And I’ve got another race to report!

Well actually, I never really reported on the VA Beach race. Just the events surrounding the race.

So let’s rewind back to Sept 2.

Once again, it was a fun race. Bands every mile, and cheer squads in between.

It’s both a good thing and a bad thing to be familiar with the course (this year was my third year running the Virginia Beach Rock and Roll Half Marathon).

We know where the hills are (really just one overpass that you cross twice). We know that it gets kinda boring and potentially hot on the Army base (or whatever that is we run through).

We also know that after we get to the boardwalk, we’re almost done!

My ½ marathon PR (personal record) is on this course in 2005. I finished in 2:13.

In 2006, it was HOT and HUMID. I ended up finishing nine minutes slower. At least I could run into the ocean to cool off afterwards!

This year, I wasn’t expecting anything great. This would be my longest run since the marathon, and I didn’t think I’d gotten my speed and endurance back up for straight running. We ran/walked the marathon, and I took liberal walk breaks in all of my long training runs since then.

We were fortunate that the weather was much better than last year, but I still finished one minute slower than 2006.

Oh well … at least I wasn’t sore. It seems my body remembers long distances!

Fast forward to this weekend, Sept 16.

I went to Philadelphia with a few of my running friends to run the Philadelphia Distance Festival, another ½ marathon. While this race is not a “Rock ‘N’ Roll” race, it is associated with the same series. They also have bands every mile on the course. Unfortunately no cheer squads, though – boo! We could have used them!

Two weeks has made a huge difference in the weather. It was downright chilly before the race began, but it was perfect for running. The sun was out, there was a cool breeze, and the course was fairly flat.

I did not beat my PR, but came close at 2:16. I am thrilled with this. I can still run a ½ at a decent pace!

And I will get another medal for doing both races!

Hmm, there are a lot of things floating through my head right now. Let me try to catch them!

Yuck!
It got hot again on Saturday. I ran a 5K race in the morning. Halfway through, and the sweat was already running in my eyes (usually, I can finish a run before that happens). It was in the mid- to upper-80s, and very humid, even at 8am.

Remember how I just said I don’t care about my speed? Well, as I realized I was having a slow race, I also realized that I don’t believe me. I do care, at least a little bit.

While it was really hot and disgusting, I knew I couldn’t go any faster. I was a little disappointed when I crossed the finish line at the slowest 5K I’ve done in a long time. Quite possibly, the second slowest I’ve ever run at 32:07. I used to consistently break 30 minutes; this year I’ve been a little slower, but at least in the 30-31 range.

Yet, to my surprise (after a very slow race), I somehow managed to place third in my age group! It seems the fast 30-34-year-olds were still sleeping Saturday morning as I managed to eke out a $5 gift certificate with a mediocre race result!

I checked the results, too. I didn’t just place by default. I actually beat nine other people in my age group!

So yes, it was a small race, but, whatever. I won!

Giving back
This morning, I was a volunteer at a big 10-mile race in my hometown. I decided not to run it since I’ve got a half marathon next weekend. I have done both races in the past, but, it just seems like a better idea not to.

I was handing out water at the finish line, and carried many cases of water from the truck to our tables.

I wonder how much that’s going to hurt tomorrow …

It’s about time
We have lived in Annapolis for over six years, and in the Washington, DC area for over 10.

However, we have never actually eaten Maryland crabs.

It’s been terribly wrong. However, it has been corrected.

Our neighbors called us this afternoon and suggested we all go out for crabs this afternoon. Eighteen crabs and 2 1/2 hours later, I’d say it was a successful lunch!

Not a winner, but I was close …
OMSH just had a contest to win a Superhero necklace. I was in the top five, but, didn’t win. Oh well. I did buy myself one a few months back for my birthday … but I really wanted to win another!

This week, it’s been kind of cold, and rainy. Since we spent July and most of August in the sunshine with very little rain, it’s a good thing. My plants are certainly happier!

Last night before our run (it was not raining, but seemed like the sky could open up at any minute!) I was debating whether I should have worn my capri tights instead of shorts. It wasn’t freezing, but 68F and breezy, much cooler than what we’ve been used to!

(No, summer’s not over yet. It’ll be back in the 90s by this weekend.)

Anyway, 1/2 mile in and I was sufficiently warmed up. There were only two of us running last night, and the other guy can go quite a bit faster than me. I’ve lost some speed in the past year — a combination of getting orthotics and run/walking that marathon, but for the first two miles, we were closer to my old speed.

Grated, I was never was all that fast to begin with, but it’s a speed I’m happy with. We finished the first mile in 9:33, the second in 9:12.

Of course, then I got tired and insisted we take a walk break for a few minutes during the third mile. Then we started up again, but my legs refused to run me up a big hill. After that, though, I recovered in the fourth mile to finish that around 10:30.

Overall, a very good run.

I’m glad I still have a little speed left in me, but I’ve pretty much decided I care more about the distance than how quickly I’m getting there!

I think it’s because I almost never train on trails, and when there are cross-country segments in races it slows me down.

Not that I’m fast or anything … I just like maintaining or improving my pace!

Lately, we’ve been hitting the trails to help some of my friends train. They’re running a cross-country half marathon in September. Since it is five days after my Rock and Roll Half Marathon, I’m going to pass on that race … but I’ve gone along for the ride (er, run)!

This weekend, we took a trip to a wildlife refuge to try the trails. We did a shorter loop as a warm-up while waiting for some friends (they went to the wrong entrance of the park). It was a partially-shady, gravelly road.

After joining our friends, we took another trail, this one was a dirt path for foot traffic only. It was narrow and winding, and we really had to watch for tree roots!

(Also, I was in the front and kept running through spider webs. Eww!)

Still, it was shady and felt a lot cooler “inside” the forest, and was actually quite fun. Hills and spiders and all!

We did need to add some more mileage (on the harsher gravel roads), but it was still a great run!

Well, Cecily, I’m sure you were looking forward to a closer picture … but everything else the race posted has their proof mark going through my legs!

So this is all you’re getting for now. Hopefully my friends will come through with some better pictures once they are downloaded/developed!

I am impressed, though — this race had a lot of cameras on the course. Usually I only appear in a handful, but there are a lot this time, and even one or two I might consider purchasing from them.

I was pretty bad about documenting the weekend myself. I only took a few pictures of pigs!