Random Things

It has been a couple weeks since my last blog and I was felling pretty down about not being able to run- heck I could hardly walk after my 50 miler. Well I am back and feeling like I could do it again. Last Thursday I met up with Russell and Debbie for a 5 mile run around the waterway, this was my first run after the 50 miler that my legs felt good. Saturday I decided to head back to bootcamp since it had been a month. I hate when I am away for this long because it is like starting all over again. Sunday morning 11 miles with Russell and Debbie. Sunday afternoon Logan and I got on the bike and took a nice cruise out to Carlos, Texas. I was a beautiful ride on the bike- a little cold but it was nice to see a part of Texas I had never seen. We stopped at Yankee's and had a great burger and then headed back. I think I may be purchasing some chaps for when it gets cold again. Tuesday 3.38 miles. Wednesday I went to the track way too early in fact I was done with my workout before the others arrived, I was thinking track was at 6:30- wrong. Since I was the only one there I took it easy on myself, 1/2 mile warm up, 4 X 400's w/200 recovery and 1/2 mile cool down. Tomorrow is my Friday off and I am going to go help out at Go Texan, this is always a lot of fun with great BBQ and beer.

Recovery

Recovery sucks, every day after last weekend I have wanted to get out and run somewhere. I just wanted to put my shoes on and hit the road, but I knew my body could not physically do it. I walked as much as possible for the last week but it was not enough. This morning I woke up at 6am and went to meet TWRC group at Starbuck's for a few miles. I decided to run 2.5 and take it easy, well I did not have a choice because about half a mile into my run my legs started to tighten up and I had to walk. In fact for the 2.5 mile run I had planned I ended up walking at least half of it. So recovery sucks when your mind needs the rush and the high you get from running but your body says no. I guess I will keep reminding myself that I did run 50 miles a week ago and to get over it. Here's to a few more miles this week, I hope.

RR 50 miler

Friday we got to Huntsville about 3:30 while the hubby's set up camp Najat, Robin and I went to packet pick up, trail briefing and pasta dinner. Afterwards we sat around the fire chit chat, I had a couple of beers and the girl's had some wine and off to bed around 10:30ish. Up at 5:15 am on Saturday, dressed, ate a little and got a coffee and did the last check on my drop bag. In the drop bag was 2 extra shirts just in case, extra pair of socks which came in handy, GU, Tums, Aleve, IB, visor, head lamp and other things I am sure I am forgetting to mention. We headed to the start line at about 6:30 to check in and drop off our drop bags. At 7:00am we were running. The first loop (16.7miles) was great, I believe we were in at 4:21. Bathroom break, I shed my top layer, ate some chips and sandwich, filled my water bottle, put Vaseline on my feet and then got pushed out of the aid station without Robin and Najat (back out for loop number two). At the first aid station of 2nd loop (Mile 20) I saw Jon Walk and Russell Mc Coy and let me tell you I was over joyed to see my running club buddies out there. Made it through the the next 8 miles and then I came up on Lauren Birt, Kyle and family I stopped to put more Vaseline on my feet and they came over and kept me company. At this point miles seem to mix together along with your mind so I know we had conversation just not real sure what is was about. After I left out of that aid station I had 4.7 miles to the turn around. This second lap I finished in 4:34 (33.4 miles) this time in I tried not to stay so long, changed socks took more Tums(which I took alot of), water bottle filled, more chips and a sandwich and Vaseline on my feet, on my way again in about 4 mins. Starting the last loop I was feeling pretty good considering I had run just over 33 miles. I saw Robin about 2 miles in to the loop and she was sitting on a bench holding her knee, I asked if she was ok and she said yes, so I went back out. When I got to aid station number 3 at about mile 40 my left foot was in alot of pain, I could tell I had a huge blister on the ball of my foot. I asked one on the guys if he could look at my feet and he did, not only did he look at them he cleaned them and patched me up with duct tape so the blister would not get any worse. After this I got some hot Ramen noodles and took off to get as far as I could before it was dark. By the time I made it to the next aid station 2.7 miles later it was dark. At this point the race got very difficult, I was not comfortable with being in the woods with a crappy head lamp and the critters. I tried to keep up with Karen and Pete who I would run into time to time on the trails, but they were to fast for me. Karen gave me her flashlight so I could see better, which was so nice of her cause it really helped. Coming out of the last aid station with 4.7 miles left to go I started talking to a girl I had seen off and on (Janeen). She was doing her first 50 miler, while her brother was doing 100, she was worried about him because he was in pain and had talked about a DNF. She told me about her 10 month old nephew that was there that she got to see every time she went in. Anyway with my foot pain that I was told I could not complain about I tried to keep Janeen in my sight at all times, not sure if she knew it but she was keeping me going. I saw Bill, George, Debbie and Russell at mile 47. Bill gave me a hug and all gave me more encouragement. Finally at 9:05, 14 hours and 5 mins after I started I crossed the finish line with my friends and my hubby waiting for me. An amazing experience. Sleeping Saturday night was awful, I had cold sweats, I could not move my legs without picking them up. Before I went to bed I was dizzy (I even took a rest in the dirt behind my cabin) and felt very faint almost got sick but did not. On Sunday it was very difficult to walk, but all complaining aside this was one of the best experiences I have had in the past 2 years of running. My body is trying to recover at this point but I am on the right road.

5 things I learn on Saturday

1. Tums no longer make me gag.
2. I can run for a long time w/o going to the bathroom.
3. After about 40 miles everything I look at will ripple and moved funny.
4. Strangers will clean your dirty blistered feet and smile while doing it.
5. I lost weight after eating a sandwich, chips and candy and drinking coke every 3.5 miles.

Oh and I lied when I said I will never do this again. I need some time to heal but I will defiantly do another 50 miler some day soon.

I came home with a PR

I arrived at LAX with Viv on Friday at about 1:30 with the paparazzi waiting to take our picture, just kidding. Pokey was picking us up after her flight landed in Long Beach. We got outside and since none of us had never picked up passengers at LAX we did not realize that she was in the buses only lane. After being yelled at by the biatch security guard that we could not put our bags in the car from that lane we did anyway as the mad security guard told us were coming and she wrote down the rental plates. Oooops in LA for less than 5 minutes and we are already breaking the law.

We drove to Huntington Beach and checked into our hotel, which happened to be the host hotel directly across the street from the expo and the start/finish line. After getting checked in we walked down to the expo to pick up our race packets. This was a small expo and very laid back, I want to switch my wave to a faster one and was told that I could line up wherever I wanted to on race day. When we picked up our tech shirts they said which size would you like? Not let me see your bib. After goofing around at the expo and meeting up with a couple of Viv's friends we decided to get a drink. After the drink we were tired and headed back to the room and went to bed early.

Saturday morning we went to breakfast (with our waitress who obviously never eats more than one meal day insulted each of once)in Newport and then took the PCH to Laguna where we meet up with my brother. I had a great day with my brother and sister in law we had late lunch and a few beers (yes ladies I ate again), around 6:00 I met back up with the girls and we headed to Sharkies to watch the UFC fight, I had told myself not to drink more than a couple beers since I had not tried this the night before a race. Well being on vacation got the best of me and about 4 beers more than I told myself I could have we finally were leaving and headed back to the hotel after midnight for much needed rest.

Sunday morning I woke up at 4am not feeling so hot and very worried and mad at myself that I probably kissed the hopes for a PR down the toilet. My stomach was crampy and ichy feeling. As I looked at the start line at the sectioned off waves I debated in my head do I line up with the 2:30 which was my last PR or do I take the chance and line up with 2:15. I finally decided what was there to loose and lined up with the 2:15ers. I started thinking about my conversation with Bill how he had told me the magic number in his head for this race was 2:19. Finally about 10 mins after the first wave started I was off and running. The first 3 miles were great, at mile 4 I got a horrible side cramp and had to stop to stretch for a minute. I kept running and feeling great until mile 9 then my legs started to cramp plus my thighs were starting to chafe and I had to walk so I made a deal with myself that I could only walk one minute per mile, and had to make up for it in my run. The cramping started to go away and when I realized that I ran 11 miles in under 2 hours that I would defiantly PR, by how much was the question. It was getting hot and sorry to say but the beer from the night before was really making my stomach quezzy, not to mention the guy that was running by me kept burping. I was really starting to regret my drinking the night before my race and again I thought of my talk with Bill and it was something like even if you have the worst case scenario you will finish- I knew I was going to finish for sure and I knew I could still PR if I sucked it up so I decided to go for it and run hard and strong and deal with the bed I had made for myself. I was so happy when I saw mile marker 13 I started to sprint, then I saw Pokey and Viv I ran harder until I crossed the finish line at 2:19:17. After the run we went to In and Out Burger yum yum. I had a cheese burger with fries and a Dr. Pepper and never felt better. Later that day we dropped Pokey off at the airport and drove to Laguna watched the supper bowl ate dinner and were asleep at 8:30.

It was a great trip with friends and many memories. All in all the pain I felt from the drinking the night before was worth my finish and not so bad, but I have learned. Will I drink the night before a race again? Maybe not so much next time.

Monday I was anxious about getting on the plane and coming to my hubby how I missed dearly. He was so proud of me that I got PR flowers. Awh!