Just a little shout out to Paula Radcliffe for her win at NYCM yesterday. It was awesome to see her take home the victory just 9 months after having her first baby. Speaking for moms everywhere, Congratulations Paula! It was fun watching the race highlights last night. I thought Wami was going to bust out a big Ethiopian kick at the end and take Paula, but it never happened. Paula was the one with the kick and it was exciting to watch. Unlike Ryan Hall the day before, she was digging deep at the finish. She did not appear to leave a single second out on the field. It was also exciting to see Wami running so hard just weeks after winning Berlin. Absolutely amazing.
Very much UNLIKE Paula Radcliffe and Gete Wami, I slogged out a very slow 8 miler yesterday. I ran with John on the trail (think soft and flat). It was a perfect day for a run. Overall I felt pretty good but the top of my L foot was sore again. I must have had my laces too tight at Grand Rapids and bruised my foot. It has been hard for me to not run everyday, but I know it is so important to rest. Soon enough I will be back in the swing of things and training my behind off. I am thinking about racing next weekend (4.5 miles) but I think I will make it a game day decision.
I have been watching the Grand Rapids website for race pics. They had a bunch of photographers out there who posted pics on Flickr that you could download for free. While that is very cool, there were none of me. Now I am a complete nerd (as you will see below) and I like to have pics from my key races. So I googled Grand Rapids Marathon photos and found out there was also an "official" photographer there who snapped lots of pictures. Check them out!
Now, to expound on my "nerdiness" . . . I was cleaning my office this weekend and found a bunch of pictures, cards and my training schedule from my very first marathon. It was so cool to look through it all. I decided to make a scrapbook from it and also included the bib numbers from my first races (yes, I am a complete geek and I save them all). When I finished it yesterday, it was so much fun to look through. My very first race was a 5 miler and I came in just a hair under a 9 minute mile pace. I recall working so hard and thinking I was going to die at the finish b/c I was running at my limit. Wow, I have come a long way. I was looking at the pictures from my first marathon and while I was not overweight, boy did I look "soft" compared to now. It is funny to see how much has changed and it is so awesome to look back to my first racing attempts. Like most runners, I am always looking for race results (read: PRs) to validate my progress and success. But of course, races are total crap shoots and success is dependant on not only on training, but also the day, the course, and the conditions. It was refreshing to look at my running in a different way for once. I enjoyed looking at each bib number and remembering the race and the day. Each one has its own special place in my heart. So while looking at all of this, I got a glimpse at myself and my life and how much all of it has changed for the better thanks to my running.
Sometimes I am thankful for being such a nerd. Now is one of those times.
2 comments:
After Columbus, Tinman said maybe I could run an hour the following weekend. 8 miles is a lot right within two weeks after an allout 26 mile effort. Listen to mr. foot!
And you are so good at smiling in your race pictures!! Columbus was the first race I have ever even kind of smiled in a race picture. Half the time I don't even see them! Heh--soft. I posted pics from a half last summer and then did the same thing for the same half this summer. HUGE difference and I weigh the same! Next year we're going to look like Ms.Universe :)
Yeah, 8 was pushing it. BUT, my husband just started training for his first marathon and he has a hard time getting in the long runs. So I went with him. At least I did stop at 8 - he ended up going 11.5. The good news is that my foot did not hurt at all today.
I am good at smiling at my pictures b/c I am a complete cheeseball!! I admit it! But I'd prefer to be a ham than look completely pained, so I try to smile if I notice them.
As far as the softness factor goes, people constantly ask me how much weight I have lost since I started running and are shocked when I say, "none." But, you can't argue with the changes in body comp, aye?
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