I normally don’t write posts on the weekend, but this just had to be shared.
Here in Oregon we are into our Indian Summer. Meaning it is more than half way through September and we will have a high of 93° today. I couldn’t run early morning cause my husband had to work, I didn’t want to run tonight because I am getting up and running 8 miles in the early morning.
My four-year old had a soccer game at 10:45 this morning, so I decided to run to the game. I’d put the two-year old in the stroller and run the short 3 mile distance to the game. It’s actually less than 3 miles, but I added a loop to make it three miles. I figured if my kid could run around and play soccer, I could run to the game, right?
No big deal.
It’s 10 o’clock and I tell my husband I’d be leaving in a few minutes.
Husband: the game’s not till 10:45. You sure you want to leave this early. It’s only like 20 blocks.
Me: it’s actually just over 3 miles.
Husband: yeah, and at a 10 minute mile…
Me: I don’t run that
Husband: you should be under that
Me: uh…nope. I run a 11-12 minute mile, but I’ll have the stroller so it will be more like a 13 minute mile.
Husband: wow. you’re slow!
So it’s a good thing that after almost two decades I can spot his sarcastic wit, or my dear husband would have become my dearly departed husband!
I pack up and leave for the game. It’s hot, ok, it’s only like 80° but it is hot when the sun is beating down on you and you are running. The stroller is heavy and pulling to the left. Like bad. I had to stop about a quarter-mile into the run and adjust the front wheel. Then about 20 feet later I had to stop and take the front wheel off and put it on the other way.
That helped, somewhat, but it was still heavy! I swear my kid has gained 10 pounds in the last week.
I realized my ideal temperature to run in is between 60-70° preferably with out rain, or blaring sunshine and without pushing a stroller.
After about 40 minute, my husband calls me, but I don’t answer. I’m sure he was just wondering what field they were on, not where the hell I was.
We get there a few minutes late, watch the game, I talk to people and when I get back to the car I realize I am missing one lens of my sunglasses.
Yep. I just spent the whole time with one lens and I had no idea. I don’t even know when I lost it, but my husband said I didn’t have it at the game. Was I on my run like that? Did I say ‘hi, good morning’ to all those people like that?
I ran this race with my cousin, whom I have talked about before. I need to say that she is one amazing lady. A few months ago she injured her rib, and the day before the race she re-injured it. Which means she ran the whole race with a bruised rib and in a whole world of pain. She needs some serious recognition folks.
Before the race I made some motivational tattoos for my cousin and me to wear.
My right and left arms
mine and my cousins matching tattoos
I get it now. I get why people run marathons and more than once. I am hooked. I know I have said I’m hooked on races, but I am now hooked on the long run.
I loved doing the race, I felt really great while running, and I felt really great after the run. While waiting for my cousin at the end, I thought ‘hell, I could’ve done a whole marathon right now!’ That was of course inaccurate, but I still felt great after. Not what I was expecting.
The race started at 7:00 a.m. and was a point to point race. Which means the starting point is different from the end point. So you park at the end point (where the wine festival will be) and take a bus to the starting point. The last bus left at 6:20, so we had to get up, make sure to eat something and drink some coffee and be at the bus location super early. I think we woke up at 4:30 a.m.
Here are my times from the Map My Run app. I started the app before crossing the start line, which is when I started running. So while running it would tell me I got to mile one, prior to the sign during the race.
DISTANCE (miles)
PACE (min/mile)
ELAPSED TIME (min)
1
12:47
00:12:46
2
12:06
00:12:05
3
12:44
00:12:43
4
12:33
00:12:33
5
12:30
00:12:28
6
13:21
00:13:21
7
13:11
00:13:10
8
12:00
00:11:59
9
12:51
00:12:49
10
12:46
00:12:45
11
12:38
00:12:38
12
13:55
00:13:54
13
13:45
00:13:44
13.6*
13:53
00:08:34
*The actual distance of the race was 13.2 miles, but I forgot to turn off the app after I crossed the finish line, so it kept recording my pace and distance.
The route was beautiful and peaceful. The weather was wonderful, cool and sunny with a slight breeze.
I averaged about a 12:30-12:40 min/mile. This is slower than I would have like to have run the race, but this slow pace meant I could keep moving the whole time. The race had a hydration station every two miles. I would run until I got there, and then fill up my water bottle, and run again. Sometime during mile six I had to have a snack, because you are burning more than 1,000 calories with this distance. I walked while eating my peanut butter Gu, which surprisingly tasted just like peanut butter, then ran again.
I was passed by people, I would pass people, sometimes we would go back and forth. There was a guy about 30-40 years my senior who passed me at the beginning of the race, he was power walking, and I never saw him again. I NEVER caught up to the guy who was walking faster than I was running….
But that’s ok. I am alright with that.
At the mile 8 hydration station they had a wine tasting.
The worst part of the race was miles 10-12. We had to run on a gravel road, and there was a steep hill somewhere in mile 11. I would run and the gravel would slip under my feet, causing me to use more energy with every foot fall, and this tired me out. I ended up having to walk up half that hill, which was the only hill I walked.
I really didn’t think I would be able to run up all those hills. I tried to stay on the center line of the road and just look down. When you are looking down, the road is flat.
one more mile to go
After the gravel ended I started running again, but that last mile I did have to walk some. Maybe half or so, but not all at once, I would walk a few steps and run a few steps. There was also a hill at the end, but it wasn’t as steep as some of them, so I looked down and powered on.
Here is one great thing about this race; your name is on your bib.
So when you are reaching the finish line and running by all the spectators, you know what happens?
They all cheer your name!
Which is both weird and motivating. They are cheering you on, you only have a few feet to go, and you dig down and push. Then there is a nice lady at the end that says great job and hands you a medal. You then get some snacks, a keepsake wine glass, and a wrist band to fill the wine glass up.
I am little disappointed in the race shirts and the wine glass they give you. The shirt is plain, and the wine glass does not say anything about “Oregon Wine Country Half” or the date or anything like that. (you know I’m gonna fix that with my Silhouette, right?) But, I am really happy about my time.
OK, so I would like to improve on my time for my races next year, but this was my first one, so I am still proud of it. This just means I need to start speed training.
I can’t even tell you how great if felt while running and after. There is just something magical about being there, running with all those people. Everyone around you is there for the same reason as you. Simply to run.
I am now more determined than ever to run the Portland Marathon in 2015. I already have my races picked out for next year.
I also wanted to point out that we were told there was 1500 runners and 70% of them were women! Go Ladies! I would also like to thank all those who stayed at the back of the pack with me. It was nice having other runners around while I slowly went the distance.
Seriously in two days I will be waking up super early so I can run 13 miles!
That’s my race bib and my cousins. Apparently when you pay a bunch of money and run a bunch of miles they personalize your bib.
I am packing for the race tomorrow and need to go to the store to get snacks. Because when you run that much you burn some serious calories and I don’t want to pass out on the road. Of course I have a list made. And I will probably over pack.
The weather is looking pretty good, not too hot, and some clouds to keep us from over heating.
I decided that Darcy and I needed matching shirts. But not shirts that match every other runner.
So of course I got out my freezer paper and Cameo and made a stencil.
Don’t they look good. After some failure with spray fabric paint and technical tee, I went back to what I knew would work.
So last weekend we did a taper off run, meaning it was still far, but less than 9 miles. The plan was to run 8, but Darcy’s GPS on her phone stopped for a bit and her Map My Run app didn’t record about a mile. But mine did (whew), so we did get an accurate reading, we just ran farther than we anticipated.
Ian was recovering from his adenoids/tonsillectomy and woke up about the time I was getting ready to leave. He had been wanting to go on a run with me, so I relented and let him come. This meant I had to push the stroller, which with him was about 45 lbs!
So around the eight and a half mile marker I was loosing it. I was so tired and worn out that I would shuffle a few running steps then had to walk. Of course I had to get back to my car, so I had to walk and ‘run’ to get there. Then we had to-die-for-pastries at the French Bakery that we just happened to park next to.
I got two more 5 mile runs in this week to keep me prepared for the race.
I’m nervous and excited. Plus, there is wine at the end. And a medal.
Sorry, another running post, when I know you were looking for something crafty.
I haven’t had time for new crafts, but I keep trying to run. Because you can all see the countdown on the side bar. My big race is coming soon!
My cousin and I made a big leap on Saturday morning. We ran 10 miles.
Yep I said. 10 miles.
OK. I didn’t really run all ten miles, but I completed 10 miles. And that’s just as good.
Here’s how it went:
D wanted to run on Sat morning with another of her running friends A (who brought H with her). D wanted to meet at 6, that’s six in the morning. I got it all worked out for who had kid duty so I could make the run. Then she says let’s meet at 5:30 so she could go to dragon boat practice downtown at 9 a.m. I know, she’s crazy!
But I agreed to meet at 5:30. Who’s crazy now?
We all met and started our run. Since I don’t have Sid and his stroller with me I had to put my water and snack in a little back pack (not the best idea). There was no way I could do 9-10 miles on 16 ounces of water. I was happy I had all the water, but later in the day my back hurt.
At first I’m running along at pace with them when I realize I am running too fast. And by too fast, I do mean too fast for me. Since my lung sickness I can’t run faster than a 12 min/mile or my lungs will explode.
These ladies were running slow for us, but they were probably about a 10 min/mile (or so, I’m just guessing). The first time I had to slow down and walk to take a drink they politely stopped and waited for me. I told them, don’t worry I’ll catch up.
At about 4.5 miles we all stopped for a break, because that’s where the rest room was. After mile 5 I had to stop and clip a toenail because it had cut into the toe next to it and was starting to hurt.
I ended up walking about half of mile six. I had decided I needed the break and I told myself at mile 7 I would run the remaining three miles. Because three miles is easy.
The other three ladies stopped at mile 7 for a break and for me to catch up. At which point D and I told A & H to go on ahead and we would see them back at the cars.
That was the longest three miles of my life. After about a mile I look up and see the bridge that, not only do we have to get to, but we have to pass.
OH MY GOD! I’M NEVER GONNA MAKE IT!
But I have to make it, because, well that’s where my car is. So we walked and we ran and we walked and we ran. We kept putting one foot in front of the other and continued with our forward motion. And we made it back to our cars. After we completed the 10 mile distance. To find A & H waiting for us with coffee.
Yep. My very first double-digit.
I had thought adding one more mile shouldn’t have been that hard, but it was actually two more miles. Because last week was only eight miles. I also realized that I had not run at all from Sunday to Saturday. That was a huge mistake. I need to run at least two shorter runs in between these long runs. My body just isn’t conditioned to wait that long.
We are going to try to do another 10 miler this weekend, then 9 the weekend before the big race.
I Tri and Craft 