Green Jewel 50k

Friday 3-4-11 Did nothing!!!!!! Kyle qualified for the finals in the 800m in the NCAC Conference Meet with a time of 1:58.2. It has been a real struggle for him this season but he seems to be coming around :)

Saturday 3-5-11 Green Jewel 50k - Got up at 3:30am to head to Brecksville where we had to park out cars and then bused to the start at Rocky River. It was pouring down rain the whole time and I knew it was going to be a muddy, wet run!!

The first 10 miles went very well!! Nice comfortable pace, I think around 8:15 pace. I ran with Kevin Martin and then I had to stop for a pit stop and it kind of threw me off. I lost Kevin somewhere and was on my own.

By mile 15, I was starting to feel the affect of the pavement and my calves started to feel like they were cramping. We were running through mud, ankle deep water, rain and head winds!! Not a very pleasant experience :(

By mile 20, all I wanted to do is survive!! I was runing in second for the women and I knew I couldn't catch the woman ahead of me and no one seemed to be behind me, so I just tried to hold my pace. I refused to walk until I came to the first hill at mile 24. At that point, I needed a little relief and welcomed the slower pace!!! I only walked one more hill and then painfully ran the downhill on the last mile!!

Time - 4:25.06 - 2nd woman - 12th overall

Thanks to Joe, Vince and all the volunteers!!

I have mixed emotions after this race!!!! I am pleased to have run 6 min. faster than last year and came within 5 min. of a 50k PR but at the same time, I am realizing that I am no longer able to keep up with the younger crowd! That's very hard for me to come to terms with!!!!!!!! It's not worth punishing my body and then dealing with the aftermath!!!

Kyle didn't fair so well at the finals and only ran a 1:59 but I think he will do much better in outdoor!!

Sunday 3-6-11 The plan was to meet up with some runners at MO but I was way too sore to do any kind of running!! Took the entire day off which probably made things even worse!!

Monday 3-7-11 The right calf is very sore and it hurts to walk. I pray I didn't pull anything!!!! No running again but swam 1.25 miles, 45 min. spin class and 3.5 miles on the stairmaster.