be carefully escorted by the mama duck, our cross guards were on the J.O.B no doubt. for the most part i didn't linger too long at the aides stations. (hey kinda like you olga!) at sibley i did use the restroom. at bear station i filled up my bottles, and casually glanced at the array of food, a volunteer teasingly said, "hmph, turning your nose up at my pbj's huh" i assured her they were lovely, but that i had a plan and didn't want to mess with it, being this was my first marathon. at the second to last aide station, a man said "it's all downhill from here" i smirked and said "uh uh". at the last AS i stopped for bit to stretch my calf, boy that drew allot of attention "here hon, get in the shade" "you want a pretzle, fluids??" i was a little embarrassed by all the attention to tell you the truth. i assured everyone i was okay, and then i saw jolynn's friend pull in and go. i had to keep moving. she was my rabbit.
The Final 10k
this is were the reality of my lack of training really sank in. another women at the last aide station cruised in and asked how much further, a volunteer shouted out 3 miles, the fit older gal, perked up and said "oh, see ya!" and was gone. i could only wish for that kind energy at this point. according to my garmin i was at mile 23:84 when my fantasy of 6 hours came and went. remaining consistent with the rest of this course that last 3 miles were hilly too! jolynn's friend and i played leap frog for a good bit, at one point we hung together , but she was much stronger than i on the flats and i once again was looking at her from way behind. i'm pretty sure she came in a minute or so ahead of me. when i saw the finish line i tried to look less like how i felt and with a huge smile on my face and quick glance at the clock i crossed the finish in 6:29.
i told T to be there by 3 o'clock, even though i wasn't overly confident about finishing within 6 hours. i didn't see them anywhere and i kinda just walked around for abit . i was done. no big wave of emotion, just happy to have done what i set out to do. i wonder if i had been greeted by a familiar face at the finish if i would of lost it, so maybe it was better i got to the finish on my own. i was able to cheer jolynn in and not long after that my peeps arrived with chocolate milk. M even made me crown, so sweet.
and so there you have it. my first marathon report. i did what i set out to do, not exactly how i envisioned it but i can live and learn from it. it was really great meeting jolynn and her friend, they made a long hard day fun and added a friendly element of competition that made me work harder. i do hope our paths find eachother again. they are my heroes too! i'm sorry i never found #551, randy i hope you had a good day!
i already had a mad crush on trail running when i set out to do this race. i'm totally smitten, head over heels in love now. i want to be that gal at mile 23 that say's "see ya!" i want to get better, i want work harder. also, i want to thank everyone who followed along and wished me well on this crazy trip. i have even more respect and admiration for you guy's now that i've towed line myself. but right now i want to clean up this house and get ready for a birthday party at home. life is so good.
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