Days 5 & 6 - Stine - Midnight Straddle RUNS!!!

Here goes nothing!!!

THE MIDNIGHT STRADDLE SUCCESS!!!

I am up at 1am typing this because I'm so tickled, bewildered, elated, excited, and pumped to have just rocked....as I'm coining it...the "Marcothon Midnight Straddle"!

I went to bed last night (Day 4) knowing I wasn't going to run early on Day 5.  My body was yearning for more recovery.  I had no idea when I'd find the time to run today, but damn it, it wasn't going to be in the morning.

As I rode the train to work, I quickly realized there was no chance I was getting home early to run before the nanny left.  I also knew that I had a stern 7:30 "out of the house" commitment to meet my girl friends out for a going-away party for my dear friend Claudine.  I sure wasn't excited about entertaining the idea about showering/makeup again for that if I had to squeeze in a run.  But honestly, there wasn't time.  My husband was barely walking in the door in time for me to walk out soon after 7, so really no chance of a dinner-time run.  So, the more I thought about this, tonight was the perfect night for a 2-day marco-run "straddle".

After attempting the best last minute social media pressure I could - and even tempting with buying beer in the lovely 22 degrees (feels like 11!) tropical weather we're experiencing now in northern Illinois - I had no takers.  But, I knew that if I could make it thru 3, 6 miles most likely would be very easy.  I didn't get home from my evening with friends till nearly 11:15pm.  And as a bonus, I wasn't tired at all.  I had finished three lovely glasses of Malbec, but I had been done drinking by around 10:30.  By 11:15 I was home to see my sleeping family, bundle up, and wake up my hubby to remind him I was going out for a run.  He looked at me and groaned some weird noises about me being a lunatic, and went back to sleep.  I smiled and headed downstairs.

This was my plan.  Start at 11:30 and run 3 miles, hitting finish before the stroke of midnight.  Once I was 3 miles away from home and done with Day 5, pause and do a "happy dance" until 12:01am, Day 6, and start a new 3 mile run back home.  

The Oven Clock...I'm ready to hit the pavement!

So, I stepped outside and started, and my first thought - Damn it's cold!  Within 1/8 mile of the house down Terrace, I spotted two coyotes crossing towards Idelwild.  I was slightly concerned that if this was my first sights of the night, what else could be lurking around the next corners?  But, I kept on going.  I was happy that my legs weren't boat anchors as they had felt the day before, and as normal, I was keeping a pretty decent pace - as I traditionally do in cool weather (the colder it is, the faster I tend to move!). 

And guess what - everything was freaking fantastic.  No cars (aka...run down the center of all the well lit streets - even Dixie Hwy on the way home!), clear sky, fabulous Christmas lights and displays, and swift feet.  Forget the time of the day...this was one of my best 'feel good' runs in weeks :)

As expected, I finished my first 3 miles at about 2 minutes till midnight.  I stopped once at the big Homewood Christmas tree that gets lit tomorrow night. I also did a little 'happy dance' and photo op till the clock struck 12:01 to start up again :)

3 miles down...3 miles to go!  Somewhere near Center and Ridge Rd.

Now that it was a "new day" (Day 6), I started my app over again and retraced the 3 mile path back home.  The roads were even clearer now.  The bars were closed on Dixie, I had totally acclimated to the weather by this point, and I knew the Marco-Midnight-Straddle was going to be a success.  Even though I didn't get any of my comrades out to join me tonight, I see this concept happening at least another time or two this month.  Heck, at one time during the run, I was weighing the option of just doing this 6 mile game every other midnight.....wow, I need to get some sleep :)

So, bottom line.....I MADE IT!  And bonus: I saved a days worth of running laundry by running two days of runs on a straddle.  I'd check it out and try it if I were you.

"after picture"

Marcothon Day 5: Race Data HERE 

Thursday Run

DEC 05, 2013  -  11:30 PM

MI

3.02

DURATION

26:29

AVERAGE PACE

8:46

CALORIES BURNED

334

Marcothon Day 6: Run Data HERE

Friday Run

DEC 06, 2013  -  12:02 AM

MI

3.08

DURATION

26:49

AVERAGE PACE

8:43

CALORIES BURNED

341