1 Training Run Down, 70 To Go!

It's finally here, the official start of my training for the 2013 Chicago Marathon!!!

This weekend, to help me get ready for training to start, I did a little iTunes shopping, bought a new running skirt, bought a few new running shirts, and picked up some sunblock...I'm ready!

As I've mentioned, because of my knee issues, I have been focusing more on strengthening my hamstrings, back, and glutes and I haven't done any running with the exception of two 5Ks and a 12K so today was exciting for me...even if it was only 3 miles.  (That was actually a hard part...I wanted to run longer.  I say that now, check back with me at week 15 when I'll be running 40 miles that week ha ha)  Ironic that the first song that suffled its way out on my iPod was by House of Pain with the following line that bascially sums up many people's view on marathon training/running, "This is the house of pain. To come inside is insane." ha ha

I've been thinking about this training a lot lately and feel like it's been a long time coming.  The other night I was talking with someone about the training and about how many miles I'll run from start to crossing the finish line on Oct 13th and they were floored.  I agree, 461.2 is a lot of running, but I thought about it like when I started grad school...I remember looking at all I had to do and freaked thinking it was an impossible task and I'd never accomplish it, but slowly I chipped away at it and before I knew it it was over and I realized it wasn't so bad after all. 

I can't look at it as 3 miles done and 458.2 miles to go....I've got to do this training 1 run at a time.  I know I'll have good days and bad, but it'll get done! 

I won't blog for every run, don't worry.  :)

Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character.
-- T. Alan Armstrong

Ahhh, Two Weeks Til The Training Begins....

So I'm sitting around catching up on my DVR and it dawns on me that training starts in 2 weeks!!!

Immediately I started to sweat...The next 18 weeks of my life (starting June 10th) will be run by runs! 
I called Alice and started to panic!  We had the same conversation we've had a million times.  We talked about days we plan to run with as little disruption to our normal lives as possible, we talked about flights, hotels, breakfast on race day, etc.  Did we discover anything new?  No, but talking to her (as redundant as the convo was) helped calm me down....a little (if nothing else I made her panic too-misery loves company! ha ha)

I did the math, I will be running 435 miles until the race....counting the race, I will clock 461.2 miles...Ahhhh!   I plan to follow Hal Higdon's marathon training program (novice 1).  It is a program that has you running 4 days a week, 1 day cross-training, and 2 days resting.   I will be running Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.  I will be resting Tuesday and Friday and Cross-training Sunday.  My Monday and Thursday runs will be my low mileage days.  Wednesday will be a "higher" mileage day and Saturday will be my long run day.  Looking at the schedule, I'm already fearing week 15 where I will be running 40 miles (5, 10, 5, 20)!

Considering the issues I've had with my knee/hip lately my goal is finish the marathon.  I've already starting talking with my mom about ideal time frames for me to get surgery on my knee (if it comes to that) after the race.  I'm not going to let my knee/hip issues get in my head tho.  I'm confident that if I take my training run by run I'll get through this and surprise myself with my results. 

Get ready for me to be blogging on a regular basis!  I'm excited, scared, and anxious all at once... 

Bay To Breakers...A Must Do!

My last blog was the day before heading out to San Francisco for the Bay To Breakers 12k...It also mentioned me blogging while I was away ha ha... 

It was an incredible weekend-I had the three best traveling companions, San Fran is an amazing city, and the race was just what I needed before the training begins. 

A few things to know about the race.
1) This race is HUGE in SF.  If you aren't running it, you're out on the streets watching (aka partying).  Stores had DJs, random houses had huge speakers set up on the route, spectators were dressed up and high-fiving you the whole way.  
2) EVERYONE dresses in a costume.  (er well with the exception of the creepy old guys who ran naked...) We didn't have any costumes planned so we hit up a dollar store and a tee shirt shop and whipped something up the night before. (random and awesome, much like our trip) 
3) If you sign up for this race don't think you are going to race...it's not happening! (you can run, but you aren't going for a PR here) You need to accept it's not serious and in costume it's hard to run. :) 

The race ends on the water at Golden Gate Park...gorgeous!  Post race, you're in the park, meeting people (everyone was insanely nice), and having a blast (you're also planning your costume for next year). The race starts at 7am so the rest of the day the entire city is out and celebrating race day. 
Unfortunately, the race excitement ended on a really low point...As we were enjoying the gorgeous weather in a park with some new friends we made we witnessed a man fall off the roof of a building-he died at the hospital later in the day.  Man Falls From Roof  A terrible end to a great day.

To end on a happier note, I would absolutely recommend this "race" to anyone (runner or not). My one friend came to SF to watch us run (she also claims to be "morally opposed" to running) and the day before she signed up-a decision she is so glad she made! I know what you're thinking...San Francisco is hilly! Yes, but you only run 1 hill...I promise! Besides, you're so busy looking at everyone and everything around you won't even notice the hill! 

 

I'll see you at Bay To Breakers 2014!

Mmmmm.....

I have been the world's worst blogger lately....I apologize.  I wanted to post the other day to announce the 1 month countdown to when the blogging gets serious and I keep you up to date on my training, but life got in the way.  I'm heading to San Francisco tomorrow for the Bay To Breakers 12K race on the 19th.  I'm beyond excited.  (I hope to blog while I'm away...hope)
Months ago, my friends Alice and Kristin, and I decided to run this...mostly because San Fran is an awesome city, but I heard it was an awesome race to run too.  It's my last bit of "fun" running before my training begins.  I've actually taken a bit of a hiatus from running and have been working on strengthening my hamstrings, lower back, and glutes...I'm excited to hit the pavement and see if I feel any difference....we shall see...
One of my oldest and dearest friends asked me to post about what to eat before running and I found it ironic as my friend, Jen, sent me an article talking about what to eat when you travel to run.  As far was what to eat before a run like I always say, I'm not an expert and I can tell you about myself, but who knows if I'm doing the right thing.  I am the type of person who can eat an Thanksgiving dinner and then hit the gym or go for a run.  Food doesn't really affect me.  I have friends who need to eat at least 2 hours before running or they will be in pain and miserable the entire run.  I'm a creature of habit and if it's race day I'm eating what I always eat.  Race day is NOT the time to change up your diet.  My advice is try out different things on runs if you are training for an run.  See what feels good for you and give your the most energy. 

Below is a link on what to eat if your are traveling for a race.

http://m.runnersworld.com/nutrition-for-runners/road-food?cm_mmc=Twitter-_-RunnersWorld-_-Content-Nutrition-_-RoadFood

In The Words Of Corbin Bleu...Push It To The Limit! ha ha

I had another 5K race today.  Not to bash my race last weekend, but walking into this race today I could see the competition was a little more serious....finishing the race I know the competition was more serious.  Last week 24:28 got me 2nd place in my age group.  This week, 24:07  did nothing.  The 3rd place in my age group came in @ 21:39!!  I'll take my 21 second improvement tho. 

That 21 second improvement leads me to my newest thought....how hard can you push?

As I'm racing lots of things go through my head...who can I have pace me?  Did I go out too hard?  Not hard enough?  How much energy to have left?  What am I going to eat after I run?   (not a lie...I'm always thinking about food) Should I be going harder? Am I going too hard?  Should I change the song on my ipod to something with a tempo to make me work harder?

The idea of how hard can I push it is one aspect of my running I need to concentrate on.  I need to learn my limits and push myself to them.  Throughout the race I felt comfortable...A decent amount of energy was exerted, but probably not enough.  (In fairness to myself I will say today I ran for the 1st time since like 2010 without any type of brace on my knee so I was trying to be careful..ish) I did find a pretty good runner to pace me. I was within five feet from her at all times (she didn't realize I was there...very stalkerish of me ha ha).  I thanked her after the race for doing all the work pushing me. She invited me to join her running group.
After it was all said and done, I felt fine very quickly after the race.  I wasn't panting or puking ha ha Then it hit me....I could have gone harder.  I know I'm better at going up hill so I do try to really push it on hills (Famous last words as I think about my 7 mile race in San Fran in 3 weeks ha ha)  All in all though I wasn't exerting my best effort.  (After the race I did the only logical thing in my head-I went tot he gym and ran another 4 miles ha ha)  I think one thing I will start doing for races is looking at course maps prior to the race so I have an idea of what I'm up against.  While "hindsight is 20/20" "Knowing is also half the battle" so perhaps that will help me.  I've also decided I'm going to do more sprint work in my training to give me a better idea of what my body is able to handle and for how long. Hopefully the combo of new things I'm trying will give me better baseline data on what I can handle.  
 
I do know what thing...this running thing is a lot of work beyond the actual act of running.  I will say that I'm taking this as seriously as possible and really learning a lot about myself as a runner both physically and mentally.  This blog writing is really forcing me to pay attention and listen to my body more! 

"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about."
-PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian
Happy Running!

2nd Place Is Really Just The 1st Loser

It's been a while since my last post so I thought I needed to do a catch up post...
I'll start off with the tragedy at the Boston Marathon...what occurred in Boston was awful.  My heart goes out to everyone in the city of Boston and those affected by this horrific event.  Shortly after the news broke that there was an explosion at the marathon text messages starting coming in asking me if this devastation changed my mind about running the Chicago Marathon....the obvious answer-NO!  The hateful acts of a few will not dictate my life.  I refuse to give into the fear that will, for the time being, surround marathons.  What occurred at the marathon, sadly, could happen anywhere.  I believe law enforcement and race officials will work hard to take every precaution they can, as they did in Boston and do for every race, to keep the event as safe as they possibly can.  Now, as I safely step down off my soapbox let's get back to my running...

For those who liked my facebook page about my blog you saw I mentioned going to a discussion at a local running store where foam rolling was discussed.  While I have foam rolled I haven't done it religiously, but it will be done much more throughout my training.  To get me started, I bought myself a new foam roller and it's safe to say I'm amazed my neighbors haven't called 911 from yelps they hear coming from my home when I foam roll.  Check out this you tube video on foam rolling to get you started on the fun!  ha ha

I've recently started seeing a chiropractor and physical therapist 3 times a week to help me out with my knee....and it turns out my hip and my lower back too.  I have some adhesions to work out and while they essentially do all the work I'm the one sweating and swearing as they help me strengthen my muscles. 

As I mentioned a few posts ago, I signed up for some 5Ks.  I ran in the River Edge 5K on Saturday and I felt pretty good.  My running strength is in distance, but I did fairly well.  I believe this was my best 5K coming in at 24:28 (I think).  My problem with short races is seeing everyone passing me in the beginning, not knowing how many are still behind me. and basically pacing myself so I'm pushing it enough, but not too much.  I know tons of runners who go out too hard and burn themselves out quickly.  I wonder if I'm the opposite and I start slower, but don't know how to pick it up to the right speed.  My running is a work in progress.  Regardless of starting too hard or not hard enough, I must have done okay as I placed 2nd in the 30-34yr old women category...I got a trophy! ha ha I joked this weekend that my trophy for 2nd place was really just the 1st loser! ha ha

Through the work I'm doing with the chiropractor and physical therapist I'm learning to really listen to my body more and pay attention to exactly what I'm feeling and hopefully learn why I do or feel certain things when I run.  These few 5Ks I've signed up for are little "tests" for me to see what works and what doesn't work.  During the RE 5K I focused on my arm swings (I'll talk more about this in a future post) and my "potato chip hands" (the idea out there that you should imagine a potato chip in your hand as you run) 
Without getting into it too much here's a quick basis of this idea of holding a chip in your hand.  When running, it's important to keep your hands relaxed. Think about holding a potato chip in each hand. No matter how hard you run, no matter how tired you get, you cannot clench your hands or that the potato chip breaks. This is a good way of thinking about how loose your hands should be at all times when running. When you start to clench your fists tightly, that tightness spreads through your forearms, biceps, shoulders, neck and face. Once you tighten up and lose range of motion in your arms, it reduces stride length, which is difficult to get back without burning a lot of energy.

My next race is this coming Saturday.....maybe I'll place again

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."
-Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder

I promise I'll get better at posting more often.  :) 

Jelly Beans, Not Just For Easter...

Think about your work day...it's about 2:00 or so when you you start crashing.  You start wondering if you have the energy to make it to the end of the day without passing out on your desk.  You want something quick to wake you up.  Most days I'll have an apple with the idea that I'm making a good food choice that won't ruin dinner later, the sugar is natural and gives me the jolt without sending me crashing down, and the crunch will wake me up a bit.  During this crash we often crave sugar but are told don't because it will bring you up and then you will end up crashing, quickly, down.  On a regular day at work, you want something that will extend your energy level....when it comes to running it's the opposite.  You want a quick surge to help you increase energy in a burst.  

On your long runs you need some mid-run energy boosts. I'm not an expert, but I think about energy boosts on runs over 7 miles.  For 1/2 marathons I did a quick chew around mile five and then around mile seven then eleven. Do I know the exact mile you should be at to get your boost, no, but you do what works for you.  Try out different energy boosters (and flavors) during your training.  You do not want to try something new the day of the race.  You don't know how it will effect your, if you like it, etc. 

Here are things I've tried and liked...
Chomps https://guenergy.com/store/chewables.html/ and
Shot Bloks http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_shot_bloks/
Jelly Belly Sport Beans http://sportbeans.com/

A few quick thoughts...1) The Chomps and Shot Bloks are pretty big.  (Big in terms of eating and storing) I found eating them and running was tough.  I was running with a mouth full of gummy stuff, trying to breath, and not choke-simultaneously.  I didn't want to leave it in my cheek either though...choking fear again.  Don't forget you have to carry these big chews on you...the pockets on your shorts aren't very big.  2) The Jelly Belly Sport Beans were much more manageable in size (in terms of eating and storing), but the flavor was ehh. 

One thing I REFUSE to use....GELS!  As I mentioned, try your energy booster before your race....

These are photos of me and Alice attempting Gels...I think the faces let you know our thoughts ha ha! The consistency, the flavor, the effects, the gross after taste and feel in your mouth...blehh

I wanted to this post up today so you can consider another energy boosting options...JELLY BEANS!  Try some regular old jelly beans that will now be on sale since Easter is over and shelves need to be cleared for the next seasonal item.  I plan to go out tomorrow and stock up!  Jelly beans are cheap, easy to carry, and you can get any flavor you want at candy stores that have Jelly Belly jelly beans.  (If you don't care about the flavor head out tomorrow for the Easter jelly beans that are on sale)  For my 1st 1/2 marathon making my Jelly Belly flavor selection was just as big as making my outfit selection! ha ha

One last quick note about these energy boosters...Remember that size matters! Don't bring the entire pack of shot blocks or chomps or whatever you are choosing to use-you won't have anywhere to carry them unless you want to wear a belt or something.  (Most 1/2 marathons and bigger will have a gel station on the course...if you like gels you're in luck...for the rest of us you have to carry all your goods)  I find messing around the belt to get my energy boosters out was annoying.  My solution that worked well...I stuffed my bra!  Ladies, don't be ashamed to stuff a little bag of jelly beans in your bra-it's easy access and doesn't really move around as you run.  Just like the energy booster...try it before your race!