Rainy Season

The gauntlet is over! Two marathons, a 25K, and a half marathon in the span of about five weeks. One would think the above picture is a celebration for surviving, but really it's a tribute to one of my favorite movies, Shawshank Redemption. You know the scene, "Andy Dufresne, the man who crawled through 500 yards of shit and came out clean the other end", the moment he emerges from the sewer pipe, only to stand in this pose as the rain washes him clean of his false incarceration becoming a free man. Okay, I really didn't accomplish anything as traumatic as a prison stint, but my tribute is damn relevant being as two of these races took place in torrential downpours.   

There isn't much of a story for today's race. From the start, it was obvious we were going to get dumped on by the rain. Not wanting to even take a chance of a repeat of Nipplegate, ditched the shirt and modesty at the starting line. This race is small to begin with, add the crummy weather, and I was fairly certain nobody would be tortured with looking at my semi-naked body for too long. 

Insert Spring rain sound for the starting gun, awww so peaceful, here we go. CT had a specific time goal in mind and has been doing her typical stressing over getting that time. For myself, no such goal, other than an idea of what would be a likely time for myself. About a quarter mile in, I could sense that she was pacing herself off of me and was starting much too fast for her goal and ultimately running a sensible race. In hindsight, I probably should have slowed her down and ran with her. Instead, I could feel people crawling up my back and that made me paranoid that I'd have run hard today. At this point I decided to pass her, casually mention that she should slow down, and I'd see her at the finish. 

The sky opened up and let a down pour happen for a few miles. Somewhere around four, I took a peak back to see if I could see CT. Even for being a very straight course, the rain hindered visibility enough that I could barely make her out. She's been battling an injury, so honestly that was my check to just make sure nothing horrible happened. While I was worried about her, then it got in my head how close the next guy was to me. I did start out a little slower to keep an eye on her, by this point, I was at race pace and didn't expect anybody to be around me (already knew the two "kids" were hell and gone and there was no catching them). 

Kept my pace at race pace, figuring if he wanted to stay close, we'll see how long he can last. In the back of my head, I did wonder how long I'd be able to maintain, my body has been tired with number of hard runs I've done in this stretch. At six, I turn to peak, motha #&^!, still see him, did gain some distance, but he was still visible. At eight, when I checked, finally couldn't see him, which is good because my body started to ask questions. Rest of the miles, eased back a little and simply maintained. 

Crossing the line, it was almost spot on what I expected. Overall, it felt a bit harder than it should have, but it's been a full season. Even if motivated, doubt that a PR would have happened, kind of glad I didn't try. Running back out to see CT, I really expected to see her coming in a first woman. The second I saw a different woman running at me, knew this wouldn't be good for her because that woman was right at about the time CT was hoping for. Only had to wait a few more runners before I saw her coming. Was greeted to a very emotional CT, haven't seen this side very often. Knew she struggled, mainly with the injury she's been fighting, but mentally, she puts way too damn much pressure on herself going after a time that even healthy is close to her limit. The hug only lasted a couple seconds, felt longer, but she broke it off worried that somebody would pass her...that's my girl! 

She put on a good game face, finished strong and we both walked away with first places in our age group. After what feels like a long training season, an even longer race season, time to roll the credits on this season/movie! 

The Club

It's been a few years since I lined up for this race, four to be exact. Normally, I wouldn't know that off the top of my head, more on that in a minute. I also wouldn't have guessed it's been that long, but after finding out, it doesn't surprise me either because I've had some gripes with this race. Enough time has passed, not even sure if I bitched about them here, so sorry, pretend Alzheimer has hit (just a matter of time anyway), here they come again. Never been a fan of the course, last time I was on it, ended up doing something to my foot and I'm convinced it was from so many uneven surfaces. It left me hobbling for a while. That didn't make me happy, but the reason I stopped running this race is because of The Club. It really is a cool perk and the only thing like it in the area, but some rule changes happened to ruin the fun of not only getting in The Club, but wanting to be in The Club. Not being able to take your spouse into The Club, somewhat defeats wanting to be in The Club. That change has always left a sour taste in my mouth.

Once in a while, I make friends. As runners do, you chit chat about various races and goals coming up. Well, this friend, we'll call 5-0 (That's five oh, not five zero, not fifty, not fiffy (if you're hip), five oh) tells me he has this dream of getting in The Club at this race. Now, I've had one pacing experience and it went horribly wrong, so much so that it actually still causes me anxiety. Sure glad I don't have to do that again, is playing out in my head. At the same time I'm thinking that, CT who happens to be standing by us, announces "Sure, he'll pace you 5-0"! In five words, that quick, I got signed up for another race, committed to pacing, all without any of my own input. Any doubt left that CT is trying to kill me? Sure hope the police take a long, hard, look at her when I go missing or die of unusual circumstances!

How did I find out it's been four years? After signing up, it wasn't too long after an email notice came that my results couldn't be found and they were denying my entry into The Club. On the website, they are fairly specific about entry into The Club being based on last year's results. I admit, I applied my own logic to this because I think it's unrealistic to NEED to run this race every year to remain in The Club, my feeling it should be based on your last time running it, so it's been a couple years. Based on my previous gripes, their response denying me entry, my buttons had been pushed and it resulted in a sassy email response back and a Twitter post about the experience. Unexpected results, suddenly it became a full on flame war on Twitter with somebody I had never heard of or had any interaction before. The whole time this war is going on, get an email response back giving me entry into The Club from the race people. Once they realized I had ran it four years ago, with the explanation of their system only went back three years, good to go. Honestly, expected to get no response from the race people, now to end this stupid Twitter war. Once the Troll found out they let me in The Club, things calmed down, but couldn't resist poking one last time stating how silly this whole thing was because it wasn't like I was going to enter The Club, then wave to 5-0 from inside The Club gloating with my perks or stroll up to the starting line with my special entry bib only to have the person I'm trying to pace catch up to me. The whole point of this whole fiasco was getting the "special" bib to motivate 5-0. 

Pacer, is much different than trainer. We were both in different training groups this year. So, I really couldn't keep close constant contact through this training season, beyond (ha pun) spying on posted runs. 5-0 put in the work. Times we did speak, he did seem to have some doubt. A few days prior, 5-0 even complained about getting sick, something about coughing up a lung, and playing it almost off as if there were a chance he might not even do this race. Hearing this, made me really wonder if 5-0 didn't find and hear about my last attempt at pacing somebody this was his secret exit strategy.

The day of, 5-0 seemed nervous. Joking about him spending extra to get the fancy race shirt, made me feel better. Who does that? I guess somebody who really wants to get in The Club, which I learned that *if* 5-0 got in the Club, next year he was already planning arriving at 5 am, and he was staying there all day, and in his own words they'd have to kick him out at midnight! Hearing that, only makes me want to see that, we are getting into The damn Club!

Lining up, it's a mad house anyway. Not sure if the "special" bib even would have helped this year. It felt a bit like I crammed and now it was test time. The night before, studied paces and had miles and times memorized. Whether 5-0 knew this or not, but didn't have much of a plan beyond knowing exactly what we needed to average to get in The Club and two mile markers where in my head we should be at with times. If we fell off pace, my only strategy was going to take a page from CT's book where she just dishes out insults and threats. Hopefully, it doesn't get to that point.

Couuuugh! Where'd that lung go? Goes the gun. Maybe a mooooo would a better description because it feels like a stampede. Early thoughts, the official pace group did well this year. 5-0 would have been fine with them. In years past, I kind of remember them being all over the board with pace, figures the year I get roped into this, they actually do a decent job. This run always seems to start around mile 10. The mob finally thins out and 95% of your thoughts aren't making sure either to not get kicked or do the kicking. We were slightly ahead of schedule and this point, but it's also the make or break section of the course with the hills coming. I made a joke about this is finally being like back home, which also were about the only words I said to 5-0 up until this point. He must have like the thought of the terrain being like our normal training hills, because our pace got a little faster.

Mile twelve, was my make it or break target. Goal, wanted to be around 1:32. 1:34, would mean needing to get faster and hopefully, there was something left in the tank. We came in about 1:31. I'm sure 5-0 had a bit of a clue, but this was my first time putting my game face on to play the pacer roll to finally tell him a time "We are a minute up, all we have to do is keep this pace and can even slow a bit if needed". Motivation, energy of being this close to the finish, 5-0 even got a bit faster. At fourteen, we were up a minute and a half ahead of pace. This is about the same time I notice that 5-0 wasn't quite running as easy as in the hill miles. This is where a better pacer should have probably not let a couple of those hill miles sneak that far under goal pace, but I also knew the goal was in the bag at this point. While I didn't want to test it, carrying, dragging, anything moving forward got us to the goal.

The end is in sight, banked a little buffer, The Club is getting a new member! Crossing the line, not sure who was happier, 5-0 earning that shirt he paid extra for, or me for not failing again as a pacer! This race has me for one more year, because I'm not going to miss out on the perks of The Club...especially when they kick 5-0 out at midnight!   

8 Times Insanity

Can you believe this makes the eighth time running this horrible thing? Time sure flies. There are things I like doing, that I haven't done eight times before! Why? Here comes this year's story.

There is something to be said about consistency. There is also something to be said about insanity. How does the definition of insanity go, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results? The line between consistency and insanity have just about merged for me.

Every year, cool temps, the week prior to this race, sudden warm up. Consistency. Every year, I come into this race expecting a set time. Consistency. Every year I find myself lined up for this race. Consistency. The insanity part comes from, just once I still hold this glimmer of hope that just once I should have a good run on this course. Those thoughts disappeared a few days prior when I came down with a head could and felt generally miserable. The morning of, woke up with what felt like a cold sweat. Can't say I've ever taken my temperature prior to a race start before, consistency cycle is now broken, this is new.

Eeeeeeeeeeeight, goes the gun. Because I'm insane and expect different results, my race strategy is give it my best shot and see what happens. That worked up until about mile sixteen. Then the consistency of the warmer weather always getting to me took it's toll. Maybe some of it had to do with the head cold, but overall think running a marathon a few weeks ago caught up with me too. My body suddenly felt very tired and this was the sign to shut it down and not bother pushing any harder. Much of this decision is based on knowing I've got another race next week and that one is a bit more important than this one.

The remaining miles, were a bunch of walking and texting CT updates. One positive, it wasn't until mile twenty one that the group with my PR on this course finally passed me. The part I did run, I did well to build up a lead like that.

Crossing the line, still turned out to be my second best time on this course. If that doesn't give some idea how consistently, ha one last time, this course beats me up, I don't know what does. At the time, I wasn't very happy mainly knowing when I had to shut it down, but now it doesn't seem that bad. Considering still physically tired from the last marathon, being sick, and the warm weather, I'll take it especially if I didn't do any damage to myself for next weekend. Let the insanity continue!