Universal Sole's monthly trail race series, which is new to me, looked pretty awesome when a friend sent around a registration link to the November race. For $20 and free chili and beer, I said sure and signed up immediately.
Later, I discovered that the race started at 10 a.m. As someone who habitually starts runs at 5 a.m., this was confounding to me! I made sure to buy the hub extra good beer to make up for my parenting absence...
 |
| Starting line looks weird in the woods! |
Maybe 200 people ran an out-and-back that measured 4.2 miles total by Strava, the app I use to track runs. It was short, mostly flat crushed gravel and just beautiful, the last fall colors and leaves clinging to the trees and shrubs.
It was great to be with good friends, plus running into (and with) an old running mentor and former boot camp instructor. He gave me great advice back then, including the time years ago when I was nervous about running an 8K race when I'd never run more than 3 miles before: "if you can run three, you can run five!" he said. I didn't believe him at the time, but he was right!
It felt so lazy to "just" run that short of a distance after a few months of Saturdays with 18, 19, and 20-milers. But my ultramarathon is now just six days from today, so I took it easy and told myself to enjoy the short distance after high-mileage weeks.
4.2 miles, 43:24. :-) Just right.
***
Beyond running, this past week was fine, though with some challenges and disappointments that *could* have bummed me out... but...
As I rode the train home Friday night, I thumbed on my phone, as I habitually do.
I began rereading a bunch of separate text threads Friday between me and some girlfriends: running friend texts, old friend texts and newish friend texts. And OMG did they make me laugh.
Never underestimate the power of girlfriends! Some samples:
Old friend:
Me: I'm bummed about blah blah blah.
OF: You're awesome.
Me: More wah wah.
OF. Shut up.
Me: You shut up.
OF: Haha. I love you.
Me: You're a turd.
OF: You're a turd, too. And I could call you worse!
Me: Great, let's get lunch!
Newish, cheerful friend and occasional running partner who ran a marathon this weekend:
New, cheerful friend: How's your taper?
Me: Good. How's your taper?
NCF: Good! Just everything else is nuts as usual. Kids, work, etc.
Me: Nuts. Kids, work, etc.
NCF: Your race is so close!
Me: Your race is so close! And yes, this shit is starting to feel real! (My race is in a week, hers is this weekend)
NCF: Why do we have to worry about so much crap (work, kids, bills, etc) when we just want to waste time thinking about races?
Me: I love you. (I only think this, as I am from Nebraska and don't want to be too demonstrative, haha)
NCF: You're going to be great! You are so awesome!
Me: Damn your texts are making me all cheery!
NCF: That made me laugh! Let's go kick ass!
Awesome mama friend (not to be confused with New Cheerful Friend, who is also an awesome mama friend):
AMF: Are you going to _____ (event I don't want to go)
Me: I have to pay how much to go to that? And so-and-so is going to be there? BWAHAHAHAHA.
AMF: Agreed. I don't want to go either. We need a friendly spy in the room to report back.
Me: Let's send a drone.
***
Monday 11/3 Stretching, core and back exercises.
Tuesday 11/4 5.2 miles + voting -- Election day.
Wednesday 11/5 5.1 miles
Thursday 11/6 3.6 miles
Friday 11/7 Group Centergy class.
Saturday 11/8 4.2-mile trail race at Swallow Cliff
Sunday 11/9 5.1 miles
Total weekly mileage: 23.1 miles
Total training miles: 595.1 miles
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