Spring Classic, Redux

Pretty nice day for a race today! Windy, but otherwise perfect. Great temps. No rain. No snow. :-) I felt pretty good, running comfortable, until I started cramping somewhere before mile 8. I knew I was dehydrated before I started and that was my own fault. Too much time out working in the garden yesterday and not drinking. And I didn't try to get caught up when I got inside. My bad! My splits were: 7:11 7:24 7:14 7:16 7:14 7:01 7:03 7:15 (cramping started in this mile) 7:36 I stopped a couple of times and had a hitch in my step for most of the last half mile. But all in all, I was satisfied. My hip/hamstring/piriformis is once again sore, but it'll be better tomorrow.

Here's a word from co-director Tom O'Leary that he asked me to pass along:

"From a co-director view, what a great way to wake up... No Rain! There was some wind, but our trusty volunteer 'tent-setter-uppers' wisely used the stakes... woo hoo!

We love our Volunteers! They are a great team of eager and willing people and that makes it fantastic fun! As with every event, there were some bumps along the way, but everyone made adjustments and pulled it off!

The Spring Classic started with the Spring Kids Mile... what fun! We had 28 registered.. they lined up... and bam! Away they went... out to the penguin and back! Many thanks to all parents, and other runners, who took time to cheer for the youngsters! The staple 5K & 15K within the Spring Classic are always so much fun as well. So many runners take the line with their own personal goals, it's just great to see each of them come across that finish!

We hope everyone enjoyed the morning and puts the Spring Classic back on your to-do list for 2010..."

Tom, Jean and Judy did a great job and we thank you for your efforts. It's a lot of work, and usually thankless. So here's a big THANK YOU from all of us!!

Sue Palmer reports that husband Shaun ran a 2:37 at Run Around Woman Lake 30K this morning in Longville for 8th place overall and first in his age group. Shaun is training for his first marathon, Med-City. Ellen Hamernik ran good enough for 3rd in her age group. You represented Rochester well, you guys!! Kudos!!

Mike Torchia asked me to pass along his fundraising letter for Global Volunteers, which I did on the RTC forum. Check it out. It looks like a good cause.

I was hoping to take a class in making a T-shirt quilt on Thursday but I've decided to run the TCM 1-mile race in Mpls. with my race team instead. And I'm going to run smart, comfortably hard, not all out so as not to ruin my marathon on Saturday. Leah Polzine-Campbell passed along this photo of a T-shirt quilt that she made a few years ago. Some are race Ts and some aren't. What a wonderful keepsake. She did a great job. And she ran great today ... second female.



The bike repair stand and rollers to be given away have a waiting list of 6. So no more queries on those items. I'm sure they'll go.

Marilee Hardyman won the "Where Is It?" contest from the May RTC News. Congrats! Lin Gentling had 5/6 right for the "Who Is It?" contest. Keep trying! I'll give hints in a few days if no one else gets them right.

I was talking to LaRee Etter this morning before the race and she was a bit stressed at not having her watch. I told her that the last time I raced without my watch/GPS (not by choice, but because it didn't take the charge) I qualified for Boston. You know what? She had a great race today and ran several minutes better than she'd hoped to!!

This afternoon I made a fun little bag that will be a thank you gift for someone. Quick, easy little project that was fun to make. Wild fabric, I know. :-)

After supper I went out and cleaned out my garlic chives (got rid of the dead blooms from last year) and then double dug my little salad garden and planted some mesclun (mixed greens). I plan to get the peas and onions planted tomorrow, as I didn't get around to it today. Supposed to be even warmer tomorrow. I noticed my first daffodils blooming, a pretty double variety.

I also baked a pile (literally!) of cookies ...

and didn't eat even one. :-)

Joe Mauer has certainly had a good two games in his return to the regular Twins line-up. They're playing a very tight, back-and-forth game tonight. I hope they can pull out the win.

Well, now starts the hardest part of marathon training for me. The last week where I should do pretty much little of nothing ... that's soooooooo hard for me. But I'll get through it. I always do.

Thought for the day: "To whom much is given, much is expected." --Luke 12:48

Happy Trails.