1999 Season

september 26, 1998

Regional Run

Extra - Extra - Read All about It!!

Erin runs 12 miles. All at once!!!

Today was our first foray into the double digits. I got up at 5:30 am, got Sandie and then we picked up Ileen and headed up to Sawyer Camp Trail. We got to Sawyer Camp around 7:10 or so. We hit the bathroom and did light stretching. Galen and his parents were there. It was so nice of them to come out and support us. It was so early and Galen was very sleepy.

We started off at 7:30. I was running with Kathy, Diana, Shari and Courtney. We were all pretty much together for the first couple of miles. I fell behind a little in the beginning but caught up at the 4.5 mile. I was trying a new water belt. This one holds two water bottles. I thought this would be better than the other which only holds one. The problem with it, was that it bounced a lot when the bottles were full and kept hitting me int he back. Everyone who passed me kept saying - tighten up your belt. At one point I couldn't breathe the belt was so tight. As the the bottle got lighter they bounced less and I got used to the belt.

The trail is beautiful and runs next to a reservoir. It was cold and rained off and on for the whole run. Since we were running it wasn't too cold or annoying.

We were all running together from the 4.5 mile point and the trail got more and more wooded and began to go uphill. Sandie had warned me that the last mile or so was uphill and pretty tough, but I really didn't wrap my mind around it until we had been running uphill for 15 minutes or so. At the 5.5 point we ran across a dam. The view was gorgeous. On one side was another lake and on the other side was a valley with the hills swirling with mists from the rain. I really was wishing for my camera at that moment. We ate GU as we went across the dam and then it was another half mile uphill. The coaches and captains were strategically placed up the hill to cheer us on when we felt defeated or extra tired. After all we were only half way through.

We then continued up and then down a little hill to the end of the trail where they had a water stop set up. Galen was handing out water and was looking so cute.

Then we turned around and ran back. Thank god this part of the run was downhill. I was running with Courtney and we caught up with Kathy at the bathroom, 1/2 mile downhill. We ran across the dam again and then ran together for the next couple of miles. All the while we were going up hill the 3rd, 4th and 5th wave passed us and then passed us again going down the hill. As we headed downhill, the last wave - the really fast people - passed us going up and then again when they came back down. I don't know how they run so fast.

I was feeling really good during this time. Even though it was pouring rain it didn't bother me. We were laughing over the silliest things and people were passing us and making us laugh some more. We were starting to get tired around 8.5 miles but those endorphins were kicking in and I was getting a burst of energy.

We stopped at one point to stretch and then it was so hard to get started again. The arms were pumping but the legs were not going. I had to stop after a while and eat some GU and drink. I can't run while I do this. Kathy and Courtney kept going and I ended up running by myself for a couple of miles. I thought I would be able to catch up with them again but by mile 10 I knew it wasn't going to happen. They were just too far ahead and I was tired. This trail is paved and the dirt area that] parallels the trail is inconsistent at best so the run is very hard on the knees.

A couple of times I thought I was running awfully slow because the half mile markers were so far apart. But it turned out I missed the half mile and had run a whole mile. I ran alone for awhile and after awhile Robert came by and chatted with me. Just as he came up, I got stung by a bee on my hip. It really hurt and I had to walk quite a bit for the next mile. I felt a weird flush rush through e and then pass. I was very grateful that I am not allergic to bee stings.

Robert moved on after he saw I wasn't going to pass out or anything. Eventually I hit mile 11 and I was really wondering how I was going to finish this by myself. Just then Diana came up behind me and we ran the last mile together. At the very end I sprinted in the the end mile marker.

Wow! 12 miles!

2 hours 42 minutes. That averages to 13.5 minute mile. Not too bad considering all the walking at the end. The last 2 miles were very hard but I finished.

It was very cold at the end so we booked out of there. A cold bath, a hot shower, stretching and about 41/2 hours of sleep helped me recover.