Practice #4: Sixty Minutes

We had a change of scenery this week. Some sort of snowboarding thing was going on at the Rose Bowl. (Snow?? In Southern California?!) I don't know what it was, but it meant we ended up at Hahamongna Park. I never even knew this place existed, but it is gorgeous.

Unfortunately, it was miserably cold. And that means uncooperative muscles, despite our attempts to warm up. Still, the new scenery was distracting, at least for a little bit.

I was determined to stay in my pace group. I wanted to keep up with Gaily and Janet. It was not to be. Even after walking for a bit, once the intervals started, so did the pain. I tried to just run through it, hoping some sort of runner's high would kick in, but it never did. Gradually, I fell further and further behind, and it took everything in me just to keep walking.

But I was determined. I was going to walk as fast as I could and do the entire sixty minutes.

I was eventually swept up by Coach Barb since I was the lone straggler. She cheered me up with stories of her first season and just generally kept me distracted.

As we were getting closer to the end, Scott came walking by, giving us a "Go team!" and telling us we looked good. I heard him pause behind me and then he goes, "Are you guys the end?"

I still hope my tone wasn't too bitter when I told him we were.

I listened to Scott and Barb talk as we finished, still in a bit of pain. Coach Rosie was at the aid station for the Spring Team's 20 mile run and offered me a snack as we passed. (Lesson learned: pretzels are not my fuel of choice.)

As we came to the finishing point, I think I withdrew in my disappointment. Scott and Barb kept telling me my form was great and that I was doing a good job of listening to my body and I was keeping a good attitude. I'm still amazed it comes off that way because I can assure you, the majority of the time I am swearing up a storm in my head.

Now, remember how I talked about the team lingering to cheer for you? Let me introduce you to something worse: the tunnel of love.

I hadn't experienced this before, but I saw it as we rounded the corner. I must have slowed down because the next thing I know, Barb and Scott are telling me to go. I told them I didn't want to, but they said I had to.

And then proceeded to drop behind me.

With nowhere else to run to - and trust me, I glanced frantically around in the hope that I would find an escape route - I walked through, high five-ing and feeling so incredibly awkward. I felt a little better when I turned around and saw my two coaches coming through behind me.

It wasn't a great day. I said I'd tell you the good, bad, and ugly. This was an ugly day. I even got in the car afterward and cried because I was so frustrated. It wasn't a day where I was okay being last. But everyone has bad days, right?

Right.