Half Improvement

Time again for what CT and I have decided to call our favorite racing weekend of the year. Our bodies hate us, we leave filthy dirty, but we always have a great time. While the trail stays the same  with all the hills and tons of things to trip on along the way, the best part of the experience is the after party and the excitement of cheering other runners to the finish. Hope we can always attended this weekend.

Last year felt like I put in a very sub par effort. While I was a little banged up going in, it didn't feel like a great performance and that's bugged me this past year. My goal was fairly simple, undo the slowing times trend of the past few years. Other things have gotten in the way of doing trail training, so was only able to put four runs in the woods over the course of two weekends as training for these races. Not as many as I wanted, so wasn't real confident if I'd accomplish my goal.

CT has been struggling with various injuries. Strolling up to the start, she was nervous doing back to back days. I certainly worried about her doing both days. As it turned out, we bumped into Fuel who was watching some friends off for the Ultra. In a couple minutes, we convinced him to take CT's bib and run in place of her. That was a huge relief, I'm not sure who appreciated it more CT or myself. Now, she only has to endure one day of punishment and potential falls and tweaks.

Gave Fuel a brief course overview, not that he needs it, but if he has a good run I can say it helped. Then it was go time. Pew, peeew, goes the starting air horn, not exactly a confidence builder as it sounded as if it were already running out of gas after starting its fourth race of the morning.

While things started out fast, it didn't seem as frantic and thinned out quickly to where it wasn't long before really nobody was around. Fuel stayed within eyesight for about the first mile, after that he was long gone. Without anybody breathing down my neck, I didn't feel pressure to constantly push hard. On the hills, eased back, on the sections that were either flat or down then worked a bit harder. The whole time, did tell myself to conserve a bit just knowing have to do it again tomorrow and also not wanting to burn out.

At about mile eight, caught up to a friend who told me Fuel went blowing by him. My comment back, "He's got zero natural talent, it's all coaching on my part". For some reason that got a laugh from him, not sure why.  It wasn't too long after, caught another group of runners. As I passed, got the comment "Great Form..."! Unusual, but I'll take that as a compliment. Then a slight pause before "for somebody that old!". WTF? Now, I know that wasn't CT that I just passed, but that is exactly something she'd say! My returning comment was, "You sound like my wife". After the finish, the guy who actually made that comment to me came up and apologized (a couple of times), he thought I was somebody else, at least that was his excuse. Told him not to worry about it, it was pretty funny and actually fits right in with the normal comments I get all the time.

Missed my course PR by twenty seconds. Considering I held back some, I'll take it, especially when it was about twelve minutes better than last year's time. Fuel put down an insanely fast time for a first time ever doing the course. CT said when he crossed the line, he didn't even look tired. Hoping he'll do it again next year.

Day two, moving required thought. A couple times prior to the start CT wanted to travel back and forth between the car and where I stopped to sit. She seemed to do that trip at least four times. My ankles said, just once. Her last trip was for an ibuprofen, which as a general rule I avoid prior to a run, but today made an exception because my right calf muscle was screaming. It was already unhappy and it didn't know that a repeat was coming in a few minutes, best to make it forget.

Creeeeeeeek, goes the joints at the sound of the gun. Legs did feel like rubber going up the first big hill and within the first couple miles had numerous close calls with rolling ankles. Each time it was a quick flash back to reality with the thought of better pay more attention to what you're doing, but at the same time knowing ankles are weak from yesterday and there isn't much that can be done.

The mile six hill, that's when my body issued the "I'm tired" warning. Up until that point was trailing a group of three runners who were going at a pretty good pace. Not much after, completely lost sight of them though. Would have liked to make it closer to mile ten before my body started feeling fatigued, but at least ankles, calves, and legs did keep me upright for the whole thing.

Finished a couple minutes slower, but still ten minutes faster than last year's disaster times. I'll take it. CT who hasn't ran more than three miles at one time this whole summer, came in first in her AG and with a time that shouldn't even be possible for somebody who hasn't put hardly any miles training for a half marathon. I would never say anything that could go to her head (so I feel safe saying this here), she is a certified bad-ass. She stresses over everything, but in reality, she's a good all around athlete that it doesn't matter what she does, she's always going to do well at it. It's kind of sickening, when I know it doesn't work that way for me.

Love this weekend! An absolutely horrible restaurant meal with a waitress only offering a shrug to an almost completely uneaten meal, to watching our friend's trick of sitting on butter packet to warm it up for easier spreading (all while probably putting eight packets in her purse for later), to a random stop in a hotel under construction for a super cheap Jacuzzi room (with spiders), five pounds of finisher medals, three AG awards, swag and an all around good time. See you next year!