Where did September go?
Here we are, approaching the end of September, enjoying seasonable temperatures unseen since last year at this time, and yet I feel as though the calendar should read July instead of September 25. Where did September go? September followed August into oblivion. So here we are.
This last week was a pretty incredible week for me. I went home on 13 September to run the Erie Marathon at Presque Isle. My training this summer was whatever I could get away with NOT doing instead of being focused and targeted towards my goals for the fall season. For the most part I've started out successfully; I ran Erie as a training run, but mainly because I miss marathon medals. I ran the first half in 2:06 but the pavement was tearing me up. I proceeded to run the shoulder of the road for the remainder of the marathon. When I realized I could probably match my finishing time from Vermont City in May (4:22:20) I started really pushing myself instead of just using it as a 'training run'. That's when my body started to rebel. Regardless, I was pleased to finish in 4:28:28. . .not bad for barely training.
Just five days after running Erie I set out to do what I told myself back in January that I would do this year; I ran my first 50-miler. In the end it ended up being 52 miles, but who's counting? I had 12 hours to see how many 6.5 mile loops of trail in Prince William Forest I could run. I remember telling T- the night before, as we were sitting at the Blue & Gray Brewery's Oktoberfest drinking not just one, but three pints, . ... I remember telling T-, I'll be happy to get my ultra-, and anything after that will be a plus. Not only did I run my ultra- but I went on to run 20+ more miles. I can't explain what happened. I drank too much beer the night before; T- woke me up at midnight to ask me if I'd set my alarm and I never really fell back asleep after that; as it turned out, I didn't set my alarm. . .and yet, despite these things, I proceeded to achieve my goal. Sigh. This is where I'm going to elaborate a bit. I'm pretty low-key when it comes to running. i.e., I'm not a high-maintenance runner. I arrived at the Telegraph Road Pavilion at 0525 when the gates 'opened' and snagged a spot with the 25 other runners to arrive that early. I picked up my chip and number, attached my chip to my shoe, pinned on my number, put on my shoes, hefted my hydration pack and parked myself on the landscape wall to observe the flurry of activity going on all around me. I have a theory about this. Let me share it with you here - crazy-ass, anxiety riddled, runners wanting to push themselves beyond the marathon are starting to infiltrate the ultra-running circuit. They arrive in their matching outfits (think unitard with strategically placed stripes), compression socks, and neon shoes with matching visor, hefting not just one, but sometimes TWO coolers, yoga mats, chairs, rollers, Rubbermaid totes filled with who knows what. . .you get the picture. And then there's me wearing the same shoes I wore to run MCM last October, shorts I found at the Goodwill, an old J.Brian's 15k race shirt (it's my most comfortable outfit) and my spiffy new CamelBack because I needed something bigger than a handheld water bottle for long runs at the quarry. I sat and watched as the other runners went through their pre-race rituals. . .I just wanted to start running. I was anxious but not in the same way that the other runners were anxious. I was anxious because I was looking at myself through their eyes - here's this slightly rotund girl and she doesn't have any of the gear that identifies a person as a serious, seasoned ultra-runner. Full Disclosure - I'm very self-conscious about the 10+lbs I've put on and can't seem to lose without trying fad diets that leave me listless, without the energy I need to put in serious mileage. Enough of that talk - Something happened inside of me and well, this is what I ran: 0-6.5 [1:24:41]; 6.5-14 [1:21:49]; 13-19.5 [1:24:40]; [19.5-26] 1:24:43; [26-32.5] 1:24:40; [32.5-39]1:32:27; [39-45.5] 1:41:39 (minus the 9:42 I spent getting electrolytes in me); and [45.5-52] 1:28:05. I ran strong and consistent for 11:42. WhooHooo! T- and Bill met me at 2:30 to run the final 13 miles and I don't think that I will ever be able to thank them enough for their support and encouragement. Bill pushed me on the final loop to finish strong when I was ready to settle for 'just getting it done' and Tony was there to offer his shoulder on the especially tricky, steep, root-strewn down hill, among other things. (I'll never forgive him for making me sit in an ice bath afterward. . grrrrr).
So, here we are - I'm wondering where September went with two marathons and a 10-miler to go. Today, just three days out from my first 50-miler, I went to the gym and did 6 miles on the elliptical and am ready to head out for a walk when I finally get home.
I'm feeling great and I continue to be amazed by the resilience of the human body.
I forgot to note earlier that all but one of the top runners ran 52 miles - the man who ran 58.5 miles - and I took 7th overall. . .5th overall woman. I'm pretty stoked about that!
This last week was a pretty incredible week for me. I went home on 13 September to run the Erie Marathon at Presque Isle. My training this summer was whatever I could get away with NOT doing instead of being focused and targeted towards my goals for the fall season. For the most part I've started out successfully; I ran Erie as a training run, but mainly because I miss marathon medals. I ran the first half in 2:06 but the pavement was tearing me up. I proceeded to run the shoulder of the road for the remainder of the marathon. When I realized I could probably match my finishing time from Vermont City in May (4:22:20) I started really pushing myself instead of just using it as a 'training run'. That's when my body started to rebel. Regardless, I was pleased to finish in 4:28:28. . .not bad for barely training.
Just five days after running Erie I set out to do what I told myself back in January that I would do this year; I ran my first 50-miler. In the end it ended up being 52 miles, but who's counting? I had 12 hours to see how many 6.5 mile loops of trail in Prince William Forest I could run. I remember telling T- the night before, as we were sitting at the Blue & Gray Brewery's Oktoberfest drinking not just one, but three pints, . ... I remember telling T-, I'll be happy to get my ultra-, and anything after that will be a plus. Not only did I run my ultra- but I went on to run 20+ more miles. I can't explain what happened. I drank too much beer the night before; T- woke me up at midnight to ask me if I'd set my alarm and I never really fell back asleep after that; as it turned out, I didn't set my alarm. . .and yet, despite these things, I proceeded to achieve my goal. Sigh. This is where I'm going to elaborate a bit. I'm pretty low-key when it comes to running. i.e., I'm not a high-maintenance runner. I arrived at the Telegraph Road Pavilion at 0525 when the gates 'opened' and snagged a spot with the 25 other runners to arrive that early. I picked up my chip and number, attached my chip to my shoe, pinned on my number, put on my shoes, hefted my hydration pack and parked myself on the landscape wall to observe the flurry of activity going on all around me. I have a theory about this. Let me share it with you here - crazy-ass, anxiety riddled, runners wanting to push themselves beyond the marathon are starting to infiltrate the ultra-running circuit. They arrive in their matching outfits (think unitard with strategically placed stripes), compression socks, and neon shoes with matching visor, hefting not just one, but sometimes TWO coolers, yoga mats, chairs, rollers, Rubbermaid totes filled with who knows what. . .you get the picture. And then there's me wearing the same shoes I wore to run MCM last October, shorts I found at the Goodwill, an old J.Brian's 15k race shirt (it's my most comfortable outfit) and my spiffy new CamelBack because I needed something bigger than a handheld water bottle for long runs at the quarry. I sat and watched as the other runners went through their pre-race rituals. . .I just wanted to start running. I was anxious but not in the same way that the other runners were anxious. I was anxious because I was looking at myself through their eyes - here's this slightly rotund girl and she doesn't have any of the gear that identifies a person as a serious, seasoned ultra-runner. Full Disclosure - I'm very self-conscious about the 10+lbs I've put on and can't seem to lose without trying fad diets that leave me listless, without the energy I need to put in serious mileage. Enough of that talk - Something happened inside of me and well, this is what I ran: 0-6.5 [1:24:41]; 6.5-14 [1:21:49]; 13-19.5 [1:24:40]; [19.5-26] 1:24:43; [26-32.5] 1:24:40; [32.5-39]1:32:27; [39-45.5] 1:41:39 (minus the 9:42 I spent getting electrolytes in me); and [45.5-52] 1:28:05. I ran strong and consistent for 11:42. WhooHooo! T- and Bill met me at 2:30 to run the final 13 miles and I don't think that I will ever be able to thank them enough for their support and encouragement. Bill pushed me on the final loop to finish strong when I was ready to settle for 'just getting it done' and Tony was there to offer his shoulder on the especially tricky, steep, root-strewn down hill, among other things. (I'll never forgive him for making me sit in an ice bath afterward. . grrrrr).
So, here we are - I'm wondering where September went with two marathons and a 10-miler to go. Today, just three days out from my first 50-miler, I went to the gym and did 6 miles on the elliptical and am ready to head out for a walk when I finally get home.
I'm feeling great and I continue to be amazed by the resilience of the human body.
I forgot to note earlier that all but one of the top runners ran 52 miles - the man who ran 58.5 miles - and I took 7th overall. . .5th overall woman. I'm pretty stoked about that!
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