Weather - 33 degrees and raining
Clothing - Black running shorts and short sleeve cotton shirt
Nutrition - Clif bar before and 28 ounces of water.
Route - Treadmill at Gold's Gym
Distance Completed: 7 miles
Time: Started at 7:45 am, took 1 hr, 21 minutes
Due to the rain, I took the run indoors and did it at Gold's Gym. I mixed it up a bit and picked a treadmill in the cinema. I got to watch 'The Adjustment Bureau". Granted I saw the 2nd half before the first half, but it was great. Made the time and miles go by faster.
Anything I'd do different? No, it was great and a nice option to getting my run done without getting wet outside.
Mid-week runs - Took Tuesday off, ran 4 miles on Thursday. Low mileage overall this week for me, but I am happy that my body feels good and is not in any pain lingering from last Saturday's 26 miler.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Yep, this is me!
Many thanks to Jennifer Guirguis for forwarding this to me. Every time I look at it, I giggle.
My last long run
I've been wanting to update on how the marathon training is going for some time now. But, with each long training run looming ahead in the schedule, I get seriously freaked out and feel like I am better off not speaking too much about it. Now that I've just completed my last long run, I feel like I can reflect on what this journey has been like getting me to race day.
7 months ago when I decided to sign up for a marathon, it felt so far away that anything was possible. I could talk all the 'game' I wanted, but knew that I still had more than half a year before my foot had to actually cross the starting line. As of today, I've got just 26 days to go and the countdown is on! We are in taper city and the mileage I have to log now is reasonable and not nearly as taxing as what has been recently done.
I have discovered a lot in these past 6 months of training. The biggest thing I found out is that I am not cut out for long distance running. I think after I get to mile 12, I get seriously bored and am ready for the next activity. To keep going takes a huge amount of will power and determination. I've always known that once I am committed to something, I'll see it through to the end and this marathon training had me displaying that type of mental strength over and over again.
Some other discoveries include:
- It doesn't matter how much I run, I will never get faster. My pace stays consistently slow. Friends can start out with me at the same pace, but somewhere along the way, they get faster and I get slower.
- I'm okay not wearing underwear under my running shorts or capri running pants if it means I don't get any kind of chafing. I really thought I would be grossed out by this, but after the first long run trying it, it made a huge difference. (Sorry if this is TMI).
- Training for a marathon did nothing to help me lose weight. Actually, just the opposite. I've been gaining weight as the weeks and mileage progress. I really don't think I am eating more and any different types of foods, but for some reason my body is in starvation mode and doesn't want to let go of my excess fat. And believe me, I have enough excess to come off and not be needed.
- Running for hours on end in the months of July, August, and some of September really sucked. That's all there is to it. Me and heat still don't do well together.
- Going through the training process became a much more enjoyable experience when you have a friend or two to commiserate with. I can't imagine not comparing notes or venting or doing any of this without J.W. When you know you aren't in this alone, it becomes more bearable.
I admire all those who make a career out of running marathons. Those who do this year after year and of course the crazies who do multiple ones through out the year. I can't even imagine what that involves. I said this before at the beginning and feel it now more than ever -- I am only doing this once.
Don't get me wrong, I am so happy I decided to go for it. To prove to myself I can do this. Come November 20th, I am not going to be the fastest, in the top 50%, or possibly even in the top 75% of finishers, but I will go out there and enjoy it and give it everything I've got. The t-shirt I will be wearing will say, "You don't have to go fast. You just have to go."
Sunday, October 23, 2011
The day after 26
Mentally, I could not be more pleased with how yesterday went. I am so happy that I went for the 26 and finished in the allotted time they give you at the Philadelphia Marathon. Actually I finished an hour before the official end time. I was super slow, but I got it done. Plus, I have a benchmark to beat when I do this again on the official day.
I also was able to determine that I only need to refill my camelbak once duirng the run. So if I hit the water stations, I should be okay in making the original 50 ounces of the fluid in the camelbak last. And I know that 6 GUs are good for race day. One at 4 miles, 8 miles, 12 miles, 16 miles, 20 miles and 24 miles worked nicely.
Waking up this morning, my legs were sore! The area of leg that was in pain through out the whole run yesterday hurt more than ever. Looking back, I probably should've have taken an ice bath when I got home. As the day wore on, the pain has subsided some. I am going to hold off running my 5 miles on Tuesday and really give my body a chance to recover. I will for sure do the run on Thursday and so forth.
No blisters! No rubbing! No tummy issues! All is good. I may be slow, but I am ok with that. I am just happy the long runs are over and I was able to stick to the training schedule. Yay!!
I can't believe I am about to write this, but I think I am ready. :)
I also was able to determine that I only need to refill my camelbak once duirng the run. So if I hit the water stations, I should be okay in making the original 50 ounces of the fluid in the camelbak last. And I know that 6 GUs are good for race day. One at 4 miles, 8 miles, 12 miles, 16 miles, 20 miles and 24 miles worked nicely.
Waking up this morning, my legs were sore! The area of leg that was in pain through out the whole run yesterday hurt more than ever. Looking back, I probably should've have taken an ice bath when I got home. As the day wore on, the pain has subsided some. I am going to hold off running my 5 miles on Tuesday and really give my body a chance to recover. I will for sure do the run on Thursday and so forth.
No blisters! No rubbing! No tummy issues! All is good. I may be slow, but I am ok with that. I am just happy the long runs are over and I was able to stick to the training schedule. Yay!!
I can't believe I am about to write this, but I think I am ready. :)
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Saturday, October 22nd
Weather - Sun was starting to come out. 43 degrees when I started. Sunny and 57 degrees when it was over. ended. Humidity didn't exist!
Clothing - Black running capri pants, Short sleeve tech shirt (rockstar shirt), and Camelbak.
Nutrition - Ate a banana and cliff bar before the run. During the run: 75+ oz powerade/water mix. A GU at mile 4, mile 8, mile 12, mile 16 and mile 21..
Route - Started at the intersection of Burke Centre Parkway on Ox Road. Went 2.16 miles towards Braddock Rd and turned around. Then went 9 miles down Ox to the Occoquan bridge and turned around. Once I got back to Burke Centre Parkway, I turned right on the road and went 2 miles down to Roberts. Turned around and did one loop of Lake Barton. Came out on Burke Centre Parkway and went to the Kohls shopping center. Turned around and went down Oak Leather Drive for approx. 1/2 mile. Then headed home for the last 1/2 mile. I was all over the place!
Distance Completed: 26 miles
Time: Started at 6:50am, took a little more than 6 hours (not including the 1 stop I made). Overall time was 6 hours, 13 minutes. When I got to the 23 mile point, I was 23 minutes ahead from my last (horrible!!) long run. Yay!
Our little group had decided that doing a 26 mile training run might be a bit too much for us and we should scale it down to 20 miles. When I woke up this morning, I planned to turn that 20 miler into 22. But somewhere along the run, I decided to go for the 26. There were a few factors in my making this decision. I missed out going with The Girl's for Spa Weekend in Berkeley Springs because of this training run. If I was going to miss that, I wanted to know I did everything I could to follow the training schedule. Also, the weather was delightful and I was really enjoying being outside. Lastly, I wanted my body to know what 26 felt like, so the next time I did this mileage (the marathon!), it would be more comfortable with it. I read somewhere that if you are running 26, you should train for 26. I now know that mentally I can do this. Plus, I've got a good benchmark in how long it took me and I can work towards beating this goal.
I ended up going out on my own. J.W. and T. both had various problems keeping them from running this morning. I walked lots more than I should've. But at this point, I just wanted to do it. I don't care how slow I am. Plus, I had a pain in my lower right leg that was with me when I started. I was hoping that after a few miles, the pain would go away, but it actually got worse.
Anything I'd do different? No. This run went as well as could've been expected. I am super happy that I am ending my long run training on a high note. It's nice to erase that memory of the horrible 23 miler and replace it with a better long run.
All my preparation worked. The advil, the funky socks, the body glide, the clothing I wore. No bad rubbing/chafing, no blisters, and I was perfectly dressed for the temps. Yay!
Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Wednesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym. Both were great runs.
Clothing - Black running capri pants, Short sleeve tech shirt (rockstar shirt), and Camelbak.
Nutrition - Ate a banana and cliff bar before the run. During the run: 75+ oz powerade/water mix. A GU at mile 4, mile 8, mile 12, mile 16 and mile 21..
Route - Started at the intersection of Burke Centre Parkway on Ox Road. Went 2.16 miles towards Braddock Rd and turned around. Then went 9 miles down Ox to the Occoquan bridge and turned around. Once I got back to Burke Centre Parkway, I turned right on the road and went 2 miles down to Roberts. Turned around and did one loop of Lake Barton. Came out on Burke Centre Parkway and went to the Kohls shopping center. Turned around and went down Oak Leather Drive for approx. 1/2 mile. Then headed home for the last 1/2 mile. I was all over the place!
Distance Completed: 26 miles
Time: Started at 6:50am, took a little more than 6 hours (not including the 1 stop I made). Overall time was 6 hours, 13 minutes. When I got to the 23 mile point, I was 23 minutes ahead from my last (horrible!!) long run. Yay!
Our little group had decided that doing a 26 mile training run might be a bit too much for us and we should scale it down to 20 miles. When I woke up this morning, I planned to turn that 20 miler into 22. But somewhere along the run, I decided to go for the 26. There were a few factors in my making this decision. I missed out going with The Girl's for Spa Weekend in Berkeley Springs because of this training run. If I was going to miss that, I wanted to know I did everything I could to follow the training schedule. Also, the weather was delightful and I was really enjoying being outside. Lastly, I wanted my body to know what 26 felt like, so the next time I did this mileage (the marathon!), it would be more comfortable with it. I read somewhere that if you are running 26, you should train for 26. I now know that mentally I can do this. Plus, I've got a good benchmark in how long it took me and I can work towards beating this goal.
I ended up going out on my own. J.W. and T. both had various problems keeping them from running this morning. I walked lots more than I should've. But at this point, I just wanted to do it. I don't care how slow I am. Plus, I had a pain in my lower right leg that was with me when I started. I was hoping that after a few miles, the pain would go away, but it actually got worse.
Anything I'd do different? No. This run went as well as could've been expected. I am super happy that I am ending my long run training on a high note. It's nice to erase that memory of the horrible 23 miler and replace it with a better long run.
All my preparation worked. The advil, the funky socks, the body glide, the clothing I wore. No bad rubbing/chafing, no blisters, and I was perfectly dressed for the temps. Yay!
Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Wednesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym. Both were great runs.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
More time to take it all in!
My friend, Amy, forwarded me this article. I love this! I want to get a shirt for the marathon that says, "Even moving forward is a pace." - on the front. And on the back -- "26.2 miles? Hell, ya!"
A Marathon Run in the Slow Lane
After a 10-kilometer road race this summer, a friend apologized for missing me at the finish line. The truth was, she hadn’t lost me in the crowd. She just didn’t wait long enough.
There was a time when I was embarrassed by my painfully slow pace, but not anymore. Since I began training for a marathon this spring, I’ve discovered that the view is a lot more interesting in the back of the pack.
During a five-mile run in Central Park last spring, I paced alongside a double amputee who was using crutches and a single metal leg to propel himself along the course.
At the 13.1-mile Philadelphia Distance Run this fall, I spent a good part of the race alongside an athlete who jumped rope the entire way. Later, I trotted with two women wearing pink feather boas. There was also a “joggler,” someone who juggles and runs at the same time. Nearby was 81-year-old Robert Welsh of Wallingford, Pa. (He won his age group.)
My shirt that day read, “Slow Is the New Fast.”
This weekend, I was again at the back of the pack of the estimated 43,000 who participated in the New York City Marathon, and I was thrilled to be there. About five months ago, I declared that I was going to transform myself from couch potato to runner and complete a fall marathon. I trained using a combination of running and walking, a method espoused by the Olympian distance runner Jeff Galloway and now used by hundreds of thousands of runners around the country.
During my marathon, I ran next to a man wearing an Eiffel Tower costume. Several women raising money for breast cancer drew cheers from the crowds for running in their decorated bras. I also spent time alongside several members of the Achilles Track Club, for athletes with disabilities.
My marathon included four stops to hug my daughter along the route, a quick jaunt into a deli in Queens to buy a banana, and countless high fives with kids along the course. I also spent about three miles talking and walking with Maureen Donohue, 68, of Long Island, who began running at age 56 and was taking part in her 10th marathon. To train, she run-walks a five mile course near her home, takes a coffee break and heads back out again for five more miles. I found her inspiring, and so did the crowd. As we passed by, onlookers shouted, “Go, Mo, go!”
Despite their pace, back-of-the-packers still struggle with leg cramps, blisters and back spasms, and so did I. I finished my first marathon in 6 hours 58 minutes 19 seconds. I know faster marathoners are bothered by so-called plodders. A recent front-page article in my own newspaper quoted a number of marathoners to that effect, saying we had ruined the race’s mystique.
It’s true that marathons around the country are getting slower, as more charity runners and run-walkers take part. In 1980 the average marathon time was about three and a half hours for men and about four hours for women, according to Running USA. Today, the averages are 4:16 for men and 4:43 for women. About 20 percent of the participants in the New York City Marathon take longer than five hours to finish.
But the legendary gold medalist Frank Shorter says the criticisms of slow runners are “snobbery.” “You never hear that from elite runners,” he told me. “Elite runners admire other people’s performance. I find it much better to welcome slow runners to the club than to vote them out.”
Greg Meyer, who in 1983 was the last American man to win the Boston Marathon, says that when he hears such complaints from average marathoners, he replies, “If it wasn’t for the run-walkers, you wouldn’t be finishing in front of anybody.”
The main benefit of the run-walk method is that it eases your body into exercise, makes marathon training less grueling and gives muscles time to recover, reducing the risk of injury. Walk breaks are an ideal way for new runners and older, less fit and overweight people to take part in a sport that would otherwise be off limits.
The downside is that just as you are out on the marathon course about 50 percent longer than the average runner, your training time is much longer, too — four and five hours a weekend for long runs.
About 10 days before the marathon, I began to doubt my ability to finish the race. A flulike illness had sidelined me for a few weeks, and I’d missed some important training runs. I questioned whether it would be worth the effort to straggle over the finish line long after most of the runners had left.
But then, during an easy run on a trail near my house, I spotted another slow runner ahead of me. It took a moment before I realized his off-kilter gait was due to the fact that he was running on a Cheetah foot, an artificial limb that uses a flexible blade for the foot. He was young and fit, and I wanted to know his story, but didn’t stop him to ask. Instead I just watched his rhythmic run, and felt my own worries about race day fade away. It didn’t matter how fast I finished, just that I was out there, enjoying the view from the back of the pack.
A Marathon Run in the Slow Lane
After a 10-kilometer road race this summer, a friend apologized for missing me at the finish line. The truth was, she hadn’t lost me in the crowd. She just didn’t wait long enough.
There was a time when I was embarrassed by my painfully slow pace, but not anymore. Since I began training for a marathon this spring, I’ve discovered that the view is a lot more interesting in the back of the pack.
During a five-mile run in Central Park last spring, I paced alongside a double amputee who was using crutches and a single metal leg to propel himself along the course.
At the 13.1-mile Philadelphia Distance Run this fall, I spent a good part of the race alongside an athlete who jumped rope the entire way. Later, I trotted with two women wearing pink feather boas. There was also a “joggler,” someone who juggles and runs at the same time. Nearby was 81-year-old Robert Welsh of Wallingford, Pa. (He won his age group.)
My shirt that day read, “Slow Is the New Fast.”
This weekend, I was again at the back of the pack of the estimated 43,000 who participated in the New York City Marathon, and I was thrilled to be there. About five months ago, I declared that I was going to transform myself from couch potato to runner and complete a fall marathon. I trained using a combination of running and walking, a method espoused by the Olympian distance runner Jeff Galloway and now used by hundreds of thousands of runners around the country.
During my marathon, I ran next to a man wearing an Eiffel Tower costume. Several women raising money for breast cancer drew cheers from the crowds for running in their decorated bras. I also spent time alongside several members of the Achilles Track Club, for athletes with disabilities.
My marathon included four stops to hug my daughter along the route, a quick jaunt into a deli in Queens to buy a banana, and countless high fives with kids along the course. I also spent about three miles talking and walking with Maureen Donohue, 68, of Long Island, who began running at age 56 and was taking part in her 10th marathon. To train, she run-walks a five mile course near her home, takes a coffee break and heads back out again for five more miles. I found her inspiring, and so did the crowd. As we passed by, onlookers shouted, “Go, Mo, go!”
Despite their pace, back-of-the-packers still struggle with leg cramps, blisters and back spasms, and so did I. I finished my first marathon in 6 hours 58 minutes 19 seconds. I know faster marathoners are bothered by so-called plodders. A recent front-page article in my own newspaper quoted a number of marathoners to that effect, saying we had ruined the race’s mystique.
It’s true that marathons around the country are getting slower, as more charity runners and run-walkers take part. In 1980 the average marathon time was about three and a half hours for men and about four hours for women, according to Running USA. Today, the averages are 4:16 for men and 4:43 for women. About 20 percent of the participants in the New York City Marathon take longer than five hours to finish.
But the legendary gold medalist Frank Shorter says the criticisms of slow runners are “snobbery.” “You never hear that from elite runners,” he told me. “Elite runners admire other people’s performance. I find it much better to welcome slow runners to the club than to vote them out.”
Greg Meyer, who in 1983 was the last American man to win the Boston Marathon, says that when he hears such complaints from average marathoners, he replies, “If it wasn’t for the run-walkers, you wouldn’t be finishing in front of anybody.”
The main benefit of the run-walk method is that it eases your body into exercise, makes marathon training less grueling and gives muscles time to recover, reducing the risk of injury. Walk breaks are an ideal way for new runners and older, less fit and overweight people to take part in a sport that would otherwise be off limits.
The downside is that just as you are out on the marathon course about 50 percent longer than the average runner, your training time is much longer, too — four and five hours a weekend for long runs.
About 10 days before the marathon, I began to doubt my ability to finish the race. A flulike illness had sidelined me for a few weeks, and I’d missed some important training runs. I questioned whether it would be worth the effort to straggle over the finish line long after most of the runners had left.
But then, during an easy run on a trail near my house, I spotted another slow runner ahead of me. It took a moment before I realized his off-kilter gait was due to the fact that he was running on a Cheetah foot, an artificial limb that uses a flexible blade for the foot. He was young and fit, and I wanted to know his story, but didn’t stop him to ask. Instead I just watched his rhythmic run, and felt my own worries about race day fade away. It didn’t matter how fast I finished, just that I was out there, enjoying the view from the back of the pack.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Saturday, October 15th
Weather - 49 degrees and sunny
Clothing - Black running capri pants, short sleeve tech shirt (rockstar), and Camelbak
Nutrition - banana before and approx. 40 ounces of powerade/water mix. A gu at mile 4.
Route - Starting at the Kohl's sign on Burke Centre Parkway to Roberts Road, made a right onto Roberts. Down Roberts to Braddock Road, made a left onto Braddock. Took Braddock to Ox, made a right onto Ox. Ox back to Burke Centre Parkway. Made a right onto Burke Centre Parkway.
Distance Completed: 7 miles
Time: Started at 7:30 am, took 1 hr, 23 minutes
Did this run on my own. The weather was perfect and I felt good having chosen a hilly route to run. Definitely needed for my legs to get used to a hill or two.
Anything I'd do different? No, everything clicked. Could've worn shorts, but was okay wearing longer capri running pants.
Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Tuesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym. My 4 mile run on Thursday happened at 4:30pm. It was actually a great run and I was pleasantly surprised how well I did. Both times I ran 3 miles before stopping for a walk break.
Clothing - Black running capri pants, short sleeve tech shirt (rockstar), and Camelbak
Nutrition - banana before and approx. 40 ounces of powerade/water mix. A gu at mile 4.
Route - Starting at the Kohl's sign on Burke Centre Parkway to Roberts Road, made a right onto Roberts. Down Roberts to Braddock Road, made a left onto Braddock. Took Braddock to Ox, made a right onto Ox. Ox back to Burke Centre Parkway. Made a right onto Burke Centre Parkway.
Distance Completed: 7 miles
Time: Started at 7:30 am, took 1 hr, 23 minutes
Did this run on my own. The weather was perfect and I felt good having chosen a hilly route to run. Definitely needed for my legs to get used to a hill or two.
Anything I'd do different? No, everything clicked. Could've worn shorts, but was okay wearing longer capri running pants.
Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Tuesday, ran 4 miles on Thursday; both on the treadmill at the gym. My 4 mile run on Thursday happened at 4:30pm. It was actually a great run and I was pleasantly surprised how well I did. Both times I ran 3 miles before stopping for a walk break.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Saturday, October 8th
Weather - 49 degrees, sunny and humidity was nil.
Clothing - Black running capri pants, long sleeve tech shirt (pink shirt), and Camelbak
Nutrition - Ate nothing before the run or during. During the run: approx. 30 oz powerade/water mix.
Route - Started at the intersection of Oak Green and Burke Centre Parkway, went down Ox to University and turned around.
Distance Completed: 6 miles
Time: Started at 7:35am, took 1 hour, 8 minutes
I decided to run this on my own. Being that it is Yom Kippur today, I wasn't sure if I was going to run and fast or just run it tomorrow morning. I really wanted to get the run over with and ran it and managed to fast the whole day after. Yowzer!
I've come to find out that I enjoy running on my own more than when I am with others. It's just too much pressure to keep up or feel like I am slowing them down if we are trying to run together.
I am most pleased with how fast I ran this. I did the 2:30/1 mix and I think it really helped me get my pace faster. From all the other 6 mile runs I've done, I cut my time down by 4 minutes. Woo-hoo!! This is definitely helping me get over the discouraged feeling I have from last week's run.
Anything I'd do different? For the most part, this run clicked on every level. I loved the cool air and I loved that I didn't walk any additional amounts. The only thing I would've changed about this run was not wear a long sleeve shirt. When will I learn!?!?! I get warmed up way too quickly and don't need it very soon after I start.
Mid-week runs - I couldn't bring myself to run again on Tuesday. So I purposely missed the 5 miler I normally do and picked up the running again on Thursday. Ran 4 miles on Thursday; on the treadmill at the gym
Clothing - Black running capri pants, long sleeve tech shirt (pink shirt), and Camelbak
Nutrition - Ate nothing before the run or during. During the run: approx. 30 oz powerade/water mix.
Route - Started at the intersection of Oak Green and Burke Centre Parkway, went down Ox to University and turned around.
Distance Completed: 6 miles
Time: Started at 7:35am, took 1 hour, 8 minutes
I decided to run this on my own. Being that it is Yom Kippur today, I wasn't sure if I was going to run and fast or just run it tomorrow morning. I really wanted to get the run over with and ran it and managed to fast the whole day after. Yowzer!
I've come to find out that I enjoy running on my own more than when I am with others. It's just too much pressure to keep up or feel like I am slowing them down if we are trying to run together.
I am most pleased with how fast I ran this. I did the 2:30/1 mix and I think it really helped me get my pace faster. From all the other 6 mile runs I've done, I cut my time down by 4 minutes. Woo-hoo!! This is definitely helping me get over the discouraged feeling I have from last week's run.
Anything I'd do different? For the most part, this run clicked on every level. I loved the cool air and I loved that I didn't walk any additional amounts. The only thing I would've changed about this run was not wear a long sleeve shirt. When will I learn!?!?! I get warmed up way too quickly and don't need it very soon after I start.
Mid-week runs - I couldn't bring myself to run again on Tuesday. So I purposely missed the 5 miler I normally do and picked up the running again on Thursday. Ran 4 miles on Thursday; on the treadmill at the gym
Sunday, October 2, 2011
The day after 23
Pretty much all day yesterday I felt very discouraged on how horrible my "run" went yesterday. However, I do need to focus on what when right.
1. I didn't get any blisters or bad rubbing/chafing. So I do feel good about my preparation on what I'm wearing, socks and shoes all working in my favor.
2. I wasn't overly sore. My legs felt a little tight, but that was about it. I didn't have any knee issues.
3. I didn't need to stop to use the bathroom once. Not once in 5 hours, 33 minutes. Again, another major accomplishment as I've been very nervous about having stomach issues during all my Saturday runs.
They say everyone is entitled to one bad run. I guess this was mine yesterday. Let's get it out of the way and move on. No need to keep harping on how bad it was. It was bad. It sucked. Now, let's start focusing on how great the practice 26 miler will be in 3 weeks and how awesome the actual marathon will be on November 20th. There's only 48 more days to go.
I am ready for this to be over. I think I've recognized the fact my body is not cut out for this and it is a small miracle I've made it this far in the training. I'll never give up and will continue to keep chugging along until the very end. Because crossing that finish line is going to be oh-so-sweet. :)
1. I didn't get any blisters or bad rubbing/chafing. So I do feel good about my preparation on what I'm wearing, socks and shoes all working in my favor.
2. I wasn't overly sore. My legs felt a little tight, but that was about it. I didn't have any knee issues.
3. I didn't need to stop to use the bathroom once. Not once in 5 hours, 33 minutes. Again, another major accomplishment as I've been very nervous about having stomach issues during all my Saturday runs.
They say everyone is entitled to one bad run. I guess this was mine yesterday. Let's get it out of the way and move on. No need to keep harping on how bad it was. It was bad. It sucked. Now, let's start focusing on how great the practice 26 miler will be in 3 weeks and how awesome the actual marathon will be on November 20th. There's only 48 more days to go.
I am ready for this to be over. I think I've recognized the fact my body is not cut out for this and it is a small miracle I've made it this far in the training. I'll never give up and will continue to keep chugging along until the very end. Because crossing that finish line is going to be oh-so-sweet. :)
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Saturday, October 1st
Weather - Pitch black out, 50 degrees when we started. Rainy, overcast and 51 degrees when we ended. Humidity was not a problem. The weather temp was perfect in my opinion. It drizzled for 90% of the run.
Clothing - Black running capri pants, Short sleeve tech shirt (green courage shirt), Camelbak, and Headlamp (yep, it was necessary).
Nutrition - Ate a banana and cliff bar before the run. Also, took 2 advil before leaving the house. During the run: 75+ oz powerade/water mix. A GU at mile 7, mile 14 and mile 20.5.
Route - Started at the intersection of Lee Chapel Rd on Ox Road. Went 7.5 miles down Ox past the University Blvd intersection and turned around. Then went 4 miles down Ox near the Lorton Workhouse and turned around.
Distance Completed: 23 miles
Time: Started at 4:30am, took 5 hours, 33 minutes.
T., J.W. and I met at 4:30 am to get the 23 miles done. We hung together running for the first 2.5 miles. And then I persuaded them to go on without me. I made only one stop and that was at mile 15 to refuel.
I bought a headlamp to use for this run and it was perfect. The first 12 miles was in the dark. Having the light was wonderful.
It was interesting to see what happens when your Garmin interval timer goes through all 99 cycles. It stops the intervals, but still keeps the timer/distance/pace counter going.
Anything I'd do different? I am not sure. This was a very difficult run for me. I am not sure you can even call it a run as I walked almost all of it. I really struggled being out there. The conditions were less than stellar and it rained off and on (mostly on) for practically the whole time I was out there. Also, I think having a head cold didn't help the situation. All I could think about was getting back home, taking a hot shower and climbing in bed. And for some reason, my body just didn't want to run. Could I be burned out from all the running?
Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Monday, ran 4 miles on Wednesday; both on the treadmill at the gym.
Clothing - Black running capri pants, Short sleeve tech shirt (green courage shirt), Camelbak, and Headlamp (yep, it was necessary).
Nutrition - Ate a banana and cliff bar before the run. Also, took 2 advil before leaving the house. During the run: 75+ oz powerade/water mix. A GU at mile 7, mile 14 and mile 20.5.
Route - Started at the intersection of Lee Chapel Rd on Ox Road. Went 7.5 miles down Ox past the University Blvd intersection and turned around. Then went 4 miles down Ox near the Lorton Workhouse and turned around.
Distance Completed: 23 miles
Time: Started at 4:30am, took 5 hours, 33 minutes.
T., J.W. and I met at 4:30 am to get the 23 miles done. We hung together running for the first 2.5 miles. And then I persuaded them to go on without me. I made only one stop and that was at mile 15 to refuel.
I bought a headlamp to use for this run and it was perfect. The first 12 miles was in the dark. Having the light was wonderful.
It was interesting to see what happens when your Garmin interval timer goes through all 99 cycles. It stops the intervals, but still keeps the timer/distance/pace counter going.
Anything I'd do different? I am not sure. This was a very difficult run for me. I am not sure you can even call it a run as I walked almost all of it. I really struggled being out there. The conditions were less than stellar and it rained off and on (mostly on) for practically the whole time I was out there. Also, I think having a head cold didn't help the situation. All I could think about was getting back home, taking a hot shower and climbing in bed. And for some reason, my body just didn't want to run. Could I be burned out from all the running?
Mid-week runs - ran 5 miles on Monday, ran 4 miles on Wednesday; both on the treadmill at the gym.
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