Sunday Long Run

On Saturday morning, Rosemary and I took Matthew to the doctor. He got terrible sleep coughing again all night. We needed to get a prescription of antibiotics and after a little back-and-forth, got the prescription and another inhaler. On the way home we did some produce shopping, picked up the prescription and donuts "for the kids" of course.

Rosemary started feeling better Thursday but by Friday was sick again. For me, I felt better but it was too early to tell since I was exhausted from no sleep due to my son's cough.

Saturday afternoon I took an hour power nap after lunch. The family went for a walk in the park.

That night I got my running gear together in case I felt well enough to run with the team Sunday morning. My heart-rate monitor is has been M.I.A. if you noticed a lack of bpm stats.

When I woke up at 7am, I wavered and then once I finally decided to go, I was running late. Dublin was nice and clear but once I crossed over the freeway to Pleasanton, a thick, cold blanket of fog shrouded everything. I saw the team take off from ClubSport but I was still getting my gear together. When I finally emerged from the car, Michael and Sergio were heading out and saw me, I told them to go ahead and I'd catch them. I quickly realized the problem with saying that was there would be no way I'd catch the 2 fastest guys on the team (at least not by running fast).

For most of the run, I ran hot like it was a race. I saw Michael and Sergio ahead of me heading down Owens but as I closed in on other runners, I could never catch those two.

The team made its way to downtown Pleasanton and I managed to catch half the runners on the team along Santa Rita. It was nice that I actually got to briefly visit or say "hi" to alot of people. On Happy Valley Road, I joined Terry, Regina and Iliana but then split for the shorter 15 mile route as they continued on the 17 down Sunol. I felt bad about cutting 2 miles but I thought about the effects of the Friday long run and my lingering cold and didn't want to go too far out from homebase.

The shortcut cut across the golf course. As I turned the corner on the left side of the road going left, there was no bike lane and a bush blocked part of the road and a car was heading right for me! I moved into the low shoulder and slipped and caught myself out on the road with another car approaching. Luckily the car saw me and slowed down. I was embarrassed but luckily not a hood ornament. After a minute to untwist/stretch my ankle, I came out onto Foothill and right in front of the fast-moving runners. I waved to the group and fell in line behind coach Louis Kao. Sergio was so fast that he was well ahead of even these guys. I kept the group in my sights along Foothill and eventually passed coach before the hill up to Las Positas. By the time I got to Stoneridge I felt the finish line calling me home. I pushed ahead of Patrick and Tara and caught Michael and Dave just before the finish. Of course Sergio was already there waiting for everyone else to show up.

I stretched, talked with a few runners and headed home.

The kids had been playing bowling games on the computer to I suggested we take them bowling. They had a good time. Matthew's bowling teacher was there and comp'd everything but the shoes. It was Christina's first time bowling and she was so freakin' strong she bowled a 6lbs. ball herself.

I get to work tomorrow where as the rest of the world gets President's Day off. Wonderful.

Business:
Saturday No miles.
Sunday 15.25 miles in 1:50:54 @ 7:17 min/mile pace. Stretch. Ice.

End-of-Week Summary:



Gut-check
Saturday
Breakfast: 2 donuts, 2% milk.
Lunch: Meatball sandwich, soprasata & provolone.
Dinner: Food. Must not have been a memorable meal.
Sunday
Breakfast: Grape juice, orange juice.
Lunch: Soprasata & provolone sandwich. Cauliflower pasta. Water.
Dinner: Pork chops, broccolli, water.

Don't fall under any cars.

=RUMBLE