OMGWTFBBQ!

There were so many ways this post could have started out but "OMGWTFBBQ" is really the most appropriate. First, I said last week that I was likely to start every post from then until the marathon with that. Well, you were warned, and I did run farther than I've ever run before this weekend. Second, I've got a couple of things to "BBQ" about.

WTFBBQ the First
I switched up the schedule a bit and ran outside on Saturday with Lisa. We had, in my opinion, a ridiculously good time. She made me slow down a bit, and I think I made her speed up a bit, so between the two of us we went at a speed that did some good for both of us. It was nice to have a partner during the run. So nice that I didn't have to listen to the iPod, which is good since the damn thing is lacking in battery power right now. The plan starting out was for her to leave me at the the 2.5 mile mark while I continued going around Lake Union. The problem with that plan is that we had some errands that we wanted to run before going back home, and that required a small change in plans. The new plan was for her to stop at 2.5 miles and take a break while I went on and came back and we would finish our last 2.5 together. Even that got changed once we made it to Fremont.

Since this was her first run with me on one of my routes, Lisa got to see that having to deal with stoplights isn't all that bad. They provide very convenient excuses to stop and catch your breath. Sadly, those breaks largely dried up when we got to the land of no stoplights.

We had lots of good chit chat as we went along, and I'd gladly recount it for you, but 1. I don't remember any of it almost three days later and 2.) it's not really polite to repeat private conversations, is it?

At 2.5 miles we were where no man has gone before, or at least where no Larry has gone before. I had no idea that Fremont was so close. Really, just follow along the path for another half a mile from my normal turnaround point and cross the bridge and you're there. Incidentally, the bridge was up at the time, so we got to take a breather. It wasn't much, but every bit helps. I love, love, love walking or running over bridges. It's far more intimate than being in a car. You get such a better and longer view of the water. The best part is looking down when you're running over grates and seeing the water pass below you. I don't know why I love it so much, but I do. And! It gives me a whole new class of people to wave at: boaters. One of them even waved back. Thanks old-lady-boater-friend!

We went just a little further along even though she'd planned to stop after crossing the bridge because we both thought we were fairly close to the famous Fremont Troll. Although we've lived here for almost 2.5 years we haven't seen one of Seattle's favorite but lesser known landmarks. Of course, it involved us running up a hill where I was almost pancaked Final Destination/Meet Joe Black style by a Metro bus. I re-learned that I should look both ways when crossing the street even if I think it's a one-way. Sometimes, I'm not 100% correct. I'm not saying I'm wrong, just not always 100% correct.

Lisa split off from me after the troll and I went on down the road and got on the Burke-Gillman trail. I thought I'd never been on it before, but it turns out that a lot of the Brew-Ha-Ha 5k at Oktoberfest is run on it. I did BHH last year. Still disappointed that I won't have the opportunity to beat my pathetic time from last year thanks to my damn wisdom teeth. I only went a half mile out and doubled back to meet back up with her at the burger place. We didn't stop though. I'm not sure my stomach/colon could take a burger with three more miles to go.

Now we started seeing everything in reverse. We even passed some people that we'd seen going the other way. I could talk about it all again, but that would be boring page-filler. I can fill pages, but it's not worth my time unless I'm turning this in for a grade, which I'm not. Somehow, when all was said and done and we got back to Whole Foods (maybe .15 miles from our starting point) I still needed to go .4 miles to get in my full 7. So I freelanced for a bit and got my total distance in.

In case you're interested, I've put my usual miles and average pace below. Even if you're not interested you're going to have to scroll past them to get to "WTFBBQ the Second," so you might as well take a look.

Mile 1 - 10:37
Mile 2 - 11:24
Mile 3 - 12:05
Mile 4 - 10:38
Mile 5 - 11:27
Mile 6 - 11:25
Mile 7 - 11:47
Overall Avg Pace - 11:20 (or thereabouts. I didn't actually write that one down. I'm going from memory here.)

WTFBBQ the Second

I did something to my back. I don't know exactly what, but it hurts like a motherfucker. I'm going to go ahead and blame the alternate treadmill I used on Thursday night. I have some logic to go along with it:

Back when I was taking Kung Fu we had these nights once a quarter or so of shuai chow. It's basically some Judo-type stuff, tossing people around based on getting them off balance and using their weight against them. It wasn't something I was particularly good at, so I got thrown more than I threw others. Even when there wasn't throwing involved there were still falls that we had to practice. I knew when I showed up on Wednesday nights and saw the mats on the floor that I was in for a week of pain, and it never failed. My shoulders and upper back became a solid mass of throbbing painful muscle after the falls. I couldn't turn my head; I couldn't lift my arms; I couldn't do anything. The pain always started on Friday, so I know it takes a couple of days to develop.

My back pain (and butt pain if you must know) started on Saturday, so working backwards I can tell that whatever did it happened on Thursday. The only thing remotely intense I did on Thursday was a run. On a new (to me) treadmill. Ergo, the treadmill caused the pain I'm feeling right this very moment. It's been so bad at times that I didn't think I could walk. Luckily, I was introduced to two wonder drugs: Advil and Aleve. Without them, I would probably still be in bed today.

Whatever caused it, it had better be done for my Tuesday night run. I already missed my recovery run because of it. I'm going to be pissed if I have to miss another one. Besides, I ate like a southern pig tonight and I'm probably going to do the same tomorrow. I NEED to burn some calories.