Boston Training 2020: Week 12: the time when I ran a 13.1 and everything went wrong

Last week was a decent week. All runs outdoors. Highest mileage in basically a year.

Tuesday was hill day, and since I needed to vote I ran over Bitch Hill and then over to the town office (also on a hill)

It was a decent enough run but I was first aggravated by some GI issues, and then it got very dark, very quickly. (Yes, I know what time sunset is. But as dusk arrived it also became quite cloudy.)

After an easy run Wednesday, I was ready (ish) to tackle mile repeats on Thursday. 

Overall, I felt good about this workout. It was a pretty windy day, and fighting wind while doing speedwork is no joke. Out of the 6 reps, I believe the slowest was a 7:35 (wind) and the fastest was 7:21 (literally being chased by a pack of junkyard dogs. really. it happened.)

One but of misfortune did occur. 

My speedwork road is located right next to the outdoor gun club (they shoot skeet, and such) As I passed by, an unexpected gun went off, causing me to jump in surprise. When I landed, I completely rolled my left ankle over. RIGHT over. Of course I did..... After a bit of hippity-hopping around, I felt fine and continued on. 

Fast forward to Saturday, and I couldn't figure out why the outside of my ankle was really sore. (I did remember, because I am not that forgetful.) I ran a few easy miles that day and felt basically ok. I did notice a little tightness while going uphill, but nothing to get worked up about. 

I did a few easy miles, and then we took my cousin and husband out for a beer. (we actually drove over there like ordinary humans)

Beers with friends <3 td="">

On Sunday, I woke up and felt like I had broken the pinky toe on my left foot. I, literally, was like "what the fuck??" I could not bend my toe without discomfort- it was the VERY strangest thing. I ran around the house for a moment, and things felt fine. It was the strangest thing- I really could NOT bend my toe without feeling like it had been dislocated, but I could walk and run around just fine. 

This being determined, I continued with my plan. 

My plan was to head to NH and run a 5 mile warm up, and then the half marathon (on nice, flat ground) with 8-10 miles at/near marathon pace (anywhere between 8-8:15) 

It was a pretty nice day. Dry roads, no snow at all, sunny and beautiful and windy AF. (typical) 

My 5 miler was nothing exciting at all. Basically, laps around the start area with a couple stops to pee, change clothing, and grab my race gear. After standing in a needlessly long bathroom line, I discovered two more, basically unused bathrooms a bit farther from the start. YAY!

When the race portion of my day began, I was very pleased with how my legs felt. I was dropping a solid (just sub 8) pace without even breaking a sweat. I have been waiting for a breakthrough workout this cycle, and thought that this was it. 

YEAH. Then, at mile 3 I needed the restroom. Since I had already scoped out every bathroom option, I dashed into one of the ones close by the start, as the race route took us on a loop past there within the first 3 miles. I (delightfully) discovered that lady time had made an appearance. Early. Uninvited. Unprepared. YAY FUCKING YAY. 

So, there was that. 

Plus, some really debilitating cramps that began showing up around mile 4. I was like "body, are you actually serious???"

And my body was like "yes, enjoy the ride."

And, of course, because my female parts were losing their ever loving minds, my whole GI system began to panic. I know there was a porta potty at mile 10.2 (FYI: one on course bathroom is not enough, in any world, ever.) So from mile 5 to mile 10 I basically skipped along, clenching my butt cheeks together. 

It was cute. 

Finally, the bathroom was in sight. 

I dashed up to it!!!

And it was locked up tight with a zip tie. I could not believe my eyes. 

Since it was next to a water stop, I asked for assistance (and suggested that next year, the bathroom should be opened PRIOR to the race... FFS.) Anyway. This took some time. 

Oh, and also? While I was running along, period in full swing, poop action making things EXTRA fun, my damaged left leg also began to holler. SO many things going wrong. ALL if them. It was not my shin, or even my broken toe, but my KNEE of all things. And my knee never hurts, so this was extra freaking bizarre. 

OK so where was I.

Right. Potty open, business taken care of. 

I left the bathroom and reached into my flip belt for a Huma Gel, and (of course) it was GONE. 

Of course it was. Why would it not have been??

So final 3 miles. 

-Period on full blast

-Hungry/hitting full wall. Big wall. 

-Knee, occasional weirdness

-Stomach, still bumming out

PURE FUCKING MAGIC. 

I still managed to finish in 1:48:43, which (remarkably) still meant I hit my goal paces. Only a couple miles over MP, so yay? UGH.

How I felt

I always say that I can handle a single system breakdown. But this was FULL chaos. I needed to go to the ICU of shitty running after this, as it was just head to toe chaos. 

But speaking of toes, my toe was fully normal and fine after running. So who knows what the hell that was all about. 

So a good week. Definitely putting in some work. Some terrible work. 

Total miles: 50.7
Long run: 18
Coldest Day: Not very cold. It was chilly and windy on Saturday (I don't think it was even 40) but nothing terrible. 

Snow? NO
Random: When people ask how to locate me in a crowd, I give a valid clothing description and say "and I am shorter than you are expecting" As much as I hate to say it (because I feel big) 90% of the time people say those exact words to me, so I assume it is true.