08-08-08 Virtual Olympics Race Report
I had signed up for past virtual races sponsored by Non-Runner Nancy, but they have invariably fell on either off days or weeks I have been challenged to get miles in. This time would be different with my marathon training in full stride, but I didn’t want to jinx myself by actually announcing plans to race. For this week’s long run, my planned route was 16 miles, so I should get two qualifying entries for this lucky race.
I was doing my race with my running group, IMT Des Moines Marathon Summer-Fall Training Group. This was my race route (mostly — more on that later). As you can see, the first couple miles have us running up the Ingersoll Avenue, which is being resurfaced. That latter fact unfortunately did not cover the sidewalk. I ended up tripping and splaying myself over the sidewalk. I scraped my knee and made it a bloody mess, and of course proved I am not as young as I used to be as I jammed my wrist into the ground. I am 2 miles into a 16 mile day, and this happens. Do I stop? Not if I want to run a marathon this fall.
The first 4 miles were largely up-hill affairs, and I averaged 8:52 for each mile. Miles 5-8, featured 2 miles where my miles were way over 9:30 per mile. In the first slow mile, we had a water stop, and during the last slow mile 8, the small group I was running with got lost. We actually went too far, it took nearly a half mile to realize it. Even with the slow miles, the injured knee, and getting lost, I finished the first 8 miles in 1:12:46. (9:05 pace)
The second 8 miles (actually 7.5 miles) went by far smoother on this out and back course. I did however have a strange dog run next to me for nearly 10 blocks. The dog had a collar but wouldn’t let me catch him to see where he lived, A couple times, he veered off into Ingersoll Ave and nearly got hit by car. One time I had to start yelling at a car to avoid the dog. Finally, someone at Caribou Coffee got the dog to stop running after me, and I lost my distraction and worry about lost dogs.
My times for the final 7.5 miles was nothing to write home about (9:20 average pace), but I still got my miles recorded. Good luck to every one else who ran the race today, and I hope you got by more unscathed than I did.
ouch. dang, I hope you don’t sue. I should check the liability insurance.
Seriously, I hope it wasn’t too serious. I’m sure it was miserable though for those miles. Hope you are better by now.
Thanks so much for running with us. I love that you didn’t “announce” so you didn’t jinx it.
Comment by Nancy | August 10, 2008
Nope, no suing. That would detract from “CoffeeBetsy toughness points,” which I am trying so hard to obtain. Everything was in running order yesterday as I took the daughter out for an apparent speed workout for her. It gave me something else to think about other than this is first time above HM distance in nearly 4 months.
Welcome back from China!
Comment by Kent | August 11, 2008