You know how some weekends are mellow and lazy and you lay around in your pajamas and read magazines? Yeah, this was so totally not that weekend! We were jam-packed, wall-to-wall racing the last three days and it was pretty awesome!
The Kiddos
Friday afternoon/evening took us down to Turlock for the Pitman Distance Wars – a distance-only track meet, which is really different from a full-on track and field event. They move very quickly from event to event, with little recovery in between. Big Boy and Little Boy were both entered in the 1600 (one mile) and the 3200 (two miles), and as it turned out, they were even competing in the same heats. Head-to-head, brother vs. brother. It’s enough to stretch a mama’s nerves, I tell ya. Especially when Big Boy had a rough go of the 3200 (his favorite and generally best) event, and his little brother beat him. There were tears, I’m not gonna lie. Big Boy was heartbroken, but (mostly) gracious about the defeat. Thankfully, earlier in the evening, he had laid down a huge one mile PR (4:53). So that took the sting off. A little.
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| The first words out of Little Boy’s mouth at the finish line were, “I love you Bubba, please don’t be mad.” |
Me
After a late night on Friday, I got up at the crack of early like I do and went to work, then hustled my butt over to Davis for the Lucky Run 7K, part of the NorCal Tour de Fit series of races I’m running this year. I’ll be writing a full race report on the blog this week, but here’s my four-word preview recap: I ran too fast. Lol! I knew I had more racing to do the very next day, but standing at the starting line of a short race got my adrenaline going, ya know? I’ve never run a 7K, so it was an automatic PR, but I was also really pleased with my pace and my time. The only thing that was a tiny bit disappointing was that I didn’t make an AG award, which I thought I’d had a shot at. So, this morning, I was trolling the results and checking my time in other AGs and I would have podiumed at literally (not even the exaggerated version of that word, but the real definition) any other age. All the fast girls in town are apparently middle-aged mamas like me. Ha!
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| Blurry Garmin pic. |
UltraIronHubs
Sunday morning dawned very early, but not exactly bright, since we had moved our clocks forward the night before. On the calendar for the day was the Lake Natoma Marathon for UltraIronHubs (and a li’l something for me, too, but I’ll get to that in a minute). UIH is currently training for a 100K race in May, so he’s been doing a lot of hard trail miles lately. This race was technically paved, so you could call it a road race, but there was enough elevation change to make it more challenging than your average marathon bear. Either way, his goal for the day was to run the race comfortably. It was more miles than he would have run on a regular training day, but easier terrain than the mountains he’s been climbing recently, so he went into it feeling like he could shoot for something in the sub-four hour range (his road marathon PR is 3:06:09, because he’s fast like that). Well, you know what I was just saying about adrenaline and starting lines and whatnot? He felt that way, too, and rocketed his way to 2nd place OVERALL and his fifth fastest marathon ever at 3:26:29!!
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| It was an out-and-back course and one of us (not me) was already long since on his way back while the other of us was barely heading out. |
And Then Me Again
I’ll be writing up a full recap of this race as well, because I want to regale you with details about why the day was so crappy, but the short version is that this 50K was rough for me! Right out of the gate I knew it wasn’t going to be a good day, but I’m super happy that I muscled through it and lived to tell the tale. Another ultramarathon (6 of them so far!) on the books, another medal for my display, and – irony of ironies – a second place AG placement.
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| Post-race smiles. |
Oh, I hate to hear that your 50K was a tough one; I can’t wait to hear about your adventure! I’ll have to live vicariously through you for now, Pahla; I have no plans to run a 50K in the near future, but it could be in the cards one of these days. Hope your day is going well and that you are recovering from your race!
First time visiting your blog–wow!! Way to go on the ultramarathon (an 6th one at that)! I am working on my second half, so that sounds like the ultimate feat to me!! 🙂
Your younger son’s words to your older son after that race made me tear up. I have two boys (albeit young–1 and 3) and how heartwarming to hear his concern for big bro!
Ooooh I’ll bet being beaten by the little bro stung! That would not go over well at all here, I think. Very sweet what little bro said at the finish though. <3 Congrats again to both of you. Speaking from experience, you’re in a very tough AG. And you got redemption for placing in your ultra so yay!
Argh. I feel your pain. I run great, I don’t place. And yeah, it hurts worse when I’m faster than the younger ones. But then I place when I run crappy…”But I don’t deserve this award”. You did have a great 7k run!! And congrats to your husband! My boys are on the same high school golf team. No drama, yet.
That is a pretty crazy weekend. Congrats on your AG award and finishing another Ultra! Amazing!!! I can literally only place in my AG if I’m in the 70+ category…and even that’s not guaranteed sometimes 🙂 Sorry all the fast ladies in the 7K were your age. I’ve never done a 7K…interesting distance.
I have 3 brothers and have never raced them so they have never beaten me… that said I’ve never got to run with them, so do tell Big Boy he is very lucky to have Little Boy to run with…
What a fun weekend! I love your sporty family! Sounds like you and Big Boy did the same thing – wore yourself down on the first race. This is my conclusion having not yet read your 50K race recap (which I will do).
So Ruby is setting next to me and says about your husband…
Ruby: That looks like Bowie’s Dad!
Me: Maybe a little. That’s my friend Pahla, and that’s her husband.
Ruby: What’s his name?
Me: IronHubs.
Ruby: (hehehehehe) That’s a funny name to say!