My friday run with Shalane...

At 8am or so this morning I was going about my usual workday business, eating breakfast with the team and preparing for the meeting. I didn't know that today would be one for the books.

I was waiting for the meeting to start this morning with caffeine coursing through my veins and cereal warming my belly, seemingly content to make it through my Friday. I pull out my smart phone to pass the time and check the Friday status updates on Facebook. As I scrolled through the "TGIF"'s, I saw Shalane Flanagan's status update inviting anyone and everyone to join in on the afternoon run with Runner's World editors and staff... today... at 3pm. At this point I'm looking outside, seeing the rain and the lack of sunshine and I'm thinking... "That sounds pretty neat... if only there was sunshine..."After the usual safety hubbub, I get to thinking.... its raining now, but what about later? So I check the weather. Huh, sunshine around three pm. Cool. Now the juices are flowing. I look at "Mr. 140.6" sitting next to me and casually mention that we could be running with Shalane Flanagan this afternoon and not working. Just saying... time for meeting two.

After the second safety meeting I decide that its only the normal thing to do; take off work, burn half a vacation day and run with an Olympian. Typical Friday. No big deal. So I emailed my boss and told him that I needed to take a half day to go run with an Olympian. "Mr. 140.6" was easily persuaded to be my wingman. Things were falling into place. I go back to my apartment to put on matching Nike running clothes (you know, since she's sponsored by Nike), pull out my fly-est running kicks, and braid my hair. Can't look like a chump when you're running with Shalane... right?!? The only normal thing to do at this point is pull out my Nike running sunglasses and paste a smile on my face. These glasses my eclipse the twinkle in my eye but hey... Nike. At this point I'm ready to do this... now all I have to do is wait for my ride, an hour from now. I sit down on the couch; shoes laced up, water bottle in hand, staring at the clock. I get up, I sit down, I go check on random things... I walk my dog. Okay... time to go.

Like most people, I didn't want to be the first person to descend upon a celebrity. I just wanted to play it cool. To achieve this, I let "Mr. 140.6" ask her for a photo and I stepped into it. (See below) I said my thank you's and moved on. Shew, that was close. Didn't want to blow that one. Goal one of the day was now accomplished. On to goal two: Beat Shalane in a run.

Today's run was just a shake out run, an easy go before the weekend running festival races. (If you're bored and in the area: http://rw.runnersworld.com/rwhalf/). The initial pace was a daunting 10:30 shuffle at best. Shalane was ahead. Crap, already failing. They urged us to keep it slow. Today we aren't heroes. We're runners just stretching our legs before we take on the field this weekend. Stealth will be required for goal 2. Casually, I open my stride and eat up the distance between us. At this point, its the world championships and I'm passing on the right. She still doesn't know what's going on but I'm ahead and I maintained it, champion.

I don't drown everything out while accomplishing this goal, no I eaves drop. Taking notes from the best. Shalane mentioned to someone (unknown, I was ahead and couldn't see behind me) that she runs her base pace around 6:50 or so. If you run, you know that base pace isn't race pace... This tiny woman runs her marathon at about a 5:33min/mi pace. Just for a state of reference: my fastest 5k was ran at 6:36min/mi pace. This woman can run 23.1mi further and much faster than my 3.1mi race pace. If that doesn't blow you away, she's only 5'5" (probably on her tiptoes) and weighs just over 100lbs soaking wet. Where does the power come from?!? I have no idea. But its aw inspiring.

I think next week I'll go out and try to find my inner Shalane. Go out and find my fast. Bring it, today I beat Shalane. Maybe tomorrow, I'll aim to beat you and maybe I'm talking to you, Mr. 140.6. Keep Calm and Run On.