Post Tri Ease

I am not sure I should even try to write an eventful blog this week.  After last week’s huge effort, I took it pretty easy the beginning portion of the week.

Figuring that my legs needed some recovery time on the bike, I headed out for 14 or so miles (super easy) on Tuesday morning.  The only really great thing about the ride was that somewhere around mile 10 I realized it was light enough not to need my bike light – which also meant that I could probably start hitting the trailhead again before work. 

So, I did exactly that on Thursday morning.  At 5:15am, Matt met me for a short, but beautiful trail run.  It had been about 5 weeks since I’d been on the trail – and several months since Matt had.  We chatted about work and life the whole 4 miles and both admitted to feeling whole again now that we could hit the trailhead before work. 

Friday, Matt kicked my ass on a ride out Pecos Road and back.  He started the ride by telling me how poorly (and little) he’d slept and really didn’t feel like riding.  But, something kicked in around the 4^th mile because he left me gasping for air and screaming about my quads being aflame.  You should all know – he laughs at me all the time and it simply frustrates the crap out of me.

Saturday morning, I met Anne and Amy for the 9^th Annual Pat’s Run.  28,000 runners show up for this event, annually – and the events earlier in the week (in Boston) were not lost on any of us.  But the 4.2 mile run (which I have done every year since its inception) went off without a hitch.  It was better organized this year than the prior several.  The first year I ran it, I helped organize a team that took first place (as there were a couple thousand runners who took part). 

Last year, with 28,000 runners, we took 118^th out of 500 teams.  Sadly, due to changes in how the college can advertise events, we only had a few people sign up on the team, this year – so I didn’t even bother to check the team stats. 

Pre-Race: Anne, Mer, Amy

When the horn blew – corral after corral left the starting line.  I was in Corral 7, so I started about 7 minutes after the first runners took off.  Anne and Amy were a few corrals back from me.  Because there are so many runners, it’s difficult to really refer to Pat’s Run as a race – since everyone spends the majority of their time bobbing and weaving passed slower runners. 

I had no real issues on the run.  I didn’t bother to look at my Garmin for the entirety of the race.  I figured – what was the point?  Too many people, narrow roads – it would only irritate me.  But, when I crossed the finish line at the 42 yard line of the ASU football stadium, my watch read 35:54 (corrected to 35:50 official time).  I was stunned.  That’s just over an 8:30 pace.  I kept thinking about what I could have done without all of the people in the way.  I was pleased!

Post Race Smiles - Mer, Amy, Anne

Shortly after I finished, I waited and saw Anne beat her time from last year – and then Amy do the same.  We were three very proud girls, when all was said and done!  We enjoyed a nice breakfast together in honor of our efforts.

That evening, I went to Anne’s to spend the evening with my favorite two kiddos, before heading home to attempt to sleep before my 4am alarm went off. 

That Miss Lyla!!!

However, with very little sleep, I got up and attempted a really tough ride with Matt along the Usery/Superstition Mountains. 

At 5am we met and headed out along the hilly paths of the Bush Highway.  Its ridiculous just how much climbing and sleep descents we endure on this route of Matt’s.  Then, a good 9 miles into the ride, we hit the Usery Pass – a 3.5 mile climb that can wreck even the best’s riding ego.  As we began our first ascent up the Pass, I told Matt that it was the first time I had attempted this route with my Carbon bike.  It, and my 16 months of riding experience since my first time up, made a world of difference.  It was tough, but not unmanageable.  It also no longer takes me 30 minutes to climb it.  In fact, it took us just over 17 minutes. 

It wasn’t at all lost on us that a few weeks prior a snowbird had killed a rider on the same Pass up the mountain.  Its weird – the shoulder is huge and the roads are smooth.  There was no excuse for it.  However, there was a lovely memorial for the rider about a 1/3 of the way up the Pass – and I noticed that we both were silent in observation and thought, as we passed.  I suppose some of these things we love are dangerous when drivers are not paying attention.  Let this be a moment for everyone to reflect – no texting, no distractions while driving.  You simply never know when a cyclist or runner is on the shoulder next to you.

After Matt and I reached the top and began spiraling down, I thought, “is he seriously going to make me do this whole thing again?”  Sure enough, as we hit the 17^th mile of our ride, Matt made a right-hand turn and we were back at it.  All we could do was laugh – as our quads and brains were tired. 

The second time up the Usery Pass, Matt and I passed a poor rider.  As we passed him, he uttered (while very much out of breath), “I love this, but I hate it, too.”  All we could do was nod, as we trekked passed him on our way to the top. 

I held strong for just over ½ of the 3.5 mile climb, but Matt came back with full force for the last mile and a half and my lead was lost forever.  I know that man’s brain – if he can push it out, he will make me die trying to beat him.  Today was not the day to win – Matt took it hands down, again.  BUT – for a solid 2 miles, I really thought I had him.  (…sigh)

As we hit the descent, Matt complimented my riding, and I his.  He knows, however, that I am chomping at the bit to kick his ass on one of these long, endurance-riddled mornings.    

On a side note, after Anne, Amy and I had signed up and booked our hotel rooms for the Sonoma ½ marathon on June 8^th, we all got notification on Wednesday that “due to low registration numbers” the race had been canceled and all fees returned.  We were bummed.  BUT, within 24 hours, we’d all resolved to move our training up a week and do the San Diego ½ again – June 2^nd.  YES!  I will finally have my chance to do well.  With any luck, I won’t get the stomach flu again this year.  (…smile)  Here’s hoping!