Cheaha Training Run

Run: 17 Miles 3hours 40 miles (I rounded).

WOW. Where to begin.. first of all this pace is sickening.. like really did that happen today??!! All I can say is is me and some hills are going to become best friends, like closer than anyone I know. My hill route is going to end with repeats and in the middle of the run will also be hill repeats. I will not fail at this race like the others. No wine, late nights, anyone that calls/text/facebooks me after 9PM EST will be shanked. It's game time. I did it once I can do it again but this time I'm going to have the results I work for.

OK now, I'll stop be nuts and fill you in on what I did for the past 12 hours.

My clock went off at 3:30.. luckily for me my roommate had just got home and was putting a drunk friend to sleep on one of the sofas. I felt like we should have high five on the way out.  Before getting out of bed I checked the weather...

No Rain and in the 50s?! AWESOME!!!

So it was shorts, short sleeve BD running tee, calf and arm sleeves. I was a little worried about chafing with the shorts (like always) but wanted to be comfortable. I was also worried about not having a back pocket to hold GU and bars in but thought I could hold some in a waist band I have. Spoiler: yep it happened.. double trouble crotch sweat and coolo sweat. My normal breakfast and a hot cup of coffee later and I as at the door.  I met fellow gnarly runners at 5AM(EST) and we set off... Oh and then I figured out that in my haste of doing a million things last night I forgot something..

So normally I don't take the time to paint my nails but this was the last of NYE to remain.. I got side tracked.. it happens right??

The drive was easy. I played navigator and we all made it to the bano without having to go in a bottle or pulling over on the side of the road (mostly for me).  When we arrived about 2 hours later to Delta AL we were in the dark. The two guys, who live in CST, didn't think about the hour difference.. who needs sleep anyway.. or our own map!

Ok I can pick fun all I want BUT they figured out how to read the map.. def not this girl. My help came in the form of random photos they didn't know I was taking.. oh and wasting my battery life on my phone.

It was so odd.. about 5mins after this photo was taken (course figured out.. for the most part) but the sun came up!

Cheaha really is nice.. my photos.. 

Not so much.. back seat driver?? UM NO... Back seat photographer.

We were making our way to where we thought was our first aid station...

Again.. my participation was to take random photos :)

Thank goodness we ran into a local running group (who ever never did see again even though we thought they were running the same trails we were) but they gave us directions and we made our way to the start.

Of course that's when about 10mins of getting gear ready, eating some delicious (rolling eyes) Almond Butter (no one would try it.. I just don't know why) we set off.. .02 later we stopped.. We realized our plan of attack for this training run was slightly off.. I think because I had a hand in planning it. We could either run the full way to the aid station and hope to hitch a ride back to our car OR run a out and back which was about the same miles... out and back it was.

The first two miles were led by the Marine (Marines lead the way.. or is that the Ranger saying)? He's a great runner, and only started in 2010, but his 10 min pace for the first two miles HURT. I hung on and when we finally reached the top of a HUGE hill (end of mile 2) I let the guys know we need to have a heart to heart regarding this pace. I felt back b/c we drove so far but I couldn't take it.

I have not photos to share that show just how bouldery(yes I made up my own word.. surfers do it why can't runners) Cheaha really was.

I stole this photo.. try this with LOTS of leaves covering them and varying in size. I think I would go for PM any day!! At least you don't have to A climb hills AND become a rock climber..

Nope not any of us last time I checked.

We were told going into this CH was just like PM.. UM NO. Who knew AL was a lot hillier than GA?! Like I can't even start to explain how these inclines just kept going.. and going.. and GOING. We'd turn right and go up.. turn left.. and go up.. turn right again.. and keep going. Looking at the mile splits you can totally tell when the hills were kicking MY butt.. which again made me feel bad. Two miles out..and then back.. were nothing but the above boulders.. no they are not rocks, oh and trail clearing because it's more than apparent people haven't been out there in a while. On the route back in over the boulders I thought of the book Born to Run.. lite, fast, smooth, whatever the last one was.. this section is going to require your mind to be 100% in the race.

When we finally reached our turn around section I felt okcoolo, and I know they dont' care, but regardless I still get stressed out. I think most people still getting there legs under them feel this way.  Next time I'm just going to shut up and keep going. They know they can leave if they wanted but they don't and I am grateful for it. One day I'll push through on the hills.

The aid station that wasn't... we had all the good stuff waiting for us too..

But once again I digress. We took a little bit of water we found in a cooler, but left three Gus.. even trade we thought. I felt bad about using the water of someone we didn't know so we set off and I only had a half a bottle. Typically that would have been fine but the humidity was on full blast and I just hoped I wouldn't need more than that. The guys didn't really fill up either so this is where it got interesting.

I don't really know how to read these and I might just be a baby but UGHHHHH

Apart from the banter, we are finally at the point of comfort where the jokes and stories are coming out.  I have to say I think I know more about Vitamin C than I want to and my chewable just do not measure up. For a bit we were just trudging a long in silence and I started to think about how much I love being out there. No phone, disconnected from everything and everyone that upsets me, nothing to worry about (other than the normal running stuff). I had a moment of clarity. I'm going to stop wasting time and energy on people that don't make me completely happy. I will not settle for less nor should I. I know what I want and what makes me more happy than anything and lets face it, between work and running I have time. It's so odd when I came to this realization I felt like I became lighter.. at least for a moment and then I realized I was out of water.

The guys run with belts like these.. just with two bottels. I can't do it. My hips are big enough and my coolo is def big enough the added weight make me feel like I can't get up the hills.. I mean lets face it, it's hard enough at 123 let alone with these guys too!

I actually run with this one. I LOVE IT. It's perfect and usually gets me from one aid station to the other. Plus it doubles as a protector from my falls..

Speaking of falls, we didn't really bust our butts today!! Ok so my foot got stuck between boulders, twice, and once I needed both guys help to move the boulders so I could get unstuck. SO FUNNY

Anyway..

The last four miles were hard. No water, sun coming out, the one thing I'm most worried about came true and lucky for me it was on the hardest part.. UP UP and yep UP. Yeah the march had began.. at least for the first 2 miles.  We ran in it strong.. well mostly.. and I have never been so happy to drink a bottle of water.. and to my fellow runner and friend for running ahead and bringing it to us.

Over all this was a good day only if now we apply what we know/learn to our training. I only have just over a month to get ready for my first 50K and I want to do well. Is 6 hours possible.. maybe on a good day.. is 7 hours yes.. will 8 hours happen, oh I hope not. Only time will tell.  All I know right now is A. No calf sleeves for long runs, only 10miles or less. B. I need to run more hills. C. I love the people I run with and so grateful for their help, wisdom, comedy, and patience.

I'm off to have left over spaghetti from last night and catch up with my best friend. My nights are early and quite but I love running and I do love my life and the people in it.

She ran her first 5K in December and running her first 10K in March. I am so proud of her and she's a wife and mom of 2!!  I don't know how she does it!!