What a morning!!
Up and at 'em at the crack of dawn. Not too concerned with the mileage, just waiting to get it over with. I stepped out of my door and felt the humidity. Oh boy, it was going to be a hot one.
I hadn't considered whether I would run with someone or not. By the time I had arrived I had decided that I wanted to see what it was like in the front. So I took off at the beginning. Slow pace, but it felt different being first if only for a moment. My plan: to stop at the waterstops and only if I needed to. I now know I can run 15 miles straight at a very slow pace. That took three hours. I am guessing with some walk break, cooler weather, I can do the 26 in 5 hours or less.
(And now for a brief tangent)
In bootcamp, they have a series of obstacles that one must complete for the sake of their platoon to have bragging rights. First, imagine three obstacles in succession that look like doorways make of logs. They are in ascending order. You climb one to jump onto the next and so on until you jump off the highest one and thus complete the task. The strategy is to jump at the vertical logs so you have a place to dig-in with your feet. By the way, this obstacle is called 'The Dirty Name'. Most recruits are puzzled at it's name until they make the first attempt or slam their knees into the vertical log. You grow up fast after hearing the all those names... and in different languages. Anyway, that's how I had injured my knee - so I am cautious of it now, but it's been a champ for me during this training.
Another obstacle we faced is the familiar 'Obstacle course'. About 5 obstacles of varying difficulty. (It's the one you see, I believe, in Full Metal Jacket.) To make a long story short, if that is possible; the second obstacle was always my downfall. First, you must climb on a log elevated about two feet high. Standing, you face a horizontal bar about a foot and a half above you but also about the same distance away from you. That bar is connected to a series of series of thinner bars. (Picture the rack in your oven, the straight edge with the tines extending to the next edge.) This "rack" is on a slant - downward and the objective is to jump, grab a hold of the horizontal bar and swing your legs up to meet one of the "tines". Then you slide down hand over hand with legs criss-crossed over the thinner bar. There is more to this obstacle, but you see, I rarely made it to the next phase because for some reason my timing was always off. By the time my hands met the horizontal bar and my feet swung upward, my hands would loose contact and down I fell approximatey 8 feet to the ground. I remember falling three times like that at various times in my short career, but it never ceased to amaze me. Anyway - having said all that, when I started out to run mile 16, my lower back spoke in a quiet but all too familiar twinge. Like a husband who has been married to his wife for more years than he can count, I simply nodded and obeyed. Turned around and walked back to my car. Twice I had ignored that 'twinge' and twice I was unable to walk or sit without pain for three weeks. With age does come wisdom...and twinges, and some moments of lost short term memory.

I must say, it was sure motivating to see everyone this morning. Lynn, thank you for the compliment on my derrier and allowing me to be apart of your after run prayer. That was delightfully unexpected. I usually do my 'thank you' prayers while I'm running. I do wish I could run as fast as you and Ed, but I know - just enjoy being out there. My competitive side is always in motion. To the waterstop ladies, I give my utmost appreciation. Without you I wouldn't have been able to run as far. To all the participants, thanks for the encouraging words, or head nods and eyebrow lifts - I get too winded to speak sometimes too. It's all good. And to the two blue jays that 'leap-frogged' every other tree as I ran, you helped keep my mind off the run. (I know that sounds wierd to thank birds, but I always notice bluebirds flying ahead of me when I run the long runs. It's a mystery to me.)

Lastly, I'd like to try this 'girls night out' thing again. Now, besides the weekend of Aug 20/21, I am available to do whatever. I know that you with kids and husbands must coordinate your schedules and that is why I am bringing it up now. This will give us time to plan so we can eat and chit-chat without being stinky and sweaty and tired. I am game for anything that involves food. i don't mind if you have to bring the kiddies either. But you all need to let me know, since I am the one with least obligations. ( Not rubbing it in, just stating a fact.)

Take care everyone. Go to Olive Garden before the next big run - did wonders for me. He-he!