Normally, I attend track practice on Tuesday nights. However, lately, especially when doing 200s, I’ve been feeling sharp, shooting pains in my right quad muscle. I tried changing my gait last week, trying to keep my legs from kicking up too high behind me, and keeping my arms down low, so I could still try to keep up a fast pace. That helped some, but when I looked at the workout scheduled for tonight, I just didn’t think it would be the prudent thing to do. It involved 20 2oos. I so love that short distance and the burst of speed that I can usually generate but lately it just causes pain. That really bums me out.
Tuesday is my flex day off during the summer. I live for Tuesdays now!
I had dinner with Chris, the Gibtown Runner, last night, who is in town for work again. If you read his blog, you know he’s trying to get a team together for the Ragnar Relay in Arizona in Feb. 2010. I am seriously considering doing it but I do have fears about it at the same time. As I said to Chris, when I first wake up in the morning and think about it, part of me says, “just tell Chris ‘No!’ for sure, just say ‘No!’” Then I get out there running, and it helps to think of what it’d be like to meet people in person, feel like part of a team, and how knowing I’m depending on others and they are depending on me can be such a motivation to keep on going. (And yes, the idea of walking when the van is out of sight has crossed my mind, LOL!) Then, I looked at the training for intermediate runners that is suggested on the race website, and I’m like “Are you friggin kidding me? Three runs in the same day in January? No way in hell!”
I was inspired by Felice, the Happy Runner, to attempt to do 2 runs in the same day. (You can click here to read her post.) Like her, my first run of the day was crap. Ironically, my legs feel better now, at the end of the day, than they did before and after the first run of the day.
My first run this morning was 6.22 miles. Crap, complete crap. Maybe it was the humidity, maybe it was because it was my “hilly” run. Maybe it was because I couldn’t figure out if I should try to do it at my regular pace, or whether I should do it at a purposedly “easy” pace. Maybe it was that I was getting a bit bored of my playlist. I tend to think it was the humidity and the overused playlist. Anyway, I walked for very short distances, but frequently. At one point, I realized I was quite hot, and ended up taking off my shirt, which felt a million times better. Also, I didn’t carry water, but stopped back at my house after 4.4, and took a lot of gulps of my propel water, plus a few Endurolytes. After that, I definitely felt better, if a bit spacey (not sure about that, honestly) and the loop around my lake (which is awesomely flat) was much better, pace-wise and otherwise.
This evening, I only did 3.5 miles, and that was enough. However, there really wasn’t much of an urge to walk, and the pace was much more even, about 9.33 for the entire 3.5 miles. I made sure to listen to another playlist of mine, one which I hadn’t listened to lately, so it was almost like some of the songs were “new” again. Anyone else out there ever feel like that with some of your music?
It could have been that I knew the run tonight was supposed to be easy, that was the goal. It could have been that I just knew it was going to be shorter and could relax. It could have been because the route was more flat (I’m sure that had something to do with it.) It could have been that it was less humid. It could have been the food or fruit I ate today in the interim. Whatever it was, it just felt better this evening.
Now, could I do that for about 9-10 more miles over a 24 hour period? In Arizona? In February? I’m not sure, but I’m getting closer to saying yes. Now I need to check out air fares.
Am I going to do this every Tuesday I have off this summer? Probably not, I’m not insane. But it is nice to see that my legs are still attached to my body.
My brother really wants to do the race, and it’d be an awesome experience to share with him too., if we can both afford it. We’d be traveling from Boston and NYC, so the flights won’t be cheap. He’d be a great person to have on our team – he’s already done a relay like this twice in Texas. He won’t care that not everyone is as fast as him (he’s hoping to qualify for a 3rd time, for Boston, this fall in Philadelphia. My fingers, legs, and toes are already crossed for him.) He’s already offered to do a more difficult leg for me if need be. (Hell, Lindsay’s already offering to do 12 mile legs for me! I’ve told her to be wary of offering that sort of thing to me – I just might take her up on it.)
Do you hear me, Chris, I’m getting closer to saying yes, and sending you that check, so help me!
Two unrelated matters:
(1) Has anyone ever heard this singer before? Would you expect this voice to come out of someone this young? At times she reminds me of Bonnie Tyler!
Lesley Roy, Slow Goodbye
(2) You know you are getting too much rain when your deck’s welcome mat starts to sprout weeds. I am not kidding about this, I will need to take a picture of it tomorrow to prove it. 
Thanks for reading, and have a good run on the roads and trails everyone!
July 1, 2009 at 2:56 am
I am very, very close to sending Chris my money to commit to that race. I have wanted to do a relay for a long time. Growing up, my dad did Hood to Coast in Oregon and it always sounded like something I’d want to do. I KNOW we would all have a really good time! Obviously, the airfare is an obstacle for you, where I can drive. I say we should do it!
Lately, I have only been listening to music on shuffle so I am surprised by my “new” music. Unfortunately, I have a bunch of my kids’ music on my iPod, so I have to fast forward through that.
I hope that your leg feels better. It would suck for you to have to give up your speed work.
July 1, 2009 at 10:31 pm
My assistant coach said I could do mile repeats for my speed workout this week, so I may try to do that tomorrow morning. That way I can also keep water at my house, and just keep running back for it in between. Of course it means really getting up at 4, not 4:30, to squeeze it all in, I think.
Ok, Lisa, I’m in. So is my brother. That makes a total of 7: Chris, his wife Dyani, Coach Kip (so excited to meet him in person), Brian from Chicago, Lindsay, me, Jamie (“Jim” as he’ll introduce himself to you), and you would be 8. Alissa and her friend make 10. Jill is 11, if we can talk her into it. Irish makes 12? I haven’t met her yet, I’ll have to introduce myself to her on her blog.
July 1, 2009 at 8:57 am
I am curious to see what you tell Chris.
I feel like you’re going to do it!
July 1, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Yep, I’m giving in, and I guess I will be doing this insanity come February!
July 1, 2009 at 10:53 am
My doormat has sprouted a few weeds too! I pointed them out to my husband just a few days ago. It’s astonishing!
Do the relay! I did the hood-to-coast a million years ago, when I wasn’t even really a runner, and I had a great time. It was utterly exhausting, but so much gratifying.
July 1, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Hi Heather, thanks for commenting! Glad to hear it’s not just our doormat. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. It’s like this whole northeastern part of the country is just stuck under a permanent layer of clouds, whatever it is, it sucks! I personally wouldn’t mind running in the pacific northwest, especially if I knew I was going to end up on the West Coast. Lisa knows how much I love that area of the country. I’m glad to hear you did it too when you were on the beginning side of running, that makes me feel better to hear that.
July 1, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Lisa, my paypal account (gibtown at yahoo dot com) is ready to accept your money. To sweeten the deal, I recently acquired some Orange Gu that I would be happy to send you.
Terri, I am hereby accepting this post as an official yes from you and your brother (don’t ask me how I came to that conclusion, but the logic, I assure you, is astounding). Keep in mind, just because you are further away from PHX doesn’t necessarily mean your tickets will be hire. You will most likely get a direct that will be fairly cheap. I flew one-way from Boston to Oakland for something like $150 on Southwest a few months ago. Take a look, but I bet those tickets wont be as expensive as you think. Plus, they are saying tickets have never been cheaper than they are now.
Paypal is waiting…
July 1, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Yes, I am quite scared to hear about your logic, let me tell you! Ok, Ok, I’m in. Expect a paypal payment from me by tomorrow night or when I hear from my brother, on whose voicemail I just left a message this evening. This should be fun. I may hate you at the end of it, and I may be a cripple by then, but it should be fun.
Just kidding….
July 2, 2009 at 11:07 am
Word up! So glad you and bro are in!
July 4, 2009 at 6:55 am
yeah, we are both really looking forward to it!
July 1, 2009 at 9:57 pm
maybe?!? maybe?!?? i thought you were in after some brainwashing from chris…
nice job on the double! you have plenty of time to increase the mileage, and i’d still do 12s for you!
i might have to back out now that i see chris is bribing others with gu and such…
crazy about your deck growing weeds! hello there’s a reason the deck is there – so you don’t have to weed that part of the yard!
July 1, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Sigh. I’m in….I can’t take the pressure anymore!
I have been chatting with Brian Adkins who is also going to be joining us in hell in February in Arizona, and he seems like a decent guy, a good teammate to have. And since you are one of our fasties, yes, you may want to hold out for some goodies. Some call it schwag. You could call it blackmail. 
July 2, 2009 at 11:09 am
Yeah, Brian is a real nice guy and is running Boston this year. He was the first to pay and I think he will fit in well. Very excited about this!
July 4, 2009 at 6:56 am
So I’ll know at least 2 people running Boston, and hopefully a 3rd (my brother.)
July 2, 2009 at 1:21 pm
I started listening to music on my bike commute home, having really tired of all my heavy breathing on the hills. I get exactly what you mean about the “newness” of an old song playlist.
Send the rain our way…we are in dire need of it.
July 4, 2009 at 6:51 am
We’ve tried to send the rain your way – did it get there yet?!
July 2, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Yes yes!!!! Say YES! I honestly don’t plan on doing much 2 a day training runs because I’m not sure how good it is for me. But I think that the adrenalin will get you through the actual race honestly. If you can do a long run of 13 miles or so before that day, I think that will get you there. Can’t wait to meet you!!!
July 4, 2009 at 6:50 am
Yep, I don’t think I will be doing a ton of those 2-a-days either, I just wanted to see if I could do it and not die on the second one. (I’m overly dramatic, I know.) I’ll have to try my best to do a 13 miler, omg, in January, it’s so cold here!
July 2, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Weeds in the mat… that’s funny.
I think Alissa’s right about if you can do 13 miles or so, the adrenaline should get you through.
That’s great that you had good a good two-a-day experience. Even if the first run wasn’t that great, at least you proved to yourself that you can do it!
July 2, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Isn’t it weird how your legs can feel better after a second run than they did after the first? That’s totally how it was for me, too. I haven’t done two in one day again but I am itching to!
So, I see you are going to do the Ragnar — good for you! You can do it. You have plenty of time.
Have a good weekend!
July 4, 2009 at 6:49 am
Yeah that was totally weird. That morning my legs were tired even before the first run of the day. Thanks for inspiring me, Felice! Chris actually owes you a lot – it was reading about you running twice, and talking to him the night before that got me to thinking of even trying it, and then signing up for the relay.