Who "new"?

My loving support crew bestowed me with new kicks this holiday season and wouldn't you know it had me running circles of happiness. Lately, my hamstrings have been bothering me and I thought it might be overuse, possibly the three runs in November? I still kept running and just made sure I stretched. Well wouldn't you know, after getting the new shoes my legs feel SOOO much better. I've heard people say new shoes are important but feeling is believing to this Thomas. Although, I don't think that it was necessarily that I didn't "believe" but more, I can be lazy replacing things like running shoes sometimes.

Reflections

Trail running is ... It is a roller coaster ride of adrenaline, mixed with sense enhancing drugs au natural. I couldn't resist the opportunity to trail run a Rocky Hill Ranch Dirty Du and talked two friends into signing up as well. At this point in the month I had run a marathon breaking my PB by 25 minutes (okay so the time I beat was 5 years ago buy hey), Ran another PB in a ten miler the next weekend and volunteered at a marathon. This was the following week, no problem right? I had my trepidations, one being I had been steering clear of the trails during my marathon training to make sure I stayed healthy, but I think I would have been fine training trails really, even so that is what I did and what I was worried about looking at the race ahead of me. The start time was the most reasonable I had seen in a long time (9 a.m) which allowed me to sleep until a decent hour before picking my friends up and heading to the start. My promise to them, coffee in the morning for one, cheeseburger after the race for the other. We pulled into the race site filled with mountain bikers, I just knew they could spot me a road runner from a mile away and know. I didn't care, I was happy to be outside and the three of us just kept repeating how it was a fun run we were going to enjoy. My legs had been feeling heavy the past week, so my plan was to just start running plain and simple and let the chips fall where they may. I stood at the start line riddled with goose pimples but remembering how fast I heated up at the ten miler, there was a small group running this one so the race organizer stood there and told us what to look for when we were running as far as flags etc., and that we would have water stops but would have to fill our own cups. Finally we were ready and the run began, we hung as one massive swarm of mosquito like runners for about the first mile and then the faster guys took off and the pack began to thin, G and I hung together, with R behind us. The route was winding but soft on the feet for the most part. We came to a water stop at what I thought to be half way and G stopped, we got water and she said she was going to need to walk for awhile due to her knee. We joked around for a bit there until she assured me she would be fine and encouraged me to run ahead. The rush of excitement pushed me onward as I continued the snake like run, winding around. The trail wound so much I almost felt dizzy at the same time it really felt like a roller coaster and was pretty fun. I felt like the scene in Return of the Jedi where they are chasing each other through the forest. I looked at my watch to try and determine where we were at in the run, but couldn't tell. All I knew was to keep running and as D taught me look for the flats, so that is what I focused on. Before I knew it I was coming around the campground into the finish, 1:49 not bad for a trail run. The guy doing the timing gave me accolades and then I was off back on the course to look for G and R. The run was WELL worth it and R and I had a well-earned cheeseburger that night, recounting the run and what a great time we had. Onward!!!

With the Wild Wolves Around You in the Morning

Last Sunday I saw a coyote - it was beautiful and at first reminded me of the fox I would see at my parents house. The strangest part was that I saw it, and my running buddy can attest to this, in a very urban area by the hike and bike trail which we were running to for our training. I looked around at the trash littering the creek he had just slithered into and thought about our footprint as humans on this earth and what we can do. It was a nice run starting with an unexpected sighting, but one that lead to great thoughts.

I looked at the moon last night as I ran and thought about that coyote again trying to make it in this world the best way he could. The moon was stunning.

One week later

I stood at the starting line to the Run for the Water 10 miler wondering what I was doing there one week after the marathon at 7 AM on a Sunday morning. "Well I thought just have fun and let the chips fall where they may." I looked for KB and Nathan before the start but couldn't find them so eventually wound my way to the starting line and waited shivering but knowing once I started going I would be fine. This was a smaller run with about two thousand people so when the gun went off I got swept up in it and started moving to the beat of those around me. At mile one, I knew I was way ahead of my usual pace. "Great, I don't want to be one of those people who goes out too fast and then gets passed by everyone at the end." I thought. "Oh well, I'll just have to keep running hard." I knew the route as I ran it the weekend before the marathon and knew it would be hilly. I felt good though. At the first water stop I saw one of my coworkers and gave her a high five and then just enjoyed the rest of the ride. I knew once I was back on Lake Austin, about mile 7, it would be smooth sailing so I kept my eye on that prize. Once I got there I just kept my feet moving in rhythm and enjoyed those around me. I knew I would see my coworkers again at the mile 8 water stop and had fun giving them high fives and then tucked my head down for the rest of the run. I kept looking at my watch and I was holding 8 minute miles and knew my parents were at the end so this had to be a strong finish. I rounded the last corner realizing that I was just under 8 minute miles if I could pull it in strong and that I did (1:19!) Hooray - it was my best run to date and I felt wonderful.What accounts for it? There has just been a joy I've been feeling with my running and that has given me the added spark I need as well as excitement of discovering places I've been able to reach that I would not have thought possible not that long ago.

1st ave to the finish

I came off the roundabout onto 1st ave. in Manhattan and knew it was guts and glory time. We had been keeping our pace just great and that is when I felt a pain in my knee. I kept running and thought about it. "How bad can it be?" I kept pushing. "Well this is what I've trained for so if something happens I can heal up and feel good about it, but if I don't give this my all I will be disappointed." I pressed on and lo' and behold the knee pain began to subside. I was making my way to the Bronx which was a short stint and then we came back into Manhattan ran through Harlem and back down entering Central Park. I remained focused and then figured where I would see my family next and concentrated on that. I saw them at 96th street which gave me a boost and then shortly after we entered the park. This is where I heard all the advice everyone told me kick in I knew I could do it, this was it. It was helpful having run here so many times when I lived in New York because I knew about how much farther I needed. I also knew that there was no way I could make Boston qualifying time but still ran hard. I counted to one hundred in my head and focused on the finish. Whoosh - the finish came lickety split and I finished in a time I was proud of and close to 30 minutes faster than my 2003 marathon run. I found J-R at the finish (he was awesome and finished two minutes ahead of me) and we talked about the run, both feeling really good about our runs and how we felt at the finish. It was the end to a great marathon day made fabulous by all the spectators including friends and family from all over. THANKS GUYS! I couldn't do it without your support.