Yesterday I took my vitamins after lunch - probably around 2pm. So, technically, I didn't really take them with food, but I figured I would be okay. 5 o'clock rolls around and we head our for our 5 miler. Half mile into the run, I realize, sadly, that not taking my vitamins with food really does make me sick. I didn't puke or anything, but I felt nauseous, very very nauseous for 4.5 miles.
Other than the constant feeling that I needed to vomit, the run felt great :)
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Week 31
That's right, I've been running for 30 weeks. So far, I have run 430 miles. We have five weeks left. 132 miles left to run before I am standing on the starting line in Eugene. It is all becoming very very real.
In the next couple of weekends, Mike and I will be running two half marathons. I figure, while I am in the shape to run them, I might as well get the t-shirts. That way, in 6 months when I have totally stopped running, I can wear my half marathon t-shirts and still lead people to think that I am a running badass :) This weekend we are running the Vernonia Half Marathon. We are slated to run 14 miles, so that will work out perfectly. Next weekend we will be running the Race for the Roses half marathon. That weekend, we have to run our 20 miler. Our plan is to run the half then head out immediately after crossing the finish line and run the remaining 7. Our running friends, Carolyn and Laura, will be joining us.
After those weekends, we back off. We run 12 miles one weekend and then 8 the next. Then, we're done. We're there. All we will have left is 26.2.
In the next couple of weekends, Mike and I will be running two half marathons. I figure, while I am in the shape to run them, I might as well get the t-shirts. That way, in 6 months when I have totally stopped running, I can wear my half marathon t-shirts and still lead people to think that I am a running badass :) This weekend we are running the Vernonia Half Marathon. We are slated to run 14 miles, so that will work out perfectly. Next weekend we will be running the Race for the Roses half marathon. That weekend, we have to run our 20 miler. Our plan is to run the half then head out immediately after crossing the finish line and run the remaining 7. Our running friends, Carolyn and Laura, will be joining us.
After those weekends, we back off. We run 12 miles one weekend and then 8 the next. Then, we're done. We're there. All we will have left is 26.2.
Monday, March 29, 2010
I am the strongest.
Saturday I ran longer than I have ever run in my life. EIGHTEEN MILES. Let's have a moment of silence to honor my awesomeness.
I was nervous about Saturday's run. Prior to this, the longest run I had ever done was 16 miles. However, I feel like I sort of cheated because I had the adrenaline from a race and a 4 mile downhill to help me out. The last time I tried to run just a regular long training route was when I ran/suffered through 15 miles. I gave up and walked for part of that run and I was terrified that I would do the same thing this time. Even worse, it was the same route.
The route consisted of two loops - the first was a 6 mile loop ending back where we started and the second was a 14 mile out-n-back totaling 20 miles. Because we only had to do 18, we took off 20 minutes after our group and headed in the opposite direction, catching them after they had done 4. That way, we only do our 18.
Within the first mile of running with the group, our friend Carolyn eats it. Her shoe caught a crack in the sidewalk and she face planted into the cement. It looked awful. Everyone stopped, she caught her breath and demanded we keep moving. What a champ. That was a big inspiration. Less than a mile after that, another guy takes a dive. Throughout the day there were at least 2 more serious trips. Clearly, after that, my eyes did not leave the sidewalk. They say it was a beautiful day - I'll take their word for it :)
I ate a Gu packet after 4 miles. We headed out on the first half of the out-n-back. 7 miles. It went great. Just as great as it had three weeks ago when I ran the first half of my 15. I ate another Gu packet and we turned around and headed back. 11 down, 7 to go. That first step on the way back hurt. My IT band was tightening up on my knee. It took me a good five minutes to get it worked out. I felt my Gu packet kick in around a mile and a half in on the way back. I knew that I could do this...
Around 16 miles I wanted to stop. Bad. Nothing really hurt - my lungs were fine, my legs were fine, but I was tired. I was done. It was everything in me to keep one foot in front of the other. It was at that point that my running angels approached me. Carolyn running behind me says, "Lisa, you look really strong. Nice work." Mike is, of course, telling me how much I kick ass and how proud of me he is. Bill, our pace leader, starts running next to me and gives me a lesson on affirmations. He had me saying "I am the STRONGEST" over in my head for the remaining two miles. Another runner, Brian, came and talked to me about - I can't even remember, but I remember that it helped me out.
And then it was over. 18 miles. Done. I ran 18 miles.
I was nervous about Saturday's run. Prior to this, the longest run I had ever done was 16 miles. However, I feel like I sort of cheated because I had the adrenaline from a race and a 4 mile downhill to help me out. The last time I tried to run just a regular long training route was when I ran/suffered through 15 miles. I gave up and walked for part of that run and I was terrified that I would do the same thing this time. Even worse, it was the same route.
The route consisted of two loops - the first was a 6 mile loop ending back where we started and the second was a 14 mile out-n-back totaling 20 miles. Because we only had to do 18, we took off 20 minutes after our group and headed in the opposite direction, catching them after they had done 4. That way, we only do our 18.
Within the first mile of running with the group, our friend Carolyn eats it. Her shoe caught a crack in the sidewalk and she face planted into the cement. It looked awful. Everyone stopped, she caught her breath and demanded we keep moving. What a champ. That was a big inspiration. Less than a mile after that, another guy takes a dive. Throughout the day there were at least 2 more serious trips. Clearly, after that, my eyes did not leave the sidewalk. They say it was a beautiful day - I'll take their word for it :)
I ate a Gu packet after 4 miles. We headed out on the first half of the out-n-back. 7 miles. It went great. Just as great as it had three weeks ago when I ran the first half of my 15. I ate another Gu packet and we turned around and headed back. 11 down, 7 to go. That first step on the way back hurt. My IT band was tightening up on my knee. It took me a good five minutes to get it worked out. I felt my Gu packet kick in around a mile and a half in on the way back. I knew that I could do this...
Around 16 miles I wanted to stop. Bad. Nothing really hurt - my lungs were fine, my legs were fine, but I was tired. I was done. It was everything in me to keep one foot in front of the other. It was at that point that my running angels approached me. Carolyn running behind me says, "Lisa, you look really strong. Nice work." Mike is, of course, telling me how much I kick ass and how proud of me he is. Bill, our pace leader, starts running next to me and gives me a lesson on affirmations. He had me saying "I am the STRONGEST" over in my head for the remaining two miles. Another runner, Brian, came and talked to me about - I can't even remember, but I remember that it helped me out.
And then it was over. 18 miles. Done. I ran 18 miles.
Teh suck.
Thursday was one of those days. It was kind of rainy and kind of windy. I did not want to run. I mean, I REALLY did not want to run. Not to fear, I did. The run went fine, of course, but when it was over, I turned to Mike and said, "I REALLY did not want to do that."
Here's the thing. I've been training since September. We have not skipped a run due to not wanting to run. Thursday was the first time that I really felt burnt out.
Note to self: after 7 months of consistent running, you get a day when you don't feel like running. Push through. It's worth it.
Here's the thing. I've been training since September. We have not skipped a run due to not wanting to run. Thursday was the first time that I really felt burnt out.
Note to self: after 7 months of consistent running, you get a day when you don't feel like running. Push through. It's worth it.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Breakin' the law
Wednesday's run was LONG. Nine miles long. I was loopy by the time we got home. It was another beautiful day and the temp was in the high 60s.
Every time we reach a new mileage (last Wednesday was 8), I have to come up with a new running route. Normally they are some variation of the same loops that we've been running for months. But when the mileage climbs, I am always challenged to find some road, sidewalk, or trail that we haven't run before. This time, I found the perfect one - all the way around a beautiful golf course.
Out we go on our normal route, run an out and back on the latest new trail, and then connect to my newly discovered paved golf course path. At this point, we've run about 5 miles. There is no one on the course. Then, in the distance we see two golfers rolling their bags in the grass (not where we are running). As we get closer to them, I begin to smile and prepare to say hello - it is a beautiful day and these guys are golfing (and don't even have to carry their bags), they should be super happy. We run by them and I say hi. One of the guys asks us, "do you guys live on the course?" I reply, "no". He says, "well, its probably not a good idea to run on the course." We sort of mumble "okay" and keep on running. After we pass him, Mike informs me that normally you aren't supposed to run on golf courses. Fine. Even so, what does "not a good idea" mean? That I might get hit by a golf ball? If that's the case, isn't grumpy golfer man running the same risk?
Which brings me to the point of this blog. Runners are not allowed on paved golf course paths. Okay, I get it. Your golf cart does not want to be blocked by runners and walkers - I can understand that and will not break the rules again. However, if rules could be ordered in some sort of breaking severity list where murder is number one, I am pretty sure that running on a golf course would be below pulling your sister's hair and just above using your outside voice inside.
Every time we reach a new mileage (last Wednesday was 8), I have to come up with a new running route. Normally they are some variation of the same loops that we've been running for months. But when the mileage climbs, I am always challenged to find some road, sidewalk, or trail that we haven't run before. This time, I found the perfect one - all the way around a beautiful golf course.
Out we go on our normal route, run an out and back on the latest new trail, and then connect to my newly discovered paved golf course path. At this point, we've run about 5 miles. There is no one on the course. Then, in the distance we see two golfers rolling their bags in the grass (not where we are running). As we get closer to them, I begin to smile and prepare to say hello - it is a beautiful day and these guys are golfing (and don't even have to carry their bags), they should be super happy. We run by them and I say hi. One of the guys asks us, "do you guys live on the course?" I reply, "no". He says, "well, its probably not a good idea to run on the course." We sort of mumble "okay" and keep on running. After we pass him, Mike informs me that normally you aren't supposed to run on golf courses. Fine. Even so, what does "not a good idea" mean? That I might get hit by a golf ball? If that's the case, isn't grumpy golfer man running the same risk?
Which brings me to the point of this blog. Runners are not allowed on paved golf course paths. Okay, I get it. Your golf cart does not want to be blocked by runners and walkers - I can understand that and will not break the rules again. However, if rules could be ordered in some sort of breaking severity list where murder is number one, I am pretty sure that running on a golf course would be below pulling your sister's hair and just above using your outside voice inside.
Entertainment
Oh gosh. Tuesday's run was hysterical. The first mile at least.
Lots of people wear iPods when they run. I don't anymore. I like to talk to Mike and hear the sounds around me as I run. Sometimes it can get boring, but most of the time there is always something there to entertain you.
Tuesday's entertainment lasted a good half mile. We had just turned a corner when we saw a full grown man ahead of us chasing a skateboard across the road. He caught it, picked it up, got to the opposite sidewalk, and started riding it. Now this guy had to be in his 20s easy. He had big baggy pants and a big white sweatshirt. And, from what we saw, it looked as though he was trying to learn how to ride a skateboard.
He got on the board, and with his first push, fell off, and started chasing it. At this point, we were both giggling. Mike commented that he would probably look just like that if he tried to skateboard again. But this guy was doing it. In broad daylight. On the opposite sidewalk. Now, to give you an idea as to how bad it was going, we were keeping up with this guy. Then came the downhill. He started going down, swerving back and forth to try to slow the speed. He did great. But then there was the uphill. Mike turned to me and said, "oh gosh, now he has to try to push." Sure enough, foot off, push and fall off. We were busting up. We turned to finish up the rest of our run.
Lots of people wear iPods when they run. I don't anymore. I like to talk to Mike and hear the sounds around me as I run. Sometimes it can get boring, but most of the time there is always something there to entertain you.
Tuesday's entertainment lasted a good half mile. We had just turned a corner when we saw a full grown man ahead of us chasing a skateboard across the road. He caught it, picked it up, got to the opposite sidewalk, and started riding it. Now this guy had to be in his 20s easy. He had big baggy pants and a big white sweatshirt. And, from what we saw, it looked as though he was trying to learn how to ride a skateboard.
He got on the board, and with his first push, fell off, and started chasing it. At this point, we were both giggling. Mike commented that he would probably look just like that if he tried to skateboard again. But this guy was doing it. In broad daylight. On the opposite sidewalk. Now, to give you an idea as to how bad it was going, we were keeping up with this guy. Then came the downhill. He started going down, swerving back and forth to try to slow the speed. He did great. But then there was the uphill. Mike turned to me and said, "oh gosh, now he has to try to push." Sure enough, foot off, push and fall off. We were busting up. We turned to finish up the rest of our run.
Atypical
Saturday's 12 miler was a breeze. It was a bright warm day. We ran along the Willamette River and it was just perfect. I ate my first Gu at six miles - the texture was really gross but the energy that I got from it made it all worth it. During our run, we were talking with our friend, Carolyn. Mike told her that when he and I got home we should ride out to Helvetia tavern for burgers. Carolyn immediately responded, "ride?!?!" Clearly she could not understand how we would ride bikes to a remote restaurant after running 12 miles. Because that's what runners do - they ride their pedal bikes. Mike replied to her, "oh, I have a Harley." End of conversation.
Mike and I are novice runners. There are times when we are with our running group when we show our true colors and get funny looks. I remember the first time that I told the group that I ate lucky charms before my Saturday long runs. I got some chuckles and some funny looks. For weeks Mike and I would get asked where our water belts were. We finally got with the program: I started eating pb&j and we got a water belt. Those things have been tremendously helpful. We feel like we are staring to sort of fit in. We're turning into runners. And then we go home...
After our run, we came home to our dog. Not our lab or our retriever, but our cairn terrier. We tried running with her once and that failed miserably. Penny has three speeds: sprint, walk, and lay down. We definitely do not have a running dog. Every week the Run Oregon blog features a "dog of the week" and I always think about sending Penny's picture in - she may not be a running dog, but she boosts my spirits when I get home from a run :)
After greeting Penny, we took showers, got on our riding gear, and rode the Harley out to a hole-in-the wall tavern for burgers, onion rings, fries, and root beer! Saturday long runs deserve a meal like that. For us at least :)
As I was sucking down my third glass of root beer to rehydrate, I realized that no one in that tavern would peg us as runners. And no one seeing us walking our dog would peg us as Harley riders. And no one that we just ran 12 miles with is on their third glass of root beer! Why be part of one group when you can reap the benefits of being part of all of them :)
Mike and I are novice runners. There are times when we are with our running group when we show our true colors and get funny looks. I remember the first time that I told the group that I ate lucky charms before my Saturday long runs. I got some chuckles and some funny looks. For weeks Mike and I would get asked where our water belts were. We finally got with the program: I started eating pb&j and we got a water belt. Those things have been tremendously helpful. We feel like we are staring to sort of fit in. We're turning into runners. And then we go home...
After our run, we came home to our dog. Not our lab or our retriever, but our cairn terrier. We tried running with her once and that failed miserably. Penny has three speeds: sprint, walk, and lay down. We definitely do not have a running dog. Every week the Run Oregon blog features a "dog of the week" and I always think about sending Penny's picture in - she may not be a running dog, but she boosts my spirits when I get home from a run :)
After greeting Penny, we took showers, got on our riding gear, and rode the Harley out to a hole-in-the wall tavern for burgers, onion rings, fries, and root beer! Saturday long runs deserve a meal like that. For us at least :)As I was sucking down my third glass of root beer to rehydrate, I realized that no one in that tavern would peg us as runners. And no one seeing us walking our dog would peg us as Harley riders. And no one that we just ran 12 miles with is on their third glass of root beer! Why be part of one group when you can reap the benefits of being part of all of them :)
Friday, March 19, 2010
Maxing out
Thursday was an exciting day for me. Since last September, I have been increasing my mileage of all of my runs. My short runs get longer. My midweek runs get longer. My long runs get longer. Until Thursday.
We ran 5 miles yesterday. From here on out, that is the most that we will run on Thursday. Then, we start to back down for the marathon. Soon, I will get to say the same thing about my Tuesday run, then my Wednesday run. On May 3rd, I will finally get to say that about my long run :)
We ran 5 miles yesterday. From here on out, that is the most that we will run on Thursday. Then, we start to back down for the marathon. Soon, I will get to say the same thing about my Tuesday run, then my Wednesday run. On May 3rd, I will finally get to say that about my long run :)
Ridiculousness
I ran 32 miles last week. I will run 29 this week and 36 next week. Imagine how long it takes you to drive that far - that helps me to realize how ridiculous this is.
As we get up in mileage, I am starting to learn, first-hand, about things that real athletes go through in order to train.
Eating and drinking. You know my stance on carbo loading, but the focus on eating in general is just crazy. Every Saturday morning I eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Anyone can tell you that peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a lunch item. Lucky Charms are a breakfast item. However, when we run as much as we do, apparently I need the fat or calories or sugar or something. On Fridays, I have to be sure to hydrate. You can't drink a lot of water before a run or you will have to pee a lot. So you have to be sure to hydrate the day before. And everyone knows that water is not the beverage of choice on a Friday evening...
Vitamins. I really really really hate taking vitamins. They always get caught in my throat and, if I haven't had enough to eat, they make me sick. While training, I have been sure to take them regularly as I know my bones and blood and all that good stuff needs what those vitamins have.
Chafing. Okay, so I didn't realize this one until my first 13 mile run. Mind you, I wear the uber top-of-the-line sports bra and it works great until 13 miles. After that, no luck. I have permanent bruns/scabs around my torso where my sports bra hits. Once this marathon is long gone, I will most likely be left with some pretty awesome scarring. This week I went out and bought Body Glide. It is like deodorant for your skin that helps with chafing. Let me just say, it is utterly embarrassing walking up to a (male) Sports Authority employee asking him, "um, do you know where your Body Glide is?" I tried using it this past Wednesday and it seems to work pretty well. Still though, Body Glide? Am I really to the point where I need to use Body Glide?
"Aid". During your run, whatever you eat and drink is referred to as "aid". Up until recently "aid" to me was a bottle of water. Then it turned into some Gatorade. Now I am at the point where I am eating Gu. I never ever imagined or dreamed that I would come to a point in my life where I would ever do something that necessitated Gu. I remember people telling me before I started running that marathoners need to eat while they run. I honestly pictured a person running along with bowl of macaroni and cheese thinking, "how weird. I wonder how that works." Unfortunately, I don't get to eat mac-n-cheese. Just Gu. Little packets of gel. mmm
Pain. I have been sore for 3 months. Seriously. I wake up in the morning, stretch, and notice at least 4 different parts of my body that hurt. Not severe pain, just achy. After runs, I get to feel my muscles tighten up. My feet hurt. I learned what my IT band is and that I need to do stretches a lot to make sure it doesn't leave me in pain. And then there is the pain associated with that last mile of any run. It's good and bad but its always there.
There are so many more things - dogs, cars, shoes, clothes, the right underwear, running belts, lack of sleep, lack of social time, lack of friends :) etc. - that people endure to train. It is a blast learning about all of it. I laugh a lot. I don't know if I will ever do something like this again. One thing I do know is that I have so much respect for all of those real athletes out there - the ones that wake up every day to run or bike or swim or lift. All to reach a goal. They truly inspire me.
But seriously guys, the chafing is unbearable.
As we get up in mileage, I am starting to learn, first-hand, about things that real athletes go through in order to train.
Eating and drinking. You know my stance on carbo loading, but the focus on eating in general is just crazy. Every Saturday morning I eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Anyone can tell you that peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a lunch item. Lucky Charms are a breakfast item. However, when we run as much as we do, apparently I need the fat or calories or sugar or something. On Fridays, I have to be sure to hydrate. You can't drink a lot of water before a run or you will have to pee a lot. So you have to be sure to hydrate the day before. And everyone knows that water is not the beverage of choice on a Friday evening...
Vitamins. I really really really hate taking vitamins. They always get caught in my throat and, if I haven't had enough to eat, they make me sick. While training, I have been sure to take them regularly as I know my bones and blood and all that good stuff needs what those vitamins have.
Chafing. Okay, so I didn't realize this one until my first 13 mile run. Mind you, I wear the uber top-of-the-line sports bra and it works great until 13 miles. After that, no luck. I have permanent bruns/scabs around my torso where my sports bra hits. Once this marathon is long gone, I will most likely be left with some pretty awesome scarring. This week I went out and bought Body Glide. It is like deodorant for your skin that helps with chafing. Let me just say, it is utterly embarrassing walking up to a (male) Sports Authority employee asking him, "um, do you know where your Body Glide is?" I tried using it this past Wednesday and it seems to work pretty well. Still though, Body Glide? Am I really to the point where I need to use Body Glide?
"Aid". During your run, whatever you eat and drink is referred to as "aid". Up until recently "aid" to me was a bottle of water. Then it turned into some Gatorade. Now I am at the point where I am eating Gu. I never ever imagined or dreamed that I would come to a point in my life where I would ever do something that necessitated Gu. I remember people telling me before I started running that marathoners need to eat while they run. I honestly pictured a person running along with bowl of macaroni and cheese thinking, "how weird. I wonder how that works." Unfortunately, I don't get to eat mac-n-cheese. Just Gu. Little packets of gel. mmm
Pain. I have been sore for 3 months. Seriously. I wake up in the morning, stretch, and notice at least 4 different parts of my body that hurt. Not severe pain, just achy. After runs, I get to feel my muscles tighten up. My feet hurt. I learned what my IT band is and that I need to do stretches a lot to make sure it doesn't leave me in pain. And then there is the pain associated with that last mile of any run. It's good and bad but its always there.
There are so many more things - dogs, cars, shoes, clothes, the right underwear, running belts, lack of sleep, lack of social time, lack of friends :) etc. - that people endure to train. It is a blast learning about all of it. I laugh a lot. I don't know if I will ever do something like this again. One thing I do know is that I have so much respect for all of those real athletes out there - the ones that wake up every day to run or bike or swim or lift. All to reach a goal. They truly inspire me.
But seriously guys, the chafing is unbearable.
Happy St. Patty's day
You know what's great about running 8 miles on St. Patty's day? You can eat all the corned beef you want guilt free! Our Wednesday run went great. I wore shorts and a tshirt and sunglasses. We started around 4:30 and were home by 6. We took quick showers and then had neighbors and friends over for corned beef, cabbage, Irish soda bread, beer - duh, and Guinness pudding! YUM
You know what the bad part of running 8 miles on St. Patty's day? You can't stay awake past 9:30. So much for a wild night :)
You know what the bad part of running 8 miles on St. Patty's day? You can't stay awake past 9:30. So much for a wild night :)
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
SHORTS!!!
On Tuesday, I ran in a tshirt and capris. Today I am going to wear shorts. The forecast looks like I will be able to wear shorts for the rest of the week. Not that I don't adore my Nike pants, but I am very excited about shorts - ooh and running in warmness. We'll see what I say when those 90 degree days get here. For now, I am happy :)
Running with Mike
I love my running partner, obviously. This post is for me to remember what training for a marathon with him is like and for anyone reading this to understand what he is like to run with.
Mike is an athlete. He can seriously do anything physical that he wants if he puts his mind to it. When it comes to running, he totally tackles the mental battle. It's pretty amazing. Additionally, he is fairly fast. At one point when he was training in State College, I am pretty sure he could run a 5k on a treadmill in 19 minutes. Last night, when I took the day off, he ran 8 miles at an easy pace in 1:07.
Mike has always wanted to run with me. He loves working out with a partner and since his #1 workout partner lives in Colorado, he was very excited when I decided to train for a marathon. While I run slow, he tells me that the distance is still a good workout for him.
Because of his strength, Mike has WAY more breath and energy than I do during any given run. This is great when I want to be pushed. He can keep up with me whenever I decide to sprint and he never falls back on hills. He always runs ahead of me to push the crosswalk button so I don't have to and he is my second pair of eyes on the roads and cars to keep me safe.
Mike uses some of his excess energy in other ways during our runs. Let me entertain you:
- He talks. Mostly about math. I have heard about matrices, quantum physics, converging series, q-series, proofs, counting, primes (regular and Mersenne), teaching methods, coding theory, etc. Most of the time, because I am a nerd too, its pretty interesting. Also, I know that he doesn't expect me to respond, so its a good topic. If he ever asks me a question or tries to start a conversation on a run and I just don't have the breath, all I have to say is, "later", and he totally drops it.
- A few weeks back he informed me, during mile 4 of our run, that sometimes, on our short runs, he likes to try to run just on his toes. He likes to try to keep his heels up. Then he demonstrates for me. I don't have the energy to look over, so I just see in my peripheral that he is bouncing more than normal. "It's a good workout", he says. Meanwhile, I am trying to make it up a hill.
- Near mile 8 of the Shamrock Run (i.e. mile 14 of a 16 mile run) there was an "aid station" handing out cups of Pabst Blue Ribbon. If you recall, I was tired and my legs were dead. Mike, on the other hand, tells me to keep running, dashes across the course to the opposite side of the road, grabs a big red cup full of beer, downs it, throws the cup away, and catches up with me.
- While I stare at the ground when I run, Mike looks around and announces to me what he sees. For example, "Wow, that house is really purple!" (That is an exact quote).
- When running with our group, no matter how far we have run, he is always able to bend down to pick up dropped water bottles, etc. Around mile 17 or so, that comes in very handy. I think that this makes Mike a favorite among the group. (Try bending down to pick something up after running for 3 hours for full understanding of this point)
Most importantly, Mike is the best and most supportive running partner anyone could dream of. He high fives me after every run no matter how good or how bad it went. He pushes me when I should be pushing myself no matter how mad he knows it will make me. He tells me to stop pushing when he knows that I am beat and it is okay to rest. He gets mad at me when I don't stretch. He carries my water and my Gu packets (which is just ridiculous). He makes sure that I have enough ice for ice baths. He is a live-in personal trainer that seems to love me no matter how crappy I run.
Mike, thank you for training with me through the good and the bad. You are the best. I love you.
Mike is an athlete. He can seriously do anything physical that he wants if he puts his mind to it. When it comes to running, he totally tackles the mental battle. It's pretty amazing. Additionally, he is fairly fast. At one point when he was training in State College, I am pretty sure he could run a 5k on a treadmill in 19 minutes. Last night, when I took the day off, he ran 8 miles at an easy pace in 1:07.
Mike has always wanted to run with me. He loves working out with a partner and since his #1 workout partner lives in Colorado, he was very excited when I decided to train for a marathon. While I run slow, he tells me that the distance is still a good workout for him.
Because of his strength, Mike has WAY more breath and energy than I do during any given run. This is great when I want to be pushed. He can keep up with me whenever I decide to sprint and he never falls back on hills. He always runs ahead of me to push the crosswalk button so I don't have to and he is my second pair of eyes on the roads and cars to keep me safe.
Mike uses some of his excess energy in other ways during our runs. Let me entertain you:
- He talks. Mostly about math. I have heard about matrices, quantum physics, converging series, q-series, proofs, counting, primes (regular and Mersenne), teaching methods, coding theory, etc. Most of the time, because I am a nerd too, its pretty interesting. Also, I know that he doesn't expect me to respond, so its a good topic. If he ever asks me a question or tries to start a conversation on a run and I just don't have the breath, all I have to say is, "later", and he totally drops it.
- A few weeks back he informed me, during mile 4 of our run, that sometimes, on our short runs, he likes to try to run just on his toes. He likes to try to keep his heels up. Then he demonstrates for me. I don't have the energy to look over, so I just see in my peripheral that he is bouncing more than normal. "It's a good workout", he says. Meanwhile, I am trying to make it up a hill.
- Near mile 8 of the Shamrock Run (i.e. mile 14 of a 16 mile run) there was an "aid station" handing out cups of Pabst Blue Ribbon. If you recall, I was tired and my legs were dead. Mike, on the other hand, tells me to keep running, dashes across the course to the opposite side of the road, grabs a big red cup full of beer, downs it, throws the cup away, and catches up with me.
- While I stare at the ground when I run, Mike looks around and announces to me what he sees. For example, "Wow, that house is really purple!" (That is an exact quote).
- When running with our group, no matter how far we have run, he is always able to bend down to pick up dropped water bottles, etc. Around mile 17 or so, that comes in very handy. I think that this makes Mike a favorite among the group. (Try bending down to pick something up after running for 3 hours for full understanding of this point)
Most importantly, Mike is the best and most supportive running partner anyone could dream of. He high fives me after every run no matter how good or how bad it went. He pushes me when I should be pushing myself no matter how mad he knows it will make me. He tells me to stop pushing when he knows that I am beat and it is okay to rest. He gets mad at me when I don't stretch. He carries my water and my Gu packets (which is just ridiculous). He makes sure that I have enough ice for ice baths. He is a live-in personal trainer that seems to love me no matter how crappy I run.
Mike, thank you for training with me through the good and the bad. You are the best. I love you.
Long run, long post
Sunday I ran longer than I have ever run in my life. SIXTEEN MILES. Can you even believe it?We woke up Sunday at 5:45am. We ate the pb&j sandwiches that I made the night before. We packed a backpack with dry clothes, then unpacked it and decided to wear those clothes over our running clothes. It was a cold morning - mid thirties - and, thanks to DST, we weren't going to see the sun for a couple more hours. We drove to the MAX station and got on the train around 6:20am. We made it into Portland by 7am. We stripped off the dry clothes, packed them back in the backpack, and gave the bag to the clothes check. Then we were off to "warm up". As we left, you could already see the people starting to gather for the 2010 Adidas Shamrock Run.
Now, the race we had signed up for was the 15k - 9.3 miles. Because were were slated to run 16 miles that morning, we needed to knock 6.7 out before the race started. We headed out in the opposite direction of the race and had a great run. On our way back we could hear the bag pipes and saw the start of the 5k. I have NEVER seen that many people running in my life.
We got back around 8:10 and our race was to start at 8:40. We made use of the porta-potties, grabbed some electrolytes from a vendor stand, and got in line for the race. 6.7 down, 9.3 left. Oh, I may have forgotten to mention. The 9.3 would be up Terwilliger - my arch nemesis.
Off we went. It took us 7 minutes to get across the start line to give you an idea as to how many people there were. My legs felt good and it was fun seeing everyone dressed up. As we hit mile 2 and the start of the uphill, we passed by a water stop that I decided I didn't need. Then we climbed. The climb went okay. I kept a pretty steady pace and I feel like training that hill really helped. I was tired, but I made it. You could definitely pick out the people that had never experienced Terwilliger before. I felt so bad for them - mostly because I knew how much further they had to go. It's no bunny hill.
Trudging along, we get to the top of the hill. I can see a water stop in the distance - thank goodness. We get there, and there are no cups, just jugs of water that people are swigging from and a lady volunteer apologizing to the exhausted runners. I passed up on the communal jugs.
4 more miles. All downhill. Yes please. My legs were dead. Totally dead. But downhill, I can do downhill. Looking at the results from Mike's GPS, I actually improved my pace over that last four miles. Near the 8 mile marker, I was feeling pretty tired. It was at that point that I remembered that I get a medal for finishing. I turned to Mike and exclaimed, "I get a medal!" So, for the next 1.3 miles, my legs kept going with the help of a downhill and the visions of a finisher's medal.
The finish was ahead of me - finally. I stretched my legs as far as I could, crossed the line, and then started looking for my medal. I was like a little kid looking for her lost dog. I was asking random people where my medal was. A volunteer asked me for my timing chip. Before I gave it to her, I demanded that she tell me where my medal was. She pointed over to another group of volunteers handing out small plastic bags containing medals. I hurried over, got my baggie, ripped it open, and put on my medal. I had run a 15k - scratch that - I had just run 16 MILES!!!We went over to the clothes check, got our sweats, changed, and then headed over to get our beer and chowder. Both were fantastic. We fell asleep on the MAX ride home. Sunday was a lazy afternoon :)
Carbo Loading
When you train for a marathon, they say you are supposed to pay attention to what you are eating. Well, I never thought I would be training for a marathon, so I never really took that advice seriously. I always think of "carbo loading" as something that serious athletes do or people who THINK they are serious athletes do (e.g. Michael Scott in The Office eating (and then puking) fettuccine alfredo before running a 5k). I put myself into the second category.
Although I put myself into the second category, I do, even though it seems nuts, belong in the first category. I am running around 30 miles per week now which makes me a "serious athlete". So, Saturday afternoon, Mike and I went to the OG to carbo load. Thanks to Nancy, the best non-grandma in the world, we had a fantastic dinner :) Afterward, we went home, moved our clocks forward, and went to bed as early as possible.
Although I put myself into the second category, I do, even though it seems nuts, belong in the first category. I am running around 30 miles per week now which makes me a "serious athlete". So, Saturday afternoon, Mike and I went to the OG to carbo load. Thanks to Nancy, the best non-grandma in the world, we had a fantastic dinner :) Afterward, we went home, moved our clocks forward, and went to bed as early as possible.
TGIF
No running on Fridays. However, most Fridays are pretty calm for Mike and me. We try to hydrate, get a good dinner, and go to bed early so we can be ready for our run on Saturday. Not this Friday. Because our run was on Sunday, we could do whatever the heck we wanted on Friday. I called Mike and asked him if he wanted to meet me at Rock Creek Tavern for happy hour...
Our friend, Amanda, met us out there for a quick visit. Then our friend Monica came out with a friend from out of town. We sat and ate happy hour food (sweet potato fries, cajun tots, and mini corn dogs) and drank local brew for a good two hours. We started to worry about our puppy so we called our awesome sauce neighbors to find out that they had already rescued her from her little jail. We headed home and invited our neighbors over for wine. Mike and Ryan looked through a Men's Health magazine and decided to have a "push-up challenge" in the middle of the living room. Mike gave in to his laugher after about two minutes. The dogs ran around the house and wore each other out. It was a rare, fantastic Friday night.
Our friend, Amanda, met us out there for a quick visit. Then our friend Monica came out with a friend from out of town. We sat and ate happy hour food (sweet potato fries, cajun tots, and mini corn dogs) and drank local brew for a good two hours. We started to worry about our puppy so we called our awesome sauce neighbors to find out that they had already rescued her from her little jail. We headed home and invited our neighbors over for wine. Mike and Ryan looked through a Men's Health magazine and decided to have a "push-up challenge" in the middle of the living room. Mike gave in to his laugher after about two minutes. The dogs ran around the house and wore each other out. It was a rare, fantastic Friday night.
Back Blogged!
No, I did not die of rabies or anything like that. I am just a running blog slacker. I will catch up. Let's start with last Thursday...
Rain. It was raining when we started, raining the whole run, and raining when we finished. Four miles in the rain. We were drenched. So drenched, in fact, that I decided that we should have our neighbors take a picture (notice the mascara rings around the eyes).
Funny thing about running with a rain jacket on is that you hear the constant swishing of the hood in your ears. It's kind of like white noise. When you take your hood off, it is amazing to hear the difference. Anyhow, for most of the run, my hood was swish swishing in my ears and, because of the tempo or the rhythm of it, I got the theme to "The Big Bang Theory" stuck in my head. Unfortunately for me, I don't know the words very well. So, for 40 minutes, over and over, I was singing to myself in my head, "The whole universe was in a dark dense state, blah blah blah, 40 million years, blah blah blah, THEY BUILT THE PYRAMIDS, blah blah blah, and it all started with the big bang. BANG!" Running really does make you crazy.
Rain. It was raining when we started, raining the whole run, and raining when we finished. Four miles in the rain. We were drenched. So drenched, in fact, that I decided that we should have our neighbors take a picture (notice the mascara rings around the eyes).Funny thing about running with a rain jacket on is that you hear the constant swishing of the hood in your ears. It's kind of like white noise. When you take your hood off, it is amazing to hear the difference. Anyhow, for most of the run, my hood was swish swishing in my ears and, because of the tempo or the rhythm of it, I got the theme to "The Big Bang Theory" stuck in my head. Unfortunately for me, I don't know the words very well. So, for 40 minutes, over and over, I was singing to myself in my head, "The whole universe was in a dark dense state, blah blah blah, 40 million years, blah blah blah, THEY BUILT THE PYRAMIDS, blah blah blah, and it all started with the big bang. BANG!" Running really does make you crazy.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Dogs
I am, by no means, a model dog owner. Our dog jumps all over people when they enter the door. She has a piercing bark that she exercises regularly. She bites my toes if she doesn't want me doing things. These are all bad behaviors that I have simply let go.
Now, there are things that I feel we are good about. We are good about taking her for walks and controlling her on those walks. I thank dog training and Ceasar Milan for our success there. That being said, and me having pride in our dog walking, extend-a-leashes drive me nuts. I shouldn't be so general. People that walk along with their dogs extended 20 feet from them with zero control drive me nuts. There is a girl in our neighborhood that walks her dogs every morning and they are almost always 40 feet apart - one dog in either direction. This is very frustrating when trying to get an excited cairn terrier to poop. Until today, it was just an annoyance.
We were just starting our run, coming up a sidewalk. Here comes a guy with three dogs, each on his own extend-a-leash, each going in his own direction. As he sees us coming closer he sort of tries to corral the elasta-dogs. He kind of tries to get out of the way (not block the entire sidewalk). We move off onto the grass to run around him. As I pass, I assume I am in the clear. Not so much. His small black dog jumps up on my leg and I feel a sharp pain in my butt. It happened so fast, I didn't really know what happened. Then I heard Mike yell, "Hey dude, your dog just bit my wife!!!" Apparently Mike saw the dog open its mouth and chomp down. We took a few more strides and stopped. Sure enough, I had a dog mouth slobber print on my pants, and underneath, a tiny bit of blood. Not really knowing what to do, we just ran on. Talking about it later, we really should have stopped and gotten his information.
We ran our 8 miles. Again, I feel like a freaking power house. I can't believe that I can run 8 miles on a Wednesday evening. It is crazy to think how far I have come.
On the stretch home, there was a lady walking a big white dog with a little boy by her side. As she saw us coming, she moved off to the side of the sidewalk and told her dog to sit. It did, and the three of them watched us run by. As we passed, I said to her, "thank you so much!"
Now, there are things that I feel we are good about. We are good about taking her for walks and controlling her on those walks. I thank dog training and Ceasar Milan for our success there. That being said, and me having pride in our dog walking, extend-a-leashes drive me nuts. I shouldn't be so general. People that walk along with their dogs extended 20 feet from them with zero control drive me nuts. There is a girl in our neighborhood that walks her dogs every morning and they are almost always 40 feet apart - one dog in either direction. This is very frustrating when trying to get an excited cairn terrier to poop. Until today, it was just an annoyance.
We were just starting our run, coming up a sidewalk. Here comes a guy with three dogs, each on his own extend-a-leash, each going in his own direction. As he sees us coming closer he sort of tries to corral the elasta-dogs. He kind of tries to get out of the way (not block the entire sidewalk). We move off onto the grass to run around him. As I pass, I assume I am in the clear. Not so much. His small black dog jumps up on my leg and I feel a sharp pain in my butt. It happened so fast, I didn't really know what happened. Then I heard Mike yell, "Hey dude, your dog just bit my wife!!!" Apparently Mike saw the dog open its mouth and chomp down. We took a few more strides and stopped. Sure enough, I had a dog mouth slobber print on my pants, and underneath, a tiny bit of blood. Not really knowing what to do, we just ran on. Talking about it later, we really should have stopped and gotten his information.
We ran our 8 miles. Again, I feel like a freaking power house. I can't believe that I can run 8 miles on a Wednesday evening. It is crazy to think how far I have come.
On the stretch home, there was a lady walking a big white dog with a little boy by her side. As she saw us coming, she moved off to the side of the sidewalk and told her dog to sit. It did, and the three of them watched us run by. As we passed, I said to her, "thank you so much!"
brrrrrrr
Tuesday's run went great despite it being cold! It was raining the entire time - from the moment we left our house to the time we walked back in the door. It was windy to boot. The four miles felt good, though.
So, funny thing about rainy runs is that I normally get mascara running down my face adding to my badassness. When we get home, Mike looks at me, gives me a high five, and then gets embarrassed because he realizes that he has been running next to his wife for the past 40+ minutes that looks like she has been beaten. HA.
So, funny thing about rainy runs is that I normally get mascara running down my face adding to my badassness. When we get home, Mike looks at me, gives me a high five, and then gets embarrassed because he realizes that he has been running next to his wife for the past 40+ minutes that looks like she has been beaten. HA.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Recovery
Sunday mornings are always interesting. It is when the initial pain from the run starts to fade away and the longer-lasting soreness starts to settle in. After 15 miles on Saturday, the pains on Sunday were a little worse than normal. I had a blister on my toe, chafing on my back and chest from my running bra, and tight hamstrings. Oh, and aching feet.
Our attack: go hiking. Nuts right? Well, it gets our muscles loose, gets our blood flowing, and we get fresh air. We headed out to forest park and went for a walk with Penny - about three miles. It did feel great. Plus I wanted to test out my new hiking shoes that I got with birthday gift cards from Mike's parents :)
Unfortunately, hiking doesn't help aching feet. So, Sunday night, with my new foot massager and soaking salts that I got for my birthday from my bff, I pampered my abused feet.
I can't wait for yoga tonight...
Hm, I wonder when professional massages will become part of recovery. Next week maybe :)
Our attack: go hiking. Nuts right? Well, it gets our muscles loose, gets our blood flowing, and we get fresh air. We headed out to forest park and went for a walk with Penny - about three miles. It did feel great. Plus I wanted to test out my new hiking shoes that I got with birthday gift cards from Mike's parents :)
Unfortunately, hiking doesn't help aching feet. So, Sunday night, with my new foot massager and soaking salts that I got for my birthday from my bff, I pampered my abused feet.
I can't wait for yoga tonight...
Hm, I wonder when professional massages will become part of recovery. Next week maybe :)
Hard.
Saturday, I ran further than I have ever run in my life. 15 MILES. Well, actually, it was 14.77 due to the running route. "How was it?", people ask. Honestly, the word that best describes Saturday's run is "hard". It was hard.
We got a late start due to my needing to go to the bathroom. We spent the first mile and a half or so catching up to the group. That means that we probably ran close to a 9 minute mile for a mile and a half. By the time we caught up, I was ready to take a break. But nope - I still had over 13 miles to go.
There were good parts. There were painful parts. And then there were the parts where my mind won the battle. I could go through a laundry list of things that I was thinking, reasons I couldn't make it, why it felt so painful, etc. The last four miles were agonizing. We dropped back from the group because I "needed" a water break. I walked for a few water breaks over the course of that four miles. And then I walked just to walk. Now, we probably walked less than a tenth of a mile, but I felt like letting myself stop was letting my mind win. I was pretty bummed. I didn't say a word to my trusty running partner that stayed next to me the whole time. He stayed there, through walks and all, despite being exhausted and wanting to be done himself.
Then we finished. We finished probably a minute behind the group - not bad. Mike turned to me and gave me a high five. I was kind of confused why he gave me a high five, because I felt like I had totally failed. And then I realized, something that I would realize over and over in the next couple of days, that I ran 15 miles. No matter how hard it was, how many times I walked, how slow I ran, how bummed I felt, I finished. I guess that's the cool thing about running :)
Oh, lastly, thank you to everyone that I talked to over the past few days that helped remind me that I did run 15 miles and that is something to be proud of. I have the best support crew in the world.
We got a late start due to my needing to go to the bathroom. We spent the first mile and a half or so catching up to the group. That means that we probably ran close to a 9 minute mile for a mile and a half. By the time we caught up, I was ready to take a break. But nope - I still had over 13 miles to go.
There were good parts. There were painful parts. And then there were the parts where my mind won the battle. I could go through a laundry list of things that I was thinking, reasons I couldn't make it, why it felt so painful, etc. The last four miles were agonizing. We dropped back from the group because I "needed" a water break. I walked for a few water breaks over the course of that four miles. And then I walked just to walk. Now, we probably walked less than a tenth of a mile, but I felt like letting myself stop was letting my mind win. I was pretty bummed. I didn't say a word to my trusty running partner that stayed next to me the whole time. He stayed there, through walks and all, despite being exhausted and wanting to be done himself.
Then we finished. We finished probably a minute behind the group - not bad. Mike turned to me and gave me a high five. I was kind of confused why he gave me a high five, because I felt like I had totally failed. And then I realized, something that I would realize over and over in the next couple of days, that I ran 15 miles. No matter how hard it was, how many times I walked, how slow I ran, how bummed I felt, I finished. I guess that's the cool thing about running :)
Oh, lastly, thank you to everyone that I talked to over the past few days that helped remind me that I did run 15 miles and that is something to be proud of. I have the best support crew in the world.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Why I run
For inquiring minds, Thursday's run happened, my legs were tired, and I didn't get hit by any cars. The important part of Thursday's run: LAST RUN BEFORE MY BIRTHDAY!!!
So, I run for a lot of reasons. I run because it makes me happy - lots of good endorphins. I run because it keeps me in shape. I run because I want to accomplish a goal. I run because I get to buy and wear cool running clothes. I run because Mike loves running with me. I also run because it burns calories. That comes very in handy for birthday week.
Mike and I typically eat pretty good. Lots of veggies, fruit, chicken breast, whole wheat. And while that can be good, I would choose brownies over any of that any day. So, being that its my birthday week (and I get to do whatever I want), I did. Here is a little summary of what I have had to eat this week:
Sunday: McDonalds. Fillet-o-fish are on sale because it is Lent. I love Lent.
Monday: I actually ate good-for-you things on Monday!
Tuesday: I ate good-for-you things on Tuesday, too!
Wednesday: German sausage sandwich for lunch. Our neighbor's leftover spaghetti for dinner. Brownie sundae for dessert.
Thursday: Brownies for breakfast. Taco bell for dinner. mmm.
Friday: Chevy's for lunch. We will go to California Pizza Kitchen for dinner. Then popcorn and candy. Then ultimate brownie sundae (Mike gave me an entire box of ridiculous toppings for my birthday including gummy worms, sweedish fish, peanut m&ms, and sprinkles - he's pretty awesome).
Saturday: Whatever it takes to keep me from passing out. 15 miler Saturday. Kickin' ass.
So, I run for a lot of reasons. I run because it makes me happy - lots of good endorphins. I run because it keeps me in shape. I run because I want to accomplish a goal. I run because I get to buy and wear cool running clothes. I run because Mike loves running with me. I also run because it burns calories. That comes very in handy for birthday week.
Mike and I typically eat pretty good. Lots of veggies, fruit, chicken breast, whole wheat. And while that can be good, I would choose brownies over any of that any day. So, being that its my birthday week (and I get to do whatever I want), I did. Here is a little summary of what I have had to eat this week:
Sunday: McDonalds. Fillet-o-fish are on sale because it is Lent. I love Lent.
Monday: I actually ate good-for-you things on Monday!
Tuesday: I ate good-for-you things on Tuesday, too!
Wednesday: German sausage sandwich for lunch. Our neighbor's leftover spaghetti for dinner. Brownie sundae for dessert.
Thursday: Brownies for breakfast. Taco bell for dinner. mmm.
Friday: Chevy's for lunch. We will go to California Pizza Kitchen for dinner. Then popcorn and candy. Then ultimate brownie sundae (Mike gave me an entire box of ridiculous toppings for my birthday including gummy worms, sweedish fish, peanut m&ms, and sprinkles - he's pretty awesome).
Saturday: Whatever it takes to keep me from passing out. 15 miler Saturday. Kickin' ass.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
I am freaking badass
About 5 miles into our 7 mile run (I run 7 miles on a Wednesday evening - I have already proven that I am badass), it started raining. Rain was hitting my face and I could feel the water running down my cheeks. As the sun set, the temperature dropped and my nose started running. I just wiped it with my sleeve. My badass running partner would spit into the bushes from time to time. I was convinced that everyone that drove by us thought "wow, what a badass running couple".
And then we turned onto the home stretch with about a quarter mile left to run. My hands started getting kind of cold. I covered them up with my sleeves like a 5th grader does when she doesn't listen to her dad and chooses not to wear gloves. Also, I started to get kind of tired. When we got home, we were welcomed by a 14 pound yipper dog. Well, at least I got to feel badass for a good 15 minutes :)
And then we turned onto the home stretch with about a quarter mile left to run. My hands started getting kind of cold. I covered them up with my sleeves like a 5th grader does when she doesn't listen to her dad and chooses not to wear gloves. Also, I started to get kind of tired. When we got home, we were welcomed by a 14 pound yipper dog. Well, at least I got to feel badass for a good 15 minutes :)
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Shoes and bffs
Running shoes are the most unglamorous shoe purchase ever. Once you find a pair that work for you, you just end up buying that same pair over and over and over. And, somehow, the shoes are never the cute ones. However, getting a new pair of running shoes is, somehow, one of the most satisfying purchaces ever. It means that you have put too many miles on a pair of shoes (which is an accomplishment) and now, you get something new, clean, and shiny to put on. Mike is in Brooks Adrenalines and I am in Saucony ProGrid Omnis. Mike is on his 4th pair and, thanks to an awesome bff, I am on my 3rd. More about my awesome bff. Jen lives in Seattle with her husband Luke that I used to work with in State College. We became bffs in January of 2007 :) Jen is awesome for plentyseven reasons, and I am going to focus on one running-related reason here...
Jen is one of my biggest supporters in training for and running this marathon. Additionally, she is one of my biggest inspirations. Jen started seriously running in late 2007. She found Hal Higdon's website and decided that she was going to train for the Mardi Gras Half Marathon in February. She kicked butt in her training. I remember her telling me about how far she ran and being totally blown away. To make her even more awesome, she trained for it in the dead winter in Pennsylvania. She ran ten miles from her house to ours one blustery Saturday. She was a pro-athlete in my eyes.
February rolled around and she ran and finished the half-marathon. A few weeks later, after severe shin splint-like pain, she went to the doctor. Come to find out, she had stress fractures in both shins. Jen had run her half marathon with two broken legs. Now, while this is obviously something that no one should ever do, she had made it. Whenever I am beyond exhausted, I think of Jen and manage to muster up more energy...
Now-a-days Jen focuses on being an awesome mommy to an awesome little girl. She ran a 5k in December with a stroller. Lately, she has been letting me know how awesome I am and supporting me every step of the way. Last week she sent me a gift card to Roadrunner Sports so I could get a new pair of shoes (Saucony ProGrid Omni 8) - the pair of shoes in which I will run the Eugene Marathon.
Thank you Jenny! You da jam fo shiz.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Best.run.of.my.life
I had trouble sleeping on Friday night because I knew what Saturday had in store for me. Terwilliger - that darn hill that I ran three weeks ago that absolutely killed me. Three weeks ago, we only had to run 7 miles. This week it was 10. I was really really scared. I didn't want to fall back from the group again and I really wanted to be able to have a good run.
We got up and moving Saturday and started on the run with the group. We are making more and more friends - I really feel so lucky to have met this group of people. Anyhow, we start heading out. I stick towards the back of the pack so no one will see me when I inevitably drop off. We head through downtown and then through Portland State campus. I feel good.
And then I saw my inspiration. Two people are on a walk through campus with their dog. That dog had three legs. At that point, I thought to myself, "I am going to climb this damn hill." If that dog can go on walks with three legs, I can climb this hill.
And so I did. I knew that we had reached the base of Terwilliger and I started staring at the ground. I told Mike, "I am not looking up. I am only going to look 10 feet in front of me." To be completely honest, I didn't even notice the climb. I was absolutely convinced that we had run a different route. Not only did I not drop back from the group, but I was passing people. I felt great. I felt like I could conquer the world. I kept asking Mike, "are you sure that this is the same run that we did. Are you really sure?" It was and I kicked its ass.
I am a runner. And for the first time, I really believe that.
We got up and moving Saturday and started on the run with the group. We are making more and more friends - I really feel so lucky to have met this group of people. Anyhow, we start heading out. I stick towards the back of the pack so no one will see me when I inevitably drop off. We head through downtown and then through Portland State campus. I feel good.
And then I saw my inspiration. Two people are on a walk through campus with their dog. That dog had three legs. At that point, I thought to myself, "I am going to climb this damn hill." If that dog can go on walks with three legs, I can climb this hill.
And so I did. I knew that we had reached the base of Terwilliger and I started staring at the ground. I told Mike, "I am not looking up. I am only going to look 10 feet in front of me." To be completely honest, I didn't even notice the climb. I was absolutely convinced that we had run a different route. Not only did I not drop back from the group, but I was passing people. I felt great. I felt like I could conquer the world. I kept asking Mike, "are you sure that this is the same run that we did. Are you really sure?" It was and I kicked its ass.
I am a runner. And for the first time, I really believe that.
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