More Details Than You Probably Wanted to Know About the "COLFAX MARATHON"

         Here it is! The post that at least one of you have been waiting for! It has been such  a wild week . The Saturday before the marathon I went to run 8 miles but by 6.75 I was not feeling it and I just went home.  It was a sunny day and my kids were outside and when I ran past the trailer I just wanted to be with them.  Wrex asked me the question I had been thinking in my head, "Mom if you can't run 8 miles, how are you going to do 26?" The  following Tuesday was  my last run before the race an easy 4 miles. But I felt nauseous and I didn't finish that run either. In fact I felt nauseous all week and I wasn't sure if it was nerves or if I was getting sick. I told myself not to be nervous, that I was just going to go out there and do my thing, but I couldn't help it. Friday morning I got to pick up my mother-in-law at the airport. She escaped the San Diego fires to come help me with the kids on my marathon weekend. We realized two weeks ago that Ian had school this weekend and she valiantly came to our rescue. We picked up Grandma at the airport and went immediately to the runners Expo.  This is where you pick up your race bib and t-shirt and get to look at different vendors. It was held at the Bronco Stadium and it was so exciting. The air itself had energy in it, or at least that's how I felt. They opened the expo a few hours early for the Marathoners, and  I had elite status, which I've never had in my life. You see, this race had not only Marathoners but they had a half marathon, a relay race ( where a person ran 6 mile increments for their teams) and a 10 mile run. We all ran the same course but we started at different places.

My Racing Bib and my finishers Medal that I received at the end

        I was carbo loading on Friday and Saturday so I ate a lot, Between these two days I ate bagels, ensure shakes, OJ, pasta, bread, tomato soup, chicken gyros, dried mango, oatmeal with almond milk, lentil soup, sourdough toast, muffins, chicken Parmesan and lots of Gatorade. One of my books recommended eating 7-12 grams of carbs per kg of your body weight. So I was aiming for at least 400 grams of carbs in a day. Soooo filling, I still feel bloated.

My last supper
 

      I felt stuffed to the max both days. On Sunday morning I woke up at 3:30am, I put on sunscreen and my race outfit. I made myself a cup of coffee, a bagel and I downed another Ensure shake ( they have 50 grams of carbs in those things ) and a Gatorade. We arrived in Downtown Denver while it was still dark. I was in desperate need of a bathroom and there was a long line of fresh port a potties. Unfortunately, they were all zip tied locked.    I know, what's the deal? But  my manly man took out his pocket knife and unlocked that port a jon for me and the other potty dancing girl next to me. What would I do without him, my hero.
    The race started at 6. They had grouped us into "Corrals" organized from A to R. I was in corral E. Ian stayed with me until I left. He told me later that  I actually ran off with the "D's" I was a little too excited I guess.

This is Corral E and all of my photo bombing fellow racers

       Miles 1-13 were a breeze. We ran past the zoo, down the streets of Downtown Denver , through a fire station, into the Broncos Mile High Stadium. It was a blast. There were water and Gatorade stops every 2 miles. There were tons of spectators ringing cowbells and holding up funny signs like      "Way to go Dad, can you run by the store and bring home some milk on your way home" or "Run faster, I just farted." Our names were on our bib so every now and then I was cheered on by name which was actually very nice.  The racers weren't as talkative as I thought they might be. Most people had earphones on. I decided not to listen to music so I could take it all in. I wanted the complete experience and didn't want to miss out on anything.
         A lot of people passed me. I didn't let it bother me, I had a plan. I was sticking to my heart rate and walking at the water stations. I mean who can drink on the run? Not me. The relay runners were along side us the whole time. Some of them would pass you and then you'd realize that they had just started their race and you were already 15 miles in. But some people would pass me and then I would catch up and pass them. It was fun. I started feeling sore around 13 miles. We ran through a really beautiful neighborhood and there were people handing out strips of bacon and donuts. I thought it was an awesome idea but didn't think I could stomach it. There was a part around here where we were able to see runners behind us on the other side of the road and I counted 11 marathoners, so I knew I was in front of at least 11 and that was good enough for me. I thought that 5 hours was a reasonable finishing time for me. I would love to make it in less than 5 but 5 seemed reasonable. I did decide at some point that I needed to go all out. I tried to pick up the pace, but really I think I just picked up the effort. I didn't want to finish with any energy, knowing I could have done better. So I thought I picked it up from mile 13 to 18. I did have to stop twice to use the bathroom which were near the water stations. I suppose I was overly hydrating but better that then becoming dehydrated. Also, I stopped at mile 17 for a selfie. Two firetrucks were hoisting up the American flag in Downtown Denver and I thought about my brother Nate, the Naval Corpsman and I had to have a little  momento.

always time for a selfie

      Between miles 17 to 20 I started passing a lot of Marathoners. At this point I recall wanting to tell you all this. My shirt said " Train like you were picked for the Hunger Games" I was ready for my interview which never happened BUT, if I ever was interviewed, and they asked me which character I was most like in the Hunger Games this would have been my answer. "I think I'm most like Fox Face, because I have a strategy and I'm sticking to it. I've held back conservatively with my energy and now I'm passing by the people who started out too fast. Yes I know, I am quite clever and we both have red hair. ( and that's how I would combine my nerdlife with my running life. For you non nerds, FoxFace dies by stealing Peetas poisonous berries. Ah yes, pride comes before the fall)

This is Fox Face

      By Mile 20, I was hurting and exhausted. I couldn't imagine 6.2 more miles. I looked at my GPS watch and realized if I didn't run 10 minute miles, I wasn't going to make it under 5 hours. I decided that I had run the whole marathon,( I thought originally I would have to walk more of it)  besides the water stops and that I had to keep running, at least I would know I gave it my best. At 23 miles we ran uphill, it was cruel, and I had to walk it. At this point police officers were holding back traffic on certain roads and I can imagine the drivers frustration being held at a stop while the worlds most slowest Marathoner put puts on by. When I crossed 25 miles I really ran all out, which wasn't any faster than before! My head was that over heating type of hot, when your ears feel steamy and I had to pee but that was just going to have to wait. I ran back around the zoo and I saw Marathoners walking back to their car and they cheered me on telling me "It's just around the next bend, and I thought " LIARS" But I didn't care, I ran because I just wanted it over with. I ran through the finish line with purpose passing one more guy on my way in. I didn't cry, I certainly didn't keep running. I stopped in my tracks, threw my hands up  like " TAKE THAT sucka" and then I looked over and saw my friend Tarrah and her 4 kids cheering me on. Her son asked if I won and his mom said " yes she did." I walked through the rest of the vendors who were giving away free stuff because lets face it, I love free and I earned it.  Tarrah took pictures, I was just glad I didn't die.

 Ian and Tarrah's husband met us shortly after. I hobbled the rest of the day and my mother in law and Ian took care of me, making sure I ate and re-hydrated. I was so thirsty but had no appetite. Of course I still ate an amazing sandwich from D'deli and a Burger from Bob's Atomic Burger. Yeah, I know, not hungry right? Today I am still so sore. Everything hurts, but only when I move. The two stairs to get to my room feel like climbing Everest. Am I glad I did it? Absolutely. It was so much fun and I gained so much more respect and pride in myself. Things I didn't know were missing.

       I absolutely loved reading all of your comments and support on my facebook page. Thank you so much for following me on this experience. It shows me more and more all the people who love and care about me. I just wanted to say thank you because every comment or like has cheered me on to be the best me I can be. Thank you.

 

 

 

My Finishing time was 4:59:47 just 13 seconds under 5 hours and I couldn't be happier 

I placed 986 out of 1323 "finishing Marathoners" not everybody finished.

I placed 343 out of the 554 Females that competed

In my age division of 30-39 I placed 128, not sure of the total of people in my division.

So basically I led the way of the last 1/4 of Runners. I don't think I can ask for any better than that. I am seriously proud of myself

 

Legend of the Marathon....4 days left

      Well, it's only four more days until my marathon. My runs have gotten shorter and shorter as I taper down in preparation to run 26.2 miles. The night before last I had a dream that I was disqualified for running through peoples backyards. Last night, I fell asleep at 7 o'clock reading my marathon book.  I suppose I am literally obsessed at this point and even though they don't admit it I'm sure my family can't wait for this run to be over. Although, everyone is very supportive and can't wait to see me cross the finish line. Logistically, I still have no idea how my whole family is supposed to wait for me to run for five hours. What to do with 3 kids in downtown Denver for that long.... I am assuming that's how long it'll take me. I will be ecstatic, if it is any shorter! Hopefully you've seen by now that there will be a link on Facebook updating on my progress on Sunday. It's supposed to give live status updates so... we'll see how that goes. I don't have much else to say at this point other than I'm nervous, but I thought I would share a little history of the marathon mystique.

    This is an excerpt from" Marathon The Ultimate Training Guide" by Hal Higdon. " How far is this marathon? The fact is that technically speaking all marathons are precisely 26 miles 385 yards. Anything longer and the race is considered an ultra marathon. Anything less and either the course was mis-measured or something else. The first event to be called a marathon was held in 1896 at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens Greece. This long-distance  race was staged at the end of those games to re-create and commemorate the legendary run of Pheidippides in 490 BC.
     In that year, the Persians invaded Greece, landing on the plains of Marathon on Greece's eastern coast. According to the legend, and Athenian general dispatched Pheidippides , a hemerodromo, or runner messenger, to Sparta  (150 miles away) to seek help. It reportedly took Pheidippides two days to reach Sparta. The Spartans never did arrive in time to help, but the Athenians eventually overwhelmed their enemy, killing 6,400 Persian troops while losing only 192 of their own men. Or so it was recorded by Greek historians of the time. Some historians dispute those numbers, suspecting they are the typical exaggerated claims of the victors. Then there is the question of whether the messenger dispatched to Athens with news of the victory was the same Pheidippides, who ran to and from Sparta. ( okay here's the really important part) A hemerodromo by that or another name apparently did run a route that took himself along the coast and up across the series of coastal foothills before descending into Athens, a distance of about 25 miles from the plains of Marathon.  According to legend Pheidippides announced "Rejoice. We conquer! " As he arrived in Athens then fell dead . "

   And that's the legend of the marathon . Run til you die. But if it was the same running messenger. I might argue that the first 150 miles might have don't him in , not the last 25. So based on that story, the race of Pheidippides was recreated for the Olympic Games in 1896  by running from the plains of Marathon to the Olympic Stadium in downtown Athens. At which time the winner was a Greek Shepherd . The Boston Athletic Associaton team manager was present that day and he was so impressed that he decided to sponsor a similar event in his hometown in 1897 . Thus the beginning of the Boston Marathon. Which remains the oldest continuously held Marathon. Did you know that to race in the Boston Marathon you have to qualify?

    Yes friends I am soooooo far away from that. But as I go out on Sunday and give it all I got, I'm going to stick with the goal of  "don't die, like Pheidippides" wish me luck ! 

My 20 mile Run

     

      I've had two phone calls from my family today asking me about my run. I am overjoyed to hear about you guys staeting up couch to 5k programs. That is exactly where I started in October 2012. Go you! I can't wait for new running partners. This weeks long run was solo and I could've used some company.  Twenty Miles is my longest run before my actual marathon. I was worried about that in the beginning. The difference between 20 and 26.2 seemed enormous, but really at that point you might as well keep going.  I know that sounds ridiculous, but when you've been running that long, you might as well just keep going.
        The 20 mile run is sometime referred to as the  "race stimulator." Basically it's a dress rehearsal for the big race. It is recommended that you wear what you're going to wear and eat what you're going to eat on race day. You should also test your plan for hydration and nutrition. This way,  if something isn't going to work, you can find out in advance. So that is what I did.
    One thing that was really worrying me is having to pee in the middle of the race. I always  have to find a bathroom around 7 miles. I usually run a 7 mile loop and use the bathroom at home. The thing is I HATE porta potties. I would rather squat in a bush but I really don't want to be arrested for indecent exposure at my first marathon. Also, I don't want to wait in line in the middle of the race. So these were some of the things I wanted to test

1. Bagels for breakfast
2. 12 oz of Gatorade with breakfast
3. Stop intake of fluids 1 hour before running
4. Take 400 mg of Advil before the run
5. Take 3 Cliff Shots (one serving size) every 3 miles
6. Carry my own fluids

        I was actually really nervous about this run. I set my alarm for 5:30 so I could eat breakfast and drink Gatorade an hour before I planned to leave the house. It was one of  those sleeps where you keep waking up because you think you've overslept.  Ian had class that day, so the boys and I were on our own. Wrex was babysitting but I was long gone before they switched on those cartoons. (I paid him well for this day) I left the house at about 7:30 am I had my lil fanny pack and I bought a special amphipod water bottle that straps to your hand.

surprisingly easy to run with and I'm so glad I had water, it was a HOT day

 I started out with Gatorade but I really craved water when I was running. So I took the cliff shots every 3 miles which was my nutrition plan to intake carbohydrates for fuel as I ran. The thing is cliff shots and Gatorade are so sweet together that I switched to water in my bottle when I looped back home around 7 miles. I filled this 12 oz bottle 4 times while I ran. (3 times with Gatorade which helps with electrolytes and carbs and once with water) I ran the loop twice and then I ran circles in downtown. I was tuckered out and bored around 14 miles. I thought of  how easier it was running 13 miles in Maryland with Nate and I cursed the altitude for a while. Then I time warped to 17 miles. I don't remember what I was thinking about but I looked down and my miles were getting faster than when I started which is perfect! Ideally marathon runners want to run negative splits, which is when you run the second half of the race faster than the first. That is definitely a goal I have and it can  only be achieved by holding back at a slower pace in the beginning. I'm not saying I ran fast because I didn't, but I stuck to my plan of running at my targeted heart rate instead of a specific timed pace and the result was, I could still pick up the pace at the end, so that impressed myself. My toes started to hurt and my quads hurt but at that point of tiredness, if I had to run 6.2 more miles I would just do it. You might as well , once you've been running for 4 hours and 20 minutes! Yep that's how long it took me. You might as well just keep going.
  I remembered hearing about people taking an ice bath after long hard workouts and I envied people with bathtubs. Then I realized I had a freezing cold creek behind my house. So the boys and I got our suits on and we braved the creek. It was so cold that it hurt to be in the water longer then 7 seconds, so I settled with dumping a plastic bucket of cold water on my legs. I chatted with my gals in my trailer hood for a while and then went inside for another bagel. I then settled down for another "Downton Abbey" Marathon where I was in and out of consciousness. I was so sore when I got up I asked Ian if we could eat out, I couldn't imagine cooking. The next day I was still sore. I'm feeling much better today and pretty proud of myself too.
     Thank you to all my friends who suggested new running songs for me, they were very motivating until the iphone battery ran out. Thank you to my family who checks in on me to make sure I'm still alive and kicking. Thank you for liking my running activity on Facebook and letting those cowbells ring in my ears. Thank you for reading this and keeping me accountable. I know I am so close, just 19 more days.

25 Days until the Marathon

   I believe a marathon post is due! I didn't post one last week because ....I was sulking. That's the truth.  I was going to attempt to put a positive spin on it, but there it is. So my last long run was suppose to be 18 miles. My running schedule was all off, I had rested my knee the week before and my foot started to hurt out of nowhere and I just knew that the right thing to do was get back on schedule. So I ran 7 miles on Friday and by the end of the run my foot pain had gone away. It was suppose to snow that Sunday, so I decided to get my 18 miles in on Saturday. The loop I run in 6.75 miles long and I usually do that twice and then run circles around town. During the first loop, every time I put my foot down it was like "ow, ow, ow" It hurt but I definitely felt like I could run through it. After the loop, I stepped onto a trail to switch it up a bit and the pain intensified so much that I decided to call it a day. I walked back to the campground. I was so disappointed in myself, I felt like I should have pressed on, but I convinced myself  that  the  18 mile triaging run was not my goal. My goal is to get to save myself for the marathon. I went straight to a Dr Scholls Machine and bought myself a fancy insert, hoping that would fix me. It didn't. That day the pain got worse and as I hobbled around a baseball tournament , I was convinced I was done for. Very upsetting. So I googled everything and looked up podiatrist in my area....In the end I diagnosed myself.
Peroneal tendonitis- Peroneal tendonitis is inflammation of the peroneal tendons which run behind the lateral malleolus or the bony bit on the outside of the ankle causing and swelling on the outer ankle.

The red is where it hurts

   So basically there is a tendon that connects the leg and the foot and it was angry with me. This is an overuse injury that people often trying a new sport or increasing  their activity level repetitiously end up with. The advice was to rest, ice it and stretch it. I of course thought the world was so unfair because I had a schedule to keep. Resting last week would mean that I never raised my mileage past 17 miles before my marathon and that scared me. Would I even be prepared? Then a few things happened.
    I went to the running store, again. I made a close friend with a gal whose name I never thought to ask . She poured on me a wealth of experience and knowledge. I ran on a treadmill while she videotaped it and I was relieved to see that I actually have good form. I'm not doing anything funky with my ankles, not running pigeon toed or inverted . So she sold me moon shoes (at least that's what they look like) They are basically anti- injury shoes that she said people with stress fractures have actually ran races  in them. I have not paid this much for shoes since I wore Creepers in high school and the last pair of Creepers I bought were for my wedding. So I came home with these magical, ugly shoes and renewed hope. She explained to me that with my schedule modified , most likely my body was starting to heal and healing hurts. But she thought I was spot on with my diagnosis and she said even if I didn't run any higher mileage I would still be ok for my marathon.  I had hobbled around  all week and I decided to rest a few more days even though I have my magic shoes which are called Hoka' s. you can read about them here http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/footwear/Sole-Power-Nicolas-Mermoud-Minimalist-Running.html


No one mistakes me for a fashion icon, but this is a tough look for me to sport

    The other really cool thing that happened is that I realized that I miscalculated my training schedule and left otr a whole week before the marathon. This means that I found a whole 7 days extra to train. So even though I missed out on last week, I can still run 20 miles this weekend before I taper my mileage down to rest before the marathon. I was amazed at this oversight!It was so unlike me to make a mistake like that on a carefully , color coded schedule! But  I was OH SO Grateful!
    Last week was rough. I iced my ankle and the whole trailer smelled like tiger balm. I should have done something helpful like cross train or work on my abs but instead I ate a lot of candy and started watching Downtown Abbey. That's what made me feel better. On Friday I ran 4 miles and Saturday I ran 5. Then I rested. I'm hoping to get back into my schedule this week but I'm going to take it easy. My ankle does feel much better and I really do want to run 20 miles this weekend. I wish I had a better update but as of now I am counting down the days til my Marathon and hoping for the best.
That's my little story but how about those runners in Boston yesterday. AMAZING! Talk about inspiring. We all start one mile at a time though, right? Are you going to get out there and get your mile in today? I am.

Week 8 of Marathon Training

    Once again, I veered from my training program this week. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it just proves to me that I have a hard time listening to directions. I really want to run the show! But a few changes were necessary for my schedule. I had wanted to run a half marathon this last weekend but I realized early in the week that Ian would be at school and that it simply wasn't going to work. I've read that you should have a few races under your belt, just to see the flow of things and get use to the jitters and stuff before your big race. It makes sense to me, but I think I'm just gonna have to wing it! It's kinda funny because the only race I've ever ran in (as an adult) was a small town 5k. I was in the back of the pack of about 11 people and the junior high girl totally kicked my butt. If you want to refresh on the story, here it is http://linewife.blogspot.com/search/label/Heritage%20Days So the marathon will just be a whole mess of firsts for me. So! Since I didn't run the Half I decided to run two smaller runs on the weekend. This was suppose to be a taper down weekend, where you run less than the week before so your body can re-coop and get ready  for the next big increase in Mileage, this is what I ran last week:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday : 4 Miles
Wednesday: 6.7 Miles
Thursday: I could not get out in the cold so I did some fine toning exercises in a video...OMG...it took my legs 3  days to recover, YIKES!
Friday: Rest day
Saturday: 6 miles on a treadmill
Sunday: 11 Miles

   So guess what?  I got my Garmin watch! I ordered it off of ebay from another runner, saved about $50. I was so excited to use it on Sunday. Turns out, it was identical in accuracy to my Nike running program on my Iphone. Oddly enough , this means my sensor in my shoe was off. If you recall my shoe sensor was telling me I ran more than a mile than the GPS. Didn't see that coming. So, as far as modifying my training, I think what I am going to do is stick with the Intermediate schedule BUT I am going to take out the long run on Saturdays and only have the long runs on Sundays that increase in mileage. The novice program is scheduled similarly, but I have already passed some of the high mileage milestones that the novice program hasn't hit yet. So I'm savoring that accomplishment but allowing myself more rest day to work up to the new challenges and not injure myself at the same time. OK, one thing, I realize that I appeared obsessive about the Garmin watch but I have to tell you, it's still really good that I have it because, although it showed me that the Nike app was spot on, my phone usually dies around 10 or 11 miles This Sunday I will be running 17 miles, so I'm glad I've got the watch to track it!
  
   I've been trying to be mindful of nutrition and fuel my body with what it needs. I'm asking a lot from these legs and I want to give them all the love they deserve. So I've been eating lots of omelettes with spinach and tomatoes. Salads with beets and quinoa for lunch and I usually just eat whatever with the family for dinner. But I've added some new treats because I love snacks and sweets. Here are a few of my favorites:

http://themarathonmom.com/granola-energy-balls.htm

Granola Energy Bites! So great to have in the fridge for a snack or before a run. Also, Who doesn't love chocolate and peanut butter?
 

http://dashingdish.com/recipe/triple-chocolate-chunk-muffins/


These are a knock off recipe version of Vita Top Muffins from Whole Foods, so good and I feel healthy when I eat them and the 2 year old can't get enough.

 

http://www.gooddinnermom.com/carrot-and-quinoa-muffins/

Ok so no one was pulling on my skirt begging for one of these but I loved them. You can see carrots , quinoa and walnuts in them. They were addicting.

So good. Make one of these recipes this week and tell me how it goes. I am going to go eat a chocolate muffin...And then make my kids work through Spring Break. I'm such a mean mom, but we're pushing Spring Break a week until we get to Grandma's house ;) Wish us luck

A Busy week in Denver and week 7 of Marathon Training

 
  Happy St Patty's Day!  Wow last week was busy! In retrospect, I can totally see why I have been exhausted all day. Our busy week took off last Monday. I had planned a field trip to the US Mint in Denver. I had to schedule the tour back in January. It had been something I wanted to do for a while and we were all excited for the adventure! You ever try to pack in too much to one day? Yeah , well I thought I would do some laundry before we left and right before we got in the car to drive to downtown Denver, I went to get the dry out. To my dismay, my 11 year old had recently purchased camo face paint from the army surplus store in town and left it in his pocket. All of the clothes had brownish grey smudges all over them. I flipped my lid and this is how we took off for our field trip. With mom in a mood. Then we continued to get into the heart of downtown Denver. We were suppose to arrive 30 minutes early because the mint is a secured government facility and they need to make you go through security etc. We were there 30 minutes early but I couldn't find a parking spot to save my life so we just drove around. Finally I told the kids we weren't going to make it and just then Wrex found  a parking spot. A friendly police officer helped me park and we made it to the Mint. My older boys really liked it, the two year old was not impressed. Hopefully they will remember more than mom's lecture about removing the content s of your pocket before throwing stuff in the laundry.

 

I got back to my car in time to see an officer writing me a ticket. Apparently I had parked in a "Mayoral" spot and I was minutes away  from being towed. It pains me to admit that my husband was right, I just may get a ticket in every city we travel in. UGH.

 

Friday , Ian had off and we decided to hike up to North table mountain. If you ever visit Golden, Colorado the city is nestled between two mesas, North and South Table Mountain. We packed some waters and a sling shot and went for it. Ian had to let Waylon ride on his shoulders most of the way. Our highlights were watching Houston try to catch a deer and stopping to practice our sling shot skills. It was a fabulous day.



 



  Sunday was my long run of 15 miles. The training plan was Tues. 4 miles, Wed. 7 miles, Thurs. 4 miles and Saturday 7 miles and Sunday 15 miles. I ran outside Tuesday and Thursday but snow prevented me from running outside on Wednesday. My runs were slower all week than they had been inside but my ego recovered a bit and I am more prepared to run slow to make it through as opposed to not completing at all. After our hike on Friday I decided to skip Saturdays run and rest an extra day. One of my epiphany's that sank in last week is that I am a novice and I can do with extra rest and less pressure. So Sunday I was prepared. I got up early to have my coffee and my oatmeal and then stretched.  It was a mere 28 degrees which I wasn't too happy about but what could I do. I decided to experiment with Cliff shots this week. They are a supplement that I decided to try out to increase my carbohydrate consumption while I ran. Studies have shown that there is an increased performance in runs over an hour long with additional carbohydrate consumption, so it was something I wanted to try.  So I started out slow. Another thing I did differently, is that I committed to a trail. Sometimes when I run , I just go wherever my legs take me, but then it can feel like a never ending journey. I think that the trail I picked is between 6.5 to  7 miles long. So my goal was to run it in the opposite direction of last week, so the dramatic hill climb would be on the way down. Then I would run it twice and after that, run to a place in town that I think is only a mile and a half or so away. So I still don't have a GPS watch so it was a guesstimate. Also my phone pooped out on me before I was through, so I don't have that to go off of either.  I did run for 3 1/2 hours so I'm pretty confident I hit 15 miles some where in that time. The best part of the run was when Ian accompanied me on the trail on my second loop around. He hopped on our 11 year olds bike and rode 7 miles with me. He made it look effortless but it made such a huge difference for me powering through miles 7-14. They seemed to breeze by, when we parted ways, I only had a mile or 2 to go but   they seemed way longer than the previous miles. It made my day having him out there with me. I am crazy sore today but I feel like I really kicked butt this Sunday.  That's marathon training for ya, down in the dumps one week, on top of the world the next. Thanks for the cheers and support, you guys are the best.



He even let me steal his hat, what a guy!



Marathon log week 6

 

    I finished my sixth week of marathon training. The game plan for last week was this:  Tues. 4 miles, Wed. 7 miles, Thurs. 4 miles rest day, Sat. 7 miles and Sun. 14 miles. What can I say, it was all going amazingly well until Sunday came along and hit me over the head. First of all, I have to tell you, if you ever see a status on my facebook and it says something like  "I'm running with Nike etc" when you "like" that while I'm running, it send cowbells and cheers into my headphones and it is so encouraging to me. I wanted to say thank you to all my cheers over the weekend, I don't know why cowbells are so motivating but they are.It must be that I know at that moment, you think I can accomplish this too. Thank you!
     I think I need to look at my training from this point on as phase 2. Here is why. Since January all of my training has been indoors and I have been killing it. I told you last week that I have a sensor in my shoe and an app I use to monitor my distance inside. I told you that they contradict each other right? Well what if they're both wrong? dun dun dun. Sunday was the first beautiful day I was able to get outside the rec center and run. The snow was melted on the path and it was a warm 39 degrees when I started. I bought a new app to show me running routes near by and I discussed them the night before with Ian, to mark out the best path. I had a decent sized carb filled breakfast and went out to meet the day. All of my reading this last week convinced me to run slower than I thought necessary to make it through the mileage, but I wasn't prepared for the course I had picked. Hills....so many hills. One of my apps reads it like this
Mile 1 ascent: 312 feet descent: 139 feet
Mile 2 ascent: 215 feet descent: 204 feet
Mile 3 ascent :255 feet descent: 169 feet
 I won't keep listing it but most of these are a higher climb than it was a descent. I ran slow and kept my heart rate low but I just could not believe how long it took me to get my miles in. I ran for 3 hours. 3 hours. At that point the sensor in my shoe said I had completed 14.5 miles and the app said I only did 12.5. Two miles is a HUGE difference at that point!  To say the least I was disappointed. Not only were the apps recording my time at least 4 minutes slower a mile but also recording that I couldn't complete 14 miles in three hours. It just doesn't seem right.
      So here are my thoughts. I need a garmin GPS watch. I don't wan't to under train but I really don't want to over train either. I learned, while I laid on the couch yesterday, unable to move, that the GPS chip in our phones are generally smaller than in a GPS watch. Since smart phones can do so many things, like a swiss army knife, they may not be able to do them all extremely well. I also learned that my Nike sensor in my shoe is 90% accurate. I don't know how I feel about that quite yet. If I have in fact not been getting in as many miles as I think I have and if my pace is as slow outside as it was yesterday I might need to change to a novice training program. At this point there is no need to convince myself to run intermediate mileage if this whole time I have been running fewer miles that I thought. UGH , that's frustrating .
     Okay here are the positive things. I had a beautiful morning yesterday on a trail I had never experienced before.

See, it was literally gorgeous!
 

Also, I am so glad that I have seen these possible training discrepancies now, instead of on race day. Also, if I switch to the Novice program, I am right on track, yesterday would have been a 12 mile run . A few more great things about yesterday: I ran past a water park I didn't know existed. It warmed up to 68 and I took a nap! Good day, huh?
        I started reading the book "Marathon" by Hal Higdon, it is very appropriate for someone to read before they've ran their first. I was also reading "The New Rules of Marathon and Half Marathon Nutrition : A cutting edge Plan to Fuel your Body Beyond the Wall" by Matt Fitzgerald and although I've learned a lot, it's very technical and more for people trying to improve their times. I have a goal to reach the finish line in under 4:30. However, if I am being realistic and if I am listening to the experience from these books, my real goal needs to be: to simply finish, uninjured and smiling, preferably. I gotta say that does not sound as impressive as 4:30. But I need to be realistic.
   One thing that I read repetitively this week, was that most runners need to slow down in their training. The only way to improve in running is to run more and the only way to run more (or the most) is to run slow. The moral : Run slow and you live to run another day. Also, I have read over and over that it is better to reach the starting line undertrained than to over train and never reach it or, reach it at the level of burnout.
   Well thank you for listening to me ramble. I realize this might not be as interesting to you if you're not training for a marathon. But I love your support and I love the challenge of figuring it all out myself. So next week the intermediate program works up to 15 miles and the novice program runs 13. I will let you know how it turns out.

In case you needed a visual aid of what that might look like....you're welcome

My Marathon Log week 5

I've been reading up on a few marathon books last week and decided that I really want to document my training experience for my first marathon because it's kind've a big deal for me! Ok a huge deal. I know people can get annoyed reading fitness posts on facebook so if this annoys you, don't read it! However, if you want to read about a non athlete training for a marathon, lets hash this out together. I say I'm a non athlete because no one has ever referred to me as an athlete before. I'm still the girl who was always on the "B" team for sports and received a B in PE for not participating. This is my athletic background.
     I started running last year when I joined a fitness challenge and to simply get out of my trailer and running was the cheapest most convenient form of exercise.  Running kept me from losing my mind with my colic child and now I am learning to enjoy it. I decided to run a marathon when I saw that the training programs started with the ability to run 5 miles and it just so happens, I can do that. I wasn't anxious to start a regimented training  program because, lets face it, I have a hard time following a coach. Even when it was the couch to 5k app in my ear telling me when to walk or run, I wouldn't listen. Now it's  a piece of paper telling me what days to run, I always think I now best and deviate from the plan. I always regret it but I am so stubborn. Maybe it stems from the fact that coaches never really took to me, most likely because they saw my half ass effort. So this is my chance to change right?



This is my log of the days I've skipped and the changes I've made. I try to draw an icon of how I felt I did at the end of the training week

     So here I am, I've just completed week 5 of training for my marathon. Here's how it's going. The Sunday before last nearly killed me. I ran 12 miles...I think. I have two different trackers and they both tell me different things. One relies on GPS and the other is a sensor in my shoe. The GPS told me I did 13.6 miles but the sensor in the shoe said 12. I don't want to under train so I assume the mileage for the day is not complete until both trackers agree I've reached my goal. I think I need to start running outside , I want to run outside but inevitably it snows on the days where I have my chance. The Rec Center is right across the street. I'll talk about that in a bit.  So I completed my Sunday mileage of  12 miles and I thought I was going to die. I don't think I hyped myself up enough mentally. The week before I was nervous about running 11 but somehow when I got to 12 I forgot that I hadn't ever done that before. I think the last 4 miles my mantra was..."I should be home... this is awful... I don't think I can do this...I'm hungry...this is ridiculous." I seriously almost quit but, I kept going. As a result last weeks training was more mental than physical, I was exhausted the rest of the day but no one really has any patience for a mommy to take a nap, especially when she's already been gone 2 hours running. So Monday I slept in, instead of cross training and Tuesday I skipped because it was my sons birthday and he wanted me here. Also, there was just little will in me to run. I ran 5 miles on Wed. 4 miles on Thurs. took my Friday to rest, then 5 on Saturday and then 10 on Sunday. This Sundays run went much better. Yes it was less miles but I made sure I had a carbo-licous breakfast and I also experimented with energy gels by Gatorade. I'm not sure that  its the brand I'll stick with but I gotta say, I think they rebranded squeeze pops from the 90s and made them energy gels and I'm really excited about it because those were my favorite candies! Anyways, the extra carbs really did make me stay on the level the whole way through. I paced myself and felt great at the finish.
   So I have a few thoughts about running on an indoor track. It definitely has some advantages
  1. So conveniently close to me, seriously like .10 miles away, I walk there
  2. Safe to run at even when its dark
  3. I'm getting spoiled running next to a bathroom and a drinking fountain, things you miss when you're on a trail
  4. Doesn't matter if it's snowing , you can still get that run in
  5. The distractions are sometimes fun, on Sundays the Silver Sneaker ladies play basketball, I totally want to be one of them when I grow up, I want to wear those awesome goggles even if I don't need them

This is the indoor track, it's like a balcony around the basketball court
 

Here are some disadvantages of running indoors
1. I miss being outdoors, I was going to run outside this weekend and of course it snowed
2. The people who walk up here sometimes like to walk side by side, you would think that if they heard me huffing and puffing like a rhinoceros  behind them, (because they can definitely hear me) that they would scootch to the slow lane but this is not always the case.
3. The nimbus who has the bright idea to walk on the white line the whole time, it's two lanes buddy , you're not practicing to tight rope walk for cirque du soleil, so pick a lane!
  4. If someone crop dusts you it totally sucks, this also goes for the guy who blew up the bathroom! I went in there to tinkle after 5 miles and nearly puked.

     All in all, I'm just so glad I'm actually doing this. I read a great inspirational book called "Chasing Dawn" this mother of 5 decided to run 12 marathons in 12 months and you thought I was crazy! Her book gave me a new perspective on marathons. It doesn't have to be as serious as it is, in my head, and I'm not the only average person running marathons. Good to know. Also her times were not smoking fast which means, it's ok if mine isn't either. After all according to Hal Higdon author of "Marathon"  "If others finish in front of or behind you, it is only that their personal victories are more or less than yours. A person finishing behind you with less talent, or of a different age or sex, or various other limiting factors may have achieved a far greater victory." Great news for me because right now this marathon idea still seems really intimidating. My number one goal for this Marathon is to "finish like a champ, not like a chump"( I got that from the book "Chasing Dawn" she's so clever)  I really don't want to end up on youtube as one of those ladies having body spasms or losing control of bodily functions at the finish line. My husband loves to watch those and laugh....really don't want to be one of those.