Double without Trouble

 

This weekend I did something I hadn’t done in awhile.  Well, technically two things I hadn’t done in a while.

Thing #1 – I ran in the rain.

I went to Waterfall Glen forest preserve with my running club where it proceeded to rain on us for almost the entire run.  When I arrived my fellow club members were huddled together underneath the small overhang of the bathroom roofs.  The rain didn’t seem to be letting up so finally we decided to brave it.

“But I’m not even training for anything!” I whined.  “I don’t HAVE to run!”

Apparently, though, my legs felt differently.  I actually ran on both Monday and Thursday of last week so this was my third run of the week.  Something I haven’t done in months.  You’d think my legs would be dead.  Nope.  After a slower first mile I ended up running negative splits and feeling amazing.  I ran the first 30 minutes with the club and then turned around and ran the second 30 minutes by myself.

I swear, rain makes you run faster.

I always forget how much I love running in the rain.

Thing #2 – I ran two days in a row

After running Monday, Thursday and Saturday my left leg didn’t feel too bad.  I’ve been rolling out my hip using a combination of a tennis ball and a foam roller and it seems to be helping some.  So when Kim suggested a run on Sunday morning I said sure.

She was coming to my house to help me finish packing for my move but first we took advantage of the non-rainy weather with a 5 mile run through my soon-to-be-former town.

I was totally overdressed.  Apparently I’ve forgotten how to dress for running. 

Anyway, it was a nice, easy (aka slow) 5 miles and my leg didn’t bother me.  Hurray! 

Was it smart to go from 5-10 miles a week to double that?  Probably not.  But at this point I’m just doing what I want and seeing how my leg responds. 

And after tonight’s run it will probably become a rest week.  If you call getting ready to move “rest”! 

The Art of Running the Rain

Source

On Monday I was in my hometown to present to a class at my graduate school alma mater. This also meant that I got to run in my hometown as well. Although I wasn't presenting until the afternoon I wanted to spend the morning and early afternoon visiting a friend and her daughter.

So instead of getting up and running I decided to run in the evening after my presentation.

Although the day started off a little overcast I figured I'd be fine in the early evening. There were a few rain sprinkles on my drive from campus but nothing major. I got home, threw on my running clothes, and headed outside. "Do you want me to come get you if it starts pouring?" my mom asked.

I got less than a half a mile from my starting point when the rain really started to come down. I was running up the hill near my parents' house that makes an appearance between mile 6 and 7 of the Illinois Half Marathon. The wind was blowing directly in my face and I was getting soaked.

Now, normally I don't care about running in the rain. But the combination of a hill, the wind, and the fact that I hadn't put my iPhone in a plastic bag were enough to make me turn around and head back. I took a 5 minute break to protect my phone in a baggie before going back outside. My parents thought I was crazy.

"You're going to go back out there?" They asked. "Aren't you cold? Isn't it wet?"

Actually, I felt great in my running skirt and tank top. And believe it or not, as soon as I started running again the rain stopped.

But this time I skipped the hill and the wind. Instead I stuck to the flat bike path that cuts down the center of the road. By the time I finished my 5 mile run most of the moisture in my clothes was from sweat and not from rain.

So my suggestions for running in the rain? Put on a hat, protect your electronics, and go for it. Besides, there were still golfers out on the golf course. Are you going to let the golfers be more hardcore than you?

Stone Creek Running by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

What a Difference a Day Makes

Well, technically it was a few days, but after the horrible mini heat wave that hit us on Thursday, Friday and Saturday the temperatures cooled down significantly. When I left my house late Monday morning for a run I wore a short-sleeved shirt and was actually cold standing in the shade waiting to cross the street!

Since I had the day off work I was able to get in a longer-than-usual weekday run. My original plan was to run 8 miles. Then I figured I'd do 8.5. Or maybe 9 miles. In the end I did 10. And it was wonderful.

When my Garmin beeped at mile 1 I was a little shocked to see I'd done it in 8:27! Oops. Better slow down. So I did. A bit. It was just one of those runs when your legs are moving independently and you feel like you're flying.

I thought that was a little odd considering my 30+ mile bike ride the day before but perhaps my body was just reveling in the cooler temps. Sure, there was a stiff breeze that seemed to be in my face no matter what direction I ran but I didn't care. A cool wind is better than stifling humidity.

So I ran and ran. My legs churned, my music blared, and I remembered how much I love running.

Solo Monday Long Run by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

Tricksy Weather

I swear yesterday the high was only supposed to be in the low 80s. I figured at noon it would still be only in the upper 70s.

I should have known better when I left my house wearing a cardigan and felt a little warm.

Still, I soldiered on and rallied the troops for a lunch time run. Kim was even able to join us!

We went south on the lakefront path because it's usually less busy and I like the scenery a little better. Did you know that 70,000 people use the lakefront path daily? That is a LOT of people!

Turns out the weather felt a lot warmer, too. That 9:25 average pace felt pretty rough towards the end and all we did was 4 miles. Of course, I was running on tired legs having done almost 8 miles just the evening before.

Kim and I stuck together, though, and I was even able to grunt out some answers to her conversational questions.

Afterwards, though, I was wiped. I know I just said that sometimes a run leaves me feeling energized. Yesterday, though, all I wanted to do was fall asleep at my desk. Doesn't help that the sun comes in my office windows in the afternoon and makes me warm and sleepy.

Regardless, it was nice to get out there and enjoy the day.

Lunch Run South by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head

After what seems like a month of heat and humidity the weather finally broke last night. The air was even almost a little bit chilly.

Chicago experienced the wettest July on record and, as I am prone to do, I seem to have ignored this fact and left my umbrella at home multiple times. Yesterday the rain continued and, once again, my umbrella was safe and sound at home when I left work.

So when I realized it was probably going to rain during my scheduled run I decided that since I was already wet I didn't care. Was there going to be lightning? Didn't look like it. Time to get my run on.

I wore my trusty green running t-shirt that has seen its share of rainy runs. And my bright pink shorts that survived the rain during the last six miles of the Madison Marathon.

The rain started coming down less than a half mile into the run. I didn't care. I felt amazing. At one point Maribeth looked down and said "Uh, are you running a 9:15 pace?" Why yes, yes I was. In fact, I finished the entire 5.5 miles with an average pace of 9:07! The last time I ran a Monday night run anything close to that was in May!

Apparently you give me a rainy day and I'll give you an awesome run.

However, all I wanted to do when I got home was strip out of my sopping wet clothes and curl up under a blanket. Thankfully my husband is awesome and had dinner ready when I walked in the door.

It felt so good to have a run where I wasn't struggling in the heat or humidity.

Monday Night in the Rain by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

Watefall Glen Xtreme 10 Race Report

So this past Saturday I once again attempted the Waterfall Glen Xtreme 10. That's me up there in the red tank and white hat. You may recall that last year the race was canceled.

This year the weather almost didn't cooperate once again. The thunderstorms started at Friday night and dumped 7 inches of rain on the city by the time I woke up at 5:00 AM on Saturday. Thankfully the thunder, lightening and rain abated by the time we left for the race venue. We arrived early enough to spray ourselves down with bug spray, hit the port-a-potties, and I did a 2 mile warm-up.

Waterfall Glen Xtreme 10 Warm Up by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

Thankfully the heat left along with the rain. It was still humid and warm, but at least it wasn't the scorching 90+ temps we'd been having for the previous few days. Still, my goals for this race were just to run it at marathon pace, take my walk breaks, and get in the miles. I had no plans to PR or really even "race" this particular race. And originally my fellow running club member Helen wasn't feeling like a race, either. Until she saw the trophies. And then she got amped. "I want a trophy!" she exclaimed.

This race is unique for the area in that it has a cross-country style wave start and the entire race takes place on a combination of grass and gravel. The course is lovely and almost entirely shaded except for a few spots of prairie. The only downside? Sometimes it floods. And after all the rain we'd had I fully expected to slog through some wet spots.

As I was standing at the start line for my wave I overheard someone say that the bridge a few miles in was underwater. Hmm. Interesting. The grassy field at the beginning and end of the race was also full of puddles. This was definitely going to be a race filled with wet socks.

We started and, as always, I went out too fast. My plan was to run between 10:20 and 10:30 miles. Turns out it was a good thing I banked a little time at the beginning. Because as I rounded a corner at the 1.5 mile mark I saw a large group of people just standing on the path.

I so wish I'd had my camera on me. Words cannot do what I saw justice. The foot bridge that was underwater? Actually had a current flowing over it so strong that it would have been easy to get swept away down the now overflowing creek. The water was almost knee deep and people were stopping to take off their shoes before crossing the stream. I decided I'd run in wet shoes before (see: March Madness Half Marathon) so I left mine on and inched my way over the bridge.

Just 8.5 more miles to go. In sopping wet shoes. I'd lost about 2-3 minutes at the bridge crossing but didn't mind too much. It mostly just made me laugh at the whole situation. I mean, it isn't called the "Xtreme" 10 for nothing, right?

The other reason this race is extreme is the hills. We don't have a lot of hills in northern Illinois but this race definitely has some. They've even named one of them: Big Bertha. Thankfully it's near the beginning of the race but, really, the entire course is full of rolling hills with very little relief. My wet shoes, the humidity, and the hills were sapping my energy more quickly than I wanted.

My plan had been to take walk breaks every 2 or 3 miles. After the break at mile 1.5 I decided I'd do them every 2 miles or so. I took a few extra during mile 7 to dump some water over my back but otherwise stuck to my plan. Still, this race felt harder than I would have liked. I'm not sure why. I felt good during my warm-up but towards the end of the race I was wondering why I signed up for a marathon and how I ever managed to run 9:00 minute miles for an entire 13.1 miles. I'm hoping that my lack of pep was due to the hills and the humidity.

The last 600 meters or so is across the same grassy field you started on. But now you're tired and you just want to be done. Finally I could see the finish line up ahead. I ran past another club member who was taking pictures. "Go Erin!" she shouted. "The finish line is just up there. With the ambulance!" It made me laugh.

I crossed the finish line, grabbed some water, and met up with the rest of the club members. We hung around for awards and, yes, Helen did indeed get her trophy. I was just happy to have done exactly what I set out to do. Run a total of 12 miles and pace between 10:20 and 10:30 miles.

Final race time? 1:43:23. Almost 20 minutes slower than my 10 mile PR but that's not the point. The point is that I chose a pace and stuck to it. I conquered the hills and humidity. And I had a good time with the rest of my running group buds.

After brunch (mmmm, French toast) I went home to once again find water in my basement!

Thankfully this time was much less traumatic than last time. About 4 inches of water, nothing important ruined, and way less to throw out. We've finally gotten smart about what we keep down there. Still, I was ready for a nap after a race, brunch, and basement cleaning. I slept like a log Saturday night. I think I earned it!

Waterfall Glen Xtreme 10 by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

Monday Night Slog

Say "Hi" to my new running hat. Would you believe that on Monday night while running in that hat and my sunglasses (yes, mom, I wore my sunglasses) that someone mistook me for Coach Holly? That may be the best compliment I've ever gotten!

Not that I was running like Coach Holly. No way. I'd already decided before I even left the house that while I was going running it was definitely going to be more of a run/walk/slog type of evening.

I originally had 8 miles on my schedule but with the temps hovering near 90 and the dew point hovering near 70 I figured I'd do what I could. I recently read this Runners World forum post where they discuss how much humidity and dew point affects running. Basically it boils down to if you add the temperature and the dew point together and it's above 150 then you should just be glad you survived your run.

So I should just be glad I survived my run. I started out pretty strong for a hot, gross night but faded over time. That's okay, though. I was running with a guy who was pushing his daughter in the jogging stroller for the first time so I was slowing down for him. Yeah, that's it.

Anyway, I ended up only doing 5.5 miles. I was starting to get a mild headache and I know that's a sign of heat illness. Even though I brought water with me it didn't seem to make a difference.

The temps are supposed to be horrible all week. And of course I signed up for that 10 mile race this weekend. I forsee some walk breaks during that event, too. Good thing I'm just using it as a training run!

Monday Night OPRC Slog by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

It's not the heat...

Monday was one of those mornings that starts filled with thunder and rain and the general feeling of UGH about having to get out of bed.

After the rain petered out we were left with reasonable temperatures but severely unreasonable humidity.

Doing some quick Googling I found that runners tend to agree that a dewpoint above 70 can kill your pace. Pretty sure that it was at least in the upper 60s on Monday night, if not 70.

Which basically explains why I felt like death for the first 4 miles of our 5.5 mile run. I was really struggling to hold even a 9:30 pace. Whew. It wasn't until we took a substantial break at the 4 mile mark that I was able to even attempt to pick up any speed. And even then it was still a slog.

But post-run I was glad for the weather. I think many runners have a strange love-hate relationship with summer. I know I do, at least. One on hand, you want the weather to stay nice and cool. Below 60 degrees, please. And overcast. That would be great. On the other hand, you want warm, sunny weather so you can sit outside, go to the pool, and enjoy all the outdoor activities summer has to offer.

So last night after our run when we went to the club president's house for pizza and drinks I was glad for the warm weather that allowed us to hang out on his deck and enjoy the evening.

But during the run? No thank you.

Monday Night OPRC Run by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

Fast as Lightning

Yep, another Wednesday, another track workout. Originally I thought it was going to be incredibly hot and humid so I busted out my "July" outfit. Skimpy sports bra, easy to remove tank top, and the shortest shorts I've ever owned. I'm not sure how I got talked into purchasing those shorts. Whew.

Anyway, it was certainly warm but it wasn't as hot as some of those track workouts last summer.

We started with our stretches and then a 15 minute warm up jog incorporating all our moving drills. I substituted some of the high knees with a "bounding" drill that my PT told me to do to work on my form. Then it was on to the interval portion of the evening.

We were doing 2:00 minutes at 5K effort followed by 1:15 rest intervals. The last time I did a workout like this it was much colder and we were supposed to be running at our one mile pace. And we got a longer rest interval. But I did 5 of them.

Last night I stuck with the number 5. Originally I was hoping to do 6 repeats but the idea is that you do as many as you can until you feel like you could do one more but don't want to. I definitely didn't want to after number 5. Not only was I tired and things hurt, but there was a huge storm rolling in. During that 5th 2:00 interval I heard thunder and saw lightning in the distance. I finished up that repeat, and decided I'd do one more lap of the track as my cool down.

I ended up booking it back to the start/finish line as I felt the temperature drop, the wind pick up and I realized the sky had turned a very strange color. Everyone grabbed their stuff and scattered. I piled people (and dogs and bikes) into my car so that no one had to walk or ride home and within minutes of pulling away from the track we were in a full-on downpour.

Of course, it only lasted about 20 minutes but I'm very glad I wasn't out in it.

So, I may have only done 5 repeats (even though I originally wanted to do 6) but I think I got in a quality workout. I didn't go out too fast, I stayed even, and I finished strong. Let's just ignore the fact that I think I was running a little faster than 5K effort....

1st 2:00 - .28 miles (7:15 pace)
2nd 200 - .27 miles (7:28 pace)
3rd 200 - .27 miles (7:26 pace)
4th 200 - .28 miles (7:13 pace)
5th 200 - .28 miles (7:15 pace)

Total mileage including warm up and my cool down lap - 3.43 miles

Saving My Shorts

My savior, the bathroom at mile 4


Monday night was one of those nights when running felt hard. I think that means I need a rest?

Anyway, I could barely keep up with our 9:15 pace so I dialed it back and tried to take it easy. Also, for future reference, slamming handfuls of raisins for my mid-morning and afternoon snack is NOT a good plan. I had to take a walk break at mile 3.5 to settle my stomach and I've never been happier to see a bathroom at the 4 mile mark.

Aren't you glad you read this blog?

Also, shorts and tank top weather is definitely here this week. I wore shorts and a short sleeved shirt and was totally overheated. I ended up stripping off the shirt and running the last 1.5 miles in my shorts and sports bra. Much to running buddy Jacob's chagrin. When Phil whipped off his shirt Jacob bemoaned the fact that he was the only fully clothed runner of our trio. But, hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. And, hey, speaking of shorts weather, Beth @ Shut Up and Run is giving away some shorts for both men and women! Oh, and a jacket, too, but it's definitely not jacket weather.

In the end I managed a 9:24 average pace even with the two short walk breaks I took. Of course, that doesn't count the almost 8 minute bathroom and rest break I took before that last 1.5 miles but, eh, I'm considering this to be a step-back week in a way. I really need one.

On the plus side, after my bike ride on Sunday I found a good way to stretch my hip, hip flexor, and adductor and that, combined with a stretch I do on the Power Plate at PT my hip FINALLY feels better. And while my shin twinged a bit even with my new shoes it also seems to be on the mend. Thank goodness.

Monday Night OPRC by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

Wind Beneath My Wings

I managed to get out for a short run at lunch time on Thursday. Thankfully the rain they had originally predicted stayed away. Unfortunately the wind was blowing in from the lake with a vengeance.

We went south along the lakefront path, past the aquarium and Solider Field. The first mile went by quickly and I was pleased that my pace was around 9:00 without feeling like I was pushing it.

Turns out that the wind had a hand in that. I slowed down so that the other woman in the group could keep up and when we turned around at mile 2 I realized why that first mile had felt so effortless. I was being propelled by the wind.

That last 1.6 miles were straight into the wind. I put my all into it because I just wanted to be done. Originally I'd planned to run 5 miles but I'm glad we turned around when we did. I couldn't imagine being out there for longer than I was already!

I pushed myself hard for the last half mile trying to catch up to the guys who had pulled away. I felt bad for leaving my female running companion but my body just didn't want to go slow. When I made it to the intersection where we turn off the path I decided to wait for her and then just walk leisurely back to our starting point. Meaning I only did a total of 3.68 miles instead of 4 but, hey, almost half of it was into the wind so I think that counts for something.

Lunch Time Run South - Short by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

Thursday Night Light

Have I ever talked about my hat light? I can't remember. Either way, that's it up there. Isn't it cute? I get a lot of compliments on it. It's been coming in pretty handy on Thursday nights when we do our intervals. The streets we run on don't really have street lights and last night there were still some snowy areas.

Yes, I ran outside Thursday night. After the blizzard. In the single digit temperatures. Believe it or not, it wasn't half bad.

Only three of us were able to brave the elements for various reasons so I ran by myself for much of the time. We warmed up together and then I was on my own for the first 3 intervals. The plans? 4x5:00 minutes at 5K pace w/3:00 minute rest intervals.

My goal according to our leader? Work on my cadence. Move my feet faster without necessarily working harder. By the way, this is just as difficult as it sounds. Still I ended up with the following times:

Warm Up - 2 miles @ 10:03 pace
1st 5 minutes - 8:00 pace
3:00 recovery jog
2nd 5 minutes - 8:09 pace
3:00 recovery jog
3rd 5 minutes - 8:26 pace
3:00 recovery jog
4th 5 minutes - 8:04 pace
3:00 recovery jog
Cool Down - .5 miles @ 10:09 pace

Total mileage: 6.14

A HUGE thanks to our leader who hung back with me during that 4th interval. She pushed me hard, gave me encouragement, and basically made it so that I almost matched my last interval to my first one. Otherwise, as you can see, the trend was to slow down.

Also, in case you're curious, this is what you wear when it's single digits outside with a possible windchill of below zero -

2 pairs of socks
1 pair of capris
1 pair of tights
1 pair of windpants
1 tank top
2 long sleeved tops
1 jacket
1 neck gaiter
1 pair of mittens
1 fleece ear band

Winter running sure does equal a lot of laundry. Thankfully the adrenaline rush is worth it.

The White Stuff

In case you didn't hear, Chicago got hammered with snow on Tuesday night. But don't worry, I'm home safe and sound and was not crazy enough to attempt running during a blizzard.

However, I do have some fun things to talk about in my Weekly Workout Wround Up post next week. But, until then, here's a glimpse into how I spent my Wednesday:

Sometimes You're the Bug

Sometimes you have great runs. Ones where you're kicking butt and taking names and flying through the air.

Other times you have runs where you feel like you've been hit by a truck and it's all you can do to put one foot in front of the other.

I'm sure you can guess which one I had today.

I had twelve miles on the schedule and, to be honest, I wasn't really feeling it. It was gray and precipitating outside. Everything is covered in snow. I really just wanted to stay home.

But I got ready and drove to the bike path with my YakTrax at the ready. I forgot how difficult those things can be to put on. I'm pretty sure I looked hilarious doing contortions in the car.

I spied another runner returning to his car and when I got out of mine I asked him how the path felt.

"It's better than last week. I see you have your YakTrax on. You'll be fine."

Well, it definitely wasn't like running on clean asphalt but I survived. It was hard work, though.





My plan was to run "easy" so I was hoping for easy 10 minute miles. I ended up running a 10:14 pace and it wasn't all that easy. I took quite a few walk breaks during the last 3 miles.

While I'd brought my fuel belt the water in it was so cold that drinking it took my breath away. I didn't bring anything to eat mid-run and I think that was a mistake. My back and shoulders ached, my feet hurt, and I really REALLY just wanted the run to be over with.

Yet, I made it all 12+ miles and even though I'm more wiped out than normal I don't regret getting out there. Sometimes being the bug makes you appreciate those days you're the windshield even more.

Salt Creek by snmnstrz21 at Garmin Connect - Details

Junk Miles

Last night's run would have been the perfect time to break out the YakTrax...if only I'd known how icy it was.

I spent the day inside and sometime between arriving home at 5:30 PM and leaving my house at 6:15 PM the side roads had completely iced over. When my car slid at a stop sign in my neighborhood I debated just turning around and going home.

But, no, I wanted to run. So I drove on in denial about the weather. It was lightly sleeting and the temperatures were hovering just above freezing. When I got to the running store and saw other people wearing their YakTrax I kicked myself for not remembering to grab mine.

The first mile wasn't too bad. The next mile, though, super slippery. I almost fell several times and at the 1.5 mile mark I decided I was turning around and going home. But my running buds convinced me to move from the street to the sidewalk and we kept going. By the way, there IS a time when you will curse someone for actually shoveling their sidewalk and last night was it. I much preferred the snow to the clear yet icy concrete.

Last night was supposed to be a tempo run but it ended up being a nice, slow, easy run instead. I finished the entire 5.5 miles and I didn't fall! Of course, I barely sweated and I decided it was the craziest thing I've done in awhile. But there are no bad runs, just bad gear. I'll blame last night on my lack of gear and just be glad I survived in tact. And next time I'll remember my YakTrax!

Let It Snow

Oh, the weather outside is frightful,



But my new running shirt (from Kim!) is so delightful.


WOMEN'S APEX CLIMATEBLOCK FULL ZIP

And since North Face let us wear these nice jackets to go,

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.


WOMEN'S SINGLE-TRACK

North Face let us run in these fun shoes.




And gave us this free gaiter, too.



Add on a free stocking cap. Whoa!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Oh, I might not have won the raffle.

And I might have run kind of slow.





But we runners are crazy, don't you know?

So let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.


P.S. That jacket was really nice. But I don't know if it was $160 nice. And, no, we didn't get to keep it or the shoes.

Up and At 'Em

I have a confession to make.

When it comes to long runs, I've been super lazy since the marathon. I haven't run double digits since October and I haven't run anything longer than 8 miles since November 1st.

My running group does a Saturday morning run that starts and ends near my house but I've always been hesitant to join them because I've heard they were fast. But this Saturday I told myself I was going to run with them and if I was bringing up the rear well, so be it. I'd take my iPhone and I'd just make up my own route if I needed to.

When my alarm went off at 6:30 AM on Saturday it was a struggle to get out of bed. But I did and I dressed in my warmest running clothes to ward off the temperatures in the teens. Tights with windpants. Long sleeved shirt with a fleece. Ear band and gloves. And off I went to meet the group.

From my house to the meeting point is just under .9 of a mile which means I really have no excuse not to meet up with them. And, when I learned the route, I realized that technically I wouldn't even need to run to the official starting point since the route overlaps the way I would run there anyway.

However, the rumors didn't lie and the group certainly is speedy. Thankfully one of the guys I've run with on other runs was there (in shorts!!) so I had a buddy the whole way. Since I'd never run much of the route before it was definitely an adventure. There were some challenging spots (icy sidewalks, snow covered train tracks, small hills) but we kept up a pretty good pace for the most part.





When we stopped at the halfway point to regroup someone pointed out that the entire top of my head was white with frosted-over sweat. By the time I got back to my house there were icicles hanging from the end of my ponytail that matched the ones on my eyelashes. The skin on my stomach was numb from the cold air and when I got undressed to get in the shower I realized that other parts of my body were bright red. Ahh, the joys of winter running.

Since the route goes through my neighborhood on the way back to the starting point I peeled off there and finished the last quarter mile by myself. Now I know, though, that if I want to get in a full 10+ miles on a Saturday all I have to do is run to the starting point, run the full route, and run home. Perfect. And just like on the Monday night runs, I'll either learn the route or get really fast. Let's hope for both.

Icy Hot

As our club president said last night, welcome to the first Monday night run of the winter! Of course, winter hasn't officially started yet but tell that to Mother Nature. With the snow we got over the weekend and the below freezing temps we've had ever since you'd have to be crazy to run!

We'll there were quite a few of us crazy people out there on Monday night. I started out running pretty fast (for me) but slowly backed off so I could chat with a few of the other runners. I hadn't been out with the Monday night crew in a month and it was nice to run with them again.

Monday night run
Mile 1 - 9:07
Mile 2 - 9:24
Mile 3 - 9:26
Mile 4 - 9:39
Mile 5 - 9:52
Mile .52 - 5:40 (includes stop for traffic)

Believe it or not, even though the temps were hovering around 20^oF or lower it didn't feel all that bad outside. In fact, in my long-sleeved top and my fleece jacket I was too warm. The jacket was soaking wet by the time I got home. Ewww. My lips, though, may never be the same. Running in cold weather chaps them something fierce.

My right knee does not particularly like this weather either. It was pretty stiff for the rest of the night and the stairs were not my friend. I know I should ice it but, really, who wants to stick ice on their leg when the temps are below freezing?

Too Extreme for the Xtreme

Saturday morning dawned and the skies looked rather ominous. I'd fallen asleep to the sound of thunder and pouring rain and the 5AM skies didn't look or sound much better. But, seeing as how I'm one of those crazy runners, I laced up my shoes, gathered my gear, and headed out the back door to meet three other running club carpoolers. I mean, we had a 10 mile race to run!

I knew it was going to be an interesting day when I drove through gigantic puddles on the way to the meeting spot and I practically got soaked moving from my car to the carpool car. Then we realized that one of the major interstates was closed due to flooding. As we drove to another interstate we realized how bad the flooding really was. There were cars stalled in the water on the road we were on. It was at least a foot deep in places.


This photo was taken of that same road about 4 hours later

Yet, we soldiered on and joked that apparently this race was going to be a triathlon.

Once we finally arrived at the race after a rather harrowing drive in the rain it was pouring and thundering and lightning so much that no one wanted to get out of the car. Finally, Maribeth and another running club member decided to brave the elements to pick up packets, use the port-a-potty and see what was going on. They arrived back at the car with squishy shoes and little information. About 20 minutes before the race was supposed to start I decided to head to the port-a-potties and see if I could get any more information. We'd been checking the radar on our iPhones and debating what was going to happen.

As I approached the main race tent I heard the tail end of a loudspeaker announcement.

"You'll all get an email with information about a new date..."

What? I asked several people for confirmation of what I'd just heard. It was true. The park rangers canceled the race due to the threat of lightning.

I returned to the car with my information to find that my carpool buddies were learning the race's fate from another running club member. Needless to say, we were disappointed. Not only were all of us hoping to get in a long run, but Maribeth was hoping to place in her age group and I was hoping to PR at this distance.

But! Not ones to be daunted by bad weather, we decided to find a place to run 10 miles anyway. We'd passed the bike path on the way to the race so I figured we could just go run there.

"Will it be flooded?" they asked.

"I've never seen it so flooded a person couldn't still run on it" I said.

Well, I have now. We really should have known by the fact that our driver earned his advanced canoeing badge for fording the streets that the bike path, which runs along a creek, would be flooded. But optimism runs high when you really want to get in a run.

I'll let the pictures tell you what we encountered.





Most of the path was a no-go in terms of running. So we ventured out into the neighborhood instead. It was still raining a bit but there was no more lightning or thunder. Just a nice, cool rain that made it wonderful running weather. Except for the whole wading part.

Still, I got in 9 miles and the other three runners did the full 10. And while we're disappointed that we didn't get to race on Saturday, we're optimistic that they'll be able to reschedule it. Plus, we have a great story to tell of adventure and perseverance.

I'll just leave out the part about how when I got home I learned we had three feet of water in our basement. Good thing I wasn't planning on using the treadmill.





Also, did you know that washing machines float?



Neither did I. But at least I know that I can still run 9 miles in sopping wet shoes and run it at a decent pace. I'll let you guess which one I was more pleased to discover.

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Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 618 ft Location: Brookfield, IL Elev. Gain: +0 ft Date: 07/24/10 Up/Downhill: [+124/-124] Time: 07:59 AM Difficulty: 2.3 / 5.0 Performance Distance: 9.00 miles Time: 1:36:31 Speed: 5.6 mph Pace: 10' 43 /mi Calories: 1054 Map   Elevation (ft)   Pace (min/mile)   Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Elevation Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 9' 36 -1' 07 6.2 +0.7 0 ft 2 11' 39 +0' 56 5.2 -0.4 0 ft 3 10' 34 -0' 09 5.7 +0.1 -3 ft 4 13' 53 +3' 10 4.3 -1.3 +4 ft 5 9' 35 -1' 08 6.3 +0.7 +3 ft 6 10' 44 +0' 01 5.6 -0.0 -3 ft 7 9' 56 -0' 47 6.0 +0.4 0 ft 8 9' 55 -0' 48 6.0 +0.5 0 ft 9 10' 13 -0' 30 5.9 +0.3 0 ft end 11' 06 +0' 23 5.4 -0.2 0 ft Versus average of 10' 43 min/mile

Posted from bimactive.com

Felled

The Chicago area had some wicked storms on Friday night that caused scenes like the one pictured above (that I totally stole off a website and did not take myself). Thankfully the storms subsided by the time I went out for my Saturday morning run and they took the 90+ degree temperatures with them.

Doesn't mean it wasn't still freaking humid at 6:45 AM. My first mile was a toughie. I couldn't believe it when the Garmin told me I was only running a 10:30something pace. It felt way harder than that.

The FIRST training plan I'm following seems to think that my Planned Marathon Pace is 9:50. Oh, FIRST training plan. You're so optimistic. I can barely run a half marathon at that pace, let alone double the distance. Regardless, that's what my training plan told me to run my 9 miles at so that's what I attempted.

I didn't quite make it but, all in all, I'm pleased with my 10:00 minute/mile pace. The run was rough and I had to stop for traffic a ton of times. I took some Sports Beans around mile 5.75 and those did give me a boost for a bit.

I will say, though, that I was glad when I hit 9 miles. I was slippery with sweat, I was tired, my feet ached, and I really just wanted a shower. And, even though I know I should eat something after I run, I really was NOT hungry until hours later.

Regardless, I'm glad I got it done and at what I consider a good pace. My legs are freaking tired, though, because after all that I ended up walking around a mall with my mom for a few hours. I'm glad that most of tomorrow will be spent sitting.

Speaking of which, I'm going on hiatus for a week while I enjoy a vacation with my mom. We're going to Savannah, Georgia. I have no idea if I'll run since if I can barely handle our temperatures and humidity I'm sure I'll dissolve into a puddle of goo in theirs. Still, I'd like to be able to say I've run in yet another state. But will I? I guess you'll have to check back next week to find out!

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Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 625 ft Location: Forest Park, IL Elev. Gain: +0 ft Date: 06/19/10 Up/Downhill: [+59/-59] Time: 06:44 AM Difficulty: 2.3 / 5.0 Performance Distance: 9.01 miles Time: 1:30:06 Speed: 6.0 mph Pace: 10' 00 /mi Calories: 1063 Map   Elevation (ft)   Pace (min/mile)   Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Elevation Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 10' 28 +0' 28 5.7 -0.3 +3 ft 2 11' 00 +1' 00 5.5 -0.5 +6 ft 3 10' 20 +0' 20 5.8 -0.2 0 ft 4 9' 45 -0' 15 6.2 +0.2 -9 ft 5 9' 43 -0' 17 6.2 +0.2 +10 ft 6 10' 25 +0' 25 5.8 -0.2 0 ft 7 10' 32 +0' 32 5.7 -0.3 +3 ft 8 10' 34 +0' 34 5.7 -0.3 -13 ft end 9' 19 -0' 41 6.4 +0.4 0 ft Versus average of 10' 00 min/mile

Posted from bimactive.com