13.1 Montage
Saturday, October 1st, 2011
I ran my 13.1
The night before, the excitement was almost unbearable. Sick to my stomach excited.
Pep talking my way through the course in my mind, I wandered through my day almost in a fog.
But this morning, I was calm. No emotion. This has happened to me before, and last time flat scared me. It didn't scare me this time, though, just a feeling of nothingness.
I ate granola, drank a small Gatorade, water.
I stuffed my pockets with fruit snacks, baby juice box in my compression shirt. Two more juice boxes would be stashed along the first leg of my run to find at the end.
warm up walk out the neighborhood-
It is 5:35-
It is dark.
All week long I'd mulled over a route for this run. Then yesterday night I realized I wasn't planning for the dark... I was in denial. I even googled the sunrise, and found the sun wouldn't even begin to show it's face 'til after 6:30, with an official rise after 7.
College and High school loop it is.
I don't remember running the college ( looking through my split stats - I must have been sleeping, it was slower than usual)
I do remember mile 2 being heavenly.
The run around PV was grand- one of my favorite songs popped on to Pandora-
I was suddenly very aware of what this run would be. A wonderful montage of memories.
PV high school loop:
PV- I feel so safe running you. No traffic.
I love how the moon always looks especially bright by you- the clouds always whispering across-
PV- you make me laugh at myself. Remember when I came upon a SKUNK and a REALLY BIG DOG all in the same run? Makes me smile.
Next, I was off up Pinion -
I remembered how grown up I felt the first time I ran you. I call you a highway, but you're probably not. Thought for sure I'd get hit and die running you. You were also the place where I first really came to know the bike lane. I'd never had respect for bikers- always wondering why they and their counterparts, those crazy runners, just didn't take the sidewalk. Now I know why. I hate that the bike lane ends when you really need it most--at the turning lanes---
I love you Pinion, you connect nearly every run route I take now.
For some reason, as I ran up Pinion, I got choked up. I started thinking of all these old runs I had taken -they were no longer mere memories- a 'loner' runner, always by myself, they'd become old 'friends' that held my hand, guiding me. Too emotional, I pulled out my first juice box.
Man, that juice was good!
Can I just say I LOVED the baby juice boxes today! I usually had taken Capri Suns, but the edges of the pouch were almost paper cut material, and just big enough to make me feel laughable as I stuffed them. These baby juice boxes were 100% real juice, smaller, and the carton was smooooooth. No 'papercut' worries!
I downed it.
Now what to do with that box?
I tried stuffing it back in my compression shirt. but I had crushed it to get every last drop, and now it was mangled. Not ready to let it drip in the pockets of my jacket tied around my waist, I just held it- up ahead was Pinion Hills Church, and they had a garbage!
Funny, getting excited about a garbage can.
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| Garbage Can Excitement! |
But there I was nearly giddy to drop that thing off. And then I admired this crazy beautiful church.
Pinion Hills Church has a fun running memory for me. One Saturday, I ran into Stephanie and my Sister-in-law Jen here. They were starting their run, I was halfway through mine. I'm not at a place pace-wise to even dream of running with them, but for a quick 'warm up' run around Pinion Hills, they ran with me. It's just what I needed that day... I was running on empty, and they encouraged me on. Every time I hit the church, I think of that-
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| Pinion Hills Church |
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| nothing like a newly paved road |
Just as I'm thinking this run couldn't be better, who do I see, but my brother-in-law Mike.
Remember him? He's the crazy 'run a Marathon in his sleep' kind of guy. I think it's cool that we wave and run, each enjoying the fresh blacktop.
But now I'm thinking about my next leg of this run, the dreaded Butler climb- I'd give anything to figure out a way to bypass it. Why not? Why not try to at least detour, and cut Butler in half?
My adventure begins!
There's something sinfully fun about detouring- you never know if the run will be better or worse for the change.
Today's was better.
I turned off at Crestridge, and found the prettiest little neighborhood that felt like I was back in Minnesota. Nothing on this street felt like New Mexico. It was breathtaking and quaint and 'macaroni-and cheese' comforting.
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| Amazingly Green Yard! |
Down a steep descent, and I'm halfway through Butler. Now I'm running for the college shortcut.
Ahhhh the college short-cut. How many times have you saved my bacon? Too many to count.
I remember my long run of fear, when I thought I'd never make it home, there you were, patiently waiting to help me. When I needed a change of scenery, you were there, giving me hope that I too, could keep on keeping on. You connect me.
Through the shortcut I run.
Have to pee-
Sooooo thirsty-
How these two could even remotely happen at the same time is beyond me... but here I was wanting both.
but my miles said 9.5 and I was determined not to stop.
I was so close now.
I ran back up to PV adding a loop then into the Lions Wilderness Park. The Wilderness Park holds a special place in my heart. It's the run I turned to when I was sad in seeing my last little one off to school. It gave me new excitement, when I tried trail running. It has a bathroom! and the sights --- glorious. Who wouldn't love running, when met with the Wilderness Park.
I head in, and notice a little more traffic than usual. OK- ALOT more traffic. A mountain bike race was about to start. Undeterred, I keep on. I run past some makeshift bleachers and hear someone calling to me.
"Ma'am, this is the starting gate for chipped bikers."
"Really?" I say
"Does that mean I can't run through?" I'm panicking at the thought of retracing my steps out of the park.
" I really want to run it, I've only got two miles left to reach my 13 mile goal."
I must have either looked desperate, or crazy- he was gracious, and said I had 7 minutes before the race began.
7 minutes!
I'd only get through 1/2 a mile in 7 minutes. I ran, half excited to get my way, half scared out of my mind for what would happen when that 7 minutes was up.
I ran, then walked, then ran, then walked, then ughhh- this panic attack feeling was NOT what I had in mind for my run today. And why was I walking? I had run the entire 11 miles before- why was I stopping to walk now?
I whispered: "I am calm, I am calm" a few times, then settled back into my run.
Bikers started whizzing past.
They sure do dress fancy.
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| Bike Race |
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| Road Home |
12 miles behind me, only 1.1 left.
13.1 came 3hrs and 10 minutes from my start.
A good pace time for me. My average was 14:46
I know that is slow, but for me, this is better than my usual long run pace of 15:30.
I start thinking about how I feel.
I realize I am still thirsty and still have to --- well, you know-
I start looking for my last stashed juice. I know I had put it right by a light post. I run from light post to light post, til finally, I find it. It was the one I had frozen, and WOW! perfectly cold with a little slush. It's like it was cheering for me-
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| finish line |
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