Cue Aerosmith. Let me try this - listen here while you read?
So, to finish out almost 65 miles of racing in January, I ran the Endurathon (hilly) half marathon on Saturday and the Herothon half marathon on Sunday. Because, I don't wanna miss a thing (and I'm dumb). I laid back in training - just 12 or so miles per week - but laid on the racing mileage this month. I do NOT recommend this approach.
So, Saturday I headed out in the drizzle to run the Endurathon HM through the hills of Bulverde. It was not pretty.
Ironically, though I did not get eaten earlier this month during ~20 miles in Florida by an alligator or 25k in Big Bend by a mountain lion/bear, I almost got crushed by a deer in this race. But I saw a llama, a pig, goats, horses, cows, and many doggies. But it still hurt - especially during the uphill finish - this certainly ain't pretty
And then I took some food, a shower, and a nap - and continued on the weekend-long marathon. (Note: it's almost easier to just run 26.2 in one shot, rather than taking an 18-hour break in between half marathons). So, I went to pick up my race packet at the expo as "Laura Guerrero" (not my usual alias - but it is now my superhero name).
and I tried to look tough - but I really just went to go eat and sleep some more. 'Cause that's what superheroes do.
And then I hit the road again for another 13.1 miles. I won't lie - my mind was beat and my body was beat (and really not decently trained), but I did it (albeit in tights - I hate tights, but I needed some reinforcement to keep my legs and knee from spontaneously exploding).
But, I am not a one-show/pose pony - I still can put on a great running zombie closer to the finish
Wait, no, upon closer examination (I dare you to zoom that pic) - that is clearly surprised crazy running chicken form.
And then, there is that wonderful moment. That moment when you realize that you have 0.1 miles to finish 65 miles of race route over the mere 31 days of the month. Because you clearly couldn't miss out on a thing, because you are dumb, because it is almost done...
And then it is - in perhaps the worst finish time ever
But I finished and got a sparkly medal
So, I made it through a 5k, 197 mile relay in Florida, 25k trail in Big Bend, and 2 HMs in a month. I didn't die, but I may need to edit my races and only do what is sensible, and not what is available. Riiiiiiiiight - I don't wanna miss a thing. So, next up, Superbowl 7k on Sunday. Yeah, I don't learn lessons very well.
Thanks to Belinda, Tom Lake/SARR, and Endurophoto for the pics
I do love me some (almost) fame! As you recall, I've graced many a page and screen in the past years. So, imagine my surprise when my eagle-eyed buddy, Bob, informed me I was in the Jan/Feb 2013 NFIT Woman magazine:
That is not me on the cover. My nose is smaller. But, when you turn to page 56 - BAM:
Yesssssssssssssssss! An actual, published, ugly race pic. Unfortunately, this was taken near the beginning of the Street 2 Feet 5k, so while I have my eyes closed, zombie expression, and the beginning of chicken wings, I had not yet deployed the full-out crazy running chicken look.
You can check out the full story - in full screen (eek) here
http://issuu.com/nfit/docs/nfit_woman_janfeb2013_issuu
Don't hate me because I'm (almost) famous. Next, I'm targeting the cover of Runner's World.
Ho hum. My annual marathon is run, so now what? Let an 85-pound pitbull drag me up 3.1 miles of hills, you say? You're ON! Oh wait, I already did that on Saturday.
Gwen and I hit the rescheduled SNIPSA Race for the Rescues 5k last Saturday. She would like me to mention that she's been dieting and is likely closer to 80 pounds, but it's hard to do the pick-up-the-baby-hippo-dog-and-jump-on-the-scale thing. Maybe we'll tackle that challenge this weekend.
But, back to last weekend. I alternate dogs for these races, so it was Gwen's turn to 'race.' Here we are beforehand.
She's pretty competitive and went into full-out zombie mode
Freaky, no? Then, she lunged and ate the photographer's brains!
Not really. Gwen is just overly enthusiastic with kisses (and accompanies them with a complimentary head butt).
So, we got off to a FAST start, but Gwen was soon distracted by chasing the biggest boy dogs she could find and wallowing in dogpools like a hippo. (The apple, it seems, does not fall far from the tree.) But, we 'sprinted' to the finish, looking like champion runners - in a speedy 47ish minutes.
And then "we" sniffed a bunch of butts and took this lovely pic
Gwen would like me to mention that objects in this pic appear wider than they really are. I'm pretty sure she's correct.
So, after that adventure, I let her drive home.
Not really - zombie hippopitoodlepotamuses are TERRIBLE drivers.
Gwen would also like me to mention, though she was an off-the-street stray rescue, you should support SNIPSA. I've volunteered with those folks, and they do a wonderful job TRYING to help reduce the stray population and kill rate in San Antonio. Gwen says give them some money or adopt your own hippopitoodlepotamus (or other, slightly inferior, breed) from them.
Thanks to scottydog, Benson photography, and Michelle for the pics.
I've been running a little ragged here lately - literally and figuratively. So much so that I overslept on my birthday and missed the Freedom 4 miler! Not that such a misstep stopped me from joining in the post-race festivities.
This Saturday was the inaugural Free-da's 5k at the University of the Incarnate Word (my friend and frequent fotog, Ceci, was the race director) - I managed to wake up (EARLY!) for this hot race! Here I am photobombing Ceci's race pics
wait for it....
ahhhhhhhh! Sallybombed.
half crazy running chicken, half zombie. Afterward, I did a little crazy running chicken cool down while I promoted the Women's 5k (yep, it's July 21 - eek)
and after the sweat dried
Then, I ran 12 hot, humid miles this morning - and iced my knee while enjoying fruit from Las Nieves (two blocks away ~32 ounces of fresh fruit, including mango, coconut, and pineapple for $4).
Yum. Next up, Alamo Beer Series race #1 on Friday night - then, I scramble like a Sallybadger to get ready for the Women's 5k.
I decided to change it up this year and spent New Year's Eve running my first 5k of 2012 at Ft. Sam Houston, with a start time of midnight. This is a free run produced by the base MWR - with plenty of post race food - but no booze!! Yes, really.
Here are some pre-race pics with buddies:
with Scottydog - fotog and runner extraordinaire (he and his wife were running/walking/volunteering the multirace New Year's circuit, too)
Scotty's wife, Gail
with Jim (1/1 is his birthday - AND he was entering a new age group)
George, Gail, Hugh, and Jane
Bill Piatt (to my right) was my law school dean
with fellow Wisconsinite, Charlotte - we train together in the Summer at Fleet Feet - and laugh at people who still run in snow (just kidding, friends and family - not really)
With Tina and Phillip - they also ran 'the circuit' of multiple runs on 1/1/12.
This historic Army base is in central San Antonio, just North of downtown, so as we ran, we were able to view the downtwon fireworks. Here is my 'artistic' snap at the start of the run - with the fireworks in the background. (Really just a blurred pic with my cheapo camera - click on the pic to enhance its 'artsy' factor!)
Afterward, we enjoyed some pretty decent food and a Welch's sparkling juice toast. Then, I headed home, poured myself a glass of real Prosecco, and hit the sack - to grab a few hours of sleep before run #2 of 2012.
The Cobweb Chaser 5k
Luckily, this race does not start until 10 a.m. - unluckily, a cold windy front came in at around 5 a.m. So, while I ran comfortably in short sleeves at midnight - it was a little colder on New Year's morning.
But, I rocked some new armwarmers (gift from my folks) and ran about 15 seconds slower than 10 hours before, looking like a zombie chicken in armwarmers.
And then enjoyed a non-non-alocholic event
At the Cobweb Chaser, the San Antonio Road Runners always give out calendars for the new year - which I enjoy browsing the past pictures and using the calendar as a training log each year. Until I flipped over the calendar this year...
Yep, just the 'ol SARR race schedule - I'll run most of those races. It just gets a little scarier if you zoom in (click below if you need MORE zooming)
I guess that it is official, and I'd better start this new year off working on the Women's 5k as race director!
Thanks to Scottydog and Tom Lake (SARR) for the pics.
You would think that the 4.5 hour drive to the Rio Grande Valley would knock the crazy out of my crazy chicken running form. And it did, but then I crossed the border to Nuevo Progresso, purchased some cheap tequila and other junk, and became La Polla Loca. Here are the pics from the International Friendship 10k last weekend in McAllen, Texas.
Straight crazy chicken in any language
and here is a little 'zombi' or 'autómata' thrown in.
but I snapped out of it long enough to keep ahead of the fast older gentleman behind me.
and done. This was actually a great bargain of a race. For $10, there was a prerace spaghetti dinner, tshirt, 10k flat, fast race with water stops every 2k (I spent most of the race trying to compute my 1k splits, since I only know my mile/5k-increment splits), finisher medals for all, awesome breakfast tacos, (sadly, no beer unless you brought it - um, we did), and 'big injun' trophies for age group finishers.
Thanks to http://www.mygametimephotos.com/ for allowing me to slooooowly swipe their pics. Frighteningly enough, you can visit their website and order these ugly race pics on a koozie or refrigerator magnet! Now THAT's a holiday gift!
I ran the Wounded Warrior 17.2ish mile run on Saturday from New Braunfels to Canyon Lake. Man, that was a TOUGH run. First, I awoke later than I wanted and had to rush out the door. On the hour drive to Canyon Lake, I shoved down a peanut bar thing, coffee, and water. Upon arrival, I boarded a bus for the 17.2ish mile ride to New Braunfels (downhill ride). Then, at the starting line, I waited. And waited. And got rained on. And waited.
Finally, we started an hour late and my stomach was already growling. Not good when I know I have 3 hours or so of road in front of me. I was already sucking down honey gel things at the first water stop. And the road was REALLY banked too - I had to run along the center line until a car would come, then veer over to the left side's severe slant, but there was no way that I could run that distance on that severe of a slant - it just hurts.
So, the first 12-14 miles were not too bad, but then the sun came out, and I realized the whole run was on an upgrade, with dips that resembled downhills. And my calves became ANGRY, but they did not fully cramp (thank goodness). So here, around mile 14/15, I took some UGLY race pics. Really, these are craptastically ugly. Excellent. And, when you are running as slowly as I was at that point, the photographer can capture every ugly moment!
Gotta love those profile shots while heading downhill, fighting cramps, and facing another 3ish miles.
At least I was looking strong at the finish.
But I could not leave it without a freaky "man, I'm a tired zombie chicken" pose
Wow, that hurt. Almost as much as the hour-long payback by my calves on the drive home.
.JPG)
Posts
