Run log: April

April brought the April Showers Bring May Flowers Mileage challenge...and I didn't hit 150 miles like I did in March.  Tapering for races plays a role in those miles.  But it's been a good running month.  Unfortunately, MGR hasn't met in full, but we've still managed to have running fun.  The skirts are starting to come out ~ but I ran in tights and two layers and a hat and gloves this morning.  In April, you get to pick from all your running gear.

Mike and Dodd ran the Run for Riley 5k last weekend.  I was volunteering.  I didn't run, but I still got ice cream and a cookie as Eat 'n Park and East Coast Custard were sponsors of the event.  

Tomorrow is the Chardon 1/2 marathon.  I've practiced the course twice.  This pictures shows the roller coaster hills for the last 5k of the race.  There a three ups and three down.  and then a fourth  up that just keeps going up.  Both times we ran it we had snack stops...no snack stops in a race.  Won't be quite as fun.  But a 1/2 marathon is always fun.

April Totals:

106.05 miles for the month 
507.19 miles for the year 

237.32 miles in my Gortex Ghosts ~no Gortex runs this month

363.21 miles in my New Brooks Glycerin 13 ~ which aren't new...because I got a NEW pair of Brooks Glycerin 13 on Wednesday

6.05 miles in my PINK Brooks Glycerin 13

Training for:    Chardon 1/2 (tomorrow) Hill Yeah in June...fall marathon...will be searching for a Marine Corp bib

Podcasts I'm listening to: Marathon Training Academy, Dear Sugar, & Story Corp

My WEIGHT: 139...oops.  pants fit, but they are getting snug.

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month:   20 Miles Drop  

What hurts?:   legs are tight, but right hamstring and feet are better

Highest  weekly mileage this month:  45.24 miles  April 10 through April 17 

Favorite place to run this month: Lake Erie Bluffs ~ alone and into the cooler wind.  relaxing

Monthly mileage record: 156.69 ~ March 2015 {purposely ran 8 (on a treadmill) on March 30 to beat the August 2013 record}
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.36 ~ May 17, 2015 The Cleveland Marathon

PR's:
5K: 22:30 (Run For the Grapes 9/28/14)
10K:  49:40 (Greenway 10k 3/20/16)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)

20-miler: 2:45:15 (20 mile Drop 4/10/16)
half-marathon: 1:44:42 (Northern Ohio Half Marathon 10/4/15)
marathon: 3:57:31 (The Cleveland Marathon 5/17/15)

20 mile drop

Today started early!  A 6:20 bus ride from Fairport Harbor Beach to Chardon Square. It was COLD.  20 degrees ~ thank goodness the wind wasn't blowing.  We hopped off the bus and were among the first in the port-a-pot line for the 8 port-a-pots.  Then Kelly & I found a semi-heated stairway on Main Street.  It was the perfect place to wait for the start.  Because when we left our safe haven, I had to cuddle with Mike to have some warmth.  Wore two layers on top, tights & a skirt, a buff, headband & gloves & it was pretty good.  I took a really easy week because on Tuesday ~ at the tennis match ~ my foot started to hurt?!?  It was better by my Friday run ~ but I could still feel it.  Didn't bother me at all today.  And my legs weren't tired to start the race ~  So I'm happy with that.  Lots of people do a shake-out run the day before a race.  I've always taken a rest day.  Don't know if I should change that or not, but I've been doing pretty well with what I've been doing.

So the race...the 20 mile drop starts on the north side of Chardon Square.  We ran counter clockwise around the square...and around again.  This year we turned right onto route 6 & through a neighborhood before we hit 5th ave to get to the bike path.  Then the race takes the bike path until it ends at Reider's Market.  Then it goes through the same neighborhood where we ran Glow in the Dark.  This is a tough little neighborhood because there are some ups.  We wove around until we got to the Greenway Trail.  This is advertised as mostly downhill...but I swear, that trail is uphill both ways.  I ran this whole first half of the race very well.  I ran between 7:45 min/miles to 8:17 min/miles.  As I passed the first water stop at mile 3 I saw a guy in a green sweatshirt walking and drinking.  As I ran by him, he fell into step with me.  We ran to the next water stop, where he walked & drank.  Then he sprinted up to fall into step with me.  I mentioned how the day had turned out to be better than I expected.  He grunted a reply.  He walked through each water stop & then sprinted back up to me.  I again tried to talk, mentioning something about the run, and he grunted a reply.  Totally weird for me to run with someone and NOT talk.  Even Mike talks some.  I would have at least liked to know his name so I could look up his time.  

I hit the half marathon split at a PR pace: 1:44:18.  That was quite an adrenaline rush   I was pretty talkative about it.  After the next water stop, green sweatshirt guy did not sprint back up to me.  Guess he really didn't want to talk.

Then my pace started to fall back.  8:23, 8:32, 8:29, 8:38.  I caught Dodd, who was dying, at mile 16. a He had just eaten something so I encouraged him and moved on.  Hit mile 18 & 19  thought I was going to die. 8:58; 9:28 ~ and I had that brain fog.  I had to focus.  Look down.  Breathe.  And the fog would clear.  My legs were fine, but I was low blood sugaring or something. {or mentally weak}  I sped up a tad for the end & immediately after I saw Leslie & Crystal & Becca.  Thank goodness Becca handed me a banana {even opened it} because I felt sooooo much better after than banana.  I needed to take in more fuel.  The beef jerky was really frozen & it was hard to eat.  I had part of the chocolate at mile 6.  I should have taken more of that at 13 & I would have done better.  I did take Gatorade {and it was blue!} at the last water stop...which helped me be stronger the last mile.  The finish was 100 yards on the snow covered grass.  The 10 milers had pretty much made it a sloppy mess ~ so the footing was poor & it was up a hill.  This was the worst part of the race terrain-wise & considering we had significant snowfall yesterday, that's not too shabby.  Love that Verdi was MC'ing because I got a personal shout-out.  Trisha Dodd caught my finish face.  And apologized that it wasn't a better picture. I think that has more to do with ME than her picture taking skills.

My marching over the finish line wearing my finish face.

Love my Queen nemy ~ who rocked the 10 mile drop

A 20 mile PR ~ by almost a minute. 2:45:15.  Had to take a picture of the screen because my watch only had 19.90 miles on it...I must be a pretty amazing tangent runner...and I want to make sure I get the full 20 tickets for my 20 mile drop!  Mike also had a PR finish time & since it was the first time Dodd & Kelly had run a 20 mile race they PR'ed too.  We have gone from the Madison Group Run to the PRRG ~ Personal Record Run Group.  Ice Cream will be in our future.  Just not today, because Dodd is dying & I'm napping.  20 miles is a long way and my legs are soooo tired.  The only thing that hurts is my second toe on my right foot...other than that it's just sore tired tight muscles.  

Tennis

Tennis season has started.  Monday we were scheduled to host Harvey.  Cancelled due to rain.  Tuesday we went to Lake Catholic where Jacob played in the cold.  Luckily the wind wasn't too bad (and it was at my back, so it was acceptable to stand & watch).  He won and his team won too.  I loved watching Coach Vidmar walk off the bus carrying his own metal folding chair.  

Playing first singles at Lake Catholic

On Wednesday we were supposed play Conneaut.  Cancelled due to rain.  Same on Thursday...when we were supposed to play North.  Friday after school it was sunny and a warm-ish 37 degrees...with a pretty strong wind.  Perry decided to play at Pine Lake {which made me happy...not to have to stand outside in the wind}  Jacob felt at home there & after a relatively easy first set he had to fight to win the second.  Tennis is a hard sport to spectate because I have to be quiet.  The stress and anxiety builds up & even at the end, when Jacob won, I can't scream and yell.  

Jacob is having a great season so far...and he's having fun and learning and being a good sport.  It makes me proud.

I am looking forward to WARM sunny tennis matches.  We'll see what next week brings.

three things

These three things...

1. Yesterday morning.  I drive down my driveway.  Look left.  Nothing.  Turn right.  Slightly out into the left lane.  Where there's a car.  And it's a police officer.  oops

2.  Same trip to school.  Right in front of the high school.  A squirrel comes into the left lane like it's going to run across the road.  I slow down hoping it runs back by which it came.  It pauses.  I continue to slow down {did look to check that there were no cars behind me}.  It continues to cross the road.  I slow wayer down.  It crosses the road.  If I hadn't stopped in the middle of the road, that squirrel would be no longer.  That was too close for comfort & the 'almost' made me sad.

3. Between 6th and 7th period I call the counselor.  Her extension is 511.  I am supposed to dial 6511.  I dial.  I wait for Kat to answer.  "9-1-1 what's you emergency?"  Uhhhhhh  ~ my immediate emergency is that I've just called 911.  I am SOOO embarrassed. I have to give my name and I apologize a million times in, I am sure, not my calm mature voice.  I look at my phone.  I had dialed 9511.  Since when does 511 ring 911?  I was framed.