Ok, several have complained that I have failed to blog for some time, but as a viable excuse – until this week – I was without a home computer. My house was burglarized on July 21st – so hopefully the two of you who acknowledge that you read my blog will forgive the three week hiatus. The iPad was simply not an option.
This morning, I awakened to the wind slamming the outside-window coverings against the walls of my home. It was 3am. I was annoyed – the last of the five 5K Summer Series was at 6:30am. I needed the sleep. Nothing ruins my running confidence more than a poor night’s sleep, but the wind carried on for the next 90 minutes when I finally just got out of bed. Additionally, I was also frustrated knowing that, not only is this South Mountain 5K the hardest and most demoralizing of the series, but CLEARLY I would be enduring fairly high winds to boot!
I had received news last night that the majority of my best friends would not be joining me for the morning run – no Anne, no Loretta and no Amy. My other close friend, Rachel, is always iffy since she has a 20 month old at home who is getting her rear molars.
I arrived at South Mountain with 30 minutes to spare and within 15 minutes found Rachel. She had warmed up and was ready to beat her time the year prior (which was her first race post-baby). Additionally, and to my surprise, I found Jackie G. and her boyfriend joining forces in the wind. Jackie is new to running and seeing her this morning made me realize she really is committed to running and getting healthier. I am inspired by her spirit every time she shows up for a race! This is the 3rd race I have seen her at in the last month – I was all smiles!
The race started late because the Park Rangers were heavily guarding the entrance to South Mountain – creating a line of vehicles down Central that extended for a mile. Out of respect, we all simply allowed for a 15 minute late start – after all, what’s 15 minutes when its already 90 degrees, sunny, with 30 mph winds. It also provided me an opportunity to visit the porta-potty one last time – which everyone knows makes me very happy.
The race started in waves and I elected to stand with the 9 minute milers. I am always a bit intimidated by the 9:00 sign, but I want to be in the 9’s so I know that’s where I should stand. I am not the smallest woman, so occasionally I get the “looks” from the other women and men around me, but I am confident those very looks will help me finish strong. In the back of my head is a little voice that says “it’s really hot, you’ve been pulling 10-10:30 minute miles on your long runs – you sure you want to stand here and get in the way of all these 9-minute-milers?” As I mentioned earlier, this particular 5K is the most difficult of ALL of the summer series. The first mile and a half are uphill – climbing nearly 300 feet. Last year, I wound up walking a chunk of the biggest hill just after the 1 mile mark – so I know its hard. I do this run every year – I am not sure if its to find a way to do well, or if its to remind me that I need to get more hill work in my routine. Regardless, everyone is intimidated by this run.
The 9’s take off and I am feeling really good. “Lovecats” by The Cure was the first song to come on my iPod and it made me want to dance and sing like an 8th grader. I knew this was going to be a good run. We started our ascent immediately, and as I hit the one mile marker, I could see Rachel coming down the hard hill and I was jealous. She was already out of the tough stuff and I was moving head-first into the hardest part of the run. Runners were dropping like flies – I passed runner, after runner, after runner. Its so inspiring to pass runners who gave you the “stink-eye” when you stood next to them in the 9-minute corral. Some runners would abandon their runs mid-stream, not moving to the right – which is so terribly rude, but it gave me something to do, as I bobbed and weaved my way around them up the steepest part of the run. I hit the 1.6 mile mark and there stood the one and only water station. People bailed right and left at the water-stop, as well. But, having done this run so many times before, I knew everything was downhill from there, so I would wait another 13 minutes for water.
I rounded the bend and down I went. I was smiling, singing and really enjoying the run. I took a gander at my watch and I realized I had pulled sub-10’s for the uphill portion which meant (not only did I really belong with the 9’s), I could now pull sub-9’s on the downhill. And, I did… 8:42’s, 8:37’s, 7:35’s…I was thrilled. The course levels out for the last ½ mile and I was still pulling 9’s flat. I could see Rachel screaming my name and cheering me on as I came to the finish line – and I also knew it was my best South Mountain 5k, ever! My watch said 30:03 and 3.2 miles – so now I have to wait to see what the official times report from the www.azroadracers.com site.
That run is the hardest – no one does well. We all simply hope for a better run than the year before. I remember following my friend, Lora’s, butt the whole run, last year – how I wished she’d been there again this year – alas.
So to bring everyone up to speed – I completed a 12, 14, 10 and 13 mile run in the weekends that followed the burglary. The 14-miler was at home in St. Louis is 100% humidity. Hysterical. Next weekend I have a 16 miler – please pray for some cooler temperatures! I have no idea how much more of this heat I can handle.
…and we’re back in business, my friends!
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