5 miler

I ran 5 miles today without the stroller and I can't say how much easier it was!  It was nice to not have sore shoulders from pushing the stroller up hills not to mention the calves!  My legs felt kind of tight today and they just started to loosen up as I finished.  Crazy!  Maybe I didn't start off slow enough.  Oh well, there plenty of time for that tomorrow!  I wore my new red shirt today and the only disappointment was that there was a lot of bouncing with the pocket.  There's no zipper on it so I was afraid my phone would fall out.  I may need to do some velcro magic on it to make it a real viable option.  But it was real cute and I was totally comfortable in it.  I love the length!  

It's here!

Well my shirts got here yesterday!  Talk about fast shipping!  I totally love both of them.  I'll wear one in the Ogden marathon and save the other one for the marathon I want to do in the fall. (Hopefully St. George!  I find out tonight if I made it through the lottery!)   The red one is a bit longer and has two BIG pockets in the back that will carry anything I need!  

The peachy one is pretty cool.  It's not as long as the other one, but it's longer than my other running shirts so woo hoo!  It's also got this cute little kangaroo pocket in the front that will be good to put chap stick or Advil or just one gel in.  I love the sleeves that are puckered a little at the top.  It gives it a real feminine look without being too tight.  It also has a big zip pocket in the back for storing other stuff.  I'll have to experiment to see which pocket will be best to put my phone in.  The back is almost cuter than the front with the Argyle print.  They're both comfy and the only thing I don't like in both of them is the neck line.  I wish it were more like a t-shirt, but the upside is it will protect me from the sun more.  I just don't like all the crazy tan lines I get running.  Oh well.  I'm excited that I found some cute clothes that will function well too.  Like Janzen says, running would be cheap if it wasn't a big fashion show!  He just doesn't understand that you're getting your picture taken that immortalizes forever that look of pain and misery and it's only faded a bit by that totally cute outfit you get to sport that day!

Short one

I only had time to fit in a 4 miler this morning and I didn't even have time to get Logan ready so I just jumped on the treadmill and did an interval of hills and slower speed.  I didn't do anything faster than 10 miles per minute.  It was fun and went by very quickly.  I did weights for upper body and abs and stretched really good. 

 I'm getting a big excited for the big day.  Jodi got into the half marathon for sure and is planning to wait there for me so that we can finish together.  The full marathon, half, and relay are all sold out!  I really can't believe it!  Last year the full sold out, but wow!  Are there that many crazies out there!  I'm really excited because I know the course and I think I've learned a lot in the last year that should help me to do better this year.  Plus, I'll have Jodi there with me to finish!  I now know that I need to plan for my expectations not to be met and be able to deal with them.  I also know that whatever happens, I will finish and try again some other day.  I really love running and what it teaches me about myself!  

I ordered a new shirt that I hope gets here before Saturday so I can try it out on a longer run to see where I might need any Body Glide.  I am having a hard time finding a shirt with sleeves AND pockets in the back for storage.  I ended up looking on a biking website and ordered a jersey.  They all seem to have pockets and a variety of sleeve lengths and a really good selection of styles.  They can't be any worse than the shirts I've found for running that are usually too short in the torso for me and make my hips look even worse than they already do.  I'm sure those tights don't help either, but they're so comfy!  I'll update when it gets here! 

Another beautiful day!

Logan saw me getting dressed to go running this morning and said, "don't get on the treadmill, mom."  I think he enjoyed our run as much as I did yesterday.  We got all ready and headed out, this time with the camera.  That is one good thing about taking the stroller, there's a handy dandy pocket in the back so that I can take extra stuff with me that I wouldn't normally take.  Like my big camera.  I took Logan by the tractors and some construction that I knew of and by all the horses.  We saw a steamroller that he wanted me to drive and back down to the trains.

Once again it was a beautiful day and I realized that I may go slower when I go with Logan, but I enjoy my surroundings more and see the world through different eyes.  

We went by some blossoming trees again but because of the slight breeze, the blossoms were blowing off and these beautiful pink petals were flying over us.  It was the closest I'll get to someone throwing flowers as I run by!  Pretty cool!  We went about 5 miles and enjoyed every bit of it!

It's Spring!

It was such a nice day that I simply couldn't run on the treadmill.  So I got my little Logan all ready, we put on our sunglasses and headed out in the jogging stroller.  I just took it easy again, well as much as you can pushing a stroller while running.  I took Logan down by the trains and it's a much different run with him along.  I notice, with his help, all the different trucks that go by.  We saw beverage trucks, mail trucks, diesel trucks, horse trucks, and trailer trucks. We saw busses, and garbage trucks, and the best part of all was that when we got to the train crossing, a train came along and blew its whistle at us.  Logan loved it!  I loved the sun being out and even felt slightly hot towards the end!  It's close to 70 degrees and I feel a little guilty writing this as I just read Michael's blog this morning and all the snow they had yesterday!  The trees along the streets are in full blossom and smell heavenly!  It finally feels like spring!  If only every spring day felt like today!  We went 6.5 miles.  

Long Run?

Well I woke up not feeling very good this morning and had a busy day ahead of me.  So after our busy morning, and after being kind of grouchy, I decided to take a nap and when I got up I only had about an hour and a half to do my "long run" before the night's activities.  I don't do well on lack of sleep.  So the nap helped but didn't leave me time for as long of a run as I planned on.  I ran a little over 9 miles and did it all at a pretty easy pace.  It was nice again to not have to stop and walk to recover and I even ran up a really big long hill and it didn't wind me.  I ran the last 3 1/2 miles that were mostly downhill a little faster.  It felt good and though it was a shorter long run, I hope it will be good enough.  I figured that wearing out my body wouldn't be good at this point and maybe the nap was more important today.  It was good being outside in the nice weather and improved my mood greatly.  Now hopefully this not feeling good thing won't last too long.

Ummmmmm....change of plans!

After having a good conversation with Michael about my training and doing some more research (o.k. so google searches might not really count as research) I have decided to not speed train during this in-between marathon period.  But now that means I really don't know what I'm doing for the next two weeks as far as my training goes.  I really don't know how far to go each day.  I know that Saturdays will still be my long runs and I guess I'm going to try alternating walking and swimming and easy running days.  Today I did an easy, slow run of 6 1/2 miles.  It was actually nice to not have to stop and walk.  I thought it would go by really slowly compared to speed workouts, but it didn't.  I really think the speed work is good for me mentally more than anything else.  My hip flexors were getting tight towards the end I think because of all the walking I've been doing.  I was not meant to be a speed walker.  It hurts my body more than running!  I finished up with weight training for my upper body and abs, then stretched really good.  Janz and I walked about 3 miles last night and I'm going to see about swimming tonight since I'll be gone all day tomorrow.    I keep telling myself that it's only a few more weeks.  

Fun Run and Lunch

I ran with Logan for a while this morning in the stroller for about 2 1/2 miles.  We were in the wind for most of the way and then walked with Holly to lunch for 5 miles.  It was such nice weather and finally felt like spring!  I got a text from Jodi during my run with Logan that said she was running on the beach in paradise!  I don't think it gets much better than that!  Enjoy it while you can, Jodi, cause pretty soon you'll be back here and it will either be HOT or snowing!

Speed Work

I wasn't sure what speed work would do to me, so I decided to just do 2 minutes fast and 2 minutes recovery.  It was hard, but it felt good to go fast.  I did an extra long warm up and a couple of easy miles before I got into it and I'm sure that helped.  I did 5 repeats and then cooled down.  It was about 4 miles.  And no knee or calf pain!  I did strength training for my upper body and abs, stretched, and drank 1/2 recovery drink and hit the shower!  I wonder if I could start doing plyometrics again yet or just wait until I'm recovered from the next one!

We're not in Kansas anymore!

It was another blustery day!  It felt just like Saturday only colder!  Since tomorrow's such a busy day and Justin was home today, I decided to do my long run today.  I knew I'd have to take it easy and just see how far I could go. Jodi was nice enough to come with me again (I love having a running buddy!) even though she knew I'd be going slow.  It really was a good run even though we took several walking breaks (for me)!  We did a lot of hills so combined with the wind it was a good workout!  We went about 8 miles and though I could feel my hamstrings a little, there was no calf pain!  I'm totally excited!

I listened to Wicked while we were running and there's a song on there that I have come to love!  Even though it doesn't really talk about running, it's still inspirational and gives words to my feelings of wanting to accomplish what I never would dare to dream on my own.  So many other things in life are that way.  We never know what we can accomplish until we try.  So, enjoy!

Defying Gravity

Something has changed within me 

Something is not the same

I'm through with playing by the rules

Of someone else's game

Too late for second-guessing

Too late to go back to sleep

It's time to trust my instincts

Close my eyes: and leap!

It's time to try

Defying gravity

I think I'll try

Defying gravity

And you can't pull me down!

I'm through accepting limits

'Cuz someone says they're so

Some things I cannot change

But till I try, I'll never know!

Too long I've been afraid of

Losing love I guess I've lost

Well, if that's love

It comes at much too high a cost!

I'd sooner buy

Defying gravity

Kiss me goodbye

I'm defying gravity

And you can't pull me down!

Run!

So I thought that I'd try just another walk today.  I got on the treadmill since it's snowing (again!) and I don't dare take Logan out in the stroller in the snow.  I walked a mile progressively getting faster and my body just wanted to run!  I decided that I'd run just a little and see what happened, but promised myself that if I started hurting that I'd quit.  I ran a mile progressively getting a little faster with each lap (still not fast by any means) and decided that I could keep going.  After 2 miles I could start to feel some of the sore muscles and decided to quit.  I walked another 1/2 mile and got off.  I stretched really good and then ate.  But it just felt good to run again and know that I could still do it!  I know it was only 2 miles, but hey! I'll take it!

More Walking

Yesterday I started lifting again for my upper body and abs.  I don't think I'll be doing any lower body for a while to let my bod heal as much as possible.  Each day gets better and better as far as the soreness goes.  I went on a walk with Janz last night.  It was 2 1/2 miles but we did it at a pretty good pace.  My lower body no longer feels beat up and it's just my calves still that are really sore.  I can't wait to run again!  I'm just waiting until my calves feel better so that they don't cramp up again.  I don't want to prolong the process.  

Takin' it Easy

When I woke up this morning, I could stand on my heels again!  Hooray!  It's been the worst getting out of bed each morning since the marathon.  As long as I'm up and moving I don't seem to feel as bad.  But as soon as I sit....boy, standing is hard!  I had 1/2 hour sports massage yesterday and as much as it HURT, I think it did some good.  My calves are still pretty sore, but the rest feels pretty good considering!  Logan and I went on a 3 mile walk this afternoon and though it wasn't a leisurely pace, it wasn't Jodi's speed walk either.  My calves could feel it on the hills, but it felt good to be out!  I don't know what to expect the rest of the week, I think I'll just see how I feel and I'm hoping to be able to run 6 miles on Saturday.  It will have to be very easy though.  My plan right now is to do a 15-16 miler next Saturday and then a 8-10 miler the next Saturday and then the marathon.  It sounds good on paper, I'll just have to see if my body will let me do it!  And thanks again to everyone!  I really do appreciate all your support!  It makes such a difference!

Salt Lake Marathon

I've been waiting to post this whole experience until I can be positive about it and I think I may have thought of enough things to write it now.  It was definitely not the perfect run.  But it's o.k., now.   I was doing better than the day prior to the marathon, as far as the nerves go.  I think I figured out why I was so nervous.  I started to remember all the pain from the first one and knew that I wasn't going to have a running buddy with me this time.  It's so much easier to endure pain and be excited for something when it's new and someone's there to share it with.  I didn't know the course at all and was nervous about the weather.  I felt more prepared physically, just not mentally.  The night before was so good though.  We had been to the temple and then out to dinner with good friends where I was so good about my carbo loading.  I never could get in all the carbs I needed to either day.  I'm sure I could if it was junk food, but when it's good for you food that was limited on the fat content, it was tough!  Janzen gave me a blessing too and that calmed me.  

I was able to sleep about 3 1/2 hours and then got up at 3:45.  I got in a warm bath and shaved my legs (I was planning on that massage afterwards) and just took my time relaxing.  I put Body Glide on what seemed like my entire body and really focussed on my toes.  I was determined not to lose any toenails this year.  I made some oatmeal and got my pre-run drink ready.  Just as I was getting all my stuff together, Holly pulled up.  I wasn't sure what to wear.  I had on a short sleeved shirt and my long sleeved technical tee over the top of that.  I was going to wear my vest that has the really good pockets that I've trained in so I didn't have to use the back pocket in my shirt.  I got my phone, my gels, my sunglasses, i pod, chapstick, and ran out the door.  We picked up Sherrie, who was waiting on her front porch and headed out!  It was fun riding down with friends.  But the closer we got to Salt Lake, the nerves came back.  We decided that since it was going to be 70 degrees that I had better not plan on wearing the vest so I packed all my stuff in my back pocket, hoping that it wouldn't bounce too much and give me a bruise.  They dropped me off and I went to find the porta potties.  

I was once again amazed at the number of people paying to punish their bodies and thinking to myself that I was a little crazy.  It was so different than my first marathon.  I didn't have a buddy to hang with so I found a spot of grass away from people and laid down and thought about Janz's blessing and just tried to calm myself as much as possible.  I lost track of time and when I got up and looked at my watch, there was only 5 minutes until the start.  I ran over to find the clothing drop.  I dropped my bottle and vest and some other things in my bag and started to walk to the starting line.  There was a gospel choir singing up on the Olympic Bridge and then they starting singing the Star Spangled Banner.  It was beautiful and there was a big flag on the side of the hill made out of rocks or flowers or something.  I settled in near the back and got my i pod ready to go.  I heard him say go! and then a whole 5 minutes later I started running.  Did I mention that there were a lot of runners!  1243 Full Marathoners, 3819 Half Marathoners, and 3020 5 k runners.  The 1/2s and the fulls started together and then split about 6 miles in so it was really crowded at the start.  I was feeling really good and just told myself to take it easy and not get carried away.  I missed the first mile marker and when I hit the second one I checked my watch.  It said 18:57.  I felt great and felt like I was holding back a little.  I could feel my right quad, but just barely and I hoped that it would loosen up, which it did.  Mile 3 was 9:55 and I developed a plan for the rest of the marathon.  I'd try and run an average of 10 minutes miles and allow for extra time on the uphill miles and try to make it up by gliding down the downhills.  And I'd have to allow some extra time for going against the wind.  Did I not mention the wind yet?  Well, it was a steady 25 miles an hour wind with gusts of 40.  Yeah, great.  Oh and did I mention that it was going against us?  

Oh, and did I mention the hills?  Well that was coming!  The chart is deceiving because it's only a drop of 500 feet or so overall, so the hills weren't as drastic as they look.  The next couple of miles were downhill and I did them in 8:25 and 8:39.  Then next six miles were rolling hills but my pace stayed pretty steady around 10:10.  The wind was so hard.  There were times where I didn't feel like I was even moving forward.  I also had to adjust my gels, but I think it was in the wrong direction.  I realized that the water stations were about 2 miles apart and in training I had been doing 1/2 gel every 30-35 minutes.  I decided that I'd gel every other aid station and just drink water in between.  The wind had a nasty side effect of making my mouth totally dry.  I wished I wouldn't have sent my gum down in the bag.  I got to run through Sugarhouse Park which was where I ran my only 5 k ever last year.  That brought back fun memories and I took my phone out and texted Jodi, who I ran it with.

At mile 13, out of nowhere, my right calf started to cramp horribly.  I didn't even get any warning like soreness before.  I ran through it for a little and then decided (o.k. my body decided) to stop and walk and stretch it.  It helped for a while, but after running for a few minutes it was right back.  Mile 16 was the first 11 minute mile and it was both calves by then.  I was getting really discouraged.  I knew that I hadn't entered the hardest part of the run yet and I was hurting so much already.  Each mile got progressively slower and more painful.  I had to do more and more walking and got more and more discouraged.  Part of the reason I was so discouraged is because the rest of me felt great!  I knew I was faster this year, I was stronger and it wasn't going to show.  My knee wasn't hurting at all, my quads felt great and I just wanted to GO!  

About mile 18 I took out my phone and called Janz.  I really needed a pep talk.  I could hardly talk because I had started crying.  He told me that athletes don't cry!  How's that for a pep talk!  Then he gave me the words of encouragement I needed.  He wasn't even in Salt Lake yet or I may have told him to just come pick me up.  I did some serious praying, more crying, and finally just turned off my music.  I tried to change how I was running, tried telling myself to relax my legs, tried to just block out the pain but I'm a wimp and ended up walking a lot.  By mile 20 my spirits had gotten positive again.  I knew there was only 6 miles left and we were in the city again.  I haven't mentioned yet how great all the spectators were!  People were lining the streets almost the whole course and some really cute little girls around Abby and  Caroline's age lined the streets with their hands held out waiting for runners to give them five!   There were 7 bands along the route and lots of people cheering for all the runners.  The last 6 miles were pretty slow.  I could run about 10 steps before my calves would lock up and I'd have to walk.  I bet I walked about 3 miles toward the end.  

Then, about 3 blocks from the finish line I tripped!  Yep, you read right!  I tripped and fell down.  I was getting ready to cross a street and was looking at the policeman directing traffic making sure he saw me.  And the road just happened to come up a little around a manhole cover.  I went down in front of all that traffic and lots of people!  I caught myself pretty good, no blood or anything, just some hurt pride, but when I went to stand up, my calves were locked up and I was up on my tip toes like a very uncoordinated ballerina crying in pain and unable to get my heels down.  Several runners who had already finished were walking by and came running over to help me get up.  They were keeping me upright while I got one heel down, but the right one just wouldn't go down.  One lady rubbed my calf and it finally relaxed enough to let me stand up.  I'm sure I'll never see those people again, but I was so grateful they came to help me out.  I crossed the street glad I had my sunglasses on so no one could see me bawling like a baby!  I was right before the last turn before the couple of blocks to the finish line, and a volunteer from the marathon came running over to me.  He could see I was crying and took my hands and ran backwards leading me onward telling me I was almost there.  He asked what was hurting and I told him my calves.  He was awesome, kept encouraging me, and talking me through the baby steps I was taking to run.  He took me to the corner and congratulated me on finishing.  Those last few blocks seemed to last forever. 

 

I kept scanning the crowd for my family.  I knew they were on the right side and when I saw them...well I was already crying and they were cheering so loud for me.  I couldn't wait to get to them.  I got my timing chip cut off and then went to find my family.  My mom and two sisters and her kids were there as well.  I was crying and couldn't even enjoy the moment. 

 

I was just so disappointed. There was no sense of accomplishment, no joy.  I went to the massage table and should have gone to the first aid tent for the huge blister I had on my foot.  It was in the exact same place as last time!  And that's even with wearing my special (that a code word for ridiculously expensive) socks!  

(BTW-check out the great salt lake that accumulated on my face for the day! O.k. so I couldn't get it to enlarge but trust me, there is salt dried on my face like nothing else!)

We went home and I took my ice bath which felt SO good and I was o.k. the rest of the day.  Sore, yes, but o.k.  I woke up today more sore than yesterday and it's my whole lower half.  I took another cold bath (all the ice was gone) this morning and I may do it again tomorrow. 

 

Now that I can look back on it, I can see some things I need to improve on and learn from.  

First:  I need to work on my fueling and find something that will be easier to do in the marathon situation.  I didn't want the intestinal problems from taking in too much, like last year, but I don't think I got enough this year considering the hills and the wind and the aid stations farther apart than I was used to.

Second:  I still need to learn to pace myself better and remember that 26 miles is a long way and not use it all up in the beginning.

Third:  I need to seriously work on being able to adjust my goals in the middle of a race and still be happy about it.  I can't let myself get so discouraged again.  That was bad!

Now, some things to end on a positive note:

*I ran a marathon for crying out loud!

*My knee didn't hurt!  Yeah!

*I haven't lost any toenails this year!

*No chaffing whatsoever!

*The wind actually kept me cool and the 76 degrees didn't even feel hot!

*I'm not as sore as I was last year and will recover quicker!

*I learned a lot about enduring to the end.

*I have an awesome support system and that includes anyone who reads my boring little blog and leaves me comments to encourage me!

*There are awesome people in this world willing to cheer and help people they don't even know and will probably never see again!

*I have the chance to try it all over again in 4 weeks!

Please give me tips if you see something that I don't so I can use it on my next one!  

Oh, and check out my family blog to see a really funny but true video if you haven't already!

 

Carbo Loading Workout!

It seems crazy that I would only have to run 3 miles today!  But I did it and it felt good.  I think I may have overdone a little on my speed workout on Tuesday because my right quad has felt sore ever since.  It doesn't feel any better today and I'm a tiny bit worried that maybe it's a pull and not a sore muscle.  I don't really know what I can do for it at this point.  I stretched it good after my run today and I guess I'll just try and do that again tonight and tomorrow and hope for the best.  I started my carbo loading today right after my workout.  I read in my latest running book a different carbo loading method by the Western Australians that only requires 24 hours of carbo loading.  But it requires sprinting at 90% for 2 1/2 minutes followed immediately by 30 seconds of all out sprinting.  It is supposed to be done the day before the marathon, but can be done 2 days prior to as long as you keep the carbs up the following day.  I did this (HARD!!!) at the end of my miles and then cooled down and started my carbo loading.  

I think it is going to be harder than I thought doing without the protein and fat I am used to.  If you want to read the whole research on carbo loading, visit here.  I figured out how many carbs I was supposed to eat today and tomorrow and it's CRAZY!!!  552 grams of carbs or 2208 calories worth of carbs!  That just sounds so outrageous, but it's only 2 days and I got started late today so I don't know if I can even fit in that many carbs!  My fat allowance for the day is 31 grams and my protein is 69 grams.  I've actually already gone over that in the protein for the day and as I sit and type, I'm eating Raisin Bran with no milk!  I for sure didn't do this last year, so maybe this will help!  We live in this carb phobia world and as much as I don't think I'm impacted by this, I must be a little, because this sounds nuts!  But I thought ice baths were nuts a month ago until I tried them, so who knows!

So I think I'm having a freak out about the marathon day every other day now because Monday I was absolutely crazy and Tuesday I was o.k. and then Wednesday I was so nervous my stomach felt physically sick and then today I'm fine.  So if that pattern continues, I'll freak out tomorrow and be fine the day of the marathon!  My mom used to always get sick a couple of nights before one of my brother's big games.  I thought she was so silly to get physically sick from nerves.  I guess this is my payback for thinking that and now I have a lot of empathy for her.  

My i-pod started having problems last night when I was trying to download some new stuff.  We got an Mac for Christmas and still have the Windows version downstairs.  Well it was having problems with me mixing and matching computers and was telling me that it was full when I know it wasn't.  So I had to reinstall it and I lost all my playlists.  So I put most of the music back on today, but I still have to go and rearrange everything.  I had on my long run playlist all the slower paced music and the beginning and the faster stuff at the end to get me through when I need the energy.  So I guess that will be tomorrow's project.  We are going out tomorrow night to the Temple and then dinner and won't be back until late.  Then I'm leaving about 4:30 a.m. so I better get everything ready and set out tomorrow so I don't forget anything!  I did have one freak out moment today when I looked at the counter at the bottom of the blog and it said 2 days to Salt Lake City Marathon!  AHHHHHHHHH!