Stella Took a Dive and Kept Running

Sunday - After sleeping in a bit (recovering from 4 1/2 hour ride and 45 minute run in Lake Stevens yesterday), Jeff and I headed over to Alki for a 20 mile run.

When I 1st started training for marathons, I would get in a groove and forget everything and just run and run. My friends in DC at the time would call me Stella when I hit my groove like that. Looking back, it was probably the few times that I was properly hydrated and fueled with calories, since I had no idea back then of the importance of what you eat and drink during endurance sports. Today, Stella was back! After about mile 5, I was flying with a HUGE smile on my face. That is, until I flew off the curb onto the pavement. That's right. At mile 10.2, my foot hit a high curb and the rest of me went airborne and landed in the middle of the street. (graceful as ever) My water bottle went one way, my gel bottle, the other and 5 people came running over to see if I was OK. My right knee was bleeding and my hands were a little scraped up. While one woman and family went into their home to get 1st aid, a real estate agent who was running a nearby open house stayed with me. He asked me what I was training for. When I told him Ironman, his response was "Oh, you're OK," implying that for an Ironman this little scrape was nothing. The kind lady and family returned with a bag of ice, band aid, Neosporin, and a full water bottle. They offered to drive me back to the car. They were SOO NICE. Honestly, the scrape is pretty small, you can barely see it now. The dramatic fall looked a lot worse then it really was. I finally got up and started running again. After a few miles, Stella came back. I was flying again, feeling great. At about mile 14-15ish, I saw Coach Mark running the other way. Yeah! At mile 19.5ish, Coach Teresa yelled "Go, Barb" off her balcony as I passed. Yeah!

This was my longest training run for Ironman Canada and I feel like I nailed it. I am happy and horizontal right now after a chocolate malt milk shake and late lunch at Luna Park Cafe.