I Was Saltier than a Sailor

Yesterday at 4:20 p.m., I finished my third leg (and the entire race) of my Ragnar Relay. The experience was awesome. Although I knew only one other runner (who wasn't even in my van), I had a great time. Yes, I was exhausted. Yes, it was the farthest I've ever run (18.6 miles) in the span of 17 hours, but I did it and am dang proud (see the picture to get an idea of just how proud). Even Chuck said that if I do it again he'd do it with me.

The easiest thing about it: The passing of time. Initially I thought there would be tons of down time and whatever would I do with it all?! But really, after you drop off your runner, get to the next exchange point, stretch, eat, change clothes, use the port-a-potty, whatever...it's almost time to run again. And even when your van isn't running, you're trying to sleep or you're talking to other runners. Fun times.

The hardest thing about it: Not sleeping. For someone who is pretty good about getting 7.5-8 hours of sleep a night (yes, even with a six-month old), that was really hard.

I learned some things about running and myself. I'd even do it again.

(You can read about the technical details and see the one good team picture here.)

Polling All Utah Runners

For those of you who run, have you ever run this race in Utah? Chuck and I will be in Utah over the weekend of August 9th and would like to run a race with my sister. Basically our choices are this one and the Provo River Half; we're just too elite for 5k races. (Please tell me that you sense the sarcasm in that previous statement.) Given Chuck's acute mountain sickness the last time we ran the Half, we thought we'd stay away from it. (Riiight, that sounds good. It couldn't be that we're just not up for training for a half, could it?!) Or if you know of any other races going on that weekend, let me know.

And if any of you Utahans would like to join us, let me know that too. We could wear matching shirts or something.

I'll leave you with this picture of me running from last Spring. It was my best 10K time ever (50:49). I doubt I'll ever beat it.

Worst Run EVER

Yesterday's run was, to date, the worst of the runs since joining our speed development program.

Badness #1: This run was a preview run of the 10K race for which we're training. We were going to run the race and then run it backwards for a total of 20K, or 12.4 miles. As we did 14 miles the week before, 12.4 miles would be a welcomed change. We started at the race start, a place C nor I had ever been. And seeing as it was a new place, we didn't find it so easily. C and I argued about the location, and I felt sure that that he wasn't listening to me since I have the better sense of direction, of course. (I'm sure it could be said that I was "criticizing or critiquing him." Sigh. I'm still working on that.) So I was a little bitter when we arrived. When I realized we were a couple of minutes late, I was slightly more bitter.

Badness #2: I don't typically drink anything when I run; I haven't quite mastered that technique. I guzzle when I should sip and then the water just sits in my stomach. It's bad news. But I have been getting some grief from those in my group that I should be drinking water during the long runs, so Saturday was my first day trying out my recently-purchased water belt. At the beginning of the race this water belt was extremely annoying. It was bouncy and irritating. Plus, it had to sit right on my waist, a very sacred place where nothing else ever sits. I was now really bitter. (I will admit that this did get better during the run. I didn't even overdrink.)

Badness #3: Here's the worst part of the entire run. At about mile 11.0, my feet got caught in a metal wire loop that I didn't see. I didn't even have a chance: I went down. First the knees (which were thankfully protected by long pants), then the palms of the hands, and then the chin. It hurt. It hurt really bad actually, but I was okay enough to finish the run. Not having a mirror close, I wasn't sure exactly how badly I had been hurt. And because my running partner wasn't C, I didn't feel like I could cry in front of her, although I really wanted to. But you better believe that as soon as I got in that car with C and used the mirror to check my wounds, I was a-cryin'.

Truly, it could have been much worse. I could have broken a jaw. I could have chipped a tooth. I could have busted a knee so that all this training was in vain. In truth, the worst part is that I'm a 29-year old with gravel in my palms and a skinned chin.

I Didn't Quit!

Yesterday's post left me feeling a little disturbed about my character. Am I really the type that quits just when things get hard? It turns out that I'm not. Hooray! Last night C and I went to our weekly Tuesday night track workouts as part of our speed development program. I haven't felt very well since Sunday, but thought I'd try to run anyway. Last night's workout was the hardest one yet. We started with a mile warm-up. Then we ran 3/4 mile at a really really fast pace, with a 1/4-mile recovery. We did this insanity FIVE times. That's almost 4 miles at a 8:00-mile pace. That's fast for me. C's run was even faster. Then following the five reps, we did 200 meters at basically a sprint, followed by a 200-meter recovery and then another 200-meter sprint with another 200-meter recovery at the end. Then we finished with a mile cool down. The overall workout was just barely under 7.5 miles. On a Tuesday. At night. In cold, windy weather. It was hard. It hurt. It hurt bad. But, I did it. And not only did I do it, but I did it all alone as my group was seriously slow yesterday. I wanted to quit. I wanted to stop running (because really, who cares if I did?!). But I didn't. And even through my pain today, I feel great.

I Run, Therefore...I'm a Runner???

I have now been running for four years. Four difficult-at-times yet always-rewarding years. But I'm still plagued by a simple question posed by my friend Lori about three and a half years ago: Do you consider yourself a runner? Back then the answer was simple: No. I run, but am not a runner. But now I'm not so sure. What is it that differentiates those who run from the runners?

Maybe it's the clothes. I usually run in some really old soccer shorts that are two sizes too large. On the top is always a tank top of some sort, but always made of cotton (I usually run indoors and the cotton isn't traumatic to my body). However, we all know that for my birthday last August, C bought me my first running skirt. And this past week, I purchased a "real" long-sleeved running shirt for cold days and a short-sleeved wicking tee for the chilly days. I definitely felt a little different wearing these types of clothes during my long run on Saturday. Don't worry. I haven't changed that much: I'm still not yet converted to the way of the "little socks."

Maybe it's belonging to a running club. C and I joined our local chapter of the Road Runners Club. We even joined a speed development program sponsored by the club. Standing on the track two weeks ago during our first training session, I looked around at all the runners and thought they all looked so "runner-ish." But maybe they all felt the same way I do?? Maybe they don't really feel like runners either. Maybe they looked around and didn't think I was anything but a runner.

Maybe it's the fact that I have been running consistently for four years (admittedly not that long, but at least it's been consistent). I usually run about 18-25 miles a week and have run a multitude of races. I even made a quilt with some of my race t-shirts!

Then again, maybe everybody who runs should call themselves runners, simply by definition.

Gym Rats

On our way to the gym the other day, C and I were discussing some of the people that we see on a consistent basis. As we have never really talked to any of these people, we had given them nicknames (much like stars-and-stripes bandana man from my previous post). Here are some of them:

• The Inclinators: two women who wear the heaviest clothing I've ever seen in a gym. This includes big sweatshirts, heavy sweatpants, and gloves. And these are not just lifting gloves, these are real, cold-weather gloves. These two women walk on the treadmill with it raised to a ridiculously high incline. It's pretty funny to watch. Do they really think that the water weight they're losing is really going to stay off of them?
• PinkSkin: named because the day before an important Redskins game she was wearing a pink Redskins jersey. She's there in the afternoons much like C and myself so we see her frequently. I actually think she's someone with whom I'd be friends.
• PinkSkin's mom: pretty obvious who she is. She is also often at the gym. She and her daughter will, of course, often chat and because of this I've learned quite a bit about PinkSkin. She has a boyfriend who is buying a gift for PinkSkin's parents, but doesn't know quite what to get them. Also, PinkSkin is a teacher, possibly of young kids.
• The Frenchy Friends: two women who insist on only watching Oprah while working out. They speak French to each other.
• Jar-Jar Binks: this crazy girl who has the craziest body movements while on the elliptical. If you saw her, you would totally understand the name. It's extremely awkward and you really just feel embarrassed for her.

Oh yeah, I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!