23 and counting

 









Today is Monday Sept, 17th,
I've decided to get caught up on this silly running blog if it kills me.
I will run tonight.
This morning, it's the old lap top and the first hot vanilla latte of the season.....
Fall is in the air,
There's nothing better........
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Friday August 14th

Friday I ran 23 miles.

A daylight run.

My longest run before TCM

Time is slipping by.
My first marathon almost here.
Panic and excitement

But on Thursday night,
Nothing

No emotion,
Butterflies
Nothing.

That scared me.

Hubby had agreed to take kiddos to school Friday,
So I could do a "daylight" run.

Last week's 22
Had me not knowing what to expect

This week,
I knew exactly what I was in for

I've come to respect this endeavor
It's harder than I expected.
A lot harder

I guess that will make it that much sweeter when I'm done.

I tried to get up quietly,
But hubby woke up

As I slowly, methodically went through my pre-run routine
Hubby chuckled

I never thought about it before,
But the gear involved is a bit much

Garmin
Nathan fuel belt complete with water, Gatorade, raisins
A little KT tape, just in case
Pre-run breakfast
Running capris, running skirt.
Layer, layer compression tank under shirt.....
Nathan shadow belt for my phone.
etc, etc, etc,
Now that I'm listing it all-
It's no wonder I'm slow!


Speaking of phones

Is it true I can't bring my phone to the race????
*It's my camera
*Endomondo app to tells me my expected finish time after each mile......
*Pandora's Zumba tunes stream in the background on low...

I decide to leave wireless headphones at home....
Just in case.

Hubby snickers again

I feel like a little kid pretending I'm some super hero-
SO the big question is:
"Where's my cape??????"

I'm off

Route is to be a hybrid of my 'Sunday morning' loop
With a trial new loop add on.

Turns out this figure 8 hybrid is a 9 miler..

My goal is to start slow and gradually increase pace

Goal pace to hover between 12.3-13.3 minute miles.
I know what you're thinking... I think it too
So slow
But it's being honest
And that is so important here.

I want to be discouraged, but how can I?
I'm not quitting- I feel good
I'm injury free

I'm still running

And yes, to me a 13.3 minute pace is running
Even though someone could walk beside me while I hoof it-

First half of the loop goes well,
But I have to pee.. so I stop at the college
Second half- the same, but I have to pee again
********************************************
Any ideas why my body wanted to expel all hydration?
I'm thinking salt, but haven't used any yet, any pointers?
*********************************************
I text hubby an 'all's well' text-
He's taken the kids to Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast

Jokes they're getting ammo so they can do me a drive by munchkin pelting
I smile

Mile 16 Violin Running runs past
We see each other and run for a bit.

Needed that boost.

That's the last thing I remember
Until mile 19

My little hybrid route was a bomb
I now hate little repeater loop courses.

Why does it take sooooo long?

And how many times can I count to 4?
to 8?

Or worse yet-
The dreaded, 'You're total toast' count of- 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2
Because that's all the mental capacity you have left.

I head to a deserted baseball field at the college.
I wanted to be alone.

Round and round the field I went.
And the soft crushed clay gave my legs relief

I ran til garmin said 22 miles

Then ran out to finish up the college campus, thinking it would be enough to get me to 23

That's when I noticed my phone's Endomondo app was about .15 miles off what Garmin said.....
And Garmin was only at 22.6

I ran behind one of the college's warehouses to catch some shade, and log the last of it
I ran that warehouse parking lot 5 times.

Couldn't do it anymore

Out to the street.

Garmin beeps in 23

Endo- not even close

I run up and down the busy road 2 x's, running past my parked car -
Oh that Jeep called my name, let me tell you

Endo says 22.93 on my third pass.

I need to plan my routes better.
Totally sabotaged today.

Let's just say, you do not want me to be your next course planner any time soon.

I run my Jeeps parking lot 3 times.

Garmin says 23.29

Endomondo- 22.95

I've got nothing.....

I call it.

Get into my car, oh loveliness that it is-
Never felt so glad to be in that thing,

I down the drips left in my water and Gatorade bottles....

Key in ignition
*click*
nothing
I turn the key again
*click*
nothing

You've got to be kidding me-
Battery is dead.

I try to stay calm
sweat is pouring
legs are shaking

Rather than call hubby in a panic
I text him.
Texting seems a bit less panicky

He rescues me
Runs me home to take a quick shower, while he jumps the jeep's battery
Then comes back for me.
I love him for that.

This is not what I had planned

But

This is how it was meant to be.

Messy
A bit wonky

Just like life.....

And just like life
Every thing's going to be just fine.

Then I checked the mailbox, and found this: