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!!
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