2013 - January - April

The shoulder though was NOT getting better.  The Harry Rosen Spring Run-off was weeks again and my training was limited to half an hour on the treadmill. I had to loop my hand into my running bra and run that way. Not easy folks, not easy.  Finally I was talked into getting a cortisone shot just before Valentine’s Day – it was possibly one of the more painful experiences I’ve had to date vis a vi medical procedures.  The joint in which the cortisone was administered hurt for about 4 weeks. Then the pain – all of the pain, was gone. (Okay I’m lying about 98 % of all the pain was gone).  My training on the treadmill continued – as was water running.  I could run for about an hour at a time. I put on a good movie (Bourne Trilogy) run like I was helping Matt Damon save the world, mileage wasn’t going to knock anyone’s sock off but HEY I WAS RUNNING.

My goal was to have run the Green Jewel 50k in Cleveland, Ohio at the beginning of March. With my training being so underwhelming, there was no way I was going to participate in that race. I went and cheered on my crew of girls I had trained and Keith as well. While trying to encourage Karen C & Cindy into the finish I ran beside them --- OMG --- in hiking boots with my winter coat on and I did it! There were no more excuses; I would have to start training in the great outdoors now! Damn. No more safety of the basement. No more saving the world with Matt. I was getting shipped out into the real world.

Keith and I ran the Spring Run-off together.  My time was slower than the year before which was a bit of a letdown, but let me say that I KILLED that hill at the end. I ran the WHOLE thing from bottom to top without stopping.  That in itself was better than anything I had hoped to accomplish!

I had in the back of my head to go with Keith to the Outrun 24 hour race … and just have some fun and run what I could.  April 13^th I was offered the opportunity to run in Cindy’s stead at the Marden Half Marathon, if I could finish that – it would be the longest distance I had run since the MCM marathon in October.
I put on my Saucony’s, begged a rain poncho from Nancy Chong ( a fellow Barrie Road Runner) and got my groove happening. I ran with Karen C, Karen D and Bruce D. Karen C took off, her membership to Cross Fit was paying off in dividends. Karen D, Bruce and I kept it at a decent clippety clop. By the time we got to the turnaround at the half way point, I was feeling pretty good, by the time 17 k hit both Karen D and I started picking up the pace. We finished side by side in 2:28… I felt good about that. I felt very good about that!

That solidified my decision to sign up for the O24 run.  I wanted that 100km medal. I had a plan … I dreamed my plan… I had a plan for my plan.  24 hours divided by 4 is 6… so I would have 6 hours to run 25 km… every doable. I could take a couple hours break and start running again.  Sounded like a solid plan. I was in!

We stayed overnight the night before with Dave (who we had met at BR 100 volunteering) and his wife Sandra. Dave was going to attempt 100 miles in 24 hrs as well Keith.  O24 is a one mile loop in the Cleveland Metro Parks area of Kirtland. So literally you only had one more mile each time you came to the start/finish area.  I managed 50k in just over 7 hours, I sat down for a while and was deciding if I could do 50 more. I felt awful. I didn’t think I would be able to continue.  But I kept drinking my Isagenix  Want More Energy, having Isalean Shakes and talking to myself… changed my plan … just keep going. Never mind doing this in quarters. Keep running. 

My girlfriend Francoise who lived in Cleveland showed up to walk a couple of loops with me as well. Dave’s friend Ben Kimball wanted to do 100k as well. He had never run more than 50k either. So we teamed up and ran together.  I was the drill sergeant, I said when we walked, when we ran, enforced eating and foot maintenance.  When we reached 56 miles (84 km) a double marathon we high fived each other, and continued with our quest.  For me everything over 50k was gravy and I was having a great time talking to folks as they passed me or if I passed them.  I made new friends. It was all awesome. It was all gravy! Ben and I broke it down to manageable pieces. 5 more loops, then once those 5 were completed. 5 more loops, then 3 loops after that. Then 2 loops after that .. etc.  Until we got 62 loops in. 100 km medal was indeed all mine!  Ben and I are solids now!  You bond over successes like that!  I’ll crew him whenever he wants me to. I’ll get him to his goals.  He wanted to quit – I wouldn’t let him.  I can say with honesty – I made him finish.  Then with two miles to go – he did the same for me.  He dragged me to the finish line.  Keith was there to tape that!  I was so happy.  I curled up in our tent under the sleeping bags but couldn’t stop shaking… it was non stop! Eek. 

It’s a milestone I had in my head; I saw it and totally believed it was within my reach.  It felt so easy … I know it was difficult, but in my head it was already a done deal.  I didn’t advertise that I was going, in fact I told perhaps 3 people I was going to participate and not just crew, I didn’t want a whole lot of attention, I just wanted it to be me doing it for me.