Home, Home On the Range...

I was really looking forward to my long run at home in Cameron, TX this past week. Mainly for two reasons--I didn't get in my long run the week before, and I was planning on running this one a little differently. Backwards. Just kidding (although, I may try that one of these days). I decided to run from my mom's house to the mailbox and back 16 times. Now, you may think that's nothing--what kind of a long run is that? Well, our mailbox happens to be exactly half a mile from our front yard. So, running there and back 16 times meant that I would be running 16 miles (if I did the math correctly). I definitely would not do this on a regular basis, but I really had fun doing it this once. It was kind of a little adventure. The run was along a dirt road past a couple houses (Aunt Lisa's and Aunt Tammy's), through the ravine, past a couple fields, and through the front gate to the mailboxes. I parked the little Saturn on the road in front of Mom's house and put a few goodies in the trunk (gatorade, water, ibuprofen, powerbar, light jacket, and paper and pencil to mark each mile). I stopped every 2 miles or so to hydrate and mark the miles. Then, I would run around the car and start the next mile.

The run started off extremely hot--close to 80 degrees. I was burning up. That was probably because I didn't think to bring my Summer running gear home during the WINTER. So I was in pants. It was pretty hot for about 9 miles or so. Then, a big storm came through, and it got extremely cold. I actually had to put my jacket on. It was in the 50's by the time I finished, but I'm sure it was colder than that during the run. The wind and the rain came in bursts, but it didn't last for very long. I think it had stopped raining by the time I finished.

As I was running around mile 6, my brother John was coming behind me in his truck. So, I picked up speed and raced him for a little stretch. It felt surprisingly good, but I lost. Later a few cousins came up behind me (in their boots and bare feet) and we raced. I lost horribly again.

A few other cousins were playing in one of the yards for a couple hours and kept asking me as I passed by how many I had left to go. They ran with me on the very last little stretch. They were great cheerleaders. I decided that I want them to be at my next race.

My legs felt really good the whole time. I mean, they were really annoyed with the ravine (up and down 32 times!) by the end of the run. But, they held up and I did a pretty good job of walking for the rest of the day. And I got my new shoes nice and dirty. It felt good.

Here are some pictures of my running route and the surrounding area. This is not where I grew up, but my family lives here now on 65 acres of beautiful Texas land.

AJ passed by and I was very tempted to jump in the back.

Jack--Protecter of the Longhorns

Jackson--The Bull

The ravine dips down there in the back.

Here is a picture of the road from inside the ravine.

Up one side of the ravine...

... and up the other side of the ravine.

The scouts are working on building a log cabin here...

We're still working on getting plumbing here...

I felt the way I look in this picture.

The Texas dirt treated me well, but I'm excited to pound the pavement in South Carolina again.

Shoes

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8.

I put my new Brooks on for the first time and ran 12 miles on Saturday. I felt like I was cheating--you know, like the shoes were doing more work than I was. I also felt a little frustrated that I didn't buy a new pair of shoes for the marathon last month. Not that I would have gone any faster, but my feet probably would have felt (and looked) a whole lot better afterward. A new pair of shoes makes a huge difference. I'll keep this in mind as February 14th rolls around. Maybe I can get a new pair as a Valentine's gift to myself... ??

When I got my shoes, I talked to the sales person about my black toes and that I wanted to find shoes that would help out that situation. She looked at the toes, calluses, and blisters and found a special insole to put in my shoes. They help my feet stay back as I step, so my toes don't get as squished at the front of the shoes (even though the shoes are plenty big enough). I'm really liking them. They're called SUPERfeet, if you want to take a look.

Side note:

I'm running the New Year's Resolution Half Marathon in Travelers Rest, SC on Saturday, January 3, 2009 with my friend, Crystal. I'm already tired and cold just thinking about it. I can't wait!

Training For Myrtle Beach

I started my training for the Myrtle Beach Marathon, which is on Valentine's Day! Here is my training schedule.

I felt pretty good after the marathon, but I took off the recommended time to rest and recover. On Thanksgiving morning, Melanie and I ran 7 miles, which was my longest run since the marathon. Other than the hills (in Texas??), it felt really good. And I didn't feel too guilty after eating way too much for Thanksgiving. Yes, way too much. I'm pretty sure I ate an entire piece of every kind of pie we had.

So, I started my official training this week. My left hamstring REALLY hurt after my tempo run on Wednesday (5 miles), but it's feeling fine now (I started yoga again). I'm excited to get in a 10 mile run tomorrow. I'm still trying to decide where to go. My usual route is getting pretty boring. Anyone in my area know of a good place to run?

***********************************************************************************

One thing I don't like about running (warning--this is kind of gross):

Black toenails (don't worry--no picture). So, I used to have 10 really nice toenails. Now I have 8 toenails. 5 of them are black. 3 are still pretty. I used to be okay with black toenails, because it meant that I was becoming a real runner (at least that's what my brother said). Now it's just getting annoying. I'm due for a new pair of running shoes, so hopefully I'll find something that works this time.

My First Marathon

Most interesting runner: A runner in the half marathon ... juggling.

Favorite quote: Dad--"Let's see if I can discombobulate my hip back into place."

Biggest surprise: My knees never gave out.

First person I called after I finished: Melanie (sorry I couldn't call everyone--I was pooped)

Favorite mid-race snack: Peanuts (my brother had this for his last race, so I decided to try it--LOVED it!)

Least favorite mid-race snack: Cliff Shot--vanilla flavor. Gross. I recommend Accel Gel--vanilla flavor. Yum (tastes like cake batter).

Favorite spectator poster: "You go, fartlekers!"

Favorite post-race snack: Ibuprofen.




So, we woke up nice and early (Dad, Janie, and me) and made it downtown to watch the start of the 8K (5,000 people) and the half-marathon (5,000 people). Dad and I were seriously tempted to jump in and run the 8k (instead of the marathon). So, after the half-marathoners moved out, Dad and I started making our way to where the marathon would be starting (this was another 5,000 people). We wanted to take it nice and easy, and we didn't want to get run over in the beginning, so we walked all the way to the back. I never heard the gun go off, but I heard cheering so I was pretty sure we had started. It took us about 4 minutes to get to the start line.

The first 12 1/2 miles were wonderful (at least for me). We were running at a very comfortable pace and walking whenever we needed to. Dad was having a lot of issues with his left leg and hip, so he was struggling a little bit, but he hung in there. We were really enjoying the beautiful views (especially by the James River) and all the spectators. Runners World claims this to be the "Friendliest Marathon". We laughed at that title at first, but by the end we had to agree. There were spectators pretty much along the entire course--cheerleaders, live bands, local families, neighborhood parties, little kids with posters, dogs, etc. all cheering us on.

Around 12 1/2 miles, Dad said that he wasn't sure he would be able to finish. He wanted me to run on to see how fast I could run the last half and he would try to make it to the cut-off. Either way, we would meet at the finish line. I didn't want to leave him, but I also wanted to finish. And I knew he was hurting and finishing might not be an option for him for this race (he ended up dropping out at mile 17). So, I ran on.

The last thing I heard Dad yell was, "Pace yourself!" What did that mean? I wanted to yell back, "Can you be more specific?" I had no idea what to do at this point. I had just walked/run 12 1/2 miles (I made it to 13.1 around 3 hours). At one point during the first half, Dad had asked me if I had even broken a sweat. I don't think I did. My legs were definitely tired and a little bit sore, but they were also rested for the second half. So, how fast was I supposed to go? I didn't know what to do. So, I just ran. I ran past all the people who had passed us. In fact, no one ever passed me again until the last couple miles--and maybe a few when I stopped at the junk food table around mile 18--hehe. I was really enjoying this "passing other people" stuff. I realized that this would probably never happen again in a race for me, so I made the most of it. One guy even yelled as I passed him, "Hey, no passing allowed!" I yelled back, "Yeah, when I hit the wall you're welcome to pass me!" Seriously, I knew I was running too fast. I needed to conserve. But it felt SO good!

So, I kept up this pace for maybe 3 miles. Then, I slowed down. I was still able to run most of it. I walked through the water stations every 2 miles, just long enough to drink, then I was off again. It was a pretty warm day (77 by the time I finished) and very humid, so I was drinking a lot. It was tough getting to mile 20, but when I did it was almost smooth sailing from there. I wasn't too worried about my time, because I had come with no time goal--just to finish. So, I would walk 20-30 paces here and there if I needed to. Oddly, it felt great. It was tough after mile 20, but mentally I knew that I would be able to finish. I just tried to run as much as I could and I didn't feel guilty if I had to walk.

My brother-in-law asked me later what I was thinking about during the race. Other than imagining a big hawaiian pizza, a tall glass of ice cold water, ding-dongs, slippers, fresh-out-of-the-dryer pajamas, and a super soft bed with a masseuse waiting for me, I wasn't really thinking too much. Dad even asked me later how the rest of the course was. I was drawing a blank.

So, I got to mile 23 and I was so happy. We were almost done. The runners at this point were all very happy. I was surprised. At the end of my half-marathon in Greenville, we were all grunting and writhing in pain. Here we were all joking around, making conversation, and just SO happy to almost be finished with our marathon.

As I turned the corner to run the last .2, I got a little overwhelmed. There were thousands of people waiting on the sidelines. I ran past all of these people as they were yelling my name (again, I love the bibs with the names on them!). I picked up speed and flew through the finish line. Dad and Janie were waiting there with a ding-dong just for me. Sweet. My first marathon.

Pre-race picture. Do we look nervous?

Happy and tired and in pain.

This is the new disposable timing chip. They have it attached to the back of the bib. You peel it off the bib and stick the two ends together around a couple shoe laces. There's a tiny little chip to the right of the number (you can't see it in this picture). I guess it worked.

Official times:

Finish chip time: 5:08:43
Finish gun time: 5:12:41 (yeah, it took us 4 minutes to get to the start)
Half-marathon gun time: 2:55:58
Mile 20 gun time: 4:05:07

What? There's a marathon in Myrtle Beach in February? . . . .

22 hours ...

I'm walking out the door to drive to VA. Let's do this thing.

2 days, 19 hours ...

Race Day Forecast from NBC 12 (updated Wednesday, Nov. 12 - 9 a.m.)

The Saturday forecast:
8am: Cloudy, Rain possible...50s
11am: Mostly Cloudy...lower 60s

"A front will be crossing Virginia Saturday morning with showers and a possible thunderstorm early in the morning. The timing could work in favor of the runners, as most of the rain could be over by 8am, depending on the front's progress. Keep in mind, if the front slows down, rain chances will stick around longer. Temperatures will be warmer than average, with mid 50s early and lower 60s closer to noon."

Sweet.

I'm hooked

I am so excited to run the SunTrust Richmond Marathon in less than two weeks! I started running almost a year ago with Megan and got hooked. I love watching myself progress and get stronger. And I love the clarity of mind that comes with running. It's very therapeutic. I also love talking about running. Most of my friends do the smile and nod thing when the subject comes up (I appreciate that). But, I have found a few who could spend all day talking about it with me. Maybe it's because it's still kind of new to me and I'm experiencing a lot of firsts, but I just can't stop thinking about it or talking about it. It's very exciting to me.

One of my favorite parts of running is Saturdays. Saturdays are long run days. But, that's not the best part. Pretty much every Saturday I call my dad (or he calls me) to report on my long run. Fortunately, most of the reports have been good. But, there is the occasional "Dad, I don't think I can ever run again" report. And he always knows exactly the right thing to say. He tells me, "You'll have your bad days here and there. All the greats do. You're exactly where you need to be. Keep running..." So, I keep running.


As a side note, I ran 12 miles yesterday at Clemson University. My last long run before the marathon. Other than the ridiculously cold temperature (and only a t-shirt), the run was great. I ran a 5k down there earlier in the year, so it was good to be back. The hills were still there. But, I wasn't dry-heaving at the end this time.

Shiny New Medal

I completed my first half marathon yesterday!

Here's the scoop:

The race began and ended at West End Field (the Greenville Drive's baseball stadium). That was pretty awesome. There was a small group of friends from my church who met together at the beginning to start the race off together. It was pretty amazing. Some of us had trained together and they had all given me support and encouragement during the past couple months of training. I was so excited to be running with (behind, actually) them. Jacob and I ran the half marathon. Scott, Ken, and Danielle ran the marathon.

We started off at pretty much the very front. Why? I don't know. Oh, that's right--the people I started off with were super fast. Well, I didn't want to get run over, so I went a little faster at the beginning than I usually do during a race. My legs were really feeling it for the first mile, but after that they were completely fine. I never had any other pain issues with my legs, knees, feet or any other part of my body after that first mile. I think they were just tight at the beginning. I probably should have warmed up (I guess standing around for an hour shivering in the cold doesn't count as a warm up?).

So, Jacob and I ran together for probably the first 3 miles. Then, Jacob's foot started bothering him so much that he had to walk. After hearing what his foot looks like today, I am amazed that he was even able to finish yesterday. Great job, Jacob! So, I was on my own for the rest of the race, but I felt the energy and excitement of the other people around me. The people who run these races are completely inspiring.

Around mile 4 or so, I ran past Jenna and her family cheering me on. That was a great feeling. Her husband had already passed by, so I knew she was waiting there just for me. And it totally helped. I think I did a leap through the air.

I really enjoyed the next few miles. We went through Cleveland Park, which is where I did many long training runs. It's a really scenic area and it just felt familiar. Plus, I knew the soft path would be coming up soon! Yep, around mile 6 we made it to a long run/walk/bike path. One side of this path is made out of this spongey, springy, squishy stuff. It felt really good to run on. I tried to enjoy this path knowing that I would be coming up to some hills shortly.

Okay, so I don't remember much between miles 7-10. I know there were lots of spectators and people calling out my name (my name was on my bib--genius!). I loved hearing my name and, I'm telling you, it makes a huge difference. I was going pretty slowly at this point and was just not feeling it. Nothing was hurting, I was just ... tired. So, any reminders that I was in a race were welcome.

I had my watch on, but I don't remember looking at it at all until around mile 10 when I heard two girls in front of me talking. One of them asked the other, "Hey, do you think you can do the last 5k in 30 minutes?" I looked at my watch and it was almost exactly 1:30. All of the sudden I woke up and told my body to move it. If I could finish in 30 minutes, I would be under 2 hours. So, I kicked it into gear. I started passing people like it was nobody's business. Earlier in the race when someone would call out my name I would say thank you. I even thanked the officers and volunteers that I passed. But, now, uh-uh, I was all business. For the next three miles I was unaware of anyone else around me. My breathing was perfectly even. I felt like I was going to pass out, but I didn't care. I told myself I could pass out after I crossed the finish line. I had gone into machine mode.

I made it into the stadium. All I had left was to run around the outfield. The finish line was in sight. The man with the microphone called out my name. I heard Jenna and company cheering for me. I was almost there! I smiled my last race smile as I passed Jenna with her camera. I made it through the finish at 2:00:46. I didn't make it under 2 hours, but I was so happy with how I did. A PR. Sweet. And I didn't even pass out.

After I crossed the finish line, I waddled to the bathroom and then to the food and then found Jenna. She gave me a BIG hug and told me how great I did. I couldn't argue. I felt completely happy and surprised with how I did. I look forward to the marathon in 3 weeks. I hope my legs will be up for it.

You can find the official race results here.

Here are some pictures.

The gang pre-race.
Jacob, me, Ken, Scott, Danielle
(I stole this picture from Jenna)

Me with my medal

(and one of the first women marathoners-she collapsed right after the picture was taken)

Christopher receiving his FIRST PLACE prize for his age group (10-14) for the 5k.
You're awesome, Christopher!

This is Danielle qualifying for Boston like it was just a stroll in the park.
Her time was 3:32:31. Yes, she has three kids. No, the youngest isn't even a year old.

Scott and Ken finishing strong with a time of 3:37.
Very inspiring!

My new best friend, Jared

12 hours...

The half marathon is tomorrow morning. I'm nervous. I'll try to get some pictures for a pretty blogpost. I'm nervous. Did I mention that?

Happy Knees

Ahhhhh.....

The knees like me tonight. I ran 10 miles. I felt really good and strong for the whole run. I think the issues usually start (or at least I start feeling them) around mile 14 or so. After that, I can only run about 2 more miles, then I'm just running on pure will power. My knees literally can not hold me up. I feel good about giving my knees a rest with these shorter runs, but it makes me nervous about the marathon. Will I be ready? Should I push myself a little more in these last few weeks, or rest and continue with the shorter "long" runs? Any suggestions are welcome (unless you're going to tell me to stop running!).

FYI-
I'm a relatively new runner (less than a year)
This will be my first marathon (Nov 15--Richmond, VA)
I've already run 18 and 20 miles in training
I have my first half marathon next Saturday (Oct 25--Greenville, SC)
I really want to finish the marathon, but I'm just happy I discovered the joy of running (thanks, Dad and Scott!)

Insomnia and Pigs

So, it's early in the morning. I can't sleep. I woke up thinking of the pig race I have this morning. I'm representing the first grade in a schoolwide pig race this morning on the school tv show. Yeah, long story. So, if I win, our class gets donuts and orange juice. I really want those donuts. That's what I woke up thinking about. And then, once I was awake, I couldn't get back to sleep (this is not a new thing). So, now I'm updating my blog while watching Just Like Heaven. Yes, it's 3:30 in the morning.

Now, about the donuts. When I first started running, I didn't want to eat anything. I had no appetite. That wasn't good. So, I started trying to eat a little bit extra at every meal. I feel like I have a pretty healthy appetite now. As in, I'm usually licking my plate and going back for seconds and thirds.

I want those donuts. I'm going to stop by the store on the way to work and get donuts for the class--just in case we don't win.

Great run last night--knees feel good.

Happy

Great run tonight! 5 miles of running delight. I went nice and slow and stayed away from any major hills. I think I took pretty much everyone's advice--ibuprofen, hot bath, ice, chocolate chip cookies. I'm going to look into the strap thingy. That might be good for my long run on Thursday.

I'm excited for my run tomorrow (trying to stay positive)!

You can't catch me...

Well, maybe today you could...

I got really depressed as I was WALKING home during my run today. I was supposed to run 16 miles, but could only eek out 14. My knees were killing me. It took 45 minutes just to walk home. I had to stop at the bottom of hills and take deep breaths and stretch out. I also had to stop and sit (more like fall) down for about 5 minutes. I'm supposed to run 20 miles on Thursday, but I have no idea how that is going to happen. I think I'm just going to try to go as far as I can. I looked at some stuff they have at runnersworld.com on knee injuries. I think what I have is patellofemoral pain syndrome. They say I'm the perfect candidate (young, female, recreational runner). So, I found some stretches that will hopefully help and I'm also going to decrease my weekly mileage by 30-50 percent. They say you can do this in the last 4-6 weeks of training before a marathon. I think I'll have to, otherwise I won't be able to finish the marathon. Yikes! Wish me luck.