I'm back home and (kind of) back to a running routine. Between heat and jet lag I'm still only doing about 4 times a week and I would prefer to be up to 5.
I did a 5K and a half marathon but I was sort of disappointed with the results. The 5K wasn't so bad but I found that Maryland is MUCH more hilly than Tokyo. MUCH!!!! It makes a big difference in how a 5K feels.
As for the half marathon. . . . I did finish which surprises some people when I tell them I had a killer flue. I felt sick before the race and I should have knows something was up before we started when Licia kept saying 'it's hot. It's so hot.' and I kept telling her 'no it's really cool.' in 90 degree weather. As soon as I started running I felt down right cold. Every breath of wind gave me chills. I managed to keep running the first 16K but just couldn't keep going. At first I thought I would just walk at the water stations but . . . well. . the walking sections kept getting longer and longer. I walked most of the final five I think. When I was finished and got back in the car I started shaking wildly and soon after we got home throwing up again and again. Missy thought it was heat stroke but I had some other less delicate symptoms that made me believe it was the flue a theory that was shown true the next day when Missy (who hadn't run in the heat) went through a copy of all I had experienced.
So I have an excuse for my terrible time. More than 20 minutes slower than my last half marathon. But I know I also hadn't been training as much as I should have been and even though the race was a 'flat' race, it was still much hillier than Tokyo. So I have to get back to training much harder and doing longer 'long' runs and hopefully the next halfer will go better.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Thunder and Lightning
I showed up nice and early Saturday afternoon for The Darcars Rotary Twilight Runfest at Rockville Town Square. It was quite hot and humid (as to be expected for mid-July) with predictions of thunderstorms. As it started to get dark shortly before the scheduled start of the race gray clouds rolled in and an impressive display of lightning started up. This continued as the start time approached so the race director unsurprisingly announced a 30 minute delay and instructed everyone to find shelter. A bunch of us were shooed out from under the shop eves over to the parking garage as a safer location. The sponsor and food tints were taken down so that everyone could get to shelter. More dark clouds came in, wind blow, and lighting continued although no rain came. After about an hour with no indication of an end of the lightning storm they announced that the race was canceled and asked everyone to turn in their chips. The Twilight Runfest 8K is one of MCRRC’s big premium races of the year with about 2000 runners and a large number of volunteers so everyone was disappointed, none the less I do not think anyone could fault the decision. It has been nearly a year ago since I joined MCRRC and is almost time to renew. Time goes by fast. Next race coming up is Riley’s Rumble the “evil half.”
Happy Birthday Licia
Licia has started the Blue Crab Bolt 10K Trail Running Series and on her birthday weekend did this:
| 140 | 99 | Licia | Scearce | 52 | F 50-59 | Silver Spring MD | 1:13:31 |
that was out of 217 runners.
picture here
Go look at these photos! What a beautiful run.
Progress?
So far so good.
I have run 3 times since my last post. I didn't make 3 in a week last week. It was close but mom had to work late both nights last weekend so I missed my third run. So this week I am aiming for Monday and Wednesday and Friday instead of Tuesday and Thursday and Saturday. I am doing a mile loop near home. I hope to do that until I can do 3 quick loops.
Once I am happy with my 5k-ish runs I will look into joining the Frederick Steeplechasers.
I am finally into Zombies, Run! season 2.
Expect the next triumphant post next week.
Here's my running park in the daylight instead of the post kids-in-bed twilight that I usually see.
I have run 3 times since my last post. I didn't make 3 in a week last week. It was close but mom had to work late both nights last weekend so I missed my third run. So this week I am aiming for Monday and Wednesday and Friday instead of Tuesday and Thursday and Saturday. I am doing a mile loop near home. I hope to do that until I can do 3 quick loops.
Once I am happy with my 5k-ish runs I will look into joining the Frederick Steeplechasers.
I am finally into Zombies, Run! season 2.
Expect the next triumphant post next week.
Here's my running park in the daylight instead of the post kids-in-bed twilight that I usually see.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Try Try Again
While I have not yet returned to perfect health, being with Kathryn and Licia and watching them do so well, has spurred me to get off my butt.
I made a deal with David: I run three times a week and he takes me out to eat on the weekend.
Yesterday I tried out Watkins Park .
It has a 1 mile-ish loop and some shade and a big hill. It is very close to my house and is pretty well populated.
I took my mom with me to have some company. I want to encourage her to walk in the evenings so this may be a great spot for that.
We are in the process of potentially adopting a dog and this could be a good place for a dog walk as well.
There is a dog park there.
The loop is so small that I can complete it no problem even with my long runningless time.
Wish me luck for two more runs this week.
I am going to try to do one of these entries a week to keep myself honest.
I made a deal with David: I run three times a week and he takes me out to eat on the weekend.
Yesterday I tried out Watkins Park .
It has a 1 mile-ish loop and some shade and a big hill. It is very close to my house and is pretty well populated.
I took my mom with me to have some company. I want to encourage her to walk in the evenings so this may be a great spot for that.
We are in the process of potentially adopting a dog and this could be a good place for a dog walk as well.
There is a dog park there.
The loop is so small that I can complete it no problem even with my long runningless time.
Wish me luck for two more runs this week.
I am going to try to do one of these entries a week to keep myself honest.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Monday, July 8, 2013
A first time for a lot of things.
Licia and Kathryn did the Chestertown Half Marathon this weekend.
This is the first Half Marathon for Licia and the 2nd for Kathryn. It was swelteringly hot and it was a tiny event. There were 35 finishers for the Half Marathon in total.
The best news is that Licia (did I mention this is her first Half Marathon) got first place in her age bracket.
This is the first Half Marathon for Licia and the 2nd for Kathryn. It was swelteringly hot and it was a tiny event. There were 35 finishers for the Half Marathon in total.
The best news is that Licia (did I mention this is her first Half Marathon) got first place in her age bracket.
Female 50 to 59
Chip Gun
Place Name City Bib No Age Overall Time Time
1 Licia Scearce Silver Spring MD 34 51 24 2:22:34.7 2:22:38.7
Kathryn finished despite being sick at the beginning and having the cold shakes in the car on the way back (mmm jet lag plus sick).
She wishes everyone to know that she was not last.
Hail the virtuous runners!
Monday, July 1, 2013
Women's distance festival 5k and some family reunion.
Kathryn is here from Japan. Originally we were planning to do our big marathon once she came to the USA but none of us are quite up to that so she and Licia are doing some smaller races including this weekends Howard county Strides Women's Distance Festival 5K.
89 Scearce, Licia F51 Silver Spring M F50-54 11 of 48 09:36 29:46.98
185 Mori, Kathryn F38 Nerima-ku F35-39 25 of 38 11:46 36:28.98
Kathryn who is very competitive asked where she finished in the pack so I will state for the record that there were 322 runners finishing this event.
I spent the race playing with Erena. I feel pretty useful for doing that but also so discouraged not to be running the races with them.
I have been almost a week with out any sign of staph infection and once I hit the 10 day mark I am getting out there and running!
I even bought season 2 of Zombies, Run!
Next week a metric marathon.
* Running pictures from the Howard County Striders Photo site.
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