The Monkey's Revenge

So, yeah, I survived the race. And honestly... I wasn't sore at all after this marathon (which has only happened to me one other time: Grizzly Marathon. Gotta love gravel). I slept in on Monday morning, but stumbled through a quasi-tempo run on Monday night.

I took it fairly easy the rest of the week... Thursday I hiked all over the damn place (up mountains, down mountains, sliding down mountains on my ass) near the ole family homestead and on Friday I hit the trails at Percy Warner to help start breaking in my new trail shoes (love them! huge difference!).

Saturday, Melanie and I had planned on running 12-13 together. She had mentioned she was willing to do the 11.2, but I was aiming for a nice 12-13 on the smyrna greenway. I was sick of the damn hills.

Then sometime Friday afternoon I got this email:

Subject: 11.2
From: Relay teammate, Newbie to my Age Group, Kicks my ass in every race (aka... fast beoytch).


Hey running friends!

I was wondering if any of you would want to show me the way on the 11.2 sometime this weekend. I've never run it before and it's supposed to be great weather at any point during the weekend. Let me know if you're interested and we can plan a time and day.

Thanks,
Fast Beoytch

Well. SHIT. I quickly looked to see if Melanie had been sent the email, as well. And OF COURSE she had. F*CK. I knew I wasn't ready. I had flashbacks to attempting the 11.2 one week after the St. Louis Marathon (you know the time that Vandy-Montana had to leave me for dead on 7 mile hill). But could I turn down a running posse? Even though it wasn't even a WEEK since the Monkey? Hells no.

So, I show up Saturday morning. Thinking... well, two of these people (Melanie brought along a friend, too) hadn't ever ran the 11.2. They'll be slow. I can keep up.

Hahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha.

Yeah. Right.

They pulled wayyyy ahead of me on 3 mile hill. I was huffing and puffing, willing my legs to just keep on moving. They slowed down and allowed me to catch up with them, but by mile 5 I knew I was done with the pace they were running. I needed a slow and steady 10:00/10:30 pace to get me up the hills without dying. So, I ran the last 6 or so by myself. Once I slowed down, it wasn't so bad. But, I'll admit... I did walk up parts of 7 mile and LOTS of 9 mile.

Well played, 11.2. You humbled me yet again you sorry ole bastard.