My Sixth Half Marathon and Great Hike

On August 3, I ran the Tacoma Narrows Half Marathon. I was pretty excited for this one since I registered for it clear back in March, and I love running across bridges. I hate heights, love running bridges...it doesn't make sense, does it?

Now that I have a few of these races under my belt, I can usually feel how this is going to go. Going into the Lake Fair half two weeks prior, I was nervous, but well rested and ready. For this one, I didn't rest as much as I should have, but that's OK. We started, and I felt pretty good. Lots of inclines in those first 6 miles. At 5 miles, I was at 53 minutes and feeling good, thinking this could be a PR day if I could keep it up. Especially knowing that that the second half of the race didn't have as many hills and inclines.

Little did I know....

At mile 5.5, my stomach started to hurt, and that's where the race took a turn for me. Long story short...I had to make two potty stops, and I was miserable pretty much the whole race. Final time was almost 2 hrs. 30 minutes, nowhere near a PR. 9 minutes slower than the last half marathon. UGH! I had to do a lot of walking, in addition to those two stops.

So what did I learn? I learned that half marathons ARE a big deal! I didn't treat this special at all. I ate any foods I wanted to, and didn't follow my normal morning routine. I also took a Power Gel at the 6.7 mile mark that I never had before BIG MISTAKE!

There is a part of me that really wants to redeem myself. I want to sign up for another half for a few weeks from now. But on the other hand, I think I need to take a break and really focus on just learning to love running again. I enjoyed all of my races this summer, but I am only happy with 2 out of four of them.

On to the next story...

So the following weekend, my husband and I went for a hike at Mount Rainier. Our goal was to get to Camp Muir, which is at 10,100 feet and is the base camp for those who plan to summit the mountain.


The hike starts at about 5,400'. It is basically straight up, and it's about 4.2 miles to Camp Muir. The first mile is mostly paved, but the incline is intense. The second mile is rocky and has some stretches of creeks and snow. Then you get to a place called Pebble Creek, and that's when "stuff" gets real. Then you start hiking the snow field, and it was tough. I did not have crampons on my boots, and next time, I will get them! It was crazy how slippery it was, even with good boots and trekking poles. My good friends had no problem without crampons, but I borrowed some for part of the hike, and they make a difference. When we got to 8,700 feet, my husband said, "I'm done," and honestly, I could have kept going or been done...either way. My husband was not in shape for this, he admits it. So we turned around while our friends went on. Nevertheless, we had an awesome experience.



But the best part of the day was GLISSADING! We brought garbage bags to slide down the mountain. That was a blast! I need one of those "Go" Cameras for next time. My husband tried to take footage, and the first part is sideways, but it gets better. My first time I tried glissading, I slid off the trail, so what you see on this video is me going a little slower figuring it out. Once we put the camera away, I figured out to tuck my legs in, sit back, and GO! Here's a video if you want to see it.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoVDbcxgq8Y

So anyway, I'm still doing things that I never thought I'd do in a million years and loving it! I am not where I had hoped to be fitness wise, but I'm still in it. Life happens, work happens, kids are busy...but as I always say, "I'M NEVER GOING BACK TO WHERE WAS!"

Another Unlikely PR--Half Marathon!

You have to admit, I hang out with pretty awesome people. In this group there is an amazing trail runner and aspiring ultra runner, a spin instructor, a multiple- triathlon and road race veteran, and one who races 5Ks to 50Ks. And I'm not telling who's who. And then there's me...who was getting ready to take on half-marathon #5. But I think it's obvious...I hang out with cool people. And on this day, one did the 8K race and the other four (myself included) did the half-marathon.

You will notice my socks...I had just returned from camping and had about 50 mosquito bites all over my body, so those socks served a purpose. Plus, they are my daughter's old fast pitch socks, and they feel like compression socks. I now believe they make me faster--ha!


This race was not on my to-do list for the summer; however, on this day I was supposed to do my 12 mile run as my last long run before my half marathon on Aug. 3rd. Well, what's one more mile, right? So I decided I was in, and I would treat this as a training run. After my debacle at the local half just three weeks prior, (the dehydration run as I remember it), I was very nervous. At the starting line I told one friend that if this was a disaster, I may never run a half marathon again. My strategy was to just run a slow and steady race and not bonk out like I did at the 10K the previous weekend. I would also utilize all water stops, which I did--except the last one. I had been awake since 1:30 am...I wasn't sure how this would go.

So the race started, and already, I had to pee. Seriously? I just went! I've been told I drink too much coffee before a race, but on this day, there was no way I could function without my coffee. After the first mile I saw a lady come out of a door...ah, three doors there, all bathrooms. All locked. Well, shoot...I wasn't waiting. That mile ended up my slowest of the day, all because I went back to check those doors. At that point, I decided I'd gut it out as long as I could.

There were some long inclines, but really only 1 or 2 hills that I can really remember, and they were doable. I continued running between 10:20-11:00 min pace the entire race. My old PR was 2:22:04, and I bonked at mile 9 at that race because I started too fast. But on this day, I remember looking at my watch at mile 7 and thinking, wow...I actually feel pretty good! But between mile 9-11, it's a blur. I know I slowed way down, and I lost some time on a hill. Somehow, I missed the sign for mile 10, and I got a little disoriented. I checked my watch, and I was at 10.5 miles! Wow...I was looking at a PR if I could keep this up. I wouldn't hit the 2:20 or under, but I could come in under 2:22. At mile 11, it was all downhill, thank goodness! At mile 12, it was flat, and I was DONE. I hadn't run past 11 miles in my training, and today was supposed to be 12 miles, and truly, I would have been OK with that. So I think I shed some tears and gutted out that last mile, and I finished.

My time was 2:20:58. Another unlikely PR. Two of my friends also PR'd that day. I'm definitely the slowest of the half-marathoners, but they keep me around anyway; and for that I am thankful, humbled, and blessed.

And yes, it was a good day, and yes, I will run another half-marathon. In one week actually...yikes!

An unlikely 10K PR!

It's been awhile since I've posted, but I had to tell the story of today's race. It was just me against my own limits.

Just to back up a bit, after my April bronchitis, I started back at mile ONE. Yep, started all over. My pace was slower (and still is) and my leg strength was gone. Add to that it was fast pitch season, t-ball games, piano lessons and recital, and just end of the school year stuff PLUS two birthdays for my kids, and my aunt passed away. Yep, May/June--total blur, plus climbing my way back from being sick.

I did have a great 12K race, getting 1:17:01 for time on a very hilly course, average pace about 10:15. I was very happy with that!

I got a nine-mile long run in with an average pace of 10:26 (but I had to stop and pause my garmin once) and on a Monday I decided to do a local half-marathon that upcoming Saturday. I decided I'd treat it like a training run. Well, Tuesday night food poisoning kicked in, and let's just say I didn't recover well. By Saturday, I was still dehydrated (muscle cramps that week too--which I never get). I ran the first 5 miles and actually had to STOP running. Really, I was done. DONE. BONKED OUT. I walk/jogged the rest of it, so when the course was actually a half mile short, I was feeling relieved. My time is just sad...for where I am at this point...but I learned a lot about the effects of dehydration. It's real stuff.

The following weekend my long-run training goal was 11 miles in under two hours. I did it in 1:56, average pace of 10:34! I felt like I had a mental victory, proving to myself I can still run distance, even if it's slower than I'd like it to be, I can still do it.

WHICH BRINGS ME TO TODAY....

Today was a local race for a small town in my county. My good friend was helping organize the race, and she told me it was a flat and fast 10K. Before I got sick, I just knew this would be the race that I would finally get my 10K in under an hour. But with my paces lately being in the 10:15-10:30 range, I knew this was not possible. So here were my goals:

Goal 1: 10:15 pace average, finish in 1:03-1:04ish time
Goal 2: 10:00 pace average, finish in 1:02

I honestly didn't think anything under 1:02 was realistic for me at this point.

So the race starts, and it's a downhill. My feet are moving as fast as I think is necessary. By one mile, I was feeling good, and the time was 9:36. I knew this was fast for me, so I told myself to slow down. Mile two was 9:39...again, needed to slow down, but I was feeling really good. Good enough to maintain it? I didn't know. At this point, the elevation starts to become just a very slight incline, nothing drastic, just slow and steady. Mile 3 was 9:51, and at this point I'm at about 29 minutes. Now I'm starting to think...can I keep this up? Maybe I can get under 1:02?

So I'm half way through the race, and I keep pushing. Mile 4, 9:50...OK...not bad at all, I feel OK, and I realize that under 1:01 is definitely a possibility, and I'm headed for a PR if I can do that!

Mile 5 9:52. OK, I'm at 49 minutes...HOLY ______ (fill in your favorite word here)...IS UNDER AN HOUR A POSSIBILITY? I know I have 1.2 miles to go. If I can run 9ish minute miles, I've got this...my brain says... So I push. I push hard, and at 5.7 miles....I'm sucking air, so I stop. I think I stopped for about 50 seconds to catch my breath. And I look at my watch, and I pretty much watched the under 1 hour possibility slip away. But still, under 1:01 and a PR is definitely a possibility still, so I push hard. Mile 6, 9:52 (and remember, that's with a stop) and I can see the finish line, so I push on....

FINAL TIME: 1:00:35. I forgot to stop my stupid watch, so on my Garmin it says 1:00:51, but I know what my real time was. A VERY UNLIKELY PR!

Now I'm thinking, maybe I'm not too far off from a 10K in under an hour after all? What if I hadn't pushed so hard at mile 5 and instead kept it steady? I'll never know, but I'll keep learning and trying.

Now next week is supposed to be a 12 mile training run...but I'm doing a half marathon instead. I should be able to run the whole thing. I figured it's only 1.1 miles more than I was supposed to do anyway, so why not go for it? I'll keep you posted!

Thanks for reading!

I registered for my first MARATHON--why? Because I CAN!

I just read the first few lines of my last blog post from April 15th, and it sent shivers up my spine:

Today is a milestone for runners everywhere--The Boston Marathon.

I'm not running in it. I've never run a marathon, and I don't plan on it, unless I lose another 20 lbs, and since I love thin-crust pizza, that may not happen for awhile.

I wrote that on the morning of the Boston Marathon, before the running world was rocked to its core. But let me back up and explain the events of the last two weeks that have led me to my first marathon registration (I still can't believe I typed that!).



So on the day of the Boston Marathon, my students and I tracked two local runners on iPods, and the excitement was incredible. And then on their iPods, the news about the bombing hit, and for the rest of the day kids weren't just sneaking on their iPods to play an app--they were looking for updates. At that point we learned that "our" runners were safe, but we were horrified that someone would do this. I was struggling myself--how could I explain this to 11 and 12 year olds?

The next day I wore a running shirt to school, as runners across the nation vowed to do as a Facebook movement spread like wildfire. My heart hurt. I knew the closest I'd ever get to those runners would be watching the Boston Marathon, but still, I knew how hard I had trained and worked to get to where I am. These are amazing runners, who train and train to run this elite event. I read it once as this: Imagine your favorite sport...then imagine you get to play in a professional event of that sport with professional players! That's Boston.

So what could I do? The night before Boston I had run 9 miles...definitely rebounding from my knee injury and almost ready for another half marathon, if I wanted to. That Tuesday, April 16th, I did my "Boston Run", 4 miles in 38.30, which for me, 9.45 pace is great! It has been fun to see my pace drop under 10 min miles. I felt strong. I felt great!

And Wednesday morning, April 17th, I woke up with a chest cold that my 5 year old son so nicely shared with me. I started my typical regimen...zinc, airborne, Vitamin C, water...nothing worked. In fact, I got so bad that 4 days later I went to the ER due to the pain of breathing, where they told me I had a virus and it would "run it's course"--sort of fitting, don't you think? Oh it ran it's course alright...as I coughed up blood on many occassions. Nine days later and whole lot worse, I went to my regular doctor. Not only was my blood pressure up, he diagnosed me with Bronchitis and gave me an inhaler and a prednisone pack. "Ummm...excuse me...I'm a runner...my BP is fine, I don't use an inhaler, my lungs are fine!" I wanted to say! Instead I coughed and coughed...defeated.

I felt some instant relief with the inhaler, but also felt like my body had let me down. What started as a simple chest cold had morphed into this cough from hell. Before this, I was on my way to my 10K in under an hour goal...I could feel it!

And you guessed it...there was another local race, and I would not be running it. This was the race was this past Saturday. I could have stayed home and pouted about it, but instead, I did the 2 mile walk with some friends--one post surgery, one with a sprained ankle, and one with back pain. I learned something that day--we do what we can. We do what our body allows on that day. I have only run 3 half marathons (two road, one trail), and I know that my toes hurt, my knees hurt, and I just couldn't imagine running 26.2 miles. But after the Boston Marathon, I found myself asking, "Why can't I? What is stopping me?"

And last night, I got my answer. The only things stopping me is ME. I am stopping me from running a full marathon. Should I be afraid of "failing" at a marathon? What if I walk parts of it? Then I walk parts of it. Will I train the best I can? You know I will.

My husband has told me since my first half marathon, "You'll run a full marathon," and I always adamantly said, "No I won't! Those people are crazy." But today, I watched many of my running friends finish half marathons, one finished an ultra, one did her first 10K since she was very sick over the winter, and one did her first ever 5K. Inspiration!


I had been looking at races this morning, but none were really catching my eye. Then I saw a marathon, and I remembered seeing the Seattle Marathon on the news last year. So I went to the page, and I saw the marathon. It's not flat, but it looks fun. So I pulled up the registration, and checked the marathon box, and I typed in all the information....and it was filled out. I grabbed my husband and said, "See this? What do you think?" He said, "Half?" I said, "No, Full." He said, "Yep." And 2 minutes later, I had registered for my first marathon. I said to him, "Do you know why I did that?" and he nailed it--he replied, "Because you can." There are people who were injured in Boston. They can't run.

But I can. It may not be pretty...but I remember how scared I was to run my first half marathon. Petrified. The ups and downs of training...wondering if I could really do it. I have a lot of those same feelings right now. My goal is CROSS THE FINISH LINE.

So, are you ready for the ride over the next 7 months? I know I am!

So here is training, Day 1: I ran/walk/jogged 3.2 miles in 36 minutes. Bronchitis is still there. But let's call today the beginning of something new.

And I just ate my last piece of pizza for a LONG time.

A year in the making!

Today is a milestone for runners everywhere--The Boston Marathon.

I'm not running in it. I've never run a marathon, and I don't plan on it, unless I lose another 20 lbs, and since I love thin-crust pizza, that may not happen for awhile.



Quick Update: March 30th was supposed to be my Trail Half Marathon. Due to my knee injury, I switched to the 10K, which was THE RIGHT THING TO DO! OH MY, that elevation at the beginning was brutal, and what goes up must come down. My knee was not happy by the end, and two laps of that would have put me right back on ice and ibuprofen. I did finish, and it was fun. One scary thing...about 2 miles in on the trail I saw a runner having a seizure. That was pretty scary and shook me up. Then I missed a turn later in the race. My final time was around 1:23ish...not fantastic, but again, I finished! And then the next day, I went out for a quick Easter run, which turned into a 7 mile run with at time just under 1:11! I couldn't believe how good I felt! So since then, I've noticed my pace improving.

But I did something yesterday that I never dreamed I could do. My average pace is right around 10 min miles. If I go out for a run under 5 miles, my time is generally just below 10 min/mile pace. If it's 6 miles, pace is right around 10 min miles. Anything over 6 miles is over a 10 min pace. Since my knee injury, I've been rebuilding my miles back up very slowly. Yesterday was my first 9 mile run since the Hillbilly Half Marathon March 2nd. Yesterday I ran 9 miles in 1:31.25, 10.10 pace. Not fast to most people, but consider this: A year ago, 8 miles took me anywhere from 1:40-1:45. My pace was about 12.35. So now, a year later, I've taken almost 2 minutes off of my pace, and I'm running longer distances in less time. Yes, that's what should happen when you work hard, but I guess I just can't believe that I've made that much progress.

So when you have those weeks/months where you think "Wow, I'm not getting any faster"...think long term. Think where you'll be a year from that point. 10 min miles were a DREAM to me. A dream I'd never hit. I was going to be super happy with 11 minute miles, and I was. But my lesson today is to not quit just because you aren't making short term progress. Think long term, because hard work does pay off, or so I'm just now figuring out!

Whether your goal is a 10 minute mile or the Boston Marathon, celebrate your success! We all work hard, and we all want to reach our goals, no matter what they are. But you can't reach them if you don't get out there and try. Happy Running!

My adventures in the last two months

It has been awhile since I updated! Here's the long and short of it.

I continued trail running in January and February. I fought off a few illnesses, and by late February I really noticed my knee aching. I didn't give it any serious attention, thinking it would just fade away like it usually does. Here are several pictures of training runs and memories from those days. Yes, I know, my life is GOOD!



And all of this leads up to the big day--The Hillbilly Half Marathon. The race I was afraid of, and rightly so. The good news was that I joined a trail running group and we did train out there before the race, and I trained with some friends as well. My friends and I had a great time dressing up for the occasion, complete with trucker hats. I noticed my knee bothering me throughout the race...what I didn't realize is that I was doing damage. But I finished it! My first trail race was on of the hardest in the western side of my state. I did it!


But then my knee hurt...bad. I finally went to the doctor the following week to learn it was IT Band Syndrome and Tendinitis. I was never so happy to hear those wonderful words. So I turned down the miles, did some light cross training, and mostly took it easy.

Then the local St. Patrick's Day race came around. I knew I could run the 5K, but I didn't think I was ready for the 10K. And I wasn't. So I did the 5K, and just before the race, my daughter's fastpitch game was canceled, so she came with me! She took first in her age group.


Which brings me to today. I had signed up for a half marathon trail run, but two weeks ago, I realized that even if I got my miles up to 8 miles, my kneed could not handle the inclines on a half marathon trail run. So, I switched to the 10K option, and I'm glad I did. I finished in 1:23, and it was a beautiful day. I am not worried about the time (I lost a few min due to missing a turn LOL), I'm just sooooo glad I was able to do it!


So yes, I've had three races this month, but only ran a total of 63.2 miles. I still feel good, and in the last week I've had some good pavement runs of 4 and 5 miles with an average pace of about 9.55. I've been keeping it flat, so today was the first day I walked/jogged inclines. I'm not going to lie, my knee is a little sore, but my foot is more sore. But I think the foot has more to do with wearing Toms than running. Why do cute shoes have to be so bad for your feet?

Anyway, I will be posting soon about what's next! Thanks for following along!
Running With Love :)

"I think I have a hobby"

Strange title, right? This post gets a little auto-biographical. Hang with me.

I grew up in a rural area--out in the sticks, one hour away from anything. Yes, we had a few little stores, a few gas stations (now there is one), and a K-12 school of 320 students (now there are 150). I grew up building forts, hiking trails, camping, and fishing with my dad. We also had a hoop outside, and I would spend hours playing basketball.

I worked hard in school and played every sport I could, and thanks to that hard work, I went on to a four-year University. The only real hobbies I had in high school were sports--specifically basketball. I wasn't great by any means, but it was a lot of fun! I also had a job every summer starting at age 13. I lived in a tourist area, so I cleaned rooms, worked front desks/gift shop, or in a restaurant.

Obviously college was a busy time. I studied, worked a job 15-20 hours a week, plus worked summers back home. I played a few seasons of intramural basketball, nothing serious. I can also recall specifically twice that I "worked out" during college. After gaining the Freshman 15 in 6 months, spring quarter I took an aerobics class, and I ran 3 times a week (probably no more than 3 miles each time), and I lost 20lbs. The other time was my senior year, realizing I put those 15-20lbs back on. This time I joined a gym, and I did weight training 2x a week and cardio 4-5 days a week--walking, jogging, or aerobics. I lost 12 lbs, but I was tracking my body fat percentage, and that dropped drastically. But when summer quarter ended, It was time to start student teaching. I moved back home.

Once back home, we were planning our wedding, I was student teaching, then got a long-term sub job. After our wedding, I worked two jobs--subbing and waiting tables back at my old summer job through high school/college. That summer, I got my first teaching job--back home! So while teaching, I also coached after school--jr. high basketball--girls first, then boys followed. You haven't lived until you coach jr. high basketball! That basically occupied my first two years of teaching. And at this point, I had gained several pounds back, but I didn't have the desire (or time...so I thought) to exercise. I changed grade levels those first two years (like from 1st grade to 6th grade!) so it was like being a first year teacher twice.

But I knew I needed a master's degree. At this point, I was 25 years old and living in the sticks again, so I signed up for a distance-learning Master's program and got to work. And three months later, I was pregnant with my daughter.

And at this point, life took a turn. Daughter was born prematurely, so the next two years were dedicated to getting her healthy, and I continued to teach, AND finish my Master's Degree. At this point, I was the biggest I had ever been. So I decided to try the Atkins diet, and in one year, I lost 40 lbs. The details of that are for another post... When my daughter was 2, I realized I didn't want to raise her out in no-man's land, so we moved to where we are today--A small town that at least has grocery stores and a movie theater.

After the move, I got a new job, and I wasn't feeling professionally challenged. I think what it amounted to was that my daughter was healthy, and I was bored. My husband would say, "You need to get a hobby." But soon I was signed up to start the National Board Certification process for teachers. And in two years, I gained back 25 pounds.

I got another new job closer to home (and I've been there 8 years! Love it!) and after I certified with National Board, we decided to try to have another baby. My mind was totally preoccupied with this. But a year later, all I had to show was a few possible miscarriages and no pregnancy. So in March 2008 we started the adoption process. In June 2009, we traveled to China to adopt our son. I see two things in those pictures: I see my beautiful boy, and I see his fat mom--me.

The next two years were something out of a text book about international adoption. The night terrors, control issues, behaviors...he also had a cleft palate, so we had surgeries and lots of speech therapy. I put every fiber of my being into my son. But let me say this too, he is a character and my kids are the lights of my life! But I read every book, joined every yahoo/internet/FB group, to find answers and support--and to support others. It's no picnic. We have seen amazing results...again, another post, another time.

And one night after all this...I saw my reflection in the window as I sat at the computer. I had never seen myself like this: a large, soft body, with a head attached. I saw this person that I did not recognize. That person in the reflection was not the person on the inside. I weighed 221 pounds.

So in August, 2011, I started exercising, and the weight started coming off slowly. And then I started running...and all these strange things have happened in the last year:

*I read books about running.
*I've joined running groups on FB, and I RUN WITH THOSE PEOPLE.
*I shop online and research gear and gadgets for running.
*I get up early or go to bed late so I can run.
*I set personal goals.

And in the last few days I realized....I'm not doing this to get ahead professionally. I'm not doing this for my kids. I'm not doing this because I have to. I'm not even doing it to lose weight anymore. I'm doing this because I WANT to. So I said to my husband (who has a zillion hobbies), "Honey, I think I have a hobby."

I used to think hobbies were ridiculous. Oh sure, I dabbled in stamping, scrapbooking...but nothing comes close to the love I have for running. But it is MORE than running. It's being OUTSIDE! I use the treadmill so that I can continue to be outside! I have a love-hate relationship with that thing....

And now I'm a year into this, and after 13 races last year, two of them half marathons, I started to feel a little...well....bored. You can tell I'm not one to stay on one thing long, right? But at just the right time, I've discovered TRAIL RUNNING! I posted here last summer about a trail run I went on back home while visiting the parents, and I knew that it lifted me up in a way that pavement didn't. I get it now. And as I look back at that post from last summer, I think, "How did I not see it!" Yes, I will still continue running, but if I get the chance, I'm hitting the trails.

Trails are home. Trails are like basketball. I don't play basketball much anymore unless I'm coaching my daughter, but like basketball, with trails you have to read what's in front of you and react. Just like offense and defenses change, so do trails. And trails are BEAUTIFUL.

So not only have a found a hobby, I found a hobby that challenges me and is healthy.

Some might call it obsessed.

I call it finally having some FUN.

I Can Do It! 13.1 miles to end 2012

If you would have told me on Dec. 31, 2011 that exactly a year later I'd be running my second half marathon and 13th running race of the year, I'd have said you were on drugs. Yet here I was, Dec. 31, 2012, getting ready to run my second half marathon at the Yukon Do It Marathon/Half Marathon/5K run. It was a small race, a total contrast to the Rock n Roll Half in Seattle that I did in June, but nontheless, 13 miles is 13 miles, no matter where you run them.

I couldn't decide whether or not to wear my crazy socks. The weather was a balmy 35ish degrees and cloudy, but no rain. Still, we would be running the first 4 and last 4 miles along the water (up and back course). As I was talking to other runners in the breakfast room at the hotel, they all said, "Wear them!" So...another thing I never thought I'd do...a bright yellow jacket with bright pink socks with skulls on them. (Thanks Angela! I'm now hooked on socks!)

My 1st goal was to finish in under 2:24. That would be an 11 min. per mile pace, and I knew I could push and get that. Compared with my 12.15 goal for June, this was a big goal for me. But I had another number in mind...2:20. If I could pull off a 10.45 pace, I could do it. For a long run, that would be pushing it for me, but I knew I had it in me...maybe. I had been fighting off a cold, so I just wasn't sure.

When I started the race, I felt good. I didn't look at my time, and that was my first mistake. What I did know was that at 1.5 miles in, I got a side ache. This has happened to me maybe 3 times total since I've been running. So I felt like I was running slow because of this. I finally stopped for about 10 seconds just to breathe it out, and by about mile 4, it was gone. At that point, I checked my watch...40.30. OH NO! or... OH YEAH! I wasn't sure. I was running just over 10 min miles, which for me, was fast. The only time I run 10 min miles is on a 4 mile run or a 10K race. Someday I'd like that to be a doable pace for a half marathon, but I'm not there yet. So I kept going, and so far the course had been flat.

Now I had studied the map of the course, and my husband and I drove most of it the night before. I thought I knew what was going on, so I felt like I could actually keep a pace of about 10:30-10:45 the rest of the race and I could meet my 2:20 goal. So I hit mile 5, and say whaaaat? What's this little hill with a turn around? OK, not biggie...and I'd do it on the way back too...no problem. OK, back to the road, say whaaaat? Again? Up another hill, around and down...and this is where we saw the camel, which was random and very cool, but still...I wasn't ready for this and had I known I'd have adjusted my speed to a slower pace much earlier. Now, one more jaunt that I did know about, down to a park and back, and this was the intersection I saw my husband. I had finished 7 miles in 1:13...that is the best I've ever done for 7 miles. When I saw my husband, I told him I had a few more hills (those ones headed back) and I was hoping for a time of 2:18. I knew when I hit that last little hill, it would be mile 8, and the last 5 miles would be fairly flat. No problem! Tough, yes, but doable.

And then...mile 9...I hit a wall. I don't know what happened, but my quads tightened up, my chest tightened up, and I felt like I just couldn't make it any farther. So I stopped to walk. Defeated...but my time was 1:35...I still had 45 minutes to make it 4.1 miles. Oh, I got this! And 49 minutes still would get me to 2:24, so I was OK. And again, I had never run 9 miles in 1:35. I was still at an average of just over 10:30 pace, so I had time to slow down. But I didn't plan on this.

Between miles 9-12, I had to walk a little, then run. My quads were so tight, it was like nothing I'd ever experienced. Clearly, I started too fast and pushed it harder on those hills than I should have. I watched my goal of 2:20 slip away, so then I said "OK, 2:22...I can do it." I was at 2:10.30 at mile 12. I was cold, tired, and just ready to be done. When I hit mile 12, I said to myself, "There is not a snowball's chance in hell I'm going to walk this last mile." So I pushed and ran it out.

Finishing time: 2:22.04. I did it! I may not have hit that 2:20 mark, but I know what I did wrong, and I know how to correct it next time. I was keeping time on my iPod, which is fine, but I am now waiting on a Garmin Forerunner GPS watch to help me in these kinds of situations. But for today, I got a new PR (Personal Record) over my previous time of 2:38.30 in my first half marathon. And...I still have a goal to chase!

So that was how I partied my way out of 2012...13.1 miles of fun fun fun! I'm not the best, I'm not the fastest; but on that day, I was the best I've ever been, and that was pretty cool.

I've taken the last two days off, allowing my muscles to calm down, and I have a little foot pain, nothing too serious, but the foot needed a break. I'm hoping to get out in the morning with a friend for a slow and easy run, not sure on Friday, then a few runs on Saturday and Sunday.

Then on Monday, the chaos begins again. Back to the classroom, daughter in two sports, kids in piano, Ty and his antics, and my fingers in a little bit of everything. I'm hoping that in 2013 I can lose the pounds that snuck up on me on the holidays, plus lose another 15. I hope to try some new workouts, but I'll keep running at least 3-4 days a week.

Thanks for following along, and Happy New Year!
Jolene

8 days til the big day!

In 8 days, I will run my second half marathon. One year ago, I didn't run a single step.

One year ago, I was getting over a sprained toe, which limited me to the elliptical. I could hardly walk, but I could push my feet and legs on the elliptical, and that's what I did. For two whole months. I watched the Biggest Loser, and at that point I had already lost 18 lbs, but still had many more to go. I had hit a plateau, and wished that I could try to run.

Yesterday I set out for 9 miles and ended up with 10 (I am sensing a pattern here...). Today I went out for 4 hard miles with hills (remember, hard for me is probably not hard for other runners, but definitely hard for someone who doesn't run at all, right?). I really believe I am ready for this half marathon--as ready as I can be.

So what are my goals?

1. To finish. As long as I finish, I win!
2. To finish in 2:24 would be really great. That would be right around 11 min miles. (11x13.1=144min=2.4 hours = 2 hr 24 min.
3. Anything under 2:24 would be icing on the cake.

I told my husband, anything over 2:25 means that something went very wrong...let's hope that doesn't happen. My first (and only) half was in June and my time was 2:38. My goal was 2:35, but I had to make two stops--bathroom and to take off my coat, which meant repinning my bib. Well, won't have the repinning issue since a bought a fuel belt! I also had a massive flu bug one week before, so really, 2:38 was a time I could be happy with...then, not now.

So now, I have to figure out my taper plan. I've been reading and reading...basically, I need to rest my legs, but not too much. With this half marathon on a Monday, it is a tough one to figure out. I'm taking tomorrow off due to Christmas all day. Here's the plan (I think).

1. Tuesday--5 mi
2. Wednes--3.5 mi
3. Thurs--off
4. Fri--3.5 mi
5. Sat--2-3 mi jog
6. Sun--rest
7. Half Marathon!

Unless someone has a better idea, I think this should do the trick.

Merry Christmas!

Running after tragedy

Usually I run to relieve stress, but last night the stress, anger, sadness, and confusion was too much to bear. My energy was zapped, and I just couldn't run.

Early in the week I found out that a teacher I taught with at a former school lost her battle with cancer. On Friday I arrived at school to learn that two of our students lost their father unexpectedly. And then as if that wasn't enough, I learned later that morning that my beautiful cousin also lost her battle with cancer, and she leaves behind a 1 year old daughter. Those three things alone had me pretty shaken up and asking WHY WHY WHY??

And then I learned of the unthinkable, horrific tragedy at the elementary school in Connecticut. I read about it at lunch, and I teared up. I was so sick and shaken to the core. Maybe some readers don't know this, but not only am I a parent, but I am a teacher. Just like all parents, I send my kids to school everyday trusting the teachers and staff to keep my kids safe. To other parents, I am that person who is supposed to be keeping their children safe. I had to teach math, and I made mistake after mistake, and the class (bless their hearts) laughed at me. I apologized, told them I heard some sad news at lunch, but I would be more focused. I didn't tell them the news, and I continued to choke back the tears as I looked at them and thought, "What if...what would I do?"

My daughter was sick yesterday, so she was not at school. I coached her team's basketball practice after school, then I went home with every intention of running. But the anger and sadness totally overwhelmed me. I just didn't have it in me.

I keep thinking, "What would I have done? Would I have kept calm? Could I do what those teachers did to keep those kids safe?" I want to think I could. I want to think I have it in me...I did a lot of soul searching, and of course just tried to process how in the hell this could happen, as all Americans were last night. So I snuggled with my son, and we watched Home Alone, and we laughed not just at the movie, but laughed at my son laughing at the movie!

So we all woke up this morning, and our daughter felt like she just couldn't manage to play in her basketball games today. At that point, it was early, and I set out to run 4-5 miles. It wasn't the greatest of training weeks. It went something like this:

Sunday 12 mi long run
Monday 3 mi recovery run (and all I had time for)
Tuesday 0
Wednes. 5 of the most horrendous miles ever (not going into detail)
Thurs 2.5 mi on treadmill and 45 min spin class

So Friday should have been 5-6 mi, rest on Saturday, long run again on Sunday. That was the plan. Well, we all know that plans change.

So I figured an easy 4-5 miles wouldn't affect my long run on Sunday. I didn't wear gloves (I figured I'd survive), and I wore cotton socks. I also didn't set out water, so this all proves, I did NOT set out for a long run today.

So I started out, and after almost two miles, I thought HEY!
1. It's daylight
2. It's not pouring rain (only softly raining)
3. I FEEL GOOD.

At that point I decided I'M RUNNING 12 MILES TODAY! I called my husband, told him the plan, and kept going. So while running, I thought about everything. The tragedy, the sad passings in the community, my son's upcoming surgery, my kids, my family, ...EVERYTHING.

But after 13 miles...yes, I ran 13 miles...I only came to a few conclusions. I still don't understand this senseless tragedy, and I probably never will. But I know that I am strong, and God is always with me. I am mentally and physically tough. If I were in that position, you'd better believe my mind would take over and I would protect my students come hell or high water, just like I know my own children's teachers are doing for my kids. Let's just hope and pray I am NEVER and my kids are NEVER in this position!

After my run, I feel better. Not great, but better. The anger is gone, but the sadness remains. I know everyone else is feeling the same way. So I sit here trying to wrap up this post...and I still don't know what to say, other than I have no words to explain how I feel, and I hope that says it all.