"But It's Just a Tiny Island"

A few months back a girlfriend and I had this awesome idea for her to join me on Block Island for the Race Around the Block 15K race.

I rented a room in a B&B on the water and we took the ferry over to the island.  I could tell something was amiss when both me and my bestie were hungry, over heated, and didn't remember me as being insane.

We arrived on the Island on Friday (9/7), the race was on Saturday (9/8).

I had this bright idea to walk the route, well only one loop of the route, it was a loop and a half route to make up the 15K which is 9.3 miles.  The fact that a loop would be 6 miles did not really register with me.  It registered with my husband and my mother who said, "are you sure this is something she would want to do?"  I thought, well yeah, we did the Cliff Walk in Newport 18 months ago and that was like 9 miles....

"But it's just a tiny island" were my famous words, or my famous last words when I was met with.  "Ah we have to walk TO the route, and BACK from the route, and OH YEAH, the route."  The look on my face was as incredulous as hers.  We both had no clue what the other was talking about or thinking, or which orifice the others head was in.

My bestie being logical methodical well grounded person she is, suggested I rethink this plan.  About this time I was beginning to see the massive flaws in my logic.  Firstly, we have no way to get to the start, about 3 miles inland.  Secondly, the last time I took a long walk before a run I was in incredible pain.  Thirdly, well we really don't need a thirdly at this point, do we?

Once we were on the same page and had a uninspired lobster roll, we took a stroll to see some yarn, and this calmed us down. Yarn has that affect on us.  Pshew.

So race day comes and it is hot and humid and still.  As the school bus to us to the starting line, we climbed this HUGE hill.  All I could think was, "Oh this would not have been fun to walk up, in the heat and sun".  Little did I know my bestie was thinking "She is effing insane, we have to take a BUS to the starting point?".

The clouds that were promised disappeared and the sun came out in full force as the gun went off at 1:30 p.m.

As I ran the route I was reminded of this conversation we had and couldn't help but notice the route itself was a nice route to run, hilly and windy, however rather not so scenic in all but a few places.  Compared to the Cliff Walk with a surprise view around ever turn, I was even more sure that yes, indeed, my bestie had a point and I am effing insane.

So on the race recap.  It was a nice race, there was little shade, and a bit of a breeze.  Four water stops, one with a man with a hose spraying the runners.  I may have proposed to him the second time I saw him, I'm not sure, it was H.O.T.  I was delirious.  Of the nearly 350 people who started the race, just under 300 finished, the weather was brutal.

Pace and Elevation:

You can clearly see the water stops, yes I did walk three of them!

Right before the second water stop I looked and saw my bestie with her camera.  OMG that was the best part seeing her in the middle of the race.  I've never actually had someone cheer me on during a race.  This was so freaking cool!!!  So if anyone thinks that maybe they would like to cheer on a friend, DO IT.  It really is a lift for the runner.

6 miles!  Wiggling it for the camera!

As I approached the finish line I was greeted with, a hill.  Lovely.  Well Marine Corps Marathon ends on a hill at 26.2 miles, this was 9.3 miles I do need to get used to this last and final hill business.  Plus, reality, I live on a hill and have to run up one to get home anyhow.  Suck it up sister and RUN.

At the finish, in the chute

I finished at 1:40:38, my goal was 100 minutes.  I think I did pretty good and my bestie was very proud of me and gave wet sweaty me a hug after the finish line.  This is a very brave thing to do.  And then she had to sit with me on the bus ride back to the ferry dock.  She had a Jack and Coke to prepare for being on a bus full of stinky runner, smart girl.

On the bus!

I didn't stop my watch until nearly a minute after I finished, I was just glad to be done.  I am getting a teensy bit more consistent with pacing.  I'm still going out of the chute too fast.

Sincerely,

Beth, who has no concept of reality at times.

P.S.  But doesn't it LOOK like a tiny island?

Whiskey, My Friend, My Love

I think I may have been a little drunk when I woke up this morning or just exhausted...  The drinks were a little strong last night, no complaints, and I had a very stiff night cap when I got home at oh 10 p.m. probably could have passed on the night cap.  Oh Jack how you tempt me so....

This is how my Wednesdays go.  A little off from a long day on Tuesday. I wore one of my new dresses so I looked good, as my work husband says "Look good feel good."  Busy day, full of action items from the last meeting on Tuesday and other things I need to get moving on.  I worked from home in the afternoon because hubb was off to The Cape to spend a couple days with his family and the dogs are used to having someone around plus the young ones are crated when we aren't home.  While all they do is sleep in the crate and they don't really seem to care, it bugs me.

Crates and dogs.  I've read that the crate is actually a good thing, it is far less stressful for the dog because they don't have to make any decisions on what they are going to do once the two legged pack members leave the house.  They just go to sleep until the two legged pack members arrive home.  I think there is truth to this.  The elder dogs are a bit stressed because some how something that was on the counter is now on the floor and they then get a tap on the tushie because of it.  Dogs do not understand consequences to their actions.  They do know if there is a dog food tin or a soup tin on the floor they are getting a tap on the tushie but the fact THEY counter surfed and brought down that tin escapes them. Plus they are a good place to keep unruly Father-in-laws.

I finished up what I wanted to accomplish for work, fed the dogs and then went for a run on my favorite trail, yep, Bluff Point.  I love that trail.  Did the short loop 3.6 miles, in 35 minutes, not bad time.  I felt like I finally have my legs back. It was awesome.  I also used the Dirty Girl Gaiters a friend sent me.  

I was a little suspect on how these would work and what sort of looks I would get on the trail.  As for the looks on the trail, so what.   The guys that stare are staring at a hot sweaty chick, and I'll just go with that thought.  I doubt they are looking at my ankles anyhow, they are male.  Loved them, the gaiters, not the looks from the guys (ok yes, I like that too, I'm a girl whaddya expect?).  Back to the gaiters.  First, they kept out the dirt and the rocks and the stones and the other niggly trail bits that always seem to get caught in my shoes.  Second, they totally look super cute with my new trail shoes.  Can you imagine them with a pink running skirt!  Woot!  Third, the sweat wicking fabric seemed to keep my ankles cooler, I only noticed this on my cool down walk and my drive home, hey added bonus!

My run was great.  Really great.  My heel is feeling so much better, between the icing and the spikey ball roller.  Now I have a little shin splint action happening in the left shin.  If it isn't one thing it is another.

My awesome massage therapist is gifting me a special foam roller and a DVD to help with my PF and probably the rest of my muscles.  She is awesome!  I need to find a super special gift for her, hmm, better put my thinking cap on!

Tomorrow is a work at home day and a rest day, so you won't hear much until my race report from the Blessing of the Fleet 10 miler in Narragansett, RI on Friday night.

Thank you for tuning in!