Half-Marathon: The Second Time's the Charm!

Ya know, it's amazing how much better you can run when you don't have a sinus infection and haven't just heard that your grandmother died. Those are the conditions under which I ran my first half in October, and it s-u-c-k-e-d.  I wasn't there mentally at all and my physical presence was only in the most literal sense.  When I crossed the finish line of that race, it was from sheer determination and because my sister shamed me into it. I was out for the count and felt like crap.

The second time was better to infinity and beyond!  The race was yesterday and not only did I feel great, the weather was phenomenal, the people were super-super, and my energy and health were right there with me.  I had the wonderful experience of running most of the race with a friend who was doing her first half (go Edie!), and saw so many other friends along the route including getting to "meet" one of my favorite local tweeps, @AHealthyJD, who was volunteering at a junction point.  It was so great to see her there and shout out a hello!  The feeling of community was definitely in high gear yesterday, and it made a big difference for me.

The run was flat, fast, and gorgeous. I felt like I was gliding over the pavement and sailed into the last bit of the race with energy to spare. I had a good strategy this time:

1. I wore compression socks, which did wonders for my sore calf muscles. I highly recommend them! I wore CEP brand socks and bought them at Capital City Runners. I am so not a bright pink girl, but my socks were the brightest pink you can find.  My eyes still hurt from looking at them.

2. I popped two Advil at mile 2 to prevent calf muscle inflammation later in my run. I have no clue if it did anything worthwhile but I'll probably do it again cause I'm superstitious that way.

3. I had a Lara bar in my fuel belt, broken into four pieces. I ate a piece and drank a bit of water at miles 6, 8, 10, and 12.  I don't eat Gu because of the artificial sugars and additives. 

4. I gave my husband a banana, a Lara bar, and a bottle of water to hold at the finish line in hopes of avoiding the blood sugar plummet I had at my last half.  It felt so good to have some good clean calories right away! 

My run was out of this world and I had a great race. Uber kudos to Gulf Winds Track Club for organizing the event, TroubleAfoot for covering it, friends at Boot Camps to Go and Tallahassee Society of Association Executives for cheering me on from the sidelines, and all of the great people on Twitter who made my day so wonderful with cheers and well wishes. 

Oh, I finished the race in 2:07:07, which is 11 minutes faster than my last half and three minutes faster than my goal time. woo hoo! I'm inching closer to the benchmark of completing a half in fewer than two hours...which is the point at which I'll consider doing a full marathon. Is NYC in my future?

In the meantime, I'm still grinning. And, yeah...thinking of a new goal. 

Any ideas?

Injury Prevention: Not just for muscles anymore

I've got a half marathon coming up on Sunday, and I've got a sore achilles tendon. So I've been resting a lot this week, which has made me feel kind of ornery and blobby. I don't like resting.


I also have a wonderful friend who sent me this helpful article on preventing common running injuries. It has some good examples of exercises you can do every day to strengthen the muscles that usually get hurt while running to prevent getting sidelined. I've already started doing some of them and I hope they work!


And thinking about muscle injury prevention made me start thinking about goal injury prevention, and the things I can do every day to protect my goals just like I should protect my muscles.  The same things that happen to our muscles - strain, overuse, or just bad form - can jeopardize our goals, so I came up with these strategies to keep myself in check:


1. Stretch, don't strain! Stretch goals motivate me because I like to challenge myself to do more. But creating too many unrealistic goals is just a good way to make sure you get a lot of things done just half-way and don't ever really achieve anything great for yourself. I have a tendency to make unrealistic goals in the hopes that they will motivate me to be more amazing, but really they just make me mediocre. I say go for a stretch goal! A stretch goal. Singular.


2. Don't overtrain!  Just like muscles, goals need a rest sometimes.  It can be liberating to go for a period of time without a goal, even. I usually last about five minutes in that environment, but I think it is important to give your brain and your body a rest. Once you've achieved a goal, just live in that success for a while before jumping right back into something new. A friend of mine once called it, "goal fatigue." Give your goals some more time in the spotlight before replacing them with something bigger and better!


3. Use good form! As you'll remember, effective goals are SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Action-based, Realistic, and Time-bound. Apply these criteria to any goals you make and it is really hard to go wrong.  This also applies to the environment you create for your goals to live in. Are you creating environments where you can thrive, or expecting your goal to rise above unrealistic circumstances? Are you going into each situation with a clear head and focused on a successful outcome or just hoping for the best?  


2011 is a year of excellence, I can feel it. My goals are coming true and yours can too! Just make sure to protect them, strengthen them, and keep them safe from injury.


Your brain is a pretty powerful muscle, too. Use it!


Good day

Half-Marathon Primping



Having a picture taken mid-run is
so glamorous. LOL Credit for this goes
to Herb Wills of Trouble Afoot.

So it seems ironic that in this week of body-image and positive self-talk, I have caught myself thinking about a little piece of prep-work in advance of a half marathon I am running in a few weeks: primping for the photos.
Now, not many people look hip and stylish at the end of a race, and I am definitely not one of them. I look exactly as I should - hot, sweaty, worn out, thirsty, and manically hungry.  Not a good look for most people but I give it my all.

And when I see photos of myself in mid-run, I cringe. Not because of negative self-talk or poor body image - because of what I choose to wear!  I don't usually get myself all gussied up for a workout, but I think I may need to start trying a little harder for actual races that take place in daylight and have spectators. Maybe something that doesn't have holes.  You know that old running mantra, "don't race in new gear?"  I need to start doing that.

So I've been doing my half-marathon primping. I consider it a way to build up the anticipation of a race and get psyched.  I got some spiffy new running tights for Christmas, my favorite and not-quite-shabby-yet wicking shirt, and maybe this time I'll wear a hat that doesn't already have permanent sweat stains (and smells) on it.  That would probably be appreciated by my fellow runners.

I don't have a witty ending to this post. I've been wracking my brain for something cute to say here, but I've got nothing.  :)  Today my blog just is what it isn't.

Kinda like my exercise fashion sense.


Good day!

My Half Martyrthon

Word to the wise: don't run a half-marathon when you really, really, really have to pee.


Other signs you should not get up and run 13 miles:


1. You're sick with sinus crud.
2. You're working on about 6 hours of sleep in the last 48 hours.
3. You're in mourning.


All three happened to me (plus the having to pee) and I did it anyway, which I think qualifies my first half marathon as my first 

Half-Martyrthon.

The conditions under which I ran my race were not ideal. I was sick, tired, and my family had been dealt a series of blows that had us all walking around like zombies.  So completing it in 2 hours 18 minutes felt like the hardest thing I had ever done.


That being said, I will definitely do it again.  The distance, not the family drama part. I have to imagine that completing the race when I am well-rested and not fighting a respiratory infection would be incredible, and I want that experience.  My sister and I crossed the finish line at the exact same second, and it was a huge triumph for us and a wonderful experience to have with her.


The race was tough. I train on hills, so I was excited about the flat course ahead of me.  Running without hills was a dream, it was sooooo nice.  The weather was sunny and cool, but warm near the end.  It was really great weather.  My sister and I discussed family drama, an upcoming wedding, and near the end, how much I needed to pee.  I owe her another huge hug for her encouragement.  I seriously needed to pee, yall.


I have to give 15 thumbs up for in-race fueling. I tucked a Lara Bar into my pants (I never did get any race pants with pockets sewn in so I made do with a ziplock bag with the top hanging over my waistband) and at mile 6.5 munched on that. I got a burst of energy that was amazing. At mile 9 I ate another bit of it, and finally at mile 12 I popped the last piece in my mouth.  Will definitely be doing that again.


Mile 8 is where things got really hard. We were running into the sun, the pavement was rock hard, and there was no shade to speak of.  The rest of the race was very mental for me.  Like I said, I reallllllly needed to pee. Like, I am not even exaggerating.


We came into the finish line under our predicted 2.5 hour time to our cheering family and received our commemorative half marathon finisher bottle opener.  Only in Louisiana!  LOL  It's really nice though.





All in all, it was rough. I'm not gonna lie. But I think it was outside influences that made it that way - it had been a real doozy of a week, folks.  So of course we have another one planned in December, and this time my brother is running with us.  Can we beat our time?  Pshaw!  You know it!


Honestly, thinking about all of you and your well-wishes kept me going through a lot of it.  Thank you for being such a great cheering squad on all of my adventures; it is a real blessing to have such wonderful people to share these experiences with.  


Now it's your turn - what can I cheer you on for?  What is your big experience?  


Good day!  I'm going back to bed. :)

Pre-Stretch Prayers

So.

The half-marathon is on Sunday, I haven't run since Wednesday, and I've had a head cold since Monday.  The way I see it, one of three things could happen during the race:

1. I will be completely well and take off like a shot after resting for so long and finish the race faster than my predicted 2.5 hours.

2. I will battle chest congestion and coughing for 13 painful and miserable hours and then proceed to be a martyr about it all day.

3. I will suck it up and run regardless, walk if I have to, and have a great time because its my first half marathon, dammit, and I am going to enjoy it!

I am voting for number three if you can't tell.  Honestly, I hope the congestion clears out before Sunday because running sick is really not fun (or safe if you're really sick, so don't do it) and I don't want to be so sick that I actually have to bail.  But I'm optimistic - there are two long days between now and then, plenty of time to rest, get on the mend, and show up ready to run.

I've packed my bag and in a completely uncharacteristic move, I didn't pack 50 gazillion options for clothing.  I packed running pants, a sports bra, a tank top, and socks.  Done.  Oh, and my shoes of course.  :)  I'm trying to keep it simple and avoid stressing myself out with fashion, a decision I am sure to regret once I see the pictures. LOL

And a cap. I need a cap. I ALWAYS need a cap! I think my first half warrants buying a new one, eh?  Yes, I agree.

So!  I'm off!  I can't wait to report how it goes and stick one of those annoying 13.1 bumper stickers to my car!  See ya real soon!

Good day!

Half-Marathon Ants in the Pants

I am jumping out of my skin to run my first half marathon on Sunday.  I'm so excited to get out there and see what my time is so I can set a benchmark for future races. 

 I can't believe I waited so long to do this!

And I am trying to be very very good and not train myself to death in these last few days leading up to it.  I've done a couple of easy 3-mile runs, a couple of 5-milers, and planned to do 7.5 miles this morning but opted for the elliptical instead to try and keep some chest congestion at bay so I am not sick on race day.  But I have to admit - taking it easy when I thrive on going all-out really cramps my style. 

I definitely have ants in my pants. 

And this weather - OH MY LORD THIS GORGEOUS WEATHER - just begs for running.  It feels like a sin to not go run when it is this nice outside. 

I just might have to log a few miles at lunchtime.  I don't want to be a sinner.

Anyway, to distract myself I have started looking at the race calendars for next year and daydreaming about which ones I will do.  The idea of traveling to big races so I can run in new, exciting towns seems like a lot of fun, and the Twin Cities Marathon, next October, looks like it would be a great goal....for 2012. LOL  I do want to do a marathon in 2011, but I think it will be one a little closer to home.  After that all bets are off.

So here are my race goals for next year:

• 1st Quarter: one half-marathon, one 10k, and two 5ks
• 2nd Quarter: one half-marathon and maintain with some 5ks
• 3rd Quarter: summertime - icky running weather - so just maintain with some 5ks
• 4th Quarter: one triathlon and one marathon

Got ants in your pants for a great 2011?  Take some time today to put pen to paper and commit yourself to some stretch goals!  Check out this goal-setting guide for tips on how to get started.

Good day!

To Fanny Pack or Not to Fanny Pack? Race fueling.

So my half marathon is about three weeks away and I'm starting to think strategy.  Up to this point my strategy has pretty much been to start running when they fire the gun and stop running when I cross the finish line.  But apparently, competing in races of higher mileage are a little more complicated than that.

There are accessories to be bought.

I have only dabbled in the world of running-gadgets, and it shows: I usually head out for runs completely unprepared for anything that may befall me.  I have an iPod and headphones, and sometimes a watch. No Garmin, just an old-school watch with the old-school time.  It does have a little button I can push to make it light up, though, so....there's that.

Anyway, this morning on my training run I asked my lovely running lady friends whether they thought I needed a fuel belt for the half marathon.  If you're not familiar with fuel belts, they're pretty much fanny packs that have little pouches for water, food, your keys, whatever.  I have never had a need for one because honestly, I rarely ran far enough to require mid-run refueling.  But now I do, and since I will be running in the daylight and with other people, I'm guessing that stuffing it all into my sports bra (my usual modus operandi) may not be the classiest move. 

Oh calm down, you've done it too.

SO ANYWAY... that launched a whole conversation about fuel belts versus race ready shorts, Gu versus Shot Bloks, sipping water versus gulping it....which left me thinking that my original plan of "start running, then stop running," wasn't gonna cut it on race day.

So, what is your experience, fellow long-distance runner types?  Fanny pack? No fanny pack? Shorts? Lumpy bra?  What are the cool kids doing these days?

Ode to My Sister

My sister is uaually game to
pose for ironic pictures,
which is fun for me.

Sisters are interesting.  At least mine is.

We have almost nothing in common, yet everything in common.  Growing up three years apart, we were close enough in age to annoy each other and our very different personalities clashed in some pretty stereotypical ways: she was popular and had 40 best friends, I stayed on the fringe of a smaller group of friends and worked on my angst.  She was a cheerleader throughout high school, I was in the choir and had unfortunate haircuts.  She went to the big state university, I went to the small liberal arts college.  We're like a Lifetime movie, but hopefully without the philandering husbands and/or neighborhood crime-solving. 

And thank God, because I really do not have time for crime-solving in my life right now.  If my husband decides to have an affair or a mystery involving my neighbors needs to be solved, everyone is just going to have to wait for me to deal with it because there is only so much I can do at once.

Well anyway, naturally over the years we've gotten older and wiser and realized that the other is actually a pretty cool person.  Recently, this discovery has been through our shared tolerance of running. Over the past year we've started running together and while she is way faster than I am, it's been a nice shared interest.  We've even registered for a half-marathon and will complete it next month!  This past weekend I was home visiting and it was really nice to have her for a running partner, both for the accountability and the company. 

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a sister at all, much less one that they actually like running with.  I'm thankful to have both.  If we were actually a Lifetime movie, this would be the part where we're leaving the court room, having just ensured the life sentence of the crazed woman who had drugged and seduced our brother so she could make him fall in love with and marry her, ultimately confirming her deluded belief that she was the psychotic mother of his children.  And we would say something cliched about how for two people with almost nothing in common, we really do make a good team.  Then we would laugh and go have coffee together.

But since this is a blog and not a movie, I'll just say thanks Betsy for becoming enough of a dork over time to go running with me and for running slow enough for me to keep up.

:)

Like Clockwork

It happens every time.

Girl dreads running.  Girl goes running.  Girl tolerates running. Girl goes running again, begins to enjoy it, begins to look forward to it, begins to look for more opportunities to do it, and finds herself talking about "getting in some miles," and sending jittery messages on Facebook and Twitter looking for someone - anyone - who might be running the next morning.

Anyone running Tuesday?  Yeah, you?  Hey, you mind if I come?  Just this once man, I just need to get some miles in before Thursday. 

Hey, anyone running Thursday?  Not far, just six or seven miles, man. Just a little something to get me to the weekend.

Once I got over that OMIGOD I AM GOING TO RUN SIX MILES thing, and now six miles is like, whatever, I want to see what else I can do.  Saturday I had a great brick workout - bike to the run start, run five miles of hills, and bike home - and it felt incredible.  It feels really really good to be endurance training in a challenging way. 

This weekend I registered for the half-marathon!  I am really looking forward to running in it, especially since my sister is also doing it so we are training together via text messaging.  We have about six weeks of training to go, and I feel completely confident that we can do it. 

I just regret that there isn't a triathlon to do before the end of the year!  

What's your by-December-31-or-else goal?

Five is the new six

Okay, so I didn't run six miles today, but I did run five, thanks to my friends Emma, Vicky, and Co. 

A 5:30 am start and a nice drippy humid jaunt around the neighborhood was just what I needed to reconnect with the reality that yes, my legs can actually move continuously for more than three miles.  And it was easy!

And now I am really looking forward to my Saturday morning group run because it kicked my butt last week and now I'm all, "shut up humid hills, I am soooo over you."  And the hills are all, "whatever, you said that last week and walked half of it," and I'm all, "well that was then and this is now so shove it," and they're all, "yeah, well, your shorts look dumb with that shirt," and I'm all, "talk to the hand 'cause the face ain't listening!" 

Anyway, group running is a new thing for me.  I've always eschewed group fitness because, well, as hard as this may be for anyone who knows me to believe, I am actually pretty anti-social.  Stop laughing.  It's true! I guard my workout time like a dollar I found in the dryer - it's mine, allll mine! People who tried to talk to me in the gym got short, curt answers that said, "I'm busy, please move on."  I don't work as hard when I am chatting, and I try to follow the same consideration for others when they are working out. 

People who workout with me in the mornings will tell you I fail miserably at this. 

Anyway, group running is a whole different story.  Listening to the chatter of others, engaging in conversation with a fellow runner, or just having the accountability of being with other people makes running infinitely more enjoyable.  In fact, studies (translation: articles I read on the internet) show that running in a group increases motivation, provides a more supportive environment, challenges us to beat a personal best, and can even enhance your career.  And naturally, running in a group is a lot safer, too, especially when a group of women run together long enough that their periods start to sync up and they can combine that primal aggression. 

Seriously, a whole pack of women high on hormones?  I'm scared of that

and I'm one of them.

Anyway, my five miles this morning were a cinch because I made myself more accountable and surrounded myself with distractions from what would normally have been a boring run.  I really can't wait to do it again.  If you're interested in finding a running club in your area, check out this resource that can help you do it. 

Good day!  And good run!

Ask Me About the Day I Overslept

Short story short: I didn't run 6 miles today.

I totally planned to.  I laid out my clothes, gave myself a pep talk, and then proceeded to sleep through the whole dang thing.  When my alarm rang at 6:30 I realized I had set it wrong and developed a new-found appreciation for the power of my subconcious.

So now I have to run six miles tomorrow, which will be a huge pain because I'll have to get up monster early, but whatever. It's gotta happen eventually and there is no time like tomorrow!

I'm actually really bummed.  I know I needed the sleep but I was looking forward to battling it out with the pavement.  But the bright side is that I have the rest of the day to anticipate my run tomorrow!

And figure out when I am going to fit in today's cardio.....hmmm....hello lunchtime elliptical!

Well, at least there is a bright side.  And, its a reminder that wellness isn't a one-shot deal.  Just as wellness is something that needs constant awareness, it is also a self-renewing goal.  Every day is another chance to be awesome at it, and that means you never lose. 

I missed the mark today but I racked up some needed sleep and feel better as a result.  No worries; tomorrow you can ask me about the six miles I ran. :)

Good day!

I am going to run 6 miles

I am writing this here so I will actually do it:

I am going to run 6 miles tomorrow. 

See, I'm training for a half-marathon in October, but have yet to consistenly run more than 4 or 5 miles at a stretch.  On Saturday I went out with this new running group that does 5 miles (plus more for people who want to add on) and it kicked my butt.  After a summer of doing intervals instead of distance, I am way out of running shape.  Since it is so miserably hot here in the summer, even at 5:30 in the morning, I usually take a break from distance running until the fall. 

So like the kids who will be getting those cruel back to school wake-up calls next week, my body is trying fruitlessly to find the snooze button once the running portion of the workout extends past 45 seconds.

My body: Make it stop!  I'm not ready yet!

Me: You'll thank me later, freshman.

So, purely for accountability, I am making a public declaration that tomorrow I will run six miles.  Please ask me about it later in the day if you see me.  Maybe I should make a little pin to wear that says, "ask me about the six miles I ran today."  :)

Six miles is nothing to some people, I know that.  But to me, it's an accomplishment.  A short attention span and fear of boredom have prevented me from breaking out of the standard 30-minute 3-mile run for years.  And I guess that's why I signed up for the half marathon - its a mental challenge as well as physical!

Okay, so there you have it.  I'm issued myself a dare. The next time you hear from me will be for the continuation of this post!  I know you are just sitting on the edge of your seats!  LOL 

Well try to contain yourself.  In the meantime, check out what Runner's World has to say about transitioning from 5k to 10k. 

Hey, it beats actually running one. :)

About-Face

I'm a little bit known for being a motormouth.

I just blab all day long to anyone who will listen about whatever is on my mind, completely oblivious to the non-verbal "please stop" cues from people around me until its too late and I have already said too much. I embarrass my husband at parties, reveal waaaaay too much information, and typically work under the (usually false) assumption that everyone is on the edge of their seats to hear the thrilling conclusion to my story of the time my...well, never mind. That's not the point.

Usually this is fine, except on mornings like today, when I end up making this big statement, and then taking it back a few hours later. For example, this morning while I was standing around at the gym putting of doing more jump squats, I announced to the general population that I was contemplating taking a break from running for a while. I've been forcing it the last few weeks, and my runs have been pretty...crappy. At first I thought it was my old shoes, so I got new ones. I thought I needed a new route, so I ran one. I considered a new, peppier playlist, so I downloaded one. But no, I just wasn't that into running. So I took a break for a week and figured I'd enjoy it more after a few days off.

I didn't.

In fact, I wasn't even looking forward to running. I was just plain old burned out, finding myself craving long bike rides and not minding being on the elliptical instead of out in the fresh air soaking in endorphins. When I entered my third week of not wanting to run, I started to feel bothered...and a little guilty. I've worked hard at running for a long time, and I've just recently started to get better at it. Plus, let's get our priorities straight here, I really like how running makes my legs look. My gut was telling me that I needed a real break, longer than a week. But I'll admit that I was afraid of what that might mean. After all, there's a fine line between a running break and a running lapse, and an even finer line between a running lapse and me turning into Bitch Supreme.

But then I heard myself say it: "I think I am going to take a little break from running." It was out there. And once the words were out I the little panic voice in my head immediately wanted to go for a run. But, I didn't. I promised myself three weeks off, and if I wasn't ready to run by then I would check myself in for psychotherapy.

It was a little scandalous, not running. It felt a little like a vacation, having given myself permission to purposely ignore what has been a fundamental part of my workout for years. I did different cardio instead; I watched "Sober House" on the elliptical. That was interesting.

And then, a few hours later, I clicked on a link someone tweeted to see live coverage of the women running the Boston Marathon. I was pretty captivated. Not only did these women make running a marathon look effortless, they made my piddly little 3-mile morning runs seem like a trip to the mailbox. I watched their legs stretch ahead of them and then propel them forward, over and over and over and over, and became hypnotized by it. And then it clicked. I wasn't tired of running 3 miles a day, I was done running 3 miles a day. I wasn't tired of running, I was bored with it. I do need a break, but not a break from running. I need a break from running like a robot.

So half-marathon training it is. The beatings will continue until morale improves? Yeah, that's kind of how I roll. I'll take my three weeks off, and then it is game on. Thanksgiving Day, my first 15k.

Gulp. Anyone know of a good Couch to 15k podcast? :)