30K: The Before

 It's just before 6 am on Saturday and I'm almost ready to drive to Winston-Salem for the Salem Lake 30K. Thought it might be fun to do a "Before" and "After" blog of the race. Here's the before. I feel ready, but a little concerned as I don't seem to mentally be in the game. I'm hoping adrenaline and my competitive spirit kicks in at the start line or--better yet--around mile 12.  I'm not sure if I can hold my desired 9:09 pace, yet I don't feel that concerned if I don't hold it. (For the record, I consider this a bad thing.) I have a slight twinge behind my left knee that I'm hoping doesn't turn into anything. Other than that, I've got my pace chart, watch, Runner's ID, and Gu. Time to load up the car and go. I've aiming for a 2:50:38 finish. We'll see!

Aaarghhh & Ahoy! Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day!

I've got the radio on and the two DJs are falling over themselves in their efforts to one up each other in their pirate talk. In case you weren't aware, today is National Talk Like a Pirate Day. Be sure and throw out a "Ahoy matey" whenever you feel it's appropriate.

The brain is bouncing this morning. A lot going on. Could it be time for one of my lists? Arrrgh, I believe so.

• Tomorrow is the Salem Lake 30K (18.6 miles) race. I'm testing my marathon readiness by attempting to hold my marathon pace of 9:09/mile. Feeling a little unsure. I also have barely put any mileage in this week, adding guilt to the mix.
  
• My agent (that just doesn't get old) e-mailed and asked that I update my website with the new book info and her contact information. Seems to make it more "real" somehow.
• I was one of 7 finalists for the cat blogger position on www.catster.com. I didn't get it, and am more than a little bummed about that.
• SO MUCH writing to do. Yesterday I started compiling a quiz for the cat book and even though it's a parody, I'm still structuring the quiz so people can take it for the their cats and get "real" results, which is requiring a whole lot more coordination than I had anticipated. Also need to find time this weekend to rough out an article for Rally to Rescue magazine. I spent this week interviewing 7 different people and would prefer to write while their comments are fresh in my mind.
• Laundry, laundry, and more laundry.
• Money. I'm owed it. Time to send some reminder e-mails to clients. 
• Library. I have nothing to read at night and am close to clawing my eyes out.

That's the main stuff. I've got details like website updates and workshop planning floating around on the back burner. But today is a WRITING day. All day. So I can sink into bed tonight and collapse after my run tomorrow feeling that I'm ahead of the game.

Happy (talk like a pirate) Friday.

It's Sunday, And That Means...

... a running blog!

Oh-oh-oh. My little legs are aching this afternoon. Today's scheduled run was 14.5 miles. At mile 13 when it was clear we were nowhere near the finish, I thought, "S***."  At mile 14, with no sign of a finish line, that thought changed to, "F***," and at mile 15, my partner and I decided we were done. Which left us a mile and a half away from the end point. So we started walking. People, that was a looooong walk back.

For the first time ever, I apparently dehydrated as my arms and legs were covered in salt by the end of the run. Not sure how that happened as a I carried water with me and drank every 3-4 miles. I suspect I didn't hydrate enough during the week and it caught up with me. Won't make that mistake again.

Sage Rountree, who lives in Chapel Hil and writes a yoga column for Runner's World magazine, joined us for the first 11 miles of the run and took us through a yoga session after. All I wanted to do when we made it back was get in my car and head for home, but I'm so glad I stayed. The 10-15 minute yoga session worked out the kinks and I felt relaxed and loose when I finally did leave. 

Right now, I'm tracking our trainer online as she competes in the Wisconsin Ironman. Go, Marisa, GO!

I will send her positive thoughts as I nap on the couch. =)

Finally, A Good Run

After a week of crappy runs, I finally had a good one last night. I ran a little over 4 miles at or just under a 9 minute pace, and felt good doing it. Felt good, but sounded scary. About 2 miles into the run, all the flem started bouncing around at the bottom of my throat and felt like it was actually blocking part of my windpipe. So I start coughing and hacking in an attempt to loosen it.

Aaaaacccccckkkkkk. Rrrrrrrcccccchhhhaaacccccc. Aaaaaauuuck. COUGH-COUGH-COUGH. Rrrrggrrrrhhh...ACK!

Chris, the guy running in front of me, stopped at one point to turn around and make sure I was okay. I'm sure I sounded like I was either about to collapse or was being mugged. Either way, nice of him to check on me. =)

Sunday is 11 miles so I'm going to do an easy 3 on Saturday and then get some rest this weekend and see if I can't get the rest of this cough to go away. I think it might be allergies. I sound like I've got a pack a day smoker's cough, but other than that feel fine in every way.

Happy Friday.