Holiday Hustle and 16.4 miles

Oh goodness, I am trying to keep my equilibrium with Christmas, guest preparations, work, and, of course, running. Blogging has been pushed down near the bottom of the list. So I just am popping in to say: I am still getting in most of my running.

I did a long run of 16.4 miles on Friday! Ran/walked 3.5 on Saturday. Monday I cut my planned 7.5 mile run to just 5 and I jogged/walked home, dejected.

Last week I went to the gym around 9ish to hit the treadmill and workout. MISTAKE! I was unmotivated and tired so late at night. I didn't bring music, mantras don't work the same on a treadmill. It sucked. I would rather have ran in the dark and cold rain! I sweat for about 40 minutes or so, did the ab routine, stretched, and yawned my way home.

I decided that I am going to run only 3 days a week while kids are in town. 4 days does not feel doable and I think that the feeling of failure for missed runs will impact my overall sense of how I am doing. If I can get to the gym on alternate days, you bet I will. 3-day plan not researched yet.

I need new shoes. On the 2nd half of my 16 mile run I felt like I was running barefoot. Especially in the left foot. It felt like by foot was falling very flat, no support, no cush. Yesterday's run felt the same.

That's all I have for now. I COULD blather on quite lengthily, but ... the to-do list is screaming at me!

Christmas blessings to each of you!
Nancy, the Marathoner

14.1 miles - new distance

It was a good run. Fabulously uneventful.

It was cold! The first 7 miles I was underdressed. So at about mile 5 two miles left before I reached the car at midpoint, I was miserable. I took to mentally rehearsing what I would do at my aid station... what spare clothing I would don. I think miles 6 and 7 might have been the hardest of all 14 of them.

Lesson: low 40s - dry or wet - is a threshold for me. Layer up. Have dry hats and headbands ready. Gloves are a must. Prefer tights over loose running pants. My bottom was cooold!

I did well at my aid station car. Not a thought to stop and not run the rest. I was there longer than I would have liked to been, but considering I rummaged thru the car and put on clothing, I did well! And I left better clothes for the remainder of the run.

I did something I would never have predicted I'd do. I ate the last 1/4 of my breakfast cookie! I don't know why. I just did it. It was there. You know what? I did fine with it. I can eat small portions of food I guess. I didn't think I could so I never tried.

Lesson: Experiment (carefully) with food.

Back running I tried something I read in a book. I concentrated on the ground 10 feet in front of me. I'd notice a leaf, watch it til I came close to passing it, find another, and track it, then another... little teeny mini goals just 10 feet or so apart, accomplishment after accomplishment.

Oddly, those leaves began to become symbolic for me. Okok, I am about to get all weird on you. But if you know me then it won't be tooo unfamiliar!

For my "perfect run tape", scattered (and ideally crisp) leaves are one of my favorite parts. The road ahead of me is not so covered as to be unsafe but leaves are plentiful. I enjoy the rustle of them and the crunchy sound under my footfalls. I enjoy the shapes - I love God's great design work - and the colors, and the brown smell they give off.

It was interesting to me that those leaves would help me traverse the miles, one doable leg at a time. I was completely digging the symbolism. Then, I rounded a corner and there in front of me was my "perfect run" tape! The leaves were perfect. Some were older, damp, fully stuck to the pavement. Some her newly fallen. Crispy brown!

The leafy area quickly became chock full of meaning and things to appreciate. It was like I was running thru a field of accomplishments! Each leaf representing some thing I had never done before, and did. Some accomplishments older than others some new and crisp in my mind ... The reminder of so many carried me further!

Now, on the last mile, mile 14, the last leg of distance, a distance I have never run before... there were no leaves. None at all. I mean the pavement was void of them! It was NEW territory, leafless. I was creating a new leaf by running that mile. And someday it will beckon me along for a 10 foot leg or be in a glorious field of goals met!

So if you have come to the conclusion that I am coocooforcoacoapuffs, well, just be nice to me anyway. I'm harmless. And if you get it, then thank you for being in the coocooclub with me.

Back to running.

This route was fairly flat. Only a few slight inclines mark the entire distance. I would still change my chant to include "I carry my momentum over the top" and keep chanting it until my breathing returned to normal running rhythm.

I knew that on the last mile I would want to slow. The challenge of the last 3/4 mile of the 1/2 marathon flagged an important task for me: Learn to get thru to and past the finishline strong and not slow down. Push thru the "the end is close" hesitation.

I discovered that I already had the solution! I already had practice making it work for me too. Once I saw the connection, a small little chant containing all the important pieces of the others fell easily together:

I am a marathoner
I love to run
I carry my momentum thru pass the finishline!

This did indeed help me maintain a steady pace on the last mile and even quicken my steps once the 'finish' was in sight and ran right thru and pass! A strong finish. 14.1 miles!

I walked around, all proud, for a while. I stretched well enough. I felt pretty good!

There you go.

My knees ached for the first morning hours. I also had a new pain between my right inner calf and shin. It wasn't bad and I could only feel it for a fleeting bit during a specific part of my natural gait. I couldn't duplicate it otherwise. Noting it just in case I need it later.

DATE: 07-Dec-07
MILES: 14.1 miles
TIME: 2:46:29
PACE: 11:48
ROUTE: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1489003 followed by http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1489016
NUTRITION: 3/4 bfast cookie early. 1 Gu before, 1/4 bfast cookie 2 Gus during, only 12 oz of diluted sport drink.
WEATHER: Overcast, 40°F

COMMENTS: I didn't drink enough fluids. Needs work. I felt fine, but I know better, I am a sweater.

CONFESSION: I calculated my pace as soon as I got home. It's not like I am fast! Why could it matter? Sigh. This is a big thing to kick. This event is not the place for pace-caring. It's been a battle to let go of disappointment in my performance. WHAT? I ran 14 miles, that can't be good enough? I ran it and didn't keel over! THAT isn't enough? I ran it felt pretty good!!! That's. Simply. Awesome. I will kick this pace thing before long.

Thanks for your support and good thoughts,
Nancy, Marathoner.

Rest Day Ramblings

Yesterday's 4 mile run was untimed and uneventful. Didn't feel particularly strong or deficient. Can't complain, can't rave. My feet sounded really heavy at the start. That is unusual for me. My footfalls are usually light. They were better after a mile or 2. I did 20 min of core work and stretched well afterwards.

Tomorrow holds my longest run ever - 14 miles. That's just a little longer than a half marathon without all the hoopla. I'm looking forward to it. The weather is supposed to be a cool 39º and sunny. Great! I've planned a flat run. Parking in the center of an out and back route - 3.5 miles in one direction, turnaround, run 7 (past car) in the other, and 3.5 miles back. 3.5 mile chunks seem very doable.

I have been working on positive thoughts about my 'aid station' car. Would I stop at an event aid station and not run any more? Nope. I arrive, take what I need, and keep moving.

My car is ever-ready with gear, fuel, and supplies for a workout, run, or tan. I do need to put an extra headband in my car; a sweaty headband makes my ears cold. Tissues too. I am not skilled enough (nor want to be) at the snot-rocket. But the cold weather means I better be prepared or I'll be forced to take aim or use my clothing. More than you wanted to know?

Oh! I simply couldn't stand my shoes any longer. They were gross and stinky. I should never smell. So I washed them, let them air-dry. I know, I know, we are not supposed to but, c'mon! Ick! They came out soooo fresh and, sigh, clean. I was relieved to put my feet into the de-funkified shoes, but on my run they looked so bright and new! I washed easily 400 miles of dirt off them. I was sad that they looked so new and unused. But it did make me add up the miles and realize a new pair of shoes is in order. Soon.

Thanks for reading, listening, supporting, for being a friend...

Signing off,
Nancy, Marathoner

Raindays & Mondays

They aren't so bad! And neither was my run. 6.5 miles today.

I was blessed with a break in the torrential downpours that are flooding western Washington. A pleasent drizzle slowed to nothing. Nary a drop for 5 of the miles! Only in the last stretch did the heavens let loose. I was in my car before the worst of it came down.

The temp was downright balmy compared to yesterday's run - 58 was the predicted high today.
I enjoyed the run. Felt good and strong. There is a sore little spot in my left ankle that dissapates at about mile two as do most other aches and issues.

I left my watch in the car. Good Marathoner! But I rushed home to calculate pace. It's work to let go of it. I should take comfort in the consistency of my pace. 11:45ish seems to be a very comfortable and natural pace for me.

DATE: 03-Dec-07
MILES: 6.2 miles
TIME: 73 minutes
PACE: 11:47, very comfortable
ROUTE: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1483753

Happy running and blessings to you,
~ Nan, Marathoner

Bring on the wind and rain!

DATE: 02-Dec-07
MILES: 3.5 miles
TIME: Dunno!
PACE: Don't know that either
ROUTE: Residential from home
NUTRITION: little food today. Lots of water tho.
WEATHER: Slushy, big fat rain, 43°F and gusty.

This will be a short entry. I know, I know, doubtful I can pull that off, but I'll give it a whirl...

It was HARD to leave a toasty house. It wasn't hard to leave my watch. I wore a rain coat thinking I would probably walk. I wore dollar store gloves. Leggings under loose running pants. Surprised at how comfortable I was. Not too cold. Wet, but not miserable. I didn't walk it, of course. I wanted to run longer, but it was getting dark. I felt great the whole way. I didn't really think about the hills. They are beginning to feel not hard. If I did think about them, I would catch myself later lost in other thoughts, realizing that the hill was long behind me.

New mantra:
I am a runner
Running is effortless
I am a marathoner
I can run forever.

Identifiying myself as a runner is becoming important to me.

Ok, that's it. OH! Except I loved running pass houses all decked out for Christmas! That was fun!

Nancy the Wet Marathoner.