Like James Brown, I Feel Good

The Brave American Classic in Sewickley

     The last few weeks have been a little rough.  My long runs have not gone as well as I planned.  A few weeks ago, I ran the "Brave American Classic" in Sewickley (10k option.)  It's a nice, smaller race, and some use it to kick off their race season.   I had 15 miles scheduled for training that day, and decided to try something different.  I figured I could run from my house to the starting line, run the race, and then run home.   It worked out mileage wise, but was it a good idea?  Seemed like it at the time.  It wasn't.

     Running to the starting line was great.  The sun was shining bright and reflected beautifully off the river, and the cold didn't seem to bother me at all.  Once I got to St. Stephens Church, I met up with my friends and listened to the guest speakers prior to race start.  I was able to rest for about 20 minutes before everyone headed to the starting line.  When it was time to run, I tried to remind myself that I was in training mode.  However, once they said "go" my brain said, "nope, time to race!"  I ran way harder than I should have.  I wasn't sprinting by any means, but I was still running harder than I should, and I was trying to convince myself to slow it down a bit.  56 minutes later, I crossed the finish line and had another 20 minute rest before I headed home.   That's when things started getting a little more difficult.  Around mile 12 all I could think about was being done.  I could feel a blister on my foot and my legs felt heavier than they normally do.  Everything at that point hurt and I was feeling it.  I'm not sure if the two long breaks or running the race itself was what affected me the most.  I've never broken up a run like that before, and I probably shouldn't have.  Even though I did what I was supposed to do that day, I was not happy with how things worked out.   I was exhausted.  Looking back, the way I tackled these 15 miles was one of my worst ideas.

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     The following weekend, was the weekend of Pittsburgh's Annual St. Patrick's Day parade, and I had 17 miles on my schedule.  I ran with the Steel City Road Runners for the first time since since the kick off run.  Coach Suzanne was leading us off in the 10 minute pace group and was her her normal energetic self.   It's always a bright spot to any run.  I don't know where she gets her energy that early.   If I'm scheduled to run at 8:30, I'm only getting out of bed at 7:30.  I'm still half asleep when I check in!

Amy Egan ready to finish as well

     It was a very cold morning at roughly 19 degrees, and the wind was another story.  It was brutal!   The force of the the wind gusts were enough to slow us down a little and boy could we feel it!  (In this case, we couldn't feel anything, mostly our faces.)  I swear there were times that when some of the group were talking (myself included) everyone sounded like Clark Griswold while out looking for the Griswold family Christmas tree.  "All part of the experience Russ!"

     Our run did take us down along the parade route and we got to see some of the participants lined up along Liberty Avenue.   Everyone in the parade waiting for it to start saw us running and cheered us along and there were plenty of green high fives to go around (but not one Guiness.)  It was my favorite part of the run.  But, again, my legs felt really heavy and over all I felt awful.  It just didn't feel like my best effort.  My face was numb; I was freezing; I had another blister on my foot.  For the second weekend in a row, I was not happy with how everything went.

Stephanie Haas creeping up on another runner

     This past weekend was a different story.   I had 19 miles on the training schedule, and signed up for the Montour Trail group run with the Steel City Road Runners.  I did this run last year and really enjoyed it, so taking on the trail again seemed like a good idea.  But of course, as luck would have it, mother nature decided to treat us to a quick snow storm on Friday evening.  The snow fell pretty quickly, and it covered everything.  I immediately thought the run may be cancelled as can happen due to weather events, but this is Pittsburgh and an inch of snow is practically nothing.  It's really just enough to make everything look pretty.  (Yes, I said pretty.)  I really hoped that the run would not be cancelled.  I wanted to run in the snow and the beauty that it can bring.  I know, I'm a freak and most people hate the winter and the snow, but I'm not one of those people.

Jeanann Haas crossing the finish line.

   
     We had a decent sized 10:00 minute pace group, led by Coach Suzanne once more.  Our path on the trail first led us towards Oakdale/Imperial approx. 4.5 miles up and then back to the start.  The snow wasn't even a factor as it had been beaten down pretty well by the group.  The rising temperatures were helping as well.  By the time we hit the turn around there was a noticeable difference on the trail.  Most of the snow was gone or it had turned to slush.  Things were looking pretty good.

     Through all my training last year, I learned that most of the gels and goos that runners ingest don't work for me.  They kill my stomach.  I pretty much stopped using them, however I didn't bring much of anything with me on this run.   My camelback had a leak and I was losing water at a steady rate.  All the groups runs will have water stops, and at times, gels and goos.  On Saturday, it was no different.  There were boxes of Honey Stinger goos at the water stop, and I decided I should take one around mile six.  I was worried about what it would do to my stomach but this box were packets of actual honey, which I love.  This may not have been a bad idea at all.

     At this point, we were 9 miles in and I had 10 to go.  I was feeling really good.  Since we were back at the starting point of the run, the group decided to go in the opposite direction on the trail for a change of scenery (towards the Robinson Mall and YMCA.)  The number of runners in our group had also changed as there were not as many as there were in the beginning.  The longer the miles, the less people you have to run with.  That's not really a bad thing as not everyone is on the same training schedule.  But, it does start to get a little less chatty and a bit increasingly quiet and lonely.  The next water stop was at our 11.5 mile mark so I grabbed another Honey Stinger, but held of on eating it.  I still felt really good and not tired at all, so I figured I would wait.  At mile 13.5 I lost the last two people running with me so I was on my own the rest of the way.  That's when It got really lonely.

Photo Credit: Coach Suzanne

   
     The trail wasn't as clean as the first direction we ran, so the work was a littler harder on the way back.  I could feel the difference in my stride, my steps, and overall movement of my body.  I could tell I was working harder.  Not only that, but the quiet was getting to me.  There was an active gun range nearby around mile 14 and at that particular point in time it sounded pretty deafening.  Part of me started thinking, "what if I get hit with a stray bullet?"  My mind was starting to get to me.  Here I was alone on the trail and even with my music playing all I could think about was what could go wrong.  Would I slip and pull a muscle?  Would I roll my ankle?  Would I just flop over?  At that point, it was time to stop with the negative and focus on the positive.

Photo Credit: Coach Suzanne

     I started to think of pretty much anything that would make me laugh or smile.   I thought about some of stupid things I've done or said in the past that I could look at now with a face palm and chuckle. I laughed at really bad wardrobe choices, and I laughed at really bad hair styles.  I smiled at the thought of finishing my second marathon, and even my third later in the year in Chicago.  I thought about all the fun I have with my girlfriend and her girls as well as their support.  I thought about my friends and family who've been with me since day once of these misadventures, and the continuance of them.  I thought about my fundraisers and the real reason for all of this training and for whom I run.  I can't let any of them down, now can I?  I though about my last blog post.  All of this seemed to help because before I knew it, mile 19 beeped on my Garmin, and I was done.  Not only that, but I felt really great!  Sure my legs were sore and tired, but not like they were the past two weekends.  If I had to go another 7 that day, I would have.  For the first time this training season, I felt that confident in myself and round two with the Pittsburgh Marathon.

Photo Credit: Coach Suzanne

Photo Credit: Coach Suzanne

     It really is like everyone has always told me.  Not every mile can be a good mile, and that's nothing to be ashamed of or disappointed by.  But, when you feel good, great even, you'll know it, and you'll feel like you can tackle anything that is thrown at you.   I know Saturday I felt that way, and come May 7th, I'll be damn sure I feel that way again.

Until next time, keep on running Pittsburgh.

Sinceriously,

Chuck Hull....The Running Jedi.

#runpgh #teamlemieux #pawasoverpittsburgh #lovetherun

Please remember you can donate to a great cause, and you have options to do so!

The Mario Lemieux Foundation (if we raise $2500, I'll raffle off another Signed Lemieux Jersey!  Only $1500 away!)

https://www.crowdrise.com/MarioLemieuxPitt2017/fundraiser/chuckhull

Photo Credit: Coach Suzanne, St. Patrick's Day Green Run