So, if you've asked, I must admit that I've been telling people it's been almost a decade since I started doing the running leg of the Ski To Sea Race each year. I did some research and it turns out I started in 2006, so it's only been like 8 races, but sometimes it feels like a lifetime. Now, almost a week after my latest trek down the mountain (last Sunday), my body has finally recovered. After two days of hobbling around like an invalid and three more stretching and gingerly jogging the pain out of my legs, the good news is that I'm almost back to full force again.
This year I got to run the race in the rain and everyone knows that's my favorite (sense the sarcasm?). The 8-mile downhill course is always hard on my body, but running in a downpour of rain makes it that much more grueling. Okay, to be completely honest, it was actually more of a gentle sprinkle, but when it's 50 degrees on the top of the mountain and that gentle sprinkle continuously trickles down on you, it's a "downpour" in my book.
After eight miles downhill in a cold sprinkle, I mean downpour, it was interesting to see the racers huddled around two space heaters at the road bike transition area. The previous year it had been gorgeous weather and everyone basked in the sunshine. Hell, i think I even had to put on sunscreen. So, like me, there were more than a few returning racers who neglected to have dry clothes waiting for them at the transition area. Those people were the heater crew. As I stood there among my heater crew, I couldn't help but think that these were my kind of people. Someone dropped their gloves and everyone let out a collective groan because they knew someone would have to squad in order to pick them up. I took one for the team and painfully squatted for the group, getting some impressive looks for my kind gesture and ability to convincingly pull off a full squad after 8 miles downhill. As we stood there, I tried to be a gentleman and let the females stand closer to the heat, but truthfully I wanted that warmth. Hey, I'm skinny and my body doesn't do well in cold weather.
After seven races, I know a few things about preparing to run the Ski to Sea race. I know that in order to avoid gnarly blisters and losing toenails, you need to wear two pair of socks and cut your toenails short, but this year I learned a new lesson. Since it was cold, I made a last-minute decision to wear two t-shirts while running. After eight miles of those two rain-soaked t-shirts bouncing up and down, I got home, hopped in the shower and discovered a painful nipple burn like none other. It's one time I can be thankful to have a young mother on the support squad so there was someone to empathize with after the race and knew exactly what I was going through. She even offered some of her nipple cream that I begrudgingly declined. When it comes to nipples, I'm as tough as they come...haha!
I guess rain in May is nothing new for Washingtonians, but I do get tired of it. It's one of the few times I get fed up and find myself cursing my life. Sometimes it just helps to say F-it. With me, it's usually F-eBay or F-Washington weather. I guess if that's as bad as it gets I don't have much to complain about. I mean, what's a little nipple burn and a few blisters among friends. I feel better knowing that my heater crew are experiencing the same things. It's still too soon to say if I'll do it again next year, but if I do, I'm adding band-aids and gloves to my bag. You know, to prevent nipple burn.
No comments:
Post a Comment