Under the Sun Events puts on this awesome run called Frost or Fog (although most people end up saying it Fost or Frog he he he he) in January every year. You have the choice to either do the 5k or the 1/4 marathon course. Yesterday during packet pick up I gave in and signed up. I'm sad I waited so long since the shirts are so dang cute and all they had left were adult Larges. Ugh.
This morning I went to the pace talk at Fleet Feet and the marathon and half marathon groups took off from there. Those of us running took off for 5 Mile and to warm up. The race isn't until 9am in hopes that if it is SO stinking cold and frosty it might be tolerable to run by then OR So stinkin' foggy you will be able to see the runner in front of you and not cause a colossal crash. Luckily today it was BEAUTIFUL! Got to 5 mile and left my bag at the Fleet Feet tent with Kristina (her hubby Paul was our coach for both marathon programs) and took off to warm up with Lori. I stopped back by the tent and called the hubby and his specific directions were to "Kick Liz's Ass". I told him that I would try my hardest to keep up with her but dang is she fast and those ALL those shorter races! Lori and I took down the levy and back bringing my first warm up to 1.5 miles, then ran into Liz and Kosmo (more about the amazing things Kosmo is doing for local runners in a later post when I also talk about how great Vicki and Ross are ). I went back out for another mile warm up with them because (the Lord knows he made me so I don't warm up until mile 15 or so) I need it. Liz and I did strides in the parking lot because we like to look like those hard core serious runners wearing $300 watches and $100 tights and LOOK fast and think they just might win. We might fool somebody and I'm totally OK with that.
Then Liz and I dropped off sweats at the sweat check and we lined up at the start at the levy, stretched and tightened out laces. Standing next to me was Debi who coached me from the first time I did Women With Weights a million years ago after the kids were born and I felt (FAT) out of shape. I said hi to other runners who I don't normally see then got lined up and we started the 1/4 marathon group on time. We took off up the levy and Liz creeped in front of me. Then Kosmo passed me. Then I gave up. No ,not really, but I just watched them get closer then farther away, closer then farther away. UGH. I went out way too fast. 8:20 my first mile, 8:40 my second mile then all (down hill) uphill, literally, from there and I never looked at my watch again. I splashed through mud and felt it all mucky in my socks. I slipped and slided through the trails... and that ended up being my favorite part other than the finish. We headed through the slippery mucky trails on the other side of the levy then across to the asphalt path and up to the fire road by horseshoe lake. I kept thinking "we have to be at 2 miles" but we weren't. When we finally got there I was wondering if I would ever make it the whole race since most of the first half, including the next mile and a half, was a sometimes not so gradual up hill and I was having flashbacks from Nike Half in October. Not a good place to be in my head. I just watched my feet and kept going, not caring how fast I was or wasn't.
After the "green gate" there is a pretty good downhill to pick up momentum and chase down Kosmo and Liz if they didn't speed up too, then that "gradual up hill" to the turnaround marker at about 3.5miles. I said Hi and Good JOB to many of my speedy friends as they passed me going the other way including Paul who was chasing down that leader bike while he held the first place all the way home, and Sarah who took 1st place for the girls. She's super speedy! We went to High school together so that puts her in my age group and kicks me WAY out of any chance to place at any local races.
Finally got to the turnaround I grabbed water and tried to put my head in a good place for the 3 or so miles back. Although its mostly downhill unless you count the hill back up to the "green gate," its pretty technical with lots of rocks and funny gravely areas and tilts far to one side many times. I'm not good on this stuff, I have to watch right in front of me because I can't tell you how many times I have twisted my ankle or tripped, almost falling on my face, on this road. I'm sure if you are watching me I would be entertaining with all my hopping and jumping over loose rocks and finding a place with footing where I won't twist something. I got a stitch at 4.5 and every time I sped up it came back so I backed off for a little bit and let a bunch of people pass me and finally Liz disappeared into the distance. I took the long steep hill to the "green gate" with my head down and a fierce determination because I wasn't sure if there was actually anything left in my body to give to a hill like that. I pushed over the hill and into the water station where I didn't stop and walk at all. Downhill, thank God. I finally got back on the asphalt trail and its a pretty good downhill clip to pick up speed but I was tired. I could heard Debi closing in on me and I just stayed just in front of her all along. When we got to the turn off (just after mile 6) there is a little road that takes you to the bridge and over the creek I picked it up again and pushed past my limits. Final turn and she's on my tail. Its a pretty steep downhill and I turned to Debi and said "Catch me and pass me Debi" then I flew, big long fast strides down the hill and across the bridge. She was right on my heels, right through the shoot. She wanted to throw up. I love those finishes. That means you gave it your all. I turned off my Trusty Garmin and looked at my watch. It said 57:33. Average pace 8:58/mile. Liz came in at 56 minutes or so. So she "Kicked My Ass" again. Oh well. Then she said most of the people who came in in front of her were women from out age group. LOL. I guess that means we don't have to wait around for awards but I tell Sarah (holding her baby in her arms as she passes by me) Congratulations and head home.
This morning I went to the pace talk at Fleet Feet and the marathon and half marathon groups took off from there. Those of us running took off for 5 Mile and to warm up. The race isn't until 9am in hopes that if it is SO stinking cold and frosty it might be tolerable to run by then OR So stinkin' foggy you will be able to see the runner in front of you and not cause a colossal crash. Luckily today it was BEAUTIFUL! Got to 5 mile and left my bag at the Fleet Feet tent with Kristina (her hubby Paul was our coach for both marathon programs) and took off to warm up with Lori. I stopped back by the tent and called the hubby and his specific directions were to "Kick Liz's Ass". I told him that I would try my hardest to keep up with her but dang is she fast and those ALL those shorter races! Lori and I took down the levy and back bringing my first warm up to 1.5 miles, then ran into Liz and Kosmo (more about the amazing things Kosmo is doing for local runners in a later post when I also talk about how great Vicki and Ross are ). I went back out for another mile warm up with them because (the Lord knows he made me so I don't warm up until mile 15 or so) I need it. Liz and I did strides in the parking lot because we like to look like those hard core serious runners wearing $300 watches and $100 tights and LOOK fast and think they just might win. We might fool somebody and I'm totally OK with that.
Then Liz and I dropped off sweats at the sweat check and we lined up at the start at the levy, stretched and tightened out laces. Standing next to me was Debi who coached me from the first time I did Women With Weights a million years ago after the kids were born and I felt (FAT) out of shape. I said hi to other runners who I don't normally see then got lined up and we started the 1/4 marathon group on time. We took off up the levy and Liz creeped in front of me. Then Kosmo passed me. Then I gave up. No ,not really, but I just watched them get closer then farther away, closer then farther away. UGH. I went out way too fast. 8:20 my first mile, 8:40 my second mile then all (down hill) uphill, literally, from there and I never looked at my watch again. I splashed through mud and felt it all mucky in my socks. I slipped and slided through the trails... and that ended up being my favorite part other than the finish. We headed through the slippery mucky trails on the other side of the levy then across to the asphalt path and up to the fire road by horseshoe lake. I kept thinking "we have to be at 2 miles" but we weren't. When we finally got there I was wondering if I would ever make it the whole race since most of the first half, including the next mile and a half, was a sometimes not so gradual up hill and I was having flashbacks from Nike Half in October. Not a good place to be in my head. I just watched my feet and kept going, not caring how fast I was or wasn't.
After the "green gate" there is a pretty good downhill to pick up momentum and chase down Kosmo and Liz if they didn't speed up too, then that "gradual up hill" to the turnaround marker at about 3.5miles. I said Hi and Good JOB to many of my speedy friends as they passed me going the other way including Paul who was chasing down that leader bike while he held the first place all the way home, and Sarah who took 1st place for the girls. She's super speedy! We went to High school together so that puts her in my age group and kicks me WAY out of any chance to place at any local races.
Finally got to the turnaround I grabbed water and tried to put my head in a good place for the 3 or so miles back. Although its mostly downhill unless you count the hill back up to the "green gate," its pretty technical with lots of rocks and funny gravely areas and tilts far to one side many times. I'm not good on this stuff, I have to watch right in front of me because I can't tell you how many times I have twisted my ankle or tripped, almost falling on my face, on this road. I'm sure if you are watching me I would be entertaining with all my hopping and jumping over loose rocks and finding a place with footing where I won't twist something. I got a stitch at 4.5 and every time I sped up it came back so I backed off for a little bit and let a bunch of people pass me and finally Liz disappeared into the distance. I took the long steep hill to the "green gate" with my head down and a fierce determination because I wasn't sure if there was actually anything left in my body to give to a hill like that. I pushed over the hill and into the water station where I didn't stop and walk at all. Downhill, thank God. I finally got back on the asphalt trail and its a pretty good downhill clip to pick up speed but I was tired. I could heard Debi closing in on me and I just stayed just in front of her all along. When we got to the turn off (just after mile 6) there is a little road that takes you to the bridge and over the creek I picked it up again and pushed past my limits. Final turn and she's on my tail. Its a pretty steep downhill and I turned to Debi and said "Catch me and pass me Debi" then I flew, big long fast strides down the hill and across the bridge. She was right on my heels, right through the shoot. She wanted to throw up. I love those finishes. That means you gave it your all. I turned off my Trusty Garmin and looked at my watch. It said 57:33. Average pace 8:58/mile. Liz came in at 56 minutes or so. So she "Kicked My Ass" again. Oh well. Then she said most of the people who came in in front of her were women from out age group. LOL. I guess that means we don't have to wait around for awards but I tell Sarah (holding her baby in her arms as she passes by me) Congratulations and head home.
2 comments:
Love ya, Tina! Thanks for the props. :) It was nice seeing you on the course today--I enjoyed reading your recap. (I'm still working on mine...)
Tough race for sure! Nice going, and great writing!
Post a Comment