There will always be faster, stronger, better...

Today was the second time I ran the Naples On The Run 20K.  For some reason, I thought it was the third, but maybe that's because it follows generally the same route as our long Saturday runs.

20K is right around 12.42742 miles (-ish), so it's a good gauge to see where you are in half marathon training.  Wanting to PR at the Naples Half in January, I wanted to race it smart.  Unfortunately, I don't really have much of a grasp on racing smart.

The main theme was that I really didn't want to start out too fast and not be able to hold on - which is a frequent issue with distance.  Michelle wasn't feeling well enough to come to the race, so it was me and Christy covering the distance.  We passed Lowdermilk Park (the usual Saturday starting place) just shy of 2 miles, so I tried to tell myself that we were really just starting then.  I told Christy just to look at it like our normal Saturday run, but that someone stole our cars so we had to run all the way to NOTR.  I don't think she found it a very funny suggestion. 

Between 2 & 3 I had a little back pain on my lower right side (probably the stupid mattress) but otherwise felt good.  That good feeling held through mile 7, which I was really happy about.  Right around mile 8, I had a Clif Shot and we turned back from Gordon to Gulf Shore.  At that point, Christy was ready to slow it a bit.  I had initially said that if I feel good around 9, then I would push it, but since I didn't want to slow down at 8, I figured it was a decent time to break off.  4.5 miles is a maintainable distance.  So, I squeezed the trigger a little and sped up.  It felt good, especially as I was passing people.  There was a little back and forth around the water stops but I eventually caught those who passed me and didn't let them catch me again.

I felt thirsty between the last 2 water stops, but other than that it was a really good run.  I don't like being cold, but was probably dressed a little too warmly for the last half of it.  But I'd always rather be too hot than too cold.

But I was POOPED!  Came home, unloaded the car of all the timing stuff with Shawn, ate lunch, and took a LONG nap.  Couldn't stay awake for the Eagles game, but it didn't seem like I missed much.  I woke up and saw the 14-14, then the field goal, then the Eagles lose it once again.  Sucks that we're still paying for the Season Ticket, but I guess you always take that gamble... especially with the $$$ that they have spent to buff up the team this year. 

Anyhow, the moral of the story is that while my time for the 20K wasn't fast by any good Naples runner standards, it was a PR for me!  2:04:58.  There will always be faster, stronger, better, but if you put work in and improve against yourself, you have NOTHING to feel bad about.  

I wore my Run Happy shirt today and was reminded a few times through the race that if you're not running happy, then you're kind of missing the whole point.

Way out of the loop!

I'm so far behind on blogging!  Just can't keep up with it all. 

Season has started in Naples.  Which means for the full-timers, our town is taken over.  It takes twice as long to get anywhere, you have to watch for your life in parking lots, grocery stores are a serious test of patience, and restaurants are too packed to even try to go out to eat. 

Went to lunch at Shula's yesterday with the Greater Naples Phi Mu alumnae group.  I'm the president of the group, even though I have a hard time keeping it all together.  We have a lunch scheduled monthly that sometimes included business meetings.  November is always an auction that we call the Make It/Bake It/Donate It.  We all bring items and auction them off to each other to raise money that we give out in December to a charity.  We had an assortment of items and 8 ladies.  I scored a candle and a tin of chocolate chip cookies.  We raised almost $100 and will decide where to donate.  It's a small group but we do our best to stick with the Phi Mu Philanthropy goals. 

Got home just in time to get ready then for the Sunset & Suds 5K.  This was a local race to benefit the Rotary Club that was not contracted to GCR, so we actually got to go and participate with no work to do.  Since we have the 20K on Sunday, this 5K was done as a casual tempo run.  Turned out to almost be a 5K PR for me at 28:00 for 3.06 miles - about a 9:10 pace.  Having that pace at an "easy" run is really great for me.  I'm looking forward to really pushing it and seeing what I can do later in the season at some official measured 5K's. 

Looking so forward to a casual Saturday today.  Lots of email to catch up on and laundry and weeding.  But otherwise I plan to take it easy - which I LOVE!

To sleep, perchance to dream

I did not sleep well last night.  I set my alarm for 4:30 so I could get up to swim.  When I know I have to get up, I usually wake up around 2, realize I have time, and go back to sleep.  This morning, I felt like there was a mosquito in the bed and by the bites on my legs, either there was, or I had gotten bites yesterday that were just coming to their itchy fruition.  Eventually I must have fallen back to sleep, because the alarm woke me.  I turned it off and must have immediately fallen back to sleep. 

I was at my grandfather's house, some of my dad's cousins were there and we were chatting a bit.  Then a car pulled up to take some of the kids to school and I ran down to say hi to my Pop-pop who was driving.  I could hear him telling the kids to get in the car so they wouldn't be late.  He gave me a kiss and just looked at me, smiling with eyes full of love.  I told him I'd see him later and off they went.

By the time I woke up the clock said 4:55 and Shawn was walking into the bathroom.  I jumped out of bed, threw on my stuff, brushed my teeth, and made it to swim by 5:25, crying most of the way.  I wasn't sure if I'd be able to swim while I was driving, but I was able to focus on the workout. 

Pop-pop has only been in a couple of dreams in the last 5 years since he passed away.  This was one of the most vivid.  I'm still crying writing this, but in the same respect, I wish that he visited me every night.  I still miss him so much.

This is one of the last photos I have with Pop-pop, visiting him in his ALF room the last summer he was with us.