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Sunday, March 20, 2016

LAST Race Pace run. Thank goodness because it was a BLOODBATH.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger... Yesterday was my last race pace run before my 10 miler on April 2nd. It was horrible. I can't think of a single training run that sucked worse than this did. I did hit all of my paces but it was very, very hard.

My plan was to run some of the race course. I'd start on City Island, run up to the Harvey Taylor Bridge, then run across the bridge and back- TWICE. Why would I put myself through that? Because I hadn't run across that bridge in a long time, and I remember that it just sucks. The thought of running out and back on it during the race seemed very daunting. I figured if I ran it twice during a training run, it wouldn't seem so bad doing it during the actual race.

I had a feeling my run wouldn't be easy. As I drove to City Island, my eyes felt heavy. I could fall asleep right now, I thought. That's how tired I was! I also hadn't taken my normal rest day on Friday. Instead, I got cocky and ran five miles. They were easy miles, but I normally take a rest day before a race pace run. It was my fault completely. I also knew why my eyes were heavy. Instead of taking one sleeping pill the night before, I took one and a half. Am I a masochist!? The only way I could have set myself up for a worse run would be if I had gotten shit faced the night before!

Even though I crapped about four times before I left the house, my stomach was grumbling when I parked my car. I also had to pee like a race horse! No problem. There are always tons of bathrooms on City Island.

I started my Garmin to clock my first two warm up miles. First, I headed across the parking lot to hit up the port 'o john I saw. Unfortunately...




WTF!!?? Why would you lock a port o john? Who is messing with me!?

Okay, no problem, there is usually one right by the walking bridge, and I was heading that way anyway. Nope. No port o john. Alright, I knew there were actual real toilets near where the Pride of the Susquehanna docks. I ran to those...




F&$%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By now I was about to pee my pants There was only one more chance for a port o john by the kayak rentals, but it was gone. It was either pee my pants or pee in semi public behind a tree. I opted for the latter. I somehow managed to make my urge to go #2 go away for the time being.

My two warm up miles ended with me back at the car. I chugged some water and took off my jacket. Time to crank it up a notch.

As my race pace miles started (7:15 per mile), I headed across the walking bridge and over to Harrisburg. I ran North on the riverfront path towards the Harvey Taylor Bridge. I am sad to inform you that after .6 of a mile, things were already feeling tough. I did not know if I was going to be able to run 9 miles at race pace.

Here we go, I thought, as I ran up the Harvey Taylor Bridge. After a very short incline, the bridge flattened out. It wasn't that bad. At least it was flat. I ran all the way across to the West Shore (almost a mile), then turned around and came back. I was feeling pretty thirsty as I approached the East Shore and was getting a bit of a headache. I wondered if I should skip the second out and back and instead head to my car for some more water. The bridge wasn't nearly as scary as I remembered it, and I was feeling confident it wouldn't freak me out on race day. No, you said you'd do it twice, so you're going to do it twice, I decided. Out I went again.



As I approached the East Shore for the second time, I was at the 6 mile mark. I couldn't believe I had willed myself to go that long. Some race pace runs aren't hard, but this one was harder than anything I had done in recent memory. My head hurt, my lips were dry, and I felt a little shaky. It was then that I thought of Diana Nyad, the woman who swam from Cuba to Key West- 55 HOURS STRAIGHT. I had watched some videos of her on Youtube the night before and used her as inspiration on my run. If she can swim for 55 hours, surely I can run a couple more miles.

Only watch this video of her coming ashore on Key West if you want to ugly cry...




I made it back to my car around mile 6.5. I stopped my Garmin and grabbed some water. As soon as I stopped running my head started POUNDING. I really had not hydrated enough during my run. I am not an idiot, it's just my hydration pack leaks and I have not come up with a back up plan. Okay, maybe I am an idiot... 

I walked for about a minute and drank a lot. Two and a half miles to go. Less than twenty minutes. I CAN DO THIS.

Luckily, my headache dulled a bit when I started running again. My last miles were just me circling the island. I didn't have the energy to think of another route. I just wanted to run in a circle and not think until I hit 9 miles. I did it. SOMEHOW I did it. The whole time my chest felt fluttery and apprehensive. Why was I nervous? This wasn't a race. I had to tell myself to calm down and just breathe.

BAM!!!

Warm Up: 8:22, 8:19
Workout: 7:17, 7:14, 7:09, 7:13, 7:18, 7:12, 7:09, 7:10, 7:11
Cool Down: 8:30, 8:19

The good part about this run,(other than that I was able to complete it despite the horror) was that my ITB did not bother me at all. Not even afterwards. It comes and goes with no rhyme or reason, but it is always a confidence booster to know that it is possible for me to do hard runs and not have it flare up.

So that's the story of my run! Tomorrow I plan on doing JACK SHIT and I can't wait! I think I earned it!

If you read this whole thing, you get an award!!!
Where is the most public place you have ever peed?
What do you think about for inspiration during a hard run?

23 comments:

  1. NIce job on those splits! See, I really believe it's the tough runs that actually count. You'll dig deep at your race for the strength you used to do this workout. And if that doesn't work, there's always Diana Nyad...

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    1. Thanks Wendy! I am picking up her book this afternoon at the library. I can't wait to read it.

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  2. Wow, great job!! When I lived in Baltimore city and went running around Patterson Park and the harbor I noticed they locked alot of the porto potties up, probably because they didnt want people sleeping in them or something. But I always have to pee right before I start running, which is one of the reasons why I hate driving somewhere to run! But that was very smart to run this on part of the course- you are going to be SO ready for your race!

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    1. That is sad that there are people that need to sleep in port o johns. :(

      If I am not in my neighborhood, I either need to run somewhere where there are bathrooms or somewhere that is NOT residential with lots of woods so I can go whenever I want.

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  3. Oh man, that stinks when you have to go to the bathroom on a run and even more so when you can't find a Porto John. I think it's crazy that they lock them or put them out of order. People use city park all year long to walk and stuff, right?

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    1. Yes and there is always sooooo much going on on City Island like 5ks and stuff. Usually there are bathrooms!

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  4. Wow--Megan, way to be a bad ass! Your dedication is very inspirational! I hope you can have some well deserved rest today. This is my motivation lately (I love this man):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh9jAD1ofm4

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    1. Wow that is soooooo inspirational! Thanks for sharing that with me. Michael Phelps is a machine! He actually scares me a little bit because when I look at him I think about how he could snap me in two with probably just his pinky. Is that dark? I can't help it, that's what I think of!

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    2. He is a machine--I honestly think he has about the most perfect body ever. I mean, really, how many guys can pull of a Speedo like that?!? I can't wait to watch him this summer.

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    3. Not many guys can wear a speedo. I'll give him that!

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  5. Way to go! You're tough as nails! That bridge looks huge! Knowing you tackled it twice on a tough training day is going to be such a mental boost during the race!

    I've been there before, where it seems like every single bathroom in the world is closed, it's the worst. I honestly don't think anything stresses me out more than just thinking about having to go to the bathroom when there are none (and it's light out). That's like 80% of the reason that I run at night, because all the bathrooms at the beach are open for business! haha

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    1. That's what I was thinking! That bridge was the biggest question mark for me and now it is not a question mark at all. I am so glad I did that.

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  6. It is a veryyyyy long bridge!

    Yes they better have tons of bathrooms on race day! :)

    There is one part of my hood where I can drop my drawers in the early morning hours... ;)

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  7. It's good you got the bad run over with before race day; that means your race will be smooth sailing! I HATE when the bathrooms are all locked. I've dealt with a locked port-john before, too. I think they lock them so vagrants can't sleep in them or something?! Nice job pushing through this one even though it was tough.

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    1. That's what I am hoping! Hard training run = good race??? You know I grew up doing theater and the superstition was that a bad dress rehearsal meant a really good opening night. We shall see. That makes sense that they would like the port o johns for that reason. I am sure they didn't lock them because of ME. I just am scared someday I will get cited for public urination!!! I feel like if you are in running clothes you should be immune from such a citation.

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  8. Wow! What a run! I hope you took your rest day. I agrre, you deserve it. Great job! Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

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    1. Thanks Cascia! I did lift upper body but nothing crazy and I stayed in my PJs the whole time. :) Other than that I just relaxed and went for a short walk.

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  9. When I grow up I want to be as tough as Meg! I would have easily, I mean EASILY talked myself out of that run, or at least not hit paces. (based on how you described your body). Nice job!

    I love how you write, lol. Even though I could tell you were not happy I laughed at your curse word captions. ;)

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    1. lol thank you :) I do try to be funny so I am glad it comes off that way! :)

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  10. Way to push through and get that sucker done! I rarely have to pee that bad but there was one time I had to pull over and go in the bushes. It was fairly secluded but of course a bunch of runner guys just had to come running past. Just my luck. Love that video! I need to channel some of that!

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    1. I suppose to only upside to that is that runners UNDERSTAND and I am sure those guys have all been there!

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  11. You live close to Harrisburg? I live in Mechanicsburg, and since the fall we stopped running in City Island because of the locked facilities. We usually park somewhere in Camp Hill and run to City island. Making the West shore Farmer's market our half point for any extra bathroom breaks.

    You are running the Capitol 10 miler? I'm green with Envy! I considered running that race, but had some scheduling conflicts, and will have to skip it *Again* this year.

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    1. Yes I live in Camp Hill- Shiremanstown to be more exact. You know I thought City Island would be hopping due to that Lucky Charm 5k/10k but apparently it didn't start there. I just figured by now there would be open bathrooms but clearly I was wrong. :)

      Yes I am running the 10 miler- never did it before. Always heard good things about it.

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