The marathon countdown has truly begun. Today I ran my 16 miler... it was quite a long, hard run! I did the no-no of not being able to run all week and then just hopping out there for my long run. Big Mistake, but unfortunately unavoidable....
This past week started the Watterson Girls Tennis season. 30 girls, 10 weeks, 3 teams, 2 coaches and 1 baby. Samantha and I were up and out of the house by 7:15 am every day this week! After a summer of relaxing mornings filled with runs, coffee and bottles, we were rushed out the door and off to coach. This is tryouts week, so Sam got to just hang out with me and all of the girls as they played matches. She is quite the popular lil' kid! So after this tough week of heat and busy schedules, I could not avoid my 16 miler.
My boss was running a half marathon on my training route today so I thought about running to him and then running the race with him. But Ray told me I was NOT allowed to jump in the race without paying. So I figured I would just run up to the trail and see if I would still be able to get on.
I am about 4.4 miles in and I came to the trail. Police and race officials say go right ahead. I started running at 6:30 am and the race kicked off at 7:30 am. So I was hoping to get 4 miles out on the trail and then 4 miles running back at the racers. Great plan right?? In hindsight, not so much...
The 4 miles out was a breeze! So now I am 8 miles into my run. I turn around and start heading home. I really enjoy out and back runs. Because I get to the halfway point, turn around and tell my legs to "take me home." I am running at about mile 9-10 and here comes the race leader for the half running at me. Dang he was fast! And much older than I expected and at least 1 minute ahead of the closest competitor. So my juices get flowing. I am a very competitive person and there is just no way for me to turn it off! My mind and body knows that it is physically unable to run a 6 minute mile, but it really wants to try. So off I go...
I am running at the racers now and they are running fast so all of a sudden I am running fast. Waaaaay too fast! Miles 10 - 12 just breeze by and I am coming to my point of jumping off the trail. No more runners to egg me on, just me and my lonesome headed for home. This is where the pain started. First I felt it in my right ankle, then in my left knee, then my thighs decided they were on fire!! And not in a fast way! I am dying by mile 13 and cursing myself for getting swept up in the race excitement... And I never even saw my boss running at me! I got so into, I missed him... so I am just all around annoyed. I stop to fill up my water bottles and grab a cold drink at the Senior Center. I must have looked like death warmed over for her. And I am guessing that is not what they want to see at the SENIOR center!
I have no more excuses, I just need to get home. I start running and walking and running and then I call Ray.
"Ray, I am dying out here."
"Rebecca, you have run 14.5 miles, just finish up and get home. This is easy now. Only 1.5 miles left."
"Ray, that's not encouraging. That's demeaning. Just talk to me to help pass the time."
Then I feel like an idiot running down the road with people staring at me, basically talking to myself. They can't hear Ray talking through my armband so I just look like a freak dripping sweat, barely running and talking to myself. Fantastic.
"Rebecca, I can't hear you anymore. Just run home. You are fine."
"Fine, Ray." Hang up.
I start walking. I need something, anything, so I start going through my iPod and there it is. My GLEE playlist. I love those little high schoolers. I smile and start listening to mash up week and realize that I WILL make it.
I also have a Glee playlist! I have enough songs to get me through a 10 miler. That's not pathetic, is it?
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