Friday, April 26, 2019

Runfessions: April

Can you believe it's almost May? We've had this prolonged cold season here in Chicago and I for one am super excited to welcome spring and warmer temperatures! With the end of April comes time for runfessions.

Do you runfess? I love this monthly opportunity hosted by Marcia where we get to cleanse our souls. If you don't have anything to runfess, then you're not a runner...



Even though Marcia announced she is postponing Runfessions until next week--she's running the London Marathon this weekend--I runfess that I'm runfessing this week. I already had a post prepared and I didn't have time to prepare a whole new post. I hope she'll forgive me!


I runfess that I was beyond thrilled when the temperatures finally started to warm up. Earlier this month, I got outside in shorts! It was 80 degrees! And then...whomp whomp...a few days later we got 8 inches of snow. My euphoria was replaced by despair. As if I'm not already riding the mood swing train with the steroids I'm on. Thankfully, that snow melted the next day.

Now that the snow has completed melted, I runfess to being completely appalled and amused by all the trash along the roads. It is amazing what people toss out of their cars. I see lots of liquor bottles and trash. One day, I saw a bra laying alongside a very busy road where I run.  A little Paradise by the Dashboard Light, perhaps? And after that, I saw a yoga mat. "Let me sleep on it.." and so inspired, I sang Meat Loaf all the way home.

source
Did you watch the Boston Marathon? I knew a few people who were running it and it was exciting to track them during the race! After meeting Sarah Crouch a few years ago, I've been following her progress as an elite runner. I runfess that I was incredibly disappointed to read her post-race IG post and learn that she ran Boston knowing she had a stress "reaction" in her femur; that she inevitably fractured her femur during the race. What disappointed me, even more, was the reaction of commenters on her post, most of which were calling her tough, brave, and amazing. Not one of those words would I use to describe what she did.


I wasn't feeling well earlier this month and I dropped down from my planned 10 mile race to the 5k. I runfess that the plan was to take it easy, but you have to agree, there's no glory in that. Yeah, instead I put the pedal to the floor and ran as hard as I could. For my efforts, I was rewarded with an AG win, but man was that hard! Never underestimate a 5k! I celebrated my award and posted a good finish line photo on my recap, which you can read here. Things aren't always what they seem, though! When I crossed the finish line, the photographer captured this gem.

No, I did not vomit after the race, although I felt like it. 
I runfess that 5k took way more out of me that I would have expected. I spent the next day on the couch and would have loved to call off sick from work on Monday as well. Don't underestimate the challenge of pushing hard at a 5k! Especially when you're not feeling 100%!


Got dirt? Cleanse thy soles at the runfessional and don't forget to wish Marcia good luck at London! /via @oldrunningmom @teamarcia #runchat #running

What would you runfess? Are you riding the crazy weather roller coaster? They're calling for the possibility of snow again this weekend. Come on man! Any interesting finds on the run? Do you think elites should sit out a race if they are injured? Have you pushed it at a 5k and struggled with recovery?

I'm linking up with Marcia for Runfessions--the runfessional will be open next Friday-- and with Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness.



30 comments :

  1. I "pushed it" a 1-mile race Tuesday evening, and am STILL feeling the after effects...but I'd do it all over again ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I also got thrown off by the Runfessions switchup :) You all did have some crazy weather. We seem to have skipped spring and the humidity and heat feel like June here. We runners are never happy w the weather are we?!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We're going back to winter this weekend with SNOW predicted tomorrow night! When will it end?

      Delete
  3. I watched what I could of the Boston Marathon (had to sneak it in during work) but I have been following Sarah's story. Like you, I was really disappointed to see that so many comments were praising the decision to run injured :(

    I runfess that the extra week to do my runfessions post worked out well because I completely forgot to write mine last night #fail #brainfart

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha! I forgot to write mine last time, so I was scrambling at the last minute! Oh well, I'll be relaxing over coffee next week.

      Delete
  4. I think people are always encouraging others to run when sick, undertrained, possible injuries & so on — and I think it’s so wrong. I have to bite my tongue often.

    No snow, but back in the 40s & nasty. I’m just grateful we’ve had SOME nice weather because sometimes we skip spring entirely.

    I ran some trails yesterday. Really slowly. Very technical somewhat hilly trails. It was exhausting!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I guess that each runner has to judge for themselves how bad they are feeling. Me, I've been known to push myself but with this last flare there was no way my body was having it. I guess I feel that if your body allows it, it's ok to go. On a stress fracture? NO. That's a different story. I wonder if she regrets it.

      Delete
  5. I am a cold weather runner, but ice scares me so I have been happy to have it warm up as well. I just don't want it to get too warm!!
    I have had shorter races wipe me out. I once ended up with a cold right after 2 of them. I came home just miserable and was sick for a week. No fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think the short fast races are harder to recover from than the long races--unless you're pushing it!

      Delete
  6. Hah! I was ahead of the game for runfessing too, but will share mine over coffee next week. :-) I agree that congratulating someone for pushing through an injury is not cool. It's much harder to DNS and that is what should be congratulated. We are having June-like temperatures here -- too much, too soon!

    ReplyDelete
  7. We've spent the entire month in Hawaii and I runfess that am running better than I have all year. I finally jumped on the yoga train and it is really helping.

    I runfess that all is not paradise running in Hawaii. Tourists really are clueless. I had to holler "share the sidewalk, PLEASE!" to a group. They were walking 2 wide and about 5 deep. 3rd guy back was walking with a map completely unfolded. Go ahead and find a nice bench to figure out where you're going. #rantover

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I totally get it--when we go to Florida, even though I'm a tourist, I'm not a "tourist". People are something else, arent' they?

      Delete
  8. I have to agree with you on the stress fracture! That's absolutely silly and I think it promotes the wrong idea considering she has more of an audience than the average runner.

    Also, 5k races are HARD! I've felt that way before when I've gone all out before.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm pretty sure she wasn't thinking about any of "us"--she was focusing on getting to the Olympic trials. Really bad decision.

      Delete
  9. Your weather certainly has been crazy! I see that snow is predicted up your way.

    I often wonder the same things about elites and I am surprised to hear that the lady you are referring to even ran if she was injured. I asked a question a while back about why elites would drop out of a race once they realize they will not place, and I was told they do that to save their legs for the next race. So I am very surprised to hear that runner ran like that.
    Thanks for linking up with us! -M

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was surprised too! Especially after meeting her and hearing how she likes to recover, etc.

      Delete
  10. I runfess that I did the same thing with my Runfessions post! D'oh! I don't follow Sarah Crouch, but I think what she did was dumb too. That's how she makes her living!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I can definitely say I haven't seen a bra on my run! I have run into a drugged out dude who was trying to crawl into the street. We called 911 for him but stayed on the opposite side of the road! It was freaky.

    I always think elites should sit it out with a stress fracture or injury of that magnitude. It sends the wrong message to others who may look up to them! It's not smart to race through injury...I don't think it proves you tough or brave. It's more stupid than anything to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't seen a druggie on my run, so does that make us even? Ewww.

      Delete
  12. Speaking of bras, I once saw a lady with her hair up in a towel putting on her bra as she sat at the traffic light in her car next to me. I was up higher in my SUV and had a birds-eye-view - too bad this was before mobile phones and taking pictures of everything!

    I love your finish line picture. The photographer captured you perfectly - you laid it all out there and did your best. I often feel much more wiped out at the end of a 5K than a marathon. I never felt like throwing up at the end of a marathon, but have after 5K's that I raced hard. Of course, I recover from that feeling after a 5K in mere minutes as compared to the several day of fatigue after a marathon. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had more fatigue after that 5k than I've ever had after a marathon! I think that's what threw me--and gave me a huge reality check about what RA is really doing to me.

      Delete
  13. Yes I say push it but not when you already know that you HAVE an injury...it could end your running for good.

    Feeling tired and under trained is quite different from what she did.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She says she was hoping to qualify for the Olympics. Didn't turn out so well for her, did it?

      Delete
  14. Sara Crouch took a stupid gamble and lost. I definitely would not be telling her she's brave. Sounded desperate to me. This crap weather needs to get on the program because I've got an outdoor grad party planned. Talk about a gamble!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Looks like warmer days are on the horizon. Of course, that could change in a blink of an eye..

      Delete
  15. Isn't it crazy the trash you see along the side of the road?!? Always makes me wonder what the hell people are thinking!

    I saw Sara Crouch's post - absolutely ridiculous to take that kind of gamble. And people's positive responses were really alarming to me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I understand why she did it but to put it out there and justify it?

      Delete