Week 18- Twelve Miles

Today's run was a short one.  Compared to last week's 16 miles, today should not have been any problem, and it really wasn't.  It was, however, an educational run.  Allow me to set the story.

After last week's 16 mile run went so well, I wasn't too worried about this one.  In fact, after receiving word that many of my running buddies would not be there for various reasons and that one of my buddies was even dropping back to the half, I was tempted to skip.  I wanted the sleep, and the past few days had been particularly stressful.  Because I wasn't too worried about things, I didn't stress so much over what I had for dinner on Friday.  While BBQ and mashed potatoes had been planned, somehow I ended up with just a slice of cake.  I was aware this might not be the best thing, but oh well!

When I woke up this morning, I was hungry.  I mean, I was really, really hungry.  I was nauseatingly hungry.  Luckily my pre-run fuel plan is pretty easy to grab and go, so I scarfed my breakfast down as well as a mini bagel, and I headed out to meet my team.

My Wednesday running buddies were there, and since I didn't have my usual Saturday buddies, I figured I'd run with them.  Recently, my long runs have been in the 11:00-12:00 minute/mile range.  This is slower than what I'd like to go, but it does allow me to go longer runs.  My half marathon pace was 10:52 min/mile.  My last Wednesday run (with these same people) was 11:07 min/mile.  The first thing I noticed was how fast we were going.  Our average pace in the end was 10:37 min/mile.  The next thing I noticed was how much shorter our SAG stops were.  Instead of taking long breaks to really stretch out, have a cup or two of Gatorade, and nibble on some pretzels or gummy bears, our stops were usually quite quick, with us grabbing a drink, and a handful of pretzels and eating them on the run.

My thought through most of the run was: I wish my other buddies were here.  No offense to the girls I ran with today.  They were great.  However, I was much more tired.  The run was much harder.  I thought I would spend most of this blog ranting about how much I hated my usual buddies not being there and how important it was to keep some sort of routine.  These things are true, but there's another truth too.

I loved it.  I loved running at a faster pace (although I'm uncertain I could sustain that for an additional 14 miles).  I loved finishing at an earlier time.  I loved how I felt about myself when I was done.  I loved discovering that I haven't lost the pace I started with.  Not only that, but running at a faster pace was somewhat more enjoyable for me.  In fact, at the very end, I got into such a groove that my pace increased, and I ran ahead of the girls I was running with. 

Now, I'm not saying I'll run like this every time.  I do enjoy my longer SAG stops.  I enjoy running with my usual buddies.  Oh, and I really enjoy proper fueling prior to a run.  Heck, I don't even know that I could keep up that pace for longer mileage.  However, I do know I may just push myself a little more.  I know that my body is capable of so much more than it's gotten credit for.  My run today was hard, but not impossible.  While I may not push so hard on every run, I enjoyed learning what my body could do.  I can't wait for it to show me what else it can do!

MTT Week 17- Sixteen Miles...

...and a bit of a recap of the past few weeks.

Hello all!  I know I never blogged about MTT week 16, and I'm sorry.  I've just been so very, very tired (more on that in a moment).  The truth is that week 16 was amazing simply because it was such a non-event.  Let me explain.

Week 16 was a 10 mile run.  My thought process was, "Ten miles?  That's nothing!"  I still can't believe I thought that.  As we set out on the run, one of my running buddies wasn't there and the other wasn't feeling so well.  She ended up walking after about 5 miles, and I went on ahead.  My pace was a little faster than usual because it was cool, and I felt fantastic.  When I was done, I felt great.  I wasn't really sore, I was a little tired, but nothing too bad, and I was happy.  Running ten miles was actually easy.  What an amazing feeling!

This past week, however, has been anything but easy.  Monday night I started feeling kind of icky.  Tuesday morning, storms were setting in, so I decided to hit the gym and swim instead of running 3 miles.  By Tuesday afternoon, I felt miserable.  My nose was runny, my head hurt, and I just wanted to lie down.  I went to bed early that night and hoped I'd feel better the next day.

Wednesday, I was still a bit sniffly, but I felt OK, so I went out for an 8 mile run (again, no big deal!).  I felt great at first, but within an hour after the run I wanted nothing more than to go back to bed.  The rest of the day I felt miserable, and I even took some cold meds that night (side note: I hate taking medicine.  I don't feel like it helps me get over anything faster and coming off the meds feels worse than if I just suffered through the sickness.  I'm all about hot tea, rest, and soup.)  Thursday was by far the worst day.  My eyes were watery, I couldn't stop sneezing, and I'm pretty sure I had a few mild temperature spikes.  That said, my whole thought was that I needed to be better by Saturday, so I could run 16 miles with the group.  Fifteen miles was excruciating.  I did not have any inclination to do 16 miles on my own.

Yesterday, I felt a little better, and I improved even more after a bit of a nap under my desk during lunch.  When I woke up this morning, the first thing I thought was, "Can I do it?"  My nose was still runny, but not too bad.  I felt a little congested, but nothing terrible.  I was unbelievably tired, but I figured I'd be OK.  I put a few tissues in my fuel belt, put some fuel gels and a snack bar in a treat pouch (by the way, a dog treat pouch attached to a running fuel belt is genius!), and headed out the door.  Off to meet the group I went! 

I can't say the run was easy.  There were numerous hills, the sun was bright, and I was tired..  Having to blow my nose every mile didn't help either.  That said, there were also a nice breeze, and the views were stunning.  Oh how I wish I'd had a camera!  On top of that, I had a better fueling plan.

While the run was in no way easy, it was 1000 times easier than the 15 miler.  At the end, I even found myself cheering and encouraging my running buddy.  Of course, those cheers were kind of cheers for me too.  I did take another ice bath (frigid), and I'm relaxing a little bit, but I feel much better than I did two weeks ago. 

Can you believe it?  In another 10.2 miles, I'll be a marathoner!  I'm over half way there!!!!

MTT Week 15- Fifteen Miles

Hey, guess what.  I have a secret.  Running is HARD!  OK, so maybe this isn't so much of a secret as common knowledge, but I thought it would be good for people to know. 

Today I ran 15 miles!  This is 1.9 miles farther than my farthest run ever, and boy did I feel those extra 1.9 miles.  The run started pretty normal.  I was back with the training team and with my running buddies.  I was back in my old shoes since my new ones aren't quite broken in yet.  I was well-rested, well-fueled, and ready to go.  Off we went!

Things were fairly easy for a while.  We chatted and laughed, I listened to one of my running buddies tell stories about her work I talked about how things are at the kennel (busy!).  I hit my groove fairly quickly, and I was relaxed and happy.

Around mile 10 I started to feel tired.  OK, so I was tired before mile 10, but it wasn't until mile 10 that I started wondering how long it would take before the run was over.  No big deal.  It was hot, I was tired, and I'd just run 10 miles.  I was two-thirds of the way there, and I knew I had more fuel in me.

At mile 12 I really, really, really wanted to be done.  I actually felt this way during the half marathon too, but it wasn't as bad, and I was only 1.1 miles from the end.  Today was much warmer than at the half, my buddies and I had stopped to use a bathroom, and I was tired.  At this point, though, I was four-fifths of the way done.  I knew I could do it.

The last three miles were excruciating.  My legs hurt, my feet hurt, my fingers hurt, my hair hurt.  One of my buddies had stopped to walk, and I kept praying the other one would, so I would have an excuse to walk too (my competitive nature would not allow me to walk when she was still running).  I prayed for a red light, so I would have to stop for traffic.  I prayed for the God to send a freak thunderstorm so I'd have to seek cover.  I just wanted this run to be done. 

The last mile was the longest mile I've ever run.  I can't really call what I did running.  It was more like a shuffle / hobble combo.  My running buddy and I continued this until we reached our finish.  OH WHAT A GLORIOUS SIGHT! 

Upon finishing, I would have happily chopped my legs off.  I was in pain, and my legs were the source.  I had to do something, so I took my shoes off, and a giant blister was revealed.  Although not the source of the pain, I wasn't too pleased to see it.  I hobbled across the parking lot and flopped into my car.  Oh to sit!  This is why chairs were invented!

When I got home, I drank a nice, cool glass of chocolate milk (so refreshing!) and then I did my next brave thing for the day.  I grabbed a 10 pound bag of ice, filled my bath tub with cool water, climbed in, and dumped the ice in.  Yep, I took my first ice bath.  For all those wondering, yes it's cold.  After the 15 miles I just ran, though, it felt quite nice.  I can see me doing that again.

So, here's the verdict.  I just ran 15 miles!  I so very pleased.  As hard as what it was, and as much as I wasn't sure that I'd be able to finish, I did finish.  Not only that, because I pushed through and finished 15, I know that I'll be able to do 16, 17, 18, and more.  I only have to run another 11.2 miles before I've completed a marathon, and I have the confidence I'll be able to do it.  Here's to two more months of training!

MTT Week 14- Ten Miles

This week was a downshift from last week's half marathon, and a preparation for next week.  Due to the holiday, there was no group run, but a SAG was available if one chose to use it.  In addition, a few routes were laid out, so people could run through the city, hit the mileage targets, and not get lost.  Last week, I made tentative plans to run with one of my running buddies.  Well, all that went to hell in a hand basket!

With as busy as what this week has been, I did not get a chance to look at the routes laid out, but I figured my running buddy and I would discuss it.  I texted her yesterday, and apparently her plans had changed, so I was on my own this week.  No big deal.  I've really enjoyed my buddies, but I've missed the long, contemplative runs on my own.  I decided to ignore the resources that were available to me and instead plan my route as I went and end up at the kennel.  It was only 10 miles.  It should have been fine.

First, it's amazing how, after running with other people for a short time, it's so difficult to motivate yourself on your own.  I had to set my own pace instead of letting my competitive side take over.  I had to think through my thoughts and try to convince myself to not stop when I wanted to.  I had convince myself to not call a cab (luckily I didn't have my phone or any cash).  Really, not having a buddy was not the worst thing in the world, but it definitely made things harder.

Second, weather was not really on my side today.  There was plenty of cloud coverage, but things were just hot and sticky.  I was probably slightly dehydrated going in too (good for cool weather, not-so-great for hot weather), so that didn't help things.  I had the hardest time staying hydrated, and I just wanted something cool and wet, and the Gatorade in my fuel belt wasn't cutting it since I'd only just filled the bottles this morning and they were room-temperature. 

Third, I'm one of those people who often doesn't listen to good advice.  I bought new running shoes last week.  I should be wearing them for short runs only right now.  I should be giving my body time to adjust to them, especially since they're EXTREMELY different from my last shoes.  However, with all my previous shoe experiences, I wasn't running long distances, so my transitions were fairly easy.  Instead of doing as instructed, I decided that, having worn my shoes for the past two runs, I'd be ready to wear them for my 10 miler.  BIG MISTAKE.  Admittedly, the run started off much better than the last two runs did.  And, admittedly, the pains I'd been feeling from my old shoes (sore hips, tight back) were much better in the new shoes.  However, my legs have obviously not adjusted to these shoes.  I couldn't find a good stride, I felt like I was wearing lead on my feet, and I just wanted to turn around and go home.

Needless to say, this was not one of my best runs.  At one point I actually thought, "I hope an ambulance doesn't drive by, because I'll be mortified if they stop to see if I need assistance." 

The route I made up wasn't bad, but I ended up shortening it just because I wanted to be done.  I ended up running about 8.6 miles...close, but no cigar.  However, I will have to keep that route in mind for the future.

By the time I reached the kennel, where my run ended, I had slowed to a walk.  I just couldn't run anymore.  I'd taken my fuel belt off, because it was too hot around my waist and I needed to cool off.  I walked into the kennel, drank a bottle of water, and sat on the floor.  Eventually, I got up, drove home, and showered, only to come back to the kennel to work.  I'm tired now, but luckily Saturdays are shorter days!

So, for various reasons, this was not my best run.  I'm going to do a few things to change this in the future, though.  First, I'm going to take time to break in my running shoes!  I should not assume I know better than the experts.  Second, I'm going to focus on hydrating better.  I'm not necessarily dehydrated, but I often forget the effects of a hot sun and physical exertion.  Third, I'm going to try to get a few shorter runs in by myself.  I cannot and should not stop running merely because I have no one to run with.  That's one of the reasons I love running!  I love the alone time!  I just need to remember how to self-motivate, and  few shorter, speed-focused runs may be just what the doctor order.

Next week is a long run, so we'll see how things go from there!

New Shoes

Opening a kennel and training for a marathon at the same time is really hard work.  While every publication and training journal says I should be getting at least 6-8 hours of sleep a night, the kennel often dictates that I only get 4 (and I generally prefer 8-9).  While the kennel requires long hours and hard work, training sometimes means that I have to arrive later than I'd like or that I'm too tired to move at the pace I'd like.  Somehow, I'm making all this work (I like to say it's because I'm full of awesomesauce), mostly because I have awesome people helping me out.

Still, though, some things suffer.  For instance, a few weeks ago I gave up my Tuesday training runs.  I needed to spend a little more time at the kennel, Tuesdays are always the shortest runs, and I just had to miss them.  Luckily, I didn't feel this affected my overall training too much.  I was still able to complete the distances, and I felt OK.  What did suffer, though, was my mental stability.  Wednesday-Sunday was fine because of my runs on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, but by Monday I was craving a run.  Tuesday usually found me anxious and cranky; unable to think straight.  I was always in a panic on Tuesdays, and I knew it was because I had not run (or gotten any real form of exercise for that matter).  Do you know the best thing to motivate me to run?  New shoes!

After my half marathon (can you believe I just wrote that?) on Saturday, I decided to reward myself by heading off to Charlottesville and getting some new running shoes from a store I wanted to check out.  I tried on about ten different pair and I finally chose a pair that were completely different from what I had been wearing.  I could hardly wait to put them on.

My lovely new shoes

By yesterday afternoon the majority of my Saturday soreness had worn off, and I was ready to run again.  I couldn't bear the thought of waiting until Wednesday to run again, so I decided I would fit in a run this morning.  The best route?  While a little longer than I'd prefer, from the house to the kennel would make a perfect early-morning run.

First of all, Holy New Shoes, Batman!  These things definitely felt different, and they took some getting used to.  Second of all, water-retention is a terrible thing.  While I've made a concerted effort to stay well-hydrated, and while I felt great after my half marathon (I said it again!), this run was far from easy.  I was stiff and sore.  My new shoes are heavier than my old ones, and my feet felt like they were encased in lead.  I was tired.  I'd set out with the thought of running 7+ miles just because I could, but I quickly found that, today, I couldn't.  I made it to 3 miles and stopped to walk.  I loosened my shoes and tried to find the right fitting, and then I started jogging.  Finally, FINALLY I found my groove somewhere around mile 4.5, but I was pretty worn out by then.  I cut out all my extra loops, and I made it back to the kennel in 5.5 miles.  Then it was a quick trip to the gym for a very brief weight routine and a shower (luckily the gym is only .5 miles from the kennel).

While this run may not have been my best ever (far from it), I'm still glad I did it.  Buying new shoes made me want to get out there and run instead of becoming complacent and figuring I'd already done enough.  Plus, I never would have done that weight routine if I hadn't gone for a run.  So, new shoes=run=weights=healthy day.  Hurray for new shoes!

My First Half Marathon

Yesterday was a day I'd had on my calendar for weeks.  It was a day I'd dreamed of for years.  When the time came to register for this race, I didn't even have to think about it.  Yesterday, I ran my first half marathon...13.1 miles...21 kilometers.

For my first half, I chose to run the Patrick Henry Half Marathon.  This race runs through my home town, and I had dreamed of running it for quite some time.  I wanted to experience the beauty of my home on foot, and I wanted the familiarity of home for this first race.  I chose well.  Most of my fears and anxiety were minimal because I knew exactly where I was the entire time.  Even fears of parking issues were minor because I knew I'd find a place to go...even if that meant parking in a friend's driveway.

One thing I was worried about, though, was heat.  August is traditionally the hottest month of the year in VA, and things could have been rough.  I was pleased to see that the forecast called for clouds and highs in the low 80s.  I was only a little surprised to wake up and find that it was raining!  I guess it just wouldn't be a race if it wasn't raining.  So far, of the 4 races I've run, it's rained during every single one!  I told the other runners they could blame the rain on me.  Personally, I love running in the rain.  It keeps me cool and it's often refreshing.  I was quite thankful for the summer showers.

When I got to the race, I had about 20 minutes to kill, so I decided to use the restroom.  If I'd been thinking, I would have gone to the nearby Hardee's, but instead I decided to wait for a port-o-john.  The wait was long!!  It took much longer for me to get through the line than I'd expected, and at 5 minutes before starting I still wasn't close to my turn.  Unfortunately, by this point I also actually needed to use the restroom, so I didn't want to get out of line.  I came out of the restroom just in time to hear the train whistle start the race (it starts and ends along the train tracks).  I would have been super disappointed, but two things made it better.  1) There were still tons of people waiting, so I wasn't alone.  2) As I came out, I heard someone call my name.  When I turned around, I saw my two running buddies!  I was so relieved!!!  I knew they'd be there, and I'd planned on running with them, but I hadn't even thought about figuring out a way to actually meet up.  Luckily we all have small bladders.  :)

We took off together, and joked about how disheartening it was to start as the very last people in a race.  Seriously, we could see the entire pack ahead of us, and we were so far back.  We knew we'd catch up eventually, though, so we just kept pace together.

The first 3 miles were brutally painful.  I kept looking at my watch, wondering when we'd be done.  I hadn't found my flow yet, and I seriously wondered if I'd be able to finish.  My legs hurt, my back hurt, and my feet hurt.  I was wondering if I'd reach my goal if I walked.  Thank God I'm stubborn.  I wanted to run the whole thing, so I kept plodding along.

Somewhere around mile 4 the rain picked up.  It fluctuated between heavy mist and steady rhythm.  Somehow, this set me at easy.  It gave me something else to think about, and I just tried to keep water out of my eyes.  At the half way mark, I saw my mom waiting to cheer me on.  I stopped for a moment to say, "Hi!" and give her dogs a greeting.  Then I continued on my way.

When the rain stopped, things immediately felt warmer.  Oh, and my feet immediately felt like they were going to blister.  Each step I took was accompanied by a nice "Squish" sound.  It drove me nuts!  The change in temperature through me off, and I had to slow down briefly.  Eventually, though, I fell back into a rhythm. 

At mile 7, I saw Hans waiting with Cody to cheer me on.  He had chocolate-covered blueberries waiting for me, and I appreciated the sugary pick me up.  This, however, also slowed me down, and I had to pick up the pace to catch up with my running buddies.  No worries!  I hadn't paused for too long.

The next 3-4 miles felt great.  I was taking things faster than I had in the first half of the race, and the faster pace felt good.  I was happy to continue on this way.  This, however, is also where my running buddies experienced some of their own troubles.  The rain, the pace, and the excitement had taken its toll, and they each had to slow down a bit.  The nice thing about the hard part being in the beginning is that it's easier to overcome.  At the end, you're too tired!  Since I was doing well, though, I decided keep the faster pace, and I hoped by friends would catch up to me soon.

The last 2.5 miles were run on my own.  As much as I missed my buddies, I very much enjoyed the silent time to focus and think on this accomplishment.  As I ran, I saw other runners in various states.  Some were doing great.  Some where obviously in pain.  Some had nothing left in them.  One runner was even sitting on the side of the road.  Obviously in pain and upset, she was with another runner and an officer, who I'm pretty sure took her to the finish.

At mile 12, I felt the fatigue.  I was tired, and I was ready for the race to be done.  I just wanted to see the finish line, and I would sprint until the end.  Instead I just ran along the streets that I'd biked along, remembering times with Hans and Cody, and even thinking of the house I would have liked to have bought.  Finally, I turned a corner.

At mile 13, the route turned a corner.  There was only .1 mile left and I could see the finish line!  I can't say that what I did could be considered a sprint, but I did pick up the pace.  I was almost done!!

Finally, FINALLY, I crossed the finish line.  I ran through smiling from ear to ear.  Right after the finish, they handed out medals, and I could not have been happier to have received mine.  For the first time ever after a race, I was so tired and so full of emotion I almost cried.  I saw Hans and I rushed over to him so I could cry on his shoulder.

By the time I got to Hans, the tears had passed and I merely embraced Cody in a hug.  I followed this with a hug and kiss from Hans, and then I headed back towards the port-o-johns (again, I have a small bladder).  After that, I reunited with my running buddies, and I got some food (which Cody was more than happy to share).

My goal was to finish in under 2:30:00.  My final time was 2:22:21.  So, I guess I actually achieved two goals.  First, I finished a half marathon (without walking).  Second, I finished it in my desired time.  I could not be happier.

Running past the train depot

Around 7 miles

At the finish

Three lovely ladies...all half-marathoners. 

MTT Week 12- Ten Miles and a Big Event!

This week was fairly decent.  I had one major hiccup though; I had to pee!  OK, I know that's a bit of an over share, but it is fairly important in regards to the run.  You see, I had made certain to use the restroom before I left for my run, but I also made sure I had a couple of glasses of water.  So, by mile 3 my bladder was alerting me that it could use a pit stop.  Too bad a pit stop wasn't available for another 7 miles!  So, I was left with quite a dilemma.  Should I drink the Gatorade in my fuel belt and stay hydrated but also risk a major accident, or should I hold off and keep my bladder in a less-full state.  Of course, running didn't seem to help my urge to use a bush.  :(

In the end, I ended up somewhere in between my two options.  I drank a little Gatorade, but not nearly enough.  Thankfully it was a cooler day with cloud coverage, because otherwise I may have been in trouble.  As it was, my body definitely felt the effects of having less fuel.  The run wasn't necessarily bad, but it wasn't great either.  By the end, I was definitely tired and my legs just felt weak.  Still, though, I finished it.  My time was a solid 10:45 (again, not great, but not terrible).  I think next time, though, I will make sure I've sufficiently pottied before I head out.

After the run, I would have loved to have taken some time to rest and rehydrate, but such luxuries were not afforded to me.  Instead, Mom picked me up (Hans had the car), I went home, showered, ate a quick bowl of cereal, and headed out to the kennel where we had our GRAND OPENING!  We teamed up with Henrico Humane Society and hosted Woof, Romp, & Roll: A Grand Opening Event.

The event could not have turned out better.  I was worried that no one would show up, but we ended up with around 100 people (pretty much our goal).  I was worried that it would rain since the weather was calling for storms all day, but the skies stayed clear.  I was worried that if it didn't rain it would be too hot, but the weather stayed cool.  Seriously, it was PERFECT.  I've already gotten a call from someone who heard about the grand opening and wants to put her dogs in day care.  Hurray!!!!  I think we're going to do great.  In addition, tomorrow we have an ad coming out, so we'll see how that goes.

All in all, this is going to be a busy week.  On Saturday, I will run my first half marathon!  This will be followed by a day off (something that hasn't happened in almost two months).  I know Hans and I will enjoy it.  Wish me luck!