Chug-along-chica!

First, Holly totally wasted me by taking me out rollerblading at approximately 100 miles an hour for 20 min.  or so.  I am counting that as one fast mile.  My legs were a-burnin'!

Then we ran (went) 2 miles nice & easy. 

2.23 with the loaded double jogging stroller.  I am very proud of the .23  because this is the farthest I have ever pushed that stubborn-spoked monstrosity of a vehicle.  I am also very pleased with my effort/time.  Average pace was 11:17 and I did NOT stop to walk other than at stoplights.  Sasha said that the stroller adds about 2:00 to the pace, so this was a good run for me.  I consider my normal comfortable pace to be 10:15-10:30, so (ug) I did my best.

Thanks go out to my coach, James, for fixing the stroller's tire at 5 in the morning!

AM run with the loaded jogging stroller.  I am exhausted, as usual.  It seems that running without the stroller is just so darn easy by comparison.  Average pace for the 2 miles was 11:17.  Tomorrow, I will run 1-2 easy miles with Holly, then my race is on Friday.  It is going to be so HOT! 

Has anyone ever heard of any kind of running gear that actually helps to cool you down--not dry wicking shirts, or hydration packs--I'm thinking more along the lines of gloves that have a gel in them that you stick in your freezer.  If there isn't such a thing, there SHOULD be.  I'd buy them.  As it is, I am half tempted to carry an ice cube in each hand until it melts.   James, of course, would have to lug a fanny pack full of ice--don't know how well that'd go over. 

It is so nice of James to run this race with me and pace me.  This is going to be our weekly date--much better than going to a restaurant and consuming massive quanities of calorie dense foods.   Not that I don't like eating out.   ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.  Excuse me, I faded out there for a second.  Better go. 

1 really gentle mile with Holly in the evening.  I sucked up a bunch of dirt from the air, which was surprisingly mineral-rich.  Then Holly hog-tied me and forced me to watch the TV show "Psych" with her (not really).   Well, I LOOOOVED the show, which was cute and funny.   Best show ever.  Well, I guess I may be a little starved for visual entertainment as I almost never watch TV, so I might not be the best judge.  The last thing I saw was "High School Musical 2", which was so bad it just about scalded my eyeballs.  Anyway, fun little taper day for me.  I predict that the next time I write to you I will be ... exhausted.

By the way, those of you praying for it to rain on me in the 5K tomorrow are doing an amazing job!  The rain is supposed to start tomorrow afternoon ... now start praying that I will run fast and get a good time, ok?  A 50 mph tailwind wouldn't hurt either ... probably (I am thinking of debris--ok, 30 mph tailwind).

I was NERVOUS at the start of the race.  I even tried to back out *blush*.  I told my beloved hubby to have a good race--I'd be waiting at the finish line.  He wasn't enthusuastic about this plan since the only reason he registered was so that he could run along side and pace me.  So the first (of many) services he rendered was to drag me to the starting line.  How romantic.

It was hot--about 103, with a stiff cross wind the whole race. The course was very flat and had a lot of gravel.

The start was notable because of the start gun, which was more reminiscent of a terrorist attack than a foot race.  About half of the runners screamed, and the rest of us gasped.  There was no "get ready, get set.." or singing of the National Anthem--just a big "KA-BOOM!" followed by a mass shuffle.

I REALLY liked running with James.  He kept me at a controlled pace from the start.  I felt really good the whole first mile.   Plus, he gave me water every 1/3 of a mile or so.  Very nice.  1st mile in 8:40.

The second mile was the hardest part for me.  The footing was very tricky because of the gravel/bigger rocks.  I rolled my ankle 3-4 times.  Plus just knowing that I still had a long ways to go was discouraging.  Second mile in 9:18.

From the mid-point of the race on, I was trying to keep track of "roadkill".  I passed a lot of people.  Probably about 20, but James and I both lost count.  Probably 2 or 3 passed me. The last 300 yards of the race was on the track, which was awesome.  You'll all be happy to know that I chicked a guy right at the very end.  As I passed him he said "good kick!"  Then, of course, I had to try to chick James.  We came in side by side, but the guy at the finish line put me first.  Last 1.1 in 9:04.   The Garmin showed the course to be short, though.  I am choosing to disregard the Garmin in this case.   He he.

Oh, I forgot to tell you...I lose a couple of commando points at the end for loss of dignity.  After the race I was sitting there on the ground (supposedly stretching my hamstrings), and I guess I left my mouth hanging open and was all slouched over and gazing off into space.  Anyway, the paramedics came running.  I asked them if I looked that bad, and they said I looked awful.  How do you respond to that?  I felt better sooner after this race than the last one, though, so that's good.  Oh yeah, and then there was the photographer who said she just HAD to take a picture of me because I looked so exhausted.  She laughed as she was taking the picture.  Anything I can do to make some random stranger's day.... I just hope they don't put that picture in the paper or anything. 

WHOA!  I finally got the race results for this race and GUESS who won their age division?!?  ME!  There were only 13 girls in my div. and I beat 'em ALL!  I actually get some kind of award!  I ran all through high school and never won anything other than 1 6th place ribbon for the mile (there were only 8 contestants.   I'm so excited!  PLUS, I chicked half the guys in James' age division.  He came in 15th out of 27.  The key to success is finding races that are not that well attended, in my opinion.  :)   Check out the age division results:

http://www.husd.org/NewsArticle.aspx?aid=624&cid=5