Patience; the new endurance sport.

Man two miles was fun.  It felt so good, my legs and hips felt good, my energy was good.  I was really happy until I got home and weighed myself.  I have gained 5 pounds since last week.  This always happens.  The second I stop using all those calories for running, my body greedily claims and tucks them away--survival mode.  I don't relish the idea of being fluffy right before the race, I imagine it's like running with an extra 5lb sack of flour.  But every time it's toss up between eating healthy (good complex carbs and lean proteins) before the race or being hungry,cranky, and anxious before the race just so I don't gain any weight.  That said, I don't think that cake last Sunday did me any favors.  The good news is, I feel pretty good.

5,617 finishers, 309 women in my age division.  The big news is I qualified for Boston!  I came into this race under ideal circumstances.  I was well healthy (no injuries), rested, well fed, introduced interval/speed to my regular mileage training (including weeks of running on soft sand in late July).  There was not a single reason I could not succeed at this race. Even the weather was spectacular, warm at the right times, cool toward the end.  The only negative of the whole SGM experience, is that unfortunately I only got an hour, yes I said one hour of sleep.  We were acting like kids until 11:00 and then when I went to bed, I never slept and when I did I dreamed we missed the busses and ran the race at noon with no water stations or support volunteers.  Anyway, we loaded the busses at 4:30, and it was a gorgous night.  The moon was full, the stars were out and we were all relieved it was not raining when we got off the busses.  We all felt so positive about the run, but of course you just don't know how it's going to go until you start running. Bumped into Walter pre race and a ton of other friends.  Got to the fires, stretched and went to the bathrooms.  We let a lot of time pass after the start.  None of us like to push our way through the croud in the dark and so we waited until we were the last people to cross the start.  I had no idea how many minutes and assumed it was about 8.  My goal was to run steady and strong on the flat sections, turn on my 'smooth' inspired downhill speed, and take it slow on the up hills.  My splits reflect this strategy and are all over the place.  I have to say that my effort was so concentrated, I really don't remember much about the running.  I had an ongoing dialogue in my head for 26 miles:  This is what I said over and over  in my head: There is not one excuse to try your hardest today/just try and see what happens/what would Michelle/Josse do right now (they'd keep going)/I am made of diamonds and titanuim/speed it up/don't worry just keep going.  I promise you I never looked at the landscape, the people, I heard nothing, I saw nothing.  I ran, and ran, and ran and played games to pass the miles (I'll run tthe first 20 miles and then turn it on high gear,  I'll drink at every 2 miles, I'll eat an orange and banana every time they have them, I'll stop for a bit at 13 and 23,  I'll take elecrolyte strips at 17, the next 5 miles to 22 will be just like my regular morning run/I'll just keep running to the end even though I'm tired).  The first miles were warm ups and spent going in and out of runners.  It was flat and a little down hill.  I found ways to relax my sholders and arms and move my feet fast until Veyo: 8:09/8:48/8:04/8:09/8:12/7:47/7:53

I love when they say SGM is a 'downhill marathon'  you do realize miles 7-14 are seriously uphill right? Hill at Veyo 9:42 (the rest of the inclinel) 9:11/8:59/9:35/10:00

Hit 13.1 at 1:47 (best half marathon time yet) and wondered how I cold keep it up but kept going.  I never even looked up from 13-20 except the last hill when my calves began to cramp. 8:38/9:02/8:07/8:03/8:17/8:34/8:56/8:17. I had to really focus to keep this pace so steady on those flat miles.  I did not look up, around I just looked at the ground or straight ahead and talked to myself.  I didn't even let my mind wander and when it did I'd look to my Garmin and tell myself to pick up the pace and that I'd take a breather at 23.  8:34/8:56  now are the splits I'm most proud of --I was exhausted, but it was downhill and I was determined to make the best of it even though I was out of gas 8:17/7:50  two more flat miles 9:29/8:42 (stopped and walked thorugh the fruit, gatorade statin and stretched).  Started downhill toward town 8:05/ kept the pace getting through town 9:03/9:02-- that finisher's corridor was the longest thing I have ever done--but I kept a steady pace and never faltered even though the red balloon alley went on ad infitium.  The clock time read 4:00 straight up when I crossed and I stood in the water mister and cried that I had not qualified for Boston and with all that effort didn't beat my best time.  I got my sandstone finisher's medal, saw the Kellies, and laid on the grass in the most delicously delirious moment of collapse.  I then realized my Chip time would be different than the clock.  The lady checked my number and gave me the sticker that read my time was 3:47:18--I hid my face in my hands and started to cry again and the lady had to ask if I was ok.  I told her I was surprized and happy to learn that I had just qualified for Boston.  I then turned around, stuffed my face into the shirt I had tied around my waist and cried about everything there was to cry about from the past 3 years. Then I found Catherine, Duane, Diana and walked the mile home to the condo.  Catherine also qualified for Boston with a time of 3:29, Diana too.  Duane wrecked his calf at mile 20, and came in around 4:00 (his time every other year has been 3:30).  We were all very pleased with the day, the race, and yet another great SGM party.

When I got off the marathon bus on Saturday at 4:30 a.m. or so, the full moon was so huge and bright , and the stars so intense and sparkly over that line of bon fires, that I had a strong desire to start running down the road before the start time just to be running under that moon light.  Today I left the house early, and there was that moon, only slighly diminished since Saturday.  It was such a delicious feeling to run down my country road under that moon shining its bluish light over the fields.  It was bright enough, I could see the cattle dotting the yellow grass, and mist rising off the marsh.  I noticed my quads are still sore, but overall I feel good. I'm particularly pleased that my lower back, sciatic nerve, and piriformis are feeling well.  I credit the rigorous stretching, strengthening exersizes, and deep tissue massage prior to and post race.  It was wonderful to get out this morning, even if it was for just a few miles.  I walked on Sunday and again yesterday-- but sitting at my desk all day yesterday was a killer.  It felt wonderful to get out of bed and feel almost 100%-- the stairs, no longer mock me!

I am so in love with 'jogging' right now.  I feel like 4 miles might have pushed it a little, but I took it very slow.  I enjoyed every second of the frosty alfalfa fields and dark river water, running smooth and clear.  The sunlight is not quite as bleak as it gets in November, but the trail is that kind of lovely lonliness I find so poingant this time of year.  I posted a question about recovery on the message board, but everyone is so taken by the ongoing topics on Kelli's blog that no one will answer me.  I just hope I'm doing it right this time.  I read a topic posted by Sasha to some guy about two years ago about investing and reaping dividends and how you have to decide when to 'cash in'--but that sometimes you don't reap benefits for 6, 12, 18 months.  It was a good comment, and I feel it was true for me.  But I'd still like to know some conventional wisdom for recovery.  P.S.  Where is Smooth?  I need her.   

It's been decided: Boston -- April 19th, 2010.  For some serindipitous reason, everyone I know wants to come (even more excited than me--probably because they are not running the race). I have a quite a few friends in the Boston area, but friends from NYC, Connecticut, and New Jersey all want to be there too (and are staying with all the Boston friends).  They've all called each other and now the Boston Marathon has just become our most recent excuse to get everyone together in once place, at one time.  But strangely, even my boss wants to come--that came as gigantic surprize.  I don't even think she knows I run.  But she too loves Boston and thinks it would be exciting to have a good reason to watch the Marathon.  The best news for me is that  Catherine has also decided that she can go!  Even if she has to go alone (which I would prefer, less baggage, if you know what I mean).  Smooth is doing Boston-- plus a lot of others on the blog (Kelli, Scott, Josse (?), Walter,....who else?).  I hope we can get a big group FRB photo!  I thrilled to have something this cool to look forward to. My life is so swallowed up by my kids, their homework, their soccer/basketball games, my work, and cooking a million healty meals every week ( I have food issues that require a lot of effort on my part).  So being in Boston gives me a terrific excuse to see all of my bestest friends, run a race with my bestest running pals, and be somewhere cool in the Spring.  Isn't that just a vortex of fabulous coincidence?  I's so great that a whole lifestyle of eating healthy, sleeping well, excersizing in a way I love actually leads me to these opportunities.  It's like winning the lottery. I feel so lucky.  I know I should feel pleased just knowing that being healthy is a reward in and of itself, but I have learned that good health is a gift you are not always in charge of.  Even people who eat bacon and whisky every day can live to be 100, and perfectly healthy runners drop dead in races of heart attacks.  I'm just glad that in between, I get to see my friends, run with my pals, and be somewhere fun next spring. 

I think I've used up the last of my SGM endorphins.  I needed a little music to run with today. It is a pretty autumn afternoon, not quite a lush as the post-rain mornings, not quite as colorful as a few weeks from now.  I've been relishing my slow runs, but I can sure tell my quads did their best last Saturday, because they start heating up once I start getting a little speedy out there.  My cute dogs are just so happy to be out on the trail for regular runs.  I've had such random distances to run in the past few weeks. They are never sure if we are going 10 or 2 and they turn to me with imploring eyes to see if I'm really turning around... for real....right here?  They just sort of pause and wait, just in case I'm going to come back and run any further.  So for now, we are all just enjoying being outside while we start making our next plan come winter. 

Catherine came and we started our run in the dark. The moon cast blue light on the trail and made 'moon shade' from the tree branches.  It only lasted for 2 miles, then as it became lighter we were down by the lake  and watched as the clouds in the East, hugging the mountain tops, turned pink. Sunrise is one of the most spectacular things about being alive as far as I'm concerned.  I adore the sensation of being outside to witness it, and feel as if it is for me alone.  The lake was really still, not a wave or ripple on the surface.  The morning was very warm.  As we ran back, Catherine began to speed up, and I didn't mind so I went along with her pace.  But then I paid for it all day long.  My knees and hips were achy and sore. I had to get to Thanksgiving Point by 8:15 a. m. because I was putting on our first ever Kidney Walk.  It was a really fun event.  About 200 people showed and Charley's Hot Subs came and made hot steak and chicken sandwiches for everyone (the franchise owner donated his kidney to an emplyee last January).  My legs were tired to the bone by the end of the day.  I dropped into bed at 9:30 p.m. dead asleep.  

I had Colombus Day off and so spent the day sitting with my sick daughter reading up on Colombus.  I was facinated.  Columbus brought a lot of settlers to the many islands just south of Florida and off the coast of Venezuela, but never really made it to the mainland of Continental North or South America.  He sailed into and named most of the islands like Dominican Republic, Cuba, Hati, the Virgin Islands, Antilles, Tortola, Aruba, etc., etc. It was actually a group of Norsemen (Lief Erickson) who settled in Newfoundland Canada 500 years before Columbus started sailing around looking for a faster spice trade route in 1492 by sailing West instead of East that should be credited as the first North American Settlers.  Besides which, America couldn't actually be 'discovered' because there were already people native to this continant....anyway....That fact aside, the trend tying Colombus to the America's actually stemmed from a 200 year legal battle waged by his estranged sons in the 1500's to fight the Government of Spain to hold the crown to it's original contract with Columbus to give 10% of the tax revenues/riches that came from those 'discoveries' to Columbus (and by extension, his progeny). An Italian Cartographer  and explorer, Amerigo Vespucci (a collegue of Columbus's) was credited a year after Colubus's death with the discovery of these continants by the Spanish--  in an effort to cut Colombus's family out of future royalites. And thus the continants were renamed after the latinized version of his name 'Americus'.  But for 200 years or so, this continent was called "Colombia" (as in District of Columbia, Columbia SC, Columbus Ohio, etc) after Columbus.  Pretty interesting.

As far as the running went-- it's still slow going.  I don't know if running a slow 6 is too many miles?  I'm taking it really easy, but I still feel tender and my muscles do not feel strong-- they're still a little fatigued I think. But I have really enjoyed the slow running--and not having to be anywhere today, heighted my enjoyment of being outside in this weather--doing my thing, at my own sweet pace. 

I got up to run with Marsha, but waited 5 mintues before deciding to hit the road.  I texted her that I'd taken off. I'm not a good waiter and I dislike making other people wait. Time is such a precious commodity.  So me and my headlamp headed off down the dark road. It was a dark morning after that thunderstorm around 4:00 a.m. I ran down the road, avoiding puddles, listening to the wind in the trees and cat tails along the side of the road, watching the eeiry illumination of the cattle and horse's eyes from my the light of my headlamp.  And, for the first time since SG, I felt my muscles strong again.  I have a myriad of other aches that have plaguee me --muscle weakness and spasms in my hams/priformis/lower back.  They always take a beating after a race.  I've become more regular about the stretching again.  I know I should have done more of it last week, but I always running slow miles is the best rest.  And for the record by saying I do my stretching-- I don't mean stretching in the 'warm up' or 'cool down' sort of way--  I mean before my feet hit the floor in the morning, after running, several times at work, and then before bed.  These stretches have kept my hips and knees stronger and pain free.  But when I become lazy and don't do them, I can tell.  I only need that much stretching during high mileage months/and after races.  But I'm sure doing them (or Yoga) regularly would keep me from breaking stuff while running.

I got to run at 6:45 instead of 5:45!  It was dang-near light outside!  For a whole 5 days I get to have 6:30-8:30 back-- all for me!!!! I immediately celebrated the occasion by running two extra miles IN THE LIGHT down the jetti and to the end of the Bonneville Shoreline.  Ahh, I love Deer Hunt, I mean, UEA, I mean, Fall Break...whatever it's called this year. 

There was so much moisture in the air, after all the rain yesterday, that it felt like a Southern California winter day.  (Did anyone else see that rainbow that arced all the way across the valley yesterday?!). The water droplets gathered on my armhair.  I love also how the steam rises off your body post work out.  It really makes you feel smokin' hot :)  There was thick white fog hovering over the lake. I'm enjoying the lushness of this rain, and the low grey clouds. I can't get enough of it.  The leaves are just starting to turn.   Why can't this weather last a few more weeks? By Monday, it will be back to running in the dark.  So I'll enjoy this while I can.

I wonder now how I ever did 8's for 26 miles.  I promised myself I wouldn't wear the Garmin for a full month.  But I know how slow I'm going, I can feel it.  I'm not even sure if I can do anything about it.  I know how hard I work to obtain those race paces, but now I wonder how I did it.  It doesn't even possible right now.  Last Saturday, I ran with Catherine 6 miles at a pretty good 9 m/m clip. But afterwards, I was worn out and achy all day.  Perhaps I really should have taken a week off and just ridden the stationary a couple of hours a day instead of running.  I reduced my miles and let myself have super easy runs, and I'm enjoying being outside-- but will I ever run fast again?  I felt really strong one day this week and thought I was headed for a comeback, but today I felt like cement.  I don't know if I'm getting lazy, or still recovering....  Is it too late to take a week off to use the stationary?  My next real training won't start until January.  Normally, because I believe in seasonality, I 'just run' 4-6 miles 6 days a week all winter--plus all my sit ups and push ups.  But what should I do between now and January so I don't wear myself down and save it for a confident run in Boston? 

Ran really easy with Catherine this morning.  It was almost painstaikingly beautiful.  This very morning a friend of mine from the Boston area had said it was snowing there and she craved being out west with the big sky and mountains.  I felt so lucky for the warmth and clarity of our Utah morning. It was filled with tall cottonwood trees whose bright yellow leaves glowed gold light against a bright blue sky, their fallen leaves carpeting the trail alongside the dark river water moving silently downstream. We stood at the end of the jetti for just a second to admire the still, glassy lake reflecting the blue sky, and to look at our Mt. Timponogas looking majestic with a thin line of white adorning the highest peaks.  There are times of the year it's nice to be in San Diego, and there are other times of year it is nice to be in the Northeast.  But Utah has it's glory, and better yet, its beauty feels like an amazing secret. 

I slept in this morning and ran at lunch.  It made the morning routine less hectic that I was just up and ready to get everyone off to school. Except they thought I was sick because I was still in my pajamas.  It was so very warm  by noon, I couldn't believe it.  It started to look like rain, but the air was still pretty balmy.  There are more leaves on the trail now, and they can be slippery if you're not paying attention (and I'm not).  My dogs loved that I came home in the middle of the day to invite them for a walk.They were so happy they swam in several places on the river.  The people on the trail today were all extra happy and chatty.  Not like those grumpy old, retired, entitled summer trail users. These people were so thrilled to be outside on an afternoon like today, they all smiled and said extra friendly things and laughed extra loud at the dumb retorts I gave. It was hard not to be really happy just to be outside today.  Tomorrow morning I'll be back at it with my headlamp in the dark, supposedly 20 degrees colder.  My window is open and  I can hear the wind blowing in the storm as I write this.  We'll see in the morning how it is.

Back at it with the headlamp this a.m.  My grandfather mined coal in Colton, CA. I guess it's in my genes to get up at 4:30 and live 1/3 of my life in the dark.  I'm really glad to have someone to run with again.  I haven't had a regular since Amanda moved to Virginia a year and a half ago.  I tried out Marsha for 2 days a week while I was SGM training, and she was pretty consistent and up for anything (8:30's-10:00's, 5 miles or 7).  She's so glad to get out and do regular exercise and she tells me all her stories as we run along in the dark.  I need to stop underestimating people.  She's taught me how judgmental I am--particularly about certain kinds of women.  I like tough, self-assured women who have their own thing going--not the sweet, gossipy tricky kind; the kind who are self-deceived and not in touch with their true selves.  In general I like people who have really been through some crap and come through polished hard, and shined for display like, well...as Smooth puts it...diamonds.  When I've come to know someone like that, I realize how much I have to learn about living more succinctly and being tough.  Humility is wonderfully deceiving.  It allows you to be underestimated.  I'd like to be more like that, to keep my mouth shut and to be underestimated.  But in order to do that you have to have superpowers worth keeping secret. 

I ran with two different shoes and my was shirt inside out and backwards--but who notices those things when you dress in the dark and run at 3:33 in the morning with a headlamp?  Well, I'll tell you who-- your smart-alek kids do when you get back and are standing at the stove in running tights trying to give them hot breakfast.   I am such a baby. I NEED the sunlight and color or else I might as well be inside on the treadmill watching the last two seasons of whatever on DVD.  I can't take the lack of sunlight.  Although the stars were indeed shining brightly for a while--no clouds.  I looked for falling and shooting ones, per Smooth's suggestion.  But I didn't see anything but the big dipper turned perpidicular, and the 7 sisters, Orion's belt, etc.  It was warm at first, no frost on the rooftops, when I took off (48 degrees maybe?).  I wore a light long sleeve shirt and no gloves and was comfortable until right about an hour later.  Just as the sunlight rimmed the mountain line, frost decended, and my hands got stiff and cold.  It sure is hard to hurry inside and try to crack eggs for breakfast when your hands are frozen into claws--only to hear the snickering behind your back that you look homeless and stuff with your shirt and hair all like that.  That's it.... crack you own eggs.   

Work is eating me alive.  It is killing me.  I have not been home a single Friday night or Saturday for three weeks now--and if you thought I got bent out of shape at the beginning of school when the kids were occupying my precious a.m hours--I am enraged by the infringment of my time that must be spent away from them.  I am so angry about things outside of my control right now, I am silenced --almost.  This week I seriously considered taking a full week off  running just because I have not physically felt cuaught up since SGM or emotionally with what has been going on at work--but sadly running in the dark with my friend Marsha is about the most enjoyable thing I get to do all day.  And then I'm done enjoying the day by 6:30 a.m.  I just feel like I'm never going to get a leg up.  It's been a heroic effort to feed my children and provide them with clean underwear.  They are totally on their own where homework, piano, and soccer are concerned. I used to be so good at keeping this all together.  I miss the brains and engery I used to have even just two years ago.

I used to be better about keeping a hadnwritten journal.  Which was really good because I'd go home and write all my crazy crap in there and then close the pages and shove it into a drawer.  But now days, it's just so much easier to scream "I'm INSANE" from online. Great.  Today I slept in until the indulgent hour of 6:30, didn't run until daylight.  DAYLIGHT! The run actually felt pretty good--even though I've been tired all these days.  When I was done my sister called and said she was coming out for my birthday.  She said she knew for a fact everyone else was afraid to give me fohhhhrty something spankings, but that she was qualified for the job. It could turn into a brawl with all that spanking, but what are sisters for?  Talking to her helped me pull myself together. The threat of physical violence sharpens my mind I guess, which sadly I think I've passed on to my daughter.  She's gained quite a reputation on the soccer field this year--not afraid to foul, that one.  Looking forward to seeing Catherine tommorrow for our run around the lake. I just have so much work to do until about midnight tonight.  Wish me luck.

Ran at luchtime today.  The world is getting to be that bland color of beige even as the leaves are bright yellow and red.  It won't be long until I'm quoting my favorite Shakespearan sonnet. It was nice to run down the jetti this afternoon.  It was quiet and just what I needed to calm myself down.  I got good rest yesterday, but I still feel a bit frazzled.  Nothin to do but keep on, keepin' on.

 I ran after everyone was gone to school this morning.  But still the clouds were low and dark, the wind was menacing, and the trail totally deserted and littered with branches and fallen leaves.  Everyone is freaking out about the coming snow.  What's the big deal?  I had two mom's whose kids bike with mine to school call me last night frantic about how the kids would be getting to and from school today.  It didn't even occur to me they should do anything but bike. How else are they gonna say "When I was 10, my mom made me ride my bike/walk in snow THIS DEEP " (showing snow up to their necks).  Besides which, the snow is the least of his problems when I'm the Mom. I deeply regret not having a farm where I can put him to hard physical labor which must take place or we starve.  So I figure the least he can do is walk to school. He has a really good coat and gloves.  I hate wondering why I should feel guilty.  It makes me feel guilty that I don't feel guilty.

So, I'm reading Born to Run. Great writing, fascinating subject (about the Tarahumara Indian ultra runners).  If you haven't read it yet, you really should.  This morning's run was tough.  These first days in the wintery weather always give me pause. It takes a bit to acclamate, particularly when it's been so warm for so long.  So anyway, the question of the day is 'can I really run 13.1 miles in a wedding dress?' 

Two pieces of advice for running in the pre-dawn, sub 27 degree weather.  One:  Wear a 'base' layer for your bum under your running tights.  Two:  Never, under any circumstances stop running for any reason or you will literally freeze your bum off (and your hands, and wherever your clothes are sweaty).  I knew I felt cold, but when I submursed myself into a warm tub after my run, all the fat parts stung as they unthawed. I've only had that happen once before a few years ago when I ran up in Heber in sub 0.  It must have been colder than 27 degrees, or I'm not yet climatized.  But thank goodness for all that blubber-- Me and the seals have really got a good thing going.  I'm just sad for all of you skinny runners who don't have the luxury of such stellar frostbite protection.  Hey, I didn't pack away all that fresh bread, yams and squash over the past month for nothin.   I can't complain I gain about 7 pounds every fall and shed them again in the Spring.  It's the natural way of the earth.  But be carful with your digits out there, it's coooooold!

I ran an honorary taper 3.5 miles in anticipation of tommorrow's big race.  I'm totally psyching myself out about how cold it's going to be up the canyon, how slow I've been running lately, whether or not I will be able to breath in the wedding gown, and how many people will step on the train.  Last night, I cut the whole front panel off the dress about 2 inches above the knees and left the long train.  I fashioned a veil attached by a terry cloth headband, and have laminated the 'run away bride' sign for the back.  Catherine, and Rachel are coming, Josse is coming, Walter is running.  There are over 700 people signed up for this freak show.  My kids are more excited than I am.  After I cut the dress, I took it out for a test drive while my kids stood in the doorway watching me from the porch as I ran down the street.  They thought it was hilarious. I've don't think I've ever done anything quite this stupid---intentionally anyway.  I'm super good at doing stupid stuff un-intentionally. So this is a real breakthrough.

We almost died waiting over an hour for the busses.  But after we got up the canyon and learned the race would have a late start, we had a minute to warm up in the lodge. I donned my wedding gown & 'Run Away Bride' plaquard.  Catherine dressed as a lady bug, Josse had a ruffled leotard and funky headgear, Walter was Adam (fig leaf and all), Rachel wore a rainbow wig and headband.  It was so fun even just waiting for the race to start.  Outside was cold, but absolutely spectacular.  Aspen Grove, above Sundance is breathtaking on a clear autumn morning.  After the start we raced downhill and chatted as we went, taking gorgeous photo-ops along the way down the Alpine Loop toward Sundance.  I can't even tell you how beautiful this whole run was.  We were going at an easy 8 m/m clip downhill with no effort even though we all promised each other this was going to be a lazy dazy easy breasy fun run.  But the scenery caught me off guard. Running next to the brook, running down from pure sunlight into the fog crowding the sky and hanging low in Provo Canyon was like entering a different world.  They stopped traffic on the highway to let us cross.  We stopped to use one of the Honey Pots (can you believe that's the brand of Port-A-Potty?  it makes me want to dry heave).  We stopped at Bridal Veil and took goofy bridal shots, and goofy running down the trail dancing shots.  The run was so easy even though I had to hold the train of my dress in my hands most of the way.  Every once and a while I could let it go and it would flow behind me.  Everyone we passed cracked up and took pictures of us, and I could hear them say as I passed "that is hilarious" as they read the "Run Away Bride" plaquard pinned to my back.  My veil didn't give me a seconds worth of trouble.  It was so worth running past people in that dress it made everyone laugh, it made me laugh.  Down toward the mouth of the canyon it got sunny again.  Poor Catherine did not like the Heed they gave us to drink and there were no more POP's.  Cath's husband and kids were in the car and honked as we passed the park at the mouth of the canyon.  We stopped and chatted with him for a second and saw Catherine's cutest darling daughters who both loved my dress, I might add.  Once Catherine found the last POP at mile 12, we let Rachel go (poor Rachel who said she didn't care about her time and wanted to take it easy really I think had a hard time understanding that Catherine and I mean business when we say we're going to take it easy).  After the last stop, we kicked it into high gear.  Catherine kept asking me how I was doing.  The dress had been a little hard to breath in coming out of the canyon (statin does not give at all and it was a little restrictive through the bodice).  But in the last .5 strech heading toward the riverwoods I looked at her and said "I got this, let's go" and we kicked that last bit to the finish--my dress train flying out behind me crossing the finish as they called our names. Our families were at the finish, we took tons of pictures.  Josse told me she finished in 1:30 and looked so cute, even after the run in her purple ruffled leotard.  I had such a great time, and leaving the race I had about 20 people ask if they could get my picture.  I think my pictures turned out lame, but I think it was the last sprint to the finish that really impressed the croud.  All things considered, we spent probably 10 minutes stopping at the bathroom and taking pictures, etc.  So the running was actually not too shabby.  Rachel was the only one who wore the Garmin, so she'd know.  We were out for trick or treats, and we got it.  Happy Halloween everyone!