Things that go bump in the night

We have officially passed the "one month 'til the marathon" mark, and my loooonnnnnggg mileage is in full swing!  Last week, I ran over 35 miles, and my torn and tattered and un-pedicured feet looked the part (which is why I had to make a trip to get that fixed...).  Overall, my knees are starting to feel better, and although my times haven't been quite what I wanted them to be , I keep having to remind myself that whatever happens in this race will happen. 

Sooooo this weekend, I was set and ready to do my 18 miler, and I was determined to get it done Sunday morning.  And that didn't happen.  I don't know if Jesus knows that I'm not a morning person, and therefore keeps putting these obstacles in my way, but for the past 3 tries on an early morning workout, I have failed MISERABLY.  I always have a good excuse; this time it was due to restless dogs and too many work calls to count for my husband in the wee hours.  But seriously, the wake up early Gods are not on my side.  I always lay my clothes out the night before, go to bed early, make sure all is ready, and then BAM, something happens and it never is.  Should I stop trying?  Should I just give in to always being a worker outer at nighter?  What the heck am I gonna do when I have kids (don't get any ideas Mom...)?  Is my non-morning-ness wearing on my husband too?  Geez louise, I just want to run when it isn't freaking 88 degrees outside at start time.  But alas, that never is to be.  So I didn't run my 18 miles Sunday morning at 6:15 AM...I started running them at 6:15 PM.

Headed out to the country club about 15 minutes behind schedule.  I worked all weekend, and my Sunday afternoon appointment ended a little bit late, so I hustled out as fast as I could.  The loop I run is 3 miles around, Garmin/water/gatorade/GU in hand, I hopped out of the car and met my friend Liz who had graciously decided to run the 1st of 6 loops with me.  We took off...FAST...

***Side Note:  Elizabeth Cowan Phillips, you my dear, are a speed demon.  Seriously.  Stop making me look bad.  I can only imagine that I will never again beat you at a 10k distance ever.  Seriously.  You are crazy fast running woman in maroon Aggie shorts.  Thank you for PUSHING me on my first 3...I needed that.  Because I hadn't pushed myself to go faster for any length over a mile in a while. Muchos Gracias.  My marathon time will thank you :)

The first 3 whizzed by.  Then, like clockwork, around the bend comes Mr. and Mrs. Bod Squad themselves, Renea and George!  So I said goodbye to Liz who went off to do more speedwork, and joined my friends for the next 1.5 loops.  It was so nice to be able to finish the first part of my run with friends and people to talk to.  It makes it go by so much faster (literally)!  Renea and George were finishing their first double digiter, and I was proud to watch them pass their goal!  As I sent them back at the half way point on loop 3 for me...I was suddenly...all alone.  It had just gotten dark-ish, and even though the club is well lit and there's always a cop patroling round and round and round and round, I felt...bored.  And kinda sad.  And then it got interesting....

There I was, 8pm sunday night, minding my own little business, running my 9-11 minute miles (without headphones I might add), staying on the curb, and the creatures started to stir.  And not just any creature.  This creature....

POSSUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

**OPOSSUM (as per Lacy):  The nastiest creature on the planet (next to snakes...).  Not even the babies are cute (and I think all baby animals are cute).  They smell, their tails are long and skinny, they have wicked crazy teeth, and they carry diseases.  And they like to torment my dogs.  This time of year they are EVERYWHERE.  I loathe them.  Why oh why oh why did Noah have to let such beasts on that ark?  Why oh why oh why couldn't he have put a couple more sets of more pleasant animals in their place?  Don't we need more butterflies or something?  Seriously, These things are NAAAASSSTTTTYYYY...and they elicit screams from me every single time I see one.  Did I mention they hiss?  Yuck, gross, booo. 

So my first encounter occured on the last part of mile 11.  As I rounded the corner, there in the yard was one of these making it's way right toward me.  If there had been a car, I would have been run over.  I literally sidestepped into the road making a noise that I cannot replicate.  It beelined in the other direction when it saw me.  My heart did not jump back into my chest until close to mile 12 when I made it back to my car and told my husband that I had 6 more miles to go.  When I started loop 5, I heard another bush rustling and saw the scraggly tail of yet another beast.  Not a happy Lacy.  I sped up...and said to myself "just go a liiiittttlllle faster, and it will all be over soon." 

As I rounded the stretch toward the end of mile 14, I was now not only scared of critters, but also aware that besides the little old ladies walking their dogs, and the one or two cyclists, I was the only runner still out.  I started the 15th mile, the final loop, and got to about mile 16.  I was running right by the curb, and as I approached a darkened spot between the light posts, I heard a noise.  Literally, one foot length away, right in the line of my next step was a baby possum.  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!  Another yelp that I can not recreate...and I turned around and went back.  NO MAMES.  NO MOREEEEEEEEE.  I hopped in my car having finished only 16.25.

Frightened and relieved, I sped away in the comfort of my SUV.  When I arrived home, I walked in, didn't even say a word, and marched straight upstairs to jog the last 1.75 miles.  Because I'm psycho like that.  I couldn't just leave that last 1.75 to not be done.  Then the possums would have won, and those nasty creatures won't get the best of me, no, no, NO.  So 18 miles done.  Shower, pizza, bath, bed.  All in a day's work.

I'm about convinced that if anything, I'm enjoying my training lately simply for the adventure of it.  Never seems to be a dull moment.  Ever.  I always have some crazy story afterwards.  But that's what is keeping it interesting.  Goodness knows, I don't ever want to be bored.

Thanks again to all my friends who ran a loop or two with me!  This week, I have to knock out a 10 miler AND the infamous 20 miler (not sure when I'm going to do that yet....).  Rock and Roll SA is creeping up on us!  Good luck to everyone training and tapering this week before the big race!  May your runs be strong, and the varmits be friendly :)

Thanks for cheering me on,

Lacy