I'm a Television Star + Recovery

So I probably wasn't the smartest runner post-race.  I was so super crazy excited about how well the race went that I spent a long time just standing in the same place.  After the crowd cleared out a bit, I made my way to the line for the massages--bah!  More standing, no stretching.  Then, of course, as soon as I got home, I started looking at race results online, delaying the ice bath.  Because of that, my legs were a bit sore yesterday and still today, mainly my quads.  Given they are NOTHING compared to past races when I've wanted to die rather than walk up/down stairs.  :p

Yesterday I did a 30 minute Sun Salutation yoga routine.  I actually had to stop halfway through it to "regroup."  It did get my muscles nice and warmed so I could stretch them out some.

Today I had planned on doing some biking and yoga.  I went to the gym and did some easy rolling hills for 45 minutes at a low level of difficulty, we're talking 3-4 here.  I went 7.88 miles and when I was done my legs felt like jello.  Considering I haven't biked in probably 4-5 months, I suppose that's to be expected.  I stretched really well afterward, but the area of tenderness/soreness on the outside of my quads seems to be unstretchable.  I did try out some Biofreeze that I scored during the Wild West Relay and that seemed to help.  Hopefully I'll wake up tomorrow and be healed.  :)  I do have my first run post-race planned for tomorrow for an easy 2-3 miles.  I hope the legs are up for it, because I'm going a bit stir crazy without running.

In more half marathon news (yup, still riding a bit of a high from Sunday), I made the local news!  Yes, you officially "know" a celebrity.  If you'd like an autograph, please send a self address stamped envelope to me and I will send back an official finisher photo with my John Hancock on it.  Jk, I never buy my race pics, you think I'm going to buy one for you?  Heck no!  :p  Anyway, watch the video below (who's impressed that I was able to embed this video?  ME!).  I make my brief appearance around 8-10 seconds in on the far left side in green, obviously.

In other post races news, I do have some race statistics that I didn't report previously.

Division Place: 45 out of 148

Gender Place: 132 out of 559

Overall Place: 357 out of 971 After winning the 5k earlier this summer, Taylor's friends have it in their heads that I'm this awesome runner.  One of them asked what my place was, and he was shocked that I didn't know.  #357 is not one that really sticks in your head.  :p Also, the Vice President of my agency came down to my office today to see how my race went this weekend (!!!!).  I was shocked.  I had mentioned that I was running it at a potluck lunch we had about 2 months back and he said he used to be a runner back in the day.  I thought it was very sweet that he actually remembered and cared enough to seek me out to see how I had done.  :) And finally, as I mentioned in my half-marathon race report, I had tried to run BTTW for the final 5k of the race.  After quickly calculating my time for the last 5k, I realized that I had run in it 26:03 (or close to that, I don't feel like double checking my mental math).  When I got to looking at the 5ks I've done this year, I realized that the 5k I did in March, which was a PR by 45 seconds, was a 25:48.  In less than six months, I have improved my speed and endurance enough to run almost the equivalent after racing 10 miles immediately before.  I am shocked, but really just very proud of the dedication and effort that I have put in to training for 2009.  I'm excited to see what else these legs can do, hope you'll continue to join me for the journey. Thanks sooooo much for all your comments, congrats, etc.  They are all greatly appreciated!  :)