Two weeks worth of stuff

Wow I didn't realize that it had been two weeks since I last posted. I have had some really great stuff to write about but the weekends have been consumed with running, biking and playing so no time for the computer and then when I get to work on Monday's it feels like I am always behind!! I won't go into detail on everything that has happened in the past two weeks but I do want to highlight our long runs and some other fun stuff.

Saturday July 12th long run -

Cheryl was following a different schedule than we were but I was able to talk her into changing it a little bit and doing her second 20 miler with us. This was our first and only official 20 miler but we had done 19.5 the weekend before so I guess you could almost say we got in two 20-milers. Of course I also count the Nashville Marathon as part of our training for San Francisco.

We were once again headed to the River Trail we had gotten 18.7 miles by the time we made it back to our car the weekend before so we figured we would just add on somemore in the River Market to get to 20 although we actually unofficially were hoping for at least 21 we decided we would just wait and see how we felt in the last few miles.
We picked Cheryl up at Target and parked at the River Market, which is kind of creepy at 5:00 on Sunday morning!!!
We started off with a short walk and pretty much as soon as we started running we felt moisture, it wasnt' really raining, not even really sprinkling but every now and then you would feel a little drop. We were thinking wow wouldn't it be great if it were like this the whole time!!
I'm not sure exactly where we were mileage wise when it actually started raining but probably around 3 or 4 miles. It was still a light rain and felt really good, but then once we got to the BDB it really started pouring!!!
Cheryl and Michele hadn't gotten a little behind Bailey and I when they found a wild plum tree and had to investigate. Those two never met a Mulberry Tree, Blackberry bush or wild plum tree they didn't like!!
Bailey and I waited for them on the other side of the Big Dam Bridge and when we saw them coming I realized they had picked up another runner, it only took about 2 seconds for me to realize it was Marianne, funny how we all can recognize each other just by our running form.
As we started down the I-430 trail out and back it really started pouring!!! Once again Michele and Cheryl fell behind lured by the blackberry bushes along this section of the trail. Bailey and I ran with Marianne and got to hear several of her Ironman Cor de Alene stories.
Once we got to the 430 overpass we stopped to wait for Michele and Cheryl, we let them dry out for a second or should I say wring out their wet clothes. When it was time to get going again Cheryl kind of hesitated, she said don't you want to wait until the rain lightens up... I didn't love running in the pouring down rain, but we had not idea how long it was going to rain like that and I really wanted to keep going and get the run over! She reluctantly started running with me. It wasnt' too much further when we came to the boat launch that has a port a pottie, I didn't have an emergency but I knew I really needed it, I felt bad the whole time I was in there, of course the rain sounded even harder coming down on the port a pottie, but here I had made Cheryl leave the shelter of the 430 overpass just to stand out in the rain while I used the port a pottie... but I wasn't the only one who needed it.
I think we were about 1/2 way back on that trail when the rain kind of stopped. My big worry at that point was that the sun would come out and it would be hot and steamy!!

Kelly was supposed to meet us at Murray Park to run the last part with us, but she called to let me know she wasn't going to run but she was at the parking lot at the BDB with refreshments for us!!! It was so awesome for her to drive all the way out to Little Rock just to bring us ice, cold water, gatorade etc. Words can't even describe it!!
We all gathered with her for a few minutes and then we said our good-byes to her and to Marianne.
This is the part of the route that Cheryl hates the most, and I can certainly understand how she feels, this was the worst part of the Little Rock Marathon for her and brings back lot's of bad memories. I keep hoping that maybe we can help make better one's for her.
It is a long stretch between the Bridge and Titus Trail but I prefer it over the stretch between the Skate Park and the River Trail.
The rain never really went away, it would slow down and I think it did completely stop a few times but not for very long. We were all completely soaked and poor Cheryl her running skirt was driving her nuts!! She would try to tuck the skirt part into her waistband but it would never stay for long.
Once we get to Titus Trail I always feel so good, I like the rest of the route and I know we are almost done!!!
Once we got to Markham we started discussing how to get extra mileage in, we were going to be short so Cheryl told us where we needed to run, but once she realized we were going to add on another mile she said NO, she was almost done, she made one turn and we kept going... she still got 20 but she didn't want anymore than that.
We ended up at the President Clinton Library right at 20 miles and we celebrated by taking a little dip into the fountains... We were already soaked so why not???
We had to run around the block a couple of times to get our full 21 and Cheryl thought we were nuts but it was a mental thing. Every singke one of my long runs last summer when I was training for Chicago were miserable, and there were several runs that I fell short of the intended mileage but maybe .3 and I just didn't care I could not take one more step... so even though there isn't really much difference between 20 and 21 it was a confidence builder to know that I could keep going. My feet were hurting and I was getting tired but I could keep going, I really feel like I could have done the whole 26 easily... well not easily!! LOL
We did our usual stop for coffee and something to eat, Boulevard Bread Co. is closed on Sunday so we had to settle for Andina's but it was really good... other than Cheryl's crappy muffin, and the guy who works the counter is a little odd!!
We did a little shopping at Target and then Cheryl had some car problems and we hung out with her for a while longer, but all in all it was a great morning!!

Miss Vic's 100 mile bike ride -
This was on Saturday before our long run... it was a great bike ride, other than Bailey's flat. Gabby and James rode with Bailey, Joan and I and we all had plenty of time to chat and get to know each other better. It was brutally hot but since we were only riding 35 miles we got back before the really brutal heat!!
After the ride Bailey, Joan and I loaded up in Bailey suv and started on our four hour long "sag" mission. We really thought we were just going to be passing out water and peanut butter crackers, cokes etc. but it turned into more of a rescue mission. In the ended we ended up bringing in 6 riders and if we would have had room probably could have picked up a couple more. The heat, the wind, the distance and a wreck all contributed to the list of reasons we had to pick people up. I am really proud of Arland...we thought he was going to be one of our rescues but he was able to finish the whole 100 miles!!!!!

Weekday runs....
All of our weekday runs were 6 or 7 miles usually done early in the morning but we did have a couple of evening runs as well. Michele and I usually try to sprint the last .2, again it's a mental thing it feels good to know that at the end of a run I can still kick it in... most of the time!! LOL

Tuesday Night Flyers -
Both weeks were great... I think I am going to stick with the Intermediate level through the rest of the summer. I have had great workouts and I leave feeling good about myself instead of beating myself up like I was doing for a few weeks back in June.

Monday Night Track Nights -
I took Kylie one Monday and then the next one Aunt Tamara brought Brody, Bryson and Kylie. They all had a great time and little Brody really did great he ran all the distances... 100,200,400,800 and the mile. I ran the first 4 with him, Kylie and Bryson well Kylie and Bryson didn't do the 800, but I had to leave to meet Jane for our run when it came time for Brody to do the Mile... Aunt Tamara ran with him.
Brody and Bryson are my Cousin Jamies kids and they both look a lot like him, Brody actually looks the most like him and he has that mischevious glint in his eyes that Jamie does :) they have also inherited his running gene they are quite fast and it was hard for me to keep up with Brody... especially on the short distances, on the longer ones I tried to pace him so he could keep going... and he did!!
Kylie usually needs quite a bit more encouragement!

Family Fun -
Cousin Jame and his wife Jen came last weekend to fix Tracy's plumbing issues. I had hoped that he would be able to run part of our 20-miler with us, but they didn't get in until later in the evening on Friday and were leaving early Monday morning so a long run wasn't in the picture for him.
I did get to spend Sunday afternoon evening with them and we had a great time... Jeff grilled and Livia, Jen and Tamara cooked. I got to just sit back and hang out with the guys :)
My Uncle David and Jamie's brother Jerry were also there so it was great to spend time with all of them!!
The big event of the evening was "The Basketball game"! Uncle David is the Girls basketball coach at Mayflower high school and he was quite the basketball star in his own highschool days. Jamie was also on the basketball team and is very compettive he plays Beach Volleyball on a team in Chicago. It was fun to watch them!

I probably should get some work done.. I will try to blog about our long run yesterday a little later.