Race Report

This past weekend I flew down to meet steve in D.C. to run the Suntrust National half marathon. I ran this race in 2007 I think - and it was alright - not the most scenic run thru the ghettos of D.C. However, I thought it might be fun now that it had been a few years to give it another shot. Going into this weekend - i didn't run Thursday or Friday - b/c my legs still hurt from the 20miler the previous Sunday. I was a little worried about how bad the half would be - so i thought better to rest than to over do it. As usual I wasn't sure what to expect. My goal was to just run a nice comfortable training run instead of racing. My training has been less than consistant - so I didn't want to worry about pace. I just figured I would try and run a sub nine pace the whole time and just enjoy a race for once.
Well Friday night was a rough night - apparently our hotel was party central - so we didn't get much sleep thanks to our neighbors. When we got on the elevator at 5:55 that morning 2 guys were getting off the elevator - who had obviously just returned from a night out. there was a third guy passed out on the handrail in the elevator. Steve was like "dude" you going with them? So the two guys had to come back and wake him up - he had puke all down the front of his shirt too. Ew. Well my stomach was already upset - I was really getting nervous for some reason - (more nervous than usual that is) It took everything in me to not throw up before that race started. I was also freaking out b/c I didn't know how to dress. The forcase was between 36 and 38 degrees. I do not know how to dress for that. Too cold for shorts - too hot for pants - just bought some capri's but wasn't going to wear them with out trying them on a shorter run. I eventually ended up with a tank top, a short sleeve shirt, gloves and pants. Wish I would have had some arm warmers. It was a beautiful sunny day - but just one of those in between temperature swings. Then when they played the national anthem I started crying. I have no idea what my problem was.
The race started - and I just kept saying to myself "run comfortable" by that i meant - don't worry about your pace - don't push so much that you feel like hell - just run and enjoy. So in the first mile I had to stop and tie my shoe for the first time -
mile 1 : 8:56 - ok - not too bad with the shoe tying in there
mile 2 : 8:26 - felt really comfortable still - getting hot though
mile 3: 8:29 - still felt nice and comfortable - slowed down to take off long sleeve shirt
mile 4: 8:31
mile 5: 8:59 - i think there was a bit of a hill in there - and I realized both shoes were untied - picked it up a bit after that -- but still nice and easy
mile 6: 8:19
mile 7: needed gu - and both shoes untied - hands were cold so had trouble with tying shoes and getting gu open. By the time i started running - my lap pace for that mile was at 10:40 - tried not to panic - and just picked it up again... mile ended up at 9:41 - ugh. I need to get something to stop these shoes from untying!
mile 8: 8:10 - still felt good
mile 9: 8:30
mile 10: 7:49 - I felt awesome at this point - so i decided to just go with it
mile 11: 7:55
mile 12: 8:37 - stopped at a water stop and checked port o pot line - told myself to suck it up and get going - i could hold it for another mile
mile 13 : 7:52 -


Total time 1:52. Now - that is not the best race I've ever run timewise - but it was the best race i've ever run. I had such a good time, the race flew by, I wasn't worried about my time or anything else - and for the first time i ran negative splits! I'm always the type that goes out too hard and then is dragging my butt over the last few miles. When i got done with this race I felt great and that was the best feeling!

So a few notes on this race - they redid the course - MUCH MUCH better - ran us thru much prettier neighborhoods. Not much fan support - no music or bands - but it was a beautiful course and a beautiful day. The thing is - it doesn't matter what side of politics you are on... when you are running down a road next to the washington monument - it's a really cool feeling. Also I was listening to people's conversations as I passed them - that's the other great part about starting off slow - all you do is pass people the entire race - which is so much more fun than being passed!!! anyway I heard this lady talking about fundraising she was doing and her friend said he would give her a nickle a mile for a half ironmant. I said "well that's not very supportive" so I asked what she was raising money for and if she had a fundraising website. I told her if i could remember her name by the end of the race I would make a donation. By the end of the race i had her last name all wrong - but with a little research i was able to find what i thought was the correct lady's web page and I made a donation. I got an email back from her and she is sooo excited! It was pretty cool... b/c you know she thought - yeah right she won't remember...

At the end of the race the "bag drop" or pile of bags from hell as I would have called it was ridiculous. Basically they took all the bags from the half marathon and threw them in a pile. It took me about 5 minutes to find my bag - which wasn't too bad - but there was this poor man standing there who had dropped out of the full marathon and could not find his bag. It took me what seemed like forever to find his bag. I said what does it look like and he said "it's black" that didn't really narrow it down - so it took awhile. I figured I would change in the car real quick and then come back to see steve finish. His pr was a 2:17 - so i figured I had a few minutes - i changed real quick got out of the car and looked up and steve was standing there. He had finished in 2:05!!!! I was so excited for him that i punched him! I couldn't believe how awesome he did! I told him - no more sand bagging on his races - i expect him to keep doing that well!!

It took us about 2hrs to get home from the race b/c we couldn't get out of the neighborhoods were the race was being run. The cops were not coordinated so the streets were gridlocked! When we finally got back I realized why I was so nervous. I haven't really "raced" since the towpath fiasco. With my training being so wacky i wasn't sure what kind of shape i was in - and i was nervous about racing again. So i have to say - i am very happy.... I didn't break any records - but it was a great race- and it definately lets me know i am in better shape than i thought - and that I am ready to step it up again!

two week update

oops - i'm behind again!

ok week 1 back

I don't remember what i did - i did get 30 miles in.... let me see

Mon - 4 miles 1 mile warm up 4 800's and 1 mile cool down on treadmill
Tuesday - 4 miles with amie - decent effort
Wednesday - 4 miles easy
Thursday - 6.25 - moderate effort - should have been a tempo run - but decided for first week back to just run at a good pace. Pace was slow for a tempo run - but it was rainy and WINDY - and i was holding between 8:30 and 8:45 pretty easily - which as of late has NOT been happening let alone EASY! - Twisted my ankle pretty bad on the sidwalk - but all in all a good run.
Sunday - 8 miles on pine lane with amie brian and steve. Tricked amie into doing 4 more on the towpath. Ankles are still mad about the frozen mud on pine lane!

Total running - 30 miles - no lifting - no swimming no biking. well it was a start

Week 2

I was out of town Thursday - sunday - so i knew it was going to be a rough week.

Monday - rest day
Tuesday - 1 mile warm up 1.5 mile cool down 10 400's on treadmill. was doing what i think was about a 1:40 pace for the repeats. Felt good. Skipped 11 and 12 b/c my shins were hurting on treadmill.
Wednesday - ran 8000 errands before packing and heading to my sister's to spend the night since we were leaving at the crack of down for the airport. Around 9:30 p.m. finally headed out for a run. Had no interest in doing this - turned out to be an awesome run- it was a clear night - the stars were out and for once it was not windy at all! Ran 5 miles
Thursday - Landed in Boston at 9:45 - spent the entire day driving to portland maine (this is only a two hour drive) we made so many detours at these little towns that we didn't get to portland until after 6! We had a blast. I was able to add two more running store shirts to my collection. (I like to find specialty running shops when i travel and get a shirt with the store name on it) I got one from "The Maine Running Company" and another from "The Boston Running Company" the boston one is huge - he had very little inventory because his store had just been robbed the previous week! Once he told me that - i figured he could use the sale so I bought it anyway.
Friday - set out to do 12-15 miles along side route 1 in freeport maine. I was exactly 4.25 miles from our hotel door to the LL Bean outlet. I decided to run 5 miles out - just in case something went poorly - i didn't want to be too far out frorm the hotel. So I turned around. With 3.5 miles left my siter called and said she had come back to the hotel from her practice to eat lunch with me. So I decided to just settle with 10 for my long run. It was a really great run. Held about an 8:40 pretty easily on a pretty hilly route - with awful wind and rain for the last 3.5 miles.
Saturday - drove back to boston and walked all day. I walked past the "marathon Sports" Store in Boston. It was closed - but they had a clock counting down to the boston marathon start. I took a picture and sent it to elizabeth and amie - just to make them a little nervous! ha! Someday I'll get there for it! Anyway -
Sunday - Got home around dinner time - had no desire to run in the rain.

so weekly mileage - only 20!! no weights or swimming or biking. ugh - on to week 3
i'll post the plan! oh and i'll post some pictures from my trip. It was beautiful in Maine!!

Day 1 report

Ok - day 1 - not perfectly to plan - but not too bad. Went home ate a little food and headed up to the gym. The gym was packed... so it took forever and a day for us to renew our membership. At this point it was getting pretty late. So i hopped on a treadmill... to do my warmup. Put the incline at 1.0 - it is amazing to me how tough i find it to run on the treadmill. So i ran my mile at just under 10 minute pace according to the treadmill...even though it did not feel that slow...then i upped the speed to an 8.5 pace for my 800s which i figured would get me to around a 3:33 800. I did 4 of those with a 1:30 recovery inbetween the first ones - the last one I was so hot and dizzy that i hopped of said treadmill til the pukey feeling went away - i did the 4th 800 and a cool down and called it a day. The plan was to do 3 miles of speedwork not 2 - but seeing as how i've never done speedwork on a treadmill - and the fact that i didn't want to show my dinner to everyone - i cut my losses. Well at this point i went to start lifting at 8:10 - the pool closes at 8:30 and the gym at 9:00... it was sooooo crowded that we decided to push the lifting off to another day and opted for a quick dip in the hot tub before the pool closed! so - i didn't do everything on my list - but it was a good start. Fortunately I'm meeting solar tonight - so no bailing on my run tonight!

enough is enough

I have been a miserable slacker. Enough is enough already. No more excuses - no more being lazy. I'm going to start posting my weekly workouts as a way to make myself accountable. I'm also going to plan runs with running buddies - since I seem to keep bailing when it's just me. I am so done with the snow. After a winter of running in the cold and snow - i've reached my limit - and just can't seem to make myself get out the door. Once i'm out there it's fine - but it's those first few steps down the driveway that are the hardest part! Wish me luck and give me hell if I don't stick to what i'm suppose to do. 10 weeks til pittsburgh and if I have any hopes of enjoying that race I need to get to work now!

i've forgotten how to run

I have taken a month off from running. This is why:

1 week: recovery from disney and buckeye 50k/turned into half mary
2 weeks: giant hole in my leg and stitches - no exercise allowed
1 week: was fighting a bit of a bug - learned my lesson in october not to push it when sick - you end up getting sicker.

So - this week I was starting fresh. Why is it that the week you "start" over again - you have 800 billion other things going on in your life that make it really hard to get work outs in? It is friday morning and thus far on my "starting fresh" week I ran 5 hideously slow and painful miles on Tuesday night. That's it. 5 freaking miles at a pace slower than what my planned marathon pace was back in october. How the heck am I going to run the national half marathon on march 21st and pittsburgh marathon on may 3rd in an respectable amount of time if i'm running 5 crappy miles a week? I'm planning on running tonight and then getting in my long run this weekend... but i feel like i'm starting from scratch. How can 1 month off kill my fitness level this badly? What would happen if i had a real injury and had to take actual time off? I'd probably be running 20 minute miles if I had to take more than a month off! ugh i am so frustrated! I'm not worried about getting a great pr or anything in pittsburgh - i've learned that races are way more fun if you don't put that kind of pressure on yourself - but good lord i don't want to run 2 hrs slower than i should be capable! At this rate i'm going to see if i can start pittsburgh early with the walkers! ha! ugh.

Seriously?

So - spend yesterday getting all geared up to kick off a new training program - and now I'm sick and my leg is infected again. Seriously - what is wrong with me? I have been sick more in the last year than ever before? what am I turning into some type of hypochondriac? Anyway - spun for a half an hour last night - kept getting light headed and thought i was going to throw up. Hopefully I'll be feeling better here soon. yuck.

Making Up for Lost Time

I spent a good portion of last night helping steve lay out his training plan for our next marathon - probably pittsburgh. It's funny how long or short 12 weeks can seem. In some ways I think ok 12 weeks - that's fine i have decent mileage base this winter - I should be able to ramp up the intensity and get into shape for this next race. My definition of in shape is changing a bit. I don't know that I'm going to go trying to get a BQ or anything. When I ran Disney with steve - it was the most fun I've had running a race. I didn't think about time at all - until we rounded the final mile and I said to steve "if you pick it up right now you can come in under 5hrs" we did and it was awesome! I know i haven't written a race report - but being with steve during that race and crossing the finish line with him on his first marathon will always be one of my favorite running memories. That and the part where I accidently tripped him and he went rolling across the ground in front of cinderella's castle -- nice - hey I'll run the marathon with you to get you through it - oh wait let me make you fall down and get bruises all over you at mile 12!
Anyway - back to my race plans - i obviously want to keep improving - and I have certain goals - both BQ and inbetween - but I think if I've learned anything - it's that if you aren't running to enjoy it - than what are you doing it for? That being said it is still time for me to get my butt back in gear. In my three week vacation from running and any exercise (stupid hole in my leg) I have managed to gain 10 lbs. I'm not even making that up. This morning i weighed 140 lbs. On my wedding day 1 year ago I weighed 128. I need to get back down to 130. I'm hoping this will happen when i just get my butt moving again.
Steve and I went for a 5.5 mile run on Saturday and it was a ton of fun. We actually ran in shorts!! how cool is that. I took us on a route that is basically downhill for the first 2 miles - and uphill the last 2 - this is one of the routes i used to get ready for the hills in cincy last year. The run was great - we talked to the whole time and even got into a water fight and a short race at the end of the run.... woke up the next day and lo and behold I was SORE ! yes - sore from 5.5 miles!!! aggghhh
So it is time to get back in the game. Hopefully tonight i'll be able to map out my training program and start making up for lost time. Anyone up for hill repeats tomorrow night?

Yes I'm alive

Wow, it's yet again been a long time since i've had a chance to blog. Work has been crazy busy - don't even have time at lunch to keep up with my blog - and once i get home i usually don't feel like sitting in front of a computer anymore... so enough excuses... what's going on.
Well currently I'm on a two week break from any exercise. I got some moles removed on my leg and i have two rows of eight stitches each on my leg. I would ignore the doctors warning and just go ahead and run- but the stitches are pretty sore just from wrestling with my dog.
So i know i need to write a race report -perhaps i'll have time this afternoon... Right now I'm looking forward to my birthday and anniversary this weekend. I'm antsy because of the no exercise - and i'm not doing well with this whole new dog thing. I don't dislike dogs. They are wonderful creatures that can be a lot of fun. I however am not a good person to have a dog. Steve was out of town two days this week and i ended up in tears both days because of this dog. I think I'm going to have to give this dog back so we can find a better home for him. A pet should not make you cry everyday - it's not fair to you or the dog. I'm sure all you dog lovers out there think i am horrible. But i'd rather find the dog a good home... Anyone want a new dog?

Race Time

Wow. As I sit here watching the snow starting to fall - i can't believe that the marathon is here already. I have been running all winter long - but you wouldn't know it to look at my blog. I guess it was because i was doing a different kind of running - running with out crazy goals and workouts with paces planned down to the second. Don't get me wrong - it was important to make sure i got my long runs in - but half the time i didn't even take my garmin - or even remember to start it if I did. And that's ok. Sunday Steve and I will be running his first marathon. I am so excited that i will be able to cross the finish line with him when he finishes his first 26.2. It's nice not be worried about a specific time either. We are just going to finish. I'm even thinking about taking a camera with me so we can really enjoy the whole experience. Where better to run for experience than the magic kingdom? Since I always have to be nervous about something - i'm worried that this snow they are predicting is going to stop us from getting to florida on time. I've even gone so far as to send my race waiver, a copy of my license, and a letter of authorization for a girl at work's aunt who lives in florida to pick up our race packets and drop them at our hotel for us - just in case we don't make it to florida until after the expo closes. Hopefully it will all work out.
After that we will spend a few sunny days enjoying the parks and then it is back for the frozen I mean buckeye 50k. I'm hoping i can do the whole thing - but we'll see what i'm able to do. 26.2 miles is still a lot to do the week before a 50k - even if we are taking it easy at disney. We'll see what happens. Perhaps I'll just hike the half marathon portion of the 50k ha! we shall see. Wish us luck!

where have i been?

what the heck have i been doing? i haven't updated this thing in forever! Let's see - training for the buckeye 50k is going pretty well. Steve and I did his first 20 mile run ever - he did an awesome job - he doesn't get whiney and b$%chy like i do towards the end of a long run. I'm getting excited about Disney... how bout i got a jury duty summons for the week we are suppose to be in Disney? Thank goodness i called and got it postponed fot a few weeks. I was thinking i was going to have to send one of you guys with steve in my place! Well -- in just a few hours i will be on vacation for the rest of the year... so hopefully i'll get some good runs in and have some time to catch up on my blogging. At least - steve will be futher behind in updating his blog than me...

getting back on track

This week I actually went ahead and put my workouts on my outlook calendar. Figured if i had them actually scheduled in my day - i'd have a better chance of actually getting the workouts in. Today's track workout may kill me though. What to do - face the horrors of a treadmill - or a freezing cold track in the dark. i'm almost thinking the dark track sounds best...
Last night i squeezed in an "easy" 4 miler on the track at the gym and then a 20 minute pathetic attempt at a swim between work and a banquet i had to go to. When i say easy - I can't run easy when i am at a track on the gym - b/c inevitable some guy will come out on the track and try to run you over to prove their manhood by proving that they are moving faster than you - although usually they are just running a half a mile or something. So - I tend to get like a dog that's told he can't chase an ambulance when i'm running around the track - and finally i can't take it anymore - and I just let it all out for a few laps just to pass those stupid guys. So my "easy" 4 - turned into a bit more of a tempo run - can't be totally sure as i forgot my watch and had to rely on a digital clock - so if it said 5:20 - i had no idea if it was 5:20:01 or 5:20:59. Oh well that's all for now!

what i learned today

3 reasons why people in ohio generally do not do track workouts in the winter

1.) it's dark

2.) it's cold

3.) running around the track in the dark and the cold really stinks.



Thanks to steve for getting my butt out to the track at 8:45 tonight when i got home - and for keeping me out there til i finished my workout - and even pacing me on my last couple intervals. He's the best!

Back at it again

After getting two back to back trail runs in this weekend - i finally feel like I'm back to it again. Which is a good thing - b/c I think that my body is genetically engineered such that when i don't exercise on a regular scheudle for a few weeks everything i eat goes directly to my butt. Seriously you should see the pants I have on today - who let me out of the house in a pair of pants that looks like it is being swallowed by my ass? I'll blame steve. ha!
Anyway - what has been going on. No news on the moley moley moley moley front. Got a card in the mail the other day that looked like an invitation of some sort I opened it and it said "please call your doctor immediately regarding your biopsy" good thing i had talked to them already or i would have cried all night. I'm still waiting for steve's aunt to give us the name of some of the doctors she's worked at at the clinic.
On the running front Steve and I ran 8 miles of blue hen falls the other day. Boy that is a lot tougher than pine lane. The first couple of miles were fun... miles 3-4 got rough - miles 5-6 i worried i wouldn't make it back -- miles 7-8 were fun again. we were suppose to run 12 - but we got such a late start that i was starving! So we called it a day and went home to eat steve's awesome home made stew! Saturday night we went to a night at the races fundraiser. I love those things - $10-$20 for all you can eat/drink plus you get to bet on horse races that were recorded in like 1962. I think stuff like that is hilarious. We had fun - and I behaved myself enough that when we met amie and Todd for another 8 miles on pine lane on sunday i was in good shape. That run went really well - we're not exactly blazing through the trails - but i can definately tell that i am getting more confident running on the uneven terrain. I'm really interested to see how my running will improve after training for this 50k. Trail runs are hard work! I have to do my track workout later tonight in the cold and dark by myself - fortunately steve is going to come and watch so I don't have any weirdo issues... I hope to get a tempo run in wednesday night - any takers for a run wednesday night after work? and then saturday is 14 on the trails and i think sunday is 8 on the trails. Hope you are all having a great week!

doctors

I am so tired of doctors. I have been to the doctor more times in the last two months than i think i have in my entire life. Not only did I have my stupid bronchitis etc. that wouldn't go away... but 4 months ago a co-worker and I were talking about her trip to the dermetologist. She was going their to have a mole removed. Well that got me to thinking about a mole that i had on my leg that looked like it had changed shape. Ok - i know this is gross and no one really cares. However - i'll carry on. So I decided to go to the doctor - my appointment was 2 weeks ago - where of course she decided to biopsy said mole. So now i have a giant hole in my leg and no bandaids left in my house. At the rate this was healing i was thinking maybe i could get back in the pool in another two weeks... Well the doctor tells me - we'll let you know in 1-2 weeks the results either way of the biopsy. So today is 2 weeks - i still have heard nothing. Girl at work informs me that when there was something wrong they called her right away and sent her to a plastic surgeon... otherwise i was probably fine. So I call the doctor and they call me back and inform me that this is a "very abnormal mole" that i will need to go have a larger hole of skin removed from leg - one requiring stitches. I said is it cancerous? She said it is "a very abnormal mole" that will most likely turn into cancer. What the heck does that mean? Is this just a CYA for the doctor? Am i seriously going to get skin cancer if I don't let them hack another whole into my leg? Is boring into my leg really going to prevent cancer? Judging from my experience and my co-worker's it seems like this doctor just likes to cut things off of people! So stitches - how long do you think they'll tell me i'm not allowed to run or swim for after that one?
I know i know - IF this is cancerous than missing a few weeks of running and swimming is well worth it to prevent cancer... I just don't know if i believe them. "very abnormal" coming from somone that seems to like to cut a lot of people up - just makes me sceptical. So that's what's going on with me today. needed to vent. I don't want to go get another hole cut in my leg

what to do with one's self...

Day 5 of no running or exercise. I'm getting better - only 2.5 more days on antibiotics - which is good b/c it's reeking havic on my stomach... haven't taken cough medicine during the day for the last couple of days. Cough seems to flare up in the evening mostly... I told steve i was going to go for a run on saturday - and I had a massive coughing attack. Think that was my body's way of saying hey dummy - get completely better before you try running me down again. It's going to be hard - but i am going to try and give my body a full week off to get completely better before i run. In the meantime I feel lost. No workouts to over analyze or worry about -- just worrying about the size of my waistline as I continue to eat like I am running a marathon everyday. Not being able to finish a race is even more frustrating than just a bad race. I was disappointed after the pig in may - but I still ran my little heart out and got a p.r. - there was some accomplishment there - but this failed attempt at a run is killing me. If only I had not tried to squeeze in my last 20 miler when i was sick... perhaps i would have gotten better after a week... perhaps not. Should i try and run another race? Have I lost too much fitness being sick for the last 4.5 weeks?
It's more than a let down to train for 4 months for something and just not have it happen - it's like something's missing - I don't think i really want to run another marathon right now - don't know that i have it in me - and I worry that it would be really ugly if I tried... It's just really weird - it's like traveling a long way to get somewhere - only when you get there - wherever your were suppose to be going isn't there. What do you do? turn back around? go off in another direction? or just keep plugging along in the same direction - and hope that the place you were looking for will show up a few miles down the road?
So I sent in our race applications for the buckeye 50k -- other than that - i just don't know what is next. I wish i could enjoy this down time - but when you didn't complete the goal you set out to do - you can't really enjoy the rest in the same way...
have a good weekend everyone!

Worst Case Scenario

Let me start off by congratulating Amie and Janet on the perfect day Sunday - perfect weather - perfect race everything went perfectly according to plan! I am soooo very excited for them!

That being said - going into yesterday's race - i had the mentality of "worse case scenario - i just finish" ha ha ha ha. Well... is there such a thing as the "even worse case scenario?" As amie said - she knew i was in trouble when i couldn't keep up with them walking to the starting line because of the sharp pains in my ribs. I ran the first mile with amie - and knew i just couldn't do it - that I wasn't 100% yet. And suprisingly I was ok - with that - i backed off my pace and decided to just take it easy and run a nice even paced marathon. Well I was walking by mile two. I couldn't breath - and even worse... I had sharp shooting pains in my ribs and side stitch - like pain that was really just soreness from all the coughing i had been doing.
So i backed down the pace to about a 9 minute mile - figured i can do this for the rest of the race - heck all of my long runs were faster than that. Not so - by the time i got to lock 29 (mile 3.5) I was seriously doubting if I would be able to finish - but i kept plugging on - walking and running. I tried to tell myself to only take a walk break every mile - but it quickly became every half mile and every quarter mile. At mile 6.5 my family was cheering for me like crazy and they kept saying "your time is fine" i think at that point i would have still been around a 4 hour pace - which would have been "fine" However, I was slowly getting worse. I had absoultely nothing in me - there was no deep place to dig down to - I have never felt so weak before. I told elizabeth i felt like i had the strength of a piece of paper. Well i passed my family at lock 29 again and I stopped to talk to them. I said I don't know that i can finish this to day - I've got nothing in me. I wasn't upset - i wasn't being dramatic or head case - i simply knew my body couldn't do this. They tried to get me to get in the car with them at that point - but i said - no i'm going to make it back to boston store. When i passed Elizabeth - she said - if you are having fun keep going - if not it's not worth it. Well i passed thru the halfway mark at 2:15 - yeah i know about a half hour off pace - but with the way i felt i figured if i could finish with a 4:30 - i would be just fine with that. At boston store - i convinced steve to come with me - but all i could do was walk. I would try to "jog" for about 30 seconds and I would start coughing so badly that I couldn't breath. Steve figured i should stop - but i said "no i'm finishing what I started" So we walked... if you can call 20min/mile even walking. I tried so hard - but that's all my body would do. I decided if my family was at station road i would accept a ride home. Well - they weren't there. So I thought - they must be at the turn - i'll get a ride there - well the turn was way further out than i thought - I had to sit down a few times before we got there - and when we got there - it was just in the middle of the road - the closest access point was station road. So the very cheerful volunteer crew there lent me a cell phone and I called my dad to come meet us at station road. So i made it to almost mile 22. You may be thinking - if you made it that far - why not just finish? At the rate I was moving - it would have taken me at least an hour and a half to finsh those four miles - which would have put me past the cut off -and would have done more damage than good. When i finally came to grips that i was going to quit - i started to cry - i trained harder for this race - than any previous races - and until about 4 weeks ago when i got this nasty bug - i was in my best shape ever. Well i soon learned that crying does not help one breath - and the coughing and associated pain in my stomach and ribs quickly made me stop crying and wallowing in my own self pity. Steve was great to walk all those miles with me - especially with the way the rangers were out there chasing people off the path. I think they looked at me - and thought - well if she falls down - and at least he'll have to pick her up - so they kind of ignored the fact that he didn't have a bib number on or a chip on his shoe. So that's that. I trained for four months and I couldn't even finish the race.
I went to the doctor for my follow up appointment. Ruptured ear drum - still ruptured... ribs - bruised from all the violent coughing -- mental note if your ribs hurt while walking to the start line - call it a day and enter a different race! Still have the ear infections and bronchitis. So round two of the antibiotics and if i'm not better in a week - i have referral to get a chest xray. Good news though - she's pretty sure that it's not pnemonia. I get winded walking around the house - but if i sit still on my butt i feel pretty good. Dr. steve says no exercise this week at all - and i can't argue with him. What does that mean for this marathon season? I don't know yet - we'll see how quickly i can get better - but i think i may just let this one go - and focus on running a fun race at disney in january... whew that was one long post!

holy crap

the towpath marathon is in 4 well 3 days. do you count today and they day of the event? or just the days in between. No matter -- it's ALMOST here. I am going back and forth between - oh this is going to be fun - just think of it as another run in the park - to feeling really pumped and knowing this is going to be a great race to realizing that the meds the doctor put me on are causing me to shake and giving me all sorts of stomach issues.

I guess that's the evil/beauty of a marathon - you train for four months and you never know what you are going to get race day. Ugh - i can't spend the next 3-4 days being nervous... must think positive good thoughts....

I busted my ear drum

I've been feeling under the weather for almost three weeks now. I'm not dying but I don't feel well - and rather than going away it's getting worse. Well with the marathon now only six days away - i finally went to the doctor. I was crossing my fingers that she wouldn't say "it's just a cold - have some chicken soup" that she would actually give me some drugs to make this thing go away! So she informs me that i have bronchitis and an ear infection - and... a ruptured ear drum. I knew I ruptured it last week - it hurt so bad - but everyone at work laughed at me -- turns out I really did it! So the doc said if I'm not breathing better by the end of the week - to call and she'll get me an inhaler. So hopefully by the end of this week i'll be feeling like my old self and be ready to crush this marathon!! Glad this wasn't all in my head - and that I really have been sick and that I actually have something to make it better!

A B and C goals

After some email chat with my wise running friend mr whittaker... I am feeling wayyyy better about next sunday. First off - Brian will be out there around mile 20-22 - and is going to run me in if i need it - which will be awesome - especially if my super speedy cohorts have left me by that point! Number two - brian was telling me to set an A B and C goal -all of which I will be satisfied with... so here they go.

A. 3:40:49

B. 3:50

C. Break 4 hrs

Hopefully it will be an "A" kind of day... but hey a "C" is a passing grade as well no? I was also looking at the calendar - b/c come end of january my current job position should be changing. Well to put that amount of time in perspective - I will have run 2 marathons (towpath and disney) and hopefully my first 50k (buckeye winter 50k) between now and the time I get into my new position. Crazy when I look at it that way.

Last night Steve and I ran on pine lane for about 6 miles - it gets dark so fast! When we got done I noticed they have signs posted saying that the towpath will be closed october 12th for the marathon!!! I can't believe it's almost here!!

digging out of a funk

Training had been going so well... then a few weeks before taper - I ran into a few injuries. I was able to still run well but had to cut back a bit - to keep my foot on track. Well after a couple weeks of that - apparently my foot decided it wanted a real rest so it went out and got a nasty cold and stuck it in my head and lungs. Such a nasty cold that I did not run my 20 miler on the sunday morning I planned. I actually bailed on my running buddies that morning - which in my eyes is a big no no. So determined to get the miles in - i did my run monday night. I pushed too hard... and basically knocked myself out for the week. Friday night I decided to do the akron half marathon. So we ran down to akron got me signed up - grabbed some dinner and went to bed. I woke up every hour on the hour b/c I was afraid I would over sleep. Got down to the race with plenty of time - warmed up a little bit - but was so out of it - i thought the race started down by the stadium - so i was wandering around confused. I eventually made it up to the start. My goal was to run a little faster than race pace. Just so I could see how that felt - and practice getting through the water stops and staying on pace. Well the first mile felt like i was really pushing it. It was a 8:19 -- when your goal marathon pace is 8:24 -- that's not exactly pushing it. So mile 2 - i started walking. I felt awful. It was like I was in a dream where no matter how hard you try you can't run - even though someone is chasing you. It took everything i had not to duck into the parking and get in my car and leave without finishing the race. I told myself that I couldn't wear my shirt from the race if i didn't finished - and besides - no matter how bad a day I am having - i'm not going to quit a race. So I plodded on. Walked a lot. Learned that I need to take my water belt with me. The race seemed to like to taunt you with the idea of a water stop. you would see a sign that said "aid station ahead" and I swear it would be another half mile til you got the water. It seemed long enough when you were thirsty - that you started thinking perhaps you missed the water stop. So anyway - it was an ugly ugly ugly day. Not as slow as my first half marathon - but almost 25 minutes slower than i ran at the river run. So what are you going to do? Well if you are me you worry and freak out and start doubting yourself. Well that was Saturday. Yesterday (Tuesday) amie asked if i was up for our last real track workout. I was not - i was nervous that I forgot how to run. But i knew i needed to go. It ended up being a good workout. I whined and complained because task mater glen was there - and he was trying to make sure that we weren't giving ourselves too much recovery time (which we still did) It made for a tough workout - and i was a little worried about over doing it. But - even with going out to fast on my first set - I kept the others consistant and right in the right pace zone. So I left the track feeling a 1000 times better.
On my drive home I got to thinking about the upcoming towpath and started worrying about the bq. Then I started laughing at myself. If you would have told me when I was training for my first marathon (4:48) that i would someday be obsessing about qualifying for boston - i would have laughed in your face. When did I go from - let's see if i can finish a marathon - to hmm i like this running stuff - i'd like to try to get faster - to this self depricating freak that is worried about running a 3:40. It's good to have goals - but why can't I ever be proud of myself for what i have done? I'm never going to win a marathon - I'm never going to go to the olympics - but I'm a pretty good runner. If you look at the common person - we are all pretty damn good runners. We run marathons and triathlons for goodness sake - we do something that most people don't even attempt! So i'm going to go out there in less than 2 weeks - knowing that i'm a pretty good damn runner. I am going to have the best run i can -- the towpath is home turf - I know the course well. It's going to hurt - but i am going to run smart - and i am not going to feel sorry for myself when things start to hurt. I am going to go out and try to qualify for boston. If it doesn't happen - then i am going to run the best race I can - and go for the biggest pr I can. and ... i am going to be damn proud of myself for finishing my 4th marathon. I will qualify for boston either in two weeks or someday - but i need to remember to run for the love of the sport - and not get so bogged down with splits and times and paces. i need to run to run - because it is what helps keep me right.