Update: Dally Does Distance

I ran my race today. You may recall a tiny thread about running a 5K
when I can't? Well, it turned out to be a four mile road race instead
of a 5K. I was pretty scared about it, but showed up in running gear
and figured I'd just do what I could.

I started out slow, then tapered off. :-) But a others pointed out, I
ran faster than I do on the treadmill. When I'm running just one mile
on the treadmill I usually do about 11:30, when two miles I do more like
12 minute miles and for three miles I do more like 13 minute miles.

My splits were 11:32, 12:38, 12:18 and 12:07 for a four mile time of
48:35. I ran most of it but did a brisk walk up hills or when I just
felt tuckered out. I was in good spirits right up until I turned the
final corner after 3.3 miles. (My time there was 39:48, so I would have
beat my 5K goal of less than 40 minutes!) It was a pretty route (until
the end) and the race volunteers were real gems, so kind and enthusiastic.

But that last stretch was awful. The road wasn't clear, they had opened
it back up to traffic (as if the straggler runners were okay to hit) and
there was a wind tunnel effect blowing me off my feet with a frigid
wind. (It was 17 degrees F out, balmy to Dot but too cold for anyone
else.) I was also beat - I haven't trained past 5K. An old guy came up
on my tail and I tried to not let him pass me but I just didn't have it
in me. He beat me on the sprint (his, not mine, I had no sprint.) I
later found out that this is his first race after rehabbing a broken
ankle. He was about 70. I have to wonder just how pitiful am I?

I finished 67th. There are 15,000 people in this town and I did better
than 14,933 of them, but I came in dead last in this race. (Where were
the "fun run/walk" people I was promised?!?)

That's okay, I transformed this from a scary, challenging thing into "my
first race" that I can use as the 'before' picture. And I learned that
I really hate 4 miles: 3.11 is a much better distance for me.

I came home and stretched while I ran a hot bath, then after the bath I
took a nap. I'll do some more stretching later today. All my parts
seem to be working fine, though my legs started out leaden for the first
1/2 mile and my quads were really cold on the last .7 mile stretch.
There were a lot of hills and I felt myself digging deep for more power
from my gluts that just wasn't there. Gives me something to work on.

Thanks to all who advised me, especially the sweet tender words from the
MFW self-actualization specialists and Jenn for making this sound like a
normal thing to do.

[Cross-posted to three groups, may I please request that you limit
follow-ups to the group you read this from? (I read all three groups
but I get flames for starting cross-posted threads.)]

Dally

"Dally" wrote
I ran my race today. You may recall a tiny thread about running a
5K
when I can't? Well, it turned out to be a four mile road race
instead
of a 5K. I was pretty scared about it, but showed up in running
gear
and figured I'd just do what I could.

I started out slow, then tapered off. :-) But a others pointed
out, I
ran faster than I do on the treadmill. When I'm running just one
mile
on the treadmill I usually do about 11:30, when two miles I do more
like
12 minute miles and for three miles I do more like 13 minute miles.

My splits were 11:32, 12:38, 12:18 and 12:07 for a four mile time of
48:35. I ran most of it but did a brisk walk up hills or when I
just
felt tuckered out. I was in good spirits right up until I turned
the
final corner after 3.3 miles. (My time there was 39:48, so I would
have
beat my 5K goal of less than 40 minutes!) It was a pretty route
(until
the end) and the race volunteers were real gems, so kind and
enthusiastic.

But that last stretch was awful. The road wasn't clear, they had
opened
it back up to traffic (as if the straggler runners were okay to hit)
and
there was a wind tunnel effect blowing me off my feet with a frigid
wind. (It was 17 degrees F out, balmy to Dot but too cold for
anyone
else.) I was also beat - I haven't trained past 5K. An old guy
came up
on my tail and I tried to not let him pass me but I just didn't have
it
in me. He beat me on the sprint (his, not mine, I had no sprint.)
I
later found out that this is his first race after rehabbing a broken
ankle. He was about 70. I have to wonder just how pitiful am I?

I finished 67th. There are 15,000 people in this town and I did
better
than 14,933 of them, but I came in dead last in this race. (Where
were
the "fun run/walk" people I was promised?!?)

That's okay, I transformed this from a scary, challenging thing into
"my
first race" that I can use as the 'before' picture. And I learned
that
I really hate 4 miles: 3.11 is a much better distance for me.

I came home and stretched while I ran a hot bath, then after the
bath I
took a nap. I'll do some more stretching later today. All my parts
seem to be working fine, though my legs started out leaden for the
first
1/2 mile and my quads were really cold on the last .7 mile stretch.
There were a lot of hills and I felt myself digging deep for more
power
from my gluts that just wasn't there. Gives me something to work
on.

Thanks to all who advised me, especially the sweet tender words from
the
MFW self-actualization specialists and Jenn for making this sound
like a
normal thing to do.

I am ALWAYS right, BITCH!!

Oh, and congratulations.

[Cross-posted to three groups, may I please request that you limit
follow-ups to the group you read this from?

Yes. You may request.

(I read all three groups
but I get flames for starting cross-posted threads.)]

Nelson Ha ha! /Nelson

David
--
"However I plan to keep posting here about whatever matter I fancy,
including, as the case may be, anatomical details of your deceased
female ancestors in chronological order."---Lysis

"Dally" wrote

snip race saga

[Cross-posted to three groups, may I please request that you limit
follow-ups to the group you read this from? (I read all three groups
but I get flames for starting cross-posted threads.)]

Two points Dally.

Congrats on the run.

If you want to post to three newsgroups, it may be asking a little to much
for others to limit their responses to a single newsgoup. If you want a
thread in three different newgroups. Take an extra minute and make three
original posts.

See how simple that was?

Lee

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 14:37:23 -0500, Dally wrote:

I ran my race today. You may recall a tiny thread about running a 5K
when I can't? Well, it turned out to be a four mile road race instead
of a 5K. I was pretty scared about it, but showed up in running gear
and figured I'd just do what I could.

(rest of awesome post snipped)

Dally
To me you are a hero For someone who doesn't run at all, but walks
plenty, can't imagine doing what you have done today. It must feel
wonderful to have this under your belt, no matter how hard it was at
the time.
Good for you!
janice

Dally wrote in
:

I ran my race today.

Dally


Dally!! You are my inpiration for the day! A BIG congrats on your
accomplishment. We are very proud of you and I know you are proud of
yourself.



365/220/200

"Dally" wrote in message
...
I ran my race today. You may recall a tiny thread about running a 5K
when I can't? Well, it turned out to be a four mile road race instead
of a 5K. I was pretty scared about it, but showed up in running gear
and figured I'd just do what I could.

I started out slow, then tapered off. :-) But a others pointed out, I
ran faster than I do on the treadmill. When I'm running just one mile
on the treadmill I usually do about 11:30, when two miles I do more like
12 minute miles and for three miles I do more like 13 minute miles.

My splits were 11:32, 12:38, 12:18 and 12:07 for a four mile time of
48:35. I ran most of it but did a brisk walk up hills or when I just
felt tuckered out. I was in good spirits right up until I turned the
final corner after 3.3 miles. (My time there was 39:48, so I would have
beat my 5K goal of less than 40 minutes!) It was a pretty route (until
the end) and the race volunteers were real gems, so kind and enthusiastic.

But that last stretch was awful. The road wasn't clear, they had opened
it back up to traffic (as if the straggler runners were okay to hit) and
there was a wind tunnel effect blowing me off my feet with a frigid
wind. (It was 17 degrees F out, balmy to Dot but too cold for anyone
else.) I was also beat - I haven't trained past 5K. An old guy came up
on my tail and I tried to not let him pass me but I just didn't have it
in me. He beat me on the sprint (his, not mine, I had no sprint.) I
later found out that this is his first race after rehabbing a broken
ankle. He was about 70. I have to wonder just how pitiful am I?

I finished 67th. There are 15,000 people in this town and I did better
than 14,933 of them, but I came in dead last in this race. (Where were
the "fun run/walk" people I was promised?!?)

The fun/walk people probably don't come out in the cold weatherg

Congratulations! You now know you can do it and I'm sure you'll do nothing
but improve with each upcoming race. You should be quite proud of this
accomplishment. I can almost guarantee you that there were no other first
timers in the group.

Beverly

That's okay, I transformed this from a scary, challenging thing into "my
first race" that I can use as the 'before' picture. And I learned that
I really hate 4 miles: 3.11 is a much better distance for me.

I came home and stretched while I ran a hot bath, then after the bath I
took a nap. I'll do some more stretching later today. All my parts
seem to be working fine, though my legs started out leaden for the first
1/2 mile and my quads were really cold on the last .7 mile stretch.
There were a lot of hills and I felt myself digging deep for more power
from my gluts that just wasn't there. Gives me something to work on.

Thanks to all who advised me, especially the sweet tender words from the
MFW self-actualization specialists and Jenn for making this sound like a
normal thing to do.

[Cross-posted to three groups, may I please request that you limit
follow-ups to the group you read this from? (I read all three groups
but I get flames for starting cross-posted threads.)]

Dally

Congratulations Dally on completing the race. It just gets better from
there.

Paul

"Dally" wrote in message
...
I ran my race today. You may recall a tiny thread about running a 5K
when I can't? Well, it turned out to be a four mile road race instead
of a 5K. I was pretty scared about it, but showed up in running gear
and figured I'd just do what I could.

I started out slow, then tapered off. :-) But a others pointed out, I
ran faster than I do on the treadmill. When I'm running just one mile
on the treadmill I usually do about 11:30, when two miles I do more like
12 minute miles and for three miles I do more like 13 minute miles.

My splits were 11:32, 12:38, 12:18 and 12:07 for a four mile time of
48:35. I ran most of it but did a brisk walk up hills or when I just
felt tuckered out. I was in good spirits right up until I turned the
final corner after 3.3 miles. (My time there was 39:48, so I would have
beat my 5K goal of less than 40 minutes!) It was a pretty route (until
the end) and the race volunteers were real gems, so kind and enthusiastic.

But that last stretch was awful. The road wasn't clear, they had opened
it back up to traffic (as if the straggler runners were okay to hit) and
there was a wind tunnel effect blowing me off my feet with a frigid
wind. (It was 17 degrees F out, balmy to Dot but too cold for anyone
else.) I was also beat - I haven't trained past 5K. An old guy came up
on my tail and I tried to not let him pass me but I just didn't have it
in me. He beat me on the sprint (his, not mine, I had no sprint.) I
later found out that this is his first race after rehabbing a broken
ankle. He was about 70. I have to wonder just how pitiful am I?

I finished 67th. There are 15,000 people in this town and I did better
than 14,933 of them, but I came in dead last in this race. (Where were
the "fun run/walk" people I was promised?!?)

That's okay, I transformed this from a scary, challenging thing into "my
first race" that I can use as the 'before' picture. And I learned that
I really hate 4 miles: 3.11 is a much better distance for me.

I came home and stretched while I ran a hot bath, then after the bath I
took a nap. I'll do some more stretching later today. All my parts
seem to be working fine, though my legs started out leaden for the first
1/2 mile and my quads were really cold on the last .7 mile stretch.
There were a lot of hills and I felt myself digging deep for more power
from my gluts that just wasn't there. Gives me something to work on.

Thanks to all who advised me, especially the sweet tender words from the
MFW self-actualization specialists and Jenn for making this sound like a
normal thing to do.

[Cross-posted to three groups, may I please request that you limit
follow-ups to the group you read this from? (I read all three groups
but I get flames for starting cross-posted threads.)]

Dally

Congratulations, Dally! Don't you feel great just having done it? It
doesn't matter where you placed. For the running you've been doing so
far, this was a very fine time!

I need to butch up sometime and run in a race. But I will do one in
better weather :-).

Meanwhile, I have to do some weightlifting meets -- first one next
weekend These make me a lot more nervous than a race would, I think,
because when you lift you're on stage alone and everyone is watching
you. And there's no equivalent of "just walk for a while if you can't
run". You either make the lift or you mess up. And... if you think
you feel self-conscious wearing spandex in a crowd of runners, try
getting up on a stage in front of people in a lifting singlet! :-).
If interested, you can see a singlet like mine he
http://www.dynamic-eleiko.com/products/liftingsuits.htm
Mine is the red Lady's Club Suit. It's very thin spandex, too -- not
like my nice sturdy Lands' End leggings.

Chris

Chris Braun wrote:

Congratulations, Dally! Don't you feel great just having done it? It
doesn't matter where you placed. For the running you've been doing so
far, this was a very fine time!

I need to butch up sometime and run in a race. But I will do one in
better weather :-).

I imagine ALL your weather is better than this! Well, not so, I
wouldn't want to run in Maryland summer heat & humidity.

Meanwhile, I have to do some weightlifting meets -- first one next
weekend These make me a lot more nervous than a race would, I think,
because when you lift you're on stage alone and everyone is watching
you. And there's no equivalent of "just walk for a while if you can't
run". You either make the lift or you mess up. And... if you think
you feel self-conscious wearing spandex in a crowd of runners, try
getting up on a stage in front of people in a lifting singlet! :-).
If interested, you can see a singlet like mine he
http://www.dynamic-eleiko.com/products/liftingsuits.htm
Mine is the red Lady's Club Suit. It's very thin spandex, too -- not
like my nice sturdy Lands' End leggings.

Yup, that sounds terrifying. I guess my advice is to show up and do
what you can and give yourself a whole bunch of gold stars just for
showing up. (Did you notice how I placed myself 67th out of 15,000 in
my race?)

I was impressed by how positive people were. There were no whispers of,
"what's the fat chick doing in our race?" It was all "way to go, you can
do it" sort of banter. I was an inspiration in my feebleness, LOL!

And I performed a civic kindness by coming in last so no one with a more
tender ego than mine had to do it. Would that attitude help you any?

Good luck!

Dally

"Dally" wrote in message
...
But that last stretch was awful. The road wasn't clear, they had opened
it back up to traffic (as if the straggler runners were okay to hit)...

Sometimes natural selection just isn't enough.