Day Fifty -"Off Season"

"Running is a mental sport...and we're all insane!"

Unknown

I am recycling the quote from yesterday. The reason for the repeat of words has to do with the next paragraph I am about to write.

It started yesterday at 4:30AM. I was not a wake just yet but my friend, Jay was. Jay is a “routine” guy. Wakes up at the same time, eats the same breakfast, gets to LTF at the same time, takes close to the same locker, you get my point. Yesterday about mid morning I sent Bob an email inquiring on his and Jay’s trip to Huntsville today to run 20 miles of the course. Bob responded and stated that due to work conflicts they were not going to Huntsville but instead were going to run their 20 miles tonight at 10PM. 10PM!? I thought. That’s crazy! Why on Earth would they run that late at night especially when they both were up before 5AM and swam a hard workout, went to work, came home, ate dinner, put the kids to bed and then run? Bob tends to have irregular sleeping patterns but Jay, Mr. Does Not Deviate From His Schedule is in bed with the lights out at the time they would be hitting the pavement.

Through the tough swim on Thursday morning & the stresses of work, the Dynamic Duo took flight at 10PM to conquer the last 20-mile run on the plan as Sarah & I finished assisting Grace with her homework and headed to bed.

I slept in the morning knowing that I was going to work from home this morning. I got up at 6AM while I heard Ellie stirring in her bed. I headed downstairs in the running gear to the tempo run for today. Logging into my computer while the coffee was brewing I saw 2 emails from Bob. One was from 1:27AM stating that they had completed the run. There were some issues with Jay along the way, but all-in-all it was a good run and they kept an average pace of 8:14’s. I could sense from the email that Bob was “jacked” that he accomplished the 20 miler and felt good. Jay was not so good, but who could blame him. He jumped out of his skin to run at 10PM after being awake for 19.5 hours, working out and working hard. Just like Bob, Jay finished at the same pace. Bob was the pacer on this run and I know that helped Jay accomplish his goal.

The second email from Bob was at 5:15AM stating he was wide awake. Irregular sleep patterns…

I helped Ellie with making her breakfast and her lunch. We chatted about stuff that spilled off her brain as I prepared my stuff to my tempo run. My daughter has two sides to her. Her home side, which is a 180 from her “public” side. At home, she is outgoing, very energetic and carries on conversations from the time she wakes to the time she falls asleep. When she is at school or out in “public” she is shy and reserved. She is a very smart girl (of course she is, she gets her smarts from Mom) and I know the pendulum will swing into a happy medium as she grows.

After the task of prepping Ell’s for school was complete we had 25 minutes before the bus. Sarah had made her way down from upstairs and was not walking too well. The Osteitis Pubis injury flared up and was causing some discomfort during the night. I wish I had a cure for her but in researching the injury the only fix is rest. Sarah plans on running in Huntsville, but she has come to the realization that a 3:50:00 may not be there this year. I still have faith in her and her abilities to push through. No matter what happens I will be there for her on the run during the last 13 miles of her journey.

I headed to LTF-Johns Creek this morning to hit the hamster wheel for the tempo. The ride and gym were uneventful at 7AM. I ran the workout: 2 miles EZ, 3 miles at 6:30/mile pace, 1 mile EZ. The run was good. I did not feel taxed or labored throughout the run except for the first mile. Every time I would look at the mile counter I swore it was not moving. It usually takes me about 10 minutes to get the blood moving not only in the legs but the head as well. After 10 I am good to go.

I was home this morning waiting on a Jetta TDI to be delivered for my test driving. This is a new vehicle in my fleet of 51 cars and I wanted to drive the car to see how it handled and how roomy it is. My employees do not take to change well so this will help me sell a big change from a Toyota Camry to a Jetta diesel.
As for the rest of the runners, my sister, Tracey is running her 20 miles on Saturday. This is her last 20 as well before the Dallas Marathon. Ann Marie is also running her 20 on Saturday at the Columns.

An update on all the 20’s will be published after these two runner complete their last 20 milers.