Blowing chunks (mango chunks)

I had a great run today that became even better when I got back and figured out my pace -- 9:55 miles for 7.5 miles!  Woohoo!  That is the first longer run I've done under 10!  

It didn't feel good the whole time (the Amphipod water belt is great...but still a sloshing water belt around your waist) but by the end I was finally hitting a good rhythm.  I ended with a new hilly loop through a beautiful older but posh neighborhood.  The shady trees and big rocks and trees distracted from the fact that I was running hills.  It almost felt like I was on a trail it was so tranquil.

When I got back I made a smoothie with these guys:

I didn't take a picture of it because, well, it was yellow liquid and wasn't terribly exciting.  It was tasty though.  Alice stayed home today and is going to come on a run with me on Monday.  Judging by her tornado dog disposition today, she could have come a long this morning...

A new humidity PR

97% humidity at 7:22 this morning, ugh!  It may have been 68 degrees...but it felt like hell.  Apparently the stickiness made everything long our route smell delicious because Alice was not in a mood to stay on course.  Time to watch my hair frizz...

Sloshed

Today's run was set to be 8 miles but I had to cut it short at 6.5 because I got rip roaring loaded...in my bladder.  I tried out my very neat new Amphipod handheld water bottle and decided that gripping a container of sloshing liquid/drinking that liquid in an attempt to make the bottle lighter and/or stop the sloshing is a bad idea.  Given, it was 95% humidity at 7 a.m. today, but I didn't need to guzzle my water like this:

It would have been much better to sip it in a more refined manner, like this:

I plan to hydrate in this fashion when I attend the Royal Wedding next weekend.  Note the refined pinky daintily extended.  I also plan to call my dirty sweaty bandana my church hat.  Oh how impressed the Queen will be...

My pace today was the fastest I've done this distance but I think I went out too fast, or the water bottle was a pain in the arse, or the humidity got to me.  It was not a comfortable run, it was mostly sticky and clunky.  Back to the water belt for the longer ones.

HOT!

Here I am after my first run in truly hot and sunny weather -- 78 degrees at 10:30 a.m.:

Is this a shameless plea for some pro bono facial resurfacing work?  No.  My cavernous pores disappear into a flawless porcelain complexion when I'm not running.  Really. 

Another photo to illustrate how sweaty I am, lovely I know:

It was hot outside today -- H-O-T.  I didn't run earlier this morning because I woke up late enough for it to be Yellow Shuttle of Death Hour.  Those school bus drivers may wave, but they do it as they're about to mow Alice and I down.  Running any time between 7-8 a.m. is perilous.

I brought along a water bottle (for Alice, so she doesn't trip on her tongue on runs) and headed up Brown Avenue like usual.  My knees are moving into the crunchy/scabby stage of healing alternated with ooey gooey draining so bending them feels less than comfy.  It did get me out of weeding this weekend though so...score! 

Time to shower and hook up my hydration drip.

Glad this didn't happen before the half marathon!

So Alice and I headed out on our first outdoor post-half marathon run today -- it was sunny, warm (bordering on hot), there lots of friendly folk out, it was nice.  On the way back from our short run a dog bolted to the edge of its yard and spooked poor Alice, I tumbled over her and this is what it looked like.  Ouch.

Luckily a state trooper was passing by and asked if we needed help.  Maybe because I was standing there with blood running down my leg.  He gave us a ride home and told me he had seen us running before.  I told him to wave next time and to feel free to give us a ride home...even if I'm not injured.  The neighborhood gossip that me getting out of the back of a cop car has inspired, I can't imagine...  Two sweet/nosy neighbors have already been over.

I just compared my bloody knee from December with my bloody knees now and -- score! -- I have improved in that as well!  Wow, I went from one mildly ripped up knee to a complete set of bloodiness!  All the training in rolling around in gravel/ falling in catastrophic ways paid off!  PR, folks!  PR!!!!

December 2010 -- totally understated

April 2011 -- I went HOUSE
on these knees!

Race report!

First half marathon -- done!  The weather was a little chilly but sunny.  It was good running weather.  I waded into the half marathoners:

 

There were lots of people...but not too many.  Starting with a smaller race like this was nice.  Everyone spaced out quickly.  My favorite moment of the first couple miles?  

[Undergrad looks at me doing my 4 minutes running 1 mine walking Galloway routine] and says, "Oh that girl is doing the run-walk thing.  That is so good, I remember when I was using that to start off."  

When did I hear this?  When I was passing them...and I never saw them again.  The run-walk thing worked great!  I made it up all the hills on the course, passing folks who stopped to walk.  I felt really strong the whole time.  And I concentrated on not getting caught up in passing people.  I just focused on keeping myself at a good strong steady pace.  

Woody, Mary, Alice and Maddy met me at mile 10 to cheer and ask me piercing appetizing questions like "Want some lasagna?"  Here I am doing my extra special Chariots of Fire running pose for Mary and Maddy:

Here's some video of me and my elegant gazelle strides:

 I finished with a time of 2:17!  That's a 10:27 mile.  I'm pretty happy with that considering the course was hilly and the longest run I'd done up till today was 11.5 miles.  I felt good through the whole race and performed evenly the whole time!  Woody and Mary finished the 5k in under an hour, which we were all happy with, Maddy and Alice included!

Afterwards we posed for some finishing medal shots and some serious stretching:

Woody & Rachel

Rachel collapsing in exhaustion on her sister Mary

Mary helping Rachel stretch

So all in all, I'd do it again!  And I will...now I just need to find another race...