Every Accomplishment Starts With the Decision to Try

I did it! I ran an entire half-marathon! And I feel SO SO good about it. What a journey this has been.

I got a good night of sleep on Sunday night, and woke up at 4:45 a.m. on race day feeling excited and nervous. I ate two pieces of toast with peanut butter and jelly, and a banana. I drank a little bit of water, but was SO hydrated from the few days leading up to the race that I didn't feel the need to drink too much.

I got dressed, stretched a bit, said goodbye to a sleepy Brian, and headed out into a VERY COLD, quiet, dark Colorado Springs morning.

I walked briskly from my parking spot to the race start, and hung out by the bag check until the very last second because I was scared to take my long-sleeved shirt off in the cold. I could see my breath as I stretched. I kept thinking I had to pee, but it was really just nerves.

About 5-10 minutes before race time, I peeled off my last warm layer and headed to the start line. I worked my way about 2/3 of the way back in line so I wasn't feeling pressure to start too fast. I made small talk with a couple people standing around me and stretched a bit more. Before I knew it, they were counting down the last 15 seconds and then the starting gun went off! I immediately teared up...I couldn't believe that this day and this moment were finally here after all these long months of emotional and physical commitment!

As I had planned (and especially since it was so cold), I started out very slowly. The course was crowded at first and I just focused on staying loose, and slowly working my way up to a comfortable pace. I looked around and enjoyed the view of a colorful sea of runners. After a couple miles, the crowd spread out and I was really able to get into my rhythm. I started thinking forward to Mile 4, where I knew my family and friends would be waiting to cheer me on.

At around 3.5 miles, my knee started hurting, pretty badly. I immediately started worrying. I felt like there was no way it would get any better if I kept running; it was bound to only get worse! And I still had 9 miles to go! I also decided in that moment that I would keep going until my knees gave out on me...no matter how badly it hurt. I wondered if it would be helpful to take the Advil I had stashed in my shorts at some point.

Before I knew it, I could see my mom in the distance, right off the trail, watching for me. I waved my arms so she'd know it was me. And I started getting really emotional when I saw my family there cheering for me...which in turn led me to start hyperventilating. This picture was taken while I was trying to keep myself from completely sobbing. Sobbing and running don't work so well with each other...

I was worried the most about the middle 5 miles of the run. I figured the first 4 miles would be easy, and even if the last 4 miles were really tough, they'd be the last 4 miles, and I'd have Brian with me to help me through it. But I felt like those middle 5 miles would make or break the race for me, and I was continuing to worry about my knee.

I ended up introducing myself to another runner who I'd been running near since the start of the race. And we ended up chatting away for the next 3-4 miles. Very strange. I am SO anti-talking-while-running, and always have been. Normally I refuse to talk while exercising, I can't do it, and I think others who do it must be crazy (or in really great shape). But for some odd reason, this woman and I talked and talked and talked through those miles....and they just flew by. I wasn't focused on my knee, and it ended up changing from a sharp, shooting pain to a dull pain. I definitely got a bit of an energy boost from hitting the 6.5-mile turnaround point. I loved seeing the half-marathon front runners coming past us in the other direction (man, they were going fast!!!). And I started looking forward to getting back to Mile 9, seeing my cheering section again, and having Brian join me for the last leg of the race. This picture was taken at Mile 9. I'm still looking relatively happy!

When Brian first joined me, I was thinking to myself that I didn't need him..I was feeling fine..I was all over this race. And then at about Mile 11, I started feeling like, "oh my god, this just got really hard", and I told him so. Brian was SO great about encouraging me, telling me what a great job I was doing, and how proud of me he was. His presence and encouraging words were SO crucial to keeping my mind on that finish line. At the appointed place, Brian jumped off the course and I finished the last 0.10 mile by myself. As I wrapped my way around the park towards the finish chutes, I picked up my pace to the very fastest my legs could carry me. I wouldn't call it a sprint, but it was fast, and it felt good to finish strong. As I crossed the finish line, they announced my name and and where I'm from.


Again, my emotions started overwhelming me the minute I crossed the finish line....and I sounded like I was having an asthma attack or something. I turned down the offer of medical attention (no thank you, I'm just a sobbing mess...), and let a volunteer place a finish medal around my neck. I grabbed a water and joined my family who had found their way to the finish line. I finished the race in 2 hours, 22 minutes, and 33 seconds. I was 33rd out of 46 in my age group, I finished 143rd out of 236 female finishers, and 324th out of 456 finishers.

I won't get into the 2 bathroom stops I made during the last 4 miles of the race, but Brian thinks those took up at least 10 minutes (I think maybe a little less). But nonetheless, I averaged just over a 10-minute mile, which is what I was aiming for.

I felt fine after the race, and great after taking a shower. I ate some breakfast with my family and friends, and then I started going downhill pretty quickly. I was cold, my stomach was VERY upset, and I just overall felt horrible. I spent much of the rest of the day in bed or on the couch and went to bed very early.

On Tuesday, I woke up feeling fine energy wise, but my entire body was sore, even my upper body. My knee was quite painful and I limped my around work that day. But by Wednesday, I was back to feeling good. I've had a couple nights of lots of ice for my knee, plenty of rehydration, and long, deep nights of sleep and am feeling pretty much normal.

Now I'm taking some time to reflect on this experience and what it means to me. This was so much more than a running race to me. This is the final step in what has been an amazing 9 months for me.

Nine months ago, I was coming off a particularly gluttonous and unhealthy fall and holiday season. I had gained a lot of weight and had no energy. I was heading down a slippery slope of bad habits that I've gone down more times than I can count.

Then some girlfriends and I talked each other and our husbands into a couples weight loss-challenge. You can read about it here. Brian and I joined the rec center, and we both started running. I refocused my nutrition plan and started making better food choices on a more consistent basis. In the past year, Brian and I have lost over 110 pounds!, and we've lost over 80 since the beginning of the year. The visual proof of our changes is pretty startling and exciting!

A friend and I completed the Boulder Bolder in May 2011. I realized that the goal of that race was the thing that got me out of bed most mornings, and quickly decided that I needed to set another goal for myself if I wanted to stay on track with my healthy changes. With the encouragement of several friends, including Selena and Michelle, I decided I wanted to start training for my first half marathon...and I started documenting my progress and struggles here on this blog on Friday, June 15, 2011!

I've learned so much during this process....

• I must exercise in the morning, or it won't happen
• The early morning wake-up only hurts for the first few minutes.
• I feel so much better during the day after exercising in the morning, and I sleep better at night. For someone who has struggled with insomnia for much of my life, it is a beautiful thing to fall into bed every night, exhausted, and sleep soundly until the alarm goes off the next morning.
  
• Running is a great way to have some ME time...something I don't get quite as much of as I'd like.
• Training with others (virtually and otherwise) is so inspiring and makes it harder to give up.
• Music makes me move. Thank goodness for music.
  
• The human body is an amazing thing. Six months ago, 13 miles seemed nearly impossible.
• I will never be able to express to my friends and family how much their support and encouragement from afar, on Facebook, on the phone, through the mail and email, and on the morning of the race (they got up earlier than I did to be there for me!) means to me.
  
• Things get weird after 10 miles. Your body can't be trusted.
  
• Now I feel like I'm capable of just about anything.
  

Three days....

image credit


September 2, 2011
Rachel
Today's mileage: 0 miles REST DAY

Oh it was lovely to sleep until 6 a.m. this morning!

I'm hydrated, well-rested, energized, and have been eating balanced and nutritious meals all week. My knees are well-iced. I haven't had a beer since Sunday. Feeling good....

Four Days...

image from Saucony's awesome Find Your Strong ad campaign

September 1, 2011
Rachel
Today's mileage: 2.5 miles

Woke up at 5 a.m. and went back to the soft surface track at the high school. It was still dark, there was a warm breeze, I had the track to myself, and I put the Freight Hoppers on the iPod.

It's easier to tell when I finally warm up when I'm running on a track and know exactly when I hit my stride...it's at about 1.5 miles. The first 1.5 miles always feels horrible. By 2-3 miles I've found my rhythm and am starting to feel good.

I stopped at 2.5 miles because I know that this week is not about getting miles in...it's just about moving my body a little each day to stay fresh and focused.

I spent a lot of time visualizing the race during my run this morning. I imagined all the people that will be there cheering me on and wondered if I'll be able to smile and wave when I see them. I reminded myself to START SLOW! There's always the tendency to start a race fast, but there's no reason for me to do that when I have 13 miles to go.

Tomorrow I'll rest. Saturday I'll probably go for a brisk walk at some point and stretch. Sunday morning I want to get up really early so that I have no trouble falling asleep at 9:30 Sunday night, so I might just go to the rec center and stretch and sit in the hot tub.

I can't believe the race is just a few days away!!!

Five Days....

August 31, 2011
Rachel
Today's Mileage: 0.50 miles

This morning I went to my boot camp class at the rec center (a class I LOVE which I've been attending twice a week since January). I mostly went to touch base with some of the women I've become friendly with (two of whom are also training for a half marathon) and to ask my instructor, who is a great athlete and racer, for any last minute tips.

The workout this morning was a High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T) workout and I figured I need some cardio at this point, so I participated for about half of the hour long class.

image credit

I also didn't want to risk injuring myself or getting sore muscles at this point, so after a half hour, I left to find a place to stretch. I spent a good 20-25 minutes stretching really well...better than I ever do. It was great to be up early (again, it will help me sleep well tonight) and to get some activity in. Continuing to feel confident and excited....

Right Where I Want To Be

August 30, 2011
Rachel
Today's mileage: 3 miles

This morning routine is getting rough. I'm ready to take a break, as soon as my race is over. For me, though, the only time I have to exercise is in the morning before work, so even though I'm looking forward to a break, I know that after a couple weeks I will set a new goal for myself, and get back to those early mornings.

But this week, even though I'm tapering, I'm planning to get up early every day to work out or run so that I sleep well at night. This morning I dragged myself out of bed and to the track at my local high school. I was excited and anxious to try this patellar tendon strap (I traded in the bulky knee brace I originally bought).

I'm not sure if this thing did me any good, but in my mind I was hoping it would...so it did. I felt great this morning. No knee pain to speak of! I was able to get into a rhythm and felt awesome running.

And despite all the positive talking I've been doing here and elsewhere...this is really what I needed. I was still having so many lingering doubts and fears about my race on a painful knee. I think all I needed was one good run to get my confidence back where it needs to be and to be mentally prepared for the race on Monday. And now that I've got that one good run under my belt, I'm back to being excited and enthusiastic about things. It's amazing how easy it is to let negativity take over when it comes to a challenge you've never tackled before (at least for me).

I'm so focused on this race right now, that my entire outlook and attitude on life has changed now that I'm back to being confident about it. Yeah!

Taper Week!

August 28, 2011
Rachel
Today's Mileage: 3 miles

Well, I'm officially tapering. To me, that means I won't be doing anything that pushes me too hard this week.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I'm grappling with some knee aggravation...great timing. But I'm continuing to take care of my knees, ice them, rest them, and stretch.

I ran 3 miles Sunday morning, which was the first run in a week, and only the third run in three weeks (not exactly what I had planned for these past few weeks). Nonetheless, my three mile run went relatively well...no severe knee pain to speak of.

Now I'm worried about the mileage...it's so easy to get out of shape, and three miles yesterday actually seemed hard after not much running recently. But I'm trusting that my body has the miles in me.

I'm going to get my butt out of bed every morning this week for some sort of physical activity. This morning it was a few (very few) laps at the pool, some running in the lazy river, and hot tub time at the rec center. Tomorrow I'll do 2-3 miles on the track at my local high school. Getting up early to exercise means that I sleep well at night, and I want to make sure to get plenty of sleep this week.

I'll also be hydrating, hydrating, hydrating this week!

We'll be heading to Colorado Springs on Sunday and attending the race expo so I can pick up my registration packet. Hoping to have an early dinner with some dear friends (who are also great athletes and motivators, and will be there cheering for me on race day). I'll hopefully get a great night of sleep (even going so far as to make my husband sleep in a different room. :)

On race day I'll get up nice and early (at least an hour before I have to leave for the race; plenty of time to poop! that's probably the most important part of this entire situation...seriously). I'll eat a light but satisfying breakfast (probably toast with peanut butter and banana and herbal tea).

I wasn't planning on running with an iPod during the race (and the race organizers strongly discourage it), but at this point, I'm thinking my music might be what gets me through it, so I may stick my nano in my shorts so I have it if I need it.

I'm planning on some serious adrenaline to get me through at least the first half of the race. It sounds like I'll have quite the cheering section at the race, so I'm counting on my loved ones to get me through the second half. My husband is planning to run the last 2-3 miles with me, and I figure by then I'll be in rough shape and his presence will get me to the finish line. (he helped get me through the longest natural childbirth ever, so I'm sure he can help get me through 2 tough miles...)

I'll be doing a lot of visualization this week to get me ready for the race. It's so unfortunate that I have somehow found myself in a slightly negative/worried state of mind about this race...when that's not at all where I was at a few weeks ago. But I've got a lot of positive thoughts about it too, and a lot of people who are giving me uplifting and motivating advice.

I'm ready to do my best and really do believe that even if it hurts, even if it's ugly, even if I lose it completely, I have it in me to run this entire race. As long as I can physically stay upright, I will push through whatever pain and mental blocks that may come my way on race day. It's not what I wanted for this race, but perhaps that will make it even more satisfying in the end.

One Week!

August 26, 2011
Rachel
Today's Mileage: 0

One week from this coming Monday, I will run my first half marathon. And I can't wait. But I'm also really worried.

Since the long run I did in Breckenridge a couple weeks ago (the one that didn't go so well), I've been having what seems like serious knee pain.

I haven't run in a week. I haven't done more than 5 miles in two weeks. I've been icing my knees (both of them, for good measure, even though only one of them hurts consistently while running) every night. And I'm listening to my body tell me that it needs to rest.

Even though I had a well thought-out training schedule that took me right up to race day, I've had to accept that my body has other ideas.

A few days ago I was in tears with worry about not being able to do the race. And even though everyone keeps telling me that it's not about the race...that I should be proud that I've worked to be able to run this type of mileage....it is about the race for me. Really. My commitment to this race is what got me out of bed at 5 a.m. for the last several months. It's what made me keep going for all those long miles when I thought I might actually puke, faint, or die.

Every week when I do my long distance run, I picture this race. I imagine what I'll feel like finishing it. I can practically taste the feeling of empowerment it will give me to have accomplished this goal. And not being able to accomplish the final piece of this journey will be heartbreaking to me.

So, I'm working on the mental side of things. As my cousin reminded me this morning, this is 90% mental. If I can get myself back to the ecstatic feeling I had the day I ran 10 miles for the first time (on the race course), then I know I can do this! I may have missed out on a couple weeks of training, but I know I have these miles in me.

I bought myself this knee brace and will do a short run this weekend to see if it helps. I'll keep icing. And I will get back to mentally visualizing the race and do whatever I need to do to keep getting excited about it.

Stay posted....

Altitude Counts Too

August 13, 2011
Rachel
Mileage: 10 miles

Well, my race is in just three weeks! Close enough that even though I had a girls' weekend planned for this past weekend, I couldn't afford to skip my long run. I'm also feeling the need for some variety, so I mapped out a 10-mile run in Breckenridge, thinking that the change in scenery would be great fun.

I passed on all the cocktails and glasses of wine Friday evening, sucked down as much water as I could, and tried to get to bed early. I didn't have a great night of sleep...which I now know was part of my problem. But I pulled myself out of the deliciously luxurious bed I was sleeping in and headed out into a surprisingly frosty mountain morning around 6 a.m.

I had a beautiful run on the first half of my out-and-back route along the Blue River Bikeway which connects Breckenridge and Frisco. I was pretty much the only one on the trail and was loving seeing all the mountain scenery while I ran. I was definitely ready for a quick break when I reached my 5-mile halfway point (and the Gatorade I'd stashed).

It wasn't until I turned around to head back towards Breckenridge that things started to get rough. Within one minute I realized that there is a slight, barely perceptible uphill to the trail (no wonder I felt so great on the way out!). As the realization that it would be like this for the next 5 miles started to sink in...I started to worry, and to psych myself out. Ugh, I hate when I do that.

And then I remembered my friend's question from the previous day as we drove into Breckenridge and saw the "Welcome to Breckenridge, 9,600 feet" sign..."have you ever run at this elevation?" Hmmm...didn't seem like a big deal at the time. I've spent most of my life in Colorado, I run every day at what most people consider high altitude (7,000 feet)...I'll be fine!

Yeah, right! That was the WORST run I've ever had. I did not enjoy one single second of the second half of the run. I nearly passed out, puked, pooped, cried, and stopped. I kept reminding myself of this blog's mantra..."unless you puke, faint, or die...keep going!". And I thought I might. And then my knees started hurting...for the first time in years (the trail was all asphalt). I started worrying that if I kept going, I'd injure myself and not be able to run my race.

I stopped a couple times and walked for 15-30 seconds. But stopping didn't make me feel any better and I was disappointed in myself (I never let myself stop). I'd stop for a second, and then start up again. And after what felt like FOREVER...I finally made it back to Breckenridge and limped my way back to our condo.

Ugh...horrible. I love feeling great after a run, even a really long, hard run. But this wasn't fun and I didn't feel great afterward. I'm trying to just forget about it and regain the positive attitude I had before I embarked on 10 miles at nearly 10,000 feet. What on earth was I thinking??

Feelings Count

August 10, 2011
Rachel
Today's Mileage: 5 miles

Let's not forget that the little emotions are the great captains of our lives and we obey them without realizing it. ~Vincent Van Gogh, 1889

This running thing is so mental. Granted, my body is conditioned for the running and I've worked hard to get it here. But my mental state, my attitude, seems to have even more of an impact on the success of my run and how I feel during it.

I went to bed last night and woke up this morning in a negative emotional state. And boy could I feel it during my run this morning. I just felt like I was dragging myself along and could not hit my stride.

However, I also think that my run this morning put me in a better mood and somewhat helped me change my attitude going into the rest of my day. So, needless to say, I'm glad I dragged myself through those miles...I'd probably be in even more of a funk if I hadn't done it.

Double Digits

August 7, 2011
Rachel
Today's Mileage: 10 miles

I ran ten miles this morning!! I haven't run this far since I was 16 years old and was on the cross country team in high school. I guess double digits is a big step for long distance runners, and I certainly feel that way about hitting this milestone after all these weeks and months of training.

I woke up early at my in-laws' house in Colorado Springs (way too early, 5 a.m., for a Sunday morning, in my opinion), and after stashing a Gatorade at my turnaround point, found my way downtown to America the Beautiful Park, where the half marathon I'll be running on Labor Day will start and end.

I had a really nice run, and didn't feel like I had to push myself too hard until about the last mile. I'm thrilled that I've now seen most of the course I'll be running on race day...again, familiarity = confidence for me.

It's a really nice course, and I'm so happy that this is the race I've chosen for my first half marathon. A lot of the course was on a soft-surface/dirt trail, and much of it was shaded from the sun.

Three weeks until I taper (not sure how that works yet, time to figure it out I suppose). I'm feeling really good about my training and know that I'll be ready come race day. Many training programs I've seen recommend doing a ten mile run, one time, before race day. I'm happy that I still have a few weeks to stay at 10 or even up my mileage to 11 or 12 miles before race day. I'm getting SO exited!!!

Back In The Saddle

Wednesday

View of the Indian Peaks from Mt. Audubon

Michelle

2 Mile Loop

SO between climbing 14ers (and 13ers) joining a gym and biking, I have been inconsistent with my running. I find most times, I would rather be on the trail up a peak than logging the same milage on the track. I also find that I would rather climb 13.2 miles and gain elevation than running 13.2 miles on flat surface.

What I need now is true motivation to push myself through an uncomfortable part of my training. I have found that in the past, once I start hitting the 6, 7, 8 and even 9 mile runs, it starts getting easier - (probably because by then I am in better running shape). 

How will I push myself PAST my comfort level to have a breakthrough in my training? Stay tuned....

How am I THIS sore?

Michelle

8.2 miles - on a bike

SO, I hit the pavement this morning after taking a day off to recover from a workout that consisted of 200 lunges, a series of sit-ups and some push-ups. This workout seemed like a great idea at the time, to continue my leg strength for my 14er climbs this summer but was only a reminder the next few days that I need to do more lunges and squats. More legs in general.

Needless to say, I ran about a block before I pooped out. Yes, I was going to die so I stopped. I marched back into the garage and grabbed my bike turned up my ipod and headed for the Poudre Trail. I made myself get up out of the saddle for a lot of the ride to work out the soreness in my legs.

I am feeling better today...still walking a bit funny and bending down is not fun, but I am alive.

Tomorrow I will work it out with fartleks and additional squats.

Sigh, oh the joys of training!

Hill Sprints

July 19, 2011
Rachel
Today's Mileage: 4.75 miles

I've been training for my race for several weeks now and am finally feeling the need to mix things up a bit. I know that variation, including hills, sprints, strength training and other cross-training efforts, are really valuable when training for a half-marathon or marathon. But I'm also a creature of habit and have been pretty stuck in my short-medium-long run routine (one of each per week). This article inspired me to step outside of my box and start mixing things up a bit.

This morning I did a hill workout in my neighborhood. I found a mild to moderately steep hill about 0.10 to 0.15 miles long. I'd sprint at my hardest pace to the top of the hill and then jog fairly slowly the remainder of the half mile loop back to the bottom of the hill. I did the loop 6 times, and with my warm-up and cool-down jog to and from the hill, managed to get my nearly 5 mile run in for the day.

It was definitely a different type of workout than just plodding along at the same pace, mile after mile. I felt strong going up the hill (at least for the first part of it), and exhausted at the top and while recovering. I didn't like this running workout as much as a normal run, and I get a lot of interval training in at the gym two days a week. But it was a nice change and I believe that it will help my strength and endurance to continue to incorporate hill and sprint workouts into my training from here on out.

Run and Conquer

July 15, 2011
Rachel
Today's Mileage: 8.5 miles

All this running and training seems to have given me a shot of courage.

I like to think that I'm a pretty tough chick, and I've had some experiences and adventures to back that statement up. But there is one thing in life that turns me into a complete and total wimp. Namely...snakes. You can read over here and here about the severe snake phobia I've lived with for most of my life, and the hard work and progress related to some therapy I'm doing to conquer this phobia.

Needless to say, I think about snakes for at least 50% of the time that I'm running outside...and sometimes much more than that. Really. Every stick I see in the distance and every rustle along the trail is a possible snake. But....! Last week, at mile 7, at my turnaround point for the last mile, when I was having to dig pretty deep to keep going...I saw the tiniest little snake stretched out across the path. I slowly jogged up to it...looked a little closer to make sure that's what it was...turned around...and continued my run. For those of you who know me...that's A BIG DEAL! Historically, I would have started sobbing, screaming, and had nightmares for at least a week after that experience.

I like to think that it's partly because of all the hard work I've been doing with my snake therapy, but I also think it's because I was 7 miles into a run and knew I wouldn't be able to get started again if I stopped at that point. I was simply too exhausted to have a complete and total meltdown over this tiny snake.

Also, part of being able to ignore my irrational snake fear while running, for whatever reason, is familiarity with the route. And, I've gotten familiar and comfortable with the Highline Canal trail, where I've been doing my weekly long runs. But it rained so, so hard yesterday afternoon that I was forced to skip my Thursday afternoon run along my familiar route. I really was left with just one option...run this morning, in Castle Rock, before work. The problem with Castle Rock is that there aren't that many places where you can run a long distance without the route including several serious uphills. Although those hills are great when I'm doing less mileage, for me to be able to complete 8+ miles, I need my route to be pretty flat. But there is one perfect route, the East Plum Creek Trail. Last night I was able to map a nice 8 mile run and plan a place to stash a sports drink halfway.

And then I had to think long and hard about actually doing this run. You see....2 years ago, I was walking along this trail, less than a quarter mile from the trailhead, with my new baby (in a stroller) and my good friend Rachel. And wouldn't you know it...we saw a snake. Not a huge snake, but not a tiny snake either. And I completely abandoned the stroller (and Rachel) and ran all the way back to my car crying and screaming. And I hadn't been back to that trail until this morning! (let's not talk too much about the fact that I left my new baby to fend for herself....well, she was with Rachel, so she was fine...but still, I'm not totally impressed with my mothering skills in that moment).

Anyway, I was so "scarred" by that experience that I have been missing out on the beauty of this trail for two full years. This is such a great resource for my community! It meanders along the creek the entire way, there are no street crossings, and it's got the mileage available for me to do these long runs, close to home. What a find! The full moon was shining above when I started the run and I loved watching the sun rise, listening to the birds, and seeing a beautiful deer with a full rack!

I'm not sure how long I would have continued to avoid this little treasure right in my neighborhood if I didn't need to get these miles in this morning..and for that I'm very thankful. And feeling pretty courageous!

Without Music, Life Would Be A Mistake

July 12, 2011
Rachel
Today's Mileage: 5.0 miles

I couldn't do this without my music. I'm still using a sad, old, 2nd generation ipod Nano that I've had for over 5 years...but it goes with me every time my shoes hit the ground. My music selection is a bit schizophrenic....but it's what keeps me going.

Here's a small sampling of some of the music I LOVE to listen to when I'm running.

Foxy Lady

Foxy Lady

Interesting things that happen at 5:30 a.m.

Tuesday, July 12th
Michelle
30 minutes with interval sprints

Okay, you do see some interesting things at 5:30 in the morning. My favorite thing to see is our neighborhood fox. He is gorgeous and I have always equated seeing a fox to having good luck - so lucky me! This morning I saw him in the middle of the street and we stopped for what Jeremy refers to as a stare down. For one solid minute we just gazed into each others eyes from a safe distance.

Other things that happen at 5:30 a.m.

Your see your neighbors in their underwear fetching the morning paper
Your trash man begins to look familiar
You spot the occasional left shoe in the middle of the street and wonder...
You see others running and as you start to chuckle at their form, until you become self conscience about your own gallop
You hear the ringing of the abandon cell phone in your neighbors yard no doubt left there from the party the night before.

I wonder what happens at 4:30 a.m. . . .

48.4 Miles - A great vacation

A picture from our 15 mile trek into Cascade Canyon

48.4 Miles

A great vacation

Sunday, July 10th

Michelle

Adding up my vacation miles

I realized on my 11 day vacation that as of today, the half marathon Selena and I said we were going to do is in 41 days. As I shared this with Jeremy he said - "that is crazy" or something like that, I couldn't really hear him in front of me on our hike. 

What does he mean that's crazy? Oh, yes, because I haven't been running on vacation and it takes like 2 days to get out of running shape and like a week to get back into running shape (Don't quote me on that I made it up from my long-term memory) and to get marathon ready, you need 8 weeks. I was in a panic.

Okay, I thought, I could maybe crank it up a notch (or 10) and really knock this thing out. Then I remembered back to my first half marathon when I did that and I injured myself. Not a great idea. PLUS, with my 14er climbing schedule this summer and a new job, I can foresee some obstacles. 

I emailed Selena - "um have you actually signed up for the half marathon yet? If not, what about the one in October? Up for that one instead? I am afraid I may hurt myself if I push for August (lol)."

Within about an hour I got a refreshing email back saying that this may be more realistic and she will check that one out. WHEW! So we are looking at doing some adjusting and re-focusing - not giving up just changing our stride.

In the meantime, I decided to add up my milage of physical activity on my vacation.

1 night dancing to Widespread Panic = 3 miles

1 night dancing to Widespread Panic = 4 miles

1 night dancing to Widespread Panic = 5 miles (they played my favorite song + going to the country so I know I danced harder)

4 trips on my bike from the condo we were staying at into town = 8 miles

A walk around the independence day festival in Driggs, Idaho = 1 mile

A bike ride from our campground to our hike and back = 6 miles

A hike to Taggert Lake next to the Tetons = 6.4 miles

A trek into Cascade Canyon = 15 miles

Total milage = 48.4 miles in 11 days

Okay so maybe the dancing is a stretch but at least I was moving and grooving during my vacation! SO, I think it is time to re-evaluate our goal and make a solid game plan. Rachel is my hero with her super organizational powers and I am inspired by her. So here it goes...

The Power of Positive Thinking

July 7, 2011
Rachel
Today's Mileage: 8.0 miles

Today I did the same 8-mile route that I did last Thursday. And what a different experience it was. Last Thursday I was feeling really positive about my ability to do my longest run to date during this training session. It was nice and cool, I had the trail to myself, and I mostly enjoyed myself.

Here's a little glimpse of my train of thoughts during my run today:

"Wow, it's really hot. I'm not sure if I can make it in this heat. Did I drink enough water? What happens if I faint? Who will help me? Will anyone find the business card I put in my shorts so they can notify someone that I'm unconscious on the trail? I should have brought more water. How am I ever going to run a half marathon if I already feel horrible 2 miles into this run? Man that guy is running really fast...why am I running so slowly? What do I do if I start feeling dizzy? Would it be weird to go to one of those fancy houses over there and tell them I'm having a medical emergency. Wow...I really need to pee. What should I do about that? Can I go behind a tree? There are probably snakes behind those trees. I'll never be able to start up again if I stop to pee. Maybe I should turn around now and just do 6 miles today....."

And on and on and on. I clearly knew that these negative thoughts started the vicious cycle of feeling bad while running and then having more negative thoughts. I tried really hard to have enough control over my thoughts to start thinking positive thoughts instead, like, "hey, this feels great! I'm so proud of myself for doing this! I love this song! What a gorgeous sunny day!". But I seemed to have no control and my mind kept wandering to those negative places.

And yet, I completed the run, and felt very positive about it afterward. And I learned a lot about how important it is to try to keep positive thoughts in your head while training and racing.

CDO

July 5, 2011
Rachel
Today's Mileage: 3.2 miles

.....Ha ha, that's totally me

Unlike Michelle, I am a big planner when it comes to mapping my runs. I really dislike the thought of just going out the door and going where my running shoes take me. And unlike several years ago (the last time running was a big part of my life), the technology available to us runners is pretty awesome to help with the planning side of things.

My favorite website for planning my routes is mapmyrun.com. I have almost 20 runs that I've mapped out using this website. I haven't done all of them, but some of them I've already planned for when my mileage increases closer to the race. It gives me a lot of comfort and confidence going into a long run to know exactly where I get to turn around and what each part of my run looks like. The day of a long run, I actually have the route up on my computer for most of the day and I'll look at it (with the aerial photo overlay) several times throughout the day so I can mentally rehearse my run.

I like that I can find a route that fits into my mileage for the day no matter where I might be. Last month, a mapped a few runs in Pagosa Springs for when we were on vacation there, and I'll definitely to the same for some runs I can do in Lyons when we're at festivals this summer.

This website is also a social networking site for runners, so if you're so inclined, find me there (rachandlily)!

For Those Of Us Who Enjoy Adult Beverages....

July 3, 2011
Rachel
Today's Mileage: 4.0 miles

Beware! I spent much of the day Saturday enjoying Tommyknocker beer at the bluegrass festival, and then ate a burrito bigger than my head at the Morrison Inn. Luckily, I drank some water before bed, but I'm not going to lie and tell you I was feeling fabulous during my 7:30 a.m. run today.

I swear I could feel that beer coursing through my veins as I ran up a very long hill in what seemed to already be 80 degree heat. But, I feel MUCH better now! I think my day has been more centered and productive after sweating that all out of my system early this morning.

New Shoes and New Strategy

June 30, 2011
Rachel
Today's mileage: 8.0 miles


Today was my longest run yet and it felt great (and sorta horrible at the same time). It was my first run in my new shoes, which always make me feel like I can just go forever. New shoes are not necessarily in the budget right now, but I knew that the old shoes I was using were bound to lead to injury.

I also used this run to experiment with hydrating during my run. When I ran 7.5 miles last week, I felt very dizzy, disoriented, and cold towards the end of my run. It was recommended to me that after an hour of running, you need to find a way to rehydrate, which is anything over 6 miles for me. So, today, instead of running 4 miles each way, I tried something different. I stashed a gatorade in the bushes near the starting point and ran 3 miles each way, out and back. I stopped for about 20-30 seconds to guzzle half the gatorade, and then ran another 1 mile each way in the other direction, for a total of 8 miles.

I was nervous about doing this because I really do not like stopping when I'm running, for any reason. It just feels SO HORRIBLE to start up again. But, although the first quarter mile or so after my brief stop was pretty rough (especially 6 miles into the run), I think it was worth it. I think that shot of electrolytes was what helped me make it the full 8 miles. I felt much better at the end of this run than I did a week ago.

I'm feeling pretty rough tonight, though....I'm limping around the house and groaning every time I have to move very much. But I've stretched really well, will continue to hydrate, and will do some mild activity tomorrow to keep my muscles loose.

I love that I've set the goal of running my first half marathon over labor day...that goal is truly what keeps me going during these long runs. I spend a lot of time during run imagining myself running the race and finishing it! And today was actually the first time I started to feel like it might be possible. I plan to add a half mile each week or every other week, which makes getting to 11 miles before the race seem within reach.

Listen Up!

Selena

Mileage/Time: 3.1mi/32min.

I'm throwing out the 10% training rule. I found this random article online, and the author has some valid pointers on why following that rule can short-change your potential. Instead, I'm going to go by the article's axiom: "Listen to your body!!!" This rather vague concept needs elaboration, though...

Sure, we can "listen to our bodies" and surrender after some sloppy trotting because we're tired, our gait feels jangly, it's too hot outside, etc., but is that really listening to our body? Or is it more so listening to evil thought-demons? See, I'm really good at listening to the latter, but not so good at the former. In the past, I've ignored tiny aches that quickly metamorphed into a stabbing pain called a stress fracture. I've run the exact same cement course, oblivious to my body's reaction to the sidewalk's cant (that slight slope of the surface to aid in rainwater draining) and acclimatization to the routine-ness But now I'm going to be a better listener; I'm going to tune out those inconsequential thought-demons and turn up the volume on those bodily, physiological clues. Am I sweating because my muscles are happily singing in searing work, or because my joints can't take this much pounding yet? I think diversifying my running course, my distance, my speed will all be in aid of this.

The author offers some pointers on how to increase distance without the 10% rule, and I like his/her tactic:

"Week 1 : 3 - 3 - 3 - 3. Total = 12 miles

Week 2 : 3 - 4 - 3 - 4. Total = 14 miles
Increase of two miles. More than the 10 % rule, but that's fine, you are only increasing your mileage on two of your four runs.

Week 3 : 3 - 5 - 3 - 5. Total = 16 miles
Again an increase of two miles. Again more than the 10 % rule. By the way, see the hard/easy principle starting to shape.

Week 4 : 3 - 3 - 3 - 3. Total = 12 miles
Cut back to 75 % of your training load. Twelve miles suddenly feels a lot lighter than three weeks ago !

Week 5 : 3 - 5 - 4 - 6. Total = 18 miles
Increase one of the shorter runs so that your shorter and longer runs don't get too far apart

Week 6 : 4 - 5 - 4 - 7. Total = 20 miles
Again an increase in one of the shorter runs as well as in the longest run. Keep in mind that your longest run can be in somewhat lower intensity than the other runs. You are trying to cover distance here, not trying to get there as fast as possible.

Week 7 : 4 - 6 - 4 - 8. Total = 22 miles
Steadily increasing with 2 miles per week we are already doing ten miles more than six weeks ago !

Week 8 : 3 - 4 - 3 - 5. Total = 15 miles
Again a significant cut-back in the fourth week. Give those legs a fresher-upper.

Week 9 : 4 - 6 - 5 - 9. Total = 24 miles
After the rest week you are fresh again and add another 2 miles to your mileage.

Week 10 : 4 - 6 - 5 - 10. Total = 25 miles
And you have done it. 25 miles per week."

I'm synthesizing this plan with my run/walk thing (to prevent the flare up of past injuries) and with some workouts I remember doing in high school cross country:

• Fartlek Training: If you can find a good stretch of empty road with electricity line poles demarcating even intervals, trotting to one pole then sprinting to the next, rinse, repeat, is a great way to get in a short workout without sacrificing a good energy push. This can also be done for longer distances without the sprints.
• Hills: this was a sorta derivative of Fartlek in which we'd find a good, quarter-mile hill, and then run up it as fast as we could, trot back down to the bottom, rinse, repeat. Brutal, but great for the ass.

I also like Michelle's track-sprint routine and I'm going to be heading to the neighboring high school to reenact it this week.

What Did I Sign Up For?

What Did I Sign Up For?
I need to keep an eye on my alter ego


Wednesday, June 29th
Michelle
2 Miles


A wimpy 2 mile run today. The whole time I was feeling heavy and I couldn't find my rhythm. The whole time I was thinking...who signed me up for this? What did I get myself into? Is there a way to train without running?

Then I had to kick myself into gear and channel my thoughts into somewhere positive. I finished my run, but wasn't very happy with it.

Good thing there is tomorrow... and good thing I have 2 other people to be accountable to!

Uphill and Into the Wind Both Ways

Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Rachel
Today's Mileage: 4.0 miles

Today was just one of those days. I won't complain too much here, because this is a place for inspiration! But...I seriously felt like I was running into the wind and uphill the entire route. How does that happen? ugh. Bound to feel better tomorrow....

Hiking Counts

Capitol Peak 14,156 feet

Hiking Counts
Especially 14ers


Sunday, March 26th
Michelle
5.5 miles (hiking)

I have a goal to climb all 55 14,000 foot peaks in Colorado. With that goal, you can imagine how much I am hiking and climbing every summer. The shortest 14er we have ever done took us about 2 hours and 15 minutes (Castle Peak) and the longest took us 18 hours (Capitol Peak).

When Jer and I hike, we don't go for a leisurely stroll, we get to the top and back as fast as we can (not compromising our knees of course). The elevation gain and speed builds endurance and strength and therefore is a key part of the training for my half marathon. We also have an unspoken rule that when the trail is flat, we run it. All in all, hiking/climbing compliments my runs perfectly.

On the calendar: Seven 14ers, a trip to the Tetons, and Four 13ers.

Logistics.

Selena

Mileage/Time: 48min.

The campaign against injuries continues. I've been forcing myself to incorporate 3-4min. walking breaks in between 10-11min. segments of running. This despite how nerdy I feel: there's something embarrassing about being decked out in my running gear (complete with one of those slick, super-ventilated hats) and then just walking. Obviously this is my own personal hang-up; obviously there's nothing wrong with "just walking"; and obviously I'm probably too self-conscious. But regardless, I can't wait for the day when those walking breaks are eliminated and I can "just run."

I still need to sit down with a calendar and start planning out my training. With just this vague notion of increasing my endurance, I haven't exactly examined the logistics. Like, how long will it take me to up my mileage to 13.1? Are there really enough weeks from now til then to pull it off? And what can I do in between to keep up motivation? To the calendar I go... [update to follow].

Fuel

Friday, June 24, 2011
Rachel
Today's mileage: 3.1 miles

Had a nice short run this morning after not running since Monday evening. I felt a bit sluggish and decided that Monday to Friday might be too long of a running lull for most weeks.

In the meantime, I thought I'd share a link to a post I wrote on my other blog about green smoothies. I've been drinking green smoothies on and off for over 3 years and love to tell other people about them. I usually have a green smoothie before every workout and am amazed at how it can fuel my body without making me feel like I'm running around with a stomach full of food. LOVE GREEN SMOOTHIES!

• Green Smoothies are a blended mixture of raw leafy greens, raw fruit or veggies, & water.
• Green smoothies are easy to digest. When blended well, all the valuable nutrients in these fruits and veggies become homogenized, or divided into such small particles that it becomes easy for the body to assimilate these nutrients.
• Green smoothies, as opposed to juices, are a complete food because they still have fiber.
• By consuming two or three cups of green smoothies daily you will consume enough of greens for the day to nourish your body, and they will be well assimilated.
• When you consume your greens in the form of green smoothies, you can greatly reduce the consumption of oils and salt in your diet.

Check out the link above to get a lot more information about green smoothies and how to make them correctly so they taste delicious!

Enter Sprints

Enter Sprints
My Faster Shoes


Friday, June 24th
Michelle
10 - 50 yard sprints


Today I managed to break out sprints! And for the record, I don't know if they were 50 yards, I am just guessing. I can measure some other time.

Felt great and it is a nice change of pace (ha) from my runs. Combine this with a regular sit-up routine and I will have swimsuit abs in no time. Oh and by the way, I can probably count on my one hand the times I will be in that swimsuit, but none-the-less, it is a goal.

Flexibility

Thursday, June 23, 2011
Rachel
Today's mileage: rest day, walk 2 miles

I have a really great, well thought out training calendar that takes me right up to race day on September 5th. I'm such a planner and organizer, that having this calendar at my fingertips at all times makes me feel more confident about this crazy undertaking. But...I'm also a really busy working mama with lots of hobbies and other extracurricular commitments. So, my mantra for life these days is FLEXIBILITY.

I was supposed to go the gym Monday morning, but I was too sleepy. So I ran that afternoon instead, getting my long run for the week in on Monday evening instead of Tuesday morning. I was supposed to get up do a short run this morning. But I drank beer and ate chocolate with my girlfriends until midnight last night and needed some sleep. So, I'll get up tomorrow morning and count today as a rest day. I'll walk two miles during lunch today to get my heart rate up a little bit. I've made a promise to myself to get my short, medium, and long runs in each week. But I'm recognizing that this is a busy, crazy time of year for me, and if I'm going to make it happen, I need to be flexible!

It's All in the Form

Selena
Mileage/Time: 42 min.

Like Michelle, I'm focusing on time, not distance. My feet, my knees, my hamstrings aren't used to this kind of aerobic strain, so my first step is getting up their endurance. I did this by doing a pseudo interval run: I briskly walked for 4 min, jogged for 10, trotted for 4, jogged for 10, trotted for 4, jogged for 10, and then had a 5 min cool down of more brisk walking. It seemed to work out well. My knee isn't pissed at me--though that could change once the lactic acid starts swarming around the surrounding muscles. My feet, on the other hand, fared less well: I've got a wicked blister on my arch. I guess that'll just be part of the endurance training, though. It'll soon probably morph into a callous and I won't feel a thing anymore. Ah, well. Cute, sassy, strappy sandals be damned...

Another thing I found myself focusing on was my form. Due to my propensity for slouching, I often find myself slackening my core muscles and hunching over as I run. This, in turn, causes my knees to knock inwards and my foot-strike to be towards my toes. By concentrating on keeping my abs tight, I find everything else falls into place, and then I have that moment, when I look at the trail ahead and my entire body feels bio-mechanically "slick," like anyone who happened to see me would really be convinced that I'm a runner. "Geez," they'd say as I cruised by, "that person's a runner! Like, whoa..."

While I couldn't keep up that glorious moment for the entire run, I found I could keep it going for longer than I had before. And it's that goal of maintaining proper, healthy form for the whole run, of feeling like your body isn't a jumbled up bunch of joints and muscles and sinews but is, instead, a perfectly tuned up machine--that's what keeps me going. Because once I stop (thinking I'm just too busy or just too tired), having to start up again brings me back to the beginning of the whole herky-jerky process.

It's All Down Hill From Here

It's All Down Hill From Here
Starting Downhill


Wednesday, June 22nd
Michelle
Today's Milage: 5.1

Let's start by wishing all those pedaling today a safe and happy bike to work day. 

When I leave my house, I have no idea where I am going. I choose a route that I have never done and go for it. Right now, I am focused on how long I run, not how far I go. I have to train my body to just keep moving.

This morning I chose a run that started downhill. This can only mean one of two things:

A. I have to face this hill on my way back
B. I have to go out of my way to avoid the hill again

I chose the latter and made a HUGE loop hoping for some downhill on the way back. It paid off. I had a pleasant downhill stride the last mile.

My preference is to tackle my hills in the beginning than the end, but I don't get to choose race day. Can't wait for my first real hill workout ugh!

Dirty Thirty: Oh, the Pain

Selena

Mileage: 0 (rest day)

Last Sunday I turned 30. And yes, I freaked out. I thought about hiding in my darkened apartment, curled up in the fetal position, downing whiskey, but then thought better of it. Instead, I went out to a dive bar, drank the whiskey in public, and warbled sad, drunken songs for their Sunday karaoke night. Clearly this was a better choice.

The next day, after suffering through work with a throbbing headache, I went for a long walk (since I had left my car at the bar the night before and I had to walk--er, I mean, I wanted to walk. Yeah, totally. Because I'm training for a half-marathon, and stuff, you know?) and did some thinking. 30 may not be that old--"30's the new 20!" said one friend. Who's 24. Pfft.--but it's definitely an age where one-night-stands with whiskey or long-distance running workouts are felt in completely different ways than that felt by my 20-year-old body. Sheesh. I remember being able to do silly, alcohol fueled antics until the wee-hours of the morning with only a furry tongue and vaguely reduced motor-skills as my punishment. I used to gallop on pavement, dangerously increasing my distance by miles upon miles per week, and being none the worse for wear. (Just to be clear: that last part was, ahem, about running, not drinking...)

Ah, but now? Now, my flat, overpronating feet shout obscenities at me (I've had two stress fractures on the metatarsals), my knee tries to start fights, and my iliotibial band is about as tight as a non-twist beer bottle top...

As my shameful walk came to an end that day (and I saw that my car hadn't been towed), I faced up to the cold, hard, 30-year-old truth: my training will have to be slow and steady. And probably whiskey-free. My doctor (who is an avid runner) once told me that the body can handle a 10% exercise increase per week; in other words, if you're running for 20 minutes this week, you should run 22 minutes the next, and 24 the next, etc.

Hmmmm... I need to do some serious math calculations! I'm only at 30 minutes?? And our race is how soon?! Yikers.

Pushing My Limits

Monday, June 20, 2011
Rachel
Today's mileage: 7.5 miles

I'm already SO happy I've committed to running my first half-marathon over labor day weekend and that I've committed to training "virtually" with Selena and Michelle. I skipped the gym this morning, but threw some running clothes in my bag on the way out the door. Knowing that my race will be here before I know it; wanting to be accountable to myself, these ladies, and this blog; and also needing to burn off some of what I ate (and drank) during this past weekend which was full of celebrations; I talked myself into leaving work a bit early to get a long run in.

The weather was perfect; cool and humid after raining all day in Denver. And I pushed myself to complete the longest run I have done in at least 15 years. Really!!! It was tough...I definitely had to dig deep for the last couple miles. But I kept reminding myself how awesome I would feel when I could collapse on the couch tonight after a hot shower, knowing that I did it! And what a glorious feeling it is....

During my run, I reflected on what an amazing thing the human body is. I remembered that six months ago, I couldn't even run 2 miles. I reveled in how amazing I feel after losing nearly 50 pounds since I started this journey of health and healing. And I imagined myself running 13.1 miles. It seems pretty far out of reach right now. But I know that if I keep pushing myself further and further each week, I'll get there. And I can't wait.....

The Alarm Dispute

The Alarm Dispute
Before you face the run, you have to face the alarm.

Monday, June 20th
Michelle Marison
Today's milage: 3 miles

Setting: My bedroom, 11:00 p.m. on Sunday night. Rain softly hitting the roof, an exhausted couple lies in bed. One has a book propped up against her knees, the other is staring up at the vacant ceiling. 

Jeremy: What time is the alarm set for?

Michelle: 5:15 a.m.

Jeremy: What? I wish I would have known that. I would have gone to bed 45 minutes ago.

Michelle: But I want to get in a good run in the morning before work.

Jeremy: Set it for 5:45 and just get out of bed. No snooze, just get up.

Michelle grunts and reluctantly rolls out of bed to set the alarm on her phone for 5:45 a.m. 


She snoozes the alarm until 6:15 a.m. the next morning and her shoes hit the pavement 1 hour later than she wanted to.


End scene.


This is an all too familiar conversation Jeremy and I engage in at night followed by an all to familiar morning routine. Time to break the routine. When a half marathon is on the line snoozing ... it's not an option. So long snooze. Oh and there is also an alarm negotiation that needs to take place. Before I can face my run, I have to face my alarm.

Welcome

Welcome to our blog! We are three friends in Colorado who are virtually training together to run a half marathon during the fall of 2011. Some of us are veteran half marathoners, and for some, this will be our first. We'll be using this blog to document our training and nutrition, our struggles, and to inspire each other and you!