Bartram Forest Winter Run

I just had a good feeling about this race from the beginning. I had heard a few things here and there from other Macon Tracksters about this race. I had planned to participate in it from the very first time I heard about it. After reading the race information I knew it was going to be a good one.  Of course, I was right.

I’m not even sure if it should be called a race, maybe more of an event. The whole idea is that you can run a 50K, a Marathon, or a “Fun Run” completing as many of the 5 mile loops as you wish. My plan was to do the Fun Run version of the event, to complete 3 loops running approximately 15 miles.

Not only was the event extremely laid back as far as which distance you wanted to run, but there was no definite start time, you could stop after each loop and indulge on a wonderful spread of homemade cookies and treats, grilled cheese sandwiches, water, gatoraide, coffee, and more. Sounds good doesn’t it?

We arrived in Milledgeville in plenty of time to get ready to run. Only to discover that there was only one bathroom and the line was very slow moving. Not using the potty was NOT an option. After that we still had to go back to the car and get our Garmins and stuff. Once we got back down to the start line, the race had already started. This is the first race I’ve ever missed the start of. Guess what? It didn’t matter. You could really start whenever you wanted to. So we started the Garmin and off we went.


The loop went something like this:

For about a mile we ran on singletrack trails. It wasn’t too technical. I just wore my regular road shoes. Not too hilly, not hard at all. Then we wended up on some kind of crazy newly made trail that seemed to be freshly bush hogged. It was grassy and uneven. There were holes everywhere and these nasty little small tree stubs that kept trying to grab my shoes. This lasted about a mile or so. Then for a good mile and a half we were on service roads with decent packed surfaces. I remember 1 GOOD hill and another not too bad hill up a power line road. The last mile and a half was back on a double track trail that was pretty easy to maneuver.

I ran loop #1, felt great. Stopped for a few minutes for a cookie and some fluid. Then headed back out for loop #2. On the second loop Chuck’s ankle and Achilles was bothering him really bad. So I kept up with my pace but he slowed down so he wouldn’t hurt himself any further. After loop #2 we stopped again and I ate a rice krispy treat and drank some more gatoraide. Chuck decided to sit out the last loop because he was really hurting. Mom and I took off for our final loop around the forest. The last loop felt the best for me. I ran it faster than each previous loop. While running the last section of trails back to the finish line I saw Chuck up ahead. He decided to run the course backwards to the water station then turn around to get about 3 miles. I finished my “fun run” strong and felt like I could handle two more loops and do a marathon. I have good sense so I quit while I was ahead. We snacked on some of FM’s fudge then headed back to Byron.


I finished with in a total of 2 hours, 30 minutes and some seconds. Not too bad.

Sunday morning when we got up I felt like I had been beat with a really big stick. My whole right side was sore. I guess “good” sore, not injury sore. Today is Monday and I still have some soreness in my calves, quads, and hips. Wow, those hills and uneven terrain really did me in.


Next year, I plan to do the Marathon.

Thanksgiving Week

Last week was a test for me. It all started with my Long Run Half Mile Hell Run that I’ve already written about. As far as running goes, the day was just bad. Not only did my running suffer starting on Monday, but my healthy diet did as well.


Monday-
About 10 dozen Krispy Kreme donuts greeted me when I arrived at work. I had no will power to deny them, so I ate 4 stinkin’ donuts for breakfast. Then, to make things worse, we celebrated the Warden’s birthday by ordering pizza and we all brought homemade treats. Unfortunately I participated in the celebration. Uhhhhh…
That night, thinking I was all past my blunder of a run on Sunday, I was just going to run on the treadmill, 5 miles. Yeah right. I had a tummy ache and ended up only running 3 easy on the treadmill. I was still in my funk apparently.

Tuesday- Track workout. I did the workout RC posted, which looked something like this:
3 Sets of (2 x 200, 2 x 400, 1 x 800), with the exception of the last 800 on the last set. I did horrible as far as hitting my goal times. My stomach hurt because once again, I ate too much at work… too much of the wrong food!
Wednesday- Rest Day. I worked until about 2 then we headed over to Brunswick for Thanksgiving. We ate dinner out and I had massive amounts of fattening food at the restaurant.

Thursday- Turkey Day! For breakfast we had Pecan Pie! Then we sat around and watched T.V. until noon. Then my mom and I went out (in a strange neighborhood, where apparently the dogs arn't used to runners!) and ran and "easy" 4.5 mile run. We didn’t eat dinner until after 4 because Chuck’s Mom had to work. Once we finally ate, I ate so much I was in pain.

Friday- I planned to run my tempo run, but we slept late, ate pie for breakfast, then drove back to Byron. By 5 PM I knew a run was not going to happen! I didn't even stress about it.

Saturday – Bartram Forest fun run. I think I’ll post a whole separate blog for this one! As far as food goes, I ate whatever I wanted at the race. Later we went out and had Mexican for dinner.

Sunday – RESTED AGAIN! We were so sore from the forest run that there was no way I was going to run. I spent the whole day cleaning the apartment. We also went and got our Christmas tree and decorated for the holiday. I finished off the bad eating / slack running week with Pizza Hut pizza and a Yuengling lite. No more junk for me!

I still managed to sqeak out just over 29 miles for the week.  Which wasn't the 40 I had planned on, but far better than I was doing 6 months ago.  If 29 miles is my lazy week, then I think I might be OK with that!

I blew out the candles!

Blew out what candles? Nope, it's not my birthday. It's not my daughter's or Chuck's birthday either. Then what cake am I talking about? It was the cake for my freakin' pity party!


As I type this I think I'm pretty much over it. Party's over, the mess is cleaned up.


I know we've all had our horrible accounts of "the worst run ever". They don't come very often. When they do it's like it's the worst it's ever been. Then a few days later you run again, your legs are light, your lungs are clear, your thoughts are free and easy. It's like the bad run never happened. Sort of like the pain of childbirth. You just forget.

Today I'll just share with you my pitiful almost long run from yesterday. Only because I know, in just a few days, I'll be able to post again about a much, much better run.

It all started Saturday night. Chuck and I went out to dinner with one of his old high school friends. I ate greasy fattening wings and steak quesadillas, drank (just one) beer and had a big chocolate peanut butter dessert. My tummy can be very sensitive anyway when it comes time to run. But eating all that crap the night before, never helps.

I woke up Sunday morning at 5 to get ready for the 14 mile run I had planned to run out at the loop. I had my paces all planned out for each mile. But honestly my heart just wasn't in it. I looked at the temp on my computer. It read 52 degrees. I'm thinking, we usually run in the low to mid 40's. In that weather I can handle shorts and a long sleeved shirt. It's warmer today so I'll just wear shorts and a tee-shirt. Little did I know, it was windy and raning. Both conditions I know I'm perfectly capable of enduring. This morning however, I was NOT feeling it... at all. Chuck and I walked downstairs and I just stopped before we went out into the weather and said "do we really want to do this?". See, Chuck had not run for about 4 days due to his achilles tendon bothering him. He said lets just go and get it over with.

We get to the loop, I still am only wearing shorts and a tee shirt, but I had grabbed a jacket since it was so windy. We get out, suck it up and start the run. Nothing really hurt, except a little twinge in my shins that has been bothering me for about a week. Once I started to get warm my jacket was really getting on my nerves. It wasn't a running jacket, it was loose and baggy. I didn't want to tie it around my waist. I didn't want to throw it on the ground. I was thinking, I can't handle dealing with this stupid jacket for two hours. Then, during the middle of a great pointless hip hop song with a great beat... I dont know... a good one about stippers and $500 in ones. Yeah, during the song my MP3 player stops. I glance down. The screen is blank, it won't come on. Uggghhh..dead battery. I do not want to run for the next two hours with an annoying jacket and Nothing to listen to. I'm griping to Chuck and wanting to stop. Wanting to but knowing that I really wont. I run on for a few more minutes. Then glance down to check out my pace. Guess what? My garmin screen is blank. I fidget with it and manage to press the right combination of buttons to get the stupid thing reset. It restarts, only to show that I'm running a 1 minute mile pace. Ok, I know I'm training to run faster and all, but come on.

Then the screen goes blank again. I just stop, turn around and start walking. Fuming a the stupid garmin. Chuck realizes that I've dipped and he turns around and says he's at least going to run back to the car. I don't. I'm going to walk. I'm pissed. I take off my Garmin and throw the stupid thing in the street. Chuck hears it hit, turns around, picks it up and fusses at me for being immature and keeps running.

I spent the next half mile walking back to the car. Feeling sorry for myself. Feeling embarrased to have thown a watch that cost over $150.00 in the road. Wanting to run my 14 mile run. NOT wanting to run my 14 mile run. Then, while I was at it I just started crying. I kept this thought process going until Chuck had gotten the car and headed my way to pick me up. I got in the car and not a word was spoken all the way back to Byron.

The rest of my Sunday consisted of me laying on the couch and reading a VERY good book. It's called "the Help". Great book. I iced my shins every hour or so and was a lazy bum.

I topped it all off with eating donuts for breakfast this morning and then pizza for lunch today. Not only did I forego my planned long run yesterday, I managed to eat probably 3 days worth of calories in about 6 hours. Go Me!

Now that it's written, and shared. I can say I'm over it.

Thanks to Chuck, my Mom, RC & the Grasshopper for the support & encouragement.

Younglife Turkey Trot 5K 11-14-09

The 7th Annual Griffin Younglife Turkey Trot 5K was held this Saturday.

I learned of this race from a post on the Macon Tracks Forum and decided I wanted to run it, just for a fun 5K to do on a weekend that our kids aren’t with us. I went ahead and registered, only to learn that 2 more 5K’s were being held much more locally on that same day.

Even though it was an hour drive, I figured the race would give us something different to do… a change of scenery at least.

Saturday morning we sacrificed yet another morning of sleeping in (do I even know what that is?). We were up by 5, of course I needed my prerace “warm up” shower and Me & Chuck needed or pre-race fuel: coffee, a bagel & peanut butter. We left the house soon after 6 in order to get to Griffin at least an hour before the race started (8:30). I wanted make sure we could find the place and be able to do my warm up for about 20 minutes.

Chuck was in charge of directions & driving, so of course we got there with no problems. The race was held at the Wyomia Tyus Olympic Park. It was a beautiful park and a beautiful morning to run. The temp. was in the mid 40’s, the sun was out, and the wind was calm.

We got our race numbers and tee shirts, which were surprisingly technical tees. I didn’t expect to get a Segoi tee with a $15 entry fee! Even though they didn’t have any small size tee’s, they said they would mail me one when they came in.

I asked the race organizers if they had a course map anywhere. A guy on a mountain bike showed us the course, turns out he just rode the course and would be leading the runners on the course during the 5K. TURNS OUT this is a TRAIL/ CROSS COUNTRY 5K. OOPS. I was under the impression that this was somewhat off road, but I didn’t know it was ALL off road. At this point I was sure this wasn’t going to be a PR course. Who cares right? It would be fun.

After a quick trip to the potty, Chuck & I were off to run our warm up, and sort of scout out the area. We finished jogging and waited a few minutes until start time.

The course was CRAZY! We started off on a paved golf cart trail uphill. Went straight down a steep hill and ran into the grass. Wet, uneven grass with ruts all in it. We ran around the edge of a soccer field (some sort of soccer tournament was being held that morning) and up another hill in the grass. We made a left turn and entered a trail like area where the ground was covered in about ankle deep leaves. We couldn’t even see the ground or the possible roots & ruts under the leaves. At this point it was KILLING me to keep an 8:40 pace. This isn’t even my tempo run pace! I tried to high step it over the leaves, the last thing I wanted was a twisted ankle!

Chuck managed to get up ahead of me very early in the race, probably from back when we first started running on the grass. He gradually pulled away further and further. I didn’t even let that bother me, he’s always been faster and more confident on the trails.

After running on the leafy trail, we came back out onto some grass UP hill only to turn right again onto another trail. This one was much clearer, as far as no leaves on the ground. Only now there were visible roots to contend with, wooden bridges, switchbacks, hills, and mud puddles. Fun Stuff.

At about 2.5 miles we came out of the trail (which was beautiful yet painful) and back onto an open grassy area. Only to do what? Run up another hill in the grass. Ahhhh. Only to be lead on a deceiving wet pea gravel driveway. It seemed that running on the gravel would be better than running in the grass. Nope. The gravel was saturated and just sunk under your feet like sand. So, I hop off the gravel only to sink in water in the grass and soak my shoes completely. Back on the gravel. I was huffing and puffing and dying, only to look at my pace. 10:15??? WHAT? This is bad. I knew my time would be horrible, but the terrain was sucking the life out of me. By now, where is Chuck? I don’t know, I can’t even see him anymore!

Completing the torturous pea gravel hill, we are rewarded with SIDEWALK at a decline, yes. It was wonderful. I picked the pace up a little, only to turn left and go again up a hill, but still on sidewalk so I was thankful for that. I know where I am, and I know the end is probably .25 of a mile away. Sweet. I see a young girl in front of me. I’m not betting on having a great time. I did pass quite a few people in the middle of the race on the trail. A few of which might have possibly been in my age group. So, I decided that my last effort would be to pass the high school girl in front of me and not be passed by anyone else.

I trudged up the sidewalk, we cross a road and get back on the golf cart trail we started on. There is a guy in the road stopping cars for us to cross. Behind me I hear foot steps. I hear the guy say “Go {insert female name?}” . I didn’t turn around. I had no idea how old this chick was. Although I decided she would not pass me. I revved up the speed… mentally I was doing track work and I was just going to go for a 400 meter interval. Give it all I had. I passed the girl and never even heard the footsteps behind me again. It was a blonde girl that came in behind me was wearing black tights with blue shorts over the tights.

My finishing time was 28:25. I was disappointed. Thinking I should have done better than that. I do felt like my effort for the whole race was as good as I could give. The course was very tough.

Chuck managed to finish a good 30 seconds before me. Punk : )

We waited around for the award ceremony. My mom got 2nd place Masters Female.
I got 1st in my age group, which they did by 10’s (30 – 39 Female). And guess who walked up to get her 2nd place medal???? Blonde girl with the black tights and blue shorts! Ha!

Poor Chuck, beat both of us, but didn’t bring home any hardware… His age group is tougher. He wouldn’t let us live that down all the way back to Byron.

Chuck and I ended the day with dinner at the Mellow Mushroom. We ate the best Pizza and drank delicious cold beer. I even had desert, white chocolate macadamia nut cookie sundae. After dinner we went to a movie and ate popcorn. I ate so much that I was in pain.

We ended the evening by watching the Bulldogs play, and actually WIN! Well, I didn’t make it through the end of the game. The early morning, the run, the food, and the beer put me in a coma. What a wonderful Saturday!

Improvements?

4 Weeks of serious focused training down, 11 Weeks to go… until my next half marathon.

I have mixed feelings about my training at this point. I’ve been following my prescribed paces, doing my easy runs, my quality runs, and my long runs. For some reason I still wonder it that’s enough?

I know that it’s probably just self doubt. If I did any more, it would probably be classified as overtraining.

I still can’t help but feel that I’m missing something. Yet when I go back over my log book and my run paces I can’t find any thing that I think I’m doing wrong either?

Maybe I’m just being impatient. I ran aimlessly for 6 years. Now that I am concentrating on really being a better runner, I want it to happen RIGHT NOW!

Even after typing that last paragraph, I know that I am a better runner, now than I was 4 weeks ago. So, I’ll just calm down, continue doing what RC says, be strong, be focused and meet my goals.

Two runs this week proved to me how much I have improved already.

***Pic of Chuck & me, looking not so happy to be up early on a Saturday.***

Jay’s Hope 5K:
I went into this race not expecting to come out with a new PR. Most likely because I knew that a portion of the course would be off road. I’ve run trails enough to know that being off the asphalt SUCKS time off your pace. I did however, want to run a race, preferably with negative splits… and run the race knowing I did my best on that particular day on that particular course.

As for negative splits, can I say “kinda”?
Mile 1 – 8:02
Mile 2 – 8:09 Hmmmm???
Mile 3 – 7:56
.15 – 7:26

The beginning of the course was a gravel road that went at least a half mile down hill slightly, then we turned around and went right back up the hill on gravel road. Yuck.

Did I run the race that morning, the best I could considering the course? I think so. No need to beat myself up about my performance, because at no point while running did I just ease up because it hurt. I pushed as hard as I could push that day.

As far as my finishing time, unofficially being 25:16 (according to my Garmin). Well, it’s slower than my Race for the Cure time last weekend. BUT BUT BUT BUT… it’s faster than every other 5K that I’ve run all from Jan to Oct this year. That’s something to be happy about right?

Regardless of my time, split paces, etc… I had a great time. Chuck, Mom & me enjoyed the whole event. From our crunchy pre-race warm up and strides (that I have to MAKE them do). To the race itself, to hanging out afterwards eating Chick-Fil-A biscuits talking with friends. It was great! OH, and let me not forget that I placed second in my age group!

My race, although not spectacular by any means or a PR did, in my opinion show an improvement in my running over the last 10 months. My long run the next day was more telling.

We (Chuck, Mom & Me) met out at the loop with the Macon Tracks at 7:15 in the cold windy weather to get our long run of the week in. 11 miles were on tap for the morning. My plan was to run the first 6 at my new easy pace of 10:20 – 9:40, starting at the slower end and ending toward the faster end. Then I would run 3 miles at marathon pace, which is now 8:53. Finishing the last two miles at a 9:40 pace, or possibly less. Giving me a negative split run.

I did it, exactly as I planned. I couldn’t be happier to have run 11 miles at a 9:36 pace overall. Not to lose my steam at the end of a long run like I used to. This shows that my efforts are producing results.

I can’t wait to see what the next 11 weeks have in store. I’m ready though!