Now, it's just a blur

I don't even know where to begin this race report.
Do I start with what I was thinking?
Do I start with what happened?


On Saturday, I did the Zooma Half Marathon Colorado. Many of you already know that I'd forgotten that I'd registered for this race. I didn't write on my calendar and wasn't aware that it was going on until I got the packet pick up email on Tuesday.


After some debate, I decided....ok, Mr. Tea decided, that I would run the race anyway.  I've done a bunch of half marathons, so I have the benefit of experience. Granted I've only run up to 7 miles recently, but it wasn't really a matter of finishing. I knew I would do that. It wasn't a matter of pr'ing. So, that pressure wasn't there. 


I was just going to do it as a training run. Besides THIS was the elevation profile posted on the website:

Easy rolling hills. Piece of cake.


The only negative that I could see was that temps were going to be 100. The race start time had already been moved up to 7am (instead of 8am), so take it easy! No big whoop.


The day before the race, I arrive at The Broadmoor. This place DESERVES a blog post all it's own. I cannot rave enough. Let me just this. If you have the time and the means, you MUST stay at this resort. 


I've been in Colorado almost my entire life and have never been to the Broadmoor. I decide to walk and walk and walk. I end up walking around for over 2 hours. 


Over two hours on my feet the day before the race, and I decide to call it a day, relax, get some dinner and go to bed. Once back in my room, I realize that I don't know where the start line is. I look at the map. The map is confusing, and I start walking again. An hour later, and I decide "Forget it, how difficult can it be to find a start line decorated with a white balloon arch on race morning?"


Lo and behold, the next morning I head down to the main lobby. I see a few women walking through the parking lot and to what do my wandering eyes appear? YES, the balloon arch, right at *my* hotel entrance. (There's like 6 entrances to the resort. Talk about lucky!)


There's not much of a crowd. It's a small race. When I turn to look back at the hotel, I see people starting to come out onto the balconies to watch the race start/finish! How cool!


It's totally casual. Race participants were so friendly. I knew Trish was there. I start scanning for her, but don't see her. There were about 900 participants. Most were doing the 10k (I think---based on the fact that there were 397 half marathon finishers). The RD is on the mic talking about racing at an elevation of 6500. I'm somewhat zoning him out when I hear "This is a somewhat difficult course ladies with a lot of hills."


That strikes me odd. I saw the elevation profile. It's rolling hills, easy. Oh well, he's probably trying to give advice for out of towners.


The start of the race: We start running and immediately within 20m, I start thinking "this isn't the map profile."  I notice that we are on a downhill. Women are flying past me like I'm standing still. I think to myself "This isn't good." In colorado, if you're going downhill that means there's an uphill right around the corner. 


I'm intentionally going slow because there is a corner coming up, and I have no idea what's around that corner. I make the turn, and like a traffic jam, people stop as we start climbing and climbing and climbing. It's almost a 1.5 mile climb. 


The 10k is two loops. The half marathon follows the same two loops. Then we split off, and the 10k runners go to the finish and half marathoners go on.


At the end of the 2nd loop, I think to myself "This must be the rolling hill portion". 


Oh how wrong I was. At this point, the hills become insanely steep. So steep that people are shuffling uphill and attempting to run downhill except that the downhill is more about making a soft landing so as to not blow out your quads. Baby steps. This is the first time that I've run a race where the downhills were significantly harder than the uphills.


Ok, so the course was hard. It was hot out. Mentally, I wasn't prepared to run such a hard course. But I WAS prepared to have fun.


At mile 8, I decided that I had to make this a walk/run. I'd only run 7 miles max over the past few months. I was planning on finishing this race. I knew the hills were going to really take a toll over the next 5 miles. My original plan called for running to mile 10. I thought it was in my best interest to adapt a more conservative approach. 


Throughout the entire race, I was taking pictures, talking to other runners, joking around with the volunteers. In fact, it was so much fun. 


I tested out a new nutrition plan that worked fabulously. I used a differently hydration plan. 
I really couldn't have had a more successful "race".


I've been thinking a lot lately about my upcoming Oct half marathon. My last couple of half marathons didn't go well for a variety of reasons. I've made change after change trying to figure out what was going....not necessarily *wrong* but what wasn't going right. 


On Saturday, everything came together. Things that used to work for me, don't work now. Slowly, I've learned what works for me now. By all means, Saturday could have been a disaster. I could have had body breakdown, hydration issues (2 stations ran out of water), nutrition issues. But everything that I've been working on, came together just in time for me to have an enjoyable race. When I crossed the finish line, I couldn't believe how long I'd been out there. I had so much fun that I'd lost track of time.


I know a lot of people who can't control their competitive juices. Whether it's an A, B, or C race, they go all out.


I also know a lot of people who are like me. Not every "race" is a "race", but they can all be fun.


****
During the race, it was hot. Starting at about mile 11, I kept thinking of jumping in the pool. After the race, I was hot and physically exhausted. Tired like I've never been before. The hills, the heat started to catch up to me. 


I went up to my room to change. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and realized that both, my top and my shorts were soaking wet. 


I showered and walked to the pool. On my way to the pool, I saw a sign peeking out from the trees. "That's not....can't be...let me go look."


Yes, there it is.


GELATO


My favorite. 


I sat by the pool, savoring every bite of my gelato....not even reading my book, but just enjoying the moment, swirling my legs around in the water an admiring how they were able to carry me during that tough course. 


When I finished, I tossed my dish aside and sunk deep into the cool water and stayed there for the next 3 hours. 

A funny thing happened on the way to the kitchen

Do you remember this?

Neither did I.


As I woke this morning, I stretched and yawned and looked out at the already piercing sun. It's going to be hot, I think as I roll out of bed and meandered downstairs.


The smell of brewing coffee wafts through the air, and I breathe it in deeply. As the coffee continues to brew, I decide to check in on my email.


The very first message catches my attention. 


PACKET INFORMATION


I twitch as some distant memory comes racing toward me and I quickly scan the email.


"oops we goofed! We mailed your half marathon race packet to your home address. It will be there tomorrow July 14th!"


JULY 14th! I think to myself. July 14th! When's the race?


I continue scrolling.


Start time 7:00am...


JULY 17th!?! I quickly pull up Outlook....JULY 17th? THAT'S SATURDAY!


My entire week comes smashing to a halt.


ShouldIdoit?No.Yourlongestrunhasbeen7miles.
But I'm supposed to run 8 this Saturday.
I get a silver necklace for finishing.
Oh geesh, let's look at the map.
It's hilly.
What else is new?
It's going to be 100 degrees.
They changed the start time to 7am instead of 8am.
I will have to leave at 4am to get to the race in time.
oh geesh
Do you want to do it?
Well I might as well.
This is quite the quandry.
Let's ask Mr. Tea.


Armed with information, I approach Mr. Tea. "So uh guess what?"
"What?"
"Suprise! I have a half marathon on Saturday!"
"WHAT?" Now I have his attention.
"Yea, well funny story. Apparently I registered for this race back in January and then promptly forgot about. ha.ha." I look at him nervously.


"Ok, where is it?" He asks.


"Well, that's the funny part. It's in the Springs. So, I'll have to leave the house really early. It starts at the Broadmoor.But I didn't even train for this. I could just as easily skip it. But I DO get a silver necklace for finishing."


I cringe and wait for his response.


"The Broadmoor? That's a resort. Why don't you just book a room and stay the weekend."


I stand there staring.at.him.blankly.


I shake some sense into my head and repeat, "I said. The race is at the BROADMOOR. THE FIVE DIAMOND RESORT."


"Yes, and I said WHY.DON'T.YOU.GET.A.ROOM.AND.STAY.THE.WEEKEND."


The weekend? This information is simply not computing.


"Go up early on Friday. Enjoy the expo. They have an olympic sized lap pool that you can swim in after the race. Have a nice dinner. Get a massage and sleep in on Sunday."


"Are you serious?"


"Give me the phone. I'll call them."


Mike disappears for about 20 minutes. He returns smiling and says "I just booked you a room for two nights. You can't cancel because you're within the 7 day cancellation period. Have fun."


So, on Friday I'm leaving for a weekend getaway that includes a half marathon that I didn't train for, go shopping at the expo, enjoy the beautiful scenery,  get a silver necklace for finishing the half marathon and then I get to relax in the pool and have man-servants wait on me for the rest of the weekend. (ok, so I made up the part about the man-servants).


Still....sounds like a pretty juicy weekend if you ask me.

It's all about having fun afterall....

That's what I keep telling myself.
It's all about having fun.
I surf through pages and pages of January half marathons.

Do I really want to go back to California again?

Wouldn't somewhere else be more fun? Some place you haven't done a race?

Well....actually, some place relatively flat....or maybe just above sea level would be nice. CA really fits the bill. Besides I can visit friends.

There's Arizona, Las Vegas, Austin, Miami, Jacksonville.

Then there's Big Sur, but that's May 1st. And that's a FULL marathon.

Well, maybe a full marathon isn't so bad.

Maybe I give the marathon a bad rap.

But really....can running 26.2 miles honestly be fun?

hmmmmm

Ok, I'm not making any promises, but let's just look at the profiles and elevations.

Now, close your eyes. Imagine getting to the 13.1 mile marker. You know you have to go another 13.1 miles.

It IS just another 13.1 miles.

What if you actually TRAINED for a marathon.

WOAH.....now you're talking crazy. You're saying I'm supposed to TRAIN to run 26.2 miles?

Well, I guess it would make the race a little more pleasurable. I mean, I really don't have any desire to hit any time goals....although, a faster finish is more desirable than say a later finish.

hmmm

And there is that $100 bet on the table.

What's wrong with this picture?

Tea: I'm not doing it.

Mike: I'll give you $75 if you do.

Tea: No. What's wrong with you?

Mike: I just like marathons....not doing them watching them.

Tea: You DO realize that $75 is like $3 per mile? There's no amount of money that makes the preceeding 18 weeks of training worth the $75.

Mike (his eyes sparkling with excitement now): C'mon, it's fun!

Tea: Fun for who? No, running 26.2 miles is really not fun. You get to sit in a coffee shop reading the paper.

Mike: Ok, how about $100 for finishing in under 5:00. That's not hard.  It's a THIRD of an Ironman. A THIRD. Not even HALF. It's a little itty bitty piece.


I just look at him and shake my head.

I know we'll have this "discussion" again in a month.

It's like a ratty old sweater

This year, I'm doing nothing and a whole lot all.at.the.same.time.


Races--meh, I did a couple earlier this year...the rest of the year....shhhhh....I don't have much going on.


SURIUOSLY People, I don't.


On the other hand, I'm training like some kind of crazy possessed woman.


or at least that's what Mr. Tea claims.


I, however, didn't notice....because I'm having so much fun.


Now, I've had more than a few friends look at me questioning and then ask questioningly "What are you doing? When is your race?"


And again I have to whisper I'm not doing any.




At which point, they violently shake their heads trying to get their minds wrapped around this concept, and respond "Are you trying to lose weight"


(sigh, apparently, I look like I could drop a few. Nonetheless I respond "No.")


Their heads spin around, they start blinking and stuttering and finally spew out "I-I-I don't understand. Why are you training so hard?"


I know that some of you can relate to this (coughbillcough), but others....well, admit it, you struggle with the concept of exercising, being active, training, (whatever you want to call it) simply for the fun of doing it.....well, it's downright NOT NATURAL.


Afterall, there HAS TO BE SOME REWARD FOR ALL THIS HARD WORK. WHERE'S THE REWARD FOR ALL THE MILES? WHERE'S THE REWARD FOR GETTING UP EARLY.


I understand. 


Maybe this isn't about ME. Maybe this is about YOU.


Afterall, I don't need a REWARD for doing something that I love and enjoy. The act of doing and being able to DO, IS my reward.


That doesn't mean the workouts aren't hard.


That doesn't mean that it's always easy.


It simply means that I love doing it....whether or not there is a medal involved.


Think about it. Think about what a positive impact you could have on your life if you change your thought process from "this is something that I have to do.....to lose weight....to get faster....to do this race"  


TO


"This is something that I want to do because it's fun and challenging and gives me goals and makes me healthy and and...and everything else is secondary."


There is no such thing as failure.


Every day you get up and do something is success. (And yes, even taking a day off requires self-control for some).


Wouldn't you then FIND time to exercise?


Wouldn't you MAKE time to exercise?


Wouldn't the pressure of having to do something, because you HAVE to....disappear?


You just go out and have fun.


You DESERVE it.

Where worlds collide

Jman and Googs have been in sports their entire lives.

They started baseball at the age where kids are hitting off a tee, and when you tell them to run home....they run to their mom.

The started basketball before they could tie their shoes.

They've played hockey and did some swimming.

Shortly after they both learned to ride their bikes, I took them on bike rides. At very young ages, we were going on up to 10 mile bike rides, stopping to play at the park or buy icees.

They've even run races. The races they don't want to run; well, they never hesitate to come out and cheer me on. 

Then came football.

Sometimes it was hard to watch as Googs would sprint across the field (linebacker) and de-cleat some guy 80lbs heavier. Or when he played Center, I'd hold my breath as the refs would pull the guys off the pile, only to see Googs be at the bottom of the pile.

When Jman started playing, coaches started realizing very quickly that he had speed. "Good", I thought to myself, "No more bottom of the piles. He just has to outrun EVERYONE."

As Jman would run 50-60-70-80 yard touchdowns, I was the mom running downfield with him step for step....often to many bewildering looks. 

Through all those years, Mike coached the boys. I cheered and did the mom stuff--bringing water enough for a team, cleaning cuts, wrapping limbs and.....the hard stuff......

trying to decide when an injury was ok to play with and when they needed to back off. As a mom with a Masters degree in Exercise Science.....I guess they were lucky and not so lucky.

For years, my role was somewhere between Protection and Encouragement. When they were tired, I was talking to them on the sidelines saying things like "This is where you dig deep. Sports don't build character. They reveal it. Show everyone here what kind of character you have." 

If there was a sports cliche, I used it.

Then, they got older. Last year during a playoff basketball game, Jman got hurt. I pulled him to the sidelines. We stretched and massaged. I sat there trying to decide what to do. We sat in silence. Finally, I turned to him and said, "Since you've been out of the game, the other team has outscored us 10-0. I will never tell you to play injured. Your team needs you like never before. Sometimes, you have to dig deep and......well....you need to HTFU."

Jman turned and looked at me with shock and a smile and said, "Did you just tell me to HTFU?"

"um. Yea."

He was quiet for a moment. Then, signaled to Coach that he was ready to go back in.

They won the game.

Sports has always been a part of our lives, so it's no surprise that sports would be played in high school.

Basketball, baseball.....and well, sigh.....football.

Contrary to what everyone thinks, I love football. I'm a die hard Broncos fan and bleed orange and blue. I can talk the talk and draw up plays that even shock Mr. Tea and the boys. 

But Jman is going to high school now. 

That means a hand-off.

There's a new sheriff in town, and he's the high school football coach.

No more cleaning cuts. No more wrapping cleats. No more running down the side lines at full speed. I can cheer, but will he even hear me way up in the stands?

So when I dropped him off for his last day of middle school. I felt the tears welling up. Jman looked at me and said, "Are you going to cry?"

"Probably but I'll wait until you leave the car."

As he turned to leave the car, he smiled at me and said, "You just need to HTFU."

Ohhhh, the love that hurts so good

This weekend was jam packed full of BASEBALL, BASEBALL & more BASEBALL.

A two-day tournament that started early on both Saturday & Sunday required an even earlier start because of the long drive.

With 3 games today and a 10 mile run on my schedule, I packed my running gear and thought "5 before the start of the first game. 5 more before the afternoon game." If things got crazy, well, I'll do 5--2 mile runs. Whatever I have to do to get'er done.

At the buttcrack of dawn, we're packing up to head to the game.

We arrive at the field. Jman unpacks his gear, Mr. Tea heads to the bench & I grab my water, garmin....and well just for the heck of it, I'll bring my watch. Yes, it's overkill; I already have my garmin.

As I start running, I feel particularly.....
hmmmm what's the right word?

AWESOME

I don't know why. My love-hate relationship with running is like a reality show. We send each other notes on the sly talking about how great our time will be together once we can sneak away. Yet, it never fails that we're cursing day each other was born at the end of a speed day or long run.

Yet, as soon as I start running. I feel different. Yes, there are hills.  Not like where I live, but they're hills all the same.

Just as I hit a half mile, my garmin dies. Now, I count on my garmin for times like this...I've been known to get lost. Only to flip the switch on the garmin to allow me to track backwards.

The garmin is 8 years old. Mr. Tea bought it for me to replace my even older one. We've had some good runs me and the garmin. I guess, technology doesn't last forever. I've worn out my welcome at the Garmin support desk, even gotten the *restraining* order via certified mail (WHATEVA).

So, when the garmin died. I remembered back to so many years of wonderful runs. I  look at the garmin with it's blank screen....hold my fists up to the air and scream: ARE YOU F*CKING KIDDING ME? YOU HAVE TO DIE NOW YOU LOUSY PIECE OF SH!T?!

Give or take a few expletives, I realized that in some strange twist of fate that I had my watch with me. The sky opened up and the angels came out singing "You can still run 30 out and 30 back and not worry about distance sweetie".

But I don't know WHERE I'M GOING! There are GOATS in the street up ahead. GOATS!

I stand in the middle of the street....yes the middle....what's gonna happen? I'm gonna get run over by a goat?  I look west: ominous.  I look east: definitely my better option.

I squint ahead. I see a dot moving. By george! It's a MAN! And he's RUNNING! Follow that LOCAL!

I see him off in the distance. As previously mentioned, I feel

AWESOME

I have no idea how fast I'm running, but I know it is considerably faster than my normal long run pace. But my heartrate...make that PERCEIVED HEARTRATE thanks to that LOUSY PIECE OF SH!T DYING....is low.

I follow the local. He weaves in and out of country roads and then turns into suburbia.  I'm slowly catching up to him when I look down at my watch and realize, time's up, time to head back to catch the game.

Of course, that's when I realize that I was so focused on the Man, that I didn't pay attention to how I ended up where I am.

I quickly send a txt msg to Mr. Tea saying "GREAT RUN! On my way back"

No need to worry the poor man.

I look North.....that looks familiar....then South....that looks familiar.

I scratch my head, bite the inside of my cheek. Just then an old light blue Ford pick up truck pulls up. An old man about 130 years old in a red baseball cap rolls down his window and says something that sounds like, "Wharya goan? Ye luk lohst."

I squint at him a moment while my brain attempts to translate this new language. Ah yes, got it. My brain sends down the message: "Young lady. You seemed troubled. Might I assist you in your wanderings?"

"Yes!" I go over to his window and the stench of old tabaccy climbs up my nostrils "I'm looking for Pioneer Park"

"Yerkinder fer from 'neer. yer ned to get yerself t'oldhaer road"

"Toddler Road?" I look at him questioningly.
"TODE lahk frog. TODEHARK road"

Who the hell names a street TOADHAWK?" Aren't those things mutually exclusive? I mean, on the food chain their paths don't even cross.

I step away from the truck, thank the old man.

Good, I think to myself, I just need to get to TODDLER F*CKING ROAD and I would prefer avoiding any type of Deliverance type people while I'm doing it.

Eventually, well 15 minutes later I find myself face to face with the herd of goats, and I know I'm on the right path. Things in the road are starting to look familiar: I remember that beer can, that old tire, the red thong. I'm on my way back.

Just then, I hear a loud crack that seemed to be coming from the trees. I peer through the trees to see a baseball game just starting and a player running to first.

I.made.it.

Let's PLAY BALL!!