And now, for what you've all been waiting for...
There's just something about being woken up at 5:45 in the morning to "20 Margaritas" on your friend's iPhone. Didn't I just finally get to sleep?! Not that it took long before I was wide awake. Up and at 'em!!
Like most runners, I set all my gear out the night before the race. That helped immensely, because it was one last thing to think about. Clothes? Check! Shoes? Check! Body Glide? Check! (FYI, Body Glide rocks my world, especially on warm days like today!) I dressed quickly and proceeded with my usual pre-run breakfast of rice and a hard-boiled egg. Yummy!! Well, not really, but it gets the job done. I packed up my backpack with everything I'd want just after the race, opened the door, and...
"What the..???" Somebody came by and taped crepe paper across all our doors!! Cute, but it gave me quite a start that early in the morning, and my heart was already going pretty fast. I got a big good luck hug from Renee and headed down to the lobby to meet the rest of the TNT full marathoners. We walked over to the half marathon start, where I was hoping to cheer on some of my teammates as they started their race, but unfortunately, we weren't quite quick enough. :(
So...I checked my bag, found my other friend Renee, who was also running the race (Yay!!!), and we lined up at the start. I remember asking her how the heck I ended up there. But at the start, there's not really a whole lot you can do except wait. And when we started, I didn't have any choice. I just started to move, and figured that one way or the other, the race would play itself out. *gulp!*
Did I mention how awesome my running bud Renee is? She really helped keep me motivated months ago when we trained for our first half together. I loved that I got to line up for my first marathon next to her. And she was even nice enough to run the first 6 miles with me, which was great. It made them fly by as we chatted about anything and everything. I really tried to take those first few miles easy, to save some energy for later. Luckily, Renee had her Garmin and let me know when I was getting a little too ambitious and needed to back my pace down. I might start calling her "Coach!"
Finally, after 6 miles Renee was smart and decided it was time to run her own race. "Bye, Renee, see you at the finish!" Really, I was excited because I felt pretty darn good at this point. Suddenly running by myself, I found myself really paying attention to the other runners around me. There were so many TNT purple shirts out there, it was amazing. I loved passing by teammates, most of whom I didn't even know, and getting (or giving!) a big "Go TEAM!"
Around mile 7-8, we passed by Camp Pendleton. Wait a minute...I just got high-fived by about 50 soldiers. YES!!! I still think that was one of my favorite parts of the race. :) Around mile 9, I was crossing back over the bridge, and I was just starting to feel the effects of running. Luckily, Coach Jamey was there on the course and ran with me a bit. That was a nice boost, and around that point I became focused on just making it to the halfway mark. I would deal with the second 13.1 miles when I got there.
Speaking of making it halfway....that was a little tougher than I thought. I think the main issue was that I was getting tired, and I knew in my head that if I had signed up for the half, I'd almost be done. Hey, wait a minute, all of my teammates who were doing the half probably were done already! Sheesh. "Okay, just keep running, don't think about it." I must've done a good job of zoning out, because I forgot passing the 12-mile marker. Really!! I hit 13 and was pleasantly surprised that I'd done it, I'd made it halfway. Even better, while I was starting to slow down a bit, I still felt like I had a lot of energy left in the tank. I was starting to feel a bit more optimistic. Maybe I really was going to get this race done!
Around that area there was also a fair amount of spectators. I still can't believe how much hearing a "Go, Karen!" from someone I didn't even know could spur me on. I was loving it! I also heard a LOT of "thank you's" from people who saw my TNT shirt. I loved being reminded that I was running for a reason, and that people appreciated what I was doing. So...run....run....run some more...okay, yes, I was throwing in quite a few walking breaks, but I was still mostly running at this point. And then I passed the mile 16 marker, and suddenly found myself in the Bermuda Triangle of the marathon. Seriously, where was that mile 17 marker? It had to be around there somewhere. Did somebody move it?! Because that's not funny! "Oh...wait a minute...there it is...waaaaaay up ahead...if I squint. Whew."
That was the scariest part of the race for me, because I knew I still had so far to go. But then I got to Mile 18. That was BIG. I was in new territory. I'd never run over 18 miles before. And I just knew that I could make it to mile 20. And if I could make it to mile 20, I would only have a 10K left! Around mile 19 I ran into Coach Kristy. Thank goodness, because the Cape Henry/Fort Story area was pretty desolate and B-O-R-I-N-G! I think it would have be "picturesque" if it wasn't mile 19. (Actually, I did watch a runner in front of me stop and whip out a camera!) Even better news at that point, Coach Vicki was up ahead a ways and waiting for me. Kristy even texted her to let her know I was on my way!
I finally caught up with Coach Vicki. (I think it was around mile 21 or so, although by this point, it was all blending together.) I was tired and getting sore, but still really happy. Yes, happy! I was doing it, I was running (er...jogging/walking) a marathon! Vicki gave me some words of encouragement, and next think I knew I was heading into the last part of the race. At this point, it seemed like everybody around me was walking. I didn't feel so bad when I realized that. I still tried to run when I could, but I couldn't maintain it for very long. But still, it was weird....I was actually starting to pass people!!!
Around mile 23 I was found by another coach. (Oh no, I can't remember his name!) He was awesome though and really talked me through to the finish. He pointed out how far I had to go (less than a short weekday training run!) and where the course was going to take me. Around mile 24 I remember running on my own. That was probably the most emotional part of the race for me. It really registered that I was going to finish. Suddenly I thought of all the people who supported my run and who told me I could do this. I realized that they were right. Thinking about so many people believing in me, I started to get a little teary. That didn't last long, though, because I still had to focus on getting those last couple miles done.
Next I ran into Coach Mike. Mike escorted me around the corner and onto the boardwalk....."OMG!!! I can see the FINISH line!!!!!" At this point I think I'm almost laughing. I really want to make it to the finish line without walking, but it's farther than it looks, so I take one more quick walk break. But I'm looking around, and it's amazing...there's my friend Kim and her family who came down from Portsmouth to see me run. She's waving and cheering, and her kids are shouting, "Go Karen!!" Then I look and there's my mentor Nicki and another TNT mentor, Art, ready to high-five me! And then I see another running friend, Maria, waving at me, wearing her half finisher's medal. So many people cheering me on, I can't believe it! And then there's Coach Jamey again, there to run me in to the finish!!
But wait, aren't you wondering what happened to Coach Paul, whom I ran so many miles with during training? Unfortunately, he couldn't be there that day, but I remembered what he told me. I decided to make him proud! I put a little extra oomph into my stride, and flashed a great big smile as I crossed the finish line, all while hearing Bob the Leprechaun announce my name as a marathon finisher! I honestly had always thought I would cry when I finished, but I didn't. I was so ecstatic, all I could do was grin from ear to ear! In fact, I don't think that grin left my face for the rest of the day!
I made my way down the chute (the longest chute I have ever seen!), and claimed my finisher's medal. (Yes, I gave it a kiss, make fun all you want!) I got my finisher's hat, finisher's t-shirt, and a great big finisher's hug from my roommate Renee who was waiting for me.
Oh...you want to know my time?! I finished in 5:24:30! Hmmm...only have to cut about 1:45:00 off my time and I can qualify for Boston. Ha ha! I know for some people it may not be an impressive time, but for me, it was huge. My real goal was just to finish the race, but in my head I really was hoping to finish in about 5:30, so to surpass that goal was an amazing feeling.
All in all, it was a fantastic experience. I can honestly say I had fun, even during the last few miles. Heck, even when I was searching for the elusive 17-mile marker, I was happy to be out there achieving my goal. I don't think I could have asked for my first marathon to go better. Yes, that's right, my "first." I'm definitely going to do this again. Marine Corps Marathon, anyone?!
Wait, don't forget about me yet! I'm sure you're wondering if I still felt so fantastic the next day...post-race details coming up!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Race Weekend, Part 2: Oh, the Terror!
To continue our story...
It is now Saturday morning, the day before the race. The car is packed. The iPod is jammin'. We're on our way to VA Beach. And I'm trying really hard to keep my breakfast down.
Okay, so maybe it was a little early to be quite that freaked, with almost 24 hours still left to go. But can you blame me?! I'd already had a dream earlier in the week that I had started the race and couldn't finish it. That was pretty alarming, because it highlighted the biggest fear I was having at that point. I know lots of people train for big events like this, and it doesn't always happen. Life events can get in the way of training. Illness and injuries can keep you from even making it to the starting line. I also know that often people, including elite athletes, start a race and can't finish due to injury or other issues that arise. But something about these scenarios didn't frighten me. I mean, if you're injured, there's nothing you can do about it. It's not like somebody can fault you because you didn't run with a broken foot. What worried me was, what if I just couldn't do it? What if I ran 20 miles, and my head started playing its old tricks and convinced me to just give up? I don't consider myself a quitter, and I would've hated to go back and tell everybody that, somewhere along the way, I just decided I couldn't do it after all. The idea that the course would beat me, that's what had me freaked out.
Fortunately, we made it to VA Beach without any hyperventilating on my part. We made it to the expo without incident, and next thing I knew, I had a racing bib! A bib with my name on it, underneath the word "marathon!" Okay, my fear did give way at that point to the utter excitement of it all. I had my number, I was cleared to race! The expo was fun to check out, including the adorable step-dancing children. (Apparently they weren't so adorable after several hours, according to a vendor I talked to.) I also met up with my other friend Renee, who was also running her first full marathon the next day. (I may be a little guilty of talking her into signing up, but she seems to have forgiven me.)
Next was an early dinner. I was kind of bummed, but I had opted out of the TNT inspiration dinner. "Pasta party" and "gluten-free diet" don't exactly go together, and that wasn't a combo I was willing to mess with the night before the race! So we found a boring chain restaurant, where I had a boring dinner of grilled chicken, baked potato, and broccoli. Don't be jealous! I know the details of what I ate aren't thrilling. But you have to understand that this had been a HUGE concern for me. Normally at home I can easily control what I eat to avoid the dreaded migraines I sometimes get. But this was my first race "on-the-road," and figuring out how to fuel myself without making myself sick while eating out was a bit tricky. I seemed to have managed okay, although I'm guessing not too many other people brought a rice cooker, grilled chicken, and hard-boiled eggs with them to their hotel!
I did manage to meet up with the rest of my team at the end of their pasta party for some last minute info and pictures. It was great to catch up and find out that I wasn't the only person who was nervous. The extra words of encouragement didn't hurt either. (Gosh, I'm needy! Oh well.) Then I went back to my room and spent ten minutes (okay, maybe just five) getting my bib pinned to my shirt just how I wanted it. Then I had some herbal tea and read a book a bit to relax (like that was going to work!) before going to bed early. You know, to give myself a little extra time to toss and turn. After a few hours of this, I finally found myself wide awake at 2am. And suddenly, I realized..."I can do this!!!" After that, I was able to sleep soundly, until...
Here concludes Part Two. Watch for the next installment of our gripping tale for answers to these important questions: Did I manage to eat breakfast and keep it down? Did I manage to at least keep some other runners in sight? And just how grateful was I that I remembered my Body Glide? All that and more, coming soon!
It is now Saturday morning, the day before the race. The car is packed. The iPod is jammin'. We're on our way to VA Beach. And I'm trying really hard to keep my breakfast down.
Okay, so maybe it was a little early to be quite that freaked, with almost 24 hours still left to go. But can you blame me?! I'd already had a dream earlier in the week that I had started the race and couldn't finish it. That was pretty alarming, because it highlighted the biggest fear I was having at that point. I know lots of people train for big events like this, and it doesn't always happen. Life events can get in the way of training. Illness and injuries can keep you from even making it to the starting line. I also know that often people, including elite athletes, start a race and can't finish due to injury or other issues that arise. But something about these scenarios didn't frighten me. I mean, if you're injured, there's nothing you can do about it. It's not like somebody can fault you because you didn't run with a broken foot. What worried me was, what if I just couldn't do it? What if I ran 20 miles, and my head started playing its old tricks and convinced me to just give up? I don't consider myself a quitter, and I would've hated to go back and tell everybody that, somewhere along the way, I just decided I couldn't do it after all. The idea that the course would beat me, that's what had me freaked out.
Fortunately, we made it to VA Beach without any hyperventilating on my part. We made it to the expo without incident, and next thing I knew, I had a racing bib! A bib with my name on it, underneath the word "marathon!" Okay, my fear did give way at that point to the utter excitement of it all. I had my number, I was cleared to race! The expo was fun to check out, including the adorable step-dancing children. (Apparently they weren't so adorable after several hours, according to a vendor I talked to.) I also met up with my other friend Renee, who was also running her first full marathon the next day. (I may be a little guilty of talking her into signing up, but she seems to have forgiven me.)
Next was an early dinner. I was kind of bummed, but I had opted out of the TNT inspiration dinner. "Pasta party" and "gluten-free diet" don't exactly go together, and that wasn't a combo I was willing to mess with the night before the race! So we found a boring chain restaurant, where I had a boring dinner of grilled chicken, baked potato, and broccoli. Don't be jealous! I know the details of what I ate aren't thrilling. But you have to understand that this had been a HUGE concern for me. Normally at home I can easily control what I eat to avoid the dreaded migraines I sometimes get. But this was my first race "on-the-road," and figuring out how to fuel myself without making myself sick while eating out was a bit tricky. I seemed to have managed okay, although I'm guessing not too many other people brought a rice cooker, grilled chicken, and hard-boiled eggs with them to their hotel!
I did manage to meet up with the rest of my team at the end of their pasta party for some last minute info and pictures. It was great to catch up and find out that I wasn't the only person who was nervous. The extra words of encouragement didn't hurt either. (Gosh, I'm needy! Oh well.) Then I went back to my room and spent ten minutes (okay, maybe just five) getting my bib pinned to my shirt just how I wanted it. Then I had some herbal tea and read a book a bit to relax (like that was going to work!) before going to bed early. You know, to give myself a little extra time to toss and turn. After a few hours of this, I finally found myself wide awake at 2am. And suddenly, I realized..."I can do this!!!" After that, I was able to sleep soundly, until...
Here concludes Part Two. Watch for the next installment of our gripping tale for answers to these important questions: Did I manage to eat breakfast and keep it down? Did I manage to at least keep some other runners in sight? And just how grateful was I that I remembered my Body Glide? All that and more, coming soon!
Race Weekend, Part 1: The Prelude
Whew! It appears that time flies not only when you're having fun, but also when you're dreading the inevitable! Race weekend came so fast, I thought I fell into some kind of time warp. Since I know you're all dying to hear about it, I'll give you the recap of my weekend. So as not to overload you with the awesomeness of it all, I'll break it down into multiple posts.
Actually, I'm going to back it up just a bit more, to about a week before the race. The last training run we had as a group was on a Saturday, and we ran a measly 8 miles. Seriously, 8 miles? Come on, people, give me a challenge! Oh....right....that was coming up. It was a pretty fun run, actually, which took us through Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery. I'd never run through there before. While it was really cool, I was not prepared for all the hills! Afterwards we went to Coach Vicki's house for a send-off brunch. I had a really good time hanging out with my teammates, mentors, and coaches while we talked about the upcoming race. I loved getting my rockin' purple TNT racing shirt. I also received some last minute pep talks from Coach Vicki and my mentor, Nicki. And then.....
"Wait a minute, I'm supposed to run this thing in a week?!?!" I got pretty panicky. (I do that a lot, in case you haven't noticed. It's kind of my thing.) I honestly don't know about other people, but to me, those 16- and 18-mile long runs seemed a little surreal afterwards. Part of me had trouble believing that I really had put in all those miles. Maybe the mileage wasn't accurate. Certainly my muscles (and the clock) told me I'd been running a LONG ways, but in my head, I had trouble believing it. Let me tell you, when you're having trouble believing that you really put in your training, it makes it even harder to believe that you can do the actual race when it comes time. Not exactly a great way to head into a big event.
Luckily, my friend Renee was driving down from Buffalo just to give me some moral support for this event. She came down Thursday evening, and the excitement of seeing a friend I hadn't seen in a while helped distract me for a good two minutes or so. Maybe three. Ah, poor Renee, getting stuck with me in all my pre-race jitters glory. Friday night I was a crazed woman while I packed everything up, convinced I was going to forget something critical, like my running shoes. (I managed to remember all the running gear, but I did forget my cell phone charger. Now Renee was also stuck with me borrowing her phone all weekend!) Next thing I knew, it was Saturday morning, the car was packed, and we were on our way...
Here concludes Part One of our story. Stay tuned to hear more exciting details, such as...what I ate for dinner before the race....how many gallons of water I drank.....and just how long it took me to get my race number pinned to my shirt "just right." Don't miss it!
Actually, I'm going to back it up just a bit more, to about a week before the race. The last training run we had as a group was on a Saturday, and we ran a measly 8 miles. Seriously, 8 miles? Come on, people, give me a challenge! Oh....right....that was coming up. It was a pretty fun run, actually, which took us through Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery. I'd never run through there before. While it was really cool, I was not prepared for all the hills! Afterwards we went to Coach Vicki's house for a send-off brunch. I had a really good time hanging out with my teammates, mentors, and coaches while we talked about the upcoming race. I loved getting my rockin' purple TNT racing shirt. I also received some last minute pep talks from Coach Vicki and my mentor, Nicki. And then.....
"Wait a minute, I'm supposed to run this thing in a week?!?!" I got pretty panicky. (I do that a lot, in case you haven't noticed. It's kind of my thing.) I honestly don't know about other people, but to me, those 16- and 18-mile long runs seemed a little surreal afterwards. Part of me had trouble believing that I really had put in all those miles. Maybe the mileage wasn't accurate. Certainly my muscles (and the clock) told me I'd been running a LONG ways, but in my head, I had trouble believing it. Let me tell you, when you're having trouble believing that you really put in your training, it makes it even harder to believe that you can do the actual race when it comes time. Not exactly a great way to head into a big event.
Luckily, my friend Renee was driving down from Buffalo just to give me some moral support for this event. She came down Thursday evening, and the excitement of seeing a friend I hadn't seen in a while helped distract me for a good two minutes or so. Maybe three. Ah, poor Renee, getting stuck with me in all my pre-race jitters glory. Friday night I was a crazed woman while I packed everything up, convinced I was going to forget something critical, like my running shoes. (I managed to remember all the running gear, but I did forget my cell phone charger. Now Renee was also stuck with me borrowing her phone all weekend!) Next thing I knew, it was Saturday morning, the car was packed, and we were on our way...
Here concludes Part One of our story. Stay tuned to hear more exciting details, such as...what I ate for dinner before the race....how many gallons of water I drank.....and just how long it took me to get my race number pinned to my shirt "just right." Don't miss it!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Staying focused
So, what's been going on, you might ask? Let's see...running...running...eating...running...sleeping...This has pretty much been my life for the past few weeks!
It hasn't been easy - duh! I certainly never thought it would be. As it turns out, it's taking a lot of practice to shut up the voices that whisper, "You're not cut out for this," or "Why are you doing this, anyway?" To be honest, about 14 miles into my 16-miler this past weekend, I was tiring out. Not to the point of not being able to run anymore, but enough that I really started doubting myself. I slowed down to a walk even though I had several more minutes before my next scheduled "break." This is when I'm so grateful for my awesome coaches. Paul had me do an inventory to figure out why I decided I couldn't run anymore. Was I in pain? No, I wasn't in pain. Was I out of breath? No, my breathing was under control. Of course, the answer was that my brain tried telling me something that just wasn't true. It was telling me I needed to stop, and it was only doing that because I psyched myself out. I started thinking about the race and how much farther I'd have to go that day, and I freaked out in the middle of my run. So.....I got my head back in the game, and you know what? It turns out I could run most of those last two miles after all. Huh. Go figure.
Later that day, I started thinking about my commitment to Team in Training. I hate to admit it, but I think if I was just training for myself, it'd be really easy right now to wimp out and say "I'm not ready for this." As it is, there's just way too much more on the line. I can't train without thinking about the people I'm running for. Giving up on myself is one thing, but I'm not going to let these other people down.
A week and a half ago, we used part of our training time to complete a "Silent Mile." All of the current Team in Training participants got together, whether runners, walkers, cyclists, or triathletes, and we completed a mile in silence to honor blood cancer patients. Before we got started, we heard some stories from TNT members about their personal battles with leukemia or lymphoma. Some I knew, and some stories I hadn't heard. All of them reminded me of the great strides that cancer research has made over the past few decades. Unfortunately, they also reminded me that there's still a lot of work to be done.
You know, I usually try to stay upbeat in my blog. But for just once, I want to acknowledge the facts. The reality is, for all of the survivors we had there that morning, there are others who never made it that far. The reality is, any day, any one of us, could wake up not feeling "right," only to be diagnosed with cancer down the road. The reality is, many of our current treatments have horrendous side effects or sometimes even lead to secondary cancers.
Fortunately, things are getting better, and while we may not be there yet, I definitely have hope that someday we'll be able to say the word "cancer" like it's not a big deal.
Wow...that was kind of heavy. I could use a bit of a boost. I think a nice 5-mile run would make me feel better, don't you?
It hasn't been easy - duh! I certainly never thought it would be. As it turns out, it's taking a lot of practice to shut up the voices that whisper, "You're not cut out for this," or "Why are you doing this, anyway?" To be honest, about 14 miles into my 16-miler this past weekend, I was tiring out. Not to the point of not being able to run anymore, but enough that I really started doubting myself. I slowed down to a walk even though I had several more minutes before my next scheduled "break." This is when I'm so grateful for my awesome coaches. Paul had me do an inventory to figure out why I decided I couldn't run anymore. Was I in pain? No, I wasn't in pain. Was I out of breath? No, my breathing was under control. Of course, the answer was that my brain tried telling me something that just wasn't true. It was telling me I needed to stop, and it was only doing that because I psyched myself out. I started thinking about the race and how much farther I'd have to go that day, and I freaked out in the middle of my run. So.....I got my head back in the game, and you know what? It turns out I could run most of those last two miles after all. Huh. Go figure.
Later that day, I started thinking about my commitment to Team in Training. I hate to admit it, but I think if I was just training for myself, it'd be really easy right now to wimp out and say "I'm not ready for this." As it is, there's just way too much more on the line. I can't train without thinking about the people I'm running for. Giving up on myself is one thing, but I'm not going to let these other people down.
A week and a half ago, we used part of our training time to complete a "Silent Mile." All of the current Team in Training participants got together, whether runners, walkers, cyclists, or triathletes, and we completed a mile in silence to honor blood cancer patients. Before we got started, we heard some stories from TNT members about their personal battles with leukemia or lymphoma. Some I knew, and some stories I hadn't heard. All of them reminded me of the great strides that cancer research has made over the past few decades. Unfortunately, they also reminded me that there's still a lot of work to be done.
You know, I usually try to stay upbeat in my blog. But for just once, I want to acknowledge the facts. The reality is, for all of the survivors we had there that morning, there are others who never made it that far. The reality is, any day, any one of us, could wake up not feeling "right," only to be diagnosed with cancer down the road. The reality is, many of our current treatments have horrendous side effects or sometimes even lead to secondary cancers.
Fortunately, things are getting better, and while we may not be there yet, I definitely have hope that someday we'll be able to say the word "cancer" like it's not a big deal.
Wow...that was kind of heavy. I could use a bit of a boost. I think a nice 5-mile run would make me feel better, don't you?
Saturday, January 30, 2010
How did I end up here?!
Yay, snow! Training was cancelled today, which is a bummer. However, it's so pretty outside, and I was able to sleep in, so I really can't complain too much. As I sit here and watch the snow fall when I would normally be out pounding the pavement, I thought it was a good time to tell you how I ended up doing this crazy marathon training thing.
Once upon a time, in a magical city called Richmond....some of my coworkers talked me into signing up for the Monument Ave 10K training team. For those of you not from Richmond, this is a HUGE race with over 30,000 participants. Since it's so popular, the YMCA and local sports group, Sportsbackers, put together training teams to help people manage the 6.2 miles. To give you an idea, my very first run was 1 mile. Only 1 mile, and I still had to walk most of it! You see, I'm not a born runner. I'm not even athletic or coordinated, for that matter. In high school I was a straight A student in everything except phys. ed. There I gladly accepted my passing grade of C. (Okay, I did get an A in one unit in PE: archery. I decided it was because I didn't actually have to move around.) I'm not kidding when I say I'm one of those people who trip over their own feet. Once I fell down when I wasn't even walking. I was just standing there, perusing the dramas at Blockbuster. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor! Weird, but true. That's how uncoordinated I'm not!
Obviously, signing up to run a 10K wasn't exactly natural for me. This was emphasized by the mixed reactions I received when I told people what I was about to do. "You're going to run a 10K?" or "Really?! Um....good luck with that." Luckily, most people were supportive. I took things one day at a time. Over the weeks, an interesting thing happened. Suddenly, Saturday mornings were the highlight of my week, even if I was too tired to do anything the rest of the day. Next thing I knew, I was reading everything I could about running, shoes, and races. I finished my 10k, keeping a steady pace. Although I probably could have been passed by a speed walker, I maintained my slow jog for the whole race. Well, except for water stops. I found out I can't run and drink water at the same time!
After that, I just kept going. I found that I actually looked forward to some of my runs. And even if I wasn't looking forward to running on a particular day, I always felt better afterwards, both physically and mentally. I kept racing, because it gave me a goal to work towards. Having a race on the calendar made sure that I had to get out the door, whether I felt like it or not. However, I also wanted to challenge myself, which is why I started going after the longer distances.
Another interesting thing I found about running was that it made me very grateful. I know we all have our days and moments when nothing seems to be going right. I try to count my blessings, but sometimes it's so much easier to focus on what's going wrong. I've noticed when I run, however, that even if I'm having a bad run, I often find myself being thankful that I can run. Both my legs work, I can breathe (if I don't try to run too fast!), and heck, with a bit of scrimping I can even afford those $100 running shoes.
Unfortunately, there are so many people out there who, for whatever reason, just can't run. When I really thought about this for the first time, I was training for my first half marathon. I made a decision at that point that when (not if!) I decided to train for a full marathon, I would look into doing it for charity. I looked at a couple different organizations, but it seemed like TNT was a good fit, because I'd receive coaching in return for my fundraising. I certainly wasn't sure about doing the training on my own, and TNT has a lot of experience getting people to the finish line. Having been touched by a few people in my life with leukemia and lymphoma, I knew the importance of their mission and was looking forward to supporting it.
Now, less than two months before THE RACE, I'm still very happy I made the decision to join TNT. Every Saturday morning before we head out, we have a "mission moment," where we hear a personal story that reminds us all why we're there. I've found that everybody has their own reason for joining TNT. For me, I feel blessed and honored that I have this opportunity to help others. Some people, particularly those who are battling cancer, may or may not be able to run. But I can, so that's what I'm doing. GO TEAM!!
Once upon a time, in a magical city called Richmond....some of my coworkers talked me into signing up for the Monument Ave 10K training team. For those of you not from Richmond, this is a HUGE race with over 30,000 participants. Since it's so popular, the YMCA and local sports group, Sportsbackers, put together training teams to help people manage the 6.2 miles. To give you an idea, my very first run was 1 mile. Only 1 mile, and I still had to walk most of it! You see, I'm not a born runner. I'm not even athletic or coordinated, for that matter. In high school I was a straight A student in everything except phys. ed. There I gladly accepted my passing grade of C. (Okay, I did get an A in one unit in PE: archery. I decided it was because I didn't actually have to move around.) I'm not kidding when I say I'm one of those people who trip over their own feet. Once I fell down when I wasn't even walking. I was just standing there, perusing the dramas at Blockbuster. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor! Weird, but true. That's how uncoordinated I'm not!
Obviously, signing up to run a 10K wasn't exactly natural for me. This was emphasized by the mixed reactions I received when I told people what I was about to do. "You're going to run a 10K?" or "Really?! Um....good luck with that." Luckily, most people were supportive. I took things one day at a time. Over the weeks, an interesting thing happened. Suddenly, Saturday mornings were the highlight of my week, even if I was too tired to do anything the rest of the day. Next thing I knew, I was reading everything I could about running, shoes, and races. I finished my 10k, keeping a steady pace. Although I probably could have been passed by a speed walker, I maintained my slow jog for the whole race. Well, except for water stops. I found out I can't run and drink water at the same time!
After that, I just kept going. I found that I actually looked forward to some of my runs. And even if I wasn't looking forward to running on a particular day, I always felt better afterwards, both physically and mentally. I kept racing, because it gave me a goal to work towards. Having a race on the calendar made sure that I had to get out the door, whether I felt like it or not. However, I also wanted to challenge myself, which is why I started going after the longer distances.
Another interesting thing I found about running was that it made me very grateful. I know we all have our days and moments when nothing seems to be going right. I try to count my blessings, but sometimes it's so much easier to focus on what's going wrong. I've noticed when I run, however, that even if I'm having a bad run, I often find myself being thankful that I can run. Both my legs work, I can breathe (if I don't try to run too fast!), and heck, with a bit of scrimping I can even afford those $100 running shoes.
Unfortunately, there are so many people out there who, for whatever reason, just can't run. When I really thought about this for the first time, I was training for my first half marathon. I made a decision at that point that when (not if!) I decided to train for a full marathon, I would look into doing it for charity. I looked at a couple different organizations, but it seemed like TNT was a good fit, because I'd receive coaching in return for my fundraising. I certainly wasn't sure about doing the training on my own, and TNT has a lot of experience getting people to the finish line. Having been touched by a few people in my life with leukemia and lymphoma, I knew the importance of their mission and was looking forward to supporting it.
Now, less than two months before THE RACE, I'm still very happy I made the decision to join TNT. Every Saturday morning before we head out, we have a "mission moment," where we hear a personal story that reminds us all why we're there. I've found that everybody has their own reason for joining TNT. For me, I feel blessed and honored that I have this opportunity to help others. Some people, particularly those who are battling cancer, may or may not be able to run. But I can, so that's what I'm doing. GO TEAM!!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Is it time to panic yet?
I'm facing my fear. I'm facing my fear. Hear that, Fear? I'm facing you! -Willow, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Hello! First my apologies. One of my faithful followers pointed out that I've been a bit delinquent about posting. Thanks, Nicki! It's nice to know people seem to enjoy reading about my running (mis)adventures.
So, in case my lack of posts had you worried, YES, I am still running! Egads!! Actually, this past week I had to send in my "re-commitment" paperwork. (This of course, is quite different than having myself committed!) This is my signed agreement with TNT saying, "Yes, I am committed to my fundraising," as well as my race and hotel registration, medical forms, T-shirt size, blah, blah, blah. In other words, THIS IS IT! There's no going back now. I will even be sharing a hotel room with a friend traveling from Buffalo just to cheer me on. How could I back out now?!
*GULP* Uh, yeah. Excuse me while I freak out. I don't know how it happened, but race weekend is now less than two months away. I know that means I have two months of training left, but is it going to be enough? I still struggle (and probably always will) on my long runs, and I got really worried this week. Today we had a 14 miler scheduled, and in case you didn't know, I've never run more than 13.1 before. So 14 miles, in my mind, was huge. I know it's not much further than I've gone before. But by signing up for the marathon, I'm committed to going twice the distance I've gone before. What if I couldn't do 14 after all? What if I hit my limit at the half marathon distance? What made me think I could do this?!!
....Okay, the panic attack is over, and I didn't even need any xanax. I woke up this morning and decided to just do what I knew how to do: run when I could, walk when I couldn't, but just keep moving forward. I was extra nervous because I had battled a stomach virus on Thursday and Friday. At one point yesterday I even thought that running today would be out of the question, but I seem to have bounced back very quickly. I woke up this morning feeling great.
This morning's run was a lot of fun. The temperature was good and it was sunny. I also got to run in some really pretty areas of Richmond, like Belle Isle, that'd I'd never run through before. I have to say this about long-distance running: it really is a great way to explore, and I've really been blessed by some of the sights I've seen along the way.
Finishing my first 14-miler was an amazing feeling. Even better was knowing that I finished strong, running almost all of the final two miles. (My coach was convinced I could have run an extra 5 miles if I had to, but I think 0.5 might have been more like it!) My legs were screaming at me once I had a chance to slow down, but it was soooo worth it. I didn't give up, and I'm feeling a lot more confident now about tacking on those extra miles in the coming weeks.
A quick note about my fundraising: people have been awesome! I've been really amazed to see the support and generosity of those around me. I've climbed over the $1000 mark!! I still have a long way to go to meet my goal, but I'm getting there. Hmmm...about time I send out those reminders like I've been meaning to. Running with my teammates, so many of whom are cancer survivors or have had close friends or family with cancer, has really touched me in so many ways. When I get up on Saturday mornings now, it's not just to go out and get a long run in. As I get dressed, I'm remembering that I really am helping to save lives.
Well, now that I've gotten you guys updated with what's been going on in my world, I'm going to log off and take a much needed nap. Have a fantastic weekend, everybody!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Running in the New Year
Whew, we made it threw the holidays! Happy New Year everybody! I hope 2010 is getting off to a good start. I started mine with an easy 2-mile jaunt around the neighborhood yesterday. I thought, "What better way to start the new year than with a run?" So, while a lot of people were still inside recovering from the night before, I went out and enjoyed the very peaceful, low traffic morning. I'm really glad I did, because I'd have hated for my first run of the year to have been this morning's run. Ugh!
As I was around mile 9 of my 10 miler this morning, I turned to my mentor, Nicki, and told her that I was going to whine in my blog today, and so be it! I'm sharing with all of you my experience, and so I'm not going to sugar coat anything. This morning's run was just plain crummy!! For instance, it was cold. Yes, I layered up, but my face still felt like ice halfway through the run. Then again, that was mostly due to the wind. Every time I started to feel warmed up, that blasted wind would come tearing through and get me all chilled again. I was even afraid I was going to get brain freeze from the Gatorade which had been sitting out in the cold for two hours. And hey, I know it's not a pretty picture, but let's face it. We all know what happens when you're outside in the cold for any length of time. I needed tissues, but there were none to be found. So, yes, my gloves are going in the wash today. And let me tell you, those gloves aren't infused with "soothing aloe" or anything, so my nose was feeling a bit raw at the end. Oh, and did I mention I couldn't find a restroom along the way? And my stomach was growling like crazy when we still had a mile to go. Add to that the immense amount of junk food I've been eating, all while not drinking nearly enough water, and I had trouble just getting my legs to move from the start. I felt like I walked half of the route, which doesn't help if you're trying to stay warm. Overall, this stupid 10 miles took almost as long as my last half marathon did. All in all, I was really happy to see the end of it.
In the end though, I guess the point is that I still got it done. I even managed to sneak out a little extra sprint for the end of my run. I may have been cold, tired, and hungry, but at least I didn't quit. So I guess in way, I am having a good start to the new year. Although I won't complain if my other long runs go better than today's!
As I was around mile 9 of my 10 miler this morning, I turned to my mentor, Nicki, and told her that I was going to whine in my blog today, and so be it! I'm sharing with all of you my experience, and so I'm not going to sugar coat anything. This morning's run was just plain crummy!! For instance, it was cold. Yes, I layered up, but my face still felt like ice halfway through the run. Then again, that was mostly due to the wind. Every time I started to feel warmed up, that blasted wind would come tearing through and get me all chilled again. I was even afraid I was going to get brain freeze from the Gatorade which had been sitting out in the cold for two hours. And hey, I know it's not a pretty picture, but let's face it. We all know what happens when you're outside in the cold for any length of time. I needed tissues, but there were none to be found. So, yes, my gloves are going in the wash today. And let me tell you, those gloves aren't infused with "soothing aloe" or anything, so my nose was feeling a bit raw at the end. Oh, and did I mention I couldn't find a restroom along the way? And my stomach was growling like crazy when we still had a mile to go. Add to that the immense amount of junk food I've been eating, all while not drinking nearly enough water, and I had trouble just getting my legs to move from the start. I felt like I walked half of the route, which doesn't help if you're trying to stay warm. Overall, this stupid 10 miles took almost as long as my last half marathon did. All in all, I was really happy to see the end of it.
In the end though, I guess the point is that I still got it done. I even managed to sneak out a little extra sprint for the end of my run. I may have been cold, tired, and hungry, but at least I didn't quit. So I guess in way, I am having a good start to the new year. Although I won't complain if my other long runs go better than today's!
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