More than 21

I've been a bit unplugged this week.  Mike was on vacation, we had nine uninterrupted days of Daddy time, which hasn't happened in years, so it was a real treat.  We had all sorts of things planned, including all outdoor runs for me.  So of course I got sick. 

I should have known something was up last Sunday, it was dark and rainy out, and after lunch, I got the kids settled down with a movie, then went upstairs to get the laundry.  When I saw my bed I decided to stretch out on it for a minute, which turned into two hours.  It is rare that I nap, so I must have needed it.  The next morning I went out for six miles, and I was okay, but felt kinda lousy.  I was looking forward to an 8 mile trail run the next day at a nature center in town, where I've been trying to go all summer.  My head and nose had different plans, I barely made it through six, because I felt like I was going to hurl and my head was going to explode.  So the rest of the day and night I stayed on the couch, I couldn't even smell the garlic laden tomato sauce Mike was making.

The next day was a perfect day to go to the JETS Training Camp, at SUNY Cortland, where Mike and I met.  I'm a Giants fan, but the Jets are my #2.  It was very cool to be able to be right at the side of the field while they practiced (yes, that was Mark Sanchez in the photos, as well as L.T.).  Eliza scored a foam #1 Fan Finger, and Luke got a jersey for $10 (bargain!) and mini football.  We took the kids through campus and had lunch in town, so it was a nice rest day. 

By Thursday I was 99% better, so we headed up to the Adirondack's to see Mike's Mom and Dad, and get some lake time in.  I ran my planned 8 miles, and I was happy that I nailed all the hills that I had problems with when I ran them last month.  Aside from wading in the lake while the kids swam, I stayed out of the water, but the weather was beautiful and I soaked it in.  I did keep thinking of my upcoming 21 miler, and I was reminded of it a couple of times.  A woman walked by on the beach wearing Vibrams, and a guy sitting next to us was talking about his triathlon training. 

So all of a sudden it was Saturday, time for the last long training run.  I was ready for it, but mostly ready for it to be done, the training getting kind of old, I'm ready to just run this marathon already.  I made it over to Jeannine's house by 6:30 a.m., and we took a "scenic route" all around town back to my house.  We've been really lucky with the weather for our long runs, and yesterday it was in the low 60's, with no humidity.  As usual, the first half flew by, I was busy blowing my nose and entertaining Jeannine with all my hocking and spitting noises.  I really need to be more vigilant about my fueling schedule.  I usually suck down a GU every 5 miles, I was too busy running to realize we had already gone 7.5 miles, and all I had taken in was water.   At 10.5 we made a quick stop at Dunkin' Donuts to use the bathroom and replenish my tissue supply (I ignored the donuts).  Then we were off again, chomping on sports beans, water and Nuun.

I really like the route we do, it goes through the village, by the river, through neighborhoods with some really cute houses, as well as farmland.  We pass by wild flowers, corn fields, and yesterday, we ran by some late summer raspberries.  We usually leave from my house, but yesterday we ran it the opposite way, which was enough of a change to keep it interesting. 

It seems that I start to feel the run at mile 17, and that was true yesterday, I felt it right in my quads.  Then at 18, my toe with the blister started to feel sore too.  But that was really it.  My head was in the right place, my lungs felt good. It was just a matter of staying in the moment.  I'm happy to say that I haven't been using my ipod for all these runs, which for me is huge. 

We came to an intersection that leads into my development, and I paused G-unit while we waited for the light.  And I forgot to turn it back on, I didn't realize it for about 10 minutes.  UGH! Jeannine had mapped out a 21.09 mile route, but I wanted to know our time.  Aside from that, we were having a good run.  I kept waiting for something to happen, to hit a wall, or trip, hack up a lung, whatever, but my house was getting closer and closer, and I knew I could keep going.  Like 26.2 miles.

After the run, I had a smoothie with fruit and Amazing Grass, took my ice bath, then ate a bean burrito, and took a hot shower.  Then I was running again, around my house to clean and cook to get ready for Miss Eliza's Fourth Birthday party (I don't know how that happened, she was a baby just last week).  When Jeannine came back for the party, she had driven part of the route that we ran when G-Unit was off.  We did the math, and we ended up doing closer to 22 miles, in 3 hours and 45 minutes. 

After cake and ice cream, and gifts that included red sparkly cowgirl boots, princess lip gloss and a ukulele, I sat down.  And my quads started screaming at me.  Seriously, they have never felt so sore.  So I hauled out the ice packs, had some wine, and watched the end of the movie Signs.  Which always scares the crap out of me.

I'm off to catch up on blogs, and to celebrate Eliza's actual birthday tomorrow.  I love this picture of us.  And it cracks me up that my foam roller is sitting in the background.