Birthday Run

It's the weekend! First and foremost I want to wish a VERY Happy Birthday to Penny, and The Peach!!!

Penny was kind enough to get up at 5am on her birthday to come and meet me for a 12 mile run this morning. She kicked my butt this morning, but in a good way.

To start off, we met at the Baldwin end of the Jacksonville- Baldwin Trail that John and I frequent to ride our bikes.

It was quite peaceful out this morning. We started our run about 6:20 just as the sun was beginning to come up.

We probably could have used to start even earlier as it was SO hot and humid by the end, but I am not sure it would have made much difference.

Penny had to do 4 miles at race pace per her schedule(not sure which race pace but faster than I can run 4 miles). So we planned it out like this: 4 miles easy together, 4 miles at our own paces, 7:15 for her, surviving for me (9:30), and then the last 4 miles together easy.

Well the first 4 miles flew by, for me at least, we were talking, and taking in the trail. I have only ever ridded out here before, but I loved running out there, it was so quiet and peaceful and I didn't have to worry about getting hit by cars.

Mile 1-  9:16

Mile 2-  9:25

Mile 3-  9:27

Mile 4-  9:35

Positive splits quite ugly now that I look at them.

I was kind of shocked when Garmie beeped at 4 miles and Penny went ahead and sped up, I just decided to keep on about where I was, see if I could keep some even splits, I ALWAYS prefer to go eay at first and pick it up at the end, so I decided to try and stay in my 9:30 window and then I knew we would be trying to pick it up at least the last mile or so.

Well about the time I got past mile 5 I see a biker coming towards me that looks awful familiar...yep, it was John! He decided to come out and meet us on his bike, and really to test out his new Garmin that came this week. He had started on the Jacksonville side of the trail, and found us both running along. It was nice to have the distraction of someone else since I was on my own at that point, and he also managed to take some pictures for us!!!

Penny was flying and doing great working to hit her mile splits for those middle 4.

After leaving Penny, John came back to find me where I had turned around at mile 6. After taking my gu (I left out that unfortunate picture). I was doing fine at first, but after taking the gu I had trouble getting my pace back up. I didn't push it too much harder then because I knew I was still on track to finish at about an average of 9:30, and I also knew that I would need that energy in the last few miles.

Mile 5-  9:20
Mile 6-  9:28
Mile 7-  9:45
Mile 8-  9:39

Penny and I met back up just before mile 8 and kept on going. It was nice to get a conversation partner back, and I was confident the last 4 miles would go by as quick as the first 4. We chatted about our upcoming marathon training and all the thoughts and advice we had heard and what to make of it all. I will be happy to do this first one and get the experience, and build from there on what I would and would not do again.

John stayed a bit longer to snap a few more pictures before heading home.

Penny and I had decided to pick it up for the last 2 miles. Well with about 2.5 to go I decided to stop for a minute, catch my breath and then just try to get it over with. by that point I was soaked with sweat, my skirt was sticking to me, and the bugs that were chasing me were getting stuck to my skin- gross!!!

The last 2 miles came, and they hurt, I was hot, tired, sweaty and just ready to be done. I sucked it up big time, I felt like a newbie runner all over again. I told Penny just to keep talking to me, since I was panting like a dog at this point I wasn't offering much good conversation. I did manage to keep my last 2 miles to sub-9:00 paces, but it wasn't pretty, my form sucked, and I didn't even really have it in me to sprint the last .1 like I always try to. Oh well, still faster than I normally finish my last 2 miles of a 12 mile run.

Mile 9-   9:34
Mile 10- 9:16
Mile 11- 8:55
Mile 12- 8:50


12 Miles- 1:52:30 (on the dot, that never happens), avg. pace 9:23, 1312 calories burned (Crazy!!!)

I am pleased to have a sub-9:30 average pace, and glas I was able to pick it up the last 2 miles more than I usually would. A huge thanks to Penny for sticking with me when I was slowing down, and even more so for pushing me at the end!

Also, a big shout out to Jaime too who rocked her solo 15 miler this morning while I stole her running partner ;)

I went straight to work after we finished, and am going to be heading out to Lawtey as soon as I am done to sit by the pool with the birthday girls, margarita in hand :) Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, see ya tomorrow with a recap!