A Tale of Three Runs

Wednesday:  I shifted anxiously in my seat.  Due to weather delays, I would have 20 minutes (at best) to catch my flight to Chicago.  If I missed it, I'd have to take the red-eye and arrive to Green Bay on Thursday morning, something I had paid extra so I didn't have to do that, when I bought my ticket.  As the plane landed and taxied for several minutes, I prayed.  I don't usually pray like that, but that was the only thing I could think of doing.

Just four rows from the exit, I tried to be patient as an old man (with a cane) and his wife gathered their things to deplane.  I watched the time tick by on my watch...1:34, 1:35, 1:36....When I finally reached the door, I breathed a gulp of fresh San Francisco air and took off running....1:40.  A wheeled suitcase trailing behind me, I ran up a ramp from the tiny propeller plane.  I ran through the open door to the terminal.  By the time I reached the board announcing where my next gate was, it was 1:50...and my throat felt on fire.  I ran through a crowd of people boarding a plane to Boise, ID.  "Since when do this many people want to go to Idaho?" I thought to myself.  I continued sprinting to the end of the terminal building and arrived at the gate.  I was gasping for breath and visibly shaking, I couldn't believe I had made it!

 So if I pulled a 20 lb. suitcase behind me while sprinting through the airport, does that count as cardio or strength training?

Thursday:   I set off on the streets of southwest Green Bay.  Having arrived less than twelve hours prior, I wasn't sure how the run would go.  It was barely 50F and the sun was out.  It felt great.  The dry air (compared to home) parched my throat gasping for the moist ocean air that it couldn't find.  I ran along a quiet sidewalk in a residential neighborhood.  The homes were beautiful, complete with lush lawns and manicured shrubs.  I'd forgotten how nice towns in the Midwest and Green Bay in particular appear.  As I have mentioned before, I do horrible when flying.  My legs swell up badly and it hurts to walk on them for a few days after landing.  This time, since it was just days before the race, I decided to cut all salt out from that day and drink lots of extra water.  It seemed to help, I had no puffiness at all.  Maybe just a fluke, but it was nice all the same.

Friday:  I completed my final run before the Green Bay Marathon, and let me tell you, it was torture.  In order to acclimate myself a little bit, I intentionally ran during the warmest part of the day.  It was 86F with a 20 mph south wind.  I decided I needed a little bit of speed, so I ran 1/4 mi of each mile at my 800s pace.  It was just enough distance to get some turnover back into them without exhausting fatigue.

 Source: weather.gov

The torture came in the heat.  With the wind, I sweat profusely, a mix of salt and sunscreen washing into my eyes.  My throat was dry.  The headwind wasn't relief at all, but more like blasting myself with a blow dryer as I ran along.  The only relief I found was the shade of the last half mile home.  The miles were there, but it felt horrible.  After taking a cold shower, I went for an evening walk with my mom.  It was still over 80F, but I almost felt like I needed a jacket.  Perfect.  All I wanted from this run was a little speed and some acclimation.  I got both.  Awesome.

One Day until the Marathon!