Ouch. My quads, or if you want to get technical my quadriceps femoris, are killing me. They were hurting BEFORE I started running today, day 3 of the Chili Pepper Series. Cime to think of it, it’s a series I’m convinced should actually be spelled “Chile Pepper Series” but honestly that’s only in my head in an effort to focus on something else. The main takeaway from my quads being “en fuego” is that the brain can only handle so many pain sensations at any one time… thus my back/ribs are numb and ignored in favor of the quads crying out in agony… and in anger at me for continuing to put them through 26.2 miles each day.
Suck it up, quads. You got two more days… and only one of them is really, really, ridiculously hard.
A woman joined the series today doing a 50K. I was able to keep pace with her for 5 or 6 loops and then she pulled ahead of me. Some folks who knew I was on Day 3 asked me if they should “Nancy Kerrigan” the new girl. I politely declined.
In the end I was just under 3:45 for the day. But I’m hurting.
We’ll see what I feel like in the morning but I am a little worried about this Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon on Sunday.
I picked up my packet down at White Sands Missile Range, the site of the race. They tell me I should leave Las Cruces at 4 AM to allow for traffic at the base’s main gate due to SOP security procedures. The line up is at 6 AM and the jets will fly over around 7:05 am to start us off on the long march/marathon.
I ran this event in 2012 and it was a tough, tough day. I recall somewhere in 20s mile markers there being a long, long stretch in a sand pit.
But when I think about what our servicemen endured in Bataan 76 years ago, I really can’t complain. It’s a humbling, moving experience doing this race. In 2012 there were a handful of survivors of the Death March who would welcome us at the finish line. I hear we are down to two heroes who will be cheering us on… if that’s not motivating I’m not sure what would be.
