Done, Done, and Done!

I finished the Hood to Coast, and I'm not dead! I definitely FELT like I was going to die, between the terrible nervous side aches, absolutely NO sleep (not even 5 minutes), tight muscles, panic attacks (first one ever!), night runs, long runs, and too many runs. But here I am, broken but alive.

What an experience, though! Talk about motivation to perform better. Running amongst thousands of incredible athletes is very intimidating and humbling. Encouraging, as well. If all those other people can run miles and miles at an 8 minute (or less) pace, then why can't I? I just have to work a HECK of a lot harder!


I have taken many good (and bad) memories from this adventure. Some of my favorite memories include meeting my other team members, everyone in the car downing 5-hour energy drinks right before their runs (and at any other random time they wanted), me not being able to handle my 5-hour energy drink and freaking out at 3 in the morning ("I am SOOOO NERVOUS! I can't do this, I have to get out of the car! GET ME OUT OF THE CAR!"), chasing down the maple bar van to get free maple bars, using the Honey Bucket about 58 times, spotting Matt Zaffino and the Roloff family (little people, big world). I also enjoyed getting absolutely no sleep, thinking I was going to die alone on leg #35, enduring excruciating knee pains and side aches, wishing I could shove my smelly socks down the throat of the extremely loud volunteer at exchange #30 that thought it was appropriate to scream as loud as possible right next to the hundreds of people trying to sleep....for 4 straight hours. Topping that list is the single, hardest hour of the race, during my last leg, in which I had a couple of panic attacks, swallowed my tears and the huge lump in my throat, and swore to myself I would never run again.

Overall, I hated the race. I also loved it. The challenge is incredible, and the atmosphere is like nothing I've ever been involved in. 30 hours have never lasted so long. But I want to do it again, because I want to run better than I did this time. And I love being able to say, "I finished the Hood to Coast," even though I fell apart at the end and hobbled across the finish line.

Since then, I have been running again. Only twice, not exceeding 3 miles each time. And this is probably how it will stay for a couple months. I am burned out on running. Biking, swimming, hiking, climbing, anything that does not have the word "run" in it, and I'll do it. But don't make me run long distances anymore. Think of this as an experimental stage, where I make up new workout routines and concentrate on strengthening my core, arms and minor muscles so that when (if) I begin to train for a race again, I will be much more equipped and less injury prone.

Lastly, I want to say kudos to the thousands of runners who managed to keep the hundreds of port-a-potties inexplicably clean. Those things were in use for 30 hours straight. Never have I seen such heavy use and such cleanliness at the same time! It made me proud to be a runner=)

Hood to Coast, here I come

Today is the day, people.

I woke up at 7 because my pager started beeping. I had to check it or else I would lay in bed for hours wondering who paged me, and why, considering it's my DAY OFF! So I got up. The message read:

"Good luck Liz, please don't die..." -Lori

Thank you, supporting coworker, for having faith in me! I would have kept sleeping for another hour and a half to get as much rest as possible before sleep-depriving myself for two days, but now I'm up. Can't go back to sleep after a pep talk like that!

Nonetheless, I appreciate the support. Hopefully I will have lots of pictures and fun stories afterwards!

3 days!

Actually less than that. 2 days, 12 hours until the main event! All the running stores are packed with people searching for reflective vests, flashing lights, and the latest running apparel that will carry them through their arduous Hood to Coast legs.

I bought a new pair of running shorts for the event. Typical Nike shorts that everyone else has. My approach to the Hood to Coast is to at least look like I know what I'm doing. Maybe if I blend in, nobody will notice me running slower than everyone else!

I've managed to stay pretty positive about the race, up until about a week ago. Since then, I've had three different people tell me that this race is more difficult than running a marathon.

Oh shit.

I am not ready for this.

Wildwood Trail Run

I participated in a 10K trail run this weekend. It was in Forest Park, and a couple of friends invited me to partake. Sounded like fun, and not too difficult for me.

Oh boy, was I wrong!

This trail has a 750' elevation gain in roughly the first 3 miles. I was running up switchbacks for 3 stinkin' miles! Needless to say, I didn't make it. I ended up stopping close to ten times to catch my breath. Oh, and of course I received a side ache halfway through the race, which meant more torture and pain.

All week I have been disappointed with my performance. I keep thinking, "If only I hadn't drank too much on Friday," or "I shouldn't have eaten all that cheese!" So I've decided that I will go back someday in the future and try it again, just on my own; not with other racers. My goal is to be able to make it the whole way without stopping once. I think if I can get myself to that point, I'll be in good shape for the hood to coast. I am worried now that I am going to do poorly! I definitely need to step it up a notch. Guess I better go put my shorts on and go for a run...

Running drunk is very difficult, and probably not a good idea.

Running with a hangover is hell.

Just saying.

Great Book

If you're looking for an excellent book to read, try this one: Born To Run by Christopher McDougall. Best book I've read in a loooong time. It is funny, educational, has some awesome inspiring stories, and also provides crazy theories for how humans got to where they are today. VERY interesting! I couldn't put the book down. It was also very motivational; made me want to go run an ultramarathon! Haha, yeah right...

But still, it's an amazing book. I approve.

Ok folks, I have been a total slacker lately when it comes to blogging! I have had a bunch of people ask me recently about my blog and how my running is going, and I have been ashamed each time to admit that I gave up on the blog. Well slacker no more, I'll try harder to keep you updated!

Luckily, I have not been such a slacker when it comes to my running. I've been keeping steady, about 15 miles a week. I haven't been pushing myself much more than that because I want to make sure I'm not injured for the HOOD TO COAST!!!!! I'm getting super jazzed about that! Last night our team captain posted who gets which legs of the race. I am happy with my legs, yet a little nervous. Here's the breakdown:

Leg 1: 4.39 miles - Easy

This one's right before you get to the downtown waterfront area, along the Springwater trail. Should be nice and easy.

Leg 2: 4.18 miles - Easy

Again, nothing special. I can whip these out no problem. No elevation gains worth noting.

Leg 3: 7.28 miles - Hard

Crap. This is my last leg, and by far the hardest of the three. Elevation gain of about 250 feet (not that bad), and most likely I'll be doing it in the heat of the day. No water provided along this route, and no vans allowed, either. So basically, if I'm tired or need a Gu or something, I'm all on my own. I will have to definitely plan ahead!

I received some advice for the relay: "Buy a cheap pair of shoes that are a size too big, and use them on your last leg of the race." Apparently, your feet swell up quite a bit between running and sitting in a van all day. So you're more likely to get blisters unless you have a bigger, drier, cleaner pair of shoes to slip on! Honestly, I doubt I will take the advice. But I will probably bring a second pair of shoes, so I always have a dry pair when I need them.

~~~

I have been learning a lot about myself since my running journey began. I now believe that if I wanted to, I could train for a full marathon. Yes, I know, I haven't even completed a 1/2 yet, but I think the willpower and determination are there.

I have also learned that I have a new worst enemy: Heat. Yes, as the summer finally brings the lovely sunshine, I flinch a little inside. Running in the heat is probably the most difficult thing I have had to endure. Worse than wind. And that's saying a lot. You feel like you're dying with every step you take. So, I tried getting up in the morning...well...we all know how well that goes over. So now I wait until about 9:30 in the evening, and go on a lovely dusk run. It's still pretty warm, but at least I don't have to run from shady spot to shady spot, stopping for a break each time.

Another thing I started enjoying is running without my iPod, watch, pedometer or anything electronic. I've gotten to a point that I no longer have to distract myself with gadgets, and it is nice to not have to worry about how your watch is snagging your arm hair, or your headphones are smacking against your chest and pulling out of your ears. Much more freeing.

Tonight I will go for an evening run. May the day wind down with fulfilled goals.

Lovely Morning

I'm back to running about 6 miles consistently. I got sick this weekend, so took a few days off. But tomorrow, I hope to jump back on the bandwagon. I've decided to make one day a week a paced workout....meaning I don't go for distance, but rather work to decrease my pace per mile by running in fast spurts. This is an example of a "4x4" workout:

Run 1 mile, normal pace.
Run fast for 4 minutes, then normal pace for 4 minutes.
Run fast for 3 minutes, normal pace for 3 minutes.
Run fast for 2 minutes, normal pace for 2 minutes
Run fast for 1 minute, then run 1 mile at your normal pace.
End of workout.

This is supposed to help you concentrate on running faster. I figure if I can do this once a week, perhaps I'll start to see my times improve.

On Friday, I did the impossible...I got up at 5:00 AM and went for a run! The sun was just rising, the birds were chirping, and I decided to leave my iPod at home. It was lovely. Perfect temperature, not as many cars, and the best part was I didn't have to come home after work and run because I already finished my workout for the day! If only I could do that consistently. Yeah, right.

On the Road Again

I'm back!

After about a month and a half of failing miserably, I am finally back on track to a healthy running lifestyle. I saw my PCP, a sports medicine orthopedics guy, and a physical therapist, and they all cleared me to run again...minus the half marathon. Since I'm just now getting back to running multiple miles at a time, I don't have enough time to increase my mileage enough before the race. I figure if I increase by 10% each week, over 5 1/2 weeks, I will reach about 9 or 10 miles at the race. Which is probably doable, except for the fact that last time I pushed myself hard in a race, well, we all know what happened. My doc suggested that I just skip the Helvetia half and concentrate on the Hood to Coast instead.

By the way...I GOT ON A HOOD TO COAST TEAM! I know exactly one (1) person on the team. The other 10 are complete strangers. But that's okay, I will get to know them well on the trip! They're a bunch of people out of Seattle, probably fabulous runners, much better than myself.

For those of you who don't know what the Hood to Coast is, here's a synopsis:
Teams of 12 runners gather at the base of Mt. Hood. One person from each team starts running, and about 5 miles later they will hand a baton to the second runner from each team...just like in a relay race. In fact, it IS a relay race. All the way to the Pacific ocean! Each team member will end up running 3 legs of the race, some during the day, some in the middle of the night. The whole race takes about 24-36 hours, covers about 150 miles, and ends on the beach at Seaside. There are thousands of people that do this every year, from all around the world!

Signing up for the H2C is exciting for me, especially because I won't be able to run the half in June. I'll have all summer to train and heal up, and I'll be able to be a part of something I've always wanted to do! I'm super excited for my new goal, and excited to get back to running without pain! Here we go again! WOOOOOOOOOOO!

My knee is still giving me problems, so I've decided to stay off it another week or so.

So I went swimming, instead. I think I almost drowned. You never realize how much you love breathing until your head is submerged under water for four-fifths of your workout. And I thought running was hard! I was gasping for air every opportunity I could, and still had to stop at the end of each lap to take a breather. And I thought that running long distances helped my cardiovascular fitness out a lot. Good lord! I guess not nearly enough to be able to swim well. I am afraid to go back.

But in all reality, this will be good training for running. Developing my lungs more and working on my cardiovascular fitness can only help me. I am still worried that I'm losing muscle strength in my legs, though. The Helvetia Half is inching closer, and time is running out. If I want to get back to where I was, and continue training beyond that, I'm going to have to get better within the next couple of weeks. If I am not better (which I'm thinking I may not be) then I'll just have to cancel the Half and wait for my knee to heal and try again. Oh, the agony! Such hard work...and my goal slips further and further away...

Here We Go Again

After two weeks of drought, I have attempted to start running again. I went to the gym and rode the bike, then ran 1.5 miles before my knee began to hurt, so I stopped and came right home to ice up. Running on a treadmill always used to piss me off, but today it wasn't that bad. My calfs were hurting, it was hot, I was sweating, and I couldn't keep from looking at the display every 30 seconds. But It was glorious. I was running again! It actually felt good. Like all my problems faded away and all I had to do was stay on that belt. Too bad it was short-lived. But it gave me hope that I may be able to get back to where I was before the shamrock run. I will see how I feel tomorrow, and maybe try for 2 miles (how exciting)!

My favorite workout song right now is "Ali in the Jungle" by The Hours. Look it up, listen to it. it's very motivating, especially when you have an injury. And yes, I did hear it from the Nike commercial on during the Olympics. I'm not very original.

I seem to have misplaced my ice packs...so I am sitting here with a frozen bag of corn on my knee. Dinner, anyone?

Injury

I guess I injured myself more seriously than I had originally thought. It's been almost a week since the shamrock, and I still can't run. A coupe days ago I attempted to do just a mile or two. I took 5 steps and had to stop. Haven't tried again since.

It's a big wake-up call for me. I haven't been cross-training or strength training nearly as muh as I should be. My minor muscles are very weak, and I guess I figured injury wouldn't happen to me. But when I did the shamrock, I was running a lot harder and faster then usual, and I was dodging lot of people, too. I'm not used to the side-to-side movements at all! Thus, I ended with an injury, and now I'm a little regretful.

So now I'm creating a dedicated strength and cross training routine. If I have to cut my running back a little to fit it in, I'll just have to suck it up. I want to swim twice a week to get some good non-impact cardio work, tennis once or twice a week to strengthen my sideways muscles, and strength training in the gym or at home three to four times a week. My friend taught me a couple of moves that might strengthen my problem muscles. One of the moves is called the "Fire Hydrant," where you basically pretend you are a dog pissing on...you guessed it...a fire hydrant. This is my favorite. =)

Hopefully I will be up and running again soon, but I'm beginning to get anxious. Every day that goes by makes me feel like I'm losing my endurance I've worked so hard to obtain. I can ride a bike without pain, so I guess I'll just start with that, and at least try to keep my cardio going.

I Came, I Ran, I Conquered!

After reviewing the race results over and over and over, I have decided that the math is right. I actually did run 5 miles in 44:22, just less than 9 minutes/mile! I still can't believe it. That's by far the best I've ever done!

It was definitely fun running along downtown streets packed with 21,000 runners! In my event alone there were 5,000 runners who all started within about 5 minutes of each other. Talk about herding cattle! Our starting group (9-10 minute/mile pace) was so big that it got split up into two...right before Chris and I were about to go across the starting line! So we actually got to be at the front of the line for our group! Very first people to cross in our group! It was actually a big advantage because there were so many people on the road that you almost can't run. So we waited about 45 seconds for the group in front of us to leave, then we were cleared to start. And off we went! For that brief 3 minutes or so before we caught up with the back of the other group, we were alone on the road. It was great! Knowing that everyone was behind me and very few were keeping pace was invigorating! The only people in front of me were a couple of guys that were obviously in the wrong start group (they were booking!), and, of course, my husband.

Now, days before the race, Chris told me he wanted to run with me for a bit. He wanted to keep pace with me, and then finish the race as well as he could. So I left the starting line thinking we would be running together for at least a little while before he got antsy and left me. We didn't even get five feet past the start before he took off! Guess he forgot about me! It ened up working out, though, because I didn't have to worry about keeping up with him or slowing him down. I was able to concentrate on my own race.

So there I was, approaching the back of the adjacent start group, having fun! Then the game completely changed. From the minute I hit that wolfpack all the way to the end of the race, it was all I could do to just get around people! The streets were so packed with runners that people (including myself) were running up onto the sidewalks and curbs just to get around people. And it never let up. Just to pass someone, you would have to either swing way out to the side, or throw a few elbows. I did both. Nobody seemed to care, everyone understood that it was tough to pass.

There was loud music at the start, a band playing halfway (at Pioneer Square), and lots to stimulate your mind. As a result, I wasn't really thinking about running too much! I was watching other people, looking at their fun St. Patty's attire, thinking about passing them, attempting to pass them, being proud of myself for not being the guy on the side that has stopped running, listening to my music, watching all the cars piled up at the intersections and knowing they've probably been stuck for a while now (all our fault), and the list goes on and on. I wasn't even thinking about how I was running, or how fast my pace was. Then, around mile 3 or so, my left knee started to give me a bit of trouble. I started to hobble, but then remembered a quote I had read from someone's running blog the night before: "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional." Reflecting on this, I decided it would be best to just listen to my music and run like normal, not with a wonky-leg. It didn't change the pain level much, so I figured it was all right. By mile four, though, I was in a considerable amount of pain. I couldn't help but hobble anymore. So I ducked my head down, knowing there was only one mile left, and sucked it up. I probably looked pretty funny out there, like one leg was longer than the other or something! Nevertheless, I finished the race as best I could! I was very proud of myself for finishing well.

STATS
Division: Female 20-24
Distance: 8k/5 miles
Net Time: 44:22 minutes
Pace: 8:54 min/mile
Standing in division: 76 out of 342
Standing in Female group, all ages: 547 out of 2,966
Standing in 8k race, all racers: 1569 out of 5,080
Standing in 8K female racers with the last name Baker: 1st place out of 6!

After the race I spent about half an hour looking for Chris, who told me he would meet me at the clothes check tent. So I limped down to the tent, and waited. And waited, and waaaaaiiiiitttteeeeddddd. Getting concerned, I limped back to the first-aid tent, wondering if something had happened to Chris. Nothing had happened, he just wanted to watch me finish, so he was standing in the huge mass of people at the finish line. Well apparently I was too fast for him, and I finished before he even got there to watch! Go me! So we both limped back to our car at Good Sam hospital (I have a parking pass there) and went home to lick our wounds.

Chris had an excellent run as well! He ran an average pace of 7:40 min/mile. He was very proud of himself, as was I, except he didn't feel that great afterwards. He was afraid of puking in the garbage can at the finish line where all the cameras and news crews were standing! But he held it back, and finished strong. Go Chris!

I have walked away from this race with a greatly improved sense of what type of runner I am, and how I compare to other people. My motivation has been refreshed, which was much needed. Noticed I haven't been blogging quite as much? There's a reason for that. It's called a 'lack of giving a crap about running.' I feel more excited about improving now.

The hardest parts of this race were the last mile, because my knee hurt quite a bit, and the second mile, because I always have trouble the second mile of a run, and because it was the hilliest.

I look forward to the 2011 Shamrock run! WOOOOOOOOOOO!

Waiting...

The Shamrock Run was a blast!!! 21,000 people all crammed onto Naito Pkwy to bump and shove each other...great fun! I am waiting for official race results from the website before I write a complete Blog. But unofficial results say that I ran 8k (5 miles) in 44.22 minutes!!!! That's around 8:55 per mile! WOW! I've never come close to a time like that! GO MEEEEEE!!!!

I'll post more later when I get official results and a photo downloaded. Unfortunately, no photos at the race because we had nowhere to put a camera! But at home afterwards is the next best thing=)

Final Playlist

All right, my playlist for the Shamrock Run tomorrow is complete! Here are the lucky winners:

Andy Hunter - Go
Bloc Party - Helicopter
Fedde Le Grand - Put Your Hands Up for Detroit
Foo Fighters - New Way Home
Foo Fighters - All My Life
Gnarls Barkley - Storm Coming
Incubus - A Crow Left of the Murder
OK Go - Here It Goes Again
Owl City - Hello Seattle (Remix)
Modest Mouse - Dashboard
Modest Mouse - Missed the Boat
Rancid - Time Bomb
The Hours - Ali in the Jungle
Underworld - Born Slippy
Underworld - Push Upstairs

Race Day Tomorrow!

The Shamrock Run is tomorrow! We just went and picked up our t-shirts, bib number, and timing chip at the Adidas campus. We also enjoyed 50% off at the Adidas store. I got myself a nice new running jacket for only $25! Chris got a new pair of shorts for even less. But the line we had to endure just to get these items made it almost not worth it.

I've been kind of nervous about this race ever since last Saturday. I ran 9 miles that day, and it was by far the most difficult run I've had. Remember what Saturday was like? 62 degrees, sunny, beautiful day. Well, I decided to run right around noon, and it was hot! I discovered I have a fear of heat stroke. I must have been dehydrated, because I got really hot really fast. The mind trip I was having was almost unbearable. I couldn't stop thinking about how the more I run, the hotter I'm going to get, and I might die! It was all I could do to jst keep putting one foot in front of the other. But by about 5 miles, I was starting to feel a bit better (probably beause I wa chugging my water), and I was able to finish the whole 9 miles. It was not my best time by any means, but I didn't care at all! I was so relieved to be done.

Ever since then I feel like I just can't run well. I've cut back my miles this week because of the shamrock run, so I've only been running 2 or 3 miles at a time. But it's a challenge to go even 3 miles. My calfs have been really stiff and sore, and I just feel like I don't have the energy. So I decided I have to eat very healthily and stretch lots until the race. Hope that helps.

I am more excited today, though. Picking up my shirt and reviewing the course map was fun. And now I have a schnazzy new jacket to wear!

Stats

Just an update for you all...

At the end of this week, I will have ran a total of 147 miles since the beginning of the year.

147 miles, at about 6 miles per hour = 24.5 hours of running.

147 miles x about 100 calories per mile = 14,700 calories burned.

24.5 hours divided by the average length of a song (I'm guessing 3 minutes) = 1,470 songs played on my iPod..

147 miles divided by 13.1 (half marathon distance) = 11.22 half marathons completed!

And many, many more to go...

We Have A Winner!

All right folks, the damage is done. There is no turning back now. I have signed up for a half marathon. The Helvetia Half Marathon! I originally skipped over this one on my list of halfs because it's considered "challenging" due to its hills. But I talked to a lady that participated in it and she said it was great, and the hills aren't that bad. And it keeps winning awards for the best half marathon (in Oregon, I think). When I realized it was the only half marathon that fit within my timeframe and distance I wanted to travel to get to it, I got very discouraged. Then I researched it, and it didn't really look that bad. In fact, the pictures were beautiful. And the hills aren't nearly as steep as I was expecting. So there I was, getting motivated to go run 13.1 miles through beautiful farmland and trees, and I knew that if I didn't sign up now, I wouldn't do it.

I don't regret my decision yet, even though I was very unmmotivated today. After another successful 8-miler on Friday night followed by an overnight snowshoeing trip Saturday night, I was pretty tired. And the beautiful February blossoms aren't helping my allergies any, either. But I went for a 4-mile run anyway (I was supposed to do it yesterday but didn't). The only thing that carried me through my run was Queen. Singing along with Fat-Bottomed Girls and Bicycle, I began to make up my own lyrics to multiple Queen songs. Like these ones, to the tune of Bicycle:

Original: "I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike"
My version: "I want to run my marathon, I want to run it fast... MAAAAAArathon, MAAAAAArathon, MAAAAAArathon...."

Thank you, Queen, for getting me through 4 miles.

TE Shamrock run is in 2 weeks, and I've been thinking up a playlist for my 8k. Leading artists include Incubus, Black Eyed Peas, Queen, Andy Hunter, Owl City, and The Hours. Oh yeah, and Rock the Casbah by The Clash! Chris is convinced the lyrics are "Rock the Vespa."

Gu is my new best friend and worst enemy

Gu is the nastiest stuff on earth. Yuck. I could barely stomach it. But it did give me an extra boost, and I finished 8 miles! I guess I'll be eating Gu again. But definitely not Apple Cinnamon flavor. I have about 12 different flavors to try, and I will not be purchasing that one again! So far:

Apple Cinnamon = FAIL
Orange Tangerine = bearable, but far from tasty

Music of choice this morning: Black Eyed Peas
Distance: 8 miles
Pace: 10:03/mile

Hubby Run

This evening was an easy 2 miler with Chris! He said he was skipping class tonight, so I gave him an ultimatum...he either goes to class like a good student or he goes on a run with me. He chose the run. Lucky for him it was an easy one!

I left my iPod at home tonight because Chris somehow ruined his headphones and couldn't use his iPod. Apparently he had his headphones in his school bag, in the SAME POCKET as a pair of wire cutters (genius!). Why he did this and how the headphones actually got snipped are questions I cannot answer. Needless to say, the wire cutters won. So off we ran, without our music. I wasn't sure how well I was going to do...or even if I'd be able to run at all without music. I thought perhaps my feet have become so accustomed to following the beat that in its absence I would stumble and trip over myself ultimately leading to a few twisted ankles and a smashed in face. Alas, the music was not missed. My feet led on, and Chris and I were able to carry on a conversation! Granted, it was rather labored and choppy, but it was such a good distraction that I might make him go with me more often! We talked about our upcoming snowshoeing trip this weekend, which I am very excited about! There hasn't been enough snow this year...

I went to REI on my lunch break to get some Gu in preparation for my run tomorrow. 8 miles! It will be the first time I've fueled up mid-run, and for some reason I'm kind of nervous about it! What if this Gu stuff is completely disgusting? What if I lose the packet? What if it gives me so much energy that I can't stop running? Haha, ok, maybe not. I am, however, very excited for the sense of achievement. Hope it goes well!

Week At A Glance

So, I've been lazy lately, getting a little behind on my posts! I guess it's difficult to find interesting things to write about after a while...there's only so much you can say about putting one foot in front of the other!

Overall, this week has been a good week. I've made great progress, along with the same old hiccups that happen all the time. On Saturday, I ran 6 miles! It kind of sucked, but I finished it without stopping. I was low on energy, dehydrated, and really hot! Nevertheless, it was a great accomplishment.

Sunday I went for a shorter run (3 miles), and did all right. Monday I took the day off.

Tuesday is my largest accomplishment of the week. I had to bump up my long run to Tuesday (usually done on Saturdays), because I am on call (again) this weekend, and can't go out for a long run. So after work, in the sunshine, I attempted 7 miles. And I made it! AND I FELT GREAT! I didn't stop once. The route around work is very flat, with only a couple slight grades, which I'm sure attributed to my success. I was surprised I actually made it that far after a tiring day of work. I think that was the first time I actually believed that I could run 13.1 miles. Up until now, it's been a very distant goal. But I think I can call myself a runner now!

After my great run on Tuesday came the inevitable: Side Stitch Wednesday. And it didn't disappoint. My goal of 3 miles turned into 1.5 miles before I had to stop and walk out the pain. I hate Wednesdays.

Today (Thursday) was a little better My goal was 4 miles, and I made it 3.5 miles before getting a side stitch. Better than yesterday!

Running longer distances has raised a few issues I will have to address soon. First off, since I'm running longer than 1 hour, I will need to refuel and drink water on my run. But I don't want to just carry stuff in my hands while I run. One person suggested a fuel belt, which is essentially a glorified fannie pack. I won't be doing that. No matter how practical. Another friend suggested a sort of glove-water-bottle thing, which is basically a water bottle with a fitted glove your hand goes in, so you don't really have to hold the water bottle, it will just be attached to your hand. I don't really like the idea of this either, but it's better than a fannie pack! I could also leave some water and Gu behind a bush somewhere, and circle back around halfway through my run and hope that it's still there...

Whatever I decide, I will have to do it quickly, hopefully before my next big run (8 miles on Tuesday). So far both runs that have lasted longer than an hour have made me feel pretty sick about an hour afterwards. I think I am just draining my nutrients too quickly without replacing them.

Now that the hump is over (6.55 miles is half of a half), I really do feel like I'm on the downhill slope! My fitness is improving, and I don't think it will take so much of my energy anymore to add on an extra mile. What a good feeling! Can't wait to see if I can run 8 miles next week!

I think I've gone sick in the head...

Mornings...Bite me.

I have come to a realization...

My side aches seem to happen most frequently midweek, sometimes on Tuesday and just about every Wednesday. Haven't figured out exactly why yet, but it leads me to believe it has something to do with my eating habits/patterns. Perhaps I'm eating too much too early in the day, or maybe it's what I'm eating. Either way, it's a place to start.

I've tried changing my diet a little, and eating more in the afternoons (normally I starve myself from lunchtime until after my run, which is about 7:30) but so far I haven't figured it out.

I know I will severely regret this, but I do have one more extreme measure I could try. I could...*gulp*...get up in the morning and run. For anyone who knows me at all, you know how incredibly hard this is for me. Many, MANY attempts have been made in the past, all complete failures. I'll even get my running clothes set out on a chair, my shoes tucked neatly under my bed, and my alarm clock on the opposite side of the room, and have high hopes for rising early for a refreshing run. But when the time comes, there is no way I'm leaving the bed. I'll get up to turn my alarm off and go right back into bed. As it is, I hit the snooze button about 5 times just to get up for work! Yes, getting out of bed in the morning is my own personal hell. Other than pickles, I can't think of anything worse. Although I did just come up with an idea...perhaps I can fashion an alarm clock that will dup a jar of pickles on my head in the morning. Then it would be worse to stay in bed than to get up.

All said, I'm doing well on the weekends. I think I should leave my long runs for Saturday mornings, that's when I seem to run the best (after sleeping in, of course). I will think seriously about this Wednesday morning thing...perhaps it's not worth it. Severe abdominal pain for half an hour while I run and still being able to sleep a little longer might just be a lesser evil for me. Any of you early birds have any advice for a novice early morning waker?

Bad Day, Good Day

Yesterday was my second 5-miler, and I ran it at a 9:36 min/mile pace! That's definitely my most successful run so far. Feels good to know that just because I have a bad run one day, doesn't mean I've backstepped or gotten worse. Just means I need to take a day off and try again.

Spring is starting to show itself. My route was sprinkled with budding trees and tulips starting to pop out of the ground. I'm really excited to see it in full bloom!

Today I'll go to the gym and cross-train and do some strength training. Perhaps I can convince Chris to play some tennis with me!

Barefoot running?

So I've been having a difficult time staying motivated this week, especially after my run on Wednesday night. I only made it 1.5 miles before I had to stop because I had not one, but TWO side aches! One on each side! I gave up that night. So I took tonight off to try to recouperate and prepare for my 5-mile push tomorrow morning. I really wasn't looking forward to it, until I got a phone call from my trusty friend Chelsea (the awesome Seattle runner). I talked to her, told her my woes, she listened, and made some suggestions for me. She gave me some great insight about the Rock and Roll 1/2 in Seattle in June (which I am thinking about signing up for), and it totally motivated me again. Hooray for wonderful supportive friends! I am now excited again for my 5-mile attempt tomorrow morning.

I've also been dialoguing with people about barefoot running. Apparently there are die-hards out there that say it is way better for your form and for injury prevention. I don't know that I'll ever actually run barefoot, but I became interested in the different techniques used by shoeless runners and those with nice padding under their feet. My dad sent me this article and video which I found very interesting. Check out the shockwave that travels up the guy's leg when his heel hits first. The difference between hitting the ground with your heel and with your forefoot is very visible.

So I decided to try (with shoes on) to run like barefoot runners do, by hitting the ground forefoot first. It was hard! It's like training yourself to run all over again. But I could definitely tell that different muscles were being used. Afterwards I was sore! The article suggests that running forefoot first reduces injury by strengthening other smaller muscles, as well as reducing impact. I think I believe that.

Needless to say, it got me thinking about my running style. I don't know that I can handle running like that all the time, but perhaps it would be helpful for me on downhill stretches to protect my knees more (I have sore knees most of the time). I'll let you know if it works for me!

Milestone

I ran 5 miles! That is all. I rock.

Music choice: Andy Hunter - Exodus

Banzai Burgers and Biggest Loser

My picture belongs on Failblog. Yesterday was to contain a lovely trip to the gym. I was going to ride the bikes, row a bit, and do some strength training.

So there I was...about to change for the gym, when someone said, "Hey, want to go to Red Robin with us?"



One giant Banzai burger (1,040 calories) with yummy fries later (Oh, can't forget the tower of onion rings for an appetizer!), we decided it would be appropriate to invite our house guests over for Biggest Loser drinking night! Besides, I had already skipped my workout for the night...might as well just make it worse! So we turned on Biggest Loser, and every time one of the contestants cried, we had a drink. Ever watched that show? They cry a LOT! And so the evening went, until we finally went to bed (much later than I should have, just to make sure I really destroyed the night).

All day today I felt horrible. It is the first time I've deviated from my workout schedule. Until now, I was rather proud of the fact that I've never missed a workout. Alas, the pride was immediately followed by the fall, in the form of accumulating coronary artery disease and liver failure.

Ok, maybe I didn't take years off of my life beacause of one Red Robin trip. But nonetheless, I regretted it. And it didn't even taste that good. The beer was kinda good, though. Not gonna lie.

So my post-binge workout today was no doubt a tough one. I was dehydrated, bloated, and had very little energy. But I finished 4 miles. And tomorrow I'm going to eat healthier. And no more beer. For now.

Final 4 and Fastest 3

Yesterday I ran my third 4-miler for the week. I accomplished my goal! It was tough, especially since I was on call. But I hooked my pager on my belt and off I went! And it was GREAT! I went the whole 4 miles without stopping. And it was POURING with rain! Did you see the rain on Sunday? I almost didn't go. But there I was, standing under the cover of the hospital parking garage in my running shoes, staring at the puddle in the middle of the road that is so deep it is coming up over the curb and onto the sidewalk, thinking to myself, "If I don't go, I'll be really upset with myself at about 8:00 tonight."

The puddle was so large that it had attracted a crowd watching the enormous tidal wave that shot up about 15 feet every time a car drove by. I waited until there were no cars, then braved the puddle. And after I took the first ten steps out into the rain, it was smooth sailing from there. In fact, it was quite refreshing. After a while, I didn't even notice the rain. Good thing I didn't melt.

Tonight I went for a shorter run, only 3 miles (only! Three weeks ago I would have been completely amazed with myself if I ran 3 miles). But I felt on top of it today, so I decided to push myself. and I set a personal record! I ran 3.2 miles in 29:45. That's well under 10 minutes/mile! The best time I had done before that was 10:15 per mile. It is a huge boost in confidence to see that I am able to run stronger, longer and faster. Who knew! It really jazzed me up, and I'm excited to see if I can run a 4-miler at a faster pace as well. Shamrock run, here I come!!! MWA HA HA HAAAAA!

Second 4

I tried again today, after trying to motivate myself the WHOLE DAY. I really didn't want to run today! But I did anyway, and I was able to make my goal of 4 miles. Again with the side aches, but they're getting more bearable. After I was done, I felt great! And I ran it quite a bit faster than the 4 miles I ran on Tuesday. It was a very good feeling, especially after my lack of motivation yesterday.

I decided I'm going to stay at 4 miles for another week so I can try to get more comfortable running the whole distance, and work on getting rid of these side aches. This weekend will be tough; I'm on call from Friday evening until Monday morning, so I can't stray too far away from home in case I get called in. I will have to get creative with my workouts.

Thanks to everyone for your supportive comments. All your advice and support has really helped me keep motivated!

Tomorrow will be better...

Not such a good day today. Went three miles, with lots of stops. Side aches came back. Just wanted to quit. Wasn't into it. Oh well, I suppose not every day can be a good one. I'll try again tomorrow.

There was a gift from Chris waiting for me when I got home! He wanted to get something for me to help me on my journey. So he got me....a scale. A weight scale. Very romantic. Granted, it is a nice scale. His idea was that as I get more in shape, I'll see that I am losing weight. But it told me that I weigh 4 pounds more than I thought I was! Oh well, it was a sweet thought. Muscle weighs more than fat, right?..........

First 4

Tonight I went for a 4 mile run. And I actually enjoyed it! I made it the whole way, and I wasn't completely out of breath. I even noticed the stars and the moon were out. By the end of my run, I felt great! I wasn't completely worn out like I usually am. But I did slow down. My average pace was more like 10:45 per mile instead of 10:15 per mile, which is what I was running this weekend. But I am okay with that. It felt so good to actually enjoy a run, that it didn't matter how fast I went. I have confidence that sooner or later I will be able to maintain my speed and still enjoy it.

My goal is to run 4 miles 3 times this week. One down, two more to go!

HALLELUJAH!

I RAN 3.2 MILES WITHOUT STOPPING!!! Why didn't I stop, you ask? BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET A SIDE ACHE!!!!!! This is an epic day in my very short running career. I was atually able to concentrate on other things, like how hard I was breathing or how tired my legs were, which is okay, because these are all things I an overcome or try to ignore. Hopefully this is the beginning of better running for me. I was starting to get very discouraged, especially after yesterday's workout.

We went to the track yesterday morning, and Chris had the idea to run a mile, then walk 100 meters, then run another mile, then walk....etc. until I reached 4 miles. I couldn't even do that without getting a side ache just about every 200 meters. But I finished the workout, nonetheless. Every time I would have to stop, I wouldn't advance any further until I could start running again, just to make sure I at least make the mileage. I did, but it was humbling.

Several hours after the workout we went to the store, and my side stitch was coming back just walking around the store! I was beginning to think I had injured myself or something. So I was very happy when today's workout didn't turn into a reapeat of yesterday.

And I also don't feel so bad about Chris kicking my butt every time we run laps. We timed ourselves yesterday, and Chris is already running 7:30 minute miles...consistently for 5 miles! I am not ashamed that I cannot keep up with that. Did I marry a superhuman? My pace yesterday was about 10:15 minutes per mile over 4 miles. Not that great, but I'm not going to fret about it. My Nike+iPod chip tried to tell me I only went 3.75 miles, when I know I did 4, so that means...

I'M GETTING FASTER, TOO! My gait must have changed, so I'll have to re-program my chip when I get a chance.

Also, I'm starting to notice changes in my body. Chris doesn't like it when I say that, he says it sounds like the title of a puberty movie they show you in 5th grade. He's probably right. Either way, my jeans are getting a little looser, and I can feel a difference in all of my muscles; not just my legs. My core is stronger, and chris swears my arms have a little definition now! I really hope I can get rid of my flabby arms!!!

So...good day today. I'm definitely looking forward to my scheduled rest day tomorrow!

Rainy Day

Tonight was a very rainy run with Chris. I had a hard day at work, and all I wanted to do was come home and do the usual...sit on the couch and do nothing. But I pushed myself out the door and now I'm glad I did. I feel good about myself, although it wasn't the most enjoyable run. I got another side stitch, and it was POURING! I ran through so many puddles, one puddle was eight steps long! It was dark...otherwise I would have been smart enough to go around it. I'll have to figure out a good way to dry my shoes. Chris ran with me for support and motivation, and we ended up going just over 3 miles. Not bad for an end-of-the-week, don't-want-to-do-this run. Tomorrow I hope to step it up a notch. I will let you know if I manage to do so!

Shamrock Run!

Yesterday I signed up for the Shamrock run! It's a run here in Portland, and you can choose from a 5k, 8k, or 15k. I was invited by a couple friends to do the 5k run last year (that's only 3 miles), but promptly chickened out because I didn't think I could do it. So to punish myself, I signed up for the 8k (about 5 miles). By March, I should be able to run 5 miles with ease...unless something goes seriously wrong.

I have also been very encouraged; I have had a couple friends tell me that they also want to start running and keep healthy. I love hearing that other people are as crazy as me=). I know there are lots of other people out there that want to run, but don't have time, or don't think they can. That was part of my reasoning for posting the blog; so people can see how bad I suck, and give them a little more confidence in themselves. While I was running on Tuesday, I heard a blunt, yet very truthful lyric from one of my longtime favorite artisis: "Insecurities are about as useful as trying to put the pin back in the grenade." I love this line, because I am usually very insecure about my abilities. I realized, however, that to get better, you have to open yourself up to people and accept your failures as learning experiences and stepping stones to improvement. My insecurities will just help me to quit faster.

So, kudos to you friends that are striving for the same goals as me; no matter whether you've done it all before (CHELSEA!) or if you're just starting out and wheezing down the street with me. Your inspiration inspires me in return=).

First person to name the band that wrote that lyric is pretty much the coolest person on earth, and may even get a prize! "May" is the key word here.

New shoes and side aches and gadgets, oh my!

Long blog today, most won't be this long.

Today I went for a jog around my home in Mountain Park. My goal was 3 miles, and I ended up running just under 4. It was a good achievement, except for the first mile. I started strong, then promptly doubled over with a side stitch at 0.5 miles. Great. I have many ailments while running, and nothing comes close to getting a stitch. I've tried everything...shoving a fist under my ribcage (very painful), not eating for 5 hours before a run, eating only yogurt, stretching before a run, stretching while running (just about impossible), forcefully exhaling while my right foot hits the ground...the list goes on and on. The internet is filled with ideas. None of them work for me.

So I spent the first mile dragging myself along the sidewalk in pain. I ran twenty steps, stopped, ran some more, stopped again, and eventually, somehow, got the pain to go away. From there, I was able to run 2.75 miles without stopping.

Although I struggled through the first mile, I was excited to try out some new gadgets I inherited. First thing I tried was a pair of new headphones. Apparently I have tiny misshapen ears, because every single pair I've ever owned have fallen out and/or caused lots of pain. Until now! I knew of one last type of headphones I hadn't tried, so I bought them and took them for a spin. They worked great! They didn't fall out once, and I didn't have an ounce of pain either. In fact, the sound quality is the best I've heard yet from a pair of headphones.

I also needed more light while I run. I didn't want to carry a flashlight in my hand, so I opted for the ever-so-trendy headlamp! Worked well, but between the headlamp and the decrease in oxygen intake I was experiencing, I felt like I was 700 feet underground mining for coal (I thought of mining diamonds, but decided that was too pleasurable of an event to relate to).

Another addition to my gear is a Nike+iPod chip! It is basically a pedometer that speaks to you through your iPod. A chip goes into your shoe which sends signals to your iPod telling you anything from how far you've gone to how many calories you've burned.

With the new Nike+iPod chip, I also needed a new pair of Nike shoes that will support the chip. So I got those too! Very comfortable and light, and they match my iPod=)

It was a fun day trying out all my gear, until my iPod reminded me that my first mile took me 13:30 to complete. Thanks, gadget. Shouldn't there be a "pity minute" button for when you get a side ache? It could take a couple minutes off your time to compensate for time wasted rolling around in pain in the middle of the street. I should talk to Nike about that.

I have gotten a request from a doctor I work with to post some pictures of me "sucking air" and making a fool of myself. "Those are the funniest pictures," he tells me. So since he pays my paycheck, I suppose I will get those pictures up for everyone as soon as I can convince my wonderful, loving husband to help me disgrace myself.

Week One

About a week ago, I decided I was going to run a half marathon. I'm not a runner. I'm not fit. I have a long way to go.

It all started with an episode of The Biggest Loser. That's right, I watch that show. Mostly as a drinking game, which I will go into detail about at a later date. These very overweight people were training and running marathons! "That's it," I told myself, "I am not going to be outgunned by someone that weighs four times as much as me! If they can run a marathon, I can at LEAST run a 1/2!" And so it all began...

I decided to start a blog for a few reasons. Most of all, I desperately need motivation to keep running! I started running (what I really mean is trudging) a little over a week ago, and thought I was doing all right for a beginner. Then my husband (also not a runner) went with me to the Lake Oswego High track for a workout on Sunday...and lapped me THREE TIMES! Once was humiliating enough. I quickly lost motivation that day. So here I am, trying to convince myself to keep going. I figure if I have a blog, then I have to keep going. If enough of my friends know what I'm trying to do, then I will feel guilty giving up.

So the battle continues...