This morning I ran my first 12 miler. But wait, if I ran a Half Marathon how have I never run a 12 miler before you ask? Well see while I was training for Gasparilla Half, the week I was supposed to have done my 12 miler I did the Jacksonville Winter Beach 10 Miler instead. Maybe not the brightest idea I ever had, especially considering I did a 14 miler the very next weekend but you live and you learn.
So this morning I met up with the new running group over at Cady Way just shy of 6:30 am. It was already pretty hot and humid, the temp was 77 degrees already and I was thinking to myself, "I really should've gotten here earlier and ran before the meet up to get some miles in... this is going to be killer." But I didn't, so over to the trail head I went and met 2 of the runners already there, who coincidentally ran my pace and were headed out for an 8 miler and a 12 miler respectively. Score!
I don't know what time we actually took off but it was after 6:30 am when we finally started, none the worse for the wear, we started out easy and did the introductions and small talk that is standard when running with new people. The 8 miler was like myself, rather quiet and reserved and had her iPod on... the 12 miler was all Chatty McGee on us. *Sigh* It was just my luck. Now don't get me wrong, I love to chat when I run, but there comes a point, especially in a 12 miler in near 90 degree heat where you don't want to chat anymore. You want to just finish the effing run and be done with it. Chatty McGee didn't get that memo. Not only did she not get that memo but I think that in an effort to prove herself the far superior runner of the three of us, she made sure to stay just a few strides ahead of us at all times and shout back at us. 8 miler and I kept giving each other "the look"... and at the mile 4 marker when 8 miler took her leave of us she cast me the most pathetic look of pity ever. I genuinely accepted this look as I knew I deserved it.
The rest of the run was a full detailed account of Chatty McGee's relationship gone awry with her old training partner who left her to run with a younger, faster runner. Not only that but she kept talking about running and racing and salt and Gu's and quite frankly... I actually got sick of listening to her talk about running. Yes, I just said that. I can't believe it either. Cuz ya'll know I love to talk about running... but this was too much.
Around mile 8 aka runtard mode mile, I no longer computed anything she said and she just sounded like the teacher on the Peanuts; "mah-mah-mah mah, mah mah" You know the tone deaf one that you can't understand. By this point the temp had already exceed up near 90 and I was seeing stars. By mile 10 I had to stop and walk it out for a minute lest I stumble/pass out/etc.. Chatty McGee stopped too. I could tell she was spent AND yet she still made sure that she was ahead of me at all times. I truly think she had it in her head that she had to be faster than me... there's no other explanation for it. I would stop to walk and she'd stop, I'd start up running again, and she'd start sprinting to get ahead of me. I told her a million times if she needed to get ahead of me to just go on, that I was struggling with this heat but she just kept repeating, "No this is a good pace, you have a good pace, I need to ease up." *Shakes head and rolls eyes*
We finally made it back to the trail head in just under 2 hours, 1:58 to be exact and the rest of the running group cheered us in. Most of the other runners did shorter distances and started at 7am and a few of them had hung around to make sure we got in OK. I thought that was great and they had water. Cold refreshing, glorious water... 8 miler had hung around too and she asked me how the rest of the run went... I think my look said it all because she just gave me a knowing nod when I didn't answer. LOL!
After I collected myself a bit, 8 miler and I secretly swapped numbers so we could run together. Yup that's right, we went all stealth mode and swapped numbers before Chatty McGee could see. It's sad really. She was a nice enough lady, just not my cup of tea.
So now here I sit, showered, nursing a huge arch blister, having just finished a glorious breakfast and headed for a little nappy-poo before I hit the pool. Needless to say I will definitely be starting my 14 miler next weekend MUCH earlier... that 12 miler was Hell... and I will NOT be running with any more Chatty McGee's... LOL! Time to go enjoy the rest of this beautiful weekend...
Have a FANTABULOUS weekend ya'll!!!
So this morning I met up with the new running group over at Cady Way just shy of 6:30 am. It was already pretty hot and humid, the temp was 77 degrees already and I was thinking to myself, "I really should've gotten here earlier and ran before the meet up to get some miles in... this is going to be killer." But I didn't, so over to the trail head I went and met 2 of the runners already there, who coincidentally ran my pace and were headed out for an 8 miler and a 12 miler respectively. Score!
I don't know what time we actually took off but it was after 6:30 am when we finally started, none the worse for the wear, we started out easy and did the introductions and small talk that is standard when running with new people. The 8 miler was like myself, rather quiet and reserved and had her iPod on... the 12 miler was all Chatty McGee on us. *Sigh* It was just my luck. Now don't get me wrong, I love to chat when I run, but there comes a point, especially in a 12 miler in near 90 degree heat where you don't want to chat anymore. You want to just finish the effing run and be done with it. Chatty McGee didn't get that memo. Not only did she not get that memo but I think that in an effort to prove herself the far superior runner of the three of us, she made sure to stay just a few strides ahead of us at all times and shout back at us. 8 miler and I kept giving each other "the look"... and at the mile 4 marker when 8 miler took her leave of us she cast me the most pathetic look of pity ever. I genuinely accepted this look as I knew I deserved it.
The rest of the run was a full detailed account of Chatty McGee's relationship gone awry with her old training partner who left her to run with a younger, faster runner. Not only that but she kept talking about running and racing and salt and Gu's and quite frankly... I actually got sick of listening to her talk about running. Yes, I just said that. I can't believe it either. Cuz ya'll know I love to talk about running... but this was too much.
Around mile 8 aka runtard mode mile, I no longer computed anything she said and she just sounded like the teacher on the Peanuts; "mah-mah-mah mah, mah mah" You know the tone deaf one that you can't understand. By this point the temp had already exceed up near 90 and I was seeing stars. By mile 10 I had to stop and walk it out for a minute lest I stumble/pass out/etc.. Chatty McGee stopped too. I could tell she was spent AND yet she still made sure that she was ahead of me at all times. I truly think she had it in her head that she had to be faster than me... there's no other explanation for it. I would stop to walk and she'd stop, I'd start up running again, and she'd start sprinting to get ahead of me. I told her a million times if she needed to get ahead of me to just go on, that I was struggling with this heat but she just kept repeating, "No this is a good pace, you have a good pace, I need to ease up." *Shakes head and rolls eyes*
We finally made it back to the trail head in just under 2 hours, 1:58 to be exact and the rest of the running group cheered us in. Most of the other runners did shorter distances and started at 7am and a few of them had hung around to make sure we got in OK. I thought that was great and they had water. Cold refreshing, glorious water... 8 miler had hung around too and she asked me how the rest of the run went... I think my look said it all because she just gave me a knowing nod when I didn't answer. LOL!
After I collected myself a bit, 8 miler and I secretly swapped numbers so we could run together. Yup that's right, we went all stealth mode and swapped numbers before Chatty McGee could see. It's sad really. She was a nice enough lady, just not my cup of tea.
So now here I sit, showered, nursing a huge arch blister, having just finished a glorious breakfast and headed for a little nappy-poo before I hit the pool. Needless to say I will definitely be starting my 14 miler next weekend MUCH earlier... that 12 miler was Hell... and I will NOT be running with any more Chatty McGee's... LOL! Time to go enjoy the rest of this beautiful weekend...
Have a FANTABULOUS weekend ya'll!!!
7 comments:
Ouch- blisters are the worst!!
I relate with this...before my first half, the most I ever ran was 10 miles. To date, the half is still the farthest I ever ran actually. That will change in the upcoming months though :)
Oh I sooooo needed this story. Rough time in Otown. Glad you met a not chatty mcgee to run with!
I can't stand people like that!! I like to zone out when I'm running so when someone chats my ear off it drives me crazy, ESPECIALLY for a run as long as 12 miles!!
I run with my 2 yr old in the stroller...he never shuts up! :)
Stopping by from sits to say hi. Have a great day!
I can NOT talk to people when I run. Ihave to put on my ipod and get into a zen state or I will quit. Chatty Mcgee would not make my life easier for sure :)
Hello from sits!
I've met a few like that before and I always try to just zone out too. Or sometimes I think they get the hint when I just start nodding and not responding to anything they say. Man that makes for a long run doesn't it!
I would like to say that the chatty Mcgee post was priceless. I enjoy a fresh outlook on running and I am happy to find runners who can run and laugh at the same time. That is just cool.
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