tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78780910690123998122024-03-13T09:44:46.061-06:00Slow Girl Runningit may take a while, but I will make it...aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-46083399954485088112009-10-26T14:11:00.005-06:002009-10-26T16:16:29.006-06:00Denver HM '09 Race ReportAlright, it's time. I've been putting this off for over a week now. And I have good reason...<br /><br />My first instinct was to file the 2009 Denver Half Marathon under "N" for "Not impressive"... or maybe "Not awesome"... or even "Not even worth mentioning"... I wanted to strike it from my memory and any/all record books. It was the suck in all imaginable ways and I wanted to forget it ever happened.<br /><br />But that is not an option.<br /><br />The day started out well enough. I ate a PB&J for breakfast (<span style="font-style: italic;">last year's pathetic PBtoast & banana was hideously inadequate</span>) and I was up and ready to go earlier than I'd planned. Miah even woke up on time and didn't waste a lot of time getting ready to leave. We didn't hit any traffic jams and only one detour on our quest for a parking spot near the start/finish and we ended up finding one only a couple of blocks away.* We got to the start/finish area and there was Gatorade and water everywhere, and I even bumped into my Runner's Edge coach waiting in line for the port-a-potty. I was feeling a little mix of nervous and excited, but I have to say it was probably 70% excited and only 30% nervous because I had enough confidence to poke fun at Miah over this thing or that, and we even got into an acorn throwing contest, which abruptly ended when he nailed me in the forehead with one.**<br /><br />Eventually, the announcer screamed into his mic*** that it was time for us to all line up (<span style="font-style: italic;">which, as we all know means that there's only another 30 minutes to stand around before the race actually begins, but now you have to wait in your teensy little running clothes rather than the fleece jacket and warmup pants you had to hastily stuff into your gearbag</span>). I lined up just like last year: at the front of the fast walkers. Actually, I lined up right next to a lady holding a 5:30 sign, which I thought was a bit ambitious for me, but, like I said, I was overloaded with confidence.<br /><br />The lining up process always gives me a few things to think about. On the way there, Miah and I were talking about how people don't just "show up" for a marathon or a half marathon. I mean, it's possible to decide on a whim that you want to run a 5K (<span style="font-style: italic;">much like my brother, Brandon, did when I was in Newbern earlier this year</span>). But you don't decide on a whim to go out and run 26.2 (<span style="font-style: italic;">or even 13.1</span>) miles. Right? Wrong. Here are two conversations I heard while in the start corral:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Exhibit A</span><br />Girl in front of me to her husband: "So, how many Bolder Boulder's is this, anyway?"<br />Husband: "A little more than two."<br />Girl: "So, how many 5K's is that?"<br />Me (thinking): "oh dear...."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Exhibit B</span><br />Other girl in front of me (<span style="font-style: italic;">with full makeup and HOT-ROLLED HAIR</span>): "So, where are we supposed to line up? We don't know how fast we run."<br /><br />So, obviously, there are people who decide on a whim to run this distance (<span style="font-style: italic;">with lots of make up and hot rolled hair, even!</span>). This is 75% depressing.<br /><br />Anyway, eventually, the whole herd of us began to inch forward and then we picked it up a bit and we were running. Yay! And I was going at a pretty nice clip, too, even weaving and dodging and passing people (<span style="font-style: italic;">what a feeling!</span>). My first mile was 11:something, my second mile was 11:something. I was shocked but I felt great because I knew I had to average 12:30s to hit my (A) time goal.<br /><br />My Garmin managed to keep a signal through the early parts of the urban canyon, but somewhere near the 5K mark something screwy happened and I lost about a quarter mile. So, at this point my splits are completely screwed up and I have no idea how fast/slow I'm running. The timer part was still working, though, so I did glance down at each posted mile marker to see how I was doing and I crossed the 5mile mark at 1:02:something. Awesome. I was right on pace!<br /><br />Well, as you can imagine, this is where things started to fall apart. There was no Gatorade and very little water at the aid station at mile 4. By the time I hit mile 6, I was wilting. Jeff and Kevin and Miah had caught up with me on their bikes and they were doing an awesome job cheering for me and ringing cowbells while riding bikes (<span style="font-style: italic;">and not crashing</span>). And I tried hard to put on a brave face for them. But when they got close enough, I heard myself say: "I need Gatorade. They were out at the aid station. I think I might throw up." Yeah... That was sort of the beginning of the end.<br /><br />Miah ran to 7-11 and came back to find me with bottles of water and Gatorade. I turned into my old nemesis - City Park - for miles 6.5 through8ish.**** The nice chilly morning that had started the day had turned into an all-out sweatfest in the high 60s. And right at the relay transition zone, I slowed... to ... a walk. It was crushing. I just didn't have it anymore. I <span style="font-style: italic;">wanted </span>to keep running. I tried everything to <span style="font-style: italic;">will myself</span> to keep running. But I just didn't have any gas in the tank.<br /><br />I did my best through the rest of the race, but it was a struggle. My goals slowly changed from hitting a time goal to just simply surviving. I ran as much as I could and I tried to be tough. But when I turned into Cheesman park, I cried. I was so upset with myself as I watched my time goals slip away. I was upset because I'd made poor decisions that had led me to that point. I was upset because I just didn't have it.<br /><br />Finally---finally---I came to the finish. But I did so with a much different feeling in 09 than I had in 08. As I finished, I hung my head in defeat. I didn't feel proud. I didn't feel like I'd overcome an insurmountable challenge. I felt like the challenge had overcome me.<br /><br />I crossed the finish and got my bottle of water and my medal. And my time? A whole 38 seconds slower than my time last year. I immediately laid down on the grass and wondered why I fell apart.<br /><br />Eventually, I got my sorry ass up and dragged over to meet up with Miah and Kevin and Jeff, who were cheering for me as if I'd just won the entire race. They were awesome and I felt ashamed for putting up such a pitiful effort in front of them. I tried hard to dry my shameful tears and joke with them and laugh off my lack of performance, but I'm sure they could see through it. But, because they're amazing and wonderful friends, they pretended not to and instead they just encouraged me to keep going and they reminded me that everyone has a bad day sometimes.<br /><br />I had a hard time recovering after the race, but eventually I was able to get up and walk again and Miah drove me home, where we promptly took a 3 hour nap.<br /><br />----------------------------------------<br />* A couple of blocks away seemed like a prime parking spot until after the race, when I didn't want to even walk another step. Then it seemed like it was at least 100 miles.<br /><br />** Perhaps rather than throwing things at my spouse like a juvenile, I should have been trying to focus on my upcoming race?<br /><br />*** Do us a favor, Denver, and next year don't even bother giving that dude a mic. He certainly doesn't need one with all that yelling he does.<br /><br />**** I kept trying to psych myself out of feeling icky over City Park. It's only a couple of miles... it's only a couple of miles... I just HATE running there. There's no logical reason for it.<br />----------------------------------------<br /><br />Now that the race is a week behind me, I've had a little time to reflect on it and because of that reflection, this blog post has certainly turned out differently. Like I said earlier, I wanted very badly to forget this whole race ever happened. I can now definitely say I'm not proud of my "accomplishment" this year, but I'm also glad it happened. So I won't forget this race happened because I learned some difficult and important lessons out on the course this year that I wouldn't have learned if I had had a spectacular, PR-breaking run:<br /><ol><li>Eat more than a baked potato for dinner the night before a half marathon. Even if you are scared of gastro-intestinal problems. Chances are, if you eat nothing, you'll still have gastro-intestinal problems, you'll just also have any empty stomach.</li><li>Carry your own GU (<span style="font-style: italic;">sport beans, etc</span>). Even if the race says they'll be provided on course, sometimes they run out before you get there (<span style="font-style: italic;">if you're slow like me</span>) and even if they don't, chances are you will get a disgusting flavor that you can barely choke down (<span style="font-style: italic;">especially if the GU station is a half mile ahead of the water station</span>).</li><li>Don't speed out from the start at a pace you know you can't maintain. This seems fairly obvious, yet it still escaped me on race day.</li><li>When it's hot out, make sure you drink more water on the course than otherwise would. If it's available. Denver.</li><li>It's ok to re-assess mid-way through a race. This year, my goals shifted from running fast to just running to just finishing without dying. And I learned something during each one of those phases.<br /></li></ol>So, an award-winning run? Definitely not. But a memorable one nonetheless. I have two real running medals now. My first one, from last year, which has a story because it was my first. And the one from '09, which has a story (<span style="font-style: italic;">albeit a tragedy</span>) of its own.<br /><br />I won't quit. I'm still eyeing R'N'R Arizona in January. Because I know I can do better than this. I know I set myself up for a bad day and I know I can do better.<br /><br />And it always helps when other things in life happen to help you keep your running goals/achievements/failures in perspective... more on that later.aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-52470258436070419112009-10-18T04:33:00.002-06:002009-10-18T04:43:34.504-06:00GoalsIt's 4:30AM. I'm up and ready to go. But in my mind, I've run this race twice today already.<br /><br />During my first time through the race, I forgot to turn on my Garmin and was all out of sorts. I don't even remember having shoes on. The second time through, everything went perfectly... I was running like a Kenyan. It felt awesome. And then I woke up and realized "<span style="font-style: italic;">Oh no, you haven't even gotten started yet.</span>"<br /><br />After a great deal of thought yesterday, I think it'd be a good idea to put down my real goals for today...<br /><ol><li>Finish without feeling like I've been hit by a truck. This is ambitious, considering how I felt after last year's race.</li><li>Finish in 2:45. This is my (A) time goal, the one that is a reach.</li><li>Finish in 3:00. This is my (B) time goal, the one I have a good chance of hitting. It's a couple of minutes faster than last year's time, so if I manage to do this, I can at least say the race was a PR, even if I miss my real time goal.</li><li>Get past mile 11 without wishing I was dead or wondering why I signed up in the first place. It's just a few more miles, after all. I've done 10 and it wasn't so bad. Another 3.1 won't kill me. I need to maintain perspective.</li><li>Avoid feeling bad about myself and doing a lot of beating myself up, regardless of my time. This is a tough spot for me.</li><li>Have fun and remember why I'm out there. It's not supposed to be easy (at least, not for me). I'm doing it because it's hard.</li></ol>Let's hope the third time is the charm.aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-11155927411422718692009-10-17T16:04:00.004-06:002009-10-17T16:15:18.318-06:00T-15 hoursThough it doesn't seem possible, I'm sitting in my house the day before my second half marathon. It doesn't seem possible because I don't feel nervous (really) or excited (really) about it yet. At this time last year, I was already shaking. I felt worried and scared and really really nervous. But this time around, I feel a little disappointed, but that's about it, I guess.<br /><br />Maybe it's because I'm no longer a half marathon virgin. It's not my first time, so it doesn't come with all the anticipation I had last year? Still, I'd like to feel something.<br /><br />When I went to the expo yesterday to pick up my bib and whatnots*, I did feel a little excited. It's hard not to, with all the running gear and race advertisements and free stuff, you know? I also felt a little unprepared. Maybe it's because I didn't train at altitude this year like I did last year? Maybe it's because I took those 2 weeks off when I was having foot problems? Maybe I feel like I haven't trained hard enough or have been too lazy with my diet? There were all these other people around, and <span style="font-style: italic;">in my mind</span>, they'd all had a perfect training season with no missed runs, no bad runs, no runs that kicked their butts. They were all perfectly trained and simply waiting for the gun to go off so that they could have the race of their lives. Why do I let my imagination run away with me?<br /><br />Truthfully, I'm a little nervous because I've set a time goal for myself that I know is going to be tough for me to meet. I'll give it my very best effort, but there is a good chance I'm going to come away from tomorrow with a great big FAIL.<br /><br />Maybe now is the time to re-frame.<br /><br />Good luck to all of you racing tomorrow!<br />------------------<br />* Speaking of the Denver Marathon whatnots, way to go DM for splurging on technical shirts for all runners this year! My 2009 NewBalance running shirt is FAR better than the cotton print t-shirt you gave me last year. I'm not sure if the logo on the front was supposed to be crooked last year, but mine certainly was.aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-89751827625412662152009-10-13T16:04:00.004-06:002009-10-14T15:26:50.724-06:00Awesome ice helmetSaturday's run was exactly as I expected: cold and wet.<br /><br />But it was also something else that I didn't expect: pretty freaking awesome.<br /><br />It was snowing and 16 degrees out when I got out of the car, and I felt drastically unprepared with my non-waterproof gear. But, I was out there, running in the elements like one of those really hard-core people you see on the pages of Runner's World.<br /><br />Well... not <span style="font-style: italic;">exactly </span>like them, I guess... I was still slow.<br /><br />I only had to do 6 miles on Saturday, since the Denver Half Marathon is coming up this Sunday. I found a knitted ear warmer and a cheap pair of gloves to wear, and I ended up deciding at the last minute to wear my fleece under my non-waterproof windbreaker. I was cold, dude, I thought the extra layer would help.<br /><br />In the early miles I had a few slips on the sidewalk, but nothing dramatic like a real fall because I was taking every step quite gingerly. By the third mile, though, I was sort of just trucking along not worrying about slipping anymore. The snow kept getting caught in my eyelashes and at one point I reached up to find the entire top of my head frozen solid <span style="font-style: italic;">(seriously, it felt like an ice-helmet)</span>. But I kept on running, with that image in my mind of all those really tough runners I see out every winter... When I'm safe and warm and being lazy in the car on those winter days, I always say "Man, I'll be they're totally <span style="font-style: italic;">hatin'</span> it!"... But in reality, they probably aren't. They're probably just as smug as I was last Saturday thinking "Damn I'm tough."<br /><br />All in all, the run wasn't my fastest ever, but it wasn't my worst, either. It was one of the ones where I felt the strongest, though. I probably was slightly distracted by the weather and I probably could have pushed a little harder, but hey, I used to be distracted to the point of not even running at all in the rain and pushing harder might have led to a serious fall that would have kept me out of the race this Sunday. I'm glad I was out there. Cold and all.<br /><br />And now, as the race comes up on Sunday, I'm still not really sure it's hit me that it's actually this weekend. I'm starting to get nervous, but I've not yet reached that point where I'm not able to sleep and I feel like I might puke, so there's still a ways to go.aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-53897528866713426502009-10-09T16:38:00.003-06:002009-10-09T16:59:19.764-06:00Snow, Denver. I dare you.I did it! I ran in the snain yesterday. I just learned that word and I find it a great explanation of the weather we had yesterday.<br /><br />Anyway, I'm totally <span style="font-weight: bold;">tough </span>now.<br /><br />When I started running, it was fully snowing. Then it must have warmed up a bit because the snow turned to rain and eventually stopped altogether. I wore my full-length tights and long sleeve shirt and topped it off with a huge windbreaker. I don't have anything that is officially waterproof (except for my ski jacket, but <span style="font-style: italic;">come on</span> dude that thing is way too heavy for running), so I wore an old adidas jacket and I did alright.<br /><br />For tomorrow's "long" run (only 6 miles, woohoo!), I plan to use the same kit, but I'll also try to find a pair of gloves and an ear-warmer/headband. Why all the planning and concern over my attire? We run at 7AM. There's a 70% chance of snow. Not even snain because it's going to be too flipping cold.<br /><br /><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="16%"><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="vbgA" style="border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px;" valign="middle" align="center" height="30"><b class="blueText">6 am </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(227, 225, 199); border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; padding: 5px 0px; background-color: rgb(247, 246, 231);" class="blueVerdanaText11" valign="top" align="center"> <table style="border: 1px solid rgb(227, 225, 199); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" width="80%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td align="center"> <img src="http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/31/14.gif?12122006" alt="" width="31" border="0" height="31" /><br /> <b style="font-size: 12px;">25°F</b></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <br /> Feels Like<br /> <b>15°F</b> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="16%"> <!-- id="hourTimeFrame1" --> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td class="vbgA" style="border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px;" valign="middle" align="center" height="30"><b class="blueText"> 9 am </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(227, 225, 199); border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; padding: 5px 0px; background-color: rgb(247, 246, 231);" class="blueVerdanaText11" valign="top" align="center"> <table style="border: 1px solid rgb(227, 225, 199); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" width="80%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td align="center"> <img src="http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/31/14.gif?12122006" alt="" width="31" border="0" height="31" /><br /> <b style="font-size: 12px;">25°F</b></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <br /> Feels Like<br /> <b>16°F</b> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="16%"> <!-- id="hourTimeFrame2" --> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td class="vbgA" style="border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px;" valign="middle" align="center" height="30"><b class="blueText"> 12 pm </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(227, 225, 199); border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; padding: 5px 0px; background-color: rgb(247, 246, 231);" class="blueVerdanaText11" valign="top" align="center"> <table style="border: 1px solid rgb(227, 225, 199); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" width="80%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td align="center"> <img src="http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/31/14.gif?12122006" alt="" width="31" border="0" height="31" /><br /> <b style="font-size: 12px;">31°F</b></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <br /> Feels Like<br /> <b>22°F</b> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="16%"> <!-- id="hourTimeFrame3" --> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td class="vbgA" style="border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px;" valign="middle" align="center" height="30"><b class="blueText"> 3 pm </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(227, 225, 199); border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; padding: 5px 0px; background-color: rgb(247, 246, 231);" class="blueVerdanaText11" valign="top" align="center"> <table style="border: 1px solid rgb(227, 225, 199); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" width="80%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td align="center"> <img src="http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/31/14.gif?12122006" alt="" width="31" border="0" height="31" /><br /> <b style="font-size: 12px;">35°F</b></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <br /> Feels Like<br /> <b>27°F</b> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="16%"> <!-- id="hourTimeFrame4" --> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td class="vbgA" style="border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px;" valign="middle" align="center" height="30"><b class="blueText"> 6 pm </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(227, 225, 199); border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; padding: 5px 0px; background-color: rgb(247, 246, 231);" class="blueVerdanaText11" valign="top" align="center"> <table style="border: 1px solid rgb(227, 225, 199); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" width="80%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td align="center"> <img src="http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/31/14.gif?12122006" alt="" width="31" border="0" height="31" /><br /> <b style="font-size: 12px;">33°F</b></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <br /> Feels Like<br /> <b>25°F</b> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td valign="top" width="16%"> <!-- id="hourTimeFrame5" --> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td class="vbgA" style="border: 0px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" valign="middle" align="center" height="30"><b class="blueText"> 9 pm </b></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(227, 225, 199); border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; padding: 5px 0px; background-color: rgb(247, 246, 231);" class="blueVerdanaText11" valign="top" align="center"> <table style="border: 1px solid rgb(227, 225, 199); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" width="80%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td align="center"> <img src="http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/31/14.gif?12122006" alt="" width="31" border="0" height="31" /><br /> <b style="font-size: 12px;">28°F</b></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <br /> Feels Like<br /> <b>19°F</b></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Bring it on. I'm tough now.aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-74353250360484228092009-10-08T08:35:00.004-06:002009-10-08T08:47:38.054-06:00Layer up!Last night's 4miler was pretty good, all things considered. I wasn't in the mood to run, but I knew I really needed to get out there anyway, so for the first half mile or so I had really heavy legs. But eventually, my mind sort of gave up fighting it and things got easier. The leaves are turning in town now, and every run along the creek is beautiful with orange leaves. Last night was no exception.<br /><br />At one point, I ran up behind an old couple taking a walk along the creekside path, holding hands. They were probably in their 70's at least. I wondered "Will Miah and I take walks like this when we're that age?" It was a very sweet moment. Which I immediately ruined by thinking "Well, if we do, I hope I don't have blue helmet hair like that lady does..."<br /><br />It is freezing and raining/snowing today in Denver, but I brought along my huge bag of warm running clothes and my shoes. I'm trying to decide if I'm tough enough to get out there in the drizzly, freezing cold this afternoon for a teensy little 3miler. I'm not sure yet. There's always the dreadmill downstairs...aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-90827331225588322682009-10-06T12:35:00.004-06:002009-10-06T14:19:29.389-06:00Things are pretty good here...At last, a good long run.<br /><br />Last Thursday, I did a 4-miler from the office down to the park. It was chilly and windy out, and I was determined to be done with all of the really terrible outings of late. I tried to put all the negative thoughts and doubts out of my head and just tried to relax and run. And it went GREAT. I finished with an 11:30ish average pace. It was a really gorgeous run with all the leaves turning yellow along the creek. This time between seasons is always my favorite time of year.<br /><br />But, I would be lying if I said it's not c-c-c-cold here in the mornings. So, on Saturday, when I met up with the group at the Highline Canal it was a brisk 38degrees out. And there were folks there with sleeveless running shirts and shorts on! I was freezing my butt off wearing long sleeves and capris. At least I had a fully charged iPod and Garmin.<br /><br />The group was small because a lot of people were running the St. George marathon, so our pace group was a bit scant. But it really didn't matter. I felt, even from the very first step, like I had to do this run just for me. I couldn't focus on the conversations of the people around me. I couldn't hope to compare my own pace with the others in the group. I just had to turn up my music and sort of do my own thing.<br /><br />And that is exactly what I did. For 10 miles. I completely ignored everyone and everything else, and just tried to focus on how I was doing. I did a complete body inventory every so often, and nothing hurt. I enjoyed myself. I walked when I needed to during mile 9, I went faster when a great song came on. I laughed at the little tiny tots playing baby league football, with their little shoulder pads and their shiny little helmets. It was... a <span style="font-style: italic;">great </span>run.<br /><br />But I was ready to be done, too. Because, I'm going to be honest here.... 10 miles... is a <span style="font-style: italic;">long</span> freaking way <span style="font-style: italic;">(for me)</span>. I look forward to the day when it isn't, but this is where I'm at right now.<br /><br />All in all, I feel a lot better than I did a week ago. I know that Denver is going to be a tough day for me, and that is ok. It's just a goal. Not the only one, just the first one on the list of all the ones that are left.<br /><br />I was very disappointed to learn that the half-marathon I'd been planning on running in Memphis has sold out. So, now I'm thinking of shooting for another half in January at the RNR Arizona. I figure mid-January will give me enough time to get a few more 10+ milers under my belt and maybe combat the accompanying mental struggle.<br /><br />In completely non-running-related news, Miah and I are trying to buy our first house. We put in an offer weeks ago on a short sale property and we've been waiting and waiting to hear if our offer is accepted. In the meantime, we've spent many hours at the Home Depot designing a new kitchen and picking out carpet and paint. And we're supposed to hear something from the seller/seller's agent pretty soon.... <span style="font-style: italic;">Or else I'm going to lose it.</span>aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-14098090679529667972009-09-30T11:08:00.002-06:002009-09-30T11:46:05.889-06:00The highs and lows...The Denver Half Marathon is 18 days away, and I've got a big problem.<br /><br />The group run on Saturday was the infamous "<span style="font-style: italic;">Parker </span>Run". I've been hearing tales of its mercilessness since I joined the group several weeks ago. My 7 mile run a few weeks ago was hilly but, as everyone reminded each other as we collected back in the parking lot to retrieve our keys, "it wasn't quite as bad as <span style="font-style: italic;">Parker</span>..."<br /><br />On top of all this anticipation, I may or may not have mentioned before that as my long runs get to 7+miles, I feel a little unsure of myself. I'm not sure why 7 is the trigger, but for me, it is. Also, just coming off that awful 8miler that I did in TN... well, let's just say I was a little intimidated by my 9miler from the get-go.<br /><br />So, I don't know if it was my attitude or if it was just the hills, but my 9miler turned out about like I expected it would. I couldn't make the hills. I had to stop and walk. I ran S-L-O-W on the parts where I could run at all. Even on the way back, when it was mostly downhill, I didn't run very strong. Maybe that was due to the completely demoralizing run <span style="font-style: italic;">out </span>right before? Either way, I kept on going and only had to walk maybe a half mile out of the entire thing... But it wasn't a great day.<br /><br />Big deal, right? Bad runs happen to everyone, and I shouldn't have been surprised by this one, considering all the advance warning I'd received by other members of the group.<br /><br />The problem is... that run stole everything from me. I dragged back to my car with no confidence whatsoever. All of the sudden, I'm very fearful that I'm not ready for Denver. I feel undertrained and weak and just not ready. It even stole my motivation. I could barely force myself to run a measly 2miles yesterday after work. I didn't want to run. I would have rather gone home and watched TV.<br /><br />Maybe it wasn't just the Parker run. Maybe it was the combination of the TN run along with the Parker run. Maybe it's all those weeknight runs I missed when my foot was hurting too bad to run. Maybe it's my haphazard diet? Maybe it's just old habits that come back too easily when the tide is going against me?<br /><br />Whatever the cause of it, I am scared. I wanted to feel much differently about the race at this stage in the game.<br /><br />This weekend I have a 10miler at the good ol' Highline Canal. Miah says that he thinks going back to where it all started will be good for me. He thinks that knowing the route and not being intimidated by it will help me recover from this latest trip-and-fall. He also thinks I can "think" my way out of my current attitude and back into confidence.<br /><br />I'm trying, but I'm not so sure it's going to work.aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-77003223249121539112009-09-24T10:52:00.002-06:002009-09-24T11:31:44.521-06:00What did I do to deserve this?I just had two of the most amazing weeknight runs of my life. Seriously, I mentioned Tuesday night's 2miler briefly in the last post because I thought it must surely be a fluke. I ran the two fastest miles I've ever run, I believe. Both were under 12m/m.<br /><br />I figured it was just because it was only 2 miles, but I was still pretty proud of myself because I kept a good pace even on the uphill mile.<br /><br />Then, last night, I had a 4 miler scheduled. I ran a new route from my office and my average pace? 12:09.<br /><br />The first mile? 11:04.<br /><br />What is going on around here? And why, all of a sudden, am I doing so well after that horrible wreck of a run in TN?<br /><br />I am noticing a slight pattern... Back at the HM relay that I did with Miah and Jeff in April, it was cold and I ran fast (<span style="font-style: italic;">well, fast for me</span>). It's been cold this week in Denver and I've been running fast. Is it possible that I just run that much faster when the temperature drops? Anyone else experience this?<br /><br />Either way, I really <span style="font-weight: bold;">like </span>running fast. It feels like I'm really going somewhere! It feels great to stretch my legs out and take these long strides and feel the wind rushing past my face. And when I realize I'm running fast, and I try to rein it back in to a more reasonable pace, I find it very difficult to do!aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-77620889842749436822009-09-22T20:20:00.006-06:002009-09-22T21:11:34.115-06:00The unhealthiest post-race snack. Ever.Sea level is <span style="font-style: italic;">so </span>over-rated. I went back to TN all cocky, what with my altitude training and my super red blood cells. But I met a bully called humidity. And humidity kicked my big old altitude-trained ass.<br /><br />Seriously, I struggled to maintain 13 minute miles, I sweated more than I thought humanly possible. When I ran past the local high school in the pre-dawn hours, the display read "6:00AM, 78 degrees." I wish I was kidding. I did 5 miles before the race, rather than splitting up the run with the 5K. And without a doubt, the highlight of my running experience in TN was talking my little brother into running the local 5K that I referred to before I left. The 5K was a part of a big festival (called Depot Days) that the town throws once a year, so as soon as you finish the 5K, you had to walk less than 100yards to buy your own deep-fried twinkie and assorted Tennessee Vols gear. The weather was pretty crummy, so the events later in the day (the cake walk and the street dance, I guess) were likely cancelled.<br /><br />Anyway, back to my little brother. He's not a runner. In his words: "Three miles? I can't even run from here to my truck and back!" But, my powers of persuasion are second to none, so I had a running partner for the last 5K of my dismal 8miler on Saturday. Here's a couple of pictures:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhYMsFuggfaSpYXtluHmPCtc_CQ9eefVXhNUSByV7kwaPDnpfTq_XqJGmjVinY1s9OF_VEbaIE9jAjcKacTHulxv-MtPXMEQTE5RFTkHuT6-8rozlHOU6Wv9yBXdHRMdG6VxNxeeZggA/s1600-h/100_4608.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhYMsFuggfaSpYXtluHmPCtc_CQ9eefVXhNUSByV7kwaPDnpfTq_XqJGmjVinY1s9OF_VEbaIE9jAjcKacTHulxv-MtPXMEQTE5RFTkHuT6-8rozlHOU6Wv9yBXdHRMdG6VxNxeeZggA/s320/100_4608.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384487755662869138" border="0" /></a>Here we are at the start...He's <span style="font-style: italic;">sort of</span> smiling in this one.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhouOzvYWCfm7BHL2w_wGQpTPg-_OiXN59JykYbg76yyO9ya4lNX7C1tstUJBlCi3pw6Lk6JAthaFkDf7JdkKFEND-hcJAs50zUlIDA_oGtCcgdsqr8QQTd1suSFo364CUvvQ5VlQcdac/s1600-h/100_4613.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhouOzvYWCfm7BHL2w_wGQpTPg-_OiXN59JykYbg76yyO9ya4lNX7C1tstUJBlCi3pw6Lk6JAthaFkDf7JdkKFEND-hcJAs50zUlIDA_oGtCcgdsqr8QQTd1suSFo364CUvvQ5VlQcdac/s320/100_4613.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384488593979627810" border="0" /></a>And, he's definitely smiling as we approached the finish.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Suffice it to say that he was glad to be done. We finished in approximately 41 minutes, which was good enough for my brother to take a 1st place trophy in his age group! This race didn't exactly have a great turnout.<br /><br />Afterwards I played with my very cute and adorable nephew (the soon-to-be big brother) at the assorted inflatable fun-houses. This was really fun until I saw a 6-year-old child pin him to the ground and shout "SUBMIT!" I wish I were kidding. This child was intense. Here's a picture of the cutie pie:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAPNoMY3csiWWxYTmRewoDualZPKBrp4_ZU-84NdJJVMGv5UtvheHtUuRk3y_S5Z158Hanuy5UpPUvr4LvS-UhQG5hNuL-4WzEHW_cP2HkiuyyvS9NdLA31xb8gEySYcGM-1XA_17yFg/s1600-h/100_4636.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAPNoMY3csiWWxYTmRewoDualZPKBrp4_ZU-84NdJJVMGv5UtvheHtUuRk3y_S5Z158Hanuy5UpPUvr4LvS-UhQG5hNuL-4WzEHW_cP2HkiuyyvS9NdLA31xb8gEySYcGM-1XA_17yFg/s320/100_4636.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384491626906280770" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">But the real reason for going to TN at all was to attend a baby shower for my sister-in-law. She's going to have my neice in October, and my mom and my aunt threw a truly beautiful baby shower for her. My aunt carved a baby carriage out of a watermelon. There were two towers of cupcakes. We made chocolate covered strawberries. We played fun games. <span style="font-style: italic;">And </span>there was carrot cake. So it was worth the trip.<br /><br />And, also while in TN, I started the process of talking my dad into training for a marathon with me. He's 54, and he used to do a lot of running when he was younger (35-40ish), but he hasn't in quite some time. I suggested that we train for and run the Memphis St. Jude Marathon in December 2010 together. He gave the very non-commital response: "I'll give it some thought." Which, in my dad's language, means: "I'm sure she'll forget about this in a couple of days... I hope." But I will not forget. As I mentioned before, my powers of persuasion are second to none.<br /><br />I got back to the mile-high city with something to prove, after that pathetic 8miler on Saturday. So, today, I did an awesome 2miler from my office. In the rain. And cold. And snow. That's right, snow. I think I just run easier when it's cold out.<br /><br />That's all I've got for tonight. Tomorrow is a 4miler for me.<br /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-24569142802728763572009-09-17T12:21:00.002-06:002009-09-17T12:35:50.428-06:00My, what a tiny jog-bra you have!OK, I just couldn't pass this up.<br /><br />Today, I'm browsing over at runnersworld.com, and I find a nifty little tool to help me decide what to wear, based on the temperature, the wind conditions, the sky (sunny, overcast, etc) and how I like to feel when I'm running...<br /><br />I found this because I was browsing around trying to find ideas for what type of gear I should be looking for as winter comes up in Denver.<br /><br />This handy-dandy little tool seemed like a cool idea. So, for today, I put in 65F, calm winds, overcast skies, and I like to feel "cool" when I'm running. And here's what I got in return:<br /><br />**************************************<br /><b>We suggest you wear:</b><br /><br /> <div id="visorhat" style=""> <table style="margin-left: 5px;" width="532" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <tbody><tr> <td style="padding-right: 20px;" width="35%" align="center"><img src="http://www.runnersworld.com/images/cda/dress_visorhat.gif" alt="" width="125" border="0" height="78" /></td> <td><b>Hat with visor</b><br />A hat with a visor serves not only to keep the sun out of your eyes, but also to shield them from blowing snow and rain on the run. A lighter-colored hat helps to keep your head cool on warm days.</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </div> <div id="warmhat" style="display: none;"> <table style="margin-left: 5px;" width="532" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <tbody><tr> <td style="padding-right: 20px;" width="35%" align="center"><img src="http://www.runnersworld.com/images/cda/dress_warmhat.gif" alt="" width="80" border="0" height="72" /></td> <td><b>Winter cap</b><br />A warm hat that covers your ears is a must on cold days, especially windy ones, and can be one of the best steps you can take to keep warm. Thermastat or other technical-fiber hats are available at specialty running stores.</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </div> <div id="shortsleeve" style=""> <table style="margin-left: 5px;" width="532" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <tbody><tr> <td style="padding-right: 20px;" width="35%" align="center"><img src="http://www.runnersworld.com/images/cda/dress_tshirt.gif" alt="" width="113" border="0" height="125" /></td> <td><b>Short-sleeve shirt</b><br />Or singlet, or for women, as little as a jog-bra. The minumum upper-body coverage. While this may look like a classic T-shirt, a runner is actually best-off with a technical fabric like CoolMax which will pull sweat away from the skin, instead of absorbing it like cotton. This added comfort, combined with sun protection, can make a technical T-shirt a better choice than no shirt at all.</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </div> <table style="margin-left: 5px;" width="532" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-right: 20px;" width="35%" align="center"><img src="http://www.runnersworld.com/images/cda/dress_short.gif" alt="" width="118" border="0" height="90" /></td> <td><b>Shorts</b><br />The basic element of any runner's wardrobe. Usually a nylon or technical fiber.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />**************************************<br /><br />My favorite part of this is the suggestion that I go with "as little as a jog-bra." Now maybe there's some technical jargon of which I am unaware, but is a "jog-bra" not simply a sports-bra? And does it seem to anyone else that, by calling it a "jog-bra", you're immediately left with the mental image of some pretty little lightweight thing the size of a training bra the likes of which you might find on a 4th grader? In my mind, it's light pink with little daisies on it and probably smells like strawberry shortcake.<br /><br />Sorry... This is completely ridiculous, but the thought of heading out in what runnersworld.com refers to as a "jog-bra" made me laugh out loud at my desk. Overlooking all of the obvious, parts-of-the-body-that-don't-go-into-the-jog-bra modesty issues, I feel quite confident that there is not a company on this earth that sells a "jog-bra" that could adaquately handle my ridiculously oversized <span style="font-style: italic;">(and painful!)</span> endowment.<br /><br />That is all.<br /><div id="warmhat" style="display: none;"> <table style="margin-left: 5px;" width="532" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <tbody><tr> <td style="padding-right: 20px;" width="35%" align="center"><img src="http://www.runnersworld.com/images/cda/dress_warmhat.gif" alt="" width="80" border="0" height="72" /></td> <td><b>Winter cap</b><br />A warm hat that covers your ears is a must on cold days, especially windy ones, and can be one of the best steps you can take to keep warm. Thermastat or other technical-fiber hats are available at specialty running stores.</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </div> <div id="shortsleeve" style=""><br /></div>aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-78627515260909844072009-09-17T08:45:00.003-06:002009-09-17T10:09:53.660-06:00Poop-Glorious-PoopThat pretty much sums up my last 3 weekday runs.<br /><br />After the 7-miler on Saturday, other than a little soreness, I was feeling pretty good. Until I started out on Tuesday's (<span style="font-style: italic;">what was meant to be Monday's</span>) brief little 2-miler.<br /><br />You know how you just have those days? You stub your toe getting out of bed, then you slip and fall in the shower, then you notice a massive pimple right between your eyes, then you burn your toast, then you get a speeding ticket because you're running late for work... and so on? Well, that was the day-to-day equivalent of Tuesday's little 2-miler. From the office, the first mile was all downhill, but it felt <span style="font-style: italic;">really </span>hard. When I heard the Garmin beep, I figured out why. 11:30! That's why. Which meant that the second mile, the <span style="font-style: italic;">uphill </span>mile, was all that much more gruesome. I couldn't wait to get this one done and in the books so I was thrilled when I finally stumbled back to the parking lot to find my car... which, of course, had no awaiting bottle of water. Stupid Tuesday.<br /><br />Wednesdays are a little tricky in our house because we take Ini to Doggie Daycare (aka "school") on Wednesdays. So, this means we have a pretty strict schedule of when we need to leave the house to drop him off, as well as when we have to leave work to pick him up. Until this week, it was even more crazy in the afternoons because we had to rush up to Indian Hills (oh, I've run <span style="font-style: italic;">those </span>hills before) to take him to Agility class. However, this Wednesday we didn't have agility, so I planned a sweet little point-to-point route from our office out to a point close to where Miah would be driving after picking Ini up from school. I was really excited to be running a new route. So excited, in fact, that I left the house without... my Garmin. I did not realize this until I was already at the office, however, so going back for it was not an option. Immediately, Garmin-less anxiety set in.<br /><br />Ugh. I've done these runs before. You know... where you just run. And you have no idea of your pace or your distance or anything? How did I ever survive pre-Garmin?<br /><br />In the end, it was a pretty awesome run. It was annoying to not have any idea how far I'd gone at any given point... And it was annoying not to have any idea how fast I was going. But I did the run, and I felt really good! I ended up finishing in about 52minutes, for 4 miles, which is right at a 13m/m pace. I guess my body is learning how to run roughly the same pace with or without my Garmin directing me. The most annoying thing has to be that there is no record whatsoever that I even did this run. Aside from what I've just written here... and still there's no proof! I could have totally made this up!<br /><br />The best part of this run, anyway, was finishing right at the car. Miah and Ini were waiting for me with lemon-lime gatorade. What could be better?<br /><br />And then came today, when I was forced to run in the pre-dawn hours because I'm flying out to TN this evening to visit my family. Again, today, another terrible slog. I'm blaming this one on lack of rest. It <span style="font-style: italic;">was </span>just a mere 12 hours ago that I ran that glorious 4-miler, after all.<br /><br />It's either the lack of rest or the fact that my head just wasn't right before I even started. I just didn't want to be running. There are lots of runs that I start with this exact attitude, but usually it wears off after the first mile or so. Not so today. Again... I can easily blame this on the lack of sleep.<br /><br />What was supposed to be a measly 3-miler turned into a 2.3miler. I just didn't have it today.<br /><br />The really excellent news in all this is that I've done all my weekday runs this week, and my foot still seems to be holding up pretty well. I got the word back from the doctor on Tuesday that I do <span style="font-style: italic;">NOT </span>have a stress fracture, though she also offered no explanation as to what actually <span style="font-style: italic;">is </span>wrong with me. So, at this point, I figure I'm going to just keep running on it until my body says otherwise.<br /><br />I'm on the schedule for an 8-miler this Saturday, though, as I mentioned, I'll be vacationing this weekend in TN with my parents. Luckily, my tiny hometown (and I mean tiny) is having its annual 5k race this weekend, so I'll be out there (with approximately 20 other people) on Saturday morning.<br /><br />Question: If I run 3 miles, then <span style="font-weight: bold;">pause </span>and register for the race, then run the 5k then continue on for an additional 2ish miles after... does that qualify as an 8-mile run? Does pausing in the middle make the run less meaningful?aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-25222620720340401122009-09-14T08:22:00.004-06:002009-09-14T08:37:59.470-06:00Saturday wrap upWell, I did it. I ran 7 miles on Saturday with the group, just like I'd intended.<br /><br />And the foot held up pretty well for the first 2 miles or so.<br /><br />When I started the run, I felt pretty good. A very slight twinge of pain now and then, but otherwise I felt pretty healthy. I intentionally tried to hold back on the speed, which led to abysmal splits, but I thought it might be better for the injured foot to run slowly. But, right before the first water station, I was having consistent pain with every footfall. In all reality, I probably should have turned back as soon as it started hurting. But I've skipped so many weeknight runs in the last couple of weeks, I just couldn't bear to turn around. Finishing those 7 miles, however slowly, was an indication that I may still have a shot at running in Denver in 5 weeks.<br /><br />Provided that the foot holds up, of course.<br /><br />I am still waiting on the results from the bone scan that I had done last Thursday.<br /><br />All in all, I had an average pace of 14:27 for Saturday's really hilly group run. The weather was perfect, but the course was tough, and I did end up walking 0.4miles in there along the way. You can get all the details <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/13214871">here</a>. It's starting to feel like fall in Colorado. I always love this time of year.<br /><br />Miah keeps reminding me that I need to carefully weigh my options right now. Maybe I <span style="font-style: italic;">can </span>keep running, through the pain, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I <span style="font-style: italic;">should</span>. He says that if I keep going, I need to realize that I may be sacrificing other things down the road. Not only might I not be able to run in Memphis, but I also might sacrifice the upcoming ski season. These are good points, I realize, but I have been trying to ignore them up until this point.<br /><br />That's it for now, as I have a date with my dentist. There will be drilling involved. Ugh. What a way to start a Monday!aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-16010505077451711622009-09-10T17:31:00.004-06:002009-09-10T17:36:24.403-06:00I am so back...<span style="font-style: italic;">Injury update:</span> I had the bone scan done today, but I've had ZERO pain for two days in a row now, which means I'm going to be running again. I'm going to do a few miles tomorrow, then I'm on the schedule for 7miles on Saturday. I may not have the results of the bone scan until early next week, but I feel confident that everything is fine now. I haven't run since Saturday, so I guess the rest <span style="font-style: italic;">(combined with the ibuprofen I've been taking in ludicrous amounts)</span> was enough to get me better.<br /><br />It's funny, but taking just a few days off running has made me realize how important running is to me. Sure, I complain about it every now and then <span style="font-style: italic;">(or every day)</span>, and sometimes it does genuinely suck... but, the thought of not being able to do it... well, it sort of makes all the other parts of my life fall apart, too.<br /><br />I'll post a summary of tomorrow's run to let you know how the gimpy foot holds up.aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-18575308760284034122009-09-08T08:42:00.003-06:002009-09-08T08:59:19.217-06:00Of all the rotten luck...<div style="text-align: left;"><br />I now have a pair of these:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mmNg3W5VlXmkYKffo2krDUolQ5_iYO-RcnBZ9V0IPqvcyxy1BtZSPJ-duhnwrGFQnGusvxXyZIw3hNaIRD0vg9lGw9vE1rHP5bZoqHR-YlyIdW2lTi4zkdjRHA663YbIPtZKIWCzi_Q/s1600-h/Crutches.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 205px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mmNg3W5VlXmkYKffo2krDUolQ5_iYO-RcnBZ9V0IPqvcyxy1BtZSPJ-duhnwrGFQnGusvxXyZIw3hNaIRD0vg9lGw9vE1rHP5bZoqHR-YlyIdW2lTi4zkdjRHA663YbIPtZKIWCzi_Q/s320/Crutches.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379107666440708562" border="0" /></a>I didn't write anything last week because I was so upset about my latest misfortune and I kept thinking if I ignored it, maybe it would go away.<br /><br />It began a few hours after my first group run. Miah and I were out looking at houses and I had a pretty nasty pain in my left foot. I figured it was a muscle spasm or something and it would go away with a little rest. But, it did not go away. I saw the chiropractor on Monday morning to rule out any weird bones-out-of-place issues. Then when I tried running on it on Tuesday, the pain got even worse. I hit my McDoctor's office on Wednesday, where they took an x-ray and didn't find anything wrong. Big surprise.<br /><br />Still, I have my suspicions... I'm off for a bone scan come Thursday morning to find out if it is a stress fracture.<br /><br />I did go out to the group run on Saturday, where I did 4 miserable miles. And, though I still have a lot of pain even just while walking, I'm going to try my hardest to get in a 2-miler today and a 3-miler tomorrow.<br /><br />The thing is, I know there's <span style="font-style: italic;">something </span>wrong with the foot. That much is clear, as it's been hurting for over a week now. But until I'm <span style="font-style: italic;">diagnosed </span>with something, I <span style="font-style: italic;">can't</span> just quit. What if I stay off the foot now <span style="font-style: italic;">(for <span style="font-weight: bold;">another</span> week)</span> and then find out it was just a really bad bone bruise or something? Something that I could totally have run through? Then I'll be behind in my training and really mad at myself for giving up too soon.<br /><br />At the same time, every time that I run (or walk, for that matter) I fear that I'm doing myself more damage. Maybe it's a situation where Denver is out of reach (a mere 6 weeks away), but if I stay off the foot I could still run Memphis?<br /><br />I'm very torn about what to do. I'm obviously disappointed. I've put my heart into training for these races and I'm afraid they're about to be taken away from me.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-51534341832190348612009-08-30T20:24:00.005-06:002009-08-30T21:05:40.960-06:00Magic pants!Even though Alicia told me there'd be 150-200 people running with the group on Saturday, I could not have imagined the scene that unfolded on Saturday morning before 6AM. As I came down out of the mountains into Lakewood, there were loads of cars on the road. Strangely, they all seemed to be headed in the same direction I was. I turned into the parking lot in a steady stream of traffic. At 5:45AM. <span style="font-style: italic;">ALL</span> of these people were running with the group.<br /><br />Oh. Dear.<br /><br />Luckily, I had run into the REI sale on Friday night, where I found two pairs of Nike running shorts and a new sports bra, all for a mere $40. And these were the super-cool track shorts that all the <span style="font-style: italic;">cool</span> girls wear! The ones that were too small for me a couple of years ago. Needless to say, I had a little extra boost of confidence when I stepped out of the car on Saturday morning. But that wasn't all my new shorts had to offer... more on that in a bit.<br /><br />I found the coach and introduced myself, then Alicia found me and we talked and stretched and then she introduced me to my pace group leader. Her name was Kari, and her friend was called Candy, and they were both really nice. The pace groups left one after the other, with ours being last. I was really nervous, naturally, but I joined in the group near the front. I figured if there was someone riding my heels, I might hang with the group a little longer.<br /><br />It was chilly and my back and legs felt a little tight, and I was trying to get used to running without my iPod. But as we ran, I realized I was doing it: I was hanging with the group. We kept on running, and as we approached our first mile, I really felt like <span style="font-style: italic;">I was holding back</span> to stay with the group. So, after the first mile, I just sort of left them behind.<br /><br />Oh yes, you read that right. <span style="font-style: italic;">I</span> left <span style="font-style: italic;">them</span> behind.<br /><br />Never in a million years would I have imagined it would go down this way. Now, there are a few facts I should bring up here... Many of these folks were going out for 16-22 miles on Saturday, whereas I was only doing 6 miles, so it's likely that they were intentionally holding back in the early miles to make sure they had enough gas in the tank to make it the full distance. Also, the pace group was running a little slower than the advertised pace <span style="font-style: italic;">(at least by my Garmin)</span>.<br /><br />Anyway, here are my splits from Saturday:<br /><br />Mile 1: 12:43<br />Mile 2: 12:24<br />Mile 3: 12:16<br />Mile 4: 12:30<br />Mile 5: 12:56<br />Mile 6: 12:29<br /><br />I'd like to point out the lack of any 13's in that little segment.<br /><br />This brings me back to my magic pants: I don't think I've ever done a 6 mile run without dipping into the 13's before. Therefore, the obvious explanation is that my brand new shorts make me run faster.<br /><br />Because of this new revelation, and because Runner's Edge members got 20% off at Boulder Running Company after our group run, I bought 4 new pairs of really fast looking socks.<br /><br />As I expected, the water/gatorade on the course made a huge difference for me. It was great to go out without anything to carry for a change <span style="font-style: italic;">(the coach even hangs onto everyone's car keys while we're out running!)</span>. They provided icy water and lemon/lime gatorade <span style="font-style: italic;">(which is quickly becoming my favorite during runs)</span>, potato chips and those gooey orange candy wedge things. Oh! And they had bagels and fruit and whatnot when we finished, too! It was fantastic. The course was laid out really well, with chalk marks on the road/sidewalk and bright yellow <span style="font-style: italic;">"turn here"</span> signs that even I couldn't miss. Everyone seemed really friendly and supportive, and I really do believe that starting out with the group put me off on the right foot as far as pace went. If I'd been on my own, I probably would have started out at a slower pace, which would have made it more difficult to pick up the pace later. After talking it over with Miah, I've decided it's definitely worth the money spent to join this group... I have a lot to learn!<br /><br />Hope everyone's long runs this weekend were as much fun as mine!aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-27026644067008389142009-08-28T13:36:00.003-06:002009-08-28T21:25:29.829-06:00A little something new...Like I mentioned in yesterday's post, there may be some changes on the horizon for my running.<br /><br />So far this season, I haven't had any solid goals. The closest possible thing to a goal that I've had so far is this: I want to finish Denver without walking. That's right, it's exactly the same goal I had last year.<br /><br />I was thinking about this a few days ago, and with anything you do, you have a choice: you can keep doing what you're doing, you can get worse, or you can get better. So far, with running, I've been content to just keep doing what I'm doing. I guess I'm getting marginally better, just simply due to the fact that I get out there often enough to see an improvement. No, not a consistent, daily improvement <span style="font-style: italic;">(I've never known a runner whose every run is better than the last; there always seem to be good days and bad days for everyone)</span>, but a general trend toward improvement.<br /><br />Why is this, though? I'm starting to think it's fear. I'm a little afraid to see what I can do when I push myself. Because once you know what you're really capable of, it's not as easy to wuss out, is it? If you know you're capable of running 10 minute miles, all of a sudden running 11 minute miles starts to feel like you're taking the easy way out. So, the simple solution is to avoid really pushing yourself. In this way, you remain blissfully ignorant of your true potential, and you're able to keep on shuffling away, feeling proud of yourself for being out there at all.<br /><br />But lately, I've been thinking more about goals. What do I really want from Denver? What do I want from Memphis?<br /><br />When I picture myself finishing Denver, and I'm truly honest with myself, what I want is to finish a little faster than I did last year. When I picture myself finishing Memphis, I see an almost entirely different person. Not only do I see myself faster in Memphis <span style="font-style: italic;">(come on, sea level!)</span>, I also see myself finishing really strongly. Like a real runner. Like one of those runners who I watch and aspire to be. Typically, I can only admit this to myself in my deepest darkest moments of solitude because if I admit, out loud, that I aspire to be one of those real runners, I run the risk of being embarrassed due to the great divide between where I am now and where I want to be.<br /><br />I think this is the first step in the right direction, though. My desire to get better, get stronger, is more important to me right now than my desire to stay un-embarrassed <span style="font-style: italic;">(if that's not a word, it ought to be)</span>.<br /><br />And the thing is, I think I <span style="font-style: italic;">can </span>get better... <span style="font-style: italic;">if</span> I'm willing to push a little harder. But it's entirely up to me.<br /><br />With all these thoughts tumbling around in my head over the last few days, my friend Alicia <span style="font-style: italic;">(you know, the totally hard-core one)</span> mentioned her running group to me. It's a pretty big group, and all of the people in it are training for something half-marathon distance or longer. Several people from the group recently completed the Pikes Peak Ascent marathon: 26.2 miles of climbing 7000ft. A couple of others just finished the Leadville 100 <span style="font-style: italic;">(you know Leadville, the highest incorporated city in the United States? Elevation = 10,152ft?)</span>. Suffice it to say that I was more than intimidated just listening to her talk about it.<br /><br />Alicia assured me that there would be a pace group to fit my needs, and it's a really supportive group, and soon I found myself actually considering going out for a group run with this bunch of athletes. At first I was hesitant. I've had my fair share (and several other folks' fair share) of huge embarrassing athletic failures, and I've no desire to subject myself to pointing and laughter and being the object of ridicule by the masses. But the more I thought about it, I began to realize what I mentioned earlier... my want to get better is bigger than my want to save face.<br /><ul><li>Will I get dropped from my pace group? Maybe... there's a good chance, in fact. </li><li>Will I be embarrassed? Maybe.</li><li>Will I be intimidated? Definitely.<br /></li><li>Will I run faster than I think I can? Maybe... Alicia seems to think so, anyway! <span style="font-style: italic;">(Thanks for the vote of confidence, Alicia!)</span> </li><li>Will I be grateful for the water provided on the group run course? DEFINITELY.</li><li>Will I come away learning something about running or about myself? Probably.</li></ul>So, after weighing how much my pride is worth to me, I've decided to go out tomorrow and give it a try with this group: <a href="http://runnersedgeoftherockies.com/jmain/index.php">Runner's Edge of the Rockies</a>. I figure if I hate it, I haven't lost anything. I was going to do a 6-miler tomorrow anyway, and this way I get to take advantage of their water/gatorade stops<span style="font-style: italic;"></span>. If I love it, I can sign up for their program, which would get me all the extras: a running coach, a tailored training program specific to my races and my goals, a weekly group run with support, and maybe even a few new friends.<br /><br />The thing is, I just <span style="font-style: italic;">have </span>to push myself a little bit harder, and I'm hoping this running group will show me how to do that. If I cross the finish in Denver (or Memphis) feeling like I was holding something back in the interest of my own pride, I'm not sure it'll feel like a victory.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-24464673117594664412009-08-27T09:47:00.003-06:002009-08-27T09:50:09.880-06:00I hang my head in shame...I skipped last night's training run. I was having bad stomach pain which I believe was a result of over-doing it on Tuesday night's run. But still, I feel terrible.<br /><br />I'm back on today for another 4 miler.<br /><br />And I do intend to blog that crazy run I did on Tuesday, as well as let you in on some new developments regarding my long run coming up on Saturday.aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-39399660072690144712009-08-26T11:42:00.002-06:002009-08-26T11:56:37.200-06:00One is the lonliest number....I've been giving it some thought, and I've almost decided <span style="font-style: italic;">(I'm 73.249% sure)</span> that I want to run not one, but <span style="font-weight: bold;">two</span>, half-marathons this fall/winter. They're 6 weeks apart so I feel confident that I would have plenty of time to recover between the two of them. And it would be awesome to have another goal hanging on my calendar after Denver<span style="font-style: italic;"></span>. And the second one is especially meaningful because it's in Memphis, which means my family could come out to support me.<br /><br />I just don't know. Last year in the hours following my half in Denver I felt like crap. But I felt pretty good the next day. I even went for a run a couple days after last year's race. Surely, with 6 weeks between the two, I could get a good rest and still have time to increase my mileage to the point that the race in Memphis would find me running strong all the way to the finish.<br /><br />An extra bonus to consider: Memphis is at a whopping 200ft of elevation. Just sayin'.<br /><br />I'm particularly driven by running events. When I have an event planned, I know I have to keep training and keep working hard because there will be lots of people on-hand to see me fail if I don't put in the miles. So, having something planned post-Denver is one way to ensure that I'll keep up with my running even as winter approaches. This is something I've struggled with in years past. I have to admit to being a <span style="font-style: italic;">seasonal </span>runner. But I don't want to be anymore... I really want to be one of those really hard core people you see out running down snow-covered sidewalks/trails in 8 degree weather with mittens and yak-traks. Then I'd feel really tough!<br /><br />Why am I struggling with this decision so much? Am I hesitant for a good reason, or am I just allowing my natural ability to doubt myself cloud what is otherwise a good plan?aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-78815127332608151262009-08-25T21:20:00.005-06:002009-08-31T07:16:43.089-06:00Enough with the 90+ degree days, ok?First of all... can I just say that Miah is officially the husband of the year? For about a month, I've been asking him to go camping on Labor Day weekend. He's kept saying no, it'll be too crowded or whatever. Recently, we learned that his dad might be coming down to visit on Labor Day weekend, and when I talked to my father-in-law, I told him we had no plans <span style="font-style: italic;">(aside from SoxFan's gruelling 36 mile - 6000 feet of climbing - mountain bike ride)</span>. Well, yesterday in the car, he explained to me that actually, he'd made plans for us to spend the night of 9/6 at the B&B where we got married. Why? Because it was our 3 month anniversary, but also because it's one year since the day we got engaged (9/7). He started making these plans about a month ago, apparently, and he'd reserved our honeymoon suite. Isn't he just the most adorable man you've ever heard of? I do think I love him.<br /><br />OK, newlywed sappiness out of the way, on to the running stuff...<br /><br />I'm happy to report that the Frankenstein boot is long gone, folks. I kicked that sucker off on Wednesday of last week and I haven't looked back since. I missed only one run last week <span style="font-style: italic;">(Tuesday's run)</span> so I managed to get in 2 weekday runs and my long run on Saturday. Here's a quick recap...<br /><br />Wednesday's 2 miler was done up in Indian Hills. It's no coincidence that it's called Indian HILLS either. It was a fairly painless 2 miler, though I did have to wrap up the last 7 tenths by running laps around a park <span style="font-style: italic;">(not so much fun)</span>.<br /><br />Thursday's 3.5 miler was done down in town, from my office. Stupidly, I slept in on Thursday morning, which meant I had to run in the afternoon heat. ARGH. I know better than this, yet I still do it. I had to walk a bit on the hills, but otherwise I was pretty pleased with how it went. Maybe it's purely psychological, but it seems like the running gets noticeably easier when you're in the shade? There is one long stretch on my 3.5m route from the office that is completely shade-free and every time I'm running down that stretch, I start to feel like I'm carrying a toddler <span style="font-style: italic;">(or a 27 year old man)</span> on my shoulders.<br /><br />With those two runs behind me pain free, I was feeling pretty good about Saturday's long run. Not so good, of course, that I could manage to drag my butt out of bed as early as I should have to get the run done before it got hot out, but you know... The trail was really crowded at 8AM, and it wasn't a great run, but it wasn't terrible, either. It was another 5 miler that I did on the highline canal trail, running from Goodson rec center. I notice, especially while running on the highline <span style="font-style: italic;">(which, by the way, is one of my very favorite places to run in Denver)</span> that all the other slow people on the trail always nod and smile at me as we pass. It's as if they're saying <span style="font-style: italic;">"Dude, it's so awesome that we're out here together, struggling and sweating like pigs, getting passed by folks all the time... I know what you're going through."</span> This reminds me of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0XhQlvNx-c">this</a> really hilarious Nike commercial that I must share, even if it is terribly old news...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I missed cross-training <span style="font-style: italic;">(for only the second time and the first time was due to injury!)</span> on Friday because Miah and I were out looking at potential houses with our spankin' new realtor. It was the first time we've been out looking at houses and it was exhausting and somewhat depressing. We saw 12 houses, it took all day long, and in the end there were really only a couple that we were interested in. One, of course, was drastically out of our price range and the other was a fixer-upper, which immediately sent me into a frenzy, worrying about what color to paint the kitchen walls and what kind of carpet we should pick out. <span style="font-style: italic;">(Worrying is sort of a hobby for me, see? If it were an Olympic sport, I'd be an 8-time gold medalist.)</span> Needless to say, I missed out on mountain biking and had dreams about houses on Friday night.<br /></div><br />Whew... now that all that updating is done I can move onto something that I was thinking about today...<br /><br />I was talking to my friend (Alicia) at work. Alicia is a super-athlete. She's run several marathons <span style="font-style: italic;">(including Boston)</span>, too many half-marathons to count, she plays soccer and all sorts of other sports... She's generally just really fit and badass. Today, she was talking about how she wants to do a Half-Ironman. She's fit enough that she could probably go out tomorrow and do a Half-Ironman without any additional training whatsoever. Alicia would really excel at triathlons, in general <span style="font-style: italic;">(she excels at everything else!),</span> so I encouraged her to do it. And she mentioned that, out here in Denver, it seems like you're never doing enough. You could be training for a marathon and still feel like a giant wuss because the other folks in your running group are training for an ultra-marathon. Luckily, I realized this early and have steered clear of running groups entirely for this reason.<br /><br />Still, she's right. Running a half-marathon doesn't feel like much because so many of the people I know have done it or could do it without much training. There are even people who <span style="font-style: italic;">(and these folks really just kill me)</span> don't seem to do a lot of physical activity of any sort, but when you talk them into running a fun-run 5K with you, they smoke your ass.<br /><br />I mentioned to Miah that I wished I knew more people like me <span style="font-style: italic;">(in person)</span>. People who are sort of just getting started with the whole running thing, who have to try really hard to stay in shape, who are always going to finish near the back of the pack. He pointed out that there aren't that many people like that, though. That most of the people we know who are runners have been runners for a while. The other <span style="font-style: italic;">(more couch potato-ish)</span> people we know don't have any interest in running or they would have done so already. It's just not that common for a largely un-fit, sedentary person to decide they want to change into an active, fit person. He said that the best person I have to compare myself to is the me from about 3 years ago. He's right. I know that is definitely the best comparison I can make to see how far I've come. It's just really hard to get the me from 3 years ago to go out for a 5 miler so that we can race... she's a bit of a lazy ass.<br /><br />Oh! I went to the chiropractor on Monday and it turns out I'm twisted up like a pretzel but the doc says she can put me straight again <span style="font-style: italic;">(I sound like Forrest Gump a bit, no?)</span>. We managed to get all the way through the visit without her making some new-age reference to cleansing my chakras or whatever by snapping my little elbow joint and I was tickled to find that she was very careful every time she approached my neck <span style="font-style: italic;">(probably due to the fact that I told her how terrified I was that she was going to snap my neck)</span>. I had to get some x-rays of my lower back <span style="font-style: italic;">(which didn't hurt at all on today's 4 miler)</span> and I have another visit on Thursday afternoon. I'm going to try to better understand what all is wrong with me on this visit, I promise. I'm sure there's got to be a better explanation than the one I've currently got: my neck/back/ankles/knees/hips are all janked.aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-74678786838677487582009-08-17T19:43:00.004-06:002009-08-17T20:21:53.028-06:00The thing about running is, you need feet...I'll get to my latest training runs in a second, just after this short statement:<br /><br />On Friday, for my cross-training exercise, SoxFan and I went mountain biking at Green Mountain. We had a great time, but rather than riding the trail back <span style="font-style: italic;">(like a champ)</span> I decided to ride back to the truck on the sidewalk <span style="font-style: italic;">(like a loser)</span>. However, there was a small stretch of road where there was no sidewalk, so I had to ride it out in the road.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">:::I am aware that this is the correct way to ride a bike, and that riding on the sidewalk is illegal and is most often the cause of cars hitting cyclists.:::</span><br /><br />Apparently the jerk who pulled up behind me and insisted on laying on the horn and screaming at me for riding my bike in the road was unaware of this small detail, despite my efforts to educate him with various hand gestures and colorful language. I was in the left lane for a reason, you jackass, because I needed to turn left, just like a car would do! And, generally speaking, laying on the horn while yelling at me out of your window and trying to squeeze between me <span style="font-style: italic;">(rather pushing me onto the yellow line and very nearly into oncoming traffic) </span>and the car in the right lane is not considered the correct way to treat a cyclist on the road and I hope you <span style="font-style: italic;">(and your god forsaken Honda Ridgeline*)</span> get pulled over and ticketed next time for your ridiculous behavior. Jackass.<br /><br />Whew... Now that that is out of my system...<br /><br />The remainder of last week's training runs went fairly well. After the abysmal 2 miler that SoxFan and Ini ran with me, I had one more 3.5 miler on Thursday morning, then a 5 miler on Saturday by myself on the Highline Canal. I managed to run the entire 5m, but I was having pain in the left side of my lower back so I stopped several times to bend over and stretch a bit. It was a great day for a run, though, otherwise.<br /><br />Regarding this back pain... I'm worried it might be connected to the pain I've also been having in my left hip joint, which I'm also worried might be connected to the pain I've been having in my left IT band. <span style="font-style: italic;">(The hip bone is connected to the leg bone and all that.) </span>So, rather than see my McDoctor about it <span style="font-style: italic;">(thank you for the superb care, Kaiser Permanente)</span>, who would probably just dismiss me with something ingenius like <span style="font-style: italic;">"oh, if it hurts when you run, then you shouldn't run"</span> I've decided to try a chiropractor.<br /><br />I know, I know. I've always heard they're quacks, too. I'm very skeptical, but there are a couple of people at work who say they go regularly and it works. If they start saying things like <span style="font-style: italic;">"If you let me crack this bone here, it'll cure your allergy to cottonwood trees"</span>...I'm totally out. That's just wacko crazy person stuff.<br /><br />If you have any experience with chiropractors <span style="font-style: italic;">(good or bad)</span>, please let me know. I'm supposed to go in next Monday, and I'm not sure what to expect.<br /><br />On Sunday <span style="font-style: italic;">(my rest day)</span>, SoxFan and I decided to head out to Eleven Mile Canyon to do a little fly-fishing. He and his dad had really great luck there this time last year, so I hoped this would be an out-of-the-ordinary fly-fishing trip for me and I'd actually catch a fish rather than just getting a lot of casting practice. Ah... a nice, graceful, relaxing day of fly-fishing... what could be better?<br /><br />I was also very excited to try out my luck at wading. In the past I've always fished from the bank while SoxFan wades the river...which was kindof convenient for me because then I could blame my lack of catching fish on the fact that I had to remain stuck on the side of the river. I didn't have proper felt-soled wading boots, but I did have an awesome new pair of Keen sandals that we figured would work in a pinch.<br /><br />He caught 2. I caught none, and I was well into my second half-hour of pouting over this fact when I stepped on a tippy rock and fell into the river, thereby slicing a great wound into the front of my right leg and "spraining" my right foot. I didn't realize anything was wrong with my foot until this morning, around 3AM, when I got up to get water and realized I could not put weight on my right foot nor could I wiggle my right toes.<br /><br />I woke up the hubs, who recommended that I stop crying and instead take an ibuprofen and see my McDoctor in the morning. So, that's exactly what I did. The pain was not as bad when I re-woke at 7AM, but I hobbled my way into the McDoctor's office anyway and they shot a couple of pictures of the foot, declared that I'd broken nothing, thereby deduced that it must be a "sprain" <span style="font-style: italic;">(though, for the life of me I don't understand how you "sprain" a foot)</span>, put me in a huge ridiculous Frankenstein boot and sent me packing.<br /><br />I'm trying to see this as the best possible outcome. At 3AM, I was convinced that I'd definitely broken a bone in my foot, and any chance of running Denver was out of reach. As it is, I'm just out of commission for a few days at most <span style="font-style: italic;">(OK, so the McDoctor said 7-10 days of no running, but I just told her to shut her McMouth 'cause I had a plan)</span> and I'm back to 100% by Saturday's 5miler. I am trying to completely ignore the fact that, should I have to actually skip an entire week of training, there's a good chance that I won't make it to Denver anyway.<br /><br />----------------------------------<br />*My apologies to you if you happen to own a Honda Ridgeline. I think they are horrendous looking, but I'm sure yours is just lovely.aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-32313279695352163982009-08-12T20:56:00.004-06:002009-08-12T21:26:09.603-06:00Not every run can be a good one...After Saturday's highly successful 4 miler, I thought for sure I was in for some great weekday runs this week. I headed off to the gym first thing Monday morning and swam a (fairly) quick 750m (I wasn't even the slowest person in the pool). But things came crashing down on Tuesday morning. Due to some after work obligations, and not wanting to leave poor Ini in the crate too long, I decided not to run before work on Tuesday in lieu of doing the run Tuesday after work instead. <span style="font-style: italic;">(As a side note, "crate" sounds like an awful word, doesn't it? Like we force him into a tiny shipping container with mere slits for him to see through? I assure you, he loves the kennel - just not for 15 hours a day - and we do not abuse our dog.)</span> This was a bad idea for a few reasons:<br /><br /><ol><li>Things <span style="font-weight: bold;">stink </span>in the afternoon. There are more cars on the road, so instead of inhaling nice fresh morning air, I inhaled the toxins coming out of every SUV on the roads. And at 6PM, there were SUVs aplenty.</li><li>The roads near my office building (the same stench-free roads where I did my weekday runs last week) are in the process of being repaved. So, in addition to the car exhaust, there was the lingering scent of freshly poured (is pour the right verb for asphalt?) asphalt. It stinks to high heaven, if you've never had the pleasure.</li><li>It is HOT in the afternoon. Now, granted, Tuesday's run at 6PM was nowhere near the hellish experience I had on my first long run, sweating it out at 11AM-noon, but still... I was doing some serious sweating.</li><li>I don't feel comfortable running with all my colleagues watching me. I realize this is a bit silly, but folks at work know me as the person who is <span style="font-style: italic;">organized</span>, the person who <span style="font-style: italic;">can get things done</span>, the person who <span style="font-style: italic;">keeps her desk insanely neat</span>... I prefer to keep it that way, rather than have them start to recognize me as the person who <span style="font-style: italic;">shuffles </span>more than she <span style="font-style: italic;">runs</span> or the person who <span style="font-style: italic;">sweats like a pig</span>. At 6PM, there are more of my colleagues on the road than I'd rather run past.</li></ol>You get the point: Running works better for me if I just bite the bullet and get my lazy butt out of bed early to do it before work.<br /><br />All that said, Tuesday's run was pretty fantastic. During the first mile, I kept noticing my pace and I knew that there was no way to keep it up <span style="font-style: italic;">(sounds vaguely like that PR I had in the HM relay earlier this year, no?)</span>, but it just felt so <span style="font-style: italic;">good </span>to be running at that pace. It really felt <span style="font-style: italic;">right</span>. Like that was the pace I was designed for (and we all know I'm not built for speed, per se). So, I kept it up and my first mile came in at slightly more than 12m/m. It felt good, so I kept going and mile 2 came in at about 12:30m/m. At this point, I had to turn into the sun and the blistering heat of the day was cooking my forehead as I ran uphill (both ways!). Eventually, around 2.3 miles, I had to stop and walk for a teensy bit, but I finished running and I felt really proud of myself.<br /><br />Of course, with a run like that, you can imagine what today held. That's right folks, a blustery, miserable vomit-inducing death march that lasted a mere 2miles, during which I walked at least 3 times. It was miserable. It was one of those runs where you're asking yourself the entire time "Why the heck am I doing this? I could still be sleeping. Running is the devil!"<br /><br />I don't know. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe my attitude was all wrong before I headed out. I often think my head gets in the way of my running, and this might just be one of those times. Oh well, they can't all be fabulous runs, can they?<br /><br />In other news, a friend of mine at work pointed out this fantastic feature offered by Garmin. I'm sure most of you've already heard about it, but it's wicked cool and I thought I would provide a link, just in case you're behind the curve like me. It's called <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/">Garmin Connect</a>, and it's similar to the Training Center software that comes with your Garmin device, except that it's way cooler <span style="font-style: italic;">(partially due to the implementation of Google maps)</span>, and it's web-based, so that you can share your running successes <span style="font-style: italic;">(er, in this case huge embarrassing failures)</span> with your friends. If you haven't already, I encourage you all to check it out.<br /><br />Not all of my runs are terrible. As an example from my own Garmin Connect account, I share with you the previously raved about <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/11080862">PR from the HM relay in April</a>. I'm still hiding today's huge embarrassment.aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-44371856877863941512009-08-09T10:19:00.003-06:002009-08-09T10:53:57.935-06:00Nearly a year?So, it's been nearly a year since I wrote anything here, and quite a lot has happened. I'll start at the beginning...<br /><br />SoxFan and I are married! Don't believe me? Here's some proof for you:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIxhZ_kDnYRLggaWOY3fy6FX7y_EsiQRxXsD1v2ED8mzPgVEE7EqntKXiiOsq-7Ui-CaSZxhLNisctrLcme5cH-lS_yBPu5eF5Jqr2-Zx37P1zaRdNH7L9Ts6H45rNCbNXUrFbJfMHqfk/s1600-h/515.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIxhZ_kDnYRLggaWOY3fy6FX7y_EsiQRxXsD1v2ED8mzPgVEE7EqntKXiiOsq-7Ui-CaSZxhLNisctrLcme5cH-lS_yBPu5eF5Jqr2-Zx37P1zaRdNH7L9Ts6H45rNCbNXUrFbJfMHqfk/s320/515.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368002788503004514" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Though I wanted to train for a race in the spring, I knew it wouldn't be wise with all the wedding planning and whatnot we had going on. We signed up for a gym membership instead and I spent the winter/spring working out indoors on the dreaded elliptical machine, in group exercise classes, swimming in the pool, and now and again, even hitting the dreadmill. It was probably a good break for me, honestly, because my knees were pretty spent after the half marathon last fall.<br /><br />I missed running, though, and when our friend asked us to participate in a half marathon relay with him, we jumped at the chance. The relay was set up as follows: Jeff=leg 1 (5 miles), SoxFan = leg 2 (5 miles) and me = leg 3 (5k). Jeff had been running consistently, and he's really fast, so he got us off to a great start. Then SoxFan ran way faster than I thought he could and finished his 5 miles just slightly slower than Jeff did. Then I somehow managed to run the fastest 5K of my life, finishing in 36:31 (an 11:41 pace)! Again, I have to re-iterate that I had done all my training indoors on the dreadmill, and it was freezing cold that day so I wore more clothes than I normally do while running. I thought for sure I'd be sick at the end, but it was worth it to surprise Jeff and SoxFan early at the finish.<br /><br />I think I just started off way too fast... Because it's a relay, and because my teammates were both pretty fast, when they handed the baton off to me, I was still surrounded by loads of really fast people. So, I took off really fast, then glanced at my Garmin and immediately thought "whoa whoa whoa, there's no way I can keep this up." So, I reigned it back in a bit, and started to get used to the idea of being passed every few seconds. But eventually I settled into a pace that felt really good. It felt right. When I hit the first mile, the Garmin said 11:29. I couldn't believe it, but I felt like if I'd made it for a mile at that pace, there was a good chance I could keep it going. Curiousity really took over at that point. I just wanted to see how long I could maintain that type of pace. So, I kept pushing it and ended up with the following results:<br /><br />Mile 1: 11:29<br />Mile 2: 11:45<br />Mile 3: 12:11<br />Last 0.12: 1:03 (---> This is an <span style="font-weight: bold;">8:34 pace</span>... I could see the finish, and I just wondered if I had anything left at all, and I wondered how fast I could run if I just pushed it insanely for a little while... This probably was why I felt like chucking at the finish line.)<br /><br />Anyway...<br /><br />All that was back in April, and I still had the wedding in front of me, so I didn't run again until after we returned from the honeymoon in late June. And even then, my running was rather sporadic. It wasn't until last weekend that I decided that I wanted to get serious again. And by that, I mean that I decided that I was ready for a re-match with the Denver Half Marathon.<br /><br />This time around, I'm going to do a few things differently in the hopes of making the re-match a little easier than round 1.<br /><ol><li>I'm going to do more cross-training. I did exactly ZERO of this last year.\</li><li>I'm also trying to do better nutrition-wise. More than just eating healthy stuff (which I do pretty typically anyway), I plan to scour the pages of Runner's World and eat all the stuff "runners" should eat.</li><li>I'm going to do more stretching/foam roller/Stick. I've been pretty consistent with it so far this time around, and last year I hardly did this at all. This is probably why, at the end of the half last year, I thought my IT Bands might just spring free of my skin and keep on running without me.</li></ol>Other than these small changes, I'm using the exact same training plan as last year, for the exact number of weeks.<br /><br />I had serious thoughts of just shutting down the blog entirely, but a few people (especially recently) have sent me notes via facebook saying that they read my post-race report from last year's half and found it inspiring. (How flattering!) So, I figure I'll just pick up where I left off last year.<br /><br />As for the training so far, I'll give you a quick re-cap:<br /><br /><ul><li>Long run #1 (last Sunday): I shift the training schedule so that my long runs fall on Saturday rather than Sunday, but still... it was Sunday when I made the decision (in earnest) that I wanted to try the half again, so it was Sunday when I did my first long run. It was, in a word, disastrous. I talked SoxFan into going down to the Highline Canal Trail with me, and by the time we got there it was nearly 11AM (and probably 90+ degrees out). I had a really hard time, I walked a lot, but I tried not to beat myself up too much for it. Oh, this was only a 4 miler.</li><li>On Monday, the schedule calls for cross training, so I swam 750meters at the pool. It was great.</li><li>Weekly run (Tuesday): This was a 3 miler, which I ran before work. I've been trying to get into the habit of working out before going to work, and so far it's worked really great. I have to go to bed with the senior citizens at 8PM, but I love the feeling I get at the end of the day, when I know I can just go straight home without feeling guilty.</li><li>Weekly run (Wednesday): This was a 2 miler, also from work. I ran this one straight through, with a couple of pauses here and there to stretch/catch my breath. I didn't do any walking, though. This was a small victory by itself.</li><li>Weekly run (Thursday): This was another 3 miler, and I did much more running than I did walking. Another small victory.</li><li>On Friday, I did about 60 minutes of cross-training by going mountain biking with SoxFan at Mt. Falcon Park. It was great fun, though we should have started a little earlier in the day, I think. We were melting by the time it was over.</li><li>Long run #2 (Saturday): This was another 4 miler, which I ran yesterday at the Highline Canal. I learned two very important things on this run: 1.) Running at sunrise is MUCH easier than at 11AM, when the heat of mid-day is crushing your spirit, and 2.) I really do run much easier with an audiobook to enjoy. I knew this before, but I'd forgotten just how much easier it makes things.</li></ul><br />So, there you have it. My first week of training for my re-match with the half. Thanks to everyone who's been in touch lately with words of thanks/encouragement regarding last year's post. I hope you keep reading!aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-84492027658176719882008-10-22T20:15:00.006-06:002008-10-22T21:27:52.864-06:00I'm much tougher than I thought I was...When I woke up on Sunday, at a mere 4:45AM, I was every bit as nervous as I'd worried I would be. I could tell I was nervous because I shot straight up as soon as the alarm went off, I could hardly eat anything at all and try as SoxFan might to strike up a conversation, I could spare very few words. I did manage to nibble down a piece of toast and a banana, and then we were off.<br /><br />As soon as we got downtown, as we neared the race start/finish, both sides of the street were lined with cars bearing "Marathoner" or "26.2" bumper stickers. I hadn't even seen my first runner of the day and I was already intimidated. It was still dark out, and only about 40 degrees, so when SoxFan dropped me off at the start to go and park the truck, I mainly just wandered around and tried to keep warm and tried to look like I belonged there. Mere minutes seemed to pass before the announcer was telling us all to line up according to our pace. I quickly found the "Fast Walkers" sign and figured I might as well start there, as most likely even if I <span style="font-style: italic;">ran </span>the entire way, I'd be finishing with the "Fast Walkers." It was cold and crowded and the sun was starting to come up.<br /><br />I couldn't hear the National Anthem. I couldn't hear the gun go off. But all of a sudden, we were moving toward the start line. I hit the play button on my iPod and I was instantly glad I'd started my HM playlist with "Freedom" by George Michael. I was overcome with a rush of adrenaline and when I crossed the start line, it was with a huge goofy grin on my face. I was happy to be running. I felt strong and proud of myself for everything I'd done. And I knew I was going to finish.<br /><br />We ran through a canyon of buildings for the first few miles, and I instantly noticed that somehow my Garmin had experienced some kind of glitch. At one point it said 0.73 miles, then a second later it said 0.6 miles... I didn't know what was up, but I knew I probably couldn't trust my splits for the rest of the day. It didn't matter. The sun was fully in the sky by this point and I was running really strong, and I was still in the thick of the back of the pack.<br /><br />Around mile 4, we hit the first (and most significant) hill. I knew that SoxFan was going to be meeting me at mile 4.5, so there was no way I was going to start walking. Finally, I crested the hill and sure enough, there he was, waiting for me with my backpack full of sport beans and gatorade and bandaids and ibuprofen. He was a trooper for carrying my bag all day and traipsing all over Denver to watch me participate. But he wasn't the only one. I had 4 other amazing friends come out to support me on Sunday (they even made a sign!), and their support kept me going at times when I felt sure I'd quit.<br /><br />After I saw my friends the first time, the course took us a long way through City Park. I have history with City Park. I ran a 5K there last year and it was horrendous. This trip was not a lot better. The course doubled back on itself in this area, so I got to see all of the people who were running faster than me. It was in City Park, around mile 6.5 that I came to the Clif Shot stop. Unfortunately, this was not coincident with a water station, and even more unfortunately, I got Double Espresso flavor. BLEGH! I held onto the atrocious stuff until I got to the next water stop, then I forced myself to choke it down. My toast and banana were starting to leave me.<br /><br />Around mile 8, we finally got to leave City Park. I saw my friends again around mile 9, at a water/gatorade station, and I figured that I wouldn't see them again until the finish. At this point my spirits were still pretty high. I'd run 10 miles already, after all, so I knew I could do 10. I was still feeling pretty strong.<br /><br />But by mile 11, the tide had turned. I no longer felt strong. I no longer felt confident. I felt like I might puke. I felt like I wanted to give up. I felt like every step forward was a struggle. I'd forgotten that I'd voluntarily signed up for the race. My hips were hurting. My elbows were hurting. My feet were hurting. It was a mental battle. And then I saw my friends. They were so supportive they even managed to get a smile out of me. This was at mile 11.5:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyBVdTmOMQv78Sq3GXuJpbPSqYITQEkYDHfHApYjiyHpSqYRQ21uiXAvMUyW02TMB_paCB8pYg4GKPqVIAv1sqmgmoY-OKFxdnXFGFMWjDAEdWQJU2gP3REg59jVg2A7hBUhEr14xzOs/s1600-h/100_3423_00.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 365px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyBVdTmOMQv78Sq3GXuJpbPSqYITQEkYDHfHApYjiyHpSqYRQ21uiXAvMUyW02TMB_paCB8pYg4GKPqVIAv1sqmgmoY-OKFxdnXFGFMWjDAEdWQJU2gP3REg59jVg2A7hBUhEr14xzOs/s400/100_3423_00.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260167949287476626" border="0" /></a>Looking back on it now, if I'd been able to logically realize how close I was to the finish at this point in the race, it would have been enough to lift my spirits. But, being that I was out-of-my-mind exhausted, I turned the corner and continued to feel terrible. I wanted all that strength and confidence back that I'd had in the initial miles. I tried every trick in the book. My mental conversation was this, verbatim: "My hips hurt so bad. Pain is nothing. I do not even know what pain means." I tried to banish all thoughts of pain and fatigue from my mind. And I kept going.<br /><br />I knew when I got close to the finish. I knew the course map well enough to know when there were two turns left... then one... And by the time I saw my friends again, with only a few hundred yards left in the race, my tank was empty. I felt like there was a hole where my stomach should have been. (Next time: eat more than toast and a banana before a race of this length.)<br /><br />Finally, I made the last turn, and the finish came into view, a mere hundred yards away. The finish was still lined with spectators, and as I inched my way closer and closer, I cried.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTb-YBVzEElu4HpHTDhJuxWrtlm95by56qym3zpr5r4ezTM8hvLSiYVft4pWaSawV8ADiOLGWmrKGNwaHXrSpe5RoK8ck5HTD-3NsFuopfnsvUBJ73j4vwMBJO6khUmNdGwmN0dAm59eA/s1600-h/100_3428_00.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 351px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTb-YBVzEElu4HpHTDhJuxWrtlm95by56qym3zpr5r4ezTM8hvLSiYVft4pWaSawV8ADiOLGWmrKGNwaHXrSpe5RoK8ck5HTD-3NsFuopfnsvUBJ73j4vwMBJO6khUmNdGwmN0dAm59eA/s400/100_3428_00.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260167955000463618" border="0" /></a>I cried because I was proud of how far I'd come in a year. I was proud because, when given the opportunity to take the easy way out, I said "no thanks, I'm <span style="font-style: italic;">tough</span>." I was proud because I was able to push beyond the threshold of comfort.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7SDl6x8zXEV5P-hFsoMA1zfax8xauNdYKyzY9z3KL9OVTvZNlP3euRkmO1ofCu4j_wFJ0yilBFANxELjXKlx4B9GATCqA1N1_nFoZRWvU0aUfidtJ1r4X6sM8pH9sepC8FN5BxxE868/s1600-h/100_3432_00.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 391px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7SDl6x8zXEV5P-hFsoMA1zfax8xauNdYKyzY9z3KL9OVTvZNlP3euRkmO1ofCu4j_wFJ0yilBFANxELjXKlx4B9GATCqA1N1_nFoZRWvU0aUfidtJ1r4X6sM8pH9sepC8FN5BxxE868/s400/100_3432_00.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260167960253761266" border="0" /></a><br />In the days that followed, several people have asked me my time. One person even asked "did you win?" Hmmmm, NO! (Coincidentally, a friend of one of my friends <span style="font-style: italic;">did </span>win the HM that day! What are the odds?) But all the emphasis on my pace and how I placed overall/within my age group made me feel really self-conscious. Though I'd started this whole journey with the specific goal of just finishing the race without walking, I felt like I hadn't achieved enough. There were, after all, thousands of people there on Sunday who'd done <span style="font-style: italic;">twice </span>as much as I had. And most people did what I did faster than I did it and with more ease. Just a day after I felt so proud I was moved to tears, I suddenly felt like I wasn't good enough.<br /><br />I spent most of Monday and Tuesday trying to figure it out. And finally I came to the realization that it all hinges on the word "win". The conventional definition requires me to compare myself to other people, which isn't what running is about for me. I have to figure out what that word means <span style="font-style: italic;">to me</span> before every single race. I have to re-define it <span style="font-style: italic;">every single time</span>. Because I'll never <span style="font-style: italic;">win </span>a race, in the conventional sense of the word.<br /><br />But if I abandon that definition altogether, and establish my own definition of win...<br /><br />To win is to<br />A) Finish<br />B) Finish without walking<br />C) Finish without walking with a smile<br />D) Finish without walking with a smile and a sense of accomplishment<br />E) Finish without walking with a smile and a sense of accomplishment knowing that I gave <span style="font-style: italic;">everything </span>I had...<br /><br />Then I can say "I most definitely won this race."<br /><br />Just an hour post-finish, I felt great. A little sore, but great. And now, 3 days later, I feel like I want to go for a run. I will definitely do this again. I am definitely entertaining ideas about doing a full marathon, as well. Thank you again to all of my amazing friends who came out and trekked all over downtown Denver in an effort to keep my spirits high. And thanks to all of you friends from afar who emailed and left comments with your well-wishes. You kept my legs moving when I wanted to quit. Thank you.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQOkK6tRQPlIhkgRBSQlE6WN8Jz4MDr2EQqIzp6GfAIYxwHLVDAZqKmaixoLgrFiqU8-Hl1KVcWxGxta0I8FGD2kiNQlxCvuM6AOwcLgJcqsKN-bQJRqBG9le0qGeA_8MVsfVlkeCURo/s1600-h/100_3431_00.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 321px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQOkK6tRQPlIhkgRBSQlE6WN8Jz4MDr2EQqIzp6GfAIYxwHLVDAZqKmaixoLgrFiqU8-Hl1KVcWxGxta0I8FGD2kiNQlxCvuM6AOwcLgJcqsKN-bQJRqBG9le0qGeA_8MVsfVlkeCURo/s400/100_3431_00.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260183137811627474" border="0" /></a>aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7878091069012399812.post-88681970859039536832008-10-18T17:58:00.003-06:002008-10-18T18:59:29.351-06:00Catch you up and here we goIt is officially the day before race day. Half marathon day. And I am ready, but before I launch into all that, here are some things I've been doing.<br /><br />The week after Moab, I was in California for business. While I was there, I genuinely tried to get a few good runs in, but I was largely unsuccessful. I did one on the treadmill at the hotel, but it was at least 195 degrees in the workout room. Then I drove up to San Francisco one day, with the hope of getting a chance to run at Golden Gate Park. But by the time I made it up there it was too dark to get a run in. The third day, I just threw in the towel. I felt terrible about it, but I'd searched all over for a place to run outdoors and didn't have any luck at all.<br /><br />The weekend after I returned from CA I ran the Hope with Every Step 10K. It was a really hot day with a nearly cloudless sky... and not an inch of shade in sight. As I lined up with the other 10Kers (all 49 of them), my iPod (of course) crapped out on me. I was only about a mile in and a horse trailer pulled right in front of me, so I had the lovely view of two stinky horse's butts to enjoy.<br /><br />And, after a miserable 6.2 miles, here's my finishing scene:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdC1bVZbsrEim-at51SsxPIhjJGIdnPQMwQXYTdzKgs55lVZSUEgQI0x9yZc7TQh7DV_kjq2AUT63A9bPyWDNnzT1dHFFgCFSyehCZJazlF8kWiar1a8yj6T3J3ahYTkQX2CmGoLe4BC4/s1600-h/100_3396.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdC1bVZbsrEim-at51SsxPIhjJGIdnPQMwQXYTdzKgs55lVZSUEgQI0x9yZc7TQh7DV_kjq2AUT63A9bPyWDNnzT1dHFFgCFSyehCZJazlF8kWiar1a8yj6T3J3ahYTkQX2CmGoLe4BC4/s400/100_3396.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258648620764188114" border="0" /></a>Yes, that is the sweep bike right behind me. He is carrying all of the course direction signs, and he was riding my huge bumper because I was DEAD LAST. He might has well have been carrying a huge sign that said <span style="font-style: italic;">"And here comes the SLOWEST runner of the day."</span><br /><br />I was <span style="font-style: italic;">slightly</span> mortified, but afterwards, it sort of dawned on me that being DFL wasn't as bad as I'd always imagined it would be. Sure, I was <span style="font-style: italic;">last</span>... but I ran a decent race on the day that I was given. Sure, I could have been a little faster if there'd been a little shade, a little gatorade on the course, etc. I was slow, but I'd done a good job, and I'd just finished my first official 10K. And it helped that no one pointed and laughed, too.<br /><br />In the week that followed, I did my weeknight runs (well, most of them, at least), and SoxFan's dad came to visit the following Thursday. We had a great time fishing and driving in the woods and playing board games, but I split from them early Sunday morning to do the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure with a friend. On the way there, I heard a radio advertisement for a pair of Lee jeans that instantly give you "a tighter butt, slimmer thighs and a flatter stomach." Well, that was just about enough to get me to turn the car around. Alas, I decided to head on to the race anyway, and it's a good thing. Here's a picture (taken at 6AM):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7b3Mz0l_FRLrYPjkhpYaXwTn82zRr2a1QWXvQFEDlqvxln_Mg1p_6baKyOX0OnQjHYUHXm0oJcbEBTgVSP_2D7JrSYe0_gmykubsIFgRPuUmiAS0YVwFPgyR-ImIkgFFxGTSdMJOY6c/s1600-h/100_3405.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7b3Mz0l_FRLrYPjkhpYaXwTn82zRr2a1QWXvQFEDlqvxln_Mg1p_6baKyOX0OnQjHYUHXm0oJcbEBTgVSP_2D7JrSYe0_gmykubsIFgRPuUmiAS0YVwFPgyR-ImIkgFFxGTSdMJOY6c/s400/100_3405.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258648631745012898" border="0" /></a>Before the 5K, I ran 6 miles out and back on the Cherry Creek Greenway. On the way, I figured out where approximately half of Denver's homeless population resides. I tried to time it just right so that when I finished the 6 miles I'd be at the starting line for the 5K. And, hands down, this was the best run I've had since I started training for the Half Marathon. The run was easy. I felt strong. I felt confident. It was... the best run of my life.<br /><br />Then I did a few more weeknight runs on the treadmill at work, then the weekend came and it was time for me to do the dreaded 10 mile run. But when the day came, it was about 30 degrees and raining. Boo. I thought I'd wait until later in the afternoon in the hope that it would warm up. It did not, however, so I did not run. This was the first time since I started that I'd skipped a long run, and I was none too pleased that the first one I'd missed was also the first double-digit run.<br /><br />I did it on Monday evening. And I didn't do any walking. And on this run, I figured out where the other half of Denver's homeless population resides: the <span style="font-style: italic;">other </span>side of the Cherry Creek Greenway. I ran out and back 2.5 miles, then out and back in the other direction 2.5 miles, and then it was DONE! And even though it was just a long run (not a race or anything) I felt very proud of myself for the double-digit accomplishment. I felt like I could have kept running. I felt like I could run a Half Marathon. After 9 miles, I just sort of went on auto-pilot and I felt like I could have run 100 miles.<br /><br />Which brings us to today. It's the day before the Half Marathon. And all that confidence that I earned on Monday has slipped through my fingers. I feel unsure of myself. Unsure that I can run even 2 miles, let alone 13. I went to the expo yesterday and picked up my race packet and in the middle of that room full of incredibly fit people, I felt like a complete and total fraud.<br /><br />But, I <span style="font-weight: bold;">expected </span>this. I <span style="font-style: italic;">am </span>ready. Sure, I've missed a weeknight run here or there, but I can do this. I know that I can do it because I knew it on Monday. I knew I'd feel nervous the night before the race. I knew I'd feel even more nervous the<span style="font-style: italic;"> morning of</span> the race. But I also know that I've got enough excitement about that last 100 yards to carry me through. I'll do this tomorrow.aerorunnergirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00956812057098178929noreply@blogger.com3