Are We There Yet?

Almost! I started this blog to record my journey but then, to me, that becomes a journal and I just fail epically at that. Mostly because I internalize EVERYTHING. But I just had to this out before I ran this marathon so that I would have something to gauge my before and after status. I have the feeling this will be life changing and that just need to documented. After this race I will be a Marathon Runner! Now that is life changing! The biggest question is if I will do another one. My training buddy Debbie already has one picked out for us to do in the Spring and Beth who I train with has 2 scheduled already for next year. Let me do this one first and then I'll let you know.

TRAINING

So as far as the training went I've clocked in 18 weeks of training, approximately 72 runs (running 4x a week) and about 557 miles. Just guesstimating at 10 minute miles as an average that is 93 hours of running. Holy balls! So the answer to my question "Are we there yet?" is a bonafide yes!

MILESTONES

With a first marathon there has been 3 significant milestones. The first and most fun was 15 miles. Basically we tacked on 2 miles to a Half Marathon race. Highly suggest this tactic during training. Mostly because on a long training run during the summer there is a lot of support at each mile - so water and goo are all taken care of. For this training run we warmed up with 2 miles and then did the 13.1. Besides being my longest run I ended having a PR. Must of been the training, the course and just taking it easy.

The second was 18 miles. This actually was my favorite (I can picture Beth and Debbie scratching their heads at this one). The day we chose to run 18 was incredibly hot and humid, one of this summers hottest. I think it's my favorite because it totally defines our MCM training. Hot, long, brutal but in the end quite an accomplishment. I think it was around mile 15 or so where we turned around on the Luce Line where I was so hot and tired and almost hallucinating. I felt so completely exposed to the heat and sun on this dusty trail but willing myself to finish - "only 3 to go, you can make it." Then 1 mile from finishing at our last water stop I was sweating so much it was streaming down my legs and arms like a river of pea! At this point, I knew I could do this thing. After that run it really gave me a load of confidence. Very happy to be done!

The third milestone was 20 miles. We decided to run at Baker because it's hilly and the MCM has a killer hill at the front end and then a slow gradual one at the end. So we had to do it. So at Baker to get a 20 mile in we would need to circle the path 3x and then add on 2 miles at the end. The run was going well until around 16. It was at this point that I was thinking "what the f*** do I think I'm doing?!" I'm at 16 I have 4 more to do today and at race day I'll have 10.2 more to do . . .f,f,f,f etc. I was so ecstatic to be done with this run but it hurt and it wasn't much fun. And I think it was after this run that the real drama began. . .

DRAMA!

In the bag? Right? Wrong! After this run my hip started to hurt. Injury free for 14 weeks and with the race 4 weeks away I am hurting bad. So basically my self diagnosing didn't work and the things I was doing was actually making it worse I finally got it checked out by a professional. Diagnosis - Bursitis. Basically an inflamed bursa. Treatment - Chiro thought steroids or Cortisone shot (chiro can't prescribe so went to Urgent Care), PA - not steroids too many side effects but an injection of Topadahl (ibuprofen) and 4 tabs of Ibuprofen 3 x a day - if it doesn't go away then Cortisone. Worked but not fast enough so went to Tria saw an ortho doctor and got the Cortisone shot. AHHHHH! Like the doctor said, should've gone to him first! So my taper began a little early but it took away all the pain and swelling.

END OF THE ROAD

So that is my marathon tale. It has been joyful and painful mentally and physically. Like the trails we run: there are ups and downs, bumpy and dusty, and some some flat places in between. I love the similarities because life isn't a sprint it's a marathon. See you at the finish line!

110 and counting!

OMG I have written this blog at least a million times in my head but just couldn't get it into this computer! I even forget how to access my blog. But I have to write and keep my log up to date as I start to train for this marathon. I need it documented for my own sake. So here goes . . .

The last few months have been hell. I stopped blogging when I started a new job. It was great for the first 2 weeks and then just went to absolute shit from there! Anyway I quit by April and have been training for tri's since then. The job hunt has been slow but I am starting to at least get interviews. As long as it doesn't interfere with my races, LOL JK

So the countdown begins. The Marine Corp Marathon is in 110 days or 16 weeks. Plane ticket bought, some accomodations in place and oh yeah running. Yes I am doing that along with bike rides and lots of swimming.

Committing myself to keeping up with documenting my journey and training for it as well!

Lap Counter works!

I was finally able to use one of my new Christmas toys on Sunday. It's called "Pool-Mate" Automatic Swimming computer by Swimovate. It displays lap count, time, calories, average stroke per lap, speed & efficiency. I did 2 laps to begin with and there on the watch it told me I had done 2 laps. It worked very well. I on the otherhand need to learn how to use it. In between sets you can hit the start button to pause and somehow I pressed some wrong buttons in between sets and had to start again, however, it did store my previous information. In the end it told me what I wanted to know and that is: yardage, number of laps & calories. I think this device will be really nice when I have a workout where I have to do a straight 1500. The only thing I was bummed about is that it is strictly for pool swimming but we really only spend about 3 months open water swimming anyway so maybe someday I'll get the super duper Garmin that I can use in the lake. To find out more go to http://swimovate.com/ Next pool toy I get to try out is my h2o Audio Interval waterproof headphone system. Just waiting for my Ipod shuffle to arrive! Yesterdays swim was 2600 yards (6 x75 wu, 2 200's, 1 100, 2 300's, 2 200's, 1 100, 6 x75 cd) Todays run was 6 miles at Parkers Lake. I experimented with my clothing. Butt warmers, Swix long johns and wind pants on the bottom half. Swix top, Pearl Izumi top and Brooks jacket on top. 2 pairs of sox. Perfect.

Polar Dash

January1st New Years Day I ran the Polar Dash. The theme of the day was "Suck it up Princess"! The weather was our foe. I believe by the start of the race it may have warmed up to 7 above, however the windchill was 15 below. With that said, can you believe I can't complain. The race was well organized. They had us assigned to various parking lots, warm shuttle buses waited for us and dropped us off at the race site, the race site had plenty of potties and tents to stand in while we waited for the start protected us from the elements and were fairly warm. Thankfully my friend Beth had some toe warmers for me and hand warmers. Those toe warmers saved my life. But even then by the start time I couldn't feel my feet. It felt really strange when we started to run because I really couldn't feel my feet. However by mile 3 I got my feeling back and my whole body had warmed up and it was time to take the gloves off, figuritively and literally!

I started the race off with my friends Deb and Beth and it was a bit too fast for me. The first mile was 9:46. I really like my first mile to be a bit slower. So to make up for it my 2nd mile was slower at a 10:03 pace. I lost Deb and Beth but I could see them just ahead of me. I remembered Beth's advice and just ran my own race. Mile 3 was 9:42, Mile 4 was 9:45, Mile 5 was 9:50. It was about this point when I caught up to Deb and Beth and we did that last mile at a 9:32 pace. Official end time: 59:39. The princesses totally sucked it up!

Notes to self about running in a race: Eat oatmeal for breakfast, bring a bar or banana to eat before race, 2 layers on the bottom would've been fine, have boots on during the wait and put in drop bag - duh, start slower then negative split, have toe and hand warmers, don't be scared of the weather report!