Mitchell and Chad at our tailgating sight before heading in to the game.It was a long and stormy Saturday!!! No one had planned on the severe storm that blew up right over Riley County as the game started.
I was up at 5:30 a.m. Saturday to get ready for my first long run of 13 miles. The only other time I have run this distance was during the Lincoln Half Marathon this past May. I was glad to be attempting this with the help of a supported long run so I was not alone. However, I was LESS than pleased when I learned we would be taking a very hilly course on mostly gravel roads. I had been hoping for a mostly flat course for this amount of distance, and gravel roads make me feel unsteady and tend to reek havoc on my knees. So when the skinny 20 something girl whined that she didn't want to run Linear Trail....you can imagine the key phrases that went through this 30 something and anything but skinny girl's head!!! But I took one for the team and went along with the pack as we took off on a track that lead us up Seth Child Road to the very scenic but hilly Marlatt Ave.
For those of you who don't know Seth Child Road as you head north out of Manhattan....it has a MASSIVE and NEVER-ENDING hill. I am not a fan of hills.....I do not enjoy hills.....and this one was no exception!! But I made it, battling my mind up the entire way.
Mitchell in Bramalage during the hour long lightening delay. He did awesome making it through the entire rain delay and whole game as well! Not too bad for a 6 year old......
I have to admit......the run on the gravel roads of the flinthills was beautiful as the sun started to come up. It was a cool morning with a mix of clouds which was also a huge relief after so many long distance runs in the awful heat and humidity. After one more ridiculous hill just before hitting mile 4 of my long run (and popping a few Gu Gummies for energy)....I was in a groove. "The bad moon rising" thoughts went away and I had a great run. Because I missed the mile marker at 6.5 to turn around....I ended up running further than the 13 miles that I originally planned. I finished the 13.2ish mile run 2:09:58 at a 9:51 mile pace. Considering the hilly course...this gave me some huge confidence as my race time in Lincoln was 2:08 at a 9:50 mile pace.
It was a quick turn around after the long run. After taking a quick ice bath, showering and getting ready....we headed to the game. Standing around in the Cats Closet did nothing good for my legs during the game delay so by the time the storm subsided, I was sore and starving. It wasn't a great game for the Cats and perhaps it wasn't the greatest way to spend an afternoon after a 13 mile run.
Either way.....KSU got through and is now 4-0 and I am one step closer to my second 1/2 marathon!!! I will follow my normal training schedule this week, run 11 miles again this Saturday and then it's all downhill to 10-10-10! :)
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