Monday, March 22, 2010

Two Races, One Day

A couple of weeks ago I decided, well we decided, Christine and I, that our mileage this week was 18 or 19 miles so we would run the NC Half Marathon early in the day and then run the 5 mile Beer Run in the afternoon. Totaling 18 miles for the day.

So I took it fairly easy during the week, not running once I might add (probably not smart) but I swam and did an improv spin class instead. I did wonder all week if I didn't run how would that effect my times on Saturday. Only time would tell no pun intended.

Friday I met Pam and Christine and we walked over to Showplace to pick up our packets. We saw lots of people we knew which is always fun. One of the most fun parts of running is the people you meet at races and see at future races. Example, I met a group in OBX from Greensboro, do I know there names, no I don't but I see them all the time and they always say hello and have a hug! I love it. So we got our packets and off we were. Carb loading we did and off to bed early we were.

Early to bed early to rise. I was up at 6:00 a.m. to meet them at 7:00 a.m. We like to get there about an hour early to get ourselves situated and our game plan worked out. Well to get my game plan worked out in my mind. That is what I have to do, I have to mentally prepare for the race. Think about the mileage ahead of me and how am I am going to conquer that. Well in my mind it was a training run and that was all. Time draws near and time to line up. We get toward the back because that is were we should be. We know our place for the day. Gun goes off and we are running. We feel good! We see people we know, slow to chat, speed up to catch other people we know. Mile one under us, a little faster than we should be running, so we slow the pace. Fun, that is what we are having.

It hits me, I am feeling good, I pull out a little ahead of Christine, not much, but she gives the me the go ahead, no I will stay back, no she says if you can go, and PR, go! That is my running group for you. It is about how good can you do.... So I did. She was never far behind me though and at the 8 mile water stop we got to cheer each other for a minute. This is course up to 8 miles is not so bad, it is hilly but it is nothing I find too bad. Then miles 9 to 13 are a totally different story. They are gruelling I tell you. At one point, I was like, SERIOUSLY! Not another hill..... I was happy to hear the water stop ladies say, your right around the corner! I normally hate to hear that, but on Saturday, it was like music to my ears.

I had a time in mind to finish but at about mile 11 I knew I was not going to make it, but I was going to PR. Which for those of you who don't run (then why are you reading this LOL!) means personal record. So I pushed ahead. There were two men in front of me and they were talking smack to each other and it bothered me just a bit so I passed them and I had to make a comment. Yes I know your surprised. I potitlety told them if they were going to talk such shit, back it up. So from that point, I passed them! Oh that felt good. You had to hear them then you would understand.

I rounded the corner and there was the finish line! I heard people yelling "go Amy B go", thanks Christie, that sure helps the push. I looked down at my watch and I had just beaten my last half marathon time by almost a whole minute!

You have no idea how that feels when unless you run and you run as slow as me! LOL! I have gotten faster, but from where I started to where I am now. Is just a good feeling.

We hung out a little while. Of course we used our beer coupon. Nothing better in the hot weather than a cold beer! But it was time to go home and get ready for race number 2.

Lunch and a shower later, we are off to number 2. The Beer Run! Year number 3 of this one and I am dreading it because, yep, more hills. Probably worse than High Point but I need the mileage, I need to finish to wear the T-shirt and the beer is at the end. So we are off...not much talking and if there is any talking, it is about why we are doing this and when we are going to walk. We did some walking, not alot but we did. I don't have alot more to say about this one, except I am glad it is over. My body hurts at this point and I just want to see the finish line or a water stop would be nice. Only two during the entire 5 miles. One was running out of water and the other was toward the end of the race. I need water sooner. Not their fault I know. But boy it was hot and humid and we are just not use to that yet.

After time to think about this idea we had, we have decided that we would not do two events in one day. Since then, I have gotten very sick and Christine is suffering some IT band issues. Not good for either of us less than 4 weeks before a big race. Glad this wasn't an A race on our list. We are going for the fun of it and only the fun of it. Our time doesn't matter just two good friends spending time doing what we love to best together.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Training, training and more training

I think I live in the gym or on the greenway...OK maybe there is a little stop off at MMPI and 104 Farriers Lane, but boy it seems like the rest of my time is spent elsewhere.

Training is going good, I think. This past weekend Christine, Kay and I set out for our longest run for this training session and that was 17 miles. Someone in our group sent out an email asking for a different route because they were tired of the Greenway. Yes you guessed it, it was me. So we decide on the following route. We started at our normal spot, the Spencer Love tennis courts and ran the first part of the Cannonball course, then we went out past Strawberry Road to the end of the Greenway. We were at 11.? miles at that point and had 5.4 back to the tennis courts. Going back seemed like such a pleasing thought. Then we ran into a fellow runner friend, Pam Connor, whom we had not seen or talked to in awhile and we stopped to talk. Mistake, HUGE MISTAKE....Not talking to Pam but stopping for so long. I hope we didn't mess her run up the way we did our own. We cooled off so starting again was PAINFUL! Oh boy, we sounded like 90 year old women who just woke up in the morning. It was funny now that I think back on it. So we ran the 5.4 back, and did a 1/4 of a mile in the parking lot. This is kind of what it sounded like, "How much further?", "really, seriously, it has to be over", "I am not telling you how much further, I will tell you when it is over". At several points during this run, I called Christine a bully! That is my favorite saying now for my friends who push me farther than I would normally push myself. When it was finally over, I wanted to dance but my there was no way dance moves were coming out of this body. I was in need of something..... a good painkiller would of been nice.

So to further punish ourselves, on Sunday, Christine and I participated in another indoor triathlon. We must of lost our minds. We biked and ran farther this time than we did the last time! How does that happen? Our bodies were sore and tired from Saturday, so how did we do better than the last time?????? Yes it is all the training! We wrangled another running friend into our madness on Sunday as well. Mindy had a great time and I think she is looking forward to more triathlon entertainment. We love sharing the madness. Come join us and see for yourselves/

This coming weekend, we are running the NC Half Marathon in the a.m. and then at 3 p.m. we are doing the beer run! Yes we run for beer! Lots of beer I might add. We will do anything for beer,mileage and TSHIRTS!

Happy training my friends.