I'm so excited because I have two new pairs of shoes arriving tomorrow. I have a honking huge bunion on my right foot. I will not provide photos because it is gross. Anyway, ever since Adidas changed the bunion area of my beloved Supernova Sequence shoes from mesh to leather, that darn bunion just kills me on runs of any decent distance because of the added pressure.
Sooo, I have two pairs of men's shoes arriving tomorrow from Amazon. They are both Saucony, two different models that I want to try out. I have an older pair of Sauconys that are no good for running anymore, but they are men's and therefore have a wider toe box and also have a mesh "bunion window" so they don't bug my bunion as much as the Adidas. They fit me well and I am really hopeful that at least one of these new shoes will work out well.
I don't expect to run totally pain free, but it would be nice if I didn't feel like chopping my toe off at the end of a half marathon. Especially considering I would like to run two marathons this fall! Wish me luck. :)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
June goal completed!
I ran four miles this morning, bringing my total for the month of June to 121.63. My goal was 120 miles, so mission accomplished.
My goal for July is 120 miles again. I should probably make the goal slightly higher since July has an extra day, but I'd rather give myself a cushion. A 120-mile month is still a big month for me.
My goal for July is 120 miles again. I should probably make the goal slightly higher since July has an extra day, but I'd rather give myself a cushion. A 120-mile month is still a big month for me.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Another day, another race registration
Wheee! I love registering for races. It gives me a sense of excitement and a little twinge of fear of the unknown. Today I registered for the Bastille Day 15K. I've never run a 15K race before, so that's an automatic PR no matter how much I stink it up. :)
The course is described as "hilly and challenging" which normally is something I would want to avoid. But this is not a normal year and I'm embracing hilly challenges as much as possible. It will only make me stronger for those fall marathons.
The course is described as "hilly and challenging" which normally is something I would want to avoid. But this is not a normal year and I'm embracing hilly challenges as much as possible. It will only make me stronger for those fall marathons.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
What I learned today
I learned that if you spend all morning sitting around doing nothing and then finally go for your run just as the rain is threatening to start, you may end up having a short tempo run (instead of the easy recovery run you were planning) when the rain starts pouring down on you and you decide that it's in your best interest to get home quickly before you get struck by lightning.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Solstice Run 10 Mile Race Report
This morning I ran the Solstice Run 10 Mile race in beautiful Northville, MI. David came along to cheer me on, but we forgot to bring a camera so there's no photographic evidence of the race. It was mid to upper 60s at the race start, with cloudy skies, so not too shabby compared to the overheated sweat-fest that was the Cheesetown Challenge last week.
Before I get into the blah, blah, blah of the race report, I just want to say that today was great. This was the first race I've done in quite some time where I didn't have moments of despair where I felt like quitting. I feel like I've turned a corner and I'm ready to head into marathon training with a positive attitude. Now for the blah, blah, blah part of the post...
The race started at Northville Downs, which is a horse racing track. We started out by making a loop of the race track. The guy next to me was making horse noises as we ran. It was pretty funny. I don't think they groomed the track, because I could see hoof prints in the dirt but it was easy to run on, so no big deal.
There weren't a ton of people behind me as we exited the track to hit the streets. David was there at the exit so I told him "I'm battling for last place again" and he laughed. But by the time we left the track parking lot (about 3/4 mile into the race) I could see that I wouldn't be last unless something went drastically wrong, so I decided to relax and enjoy myself. Also, no police cars were trailing the people at the back so even if I were last, I would have felt less pressure.
First thing we came upon after leaving the parking lot was a fairly steep hill. I'd heard the course was hilly and that was no lie - there were hills throughout the course. But I approached it with a positive attitude, thinking about how good the hills are to make me a stronger runner. Around the 3 mile mark, we started getting a little rain, but it was just some random sprinkles that continued from time to time through the race. Felt pretty good.
At about 3.3 miles, we entered a subdivision. This was a loop through the sub, so we exited out the same street. As I was entering at mile 3.3, I saw the lead female runner at what turned out to be just past the 6 mile mark. So she was not quite twice as fast as I am, which strangely enough is comforting to me. Heh, I have low standards apparently.
Starting around 6.5 miles, we entered my favorite part of the course - about a mile and a half that was liberally sprinkled with downhill portions. Ahhh, so nice to be able to pick up speed without feeling like it's any extra effort. I loved it!
There were certain portions of the race where the roads were a potholed mess and seemed pretty hazardous. It was only for short stretches and represented a tiny part of the course, but I hope that's fixed up before next year because I could see some twisted ankles happening there.
In the last couple of miles (maybe more, can't remember) the 10 mile course joined up with the 5K and 10K courses so there were suddenly a lot more people around. The shorter races started later than the 10 mile. What I liked about meeting up with the other races is that I knew we were getting close to the end, and also if anyone passed me I just assumed they were doing a shorter race and thus were not beating me at the distance I was running. I love the mental games I play. :)
Around mile 9 I suddenly became very tired, but the end was near and I was getting excited to cross that finish line. With maybe .4 left to go, I saw David smiling at me so that gave me an extra kick. Then I headed down the path into the park where the finish was and saw David again (he had come down the stairs quickly) and got a high five and another big smile.
It seemed like we had to make almost a full loop around this park path which felt like forever because I just wanted to see that finish line! And finally there it was. Woo hoo! David had dashed across the park to see me at the finish, so he was there but I wasn't looking for him since I wasn't expecting it. Alas, I am too slow so they were out of medals by the time I finished, but I signed up on the list of people who didn't get a medal and will get it later.
Then we went off to the art show that was taking place nearby and I bought myself a pretty ring as a reward.
Before I get into the blah, blah, blah of the race report, I just want to say that today was great. This was the first race I've done in quite some time where I didn't have moments of despair where I felt like quitting. I feel like I've turned a corner and I'm ready to head into marathon training with a positive attitude. Now for the blah, blah, blah part of the post...
The race started at Northville Downs, which is a horse racing track. We started out by making a loop of the race track. The guy next to me was making horse noises as we ran. It was pretty funny. I don't think they groomed the track, because I could see hoof prints in the dirt but it was easy to run on, so no big deal.
There weren't a ton of people behind me as we exited the track to hit the streets. David was there at the exit so I told him "I'm battling for last place again" and he laughed. But by the time we left the track parking lot (about 3/4 mile into the race) I could see that I wouldn't be last unless something went drastically wrong, so I decided to relax and enjoy myself. Also, no police cars were trailing the people at the back so even if I were last, I would have felt less pressure.
First thing we came upon after leaving the parking lot was a fairly steep hill. I'd heard the course was hilly and that was no lie - there were hills throughout the course. But I approached it with a positive attitude, thinking about how good the hills are to make me a stronger runner. Around the 3 mile mark, we started getting a little rain, but it was just some random sprinkles that continued from time to time through the race. Felt pretty good.
At about 3.3 miles, we entered a subdivision. This was a loop through the sub, so we exited out the same street. As I was entering at mile 3.3, I saw the lead female runner at what turned out to be just past the 6 mile mark. So she was not quite twice as fast as I am, which strangely enough is comforting to me. Heh, I have low standards apparently.
Starting around 6.5 miles, we entered my favorite part of the course - about a mile and a half that was liberally sprinkled with downhill portions. Ahhh, so nice to be able to pick up speed without feeling like it's any extra effort. I loved it!
There were certain portions of the race where the roads were a potholed mess and seemed pretty hazardous. It was only for short stretches and represented a tiny part of the course, but I hope that's fixed up before next year because I could see some twisted ankles happening there.
In the last couple of miles (maybe more, can't remember) the 10 mile course joined up with the 5K and 10K courses so there were suddenly a lot more people around. The shorter races started later than the 10 mile. What I liked about meeting up with the other races is that I knew we were getting close to the end, and also if anyone passed me I just assumed they were doing a shorter race and thus were not beating me at the distance I was running. I love the mental games I play. :)
Around mile 9 I suddenly became very tired, but the end was near and I was getting excited to cross that finish line. With maybe .4 left to go, I saw David smiling at me so that gave me an extra kick. Then I headed down the path into the park where the finish was and saw David again (he had come down the stairs quickly) and got a high five and another big smile.
It seemed like we had to make almost a full loop around this park path which felt like forever because I just wanted to see that finish line! And finally there it was. Woo hoo! David had dashed across the park to see me at the finish, so he was there but I wasn't looking for him since I wasn't expecting it. Alas, I am too slow so they were out of medals by the time I finished, but I signed up on the list of people who didn't get a medal and will get it later.
Then we went off to the art show that was taking place nearby and I bought myself a pretty ring as a reward.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
It's good to have goals
As I mentioned recently, I have a goal of running 1,200 miles this year and I'm a bit behind. So I decided to set a June goal to run 120 miles. I realize for the elite types, that's more like a weekly goal. But for me that's a pretty big month.
I announced my goal in public on the fitness forum to which I belong, which gives me the guilt/shame factor if I fail. And I must say, posting that goal has certainly proven to be motivating to me. There are many days where I'd lazily skip a run if I didn't have that goal hanging over my head.
This morning, for instance, I woke up to the delightful sounds of a thunderstorm. But instead of going back to sleep, I headed to the basement to get on the treadmill. Unfortunately, I don't really care for my treadmill so I didn't put in quite as much mileage as I should have. So, when I arrived home from work this evening I headed out into the sun and heat to get in some more mileage. That wouldn't have happened if I didn't have a goal. Sure, they were junk miles, but I still had the same endorphin rush as I would have with a more productive run. And I will get to 120 this month, dang it!
Do you set fitness goals or do you just float along and see what happens?
I announced my goal in public on the fitness forum to which I belong, which gives me the guilt/shame factor if I fail. And I must say, posting that goal has certainly proven to be motivating to me. There are many days where I'd lazily skip a run if I didn't have that goal hanging over my head.
This morning, for instance, I woke up to the delightful sounds of a thunderstorm. But instead of going back to sleep, I headed to the basement to get on the treadmill. Unfortunately, I don't really care for my treadmill so I didn't put in quite as much mileage as I should have. So, when I arrived home from work this evening I headed out into the sun and heat to get in some more mileage. That wouldn't have happened if I didn't have a goal. Sure, they were junk miles, but I still had the same endorphin rush as I would have with a more productive run. And I will get to 120 this month, dang it!
Do you set fitness goals or do you just float along and see what happens?
Monday, June 21, 2010
Cheesetown Challenge Photographs
Here are just a few pictures from Saturday's Cheesetown Challenge. First up, here I am at the start line thinking about how all these people are going to be passing me shortly.
All alone, about half a mile from the finish line. Sooooo lonely. :)
Almost done, not quite last. Woo hoo!
A giant mouse driving a car.Because it's a cheese festival, duh! :)
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Cheesetown Challenge 5 Mile Race Report
Yesterday, David and I went to Pinconning, MI so I could run the 5 mile Cheesetown Challenge race. Pinconning is the cheese capital of Michigan, hence the name of the race.
We arrived a couple of hours before race time so I could get my packet and we could check out the Cheesetown Festival. The race packet included a sample of Pinconning cheese, which we promptly devoured. Then we went to a cheese store, bought some cheese and stashed it in the cooler we'd brought along for that very purpose. The race was at 6:30pm and it was flipping hot, sunny, and humid. Not great race conditions!
When it was almost race time, we went to the start line and I realized that this was a very small race. I also realized that everyone else looked pretty serious and more fit than I am. I looked at David and said "I think I'm going to be last." The race started and my premonition came true - everyone took off and I was lagging behind almost immediately. I tried to keep up, but there was no way. I'm slow and that wasn't going to change during the course of the race. So I settled down and decided to go at my own pace.
What I learned is that when you're in last place at a tiny race where the roads aren't closed, you may well have a police car trailing right behind you to make sure that no cars come run you over. I had no idea how pressure-filled it is to be in last place! :)
There were a couple of people not too far ahead of me who didn't know how to pace themselves, so they were taking frequent walk breaks. Every time I caught up to them, though, they'd start running again. I guess I was their inspiration. :)
I was debating just dropping out of the race because I hated having that police car right behind me. Then I considered running alongside the car so I could chat with the officer while I was racing. But then at the two mile mark, my minor miracle happened. The two people who were just ahead of me could no longer maintain their pace, so they fell behind me. Hooray, someone else could have the cops on their tail!
I kept plugging away, checking behind me occasionally to make sure nobody was gaining on me. There were occasional spectators along the course and they were unfailingly kind and encouraging to me, which was pretty funny. Hard to take it seriously when someone says "great job" when you know better. :) At every mile marker, there were volunteers calling out split times. I told the volunteer at mile 3 not to tell me, because I didn't want to know. (And I was wearing my Garmin, so I knew anyway.)
With about three quarters of a mile to go, I caught up to another runner. He asked me how I was doing and I said that I was still making forward progress, so I figured that was a good sign. I asked how he was and he said he was struggling. He started to get ahead of me a bit, then he said "oh no, cramps again" and started walking. I wished him well and kept on going. Felt bad, but also was pathetically happy to pass someone else.
As I approached the finish line, I could see David taking photos so I tried to pick up the pace and look like a real runner. I will post pictures once I get a chance to pull them off his camera.
I finished the race right around the time I thought I would. It's interesting that I would have felt great about my finish if there had been more people behind me, but the same time felt like failure when I was so close to the end. I need to get a little better at only feeling competitive with myself and not worrying about what everyone else is doing.
We arrived a couple of hours before race time so I could get my packet and we could check out the Cheesetown Festival. The race packet included a sample of Pinconning cheese, which we promptly devoured. Then we went to a cheese store, bought some cheese and stashed it in the cooler we'd brought along for that very purpose. The race was at 6:30pm and it was flipping hot, sunny, and humid. Not great race conditions!
When it was almost race time, we went to the start line and I realized that this was a very small race. I also realized that everyone else looked pretty serious and more fit than I am. I looked at David and said "I think I'm going to be last." The race started and my premonition came true - everyone took off and I was lagging behind almost immediately. I tried to keep up, but there was no way. I'm slow and that wasn't going to change during the course of the race. So I settled down and decided to go at my own pace.
What I learned is that when you're in last place at a tiny race where the roads aren't closed, you may well have a police car trailing right behind you to make sure that no cars come run you over. I had no idea how pressure-filled it is to be in last place! :)
There were a couple of people not too far ahead of me who didn't know how to pace themselves, so they were taking frequent walk breaks. Every time I caught up to them, though, they'd start running again. I guess I was their inspiration. :)
I was debating just dropping out of the race because I hated having that police car right behind me. Then I considered running alongside the car so I could chat with the officer while I was racing. But then at the two mile mark, my minor miracle happened. The two people who were just ahead of me could no longer maintain their pace, so they fell behind me. Hooray, someone else could have the cops on their tail!
I kept plugging away, checking behind me occasionally to make sure nobody was gaining on me. There were occasional spectators along the course and they were unfailingly kind and encouraging to me, which was pretty funny. Hard to take it seriously when someone says "great job" when you know better. :) At every mile marker, there were volunteers calling out split times. I told the volunteer at mile 3 not to tell me, because I didn't want to know. (And I was wearing my Garmin, so I knew anyway.)
With about three quarters of a mile to go, I caught up to another runner. He asked me how I was doing and I said that I was still making forward progress, so I figured that was a good sign. I asked how he was and he said he was struggling. He started to get ahead of me a bit, then he said "oh no, cramps again" and started walking. I wished him well and kept on going. Felt bad, but also was pathetically happy to pass someone else.
As I approached the finish line, I could see David taking photos so I tried to pick up the pace and look like a real runner. I will post pictures once I get a chance to pull them off his camera.
I finished the race right around the time I thought I would. It's interesting that I would have felt great about my finish if there had been more people behind me, but the same time felt like failure when I was so close to the end. I need to get a little better at only feeling competitive with myself and not worrying about what everyone else is doing.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
2010 Racing Madness
I set a goal for 2010 of running 1,200 miles (because that's what I did in 2009) and running six races of half marathon length or longer (again, that's what I did in 2009).
I'm currently a little behind the pace for the 1,200 mile goal, due to being exceptionally lazy in April and May, but I'm working on getting caught up. And I think I'm going to over-achieve on the six half marathons thing. As I mentioned in my last post, I've done four half marathons this year. And I have a bunch more races on the schedule.
6/19 Cheesetown Challenge 5 Mile
6/26 Solstice Run 10 Mile
7/31 The Legend 5 Mile
9/4 Labor Day 30K
10/3 Twin Cities Marathon
10/17 Freep Half Marathon
11/7 New York Marathon
Check out those last four - they're all half marathon or longer, so if I manage to complete these races then I'll surpass my goal by two races.
The Labor Day 30K is a race that made me cry last year, so I'm determined to kick its ass this time around. Must do more hill training! I'm hoping that my friend Megan is going to come run it with me.
The New York Marathon is going to be a crazy dream come true. My friends Wendy and Ken had an automatic in since they've participated in the lottery for the last three years without getting selected. So when Wendy suggested I throw my name into the lottery, I figured "what the heck" and did it.
I'll admit that I was sort of hoping I wouldn't get selected, because I wasn't sure if I wanted to train for a marathon this year. I am naturally lazy, after all! But indeed, I was chosen in the lottery and how could I turn down such a fabulous opportunity? Sure, the trip to New York will cost me approximately a million dollars, but what a wonderful experience it will be. And I'm excited to have a chance to run with Wendy and Ken again. Let's hope I can keep up this time!
The Twin Cities Marathon that's a mere five weeks before NYC? Yeah, not 100% sure about that one yet. I'm registered for the race (and good thing, because it's sold out now), but I don't know if I can handle two marathons that close together. Actually, I take that back. I CAN handle two marathons that close together, but I am fundamentally lazy. Which makes me realize that I have to do it. Laziness must not prevail!
The reason I was drawn to Twin Cities is because I have a friend who will be running it as her very first marathon and I'd love to be there to support her. I know how much it meant to me to have friends run my first marathon with me and I would love to give my friend similar support - even though I'm quite sure she'll beat me to the finish line. So hey, maybe she can hang out at the finish and give me support when I creak across the line. :) Do you hear me, Megan? I expect you to wait at the finish for me!
I'm currently a little behind the pace for the 1,200 mile goal, due to being exceptionally lazy in April and May, but I'm working on getting caught up. And I think I'm going to over-achieve on the six half marathons thing. As I mentioned in my last post, I've done four half marathons this year. And I have a bunch more races on the schedule.
6/19 Cheesetown Challenge 5 Mile
6/26 Solstice Run 10 Mile
7/31 The Legend 5 Mile
9/4 Labor Day 30K
10/3 Twin Cities Marathon
10/17 Freep Half Marathon
11/7 New York Marathon
Check out those last four - they're all half marathon or longer, so if I manage to complete these races then I'll surpass my goal by two races.
The Labor Day 30K is a race that made me cry last year, so I'm determined to kick its ass this time around. Must do more hill training! I'm hoping that my friend Megan is going to come run it with me.
The New York Marathon is going to be a crazy dream come true. My friends Wendy and Ken had an automatic in since they've participated in the lottery for the last three years without getting selected. So when Wendy suggested I throw my name into the lottery, I figured "what the heck" and did it.
I'll admit that I was sort of hoping I wouldn't get selected, because I wasn't sure if I wanted to train for a marathon this year. I am naturally lazy, after all! But indeed, I was chosen in the lottery and how could I turn down such a fabulous opportunity? Sure, the trip to New York will cost me approximately a million dollars, but what a wonderful experience it will be. And I'm excited to have a chance to run with Wendy and Ken again. Let's hope I can keep up this time!
The Twin Cities Marathon that's a mere five weeks before NYC? Yeah, not 100% sure about that one yet. I'm registered for the race (and good thing, because it's sold out now), but I don't know if I can handle two marathons that close together. Actually, I take that back. I CAN handle two marathons that close together, but I am fundamentally lazy. Which makes me realize that I have to do it. Laziness must not prevail!
The reason I was drawn to Twin Cities is because I have a friend who will be running it as her very first marathon and I'd love to be there to support her. I know how much it meant to me to have friends run my first marathon with me and I would love to give my friend similar support - even though I'm quite sure she'll beat me to the finish line. So hey, maybe she can hang out at the finish and give me support when I creak across the line. :) Do you hear me, Megan? I expect you to wait at the finish for me!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Brushing off the dust!
Poor little blog, abandoned for almost eight months. I may be ready to brush off the dust and cobwebs, and start posting again. Some day when I'm old, I may enjoy reading back on the days when I was able to run.
Though it might appear so from the lack of activity here, I didn't actually quit running after completing the marathon in October. In fact, I've run quite a few races since then:
10/24/09 - Headless Horseman 5K
10/31/09 - Fright Night 5K
12/12/09 - Run Like the Dickens 5K
2/7/10 - Surf City Half Marathon
4/10/10 - Martian Half Marathon
5/21/10 - Fargo 5K
5/22/10 - Fargo Half Marathon
5/29/10 - Bayshore Half Marathon
6/5/10 - Oak Apple 10K
6/12/10 - Flirt with Dirt 5K
No race reports to follow. I'm far too lazy to go back and try to remember what happened at all of those races. I can barely remember the details five minutes after the race is done. But I will say, the Fargo races are HIGHLY recommended - especially if you love a course that really is flat!
So, that's it for now, but I won't be a stranger to the blog anymore and I'll be back soon enough to post about exciting upcoming events!
Though it might appear so from the lack of activity here, I didn't actually quit running after completing the marathon in October. In fact, I've run quite a few races since then:
10/24/09 - Headless Horseman 5K
10/31/09 - Fright Night 5K
12/12/09 - Run Like the Dickens 5K
2/7/10 - Surf City Half Marathon
4/10/10 - Martian Half Marathon
5/21/10 - Fargo 5K
5/22/10 - Fargo Half Marathon
5/29/10 - Bayshore Half Marathon
6/5/10 - Oak Apple 10K
6/12/10 - Flirt with Dirt 5K
No race reports to follow. I'm far too lazy to go back and try to remember what happened at all of those races. I can barely remember the details five minutes after the race is done. But I will say, the Fargo races are HIGHLY recommended - especially if you love a course that really is flat!
So, that's it for now, but I won't be a stranger to the blog anymore and I'll be back soon enough to post about exciting upcoming events!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Detroit Free Press Marathon Race Report
On Sunday, October 18th I completed my first marathon. Woo hoo! It was really hard but a wonderful experience.
My friend Wendy and her husband Ken came in from California to run the race. I met Wendy last year on an online fitness forum and she has been a big running inspiration to me. We met in person in May of this year when we visited another forum friend in Colorado and ran the Title 9K+ race in Boulder. David and I had dinner with Wendy and Ken on Saturday night and then we all went to our hotel rooms to try to get some rest. David and I stayed in the host hotel even though we live in the Detroit area because I didn't want to have to get up super early and then deal with traffic.
I slept better on Saturday night than I thought I would, though I still woke up several times. I ended up getting up half an hour before the alarm went off because I was a bundle of nerves. I had a special item to wear as part of race day apparel, because my friend Megan sent me a bracelet that says "Mind Over Miles." She sent one for my running buddy Vicki, too, which is so sweet of her. Vicki and I trained together and planned to run the marathon together. It was Vicki's first marathon, too.
My breakfast of champions consisted of oatmeal, a chewy granola bar, and two Tylenol tablets. A little pre-medication can't hurt, right?
We headed out of the hotel with Wendy and Ken at 6am, allowing us plenty of time to walk to the start corral which was less than a mile away. Well, we TRIED to head out of the hotel at 6am. The hotel is in the middle of the Renaissance Center, which is a group of interconnected cylindrical towers. And let me tell you, it's a freaking maze in there. It took us a while to find our way out to the street.
When we arrived at the start, we found our corral. Wendy and Ken were supposed to be in a faster corral but they sneaked into mine so they could run with me. Vicki and I had agreed to meet at the corral. I didn't see her so I started calling her cell phone. I called several times and walked through the whole corral searching for her, but I never found her! I did not see her for the entire race. I was very upset because I'm the one who talked her into doing the marathon in the first place. I knew she was riding downtown together with her friend Pam, who was also running the marathon, so she wasn't starting the race alone. But it was still really upsetting.
Standing in the corral in the cold was nerve-wracking. Did I mention that I was a bundle of nerves? At 7:15 the first corral was released and we started moving up. Our corral was sent off just past 7:30. I was really happy that I could still see David on the sidelines because that helped keep me calmer. Once we crossed the start line, my nerves mostly disappeared but I was still wondering about Vicki.
I went out a little faster than I planned but that was ok. One thing I found annoying is that a lot of people dropped their throwaway clothes right in the middle of the street. Come on people, go toss it on the side of the road so your fellow runners don't have to trip over it.
At about mile two we reached the approach to the Ambassador Bridge. I am no fan of hills but I was excited about crossing the bridge. Could have done without the winding around on the approach to the bridge, because it made it really apparent how many people were way in front of me already. :) But the bridge was fantastic. The sun was just coming up so we had a gorgeous view of the sunrise and the many trees that were wearing their fall colors.
Over the bridge, we soon turned onto Riverside Drive in Windsor for a long straightaway along the river. This was also very cool because there's a sculpture park along the way and a fantastic view of downtown Detroit. But I didn't pay as much attention to the scenery as I probably should have because I was thinking about running and the distance in front of me. Wendy and Ken were in front of me for most of this, but not too far and it was easy to keep them in sight.
It seemed like we reached the tunnel pretty quickly. The tunnel was interesting. It was pretty warm in there. Fortunately the crowd was pretty well spread out. Near the end of the tunnel, there were two guys in puffy jackets who didn't have race numbers. They were stopped by the cops and I wonder what happened to them.
Coming out of the tunnel - yay! It's David. We exchanged "I love you's" (awww) and he said "See you at 12." I thought, wow, he has an overly optimistic idea of how long it will take me to do this race. I took my first GU here and also my first dose of Aleve. My feet weren't hurting yet and I wanted to keep it that way!
The next few miles are a blur. I remember I got depressed when we passed the point where the half split off. I contemplated heading for the half finish and taking a DNF but quickly realized that was ridiculous. Plus, there were Wendy and Ken up ahead motioning me on to continue. And then much to my surprise, there was David again on the side of the road. Turns out that when he said "See you at 12" he meant mile 12, not 12pm. :) That was a nice psychological boost to see him.
I continued trudging along, keeping Ken and Wendy in sight up ahead. Wendy needed to make a pit stop somewhere between 12 and 13 so Ken and I waited for her. In retrospect, I should have kept going because 1) they run a lot faster than I do so inevitably they would catch up to me and 2) my legs seize up if I stop moving forward. Took me a bit to get forward motion going again in anything resembling a smooth movement.
Maybe a mile or so after that, Wendy and Ken pulled over to the side. Wendy was taking off her jacket and Ken looked like he was stretching. Having learned from my previous error, I kept going. Wendy caught up with me soon after and said Ken had mentioned his ankle was hurting. She'd suggested he drop out at the half but he didn't want to do that.
I was thinking negative thoughts at this point about how much still remained ahead of me. It was probably my lowest point in the race. Wendy told me that this was the part of the race where she just started focusing on the next mile marker. I started doing that and it's amazing how much it helped me. I would repeat to myself (in my head, not out loud) "just get to 15, just get to 15" or whatever the next mile was. Somehow that made the miles go by faster. I also occasionally muttered a long drawn-out f-bomb (out loud, not in my head) but I kept it fairly quiet so as not to offend my fellow runners who may not be as potty-mouthed as I am.
Somewhere in the miles between 14 and 16 I could no longer manage to keep Wendy in my sights. I'd told her and Ken before the race that they should take off whenever they felt like it and I didn't think they had any obligation to stick with me. Ken was still behind me at this point and I wasn't sure what was going on with him.
The run through Indian Village was another highlight of the race. It's beautiful there - the houses are great, the trees were pretty and the residents were very encouraging. I skipped the beer that was being offered, as well as the jelly beans. Seemed like it would not be in my best interest to partake in them. At mile 16 I took my second GU and another dose of Aleve.
I think the Aleve was a life-saver for me. By mile 15 of my 20-miler, my feet were killing me. But during the whole marathon, my feet felt a little sore but nothing like the anguish I experienced previously.
We did a weird little loop around some traffic cones on Jefferson and then headed in the direction of Belle Isle. It was at this point that I started taking more walk breaks. When I do another marathon some day I'm going to work on eliminating walk breaks as much as possible. Or else I will plan them (e.g. run 10 minutes, walk one minute) so I don't end up stretching the walking out longer and longer.
On the bridge to Belle Isle, Ken came up to me again to see how I was doing. Apparently he had been feeling somewhat barfy though he never actually vomited. He said that it was clear to him he needed to do some more training (did I mention that he's an amazing adventure racer and will be doing a 150 mile race in March?) Yep, a marathon is only a training race for him, because he is unbelievably impressive. I'm in awe of him.
Belle Isle was a little aggravating to me because there was some DJ providing "entertainment" at mile 22 near where people were getting back onto the bridge to exit Belle Isle. The only problem is that those of us entering Belle Isle around mile 19 could also hear him clear as a bell saying "you're at mile 22, only four miles to go." That is depressing to hear when you've got 7 miles to go. Plus this DJ had no idea how to motivate runners. Berating someone for taking a walk break at mile 22 is not the way to go, jackass!
I saw Ken again on Belle Isle but he dropped back again. I found out later that he was probably about 50 yards behind me for the last 7 or 8 miles of the race. Since he wasn't having a good race himself, he made it his mission to make sure I was doing all right. What a sweetheart!
When I exited Belle Isle I managed not to punch the DJ in the face. I didn't have the energy to form a fist anyway. No way would I have been able to put any power behind the punch. Maybe I could have mustered up a bitch slap but he wasn't worth it. It was encouraging to leave Belle Isle and realize that I was kind of in the home stretch.
I'm somewhat embarrassed to say that I walked HUGE portions of the last 6 miles of the race. My legs were so fatigued. My goal at that point was to make sure I finished within 5 1/2 hours. That was partly because it was the time I'd predicted all along, but also because the late checkout at the Marriott was only until 2pm so if I didn't finish in 5 1/2 hours there was no way I would make it back to the hotel in time to take a shower before checking out. I did NOT want to have to drive all the way home to shower before coming back downtown for dinner with Wendy and Ken.
When I walked, I tried to keep up a decent pace. I noticed a lot of people were strolling along slowly on their walk breaks but I figured 5 1/2 hours is long enough to be on my feet and again, I had the shower to motivate me.
The run (walk in my case) along the Riverwalk was cool. That was the first time I'd ever been on the Riverwalk and it was great to see how access to the riverfront has been opened up. Very nice! Around mile 23 or 24 some people said things like "you're almost there." I couldn't help myself and said to one guy "unless I can see the finish line, I'm not almost there." I know people are trying to be encouraging but come on, 2 or 3 miles to go is not "almost there." Those feel like endless miles at that point, at least to me.
As I reached the 25 mile marker, I put on the dorky Bluetooth headset and called David as previously agreed upon to let him know I was getting closer. He didn't hear the phone ring so I left a message letting him know where I was and that I was walking so it was probably going to be another 15 or 16 minutes.
Soon after that Ken approached me and asked how I was doing. I said I was probably going to walk to the finish. But then I saw my brother Rob yelling encouragement. Well, I couldn't embarrass myself by walking it in after that, so I started to run (very slowly). Rob said he would call ahead to his wife Milissa, who was waiting at the finish along with David and my nephew Alex. Rob loped along on the sidewalk not having any trouble keeping up with me.
Coach Sandy from Team in Training saw me somewhere between 25 and 26, can't remember where exactly. She ran with us for a bit, gave me lots of encouragement and told me Team in Training had a water station around the corner about half a mile from the finish. She left us and we finally turned that last corner and could see the finish line. That felt like a really long half mile to me. I managed to keep running but I have to say that it was damn hard for me to do so. If you saw the finish line video in the prior post then you know I was not exhibiting good running form at this point. :)
I saw David and my family and heard them yelling for me. Tried really hard to smile but couldn't quite do it until I crossed the finish line. People told me it would feel amazing to cross the finish line but I didn't really believe it until it happened to me. I took my beautiful medal and put it around my neck. The benefit of finishing as late as I did is that the security around the "runners only" area was non-existent so Rob, Milissa, Alex and David came right over to hug me. I felt like crying. I can't believe I completed a marathon.
And I made it to the hotel with 20 minutes before checkout so I took that shower. Yeah! Then David, Wendy and Ken and I had a drink at the bar and headed to Pizzapapalis in Greektown for a delicious pizza feast. Ken gave me a bracelet that says "Nothing Great is Easy" from endurancetrust.org.
Before David and I left Wendy and Ken at the hotel, Wendy gave me the most wonderful gift. It's a beautiful silver bracelet with a heart charm on it. The charm is engraved with "Detroit Marathon" on one side and the date on the other. Wendy said a friend gave her a similar bracelet after Wendy completed her first marathon. I am so touched and feel honored to have Wendy as my friend. Now I will always have a reminder of the wonderful weekend and this amazing experience.
My friend Wendy and her husband Ken came in from California to run the race. I met Wendy last year on an online fitness forum and she has been a big running inspiration to me. We met in person in May of this year when we visited another forum friend in Colorado and ran the Title 9K+ race in Boulder. David and I had dinner with Wendy and Ken on Saturday night and then we all went to our hotel rooms to try to get some rest. David and I stayed in the host hotel even though we live in the Detroit area because I didn't want to have to get up super early and then deal with traffic.
I slept better on Saturday night than I thought I would, though I still woke up several times. I ended up getting up half an hour before the alarm went off because I was a bundle of nerves. I had a special item to wear as part of race day apparel, because my friend Megan sent me a bracelet that says "Mind Over Miles." She sent one for my running buddy Vicki, too, which is so sweet of her. Vicki and I trained together and planned to run the marathon together. It was Vicki's first marathon, too.
My breakfast of champions consisted of oatmeal, a chewy granola bar, and two Tylenol tablets. A little pre-medication can't hurt, right?
We headed out of the hotel with Wendy and Ken at 6am, allowing us plenty of time to walk to the start corral which was less than a mile away. Well, we TRIED to head out of the hotel at 6am. The hotel is in the middle of the Renaissance Center, which is a group of interconnected cylindrical towers. And let me tell you, it's a freaking maze in there. It took us a while to find our way out to the street.
When we arrived at the start, we found our corral. Wendy and Ken were supposed to be in a faster corral but they sneaked into mine so they could run with me. Vicki and I had agreed to meet at the corral. I didn't see her so I started calling her cell phone. I called several times and walked through the whole corral searching for her, but I never found her! I did not see her for the entire race. I was very upset because I'm the one who talked her into doing the marathon in the first place. I knew she was riding downtown together with her friend Pam, who was also running the marathon, so she wasn't starting the race alone. But it was still really upsetting.
Standing in the corral in the cold was nerve-wracking. Did I mention that I was a bundle of nerves? At 7:15 the first corral was released and we started moving up. Our corral was sent off just past 7:30. I was really happy that I could still see David on the sidelines because that helped keep me calmer. Once we crossed the start line, my nerves mostly disappeared but I was still wondering about Vicki.
I went out a little faster than I planned but that was ok. One thing I found annoying is that a lot of people dropped their throwaway clothes right in the middle of the street. Come on people, go toss it on the side of the road so your fellow runners don't have to trip over it.
At about mile two we reached the approach to the Ambassador Bridge. I am no fan of hills but I was excited about crossing the bridge. Could have done without the winding around on the approach to the bridge, because it made it really apparent how many people were way in front of me already. :) But the bridge was fantastic. The sun was just coming up so we had a gorgeous view of the sunrise and the many trees that were wearing their fall colors.
Over the bridge, we soon turned onto Riverside Drive in Windsor for a long straightaway along the river. This was also very cool because there's a sculpture park along the way and a fantastic view of downtown Detroit. But I didn't pay as much attention to the scenery as I probably should have because I was thinking about running and the distance in front of me. Wendy and Ken were in front of me for most of this, but not too far and it was easy to keep them in sight.
It seemed like we reached the tunnel pretty quickly. The tunnel was interesting. It was pretty warm in there. Fortunately the crowd was pretty well spread out. Near the end of the tunnel, there were two guys in puffy jackets who didn't have race numbers. They were stopped by the cops and I wonder what happened to them.
Coming out of the tunnel - yay! It's David. We exchanged "I love you's" (awww) and he said "See you at 12." I thought, wow, he has an overly optimistic idea of how long it will take me to do this race. I took my first GU here and also my first dose of Aleve. My feet weren't hurting yet and I wanted to keep it that way!
The next few miles are a blur. I remember I got depressed when we passed the point where the half split off. I contemplated heading for the half finish and taking a DNF but quickly realized that was ridiculous. Plus, there were Wendy and Ken up ahead motioning me on to continue. And then much to my surprise, there was David again on the side of the road. Turns out that when he said "See you at 12" he meant mile 12, not 12pm. :) That was a nice psychological boost to see him.
I continued trudging along, keeping Ken and Wendy in sight up ahead. Wendy needed to make a pit stop somewhere between 12 and 13 so Ken and I waited for her. In retrospect, I should have kept going because 1) they run a lot faster than I do so inevitably they would catch up to me and 2) my legs seize up if I stop moving forward. Took me a bit to get forward motion going again in anything resembling a smooth movement.
Maybe a mile or so after that, Wendy and Ken pulled over to the side. Wendy was taking off her jacket and Ken looked like he was stretching. Having learned from my previous error, I kept going. Wendy caught up with me soon after and said Ken had mentioned his ankle was hurting. She'd suggested he drop out at the half but he didn't want to do that.
I was thinking negative thoughts at this point about how much still remained ahead of me. It was probably my lowest point in the race. Wendy told me that this was the part of the race where she just started focusing on the next mile marker. I started doing that and it's amazing how much it helped me. I would repeat to myself (in my head, not out loud) "just get to 15, just get to 15" or whatever the next mile was. Somehow that made the miles go by faster. I also occasionally muttered a long drawn-out f-bomb (out loud, not in my head) but I kept it fairly quiet so as not to offend my fellow runners who may not be as potty-mouthed as I am.
Somewhere in the miles between 14 and 16 I could no longer manage to keep Wendy in my sights. I'd told her and Ken before the race that they should take off whenever they felt like it and I didn't think they had any obligation to stick with me. Ken was still behind me at this point and I wasn't sure what was going on with him.
The run through Indian Village was another highlight of the race. It's beautiful there - the houses are great, the trees were pretty and the residents were very encouraging. I skipped the beer that was being offered, as well as the jelly beans. Seemed like it would not be in my best interest to partake in them. At mile 16 I took my second GU and another dose of Aleve.
I think the Aleve was a life-saver for me. By mile 15 of my 20-miler, my feet were killing me. But during the whole marathon, my feet felt a little sore but nothing like the anguish I experienced previously.
We did a weird little loop around some traffic cones on Jefferson and then headed in the direction of Belle Isle. It was at this point that I started taking more walk breaks. When I do another marathon some day I'm going to work on eliminating walk breaks as much as possible. Or else I will plan them (e.g. run 10 minutes, walk one minute) so I don't end up stretching the walking out longer and longer.
On the bridge to Belle Isle, Ken came up to me again to see how I was doing. Apparently he had been feeling somewhat barfy though he never actually vomited. He said that it was clear to him he needed to do some more training (did I mention that he's an amazing adventure racer and will be doing a 150 mile race in March?) Yep, a marathon is only a training race for him, because he is unbelievably impressive. I'm in awe of him.
Belle Isle was a little aggravating to me because there was some DJ providing "entertainment" at mile 22 near where people were getting back onto the bridge to exit Belle Isle. The only problem is that those of us entering Belle Isle around mile 19 could also hear him clear as a bell saying "you're at mile 22, only four miles to go." That is depressing to hear when you've got 7 miles to go. Plus this DJ had no idea how to motivate runners. Berating someone for taking a walk break at mile 22 is not the way to go, jackass!
I saw Ken again on Belle Isle but he dropped back again. I found out later that he was probably about 50 yards behind me for the last 7 or 8 miles of the race. Since he wasn't having a good race himself, he made it his mission to make sure I was doing all right. What a sweetheart!
When I exited Belle Isle I managed not to punch the DJ in the face. I didn't have the energy to form a fist anyway. No way would I have been able to put any power behind the punch. Maybe I could have mustered up a bitch slap but he wasn't worth it. It was encouraging to leave Belle Isle and realize that I was kind of in the home stretch.
I'm somewhat embarrassed to say that I walked HUGE portions of the last 6 miles of the race. My legs were so fatigued. My goal at that point was to make sure I finished within 5 1/2 hours. That was partly because it was the time I'd predicted all along, but also because the late checkout at the Marriott was only until 2pm so if I didn't finish in 5 1/2 hours there was no way I would make it back to the hotel in time to take a shower before checking out. I did NOT want to have to drive all the way home to shower before coming back downtown for dinner with Wendy and Ken.
When I walked, I tried to keep up a decent pace. I noticed a lot of people were strolling along slowly on their walk breaks but I figured 5 1/2 hours is long enough to be on my feet and again, I had the shower to motivate me.
The run (walk in my case) along the Riverwalk was cool. That was the first time I'd ever been on the Riverwalk and it was great to see how access to the riverfront has been opened up. Very nice! Around mile 23 or 24 some people said things like "you're almost there." I couldn't help myself and said to one guy "unless I can see the finish line, I'm not almost there." I know people are trying to be encouraging but come on, 2 or 3 miles to go is not "almost there." Those feel like endless miles at that point, at least to me.
As I reached the 25 mile marker, I put on the dorky Bluetooth headset and called David as previously agreed upon to let him know I was getting closer. He didn't hear the phone ring so I left a message letting him know where I was and that I was walking so it was probably going to be another 15 or 16 minutes.
Soon after that Ken approached me and asked how I was doing. I said I was probably going to walk to the finish. But then I saw my brother Rob yelling encouragement. Well, I couldn't embarrass myself by walking it in after that, so I started to run (very slowly). Rob said he would call ahead to his wife Milissa, who was waiting at the finish along with David and my nephew Alex. Rob loped along on the sidewalk not having any trouble keeping up with me.
Coach Sandy from Team in Training saw me somewhere between 25 and 26, can't remember where exactly. She ran with us for a bit, gave me lots of encouragement and told me Team in Training had a water station around the corner about half a mile from the finish. She left us and we finally turned that last corner and could see the finish line. That felt like a really long half mile to me. I managed to keep running but I have to say that it was damn hard for me to do so. If you saw the finish line video in the prior post then you know I was not exhibiting good running form at this point. :)
I saw David and my family and heard them yelling for me. Tried really hard to smile but couldn't quite do it until I crossed the finish line. People told me it would feel amazing to cross the finish line but I didn't really believe it until it happened to me. I took my beautiful medal and put it around my neck. The benefit of finishing as late as I did is that the security around the "runners only" area was non-existent so Rob, Milissa, Alex and David came right over to hug me. I felt like crying. I can't believe I completed a marathon.
And I made it to the hotel with 20 minutes before checkout so I took that shower. Yeah! Then David, Wendy and Ken and I had a drink at the bar and headed to Pizzapapalis in Greektown for a delicious pizza feast. Ken gave me a bracelet that says "Nothing Great is Easy" from endurancetrust.org.
Before David and I left Wendy and Ken at the hotel, Wendy gave me the most wonderful gift. It's a beautiful silver bracelet with a heart charm on it. The charm is engraved with "Detroit Marathon" on one side and the date on the other. Wendy said a friend gave her a similar bracelet after Wendy completed her first marathon. I am so touched and feel honored to have Wendy as my friend. Now I will always have a reminder of the wonderful weekend and this amazing experience.
Detroit Free Press Marathon
I completed the Detroit Free Press Marathon yesterday! Race report to come, but in the meantime here's a video of me crossing the finish line. Pain face is in full effect. I'm the one in the long-sleeved pink shirt and black hat, behind the group of people holding hands. The man next to me in the orange hat and peace symbol shirt is my friend Ken who crossed the finish line with me. His wife Wendy ran the race, too but finished well ahead of us.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Brooksie Way 5K Race Report
Last Sunday, David and I ran the Brooksie Way 5K. I ran the inaugural Brooksie 5K last year as my second race ever and was horribly disappointed when the course turned out to be a third of a mile short. But I want to eventually be one of those old people who says "Well I've run this race 25 times, every time since the first year they did way back in twenty ought eight" so I decided to give it another chance.
The weather was fairly cool on race day so I wore a long-sleeved shirt and shorts. (Naturally I regretted the long sleeves about 1/4 mile into the race. But it was my awesome shirt from the Dick Beardsley half marathon in Minnesota that I ran last month so I wanted to wear it.) Anyway, we left the house a bit later than planned and naturally there was traffic on the road leading to the university where the race started. So we arrived with enough time to get to the start line and not enough time to look for any of my friends who were running the half marathon that started shortly after the 5K.
We lined up about halfway back in the 5K pack but that was a poor choice because when the race started, the people in front of us barely moved. David usually takes off like a jackrabbit at a 5K so I was surprised to see him still beside me after a minute. He finally dodged around the crowd and took off. He ended up with a PR. Yay!
My plan was to take it pretty easy for a couple of reasons. One, hello, I am running a marathon soon and I didn't want to go nuts and get injured. Two, I'd done a 15 mile run the day before so my legs weren't fresh. And three, well, I'm kind of lazy. I had no intention of trying for a PR.
The course was much the same as last year (except the start line was farther back) and I knew there was going to be a rather painful hill about halfway through. I focused on keeping a steady pace and having a good time. Saw lots of people sprinting ahead and then having to take walk breaks. I have been that person before and I don't have any interest in doing that again. Weirdly, there was a water stop around the 0.25 mile mark. Who needs water a quarter mile into a 5K? That was just plain strange. All I can think is that was a water stop near the end of the half marathon course, but I don't know.
As I approached the hill I told myself I was not going to walk it. Last year I started walking about halfway up the hill but I knew I could do better this year. I'm proud to say I conquered that hill. Well okay, I was huffing and puffing but still, I didn't walk it.
As usual, I can't remember a lot of details. But I do remember a few sweet downhills which I totally took advantage of, including a downhill leading to the finish line. Woo hoo, I came flying down that hill and felt like a real runner for once as I crossed the line strong instead of wheezing my way across it.
The course was actually a 5K this time around, so I guess I can stop bitching about last year finally. My total time was about 30 seconds slower than my PR, which was faster than I intended to run this thing. I guess those downhills helped and maybe I'm not quite as lazy as I thought. In any case, I had a lot of fun and I will do this race again next year (God willing and barring any injuries, of course). Good times!
The weather was fairly cool on race day so I wore a long-sleeved shirt and shorts. (Naturally I regretted the long sleeves about 1/4 mile into the race. But it was my awesome shirt from the Dick Beardsley half marathon in Minnesota that I ran last month so I wanted to wear it.) Anyway, we left the house a bit later than planned and naturally there was traffic on the road leading to the university where the race started. So we arrived with enough time to get to the start line and not enough time to look for any of my friends who were running the half marathon that started shortly after the 5K.
We lined up about halfway back in the 5K pack but that was a poor choice because when the race started, the people in front of us barely moved. David usually takes off like a jackrabbit at a 5K so I was surprised to see him still beside me after a minute. He finally dodged around the crowd and took off. He ended up with a PR. Yay!
My plan was to take it pretty easy for a couple of reasons. One, hello, I am running a marathon soon and I didn't want to go nuts and get injured. Two, I'd done a 15 mile run the day before so my legs weren't fresh. And three, well, I'm kind of lazy. I had no intention of trying for a PR.
The course was much the same as last year (except the start line was farther back) and I knew there was going to be a rather painful hill about halfway through. I focused on keeping a steady pace and having a good time. Saw lots of people sprinting ahead and then having to take walk breaks. I have been that person before and I don't have any interest in doing that again. Weirdly, there was a water stop around the 0.25 mile mark. Who needs water a quarter mile into a 5K? That was just plain strange. All I can think is that was a water stop near the end of the half marathon course, but I don't know.
As I approached the hill I told myself I was not going to walk it. Last year I started walking about halfway up the hill but I knew I could do better this year. I'm proud to say I conquered that hill. Well okay, I was huffing and puffing but still, I didn't walk it.
As usual, I can't remember a lot of details. But I do remember a few sweet downhills which I totally took advantage of, including a downhill leading to the finish line. Woo hoo, I came flying down that hill and felt like a real runner for once as I crossed the line strong instead of wheezing my way across it.
The course was actually a 5K this time around, so I guess I can stop bitching about last year finally. My total time was about 30 seconds slower than my PR, which was faster than I intended to run this thing. I guess those downhills helped and maybe I'm not quite as lazy as I thought. In any case, I had a lot of fun and I will do this race again next year (God willing and barring any injuries, of course). Good times!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Good news and bad news
First, the bad news. My new shoes aren't the solution to my sore feet on long runs.
Second, the good news. My 15 mile run today was awesome. I felt great. I had sore feet for the last few miles but because I was expecting it, it seemed easier to take. I felt substantially better after 15 miles today than I did at the 15 mile mark last weekend. Also, I took an Aleve about 8 miles in and I think that helped, too. My legs didn't feel as sore so I believe that made the feet easier to handle.
I'm starting to feel like this marathon is going to be okay. Also, I know it helped to find out that my friend Wendy and her husband Ken plan to run the marathon alongside me and my running buddy Vicki. I knew Wendy and Ken were coming to run the marathon but didn't know they were going to stick with us. Wendy said that she wants to cross the finish line with me. They are so awesome! They're veteran marathoners and could finish much faster but they said they don't care about time. What a mental boost that will be to have them by my side! It's going to help me tremendously.
Life is good!
Second, the good news. My 15 mile run today was awesome. I felt great. I had sore feet for the last few miles but because I was expecting it, it seemed easier to take. I felt substantially better after 15 miles today than I did at the 15 mile mark last weekend. Also, I took an Aleve about 8 miles in and I think that helped, too. My legs didn't feel as sore so I believe that made the feet easier to handle.
I'm starting to feel like this marathon is going to be okay. Also, I know it helped to find out that my friend Wendy and her husband Ken plan to run the marathon alongside me and my running buddy Vicki. I knew Wendy and Ken were coming to run the marathon but didn't know they were going to stick with us. Wendy said that she wants to cross the finish line with me. They are so awesome! They're veteran marathoners and could finish much faster but they said they don't care about time. What a mental boost that will be to have them by my side! It's going to help me tremendously.
Life is good!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Shoes, pain and mental strength
Ran another five miles in the new Sauconys today. Still feel good. The real test is Saturday's 15 miles. But from what I hear, it is normal to get sore feet during a marathon. I'm pretending I don't know that.
I need to come up with some strategies to stay in a positive frame of mind even when my feet hurt and I don't feel like running anymore. I am going to finish this marathon, damn it. And it would be a bonus if I actually have fun instead of treating it like a death march.
I need to come up with some strategies to stay in a positive frame of mind even when my feet hurt and I don't feel like running anymore. I am going to finish this marathon, damn it. And it would be a bonus if I actually have fun instead of treating it like a death march.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
So far, so good
I tried out the new Saucony shoes this morning. They felt fine, but it was only a five mile run so time will tell how they feel over a longer distance. But I was glad they were comfortable for a short run. Even if they don't help for a long run at least I know I'll be able to use them.
My total mileage for September was 163.93. Should have run an extra .07 just to get to a nice even number. That mileage wouldn't sound like a lot to a hard core runner, but that's a ton for me. My previous high mileage month was August with 153.19. Prior to that, I didn't even break 100 miles for most months.
Oh, and at the beginning of the year I set a goal of running 1,000 miles in 2009. As of today, I'm at 1002.94, so mission accomplished. I guess I can stop running for the rest of the year if I want to. :)
My total mileage for September was 163.93. Should have run an extra .07 just to get to a nice even number. That mileage wouldn't sound like a lot to a hard core runner, but that's a ton for me. My previous high mileage month was August with 153.19. Prior to that, I didn't even break 100 miles for most months.
Oh, and at the beginning of the year I set a goal of running 1,000 miles in 2009. As of today, I'm at 1002.94, so mission accomplished. I guess I can stop running for the rest of the year if I want to. :)
Sunday, September 27, 2009
New Shoes
I went to the awesome local running shop (Hansons) today and talked to them about how flipping sore my feet were during the 20 mile run yesterday. I am now the owner of a pair of Saucony ProGrid Guide 2 shoes. I bought men's because I have big feet and they felt good.
I'll be doing 15 miles next Saturday so we'll see how the feet feel after that. I hope to God these help with the problem because otherwise I'm not sure how I'll manage 26.2.
I'll be doing 15 miles next Saturday so we'll see how the feet feel after that. I hope to God these help with the problem because otherwise I'm not sure how I'll manage 26.2.
Recovery Run
Went out for a nice little three mile run today to loosen things up. The first several steps were tough - my legs were protesting! After that, I settled in and felt good. Running three miles sure feels nice and short after the agony that is a 20 miler. It's amazing to me how much better my legs and feet feel compared to yesterday. I enjoyed running today.
Now I'm going to forget all about the 20 mile agony and pretend that the whole marathon will feel just as great as today did.
Now I'm going to forget all about the 20 mile agony and pretend that the whole marathon will feel just as great as today did.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
20 Miler
I ran 20 miles today. Holy crap, that was hard! I spent the last five miles telling myself that I was going to back out of this whole crazy marathon idea. Then I finally finished the 20 miles and took some Aleve and felt better, and I realized that after all this fricking training I have to find a way to get through the marathon.
But seriously, why do my legs have to get so damn sore? Gah. I'm good through 14 or 15 miles and then I get really sore and I want to give up. I'm definitely having issues with the mental aspect of running long distances. I need to figure out a solution before the marathon on October 18th.
I'm just going to tell myself that after the taper my legs will feel nice and fresh for marathon day, so it will seem easier. Please, nobody disabuse me of that notion. It's all I have to hang on to right now!
But seriously, why do my legs have to get so damn sore? Gah. I'm good through 14 or 15 miles and then I get really sore and I want to give up. I'm definitely having issues with the mental aspect of running long distances. I need to figure out a solution before the marathon on October 18th.
I'm just going to tell myself that after the taper my legs will feel nice and fresh for marathon day, so it will seem easier. Please, nobody disabuse me of that notion. It's all I have to hang on to right now!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Back. Sorta.
Ah, my poor neglected blog! How could I abandon you?
Short update for now:
- I'm still training for the Detroit Free Press Marathon
- I have to run 20 miles on Saturday and I'm dreading it
- I did a 30K race on a freaking hilly course over Labor Day weekend and I did a terrible job and it scared me into thinking perhaps this marathon thing is not for me. But I will keep going and hope that the 20-miler restores some confidence.
In happier news, on Saturday I ran a 5K. This particular 5K was the very first race I ever did, when I started running last year. So this was my first repeat visit to a race. It was fun and I set a PR. Yay!
Short update for now:
- I'm still training for the Detroit Free Press Marathon
- I have to run 20 miles on Saturday and I'm dreading it
- I did a 30K race on a freaking hilly course over Labor Day weekend and I did a terrible job and it scared me into thinking perhaps this marathon thing is not for me. But I will keep going and hope that the 20-miler restores some confidence.
In happier news, on Saturday I ran a 5K. This particular 5K was the very first race I ever did, when I started running last year. So this was my first repeat visit to a race. It was fun and I set a PR. Yay!
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