Yanti & Salty Beyond Ridiculous Manatees PART 6--CLOSED (Page 38)

Friday evening's run - started out dry finished off very soaking wet but I had a blast on the beach track.

The end of this rainbow was in the water, was there a pot of gold?  Too cold to look.

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Good luck, have fun--can't wait to see the pics!

Beautiful shot, Jo!!

so after a very hard day yesterday, I went in, worked my butt off, and after lucnh, I found this happening:

My Western Pond Turtle egg (one of the 2 anyway) decided to hatch---a few weeks late, but he's here! He made it out and was wandering all over the incubator! I am a proud mamma for sure! 

Oh Kate, that is wonderful!  I wish I could see the picture

Good morning! I'm up and getting ready to head out the door. It's 65 degrees. Just incredible.

I don't know what will happen at the race. We have a cold front moving in later this morning, so it could get pretty stormy. I would like to get at least 15k in before the skies open up and the lightning starts. We'll see what happens.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day.

There's a double rainbow!

CONGRATULATIONS BADGER JEN MOOSE

She did a swell job on her 8K.

Thanks, Yanti!! I finished my 8k in about 1 hour and 10 minutes - gun time was just under 1:13, so I'm guessing around 1:10 for chip time.  I ended up wearing pants, tshirt, arm warmers, hat, and gloves.  I was cold for the first 3 or so miles and at the end.  I'm glad I wore the pants even if it means wimping out.  

Thanks, Yanti!! I finished my 8k in about 1 hour and 10 minutes - gun time was just under 1:13, so I'm guessing around 1:10 for chip time.  I ended up wearing pants, tshirt, arm warmers, hat, and gloves.  I was cold for the first 3 or so miles and at the end.  I'm glad I wore the pants even if it means wimping out.  

I'm home.

Wow. The wind here is amazing today. Just horrible. The race is about 120 miles away. I used a quarter of a tank to get there and over a half a tank to get back (against the wind).

So, I didn't make my time goal. But at about mile 3, heading into the wind with another 2.5 miles against the wind to go, I reframed the race. I decided this race was going to be about mental toughness. And I needed it. I seriously wanted to quit half a dozen times. But I kept myself going by saying "walk" when the hills were steep and "now down" once I got up over the top of them. I don't want to see another hill. Ever. Even driving home, when I came to a hill, I groaned. "Another hill!"

Good parts of the race:

1)I have now run 15.5 miles. (Well, "run," but you know what I mean.)

2)I know that after 13 miles, I can still climb some hills (I didn't walk up all of them) and run at a good pace (for me). 

3)I can discipline myself. Early in the race, I was feeling pretty good, so I argued with myself, "Come on. You can just run up this hill. You're not going to make your time goal. You need to run up this hill." But I would tell myself, "If you run up this hill now, you will not only not make your time goal, but you might not be able to finish at the end." I kept putting myself off, "Get to the 15k aid station. See how you feel. If you want to start running some hills after that, okay."

Well, I actually felt fantastic at the aid station. I took about three minutes there. The RD re-filled my water for me, got me two (2!!!!) small cups of coke. I chatted with a couple racers and volunteers. Verified the rest of the route, and then I was off. But I was going to be running the next four miles with heavy cross winds and head winds. I decided it was not a good time to start running up the hills. Seriously. I felt like I was in a wind tunnel. I couldn't even keep my face straight into the wind; I had to keep it at the side. I lost count how many times I was almost blown over.

4) I got to run for a short time with a mule deer buck with a beautiful rack. He was running in the field, parallel to me. And close.

5) Nutrition. Nailed it. (Almond butter and honey on Naan)

6) At the end, I was still smiling (barely)

7) The RD asked me if I would try the 50k next year, and I said no. He replied, "Hmm. Maybe I can figure out a 35k for you." AWESOME!!!

8) I was DFL in the 25k, and I don't even care. Not everyone who started the 25k and 50k races finished. So . . . I finished. Win for me. 4/4 (mixed gender/ages)

There was some drama (course cutting, I suspect), but I'm still processing it. One of the 50k racers was going home as I finished -- there is no way she didn't cut the course, so I'm assuming the RD figured it out, the lead 50k runner figured it out, or she just decided to go home. She wasn't listed on the finisher's board. The lead 50k guy was fast. I mean crazy fast. He was easily running twice as fast as I was. The girl was struggling. Still faster than I was running, but by only 20 minutes or so. Then, all of a sudden, I see her coming at me, flying, a full 10 minutes ahead of the previous 50k leader. I was like, "Whaaat??? No way." There is no way. She cut the course. I'm sure of it.

Way to find your strong, Felicia, that's awesome!!  Pushing through mentally is huge.  Congratulations on a great race!

Great job, Jen!  I would've worn pants/tights too!!

Yesterday's swim, yes it was cold but it was refreshing and just beautiful.  Melbourne turning on the charm.

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