Towpath 10-10

I was oddly calm about yesterday's race, the Towpath 10-10, the 2nd part of the Towpath Trilogy.

Other than freaking out about whether or not it would be cancelled due to lightning, my usual butterflies only came on race day, not days before like normal. This really freaked me out because I was afraid I wouldn't run as hard. Thank goodness that wasn't the case!

So, here's the rundown:

The Turtle & I had a wedding reception to attend the night before the race, which made hydrating interesting (I made those hall attendants earn their pay refilling our table's water pitcher!)

I knew I should have brought water bottles in my purse!

My 4:45am wakeup dawned without a drop of rain, so I was very optimistic that the weathermen were wrong.



Teddy did NOT approve of the hour

And the wishful thinking ended as mom and I pulled into the parking lot of Quaker Steak & Lube when the rain began.

About 30 minutes before the race start, I left mom in the car to join the porta-potty line. 10 minutes later, my clothes were completely soaked and I headed off for the 1 mile walk to the start line with the other runners, all of us looking like a line of glazed-eye refugees fleeing a zombie apocalypse (sorry, just started Walking Dead and I have zombie on the brain. I may never sleep again).

Once at the start, the rain came down harder and my teeth started to chatter. I scoped out the crowd and picked out a few girls who looked quick, as well as last year's female winner overall. How do I know which girl won last year? Because the dear old people who put the race together emailed her picture to everyone to let us know that last year's champ was returning. Way to put a target on her back! (Naturally, I checked out her time last year, a 7:06 pace, and immediately lost all hope in coming in 1st overall)

They informed us that the start would be 5 minutes late because 10k and 10mile runners had gone to the wrong race starts. Arrrrgh! But, just when the 30 second countdown began for the bell (yes, they started the race with an old school hand bell), the rain stopped....after all, we wouldn't want to actually benefit from the rain cooling us down during the race! Nay nay.


Mile 1: Feeling good, all the racers are getting into their groove and jockeying for their spot in the lineup to sit at for the rest of the race. And there's mom! Though I hate a lot of back-and-forthing in races, it gave my mom the opportunity to see me 2x before the finish, which was awesome! I pretty much never have supporters out throughout the course, as mom likes to see me at the finish, so this was a really nice bonus! It's amazing how excited you get just to run past someone you know!

Mile 2: FINISH??? What kind of crazy race has you run under the Finish line banner before its over!?!?! And where the heck is mile marker 2? Wait a sec, let's check my Garmin....2.59 mile?! What the..!?! This would be the first of many missing mile markers. 2, 4, 6 and 8 are on a date! (Don't you roll your eyes). Ooh, there's mom again!



Weeeeeeeeee! I hope I can keep this wicked pace up for 8 more miles!

Mile 3-4: I conquered the first pass over the 2 bridges without too much trouble. It didn't sap my energy as I feared it would, so I was pretty relieved. I got into a groove, following the guy in the white tank from the picture above.

Mile 5: As we approach the beginning of the loop that will take us back toward the finish, I look behind me and see....no one. Not a soul. Just like every other race, I always end up running in a little bubble all by myself (which I prefer, so I don't have to hear footsteps of someone dogging me from behind!). Well, minus White Tank Guy (WTG), who I am now pulling ahead of. He looks over at me and grunts out, "I'm dyyyying, have a good run."  

Mile 6-8: I hear grunting approaching. I look to my left and its WTG. "HEY!", I say accusatorily. He looks sheepish as he pulls up next to me and says hi. For about 1/2 a mile we run side by side until he finally asks if I mind him running with me. No prob, I say. And then begin chatting intermittently with him, as he grunts responses...and probably cursing me in his head to just shut the hell up. :-) 

Mile 8: Before we approach the bridges for the 2nd pass, I notice I'm catching up to last year's Top Female winner. I've had her in my sights for the entire race, and I can't believe I am actually going to have to pass her. As I do, I feel like I just stepped into a trap and fear the sprint she may do when we get to the finish. After doing some foggy race math (1+1 is what again?), I figure out that I'm in 5th place for females. But just knowing I was able to overtake last year's champ gives me a boost!

Mile 9: After following WTG's lead and grunting my way up the 2 bridges (it helped! I think he's on to something), I go in for the long home stretch. Where the hell is that finish line!? I notice I'm catching up to another girl and try to decide if I should pick up the pace and try to overtake her. We've still got a ways to get to the finish, and I really don't feel like passing her to just be repassed. Plllleeeease pick up the pace girl, so I don't have to consider this! Damn it, you just slowed down more! Fine, you want me to pass you, you got it!

.25 miles before the finish I'm about to overtake the girl when she looks over, sees me, and takes off like a shot. "F you" I say outloud. Hmph.

Finish Line, I think we've met before

I finish in 1:11:38, only 10 seconds behind the wench who just couldn't let me pass. BUT, that also got me in 4 WHOLE MINUTES sooner than last year's champ! She never did pick it up to beat me! YAY!

Though the race time says I had a 7:10 pace, my Garmin said 7:06 and I'm sticking with that! I had such a great race! I felt good the entire time, I never hit a wall and am so happy! When I had looked up last year's female winner's time and saw that 7:06 pace, I immediately threw out any ideas of coming in top 3 overall...and while I still didn't place in the overall, I did run that pace, which I had no idea I could do for a 10 mile race. I've never run that fast for that long before! I'm ecstatic!

With my award and goosebumps

I ended up placing 2nd in my division, (1st place going to that wench), 5th female overall (257 female runners) and 37th place overall (533 total runners). YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!

The 520 Laps of Christmas

Happy New Year!

I spent a lovely week and a half with my fam in Cleveland. Which meant, drum roll please, 520 laps at the Rec Center.

I've gotten pretty spoiled by my 8-lap/mile track, so having to shrink down to an 11-lapper was a blessing and a curse. It was nice to be forced to slow down my speed, since really, there is no way to gain enough speed when you have to slow right back down again for the next turn. After calming my slight freak out and accepting that I didn't have a choice, I enjoyed the relaxed pace.

RRB joined me for a few runs as well, which is always fun. No playlist, no matter how exciting, can beat gabbing about food, politics and movies with your best running buddy! Another plus? My mom rode the bike a bunch of the times I went too! (She even chauffered me and worked out the entire time I was there my last day since my car had a flat. Now, that's love).

And the best part? Working out at the Rec means recovery dips in the hot tub. Now, that's luxury!

We're hot tub junkies

Aside from that, the time in Cleveland was great, I hated leaving. It was so nice spending time with mom (including the day after Christmas when we got snowed in), seeing friends & fam, and getting some quality Teddy time.

Now, it's back to the grind. I am finishing up this Disney painting I've been working on since before Seoul, and just started sketching out a new non-Disney painting last night.

Annnnd, my paintings will soon be available for purchase online! I am opening an Etsy account and will be listing my paintings soon. Mega millions, here I come. Ha!

I hope you all had wonderful holidays!

Teddy says Happy New Year too!

Mommy's Here!

My mommy came to visit!

Even though I've been living in the Twilight Zone for about a year and a half now, I still get homesick and always love when my mom comes to visit. Not only do I get a gym partner and a Dancing With the Stars buddy, but for a few days it feels like I'm home (minus my cuddly Teddy...damn this stupid No Dogs Allowed apartment rule!).

How could you say no to this face?

On Monday, I got a 9 miler in before mom came in. Monday's run had some interesting events. First, some idiot cut me off at the turn and I almost took out the fire extinguisher hanging on the wall. Normally, the people at the gym run like they drive, and never look behind them before they change lanes. But this guy did! He totally looked back saw me barreling down and decided he couldn't wait and had to get in front of me.  THEN, the Gum-Chewer, who has always had a big issue with me passing him, showed up. I saw that wild look in his eye when he turned and saw me coming and predictably, he sped up to drag out the inevitable. One of these days I swear I'm going to ask him if its worth it.

So, I did what any normal runner who'd nearly taken out a fire extinguisher would do...I decided to make his life a living hell :-) . You don't want me to pass you? YOU GOT IT! I got into predator mode and quickly matched his speed juuuuuust enough so I was breathing down his neck. I could see his sweat trickling down from exertion. Mwahahahaha! I think he learned his lesson. He gave up his charade after 3/4 of a lap.

Tuesday, mom arrived and our marathon shopping day began. We visited all the stores you can't find in Cleveland (Kroger, Meijer, Home Goods, oh my!). Which we rounded out with the requisite walk to Target (I loooove living within walking distance to the bullseye!) and then heckled Brook Burke on the DWTS Results Show (really, she serves no purpose!).

Can't take her anywhere!

Wednesday was gym time again! I dropped mom off at the stationary bike and headed upstairs for the track. Best run in weeks! My speed came back and I felt like I was back to flying! I'd been a little nervous about how I'd do running two 9 milers with only one day apart. It's the first time I've done this since the reinjury! But, the hip only gave a half-hearted protest when I first started out, and then each time I'd start out after a water break..... And I happily ignored it :-)

Thursday, mom and I rode the stationaries together. The gym was stifling and I had forgotten to switch out my fan batteries! I watched in horror as the little blades slowly crept to a stop. Despite having mom to talk to, it felt like the longest bike ride ever, and my sweat lake under the bike had turned into a small ocean. Ewwwwww.

Trying to out-wit bike solitaire

Now, it's finally the weekend! Hurray! Mom is safely back in Cleveland and I am blearily typing this blog as I wait for the clock to strike 6am so I can make my dining reservations for our next trip to Disney World! Yes, that's right.. I got up before the sun on a Saturday so I could make reservations for a dinner 6 months from now. The things you'll do to have warm, scrumptious pretzel bread and the chocolatey goodness of the 'Smores dessert at Le Cellier in Epcot. Mmmmmmm......

I just drooled on the keyboard

Next week is supposed to be warmer, so I may have to run outside. Not thrilled about that since it means running in a strong head wind half the time, and zero shade. Ah well, at least my running farmer's tan will get worked on!

I'm Baaaaaaack!

I’m baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

And I'm happy to say I didn't lose an ounce of stupidity in my 3 weeks off! Saturday I threw all logic and sense out the window and ran my 9 miles not at a nice, slow, recovery pace but one second over my Air Force Half Marathon race pace of 7:27/mile! Which might have caused my frequent potty trips for the 4 hours following the run (it could have been the Chicken Teriyaki Subway I’d wolfed down the night before, but I'm sure the 9 mile sprint didn't help)

Victory!!!!

We’d driven back home to Cleveland Friday evening and, after rescuing my puppy, Teddy from the kennel, took him on a 2-mile walk. Since he’d been cooped up for the last few days, he was extremely excited and wanted to run the first part. And who am I to discourage running, whether man nor beast? I didn’t have any pain for my little ¼ mile flip-flop run and it got me pretty pumped for the morning.

The aftermath of the walk

Saturday morning dawned crisp and bright, and as Teddy and my husband quickly reclaimed my spot on mom’s futon, I changed into my running gear (already neatly laid out the night before, of course). I drove passed many runners on my drive down to the towpath, and for the first time in weeks, didn’t glare at or curse any of them! “I’m one of you” I wanted to shout from my car!

As I made my descent down to the path, I watched my car thermometer drop 12 degrees from 58 to 46 (and also nervously watched my brake light keep dinging on my dash…) The sun was trying to burn through the morning fog and I anxiously tried to pick the best song to start out my victory run (‘True Love’ by Angels & Airwaves, also the intro song for my wedding party at our reception!).

The Towpath on a less foggy day

I couldn’t wipe the goofy grin off my face as I started out, pain free, and I’m not sure if it was the cold or pure joy that brought the tear to my eye. I was back. I AM back!  It felt so nice to be back “home” (before I got married and moved, the towpath was my husband!). At one point, I even passed another runner wearing a Disney Half Marathon shirt and

 “Are you running this year?!” I shouted.

“YES!”, he exclaimed.

“ME TOO!!!!!!!”, I rejoiced.

 And we celebrated by pumping our arms into the air. (And he was not the only Disney Halfer I spotted on my run either!)

The run turned out to be really good. I had to take a few ‘shoe-tying’ breathers, which was fine since I hadn’t run in 3 weeks (and even more fine when I finished and saw my average pace!). I’m so excited to be back! Truthfully, now the other side of my groin hurts a bit, but I’m not too concerned. That side I've had issues with on and off for 2 years and am pretty confident I know how to deal with it (the other side was some sort of monster of its own, causing this wretched 3 week hiatus). I’m going to try to remind myself I’m not in a race the next couple of runs and ease up my pace. I might even switch out one run a week with the 800-calorie bike burn (that little machine has started to grow on me).

After my after-run 4 hour love affair with the bathroom that afternoon, I recovered just in time to join The Turtle for an evening of ‘Opa!’ at a family friend’s wedding.

All better!