Some Marathon Pictures...

These are pictures we took. The first couple are of my running group in our matching t-shirts. When we trained together last year, we'd chit-chat on our runs and our trainer would yell "Less Talk, More Run!" at us. So our shirts say "Less Talk, More Run."

The other photos are me coming in at the finish, me sitting exhausted in a finishers chair having my timing chip removed as I sip water, and Blair and I after the race.

A Day At the Races - Greensboro Marathon Review

Racing to the Finish Line. Click to enlarge.A new PR (personal record) for me! I finished the GSO marathon today somewhere around the 4:20 or 4:21 mark. Can't tell exactly because I forgot to stop my watch at the finish line and results won't be posted online for 48 hours. But I beat my Kiawah time of 4:27 and am pleased.

The hills. Oh Lord, the hills. God and I became close on the last half of the race as I faced down some of those bad boys. By the last 6 miles, I didn't see anyone running them. We all just trudged to the top and forced ourselves to start jogging again on the downhills.

Overall, the race went well for me. I was running 9 minute miles or just under for the first part of the course. That is known as "banking minutes." The second part of the course, when you slow down, is when you withdraw them.  It was funny around mile 9 or 10 when we were running through a neighborhood and crowds of people lined the streets and shouted "Go Dena! Great job, Dena! We love you, Dena!!!" Took me a moment to realize the woman directly in front of me was named Dena and lived in that block. Still, I appreciated the cheers.

I have learned that mile 15-16 is my mental block. That's where I slowed in Kiawah, and that's where I slowed today. Started doing a little bit of walking and by mile 18, was doing quite a bit of walking.  I still haven't figured out how I beat my Kiawah time as I feel like I did more walking today than in December. But, I was able to powerwalk it, so maybe that made the difference.

Around mile 21, I started thinking about giving up running. Thought about how much free time I'd have, and how I would never have to feel like this ever again. I recall similar thoughts at Kiawah.

My friend Dave, the ultramarathoner, met me at mile 20 and jogged with me about a half-mile and then also met me about a mile out from the finish. Here's how tired I was: There is a corner you round near the finish and it's maybe 3/10ths of a mile to the finish on a very mild incline. I could see the finish line. I could see my friends who had already finished, cheering me. I could NOT make myself run until the very last tenth of a mile. In my tired mental/physical state, putting it all out there just did not seem worth it to me.

Blair finished his first half-marathon and I am very proud! He didn't take a single sip of water the entire way, which always worries me. (I passed a red-headed kid about mile 16 with a salt-covered face--totally dehydrated.) He got sick after the marathon, which probably came from eating/drinking on a burnt stomach. I had nausea and stomach cramps as well, so we left soon after I finished. Came home and threw ourselves into bed, got up and ate like there was no tomorrow, then went back to bed.

The weather held. 70's and sunny, but not too hot. A nice breeze that sometimes turned into a wind working against you. GREAT volunteers--friendly, outgoing, helpful, and enthusiastic. I was impressed. The HEED energy drink stayed down okay, but I noticed it left me thirsty. After drinking it, I'd have water, and a half-mile out be thirsty again.

And that was the marathon. I'll post pictures and official time as they become available. The target now is the Richmond, VA marathon in November. I WILL break 4 hours or die trying.  Onward!

Schedule F--- Up

For priding myself on being such an organized individual, I can really step in it at times. I belong to a writers group that meets weekly to write and then we take turns hosting quarterly meetings at each others homes. I was in charge of the meeting for the first quarter of this year. Through a loooong series of mishaps (people out of town, a literary event cancelled due to snow, etc.) we never managed to meet.  After innumerable e-mail exchanges (you try coordinating the schedules of 8 busy individuals), we finally picked May 9th for our dinner. I sent out directions, people confirmed, we were set.

Until...

My mom called last week to say that she would be in DC over Mother's Day weekend. Her best friends nephew is graduating and the dad of the nephew is paying for the trip there.  Mom didn't realize that I'm only 5 hours from DC, and was thrilled when I said I could drive up to meet her. I, of course, not letting the fact that I'm hosting a dinner for 8 on Friday stop me from booking a non-refundable hotel room in DC on the same night.

I just realized my goof last night. There is nothing to do but cancel the dinner--which has been cancelled about six times before. I'm hoping someone else will open their home and the dinner can go on as planned. I'm just so embarrassed. It's such a tacky thing to do last minute.  But then again, I rarely see my mom.

Never, ever assume you can "remember" what's on your calendar. Look where it got me...

Temporary Halt on Animal Shelter Volunteering

Someone asked me the other day how my volunteer work was going at the Rockingham County Animal Shelter and I realized I'd never updated my blog about what happened.

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I've stopped going. It was a combination of  circumstances and just... weak will. I think the last time I blogged about the shelter, I mentioned that parvo had hit and the shelter manager had to put down almost 60 dogs, many of them puppies.

I'd been volunteering on Friday's. I was out of town the week after the parvo disaster, but showed up to volunteer the following Friday. Only the shelter was closed, because the manager was at an out-of-town conference. I returned the following Friday only to find the shelter closed again, due to the manager being out sick.  I was gone the next Friday and then the Friday after that I drove in only to find the shelter closed again for some reason I don't remember now.

It's a 30 minute drive to the shelter and although I feigned frustration at having wasted so much time and gas money, I was secretly relieved each time I drove up and found the shelter closed. I felt good about my work at the shelter but it was hard, both physically and emotionally.  I never felt like I really got the hang of the work although admittedly, I didn't stick it out very long. It was also a big time commitment, going 12:30 to 4, then coming home and showering and being exhausted and a little depressed.

Bottom line, I can come up with every excuse I want, but I just chose not to return. Being there was hard, and it was easier just not to show up. Easier not to have to think about the animals or deal with their reality. Like I said, I'm not proud, but that's the truth.

I hope I return someday soon, or at least volunteer in a different capacity--maybe grant writing, PR, or something of that nature.