13.1 - Been there, run that.

Sunday January 30, 2011. The big 3M Half Marathon I have been training for since September!  With some minor set backs along the training way (my knee, my laziness) I was ready for the race!

I haven't run a big race like this since I ran the Peachtree Road race 10K back in 2005.  This isn't as big as that race but still capped out at 6000 runner. The last half I did in 2007 was much much smaller and a totally flat course on gravel path.

The course for this race was really great however. Mostly flat and down hill with a couple inclines and one or two 'hills'.  All on the streets, through some neighborhoods and the last mile or so was through UT campus ending right downtown and Waterloo Park.

However, I was NOT prepared for the weather.  70 and humid during the run, horrible running conditions for it being end of January.

Instead of hoping to feel like this:

I felt like this:

It felt like I was running in a swimming pool.  I started out slower because I was nervous and the last half I did three years ago I started waaaay too fast and DIED near the end.  Also, it took a few miles to adjust to the horrible humidity.  There was a girl with her friend right by me at the first mile that gave some great words of advice that I overheard.  All these people were running off and she told her friend 'don't worry, we'll pass them all at the end'. That really helped me to slow down, take it easy as I got into my groove.

I got a side cramp almost immediately due to that fact.  I got water and gatorade at the first two water stops and by about mile 5 it was finally starting to subside. Luckily between mile 4-5 it was all downhill so I picked up my pace a little without having to work too hard.

Finally I got in a groove about mile 6-7. But between 7-9 was a slight incline on a long stretch of commerical area with stores etc.  I drive it every week at least.  The good thing was all the spectators! I was amazed at how many people were out there cheering etc. It was like a party for them!  That really really helped my mind but it was tough. REALLY tough. I know I slowed a little.

At mile 10 though you turn and then it's basically a straight shot in, through one of my favorite neighborhoods in town.  There were people out on their lawns etc. cheering.  It was pretty flat so I got back into a good pace. My dad (who had already finished) met up with me about mile 11 to run it in with me. I was tired, but not dying (except from sweating!!).

I had a nice strong finish. Time was 2:14:18.  I was going for 2:10 but with the humid conditions I am pretty happy with my results. If it were cooler and not humid I think I could have pushed myself to finish close to 2 hours.  Give me a goal to beat for the next one!!  I was 2691 out of 6000 runners. I only walked to stop to get water at the water stops. Even then it was only 20 seconds or so to down the water and then I kept going. So I RAN the whole thing, which was my main goal.

Of course, my dad was like 600 something and 17th in his 'old man' age group (55-60) finishing about 1:42. And he said he was 'taking it easy' due to the crappy conditions.  He's been running in below freezing temperatures in Chicago so this was huge adjustment for him.

Jon was going to be there to see the finish and take us home. I kept looking for him but didn't see him. I got so upset thinking he slept in!!  I was pissed off after the race.  But then, he found us and he HAD been there but has never been to a race before and got all turned around and confused as to where to stand. He didn't realize it's like a big party afterwards with food, drinks music. I felt bad for being mad then.  He said next one he'll know what to expect and SEE me finish. :-)

Over all it was a great experience. I will keep running with my training group until that is over when they all run the Austin Half in three weeks (I'll be Vegas so I won't be running that one). I plan to do a 10K in March and another Half in April that will be tough, and hilly.  Hoping to research some other running groups I can do long runs with on the weekend in preparation for that race. The goal is to KEEP RUNNING, making it part of my lifestyle.  Hopefully I won't get hurt/lazy and I will actually lose some weight and tone up my arms/stomach more.

I am proud of myself however. Looking forward to what lies ahead in my future as a 'runner'!

Back attack!!

I am so upset. Seriously.  Monday morning I was in the shower shaving my legs and all of a sudden I had this horrible lower back spasm. It was so bad I didn't think I was going to be able to stand back up.  I have never had something like this before, very very random.  I researched online (good and bad thing) and talked to friends who have had them.  I had to go to work Monday because I still don't have vacation/sick time accrued and I have no clue how I made it through the day.  I did some yoga type stretches and put the heating pad on it that night and have continued to do so since then.  Plus, the max amount of advil.

It's a little better than Monday but not much.  Usually it loosens up in the afternoon some but the pain is still there. 

I did go run 3 miles Weds morning. From what I read (and can tell from my own experience this week) moving helps it. Even walking around at work makes it feel better.  My run was great.  I ran outside at 5:30 am and it barely hurt at all. I was so excited.  I went to stretch of course and couldn't bend over but honestly with the race Sunday I just want to RUN and deal with the consequences after.

However, this morning it is REALLY sore. I have no clue why!  Did I do too much yesterday?  Too much stretching/walking?  The bad thing is, it loosens late in the day but on Sunday I'll be done before it does! 

Even walking today it's sore but I think I'll just keep moving, walking/jogging Sunday morning and hopefully it'll be okay.  At this point I just want to run the whole thing. I am so upset.  I thought I'd have some relief by day 4 now!   It's better than Monday but that's not saying much. I haven't worn heels, I even stretch at work.

And there's no way I sprained it or something horrible because I was just shaving. However, I thought of several things that may have aggravated it over the weekend. Like, taking my cats to the vet (carrying 30 lbs is a lot), carring the litter (another 25lbs), changing the litter, dancing and walking all over town Saturday night in heels...the bending over to shave could have been the literal 'straw that broke the camels back'!

It is from what I have read a typical 'lower back spasm' and you can just heat, stretch and take advil. Seems like it's not very serious, except for the serious PAIN I am in!!  But of course I am getting paranoid it's something worse...and I want to ROCK THE RACE ON SUNDAY.

Any suggestions out there?  I know, just stay calm right?  I am about to cry so I had to get this out there before I lose it.  Stupid body.  Don't fail me now!!

There is no finish line

A week from today I will be done with my second half marathon. I am excited and nervous. I know I am ready but still, the nerves are there.

We had a great 5.2 tempo run on Saturday. It was actually fun.  And amazing how 5.2 miles seems so short now when in October I was barely making it when I ran 5 with my Dad when in IL for my cousin's wedding. We are all going to meet an hour before the race and at least start together.  My problem the last half three years ago was I started out way too fast, got a cramp and finished okay but felt like crap. I want to FEEL good this time, no matter what my time is.  It is nice to have this support group, and of course I am happy my dad will be running as well...even though he'll finish at least 30 mins ahead of me!

I really started thinking about running on Saturday.  Yeah, since the holiday season and my whole knee thing I haven't been as motivated or hard core as I was back before mid November. But I have stuck with it.  I started thinking about why I feel in love with running in the first place. Not because I was good at it, which helped, or that is what our family's 'sport' was...but the inner confidence and serious therapy it really is!! 

I remembered an old Nike campaign 'There is no finish line'. And that is true with running. You can run a million races and yet, ever run is different. Every run or race you discover something new about your form, your breathing, your stride and best of all yourself.  It's never finished. 

So as I run this race on Sunday I am going to be thinking of that. That the reason I even trained for this thing is to re-introduce my life to running. And yes, it's hard to fit it in some days, I can be lazy and I am more tried due to MS and my age, weight. But I NEED it to be a part of my life.  Which is why I am already planning future races, more as check points to keep me accountable but I think soon, this year, I won't be running to train for something...I'll be running for the joy of running again!!

Winter blues

It's been a bit since my last post. Not because I haven't been running, just haven't had the best runs.  I finally did have a good running week however, the best since my awesome 12 mile run two weeks ago.

I have been having a very hard time with the winter blues.  Not that I am depressed, or that it's even that dreary here but the whole time change and my work schedule change.  It's dark when I get off work at 5:30 pm and I am have a difficult time getting up at 5:15 am to run in the morning.  Then I feel guilty and mad at myself if I sleep in or am too tired after work.  In last month's issue of Runner's World I found a great article addressing this, it is online too.  RW Article

So, I really looked into running groups that do week night runs.  I went on the Austin Runner's Club website and found that things are happening every night, but the problem again is the fact that I don't get off until 5:30 (which is my only complaint about the new job).  Most groups meet at 5:45 and even though they aren't far from my office, by the time I change, get in the car and deal with traffic I can't be any where until 6pm.

But there is a group that meets Monday and Weds at 6:30 only a few exits up from where we live. It's kind of a weird time to join the group since the group is gearing it's workouts for people running the Austin Marathon in February. However, since I have been training for the half I am capable of doing the weekday workouts (just not the 15+ mile runs they do on the weekend).  I emailed the group leader and met them out on Weds for a track work out at this middle school.  It was dark but there were so many people on the track, which is great.  There were only about 10 people there from their regular group that night but every one was friendly.  Since they are all running the marathon they did a different work out than I did but the point of all this is to have some people to meet with and make me accountable on week nights, hopefully keeping me motivated.

I had a great workout.  10 400 x 400's. I worked hard.  And the leader had gatorade and water for us. We stretched together and did some core. They do a 5 mile run on Mondays mixed with hills so I am going to meet them as well and see how it goes.


My race is next weekend but I want to stay motivated and really make running a part of my routine again.  Luckily my group will still meet through mid February but then I need to find a weekend run group which won't be hard.  I just don't want to get lazy again. I already signed up for another half in April...I am nuts but hey, need to force myself to keep up with this!!!  I am hoping that some of the people from my current training group will want to continue to run together after the races.

Regardless, I am excited to see how this works out.  I also run faster and feel better when with people, it's amazing the difference!

I want my own helicopter

12!!! That's right, 12 miles! I haven't run that long all at once since I ran the last half I did in 2007! 


It was exhilarating!!



Saturday we had our 12 mile run. The most we'll run before the race at the end of the month. I am not going to lie, I was nervous as heck.  I had a lazy week running, and even though I've run during the holidays, they weren't my best shall we say. 

I was excited to be back with the group however.  There are only about 7 of us left from the original 25 in my time group that started back in September. We actually know each other's names now, talk about our lives and support each other through the run. It makes such a difference because running is really a mental sport as much as it is physical.  Physically, yeah I am in shape, not as good of shape as I want to be, but I am in shape enough.  But to get through a longer run it's all about mind over body.  Having the group helps that, keeps the focus.

We started out at a little faster pace because 4 miles of the run was hilly and we wanted to slow a little once we got up in the hills but didn't want to lose over all time.  Started out on the trails and ended up in Tarrytown, behind the lake, which is one of THE nicest 'hoods in town.

That helped during the run, staring at all the mansions.  I am not kidding. Just stunning homes, over looking the lake. With private docks, multiple buildings on the property and then the mother of all...the helicopter.  We were going up this hill and we saw a bridge over the street. We thought the huge house just had a bridge over to get to their dock. NO. IT WAS A HELICOPTER.  I know a lot of famous people live up there, who knows who's house it was but it was amazing.  It was a smaller one, black, probably held 6 people tops.  But wow...

Most of the run was through this gorgeous area. We all felt awesome.  Kept a good pace, enjoyed each others company and looking at houses.  Ended up back on the trails for the last 2.5 miles. Me and this girl Melissa who I 'compete' with...as in I try to keep up with her to keep myself going because besides the coach she's the fastest in our group. Well, we got a great kick in those last 2.5 miles and ran it in together about 1 min ahead of the rest of the group. It was an AMAZING feeling.

We all did a few walking laps around the parking lot and then stretched.  Also, we planned to meet up before the race in a few weeks and at least start out together to get a good pace going and then go from there so we don't all start too fast. 

I am sore today but not too bad. Just tight calves from the hills.  And my knees are great.  I feel a great sense of accomplishment. I can do this.  And since I can do that, I need to just be more motivated during the week. I have looked into several groups in town that do week day runs and see if I can't join them.  Waiting to hear back on details.  Then I can run in the dark since I'll be with other people.

I do need to lose weight, and tone my fat arms...but this is a start. A great thing. I KNOW I can finish the race if I am feeling good that day.  I have a time goal but really, I just want to run the thing and feel as good as I did running that 12 miles. That is all that matters at this point.  Trying to take it one foot fall at a time.

"I like the word 'indolence'. It makes my laziness seem classy."

After the alarm issue with the iPhone last week and sleeping in and missing the 10 mile group run I decided to run 8 on my own.  It was a nice crisp Sunday morning and I felt great.  Pretty flat neighborhood I ran through and I hadn't set up my new Garmin watch yet so I don't know what pace I was at but really thought I was crusin' along.  GREAT way to start the new year I thought to myself.

Then came Monday.

I am not saying I didn't run at all last week. But it was so crappy I felt like I didn't run.

Monday morning I went to the gym and did 25 mins on the treadmill. It was like a sauna in there. The management had the heat on but just in the gym. STUPID. I was dying.  I hate the treadmill any ways and then with that horrible heat! I could feel the hot air coming from the vent above me.  I tried to look around for the control but it's inside the actual office area that is locked at 5:30 AM. 

Ick I thought.  At least I ran and thought maybe it'll be better Tuesday. Not so.  Just as hot.  I just did elliptical and weights.

Weds was my off day so Thursday I thought I'd try running outside even though it's dark and early in the morning.  Just to see if it is safe etc, any one else out there etc.  Well, this week back at work was quite busy.  Much different than my first few weeks on the job. I was pretty much exhausted every night when I got home. So yeah, I totally slept that extra hour on Thursday.

Did plan to go after work, at least to the gym since it's dark and lots of traffic by our place but no, J on and I decided to try this new restaurant by us instead.  I can't say no to good food. And I ate, a lot,and felt totally guilty for it.

LAZY RITA.  Needless to say, I was NERVOUS about the 12 miler come Saturday...