Second marathon under my belt. I'll have to say this was much harder than the first one and 19 minutes slower. It was a hard day. I have to say going into it I was nervous because I still felt tight and a little fatigued. I still stuck with my plan to keep a certain pace to try and finish at 5:30. I'll have to say by the time I hit I-90 bridge I was starting to have to work to keep that pace which was about mile 10 which was much earlier than normal. I still kept it up and determined to try to keep it up. About mile 15 I was slowing way down and by mile 20 I knew I wasn't going to make it. My legs were cramping and I had to start walking some. I'm not trained to walk so that brought my pace way down. At that point I knew I had to change my strategy. The first two goals were out the window so I'm glad I make three. The third one was to finish which it never crossed my mind I wouldn't finish. That was not an option. That's when I decided it was going to be a long six miles and better find someway to enjoy it. First I had to give myself a little pep talk and remind myself about what Karen said stay mentally tough. Out loud I said stay mentally tough, Shaun, and the pain will pass and it did for a while. I started feeling pretty good going back through the Aurora tunnel and picking the pace up a bit. Then I got to where the market was and it was really quiet and all these people were just staring down at us and I looked around and everyone seemed to be in just as much pain as I was so I decided to start screaming and yelling at these people so they would start cheering us on and they did so that gave me a little boost. Then the pain came back and my legs were really cramping again so I had to do the inevitable, just start singing disco to keep me from focusing on the pain. I did meet my last goal. I finished.
Now it's time for reflection and what I could or should have done different. This is only my second marathon so I only have that to base it on. My training for my first marathon lasted 10 months so I had lots of time between long runs, ran a lot of off road, and was well rested for the marathon. This time all my real long runs were pushed into 4 months and I was pushing a lot harder because I felt stronger, and most of my runs were on pavement. I had the best 20 mile run and if the marathon were that day would have finished around 5:20 and it was warm and was hills and on pavement but there was more shade and I had Ruth talking to me the whole time. By the time I got to my 22 mile run this time I was exhausted. I remember talking to Karen saying my Achilles hurt. I was exhausted, I was crying over stupid things and she said maybe I shouldn't do that 22 mile run and just rest up that I could do the marathon now. Well, I didn't listen and maybe I should have. I think I was burned out. Lesson learned, listen to body. There's a fine line to doing enough and too much and it's sometimes hard to tell which is which. I think only experience will teach you that.
Another comparison, I didn't wear my water belt last time and walked all the water stops and drank down every cup. This time wore water belt to save time and didn't walk water stops. Did stop at a couple to fill up. Last time by walking water stops maybe gave my legs a break and kept them fresh. This time by keeping running maybe made them cramp up sooner or maybe I didn't hydrate enough. I didn't have to go to the bathroom during the marathon at all and last time I went a couple times.
Another comparison, last race temperature was 40s and 50s. This time was 70s or more, not real sure, but much hotter. Didn't use salt tablets last time but maybe should have used some this time. Might have helped cramping. Didn't notice until after the race that Cytomax was low sodium. I am a very salty sweater. More salt might have helped a lot. Also the bananas at the store were awful so I didn't eat any bananas the week before and I usually eat one a day. Could have been low on potassium.
Another comparison, last race was much flatter than this one. Could contribute to time.
Another comparison, last race was 4 pounds lighter than this race. Need to drop tonnage.
All this will now go into my race log which I am going to now start to help me in the future so when I do my next marathon and there will be more, lots more, I can learn from every race. I am going to get faster, leaner, and stronger. I am going to conquer this distance and keep at it until I become a strong runner.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Amy's 5 Mile Lake Race Report!
I'll start by saying that I am NOT a natural athlete and never have been. As a matter of fact, I'm not sure that triathlons wouldn't just be work - without my team and my friends. What makes it fun is:
** getting cool poems in my e-mail the day before my race (Thanks, Ang),
** getting text messages at 4:30am wishing me luck (Thanks, Angela H.),
** getting 24 supportive comments on my Facebook page (yes! 24!),
** having someone to calm my nerves the night before when I realize I forgot to get nutrition for the race (Thanks, Kathy G),
** being saved with a bag of my favorite lemon Powerbar Gel Blasts minutes before the race (Thanks, Jackie),
** having 20 pictures taken of me in my wetsuit (Thanks, Kathy M.),
** having a friend to hold my shoes after walking down to the lake to save my tender feet from the rocks (Thanks, Teresa),
** having someone to start my Garmin so I can time myself and throw it to me as I come out of the water (Thanks, Tina),
** being cheered on every time I came around to the park (Thanks, Connie, Shaun, Karen N., Cathy and too many others to name!),
** having someone who just finished the race come run with me the last .25 mile just to encourage me to make a strong finish (Thanks, Joanna),
** being hugged by at least 8 people and having cups of water shoved at me before I've even processed that I'm done,
** being sought out for a hug by someone who was eating when I came in (Thanks, Diana) and
** the pride in my husband when he tells me how awesome I am (Thank you, Gareth).
You guys are all awesome. Raise the Bar and Raise the Hope are what made today so worth it for me.
After posing for entirely too many pictures in my wetsuit (lol) and taking a quick little swim to adjust to the water, we were off. I felt pretty good during the swim, actually. I was able to freestyle the whole time and felt I swam pretty strong for me. I didn't even get too off course! There were a couple of obligatory collisions, but nothing major and I came out of the water feeling pretty good. Turns out I was over a minute faster than the time I clocked just 3 days before at Lake Meridian!
I ran into transition and started a VERY slow transition. T1 needs major work! I still felt a bit dizzy as I was taking off my wetsuit and getting dressed for the bike ride, which slowed me down. I drank some water and ate a couple of my lemon gels and finally got out on the bike.
I hate the bike - LOL. And I really need to get over that. So I'll start now. I love the bike. It doesn't hurt my butt or my legs. Uphills are awesome. The bike is my friend. With all that said, I'm very slow on the bike. I need to do more bike training so I can be faster. As I was plodding along, so many positive people came along and yelled "Good Job" as they passed me. It is great to see how nice people there are! About a quarter of the way through, I got bored and started writing this race report in my head. I was thinking of all the cool people around me and how many of them I needed to thank. It helped make the time go by. Towards the end of the first loop, I got to the BIG hill. The hill is just long and keeps going up. I kept telling myself I could do it and I was almost there. I huffed and puffed, but I made it up! Woo Hoo! The reward was that the first loop was ending and I got to hear my teammates yelling "Go, Amy!!!" as I started the second loop and passed some runners finishing the last leg!
Starting the second loop, I was pretty much alone on the bike and continued to write my race report. About half way through the second loop, I had to stop and take a drink and a few Gel Blasts. I was losing steam and going even slower than I had at the beginning, plus the big hill was coming, so I needed some energy. Shortly after I got started again, my family went by me in the car and blew the horn in support - so awesome! Then came the hill and I was really tired. I thought about walking my bike up the hill. I decided to just keep riding in my granny gear until I just stopped, then I would walk the rest of the way. I kept writing my race report in my head and the next thing I knew, I was at the top! No walking - woo hoo! And finally, the bike was done to the cheering of my team!
In transition, I decided to just run in my bike shorts. I didn't want to take the time to change into my running pants and they were feeling pretty comfortable. I noticed my vision was a little off and I thought it was because I was wearing sunglasses and the weather had gotten very overcast. I left the sunglasses in transition and took off. T2 time was much, much better than T1. As I came out of the park and transition, I saw my husband and children waiting across the street cheering me on! Then Barrett started running towards me out into the road that was open to traffic. I almost freaked out! Gareth reached out and snagged him by the underarm - thank god no cars were coming. He did something similar at the West Seattle 5K, so I told Gareth he needed to hold Barrett when I was passing them in the future! I yelled, "love you!" and kept going.
I started running a bit and noticed my vision was still pretty blurry. It was very disconcerting and distracting. I did a walk/jog for a few minutes and noticed that the running wasn't nearly as bad as it felt during training - woo hoo. But the blurry vision thing was still really distracting. I alternated between the walk and the run for quite a while. At one point I was looking down the road and thought a runner was in front of me. I squinted really hard and realized it was a mailbox! Crap, my vision was a mess. I clocked the distance to the mailbox on my Garmin and it was only .15 miles - I couldn't tell the difference between a person and a mailbox in that short of a distance. But I didn't feel weak or dizzy, so I kept going. Diana and her husband were telling me later it sounded like I needed some electrolytes. Good lesson for the next race.
I finally felt everything kick in and ran the last .75 miles or so. As I came into the park, Joanna ran up next to me and asked how I was doing. She kept running around the track on the way to the finish line! She had only finished a few minutes before, so I couldn't believe she was running more!!! Crazy! She kept encouraging me - almost there, keep going! It was so awesome! I ran harder and harder and finished strong! And not even last! Pretty close, but not last - LOL.
After I ran across the finish line, I got bombarded with hugs! I hugged Joanna specifically and thanked her for running me in. My daughter ran up and hugged me too and I kissed my husband. It was so great. I couldn't believe I wasn't crying, though! I did my crying writing this report. I wasn't sure during the race I would want to do another one, but now that I'm done, I know I will. I can't believe I did it! I couldn't have come anywhere near doing this 3 months ago. I better drop some time off that bike ride by next year!
** getting cool poems in my e-mail the day before my race (Thanks, Ang),
** getting text messages at 4:30am wishing me luck (Thanks, Angela H.),
** getting 24 supportive comments on my Facebook page (yes! 24!),
** having someone to calm my nerves the night before when I realize I forgot to get nutrition for the race (Thanks, Kathy G),
** being saved with a bag of my favorite lemon Powerbar Gel Blasts minutes before the race (Thanks, Jackie),
** having 20 pictures taken of me in my wetsuit (Thanks, Kathy M.),
** having a friend to hold my shoes after walking down to the lake to save my tender feet from the rocks (Thanks, Teresa),
** having someone to start my Garmin so I can time myself and throw it to me as I come out of the water (Thanks, Tina),
** being cheered on every time I came around to the park (Thanks, Connie, Shaun, Karen N., Cathy and too many others to name!),
** having someone who just finished the race come run with me the last .25 mile just to encourage me to make a strong finish (Thanks, Joanna),
** being hugged by at least 8 people and having cups of water shoved at me before I've even processed that I'm done,
** being sought out for a hug by someone who was eating when I came in (Thanks, Diana) and
** the pride in my husband when he tells me how awesome I am (Thank you, Gareth).
You guys are all awesome. Raise the Bar and Raise the Hope are what made today so worth it for me.
After posing for entirely too many pictures in my wetsuit (lol) and taking a quick little swim to adjust to the water, we were off. I felt pretty good during the swim, actually. I was able to freestyle the whole time and felt I swam pretty strong for me. I didn't even get too off course! There were a couple of obligatory collisions, but nothing major and I came out of the water feeling pretty good. Turns out I was over a minute faster than the time I clocked just 3 days before at Lake Meridian!
I ran into transition and started a VERY slow transition. T1 needs major work! I still felt a bit dizzy as I was taking off my wetsuit and getting dressed for the bike ride, which slowed me down. I drank some water and ate a couple of my lemon gels and finally got out on the bike.
I hate the bike - LOL. And I really need to get over that. So I'll start now. I love the bike. It doesn't hurt my butt or my legs. Uphills are awesome. The bike is my friend. With all that said, I'm very slow on the bike. I need to do more bike training so I can be faster. As I was plodding along, so many positive people came along and yelled "Good Job" as they passed me. It is great to see how nice people there are! About a quarter of the way through, I got bored and started writing this race report in my head. I was thinking of all the cool people around me and how many of them I needed to thank. It helped make the time go by. Towards the end of the first loop, I got to the BIG hill. The hill is just long and keeps going up. I kept telling myself I could do it and I was almost there. I huffed and puffed, but I made it up! Woo Hoo! The reward was that the first loop was ending and I got to hear my teammates yelling "Go, Amy!!!" as I started the second loop and passed some runners finishing the last leg!
Starting the second loop, I was pretty much alone on the bike and continued to write my race report. About half way through the second loop, I had to stop and take a drink and a few Gel Blasts. I was losing steam and going even slower than I had at the beginning, plus the big hill was coming, so I needed some energy. Shortly after I got started again, my family went by me in the car and blew the horn in support - so awesome! Then came the hill and I was really tired. I thought about walking my bike up the hill. I decided to just keep riding in my granny gear until I just stopped, then I would walk the rest of the way. I kept writing my race report in my head and the next thing I knew, I was at the top! No walking - woo hoo! And finally, the bike was done to the cheering of my team!
In transition, I decided to just run in my bike shorts. I didn't want to take the time to change into my running pants and they were feeling pretty comfortable. I noticed my vision was a little off and I thought it was because I was wearing sunglasses and the weather had gotten very overcast. I left the sunglasses in transition and took off. T2 time was much, much better than T1. As I came out of the park and transition, I saw my husband and children waiting across the street cheering me on! Then Barrett started running towards me out into the road that was open to traffic. I almost freaked out! Gareth reached out and snagged him by the underarm - thank god no cars were coming. He did something similar at the West Seattle 5K, so I told Gareth he needed to hold Barrett when I was passing them in the future! I yelled, "love you!" and kept going.
I started running a bit and noticed my vision was still pretty blurry. It was very disconcerting and distracting. I did a walk/jog for a few minutes and noticed that the running wasn't nearly as bad as it felt during training - woo hoo. But the blurry vision thing was still really distracting. I alternated between the walk and the run for quite a while. At one point I was looking down the road and thought a runner was in front of me. I squinted really hard and realized it was a mailbox! Crap, my vision was a mess. I clocked the distance to the mailbox on my Garmin and it was only .15 miles - I couldn't tell the difference between a person and a mailbox in that short of a distance. But I didn't feel weak or dizzy, so I kept going. Diana and her husband were telling me later it sounded like I needed some electrolytes. Good lesson for the next race.
I finally felt everything kick in and ran the last .75 miles or so. As I came into the park, Joanna ran up next to me and asked how I was doing. She kept running around the track on the way to the finish line! She had only finished a few minutes before, so I couldn't believe she was running more!!! Crazy! She kept encouraging me - almost there, keep going! It was so awesome! I ran harder and harder and finished strong! And not even last! Pretty close, but not last - LOL.
After I ran across the finish line, I got bombarded with hugs! I hugged Joanna specifically and thanked her for running me in. My daughter ran up and hugged me too and I kissed my husband. It was so great. I couldn't believe I wasn't crying, though! I did my crying writing this report. I wasn't sure during the race I would want to do another one, but now that I'm done, I know I will. I can't believe I did it! I couldn't have come anywhere near doing this 3 months ago. I better drop some time off that bike ride by next year!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Cathy Christian's Rock n Roll Marathon Report
It has been 24 hours since I crossed the finish line of the Rock and Roll Marathon, and I am still in awe. Awe that it really happened, awe that it went so perfectly, awe that I am capable of doing 26.2 miles when just a year ago doing a 5K was a stretch for me. In awe of me.
The back story:
Until 3 years ago, all I had done was the Danskin sprint triathlon. That’s it. I wasn’t fast in any of the three sports, but my accomplishment came in finishing. I didn’t even want to join RTB because you had to do 2 events, and that scared me. The Danskin was all I thought I had in me. (I didn’t even get a wetsuit until RTB made me, because I thought wetsuits were for the good people, the ‘athletes’.)
But then Hope came along and I knew I needed what it was offering, so I gritted my teeth and decided I could do 2 triathlons. That first Hope year I did 4 tris, including an Olympic (I came in next to last because it took forever to run 6 miles), then I got talked into doing the Seattle Half Marathon in November 2007. I’m sure many of you have heard the stories of our Saturday training runs - I never asked how far we had to go because I knew there was no way I could do whatever miles we were going to do, and Shaun Linse talked the whole time so I never realized my whole body was screaming at me to stop this nonsense. But amazingly to myself, I completed the Seattle Half (oh, there’s another story there, but not now!).
The second Hope season, more tris and another Half. I’m learning about myself all this time. I’m a professional writer, I like process, I make lists. For this unfamiliar world of athletics, I used these skills in deciding what works for me and what doesn’t. I learn to take my wetsuit off immediately out of the water, I hear the word ‘electrolytes’ for the first time, I find out what a ‘hip flexor’ is and why mine hurt after doing a mile run – and how to eliminate that pain. I learn I have ‘quads’ and ‘hamstrings’ and I even figure out which one is where in my body. I learn how to use clip-on bike pedals. I start thinking about food as ‘carbs’ and ‘proteins.’ I discovered that using a camelback was essential to me. When Patty Swedberg mentioned that it made me hunch over I decided to strengthen my back muscles instead of giving up my camelback. When I found a pair of running shoes that worked (and were pink, to boot!) I bought two more pair. When the soles of my feet hurt, I discovered that even though they still look new, running shoes don’t last forever and when they break down your feet hurt.
I didn’t get much faster, but I got more efficient.
Getting to the Marathon
Then one day Angela Meeks says “let’s do the Portland Marathon!” I say “Okay!” But during a 3 week trip back east to work I got plantar fascitis (I had no clue then why it hurt to walk, the diagnosis came later) and when I got better there was not enough time to train for Portland in October. Then Jessi Richardson tosses the Inaugural Rock and Roll Marathon at us and I signed up.
Now, understand that during these two years I was ashamed that I couldn’t run well. I would run and then I would have to walk, then I would run again. I thought I was supposed to run the whole way, and physically I just couldn’t do it. So I settled into doing what I called a “trot.’ I trotted well, though, but it was a pretty slow trot, but at least I was ‘running’! I secretly didn’t think there was any way on this green Earth I could trot for 26.2 miles. I figured something would happen to my body (like I couldn’t do Portland) and I wouldn’t REALLY have to do this one.
My ex-husband pleads with me not to do a marathon because he is afraid I will injure myself, and that is a real concern for me, too. I heard all the stories about people who couldn’t finish a marathon, how they hurt themselves and were in rehab forever, how hard it is on your body, how it takes weeks to recover, and all the injuries you get. Those possibilities didn’t excite me, either. Then I discover that the reason there are so few women in my age group is because they have all run themselves into the ground earlier in life – they now have bad knees, bad ankles, bad everything – and I’m fresh!!! Me, who has never done anything like this, has good knees, good feet, good everything. Another great decision: make sure I don’t injure my freshness, even if it means being consistent instead of fast.
The training plan was another new thing. I looked at several in the marathon book and threw up when I saw how much running you have to do to train for a marathon. Then Angela casually mentioned a “Run/Walk” plan – and I think, “People actually train to walk?” So I did my own investigation and find that yes, people do train to run/walk marathons – and there is no shame in it. And I don’t have to trot the whole way! I can run/walk!!!!!!
Karen Nolting blesses my run/walk plan. I train according to schedule, but I start having trouble when the plan gets to 4 minutes run, 1 minute walk. Can’t do it. I start to back it down to 3/2 or 3/1 and now I’m getting worried. What if I can’t get to 5/1 like the plan says? Well, then, I guess I can’t do the marathon. I’ll be last, I won’t finish, I won’t make the cut off. I will have failed. I am not happy, which surprises me because I now realize I really want to do this marathon.
I do the Kirkland Half as a training run, and I struggle with 4/1. The next weekend I do the Tacoma Half. The night before I just happen to load Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’ on my Shuffle. That day was another struggle with 4/1, which eventually gave way to 3/1. Then I saw a long hill and I just said “screw it.” ‘Beat It’ came on and I marched all the way up that hill, replaying that song. I did it well, too, passing running people. It was another good decision, but at that moment I didn’t know how good.
I mentioned my struggle to Angela. She had just read something that says that if you run a 15 minute pace (me!) than you should be at a 2/1 run/walk. Really, I think. Isn’t that like failing? Or cheating? But the next Saturday is our 20 mile run and I am willing to try anything (because I really want to do this marathon now, and I know I have to be prepared and not have any pain so I can focus on the mental part.)
So I do. Elizabeth McCarty is my running partner and usually faster than me. But that Saturday she is not feeling well, so she is up for my 2/1 pace. And it works. I cannot believe how well I do. Now I’ve got it! The next two long runs are easy (another shock) and it is finally a week before the marathon.
I start crying. I cry whenever I think about the marathon, which is a lot. My friends ask me about the marathon and I start crying. My boss in California calls to wish me luck and I start crying. My ex asks how I’m doing and I start crying. I visualize the finish line and tears roll down my cheeks.
I’m crying because I know everything is in place. I am prepared. I am ready. I can do this 26.2 miles.
The Day
Seattle was on display – blue skies, great temperature, although definitely too warm for this event. My camelback is filled not only with electrolyte-enhanced water but also stuffed with a banana (in case I get hungry) and chocolate gels, sunscreen, 2 bandaids and Body Glide wipes, with a visor hat hanging off the back. My cell is in my bra, my Shuffle is full of my running songs, (including 20 consecutive plays of ‘Beat It’), my Garmin is set to 2/1, and I have a small plastic bag that contains a few pretzels and energy bar pieces. I Vaselined my feet and Body Glided my body. My shirt is pink, my headband is pink, my wristbands are pink, my socks are pink, and so are my shoes. Jessi jokes that I could just carry a rolling suitcase, but I'm going to be out there longer than the rest of our team and I need all the tools I can muster, knowing, of course, the most important tool is my brain.
Elizabeth and I run together for the first 15 miles, enjoying Lake Washington, the bald eagle, the people, seeing her sister, the excitement. The sign that split the Half from the Full made my heart stop a second – I could change my mind right there; but Elizabeth turned right for the Full so I did, too. Going east on the bridge was great, but by the turnaround it was too hot and so was I. We both were slowing a bit, and the tunnel came none too soon (except for the band inside the tunnel – it was so loud my ears hurt!) But there was a water station on the other side, and that’s when I made another great decision; I threw water all over me and cooled down. Did that the rest of the way and didn’t have a problem with the heat again.
At about mile 16 Elizabeth decided to go ahead; I was having trouble with 2/1. Another great decision: I could no longer do 2/1 but I sure could march to ‘Beat It.’ So I did. For 9.2 miles it was me and Michael Jackson – and I never missed a ‘beat’! I passed spectators and yelled that it was my first marathon – they cheered me on. I looked at the views of Seattle, thought how lucky I was, knew I was supported from above and below, was strong. Several times I had been told, “you only get one first marathon, so enjoy it.” I did.
The only issue I had was the need to pee. Before mile 24 I never had to; I imagine I was sweating it out as fast as I was taking it in. (I only stopped four times on the route, twice to refill my camelback, twice to stretch, for a total of about 3 minutes.) But going down the viaduct, I had to pee very badly. There was no potty in site. Well, I did what I had to do – I trickled a bit at a time for 2 miles, didn’t want to make a mess in my shoes by doing it all at once!
Jessi and I were texting each other’s mileage along the way, (she being in front and my being last), until I poured water down my front and ruined my phone, so I didn’t know how anyone would know when I would be coming in. But Angela was watching online and let Jessi know where I was, so when I came down the ramp (still marching to ‘Beat It’, mind you!) there my team was! I was pretty close to crying at that point – it was the best feeling to know that these women that I so admire and respect and love were there to greet me.
Would I change anything? Yes – I would bring a small camera like Connie Many did to take pictures, and I would remember that my cell phone was in my bra when I poured water over me. That’s alI I would change.
What did I learn? It really IS about the journey and all the little decisions you make to get to the goal. It is the small steps that take us there, that coalesce into an accomplishment. I learned to listen to everyone and use what worked best for me.
Until today I didn’t REALLY comprehend the breadth of that concept. So yes, I’m in awe of myself. The best decision I made was to surround myself with a community of women that helped me get to a place I didn’t even know I needed to go– the place of complete, utter accomplishment of a goal I never even suspected I had in me. The place of loving me.
.
Life is soooooo good!
The back story:
Until 3 years ago, all I had done was the Danskin sprint triathlon. That’s it. I wasn’t fast in any of the three sports, but my accomplishment came in finishing. I didn’t even want to join RTB because you had to do 2 events, and that scared me. The Danskin was all I thought I had in me. (I didn’t even get a wetsuit until RTB made me, because I thought wetsuits were for the good people, the ‘athletes’.)
But then Hope came along and I knew I needed what it was offering, so I gritted my teeth and decided I could do 2 triathlons. That first Hope year I did 4 tris, including an Olympic (I came in next to last because it took forever to run 6 miles), then I got talked into doing the Seattle Half Marathon in November 2007. I’m sure many of you have heard the stories of our Saturday training runs - I never asked how far we had to go because I knew there was no way I could do whatever miles we were going to do, and Shaun Linse talked the whole time so I never realized my whole body was screaming at me to stop this nonsense. But amazingly to myself, I completed the Seattle Half (oh, there’s another story there, but not now!).
The second Hope season, more tris and another Half. I’m learning about myself all this time. I’m a professional writer, I like process, I make lists. For this unfamiliar world of athletics, I used these skills in deciding what works for me and what doesn’t. I learn to take my wetsuit off immediately out of the water, I hear the word ‘electrolytes’ for the first time, I find out what a ‘hip flexor’ is and why mine hurt after doing a mile run – and how to eliminate that pain. I learn I have ‘quads’ and ‘hamstrings’ and I even figure out which one is where in my body. I learn how to use clip-on bike pedals. I start thinking about food as ‘carbs’ and ‘proteins.’ I discovered that using a camelback was essential to me. When Patty Swedberg mentioned that it made me hunch over I decided to strengthen my back muscles instead of giving up my camelback. When I found a pair of running shoes that worked (and were pink, to boot!) I bought two more pair. When the soles of my feet hurt, I discovered that even though they still look new, running shoes don’t last forever and when they break down your feet hurt.
I didn’t get much faster, but I got more efficient.
Getting to the Marathon
Then one day Angela Meeks says “let’s do the Portland Marathon!” I say “Okay!” But during a 3 week trip back east to work I got plantar fascitis (I had no clue then why it hurt to walk, the diagnosis came later) and when I got better there was not enough time to train for Portland in October. Then Jessi Richardson tosses the Inaugural Rock and Roll Marathon at us and I signed up.
Now, understand that during these two years I was ashamed that I couldn’t run well. I would run and then I would have to walk, then I would run again. I thought I was supposed to run the whole way, and physically I just couldn’t do it. So I settled into doing what I called a “trot.’ I trotted well, though, but it was a pretty slow trot, but at least I was ‘running’! I secretly didn’t think there was any way on this green Earth I could trot for 26.2 miles. I figured something would happen to my body (like I couldn’t do Portland) and I wouldn’t REALLY have to do this one.
My ex-husband pleads with me not to do a marathon because he is afraid I will injure myself, and that is a real concern for me, too. I heard all the stories about people who couldn’t finish a marathon, how they hurt themselves and were in rehab forever, how hard it is on your body, how it takes weeks to recover, and all the injuries you get. Those possibilities didn’t excite me, either. Then I discover that the reason there are so few women in my age group is because they have all run themselves into the ground earlier in life – they now have bad knees, bad ankles, bad everything – and I’m fresh!!! Me, who has never done anything like this, has good knees, good feet, good everything. Another great decision: make sure I don’t injure my freshness, even if it means being consistent instead of fast.
The training plan was another new thing. I looked at several in the marathon book and threw up when I saw how much running you have to do to train for a marathon. Then Angela casually mentioned a “Run/Walk” plan – and I think, “People actually train to walk?” So I did my own investigation and find that yes, people do train to run/walk marathons – and there is no shame in it. And I don’t have to trot the whole way! I can run/walk!!!!!!
Karen Nolting blesses my run/walk plan. I train according to schedule, but I start having trouble when the plan gets to 4 minutes run, 1 minute walk. Can’t do it. I start to back it down to 3/2 or 3/1 and now I’m getting worried. What if I can’t get to 5/1 like the plan says? Well, then, I guess I can’t do the marathon. I’ll be last, I won’t finish, I won’t make the cut off. I will have failed. I am not happy, which surprises me because I now realize I really want to do this marathon.
I do the Kirkland Half as a training run, and I struggle with 4/1. The next weekend I do the Tacoma Half. The night before I just happen to load Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’ on my Shuffle. That day was another struggle with 4/1, which eventually gave way to 3/1. Then I saw a long hill and I just said “screw it.” ‘Beat It’ came on and I marched all the way up that hill, replaying that song. I did it well, too, passing running people. It was another good decision, but at that moment I didn’t know how good.
I mentioned my struggle to Angela. She had just read something that says that if you run a 15 minute pace (me!) than you should be at a 2/1 run/walk. Really, I think. Isn’t that like failing? Or cheating? But the next Saturday is our 20 mile run and I am willing to try anything (because I really want to do this marathon now, and I know I have to be prepared and not have any pain so I can focus on the mental part.)
So I do. Elizabeth McCarty is my running partner and usually faster than me. But that Saturday she is not feeling well, so she is up for my 2/1 pace. And it works. I cannot believe how well I do. Now I’ve got it! The next two long runs are easy (another shock) and it is finally a week before the marathon.
I start crying. I cry whenever I think about the marathon, which is a lot. My friends ask me about the marathon and I start crying. My boss in California calls to wish me luck and I start crying. My ex asks how I’m doing and I start crying. I visualize the finish line and tears roll down my cheeks.
I’m crying because I know everything is in place. I am prepared. I am ready. I can do this 26.2 miles.
The Day
Seattle was on display – blue skies, great temperature, although definitely too warm for this event. My camelback is filled not only with electrolyte-enhanced water but also stuffed with a banana (in case I get hungry) and chocolate gels, sunscreen, 2 bandaids and Body Glide wipes, with a visor hat hanging off the back. My cell is in my bra, my Shuffle is full of my running songs, (including 20 consecutive plays of ‘Beat It’), my Garmin is set to 2/1, and I have a small plastic bag that contains a few pretzels and energy bar pieces. I Vaselined my feet and Body Glided my body. My shirt is pink, my headband is pink, my wristbands are pink, my socks are pink, and so are my shoes. Jessi jokes that I could just carry a rolling suitcase, but I'm going to be out there longer than the rest of our team and I need all the tools I can muster, knowing, of course, the most important tool is my brain.
Elizabeth and I run together for the first 15 miles, enjoying Lake Washington, the bald eagle, the people, seeing her sister, the excitement. The sign that split the Half from the Full made my heart stop a second – I could change my mind right there; but Elizabeth turned right for the Full so I did, too. Going east on the bridge was great, but by the turnaround it was too hot and so was I. We both were slowing a bit, and the tunnel came none too soon (except for the band inside the tunnel – it was so loud my ears hurt!) But there was a water station on the other side, and that’s when I made another great decision; I threw water all over me and cooled down. Did that the rest of the way and didn’t have a problem with the heat again.
At about mile 16 Elizabeth decided to go ahead; I was having trouble with 2/1. Another great decision: I could no longer do 2/1 but I sure could march to ‘Beat It.’ So I did. For 9.2 miles it was me and Michael Jackson – and I never missed a ‘beat’! I passed spectators and yelled that it was my first marathon – they cheered me on. I looked at the views of Seattle, thought how lucky I was, knew I was supported from above and below, was strong. Several times I had been told, “you only get one first marathon, so enjoy it.” I did.
The only issue I had was the need to pee. Before mile 24 I never had to; I imagine I was sweating it out as fast as I was taking it in. (I only stopped four times on the route, twice to refill my camelback, twice to stretch, for a total of about 3 minutes.) But going down the viaduct, I had to pee very badly. There was no potty in site. Well, I did what I had to do – I trickled a bit at a time for 2 miles, didn’t want to make a mess in my shoes by doing it all at once!
Jessi and I were texting each other’s mileage along the way, (she being in front and my being last), until I poured water down my front and ruined my phone, so I didn’t know how anyone would know when I would be coming in. But Angela was watching online and let Jessi know where I was, so when I came down the ramp (still marching to ‘Beat It’, mind you!) there my team was! I was pretty close to crying at that point – it was the best feeling to know that these women that I so admire and respect and love were there to greet me.
Would I change anything? Yes – I would bring a small camera like Connie Many did to take pictures, and I would remember that my cell phone was in my bra when I poured water over me. That’s alI I would change.
What did I learn? It really IS about the journey and all the little decisions you make to get to the goal. It is the small steps that take us there, that coalesce into an accomplishment. I learned to listen to everyone and use what worked best for me.
Until today I didn’t REALLY comprehend the breadth of that concept. So yes, I’m in awe of myself. The best decision I made was to surround myself with a community of women that helped me get to a place I didn’t even know I needed to go– the place of complete, utter accomplishment of a goal I never even suspected I had in me. The place of loving me.
.
Life is soooooo good!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
With a little help from my friends...
People can't understand why a man runs. They don't see any sport in it. Argue it lacks the sight and thrill of body contact. Yet, the conflict is there, more raw and challenging than any man versus man competition. For in running it is man against himself, the cruelest of opponents. The other runners are not the real enemies. His adversary lies within him, in his ability, with brain and heart to master himself and his emotions." - Glen Cunningham; 2-time Olympian
Running… with the Rock-n-Roll marathon looming, my training has focused mainly on running. Last week while running 20 miles with my marathon & ½ marathon training pals I found myself running alone. I have come to realize that will happen. I’m fast, but I start slow. I surge, but I get tired. It is really hard for me to stay with the pack. During this run I focused really hard to just run at a steady pace. But I still was alone for most of it. This really isn’t a bad thing for me. Knowing that my teammates are ahead or behind me is comforting and I’m ok with that. But even knowing that I’m not alone during these long runs I find my mind playing tricks on me. Cathy calls it “mind chatter”.
I won’t revisit every mile of my 20 mile run… and without a garmin I can’t really recall anyways. But there were some moments that stuck in my mind.
My morning began at 5:45am – rode to Seward Park with Shaun where we met Jessi. What a beautiful day. We were to meet Ruth, Jan and Stacey (Jessi’s friend) at mile 7. Cathy & Elizabeth started earlier so we’d meet up with them afterwards for a dip in the lake.
Mile 1-7: I started off with Jessi & Shaun. We were running along Lake Washington. It was beautiful. They pulled ahead of me… they were in my sights for the longest time but they slipped away until I couldn’t see them anymore. So I ran. I feel heavy and that early in the run my mind was wondering if I’d make it at all…
Mile 7-11: I made it to where we were meeting Jan, Ruth & Stacey. They were waiting for me and we refueled and stretched a bit. Then we were off. Again, I saw them all slip away. As I was coming up on the street that we had to go down I saw Jan waiting for me. She didn’t want me to miss the turn and get lost! I was so tired and Jan’s feet were fresh and ready to run. I felt like I was holding her back. I slipped behind but she always was in my sight. We reached the turnaround together and headed back the way we came. It was so kind of Jan to hang with me but I just couldn’t keep up with her pace. At least we were half way there.
Mile 11-15: We met again at Jan’s car to refuel and stretch. Again, we were off and I slipped away from the group. We were at Lecshi and I decided I needed to walk through the town before running again. Walking really pushed me behind everyone. But I knew I had to keep moving. I was just under I-90 and coming to the path by the water. I knew I was getting closer now and felt I needed to dig deep and stay focused on running. I found a good, long song on my ipod and I ran. I keep thinking that this is feeling ok. Happy thoughts. I ran all the way to Genese Park (Danskin swim & transition area). I think this was about mile 14 or 15. I decided to walk awhile and get my heart rate down. At this point I needed to take in the sights and sounds of this beautiful day and just enjoy it.
Mile 16-18: Started running again. I really wanted to focus on my running pace. I didn’t want to finish by walking. Looking ahead I didn’t see the girls. I starting to feel the pressure that everyone was waiting for me, again. I was hurting. I was having so many doubts come across my mind. I keep thinking this is the hardest thing I have ever done. Not just this day of running, running in general. I’m alone out in the middle of Seattle. My eyes welled up and I was about to cry. Why? Why do I let these thoughts in my mind? I had to get a hold of myself… All this time I’m moving. Run, walk, and run again. I get to mile 18. I know this because we have to run the 2 mile loop around Seward Park to get in our 20 miles. I get to the parking lot and figure 18 miles is good for one day. I’ll wait for the girls at water… but my destiny for this day wasn’t to end this way.
Mile 18-20: I’m walking in the parking lot towards the inviting lake when I see a familiar face. It’s Cathy running towards me. She gets closer and I say hi. Once she realizes it’s me she says “Hi Connie” and then almost breaks down. She was on mile 16 of 18 miles. I think the longest run she has had before that was maybe 14. She was debating if she should stop. I knew that she needed to finish. She would have never forgiven herself if she stopped. I told her we’d finish up the last 2 miles together. In a strange way I felt like an angel that she came upon a friend at the moment she needed me most. I forgot all about my pains and all the emotions that I had been having the last 4 hours. We finished up our last 2 miles together. We did what we set out to do that day.
To all of my running partners ~ Thank you for encouraging me and believing in me when I need it the most.
Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?' " - Peter Maher
Just keep moving forward & BE STRONG
Running… with the Rock-n-Roll marathon looming, my training has focused mainly on running. Last week while running 20 miles with my marathon & ½ marathon training pals I found myself running alone. I have come to realize that will happen. I’m fast, but I start slow. I surge, but I get tired. It is really hard for me to stay with the pack. During this run I focused really hard to just run at a steady pace. But I still was alone for most of it. This really isn’t a bad thing for me. Knowing that my teammates are ahead or behind me is comforting and I’m ok with that. But even knowing that I’m not alone during these long runs I find my mind playing tricks on me. Cathy calls it “mind chatter”.
I won’t revisit every mile of my 20 mile run… and without a garmin I can’t really recall anyways. But there were some moments that stuck in my mind.
My morning began at 5:45am – rode to Seward Park with Shaun where we met Jessi. What a beautiful day. We were to meet Ruth, Jan and Stacey (Jessi’s friend) at mile 7. Cathy & Elizabeth started earlier so we’d meet up with them afterwards for a dip in the lake.
Mile 1-7: I started off with Jessi & Shaun. We were running along Lake Washington. It was beautiful. They pulled ahead of me… they were in my sights for the longest time but they slipped away until I couldn’t see them anymore. So I ran. I feel heavy and that early in the run my mind was wondering if I’d make it at all…
Mile 7-11: I made it to where we were meeting Jan, Ruth & Stacey. They were waiting for me and we refueled and stretched a bit. Then we were off. Again, I saw them all slip away. As I was coming up on the street that we had to go down I saw Jan waiting for me. She didn’t want me to miss the turn and get lost! I was so tired and Jan’s feet were fresh and ready to run. I felt like I was holding her back. I slipped behind but she always was in my sight. We reached the turnaround together and headed back the way we came. It was so kind of Jan to hang with me but I just couldn’t keep up with her pace. At least we were half way there.
Mile 11-15: We met again at Jan’s car to refuel and stretch. Again, we were off and I slipped away from the group. We were at Lecshi and I decided I needed to walk through the town before running again. Walking really pushed me behind everyone. But I knew I had to keep moving. I was just under I-90 and coming to the path by the water. I knew I was getting closer now and felt I needed to dig deep and stay focused on running. I found a good, long song on my ipod and I ran. I keep thinking that this is feeling ok. Happy thoughts. I ran all the way to Genese Park (Danskin swim & transition area). I think this was about mile 14 or 15. I decided to walk awhile and get my heart rate down. At this point I needed to take in the sights and sounds of this beautiful day and just enjoy it.
Mile 16-18: Started running again. I really wanted to focus on my running pace. I didn’t want to finish by walking. Looking ahead I didn’t see the girls. I starting to feel the pressure that everyone was waiting for me, again. I was hurting. I was having so many doubts come across my mind. I keep thinking this is the hardest thing I have ever done. Not just this day of running, running in general. I’m alone out in the middle of Seattle. My eyes welled up and I was about to cry. Why? Why do I let these thoughts in my mind? I had to get a hold of myself… All this time I’m moving. Run, walk, and run again. I get to mile 18. I know this because we have to run the 2 mile loop around Seward Park to get in our 20 miles. I get to the parking lot and figure 18 miles is good for one day. I’ll wait for the girls at water… but my destiny for this day wasn’t to end this way.
Mile 18-20: I’m walking in the parking lot towards the inviting lake when I see a familiar face. It’s Cathy running towards me. She gets closer and I say hi. Once she realizes it’s me she says “Hi Connie” and then almost breaks down. She was on mile 16 of 18 miles. I think the longest run she has had before that was maybe 14. She was debating if she should stop. I knew that she needed to finish. She would have never forgiven herself if she stopped. I told her we’d finish up the last 2 miles together. In a strange way I felt like an angel that she came upon a friend at the moment she needed me most. I forgot all about my pains and all the emotions that I had been having the last 4 hours. We finished up our last 2 miles together. We did what we set out to do that day.
To all of my running partners ~ Thank you for encouraging me and believing in me when I need it the most.
Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?' " - Peter Maher
Just keep moving forward & BE STRONG
Monday, June 1, 2009
Joanna's thoughts on the West Seattle 5K
Amy talked a group of us into running in the West Seattle 5k this morning. The group ended up being Amy, Teresa, Rachel, Kathy G and myself. The course was an up and back along Alki Beach so the view and water were amazing and it was FLAT... which I was LOVING after the Kirkland 5k hilly course. I took off at the start at a comfortable pace that I thought I would be able to maintain. About a 1/2 mile into it I realized that I forgot to use my inhaler (it's a new thing and I'm completely not use to it) but since I was feeling good I decided to keep going. I just tried to focus on taking slow deep breaths as much as possible. I also turned up a music a little more so I couldn't hear my breathing... which can sound scary sometimes. I looked down at my watch at the 1st mile marker and was in the 12 minute range. A 12 minute mile is the best that I have ever run. WHOOHOOO! Doing good, feel good, just keep moving. My excitement lasted only about another quarter of a mile before I started going downhill. My breathing was becoming a little out of control so I tried to walk a few steps in hopes of getting it to stabilize. Walking hurt more than my running did so I started to jog again. My breathing got worse so I faced the fact that I had to walk for a while. It still amazes me how mental running and racing is. I always assumed that the person in the best condition finishes first. I wasn't until last September that I realized your need to mental condition yourself right along side of your other physical conditioning. Within the first quarter of a mile of walking, I had completely talked myself out of running another step and was almost to the point of just not finishing. It is crazy how fast all though negative thoughts come flooding into your head. First was the list of things that I screwed up during the race... didn't use my inhaler, planned food and water around the wrong time time (I thought it was at 9a but it was really 9:30a), started at too fast of a pace to maintain, I'm too hot, I'm tired, I didn't get enough sleep, I've been up since 5a, I need water and there isn't any, why didn't I think to bring water with me and so on in this big repeating loop. Kathy, who is excellent at pacing, went flying by me. While cheering and encouraging her, my negativity for myself just got more intense. Then as I rounded the half way point, there was this AMAZING view... the water and beach were quiet and inviting with crystal clear snow topped mountains in the background. As I took a moment to realize how lucky I was to be outside to take in the view, a breeze came off of the water and cooled my burning up face. That was all it took to be able to fight off the negative thoughts. I wanted to finish strong. I wanted to look strong as I ran past Amy, Teresa and Rachel. I wanted them to keep running and was worried that if they saw me walking that it would make it easier for them to give up on their running. The last time I rode my bike with Amy, she mentioned that I was the rabbit that she kept trying to catch. I didn't want to make it too easy for her to catch me and if she did, I wanted to at least be running so it would mean more. Instead of paying attention to my head, breathing or watch, I started picking out people ahead of me that were walking and one at a time made it my mission to pass them. Slowly and steadily I was able to pass all of them. Then after you pass them, I tried to make sure I was moving quick enough that they couldn't pass me. This kicked my head into a more competitive place and I was able to run the entire second half of the race. At some point past the 2 mile mark, I realized I was under 30 minutes. That moment of realization that you might actually be able to beat your best time is also incredibly motivating. I've never come in under 40 minutes on a 5k before in my entire life. The first time under 45 minutes was just a few months ago in February at our team 5k run test. Earlier in May I finished the Kirkland 5k in 41:45. Realizing that I had a chance to beat my current PR definitely kept me going. I did have to fight the negativity again though when the "if onlys" started up. If only I hadn't walked. If only I had walked faster. If only I had walked less. Thankfully that was short lived cause if I was going to beat my own record with the walking, that means that once I get to the point of not needing to walk I am going to rock the 5k :). The Garmin placed me finishing at 40:34. I cut a little over a minute off my time and am proud that that. And more proud that I didn't give up and completely throw in the towel like I have before on other races and other trainings. I'll get there. Hitting a 5k under 40 minutes will just have to be left as a goal for another day. The gals I races with all did amazing. Teresa and Amy came in so soon after I did that I missed seeing them cross the finish line cause I went to go grab a much needed water. I was there to watch Rachel finish with a big smile on her face. I think Kathy and Amy also broke their 5k times from Kirkland by at least a 1-2 minutes.
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