YUT-C 50k

Friday before the race, no running, only boot camp, 2 hr. nap, and Keith's football game. Buy the way, they won in an OT, 20-14 against Danville. Keith scored the second touch down, his first varsity score!!!!!

Mark and I got up at 4:30am to get ready for the race, so we could leave around 5:00am, but of course we left late!! However, we got to the race site in Youngstown in plenty of time for my pre-race rituals. LOL I was really nervous for some reason. I think I set goals for myself and I really wanted to meet them. I felt better once I was there amoung my friends and fellow runners. The race started at 8am sharp after Bob Combs gave us race instruction. I had no idea what he was talking about when it came to the course instruction. I just prayed to God that I could follow someone throughout the race. It turned out, that the course was well marked! Thanks to Bob Combs and the volunteers for a well organized race!!

I set the pace alittle to fast in the beginning. I knew I was, but I was feeling good and I thought why not!! When Mark Carroll came up beside me around mile 10 and asked me what the hell I was doing, I thought, oh, no I am running to fast and a glance at my watch told me that I was running about 7:30 min. miles!! Way, way, too fast!!!!!

We had to run a figure eight, doing the top part twice and then the lower part twice. The course is very technical with rocks and roots throughout the entire course. After doing the top loop twice and running back to the start/finish, I was still feeling fairly good as I started the lower loop for the first time. That's when I fell!!! I fell hard!! Hard enough to shake me up and lose my focus!! Right after I fell, I heard someone else go down and there was Mark Carroll laying on the ground saying some choice words!! We walked for a few seconds before we started to jog. Mark picked up the pace and encouraged me to stay with him but I just couldn't. The fall threw me off and I kind of lost it!! I was bleeding from my right shin and my right ankle hurt. I lost my focus and drive and totally slowed down :( It took me about 5 miles to regroup and try to save the race. I was running in first place for the women and had no idea how far back the second woman was. My plan, just keep on running!! It worked and I was able to refocus . With one more time around the bottom loop, I started to feel better. The worst part about the bottom loop was the monkey hills. Up, down and around steep hills!! Once I got through that the last time, I was good to go and finished fairly strong!! 1st place woman, 10th overall, 5:19 Very please since I reached all my goals :)

My plan was to run the Mansfield Y half marathon on Sunday. However, when I woke up, I was so stiff and sore, not from running but the fall. The right side of my body was pretty beat up! Bruised and swollen ankle, shin, hip and elbow, not to mention the gash on my right shin!! I scratched the idea of the half and headed out on the trails. I got in 8 slow miles but I think it helped loosen me up!

Today, boot camp, 8.2 miles and 1.25 miles in the pool with 400yd pull. Still sore from the fall but it's not bad once I am loosened up. I guess when an old lady goes down, it takes a while to recover! LOL