Best Laid Plans

I WON, I WON, I WON! Remember how about two posts ago I gave a shout out to NikeMom, who was doing a really cool Geared for Women Biking Glove giveaway? Well, knock me over with a feather if I didn't win...

I'm so thrilled...so now this means, I guess, that I have to start training for that big bike ride at Lake Tahoe this summer that Betty's trying to talk me into...(oooohhhhh...it's a sign, a sign, I tell ya). Thanks NikeMom! (and if you haven't checked her blog today...she's showing off some new bike shoes that she purchased....which makes me wonder if my new adventure into biking might be just an excuse reason to purchase new gear and gadgets. And as you all know, nobody *hearts* gadgets more than I do.

Speaking of new shoes, these are what I've been kickin' around in lately...

My "granola" shoes... They're flat, and comfy, and that's about all I can wear now. Stylish, aren't they?

So. Today. Maybe. I overdid it. A little...

Of course I did...but just a little...(she says optimistically...she's always naively optimistic when it comes to her running injuries...and isn't it just a little obnoxious when writers write about themselves in the third person?)

This morning's SDTC run was supposed to be a 1 hour 45 minute jaunt around the neighborhoods of San Marcos (which is just BFE to me...freekin' farther north than Escondido...of course, it's no farther than Carlsbad, or Oceanside, and I gladly drive to those two places to run, but both those places have THE OCEAN and San Marcos, alas, does not, but I digress....)

BBJ, Elsie, Mik and Kat and I ran through the hills this morning (and there were hills BTW). Betty's sister came into town unexpectedly last nght, so even though she left a VERY ENTHUSIASTIC comment in the last post about running today, she is a good sister and stayed behind. Since her house is the carpool pickup spot, she did get up early to say good morning.

BBJ takes off...full speed so that he could make it back for parent conferences. Something I don't miss about teaching h.s.

Mik and Kat get ready to leave with the speedy-group

MY PLAN was to run for no more than ONE HOUR. I figured I'd get to the first water station (which is usually about 1.5 to 2 miles into a run), then I'd turn around, run back and wait for the rest of the herd to finish. Unfortunately my plans were THWARTED (I do love that word) when Coach Paul informed us that the first water station (actually, the ONLY water station) would be about 3 miles up the road.

Still...I figured this was not too big a deal. 3 miles out and back is 6 miles... which would have taken me about an hour...maybe more with stretch breaks, but still doable..... 

Turned out that the first water station was 3.6 miles out... which meant that I also ended up running 3.6 miles BACK...on my lousy heel and bum hip... 7 miles (7.24 actually) at a breakneck time of  1:32:26 (12:45 pace). 

Of course, I didn't have to run all the way to the water station, but I knew that this was my big chance to FINALLY meet Anne from Run DMZ in person....we've been running the same paths for awhile now, and have probably run with each other for all we know, but haven't connected...until today.

Elsie, Anne, and me... All smiles!

I loved how Anne mentioned that she's wanted to ask people before if they are part of "the herd" but worried that if they were not, they might take it the wrong way...hee hee hee.

Actually, I think it's awesome that Anne is among the SDTC volunteers who give up their Saturday mornings to hand out energy bevvies and water to thirsty runners. It's one of the many reasons I really enjoy the track club...the people are just awesome.

I did do the smart girl thing, and I walked and stopped to stretch several times. Also the path was either asphalt or dirt trail, both of which were soft running surfaces. When I had to run on the concrete sidewalk? OW! (why is that?)

But really, the first 5.5 miles felt WONDERFUL...I wish it could have worked out that I stopped running then, but it didn't.... I did walk a fair amount of the last 1.5 miles, but I suspect I'll be paying for the extra milege for a couple of days now in my foot (hip feels fine, PF...not so much. LOTS of ice this afternoon. I actually brought ice with me and gave myself a nice little ice massage out of the back of my car...ahhhhhhh. I'm really starting to enjoy those things. Ice to the heel of the foot? Heaven!). 

Tonight I'm getting together with the rest of the herd for dinner, then I'm hoping to convince them to go to The Waterfront to listen to a really cool bluesy rock band...I'm sure it'll be tough convincing them.

PS...Don't forget to vote in the "Name Scotty" poll...I'll announce Scottie's new name in the next post.