Sunday....Run Day

This photo is a replication. The original photo was too graphic for all viewers

I managed to get an unscheduled day off from work on Sunday. I was on-call in the morning which meant I would have to be at work within 30 minutes if needed. Tim and I had such a leisurely morning still celebrating Tim's birthday. We had waffles, sipped our coffee slowly at home and strolled around La Jolla (cell phone in hand). I suggested we go to the La Jolla Farmers Market but Tim said that he was convinced people just bought honey from Trader Joe's and repackaged it to make it look like it was organic and vegan. I told him he was wrong, because there was no way anybody would cheat by using Trader Joe's...They would buy a vat from Costco. Hah- what he wouldn't think of to talk me out of the farmer's market. Around 2:00 p.m I got the green light I wouldn't be needed at work. This gave us the afternoon off to get in our long runs. Necessary because one of us signed both of us up for the marathon - and necessary to do today because Thursday's scheduled long run had been replaced with an EPIC RIDE plan. I realize what separates me from better athletes is not only strength, talent, and fitness...but discipline.
Our neighbor, freaky fast Paul, the Recovering Runner, wanted to run with us. I tried to recruit others to join us but it was me and the boys. What a sacrifice made on my part;) I had to run faster than my usual pace for the first 12 miles before Tim called it a day. Tim and I ran down Soledad Mountain to meet Paul; thank goodness he was pushing his son Spencer in the jogger stroller. I seriously need to know the weight limit because I would have been glad to hop in and hold Spencer while the guys pushed me. Due to the stroller I managed to keep up or at least thought I was keeping up. We were probably running my 5k race pace for the first 5K. I kept up but knew I would pay back later. It wasn't if but when. I didn't want to be a complainer or worse, (gasp) ask the boys to slow down so when given the choice of routes I chose going up over Soledad Mountain. I was the deciding vote in choosing the route that went from the ocean to the cross. I knew it would slow the guys down a bit. After all Paul was pushing a stroller. I kept up and had to listen to Tim deprecating us regarding Paul's ability to push his kid up Soledad as fast as we were running. At the top we did a circle around the cross then ran down Soledad. For a while down Soledad I ran faster than the guys (yee haw) then as it flattened out they caught me and dropped me and if not for a red light I would have been history. I knew I still had 9 miles left. We ran Paul to his house and refilled our water bottles then headed toward the cove. It was here where the wheels started to fall off the bus. Tim started to pull ahead. I never get mad about this but I was out of my zone and angry - sort of like that place I have been trying to get to. The place Bree Wee refers to in her blog about making peace with; it's the place that is really uncomfortable and you want out. Not that it competes with your love of sport or healthy attitude. It's just how it is. I wasn't intending to be in that place middle of a long run but what the heck I was there and I know it's good for me. At Oceanside I gave in to the discomfort but the final miles of a race aren't about being comfortable so I know I've got to make peace with it(even if I'm sort of distraught now). I want to sprint and tackle Tim and take back my water bottle, the one I insisted he carry:) Even though it was just yesterday he helped me with my mechanical issues, and he's carrying my water bottle as a favor to lighten my load. I am so indignant that I can't keep up. I realize per my Garmin I am going faster than usual at this point in my long run. It is hotter than usual so really I am happy in a twisted way. I am actually grateful deep down. I just can't express it because I am distraught, irrational and want to jump in the freaking ocean. My legs are cramping, lead like, my water bottle is out of reach because I can't keep up. I am struck with a terrible sense of injustice: it is not fair Tim was complaining about how hard it was and how tired he was and I didn't complain at all and I can't even run half as fast. Life is no fair:) So you know what Tim does: he goes below the belt and starts quoting everything I made him read from Bree Wee's blog...the interval session with a big scary intimidating guy who makes her pretty much puke. I think that I have a loser's attitude and wonder what Bree Wee would do. Hah.... I take a slightly different route through the Cove (a short cut) and end up in front of Tim. He asks how I pulled that off and I stick my nose in the air like I don't know what he's talking about. I'm just that fast. Then I give him this lecture on how if he's going to complain about being slow and tired he's better not do it around people like me who "never complain.";) Tim turns for home and I have a zillion miles to go alone...and now I really miss Tim even though I was really looking forward to relinquishing back into an easy pace. I keep running above my normal pace. I see rocks on the trail and I want to kick them. My paces stays up. Then I start to notice all the flowers and how nice everything is and I realize I have slowed way down. Hmm, I guess that's how it works. For the last two miles I hang in but I must confess I threw in the towel and walked up Soledad as I am spent. I am happy pushed the limits but hoping I will recover without sabotaging the rest of my week and Wildflower . Not sure what else to do I eat, soak in the unheated pool (think ICE bath) then have dinner. Did I mention Eat again.