The Longest Long Run

Today I had plans to meet a friend and run for three hours or 18 miles at the West Hartford Reservior. My friend was bringing his camelpak so I planned on having him carry the water for both of us. BUT he was detailed to dive due to an auto accident body recovery and wasn't able to run. I didn't know this till AFTER the run.

Not only did I have no water, I didn't really know where I was going. My friend has a garmin that would have led us around the trails. So the inevitable happened, I got lost on the trails with no water or watch or cell phone. I never really got lost because in CT there are not big enough forrests to ever really get lost. When I could not get back to the parking lot, I spotted some open areas in the tree line and ran in that direction. The open area was actually homes. Luckily I am skinny and fit through a hole in the backyard fence and started running on the street.

I found my way to a main road and STILL did not know where I was!!!! I ran to a stop light about a mile away and did not know the road that was intersecting but then noticed it was a road I saw on one of the ends of the trails. So I waited till a woman driver stopped at the light and waved and asked to point me in the direction of Farmington Ave., she told me it was the opposite direction I was running about four miles! So I hightailed the other way down the street and continued on. When I finally got to Farmington Ave., I had to ask a nice couple which direction the Reservior was and they looked at me like I was crazy and told me which way to go and said it was like ten minutes away. I finally got back to my car at exactly 10am. I had been running for 3 hours and 15 minutes. I was thirsty, let me tell ya!

I am tired but happy I got home in one piece. It was quite an adventure!!

Here we are enjoying a "look for signs of Autumn" walk with my class. The colors this year are amazing, very vibrant. I am not ready for winter running though. I have adjusted to running in the dark, I dug out my headlamp, but I haven't dug out my running pants yet. I am holding out as long as possible!!

Global Warming

I declare that global warming is not so bad. I enjoyed the past three days of running in the early morning hours with shorts on. Looks like tomorrow will be a beauty too, but I am pooped. I might try to drag my ass out of bed just because the moon is beautiful and bright and it is supposed to be like 50' at dawn. Usually by now, we are fighting with frost in the am.

Loving this nice weather. I will post some pics soon of the gorgeous foliage too.

Run hard, play harder!

I love running

My marathon training is going really well. I hope I don't jinx it by saying it aloud. I completed 17 miles on Thursday and it was also the first day of my period. So all you people of the male persuasion, imagine running 17 miles with a diaper on and feeling like your testicles are twice their normal size and crampy. Not easy, but it is done and it feels good I don't have to run another long run until next Friday!!

Good Grief

I walked for the Relay for Life, which is a fundraiser for cancer research this weekend. I always think about one of my best friends that died of brain cancer eight years ago while I walk. I usually have a good time thinking of him, it sort of feels warm like a comfy old blanket wrapped around me. And this weekend was the same. I remembered things about him I thought I had forgotten and they made me chuckle.

Then sometimes grief hits you so hard it takes your breath away. Later that same day, I was at church and the choir sang a hymn that was one of the hymns I sang at my friend's funeral and I felt like I had been punched in the stomach and tears just popped out of my eyes.

Life is a strange and mysterious journey.

Hartford Marathon Recap

I had to scrambled to get all three kids to friend's houses so they could get to their games or practices. They were all up by 6am on a Sat., not too thrilled with me. I get everyone where they need to be and I am off by 6:40, a little later than I should have left.

I arrive in Hartford at about 7:15 and notice that people are leaving the Civic Center with their bags. I am perplexed because I have run one of the races since 2001 and you could always pick up your number at the race start on race day. So I park anywhere I could and jog to the Civic Center and thank goodness I jogged because the line to pick up your race number was about 300 people long at 7:30am when the race is scheduled to start at 8:00am about a half a mile away!!! So basically I freaked but kept it all inside, got my number at about 7:45 and jetted over to the start. I threw on my chip and quickly pinned my number on, at 7:50 I ran to the UPS trucks to check my bag. Of course I had to pee, but no time allowed. I got to the very very back of the crowd and we started about 5-10 past 8am.

It sucked starting in the back, I had to dart and weave past a lot of walkers for the first two miles. I don't consider myself a running snob, I feel like if your fat ass is out there, then I'll be damned if someone should judge you for walking or jogging instead of "running". BUT as truth would have it, I am slightly a running snob. Trying to get past those damn walkers was a bitch.

Finally by about mile three, I was with other people going my pace, about 8:30/mile. I felt great!! The whole entire 13 miles was easy and fun. I think my long runs have been challenging because I haven't brought enough water/fluids with me. I drank on the course at least every mile, I think they had more water stops than miles even and I stopped at every stop.

Right after I finished I turned around and met my girlfriends at about mile 12, they were right behind me. We ran in together and I continued on to get 16 miles in so I could feel good about using this as my long run for the week. We then met up and enjoyed the most excellent race food. Whole foods market supplied the food and they served this cranberry cous cous that was amazing. I don't know what cous cous is and someone called one of the men I was hanging out with "gay" for eating it, but gay or not I love the stuff.

My friends and I headed back to the finish line to cheer on one of our friends that was finishing up the marathon. Unfortunately, my marathoner friend experienced the feared stomach cramps that can sometimes happen during a marathon and had a horrible pain for the last 16 miles. But she is incredible and finished the stupid marathon anyway! After we consoled her at the finish line, some of us ate some more food (me), while some of us drank some beer (everyone else!).

It was a beautiful day to run, 50s with a slight breeze. I have to complain about the marathon coordinators though this year. They did not have enough shirts. They said they will send me one and they better, that $50 race fee aint' for nothin'!! They also ran out of marathon medals with the clock not even being 5 hours and let me tell you those after 5 hours finishers deserve those damn medals! Also, I know we are trying to be environmentally conscious, but they did not provide water bottles at the end of the race, just drinking fountains. And working at a school, I know what can get on those fountains and it aint pretty.

My finishing time was 1:54, an 8:44/mile pace. I was 738th out of 2471 finishers! I was thrilled that I did not get tired the entire race. I guess those long runs are paying off!!

Gearing Up for the Hartford Marathon

The Hartford Marathon is held this Sat. at 8am. I am runnning the half marathon and plan to run a friend in as well. This is her first half marathon. We are also meeting some other friends. One of the friends is running the 5K while another is running the full marathon. The Hartford Marathon has a very fun post race party as well. And lo and behold, I think I might be kidless at this race. I don't know what I'll do with my self!!

A Yankee fan friend of mine (yes I have a few that I let into my life, but they have to pass a test first!!) invited me to a concert Friday night, I think it is a ploy to get me to miss the first game of the Red Sox vs Indians series, but I am not sure. I have to think about it, because I want to get to bed early Friday night so I can kick ass in the half. It is so much better to have to make these kinds of choices!! Life is full of good choices!

GO RED SOX!!!!!!

This weekend was filled with soccer games for both the little and the middle. Fun was had by all. We finished the weekend with pizza with two other families and had a blast.

We also reveled in the Red Sox SWEEPING the series. Bring it on Cleveland. Too bad for the Yankees (yeah, right? I hate them).

Speedwork tonight, the boss wants us to run faster for a longer distance per interval yet my heart feels like it is going to explode when I ran the shorter distance, so we'll see.

Runners Need Protein - duh

I know I sound dumb, but I have to tell you how remarkably different I feel since I have started drinking a protein shake after running. I have been drinking one after running to refuel my muscles, but I also have started drinking more of them on the days that are crazy busy and I may not eat properly. Everything about me feels better, my outward appearance, my muscles, lungs TODO (that means everything in spanish).

todo, todo, todo I mean everything!!

The benefits did not take long to experience either. I felt them after about a week of drinking shakes right after a workout. So get to your GNC store and ask for a good protein powder. I got mine from my naturalopathic doctor, it contains no gluten. But I think GNC would be as good a place as any to find some.

(I think I spelled naturalopathic wrong but you get the drift. Also, when I say everything is better I even mean libido - i have been crazy horny lately- which is a little frustrating since the only person I have had sex with is myself for quite sometime!!!- that probably fits into the "TOO MUCH INFORMATION" category, huh?)