Tina and I hit the hills of San Francisco at butt crack early yesterday. We signed up for the first half of the San Francisco marathon. Our start time was 6:05, so we headed out around 4:30 for the city. Yep, we finished with a 1/2 marathon PR 2:25, but that's not even the best part of the story.
The best part of the story is that I also PR'd with the number of porta-potties visited in one run. Niiiiiiiice. I'd love to see the medal you get for that one.
Back to the beginning. We went to SF on Saturday to pick up our race packets and found a beautiful sunny day in the city! We got our goody bags, as well as some nice freebies from the expo and headed home to rest up and carb up. A bit after lunch I had a queasy stomach. Gotta be something I ate, right? I'm sure it will pass. No pun intended. No need to take medication or anything, I'll be MUCH better by tomorrow morning. Idiot.
By 4:40 on Sunday morning Tina, Matt, Jeff and I were piled into Tina's jeep and heading to the foggy city. We got there plenty early and parked (illegally...shhhh, don't tell) to hang out until we needed to go to the start line. About 15 minutes before our start the guys dumped us out so we could get in our corral. Damn, wish we would have left a few extra minutes for that porta-potty line. Ah well, I'm sure I'll be fine. Idiot.
Our start time finally arrives and off we go....hey, we're cruising right along. I feel pretty good. We hit the Presidio hill....no problem, not nearly as bad as I remembered. Maybe all this 'speed' work and training has paid off. Down past the aquatic park, past Crissy field, where we saw the cheering guys (woo hoo guys!), and up towards the bridge. Ugh, this hill was a bit longer and not as easy. Still, not toooooo bad. Over the bridge. And up, and up and over and over. That has GOT to be the longest, most up-hill bridge in the history of the world. I thought I was going to die. Or kill someone. Take your pick. Finally made it over the bridge and out to the turn around....when I started dying. Every step was miserable....I'll spare you the gory details, but let's just say that I got a close up view of at least 3 porta-potties, maybe 4 I've lost count now, by the time the 'race' was finished. I guess it wasn't something I ate after all. I have never been more miserable in my life. Okay, maybe I HAVE, but this was pretty bad. Stomach cramps, hills...oh, I did say I was sparing you the details didn't I?
Anyway, I lost sight of Tina the speed demon. Which was good in a way, I wouldn't want her to have to wait around while I went visiting the little booths. I thought I would never get to the finish line, but I finally started to approach it. And there was Tina waiting with a cheery smile and a hug. I was so miserable I just wanted to die. I ran off to the last porta-potty of the day and Tina picked up our medals and scored us some Cytomax (sport's drink). Jeff tried to make me drink it, but I thought I was going to puke, so I refused. I have never burped so much, so loud in my life! It was awesome. Hahahahahahahaha.
Anyway, I took very little comfort in the fact that we PR'd. I could only think how much better it could have been. So much for having a 'glass half full' attitude. I really need to learn to cut myself some slack. Well, I need to learn more than just that, but it would be a good start.
I felt better after getting home, taking a shower, taking some Imodium and having a nap. But my stomach still isn't back to normal. Gee, think it was more than something I ate? Next time I'm going to take the drugs BEFORE the run. That's one lesson I don't need to learn again! :-)
Monday, July 30, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Reflections
It's been a while since I've posted and I'll be honest. It's because I'm friggin exhausted lately. It's been a bit warm to run after work (huh, summer, imagine that), so Tina and I have been following this schedule:
M ~ get up around 5 to be at the gym by 6 to work with the trainer
T ~ get up BEFORE 5 to hit the road for a 6-8 mile run with 'speed' work
W ~ see Monday
Th ~ see Tuesday
F ~ either run or hit the gym again
Sa ~ Thank the stars a REST day!
Su ~ Long run 8-10 miles
So you can see why I might be getting a bit crabby and tired and worn out. It's all in prep for our next event, the SF 1/2 Marathon on July 29. Hello hills again. :( The actual training schedule we're following calls for rest days on Mondays and Wednesdays, but as usual we're too much over achievers to follow that advice. And now it's catching up to me. With a vengeance.
What's this have to do with reflections you ask? Well, nothing really. All that stuff is just my lack of posting excuse.
REFLECTION STARTS HERE:
I'm in a bit of a funk today, maybe not the best day to post. I've been following the story of Miles an 18 yr old cancer patient and he's run out of treatment options and is not doing well at all. What must it be like to know you probably won't make it to 19? How does he keep posting and have the energy to worry about how the readers will react to his death? He really seems quite amazing and even tho I don't know him personally, I feel like it will be a loss when his time is up.
So, I'm reflecting on 2 years. 2 years since my Dad died.....in June. 2 years since my Uncle lost his battle with Leukemia...tomorrow. 2 years older....in August. 2 years that has flown by. What have I accomplished in the last 2 years? I ask myself that question often these days. I'm not sure there are a lot of things I can put on the list. What qualifies as an achievement? What can I be proud of? What kind of 'legacy' will I leave behind? Some days the list in my head is longer than others. Today is a short list day and I'm wondering why I'm not doing more to help the environment, or the homeless, or some cause that will really make a difference in the world.
M ~ get up around 5 to be at the gym by 6 to work with the trainer
T ~ get up BEFORE 5 to hit the road for a 6-8 mile run with 'speed' work
W ~ see Monday
Th ~ see Tuesday
F ~ either run or hit the gym again
Sa ~ Thank the stars a REST day!
Su ~ Long run 8-10 miles
So you can see why I might be getting a bit crabby and tired and worn out. It's all in prep for our next event, the SF 1/2 Marathon on July 29. Hello hills again. :( The actual training schedule we're following calls for rest days on Mondays and Wednesdays, but as usual we're too much over achievers to follow that advice. And now it's catching up to me. With a vengeance.
What's this have to do with reflections you ask? Well, nothing really. All that stuff is just my lack of posting excuse.
REFLECTION STARTS HERE:
I'm in a bit of a funk today, maybe not the best day to post. I've been following the story of Miles an 18 yr old cancer patient and he's run out of treatment options and is not doing well at all. What must it be like to know you probably won't make it to 19? How does he keep posting and have the energy to worry about how the readers will react to his death? He really seems quite amazing and even tho I don't know him personally, I feel like it will be a loss when his time is up.
So, I'm reflecting on 2 years. 2 years since my Dad died.....in June. 2 years since my Uncle lost his battle with Leukemia...tomorrow. 2 years older....in August. 2 years that has flown by. What have I accomplished in the last 2 years? I ask myself that question often these days. I'm not sure there are a lot of things I can put on the list. What qualifies as an achievement? What can I be proud of? What kind of 'legacy' will I leave behind? Some days the list in my head is longer than others. Today is a short list day and I'm wondering why I'm not doing more to help the environment, or the homeless, or some cause that will really make a difference in the world.
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