Hamstrung

Okay, I was disappointed with my Bridge run 51:47 chip time/51:55 gun time, about a minute slower than last year. My goal was to win my age group for the 3rd time in a row but it didn't happen. I was 4th. Well, really 3rd because Number 1 was a woman who has never been in a race before, i.e., whoever ran with her name/bib number wasn't a sixty-ish woman. I was mostly disappointed, however, because I was in terrific shape until I injured my hamstring at the Gift of Life 5K three weeks before the Bridge run. I did some more damage to it while in Maui at a medical meeting, running hills with a much younger friend. The uphill segment of the Bridge run tore it up some more. But the old Broad still beat the young'uns. (Of course, I had a head start from a better starting corral., a perk of high end past performance.)

So now I sit on ice bags a lot and try to stay in shape with deep water pool running. I haven't run more than 2-3 miles a week in the past month. I am seriously worried about how I will get in shape for a half marathon in less than 3 months. I've injured this same hamstring three times before and it always takes me 3 months to get back to just normal running. But, L, you better take advantage of this setback and get some mileage goin'. Mama never gives up, y'know!

Spring Update

Well, we're finally getting warmer weather up here in Capital City, which bodes well for my training. The longer days, too, mean I can get runs in outside after work.

Mom and I recently ran the Cooper River Bridge run in early April in Charleston. Mom, despite a sore hamstring, of course beat me. I beat my time from last year, however. And, more importantly, my friend Rob. He may have been tired from running a marathon the week before but really, that's no excuse : P I ran a 52:31. Last year I did 54:00, so I'm happy.

So let the Spring training begin. Ten weeks out from the 1/2 marathon, I'm going to start a program Ryan Hall put out on Runner's World. Until then, I'm just gonna run as much mileage as possible very slowly.

YES!

VALIDATION:

"Ultimately, the best runners are the ones who are willing to work very hard but who have a little bit of a lazy streak in them."

BENJI DURDEN, Coach

That was the quote of the day today from Runner's World.com. 'Nuff said.

Dr. Bayne Selby and I with our age group lighthouse awards at the Charlie Post Classic 5K at the end of January. It was a cold day!

It's my parents' fault...

L--of course I will enjoy the California sunshine and the fermented fruit juice! But perhaps some family history will provide perspective on my urge to strive for excellence.

I can remember my Dad at the dinner table pronouncing, "I win!" gleefully, after he finished every evening meal before my mother, brother and I. I could never beat him.

When I was about 4, my mother and I were sitting on her bed looking through the childhood treasures which she kept in a cigar box. Among the saved items was a blue ribbon which she won as a girl at a County fair race in her native Selby, South Dakota. I was intrigued by that prize and asked to have it, but she said I would have to earn my own some day. Bummer! That set the stage for my competitive running career. Out of 200 plus races, there are fewer than a dozen times when I've gone home empty handed. If you aren't the winner, then you're first loser, and who likes that???

Stopping to drink the roses

I got off work early today (we always close at 3pm the day before a holiday) and took advantage of this to go for a run on the national mall. I hadn't been running outside here in DC for a couple of really cold months, but we're having an unseasonably warm spell. That combined with the days getting a little longer, and I was able to once again get down to the Washington monument in time for the sunset (and yes, this means that even though I got home at 4 I still didn't get my butt out the door until 6:00, and in fact it was seeing mom's post about winning every race ever that made me put on my running shoes and head out the door). Anyway, it really is spectacular to see the sun set behind the Lincoln memorial and mirrored in the reflecting pool and see the planes take off from Reagan once I get down there. The run back (especially on a Friday) is the leg that the view has to make up for: dodging people and breathing in secondhand cigarette smoke and smog, etc.

I'm trying to slowly build my mileage throughout February and March so that I can start a training program in April for the 1/2 marathon. And hopefully I'll have the Bridge Run and a 5k in Baltimore in between for some short-term goals.

I've noticed a trend...My mom's posts are all about win, win, win, go, go, go, and "training schedules," and discipline, whereas mine are always more about the visceral experience of running. I'm hoping she can stop to smell the roses (er, drink the wine?) a little in California and just enjoy it. You will mom, right?

Sold Out!

Just checked the Napa/Sonoma website and they reached their cap on the half marathon registration on Jan 28th. So it sounds like it is a popular race that will keep its unique character and not get overrun.

My Charlie Post 5K finish time was 24:46, exactly the same as the Resolution Run, with an excuse for not improving being that it was not a goal race and I "trained through" it. I was pleased to win the Grandmaster trophy, a cute little replica of the Sullivan's Island lighthouse, my 5th at this race. Owing to the natural physiologic slowing that occurs with age, most big races have a masters (fastest over 40 years of age) and grandmasters (over 50) winner for both males and females. Some really progressive races add a senior master category for those racers over 60. I'm waaayyy over 60. I got the GM award because a speedy 50 year old lady beat all the over 40 ladies, giving her the Masters award.

I am looking forward to the next race, an 8K (5 miler) weekend after next!