I'm not all about excuses...

...but I have a lot of them. The Dayton Marathon last Saturday was a disaster. Here's how it all went down:

Friday night, Matt and I drove up to Dayton from his house in Fairfield to get my race packet at the Nutter Center. We sat in traffic on Col Glenn Highway for about 45 minutes because of rush hour traffic and because the 5K race was going on at the same time and in the same location as packet pickup. So, we finally got there, got the packet, then headed back to the car. They weren't letting any cars out of the parking lot because they blocked off the road for the 5K. Seriously? The race planners didn't foresee this as a problem?

After finally getting out of the parking lot and getting some dinner and rest, I was up and ready to go Saturday morning for the race. Matt and I planned to leave by 6:30 for the 8:30 race, giving plenty of time for the 45 minute drive back up to Dayton and barring any traffic. What we hadn't planned for was spending an hour in the car on the expressway on-ramp with hundreds of other racers who appeared to be just as frustrated as me. Couldn't they have planned better for this? Perhaps a couple of crossing guards? I'm sure there was some way to move the traffic along a little better...

We finally got off the ramp and headed toward the parking lot, at about 8:15. The directions on the map were wrong, so we spent an extra 10 minutes confused and backtracking. If you're going to include maps in the race packet, maybe it would be a good idea to make sure the map is accurate? Just a suggestion. So, we finally get out of the car and onto a shuttle bus which is to carry us to the start line. Actually it turned out to be about a 1/2 mile from the start line. While some people got out of the bus and chose to run to the start line to make it by the gun, I chose to walk. I figure I am going to be running 13 miles, there's really no need to add another 0.5.

I felt pretty good through the first 6-7 miles. However, the scenery at the Air Force base left much to be desired. I was hoping we'd be running along the flight path and get to see some planes land, or see some of the historic sights of Wright-Patt. Um, no. We ran past a meadow, through a parking lot, and onto a freeway on ramp. Booo-ring. While I felt good and was on a good pace, at about mile 9 I started feeling it. I was ready for the one big hill at the beginning of the race, and tackled it with no problem, but the hills in miles 9-11 did me in. I ran the first one completely, but I had to walk the second two. I walked a little of the flat parts too, and by mile 12 I was doing more walking than running. My split time for the Pig in May was 2:21 and I came in a full 10 minutes after at 2:31 for this race. Disappointing to say the least. But at least I finished.

After the race, all I wanted to do was get back to the car and get home. Unfortunately, the entire race field was thinking the same thing, and the line for the shuttles back to the parking was hundreds of people deep. Rather than wait an hour for the shuttle, we decided to walk the 2 miles back to the car. Thanks a lot Dayton Marathon, great job of planning. Let's just say I won't be signing up again next year.

13, 29 and My Achilles Heel

It wasn't very long ago that 13 meant halfway. 13 miles was easy... a "short" long run. In training for the Dayton half marathon next weekend, I've had to redefine 13 miles again. I had a great 12-mile run a few weeks ago, but since then, training has been brutal. Somewhere, somehow in the past month, I strained my right achilles tendon and last week's final 13 mile run before the race ended up being only 11 miles and 2 miles of walking. Furthermore, I haven't been hitting the gym as much or as hard as I should. Partly, the achilles injury has been an easy excuse for not having the kind of dedication I usually do, but what it really comes down to is that I'm distracted.

The reason for my distraction is the monumental task of moving. I hate moving. I mean I really, really hate moving. But, I'm also excited because I love the new condo I just purchased and am soon going to be enjoying the benefits of home ownership. I will be closing in about two weeks, and I don't even know where to begin with packing. I just don't know how an individual is capable of accumulating so much crap.

I'm trying not to focus on the actual move since it overwhelms me, and so I choose to instead focus more on how much I'll enjoy living in my new place. My new address number is 2909, and while that didn't mean anything to me when I put in my bid, it was later pointed out to me that it is a fitting number, given that my birthday is 09/29. So cool! And I will be closing on or about 9/29 to boot! What a great birthday present, huh?

Getting out of my apartment full of (currently empty) moving boxes and out on the open road at Wright-Patt next Saturday will be a refreshing break. I had hoped to be in a better place with my running right now. I wanted to run this half marathon faster than my Pig split time, but I just haven't been able to get my speed back to where it was pre-Pig. While it would be easy to get discouraged about my speed (and my injury), I am still keeping up the distance. Just the fact that I can physically go out and run 13 miles is still an accomplishment, and is amazing considering where I came from. I'll be 33 years old on 09/29, and this birthday reminds me of the goal I set for myself on my 30th birthday to lose 100 pounds and get healthy. Three years later, I'm continuing to maintain my weight loss. I may not be running nine-minute miles like I hoped I would, but at least I'm still out there every weekend pounding the pavement. And for now, in the whirlwind of all my distractions, that is good enough for me.