Beaten physically, mentally and near fatally

So, do you think runners are like cats? Do we get nine lives too? After my last run I’m sure hoping so, because my one life is fast diminishing. Two weeks ago I was faced with a near miss as a pickup truck came screeching up behind my favourite running chick and I and proceeded to smash into a vehicle half a small condo distance away. Pretty scary right, but nothing compared to what happened to me on Saturday.

At 25 km into my 29 km run, I was pretty beaten up physically and mentally, but I could still decipher between the walk signal and the bright red don’t-you-dare-cross-this-damn-street signal. So when I saw that hand, I waited, and waited, and waited. With my leg muscles flaring up and seizing, it felt like forever before that light changed, but being the good runner that I am, I waited. When finally the walkman came, I ran. It was broad daylight, the sun was shining clearly, and while my face may have been pallid, my clothes were most definitely not. I was not wearing a mundane grey hue that would have me blend into the pavement, but rather a bright red and coral pink that glowed in the sun. So, I really have no idea how that guy who squealed his car left the second the light turned green, right into my line of path did not see me. In fact, it took another car, which this car was cutting off, to double beep its horn for this guy to slam his brakes on – literally two feet from taking me out. What the F?

I probably could have let it slide 10, maybe even 20 km in with a few choice words, but not 25. Yes he got those choice words, rather emphatically if I do say so myself, but as I continued to run, my emotions got the better of me. With near death thoughts streaming through my exhausted head, I started hyperventilating with salty tears blinding my sight. Awesome.

SATURDAY’S RUN:

  • 10:45 a.m. BG before: 7.1 (1 Dex, 1 Sharkies, no bolus)
  • Temp. basal: -50 per cent
  • Distance: 29 km
  • Average pace: 6:42 min/km
  • Average heart rate: 162 bpm
  • Time: 3:14:19
  • @45 min: GU gel @90 min: 1/2 Larabar @2 hours BG: 8.1
  • 3 p.m. BG after: 6.4

This run, admittedly was not my favourite. Not only did I see my life flash before my eyes, but almost right from the get-go, I was having some, uhm, sour belly issues. And that first GU gel into my belly did NOT help those issues.

Washroom stop No. 1, Second Beach Pool, 8 km:To all those who required the facilities at the same time as me and my sour belly, I do so very much apologize. You poor, poor people.

At 1.5 hours in, knowing my belly could not withstand another GU, I tried half a peanut butter and jelly Larabar. Big mistake.

Washroom stop No 2, False Creek Community Centre, 19km:I think I may have forever been banned from that toilet! Again, I do so humbly apologize.

Luckily I was at Granville Island where I was able to grab a French roll to try and sop up the sourness, which did help for a few kilometres. But because I wasn’t drinking my electrolytes for fear of upchucking them the second they went down, that pukey feeling kept running strong, and all I wanted was to be done. Which is really too bad, because this was one of my most favourite runs of my last marathon training, with beautiful sights and great memories. Trying to hold on to those memories and NOT these ones.


Taking a much-needed break on the loungers at False Creek


Even on tough runs there’s still beauty to see!

And if the run wasn’t bad enough, to add salt to injury, my hip flexors are super duper tight and my calves are super duper tight and yes, my ankle is slightly tender. How do you bounce back after a rough run?

3 thoughts on “Beaten physically, mentally and near fatally”

  1. Robert Freeman

    At the ripe old age of 60, I no longer bounce. I kind of just schlep along 🙂 I tried a somersault on my back lawn last summer, and thought I was gonna need paramedics to restore me to a vertical position. But in my heyday 🙂 a power nap and an ice-cold Coca-cola were enough to “bounce back” to full action mode 🙂

  2. Katie sounds like you had a bit of shock which will bring on the shakes, tears, bathroom issues. I am grateful to the driver that was aware!

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