Atlantic City was a welcome distraction from day to day life and a chance to re-connect with some girlfriends, and my other friends - nachos! I would tell you that I'm kidding, but I'm not. I had nachos for lunch at Harrah's pool bar both days in AC. They were heavenly. Shawn calls them my kryptonite, and I've often said that should I ever find myself in the position of death row inmate (God forbid), that would be my choice for last meal - true story...well, only if they include jalapenos and guacamole :).
Did a little beach lounging, pool side relaxing, cocktail sipping, gambling, and of course people watching.
But once we returned home, and the weather improved, it was time to head back to the track.
August 16th
Duration 0:45:24 | Calories Burned 466
Average Pace 12:05 / mi | Average Speed 4.96 mph | Elevation Climb 152 ft - the extreme heat had begun to let up and my pace was reflecting that
August 17th
Duration 0:50:01 | Calories Burned 529
Average Pace 11:52 / mi | Average Speed 5.05 mph | Elevation Climb 177 ft - 11:52 average pace?! Holla!
I hadn't realized how fast the Rail Trail 10-miler was approaching. I really had no choice but to jump from a longest run of 8 miles to 10 miles for my next long run. I know, I know, some people think I could have done another 8 or even a 9 mile run and been just fine heading into the race on the 27th - but I know me. I know that when push came to shove, and I felt myself doubting myself on race day - there was one thing that would keep me going...knowing that I had already run the distance. You may think this running thing is physical - but it is 100% mental. For real.
August 21st
Average Pace 13:46 / mi | Average Speed 4.36 mph | Elevation Climb 384 ft - WOOT!!
Under the strict orders of the sister-coach, I had just a few short runs leading up to the big day.
August 24th
Average Pace 12:06 / mi | Average Speed 4.96 mph | Elevation Climb 67 ft
August 25th
Duration: 0:10:43 **best one mile time to date!**
Heading into Saturday I was pretty terrified of running the rail trail for 10 miles, alone. Sure, I would know others there, but let's face it, I'm a slow poke (yes, even now that I have shaved MINUTES off my average pace), and I'd be eating their dust. There was also the threat of Irene. I will also reiterate that I am a fair weather runner. Some sprinkles a few miles in are sometimes welcome, the torrential down pours that threatened had me slightly, uh, really apprehensive. I had hoped that the sister-coach might accompany me for this one - but alas, home girl had a field hockey scrimmage on the calendar, and she, for whatever reason, felt her varsity hockey team needed her more than I did. Whatevs.
The night before the run I put my water and Gatorade in the fridge to chill. Laid out the headphones, armband, sport beans, and my running gear, got to bed at a decent time and hoped for the best. Race time was at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday the 27th, we arrived at the starting place around 7:30. Shawn stopped for coffee, and I envied his steamy cup of Starbucks the entire ride there. No way was I adding a thing to my tummy/bladder before the run, especially not after that boardwalk run fiasco. Once parked I noticed something, or should I say, someONE out of the corner of my eye. There, bounding down the hill, braid swinging behind her - was JANELLY!! The sister coach & Joy-ous had surprised me! Their scrimmage was remarkably moved to Monday (today), and they had pulled the switcheroo - drove from Gettysburg to Loganville for 7:00 a.m. race day registration. I was floored, but thrilled. I had running buddies, and all the trouble they went to in order to be there for/with me meant more than they will ever know.
The weather was sticky but not too terribly hot, the rain was impending but not yet upon us. The surface and slope of the rail trail are really ideal for novice runners like myself. We started at the rear of the pack and remained there. Our average pace ranged from 12:30 - 13:30 per mile, which is great for me when it comes to a long run. Janelle & Joy stayed with me, tried their best to keep my energy and spirits up. Joy gave pep talks to struggling runners along the way as well. This was actually 6 miles less than Janelle was to run that day, given her own marathon training - but she was recovering from an injury and seemed happy to maintain my pace.
I felt pretty good actually, I mean, I had been training for so long, and had made some real progress since my battlefield run with Janelle. I wanted to show her what I could do! The RunKeeper app ran beautifully, on occasion my Pandora would crap out due to tree coverage. There was, however, that mini meltdown around the 6 mile marker...We had been told that there were four water stations along the race route. The first was (in my opinion) misplaced at the 2 mile point. We ran and ran, and I hoped and hoped for another shot of H20. When there was another station around the 6 mile point I couldn't hide my excitement - when we reached the spot and it was abandoned and DRY, I couldn't bite my tongue! Granted, the ear buds didn't help my volume level, but my profanity was enough for a Rent-a-cop to dip into his own stash of bottled water in his car and come to my aid. Not my proudest moment, but a running girls' gotta hydrate man!
We plugged along - and at around the 9.5 mile marker Janelle told me to look up and over to my right. At first, I didn't see what she was referring to, then it became clearer. Sitting on a park bench, crouched over with his camera and now empty Starbucks cup was my handsome hubby, proudly snapping pictures of his ever evolving wife. We waved for the camera, I stopped for a kiss, and I wondered if he would make it the 1/2 mile down the road to meet me at the finish...he did.
As we neared the finish line, Joy noted that she's never met a finish line she didn't like, Janelle commented on how beautifully the trees arched over the trail, and I was just so thankful to have made it. I practically made it look easy! It was slow & steady the entire 10 miles, and aside from my sailor mouthed outburst at a little over the 1/2 way point, it wasn't that bad. I was thankful to have had my very own cheer leading squad, and an adoring husband waiting with his cell phone camera and a congratulatory kiss at the finish line. When the race was over, it really hit me. I'm going to do this. I ran 10 miles, and I'm going to run 13.1. I started this journey 10 months and at least 33 lbs ago, and I'm going to finish this. Last year I couldn't imagine running one mile, and I just ran 10. It was a bit surreal.
P.S. We re-fueled on kryptonite and Maple Donuts, and later I noshed on sushi and sipped white wine as a reward...of course I'm back on the wagon today.
Here are the RunKeeper stats though the official race time was probably more like 2:17:
Duration 2:15:01 | Calories Burned 1251
Average Pace 13:30 / mi | Average Speed 4.45 mph | Elevation Climb 872 ft
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| Finish line photo courtesy of Shawn Hawk :) |
Less than 3 months til the 1/2 in Philly and for once in my life, I'm ahead of schedule...
To my "friends", readers and "followers" - Thanks for reading, thanks for supporting, thanks for believing!
