Wednesday, May 29, 2013

For the Love of my Legs

WY I RUN... the ambiguity of the body. Running and the physiological effects are so fine tuned, but some times the legs are own their agenda.
Workouts:
5/18: Ran my first race in Steamboat as part of the local running series, Spirit Challenge 10k. My nerves were going haywire for this one, being one close to the school where I am working and where I live. With a small showing, I won the uphill/downhill race without digging too deep and made for a smiley afternoon.
5/21: One last workout before the half which was 2x1 Mile with 4 min and 2x400 with 3 min. I finally hit some paces in the 400s but still had some tired legs amidst the miles.

5/26: To quote Jeff, "this one was more of a mental win than anything else." After thinking about this statement, first hurt, perhaps he was implying that the personal best wasn't a feat, then I realized the intention of the comment. Of course, it is awesome to score a personal best, especially one by two minutes. But the best lesson learned, was that this stemmed from a morning of 'I don't want to race,' one of cold, wet and windy conditions, one of trepidation due to the lack of hitting workouts, or running at 7500  feet and feeling perpetually tired for the past month. As I warmed up in the sprinkles of Boston with Adam at my side, I told him this was definitely not going to be my day and that's what I believed.  Nothing was stacking up like a typical race; less nerves, not as many bathroom stops, the time change made for an extra early wake up call and my stomach was feeling off.

I finally weaved to the front of the starting line and decided to just to feel it out. I started with the group, pulling out a 6:30 or so thinking that I just wanted it to be over now, which was mile 1. By mile 2, I still didn't know what this pace would do to me but trucked on only thinking of the one mile ahead of me.

There were cheerleaders, there was the city of Boston, and my mind fixated on any girls in front of me. This was the first half- marathon I ever ran in 2007 just squeezing under 2 hrs. I caught myself thinking back to the part that runs by the Charles River and my perspective at that time. Here I was 6 years later at the turn-a-round point at mile 6, running past all of the runners still coming up the river. I was alone and the 4th female. Usually, cheers dont necessarily pump me up, but there was something about running by the thousands of runners, crammed on the other side of the street like packed sardines, yelling 'you go girl' and '4th woman,' 'looking strong.' My 6:40s dropped to the 20s and while my cardiovascular system was feeling great, my legs were getting tired. At Mile 9-10 I spotted Adam and dad at the end of Charles st. rooting me on. They appeared again at the other side of the Boston commons and I grimaced in their direction with shot legs and a need for the potty.

The next in sight was a girl slowing, that was the imminent goal, I got her! Feeling the end was near, I passed some folks only to come to the uphill side of the bridge. Here is where I wanted to slow, the end was close, but too far. I managed to match a man's steps up the hill stride for stride as the acid continued to build in my legs, coming down the other side, I did all could to keep up. Runners started getting away and it was bearing difficult to get to the next gear. In the last 100 yds a woman came barreling past me and while I sped up, there wasn't any catching her. I crossed as the 6th female out of thousands at the Run to Remember and ran a 1:27, something I had not even thought of preceding the race. This mental breakthrough means a lot during this time of transition and I am ready to use these powers towards whatever comes my way.

 After a few days on the road for The Lowell Whiteman School in CO, Adam met me in Denver to fly to Boston, not only to race but for the marriage of one of my oldest friends. One who I declared was my best friend in Kindergarten while she rejected the idea. Obviously she came around at some point. Moments at these weddings of those you love so dearly bring up so much, nostalgia, memories, tears of joy, love and dancing...
Congratulation Marissa and Robert Kordenbrock (I think Marissa actually reads the blog)


And as my sister, Carter, took pictures of the rare moment of both of us dressed up, before we arrived late to the wedding, she captured us just the way we are.

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