State 36:
Post Oak Lodge Challenge (Marathon Only)
Tulsa Oklahoma
4:47:02 (But First Place for Women)
State 37 (My husband's FIRST marathon)
Baltimore Rhode Island Marathon
(Insert Later- can't find it)
Okay...so...it's been almost a year and two marathons have passed and I didn't complete race write ups. Next week I have another marathon so i thought i would try to play catch up (and writing quickly not editing..). There was so much to write about in the last two marathons as State 36 was originally Jackson Mississippi and midair we couldn't land in Jackson and it ended up getting cancelled so then the make up was a month later in Oklahoma. Then Rhode Island was my husbands first marathon- and we ran it together. So... that's the summary. A few more details- and sorry that's it- hopefully I'll get back on track with the next one.
So- Kristen and I had booked the trip to go together where i would run the full and she would run the half. It was early January which is always difficult as training is through the holidays so I wasn't feeling 100% prepared. Kristen- also JUST learned she was pregnant and the 1st trimester fatigue and slow down on runs had kicked in. We both have our victories so we were just enjoying traveling together. Well, we learned very quickly we were great at traveling together in high stress situations- i think we laughed off all the issues.
When we got to the milwaukee airport we learned our connecting flight from Atlanta to Jackson- had been cancelled so we were frantically rebooking that flight. As we were told they got us on another flight THAT DAY (as we stressed we were racing the next day so it couldn't be the next day) - we then learned they actually booked us for the following day. And somehow I think we ended up being kicked off the flight from Milwaukee to Atlanta- so while i was on the phone with Delta to get our Atlanta to Jacksonville flight- Kristen was working to get us back on the flight in Milwaukee (i think that's how it went down).
By the time we left milwaukee we were on standby to a flight that was a quick turnaround. So we ran to get to that flight only to learn it was delayed. Our back up- we had a rental car from Atlanta to Jacksonville. We were the last two to make it on standby- and we felt so lucky. But then as we were flying to Jacksonville- 20 minutes to land. We got word because of the ice Jacksonville closed their airport and they were rerouting us. First we thought Mobil Alabama which we thought- okay get a rental from there and drive, then we were told we were going all the way back to Atlanta. We were talking about getting a rental and just not sleeping and then having really crappy race times- when we learned alot of the roads were closed and people on the plane were advising us of the dangers in the ice down there and how they don't have the resources if something were to happen. AND it was in the middle of the night with not much civilization on a chunk of the drive... We also had a baby in Kristen's belly- so it's not just about us and our crazy adventures anymore. So we decided to call it quits. Once we landed in Atlanta we luckily called up my friend Rachel- which was nice since i could see her then- and we stayed the night with her- and the next day flew back to Milwaukee. 24 hours of flying and ended up back home. The Marathon was actually cancelled so good thing we didn't break ourselves trying to get there- it would have been for nothing.
SO...now....what do i do? I ran a 50K in the fall with Correen in the Kettle Moraine and had so much fun on the trails- so i decided- i needed a trail run instead for my make up. I found the Post Oak Lodge Marathon- which happened to be cheap and the flights were cheap and easy- so.... Perfect!
This race was hard! I mean look at my time...worst time ever BUT first place for girls (*which some did the races the two days before and were still rockstars so i felt like i was a "freshie" but...still...). This was a four loop course and 4,000+ feet of elevation having to complete the "Hill from Hell" four times.
I had fun on the trails but some of the downs were intense and i feared them. So when i would walk the ups with people- I would oftentimes loose the guys as they went down so fast. I twisted my ankle countless times- which ...oh yeah- from twisting my ankle to tte start of Nebraska- when adrenaline and swelling was gone- i was left with a minor sprained ankle- which i wrapped and ran on for the most part- on the 50K trail race and then this one... making it take longer to heal and being super sensitive on this run.
So the final lap- when i realized i was in first for girls (and lapping a lady that was one of those "i'm an awesome runner" talkers that i feel like looked at me like an ammature and in conversations with her one of the first things out of her mouth was about how young people these days cheat at runs- why tell this to a "young" person- and by the way- i've been running marathons now for over 12 years... and while only 1 100 miler in the books- i've done it!- so i was happy to lap her).
So again- final lap- i planned on doing a shot at this one aid station because i told them i would on the last loop- but now i'm tired and sore and hurting and i'm on my last lap and as i passed that aid station i was running- so i wasn't about to lose the first place because i took a shot. So i kept on going. I also fell just before coming up on this aid station- and my legs cramped where it took about 4 minutes for me to be able to get up - with the help of a passer by. So...sorry- didn't stop. I finished in a super slow for me time- but if you could grade the level of difficulty- this was the most difficult - and i'm proud of the race.
Then came Rhode Island- my husband decided about 16 weeks before the race- that this was the one he wanted to do. It was between that and Seattle Washington which was hillier. So- i put him on a 16 week training program. Of which- the first half was just building to a half marathon. He did awesome in the winter training and awesome on his first thirteen mile run. He was running only 2 times a week which for his body- that was the best- once we picked it up to 3 times a week he actually got injured and then was out for 3 weeks recovering. I really worried something popped in his knee that would require surgery but two phyiscal therapists and some therapy later- that was it. But with that- he swore only running once a week was the best for him. So...He did a 8, 14, 16, 13, 20, 12 ...and then the race....yup- you heard that right- i would never think this is a good idea for any normal person. But he's an athlete, he knew his body...and well we did learn after the 16 miler that he needed at least another 30 minutes of cardio mid-week to make his long runs stronger. He got into his stride learning if he slowed it down, he could go for longer with less back pain (he had back surgery many moons ago and because of that actually his one leg is weaker which is why he got injured).
The Baltimore Marathon might be my favorite course. And maybe it's because i was running slower than my norm so i was never in pain and i got to enjoy the scenery, Maybe it was because here i am running next to my husband- not a runner- but he wanted to experience and understand my crazy addiction/passion - and he was running a marathon!, maybe it was perfect running weather, maybe it was that my sister in law came to cheer us on- and running marathons herself she knew how to be the perfect spectator - maybe it was because it was a pretty awesome course always changing scenery from city, to neighborhoods to running paths to longer country like roads, or it was the right size. But- now when someone asks- what's your favorite- Baltimore takes the cake.
We ran every step together and we didn't first walk until mile 17. That's pretty amazing especially for someone who trained like i mentioned above!!! The 4:30 group passed us around mile 20 and we took a nice long stretch. By the end my husbands other knee was hurting him- and he feared it would be the same issue as with the last knee so we started to take it a little easier. But once we saw the finish line - he took off and it was hard for me to keep up! (part because someone was right in front of me i had to run around- part because he was sprinting at the .2 left!).
...He also said he was more sore from a trainer - leg workout a few weeks after the marathon than he did from the marathon.
Between These two marathons- we moved. Back to Chi-town. I've come full circle to the place where it all began. I'm not running with CARA because life has evolved- but i do love running with my original marathon friends when i get the chance. There have been some struggles...but i'll save that for the next marathon write up. Hopefully I'll be on top of writing it the week after the race!
(oh and Better Late than Never- happens to be a song by Cee Lo Green so...i at least have stuck to the titles being from songs.)
