2012 Valentine's Day Marathon Massacre

Start of yesterday's marathon relayLook--there on the Country Park lap. It's a bird... it's a plane... No, wait. It's...it's.... HOT FAST WOMEN!

Who cares that I can't complete a spin class without thinking thoughts of suicide? Fellow Sole Sister Cindy Kearns Barbour and I rocked yesterday's Valentine's Day Marathon.

As a two-person team, we alternated running 8 laps each of 1.6 miles. (Cindy's first lap was 2.2 to get the full marathon distance in.) We both went into the race saying, "This is just a training run," and we both knew we were completely lying. Yes, we ran this thing. Cindy especially. When I grow up as runner, I want to be just like her. Here are our splits. Cindy's time is first and then mine.

Go Dena!Lap 

1  6:12 / 6:38

2   6:27 / 6:43

3   6:29 / 6:46

4    6:34 /  6:51

5    6:37 /  6:54

6    6:38 / 7:03

Go Cindy!7    6:41 / 7:09

8   6:39 / 7:06

I was concerned at the start that instead of "Hot Fast Women" we would be "Frozen Sluggish Women" due to the cold. 20 degrees at the start (!!) and neither of us could feel our toes for the first lap. Once we got going though, it wasn't bad. In fact, I found it easier to run a 2-person relay then the 4-person team I ran on several years ago. There was less time for the muscles to cool down between laps, making it easier to gear up each time. 

That being said, those last few laps hurt. Cindy said her legs felt like bricks the last lap and my right hamstring/glute kept sending me, "You keep this up and I will make you suffer for it," warning signals. Luckily, everything and everyone held together. 

Like the matching pink/black SS outfits? :)Our final time was a 2:55:43 marathon, average pace of 6:42/mile. We brought home some hardware for winning the 2-women relay and a little ego stroking for beating all the co-ed and all male two-person teams. (Our friend Bill was checking scores mid-race and came back and told me one guy in his 20's on a two-man team looked at the board and said, "Man, these girls are killing us.") 

We were the 12th team overall to finish, including all the 4-person relay teams. 

My legs are S-O-R-E today, calves especially. Not enough hill work in my life is what that tells me. 

Otherwise, a great run and an even better time hanging out with friends. Lots of laughing, trading blankets, trail mix, and jumping up and down to keep warm.

And the promised hoodie from On The Mark Sports? Awesome as always.

Cheers,

Dena