Change of Heart

After a lot of thinking, I've decided not to do the Big Sur marathon.  I’ll admit I’m a little bit sad but it was completely my choice.  It's not like me to let go of such an amazing opportunity but sometimes things come up that make you rethink things.  And I'm okay with changing my mind about something and doing what's right for me at the time.  It would have been an amazing race with a great group of girls and beautiful scenery but I was having a hard time finding the same passion and motivation this season.  I was going through the motions but I wasn’t loving it as much as I once did.  Don’t get me wrong, I still LOVE running and will still run every week but I’m not going to put any pressure on myself to run a marathon when I have other wants, desires, hopes and dreams.  Completing a marathon was AMAZING and I hope to do many more in my future, just not right now.  Big Sur is definitely still on my list of things to do someday.  I want to bring my joy of running back.  I want to run for fun for a little while and race when I feel like racing.  I definitely prefer to train in the Summer.  I’m a Summer girl so maybe next season I’ll gear up for marathon #2.  In the meantime maybe I’ll run some halves, maybe not.  No pressure, just good ole running for the fun of it!  To be honest I’m relieved in a lot of ways and it actually makes me even more excited to go for a run! 

Just ME

I had actually decided that maybe I wouldn't write anymore, maybe I didn't have enough to say or the right things to say...  But today I realized even more so than before that I don't write for others, I write for myself.  I hope people read my blog and I hope people like it, but this is also kind of a personal journal for me.  Something that honestly I am surprised that I share so freely.  But if one person out there can relate to me then it's worth it.  I don't think you have to run to read this blog.  You can apply my feelings and thoughts to trying anything new, anything that you feel passionate about and that makes you feel like you're on the right track, anything that makes you feel alive and gives you a reason to smile.  So here goes!  Goodness I've been back into training for almost a month now.  We started training January 8th.  While I'm on the subject of focusing on me and what's best for me, I'll also say that I don't run for anyone else but myself.  Sure I enjoy the friendships and running with a group very much but it's also a personal journey for me.  I like to push myself, I like to have goals whether physical or personal and I like the way it changes me for the better.  Honestly my running has been lacking a little motivation lately.  I don't have the same drive I had training for my first marathon.  Sure I still get all my training runs in and always give my best but it's lacking something.  I think the weather might have something to do with this.  This past week I logged 26 miles on the treadmill due to the Tulsa blizzard. The treadmill is not my most favorite place to run, I prefer a beautiful Spring morning.  But when you're a runner, you run no matter what the conditions are.  I actually feel very lucky that I was able to run on the treamill because so many people were stuck inside with nothing to do.  At least I could run.  As I run, I tend to think about so much.  Sometimes it's just when will this be over but sometimes it's deeper than that.  There are so many things that I want to do with my life.  I'm learning so much about myself and what I want and don't want, what I think is truly important and what's not.  I feel like I have grown so much within the last year and I yearn to grow even more.  I think in some ways I feel like, "well I accomplished a marathon... now what??"  Don't get me wrong I still want to run Big Sur and hopefully many more marathons in my future but I'm also okay running some half marathons or just running for fun and focusing on other things.  I think variety is a good thing and it also helps remind you why you do something.  I  know if I went one week without running, I would miss it terribly.  So that's why I continue.  I continue for me and I feel so lucky that I'm able to do the things that many people aren't.  I was thinking about this the other night and I truly feel so blessed to have been given the gifts that God gave me.  I'm not the smartest person or the richest or the prettiest but what I do have, I'm eternally grateful for.  I wouldn't trade what I have or where I am in my journey for anything.  I know that come that first beautiful day of Spring that I will be elated and proud of my progress.  Until then I will continue to pound the cold pavement and yes even the lovely treadmill to reach my goal.  Do what makes you HAPPY.  :)  

1001

First let me apologize for not writing in so long.  I haven't been training like normal therefore there hasn't been as much to write about.  But let me back track for a minute and say that I met my goal of running 1000 miles in 2010.  1001 to be exact.  :)  This is something that I NEVER thought I could do, in fact I never intended on making this a goal until I realized it was reachable.  As you know, I just started running in December of 2009 so I've officially been running for 1 year plus a little.  I still consider myself a newbie but I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that I would have completed 2 half marathons and 1 full marathon in 2010.  I'm so proud of pushing myself to do something out of the ordinary.  What an amazing running year!  I hope 2011 is just as great!  Today training started.  My new running goal is Big Sur.  If you know me, then you know I hate cold weather.  Waking up to run in freezing, bone cold weather is not exactly my idea of fun.  But I must say when I'm done and thawed out, I feel great!  I hope that I can get through this season without wimping out.  I keep telling myself that Spring will be here before I know it and then all the training and hard work in the cold will pay off.  Until then I will bundle up and hope the cold Saturday morning runs go as good as possible!  I really love being back in the group setting.  Running with a training group is definitely the way to go and I love my running family.  Since I ran with Fleet Feet last season, it's nice to come back to some familiar faces.  It makes me feel like I'm right where I should be.  Cheers to a New Year and new training season!  I can't wait to see what this New Year has in store. 
16 weeks until marathon #2!        

Route 66

It's hard to believe but it's been one week since the Route 66 Marathon.  Of course I didn't run in this event so maybe that's why it seems like more than just a week ago.  I tossed the idea around but ultimatly decided that a last minute race decision probably wouldn't have been wise.  I want to say Congratulations to all my friends/running family who completed this race.  It was a windy day and wind and running do not mix well.  Unless of course the wind is blowing in your favor.  I've come to the conclusion that regardless of wind, rain, hot or cold at some point you just have to sit back and rely on your training to get you through.  Unfortunatly we cannot control mother nature but we can control how we react to it.  I'm so proud of everyone who finished!!!  I also know a lot of people who got their PR that day which is simply amazing!  You guys inspire me!  I'm so happy to get to spend time with such an amazing group of strong individuals and I can't wait to start training again in January! 
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN!  Keep your head held high.  You did it!  

Big Sur

On October 28th, 18 days after I completed my first marathon and said I would never do that again, I signed up for marathon #2.  Yep call me crazy!  There’s something about the time period after you finish a race that makes you feel invincible.  I don’t know what it is other than wanting to feel that feeling again.  For me, running isn’t nearly as fun unless I have something that I’m working towards.  I  like having a specific goal.  So when I was approached to run another marathon, I could feel the excitement and adrenaline soar like it did the times before when I signed up for a race.  I knew when I felt that feeling, that I should do it.  So without hesitation or concern for how I would do it (flight, hotels, etc) I just signed up!  Keep in mind when I signed up, I believe there were 28 spots left.  I didn’t have time to think, I just did it.  My next marathon will be Big Sur, May 1, 2011.  I am really excited to do this run.  It won’t be a PR run, it will be a challenging run that I hope someday I can say I completed.  I know it is going to be very hilly, windy and possibly foggy but it is also supposed to be one of the most beautiful, scenic marathons there is.  I don’t know that I look forward to Winter training again but I look forward to my 2nd marathon very much!  Bring it on Big Sur!  

I said I would answer these questions from a questionnaire that I started at the end of August after I completed my 1st marathon so here goes!


Be brutal, what was your race like?
I think I’ve answered this question and them some in my recap of before my marathon and my 1st marathon blogs so I won’t bore you with a long answer. But my marathon was pleasant, exhausting, wet, exhilarating, humbling, incredible, lonely, emotional and amazing all at the same time! If I had to choose one word, I’d choose amazing. I got to accomplish a goal that most people only dream of. I still have to pinch myself and remind myself that I did it. I have never been so proud of myself… maybe ever. I trained for weeks and months. I set a goal and I worked hard to accomplish it and make it mine.

How did you celebrate your marathon?
That evening my brother and I went out for sushi and drinks in Portland. We didn’t stay out too long because I was simply drained but it was a nice celebration. The next morning we had a delicious breakfast, coffee and walked around different shops in Portland. I will say that this day was a day of celebration for me too just because I finally got to relax and enjoy the satisfaction that I was done and could enjoy the beautiful day with my family.

Do you plan to run more in your future?
If you would have asked me directly after my race, I would have said no to running another marathon but as of today, I am signed up for my 2nd marathon in May 2011. J As to running in general, yes I hope to run for as long as my body allows me to continue doing so joyfully.

What is your running schedule now?
Right now I’m not training for anything quite yet so I’m just running for fun. I’m still trying to meet my personal goal of 1000 miles in 2010 so I’m running somewhere around 20 miles a week. I will start training again in late December/early January.

Honestly do you enjoy running or just the effects?
This is a tough question for me because if running didn’t bring me joy, pride, highs, a sense of accomplishment, a constant challenge and looser pants I wouldn’t enjoy it nearly as much as I do. So without the “effects” I guess it wouldn’t be as enjoyable. But I really do love running. I love going through the valleys and peaks of hard runs and great/satisfying runs. I love accomplishing a goal only to set another one. I love running gear and the friendships I’ve made. I love the challenge and the crazy looks I get from people when I tell them my goals or what I’ve ran that day. I love waking up and running on a Saturday morning and feeling more energized and alive than I could ever imagine feeling. I love feeling healthy and strong. This morning on my way to work, I saw someone running and I felt jealous. That’s when you know you truly love it. It was a beautiful morning and whenever it’s a gorgeous day I usually think at some point, it’s a perfect day for a run. I could go on and on about what I love about running but I won’t. You get the point…

What advice do you have for first timers?
Stay determined and positive. It’s not going to go perfect or as planned so just stay focused and confident that you can do it. Remember how hard you’ve worked and enjoy every moment of it. Find a good support system and SMILE!

My 1st Marathon

I had no idea how far ahead the pace groups were.  I decided I’d just run, not too fast but I’d try to catch up a little bit and if I saw some pace groups then great but to be honest I didn’t expect to.  For all I knew, the pace groups were way ahead of me.  I saw my brother and his family shortly after crossing the starting line.  It was great to see them there cheering me on!  My brother expected to see me in group G so I think I startled them a bit by running by before they expected me to.  I tried to very briefly tell them that I didn’t have a pace group to run with but I’m sure it sounded more like muffled chaos.  Oddly enough even though it was still steadily raining, it felt better to run in the rain than stand in the rain. I almost felt more sorry for the spectators than the runners just because the runners weren’t expecting to save face.  We knew we’d all look like drowned rats by the end of the race even if it weren’t raining.  So here I was trucking along with my thoughts when I saw the 5 hour pacer!  Yay!!!  It made me so happy to know I had found a pace group.  I don’t even know why really.  I guess because I had trained with a group and I knew I’d be more comfortable knowing where I was at pace wise during the run if I knew a person holding a pace sign was in front or behind me.  I can’t say where for sure but eventually I passed the 4:45 pacer.  I never made it up to the 4:30 pace group, they were just too far ahead and running too fast for me to catch up.  But I was happy.  I felt completely comfortable running between the 4:30 and the 4:45 pacers.  I also knew I’d see my brother 5 more times throughout the race which felt great.  I kept in mind each mile I’d see him.  It was nice to have short goals.  I saw him 3 times very early at the starting line, mile 2 and mile 5 then I saw him again at mile 12, mile 21 and the finish line.  Each time I passed them it gave me more motivation.  I braved a smile and continued on my way.  Throughout the race, I’d remind myself that I was running a marathon!!!  Seriously I was running a freaking marathon, something I never thought I’d do.  I felt really good I’d say for the first half of the marathon.  Around mile 8 I passed by a Christian band and just thought can I please take you with me.  Haha I tell you, God is very close to your mind when you’re running a marathon.  I don’t know how many times I thought God please help me.  As my friend Janka says to God be all the glory.  So very true.  I try to remind myself often that I am truly blessed.  Somewhere around mile 11, I passed by a man who looked kind of like a grizzly bear, a nice bear.  He looked at me dead in the eyes and said I’m proud of you.  I thought proud of me??  Wow here is this person who doesn’t even know me and he just grabbed on to my heart for a second.  He reminded me of my Dad.  Wow what a nice thing to say.  I thought about how much we take hearing those simple words for granted but I was proud of me too.  By mile 14 or 15 I noticed feeling a little more beat up.  I could tell my joints were starting to feel a little more sore but nothing that I couldn’t run through.  Plus I had just passed a band singing Take it Easy by the Eagles.  It was fun because the people running next to me continued singing the song even after we passed the band.  “Take it easy.. Take it easy.. Don’t let the sound of your own wheels Drive you crazy.. Lighten up while you still can Don’t even try to understand Just find a place to make your stand And take it easy….. Mile 15,16 and 17 were here.  This is a part of the race that I felt a little uneasy about.  It was a big hill leading up to the St. John’s Bridge.  When people talk about the Portland Marathon, the regulars know that this is one of the hardest parts of the race.  My brother and I had driven the course but I must say it was much harder on foot.  I rocked the first part of the hill, I felt great.  But I realized everyone is walking this hill.  I thought crap should I be conserving my energy?  Right when I stopped to walk, there was no starting back up.  The hill was just too tall so I walked with a nice pace until I reached the top.  I knew once the ground flattened out that I had to run again.  But now I was on the St. John’s Bridge and man was it cold with that rain blowing at me!  One step in front of the other I continued.  I reminded myself that I had to be around mile 17 and I got to see my brother again at mile 20 or so he told me…  Mile 20 came and went.  No Jimmy.  Darn I thought, I really needed to see him at this mile.  It was tough and my body hurt.  I needed to see their smiling faces to know that the end was within reach.  I continued and reminded myself that before the race began, I knew mile 16-22 would be the hardest for me.  I knew if I made it past 22, that there was only 4 miles left and I could do 4 miles in my sleep.  I was getting closer but part of me started to want to cry.  I think I did let one tear roll down my cheek before I made myself suck it up and keep going.  Around mile 21-22 I saw them.  There was my family.  I didn’t expect it at all at this point because I knew how hard it would be for them to get back to the finish line in time to watch me cross the finish line.  Somehow they managed it and it really made me smile.  Although this is the one point in the run where I found it really hard to crack a smile.  Shortly after this I saw a band and one of them was holding a sign that said “Your feet hurt so bad because you’re kicking so much ass!”  This is just what I needed.  A good laugh!  I thought ain’t that the truth!  People don’t realize how just a little sign can make someone’s run so much better.  Around mile 22 the 4:45 pacer started to pass me.  Oh no I thought, I can’t get behind the 4:45 pacer because I really wanted to finish under 5 hours.  So it took everything in me to hang on to this pace until the end of the run.  To top that off, this was the first time I’d actually run close to a pacer the entire race and boy was this girl annoying!  She was overly enthusiastic for my exhaustion because unlike us, the pacers didn’t run the entire race.  They would rotate in and out of positions so they weren’t nearly as tired.  I can understand how this enthusiasm would help some people but it was really wearing on me, to the point that I made myself run enough ahead that I couldn’t hear her annoying voice anymore.  Time was going by slowly… For as little as I had left, it felt like an eternity.  I knew that when I took a right on Salmon that my race was almost over and I would see the crowd of cheering people.  It seemed like forever until I finally saw Salmon St.  I suppose looking back that I shouldn’t have been so intent on seeing this street because it just made it that much harder and longer.  When I finally saw the cheering people I thought wow I’ve made it.  Then off to my right I heard my brother call my name.  I gave him a smile and continued on to the finish line.  Before this point it had crossed my mind that I should do something cool at the finish line, you know for the finish line picture.  Maybe hold an arm up in victory, something fun like that.. haha!  But shoot I was way too tired to care about a dang picture at this point.  I heard my name announced as I crossed the line and was immediately given my medal.  A medic rushed over to me and wrapped one of those silver capes around me to keep me warm.  I think they worry about runners getting hypothermia after they stop because your body heat goes down and your blood pressure plummets.  She wrapped her arm around my waist and said are you okay and I lost it.  I had been on the verge of tears and this did me in.  I started balling.  I think she was concerned for me because she kept asking if I was cold.  I wasn’t so she knew I was okay and went on to help someone else.  I stumbled around and grabbed a drink and some Fritos.  To be honest, I didn’t want anything but I knew I had to take something.  My body hurt.  I didn’t know what I wanted or needed.  I continued to walk around and started looking for my brother.  Keep in mind, I’m a hot mess trying so hard to hold back my tears so that I don’t look like a crazy person.  Finally I hear someone call my name.  It was Amanda, my sister in law.  I walked over to her and collapsed my head on her shoulders and began to cry.  Of course when I cried so did my sweet, little sister in law.  I could tell that they didn’t know what to expect and that maybe they didn’t expect to see these tears rolling down my cheeks.  I went to hug my brother who had been so kind to support his sister in such an amazing way.  They told me how proud they were and how awesome I did.  I listened and walked as best as I could to the car.  It was over.  I couldn’t ask for a better experience.  All of it, even the crazy made it mine and made it special.  I ran a marathon.  This has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life and I will never ever forget it.

Thank you Mom, Dad, Jimmy, Amanda, Evie, Jon, Aunt Linda, Grandma, Heidi, Janka and Coach Barry and of course all of my wonderful friends for all of your support and encouragement.                         

Before my Race

Where do I start?  Now that it’s over, I’ll tell you everything that went wrong before my Marathon.  First I got sick.  Not just a little sick, the sickest I’ve been in quite some time.  My nose would not stop running, my eyes would not stop watering, I had a sore throat...  I was miserable.  Monday October 4th I went in to the Doctor.  I knew that I needed to act fast if I wanted to be well in time for my race.  She gave me Claritin and nasal spray.  If anything I just got worse after that.  Come Thursday morning, I wanted to cry because I felt awful and was showing no signs of improvement so I called my Doctor back and asked what I could do.  She suggested that I add Zyrtec at night but that wasn’t flying with me.  I needed something good and fast because I was leaving the next day for Portland.  I had to ask if she would give me a shot and thank God she said okay.  I’ve never  been so excited for a shot in my life!  Being sick and not able to run would have killed me after all this training.  Thank goodness I finally started to feel some relief Saturday afternoon.  The shot took 24-48 hours to start working.  My flights were easy.  Being in Portland was fantastic!  The weather was great.  I got to meet my niece Evelyn for the first time which is beyond words wonderful.  All babies are cute but she is CUTE!  And I got to see the rest of the DeMoss family; Amanda, Jimmy and Jon.  It was so neat when my brother and I went to pick up my nephew from school that Friday he was so proud to tell everyone this is my Aunt Amanda.  Made my heart melt.  I love that little boy so much.  I also got to see my brother’s new house which was great!  I love that they are right there in the heart of the city.  I can tell how happy they are there and that makes me so happy for them.  Friday night we took it easy.  My brother rented us a movie Run Fat Boy Run.  I was so excited to watch it but I was so exhausted and could not keep my eyes open so we watched half that night and half the next.  I think the toll of the flight, being sick, and running around Portland all day had caught up with me.  The next day, Saturday, the day before the run we woke up and went to breakfast at Besaws.  One of the many perks of living where they do is you can walk to cute, quaint little breakfast spots like Besaws.  It had already begun raining and I must admit I was starting to get a little scared.  I knew the chances for rain on Saturday and Sunday were high but there was something about actually seeing it rain that made it become more real.  Breakfast was great!  I had pancakes with berries and whipped cream on top.  Yum!  The carb loading had begun.  That afternoon my brother and I went to the NIKE store and I bought a rain jacket.  I finally realized that I couldn’t wear my gear as planned.  It was going to rain, really rain so I needed to be prepared.  After buying my jacket, we saw that Jeff Galloway was speaking at the Hilton so as reluctant as I know my brother was, we went.  I convinced him that Jeff Galloway was an amazing runner, author and speaker that we must see.  It was neat to see someone I’ve read lots of running advice from.  I don’t follow his “methods” but I still think he’s very wise and has a lot of great advice to offer.  After that we got some pumpkin yogurt and headed back home.  Props to my brother for being such a stand up guy and putting up with me.  That evening we went to a cute little pasta place called Il Piatto.  My brother made reservations and we went just us 2.  My brother loves trying new places around Portland and this one was new to us both and quite fantastic!  Isn’t it great when you find somewhere new that you like?  You get to think yes I was a success.  Or in this case, my brother got to take all the credit.  I had the Funghi e Formaggia di Capra.  I know, heck if I know but it was delicious!  My brother and I talked about how it would be the perfect place to drink wine and just relax and have dinner.  Instead I was chugging water like it was going out of style!  But it was perfect, truly perfect.  Afterwards we went home and played with the kiddos and finished the rest of our movie.  (Very cute by the way)  I was trying to keep my nerves at bay but I was really nervous and ready to have my run over with.  I've really tried to enjoy every moment of this experience but come on, it’s so much easier to say I’ve done this rather than I’m going to do this.  This is one of the hardest parts for me. The anticipation... Almost here. Almost over. I will feel fear and excitement when my alarm goes off I thought.  I got into bed, cleared my mind and actually slept pretty decent.  I mean I woke up a couple of times with anticipation but overall it was a good night’s sleep.  When my alarm went off I hopped out of bed and ate my Clif bar, checked the weather (yep still raining) and prepared for my race.  Since it was raining pretty hard, I loaded my feet up with chafing cream.  The last thing I needed was blisters on my feet as I was trying to run.  I was ready.  This was the moment I had worked the past 10 months for and I wasn’t going to let rain dampen my spirits.  My brother and I took the max down to the run, Amanda and the kiddos were following shortly behind us.  They wanted to stay dry for as long as possible and I don’t blame them!  Once we got to my corral, my brother said okay, like okay bye.  I hadn’t really realized before this that now I was all on my own.  I walked in and immediately got in a huge line to go to the bathroom.  I’ve learned feeling like you need to go to the bathroom before your race is a lot mental.  You need to mentally know, you don’t need to go if that makes any sense.  Plus it wasn’t raining in the port a potties.  Haha!  When I came out, I went to the front of my corral.  Since there were so many runners, they let different corrals start at different times.  I was in the last corral.  How I got put in the last corral is anyone’s guess.  I’d guess because I hadn’t ran a marathon before so I didn’t have an expected finish time for them to pair me with.  So I’m standing there in the rain thinking where are all the pacers?  I didn’t get too worked up over it because I thought oh surely they’ll show up soon but they never did.  I was asking people around me but I’m pretty sure, no offense, I was with the reject group.  I mean these people looked at me like I was crazy, like they had no clue what pacers or pace groups even were.  So I fiddled with my iPod.  Nope no sound.  Was this really happening??!  No iPod, no pace group, pouring rain… Stay positive I thought.  You can’t give up now but there was a big part of me that just wanted to cry.  Finally I asked someone who knew something, she said I think the pacers are all in the groups ahead of us.  It finally clicked.  Oh my gosh I thought, I have no pace group.  This was slightly devastating to me because I did want to finish in a specific time and I knew how important it would be to be around people with the same goal.  Not only was it a time thing at this point but just being around people who had also been training.  The people in the groups ahead of me had already started to run.  Group F had just been given the go ahead.  I was in group G.  So I thought to myself do I run ahead?  I really didn't have time to think to be honest, so I just went.  So here I am running, thinking what if I were to be disqualified or something crazy for starting with a different group.  Thankfully I think the groups were more of an organization thing than a strict rule.  Nice organization…  I had never felt so discombobulated!  So I ran over the starting marker and started my Garmin.  I couldn’t see a pace group in sight and thought oh no, I may never reach any pacers.                 

Fit, Focused and Balanced

It’s hard to believe that my race is less than a month away.  In fact in 23 days, I will be running my first marathon!  Wow.  Hard to believe and still very scary.  My brother recently said that the banners are starting to get put up for the run in Portland.  When he told me, my heart kind of sunk.  Not a bad sinking feeling but an oh my gosh this is really happening feeling.  My adrenaline soared and I felt excited and scared.  I’m trying to do all I can to prepare myself for this run.  I know it’s going to be hard.  I don’t even think I realize how hard it will truly be which is probably a good thing.  I have 3 weeks of training left and my last really hard LSD run this Sat.  I know once I finish this, I can breathe a sigh of relief because I know I can do the other Saturday runs.  After this Saturday, I will begin to taper.  Which just means that it will be a period of active rest for me.  I’ll still run but I won’t push myself as hard as I have been.  I look forward to when this Saturday morning is over more than you know!!!  In my mind, it means that my training is essentially complete.  I have ran as far as I will have before the real race.  Of course then I will just start worrying about the actual race and staying healthy and strong.  On that note, I’m going to try my best to let this be the last time I say anything negative.  I need to focus on the positive and picture myself completing this goal that I’ve worked so hard for.  My dad so kindly reminded me of this and he’s right.  He told me to omit failure from my vocabulary and visualize success.  He told me not to give any of my time, energy or ability to absorb anything from anyone that isn’t mentally imaging positive things for me on my behalf.  I loved this.  He’s right.  From here on out I will surround myself with positive people who want the best for me.  I will visualize myself running the race healthy and strong and crossing the finish line of my first marathon.  I will soak in the crowd and welcome the anticipation of what lies ahead.  I will never have these moments back so I must make the very best of them.  How many times can I say, “I’m about to run my first marathon?”  This is an opportunity of a lifetime and I thank God for getting me to where I am today.  As for Saturday’s training run, bring it on!  It’s going to be hard and it’s going to hurt but I’m mentally strong and ready to conquer my goals.      

One Step at a Time

Lately I’ve been getting really nervous about running my first marathon. It’s only 45 days away and I don’t feel near ready. It’s hard for me to even write about because telling people I’m doing it makes it even more real and even more scary for me. What if I get injured before or what if I can’t complete it? I know how hard it is to run a half so I truly can’t imagine running a full. Actually I do imagine it and I imagine it being extremely hard which is probably why I’m so scared. These are all fears of mine but I guess I need to focus more on the journey and take one day at a time and one step at a time. I love hearing other people’s running stories and recently I read about some people’s 1st marathon experience so now I’m going to share my own, so far…

Why are you running a marathon?
I started out training for a half marathon. During training I thought if I’m ever going to train for a full, now is the time to go for it!
How did you select your race?
My brother lives in Portland, OR and it’s a beautiful and active city. I knew it would be the perfect place for my first marathon and I LOVED the date. Silly I know but saying I ran my first marathon on 10-10-10 is really cool to me.
What shape were you in when you began training?
I began training in December 2009. At that time, the most I’d ever ran was 3 miles. When I began training, I was comfortable running 1 mile and semi comfortable running 3. I was used to being active and had a decent muscle base and fitness level from doing aerobics classes. I used to be a cheerleader and run track in High School but I really hadn’t been consistently active for quite some time.
What is your training plan?
I started training with Runner’s World in December of 2009. After I finished my half, I began training with Fleet Feet in early July 2010. Running with a group gives me much needed encouragement and direction.
What is your motivation for running?
If you read my blog, then you know I have so many reasons for running but mainly because I like having a goal and it makes me feel good! I’m also a little stubborn so I want to prove to myself that I can do it and check this off my bucket list. Although I’ve really grown to love running with so much more passion than I ever thought I would.
What is your biggest training mistake?
Hard to say since I haven’t completed my training yet. But my focus is on not getting injured. I need to start stretching more and start taking more ice baths. I’m petrified of getting hurt. Other than that, I wish I would be better trained when I run in October but I can’t really help that at this point. All I can do is try my best to finish. They say on your first marathon to not focus on a finish time but just to cross the finish line so that is my main goal.
What is your eating plan?
Ha-ha this is my favorite part. I eat whatever I want, not saying it’s right but I do. But with that said, I really do try to be mindful of drinking more water and Gatorade than ever before and I need to start eating clean and cut out alcohol completely. But there’s nothing better than having a few beers or a glass of wine Saturday evening after a long Saturday morning run. I think I deserve that after what I’ve put my body through.
How do you deal with injury?
I’ve had one minor injury so far, and I took the week completely off and R.I.C.E. Like I said I’m so scared of getting hurt so I’m doing my best to listen to my body.
What is your pre-race ritual?
I try to wake up an hour or more before race time so that my food has time to digest. I eat a Clif bar and just try to mentally prepare. I have usually set my running gear out the night before so I’m ready to go!
The next few questions, I can’t answer until after I’m done with my race in October. Fingers crossed.
Be brutal, what was the race like?
How did you celebrate your marathon?
Do you plan to run more in your future?
What is your running schedule now?
Honestly do you enjoy running or just the effects?
What advice do you have for first timers?

So it’s official, I’m 45 days away from completing my first marathon. I look forward to the feeling I will feel after I cross that finish line. But until that happens, the debauchery of training continues. Wish me luck!

Why do I run?

There are many reasons why… but here are my top 10. I think it’s good to remind myself of these things from time to time.
10. I like good food
9. I’m competitive with myself
8. It feels good to move/burn calories
7. Because I can therefore I should push my body to its potential both physically and mentally
6. I'm running away from unhealthiness, laziness, mediocrity and a non-successful life and towards extraordinary goals, great friends and happiness.
(I read this somewhere and loved it.)
5. It reduces stress/anxiety
4. I love feeling healthy
3. I like having a set goal
2. It makes me feel good about myself
1. It gives me a sense of pride and satisfaction

Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet.

Injured :(

On Saturday I accomplished a really great goal but it turns out that I also injured myself. It was quite odd because I didn’t even know I was hurt until the following day. When I ran, I do remember stumbling a couple of times on the pavement but I didn’t think it was a big deal. I was surprised when I woke up Sunday morning with a sore ankle. This has been my biggest fear since day 1 so I’m kind of freaking out. It would be really disappointing to not be able to run or meet a goal because you are hurt. I haven’t been to a doctor because I don’t think it’s that severe but I have diagnosed myself with having a high ankle sprain. I think it’s a mild injury and if I take some time off and recover, I should be back to normal soon. But honestly I have no idea what to expect. I know that time off is very important for me right now but it’s so hard to take time off when you know you should be training. It just kills me that this has happened but I’m trying to tell myself that things like this happen especially when you are running as much as I have been so I need to be responsible and handle it as best as I know how. RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation will help speed healing so I have started trying to follow these steps. The sooner I am healed the better! Please pray for my speedy recovery!

The day I made 500 miles

500

Saturday July 24th I met my goal of 500 miles so far in 2010. 500 was a big goal of mine because it seems to reflect how hard I’ve been training this year. I never in a million years guessed I could have ran that much in 7 months. I’m the type of person who does better when I track my progress and have specific goals so for me tracking my mileage has really kept me accountable. Plus I enjoy seeing how much I’ve ran each week. I’m so glad that I started counting my miles from the beginning. It’s nice to know how far I’ve come. I would love to run 1000 miles in one year. I think that would be really neat but I don’t think this is the year since I only have 5 months left and I’m not going to push myself too hard to meet a silly personal goal. Someday...

Summertime Top 10

Training in the Summer is hard. In fact I’ve debated which is worse, training in the Winter or training in the Summer. And those of you who know me, know I hate the cold! So I should like training in the Summer right? Wrong. I’m going to try my best to put a positive spin on this.


Top 10 benefits of training during the Summer

10. At least you aren’t crawling out of bed in the morning to run in negative degree weather. There’s nothing worse than getting out of bed when it’s cold!
9. You sweat out all the negative stuff; pain, stress, last night’s glass of wine, whatever you want your sweat to represent.
8. Since you sweat so much, you lose weight! Even if it’s just for a couple of hours.
7. You get a nice little runner’s glow from being out in the sun.
6. Gatorade and water taste exceptionally good.
5. You can stop more often, because you MUST take a water break for those necessary fluids/electrolytes.
4. You don’t have to see people running in pants that are skin tight, although this might be the one time a year we’re all skinny enough to wear them.
3. If you’re smart, you run early enough in the morning that you can go the rest of the day without thinking I still have to run.
2. Cross training or anything indoors seems like a treat.
1. When it turns to Fall, you’ll finally realize it was the weather that was making you feel out of shape.

ER

Well yesterday was interesting to say the least. I woke up with horrible cramps, nausea and lower back pain. I went ahead and went into work but not long into my day I realized that I had to go home. So I went home and tried to rest but I found it difficult to even sleep. I was very uncomfortable. So I decided this isn’t normal, I’m heading to the urgent care to find out what’s wrong. I went in and waited forever. I finally got to see the Dr and he decided to take a urine and blood test. I waited forever again for the results. When he came back he said well it’s not a UTI and you’re not pregnant (duh!) but your white blood cell count is high. So he referred me to the emergency room. He told me not to be alarmed but I needed to have more tests done. (Not be alarmed… right!) So he printed out my blood test results and called the ER to tell them I was on my way. He warned me that my wait might be long but he didn’t warn me it would be an eternity! While I was waiting they take your vitals, I guess they want to make sure that you aren’t about to keel over right there. If you are, you get right in but if you aren’t, you WAIT. I waited for close to 2 hours before I ever got in to see a Dr. Don’t get me wrong, I’m SO glad this wasn’t a true emergency. During my wait I saw thugs galore and even a guy in handcuffs. Awesome, the criminal got in before me. Little did I know that St. Johns had so much action on a Wednesday afternoon. So anyway back to the cute guy who took my vitals. While I was sitting there hooked up to the blood pressure monitor he asked do you smoke? I said no and he said I didn’t think so, you have the heart rate of an athlete. So I told him that I ran and he said I can tell. This was the highlight of my long, drawn out, stressful day. I may have been in the ER but dangit I had a strong heartbeat!  :)  It really was cool to see that running had played a positive impact on my health. It made a noticeable difference on my vitals and I think that’s awesome. So that you aren’t left wondering what’s wrong with me, I finally got into a hospital room. They hooked me up to an IV and took my blood again. From there I went and got a CT scan. After much more waiting, the Dr came in and said everything is fine. To cut to the chase, I had spent a total of 5 hours trying to find out what was wrong to hear we aren’t quite sure. It’s kind of unsettling to not know why you are having a pain or why my white blood cell count was high but most importantly all of my tests came back normal so I guess I won’t worry too much. I got a shot for the pain which helped tremendously and I’m currently on a non-narcotic pain killer. What a day!