A Lesson in Suffering: 50K Race Report!

The good news is I have a new distance PR--31.86 miles, a bit over 50K.   The bad news is the price I paid to get there!

I'll just start at the beginning.   We got to the race site around 5:30 p.m. and picked up our race packets.  Run Under the Stars has great race swag:  tech shirt, hat, aqua pod, and bag.   There were seven in our little group and we set up a little camp site area together. 

One of my biggest concerns all week was my stiff neck.  As it turned out, it wasn't a problem at all.  The other big concern was the blisters I have been suffering with since I bought my new 2nd pair of size 10 Brooks Ravenna 3's EXACTLY like my old ones down to the color.    My old ones have a couple of hundred miles on them, so I figured I'd better buy a new, fresher pair for this ultra.   In the old ones, blisters were not an issue. In all of my longer training runs in these, I'd get blisters.  For some reason, it didn't dawn on me that they could be different.  I thought maybe it was a summer thing with humidity or a sock problem.  I brought the old Ravennas, the new ones, and a pair of Saucony Kinvaras.  I also brought 6 different pairs of "good socks" :  2 pairs of Wright Socks (double layer), some Swiftwick compression socks, some medium Smartwool (that I wore for my marathon and all marathon long runs), thinner Smartwool, and Ininji toe socks.

The half-mile horse track wasn't exactly what I expected.  Crushed limestone is a lot like running down a dirt/small gravel/sandy road.    It had been graded earlier in the week when it was wet, leaving deep grooves that were not supposed to be there.  

We had a funny start.  They said, "Go!" and we all said, "Which way??"   They said, "That way!" and pointed behind us.  So we went.   I had on my new Ravennas.  It was about 80 with a high humidity.

Marlene and I started at a really comfortable 10:45 pace.  We had agreed to run two laps (1 mile), then take a one minute walk break.   I just hoped to finish in 7 hours, averaging a 13:30 pace with eating/drinking, bathroom breaks, etc.   The rough track took some getting used to.  The grooves threatened to turn an ankle.  Traction was difficult on the sandy surface.   You know how running on the beach, you have to work a little bit harder to get anywhere?  It was like that.  There was not the energy return of asphalt or even a hard-packed trail.  I think I used muscles I wasn't used to using!

Our tent was about 200 yards off the track.  It's a good thing!  I stopped there a lot. 

By mile three, I had hot spots on my right foot on the 2nd toe and pinky toe both top and bottom that were hurting.   I headed to the tent and re-Body Glided my feet and changed socks.   I lost 4 or 5 minutes walking to the tent, digging out the body glide, and deciding on socks.    I headed out for 4 more miles.  By mile seven, there were blisters on that foot.  I stopped again at the tent and this time, tried to use the tape I had brought on the two problem toes.  It took quite a while to tape them smoothly and comfortably.  I tried the Ininji toe socks.  Stuffing my feet into my shoes, I knew immediately the socks wouldn't work.  Then I untaped my toes and tried to use moleskin on the areas, but I didn't have scissors.  My friend Lyndi found me some, and I tried to use moleskin on the blisters, but it wouldn't stick well.  I wrestled with it and put it on the toe socks again.   This time, I lost about 13 minutes frantically working on my feet!   (The smart thing would have been to use the old shoes from the start..... hindsight....)   I was still in the new Ravennas.  I was getting really stressed about my feet because I knew I had a LONG way to go. 

I ran with pain in every step from the blisters.  I made it to mile ten and was about to just give up hope of 50K.  Every step hurt so much.  By now, the toenails on my left foot were hurting, too, which means either a blister under the nail or bruising.  I think my feet swelled or something and the shoes put pressure on them.   They just felt too tight.  I stopped AGAIN and this time, the moleskin came off with the toe sock and I used just plain old Band Aid blister bandages.  I had only brought 4 for the trip, unfortunately.   I found the thinner Smartwool socks and switched shoes to my Kinvaras.  I also started listening to music to take my mind off.    The band aids did pretty well, but the one on my pinky toe kept rubbing the toe next to it, causing a new hot spot.  I stopped at the tent again at mile 11.5 and put the toe socks back on so that the toes were at least separated.   I was bored with going around and around and in pain and just over it all. 

Then I walked for three miles.  I called my husband.  I was almost in tears. I whined.   Every step even walking was painful.  I had both feet just completely trashed with painful toenails and multiple blisters.  I posted on Facebook that I had monster blisters and that today probably wasn't my day to complete an ultramarathon.  My friends on the course kept passing me and asking, "Are you ok?"  "How are you doing?"   Not well, not well.  I could see the sympathy on their faces.   I finally passed the 13.1 mile mark in the slowest 13.1 time I had ever had including training runs, etc.  It was close to midnight.  I SERIOUSLY considered stopping at 13.1.   But, throughout the night, my WONDERFUL friends back home kept sending me text messages saying, "You can do it!"  "Don't give up!"  and Bible verses about God giving me strength to do this. 

At mile 14, many in our little group gathered at our camp site.  I took a second to check my Facebook page, and the encouraging words just came pouring in.  I took 2 extra strength Tylenol.   I hoped to get to at least 20 miles, and was prepared to do it in my flip flops if necessary.  Everyone was changing into their extra pair of shoes as we all sat in a little circle.  Then it suddenly dawned on me that if none of MY SHOES worked, I should see if anyone had some extra shoes I could try.   I knew my friend Marlene wore the same size as me.   I asked if anyone else in our group was roughly a women's size 10?   My friend James was just taking off his shoes that he'd already run 20 or so miles in for some fresh shoes.  He offered them to me.  I put them on.  They were some kind of Asics---I usually wear stability, but these neutral, sweaty, borrowed shoes that were about 2 or 3 sizes too big felt so good on my feet!   My toes touched nothing inside there, which was exactly what I needed!   Dude shoes are so nice and wide.  I might start buying them for myself.  Seriously. 

I wasn't sure if I could run in too-big shoes. My friend Dorothy said they looked like clown shoes on my feet. I didn't care. I took off and and never looked back.  The miles clicked by wonderfully.   I smiled for the first time ALL NIGHT.  I was making jokes about my "magic shoes."  It was after midnight at this time, and I knew I was in it for the long haul--at least 26.2.  The pain was still there, but it was managable.  Somewhere around mile 20, they turned off some of the lights and our path was lit by luminaries---a true "run under the stars."    At this point, I'd think something slightly funny and just die laughing.   This was while running alone.  I think I was delirious.   I was just making lemonade.....   I'd see my friends often on the course and we'd say hi or run a bit together.   There were four other runners there that I knew.   I was trying to remember my mantra "Relentless forward progress," but my brain was tired.  "Relentless forward determination?"  Nope, that's not it.   "Relentless forward movement?"  Noooo.   It took me a few times.  

By mile 26, I was fairly sure I could complete 50K.   This 26.2 was literally more than two hours slower than mine only 6 weeks ago from all that shoe/sock drama.    I was happy I felt ok endurance-wise and in my knees, ankles, and neck.  My feet were bothering me again and I broke my cardinal rule---I took ibuprofen during a race!    In miles 26-31.5, I ran some, I walked some.  I had been going around and around for SEVEN hours.  Both feet and ALL my toenails were hurting again.  My troublesome left knee didn't hurt all night until mile 30.  Can't beat that.  At the end, I was happy to still be able to run what I thought was the last mile and a half.  I finished my 31st mile strong.   I let out a whoo-hoo at the finish and told the guy at the timing table I was done so I could get my medal.  He told me to keep going.  I didn't know that a 50K is slightly over 31 miles, so I had to do another whole half-mile lap for the chip reader to give me credit for 50K!    So off I went.   31.86 miles Garmin distance with all the trips to the tent.   Just a little over 8 hours.   I ran 26.58 six weeks ago in 4:36, but this hurt much worse, took 8 hours,  tore my feet up completely and it was only five more miles.   Funny how that happens.  

My husband said my feet look much worse than he's ever seen them.   I will probably lose the big toenail since there is a blister under it.  Three others are just covered with blisters on top and the bottom and all around the nail.   Pretty.  

I don't think ultramarathoning is for me.    It is too punishing on the body.   I ran/walked almost 32 miles, but got nowhere.   What is the point of that?   What did it prove?   I suffered.  I wrecked my feet.  I am sore and I will have to take time off for recovery.  I can't say I had a lot of fun, just a little fun after I got my magic shoes and when I was slightly delirious. 

There is a running quote I was reminded of as I watched people limping and hurting toward the end:  Running Never Takes More than It Gives Back.   Believe in the Run.  I'm honestly not so sure about this one.   Senseless suffering.  Did it make me somehow "more" of a runner?  I don't think so.   Of course, I've only had 1.5 hours of sleep in the last 36 hours, so maybe it will look different tomorrow?   Hubby thinks so.  (He may change his tune when 3 of my toenails fall off just in time for our couple trip to Fort Lauderdale!)

**Note: I know my experience is my own and my head wasn't in the best place for a lot of the race. I don't want to detract from the wonderful accomplishments of my 11 buddies from the course. They really did an amazing job! Just being honest about MY experience as a reminder to FUTURE ME.

I have an ultramarathoner sticker for my car, but I don't think I'm going to put it on.  "Ultramarathoner" implies that it is who you are, and it isn't me.    I might look into a 50K sticker though.... Just sayin.' 

Relentless Forward Progress

Tomorrow I will attempt to run my first (and last??) ultramarathon.   A 50K is only a few more miles than a marathon--about 4.8 more miles.   I'm not at 100%. body wise.  I woke up with a stiff neck six days ago, and it got progressively worse.  It's like a really, really bad crick in my neck along with some radiating shoulder pain.   Today, my neck and shoulder are still bothering me, but they are improved.  The pain is manageable.  I actually ran 2 miles yesterday with minimal pain, I'd say maybe a 2.5 on the pain scale of 1-10.  

Run Under the Stars begins at 8 in the evening.  About 100 of us will circle a half-mile horse track between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.    Some people will run 50, even 60 miles.   I'll be content with 31.  And fairly content with 26.2 if the body is just not up for cooperating.   I plan to STOP at 31, which hopefully will be around 3:00 a.m. or earlier.  I might be able to squeak out 35 or even 40, but at what cost??   50K is plenty. 

To say I am well-rested is an understatement.  I've run a total of 2.5 miles since last Saturday.  I did walk a mile and cycled 2, but I don't know when my legs have felt this rested.  I have to remember to hold back because fresh legs that go even a little too fast in miles 1-4 are going to suffer in the next 27!

I came across the coolest quote about running ultras today on www.why-ultra.org.  It simply stated how to run an ultramarathon:

Maintain relentless forward progress until you finish.  

I'm going to Sharpie-tattoo that on my forearm to read over and over. 

Other quotes I found on www.runnersworld.com were these: 

One thing you can count on in an ultra is some sort of nagging pain--a sour stomach, an irritable tendon, a recalcitrant knee. Pain's a given. It's all about how you handle it.

I am mentally preparing myself to suffer.  In a marathon or really in any RACE where you give it your all, you have to accept a certain amount of suffering.  If you aren't suffering, you aren't racing!   That is what racing feels like.  In a a marathon or ultra marathon, suffering is a given, even if you run it "easy."  Crossfit is like that, too.  If you aren't suffering to some degree in a WOD, you probably aren't doing it right! 

And this one answering the question of WHY run an ultra?

At the finish, I vowed I'd never run that far again; a promise that even now, a few years later, I've had little desire to break. But I was suffused with this warm sense of overwhelming fulfillment. In one day, I'd totally rejiggered how I calculated my abilities and weaknesses. What I'm trying to say, maudlin or not, is that I was deeply happy.

The by-products of my run--dogged patience, redrawn boundaries of endurance, deep energy reserves--improved my life running-wise and everything-else-wise. It aided my concentration skills at work. It helped me cope with the all-night stresses of a newborn. In a small but essential way, I felt transformed.

So I suppose that's my answer. Why run an ultra? Because it feels so damn good when you finish.

I hope I have some measure of happiness at the end.  :-)

Tapering Down to Nothing

This is the official taper week of rest before the my attempt at an ultramarathon on Saturday.  Tapering this week?  NOT a problem. 

I haven't run since Saturday.  Because I can't.  

I suppose I did something slightly dumb.  On Friday, I started a push up challenge.  1500 push ups by June 30.  I did 75 on Friday and 50 on Saturday.  I do pushups on a regular basis-- 50 or more a couple of times a week, so it wasn't totally crazy.  I was sore on Saturday from the Friday push ups, but did my 50.  I ran 8 miles on Saturday at a 10:13 pace as well, a little speedier than my easy pace should be.   

I woke up on Sunday with a very stiff neck.  Throughout the day, it got progressively worse, including spasms during church from neck to right shoulder blade.   I have been taking anti-inflammatories since Sunday.  I fired up the heating pad that night before bed, but hardly slept a wink.  I just couldn't get comfortable in any position.   It was a little better on Monday, so I didn't panic.  Still didn't sleep much on Monday night.   I'd be asleep then move wrong and wake myself up.  Strangely, it was worse on Tuesday.   I didn't try to run until Tuesday afternoon.   I ran all of five minutes.  The jarring hurt my neck and then a pain and tightness moved to my lower right back.  That was when I started freaking out a bit.   A stiff neck is one thing, but an impinged nerve or something is different.  Again, anti-inflammatories and heating pad.  It was a bit better on Wednesday morning.  I tried to jog a mile.  Nope.   The jarring again bothered my neck and the pain radiated into my lower back.  

I called a local sports massage place to get an appointment ASAP.   My sports massage was at 11:30---30 minutes of pain, but hopefully it will put my body on the path to healing.   The masseuse (sp?)  hit some trigger points that were very, very sore.  He applied pressure until the pain subsided.   He diagnosed torticollis, aka stiff neck.  He gave me some exercises to do at home and wants to see me again on Friday.

Now, I sit here five hours post-massage, it still hurts.  The massage wasn't a magic "cure all" as I had hoped, but I'm assuming a good night's rest will help.  I keep reminding myself it's only Wednesday.  The race isn't until Saturday night.

I've talked to a few friends about this injury/condition/whatever-it-is and gotten several theories. 

• The Crossfit friends tend to lean toward running marathons being pretty terrible for the body and this is my body's way of communicating with me and I should listen.   They are sort of anti-long distance running.  I get that.  It IS hard on the body, except I haven't been doing much in the way of long distances the last few weeks.   Well, OK, that 16 miler 3 weeks ago....
• The running friends tend to think it is stress-related and that I've been really worried/anxious/stressed-out about this race.  That's not really true.  I planned to take it SO EASY in this run.   I am a little worried about blisters and being up half the night (8:00 pm start) and trying to sleep in a tent when it's hot and I'm tired and sore instead of a real bed.   But I have no delusions of running this thing remotely fast.  I was actually thinking of a 4:1 run/walk from the very beginning.  However, I have had some personal stress over the last month that wasn't about this race. 
• My physical therapist friend said it is likely a facet impingement in the neck.  I've got to google that.  She advised me NOT to run in the ultra.
• My massage therapist thought it was a combination of running, push ups, and stress all rolled into one.  He said to wait and decide on Friday but he thinks it is still a possibility. 

Though I didn't have a lot of anxiety regarding this race when this all started on Sunday, I'm GETTING STRESSED every day it doesn't get better.   Now, I've got some serious anxiety about the race!  I can't start a 31-miler with pain in my neck every single step.   I won't do it.   That would be ridiculous.  In a marathon or ultra, you certainly expect to suffer at some point, but not in the first mile.   

So, my dream of doing an ultra may have to be......deferred.    We'll see.

Life After Marathon.....

Well, it only took me a month to blog again after the marathon.  Burnout hit pretty hard post-marathon.  I didn't run for 5 days, then I only ran because I had to teach my running class at the YMCA.   I took a couple of weeks with very, very little running.   In the back of my mind, however, was the upcoming ULTRAMARATHON on my plate.  I was scared to take TOO much time off, but knew my body needed to recover.   So, other than a few 3 and 4 milers during the week, in the past month I've run/walked a 9.5 miler (4:1 ratio--two weeks after the marathon), struggled through a 16 miler (which was ok up until 10, tough up to 13 and brutal in the last 3), and run a 7-miler as my long runs.    Add all that TOGETHER, and you get just over 50K.   Hmmmm...   I figure that plus my marathon training will get me through (I hope).   It's next weekend, at any rate, so (to quote a phrase I actually hate) "it is what it is." 

That last longish run--the whopping 7 miler-- included a 5K race.  It was super hot and humid and my race plan went out the window.   I finished in 27:53 and got 1st in my age group (41-50) out of 28 women.  It was a pretty good day, but I HATE 5K's.  They are short but painful.

I feel slightly less burned out at any rate, and I feel mostly recovered, so it's all good.   I just plan to run/walk that 31 miles next weekend---- just going slow and easy and finishing.   Apparently in ultrarunning circles, that is acceptable, if not expected.   Yay!   If I can average around 13-minute miles, I'll be happy.   My slowest marathon average (1st one) was a 12:15 pace and I walked a TON.   I'd like to finish in 7 hours, there I said it.    (That is a 13:31 pace.)   The thing with 7 hour races though, is you have a LOT of aid stops and restroom breaks.   I have to remember to figure in those with my time.

My nutrition/hydration plan is the following:
Lots of water
Some Cytomax until I get sick of it
Heed (offered on the course) and maybe some Powerade.  I like that lemon Powerade isn't too sweet.
6 or so gels  (GU peanut butter, vanilla, chocolate, just plain, and lemon sublime)
1 or 2 bottles of Ensure
Salt caps
For real food---I'm taking Garden of Eatin' Organic Blue Corn Tortilla chips (I will be sick of sweet), a baked white potato, and two baked sweet potatoes.   If I'm to stay GLUTEN-FREE, I won't be able to partake of the pizza and bagels and other offerings on the course.    I guess I will take a protein shake and figure out something to eat AFTER the race, which runs from 8:00 p.m. to around 3:00 a.m. or whenever I finish.  

Wish me luck.  I'm honestly a bit nervous. 

Mission Accomplished! Kentucky Derby PR!

I worked hard training for this. I was prepared for the hills. I had studied the course, and I had a battle plan. I executed it.   4:36:11 and a 9 minute PR!

My A. goal was to finish in the 4:30's-- 4:39:59 would have been great. I looked up a pace chart online and wrote on my arm when I'd need to be at mile 13, mile 16, mile 20, mile 23, and mile 25 to finish in 4:38. The plan was to hold back a bit and stay between 10:25 and 10:40 for the first four miles, then speed up just a little in miles five through 12 to about a 10:30 until the hills at Iroquois Park. I just wanted to survive 12-15 making up as much time as possible on the downhills. Then in the flat 16-22 I hoped to PUSH the pace a little faster. More hills were coming from 22 to 23.5 and after 23.5, I planned to give it all I had left. And that's pretty much what I did.

The start was CHAOTIC. I could not find any of the 5 ladies I knew running the full, including my training partner Marlene. I could barely walk--wall to wall people. I made it into a corral and started my race alone.  It was about 53 and breezy---perfect running weather.

Mile 1: 10:39 pace. On the slow end of my range, right where I needed to start to warm up.
Mile 2: 10:21. Oops, a little fast. Still not crazy.
Mile 3: 10:21 Apparently 10:21 feels right today.
Mile 4: 10:53 My slowest mile of the day. I had my first fuel--some Honey Stinger Organic Energy chews and walked through the water stop as I ate them. I didn't panic because miles 2 and 3 were a bit fast and I figured it would average out. At this point I didn't think I was having a GREAT DAY. I thought I was having an ok day. My legs felt a little heavy at this point and that concerned me. *I continued to fuel every 40 minutes with Gu's after that---mostly caffeinated ones!
Mile 5: 10:18 pace. I had hoped to speed up a bit and did. It rained for about 3 minutes---cold, fat rain drops.
Mile 6: 10:32 pace. I ran into my friend Kathy Grayson at about 6.2. We ran together off and on. I lost a bit of time at a water stop here that was unprepared. I had to WAIT for them to pour a cup for me but I knew hydration was important. Kathy told me Marlene was just ahead, but I was too cautious to speed up to catch her. By now, I was also needing a bathroom--soon! I remember telling Kathy I wasn't having a great day.   Temp was still in the mid-50's. 
Mile 7: 10:09 3rd fastest mile of the day. I was starting to feel better and find my stride! Every port o john I saw had a long line. I wasn't about to waste precious time in line, but my bladder was full!
Mile 8: 10:27 We ran inside Churchill Downs. And there was a real bathroom with no line. I was in and out really quick.
Mile 9: 10:23
Mile 10: 10:15 Really on pace, feeling great
Mile 11: 10:26 Right after the split with the half marathoners (which I almost missed!) I heard "Donna!" It was Marlene. She had also stopped in Churchill Downs (in a different bathroom).
Mile 12: 10:45 Marlene and I ran and chatted. We entered Iroquois Park. It was beautiful--tree lined, winding, hilly road. Up, up, up. I think this was when I had a flashback to both Whiskey Hill and Blackberry Mountain. I turned to tell Marlene that and she wasn't beside me anymore. :-(
Mile 13: 10:08 Big downhill! 2nd fastest mile. I was letting GO on the downhill per plan. Knees taking a beating. Right Achilles hurting. Took two extra strength Tylenol and a salt cap. First TIME CHECK: Needed to hit mile 13 at 2:18:42 according to my arm tat. My Garmin miles were about .3 off from the mile markers, but at mile marker 13, I was about 1:30 ahead of schedule!
Mile 14: 10:51 Big uphill. Really tough. I ran it though. Walked thru a water station.
Mile 15: 10:24 Leaving Iroquois Park and wondering if I have ANY LEGS LEFT. I had taken the park HARD.
Mile 16: Time to push! 10:10!! Yay for flat! Turned on music for the first time.  Pace tat check--still 1:30 ahead of schedule!
Mile 17: 10:21
Mile 18: 10:16 Happy! (This is where the wheels fell off in my PR marathon last time.) I was waiting for that to happen. Took my Gu Roctane with 2 X caffeine.
Mile 19: 10:19 Wheels on!
Mile 20: 10:21 Pushing, pushing Pace tat check--I needed to be at 3:33 and was at 3:31 and change
Mile 21: 10:27 Hit a mini-wall. This mile was hard for me. Glycogen low. I took my last Gu. Or I should say choked it down. Feeling a little nausea. Legs tight and hurting--especially hamstrings.
Mile 22: 10:27. Hill or two. I walked about 5 seconds before saying, "What am I doing? This hill isn't that big!" It was the first walking I'd done since Iroquois Park.   It's starting to get HOT.
Mile 23: 10:37 Hills this late in the course are just mean. I allowed myself to walk 50 stepus up the last big hill. Then made myself run. Pace tat check--still in good shape!
Mile 24: 10:44 Trying to push---still some inclines. I kept missing my pace notifications on the garmin and glad I didn't see this.  Legs have taken a BEATING. 
Mile 25: 10:00 mile. FASTEST MILE OF THE DAY. Really pushing. Considering throwing up.
Mile 26: 10:08. Giving it ALL I GOT.
Mile .58: 9:18 pace. Really. I'm shocked, too. I left it all out there.  From the mile 26 sign to the finish line was sooooooo long. I saw my husband as I was finishing. I raised my arms and screamed as I passed the clock. Gonna be a crazy picture! 4:36:16 on my Garmin when I stopped it.   Yep, I cried. The people with the space blankets asked if I was ok. :-)

IT WAS A BLESSED DAY.  

My mantra of the day was a verse from Psalms  "Let all that I am praise the Lord...."  Repeating that and prayer got me through the day.   Other than praying, the smartest thing I did was to write those times on my arm.  I'm mathmatically challenged when glycogen depleted (and sometimes other times as well!), and those times on my arm really helped.  They broke the race up for me.  I was just looking forward to mile 13 to see if I was on schedule.  Then 16, then 20.   It was kind of like mini-races within the race.

A PR in the Rain?? Ky Derby Forecast

The Louisville forecast this week has been the most changing forecast I have ever seen in my life.  A few days ago it was going to be sunny and 82 (yikes).   Then it was going to be partly cloudy and 72 (better).  And now, it says a 60% chance of rain and thunderstorms and a high of 66 with a low of 42 (hmmmm). 

I don't know what to pack!  I don't know what to expect!  It's driving me crazy! 

I actually like running in the rain.  If it is above 50 or so, I'm usually pretty good.  I have had some instances lately where cool and damp leave my hands stiff, and I did have one rainy run on a 55 degree day when I was soaked to the skin and started shaking uncontrollably.   I didn't feel warm for about 12 hours after that!

The thing about running in the rain is you just have to ACCEPT.  BEING.  WET.   It is what it is (I really hate that expression, but it fits here).    Maybe I should change that to EMBRACE.  BEING.  WET.  Maybe the rain is God's gift to keep us from overheating over 26.2 miles.    Or something like that.

Besides the weather obsession, the rest of taper insanity has kicked in.  How can I possibly keep eating this many carbs?  I've only run 2 miles this week!  And my knees hurt in them! Then  I woke up with sore calves---from two miles!!   I miss my endorphins.   Then I took the kids to the playground today and was doing the monkey bars and bashed my left knee (my bad knee) into the metal pole at the end.  Seriously??   After Saturday's 8-miler, my left hamstring (my bad hamstring) cramped all afternoon and evening.   It was injured like a YEAR ago.  What on Earth??? 

I know, I know.   It's just TAPER. 

Three more days......

P.S.  Have you tried peanut butter Gu?   It is awesome!!

Miles in the Bank: Marathon #4 coming up!

I have made it successfully to taper.  No more long runs (it's nice when an 8 miler is no longer a "long" run), no more speed work, no more 30+ mile training weeks..... for a little while anyway. 

My marathon is in 10 or so days.   I feel like I have done everything I can to ensure a good race.  I have run a15-miler, two 16-milers, an 18-miler, and two 19-milers, so I feel like I'm good on the long run front.  No, I didn't run any 20-milers.  I think 20-milers are overrated.  I like to save anything with a 20 in it for race day!   I have done tempo runs, race pace runs, intervals, hills, trails, negative splits, and three different build up half marathon races.   I have done fast-finish long runs (at least two or three) and a couple of carb-depleted long runs that I read about in an article by Coach Greg Macmillan of Macmillan Running.   They help your body learn to burn fat more efficiently.   I included quality with quantity.  I hit my "sweet spot" for mileage, which is about thirty-five miles per week.  More than that leaves me sluggish and prone to injury.   I strength trained to make sure my posterior chain is strong and ready for the hills in Louisville.   I miraculously avoided injury.  My nutrition has been good.   Seriously, what more can I do?   I'm about as trained as a 41-year old mom of three can be. 

My goals are fairly modest.   I suppose I'll write them here to make them official. 

A. Goal:  (best day ever!)  4:39:59 or better.   Believe it or not, that's a fairly aggressive goal for me.  That is going to require around a 10:40 pace overall, including any walking through water stops, any bathroom breaks, tying my shoes, etc.  That really means running closer to a 10:30 or better.    The plan is to keep all early miles between 10:25 and 10:36.   It will be HARD to not go out at a 10:15 or so when I'm rested and adrenaline is pumping, but I know a conservative start is key.    The point behind my fast-finish long runs was to be able to shift into a different gear the last 5K and really push.   The 2nd part of my A. Goal is to FINISH STRONG in that last 5K.  
(*My last marathon was 5:09 in June of last year at the Hatfield-McCoy, but I ran it for fun and didn't train properly on purpose.  I picked the crazy hilly, hot Hatfield McCoy course because I knew there would be no pressure.   It's fun to do a marathon every now and then just for fun!)

B. Goal:  Between 4:45 and 4:59:59.   I'd just like to come in sub-five, and unless the wheels fall COMPLETELY OFF, that should be doable.   I am comparably trained to when I ran a 4:45:52 two years ago in Birmingham.  Except this time, I think I'm actually a little better prepared.   More quality, fewer slow miles.   However, that was a 35-45 degree day and a fairly flat course with an awesome motivator named Reid I met at mile 12.   He talked me through a lot of those later miles.  I'm looking at a hotter and hillier race this time, but I will at least still have a buddy---my training partner Marlene.  We can motivate one another.   This would require an overall pace of 10:55 -11:05 or so.   If it's a HOT day, if I have stomach issues from all those Gu's and need to make multiple stops, or it's just not my day,  I would be happy to meet this B. goal. 

C.  Goal:  5:17 or better.  In my first marathon, it was a hellishly HOT day.  80 degrees at the start.  200 people taken to area hospitals.  One guy died.   The wheels FELL OFF early--around mile 12.  If not for new friend Carol I met on the course around mile 13, I don't know how I would have made it.  We shared in the suffering.  We kept up our spirits.  We told one another our life stories.  And we finished.   It wasn't a pretty marathon, but we did it.   I think my overall pace was 12:15 or something like that, reflecting how much we walked in miles 13-26.   

D. Goal:  Just to finish unharmed and on my on volition.   It may be ugly, but as long as I walk or crawl across that finish line, I have to be ok with it.    My running club friend had to drop out of Boston earlier this week due to excruciating pain around mile 7, likely a stress fracture.   If something like that did happen to me, I hope I'd have the bravery and good sense he had to just STOP. 

Two weeks ago, instead of running another long 18 or 19 miler, I ran the Oak Barrel Half Marathon in Lynchburg, Tennessee.   It was THE BEST HALF MARATHON of my life.  I went into it with no expectations, just planning on a gentle training run or maybe a tempo run.   The course was gorgeous.  It was on beautiful country roads.  It was a chilly start, and I remember seeing steam coming off a pond in the middle of a pasture in the early miles.  The scenery was just amazing.   I had many good friends on the course and found all the runners to be very friendly.  One whole mile and a half was uphill (Whiskey Hill) around miles 3.8 to 5.2.  I never dreamed I'd make it up Whiskey Hill without walking and wasn't even going to try.   Many friends had warned me about it.  But I was just having one of THOSE days when everything comes together.  I felt great.  I had held back in the first few miles thinking this was a training run, so when I came to the hill, I was perfectly warmed up.  And. I. Conquered. It.   I did not walk.  I actually counted everyone I passed---I passed 32 people.   Everyone around me slowed to a walk at some point on that hill, even when we were 3/4 of the way up it.   At about that point, I WANTED to walk, but I knew it was almost over, so I just held on.  I think CROSSFIT taught me to "Embrace the Suck" and keep moving.   My hilly mile was 10:44 pace.   It was one of my proudest moments as a runner! 

At the top, I kept moving.  After I'd made it through 6 or 8 miles without walking a step, I decided that today I would not walk.  In 14 half-marathons, I've walked in all but two, often just for a few seconds through the water stops, but equally as often when I'm just not having a good day or pacing smart.   Luckily for me, miles 8-13 were all downhill.   After all my long marathon training runs, I felt amazing in those later half-marathon miles.  I was posting 9:30's, 9:15 and just felt like I was flying.   I was pushing and it felt GOOD.   I finished in 2:09, negative splits, and felt like I could indeed run 8 or 10 more at the end.  At no time during the race did any negative self-talk thoughts arise.  I felt happy, peaceful, content.  I just felt truly blessed to be there and to be a runner.   Wow, I need more races like THAT! 

I would love to hear your comments/advice on the marathon! 

After the marathon, I'll have 5 weeks to my 50K.  The 50K is seriously just for fun.   I don't care if I average 14-minute miles.  I just want to finish.  And get the sticker.  

D.