Portland Marathon Clinic: Run #3 -AKA- I DID THE HILL!

One of the best things about not knowing Portland very well (even though I've lived here for over 7 years) is that I can't be intimidated about the runs long enough in advance to talk myself out them!  Ha! 

Our run today started at Duniway Park in West Portland, near the YMCA on Barbur Blvd.  Actually is started on a track near there.  When I approached the track I saw that huge hill that OHSU sits on, and freaked out a little bit.  I took a picture of the hill with my cell phone and sent it to my husband saying, "as long as we don't run up this hill I'll be okay."  To which he reponded, "be strong babe!"  Thanks dear.

It turns out we did run up that hill, and it was nearly as bad as I was expecting.  We ran 3 miles out and then 3 back.  I ran with the 5hr+ group again and met some new friends again this week.  We ran up Terwilliger, which is definitely a hill.  However, because we were running 1-2 minutes-per-mile slower than I usually run, it actually felt doable.  My calves were a little tight at the very beginning but warmed up quickly and didn't give me any trouble.  After the run Patti explained that most people do hills way too fast/hard and end up wearing themselves out.  She showed us some proper form for running up hills, which was very helpful. 

I met two ladies who raise chickens, several who were training for their first marathon, and one who joined our group after realizing her own pace group was too fast.  I didn't end up running next to the three gals I'd met last week, which I was hoping to do in order to get to know them better.  I've been out of the "making new friends with strangers" gig since well... my whole life.  So this "driving somewhere new to run with strangers" thing is almost harder than the actual runs themselves.  My goal for next week is to be brave and go say hello before our run starts.  What's the worst that could happen? They decide I'm a weirdo and tell me to drop dead?  Maybe.  Not likely.  It might be worse for me to be so shy that I come across as a snobby lady.  I've noticed as I've gone along in life that the "snobby" gals are usually just really shy. 

So, next week = 7 miles and being friendly.
Lord, beer me strength!