Week 4 - Recap

Miles: 41

I broke the 40 mile a week barrier, finally, and just in time too. I'm starting to see the end in sight. The marathon is less than two months away now, and it's starting to become more of a reality to me.

The best parts of this week:

• My best 3/4mi performance to date
• Seeing the "deer family" again on my long run. 
• Gutting out 14 miles over flooded trails
• And most favorite of all - and completely non-running: my anniversary celebration in Chicago

This week is not going to change much in terms of mileage. My long run will increase, as usual, but my coach is really cautious about increasing mileage too much too fast. I think it's a good plan.

My least favorite parts of this week:

• The heat
• The fact that summer is flying by

Don't these two seem at war with each other? I'm from the South and I love the heat, but it is definitely hard to run in. That being said, heat and humidity make everything else about Wisconsin extremely pleasant. I always tell my customers when they complain about how hot it is that we could all be shoveling snow (and we all WILL be shoveling before we know it...).

Summer is also slipping away from me. With this training, especially, my days are packed with work, athletics, and socializing, but there's always more I want to do. One more baseball game, one more grillout, one more party, one more race. There's just not enough time to fit it all in. And I'm starting to see back to school ads on television and in magazines. It makes me nostalgic for my childhood days when all I had to worry about was swim practice and swim meets in the summer. I think part of this need to jam everything-all-at-once into three months comes from the fact that our winters are so long and so brutal in Wisconsin. It puts a lot of pressure on everyone to have as much fun as possible while the sun still shines. Right now, I wouldn't have it any other way, though. I'm training, working, and having fun. So, let's keep this summer rolling along! 

55 Days - Remember Me?

Hi. It's been awhile.

Luckily, it's just my writing and not my training that's fallen behind. Also, this week was kind of busy because I took a trip to Chicago to celebrate my wedding anniversary. Three years!

Yesterday, after a train ride back into Milwaukee, it was time to get back to reality. Not only did I have to teach my abs class, but I had to get a run in as well. I decided to park at the Y and run on the Oak Leaf Trail.

The run was about five and a half miles, but it felt a little longer because of the heat. It was hot and bright, and by the time I got back, I was drenched. I ended up drinking one of those huge SmartWater bottles (about 50.7 oz) and didn't have to rush to the bathroom repeatedly afterwards. That means I lost a LOT of fluids.

On my way back, I saw a kid walking up the hill on 15th St. (Ave?) with his football pads on. He must have just gotten out of a camp session or something. Even though it was blazing hot outside, I could feel the tiniest bit of fall crispness in the air. I knew that the hazy sky of summer would soon give way to the deep, clear, limitless blue of fall. The autumn sports are gearing up, and summer will be over long before I'm willing to accept it.

I'd be lying if I told you that I didn't crave a fall run every once in a while.

Week 3 - Recap

Miles: 31

This post is almost a week late, but I still think it's good for me mentally to take stock of each week and see where I am. Miles-wise, I stayed about the same this week. I had another race, which accounted for the lack of increase in miles. The one area that is increasing, though, is my long run. This week was 13 miles.

Physically, I'm still holding everything together with no major pain or aches that last longer than a day. I really hope this continues. Part of the reason for this may be that I waited until I had three solid years of running banked up before I started marathon training. Another reason is that my coach and I are really focusing on diet, hydration, and rest, rest, rest during my off days.

Mentally, I can feel myself getting stronger. The long run gets easier from a mental standpoint each week. The hardest part for me is still the turnaround, or the halfway point, and those last two or three miles when everything hurts and there's nothing you can really do about it. I think the heat training is also helping with my mental development because it's so oppressive and requires much more effort to stay focused and keep proper form. Come September (which will, hopefully, be cooler) my mental toughness will literally have been forged in the fire.

Another constant that has really been helping me through this journey has been the support of my friends. They are always sending me encouraging messages via text and Facebook. It doesn't sound like much, but that constant support is a huge motivator for me.

61 Days - 5x.75mi

My strategy for these was to try not to burn out the way I did last week. I took precautions: ate a little before I went out. Made sure I was hydrated. And I think the results are promising. I didn't go as fast as I did last week, but I split negative, and my last three-quarter was the fastest one I've ever done.

1. 5:28 (7:18/mi)
2. 5:22 (7:09/mi)
3. 5:11 (6:54/mi)
4. 5:08 (6:50/mi)
5. 4:55 (6:33/mi)

62 Days - Cudahy to Oak Creek

7 miles from Cudahy to Oak Creek.

First, I got to the Y to teach my class. I rarely make it to the Y anymore except to teach, and I didn't teach Thursday, so it felt weird to be back after a whole week! I miss it there, but I just can't fit everything in anymore. What I'm really missing is my weightlifting. I liked the strength and definition it was giving me, but I can't split myself up too much, or I'll risk getting injured.

By the time I got on the Oak Leaf Trail, the clouds were moving in. At first, it felt great. High seventies compared to high nineties is a wonderful temperature drop. But then, it started to rain as soon as I hit Oak Creek. Damn, OC, I thought we were cool! The rain lasted until my last mile and a half and then it turned into stifling humidity. I was glad to reach my car and turn on the AC.

These were supposed to be easy miles, but I found myself pushing it to try to get out of the rain. No matter how much I tried to slow it down and relax, I was still kind of tense. I know not every run will be pleasant, but after my awesome long run last week, I was hoping to continue the trend.

Speed work today. Now, it's really time to get tense...

63 Days - Rest

Nothing else to tell y'all but, stop what you're doing right now, and go see Inception.

Yes. Right now.

It's that good.

See you later.

64 Days - Long Run

"13 miles and still smiling."

That's what I texted my running buddies as I sat in a post-run ice bath with my legs twitching out. I never used to understand shirts with that phrase: "AND STILL SMILING!!!!!!!! :) :) :)" It all seemed way too cutesy for me. But these long runs are making me realize that sometimes that unswerving over-the-top positivity is the only thing that will get you through to the next mile. Or get you over the pain in your feet once you stop. Positivity, people! I'm learning it.

The other thing that gets you through long mileage? This American Life on podcast. I was really trying to be a purist with these long runs and do them sans ipod, but yesterday was not the day to stand on principle. As you know, I was supposed to be resting yesterday and seeing Inception, but decided to get my run over with. I checked the weather and saw that Sunday was going to be way more humid than Saturday. And after a long Sunday opening shift, humidity was not going to be my friend. So, after my 8a - 4p shift yesterday, I headed out on the trail armed with Ira Glass to keep me company and help the miles glide by.

It was a lifesaver. I was totally caught up in the stories of the show and not on negative thoughts. I know that I will have to learn to deal with pain and negativity without the aid of an ipod (since I'm going to be racing without one), but it was such a relief to have company on my run after a long day at work.

Things I Saw/Thought About

• The last half of my run was during the "golden hour," as the sun just starts setting. It was really pretty, and the heat died down a lot as the sun started its descent.
• As I was coming back, I saw a doe and two of her babies eating in the field. They crossed the trail right in front of me. The sun made everything golden and green and beautiful. A great reward for heading out.
• I now know why elite distance runners choose "buns" (short spandex shorts) over regular running shorts. When you sweat, your shorts become completely soaked. By the end of the run, the back of my shorts was literally dripping with sweat. I looked like I had just climbed out of the pool. Seriously, y'all, I could feel the weight of these shorts. Wow.

This week's long run went pretty well. We'll see if the trend continues. I haven't hit my wall yet, so I'll let you know when I have to fight through one. Hopefully, I'll be ready.

65 Days - 8mi Run

Eight miles. 88 degrees. No real way around running it, either. I didn't want to wait until nightfall because I knew it wouldn't make much of a difference temperature-wise, and I'd rather just get the run over with. I strapped on the Camelbak and headed out.

I tried to drink water continuously, which averaged out to about every half mile. The water gave out right at my cooldown walk.

One thing I was thinking about today during my run was that this is the time when a lot of athletes are training for long distance races - Ironmans, marathons, etc. Each of us heads out on our bikes or on a run and we go out into the world, and then back towards our homes. Kind of like a circle around an area that widens and widens with each week and as the miles increase. Now, our circles are starting to intersect. I see a lot of runners and bikers on the Oak Leaf Trail, the farther I head South, and they are seeing me more frequently as they head north. So all of these training circles are starting to come together. It's kind of cool.

Enough of me already. Rest day tomorrow, then 13 miles on Sunday. I'll tell you now: I'm dreading it. And it's after I work for eight and a half hours on an opening shift at SBUX, too.

Sigh.

At least I get to see Inception tomorrow!

What to Do With Stinky Lake Clothes

Throw them into a plastic bag. Stuff them faaaaar down into your gym bag. Dump into washing machine immediately upon arrival at home.

66 Days - Aquathon and a new PR!

Yesterday was another race: the Fleet Feet Aquathon series in Madison. The aquathon consists of a 1000m open water swim and a 5k run. Fleet Feet holds 5 races during the summer, and you receive points based on your finishing time. The person with the most points at the end of the series is the winner. I haven't done any open water this summer and really wanted to get a lake swim in, so I just signed up for this one. It was really fun and a perfect night to be swimming and running.

The lake

Surveying the depths

At the starting line

I completed the swim in 15:16. I wish I had gone a little faster, but the water was pretty choppy. The swim out to the first bouy was the longest stage, and the waves were against us the entire time. I tried to stroke strong, ride the waves, and focus on getting there without getting pushed off course. This was also an issue as we swam parallel to the beach towards the second bouy. The waves were trying to push us towards the beach, and sighting the second bouy was difficult at times. Once I made the turn and was headed straight into shore, though, I gave it all I had and tried to use the waves to my advantage.

The run was interesting. I didn't bring my Garmin with me (water and sand and $450 technology don't mix) and so I was more unplugged than I've been in awhile. I had my Polar watch timing me, but I didn't have that up-to-the-second data telling me my pace, so I had to go back to feeling it out. As my coach and I discuss over and over, the key for me is to not go out too fast. As I ran out of the transition area and started tackling the three miles ahead of me, I focused on feeling good and getting my legs acclaimated to the run. I was feeling better and better until I reached the "Mile 1" marker and realized, I still had more than half of the race ahead of me.

I looked at my watch and calculated that I'd done the first mile in about 8 minutes. This was good: I didn't go out too fast, but the adrenaline from the swim was wearing off, and I was starting to feel fatigue setting in. I always seem to go through this when I run a race. I call it the "settling in" period. It's the time where my initial excitement at the starting line wears off completely and I realize that:

1. I'm running alone, now, without my cheering section
2. I'm going to be running for longer than I really want to be
3. There will be significant pain involved.

The trick, for me, is to accept it all without too much struggle. To say to my mind, "Yes, yes, and yes. You're absolutely right. I know you got dragged into this by a domineering body, but we're in this together and I really need to you get on board." I can't get angry or afraid because it jams me up. It wastes my energy. My mind, like all of our minds, is ultimately looking out for my best interests. If I'm about to do something that will cause me pain (touch a hot stove, for instance) it's going to shriek out a warning at me: "Stop! Pain, bad! Don't do that!" But during a race, you can't let your mind's instinctive "panic mode" take over - and there's always a moment when it will try to.

Don't be afraid. Pain is part of the process. Let it happen. A quote I go to time and again when I'm settling in is from Haruki Murakami's book* What I Talk About When I Talk About Running:


"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." 

So, I got my mind on board with my body. I accepted pain. I settled in, and I banged it out. The course was an out and back with a water stop at the turnaround point. I didn't bother to get water, knowing it would be over soon. And when I turned around and started heading back, I worked on increasing my speed. At mile two, I was starting to hit my stride. The last quarter mile was a long straightaway to the finish and I just let it go. I tried to remember those speed drills from Monday and those 100 yd dashes from Tuesday. I knew I wouldn't come close to finishing first, but I didn't want anyone catching me at the end. It was a hard, fast finish, and I was happy with that. When I saw the official run time, I was even more excited: 23:24 - a new PR!!!

Final results:
57 out of 130 total participants
16 out of 66 female participants (top 20!)
Swim - 15:16
Run - 23:24
Transition - 1:13
Total time - 39:52 (just squeaked under 40 minutes)

The best part, by far, for me was the swim. Even over the PR. I'll always be a swimmer and I'll always love those open water swims. It's a shame there aren't more straight-up open water swims in Wisconsin. I just love swimming out into the middle of a large body of water. It will always be a rush.

Sorry for the long post. We'll have you guys back to short and boring and no pictures in no time! :)

*Runners! Get this book! I can't recommend it enough. And while you're at it, start reading some of Murakami's fiction. He's my favorite modern author.

67 Days - Rest Day

I took advantage of two days off work to head to Madison early yesterday. No running, no training, just a lot of relaxing and walking around the city. I'm really starting to enjoy these rest days.

68 Days - 6mi Recovery and 6x100yd sprints

"What in the world is in that bag; what you got in that bag?!" Water, of course! :)

Muggy, hazy, humid, sweaty. That about sums up my recovery run. I filled my camelbak and took it with me because I figured I'd be sweating almost immediately. I was regretting this decision a lot during the first mile, when the bag was sloshing against my back, but the water was gone by the time I finished the run. I ended up taking sips every quarter mile or so, and I didn't suffer any of the lightheadedness that I usually get towards the end of heat-training runs.

With about a quarter mile left to go, I stopped at the Saint Francis seminary for my 6x100m sprints. The first sprint is always the hardest. You're trying to drive with your legs and keep your knees up and it all just feels so stupid and awkward. But your body quickly gets into it and by the third and fourth one I was flying. Well, as much as a 25 year old non sprinter can be said to "fly." In my mind, I was Usain Bolt all the way, though.

When I got home, I had to leave right away and teach my abs class at the Y. I felt really bad for them today. Not only was the workout hard, but I stank. I mean seriously. There was a lot of sweating going on.

I think heat training is the closest I can really get to an NFL summer training camp. Which I remind myself every time the going gets tough. I can't WAIT for preseason!

69 Days - 5 x .75mi's

Speed work. I both love and hate it. I hate doing it alone and I hate doing it where my coach can see me struggle. But somehow, it always makes me happy when I can look back and see my results.

I would have been a little happier with faster results, this time:
1. 5:07 (6:49/mi)
2. 5:13 (6:57/mi)
3. 5:00 (6:41/mi)
4. 5:32 (7:23/mi)
5. 5:17 (7:02/mi)

I hit a physical wall in my fourth three-quarter when I was slammed with a side cramp so severe, I was whimpering with each labored breath. Not very, "G." I think that had to do with dehydration. I thought I had gotten enough to drink prior to heading out, but I didn't. I wasn't really sweating anymore, either. During that three-quarter, I just had to slow down to a cruise and gut it out. I took my minute rest, and tried to come back from it for my final one, but I still didn't get back up to speed. One thing that cheered me a little was that, except for the fourth "crash and burn," I performed all of these quarters at a faster pace than last week. This bodes well for the aquathon later this week, when I hope to turn in a fast 5K.

The best thing about speed work, though, is that it really does make you come face to face with your limitations, but more often, your strengths. Many times I think to myself, "I can't do this; there is no way I can do this rep faster than the last," and my time proves that I can. Getting yourself to the point of intense pain, and then pushing through to achieve a faster time is something that only a speed workout can deliver. It breaks you down in the present, but builds confidence for the future - as cheesy as that sounds.

I promise I'll take some pictures or something to spice up this blog a little...

Housekeeping

Even though this is more of a personal record than something that many people read, I have added a list of my favorite blogs (and bloggers!) to my space, here. Check them out!

Week 2 - Recap

Miles: 33

My mileage didn't go up this week because of my 5K race. Packing on miles and competing don't really mix. But, I did increase the mileage of my long run, going up to 12 miles this week.

How do I feel? Good, so far. I'm really making an effort to keep my life organized, which seems to make my headspace a little more orderly as well. I'm trying to write my abs classes ahead of time instead of last minute. Keep the house, and the spaces I use frequently in it, clean. One thing that's still a struggle is trying to actually rest when I have time to rest. I still feel like I have to be doing something at all times, when what I really should be doing is regrouping for the next push. Yesterday, I think I did a really good job of that.

Physically, things are still holding up. I have the usual aches and pains from time to time. My knees start to hurt at the end of a long run, for instance, but I feel like that happens later and later into the run. What I'm trying to accept, however, is that this is the nature of what I'm trying to attempt. At such a distance, there will never be a "pain free" experience. My knees will hurt at some point. "The trick," as T.E. Lawrence says in my favorite film, Lawrence of Arabia, "is not minding that it hurts."

This week will be exciting, I hope. I am going to Madison on Thursday to compete in an aquathon: 1000m open water swim and 5k run. We might make a mini vacation out of it.

70 Days - Rest Day

Today was a rest day I didn't mind taking. By the time I got done with my shift, my feet and back were aching and all I wanted to do was lie on the couch and watch World Cup finals. I ended up passing out at about the 35 minute mark, slept through halftime, and woke up again with 15 minutes to go in the second half. All good, though, because no one had scored anyway!

I'm still feeling pretty dehydrated and have been drinking water all day, which has really been helping with muscle soreness and overall body function. By tomorrow, I think I'll be raring to go again.

I've also been making dinner for tonight and probably tomorrow. Cold soba noodles with bok choy in light seasame oil, rice wine vinegar, and tamari dressing and cole slaw with lime and peanuts. Tasty stuff. While I was washing dishes, though, I saw this centipede about as long as my pinky crawl across the counter (the window was open). Now, I'm too scared to finish the job. Real-life centipedes are no game...

71 Days - Long Run

12 miles today. Wish I had more to say, but right now, I'm drained and getting ready for bed. It was good. I can feel myself getting stronger mentally.

One cool thing about the run was being able to see the thunderstorm roll in from off the lake. Lightning and everything.

Take care.

Recipes To Keep You Running - Savory Oatmeal

Oh man. I should have taken a picture of this for y'all, but I ate it already! When we think "oatmeal," we usually think "breakfast food." Something dressed with a drizzle of honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, brown sugar, dried fruit, etc. But oatmeal doesn't have to be a sweet breakfast dish. Today was the first day I made my own batch of savory oatmeal. I loosely followed this recipe of Mark Bittman's, and by "loosely," I mean, I finely diced some celery (because I didn't have scallions) and added it to the freshly cooked steel cut oats. I then added a splash of low sodium tamari and a tiny drizzle of sesame oil. No extra cooking required.

Believe me: it was simple and tasty and "lunchy" and satisfying. The celery was just as good as the scallions because I still got the same crunch. The sesame oil and tamari complemented each other as well. The steel cut oats resembled sort of a soft rice in taste and texture.

Oatmeal for lunch and dinner. Try it.

Quick Savory Oatmeal


1 c. quick cooking steel cut oats
2 c. boiling water
2 tbs. finely diced celery or scallions
1 tbs. low sodium soy sauce or tamari
seasame oil for drizzling


Cook the oats according to directions on package. If using a stovetop, bring the oats and water to a boil on high heat, then lower the heat and stir frequently for five minutes. If using a microwave, add boiling water to the oats and microwave in a large bowl for 3 minutes, stir, then microwave for another two minutes. (Note: when microwaving, make sure the bowl is twice as big as you think you'll need. The oats and water will "puff up" during cooking, and if your bowl isn't big enough, you'll wind up cleaning up your lunch or dinner rather than eating it.)


Once the oats are cooked, quickly add the vegetables, a splash of tamari, and a drizzle of sesame oil. Stir to combine. Wait several minutes for the oats to cool.


Enjoy!

73 Days - A 5K and a PR

I'm posting a day later than usual, but by the time I got home last night, I was too tired to put anything together.

Yesterday was the "Storm the Bastille" 5K run. This was my second time doing the run, and I ran it with some of my best running buddies. The race started at 9pm, and I had a lot to do before that. I taught my class at 545p at the Y, then I picked my husband up from the airport, and went home to drop off luggage. We then headed to Bastille Days, and I had him drop my off at the Summerfest grounds so I could get some miles in before the race. (One thing I'm quickly learning about marathon training is that getting miles in becomes increasingly important. Even if I have a race, I still have to build miles into that event, whether before or after.) I ran from the lakefront to the festival and then it was time to watch Lebron's big announcement. We packed into a bar with other like-minded sports fans to watch it all go down. Sure enough, he chose the Heat. More on how I feel about that, later.

Now that the future of my favorite basketball player was determined, it was time to race. I met up with my friends and we headed to the starting line. I was glad we had all done the race before, because we gave ourselves plenty of time to line up. This race gets PACKED. Not only is the starting line on a city street - which means hundreds of us have to pack into a space the width of a city intersection - but the line is at one end of the festival, with bars on one side. If you're running late, you may not make it there because you have to navigate through hundreds of festival and bar-goers. But *smart girls* we made it in time, and soon enough, the race was underway.

My plan for this race was to relax and run hard and most importantly: don't go out too fast. I was happy with the results. During the crowded first half mile, I took it easy and talked with one of my friends, and then I gradually sped up. Mile 1 - 9:18. By the time, I got to mile 2, the course was looking familiar and I had more room to really stretch my legs out and get into my stride. Even though I was feeling good, I didn't want to burn up all my gas, though. Mile 2 - 7:30. By the beginning of mile 3, we were running through the Third Ward area of Milwaukee. Lots of twists and turns, but I knew that the end was an uphill finish from the Third Ward back to the festival grounds. I kept the pace peppy, but tried to save some for the hill, and when I saw it, I let whatever I had go. Mile 3 - 7:04.

My overall time for this event was a 23:58.12 - a new PR. I finally broke 24 minutes, and I'm really happy about that. By the end of the race, I was running 6:30 min miles - something I could never have done last year.

But like I always say, the best part of the race and the night was being able to share it with my friends. Even though my coach/husband goes to all of my events, there is something special about having friends that are doing the race with you. It's definitely something I missed during my 10 miler last month, and I know I'll miss it during my marathon. It's a good, almost unconscious, reassurance that I get from knowing that somewhere on the course, my friends running too.

Anyway. This turned into a long post. I had a great time in both senses of the word. It was just the motivation I needed to get through the rest of the week's miles.

74 Days - Rest Day

I finally got back to Body Pump (and weightlifting in general) after a week away. It looks like weekly lifting is all I'm going to be able to do for awhile, so I'd better settle in. Just too much other training to do.

My camelbak arrived today and I can't wait to take it out for a spin. It's light and built for a woman's torso. The color is cool and there's pockets for a cell phone and some fuel for long runs. I think I may even take it out tomorrow for the Bastille Days run, since I have to get some miles in before the 5K. I could run to the starting line and leave the pack with my husband when I'm racing. We'll see.

I'm excited about the 5K tomorrow! I finally get to run with my friends again.