Still Running and Crossfitting

The crazy race schedule is going great! The Franklin Classic 10K was a very interesting race for me---after a 9:38 first mile, my Garmin died and I had to run blind for the first time in years. I had been all over the place pace-wise in the first mile, so I wasn't sure if I was going too fast or too slow at any given moment. I just tried to judge it by discomfort---moderately uncomfortable is where you want to be at any given moment in a 10K. I finished just 20 seconds off from my PR. My time was around a 9:34 mile average. I think my time was 58:42 or so. It poured rain during most of the race, too, adding to the memorableness (is that even a word?? memorability??) of the race. The best part was my bestie from high school had hosted me and the kids the night before at her house and even got up at 5:00 a.m. to drive me to the race! She was there to see me finish and everything. Her hubby stayed home with my kids and hers and cooked us all a delicious breakfast.

Then about 3 weeks later, I had my big GOAL RACE-- the Music City Half Marathon. I'd PR'd in that race 2 years ago with a 2:09:42 official time, but the course was 13.22. This time, I PR'd again by over 2 minutes with a 2:07:09! I stopped my watch at 13.1 though and I was at 2:05:52! Either way, it was a big PR! A 2:05 averaged to a 9:36 pace and a 2:07 averaged to a 9:45. I had planned to start out with 9:45 to 10 minute miles, but 9:30 just felt so darn comfortable, I wound up staying there--- most miles between 9:30 and 9:40. I did have a 9:26 and two 9:50's when I was hurting. Apparently, I was trained up for a strong 10-miler. After mile 10, I started hurting quite a bit. My lower body hurt badly in miles 11 and 12---the 9:50 miles. In mile 13, I just gritted my teeth and ran through the pain---back down to a 9:41 pace.

But you know what, a RACE is SUPPOSED to hurt. It's supposed to be uncomfortable. You are supposed to push hard and hang on when the going gets tough. This may be the first time I actually RACED a half marathon. And for the first time in 11 half marathons, I ran every single step. Didn't walk through water stops, didn't stop at the port o john. That was another PR--the furthest uninterrupted stretch I'd run before was 8 or 9 miles. It was a really good day.

Two days after the race, I started at a new Crossfit gym in town. That was a mistake. My muscles were still raw from the race and the first day's workout was a killer. I was in pain for the rest of the week and did very little running and no Crossfit. (www.crossfitsolafide.com) But I went back to Crossfit yesterday and today, and officially joined. I decided to go only two days per week to supplement my running.

Next up: The Go Commando Half Marathon with my husband on Saturday. I hope he has a better experience than last time. He has no nagging injuries, but his training has fallen off a lot the last 3 weeks. Can a guy who runs 1-2 times per week most weeks and sometimes none at all for a full week run a strong race? Guess we'll see. I'm going to stay with him throughout. I think we'll come in under 2:30. I hope we'll stay between 10:30 and 11 minute miles.

Where To From Here?

After my August epiphany "Do what you enjoy," I've been doing just that.

I've been training mostly slow and easy with the Maffetone Method. My max aerobic heartrate is steadily improving. I can run at about a 10:45 pace without leaving the 145 and below aerobic zone. Supposedly this will help my body to burn body fat for fuel more efficiently and translate to faster times. We'll see..... more about that later.

I have done 2 trail runs, which I really enjoyed. Trail running is about two things: 1) Don't fall down and 2) Don't sprain anything. I love the no-pressure-to-run-fast aspect of it, I love the ever changing terrain ("I am going up hill, I am going down hill, I am dodging a tree branch, I am dodging a snake, I am going over a bridge, I am stumbling over a big rock"---keeps it interesting, to say the least!)

I have done several short runs, just a little bit of speed work once a week, and my weekly long run with the group I'm training for an upcoming half marathon. Honestly, the long runs really do feel like work (I mean besides the fact that I clock in and out for them). I think I have fallen out of love (hopefully temporarily) with running long.

Maybe it's because I find myself in a group of people but still mostly running alone.
Maybe it's because it's been just ridiculously hot.
Maybe I needed more recovery time after the June marathon before going long again.

Whatever the case, after all this training is over, I'm thinking that about 8 miles is the maximum training distance I want to do regularly---maybe once or twice per month. Beyond that is beyond fun. That way, I figure I'm always 5 weeks to half marathon ready. I could have my base of 8, then do a couple of 10-milers, a 12, a tapered 8-9, and then BAM--race. My running club president is a big believer in over-distance training. He's planning to run 14, 16, and even 18 before his upcoming half-marathon. Me? I figure if I get in some good quality short and mid-distance runs, 12 miles is plenty of distance before a half. I once had a decent half marathon on just a 9-mile longest run coming off an injury.

To try to put some of the FUN and EXCITEMENT back into running, I think I'm going to do a bunch of races in the coming months. Here's what's on my plate:

1. Sept. 5: Labor Day 10K-- Yikes! That's day after tomorrow! I'm not sure if I can run my usual 10K pace after what seems like months of slow running. Plus, the weather is supposed to be heavy rain and 18 mph winds. I'm running 6 miles in a monsoon, apparently!
2. Oct. 2: Music City Half Marathon. Tom King Course, I'm coming for you! I was prepped for a GREAT Tom King race and a half marathon PR in March, then I got sick the night before the race and during the race had stomach issues. This race is on the very same course..... REDEMPTION! It will by my 11th half marathon.
3. Oct. 15 Go Commando Half Marathon (I'm planning on wearing undies though.) My dear husband is training for his 2nd half marathon and I think I'm going to just run with and support him during this race. It will be neat to run 13.1 together. The most we've done together is 6. (We'd love to run more together. That time, we got a sitter. After all, SOMEONE has to be home watching the kids!)
4. October 22: Wild Thang 9-Mile Trail Race I'm very excited to do my 2nd trail race!! 9 miles should be a bit more doable than that tough 13.1 in May (which I hope to do again!).
5. October 29: Possibly the APSU Homecoming 5K or the Zombie Run 5K. Run at my alma mater supporting their scholarship program or be chased by zombies. Tough call.
6. November 5: Sango Scamper 10K and 5K For only $5 extra you can do both. I did both last year. It felt kinda hard core. Raced the 10K and just did the 5K for funsies.
7. November 19: Turkey Trot 5 or 10 Miler If I'm not COMPLETELY SICK of races by then...
8. December 3: Deer Trail 6 Miler I will run this with my husband. It's about 30 minute away from his parents (aka free childcare!) Hubby's first trail race.

Do What You Enjoy

These words came to me on my 10-mile run yesterday. I had been struggling with what to do running-wise lately. Over the past month or so, I had decided to just use Crossfit Endurance workouts for running and Crossfit for strength training. Then I discovered after just a couple of weeks that CFE workouts are all hard, all-out suckfests. Yes, they were quick and dirty, but it took away the part of running I enjoy---just getting out there and running for an hour or even two---relaxing and letting my stress slip away, enjoying good music and the conversation of a friend. Don't get me wrong---I want to be the best runner I can be. I want to see improvements. I don't mind hard work. But when every run is tied to pace and splits, running starts to feel like a job and not a stress reliever. If I were totally crunched for time, CFE would be a great way to go. But, heck, I only work part-time and I will have all 3 kiddos in school this year after August 23. I have time! (Can't spend all that time cleaning!)

So, then I started reading The Big Book of Endurance Training by Dr. Phillip Maffetone. Within a chapter or two, I decided to adopt his method of training, which he calles the Maffetone Method. This method is advised for anyone who has really plateaued in their running. I had been seeing some improvements in short distances, but not in long distances lately. It involves building an endurance base at your maximum aerobic heartrate---ALL running during a period of time is at that heart rate. A quick click on Amazon and I had a heartrate monitor. I took the MAF (max aerobic function) test and was shocked to find out that after all that anaerobic training, I could only run at an 11:20 pace and keep my heartrate under 145. I can run a mile much faster than that, but my heart rate very easily gets up to 90-95% of my max heart rate. That shows a lack of overall aerobic fitness. He doesn't recommend any strength training (it is all anaerobic) during the base building period and no speedwork. I figured I'd better lay off the Crossfit and just focus on the running. If I had to choose between running and Crossfit, I'd choose running.

So, for two weeks, I did no CF and just ran a lot of slow, easy miles. And then I realized I missed Crossfit!

So here I am now, just trying to figure out how to keep strength training through Crossfit, which I really do enjoy, one or two times a week plus building my aerobic base with easy running. I can already see some improvement--yesterday, I was able to run a mile or two of my ten-miler at 10:50-11:10 and keep my heartrate where it needed to be.

I thought about a late fall/early winter marathon, but the only one within driving distance that fits our schedule is the Rocket City and they have a strict no-music policy. Music is one of my favorite parts of running--I love saving it until the later miles where it inspires and re-energizes me. After a lot of debate about whether to register (it usually sells out right about now) or not, those words came to me---DO WHAT YOU ENJOY. That settled it.

This whole running and exercise thing SHOULD be about doing what I enjoy. What do I enjoy?

1. Doing small, local races. (Especially if I place, which is rare, but still happens.) I'm excited about this year's state park series and hope to do a few.
2. Running at a relaxed, conversational pace. Sometimes alone, sometimes with a friend, sometimes with music.
3. Running short tempo runs and intervals, too, just not every time I run.
4. 10K's and Half marathons. The world doesn't revolve around the marathon. And as a masters runner, I'm thinking that about 1 per year is enough. 2011 is done!
5. Trail running! I just love the trails and FINALLY found a pair of trail shoes that work for me. Now I'm working on finding trail running buddies.
6. Having a running schedule, but not being married to one. KWIM?
7. Push ups, pull ups, burpees, kettlebell swings. I enjoy many aspects Crossfit. Just not killing myself with it. I don't care much for heavy lifting, but the bodyweight exercises and plyometrics are fun.
8. Treating my body like a temple. Putting good foods into it. Right now I feel lousy because of two days of bad food choices. I feel happier and healthier when I eat right.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY?

Here is a song that really inspires me on a run. I really like the line at 1:47.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifC88SSQvBU

Marathon #3: Hatfield-McCoy Race Report

This is a play-by-play of how I remember the Hatfield McCoy Marathon.

4:32 a.m. I wake up after about 20 minutes of sleep. I went to bed at 10, but could not sleep. First, we had cannon fire from the re-enactors camping across the street, and then 8 trains shook the walls of the Inn right on the train tracks. All of them seemed to have their brakes on and each train was one long screech.

6:30 a.m. The four of us arrive at race: Donna England, Kathy Grayson, Christie Kettle, and me. Get in port o potty line. Then turn around and get into it again. Take pictures with the Hatfield and McCoy actors in their period costume. I’m a Hatfield today!

6:50 a.m. Pre-race prayer by race director. Very nice.

7:00 a.m. We all make our way to the start. With no warning or “on your mark,…” we start. Then the re-enactor fires his musket a few seconds after the fact.

7:01 a.m. Our group of four has already separated! Donna and I are a little ahead of them. We are never together again on the course. Donna and I stay together. She is a fellow RRCA running coach and my personal marathon running coach today! We’ve both done 2 marathons prior.

Mile 5- A gentle incline starts. Donna and I are doing a 6:1 run/walk ratio, talking and looking at the creek beside the river. We are running around a 9:48 to 10:40 pace and walking at a brisk 13:30 to 14:00 minute pace (aka a hauling butt walking pace!)

Mile 6- Since our hotel is on this road, we know what is coming--- Blackberry Mountain!

Mile 7 to 8- So steep. We drop to a 4:1 run/ walk. We make it up the mountain in good shape! As we arrive at the top, this huge wind comes through. Cups from the water stop are flying, trees are bending, it was surreal. I decide it is God saying hello and congratulating us for making it up the mountain. As suddenly as the wind comes, it abruptly stops.

Mile 8-9- A long one-mile downhill. My quads remember this quite well. It is too steep to enjoy any speed. I don’t want to walk any on the downhill, but Donna makes me follow the 4:1. She knows my knees will thank me later. I jog during the walking portions when she isn’t looking. (he he) I just hate to walk on a down hill!

Mile 11-12- It is RAINING and it is WONDERFUL. I am soaked from head to toe, but I am not hot! Donna and I make a friend, Doug, and he’s married to a Donna. Weird coincidence!

Mile 13- Half-way point. Feeling good. It is not raining, and is getting hot and humid. Have to literally run past my hotel room. I thought it would be hard, but it is not. I’m not ready to stop and excited to see what lies ahead. Kind of hungry….

Miles 14-17- We are on a very remote, narrow paved path (road?) through the woods. Beautiful views of the mountains. I take several pictures during my walk breaks. Donna and I are together a lot. I turned on my music (one ear bud only) finally. Fatigue is creeping in but my music keeps me going. My right ankle has started hurting a little.

Miles 18-20- We had a little detour onto a gravel road which became a dirt road then pretty much a trail. It was a nice change of pace. I ran mostly alone through here. It was really peaceful. It reminded me a little of the trail in Ashland City, but rougher with bigger rocks.

Mile 20 or 21- I catch back up with Donna at the golf course. We cross the SWINGING WOODEN BRIDGE together. I get the impression she doesn’t like heights when she grabs onto my arm. She doesn’t want me to run across it since it would make the bridge shake and sway. It is very high in the air and kind of rickety. We speed walk it.

Mile 21.5- Ankle is really hurting after that trail section and the bridge area. I remember I packed two extra-strength Tylenol in my bag for emergencies. Yay! This qualifies as an emergency. Donna and I part ways at a self-serve water stop. I tell her to go on ahead because I’m hurting and really slowing down, but my spirits are good. I remember that marathons are HARD.

Mile 22- I can no longer run. Right ankle is at about an 8 on the pain scale. I’m convinced I have a stress fracture or sprain. (I was leaning more toward stress fracture.) I walk a few minutes and try to run. I only make it 10 steps. Now I’m limping. This is not good. I still have 4.2 miles to go. That is a long way to limp. I call my husband to tell him what’s going on since I finally have one bar of cell service. Talking to him makes me feel better. This is the point where I say, “Never again.”

Mile 22.5-24- Now, walking hurts only slightly, so I can stop limping. I pick up the pace to about a 13:45 minute/mile power walk. Every now and then, I try to limp-run a little, but it hurts too much. I am mostly alone, but I passed a couple of guys walking slowly and two women passed me. We all chat briefly. These are the nicest people! I’m feeling pretty discouraged, but determined not to quit, even if I have to limp or crawl. I find myself talking to myself….. out loud. I try singing out loud with my music. I try to notice the beauty of the trees, mountains, and river.

Mile 25-26.2- Thank you, Tylenol! I can now jog with pain that is bearable. I try to keep my stride short and light with a quick foot turnover. I’m not thinking about anything but getting to that finish line. Around 26, it hurts again, but the finish line is in sight, so I run through the pain. It will be interesting to see the grimace on my face in the finish line pictures since I was running through the pain. I high-fived the two Hatfield-McCoy actors as I crossed.

26.2: I cross the finish line in 5 hours, 9 minutes, and 4 seconds. I have two slices of cold watermelon and make my way to the first aid tent. A sweet volunteer helps me take off my shoe and sock and puts an ice pack on the ankle. She wraps gauze around it to hold it in place. I limp around holding my shoe until I find my friends.

Later, I get my Mason jar with my plaque—123 rd finisher out of over 300. 6th out of 16 in my age group. I’m proud of that! It was faster than my Country Music, but slower than Birmingham. But it was harder than both!

Despite the pain, it was a GREAT DAY and a GOOD RACE. I experienced suffering in this race, but when you sign up for a marathon, that’s just part of it. It’s so funny how you go through highs and lows in a long race. The only low I went through was those couple of miles. I’ll take it! By the end, I’d gone from “Never again” to “maybe another one some time.”

A Minimalist (or Lazy) Approach to Marathoning

This weekend I will find out if my minimalist approach to marathon training worked .... or not. I'm heading to the Hatfield-Mccoy Marathon in West Virginia. I think I maxed out at about 31 or 32 miles per week and my longest run was 17.5 instead of the traditional 20. I did two 16 milers, a few 14 and 15's, and that crazy trail half marathon. I did strength training via Crossfit once or twice a week until these last couple of weeks when I backed off. In theory, that strength training should make up for some of the lack of miles. We shall see.

It's going to be a hot one. Starting temp will be about 68 and 90% humidity according weather.com. It starts at 7:00 a.m. The high that day is supposed to be between 88 and 91 with a "real feel" of 102. I'm hoping to finish by noonish or 12:30, so maybe I'll be done before it feels like 102!

This is a hilly course, but much of it is shaded. There is a mountain at mile 7. Literally. It is called Blackberry Mountain. We run up it for a mile. The downhill is really, really steep. I talked to a runner who broke his foot on the downhill last year. He was running the trail half and we were talking in the port-o-potty line. He said the Hatfield Mccoy isn't that bad compared to trail races. That was before I'd seen the conditions of the trail half!

I'm missing Crossfit this week and last to allow some good recovery time. I've been very careful to avoid anything that might cause injury.

I am excited about the possibility of a few trail races in the fall. I'm still searching for just the right trail shoes.

Well, that is all. I'll let you know how it goes. My first marathon was 5:17 and my second was 4:45. It'll be interesting to see where this one falls. It might be 6 hours!

So Unbelievably Hard! Scenic City Trail Half Marathon Race Report

Trail runners are clearly a special group of folks. The Scenic City Trail Half Marathon I ran today was by far the toughest running event in which I've participated. And that includes 26.2 on the hilly Country Music Marathon course in 80degree temps. I am PROUD of my 2:27:58 finish. I worked SO hard for it.

To say I was UNPREPARED is an understatement. My trail shoes didn't work out, so I had to run in my regular road shoes. I had run several six-milers on a very flat, mostly gravel trail. It has no tree roots, no boulders, no large, sharp rocks. And I thought that made me ready to take on 13.1 on a real trail? Apparently I'm very naive. Or just stupid.

This race was so TOUGH. I ran more hills in this race than I've run this month! (Or last month.) I told my husband the race felt like 75% was uphill, 20% was steep downhill, and maybe 5% was flat. Or 0%. (Update: I wrote this prior to posting the elevation picture.) It was so technical---I ran over roots, rocks, across boulders, in sand, over a fallen tree, through 2 streams. I tripped at least 5 times, rolled each ankle 2-3 times, and left the course bleeding from my right shoulder from a fall against a tree.

Trail running is SERIOUS business. I was completely unprepared in my road shoes. The steep downhills were so scary with no traction. There was loose dirt and leaves and rock everywhere. Traction would have been a good thing.

I was happy endurance-wise. I powered up a lot of hills when others were walking. I mean A LOT of hills. But I just didn't have the technical knowledge to know how to safely run the downhills or the experience on this type of mixed terrain. It took a laser-like focus on the ground about 2 feet in front of me. I couldn't look up, to the side or anywhere except where my foot was going to fall next.

It was all single-file, so I got used to having conversations with unknown folks behind me whom I could not see.

Breathing was tough--could be the elevation or all those darn hills. Some were so steep that everyone dropped down to a walk. Since we were single file, I had no choice at times. Other times, I'd just say, "On your left" and try to pass them without hurting myself.

I will say that I spent 90% of the race in FEAR that I was going to seriously injure myself. I am running a full marathon in 3 weeks and the whole race I was thinking that this was a really risky move. (The folks who wrote the race website downplayed the technicalness of the course in a major way. It was NOTHING like I expected.) I think with the right shoes and training I might have had fun and embraced this trail run.

It was a crazy, challenging, but strangely fullfulling day. Fun? I can't say I was smiling and having a blast, but I did talk to some really nice people along the way. Trail folks just seemed friendlier than road race folks. Almost no one had music.

At the end, the last .25 was back on pavement. Pavement never felt so good!!!

I pushed myself in the last 3 miles because I so wanted to be finished! My right ankle especially was hurting more from the downhills than the up. The first 8 miles seemed mostly uphill, but miles 9 and 10 were primarily downhill. Those two miles were brutal. Our GPS watches weren't working, so we were all kind of running blindly. I was SURPRISED and happy to see under 2:30 on the finish line clock.

Now my husband wants us to do it together next year. Hmmmm..... I think I will be up for the challenge. It is GOOD to get out of your comfort zone every once in a while.

Road-Trippin'

Tomorrow, my family and I leave for Chattanooga, TN! Well, technically the kids are staying with their grandparents about an hour outside of Chattanooga. I'm excited to have a quick little getaway with my husband! The scary part is the 13.1 miles through the woods on Saturday!

I had a trail running set back this week. My trail shoes DO. NOT. WORK. This is my 2nd pair. The first, Brooks Adrenaline ASR, hurt my Achilles tendon for some odd reason. My regular Brooks Adrenalines feel great and are my marathon shoe of choice. But the trail version is cut differently. So I returned those and ordered an Asics pair of trail shoes that got great reviews on Road Runner Sports. These felt ok (looked hideous though!) at first, but on a 6-mile trail run the other day, they just felt off--heavy and my legs were achy. Then on a 5-miler this week, I noticed both knees hurting and my right foot cramped up. It seemed to be the shoes.

It looks like I'll be running the trail half marathon in road shoes. I might as well paint the word "Newbie" on my forehead! My other option is to buy a pair at the "expo" (really just packet pickup at an outdoor store), but the idea of running 15 miles (I plan to do one extra before and one after since I have a marathon in 3 weeks) in unknown territory in unknown shoes is a bit scary!

My goal is to just finish relatively unscathed--no broken bones, sprains, bear attacks, etc. I will take it slow and be careful!

I'm going into this race with 9 toenails. Wonder how many I'll come out with???

Taking One for the Team!

My son (age 10) and I went to my hometown Adairville, KY, to do the tiniest 5K today--only 30 runners this year. We agreed to run separately since he hadn't trained for it at all. (He has done at least 2 other 5K's on little to no training as well.) He wanted to run/walk and I wanted to, well, RUN. I thought maybe I could beat my time on the course last year.

I warmed up and ran alone until 2.5 miles in, then something told me to stop racing and turn around and go find my son. I just had an uneasy feeling I couldn't shake. (Mommy radar or guilt for leaving him behind?) I started worrying, "What if he's feeling sick?" "What if he's too hot?" "What if he gets lost on the course?" "What if he falls down?"

I found him about a quarter-mile behind me.... in last place. He was a little upset. I ran/walked with him to the finish. In the last stretch he asked me if I'd let him go ahead so HE wouldn't be last. So, I did. Yep, I was #30 out of 30 racers. I took one for the team! On my Garmin, I was at 27:56 at the 3 mile point, so I wouldn't have PR'd anyway, but I'd have had a pretty good time for me. But I'm absolutely glad I went back. I can handle being last (it has actually happened before), but it might have made him not want to run anymore. It IS kind of traumatic! I'm just so happy he has embraced the sport I love!

He was proud he wound up with 3rd in his age group (I didn't point out this was out of 3) and got a medal. I actually got 1st in my age group by default as the only 40-44 year old female in the race. This is the 2nd time I've come in LAST in a race, but still won my age group. (Look in the archives to February of 2008 for the time that happened in my first 10K!) Funny how that keeps happening.... Does this happen to anyone else, or is it just me??

So, my 5K was not what I had planned for including the extra 1/2 mile in there-- 3.61 miles. The medal is kind of cool. I felt silly taking it though. 1st place out of....... one!

Then I ran the 1-mile fun run with my 4-year-old Julia. She had trained for this for a couple of months with a once-a week 1/2 mile training run. She even missed her last soccer game to run the race! She was so excited to finally do a race. She was a trooper. She ran HARD and never once complained. She got 3rd out of 5 runners in her 4-6 age group and she was the youngest! Those little feet were flying! She ran the first quarter-mile at an 8:45 pace until I MADE her slow down. She walked only 3 or 4 times for about 30 seconds and finished in 11:24. I was very proud of her.

Next weekend is the Scenic City Trail Half Marathon! I finally registered and got some trail shoes just last week! If I can run it slow and easy and not break my neck, I'll be happy.

A Runner Without a Race

The top reason I WON'T be having a great Iron Mom Half Marathon and getting that totally cute shirt I posted a few posts back is that it is ..... CANCELLED. Just like my city, Paducah, KY, has gotten a ridiculous amount of rain in the last week. They had to cancel this weekend's race for the safety of the runners and the volunteers and frankly, they have bigger things to worry about. Well, I should say "postponed" because they rescheduled it on June 18. That would be exactly one week after my full marathon on June 11. I'm thinking that might not be the best time to attempt to race a half marathon!

So, for me, it is essentially cancelled. They are actually offering a refund if the new date doesn't work for you--highly unusual in the race world and very considerate. And I REALLY wanted that shirt. And a good half marathon "redemption" experience almost as much

I have yet to register for the Scenic City Trail Half Marathon on May 21. I'm just not sure I'm prepared for 13 miles o' trail running. And right now, our trails are all a big mud pit, so I can't even try it out. It's been a few weeks since I did a couple of 6-milers on a trail. I was leaning toward not doing it, but with this one getting cancelled, I'm swinging in the other direction. They have only 50 spots left, so I'd better decide quickly. I'm also waiting on my trail shoes that I ordered from Road Runner Sports. Got to get them broken in, too!

And THANK YOU to all the people who offered support after a hurtful comment was left on this blog. I really appreciate you!

Well, I'm off to make burgers with my entirely over-priced grass-fed ground beef from Whole Foods. It's a treat that happens rarely, but they taste so good. Mine will be bunless with green peppers and onions sauteed in coconut oil. I also plan to cut up a summer squash and saute it in coconut oil and make steamed broccoli. After all the chips and salsa I ate over the weekend, I have to eat clean this week!

The Downside to Blogging

Anonymous Commentator:

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. I am no exception. Neither are you. That's why what Jesus did for us is so critical. I hope you know and understand that Jesus died for your sins and mine.

In the last year, for the first time in my life, I am treating my body like a temple as commanded in scripture. I am careful what I put into it--mostly natural, whole foods as close to God created them as I can find. I have worked to make it strong. God didn't intend us to sit on the couch and eat Cheetos and Hostess cakes. We are meant to lift heavy things, to get from place to place on foot, to squat, to jump. I LOVE using my body in this way. I try to encourage others through this forum and one way to do that is to show my results from eating and exercising and truly treating my body like a temple.

It took a lot of courage for me to even post them (me, a 40-year old mother of three), and now you have shamed me into taking them down. I wasn't posting them to say, "Hey, I'm a hot momma. Look how pretty I am!". I was just trying to show how running, strength training, and eating (mostly) right can help you drop fat and build muscle.

Top Five Reasons I Should Have a Good Iron Mom Half-Marathon Next Week

1. I've been in half-marathon training for almost 6 months. I originally started training for the (terrible) Tom King starting in early December. I've done TONS of double-digit runs. Before Tom King, I think I'd done 3 or 4. I'm at 9 now, including two 16-milers. When you're used to struggling through 14-16 milers, 13.1 isn't so bad.

2. I feel strong from doing Crossfit. It has added a whole new intensity to my strength training. While CF alone isn't enough to guarantee a great half marathon time (some would disagree), CF plus 25-30 miles a week should.

3. I've been hitting all the high points of training a person is "supposed" to hit: intervals, tempo runs, hill work, long runs and I've had a one-mile time trial PR recently. Hopefully, it's a snowball effect.

4. I've been eating clean for the most part and I'm at my goal race weight. Can't hurt. :-)

5. I have no major expectations/delusions. This is KEY. I am going to go out conservatively and see what kind of day I'm having. I'll know by mile 4. At that point, I have 3 choices: slow down and just relax and enjoy the day; pick up the pace; or just maintain. I am NOT making the same mistake as last time when the McMillan Running Calculator said I should be able to run a half at a 9:40 pace. A 10-minute pace is more my ability level, at least to start.

I'm feeling strong these days, but not FAST. Strong is good though. I just want to have fun this time. If I finish strong (and not beaten down like last time), I think I'll be happy.

A New Kind of Training

I have been reading recently about splitting long runs in marathon training. Since, in my opinion, the WORST part of marathoning is the 20 mile runs, I thought it sounded like a plan. My interpretation of the plan is to run 2-4 miles on Friday night, then get up on Saturday morning and run no more than 16..... a bunch of times. There was a recent article in Runner's World about the Hanson Brooks Training group and how they never go over 16 in training. They start their long 16-mile training runs on tired legs. And on the facebook page for Marathon Nation, there was an article posted about training runs over 3 hours doing more harm than good. Since my marathon pace is about an 11-minute mile, I can do exactly 16 right at 3 hours.

Last week, I ran 16 miles without a walk break. I did stop for one potty stop and to empty rocks out of my shoes (6 miles were on a trail), but I never said, "Hey, I need to walk a minute or two." My body just did it. It amazed me. The whole run averaged an 11:00/minute pace. This week, I did my 4 miles on Friday night and felt extremely tired during those miles. (That did not bode well for today's run.) But I got my 16 miles in . It was hard. I suffered. After about 12, I hit a major wall. I had not gel'd until about the 70-minute mark--far too long without carbohydrates. I never quite caught up after that. At the 13-mile point, I started walking frequently. Miles 14 and 15 were in survival mode. My legs were just done. After mile 15, I had to drive to my daughter's soccer game 15 minutes across town. I got there with about 14 minutes to spare, so I got in that last mile--mile 16. I felt good in that mile after the brief rest while driving (and the chocolate milk) and averaged a much quicker pace with only one walk break. I got in a total of 20 miles within a 15-hour time period. Theoretically, that should be the same as about an 18-miler, training wise.

So, with two 16-milers under my belt, I'm feeling OK about the marathon. Some of the excitement has worn off, in all honesty. The long runs are just plain hard. They are not fun after about 13. I always used to say anything after 14 is just not fun. Now, I think it's more like 12 or 13. They take so much out of your body. My hamstring is finally healed, and I want to be cautious about re-injuring it. And the long runs make it hurt.

I'm much more excited about these 3 upcoming races than the marathon:

May 7: Iron Mom Half Marathon in Paducah, KY
May 14: The Adairville Strawberry Festival 5K in my home town (also my 4-year old's first one mile fun run afterwards)
May 21: The Scenic City TRAIL Half Marathon in Chattanooga, TN

I just decided to do the trail one. I've been doing about 6 miles on the trail lately and LOVING it. I still don't have trail shoes though.

I am really enjoying running again, but I still love a good Crossfit workout. I do about 1.5 Crossfit workouts a week-- one whole one and a short mini-one after or just before a run. I love doing hand release push ups and pull ups and sit ups and squats and lunges and wall ball throws and burpees! I'm so glad I discovered there is more out there than running. I think there's room for both.

How I Found My Mojo

After the wheels came off in my last half marathon, I went into a running funk for a few days. Then at some point that week, I got a crazy idea. If I can’t run FAST, I’ll just run FAR. I decided I wanted to have a running adventure. A friend of mine was thinking the same thing, and we found ourselves booking a room in a tiny little town in West Virginia for the Hatfield-McCoy Marathon on June 11. It is a no-pressure deal. It’s hot, extremely hilly, and partially unpaved, including running over a swinging bridge at one point--- meaning I hold no illusions of getting a PR. A race without pressure is my kind of race right now.

So, the Saturday after the Terrible Tom King, instead of taking a recovery week from the half, I ran a 10-miler and it turned out to be at a faster pace than the half! That’s when the mojo started to come back. The following week I had an ok 12—not great, but not terrible. I was hurting a little at the end because it was sort of hilly. The next week I had some good speed work including a new one-mile time trial PR at an 8:12 mile. (I still think I can hit 8 in the next few months.) I did a couple of hard Crossfit workouts, too, and ran 28 miles in all. My 14.5 miler went just fine. I didn’t break any speed records, but I finished and recovery was quick. By the next day, I felt really good. I had a drop down week with a few short runs and some great 800’s.

I love running again.

Do Over?

I think I need a do over. I've been pouting about that crappy race all week. (No pun intended.) On Saturday after the half, I was just angry at my body. I felt like it really let me down. I put some really nasty food into it Saturday night as punishment. How did I used to regularly eat fried catfish, fried hush puppies, and all the trimmings? No wonder I was fluffy. On Sunday, I had the most decadent pizza I could find--from our local New York Pizza Depot. The little orange pepperonis dotting the top were shining with grease. And I didn't blot! Then..... and this is BIG.... I didn't do any sort of exercise whatsoever for three days. I was mad at running, mad at myself, and mad at exercise in general. I did finally stop eating bad though! Strangely what lifted me out of the funk was a really hard Crossfit workout on Wednesday morning. The endorphins I'm accustomed to were back and I felt whole and hopeful again---like my old self.

I think I have found a couple of "do over" options. I just want to prove to myself that I can still run 13 miles under a 10-minute per mile pace. I KNOW I can. I am still going to be running long with my Country Music Half Marathon training group, so in 3 weeks, on the 11-mile training run, I can just run a little faster than usual and get in 2 afterwards and see what kind of pace I can manage. The place we are running is very similar to the Tom King course. It would be awesome if it was 9:59 pace or better. If I can't manage it, I just can't manage it. Then, in May there is this new event in nearby Paducah, Kentucky. It is called the Iron Mom Half-marathon. I have wanted to do it since hearing the title and seeing the super-cool race shirt. (I'm totally doing it for the shirt.)




I'd love to get the sub 10-minute mile thing out of the way so I could just go into the Iron Mom with no expectations and actually have fun.

See, that's the biggest problem with last Saturday. That's what was missing. The fun. And if there's no fun in it, what's the frickin' point of running 13 miles??? I mean, isn't it possible to run a strong race and still have some fun in it?

It was totally my fault. Here's what should have happened when I ran in the conditions I was given:

Wake up race morning. Notice stomach is not feeling well. Adjust time goal by 10-15 seconds per mile, putting it at 9:50 pace per mile. Get to race start. Start running. Notice by mile two it's much hotter than expected. Adjust race pace by another 10-15 seconds per mile. That would put me at a 10:05 ish pace. Let go of PR expectations. Decide to just run and have fun. Don't beat myself up over the slower miles. Make friends. Smile at people. Thank the volunteers. Act silly for the cameras on the course.


I still would have had the stomach problems, but I wouldn't have let them throw me for such a loop.

You know what they say about hindsight.....


And that's why I call this (Mis)Adventures in Running, folks!

A Pretty Good 10K---Unfortunately It Was a Half Marathon

Today did not go as expected, unfortunately. My half-marathon time was 2:15:43, a 10:22 pace--slower than my last two times on the course.

I can trace the first sign of an impending poor performance to my lunch on Friday--a Wendy's cheeseburger and baked potato. The potato tasted awful, and after eating them both, I started having stomach issues. This was a bad choice to start with, but my four-year-old was having a play date and I needed something quick and cheap to feed us! Still not feeling great, I then went to Olive Garden for dinner and overate--2.5 breadsticks, salad (what was I thinking?) and spaghetti with meat sauce.

Going to bed with little gas bubbles popping in my stomach, I was still stupidly optimistic about running a PR today. I got up this morning with no appetite and had a couple of bathroom issues that I will not go into detail about. I forced down breakfast, but it seemed to stick around instead of emptying out of my stomach. Right before the race, I choked down 1/2 of a Gu, and again, it seemed to just sit in a lump.

Miles one and two were right on pace at about 9:36 and 9:37 (goal was 9:30-9:45 pace) but it was HOT. It was about 60 degrees at the start. We had been training in 16-40 degrees. Heat is not my friend!

In mile 3, I took a swig of Gatorade at the water stop and it burned like acid in my stomach. For miles 3-5, I dealt with that burning sensation. I was also getting progressively slower by 1 or 2 seconds per mile. At mile 4, I was still roughly within my goal pace of sub 9:45, but it was a big stuggle to stay there. I gel'd on schedule at mile 5, but it was tough to get down. Finally in mile 6, I lost my running buddy. I was just feeling so nauseous and sick and my legs felt dead. I think that in reality, the gel was maybe sitting in my stomach and the carbs weren't getting to where I needed them---my leg muscles! From miles 6 on, I was WAY OFF pace, to the point that mile 7, I was at a 10:20 pace and all hopes of PRing went out the window. It was nearly 70 degrees at this point. Normally, that's ok running weather, but after training in COLD all winter, it did not help the way I was feeling. Around mile 8, I started looking for a Port o John or some bushes because the sensation in my stomach had dropped lower into my intestinal area. I was panicked. There wasn't anywhere to "go," but soon the immediate need passed for a little while.

At this point, I felt like I was running on fumes, no energy in my legs at all. It was difficult to run under a 10:30 pace. My last training run had been a 10:18 pace! I stayed away from the Gatorade, sticking with water the rest of the race. I tried another 1/2 gel around mile 10. I started taking 20 second walk breaks every half mile. They helped a little.

Finally, after 2 hours and 15 minutes of misery, I finished. I don't think I want to do that race again! The last time I ran this race, it poured rain and was only about 40 degrees, and THAT was better than today. I am so, so disappointed. Besides the heat and the stomach problems, I think I simply didn't do enough 5-6-7 mile mid-week runs. As much as I enjoy those speedy 2 to 3 milers, they aren't all that helpful for races over 10K. I need to be doing speedy 6 and 7 milers!

There is a half-marathon in a neat city about 2.5 hours away in 3 weeks---Lynchburg, TN, home of the Jack Daniels Whisky Distillery. I'm thinking about running that one to just try to have a better experience. It is hilly--- mile 4 to 5 is completely up hill, but maybe if I go into it with no expectations, just to enjoy the day, I will feel better.

Be Conservative or Just Go For It??

When you are racing, do you carefully formulate a race plan---knowing what pace you should be at for each mile, making sure you don't go out too hard and have plenty of energy to finish or do you just GO FOR IT and run hard, leaving nothing in the tank by the end?

I tend to err on the side of being conservative. Or maybe I don't "err" at all, I just know what I'm capable of and do it. After one ugly half marathon a couple of years ago when I went out way too fast and died a slow death in miles 8 to 13 as well as one last year, where just miles one and two were too fast and ruined the rest of the race, I tend to be a little on the careful side. And I'm a type-A planner.

I have a half marathon in one week! I suppose I'm ready. I did a 10-miler, an 11-miler and a 13.1 miler in training. My mid-week runs weren't long, but often included a speed element, so maybe quality over quantity will work for me. I think I maxed out at 20 miles per week. I'm really curious to how this low-key approach to training will work.

I *think* I can PR in this race if all goes well. It might be a small PR or it could be a big PR. It depends on how much I run the pace I know I can maintain and how much I just GO. FOR. IT. If I have a bad day and don't PR, I think I'm going to be really disappointed.

I think by mile 4 in a half marathon, you know what kind of day it is going to be---a good day or a bad day. If you run crazy in miles 1-4, you might think it is a good day, but by mile 8, you think differently.

More than anything, I'm curious and excited to how this race (my 9th half marathon in 3 years!) will go. Can I break 2:08? Can I break 2:06? Or will it be more like my average half-marathons around 2:14-2:15?

I'm struggling with a bit of a tight IT Band and lateral hamstring, but I'm seeing a chiropractor for that. This is week 3 of treatment, and I think I'm only going for 4 weeks total. I know what it really needs is rest, but I'm employed coaching a group of runners for the next 6 weeks for the Country Music Half Marathon. I guess I'll rest after our last training run on April 23! I'm not planning on actually running the race on April 30. I've never liked the course. But I say that every year and wind up running it anyway! It's tough to not be a part of such a large race only 45 minutes from my house.

But, more immediately, I think I'll enjoy the flat Tom King Classic with only about 1500 runners instead of 30,000! But I'm not running it for fun. I'm a woman on a mission! I want a half-marathon PR! Sure, I could have fun while doing it, but we all know going for a PR is fairly serious business. It is a mindset that colors the day. In some races, you are just there to be a part of the festivities or to see a new city or a beautiful park. And some races you are there to see what you are made of, to push your body to the limit, and to ask yourself, "Do I have it today?"

5K Race Report and a Healthy Banana Split Recipe

This post is a week late-- thank you Reluctant Runner, for the reminder. I ran the ReLove Haiti 5K last Saturday, and I got a PR! I haven't have a 5K PR since a race in August of 2009, when I ran 28:01 in the middle of marathon training. This time I ran an even 27:00, an 8:45 pace. Granted.... the course was a tiny bit short. Garmin showed 3.08, so even if I add in 10 seconds it is still a significant PR. I could have held on to that 8:45 overall pace for another 10 seconds, I'm pretty sure!

It was cold and windy, but very flat. My husband and I did the race together---our first together! We stayed together for almost a half mile, then he backed off a little. He finished in just over 29 minutes, but he runs about 6 miles a month total, so that was AWESOME. He PR'd by about 2 minutes.

I had hoped to PR in the 5K. However, things weren't looking great when I struggled through a 5-mile run on Tuesday and then came down with a stomach virus Tuesday night and Wednesday. On Thursday, I was feeling a little better, but I'd say I wasn't quite 100% on race day. During my warm up, my legs felt very energy-less. But when the gun shot went off, I was flooded with adrenaline and willed myself to run sub-9 minute miles. My first mile was exactly an 8:45 pace. In the 2nd mile, I fell off pace a little and had my slowest mile, but mile 3 was my fastest at 8:42. I flew through the .08 trying to pass another runner (unsuccessfully), but was so happy. Yes, being one second away from anything in the 26-range is a little annoying, but I think I will get it in the next flat 5K. (Note to self: look for another flat 5K race. It's hilly here in Tennessee, so they are few and far between.)

So....... I have had a 1-mile PR in the last month. And a 5K PR in the last month. In two weeks, I will have a half-marathon....... PR???

Today, I ran my last long run, 13.1 at an easy pace of 10:33 overall on a moderately hilly course. It was actually faster than my last half-marathon in September, when I was coming off an injury on an extremely hilly course. I was feeling good up until about 9.5, then it got sort of hard today. I think I ate too little breakfast (a bowl of Special K Proten Plus with a few raisins and coffee). The half-marathon PR time to beat is 2:09:44, a 9:55 pace (though Garmin had me at 9:49 pace that day).

In October, I ran a 10K at a 9:33 overall pace and in November, I ran a 5-miler at a 9:02 pace (big PR there!). Can I run 13.1 at faster than a 9:55 pace?

The race pace calculator at http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/ says I can based on both my recent 5K and 5-miler. It says I should shoot for 9:36 per mile and finish about 2:05:54. Yikes. That sounds hard. That would be a minute faster than every mile today. The good news is that it is another FLAT course. What do you think? Can I do it?

On to my other two favorite topics: Crossfit and Clean Eating!

I have found a new Crossfit group! There is a group of women who meet on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays to do Crossfit. It's $10 per class. I joined them last Tuesday for a very difficult workout and was so glad to not come in last! We did walking lunges for 100 meters carrying between 16 lbs. and 40 lbs. and then sets of 21 burpees for FIVE ROUNDS. Ouch. I estimated I did between 100-150 lunges and counted 105 burpees. I couldn't sit on the toilet comfortably for 3 days. Walking and running were painful. But that's just Crossfit! I also did the warm up with 30 pull ups (unassisted), 30 sit ups, and 30 push ups. My upper body was a little sore, but nothing like my lower body. I had forgotten what a hard Crossfit workout does to me! But I really liked the coach---a fellow preschool mom like me (that's where we met) and already knew 3 of the women in the class. I loved having an all-women group. I don't think I like working out with men. I would have gone back on Thursday, but I teach my YMCA class Strength and Conditioning for Runners at that time. We ran 3 miles and did a mini-crossfit workout that day. This could have impacted my run today, I guess. Maybe that was part of why miles 9.5 to 13 were a struggle.

Speaking of struggles, I have been struggling to stay on the clean eating bandwagon lately. I find myself justifying cheat after cheat. I'm only running about 20 miles per week, so I can't really justify eating extra calories, especially from junk. I have found that PMS wreaks havoc on clean eating. (TMI?) But at other times, I crave the good stuff.

Here is a recipe I LOVED from this month's Clean Eating Magazine:

Healthy Banana Split

1. Cut banana in half lengthwise (of course).
2. Top with Horizon Organic 1% cottage cheese. *It has less sodium than other brands and has less of the typical sour cottage cheese taste.
3. Add one tablespoon of Polander All-Fruit Strawberry Preserves (this brand is sweetened with fruit juice, not sugar. I got the one that is fruit and fiber.)
4. Top with a teaspoon full of chopped macadamia nuts. I got the chopped, no salt ones in the baking section.
*I did sprinkle a tiny bit, maybe a half teaspoon, of vanilla Beverly International Protein Powder on it because it makes everything better.

YUM!

The Minimalist Approach

I'm taking a very minimalist approach to training lately. No, I don't mean barefoot running, though I do run an occasional 1/4 or 1/2 mile barefooted. I mean minimal miles. I haven't had a week over 20 miles in a while and I'm only a month out from my next half-marathon, where I *hope* to PR.

The last time I had a half-marathon PR, I was running very high mileage, five days a week, but all at a slow pace. This time, I'm running low mileage, only 3 days per week, try to emphasize "quality" on my two short runs during the week, but keep it easy on the long runs on Saturdays. I'm also including strength training for the first time, specifically lower body work with squats and lunges and the like. I'm not lifting heavy, mostly I'm using my own body weight for resistance, with the occasional dumbbell or kettlebell thrown in.

I wonder which approach is better? I suppose I'll find out in a month. Luckily, it is the same course as the last PR race, so I won't be comparing apples to oranges, just high mileage vs. low mileage.

Yesterday, I only had time for two miles, and I set a new one-mile PR. I ran the 2nd mile in 8:17 on the treadmill. Yes, I FINALLY broke 8:30!! I think I could have gone faster, but for the first 1/2 of the mile, I had the treadmill set on 8:27 pace, so I made up a lot of time in the second 1/2, finishing at about a 7:53 pace, which was HARD. I think I might have an 8:00 minute mile in me sometime in the next year. I plan to do a one-mile time trial once a month to find out. Today, I ran a 5 miler with 3 miles at a tempo pace. I ran the last mile at goal half-marathon pace--around 9:48. My previous half-marathon PR was 9:49 pace, so I'd like to beat that by one second, if possible. For the first time in a while, I completed 5 miles on the treadmill without stopping. Usually, I take little breaks to alleviate the monotony, but today, I just ran straight through. It's nice to know I can run 5 miles non-stop on a given day without much sleep (daughter has stomach bug) and with a sinus infection. I think 8 may be my record. I never actually took a walk break on Saturday's 10-miler, but I did stop to tie my shoe and to say hello to people once or twice, so I guess that doesn't count as nonstop.

I'm starting to get a little excitement back about running. The last phase before a race is called the "sharpening" phase. I'm definitely there. I hope to have some good quality miles over the next 3 weeks, going into taper for the race. I'm running a 5K next Saturday, Feb. 19, and I'd love to see a PR there. Hopefully, it will all sort of snowball--- a one-mile PR sets the stage for a 5K PR, which sets the stage for a strong half-marathon.

My injury is showing improvement for the first time in a while. It still aches if I sit for a long time, but it is bothering me less and less during and after runs. Hallelujah! If all it takes is less sitting, that is no problem!

I have taken the marathon off my TO DO list for this spring. There is no way I can be ready for a marathon in 8 weeks with only a 10-mile long run and running less than 20 miles per week. Last Saturday, I felt a lot of fatigue in those last 2 or 3 miles, so I know my body is just not adapted right now for really long distances. My mid-week miles have literally been only 2-4 miles at a time, and for a marathon, you need some pretty long week day runs, too. It is actually with relief that I let it go.

Self-Treating My Injury on a Budget (a.k.a. You Tube is my physical therapist)

I had a blue Monday yesterday-- the kind of day where you just want to sleep and eat. I felt sad, blah, and had no energy. I don't know when my body started requiring TWO rest days after a semi-longish run on Saturday (7 miles, 5 at tempo pace of 9:58), but it seems I'm there. (It's 40, I tell you!) My left leg hurt on both Sunday and Monday after Saturday's run and I was devoid of energy. I'm eating more carbs than I was---some whole grain bread, oatmeal or oat bran, rice crackers, occasional white potatoes--but still would classify myself as low to moderate carb compared to the SAD (standard American diet). The Paleo folks would say I'm struggling to recover from my longer runs because of the grains in my diet most likely. I would respond that I tried no grains and for me it equalled no energy.

I think I have finally figured out why my left leg hurts. On the Crossfit Mobility Workout of the Day video the other day, the coach mentioned having a high hamstring strain and then went on to describe it and show an exercise to stretch the hamstring pre-workout to prevent said injury.
It sounded exactly like my injury. After consulting several Internet docs, I have concluded it is not my piriformis at all, but my hamstring. I have either a hamstring strain or a neural hamstring. It spasms and aches often: during runs, after runs, when I'm sitting in my car, when I'm sitting at the computer working. So what's a runner on a budget to do? Get on You Tube for some physical therapy advice, of course!

Running is my therapy, and now You Tube is my physical therapist! I'm cheap that way.

I actually searched "hamstring strain stretches" or something like that. This very nice lady who appears to be a physical therapist (or pseudo-physical therapist?) posted two stretches for the hamstring. I liked how she told me to, "Stretch into the pain, then out of the pain." They were somewhat ballistic stretches---not really bouncing, but just held for a second or two and released, then repeated. I've been doing them plus the Crossfit guy's stretch for about 3 days now. I have also tried massage (my husband does this for free, but he's not really a masseuse) and a product like Icy Hot. I have used my big pink foam roller. (I have The Stick, but I haven't tried it yet.) So far...... I can't really see a difference. That's what I get for self-treating an injury on a budget!

Sunday was the one-month mark of the injury. Maybe that is why I was blue on Monday. And no, I haven't actually gone to a real doctor. I hesitate to go to a doc and then they order an MRI and 4 weeks of physical therapy..... I wind up paying a bunch out of pocket because I have crappy insurance. So, I'm going to stick to self-treating and You Tube physical therapy. I mean, it's only running. Well, and sitting.

One thing I learned at various websites is that running through this is ok as long as it's not too painful. It helps scar tissue not to build up and decrease the range of motion permanently. Stretching is good except when it's really hurting--then stretching just makes it mad. Even some squats and light straight-leg deadlifts are good for strengthening it. I miss Crossfit, but it's so hard core, I can't go back to the box (the nifty slang name for a Crossfit gym) just yet.

I wonder if I should just take like a month off from running and exercising? Nah. I think this is just one of those minor injuries you run through. Plus, I'm committed to long runs each Saturday as I train 9 folks for the Country Music Half Marathon and Tom King Classic Half Marathon who have already paid the YMCA a bunch of money for me to be their coach. And there's the little matter of the Thursday morning class Strength and Conditioning for Runners that I teach at the Y, too. Rest really isn't an option.

BONUS MATERIAL:
Thanks for continuing to read! Here is a recipe for HOMEMADE PROTEIN BARS that was inspired by a local nutrition trainer in my town named Nicole Spitzack. I've modified a few things from her original recipe, but I do owe her lots of credit.

1 jar almond butter (I used Emerald brand and mixed half crunchy and half creamy)
1 cup chocolate protein powder (good with Muscle Milk chocolate)
1 cup quick oats (Just plain Quaker oats)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbs. almonds (sliced works better than slivers)
1 tsp ground flax seed (optional)
1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil

Mix all that together. Smoosh (the technical term) into a small casserole dish. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to one week. They are what my husband calls "healthy good." Don't expect brownies or anything!

Recovery Days Make Me Stronger

On my high after the good 8-miler on Saturday, I decided to do a slow, easy three-or-four-miles on Sunday. Being 40 and a half, I usually take a day off after a long run. But I was feeling so happy and hopeful, I thought I'd knock out a few more miles. My left leg was feeling good....until that Sunday run. After two incredibly slow miles, I realized my leg was bothering me. And I was out of energy! I tried adopting a run/walk ratio of 4:1, but I never made it the four. My muscles were just exhausted. I also happened to be a mile from home. It was a chilly walk back! Going from running to walking allows your body temperature to drop fairly dramatically. It was about 38-40 degrees, but it felt colder in my sweaty sports bra and base layer. I also noticed I was starving. The whole walk back, I was thinking about cottage cheese topped with blueberries and sprinkled with Beverly International vanilla protein powder, my favorite.

How to tell you are not fully recovered from a long run by the next day:
1. You have zero energy. Your legs feel dead, or at the very least asleep.
2. You are starving. Plus, if you are craving protein, it's your muscles yelling, "Feed me!!"
3. You try to run, and you are overcome with several aches and pains.
4. You are over 40. :-) Seriously, folks, from what I can see, it's all downhill after 40. I've spent most of my 40th year either injured or recovering from an injury. But, hey, that's just me.

I had some food and then did about 40 minutes of yoga to try to stretch out that sore piriformis/hamstring area. Note to self: Yoga only makes an inflamed, painful piriformis angrier. I got a clue and took Monday as a rest day from running. I did do a mini-Crossfit workout on Monday evening involving some sumo deadlift highpulls, push ups, and cleans. I have found that for me, a mini-Crossfit (meaning lighter weights, fewer reps) workout works better than going to the Crossfit gym and making myself so sore I can't walk for four days. Not that I wasn't sore! My quads and inner thighs were definitely feeling the highpulls yesterday and today. But it wasn't debilitating soreness, which is a good thing!

Tuesday was a crosstraining day---a whopping 15 minutes of rowing after a 5-minute warm up on the arc trainer. I did a few upper body strength exercises including pull ups. No running though. I finally ran today and it actually went ok! I managed 3 sub-10 minute miles. Again, it's a start. Still hurt afterward, but felt ok during.

I ran my miles at 9:46, 9:29, and 9:24 with some walking in between. Best case scenario: my half-marathon in 43 days would have miles at this pace! It felt good to practice that pace.

Next week, I won't be messing with my recovery day!

Hope Springs....at 16 Degrees

Today I had the first good run in a month. I ate bread this week! I had rice! I had spaghetti! I ate like a normal runner!

I ate clean for the most part, but not Paleo/Primal and it made a HUGE DIFFERENCE. The bread was Ezekiel sprouted bread--the English muffins are excellent, the sandwich bread.... not so much. The rice was inside sushi, so it wasn't whole grain and not technically "clean eating," but overall fairly healthy (well, as far as fried shrimp and full-fat cream cheese are healthy---the seaweed makes up for it, right?). The best part was the spicy crab on top--Yum! I had plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables (kale, anyone? I have a superb recipe for sauteed kale with red pepper flakes and garlic---I call it Krispy Kale and even my 4-year old loves it), a few whole grains, lowfat dairy, healthy fat via avocado and nuts, and lean meat. I would call it moderate carb rather than high carb, but it worked.

I met up with about 12 other people, including 3 whom I am training for a half-marathon at 8:00 a.m. this morning. IT WAS 16 DEGREES!!! That may not sound like much to some of you, but I live in the South, people, and it's just not supposed to be that cold! We got snow on Thursday and missed our 5th snow day (already) on Friday, but the roads were scraped enough for us to run outside this morning. I had 8 miles on the training plan, and I ended up with 8.3 from doubling back occasionally to check on runners. The overall average pace was 10:31, much better from last week where I died a slow death in miles 6-9.

Have you heard the expression, "There's no bad running weather, just poor clothing choices" or something similar? Well, today, I put that into action. I wore 13 items of clothing on this run including double socks, double gloves, fleece tights with pants on top, 2 shirts and a fleece, plus the usual undies, scarf, ear warmer. Overkill, you say? I say JUST RIGHT. I could not feel my feet for the first two miles, then the feeling returned (thank goodness). It was windy and even in mile 8, I was still slightly chilled, especially my face. It was a balmy 24 degrees at the end. Thank goodness for the sunshine. That helped more than anything.

But, most importantly, nutrition and weather aside, I felt like a runner again---even (dare I say it??) a "healthy" runner. My piriformis didn't hurt during the run, even when I was pushing the pace at sub-10 minute miles for a few miles. I fully went out planning an easy 11-minute pace, then a neighbor showed up who had just completed his first full marathon, and I found myself falling into step with him, even though he was going faster than I wanted to. The five miles I ran with him were at my tempo pace, and the 3 I did alone were more my normal pace. The minute I stopped running and sat down in my car, however, my piriformis reared it's ugly head with a spasm down my left leg. But, (here's the hopeful part) it only hurt AFTER the run instead of both during AND after the run. I'm calling that PROGRESS. :-)

An Experiment of One (or "Oh, My Aching Butt")

My running buddies are always ragging on me for trying new things: clean eating, paleo diet, primal diet, crossfit, and the list goes on......

I do read and research a lot and when something makes sense, I try it on myself before passing it on to the athletes I coach. (I am a RRCA running coach currently coaching 6 individuals for their first half marathon through my local YMCA.)

But lately, nothing seems to be working all that well for me. About February or March, I started Tosca Reno's Clean Eating plan. The biggest rules are no white sugar, no white flour, and foods as close as possible to their natural form. If you read the ingredient list and cannot pronounce it, don't eat it. That actually went fine for me. I maintained a steady weight. I still allowed myself "cheats"---it was more of a lifestyle change where I ate healthy about 70% of the time. I did have a great marathon in February, but that was before I embraced clean eating.

The next several months were tainted by a calf injury and a couple of physical therapists telling me various lower body parts were weak, despite my running 30 miles per week. So, I added some body-weight strength training to my workouts (lunges, squats, etc.) My next experiment was to do Crossfit for a month to continue to get stronger. I was sooooo sore that it disrupted my quality of life at times, but I had my fastest race time in a while in week 3. I ran 5 miles at a 9:02 pace fairly comfortably, which I'd never done before. So, maybe it works.

However, in a crossfit activity done by myself about two weeks ago involving 80 thrusters with 40lbs of weights, I think I injured myself. My piriformis/hamstring/sciatic nerve have not been the same since. Running now hurts and I'm scared to do much in the way of lower body strength training. Basically, my butt muscle cramps up terribly when I run long distances or sit in a chair and the pain runs down the back of my left leg through my hamstring. Awesome.

Before Christmas, I committed to eating even cleaner--- in paleo/primal way. I did well with it. The hardest thing is eliminating grains of all kinds---including whole grains. That means no bread, no wraps, no brown rice. Since I've been low carbing it for about 5 weeks, my runs have gone even further downhill. Now I have the combination of no energy and heavy legs to go with my aching butt.

My last two long runs have just plain sucked. The butt cramping started around mile five. Then, after about mile 6, I just felt like I hit a wall. My legs felt like they 200 lbs. Each. I felt worse yesterday in miles 7-9 than I did in miles 20-26 last February.

I think with the right stretching, rest, and maybe a few sports massages or physical therapy visits, I can get the pain under control.

But this lack of energy on long runs? It HAS to be my body telling me I need more carbohydrates. I've eaten so much fruit, tons of veggies, and I just can't figure out how to get that energy in my muscles back. I've read there is a "breaking in" period for low carb and that it gets better in about a month, but it's been about a month and I have a half-marathon in 3 weeks. Do I continue with this EXPERIMENT OF ONE eating Primal/Paleo with no bread or rice or oatmeal (ok, I admit I cheat with oatmeal sometimes) or go back to a regular "clean" diet that includes those foods in moderation????

Pool Running 101

I had my first pool run or "aqua jog" on Sunday. It was kind of fun and different. I like different!

Steps to pool running:

1. Decide that your (insert injured part here) is too sore for normal running, but you are too anal about following your training plan to miss a run.

2. Apply at least one coat of self tanner to take the glare off your glow-in-the-dark pale legs. No need to subject the pool community to that.

3. Don a conservative mom-style swimsuit. Mine was a skirted tankini. This is no time for a bikini!

4. Since not drowning is a priority, put on a flotation belt and hop in the deep end. First-timers shouldn't try to run without one. More experienced pool runners can actually float and run and not drown at the same time.

5. Imagine you are running and start churning those legs and swinging those arms. Stay upright. Resist the urge to start dog paddling or treading water (and you will have these urges). You may travel from side to side of the pool or stay in place, depending on your form. I was going back and forth across the pool---unintentionally.

6. The first 3 minutes take FOR-E-VER. After that, time only passes at about a 60% slower rate than usual.

7. After a good warmup of 10-20 minutes and when you are bored with watching the pool folk and lifeguards do their things, try some INTERVALS. Luckily there was a clock with a second hand in view. I started counting the steps of my right foot (because I'm right-legged, of course!). I knew that around 180 steps per minute is considered "ideal" in regular running counting both feet, so 90 steps should be ideal for just one foot. I counted my steps for one minute..... 66. Perhaps I was actually aqua-walking??

8. Pick up the pace for 30 seconds. It took me 3 tries, but I finally got to 45 steps in a 30-second "sprint," thus at the "ideal" pace. It was tough--it really felt like a 90% -95% sprint effort. I recovered for one minute at about a 75-76 steps-per-minute pace between these 30 second sprints. Suddenly, time was FLYING.

9. Using your usual easy, long-run pace, estimate how many "miles" you traveled. My marathon pace is around an 11-minute mile, so I aqua jogged for 33 minutes. I'm counting it as 3 miles on my training log.

Next time, I think I'll take a friend!

Ouch..... Re-evaluating the marathon?

This is totally one of those "thinking-out-loud" posts where I'm trying to work through some stuff. Bear with me.

So, I'm in marathon #3 training week 6 (I think) and things are not going exactly as planned. My 11-miler scheduled for Saturday turned into a ....... 5-miler.

My left leg is not cooperating. The pain starts in my butt (piriformis) and travels down the back of my leg, behind my knee and occasionally into my calf. I think my sciatic nerve runs from buttock to heel, so it may be involved. (You got to love an arm-chair doc like myself!) I haven't gone to the doc..... yet.

Note: That's not really my butt. :-)

I'll have to look back at my training log on Daily Mile, but I think it started when I did a Crossfit workout a week or two ago. I did around 80 thrusters (or squats with push press at the top... not sure which since they are so similar) holding 40 lbs of weight. It was a Tabata interval, so it was quick and dirty. A couple of days later, I noticed my behind and hamstring hurting when sitting at the computer. Then that Saturday on my 10-miler, it really bugged me. It hurt after about 4 miles, but I refused to stop and stretch because my goal was to run 8 miles nonstop (which I did--- in pain).

I took a few days easy, stretched, foam-rolled and felt better. Then I did a fairly hard circuit workout last Thursday of a 6.5 mile run with about 30 kettlebell swings and 45 walking lunges holding the 20# kettlebell. Again, after about mile 4 or 5 of 6.5, it felt off. I rested on Friday, and then Saturday had a windchill of 11, so I moved my long run indoors. I only made it 5 miles on the treadmill (including stopping and stretching and running incredibly slow) before calling it quits.

I spent the rest of the day depressed and comforting myself with bad food. That night hubby and I had a date night at the movies, and I ate my weight in popcorn (for dinner) and started to feel a little better. We saw The Fighter. It was gritty, raw, and perfect for the way I was feeling. Somehow, it was cathartic seeing the struggles that athlete went through before triumphing over adversity. I love me a good "triumph-over-adversity" movie, especially based on a true story.

I have finally gotten to the point where I don't base my identity on how well or poorly my runs are going. I got there last summer when I was injured and realized, "I'm MORE than a runner." It's strange how running can be so all-encompassing those first few years. Now, I consider myself an athletic person in general. I really enjoy weight training (even though it apparently does NOT agree with me) and cross training. Rowing is awesome, and I'm saving for a road bike for next summer. I like getting stronger---"real" push ups and pull ups are so empowering. Last week I did some decline push ups and felt like a rock star (my feet were up on a bench--not that much harder, honestly) and my pull ups are coming along as well--I can do more good form ones than I could two months ago.

Despite my identity being firmer, it's just DEPRESSING when you are training for a marathon and you miss several short runs plus a long run and your leg hurts for 2 weeks. It makes the marathon feel out of reach-- like you'll never get caught up. I am missing miles of training that I really need to have a good performance during the race. And what if the injury gets better but flares up dring the race? Yikes---26.2 in pain does not sound pleasant. The marathon is in 12 weeks and I'm only at a max of 20 miles per week (last week and those last ones really hurt!). That's really not where I need to be.

It may be time to re-evaluate.

Old Year, New Year

2010 in a Nutshell
798.95 miles run
1 four-month calf-strain that would not go away (June-September)--aka My First Running Injury
1 full marathon at a 10:55 pace in February (very happy with that!)
2 half-marathons (both disappointments---one in April when not fully recovered from the full and one coming off the injury in September on only a 9-mile long run--ran them nearly at marathon pace--10:45 and 10:47 per mile)
2 10K's-- almost the same pace on each--9:35, 9:33. One was right after the full and one coming off the injury
3 5K's--- May, October, and October -- the best one was immediately pre-injury at a 9:05 pace
One great 8K in November to end the year. I was so happy to run 5 miles at a 9:02 pace! It was my fastest run of the year.

Goals for 2011
I want to get some 8's in those stats! Like an 8:55 or faster paced 5K. Maybe an 8:00 minute mile time trial. A 2:08 or less half-marathon.
I'd like to improve my full marathon time to under 4:45. Even 4:44:59 will do. Note: It is HARD to focus on improving both my shortest distance and my longest distance at the same time. My full is in April. After a good recovery, I hope to concentrate on my 5K goal. In the meantime, maybe in can squeeze in a good 2:08 half marathon or two.