Doubled up Weekend

So as you know, we had the City Solve Urban Race on Saturday, and the See Jane Run half Marathon Sunday.
We do not normally double up events back to back like that. We know that we lack self control during most races and are always all out, so racing back to back days is not a genius move for us. If we could show restraint and go easy the first day, then day 2 would be ok...but we don't. But, See Jane was already on the calender when a very good deal on the City Solve race popped up that was too good to pass up. So that is how this weekend came to be.
Saturday we headed into the city to Thirsty Bear Brewery where the race would start and finish. We met up w/friends Angela and Derrick, and also saw our friends Matt and Sabrina. They were decked out in gladiator gear/Egyptian princess. Costumes are always an option at these sort of races, but we went with our running clothes. We had prearranged to figure out our clues w/Angela and Derrick at the business center of a hotel. Once we got to a hotel that let us into their business center, this worked out great, but it took about the first 45 minutes to get the clue sheet, get to a hotel and figure things out and map out our course. Once that was done, we ran a nearly flawless race. It was well mapped out, we didn't miss anything that was required, didn't have the wrong spot for any clue. We would end up running 7 miles, stretching nearly all the way across the city. We ran some tiring, tough sections, lots of up hill, and at a much faster pace than normal. It's funny how at the time, when you are weaving in and out of people and trying to avoid any slippery metal spots or slippery bricks, you are just focused on that and going fast, but not really aware of how hard you are running. Don't get me wrong, we were wiped and Angela and I knew that we would be paying for it the next day during our half. So that was about it, we finished up back at the brewery. Results are not posted yet, so I have no idea how we did other than we finished in somewhere around the 3:45 point and there was a 4:30 time limit. Afterwards we headed to Bucca's for some salad, fried food, and pasta, which tasted great!

Sunday we were up early and headed to Alameda for the See Jane Run half marathon and kids race. There were maybe 10 sisters who would be there this year, doing either the 5k or the half. I think there were 6 of us doing the half. Pat, Angela and I started off together. I had my music going and just focused forward and ran. I wanted to stay in the 9 minute mile range for a few miles and settle down into a 10 for the rest of the run. Doing that I should have been able to stay under my goal of 2:15. By the end of mile one my legs were dead. I immediately knew they were shot from Saturday, and this was going to be a long and possibly painful run. I tried to keep telling myself I wasn't in pain, just tired. There is a difference between having tired legs, and sore legs, and I tried hard to tell myself my legs were just tired. If I keep pushing them, they will get me to my goal, they aren't hurting, just tired, so just keep them moving. (they were actually hurting pretty bad, but the mind is a powerful thing!)Somewhere along the run, maybe mile 5, Angela and Pat were again next to me. Around then Pat pulled ahead, and Ang and I were together. We were both wiped. I was wanting to take a walk break, but she said she wanted to get to mile 7 and then see if she needed to walk. When we did eventually try to walk, it hurt much worse then running, so we picked it up. Somewhere around mile 8-9 I fell. I caught myself with both hands and saved my legs any scrapes, but it hurt. We were on a narrower trail and I was afraid of getting run over before I even hit the ground, but Ang got me up and water to rinse off and moving again quickly. Between being tired, sore, falling, bleeding hands...I started to loose it. The tears started, my chest got tight, I tried to run and breath and the wheezing started. Ang kept me focused, calmed down, and moving.
Despite all the drama, I stayed about 3 minutes ahead of the pace I had to maintain to hit goal until mile 11.5. I kept telling Ang when the time comes and you kick, please just go and don't worry about leaving me. She replied that I know her, and she would, but that she had no kick in her today....but I know her running well and she always kicks no matter how beat she is. I stopped to loosen my timing chip ankle strap as it was digging into my ankle, and when I looked up she was out of range for me to catch her. This was a good thing to me because like I say, I know her and she always has enough left in the tank to finish stronger than she thinks she will, and she did. She finished about 2 minutes ahead of me. I slowed down quite a bit the last 1.5 miles, even walked at times, but it's all I had left. I pushed as hard as I could, for as long as I could.
I came in at 2:14:46....14 seconds under my goal! Ang and I were 103 and 108 in our age divisions(out of about 300), and both in the 500's overall out of 1500 runners.
I was done in time to see Dawn, Micaela and Sarah finish their halfs, and see my kids do their run. Congrats to Micaela for taking 2cd in her age division, and to Sarah on completing her first half marathon!!
Needless to say, my legs have seen happier days! They are shot. I slept the afternoon away yesterday and haven't been too productive today. While I can't afford to take much time off from training, we have rearranged runs this week so the legs have some recovery time before our 16 miler this weekend. No exercise today, will workout tomorrow, and hopefully be up for a run on Wednesday.
So overall, lots of fun, memories, fatigue and pain! A well rounded weekend : )