Weekend in Review

24 hours, 3 races
4 miles hard, 4 miles hard, 2-10-2 Du

Perfect test for the foot.  Still running with pain, but tolerable and it seems to be working it’s way out.

The weekend was going to be a washout according to the weathermen .  Well, for once, they were right.  It rained and rained all weekend, and it just so happened I was already signed up for my races, so all was a go, rain and all.

Saturday morning started with the Varsity Sports Shorts run in Mandeville.  I wanted to do this race for a few reasons, but I think the main reason was that it was in my neighborhood and I could run to the race start, then walk or run home after.  It turned out to be a great 4 mile run with a mix of light rain and sunshine and lots of humidity.  I had no idea what to expect as far as speed goes, so this was truly a test from the get go.  Mile one started a bit slower than usual, not so much a surprise, but I decided to pick it up in mile 2 and drop some of the other girls around me.  I ended up dropping them, but added about 10 beats to my HR and suffered a slower pace (close to mile 1) in mile 3 & 4…lol.  But not slow enough to let them catch me.  I ended up 3^rd overall – 1^st masters, hung out for awards, had a few yummy biscuits from the Broken Egg Café, and walked home through Old Mandeville. 

After a huge lightening  storm rolled in and out, I was able to get my 3k swim in at Franco’s then begin my trek to the southshore to meet up with an athlete I coach for some swim training.  After that, it was over to the Westbank for the Crescent City Bridge Run at 6pm.   Another 4 miler, but this one crossed the span of the CCC , a concrete bridge over the Mississippi River connecting the eastbank of New Orleans to the westbank.  I have often wanted to do this race, and I needed to test the foot on hills, so it presented a perfect opportunity.  Again – rain.  Staging for this race is a bit of a pain because it is a point to point run.  An hour before the race we were all standing in the parking lot near the start when the sky fell and the rain poured down.  It was cold, wet, and windy.  I found cover at the snowball stand and managed to bum a garbage bag from the owners which I used as a raincoat.  After the rain let up a little, I was off for a little warm up in my garbage bag.  I was still cold, so I wore the bag all the way up to about ¼ mile into the start…This race was 1 mile ground level, 2 miles up, and 1 mile down steep and flat to the finish.  I wasn’t expecting much since not only did I already run 8(with 4 hard) and swim 3k today, but I have never been an evening racer – so again, I just went with it.  It was a difficult run, but I managed 2^nd female (1^st masters, but…well, 2^nd overall is a better placing, but…well, ok(inside story)).  The time was about a minute slower than this morning, but the reason for the race was hills and effort – all to test the foot, which seemed to be holding up ok.

After the race, the masses collected at the post race party, and the rain continued to fall.  It was windy, I was cold, but wanted to wait around for the duration, so I had a few beers, some jambalaya, a banana, an apple.  I didn’t get done there till nearly 8, then had a commute home and pack for the Duathlon the next morning.  I was pooped, cold, wet – and in June, I had the heat on in the car the entire way home.

Sunday morning, after waking up to thunder a few times in the night, I was up at 4 to head back to the westbank for the inargural Bridgeman104 Duathlon.  A 2-10-2, and honestly, I wondered if it would happen at all.  When I pulled out of my driveway at 5, the rain was hard and heavy and the lightening was everywhere.  But, you never know, so I just went with it and what do you know, when I got to the city, then to the westbank, no rain.  The race went off smoothly and we ran through Gretna, then hoped on our bikes for a ride over the CCC (that bridge I ran just the night before), then another run along the Mississippi River levee, then home to the finish and post race party.  The runs hurt.  Mile 1 was a little faster than I thought it might be even though the foot was sore and my legs were tight after the 2 hard runs the day before.  But all things considered, I did just fine.

I ended up 2^nd overall, 1^st masters, and got an awesome award made by my buddy Jay Delima!  Woot!  Woot!

I have to say that for the first go round, race director Mark Morgan did an awesome job putting together a great LOCAL race and ran it professionally & smoothly.  Kudos to you Mark, Great Job!  I will be back next year!

So….after 3 races in 24 hours…..the foot feels ok.  I am hoping to run some hills this week – Lubbock is only 2 weeks away.  Ohmygosh.