10/6/2008

Today is my Mom's birthday, so Happy Birthday Mom! Saturday was the last long run of IMFL training, a 22 miler after an hour bike. The runs beat me up sooo much more than the long biking, but at least the next time I run (or walk) 20+ miles, it will be on November 1st in FL.

Got on the bikes at Maramarc at 6 am for an hour trainer ride. In my before the crack of dawn, blundering around the dark house , trying not to wake up MyKaren fog, I forgot my biking shoes so I had to bike in my running shoes. Not bad for an hour, but would have rather had my biking shoes. Then the IMFL and IMAZ peeps who showed up (Patty, Tammy, Heidi, KateO and Sharon) as well as a few other runner only people, all took off for a couple of 10 to 11-mile loops. IMFL had to do 2 11-mile loops, which took us generally up to the west end of Grove and east to VCU. It was a beautiful day for a run, and the Sports Backer group was out in force along the same general route, so we actually had herds of runners passing us for the entire first loop. While it was kind of a pain to have lots of runners thundering by, it was also nice to see other people, some of whom actually spoke to us! They were on a down week, and were only running 12 miles....we wished we had a down week, but I guess that will happen soon enough when the taper begins. Of course, I felt very self-satisfied that while they were only training for a marathon, I was training for a long swim, long bike and THEN a marathon. Ha ha-oh wait, maybe I am the dumb one...

The run was very painful for the last 2 miles or so, I told Sharon that I may begin to make grunting and moaning noises as I ran up Monument for the last leg, since I was in a lot of pain with my stupid hip. I always wondered about those runners that you hear who make little ( or sometimes loud) moaning noises every step they take, well now I understand. But I managed to keep my moaning internal, at least for now. I think I did ok with eating, I had 2 1/2 gus and drank 5-10 oz bottles of Endura, for a run that took about 4:15. I felt pretty good in terms of energy, but man was I sore. My quads are still a bit sore, even today.

So, less than a month away, and now it's becoming really, really real for me. I sometimes think I'm ready and just want it to be here, and the next moment I am scared @$%#less. Time keeps ticking and days go by, and I'll soon be on the beach in my wetsuit with the look of abject terror and perhaps, some excitement.