Monday, April 27, 2009

Home

So Cheese brought it to my attention that I neglected to report I would also be running a half-marathon during my Nashville trip this past weekend.

Not sure why I forgot, but I did.

And I ran it.

Turns out Nashville got itself some hills, and I missed that memo.

Also turns out that trying to run 13.1 very torturous hilly miles in 90 degree heat after coming from 8 months of 30 or lower temps here in flat, flat Chicago is just a bit harder then anticipated.

It wasn't the going up part of the hills that beat my ass - I am actually pretty good at that part, technique-wise.

It was the going down part that crippled my quads by Mile 11 (up to which point I was running a PR, despite the conditions).

After Mile 11 and 12, I watched my PR be wiped out by four minutes. But in the end, I finished, and I am proud of that.

I also ended up in the medical tent right after I finished (first time ever in a race for me!). It was super scary at the time, but I'm fine now - well, still quad-cripped two days later, but mostly fine.

I didn't see Dane from the Biggest Loser - I checked the results, and there is a guy with his same name but a different age, so I can't tell if it's actually him. But the guy that's listed finished in just under 6 hours, I believe.

And given that it was the second hardest race I ever ran (second only to my Ironman), kudos to whoever that man was for finishing, Biggest Loser or not. Dang, that was a brutal day!

The most exciting part of the weekend was hanging out with my brother and his wife. I can't even really articulate how much fun I had just visiting and hanging out, and how generous they were to open their home to me. I wish I could have stayed all week! I keep having these fantasies about moving down there, living on my little farm, slowing down my pace of life - just simplifying everything.

It also smells so good down there - all Spring-like, and flowery, and not-Chicago.

Sigh. I do like the South.

And I am swamped with work right so I gotta run.

6 comments:

Maggs said...

Check out http://absolutlyfit.blogspot.com/
She ran most of the marathon with him.

M said...

Hey Maggs-
Thanks for sending that - I guess the results were right - they just got the age wrong. As soon as you sent that, my Nashville brother texted me his results as well!

Again, kudos to anyone that finished that race - it was hot and hilly and tough. I know for myself I would not have been able to complete the full marathon. I think that finishing any marathon is a tremendous accomplishments, and moreso in those conditions.

Great link!

prin said...

Yey! So... are you happy? lol It's hard to tell. You just let out facts and stuff, and not too much in between... I hope you're ok and were just in a hurry...

p.s. medical tent?! Scary stuff.

Carolina John said...

yea the south has some fun parts. come on down anytime.

glad you're ok after a visit to the med tent.

lauren said...

i feel vindicated! ran nashville with joe a couple of years ago after training in chicago and warned him about the terrible hills in this race

we finished the race, joe ahead of me. first words when he saw me? "where were the hills?" awesome. thanks. apparently running in dc is less flat than chicago.

congrats on finishing in such challenging conditions (and thanks for making me seem less crazy!)

Melissa said...

Can I just say YOU ROCK!! You are my hero!!!