Johnny's...Group X style

For all those in Rochester, today was the opening of the 2011 race season with Johnny's "Running of the Green".  This year, however, I decided to run it my own way.  And not by choice :-)

Let's set the mood for my race recap, Group X style:

Oh yeah.  I am so going there.

Well, to be fair, the morning was perfect.  Awesome nights sleep, pre race coffee, oats and naner for breakfast...all normal, all good.  I'd been feeling under the weather for the last few days (sore, tired, upset stomach and food not wanting to stay "in the middle") but I woke up feeling good.  Had coffee #1 before breakfast, showered, got dressed (more on that later). and hopped in the car with the hubs to head downtown.

Mistake #1:  The outfit.  My computer read out 32 degrees this morning, so I dressed accordingly for how I usually run in that weather...tights, compression socks, base layer and long sleeved wicking shirt.  Gloves.  Ear warmers.  This would prove to be the source of much swearing 2 miles in.  Lesson learned-wear a throw away layer and gloves you don't like just in case.

Pre race: As Greg and I made it downtown, we parked at East End garage, about a mile away-hey, it was free.  I don't mind a warm up walk for a 5 mile race :-)  We got to the War Memorial Blue Cross Arena (big props for starting the race here-it was a great place to stay warm, not be too crowded and use indoor potties)  We hit the restroom, stretched and walked around.  Then hit the bathroom again.  Oh man.  I popped my emergency Imodium about an hour pre race, and my stomach was complaining pretty loudly. I tried to put it out of my mind, did a few warm ups, then went out to seed myself about 15 minutes pre race.

As this race gets bigger and bigger, the start line gets more and more ridiculous.  I seeded myself toward the front, maybe about behind 25% of people.  However, people kept crowding the front and pushing us back, so I ended up back much further than I wanted to.  Not too much you can do about it, so I worked with what I had.  The gun went off and we....stood there.  It took 30 seconds to get to the start, so I just hit the lap on my watch so I would have an actual time as well as a gun time.

Mile 1:  As the crowd thinned, I hit a decent pace and felt pretty good.  Down Corn Hill district and to the Ford St bridge, I saw Mary and shouted alcoholic words of encouragement to her, but she was in the zone (good for her!) and I smiled as I ran past.  I knew I would see her again soon :-).  Mile 1:  7:42 (not bad for the craziness of the start!)

Mile 2:  At this point the race settled in a bit.  I was feeling good and...warm.  It took everything I had to not pull off my top shirt, but Musselman '09 was a pivotal race for me, so I was not about to lose it.  I also decided I liked my ear warmers and gloves too much to ditch them at the water stop, so I settled for the running in a sauna look.  Good lesson for next race.  Mile 2:  15:32. 

Mile 3:  This is where my race fell apart.  As I hit the water stop, I grabbed a cup and swallowed some, not slowing for the nice downhill. (Turnaround time 19:01) I amused myself by looking at the folks hitting the turn around, looking for friends and my hubby!  I saw the owner of my gym blasting a megaphone, and that made me laugh.  Then....it hit.  My stomach grumbled loudly, and the creative expressive and oh-so-fun "potty dance" began.  I stopped for a few seconds to regroup, and really wished for a porta potty, or maybe some depends...no dice.  ugh.  I started running again.  Mile 3:  23:31

Mile 4:  This was almost as painful as mile 24 of IMLP.  Nah, ok, I'm dramatizing.  Start stop start stop repeat.  I was so annoyed!  My legs felt great, breathing fine, but I was in serious GI distress.  I kept reminding myself that I can handle anything for 15 more minutes...12 more minutes...10.....
Mile 4:  31:47

Mile 5:  I stopped again by the Ford St bridge to make sure I wasn't going to recreate IM Florida Poop guy
(lol, I'm not making that name up) and then tried to power through to the end.  I stopped AGAIN by corn hill  (this was getting ridiculous)...and then Painfully ran to the finish.  Mile 5:  39:44

I reconnected with a few friends quickly, then found a potty.  stat.


According to my watch, I ran a 39:18 from the start line, but chip time is chip time, so we'll go with that :-)
Actual race distance:  5.1 miles
Time:  39:44
Pace: 7:47

In all honestly, my A goal was to beat last years time (38:06) and my B goal was to go sub 40, which I did.  But I seriously seriously did not have fun getting there.  

Overall, I have to remember that this was a fun race, so I'm not upset.  I really wish I knew what my deal was.  Aside from the Oikos 5 miler

And as for now?

nataliedee.com

Damn you Immodium.  Way to be fashionably late.

I think Ill go chew on some fiber one and prunes.