After escaping the Hurricane Issac rains that pounded Southern Ohio all weekend, I started out my holiday weekend by conquering Puke Hill with RRB, on Saturday morning (Cleveland only got a little downpour late Saturday night).
RRB tricked me into wearing a water belt ("But you'll look badass!" I'm such a sucker). I've never worn my water belt before, and one mile in I was already raw and bleeding at the hip. I pulled up my shorts Steve Urkel-style for some extra padding, but not before it left a pencil-erasure sized goudge in my hip. It looks pretty cool!
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| Nothing says badass like a water belt |
We had a blast tackling Puke Hill and ran a total of 7 easy trail miles. It was so much fun being on the trail! Since we were both injured last summer, we hadn't run there since 2010 and it felt so good to be back! Just like old times!
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| We don't call it Puke Hill for nothing! |
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| I'm not a big fan of down hills |
On Monday, my mom and I mom-touraged on the path together. It was even more humid than Saturday and we were both struggling to breath (she even took a picture of steam coming off my sweaty head)! Also making it hard to breath- trying not to laugh at my mom's insane slap-happiness throughout the entire run. Suuure, easy for her to laugh as she cruises along on her bike. Hmph!
But have no fear! I got my chance to laugh! After our mile 8 water stop, my mom fell into the canal. That's right. She rode her bike right off the path, down the steep 8-10 foot drop right into the murky canal. She claims she lost control of her bike while avoiding another bike going by. Whatever the reason, watching her slllloowly ride down into the canal was one of the funniest things I've seen in my entire life!
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| After she'd wiped off a bit of the mud |
Once I established that she wasn't mad and going to blame me ("Mooooooommm.....Is it ok to laugh?"), I about doubled over in hysterics on the path. Luckily, she joined in with me. And it all worked out to her benefit because she got to get her flirt on with a very nice man who helped pop the chain back on her bike, completely ruining his white tshirt in the process.
We finished up our run, and aside from looking like a swamp-thing, a scratch to the knee, and now-muddy newly purchased running shoes, my mom was just fine. And I ran my fastest run EVER! I think when it's humid and I feel like crap through the whole run, I push myself more thinking I must be going slow when I'm really not. Which is how I end up running a 7:13 pace, faster than I've ever run, even in a race! I'm still a little worried about how I'll do for the Half next Saturday, but I am so happy!
We stopped at my brother's on the way back home from the path and I ended up run/walking the 1.5 miles back to my mom's with my neice and nephew (the last .5 miles I walked with my niece on my back). When we got back to my mom's, I tossed them some of my old t-shirts and we finger-painted in the backyard.
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| My mini Picassos |
It was a great weekend!
Poor Mom!! I hope she didn't get hurt :( You had an amazingly fast run. You will do very well in your next half!!
ReplyDeleteOMG mom-tourage in the creek bike and all? I am trying not to laugh but wow! She sounds like a very good sport. Sorry the water belt was unkind. Look at the wicked abs though!
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