....Or What Was I Supposed to Be Doing Again?
It's more than one day later and I haven't even thought about which marathon to run, pretty much I've just been eating fine, healthy food, drinking fizzy white wine, sleeping and getting very, very brown.
What I also did do, was run 10 miles today. I didn't know if I was up for it really, but as usual, I woke up early.
My choices were to finish reading Andre Agassi's Autobiography or create my own atheletic endeavor. I decided to create my own. I have a new philosophy, if I dont feel good, I can always quit. I figured I am well-fed, in good company I feel healthy and I feel hydrated enough...so why not give it go?
The first few miles were a bit of a struggle and then I hit a pretty good rhythym. It was nice to venture into Rimini proper and into the local neighborhoods. I turned around at the five'mile mark still feeling pretty fresh, once I hit 6 miles, things were not so easy. I was a little tired, and it was starting to get hot. At this point, you can't quit so I started to break the run up into chunks. I was at beach Number 1 and I needed to get to 147. Every 10 beaches, was considered a landmark, and I ticked off the remainder of the run that way.
I still havent decided which marathon to run, or whether I should run one at all. I was reading in my running journal today and some of the entries are truly awful! However, some of the running goals that I wrote down for the beginning of the year. They were as follows:
Qualify for Boston
Drop 15 lbs
Run at least 1000 miles
Run at least 20 miles for the week (unless training dictates otherwise).
Keep better records.
So far I only accomplished one of those goals, I managed to drop a whopping 27 lbs at the height of training. However, Im headed in the right direction for running 1000 miles for the year, as of today, I rest at 759.48. This is the 3rd year in the row I've made this goal. With this much mileage in the bank, I hope to replace it on the list with something else in 2012. Im only so-so for keeping better records, my garmin has helped with this, but still prefer the old pen and paper, where I can record not only my statistics, but also my feelings about the training.
So....Qualifying for Boston is the only thing left....Im still undecided what to do? Do I push this off another year or what? Quo Vadis?
On vacation, Ive been tapping into my academic side and have been reading tons. Ive read four books, just this week. I read "Born Standing Up" by Steve Martin, "Tinkers" by Steve Harding (I think), "Breakfast of Champions," Vonnegut and am currently reading "Open" by Andre Agassi. So far, outside of Vonnegut, Agassi's bio is my favorite.
It's totally bizarre. After years of totally disliking Andre Agassi, just like that, I love him. I love him and his hairpiece, his basic lack of manners which is derived from naivety rather than impertinence and most of all I love his passion. Just like that I love him, just like that he won Wimbeldon in 1992 and went on to be one the few tennis players to win all four Grand Slams. I find his biography to be athletically insipiring. I love hearing his tribulations of being a reluctant athlete, how he struggles against what is best for him. And I love hearing how he built a winning support system not so much of people he pays, but of deep friendship and how he understands its value is far more valuable than money. I love that he overcame drugs and found the strength within to be honest, not just with himself, but with the public, despite the fickle nature of the Agassi fan. I hope, to one day, qualify for Boston, just like that (minus the drugs of course).
FYI..."Tinkers" won the Pulitzer....and Im not a fan.
In Summation: Future Marathons=Still Undecided; My Future in Running=Still Undecided; Reading for Pleasure=Awesome; 10-Mile Run=Better than Anticipated; Five More Days of Vacation Ahead=Awesome; Faith in Mankind=Somewhere at the Bottom of the Adriatic...Rusting....
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Quo Vadis....
Quo Vadis....
....or Where Are You Going?
PART 1
...Or Public Computers...SUCK!
Quo Vadis, in Latin, means, literally, 'where are you going?' But also happens to be the name of one of my favorite resaurants in Miramare, Italy
It goes with out saying that I am eating and drinking well. The Italian air, food and drink highly agree with my European roots and I feel so healthy here amongst the acrobatic speech, humidity and mentality where food equals love.
I reckon there is no better platform to sort out the next 5 years or so of my life and figure out what to do with myself, and the answer to Quo Vadis... lies within.
First, comes the trouble of the marathon. Boston is still on my to do list. I have a couple of different options, they are as follows:
The Outerbanks Marathon, NC - Nov 12
The Soldiers Marathon, Fort Benning, GA-Nov 12
The Richmond Marathon, VA Nov 13
Any of these are viable options...in fact they all have a favorable course and the deciding factors will become which are the easiest to travel to, and where can I get the best Scwhag? FYI training started Monday, with an uneventful 3-mile run and other small distances leading up to my first 10-mile run on Sunday. Am I ready to run 10 miles on Sunday? Im not so sure...Quo Vadis?
The real question is should I run an Autumn Marathon at all? Currently, Im not so sure. Recent health concerns do make it seem like a bad idea. Additionally, my life still seems to be in transition mode as I have embarked on the move which refuses to end and has become emotionally taxing. Chantal, who has proven to rarely be wrong, seems to believe an Autumn marathon is a bad idea at this juncture and advises to wait until the Spring.
Im not quite sure what to do...but will surely come to a solution in the coming days.
More Tomorrow... When I can allot the time to finish Part 2 .
In Summation:
Italy=Fantastic; Food=Wonderful; Friends=The Best Ever; Faith in Mankind=Non-Existant.
....or Where Are You Going?
PART 1
...Or Public Computers...SUCK!
Quo Vadis, in Latin, means, literally, 'where are you going?' But also happens to be the name of one of my favorite resaurants in Miramare, Italy
It goes with out saying that I am eating and drinking well. The Italian air, food and drink highly agree with my European roots and I feel so healthy here amongst the acrobatic speech, humidity and mentality where food equals love.
I reckon there is no better platform to sort out the next 5 years or so of my life and figure out what to do with myself, and the answer to Quo Vadis... lies within.
First, comes the trouble of the marathon. Boston is still on my to do list. I have a couple of different options, they are as follows:
The Outerbanks Marathon, NC - Nov 12
The Soldiers Marathon, Fort Benning, GA-Nov 12
The Richmond Marathon, VA Nov 13
Any of these are viable options...in fact they all have a favorable course and the deciding factors will become which are the easiest to travel to, and where can I get the best Scwhag? FYI training started Monday, with an uneventful 3-mile run and other small distances leading up to my first 10-mile run on Sunday. Am I ready to run 10 miles on Sunday? Im not so sure...Quo Vadis?
The real question is should I run an Autumn Marathon at all? Currently, Im not so sure. Recent health concerns do make it seem like a bad idea. Additionally, my life still seems to be in transition mode as I have embarked on the move which refuses to end and has become emotionally taxing. Chantal, who has proven to rarely be wrong, seems to believe an Autumn marathon is a bad idea at this juncture and advises to wait until the Spring.
Im not quite sure what to do...but will surely come to a solution in the coming days.
More Tomorrow... When I can allot the time to finish Part 2 .
In Summation:
Italy=Fantastic; Food=Wonderful; Friends=The Best Ever; Faith in Mankind=Non-Existant.
Friday, July 8, 2011
I'll Take a Slice of Americana Please…Or the Ellwood City 10k….
….Or You Can't Go Home Again…
For 30 years or so the Ellwood City Ledger sponsors a 10k race in conjunction with the local Arts and Crafts Festival. This race is totally necessary to kick off the festival, because I think the majority of people who attend the festival eat about a month's worth of calories per visit.
The race course is special because it takes you all through the metropolis of Ellwood City. I actually LOVED this route, because you get all the high points (literally too!) of the city!
Despite being excited about running a race in my hometown, the race started off as kind of a disaster. I don't know what I was thinking when I packed....ok...I do know....I was thinking about yummy festival food (read pepperoni puffs), but as a result I forgot a lot of things I think I need to run.
Luckily I remembered the big stuff....running shoes, socks and super-posh running outfit. What I didn't remember was running iPod and GPS. So, I was going to have to run this race 'old school' sans music and just chasing the person in front of me. Luckily, I discovered that I had a running playlist on the Nano that I use in the car and a spare set of ear buds. I stuffed it in my sports bra and headed toward the registration desk.
A Race Backwards.....
...Or How Old Am I Again?!
The race started in Ewing Park in front of Veterans Memorial Swimming Pool. I ducked in there to use the restroom and it was so weird, it was liking walking through the doorway took me back in time. The ladies locker room was EXACTLY the same, except it seemed like the sinks were too low!
I picked my race packet up with Angela Valvano, my BFF, and her super-stud son Angelo...he of course was running with his buddies...and we headed to the start line, in the opposite direction than what I anticipated.
I guess someone said go, because everyone starting running. We took off West toward downtown...nostalgia kicked in immediately. As I rounded the corner by Helling Stadium and crossed over Foch Street, I couldn't help to think about one of my High School BFF...Jessica Rankin (we share a birthday!!). We've completely lost touch..if you are reading this Jess get in contact!!
As we headed toward downtown, I was feeling pretty rickety. I was in El Salvador in the weeks leading up to the race and only managed about four 3-mile treadmill runs. I was no way prepared to 'race' this 10k. I started to feel a rhythm as I headed toward the Ewing Park Bridge and my first twinge of nostalgia as I looked down the on the lane parallels the river, where I received my first, ever kiss. I chuckled a bit, realizing my 'bad boy complex' has been with me for quite some time, as this young man was quite a nefarious character!
We crossed the bridge and headed toward Loccaisano's grocery where they make the best Italian sausage outside of Italy. I smiled a bit as we rounded the back side of Pittsburgh Circle past the former office of Doctor Painter (RIP), our family doctor, who once had his very own Nurse Ratchet hold me down to give me a booster shot. She would be proud to know that I'm now annually inoculated with no drama.
We continued West toward Veteran's Memorial Park, I was so surprised to see Angela standing near her house cheering for me! She said "Your the 11th girl and they all look young!" I never thought THOSE words would be comforting!
Continuing through Pittsburgh Circle I ran past my Aunt Dot and Uncle Ed's house (RIP). I was so very sad to see a 'For Sale' sign in the yard, instead of the two them standing on the porch looking for them. I blinked back a few tears and managed to smile knowing that Aunt Dot (age 88) would have been squinting into the crowd looking for me, but seeing right through me....because she couldn't see that far!! I knew I would call out and she wouldn't hear me, because she was also hard of hearing, but that Uncle Eddy would spot me right off and be waving with his fantastic smile and saying "Over there Dorothy!"
I could see this scene so clearly in my mind's eye, yet, was looking at an empty brick house, with a REMAX sign planted in the front yard, instead of the familiar wooden Scotty Dog with 390 painted on it. That memory occupied me over the 2nd Street overpass, and a few city blocks until I reached my former high school.
I ran up the hill past the Statue of Liberty replica (one of only 6 in existence) and past the former Ellwood City Library. I can't believe how much time I spent in that building as a kid and am so impressed at how much they accomplished in such a small building! If you haven't seen the new library you should check it out! It's amazing!
I thought I was racing quite well as I rounded the corner near the Ellwood City Ledger (Rag!) and was thankful to see water station, but I started to feel extremely tired as ran down Lawrence Avenue (Main Street!). I was also extremely disappointed to see that Ellwood had NOT put up the Lion Water Fountain this summer. I was just starting to feel sorry for myself when someone (Angela Valvano!) shouted my name from atop the 5th Street train trestle! Yay! Rejuvenated from seeing someone I knew, I tried to liven the pace and continued on my way.
I crossed safely over 5th and Spring thanks to Scott Williams, traffic marshal extraordinaire, who gave me a big smile and a wave!
Feeling quite good after all the encouragement I was surprised to see Tony V and Jake-y marshaling at 5th and Fountain!
I was totally pumped after seeing so many friends (read family) that I started across the 5th Street Bridge feeling like a million bucks. Nostalgia struck again, as I couldn't believe how many times in my life I've walked across the bridge. There are loads and loads of memories. I can remember toddling across it as a little girl, terrified of the height and how easily I could slip through the bars if not careful. I can remember riding my pink swchinn across it, when I wasn't supposed to leave the North Side. I can remember feeling the cool, concrete of the end bannister on my legs as I loitered (on briefly in fear of getting caught by my Gram) on the corner near Red Hot Hot Dog Shoppe (yeah, it used to be there). I can remember walking across that sucker in the middle of a Western PA winter on my way home from school, thinking that the bridge was defiantly stretching so the ice-cold wind could wreak it's havoc. I can remember walking home after a few to many beers at the Shelby and watching a childhood friend bid the world adieu with an "Adios! Mother F*ckers" only to see him occupying the same barstool in the same bar months later when I visited again.
Needless to say, with all of that to think about, the 5th Street bridge seemed to FLY by!
Lucky for me my Aunt Diane and Uncle Larry were at the foot of the bridge, taking photos and waving! It was so awesome to see them and Diane was SO excited!
I was now entering into North Side, home territory! I hoofed it up the steady incline of Todd Avenue and as I peaked over Buccelli's hill I wished I could just run home, but instead headed left up toward Line Avenue.
Here, I passed Mr. Galvin, who cheered for all the runners but didn't recognize me. I continued running through North Side and all of my childhood haunts. I even ran past Mr. Grieco, my former track coach, who also didn't recognize me, but did hand me a cup of water. Along Orchard Avenue I ran past Tony Valvano Sr, and Isabella who waved and smiled vigorously!
This run was really starting to drag. I was deep into North Side and knew the run wouldn't carry me directly back to the park, but force the runners to double back into North Side, before heading toward the finish. My spirits were lifted when I passed Liesie Williams who mustered a 'Oh Hi! Mellissa!' when I ran past her intersection. This carried me toward the North Street where I knew I could start heading down hill! Yay!
As I headed down toward 7-11 a woman with a long, brown ponytail breezed past me. When I told her good job, she said "I'll be 60 next month!" WTF!! I hope I'm running that well when I'm on the eve of 60! Still flummoxed by that news, I was surprised to see Diane and Larry standing near the Princepessa Apartments cheering me on for a second time! I was doubly happy to know I was a little over a mile from the finish!
I headed back into the park feeling relatively strong, until I hit Jefferson Ave and the iPod gave out. I was totally perplexed, but didn't mess with it. I had NO idea what-so-ever how fast I was running and was really hoping to be on a 45-minute pace, so I just really concentrated on pushing it out. This race didn't start until 9ish and it was starting to get hot. I couldn't wait to stop running and get more water down my neck!
I pushed it through the finish line at 49:18.
I think this is a PR for me, because I can't ever remember running a 10k before. In fact, this may be my first ever! But I think it's pretty respectable given I didn't train, heck I barely ran, and I wasn't even wearing a watch! Besides, this race was purely for the fun. I finally got to race in my hometown. There were friends and family every where! I felt massively loved! And I got a SECOND place trophy for my age bracket!
Yay for Hardware!!
All in all it was good race, and I had a good time. I felt so strong running through the streets of my childhood. In fact, it made me feel almost childlike. Every road had it's own unique memory and it made the whole thing so awesome! Thanks so much for everyone who came out to watch me run!! An EXTRA SPECIAL thanks to Angela Valvano and family who cheered like lunatics when I got my trophy and made me feel like million bucks.
Lastly! Thanks to Lou Lodivico who is from Ellwood City, Pennsylvania and holds the WORLD RECORD for 80 year-olds racing the 10k! Thanks Lou for inspiring me to keep running!
The only thing missing from this race was former track Coach Frank Geniviva! Where were you!?
In Summation: Racing in Your Home Town=Awesome!; Hardware, Even 2nd Place=Awesome; My Friends=Awesome; My Family=Awesome! Lou Lodivico=Awesome! Nostalgia=Only slightly disconcerting;
Faith In Mankind=A Speck on the Horizon.
For 30 years or so the Ellwood City Ledger sponsors a 10k race in conjunction with the local Arts and Crafts Festival. This race is totally necessary to kick off the festival, because I think the majority of people who attend the festival eat about a month's worth of calories per visit.
The race course is special because it takes you all through the metropolis of Ellwood City. I actually LOVED this route, because you get all the high points (literally too!) of the city!
Despite being excited about running a race in my hometown, the race started off as kind of a disaster. I don't know what I was thinking when I packed....ok...I do know....I was thinking about yummy festival food (read pepperoni puffs), but as a result I forgot a lot of things I think I need to run.
Luckily I remembered the big stuff....running shoes, socks and super-posh running outfit. What I didn't remember was running iPod and GPS. So, I was going to have to run this race 'old school' sans music and just chasing the person in front of me. Luckily, I discovered that I had a running playlist on the Nano that I use in the car and a spare set of ear buds. I stuffed it in my sports bra and headed toward the registration desk.
A Race Backwards.....
...Or How Old Am I Again?!
The race started in Ewing Park in front of Veterans Memorial Swimming Pool. I ducked in there to use the restroom and it was so weird, it was liking walking through the doorway took me back in time. The ladies locker room was EXACTLY the same, except it seemed like the sinks were too low!
I picked my race packet up with Angela Valvano, my BFF, and her super-stud son Angelo...he of course was running with his buddies...and we headed to the start line, in the opposite direction than what I anticipated.
I guess someone said go, because everyone starting running. We took off West toward downtown...nostalgia kicked in immediately. As I rounded the corner by Helling Stadium and crossed over Foch Street, I couldn't help to think about one of my High School BFF...Jessica Rankin (we share a birthday!!). We've completely lost touch..if you are reading this Jess get in contact!!
As we headed toward downtown, I was feeling pretty rickety. I was in El Salvador in the weeks leading up to the race and only managed about four 3-mile treadmill runs. I was no way prepared to 'race' this 10k. I started to feel a rhythm as I headed toward the Ewing Park Bridge and my first twinge of nostalgia as I looked down the on the lane parallels the river, where I received my first, ever kiss. I chuckled a bit, realizing my 'bad boy complex' has been with me for quite some time, as this young man was quite a nefarious character!
We crossed the bridge and headed toward Loccaisano's grocery where they make the best Italian sausage outside of Italy. I smiled a bit as we rounded the back side of Pittsburgh Circle past the former office of Doctor Painter (RIP), our family doctor, who once had his very own Nurse Ratchet hold me down to give me a booster shot. She would be proud to know that I'm now annually inoculated with no drama.
We continued West toward Veteran's Memorial Park, I was so surprised to see Angela standing near her house cheering for me! She said "Your the 11th girl and they all look young!" I never thought THOSE words would be comforting!
Continuing through Pittsburgh Circle I ran past my Aunt Dot and Uncle Ed's house (RIP). I was so very sad to see a 'For Sale' sign in the yard, instead of the two them standing on the porch looking for them. I blinked back a few tears and managed to smile knowing that Aunt Dot (age 88) would have been squinting into the crowd looking for me, but seeing right through me....because she couldn't see that far!! I knew I would call out and she wouldn't hear me, because she was also hard of hearing, but that Uncle Eddy would spot me right off and be waving with his fantastic smile and saying "Over there Dorothy!"
I could see this scene so clearly in my mind's eye, yet, was looking at an empty brick house, with a REMAX sign planted in the front yard, instead of the familiar wooden Scotty Dog with 390 painted on it. That memory occupied me over the 2nd Street overpass, and a few city blocks until I reached my former high school.
I ran up the hill past the Statue of Liberty replica (one of only 6 in existence) and past the former Ellwood City Library. I can't believe how much time I spent in that building as a kid and am so impressed at how much they accomplished in such a small building! If you haven't seen the new library you should check it out! It's amazing!
I thought I was racing quite well as I rounded the corner near the Ellwood City Ledger (Rag!) and was thankful to see water station, but I started to feel extremely tired as ran down Lawrence Avenue (Main Street!). I was also extremely disappointed to see that Ellwood had NOT put up the Lion Water Fountain this summer. I was just starting to feel sorry for myself when someone (Angela Valvano!) shouted my name from atop the 5th Street train trestle! Yay! Rejuvenated from seeing someone I knew, I tried to liven the pace and continued on my way.
I crossed safely over 5th and Spring thanks to Scott Williams, traffic marshal extraordinaire, who gave me a big smile and a wave!
Feeling quite good after all the encouragement I was surprised to see Tony V and Jake-y marshaling at 5th and Fountain!
I was totally pumped after seeing so many friends (read family) that I started across the 5th Street Bridge feeling like a million bucks. Nostalgia struck again, as I couldn't believe how many times in my life I've walked across the bridge. There are loads and loads of memories. I can remember toddling across it as a little girl, terrified of the height and how easily I could slip through the bars if not careful. I can remember riding my pink swchinn across it, when I wasn't supposed to leave the North Side. I can remember feeling the cool, concrete of the end bannister on my legs as I loitered (on briefly in fear of getting caught by my Gram) on the corner near Red Hot Hot Dog Shoppe (yeah, it used to be there). I can remember walking across that sucker in the middle of a Western PA winter on my way home from school, thinking that the bridge was defiantly stretching so the ice-cold wind could wreak it's havoc. I can remember walking home after a few to many beers at the Shelby and watching a childhood friend bid the world adieu with an "Adios! Mother F*ckers" only to see him occupying the same barstool in the same bar months later when I visited again.
Needless to say, with all of that to think about, the 5th Street bridge seemed to FLY by!
Lucky for me my Aunt Diane and Uncle Larry were at the foot of the bridge, taking photos and waving! It was so awesome to see them and Diane was SO excited!
I was now entering into North Side, home territory! I hoofed it up the steady incline of Todd Avenue and as I peaked over Buccelli's hill I wished I could just run home, but instead headed left up toward Line Avenue.
Here, I passed Mr. Galvin, who cheered for all the runners but didn't recognize me. I continued running through North Side and all of my childhood haunts. I even ran past Mr. Grieco, my former track coach, who also didn't recognize me, but did hand me a cup of water. Along Orchard Avenue I ran past Tony Valvano Sr, and Isabella who waved and smiled vigorously!
This run was really starting to drag. I was deep into North Side and knew the run wouldn't carry me directly back to the park, but force the runners to double back into North Side, before heading toward the finish. My spirits were lifted when I passed Liesie Williams who mustered a 'Oh Hi! Mellissa!' when I ran past her intersection. This carried me toward the North Street where I knew I could start heading down hill! Yay!
As I headed down toward 7-11 a woman with a long, brown ponytail breezed past me. When I told her good job, she said "I'll be 60 next month!" WTF!! I hope I'm running that well when I'm on the eve of 60! Still flummoxed by that news, I was surprised to see Diane and Larry standing near the Princepessa Apartments cheering me on for a second time! I was doubly happy to know I was a little over a mile from the finish!
I headed back into the park feeling relatively strong, until I hit Jefferson Ave and the iPod gave out. I was totally perplexed, but didn't mess with it. I had NO idea what-so-ever how fast I was running and was really hoping to be on a 45-minute pace, so I just really concentrated on pushing it out. This race didn't start until 9ish and it was starting to get hot. I couldn't wait to stop running and get more water down my neck!
I pushed it through the finish line at 49:18.
I think this is a PR for me, because I can't ever remember running a 10k before. In fact, this may be my first ever! But I think it's pretty respectable given I didn't train, heck I barely ran, and I wasn't even wearing a watch! Besides, this race was purely for the fun. I finally got to race in my hometown. There were friends and family every where! I felt massively loved! And I got a SECOND place trophy for my age bracket!
Yay for Hardware!!
All in all it was good race, and I had a good time. I felt so strong running through the streets of my childhood. In fact, it made me feel almost childlike. Every road had it's own unique memory and it made the whole thing so awesome! Thanks so much for everyone who came out to watch me run!! An EXTRA SPECIAL thanks to Angela Valvano and family who cheered like lunatics when I got my trophy and made me feel like million bucks.
Lastly! Thanks to Lou Lodivico who is from Ellwood City, Pennsylvania and holds the WORLD RECORD for 80 year-olds racing the 10k! Thanks Lou for inspiring me to keep running!
The only thing missing from this race was former track Coach Frank Geniviva! Where were you!?
In Summation: Racing in Your Home Town=Awesome!; Hardware, Even 2nd Place=Awesome; My Friends=Awesome; My Family=Awesome! Lou Lodivico=Awesome! Nostalgia=Only slightly disconcerting;
Faith In Mankind=A Speck on the Horizon.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
The Fort Bragg Army 10-Miler...My Rebound Race…
…Or the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.
(Yeah this Blog is really late...)
As I mentioned in my previous Blog I signed up for the Fort Bragg Army Birthday 10-Miler before I even ran the New River Marathon. I knew I would need some kind of goal to keep me running whether my Boston Qualification attempt was successful or not.
I had good intentions to train for this race so I could PR and also in hopes of making the Fort Bragg women’s team. However, it’s not clear that this is how they select their team. But I’ve completely lost interest anyway.
I really did have good intentions to train for this race. In fact, I even made a training program, and set a lofty goal.
In 2008 I ran the Army 10-miler in DC in 79 minutes. I thought since I was coming off the marathon, and if I implemented a program that included the right kind of speed work, I could knock out 75 minutes with moderate effort.
But as I say in the heading, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry and in short, I didn’t train for this race at all. And I totally didn’t want to run it. The ONLY reason I ran this race was because I registered. A few months ago, I skipped a race I registered for and it really bothered me. Especially, since the reasons not to run my race really weren’t mine. So, I promised myself barring illness or injury I wouldn’t DNF another race. Even though I didn’t train at all I was going through another massive transition in my life, I showed up at the start line anyway.
The Race Itself…
…Or Whatever….
Even in the midst of all the runners, I was completely disinterested. Several people from work were also running this race, but I had trouble catching their motivation, or even their jitters.
“Whatever,” I thought as I walked to the start line, completely out of habit I wiggled my way up to the 8 minute per mile pace line, figuring there would be no way I could possibly run that fast. I didn’t even care.
I think Bragg fired a cannon or something to start the race, I don’t remember, I just started running when everyone else did.
This was a no headphones race, and because I was near to the front of the pack, it was crowded, and I was having trouble focusing. One of the things I enjoy most about running is the solitude, and this congested start was annoying me a little. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for it to thin out and had some space for myself to run. I guess deployments took a toll on this race, because it was not as crowded as when I ran it in the past.
Fort Bragg hosts a pretty good race. Everything is so organized! Water stations were great, and there were plenty of volunteers.
I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, and tried to stay on the 75-minute goal pace. I was really suprised to see so many female runners in race-mode! It was fantastic actually to be around so many other women who had goals! What was unfortunate was the stupid guys that were hitting on us, mid-race! Seriously, men, I'm running 7:30 minutes per mile...I do not have time to chat to you or listen to your comments about my body...and now, I think you are a loser for bothering me while I'm running.
Like most Army installations, Fort Bragg names it's housing areas and streets after famous battlefields and and military heros. It was weird to run past signs like Normandy, Cherbourg, St. Mere Eglise and Bastogne, knowing that I've actually run in those places in Europe. It was amazing to think that I have this in common with veteran Soldiers, although the circumstances are profoundly different. In many areas of post running cadences are piped over the loud speaker. This made the run kind of fun, especially since I didn't have my own music.
I was happy to hit the half-way point in good time and was ready to be done running around mile 7. I still didn't feel very interested in the race, and was trying to maintain focus on my pace. Runners, especially males, started getting competitive around Mile 8 and they began to pass me. I decided to up the ante a bit. I implemented some pace surge techniques I read about in Runner's World magazine and surged out of some corners and randomly increased my pace, to my surprise, these methods actually worked and I picked off a few runners ahead of me.
With a few small successes in my pocket around mile 9 I started to feel slightly interested in the race. I linked up with another and I cruised across the finish line in 78:09. This is a PR for me!
What was a little sad, was that I know my marathon split at 10 miles was faster than that, and I totally felt like I could pushed it out faster.
I guess the real victory in this situation is that I got back on the running horse. I seriously did not want to run this race, so much was going on in my life, and I almost sacked it. But, I tried to remember that running is apart of me and that through everything it's the constant in my life. No matter where I am or what I am doing, running is the same. It's my own space, my own time, when I'm just out there letting my thoughts go. It's a part of my day like eating, and it's where I do my best thinking and get in touch with the my strengths that are not so readily available. Running always helps me to discover that I am so much more than what is usually apparent. The PR is pretty great too!
My Future in Running...
...Or I need a friggin' plan....
I need to get some focus. I've not been running consistently at all and have been relying on Army PT for my general fitness. Any of my Army friends reading this, must know that this is not a good plan. I've not been inside a gym since moving back to the U.S. and I've got no focus, other than the upcoming 10k, for my running. I need to find a routine and get back into the swing of things soon, or just give it up altogether. Either way, I'm at a cross roads, and I need to sort it out soon.
In Summation: Recovering from Failure on Several Fronts=Sucks; PRs Without Trying Very Hard=Rock! What's Next?=Not Sure Yet; Boston Marathon=In my future?; NC Heat=Oppressive; My Friends=The Best Ever!; Faith in Mankind=A Raisin in the Sun
Upcoming Races...
July Races:
Ellwood City Ledger 10k...A Virtual Sprint!!
(Yeah this Blog is really late...)
As I mentioned in my previous Blog I signed up for the Fort Bragg Army Birthday 10-Miler before I even ran the New River Marathon. I knew I would need some kind of goal to keep me running whether my Boston Qualification attempt was successful or not.
I had good intentions to train for this race so I could PR and also in hopes of making the Fort Bragg women’s team. However, it’s not clear that this is how they select their team. But I’ve completely lost interest anyway.
I really did have good intentions to train for this race. In fact, I even made a training program, and set a lofty goal.
In 2008 I ran the Army 10-miler in DC in 79 minutes. I thought since I was coming off the marathon, and if I implemented a program that included the right kind of speed work, I could knock out 75 minutes with moderate effort.
But as I say in the heading, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry and in short, I didn’t train for this race at all. And I totally didn’t want to run it. The ONLY reason I ran this race was because I registered. A few months ago, I skipped a race I registered for and it really bothered me. Especially, since the reasons not to run my race really weren’t mine. So, I promised myself barring illness or injury I wouldn’t DNF another race. Even though I didn’t train at all I was going through another massive transition in my life, I showed up at the start line anyway.
The Race Itself…
…Or Whatever….
Even in the midst of all the runners, I was completely disinterested. Several people from work were also running this race, but I had trouble catching their motivation, or even their jitters.
“Whatever,” I thought as I walked to the start line, completely out of habit I wiggled my way up to the 8 minute per mile pace line, figuring there would be no way I could possibly run that fast. I didn’t even care.
I think Bragg fired a cannon or something to start the race, I don’t remember, I just started running when everyone else did.
This was a no headphones race, and because I was near to the front of the pack, it was crowded, and I was having trouble focusing. One of the things I enjoy most about running is the solitude, and this congested start was annoying me a little. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for it to thin out and had some space for myself to run. I guess deployments took a toll on this race, because it was not as crowded as when I ran it in the past.
Fort Bragg hosts a pretty good race. Everything is so organized! Water stations were great, and there were plenty of volunteers.
I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, and tried to stay on the 75-minute goal pace. I was really suprised to see so many female runners in race-mode! It was fantastic actually to be around so many other women who had goals! What was unfortunate was the stupid guys that were hitting on us, mid-race! Seriously, men, I'm running 7:30 minutes per mile...I do not have time to chat to you or listen to your comments about my body...and now, I think you are a loser for bothering me while I'm running.
Like most Army installations, Fort Bragg names it's housing areas and streets after famous battlefields and and military heros. It was weird to run past signs like Normandy, Cherbourg, St. Mere Eglise and Bastogne, knowing that I've actually run in those places in Europe. It was amazing to think that I have this in common with veteran Soldiers, although the circumstances are profoundly different. In many areas of post running cadences are piped over the loud speaker. This made the run kind of fun, especially since I didn't have my own music.
I was happy to hit the half-way point in good time and was ready to be done running around mile 7. I still didn't feel very interested in the race, and was trying to maintain focus on my pace. Runners, especially males, started getting competitive around Mile 8 and they began to pass me. I decided to up the ante a bit. I implemented some pace surge techniques I read about in Runner's World magazine and surged out of some corners and randomly increased my pace, to my surprise, these methods actually worked and I picked off a few runners ahead of me.
With a few small successes in my pocket around mile 9 I started to feel slightly interested in the race. I linked up with another and I cruised across the finish line in 78:09. This is a PR for me!
What was a little sad, was that I know my marathon split at 10 miles was faster than that, and I totally felt like I could pushed it out faster.
I guess the real victory in this situation is that I got back on the running horse. I seriously did not want to run this race, so much was going on in my life, and I almost sacked it. But, I tried to remember that running is apart of me and that through everything it's the constant in my life. No matter where I am or what I am doing, running is the same. It's my own space, my own time, when I'm just out there letting my thoughts go. It's a part of my day like eating, and it's where I do my best thinking and get in touch with the my strengths that are not so readily available. Running always helps me to discover that I am so much more than what is usually apparent. The PR is pretty great too!
My Future in Running...
...Or I need a friggin' plan....
I need to get some focus. I've not been running consistently at all and have been relying on Army PT for my general fitness. Any of my Army friends reading this, must know that this is not a good plan. I've not been inside a gym since moving back to the U.S. and I've got no focus, other than the upcoming 10k, for my running. I need to find a routine and get back into the swing of things soon, or just give it up altogether. Either way, I'm at a cross roads, and I need to sort it out soon.
In Summation: Recovering from Failure on Several Fronts=Sucks; PRs Without Trying Very Hard=Rock! What's Next?=Not Sure Yet; Boston Marathon=In my future?; NC Heat=Oppressive; My Friends=The Best Ever!; Faith in Mankind=A Raisin in the Sun
Upcoming Races...
July Races:
Ellwood City Ledger 10k...A Virtual Sprint!!
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