Hooters

19 Miles Today
Time: 3:47:11
Distance: 19.18
Pace: 11:40
Temp: 34 beginning / 45 finish

Food Day Of/During: Gatorade, Gatorade Prime, Peanut Butter Toast, 1 1/2 Choc Chip CLIF bars and a few chocolate covered beans for some extra umpf.

Food Day Before: Bowl of Mac & Cheese, Tortellini w/ Red Sauce, Popcorn, Oatmeal, Gatorade and lots of water. Fueling seems to be challenging when I am home and not traveling.

We were up a little later than what we would be normally for a run/ride of this distance...but it was WORTH IT to see Dbek2 play basketball. The boys played in Macdonald County. I have to say, the hardest part of my job is missing some of his basketball/golf functions. I am extremely thankful for my job and enjoy the variety that I have, but it is hard to be away from him.
The alarm was set for 6:00 AM to prevent 'rushing around'. However, the snooze button continued to get pushed until the last minute. It's mornings like this that having all of your stuff together the night before ROCKS!!!!

I typically eat my peanut butter toast on the way to wherever the run starts. I read something about how some people can eat 15 minutes before running and others need to allow an hour or longer. So, after the run today, I am going to try the longer amount of time and see if it helps with my multiple stops during runs. If it does, I may need to look at different fueling methods, other than CLIF bars, and see if I pretty much have to eliminate food and depend upon Gels, Shot Bloks, Beans, etc. The longer the runs get, the more fuel we obviously need.
This fueling issue has me concerned as we are now 6 weeks out from the marathon. I don't want to still be trying to figure this out at time of race day. So, next weekends long run is a 15 miler and I am going to try the gels that Tyson (he said I can use his name instead of initials, he hates sounding like toilet paper) uses.

Today's run started at the South Creek Trail that ends or begins (whichever way you want to think of it) off of Battlefield and FF, with Tyson, JB and me. We started at 7:30 this morning. The weather was a bit deceiving at first, it looked warm and felt warm, in the garage, but when we got out at the trail...it was a weeeeee bit nipply (I love the movie Christmas Vacation)

My mind was strong this morning. I really did feel in my heart, my soul and body it was going to be a good run. Sometimes when you focus on the number...it GETS YOU!!! :)

So the 3 of us take off and right out of the gates, it was giggles.... First of all, the trails that early in the AM are absolutely gorgeous, even with no leaves on the trees, bushes, vines.... As always, it is pleasing to me to see fellow runners out on the trails... people who love to do what I love to do... BUT, I have also started paying attention to other runners gait, form, clothes, accessories... So please, as I share my stories of other runners today, understand that I am not being mean, making fun of them or anything in the negative, I am merely saying thank you for helping us get through our run today.

When you start off running sometimes there is a mental monster that can overtake your thoughts and as you get up in the miles....it becomes more of a monster...

About 4/10 of a mile in a young couple came running by us. They were enjoying themselves and smiling...they spoke out the usual 'morning' and raised their hand as we all passed by. But what I could not get over was the lack of control/support in her chest area. I have to double bind on days and know how painful it can be to not have 'control' of those things. I was in awe by how much those things were moving up and down...from her waist to her chin.... Yet, she was smiling and having a good ol' time... so of course, that got us through the first mile and my legs were starting to warm up and my mind was good...

The three of us are running/riding and all of a sudden Tyson stops and points out one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. A GORGEOUS owl sitting a top a branch. I have never seen an owl, in the wild, in my entire life. I could have stood there and watched him as long as he'd let us. I am sure he had to weigh more than he looked.... the branch was not even bent over as it held him. JB had his phone and pulled it out to get his picture. The closer we got, the more he 'puffed' up.... but he never did fly away. We were starting to walk away and then I remembered that their heads can turn all the way around...so I walked to where he would have to do it and HE DID IT!!! Creepy yet AMAZING!!! Can you even imagine what he gets to see sitting so high in a tree? Pretty much untouchable? I am sure some of you are thinking, really DB...it is an owl...but it is the little things like this that make me appreciate life and what God has given us. I have included the picture, but as you can see the sun hadn't reached down into the trails yet and the phone cameras still aren't perfect.

As you can imagine, this gave us something to talk about for quite some time... my body and mind were ready to go and accomplish 19 miles.

At about 5 miles, my body decided to throw me for a loop and luckily we were almost to Nathaniel Green Park, which has facilities.

But, thankfully, two more runners cross our path and honestly, about take us all out because they are a little 'giddy' and not paying attention. They couldn't decide which way to go, we couldn't decide which way to go, so we did a little dance session during our run. More great conversation and something to take my mind off of my body needing facilities. :( This is one of the MOST frustrating things for me and running.

We take the trail behind the MSU Horse stables and each time...Tyson looks at the horses and says 'Why the long face'...It is the joke that keeps on giving...and for some reason, we laugh at it (or him, not sure which), as we get through this difficult portion of the trail.

I have a difficult time on the trail starting at the horses, until about the last mile or so that gets us to National and Sunset. There is LOTS of trash in the waterway and it makes me sad. I want to organize something and get a group of people together to go clean it up. There was a Mallard Duck couple in some of the water...those water sources are their livlihood, but we some of us humans are so dirty and lazy that we feel the need to throw our trash out of the window as we drive along the streets, or not pick up the trash when our trash cans blow over.... If you are one of these people, I challenge you, in this New Year, to change your ways and help provide a better environment for our animal friends. They don't have a voice or say in their conditions.

Our run continued through a portion of the Brentwood neighborhood. I LOVE this neighborhood and would love to someday live in a neighborhood like it. We came out of there at Lone Pine and crossed over to the Galloway trail and headed toward Galloway Station.

As we came to the section of the Galloway Trail, there was Tyson's family waiting for us...well, mainly because Tyson did NOT have his stuff laid out and ready to go for the run today. He forgot his fuel belt!!! REALLY TYSON???? 19 miles and no fuel belt? Were you too busy worried about the next mani/pedi...getting your eyebrows waxed or what???? :0)

My body had thrown me another curve ball... All I can say is, I am glad that I am able to run in an area that is full of vegetation that provides cover. I have a friend who lives in Turkey Texas and I believe it is pretty flat and not much, if any vegetation to use. As I made my way out of the depths of the trees, bushes, vines, thorns, stickers....there was Tyson's youngest son...ringing the COWBELL for me... I just love him. He is a great supporter when they come to spots and cheer us on.

We continued on the trail and JB spoke with a man that was helping his son and wife train for a 1/2 marathon.

When we approached the portion of the trail at Battlefield and Lone Pine, there was a 'walker' coming towards us... and what a nice surprise, it was SM, Tysons mom. She is an inspiration... 64 years old and runs distances that I am just now considering. For those of you that don't know, her husband passed away this past fall doing what they loved to do...they were out for their daily run. He had a heart attack at the Nature Center. So it is inspiring to me to see her out there still enjoying and participating in something that they did together.

Lots of runners on the trail today...lots of happy dogs on the trail today...Several cyclist on the trail today...it was a busy day and I cannot even explain the feeling it gives me to be part of the running/outdoors community.

JB actually rode ahead of us today and ventured out on some trails. He took advantage of the nice day and enjoyed riding a little more instead of riding behind us.

We ran the trail to Galloway Station and turned around to repeat everything we had just accomplished. 9.5 miles in.... I shed layers at this turning point. The sun was out and it was warming quickly.

I drank more than the 4 bottles I had in my fuel belt. Thank you JB for sharing your gatorade.
My body decided to act up one last time as we approached the National & Sunset portion of the South Creek trail. UGH!!!!!!

I had my gait analysis completed when I bought my new shoes at Christmas. I still pronate, but not nearly as bad as I did when I picked running back up. My heel strike was quite significant and leads to knee pain. So I have really been trying to pay attention to not striking my heel.
I did not experience any pain in my knee until after we crossed the National/Sunset intersection... about 13 miles into the run.

My body and mind were starting to break. I was getting tired and noticed that landing my feet correctly was not happening. I was thirsty and panicked that all of my bottles were empty and we still had approximately 6 miles. I had no gum in my belt (guess I didn't prepare completely either. Gum helps me think that I am NOT thirsty.

We were hitting the depressing portion of the trail, no water and body pain...the Mental Monster was rearing its ugly head. I was struggling. Tyson was struggling with some ankle pain. We did a little walking. We had to dig deep to get through this last portion... and we did.
As a runner, you start to break these long runs down... we just finished a 5k, a 10k, a 1/2... we just have a 10k left, just a 5k left... THIS HELPS!!!!!

I have to comment on one other runner that we encountered on our last 3 miles of the run... She had a run that looked 100% painful to me. She ran heavy and had a belt/fanny pack on that sounded like she had the kitchen sink in it...it sounded heavy and was not strapped to her tight enough to not bounce around. ... her feet were landing so hard that her knees had to be hurting. BUT, she was running and I am not criticizing...

I admire anyone who gets out and runs. I read something before... If you get out and run a mile, you are a runner...if you run 5 miles, you are a runner, if you run crazy stupid distances, you are a runner. That is what is great about the running community...no judgement...

Tyson had to stop and walk a little and my knee hurt more when I was walking, instead of running... so I continued to run ahead. JB stayed back with him for a bit... I came to the bench at the end of the run and sat there to wait. Well, JB left Tyson to come check on me and had passed this lady as well...but he saw something about this lady that made absolutely ZERO sense to me... JB said she lit up a cigarette...she stopped running and was smoking a cigarette... I don't get it...

It was a great run and I truly am amazed each time that my body and mind allows me to achieve something that so many, including myself, think is impossible at times.

I want to give a shout out to CF who ran her first 10K today, in OKC, and her goal was to run it under 1:25...she ran it in 1:24:20... You are ROCKING IT CF!!!

A little story to share for those of you that say you can't run.... CF ran against a very competitive guy in her 10K.... This man was blind. If a blind man can run... so can you. Get out and try it... It's so much more than physical activity... it is a way of life that changes people for the positive...

I think I could go on and on today, but will close this post with a picture of what we get to enjoy when we run.