Day: June 9, 2013

Earlier this year I got talked into doing an obstacle run with the girls from work. I figured it would be a good bonding opportunity. It was for a good cause. It was something that intimidated me so it sounded like something I should try. But I was nervous. Obstacles? But I have no upper body strength! And mud? UGH! I hate getting dirty! Still, I was going to suck it up, get over myself, and do it. So I registered. And then as the day drew closer I was less sure of what I was getting myself into, but looking forward to it nonetheless. Some of us girls got together to make our t-shirts last week and it was a good time. I was glad, for bonding purposes alone, that I agreed to do this. Plans for carpooling came together. And the next thing I knew it was Saturday morning and I was getting up way to effing early to meet the girls in the parking lot at work so we could leave for the race.  

We had fun in the car on the way there, then got through check-in and gear check and all that good stuff. We wandered around a bit, took some before pics, and finally lined up at the very front. We were the first people out in the first wave of the day. And we led for the first two obstacles. Literally, Jackie and I were the first two people to get to the first obstacle, and our team was first to get through the first two. There were only two people ahead of us at the third obstacle, even. We were awesome.

Dirty Girl is a 5k with 12 obstacles set up along the course. Most of them either involve climbing things, or flopping around in the mud. It is a tremendous amount of fun, it’s an all female event (with apparently an all male staff, which was kind of awesome as most of them were HOT), and you CAN go around any obstacle you’re not comfortable with or find yourself unable to do. We didn’t skip anything. No one on our team skipped anything. We did them all, and we did them together. It was awesome.

After the race we got cleaned up, had food and drinks, then headed back to the car for the trip home. It was a great day with some great ladies I’m glad I got to know better.

 

Our team (Ain’t Nobody Got Time For Cancer!) before and after the race.

June 1, 2013 was my third scheduled half marathon of the year, and the last one I needed to finish to qualify for Half Fanatics. June 1, 2013 was also the day my friend Run, Stacey, Run married the love of her life. It was going to be a busy day.

So Friday night, I drove to Washington to spend the night with my former roommate so we could drive in for the race together, as she was running it too (in her husband’s place as once again he got injured during training  *Sad Face*). Going to races with friends is always so much more fun. Mooched a pre-race beer (as I’d left the house without mine, damnit), laid out my clothes for the morning, and went to bed.

Saturday morning , we headed to Morgantown for the race. Caught up on life events from the past couple of weeks when we’d last seen each other. Got primo parking near the finish. Picked up our packets (race day packet pickup always makes me feel like I’m forgetting something), took our bags to the car, then got on the busses to the start line.

Lynn and I before the race.

The course runs along the Decker’s Creek Trail in Morgantown, WV and it’s gorgeous. It’s really pretty. Proceeds from the race go to maintaining the trail. If you are ever in the area, I’d highly recommend checking it out—a great place to walk or run. The way this course runs is ever so gently downhill the whole way (or at least very solidly most of it).

So we get to the start. Use the portolets. Kill some time (our wave didn’t start until 8:15). Then line up. I started off solid. Very strong. But I was flagging by mile 4. To the point a fellow runner said “you can do it!”.I smiled and told her this was my third half marathon this year, I would be fine. It got better after mile 4…I had a Gu, walked a little, and when I started running again my pace was a little more moderate. I settled in and for awhile a PR looked possible (I hit mile 10 just before 1:55, this is good) then got dicey, then I said ‘forget it, they can’t all be PRs. The finish will be good enough to get me what I want.’

I ended up with a completely respectable time: 2:31:39—solidly between my JASR time and my current PR from the Pittsburgh Half. I was pleased. Afterwards we went for burritos at this amazing place called Black Bear. Again, highly recommend you check it out if you’re in the area. Then we went back to Washington to get ready for Stacey’s wedding, which was beautiful and lovely and awesome and I’m so incredibly happy for her and Frank.