Monday, September 17, 2012

Ragnar the runs.

For this race, I took the hardest leg.  Nicole ran a little farther then me, but apparently mine was harder.  It's difficult to tell how they figure that out, but it felt hard..really hard.  

My first run was good.  There was a hill that took my min/mile average to 12 for that mile and lots of people passed me.  I sped it up though and managed to be under my 10:30 min/mile goal.  I know I can run a lot faster, but I also knew that I had another 2 long runs in the next 12 hours too.  

RUN 1

According to my Garmin (which it always takes me a tenth of a mile to remember to turn it on) here are my stats:
6.61 miles
1:09 time
10:27 Average Pace
742 Calories

Splits in Min/Miles
1-    10:12
2-    10:31
3-    10:12
4-    10:11
5-    12:50  Big Hill
6-    9:06  Loving the downhill obviously
.61-  9:50

I felt really good about this run!

Run 1 ensemble



RUN 2

This run was started at 3:21 am.  The weather was cool and very humid.  There was a mist that was determined to keep me just a little moist.  It was cold but not too bad.  I ended up wearing my capri's, Ragnar tech shirt, wool arm warmers and compression socks.  I had a warm headband around my head to hold my headlamp and keep my ears warm.  It was a very good running combination.  
Garmin:
8.74 miles
1:30:08 time
10:19 Average Pace
1001 Calories

Splits in Min/Miles
1-    10:45
2-    10:36
3-    10:47
4-    10:09
5-    10:02
6-    10:59 
7-    10:12
8-     9:35
.74-  9:27   

I know the run was 8.3 miles, but when all of about 15 runners saw the turn right sign we kept right and didn't end up on Sonoma Hwy.  I was a little worried and then someone passed me.  Soon after that another guy was running back and told us it was the wrong way.  He had run 3 miles off course.  It added about a half a mile on my run, but I was very close to the time projected for the total run. 

I am such a negative split runner.  I feel so much better after mile 2.  I was also very careful to keep my run/walk ratio to 5min run to 1 min walk throughout the entire race. I am really proud of this run.  It was dark and sometimes a little scary.  The girls have talked me into getting some mace for my runs.  At one point it was so dark and misty and I couldn't see anyone that I was a little nervous.  Most of the time there were runners in sight.  I even passed (we called it assaulted) 4 runners.  One guy came up to me in the last 3/4's mile telling me we should bust it in.  Unfortunately I had to smoke him because he couldn't keep up with my end of race push.  I love coming in strong!  It makes me feel like I paced myself right.  I was still exhausted after the run, but feeling good. 

The socks were a huge mistake.  Why don't I listen to what I tell others and what I've been told??  I could tell they were rubbing in a few places as I ran.  I wore them because I wanted compression and the color matched my outfit. I have never ran in them before.  (I know!  I know!)  My feet weren't in too bad of shape after the night run, but by the time I finished my next run, all those sore spots had turned into huge blisters. 

Post run smile as I rest with my foot up.



The naughty sock and it's first and last go round.

 

RUN 3

Doesn't look too bad now does it?  I started at 1:55pm.  It was hot.  I heard it was only about 92, but with the humidity I'm going to go ahead and say it was about 120 degrees.  Before I ran I was very careful to stay hydrated and take some Salt Sticks with me.  I also took one Salt Stick before I left.  I took my big water bottle with ice and water in it.  I had a package of energy chews and a package of energy jelly beans.  They had one water station around mile 4, but they were adamant that the vans did not support their runner.  This was ridiculous and basically proved what my friend Ken said when he told me he would never run Napa again.   It was unsafe.  The first 4 miles I did alright.  I stopped the 5/1 ratio and turned it more into running .25 mile and then walking until I felt better.  After about 2 miles I realized I needed to pee.  I was hydrated alright, but I was also going to pee my pants.  I ran another mile and saw a couple of tractors on the side of the road.  No one was around, I couldn't see any other runners, so I went around the tractor and popped a squat.  This was my first squat as a runner.  I was proud of myself.  Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do!!  I hit the water station, drank a bunch of water, refilled my water bottle AND soaked myself with cold water.  About a mile later I wondered if I should go back and refill.  That is how hot it was.  My skin felt like it was baking.  My black visor was too much and I had to take it off.  The black top of the road was burning my feet.  I tried running on the side on the dirt and that helped.  It was amazing how much it helped.  Staying off the blacktop and in the shade was my goal.  I did pretty good, but the road in general wasn't made for a race or runners.  There were bicyclists that passed me and most of them were very kind.  I was never close enough to any vans that chose to support their runner anyway to get any ice.  I never ran out of water, but I could tell I was getting too hot.  At mile 5 I had another salt stick pill.  I spent the next almost 3 miles mostly walking.  I passed 3 runners. They said they were OK, but I was surprised I passed them. They looked like runners that would pass me.  All the other Ragnar runners made sure I was OK as they passed.  There were very few that were actually running.  Luckily in the last mile and a half there was more shade and more downhill then sun and uphill and I was able to jog in.  My team had sent out our support staff to find me.  My friend Jen was scared shitless, she knew it had been too long, it was hot and I should be there by now.  When I came around the corner I could hear my team yelling and yelling and yelling.  I have never been so happy to hear them calling my name and telling me I can do it. I slapped the bracelet on Nicole and she took off.  Jen J told me I looked like shit and that I was pale.  The car sent to find me came back and everyone checked on me, hugs all around and we piled into the van to follow Nicole.  I layed in the back and drank cold water with Nuun and elevated and iced my foot.  My feet were on FIRE!  I had 4 horrible blisters on my toes and my plantar fasciitis was angry.  I spent about 30 minutes recovering and then I was able to put my shoes back on so I could keep walking.  We were only 2 runners away from the finish and I had to keep going. I drank some Chocolate almond milk and some ham and 2 more bottles of water.  I had 2 Nuun tablets total and another salt stick.  Overkill?  Maybe.  

Garmin:
7.97 miles
1:41:14 time
12:42 Average Pace
838 Calories

Splits in Min/Miles
1-    10:33
2-    10:31
3-    12:07
4-    12:40
5-    14:43
6-    13:43 
7-    13:42
.98 - 13.37

If I would have been in a race alone, I would have bagged it.  As it was, I just plugged along slowly and was glad that I did it! I have been thinking about doing a post on running in the heat and now I know it's going to happen.  The best thing about this run was realizing that although I was hot and slow, I never became sick.  I didn't have heat stroke or exhaustion.  I never threw up and as a matter of fact, my stomach didn't bother me at all.  I've had too much sun before and know how it feels to have a touch of dehydration and heat related problems.  I wasn't sunburned, I had soaked myself in a great sunscreen.  I really feel that my pre-planning for the heat and taking the right electrolytes and energy is key to being able to finish without killing myself.  This was the first time I have tried Salt Stick and I was absolutely pleased.  It's an easy way to get some electrolytes.My feet are another story and I feel like I could do a blog post just on them.  Ouchie!!  


Elevation to stop the pain.  Ice to stop the burning. 


This was the serious blog on Napa, get ready for all the shenanigans!!

Blog on...........


1 comment:

  1. LOVE the socks!!! Great report of what was clearly a great relay! Well done!

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