Thanksgiving and more...

I suppose there’s always something to write about, eh?

So, after the high of last weekend’s marathon, I headed to St. Louis to spend the Thanksgiving week with my family in Illinois.  You should all know that I suffer a bit from slight depression after a major event is over – I get all worked up in anticipation of the big day and then it comes and goes.  And, with something as large as a marathon – you’re also supposed to take several days off to get your legs back.  THAT is so hard on me.
  

By Tuesday afternoon, I was really feeling myself again, so Mom and I went to the gym on Wednesday morning so I could get a bike workout completed.  With the new bike and all the marathon training, I really had not been on the bike much.  I had even emailed Matt the week prior lamenting the fact that he had prescribed easier than usual bike workouts to keep my legs from exhaustion before the marathon.  Taper means taper – in all aspects (he would remind me).  “Yes, Coach.”  I guess I can’t argue.  I had my best ½ marathon time and my best marathon time with a lot of his guidance.  So, my bike muscles had atrophied a smidge, and I should be ok with it.

By Wednesday afternoon, I really felt fantastic.  My recovery from the marathon was by far the best it had ever been.  (And, yes, this was my 8^th marathon recovery.)  So, after spending a delightful lunch with my former college suite-mate, Nancy, I signed up for a Turkey Trot in my home town of Belleville, Illinois, for the following morning.

Nancy and Me - outside mom's house

The race didn’t start until 8am, which was really nice, since the family and I toasted the 15^th anniversary of Dad passing on Wednesday night.  Dad drank a Tanqueray Gibson and let me tell you – it’s vile.  I may be the only one willing to consume it, but I have honored the tradition of doing so every year since his passing.  It’ll knock you on your ass, though.  So, I followed it up with a couple of Sierra Nevada Tumbler Nut Brown Ales, of course.

There she is - Gibson herself!

So, you see, the 8am start time was welcome!  When I got to downtown Belleville around 7:20am it was FREEZING cold.  It was clear that there were going to be about 1000 runners, which impressed me enormously for a Turkey Trot.  In years past, I have seen some with only a couple hundred.  I was sad not to get a race shirt – but that was the hazard of signing up the day before the event.  (There was a disclaimer stating that this would be the case for late registrants, and they weren’t kidding.)

At 7:40am, I decided it was time to warm up with a mile or so run around the area – putting my jacket in the car once I was fully warm.  I know that it takes me about 15 minutes to really feel like I have my running legs, so for a 5K – it was important to warm up.  Either that or half the race would be lost (for me). 

As I made my way to the starting line, the crowd was excited.  I stood about 6 people deep (from the start) in an effort to actually head out with real runners.  Often people just walk these things and I didn’t want to be stuck behind anyone.  The gun fired and off we went.  It was a fantastic run.  I felt no pain or discomfort and my mind was focused on finished strong.  There were a couple of steep sections right at the very beginning and again at the very end and it knocked people out right away and killed them in the end.  Given the amount of tough hill work I do on the trails weekly, I had no problem with the hills.  I stopped my watch as I crossed the finish line: 3.17 miles, 26:50.  I quickly did the math and realized I had also pushed out my fastest 5K – and as I looked around there just weren’t that many people who finished in front of me, so I stuck around to see if I might have placed in my age group (40-44).  As luck would have it – and after waiting around for 45 minutes – I took 4^th place, missing 3^rd by less than30 seconds.  Oh well – it was the first time in my life I even thought it was a possibility.  So, although it was hugely disappointing not to hear my name called and received a medal – it was nice to know I was “this” close.

Back inside mom's house after the Turkey Trot, still freezing cold.

I was then able to enjoy a food filled Thanksgiving, courtesy of my mom, that evening. 

Friday morning I met my good friend, Marcy, for breakfast before taking off for the airport.  My grandmother, aunt and mom were pleased to pose for some pics while we were hanging around the restaurant/hotel.  Naturally, I am including them here!

Marcy and Me -- known each other since 5th grade!

She's 99, but don't tell anyone!

Mom, Mer and Aunt Lynne.

It was great to get home that evening, though, and back to my routine.

On Saturday morning I rose and headed out to the trailhead for a nice 6 mile run with my new Garmin (which, btw, I still cannot figure out how to upload to Garmin Connect – so frustrating).  Unlike my Garmin 110, this 910XT corrects for steep elevation changes, so it meant I had to go slightly longer to get the 6 miles completed.  I welcomed the challenge and still beat my last several times: 1:04, 6.06 miles.   The morning was a delicious 65 degrees and sunny – something I had longed for since leaving for Philly, 8 days prior.

See, beautiful morning for a trail run!

As soon as I was done, I headed out to Anne’s to begin a day of shenanigans for her 40^th birthday.  It was great fun.  We had breakfast, got pedicures and hung around for wine and cake after dinner.  I had a blast!  I hope she did, too!

Great friends and good wine!

This morning, after a relatively sleepless night, I met Matt for a ride – our first ride/workout together in just under 2 weeks.  I was super nervous, as he’d been punching out some amazing numbers on his bike while I was in taper mode.  And, I could feel it the moment I tucked in behind him on our first stretch – I was simply not comfortable riding at his accelerated pace, anymore.  I was immediately disappointed in myself, but knew Matt fully understood.  It doesn’t matter that he gets it – I will still mentally beat myself up over it for the next couple of hours.  Its just how my silly brain works.  I want to get better – not have setbacks.  Today was setback-city.
  

As we hit South Mountain park for Silent Sunday, Matt was easily 10 bike lengths in front of me, so he didn’t even notice when my headlight decided to crap out.  The sun was beginning to rise, but not enough for oncoming cyclists or runners to see me on the road through the park.  So, I was trying to tighten up the distance between us for some time.  Then like an idiot, I thought Matt had pulled over to wait for me – and would simply begin moving again once I caught up, but as I approached, he actually got off his bike.  Panicking, I realized this was actually my clue to get the hell off my bike, as well.  BUT, nope – my brain and my cleats were not in check and over I went, locking knees with the bike and trapped by my own clips.  What a dumbass I was!  Now, on top of my mental state, I was bruised and banged up.  Evidently, nothing was wrong with Matt’s bike – as he had suspected something might have been wonky with his chain – so off we went.  Matt offered to give me a push – but I gave him the look of death and was able to clip myself back in going uphill.  I would not suffer any more humiliation…I thought.

Up the Summit Road we went, Matt in the lead by nearly a ¼ mile for a lot of it.  I found myself getting closer here and there, but not enough for Matt to even see me in the distance.  I would go it alone and meet him at the top.  It was a hard ride – harder than it had ever been.  My legs were tired, my ego damaged and my will waning.  Somehow I passed mile marker after mile marker en route to the top.  And, shortly after passing the mile 6 marker (its 7 miles to the top), I noticed my steering was stiff and uncontrollable.  Yep, a flat – I had a freakin’ flat!  It was the first time I actually worried that Matt might worry and there is absolutely NO cell reception up to the Summit.  I tried to take care of things swiftly, but the chill close to the top was killing me and my hands were stiff from being super cold.  Fortunately, a nice guy rode by and asked if I needed his help.  I told him to simply go on and find my buddy to let him know I had a flat – that he’d likely be waiting at the top for me.   He was happy to oblige and off he went. 

I’d only managed to get the tube into the tire before I saw Matt – a welcome site.  I was shivering and nearly incapable of handling the rest of the change.  I was lucky to have him there.  We were back on the road in no time and I was pedaling feverishly to even keep up with him on the decent. 

We’d lost too much time to also complete San Juan Road before trekking the 12 miles back to my house, so we abandoned ship and headed home.  Turns out I must have knocked a few things out of place on my little fall – as my chain was not seeding properly and my brakes were rubbing the tire.  NO wonder I had a few tough miles en route to the Summit.  Its ok, Matt will help me get my legs back and in no time I will feel as comfortable as I did on the last Silent Sunday.  (At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.)

Reunited workout buddies, at last!

It also merits mentioning that while Anne’s 40^th was yesterday, her beautiful daughter, Lyla (who routinely makes this blog) turned 1, today.  It was a glorious evening watching her open her gifts with her big brother and then refusing to have anything to do with her cake. 

"You want me to eat WHAT?!

Sean still loves the camera!

So – happy birthdays Anne and Lyla!!!

Next week Anne, Loretta, Amy, Kris and I are all off to the Vegas ½ Marathon!  THAT should be a fun blog, if nothing else!

Philly Marathon Weekend!

Here it is a day post marathon and its STILL all I can think about.  I know many of you are not surprised, but seriously, I feel like there is so much to share and so little time (or so little chance of keeping your attention long enough for you to actually remain interested).  I will try - but in all likelihood - you're in for the long haul.

The marathon weekend began the morning following my 40th birthday.  I know, I know - you're all shocked (and appalled) that someone who looks as good as me just celebrated her 40th; well, its true.  I am still dealing with it.  (wink) 

Ron met me at my house at 7:30am and Kris was kind enough to drop the two of us off at the airport en route to work.  Needless to say, it was an uneventful flight since, due to severe nausea, I slept 75% of it.  Poor Ron; at least he had warning.  But seriously, I was out before we were 500 feet in the air.

Our flight arrived a little early and we rushed off to check into the hotel and get to the Marathon Expo (which didn't close until 9pm Friday night).  The air was crisp, cold and windy -- our Arizona bones did not acclimate so well as we walked the 1/2 mile to the Philly Convention Center.  Not to mention, Ron complained the whole walk (evidently he was hungry and turns into a zombie of some sort without food - I blame his wife for not telling me about this.  I mean, at least I am up front about my moodiness due to hunger.)  And, the Expo was super lame - SUPER lame!  All of the usual marathon exhibitors were absent; there was no fanfare and the vendors seemed completely disinterested.  Vendors, by the way, included things like siding for your home and insurance companies - LAME!  However, there was one expected vendor - Garmin.  As I approached the Garmin booth I asked about their expo discount - knowing the 910XT had been slightly out of reach for the average Joe.  "10% off and no sales tax in PA," the gal said.  I perked up and quickly did the math in my head.  That was about an $80 savings - and I whipped out my debit card and applied every ounce of my birthday moneys to my brand new Garmin (with all the triathlon bells and whistles).  I cannot wait to use it on my next swim and ride. 

Super excited!  All mine!

After we left the Expo, I texted one of my absolute best friends in the universe, Candice, and she met us out at a local pub near our hotel.  She'd moved to Philly the prior October for a great job - so it was wonderful that we selected a destination-marathon near her.  The three of us celebrated my birthday and came up with lots of other things to celebrate, as well, as we ordered round after round, hoping it would help numb us from the chill in the air.  (It did not; it actually only made it worse, as Ron and I huddled on our walk back to the hotel late that evening.)

The moment I saw Candice in the pub!

A lot of drinks later outside the pub!  (She hates this pic, but I love it!)

We awakened early on Saturday morning with the intention of jogging to the starting/finish line so we would know exactly how far it was from our hotel.  We met at 7am and both lamented that our phone's weather apps said "36 degrees".  We simply did not have the correct attire for such a run - but we were going to make it work.  I piled on a long sleeved running shirt, a light jacket and something to cover my ears, and Ron had gloves and a cap.  We could only laugh as we stepped foot outside hoping we'd warm up quickly.  And, we did.  It was 1.45 miles to the starting line, and we agreed that it was a perfect distance to warm us up the next morning prior to the start.  As we approached the starting line, we remembered that there was a pre-marathon 8K going on the day prior and there were several thousand runners lining up to run their historic short race. 

Me, finish line!

...and Ron!

It also happened to be the area of the city where Rocky ran his famous steps and did his famous pose.  Naturally, we walked the steps and posed in front of the statue -- it was super cheesy and we were having a great time, even if super cold.  The Rocky theme was also playing in the background as the race started, and all we could do was enjoy the momentum of the race, the location and the fans. 

 The Rocky Steps!

Sideways... I tried everything (deal with it)

Then we walked/jogged back to our hotel to begin a day of sight-seeing in a new city for both of us.

After my shower, I put on one of my favorite birthday gifts from Anne's kids -- you'll see it pictured below.  I, naturally, layered it with a long-sleeve shirt and a down jacket. 

Two sideways photos...alas.  Not my fault.

First, Ron and I went to a local Amish breakfast joint in the midst of a HUGE market in downtown Philly.  We both had eggs, turkey bacon and blueberry pancakes -- everyone assured us it would be amazing.  Well, I don't think either of us were particularly impressed with the food (or the coffee, for that matter), but it was fun seeing the ladies in their get-ups, complete with bonnet.  I did have to specially request "sweet 'n low" -- and fortunately no one gave me a dirty look.  I wouldn't dare ask for soy or I might have been pummeled.  I risked the whole milk, but feared for my life - I'll admit.  We wandered the impressive market filled with fish, meats, cheeses, chocolates, wines and so much more.  It was a wonderful way to start our morning. 

The Amish Cafe!

After breakfast, we headed to the Independence Hall area and got our history on.  We saw the Liberty Bell and got tours of all of the first buildings of Philly, including the very room the Declaration of Independence was signed.  It was a lot of great information -- in fact, I think at some points Ron and I both felt we were getting re-educated. 

Independence Hall behind me

Ron POSED for a pic!

Then, we headed back to the mid-town area and hit the Franklin Institute of Science.  Unbeknownst to us, we snuck into the museum without paying the $16.50 pp admission cost.  We made a left after using the bathrooms and found the museum - and simply walked in.  No one stopped us as we played with mechanisms that taught us about electricity and currents and showed us a lot of the "lighted" history of Philadelphia.  We then made our way through the rest of the museum, spending about an hour learning about steam and coal trains and the history of the train and it innovation.  Lastly, we found the section of the museum dedicated to the aircraft and meandered through exhibits from the Wright Brothers to our military history.  We loved learning about thrust and airspeed, and we got to play with simulated games - often watching young children crash and burn within moments.  Honestly, it wasn't until we had left the gift shop, several hours later, that we noticed we were not in the "free" section of the museum - rather we simply avoided the Ticket Booth altogether.  So, um, thank you City of Philadelphia for affording us an education - we loved it!  (Candice met us at the museum after we'd been there for a couple of hours and commented, "I was not aware that there was a free section of the museum.") -- soooooo, that's why everyone else had wrist bands and stickers.  (squint)

In The Franklin Inst train area

Da plane...da plane!

By then it was around 4:30pm and we agreed that we needed to get an early dinner and head back to our hotel rooms to retire early.  Candice took us to one of her favorite pasta/pizza joints and each of us had delightful and filling meals.  Candice also took us through her Wells Fargo Museum after dinner (which was super impressive) and then we said our goodnights and she left for home and we our hotel.

Saying good-bye is always hard ... sigh

As we hugged goodnight, Ron and I commented on our enormously fun day and wished each other a successful night's sleep - Sunday was the big day.  Ron and I always have to negotiate our wake-up/out-the-door-time, as he appreciates sleep a bit more than I. 

And, at 5:45am the following morning, we met and headed to the starting line.  It was COLD!  I had purchased a $2 zippered sweatshirt from Goodwill and a $2 pair of throw-away gloves and was prepared to simply be cold as we walked the mile and a half to the start.  As we made our way through Philly we picked up more and more marathoners as we walked.  The more marathoners, the warmer we all were.  By the time we were 1/2 a mile from the start, there was a sea of runners ready to accomplish something most wouldn't dream of. 

Ron and I both made pit stops at the port-a-potties as we approached the start, and then waited for 20 minutes in our corral waiting for the line to begin to move.  The energy in the corrals was amazing.  Everyone was talking to one another wishing each other a great run.  For many, this was their first marathon, and for others, this was merely another one to check off on their lists of locations.  For me, the anticipation makes me anxious and quiet.  All I could think about was my training and how hard I had worked to see my first 4:30 marathon.  I have always known I could do it, but once again, there I was lined up with 30,000 other runners hoping we could see it through.

As the race started, the crowds were on fire.  For miles and miles and miles there were crowds 3 people deep along the side of the Philly Streets.  I had failed to accurately start my Garmin and didn't realize it until 4/10s of a mile into the run.  I admit, it pissed me off for a moment, but then I realized that the math would keep me focused as I ticked passed each mile marker.  The Garmin is occasionally off by a couple of tenths at the end, anyway. 

Ron and I got separated, right away.  No big deal - we had a post-run-meet-up-spot and we knew were both going to try to find and stick with the gal with the 4:15 pace sign.  Right around mile 5, I passed the 4:15 pacer and was feeling super strong.  And, somewhere around that same point, I saw Ron in the distance and caught up to him to say hello.  He mentioned that his knee was bothering him already, so I told him he was going pretty fast and could stand to slow it up, if he needed to.  His comment, "Hell no; I am going this fast to get this over with sooner."  All I could do was smile, turn my music back on and run.  We got separated again - Ron taking the lead by about 45 seconds. 

At mile 10 or so, there was a switch back and we saw that we really were keeping pace with one another.  We were ecstatic when we saw each other, high fiving each other as we passed.  I was having a great time and feeling super strong.  By mile 14, my stomach was in knots.  I felt like I was going to have issues and began to worry.  My 9:45 pace started to become a 10:00 and 10:15 pace, as I considered sacrificing a couple of minutes to find a port-a-potty.  But, each time I got near one, the line was several runners deep and I simply tried to keep my discomfort at bay, hoping it would either pass or I would find a potty without a line in the future.  I never did; every potty had a line.  Additionally, miles 14-21 had us watch as the uber fast runners were completing miles 21-26 - the course ran up and back along the river.  It was tough to see the first finishers pass us as we hit the mile 15 marker.  And, later, to see the 3:15 marathon pacer run by - knowing I was at least an hour behind them.  Those were tough miles -- we passed runners who looked hammered coming in the opposite direction.  The jury is still out as to whether its a good idea to do that to the slower runners. 

However, as I passed the mile 20 marker I could see the turn around/switch-back ahead, and I knew I would be on the other side of that pain-cave.  I came around the sharp bend and could see Ron a few steps in front of me.  I smiled at him and said, "so, shall we finish this one together, too?"  But the look on his face said it all as he waved me on, "No, you go on; I am in a lot of pain, Mer."  Fearful and worried for Ron, I passed him and trudged on.  I never hit the wall.  I passed mile 22 and 23 without noticing it.  By mile 24 my heart was in my throat as I glanced at my watch every now and then to check my pace -- and I was still holding strong around a 9:45-9:55 pace.  I knew I would REALLY have to screw up not to make my time at that point and I was getting excited.  At mile 25, I did the math and realized that I was not only going to make my time, I was going to come in around 4:20.  I started to get choked up and tried to snap out of it.  Could I really push out a sub-10 minute pace for the entirety of 26.2 miles?  I could barely see the street in front of me for the welling of tears.  I saw, again, the droves of people lined up 5-6 people deep, screaming at the runners.  I turned off my music and kept hearing my name, "Meredith - you have this!"  "Meredith, don't stop, you are amazing!"  "Meredith, only a little more to go!"  "GO Meredith, GO!"  I was in awe and overwhelmed with emotion.

I passed the Mile 26 marker and glanced at my watch 4:18 and change -- I had done it.  I had really done it -- and in the distance I could see the finish line.  One last glance at the crowd and I heard, "Meredith!!!!" and there he was.  Dennis stood with his camera phone, two deep in the thickest part of the crowd.  Then, I could see his mom, Lynette.  I blew her kisses and smiled, trying to utter "Thank you" without crying.  I crossed the finish line and the mayor of Philly gave me a high five.  I had done it.  I knew I started the race with the clock at 20:16 -- so when I crossed at 4:40:48, I knew I had done something I never thought possible. 

I truly ran my first marathon, yesterday.  Every inch of that 26.2 miles, I ran.  I never walked to take Gu or Water, I ran through every water stop - sometimes getting water all over my face instead of in my system.  But, I didn't care -- I was going to run!  I knew I could do it -- and I did!  4:20!!!

I found Dennis and Lynette while walking through the runner recovery area -- and stopped inside the recovery zone to wait for Ron.  I left him just before mile 21, so I knew (unless he walked) he wasn't far behind.  Lynette took pictures and so did Dennis -- it was fun.  I pulled my phone out of my waist pouch and could see a million screaming texts from Anne and Loretta - as well as a few from Matt telling me to keeping pushing through.  9 minutes later, Ron crossed the finish line and I found him a limping mess in the recovery zone.  But we had done it -- together again.  We embraced and walked to meet Dennis, Lynette and Candice (who were somewhere in the crowd). 

Two Proud Finishers!

There were Philly Cheesesteaks to follow and many beers to numb the aches and pains - but we were two VERY proud runners and its all we talked about into the night, and (of course) again this morning, before I left him at the St. Louis airport - where I got off the plane and he continued on to Phoenix. 

I am really having a great 40th year -- and I know there's much more, now, to accomplish. 

Philly Marathon in brief...more to follow

I have never had so many requests for a blog, EVER!

Please know that this is not the full blog.  That will come when I can upload pics and all and detail the events of the weekend.  Most of you do not also follow me on Twitter, so you have no idea what an amazing Marathon weekend this has truly been.  For the few of you who do follow me on Twitter, well...you can definitely wait!

In a nutshell, the Philly Marathon was a HUGE success (for me)!  I trained and trained and it paid off.  As I went back to my times from all of my previous marathons (7), I looked at my times and reflected on where I had my tough spots.  My best time was still my first marathon at 4:54.  (I thought it was 4:44, but I guess I dreamt that.)

I know that my issues lie somewhere around mile 20 - the point at which I had trained.  Everything after that seemed impossible, year after year.  I would be on target to do well, but always fell apart - often taking nearly 90 mins to complete the last 6+ miles.  Pathetic!  So just know, 26.2 is freakin' hard.  If it was easy, more people would do it, right?!

Today, the stars were aligned and I got past my mental strife and pushed through a great and tough course to complete in 4:20:36 (9:56 overall pace).  If you want all the details, you'll have to wait another day or so.  But know that when I started training for this marathon, I never dreamed that I would not only reach my goal of a 4:30 marathon, I surpassed it.  

I have to thank so many people, but especially Dennis and Lynette who stood at the finish line waiting for me to finish.  Trust me when I tell you the were thousands upon tens of thousand of spectators at the finish.  I could not believe I spotted them both standing mere feet from the end.  It was an amazing moment for me, and Dennis caught it all on video.  I hope I can share that finish with all of you, soon.  

Also, Anne, Loretta, and Matt were following me closely on their phones and were posting texts, FB posts and emails about my amazing times throughout.  It was amazing to read their incredible enthusiasm when I finished.  There was so much to read I could barely keep up and respond.  

4:20 still brings me to tears.  All I can say is, "Finally."

Holy crap, that was hard!

I’m one week from the Philly Marathon and its pretty much all I can think about.  Had a couple of good rides with Matt, this week, and an awesome trail run on Thursday – knocking out 6 solid miles in complete and total darkness the whole time.  Not to worry, my friends, I managed to stay upright for the entirety of the 6 miles – even though my headlamp faded and faded and faded as I made my way back to the trailhead.

The ride was SUPER windy on Friday - I was overheated and took my arm warmers off 1/2 way through!

The trail I always run is the Desert Classic and runs along the base of the south side of South Mountain.  I’ve always been told that the 3 miles out and back that I do each week are the toughest of the 9.25 mile trail, but never having had the opportunity to see more than my usual route – I was always curious about the rest of the trail.

I guess you can tell where this is going.  These last couple of weeks of training are where we taper – less and less and less mileage to prepare our bodies for the 26.2 in front of us.  I thought “well, this week only calls for 10 miles, so I will do the 9.25 mile Desert Classic from stem to stern.”  Fortunately, it ends about a mile and a half from my house.

Kris agreed to pick me up at 6:45am, this morning, and plunk me off at the trailhead on Desert Foothills/Chandler Blvd.  The rest would be up to me.  I made sure to wear my Achilles brace and headed out as the sun rose over the hillside.  It was gorgeous.

By the time I reached my usual turn around spot, I was feeling good, if not a little nervous about what was in front of me.  Matt had told me that the next couple of miles were fairly flat and that I needed to really pay attention to the mile markers to make sure I wouldn’t detour off on to some other trail that intersected with the Desert Classic.  So, the night before I memorized the trail map provided by the city of Phoenix (online).

Sadly, my memorization skills weren’t good enough as I reached a fork in the trail around mile 5.25.  I guessed that it would be to the right and headed down and down and down this lovely trail which situated me right in the midst of a parking lot and Ahwatukee neighborhood.  “CRAP!”  I thought.  I turned around to head back into the hills and quickly came upon two mountain bikers.  Yep, they confirmed that about ½ mile up I had chosen poorly.  It wound up being a 1.2 mile detour – and the route back to the fork was all up, up and up. (sigh)

I was relieved when I hit the spot of my error and back on track to finish the run – but at that point, I knew this 9.25 mile run would be a good mile and some further.  I had to regroup mentally – especially considering what was in front of me.  The next 4-5 miles were up and down and up and down and up and down – the inclines were steep as hell, too.  It became one of the hardest things I have ever done.  Mix those abrupt elevation changes with constant mountain biker traffic and it was an exercise in agility and patience, as well.

See my stupid detour -- sticks out like a sore thumb!

Right around mile 10.5, I hit a HUGE climb and decided it wasn’t worth it – so I walked for a minute to the top.  Then, back on my feet to the parking lot just west of 48th Street and Guadalupe Road.  The lot was packed with cars and people were spilling out everywhere making my navigation through the moving parallel parking cars and mountain bikes difficult.  But then I coasted home.  As I finished the trail my watch beeped 11 miles.  I entertained walking home, but 1.5 miles is a LONG way to walk – and I told Anne I would meet her for breakfast around 9:20am.  I was definitely going to miss that mark – even if I ran, so rather than delaying food any more than I should – I ran home.  The pavement felt strangely good, after 11 miles on the trails.  Total mileage to my house?  12.6 miles.

Home!  

It should also be known that I woke up to 42 degree temps in Phoenix.  It always pisses me off a little when the temps in Phoenix are colder than my home town in Illinois – and this morning was simply one of those mornings.  I suppose its good practice for Philly, next weekend, eh?

Oh….BIG NEWS!  The bike is here and resting comfortably in my house!  I took it out for a short 30 minutes yesterday to make sure I could get in and out of my clips.  I think I’ve got it – but not without some form of injury in the process.  Tomorrow, Matt and I have a nice long, flat ride planned – I cannot wait to see how she performs!

Isn't she a beaut!

My FIT appt!

sigh...Klutz!

Next blog…post marathon, people!  

Women's Half Marathon Success!

Yep, pretty much on Cloud 9, this morning – which, of course, makes blogging fairly natural.

After my Achilles issue last Saturday, I was (again) incredibly nervous about running on it during the week.  I also went in to see my doctor first thing Monday morning – to make sure he wasn’t going to say, “Stay the heck off it or it will definitively rupture!”  And, allow me to take a moment to tell all of you how much I adore my GP.  Dr. Roso (not only super down to earth) gets me.  He understands that I am an athlete and that he needs to get me well so I can get back on course as quickly as humanly possible.  He prescribed me a heavy duty steroid so that (in his words) “we can see if we can knock this thing out of you.”  His diagnosis – tendonitis.  He applauded me for quitting at mile 19 and not simply pushing out the remaining mile or so – which is what he knows I am much more likely to do.  He claims it may have saved me from a rougher return to running.

I left his office confident that I wouldn’t be out of the game for too long.  But, Tuesday morning, I didn’t do anything – no run, no bike, no swim.  It KILLS ME TO TELL YOU ALL THAT!  But, I rested.

By the middle of the afternoon on Wednesday, Matt realized I was a bit of an emotional wreck.  Tough days at work combined with no running was making for a fairly ugly-Meri.  His suggestion?  A Hike!  So, at 5am on Thursday, we met with our headlamps to do a 3 mile hike up Telegraph Pass, close to the TV Towers on South Mountain.  It was glorious – and crist can Matt move it up those steep, rocky inclines!  I found myself practically running to keep up – all the while moving with trepidation so I wouldn’t go nose first into the side of the rocky mountain.  And, let me tell you – it was precisely what I needed.  It was hard and it was in nature!  When we reached the top, the view of the city on both sides of the mountain was spectacular – sadly, it was WAY too dark for me to have captured any of it on my phone, but we do have the post-hike shot, myspace-style.

See, DARK -- but sporting headlamps!

As usual, we also met for an awesome ride on Friday morning to complete the week.  Interestingly, as soon as we hit Pecos Road, Matt was flying.  He’ll tell you he wasn’t really working that hard, but I was huffing and puffing while keeping up with him for several miles.  It wasn’t until nearly 12 miles into the ride that we started to have some tough elevation changes – taking the backside of Desert Foothills – and at that point Matt was a solid 6-8 bike lengths in front of me.  (Depressing – pretty much!)  However, I was starting to feel good as we started the ascent and I gained ever so slowly on Matt – who was WAY too preoccupied with his lead to care.  About 2/3’s of the way up the incline, Matt thought to look back to see my position.  I was nearly on top of him – and like all good men, he panicked that he might see a repeat of the prior weekend.  He pushed and pushed and so did I.  I am pretty sure I heard him swear at me when I was on top of his rear tire, but that didn’t stop me from saying, “You’re going to win this one, Matt, but I’m going to make you effing work for it, my friend!”  We laughed heartily all the way down the hill and most of the way back to Matt’s house.  I was “THIS” close – but he didn’t allow me to take home the prize that morning.  That’s ok, though – there will be more mornings just like that one – and my new Raleigh Carbon Capri 2.0 will be in on Friday (11/9).  The playing field will begin to level a little more….soon!

I heart my pink arm warmers!!

Friday night at the Women’s Half Marathon Expo, I picked up an Achilles Brace made by CEP.  CEP makes the most common compression devices for runners (most people wear their crazy socks).  It wasn’t cheap, but when I stopped by their booth to discuss my Achilles/Soleus issue, they immediately suggested their RxOrtho Achilles Brace (size III).  I tried it on and paid some astronomical amount for it – with the guarantee that if it sucked I could simply return it.

Its pretty ugly, but I didn't care!

Saturday was merely a 2000 meter swim day.  I was relegated to the outdoor pool (unsure what was up with the indoor one), so there was quite the chill each and every time I lifted my arms out of the water.  I think I stopped noticing around 400 meters, but …brrrr!

I spent the rest of the day cleaning up the yard, eating and hydrating properly – in anticipation of today/Sunday!

I hadn’t run all week – and this weighed heavy on my mind.  Kris stopped by at 4:40am to pick me up and was lamenting the same – she hadn’t put a mile on her feet since the prior weekend, either.  And, we’d be meeting the lovely, Miss Anne, at the starting line around 5:30am.  In addition, all I could think about was whether or not my Achilles would be ok.  It, honestly, felt FINE!!  And, not “athlete-fine” – seriously FINE!  I’m not sure whether the steroid beat the inflammation to a pulp or what, but it has felt just fine for a few days, now.

The three of us were thrilled to be at the starting line.  This was the 3rd Women’s Half Marathon in Scottsdale/Tempe and it was to be my THIRD try at it.  Its always nice to repeat events to see how much better you can do year over year – if at all.  Kris did it the year prior with me, and Anne the inaugural year.  We were all ready to try it again.

It seemed super cold to me, this morning.  May have been a combination of nerves and the chillier than normal temps, but I was seriously worried that I might expend a lot of my energy shivering at the starting line.  The three of us did some huddling and eventually made our way to our respective corrals.

Kris, Mer and Anne -- sun was JUST coming up!

When the countdown started, I was focused – and when the gun fired, I felt more ready than ever.  I spent the first several miles navigating in and out of crowds of people who really should not have been in Corral 2.  I am loathe to complain about runners, but nothing pisses me off more than a presumptuous runner who is in the wrong corral – it screws things up for the rest of us; so STOP doing it!  By the second mile, we were on Scottsdale Rd with plenty of room to breathe and it made everything a little better.  My Achilles felt fine, still, and I was convinced I might be able to pick up the pace a little, without doing any damage.

The race route through Scottsdale isn’t the prettiest at all – its south Scottsdale.  So its littered with biker bars, cheap stores and “fantasy” shops.  Then we hit the canal for a couple of miles until we headed up and over a portion of Papago – and the hills.  It seemed like nothing to me, this morning.  I reminded one gal that it was only 4/10s of a mile up, as she struggled to find her motivation to run.  But, my pace was still really quite good – better than it had ever been, in fact.
  
Between miles 7 and 8, we pass the finish line with all of the cheering spectators.  It’s a blessing and a curse.  We love seeing and hearing the crowds, but passing the finish line is a reminder of how much more we have left.  But, again, nothing was bothering me.  I took my Peanut Butter Gu and some water at mile 7 and by mile 9 was content to be hitting the toughest of the hills and almost done.  I glanced at my Garmin shortly after mile 9 and realized I was running sub-9’s – SUB-FREAKIN’-9’s!  Well, hell – if that didn’t motivate me.  The hardest of all of the hills comes shortly after the mile 10 marker – and again, sub-9.  As I flew down the Priest 202 Highway overpass, I could see Anne in the distance flailing her arms at me.  She was just about to hit the mile 9 marker.  I had recently passed the mile 11 marker.  I looked at my watched and yelled – I am pacing for a 2:02, Anne!  Anne yelled back – and I knew she was going to hit her goal of a 2:45, as well.  We were both thrilled to see each other.

Knowing I only had a couple of miles left, and still feeling super strong, I keep my sub-9 pace and pushed myself to the finish line.  Low and behold, a couple of tenths before the end, I saw my amazing, supportive friend, Ron, cheering me on.  Seeing his face as I told him I would be just over 2 hours, was precisely the fuel I needed to complete the run.  I hit the finishers shoot and saw the clock.  All I could do was grin.  Last year I finished in 2:15:54 – and this year – 2:02:10.  This was/is a personal record – and it makes the 2 hour ½ marathon within range.  I just need a little more…something.  I will figure out what that something is over the course of the next year or so of training – I hope!

Garmin Data -- this about says it all, people!

The most amazing thing was that I stopped my watch and it said “2:02:10”, but you never know if it’s the actual “official” time of the race.  However, Loretta texted me mere seconds after I finished (from the Las Vegas airport) and said “Whew!  2:02:10!  Isn’t that a PR for you?!”  I guess there was an online updater that Loretta was following – so my watch and the official timer were in sync!  Thanks, Loretta!

Standing, waiting to see Anne and Kris pass by, Ron took this one!

Additionally, while it wasn’t Kris’s best race – she finished with a decent time and was really happy to be done!  BUT – Anne!  Anne finished in 2:43 – a PR for her, too!  I KNEW she could do it – and she did!  The stars were aligned, as John, Sean, Lyla, Uncle Fred, Ron and I all watched her push out the last couple of tenths to make it happen.  What a truly joyful and exciting day this has been – and its only noon!

All three completed successfully!

Kudos to several other friends of mine out there today: Laura Ballard and Stace Hayworth!  Amazing work, ladies!!  Amazing work!

Philly Marathon in 2 weeks … I’m feeling healthy and ready!  I will DEFINITELY be sporting my new CEP RxOrtho Achilles Brace – it’s a miracle worker!