Goodbye 2010....

As the year 2010 comes to a close, I find myself sitting at my kitchen table contemplating whether or not I should make any New Year Resolutions. I've never been big on them, mostly because I think if your decision is important enough to make a resolution over, it shouldn't have to wait until December 31. But I'm a runner now, and runners make resolutions, right?

While I ponder my predicament, I'll blog a quick update on my past running week.

I knew I wasn't going to get my usual workouts in this week because of the holidays, but I at least wanted to run three times. I got close. On Friday, I ran an easy 7 miles and on Sunday, I ran 15 miles... in the woods.

So that's the short of it.

Now- the long of it. Last Thursday, we had to put my kitty of 13 years to sleep because he had a tumor in his intestine (I knew he was sick, just didn't know it was this bad). I don't consider myself a huge "cat person," but Queequeg wasn't your typical cat. He had more personality in him than some of the dogs I've met. And while I knew his health was failing, there's still no easy way to make the choice to put a pet down. It kind of dampened the Christmas cheer...

The next day I went out a did my 7. It was especially good for me to run that day, and I was reminded of why I like running in the first place: I can 'run away' from my thoughts. And that's the best I can do to describe my run. I didn't feel great and I was dog-tired from the day before, but it was good for my soul.

A few days later, my dad (an avid trail runner) took me out to his 'neck of the woods' to bust my butt on a 15 mile loop he visits quite frequently. Since he was fighting a cold (more on that later) I was able to keep him hoppin for the first half. The first 2 hours and 10 miles were very enjoyable for me. Running in the woods is far different than the road. For one thing, the scenery is different and in my opinion, much more pleasant. You also have to pay more attention to your feet, whereas when running on the pavement, your strides can get very monotonous. I took my first trail fall so as my dad puts it, I'm no longer a 'trail virgin.' There was a fallen tree on the path, which I was preparing to clear. Unfortunately, I didn't see the stump preceding the tree.

After a brief sensation of flying, I ate dirt. Lots of dirt. I did my best to salvage my pride and got up as fast I could to brush it off. My right shin was bleeding, my left knee had a lump quickly growing, and my thigh looked like I had run through a brier patch. But whatever, I'm tough (I'm a runner!). Yeah right... those scratches and bruises hurt far worse than my tired muscles!

We finished the last 5 miles out on hills (mild in comparison to the North Carolina Appalachian hills, but still admirable in Florida's terms). That's when he surpassed me. We'll say it was the hills... but I'm fairly certain he outran me because I'm just not conditioned (yet) to run more than 12-13 miles. That's got to change...

Thus concludes my running adventures in Florida. I would have loved to have gotten one more run in (don't we all, though) but the plague had invaded our household. Family coming in from Ohio brought the flu with them, sharing it with my father, and then sharing it with me. I spent the rest of my time in Florida with a box of tissues (well, a roll of toilet paper), drinking countless amounts of Gatorade and popping Sudifed like they were candy (no, not really, but I did keep to the 4 hour schedule...).

I could spend another 10 minutes whining about my Christmas holiday, but I won't. But tomorrow is not only a new day, it is a new year.

So while the rest of the world counts down the New Year and watches the ball drop, I'll wave goodnight and fall into a pseudoephedrine-induced coma.

My Queequeg, who I'll miss dearly

Long may you run

I did indeed get out yesterday to shuffle another 10 miles under my feet. I'd been feeling so stir-crazy from not having my long run that I decided Sunday afternoon was as good a time as any. I waited until the 'heat' of the day (being 2:00 where it had almost reached the 40s) and headed out. I'm use to doing my long runs on weekdays where there aren't so many people out, but it was a nice change to see other runners, bikers and walkers. Even the little kids on bicycles that can't steer straight (yes, I ran off to the grass a handful of times in order to keep from being mauled down by a 6 year old and their 2 pound bike).

I felt a twinge of a breathing cramp, and had to overcome an initial wave of nausea (guess I'm use to running in the morning with just one meal in my belly) but after mile 2 or 3, things settled down and I got into a good pace. I kept a fairly consistent 10:30 pace, so I'm pretty happy with that.

As I turned around to head back to my car, one of my favorite running songs came on, the song which this blog is named after. I think it might have been the euphoric state of mind I was in from getting a long run in in combination with the way the sun was setting in the dead winter trees that made me feel completely relaxed and so very thankful to be able to be out there and move. So, I'll leave you with this sentimental bit...

We've been through some things together
With trunks of memories still to come.

We found things to do in stormy weather,
Long may you run.

Long may you run,
long may you run.
Although these changes have come.
With your chrome heart shining
in the sun-
Long may you run.

Neil Young, Long May You Run

New Goal

It's been an interesting post-half-marathon week. But I suppose since I've never had one of those, I have nothing to compare it to. I have such a feeling of accomplishment- I feel like this door has been opened and the other side is just waiting for me to walk through. But I also feel very restless since I haven't run very hard this week, or had my weekly long run (is this how a drug addict feels?). And the week previous to the half, I did that whole 'tapering' thing so there wasn't a whole lot of running there, either.

I've been searching the internet for other running blogs and reading what other runners are up to. It's so interesting to see what other runners are doing! I also caught the end of an Ironman Triathlon special on TV tonight- those people are beasts!! Swimming for 2 something miles, biking for 112 miles (?) and then running a marathon... those athletes have my utmost respect. I cannot imagine the amount of time they've put into training, and the kind of psychological endurance they must have.

It's inspiring.

And so I come back to my own running journey and ask myself, "What's next?" I feel that training for the half brought me so much sanity and purpose. I made a training schedule, ran, and checked off each miles at the end of the week. I've come so far from where I've started (shoot, I even run in the cold!). I don't want to let it all waste away.

So I've decided to register for another half marathon. I'm going to run the Five Points of Life half marathon in Gainesville, FL, or February 20th. I figure this goal will keep me running through the Carolina-winter, as it will also give me a reason for keeping my mileage up. Gainesville is only a 7 hour drive and we'll have a place to stay for free. My dad, also a runner, will be able to come up and run with me. I doubt he knows it, but he's such an inspiration to me (although I don't think I'll ever be crazy enough to run a 100 miler! Sorry, dad!). And then there's the fact that February in Florida brings mild temperatures and no snow. And let's not forget, the University of Florida is not only an awesome school, but it's my Alma Mater =)

So now I have direction again. The only problem? Next week is Christmas, and the week after that is New Years, and then a few short weeks after that, we'll be driving down to Florida (again) for my brother-in-law's wedding. This all means: lots of traveling, holiday eating, and unpredictable training. Being a goal-oriented person, this might be a problem. Guess my Type A personality is just going to have to deal.

So back to the running log: Yesterday I met my running partner with the intention of doing 7 (why 7, I don't know) but 10:00 got pushed to 10:30, which got pushed to 11... which got pushed to "just 6 miles and coffee afterwords." Oh well.

This morning, I got in the car on a mission to find an open track so I could do speed workouts. I went to two different high schools, both places had their tracks locked up (what happened to the days where people left things unlocked?!). I took these two failures to be the running gods telling me to go home. Good thing, because not even 10 minutes after I step in the door, snow starts falling from the sky!!!

Max, aka Santa Paws, runs out to see what this white stuff is..

Why yes, that is my 13.1 sticker I put on my car right after I finished Thunder Road, thankyouverymuch!

So, what now?

Every website I've been to and every training schedule I've looked at suggests taking time off after your half marathon. And judging by how stiff my knees and sore my legs were, I decided to heed the advice.

I made it all the way until Tuesday.

Then I started getting the itch- you know, where you feel like you NEED to get out there and move? So I piled on the layers (it was in the teens) and ran around my neighborhood. It was just 2 miles, but it felt good. And the stranger thing was... I felt really strong. I made it the entire way without walking once (it was a slow run though). I think back to August when it took me more than 20 minutes to run the same route. This time, it took me less than 18!

When I got back, I got out my exercise ball (that I originally bought for breathing exercises while playing/teaching the flute). I hadn't used my poor, neglected ball in months, so I had to pump some air into the thing before I could sit on it without touching the floor. I had stumbled across a website that gives free ball exercises the night before and wanted to give them a try. Having been to physical therapy on four separate occasions, I'm well aware of how important it is to have strong muscles in the area where your hurting, ie: my knees and hips.

I chose the "intermediate routine I" and got to work. Most of the leg exercises were a piece of cake, my upper body strength failed miserably on the arm exercises, and the ones that target the hip area were just what I needed. If you don't have access to a gym to use weight machines, go to this website! I've done the routine two days in a row and I can safely say I feel it working! Now I can only hope that this will make my aches and pains go away and allow me to run stronger, faster and longer.

Yesterday (Wednesday) I went out to my hilly route and did 5. I really had no intention to push myself, I just wanted to go out slow and easy and enjoy myself. I accomplished all three goals! I ran my 1.7 loop 3 times and surprisingly, only took 2 walk breaks the entire time. I did have to run through a flock of killer geese, dodge goose poop (toooons of it), tread lightly through ice patches, and see vultures snacking on a dead squirrel (all these things three times), but it was a good run. In fact, it was my longest run with a pace under 10 minutes!

So now I guess I figure out where I go from here. Do another half marathon? Run for fun? Go into winter hibernation until it's not 20 freaking degrees in the morning? For now, I'll just sip my coffee and snuggle with my puppy...

Half Marathon: Check!

2,658th place, baby!

Ok, so my placement isn't too impressive, but I'm thrilled, no ECSTATIC with my time! I had been hearing rumors that the Thunder Road was one of the more difficult races because of all those "hills" throughout the course (and their slogan is "Flat is for sissies"). Since I'm such a wimp when it comes to running uphill, I had resigned myself to just wanting to finish the half marathon before the time limit, but secretly, I wanted a sub-2:30 finish (but vocalizing such a 'lofty' goal before races really puts the pressure on, so I kept my mouth shut).

I must admit, this race was FUN! There were over 4,000 people at the start line (the half and full marathons started at the same time and ran the same course for the first 11-12 or so miles). I thoroughly enjoyed myself at all points of the run (yes, even miles 11-13).

Pre-Race
We arrived at the Convention Center sometime around 7:15, about 30 minutes before the start time. There were tons of people on the first floor grouping together by pace-times, but there were also runners on the second and third floors too. Since I didn't remember reading anything on the website that talked about lining up on the ground floor of the Convention Center by pace, I didn't think much of it. I needed t make a quick pitstop in the lady's room before we headed to the start line, so I went in search of a line that wasn't 20 people long. Easier said than done. I should have sucked it up and used a porta potty outside where there were no lines (because it was 30 degrees), because by the time I got through the line and found my running partner and husband, it was 7:40. Ahhhh! We left the comfort and warmth of the Convention Center in search of the start line, a mere 1 block away.

Except..... it didn't register in my head that with over 4,000 people starting at the same time, it would be a little crowded. Yes, I had one big, gigantic 'duh' moment. We walked as quickly as we could through the crowds toward the "Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines... one... two..." we were a block away... "three: GO!" Apparently we weren't the only ones who didn't get the memo about needing to be at the start line super early, because there was a large crowd of people frantically pushing and shoving to find an opening in the start chute.

So much for a pre-race picture. Almost 4 and a half minutes after the gun went off, we finally made it across the start.


Race
I can't reiterate enough times- this was a really fun run! By the time we crossed the start, the crowd had thinned out a lot. There seemed like tons of people on the side cheering us on, holding signs ("run like you stole something!" was my favorite); the police officers holding traffic were even cheering us on! It was cool to run through downtown Charlotte- you never really 'see' a city until you run through its streets! I think half the fun of a run is being able to run on the double yellow line.

Throughout the first two miles, people were shedding clothes, gloves, hats and jackets like crazy. It was also highly amusing to hear all the heart rate monitor bells going off all around me. Although it did get a little obnoxious.

We hit mile 1 somewhere around 11:30 minutes (15 on the clock), and mile 2 about 11:30 minutes later. We kept a pretty consistent pace for the first 5 miles. I was too busy enjoying the atmosphere and watching people run and cheer that I hardly noticed my legs, feet, breathing, etc. We ran up and down a few little hills, but they seemed to be much more daunting in the distance than when we actually got there. We ran through beautiful Myers Park (those houses are GIGANTIC!). Around 3.5, David met us, snapped a picture, and took some clothes off our backs. It's a good thing he came then, because less than a half mile layer, we encountered the first big hill. But I noticed people who strategically placed at the bottom, middle, AND top of each hill to cheer us on. I wonder if that was on purpose? At any rate, it worked. We hoofed it up almost the entire hill!

At mile 5, I said goodbye and good luck to my partner. I was able to keep a pretty consistent pace for a while. All I could think was, "wow, I'm really doing this!" That, and "holy cow that house is huge!" We were running through Dilworth now...

I don't remember a whole lot between 5 and 10. At each water station, I saw people waiting in line to use the porta potties, supplied by the race. I even saw people using private porta potties next to homes that were under construction. My favorite scene was seeing people jump in and out of a wooded area in a neighborhood because they didn't want to wait in line. Imagine waking up and seeing THAT out your bedroom window...

At this point in time, I had eaten maybe half of my energy bar and drank a little more than half of my Gatorade (thank you, University of Florida!). I was so happy not to have to be stopping at every water station to get fluids. I will definitely BMOG (bring my own Gatorade) for every run I do so I can avoid that craziness!

At mile 10, the clock read around 1:50. I think that's the point I realized I'd be able to finish this sucker in under 2:30. I think a huge smile spread across my face at this point as I chugged on. I was having so much fun! And my usual aches and pains hadn't even started to plague me yet- this was a good run.

By mile 11, everything changed. I was TIRED! My knees were starting to hurt (not my hip, surprisingly. Just the knee that I hadn't had surgery on... the 'bum' knee was doing fine. Well, it was doing ok. It was doing better than the left knee, how about that?). Shortly after passing the 11 mile flag, I rounded a corner and saw a hill with a grade that, I'm ashamed to say, brought profanity from my mouth. But darn those race-course entertainment/cheer squads- they were placed half way up and at the top. So I made it up to the top at a fast walk and inwardly cursed myself for not running more hills.

Then, my favorite part of the race: full marathoners went straight, half marathoners turned. Hallefreakinlujah!

Mile 12: check!
That guy who thinks he's funny by saying "It's just around the corner and all downhill": check! (sooo not cool).

I don't remember seeing a mile marker for 13, but I could hear the announcer at the finish. I'm not gunna lie... I was exhausted by this point. It was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other. I rounded the corner and could see the finish.... the clock read 2:25 something (really 2:20 because I started late). I think this is the point where I put my head down and charged. Or, at least I thought I charged. It was more like a fast jog =)

Fast forward 3 minutes, and I finish: 2:23:38.

I did it- I ran my first half marathon!

Mile 3.5, we were still goofy-happy to be doing this!

Coming through the finish... so need to work on my game face.


BEFORE
(when we had big smiles and lots of energy)

AFTER
(can you see the weary relief of both of us being done and meeting our time goals?)

Now... we wait!

I did my last taper run this morning. I have to admit, it's a bit strange for me not to get out there and push myself to get the mileage up. But this morning I ran around my neighborhood, a mere 3 miles, and didn't let myself get any faster than a 10 minute pace (I scientifically gauged myself just to make sure I wasn't running any faster). Of course, I did my fair share of procrastinating before I got outside to run...

It's been unseasonably cold here in Charlotte these past few days. In fact, after I finished my 4 mile 'recovery' run on Saturday, it started icing (perhaps the word for this is sleet? It was raining down ice balls). I don't think the city felt above-freezing temperatures from Saturday evening until today. On my Monday and Tuesday runs, I piled on the layers, and put on leggings, gloves, and a headband to keep my ears warm. I've never run in such extreme temperatures (20s and below) and while I'm not gunna say I prefer it, I will say that I enjoyed the new experience. Having the right clothes on to keep you warm and dry really does help make the run more doable (long sleeve t-shirts and hoodies don't cut it).

So today, knowing that I could only do an 'easy' 3 and not the 13 I wanted to run, I fiddled around the house, drank some coffee, paid some bills, checked facebook, balanced the checkbook, checked facebook, had some more coffee, checked facebook... until I finally put the running clothes on (hoping they would magically motivate me)... and then checked facebook again and had some more coffee. By 11 I figured I'd better get out there. It had, afterall, warmed up to almost freezing.

By the time I finished and got back to my house, I realized I had just run 3 miles with what seemed like very little effort. Yet, my pace today was as fast as it was two months ago when I started training. Pretty cool!

Tomorrow I'm going to pick up my running packet, get my bib number, browse the exhibits at the health and fitness expo... then I'll be pigging out on pasta for dinner. I don't know if it helps or not, but it sure does taste good, and I like to eat...

I guess all I can do now is wait until the big day!!

Last Long One....

Got out this morning to get in one last long run before the tapering begins. I started at 9:00 AM and the temp held steady around 29 degrees! But I think I might have finally found the right ratio of clothes to cold. Tried out my new pair of 'running gloves' (AKA- the $1.50 pair of gloves from W-Mart), and they worked surprisingly well! My hands weren't super warm, but they weren't uncomfortably frost bitten either. I can't believe I'm about to say this, but it was unexpectedly pleasant to run in the cold this morning. But then again, I had more clothes on today than I ever have.

Since the half is 1 week and 2 days away, my running buddy and I decided to do an "easy" 10. Ha! I would have never in my wildest dreams have referred to 10 miles as "easy!" We just took it light and did more walking than normal. Speaking of walking, I think the pain I'm feeling in my hip is from walking, not running. Seems the less I walk, the less pain I feel. Simple solution, right? Run more walk less! Ha. The pain starts in around mile 6 or 7 and lasts for the rest of the day, but by the next morning it seems so have gone away. And I just get it on my long runs.

When I got home, I proceeded to eat my body weight in pretzels and Gatorade. Had it not been noon, I would have cracked open a cold one too ;)