Mom Said There'd be Days like This!

Every once in awhile you’re bound to have a real stinker of a race! Today was my day! I’m in the airport in Houston decompressing from the Armadillo Dash Half Marathon (College Station, TX). I had a sense I’d be in trouble at the start as it was in the lower 60’s at 7am and I had dressed for the 50 degree start the weather folks were saying would be the case!

At the first mile mark, I was drenched with sweat! I felt just a little “off” but was determined to put it out of my mind and try to hammer through the race…well…as much as I can hammer through any sort of run! At the 5k mark I was passed by a shorter guy who, if you can believe this, was smoking a cigar while running! The worst part was he was blowing smoke all over the place and I can say, without question, breating cigar smoke remnants during a run is not only a first but enough to make anyone queasy! Fortunately he stopped running shortly after he passed me and I didn’t see him again!

The course was a big rectangular type deal and when we hit the 10k mark we were as far away as we could be. It was a very rural race through the first 15k and then we ran parallel with a highway for about 3 miles. The wind picked up as we turned onto the parallel road and we ran into a 20mph headwind for 3 miles. For lack of a better word, it sucked!! Interestingly enough, it was so windy I had a guy draft behind me and my 6’3” 240 lbs! When he realized it made me uncomfortable, he pulled up beside me and said I was the biggest thing he could find to draft behind. He also thanked me!

About the time the drafter passed me, I felt a little twinge in my left groin muscle! It flares up from time to time and rather than push it, I thought it was a good idea to take my foot completely off the gas and limp home! Of the past 4 weekends, it was my slowest half by about 4 minutes but the good news is my worst is getting better!! I guess I'l l make a little lemonade from the bag of lemons I was dealt today!

I decided I’m not going to Knoxville for the 30k next weekend but I’m going to Avon Lake for a similar distance race. It’ll save me about 6 hours in the car and the race is ay 7am! All this flying around is starting to take it’s toll!!

8 weeks until Boston! I’ll be ready….I hope!!