Believe it or not -- I actually got my butt outside yesterday to do my long run! Usually I have no motivation to do this and push it off until Sunday. This week I was motivated by three things: the fact that if I ran on Saturday instead of Sunday I would get a bonus point in my motivation plan for doing 5 workouts this week, the fact that I could have a super lazy day on Sunday with no plans if I ran on Saturday instead, and the fact that I could pig out on bad food with little guilt at the board game party I was hosting later that night. Besides that though, I really had a hard time wanting to get out there.
It was a rather uneventful run except for the fact that in the first six miles I had this immense urge to pee and was pretty sure the public bathrooms were closed. I realized this as I ran by the Boathouse and noticed a white piece of paper on the door (which I assumed said they were closed for the season). Not really sure what to do about this since I had a whole 12 miles to do. When I got to 72nd street, completing my first loop I figured I could run across the transverse to see if Bethesda Fountain bathrooms were open or wait until I finished the lower loop and cross to the Bethesda Fountain on the east side. I really didn't want to add on the extra .5 miles it would take to do this if I opted to go right then, but I felt like I didn't really have a choice. So I ran to the plaza only to find a big sign saying they were closed for the season and I should try the Boathouse. Grrrrrr. So I ran another .2 or so miles and once again noticed the sign. Freakout! But before a total meltdown I decided I should probably get closer and READ the sign before I assumed what it said. And lo and behold, it was only telling me to keep the door closed because the restrooms were heated. YES!
Now I had another dilemma. Do I do the lower loop? Backwards or forwards? I didn't think I could add on anything to my 12 miles because my legs were already feeling tired. And I HATE the lower loop. I will do anything to avoid it. So I ran back and forth on the transverse until I got to 7 miles. Crazy boring, I know, but better than that lower loop. I don't even know why I hate it that much. It's fairly flat compared to the rest of the park, it's definitely very scenic, and it is only 1.6 miles.
Anyway, this meant that I had miscalculated and at the end of my run I still had .21 miles to go. I know, I know, just skip it, right? But no, I didn't feel like I could say I ran 12 miles unless I actually did. So I ran down .1 miles across the transverse and .1 miles back (again avoiding the lower loop completely.)
Afterwards I felt SO SORE...like running a half marathon sore. This is kind of crazy since I was keeping kind of an easy pace (according to my watch 10:42, but that was wrong since I kind of forgot to stop the watch during the whole bathroom debaucle.)
At any rate, I feel like I'm totally in for it now. So I did what I have been avoiding for a month and a half...I signed up for my first post-pregnancy marathon: the Flying Pig.
It makes me nervous to think about committing to this, but here I am!
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3 comments:
I'm glad you're doing the Pig! I followed your blog that was on the Flying Pig Website the first year you did it -- It was also my first marathon. I also saw you -- or at least heard your fans screaming for you -- at some point around mile 12 or so. Been following you off and on since then (don't worry, I'm not a stalker!), and am amazed at how your running speed improved over the years. You passed me up speed wise years ago! (But I'm 51, so I'll use that as my excuse) I'm doing the Pig myself this year, so maybe I'll see you again. I'm running the Pig with three other girls and our shirts will say: Therapy Session in Progress. Good luck on your training! You rock!
P.S. Our blog is http://coachmosby.blogspot.com/
if you want to see how much fun we have running in the cold and snowy Cincy temps! :)
That's so cool!
I will be sure to check out your blog. Good luck with YOUR Pig training!
I'm excited for you! Like Patrice, I've followed you since your first Pig....no stalker here either. =) Great to see you getting back into the swing of things. No Pig for me this year....kids and their schedules conflicting. I'll miss it, but this will make it all the sweeter in 2012!
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