I ran yesterday for the first time since November 11th. I’m not sure if the NY marathon finally tipped past inspiration into excess, but I needed a break from running. Sister Runner Amy and I ran the White Rock Half Marathon yesterday, and it was awesome. Not because I finished fast or broke any records, but because I finished feeling stronger than when I started and that’s what I’ve been working towards.
Amy and I were freezing at the start line. It started cold and only got colder. We each wore shorts and a long sleeved shirt, and I had a jacket I kept with me. We weren’t sure what to wear because we got very mixed weather reports, none of which I think were accurate:
Weather.com: 50 degrees at the start with a 50% chance of rain.
Accuweather.com: High 65 degrees. Cloudy and cooler with a couple of showers and a thunderstorm.
Weather.gov: Periods of rain and thunderstorms, mainly before noon. Temperature falling to around 49 by 5pm. North-northwest wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
My car read 37 degrees at the end of the race and other than a few spatterings, the rain held off. We could have used a pair of tights and a vest, but we survived, no thanks to weather predictions. I was actually surprised the rain held off since I angered the nature Gods and ran over a skunk on the way to the race. I felt really bad and as much as I begged my sister, she would not let me go back and take it to a vet. It is very possible the poor little skunk died from lack of medical attention.
Amy and I stuck together the entire race and I noticed how strong Amy was running. I was proud of her. We fueled appropriately and didn’t start too fast; we paced ourselves very well throughout the race. We ran strong and Amy was awesome; she slashed 16 minutes off her previous time. Notice how I worked two semi-colons into one paragraph. I’m a grammar goddess.
For the longest time the race results web site showed I dropped out at mile 11. Um, no. I finished and I finished strong and I want the whole wide Internet to know it. I was pretty ticked my chip bailed on me, but my finish time finally and mysteriously showed up last night as 2h:21m:1s.
I’ll have pictures just as soon as I can get the old camera I used to cooperate.
My running vacation is officially over. Wednesday I slip back into the plan I’ve ignored for three weeks. I’m also adding some serious weight training into the mix. My friend/coach Cindy has put together an ultimate leg workout that is kicking my butt. This is good, because I need my butt kicked so I can run an awesome Austin Marathon!
Congratulations on running the half well. Sorry I was too lazy to go out there. It really did rain in Lewisville though!
I think after running a (friggin’) marathon some down time is due!! Nice job on the half! 🙂
nice job, suze!
Wow, I’m impressed that you ran a half so soon after running a marathon. Pretty speedy, too! I haven’t run more than six miles since Nike in October. I also needed a break from running. Good luck with your Austin training plan.
Congrads on the great race, Susan!
i’m sure when the nature gods realised you were a grammar goddess, they cleared the cosmic fog around your time chip thing. i think what saved you was the god from the olfactory section. you sacrificed the skunk for all the other runners who would have had to hold their breath around you.
okay, sure, people are usually getting their breath taken away around you, but let it be for the shiny boots.
Way to run, Susan. Are your legs as sore as mine are? And I LOVE the haircut:)
Yesterday’s half was my first. I was very stressed about the weather – but it turned out fine. I finished in 2:03. Congratulations on a great time so soon after finishing a marathon!
Wo-hoo! I didn’t realize you were running White Rock or I would’ve come out to cheer you – well, if the weather had stuck to the original-warm forecast, not the orginal-cold forecast.
wow, you’re amazing! we had the same problem with 3 different web sites giving 3 different weather reports…so we stuck our heads out the door. that cleared up a lot of confusion.
great time! i’m glad they got it straight!
Suz,
I am so proud of you as always! Way to go!
I’m new to the running community online and that stuff but i read a couple of your hilarious blogs and the sushi chef one really had me laughing, but i can’t imagine running a marathon let alone a half after not running for a couple weeks so just want to say wow and nice job!
Nice running! That’s totally awesome! Welcome back to the wagon.
BTW, you’ve been tagged. Check out my blog for more information.
Semi-colans are just so ihatetoast. Amy was better than good; a 16-minute PB; simply brilliant!
Nice to hear the vacation from running is over Susan. Actually, a “running vacation” is one where you do lots of running 😉
I like the way you end a running fast…by running kinda fast.
Sounds like you raced White Rock like I raced NYC. Started slower than normal and finished really strong and energized. That’s why I started right back in on another marathon training plan. Now you can too. Thursday calls for 8!
Welcome back.