The Pavement Pounders

We were a strange group to say the least. The only things we had in common were we wanted to be in better shape, at some point in our life we had lived in one of the most rural areas of Virginia and we all sort of knew someone else that was here. Oh, and we were explaining to the nice police officers what we were all doing in a bank parking lot on a Sunday afternoon. It was week three of our accidental group.

When I first started trying to run I needed someone to push me to move but as I progressed I “out grew” that. I started running by myself more and more and came to enjoy it. I rightfully told myself that with my unusual work schedule and time demands it would be nearly impossible to run with someone. Helpful people would tell me about group runs but I always thought why would I want to run with a group? That just seemed like a pathway to being embarrassed by far superior runners who would not understand my perspective. My first year of running was the occasional short run with a coworker or friend, one 8K and one 10K followed by a winter of doing nothing.

My second year was on a similar path until I got the invite that changed everything. A friend from high school had started running about the same time that I did but we had only recently found out what the other was doing. We had started talking and done a couple of races together. This morning she had sent me an invite to come run with another classmate who had just moved back. Our first run was a 5K course in our hometown where none of us lived anymore. Afterwards we took pictures and posted on Facebook that we had just had the inaugural run of The Pennington Pavement Pounders.

By the third weekend there were enough of us to attract the attention of the police AND the local newspaper. To my surprise I liked running with my group of misfits and started to look forward to our weekend meetings. Some of us were walkers, some runners, some were young, some old,  some wanted to win race bling, others wanted to finish a 5K, two were thinking about a half marathon and still others wanted to be able to lose a few pounds. It made no sense that we were working out together but somehow we meshed.

Then winter hit, the harshest in years. Our group splintered and between the holidays, snow and cold it seemed it was over. The meetings became sporadic and there were a couple of times that only two or three showed up. I really missed my friends.

Through the joys of social media we somehow continued to talk and now we seem to be emerging from hibernation. We have (thankfully) decided to move from the bank parking lot to the fairgrounds and collected more people in our “cult”. I sometimes think if anyone tries to play tennis, bike, walk or run anywhere close to us they get sucked in! If you happen to find yourself in Lee County on a weekend day and see an odd assortment of people around the fairgrounds or running and crawling through town stop and join us, you will be glad that you did. 

Getting Ready!

The last 2 weeks have been hectic and incredible at the same time. In that time at work the Spring race at Bristol has come and gone as well as multiple PALS and CPR classes and away from work I have seen The Johnson City Symphony for the first time (wow, they are really, really good). And then there is the running...

With the help and support of my great friends and the inspiration from Lilyan and her family this has been the best two weeks of training ever. Not only did I manage to get the 15 mile run in the other day, it was followed up this past week by the fastest 10K of the year! Yesterday morning started with another good long run of over 10 miles paced yet again by various members of the PPP. I can not overstate how important it is for me to have those people helping me, I would highly suggest that anyone close by join us or start or find a group close to wherever you are.

Next it was on to Kevin's place for his interesting idea of cross training. Most of us think of that as biking, swimming or a little weight lifting but I think he had recently watched Rocky IV and decided to get creative. After a hike straight up the mountain we spent the afternoon clearing brush and trees for a food plot. Swinging an axe and machete for the afternoon and then making brush piles might just be the best core workout I've done in years. Kevin you are a genius.

12 more days until The Oak Barrel Half Marathon and it finally feels like I'm getting ready. The payoff for all
the freezing cold days in the rain and snow is almost here, every day there is less doubt and more anticipation. Lynchburg, here we come!

What a Day!!

Today started off ordinary enough but turned into one of those days when everything just fell into place

perfectly. In exactly 21 days I have my first half marathon coming up and I had yet to make that run that was just a little farther than the race will be. Late last year I had, on a completely flat track in Leeman Fields, ran exactly 13.1 miles one time but I barely made it and by the end I was almost crawling. Last weekend I had attempted to again do 13.1 miles but it just wasn't to be and at 11.4 miles I cramped so bad I had to call it a day.

Yesterday I promised Lilyan, my almost 5 year old coach, that I would give her a long run today. I was meeting my running group, The PPP ( Pennington Pavement Pounders), at the same flat course I had ran the last 13.1 on but I decided to go a little early to start on my own. I started off going way too fast, a pace I could not hope to keep for a 5 K let alone any longer and after a brisk 1/2 mile I finally settled down. Then I thought since I was all alone anyway I might as well run through town until others show up, so I did. Of course running in town meant that I was giving up the flat for hills but I really didn't care.

I decided to try not to pay attention to my Garmin or phone and just stay at a comfortable pace where I was neither killing myself or loafing but just running. At some point I entered that zone that all runners strive to find although I seldom do. I wasn't worrying about times or problems or the upcoming race or breathing, and suddenly I realized I was almost 7 miles in. I returned to Leeman Fields and found two others had arrived. I went to my car and grabbed some water and orange slices and they were talking about really pushing themselves to see how fast they could do a 5K in and as I told them I would check on them later and headed back out on my own. While I didn't quite make it to the zone again I still found the miles clicking off and when I returned at 11 miles they fell in with me.

As much as sometimes it's good to run alone, for me it seems that especially later in a run a little company is what's needed to keep you going. At around 12 miles I told them I was going to try for 15 instead of sticking with the 13.1 and to their credit they told me they would help. The great people of the PPP paced me and kept me company and even convinced me to sprint to the end, we even had a meal before we left. It was good to relax with J2, Cindy, Lori, Jay, Terra, Leah and her husband, Kevin and my dad who had dropped by after such a rewarding run.

When I left home this morning to run, I was truly worried about the Oak Barrel 1/2 Marathon, could I really run 13.1 miles in three weeks or ever? After today I'm starting to think that maybe I should find another one to do in late summer or early fall and who knows, there might be a full in the future?

The Double Run Day

Today I did a first for me. Although in the past I have done an individual run and a group run on the same day, today I did another kind of double, I ran twice in the same day with others. Both runs were nearly identical distances and both were great in completely different ways.

A coworker who had recently started running again on a treadmill asked if we could run together after work. It was his first outside run in several months and he said we would probably have to walk parts of it. I told him we would just do his pace and when he needed to walk we would walk, we would just do what he felt he could do. Within the first 100 yards he was commenting on the difference between actual running and a treadmill but he started out brisker than I expected, I even warned him that he didn't want to burn out.

In the end we did a good four mile run and our pace was much better than I expected. He never had to walk and afterward was absolutely stoked that he had done it. It was great helping and encouraging a friend who wanted to get “back in the game” and he is already talking about doing the Crazy 8’s race now which is 3K farther than any race he has done. Even though I had originally planned on a longer run I felt good about the workout and it was worth it to do less. Plus I know that I now have another runner who will be pushing me in the future to be better and stronger.

On the way home I got an invite from Wally, who I had only ran with once to run with a group of his friends this evening. After pondering for a while I decided that it would be a good day to do a double run and went to meet them. As they showed up they were all very nice but I began to get the feeling that I was about to get my butt handed to me. Wally told me the course, which was a 5K, in case we got separated and then confirmed my fears saying that their goal pace was about 3 minutes a mile faster than mine.

At the start I managed to stay close enough to the pack for the first half a mile that cars passing could understand we were all in the same rough group. By one mile they were pulling away from me and by two miles I could only see two of them in the distance; two hills later they were gone. I was thinking they had invited me in and EVERYONE had left me in their dust. At the pace they were going they would be gone before I got back, maybe someone would be nice enough to wait for me or come looking for me. ( Joking, I know Wally wouldn't leave me stranded alone) With .5 miles to go someone was running towards me, encouraging me, then I passed close to the parking spot going towards the last turn and they shouted and clapped. As I came down the back road towards the group, they were all there, all clapping and encouraging me. Afterwards they all told me how good I had done and started planning their next few runs. After a few minutes I realized they were including me in on their plans, I didn't have to run as fast as them, just show up and try. Now there is a whole other gang of people to work out with. Thank you Wally! 

I started the day encouraging and ended being encouraged, the sport of running had come full circle in one day. That’s what running is all about: finding new friends, connecting with old ones, pushing and being pushed, helping and being helped. Maybe next time I should go for a triple?

Restoring Spirits

Sunday (2/23/14) was one of the prettiest of the year so far and my friend Joie decided that it would be a perfect time to stretch our legs and our endurance at the Guest River Gorge. After the punishment I experienced at Camp Tom Howard three days before I wasn't sure if I could do this or not. My spirit seemed close to broken.

If you have never experienced the Gorge or read about it here or other places let me give you a quick overview. It is absolutely beautiful, a converted rail line that runs 5 plus miles following the river from Coeburn to the merger with the Clinch River near Dungannon. The trail plunges around 1500 feet which means the return is a 1500 foot climb.

We started by agreeing that we should take it slow and steady so we would have the energy to run out. We also made sure to take ample water and tried a new idea, instead of energy gels or chews we took peeled oranges in a zip lock bag. Despite our best intentions we found ourselves lost in the day and the descent and maintaining a brisker than intended pace. When we reached the bottom we paused long enough to take a picture, eat some orange and then out we started.

The last time I ran the gorge I was alone and found it to be almost overwhelming. The climb was constant and excruciating and I honestly had moments that I doubted if I would make it. This time was entirely different! Having a great friend who also happens to be fairly evenly matched with you in ability and enthusiasm is an unbelievable blessing. We were able to work together to help and encourage each other during the return trip and not only made it out; we were smiling at the end. The oranges seemed to do great, natural sugar and sweetness with vitamins and potassium. 

2/20/14

Today I found yet another place that seemed to be uphill in every direction, Camp Tom Howard Road along South Holston Lake to Little Oak Camp Ground. It is full of steep climbs and drops and it kicked my butt! I was feeling good on the run out despite the climbs and really thought I had it. I felt the wall around 8 miles but kept pushing, at 9.4 miles I hit it and around mile 10 the wall decided to jump up and down on me. I recovered enough to finish at a limping jog but this route humbled me. I ended up running for 10 of the 11 miles, walking for 1 mile and yes when the wall came down on me I puked once. There was 3,168 feet of climbing which means exactly .6 miles of vertical climb and decent! I think I will have to try this place again in a week or so and see if I can get the better of it. I know this is only going to make me stronger with the Oak Barrel Half Marathon fast approaching.