Midweek runs

Nothing much this week. A short run and weights on Tuesday, plus a walk with my dad in the evening. I've got him talked in to training for the men's four miler. Now I just need to get him to swap his jeans, belt, and button-down for some shorts and a t-shirt.

A quick lunchtime run today. Working from home, I got to run outside, which wasn't nearly as fun as the last time I worked from home. It's pretty hot today, actually, and the sweat was pouring off of me by the time I finished. As a concession to Mark, I did do just a skosh of speedwork - repeats of 20 sec all out and 40 sec recovery. I may try to hit the nearby high school track this Saturday instead of running with the group. I just have no desire to beat myself up on Dick Woods Road in the predawn darkness. I only need 7 - no reason to wake up at 5:30 for that. It's a heck of a lot easier to get all zen on the track in the daylight than on the soft gravel of DWR before dawn.

7 miles

The waning gibbous moon was so bright that I didn't need my headlamp even though the sun was still fast asleep. It was cool, almost chilly. After the run, I was picking up the coolers that two other runners had set out, so I waited to start until I could coordinate with and get the chalk from them to take back to the shop. One asked me if I wanted to run with her, but I declined, not wanting to slow her down. As soon as she took off, I regretted it.

By the time I started, the sun was beginning to rise, and before I knew it the day had dawned with a clear blue sky. I got to the two mile water stop, paused briefly, and just kept going. I got to the stop at 3.5, paused just long enough to take two shot bloks (1 caf, 1 decaf) and an Endurolyte. I turned back, and cruised right on past the 2 mile water stop. Overall, I averaged just about 11:00/mi, which is great. For the second week in a row, I ran every step, except for a pause at the water stops. This is almost unheard of for me. Even last year, when I was running more miles, I hardly ever ran an entire long run. But suddenly, I just feel like everything has clicked. I'm in decent shape, I'm not injured (knock on wood), the weather is relenting, and I'm clear-headed about my purpose.

I've also finally worked out a few of the small details, that didn't seem like a big deal, but really do impact my runs. Poop before a long run, no exceptions. Eat before a long run, maybe half a banana or so. Drink before a long run. Take 1 Endurolyte before a long run. Get lots of rest two nights before a long run. Take two Shot Bloks, 1 caf, 1 decaf, every four miles. If necessary, add 1 decaf at mile 6 and/or 10. Wear a hat, not for warmth or to keep the sun off my head, but to keep my hair from flopping into my face. Wear tights (short, long, or capri-length) on a long run. Wear a CamelBak and sip, don't wait two miles to hydrate. Stretch within an hour after a run.

I don't think any of this is really making me that much faster, but it sure doesn't hurt. Long runs are just so much more pleasant. I'm not completely wrecked for the rest of the day, and it doesn't take as long to recover.

12 miles on Sunday

This blog entry is a little delayed - I ran on Sunday, and that totally threw off my weekend groove.

Jim and I met up Sunday morning for a run along the Rivanna Trail starting at Riverview Park. Great little 2 mile flat, paved stretch of trail down along the river. We did 3 out and back. It was very peaceful and zen. We saw little frogs, hot air balloons, and a period Korean war campsite set up behind the VFW. Everything clicked for me on this run. Maybe it was the flat, maybe it was the company, maybe it was running on Sunday. But I was in the zone, and ran every step (except for stopping for water at the turnarounds) and didn't even feel tired till about mile 10. Our pace was somewhere around 10:45 or 10:50, which is way better than my goal of 11:00.

I had more happy news this week - I've lost 2 pounds since instituting my hardline "no food after 8:30 pm" rule. I am no longer at my heaviest weight ever. Phew. I must resist the urge to celebrate with cookies.

My program has me doing 6 miles of speedwork midweek this week and next, but it just ain't gonna happen. Sorry, Mark. I just can't do speedwork with a toddler in the stroller. But meanwhile, I'm hitting the treadmill at lunch, and taking long stroller walks before dinner. And hey, with just 2.5 weeks to go, shouldn't I be tapering?

3 miles and a big decision

I think I was supposed to do 4, but I'll do another 2 briskly walking with the stroller tonight to make up for it.

A power outage at my office meant working from home. So rather than scooting to the gym, pounding out something lame on the treadmill, and then racing back to work, I got to step out my own front door at lunch time, and do a nice 3 miles on my usual, peaceful route. It is simply glorious weather here, and I was in a great mood. My mind wandered around to the topic of Richmond, and possibly running it this year. At the beginning of the summer, I sort of felt that hey, I'm no longer nursing, it should be so much easier to train this year than last. Training for a half will be a breeze, I'll feel great about the whole thing, and while I can't commit to Richmond right now, once the cooler weather rolls around, I'll be feeling so wonderful about my running that I will finally bow down to all the spam they've been sending me and sign up for it. I'll run it in beautiful, seasonal weather (unlike last year's record-setting scorcher) and come in under 5 hours as the awesome culmination to all the awesomeness I've been feeling all summer.

Ummmm, not so much. My niggling little injury has finally cleared up, but I simply haven't put in the mileage or the quality that I really need to be marathon ready in 7 weeks. I am soooo seduced by the promise of a PR, of running the 30th, of having special 30th anniversary finisher's schwag. But seriously, I'm just not there. I thought that not committing to it at the beginning of the summer would keep me from burning out. But what it did was keep me from preparing.

I'm a little bummed, but I feel like I can just get on with the next 3 weeks until my half-marathon, and start planning for the future. Instead of fixating on this one race, I can think about where I really want to be with respect to running in one year, in five years, in ten. And even with that forward-thinking, I am so much more in the moment than I have been all summer. Instead of "if/then" and "what if", I can be in the realm of right now. And isn't that a large part of why I run? To have time to be focused and clear, without distraction?

It reminds me of this run last year. You spend a long time constructing a fantasy about what the perfect run/race/training program is like, yet when they don't live up to your expectations, you just take a breath, take what you're given, accept them as they are, and keep putting one foot in front of the other. On that day, I ran because that is what I woke up in the morning to do. I remember spending hours the night before fretting about the weather, making plan B and plan C, packing and repacking, setting out infinite combinations of clothing and gear. But when I stepped out into the rain, it just washed away, and all I was left with was the run.

And now, letting go of Richmond this year, all those contingencies are washing away, and I finally just get to run.

165

For a young, healthy person, I've always had borderline high cholesterol. Ever since my first cholesterol check as a 105 lb college sophomore, my cholesterol has been between 195 and 210. I had my first real physical in many years a couple of weeks ago, and my blood work came back today. My total cholesterol is just 165, and all my numbers (triglycerides, LDL, HDL) are right where they should be. Hopefully running will keep me statin-free for many years to come.

I managed a long stroller walk today, and will hopefully hit the treadmill for a short speed session tomorrow at lunch. It's a busy week, but I'm finally over this cold and determined to keep up my mileage.

Pepsi 10K

The morning started off on a great foot. The weather was bee-yoo-ti-ful. Fall has arrived! I woke up with plenty of time to spare, had a little breakfast, and arrived in time to pick up my number and still warm up. I had a chance to socialize a little.

The gun went off, and I made sure to pace myself. Mile 1 was in 10:40. I did about the same for mile 2. And 3. And 4!! Way to pace, self! The second water stop was just after mile 4 at the turnaround. The newly crisp air had left my mouth parched, and since I wasn't wearing my CamelBak, I wasn't able to sip 'n' run. So I had waaaay too much water. By the end of mile 5, I was feeling sloshy, but I still reached it in 54:00. Mile 6 (and the .2), not so hot. End result, I had a sloshy tummy and a side stitch, and just got eaten by the hills for a final time of around 1:08. Ergh. (Edited later to add: Hey, for the last 1.2, my pace was 11:40, which is slow, but not nearly as slow as I'd thought, especially considering the amount of walking I did. I'm feeling better about this!)

After stopping, I really felt crummy, and seriously thought I was going to throw up. I nibbled a bagel, until I spied some friends eating cookies. They directed me to the source of the chocolate chip-y goodness, and two cookies later I was good as new. I hung around hoping that my name would get called for a grab bag prize, but gave up and headed home once the two golf passes were gone.

Spent the rest of the morning doing strength training, i.e., toting Max around the construction equipment rodeo. Fun, but boy oh boy was I glad when nap time rolled around.

Where were you?

I was employed as an airline pilot on 9/11/01. It was perfect flying weather that day, and I bemoaned my ill fortune to be scheduled for a classroom training session at headquarters near Dulles. As I waited for my training partner to arrive, people began popping out of offices to spread the news. Someone produced a TV. Someone else produced pictures from the internet. The building was evacuated. The sky, usually thick with the sight and sound of air traffic at Dulles, was silent and empty. Occasionally, the sound of a fighter jet would rip through the quiet.

Many of my colleagues witnessed the burning and collapse of the towers from the air. Many more were trapped away from home and family in the days following.

The next day, I reported for training again. Our simulator session script (standardized, and determined months in advance by the training department) had us flying charted visual approaches at LaGuardia. Those photorealistic images of the Twin Towers on the sim's visuals were my last, eerie glance at the towers.

Weeks later, flying up and down the east coast at night, the bright work lights at Ground Zero could be seen for miles and miles.

Six months after 9/11, I was captain of an evening flight from LaGuardia to Dulles. As I taxied toward the runway, suddenly two shafts of light appeared where the twin towers had been. It was a beautiful, perfect, etheral tribute. But all I could think about were those work lights months ago.

A day at the gym

Normal Monday routine at the gym: treadmill, weights, stretching, abs. I did mix it up a bit by doing speedwork on the treadmill. I did a couple of 800's at 10:00/mi pace, then a couple of 400's at 9:00/mi pace. Fun, but kind of weird. I like doing a little sprint at the very end, and that's not really possible on the treadmill. But definitely an improvement over my usual boring treadmill session.

I am embarrassed to say I am still sore from Saturday. Between that run, and carrying a 30-lb toddler up and down the stairs at the football game that afternoon when we both should have been napping, my quads are crying uncle.

What happens on DWR...

My only solace while running today was thinking up the blog entry I'd make when it was all over. Where to begin? The ankle I mildly twisted yesterday on my way to purchase an egg salad bagel suddenly feeling not so mildly twisted? The remnants of my cold working their way out? The late wake up resulting in stiff muscles and a foggy brain? The foggy brain making a questionable decision about whether to be on time or to, um, take care of some business? The humidity? The loose gravel?

What's there to say, really, except that I did a miserable, horrible, no good, very bad almost 8 miles on Dick Woods. And this morning at least, what happens on Dick Woods stays on Dick Woods.

Three...

...hour nap, that is. I should not have tempted fate yesterday by writing a long, newsy email to IronMo about my new plan for increased mileage. Because some little virus was reading it over my shoulder, and I woke up this morning with a killer headache, sore throat, achy joints, and swollen glands. And it was incredibly painful to look at light. Which is all the more ironic since I just broke my sunglasses and am still waiting for the replacement to arrive in the mail. I headed off to work anyway, since my mid-year performance review was today. I headed straight home after, and by that time was actually feeling a little better. I thought I'd eat lunch, watch last night's Top Chef on Tivo, and go for a quick run or walk before picking Max up early for daycare for a late afternoon of stroller walks and playground fun. I ate lunch, watched Top Chef, and then three hours later, was rudely awakened by the Supportive Husband coming home in between gigs. Waaaah?

The headache is gone, but everything else still feels crummy, including my eyes. How weird.

So, whatever. At least I know people are reading my blog!! Helloooooooo Robine!! I wouldn't have blogged at all today if I hadn't found out last night that you are hanging on my every word. And since I already know that IronMo reads, I am sure that I have readerS, plural!! What a joyful day in Blogland.

1000, 1.5, and a brag

I meant to run on the treadmill and lift weights at lunch, but I left my running shoes and workout clothes at home, so I hit the pool instead. I did 200 free, 200 breaststroke, 50 back, 50 drill to warm up. Then 300 free, 200 breast, 50 fly, 50 drill, 100 easy, for a total of 1000 in under 30 min. After my fly, I was resting (of course!) at the wall for a moment when the one other guy in the pool also got to the wall for a little rest. He asked if I was part of the master's swim group, because he was wicked impressed that I could do fly at the end of my workout like that! Go me, someone thinks I'm an athlete. We chatted for a while - he's done a 1/2 marathon, and did his first tri recently, and is (like me) hitting the pool to mitigate running injuries. As much as I kvetched about not wanting to socialize at the 4 miler, it was nice to have a little chat at my lunchtime workout. Working in a cubicle with headphones on all day will do that to you.

After work, Max and I went for a long walk (1.5 mi) in the stroller. Pushing him uphill is quite the strength training workout, and we were both ready for dinner by the time we got home.

Women's 4 Miler - PR!!

Tee hee. I've never raced this distance, so OF COURSE it's a PR!! That said, it was better than I actually thought I would do, but not as good as I was hoping.

I didn't sleep well last night, and didn't have my pre-race nightmare, so I was just a little off when I got out to the course. I had a little coffee, and about half a banana on the way over. Trouble is, I got there at 6:50, and the race doesn't start until 8. So there was a lot of warming up and milling around, and by the time we were corralled at 7:35, I was already hungry again. I took two caffeinated Shot Bloks, but I don't think they made much of a difference by that point.

Corralling was quite a process/spectacle. Organized chaos. The runners are corralled, and then you march with your pace group out to the start. We started lining up at 7:35, and it took until the gun went off at 8 to get everyone where they needed to be. And as someone who is in a not so fast pace group, my gripe with every race of any size was valid for this one - no one more than a few dozen rows back can hear any starter's announcement or the gun.

It took about 45 seconds for me to cross the start. I was shoulder to shoulder for the first half mile, and ran 5:15. I made the turnaround at mile 1 in 10:30. Mile 2 (passing the start/finish) was just about 21:00. So far, so good. Then the water stop just after mile 2, where I made a big mistake.

I usually run with a CamelBak, so I haven't mastered drinking from a cup while running. I hadn't really planned on needing to drink, but the hours since wake-up and race time had left me pretty thirsty. I slowed to a walk to drink. The water stop, much to my chagrin, was at the bottom of the biggest hill on the course. So when I finished drinking, I was all slowed down, with no momentum, looking up a hill. I walked up most of it, and ended up doing mile 3 in about 11:30.

I enjoyed the downhill on mile 4, sprinted the last 100 or so for a 10:22, and finished in 42:52 (10:43/mi avg) chip time. I had hoped to do 10:30; 10:45 was what I thought I'd do.

I'm not sure if I'll run this race again. I'm glad I did it, and I'll definitely volunteer to help with it, but I'm not so compelled to actually run it again. Driving down Garth, I saw all the names of the honorees writ large on signs lining the road. That was very inspirational. And the standing ovation given to the last-place finisher was something to behold as well. But the course is a narrow 2 lane road, with runners going in both directions, and it was very difficult to concentrate on running when there were racing novices darting side to side, slowing to a walk in the middle of the course, and just a lot of tightly packed bodies with flying limbs. And the logistics mean lots more standing around time than running time. And I really, really wanted to just go off somewhere by myself while 2700 women did the "awesome cheer."

But, over $200,000 was raised for the Breast Care and Cancer Center, so woooooohoooo!

Twas the night before race day

'Twas the night before race day and all through the town, yada yada.

Tomorrow is the Four Miler! Woo! And I am soooo crabby. I have had a cold, and haven't been able to really run or to swim all week, though I did do a LOT of walking. After work today, I braved packet pickup. This is a four mile race in a small city, and they need multiple people directing vehicular traffic at PACKET PICKUP. Yes, this is a big deal here. Almost 5% of the area's women run this race, by my estimation. Though I'm a native, this is my first time running this race. But oddly enough, it was this race that got me to run the marathon last year.

When Max was just 8 weeks old, I headed to the shop to get a new pair of running shoes. I had a crazy idea that I might run a half marathon. After all, I had 8 months, and IronMo was about to do her SECOND IronMan and had just qualified for Boston. While I was there, I asked about training programs, and Mark looked at my squishy, postpartum bod, and the baby in the carrier, and said, gee, the Four Miler program would be just perfect. And I was so mortally offended that someone would think that I needed to wake up early every single Saturday morning for 3 months just to go four little miles, that I immediately decided that yes, I absolutely MUST do a marathon. So I did. Simple as that.

Now please don't think that I am belittling anyone's accomplishment at running the Four Miler. I am not. And it is a big deal! Go, sisters!! But for me, with my crazy postpartum hormones, and my stubborn, Capricorn disposition, four miles just wasn't worth getting up early for. Go big or go home, right?

The irony in all this is that I *am* running it tomorrow, and I am nervous as all get out. I might not have been this nervous for Richmond last year. I'm so anxious about the crowded course, about trying to pace myself, and really doing my best, despite my recent injury and illness. And quite frankly, I'm nervous about the huge, rah-rah group of runners. While I like a little company on a run as much as anyone, I don't relish the thought of running with 2699 women who are having the culminating event of a very long journey. I like running for the same reason I like swimming - they are fake team sports. Like, if you're on, say, a field hockey team (which I was back in the day), you have to maintain a certain baseline level of good communication with your teammates. When you run or swim, you're all in it together, but for the most part you can just shut up and go to your happy place without inviting 2699 other women.

But, as always, go big or go home. So I'm going out tomorrow to break 42:00, a 10:30 pace. Wish me luck. And if you see me on the course, just keep right on going. I'll talk to you when I'm done running.

Feelin' scratchy

Lots of extenuating circumstances today, not the least of which is a scratchy throat and general sinus-y feeling. Could it be the ragweed? The mold? A back to school cold? Who knows. But I took a long walk out in the sunshine instead of running and lifting, enjoyed the mountain views and didn't feel guilty about it. Some workouts are good for the body, others are good for the soul.

And in case you were wondering, I'm an INTJ.

Seven super miles!

Seven at the track. But first, I had to get up extra early, load the coolers and gatorade, and set them up. It was actually not a bad warmup to haul 3 full coolers and a couple gallons of gatorade from my car to the setup point. I was all done setting up by 6, and had plenty of time to socialize and stretch before the run.

After a relatively mild week, it was supposed to get up to 100 today, and the low this morning was around 70, so I made sure to keep on top of the Endurolytes.

2.2 mile hilly warmup. Followed by 4x800 with hills in between, then a 400. I was supposed to run 5:45, 5:15, 5:15, 4:55, and 2:15 or 2:20 on the 400. Oh, and guess what? It's actually a metric track. Who knew?!

I screwed up my math and did 5:20 on the first 800. Then I screwed it up the other way and did 5:17. Then 5:14 (yay!!), 4:54, and, drumroll please, 2:12!!! I just blew it out on the last stretch of the 400. My fingers (and all of me, really) were sweaty and slippery, and it took some fumbling to hit the button on my watch, but it read 2:12.94 when I stopped it. I didn't reset my watch, hoping to keep my kick-ass time there, but I accidentally hit the button again somewhere in the loading/unloading process, gosh darn it.

Other than that, the run was great. I had NO PAIN in my foot for the first time in over a month. Between not having pain, having gotten up a little earlier and done some heavy lifting prior, and accidentally buying caffeinated Shot Bloks, I felt AWESOME.

Anyway, after the run, I shot the breeze waiting for the last of the long runners to come back in. The other person on water duty accidentally emptied the last cooler before everyone was done, oops. We thought everyone was back, but it turned out there were a few doing a cooldown on the warmup route. Luckily, it appeared that band practice or something was starting in the school building, so it was open for water and a/c if anyone needed it. But I felt pretty guilty, especially since I'd made a big effort to have abundant cold (and clean) water and gatorade. The gatorade all got drunk, but there was plenty of water left, at least a gallon or two in each of the three coolers.

On the way home, I realized I'd said "see ya next week!!" to just about everyone when I'm actually not doing the long run with the group, but the Women's Four Miler instead. It's my first time, and I'm really excited, though dreading the traffic and crowds.

Catching up

I didn't get around to blogging about last week (lots of walking and a fantastic swim on Fri) or about Saturday's run. Nothing exciting - no bears this time. There was a tiny dog (looked to be part Chihuahua and part MinPin, and maybe part rodent) who was extremely vocally enthusiastic about guarding his turf, but other than that, nothing eventful, wildlife-wise. I had some more issues with my foot. I felt great, like Tony the Tiger "Grrrrrreat!" for the first five miles. Then mile six, and my foot started cramping and the rest of the ten miles pretty much sucked. Lots of walking and grimacing. Two groups of people were concerned enough to stop and ask if I needed a ride the rest of the way. Which made me even grumpier. But, Keene was lovely, even if it did take almost 45 minutes to drive there.

On Monday, I did about 2.5 on the treadmill, yesterday I ran 2 pushing the stroller, and tonight I did a quick mile or so loop. There just aren't enough hours in the day to do the kind of mileage I'd like. Oh, and I weighed myself at the gym, and found that I weigh more now than I ever have when not pregnant or postpartum. I feel like a hobbled, squishy slob, and that's no fun. So I've resolved to do some kind of exercise every day, and cut out all the snicky snacking. No food after 8:30pm, which means cutting way back on my beloved milk and cookies.

Saturday I'm on water duty for the run - I lucked out and got the track, which means I don't have to get up in the middle of the night to mark Dick Woods and then hang out for four hours till everyone finishes their long runs. I picked up the coolers today, and discovered that two of them had not been rinsed or dried after the last time they were used, and they were FOUL. Half an hour of vigorous scrubbing with hot, soapy water has left them squeaky clean, and I've got the dishpan hands to prove it.

6 miles

Six miles up at Whitehall Vineyard. I was shocked to see only 6 on my program for this Saturday, but given the heat and humidity, and my foot issues, I welcomed the break.

I rolled in at (by my watch) exactly 6:15, but the course markers had already finished their spiel and as I hopped out of my car, everyone was just taking off. I ran by myself, which is beginning to be more comfortable. It's time to let my brain do its thing without the pressure of making conversation. The first 1.5 are incredibly hilly, but I did a respectable 23:00 for the first two miles. Mile 3 took me along the Moorman's River up toward the dam at Sugar Hollow. The river was feeling the effects of the drought, and was little more than a gully full of damp rocks. Despite that, I saw 1 heron, 1 magnificent buck, 1 newt, several bluebirds and a bear!

Yes, a bear. Black bears are fairly common around here, but it's still a shock to see one up close. I had turned around at mile 3, and was trotting on down the road when I saw what looked like a giant black dog in the road. It turned its face toward me and I realized it was a bear that had come up from the river. It headed up the bank on the opposite side of the road, thought better of it, turned back and headed back down. I wondered if it wasn't a mama scoping out the other side of the road for her cubs. Thought black bears are (usually) quite docile, I stopped and made sure that I wouldn't be between the bear and any cubs. Even with the complete stop, I still ran mile 4 in 10:20, by far my fastest mile of the morning. Maybe I just need potentially deadly animals stationed every so often along the course to spur me to reach my goals.

My arch still hurts. I think it's time to head back to the shop and try something else. At this point, I'm willing to experiment a little - I don't think I'll be any worse off trying something new than I am right now.

A swim

It's too hot to run. Plus, I'm trying to take it a little easy to help my foot recover. All the new shoes seem to be working, and I haven't felt any pain at all since Sunday, hooray!!

I hit the pool at lunch. Everyone must have had the same idea, because both lanes were circle swimming. I picked the slow side, and hopped in. The two folks on the slow side were waaaaaaay slow, but I made a game of it. I'd wait till the first one was nearly back to the wall, then push off and swim a hard 50, or as far as it took to almost overtake them. Then I'd rest for a sec while they made it almost back around, and do another hard 50. I did pass one of them at some point, and I also did about 100 worth of drills. Total was around 900, I think, not bad for a lunchtime swim, especially considering I was in the slow lane.

It's supposed to be 100 tomorrow, and in the 90's the rest of the week. So until Saturday's early run, it's the pool or the treadmill for me.

World Breastfeeding Week

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that I trained for and ran the 2006 Richmond Marathon as a new mom, with a breastfeeding infant. So I feel it is my obligation to remind all my readers (all 3 of you) about World Breastfeeding Week this week. Lots of women can't breastfeed for various reasons, but most can. It is without a doubt nature's perfect food for a newborn. Not to mention it is free, clean, and environmentally friendly. Yes, breastfeeding requires dedication: the early days can be painful and confusing, and being the sole provider of nourishment for your child can be a big burden. So to all you mamas to be, educate yourself *before* the baby comes about breastfeeding, common problems, and how to avoid them. Your hospital's lactation consultant is a good resource, as is La Leche League, kellymom.com, and your friends and family.

As mothers, so much of what we do is undone in an instant - the laundry gets washed and folded, only to be dirty again; it takes all afternoon to make dinner, but it's eaten in a flash, leaving only a sinkful of dirty dishes. For me, running a marathon was a way to achieve something that couldn't be undone. I am, and forever will be, a marathoner. Breastfeeding is the same way. It is something I did for my son that can never be undone. He is, and forever will be, a breastfed baby.

8 miles

It was almost a relief when the alarm went off at 5:30. I'd been having a terrible nightmare about competing in a triathlon. The order was backward and the swim was last. It was utter chaos in the pool. And then they started draining the water so I had to swim through air. It was very difficult.

And then off to Dick Woods Road. As usual, I straggled in at precisely 6:15, and had to park way the heck down Miller School Road. I missed most of Mark's speech, but figured it consisted mostly of "start out slow" and "stay hydrated." And OMG, Cynthia Lorenzoni was there. She's training for Richmond, her first marathon in over 20 years. I've seen her at the shop and she's even helped me with my shoes a couple of times. Talk about Mama Marathon - she's got 4 kids!

The group was huge, and the start was a madhouse. I think I've been in races with fewer entrants. I ran pretty much on my own, though. The first three miles were fine, albeit unbelievably muggy. Not long before the second water stop, my arch really started hurting, and I half-ran, half-hobbled into the water stop. I decided to keep going, to make the full 4 out, then turned back.

Just after mile 5, everything started to click, sore foot and all. I was almost entirely alone, since the marathoners were all doing high mileage, and were doing the full 7 to the end of Dick Woods. Mentally, I was somewhere I hadn't been since my airline days. Every now and then, you'd have one of those days where you knew what was going to happen a split second before it did. Your grip on the yoke relaxed, and you controlled the airplane almost by telekinesis - just the thought of how you wanted the airplane to move would make it happen. Every noise, from ATC to the FO's checklists, to the movement of the flaps and the gear, to the automated callouts, to the faint sound of the FA addressing the passengers, seemed perfectly orchestrated, and perfectly clear. The airplane and the gauges and the wind and the runway and the pilot are all part of the same intention. No matter what the crosswind or weather, the plane would cross the threshold exactly on track and on speed, and just a breath of pressure on the controls, and first the upwind wheel, then the downwind wheel, and then the nosewheel would engage the runway in a soft, slow kiss.

And that's what I felt for the last two miles this morning.