Where Has Summer Gone?

Since my last post, the last two months have flown by (as summer always does)!  In June, I ran in the Estes Park Half Marathon.  It was a beautiful, difficult run.  I clocked my slowest half marathon (2:26), but I enjoyed the sense of accomplishment I got from completing 13.1 miles at 1755+ feet above sea level.  The biggest difference I noticed is that my legs tired out much more quickly.  I never felt as if I couldn't breathe, but getting less oxygen caused my muscles to feel tired.  Of course, the travelling and the fact that this was my 3rd half marathon within 5 weeks could also have caused me to be more tired.  My mom participated in the 5K, and she was able to place 1st in her age group (though she also clocked one of her slowest 5K times due to the altitude).  My daughter participated in the kids 1 mile fun run the day before.  I also had some friends along, and we made a vacation out of the trip.  While my son and husband were with boy scouts in Philmont, my mom, daughter, father-in-law and I enjoyed some time in Colorado.

The next run of the summer was on the 4th of July.  We went to visit my brother-in-law and his family at their new home in Charlotte, NC.  I found a 4 mile race on the 4th that we could all participate in.  It was not too hot that morning, but it was quite humid.  Several of us all ran in the race, and my 8 year old nephew placed 1st in the 14 and under age group!  Quite impressive.  He also beat the rest of the Nielsen clan.

While in Colorado, I received a text from a college friend living near Chicago asking me to come run the Rock and Roll Chicago Half Marathon July 21.  Of course, I'm not one to turn down a race or a fun girls weekend, so I said, "Sure".  So my most recent run was my 9th half marathon.  I was concerned about what the weather would be, but just a few days before the forecast was for a bit of a cool front, with a high around 78.  Can't ask for better than that in the summer.  Of course, the morning of the race when we walked outside into the humid summer morning, we knew it was not as cool as we were hoping.  It was humid from the start, and as the sun came out it heated up a bit.  Luckily, there were sprinklers on the course and a sponge station and plenty of water stations.  I did see some people passing out or being walked off the course along the way at the medical tents as the humidity was a bit high.  I listened to my body and did what I could do.  This race was more about having fun hanging out with friends, and not about a PR.  It was one of my slower times, but that didn't matter.  I felt fine at the finish, and I had a great weekend with some longtime friends!

Now I am in the midst of training for my next full marathon.  My next race in a half marathon Labor Day weekend in Indiana at the midway point of marathon training, then the Rock and Roll St. Louis Marathon at the end of October.  And now, I better get off the computer and complete today's 6 miler.  Happy Running!