Marathon #6 - Hartford

About 19 years ago, my good college buddy, Tara, suggested that we try out the Army - and I said "sounds good" - and off we went to Basic in Fort Knox, KY....

and I ended up in the real Army for the next 8ish years.  (We were about six years old in that pic.)  Fast forward to 2012 - the year I dislocated my patella, became hypothyroid, and discovered I have terrible arthritis under my kneecaps.  But, dangit, I was still going to run a marathon and searched for a flat, cheap-ish one. 

So, Tara suggested that I come run the ING Hartford marathon "with" her - and I said "sounds good."  So, there I was on October 13, 2012, freezing my buns off at the 35 degree start.  Didn't sound (or feel) good. 

(We're still about 25 years old.)  And here we are with team MAD (Making a Difference) - don't hate me because my pants are cool.  This group rocked - 7 private portapotties for 44 folks - most excellent.

This was my slowest finish - but it was the first marathon where THAT voice did not creep into my head and say "maybe you can't do this."  (Somewhere along the 26.2 miles, that voice always finds me and haunts me for a mile or so - until I grab it by the throat and choke the life out of it.)  This time, I was just taking it easy, and that voice never found me - maybe the voice found the Kenyans (or Tara - who finished in a blazing 3:37ish - but that's unlikely), and it didn't get me. 

The ugly race pics did get me, however.  Here are my cold running pics along the route:

Man, the fat face got me!

And then there was the inglorious finish....through the arch

That was pretty cool.
And they announced "Sally Seeker from San Antonio" - and I did a crazy running chicken warm-up

Then, I went full out crazy running chicken to the finish - check out the chicken wings

And that I did - finish.  But why does that chick in the blue look so happy about it?

I caught up with Cliff around mile 24 and we finished the run together (nevermind that he carried that flag the WHOLE time)

and then I finally looked at my watch and said "really? you couldn't break 5:00?"

But, in the end, I did it - broken-ish elbow, bad knee, and all.  And Tara managed to capture a not-so-ugly-I-rock-this pic

And then I froze a little more

But it was good. And now, Tara says, "we should run this"

And - wait for it------I say "sounds good"
Thanks to Tara, Kevin, and Brightroom for the pics - and super thanks to Tara for hosting me - it was really a great trip (especially when it warmed up).

Back to the training schedule

Well, more or less.  I have been running a bunch, trying desperately to get (minimally) prepared for the Hartford Marathon in October.  This may be ugly - both the marathon and the pics below.

I ran the Alamo Beer Series race #2 (Battle of the Mac Pack) 16k last Saturday - but had to divide my long run and add about 6-7 miles in the morning.  So, here was the second run of the day:

It was a hot one.  So was Thursday night's Brak Pak run - here's my backside (thanks, Michele) -- as I look like a crazy running chicken - or maybe a T-Rex, chasing down small Valerie prey.  Awesome.

The after shot.  It was supposed to be 6 miles - but it was long (Joe lied!).

Next up, Sunrise 10k on Saturday, a bunch of other life stuff Saturday, and then the big bad 17 miles on Sunday.  Then?  You guessed it - I sleep.  Thanks to DL Morrison and Michele for the pics!

Everybody gets knocked down - how quick are you gonna get up?

One of my favorite songs to run to is The Hours's Ali in the Jungle 

It's, not, how you start, it's how you finish,
And it's, not, where you're from, it's where you're at,
Everybody gets knocked down,
Everybody gets knocked down,
How quick are you gonna' get up?
How quick are you gonna' get up?
Everybody gets knocked down,
Everybody gets knocked down,
How quick are you gonna' get up?
Just how are you gonna' get up?

I was pretty much humming those lyrics all weekend. 

It started with a normal run with the Brak Pak on Thursday evening.  Just a regular, mostly road, run.  Until I rolled on a rock and found my face accelerating toward the asphalt at an alarming speed.  Luckily (?), my right knee took the brunt of it.  After finishing the run and heading home - I realized how BAD the knee looked.  I would have taken pictures, but it made me queasy to even look at it - like a golfball was sitting on top of my kneecap under the skin.  SCARY - so I ignored it, took a boat-load of ibuprofen, and covered the knee with ice (my medical treatment for 90% of all ailments).

Luckily (again), by Friday morning, after ice, compression, and elevation, the golfball-kneecap receded, and I was left with a sore, bruised knee and an aching body.  So, I went for a test run/walk with a buddy who just finished the bar exam on Friday night and killed my pain with margaritas and ceviche (my medical treatment for 90% of all ailments).

On Saturday morning, I ran the Hispanic Women's Network of Texas 5k.  It hurt, but my knee (and aching body) made it. Without falling.

 AND came in 1st Female 35-39.  Partly because the fast chicas - like Roche on my right - ran the 10k.

  and then I went home and iced my knee (the right one) and munched on ibuprofen.

Sunday morning was the Paesano's 10k trail run.  I fall on trails, but have never fallen during this (pretty technical trails) race.  Until now.  It all started out well enough - nice weather, and nice and easy on a sore knee and achy body.

It was a nice run until almost mile 5, where the trail smoothed out some, with just occasional rocks.  Unfortunately, I found one and went flying - hitting my left knee and knocking the wind out of myself.  But I got up - and finished pretty bloody.

and looking like a crazy running chicken in pain

Here's what THAT injury looked like, even after it had been cleaned and bandaged by the EMT (that sucker would NOT stop bleeding - pretty gruesome).

So, all told, I hurt, but it could have been MUCH worse - both falls, that is.  And I got up - both times. Because you just gotta get up.

Thanks to Ceci, IAAP, SAPhotographers, and Kevin G. Saunders photography for the pics.  Thanks to the running gods for allowing me not to land on my head or break anything (hopefully).

Worn out Weekend

I had a 17-miler on the schedule this weekend, and a 15k race scheduled.  So, I decided to break it up and run 8 miles along the Riverwalk with buddies Saturday morning.  Then, I ate, showered, ate, slept, ate, hydrated, slept, hydrated, slept, ate, hydrated, and got ready for the race.  This was the second in the Alamo Beer Series - an evening 15k (it was long, so it was closer to a 10-miler).  Here I am hydrating some more

and at the start

and then, like Jaws, here I come...dun nuhn, dun nuhn...

dun nuhn, dun nuhn, dun nuhn

(note - she's only happy because she's running the 8k) dun nuhn nuhn nuhn nuhn....aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

and then I finished in the dark.  ate, hydrated (on beer), showered, and slept.

Sunday, I headed over to a buddy's house to help her sand and stain her cabinets.  (Next month, I think we'll xeroscape my front yard.)

And, tonight, I hit the Muertitos group for an easy 4 miler...

and now - eat, hydrate, shower, sleep, repeat. 

Thanks to Ceci, IAAP, KGS bikes, and Scallywompus for the pics!

Lifting my spirits

After staying up last night until that dang budget bill finally passed, I crashed, still feeling the anxiety that has haunted me this week.  This morning, I headed to the (still open) Missions National Park for the Fiesta Mission 10k.

 It was VERY humid, but it was a nice run.  As I arrived and wedged my podcar between trucks and SUVs, my buddy, Ruben, came up and asked if I still had my bike in the car.  (Of course I did - since last Friday - and have not taken the time to remove it.)  He was volunteering as a race marshal and wanted to bike, rather than drive, out to his position.  So, we put the bike together, off he rode, and I headed to the run.

At around mile 2, we actually ran into the Mission San Jose, with it towering above us - so neat.

(That's the outer mission wall on the left)
Of course, there was the heat and humidity, and the bouncy bridges, to slow me down

and make me look like a crazy running chicken.
But, after the run, there were buddies and beer - the perfect thing to lift my spirits

Thanks to Tom (the guy in the reflective vest) for the pics!

After a nap, I headed out for a run and visit with Brandi Shipman, a cancer survivor, coach, and endurance athlete.  I opted to skip the trail run, but really enjoyed hearing her inspirational story.

Brandi with Doug Ratliff - thanks to Jazzy for the pics
And that was a great way to spend a day!

Rodeo & Stock Show Stampede 4 miler

Some pics from my buddy, Scottydog, at the chilly, chilly race start