Thursday, September 15, 2005

Well, Technically, We're All Dying

Cheery thought, eh? So my motto: carpe diem while ya got it. (Oh I wish that were my motto.)

Got to work at 6 a.m., changed, met FastRunnerFriend at 6:30 and ran four miles with no walking (!!!!) and faster than my usual 4-mile pace, too, without consciously trying to go faster. In fact, I was consciously trying to go slower so I could finish without walking.

Just to keep me honest:
(humidity=90% no kidding, at 6:30 a.m.)
11:06
11:01
11:06
10:57

total:44:12 / 11:03 min/mile pace.

Pretty darn good. FRF again slowed down for me and was soooo encouraging and complimentary about me finishing without walking. I think she was happier than I was!! (Thanks, A.!) This is how fast she is: while I was huffing and puffing and dragging my ass UPHILL at my 11 min/mile pace, she was walking next to me. Her walk is as fast as my fastest running. Hello! Still, having her there and knowing she is not going to judge me, plus knowing she has PROMISED to tell me if she wants to take off, really helped me take my mind off all the icky parts of those 44 minutes—you know, the running parts.

What also helped was a line I read in a John "the Penguin" Bingham book last night: he said "So many runners give up, when their best day might have been right around the corner. Might have been their next run, in fact." (paraphrasing.) So, I kept that thought in mind.

Whatever. I was happy at the end, and so was she. Leg did not bother me. Not then, not during the whole day, which I spent icing it. (More about that later.)

****

In other news, Big (well, two is a bigger number than one) Running Blog Family meet-up happening on Saturday!!! I am finally going to meet 26.2 miles vs. Naomi~! We're running racing the Gulf Coast Relief 5K Run and Walk, which is raising money for Red Cross. Sponsored by our favorite wacky politico duo: James Carville and Mary Matalin. And one certified movie star: Patricia Clarkson. I'm sure I'll be running alongside her.

So Naomi is supposed to be making the truffles right now, and yeah, I'm supposed to be finding a mother to make us cookies (wait—I'm a mother!)

And in a very strange turn of events, my entire pace group (remember them?) has also signed up for this. But I shouldn't really link to that ancient entry since it turns out that they actually missed me at the 23 miler on Saturday, asked about me, and sent best wishes. See? People can change and start liking you. There's a lesson there. (I *think* the lesson is: I became less judgmental and starting accepting them. Imagine.) Oh I love running because it teaches you so many life lessons! Like how not to be a jerk.

****

So I spent tonight wandering the streets of Alexandria, (in my car) looking for the store to pick up the race packets, only had zero gas because i'll be damned if I'll pay $3.50 a gallon, and we should all be taking public transportation, only it would take me like six hours to get from my place in Bethesda to across the river in Alexandria via public transportation. (I'm so stubborn it's really borderline demented. Not to mention nonsensical.) Found store, and picked up packets for me and 26 miles versus, Hmm, no maps of course in packet, in store, on Web site, or anywhere else. Actually, there was a teeny-tiny hand-drawn map at the back of the store, but my photographic memory failed me. How about info about parking? Nope. Didn't have that either.

So I drove around Alexandria, which luckily, is laid out in a nice grid. A very royal place. Duke St., King St., Prince St., etc. WIth stop signs at each intersection. Of which there were hundreds. I was trying to at least find the race start before I ran out of gas. Found start. Bought gas. ($3.22/gallon. ugh.)

****
Got home around 9ish, got out of car and, ouchie, leg hurt again. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE that I can go the entire day, and run four miles and be at work, all icing up and raising leg and being fine (and p.s. I had wrapped an ice bandage on leg during drive to store) and when I get home I am limping? I so think that doctor was wrong.

Well, maybe it's temporary. I'm going to think positive. Meanwhile, I gotta go find me a cookie-maker.

12 comments:

a.maria said...

i'm so excited RBFers are meeting up here there and everywhere!!! that is going to be SO much fun!!! take lots of pics!!!

hope your leg gets to feeling better too!! have a great race!!

Anonymous said...

Good luck for your race!!

David said...

Leg must have gotten to hurting from all the stop signs you had to brake for.
Take pictures of all food stuffs for us to salivate over. We are a hungry bunch.

Anonymous said...

Hey I have been obsessively reading that book (no need for speed, am I right?) to try and regain my running mojo which has deserted me 4 weeks prior to my first half-mara aarrggghh. Anyway good luck with your 5km and have a lovely time with Naonmi - gosh I wish I lived in the US, I'd love to meet some RBF people!! maybe one day

LBTEPA

:) said...

Buying gas is such a pain in the a$$ (leg?)...

Noames said...

wait, I've been so busy haranguing you about the cookies, I entirely forgot that the first half of that sentence had me making truffles. I'd better get cooking.

Thanks for doing the recon work--I'll be seeing ya tomorrow!

jeanne said...

You know, Jon should really be making the truffles! I hear he's good at it.

LBTEPA: Yep, that's the book! He can be corny, but that little bit of wisdom stayed with me. Where do you live LBTEPA? Maybe we can come race with you!

Thanks for all your good wishes. I bought two disposable cameras, with 28 shots each, and there's two of us. I think we'll get ya some photos!

Anonymous said...

come and race with us in Melbourne, Australia any time you like! We even have a spare room :)If I ever get to the US I want to meet up with some RBF people and do a run (a girl can dream!)
LBTEPA

Anonymous said...

Good luck with your 5K!! You'll do great!

Lara said...

Can't wait to hear about he meet-up and the race! Hope your leg felt great!!

Sarah said...

So RBFers are everywhere. I hope I am one. Four miles at 11 minute pace? Good work. And you last mile was the fastest!

jeanne said...

Thanks!! Somedays are just better than others (it helped that i sprinted at the end!) and then there are other days (see above..)