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Monday, April 25, 2011

04/25/11: Just for the fun of it.

I'm here, I'm alive, I'm back.

Sorry about the break...but Mot and I took ourselves a little vacation.

Two of them actually. :-)

Last Saturday am, we left for Arkansas.

Why Arkansas?

Because the day before we left, the Black Hills (and Western NE) had a tiny little blizzard that shut down the interstates and such. They were all clear by the time we left the next morning...but since we've JUST only gotten rid of winter ourselves...we wanted to go somewhere without the white stuff.

So, I got out a map...actually I opened up a map online (but getting out a physical map sounds more official).....and looked to see where we could go that was no more than 6-8 hours away (one way), that would be warm....but not too warm.

After much debate, and weather report checking, we decided upon the Ozark National Forest.

While in AR, I did some cross training.

Hiking.

I was barely able to walk for four days after our two days of hiking.

My calf muscles were in big bunched up balls.

Probably not the best plan with a half marathon two weeks away.

We stayed for 4 days, came home, did some laundry then left with friends on Friday am for Minneapolis.

IKEA, REI, and a quick stop at Mall of America (just because we'd never been, and wanted to check it out).

Lots of walking.

My feet hurt, but my calves were feeling much better. :-)

After travelling to the south, then to the north....I haven't run since the TUESDAY before we left.

You heard me...as of tomorrow...I won't have run for two full weeks.

The half is this weekend.

I may have taken this tapering thing a bit too far.

(silently freaking out!!!!!)

So....this week I'll be running. Short little runs. Just to get my legs back under me, and then we'll see what happens this weekend.

I won't PR, but I will finish.
I won't PR, but I'll have a good time.
I won't PR, but I'll be out there.
I won't PR, but another race shirt in my closet will be ok.

(hehehehehe)

8 comments:

C2Iowa said...

I believe that you will do well. Sounds as if there was some great R&R. Looking forward to your RR. As for not being "fully" prepared - it could be worse -- you could be me.

Nej said...

It'll be fun. And a jump start to get my rear in gear again.

Next up, breaking in the new custom orthotics my PT had made for me. This could be an adventure all of it's own. If they don't work, I'm going barefoot. If that doesn't work, maybe they can remove my feet and give me those really cool springs to run on!!! :-)

C2Iowa said...

I just noticed that you ran the IMT half at the same time I ran my first full (IMT as well). What was the half course like? Flat? hilly? packed?

Nej said...

The half was crowded in the beginning, when it winds through that downtown(ish) area, but the beginnings of races usually are...plus the half and full people were all together. When it split off from the full group, we were able to spread out more and more. Very flat, I think there was a bridge along the way that added a few inches of elevation. :-) Water stations and such were in good places.

I was going to make the IMT my first full, since I'd made it my first half....but when I saw the inaugural RnR in St. Louis hit the schedules, I signed up for it instead. Probably should have stuck with IMT (it's much flatter), but I love going to St. Louis. :-)

IMT half was a great event, would highly recommend it.

C2Iowa said...

I really liked the full after the split. I was not ready for the people darting here and there. Good course except for my falling.

Thanks for the info

Nej said...

You weren't the guy that was jumping up on the curb behind me (left hand side of the road), and bit it when catching his toe on the curb, were you?? :-)

Fran said...

Sounds like a great weekend Jen!

You will probably do better on that half than I did yesterday. I didn't finish, had to drop out because of the heat.

Nej said...

@ Fran - heat is brutal. I nearly stopped in the middle of my long run a couple of weeks ago. Keep at it, you'll get adjusted to it. :-)