|
Now, now, be nice...this is supposed to be the "kinder gentler" portion of the bulletin board (Re the paraphrase of the "Whup George" comment *smiling*)
It was howling with rain in Saturday, which was good as it was "chores" day. Sunday was the Houlihan's 12K race. I was glad actually that Saturday was rainy, as I'd taken from Weds thru Fri off due to an "outside the ankle and calf pain that I wasn't sure about.
Sunday was UNBELIEVABLY beautiful. I think it was you, M. North, who said once that race days are "almost always wonderful" and this was no exception. The course starts at the headlands across the bay from San Francisco, runs across the Golden Gate Bridge, then down into a redwood forest at the Presidio, along marina green, and up to finish at Fort Mason. It's funny it's still called the "Houlihan's" run (it used to run from the Marin County Houlihan's (bar/restaurant) to the S.F. County one -- now they are defunct...!). The money goes to charity, but this year they dedicated the 'Clydesdale/Athena' division to a man who had run the race its previous times -- but died in one of the planes or the WTC on 9/11. That was very emotional as obviously this guy (a "Clyde") had been a member of one of the local clubs, etc. -- there were a TON of people running in his "honor" with T-shirts, etc. (and they passed out small ribbons to wear).
The run was pretty uneventful. I carried the "provisions" for both H and me -- figuring that this would be about what I would need to be able to "porter" for the marathon. It was pretty funny. All these people in shorts and singlets, and then me with my water bottle, fanny pack, 2 GU packets, etc. My friend Jen and I commented we felt sort of like the Conestoga Wagons out there to the rest of the pack!!!
Did the 12K in just under 1-1/2 hrs, which was great (nice pace, about what I'd like to do for the marathon). I was having trouble with one of my feet/top of the foot. It felt like the arch was "taller" than the other foot -- the shoes was really sort of pressing down on the bones and "hurting" the top of my foot. I tried really loosening the laces, then tightening them up, etc. Didn't do much good (tighter at the toes wound up finally doing the best job). Frustrating.
We went to the expo, got our T-shirts, exchanged our sweaty Ts for the new ones, and started back. We had waited about 20 minutes for the shirts, potties, etc. and so I was feeling pretty stiff.
My friend and my boyfriend are MUCH faster runners than I am -- and so they got off to a much faster start, and were talking together and not really noticing that they were pulling away from me. This always really upsets me. I don't have a competitive bone in my body -- but I HATE to be "last" or an anchor. I was getting very upset, and trying to "push" my pace to just at least "catch" them. In doing this, I stopped looking at my footing, caught my foot, and fell headlong, HARD, on my knee (and hands). I really crushed down, lost my breath, etc. (on pavement).
It looked like we would probably have to take a cab back, but finally I just got up, REALLY upset about that TOO (now I was the anchor, AND an ungraceful idiot to boot....), and I kept running. We ran the 12K back -- I then went home and iced my knee all night. This morning I can barely bend it -- it's swollen and nasty.
Ah, lovely.
So, that is my story!
Post a reply on the Bulletin Board
|
