7 Miles

I wrote a nice long post about my run, and blogger ate it. Harumph.

Rather than try to recreate it, I'll leave you with a haiku:

Max pooped. Now I'm late.
Cold wind. Group started early.
Halfway - Jim! Hi, friend.

Swimmin'!

Max nursed for the last time on his first birthday over a week ago, so I thought I was in the clear, boob-wise. Not so much. The last day or two I've had painful lumpy ducts, and the thought of jamming the girls into a hot, sweaty running bra, and then jouncing them around was unbearable. So, I popped a Sudafed to hopefully dry things out, and headed off to the nice cold pool. I didn't swim much - maybe 1100? But it was great. It was long course, which normally freaks me out, but today it made everything seem to go faster, since I was touching the wall half as often. The pool was almost deserted, so I had my own lane, and didn't feel shy about doing stroke technique drills. I really needed that, even if it meant I wouldn't have a very strenuous workout. During my pregnancy with Max, my body-roll turned into body-waddle by the third trimester, and I haven't quite gotten my fluidity back. I spent a few hundred doing "ten strokes on a side," some kicking, and just some really slow swimming, so that I could focus on my stroke. Even though I wasn't huffing and puffing, I felt pretty drained when I got out. I might have just been coming down from the Sudafed high, though.

Four miles

The Monticello Trail. Two miles of unrelenting uphill, two miles of unrelenting downhill. The weather was unseasonably warm - some walkers were in hats and sweatshirts, but it was in the 60's when I finally rolled out of the house, and I did the run comfortably in shorts and a tank top. Since it's a pedestrian trail, I felt free to strap on my headphones and crank up the volume. I don't know what I was thinking when I made my "Energy" playlist, but it sucks. Polyester Bride? That's not very energetic at all. Plodding, in fact. And plod I did, with a total time of exactly 44 minutes. Bleargh.

Six Miles

And it was hot! Seriously, what's up? It was in the mid-sixties by the time we started. It kind of kicked my butt. We were doing part of the 10-miler course. When we started out, the group was pretty large, and there were lots of pairs and trios chatting away. I don't know why, but it really annoyed the crap out of me, and I was regretting not having gotten a nano already. I really just wanted to strap on some headphones and drown out the world. Usually, I welcome the chance to run with friends, and to make new friends along the way. But this morning I was craving solitude. Just me and my new shoes. I avoided joining up with anyone during our two laps around the track, and just tried to tune everyone out.

At the Cville Running Co, one of the group was sitting on the curb, catching her breath. I offered to go back to the track with her, since I was chopping out 2 miles after the Mall that the rest of the group was doing. Her friends left her a GPS or two to take back to the parking lot, which I thought was kind of shitty of them. Dude, your friend is hurting, and you give her an extra burden to carry? I told her I'd run down the Mall and back, and would travel the rest of the way back with her.

She was winded and tired - I think everyone's feeling a little out of shape after the holiday. She kept apologizing for slowing down, but I was grateful every time she slowed to a walk. Since the rest of the group was doing 2 more miles before heading down Main street, we were alone together. Both of us were pretty tired, so there was a lot of silence, which I craved after all the chatter. We made our way through Grounds, and parted ways at the track.

New Year's Day 5K

Out at Free Union, site of the infamous 17 miles in the cold and driving rain run. And guess what? It was cold and rainy again! Fortunately, the rain had mostly stopped by the time the race was ready to start. Us early birds huddled under the registration tent to stay dry before then. It was while packed in trying to keep dry that I overhead a guy on his cellphone leaving a message for his buddy to please bring $5 because he was short on his entry fee. Without saying anything, I handed him the five dollar bill I always carry while running. He asked how he could repay me, and I just said, "Have a good race. Run like you stole something!" (Hee, hee, I saw that on a sign in Richmond and had been waiting for just the right moment to use it.) He offered me a banana in thanks, and I ate it against my better judgement.


Everyone lined up at the start, and the race organizer or whoever it was asked us to take a moment of silence for the troops and their families and the soldiers who've been killed, and then ended this solemn moment by saying "runnersonyourmarkgo!!!" Huh? Anyway, I was a little startled, and took off fast. I really, really, really wanted to break 30 minutes. In the rain. Without having run in weeks. And after having eaten more than enough sugar to make up for all the sugar I didn't eat last Xmas because I had gestational diabetes.

Not wanting to repeat my Turkey Trot mistake, I positioned myself relatively close to the start line. Which meant that as fast as I was, I was still getting passed by everyone. Even the guy who was juggling. By mile one, I admit I was kind of winded, and feeling pretty crummy about the race. As I approached the mile marker, I could hear the volunteer calling out splits, only I couldn't make out the minutes, only the seconds. I heard "Mwah Forty-five! Mwah Fifty! Mwah Fifty-five!" And just as I passed the mark, I heard, "NINE MINUTES!"

No, seriously, what the eff?

Nine minutes flat. Folks, please be careful flying home from your holiday travels, because there is a chance of pigs in the stratosphere.

Mama ran a nine minute mile. Mama never ran a nine minute mile, not even when she was young and drank coffee.

Mile 2, I kinda felt like I was going to throw up. That pre-race banana was a bad idea. Still, I got there at 19:45.

Then, early in mile 3, I got a wicked cramp in my shoulder and actually had to stop and walk a little bit. But I still finished in 32:21. Not a PR, but pretty respectable for me, especially on a flat and boring course in the rain.

I didn't care, I ran a nine minute mile. Oh, and instead of some lame-o t-shirt, I got The Stick. What a great way to start the New Year!

And no, I did not end the old by signing up for Richmond. This doesn't mean that I've closed that door, though. Boy, wouldn't I love to break 5 hours.