The answer is: NO!
Tried running this morning with my T/Th running partners but the back and left leg wouldn't cooperate, damn! Warmed up pretty well with stretches and exercises my physical therapist has given me, walked about 1/2 mile to the river trail (our normal routine) and then set off on an easy jog.
About 1/4 mile into it, my leg was really acting up (think bad cramps....) and then the lower back started to spasm. So just walked while the rest went on. They picked me up on their way back, so I walked about 4 miles.
Still not sure what I'm gonna do for April. Do the first 2 legs, skip the run or just collect the $150 and call it a day.
I guess the good thing is I'm not gonna do the surgery they were talking about before. May still take them up on the "big ass needle in the spine" but who really would want that!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Surf City 1/2 Marathon - Feb 3, 2008
Surf City Inaugural Marathon & ½ Marathon
Super Bowl Sunday, February 3, 2008
It was with great anticipation and anxiety that I eyed the ½ marathon event, not so much based on the course or the distance, but the weather. Super Bowl Sunday was forecasting rain from 7 AM through evening. Fan-tas-tic!
Because the entry fees had already been paid and there is always running training to be done, I considered the event a “go”. I dug out my Honda rain poncho from a LA Marathon event from years past, some water repellent pants, some gloves and layers of upper body garments. I figured the shoes would be wet from the beginning, and there wasn’t too much to do about that.
Got up at 5-ish to the southing pitter patter sound of rain. There was still time to reconsider. Nope. I needed the running work out. A head cold was no excuse; the run must go on. Some coffee and a banana, bagel, smoothie and a Cold & Cough Alka-Seltzer later it was time to suit up. Out the door by 6:15 AM to meet up with IM Steve and Poppy Seed at a Starbucks midway to Huntington Beach, to carpool and hand over Mark’s unused bib number and timing chip. His now-recurring, annual birthday and back injury pain-a-polooza was in full bloom. Mr. Man was sidelined from the run, totally dry and snoring soundly at home in a nest of blankets—lucky Mark. Did I mention “dry”?!
Poppy (“Ms. Seed, if you’re nasty”) opted to bail on the Surf City Rain Trot, and IM Steve decided to spend the “dry time” with her. So, off I went into the rain, to Huntington Beach, with an unused bib & chip. Surely, Amy Ko-ko-puff would want it. She was running “bandit” and this way she could actually finish the race AND get an inaugural medal! What could be better?
Well, Ko-ko-puff decided to get the Hell out of the constant rain and go home to someplace, oh I don’t know, someplace DRY. ^&%$ it, I thought. I’ll run with two timing chips. Lol Indeed, Mr. Man would actually have a time for this event after all.
The rain wouldn’t let up, so I jumping into an early Corral. I figured the sooner I started the sooner I’d finish or collapse roadside, hacking and wheezing with a bout of pneumonia—whichever was to come first. The rain pelted us for most of the event—sideways. The wind whistled and gusted. I saw houses flying into the air and livestock go airborne. Sort of Dorothy meets Twister. Now, where did I put those ruby red running slippers? But I digress.
The best part though was probably when we came around the bend on top of a hill on Summit Drive and found ourselves facing directly into the gale force winds and driving rain. I think I can sum up my initial and lasting thoughts for those next couple miles as “YOU HAVE GOT TO ME F^&KING KIDDING ME!” But soon enough we were out of that neighborhood and the course spit us back onto a semi-flooded PCH. Just 5.1 miles to go! Nothing too exciting after that point. Although the marathon course was parallel to us on the bike path. I made eye contact with a woman running the marathon, and gave her a smile and acknowledgement as if to say “Good for you…I’m glad it’s you running the marathon instead of me, sister, cause this just sucks a lot!” She smiled back as if to say “You ½’ers have it easy; try running 26.2 in this monsoon.” Yeah, it must have sucked to be her. ; p
The Finish Line couldn’t come soon enough. Once across the finish line, we were herded through a lengthy maze. I didn’t see any finish photos to be taken, but that’s OK. I looked like a half-drowned homeless person who had been caught in a concrete flood channel.
I figured if I was going to find any of my peeps (SFR, GGW or otherwise) they would probably be in THE BEER GARDEN! So, I found my way into that fenced in area where beers flowed. I grabbed one and was both satisfied with being done and half nauseous and working very hard not to throw up the sudsy libation. How embarrassing would that be?! Lol No sign of any of my peeps, but there was a soaking wet boy in running shorts cruising me. Even I’m smart enough to know that this must be a half-deranged, opportunist looking for a hot shower and a lifetime of playing house wife. I was having NONE of it!
I exited the cold and wet festivities and drag our soaked selves back down PCH towards Main Street. I was parked on 10th Street so I had a nice, c-c-c-c-c-cold walk back to the car. Then it was a quick ride to HB Steve and Brian’s for brunch with the boys and fellow GGW runner, Drew. Once dry and in fresh clothes, it was wonderful to have brunch with the boys and relax.
After hearing about the event and the relentless weather, Mr. Birthday Man, said he would have likely bailed too. Lol I’m glad it’s over, but I’m glad we did it. Go GGW!
jc
Super Bowl Sunday, February 3, 2008
It was with great anticipation and anxiety that I eyed the ½ marathon event, not so much based on the course or the distance, but the weather. Super Bowl Sunday was forecasting rain from 7 AM through evening. Fan-tas-tic!
Because the entry fees had already been paid and there is always running training to be done, I considered the event a “go”. I dug out my Honda rain poncho from a LA Marathon event from years past, some water repellent pants, some gloves and layers of upper body garments. I figured the shoes would be wet from the beginning, and there wasn’t too much to do about that.
Got up at 5-ish to the southing pitter patter sound of rain. There was still time to reconsider. Nope. I needed the running work out. A head cold was no excuse; the run must go on. Some coffee and a banana, bagel, smoothie and a Cold & Cough Alka-Seltzer later it was time to suit up. Out the door by 6:15 AM to meet up with IM Steve and Poppy Seed at a Starbucks midway to Huntington Beach, to carpool and hand over Mark’s unused bib number and timing chip. His now-recurring, annual birthday and back injury pain-a-polooza was in full bloom. Mr. Man was sidelined from the run, totally dry and snoring soundly at home in a nest of blankets—lucky Mark. Did I mention “dry”?!
Poppy (“Ms. Seed, if you’re nasty”) opted to bail on the Surf City Rain Trot, and IM Steve decided to spend the “dry time” with her. So, off I went into the rain, to Huntington Beach, with an unused bib & chip. Surely, Amy Ko-ko-puff would want it. She was running “bandit” and this way she could actually finish the race AND get an inaugural medal! What could be better?
Well, Ko-ko-puff decided to get the Hell out of the constant rain and go home to someplace, oh I don’t know, someplace DRY. ^&%$ it, I thought. I’ll run with two timing chips. Lol Indeed, Mr. Man would actually have a time for this event after all.
The rain wouldn’t let up, so I jumping into an early Corral. I figured the sooner I started the sooner I’d finish or collapse roadside, hacking and wheezing with a bout of pneumonia—whichever was to come first. The rain pelted us for most of the event—sideways. The wind whistled and gusted. I saw houses flying into the air and livestock go airborne. Sort of Dorothy meets Twister. Now, where did I put those ruby red running slippers? But I digress.
The best part though was probably when we came around the bend on top of a hill on Summit Drive and found ourselves facing directly into the gale force winds and driving rain. I think I can sum up my initial and lasting thoughts for those next couple miles as “YOU HAVE GOT TO ME F^&KING KIDDING ME!” But soon enough we were out of that neighborhood and the course spit us back onto a semi-flooded PCH. Just 5.1 miles to go! Nothing too exciting after that point. Although the marathon course was parallel to us on the bike path. I made eye contact with a woman running the marathon, and gave her a smile and acknowledgement as if to say “Good for you…I’m glad it’s you running the marathon instead of me, sister, cause this just sucks a lot!” She smiled back as if to say “You ½’ers have it easy; try running 26.2 in this monsoon.” Yeah, it must have sucked to be her. ; p
The Finish Line couldn’t come soon enough. Once across the finish line, we were herded through a lengthy maze. I didn’t see any finish photos to be taken, but that’s OK. I looked like a half-drowned homeless person who had been caught in a concrete flood channel.
I figured if I was going to find any of my peeps (SFR, GGW or otherwise) they would probably be in THE BEER GARDEN! So, I found my way into that fenced in area where beers flowed. I grabbed one and was both satisfied with being done and half nauseous and working very hard not to throw up the sudsy libation. How embarrassing would that be?! Lol No sign of any of my peeps, but there was a soaking wet boy in running shorts cruising me. Even I’m smart enough to know that this must be a half-deranged, opportunist looking for a hot shower and a lifetime of playing house wife. I was having NONE of it!
I exited the cold and wet festivities and drag our soaked selves back down PCH towards Main Street. I was parked on 10th Street so I had a nice, c-c-c-c-c-cold walk back to the car. Then it was a quick ride to HB Steve and Brian’s for brunch with the boys and fellow GGW runner, Drew. Once dry and in fresh clothes, it was wonderful to have brunch with the boys and relax.
After hearing about the event and the relentless weather, Mr. Birthday Man, said he would have likely bailed too. Lol I’m glad it’s over, but I’m glad we did it. Go GGW!
jc
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