I'M.A.MARATHONER!!!!!!!!!!

I DID IT!!!! I'M A MARATHONER!!!!!  I finished the race in 5:13:36, which was way slower than my goal pace of 5 hours, but that's TOTALLY okay!  I am uninjured, learning very quickly that muscles cramp VERY easily during a very long distance race, and afterwards.  The weather was PERFECT for a race, for the most part, I thoroughly enjoyed running this race.  I know this sounds weird, but it feels like that the race goes by a lot faster than the training runs themselves.  I TOTALLY cried when crossing the finish line, and I'm now finiding it surreal that I just ran 26.2 miles. Like, how on earth did I just manage THAT? Dang!!!!

Now, onto the details of the race itself!

So, this morning, my alarm went off at 4:45 a.m.  This is one of the few times that I am willing to drag my butt up at that time. Even when my skating rink was having early skating sessions, I was getting up at 5 a.m. and that bad enough.  I'll be honest...I was going on maybe 4 hours of sleep, and it didn't help that I had to pee in the middle of the night, as I had been working a lot on making sure that I was hydrated for this race.  Regardless, I got up, showered, and got dressed in my running gear that I had set out the night before. I also ate my bowl of cereal like I've been doing, and made sure that I added lots of vaseline to make sure that I wouldn't chaffe in the race. I packed up my flip belt with my potential running essentials, my filled handheld water bottle, grabbed my drawstring bag from the expo that I had packed the night before, and made my way out the door by 5:45.  I made one quick stop at a CVS en route to the start line, to pick up some anti-diarrhea medicine, and I took one, just in case.  From there, I made my way to the starting area. By the time, the sun was just starting to rise, and I just knew this would be a beautiful race day.


Once I got to the starting area, I was already warming up, so at last moment, I decided to put my throw away jacket in my drawstring bag, in case I needed it later.  I made sure I used the porta-potty (there were about 50 of them in the starting area), then made my way to my starting corral (H), and got a few "before the race" pictures taken.  By then, my excitment was building big time.  At 7:03, the first wave of runners started, and about every few minutes, another wave went through.  One thing that I was not expecting was that my wave didn't get announced. That sorta threw me off a bit, as suddenly people from both corral G and H were running.  Oh well....I stepped across the start line, and I was TOTALLY excited about embarking on my first marathon! I was so distracted and excited about stepping across the start line that I TOTALLY forgot to start my watch! So, my timing of my watch ended up being off by about 1/4 mile, but it was still helpful for me during the race in terms of checking my pace as a whole. I just had to remember to check the BOTTOM number (the pace) and not the top number (distance). As that threw me off for a moment a time or two in the race...oops.



For the first few miles, I tried to stay fairly close to the 5 hour pacer.  However, she was running MUCH faster than an 11:26 pace (around early 11s instead).  I may have started out a bit too fast because of this.  After a few miles, I lost sight of her, and basically decided to then ditch my initial 5 hour  goal. It was not worth me getting super tired before half way through.  In addition, it was taking me a few miles to work out the kinks with my running, including my bladder psyching out my brain by thinking that I had to pee again.  Thank goodness this really wasn't the case, but I hate it when my body does that! Once my bladder was all "Just Kidding...keep running, we're good," I was able to focus more on the running.

At mile four, I got to see my brother briefly, and by this time, I had really warmed up, so I quickly game him my jacket, and just ran in a long sleeve shirt and running pants.  This ended up being a REALLY good idea as I forget on how much I do warm up with running.  I feel like I *should* know this by now, but I guess it was good that I sided on the error of caution.  The temps actually felt fantastic...40s, and although it was breezy at times, and I did have some headwind in the race as a whole, I was comfortable with it.  Also, since it was cooler, I didn't need to take my fuel as much I had planned.  I was able to take it about every six miles or so, and stomached it pretty well.  The only slight complication was hearing a bit of sloshing in my stomach when I drank water from the water station with it, but it didn't cause any other problems, and went away after a minute or two.

For the next few miles, I was able to keep a good steady pace, and there were a lot more spectators on the Urbana side of the course (the 1/2 marathon route).  I did see one sign at a the beginning of the race that said, "Run as if an airline is about to steal your seat!" That, I thought was pretty funny.  Later on, I saw this sign  around mile 6.25 that said, "Move it! I'm stuck in my driveway," with this lady that was sitting in front of her house, with her garage door open. I also saw a few signs that said, "Out of a scale of 1-10, you're a 13.1!" I would point to my "First time marathoner" bib, and shout back, "I'm a 26.2!"  That caused a few laughs from the people on the sidelines.:)  I also took the time to shout out to a few poeple that I knew who were watch, gave people high fives, and provided encouragement for the runners around me.  A good chuck of them were first time half marathoners (they had "First Time Half Marathoner" bibs on them), which I thought was super cool! Basically, I was taking in the race atmosphere as much as possible.  I had a LONG way to go, so I figured I might as well enjoy it!

The rest of the half course went by pretty easily, although, as expected, mile 10 was long.  I also had the brief feeling of feeling kinda bad that I wasn't running with friends, as I was seeing people talking or running with others and what not....kinda wished I had a real life running partner with me in this race. However, I pushed that out of my mind real fast, and by that time, I was approaching a cheering section, heading towards mile 11, which brought my spirits up again, and helped me refocus.

About two miles later, I split off from the half marathoner to continue with the full marathon course. This split actually happened way better than I was expecting! I was actually kinda excited to make the split!  I just reminded myself that the next time I see the stadium, I will be the one finishing, and focused on making it to mile 13.  By this time, I was also starting to take out my list of my student's names, and dedicating parts of the race to them.  I was shooting for every mile, but that didn't quite happen, so I kinda dedicated the miles in terms of groups of three or four kids.


The one hard thing about the split through is the feeling that you're now alone.  Up until the split, I was with a HUGE group of runners, then I was suddenly by myself, with just a smattering of runners here and there.  However, I also had the random thought of, "Okay. The half marathon is done now. Let's just treat this distance as a long run."  I put my music on, as the crowds were GREATLY thinned by now, and the police were letting traffic coming through in various intersections. However, I was still feeling good as a whole, was thanking the volunteers, and giving drivers waiting to pass through a thumbs up sign as I ran past them.

The race started getting harder at about mile 15.  However, what cool at this point, was thinking back a few weeks when I first ran the 15 miles, then 16, then my 20 miler.  I think somewhere around this mark is where my pace started slowing some, but a power song suddenly came up on my ipod, and it boosted my spirits again.  I was also making sure that I was walking through aide stations, and still taking my energy gels.  I knew that I could make it to mile 20.  The real challenge was the last 6 miles.  I did keep seeing a group of runners ahead of me, so I wasn't feeling totally alone, and there was one lady, where around this point, we were taking turns in passing each other. I would get ahead of her when she needed a walk break or whatever, and then when I slowed down, she would pass me. It also became a running joke for us.  Also, around this point, I was finally remembering to stretch my calves and hamstrings every so often, as I would notice that they would start to cramp just a bit.  Once I stretch them breifly, I was good to go in the cramping department.  In addition, a few of the aide stations also offered bananas, which I would take a bit or two of, which really helped.

At this point, I was also thinking, "Okay. Make it to 18. Then make it to 20."  I briefly thought about how many miles I still had yet to run AFTER the 20, but I wanted to make it to the 20 miles first.  I do have to admit that it was a bit hard to see the much faster marathoners make their turn to mile 23, while I was making mine to mile 19.  However, I had to remind myself that I will be making that turn as well....just a bit later.  I was also getting pretty tired at this point, and decided to take an extra walk break.  However, it was really cool to hear this local radio station announcer state my name and that I was a first time marathoner.  Yet, there weren't many people around to hear this announcement....this is a part of the course that was pretty scarce in terms of population (and this pretty much continued for the remaining part of the course).  However, I just kept pushing forward, and eventually made it to mile 20.
Now, seeing the time clock for the mile 20 marker was pretty cool.  I did stop to have my picture taken at it briefly. I had only passsed 20 miles once before, and each step I took after that was a new distance record for me, and was bringing me that much closer to the finish line.  I was proud of myself for making it this  far, and KNEW that I would be able to finish.  The super hard part was the miles after mile 20.  I kept pulling out my list of students to dedicate miles to, along with my running buddy, and was really glad to see the scatterings of spectators and people cheering.  I swear, the spectators REALLY help with running morale in a race.  However, the harder part was that my pace had slowed quite a bit.  Running past 20 miles is no joke. It is HARD. I still took walk/stretch breaks through the walk stations.  I knew that I was getting closer to finishing, but it still seemed so far away. I know that after 20-21 miles, the last few should seem to be a breeze, but they are not!  My brain wasn't done, but my legs were.  It wasn't like I was hitting "the wall" per se...my legs were just tired.  However, what did REALLY help, was the "Superman" orchestral theme song popped up on my ipod, which I put on full blast, and basically got really into...got super excited again, despite my legs being tired, and pictured myself being Superman, with a cape behind me, flying (or in this case, running) all powerful, even with the headwind that I was now facing.  I probably should have played that a few more times during the next mile, but it was GREAT to get that boost.

Around the mile 22 area, I saw my brother again, which was really nice.  He knew that I was really tired, but it felt good to get a big hug from him.  Then, he joked with me by stating, "You're almost there!" Yes, I know I "only" had 4 miles left...but....that was 4.more.miles that I had to complete.   I turned around and straight up gave him the finger!  I am eternally grateful that he took this is in good stride, as I quickly realized that may not have been a good move on my part (I apologized later, and he was totally fine with it. He really didn't take it seriously).

Then, mile 24....those inclines.  I know I practiced running on them MANY times over the course of my training, and I knew they were going to be rough as heck, but it still didn't make them easier.  I hated those inclines right then....didn't like them during training, and liked them even worse during the race.  However, I knew that the only way to get to that finish line was to get my butt up and over those things.  My legs are beyond done at this point, and this was serious mind over matter here.  I DID get up the one incline, but had to take another walk break to get up the next one.  However, I got over that one too, and then proceeded to make my way to cross the intersection.

Just past the intersection, I there was a third incline, which I managed, and thankfully, there's just a normal road after the turn.  A few blocks later, I see mile 25!!!!  That's when it hit me that I REALLY was going to finish!  I know that I had stated to myself and other runners after mile 20, "Hey! We're going to make it!" However, seeing the mile 25 marker was when it really began to hit home.  I actually almost cried in front of one of the volunteers and a group of spectators. I crossed that final intersection, and moments later, the stadium came into view! OMG...I WAS GOING TO FINISH!!!  AHHHH!!!!!


At this point, I didn't really have much in the energy tank to start to run faster, so I pretty much just kept my pace. I one of my top power songs, which lasted until I made that final turn to head straight down into the stadium.  I put my ipod away, and just throughly enjoyed the feeling of FINALLY finishing my first marathon.  I made that FINAL turn, and....OMG.....THERE'S THE FINISH LINE! RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!!!!! EVERYTHING about this training and this race made it 100% worth seeing THAT finish line, and knowing that I was literally seconds and feet away from crossing it!!! I started crying!  I couldn't help it!  I was so freaking proud of myself for finishing!!!  The next thing I know is that I CROSSED THE LINE!!!!! I DID IT!!!!! I'M A MARATHONER!!!! I was so overcome with emotion that I started crying tears of joy.  One of the guys I run with in my running club here saw me finish, and hugged me. I couldn't helped it, I was crying in his arms.  He asked me if I was okay, and needed a medic.  I told him I was totally alright, just totally emotional, and was crying happy tears. I don't remember if he said anything to me, but I do know that he was SUPER proud of me. I then got medal, then was introduced to Dick Beardsly, who was the guest speaker at the pasta feed last night (which I went to), and he gave me a huge hug. I think I even cried on his shoulder a bit. lol.  He then looked at me, face to face, and stated that he was SUPER proud of me, as what I have just done is something most people do NOT accomplish, and yet, I.DID.IT.   One of the stadium announcers was on the field, right next to me, at the time, and he witnessed some of the emotion going on from me at the time.  So, he decided to turn the mike on, and dd a briefly interview with me, which was heard through the whole stadium.  I was still in such shock and amazement, that I almost didn't know what to say.  I know that I was asked about what was the hardest thing about the race, and I stated that it was the training (which is true), but it made it so worth it in the end.

After that was a bit of challenge as I needed to stretch, and find out where my brother was, he didn't see me cross the finish.  So I try to get myself down gently onto the astroturf, but kinda fell instead. I was totally fine, but that was a quick realization.  By this time, I was also given my race blanket, and one of those aluminum blanket things, and some additonal water. I didn't need the blanket, but the initial stretching felt really good.....sore...but really good. I got a text from my brother, and he met me near the field, and got a "marathon finisher" photo of me (I also had a few of those photos taken by the marathon photographers themselves).  Then, there was the challenge of going up the stairs to get my checked bag. That was a bit of adventure to get up, but I made it. I got my bag, and decided that I didn't really need to change, as I was going straight home, and wasn't cold.  I then met up with my brother, and made the trip back to my apartment, under the surreal fealing that I just finished a marathon.  I know it sounds weird, but it really is a surreal feeling! Of course, I'm still over the moon about this emotionally, but it IS very surreal, as I was thinking, "Gosh, I did THAT?! For real? WHOA!"

Now that I'm back at home, I'm now starting the recovery proccess. I have rolled out some, but have QUICKLY learned that it's super easy for my muscles to cramp up.  I haven't slept at all (yet), but I suspect that's from the caffiene in my fuel.  I know that I really need to work on rehydrating again, majorly get in some good food, and be prepared to be SUPER sore these next few days. I have a massage scheduled for tomorrow, which is going to hurt so good.  I will need it to releave the lactic acid build up, and get blood flowing better.  In the meantime, I will be having a celebration dinner, with a WELL deserved margartia! Cheers!!!

TOMORROW IS THE DAY!!!!

OMG.....tomorrow I will become a marathoner!!!  I'm now super stoked about this race.  The weather is suppose to be cool...40s, with 15-20 mph winds, but NO rain!!! YAHOO!!!!

I went to the expo this afternoon to pick up my race bib and swag, and when I picked THIS up, I just couldn't believe that I'm going to be running a marathon tomorrow! A.MARATON! It's TOTALLY happening!

Side note: I'm not posting my bib number, in case someone decides to cheat.  It's not worth the risk, and I've worked way too hard to have someone try and steal my number.




In the meantime, I also had these taken at the expo. I know that I haven't quite ran the race yet, but this is still totally okay, and I may not be able to bend down to fit into the frame tomorrow anyways after I cross the finish line.



I will definitely be reporting back tomorrow with a full recap!  Stay tuned!!!

Three more sleeps until race day!

I abtsolutly cannot believe that in just three days, I will be come a marathoner.  I have been so nervous and excited about this, and have been training for this event for so long.  When I first started training, April 22 seemed to be so far away. Now, I'm just a matter of days doing this race.  However, right now, I'm beginning to feel more excited about the race, but am now stressing over the final details of things to do here at home BEFORE race day morning. I'm sure that crashing out for a few hours this evening probably didn't help...but any extra sleep that I can get at this point will probably also help, as I'm not counting on getting lots of sleep the night before.

Alsofor those of you who may be interested in tracking me on race day, you can sign up to do so at this link.  Once you're registered, you should be able to type in my name (Janet Slater) to track where I am at in the race on race day.

http://illinoismarathon.com/logistics/tracking/

In a nutshell, here is what I have been doing since my last run last Tuesday, which was the weekly fun run with the funning club.
1. Upping my hydration, and adding electrolytes. I've been shooting for about 1/2 of my body weight in terms of liquids (mostly water), and with adding electrolytes once or twice a day.

2. Adding in additional carbohydrates.  You can pretty much say that I have been in the "carb loading" process for a few days now...helped out by having some pizza at my favorite pizza place in my hometown, which I went to over the Easter Weekend, along with trying some Brazilian food for the first time (which was quite delicious).  Here at home, I've got a pesto noodle salad in a big pot in the fridge, which I'm planning on eating off of these next few days.  I'm also having cereal in the morning (usual), I've also got some bagels and cream cheese on hand as well.

3. Getting things prepared for race day itself.  I get to pick up my race "swag" and racing bibs on Friday!  In addition, I have been making a list of what to wear on me to the start line, what to carry in my flip belt (CANNOT forget my fuel and hydration mix), and what to bring in the drawstring bag that I will have when I pick up my gear on Friday. This also involves making sure that my phone, ipod, and Garmin are fully charged on race day.

4. Trying to get a decent amout of sleep these next few nights. I'm going to be having a super early alarm (probably around 4:30 or so), as I will need time to eat, dress, stretch, and get out to the starting area in plenty of time to use the restroom/porta-potty, check my gear, do a few running strides to get my legs moving, a second stretch, then get into my corral.

5. Be prepared for the weather. At this point, it's suppose to be in the low/mid 40s with 15-25mph winds at the start, then warm up to around 50 by noon. We have about a 50% chance of rain at this point.  I personally would like to see a bit of sunshine, and a bit warmer temperatures, but this beats constant cold rain, or thunderstorms, causing the raceto be cancelled.

6. Trust my training on race day.  Walk through water stations as I planned, and don't focus so much on time.  My main goal is to finish in one piece, uninjured.....sore and tired, sure.  However, I don't want to be injured.  I also do want to enjoy the race experience...read the signs, give kids high 5s, say hi to people I may know, or get a quick hug, etc.  My thoughts of finishing in 5 hours are just bonus, as I never know what may happen in a race.

7. When the going gets tough....keep thinking about my buddy that I run for. I'm also thinking of making a list of all of my student's names that I work, and dedicate a mile to each of them. I will also have some power songs on my ipod at the ready, and keep focusing on crossing that finish line.

8. Have a plan on what to do when I finish the race. My brother will be watching me finish, and will give me a ride home, so that part is covered.  My other thought is to rehydrate/refuel some, stretch, and get into dry clothes for the ride home.  Then, from there, shower, and possibly refeul some more, and crash...although that may depend on what my body feels like doing after the shower.  Of course, there will be a blog about the race itself with my medal in hand. :)

9. Have a celebration dinner at some point. Currently, I'm thinking of having either Chicago style deep dish pizza, or mexican food with a margarita or two.

10. Enjoy the fact that I will be in the top 1% for something...and that's for running in a marathon!

Let's Do This!

Sickness during taper week?

I'm now in the downhill slide before the full marathon, I figured that these last few weeks would be easy.  Well, what I haven't been prepared for is getting sick.  I haven't ran since Tuesday (fun run with the running club, and did 5 pretty easy miles).  I haven't been able to run since I've come down with something that feels like a very mild cold.  It's not strong enough to really make me feel like that I have to stay at home and miss work, but it's just enough for me to feel a bit under the weather. At first, I thought it was mostly allergies, as I do tend to get nasal congestion and a post-nasal drip (which I thought may have caused the sore throat I had), and it does tend to dip a bit into my chest.  However, after a day or so, it usually clears up.  I'm now day 3, and still don't feel back to normal. I don't think I have a fever per se, but have felt a bit warmer than usual, and I slept A LOT yesterday (as in crashing out around 5 p.m. and waking up at 6:30 a.m.).  

So that being said, is getting sick(ish) during taper time really common?  I have heard that it's a possibility as sometimes, training can basically supress one's immune system, making one more likely to get sick once one's body is more rested.  For me, I know that anything is pretty much possible as I also have been working with students who have been sick, and sometimes, allergies can make me feel a bit sick too (although my allergies are mostly nasal, and are usually easily remedied).  

That being  said, is there anything different that I should do, beyond the normal stuff that one does when treating a cold (rest, fluids, hydrate, some OTC meds if needed, etc)?  In the past few years, I generally don't get nearly as sick as I use to, but I still want to have some time to get in a few short runs, plus maybe one mid-distance run before the actual marathon, so that my body still remembers what it will need to do on race day.  

Thoughts?

taper week 1-20 days left!

Well, after that 20 miler last weekend, this week is really rather boring.  What I've been finding out is how hard it really is to run any distance after 20 miles.  My body totally needed extra rest days, so I only managed a 4 mile run, as well as the 12 miler.  Both runs were hard.  I didn't even go to the fun run this week to give myself some extra rest.  With my four miler, at this point, you would think that I would be thinking, "Hey, it's ONLY 4 miles." I call bull on that one because that was a run that kicked my butt all over the place.  Granted, I was trying to run a bit faster as a way to work on speed, and I took a few different roads, as I have been super board with running some of the same routes. However, I think I ran too hard, because I ended up wearing myself out too soon, so I needed walk breaks.  The one good thing about the run was that I briefly met up with two other female runners, who seemed to be younger than me.  Little did they know that I was "racing" them, and they were pretty fast. I managed to hold them off for a few blocks, although they were just steps behind me. However, I heard one of the runners say something along the lines of, "Oh. This feels easy."  That messed with my head a bit as that run was anything BUT easy for me.  I was really glad to have that run behind me.

As for my 12 miler...again, same thought...if I ran 20 last weekend, 12 should be easy, right?  Oh.heck.no.  That run also kicked my butt.  I even found that I could take full packages of GU beforehand, and about 4-5 miles in, be okay, and that was still a rough run.  Is it normal to have very rough runs like this in taper weeks?  I even had the nasty thought of "What if I don't finish this marathon" pop in to my head, which I had to mentally push out of my head. I will only DNF this race due to an extreme emergency where it's not safe for me to do the race.  I literally had to tell my brain, "'Did Not Finish' trumps 'Did Not Start.' Unless there's an exterme circumstance, you WILL be finishing the marathon, so shut up and keep moving."  I have no idea what my pace was, as I didn't bring my watch (forgot to charge it), but I think I finished the run somewhere around 2:30, which was definitely slower than a few weeks ago.  I think some of it may have been temperature related, as it was in the 60s with sunshine.  I have to admit, the gentle breezing was welcoming, as this was warmer weather run than I have done in a while, so t that probably affected my energy some, too. I'm hoping that on race day, we'll have maybe some slightly cooler weather, but still warm enough for me to comfortably run in a pair of capris and a t-shirt or tank top.

As I go into next week, my hope is to get in more of the shorter distance runs, and maybe hit a slightly longer mid-distance run for a change.  I'm only suppose to do 8 miles for the long run, which is entirely do-able.  After that, I'm really hoping to get really good rest for most of the remaining two weeks, so that I can be ready to go on race day.

20 days and counting down.....

Janet

Marthon medal reveal!

For anyone that is interested, the medals have been revealed!  It's birthday themed as the U of I is celebrating it's 150th anniversary. I'm totally excited about owning the marathon medal once I finish! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzZYeVcj8_s&feature=youtu.be

At this point, I have not ran since Sunday.  I was planning on going to the fun run tonight with my local running club, but my low back has been sore today, so I'm deciding to play it safe and give it another rest day.  I do plan on doing as many of the taper runs as possible over these past few weeks. In addition, I have a massage scheduled for both this weekend and for the day after the marathon to help with soreness/recovery.  

20 MILES!!!! YAHOO!!! TIME.TO.TAPER!!!

BIG NEWS!  I.RAN.20.MILES!!! 20.MILES!!  YAHOO!!! I can now start tapering, to make that FINAL push to be a marathoner!  I know that this wasn't originally in my plan, but I decided that I wanted some extra taper time, so I figured that if I can do 18 miles (as originally planned), I can push just a bit harder to do 20.  I now can do the taper runs over the next two weeks or so, and really give myself about another good week or two of rest/no running. I think this was a smart move on my end, as the extra time off will allow for me to push through those 26.2 miles on April 22.

I know you want the details, so here is the run down.  As a whole, this run was easier in spots, and way harder in others. Miles 10, 15, and 18 deserve an extra special finger from me.

So anyways, my 20 miler started out pretty much normal. I woke up about 2-3 hours before I planned to run, had my bowl of cereal, along with my cup of coffee.  However, the one concerning point was that my back was being a bit pesky with some muscle soreness.  Knowing that I was going to be attempting to run this distance, I went ahead and took some Aleve and rubbed on some arnica gel.  I decided to try out a new running tank top, along with a pair of shorts knowing that the weather was going to be a bit warmer today...good practice for if I end up running a warmer marathon.  I packed up all of my fuel, plus a few extra things (my ipod, some extra vaseline, and some some chapstick) into my flip belt, and then made my way to what is the starting line of the race.  I knew I had a BIG job ahead of me, and I totally had the thought of "OMG...I have to start here, and end THERE."  However, I knew that to get THERE (mile 20), I had to start by putting one foot in front of the other.  So, I just took a breath, and decided to go from there.

I started off the run what felt to be really slow, yet comfortable pace for me.  This went pretty well, and I took some walk breaks while crossing streets (with my watch still running), until I hit somewhere around mile 5.  For some reason, I started feeling kinda bloated and gassy, but in terms of that I really needed a burp, but it wouldn't quite happen.  I have no idea what caused this, but it was rather uncomfortable.  I'm thinking that I may have needed some actual water at that particular point, but that still has me baffled...maybe it was my GU gel or hydration mix....I don't know.  However, I am thinking...just to be ont he safe side...take something like Gas X for race day.  Eventually, the gass did go away somewhere around mile 6 or 7, thank goodness.

Also, at this point on the course, miles 5-7 are always tough on me.  I think it's the boring scenry, and I always hate that incline that happens just before mile 6, and there's another one or two around the water station.  I know that on race day, these miles will go on way faster with haveing a bunch of runners with me, but in training, it has always been mentally challenging for me.

Once I hit mile 8, the next two miles are on a path around a local park.. I know the paths VERY well, from running on them with our local running club for our "fun run" that happens each week now that the weather is warming up some, and the days are getting longer.  However, I was also realizing that I soon would be needing more water in my bottle, so I goto check the water fountain to see if it has been turned on yet....it has not...grrrr. At this point, I figured I would still be okay until I got back onto campus (mile 12 area), so I could refill then. So, off I went to continue on with my run around the park.

I get about 3/4 around the park, and for some dumb reason, I decided to try another water fountain. Nope. I don't know why I may have thought that one would have been turned on when the other one wasn't.  Oh well....back to the running.  I finish mile 9, then continue to onto mile 10.

Mile 10....this one was hard as it's just long mile.   For whatever reason, this mile always feels extra long with no end in sight, and it often feels kinda deserted...you might see a few people here and there, but that's about it.  Plus,there's one point, just over a small incline where you think you're at the end, but nope....you have an intersection plus another few blocks, just mess with your head. Around this point, I started sorta bargaining with myself....."Come on. Halfway! Keep it up!  Just two 5 milers left! Go slow these 5 miles, then faster for the last 5! Okay...you can grab water on campus, and continue to take your breaks, but let's try to go faster towards the end!" Ha. Yeah. Right. My legs weren't having it right then.  My legs were telling my brain, "Uh no..maybe faster the last mile or so, but no. We're going our speed. Take it or leave it." I finally get to the end of that mile, and turn on what I thought was the street that's mile 11. Well, as it turns out, I wasn't fully paying attention to which I street I turned onto, as I ended up turning a block sooner....whoops.  I was kinda wondering why I wasn't seeing as familiar territory for this mile, so I looked at a street sign as I was running by, and sure enough, I turned a block too soon.  Oh well....no big deal, I'll still end up where I will need to be...will just have to run the extra block to get back on track.

Mile 12....at this point, I'm starting to think, "Okay. Hit 13, then it's a 5 miler, then two more to grow on. You're almost half way there," However, knowing that I desperately was going to need water, I decided to make a stop on campus to get that taken care of.  Unfortunately, the first building I went to was closed for Spring Break.  Thankfully, another building about a block or so away was open, but it took me a few minutes to find a water fountain that didn't give out warm water.  I eventually found it, got my refill, a drink for myself, walked back outside, and restarted my watch.  I ended up being a bit off the course because of this stop, but at this point, I didn't really care, and knew that the distance was more or less the same had I gone straight on the race course.

Around this time, I could really start to feel when my body needed the energy.  Running past 13 miles still isn't easy for me, so I had to keep telling myself to keep going until I hit X intersection, then I could take a break, or whatever.  What is a bit nicer about this area is that there is more people around, so I don't feel as deserted, compared to mile 10. However, I knew that once I hit mile 15, I had a bigger challenge ahead of me to hit mile 16, which, at that particular point, was my longest distance I have ever ran.

Mile 15....like mile 10 feels very long, and since I have ran down this road so many times during training, I found it very boring.  Plus, I could feel the energy in my legs starting to drain, as I needed to refuel some.  However, I stuck with my plan on taking part of a GU (about 1/2 a package) every two miles, with hydration in between.  However, around this point was when I was also thinking, "Hey. Just a few more miles, and I'll be at 20. Once I get to 16, it will just be 2 to 18, then 2 more to 20. Right now, this SUCKS, but it's doable."  I think that's what kept me focused to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Mile 16....holy cow, that incline sucked, and I nearly turned on the wrong street again, but thankfully, caught myself in time, and just continued down the block. At this point, I'm also eternally thankful for streets where I can wait a few moments to cross because my fuel hasn't quite hit me yet, and legs are feeling it. I also learned a lesson with this mile...at this point, my feet are swelling quite a bit, so I may need to stop and loosen up my shoes some.  My toes felt fine, as I have the shoes laced to allow for extra room at the toe box, but the rest of my foot needed some extra room, so I may need to allow for that if I need it.

Mile 17...This mile actually went pretty well! I had a power cong come on, my fuel hit me just enough to have me run just a bit faster for about 1/2 mile. By this point, I know that 20 miles is definitely doable, which puts a little pep into my pace.

Mile 18.....this mile was hard as it's what I was suppose to go initially in my training plan.  This was my newest distance.  By this point my legs were getting really tired, even with taking half a GU gel at 16. I felt like I was back to runnig a pace that equals to a tortise trudging through mud.  However, I then perked up when I realized I was close to mile 19! I then started telling myself, "Just make it to 19, then it's ONE.MORE.MILE! You got this! You're already at 18.60 something...that's STILL a new distance for you. Come on! Keep going forward! You can take a break at the mile 19 intersection...take the very last of the GU packet, hydrate some, stretch, and then keep moving forward. 20 miles is TOTALLY doable!"

Mile 19....omg....ONE.MORE.MILE.  I was totally pep talking myself outloud through here..."You got this! LAST MILE. Come on! You're a bad@$$ for doing this.  Think about your buddy. You two are in this together.  Let's do it!"  At this point, I am tired, but have a bit more energy in my legs, because I KNOW I will hit that   20 mile mark.  Then, just at the right time, a power song that I have for my buddy and I on my ipod happens to come on (my music was on random to help me from getting bored music wise during the run).  I crank up the music some, and look at my watch....19.6 miles....I can totally make 20 miles before the song ends.  When the chorus comes on, I kick up the pace, and then see my watch turn to 19.75...omg...I'm totally doing this.  I keep jamming out to the song...watch turns to 19.90.....just one tenth of a mile to go.....still jam to the song.....then suddenly, my watch buzzes for me the last time. 20 MILES!!!! I DID IT!!!  I totally cheered outloud for what I just did!  Then....I start crying some.  I couldn't help it. I just could not believe it. I had just ran 20 miles for the first time ever, and I actually felt like I probably could have ran one more after that. This means that I will be ready for my first marathon on April 22!!!!

Looking back, I remember being so scared of these upper miles. However, I am SO PROUD that I am now on the downhill slide before this race. Am I still scared of those last 6 miles? Not nearly as much now, knowing that I just hit the 20 today.  I think that as long as I keep doing what I have been doing, especially with this last long run, I should be good to go with tackling those last 6. I may have to mentally break them up, like what I did with these last few miles today. We'll see what happens on race day itself.  Also, let's hope that we have good weather!  Today was also windy at times, so I was also battling some head wind throughout the run (do I get extra bad@$$ points for that), and that kills everyone's pace as you have to run with extra effort then.

As for after this run, I did get a few mental reminders about what I will need to do once I finish the race.  First of all, I will need to hydrate.  I found that my body sometimes craves just pure water during a run, so not only will I try to take some actual water throughout the aide stations, I will totally need water afterwards.  Second, stretch.....gentle stretching iis a must after this long distance race. I will definitely need to focus on my hamstrings and quad, and even my back.  However, I will also have to be very forgiving of myself as I usually have very good groin and hamstring flexibility (as in I can do straddle splits, and have my head touch the floor with knees out the side on a butterfly stretch).  My body will have just gotten done with a marathon, so it will need some time to regain it's full flexibility.  If possible, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a short massage done on the field to start working out the kinks.  Thirdly, keep walking as much as possible...at least until I get home.  The movement will help with bloodflow, and hopefully offset additional tiredness until I get home. Last of all, warmth.  Once my body gets done with running, esepcially in cooler weather, it gets cold VERY fast.  If we're expecting a cool weather marathon (say 50s or below), I will definitely need to make sure that I have warmer clothes in my bag to change into once I grab it.  Also, having a small towel in my bag may not be a bad idea in case I get wet from either sweat or rain.

 

Also, one last thing. If someone runs 20 miles and their hair still looks nice afterwards...they're not doing it right. :)  Happy Running!

Happy "Runversary!"

Yesterday, in 2013, I started my journey as a runner.  I've copied/pasted my Facebook status from that day, and if my current self could've talked to my past self, my current self would be saying, "Psssh. Yeah. Right. Come talk to me after you run your first 5k...."  LOL!

"Whoohoo! I had a very good day at the rink! Yay for a 6 revolution spin that was nicely controlled, and a salchow jump that I landed on one foot. I THIS close to being fully rotated with checked arms and a straighter entrance! It was so close to being fully rotated that I could taste it, and I felt very light in the air! I know it's far from perfect, but yay!!!!

Afterwards, I decided to do the first day of C25K at the indoor track, which I have an app for on my phone. At times, I was thinking, "geez, when is this going to end?" but I pushed myself to complete it, and it wasn't that bad! I have NO interest in doing an actual 5K, but I'm hoping this will push me to keep working on my endurance as that will help with my skating." :)

What a journey it has been since....now onto today's chapter: Set back week with a 12 miler.....

Today was my 12 miler, which is leaving me down to the last three weeks of my training! Ahhh!! Where did time go? I absolutely cannot believe that in 3 weeks, I will be hitting my 20 miler (or possibly a bit beyond), then will be considered "trained" for this marathon.  Yet, I still possibly can't know everything about running a marathon besides that I need to put one foot in front of the other a million times to make it to the finish.  I still want to be as prepared as possible for things to happen, but it's impossible to be fully prepared.  I will keep a few physical things on hand, just in case (a few waterproof bandaids, some extra fuel, extra portable sized thing of vaseline, a ziplock baggie or two for my ipod, just in case, and maybe a few other little things as I think of them).

At this point, a lot of stuff I'm experiencing thought wise is pure mental.  I CAN do 16 miles, so what's 2 more right? Then, once I hit 18...what's another two more after that?  Then, once I hit 20, and have my rest period, I can tack on another 6...okay, maybe 4, but two more to grow on, and cross a finish line...right? But yet, how on earth am I going to be able to continue forward if I'm dead tired by mile 20-22?  BTW, the few small inclines I will have at miles 24-25 (please don't laugh, I suck at hills as my area is flat as a pancake), are already getting a big finger from me.  I'm just gonna have to stare them down, and put one foot in front of the other. I might have to pause a bit to get my breath, and convince my legs to move, but I will tackle those by putting one foot in front of the other somehow.

So.....in terms of weekly runs, I've been really slacking there. I did run an almost 7 miler this week, but that's about it.  I'm hoping to pick up the weekly smaller distance runs a bit now that the ice arena is closed, as I now have more time to focus on finishing training for this marathon.  However, the mid distance runs of about 6-8 miles seems to be good for me. The shorter distances of 4-5 should be fine from this point onward.  I sometimes still don't run with a music or a watch....just kinda depends on what I feel like doing. I sometimes think I run better without the music, but other times, good tunes help me get my groove going, and make my run much more enjoyable.  Running without my watch is also nice at times, so that I don't focus on  my pace. I just run according to feel, and that's totally okay, too.

What I am also figuring out now is my "routine" before the long run.  I'm finishing that I'm liking to be up about 2-3 hours before the long run.  Keep in mind that I am an afternoon runner for my long runs, so this means I'm trying to be up around 9-10 a.m.  Yes, I know that's late for a lot of you early risers, but this is what works well for me.  I'm finding that having a bowl of cereal, with a cup of coffee, and a banana seems to work well....top off my energy levels, give my body some time to wake up, shower, stretch, and have the chance to use the bathroom before I take off.  Starting about two days beforehand, I am trying to drink an electrolyte drink both days, and trying to eat a mostly decent dinner. I'm also noticing that I seem to be eating a bit more before my long run days, so I'm trying to meet those demands...although I caved and polished off two boxes of Girl Scout cookies...

On  more serious note, I did have some (mostly) homemade pesto salad, and made up a quiche, both of which I ate last night.  Those seem to work pretty well for me, plus I finished off a glass of the GU hydration energy tab mix.  That seemed to hold me pretty well until I ate my late breakfast.

Knowing that I "only" had 12 miles, I decided to try and run it at a bit faster speed.  AS a whole, it went pretty well, and I finished in 2:04 something, averaging a 10:20 pace.   I did have a few miles in the upper 9s, which was really cool.  However, I learned two things on this run.  One, with using my GU hydration mix, I HAVE to make sure that I'm using the proper concentration.  I totally put in the whole package, which is meant for a 21oz bottle, into my 16 oz bottle. I am almost certain that this ended up being too much for me, as I battled some nausea, had to burp several times, and generallly felt a bit blah for a few miles..  I thought that the flavor tasted a bit stronger than before, but I didn't figure out why until after my run.  Once I finished my run, and added more water to my bottle, my body settled down.  My body needed straight up water, not that mix in order to sort things out.  So now, I know that I have to be careful with how much I put in there. Since my bottle is only 16 oz, I shouldn't need more than about 3/4 of the package.

The second thing I learned is that I have to stare down inclines before tackling them.  I was running the second half of the marathon course today, and mile 10 is equal mile 24 on the course.  I know that all of you hill runners will laugh at me for this, but there are three small inclines in that mile, and they freaking suck.  I hate them because I'm NOT done with my run, and I have to somehow have to summon the energy to get myself up and over those damn things.  Now, the hard part is that in the marathon, I will have been going for 24 miles at this point, so dang near the finish area, then get slammed in the face with those inclines.

So, what I did today was that I briefly stopped at the bottom of the first incline, took a quick breather/stretched, then stared down the incline, and did my best to tackle it like a boss. I was tired, and soooo looking forward to being done, but at the same time, this was SUPER good mental training for the race day itself.  I can only hope that race day will be in the 50s with sunshine and a gentle breeze.  I may be running in the rain and colder temperatures for all I know (I was in a t-shirt and capris), and yet, I'm going to get over those inclines.  So, my game plan for there, if needed, is to do exactly what I did today....slow down/stop, take breather, quick stretch, and power through.  Hopefully, there will be people around (and maybe some funny signs) to help me push past this point, because after that, I'm down to the last mile, and home free.

Also, on positive note, I FINALLY  have a marathon training shirt!  Yippee!!  This shirt is honestly a bit of a morale booster as I run by people, knowing that I'm training for this event.  I'm actually already thinking of wearing this on race day (along with my black capris) if it will be a warmer weather race.  I wish I could somehow change the word "Training" to "Running" the Illinois Marathon on race day itself, as it won't be exactly like wearing the marathon shirt before actually running the full race, but it would be a nice touch.  But yeah, I am training for this marathon, and now have the shirt to prove it. :)

Another mile closer to the big 2-0

I'm now back into the full swing of marathon training, now that I'm healed from my back spasm.  I still may adjust my middle of the week mileage some, to avoid wearing myself out, but after this Friday, my ice rink will be closing for approximately 6 months, so that will actually help with my training in terms of additional rest days (although I will certainly miss not being on the ice nearly as much).  In addition, I've calmed down quite a bit in terms of my freak out about having enough time to train.  I actually got to talk with two experienced marathoners at a get together last week with my local running club, and they both said that as long as I have a two week taper after my 20 miler, I will be good to go for doing the full.  So now, I'm feeling much better about completing this training as lonng as I get up to the 20 miles.

In terms of training this week, only ran a total of three times (4 miles and 5 miles) , knowing that I needed energy for the exhibition skate that I was in, and for my 16 miler that was coming up.  The show was a bit rough performance wise (although I loved my dress, and got a lot of compliments on my skating and dress in general), but I'm probably my own worst critic there.  I decided to drown my sorrows with a large gryo and a basket of fries afterwards, which probably wasn't the best pre-run fuel.  However, it was dang delicious.  I got in my carbs, some protein, a bit of veggies, and salt through, right?  I also slept a ton once I got home. I feel asleep around 9 p.m. (gosh, I feel old), and woke up at 5 a.m., had the rest of my electrolyte drink mix, and fell back asleep until about 10.  I finally decided to get up, and eventually made some french toast and had some coffee a bit later.  I was planning on getting out the door by 2 p.m., but it wasn't until a bit later than that, and I didn't start running until about a hour later, as I decided to run the 1/2 marathon course, onto a bit of the full marathon course.  Plus, my body decided it needed the bathroom again before the run, so I figured I might as well make a pit stop before starting...note to self....make sure I use the bathroom at least twice before starting the race. I may have to use the bathroom once I get up, before I leave, then try to go twice near the starting area...just to be safe.

So for this run, it was in the upper 30s/low 40s with a gentle breeze. I was initially thinking that I would be cold, but once I got moving, I warmed up fairly quickly.  I also tried the GU Lemon Tea hydration mix this time, and found that I really liked it! I think that this will be my "go to" hydration for the race. I found that I did well with just sipping on it every so often, and I love that I can buy it at my local running store, so that makes things easier on my end.  I may check around for some deals online, but at least it's good to know that my running store carries it in case I need it at last(ish) minute. The hydration mix is also simple to make. You just add it to your water, and give it a quick mix at home, or can even shake it up some if you're out on the run.  It is meant for a 21 oz bottle, but you can divide it up if you have smaller bottles. I have a 16oz hand held, so I used probably 1/2 to 3/4 of the package, which seemed to work well. The extra powder can just be put into a ziplock bag for later use.

Knowing that I'm hitting higher miles, I am allowing myself some walk breaks, right around where water/aide stops will be, along with major intersections, so I know that my time is not totally accurate, as I do pause my watch, particularly for the intersections. I also did make two pit stops, as I'm still sorting out the hydration factor.  I figured it was better safe than sorry as it's much easier to run when your "internal plumming" is on empty. However, I am REALLY hoping that I will not need the restroom during the run. I know that there will be portapotties, just in case, but I don't want to spend time in line waiting for one. So hopefully, everything will be said and done before the race.  In terms of fueling itself for the race, I was able to take sips of the hydration mix in between taking my GU gels. It seemed that I started needing fuel starting about mile 4, and felt the need to sorta "top up" every two miles or so. Using about 1/3 of a GU package seemed to work well with me, alternating with sips of the hydration mix.  I know it sounds like a lot, but I could feel when my body was needing the fuel, and that seemed to help keep things evened out.  It may change some on actual race day, depending on the weather or whatnot, but that is my game plan for right now.

In terms of my pacing, I found that my splits were sorta all over the place, but I did notice one good thing.  My ending pace was faster than my starting pace.  I noticed that my first few miles were slower...probably just to work out the kinks and fear of going too fast, then my middle miles were more of my "cruising speed" for this race, with my ending miles being harder, trying to simulate running the last mile or so of the race to the finish line.  With doing the actual half/full marathon route, I was able to run through the area where the two races split a bit before mile 13. In my mind I was telling myself "Okay, on race day, you will just have to mentally push through here. Your body will know what to do. You will just have to push through here mentally.  Just keep putting one foot in front of the other."  This is because I am already predicting this may be a rough spot, especialy if I am a bit tired, as I will be able to hear the stadium with everyone from the half marathon heading towards that line. I know that a half marathon is no easy feat, but I'm gonna have to push through hard there to keep my focus, and remind myself that that next time I see the stadium, that will be FOR.ME.and that I.WILL.FINISH.THE.RACE.  Hopefully, there will also be other runners around me to help me push through as well. Those of us in the marathon will be pushing through that spot together, and my hope is that we will have each other's backs right then.

One other note that I noticed today on this long run was that I actually do run really well without music.  Today, it was just me, my hydration/fuel, and my watch to keep track of my miles. I didn't worry about pace either. I went with what felt comfortable.  At this point, I don't know if I will have my ipod on me for the race, but it's good to know that I can actually run well without it.  I may have it with me, in case times get tough, and I need some "power songs" or whatever, but i definitely am planning on not having it on when I go to the finish line. I want to solely focus on hauling butt across that line and not have something funky happen with my ipod at the last moment in that process.

So now, next week's long run is "only" 12 miles. I cannot believe that in just a few short weeks, I will be hitting 20 miles, and will theoretically be fully trained for the marathon!ack!

So what do I do now?

I know that it's been a while since I've last posted, and there is a reason for that. My training has been thrown off-course  with a back muscle spasm.  I think I got it from doing too much without enough rest, and probably without the best fuel/nutrition, as I don't follow a diet.  The back spasm caused me to not do anything physical (beyond what I could handle for work), for over a week, and I just got back into running a few days ago. Unfortunately, this isn't my first rodeo with back spasms either. I seem to get them about once a year, so I'm thinking about getting a massage done once a month or so as a way to help prevent future spasms.

For my first time back to running, I literally only did about a mile, and although it was good for me to get back out there, I don't think my back was healed enough to really allow for me to return to running, and my legs seemed to have forgotten what it's like to run. That part was really discouraging as I had been working so hard for this marathon up until the injury.

I want to get back into running and training for this marathon, but I'm now feeling immense pressure about being prepared for it in time. Now, I'm really concerned about not allowing a few weeks rest to really taper for the marathon, or even hitting the 20 miles at this point.  Yet, I don't want to risk injuring myself.  I'm also preparing for two performances (one for skating, and one for music) these next two weeks, and that is taking away training time, too.  Plus, I still don't have my hydration figured out. I thought I had ordered some hydration stuff that I was going to try, but, from the looks of it, I never placed the order, and I had a freebie shipping coupon code as well. :(  So that has me concerned as I've ony been training with water or water with electrolytes in it.  I have tried Nuun again, but that is off my list for hydration as I can't take the carbonation. I can drink it at home, but even then, it's not my favorite.

So what do I do now?  My long runs are suppose to be 16,12,18,14,20, 12,8?  I can chop off the last two long runs, and replace that with a taper. Knowing that I have already done 15 miles, what I'm thinking is starting off this week with repeating the week for the 16 miles for my shorter runs (4-8-4), and doingI the 16 miler next Sunday. I might take out the set back week long run of 12, and push ahead to 18, and continue from there to the 20.  If I take out that 12 mile run, that would give me about a 3 week taper. However, if I keep that 12 mile run, I would only have a two week taper. Would two weeks be enough of a taper to run this marathon?  That is my BIG question.  Keep in mind that I will not be skating (much) after March 17, as my rink is closing for rennovations.  That will help with building in extra rest time and such throughout the week.  I'm also planning on not exercising at all (beyond my normal walking for errands and such), the week of the Marathon to allow for extra rest. Does this sound doable? What has your experience been with allowing for tapering?

With that in mind, I think one of the biggest things I have learned with this training is how much time training for a marathon really requires.  One thing for sure is that this is not a race meant for a beginner runner. Even though I have been running for a few years now, something like this makes me feel like a newbie runner to a certain extent. I've been watching videos about running a marathon, and have gained knowledge about running through my past half marathon training experiences, and running as a whole, but this has proven to be a game changer.  Running 26.2 miles for the first time is no joke. Training for this distance takes A LOT of time, and I've been trying to do this in combination with skating and gymnastics, plus band one night a week (my main background is in music).  Plus, I work full time during the week.  I know that early on, I realized that I started training a bit late, as my program is a 30 week program. I am trying to do it so that I have some time to fully taper at the end. However, what I'm realizing is that there really needs to be additional weeks built in to allow for extra time in case something comes up.  Although my back injury was fairly minor, that took additional time away from my training.  I've also been terrible about really allowing for full rest days from training because I haven't really allowed for it in my schedule. I think this was a major factor leading up to my injury as I was pushing myself too much.

That being said, my question is how much extra time should be built into a training schedule? My rough guess at this point is at least 3-4 weeks, plus the taper weeks at the end.  You just never know what might come up, or if you just need a temporary break from training. I do wonder if I would perform better with having a long run every other week, rather than pushing forward a few weeks, then having a set back week.  Something like this makes me wonder on how seasoned marathoners figure out what training plan works for them. Like, how many marathon plans have they tried before they found or created one that works for them? What were some of the pluses and minuses of those particular plans?   What were some of their first few marathon experiences like? Do they remember running their first marathon? If so, did it goes as well as they wanted it to?

Thoughts?

Marathon training video

Since I have been training for this marathon, I've been trying to spend a lot of time watching videos on marathon training and running a first marathon.  Today, I came across this video, and I thought it was worth passing along.  I really liked how the speaker really breaks down how to train for a marathon (although word of warning, they are advertising for their fuel at the end), which has given me some things to think about, especially with finishing the race strong, including some talk on nutrition.  There is so much more to running a marathon than just picking a plan, and it does make me question if I should alter my training some, so that I do finish strong....mostly incorporating some faster running towards the end of my long runs, so that I can help break through any mental barriers I may have the last few miles of the race.

On a related note, I have decided that I want to try drinking a beverage with electrolytes in it each day, and see how that affects my runs.  I was going to try Nuun on actual long run, but after trying it for the second time (I originally tried it a few years ago), I know that I will not be able to handle Nuun on a run.  Even with letting the tablet totally dissolve (lemon lime flavored), it was way too carbonated tasting for me, which will not set well with my system during the run.  However, I think it will be okay for me to take on a daily basis at home. At this point, I am kind of concerned about finding something that will work well with me for the entire race.  I really wish that I could find some decent unflavored electrolytes that I can add to my water that's not carbonated.  I actually wish that I could get them like you can get water enhancers at the store...just a few drops added to your water, and wahlaa...electrolytes.  The closest thing that I've been able to use so far is Smart Water, but knowing that I'm going to need a water bottle refill or two in the race, that won't work so well for me. I might give "Scratch" another go, and see how that works with me.  However, unfortunately, I will have to order it, as my area doesn't have a big selection of fueling to try.  Plus, unfortunately, one of our sports stores (MC Sports) is closing due to bankruptcy, so we will soon be short one more place to get some fuel.

So anyways, here is the video that I found. If you don't want to hear about their fueling product, you'll only need to watch the first hour or so of the video.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0wzeYG2Zj4&t=1855s

It's official..what did I just do?

So this happened today.....what on earth did I just do?! This is now a done deal, come April 22!!

15 miles down, 11 more to go.... (weeks 21-22)

I realize that I fell off the wagon some , with blogging about my runs these past two weeks.  These past two weeks have been tough as I had hit a bit of a rough patch with my training. I think part of it was just pure tiredness, especially with also being in gymnastics and figure skating.  Part of it was also scheduling as life sorta got in the way.  I really don't get much in terms of actual "rest days," and I think it caught up to me a little bit. I ended up skipping my planned 10 miler as a result (end of week 21) because I needed some pure down time. Knowing that I had ran that distance twice already, there wasn't really a strong need for me to have to run it again, and the results would have been bad if I had attempted it.  My body was just not going to be able to handle it.

As for last week, my weekday runs were pretty bad.  I really struggled with getting out door, and being under a time crunch.  For you ladies on here, I was also on my cycle, and had a lot of things on my mind that were stressing me out.  I wasn't crampy or anything like that, but I was in the worst mood.  Running usually makes me think clearer, but not this time.  I had a heck of a time getting out the door at a decent time (and didn't help that I was late getting home), as I was scrambling to gather stuff.  Then, I forgot to use the bathroom before heading out, and I ended up needing to make a pit stop. On that same run, I had to alter my route, realizing that there was no way that I was going to run the streets I wanted to run after dark, and really fought with the feel of an even cadence the whole time.  To make matters worse, I nearly bit the cement due to some uneven sidewalks in my neighborhood.  My toe caught the edge of a sidewalk, and I went flying forward, having to take huge steps to stop my fall.  After that, I called it quits for the run.  I just knew that if I tried to continue, I was going to end up hurt, and sometimes, it's better to cut my loses. I ended up with 4.5 miles, which was better than nothing, but it was definitely not one of my better runs.

Now....that 15 miler.  Wow. Holy cow. That was the furthest distance that I have ever ran up until Saturday, and I could not have asked for a better time to get that run done.  That was a run that I desperately needed after those harder runs this week.  It was partly sunny, and in the 50s/low 60s at tops, and I was running in capris and last year's half marathon t-shirt.  I did take one small wrong turn early in my run, but that was easily fixable, and I ran out the rest of the marathon course that I had planned to do.  I did take a few short walk breaks to take some energy stuff and at busy intersections. Also, every so often, especially around what will be the mile 22 area, I would pull out my written directions, just to make sure that I didn't get lost, and this time, I was able to run down all the streets for the 2nd half of the marathon course, and made my way back towards campus like a charm.  The really neat thing was that my body WANTED to do the run. It was up for the 15 mile challenge, unlike a few days before that.  I kinda felt like I solidified my thoughts of "Yes. I'm honestly a runner who is training for a marathon."  I may have averaged an 11:30 pace, and had the scary thought of "Oh goodness....11 more miles after this. How am I going to do that?" However, I was super proud of myself for covering the distance!

With training on the actual course, the cool thing is I can plan my runs so that I can run to the stadium doors that lead to the football on the university campus.  On my run on Saturday, that happened around 12.5 miles.  I was already getting tired at that point, but I also found myself getting emotional. What was happening was that I was picturing myself running towards the gates that will be open to the football field on race day.  I was so into mentally at the time that I literally almost started crying. I guess you can say that I'm getting good practice for the actual race day, as I' already know that I'm going to be a basket case of emotions.  I'm already counting on being physically exhausted and sore, but going onto that football field, and crossing that finish line at the 50 yard line is going to make it 110% worth it.

As for the last two miles, I used those to cover what will be parts of mile 13 and 14 of the race.  On the race course itself there is a spot where the half and full runners split off.  The hard part is that our split is on campus, near the stadium, so I will be hearing and seeing the half runners split away from me, and heading to the finish, while I still have another 13 miles to go.  I'm not sure what my game plan is yet for that point, but I'm kinda thinking is that I may just need to put on my ipod at that point, and definitely not get wrapped up in my head about not being able to finish. I'll have remind myself that my finishing will be twice as sweet, as I ran twice that distance. I know that sounds kinda snotty, but I may need that to get my head screwed on straight again.  Of course, anything can happen at that point on race day, but I would like to have some sort of mental back up plan.

In terms of fueling for the race, I'm still experiementing, but have found that I really like the GU Salted Caramel.  I've also realized that I am going to need to need at least one refill for my water bottle.  I'm thinking that I would like to have some pure electrolytes in there as well.  So far, my system seems to like taking maybe a 1/3 of a GU package about every 2-3 miles (basically where aid stations are at).  In terms of transporting the GU, my plan is to keep the unopened pouches in my flip belt, and my currently being used one in a baggie in my pouch to my handheld.  That way, I can keep the GU more upright, and it's less likely to spill.  I learned the hard way during a short run that if I keep the GU in a baggie in my flip belt, gets squeezed out all over the place...not good. Thankfully, it stayed in the baggie, and didn't squeeze out into my flip belt.

In terms of nutrition, this is probably where I'm failing, as I don't do anything like count calories.  I'm trying to get better with drinking more water, however.  Plus, I'm still trying to eat mostly healthy meals.  I'm basically trying to eat whatever I feel like is satisfying enough for to be able to run in a few hours later (so....no homemade oatmeal raisin cookies), and keeps me relatively full, or until I need to refuel during my long run.

As for eating after the long run, I had the same issue after my 13 miler a few weeks ago. My body wasn't really up for eating.  One would think that I would have been absolutely starving after that long run, but I practically had to force feed myself some time later.  It was literally hours before I felt like I could eat something without my body possibly rebelling against it.  What I felt it could tolerate was some oatmeal made with warm milk, a bit of sugar, vanilla, and raisins.  A bit later, my body did get more back to normal and was chowing down on baby carrots dipped in salad dressing, but it was no where near the hunger level that I was expecting it to reach.  I took the day off from running the next day (Sunday), and even then, my body wasn't super hungry until after skating.  I get that there's hunger signal that sometimes gets flipped into the "off" mode with strenious exercise, but I kinda wonder why mine has been slow to turn back "on." Yet, the other day, after skating practice, I was super hungry right away to the point where I was almost getting a headache.


Anyways, next week's agenda is 4-9-4, then the 16 miler. I have a 4 day weekend coming up, and since I have missed both of my 7 milers, I may push back the 16 miler a day or two, to give me some extra rest (hopefully).  I cannot believe that in approximately 6 weeks from now, I will be considered trained for this marathon.  I have two more set back weeks before the big 2-0 miler, then the rest of that is tapering!

Half Marathon Distance ON.THE.TREADMILL! (week 19)

Honestly, there isn't too much to report this week for my shorter runs.  They are continuing to go pretty well, although the middle distance mileage is now starting to increase (6 miles now).  I'm still running outside when I can, and am very grateful that the days are starting to get longer.  I now don't feel as rushed to get my runs finished after work.  As long as I'm out the door within 15-20 minutes or so of getting home, I still have enough daylight to do the runs.  I still find that I sometimes need good tunes to get me through (especially on the treadmill), but can often go without, especially on my shorter runs. I actually felly feel like I run faster without the music sometimes, which seems kind of weird, but hey. 

So now, I'm at the point where these long run miles are really starting to build up. I'm still figuring out what I need in terms of fueling, as well, and I hope to have that sorted out over the next few weeks.  At this point, I have found that I really liked the GU salted caramel gel.  With those, I can take just a little bit at a time, and wash it down with some water.  I also tried applesauce (Aldi "Simply Nature" brand), that comes in a package of four.  Again, I still prefer to take it with a bit of water. Although they did give me a bit of a boost of energy, I'm not sure if they quite have the staying power of the gels.  

In terms of the actual hydration, I tried using Smart Water, which is plain water with electrolytes in it. I actually really like this idea, and it seemed to work well, because with the GU, and possibly, applesauce, I don't want to overload my system on sugar.  However, knowing that I will most likely run out of the Smart Water during my run on race day, I'm wonder if I can just get pure electrolytes that I can just add to my water bottle, where I can get it refilled at a water station, especially later in the course.  I'm kind of thinking that if I can get those in either a powder form that quickly dissolves, or in some type of liquid form (kind of like water enhancers that you can get at the store),that maybe be best.


The night before my long run, I did drink two bottles of a an electrolyte drink that I found on sale for
50 cents each.  After a really hard run, it might taste good, but I wasn't crazy about either one. To me, they tasted like flavored chemicals. The only reason I bought them was because of the price, thinking that if they worked for me, I could stock up on them.  Yeah....don't think that will be the case.





As for my long run itself, I ended up running the distance indoors as I wimped out on the cold. Okay, it wasn't SUPER cold, but running outside in the 20s, knowing that I get cold SUPER fast after my runs lately, and chances are that I would have to wait for a bus somewhere.....yeah......not my idea of a fun time.  So, I sucked it up, and did the miles on the treadmill. I had a rough start with getting out the door, as I was being absent minded about leaving important things for the gym behind (including my gym bag with needed running gear), but I finally managed to make it out to the gym.  Once I changed, did a few minute walk on the treadmill, and then stretched, I made myself get back onto the treadmill for the 12 miles that was on my agenda.  Yep....12 miles on that thing.  However, remember, just a few weeks ago, I had an amazing run at 10 miles on that thing.  Yet, at the same time, I kind of scared of handling the 12 miles. Again, I don't know why longer distances seem so daunting at first.  It's a total mind game, for sure. I think with me, I look at the jump in terms of mileage, compared to the week before, especially if it's a set back week, and find myself a bit intimidated by the leap. However, in reality, it's not always that much longer than my last long run (such as this 10 to 12).

Once I got onto the treadmill and started going, things went a bit easier mentally.  I had both the tv on (mostly for visual stimulation) and my ipod on for music, as a way to help with the boredom that can come with being on the treadmill.  What also mentally helped was dividing the long run into chunks. In this run, I decided on 3 sets of 4 (so 4 miles each).  The only snag I hit was having the machine suddenly stop on me every so often.  I think this was because the time was set to "time remaining" rather than "time lapsed."  So having it suddenly stop more than once was kind of startling.

In terms of pace, I varied it a bit, depending on what I felt like I could safely handle, and what music was playing. If I was jamming out to a power song, I'd turn the tempo up. If I needed some recovery, I d' turn it down.  I also used the time to figure out when to take my energy stuff. Since I still had some of my GU leftover, I sort of alternated between that and my squeezable applesauce every few miles (about 2-3).  For me, it seems to work well if I just take a little bit every few miles, as it gives my body a chance to digest it a bit easier than if I was to take a bunch at a later point.  I also sipped on my Smart Water every so often.  I think I had a 20fl oz bottle, which got me through most of the run. I didn't have my handheld bottle with me, but I know that holds 16 oz, so this is giving me a rough estimate on how much hydration I may need for the full.  I'm guessing that I would probably need at teast 32oz (and maybe a bit more) to see me through.  There is also the idea of running with a hydration pack to help me carry more water, but I'm not really sure if I want to deal with more extra weight. However, it may be something for me to consider.

For this run, I did hit sort off a wall around 8-9, for some reason. I'm not sure what caused it...might have been energy related, but also kind of mental, as that mile felt so long.  I did take some energy stuff around then, by the time I hit mile 10, I was doing better.  Back in one of my earlier miles, I kind of had the thought of trying for the 13.1 miles on the treadmill, but when I hit miles 8-9, I wasn't sure if that was going to be possible.  Once I hit around mile 11, I realized that if I took it a bit slower, I could do the 13.1.  I think part of me was going, "Oh come on! In a half marathon, you wouldn't quit at mile 12, when you had just.one.more. mile to do.  Come on, let's just go for the 13.1!" So, once I hit mile 12, I played a few power songs to get me going to the end.  As usual, P!nk's "Just Like Fire," got me going really strong. I turned up the speed to nearly a 10 minute pace, which is super fast for me on a long run (I was probably averaging 12-11ish minute miles), and I could literally feel myself springing from one foot to the next.   A few minutes later, I saw my treadmill hit the 13.1 mark! I had literally hit the longest distance I had ever done on the road or treadmill.  I was very tired afterwards, but so proud of myself! 

As for the recovery from running that distance, it was actually much easier than I anticipated.  I did have a banana, my other applesauce pouch (which tasted AMAZING), and some milk after I finished, but I surprisingly wasn't ravishingly hungry.  However, when I got home, I completely crashed out for a few hours.  I know that this is normal for after long runs, but it's making me think that I may need to plan for that in advance. I also had a hard time going BACK to sleep a hour or so later (when I really should be in bed for a 5 a.m. alarm to go skate), so there was that issue.  However, I did take an aleve, just in case my legs got super sore, and was able to skate the next morning on better legs than I anticipated. I was even able to do some jumping, which was previously impossible after I ran my past half marathons.  I also never really got super hungry either.  I know that one of the hunger hormones may get suppressed for a while after a hard workout, but I guess my stomach decided that it didn't need a bunch of stuff in it, and that my normal food/meals was fine. Hey, at least it's a few extra bucks in my pocket, as I'm not chowing down on a sofritas bowl from Chipotle with tortilla chips (my favorite dish from there, and the tortillas make it into an ultimate nachos type of dish).  For the time being, I figure it's nothing worth stressing over, as I'm still eating and drinking as I normally would. I'm guessing that it's needs are probably just changing some, so I may just have to adapt to it.




As for my upcoming long run, I am looking at having it be another set back week, which is jumping me a bit further in the schedule. Since I know I can do the 13.1, there's really no need for me to repeat it, the have a set back distance the following week.  This way, I can do the 10 miles that I have on plan, then next week, go to 15 miles....the longest distance I have ever done so far.  Let's hope for good weather, so that I can do this run outside!

Until then, Happy Running!

Ups and downs(week 17)

What an up and down week this has been.  So much going on, and my brain didn't have space to put it all.  I'll start with the good stuff first, and that was with speedwork.

So, the local running club here offers speedwork practice every Wednesday night.  I had not been to speedwork since October, and have been wanting to get back into it, figuring that I can use mileage from that towards my mileage on my training plan, which is three miles for my shorter runs.  I figure that I can usually warm up with a 1/2 mile on my own, do the speedwork practice and figure out the distance from that, then wind down my practice with doing whatever other distance I. needed to do on my own to make up the three miles.

Just.My.Luck. Guess what I had to do my first time back....a timed mile.  We're also at an indoor 200 meter track, which doesn't help. At first, I thought the other members were just messing with me, but they were right.  I was not happy about this, as I was hoping to ease back into speedwork.  I know that I have been doing some speedwork type of stuff on my own on the treadmill with my shorter runs, but I was not looking forward to the timed mile.  The coach told me that I can just use it as a baseline to see where I'm at, but my competitive side kicks in too much, as I still want to beat my record of 7:50.  For me, a timed mile gives me the mentality of "go hard, or go home," so I did a major case of "suck it up buttercup" and lined up with "slower" group. For this practice, we had a "slower" group (8 minutes or slower), and a "faster" group.

Being grateful that I had my watch on to help me keep track of my distance, I set off.  The thing about the timed mile for me is that I always dread starting it. I tend to have a love/hate relationship with speedwork anyways. I do love that it helps me get faster in the long run and that I'm with good people. However, I sometimes hate how tired and hard I really have to work. Yet, at the same time, it's really cool for me to look back and think, "Hey! I did that tonight! I'm tired as heck, but I did it!"
isr than I expected.  I managed an 8:01, which is right on the cusp of me being in the "fast" or "slow" group.  I know it wasn't my fastest, but it was faster than my previous time in October at 8:04, so I'm okay with that.  After my group finished, we all rested while the faster group did their timed mile.  Holy moses, those people could fly!  Those people were finishing in the 6-7 minute range, which is warp speed for me at this point.

After both groups were done with the timed mile, we did 4 200s. We kept the same groups, but alternated. My group started first, and I have to admit, I was very proud of how I ran those 200s! For once in my running life, I was NOT brining up the rear! For ALL 200s, I was in the top 3 (maybe 4) of my group, and lead female runner.  All of my 200s were in the low to mid 40 second range, and I was able to get really fast starts. On the second 200, there was one guy that I tried to pass as we were running side by side.  We were both running HARD, and I was practically running on my toes trying to catch him.  However, he pulled away and I couldn't keep up.  On the following 200 round, I managed to hold that same runner off for 1/2 a lap!  I know that it doesn't seem like much, but considering that he just kicked my tail in the last round, it was so satisfying to know that I was running faster than he was for half a lap, and that I was in second at that point.  Then, on the last lap, this one other guy snuck up behind me down the last stretch.  I knew he was trying to pass me, so I dug a bit deeper and put on an extra burst of speed. I literally felt my hair flying back, and heard another runner shout something along the lines of "That's the way to do it," as I put some distance between me and the runner behind me as I crossed the finish line.  I was so exhausted, and breathing so hard, but under it all, I was proud of how I did.  I was running hard with an amazing group of runners, who pushed me to run faster than I have in a long time in speedwork, and I seriously can't expect anything better than that. Regardless of what our times are, all of us in speedwork (and in running in general) are doing this together.

After the speedwork was done, and a few minutes of recovery, I realized that I needed another mile and half on my own to do to meet my 3 miles for my running mileage for the day.  I don't know if Garmin sportswatches lie a lot, but mine somehow picked me up at an 8:47ish pace.  I certainly didn't feel like I was running that by any means. I felt like I was running at about 11:30-12 minute pace, due to how tired I was.  I swear, running on an indoor track by yourself (well, there were other high school/middle track practices being held), is super mentally challenging.  At least on the treadmill, I can usually find something to watch on the t.v.  At the indoor track, all you see is a track going in circles, some bleachers, a long jump pit, some high jump mats/bars stuff, and some spit/barf cans spread about the circle.  If you don't have something to help keep track of your laps, that can get difficult as well. I think for me, the hardest part is the thought of just being "stuck" in there with no place to really "go" to.  However, I am grateful for it, in case the treadmill or being outside is not an option.  However, let's just hope that I never have to run majorly long distances in there, if I can at all possibly avoid it.

Now, onto a bit of harder stuff.

I ended up really needing one of my runs (a 5 miler) as a source of "therapy" as I had way too many things going on in my head....things that I'm not proud of with myself, events happening here in the U.S. and even my own community, frustrations in my skating (although the later is very minor in the grand scheme of things), things happening in the lives of those close to me, etc., and my brain only has so much space.  The only way I knew how to deal with all these thoughts and emotions was to run with hopes that things would get "left on the pavement" so to speak.  I got home from work on Friday, didn't even bother to grab my ipod, but changed into some running gear, did a quick planning of my route, grabbed my watch, my water bottle, house key, id, and left before the opportunity passed up.  I purposely didn't grab my ipod as I knew I was running short on time (literally), and I felt like music, for once, was not going to help me mentally. I didn't even have the brain capacity to listen to the music at this point.  Just going out there, and pounding the pavement was the only thing I knew I could handle at that time.

My "therapy session" with running and being outside was very helpful.  It didn't solve my problems, but running gave me something else to focus on. I thought I was running fairly slow, as it felt like that's what my body needed, but I somehow managed an average of 9:48 pace (minus a few stops for traffic).  I did come back feeling much better...something about hitting the ground with my feet and focusing on my breathing does a lot of good.  Despite me having sore legs from speedwork (more about that later) two days beforehand, and gymnastics the night before (which is almost always really fun), I came back in a much better mood.

Then....I made the decision to go see the new movie "Patriot's Day." For those who haven't seen it, it's a combination of a documentary and movie drama about the bombings at the Boston Marathon in 2013. It covers a timeline of the night before/early morning hours of the marathon all the way through the time in which the bombers were captured.  What I was not prepared for is all of the live footage that was shown of the actual bombing.  Maybe I'm just getting more sensitive as I get older, but as someone who is training for her first marathon, I found that SO.HARD. to watch.  These bombings were happening right at the finish line area.  You see the real live amazing runners running towards the finish line, then BOOM...their lives being completely turned upside down.  I nearly cried and almost left the theater. It was so hard for me to see these awesome runners literally lose their lives, limbs, or even a piece of their mentality from such a tradegy.  It just scared me knowing that this could happen at any race, at any time.  Then, the movie continues to show the events leading up to the capture of the two bombers, using both the live footage and movie drama. I don't know how much of it was fabricated to make the movie more interesting, but I did learn a few additional things about the bombings, and I left the theater feeling so horrible that Boston had to go through all of that. However, what was uplifting was seeing some of the survivors running IN the Boston Marathon about two years later, and seeing the city come together.

One of the guys they showed at the end was using a running leg prosthetic, and him running past that exact same spot where he was hit from the bombing.  I don't know how he prepared to go through that spot again, but I have nothing but respect for him probably pushing through that spot....it seriously had to be the biggest mind game for him.  I know that he cried the moment he passed it, and I can't even imagine the emotions that he experienced at that moment. I know that I'd be at least a combination of joy, sadness, and relief. I just can't imagine the physical and emotional pain that people in the Boston area went through, but I am so glad that they have been able to pull together and keep hosting that historic marathon, and for ALL the runners that finish it.

Long Run :
Today was my "set back" week of 7 miles, and I decided to run the marathon course that covers miles 21-23ish as part of my route.  I also decided to try using the salted caramel flavored GU, which, surprisingly, I actually liked.  Since the consistency is super thick, I thought it would be best for me to take just a little bit about every two miles (about where aide stations would be), and it worked pretty well with me chasing it down with a bit of water.  It did make me burp some, so I may have to tweak my process of taking it a bit to not have that happen, but I was otherwise okay.

The temperatures were mostly on the cool side....upper 40s, but with some wind (as usual for our area).  I had written down directions for me to refer to once I got to the few miles that I wasn't as familiar with on the course.  Well, I think I ended up taking a wrong turn somewhere around what will be the mile 22 marker because, I ended up about a mile to mile and half off course.  I know that this won't happen in the actual race as it's well organized, so I wasn't too concern, but what was a bit concerning was that I hard time finding my way back to the intersection that the route showed for me to be on.  I eventually ended up looping back to a previous road that I knew, and eventually saw an intersection that I recognized, and knew my way back from there, I did get an extra mile in out of the deal, but it took me quite a while to get back to the bus stop that I needed to get to (and I got passed by another bus that I didn't think to try and catch....oops).  However, I ended up walking about another two miles to get to my stop, rather than a mile or less had I not gotten lost. By this time, I had cooled down physically, and I think the temperatures had dropped some, so I was getting cold. I finally reached the bus stop area, but saw I had another 17 to wait for my bus.  Plus, there was some guy that was making comments about me obviously being cold.  Thankfully, there was a store I could pop into for a few minutes in order to warm up that was just across the street.  My hands took quite a while to warm up (feet were fine), and a short while later, I was eternally glad to be on a warm bus, and even more thankful to whomever created hot showers once I got home.

So, I guess the lesson of this long run is to really make sure which direction I'm needing to go when I'm in a different neighborhood.  I think what I will do for next weekend is do a google search for more specific directions/maps on the streets for those few miles, so that I don't have this happen again.  I know that once I get to a certain point...close to mile 23, I will be home free in terms of knowing the route.  I just need to be more certain of where I'm going after mile 20, so that I don' have this happen again.