!!!!WARNING - FULL FREAKOUT MODE!!!!
Oh my gosh, I am getting more and more nervous just looking at the changing forecast... not only are they predicting 29 degrees at the start but 18 mph winds with a windchill of 18!!! I have was having a hard enough time deciding on whether to wear my under armour long sleeve underneath my dri-fit Tee underneath my throw away sweat but now I am wondering on whether I should forget the dri-fit Tee and have my other long sleeve shirt on (it's got this weird wind breaking type of fabric on the outside but wicking material on the inside). I was already planning on my ear warmers, and my thinnest gloves so I can get into my back zipper pocket for my Gu's but my hands/fingers will be freaking number in those gloves, but if I wear my thicker gloves I might drop a gu unless I take one off when I need to....
I am already feeling beaten and at a loss with this, none of my training has prepared me for running in a freezing marathon, I am more prepared to run in a hot and humid marathon than this :( I am no longer really, truly excited but scared and nervous and expecting the worse. Mother Nature usually gives me a few days of mildly cold weather so that I get used to the change from summer to winter, but I am being thrown from the freezer into the freaking Arctic this Saturday and there is nothing I can do about it.
I've worked so hard for this, I kept my eye on the ball throughout 2014 and even on the hot, miserable summer mornings, all my long runs by myself, in the dark out on country roads but none of it has prepared me for the possibilities of number fingers and toes and my nose :( I mean seriously what about the aid stations, what if the water and gatorade is frozen???? :( Has that ever happened???
I now officially feel sick to my stomach.....
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
A Surreal State of Mind
The last two days I have been overtaken by a sense of calm, no excitement of nervousness but just calm. I have no idea why or what is going on, I was so excited last week, I was so FREAKING excited on December 31, 2013 at 11 PM when I registered for the race (I wonder what my bib number is). But I am 3 days and 9 hours away and feeling quite relaxed about my first marathon - my first 26 POINT FREAKING 2 MILES......
What might be worse is I really don't have anybody else to talk to about it, I mean sure my husband wants to understand or try to listen but I know he doesn't quite hear it or feel it like I do. And apparently everyone on runningahead.com's Beginners&Beyond forum are tired of hearing about my excitement too. Maybe it's the taper crazies or I feel really hurt that they've begun to really belittle it every time I bring it up as of this week. So now I don't have anybody to talk to about it :(
What might be worse is I really don't have anybody else to talk to about it, I mean sure my husband wants to understand or try to listen but I know he doesn't quite hear it or feel it like I do. And apparently everyone on runningahead.com's Beginners&Beyond forum are tired of hearing about my excitement too. Maybe it's the taper crazies or I feel really hurt that they've begun to really belittle it every time I bring it up as of this week. So now I don't have anybody to talk to about it :(
3.2 Miles This Morning... Only a Few More Days
It was 70 degrees this morning, and what is worse about that is the fact that Saturday morning it is going to be like 30 degrees at the start....what the hell!!!??? I mean sure I don't mind running in cold weather, but to go from 60 degree weather to THAT is just a bit much and then to make matters even more frustrating is the part where we'll be standing in the shade for like 25-30 minutes - I wonder how long I can wait at the hotel before heading to the start lol.
The plan was to wear my capris, race shoes with a new pair of socks (same brand but without worn holes), one of my dri-fit Tee's and gloves. I will have a throw away sweater but now I am wondering if I am going to have to have my under armour long sleeve thing underneath it all which I know half way into the race I will be warming up but won't be able to take it off without stopping and I don't want to give it up damn it. I could maybe wear the throw away for a while until I start warming up. But I won't be forcing the hubs or Dorian to go to the start with me, I don't want Dorian out in that cold weather.
I am also concerned with how my body might react to such a drastic change in temperature... but I guess I can be happy that it won't be raining, hailing, too windy or too hot or too freezing cold.. so I guess I should be happy about that.
Anyways, Rocky and I ran 3.2 miles this morning. Definitely slow and easy for the first 2 miles and then picked it up just a smidge for the final mile. We finished in 34:15 with an average pace of 10:42 min/mile, and I am taking tomorrow and Thursday off from running and then I might see about a 1 mile shakeout run Friday morning.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:27
Mile 2 - 10:37
Mile 3 - 10:15
.2 - 9:42
I am not yet feeling the crazy excitement yet, mainly because I am still worried about Friday and leaving here at noon and everybody understanding how important this is to me. As long as we get out on the road and are headed up there and a good ways away from Evansville by 12:30 - 1 PM, then I will relax and let myself get excited.
The plan was to wear my capris, race shoes with a new pair of socks (same brand but without worn holes), one of my dri-fit Tee's and gloves. I will have a throw away sweater but now I am wondering if I am going to have to have my under armour long sleeve thing underneath it all which I know half way into the race I will be warming up but won't be able to take it off without stopping and I don't want to give it up damn it. I could maybe wear the throw away for a while until I start warming up. But I won't be forcing the hubs or Dorian to go to the start with me, I don't want Dorian out in that cold weather.
I am also concerned with how my body might react to such a drastic change in temperature... but I guess I can be happy that it won't be raining, hailing, too windy or too hot or too freezing cold.. so I guess I should be happy about that.
Anyways, Rocky and I ran 3.2 miles this morning. Definitely slow and easy for the first 2 miles and then picked it up just a smidge for the final mile. We finished in 34:15 with an average pace of 10:42 min/mile, and I am taking tomorrow and Thursday off from running and then I might see about a 1 mile shakeout run Friday morning.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:27
Mile 2 - 10:37
Mile 3 - 10:15
.2 - 9:42
I am not yet feeling the crazy excitement yet, mainly because I am still worried about Friday and leaving here at noon and everybody understanding how important this is to me. As long as we get out on the road and are headed up there and a good ways away from Evansville by 12:30 - 1 PM, then I will relax and let myself get excited.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
8 Miles the Morning, Thoughts and More
So I didn't run Friday or Saturday, trying to get my hamstring to relax and heal up some, the first 2 miles went well and without any tightness, but after a pit stop (being a girl sucks when you've got to squat) I kept feeling it come and go, it wasn't nearly as tight as Thursday and it didn't come nearly as much as the past week but it was still there among other aches that would also come and go. I am trying to ignore the urge to stretch it, as that will only make things worse but I am doing that pelvic tilt thingy which seems to be helping, and foam rolling along with rubbing some really cold muscle rub crap on my legs.
Rocky and I ran 8 miles this morning, the paces were pretty even really, we finished in 1:23:31 with an average pace of 10:26 min/mile and an elevation gain of 150 feet, loss of 154 feet.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:54
Mile 2 - 10:28
Mile 3 - 10:10
Mile 4 - 10:20
Mile 5 - 10:17
Mile 6 - 10:40 (around the middle between mile 5 and 6 I thought we were going to be chased by a skunk again, but luckily that didn't happen)
Mile 7 - 10:15
Mile 8 - 10:25
I am really, really, seriously contemplating on not running at all this week except for maybe Tuesday and Wednesday but I know most seasoned marathoners would frown on my taking so many days off right before the race but I know my body and it always does me so much better to rest the day before a goal race - one day for 15k and 13.1 miles, sometimes 2 days for a half marathon so I honestly feel 3 days would be best for me before my first marathon and even more so if this is something serious. My biggest fear is that during the race my hamstring or something finally tears all the way or really, really begins to hurt and I have to suffer through the entire race with that.
I had 3 miles planned for tomorrow and 4 on Tuesday, but I really wonder if I should take tomorrow off and run the 3 easy on Tuesday and the 4 easy on Wednesday and then take Thursday and Friday completely off....
Rocky and I ran 8 miles this morning, the paces were pretty even really, we finished in 1:23:31 with an average pace of 10:26 min/mile and an elevation gain of 150 feet, loss of 154 feet.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:54
Mile 2 - 10:28
Mile 3 - 10:10
Mile 4 - 10:20
Mile 5 - 10:17
Mile 6 - 10:40 (around the middle between mile 5 and 6 I thought we were going to be chased by a skunk again, but luckily that didn't happen)
Mile 7 - 10:15
Mile 8 - 10:25
I am really, really, seriously contemplating on not running at all this week except for maybe Tuesday and Wednesday but I know most seasoned marathoners would frown on my taking so many days off right before the race but I know my body and it always does me so much better to rest the day before a goal race - one day for 15k and 13.1 miles, sometimes 2 days for a half marathon so I honestly feel 3 days would be best for me before my first marathon and even more so if this is something serious. My biggest fear is that during the race my hamstring or something finally tears all the way or really, really begins to hurt and I have to suffer through the entire race with that.
I had 3 miles planned for tomorrow and 4 on Tuesday, but I really wonder if I should take tomorrow off and run the 3 easy on Tuesday and the 4 easy on Wednesday and then take Thursday and Friday completely off....
Friday, October 24, 2014
Almost There...... woohoo I am nervous
So I think I've figured out what my hamstring has been doing, well really it is more my quad's fault or pelvis... but I am trying to catch it before it gets worse. It hasn't gotten to the point of pain but just tightness, but I know that if I don't do something now it will go into absolute unbearable pain during the race.
After doing a few certain stretches for the pelvis tilt thingy yesterday, it seemed to help during yesterday morning's run. I ran 3.5 miles in 34:32 with an average pace of 9:50 min/mile pace, wasn't tough at all but I could feel the tightness come and go. So I decided that I would take today and tomorrow off while stretches and rolling and massaging my legs, Sunday I'll either run 6 or 8 miles depending on how I am feeling.
In just a week I'll be in Indianapolis nervous as well and wondering if I will be able to sleep and excited for the very next morning, will I be able to eat that evening, hell will I be able to eat that morning??
After doing a few certain stretches for the pelvis tilt thingy yesterday, it seemed to help during yesterday morning's run. I ran 3.5 miles in 34:32 with an average pace of 9:50 min/mile pace, wasn't tough at all but I could feel the tightness come and go. So I decided that I would take today and tomorrow off while stretches and rolling and massaging my legs, Sunday I'll either run 6 or 8 miles depending on how I am feeling.
In just a week I'll be in Indianapolis nervous as well and wondering if I will be able to sleep and excited for the very next morning, will I be able to eat that evening, hell will I be able to eat that morning??
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Today and Yesterday
My stupid hamstring is still feeling tight, I am hoping (and praying) it doesn't during the race because it is extremely annoying. I foam rolled it and the other one and the calves this morning before we went for our run, so it didn't feel as tight as yesterday.
Yesterday morning Rocky and I ran 4.1 miles in 41:53 with an average pace of 10:13 min/mile.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:59
Mile 2 - 10:27
Mile 3 - 9:57
Mile 4 - 9:35
.1 - 9:15
This morning went a bit better, I had to have my undershirt on as it was 45 degrees but felt like 41. I was starting to warm up near the end so whether I wear it during the race will depend on just how cold it will be.
Rocky and I ran 7 miles in 1:07:26 with an average pace of 9:38 min/mile, it started out easy but I picked it up while also having to slow down for people backing out of their driveways so freaking slowly and then even slower when they see me (so annoying!). Mile 3 was probably the most annoying of it, but the run went good anyways and even though the pace felt a little more than easy it still felt good nonetheless and I quietly hope I can hold the pace for a lot of the race (if my hammy doesn't act up).
We had an elevation gain of 118 feet and a loss of 120 feet, I will probably start avoiding hills Saturday and focus on a flat route so my legs can take it easier.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:37
Mile 2 - 9:32
Mile 3 - 10:19
Mile 4 - 9:42
Mile 5 - 9:36
Mile 6 - 9:00
Mile 7 - 8:36
Next Monday and Tuesday will have to be very slow and easy, with maybe some little pick me up strides thrown in. I will rest Wednesday and Thursday then maybe a 15-20 minute run on Friday morning, very slow and easy.
Yesterday morning Rocky and I ran 4.1 miles in 41:53 with an average pace of 10:13 min/mile.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:59
Mile 2 - 10:27
Mile 3 - 9:57
Mile 4 - 9:35
.1 - 9:15
This morning went a bit better, I had to have my undershirt on as it was 45 degrees but felt like 41. I was starting to warm up near the end so whether I wear it during the race will depend on just how cold it will be.
Rocky and I ran 7 miles in 1:07:26 with an average pace of 9:38 min/mile, it started out easy but I picked it up while also having to slow down for people backing out of their driveways so freaking slowly and then even slower when they see me (so annoying!). Mile 3 was probably the most annoying of it, but the run went good anyways and even though the pace felt a little more than easy it still felt good nonetheless and I quietly hope I can hold the pace for a lot of the race (if my hammy doesn't act up).
We had an elevation gain of 118 feet and a loss of 120 feet, I will probably start avoiding hills Saturday and focus on a flat route so my legs can take it easier.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:37
Mile 2 - 9:32
Mile 3 - 10:19
Mile 4 - 9:42
Mile 5 - 9:36
Mile 6 - 9:00
Mile 7 - 8:36
Next Monday and Tuesday will have to be very slow and easy, with maybe some little pick me up strides thrown in. I will rest Wednesday and Thursday then maybe a 15-20 minute run on Friday morning, very slow and easy.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Closing out Week 17
The beginning of this week was pretty questionable, and even had me worried for a while. But by Thursday and Friday I was feeling better about things, and no longer worried. I will once again say that I am enjoying the taper still, don't get me wrong I very much enjoyed the training but it is nice to finally kind of sit back and relax a little.
I wasn't really sure if this morning was going to happen or not, Dorian was pretty restless but luckily I was able to get up at 4 AM. The temperature was 45 degrees, chilly but I decided not to wear a long sleeves, instead I wore my capris and a dri-fit T-shirt and gloves. It was really chilly at first, but after 1-2 miles I began to warm up.
Around 1.5 miles I heard a dog or two barking, then I heard a or the pack of coyotes. Both were coming from a field and it didn't sound like it was more than 100 feet from us which bothered me just a little because it was too dark to see them. Normally if I am running alone I am not too worried about coyotes and other wild animals, but sometimes a dog can antagonize those wild animals so between 1.5 and 1.7 miles I walked while keeping an eye on the field expecting either the coyotes or the dog. I did hear some commotion that sounded like the dog got into a scuffle with either one or 2 coyotes, had me just a tad concerned about what was going on out there.
During most of the run, I kept thinking about the race and wondering how things will go. I keep ranging between confidence and nervousness/anxiety on how I am going to handle it. I am sure everyone goes through this, and lucky me I have 2 weeks to keep running it through my mind. I went ahead purchased (3) pace bands from R2R (Race 2 Remember?), one is for a 4:15:00 finish, one is for a 4:10:00 finish and the 3rd one is for 4:25:00 finish. I'll either carry the 4:15:00 and improvise after so many miles or something.
Anyways, Rocky and I ran 10.3 miles in 1:41:47 with an average pace of 9:53 min/mile, elevation gain of 265 feet and a loss of 265 feet. Other than the walk during the coyotes, I also walked up a hill right before mile 7.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:35
Mile 2 - 11:25 (rather be slow than attacked by coyotes)
Mile 3 - 10:01
Mile 4 - 9:53
Mile 5 - 9:46
Mile 6 - 9:12
Mile 7 - 10:08
Mile 8 - 9:42
Mile 9 - 9:31
Mile 10 - 8:58
.3 - 8:42
I wasn't really sure if this morning was going to happen or not, Dorian was pretty restless but luckily I was able to get up at 4 AM. The temperature was 45 degrees, chilly but I decided not to wear a long sleeves, instead I wore my capris and a dri-fit T-shirt and gloves. It was really chilly at first, but after 1-2 miles I began to warm up.
Around 1.5 miles I heard a dog or two barking, then I heard a or the pack of coyotes. Both were coming from a field and it didn't sound like it was more than 100 feet from us which bothered me just a little because it was too dark to see them. Normally if I am running alone I am not too worried about coyotes and other wild animals, but sometimes a dog can antagonize those wild animals so between 1.5 and 1.7 miles I walked while keeping an eye on the field expecting either the coyotes or the dog. I did hear some commotion that sounded like the dog got into a scuffle with either one or 2 coyotes, had me just a tad concerned about what was going on out there.
During most of the run, I kept thinking about the race and wondering how things will go. I keep ranging between confidence and nervousness/anxiety on how I am going to handle it. I am sure everyone goes through this, and lucky me I have 2 weeks to keep running it through my mind. I went ahead purchased (3) pace bands from R2R (Race 2 Remember?), one is for a 4:15:00 finish, one is for a 4:10:00 finish and the 3rd one is for 4:25:00 finish. I'll either carry the 4:15:00 and improvise after so many miles or something.
Anyways, Rocky and I ran 10.3 miles in 1:41:47 with an average pace of 9:53 min/mile, elevation gain of 265 feet and a loss of 265 feet. Other than the walk during the coyotes, I also walked up a hill right before mile 7.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:35
Mile 2 - 11:25 (rather be slow than attacked by coyotes)
Mile 3 - 10:01
Mile 4 - 9:53
Mile 5 - 9:46
Mile 6 - 9:12
Mile 7 - 10:08
Mile 8 - 9:42
Mile 9 - 9:31
Mile 10 - 8:58
.3 - 8:42
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Another Good Run This Morning
!!!!!!!!TWO MORE WEEKS!!!!!!
I am actually really enjoying this whole taper thing, not feeling stressed to get up early in the morning, not too worried if I miss a run or have to get it done in the afternoon/evening. I might just look forward to this thing during all my training cycles, but it's the damn wait for the race that is killing me!!
I've got 3 large gym bags that I use for traveling (I don't like the traditional luggage bags) and my OCD is wanting to pack everything now and stuff everything in the tahoe, I wonder if I should call the hotel to confirm my registrations... I haven't had to before but you never know, this being my first marathon and out of town....
Anyways, I keep telling myself that last week flew by quite quickly and so will this coming week. But I am also sad because once the wait is over, it's over....... I am torn between the pleasure, excitement of the adventure and anticipation of THE DAY - and my lack of patience... pooh :(
Okay, Rocky and I headed out for a run this morning. I wasn't too sure on how far or long but I knew I didn't want to go past 5 miles for sure. It was 54 degrees so chilly at first but not bad, and I just enjoy running before sun up and while everyone else is asleep. Took it real easy but not slow, we ran 4.4 miles in 44:53 with an average pace of 10:12 min/mile, not bad at all for an easy run.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:07
Mile 2 - 10:22
Mile 3 - 9:57
Mile 4 - 9:39
.4 - 9:34
Overall a good run, got home and took a shower then went back to bed. Dorian let me sleep until 9 AM...... which is just rare lol.
I am actually really enjoying this whole taper thing, not feeling stressed to get up early in the morning, not too worried if I miss a run or have to get it done in the afternoon/evening. I might just look forward to this thing during all my training cycles, but it's the damn wait for the race that is killing me!!
I've got 3 large gym bags that I use for traveling (I don't like the traditional luggage bags) and my OCD is wanting to pack everything now and stuff everything in the tahoe, I wonder if I should call the hotel to confirm my registrations... I haven't had to before but you never know, this being my first marathon and out of town....
Anyways, I keep telling myself that last week flew by quite quickly and so will this coming week. But I am also sad because once the wait is over, it's over....... I am torn between the pleasure, excitement of the adventure and anticipation of THE DAY - and my lack of patience... pooh :(
Okay, Rocky and I headed out for a run this morning. I wasn't too sure on how far or long but I knew I didn't want to go past 5 miles for sure. It was 54 degrees so chilly at first but not bad, and I just enjoy running before sun up and while everyone else is asleep. Took it real easy but not slow, we ran 4.4 miles in 44:53 with an average pace of 10:12 min/mile, not bad at all for an easy run.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:07
Mile 2 - 10:22
Mile 3 - 9:57
Mile 4 - 9:39
.4 - 9:34
Overall a good run, got home and took a shower then went back to bed. Dorian let me sleep until 9 AM...... which is just rare lol.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Some Good News with Tonight's Run
I didn't get my run this morning due to Dorian dealing with growth pains or something, but no worries there. Rocky and I went for a run later this afternoon, no pain, no issues whatsoever except for some female "things"/discomfort.
I really dislike running in the afternoon/evening, too many people are out and about, especially kids that can sometimes be total smart ass punks. But the run went well anyways, and I rather enjoyed it.
We ran 6.3 miles in 1:01:45 with an average pace of 9:48 min/mile, though it did seem easy which is good news. My calves were tight after mile 2 or 3 but not bad. The final mile, I picked it up just to pick it up like some of the articles I've read about keeping up with intensity while cutting the mileage back during the first 2 of the 3 week taper.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:14
Mile 2 - 10:09
Mile 3 - 9:44
Mile 4 - 10:09
Mile 5 - 9:56
Mile 6 - 8:48
Tomorrow morning, I'll see how I'm feeling and I might do 4 miles and Sunday if I am feeling good I will try for 10 or 12 miles.
I really dislike running in the afternoon/evening, too many people are out and about, especially kids that can sometimes be total smart ass punks. But the run went well anyways, and I rather enjoyed it.
We ran 6.3 miles in 1:01:45 with an average pace of 9:48 min/mile, though it did seem easy which is good news. My calves were tight after mile 2 or 3 but not bad. The final mile, I picked it up just to pick it up like some of the articles I've read about keeping up with intensity while cutting the mileage back during the first 2 of the 3 week taper.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:14
Mile 2 - 10:09
Mile 3 - 9:44
Mile 4 - 10:09
Mile 5 - 9:56
Mile 6 - 8:48
Tomorrow morning, I'll see how I'm feeling and I might do 4 miles and Sunday if I am feeling good I will try for 10 or 12 miles.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
This Morning's Attempt
I decided last night that I would try and run this morning, but planned to stop if there was any pain going on. Well, I got out and was running and didn't really feel pain up in the corner of my leg but it was a little achey, but nothing to really worry about so I kept going. I kept it nice and slow, just paying close attention to any pain.
The dull ache moved from that spot to the front of my leg, the top of my quad and eventually it moved to the outside around my butt but never became more than a little ache and would even go away. Strangely it was my left leg acting weird this time, for the past 3-4 weeks my right leg has been the evil thing with feeling tight or sore while my left leg had felt good the whole time. Now my right leg is feeling good while my left leg is acting stupid.
I ran 4.4 slow miles, finishing in 47:01 with an average pace of 10:41 min/mile. I did use the foam roller before heading to work later, but only on my butt, ITB's, quads and calves which felt good.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:53
Mile 2 - 11:03
Mile 3 - 10:54
Mile 4 - 10:20
.4 - 9:36
I can honestly say that I am paranoid and will be freaking out for the next two weeks, expecting to get injured right before the race, right in the taper which would be just my luck. Honestly, I am not going to fret too much about running, just run when I can and feel like it and not worry about hitting any mileage goals for the next two weeks. I just want to get the start of this race healthy and strong and make it to finish in decent shape.
The dull ache moved from that spot to the front of my leg, the top of my quad and eventually it moved to the outside around my butt but never became more than a little ache and would even go away. Strangely it was my left leg acting weird this time, for the past 3-4 weeks my right leg has been the evil thing with feeling tight or sore while my left leg had felt good the whole time. Now my right leg is feeling good while my left leg is acting stupid.
I ran 4.4 slow miles, finishing in 47:01 with an average pace of 10:41 min/mile. I did use the foam roller before heading to work later, but only on my butt, ITB's, quads and calves which felt good.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:53
Mile 2 - 11:03
Mile 3 - 10:54
Mile 4 - 10:20
.4 - 9:36
I can honestly say that I am paranoid and will be freaking out for the next two weeks, expecting to get injured right before the race, right in the taper which would be just my luck. Honestly, I am not going to fret too much about running, just run when I can and feel like it and not worry about hitting any mileage goals for the next two weeks. I just want to get the start of this race healthy and strong and make it to finish in decent shape.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Please Just Be Fatigue!!!
I felt really accomplished (and exhausted) after the 20 miler Sunday morning, but by the evening after some stretching and stuff I noticed a strange soreness or tightness in my left groin. I recognized it from when I had pulled or slightly injured my right groin back in 2012 when I start training within 5 weeks after giving birth to Dorian and ended up limping through most of my 2nd half marathon 6 months later. I didn't worry a lot, I figured everything was sore down there and a day or so with stretching would help. It seems to flare up in the evening, but this morning I took Dorian and Rocky out for an easy 4 miler but ended up with only 1 mile due to the pain or soreness.
I just didn't want to risk pushing it if it just needs some rest and recovery, I am hoping and praying that a few days of no running will do it wonders. But I am seriously scared that the injury is already there, especially when I am constantly chasing Dorian around and never really getting the recovery I need. I've made it this far with my first training and I would just lose my mind if I can run the Monumental Marathon after all my hard work to get this far :'(
I am going to wait until Thursday or Friday, just keep an eye on things and maybe even ice that area when I can lay down for 15 minutes of so, and just keep praying that this is just from fatigue and a minor irritation that will go away with rest.
I just didn't want to risk pushing it if it just needs some rest and recovery, I am hoping and praying that a few days of no running will do it wonders. But I am seriously scared that the injury is already there, especially when I am constantly chasing Dorian around and never really getting the recovery I need. I've made it this far with my first training and I would just lose my mind if I can run the Monumental Marathon after all my hard work to get this far :'(
I am going to wait until Thursday or Friday, just keep an eye on things and maybe even ice that area when I can lay down for 15 minutes of so, and just keep praying that this is just from fatigue and a minor irritation that will go away with rest.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Closing out Week 16 with a 20 Miler
From the very beginning, I knew this was going to be a crappy run. I only got 5 hours of sleep last night, and I really, really, really wanted to stay in bed so that made things even harder. From the very first mile I knew it was going to suck, my right glute or upper hamstring was tight and annoying me already and I was only in the first mile. I was already contemplating cutting this run short and just calling it quits, the taper can begin early.
I kept going, trying to distract myself with other things and movies since I don't carry my mp3 player during runs anymore. I took my first gu at mile 8, and then my 2nd gu at mile 12 then the 3rd gu at mile 16.6.
I can't say how tough it was to push beyond 10 miles but I was absolutely happy when I had reached the half way point. But the moment that drew the most excitement was when I had reached mile 17, but I was so exhausted I couldn't really show it lol.
I had misjudged my route, and ended up with just over a mile of walking after reaching 20 miles so that really freaking sucked.
I ran 20 miles in 3:22:39 with an average pace of 10:08 min/mile, an elevation gain of 320 feet and a loss of 328 feet. Throughout the whole run I would have doubts sneak in, wondering how on Earth I could imagine running 26.2 miles in a time under 4:30:00 when I have such an awful time during training runs. But then I realize something, I do these training runs... all these sucky and hot and freezing training runs, even the runs up to 20 miles by myself and sometimes when I am feeling sick or just blah. If I can accomplish that much by myself and through those odds, by freaking god I can complete 26.2 miles with a huge parade of runners!
Laps or splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:13
Mile 2 - 10:32
Mile 3 - 10:22
Mile 4 - 10:23
Mile 5 - 10:28
Mile 6 - 10:17
Mile 7 - 10:06
Mile 8 - 10:06
Mile 9 - 10:08
Mile 10 - 10:04
Mile 11 - 9:55
Mile 12 - 10:45 (I walked the hill between 11.3 and 11.7 miles)
Mile 13 - 10:04
Mile 14 - 9:42
Mile 15 - 11:03 (I happily walked the big hill between 14.3 and 14.7)
Mile 16 - 9:45
Mile 17 - 9:23
Mile 18 - 9:22
Mile 19 - 9:40
Mile 20 - 9:21
My second 20 miler is done, which closes out week 16 and so begins the taper (tomorrow) and I am really going to enjoy it. I have put in the training, taken on many challenges and I know I will complete the Monumental Marathon on November 1.
I kept going, trying to distract myself with other things and movies since I don't carry my mp3 player during runs anymore. I took my first gu at mile 8, and then my 2nd gu at mile 12 then the 3rd gu at mile 16.6.
I can't say how tough it was to push beyond 10 miles but I was absolutely happy when I had reached the half way point. But the moment that drew the most excitement was when I had reached mile 17, but I was so exhausted I couldn't really show it lol.
I had misjudged my route, and ended up with just over a mile of walking after reaching 20 miles so that really freaking sucked.
I ran 20 miles in 3:22:39 with an average pace of 10:08 min/mile, an elevation gain of 320 feet and a loss of 328 feet. Throughout the whole run I would have doubts sneak in, wondering how on Earth I could imagine running 26.2 miles in a time under 4:30:00 when I have such an awful time during training runs. But then I realize something, I do these training runs... all these sucky and hot and freezing training runs, even the runs up to 20 miles by myself and sometimes when I am feeling sick or just blah. If I can accomplish that much by myself and through those odds, by freaking god I can complete 26.2 miles with a huge parade of runners!
Laps or splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:13
Mile 2 - 10:32
Mile 3 - 10:22
Mile 4 - 10:23
Mile 5 - 10:28
Mile 6 - 10:17
Mile 7 - 10:06
Mile 8 - 10:06
Mile 9 - 10:08
Mile 10 - 10:04
Mile 11 - 9:55
Mile 12 - 10:45 (I walked the hill between 11.3 and 11.7 miles)
Mile 13 - 10:04
Mile 14 - 9:42
Mile 15 - 11:03 (I happily walked the big hill between 14.3 and 14.7)
Mile 16 - 9:45
Mile 17 - 9:23
Mile 18 - 9:22
Mile 19 - 9:40
Mile 20 - 9:21
My second 20 miler is done, which closes out week 16 and so begins the taper (tomorrow) and I am really going to enjoy it. I have put in the training, taken on many challenges and I know I will complete the Monumental Marathon on November 1.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Thursday, Friday and Saturday
I think I already talked about Wednesday's 10 miler...... and the Lunar Eclipse.
Thursday morning I was more prepared for the weather conditions, Rocky and I ran 4.2 miles in 43:22 with an average pace of 10:19 min/mile. Then Friday's morning 6 didn't happen due to mommy duties so Rocky and I had to get it in during the evening which meant I was wore out from a day of chasing Dorian around. It started out relatively easy and slow, and in the rain but we picked it up because picking up the pace helped my upper right hamstring, or maybe it was the bottom part of my butt cheek....... hmmm... we ran 6 miles in 58:28 with an average pace of 9:44 min/mile which I do have to admit feels relatively easy... especially if I wasn't on hills so I am hoping AND praying that I can hold that pace during the first half of the marathon and maybe pick things up.
Mile 1 - 10:28
Mile 2 - 9:58
Mile 3 - 10:01
Mile 4 - 9:53
Mile 5 - 9:28
Mile 6 - 8:39
I was definitely already feeling recovered and well, so I am feeling pretty positive about my training.
This morning Rocky and I ran 4.8 in 49:55 with an average pace of 10:24 min/mile, to equal out 30 miles before my long run tomorrow. So far it doesn't look like much rain so I am keeping my fingers crossed, I am hoping I can get a 20 miler in but will be just as pleased if I can get in 18 before my taper begins.
Thursday morning I was more prepared for the weather conditions, Rocky and I ran 4.2 miles in 43:22 with an average pace of 10:19 min/mile. Then Friday's morning 6 didn't happen due to mommy duties so Rocky and I had to get it in during the evening which meant I was wore out from a day of chasing Dorian around. It started out relatively easy and slow, and in the rain but we picked it up because picking up the pace helped my upper right hamstring, or maybe it was the bottom part of my butt cheek....... hmmm... we ran 6 miles in 58:28 with an average pace of 9:44 min/mile which I do have to admit feels relatively easy... especially if I wasn't on hills so I am hoping AND praying that I can hold that pace during the first half of the marathon and maybe pick things up.
Mile 1 - 10:28
Mile 2 - 9:58
Mile 3 - 10:01
Mile 4 - 9:53
Mile 5 - 9:28
Mile 6 - 8:39
I was definitely already feeling recovered and well, so I am feeling pretty positive about my training.
This morning Rocky and I ran 4.8 in 49:55 with an average pace of 10:24 min/mile, to equal out 30 miles before my long run tomorrow. So far it doesn't look like much rain so I am keeping my fingers crossed, I am hoping I can get a 20 miler in but will be just as pleased if I can get in 18 before my taper begins.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Week 16 So Far
Yesterday morning's 5 miler was sore, and a bit tight but not bad though probably the slowest I've ran a 5 miler in a while. Temperature was nice and around 59 degrees, and Rocky was happy to be out.
We ran 5 miles in 54:00 with an average pace of 10:47 min/mile, definitely slow and easy. I could feel my right hamstring and butt cheek try to tighten up every once and a while, but not bad.
Splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:10
Mile 2 - 10:29
Mile 3 - 10:51
Mile 4 - 10:50
Mile 5 - 10:39
Like I said, definitely slow and easy. I did some foam rolling yesterday and some stretching, but wasn't really feeling tight or anything throughout the day.
This morning was a no excuse morning, I was making damn sure that I was getting up in time for the Lunar Eclipse. And though I still felt sore and sluggish, Rocky and I (most I) enjoyed watching our first Lunar Eclipse from beginning to end. It made things so much easier, like getting spooked by 3 or 4 different skunks 4 different times and the constant wedgie I was dealing with. I am honestly so sick of wearing shorts damn it.
We started off slow, but truly the whole run itself was a slowish pace, not my usual 10 miler BUT I said I would take this week relatively easy and not push myself into an injury so that is what I am doing.
We ran 10 miles in 1:44:56 with an average pace of 10:29 min/mile, elevation gain of 219 feet and a loss of 217 feet.
Splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:07
Mile 2 - 10:47
Mile 3 - 10:36
Mile 4 - 10:24
Mile 5 - 10:06
Mile 6 - 10:22
Mile 7 - 10:16
Mile 8 - 10:36
Mile 9 - 10:24
Mile 10 - 10:17
So I am feeling pretty good, so that is a good sign.
One of my friends on RA just ran her first marathon and didn't do well, her goal was around 4 hours and she ended up finishing close to 5 hours so now I am really questioning my goals. She of course has only ran 2 half marathons before she began a Hidgon plan or whatever, and somewhere after mile 13 her throat started acting up severely, and the warm weather didn't help her at all. Hopefully it was a fluke and she'll have a much better 2nd marathon.
We ran 5 miles in 54:00 with an average pace of 10:47 min/mile, definitely slow and easy. I could feel my right hamstring and butt cheek try to tighten up every once and a while, but not bad.
Splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:10
Mile 2 - 10:29
Mile 3 - 10:51
Mile 4 - 10:50
Mile 5 - 10:39
Like I said, definitely slow and easy. I did some foam rolling yesterday and some stretching, but wasn't really feeling tight or anything throughout the day.
This morning was a no excuse morning, I was making damn sure that I was getting up in time for the Lunar Eclipse. And though I still felt sore and sluggish, Rocky and I (most I) enjoyed watching our first Lunar Eclipse from beginning to end. It made things so much easier, like getting spooked by 3 or 4 different skunks 4 different times and the constant wedgie I was dealing with. I am honestly so sick of wearing shorts damn it.
We started off slow, but truly the whole run itself was a slowish pace, not my usual 10 miler BUT I said I would take this week relatively easy and not push myself into an injury so that is what I am doing.
We ran 10 miles in 1:44:56 with an average pace of 10:29 min/mile, elevation gain of 219 feet and a loss of 217 feet.
Splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:07
Mile 2 - 10:47
Mile 3 - 10:36
Mile 4 - 10:24
Mile 5 - 10:06
Mile 6 - 10:22
Mile 7 - 10:16
Mile 8 - 10:36
Mile 9 - 10:24
Mile 10 - 10:17
So I am feeling pretty good, so that is a good sign.
One of my friends on RA just ran her first marathon and didn't do well, her goal was around 4 hours and she ended up finishing close to 5 hours so now I am really questioning my goals. She of course has only ran 2 half marathons before she began a Hidgon plan or whatever, and somewhere after mile 13 her throat started acting up severely, and the warm weather didn't help her at all. Hopefully it was a fluke and she'll have a much better 2nd marathon.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Less than 4 Weeks Away.... The Crazy Thoughts Begin
So the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon is less than 4 weeks away, pretty soon to be 3 weeks away. My final long run this Sunday will be 18 miles and the I will start cutting things back, the week after the 18 miler won't see any cutbacks but the long run will be 12-15 miles, then the week following that will show a couple of cutbacks during the week, not much yet but the long run a week before the race will be around 10 miles. Then I think I am going to run Tuesday and Wednesday, then maybe a very easy 2-3 miler Friday morning the day before the race.
I am seriously questioning my taper, the final 2 weeks of this training cycle is going to be the most insane.
Link to my training plan on www.runningahead.com
http://www.runningahead.com/logs/6d1d5cb5e27e4230a9d79029229a9ba6/plans/453
I am not following any plan, I've read through many plans when I was coming up with mine and then I just customized it to fit me and work for me. The last 15 weeks have gone great, but now the final 3-4 weeks are weighing heavily on me.... am I doing it right.... do I need to cut back more or have I cut back too much? And of course it feels like 3 1/2 weeks are going to take freaking forever!! I hate listening to myself, and now myself is going to get louder and louder as the days go by.
Aaaaaaaaccck!!!
I was pretty sore last night, I could hardly sleep due to my right quad being tight and my right calf being tight but I am feeling quite a bit better today. I've got a 5 miler tomorrow morning, just going to take it easy and listen to my body.
I am seriously questioning my taper, the final 2 weeks of this training cycle is going to be the most insane.
Link to my training plan on www.runningahead.com
http://www.runningahead.com/logs/6d1d5cb5e27e4230a9d79029229a9ba6/plans/453
I am not following any plan, I've read through many plans when I was coming up with mine and then I just customized it to fit me and work for me. The last 15 weeks have gone great, but now the final 3-4 weeks are weighing heavily on me.... am I doing it right.... do I need to cut back more or have I cut back too much? And of course it feels like 3 1/2 weeks are going to take freaking forever!! I hate listening to myself, and now myself is going to get louder and louder as the days go by.
Aaaaaaaaccck!!!
I was pretty sore last night, I could hardly sleep due to my right quad being tight and my right calf being tight but I am feeling quite a bit better today. I've got a 5 miler tomorrow morning, just going to take it easy and listen to my body.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
1st Annual Blood Moon Run 5k (the night after the half Marathon)
So as you know, yesterday morning I ran the 2014 Evansville Half Marathon and besting my 2013 PR by 3 minutes and 26 seconds by finishing in 1:53:12 with an average pace of 8:39 min/mile. It was a tough race, unlike all my other half marathons I was running on fatigued legs but I toughed it out and focused on keeping a steady pace and keeping it under 9 min/mile.
It was tough, and I was definitely feeling it afterwards but I had my Hammer Tissue Rejuvenator tablets and my Gaspari Nutrition BCAA tablets to take within 20 minutes (took me 10 minutes to get from the finish to my Tahoe). I didn't really eat much throughout the day, honestly I wasn't really that hungry but I did manage to have a good sized lunch at Denny's (Banana Pecan Pancakes, two orders of scrambled eggs and 4 pcs of turkey bacon) and then I took two more of my Tissue Rejuvenator tablets later that afternoon.
I had signed up for the Blood Moon Run 5k a week ago, don't ask why but I think it was pretty much because of the name of the race (love it!) before I looked at the date lol. I told myself I would take it easy, run this as a cool down. I had no idea what the course was like, and within the first quarter of a mile there was a gigantic hill, almost 100 feet in less than half a mile, not exactly what I am used to though some would just scoff at this lol. It definitely took the wind out of me, but I didn't walk it at all and having people around me that knew I had just ran the half marathon that morning pushed me more. I didn't want to walk during a 5k.
A friend of mine that I knew ran the half marathon that morning as well, she had gotten ahead of me during the hill and just about disappeared. She is training for her first 50k which is also on November 1, so she is pretty tough. Well, we came to a fork about a half mile in the race and she and a few others took the wrong turn. I tried to take advantage of that as we were now going down hill, but I could hear she was already close behind me. The second hill, just after mile 1 wasn't nearly as big as the first one but it gave her a chance to pass me again but I managed to keep her within 20 feet ahead of me. Throughout the rest of the race she would yo-yo between 10 and 30 feet ahead of me, and my plan to take it easy had gone out the window. I gave chase and stayed on her, not sure if I had the strength or energy to pass her but I just kept a steady pace. As we came around the turn to the finish, she and I gave a great kick but she managed to finish 2 seconds ahead of me.
I finished the 5k in 26:37 with an average pace of 8:34 min/mile, 185 feet in elevation gain total and a loss of 188 feet.
Splits were:
Mile 1 - 9:20
Mile 2 - 9:28
Mile 3 - 8:08
Overall: 8th out of 32
Gender: 3 out of 21
Yeah, it ended up not being an easy, slow run but I really enjoyed the challenge and my friend thanked me for pushing her (she ran 10 miles this morning, after having ran 13.1 yesterday morning and 3.1 that night!) I hope I can gain as much endurance and strength when I begin my training for my first 50k next year.
I am feeling pretty good this morning, a little sore but not bad. I am not running today or tomorrow, just going to stretch and foam roll and then resume my training on Tuesday, keeping in mind to take it easy.
It was tough, and I was definitely feeling it afterwards but I had my Hammer Tissue Rejuvenator tablets and my Gaspari Nutrition BCAA tablets to take within 20 minutes (took me 10 minutes to get from the finish to my Tahoe). I didn't really eat much throughout the day, honestly I wasn't really that hungry but I did manage to have a good sized lunch at Denny's (Banana Pecan Pancakes, two orders of scrambled eggs and 4 pcs of turkey bacon) and then I took two more of my Tissue Rejuvenator tablets later that afternoon.
I had signed up for the Blood Moon Run 5k a week ago, don't ask why but I think it was pretty much because of the name of the race (love it!) before I looked at the date lol. I told myself I would take it easy, run this as a cool down. I had no idea what the course was like, and within the first quarter of a mile there was a gigantic hill, almost 100 feet in less than half a mile, not exactly what I am used to though some would just scoff at this lol. It definitely took the wind out of me, but I didn't walk it at all and having people around me that knew I had just ran the half marathon that morning pushed me more. I didn't want to walk during a 5k.
A friend of mine that I knew ran the half marathon that morning as well, she had gotten ahead of me during the hill and just about disappeared. She is training for her first 50k which is also on November 1, so she is pretty tough. Well, we came to a fork about a half mile in the race and she and a few others took the wrong turn. I tried to take advantage of that as we were now going down hill, but I could hear she was already close behind me. The second hill, just after mile 1 wasn't nearly as big as the first one but it gave her a chance to pass me again but I managed to keep her within 20 feet ahead of me. Throughout the rest of the race she would yo-yo between 10 and 30 feet ahead of me, and my plan to take it easy had gone out the window. I gave chase and stayed on her, not sure if I had the strength or energy to pass her but I just kept a steady pace. As we came around the turn to the finish, she and I gave a great kick but she managed to finish 2 seconds ahead of me.
I finished the 5k in 26:37 with an average pace of 8:34 min/mile, 185 feet in elevation gain total and a loss of 188 feet.
Splits were:
Mile 1 - 9:20
Mile 2 - 9:28
Mile 3 - 8:08
Overall: 8th out of 32
Gender: 3 out of 21
Yeah, it ended up not being an easy, slow run but I really enjoyed the challenge and my friend thanked me for pushing her (she ran 10 miles this morning, after having ran 13.1 yesterday morning and 3.1 that night!) I hope I can gain as much endurance and strength when I begin my training for my first 50k next year.
I am feeling pretty good this morning, a little sore but not bad. I am not running today or tomorrow, just going to stretch and foam roll and then resume my training on Tuesday, keeping in mind to take it easy.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
The 2014 Evansville Half Marathon
I am very loyal to this race, as it is the race that inspired me to begin my running journey so as long as nothing stands in my way I will run the race every year... can't always guarantee that I'll "race" it but I will run it.
First I want to point out that I have been training for a marathon, my first marathon that is - and I am not using this as an excuse but all experienced marathoners know how fatigued and tired your legs and body are feeling in the final weeks of training (this being week 15 out of 19 weeks for me) so trying to get a PR during a half marathon isn't easy.
But my A goal was to better my current PR of 1:56:38, and at the rate I have been feeling lately, I would be lucky if I got close to that time.
Post Race: I took it pretty easy this week, taking Friday off for rest as my legs were already complaining (nothing new there) and I wanted to be as fresh as I possibly could but still feel almost as if this half marathon was the final 13.1 miles of a marathon.
I woke up at 3:15 AM to eat a Cinnamon Raisin English muffin with some Peanut Butter (Touch of Honey) and drank some water, then I laid back on the couch to sleep until 5 AM. I think I actually slept from 4:15 to 5 AM, I got up and got dressed and had some coffee. Went to the bathroom, put my hair up then messed around a bit before going out and starting the Tahoe to warm up. Hubby came out of the bedroom and wished me luck, then went back to bed lol.
I parked at the YMCA, just a quarter of a mile or so away from the start/finish but I knew I would be able to drive out of there without hitting any of the course. A bunch of people were already there, it was 43 degrees but I chose to wear my dri-fit nike tee, capris and gloves and sunglasses. Luckily we could go into the YMCA building and hang out and use the restrooms while staying warm.
The start: I lined up around the 2:00:00 pace group, but I had my eye on the 1:50:00 group. From the moment we started, I questioned my goals because both calves, both hamstrings and my glutes were tight and sore, they weren't happy at all. I told myself to just please get under 2 hours but I even questioned that at this point.
Mile 1 - 8:51
Mile 2 - 8:54
Mile 3 - 8:45
5k split - 27:12
Things were easing up a little at this point, though I was hoping and praying my shins wouldn't act up. I have a huge bruise on my right shin, not sure where it came from but last Saturday's run on bricks and stones hurt like hell, I feared I had shin splints.
Not potty breaks yet, a good sign. I had lost sight of the 1:50:00 group but I was still ahead of the 2:00:00 group so that was good.
Mile 4 - 8:41
Mile 5 - 8:30
Mile 6 - 8:36
10k split - 53:47
Still no potty breaks! And my body was easing up some, I was passing people and people were passing me. At this point we had reached the greenway, luckily the crowd had thinned out some so I wasn't slowed down or bottlenecked. There is quite a bit of hills on this way, but they didn't seem to be giving me any difficulties. I just wanted to focus and stay on pace, stay under a 9 minute pace no matter what.
Mile 7 - 8:31
Mile 8 - 8:38
Mile 9 - 8:48
15k split - 1:20:26
I am pretty sure that both the 10k split and the 15k split are record PRs for me, I think I knocked a minute off my 10k PR and 4 minutes off my 15k PR. Still no potty breaks, but I was definitely feeling exhausted and tired but I knew I just had to keep going to the end. I knew at this point that as long as I kept running I was going to get a sub 2 hour at least, but math isn't my strong suit and it damn sure isn't when I am running so I had no idea what my finish time would be. It was only 43 degrees but at this point the sun beating down on me was becoming unbearable.
Mile 10 - 8:33
Mile 11 - 8:22
Mile 12 - 8:44
Mile 13 - 8:37
Mile 13.1 - 7:23
My official time was 1:53:12 with an average pace of 8:39 min/mile, my old PR was 1:56:38.
Overall: 400 out of 1,975
Gender: 132 out of 1,191
Division: F 25-29 : 25 out of 148
Even in the heat of my first marathon training, I managed to PR during this half marathon by 3 minutes and 26 seconds. I am tired, I am extremely sore and I still have a 5k to run tonight.... I am pretty sure I'll be taking it easy tonight. Tomorrow and Monday are going to be rest/recovery days for sure. Once there are pics posted I will edit this RR.
At this point I don't even want to think about the marathon I've got to run in 4 weeks lol....
First I want to point out that I have been training for a marathon, my first marathon that is - and I am not using this as an excuse but all experienced marathoners know how fatigued and tired your legs and body are feeling in the final weeks of training (this being week 15 out of 19 weeks for me) so trying to get a PR during a half marathon isn't easy.
But my A goal was to better my current PR of 1:56:38, and at the rate I have been feeling lately, I would be lucky if I got close to that time.
Post Race: I took it pretty easy this week, taking Friday off for rest as my legs were already complaining (nothing new there) and I wanted to be as fresh as I possibly could but still feel almost as if this half marathon was the final 13.1 miles of a marathon.
I woke up at 3:15 AM to eat a Cinnamon Raisin English muffin with some Peanut Butter (Touch of Honey) and drank some water, then I laid back on the couch to sleep until 5 AM. I think I actually slept from 4:15 to 5 AM, I got up and got dressed and had some coffee. Went to the bathroom, put my hair up then messed around a bit before going out and starting the Tahoe to warm up. Hubby came out of the bedroom and wished me luck, then went back to bed lol.
I parked at the YMCA, just a quarter of a mile or so away from the start/finish but I knew I would be able to drive out of there without hitting any of the course. A bunch of people were already there, it was 43 degrees but I chose to wear my dri-fit nike tee, capris and gloves and sunglasses. Luckily we could go into the YMCA building and hang out and use the restrooms while staying warm.
The start: I lined up around the 2:00:00 pace group, but I had my eye on the 1:50:00 group. From the moment we started, I questioned my goals because both calves, both hamstrings and my glutes were tight and sore, they weren't happy at all. I told myself to just please get under 2 hours but I even questioned that at this point.
Mile 1 - 8:51
Mile 2 - 8:54
Mile 3 - 8:45
5k split - 27:12
Things were easing up a little at this point, though I was hoping and praying my shins wouldn't act up. I have a huge bruise on my right shin, not sure where it came from but last Saturday's run on bricks and stones hurt like hell, I feared I had shin splints.
Not potty breaks yet, a good sign. I had lost sight of the 1:50:00 group but I was still ahead of the 2:00:00 group so that was good.
Mile 4 - 8:41
Mile 5 - 8:30
Mile 6 - 8:36
10k split - 53:47
Still no potty breaks! And my body was easing up some, I was passing people and people were passing me. At this point we had reached the greenway, luckily the crowd had thinned out some so I wasn't slowed down or bottlenecked. There is quite a bit of hills on this way, but they didn't seem to be giving me any difficulties. I just wanted to focus and stay on pace, stay under a 9 minute pace no matter what.
Mile 7 - 8:31
Mile 8 - 8:38
Mile 9 - 8:48
15k split - 1:20:26
I am pretty sure that both the 10k split and the 15k split are record PRs for me, I think I knocked a minute off my 10k PR and 4 minutes off my 15k PR. Still no potty breaks, but I was definitely feeling exhausted and tired but I knew I just had to keep going to the end. I knew at this point that as long as I kept running I was going to get a sub 2 hour at least, but math isn't my strong suit and it damn sure isn't when I am running so I had no idea what my finish time would be. It was only 43 degrees but at this point the sun beating down on me was becoming unbearable.
Mile 10 - 8:33
Mile 11 - 8:22
Mile 12 - 8:44
Mile 13 - 8:37
Mile 13.1 - 7:23
My official time was 1:53:12 with an average pace of 8:39 min/mile, my old PR was 1:56:38.
Overall: 400 out of 1,975
Gender: 132 out of 1,191
Division: F 25-29 : 25 out of 148
Even in the heat of my first marathon training, I managed to PR during this half marathon by 3 minutes and 26 seconds. I am tired, I am extremely sore and I still have a 5k to run tonight.... I am pretty sure I'll be taking it easy tonight. Tomorrow and Monday are going to be rest/recovery days for sure. Once there are pics posted I will edit this RR.
At this point I don't even want to think about the marathon I've got to run in 4 weeks lol....
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