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May 31, 2005

I Finished First . . . But got Third

I tend to run the best when I spontaneously stroll into races and have absolutely NO expectations. That is exactly what happened yesterday. After running for 10 days in a row - a new streak for me that I swear I have not done in over 2 years, I decided - on a whim - "I'm in shape to run 13.1 miles!" Right.

I ran 39 miles last week which is my highest since last August/Sept. so I was pretty jazzed and excited :) I have decided that even if it is only a 15 minute run, I am going to do it everyday. So far, so good. Today I will probably head out for an easy 3-6 miles. I am not going to wildly jack up my mileage. If I keep it in the 40-55 range for more than 6 weeks, I think I might have a legitimate shot at a decent marathon this fall.

So anyway - back to the half. I take a lot of writing detours, but I will try to keep myself on track. I signed up for the Lakeshore Half-Marathon which runs along Chicago's lakefront path. For many Chicagoans, this race isn't exactly "scenic." Brutal is more like it! It is semi-difficult to run straight down a lake path and then turn around and run straight back. Lake Michigan is beautiful, but it's not the Pacific! I was surprised when I found myself loving the course!! They added some twists and turns that helped break up the monotny.

We started in waves and I slipped into the second wave of runners - 2 minutes behind the first wave. I spent the first 5 miles passing a lot of the marathoners. I thought I started out conservatively, but I hit the first mile in 6:43, the second in 12:26 (that mile marker was clearly off by 100 feet), the third in 20:09, I never saw the 4th, the fifth in 33:20, and 10K in 41:41. I eased into a 6:42 pace, and I was shocked at how efficient and smooth I felt - I have not experienced this feeling since the Chicago Marathon in 2002.

I hit the turn around and I was clearly the lead woman (all of Chicago's gunners - fast runners - went to the money races yesterday; that left this race wide open for runners like me who cannot crack 1:25, but who can slip under 1:30). After 10K there were no more mile markers for the half-marathon, and I was disappointed to only run by 4-5 water stations. It must have been around 7-8 miles when all hell broke loose . . .

The half-marathon and the marathon merge, but the half goes one way and the full turns into Lincoln Park Zoo. I was running in no-man's land by myself when I hit that point, and I do not think the course marshals realized that I was running the half. My stomach dropped with nervousness because I was convinced they just told me to turn off the half-marathon course. I called to two of them standing there, "Does the half really go this way? I am in the half!" They assured me that it did so I turned into the zoo. I started to panic, but I was so confused. A few marathoners said, "The half turned back there!" Another mis-directed half-marathoner grabbed me and said, "you are the lead woman! Come on - I think they sent us the wrong way." At that point, all I could do was mumble profane words under my breath. I was pissed . . . I was so pissed.

We traveled over a mile out of our way before we re-joined our fellow half-marathoners. I had to kiss my 1:27.46 good-bye. Around mile 11 reality hit me like a semi-truck and I decided to slow to 8+ minute pace. What was the point of hammering when 1:30 - and a competitive start for the Chicago marathon - were out of reach?

I officially finished in 3rd place with a 1:37+. I cannot be too upset about running over 14 miles in 1:37! I guess this means that I will have to shoot for another half soon.

My legs feel happy and I am not that upset. My dad showed up to cheer me on, and we joked a little - he came to watch me run an 8K in Boston once, and I was directed the wrong way and ended up running 7 miles! He is convinced that he exudes some weird karma, but I still think he is my good luck charm :)

I have something to celebrate as well . . . today is my last day of work at the political office! I will work at the running store again and focus on finishing my MA thesis . . . but I am finally free.

Posted by bridget at 07:41 AM | Comments (6)

May 24, 2005

Remembering Margaret Bradley

Once again, it has been weeks since I posted an update or anything related specifically to running! I am still engaged, and I am still only running 20 miles/week, but all of that is about to change. For the first time in - well, forever - I am going to have some free time. I am quitting my job on Friday. I am going to work at the running store when called upon and I am going to focus on writing my MA thesis. Long term, I think I want to teach freshman composition - there is something about 18 year-olds that I find incredibly fascinating, refreshing, and fun. They are experiencing an odd transition from high school to college where they go from the summit to the bottom all over again; a humbling experience to be sure! They are also, in many ways, discovering the world and their own ideas for the first time. I don't mind observing that process or helping them unwind it through their writing.

But I am not writing today so much to give everyone an update as I am writing to remember a good friend of mine who passed away last summer, Margaret Bradley. I have written about her a few times, but it never seems to get easier. This weekend was particularly hard - Universal Sole in Chicago (www.universalsole.com) put on the first annual Margaret Bradley 10K. For those familiar with Chi-town, we had the race in Hyde Park and ran from 63rd Street to 47th and back on a relatively flat (but hilly by Chicago standards!) out-and-back course. A few women posted some fast times. The men and women ran at different times. At first I was a little weary of running a women's only race, but I actually enjoyed the solidarity and peacefulness of running with just women.

The day started with a forecast of rain, clouds, and thunderstorms. I arrived at 6:30AM to help out and I was unsure of what kind of mood the weather was going to throw at us. But just before the start of the race at 8:00AM, the sun peeked through and eventually dispersed the gray clouds. Not a drop of rain fell on us. I have to think, in my heart and with whatever shread of faith that I have left, that that was a sign and not a coincidence. For those of us who knew Margaret, we can assure you that she would never allow it to rain on her race :)

I still felt a twist of emotion wrapping around my body, though. I made the decision on Saturday that I was not going to race the course, but that I was going to jog it. I ran 15 miles on Saturday so I was feeling the sting of that run! 15 miles is about 75% of my weekly mileage so my legs were acting semi rebellious and giving me a lot of attitude. I hooked up with Sue from our team (a sub 3 hour marathoner and a sub 40 minute 10Ker) and we decided that we would coast the course together. I have no idea what I would have done without her - it would have been a lonely trek! Sue and I have both been bogged down by work and life so neither one of us have had the time to train correctly.

And, of course, we started too quickly - running though the mile in 6:36 and the three mile in 19:40 something. I got sick right before mile 4 - not from running too hard either. I have been struggling with some odd stomach issues that I need to get checked out. I had to stop and walk for a few minutes. Miraculously, Sue and I still managed to finish in 44:00 minutes. She stayed with me the entire time - even when I told her that I was going to drop out.

The best part of the race was feeling the spirit surrounding the race and post-race activities. Mrs. Bradley surprised quite a few of us by showing up - and winning her age group! She also wore the number 33 ... the same number that Margaret wore in the Falmouth Road Race. That was another weird "coincidence." It was good to see Margaret's mom. Ever since Margaret's death we have tried to stay in touch with each other. I suppose I see a lot of Margaret in her and maybe she sees a little bit of Margaret's love and desire in her running friends. It still feels empty when I think about her - a part of me continues to refuse to let her go completely. She loved life and running more than anyone that I know. I miss her cheerfulness, positive attitude, and undying love for the sport. I also miss telling her to pull back on the mileage when she was injured, to call the boy that she liked, and to gun for the 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials. It is no secret that she would have been there . . . whispering all along, "there's Deena, and Colleen, and Jen!" She loved everything that this sport represents and every runner who represents it well.

I miss you, Margaret.

Posted by bridget at 07:26 AM | Comments (2)