Adios February!

To be blunt-- February has sucked! I have been completely distracted with my schedule at work and as a result, I haven't been able to fully commit to my training schedule the past couple of weeks. In the midst of the chaos though, I have managed to squeeze in my long runs on the weekend. I am slowly but surely still moving closer towards my goal to complete a marathon on April 15.

Today I completed a 16 mile run. It took 2 hours and 40 minutes. It was hard.  My muscles are sore. But despite the challenges, I am very proud of my accomplishment. I have been able to get to a place while I'm running that I can completely relax and just run. I wasn't really sure that I could ever get to a place mentally where I could disconnect from all the other distractions in life and just be in a moment, but running provides that time for me. When I first started this journey, I was constantly distracted. I needed to change the music; I focused on every muscle twinge; temperature; and mostly my own self doubt about my ability to be "a runner".

In the midst of my distractions this month, I have missed the part of running that let me blow of steam and shake off the stress from the day and think about something other than my To-Do List. Especially the last couple of weeks, running has become something on my To-Do List rather than the escape it had come to be. I am hoping that now that some major events got checked off my list this weekend, I will start to look forward to that time at the beginning or end of the school day as a time of release rather than an obligation.

So I will start March with a fresh perspective and new energy. Here are some of the things I'm excited about in March
1)  My little brother is getting married!
2) Day Light Savings Time Ending--- Longer Days= more time for get outside and off the treadmill!
3) Spring Break
4) Capital of Texas 10K with Allison
5)  Running 20 miles--- this is both exciting and scary-- but it is the longest run prior to marathon! (and I'm only under this by 4 miles right now!)

I've officially reached the end of my comfort zone...

This week was REALLY busy and the rest of the month is not looking like it will slow down. In the course of the week, I have managed to complete the longest week of training yet and possibly one of the hardest weeks of training since I started this whole running thing.

The week started out pretty strong with me getting out of bed at 5am on Monday to run my usual 3 miles-- EASY.  Tuesday held a before school meeting and a basketball game after school and a scheduled 7 miler-- couldn't fit in the run that day and planned for an after school run on Wednesday. I had a meeting for our Greece/Italy trip at 6:30 pm on Wednesday so I packed my running clothes and headed out to the greenway for my 7 miles in between the end of school and the meeting. It was hard and I didn't really enjoy myself much. On Thursday I rounded out the week with a 4 miler-- I had to stop midrun and stretch out my hamstrings --which annoys me. The light at the end of the tunnel was that Saturday was a step back on my long run and was only 10 miles AND I was going to get to run long with my friend Hope, who has a few marathons under her belt, and I knew a companion would help break the monotony of running long.

Yesterday, I got up early and stretched, ate a carb-tastic breakfast, and suited up for what I anticipated would be a much easier 10 miles than I had had in awhile. It was chilly, but not frigid by any means;
Mistake # 1--- thinking 10 miles could be easy after the whole week had sucked
Mistake # 2--- Wearing too many layers which resulted in fidgeting and stopping to remove gloves, and jacket
Mistake # 3--- Not being super diligent about stretching all week
The result was a HARD 10 miles-- even with a great companion---my mind going crazy the whole time. Here were a few of the thoughts that crossed my mind at some point:

• If 10 miles is this hard how the HELL am I going to complete an additional 16.2 miles.
• Ouch--- my butt hurts.
• Why can't I feel my feet?
• Maybe I need new shoes-- or socks---- or a miracle
• Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
• I wonder how gross I look with all this snot running down my face.

One of my friends from college, Cynthia, is  training for a half and is also keeping a blog to chronicle her journey.  Funny to think we both tried to run in college and did the Cowtown 5K together. We've both come a long way since then.  She posted today about her training week and based her blog around the the following quote,

"I'm not telling you it's going to be easy, I'm telling you its going to be worth it."

It was something I needed to hear.   I know how good I felt when I finished the first 13.1--- and then ran sub 9 minute miles for 2nd  13.1 a few weeks ago-- all things I was convinced I was incapable of doing not very long ago.  I venture into new territory this week with a new mantra to repeat -- "life begins at the end of your comfort zone".  On Saturday, I'm running 15 miles-- I'm nervous about the mileage but I am going to do something that I HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE. I'll be living beyond my comfort zone---easy; no BUT exciting; ABSOLUTELY

One mile at a time.

Double Digit Weekends

Tired and hungry are two sensations that are beginning to become permanent fixtures in my life. From now until the weekend before the marathon I'll be covering anywhere from 10-20 miles on my weekend runs. Part of me is really proud of myself for going on this journey... the other part of me is thinking that I may have gone off the deep end!

I don't really have too much to report or any excellent insight to give into my running this week. I took a few days off after the half last week and got back on schedule by Wednesday.Yesterday we went to Houston for the "Energy for Life" walk for my sweet nephew Trace. The walk benefits and promotes mitochondrial disease research and awareness, a disease which Trace has been diagnosed with now for a couple of years.  I love getting to spend time with Trace; he reminds me to be appreciative of all the blessings in my life, that joy is possible in any situation, and that energy comes in more than one medium!

I'll leave you with a little runners humor that I discovered on RunnersWorld.com-- I may have to print out a couple of these!

Like a Boss...

Chilly at the starting line

I ran my second 1/2 marathon today in Austin.  I mentioned on a previous post that my goal for this race was 1:59:59 and I am proud to report that I am now officially a sub 2 hour half marathoner. I finished today in 1:52:32 @ 8:47/mile. 

A few negatives: cold start, wish I'd eaten more that morning or maybe the night before so that I could have had a little more get up and go for the last 3 miles; uphill in the last half mile

Lots of positives: did ya see the time?!?!?!; Got to run a few miles with my cousin; Cory managed to find me three times on the course instead of the two we planned on; enjoying a blue cheese burger afterwards with ZERO guilt (this is always an excellent perk if you're trying to decide on whether or not you'd like to become a runner); only walked through a few aide stations!

Mile 6: Hot-- please take this!

Next challenge-- Capital of Texas 10K 3/25 (excited to see how fast I can do 6 miles) and Big D Texas Marathon ( right now doing today x2 seems like a large hurdle to jump with my short legs-- but 13.1 seemed that way not so  long ago)

Here's some pics from today! One mile at a time (or .25 mile at a time as was the case today for the last few miles!)---

Mile 7: It's blurry because I'm fast :)

Mile 13- Glad this isn't a close up--- it would not be pretty

Mile 13.1-- Thank you JESUS! 

 

Best husband ever!

Endorphines--- Yes Please!

Why Running Isn't Free....

All you need to be a runner is an open mind and the open road. One of the most appealing things about running is that technically it can be a "free" form of exercise--- unfortunately, this is mostly untrue. As a baby runner, it's true you can get a feel for what running is like if you just walk out the door and onto the road in your usual cross trainers and a cotton t-shirt. If you stick with running through those first grueling weeks and decide to add miles, I've found its a good idea to shell out some cash for some real deal running stuff (which also helps to convince your brain to actually believe that you are a runner)!

Here's my list of cool runners stuff that I've spent money on and actually use:

Brooks Ghost4- My Favorite

1) Shoes--- you need legit running shoes. I didn't realize that I was wearing the wrong shoe that was really worn out until I had been running for 3-4 months. Go to a specialty running store at the end of the day after you've run to get the best fit. They're going to get on the floor and watch you walk-- they'll make you run on a treadmill-- and you're going to try on a million different pairs of shoes. Embrace the experience! Shoes can fix some common aches and pains, so if it hurts when you run you might be in the wrong type or wrong size shoe. Prepare to spend $100---at least!


2) Socks-- While we are on the topic of feet, socks are really important, too. Cotton socks + Texas heat= Moisture= Blisters=Stinky Painful Feet. Buy some socks that are made with moisture wicking technical fabrics--NOT COTTON. My favorite brand is Swiftwick ($12/pair)
You can also get super cool looking compression socks that come up to your knees if you lower legs give you problems (like Shin Splints). These are pricey, but a lot of runners swear by them. Cory has a pair and says they do offer some relief.

CW-X Compression Tights

3. Clothing: Much like the socks, you need to get clothes that are made from technical fabrics. In the summer they pull away the sweat and in winter they help keep you warm. When it is hot outside, and in San Antonio that's most of the year, I like to dump water on my head while I'm running to help stay cool; if I'm wearing cotton then I'm going to be wearing damp heavy clothes for the remainder of the run. No good. There are a lot of options here from really cheap to really expensive. Do what works for you.
On a side note, ladies you should consider embracing spandex. It may not be pretty-- at least not right away-- but I have found it to be the most practical thing to run in on the bottom because it doesn't move around and if you chose capri length like I do then you don't have to worry about the dreaded chub rub between your thighs.  As I've mentioned in previous posts,  I have struggled some with IT band pain and one of the best investments I've made is a pair of CW-X Compression tights (read super spandex) which have targeted bands of compression in areas that runners often have trouble with. If you've got aches and pains these have been great for me. Side benefit: they are the Spanxx of running clothes!

4. Water Holder Thingy- Dehydration sucks and is your worst enemy as a runner. If you're dehydrated you're putting yourself at risk in so many ways, not to mention your run is going to suck. Drink water during the day and make sure you have water with you or know where water fountains are on long runs or days when it's hot or humid. I use a water bottle with a hand strap on it, but there are belts and back packs, too. I also store my car key and energy gels in the pocket on the outside of the bottle so it serves a dual purpose.

5. Foam Roller- As you increase miles, the soreness tends to increase, too.  The foam roller helps to banish soreness. I try to roll out my muscles about twice a day but FOR SURE right after I run. Basically, it's used for self massage and massage has been proven to decrease recovery time (=less soreness) and decrease injury risk-- a win-win! I have just had one of these about a month and I have already seen a lot of improvement using it!

Finishing strong at RNR San Antonio 13.1

6. Races- Racing is not a mandatory requirement to be a runner, but for me I am alot more apt to get out there everyday and run if I have something that I am running towards. One of the best things I did for my running was to sign up for a race series to get ready for my half marathon because it gave me mini milestones every month to get ready for a longer distance. On top of that, the races were really fun and I usually ran better in the heat of the moment than on my day to day runs. In reality, the first race I did in that training series seemed alot more insurmountable than the half marathon because I wasn't sure that I could actually do it and all I saw around me were these crazy fast fit people. By the time November rolled around, even though the distance was much longer the experience was not as intimidating because I had run in a race before.  I can't wait to line up in Austin in a couple of weeks-- racing gives me something that just running can't! Costs on races vary depending on location, event size, and race purpose-- get on  the internet and find something that works for you!

So there you have it-- my stuff to spend your running money on! This week in training is a step back week to save up energy for the half on the 29th. I had a great long run this past Saturday of 10 miles and was actually able to run the last two miles faster than I was able to run the 8 miles preceding it!(a first for me, which means I'm learning to reign in the pace and save energy- a skill I will definitely need for the marathon in April!)

Training Runs This Week
Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: 5 miles
Wednesday: 3 miles
Saturday: 7 miles

One Mile at a Time!