Sunday, December 21, 2008
Will I Ever Run Again?
Today marks 3 weeks since I ran the Seattle Marathon. I have not run a step since Seattle. I hope to want to run again, but I haven't yet. I did get an inkling of it today so I think it'll come back. In the meantime, I'm relaxing and skiing. Perhaps I ran too much.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Not For Running
I don't buy shoes often, just one or two pairs a year, but when I do get a new pair I make sure they are good shoes so my feet will be happy and healthy. Bad shoes can ruin your feet and limit your running. With that excuse in mind, please let me introduce you to my new shoes:
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Seattle Marathon - Check
Bouvier and I rocked Seattle on the weekend, as did AC/DC!
We attended the awesome city for the Seattle Marathon, resting comfortably for the two nights at the Westin Seattle, right downtown and on the marathon route. There were awesome restaurants (funky and nice), shops, scenery, the market, and the fun of staying in the same hotel as most runners and as AC/DC who were playing there on the weekend. Bouvier made good friends with one of the road crew, and one of the singers who was staying on our floor.
On Friday night we had a decadent dinner at a funky diner across from the hotel. I ate too much diner, had too much desert, drank too much wine, and woke up Saturday feeling icky. Hung-over we wandered the town and slept much of Saturday, then met up with my friends Allison and Ramsey for dinner. Allison would be running the marathon as well, and Ramsey the half.
Sunday morning came and I was feeling ok. I got up early for breaky so that I'd be able to recycle it and feed the fish prior to running. At about 7:30 we walked the 1 mile down 5th avenue from the hotel to the start line, arriving about 20 minutes before the race start. It was really nice to attend a relatively small event (there were about 2,500 in the marathon and about 7,000 in the half) after the circus of Boston which was my last marathon.
I started out comfortably, but according to my GPS I was running too fast. I tried to slow myself but couldn't. I maintained a really good pace for the first 30k or so, and was on pace for a 3:40 marathon. The last 10k is always tough and I knew there were a couple hills, and that I'd slow. But in reality, the last 10k was super hilly for a road marathon and I suffered greatly. I was really disappointed on a steep hill to see theh 3:45 pace bunny pass me by. I pleaded with him not to pass me, but pass me he did.
In the end, I finished in 3:46 (chip time) which was a bit slower than I hoped for, but it was an ok time nonetheless. I had an awesome finishing kick sprinting down the astro turf of the football stadium. The Marathon web site promply posts an incredible variety of info for each runner. You can see mine here http://www.runpix.info/sea08/42/finord.php?LastName=2079&lan=&aset=0 and it show me that although I really suffered in the second half, I actually passed 148 people, while only 42 passed me. I finished 9th out of 95 in my age group, and was the 86th woman out of almost 700.
Through the last 10k I really questioned why the heck I do this, and promised myself "never again"! A few days later that sentiment is fading, but as I watch the attached video clip, I am brought back to the agony of the moment. Although the course was tough, it was also really nice and a great course for friends and family to watch from. I highly recommend this marathon for those who appreciate the pain and gain of a marathon experience. I may try another one. I could even try Seattle again. Bouvier really liked all the attention and fuss about him at the Westin and will undoubtedly insist we return again.
We attended the awesome city for the Seattle Marathon, resting comfortably for the two nights at the Westin Seattle, right downtown and on the marathon route. There were awesome restaurants (funky and nice), shops, scenery, the market, and the fun of staying in the same hotel as most runners and as AC/DC who were playing there on the weekend. Bouvier made good friends with one of the road crew, and one of the singers who was staying on our floor.
On Friday night we had a decadent dinner at a funky diner across from the hotel. I ate too much diner, had too much desert, drank too much wine, and woke up Saturday feeling icky. Hung-over we wandered the town and slept much of Saturday, then met up with my friends Allison and Ramsey for dinner. Allison would be running the marathon as well, and Ramsey the half.
Sunday morning came and I was feeling ok. I got up early for breaky so that I'd be able to recycle it and feed the fish prior to running. At about 7:30 we walked the 1 mile down 5th avenue from the hotel to the start line, arriving about 20 minutes before the race start. It was really nice to attend a relatively small event (there were about 2,500 in the marathon and about 7,000 in the half) after the circus of Boston which was my last marathon.
I started out comfortably, but according to my GPS I was running too fast. I tried to slow myself but couldn't. I maintained a really good pace for the first 30k or so, and was on pace for a 3:40 marathon. The last 10k is always tough and I knew there were a couple hills, and that I'd slow. But in reality, the last 10k was super hilly for a road marathon and I suffered greatly. I was really disappointed on a steep hill to see theh 3:45 pace bunny pass me by. I pleaded with him not to pass me, but pass me he did.
In the end, I finished in 3:46 (chip time) which was a bit slower than I hoped for, but it was an ok time nonetheless. I had an awesome finishing kick sprinting down the astro turf of the football stadium. The Marathon web site promply posts an incredible variety of info for each runner. You can see mine here http://www.runpix.info/sea08/42/finord.php?LastName=2079&lan=&aset=0 and it show me that although I really suffered in the second half, I actually passed 148 people, while only 42 passed me. I finished 9th out of 95 in my age group, and was the 86th woman out of almost 700.
Through the last 10k I really questioned why the heck I do this, and promised myself "never again"! A few days later that sentiment is fading, but as I watch the attached video clip, I am brought back to the agony of the moment. Although the course was tough, it was also really nice and a great course for friends and family to watch from. I highly recommend this marathon for those who appreciate the pain and gain of a marathon experience. I may try another one. I could even try Seattle again. Bouvier really liked all the attention and fuss about him at the Westin and will undoubtedly insist we return again.
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