A Crazy Week

I have got to be out of my mind! Despite running a marathon in humid conditions and pushing through to a 3:30:08 in Pittsburgh last Sunday I decided that some well earned time off was in order. Chalk up two days. Wednesday morning I hit the roads again. I figured a light 3 miles wouldn't be too far out of line and so I awoke and hit the streets of Southmont. Just past one mile my right calf felt as if it had been hit with a bullet from sniper fire. A little light stretching and jogging worked it out and a daily regiment of ibuprofen ensued.

The next race on my 2010 schedule included a possible run at the Johnstown Christian School on Saturday and after my calf incident I wasn't sure I would do it. But lo and behold, Vinsanity decided that it was a possibility and so to make sure I had a day rest before the race I went back out Thursday evening to squeeze in another three miler.

Friday was a rest day and on Saturday morning I make the trip over to JCS where one of the toughest 5k courses lay ahead. The course consists of a STEEP climb right out of the gate for about 1.2 miles. That is followed by relative flat road for about a half-mile and then just over one mile of steep downhill running. Not the greatest of conditions for runners NOT having run a marathon six days earlier.

I decided that I would simply run the race and not worry about time or chasing anybody (LOL). Of course, that strategy backfired once again, for I am a highly competitive person. And I could not listen to myself yet again. Right out of the gate I found myself on the heels of the lead runner who is also a member of the Indiana Road Runner's Club. Only once had I ever challenged him finishing just 5 seconds behind him last October at the Red Cross Vampire 5k. That was two weeks after returning from Chicago. This was only six days and I knew immediately I would not challenge him. And yet I could not stop myself from wanting to finish second. As we mad the steep climb up that mile long hill, I heard the footsteps and breathing of someone directly behind me. But as we crested higher and higher those steps and breaths seemed to fall further and further behind. By the time we crested the hill, there was no way I was relinquishing second place. And so it was, on the 8th of May, 2010 that I finished in 2nd place overall in the Johnstown Christian School 5k in a time of 21:08 (almost 3:00 slower than my PR just to give you an indication of how difficult the course is)

Despite a pretty thorough week, it also ends one of the crazier ones I've encountered in my 8 years of running. It also ended with a nice trophy for the effort yesterday to add to my collection.