However, just in case someone reads this who also isn't interest in running long distances, here's the format of my Saturday morning runs. I start at RunTex, and run counterclockwise on the Lady Bird Lake Trail. The first mile or two are always as slow as comfortably possible. I used to start out at over 9:00/mile, but nowadays I'm usually around 8:10-8:15. (This may be a winter thing since I always start out faster when it's chilly.) After that, I'm back on the trail on the east side and I try to hit a faster but still comfortable stride. Once I get back around to I-35 (mile 5), I try to really push it until I get to Mopac (3 miles). From Mopac back to mile 0 is cool down. Doesn't that sound fun to anyone? It's like 1o mile run with a little tempo-like burst in the middle. I probably don't push myself as hard as Gilbert would like me too, but I often run on my own so I'm guessing that doesn't help. Running on the trail is nice though (and Gilbert-recommended) because it's easier on the legs and it's very easy to gauge your tempo.
Before moving on to today's event, here are some notes from Saturday's run:
- Once again, I was unable to get under 1:15 for the 10 mile loop. I'm happy enough with "fast" miles (7:05 down to 6:46), but my first 4 miles were too slow. I think my overall time was 1:15:45. (sigh...) But (and this is exciting...) no water/bathroom breaks this week --- that doesn't happen very often.
- DV came out to join me, but he was in the parking lot building at RunTex when I arrived and we missed each other. That was a very big bummer. Especially since he'll soon be too fast for me again.
- Despite the unpleasant forecast, it was actually a nice morning for a run. The temp was about right. Somehow I found the mistiness pleasant. And scenery was pretty: there was fog rising off the water and the grass was all glisteny from recent precipitation.
- I almost hate to make this public knowledge, but they've done a lot of maintenance work on the east side of the trail in the past few months and it's just awesome over there. Go run over there sometime if you get a chance, just don't bring everyone you know.
Oh yeah, and there was marathon-thing today. I've never had anything to do with any marathon, but this year I had plans to pace Pat Legate from miles 14-20, and possibly any other gazelles that were in his vicinity. We had chosen that section of the race because those two points of the marathon route were only about 1/2 a mile from each other, making it easy to come and go and hopefully make it back downtown to watch the finish. Pat was shooting for a 7:40 pace, so I figured I should be able to do that for 6 miles.
I woke up early to go watch the runners headed towards Lady Bird Lake on 1st. I waited at South 1st and Mary for a couple minutes before the lead runners came by, then it was just a deluge. I had to concentrate to pick out the familiar faces. It was easy to yell for Bernard, Gilbert, Desiree, Paul, Dawit and Woo when they went by, but I once the herd thickened up it was almost impossible.
After I the 3:20 group passed, I headed home to get ready to go to mile 14 to meet Pat. My plan was to park at 38th & Duval, ride my bike to mile 20 at Woodrow and North Loop, and then run the 1/2 mile over to mile 14. Then, once I'd finished my leg with Pat, I'd be able to ride down to the finish from mile 20 and hopefully get to see some fast people come in.
Maybe it was a little complicated, but it sound like a perfect plan to me. I spent a lot of time coming up with it, so it's a really sad how badly I botched it up. Basically I was running really late. When I parked at 38th and Duval, I realized I had about 5 minutes to meet Pat. I was frazzled so I just started riding as fast as I could and when I finally got to mile 14, I knew I was too late. Fortunately David Andrus was there wearing his gazelles shirt (which helped me identify him) and I was I able to find out just how late I was. He told me the 3:40 group should be coming by at any minute. Dammit, why am I always so late? Dammit dammit dammit.
Away I went again, chasing down the marathoners. I passed some familiar faces. Erine. Ward. Ward?! Aren't supposed to be broken or something? And a few other people in gazelle shirts that I didn't know, but to whom I gave a ring on my bicycle bell and a "go gazelles".
2.5 miles later I finally passed Pat and told him I'd ride ahead a little to lock up my bike. In addition to being serially late and disorganized, I also underestimate how long things will take me, and of course locking up my bike and stowing my jacket and helmet took a frustratingly long time. I saw Pat run by and I don't think I got on the road to go after him for another minute or minute and a half.
Once I started running, (a little before the 17 mile marker on Foster) I felt very illegitimate. I was passing people like crazy to try to catch Pat and, as a result, was getting a lot of crowd support, even some runner support. I wanted to tell them all that, really, I'm just a highly disorganized guy trying (unsuccessfully) to keep a promise. I also found I felt like shit. 5 miles of biking as hard as I could, combined with the previous day's workout, combined with the fast pace to make up the gap with Pat was taking its toll. I was actually a little worried about making it to mile 20. (I kept trying to tell myself that these people were running 26 miles, and my discomfort must be pretty meager in comparison, but I knew those sorts of rationalizations never work for me... There's a reason I don't run long distance races: I'm a something of a quitter.) I grabbed some water as I approached Pat, but was breathing so hard I couldn't drink it. Pathetically, I stopped for a few seconds, took a few sips and then finally ran up to Pat and apologized profusely for being over 3 miles late. He seemed cool with it.
He seemed to be in awfully good shape for having already run 17+ miles. And I have to say, slowing to his marathon pace made me feel a lot better too. So far, he was right on target and I told him not to let me screw things up since I had just been running a lot faster and who knows what sort of tempo I would settle into. So, at first, I let him set the pace and I started assuming a concierge-type role. When we'd approach water stops, I'd take his order and then run ahead and get it. We seemed to hit mile 20 before we knew it, and DV joined in. I figured I'd stay on until 38th and Duval, then get my car and drive down to the finish.
Along the way, we caught up to Diana Damer, a fellow nooner who was also shooting for 3:20 (same as Pat). I wasn't sure if she'd want the company, but we encouraged her to work with us. At this point, DV took over helping Pat, and I helped Diana. Eventually, Diana and I slipped about 10 meters or so back of Pat and David. Once we got on Duval, I started wondering where a good place to bail would be, but it also didn't seem like a good place to leave someone to finish the race on their own --- we were past 20 miles at this point and the course was becoming downright evil. There seemed to be hills around every corner. So I just kept on going since I had convinced myself I was somehow helping.
As we approached a hill after turning off Duval, Diana admitted she was hurting, so I encouraged her just to take it easy going up the hill... short steps, quick breaths, etc. All those things I do to make a climb a little less painful (though at the cost of speed). We relaxed and made it to the top and turned the corner and fortunately there was gentle downhill slope at this point. I don't know Diana super well, but I do know she's ridiculously tough. I never heard her complain the rest of the way in. In fact, not too long after that as we got within a mile and half or so of the finish, she started picking it up. I wasn't sure if it was intentional or not, so I said, "Um, it's your race and all, but you're speeding up, just so you know." I'm not sure if she said anything, but she didn't ease up so she must have felt OK. We passed Pat and DV and didn't let up. Finally we got to where we could see that last awful hill with about 1200 meters to go. (By the way, was that last hill really necessary? I mean, damn!) Same thing up the hill, short steps and breathe. Diana ran it really smart. As we got to the top, I could see the sign for 11th St and assumed the finish was 3 blocks on the other side. I even said, "Just 3 blocks past that intersection" Oops, there was actually a turn for two blocks before the route finished 3 blocks down at 8th. (The fact that I'm remembering this several hours later is proof of how bad I felt about that.) Still, she shook it off and once we crested the hill, she really picked it up. I mean, she sped up so much it was a finish worthy of a 5K. When we turned on to Congress we were almost running full stride. I yelled and pulled over and, as far as I know, I she kept it up for the last block and a half to the finish.
Pat and DV were about 20 seconds back and I turned and yelled for them. Then DV and I chatted about how awesome both of them did and how running 26 miles seems absolutely crazy. Though DV ran sub-3 hours in Dallas just a couple of months ago, his remark today was, "I kept thinking someone else must have run that, because I can't imagine having run it myself." I only ran 9 miles (barely more than a 3rd of what anyone who finished ran), and I was pretty beat. I have to say though, it was fun to help some of my fellow gazelles. I'd definitely do it again.
I think Diana finished 3:22 and change, and Pat was about 20 seconds back. Great job y'all! BQ's all around. For the record, though I'm sure those last few miles were hard for both of them, I don't remember anyone passing us. It's a testament to their toughness and their well executed race plans.
Next order of business, how do I get back to my car, and where on earth did I park my bike? The short story is, eventually, I resolved both of those issues I made it home and took a nice nap.
Finally, happy anniversary to me and my far-too-lovely-for-me wife Meghal. We went on our first lunch date 8 years ago today. I think the typical thing to do at this point would be to share a cute story or something but, hey man, that's personal....
