I am beginning to feel like a real runner. I'm not sure if I look like one yet - especially with that geeky fanny pack I sport during my runs - but I'm definitely making strides to become an actual runner. I am not labeling myself as such, however. Not yet. Only if I continue with running as part of my regular workout routines will I actually earn the title of "runner". I am now merely a woman on a mission. And on a mission I shall be until that fateful day in Late October in Washington DC.
So the week of 6/30 -7/6 - some interesting developments.
I dutifully completed my training runs. I have learned, though, that anything under 5 miles ISN'T as appealing to me as the runs that are more than 5 miles. HOW COULD THIS BE? I'm seriously asking the question. I'm not getting at the answer. I do not yet know the answer, but I do know that when I leave the house in a 3 or 4 mile frame of mind, I have in my head "complete the task, get it over with". I run choppy start-and-stop runs while flipping through the iPod to get the song that is going to help me get through it. Conversely, on my longer runs of five miles or more, my head is in a much better place. I think to myself "Self, you're going to be out here for a while, so easy does it and slow and steady wins the race." And then I start running and just plain keep running. I don't look at my watch, nor do I go from song to song on my iPod. ESPECIALLY ON THOSE REALLY LONG RUNS.
Sunday, July 6 marked my 11 mile run. I needed to do 11 after skipping the ten miler the week prior. I still had the half marathon on July 13 as my goal, so I needed to bump up the mileage to see if I'd be in decent enough shape for a race. Just before I left the house, two run-altering experiences occurred:
#1: I reached for my iPod to get my preferred playlist ready to go and THE BATTERIES WERE DEAD. Now - this may mean nothing more than a half hour wait for most people, but to me - it meant I wasn't bringing my iPod. I have never purchased a charger - I am too cheap and I just use the one that hooks to my computer. This charger happened to be in my desk at work. Last time I charged it, I did so on a co-worker's computer (who shall remain nameless - just in case we aren't supposed to have iTunes downloaded on our laptops - although I should mention - a member of the engineering department approved said download for undisclosed employee) and I forgot to bring it home. Now - I was facing an 11 mile run with no iPod. I knew instantly I'd need some help, so I risked "farmer's tan" tan lines and donned my "Marine Corps Marathon in Training" running T-shirt and mentally prepared myself for the music-less task at hand.
#2: My shoes have felt very tight lately. Not the width, but the toe room. I thought I was losing my mind until I asked Tia about a month ago if my toes were too close to the top and she thought that they just might be. I sort of ignored it because I hadn't done too many long runs and while I could feel it, it didn't seem to bother me too much. I just happened to mention it to Greg just prior to leaving the house and he had a look of terror of his face, which he quickly repressed as to not freak me out and said of my toes "well, they're up there, but some people like that". Leave it to Greg - always the optimist - to make it sound OK, while I knew by his face that I should just get a new pair of shoes first chance I got.
So - heading out the door was a little daunting. Sure - it was a BEAUTIFUL summer morning in Eugene. 65 degrees, no humidity, and full sun, but I was attempting to run 11 miles in shoes that were WAY too small, without an iPod. For a non-runner, it doesn't get much worse than that. But - I just put it out of my mind and focused on the fact that I'd be out there for two hours and I can choose to either do the best I can, or doom myself from the start. Surprisingly, it was easier than I thought to remove ill-thoughts from my brain and focus on nothing at all, really. I instantly realized that without music, it was easier to keep my head up. I looked around and held my head higher, pushed my chest our further, and ran straighter.
I LOVE summers in Eugene. I felt great, looked dorky (fanny pack), and was armed with my water bottle full of Luna electrolyte splash and two 100 calorie servings of Clif Shots, which were left over from Greg's half iron. It's amazing how far the "science" behind endurance sports has become - even in the last 5 years or so. I have my long runs down to a science, too. Not that you care, but I feel like writing it out: Every 15 minutes, I take a drink and walk 30 paces while doing so. Every 45 minutes, I eat 100 calories of energy boosting stuff - like GU or Clif Shots, take a drink, and walk 6o paces while doing so. It really makes the runs seem so much shorter. I literally take them 15 minutes at a time. It works for me. I need to see an end in sight and gosh darnit - I achieve it by 15 minute intervals. Sure - at 30 minutes into the run, I had that daunting feeling of "I'm going to be running for 90 more minutes!!!!", but hey - I overcame that pretty quickly.
At mile 8, my feet began cramping - a sign that those shoes were just TOOO tight. But - I finished the run in 1 hour, 58 minutes and actually felt pretty good. I never thought the day would come that I'd "feel pretty good" after running 11 miles. I am truly making progress and damnit if that's not a rewarding feeling!
For the week that followed - 7/5-7/13 - my training runs were spotty. I was dealing with breaking in new shoes, and Emelyn's stomach virus. Poor thing spent an entire week with gastroenteritis - and let me tell you - it wasn't fun for her. I stayed home while trying to do a little work from home and Greg relieved me when he came home in the evenings, but I just could not get my running going.
I tried to run just 3 miles on Tuesday, but it was super painful. I vowed to get new shoes, but wasn't sure when I'd be able to. On Wednesday, I took another crack at it, but did very little. Thursday, Emelyn and mixing bowl in tow, I braved a trip to the Eugene Running Company to get my feet re-sized, fully expecting a half size increase. WOULD YOU BELIEVE MY FEET GREW AN ENTIRE SIZE??? That's ONE WHOLE size!
I've tolerated the weight gain that's been an ill-side effect of this training. I've rearranged my entire schedule, and that of my family to accommodate my training. I've weather the aches and pains of training for a marathon as a non-runner. I've dutifully logged my miles with a relatively good disposition. I draw the line at an entire size of foot growth. That seems a little too excessive, don't you think? It is what it is, though, and that little sizing foot don't lie: My feet have grown a whole size. I have heard of this, but was willing to overlook a mere half-size, but a whole size seems ridiculous. What's even more ridiculous is that I ignored it for as long as i did! Luckily, it's sandal season and the remainder of my shoes still fit for now!
So - after plunking down yet more money on another pair of running shoes, I resumed my runs and am willing to admit that my feet feel much better. It's a noticeable difference. Since I am breaking in new shoes, however, I made the decision NOT to run a race on July 13, but I did chart my own course for my very own Lizzie Half Marathon, which I shall blog about in a couple of days.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Running Highs and the Half-Iron
Well - faithful readers (should any of you be remaining!) - I assure you, I have been running and following my schedule, I've just not had time to blog. I'll try to recap the past two weeks without boring you too much. A lot has happened, though, so we'll see how lengthy this post becomes!
When you last heard from me in the blogosphere, I was preparing for a busy week of running, wherein I had to work around a trip to one of Oregon's high desert resort communities: Sunriver. We were leaving on Thursday, so I needed to run three times beforehand - meaning Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning, and then TRY to do ten miles when I returned on Sunday. I knew (based upon my experience with running in Denver the previous week ) that I would not be running in Sunriver's high elevation.
So - I dutifully logged my miles. On Tuesday, June 24 I ran 4 before work in the morning. On Wednesday, I attempted to do 3 after work with Greg and Emelyn, but as I brought to the light fact that it was a miracle I could run without Ibuprofen in my system, I began to have leg pains and we ended up running only about 2 miles.
On Thursday, I ran 6 before we left for Sunriver. I was able to run through Campus and see the set-up for the Olympic Trials at Hayward Field. It was pretty inspiring, to say the least, to know that in a short 24 hours, thousands of people would be watching the nation's premier Track and Field Athletes break records and make history. Of course I'd be rooting for the home team - the countless Oregon Track Club athletes competing, as well as the UO's young stars.
So all was good. Each run (except for the one with Greg and Emelyn) felt great and I do see loads of progress. I'm averaging ten minute miles, which includes small stretching breaks and waiting at stop lights. I've become very fond of my running routes. I've not waivered too much from them either. I have courses for three, four, five, six, and seven miles. Any more than that, I design a new route. There really is something to that "home field advantage". If I know what to expect, I'm mentally prepared for what's coming and it doesn't seem as daunting.
Now while in Sunriver - let me just tell you - we were in a sea of super fit folks. We were there for the Pacific Crest Sports Weekend, wherein there are many many different types of races throughout the weekend, ranging from the Half Iron-Man to a 5k run. Greg and his friend Tommy Brooks participated in the event last year by completing the Olympic Triathlon. This year, they went for the Half Iron-Man, which let me just tell you - isn't exactly child's play.
I've decided to devote some of my running blog to the Half Iron to pay homage to their efforts. So here's the race in a nutshell: 1.2 mile swim, 58 mile bike ride, and a 13.1 mile run. Now - sounds difficult but doable with plenty of training, sure - but - when you factor in the following, it ups the anty quite a bit. The first obvious obstacle: The altitude. Altitude ranges from 4000 - to about 6500-7000 feet, depending on which leg of the race. The Race began at 9 am where they were dropped into a glacial lake somewhere outside of Sunriver. Choppy fridged water and 1000 of your closest friends elbowing and clawing to get ahead of you. Following this mile + swim, racers jumped on their bikes for a 58 mile ride UP Mt. Bachelor. As the cyclists climbed higher and higher, they were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery, sure, but gained altitude and dropped temperature - there was 2 feet of snow on either side of them as they continued to climb. Once the bike portion was complete, they were back down to 4000 feet in 90+ degree temperatures to begin the half-marathon run. Hot sun shining down on them, they ran through the SunRiver playground resort's network of trails and bike paths. Kelly and I were very fortunate to be renting a house that sat on the 6.5 mile marker of the run, so we cheered to runners as they ran by to remind them that "you're looking great" and "You're almost finished" and of course the favorite spectator cheer or all "good job!" and "keep it up!". They probably wanted to punch us in the face, but hey - we did our best. Kelly sat for a while with her feet up but became increasingly more guilty about it so she put both feet on the ground. I sipped a pina colada and sure - felt guilty - but it was nice so I kept it.
Greg and Tommy both completed the race and did pretty well. It is not something either of them would like to repeat any time in the near future, however. It really takes a toll on you with all of those factors into place.
So - When we returned from Sunriver, I did not do ten miles. I did only 4. Which really - considering the almost 3 hour car ride was a mirable in itself. I therefore needed to revise my schedule for the following week a little.
When you last heard from me in the blogosphere, I was preparing for a busy week of running, wherein I had to work around a trip to one of Oregon's high desert resort communities: Sunriver. We were leaving on Thursday, so I needed to run three times beforehand - meaning Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning, and then TRY to do ten miles when I returned on Sunday. I knew (based upon my experience with running in Denver the previous week ) that I would not be running in Sunriver's high elevation.
So - I dutifully logged my miles. On Tuesday, June 24 I ran 4 before work in the morning. On Wednesday, I attempted to do 3 after work with Greg and Emelyn, but as I brought to the light fact that it was a miracle I could run without Ibuprofen in my system, I began to have leg pains and we ended up running only about 2 miles.
On Thursday, I ran 6 before we left for Sunriver. I was able to run through Campus and see the set-up for the Olympic Trials at Hayward Field. It was pretty inspiring, to say the least, to know that in a short 24 hours, thousands of people would be watching the nation's premier Track and Field Athletes break records and make history. Of course I'd be rooting for the home team - the countless Oregon Track Club athletes competing, as well as the UO's young stars.
So all was good. Each run (except for the one with Greg and Emelyn) felt great and I do see loads of progress. I'm averaging ten minute miles, which includes small stretching breaks and waiting at stop lights. I've become very fond of my running routes. I've not waivered too much from them either. I have courses for three, four, five, six, and seven miles. Any more than that, I design a new route. There really is something to that "home field advantage". If I know what to expect, I'm mentally prepared for what's coming and it doesn't seem as daunting.
Now while in Sunriver - let me just tell you - we were in a sea of super fit folks. We were there for the Pacific Crest Sports Weekend, wherein there are many many different types of races throughout the weekend, ranging from the Half Iron-Man to a 5k run. Greg and his friend Tommy Brooks participated in the event last year by completing the Olympic Triathlon. This year, they went for the Half Iron-Man, which let me just tell you - isn't exactly child's play.
I've decided to devote some of my running blog to the Half Iron to pay homage to their efforts. So here's the race in a nutshell: 1.2 mile swim, 58 mile bike ride, and a 13.1 mile run. Now - sounds difficult but doable with plenty of training, sure - but - when you factor in the following, it ups the anty quite a bit. The first obvious obstacle: The altitude. Altitude ranges from 4000 - to about 6500-7000 feet, depending on which leg of the race. The Race began at 9 am where they were dropped into a glacial lake somewhere outside of Sunriver. Choppy fridged water and 1000 of your closest friends elbowing and clawing to get ahead of you. Following this mile + swim, racers jumped on their bikes for a 58 mile ride UP Mt. Bachelor. As the cyclists climbed higher and higher, they were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery, sure, but gained altitude and dropped temperature - there was 2 feet of snow on either side of them as they continued to climb. Once the bike portion was complete, they were back down to 4000 feet in 90+ degree temperatures to begin the half-marathon run. Hot sun shining down on them, they ran through the SunRiver playground resort's network of trails and bike paths. Kelly and I were very fortunate to be renting a house that sat on the 6.5 mile marker of the run, so we cheered to runners as they ran by to remind them that "you're looking great" and "You're almost finished" and of course the favorite spectator cheer or all "good job!" and "keep it up!". They probably wanted to punch us in the face, but hey - we did our best. Kelly sat for a while with her feet up but became increasingly more guilty about it so she put both feet on the ground. I sipped a pina colada and sure - felt guilty - but it was nice so I kept it.
Greg and Tommy both completed the race and did pretty well. It is not something either of them would like to repeat any time in the near future, however. It really takes a toll on you with all of those factors into place.
So - When we returned from Sunriver, I did not do ten miles. I did only 4. Which really - considering the almost 3 hour car ride was a mirable in itself. I therefore needed to revise my schedule for the following week a little.
I'll do a separate post to capture my week of 6/30 through 4th of July weekend in the next day or so - I promise!!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Champs Like Us, Baby We Were Born to Run
This has been a great running week.
It began when I returned from Colorado on Tuesday. I crammed in a run in the evening - just 3.5 miles. It wasn't the greatest, but it was OK, considering I had been traveling for the better part of the day and had survived on scant airport provisions.
On Wednesday, I decided to run after my board meeting at Emelyn's pre-school (8pm) but decided instead to go to Ben and Jerry's with some friends. It is no surprise that I was glad to eat ice cream instead of run!
Thursday was an odd day for me. Pollen.com has voted Eugene, OR as #1 in grass pollen and allergens in the air this week, so I have been battling sneezing fits and itchy eyes all week, but Thursday was even worse. As a result, I hadn't eaten all day. I'd just plain forgotten due to a busy schedule and no appetite. After work, Tia and I attempted to run, but I had zero energy and we ended up walking about as much as we ran (if not more).
Friday, I did some cross training. I figured it had been a while since I'd done anything other than run, so a half hour on the eliptical would do some good.
Saturday, I attended a baby shower and planned to run afterwards. As I was leaving the shower, a huge pain made its way into my stomach and gut. The kind of pain to indicate that I had eaten something that didn't agree with me. I drove home, lied down for 20 minutes and didn't really feel any better. I decided to run anyway, thinking it might actually make me feel better (I've come a long way) and if not, I'll know quickly and just walk/crawl home. I donned my Marine Corps Marathon t-shirt as a sort of "insurance policy" to keep me moving forward and headed out the door. Much to my surprise, I DID feel better as I ran and was able to keep going. I ran a quick 4 miles in the late afternoon heat and sun. Quickly showered and went to see Get Smart with a friend, enjoying a celebratory large soft pretzel with cheese sauce. A little guilty pleasure.
On Sunday, I charted a course for 8 miles. I woke up, made a smoothie, did some stretching and turned on Meet the Press while I prepared myself for the run. As I was reminded how much I miss Tim Russert, Brian Williams attempted to forge ahead with the program Tim had prepared before his untimely death. This wasn't exactly the frame of mind I needed to embody prior to a run that was probably going to take ninety minutes, so I promptly headed out the door with a heavy heart, my ipod, and some water. Oh - and my Marine Corps T shirt. I figured I could use all the help I could get, though it was still early in the day and only 55 degrees.
As I scrolled through the play-lists on my iPod, I selected the 90's music album, which was automatically sorted for me by those ingenious folks at Apple. Before I knew it, I was rocking and rolling down the street, The Boss streaming in my head. How fitting that my Springsteen favorites came up while I was still feeling blue over my beloved Tim Russert (who was his #1 fan). Glory Days, My Hometown, Born to Run (love that one!), Born in the USA - the list goes on. Something about the Boss this morning just put my feet on fire. I ran and ran and ran and felt great the whole time. Sure, I did have a moment when I thought: "Ugh! I've only been running for 25 minutes! I've still got an hour to go!", but I kept the goal in mind: completeing the marathon with 4 girlfriends who were training across the continent with me, whilst Bruce Springsteen's "Champs like us, Baby we were Born to Run" went through my head.
I also made a new discovery: I had not been pushing off enough with the ball of my foot when completing my running stride. I hit with the heel and rolled the foot, but stopped sort of bouncing up. Instead, I'd leave the job to my ankle, which COULD have been causing some of that leg pain. Trying not to pre-occupy myself with form too much and succumbing to distraction, I kept it in mind and eventually realized that I had been in fact putting too much stress on those ankles and tendons by shoving my foot up instead of springing from the ball of my foot.
As a result, I was able to really move. Plus, I didn't have any knee or leg pain and I had a lot more energy. It was great. Before I knew it, I was back home in 80 minutes. I had a couple of 45-60 second walking breaks to sip water and munch on a half of a clif bar, but otherwise, I had a pretty steady run. Felt fantastic. If I felt like slowing down at any point during the run, my T shirt reminded me of my mission and I just simply kept running. It was that simple. Plus, with pals like Bruce Springsteen, Tim McGraw, Martine McBride, and the Dixie Chicks, along with inspiration like Tim Russert, the Track and Field Olympic Trials (in just a few days here in EUGENE!), and my dear family, I just couldn't go wrong.
This week, I'm going to need to do some good planning. Greg and I will be in Sunriver, OR from Thursday through Sunday (he'll be competing in a Half-Iron Man! GO Greg, GO!). The altitude there is high - not as high as Denver, but nonetheless, the oxygen is much thinner. Therefore, I'll need to cram in runs of 4, 3, and 6 or 7 miles before leaving, and then do ten when I get home on Sunday evening. I'll focus on cycling while I'm in Sunriver as a good cross training tool and there are miles and miles of bike paths, so I'll have Emelyn in tow and we will enjoy visiting the many playgrounds and pools at the resort in two-wheel fashion.
I'm so excited to be able to run with Greg and Emelyn this week! I've missed them so much! Can't wait to pick them up from the airport tomorrow!
It began when I returned from Colorado on Tuesday. I crammed in a run in the evening - just 3.5 miles. It wasn't the greatest, but it was OK, considering I had been traveling for the better part of the day and had survived on scant airport provisions.
On Wednesday, I decided to run after my board meeting at Emelyn's pre-school (8pm) but decided instead to go to Ben and Jerry's with some friends. It is no surprise that I was glad to eat ice cream instead of run!
Thursday was an odd day for me. Pollen.com has voted Eugene, OR as #1 in grass pollen and allergens in the air this week, so I have been battling sneezing fits and itchy eyes all week, but Thursday was even worse. As a result, I hadn't eaten all day. I'd just plain forgotten due to a busy schedule and no appetite. After work, Tia and I attempted to run, but I had zero energy and we ended up walking about as much as we ran (if not more).
Friday, I did some cross training. I figured it had been a while since I'd done anything other than run, so a half hour on the eliptical would do some good.
Saturday, I attended a baby shower and planned to run afterwards. As I was leaving the shower, a huge pain made its way into my stomach and gut. The kind of pain to indicate that I had eaten something that didn't agree with me. I drove home, lied down for 20 minutes and didn't really feel any better. I decided to run anyway, thinking it might actually make me feel better (I've come a long way) and if not, I'll know quickly and just walk/crawl home. I donned my Marine Corps Marathon t-shirt as a sort of "insurance policy" to keep me moving forward and headed out the door. Much to my surprise, I DID feel better as I ran and was able to keep going. I ran a quick 4 miles in the late afternoon heat and sun. Quickly showered and went to see Get Smart with a friend, enjoying a celebratory large soft pretzel with cheese sauce. A little guilty pleasure.
On Sunday, I charted a course for 8 miles. I woke up, made a smoothie, did some stretching and turned on Meet the Press while I prepared myself for the run. As I was reminded how much I miss Tim Russert, Brian Williams attempted to forge ahead with the program Tim had prepared before his untimely death. This wasn't exactly the frame of mind I needed to embody prior to a run that was probably going to take ninety minutes, so I promptly headed out the door with a heavy heart, my ipod, and some water. Oh - and my Marine Corps T shirt. I figured I could use all the help I could get, though it was still early in the day and only 55 degrees.
As I scrolled through the play-lists on my iPod, I selected the 90's music album, which was automatically sorted for me by those ingenious folks at Apple. Before I knew it, I was rocking and rolling down the street, The Boss streaming in my head. How fitting that my Springsteen favorites came up while I was still feeling blue over my beloved Tim Russert (who was his #1 fan). Glory Days, My Hometown, Born to Run (love that one!), Born in the USA - the list goes on. Something about the Boss this morning just put my feet on fire. I ran and ran and ran and felt great the whole time. Sure, I did have a moment when I thought: "Ugh! I've only been running for 25 minutes! I've still got an hour to go!", but I kept the goal in mind: completeing the marathon with 4 girlfriends who were training across the continent with me, whilst Bruce Springsteen's "Champs like us, Baby we were Born to Run" went through my head.
I also made a new discovery: I had not been pushing off enough with the ball of my foot when completing my running stride. I hit with the heel and rolled the foot, but stopped sort of bouncing up. Instead, I'd leave the job to my ankle, which COULD have been causing some of that leg pain. Trying not to pre-occupy myself with form too much and succumbing to distraction, I kept it in mind and eventually realized that I had been in fact putting too much stress on those ankles and tendons by shoving my foot up instead of springing from the ball of my foot.
As a result, I was able to really move. Plus, I didn't have any knee or leg pain and I had a lot more energy. It was great. Before I knew it, I was back home in 80 minutes. I had a couple of 45-60 second walking breaks to sip water and munch on a half of a clif bar, but otherwise, I had a pretty steady run. Felt fantastic. If I felt like slowing down at any point during the run, my T shirt reminded me of my mission and I just simply kept running. It was that simple. Plus, with pals like Bruce Springsteen, Tim McGraw, Martine McBride, and the Dixie Chicks, along with inspiration like Tim Russert, the Track and Field Olympic Trials (in just a few days here in EUGENE!), and my dear family, I just couldn't go wrong.
This week, I'm going to need to do some good planning. Greg and I will be in Sunriver, OR from Thursday through Sunday (he'll be competing in a Half-Iron Man! GO Greg, GO!). The altitude there is high - not as high as Denver, but nonetheless, the oxygen is much thinner. Therefore, I'll need to cram in runs of 4, 3, and 6 or 7 miles before leaving, and then do ten when I get home on Sunday evening. I'll focus on cycling while I'm in Sunriver as a good cross training tool and there are miles and miles of bike paths, so I'll have Emelyn in tow and we will enjoy visiting the many playgrounds and pools at the resort in two-wheel fashion.
I'm so excited to be able to run with Greg and Emelyn this week! I've missed them so much! Can't wait to pick them up from the airport tomorrow!
Monday, June 16, 2008
New Gear, New Venue, the Running Continues....
OK. So I know I vowed to blog more and have blatantly failed to follow through with said promise. To make things easier on all of us (for me, less guilt. For you, fewer expectations), I'll take that promise off the table. I will simply blog when I have enough time to devote to good posting. I may have to update you on an entire week in one blog. Conversely, I may be able to blog two or three times per week. Time will tell and we shall see. My hope is to get back to blogging more frequently, as I am able to capture the essence of runs if I blog soon afterwards.
Enough said on that.
Let me start where I left off: During my last post, I'd just finished a great 5 mile run with Tia and was looking forward to a 4 and 6 miler over the weekend. I didn't actually accomplish those goals entirely.
On Saturday, we decided to take a family bike ride to Eugene's annual "Bike Day" celebration. We donned our helmets, loaded up the kiddo in her bike trailer, and headed out. It was a lot of fun. I haven't ridden my bike yet this year, so it had all of the elements of a perfect start-of-the-season inaugural run. Not too short, yet long enough to wake up those sleepy quads. I decided it was OK to forgo the run for this because it technically was cross training, which I hadn't done in a while.
Sunday, then, I set out for 6 miles. I took a route that I thought was a full 6 and happily headed out the door into the BEAUTIFUL summery sun. It didn't take long for me to feel great. Now that I can begin runs at a decent pace, I can really start to see why people love running. The feeling I get once I hit a certain stride and let it level out is mostly indescribable. To be clear - this is not the "runner's high", but rather just a good feeling of freedom and accomplishment; good health and endurance. I took a route that goes down my street, cuts down through Portland street. I then hit 24th and followed it all the way to Agate. There, I headed North and ran through the University of Oregon, past the Hospital. I then turned South and headed back towards 24th, Portland, and then to my house. I love this loop. I think it's my favorite run that doesn't include the bike path along the river (at which point there is no contest as to favorites). What made this extra special on this particular Sunday is the UO's Prefontaine Classic track meet.
As I began to head down Agate street towards campus, I felt the urge to slow down a a little. My initial spark had worn down and I was settling into a slower pace. This downward trend would cease, however, as I began to see hordes of people walking towards me. As I closed in on campus, I discovered the source: The Prefontaine Classic track meet. Literally 100's of people were exiting Hayward Field. As I darted through them, I was smacked with motivation. Perhaps I just felt fast, but I seemed to be running at record (ok, my record) speed through the crowds, inspired by the tremendous college athletes inside the stadium.
This literal "spring" in my step continued all the way though campus. Once I began to run South again, towards my house, I slowed a bit back into a ten minute mile pace. I was curious to see how this run would turn out in terms of time. I knew I had run a little faster than normal, but I have noticed that I feel quicker than I turn out to be. This is partially because of stop lights. I have to wait sometimes 2 minutes for one to change, so it's difficult to say how that impacts my time.
When I came back to my house, I was SHOCKED to see my stopwatch: 50:55. Flabbergasted, I knew this couldn't be. There was no way I could have run 6 miles in 50 minutes. As soon as I had a moment, I checked g pedometer and learned that I in fact had NOT run 6 miles, but rather logged 5.3. It had been a while since I did 6 and I completely forgot that I have to expand this route a few blocks once I enter campus area. So better luck next time. I didn't do too badly, though, once I take out those stop lights. My time is increasing. I still have a lot of work to do on endurance, though. I do notice fatigue after running a decent pace. My hope is that I can work towards maintaining faster paces.
After Sunday's distance snafu, I knew I had some work to do throughout the week. My goal was to run 3.5 on Tuesday, 3.5 on Wednesday, 6 on Thursday, and then 7 on Saturday morning, before hopping on a plane to Denver.
I had also thought a lot about jogging strollers. It would be nice to have the flexibility to run with Emelyn if needed during these 3 and 4 mile runs. We do have a jogging stroller of sorts - Our bike trailer has a running conversion kit. It's a nice, light, easy to maneuver stroller, but with summer within reach, I know we'll be taking her on more frequent bike rides and it will be a nuisance to keep switching it from Bike to Jogger. In addition, she's essentially sitting in a giant box, far from me and the outside. She would enjoy the runs more, too, if she were out in the open more.
SO - I began research on jogging strollers and determined that they are expensive! I didn't feel right about spending $200+ on a stroller that I wasn't sure she would like, AND I wasn't sure I'd be using a year from now (you know - A Year Before the Gear!). Luckily, my good friend Colby had one that they didn't use much and offered to sell it to me for $25. I tried it out with Emelyn for a "test run" on Tuesday afternoon. It was a different experience than running with the bike trailer/jogger in that it's heavier and less easy to steer. BUT - Emelyn liked it a lot. She even fell asleep! I also liked that I could hear her better and didn't have to stop completely and walk around to the front just to hear what she says to me ("mommy! That truck is RED - Just like my box of raisins!". We did a nice, quick 3.5 mile loop on Tuesday afternoon, which then helped me decide to keep it and pay Colby the $25.
On Wednesday - I pushed/ran with the stroller to the Daycare, picked up Emelyn, and continued on a 4 mile loop. It was so much fun. Armed with snacks and a drink, she happily sat in the stroller, telling me about her day while I shoved us onward. There was a slight upset: A bitten tongue at mile 3. We worked through it and kept on going. The stroller isn't perfect, but it gets the job done - and the price was unbeatable. It's only a 40 pound capacity, so I will have it probably for a year anyway. When she grows out of it, I'll then make the decision to buy another one if I'm still running, or not. It's perfect for what we need right now.
Thursday was a new adventure for me. I knew I needed to cram in a 6 miler, but I didn't have anytime. Each Thursday evening, Greg and I attend a parent education group class called "Birth To Three". This is a bright spot in our week. We've been with the same group of folks since Emelyn was 8 weeks old. It's remarkable to see all of the kiddos change and grow, and also invaluable to be able to share parenting tips with others who have children the same age. That being said, I needed to keep Birth To Three on my calendar, AND squeeze in a run. After some coordination, I decided to RUN to Birth To Three. I charted a 5.5 mile course (time was of the essence) and headed out after work. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day and I was loving it. I had asked Greg to bring my gym bag in so I could change my clothes when I arrived to class.
Here's a perfect example of how something can seem so great in your head, but falls a little flat when it comes to fruition. As I was running along, I felt pretty good. Seemed to be enjoying myself. I started at a faster pace and kept it up for a couple of miles, after which I settled into a ten minute mile pace. All was going well. I had felt a little later than I wanted, so I knew I'd be late to Birth To Three. Once I crossed the bridge and was very close to Birth To Three, I decided to cut across and get there sooner, as opposed to completing the remainder of the loop. Only problem: When I cut through the path, I had no idea where I was.
Oops. I was certain the path would lead me directly to the stadium, which was across the street from our class, but it did not. I led me into a large field with tall grass. I was running on a "sort of path" that was no more than beaten down tall grass. I followed it until I saw people running. I followed them as best I could, assuming their path would meet mine and luckily it did. I don't know how much distance I added to my journey, but I'm thinking I did about 6 miles total and I was 25 minutes late to class.
When I arrived, Greg was already there and still getting Emelyn settled. I asked one of the childcare ladies to let him know I was there so he could bring my gym bag to me. Greg appears shortly thereafter with a look on his face that said "Oh boy. You aren't going to be happy with me". He then begins to explain to me that when I said "Do you mind bringing my gym bag in with you", he thought I meant to bring it into our HOUSE and completely missed that I meant to bring it to class. So there I was - wearing a sports bra and a pair of very short spandex shorts, sitting in a metal folding chair in a circle of parents who are talking about many parenting topics, among them, hehe, the value of good spousal communication.
I wasn't able to cram in my 7 miler on Saturday morning like I had hoped. I decided to do it in Denver, though knew when I arrived in the Mile High City and was winded just going up the steps that it would probably not happen. I did run today with Greg. We did under 3 miles and it darn near killed me. Running at Altitude is an interesting, humbling experience. Greg would say things like "Breathe deeply through your nose, not your mouth" and I'd do my best to reply "I can't breathe through my nose". I finally decided to stop running for real and just do a jog/hop sort of thing which helped with my lung capacity, but created other problems with pain to my body for running like that.
Very funny. I'll be glad to get back to Sea Level, that's for sure! So - I'll be doing lots of running this week - and hopefully blogging as well - as I'll be alone! Greg and Emelyn are staying here in Denver for another week, and I head home tomorrow. I won't know what to do on my own, so Tia has planned many things for me, most (or all) of which include running.
Enough said on that.
Let me start where I left off: During my last post, I'd just finished a great 5 mile run with Tia and was looking forward to a 4 and 6 miler over the weekend. I didn't actually accomplish those goals entirely.
On Saturday, we decided to take a family bike ride to Eugene's annual "Bike Day" celebration. We donned our helmets, loaded up the kiddo in her bike trailer, and headed out. It was a lot of fun. I haven't ridden my bike yet this year, so it had all of the elements of a perfect start-of-the-season inaugural run. Not too short, yet long enough to wake up those sleepy quads. I decided it was OK to forgo the run for this because it technically was cross training, which I hadn't done in a while.
Sunday, then, I set out for 6 miles. I took a route that I thought was a full 6 and happily headed out the door into the BEAUTIFUL summery sun. It didn't take long for me to feel great. Now that I can begin runs at a decent pace, I can really start to see why people love running. The feeling I get once I hit a certain stride and let it level out is mostly indescribable. To be clear - this is not the "runner's high", but rather just a good feeling of freedom and accomplishment; good health and endurance. I took a route that goes down my street, cuts down through Portland street. I then hit 24th and followed it all the way to Agate. There, I headed North and ran through the University of Oregon, past the Hospital. I then turned South and headed back towards 24th, Portland, and then to my house. I love this loop. I think it's my favorite run that doesn't include the bike path along the river (at which point there is no contest as to favorites). What made this extra special on this particular Sunday is the UO's Prefontaine Classic track meet.
As I began to head down Agate street towards campus, I felt the urge to slow down a a little. My initial spark had worn down and I was settling into a slower pace. This downward trend would cease, however, as I began to see hordes of people walking towards me. As I closed in on campus, I discovered the source: The Prefontaine Classic track meet. Literally 100's of people were exiting Hayward Field. As I darted through them, I was smacked with motivation. Perhaps I just felt fast, but I seemed to be running at record (ok, my record) speed through the crowds, inspired by the tremendous college athletes inside the stadium.
This literal "spring" in my step continued all the way though campus. Once I began to run South again, towards my house, I slowed a bit back into a ten minute mile pace. I was curious to see how this run would turn out in terms of time. I knew I had run a little faster than normal, but I have noticed that I feel quicker than I turn out to be. This is partially because of stop lights. I have to wait sometimes 2 minutes for one to change, so it's difficult to say how that impacts my time.
When I came back to my house, I was SHOCKED to see my stopwatch: 50:55. Flabbergasted, I knew this couldn't be. There was no way I could have run 6 miles in 50 minutes. As soon as I had a moment, I checked g pedometer and learned that I in fact had NOT run 6 miles, but rather logged 5.3. It had been a while since I did 6 and I completely forgot that I have to expand this route a few blocks once I enter campus area. So better luck next time. I didn't do too badly, though, once I take out those stop lights. My time is increasing. I still have a lot of work to do on endurance, though. I do notice fatigue after running a decent pace. My hope is that I can work towards maintaining faster paces.
After Sunday's distance snafu, I knew I had some work to do throughout the week. My goal was to run 3.5 on Tuesday, 3.5 on Wednesday, 6 on Thursday, and then 7 on Saturday morning, before hopping on a plane to Denver.
I had also thought a lot about jogging strollers. It would be nice to have the flexibility to run with Emelyn if needed during these 3 and 4 mile runs. We do have a jogging stroller of sorts - Our bike trailer has a running conversion kit. It's a nice, light, easy to maneuver stroller, but with summer within reach, I know we'll be taking her on more frequent bike rides and it will be a nuisance to keep switching it from Bike to Jogger. In addition, she's essentially sitting in a giant box, far from me and the outside. She would enjoy the runs more, too, if she were out in the open more.
SO - I began research on jogging strollers and determined that they are expensive! I didn't feel right about spending $200+ on a stroller that I wasn't sure she would like, AND I wasn't sure I'd be using a year from now (you know - A Year Before the Gear!). Luckily, my good friend Colby had one that they didn't use much and offered to sell it to me for $25. I tried it out with Emelyn for a "test run" on Tuesday afternoon. It was a different experience than running with the bike trailer/jogger in that it's heavier and less easy to steer. BUT - Emelyn liked it a lot. She even fell asleep! I also liked that I could hear her better and didn't have to stop completely and walk around to the front just to hear what she says to me ("mommy! That truck is RED - Just like my box of raisins!". We did a nice, quick 3.5 mile loop on Tuesday afternoon, which then helped me decide to keep it and pay Colby the $25.
On Wednesday - I pushed/ran with the stroller to the Daycare, picked up Emelyn, and continued on a 4 mile loop. It was so much fun. Armed with snacks and a drink, she happily sat in the stroller, telling me about her day while I shoved us onward. There was a slight upset: A bitten tongue at mile 3. We worked through it and kept on going. The stroller isn't perfect, but it gets the job done - and the price was unbeatable. It's only a 40 pound capacity, so I will have it probably for a year anyway. When she grows out of it, I'll then make the decision to buy another one if I'm still running, or not. It's perfect for what we need right now.
Thursday was a new adventure for me. I knew I needed to cram in a 6 miler, but I didn't have anytime. Each Thursday evening, Greg and I attend a parent education group class called "Birth To Three". This is a bright spot in our week. We've been with the same group of folks since Emelyn was 8 weeks old. It's remarkable to see all of the kiddos change and grow, and also invaluable to be able to share parenting tips with others who have children the same age. That being said, I needed to keep Birth To Three on my calendar, AND squeeze in a run. After some coordination, I decided to RUN to Birth To Three. I charted a 5.5 mile course (time was of the essence) and headed out after work. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day and I was loving it. I had asked Greg to bring my gym bag in so I could change my clothes when I arrived to class.
Here's a perfect example of how something can seem so great in your head, but falls a little flat when it comes to fruition. As I was running along, I felt pretty good. Seemed to be enjoying myself. I started at a faster pace and kept it up for a couple of miles, after which I settled into a ten minute mile pace. All was going well. I had felt a little later than I wanted, so I knew I'd be late to Birth To Three. Once I crossed the bridge and was very close to Birth To Three, I decided to cut across and get there sooner, as opposed to completing the remainder of the loop. Only problem: When I cut through the path, I had no idea where I was.
Oops. I was certain the path would lead me directly to the stadium, which was across the street from our class, but it did not. I led me into a large field with tall grass. I was running on a "sort of path" that was no more than beaten down tall grass. I followed it until I saw people running. I followed them as best I could, assuming their path would meet mine and luckily it did. I don't know how much distance I added to my journey, but I'm thinking I did about 6 miles total and I was 25 minutes late to class.
When I arrived, Greg was already there and still getting Emelyn settled. I asked one of the childcare ladies to let him know I was there so he could bring my gym bag to me. Greg appears shortly thereafter with a look on his face that said "Oh boy. You aren't going to be happy with me". He then begins to explain to me that when I said "Do you mind bringing my gym bag in with you", he thought I meant to bring it into our HOUSE and completely missed that I meant to bring it to class. So there I was - wearing a sports bra and a pair of very short spandex shorts, sitting in a metal folding chair in a circle of parents who are talking about many parenting topics, among them, hehe, the value of good spousal communication.
I wasn't able to cram in my 7 miler on Saturday morning like I had hoped. I decided to do it in Denver, though knew when I arrived in the Mile High City and was winded just going up the steps that it would probably not happen. I did run today with Greg. We did under 3 miles and it darn near killed me. Running at Altitude is an interesting, humbling experience. Greg would say things like "Breathe deeply through your nose, not your mouth" and I'd do my best to reply "I can't breathe through my nose". I finally decided to stop running for real and just do a jog/hop sort of thing which helped with my lung capacity, but created other problems with pain to my body for running like that.
Very funny. I'll be glad to get back to Sea Level, that's for sure! So - I'll be doing lots of running this week - and hopefully blogging as well - as I'll be alone! Greg and Emelyn are staying here in Denver for another week, and I head home tomorrow. I won't know what to do on my own, so Tia has planned many things for me, most (or all) of which include running.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Honor. Courage. Commitment.
You may have given up on reading this blog by now, as it's been almost two weeks since my last post. I can explain. There were two forces keeping me from blogging twice each week. One was my very inspiration in this whole quest: my dearest Emelyn. We have been transitioning her into a "big girl bed" and it's going a little different than I expected. The bedtime ritual takes longer than usual, which cuts into my evening blogging. By the time I put her to bed, I've got to go to bed myself because it's usually nearly 10pm by the time I leave her room.
But I can't blame Emelyn entirely. I was also stricken with a fever and cold virus last Wednesday and it put me out of commission for several days. I was shocked, really. Who gets a fever in late May/Early June anyway? Apparently I do. I RAN on the day of the fever - at 5am. I even told Greg that I didn't feel well and my body was achy. I just assumed it was due to the time of the run: 5am. I honestly thought my congestion was because of allergies. I had switched medication and the Dr. informed me that it would take a couple of days to begin working. Boy was I wrong. High fever, aches, congestion, coughing, etc.
So - enough lamenting and whining. I have been running - though I did take a week off for illness. I am pleased to report - the runs I have done in the past couple of weeks have all been encouraging.
What's more - I received a very fun item in the mail a couple of weeks ago. When I registered for the Marine Corps Marathon, I of course had to order the training T shirt. It says "Marine Corps Marathon" on top, the USMC emblem in the middle, and then "In Training" on the bottom. It's a pretty nice shirt. Moisture wicking fabric, etc. I wore it for three out of four runs in a 4 day period, all of which happened over Memorial Day weekend.
The shirt had a few effects on my running. The first one was the sheer motivation I felt just wearing the thing. I was sort of taken by the sense of honor I assumed when I put it on and headed out the door for the first time. I instantly felt "tougher" (for a lack of a more descriptive term) and more capable. I really felt like the shirt itself was a sort of tangible relic that embodied my last 5 months of effort. In addition, I was down right PROUD to be wearing the USMC Emblem - the Eagle, Globe and Anchor. I was proud of the Marines I know and of their families for the sacrifices they make. I was proud for Greg's service in the Marine Corps. I felt a stern sense of purpose for running this marathon - more so than ever before.
The Marine Corps mantra is "Honor, Courage, Commitment". I thought about this as I left my house wearing it for the first time. My decision to run the marathon took some courage. A non-runner entering a runner's sport is no easy feat, let alone going to the "Big Show" of a marathon (I love "Bull Durham"). There is no doubt it's taken Commitment. Not only is this effort spread out over ten months, but the runs themselves take time - especially the longer runs. I've made a large commitment to the time it takes to train. Greg has made a commitment to cover Emelyn duties during my runs at any time. I feel honored to live in a place where training is easy. I feel honored that my family is so supportive and has the faith in me to do this. I am truly honored that you all read my blog and follow my progress. Honor. Courage. Commitment.
As I ran in the shirt, I noticed that even when I felt tired and like slowing down, the shirt would keep me going - especially if someone was coming towards me. I couldn't let strangers see me in my Marine Corps Training T-shirt showing any sign of weakness. Sort of a silly "Hawthorne" effect. And then there was the sense of pride I'd feel when people recognized the Marine Corps Emblem. They'd almost always do a double-take to see if their eyes deceived them. They were usually Men over the age of 50. Any sort of Marine Corps signage (or any military for that matter) is sort of a rarity here. There is a small reserve center, but you almost never see anything to do with the Military in Eugene. Not that people are negative towards the military at all - it's just that it's almost non-existent.
Funny how a T shirt can be so motivating.
My running is continuing to improve. I had virtually no pain during runs and my pace is picking up. Beginning a run is actually enjoyable now, and I have no anxiety just prior to running. Even my friend Tia can see an improvement! We ran together yesterday for the first time since the week before the half marathon (she ran the full) a month ago. When we left my house, we chose to do a loop that allowed us flexibility. We could do either three, or five miles if we felt like it. We felt so great, we decided on 5. It was great. We really scooted. No stopping for me to massage legs, and I didn't even beg her to let me bring my iPod. It was really fun! We may be doing a half marathon in Coburg together on July 13. It's not too far away, so I will need to step up my running program a little, but it shouldn't be a problem. I think I've got some endurance stored from the original training I did for the Eugene Half Marathon.
I'm excited for the weekend. I ran quite a bit over the past two weeks, but none at all for one of those weeks. Yesterday, I did 5, today I did 2. Tomorrow I don't think I can run at all, but will do 4 on Saturday and 6 on Sunday. Can't Wait!!!
But I can't blame Emelyn entirely. I was also stricken with a fever and cold virus last Wednesday and it put me out of commission for several days. I was shocked, really. Who gets a fever in late May/Early June anyway? Apparently I do. I RAN on the day of the fever - at 5am. I even told Greg that I didn't feel well and my body was achy. I just assumed it was due to the time of the run: 5am. I honestly thought my congestion was because of allergies. I had switched medication and the Dr. informed me that it would take a couple of days to begin working. Boy was I wrong. High fever, aches, congestion, coughing, etc.
So - enough lamenting and whining. I have been running - though I did take a week off for illness. I am pleased to report - the runs I have done in the past couple of weeks have all been encouraging.
What's more - I received a very fun item in the mail a couple of weeks ago. When I registered for the Marine Corps Marathon, I of course had to order the training T shirt. It says "Marine Corps Marathon" on top, the USMC emblem in the middle, and then "In Training" on the bottom. It's a pretty nice shirt. Moisture wicking fabric, etc. I wore it for three out of four runs in a 4 day period, all of which happened over Memorial Day weekend.
The shirt had a few effects on my running. The first one was the sheer motivation I felt just wearing the thing. I was sort of taken by the sense of honor I assumed when I put it on and headed out the door for the first time. I instantly felt "tougher" (for a lack of a more descriptive term) and more capable. I really felt like the shirt itself was a sort of tangible relic that embodied my last 5 months of effort. In addition, I was down right PROUD to be wearing the USMC Emblem - the Eagle, Globe and Anchor. I was proud of the Marines I know and of their families for the sacrifices they make. I was proud for Greg's service in the Marine Corps. I felt a stern sense of purpose for running this marathon - more so than ever before.
The Marine Corps mantra is "Honor, Courage, Commitment". I thought about this as I left my house wearing it for the first time. My decision to run the marathon took some courage. A non-runner entering a runner's sport is no easy feat, let alone going to the "Big Show" of a marathon (I love "Bull Durham"). There is no doubt it's taken Commitment. Not only is this effort spread out over ten months, but the runs themselves take time - especially the longer runs. I've made a large commitment to the time it takes to train. Greg has made a commitment to cover Emelyn duties during my runs at any time. I feel honored to live in a place where training is easy. I feel honored that my family is so supportive and has the faith in me to do this. I am truly honored that you all read my blog and follow my progress. Honor. Courage. Commitment.
As I ran in the shirt, I noticed that even when I felt tired and like slowing down, the shirt would keep me going - especially if someone was coming towards me. I couldn't let strangers see me in my Marine Corps Training T-shirt showing any sign of weakness. Sort of a silly "Hawthorne" effect. And then there was the sense of pride I'd feel when people recognized the Marine Corps Emblem. They'd almost always do a double-take to see if their eyes deceived them. They were usually Men over the age of 50. Any sort of Marine Corps signage (or any military for that matter) is sort of a rarity here. There is a small reserve center, but you almost never see anything to do with the Military in Eugene. Not that people are negative towards the military at all - it's just that it's almost non-existent.
Funny how a T shirt can be so motivating.
My running is continuing to improve. I had virtually no pain during runs and my pace is picking up. Beginning a run is actually enjoyable now, and I have no anxiety just prior to running. Even my friend Tia can see an improvement! We ran together yesterday for the first time since the week before the half marathon (she ran the full) a month ago. When we left my house, we chose to do a loop that allowed us flexibility. We could do either three, or five miles if we felt like it. We felt so great, we decided on 5. It was great. We really scooted. No stopping for me to massage legs, and I didn't even beg her to let me bring my iPod. It was really fun! We may be doing a half marathon in Coburg together on July 13. It's not too far away, so I will need to step up my running program a little, but it shouldn't be a problem. I think I've got some endurance stored from the original training I did for the Eugene Half Marathon.
I'm excited for the weekend. I ran quite a bit over the past two weeks, but none at all for one of those weeks. Yesterday, I did 5, today I did 2. Tomorrow I don't think I can run at all, but will do 4 on Saturday and 6 on Sunday. Can't Wait!!!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Running Love Affair Continues
For the past two mornings, I have had the best intentions to wake early and knock out three miles before work. It seemed so easy in my mind. I'd wake, drink some water, wash down an allergy pill, and hit the road.
In reality, however, it proved much more difficult. My alarm would go off and I'd have a conversation with myself about how I really should sleep some more. I convinced myself that I'd have time either during the day or in the evening to run, so why get out of bed?
Well, as you have probably guessed, there was no time to run on Monday or Tuesday. This morning, after passing up the 5am wake for the third morning in a row, I knew I had to run somehow.
So - I managed to carve a teeny window in between appointments today. I had about 35 minutes to get in and out of the gym. I dashed in, quickly changed, and hit the treadmill. I really wanted to do 3 miles, so that meant I needed to run 9 minute miles because the clock was ticking. At about the same time as hitting the treadmill, I realized I'd forgotten Ibuprofen. My legs had been feeling much better, but I was still taking a couple prior to runs just in case I needed it.
After running for a few minutes, I began to notice that I was not miserable. I had positioned a fan to the side of my treadmill, so I was relatively cool. I was running on the gym's new gigantic treadmill that sits more than a foot off the ground, thus absorbing shock and offering a trail-like running experience. All of this - AND - I had zero leg pain - WITHOUT any ibuprofen.
I was reasonably distracted, too, with CNN on the TV in front of me. I watched coverage of Ted Kennedy, Hillary v. Obama, China's earthquake, the Charles Manson compound dig, and other top stories. Before I knew it, I was beginning to feel pretty good. I glanced down at the time and distance and I'd already run two miles at a 9 minute mile pace. I couldn't believe it. The first two miles out of the way - I felt great - and the third was a breeze.
I don't want to speak too soon, but dare I say the worst of my running pain is behind me? I tell you what - I am very encouraged by Today's run. I'm looking extremely forward to running tomorrow. I will try to allow a larger block of time for it, however, seeing as how I would much prefer the outdoors. Hopefully I have excellent reports for the remainder of the week!
In reality, however, it proved much more difficult. My alarm would go off and I'd have a conversation with myself about how I really should sleep some more. I convinced myself that I'd have time either during the day or in the evening to run, so why get out of bed?
Well, as you have probably guessed, there was no time to run on Monday or Tuesday. This morning, after passing up the 5am wake for the third morning in a row, I knew I had to run somehow.
So - I managed to carve a teeny window in between appointments today. I had about 35 minutes to get in and out of the gym. I dashed in, quickly changed, and hit the treadmill. I really wanted to do 3 miles, so that meant I needed to run 9 minute miles because the clock was ticking. At about the same time as hitting the treadmill, I realized I'd forgotten Ibuprofen. My legs had been feeling much better, but I was still taking a couple prior to runs just in case I needed it.
After running for a few minutes, I began to notice that I was not miserable. I had positioned a fan to the side of my treadmill, so I was relatively cool. I was running on the gym's new gigantic treadmill that sits more than a foot off the ground, thus absorbing shock and offering a trail-like running experience. All of this - AND - I had zero leg pain - WITHOUT any ibuprofen.
I was reasonably distracted, too, with CNN on the TV in front of me. I watched coverage of Ted Kennedy, Hillary v. Obama, China's earthquake, the Charles Manson compound dig, and other top stories. Before I knew it, I was beginning to feel pretty good. I glanced down at the time and distance and I'd already run two miles at a 9 minute mile pace. I couldn't believe it. The first two miles out of the way - I felt great - and the third was a breeze.
I don't want to speak too soon, but dare I say the worst of my running pain is behind me? I tell you what - I am very encouraged by Today's run. I'm looking extremely forward to running tomorrow. I will try to allow a larger block of time for it, however, seeing as how I would much prefer the outdoors. Hopefully I have excellent reports for the remainder of the week!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Back to Training
You may think I have forgotten how to run since the half-marathon, since I haven't posted a blog yet. I have been dutifully running, however, as well as continuing to make discoveries about myself as a runner.
I did not run for 6 days after the marathon. I was sore and stiff up until that point, but did manage some nice cross training. My first run a week ago Saturday - a 2.5 miler - was awful. I wondered the entire time when it would get better and it never did. I probably would have been OK if I hadn't cut the distance halfway through to turn around and come home. It was that terrible.
Sunday I vowed to run again - maybe I just needed to loosen up more. It was better, but still really painful. I decided that perhaps it was time to look into new shoes.
Monday was a rest day, Tuesday I ran a mile on the treadmill (hideously awful) and did 25 minutes of cross training on the Elliptical machine. Wednesday - I finally did something about this pain.
When I picked up my registration for the Half Marathon at the running expo, I received a coupon in the goodie bag for $25 off a pair of custom orthotics from Foot Solutions. I decided to check out their store to see if they could tell me what's wrong with my feet.
I was approached by a sales person who seemed knowledgeable (but pushy) and he asked me to stand on this square that had feet drawn on it, and to place my feet in the feet on the square. In a matter of seconds - there were the bottoms of my feet on the computer screen. They were color coded according to my pressure points. I was instructed to stand still for 30 seconds while it analyzed my stance. As it turns out - I am a big time Supinator. Now - I was told by the Eugene Running Company that I am slightly pronating in one foot but an otherwise normal. Of course I became furious and thought at that moment I'd never buy shoes again from the fancy running store. Well - never say never because I quickly learned I'd take the free advice from foot solutions and run.
The sales guy at Foot Solutions proceeded to put me in a pair of New Balance running shoes. Nothing against New Balance - but the soles on these shoes were perfect ovals. No indent for an arch. They looked like moon boots without the boot part. I could see them out of my peripheral vision and swore I'd trip over my feet the moment I tried to move quickly in them. They were hideous. I imagine they'd suit a 95 year old woman whose arches were collapsing just fine - but for me - well, I'd wait my turn for them in 63 years.
I thanked the fellow at Foot Solutions and darted down the road to Eugene Running Company. This time, I told them I am a Supinator and left it at that. They pointed me to the correct shoes and I chose a super cushy, wide, beautiful pair of Nike's Bowerman Series. I love these shoes. They have not treated me badly. I ran for 4 miles on Wednesday night, cross trained on Thursday, took Friday and Saturday off and had a FABULOUS FIVE miles today. I can't believe it's taken almost 5 months for me to figure out that I need wider, cushier shoes.
I could have demanded the Eugene Running Company give me the shoes, or at least offer a deep discount, but I decided it probably wasn't their fault entirely. Perhaps I wasn't running as naturally as I should have when they analyzed my stride on the treadmill. It's difficult to act natural when you're running in socks and someone is staring at your feet.
So - all in all - I am very happy and looking forward to another running week. I have chosen my marathon training schedule - it's Hal Higdeon's Novice #2. I am repeating the first two weeks of Novice One for now - until June 2 - when I officially begin the Novice 2. I can honestly say that I am looking very forward to it!
I did not run for 6 days after the marathon. I was sore and stiff up until that point, but did manage some nice cross training. My first run a week ago Saturday - a 2.5 miler - was awful. I wondered the entire time when it would get better and it never did. I probably would have been OK if I hadn't cut the distance halfway through to turn around and come home. It was that terrible.
Sunday I vowed to run again - maybe I just needed to loosen up more. It was better, but still really painful. I decided that perhaps it was time to look into new shoes.
Monday was a rest day, Tuesday I ran a mile on the treadmill (hideously awful) and did 25 minutes of cross training on the Elliptical machine. Wednesday - I finally did something about this pain.
When I picked up my registration for the Half Marathon at the running expo, I received a coupon in the goodie bag for $25 off a pair of custom orthotics from Foot Solutions. I decided to check out their store to see if they could tell me what's wrong with my feet.
I was approached by a sales person who seemed knowledgeable (but pushy) and he asked me to stand on this square that had feet drawn on it, and to place my feet in the feet on the square. In a matter of seconds - there were the bottoms of my feet on the computer screen. They were color coded according to my pressure points. I was instructed to stand still for 30 seconds while it analyzed my stance. As it turns out - I am a big time Supinator. Now - I was told by the Eugene Running Company that I am slightly pronating in one foot but an otherwise normal. Of course I became furious and thought at that moment I'd never buy shoes again from the fancy running store. Well - never say never because I quickly learned I'd take the free advice from foot solutions and run.
The sales guy at Foot Solutions proceeded to put me in a pair of New Balance running shoes. Nothing against New Balance - but the soles on these shoes were perfect ovals. No indent for an arch. They looked like moon boots without the boot part. I could see them out of my peripheral vision and swore I'd trip over my feet the moment I tried to move quickly in them. They were hideous. I imagine they'd suit a 95 year old woman whose arches were collapsing just fine - but for me - well, I'd wait my turn for them in 63 years.
I thanked the fellow at Foot Solutions and darted down the road to Eugene Running Company. This time, I told them I am a Supinator and left it at that. They pointed me to the correct shoes and I chose a super cushy, wide, beautiful pair of Nike's Bowerman Series. I love these shoes. They have not treated me badly. I ran for 4 miles on Wednesday night, cross trained on Thursday, took Friday and Saturday off and had a FABULOUS FIVE miles today. I can't believe it's taken almost 5 months for me to figure out that I need wider, cushier shoes.
I could have demanded the Eugene Running Company give me the shoes, or at least offer a deep discount, but I decided it probably wasn't their fault entirely. Perhaps I wasn't running as naturally as I should have when they analyzed my stride on the treadmill. It's difficult to act natural when you're running in socks and someone is staring at your feet.
So - all in all - I am very happy and looking forward to another running week. I have chosen my marathon training schedule - it's Hal Higdeon's Novice #2. I am repeating the first two weeks of Novice One for now - until June 2 - when I officially begin the Novice 2. I can honestly say that I am looking very forward to it!
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