Girls can be so.. moody.

We started with seven of us. Picking up two along the way. Our route was a six mile loop then catching up with a normally 11 mile loop. making it an even, (well odd really) 13 miles.

Running up Spring street to start is generally hard considering it's.. well.. a hill.  And when you run with girls like Blythe (okay I'm to blame a fraction of the time as well) you start out fast.  Setting the pace for a thirteen mile run at a 8:45.  Then when you add in a brisk morning.  It sort of takes the breathe out of ya.

Our speed eventually leveled out as conversations got more involved.  San Juan Valley road is a tight one, and it makes for an easy pass if we all stick close.  Opposed to oncoming cars having to dodge a bunch of scattered ducks.


We meet the crossroads where it's time for the sixes and the thirteens to split.  Wave our waves and continue with solving the problems of the world.  About a mile into the next loop, my emotions get the best of me.  I won't bore you with details.  Us females are an unusual breed.  I suppose it happens to the best of us.  Sometimes turning around when your not feeling a run, can be harder than continuing on.

So many things can make or break a run.  And physical fitness is only a portion of it.

Head up.

I've said it before.... pretty sure there is some unwritten rule about not having to (for lack of better words) crappy runs in a row.

**
I talked with the rest of the gals, all reporting a pretty great run.  One even adding an additional mile... making it her longest run to date.  Great job Casey.




myself (and the tall one who loves a drama mama)
8 miles average pace 9min 53 sec.

22 miles... EPIC?!

Earlier today I drove the route that we ran yesterday.  Retrieving all our empty water bottles.  Quite honestly, it was a little painful just driving it.  every mile I could remember exactly how I was feeling at that exact point.

You know... the corner where I screamed because the largest gnat in the entire world flew into my right eye, and being my always overdressed self including gloves.  I had to be rescued by BooBoo, with her eager to pick at something fingers and Deb who kept watch for cars.  I swear with every blink I could feel my eye trying to swallow the huge bug.

There was the gruesome uphill that lasted for an entire (INSERT EVERY CURSE WORD) mile!! And the mile long downhill that was rewarded with a rather delicious burrito.. once again, a big hit brought to us by miss Shannon.  Strangely appropriate for such a long run!

Or the corner where I screamed for the second time due to a brilliant Idea going rather, well.... south. Lets just say it has to do with an unfortunate chaffed area and some minty lip balm. (muffling a scream just thinking about it)

Rounding out around Douglas road, I've picked up all our water bottles and am coming up on the hardest part... THE WALL. I know you've heard about it... most of you have felt it yourself.  For me, and well... I might be so bold and say all five of us, it was mile 18.  Which clearly sucks considering we've got a whopping 4 more miles left to go.  It's a period of time where your body is too tired and your mind has to take over.  A battle of the brain.  The light hearted banter with the girlfriends has stopped headphones are turned to full capacity and secret bargaining begins. You know that thing that everyone does when they talk to themselves about how they promise to do this or that if they can just... just... finish.

Snapping out of it.  I'm both relieved and happy to have completed such an EPIC run. (I normally scoff at people who use the word epic.  But in this case I think it works.)

Deb with the burrito                                                                                                    

it's now 8:39... lets get movin'...

the top of Cady mountain and a mere 6 miles in.

Getting a little silly, we've topped the mile uphill and are now HALF WAY DONE!!

These pictures were all taken with my phone, with the hopes of capturing an ounce of this island true beauty. 

22 miles. Average pace.  Not exactly sure... lets just say, it took awhile.

Did you notice, that not once did I mention the fact that it rained... the entire time??

WOBBILY LEGS..

It may have only been a three mile run.

But when you've swam a quarter mile, biked 13... those 3 feel like 30, or... 6.

Such a strange feeling, to get off a bike after almost an hour, and then trying to run... heck, trying to walk is hard enough.  I stumble, tripped my way over to setting my bike aside and shedding a few layers.  Heading out, only to be stopped long enough to take off my silly helmet.

So yes. wobbily legs and all... a few of us RLR gals completed our very first TRIATHLONs!

the entire event took me 1:45

an old hat..

I'm liking that our miles are growing, making a once "long(ish) run" into an everyday run.
I say that.. but if you're just starting out, I promise we'll welcome you with any mileage you're up to running catering to whatever your needs might be. no intimidation.


We were 9 in all... with one extra friend, from out of town.

All running Pear point. A 5.7 mile run.  That if you're wearing "the watch" you'll be running an extra .3 to make it a solid 6.  While the rest of us without the wonderful, yet sometimes a tad tattle-telling gadget settle for the 5.7 calling it 6 (in our heads.)


The run felt easy.  And the weather was on our side.

6 miles.. ave. pace 9min. 42sec.

CHOCOLATE MILK... straight from the jar.

Okay maybe not jar... but JUG... I don't know, it was in a glass container and (dare I say) DIVINE.

After our 14.5 miles we headed straight to get us some milk... chocolaty style.

Bet you didn't realize CHOC. MILK is the number one recovery drink for runners.  And if by chance you did then, well... I'm happy for you.

For the rest of you, heres an excuse for you to indulge in a bit of... YUM. (PS we already told them they need to stock up at the Co-op)

Thats all... we ran... then drank some milk.

14.5 miles. average pace 9min. 39sec.

It'll stick with ya...

Last night I passed a hitchhiker.

It wasn't until I passed him that I realized, he was even there. And not a scary HE, but a young adult HE, a teenager.

It was a long night at work and I was in the middle of singing a duet with Vampire Weekend... I considered stopping but, but...

My front seat was messy
I'm tired.
I'd have to turn down my music.
I'm now a mile away.

I'm a BIG FAT JERK.

None of them were a concern for my own safety... just the inconvenience of it all.

And this has to do with running, because??...
.....

I started from town.. while BooBoo half an island away started from her home.  It's a nice way to run a bit by yourself then meet up and for the last five. Once we meet, we turned around and head back in the direction I came.  In all honesty it's a bit tempting to leave a tad later than we agree, knowing it'll cut my portion of the run a bit shorter.  Although B. is committed to the entire distance.  I never (well seldom) do.. but it's darn tempting.

I plugged in, made it out of town, past all the smiles and waves.. (can I just say, town has got to be the WORST place to start out a run!  In all honesty, the first mile or 5 can feel rather, well, *poopy* and having all of Friday Harbor witness it... you get my point.)

Like I said I'm plugged in, I've got my music and my muscles to listen to.  Until, I see them... two young fellas... HITCHHIKING. I immediately remember the poor kid from the night before.  (My guilt, failed to mention earlier that it was raining last night as well.)

Tormented, I've got two full miles to go until I pass the point where he was standing.  The sick side of me is now uncontrollably scanning the ditches for ballcaps, tennis shoes, plaid shirts.

I change the music in my ears hoping for better distraction, then decide to simply, speed up.

Passing the mileage with counting the cows in the field and seeing if I can recognize the oncoming car.

I've past the point now.  I can see Mona the camel (yes I said camel).  That in itself makes me smile.  Plus I'll be meeting with the tall, scantily clad one shortly... Pretty sure I'll keep my neurotic tendencies to myself.

There she is.


9 miles ave. pace 9min. 49sec.

Glad it wasn't me...

Oh, that's not very nice to say out loud... yet when I woke up that's all I could think.

BooBoo was off island playin' on the mainland while we were running (practically the whole time she was away).  Soooo, with a sigh of relief that our next long run is a few weeks away.  This morning is BooBoo's solo.

We're starting her out... but the rest is up to her.

First was Casey, funny girl, punishing herself for a bit of vacation overindulgence, by running with what looks like a kevlar vest.  She literally is weighing herself down to shed that vacation love...

Who by the way left us in the dust moments after we started (extra weight and all).  Tamara was double stroller-one child mama. Deb had a pup tied around her waist. We had a new joiner Margot who is training for the triathalon in a few short weeks. I was annoying sock girl, and BooBoo was looking strangely serious.

For B. it was a forever 20, for the rest of us it was turn around at your own choice.  I had every intention to run at least six today.  But volunteering at the elementary school and some incredibly uncooperative socks made me turn around at the two mile mark, T. turned with me with the largest stroller in the world.  while D. and M. ran on to the original turn around.

Another perk of turning around at that point was running (pun intended) into Lydia and her brand new baby.  The girl literally gave birth moments ago, and if I know her as well as I think I do... she'll be showing us all up in the half/full marathon this June.  

Tamara and I have finished, I've kicked off my shoes only to get rid of the most frustrating socks in the entire world.  Happy to be finished but still mindful of the few raindrops coming down and my tall friend who still has 16 more miles to go.

I don't worry that she can't do it... of course she can.  She also doesn't mind the solitude, giving her time to figure out the problems of the world or fix the holes in the budget.  But what about when she trips, or cuts her forehead with her energy bar, or sings inappropriate songs a little too loud... Do they still happen even if no one else is around?

4 miles. ave. pace 9min 56sec.

(that's my stats not sure how everyone else did)