Weekly Mileage #76 and Great Smoky Mountains 5k and Half Marathon

During the week I spent some time prepping the RV leading up to our trip to Tennessee. A little bit here, a little bit there, and everything was ready to go except for a few last minute things Friday morning.

Those few things took longer than planned (of course) so we left a bit later than planned Friday morning and were rushing around when we arrived in Townsend, TN. Mr M parked and set up the RV while I went to the race expo and picked up race bibs and shirts.

ready for the 5k

Great Smoky Mountains 5k

That evening we all did the 5k associated with the half marathon. Mr M walked with the kiddos. The boys were in the stroller, but River got out to run the last two miles. He's been telling me that he wants to run races with me, so this was a good start. I'd planned on finding a 5k for him and I to do in October, but that will have to wait (more on that later).

someone was not excited to be doing the race...

I did run the race, but I tried to take it nice and easy- just stretching my legs. It was really hot and humid and I didn't realize the 5k was cupless (the half marathon is), and I forgot my hydrapouch, so couldn't get a drink during or after the race. I spent the rest of the evening guzzling water and gatorade in an effort to re-hydrate and not be dehydrated in the morning. I ran the 5k (3.05 miles) in 42:04. Not my fastest time ever, but I was consciously trying to go slow so I wouldn't wear myself out right before the half marathon.

crazy faces instead of pained smiles, guess I'll take what I can get from him :)

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon

Saturday morning I was up bright and early, ok, dark and early, to catch the bus to the start line. Our campground was almost straight across the road from the staging area/finish line, so I just walked across the road (not much traffic at 5:30 am) and up a little ways to the bus line. Easy peasy and no one else had to wake up to drive me somewhere.

The course has changed a bit since the first time I ran it, but that was definitely a good thing. The first 9 miles are run on a little used country road that has some fairly extreme slants to it. The final 4 miles are run on a blessedly flat bike path that runs next to the main road through town. I don't normally like running next to busy roads, but my left foot was killing me after all that running on the slanted road. It was on the uphill side, which meant it received a disproportionate distribution of my weight, and my foot did not appreciate it. The flat bike path was a relief to run on.

River did a lot of running ahead of Mr M, then running back to him, then running ahead, etc. Pretty sure he ran more than a 5k, and he finished strong (I wasn't expecting him, so I didn't have time to set up the picture)

I ran the half marathon (13.14) in 3:00:36, I ran it in 2:51:01 in 2014. I was a little disappointed about the slower time, but given my foot pain, how little running I did in my training, and how tired I've been for the last month or so, I'm actually pretty happy with my time.

He's convinced he won the race :)

Cade's Cove

After the race we drove to Cade's Cove in Great Smoky NP, where we stayed Saturday and Sunday nights. We drove the Cade's Cove loop, stopping to hike to some of the original log cabins that are still present. We drove the loop last time we visited, but didn't stop to hike to these log cabins.

He was even more excited about the box of after-race treats 

We also hunted out some waterfalls, since they're fun destinations to hike to. Two we were able to see from the road, so no actual hiking was needed, and the third was Laurel Falls. We hiked to it last time as well, but did a repeat so I could try to get the Trifecta, which you earn by visiting three designated spots in the park and taking a picture with your bib and finisher's medal. You get a pin and a discount on a future race for your efforts.

Last time we hiked it in the middle of the day, and it was super crowded. This time it was late evening and we only encountered a few people on the trail. Even better, there was no one else at the waterfall, so we could take our pictures without having to worry about people accidentally photobombing us.

On the way down, Ocean decided he was done, so I stopped to strap him to my back, just like I'd done many times before. After securing him to my back, I started back down the trail, only something  went wrong. Instead of walking down the trail, I found myself on my knees on the ground. I'd tripped on the uneven pavement of the trail and fallen, gouging my left knee on the edge of the pavement and twisting my right foot. I also bloodied my left big toe (I was wearing my Chaco sandals because of some blisters from the race on my baby toes), but my feet and knees were the only parts of my body that made contact with the ground. So Ocean didn't get hurt because he was on my back.

Mr M took Ocean off my back and herded the kiddos down the trail, while I hobbled along as best I could. We still had about three quarters of a mile to go to get to the car, but thankfully it was all downhill, which made it slightly easier.

As much as it sucks to break my foot, the timing for it was really the best it could have been. I've taken the kids on so many solo hiking trips and road trips and I can't imagine having to herd the kiddos down the trail, then drive an hour or so to get to the nearest hospital, then keep them occupied while they were tired and hungry, in between getting X-rays and the splint and crutches.

Oh, and then driving back to the campground with the splint and breaking camp while on crutches. Especially since my foot hurt too badly to put pressure on it, which means I wouldn't actually have been able to drive or break camp (hooking up the dolly and loading the car would have been impossible). And we wouldn't have been able to spend extra time in the campground, waiting for my foot to heal, because all the NC campgrounds were evacuated ahead of the hurricane. So I'm very grateful that Mr M was with us when this happened.

splint on, waiting for discharge papers

In the end, despite my accident, this was my highest mileage week since the week I ran the Glacier half marathon last June. I had intended to find an October 5k to do with River, but that's not going to happen. Hopefully I'll be able to run at least some of the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day, so I'll keep him with me, rather than have him stay with Mr and the stroller. We'll see how things go from there.

It was 1:30 am and we were almost to our campground (that reflecting sign ahead was the turnoff), but got stopped by this fallen tree in the road. Mr M was able to clear the road, but it was definitely the icing on a really long day.

Weekly Mileage
Monday-  2.00 miles walked on the treadmill
Tuesday-  5.00 miles on the bike
Wednesday- 2.00 miles walked on the treadmill
Thursday-  5.00 miles on the bike
Friday- 3.1 mile walked and run at GSM 5k
Saturday- 13.14 miles walked and run at GSM half marathon
                    .50 mile walked cool down after race
Sunday- 2.21 miles total hiked while visiting different spots at Cade's Cove
               2.65 miles hiked to Laurel Falls and back
    total- 26.16 miles

21 hikes towards #52hikechallenge
2.14 kayak miles towards #365milechallenge

276.16 foot miles towards #365milechallenge
260.00 bike miles towards #365milechallenge
538.30 miles total