Capital City Stampede 10K – Frankfort, KY (June 14, 2014)
Me crossing the finish line of the Capital City Stampede 10K – Frankfort, Kentucky
Race: Capital City Stampede 10K
Place: Frankfort, Kentucky
Date: June 14, 2014
Time: 44:03
Your eyes do not deceive you. That is a brand spankin’ new 10K PR! I couldn’t believe it. I honestly couldn’t believe it. Believe me, after the week I’ve had…I couldn’t be happier! And this is once again proof of how important it is to take those rest days. Rest brings magic. And it was not easy to skip my Friday morning spin class…but…I am getting back into the habit of obeying and respecting those days of rest.
Guess it worked.
Yes…it’s that time again. The final race of the Frankfort Trifecta Run/Walk Series. The first race was a 3K, the second was a 5K, and the final leg…a 10K. Now…I don’t know if you know this or not…but I absolutely despise the 10K distance. I hate it. It’s just…not long enough for my legs to get warmed up, but I can’t sprint it either. UGH! Damn you 10K distance. But, I don’t care when it comes to this race. Because I love running in Frankfort. I have met so many great people there…been able to run with them…run their streets. I’ve forged so many friendships through running, and I count myself lucky to know so many people in Frankfort.
So…this meant an early morning to allow for proper travel time. I got up early enough to do my PT stretches, drink some tea, take in water, put on sunscreen, drink some coffee, eat cereal, brush teeth, get out the door. The ride to Frankfort actually went quickly. Seriously. I was just flipping through one of my magazines and before I knew it, we were exiting and making a stop at the Kroger to get pre-race bananas and allow me to use a flushing toilet (because I’m a princess!). With all of that accomplished, it was off to the State Capitol Building…which was where the race starts.
I got into the line to pick up my packet. And it was while I was standing there that Linda found me. It was hugs all around. We talked about the race and she mentioned that she broke the cardinal rule…and did her first kettlebell class on Thursday night and now her legs were screaming at her. She, much like me, figured kettlebell was more upper body. Whoops. Anyway…I was being called up to get my bib number and my goodie bag, so I told her I’d catch her in a bit and we parted ways.
For being a runner who completed the three-race series, I also received a mug. Awesome! Cathy and I walked these back to the car. It was 30 minutes to start time…so I peeled my banana and gave that a good noshing while we moved. I finished it up at the car. Good timing. Cathy dug some safety pins out of the race bag she carries and pinned me up. I zipped up my hoodie (YES…a hoodie…because it was about 49°F this morning!) and we meandered back down toward the start line.
This year…there was actually a start/finish line. A big black and white checkered inflatable arch. Awesome. Moving on up, Capital City Stampede!! Looking good! We stood at the top of the circle where I did a few stretches and high knees, getting my limbs as warmed up as possible. I hate stretching, but since my injury in the winter, I’ve embraced stretching and don’t just half-ass it anymore. Even days I want to skip them or just do the bare minimum. Nope. Not anymore. About 10 minutes before race time, Cathy sent me for some strides down the hill and back up to the line, just to get my legs warmed up.
Why?
Because I’ve had the right hamstring from hell this past week. All week, my hamstring hasn’t hurt, but…it’s felt so tight. So, that was my biggest concern going into this. My legs weren’t wanting to fire like they normally should or would. Another reason I’ve been taking on my stretches, my foam rolling, and even using the dreaded “stick” on my hamstrings. It was still tight this morning, but you just work with what you have, right? Right!
Five minutes to race time and I get into the starting area. I’m a few rows back from the guy holding the 6:00 MILE pace sign. No…I’m not that fast. But I was standing in the middle between that guy and the lady holding the 8:00 MILE sign. So, I felt I was in a good spot. The start area was filling up now, with lots of chatter going on. Even though I don’t live or train in Frankfort, I’ve never had a difficult time making friends at a race. And I overheard some people talking about those relay races that happen and someone mentioned the Market to Market one, which my friend Kelsie wants me to run with her on her team (and I’m really hoping I get to do so!), so we talked about that while the start was delayed…because the roads needed to be completely cleared for the safety of us runners! And they said some people were sneaking through. When the okay was given…we were off…without much of a warning!
I started my Garmin late…oh well…
“ONLY SIX MORE MILES TO GO!”
I was off. Immediately tackling an uphill climb. Up…up…up…around the Capitol…around the back…and then…the downhill. I was feeling okay. I felt like I was struggling a bit, but I was focusing on my form and my breathing. Neither of which were very good at this point. HA! As I’m coming down the hill, I see Cathy on the sideline and hear her shout, “GO TWIN! YOU’RE ALMOST DONE! ONLY SIX MORE MILES TO GO!” It cracked me up and I threw my hands up in agreement and continued to pound that pavement.
I didn’t feel like I was hitting that first mile very hard, but apparently…I was. When my watch beeped on my first mile, I had covered it in 6:54. My entire intention was to ease into the race. Run the first two miles slow, pick it up, then kick it at the end. That wasn’t happening. But the pace was set and while I didn’t look at my watch to know what I was running (I never look at my pace), I did know that it was faster than I would have liked to run it…so I eased up. But not by much. In fact, I didn’t officially ease up until Mile 4.
This was a fantastic course, in my opinion. We ran around the Capitol…then down the straightaway, across a bridge and then we sort of did the last part of the Pro.Active For Life 5K portion downtown. But, we go beyond that and head further into the downtown area. It’s fun to see people come out of the shops and cheer people on. There may not be a lot of crowd support in Frankfort, but what is there is vocal. And that makes this place special. Mile 3 had us heading back toward the Capitol, but turning away to run down this long stretch of road.
I call this the hardest part of the race. From around Mile 3.1 to Mile 6.1 it’s three miles of…NOTHING. Runners are sent down past a few homes, under a parking garage of sorts, then down this winding road (and hill that we will have to run back up!) into open country, it seems. It’s hard because there really is nothing out there. Just you, the road, one water stop (which was manned by two very adorable little girls!), and the runners. It was just past Mile 4 that I saw the leader (Adam…as always!) heading back the other way. He had a huge lead. Like…seriously! I kept waiting to see that second place runner behind him…but there was no one there. Not for a good long while. But then they came…and not long after that…with a biker beside her, the lead female…Kendall Hayes (no surprise…she’s even faster than lightning this year!). There was a female just slightly ahead of me (she was WAY ahead of me at the start, so I really closed the gap). She made the turn…then a couple of seconds later…I made the turn.
As we were nearing the 5 mile marker, I had two runners tell her she was second female overall and that I was third female as we ran past them. That was encouraging. Mile 5 clicked by and Greg, the runner just slightly behind me the entire time picked up his pace and said to me, “We can catch her!” That made me smile. “I don’t know!” I said. But, the gap was closing…and he did go on and pass her…and I was hot on her heels as we climbed the hill, ran back under the parking garage thingy…where a car pulled out in front of us. What. The. Hell. Damn truck. But, we moved on. We made the curve and I could see, up ahead, the lights that marked the road we’d turn on to run…up a hill…to the finish line.
My legs were screaming. For the first time ever, I had a calf muscle wanting to cramp up. It didn’t…but it felt off. My hamstring was fighting me. My quad was tight…but I pushed it. She just pushed harder. I heard Cathy screaming at the finish line and I crossed…just a few seconds after her.
With a new PR.
I’ll take it!
Kendall Hays (first female overall), Jennifer Watson (second female overall), and Me (third female overall)
Cathy came around and immediately congratulated me on closing the gap so much on the female ahead of me. Then she told me to go grab some water…which I happily did. I was running as fast as I ran my half marathon before I ran Buffalo…but this just felt…so much harder. My splits were not the way I wanted…the first two miles being the fastest, the middle two being the slowest, and the last two being the last ditch effort to maintain some semblance of my strong pace. Go figure. We decided to take a walk, but I stopped and said Linda wasn’t too far behind me and I wanted to see her finish.
We got to that finish line just in time as she was powering up the hill for a strong finish! I was screaming for her the entire way and she finished strong. She was happy with her finish, despite no new PR for her. And we took a short walk together before she turned around to go cheer her sister in to her finish. Cathy and I finished our circling of the Capitol building and went to grab some water from the McDonalds table. We went to settle in on the steps and heard the announcement for free McDonalds sandwiches. While I couldn’t eat them, Cathy said it would be way better than her protein bar. So, I went to grab her one. I asked which one was the sausage biscuit…but they told me wrong. Cathy was okay with her egg biscuit though, because she said the biscuit was the best part. I noshed on the Quest Chocolate Peanut Butter High Protein Bar. It was a bit chewier than I expected, and I’m assuming it’s because it melted once and then solidified. We’ll see when I try the next one. But it wasn’t bad at all. My jaw just got tired of chewing for so long. But, it was something more than cereal and a banana…and that was what I needed.
Me with my awards for finishing Third Overall Women in the Capital City Stampede 10K (plaque) and for finishing the 2014 Trifecta Series as the First Overall Woman in the Open category.
As the final person crossed the finish line, they were getting ready to hand out awards. They started with the overall winners…and when the females were announced…it was Kendall as first…Jennifer Watson as second female overall (by 10 seconds on my time!)…and then…ME! For the second year in a row, I came in as the Third Female Overall in the Capital City Stampede! Proud of myself. Proud of the ladies I ran with. Kendall is always amazing and I don’t know who Jennifer is, but she ran a hard race and really pushed me.
Then…the age group awards were handed out…and Linda won her age division!! Fantastic!! I high fived her. They went through the age divisions backwards…and I cheered and applauded for everyone! Hey…they earned it.
And then…it was time for awards for the Frankfort Trifecta. And coming in first for the women for the entire Frankfort Trifecta was…Kendall! BUT…for the second year in a row, I came won the Female Open Division for the race series!! YAY! Both of my titles…maintained! So happy!
So…the official results of the Capital City Stampede 10K are that I finished with a new 10K PR of 44:03. WOOHOO!! I managed to shave almost a minute and a half off my previous 10K time. NICE! I was 20/322 finishers of the 10K run overall. And, I was the 3rd female finisher overall for that race. Surprised. Content. Happy! Really happy!
Really looking forward to returning to this race series again. This is my series. It involves some drive time, but I always have found it worth it. So much fun. Great city. Great people. Great time! Is it any wonder I love to run in this city? I’ll be back Frankfort Trifecta. Next year!! Already counting down the days!
Buffalo Marathon – Buffalo, NY (May 25, 2014)
Me and Kat crossing the finish line at the Buffalo Marathon – Buffalo, New York. This picture encapsulates everything about the marathon. (Photo Credit: Diane Sardes)
Race: Buffalo Marathon
Place: Buffalo, New York
Date: May 25, 2014
Time: 4:32:44*
“When you cross the finish line, no matter how slow or fast, it will change your life forever.” – Spirit of the Marathon
I want to point out the asterisks above, as this race was not one that I was running at my normal marathon pace. Nope. I agreed back in March to pace two of my friends, Kat and Janelle, to their hopes of a sub-4 finish in the Buffalo Marathon. This race was not about me or my goals…this was all about them. And I took this responsibility very seriously, mind you! I trained as I would if I were going to be the one racing…meaning all of my training runs I did as though I were running this race at my pace. I didn’t want to over-train or get cocky and think that I could run more because this race wasn’t going to be done at my “normal” pace. Nope. Like I said…I take my job as a pacer very, very seriously.
I know what you’re doing. You’re looking at that finish time and wondering what went wrong.
Well…I will get to that. And then I will reflect on what this race has taught me, in general, about the human spirit and the spirit of the marathon. But…let me start at the very beginning.
Fridays are usually hectic as it is, but this Friday just put me out-of-my-mind. I had tried to do most of my packing on Thursday, but I still had plenty to do that morning…plus a date with my spinning class at 5:30 a.m. Go figure. As I was racing on Sunday, I went to class, but kept the heavy down and just did what I was comfortable with. I didn’t want to wear out these legs. I had two people counting on me and I wasn’t about to let them down. I thought about skipping my class, but I figured I’d be in a car most of Saturday, so as long as I didn’t put too much resistance on the bike…I’d be fine.
I did manage to get everything packed up and loaded into the car. But I wasn’t Buffalo bound yet. New York was going to have to wait. I had to go to work for the entire day first. Then…then I could start my journey toward my sixth marathon this year. Whew. I headed into the office and made little to no use of my standing desk, once again, trying to keep as much pressure off these legs as possible. I wanted to get to that start line feeling ready and relaxed. It worked. I got through the entire work day without any issues, then packed up and headed out at 4:30 p.m. to head up to Columbus, Ohio. Jenn was going to make this journey with us for the marathon, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. YAY! But…this meant enduring the ride up to Columbus. But first…I stopped off at my local gluten-free bakery to pick up a pizza crust. I promised Kat, back when she was in town for the Kentucky Derby Festival Mini Marathon that I’d bring her one of Annie May’s Sweet Café’s amazing gluten-free pizza crusts. And…while we were there, Cathy and I each ordered a sandwich to go to eat in the car on the way up to Jenn’s. We might have also picked up one of her vegan and gluten-free chocolate chip cookies too. Maybe. Anyway, this plan to grab dinner worked out perfectly. An Annie May’s sandwich might be a new travel after work tradition.
Soon, we were on the road and making good time up to Columbus, Ohio. As we came through Cincinnati, Ohio, I asked Cathy if we were going to stop soon because the unsweetened iced tea and the water I had with dinner had gone right through me and I “really needed to pee.” TMI? Nah. Anyway, she said we’d stop at somewhere up the road…which turned into about an hour wait. Seriously. The information center she had wanted to stop at was closed…and already way further than I had hoped to go before I got my break. So…I was not happy. We finally pulled over at a gas station on the exit you would take if you were going to the Ohio Renaissance Festival. I went inside the BP and took care of business, only to be interrupted by a woman pounding on the door, declaring she had an emergency. Um…yeah…kinda busy…gotta wait. I peed as fast as I could…but she kept pounding and pissing me off. Do NOT piss off a runner who has been tapering. I washed my hands and hurried out of the bathroom, having her blow past me like I was doing it on purpose. UGH!! People suck.
Back on the road…and no more stops until we hit Jenn’s house somewhere around 9 p.m. Cathy and I changed out into more comfortable clothes and then we settled in to talk a bit and eat Jenn’s infamous (but to me it’s famous) Pink Salad. Mmmmm…just what I needed. Hit the freakin’ spot. I knew I needed to get up around 4 a.m. to do a shakeout run, stretch, shower, eat breakfast, and get out of the door in a timely manner to continue the journey up to Buffalo, New York on Saturday morning…so we were turning in earlier than normal.
My alarm went off at 4 a.m. and I immediately dropped my iPhone before I could turn it off. Whoops. I got up and got changed into my running clothes and headed out Jenn’s garage to do 3 very easy miles as a shakeout before my drive up for the marathon. I forgot that Jenn’s roads have storm drains in the center of the road, so those were some fun obstacles at first. HAHA! I finally just got off to the side, and ran a loop around her inner circle until I hit my miles for the day. I actually did it faster than I intended or felt like I was running…so my legs were definitely feeling good. I ducked back inside, shed the reflective gear and went to do my stretching. Jenn came down as I was finishing that up. And soon I was headed up to shower, wake up Cathy, and we were settling in for some gluten-free bagels for breakfast. Topped off with a Garlic and Herb cream cheese of deliciousness. It was like eating garlic bread. The car was loaded back up and we piled in…heading out for the long road to Buffalo, New York.
I was already tired from not sleeping much, so Jenn passed my pillow up and I dozed up until we made our first stop to put in some gas. There was a nice Starbucks attached to the gas station, so we all got one of their refreshers…mine…the Cool Lime (YUMMY!) before piling back into the car and making our way up to Erie, Pennsylvania. That was going to be our stop for lunch. Back when I ran the Hershey Half Marathon, we found a place called Picasso’s to eat dinner at on our way back to Jenn’s. They specialize in very unique sandwiches…and we fell in love with them. This was our lunch destination…and we got there just after they opened. We each got a sandwich and drink and settled in at a table. My Gluten-Free Venus de Milo Sandwich was fantastic. It was a combination of hummus, onions, baby spinach, tomato, muffaletta spread, carrots, avocado, and a roasted red pepper mayo, toasted on gluten-free bread (in the oven to keep it from being cross-contaminated). Seriously…delicious. Then, we ducked over to Wegmans (an awesome grocery store for those not familiar) to grab a few necessities for Sunday…like bananas and water and watermelon. Then…back on the road. Next stop…the Hyatt Regency Buffalo (the host hotel) where we were staying.
I had hoped to meet up with both Kat and Janelle at the the expo, but Kat was there earlier in the day and Janelle, honestly, was leaving as I was pulling in. Dang it. I was seeing Kat later that evening for dinner, but Janelle was not going to be able to make it. So, we all planned to meet up on Sunday morning with the 4 hour pace group. Deal. We pulled into the hotel and valet parked the car, hauling our stuff inside. I went to check in, and as I was running the marathon was gifted with a bottle of Gatorade. I signed a sneaker with how many marathons I had run and my best finishing time, was given two keys to the room (I gave them to Jenn and Cathy to handle…I am a zen runner on race weekends and want no responsibilities). We took our stuff up to the hotel room to drop it off and then headed out to walk through the walkways from the hotel to the expo center. Weirdly enough, there were no signs really directing anyone to where to find the expo…so we randomly followed some people and ended up making our way there. Let’s hear it for the blind leading the visually challenged!
Bart Yasso and me at the Buffalo Marathon Expo – Buffalo, New York
The expo was small. We stepped inside and I got in line to get a plastic bag that contained some race information and my safety pins. From there, I had to wind my way through the vendors and other races there to find the tables in the back where packet pickup was happening. I went over to the side for the marathon (there is also a 5K and a half marathon), and gave my name. The teenager behind the table looked me up, grabbed my race bib and race shirt and passed it over to me. I thanked him, tucked it into the plastic bag and went to meet Jenn and Cathy over at the BondiBand table. HA! They knew I’d want to make a stop there. We didn’t spend too long digging through the BondiBands as I own most of them (it’s a sickness…I know!)…but I found two that fit my personality and I ended up getting those. It’s tradition! You never break tradition. We wound our way back through, stopping off at a few interesting sounding races…all of which are on weekends that don’t work for me…this year…and ended up at Bart Yasso’s talk.
I LOVE Bart Yasso and really want to incorporate the Yasso 800’s into my training…eventually. We listened to him talk, and when he finished up, I went to see if he would sign my book (I brought it with me!) and maybe get a picture with him. There wasn’t a long line…and before long I was up there and talking with him. He remembered me from Facebook (HA!) and just asked if I spelled Karen with a “K.” That was awesome. He was very kind and wrote me a nice message before taking a picture with me and wishing me luck on Sunday. With that…we made our way out of the expo and back to our hotel room, where we crashed until about 4:15 p.m., watching Food Network (Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives was on, followed by Guy’s Grocery Games). I took the time to do my evening stretches and some foam rolling so I wouldn’t have to worry about it after dinner and could focus more on getting race morning stuff together and getting to bed at a decent time.
All that did get accomplished before we headed back out to the streets of Buffalo and walked to our dinner destination, Merge, located on Delaware Avenue. We were early. The restaurant hadn’t even opened yet. But, we knew that would probably be the case. We left early to give us time to get lost and all. But at the first sense of us not knowing which way to go, Cathy asked the valet guys and we were immediately on track without the whole wander around town mess. Love nipping something in the bud. At 5 p.m., Kat and Adam (Kat’s boyfriend) arrived and we went inside for our dinner reservation. We were immediately seated and asked if we wanted something other than water to drink. I don’t do anything but water these days as it is…so I stuck with that. Then…it was menu time. I had looked at this menu DOZENS of times before…and I knew there was a gluten-free and vegan pizza option. That’s my traditional food before a race…but there were so many enticing dishes on this menu that I couldn’t get anywhere else…and I get good gluten-free pizza in Louisville. SO…now I was waffling on what I wanted for dinner and everyone else was ready. With the assistance of the waiter, I bucked tradition again and went with the Gluten-Free and Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta, which was a basic brown rice fusilli pasta with local tomato, red onion, spinach and tossed with toasted walnuts. It was as amazing as it looked. Got a Gluten-Free and Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Spiced Berry Compote for dessert, which I split with Cathy. All of us talked for awhile, not much about running but about other stuff, until we were told they needed the table. So, with that, we parted ways. Cathy, Jenn and I walked back to the hotel room. and I changed into my pajamas, brushed my teeth, put out my race clothes for the morning, plugged in my Garmin to charge, set the two wake-up alarms, and then…went to bed.
My first alarm got me up and I went through my routine before hitting the sack again for another hour. The second alarm rang and I was up and into the bathroom to change into my race gear. I had opted for a tank top, despite the 47 degree weather that morning. I had my homemade arm warmers for the start, figuring I’d shed them sometime in the race. My running skirt, my CEP calf sleeves, my Newton’s. I was ready to run. I put on my sunscreen and got my “epic race hair” done up before stretching. Jenn woke up just before I was to wake up both her and Cathy to get ready…so I just needed to worry about getting Cathy moving. I woke her up and then settled in to eat my cereal (a pre-race tradition for EVERY race). I took my time, relaxed, and occupied my mind with things other than the race. Both Cathy and Jenn grabbed the free granola from the expo and got something in their stomachs and soon, I was grabbing my banana and we were heading down to the lobby and outside to the starting area.
The start area hadn’t been opened to the runners in the full or half marathon yet…so everyone was sort of behind a barrier on the other side of the street. I saw pacers walk by and really wanted to go find my girls, but Cathy was like…”Um…good luck with that!” Which, sort of annoyed me so I was in a huff when the starting area was finally opened. But, she called me back and I settled down. I got hugs and was told to have a good race. Jenn told me that “The Power of Dean [Karnazes] Compelled Me” and not to “pants my poop.” This is tradition. It has to happen. With that, I left them to go find a spot near the start line and I went to hopefully find Janelle (who I hadn’t met yet in person) and Kat.
Kat (green arm warmers), Me, and Janelle (pink shirt) heading out at the start of the Buffalo Marathon – Buffalo, New York (Photo Credit: Jennifer Mariani)
Janelle found me, actually…which was awesome. We were about 15 minutes away from race time. I was so happy to see her. She looked rested and ready to run. Perfect. I asked if she had seen Kat…and she hadn’t. But a few minutes later, miss Bright Green Arm Warmers was at our sides. We attempted to do some stretching in the start area but it was really crowded and moving around was not much of an option. Kat was talking to pretty much everyone…because I really think she knows everyone in Buffalo…and we did our best to keep our legs loose and limber in the chilly morning air. I pointed out that the girl in front of me had her shirt on inside out and we agreed that if it wasn’t three minutes to start time, we might have informed her…but it was too late now. The National Anthem was sung…and we were right in line with the 4-hour pace group. Right where I wanted to start. One moment later…runners were off. And we were making the march toward the start line. Kat doesn’t like to start running until she crosses that mat, so we kept a fast walk until we hit that start gate…and we were off. I spotted Cathy and Jenn immediately, flashed a peace sign…and fell into pace.
Janelle, Me, and Kat love seeing familiar faces around Mile 6.3 in the Buffalo Marathon – Buffalo, New York
We stayed behind the pace group for the first mile, wanting to make sure we didn’t have the “fly and die” technique…wanting to go into this easy and work our way up. Kat and Janelle both liked this plan and that was what we worked at doing. But somewhere before we hit Mile 2, we got ahead of the pace group. I asked my girls how they felt about pace, and both agreed it was good. I told them that whenever they wanted to back off, just to say the word and we would. So, Kat did that every now and again, terrified of going out too fast and wanting to have that 4 hour pace group not too much behind or ahead of us at any time. As both seemed comfortable…we continued on. We hit that 5K mark feeling strong, and I once again checked on the pace. We backed it off a little per Kat’s request and continued on. I ditched my arm warmers somewhere around here as well. HA! Looking at my Garmin…we actually were keeping a very level, even pace for a good stretch of this race. It was awesome. It felt good. We all felt good. Kat gave me a bit of a tour as we were running, as this is where she grew up. I’m a history buff, so I found every bit of this fascinating. And…it made the miles fly by without us really paying attention to them at all. Before we knew it, we were at the 10K mark…feeling good. We rounded a corner, and Kat spotted Adam and went over to see him, but he told her to keep going as she was right on pace. And just a few feet up…was Cathy and Jenn. I spotted the donkey sign! I gave a big wave and a smile. It’s always nice to see familiar faces during a race…and we were only 1/4 of the way done. But…we were feeling amazing. So, on we went.
We kept this great pace (just under sub-9) up through the LaSalle Park area. We hit the waterfront, where the road narrowed quite a bit. The slow-up was welcome though…so we took the break and eased our way through the crowds. The waterfront was gorgeous! Honestly. I loved running this part of the race. Great breeze. Great views. The lake was stunning. We knew as we were going to be leaving the waterfront that photographers were stationed. And we spotted them up ahead. The three of us raised our arms for the shot…and that was when some jackass pushed Kat. Like…literally pushed her. RUDE! So, not sure how that shot is going to turn out. Asshat. We had now hit the 15K mark…and all of us were still feeling good and strong. My girls were rockstars! I asked about pace every now and again, wanting them to feel comfortable with it…and so far, they were.
Janelle, Me, and Kat at the 13.1 mile point of the Buffalo Marathon! Feeling strong. Looking strong!
Kat continued her guided tour as we ran around the Erie Basin Marina and back into town. She was elated when she noticed the course was going to take us past the First Niagara Center, where the Buffalo Sabers play hockey. She has season tickets…so she was glad the new course still ran past there. The sun was up now and there were no clouds in the sky. None. So it was warming up fast. We came through town, loving the shade that the buildings provided, but the heat was there. We hit the halfway point…and were pleasantly surprised to see both Jenn and Cathy standing right at the 13.1 marker to cheer us on. We were powering through that first half, maintaining a relatively even pace…backing off where necessary…and feeling awesome. We were just where we needed to be…right in between the 3:50:00 pacers and the 4-hour pace group. We were right on target.
But as we headed a few miles further in, the heat started to really affect Kat. She came to a walk on a hill around Mile 15, taking out her inhaler. We were ahead of schedule and the walk break was a welcome one on the hill, and once she fueled and took in some liquid, we were back on our way. We knocked out another mile back on our pace, but the 4-hour pace group had caught up to us. We decided to run just behind them for a little while. Good strategy. But as we came into Mile 16, going into 17…Kat slowed again and the pace group moved ahead. She was getting angry and frustrated with herself, but we were still ahead of the pace group so that was of some help to get her focused again. The fuel belt she was wearing wasn’t sitting right on her body, so Janelle asked if she wanted to try holding her bottle with Nuun in it and ditching the belt with her husband at Mile 17. Kat agreed so Janelle ran up ahead to find her husband, dump water out of one of her bottles, and get one ready for Kat. Kat was really struggling here and as we walked a bit through Mile 16.55, with her in tears and angry at having to walk, one of the volunteers checked to make sure she was okay, letting us know where we were in the race and asking if she needed any sort of attention. She waved him off and we both thanked him, and when we hit some road signs, we started to pick up the pace again, maintaining that until we met up with Janelle and her husband near Mile 17. We changed out the fuel pack for the handheld water and we were back on our way.
We were now in Delaware Park, which would last for a mile, where we then would enter back onto the streets and re-enter the park around Mile 20.5. As we were heading up the hill, Kat went to fuel with her Craisins. But they didn’t stay down. The heat was really getting to her…as she hadn’t had warm weather this year to train in. Buffalo was 40 degrees all day on Friday…and Saturday was slightly warmer, but with a cool breeze that made it feel cooler. We had a slight breeze, but the air was hot and the sun was relentless. Kat handed me the handheld bottle and tried to fuel again, this time to keep it down. I gave her one of my bottles on my fuel belt that had water inside. She took it…and this time…it all stayed down. She asked if I was okay holding onto the handheld bottle for her…and I said that was fine. Mind you, I hate running with things in my hands, but this was definitely more important. And…it would help me keep a steadier pace for Kat. But then the 4:10 pace group past and I saw that fight go out of her. She felt defeated, but I did what I could to get her to press on. We could at least try for her next goal of a PR. We came out of the park and it was a run walk method, with Janelle and I just wanting to keep Kat going. Finally, Janelle said she was starting to hurt, so she was going to put on her headphones and head for the finish line. We had tried to get her to do that earlier…but she stuck it out with us for some of it, even giving up her sub-4 finish to make sure Kat was okay. But we wished her luck and sent her on, telling her to let Cathy and Jenn know that we would be behind her.
I did my best to keep Kat going. The heat was really doing a number on her. She was getting dizzy and suffering from a headache. In addition, she said at some points she felt like she was going to pass out. I didn’t want that to happen, so I told her to walk when she needed. We were coming up around Mile 20 when one lone woman was standing on the road, shouting support to everyone. She saw Kat, who was crying, and honed in on her. It made me smile when I heard her say to Kat…”I see you, 890! You look so strong. Come on 890…you can do this. Push through, 890! I know you can do this. I know you want to run.” Kat started crying more, but this time tears of happiness, and her pace…picked up. It was the push she needed…from a random stranger. And as she ran up the hill…the woman said, “That’s it 890! Keep going!!” and other inspiring and motivating words. She was a rockstar. And, honestly, was able to do what I couldn’t. As we came back into Delaware Park, Kat said she had to use the bathroom and maybe that would help. The problem was…there were no port-a-potties on the course winding through the park. So, it was run, walk, run…until we were heading out of the park where there were some port-a-potties. Luckily one was not in use. I waited on the corner while she ducked into one. A minute later, we were back on the road and back to running. She felt better. And we now had just over 4 more miles to go. We were getting there. When the 4:20 pace group passed, she started crying again. And…she handed over her Garmin, saying she didn’t want it on anymore. Is trapped it onto my wrist and we moved on. It was better this way. She had been so focused on that pace and now…her disappointment was setting in. I kept assuring her that her primary goal was to finish…and I was going to get her to that line.
With only a few miles left, we were determined to go without stopping. Kat was determined now, despite the heat. She was sweating out salt, so I was trying to get her to take in as much water and electrolytes as possible. Her compression socks were starting to bother her, so she stopped to roll them down. Only, that felt worse as we started up again, so she pulled them back up. We ran and walked for the next few miles, doing what she needed. I pushed her here and there, telling her what landmarks we would hit and start jogging and picking up the pace…easing back into it. She listened to me…and did as I said…and she’d slow and walk when she needed to. Around Mile 24, she was done with the compression socks. So she pulled over to the side of the road and sat down, taking off her shoes and removing the socks. I ended up tying them to my fuel belt and she put her shoes back on and decided to finish the race without socks on. I told her she’d blister…and she said blisters already happened. Might as well be comfortable. A woman who was cheering on runners across the street asked if she was okay…and we said she was…and within moments, she was back on her feet and we were heading down into the next mile…slapping hands with college boys at the water stop. We walked a bit coming into Mile 25 and I could hear that crowd ahead. The finish line was getting closer. We picked it up…we backed it off…we walked when she needed it. She finished off her Nuun…she took in one last water stop…and we pressed on…walking to the edge of a building I pointed out…and then picking up that pace. We were in the home stretch and she was going to run it in.
We had made a deal to cross that finish line together. I was wrapped up in the excitement and my finisher’s kick was already there. She called me back, saying she wasn’t ready yet. She wanted to see that finish line. So…I fell back and we rounded through Niagara Square. And then…there it was…the finisher’s chute! We picked up our pace and sprinted…as fast as our legs could go. As we neared that finish line, we took each other’s hands…and crossed together. It was…by far…one of the most rewarding and memorable finishes I have had in my life. We hugged tightly and I told her how proud I was of her. And we moved out of the way so that she could try to catch her breath, regain her strength…get her medal…and get some ice from the medical tent.
Kat, Me, and Janelle proudly displaying our finisher’s medals at the finish of the Buffalo Marathon – Buffalo, New York. So proud of these ladies!
After snagging an ice pack to put on the back of her neck, we headed back out, retrieving Mylar blankets and started down the chute. She spotted Adam and her mom and went to talk to them for a moment. And then…we went to get our picture taken for finishing. We moved further down the chute, retrieving water bottles and any snacks needed. She snagged an orange…good choice. And then we met up with Janelle, Cathy, Jenn, Janelle’s husband, Janelle’s dog (Domino), and Adam and Kat’s mom at the very end. We stood around talking for a little while and snapped a picture of the three of us with our medals. But then I needed to get up to the hotel room to shower off and change (as they were not allowing any late check-outs. Nope. Not at the host hotel!). Kat came with us because I forgot to give her the pizza the night before…and she changed while I went to shower. Cathy and Jenn packed everything up and when I stepped out of the shower…we were ready to head out.
Hugs all around and we were off.
So…my official results for the Buffalo Marathon are that I finished in a time of 4:32:44 (gun time) and 4:31: 36 (chip time) (for 26.49 miles). I was 832/1287 finishers overall. I was the 311/548 women to cross the finish line. And I was 64/108 in my age division. I can honestly say that this was the first time I ever crossed the finish line carrying more gear than I left with. HA! First time for everything!
Yes…there was a twinge of disappointment that came with this finish. But it wasn’t with the finishing time. It was watching a goal slip away from a good friend of mine, who worked her ass off to achieve it. Her body wasn’t ready for the heat, as she hadn’t trained in it yet. There were a few other factors as well. And the relentless sun did her in that day. But…she was not defeated. No matter how she felt, no matter how much she wanted to collapse and give up…she didn’t. Kat is a fighter. She’s strong and determined and stubborn as hell. And every time she fell back…I saw that flame in her eyes spark up…and she’d start to move again. There were plenty of tears shed at goals that weren’t reached, but ultimately, she proved not only her strength and her determination, but her worth out there on that course. I was so proud of her at that finish line. There was nowhere else I wanted to be than at her side that entire race, seeing her push through her own doubts. She is a fighter and she fought for this finish. She gave everything she had to reach that finish line. She finished strong. And every ounce of me has been inspired by her sheer determination and will to push through and see herself to that finish line. Her original goals fell to the wayside…but she finished. And ultimately...it’s not about finish times…it’s about finish lines. So often, as runners, we put so much emphasis on a new PR, a better time, faster, better, perfection. Those are all nice to accomplish and to have as goals, but we get so focused on that and sometimes we lose the actual joy of the run. We forget to have some fun. To enjoy it. To just take it in. When Kat crossed her finish line that morning…and when I gave her a tight hug, I told her just how proud I was of her. I still am. Best finish for me…ever.
Thank you, Kat…for inspiring me to push on when my self-doubts want me to stop. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. This is one race I will always point to and say…”She wanted to give up…but she never did.” For that…you are more than an inspiration. You’re my hero!
When you can’t walk, you crawl. When you can’t do that, you find someone to carry you. – Firefly
Pro.Active For Life 5K – Frankfort, KY (May 9, 2014)
Me crossing the finish line of the Pro.Active For Life 5K – Frankfort, Kentucky
Race: Pro.Active For Life 5K
Place: Downtown Frankfort, Frankfort, Kentucky
Date: May 09, 2014
Time: 22:01
SO CLOSE!!
I was so close to hitting my sub-22 minute 5K goal on this race. It’s a bit of a letdown to be that close to my goal and to fall short. By two…freakin’…seconds.
However, I don’t feel that this is a disappointment at all. In fact, I still count this as a victory. Not only did I clock a new 5K PR by 26 seconds…but I did this…on my recovering ankle. Yes…the very ankle that has been plaguing me since February. The very same ankle I rehabbed…and that has mentally left me feeling nervous and, yes, scared, to really push on the roads. I don’t want to damage it again. I don’t want to push too much too fast and end up back to square one on the recovery. I can’t afford another round of physical therapy…that’s for damn sure!
Anyway…that being said, I went into the Pro.Active For Life 5K (the second leg of the Frankfort Trifecta) with only one thing in mind…and it wasn’t defending my title. Nope. Not one bit. It was to just…have fun. That had been my goal all along. After not even placing in my age division during the Good Shepherd Run For The Gold 3K (the first race in the Trifecta), I didn’t even consider defending my title I won last year. Nope. And it still isn’t even a glimmer in my eye for the next race in June. The entire goal this time…was to enjoy the run. To have fun. To…maybe test myself a little.
But first, I had to get through the workday. And in order to make sure that I could leave on time to drive to Frankfort and deal with any traffic…I wore my running skirt to work. I will probably never do this again, because I got teased unmercifully over it. And…while I am a good sport about things…this really bothered me. Probably because it was my place of business. None of my bosses had a problem with it. But, some of my co-workers made some comments that just…bothered me. So…yeah…I’ll just stop what I’m doing even if I don’t have the time to do so, and change like I normally do. So much for trying to streamline the process, right? It was also supposed to storm. Like…right at race time. I watched the weather all day, because, as we know…if I run in Frankfort, Kentucky…it will either rain before, during, or after I do so. I was so not looking forward to running in the rain…and this meant I had to wear my old shoes for rainy conditions…MEH! But…it was time to stop watching the weather and pack up to get on the road.
Cathy and I actually left a couple of minutes early and we hit the road. About half an hour later…she was ready for her peanut butter and jelly sandwich that I had packed for our dinner. I wanted to wait a bit longer, but was told we would make our usual Kroger stop for snacks as we got into Frankfort. This is also where I go and use a real bathroom instead of a port-a-potty! There is a method to this madness. HAHA! So, I gave in and removed the sammie from the cooler, along with the last of our paleo cookies and our water bottles. And we commenced the noshing.
The food died a messy death. I think I was hungrier than I thought I was. And, soon, we were pulling into the parking lot of Kroger. I went to throw away the baggies that held our sandwiches and go to use the restroom while Cathy went to grab snacks for us (Doritos for her…a banana for me!). We were back on our way to the race in no time. And, for some reason beyond even her knowledge, Cathy turned the wrong way. So, we had to pull over and wait for a break in the traffic to turn around and head the right way to the parking garage where we normally park for Frankfort races. We parked in the same spot we always park in before stashing some of our stuff in the trunk and heading up to the street level to get to packet pickup.
It was a short walk, and I stepped inside to a madhouse. It was packed and busy and buzzing. YAY! Energy! It took a few minutes, but I finally worked my way up to the table and gave them my name. I was asked if I was doing the Trifecta, and I said I was…so the volunteer helping me when to find my bag. While I waited, I snagged four safety pins. The man returned with my bag with my tech shirt (I paid for an upgrade!) and my bib and a few goodies and informational handouts tucked inside. I thanked him and removed myself from the building, heading outside to meet up with Cathy and get pinned up for the start of the race. I ate my banana and we moved to stand on the lawn of the old Capitol building so I could do some stretching. I promised my physical therapists I would be good about stretching…and Cathy has been holding me to it.
I even did some strides. Nothing hard and fast. Nothing all-out. Just an easy jog down and up the road. I did this for a few paces…until the cars were becoming bothersome (the roads weren’t completely closed yet) and went to stand on the sidewalk opposite the Capitol to do a few more stretches and await the official line-up portion of the race. This came to be moments later, and Cathy gave me a hug and told me to have fun before going to find a place to stand to spectate. I moved to the starting lineup, staying rather close to the front, wanting to avoid the children that would, inevitably, crowd the front of the start line. I love this race, but that is the most difficult part of this race. Some of the kids can hold their own…but some are just trying to be up front…and that can be dangerous. And, wouldn’t you know it? I blinked and suddenly was in a sea of children, one with a dog on a rope, lining up near the front. They weren’t the contenders you would expect at the front…I could tell from the conversation. The, “My goal is just to keep up with the dog,” comment was a dead giveaway. But, this is their race too…and everyone signs that waver.
Debbie Brown got on the microphone and began to give some instructions. Unfortunately, the running crowd wasn’t quieting down…so I heard none of this. She did get us ready to run though, faking us out with an “On your mark…” And then making us stretch. HAHA!! EVIL! But soon, she gave the word…and the starting gun went off!
And I was off. Kind of. Because those I was pushed and elbowed by the woman standing next to me, hard enough that her arm shut off my Garmin watch. I had to restart it. And all those kids that had lined up near the front…I saw a little girl go down in the fray…and Cathy said another kid, a boy, was also pushed down. Dangerous…see. I know it’s exciting, but I hate seeing kids get hurt at the start of a race because they lined up in the front, where the competitive runners are trying to position themselves.
That being said…I moved onward, heading down the street and making the left turn on the course to start on the path toward the Capitol. My legs felt heavy and tired. I guess going to spinning on Friday morning probably wasn’t the wisest thing I had done on a race day. I pressed on though, and felt that I was moving at a good clip regardless. I made another turn and was heading up the street toward the incline that would take us over the bridge and toward the Capitol where we would make our turn to come back toward the finish line. About halfway up the street, just before the water stop, I hit my first mile. My watched beeped a moment later, and apparently I went out hard…hitting that first mile in 6:54. Whew. But, the rest of my race was certainly more conservative. I passed up the water and made my way up the small incline to dash around the annex area and come back around. There was a nice downhill awaiting the runners there, and I slightly pulled up so as not to strain my quads. I passed up the water again and carried myself through to Mile 2. Just over a mile to go. I pressed on, passing some people and being passed by others. The legs were screaming at me, but I kept going. I headed back over the bridge and, this time, down the steep incline to make my way down the street to make the final two turns before the finish line would come into view. It was when the street leveled out that my legs really began to feel fatigued. I was determined though. I might have slowed down, but I was still moving forward.
I made the final turn and headed up the ramp that would carry us to the main street where the finish line was waiting. I couldn’t make out the clock at the moment, but I was pushing as much as I dared. I just wanted to get to that finish. As I got closer…I saw…21:57…21:58…I tried to kick it into gear, and I crossed the finish line at a point I couldn’t tell if I hit sub-22 or not. I had to wait for official results. But I was worn out, tired, thirsty, but feeling rather awesome at that point. Cathy came rushing over…declaring…”You were third female!” I was shocked by that too, as I wasn’t aiming to win, place, or show in this race. I just wanted to run it…and do the best I could. I guess I had more gas in the tank than I thought.
I moved through the finish area, being handed a bottle of water and then went to just walk around as we awaited results. I didn’t care where I placed…I wanted to see if I hit that sub-22. It was going to be SO close. Cathy and I decided to walk to the other side of the square and cheer on runners as they came down the street before making their final turns to the finish. That was fun. I love cheering people on…I know it lifts me up while on the run, so I wanted to lift them up. We moved on to go cheer at the finish line…just walking back and forth. As I was heading back to the finish line, I was stopped by a nice lady with a stroller who asked how I did. I told her that I did well…I beat last year’s time if nothing else. She said she knew I had been worried about it with my ankle and was glad to hear it. YAY!! BLOG READER!!
Me with my bronze medal and bag of goodies for being the 3rd Overall Female at the Pro.Active For Life 5K – Frankfort, Kentucky
Soon after, results were starting to get put up, so we meandered over there. Cathy moved up ahead of me and looked at the results before I had the chance to do so myself. She said…”You finished in 22:01!” “SO CLOSE!” was my response. I was just 2 seconds away from a sub-22 minute 5K. SO close!! Finishing in the top three females was an added bonus and not something I was even shooting for. I love an added confidence booster.
So, this meant we needed to hang around for the awards…which was fine…just not something we actually had planned for. A much later return home now…but I wasn’t going to complain. I was feeling so much better about my running now. And, after a moment, I went to chat up the winner of the 5K, not Kendall…she came in second this year…a nice woman who is a teacher in Frankfort…Robin Lawhorn. Why randomly go chat her up? Why not? Well…one reason was she was wearing Newton’s. Just like me. We have great taste in shoes and since I know how hard it is to find Newton’s in this area…well…I had to talk to her. Turns out she picked hers up at a triathlon store in Lexington. Going to have to look that up next time I head to Lexington, for sure!
Cathy and I went to walk around the old Capitol building a little bit to pass the time before the awards. But we soon just went down toward the street to watch the last of the walkers come in and to dance with the music that was being played. After a little while, Debbie grabbed the microphone and asked if any children wanted to help pass out the medals. She was consumed by a bunch of volunteers. So…it was medal time. And they started with the overall males and then moved to the overall females. And as I came in third…I was called up first…and handed the wrong medal…and a very nice gift bag. My picture was taken I then went to track down someone to give the gold medal back to and exchange it for the bronze. I finally got that cleared up, and after some photos with Kendal and Robin…I got my stuff together to head home.
I normally would have stayed for more awards…but…I had another race on Saturday morning in Louisville. So I needed to get home…and storms were apparently coming. And, true to form, it stormed on us pretty bad on the drive back to Louisville. Never fails. If I keep running in Frankfort, they will never have a drought.
That being said, the official results of the Pro.Active For Life 5K are that I finished in 22:01, setting a new PR for myself. I know I can hit that sub-22 goal this year…I’m just really going to have to work hard for it. I intend to do just that though…for sure. I was 28/843 finishers overall. I was 3/509 female finishers. And, would have been 1/70 in my age division. But, as I came in 3rd Female Overall…no age division award for me. I’m okay with that, because I totally exceeded all expectations of myself. I don’t know where that came from, but I’m so glad that somewhere inside…my body remembered what it felt like to fly.
Another year of running the Pro.Active For Life 5K behind me and I’m already looking forward to next year’s race. I swear, there is something so near and dear to me about this race. It’s a challenging, but fun course…and I was able to run it better this year than I did last year. I hope to continue to come back to Frankfort for not only this race, but the Trifecta, year in and year out. As it stands, I’m feeling a little better about pushing myself a little harder. I’m still tentative…my mind not quite overcoming the natural fear of getting hurt again or doing further damage. But…this race proves that I’m getting there. And I’ll only continue to get there…as long as I run smart and run with all my heart.
See you next year!!
Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon – Louisville, KY (April 19, 2014)
Silvia, Aaron, Andrea, Me, Kat, and Colleen after finishing the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon and Mini Marathon – Louisville, Kentucky
Race: Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon
Place: Louisville, Kentucky
Date: April 19, 2014
Time: 4:13:01*
Ahhh…where to start? Where do I even begin to start?! There was so much excitement coming into this race because there were people I knew who were flying or driving in to run either the full or the half marathon. And if that wasn’t enough excitement…I was asked by one of them to pace her to a sub-4 marathon finish. I didn’t have to think about this at all. I was more than happy to assist my friend, Colleen, in attempting to meet her goal. And that…my friends…is the reason for the asterisk on this post. I wasn’t running this race to race it for me. I was running it to help a friend…and come what may, I was staying by her side the entire time. I take my “job” as a pacer very seriously…and I trained to run at an easier pace than I normally would for a marathon.
But…I might be getting ahead of myself a little.
First of all, there was the expo. As I am local to the area, I figured it would be much better for me to hit up the expo on Thursday, before the mad crush on Friday set in. So, after work, I headed over the river to the Kentucky International Convention Center in downtown, Louisville, Kentucky. There weren’t a lot of signs that directed people to where the expo was, so Cathy and I simply followed the crowds, figuring someone had to have an idea of where they were going. This did pay off, and soon we were on an escalator heading up to where the expo was being held.
Most expos in Louisville are small matters. And while this one was not huge…it wasn’t just a couple of tables and Fleet Feet either. In fact, walking in, I ended up going to the table for the mini marathon (actually a half marathon…as there are different definitions of what a mini marathon is)…and then had to slide over to the full marathon where I picked up my race packet (which included a woman’s tech shirt, a hat, and other goodies). I was complimented on already having my wallet out and ready…the volunteer going, “Well, you’ve done this before, I see.” Oh yeah…a few times. *WINK*
After receiving my packet, Cathy and I turned to see about walking through the actual expo part. But first, we both stopped to sign the “I run because…” wall. Cathy put up something about not being a runner, but being great at ringing a cowbell (AWESOME!), and I wrote a tribute to my grandpa. It was fitting. We hit up the official merchandise first, where my phone rang. I answered it, and unfortunately, it was a friend of mine giving me some horrible news about her sister. Her sister was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer and she asked that I do something for her sister during my race. I wasn’t going to say no to that. At all. I was more than happy to help. After I hung up, I ran into Harry and Tammy, two people I often run with, and we stood around and talked for a little while. Cathy spotted the official Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon BondiBand…and I knew I was making that purchase. But then I spotted these bright lime green arm warmers. Upon trying on the smallest size, I found that they actually fit my little noodle-y arms. That doesn’t happen often. So…I ended up with those as well. I immediately said I was not allowed to buy anything else. So, I spent the rest of the time winding my way through the expo and trying not to get too caught up in it where I end up buying more stuff. I managed.
I knew my friend Kat and her boyfriend, Adam, were at the expo as well, so I gave a quick text to find out where she was. She was in from Buffalo, New York and I was really looking forward to seeing her. She had already made her way through the expo and they were sitting outside the entrance. I exited…and my bib was activated as I did so…and spotted her immediately. We ran up and gave each other a hug. Kat was going to run the half marathon with our friend Andrea. Andrea’s husband and our friend Silvia was doing the full with Colleen and I. And our entire group was getting together Friday night at Martini’s in Louisville for pre-race food. But, I got some time to chat with Kat and discuss where she was eating Thursday night (she wanted local breweries…and found one!). We said good-bye for the time being as it was getting late and I still needed my customary night before the night before a marathon meal – Indian food. It was off to Shalimar where I got a the vegan Yellow Dahl…spicy of course…and everything seemed right with the world. Got home around 8:30 p.m. where I got things ready for work in the morning and went to bed.
Friday morning came and I got up to do my shakeout run per my training program. Three miles. Race pace. Or 25 minutes of running. Whichever came first. I did an easy run for three miles and then went inside to get ready for work. Normally I would go to spin class on Friday…but not this time. I needed fresh legs for Saturday’s race. That threw me off, by the way…having a marathon on a Saturday. I’m so used to Sunday races. All I needed to do was get through the workday and then it was fun times at Martini’s with my racing friends.
The workday did go by relatively fast. There was some discussion about the upcoming race as the receptionist wanted to know where Cathy was going to be as one of her son’s and her husband were running. Her son was doing the full; her husband was taking on the half marathon. In fact, her husband came in to take her to lunch and we talked a little bit about the course and how the events were going to unfold that following morning. But when 4:30 p.m. hit, I was out the door with Cathy and we were winging our way to Martini’s in Louisville.
We arrived just as Kat and Adam were arriving. Imagine that. The rest of the crew, Andrea, Aaron, and Silvia were there. We were simply waiting on Colleen…who flew in from Chicago and was taking a taxi to the restaurant. If I had thought about it beforehand, I would have offered to pick her up on the way from her hotel. Anyway…it was taking awhile to get there…traffic was insane. So, we all just made small chat and browsed the menu on occasion. We had plenty to talk about and most of it had to do with racing. Well…that and acquaintances and life and everything else. In fact…there wasn’t too much discussion about the race going on at all. Rather, we discussed previous races we had done…and how we were feeling…and what we might like to eat that night. Some ordered wine. I stuck with water. Bread was brought to the table. I’m gluten-free and didn’t touch it. Kat, who has a dairy allergy, was brought a dairy-free ciabatta bread to enjoy. That was very nice of the chef and the restaurant to do.
Me and my gang at Martini’s in Louisville, Kentucky, the night before the race! (L-R: Adam, Colleen, Me, Cathy, Silvia, Aaron, Andrea, Kat)
And…then Colleen appeared. And we all greeted her happily and let her get settled in. I wanted to sit next to her so we could discuss her race strategy if needed. The waitress who was tending to us was kind enough to take a picture of our group. And with that, we were ready to get to the business of pre-race fueling the night before. And I actually had to do something different this time. Every race prior to this, gluten-free pizza is a must for me. I always have gluten-free pizza. It works. Martini’s has gluten-free pasta…but not pizza. So…I changed it up. I altered my usual plan. I had…the Gluten-Free Pomodoro, which was gluten-free fusilli pasta (brown rice) that was topped light garlic tomato sauce, a basil chiffonade, and I asked them to leave the mozzarella off…due to my lactose intolerance. I don’t play around before a marathon. Nope. Everyone else put in their orders and we were left to return to our various conversations. I was jumping back and forth on topics with a variety of people…which is how I roll. And after a little bit of a wait, our food began arriving. My order was perfect…no cheese…gluten-free…and it looked amazing. It smelled good too. Everyone else received their plates…but the kitchen forgot to do Kat’s dairy-free pasta with the brown rice pasta as requested. Hers was sent back but she told us to go ahead and start while she waited on her replacement dish. After a small wait…her food was served and we all were digging in.
Another thing I did differently…I didn’t have dessert. I have always treated myself to a dessert the night before a marathon. And while Martini’s did have some gluten-free options…they weren’t dairy free. So, alas…I went without. It was strange…not having that little sweet treat at the end of the celebratory meal. A few of my peeps enjoyed either a drink or dessert…but then…we all agreed it was time to head back to our respective hotels or homes…because it was going to be an early morning. Cathy and I volunteered to take Colleen back down to her hotel near the convention center…and we ended up doing a scenic tour because I-71 was backed up. Taking the long way around gave us some more time to chat with her though…and we soon got her to her hotel and we headed home ourselves.
I made some tea…did my physical therapy stretches…and foam rolled. I had every intention of getting to bed early, but by the time we got home and by the time I was done doing my necessary stretching…it was a normal bedtime. Ah well. I never get to bed early on race nights, even when I make every attempt to do just that. Nothing new here. The only part that concerned me was that the downstairs neighbors were having a rowdy party. Seriously. I turned on the fan in my room and turned up the sound machine. Thankfully…this drowned out all the noise. I was not, however, afraid to be that neighbor who called the cops.
My first alarm of two (my usual race morning routine) went off at 3 a.m. I got out of bed and did the first part of my race morning routine…then went back to bed for about an hour. The second alarm went off and I was so tempted to stay curled up in bed. But I knew Cathy would be getting up in another hour and I had to get on my race gear, get some coffee, get some breakfast, and do my physical therapy stretches as well. So…I reluctantly got out of my cozy bed and went to pour myself some coffee (which I set to automatically brew, giving me time to drink it and pee before I left the apartment…no such thing as TMI, folks!). I had my outfit laid out the night before, so I put on a coat of Body Glide, eased into my race day clothes, put on my Newton’s (the first time I was running a marathon in this particular pair…the new pair…which I bought in Atlanta). I did my stretches for my ankle and legs and then heard Cathy come out of her room. So…I got up to pour her coffee and get our cereal bowls down and filled. We tried to have a relaxing morning, but I was just…everywhere. I put my water and Nuun into their bottles then attached them to my fuel belt. I stashed my GU packets in my pockets where I could easily get to them…and stocked a few extra in my fuel belt…just in case. I slipped into my hoodie. I brushed my teeth and put my hair in pigtails with my colors of choice…rainbow…and pink. I don’t know why…it just seemed right. And then…Cathy grabbed her bag, stashed with more Nuun, more water, and my protein shake, a towel, med kit…and other items…grabbed how cow bell…and grabbed my sign. And we were out the door.
Our first stop was the Sheraton in Jeffersonville to pick up Andrea, Aaron and Silvia. They were providing me with a (big) race day banana so I wouldn’t have to swing by the grocery store the night before. We made plenty of big banana jokes because we are totally awesome like that. It was just a short drive over the bridge and into parking at the KFC YUM! Center. No problems at all. We stashed what we didn’t need in the car and began to hike down the sidewalk toward the start line.
Marathon Maniacs and Half Fanatics before the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon and Mini Marathon in Louisville, Kentucky. I’m in the Wonder Woman shirt (the red) right there in the middle!
We were quite a few blocks away, but it did allow us to see the start line and walk past the corral system. Originally I was placed in Corral B…but everyone else was in Corral C…so I decided to hop back to where all the cool kids were. But…first…I had a 7 a.m. photo to be present for. The Marathon Maniacs were meeting near bag check…in front of Slugger Field…to have our group photo taken. That wasn’t happening yet…so I figured I’d not be a princess for a moment and go use one of the port-o-potties. I was the first person in mine…and had to figure out how to get the paper wrapper of the toilet paper. Thankfully this one had the antibacterial lotion to put on your hands afterwards. Afterwards, Silvia (also a Marathon Maniac) and I went over to Slugger Field and got with the gathered Maniacs and Half Fanatics. This was where I found Harry. YAY! I gave him a hug and we chatted for a little bit before the photo op. And then…photo madness. I was asked if I could squat down some because “you’re really tall.” I thanked the girl for saying that…as I’ve never been called “very tall” before in my life. I’ll take it! Cathy ended up on photo duty for a lot of people and she did it with style. And then…we all dispersed. Silvia and I went back to where we left Aaron and Andrea…who were waiting on Kat and Colleen. Kat showed up across the street and we went to go meet up with her. Except as Andrea forged ahead, I met up with my running buddy, Patrick. He was also in Corral C…so we hugged and I told him I’d see him in the corral. I never saw him again…
I made it through the stream of people and got up to where Kat and Andrea were waiting. Adam came to take a picture of the three of us. And Aaron made his way over as well. Kat and Andrea were doing the mini…so they were in Corral A. WOOHOO!! The rest of us fell into Corral C…where I was in search of my race buddy for the next 26.2 miles. And, thankfully…we did find Colleen…whew. I wasn’t sure what I would do if I didn’t find the person I promised to pace. We moved up a little…I searched for Patrick…but with no luck. And we eagerly awaited the start.
It was actually a cool morning with a wind. I was shivering a little in my short sleeves and skirt, but I know I warm up fast…so this was actually not a bad idea. As the race progressed, I was kind of wishing I had on a tank. If my number had been attached to my fuel belt (which I normally do, but changed that up too, pinning it to my shirt) and not my Wonder Woman tech shirt…than I probably would have shed the shirt and just gone in the sports bra…about the time we got through Churchill Downs. Just saying. When it warmed up…it warmed up quickly.
Again…I’m getting ahead of myself…
The wheelchair racers were sent off and the elites and first corral eagerly anticipated their start. We heard the countdown…and the start. And we stood as our corral wasn’t going anywhere yet. In fact…even as the different corrals were brought up to the start, this was the first time I was pretty much on top of the start line before I even started to jog. Everyone was just meandering. I’m used to a warm-up jog over the start mat at least 20 feet away. Not here. I even commented to Aaron and Colleen that it felt weird to still be walking.
But we were soon over the start mat and we were off…hitting the streets of Louisville, Kentucky for 26.2 miles. I was super excited and feeling really good.
So was Colleen. The brisk morning was perfect for running. She had an old running jacket on, which she did shed around Mile 2…but we decided to start conservatively. In fact, we lined up just behind the 4 hour pace group. And we stayed there…for about the first three miles. It was as they went through a turn that Colleen and I passed them and stayed ahead of them. That was a good feeling. In fact, we put some distance between us and the pacers…and all the while I would talk to my runner…and ask how the pace felt…how she felt…and told her that we would do what she needed…just to let me know.
It was nice to run with someone. The miles just ticked by. We talked about our jobs, our families, what we liked, what we disliked, how she and I are in the minority…as in we love to eat after running and always get the “runchies” and “runger.” Ah…it’s nice to not be the only one ready to eat after a run. Our miles were coming along great. We both were feeling good. We were actually surprised there was no 5K mat down as we ran past that point. No matter. On with the run. And the morning was absolutely stunning too. We kept on going, loving the people who came out to cheer, taking advantage of their motivation and their funny signs. We passed a runner wearing a birthday balloon. Moments later, the group behind her started to sing happy birthday to her. It was awesome! Before we knew it, we were hitting the 10K mark. As I was acting as a pacer, I actually looked at my watch during this race…and we were making perfect time. In fact, as we came into Mile 8…just before heading into Churchill Downs, we had time to spare. Just in case. As we made the turn to head into Churchill Downs, I turned to Colleen and said, “Now we get to run like pretty ponies.”
For those of you wondering…no…we don’t run on the track. They did have horses out though, so that was cool. We entered the infield and made our way around the paved portion of it. As we came into a turn, I spotted Andrea (I couldn’t miss her in her pink socks). I told Colleen we should try to catch up to her…and we did. I didn’t see Kat…but it turns out Andrea’s IT Band was acting up…and she told Kat to go on without her. Instead, Colleen and I fell into step with her and we ran with her the rest of the way through Churchill Downs…and only parted ways when the split for the mini and the full came up. Colleen and I were to stay to the right…Andrea had to go left. We said goodbye and wished her well…telling her to be careful. And we were now on our way to the challenging part of the run – Iroquois Park.
But there were still a few miles to chase down before we entered the park. I was talking to her, letting her know that while this was a hilly park and there would be some climbs…it wasn’t going to be too bad. And, with the removal of the hill at Mile 23…these would be our only hills this race. YAY! She did make a mention that she was getting a side stitch, so we eased the pace back just slightly to allow her to breathe deeper and see about ridding herself of the cramp. She said she ate way too much for breakfast before the race. But, soon she said it was easing and we kept on and kept easy conversation. We were so busy talking that somehow I missed seeing Mile 10. We were reaching Mile 11…and the park was just head. We came into it…and immediately were sent up our first hill. Colleen wanted to attack the hills and ease up on the downhills…so that was the strategy we were going with. And she really did so well on those hills. Honestly. But the day was heating up…and it was about to take it’s toll on my runner.
She made it through the park in good shape. I pulled ahead of her for a few moments, but would find myself glancing back and seeing her behind me. I’d pull off to the side and wait for her. And we’d continue on. I leapfrogged like this all the way up our final hill in the park and through the downhill that carried us then past the amphitheater and then…back out. A glance over my shoulder and Colleen wasn’t with me again. I got past the crowd and pulled over to the side, keeping my legs moving to prevent cramping. And a moment later, I saw her making her way toward me. I rejoined her again, and we pressed on. I asked how she was feeling…and she said she was definitely feeling it. To make matters worse, she said she had this hard lump (probably her breakfast) in her stomach…and it was just sitting there. It was definitely not making her feel better. And now that we were out of the park, we were out of the shade as well. The sun was high in the sky and the heat was getting to my friend from Chicago…who was not prepared nor acclimated to this sort of weather yet. She was sweating out salt, so I encouraged her to take in some of her electrolyte drink. While her stomach wasn’t feeling well…she did this and…then we had our first walk break.
She was definitely not doing well at all. My job, however, as her pacer, was to get her to that finish line. And I was going to make sure I did just that. She glanced over at me. “I hate that I’m walking right now.” I told her not to worry about it. We would just readjust our goals. She said she still wanted her sub-4…and I said I would do my best to see her there. She started to jog…and then we were off again. Between the heat from the sun and her stomach, she really wasn’t doing well and every mile from here on out was a struggle. But…I was doing my best to keep her mind off of her pain…and into the race. Anything and everything I could think of to keep her moving forward. Even if that forward movement was a walk. And…it was that for some of it. That’s okay. Walk breaks are necessary. At one point, I pulled ahead of her again…and as I glanced back, I slowed down and let her catch up. She was definitely not feeling good at all. I asked how she was doing, and she said she got dizzy back there. So…I told her we’d ease off the pace and at the next water station, she was to take in the Powerade (for the sodium!) and some water. She agreed…and we walked and jogged our way to that next water stop. And she did just as I asked her to!
Colleen was pushing through it…taking breaks where she needed. I told her I wasn’t going to leave her behind, so we stuck together and I helped her tough it out. And when it really got rough, I did everything I could to get her head back into the race. I think the biggest mental break for her, however, was when the 4 hour pace team passed us up. She pushed to stay ahead of them, but when she needed another walk break, they went on ahead. This wasn’t easy for her…as she really, really wanted that sub-4…and was well on her way to that until the race turned ugly for her. I could almost see the defeat in her eyes. So…I told her to set a secondary goal. About six miles out, she said…4:10. I told her it was doable…but we’d take it mile-for-mile.
I talked to a bunch of other runners along the way as we made our way through the streets of Louisville. Things were starting to look familiar again, and I kept pointing ahead and saying, “See that? That’s the skyline…that’s downtown…we’re almost there.” Anything just to get her through this wall and on her way to that finish line. The morning sun was getting warmer and she was really fighting for each stride. We walked more when she needed it, and then I’d get her moving again, telling her to at least jog to the next water stop. Which was a great idea…until there wasn’t a water stop anywhere near us. We did eventually find one…and we walked through it, giving her some time to recover and assess how she felt.
I gotta hand it to Colleen…she is a fighter. And when we came into those last three miles, I said, “It’s just a 5K race now. That’s all. You got this.” And with each mile…I would tell her it was just like being out on an easy training run. She still had a few more walk breaks, but at Mile 25…right at Mile 25…her watched showed 4 hours exactly. It was now my job to see her into her final 1.2 (or in our case 1.42) miles. Every chance I would get I would say something encouraging and really try to drive her home. She felt a little better…and I said we were going to sprint to that finish. We had to go down a stretch of road first before making that turn to the finishing chute. But…I talked her through it, telling her that the finish was right ahead…all that noise…that was her goal.
Me crossing the finish line of the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon – Louisville, Kentucky
And we made the turn and we turned on those afterburners. I had a lot of extra energy left, as I wasn’t running this race at pace. In fact…I felt awesome. I found myself flying past people at the finish line. I know the runners I passed were probably wondering what the hell got into me that I could have such a strong finishing kick. But, honestly, my legs felt strong and I was just unstoppable at that point. I crossed the line and moved out of the way. Colleen was just behind me…and when she crossed that finish line, she burst into tears. Not tears of sadness for not hitting that sub-4 goal. You see…she accomplished something far better. She finished her second marathon. She finished strong. She fought through moments of wanting to stop and quit. She proved she was stronger than the course. And…she now had a 17 minute PR for the marathon distance. I pulled her into a hug and we both celebrated our finish.
Afterwards, we made our way through the path, getting handed the Mylar blanket to wrap around us. Kat spotted us from the fence and said that Aaron and Andrea and Silvia were waiting in the recovery area. Colleen and I walked that way, getting our finisher’s medals, some chocolate milk, and desperately seeking out some kind of food. Near where our group had assembled was a table full of bananas. We grabbed one and went to join everyone.
Natalie was there. My sole sister…Natalie. We hugged and just talked and talked and talked. I put my feet up and just joined into the race talk with my friends. I drank down the rest of my Nuun and then started in on my Smart Water. We knew that people had planes to catch and cars to climb back into to head back home…so we didn’t linger for too long. We gave Kat, Adam, and Colleen hugs and wished them safe journeys. They had hotels to return to downtown. The rest of us hiked back to where Cathy parked the car and all climbed in. The drive didn’t take long and soon Andrea, Aaron and Silvia were being dropped off at the hotel. We gave each other hugs and wished safe travels.
And then…that was it. I returned to my apartment to shower. I went out for good gluten-free pizza at Annie May’s Sweet Café. I did some grocery shopping. I kept moving and felt really good all day. But I really missed having everyone around.
I loved acting as Colleen’s pacer. And while she didn’t meet her initial goal, she fought through every bit of pain, self-doubt, and sickness to get herself across that finish line. I am so damn proud of her. And I hope I get the chance to pace her again another time. She’s one tough lady for sure.
Very proud of everyone and how they did in their races. PRs were set. Deeper friendships were forged. And this…was an event I’ll never forget.
So…my official results for the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon are that I finished in a time of 4:13:01 (for 26.42 miles). While Colleen didn’t get her sub-4…she did cut 17 minutes off her last marathon, setting a new PR. I am so happy for her. I was 859/2029 finishers overall. I was the 226/807 women to cross the finish line. And I was 49/160 in my age division. I felt so good after this and I enjoyed helping my friend through this distance and getting her to the finish line. This wasn’t the race she hoped for, but she battled it out and conquered it in the end. I learned a lot from her…and I know she’ll meet her sub-4 goal very soon.
Taper For A Cause 5K – Louisville, KY (April 12, 2014)
Me with Wesley Korir after the Taper For A Cause 5K – Louisville, Kentucky
Race: Taper For A Cause 5K
Place: Iroquois Park, Louisville, Kentucky
Date: April 12, 2014
Time: 23:52
First of all…FINALLY!!
Finally I had a 5K race this year that was the correct length.
Second of all…UGH!! Coming back from injury sucks. It was so disheartening to see my finishing time, compared to where I was last year. I try not to focus on it. I honestly do. But it’s hard…when you know you are capable of doing better…your body just can’t get there. I want to feel strong and fast again. And it isn’t coming back quickly.
Thirdly…
I had no idea that Louisville was even holding this race up until Thursday afternoon. Seriously. It came over an e-mail or on Facebook. Somewhere. And I had my friend, Indy, in town. Before heading this way from California, we were hoping to find a 5K race to run. The only one I could find was a trail run. And I do not do trails. So, we were content to just meet up with my running group on Saturday and do some miles and then head out for the day.
But things changed when I heard about this race.
This was the first annual Taper for a Cause 5K, which is a race that was set up by 2012 Boston Marathon winner, Wesley Korir, to benefit the Kenyan Kinds Foundation. The race also boasted the perfect opportunity for Louisville’s running community the opportunity to “taper” for some of Louisville’s finest spring races with a 5K for a great cause. All of the proceeds, in fact, went to the Kenyan Kids Foundation.
Even more exciting, Wesley Korir was going to lead the race. And yes…he was on hand on race day. But I’m getting ahead of myself. While sitting in Game, a local Louisville restaurant, both Indy and I used our cell phones to get registered for the race on Saturday. We were thrilled that it was a 9 a.m. start time…meaning the morning wouldn’t be too early. Remember, she flew in from California…so her clock was a bit off. We were both stupid excited about the race and I was glad that she was going to get to race while here in Kentucky.
Time got away from us on Friday…so we didn’t make it to packet pick-up on Friday over at Swags. That was okay, though…because it was fine to pick it up on race morning. We had a late evening though…with a delicious food and wine pairing at the chef’s counter at Rye so we didn’t get in until late. After unwinding…we finally went to bed.
And I was supposed to run 8 miles this Saturday. Since the race was offering 3.1 miles, I got up earlier than both Cathy and Indy and knocked out five easy miles before breakfast and heading to the race. The drive out to the park was easy…no traffic issues at all. We parked at Iroquois Park and got out of the car, making our way over to the table that had packet pick-up. We got our numbers and our t-shirts. Cathy pinned me up while Indy went ahead and did up her number herself. I ate my banana and then went to use the bathroom really quick. After I returned, I noticed Wesley Korir walking toward the table. I let him take care of his stuff and pick up his race number (he was Bib #1) before I asked if I could get a picture with him. He was very kind and totally was more than happy to fulfill my request. He thanked me for coming out to the race and I thanked him for arranging it and setting it up for people to run for a great cause. He noticed the donkey sign that Cathy has at all races and asked if I ran Chicago. I told him I did and had such a great race. He congratulated me and then I let him move on to the other stuff he needed to do for the race.
We went to put the t-shirts in the car and get some stretching in. Indy had some stretches I hadn’t seen before. I remembered to do some dynamic stretching, which was good because I hadn’t been doing well with my PT stretches with Indy in town. Just ran out of time and was busy enjoying time with my friend. I had a few twinges on the 5 miles I did that morning, so I wanted to be sure to be good about stretching before the run. I kept it dynamic instead of static. I think that was smart.
We saw crowds were beginning to form up near the finish line chute. The owner of Swags began to speak into a bullhorn. He was hard to hear, but he thanked us for coming out and then turned it over to Wesley. Wesley asked how the bullhorn worked and then very graciously filled us in on his reasons for hosting this race and mentioned that the first two males and females would receive awards in the form of bracelets created by the kids in Kenya. Too cool. But I was aiming more on rebuilding my strength rather than finishing near the front.
We were told to move up toward the start line, just a short distance up the way. I lined up near the front It was a small race…as it wasn’t really advertised much…but it did have a bigger turn out than I anticipated. Dennis found me at the start line and I knew he would bust this race out of the park. He did, by the way, after asking what pace I was running and I had to (regretfully) inform him that I wasn’t focusing on pace as I’m still recovering from my ankle injury.
The owner of Swags announced that we would hear a two announcement start. Runners set…then the horn. No runners set was given. Just the horn. So, we sort of faltered at the front…but we took off.
Dennis was gone. He’s so fast. As for me…I just fought my way up the path heading for the first hill to climb in Iroquois Park. I feel so weak these days when it comes to running. My speed is totally gone. So, I was just trying to push just beyond my comfort zone without doing too much to hurt myself. So, I kept it challenging, but comfortable. I had some runners pass me…but I did my best to block out that feeling of total worthlessness…and just focus on breathing and constant forward motion.
As I was coming into around the mile and a half mark, Wesley Korir jogged (no…seriously…jogged) past me and shouted encouragement at me, saying that I looked good out there. And then…he moved on. Apparently, he started at the pack and would say something to the runners he would pass along the way, offering uplifting encouragement and the like. I think that’s amazing.
He was gone, despite just this easy run he was carrying on with as he passed. Amazing!
I moved into Mile 2 and was hitting up more of the hills on the loop that wraps Iroquois Park. I focused on just doing my best to get up them without feeling like I was dying. It was working. Yes…I wasn’t moving as fast as last year. Yes…I feel out of shape and like I’ve lost fitness…and I have…but I’m a fighter and this was part of me proving to myself that I am fighting to get back to where I want to be. It was the perfect race to do that.
I battled up the final hill I was to face and Mile 3 beeped on my watch as the parking lot at the amphitheater came into view. I could just make out the clock at the finish line. I didn’t care about the numbers…or the fact that I was passed by 4 other females. I surprisingly didn’t care about any of that. All I cared about was the fact that I crossed that finish line feeling like I left it all out on that course and performed to the best of my ability. Even after knocking out 5 miles prior to even showing up at the start line.
Wesley Korir greeted me in the chute and handed me a cup of water. He looked right at me and said, “Nice job, Karen!” That was so awesome to hear coming from this amazing runner and man. I thanked him and moved out of the way, finding Cathy. Dennis came over to ask how I did. I said I felt good about the finishing. And he said he was happy with his run. And then he had to get going due to an appointment he had at 10 a.m.
Indy and I at the finish of the Taper For A Cause 5K – Louisville, Kentucky
Cathy and I went to go stand at the finish to wait for Indy and cheer people on to the finish line. I love this part. And, not soon after, around the bend came Indy, looking so strong and amazing. She was all smiles as she crossed that finish line, setting a new 5K PR for herself. I went to give her a hug and congratulate her on her run.
We were making some plans to grab some breakfast before heading out for the day for some caving and other adventures. So, she said she’d go ahead and change at the park while I was going to wait until we got to Annie May’s for breakfast to change. It worked out well. While she and Cathy went to the car to get her stuff and Cathy stood sentinel outside the bathroom door that wouldn’t lock, I wandered around the finish line. Wesley Korir had gone out on a shakeout run with some of his friends and returned after making a second loop of the park. He was gracious enough to take pictures with people at the finish line, so I asked if I could get another one. He was so gracious once again. And as he looped his arm around me as a stranger, and very kind runner, took my phone to snap a picture, he said, “You looked strong out there!” What an ego boost. Just what I needed.
I admire and love this man so much. He is such a champion…both in races and in life. Such a kind, generous man.
After that, I wandered back over to the bathrooms just as Indy was coming out. And it was off to breakfast we went, before spending the rest of the day going through Marengo Cave and then hiking around for a little while.
So, my official results of the Taper For A Cause 5K are that I finished in 23:52. I was 20/77 finishers overall. I was 5/42 women finishers. Not bad at all. I’m actually quite okay with this. This is still not the run I know I can bust out…and that will eventually return (I HOPE!), but I am trusting my training and my physical therapists. I’m healing. I keep telling myself that. I…AM…HEALING. It was so awesome to run a local race with my friend visiting from California. We had such a great time. And I am glad the opportunity arose to make this happen while she was in town.
I totally intend to run this one again next year.
Making Tracks for Celiacs 5K – Birmingham, AL (April 5, 2014)
My mom and me at the Making Tracks for Celiacs 5K – Birmingham, Alabama
Race: Making Tracks for Celiacs 5K
Place: Birmingham, Alabama
Date: April 5, 2014
Time: 21:52*
Please note that once again I am putting an asterisk at the end of an official time for a race. Please note why. According to my Garmin, this race was not the 3.1 miles a 5K runs, but actually 2.92 miles. I don’t hold the Making Tracks for Celiacs people completely at fault for this. Let me explain why.
I found out on the morning of the race during the announcements prior to the start that due to the soccer tournament that was going on, the course we were to run had to be changed. So…they very little time to come up with a new course. But they did. Albeit…a little short.
But, you know…whatever. This stuff happens.
I won’t let it completely dull what turned out to be an amazing experience for me.
Why?
Because I did this race with…my mom!
Yep. My mom!! Both my mom and I are Celiacs. So, I try to make it a point to get down to Birmingham, Alabama for this event each year. Last year, I had to miss it as it was on a weekend I had another event already going on. But not this year. And, as a special bonus, I was going to run the race and my mom was going to walk it. We made plans via phone conversations and text messages…both got signed up…and both eagerly anticipated the arrival of the big day.
On Friday, my mom went to the Birmingham Earth Fare store to pick up our packets. The t-shirts for the event were still in transit, so they gave her t-shirts from the previous year and told her that both she and I (she was also picking up my packet) could get this year’s shirt on race morning. Where was I? I was on the road, driving down to Birmingham directly after work. I didn’t arrive until around 10:00 p.m. Then had to have some social time and catching up with my parents, as well as see what has been done to the house (they just got moved back in after a pipe burst while they were on vacation in Mexico in January). This made for a later-than-usual night before a race, but it was worth it. I loved getting to talk to them and catch up some…but we all knew we had an early morning ahead of us, so we decided to turn in for the night.
I woke up very early the next morning because I had to get dressed for the race as well as do my PT stretches. So, after checking the weather…which was supposedly warmer than what the Weather Channel predicted the night before…a balmy 52 degrees with some winds making it feel 50 degrees, I got out my shorts and my t-shirt and got myself put together with the colored hair and the BondiBand and compression sleeves like always. No skirt today. I was rocking the shorts. I went downstairs to do my stretches before anyone else got up. And managed to finish them up just as my mom came out of the bedroom. We hugged and I said I was going to go knock on Cathy’s door to wake her up, but as I got to the top of the stairs, she was already moving about. Sweet. Good start to the day.
The four of us (my mom, dad, Cathy and myself) all had breakfast that day (consisting of some cereal and a gluten-free blueberry muffin from Udi’s Gluten Free). My mom and dad split a banana and I got one to take with me to eat about 30 minutes prior to the race. Then, I went upstairs to brush my teeth, throw on some yoga pants and a hoodie, and grab my running bag with a change of clothes inside and a different pair of shoes. My dad was (im)patiently waiting at the door for all of us (well…just me…everyone else was ready to go as I came down the stairs). So, we headed out through the garage to get in the car and make the 25 minute drive from their house to the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, the new site of the race and the Gluten-Free Expo that was happening afterwards.
We pulled into a nearly empty parking lot, but saw the banner for the Making Tracks for Celiacs 5K hanging above the door. So, we were in the right place. My mom and I hopped out of the car, and I was glad that I had on my yoga pants for the time being because that wind was COLD! We went over to packet pickup and registration to get our t-shirts for this year’s race then went to meet up with my dad and Cathy. We decided it was too chilly to stand outside in the wind, so all got back into the car. I ate my half of the banana. Cathy got out to get rid of the peel from her half then proceeded to stand around outside, staring at the car as if willing all of us to join her in the chilly morning air. I refused for about 5 minutes. But, I knew I needed to take off the hoodie and yoga pants and get acclimated…so that’s what I did. I stepped outside of the car and immediately broke out into goosebumps. Damn that cold air.
I did a few dynamic stretches to warm up before the race. As I was finishing those up, I heard the race organizer get on the horn and start to talk about the event and the change in the course. I figured I could just follow the people in front of me…which is how I do every race. So, I vaguely paid attention and heard things like…run through the RV park…go behind the dumpster…be careful of the giant puddle…run around a pole…
These are the things race organizers go through when they very suddenly have to change their race course, which has been plotted for months, mind you! Before the soccer tournament was even scheduled to be plaid. Frustrating. They were not happy. We were told to head out to the start line…so we did. I stood near the front. It looked like we had a good turnout, which is always a good thing. And before I could get my Garmin ready to record…the air horn was blown and we were off.
I punched the button on my Garmin, it started, and off I went with the group, following a group of kids, a couple of guys (one of which was the race organizer’s husband), and a few other people. The kids petered out almost immediately, deciding they had run enough…so I passed them after the first turn. Then, I passed one of the ladies in front of me…only to get passed up by a super-speedy woman (Allison Hoover), who I couldn’t catch up to or pass up again to save my life. She was flying. We were sent over a bridge and up an incline…then made a turn to go up another incline…then turned around in a cul-de-sac…and sent back down the hills. It was as I was nearing the bridge to head out into the parking lot that I passed my mom and dad. They both cheered for me…shouting “Go Girl!” and clapping. It made me smile.
So, then we hit the parking lot and were sent through the RV park. This was about the time we hit Mile 1. So, one down…just a couple to go. We ran through the RV park and then made this crazy loop thing and were sent up another part of the parking lot and around to where there was a bit of a trail leading to a path that was behind a dumpster. They weren’t kidding. Upon making the turn onto the path and rounding the corner, you encounter one of the steepest downhills of your life. Seriously. I pulled up so as not to tear up my quads and maneuvered it safely and effectively. There was a little dip at the bottom before you were sent up a climb on the other side. For every downhill there is an uphill. I pushed up that and ran on that path until it dropped me off in a new section of parking lot. I followed the volunteers, keeping cones to my right or left, or whatever I was instructed to do at the time. I found Mile 2 (which was marked)…but my Garmin didn’t beep. I normally don’t check but I was curious…
My Garmin said 1.78 miles. Yikes!
Me crossing the finish line of the Making Tracks for Celiacs 5K – Birmingham, Alabama
Into the final part of the race, I just attempted to keep my pace as best I could. I came back into the main parking lot and was sent down to where some walkers and runners were coming around to head toward the dumpster. I remained on my side of the cone, avoided a huge lake (er…puddle…) and pressed on the path volunteers directed me on. The guy in front of me made a turn then headed toward a pole near the end of the lot. He ran around it and I followed, then we hit the straight-away toward the finish line. I passed him up and kept on moving as fast as I could. I crossed the finish line, paused my Garmin and made my way through the chute. The race organizer tore off the bottom of my bib and I moved on to get some water. Super-speedy Allison Hoover made a comment about my shoes (I was in my new Newton’s) as she was wearing Newton’s herself. We bonded a little. Then I went to get water and she went to talk to friends.
I finally checked my Garmin and saw that it read only 2.92 miles. That wouldn’t do. So, I handed Cathy my cup of water and did an easy shakeout for .20 miles to get me up to 3.1 miles. That was what I intended to run that day and that was what I managed to get in. I could see my parents again, heading toward the dumpster line…and they were leading all the walkers. Honestly, my dad wasn’t registered. But my mom encouraged him to walk it with her. He kept telling her to keep moving without him, but she stuck with him. And I think that’s super awesome.
I cheered for them when they emerged and headed back through the lot and made the turn to head toward the turn that would take them to the pole and then, eventually, to the finish line. I stood near the finish to cheer and when they emerged, I was shouting and just clapping and jumping up and down. As he wasn’t registered, my dad dropped off and came to my side and let my mom finish her walk by passing through the finish line. Cathy took a picture. It was awesome. I went over to give her a hug. We then went to go get bottles of water and some clementines that the race organizers put out for everyone.
Clementines are my favorite post-race thing to eat. Seriously! That or watermelon. For real.
The kids 1 mile fun run would be starting soon, and awards were said to be at 10 a.m. with the expo at 10:30 a.m. My mom and I said we would hang out at the race if Cathy and dad wanted to make the mandatory coffee run. Turns out awards weren’t being done before the expo and now the expo was open at 10:00 a.m. My mom and I went over to the doors leading to the banquet hall and stepped inside to get out of the wind. She called my dad to find out if they were close to returning. They were. And about five minutes later, they pulled in, coffees in hand. Now properly armed with caffeine, we hiked up the stairs to the expo (I mean, why take the elevator, right?) and went to see what was offered.
The expo was much smaller this year than it was two years prior. MUCH smaller. But the vendors were all super nice and there was a lot of delicious products and treats to try out. Cathy and I split any large portion of something while my mom and dad would split theirs. It made it so we weren’t too full for lunch shortly after (which we were meeting up with my sister and my youngest nephew). As we were making our way around the floor, the race organizer started to call participants over for the awards.
While I was the second female overall, they weren’t giving that award away. This did mean, however, that I placed first in my division. And when my name was called for the 30-39 age division, Cathy, mom and dad all cheered. They almost ran out of medals at this point…having not ordered enough it seemed. I got the last first place age division award though…so they wouldn’t have to mail mine to me all the way in Indiana.
We finished up at the expo, went shopping at Organic Harvest, and then met up with my sister for lunch. It made for a great day.
So, my official results of the Making Tracks for Celiacs 5K are that I finished in 21:52 (but remember…the course was short). I was 9/79 finishers overall. I was 2/54 women finishers. And I was the 1/18 in my division. Not too shabby, I think. Granted, it’s still not the run I know I am capable of, but I’m still just being cautious on this ankle. I get nervous about pushing too hard…and reinjuring it. I know I am capable of better…but I was proud of my results. And, even more, I was proud of my mom for coming out and doing the race with me. She can’t run, as her ankle is permanently fused, but she loves to walk. And this was for a cause that effects both of us…and we had a blast being a part of it. In fact, we’ve decided to make it an annual event.
I’m already excited about next year!
Publix Georgia Marathon – Atlanta, GA (March 23, 2014)
Me crossing the finish line of the Publix Georgia Marathon – Atlanta, Georgia
Race: Publix Georgia Marathon
Place: Atlanta, Georgia
Date: March 23, 2014
Time: 3:51:32
I must be out of my mind, right? I was just cleared to run this past Monday and went for a sprint in a 3K race in Frankfort, Kentucky. No pain. No problems. And I did some outside running throughout the week to what my training schedule would have been had I been able to properly train for a marathon distance.
Which…I haven’t. And…I didn’t. In fact, my longest run since the ankle sprain was done in Columbus, Ohio…around my friend’s neighborhood. And that was only 8 miles. Yep…not exactly going into this having logged double digit runs. AT ALL. Not since February…and I think the longest one I managed then was 10 miles.
This…is not the way I wanted to come into this run. But, when you badly sprain your ankle…there are few choices left to you. Unable to run outside…and then limited to a treadmill (NOT a tready girl…I get so bored and long runs are not an option at a gym that limits you to only an hour on the machine). But…with the ankle rehabbed and my running slower…but okay…I packed up my bags, packed up my car, and made the long drive down to Atlanta.
For…a marathon.
A full and hilly 26.2 miles.
Because…I was cleared to do it as long as I don’t blitz it. I had no intentions of blitzing this one in the first place, so I was okay with that. But, that’s not to say the nerves haven’t set in. Because, trust me…they have.
The drive down was pretty uneventful. Listened to some tunes…then a few Doc Savage radio shows…until I got downtown. Pulled into the Omni Hotel and had my car valet parked. The luggage was left with the doorman and I went to check in. I stayed at the Omni when I was in Atlanta for The Police concert so many years ago! So, I knew it was a very nice place to stay. And as I checked in, since I was here for the marathon, the hotel provided me with an awesome bag of goodies: a banana, a bottle of water, and a KIND Bar. This…is my happy face!
Went to the room and waited for the luggage to arrive. When it did, it was time to head to the expo. Now, I had every intention of walking away from this expo with nothing more than maybe a new BondiBand…and my race packet. But then…EXPO AWE OF PURCHASING DOOM hit and my wallet…took the brunt of it. Now…for the most part, nothing was really something I didn’t need. I bought a couple of Wonder Woman tech shirts. YAY! Been looking for those everywhere. I bought a new pair of Newton’s…which was my splurge buy, but my old pair is up in the miles and, damn, I love those shoes. And…I bought the adhesive spray for my KT Taping. Oh…and while I was there, as an extra precaution, I had the people at the KT Tape booth tape up my ankle. Figured it wouldn’t hurt.
After that…I had to get out of there before I talked myself into other items that caught my eye…because the shirts in the Official Merchandise store were tempting. But I really don’t need more shirts, LOL!
So…Cathy and I left the expo and took items back up to the room at the hotel. We had some time to kill, so we decided to take a stroll over to Centennial Park. So…we did that and actually found the finish shoots and the start of the finish line being put up. We wandered over so I could take pictures in front of the finish line. Then, we strolled up to the Hard Rock Cafe so I could pick up a pin and Cathy could get a shot glass. Been ages since we’ve been to the Atlanta Hard Rock. We went to check out where we were dining that night before taking things back to the hotel, relaxing for a moment, and then making the short stroll up the street to dinner.
Dinner was at Max’s Coal Oven Pizzaria. We saw them listed on Find Me Gluten Free with some good reviews…so we figured we’d give it a try. We were seated immediately and we made a decision on a gluten-free pizza to split. We chose the Gluten-Free Fontina & Funghi Pizza…which was a white pizza that had fontina cheese, wild mushrooms, caramelized onions, and fresh oregano. It looked amazing when it was delivered to my table…but it really…was kind of MEH. The mushrooms were awesome. The crust was…uninspired and rather boring. SO not the way I wanted my mandatory pre-race gluten-free pizza to go. So disappointed. After that, we walked over to the CNN Building to take a look around. We got some frozen yogurt for dessert and came back to the room to relax. I had my stretches and foam rolling to do and really just want some time to relax and make sure I was hydrated and ready for the morning.
My first alarm went off at 3:30 a.m. I got up and did a couple of things before climbing back into my comfy bed and getting about 45 more minutes of rest. When my second alarm went off at 4:30 a.m., I checked the weather, then got up and got my clothes I laid out the night before and went to get changed. At first, I was afraid that the t-shirt under my Marathon Maniac’s singlet (OH…forget to mention I totally qualified for Marathon Maniacs back in January with the Disney Marathon) would be too warm. The temperature that morning was 58° F with little breeze. Wearing it turned out to be the best decision I have made. More on that later. I ate my cereal and then did my stretches (my physical therapists would be so proud!) and resistance band work (again…they would be proud). I brushed my teeth…then put on my fuel belt and bib and headed out the door.
Then…I get to the elevators and realized that I left my cellphone in the room. So, I hurried back to the room to get it. Exit…take 2…I get in the elevator and head down to the lobby. I get to the door and realized that I left my pre-race banana in the room. So…now I’m stressing myself out and went back to the room and grabbed the banana…and my hoodie…just in case it was windy and chillier than the Weather Channel app on my phone told me. Exit…take 3.
And this time…we made it out the door and onto the sidewalk. The start of the race was in Centennial Olympic Park right across from my hotel. No stress. So, I was starting to feel a little calmer and better about everything. I was supposed to meet up with the other Marathon Maniacs for a picture near a statue, so that was where we headed first. It was my first official photo as a Maniac…and that was awesome! The photo was a quick thing and then I went to find somewhere to do some more stretching and eat my banana. Cathy gave me a good luck hug and said she was off to find a place past the starting line to see me off. I decided to get into my corral (Corral E). Time was ticking down. Fifteen minutes to go to start time. The nerves were starting to settle in…again.
The National Anthem was sang beautifully! I was listening to all the chatter in the corral about time expectations. I had none coming into this one. I just had a goal…to finish…and not get re-injured. Having just been cleared to run last week…well…this was a huge risk running this race. I had so many people tell me to defer. But…I figured if I was cleared to run…this was running. I would listen to my body.
I got to chatting with a guy next to me. He noticed me getting my Garmin ready and he said his all-out died on him so he showed me his standard watch (with the actual watch hands and everything) and said he was taking it old school. Awesome! We got a good laugh about it and I mentioned I had to replace my Garmin because mine did the same thing. I love my new Garmin, BTW! Little treat to myself!
The corrals began to get collapsed and the flag barriers removed. We all moved up and then the official countdown in a robotic voice began. And then…we were off. I walked for a moment, then we all started to job. And…we were off. I gave a wave to Cathy as I ran past her. She cheered and then…I was hitting the road.
And this road was H-I-L-L-Y!!!
Seriously…it became immediately apparent that I haven’t been able to train much this winter. First…I was barred from running for over a month. Then I was banned from running hills along with it…for longer than not running. That also meant no incline on the treadmill either. So…I was so not ready for the Hills From Hell™ in Atlanta. But…I signed on for this, right? Right.
Between Mile 1 and 2, I had the chance to run with a really nice guy, also a Marathon Maniac. We discussed our sprained ankles, as he had badly sprained his ankle too and this was his first run back as well. His name was Anthony and he was really nice. I lost him at a water stop though. From there on out…it was all about what my body was telling me. With the number of hills and the various climbs and steepness of each…I said that if my ankle twinged, I would back it off. So…that was the plan. I wasn’t running for time…just the fact that I could run again!
I absolutely took on this challenging marathon with my whole heart. I was having a really good run for the most part. They volunteers at the water/Powerade and food stops were awesome. I actually expected there to be more crowd support through the entire race…but…nope. It was pretty sparse. The Decatur area had some groups out and the police officers helping with traffic control were awesome. I got a lot of shout-outs for being a Maniac…which was awesome. It definitely helped me get through some of the more challenging portions of this race.
Around Mile 16 it began to spit rain. I knew we had a big chance of rain…but it had held off. So…I was sort of expecting it (hence the reason I was wearing a hat). But…it only spit rain for about 30 minutes and then…it just stopped. Sadly though, when the rain came in…so did the wind. And some of these gusts of wind reached 20 mph. And we were running right into it. It kept catching the brim of my hat and trying to pull it off my head. It almost reminded me of the Marshall Marathon where the wind battered runners the entire way. Of course, with the wind…it got cold. Fast. And this is why I mentioned above why I was glad I decided to keep the t-shirt on. The beginning of the race was humid and warm and I sort of was kicking myself for putting the t-shirt on beneath the singlet…but after that wind hit…I was happy to have it.
The end of this race was a gradual uphill, which made it very difficult at times. My calf muscles were screaming and barking and mooing at me all at once. Like I said…you could tell that I hadn’t been running the hills recently. Or…running at all. I felt way under-prepared…and a bit out of shape. But…you know…I walked part of the inclines…I kept my pace easy so as not to do any damage. And I ended up having a better race than I anticipated I would. Finishing a marathon in sub-4 after not being able to run for over a month, and having to tackle some intense hills…yeah…I’m happy with this!
I spotted Cathy at the finish line and she rushed over to congratulate me. Then she said to go get my medal and stuff and to meet her in the reunion area. I walked through to get the beautiful medal from this race. Then…water. Ah, sweet water. And then it was the Mylar blanket followed by chocolate milk. I made my way through the chute until I made the turn to head toward Centennial Park and the Publix Food Tent. Cathy was waiting on a grassy knoll just inside the gate. I walked over the area where the bomb went off during the 1996 Olympic Games and made my way to where she was. She gave me a huge hug and congratulated me once again. We made our way over to the Publix Food Tent and I had my ticket torn off my bib to get my bag of goodies for the finish. They even gave Cathy one. That was very nice of them…as Cathy works just as hard as I do at these races, trust me. I went to a clearing in the grass and put my feet up, attempting to call my parents. They were still in church though, so they didn’t answer their phones. After that, I got myself back on my feet and went to do my calf stretches against what we later realized was the base of the Olympic Torch holder. For real.
The finisher’s medal of the Publix Georgia Marathon – Atlanta, Georgia
It was really cold out with the wind, so we made the short hike back to the hotel room so that I could take my shower, have the fruit cup Cathy picked up for me and then get ready to head out to the CNN Center for the CNN Studio Tour she picked up tickets for while I was on the run. That, by the way, was so much fun. I have a degree in journalism, so I was eating up every moment of the tour. We did a little bit of shopping and TONS of walking around Atlanta. It was a good afternoon. And I never really stopped moving, which is always a good thing.
And now, I’ve retired back to the hotel room where I am about to do my stretches and resistance band work. Law & Order SVU is on…and I’m feeling content. I was so nervous about this race going into it…and I’m content with what happened and how I did. Sure…slightly disappointed…but you know…this one had to be about running smart. It just had to be that way.
So…my official results of the Publix Georgia Marathon are that I finished in a time of 3:51:32 (for 26.47 miles). I wasn’t expecting to go sub-4 on this one, so this was a very nice surprise. I was 296/1628 finishers overall. I was the 64/647 female to cross the finish line. And I was 10/98 in my division. Was this the marathon I wanted? Absolutely not. But…it was the best marathon I could have given the circumstances I was under. I ran smart…I listened to my body…and I crossed that finish line.
The Good Shepherd Run For The Gold 3K – Frankfort, KY (March 17, 2014)
Me crossing the finish line of The Good Shepherd Run For The Gold 3K – Frankfort, Kentucky (I’m totally smiling because I finished without pain!)
Race: The Good Shepherd Run For The Gold 3K
Place: Frankfort, Kentucky
Date: March 17, 2014
Time: 13:09
I’m baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!
Did you miss me? I missed me. So, I hope you missed me too.
This has been one rough year for me thus far when it comes to my running. It just seems like it’s one minor ache then one major sprain. And everything just spirals out of control from there. For real! UGH! I’ve been in tears more than once over the amount (or lack thereof) of running I’ve been able to accomplish thus far this year. Why? Well…weather has been awful and treadmill running is not my favorite thing to do. I will do it, yes…but it takes a lot for me to get on one because…BORING! Secondly…a really bad sprained ankle. Bad enough to require numerous physical therapy sessions. I was on an “absolutely NO running” restriction for awhile…and then it was an “only run on the treadmill…and not too fast…or too far” restriction. Finally, I got the “you can run outside, but only if the terrain is flat.” Have you seen where I live? There is no part of this area that is pancake flat that would allow me to run. SO frustrating.
But yesterday…on a chilly, but sunny St. Patrick’s Day…I went to what would end up being my final PT session. Yep. I’m done. And, my therapist told me…that very day before I got into the car to make the drive to Frankfort…to try running hills. See how the ankle did. Which…worked out because I knew of the one steep-ish hill we have to climb in Frankfort on this little sprint. If it hurt…I was to continue my sessions. If everything seemed okay…no pain or twinges…nothing felt off…I was done. We shook hands, and I headed toward my race.
This is my traditional St. Patrick’s Day race. Yes…it can be a bit of a hassle, especially when St. Patrick’s Day falls on a weekday…like this year. Monday evening. This meant leaving work for PT, then immediately getting in the car and making the journey to Frankfort. It takes just under an hour if the traffic gods are smiling on you. I packed dinner. Gluten-free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, to eat a little later. My roommate and I made crazy-good time, actually. We were in Frankfort long before we really needed to be. With some time to spare, we stopped by the Kroger, where I went to use a flushing toilet and she went hunting for something to eat with the sammies. She found me a banana…so I was a happy girl.
Anyway…we returned to the car and dined in the parking lot on my homemade sammies. I saved my banana for a little closer to race time. Once we noshed, we returned to the road and ventured toward downtown Frankfort, parking in our usual parking garage and hiking over to where packet pickup was being held.
I was in and out of there in no time. And, since it was really chilly in the shade…we ventured over toward the sunshine across the street from where the race was starting. A lot of runners also had this idea. We stood around and just sort of discussed a few things, mostly my take on this race. I had no great expectations being so fresh off my really bad sprain. So…my goal was to finish it and finish it without doing further damage to myself. While I was standing there, my super-speedy friend, Linda, came over to say hi. We hugged and talked for a moment, before she dashed off to get her packet. I pulled out my iPhone and was updating Facebook with a status about pre-race jitters when I got a tap on my shoulder.
Remember Kendall Hayes, the amazing young woman who won the Frankfort Trifecta last year? It was her dad, her mom, the legend herself, and her brother, Connor (who is also an amazing runner and came in 6th overall this year). Her dad wanted to thank me for saying such nice things about Kendall in my blog last year. I said she definitely earned the praise. Honestly…look for this woman in Bend, Oregon running with the Nike elites. This will happen. Mark my words. In fact, Kendall won the top spot again this year! Like I said, she’s incredible. The two kids went to stretch, which reminded me I needed to do the very same thing. I promised both of my physical therapists to be better about doing that before and after running. Hoping to prevent future injuries. So, I did a few of the usual stretches I normally would half-ass, but this time, really did them. I could tell my hamstrings were tight, so I did the hamstring stretches my physical therapists had shown me. And, I actually did something I never have done before…I did some warm-up strides. Yep. Me! Doing those little dashes up and down the street before the start of the race. It definitely helped loosen up those hammies a little. Not a lot…but some. And that was better than nothing.
The race start was getting close, so Cathy went to find a spot to cheer from. As I was heading to the starting line, I felt a little tap on my shoulder. It was my dearest friend, Debbie Brown, who helps put together the 5K race that is part of this series. She asked how my ankle was doing and asked if I was running. I told her I was going to attempt to run and see how it felt. I was so glad she spotted me, as I had been looking for her while we were standing around. The pace signs were being held aloft so people could line up appropriately. I wasn’t sure what to do about lining up, so I just picked a spot and went with it. A blessing was given for the runners and walkers, tied in with a nice Irish Blessing. It was nice. Then…we were awaiting the pistol.
It fired…and we were off.
It felt so weird to be racing again. Not just racing…attempting a sprint without getting hurt. Cathy had brought some KT Tape to tape me up, but I told her it was a short race…I’d be fine. At this point, remembering this was more of a sprint than a distance race, I was second-guessing this. Call it ‘first official run after the injury’ concerns. Or minor panic. I just found a decent stride and fell into it. I was trying not to focus on my time this year…as I was really just released to run.
Linda blazed by me within the first hundred feet and said, “Don’t you dare hurt yourself. I will beat you if you do!” It made me laugh and it was just what I needed to settle my nerves. And I was proud of Linda. Last year she was the one trailing me. This year, I have a feeling I’ll be the one trailing her (because she kicked my ass in this one!). With that little boost, I was rounding the corner and making my way up toward that incline. My first incline since the injury. I almost held my breath…but then…pushed…up…the…hill.
No pain. Just felt really winded. Man…I must have lost some fitness in that entire month I was off from running. It sure seems like I lost fitness. I just haven’t been able to run like I did last year. And it drives me mad. But…slow, steady steps. Rush it and risk reinjury. So…I just sort of made my way up the street to the turn around point. I made the turn and headed back down toward the bridge. As I was passing some spectators, I heard one of them shout, “First place for pigtails!” at me. I pumped my fist and smiled. Awesome. Down the hill I went and back into the town.
A 3K is a very short distance…around 1.84 miles. Last year, I ran this race in 13:02. I didn’t think I’d come anywhere close to that this year. I was huffing and puffing like a rookie runner at this point and felt myself get so angry at that fact. But…pushed onward. And forward. I came around the final turn and attempted to pick up my pace to dash into that finish line. I saw my numbers tick by as I crossed. Not too far off of last year’s time. No improvement. And…a part of me felt so good about the run. And another part of me felt so disappointed.
It’s hard to explain when you come back to a race…but you’re not up to where you were the previous year. I was so happy to have finished with no ankle pain, no twinges…nothing. And then, there was that part of my brain that said…if you had pushed that hill harder…if you had maintained that initial speed you took off with…you could have…you should have…you would have…
It wasn’t the race I wanted…but it was the race I had…and I finished strong and without pain. That was the important thing!
And then you just need to tell that voice to shut the hell up! Because, while I am a little disappointed that I didn’t place in my division this year…that those I passed last year were passing me…that I feel like I’ve lost my speed…that I may never find my speed again…I have to remember…I sprained the hell out of my ankle and being able to run that race was a gift in and of itself. That being said, finishing only 7 seconds slower than last year isn’t bad. It’s not great…but that’s really damn impressive for someone who hasn’t been able to do much running on varied terrain…or even outside…or even at all. Yeah, part of me is very sad, upset, and wants to throw a fit…but the bigger part of me is proud of what I accomplished and managed under the circumstances.
Anyway, the official results of The Good Shepherd Run For The Gold 3K are that I finished in 13:09. I was 48/708 finishers overall. I was 4/109 in my division. Once again, the 30-39 women’s division was the largest overall for the race. So…I’ll take this. My brain might not like it…but my heart tells me…I did good just to run it. Running is a gift, and I’m thankful I can do it again…even if it means slowing down for a little while to allow myself ample time to heal.
Another hell of a sprint this year. Already making plans to come back next year…and maybe best my time from last year. With a little work…anything is possible!
Thank you again, Frankfort, for this very fun race!
Physical Therapy – 2 Weeks In…
Stepping out with weights…
Ever since the ankle sprain heard around the world (okay…not really, but…it seems like this just isn’t going away), I have gone to the doctor, been X-rayed, and now am going twice a week to physical therapy, where I am working with two very good therapists, Jill and Shawn.
The good news is…no fractures. No stress fractures. NOTHING…I repeat…NOTHING…is broken.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is…I seriously sprained my ankle. Yep. Seriously. And not the typical inversion ankle sprain either (that would be on the outside of the ankle). Nope. I’m a special case. I do the more uncommon and rather quite rare, rolling the ankle outward and doing the damage to the inside of my ankle. Because, why do things the way 80% of the population does, right? I will not conform. *sigh*
So, last week I went to my first physical therapy session. And was immediately discouraged. There were measurements taken of both my feet an ankles, and I was given a couple of exercises to do, and given some of the bands to really work my ankle some more. I left not really sure how I felt, but had another appointment set up to meet with Shawn, who would go over some other things I could do and work with me a bit further. Needless to say, I had my doubts, but that Friday evening when I went into my session, Shawn really did make me feel better and did move things along.
I have about 30 minutes of stretching that I am doing, twice a day, every day. Then, I am doing 3 sets of 20 reps of each ankle flexing exercise with the various bands (they each provide a different bit of resistance and strength) twice a day. That’s a lot. But…I do it. Despite not always feeling like doing it. I still do it. Why? Because I am seeing improvement.
That being said, today was going to be a very important session. I went into my session and did my warm-up on the bike. Then, Shawn got me strapped into a weight machine and had me do some forward, backwards, and side stepping, while hooked up to some weights. Resistance to make it a little tougher and to test that ankle. Then he had me doing some ankle exercises while hooked up to some weights around each ankle, to work on some balance and strength. I managed these, no problem at all. The hard part was talking and counting my required 20 reps. It’s the little things.
The moment of truth came after that. Shawn took me over to the treadmill, which he told me he was going to do today, to have me walk…then up the pace…then up it to a very light, very easy, very gentle run. He put it on 5.0 mph and I sort of just jogged…for three minutes. And I did okay. The ankle twinged (nothing painful, it just didn’t feel right…) a couple of times, but it was progress. Good progress. I felt good about it. I was hoping…praying…that I’d get the okay to start running again.
And I did.
Kind of.
An easy, deliberate-paced run on the treadmill…
I’m still not permitted to run outside. Not yet. Nope. That’s a negative on the one thing I was really, really hoping to get the go-ahead on. Yeah, I was a bit bummed when he delivered that news to me. I know, he wants to make sure I’m ready, and I understand that, but, God, I miss being out there. I really do. However…I am cleared to easily run and do some intervals of run/walk on the treadmill. Completely cleared to do that. And when I go in on Monday, I get to report on how the ankle is feeling after spending a weekend doing that. This is progress. It just wasn’t the progress I was hoping to make. But…baby steps. Rome wasn’t built in a day and this ankle won’t get back up to speed (pardon the pun) overnight. It just doesn’t work like that. At least I’m cleared to do some deliberate running…even if it is at the gym on the treadmill or around the tiniest track in the world (FOR REAL!).
Progress is progress…no matter how small, right? Right.
That’s what I keep reminding myself. I am also learning to get used to a little disappointment (like the news delivered today). But, in the end, it just means I’ll have a lifetime of running…and not do damage to myself that I can’t come back from it. My physical therapy sessions are definitely helping. And I hope…come next week…I’ll see a little more progress as well. Maybe get out in the fresh air. Maybe.
For now…as much as I hate the treadmill…it sure is better than nothing. Now to just train my brain to keep it easy and slow and ease back into it. Running smart means sometimes running with your head and not your heart.
Progress!
I am Ryan Hall…
I am Ryan Hall.
No…not because I have his speedy gazelle-like stride…
Ryan Hall
(Because…let’s face it…if I was Ryan Hall…I’d have endorsements and big money wins at races…and a much better race PR in ALL THE RACES…of which…I have none of those things…)
…or that my coach is God…
Coach God
I am Ryan Hall because I seem to be running less…running easier…and getting hurt doing it. Continuously hurt.
I blame winter. Really. Every injury that I’ve incurred has happened in December through February…and it’s been because I chose to run outside…on snow…on ice…and just managed to hit something wrong. That’s how I strained my Achilles back in December. That’s how I twisted my ankle last week too.
And that’s why I’m sitting out a race I chose to run today in honor of my parent’s 40th wedding anniversary. I wasn’t even bothering to train for it. I have been running on a treadmill for short distances, which is really no way to train, but the weather this year has been SO awful for running outside. But…I also have been dealing with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), so…sometimes I just need to be outside. It’s been a struggle this year. I feel like my running is really starting to falter. Not only do I keep going out and getting hurt, but I don’t feel light and fast like I used to. I just feel…like I’m really starting to slow down.
And it sucks. Not being able to run this morning…SUCKS! Big time. I’ve cried all week over the possibility that I might not be running. I made the trip anyway…with ice packs and KT Tape. I went to get my packet. I limped my way through it all. But last night…last night I knew…I knew that no matter what…that ankle was not going to be up to par. If I ran…I’d do further damage. It would put me out longer…perhaps forever.
And while it wasn’t an easy decision…while the tears are still flowing as I type this blog…I know it was the right decision. It doesn’t mean I don’t feel like a disappointment and a failure. I do. Honestly. I do. And my confidence in my abilities and my running is more than crumbling at the moment. I’m down. I’m depressed. And I feel like I can’t…I won’t…come back from this.
And then…I find a quote from one of my running idols:
Kara’s Words of Wisdom
So, maybe this is just a bump in the road. It feels more like a sinkhole, to be honest. But…you know…I can sit here and feel miserable about it or I can do what I can do…it might not be running…but something…and focus on moving on…to the next thing. Sure, I can be disappointed…and I am. Sure, I can feel like a failure…and I do. But…I can’t let this defeat me. I can’t let this define me. I know I can run. I may not be the fastest or the strongest. I might eat too much gluten-free pizza and ice cream. But I’m a runner, dammit. And for a 5’3″ girl with short legs…I’m pretty damn fast when I’m on top of my game.
Life isn’t always fair. In fact…it more often isn’t. And life comes at you fast. Life is unpredictable. Life…can honestly suck at times. And it’s in these moments of darkness that you realize…there is a silver lining. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. It may not seem like it…you may not see it…but it’s there.
Coming out of the dark…
My good friend, Jesse Hall, said this to me just now:
There is always another race, another time, another horizon. What there is not is another you, therefore there are people who look up to you and see a brave woman. You have taught us today that you do your best, and sometimes do your best is not doing anything. Sometimes it requires time to heal.
His words mean so much to me. I literally started crying all over again…but for different reasons. He’s right. I can sit here and feel miserable about myself and the situation…or I can continue to inspire those who tell me in small ways that I inspire them. I’d rather be the brave, strong woman who returned to race another day.
It is just all a matter of perspective.
It’s still not easy. And I’m still crying over it. But…it won’t define me.
However…I will be upset about it. I will shed tears over it. I will not let myself think I am weak for crying and feeling disappointed. It’s natural and normal. But I will come back. In time.
Until then…
Free Hugs?
The Art of Being Dumbasses (aka: Running With Friends)
Mile2Mile Group
Dear driver in the white SUV pulling into the Dairy Queen on Bardstown Road yesterday morning:
Thank you.
Thank you for providing my little band of jolly runners with something to milk for the slow, steady, and careful 8 miles we pounded out on the roads of Louisville. The sidewalks were sheer ice. The roads were mostly clear, save for some slick spots and black ice. We found those though…either before we tread over them…or during. Whichever came first.
The fact of the matter was…when you attempted to take our jolly band of runners out with your big-ass SUV, then proceeded toward the Diary Queen drive-thru, only to pause to roll down the window opposite your side of the car to scream out the window for the five of us to “get out of the damn road” and then proceeded to inform us that we are all dumbasses…well…our reply of “THANK YOU” was not misplaced.
Because for the rest of the run…if we hit ice or stumbled upon it accidentally, the word “dumbass” was always brought up, with laughter, twinkles in our eyes, and maybe a friendly elbow to the person running beside us.
I personally thank you for this comment…because I have been miserable these days. Seasonal Affective Disorder has not let up…not yet. I am trying as hard as I can to find more reasons to smile. And, to be honest, I almost didn’t go out for this run. Too many factors that could end badly. I learned in December last year…ice and I don’t get along. But, my roomie insisted I go, because I’d enjoy running with people…even out in the cold and on treacherous paths, than I would running on my own in a gym.
She was right.
This was the second week in a row that I was out and running with a group. And I’ve found my smile again with each one. My speed is still lacking…but at least I’m getting out. Even if, at times, I feel like I don’t want to. This has been good for me. For at least an hour, I leave my troubles, my depression, my doubts behind. For a moment…I am a runner…with my group of friends who know how to lift me up and chase away the shadows.
Dealing with SAD has sucked. I hate feeling lost and defeated and so unlike myself. I hate feeling like I’ve lost fitness and speed. And…honestly…I have. My weight is WAY up from what it was for Chicago. My legs aren’t firing as fast as they used to. And, honestly, this breaks me apart. I struggle every morning with it. But I keep on training. Strength training, spinning, and, yes…running…mostly inside…no speed work.
My achilles is better. It is! Happiness. But I ran in old shoes yesterday on the ice…and now my ankle is twinging at me. I am so done with winter. The negative digits, single digits, and below freezing temperatures have really hindered me this year. Coming back from injury is hard enough…coming back to weather that is not meant or safe for running is even worse. This has been my worst winter yet. And all these components are really weighing me down (literally according to my bathroom scale).
Sometimes…I just don’t feel like myself…and I don’t like the way I feel. So many friends have texted, called, invited me out, messaged me, had dinner with me, or just checked in on me. And that makes me feel really warm and fuzzy. Some I missed calls, but returned. Some have given me hugs. Some have just let me talk it out. It’s so hard for me to open up about this because it makes me feel weak. It makes me feel lost. It makes me feel…so unlike me that it scares me.
The days are finally getting longer. The air…warming up…a little. So…hopefully…just hopefully…I’ll have more time and more opportunities to set out on these roads with my friends at my side…with more than one reason to smile.
And, if we’re lucky…a fast food, super-sizing, jackass to give us a little comedy relief…but calling us all dumbasses…when we were really doing the safer thing for everyone.
And…if I’m lucky…maybe I’ll just learn to love myself and what I can do again. But I think that’s going to take some time.
I’m SAD…
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Seasonal Affective Disorder (aka: SAD).
The Winter Blues.
Seasonal Depression.
Winter Depression.
Whatever you like to call it…I’m suffering from it. Literally.
Suffering.
I’ve never felt this way before. I don’t know if it’s just that in the past my winters haven’t been this extreme as far as weather and such…but it’s hit me hard this year. I feel miserable…constantly. It’s a mental state, I know…but it seems very little is dragging me out of these blues. At first I thought it was that I was coming off the high and the excitement of Disney and the Dopey Challenge. But this has gone beyond that. This has skirted into an every day thing. Even activities I enjoy doing aren’t bringing me the satisfaction and joy that they normal do.
And it hurts. Knowing that I feel off, but can’t figure out how to “fix” myself…hurts.
So, what might have brought this on? Well…less peppy moods are common in the winter…but what’s hit me hard this year is the bitter cold temperatures, the crazy winter weather, the lack of sunshine…it’s more than the winter blahs this time. Sunny days in winter are a gift, and between October and March…I don’t see very many of them. With the shorter days, and the daylight hours spent in a windowless cube in my office…I don’t get much sunshine to chase away these blues.
How do I know it’s SAD? My symptoms are classic and fall right into step with those of Seasonal Affective Disorder.
As of late, I have had this insatiable craving for sweets and starchy food. Even more so…the need to eat peanut butter…ALL.THE.TIME. Seriously. It’s my go-to sweet snack. And my major stress-eating food. And I want chocolate more than I usually do. I crave those comfort foods…those foods that are to be treats and not major eats. But I just can’t make these cravings stop. They hound me…in the morning…that’s when I find it the hardest to fight the cravings. Because I’m waking up and my body is telling me it wants to eat. The problem is…when I give in…it’s food that my body doesn’t need. But that is what it wants. And there is no one there to tell me to take a breath, drink some water, and relax. It’s just me…and my cravings…and my mind isn’t strong enough to fight them.
You might recall in previous postings that I mentioned weight gain (this MIGHT be linked to my cravings for sweets and starches)…not being at my ideal marathon weight like I was for Chicago. Well…that comes with SAD as well. Weight gain isn’t at all uncommon when it comes to SAD. And it’s a never-ending battle these days for me. Not that I really need to worry all that much…but it just…nags at my runner brain. I want to make sure I maintain my fitness through winter…and that isn’t easy to do.
Fatigue and a noticeable drop in energy. No pep in my step. I actually drag my feet when I’m trying to get moving and get going. When my roomie is up and ready before I am…there is a problem. That’s a complete role reversal. And I just can’t seem to fix that level either. I try…but it’s not working. Part of this might be that my sleeping is WAY off. I’m restless…I toss and turn…I wake up constantly. It’s a battle for me to stay asleep at night…or get the right amount of sleep…at the right level. I never fall into a deep sleep these days. I go to bed earlier…and I just toss and turn. It’s doing me no good at all. Then…what’s worse is I now am not wanting to get out of bed. I’m not motivated. The Achilles Tendonitis has meant scaling back my activity levels…and in my head, I say, “Well…it’s not like you have to get up to fit in that run…” But it’s not just that either. Even on off days when I’m not scheduled for anything, I find myself switching off my alarm and just curling back up in my blankets. I’m not falling asleep, I just feel no real motivation to get up and get going. I’d rather just lay there. Lay there and do nothing…instead of getting up and accomplishing something. Even if it is really just a simple task like making breakfast. This morning, it took me forever to get motivated to get out of bed. I just didn’t want to get up. It started to snow. The wind was howling. I didn’t want to move. I finally counted to three and pushed myself out of the bed, so I could drive to Kroger and get a few items. But it took a lot of convincing. Then…breakfast (easy breakfast) took all the rest of the morning for me to prepare. I had no real speed behind anything I was doing. My roommate was awake and I hadn’t even put the frozen waffles (don’t judge…it’s one of those days!) in the oven.
Lately, I’ve had a difficult time remaining focused on tasks both at work and at home. I’m in fog of sorts. This is SO not like me. I’m irritable. Little things set me off. Or nothing. The other night I just started crying. For no reason. I just started to cry. I felt hopeless and empty. And when my roommate asked what was wrong, I said, “I don’t know. I have no idea!” It was the truth. And this happens almost every day right now. I’m at a loss. I feel lost. I don’t get excited about things that I used to get pumped up about. I’m drifting…and I’m alone.
And I’m SAD.
So what can be done?
I’m making myself get outside whenever I can…especially if it’s sunny. I’m trying to stay active, even if my body fights it. That’s not always easy given since returning to the cold weather in the area after beautiful weather in Florida…my Achilles has been bugging me more than ever. But…activity does help. Even if I’m moving at the speed of SLUG.
And…hugs from friends…kind words from friends…and all the support I’m getting as I battle through this winter has been more helpful than ever. I am so thankful for my friends, who make it a point to check in on me, to make me smile, to make me feel better. That’s a true gift in this life and I count myself to be a very lucky girl.
Let me say this…I’m ready for Spring. Because this winter has been very hard on me, physically and mentally. And I am ready for a break. And some sunlight and short sleeves! And a nice cleansing long run. With friends. Friends who make me laugh and do goofy, fun, spontaneous things. Yeah…that’s the best medicine…
The Lottery
Chicago Marathon
More and more road races are going to a lottery system for registration. The latest to announce this – The Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
I am so glad I ran this one this past year. I never have the luck of the draw when it comes to a lottery draw. I am actually surprised it has taken this long for Chicago to do a lottery system for their marathon. Regardless, I wasn’t intending to run this one this fall…but it definitely holds a special place in my heart. It always will.
It was my first marathon!
Marine Corps Marathon went to lottery as well. I thought about running this one…but I chose another instead this time around.
But it’s on the list.
If the lottery ever works in my favor.
To those hoping to get into Chicago this year…good luck!
The Dopey Challenge – Orlando, FL (January 9-12, 2014)
The Dopey Challenge
Forget Goofy.
I went Dopey.
Yes…Dopey.
This was the inaugural year for the Walt Disney World Dopey Challenge. Prior to this, the main event was the Goofy Challenge, which involved running the Disney World Half Marathon and the Disney World Marathon (a grand total of 39.3 miles) back-to-back. But, with the addition of the brand spankin’ new 10K race on Friday…a new challenge was born.
Four races. Four Days. A total of 48.6 miles.
So…this is how it works:
Thursday – Disney Family Fun Run 5K
Friday – Disney World 10K
Saturday – Disney World Half Marathon
Sunday – Disney World Marathon
The payoff? I walk away with 6 race t-shirts and 6 finisher’s medals. Yep. Six. Because included in this package is the t-shirts and medals for the Goofy Challenge AND the Dopey Challenge.
So, not really having told many people that I was doing the Inaugural Dopey Challenge (it’s the first year…which means it will be the year it is the cheapest to run…TRUST ME!), I hopped a plane to Orlando Florida on Wednesday morning, leaving behind the frigid temps in Louisville for the warm, 66 degrees at Disney World. After a stop at the grocery store for some necessities and getting checked into my resort (staying at Port Orleans Riverside…again!), Cathy and I boarded the shuttle bus to the ESPN Wild World of Sports where the race expo was being held. It was a hike to get there and we couldn’t find the way to get down to the packet pick-up level…until it was mentioned that there were stairs hidden behind the photo booth. Well…that makes sense, right?! I went and retrieved my packet for the Dopey Challenge, and was told my green bib is for me to wear during the 5K and 10K races. And the gray bib is for me to wear for the Half Marathon and Marathon races. I went to retrieve the commemorative pin I had pre-ordered and then hurried off to get my t-shirts. I got five of them at this part of the expo, but had to go somewhere else to retrieve the 5K one. In fact, the better part of the expo was where the 5K t-shirt pickup was happening. I didn’t have much time to linger, but hit up the Official Merchandise booth…snagging all the pins for each race. Cathy surprised me with a new BondiBand, a lanyard, and a decal for my car. WOOOOOO!!
We had reservations at Sanaa for dinner, so we couldn’t linger, but said after we ate we would return to the expo to do some shopping. My dinner was awesome…loving some Indian food as always. Then…back to the expo we went. I purchased some goodies…like more KT Tape…and had them tape up my Achilles. Hope that it lasts through these races. Cathy paid close attention to the technique and took pictures so we can probably replicate it if needed. This is the best my Achilles has felt though…so here’s hoping. Going to be interesting to see what happens at the 5K tomorrow morning.
After some browsing, shopping, and some talking me out of purchases, we headed back to the shuttles to return to the resort. The 5K race kicks off at 6:15 a.m. on Thursday morning and is the only one that won’t require a 2 a.m. wake-up. I will definitely enjoy that. Read on…for race reports on each of the 4 races in 4 days.
Me after finishing the Disney Family Fun 5K
Disney Family Fun Run 5K
Race: Disney Family Fun Run 5K
Place: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida
Date: January 9, 2014
Time: 24:15
This was not a fast 5K. This was nowhere near a fast 5K. With about 10,000 people running in it, speed was hindered by sheer volume. Masses of people were everywhere…and I was in Corral A. So…take that for what it’s worth. Huge field. Lots of places where you were basically bottle-necked by other participants. Expected.
But still a good time.
And let me tell you…it did my heart good to get out on the road again. Race. Breathe. Struggle. Feel. It was therapy after having taken 3 long weeks off from running, save for 2 deliberate runs…one on Saturday and one on Tuesday before coming to Florida.
The Achilles was a little tender in the morning. I was taped up…but stiff. So, that was a bit disheartening, but with the 3:30 a.m. wake up alarm, I was out of bed and getting into costume bright and early. I was dressing as a Minion. Yes…I realize that Despicable Me is NOT a Disney movie…but…I had to be a Minion. It had to happen. And it did. And, despite the humidity and 56 degree temperature that morning, I even wore the knit cap as part of my costume. I knew I’d regret those long sleeves and the hat, but…it’s Disney…and I must run in costume.
I was up and dressed and then had to get Cathy up and moving. Our breakfast was a Greek yogurt…we took bananas to go. Once she was dressed, we headed out to catch the shuttle bus to take us to the race start. I was going to meet up with my friend Andrea. Soon after arriving, we went to the reunion area…where I had a few people ask to have pictures with me. Who doesn’t love a Minion? And then it started to rain a little. A sprinkling…but rain nonetheless.
Andrea texted and soon Cathy and I were heading over to where she was hanging out with her husband. We relaxed pre-race by chatting and talking about pretty much everything. Andrea had some other friends that were on their way to join us. And soon after…Cathy was wishing me luck and we were being ushered into our corrals.
The corrals were filled…and we all noted most of the runners were doing the Dopey…very few just had on 5K race bibs. There were some…but not many. We were soon after being let out of our corral to walk to the starting area. I heard Cathy’s sign for me get called out…which was awesome! After the National Anthem, the wheelchair racers were sent off. And a few moments later…the rest of us.
Totally caught up in the moment, I was out of the starting gate and running behind a large group of people. They held my beginning speed really in check, which, with this injury I’m nursing, was probably a good thing. But the further I ran, the better my Achilles felt. So, I bobbed and weaved my way through the crowd as much as humanly possible. It was no easy task, especially at the water stops. This race is run through Epcot. With the sprinkling rain, we were warned that some areas on the course might be slick. They weren’t kidding, but I managed to navigate them well enough.
I was frustrated with the crowds, but it’s a Disney race…that’s to be expected. I pushed on, rocking out all sub-8 miles…not bad for someone dealing with Achilles tendonitis. And it had been forever since I truly have been able to run sub-8…as this body does not react well to cold weather. At all. It tightens up and slows down. Give me heat any day.
Running in the shadow of Epcot was awesome! We dashed through Future World and then through the International Showcase. A lot of employees were out to cheer us on…and some to direct us on the right path toward the finish. I loved running past the giant Epcot ball and toward that finish line. I love seeing that finish at Disney races. There is something so thrilling about it.
I crossed it, still feeling good without much pain. Cathy saw me and started down. She went to toss me a water bottle, but I told her I wouldn’t be able to catch it. A very nice guy came over to catch it for me. He was awesome. I went around the corner where I was handed more water…a snack pack…and my Finisher’s Medal. As part of the Dopey Challenge, I had to get in a line to get a bracelet saying that I completed the 5K race. After that…I was out and meeting up with Cathy.
We had some plans for Hollywood Studios that day, so after returning to our resort, I showered, dressed, and we headed out for breakfast at Babycakes NYC in Downtown Disney and then some rides and shows at Hollywood Studios. Of course, I am totally feeling that run now in my Achilles. I’m hoping that the pain goes away over night. I’m still KT Taped and I just had Cathy tape up my feet…just for some extra help. Here’s hoping.
Tomorrow morning…another early morning…another race. This time…the Disney World 10K.
Me after finishing the Inaugural Disney World 10K
Disney World 10K
Race: Disney World 10K
Place: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida
Date: January 10, 2014
Time: 50:30
It wasn’t fast. It wasn’t pretty. In fact…it was hot and humid and just plain gross! Welcome to Orlando, Florida in January, folks.
And welcome to the Inaugural Disney World 10K. This is the very first year the 10K has been a part of this race weekend. Exciting to be part of the first group who runs it. Honestly. I think it’s awesome.
The morning started very early with my 3 a.m. alarm. I got up so that I could get into costume and get ready before today’s insanity spiraled out of control. I love to have a firm grip of my morning on race days. Cathy was up 15 minutes after me and we both enjoyed some Greek yogurt and water before gathering up our stuff to head out to the shuttle which would take us back to the starting area.
The ground was soaking wet. Soaking wet. Mostly because with the humidity, none of the water from the previous day of pouring rain really dried up. Puddles and wetness. Fun, fun.
This was the 10K and I was dressed up as Eeyore…complete with ears and tail. HA! Like I said…when I run Disney, I gotta dress up. At least I was a Disney character this time. Hahaha! Anyway, we got through the security check and instead of heading over to where they do bag check, Cathy and I immediately headed in to the starting area. We were meeting up with Andrea, Aaron, and Silvia again for pre-race shenanigans and the like. I remembered to stretch more today. Probably should have done more than I ended up doing…but at least I stretched. And I ate my prerequisite before-the-race banana.
We took a few photos together and then were being ushered into our corrals. We were all in A…so that worked out nicely. And we also knew that the further back in the corral you were, the closer to the front you ended up being. But, we stuck around where we were yesterday and just followed the crowd. The wheelchair racers were being sent off at 5:30 and Corral A was 2 minutes after that.
Exciting. Because after the National Anthem, we were pretty much ready to run. I told myself to take this one easy…and I vowed to do just that. When the fireworks were set off and we began moving to the start line, I kept telling myself to take it easy. After all, I still had 39.3 miles to run in the next two days. So, I kept to my promise and found a comfortable pace to start. Immediately after turning out of the park, we were put on this long and dull stretch of highway. Mile 1 was marked and then we took a sharp right turn and got sent up a hill. I think spinning and strength training are helping me hone in on my hill work. Because it didn’t slow me down at all. Perhaps I’m also just used to steeper hills. HAHA! That could be it. Miles 2 through 3 were marked by the highway…nothing to really distract you. There were a couple of character shots along the way…but not many. After hitting the halfway point…the fun started.
EPCOT! Again…but slightly different. This time, we took a longer loop through the World Showcase. It was beautifully lit up. And, dammit, if I didn’t enter Epcot and immediately hear the Tiki Room song. That song is worse than It’s A Small World. Trust me! But, off we were. I took in water at Mile 4 from the water station, because it was so humid and I didn’t want to get dehydrated. From a girl who ran a half marathon in this sort of weather…best to not press your luck. Over the boardwalks, over bridges, through the World Showcase…it was so much fun. The employees and members of the Cheer Squad were out to give support and guide us on the correct path.
As we came out of one of the back lots and towards the ball (which in the 10K you don’t run around), we were informed that we were close to the end. Sure enough…that finish line was around the corner and down a stretch of pavement. The sidelines were filled with people cheering. The DJs were announcing people. MarathonPhoto was out in hoards getting those finish line shots.
I crossed. Not happy with my time…but knowing that taking it easy due to injury…as well as having two very long races back-to-back in the next couple days…well…that was good. Honestly, I’m just happy to be out there. I’m loving it.
Of course, I am currently showered, sitting in my hotel room with a bag of ice on my Achilles. It’s feeling it today. Heading out to Animal Kingdom in a few. It’s going to be a fun…relaxing day.
Two down…two to go!
Join us for the inaugural Walt Disney World® 10K. This 6.2 mile course is the perfect distance for runners of all skill levels. Winding throughout Epcot® and the scenic World Showcase, it is the newest way to be part of the Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend.
Me after finishing the Disney World Half Marathon
Disney World Half Marathon
Race: Disney World Half Marathon
Place: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida
Date: January 11, 2014
Time: 1:51:43
UGH! UGH!! First of all, after spending all day at Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios yesterday, my legs were feeling it this morning. I was already intending to take this one easy. So, that was okay. No problem. I had two alarms set this morning. One for 2 a.m. Then one for an hour later. That would give me ample time to get ready and then get Cathy up so we could get going. Not sure of when the sun would officially be up, I slathered on some sunscreen. Didn’t need it. I was done before the sun was up, but we were running through 99% humidity. So it was beyond gross!!
I dressed as Wonder Woman for this race…and kept it to just the bra top out of fear of having too much clothing on in this humidity. It was a wise chose, as I found out later. So, looking all adorable as Wonder Woman…it was time to get my third race in as many days on.
We made the walk from our room to the shuttle that would take us over to the race…as usual. I was expecting the bus to be cold, but for the first time…it wasn’t. I was shocked. Anyway, we arrived and I headed over to where I was supposed meet up with Andrea and Aaron again. They weren’t there yet, so I texted to find out where they were. Turns out they were stuck in traffic. My corral was already being called to get people inside…which felt early to me, but I keep forgetting that Disney World literally sends you on a hike to your corrals, especially those beginning letters in the alphabet. For the Disney World Half Marathon and Disney World Marathon, I’m in Corral B.
I ate my banana on the way to the corral and made it there with 15 minutes to spare. Ironically, this guy we kept seeing in the recovery area wearing only a speedo…was next to me in the corral. In only his red speedo. I hope he has a lot of red speedos, I’m just saying. They did their usual interviews. Not any celebs that I’ve heard of this time. Jeff Galloway was up there talking. The National Anthem was sung. And then Donald (this race’s character) came out to count off the wheelchair racers. But he brought along Mickey and Goofy too. The wheelchair racers were off just after 5:30 a.m. Then, 2 minutes later…Corral A was sent off. As my corral was moved up toward the start, “It’s A Small World” started to play on the speaker. The announcer said, “Congratulations, Corral B. You get ‘It’s A Small World’ stuck in your head for the next 13.1 miles.” It made me laugh. 2 minutes after Corral A had left, Donald gave us a “Ready…Set…GO!” Fireworks. We were off.
I knew this was going to be a tough one. First of all, I’m injured. Still. Secondly…I ran a 5K and a 10K the two days prior to this one. Thirdly…I was tired. These 3:00 a.m. mornings SUCK! And this was my third morning in a row with one. So, I chose to set an easy pace and try to stick with it.
The problem was that humidity. It was like back when I ran the Indy Women’s Half Marathon and practically died afterwards due to the high humidity. Like breathing through a wet towel. That’s what this felt like. Just like the Indianapolis race, I was already drenched with sweat before I hit that first mile. And that is not a good feeling. I wanted to take this one easier than usual anyway, so I didn’t push it. Not here to PR…just here for some fun and to finish all four races.
That being said, this course was the exact replica of the Disney Princess Half Marathon, which I ran last February. I knew that the first four miles were nothing but highway. And, save for the characters and some entertainment…can make for some rather boring miles. Thankfully, Disney is good about putting people out there to cheer, characters to break of the monotony, and music too. As you come into Mile 4, you enter Magic Kingdom. The most exciting part is just before Mile 6, when you run through Cinderella’s Castle. This is, by far, my favorite part of any Disney race. Send me through that castle. I was smiling the entire time.
After exiting Magic Kingdom, it was back out onto the highway. Ugh. I took in some GU and water, and was making a point now of using the water at water stops both for sipping and for pouring over my head. That felt amazing and definitely helped keep my body temperature down. Around the midway point, the speaker system was blaring this weekend’s theme song, “Let It Go” from Frozen. The highway, complete with characters and water stops was my path from the 10K mark to just around Mile 12. There were a couple of hills there at the end. I think the last half of the half marathon is far more difficult than the beginning. In fact, just before hitting Mile 12, you’re sent up a ramp and over a bridge that is over the highway. When you come down the other side, you’re at Mile 12 and about to enter Epcot.
I was happy to hit that mark and just decided to take it easy and cruise into the finish line. Epcot sends us in to run around the ball, make a turn, and come back on the other side of the ball. You round a corner, and that finish line comes into view. I was so happy to cross that finish line. But, I didn’t push too much. In fact, I was flexing some muscle at photographers, LOL! Leave it to me getting into Wonder Woman mode.
After crossing the finish line, I was handed my medal. Cathy spotted me up in the crowd and was cheering from the stands. She headed down and I walked through to get my bracelet showing that I completed the half marathon in my quest for the Dopey Challenge. Once I had that bracelet on, I was through to get photos taken with the backdrop, get a snack pack, then head out through bag check. Cathy was waiting for me on the other side. I told her I was gross but to come give me a hug. She brought a towel and managed to get the sweat off me for the time.
I wanted my finisher’s photo taken with the Disney Half Marathon backdrop. And Pluto just happened to be there. So…I had the chance to give Pluto a hug and pose with him. It was awesome.
Afterwards, we headed over to our shuttle. Cathy had me put my feet up so she could get working on my Achilles, to hopefully keep it from aching too much. We got back to the resort, back to the room, where I showered. We ate breakfast and got ready to head out to Epcot for the day. Then back over to Hollywood Studios for dinner…at Mama Melrose’s again. This time for pasta. I had a gluten-free pasta dish that was huge. In fact…I maybe was able to eat 1/3 of it. Because I just didn’t want to stuff myself full before a race.
I’m icing my Achilles at the moment, relaxing, and prepping for some foam rolling. Then, just getting some last minute things together for the early wake-up call that awaits.
One more.
I have a feeling it won’t be pretty. I get to meet the characters tomorrow!
Me after finishing the Disney World Marathon, and in doing so, completing the Goofy Challenge and the Dopey Challenge
Disney World Marathon
Race: Disney World Marathon
Place: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida
Date: January 12, 2014
Time: 4:00:04
I went into this race with no expectations for speed. There was no way my legs were going to be up to any record setting. So, my entire plan for this marathon was to fall into an easy pace, take some pictures with the characters, and just have some fun. And that’s what I did.
Which was a good plan because my morning was a little more stressful than intended. The problem wasn’t so much in the getting ready part. Nope. Getting into my Snow White costume (made for me by my co-worker Andrea at the very last minute…and she did an awesome job!) was easy. Sunscreen. Easy. Prepping for the weather (humidity way down and actually a bit cool)…easy. Getting to the shuttle. Easy. Getting to the race…not as easy. In fact, I barely got to the corrals in time for the start. Seriously. The traffic was awful heading to the start area. And it was just a mess. So, when I got there, it was just in time to be told that I had 30 minutes to the start of the race and a 20 minute walk to the starting line. I quickly jammed the banana I brought with me down my throat, got a good luck hug from Cathy and headed toward the corrals.
But, I got there…just in time for the moment of silence, the national anthem, and have Mickey, Goofy and Donald come up on stage. Dopey even made an appearance…for obvious reasons. Mickey counted down the wheelchair racers and they were sent off with fireworks. Corral A was next, about 2 minutes later. Then my corral, Corral B, was sent off 2 minutes after that.
This race made me realize that I have some pretty amazing and really loud friends. Despite being across the highway, I could hear Cathy screaming at me as I started off on the highway toward Magic Kingdom. It made me smile. I gave her a wave. It reminded me of Heather at Chicago. Hahaha!! My friends are made of awesome.
Miles 1-4 are, as in my previous Disney World half marathons, spent out on the highway. Cathy went to catch the monorail to try to see me at Mile 4, but I apparently beat her there. So…whoops. She decided to try again at Magic Kingdom…but I had beat her there too. Oh well. Out of that…she did get to see the awesomeness that is the crowd at Magic Kingdom. It’s why that is my favorite part of any Disney race. Hands down. Miles 4-5 are spent in the Magic Kingdom…where crowds and Disney cast members are out to cheer you on. Just before Mile 6, as before, is the run through Cinderella’s Castle. It is the part I always look forward to on these runs.
After exiting the castle, it’s a short dash out of the Magic Kingdom and back out onto the road. I kept to my plan to keep it easy and meet some characters. Along the way, I made some stops for some classics and favorites. The next 6 miles were all highway miles…so the characters helped break that up. Our next stop…Animal Kingdom.
Normally, around Mile 12, I would be taking in a GU…but we were entering Animal Kingdom, so I didn’t want to tear into a GU packet when they are so strict about what is in their park due to the animals. So, I waited until I exited Animal Kingdom to do that. This was the smallest amount of time spent in a park. Less than a mile. But the employees were so awesome…and as we entered some had the animals out on the corner to welcome us.
After Animal Kingdom, we hit the highway roads again for 4 miles…taking us to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. I loved running through here. Just before entering the motor speedway (going down and then up very steep inclines), the very last lady at a water stop was handing out cold, wet towels. I told her she was my favorite person of the moment, and took one to wring over my head. The weather was cooler…but the sun was up. So…it felt amazing. Ran the complex to the track…made a circuit…then back on out to head back toward the highway. Next stop…Hollywood Studios.
Park 3 of 4 shows up just before Mile 23. Again, you’re not in this park for long, but I was loving running through there. I have spent a lot of time in Hollywood Studios this time around. So, this felt like home. As I was exiting the park, however, I noticed Dopey…and of course needed to get my picture taken with him. Turned around and hurried back to do just that. I mean…come on! I was dressed as Snow White doing the Dopey Challenge. It was a must!
From there, it was on the boardwalk of the Beach Club Resort and Yacht Club Resort…which took us to Epcot. The finish was a mile away, but there were characters that caught my attention. Including Belle. I met Belle the previous day, but now I was dressed up as Snow White, at the request of my niece Kaytlynn, whose favorite Disney princess is…Belle. This had to happen. Unplanned photos that were totally worth it.
The entire race, I was getting a lot of “GO SNOW! GO SNOW WHITE! GO PRINCESS!” The spectators at Disney races are awesome…when you have them. But for long stretches you don’t. That’s why they have a great set of volunteers who fill in those gaps. Disney has their act together and really knows how to put on a race.
This was not a fast race, nor was it a pretty race. Running 4 races in 4 days was a nice challenge, but made extra difficult due to my Achilles tendonitis. That, in and of itself, took me out of training for this series…so I just had to take it easy on all of the races…and run them on a wing and a prayer. My goals were to finish and to do so without doing damage to myself. I did both.
Anyway…back to the marathon…
But…at Mile 26, the gospel choir was singing and I made the turn to take me to the homestretch to the finish line. I crossed the line, in 4:00:04, which was amazing, considering I made character stops, walked some water stops, and ran this with an injury that crippled my training and involved more KT Tape than I care to admit to even make it possible for me to run. I received 3 medals today – one for completing the Disney World Marathon, one for the Goofy Challenge, and one for the Dopey Challenge. WOOHOO! CHA-BLING!
Dopey was an expensive adventure, but one that I enjoyed. I’m just thankful I get to sleep in past 3 a.m. tomorrow.
I’m ready for another adventure, Disney. Give it to me.
My medals from the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend – (r – l) – Disney Family Fun Run 5k, Disney World Inaugural 10K, Disney World Half marathon, Disney World Marathon, Goofy Challenge, Inaugural Dopey Challenge
Baby steps…into the new year…
First run of the year…slow and steady…with minimal pain
Achilles Tendonitis.
You plague me. You discourage me. You dishearten me. And you cause me pain.
BUT…I am on the verge of feeling better. I’m doing so much cross-training these days to keep any unnecessary pressure off my tendon. So, spinning has been a lot of fun to get into. And it is teaching me to dig deep when I think I’m spent. It makes the stationary bike (something I loathe) fun and enjoyable. And the music is amazing. I’ve been swimming more too. Which was something I have been wanting to do more of anyway. So, this gave me a push to get into the pool and work on that stroke. I need to keep this trend up. Loving that water…once I get acclimated to it. And…strength training. I had started doing it before, then stopped, but I’m back to it. And have a great 30 minute workout that I do with weights and other workout equipment that is helping me build a stronger core.
All that being said…it’s been over 2 weeks since I last ran. And the ankle/Achilles is feeling much better. Some tightness still, but nothing debilitating. So…on this frigid morning, I met up with my running group and decided to test it out. Most of the runners were aiming for 8 miles or more. I didn’t want to push it, and thankfully my friends Harry and Natalie were more than happy to do an easier and more deliberate 5 miles. The cold weather is not helping my tendon feel any better. Everything is just tight. UGH! Cold weather and I do not get along. It slows me down…always. I run so much better in the heat. Let me sweat it out!
It was a good run this morning. I had a great time with these two while we were running. And after a mile or so, I forgot about how cold it was…up until we hit some pretty wicked headwinds. It didn’t matter. We were just enjoying the run. And it felt so good to get back out there and hit the pavement.
All that being said…my ankle/Achilles twinged at me a couple times, but it didn’t flat-out hurt. So, that is a good sign. I have been icing it on and off today…which is helping and I’m about to go do some stretches and get all the kinks worked out.
But…wow…I totally needed that run today. More than I even knew!
Another year of running down some dreams…
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Oh my goodness!!
What a crazy year it has been. I started off this year with a simple goal: run 1300 miles in 2013. Well, that goal was easily reached because I met yet another goal this year as well…
I ran my first marathon.
And then followed it up with another marathon.
My other goal was to make it through the year uninjured. I almost made it. SO close. The past two weeks I have been going without running due to Achilles tendonitis brought on by refusing to hop on a treadmill and going for a run while there was still ice and snow on the ground. The uneven footing was enough to alter my gait enough to cause this bit of discomfort. I am on the mend though. Not being able to get out and run has been killing me…but I have supplemented spinning classes (I go at least 2 times a week), swimming (once a week) and some weight training in, all of which I intend to keep doing well into next year. Because I love how strong these other activities are making me.
Do I have a goal for this coming year? I haven’t really given it much thought. Miles I always seem to surpass…races I run plenty…I think my main goal is to eat better, train better, remember to cross-train more, take some time to walk and see the sites that I might miss otherwise, work on speed, and just have a great year on the road.
SO much love and thanks to all my friends this year who have seen me through training, traveled to my races, cheered for me, cried with me, and pushed me beyond what I ever thought possible. I have made so many new friends this past year and I know that I’m going to forge new friendships in this coming year.
So…here is to a happy, healthy, and healing New Year.
Thank you, my dearest readers, for sticking with me and offering advice, words of love and encouragement, and for pushing me to aim higher.
2014…I’m on the mend…and I’m ready to hit the road! Let’s do this!
YOU SUCK…and more words and feelings of self-doubt…
Self-doubt can GO AWAY!
Negativity.
That’s all I’ve been feeling toward myself these days. While so many of my running friends are posting better times and new PRs…I feel like I’m in a slump. I feel like…things are just…getting worse for me. And all of this leads to a lot of self doubt and a lot of low self-esteem. Yes…I am so very proud of my friends for their accomplishments. But it’s only natural for me to look at what they are managing and wonder…why am I slowing down? Why is the weight piling on? Why…just why?
I try to keep my thoughts positive, but when you feel like your fitness is suffering…well…it’s hard to keep that good attitude.
Let’s start with the first thing. I’ve put on about 10 pounds since I ran the Chicago Marathon. I haven’t changed my eating routines. I’m not loading up on junk food. I’m still eating clean. I still treat myself. But…the weight just won’t come off. In fact, I just seem to add to it. And that just sucks…mightily. When you no longer feel as light as a feather…you don’t feel like you’re running as fast or capable of running as fast as you did when you were at your prime fitness. This is me. And it is really messing with my mind. I hear about all my friends losing weight, dieting, all this stuff. I don’t diet…I just eat clean and I workout. And somehow this has brought on weight. I don’t eat a lot of crap. Yes…I treat myself to ice cream on the weekend…but I’ve always done that. Even back during my marathon training. UGH! The biggest insult happened this past weekend when I went to the pool to swim some laps…and my bathing suit was tight. Uncomfortably…not fitting me right…tight.
Now, allow me to follow this paragraph up with the fact that I am not working out to lose weight. I don’t run to lose weight. Nor do I run so I can eat a lot of crap and not feel guilty about it. I run and I go to the gym because I love how it makes me feel. I don’t need to lose weight. BUT…I don’t want to gain it either. And despite my workouts and my runs…that scale keeps creeping up…and with it…my self-doubt.
It sucks having low self-esteem!
Secondly…
Ow.
Yep. Ow.
Achilles tendonitis. Brought on from…ironically…avoiding the treadmill and going out to run on those icy and snowy days. Landing on uneven icy and snow altered my gait…and with it…put some strain and stress on my Achilles. What has this brought on? Slower runs. No long runs. And a lot of very mixed emotions from me. I hate cutting my mileage. If there is one run I look forward to every week it’s my long run. I love going long. I love the distance. I don’t care how fast I run or how slow…I just want to get that distance. I love the time with others…or the time alone. I love talking or sometimes just letting my thoughts take over. This past weekend I was supposed to run 2 long runs…but…I ran a total of 4 miles. FOUR MILES!! And not even at speed. I can’t. Not with this ankle/Achilles issue. It is so aggravating. I can still run…but the intensity isn’t there. The distance is definitely not happening. And it just tears me up inside. I know it’s for the best…not to put added strain/stress on the problem area…but…I get so cranky when my runs get messed with. And this has definitely left me feeling insignificant. Especially when the miles are turned down and so is the speed. I feel like I should be turning up the intensity if the mileage is not there…but I can’t even do that. And it’s beyond bumming me out. It’s making me second guess everything. And then I read about everyone else who is running long, setting new PRs, and just getting so much stronger and faster…and here I am…slowing down…feeling like I’m reverting back…feeling…SO DAMN SLOW!! IT SUCKS!!
I know it’s for the best, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck.
What I have been doing is taking my runs inside…to the dreadmill…and running at a very deliberate, easy pace. The soft belt is a lot kinder to my joints than the hard pavement right now. Oh…and I’ve now officially taken two spinning classes (and totally intend to keep going to them!!) and have added more weights for some strength training. I’ve only learned the machines…so I haven’t officially added that back in. I’m going to get back into the habit of my circuit training. I fell off it when my roommate went into the hospital. Then it was too close to my marathon to really want to hop back in. After that…probably sheer lack of motivation…and the fact that the roomie can’t turn it up and dial it in like I can while on her current meds. BUT…that changes when I get back from my Christmas vacation. Dialing back into those weights, the core, the strength training. Hopefully the ankle/Achilles will be further on the mend. I also went swimming on Sunday. Yep. Swimming for a whole 45 minutes. I love to swim, and definitely should incorporate it more. Or else I’ll never get any better. Not that I’m a horrible swimmer, I’m just not very fast. I don’t have that strength behind it yet. But that comes with time and training. Time to just hop in and DO IT!
I have a difficult time wrapping my head around slower running times. I’m built for distance…that much I know. But I also like to prove that I am swift. I’m speedy. Sometimes I feel that way. But ever since the cold weather hit, my times have been so much slower than what I could master in the heat of summer. I run better in heat than cold. Cold burns my lungs, makes it hard to breathe, therefore…I never quite find my rhythm. Some people run better and faster in colder temperatures. I am not one of those people. Slowing down scares me. I am not ready to slow down. I want to find that strength to push a little harder, fight to get a little faster, and outrun all my doubts and limits. And I have yet to do just that. I feel like I’m failing…
Cold weather creeps in and so does my self-doubt. I am my own worst critic and my harshest competition. I don’t feel like I’m running up to par and that gets stuck in my head. I get aggravated when I fail to nail a time on a distance that felt so easy during the warmer days. I know it’s natural. I know it’s normal. But I’m competitive…and when I feel like I’m sliding backwards instead of moving ahead…I get into this tug-of-war with myself and my emotions…my expectations…
And yeah…that sucks too.
My competition is not my friends I run with…nor is it those who are out there making progress. My competition is myself. I look in the mirror…and those extra pounds, those slower times, the lack of long runs, the self-doubt…that is my competition. And until I get get over this hump…it’s the fight of my life right now. Because until I believe that I can run faster in the cold, that my ankle won’t hurt, that my body isn’t failing me or trying to slow me down…then I’m not making progress. And I won’t. Words have power…even the unspoken ones inside my head.
Time to find my strong…again.
It’s a battle I’m willing to fight. I just have to be smart about it. My competition…is all in my head…and it’s time to show it who is boss.
Grey Matters
Grey Matters – For Trinitie
Fly, fly precious one
Your endless journey has begun
Take your gentle happiness
Far too beautiful for this
Cross over to the other shore
There is peace forevermore…
As you might recall from my previous post on the Fast Freddie Five Mile Foot Feast, I ran that race for a little 12 year old girl, who I was connected to via a group called Brain Cancer Share Your Shirts. Her name was Trinitie and in 2012, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor known as Glioblastoma Multiforme Stage 4.
The concept was simple…run a race and send your race shirt, race bib, and a little note to the child you are connected with via the program. So, on a bitterly cold Thanksgiving morning, I hauled out to my five mile race and battled the cold temperatures to churn out my best 5 mile race to date. It was by no means fast…but it was fast enough. And I did it for Trinitie. I boxed up my race shirt (a beautiful long sleeve tech shirt), my race bib, enclosed a card, and threw in the signs I made for the occasion, a ribbon, and a few extras because, without having even met Trinitie…she touched my life. The box was sent off to the address provided.
And then…Trinitie took a turn for the worse. But it seemed she was going to bounce back. That’s what kids do, right? They bounce.
Then yesterday…the most heartbreaking message was posted on Trinitie’s page as I was getting ready to leave work. Her mom wrote that Trinitie had a massive brain hemorrhage and was unresponsive. She was being airlifted to Children’s Hospital. She asked for strength…and prayers.
Strength. Prayers.
So simple…yet I know every person reading that status felt so helpless and powerless.
This morning…the news I read on Trinitie brought me to tears. The Brain Cancer Share Your Shirts page stated:
Miss Trinitie earned wings a few hours ago. She’s now flying high with the rest of the angels. To those who supported her during her fight, know you touched the life of a child. Please join me in prayer/positive thoughts for her Mom & family. Fly high Trinitie!
I was brought to tears. It seems foolish, perhaps, since I never personally met Trinitie. But I felt so connected to her. I ran a race for her. I thought of her through each cold, hilly mile. She provided inspiration and strength. It is hard to believe such a beautiful and brave girl was now gone.
Her fight was not in vain. She touched so many people with her story. She touched my life…and never even knew it. Which is why I sit here, crying, because I feel like I lost a part of myself. That’s what running for someone does to you. It connects you in ways you never even realize. I am heartbroken at the loss of such a young life. But Trinitie was a fighter. And she went to battle each day, brave, relentless, and she did it all with a smile. She never lost her spirit.
I hope that her fighting spirit and courage continue to live on in each of us…and that her soul watches over all the other children in this world who are fighting the battle she fought. Her strength, her courage, her grace live on in a beautiful soul that went to fly with the angels last night.
Fly high, Trinitie! Thank you for letting me be a small part of your inspirational life.
Marshall University Marathon – Huntington, WV (November 10, 2013)
Me crossing the finish line of the Marshall University Marathon carrying a football (which you can’t see, but I’m doing it!) – Huntington, West Virginia
Race: Marshall University Marathon
Place: Huntington, WV
Date: November 10, 2013
Time: 3:35:55
WE ARE…MARSHALL!
Yep…just like the movie. And as a self-proclaimed lover of Matthew McConaughey, who starred as head coach Jack Lengyel in the film about the 1970 plane crash that killed 37 football players on the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team, as well as 5 of the coaches, 2 athletic trainers, the athletic director, 25 boosters, and a crew of five. I loved this movie and watching how the university, the football program, and the community begins to rebuild and heal from the tragedy.
So, here I am…just a month from my first marathon (Chicago), and I find myself in the city of Huntington, West Virginia. Aside from Marshall University being located there, some of you may recall that Huntington got a lot of notoriety back in 2010 when Jamie Oliver rolled into town for the television program, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, in which he set out to reform the school lunch programs, help American society fight obesity, and change their eating habits in order to live healthier and longer lives. Why Huntington? Because in 2010, Huntington, West Virginia was recognized statistically as one of the unhealthiest cities in the country.
So, ultimately, I knew about Huntington, West Virginia. Because…well…I watch anything with Matthew McConaughey and I am a foodie and totally drank in everything that happened when Jamie Oliver rolled into Huntington, West Virginia to attempt to change the way people there lived.
I also was unaware that Marshall University hosted a marathon, half marathon, and 5K…until my roomie, Cathy, stumbled upon it.
So, I signed up.
And that’s why, after a very fast 3 mile shake-out run on Saturday morning, a shower, and some gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes (homemade because…I’m chef-y like that), Cathy and I finished packing, loaded up the car, and made the almost 3 hour drive to Huntington, West Virginia.
We rolled into town around 1:15 p.m. and immediately set out to find the expo. We weren’t staying in Huntington, rather just across the bridge in Ohio. And check-in time at the hotel wasn’t until 3 p.m. We had some time to kill. The directions to the expo were quite vague. All we had was that it was located on the corner of 5th Avenue and 29th Street. Should be easy to find, right? I saw it…but Cathy said it wasn’t there and kept on driving. So we made a couple of loops before I told her to head back to the corner of 5th and 29th. She spotted it this time. So, we pulled in…parked…and headed to the very small expo. Oddly enough, the Website for this marathon said the venue for packet pickup was moved to a more spacious area…we were in a hallway…so I wonder how small it has been in the past few years…
Anyway…the longest line in there was for the half marathon, which seems to be the most popular of the races that they offer this weekend. I stepped in and was asked which race I was running. I said the marathon and they directed me to the table immediately to my left, that had virtually no line at all. None. Just a few people getting their bags with their swag inside. Oh…and their bib number. I gave my name and they grabbed my t-shirt and jacket…yes…jacket and passed that over to me with the little backpack. My number (#529) was given to me and I snagged a few safety pins. That was done. Having learned my lesson at previous races, I pulled out the t-shirt and noticed that the medium was definitely going to be too big for me. So…I went to find where to exchange it for a small. Unfortunately…there were no more women’s smalls. There was an extra small…so I tried it…and it’s a perfect fit. They did say the shirts were running big this year. No kidding. My jacket is a little big…but I like it that way. Room for layers. It’s an official Asics branded jacket with the marathon logo on the back. Oh…but the fun doesn’t stop there, friends…
Hanging out with Bart Yasso at the expo and packet pickup for the Marshall University Marathon – Huntington, West Virginia
Because Marshall University is known for its football team…the Thundering Herd…you also get the opportunity to purchase a Marshall University football. It was $30…but I had to have one. I mean…who else does this?!! I love something unique with a race. Even better…you could have your football tossed to you as you run into the finish line. That’s actually one of the draws of this race. About 100 yards from the finish, you have the choice to carry a football with you. Some you can keep…some you have to give back. I wanted mine. So…I was given a green ribbon to hook onto my bib that said “FOOTBALL” on it. GAME ON. I was way too excited for my own good. Over a football.
Oh…and it just so happened that Bart Yasso was at the expo as well. He was near the table with the footballs, and as no one was in his line I stepped over to talk to him. I told him that I had missed the chance to see him in Chicago, my first marathon, so I was excited to get to meet him now. He was very nice and we spoke a lot about races and upcoming events. He was so easy to talk to. I asked to get a picture and he graciously complied. SO much love for this guy. Makes me want to give those Yasso 800s a real try.
That was pretty much all there was to the expo…so Cathy and I left and headed downtown. I really wanted to see Huntington’s Kitchen (formerly Jamie’s Kitchen from the aforementioned Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution television series. It was closed, but we did find it and I got my foodie nerd on by taking a picture out front. Then, we headed across the street to the small little shopping center and went into a bookstore and just walked around. The wind was gusting hard at this point, so stepping into a shop was nice. I ended up purchasing Bart Yasso’s book, ironically. Go figure. It was still too soon to check into the hotel or get dinner, so we decided we’d hit up the local frozen yogurt place for some dessert. I mean…break the rules at times and get dessert first. It was really delicious…and they had so many gluten-free options. I was in heaven. After getting dessert, we headed to the hotel in Ohio and checked in…watched some Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on Food Network…then…around 4:30, left to go get my prerequisite gluten-free pizza from a place called Husson’s. It was recommended to me by my friend Keith…and I trust Keith (he is also a gluten-free runner). Cathy and I split the 10 inch gluten-free pizza, which we topped off with tomato and pineapple…and it was…okay. I’ve had really, really good gluten-free pizza…so this was just mediocre. The sauce, however, was killer. With that taken care of…it was time to get back to the hotel so I could foam roll and relax before getting to bed. I even laid out my race outfit and had everything ready to go for the early morning alarm. Then, I settled in to watch more Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives…because that’s how I do race weekend!
My Marshall University Marathon outfit…I knew it was going to be cold, but I didn’t want to overdress. I opted for a singlet and my running skirt…and wore arm warmers and gloves. The arm warmers stayed on the entire time, but the gloves were ditched just before the halfway point.
At 9 p.m., however, it was lights out. And I actually fell asleep in good time. However, around 2 a.m., I woke up from a dream where I was 20 minutes late for the race. No joke. Restlessness set in the rest of the night, because while I knew I had an alarm set for 4 a.m., I was now worried I’d not hear it or just not make it to that start line in time. Stress!
That alarm went off at 4 a.m., and I had a bit of trouble turning it off, but I managed without waking Cathy up. I think she’s immune to my alarm on my phone now. Anyway…I got out of bed, went into the bathroom and began to go through my race morning routine. I got dressed, did my hair, and then got out some water and the cereal I brought with me. This race it was Van’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Heaven cereal. I ate it dry, as I always do on race morning. Cathy got up around 4:45 and she fixed herself up some food to eat and then went and got dressed. I got my water bottles loaded with regular water and one with electrolytes, then loaded up my GU packets to take at similar intervals as I did Chicago. I grabbed some wet wipes from our bathroom and tissues…just in case. Then, I laced up my Newtons for the first time I’ve worn them over 13 miles. I was ready. So was Cathy. So, she got her hotel key and I grabbed the bananas for pre-race fuel. We were out the door and down to the car to make the short drive over to Huntington.
We made fantastic time, pulled into the stadium and parked without a problem. It was chilly out that morning, so we sat in the car with the heat going until around 6:15 a.m. After that, I finally knew it was time to get out and get acclimated and ready to race. We headed toward the stadium and stopped to admire the really cool statue built into the facade. I had to get a picture with it. Then we stepped inside out of the cold. I made use of the flushing toilets and then came out to get some stretching done. It was still chilly inside…because stadiums aren’t full enclosed, but it was better than being completely out in the air. Around 6:30 a.m., I ate my banana, did a little more stretching…then stepped out to honestly get acclimated.
Runners for all the races were beginning to line the sidewalk on 3rd Avenue. I kept getting asked if this was where the start of the race was. I kept saying I had no clue…but this was where the pacers were, so we were in the right spot. Soon, they completely closed the road and runners took over the entire width of 3rd Avenue. I wasn’t lining up with pacers at all, so instead I met some new friends who were so much fun to talk with at the beginning. It really just kept nerves down. The announcer came on and gave a few short announcements. Bart Yasso came on the speaker to wish everyone luck. The national anthem was sung…although I couldn’t find a flag. And then…we were given a blessing for a safe race for all. Then…we were given a count down and a horn.
With the statue in the facade of the stadium before the start of the race on Sunday morning. WE ARE…MARSHALL!
All the runners around me were asking where the start line was. Apparently the timers were off to the side near a flag, but everyone was looking for the strip on the ground…and there wasn’t one. I just started my Garmin and hoped for the best. Off I went…Marshall Marathon!
The first two miles of this race were really, really bottle-necked. I mean, runners were running tight, so there was really no getting around them. You just had to wait for a break and hope you could make it through. I did a little bobbing and weaving, but this did help me keep my speed in check coming out of the gate. So there is the positive. The course for the marathon was a loop that is run twice. So, even though this course was advertised as fast and flat (which…it is not flat! Remember…if a race says it has a flat course, you better believe there will be some hills!), there were some more challenging aspects. The roads were not completely closed throughout the course, for one thing, so we were running in one lane. The streets in Huntington are really, really, banked, and with the road partially open, I couldn’t switch sides like I did in Chicago. UGH! But, you just make it work as best you can. As I rounded into Mile 2, Cathy was standing on the corner, waving my sign, and screaming at me. It was awesome. Of course, then a little further in, the road changed from pavement to brick. Not just that…we tackled the first hill.
There wasn’t a lot of crowd support in this race, which definitely makes it more of a mental challenge. In Chicago, I forgot I was running at times. There was just so much going on and so much to drink in. At the Marshall University Marathon, while there were some clumps of people here and there, much of the race was pretty solitary. Just you…the other runners…and the road. It was a huge challenge.
As I rounded out of Mile 6, we entered onto the park area, which meant we went from pavement to this sort of worn dirt trail. There was loose gravel and it just really meant changing up the stride. It was around here that I had one of the worst side stitches ever. It was painful. So, I eased up on my pace, pressed on my side, drank down some water, and breathed deep. It last through around Mile 9, and I was just focusing on the path I was running. The side stitch did subside, just as I neared Mile 9. Which was perfect timing because who was standing at that mile marker? Bart Yasso!! He spotted me, pointed at me and said, “You’re looking good, girl!” Pardon the minor fangirl runner squee. We were finally dumped back onto the actual road soon after that, thank goodness!! I was already dreading that portion in the second loop. But, it was best to focus on the task at hand. The next few miles were enough to get my warmed up enough to ditch the gloves after we ran by the Ohio River. This was around Mile 12. I figured I wouldn’t need them anymore. Lesson…learned! But, I reached the split where the half marathoners were sent into the stadium to finish and the marathoners were sent through campus. I went the way fewer people were going. I was told at the entrance to follow the green arrows, so…I did. And eventually I came out of the campus grounds and onto the road. Mile 13…and who is standing there? Cathy. And she is screaming. And she has people standing with her who are screaming my name and cheering me on. She recruited people…that’s awesome! I hit the halfway point with a great time, I felt, at 1:43:43. Not too bad.
But then…
THE WIND.
Me fighting the 21 mph wind gusts at Mile 15 of the Marshall University Marathon – Huntington, West Virginia
Fierce, strong, and crazy winds that stuck with those on the marathon from Mile 13 to Mile 19. A strong headwind that was 14 mph with gusts up to 21 mph. It was stupid insane. At points, I felt like I wasn’t even moving. I saw some runners come to a walk because they didn’t want to expend too much energy just battling the wind. I eased up. I drank some water. I just was determined to finish strong. The wind, however, was definitely adding a new level of difficulty to the course. And I was not happy about it. It was a cold, strong wind…that apparently, according to Cathy, was ripping down the banners inside the stadium. I saw some runners lose their bibs. It was stupid strong. I did have one more Cathy sighting at Mile 15 where she shouted and screamed and waved the sign…but after that…the crowd support was pretty much limited to the volunteers and maybe the people in the park. When you’re running 26.2 miles, that crowd becomes your lifeline. And I definitely missed having that noise and distraction this time around.
The second loop felt so much harder than the first one did. The wind was part of it, and I did have to push harder than I would have liked to get through. But, you just do what you can. Race day can be so unpredictable. I actually welcomed the trail this time because at least the wind was no longer at my head. It was coming at me from the side. It was a little reprieve. I ticked off those miles as well as I could, but I was really starting to feel the lack of oomph in my stride. What I needed was a crowd. Some cheering. Something. But…there was none to be found.
Instead, I put my head back into the game and focused on the task of finishing. Miles 22 through the finish were back on the streets and off the path…which made it a little easier to run. I did what I could…but knew the magic I felt in Chicago was not coming back for this race. I pressed on, feeling determined to reach that finish line. I’d go mile by mile…taking it one step at a time. I had no time goal for this one, being that it was so close to my last marathon…so that was not an issue for me. I just felt a little let down with myself. Like…I could have done so much better.
Finally, the stadium came into view and I knew I was nearing the end of the race. We were sent back through campus and then turned to the left this time to head toward the stadium. Almost there. I pushed as much as I could at this point. At least there was a crowd here. The steep hill down into the stadium made me pull up. I didn’t want to tear up my quads…and it was really steep. Once I hit the AstroTurf, however, I was ready to cross that finish. I rounded the corner and headed toward the guy passing out footballs. He tossed it to me. Somehow my hands functioned enough to hold onto it and I ran it all the way to the finish line. I wanted to spike it, but I had people in the way, so, I simply held onto it and “Bolted” as I said I would. Then I handed it to the guy collecting footballs and moved on.
Cathy met me at the end of the chute. I looked over at her and said the first thing that came to mind:
“That one hurt.”
And it did. My knee was twinging at me, but I made my way over to the big vat of ice that held water bottles. I grabbed two of them and went to move out of the way. I wanted to get my feet up. First things first…I put my name on the list for a massage. Then, it was over to the dirt path to settle in and put my feet up. I called my mom at this point, but she was busy doing inventory at her job so I kept it short and she promised she would call back later. After about 5 minutes, I sat up and drank down some water. Cathy had my phone and was checking the results.
Guess what…
Me with my football and my age division award for coming in 3rd in my age division at the Marshall University Marathon – Huntington, West Virginia
Despite having one of the hardest races of my life…struggling with the wind and my own mind…I placed third in my age division. IN. A. MARATHON. I was elated. I was shocked. I was ready to get up and move around some more, because I knew that after the race and a quick trip back to the hotel, the car was my destiny, which meant I wouldn’t have the opportunity to stretch it out and keep moving like I did in Chicago. I moved around the field for a bit until it was time for my massage. I, thankfully, got the guy with the giant heating pad, which he put over my back. The massage felt awesome and I was so glad I got one. While that was going on, Cathy set out to find out about age division awards. She wasn’t successful, and returned just as my massage was finishing.
After that, we set out on a mission to find out about awards. It took awhile, but we finally spotted a guy carrying an award and talking to one of his buddies about it. Cathy asked where he got it and he directed us to the other side of the red tent on the field. I went over there and spoke to the gentleman behind the table. He only had the half marathon results so we had to wait. They were having printer problems trying to do the full marathon. About 20-30 minutes later, it was resolved and I received my age division award…a gorgeous blown glass vase done by a local company. It is really beautiful. I had to stick around to get the award because they weren’t mailing them this year. The staff of this race is all volunteers and it makes that task nearly impossible.
After I picked up the award, it was time to head back to the hotel. I made it up an incline, past the statue in the side of the building and to the car. I got inside and it was a quick zip over the river to Ohio and the waiting hotel. We asked for a late checkout time, but it was going to need to be later now since we had to wait on the age division award. I went up to the room to shower…Cathy made arrangements for us to check out at 1 p.m. Except the hotel key wasn’t working. So when she got up there, she had to go back down to the desk and get the key working again. Finally…I was in the room, heading for a nice, hot, relaxing shower.
I was dreading the car ride…but it had to happen. I was also craving grapes. So we stopped off at a travel center and I managed to find this huge cup of grapes. I had to have it…and some more water. Then, the car ride to Lexington. I was starving and while I had wanted to stop frequently to stretch out my legs…I wanted to get to my gluten-free pasta for lunch more. So…we drove through to Lexington, stopping at Bella Notte, my favorite place to eat in Lexington, where I can safely get gluten-free pasta. After that, we walked over to the nearby Half Price Books, where my mom called me back. I talked to her and shopped…and ended up buying a couple of things. Then, it was a hike back to the car, and our last leg into Louisville. We got into town, went to Whole Foods to finish up grocery shopping for the week, hit up the Comfy Cow for some ice cream as a reward for a great race, and then…HOME!
Despite the conditions with the wind (you can’t predict mother nature!), I did enjoy this race. The lack of crowd support does mean you are quite aware of every moment you are actually running in this race. So, if you love to have that crowd as a distraction…this is not the race to run. It was very well organized, however, and it was a lot of fun. The course, while not flat as advertised, wasn’t bad. Loops are a bit daunting though…because you know what’s coming the second time around. But that’s both good and bad. I fought hard for this one and am quite proud of what I accomplished in Huntington.
Official results of the Marshall University Marathon are that I finished in a time of 3:35:55…which I’ll take with a smile on my face. Considering I was down and out for that second loop, the fact that I finished in sub 3:40:00 is still a mystery to me on how I manged it. I do wonder, though, had conditions been different, had that wind not been so defeating, would I have bettered my Chicago time? I can’t dwell on that, however. Because this race wasn’t meant to be run for time. And as disappointed as I am with some of my mile splits, I fought for this one. I dug deep and I really found my strong. I was 84/614 runners overall. I was 10/235 women to cross the finish line. And I was 3/35 in my age division. Despite it all…I’m still smiling.
I’m also enjoying my rest days. I’ve earned them.
Running two marathons within a month of each other will tear you down, and now I am in the rebuilding phase. This marathon really got into my head. It was a mental challenge and a physical challenge. And when I am back out on the roads, I am going to keep in mind how much I fought on this one…and come back ready to get stronger and better. Part of me feels defeated by this one…like it bested me…but the other part of me reminds me that I finished and I finished strong. And while this wasn’t a “good” race as far as how I felt during the event, it was a good reminder that good days and bad days happen…you just roll with it. And if the results you get aren’t want you hoped for…adapt and overcome. It’s hard…but it sure beats the “WHAT IF…” questions your mind will throw at you. I hold my head high and stand proud. This took a lot out of me and showed me just what I was made of.
Huntington, West Virginia…thank you for giving me this opportunity. I will forever treasure the lessons I learned on the roads through your city.
WE ARE…MARSHALL!!
Me with Marco, the mascot of the Marshall University Thundering Herd, after I finished. I was still smiling!
The swag from the Marshall University Marathon – Huntington, WV. Not pictured is the 26.2 magnet you get after you finish as well. I forgot I stuck it on my fridge. It’s in the green and white Marshall University colors.
Windy with a chance of humor…
Battling an invisible opponent
You know…I used to check the weather religiously when I would wake up in the morning. All last winter and throughout this summer, the first thing I would do upon turning off my alarm would be to roll over and check the Weather Channel app on my phone and make a judgement call about wardrobe and the like.
I seem to have fallen off that system. I don’t even bother checking these days. I can’t explain the change…I just…don’t.
So, imagine my surprise this morning when I laced up my Adidas Boosts (random brand plug!), threw on some shorts and a long sleeve tech shirt and went out for a run…aiming to hit my mileage with some negative splits. I set out…and am immediately slapped with one of the strongest winds I have run through in a long time. And, of course, for the long uphill…the wind was blowing toward me. Headwinds suck. And whenever I do find where I’d have a tailwind…the winds seem to calm.
Mother Nature has a sense of humor when it comes to runners, I think. But…it’s all good. I embraced the added challenge of a bit of resistance during the run this morning. And I hit my miles and my negative splits. It wasn’t pretty…but it happened. I can only imagine what some of those drivers were thinking as they passed me fighting 16 mph winds this morning. I probably looked like I was running in place when those gusts got strong. Nature’s treadmill is a strong headwind. Trust me.
All I could do was laugh. And I was laughing a lot. It was, actually, just what I needed in a run. A strong wind to make me fight for it and dig deep…but still find the humor in the moment. I love laughing on my runs. I don’t often find a reason…but this morning gave me the perfect opportunity.
Moments like that make these solitary runs a lot more enjoyable. Live in the moment. Fight an uphill battle against a strong opponent…and win.
Find your strong…believe the run…
And don’t forget to smile.
And laugh.
It sure makes the miles go faster! Even if you’re running straight into a 16 mph wind…
Bank of America Chicago Marathon – Chicago, IL (October 13, 2013)
Me at Mile 3 of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon – Chicago, Illinois
Race: Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Place: Chicago, Illinois
Date: October 13, 2013
Time: 3:28:28
I just ran my first marathon! My first 26.2 miles. I ran it through 29 neighborhoods in Chicago. I ran it strong. I never hit a wall. I had a plan. I stuck with it. And I had some of the best support on the ground I could have ever asked for at a race. The weather was perfect. And I, honestly, had the time of my life.
How many people can say that when they’re running 26.2 miles, eh?
But this post doesn’t start at the race. This post started 18 weeks ago when I not only began a challenging training program, but also took it upon myself to find a sports nutritionist because I wanted to be sure that I got to this race and was able to run this race in the best shape possible…and ready. There are so many times before where I did so many things wrong…especially when it came to fueling and hydrating during races. I didn’t want that to happen here. You only get your first marathon once. I wanted it to be a good and happy memory. So, Donna, if you are reading this, all your advice and help really, really paid off. I listened to you about how to fuel properly for a marathon, how to hydrate properly for a marathon, what to eat, what to avoid, and how to figure out what worked best for me. Some weeks were better than others…but that’s why we have those 18 weeks of training. You figure it all out.
So, as the taper kicked in and my mood shifted from runner’s high to evil step-runner mode (I do NOT handle taper well. Let this be my PSA to all of you), I had to really trust my body and try not to let the mental game of…running less = poor performance get to me. Mind games. They happen. I was very respectful of my taper, doing exactly as my plan called for. That meant the week leading into my marathon, I didn’t run much. For three days, I ran 4 miles each morning. Two of them were at marathon pace. One was more speed work and pacing related. Then…two full days off. No running. No morning walks. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Rest the legs. Get them ready. I wanted to run so bad during those days…but I didn’t. I made myself rest. It was two of the hardest days of my life.
Friday night, my friend Jenn from Ohio rolled into town. She has been to quite a few of my races and is such a huge support. She wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to come to Chicago to see me run. Nope. So, she headed this way and got in as I was still trying to make myself pack for the race. I was distracting myself. With everything. Including organizing my BondiBand’s by color. Packing…yeah…focus. She and Cathy got me on task, and once my running bag and my regular duffel bag were packed with what I could pack that night…the three of us headed out to grab some dinner.
Since it had been way too long since Jenn had come into the area, I had her pick a place where we could eat dinner. I sent her places that had options for everyone, including me. And she surprised me when she chose Dakshin, a local and amazing Indian restaurant. I threw it on the list because I knew it had good food. Never did I expect Jenn to pick it. But she did. And I was proud of her for branching out. So, we made the drive over to Dakshin and settled in for some crazy-good Indian food. If you live in Louisville and haven’t tried this place…DO IT! Since it was only two days to my marathon, I was being extra cautious about my food. Being a Celiac means being so careful when it comes to eating out. I wanted carbs and protein…so I ordered the Dal Tadke Wali…which is home style yellow lentils which are tempered with Indian spices. YUMMY! It was served with this delicious basmati rice that has coriander seeds and various Indian spices cooked in with it. Keep that in mind as you scoop it onto your plate…FYI! Needless to say…the food was delicious and Indian food is one of my favorite cuisines anyway. I don’t get the authentic stuff often…so this really made me happy. Cathy, in case you were wondering, chose the Goat Korma…which was apparently spicy. Jenn went with the safe, but still off the beaten path for her, Tandoori Chicken. It was spicy for her too. So, with me being the one who loves spice…I got the mildest meal of all three of us. Go figure. Anyway…after our amazing food, we went to celebrate the upcoming race with some ice cream from The Comfy Cow. I was a Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice scooper. Hey…marathon training means ice cream. This was Jenn’s first taste of Comfy Cow ice cream, so she went with the Bonjour Toast offering. Cathy went with Vermont Maple Walnut. With full bellies…we headed back to the apartment to settle in for the evening and watch Spirit of the Marathon to get keyed up for Sunday…and followed it up with Marathon Thoughts…which if you haven’t pulled that up on YouTube…shame on you. Do so now!
We crashed out that evening at a decent time. The people downstairs were having a party, so sleep wasn’t easy and I didn’t get much of it. My alarm went off early…because my training plan called for me to do 3 miles or 30 minutes of running that day. Since we had a drive to Chicago ahead of us, I got out of bed, put on my running clothes, my reflective gear, and headed out to run. The rest days were good for me…and my legs felt good as I pushed through three very early miles. I came back and snuck inside so as not to wake anyone yet. Went to shower and finish packing. Then, Jenn was up. And soon Cathy was as well. We ate a quick breakfast (cereal and some gluten-free French toast sticks…which…eh…) before packing up the car with all of our stuff, a cooler of drinks and snacks, and hit the road to Chicago. We had to detour around Indianapolis due to Highway 65 being shut down going through downtown, so this tacked on some time. My friend Heather, like one of my best friends who I have known since third grade!, was in Chicago to see me run. She flew in from Minnesota for the occasion and texted to let me know she was there and grabbing some breakfast. We had hoped to get in around 10 a.m. We got there around 11 a.m. We met up with Heather at the Hilton Chicago, the host hotel, and the hotel we were staying in for the weekend. We valeted the car, put our luggage on a cart to be delivered, and I got us checked into the hotel. We were up on the 8th Floor…which just happened to be the floor where many of the elites were staying. The luggage would be up shortly, but the four of us headed up to the room. The first set of keys I was given, didn’t work…so I headed back down to the lobby to get that fixed. There was a much longer line now and more of a wait. But, I just let it roll off my back. These things happen. No sense getting worked up over it, right? The key situation was fixed and we got some commemorative keys to boot. LOVE them. Back up to the room and my friends were already inside. I closed myself out just to make sure the keys worked this time. They did. And soon after…luggage was delivered.
This is how I know my friends are totally amazing. The guy bringing in our luggage carried in the famous Donkey sign first, saying the most important thing had to come in first. He immediately put it up in the window facing the lake. It made me smile…a lot. As he was bringing in our bags and cooler, he was asking questions about the race…and I mentioned it was my first marathon. He said to my friends that they had a long day ahead of them tomorrow…at least a 4 hour or 4-1/2 hour wait for me to come in. To which, Heather chimes…”Nope. She’ll run it in 3:30.” Cathy and Jenn totally ran with that as well and I just nervously laughed. He asked what my number was because he’d have his eye on me. So, we told him, tipped him, and he was gone. With that bit of business taken care of…and bathroom breaks made, we hurried downstairs to 8th Street entrance of the Hilton and got in line for the shuttle buses to take us over to McCormick Place, where the expo was awaiting us. The first bus that arrived filled up fast…but we got on the next one and soon were on our way to the expo.
Me at the Nike booth at the expo for the Chicago Marathon
Lately, my race expos have been tiny and rather…disappointing. Utica…was probably the best one I had been to all year…and I’m not counting Disney races in this. Disney is a monster all its own. But this expo…was HUGE!! We walked into McCormick Place and just followed the sea of runners…which guided us to the monstrous exhibit hall where all things running related were happening. First things first, however…and that was getting my packet. I headed over to where this BIG sign declared PACKET PICK-UP, and stepped up to this little table where they scanned my participant guide and sent me over to Booth 5 to retrieve my bib number and packet. I headed that way, and my information was already pulled up and waiting on me. I was handed my bib, an envelope of information, and told where to go in order to get my race t-shirt. I grabbed some Chicago Runs For Boston bracelets for me and my friends and went to head to get my t-shirt. But…got waylaid by this awesome wall where people were able to remove a magnet and sign their name. We all did it…writing messages and the like…and keeping our magnets as mementos. Then, we got to battle the crowds. I was ready…and as we made our way up the first row of exhibitors…I just casually glanced at the booths. I was hoping to make it out of the expo without spending too much money, so the less time I looked at things, the more likely that was going to happen. I managed to get up to the tables in the back that had the t-shirts and bags for the participants. I retrieved mine…and, as I learned my lesson from Disneyland, immediately pulled out the t-shirt to make sure it was a proper fit. It was. So now…we were loose to check out the exhibitors and try to make it out with as much of my wallet in tact as possible.
It was a valiant effort…but an ultimate fail in the end. I found CEP’s booth and picked up some compression sleeves for my friend Natalie. She wanted the blue ones I wore once to the fun run…and I promised if I spotted them at the expo in Chicago in her size, I would buy them. Well…it happened. And they were now hers. Not far from there was the BondiBand booth. And my friends and I set out on a mission to find a 26.2 BondiBand. We found SO many good ones, just not 26.2. Then…we started finding them…in hideous colors. With some luck…I found two that were okay. One in blue with pink numbers, and a red and black one. I asked my friends which I should get, and since my uniform for the race was red and black…that was what we went with. I purchased two other BondiBands as well…
Oh…I also got to meet Hal Higdon. Like…THE Hal Higdon. How amazing is that? I bought his new book, 4:09:43 – The Boston Marathon Bombings, and was able to have it autographed. This happened because I get a call from Cathy saying…”I’m standing next to Hal Higdon. You better get over here!” And with some direction…yep…it happened. And I was this little fangirling runner trying not to squee and make a fool of myself. Because…DUDE…it’s Hal Higdon. AND while Hal was signing my book, right behind me on the main programming stage…Deena Kastor. DEENA KASTOR!! One of my running idles. I was…in runner heaven, I think.
But…there was much to do that day so lingering too long was not going to be an option. We were just scraping the surface of the expo. So…we made our way past booths…in which I ignored the Newton booth…because I couldn’t afford more shoes at the moment as much as I wanted another pair. We sampled different NUUN flavors. We tried some protein bars (gluten-free, of course), we walked past Scott Jurek, the vegan ultramarathoner…and I once again had to attempt not to squee!! I was doing good…not spending any more money…and we were making lots of progress through the expo.
Then, lo and behold, I hear someone calling my name. It’s Matthew and Dawn, who I run with on Saturday mornings with my group. They were up in Chicago as spectators, not runners, in this marathon and saw me walk by. In that mass of people…they spotted me. We hugged…we talked…they asked how I was feeling. I said the nerves were gone, now I was just excited. So…I was already feeling better. Lots of people I knew were here…they were going to be cheering…it was going to be a good time. They told me to have my bib scanned at the Nike booth…so I took that advice and headed that way. Bib scanned and the screen read, “Karen Owns Chicago.” SWEET! I was about to leave, after getting a free poster, when I spotted the official merchandise. No shirts though…but we were directed over to the Nike booth. UH OH!! Yeah…might as well have just drained my wallet when I walked in there. Needless to say…a jacket and a shirt later…I was now leaving the expo…because I was running out of money.
We returned to the Hilton and took things up to the room. We had a small amount of downtime to sit and chat. Heather did some foam rolling and I started to get my race outfit out and laid on the table so it was ready for the morning. We called down to valet after that to have the car brought around because now…it was time to feed our faces. I had discovered what sounded like an amazing place to get a gluten-free pizza. The place: Da Luciano Pizza, Pasta and Catering. It was located in River Grove, so it was about a 20 minute drive. We got there…went inside…and was asked if anyone needed a gluten-free menu. I was feeling good about this already. We were seated and left to look at the menus. While all the pastas sounded awesome, my pre-race tradition is gluten-free pizza. I wasn’t changing that up. Nope. So, we all placed our orders…and I got my gluten-free pizza with mushrooms, onion, and roasted red peppers. YUMMY! Food came out and I devoured my entire pizza and even ordered a gluten-free cannoli for dessert. That, BTW…was super-duper delish. The pizza was really good too. It hit the spot. And I was now properly fed (carbs!). We dropped Heather off at a train stop so she could head back to her hotel…and then we were headed back to the Hilton. We all changed, brushed our teeth, and…climbed into bed around 8:30 p.m.
Da Luciano’s Gluten-Free Pizza and Gluten-Free Cannoli
This was early for me. This never happens. I always try to get to bed early on race night, but it never seems to work out. So, I immediately figured that I’d have trouble falling asleep. WRONG. I was out. And I only woke up, briefly, twice during the night with the, “What if I didn’t set my alarm?” panic I always have. I rested…and rested well.
My alarm went off at 4 a.m. and I snuck out of bed, hoping not to disturb Cathy and Jenn as I fumbled around in the dark, grabbing my outfit for the race and heading into the bathroom. I dressed. I did my hair. I came out as Jenn was heading into the other bathroom. Cathy finally dragged herself out of bed too. We all had a quick bite to eat and I was texted by Heather to say she was on her way. I wasn’t sure cereal would be enough on a marathon race morning, but was told to stick with what I knew. So that morning, I ate a serving of Chocolate Chex cereal…no milk…slowly and leisurely, as I checked my e-mail and Facebook on my phone. I had so many people wishing me luck. Text messages were coming. And just as I finished eating and went to brush my teeth, Heather texted to say she was at the hotel and heading up.
I got my fuel belt ready with my hydration needs, tucked my GU packets into my skirt pockets…and when Heather arrived…we were all set to head down to the lobby. And…with perfect timing my friend Cheryl texted to ask if I was at the Hilton. I said I was and she said her gear check was right there and she wanted to come over and see me. We made plans to meet in the lobby…which was bustling with runners. But…she found me. And we hugged and talked about the race…and took pictures…because that’s what we do. Time was nearing for me to head to the gate that would take me to my corral. So…with us each wishing each other luck and telling each other to have a good run…we parted ways. She was in the 2nd wave of runners to go out…and I was in the 1st. In fact, my corral, Corral C, was only accessible through Gate #1. Heather lead the way there…and we just talked a lot about anything but racing. We even took selfies on her phone while walking. HA! We paused at the corner and took photos with each other…rotating through and then crossed the street to Gate #1. This was as far as they were allowed to go. The security checkpoint was right there…so…they wished me luck…Jenn sent me off with her usual sayings, which are magic, I swear…and I went to get in line for the no-bag security check. One more wave…and they were off to find a spot near the start…and I was off to get to my corral.
My friends are awesome – Me and Cheryl; Jenn, Me, and Cathy; Me and Heather
It was still dark out, but I just sort of followed the signs to get me to Corral C. It was a bit of a hike, but not bad. Not really. I was clinging to my banana for all it was worth and trying to get the butterflies in my stomach to settle. Not nervous butterflies. The excitement was starting to build. And I was just…wanting to settle in and zen. So, I found the entrance to my corral, but didn’t go right in. I stood on the side and did some stretching…some walking…some pacing. I wanted to be loose. I wanted to clear my mind. And the moment I stepped into that corral…I wanted to be focused. So…I just paced the sidewalk for about 30 minutes, stopping to stretch out my legs every now and again. At 6:55 a.m., I peeled my banana and sent to get into Corral C. Security checked my bib number, I entered and moved up to a spot where I remained for the rest of the time. I ate my banana quicker than I intended to…but I think that was just me needing something to do. I just hoped it would stick with me long enough to get me to the point I chose to be my first fuel point. I packed an extra GU pack though, just in case I needed it. I was taking no chances. But…I was fine. The corral filled up quickly. I had to help the guy behind me start his iPod. His daughter loaded up a playlist for him, but he had no idea how to work the player. I helped him out and he thanked me. I talked to some people around me, making friends, and hearing from others about their experiences with the Chicago Marathon. Exciting! The announcer had everyone remove their hats and the National Anthem played. Runners shed clothes they wore to keep warm, and we all shivered in crisp 45 degree air. At 7:20 a.m., the wheelchair start headed out. Then, at 7:21 a.m., the handcycle racers got underway. It was 7:30 a.m. when the start officially happened…with the elites up front…and the corrals behind them. We were slowly moved up as each corral was sent off. It was so comical when those holding the rope to the corral tried to clear out as those of us in Corral C were turned loose to head to the Start. I stuck to the left of the course, because Cathy said she’d be aiming for the left side of the road…I trotted to the start…crossed the line…and was off.
Chicago Marathon!!
This marathon runs through 29 neighborhoods of Chicago. It kicks off in Grant Park, which is beautiful, by the way. I took off from that start line, heading for the underpass we go through. The crowd was already prominent and loud. It was awesome. I started off smiling and I don’t think that grin ever left my face for one moment. Soon, I found myself in the Streeterville neighborhood, home of the Magnificent Mile, lots of luxury hotels, great shopping district, and Navy Pier. People were lined up 5 deep on the side of the road, making as much noise as possible…and just being loud. I wasn’t sure where I was going to see my friends…but I was through the first mile and didn’t see them at all. Onward.
The Loop was up next…with all the gorgeous architecture it brings to Chicago. I was heading up LaSalle Street…and just before Mile 3…I see the Donkey sign. There are Heather, Cathy, and Jenn and they are making some noise!! I think my smile grew even more. I waved as I ran by. Jenn yelled, “RUN DONKEY! RUN LIKE A PRETTY PONY!” Um…this is becoming a new mantra I think. I LOVE that. It was awesome seeing my friends as I neared the 5K mark. Pressing on, I entered Near North Side, where the streets were lined with trees, offering some shade from the sun, and residential areas as well. Then it was into Lincoln Park…then Wrigleyville (yes…Wrigley Field!)…then Lakeview East. And in Lakeview East…Boystown! Boystown is the first officially recognized gay village in the United States, and is also the cultural center of one of the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities in the nation. This is immediately evident in the race because, aside from the rainbow flags, runners are greeted by a stage full of drag queens. It was really awesome and definitely a change in the usual mix. It made me smile! It was a party right on the course. This was one of my favorite neighborhoods to run through. The vibe was awesome.
The different neighborhoods continued…Park West, Old Town…and then…around Mile 12…River North. What made Mile 12 so damn special was that this was where Cathy and Jenn found me again on the course. Somehow I missed them. I didn’t know they were going to be there…but my eyes were always searching that crowd for my friends and my sign. How I missed it…I don’t know…but they were there and have pictures to prove it. Regardless…I must have felt them in spirit because I was still going strong! My friends are awesome. From there it was through some more of the city’s amazing neighborhoods…West Loop Gate, Greektown, and the West Loop.
I bet you’re wondering where Heather went then. Well, she already had a place in mind for where she could see me again on the course. After Mile 3…she hopped a train and found me again right around Mile 14…in front of Soul City Church. And…WOW…was she loud and cheering as I came through. I heard her above the roar of everyone else in the crowd. She wanted to be at Mile 14 because it marked the furthest I had ever gone in an official race. With 10 half marathons under my belt…13.1 miles has been the standard. She wanted to see me into that next step. And she did it with perfect Heather style!! And even got the pastor of the church to scream right along with her. What a way to take on the second half!
Near West Side was next…then Little Italy (aka: University Village). The smell of Italian food was prominent. And it smelled really good. From there it was into the Illinois Medical District. And then, as we come around toward Mile 20…the Pilsen neighborhood. Mile 20…is usually where The Wall hits. But I never even hit it. The Wall was not even a force to be reckoned with. It was dead to me. And I powered through this difficult part of the race without even slowing down. I was feeling good. My race plan for fuel and hydration was working…and fatigue wasn’t even hitting me. There was no stopping me…not here.
East Pilsen was next…followed by Chinatown. I loved Chinatown. I rounded the corner into this neighborhood and was greeted by a big, silver Chinese Dragon. The atmosphere was uplifting and awesome. And the area smelled ethnic and awesome. And it really made me want Chinese food. I haven’t had Chinese food in forever due to my food allergies. I miss it. A lot. Chinatown was SO awesome. The crowd here was massive and loud. Uplifting for sure!
Which was good because heading into Mile 23 was the hardest to contend with…because the crowds faded as we hit the industrial area. There was very little crowd support. It was only for a little over a mile though…the crowds did come back.
Bridgeport was next…then came the turn to “head home” and through the Park Boulevard neighborhood. It was straight up Michigan Avenue from that point on. The final 3 miles were upon me. And this was where I started to slow down. I felt strong, but the sun was up and the temperature was nearing 70 degrees. I was hot. But with only a 5K remaining, I was ready to give it all I had. Bronzeville…The Gap…South Commons…Prairie District…
At around Mile 26…South Loop and Central Station…where the crowd gave runners a much needed lift as all of us tackled the one hill on the course. And it was NOT nice having us run up a hill at the very end. Let me tell you though…they did their job. I slowed down just slightly as my legs really didn’t want to run up that hill, but the crowd got me there. And so did my friends, who I heard screaming for me. This was the last point they could see me at before the finish line. I was going to reunite with them in the runner reunion area afterwards. So, they were loud and awesome and I was on my way to the finish.
Me…the marathoner…after the Bank of America Chicago Marathon – Chicago, Illinois
The Finish Line came into view and I kept smiling. I think I was smiling the entire time I was running, but that Finish line just went to show how tough I was…how far I’d come. It was beautiful. I gave my final push to cross the line and threw my arms up in victory. I finished strong. I finished feeling good. I got past the photographers and paused my Garmin. Then…immediately started crying. I didn’t hurt. I wasn’t tired. It was just I had so many doubts coming into this marathon, and then I went and did something extraordinary. I finished it far faster than I anticipated or even dreamed. Everything felt like a blur. I took a few deep breaths and kept moving…getting some water…and then receiving my finisher’s medal. Bananas…snack boxes…more water…and finisher’s photos…that all followed. I downed some Gatorade as I moved…then had some water. I made my way through the finish area toward the runner’s reunion, where I was to meet Cathy, Jenn and Heather under the letter V…because it would be less crowded than the beginning of the alphabet. I saw the sign…and my friends…and went running toward them. Cathy came up and gave me a tight hug, immediately telling me my official time. I cried some more. I cried more as Heather gave me a hug and then some more when Jenn gave me a hug. We were just…so happy! I was so FREAKIN’ happy. I made sure I drank some more water and I laid down to put my feet up while I called my parents in Birmingham, Alabama to tell them about my race and my finish. They were so thrilled and proud of me. I only wish they could have been there to share the moment as well.
After I hung up the phone, I stood up and went to get in line for a stretch and massage. The line was long, but I knew this would help in the end. While I was waiting, Cathy went off to see if she could find any official finisher’s gear. She returned about 10 minutes later (the line hadn’t moved) and handed me a gorgeous red rose and a bear wearing a Chicago 2013 26.2 t-shirt. Ironically, the bear’s name was Dean, which was a sign…had to be…since the captain of the charity (Action for Healthy Kids) that I was running for is none other than Dean Karnazes. Eventually, it was my turn for a stretch and massage. That was the best thing ever. It helped get those muscles loose. The therapist working on me mentioned how flexible I was…and I told her it was from years of yoga. After a good stretching…we decided to make our way back to The Hilton so I could get showered and changed. My intention, even though I wasn’t sore, was to take a cold shower. I turned the water on, stuck my hand in…and totally nixed that plan. I’ve never taken an ice bath or ice shower after a run, why start now? Especially when I didn’t feel I needed one. I bounce back really well from long distances on my own. Never change up the routine. Anyway…I was clean. I foam rolled. It was time to go see some sites around Chicago.
Our plan for the day was to hit up Garrett’s Popcorn for amazing popcorn of awesomesauce. Cathy promised me a gallon tin of the Cashew Caramel Crisp. We also got a small bag of the Chicago Mix…because we needed something to snack on. All of us bought our share of popcorn to enjoy…and we went walking the Miracle Mile. With Nike being one of the sponsors, they had all the official Finisher’s merchandise. So after a stop by The Bean…and The Chicago Tribune building…Nike was next. As we neared the building, employees were out cheering on everyone who was wearing one of the finisher’s medals. It really made it SO special. We ducked inside…and Cathy purchased two shirts for me…and Heather put money toward a nice pull-over (in Heather gray). After that…a walk back to the hotel. Heather needed to meet up with our friend Janet to go to church and Jenn, Cathy and I were going to grab some dinner. Instead of the Mexican place we had reservations for that night, we ended up sticking to the hotel and eating at the pub that was connected. I had a salad. They had fish and chips. From there…back up to the room to relax a little while and wait for Heather and Janet. Because gelato was on the menu for dessert. Well earned…and dessert is best when done with friends. I didn’t want the evening to end…but, much like my little cup of gelato…it did.
Sadly, it was time to say goodbye. Janet was going to get Heather to the airport, as she had to fly back to Minnesota that night. So, lots of hugs and promises to get together again soon…we parted ways. I walked Janet and Heather to the elevators and gave hugs and said goodbye…for the time being. I returned to the room and got changed into pajamas. Foam rolling was next. And then…we were all ready to settle in, watch some television, and then get some sleep.
The problem was…I couldn’t fall asleep. I was tired, but sleep just wasn’t going to come. So, all night I tossed and turned and watched the clock. I finally got out of bed…and went to change. Soon, Jenn woke up and then Cathy. Cathy and I went to walk a bit around the track at the fitness center before we finished packing everything up and getting ready to check out. Chicago was a blast…but we had a long drive ahead of us. So…after a quick jaunt to Caribou Coffee…we had our luggage loaded up, my car brought around…and we hit the road.
I am very, very proud of my accomplishment…and I know a lot of this was made possible by the people who have helped me along the way. First of all…major huge props, hugs, love, and appreciation go out to my sports nutritionist. Donna…without your advice, guidance, and all-over support and enthusiasm…I don’t think I would have made it through that distance without hitting The Wall. As The Wall and I are still perfect strangers…I hope to continue this trend. You are awesome and I’m so glad we are working together. Your advice and your help have, definitely, made me a better, stronger, and faster runner. You helped me develop a plan to go the distance and feel good at the end of said mileage. Guess what? It worked! Tons of praise, love, hugs, and cowbell jingles go out to my family (who couldn’t be in Chicago), my friends, my co-workers, my runners, and the strangers who got me to that finish line. This has been a long journey…and you’ve seen me through all of the insanity.
To Cathy…who saw me try and fail, try and succeed, rode 18 miles on a bike one Sunday with me to keep me company on a miserably hot day, who has seen me through injuries, seen me struggle, seen me overcome, and just continued to be the best damn crew a runner could ever have. To Jenn…who coined my new favorite phrase when it comes to running, who always tells me not to pants my poop…and who compels me with the power of Dean…who shares my love of all things chocolate, ice cream, and delicious…and who never judges me when I get up early when I visit and go for crazy long runs. Even if it’s in the kitchen during a snowstorm. Next time, I promise not to slam into the island. And to Heather…who I have known since 3rd grade…and despite your move to Minnesota as we were heading to middle school, kept in touch and still, to this day, is the best damn friend this girl could have asked for. Your amazing belief in me and my abilities is unstoppable. You teach me to reach for the stars and go beyond even what I think I am capable of achieving. Your drive is contagious. It always has been.
So…my official results of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon are that I finished in a time of 3:28:28. I am still shocked with my time and blown away by what that time means. I was 3,897/39,122 finishers overall. I was the 592/17,527 female to cross the finish line. And I was 154/3,274 in my division. You cannot believe how thrilled I am with these results. I felt so good about this run. I conserved energy…even though I took that first mile fast. I knew to ease up and let my body find it’s rhythm and its pace. I ran strong. And with that…achieved more than I ever thought possible. This past week has been dedicated to recovery…although my body hasn’t really felt like it needed it. Like I said…I bounce back. This was such an amazing experience. I never stopped smiling during the race…and it’s been hard to get me to stop smiling since then as well.
I ran this town…and owned it!
Marathon Training Week #17 – The heart of the matter
Marathon Training Week #17
Taper madness continues. Along with a lot of outside stress…inner doubt…and really learning to rest this body. It’s not easy. I love my runs, especially my long runs. And having my mileage cut back hasn’t been easy for me. Neither has this entire week for that matter. Never before have I felt like the weight of the world was pushing on my shoulders. And, honestly, my week had gotten off to a good start. I was feeling good. I was making good decisions. I was training right.
But all it takes is one thing to throw everything out of whack. That’s what happened this week and it lead to stress…stress…stress eating…difficult runs…lots of crying…and more stress.
You see, on Monday morning, my roommate, Cathy, woke up and came out of her room looking panicked. She said she had a bad dream and now her heart was racing. Sort of like a panic attack. She went to the doctor that morning and was tentatively diagnosed with Atrial fibrillation (A Fib), which is an irregular and often rapid heart rate that causes poor blood flow to the body. During A fib, the heart’s upper two chambers beat chaotically and irregularly, out of coordination with the two lower chambers. She was admitted to Floyd Memorial Hospital…and that was her home until Thursday afternoon. And I was bouncing back and forth between being at the hospital with her, work, training, and working at home. There wasn’t any downtime this week. The good news is…her heart eased back into its natural rhythm on its own. She had been taken to have a procedure done on Wednesday morning that would involve giving her heart a shock to put it back into its natural rhythm, but her heart had already managed to do that. So, she’s on a blood thinner and a medication to slow down the beating of her heart. Yeah…it’s pretty scary stuff. But, I’m happy to report that she is recovering well, taking her medications, and getting back to normal.
All that being said…training seemed impossible…and impossibly hard this week. Somehow…somehow I managed to get it all in, visit the hospital twice a day, work at the office my normal hours, and work at home after leaving the hospital at the end of visiting hours (8:30 p.m.). This meant there were a lot of very late nights and early mornings. It was a hard week and I would be lying if I said that I didn’t sit down at the office and cry a few times at my desk…or cry in the car…or call my mom and cry…or just have a hard cry while out on my run. It didn’t always make me feel better…sometimes it made me feel worse…but…things happen for a reason. And I know if I can make it through this…I can make it through 26.2 miles in Chicago.
While the week started off great…it took a steep downturn starting Monday after my first run. Let’s take a look at how stress and restlessness turned me into one exhausted runner. I have never felt so physically and mentally wiped in my life. This week…felt harder than any other before it.
Sunday is my other day of rest, which I often use to take a second long run. This run is always shorter than the previous day’s run. And, I also had to meet with Donna, my sports nutritionist, that morning. So, I was out early and getting that run in. I had decided I would go either 8 or 9 miles, whatever I was feeling, really. I wasn’t feeling too good about things. Water retention was becoming an issue and each morning I was waking up feeling bloated and just…fat. Honestly. Turns out, after meeting with Donna, water retention happens during the taper. I should not panic over it or fuss over it. It’s natural. Whew. Because, honestly…I was starting to wonder what was happening. Apparently being very tired and sluggish is another side effect of the taper. Good to know these things. I am so blessed to have Donna seeing me through my training and giving me advice and information I wouldn’t have thought of before. Anyway, I ended up rocking out 9 miles Sunday morning before the sun came up. I kept the pace easy and slower, wanting to keep it challenging, but not push too much. And that’s what I did. I felt really good at the end of it. The run felt good. And in the end…that’s the important thing.
Monday started off great. I was scheduled to do 6 miles easy that morning. And when I set out in the dark, I did just that. I just pressed on. No need to stop for anything. Even on the hills I randomly chose to throw in there, my legs felt good and strong and I was having a very, very good start to the day. Came home to make breakfast and that was when the shit hit the fan. Cathy woke up with the heart arrhythmia, which stressed her out…which stressed me out…which just spiraled into one of the worst mornings ever. The gorgeous and nutritious breakfast I made (veggie egg white scramble with homemade breakfast potatoes and a caramelized apple and Greek yogurt parfait) was thrown away. A doctors appointment was scheduled…then a trip to the hospital…which lead to a hospital stay. I briefly ducked back into the office when Cathy’s mom came to relieve me at the hospital and grabbed some work to do from home that night. I came home and had to go run some of this pressure off. So, I laced up my Newtons and went for a soul cleansing 3 mile run. I didn’t want to be gone too long…just needed to do something to take the some stress off my shoulders and try to ease my own heart. The run was cleansing…but it was soon back to reality. I headed back to the hospital and stayed with Cathy, meeting her doctor, hearing what he was recommending (lots of tests in the morning!), and staying until the last possible moment I could. Cathy had never stayed overnight in the hospital…and as much as I didn’t want to leave her there because of how stressed out she was…I had to go home. Came home, ate a dinner consisting of Greek yogurt and red grapes, then worked until the wee hours of the night before calling it quits.
Tuesday is normally my cross-training day. But I changed it up. Tuesday, I decided I needed to do my speed work. It was the day I was dreading most…and that morning I just needed to feel my heart beat fast and hard and have my legs and body pushed beyond limits. I hadn’t slept well the night before, having only managed about 3 hours of sleep if that. But speed work was happening. I did a 1 mile warm up, then hit the paces with 8 x 800 meters with a 2 minute recovery, then a 1 mile cool down. 8 miles total. I needed that run to battle exhausting, battle my inner demons, battle my emotions. I needed it that morning. Not Wednesday…but Tuesday. Afterwards, I returned to the apartment and showered, then packed up some fruit to have for breakfast (banana, apple with almond butter, grapes), grabbed my lunch for work and headed out the door to the hospital to visit with Cathy. She had her EKG early in the morning. But that morning they were going to take her down for her Echocardiogram. I was there and talking to her (she hadn’t slept much either) until they arrived to take her down for her test. I told her I’d be back after work, and headed into the office. Back to the hospital I went, as promised, immediately following work. We were going to get test results that evening, but her doctor didn’t show up until very late, again. The news was that her tests were fine. There was no serious cause to her A fib. It was brought on by outside factors…stress, anxiety, etc. So, he gave her two treatment options…medicine…or the shock. To my surprise…she chose the shock to the heart. So…they went ahead and had that scheduled for Wednesday morning. It was after visiting hours when I left…got home…had another dinner of Greek yogurt and red grapes, and worked from home until late again.
Wednesday was another early morning. It was also cross-training day. I went to the gym right when it opened at 5 a.m. And I decided to change things up. I did my strength training first. Which felt good. Then, I hit up the Cardio Wave machine. I rocked that one out, despite an exhausted body and tired legs from speed work and late nights…and a not so good dinner the past two nights. After that, I got on the Arc Trainer for 45 minutes and rocked out an amazing 2.75 miles with challenging resistances, inclines, and intervals. I felt good at the end of the morning. I came home, quickly showered, packed up an apple and some grapes to eat at the office and headed back to the hospital. I met up with Cathy’s mom and sister in the elevator and the three of us went to Cathy’s room. She was asleep, but her mom woke her up. We chatted until they came to get her for her procedure. Lots of hugs and well wishes happened outside the cardio unit. I left after they took her back, having a good cry on the way to work. Good news came though when her mom texted and said Cathy was doing fine and that nothing had to be done…she naturally went back to her normal rhythm. It was a relief to be sure. I stopped by after work and stayed with her until her doctor came in. He told her she had to stay overnight, which bummed her out beyond belief, and he was putting her on a blood thinner and a medicine for her heart…but that she could go home on Thursday. I asked if it would be in the morning, and he said it would. So…I left and went to get some work done, once again making a late dinner out of Greek yogurt and grapes, and managed to do as much as I could before fatigue hit me hard. I called it a night and tried to get some sleep.
Thursday morning greeted me and I had an easy 3 mile run to do. I managed that, cursing the taper the entire time. But I did rock the run, and that was the important thing. I felt solid and strong logging those short miles. Then, I hit up the gym. I did just the elliptical machine, keeping the setting at Level 7, but dialing back on intensity. Too close to the marathon to do something stupid, and my body was fighting me. It was just done with everything. Tired doesn’t even begin to describe how I was feeling at that point. I was just…dead on my feet. So, listening to my body, I skipped the other cardio machine and did some easy strength training downstairs before hitting up the apartment again, showering, and getting to the hospital at 7 a.m. Cathy was supposed to be released that morning. She was starving, mind you, when I was there and after she woke up…so I gave her the grapes I had brought with me. Which is good because the breakfast they brought her was not what she ordered the night before. She picked at it. Around 10:00, her mom showed up and I left to do some work from home, assuming that despite the promise that she would be released in the morning, it might be an all day thing. I was wrong. 45 minutes later, I was texted saying they were doing Cathy’s release papers. So, I booked it over to the hospital to retrieve her. Hurry up and wait. Trust me. It took another 2 hours to get her out of there. And from there…a trip to the pharmacy for her prescriptions. She finally settled in at home just before 1:30 p.m. It made for a long morning. I was working from home to keep an eye on her, and made her some lunch. Then later…at her request…I made a baked mushroom and Parmesan risotto for dinner. All while doing my work and trying to keep up with things at the office from home.
Friday is my day of rest. And I am doing my best to keep it holy and respect it. I admit…I did go out on a 5 mile walk. I KNOW!! BAD!! But I just needed to be moving. I knew I was working from home and that would mean little movement that day because I had work that needed to get done. So, I did this thing where I would walk/jog for a mile…then walk a mile…then repeat. For 5 miles…because it felt so good to just be moving. I didn’t push for speed or anything…I just needed to be active. I needed to be doing something that didn’t involve sitting at home in front of my computer. I ducked over to the office to drop off work, pick up new work, then headed home. I made breakfast for Cathy and I and then spent the rest of the day working while she watched movies and Star Trek. I ducked back to the office to sort and open mail and pick up more work. All the hours I had put in at home added up…and I was actually right at my 40 hour week. So, I was sent home for the rest of the day. And I vegged. Dinner was leftover risotto, so that was easy. And Cathy said she was feeling 70% normal that day. Getting there.
Saturday is my long run day. And, sadly, these long runs as of late have had to be done solo for the pacing requirements of my training program. Today…only 8 miles…but these were paced. My first 2 miles were to be at my long slow distance pace. Miles 3-7 were to be at my marathon pace. Mile 8…back into long slow distance. I wasn’t really feeling this. I miss running with my Saturday group something fierce. Honestly. But, I got out at 5 a.m. and turned out my 8 miles. All 8 miles were actually at my marathon pace, which is good because I didn’t always feel like I was pushing or running hard. This means my legs are stronger than my body and mind think they are. I pressed on all 8 miles and felt really good when the run came to an end. I had only wished it had been a longer run. Aside from that…Chicago is 8 days away and I’m getting really nervous and trying hard not to put too much pressure on myself. I want to enjoy my first marathon and I’m feeling as ready as I can be. The taper edges into almost nothing this week…and my body will take time to repair itself and get strong. Because next Sunday…I go the distance.
It’s been a very trying, very difficult, very stressful week. But I feel if I could maintain my training and battle through this load of stress, doubt, fear, and anxiety and come out strong on the other end (which I feel is what happened)…then I can do battle with the streets of Chicago and prove to myself I have it in me to be a marathoner!! I am really giving myself a pep talk. I did a lot…and I mean…a lot of stress eating this past week. Being this close to my marathon, I don’t want anything to derail the hard work I have put into training for this. This means controlling all stress, anxiety, and every other emotion not through stress eating but through healthier outlets. I think that’s doable.
With Cathy on the mend, the taper coming to an end, and my marathon looming RIGHT THERE on the horizon…I have a feeling I’ll be a basket case this entire week. But, as my friend Dawn told me, now is the time to trust my training and know that when I get to that starting line in Chicago…all this hard work I’ve put into these past few months will have paid off. I can only hope.
That being said…I have my bib number for Chicago…and the participant’s guide…and things are seeming very, very real to me now. Almost there…so close…just trying not to cave under pressure or wear myself out getting there. Yeah…the nerves have kicked in. It’s very real now.
Marathon Training Week #14 – Breathing easy again and finally cooling down!
Marathon Training Week #14
I admit it. I struggled last week with running. Not so much with the race at Disney…but all the running at altitude really sapped my energy level. In fact, I ended up with a mild case of altitude sickness due to jumping into 12.5 miles in Boulder the day after I arrived. Not the smartest thing I ever did, and unfortunately, the runs I did after that one all sucked…mightily. It was a struggle to push through them. I found myself stopping often, downing water, continuing, and stopping again…to catch my breath…to just rest…my body was not enjoying a moment of any of those runs.
And it really messed with my head.
But…I continued on my training plan and rounded out another week, only to have to start this one still at altitude. And, I think I did okay with it…but it was still a struggle to get through the miles before getting on a plane and heading home. The difference I felt though…made me confident once again that I hadn’t lost anything while in Colorado, save for lung capacity or something.
Let’s take a look at how this week unfolded!
Sunday was the day I was going to be leaving Colorado and heading back to Louisville. However, I wasn’t due back until very late due to the flight schedule. So, I got up early (I never sleep in…ever!) and went to do one final run in Denver, Colorado. I kept an easy, slow, steady pace, but continued to struggle. My energy level just never got back to normal after that run in Boulder on Thursday morning, so the proceeding runs all just felt…awful. This one was a little better, but I was still fighting for air, for strength, for anything to validate that I could still, indeed, run. I ended up managing 11 very tough miles, earning one last merit badge in the trials of running at altitude. I was proud of myself for that and headed back up to the hotel room to shower, change, devour a good breakfast, and then get ready to fly back to Louisville, Kentucky in a couple of hours. The important thing was…I got all my necessary runs in…even if they were slow, and hard, and made me feel like a failure when it came to running.
Monday…was…in a word…interesting. No…seriously. Here’s why. The flight in from Atlanta ended up arriving later in Louisville due to waiting on a couple of passengers whose flight was running late. So, our ride picked us up later than anticipated and we got home later than planned. I still needed to get a few necessary items for lunch and snacks at the office from the grocery store. My roomie went to bed and I went shopping. By the time I got home, it was after midnight. And all the travel on Sunday and the long run in Denver hadn’t worn me out enough because I was wide awake. Being that it was now officially Monday, I slipped into my shorts, a tank top, and laced up my shoes. With all my reflective gear on, this weary traveler went out and did her 6 easy miles for marathon training. Instead of waking up at 4 a.m. to do so, I just got it done a little past midnight. What a difference the (albeit humid) river valley made. I felt like a rockstar out there running. My breathing was easy. My strength felt like it was there. And I churned out a great run in the end. I headed back upstairs and took a shower. This put me climbing into bed around 2 a.m. I got up to get ready for work around 4 a.m. to bake cookies for my first friend I made in the running community as he was moving to Dayton, Ohio for a girl…and a new job. I also had to get breakfast ready and finish putting together lunch and snack items. So, running on fumes all day, I, naturally, have to do my Daily Double as is tradition on Monday nights. My fun run group was meeting and it was Keith’s last night. And I made amazing gluten-free chocolate chip cookies in his honor. I also chose this run to be my first time running in my new Newton’s I bought while in Boulder, Colorado. I LOVE THESE SHOES! They do take some getting used to and my calf muscles were feeling them for the next few days. Apparently, I shouldn’t be rocking out 3 miles yet in these shoes. Instructions I later read in the box said to start with a mile until they feel comfortable and then gradually add on. Whoops. Needless to say, I felt, for the first time in a long time, that I rocked the fun run. And I was taking it easy due to fatigue and everything. But another 3.3 miles felt amazing that day. After enjoying a cookie and wishing Keith well with his future endeavors…I went home to shower (again) and get some rest.
Tuesday morning didn’t mean sleeping in. Nope. It was cross-training day. And I hit up the gym as always…except as I am now a month away from my marathon, I ease up on the cross-training intensity because I don’t want to get injured pushing it at the gym. How embarrassing. So, while I finally took my first day off from running in a week, I wasn’t taking a day off yet. Since it was Tuesday, this meant it was the day of the Arc Trainer. I love this machine and hate it at the same time. For some reason, the gym was stupid hot that day, so Cathy turned on the fan behind the machines and it was a great boost with some cool air. I did 2.3 miles on the Arc Trainer on Program 7 – Strength – at Level 5 in 45 minutes. Not bad considering how difficult the resistance gets at that level setting. Yikes. Then, it was over to the rowing machine for 10 minutes. I managed 1.17 miles rowing, which isn’t bad given how tired I was. Then it was downstairs for some strength training before heading into the office for work. After work I would normally do my circuit training, but my body was telling me that wouldn’t be a good idea. And I listened and gave this exhausted body a break that night. Actually, I made a deal that I would not circuit train at all this week and get back to it this coming week. So, game on. The plan was to go to bed early…but that didn’t happen.
Wednesday morning, as always, brings about the speed work/pacing portion of my weekly training schedule. This week I was to do a 5 mile tempo run. Doesn’t seem too bad, right? Nope. Except with how humid and hot it was in the morning, my legs felt like they had no energy at all. I knew by body was tired, my legs were really pushing it, and while I ran faster than I thought, I didn’t quite nail that tempo pace. I wasn’t all over the place, but I wouldn’t call the paces for each mile close enough in speed to be at tempo pace. Ah well…you win some, you lose some. Given the circumstances, I was happy with what I managed. I, once again, intended to go to bed early…and once again…that didn’t happen. Hey! The Master Chef finale was on and I wasn’t going to miss that!! Priorities. Anything with Gordon Ramsay is a priority!
Thursday morning came with another early rising. I had another 6 easy miles to put in and I got up and out the door in good time. Once again I was greeted with stifling heat and humidity. It was just nasty out there. My legs, once again, felt heavy and just completely wiped of any energy. I started off slow and just tried to maintain that, fueling (because I really needed it) halfway through. I hydrated every mile, alternating water and my electrolyte drink. When all was said and done and I pushed through to my full six miles, I discovered I actually ran it faster than I did on Monday. And I hit negative splits. Sometimes the body just surprises you. I felt on top of the world after that run. After that…it was the second day of gym time. Thursdays always means the ellpitical, so I set it for Level 7 as always and just did my best to get through the 49 minutes (I do a 4 minute cool down) I do every week on that machine. I managed 9.06 miles on Level 7 this week…which isn’t my best by any means, but I’m taking it easier and keeping things at a decent intensity to stay healthy and on my feet. After that, it was over to the Cardio Wave machine, where I did an impressive 4.04 miles in 10 minutes. I guess my legs liked the change of movement, not going forward and back for once. After that…downstairs for strength and then into work. Once more, I intended to get to bed early…but, of course, it didn’t happen.
Friday is the rest day that I am to keep holy. And…I did. Sorta. Kinda. Not really. I KNOW!! BAD!! BAD ME!! Normally I take a walk in the morning, just to take the edge off of not being able to run. But this morning, I wanted to break in my Newton’s a little more. So, I justified that by taking an easy jog in them. I did 2 miles at a comfortable pace, then slowed it down for one more mile. It felt good and I wanted to be out there longer. Maybe it was the gorgeous 66° weather that morning. Maybe it was the way I was easily finding my stride. Either way…it was the perfect morning, but I stayed to the 3 miles I intended and then went upstairs to get ready for a busy day at the office. I knew I was getting up early for my long run on Sunday, so I thought to go to bed early…but I got wrapped up in watching Dr. Who…and once again, that didn’t happen.
Saturday is the morning of my long run. This week, it was supposed to be 13 miles. But…no one in my running group was really doing that mileage. But, there was a group doing 20 miles…so I joined three fabulous ladies at North End Café on Frankfort Avenue at 6 a.m. to rock out my second 20 miler. It was 51° this morning and I was loving the brisk, cool air. It just made the run feel so much easier. I kept it slower than I normally would, which is what I should be doing on these long runs anyway. And I had some great conversations and enjoyed getting to know Nikki, Lindsay, and Abbey in the process. We ran a route I had never done before, starting and ending in the same place and having one of the most incredible 20 mile runs. We ran the last 4 miles of it with better speed, getting faster with each one. None of us felt like we were about to die at any point during this run. It was fantastic. I enjoyed the company, the distance, and the way I felt while running and after running. It was just the 20 miler I needed. After walking it off a little afterwards, I headed out to grab some breakfast at Annie May’s Sweet Café, order my birthday cake, get groceries for the week, and treat myself to some ice cream before heading home and collapsing for a little bit. It’s been a busy week…but my adventure continues tomorrow with another early start.
No rest for the trainee…
Maybe a nap tomorrow. But…unlikely. I am not good at napping.
Anyway…my return to the Ohio River Valley made me feel confident again in my fitness level, my running, and all the miles I’ve been logging for training. This coming week I have some challenging runs ahead of me, but I’m feeling good about what I’m doing and accomplishing. Some days are easier than others, and not having adequate rest this past week has definitely drained me in some ways. But I feel so good after coming back to this area. I just got a boost from getting out of the high altitude. So…it all just seems to be falling back into place.
And that’s good. Because after next week…I start to taper. And that might not be pretty…
Marathon Training Week #13 – From the Valleys to the Mountains
Marathon Training Week #13
This week has brought about a lot of excitement, very little rest, some really great times, and then…a mild, mild case of elevation sickness. But, I guess that’s what happens when you travel from a river valley to one of the Happiest Places on Earth (Disneyland), to the gorgeous mountains of Colorado. Yes…this week has definitely served me up a wave of emotions and feelings. But…every single moment has been worth it. The challenges that have come with each different experience has only served to show how strong I truly am…or how much I really need to focus on certain things that might affect my training.
In the end, what came out of it all was an amazing and very tiring week of emotional highs and lows. But I feel that it was just what I needed to show me what needs to really be worked on and what I’m doing right. Knowing this with a month to go before my marathon gives me much a much better perspective and enough time to make any changes that will be necessary in the end.
So…let’s take a look at this insanely trying and exciting week…
Sunday was an emotional high! I mean, I was running in the Disneyland Half Marathon! How could I not be a happy girl while running in one of the Happiest Places on Earth. It’s Disneyland! And by completing the Disneyland Half Marathon, not only was I walking away with a finisher’s medal for the half marathon itself, but because I also ran Disney World in February (Disney Princess Half Marathon), I would also be receiving a medal for the Coast to Coast Challenge. Amazing. My friend Jenn (Indy) was also running for the same thing. And yes…we were both dressing up. I promised my niece, Kaytlynn, that I would run as Belle…so I managed to pull that together with a gold Sparkle Skirt, a gold sports bra, and rose pony tail holders. Indy dressed up as Lilo from Lilo & Stitch, complete with grass skirt and a stuffed Stitched on her back. She was very adorable. As with all Disney races, this one also came with an extremely early wake-up call. Like…3:00 a.m. I set my alarm and tumbled into bed late. Why late? Because Indy, myself, Cathy, and our good friend Tawn all went to watch the World of Color water show Saturday night. Keep in mind, on Friday, I was up at 3 a.m. to get in my training run before work and my airplane trip to Los Angeles. Then, with all the excitement of all four of us girls being together again, I was up beyond 24 hours that day…finally settling in on an air mattress for a couple of hours. That morning was a 5 a.m. alarm to work through showers and get ready to head to Disneyland for a fun-filled and very active day. This involved not only rides and a ton of walking around, but also the race expo. I figured at that point…why not stay for World of Color. We were catching gluten-free pizza at Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port…or…I was. Cathy went for a slice of regular pizza and the other two girls got pasta. So…the late return to the hotel (which was a walk)…then getting everything laid out for the race meant that early morning alarm felt like it came way too soon. And I was restless anyway. What this lead to, however, was me falling asleep on my feet in the start corral. No joke. There I am in Corral A…the lead corral…and I’m dozing off. But, as soon as that starting gun went off…and I was leaving the start gate, I perked up. It was a hot and humid race…which you can read more about in my race report, but I pushed through without pushing too hard. I was not to PR…so I stuck to my guns and didn’t. I finished up my second fastest half marathon to date, which I’m proud of given the hot and humid circumstances. Jenn was not as happy at the finish line when she came in, but she survived and while Tawn, Cathy and I hit the park that afternoon, she went back to the hotel and rested up. Disneyland Half Marathon…complete success in 1:42:39. I’ll take that.
Monday morning I knew would be an interesting run. For one thing, I was still at the hotel in Disneyland, and unlike the resort I stayed at in Disney World, there were no running trails and there wasn’t even a fitness center. So, I got up again at 5:00 a.m. to get dressed and ready to do an easy training run. My plan called for 7 miles easy and I definitely took it easy. For one thing, it was still dark outside. I was in an unfamiliar city. And I wanted to make sure I was hyper aware of my surroundings. The hotel was near a bus stop, and there was someone sleeping on the bench. Some of the parking lots had people walking through them, sometimes almost lurking…so I was taking it slow and easy and not straying too far from the hotel. What this meant was a lot of running to the end of the sidewalk, slowing, turning, and running back. I would loop the parking lot at the hotel as well. So, this was a very, very deliberate training run. I didn’t care. I finished it up with enough time for me to shower and get packed up and help load the car up before heading back into Disneyland for gluten-free Mickey waffles for breakfast. The rest of the morning and afternoon was spent wandering around Disneyland and making the most of our time…save for the hour we had to take to drop off Tawn at the train station and say goodbye as she headed back to Fresno. Sadness. But…we took in Fantasmic that night and enjoyed a carby-good pasta dinner before we headed back to Indy’s house.
I changed up my training schedule at this point, using Tuesday as my rest day. This meant the rest of my running would be done in Colorado. With this being our final full day in California…and also Indy’s birthday, we were going to take in a few adventures of Indy’s choice. And what this involved was some great car rides out to Vasquez Rocks, where we climbed on the same rocks used in Star Trek episodes. Geek out!! We’re such nerds! From there, we headed to the beach, stopping at a roadside stand for a watermelon and some fresh strawberries. We hit up Will Rogers State Beach, which is where they filmed Baywatch, believe it or not. That afternoon was spent lounging on the beach, playing in the surf, and eating some delicious, ripe fruit. I did a small amount of running on the beach…just to say I did it. But as the sun was starting to go down, we packed up our stuff and headed back towards her house. We changed and went out for her birthday dinner, where I enjoyed a fantastic Edamame Salad that had fresh vegetables and avocado, fulfilling my requirement to eat something in California with avocado on/in it. I went out of my training plan for the special occasion and enjoyed a gluten-free beer. And…to make the LA experience complete…celebrity sighting at the table next to ours…Micky Dolenz of The Monkees. Amazing! It was a perfect California day.
Wednesday morning came too soon and Cathy and I packed up our suitcases, ate some melon and strawberries, then Indy took us the Burbank airport. We checked our bags, got through security, and spent over an hour just walking back and forth. We wanted to keep busy at the airport because we’d be sitting on the plane for over 2 hours. We did eventually board our plane and make the 2 hour flight to Denver, Colorado. We landed, grabbed some Caribou Coffee, then headed out to claim our luggage. Then…get our rental car. We ended up getting a Prius, which is AWESOME. We hit the road up to Boulder, Colorado for the first night. We were staying at the Twin Lakes Inn, which has housed elite runners that come into the area. Shalane Flanagan has stayed there. SO cool. We settled in, went to a local pizza place for gluten-free pizza, and then got a few items from the grocery store for the next morning. When we got back in, I changed into workout clothes and we headed out to the local fitness club that allowed guests from the Twin Lakes Inn to use their facility for free. I chose to just use Wednesday as my cross training day, so I rocked out 3.25 miles on the elliptical, using the aerobic setting which had me working my arms more in some sections, just my legs, and reversing directions in the midst of the strides. I did that for 45 minutes. Then managed 3.6 miles in 10 minutes on the stationary bike. And to polish off the cross-training for the night, I did 5 minutes, or about 0.45 miles on the stair climber. It was a successful workout, I felt, for being so physically exhausted from travel and from lack of sleep since leaving Indiana on Friday.
Thursday I swapped out an easy run in order to do my long run. What better way to introduce myself to Colorado than with my 12 mile run? And I was away from the city, so it meant I had beautiful scenery and a gorgeous morning to do that with. I figured that I would enjoy 12 miles outside of Boulder, Colorado than through Denver. It took me longer than it normally would, but running in higher elevation is difficult. For real. The air is thin…and it made running feel 10 times as difficult as it normally would have been. And this was also a hilly course I was running. I was determined to do it though. Call me stubborn. Maybe I just wanted the bragging rights…but I did 12.5 miles in the same amount of time I have done a half marathon…but I expected this to be a difficult run. I just wasn’t prepared for how difficult it would feel. I fueled and hydrated throughout the entire thing. I was proud of myself for getting the long run done under those circumstances and Cathy and I hit up our favorite breakfast spot in Boulder that morning…The Buff…where I got an omelet as big as my head, some carby-good breakfast potatoes, and gluten-free toast. Yes…I ate the entire thing. But it was the big and main meal of the day. After that, it was shopping in Boulder, then a drive down to Denver, Colorado. Got checked into the hotel and enjoyed a light gluten-free dinner at a dedicated gluten-free deli. Food choices haven’t been the best on this trip, but I feel I have at least been feeding my body and giving it the fuel it needs. I did feel very tired and sluggish the rest of the day though.
I woke up just after 5 a.m. on Friday morning to do some more easy running. I still felt a little off and rather tired…but I had a run to do before getting into the Prius and heading to Colorado Springs for the morning. There were gluten-free crepes waiting for me. This was one of the most difficult and hardest 7 miles I have run yet. It took much longer than I would have liked, but I had to stop every half mile to catch my breath and drink some water. I just didn’t feel right. I eventually just started pushing until I was stopping every mile to hydrate and catch my breath, but it was just zapping my energy and I felt like my endurance was just completely gone. I finished up the run, went back to the room and ate an orange and showered. The entire time I was in Colorado springs, I felt sluggish and tired. After a bit of research and lots of water drinking, I think I might have a mild case of altitude sickness brought on by the 12.5 mile run in Boulder. Ugh. After enjoying a great morning in Colorado Springs, Cathy and I returned to the hotel where we took time to drink more water and just relax. Just what I needed. I immediately started to feel better. I have a salad lined up for dinner and then some delicious fro yo for dessert before relaxing for the night at the hotel. Hoping I can get through my required 7.5 miles of speed work before heading up into the mountains on Saturday.
Saturday, due to the whole mix-up-the-training-schedule scheme to fit everything in on vacation meant…speed work. SPEED. WORK. Speed work at elevation sucks just about as much as I figured it would. I once again got up early…around 5:30 a.m. knowing that I had 7.5 miles to work in before hitting the road to meet up with Sharon and head up to the top of the world. My training plan called for 1.5 mile warm-up, followed by 6 x 800 meters with 5 x 400 meter recovery, then a 1.5 mile cool down. I also knew that these would not be as fast as most speed work I do would be because I was still feeling the effects of my slight elevation sickness. I managed to get through it in under an hour though, so I was proud of that. A few hotel employees did compliment me on my running and a random woman said that I was up early to work out and when I said I was in training she said, “For a marathon?” I told her that I was…in fact…Chicago. She wished me good luck and it made me feel really, really good. Which is what I needed after this very trying and very difficult week of training at high altitude. Kudos to the athletes who train like this on purpose.
Tomorrow is the final day of my vacation and much of it will be spent in airports as I make my way back to Louisville from the beautiful state of Colorado. I have to say, training at altitude can be very disheartening. I have felt like I lost a lot of endurance each time I have run in Colorado. Maybe I have. I’ve been attempting, for the most part, to keep up with my clean eating and my restriction on alcohol. I made exceptions for the special celebratory dinner at Disneyland after the half marathon and at the pub for Indy’s birthday…but those were special occasions and worth the straying from my plan. But it’s back on track this coming week. Some of me dreads the training runs upon returning to Louisville…but it’s mostly because I feel like I’m off…that I’ve lost some fitness, despite not really straying from the schedule. The runs in Boulder and Denver have just messed with my thinking and I just need to remember that running at altitude is way different than running in the Ohio River Valley. So, I will focus on breaking in my brand new Newton’s I bought in Boulder from the main factory store and seeing what they do for my running form. That is my mission this week. That…and returning to my long runs on Saturday with my group. I have missed them.
So…here is to returning to real life…as much as I would much rather stay on vacation forever. Hell, I’d stay in Colorado if I could. Maybe one day. Maybe…
Chasing Pavements 