On our way to the Jail Break 5K in our Brooks ID attire.

On our way to the Jail Break 5K in our Brooks ID attire.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

And then there were 8…..DAYS

    
 

Marathon Training numbers 12/12/11-current 4/8/12

Running Miles 774.37
Swimming Miles-8.36
Biking Miles-67.32
Yoga-24 classes
Weight workouts-10
Massages-9
Spin classes-3
Pilates-2
Races-9 (8 running and 1 tri)

                As I sit down to start typing this it is hard to believe 17 weeks have gone by since I started this journey, well I take that back 2 years have almost gone by starting back to picking out my first marathon, training and completing Richmond to qualify to then start training for Boston on 12/12/11.  It was tough for me starting out going to a running only focused training plan as I have said in the past I am used to doing a lot of cross training and having a personal trainer.  I literally was caught with my phone in my hand several times thinking “I am just going to call, I have to go back to cross/strength training!” then the other voice in my head would say “do not do it, you promised yourself 18 weeks of following a running schedule, you will be so mad at yourself if you have a horrible race knowing you did not do what you set your intentions to do.”  This internal conflict along with a little whining to the hubs : ) occurred for most of January and February as I built my mileage, hit my workouts and trained regardless of the weather conditions and time of morning.  Then about the last day of February I had an epiphany, I picked up the phone and called William right away stating “oh my gosh I have 4 weeks of hard build up and 2 back off weeks and Boston will be here, gosh I am going to miss this.”  The moment I hung up the phone I promised myself to not worry about or think about all the “workouts I was missing” but to be so grateful for the workouts I was able to do with all the wonderful help and fellowship of friends that I have been running with.  Sitting here today still since that moment I have been grateful and have not thought nor said what I have not been doing and having fun with what I have been doing.
                I took some time today to go through my running journal and reflect upon my workouts, paces I have run and distances I have ran to build some confidence and be even surer of my training.  I started out planning to run with a friend of mine who is a little faster than me but also going to Boston, however, an injury left her sidelined at the end of January.  She had to run at 5am which I was doing to have her to run with.  When she called to say she was out per MD orders, I said to Wm I would train by myself that way I could go later and not have to be up so early.  Well that week mentally ended up being
awful.  I had a 10 miler on Monday, a 11 mile workout Tuesday followed by a 7 mile run with strides Wednesday then a 5 mile recovery run on Thursday.  Needless to say by Thursday I was sick of myself, sick of running and continued to think I bet it would feel better poking my eyes right now then running this 5 miler.  I was crushed and replayed the week to William and a friend of ours Rick on Saturday’s run of that week as we did the Columbia Marathon preview run course as part of my first 20 miler.  Rick as those of you from Columbia know is an excellent even pace runner and ambassador for the running community.  He had mentioned that he was signed up for his 31st marathon at the end of April and would be happy to do some training runs/workouts together.  Rick has been a godsend to me the last 2 and half months, we have shared many workouts and miles of smiles and I have had a lot of time to pick the marathon pro’s brain.

                Going through my running journal today allowed me to reflect upon just a few of my favorite runs/workouts over the past 17 weeks although honestly, I loved them all.  When I get to the start line in Hopkinson I will think of lyrics from my favorite singer Kenny Chesney as he said it best as to how I will be feeling at that moment. “Yeah, I hit walls and I wanted to quit. I picked myself up but the truth is I didn't get here alone. That road's just too rough and long, I might be the one the spotlight's on but I know I did not get here alone.”

Memorable runs-

12/24/11-13 miles on Erie Canal path in NY with Wm. 8 at MP (we were a little fast as it was cold!)  24 degrees and snow packed trail.

1/4/12-10 miles with Jen from Irmo Dam to Broad River Road and back.  19 degrees, 4:50am only people in sight out that morning. 19 degrees in Columbia is cold.  We ran over the instate to Broad River which the traffic at that point is horrible.  Jen almost tripped, a truck kind of swerved towards us then coming back towards the Dam I fell.  Yes, this is the reason I do not trail run, I fell road running!  I ripped my tights at the knee, ripped 3 layers of tops at the elbow and ripped both my gloves.  Thank goodness for a lot of clothes because I just scuffed up some skin and we had a lot of laughs.

1/20/12-5 mile recovery at 5am at the YMCA with my brother in law in NY.  My family made  sure I got in all my workouts and had a place to run while home for my niece’s birthday.  This gave me the evening after we watch Olivia all day to frost cupcakes with my sister for her party.

2/25/12-22 miler with Rick and using LRAH as tempo run at MP for 6.2 miles of our 22.

3/22-3/26/12-Boat track workouts with the hubs where 11 laps equaled a mile, we still got in 22 miles while gone on our cruise we also explored a State Park when we got back to the terminal for a 9 mile run.

3/27/12-my last 20 miler was scheduled for 3/25/12 however, we were in the Bahamas for the hubs big 4 0 therefore, I was puzzled going into the cruise how/when I was going to get that 20 miler in.  I emailed Rick for guidance and he suggested 3/27 the next morning that we would be back to have my last 20 miler about 3 weeks out.  I wrote back to thank him and also let him know that I would be in contact with him about how/where I was going to do run before work then we could share some miles together.  He wrote back that he would meet me, he had a course, he would do all 20 and to have a good trip.  Who does that?  What a friend!

Well that was just a few of my runs I have had over the past 17 weeks.  I could write about every workout I had and all the memory I created however, this entry would be way too long and I have them all in my running journal.  Looking back, I owe to it myself, my family, my husband, my friends, the guys who have ran 100’s of miles with me over the past 17 weeks to go into this race and do the best I can and to give the course all I have.  I will let me goals be known with of course first and foremost to finish and have appreciation for the ability to run, however, I feel that is a given so A goal, 3:27, B goal sub 3:30 and C goal sub 3:35 to re qualify.  I do not know what will happen nor would I change anything about the past 17 weeks even after I know the outcome next week. “Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart.  Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise.”  RUN HAPPY-K


1 comment:

  1. Hi,
    I have a quick question about your blog, do you think you could email me?
    David

    ReplyDelete