Run 10 for '10 Virtual Group Run

Run 10 for '10
Virtual Group Run

On January 1st, 2010, we need to ring in the new year right! Run either 10K (6.2 miles) or 10 miles any time on New Years' Day and tell me about it in the comments section---who, where, when, etc. You can even divide it up--you can run 5 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon as long as you total a distance of 10 miles or 10K.

Are you in for 10?

Please pass it on!

To Be or Not to Be?

My fall 2009 marathon was not to be. You guessed it, I got the stomach bug! Shortly after my last post, my stomach started rumbling and grumbling and it, um, didn't end well. This is three days later and I feel about 75% better. Of course it takes 100% of a person to run 26.2 (110%??). My little one is the only one who has been spared from the bug, but she's running a low-grade fever today. Easy decision. She only wants mommy when she's well, much less sick!

So, I'm looking at late 2010 races. I need a marathon training break. I've been in training for nearly 6 months. I'm planning a couple of spring half-marathons though!

Short term, I'm just going to run for fun--what a concept!! I'm hoping to run 10 on January 1st to ring in 2010. That seems fitting.

I will leave you with our 2009 family Christmas photo. Someone was feeling a little Grinch-y.


Merry Christmas!

Are Ya Kidding Me???

In my last post, I mentioned how I had 9 days left to continue to get my energy back and recover from bronchitis, I just had to avoid more illness.

Well....... on Saturday night, Hubby and I were out at a Christmas party when I got a call from my sitter. My 9 year old son had thrown up all over his bed, carpet, room, etc. Thus began a VERY. LONG. NIGHT. He was throwing up while simultaneously having explosive diarrhea for the next 7 to 8 hours. How does a skinny-9-year old even contain that much "stuff"???? He was a trooper though. He didn't cry about it (probably had no fluids left!). Unfortunately, he was rarely able to make it to the bathroom in time, so there was much scrubbing, steam cleaning, washing, and sanitizing of pretty much everything in the house. After several hours of sleep, however, he was as good as new---though probably 10 pounds lighter.

Then on Monday afternoon, my husband called and told me he had what our son has. He, too, had a rough night, but since he's a 41-year-old man, I figured he was ok on his own, and I retreated to the guest room. It was better for everyone that way. I did take him ginger ale occasionally and check to make sure he was still breathing. He's better today, though not quite 100%. Kids bounce back faster, I guess. (Especially kids with ADHD like my son. They REALLY bounce!)

And finally, TODAY, two hours after I dropped her off, my 7-year-old daughter's school called and said she had gotten sick and needed to be picked up. Was I surprised? Not in the least. Bless her heart, she threw up while waiting in line to use the restroom. She was so close. I thought she'd be mortified that she tossed her cookies in front of her entire class, but she wasn't. Maybe mortification comes later than age 7! She spent the afternoon napping on the bathroom floor. She had the least awful case of the three of them though.

So, now what? I am supposed to run my makeup marathon on Sunday. Rotavirus or some random stomach bug is in my house. Maybe I should just check into a hotel. :-)

Seriously, I have made peace with the situation. If I don't get it---and I am being careful and washing my hands and spraying Lysol and using hand sanitizer---I'll run on Sunday. If I do get a 7-8 hour vomiting/diarrhea virus Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, I guess marathon #2 was not meant to be.

We have had a very healthy fall. I can't really complain. No one got the swine flu or seasonal flu, we've avoided strep, and my kids have each only missed like 1 day of school. It's just the timing kind of stinks!

There will be other marathons---of that I am certain! But I'm not writing this one off just yet. I was a classroom teacher for 9 years, hopefully that counts for something immunity-wise!

Taper 2.0

Taper 2.0 is going fairly well! In my 3 weeks of Taper 1.0, I ran 25 miles, 21 miles, and 11 miles. My glyclogen was replenished. My muscles were rested. Then with the illness, I missed the WHOLE POINT OF SAID TAPER, the actual race, so began Taper 2.0.

On Monday, I logged 6 miles with my friend Kathy. On Tuesday, I just did 2 easy ones on the treadmill. On Wednesday, I ran 5 miles. (That was the day I finally registered for the race. I had to make sure I had some semblance of energy back and could BREATHE while running.) Today I ran 12 miles (the same mileage as the first week of taper waaay back when....)

While my runs haven't been abundantly energetic, I finished them. I only cough when I stop. The 12 today was challenging because I could really tell my energy level wasn't where it was pre-virus. I felt pretty ok for a few miles, but then I felt really slow and it was a struggle by the end. (Can one get out of shape that fast???) I have 9 days to feel better and better (and avoid more illness please, God!). Hopefully, I'll arrive in Jacksonville as good as new (almost).

One bad part of today's run was at mile 4, I rolled my right ankle. Again. I rolled it back in March while training for my first marathon by stepping in a hole on a 16-miler, then again on an 18 miler two weeks later (on a flat surface--it was just weak). Well today on the exact same flat surface, my ankle just had a moment of weakness and rolled completely to the outside. I guess I'll be wearing my ankle brace for stability in this marathon just like last time! (And I have a feeling there will be a few other ankle braces and knee braces as many marathoners are pretty beat up by the time they hit the starting line.) I am blessed that it's not sprained or broken--I was able to run 8 more miles on it with mild discomfort. I'm going to ice it a little later.

I've been thinking about my GOALS for the Jacksonville Marathon next weekend. Originally for the Memphis Marathon, my goal was going to be A. 4:45 or less, B. 5:00 or less, and C. under 5:14. (I wanted to at least beat that Biggest Loser dude Rudy who ran 5:14 after never running over 15 miles in his life.) I would have really put pressure on myself to do that. I also would have put pressure on myself to keep up with my two friends (who wound up with a 4:56). I would have been devastated if I couldn't keep up and got left behind. So, maybe it's GOOD that I got sick and couldn't run that marathon. I was way too wrapped up in time and pace and what others were running.

I'm going into Jacksonville with different kinds of goals. A. To have fun, to smile, to enjoy the experience. B. To be thankful that I'm able to participate in this sport and in, for me, the pinnacle of my sport. C. To finish in good shape. Yes, under 5:00 would still be nice or at least beating my previous 5:17 time from April. But, I think the main thing is to just go into it with the RIGHT ATTITUDE. My body is going to do what it is going to do. My mind-- I can control that!

FYI If You Live in Clarksville...

If you are interested in training with a group for the Country Music Half-Marathon on April 24, 2010, I'll be offering a beginners and an intermediate training group starting on Monday, January 25. We'll have group runs on Monday night from the Y (with childcare provided) and Saturday mornings (various locations-no childcare). Either before or after our Monday runs, we'll have short information sessions on nutrition and hydration for runners, running safety, stretching, integrating weight training, speed work, race strategy, pacing, and MORE. It's a 12-week training program, and the cost is $60 to the YMCA. The training plans can be individualized by a certified running coach (me) to meet YOUR needs.

Prior to the start of this training, runners need to be at a long run of 4-5 miles, and that can be a run/walk of 4-5 miles. Class is limited to 30.

An INFORMATION MEETING has been scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Monday, January 11. Sign ups will be January 18-24. The first class is January 25 at 5:30 p.m. Start planning NOW!

If you don't live in Clarksville and want to take a look at the plan, shoot me an e-mail.

***All "Pitt Crew" half-marathon team alumni are welcome to join in on the Saturday runs at no cost!***

I'll also be offering a CLARKSVILLE MINI MARATHONERS 10-week class on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. for children 5-13 who want to do the Country Music Kids' Marathon. It's only $20. Children will run 25.2 miles on their own and during our class and run that last marathon mile on the CMM race course on Friday, April 23.

Thank You!!

Thanks to everyone for offering advice and wisdom!

I am feeling better energy-wise, still have a little lingering cough and congestion, but I no longer feel SICK. That is a good thing.

I went for a 6-mile test run this morning at about 20-seconds faster than goal marathon pace. It was tough, I'll admit (there were BIG hills). But my chest did not hurt. I did not cough during the run, just a little afterward. It really helped me decide between options A., B., and C.

And the winner is......


I think the main deciding factor between goals A. Jacksonville in 2 weeks and B. Mercedes Marathon in 11 weeks is that last night my husband said, "I don't think I can handle you in marathon training for 11 more weeks."

Me, either. Looks like I'm heading to Jacksonville. I plan to register tomorrow! I may have to adjust my race goals a bit, but I think the "pancake flat" course will help a lot.

My first marathon last April was for all those kids who picked me last in gym. (You know who you are.) This one is for ME.

My friend Casey reminded me to look at this marathon not as something I "have" to do, but something I "get" to do. In her words, "it's not a hassle...not a burden... it's a freedom." I dig that.

After the marathon, I look forward to running "free" for a while--no training plan, no upcoming races. Casey also shared this quote from What Women Want:

"She's running. It's early. It's quiet. Just the sound of her feet on the asphalt. No pressure, no stress. This is the one place she can be herself, look any way she wants, dress, think any way she wants. No game playing. No rules."

I miss that kind of running.

But I need to finish what I started. Honestly, I'm NERVOUS about this marathon coming off an illness. I'm NERVOUS about running in a new city with 500 strangers, not a familiar face in the crowd. I had planned a marathon with a bunch of friends, a couple of whom were similar to my pace. I just hope I don't have a lonely 26.2, you know? Maybe I should write PLEASE TALK TO ME on the back of my shirt!

Can I Really Just Walk Away? Need Advice, Please

After running the Country Music Marathon in 5:17 during the freak heat wave last April, I wasn't one of those people who said, "Never again." I said, "I want ANOTHER SHOT at this marathon thing so I can see what I can really do." I trained harder, longer, and smarter from July through December. I shaved over 2 minutes off my half-marathon time. Then two days before the race, I got bronchitis.

It appears to me I have two options--- just walk away from 5 months of training without running a marathon OR find a new one to run.

Can I really just walk away without closure? I ran 528 miles during 5 months of training. I ran 140 miles in October alone.

If I have to have CLOSURE, I have a few options. However, if I do re-enter the training phase after 3 weeks of taper and mentally "finishing" with the training, I wonder if I can regain my marathon mojo?

Options:

A. In two weeks, I could do the Jacksonville, FL marathon. It's the closest race that still has slots open. Five weeks is a little long for taper, so this week I would run a couple of 5-milers and on Friday, I would run a 12-14 miler. This would involve airfare, hotel, and car rental.

B. On February 14, the Mercedes Marathon is in Birmingham, AL, and is less than 4 hours away--definitely drivable. Unfortunately, I'd have 11 more weeks of marathon training. After 20 weeks. That's a 31-week training period. I'd have to do another 20-miler, plus at least a 16-miler and 18-miler sometime in December and January. Since my friends just completed their marathon and need a little recovery time, I may be running solo.

C. Take a little break over the holidays. Let my body and mind recover from marathon training because the TRAINING is really the hard part. Just run some half-marathons in the spring and plan for a fall marathon in 2010. Starting from scratch.

In the midst of all this, there is another factor: a little thing called BURNOUT. I'm on the precipice, but haven't fallen off. Yet.

SOME GOOD NEWS: (because I could use some!) I have a meeting on Tuesday with the YMCA to discuss my January half-marathon and 5K training groups! They want to add in a 3rd group---a kids' running group as well for a 1-mile fun run. Looks like I'll have a job as a running coach starting in late January/early February!

I'm Out--- No Marathon

I have bronchitis. It is viral, so it is not responding to antibiotics that I've been on for 5 days. Feeling worse and running a fever. Developed the cough during the night. It burns in my chest.

Running 26.2 in 30-degree weather is not advised.

My 9-year old and husband are sick, too.

This marathon just wasn't meant to be.

Marathon or Burst???

Marathon countdown: 4 days. Sinus infection: 3 days and going strong.

I had self-diagnosed myself with a sinus infection (I have had them every winter for the past 30 years!) on Sunday and started on some Augmentin I found in the cabinet. I know, only the BEST medical care for me!

Monday dawned and I was a little worse. Today I got up and still had not improved after 2 days of antibiotics. So, I ran over to Doc in a Box (again, only the BEST medical care for me) and saw an actual doctor. I told her about the marathon 4 days away and how I was feeling like crud. She agreed with my assessment of a sinus infection and said I had also have fluid in my ears. She prescribed something strong and expensive: Levaquin. (I may have jacked up that spelling.) I go fill it and $166 later, I have meds. After leaving the pharmacy, I decided to actually read the enclosed literature and discovered Levaquin has one rather bad side effect: it can cause tendons to rupture, especially during strenuous activity-- most often the Achilles tendon. Hmmmm. Running 26.2 miles. Strenuous? I think SO.

I called the pharmacy and discussed it with the pharmacist --- she didn't recommend it four days before a marathon. Then she actually agreed to take it back and refund my money! That was one nice pharmacist. Then I called the doc in the box back. They actually let me talk to the doctor. She said that side effect is extremely rare, but if I'd be more comfortable with another medicine, she'd call it in. I was thinking, "Duh."

So I got one called Bioxin for only $17 and it doesn't cause spontaneous RUPTURE of any body parts. It's main side effect is diarrhea. Awesome.

Only a Little Sick...

I'm still fighting with this silly cold. I'm feeling a bit drained. On my 8-miler this morning, my last "long" run, I walked 4 or 5 times, especially on the hills. I just wasn't feeling it.

My nose is runny and burning and sneezy. My throat is a little sore. I've got a headache.

And I've got SEVEN DAYS to get better before the marathon. Aren't colds usually 7-10 days? I've been feeling cruddy for at least 3 days, so I'm probably good!

Five months of my life poured into preparation for one day, for four-and-a-half to five hours of one day, technically---- cold or not, I'm running!

The Home Stretch--and Looking For a Fight

I am happy to be in the home stretch for the marathon! Last weekend's 12-miler, my last double-digit run, went very well! I averaged about a 10:30 running pace. I had good company, perfect weather, and a flat road with my the sun on my face and the wind at my back. Does it get any better than that??

This week, I ran 5.6 on Monday morning at a 10:15 pace. Then I got on the dreadmill on Tuesday and Wednesday for a couple of slow, easy miles each time. Tomorrow morning, my running club is meeting for a Turkey Day 5K group run. That should be fun. Then on Saturday, I'm running 8 miles, my last significant distance before the marathon. I plan to take it slow and easy and watch for cars, dogs, holes, uneven pavement, loose gravel---anything that could wreck things one week before the race!

I'm still fighting off a cold or something---I'm headache-y and have a tiny sore throat and a little tickle--- or maybe it's allergies. I'm taking a TON of Vitamin C and my glutamine, which boosts the immune system, too. I'm refusing to drink or eat after my husband or my three kids. Yesterday, my middle child turned 7 and INSISTED we go to GERM CENTRAL---Chuck E Cheese. Yikes! I didn't touch anything or breathe while I was there. I hand sanitized about 82 times. I think I'll be ok. I *even* (don't judge me) called my church nursery director, who had scheduled me to work this coming Sunday, and told her I had a conflict. (Yes, I'm conflicted about getting sick 6 days before my race!!!) I actually kept about 20 one-year-olds last Sunday and they all had runny noses and about half of them spent the hour coughing indiscriminately. Hell--oo? Ever hear of your elbow??? (maybe not)

Another thing I've noticed these last two weeks is I feel a bit.... out of sorts.... mentally. I have been outspoken, unafraid to complain, on the verge of angry, stubborn, and giving people a hard time in general. (Feel sorry for my family right now.) Today I almost ripped a teenager's head off at the YMCA. Some kids were playing dodgeball in the gym where the preschoolers were having their nursery, and as we were leaving a dumba*# beaned my three-year-old in the head with the ball. He could SEE we had to pass through. Could he not WAIT 10 seconds to release the ball? I gave him a "I'm going to rip your arm off and beat you with it" look, while yelling, "WHAT WAS THAT???". And then, for good measure, I gave the YMCA employee the same look. If daggers could shoot out of my eyes, they would be in serious pain right now. He was very apologetic (several times over and over), but the look on my face said it all.

I saw a fellow runner a couple of minutes later, and casually asked her, "Do you ever feel like you are LOOKING FOR A FIGHT???" She, in her running wisdom, said, "Don't worry. It's just TAPER."

Thank goodness. I thought maybe I was becoming a Bad Ass.*

*See what I mean? Taper is making me curse! I never curse!

1000 MILES in 2009

I just happened to add up my yearly mileage the other day, and yesterday I crossed the 1000 mile mark. I'm technically at 1001.2 for the year so far. I think I've made it in reasonably good condition. I'm not one of those runners you see at races in a knee brace or ankle brace (yet!). I ran with friends from my recent training group yesterday for the first four miles, but that 1000th mile at the end was on my own, which was kind of fitting. Running is such a personal journey.

I'm enjoying this first week of taper, but with runs 4, 3, and 6 miles, it hasn't felt like much of a break yet. Tomorrow is my 12-miler, my last double-digit run until race day. I'm ready to get that over with. I'm so sick of carbs! (Isn't that crazy?)

I'm excited about the marathon right now. The butterflies haven't started yet. It helped IMMENSELY that last week's 20-miler went well and the recovery went well. One of the worst things after the April marathon was laying in bed that night unable to sleep because I just HURT. My legs and feet were throbbing with pain. I think with this higher-mileage plan, I may have a different experience this time. One of the concepts behind the high-mileage plan is that the marathon beats you up less and you recover faster.

It will be fun to do only short, easy runs for the whole month of December after the race. By January 1, I'll be ready to start picking up a few extra miles for my next half-marathon in March (and maybe one in February).

That is because I am a training freak. I have to have a plan. I have to have a RACE ON THE CALENDAR. I can't just run randomly for very long. That 3-4 week break post-marathon will be plenty. I think this time I will follow Hal Higdon's intermediate half-marathon plan. I really like Hal. His plans are just so reasonable. Not too light on the mileage, not too heavy.

Still no definite word on whether I will be training folks in the spring for the Country Music Half-Marathon in April. Job...... hobby...... however you define it, I'll be out there running.

Should I Be Scared?

1. I just sneezed 6 times in a row. My runs yesterday and today have been energy-less. Is getting sick the first week of taper a terrible thing?? I guess the last week of taper would be worse...

2. I found the elevation profile for my marathon in 3 weeks.



Ummm, is that one long hill from miles 5-10 and another one from 14-19??? At least the last 7 miles seem to be downhill except for a slight incline at mile 24. I'm not super-adept at reading these, but the numbers on the left do not increase a whole lot, so maybe these are really tiny inclines?? What do you all think?

A Fantabulous 20-Miler! Hellooooo, Taper!!!!

I was not looking forward to today's 20 mile run, but it COULD NOT HAVE GONE BETTER! Thank you, God!

I met up with 3 friends at about 8:45 this morning and we started out. I had mapped out the route for us-- a mix of suburban and country roads. We kept up a constant conversation and a pretty even pace. We walked the big hills. We had an encounter with an unleashed German Shepherd (he was more curious than threatening, but one of my friends had been bitten on a run about a month ago, so we were all a little wary). Another friend joined us for a quick 5 miles in the middle, which is always nice to shake things up.

I carried my best friend Accelerade (fruit punch flavor) which just plain WORKS for me. Looking back through my running journals, my best long runs and half-marathon PR all involve Accelerade. Sure, it's kind of GROSS, but it does what it says it does! I only gel'd twice, but I did eat 3/4's of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at mile 10 a friend had dropped for us. Those sandwiches and water bottles were much appreciated!

Toward the end when I would have probably walked more, my non-walking friend kept me going. She just doesn't walk on long runs. Our little group had gotten separated, so it was just the two of us. After she was done at mile 16 (her first run over 13.1--she's training for the Disney Marathon in January), I was on my own for the last 4. Surprisingly, I felt great at 16, not bad at 17 or 18. The last two I walked for like .1 of each of the miles or less. I finished the run in about 3:44, which should put me in decent shape to break 5 hours in the marathon this time! Whoo, hoo! Aim LOW!

I believe I could have done 6.2 more at the end with some discomfort. However, I haven't tapered. I ran 37 miles last week and now 38 this week (hope to get in two recovery miles tomorrow for my first ever 40 mile week ).

Helllloooo, Taper! I've been waiting for you...... Just got to get through a long run of 10-12 next week and then an 8. St. Jude, here I come!

Half-Marathon #6 Race Report

I finished my 6th half-marathon yesterday in 2:14:12. It was my 3rd fastest half-marathon. I met my goal of a 10:15 pace exactly and worked hard to do it!

The race was tough. I had run 22 miles during the week prior to the race, so I didn't exactly have fresh legs. We ran against a headwind of 10-15 mph for at least 6 or 7 of the 13 miles. And the hills, oh the hills!

I intended to take it easy and run at a comfortably hard pace. I had no intention of trying to PR after my 2:09 three weeks ago. As it turned out, running against that wind turned the comfortably hard pace into very hard pace! I really had to fight to meet my goal of under 2:15.

But it's good to set a goal (albeit a LOW one) and meet it!

The race itself was a bit of a struggle mentally. It turned out to be unseasonably warm--it was about 65 degrees at the start. I was fine and excited at the start, but at the first water stop at 1.7 miles, they had no water. I hadn't worn my fuel belt due to the promise of water stops every two miles. At only 1.7 miles, it was a bit of an annoyance, but I figured I'd live. Then at the 2nd water stop at 3.7 miles, they were also out of water! Now I was getting mad! At this point it was probably above 70 degrees and I was thirsty and needed to take a gel. (Note: I was in the MIDDLE of the field of 850 runners, not in the back. There was no reason for them to be out of water.) Finally, at mile 6, I actually got water at a water stop.

About the 6-mile mark, we turned into this vicious headwind. At 6.55 miles, the half-way point, I was at 1:05 and change, which would have put me at about a 2:10 finish or better if I ran negative splits. However, the 2nd half of this course is very hilly and the wind never let up, so my negative splits went out the window. My knees began to ache and I was feeling nauseous from taking that gel without any fluids earlier. It was kind of miserable.

I chatted with a couple of fellow runners for 5 or 10 minutes here and there, but mostly I was on my own for the whole 2nd half of the race and not having fun. I don't think I smiled the entire time! Nevertheless, I never questioned "Why do I do this to myself??" or wanted to quit running like I did in this same race last year. I just dug in and ran into the wind as best I could.

In the last 2 miles, I realized that I could not walk any and I had to run at a pretty good pace to meet my goal. In 5 of my 6 half-marathons, I've walked a little in those last couple of miles because I was just spent. (NOT in my PR race a few weeks ago though! Got to love a flat course!) It was good to be able to push at the end and I rallied with a 10:05 pace in mile 12 (perhaps a bit too soon) and mile 13 was 10:26. Oh, and the last water stop at mile 11 was also OUT OF WATER. They gave me 1/2 inch, barely a swallow, of Gatorade and a cup of ice. All the ice was stuck together in one big block. I was thinking, "What exactly am I supposed to do with this???"

I was relieved to finish the race and quickly downed a bottle of water. I was a bit dehydrated from the heat and 3 of the 6 water stops not having fluids. It was in the mid to upper 70's when we finished. In November in Tennessee! Crazy!

I waited at the finish line for several of my training group to finish and loudly cheered them in. Then Christie, one of the runners in my group, and I headed back out on the course to run in the last few folks from our group. We saw several runners who were in distress out there. It was near the three-hour mark by this time. Muscle cramps were taking down many runners who had gotten little if any fluids on the course and no electrolytes (that one swallow of Gatorade was the only sports drink available at any of the stops) on an unseasonably hot day. We were carrying water from the finish line and several people at mile 12 asked us for a drink! We gave away all our fluids and a gel I had left over. We ran in the 2nd to last runner from our running group who was suffering severe cramps in her feet, and right behind her we cheered in the last runner from our group at about 3:02. Christie had just run 13.1 for the first time, and by running in the last runners with me, ran a total of 15 miles! That was pretty amazing.

All of the runners I had trained for the half-marathon who started the race, finished the race. (One was with her sick mother and missed the race.) As a coach, it was a great day! My fastest runner ran an amazing 1:53---and he's in the 50-55 age group. In fact, four of my runners were in that age group and all had outstanding races. I applaud their courage---deciding at age 50 to run a half marathon for the first time. I hope I have the courage to seek out new challenges when I'm there in about 11 years! I had three who almost placed for age group awards---they were each in 4th place in their divisions--- 15-19 women's division, 50-55 women's division, and 50-55 men's division--representing the two ends of the spectrum of ages in the group.

My Couch to 5Kers also ran a strong race. I missed it because it was run during the half-marathon. I've got a few who clearly have caught the racing bug. They can't wait to run the next one. And several want to train with me for a half marathon in the spring! (Assuming the Y continues this program!)

So, I'm officially UNEMPLOYED for the time being. I'll start up the new training groups in late January if all goes as planned. It has seriously been the BEST. JOB. EVER.

Here is the Pitt Crew (my last name is Pittman) in our matching shirts pre-race. There were 21 from the group who ran, but several got caught in port-o-potty line during the photo op. I'm on the far left. The back of our shirt says "Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1.

And we did.

Stay Focused!!

I just realized a couple of days ago that I only have TWO WEEKS until taper! In "marathon speak," that means I've only got two weeks until I start reducing my mileage and letting my body recover from all I've put it through. For the last four months, the marathon has been this race far in the future, and suddenly training is almost over.

Realizing I only have two weeks until taper put this Saturday's half marathon into perspective. It's not going to be a race-race, it's going to have to be a tempo training run. This is the time to FOCUS on the big picture, i.e., the marathon. I have only done one 20-miler, and I've only had two weeks with 35+ miles. I need this week and next to be high mileage, long run weeks. So, instead of mini-tapering for the half-marathon,I've actually put in 22 miles so far this week and plan to run 13.1 + 3 on Saturday. Having a strong 16-mile run is more important than trying to beat my 2:09 PR from three weeks ago. Running 38 miles this week instead of 20 or 25 will be more beneficial in the long run.

With that said, I do have some goals for Saturday. I'd like to run a smart race with even or negative splits (2nd half faster than first half). I'd like to keep my pace between 10 or 10:05 and 10:20. I'd like to average about 10:15 for the race overall. And I'd like to beat last year's time of 2:15:41. Then I'd like for the extra 3 I do at the end not to hurt (very much).

My plan is to finish the race, then jog back out onto the course to find a spot to encourage those from my half-marathon training group who are still out there. At the end, if anyone is struggling, I'll run that last mile or two with them if they need me to. Doing that a few times should get me the extra 3 miles.

Then next week, it's another 38-40 mile week with my last 20-miler on Friday the 13th. (Also another reason not to race this weekend--it would make the 20-miler THAT MUCH HARDER. And trust me, they are hard enough!) Then it's taper and I can have my life back.

I want to wish all of my half-marathon and Couch to 5K group members good luck on Saturday! They all made so much progress in such a short time. Some of them absolutely blew me away---going from walking to running 13.1 miles in 14 weeks without injury, embracing fuel belts and Garmins and Gu's as a "normal" part of their lives, talking about their splits, and already signing up for their next races.... I feel like such a proud momma!

Here are several my "Pitt Crew" about four weeks into their journey to become lean, mean, half-marathon running machines: (I'm on bottom right in a jacket--it was chilly post race!)

The Crave

Something new is going on with my running. I've been on a five-day-a-week running program for 14 weeks now. I never thought I'd be more than a 3-days-a-weeker, or maybe a 4-days-a-weeker when training for a specific race, but I'm really getting into running 5 times a week. Sometimes I wish I were running on that 6th day!

If I haven't run, I crave putting on my shoes and heading out the door. Even if I only run 2 or 3 miles, the need to run is firmly entrenched into my being. (When did it become a need?) I know running is a healthy addiction when not taken to extremes, so I guess it's ok. (Some might say that running 5 days a week and training for a marathon ARE extreme.... but I digress.)

Some runs are better than others. Some feel free and easy and even joyful, while others are difficult and painful and make me question why I do this. But I guess even a bad run is better than no run at all....

Speaking of "no run at all," I visited a podiatrist this week who prescribed a 10-day hiatus from running. On my 18 miler two weeks ago, either my right shoe was too tightly laced or my foot swelled from all the pounding, but I developed a painful area on top of my foot. I babied it (and everything else) with a light week of running the following week in preparation for my 20-miler on Saturday. The foot was fine (in different shoes) until mile 13, and at that point, the tongue rubbing on the top of my foot became so painful, I seriously considered taking my shoe off and finishing in just my socks. (But it was my expensive Ininji toe socks, and I think I paid like $18 bucks for them, so I kept my shoes on.)

I took Sunday off and on Monday tried to put on my running shoes. Ouch. I couldn't even walk in them. I decided I'd better call in an expert. A local podiatrist had a cancellation and could see me that morning. I was thinking stress fracture.

However, an x-ray of that foot was clear and he diagnosed tendonitis or inflammation in the soft tissue on top of my foot. (It's very subjective, this podiatry thing.) He told me to take 10 DAYS OFF from running and to avoid wearing shoes that aggravated the condition. Here I am 5 weeks from the full marathon and 2 weeks from the half. TEN days off? I got my anti-inflammatory meds filled (both oral and a gel) and rested my foot for all of ...... Monday.

Since I'd just read Born to Run about a tribe of barefoot running people, on Tuesday I decided to give a quick shoeless run a try. After only ONE DAY OFF, I was jonesin' for a run. I ran an easy 1 mile in my sock feet completely pain-free, then went to the Y and rode a bike for 8 miles. I wore my running shoes to the Y, I just unlaced the first two eyes on the shoe. (Thank you for that idea, Runners' World message board, where someone has experienced every injury out there!)

On Wednesday, since the shoes had felt fine the day before and I was still pain-free, I went on a 3.5 mile run. On Thursday, I ran 4---two on the treadmill without shoes and two with. Today, my feet hurt slightly on the bottoms (apparently this barefoot running thing takes some getting used to) during my 2.5 mile run.

So, rather than OFF, I took it EASY.

It was weird. It was like the doctor was asking me to stop breathing or something.

I know I *should* listen to the doctor, but this time, I listened to my body instead. Mistake #1 was panicking and rushing off to the doctor instead of giving it a couple of days' rest myself.

Seriously???

Wow, 20-milers suuuuuuuuuucccccckkkkk. Or at least mine did today. It may have been worse than the one I did last spring on the same route. Just like last time, miles 14-20 were brutal. But in terms of physical pain, it was worse this time. My ankles. My knees. My right foot. My hips.

I realize that the hilly course I did the two terrible 20's on is probably not the best course for a 20-miler. One of the training books I read says that you should avoid a hilly course for the long runs. Hills on medium and short runs are great. I'm not training for a particularly hilly race anyway.

Running that half-marathon 6 days ago HARD was probably a mistake. (A personal record-breaking mistake, but a mistake still.) And running the 5 extra miles probably wasn't my smartest move, either. It left me pretty beaten down for my 20 today. My mileage for the week was a ridiculous 49 miles, technically. It just happened that 2 long runs fell within 7 days.

Anyway, I got them done. I just hope there isn't any permanent damage. It's a little late to get stupid about my training!

Do I REALLY have to do another 20-miler in 3 weeks? Seriously??

How I Spent My 5.5 Mile Run Today

I was not feeling really motivated to run this morning despite the nice weather. I'm still recovering from my 18-miler and race on Sunday, and I knew I'd better take it slow and easy. So, I....

• Walked. Alot.
• Took one phone call.
• Sent 3 text messages.
• Stopped to sign a petition to stop the local post office from being closed down
• Admired my neighbors' Halloween decorations
• Tried my best to catch some falling leaves (unsuccessfully)
• Wrote this post in my mind
• Planned a Turkey Day 5K for my neighborhood or my running club--don't know which
  
• Just enjoyed the feeling of freedom
  

It was a good run.

Coach Thyself--Half-Marathon Race Report

I coached myself to a new half-marathon PR today in the Music City Half-Marathon! 2:09:44 (That was for 13.23. I was around 2:09 at 13.1, but the course was a little long or I didn't run on the tangent.) I was 8th out of 23 in my age group.

I didn't train for this race, per se. It just happened to be in the middle of marathon training. This high-mileage, easy pace training REALLY works. I'm logging between 30 and 36 miles per week, mostly at an easy, conversational pace. A few intervals with my half-marathon group a couple of times and one tempo run is what my speed work has consisted of over the last few months. I didn't taper. I actually had to run 18 miles this week, including 4 miles the day before the race with my training groups! (What could I have done if I were actually rested???)

I didn't think I'd be a convert to high-mileage training, but it is really improving my cardiovascular system, lactate threshold, and VO2 max. Those improvements were enough to knock nearly 2 minutes off my time from March on this same course (2:11:41).

The race itself was great. I slowly jogged a mile before the race began because the training schedule called for 18 miles and I needed to warm up anyway. It was sunny and about 38 degrees at the start. I hoped to keep the pace between 9:50 and 10:10/pace. At the end of mile 1, I thought I might be having a good day. (And I realized that I had overdressed for the temps in a long-sleeved technical tee and technical lightweight jacket over it.) By the end of mile 2, I was fairly certain it was going to be a good day. My first two miles were a 9:50 pace and 9:49 pace, right on target. I had planned to walk through the 4 water stops, but I decided to keep going at the first one and jogged/drank/spilled through the stop at 2.8 miles.

Around miles 3 and 4, I was feeling really good at a 9:45 pace, which is unusual for me. In the past, that was my lactate threshold--- if I were running faster than 9:45, I knew lactic acid would build up in my legs later in the race (at miles 8+) and I'd be wanting to walk. But today, 9:45 felt right. The negative splits continued (to my dismay--I still a little worried in the back of my mind I was going out too fast) with a 9:47 mile, 9:40 mile and 9:41 mile. Miles 4 and 5 would be my fastest of the day.

I finally reigned in the adrenaline a little and starting logging 9:45-9:59 paces, including walking for 5-10 seconds through 3 water stops--the only walking for the race. I took gels at miles 5 and 9 DRY, which I know is "against the rules," but there were no water stops there. (Note to self: memorize where water stops are and plan accordingly.)

Eight miles is often a turning point in a half-marathon for me. In my first half-marathon a year and a half ago, I felt good at 8 miles with proper pacing and lots of Accelerade, which really works for me, and had a great race. In the last 3 half-marathons, the 8-mile mark was when things started going down hill. But, suddenly, I was at the 9-mile mark, then the 10, and my miles were all still coming in under a 10-minute pace. I was running consistently. Yes, I had to work harder in miles 10, 11, 12, and 13, but I maintained a sub 10-minute pace. Mile 12 was my slowest at 9:59 pace. Mile 10 came in at a happy 9:47 and mile 13 was a 9:48 pace! Then I was at 13, then 13.1, then 13.2......

I knew the distance would be off because the last time I ran the course, it was longer than 13.1 due to winding paths with runners coming at you---so you have to run on the edge rather than the middle, which would be the shortest distance at which the course is measured. My chip time comes to a 9:55/average pace (but that's averaging me for 13.1 miles when I ran an extra .12 for a total of 13.23 if my Garmin is correct), but my Garmin clocked me at a 9:49 pace. That makes more sense considering my splits. I only had 3 miles above 9:55/pace and several in the 9:40's.

It helped that the course was almost completely flat. There were maybe 2 gentle inclines and one small hill.

Afterwards, I realized that my biceps hurt so much. I must have been clenching my fists and really holding my arms flexed for the entire 13 miles! I feel like I did a hundred bicep curls! And a pretty hard effort for 13 miles left me with achy knees and lower back and a tingly piriformis and a few other ailments. Sports massage, anyone? Then my husband met me for a PAINFUL 4 more miles to get me to 18. I walked all of the last mile and a lot of the other 3, but I'm at 18 for the day and 36 for the week. Ouch.

Splits and such:
Mile 1 9:50
Mile 2 9:49
Mile 3 9:47
Mile 4 9:40
Mile 5 9:41
Mile 6 9:52
Mile 7 9:49
Mile 8 9:58
Mile 9 9:50
Mile 10 9:47
Mile 11 9:57
Mile 12 9:59
Mile 13 9:48 2:07:47 at 13 miles....might have sneaked in under 2:09 for 13.11. I can usually finish the .11 in about a minute. Wish I'd glanced at my Garmin!
Mile .23 8:52/pace

13.23 miles 9:49 average pace. It was a GOOD day. By the way, my A. goal (best case scenario) was 2:10. And I beat THAT.

And Then When It All Falls Apart....

Nothing makes you appreciate the great runs like a REALLY, REALLY BAD one. (Did I mention it was REALLY bad?) I knew the minute I titled last weeks' post "When Things Come Together" that today's title was in my near future. That's just how the runner's life works.

Everything fell apart on Saturday's 12-miler that wound up being 13 miles. It was pathetic. After 5.5 miles, I took walk breaks CONSTANTLY. My hips hurt. My knees hurt. I was nauseated. I was exhausted. (And I didn't even go out too fast or anything.) I had a bad attitude. I guess it was good for my training group to see that everyone has a bad day from time to time. (Many of them ROCKED their first 12-mile run! I was so happy for them despite my own misery!)

I have many REASONS/EXCUSES as to why the run was so bad:

• First, I set myself up for failure by running stupidly all week. By "stupidly," I mean I did speed intervals with people from my training groups on Monday and Wednesday, then a tempo run on Thursday. Instead of taking a rest day on Friday, I ran 2.5 more miles. Oh, and to add a dash of crazy in there, I did all those runs in OLD shoes. In an effort to save money, I decided to save my good shoes for the marathon and do my training runs in my old shoes. I need to just pay the $85 that Road Runner Sports has my New Balance 1225's on sale for!

• I also got lazy with my diet this week. I skimped on protein and iron and fresh produce. I ate junk.

• I forgot to make sleep a priority and fell into my old habit of staying up too late.

• It was a SERIOUSLY hilly course. Up and down. Up and down. For 13 miles.
  

• I got a flu shot on Friday. Could that have anything to do with it?
  

After finishing the first 11 miles, I went back out to find the last few runners from my group to make sure they were ok. (Everyone else had finished.) I continued to run/walk. I found the last runner 1 mile out and ran her in, which is how my 12 became 13. Twelve horrible miles, thirteen horrible miles---what's the difference?

By the end I felt like I had been hit by a truck. Definitely flu-ish, but it's hard to go to the doctor and say, "I'm having body aches. Oh, incidentally, I ran 13 miles before I came here." So I went home and climbed under the covers. After an hour of rest, I still felt pretty bad.

I developed a terrible headache and noticed my upper teeth hurt as I was eating lunch and dinner. Finally, at 7:00 p.m., I went to the doctor. Turns out I had a sinus infection. I got some Augmentin, and I feel much better.

So, what caused the REALLY, REALLY bad run? Probably a number of things. Hopefully the next long one will go better----especially since it's the Music City Half Marathon next Sunday!

I was going to treat it like a training run and do 3 before and 4 after for my first 20-miler. However, now I think I'm going to run 1 mile before to warm up, 13 during, and 4 after for a total of 18 instead of 20. That's going to put me down to only 2 20's before the marathon (instead of the 3 I'd planned), but I'm ok with that. I'd rather be able to run the race as a RACE than a training run since I paid $50!

When It All Comes Together

Wow. My 18-mile run yesterday was AWESOME. Pace? 11:00 min/mile average including bathroom stop, refilling water bottle, and gelling. Walk breaks? Very few and far between. Maybe 4. My last mile? 10:20 pace. For. Mile. 18. Unbelievable.

The Tylenol at mile 8 helped. My left knee was a bit achy. My hips didn't hurt at all this time. At the end, nothing hurt (other than the knee) as compared to the end of 16 last week. The gummie bears I munched on during miles 10-12 gave me a little boost. The 1/2 peanut butter and jelly sandwich at mile 13 made a difference, too. The good company of the 4 other runners I talked to during the middle 10 miles kept things interesting.

I had been dreading this 18. I thought about just doing 16. But for now, everyone in my house is healthy. I can't count on that every weekend between now and December 5. So, I figured I had better get the 18 miles done while I could.

Sup?

I ran a strong 13.5 miles today. Unfortunately, my run was 16 miles. :0)

I had forgotten how the last couple of miles feel in a long run. Now it's all coming back to me..... Everything is fine up to a point, then the last few miles are all mental. Everything aches. Stopping to walk makes it ache more. You keep moving, but it's really about survival.

I'm pretty sure my muscles ran out of glycogen today. I only took one GU at about the 6 or 7 mile mark. (I had brought two, but my friend didn't have one, so I gave one to her. That's how I roll.) I would have probably felt a little better at the end if I'd ingested two GU. But my knees and hips still would have ached.

But the first 13 felt great! I still feel like I've turned a corner in this training. I felt energetic, even speedy-ish. The higher protein, higher carbs, higher calorie diet is really working for me!

I'm also experimenting with a new SUPPLEMENT called glutamine. I started taking it on Monday. It is an amino acid that helps prevent overtraining syndrome by helping your muscles recover after a long, exhaustive run and it also can improve immune system function after such a run. In the midst of this marathon training and the H1N1 pandemic, it seemed like a no-brainer!

What other supplements do you marathoners take? Creatine scares me a little. I associate it with professional baseball players and bodybuilders. Makes me think I might start sprouting chest hair. Or testicles.

The Turnaround

I love running an out-and-back course. It's always tough until you get to the turnaround, but then you know you are half-way done. My spirits immediately lift on the return trip.

I feel like I've passed the turnaround with marathon training. I have 10 more training weeks before the week of the BIG RACE. After some changes in my diet and training regimen last week, I had a GREAT 12-mile run on Saturday. I felt like my old self for the first time in months. I ran a good pace and felt strong. What I did differently this week:

1. I really focused on hydrating and protein intake last week, in addition to getting plenty of carbs.
2. I cross trained lightly, which was as much a mental break as anything. I rode a stationary bike 4 miles (I did say lightly!) on Friday, the day before my long run.
3. I took a day off in the middle of the week (Wednesday), instead of the two-mile run on my schedule.
4. I ran a new route.
5. I ran with a new running buddy.
6. I got in bed by 10:00 p.m. every night except two. (Still an improvement!)

I hope I've reached a milestone in this training. The fatigue that had been dogging me has lifted, and I'm feeling more positive about the marathon.

This last half of training is the FUN PART. There is something very challenging, but invigorating about every run over 14 miles. Everything over 14 feels like an ADVENTURE. A painful adventure, but an adventure nonetheless! The best over-14 mile runs are done with a friend and involve lots of laughter (and for me last time, lots of mishaps).

The last half also is when the BUILD UP RACES start. In a month, I'm running the Music City Half-Marathon in Nashville as a part of a 20-miler. My friend and I are getting up early and driving an hour to Nashville, running 3 miles, running the HALF-MARATHON, then running 4 more miles. How fun is that?

Then, a few weeks later, my training AND my coaching will be put to the test with the Clarksville Half-Marathon. I know my group is going to do wonderfully, I'm just wondering how many of them will beat me! (I'll be a little broken down from my two 20-milers in the 3 weeks before!)
I'll also be so happy for the Couch to 5Kers finish their first race.

So, really, I guess the FUN IS JUST BEGINNING!

Got Energy?

I think that I'm at the busiest stage so far in my life as a mother and a runner (or as The Happy Runner calls it, a "Muthah Runnah.") Driving the kids 40 minutes round trip to and from the magnet school, transporting the three-year-old to her preschool, working part-time training (now 40) runners, two kids in soccer (we have 3 practices and 2 games in the next 5 days), laundry, shopping, and cooking for five, and running 30+ miles per week for my own December marathon are WEARING ME OUT.

I admit it, I've had it easy these last couple of years. The kids weren't into many sports, they rode the bus 7 minutes to and from our neighborhood school, and I just ran for fun. Life just wasn't that complicated, and I could pretty easily get everything done without too much stress. But, I know it's my turn. I never could figure out how the full-time working mommies pulled it all off (I have the utmost respect for them!), but they must have fantastic time-management skills. I'm working on mine as they have gotten a little rusty!

What suffers when you are in the car all day long, stressed out, have very little down time, and are exhausted? Well, your BLOG for one! Second is your running. Running is very fickle. If things aren't going just right (i.e., not getting enough sleep, too much stress, eating poorly), running lets you know. You start every run with heavy legs. You finish every run with aches and pains. You are tired before, during, and after running.

I took a step back on Friday and Saturday of last week to look at my life and my running. I was getting discouraged because I have been feeling constant fatigue in daily life AND in my runs. I've had no stamina for the past 3 or 4 long runs. I've been struggling. The most important runs when you are training for a marathon are the long ones, yet those were the ones where I was faltering. I took some advice from some good friends and made three discoveries:

1. I have not been taking very good care of myself. Sure, I've been exercising to exhaustion, but I haven't been bothering to take a mulitvitamin with iron or Vitamin C--both critical for runners. I can't say for sure I'm getting enough with diet alone, so I probably need a supplement. I've also been staying up too late and short-changing myself on sleep. That makes both running and daily living more stressful! Our bodies recover from physical and mental stressors while we sleep. Sleep is so essential.

2. I haven't been eating enough. I have increased my mileage to 31 miles per week, but I haven't been taking in any extra calories. Last time, I was starving while training for the marathon. This time, I guess I'm just distracted. I've lost 3 lbs. in the last 3 weeks when I should be building muscle. I probably need to eat every 2 or 3 hours with the kind of miles I'm running.

3. I've haven't been eating the appropriate amount of protein. I have not made any effort to get extra protein into my diet. I read just yesterday that people training for a marathon need as much protein as bodybuilders. A minimum for me would be 65 to 70 grams, and I haven't been getting nearly that much. I'm actually counting my protein for today (I'm at 27 grams right now!). I made protein shakes a regular part of training for the last marathon, but I guess with all the busyness, I forgot about them.

4. I may need to drop one of my 5 days of running and exchange it for crosstraining. My love for running is waning under the weight of this training program. This is not a good time for that to happen--especially since I'm trying to instill that love in 20 Couch to 5K beginners.

I'm going to get my life UNDER CONTROL. I made myself a master calendar with all the practices and games and doctor's appointments and meetings and long runs penciled in. I bought some pre-natal vitamins because they had extra iron and Vitamin C (my husband worriedly asked, "Is there something you need to tell me?" when he saw them in the cart. Definitely NOT! Just need that extra iron and C.) I'm going to be in bed by 10 every night and engage in INTENTIONAL eating---making sure I get in all the protein and carbohydrates and calories I need. I'm not going to be "married" to the training plan. I'm going to listen to my body and crosstrain if I just don't feel like running (not on long-run days--those are critical). My friend Casey reminded me that I control the training plan, the training plan doesn't control me!

I feel better already.

13.1 --- Halfway There!

I just finished the last of my 30 miles for the week. I tried something new..... I had my long run on Friday of 13.1, THEN ran 4.5 today instead of taking the day off. I have ALWAYS taken the day after a long run off, but this week, it didn't work out since I had to "work" by running with my half-marathon group (I ran 3.5 miles of their 4 miles) and then the Couch to 5K group (2 miles) this morning. And you know what, it wasn't bad! I felt some fatigue in my legs and had to work harder than usual to maintain my pace in the beginning, but it wasn't terribly painful or anything, especially after I was warmed up. (In the first half-mile, my right hip ached, but then it stopped.) The miles with the Couch to 5K included a 5 minute warm up, jog 90 seconds, walk 60 seconds for about 25 minutes, then a 5 minute cool down. I actually felt really good when I finished. I read somewhere about a training program that has you do a 5-mile tempo run the day after your long runs to teach you to run on tired legs. I can see how that might be beneficial (or on the other hand.... overtraining!).

The 13.1 yesterday was a bit of a different story. We didn't get started yesterday until we had dropped the kids off at school, so it was 8:30 a.m. Our cool weather has left us, so it was already hot and humid. I felt ok for about the first 7 or 8 miles, then it became a bit of a struggle and we found ourselves taking more and more walk breaks. I had company for most of the miles--- one friend was with me for the first 4 and another through the first 11. I did the last couple on my own and they were tough! I was really fatigued and feeling the heat. (It was about 81 degrees by then.) Time and miles both seemed to be going by very slowly.

I also had something unusual---a cramp. It seemed at to be at the bottom of my rib cage on the right and then later kind of extended around my ribcage to include the front. I guess it was my diaphragm? It wasn't intestinal, it seemed to be related to my breathing. It hung around for about four miles and only stopped at mile 11 when I had to stop by my car and refill my water bottles. I guess taking that little break helped.

I've got 31 miles to run in the coming week, including a 14-miler next Saturday. Then it's a slightly lower mileage recover week (with 27 which still sounds like a lot!). But, mileage-wise, at least I'm half-way to 26.2 with 13 weeks to go!

Running is Running My Life!

Lately, my life seems to revolve around all things running. Between training 39 people (nineteen for a 5K and 20 for a half-marathon) and training myself five days a week for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon (I'm in week 7 of a 20-week program), running is RUNNING MY LIFE. It controls what I eat, when I sleep, what I wear, where I go, what I read..... And for now, I'm ok with it. Ask me again in about 9 weeks!

Even though my life is perhaps a bit too running-focused right now, I'm still finding pleasure in it. Burnout has yet to rear its ugly head. It is still my escape. It is still when I feel the most free, alive, and strong.

Some runs are more fun than others, though. Here's my week in running so far:

On Monday evening, I ran about a mile with my Couch to 5K group. They are in week 2, and I'm just starting to get to know them. It was fun to chat with several of them as we ran. It's always nice to run with new folks! Then afterwards, the half-marathon group met and we ran two miles and they FLEW by. We did a few hill-repeats and I actually enjoyed them, just like last week. Could I be starting to LIKE HILLS???

My Tuesday morning run was going to be a slow, lonely 6-miler because my running buddy is sick, but I was able to recruit another friend to run with me at the last second. Unfortunately, she was planning a 5-mile tempo run at an 8:49 pace. (Yes, that's faster than my 5K pace.) I was supposed to be running 6 miles at a 10:45-11:00 minute pace. What's really interesting is that she had taken several months off from running and just picked it back up about 6 weeks ago and is STILL faster than me. Anywho, we figured we could make it work and took off. Our warm up was a 10-minute mile, which is reasonable I suppose. We decided to run to a local park with a quarter-mile track. When we got there, I'd run 2 laps with her at her pace, and then walk/gasp for breath/jog while she ran the last 2 laps. Then we'd do it again. So, unintentionally, I was doing speed intervals, 800's to be exact. I think I did 3 speedy 800's even though they weren't in my plan.

Running hills on Monday night, then speed work on Tuesday morning only 13 hours later left me really, really drained. The "not so fun" miles I mentioned above were the ones I ran today. To get the weekly mileage my plan calls for in, I had to drag my tired body through another four miles today. I told myself it was just going to be an easy recovery run--"active recovery" and would be good for me. I kept telling myself that as my legs and lower back ached..... But I got them done (with LOTS of walk breaks). This was one of those times when running shows you what you're made of. You are tired, it hurts (generally, not in an injured-sort-of-way. You shouldn't run through that kind of pain), but you keep going. "You plan your run and you run your plan." Tomorrow is a rest day (Thank God!) before my 13-miler on Friday.

I'll be hitting 29 miles for the week when I meet the C25K and half-marathon groups for a short run on Saturday morning.

Last month, by the way, was my MOST MILEAGE EVER in one month. August total: 105 miles, beating the previous record in March of this year by one mile!

Year to date: 651 miles* No wonder I'm tired.

(*I only had 606 for the entire year in 2008.)

Plan Your Run and Run Your Plan

I like the title of this post! I saw the phrase a few minutes ago on the Cool Running website. I recently joined the Cool Running community on Facebook. I'm getting TONS of great information sent to my FB page every day. It's kind of like getting a new issue of Runner's World, except much more often! I devour that stuff!

But before I saw it put into words, I did it! Since beginning marathon training 6 weeks ago, I've made it a point to get my miles in each day. Running five days a week is a huge commitment, but so far, it's worked out. Today was especially tough though. My three-year-old woke up with a horrible cough and fever at 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday. I tried to comfort her and gave her medicine. She insisted I stay with her for the rest of the night. I can't say we got much sleep in her twin bed from 3-6 a.m.! I eeked out a slow two-miler on Wednesday afternoon, feeling every bit of that sleep loss as I stumbled, I mean "ran. "

Today, I needed to get in a five-miler to meet my mileage quota for the week before my long run on Saturday. Five miles on a treadmill is a little more than I can bear, so I planned to get up at 5:50 a.m. and run before my husband left for work at 7:15. I dreaded getting up at 5:50, knowing I'd still be a bit tired from lack of sleep on Wednesday. But I laid out my clothes and my Garmin and my shoes before bed. I actually forgot to set my alarm, but woke up right on schedule somehow. I didn't want to get up. I wanted and needed more sleep, but I forced myself out of bed. I had a quick breakfast (can't run on carbohydrate fumes from the day before--it just doesn't work for me) of 1/2 bowl of Special K and 1/2 cup of coffee. I got dressed and out the door at 6:20 a.m.

My neighborhood was very quiet. The sun was still low in the sky. My legs felt like they were made of lead! I walked for a good 5 or 6 minutes to try to get the blood flowing and wake up, but I needed to start running pretty quickly if I was going to get in my 5 miles before 7:15 at a gentle 11-minute pace. I was already short on time. The first half mile of running was so awful. I considered going back home. I felt like I was barely moving and looked down at my Garmin: 12:15 pace-- and I was struggling to maintain that! But I kept going. Then, suddenly, within a few minutes, I felt ok, then good. I looked down and saw a 10:15 pace. Much better. I guess it took that long for the coffee and carbs to kick in and for my legs to WAKE UP!

I knocked out 3.5 miles at a faster pace than I was supposed to be running in this base-building phase, then did four HILL REPEATS*. You know you are feeling good when you add unscheduled hill repeats at the end of your run! I was at the four-mile point and decided I'd better get back home so my husband could leave for work. My trusty treadmill in the basement would allow me to get in my last mile while the little one watched Dora.

So, as most early morning runs, it started out unpleasant and turned out just fine. I planned my run and ran my plan! What gets you out the door?

*I have been neglecting the hill-repeats. Most of my running routes have some elevation changes and hills, but today was the first day since June I'd actually gone up and down a hill repeatedly. In lieu of squats/lunges/leg strength training, I decided to do hill repeats this week. I plan to do them every two weeks if not more often.

It Works!

Training lots of miles at an easy pace ACTUALLY DOES make you run faster races. Having not run any miles anywhere near a 9:00 minute pace in the last 5 weeks (more like 11-minute miles), I ran 3 at that pace today. I don't know how it works, but it works!

I have a new 5K PR of 28:01, a 9:01 pace. Goal one was met! I didn't meet the "super best day ever" splits of 8:59/pace, but I came pretty darn close! If I hadn't taken that 10-second walk break at 2.75 miles after the big hill or if I had lined up right at the start line instead of middle of the pack, I'd have a sub-28 5K in my name. (It wasn't chip timed, and it took me at least 5 seconds to cross the start.)

There is not much to say in the way of a race report. The weather was perfect--cloudy and about 65 degrees with a breeze---very unusual for August in Tennessee! I ran about 3/4 mile for a warm up. When the starting gun went off, I was careful to hold back in the first mile. It was still my fastest mile, but a significant portion of it was downhill. Coming back UP that hill in mile 3 was challenging! I maintained a very even pace overall, slowing a little on that hill in mile 3. I gave a strong effort, but I didn't leave it ALL out there. If I'd known how close I would be to sub-28, I'd have run a bit harder.

Three in my training group ran faster than me today, and I'm totally fine with that! Everyone finished in under 40 minutes, and I would say all had a great race. For some, it was their first real race ever! I had 3 of them place in their age group and 4 or 5 of them won door prizes. We cheered like crazy every time someone won something. We even came up with a little name for our team "Pitt Crew," and they decided they want to get matching shirts made for the half-marathon. I think that's an awesome idea.

I had my doubts going into this race. I have done no real speedwork in the last months. I've just run 5 days a week at an easy pace. Once or twice, I've added in a "stride" where I've picked up the pace a bit, but no intervals or even tempo runs. And yet I ran faster today than I have in a long time. The last thing I did before bed last night was get out my coach's training manual and find the sentence that has stuck in my brain, "Most runners are surprised to find that following this program leads to faster race times at all race distances." Count me as one of the surprised.

I can't wait to break 28 minutes next time!

After the race, I ran home, got a shower and we had family portraits made for the first time ever as a family of five. Here are a few proofs (my photographer's fast!):

Notes to Self....

Hey, Self. Here are a few things to remember on Saturday:

1. Do NOT go out like a maniac when you hear the starting gun. If you look at your Garmin and see an 8:15 or 8:30 pace, immediately slow down! You are NOT THAT FAST!

2. Negative splits, negative splits. Practice what you preach! (On Monday evening, I taught the half-marathon training group about negative splits and then we ran a 2-mile run with negative splits.) If in the 3rd mile, you look down and see 8:30/pace, that's awesome!!

3. Run your own race! Don't get into the business of comparing yourself to other runners. It's not about THEM, it's only about YOU.

4. It's also not about getting a PR every time, it's certainly not about winning (overall or age group). It's about doing your BEST.

5. But remember, 5K's are supposed to hurt. When maintaining the pace gets tough and your breathing is ragged, think "This is what a race is SUPPOSED to feel like." (I got that little nugget from my Boston-qualifying friend Lana.)

I'm very excited to see how this race pans out. My last two 5K's were not good efforts on my part. I ran one in my childhood hometown exactly two weeks after the Country Music Marathon. I was not remotely recovered from the marathon! My toenails hadn't even fallen off yet. I still had aches and fatigue in my legs. My feet really hurt. Then a month later I did another one. I had recovered from the marathon for the most part, but I didn't run smart. I went out too fast and by 1.5 miles, it really caught up to me.

For the past 5 weeks, I've been training in a completely different way. I've been increasing my aerobic endurance by running 5 days a week, but all at an easy, conversational pace. I ran 25 miles last week, but at an average 11-minute pace. My goal pace for a 5K is more like 9:00-9:15 minute miles. Our trainers in the coaching seminar assured us that increasing endurance through those slow runs will translate into faster race times across the board. The theory is with increased endurance, you can run harder longer. The trick for me is going to be to find my lactic acid threshold--the fastest pace I can maintain without too much lactic acid buildup in my legs. That's why you slow down in later miles when you go out too fast---the lactic acid builds up in your legs and they get "heavy."

I'm hopeful that the science behind this training works. Running lots of 11-minute miles doesn't seem like it would help one run three 9-minute miles very easily. We shall see.

I'm having a mini-taper today and Friday for Saturday's race. I think I'm going to walk a couple of miles today instead of running and then take a yoga stretch class tomorrow.

Goal One: "Best day ever" Under 29 minutes. Running less than a 9:10 average pace for the race (my PR in this exact race last year) would be great. 8:59 would be phenomenal, but is probably not in my reach.

Goal Two: Under 30 minutes (Considering the slow training, this might be the most likely goal. It's a 9:39 pace/per mile, I believe.)

Goal Three: Under 31 minutes. I've run lots of 5K races and training runs under 31 minutes. If I don't get under 31 minutes, I'm officially kicking myself at the end.