Fourteen, the Hard Way

 

I bet a psychologist could have a field day with me. Even I have to wonder sometimes what possesses me to do the things that I do. I mean, there’s Type A personalities, and then there’s me. I would probably categorize myself as Type I personality, for Insane.  Or maybe for Idiot. 😛 And yet, I still do the things that I do.

This past Saturday was a prime example. I had 14 miles on my training schedule, my first time running farther than a half marathon. But I also had three hockey games on the schedule, since the youngest (Daniel) had a tournament, and the other (Jamie) had a district game. Do you think that I would decide to do something simple, like postpone the run? Or get up really early and run on the treadmill? You might think that, but you’d be wrong. Because somehow, in my head, the idea that I should run from one hockey rink to another hockey rink to make it from one game to another seemed like a good idea.  So, that’s what I came up with.

I plotted out the route, adding in a couple of pit stops, since it wasn’t actually 14 miles from Jamie’s 11:20am game to Daniel’s 3pm game. Luckily, my mom and my sister actually live somewhat on the way, so I was able to use their houses as stopping points. I plugged it all into my Garmin software, and voila—I had a way that I could literally run from one game to another! Based on the timing, I knew I would most likely have to leave the first game a little early, but that was okay, because just the night before, we had bought a couple of GoPro cameras, and I knew I could relive all the action later.

It all seemed like it would work out great. I mean, I wasn’t overly fond of the idea of running 14 miles in between two hockey games, but I felt confident that I could do it, since I already run 13 miles at a 9:50 pace back in November. I knew I could run this one much slower, and I’d be fine.

And then the weather forecasts started coming in.

By Friday night, we were under a winter weather advisory for Saturday, for snow and high winds. I couldn’t sleep Friday night because I kept hearing the wind howling out my window at 25-35 mph. I lay in my bed most of the night listening, and every time the winds blew against my windows, I freaked out a little more.

When I finally awoke Saturday morning at 6:30am for our 9 AM game (we have to be there an hour early), my weather station said that the average winds were about 15 mph, and the temperature was around 23 degrees.  I felt like that wasn’t awful, so I packed my running gear to take with me to the rink.

We were surprised by the snow on our way up.  It had only been lightly snowing at our house, but the snow was coming in squalls, and we hit a few on our way to the first game, which was at the farther north rink.  We saw four accidents on the 20 minute drive! That game ended up starting late, so we had to leave early with Jamie to get him to his game by 10:30.  We left Daniel in the care of his coach, and off we went.

By the time I got to Jamie’s game, I was just a bundle of nerves. I had forced myself to have some coffee and an English muffin before we left the house, and then I choked down a banana while I was waiting for Jamie’s game to start. While all this was going on, I was also trying to figure out the two new goPro cameras. They are not intuitive, as it turns out, so I was really stressing about trying to get the game videotaped, especially since I knew I would be missing the last half of it.

Between all the technology stress and the anxiety over my impending 14 mile run, I was nearly a basket case by noon. Thankfully, my friend Renee had been texting me, because she knew that I was planning to do my longest run of my career that day. She encouraged me, and reminded me how good it would be to have a glass of wine at 9 o’clock that night, when it was all over.  That’s a good friend. 😉 Katie had also texted me in the morning and had been encouraging as well.

Due to the technical difficulties, as well as my inability to get all my running gear on and ready at the right time, I got started about 15 minutes late. As I walked out of the rink, all my running gear on and ready to go, I was delighted to see that the sun was shining and it wasn’t too windy. I just knew that God was shining down upon me for this major moment in my life, parting the clouds, so to speak, to make my journey easier.

As it turns out, that really wasn’t God’s plan.

As I headed north along a side street (I had chosen to do as many side streets as I could to avoid the major roads as much as possible), I was feeling pretty good. I had my headphone in one ear, listening to a podcast, and I was just jogging along at a nice slow pace for me. There was a lot of snow piled on the side of the road, so that gave me less room to run, but I was able to avoid the small amount of traffic on the side roads pretty well.

When I hit the first main road, I was doing okay, but the amount of water and slush on the side of the road was a bit challenging. I ran on the road when I could, but I moved to the shoulder whenever cars would pass me. After that, I turned down another side road and headed north once again. By this time, the sun had gone away, and the winds had started to pick up. They were coming from the north, which kind of sucked actually, since my route was almost entirely south to north.

About halfway to the next major road, it began to snow in earnest. The winds were at least 20 mph, coming right at me, and the snow was just driving in its intensity. I kept going, despite the fact the snow was starting to pile up pretty quickly on the road, and of course, it hadn’t been plowed yet, so it was a real mess to try to run in.  I was still managing an 11-ish minute mile, though it was getting tougher with every step.

When I got to the next main road, which I had to run on for a little less than a mile, I was once again stymied by the slush and the water on the shoulder.  At one point, I had to decide between stepping in a big puddle or being dangerously close to an oncoming car…the puddle won, obviously.  My left shoe was soaked, and the right wasn’t much better, but I didn’t care at that point.  A minute or so later, my phone went off—my mother was calling me!  I answered it to make sure no catastrophes had occurred, and I was greeted with, “You’re seriously running in this?!”

“Yes, Mother! I gotta go!!”

“Let me know when you’re done!” she said quickly and then I hung up.  I hit 3.1 miles just after that, and I took the time to stop and snap a quick picture of myself so I could officially say I did Katie’s virtual 5k.

 

 

Lest you think I’m a terrible daughter, I also took the time to send my mother a calming text and tell her I loved her. 🙂 Then I was off again.

I was soooo happy to get to the next side road, although the footing wasn’t fabulous by any stretch.  Still, it was better than navigating the shoulder of the main roads!  This was actually a road I’d often biked down as a kid, and it was surreal to think I was running down it.  I stopped for a picture because it was pretty.

 

 

At the next main road, there was no shoulder, so I was forced to take the sidewalk, which was rough.  Most of the sidewalks on the main roads weren’t plowed, since the properties are owned by businesses and people aren’t really walking them right now.  Trying to run through 2-5 inches of snow at any given point along those sidewalks was truly just a great big bucket of suck. But I did it.

Once again, I was thrilled to get back into the neighborhood, and in this case, it was my mom’s neighborhood, so I knew I was close to my first rest break.  I trudged along the roads until I got to my mom’s front porch, when I stopped my Garmin.  As I made my way up the walk, I saw this.

 

 

Awww. 🙂 My mom loves me.  I went in the house for a quick pitstop and to warm up a bit.  My mother’s dog was so happy to see me.

 

 

I texted that picture to my mom, drank about half the water, then I was on my way again.  When I went back out, it was sunny, but, as is normal for Michigan, that only lasted about 2 minutes before a full-on snow squall hit.  This one was really bad…I was running first north and then west, and the snow was hitting me in the face.  It hurt! I stopped on the side of a road next to a field because I really wanted to snap a pic to remember that moment. (And maybe because I needed the break…)

 

 

For real, man, that is some serious snow.  Honestly, my phone camera doesn’t even do it justice!

I had to stop at a major intersection to wait for the light, then it was another ¾ mile north into the wind and snow.  Another stop at an intersection, and another mile north.  This road wasn’t a main one, but it was more traveled than I would have liked.  The snow squall lessened some while I headed along this route, but it was a tough go for sure.

When I hit the next intersection, I had another main road without a shoulder to contend with.  This necessitated a full mile on awful, snowy sidewalks.  There was a great deal of cursing on this section of my travels.  Of course, when you’re faced with scenes like this as you make your way across driveways, you could understand why.

 

 

Again, my camera phone does a crappy job, but if you could see it, that’s a pile of snow about four feet high that completely blocks any way for me to get to the sidewalk on the other side of that driveway.  Argh!!

Somehow, I preserved and made it to the next subdivision, which led me to my sister’s house around mile nine.  Hooray!  Another bottle of water, pitstop, rest break, and a picture with my sweet sis, Monica.

 

 

Back out onto the road again, through the neighborhood and onto another main road.  This one had a shoulder for a while, but then it was gone and I was once again on the sidewalk.  By this time, I was really tired. And cold. And miserable.  At mile ten, I convinced myself that I could run two more miles and then I would take one more break for some water and rest at mile 12. I hit mile 11 just as I turned off the main road, and the sun suddenly came out.  I was thrilled! I felt like I was in the home stretch, and when I got to mile 12, I gratefully stopped and had some water (right in front of a guy that was using his snowblower…can’t believe he didn’t say anything to me, the crazy girl running in the snow…maybe he was afraid, lol!).

I took a moment to text my husband and let him know I had two miles to go and would probably not make the start of Daniel’s game.  He texted back that the game would be starting late, so I would almost certainly make it.  That was good news, at least.  I put my phone away and started up one last time, telling myself, “It’s just two miles.”

I’ll tell you what…I’m not sure I will ever say that phrase again.  Those two miles were truly the hardest I’ve ever run.  Though it started out sunny, I could see the dark clouds on the horizon, and I was still more than a mile from the rink when yet another snow squall hit.  This one was really bad, and it lasted the remainder of my run.

The neighborhood roads were just terrible.  Like this.

 

 

Only worse, because this was taken after the fact, when it wasn’t snowing anymore.  Imagine that road with fresh snow on it.  Yeah, pretty miserable.

Around mile 12.5, when I was running due north into the snow and strong winds, I finally began to lose my determination.  At that point, I got angry and started questioning God as to why He chose today of all days to not just produce a snow storm, but a snow storm with winds from the north, on a day when my only purpose was to run north for over a dozen miles!!  Over and over in my head I asked why…why me? Why today? Why did it have to be a north wind?!?!

And then, about mile 13, I realized I was doing it all wrong.  I stopped complaining and starting conversing.  I asked God to get me through this last mile, somehow, some way.  My kids and I had started reading the Bible every night since the beginning of the year, but we had slacked off the last few nights.  I promised God that if He would get me to the end without giving up, we’d get back to our Bible reading!

That last mile was unbelievably hard.  I was on a somewhat busy side road, so I had some traffic to avoid.  I had to go up to a main road, and my original intent was to turn onto that road, but I just knew if I had to deal with unplowed sidewalks one more time, I was going to collapse into a puddle of tears and sweat in the snow instead of finish.  So I turned around and went back down the side road.  I had to do a few weird turns and out-and-backs but finally, I hit the 14.00 on the Garmin, and I stopped.

 

 

I thanked God for getting me through, and then I began walking to find some shelter from the damn wind, which was in the 20-25 mph range, even there in a neighborhood.  (You know I am a weather geek and know how to check these things, right?)  When I finally found a spot to block the wind, I stopped and took a look down to find this.

 

 

Um, yeah…I’m pretty sure red stains on your shoes after a run are not a good sign.  At that point, I didn’t care…I just wanted to get to the rink to see the game.  Once I arrived, I found we still had half an hour before the game, so I sat down at a table and rested while Jamie went to my husband’s truck to get my clean clothes.

 

 

That is one tired girl in that picture, let me tell you.  I eventually took my shoes and socks off and saw that my foot looked like something out of a horror movie. (I did not take a picture.  You’re welcome.)  I seem to have a cut underneath one of my toenails—I think.  It’s very odd.  And painful.  So is the huge blister on my left arch (flat feet = arch issues).

After I changed, I was still cold, so I watched the game from outside the arena in the lobby.  They skated hard but lost, but as for me, I was happy to go home and finally have my well-deserved reward.

 

 

That and some beef quesadillas and a chocolate mousse dessert made life better. 🙂  Going to an 8am hockey game the next morning did not. 😛

All in all, it was actually a horrible run.  The truth is, I probably shouldn’t have done it.  The weather was terrible, my pace was abysmal, and as I look back on it, I took way too many chances on those main roads.  And yet…I couldn’t not do it.  The idea of skipping it, or even doing it on the treadmill, just didn’t even cross my mind.  I had it in my head that I was going to run from one rink to the other, and I wasn’t going to stop until I had accomplished it.

I don’t know why I am so obsessed with sticking to my training plan no matter what obstacles are put in my path. (Obstacles like two travel hockey schedules, the snowiest January in Detroit history, and something called a “polar vortex.” 😛 ) Like I said at the beginning of this post, a psychologist would probably have a field day with trying to delve into the dark recesses of my mind to figure out the real reason behind it all. I’m not sure I want to know, though. 😉

Still, despite knowing better, I can’t deny that I am very proud of myself for actually running from one rink to another—and completing my longest run ever along the way! This was my first run past 13.1, and while it was also probably my worst run in terms of pace, it did feel good to tell all those parents later in the day, “Actually, I ran here from the other rink.”  They all said I was crazy, and one of the moms (rightfully) gave me a lecture about it, but I could tell that most of the parents were impressed, at least a little. 😉

And then, there’s my mom.  After I finished, I texted her and my sister from the rink to let them know I’d made it.  Here’s how the conversation went:

 

 

Leave it to a mother to be brutally honest. 😉  I know she’s proud of me, though, because she said so later. 🙂

I know this post is long, but I didn’t ever want to forget the details of this run that taught me so much about myself and what I can do.  Thank you for reading it!!