Let's just say it didn't go as planned.
3:15am - 5:10am: I had Barrett call me so I'd be sure to wake up in time. We chatted and I had my usual 24oz of 7-11 coffee w/vanilla creamer and mini-marshmallows. He started getting ready for work, so I made my wheat wrap w/peanut butter and banana, ate, showered and finished packing. Headed to the start with my dad at 5:10.
5:15am: A conversation I thought I'd never have with my dad:
Me: We need to stop at a grocery store. Now.
Dad: Why?
Me: I forgot I was on my period.
Dad: ...Oh...
We stop at the store and then park near the start. Dad is super great and stands in line with me for a porta potty. The wait was 40min long. While standing in line, I decide to move my [personalized] bib from my singlet to my shorts. Another conversation I thought I'd never have with my dad:
Dad: "Nina No Pants?" What does that mean?
Nina: Oh. Um. It's a drinking story. I'll tell you when you're older.
Dad: Hm.
Finally get into a porta potty and then make my way to the corral.
6:30: Gun goes off. I stand still for another 5 minutes. Finally crossed that start at 6:38.
Miles 1 - 6: It was really easy to keep my pace under control here. I think the first mile was 11:something. Super packed, but lots of good energy. My hips felt tight, but I thought I was just psyching myself out. We ran past the PetCo Ballpark around mile 4, so I blew a kiss to my bro.
Mile 7: See my parents, so that was fun! A TNT coach saw me and ran with me for a bit.
Mile 7.22: My left ITB is really not feeling good. At this point I know it will be a bad day.
Miles 8 -13.1: Left ITB is shot. At one point I thought my knee was going to collapse. I yelled out and then had to walk for a bit. I think this is the first time I cried. Saw my friend Juile at 9.5- she had a backpack full of stuff with her- The Stick, gum, water, Bengay... I rolled with the stick and slapped Bengay on. This is probably what got me through to the 1/2 point. Got to 13.1 at 2:27 (I had been running running sub 2:20 during training runs with ease). It wasn't pretty. The pads of my feet started hurting around mile 11, and I realized then that my shoes were probably way too worn out. I couldn't remember buying a new pair after February. They probably had at least 400mi on them.
Miles 13.1 - 16: Lots of walking through here. Loooots of walking. Saw sister and her boyfriend around 14/15 and totally lost it. Gave them hugs, told them it was horrible and that I was in a lot of pain. She said it was okay to quit. I said I couldn't. She hugged me again and I was off. Saw parents around 15/16 and gave them the thumbs down. They said I looked great. I said they were lying. Got ice wrapped to my knee at 16. The medic didn't wrap it tightly enough, so I ditched the ice half a mile later. Borrowed another runner's cell phone so I could call my dad and tell him I'd be coming in about an hour later than I expected. Saw my friend Tauni and her boyfriend Mark at 16. Cried some more. He got a pic of it. I hope it's a funny one. Kept on keepin' on...
Miles 17 - 19: Got SUPER PISSED when a photog caught me walking. Was able to fake it during an obvious picture point, though. :vain: Another female runner latched onto me at mile 18 and kept offering her IT brace and Motrin. I kept saying no and trying to lose her. This continued, every quarter mile, until 19.
Miles 19 - 22: I pretty much look like a running peg-legged pirate at this point. Can't really bend my left knee. My friend Juile somehow get back on the course. She walked/jogged with me for a looooong time. Kept my spirits up for sure.
Miles: 22-25: Dad joined Juile and I and we jog/walked together. I told my Dad to relish this moment because it would be the only time he could outrun me. Tauni and Mark saw us again at 24, and Julie left with them. From then on, it was me and Pops for a while. I couldn't do any sort of regular timed interval, so I'd run until it hurt too much and then walk until it wasn't painful.
Mile 25 - 26.2: Dad had to peel off as the race entered the Marine base. All of the Marines were super nice and supportive. They'd look you in the eyes and be really encouraging. I tried to jog the rest of it, but couldn't make it the whole way. I walked until I could actually see the finish line, and then start jogging. Around 25.8, a coach from another TNT chapter assumed I needed someone to run me in. For .3 of a mile, she ran next to me saying, "You're almost there! One foot in front of the other! Keep going!" It took all my self control not to tell her to buzz off and leave me alone. Thankfully she let me go at 26.1. I crossed 26.2 and started walking.
Chip time: 5:50:34.
Since I was out there for almost 6 hours, I had a lot of time to think. The entire experience was very humbling. It's frustrating to not be able to make your body do what you want. It's frustrating to train well and have everything go to pieces the one time you actually need them to work.
I know for next time that I need to keep an eye on how many miles are on my shoes. I also need to stretch, foam roll and ice consistently throughout the season.
I am really grateful for the support my friends and family gave me on the course. I never considered quitting, but not having them out there would have made the day that much more painful. I am fortunate that I have an amazing support group around me.
I've already picked out my next marathon (Chicago 2010), and I'll be running San Diego Rock 'n Roll again in 2011, on my 27th birthday. I'm confident that those races will go better, and I look forward to continuing to meet my goals as a runner.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Another reason to run.
When I first started this blog, I was running in memory of my brother, Robert. Since then, I have run for many reasons: for fitness, for solitude and for fun. This Sunday's run, however, will be for Elizabeth DiNunzio.
On Tuesday, April 28, 2009, Elizabeth was on a short 3mi run near the campus of Mount St. Mary's, her would-be alma mater. She was in the final week of her taper before Sunday's Pittsburgh Marathon. She had been training since December 2008, and had run through countless injuries. She was struck and killed by a pick up truck at 3:16 p.m. She was 22.
I never met Elizabeth. I came to know her through the Runner's World Online forums. She was always cheerful, supportive and kind. She was dedicated to her marathon training. For the last six months, Elizabeth, myself and a group of several other amazing women contributed daily to our forum. We came to know each other well, and all of us were excited about Elizabeth's upcoming summer: She would graduated from college, run a marathon, move to South Carolina to start her first teaching job and be closer to her boyfriend.
On Wednesday, we grieved together. We continue to do so.
We are attempting to honor Elizabeth in different ways. We have contacted the Pittsburgh Marathon race directors and they have agreed to have a moment of silence before the start. Forumites from all over the RWOL boards will be wearing blue & gold ribbons, the Mount St. Mary school colors. We are contributing to a flower arrangement for her service. And on Sunday, we will run in her honor.
Those RWOL forumites that are racing on Sunday have offered to dedicate their races to Elizabeth. Those of us that are in training have agreed to run at 7:30AM, the start time of the Pittsburgh Marathon. Her aunt will take Elizabeth's place, and her friends have agreed to forgo their own time goals and run with her instead.
I am so impressed and so moved by the support the running community has shown in the wake of Elizabeth's death. As much as I wish these generous acts of sympathy were not taken place, I am proud to be part of a group of people that honors and takes care of its own.
This Sunday I will head out for an easy 3mi for Elizabeth. I will use the time to remember her. I will use the time to remember what I myself am thankful for. And when I get back, I will use that time to remind the people close to me that I love them, and I will remind myself that I am lucky to be a runner.
On Tuesday, April 28, 2009, Elizabeth was on a short 3mi run near the campus of Mount St. Mary's, her would-be alma mater. She was in the final week of her taper before Sunday's Pittsburgh Marathon. She had been training since December 2008, and had run through countless injuries. She was struck and killed by a pick up truck at 3:16 p.m. She was 22.
I never met Elizabeth. I came to know her through the Runner's World Online forums. She was always cheerful, supportive and kind. She was dedicated to her marathon training. For the last six months, Elizabeth, myself and a group of several other amazing women contributed daily to our forum. We came to know each other well, and all of us were excited about Elizabeth's upcoming summer: She would graduated from college, run a marathon, move to South Carolina to start her first teaching job and be closer to her boyfriend.
On Wednesday, we grieved together. We continue to do so.
We are attempting to honor Elizabeth in different ways. We have contacted the Pittsburgh Marathon race directors and they have agreed to have a moment of silence before the start. Forumites from all over the RWOL boards will be wearing blue & gold ribbons, the Mount St. Mary school colors. We are contributing to a flower arrangement for her service. And on Sunday, we will run in her honor.
Those RWOL forumites that are racing on Sunday have offered to dedicate their races to Elizabeth. Those of us that are in training have agreed to run at 7:30AM, the start time of the Pittsburgh Marathon. Her aunt will take Elizabeth's place, and her friends have agreed to forgo their own time goals and run with her instead.
I am so impressed and so moved by the support the running community has shown in the wake of Elizabeth's death. As much as I wish these generous acts of sympathy were not taken place, I am proud to be part of a group of people that honors and takes care of its own.
This Sunday I will head out for an easy 3mi for Elizabeth. I will use the time to remember her. I will use the time to remember what I myself am thankful for. And when I get back, I will use that time to remind the people close to me that I love them, and I will remind myself that I am lucky to be a runner.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
The word of the day is "vindicated."
Yesterday's 16 miler was, in a word, fantastic.
Everything was better about the run. The night before, I ate spaghetti for dinner. I was in bed at a reasonable hour. I had the Breakfast of Campions: banana & Skippy Natural's PB in an Ezekiel wrap paired with a delicious 7-11 coffee. I belted out Soulja Boy's "Kiss Me Through The Phone" on the way to the water. Everything was just as it should have been.
After a brief warm up, we headed out towards Ingraham. A soft drizzle turned into an actual rain for about 15 minutes, but cleared up by mile 2. The route followed the San Diego River (not scenic) into eccentric Ocean Beach. From there we wove through the residential part of OB and ran along the (scenic) Sunset Cliffs. Throughout this time I held back to a 10:30/mi pace.
At mile 6.5, those of us going for a full 16 were sent up a trail into the back of Pt. Loma Nazarine University. My pace slowed considerably and bounced around between 11:00 and 12:00 minute miles. Even returning down the hill was tough. However, once I was back on flatter ground at mile 9, I took off.
Because the course was an out-and-back, it was easy to "race" the times I had just run. 9:40s begat 9:30s, and those melted into 9:13s. In the home stretch, I kicked it up and finished my last mile in 9:05, passing those that had been ahead of me the entire time, and even some people who had opted to do 14mi instead of 16. I'd be lying if I said that feeling wasn't flippin' sweet.
After the run, I tried to take an ice bath in the Bay. Surprisingly, it wasn't that cold.
I refueled with a Caramel Nut Brownie Luna bar (heaven) and part of a bagel, and then I was off to what ended up being a painful shower, due to this new battle scar:
Yep, chafing. Apparently my fuel belt is not a fan of the longer distances. I will be switching to a hand held bottle from here on out.
That's it for Saturday's workout. I did an easy 40min on the elliptical this morning to flush out the lactic acid. This afternoon was spent on the massage table, though my masseuse was far from talented.
In all, a great weekend for marathon training. Only seven weeks to go!
Everything was better about the run. The night before, I ate spaghetti for dinner. I was in bed at a reasonable hour. I had the Breakfast of Campions: banana & Skippy Natural's PB in an Ezekiel wrap paired with a delicious 7-11 coffee. I belted out Soulja Boy's "Kiss Me Through The Phone" on the way to the water. Everything was just as it should have been.
After a brief warm up, we headed out towards Ingraham. A soft drizzle turned into an actual rain for about 15 minutes, but cleared up by mile 2. The route followed the San Diego River (not scenic) into eccentric Ocean Beach. From there we wove through the residential part of OB and ran along the (scenic) Sunset Cliffs. Throughout this time I held back to a 10:30/mi pace.
At mile 6.5, those of us going for a full 16 were sent up a trail into the back of Pt. Loma Nazarine University. My pace slowed considerably and bounced around between 11:00 and 12:00 minute miles. Even returning down the hill was tough. However, once I was back on flatter ground at mile 9, I took off.
Because the course was an out-and-back, it was easy to "race" the times I had just run. 9:40s begat 9:30s, and those melted into 9:13s. In the home stretch, I kicked it up and finished my last mile in 9:05, passing those that had been ahead of me the entire time, and even some people who had opted to do 14mi instead of 16. I'd be lying if I said that feeling wasn't flippin' sweet.
After the run, I tried to take an ice bath in the Bay. Surprisingly, it wasn't that cold.
I refueled with a Caramel Nut Brownie Luna bar (heaven) and part of a bagel, and then I was off to what ended up being a painful shower, due to this new battle scar:
Yep, chafing. Apparently my fuel belt is not a fan of the longer distances. I will be switching to a hand held bottle from here on out.
That's it for Saturday's workout. I did an easy 40min on the elliptical this morning to flush out the lactic acid. This afternoon was spent on the massage table, though my masseuse was far from talented.
In all, a great weekend for marathon training. Only seven weeks to go!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Down, and then Up
After being called out on my friend Barrett's blog, I could no loner deny the need to update.
The truth is, I've been avoiding this for a couple weeks. On March 28, the day of my 15 miler, I was in San Francisco. I had big aspirations for that run: crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, beating my 1/2 marathon time and composing an excellent blog entry as I sped along Crissy Field. All I really succeeded in doing is crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.
The 15 miler was awful. The first couple miles of any run are always tough for me, but I usually get into a zone and pound out the remaining distance. Not the case a couple weeks ago. The first two miles were as rough as I expected, but things took a turn for the worst when those miles dropped me at the base of a steep hill climb. The bridge crossing, though picturesque, was windy and cold. The descent was painful (I don't have trail shoes and I do have weak ankles), and I ended up running laps around a small park to eke our the rest of my mileage. I swore (a lot) walking the last 1.25mi.
I'm not really sure what went wrong. Was it the hours of dancing the night beforehand? Poor sleep? A lackluster breakfast of plain oatmeal with no peanut butter mixed in? Only taking in 30oz of water on the run? Whatever the case, the entire experience sucked, and I was too embarrassed to come back here and broadcast a crappy run.
I licked my wounds for the first week. It took until Thursday for me to get a decent interval run in. Saturday I was scheduled for 11mi, but slept late instead. I attempted an evening run, going so far as to drive to a flatter neighborhood. I got out of the car, walked across the street, promptly walked back, got in my car and went home. I told myself I was tired. I think I was just being a wimp.
Finally, on Sunday morning, I redeemed myself. I had my usual pre-run breakfast of whole wheat tortilla, peanut butter and banana. I had coffee. I had water. I eased into the day. I drove down to the gym, gearing myself up for a nice, strong run with some R.E.M. I hopped on the treadmill, planning only 4mi and then heading outside for my favorite 7mi loop.
I did my first w/u mile at 10:30. Kicked it up to 10:00 for mile 2. I was feeling bored and up'd it to 9:45 for mile 3. By mile 4, I was doing 9:30. I didn't want to stop. I increased speed to 9:15. At mile 10, I kicked it up to 8:34 and pounded it out. Time flew by, and actually ran out on the treadmill, but I still felt like I could have kept going. My runner's high was interrupted only briefly by the realization that I forgot to put on Body Glide and was experiencing some major chafing issues. I did some abs, stretched, foam rolled, fist pumped to my own victory and headed home.
To bring this entry full circle, I must give a shout out of thanks to Barrett (as well as Tauni and Julie). They talked me down when I was pretty frustrated, and reminded me that training and improvements don't come without some minor setbacks. It's true what they say: the bad runs are what make the good runs great.
The truth is, I've been avoiding this for a couple weeks. On March 28, the day of my 15 miler, I was in San Francisco. I had big aspirations for that run: crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, beating my 1/2 marathon time and composing an excellent blog entry as I sped along Crissy Field. All I really succeeded in doing is crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.
The 15 miler was awful. The first couple miles of any run are always tough for me, but I usually get into a zone and pound out the remaining distance. Not the case a couple weeks ago. The first two miles were as rough as I expected, but things took a turn for the worst when those miles dropped me at the base of a steep hill climb. The bridge crossing, though picturesque, was windy and cold. The descent was painful (I don't have trail shoes and I do have weak ankles), and I ended up running laps around a small park to eke our the rest of my mileage. I swore (a lot) walking the last 1.25mi.
I'm not really sure what went wrong. Was it the hours of dancing the night beforehand? Poor sleep? A lackluster breakfast of plain oatmeal with no peanut butter mixed in? Only taking in 30oz of water on the run? Whatever the case, the entire experience sucked, and I was too embarrassed to come back here and broadcast a crappy run.
I licked my wounds for the first week. It took until Thursday for me to get a decent interval run in. Saturday I was scheduled for 11mi, but slept late instead. I attempted an evening run, going so far as to drive to a flatter neighborhood. I got out of the car, walked across the street, promptly walked back, got in my car and went home. I told myself I was tired. I think I was just being a wimp.
Finally, on Sunday morning, I redeemed myself. I had my usual pre-run breakfast of whole wheat tortilla, peanut butter and banana. I had coffee. I had water. I eased into the day. I drove down to the gym, gearing myself up for a nice, strong run with some R.E.M. I hopped on the treadmill, planning only 4mi and then heading outside for my favorite 7mi loop.
I did my first w/u mile at 10:30. Kicked it up to 10:00 for mile 2. I was feeling bored and up'd it to 9:45 for mile 3. By mile 4, I was doing 9:30. I didn't want to stop. I increased speed to 9:15. At mile 10, I kicked it up to 8:34 and pounded it out. Time flew by, and actually ran out on the treadmill, but I still felt like I could have kept going. My runner's high was interrupted only briefly by the realization that I forgot to put on Body Glide and was experiencing some major chafing issues. I did some abs, stretched, foam rolled, fist pumped to my own victory and headed home.
To bring this entry full circle, I must give a shout out of thanks to Barrett (as well as Tauni and Julie). They talked me down when I was pretty frustrated, and reminded me that training and improvements don't come without some minor setbacks. It's true what they say: the bad runs are what make the good runs great.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Lake Murray Run, 2/22/09
Between vague directions, freeway closures and my complete inability to navigate, Saturday's team run did not happen. Well, I'm sure it happened for the rest of the team, but my AM workout consisted of driving around Carmel Mountain for an hour and then cleaning my bedroom.
Sunday I got up bright and early to run Lake Murray before it got too hot, but opted for waffles with my nieces instead. They were yummy.
From there I was off to Lake Murray. The lake is an out and back course resulting in 6.4mi. I decided to run it without my Garmin so I wouldn't feel pressure to speed up or slow down, and could just run based on how I felt. This was a good idea.
My bad idea was running without water. About 2/3 of the way through the first leg, I had to explore some Little League fields until I could find a water fountain.
The other good idea I had was to run with my phone. It took me roughly 35min to reach the fence (not including the 5min I spent searching for a water fountain). This is roughly 10min/mile. At the halfway point, a friend of mine called and we agreed to meet for Thai food following my workout. With curry on the horizon, I finished the second leg in 28min, shaving 7min off my time. Negative splits are a wonderful thing, and Thai food is a great post workout reward.
In all, the run went fairly well. I still have consistent pain along the outer ridge of my right foot, but it's nothing that is preventing me from running just yet. I'll make time to deal with it formally later, but for now it's just lots of ice, ibuprofen and stretching.
Sunday I got up bright and early to run Lake Murray before it got too hot, but opted for waffles with my nieces instead. They were yummy.
From there I was off to Lake Murray. The lake is an out and back course resulting in 6.4mi. I decided to run it without my Garmin so I wouldn't feel pressure to speed up or slow down, and could just run based on how I felt. This was a good idea.
My bad idea was running without water. About 2/3 of the way through the first leg, I had to explore some Little League fields until I could find a water fountain.
The other good idea I had was to run with my phone. It took me roughly 35min to reach the fence (not including the 5min I spent searching for a water fountain). This is roughly 10min/mile. At the halfway point, a friend of mine called and we agreed to meet for Thai food following my workout. With curry on the horizon, I finished the second leg in 28min, shaving 7min off my time. Negative splits are a wonderful thing, and Thai food is a great post workout reward.
In all, the run went fairly well. I still have consistent pain along the outer ridge of my right foot, but it's nothing that is preventing me from running just yet. I'll make time to deal with it formally later, but for now it's just lots of ice, ibuprofen and stretching.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Really now...
My second go at marathon training has, admittedly, been half-hearted. Blame it on frequent travel, cold weather, nagging injuries or fear of failing (again), but I've been nervous about jumping into this with both feet.
I think this paragraph is supposed to start out something like, "... Until now!" Unfortunately, that's not the case. I am still nervous and apprehensive. Last season I was somewhat neurotic about hitting weekly mileage goals; this season I live for my rest and cross-training days. I've convinced myself that hills are the devil and again find myself back home in Tierrasanta, home to significant elevation changes. I don't think I'm being entirely paranoid about those hills, either- after 5mi last Sunday (coupled with moving all weekend long), it feels like plantar fasciitis is setting in again. An aside: is it just me, or is "plantar fasciitis" the most awful, unglamorous, ugly name for an affliction ever? Gross.
In any event, I'm slogging through training this week in hopes of forcing some excitement back into my workouts. Monday's 4mi were done on the treadmill while it rained outside. This morning started at 5:00am and included weight training, core work and speed intervals on the elliptical. I'll be heading back tonight to spend some more time on the bike and Stair-master. Twice-weekly sessions with a personal trainer have also spiced up the routine and given me other goals to shoot for. Saturday will be the first time I run with the team this season.
I had a dream on Friday night that I ran San Diego RnR in 4:34. I don't really believe that dreams like that come true, but I am hopeful this is an indicator that my subconscious is passionate about training more than my conscious self is-- I also really hope the subconscious desire take over and I get excited soon.
Until then, I guess it's just one foot in front of the other.
I think this paragraph is supposed to start out something like, "... Until now!" Unfortunately, that's not the case. I am still nervous and apprehensive. Last season I was somewhat neurotic about hitting weekly mileage goals; this season I live for my rest and cross-training days. I've convinced myself that hills are the devil and again find myself back home in Tierrasanta, home to significant elevation changes. I don't think I'm being entirely paranoid about those hills, either- after 5mi last Sunday (coupled with moving all weekend long), it feels like plantar fasciitis is setting in again. An aside: is it just me, or is "plantar fasciitis" the most awful, unglamorous, ugly name for an affliction ever? Gross.
In any event, I'm slogging through training this week in hopes of forcing some excitement back into my workouts. Monday's 4mi were done on the treadmill while it rained outside. This morning started at 5:00am and included weight training, core work and speed intervals on the elliptical. I'll be heading back tonight to spend some more time on the bike and Stair-master. Twice-weekly sessions with a personal trainer have also spiced up the routine and given me other goals to shoot for. Saturday will be the first time I run with the team this season.
I had a dream on Friday night that I ran San Diego RnR in 4:34. I don't really believe that dreams like that come true, but I am hopeful this is an indicator that my subconscious is passionate about training more than my conscious self is-- I also really hope the subconscious desire take over and I get excited soon.
Until then, I guess it's just one foot in front of the other.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Carlsbad 1/2 Marathong Race Report!
I'm too tired to get all mushy, but I had a blast today. I'll start where all good stories start... The night before.
Saturday Night
Had whole wheat rotini pasta with primavera sauce, french bread with butter and salad next door at Julie's. Tauni and Julie's friend Spencer were in attendance. Spencer took the last piece of bread (jerk); Julie split hers with me (saint).
I got home at 8:30 and promptly flipped out for twenty minutes. I laid out all of my gear and set my coffeemaker to begin brewing at 4:00am. Then I made a big pot of Sleepy Time tea. Then I talked to Harlan until 12:00am. Not my smartest move ever, but I was nervous.
Race Day
3:45am: Alarm goes off. "Wtf am I doing waking up at 3:45?!" Snooze. This went on until 4:15.
4:15am: Oh. Oh crap. I'm running a race today.
I made a big bowl of oatmeal and mixed in peanut butter, banana and chocolate chips. That was followed with two big mugs of coffee. I got dressed and went to 7-11 to fill up on gas, where I bought more coffee. I think I had roughly 40oz of coffee this morning. Julie met me in the back of our building and we left for Carlsbad at 5:15.
We listened to Britney Spears' "Circus" CD. I kept pointing out that track 2, "If You Seek Amy" really spells out "F-U-C-K Me." Julie was a good sport. I am still really impressed with that trick.
6:00am: Arrive at race site. The race doesn't start until 7:30.
6:02am: "Um, sorry Julie." She was understanding.
We chit chatted for a bit and waited for Tauni and Mark to arrive. When they pulled in at the reasonable hour of 6:45, we headed towards the starting area.
Then the 40oz of coffee kicked in... Remember how coffee is a diuretic? Yeah... It was a painful wait for the porta-potties.
The wait was made more painful only by the need for me to clean off the toilet seat before I could sit down. Painful, but eventually worth it. I hate porta-potties.
7:00: Check our sweatshirts and cell phones.
7:10: Tauni asked where my Garmin was. It was still in my sweatshirt. In my checked bag.
7:13: Retrieve Garmin.
7:20: Take first pack of decaffeinated (I maybe have a slight addiction) sports beans (Cherry flavor. Thumbs up).
We made our way to the start and lined up at the back of the fourth wave, behind the 2:20 pace group. My personal goal is 2:15.
7:30: Gun goes off. We stand still.
7:39: Cross the starting line. Holy crap, I'm running a half marathon!
My strategy for the race was to use intervals to avoid fatigue and injury. I was planning on running 9 minutes, walking 1 minute, and repeating the entire time. I chose 9/1s mostly because it makes the math incredibly easy.
Mile 1 (10:59): Ran with Julie and Tauni. I think a photographer got a really cute picture of all three of us waving at the camera. Will have to check photog site in a couple days. I did not walk at all during this mile.
Mile 2 (10:47): Still with J and T. The course is taking us through residential streets, and the home owners are very supportive. Best homeowner? The old woman in her full length housecoat whooping everyone on. She was a dead-ringer for the old lady in "The Wedding Singer." She was awesome. Again, no walk break.
Mile 3 (10:30): By now we were on the 101 Hwy. At their urging, I pulled away from J and T (who are both nursing injuries). At 39:00, I finally took my first walk interval. Of course, my parents saw me at that point. Nothing says "endurance athlete" like a photograph of your daughter walking along the coast. I gave them both a hug and continued on.
Mile 4 (10:09): I believe there was a downhill here. Nothing stands out, though I did realize I was always near these girls in purple feather boas and "Will Run 4 Cabernet" and "Will Run 4Pinot Noir " on their shirts. Cute, but not someone I want to finish before me. I did hit a nice downhill stretch at 49:00, so I decided to push through the interval and use gravity to my advantage. It was nice.
Mile 5 (10:32): Funny how those downhills lead to uphills. I decided to smile the entire time I was charging the hill. I think it helped! I walked for another minute at 59:00 and took in my second pack of sports beans.
Mile 6 (10:02): Woohoo-no big hills! At this point you could see the first place marathoners (that race started earlier) coming in on the opposite side. Very inspiring and impressive. Still following the interval plan.
Mile 7 (10:16): Still feeling good. I turned around just after the half-way
point. I was able to look across the median and catch Julie and Tauni as they approached the turn. I let out a huge WHOOP! and waved. I also startled a lot of people, but whatever. Intervals are working like a charm. Each time I walk I pat the tops of my thighs and tell them "Good job, legs!" What? You would too...
Mile 8 (10:00): Dude, was I jamming or what at Mile 8?? A 10min mile with a one minute walk break? Uh, yeah. Awesome.
Mile 9 (10:16): I call myself a "bad ass" as I
run up the hill. I feel pretty great. Somewhere during Mile 9 I see my mom on the sideline. She yelled out (louder than all the other moms-hah !) and said she was proud. Volunteers were handing out orange slices. I took two and they were wonderfully refreshing. Downside: sticky hands.
Curses. Still doing intervals...
Mile 10 (10:04): Hit the 10th mile at 1:43 and did some quick math- only 30min left to hit my goal of 2:15. I had to keep it at 10min miles or just below for the rest of the race. Doable, definitely doable. I abandoned the interval plan and slowly at my third pack of sports beans. I also decide to stop looking at my watch and just run by how I feel.
Mile 11 (10:35): Left IT band starts acting up, and this is a first for me. I recall an article forwarded to me the other day by a friend. Author said to stop running at the first onset of injury in order to avoid a significant amount of time on the bench. I contemplate the advice and decided that he must have meant that only in the case of training runs. I push on. Mile 11 feels really, really long.
Mile 12 (10:01): Instead of urging myself to run faster I tell myself to run "longer" and increase my stride length. Seems to be working! Still, Mile 12 seems to stretch on for quite a while. We've left the coast and are weaving back towards the start. Things are feeling pretty good and I start picking off runners in front of me. I zeroed in on the color orange and passed a
woman in an orange hat, a man in an orange visor and a man in an orange shirt. It feels really, really bad ass to pass people.
Mile 13 (09:56): I still don't really believe that I'm ALMOST done. I look down at my watch and see my time at 2:14:15. I shout out "Oh F---!" and start sprinting around the final turn towards the finish. I hear my mom
yell out on my left. I hear another female voice cheering on my right, and I try to remember to smile as I cross the finish line...
Mile .14 (when I stopped my watch) (00:01:25): I can't really believe I'm done.
Chip time: 2:15:22.
My left hip and knee hurt, I'm limping through the finishing chute and I keep missing the medals being handed out. I finally hook my right arm through a medal, grab agoodie bag (banana, water, various nutrition bars- thoughtful!) and make my way to the bag check. I'm cold, I hurt and my face is covered in salt. I grab my sweatshirt and eventually reunite with my mom, see my friend Bryan and watch Julie andTauni cross the finish line.
In all, a fabulous first 1/2 marathon. I write this on my laptop, from my bed, numbed by Ibuprofen, an ice bath, Bengay cream and ready to take some Advil PM. My left hip flexor is so tight that I can't move my leg without searing pain, but I don't really care. I just ran a freaking half marathon, and I can't wait to do another.
Saturday Night
Had whole wheat rotini pasta with primavera sauce, french bread with butter and salad next door at Julie's. Tauni and Julie's friend Spencer were in attendance. Spencer took the last piece of bread (jerk); Julie split hers with me (saint).
I got home at 8:30 and promptly flipped out for twenty minutes. I laid out all of my gear and set my coffeemaker to begin brewing at 4:00am. Then I made a big pot of Sleepy Time tea. Then I talked to Harlan until 12:00am. Not my smartest move ever, but I was nervous.
Race Day
3:45am: Alarm goes off. "Wtf am I doing waking up at 3:45?!" Snooze. This went on until 4:15.
4:15am: Oh. Oh crap. I'm running a race today.
I made a big bowl of oatmeal and mixed in peanut butter, banana and chocolate chips. That was followed with two big mugs of coffee. I got dressed and went to 7-11 to fill up on gas, where I bought more coffee. I think I had roughly 40oz of coffee this morning. Julie met me in the back of our building and we left for Carlsbad at 5:15.
We listened to Britney Spears' "Circus" CD. I kept pointing out that track 2, "If You Seek Amy" really spells out "F-U-C-K Me." Julie was a good sport. I am still really impressed with that trick.
6:00am: Arrive at race site. The race doesn't start until 7:30.
6:02am: "Um, sorry Julie." She was understanding.
We chit chatted for a bit and waited for Tauni and Mark to arrive. When they pulled in at the reasonable hour of 6:45, we headed towards the starting area.
Then the 40oz of coffee kicked in... Remember how coffee is a diuretic? Yeah... It was a painful wait for the porta-potties.
The wait was made more painful only by the need for me to clean off the toilet seat before I could sit down. Painful, but eventually worth it. I hate porta-potties.
7:00: Check our sweatshirts and cell phones.
7:10: Tauni asked where my Garmin was. It was still in my sweatshirt. In my checked bag.
7:13: Retrieve Garmin.
7:20: Take first pack of decaffeinated (I maybe have a slight addiction) sports beans (Cherry flavor. Thumbs up).
We made our way to the start and lined up at the back of the fourth wave, behind the 2:20 pace group. My personal goal is 2:15.
7:30: Gun goes off. We stand still.
7:39: Cross the starting line. Holy crap, I'm running a half marathon!
My strategy for the race was to use intervals to avoid fatigue and injury. I was planning on running 9 minutes, walking 1 minute, and repeating the entire time. I chose 9/1s mostly because it makes the math incredibly easy.
Mile 1 (10:59): Ran with Julie and Tauni. I think a photographer got a really cute picture of all three of us waving at the camera. Will have to check photog site in a couple days. I did not walk at all during this mile.
Mile 2 (10:47): Still with J and T. The course is taking us through residential streets, and the home owners are very supportive. Best homeowner? The old woman in her full length housecoat whooping everyone on. She was a dead-ringer for the old lady in "The Wedding Singer." She was awesome. Again, no walk break.
Mile 3 (10:30): By now we were on the 101 Hwy. At their urging, I pulled away from J and T (who are both nursing injuries). At 39:00, I finally took my first walk interval. Of course, my parents saw me at that point. Nothing says "endurance athlete" like a photograph of your daughter walking along the coast. I gave them both a hug and continued on.
Mile 4 (10:09): I believe there was a downhill here. Nothing stands out, though I did realize I was always near these girls in purple feather boas and "Will Run 4 Cabernet" and "Will Run 4Pinot Noir " on their shirts. Cute, but not someone I want to finish before me. I did hit a nice downhill stretch at 49:00, so I decided to push through the interval and use gravity to my advantage. It was nice.
Mile 5 (10:32): Funny how those downhills lead to uphills. I decided to smile the entire time I was charging the hill. I think it helped! I walked for another minute at 59:00 and took in my second pack of sports beans.
Mile 6 (10:02): Woohoo-no big hills! At this point you could see the first place marathoners (that race started earlier) coming in on the opposite side. Very inspiring and impressive. Still following the interval plan.
Mile 7 (10:16): Still feeling good. I turned around just after the half-way
point. I was able to look across the median and catch Julie and Tauni as they approached the turn. I let out a huge WHOOP! and waved. I also startled a lot of people, but whatever. Intervals are working like a charm. Each time I walk I pat the tops of my thighs and tell them "Good job, legs!" What? You would too...
Mile 8 (10:00): Dude, was I jamming or what at Mile 8?? A 10min mile with a one minute walk break? Uh, yeah. Awesome.
Mile 9 (10:16): I call myself a "bad ass" as I
run up the hill. I feel pretty great. Somewhere during Mile 9 I see my mom on the sideline. She yelled out (louder than all the other moms-hah !) and said she was proud. Volunteers were handing out orange slices. I took two and they were wonderfully refreshing. Downside: sticky hands.
Curses. Still doing intervals...
Mile 10 (10:04): Hit the 10th mile at 1:43 and did some quick math- only 30min left to hit my goal of 2:15. I had to keep it at 10min miles or just below for the rest of the race. Doable, definitely doable. I abandoned the interval plan and slowly at my third pack of sports beans. I also decide to stop looking at my watch and just run by how I feel.
Mile 11 (10:35): Left IT band starts acting up, and this is a first for me. I recall an article forwarded to me the other day by a friend. Author said to stop running at the first onset of injury in order to avoid a significant amount of time on the bench. I contemplate the advice and decided that he must have meant that only in the case of training runs. I push on. Mile 11 feels really, really long.
Mile 12 (10:01): Instead of urging myself to run faster I tell myself to run "longer" and increase my stride length. Seems to be working! Still, Mile 12 seems to stretch on for quite a while. We've left the coast and are weaving back towards the start. Things are feeling pretty good and I start picking off runners in front of me. I zeroed in on the color orange and passed a
woman in an orange hat, a man in an orange visor and a man in an orange shirt. It feels really, really bad ass to pass people.
Mile 13 (09:56): I still don't really believe that I'm ALMOST done. I look down at my watch and see my time at 2:14:15. I shout out "Oh F---!" and start sprinting around the final turn towards the finish. I hear my mom
yell out on my left. I hear another female voice cheering on my right, and I try to remember to smile as I cross the finish line...
Mile .14 (when I stopped my watch) (00:01:25): I can't really believe I'm done.
Chip time: 2:15:22.
My left hip and knee hurt, I'm limping through the finishing chute and I keep missing the medals being handed out. I finally hook my right arm through a medal, grab agoodie bag (banana, water, various nutrition bars- thoughtful!) and make my way to the bag check. I'm cold, I hurt and my face is covered in salt. I grab my sweatshirt and eventually reunite with my mom, see my friend Bryan and watch Julie andTauni cross the finish line.
In all, a fabulous first 1/2 marathon. I write this on my laptop, from my bed, numbed by Ibuprofen, an ice bath, Bengay cream and ready to take some Advil PM. My left hip flexor is so tight that I can't move my leg without searing pain, but I don't really care. I just ran a freaking half marathon, and I can't wait to do another.
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