Good morning everyone. I would have posted a race( training run) report last night, but I was busy reading and catching up on all of the posts!! I took my laptop, but we just didn't have the time. We stayed with EC's exchange daughter at a small christian college in dallas (it was really funny b/c i figured i'd take my laptop b/c i wouldn't have access to a computer. I walked in the door to their dorm/apt and there were 4 laptops sitting on their coffee table!! Wow times have changed!)
I don't really have much exciting to tell. I tried to find someone to talk to me during the race. i had conversations here and there but never did really find anyone. it was much less crowded than disney, so after about mile 10 it really started to thin out and there were really very few people. I ran w/ a couple of team in training guys for about 4 or 5 miles. One was in his 50's and had done one fewer marathons than his current age. the other was doing a long leg of the relay (i think he was doing around 9 miles) They were doing 7/1 intervals and they were really too fast for me, so i dropped back after a few miles! I then found 3 guys who were doing their 1st marathon (i didn't have the heart to tell them this was a training run
) They told me they were trying to do a 10:00min mile, so i let them go. This was well after the 1/2 way point and up until then i was averging 10:15mpm (GUESS WHO STARTED OUT TOO FAST!!!) I tried to run just under my comfort level, but at about mile 17 I was getting pretty lonely and mad (I though about sunny!!! The police were directing traffic and it seemed that usually they would let one car go b/4 i would make it to an intersection. I was fantisizing about running a car down. I though sunny would be proud as she tried to take out a few dis park visitors and strollers.) By then I had decided I liked the w/r intervals but not as fast of a run as my 7/1 TNT buddies were doing, so i walked the mile markers or aid stations.(the 50 something TNT guy had done goofy too and our times were about 4 minutes apart, as were our finish times on this one!) By then I passed the 10:00 mpm boys (they were dropping of fast.) One quit w/ a cramp, one started walking and singing at the top of his lungs to his walkman and the other kept running but really slowed down such that we had passed each other several times during the interval changes. At 23, I decided to run it in, except a small quick walk at 24 to eat and drink and I finished pretty strong. I passed several people at the very finish and sprinted in to finish. My pace at the end was faster than the pace at mile 17-21 but it wasn't nearly as fast as my starting mile pace! My avg. pace ended up being 10:54 w/ a finish time of 4:45 which was 20 minutes faster than disney! I forgot to mention that it was cold and rained for at least 1/2 the race. I ran in my rain coat for a significant part of it!!!!I'm not very sore. We went for sushi after (i like amy's theory but my sushi is always post long run - it gives me something to look forward to and i don't really want sushi to "produce faster runs" 
that was a really bad potty joke!!)
I still have some muscle soreness today but nothing that would impair my function! They had great post race food and good freebies. I had a great time. They are having trouble posting the results b/c the timing chips were actually on the back of the race # and they got wet. Somehow the results got pretty messed up!! Also, with the chip they used, chip time was the same as clock time (so you have to wonder why they even messed w/ it!)
So basically, the bottom line was, I couldn't find anyone to keep me company, but you guys kept me company in my heart, bc i kept thinking about things you had shared or things i wanted to tell you when i got back!! I also hoped to see EC and her exchange daughter on some of the out and back sections, but i wasn't really even close to them. they finished in 4:11!!! Of course, that was a slow training run for ec, she actually met me at the finish to sprint it in w/ me!
Christa - at one point i was running w/ a really young girl who was way too fast for me. Anyway, everyone kept saying "go frog" I though it must have been her nickname or something
I guess you cleared that one up for me. (I am totally sports/college team illiterate!!!)
I don't really have much exciting to tell. I tried to find someone to talk to me during the race. i had conversations here and there but never did really find anyone. it was much less crowded than disney, so after about mile 10 it really started to thin out and there were really very few people. I ran w/ a couple of team in training guys for about 4 or 5 miles. One was in his 50's and had done one fewer marathons than his current age. the other was doing a long leg of the relay (i think he was doing around 9 miles) They were doing 7/1 intervals and they were really too fast for me, so i dropped back after a few miles! I then found 3 guys who were doing their 1st marathon (i didn't have the heart to tell them this was a training run
) They told me they were trying to do a 10:00min mile, so i let them go. This was well after the 1/2 way point and up until then i was averging 10:15mpm (GUESS WHO STARTED OUT TOO FAST!!!) I tried to run just under my comfort level, but at about mile 17 I was getting pretty lonely and mad (I though about sunny!!! The police were directing traffic and it seemed that usually they would let one car go b/4 i would make it to an intersection. I was fantisizing about running a car down. I though sunny would be proud as she tried to take out a few dis park visitors and strollers.) By then I had decided I liked the w/r intervals but not as fast of a run as my 7/1 TNT buddies were doing, so i walked the mile markers or aid stations.(the 50 something TNT guy had done goofy too and our times were about 4 minutes apart, as were our finish times on this one!) By then I passed the 10:00 mpm boys (they were dropping of fast.) One quit w/ a cramp, one started walking and singing at the top of his lungs to his walkman and the other kept running but really slowed down such that we had passed each other several times during the interval changes. At 23, I decided to run it in, except a small quick walk at 24 to eat and drink and I finished pretty strong. I passed several people at the very finish and sprinted in to finish. My pace at the end was faster than the pace at mile 17-21 but it wasn't nearly as fast as my starting mile pace! My avg. pace ended up being 10:54 w/ a finish time of 4:45 which was 20 minutes faster than disney! I forgot to mention that it was cold and rained for at least 1/2 the race. I ran in my rain coat for a significant part of it!!!!I'm not very sore. We went for sushi after (i like amy's theory but my sushi is always post long run - it gives me something to look forward to and i don't really want sushi to "produce faster runs" that was a really bad potty joke!!) I still have some muscle soreness today but nothing that would impair my function! They had great post race food and good freebies. I had a great time. They are having trouble posting the results b/c the timing chips were actually on the back of the race # and they got wet. Somehow the results got pretty messed up!! Also, with the chip they used, chip time was the same as clock time (so you have to wonder why they even messed w/ it!)
So basically, the bottom line was, I couldn't find anyone to keep me company, but you guys kept me company in my heart, bc i kept thinking about things you had shared or things i wanted to tell you when i got back!! I also hoped to see EC and her exchange daughter on some of the out and back sections, but i wasn't really even close to them. they finished in 4:11!!! Of course, that was a slow training run for ec, she actually met me at the finish to sprint it in w/ me!
Christa - at one point i was running w/ a really young girl who was way too fast for me. Anyway, everyone kept saying "go frog" I though it must have been her nickname or something
I guess you cleared that one up for me. (I am totally sports/college team illiterate!!!)
and prayers going out to you.
I hope you find that the time you spend training is peaceful and therapeutic for you. I truly understand what you are going through and hope your Mother is comfortable and surrounded by loved ones.
Maybe one of these days we'll all have to come THERE for a Half!
Ha ha ha! I'm terrible! 
Sounds like your run went well all things considered! I'm soooo impressed....can't imagine keeping that pace up for a marathon! You rock girl! 
.
. I give you permission to completely ignore the source. 
and I shall call you Speedy from now on. Im sure Ill have lots of questions about swimming. So far my maiden voyage taught me I dont have a clue how to breath and get the oxygen I need to my muscles.
Didnt I tell you to aim for 4:45 and you made me take it back! Sounds like your training run was a huge success to me.
. You guys are awesome, I really appreciate the feedback on my hill running. BFHs and LFHs (thanks Christa and Bree for my absolute favorite new acronyms)....I'll just take 'em as they come and know that they are helping! Even if I am RFT afterwards! 
for your upcoming half. 
Way to go on the Candy Cane Inn....good for you for following up. In the end of the day I think you are all going to be happy there. We stayed there for a few days last November and it is such a cute little hotel. I really wish I was doing the DL Half 
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