Marathon Training and signing up for the 2012 Ironman Lake Placid

I want to PR in a marathon! I decided a few months ago while watching the Boston Marathon (never make decisions about signing up for a race after watching a really inspirational race) that I was going to do the Mohawk Hudson Marathon. This should give me a great opportunity to PR since most of the course is downhill. Training has been interesting at best. I have been struggling with running ever since moving to the camp. I have not done the long runs that I have planned to do due to weather and watching Ironman. I am getting better though and I have been incorporating biking into the plan as well. I am looking for a 4:45 so hopefully all of the exhaustion of training at a slighly higher altitude and warmer weather will help me out when I do the race. I will keep you posted on my progress!

We also signed up for the Ironman for next year! I did have a moment of questioning when I was going to pay my money but I miss the high of the finish line. I told Joe the other night it was my drug addiction - I love the high of feeling like a rockstar when the crowd cheers for you and Mike Riley says your name! Well, here I come for the 3rd time!!!

BAA 5K and Country Music Half Marathon

BAA 5K - April 17th
Joe and I were lucky enough to get into the BAA 5K and have a vacation on the same week of the Boston Marathon. I absolutely love watching the Boston Marathon so this was great to be at least a slight part of the excitement. We were staying with our friend Shauna for the weekend and all of us were going to run the race. I was excited to see how fast I could run a 5K since it has been a while since I have run a 5K and I had been running really well. We were up early on Sunday morning and went to Copley Center. It was cool and a really strong storm had gone through the night before so it was wet out. It was perfect weather for a race to me. Plus the course was fairly flat and fast. I heard the gun go off and I took off leaving Shauna behind me (I didn't really mean to - I wasn't sure if she was going to try to run with me or not - Sorry Shauna). I had my fast pink shoes on and was really excited to see what I could do in them. I ran the first mile fast and felt out of breath and it just hurt! The second mile I didn't know how fast I was going or how fast I would finish in. I really thought that my time would be just about 29 min - which is what I wanted - but then the last mile hit. I went into the third mile knowing that I only had 1 mile remaining and with my training of distance, that would be nothing. The last mile was just all out for me (I know that an 8 something mile is not all out to some but to me it was my full sprint). As I went through the finishing line, I was shocked to see that my time was a 28:06. This was great because my PR in the 5K was a 29:14 in 2008!!! I am so excited by this improvement!

Country Music Marathon - April 30
Off to Nashville I went to run a race with Jenn, Kim, Macy, and Gretchen. Macy was going to attempt the full marathon while Jenn and I were going to attempt to see how fast we could go and Kim and Gretchen were going out for their first attempt at a half marathon. With Erin in tow, we had a girls weekend centered around a really big Rock N Roll Series race. This is my kind of girls weekend surrounded by good people who are all interested in testing our limits and achieving things through running. I know how much each one of us worked to get there for this race and knew how much this race meant for all of us. We enjoyed all of the expo and a fantastic dinner near Vanderbilt then went back to the hotel to turn in for the night.

We woke up bright and early Saturday morning at 4 am - a time that I swore I would never see if I wasn't doing an Ironman! We were in the car by 4:45 and then were stuck in this insane amount of traffic, all runners converging on the LP Field parking lots to catch the shuttle buses to the start and my anxiety started to get the better of me. I am a creature of habit before races - arrive 1 hr prior to the start, have my cup of coffee, eat a small breakfast about an hour and a half away from the start, and then use the bathroom right before the start. This way I can be calm and cool when I start to run. We knew the shuttles were supposed to stop running at 6 am but we weren't parked until around 6ish after sitting in the car for over an hour in traffic. We were able to get on a bus around 6:30 am and then the shuttle bus got stuck in traffic. When we arrived we wanted to get our bags to gear check since that was supposed to have closed at 6:30 and the race was going to start at 7. I lost Macy, Gretchen, and Kim at the bag check but Jenn and I made our way to the very nasty porta potties together after the first corrals had already started. Then we went our separate ways only to meet up in the corral because once the race started, all of the corrals started to jumble together because they didn't have people making sure that only certain people were allowed in that corral.

Jenn and I decided to start together and then go our separate ways once one of us felt held back. I had assumed it would be Jenn because she is naturally a little faster than I am but we hadn't seen the course yet and it was already a hot one and we had only run in over 62 degree temps once or twice. We went out at a challenging pace to maintain for a half marathon but we figured it would feel comfortable after a couple miles. As we started up our first hill and crested it, we could see the massive sea of people in front of us traversing up the next hill. This would be our view for most of the race. I thought of dropping off the pace a few times but just figured I would just go with it. My theory is that you don't know where your crash and burn point is until you hit it so you might as well go after it and see what happens. Because of the corral issue, we had to weave a lot at the beginning as people starting in front of us were just walking and not staying to the sides. At mile 5 I realized I was in trouble with this pace but wasn't willing to hold back. I had told Jenn that if she felt she was being held back, she should go but she didn't want to - she was ok with the pace. It was getting hot and all the course had was up-hills and down-hills! At mile 7 I turned to Jenn and asked if there were any flat parts of this course as I was feeling my quads deteriorate after all the hills. I was so focused on running hard I was missing the bands and the crowds and just concentrating on my pace. Jenn and I settled into our normal training stance with Jenn running right off of my left shoulder and I could make out her pink hat or her shadow. We were not talking at all. We were just pacing one another. jenn then turned to me and said she had goosebumps which to me showed a heat related issue. I knew that wasn't exactly the best situation for this much of the race remaining but told her to drink the cyotmax at the next aid station. At around mile 9 or 10 (I actually knew I was pushing too hard and we had gone out too fast by now but was trying to remain focused and consistant), I went into a zone - getting rid of all of my distractions and focusing on maintaining a positive mind set and trying to replay my mantra's in my head instead of concentrating on the constantly rolling hills. At the next mile marker, I realized Jenn wasn't on my shoulder and I didn't know where she went. I figured she either pulled ahead or was close behind as I was coming off of our wanted pace. I hadn't been eating at all since my 2 gu blocks at mile 5 since they just made me feel like I was going to vomit. I had an orange a couple miles ago and then saw more oranges in bins near the side. I tried to grab one and missed, then another and missed, then finally slowed just enough to grab them while the volunteer yelled at me to "Just slow down and grab it, it doesn't matter." I said "I don't want to slow down!" This is obviously someone who A) doesn't run or B) doesn't understand that just because I am running above a 10 min per mile pace, I am still competing against myself and it matters to me!!! I entered mile 11 and there was a downhill - thank goodness as I felt like I was really not going to make it. I kept saying it isn't an Ironman - you just need to go 2 more miles. I also kept thinking that I could do 12 min miles and finish in 2:20 which was around my goal. Mile 11 and only 2 miles to go. The death march set in - one foot in front of the other and the thought "Just walk..." but I wouldn't do it. From Ironman I knew that this wasn't as bad as it could be after 136 miles so I just kept pushing forward thinking that the downhill would continue. Then there was mile 12 - up hill! UGH! This is painful. It was so hot compaired to the 50 degree long runs I had been doing. I kept saying to myself "Just pick it up a little, you are so close to your time goal and finish line. If you pass out at the end it is ok, someone will help you there. Just keep pushing." I just couldn't go any faster though. This was my slowest mile. I got to the finish line in 2 hrs 18 min 33 sec!!! My PR at the extremely flat Mohawk Hudson Half Marathon in 2008 of 2 hrs 18 min 29 sec - yes, I missed my PR by 4 sec! I feel like I can find those 4 sec at the orange station - too bad I needed to take in oranges since my intestines can't handle all of the other stuff. But I am thrilled. This was not my goal race - my goal race is Lake Placid in June and I am ready to really kick some butt now!

We all finished! Kim and Gretchen enjoyed every minute of their first half marathon and a love of running and a drive to do more! Jenn finished and even though she didn't hit the time goal she wanted, I think she is willing to try a marathon in the fall still or at least another half marathon in the near future! She did well on a tough hot day and a hilly course that we were not prepared for. Macy decided to do the half instead of the full but did well - she is a fast one! She finished and then tried to figure out how to get me to do a 30 mile trail run in Illinois!

We ended our weekend by going to the Gaylord Opryland Resort for dinner and a viewing of the botanical gardens and the fountain! It was gorgeous! And then we said goodbye to girls weekend on Sunday to go back to our lives.

Threee days later, my quads are still killing me from all of the uphills and even more from the downhills! It is a good feeling that I don't feel often due to my Ironman training. I have taken a few days off to recover but start again tomorrow to push hard until June and the Lake Placid Half Marathon.

In conclusion
I am working hard to get faster and stronger and I am thrilled that it is paying off. Of course, it is coming with me just running - I haven't really been biking or swimming at all so it is all just from running. I hope that once I start adding in all of the other stuff it will keep getting better. I am so happy that I have friends who love running as much (or maybe close to as much) as I do! I have a new plan to do a race somewhere in the US once a year with Kim - which makes me extremely happy. I am extremely happy with my running right now and I have such high hopes that it continues!

Delmar Dash

The Delmar Dash seemed like it was finally the first day of spring! High's in the upper 50's with no wind and lots of SUN!!! Short sleeves were on and it was a beautiful day. We had to run 11 miles today in preparation for the Country Music Half Marathon. Our long runs have been fantastic time wise over the past few weeks. Much faster than the past few years. I feel like I could run a PR in the half anyday now. I am in great running shape.

But there was today... My run felt really fast and I felt really dehydrated. The calf pain I have been dealing with was non-existant but my weird righ upper abdominal issue was back. The pre-race 2 miles originally felt really fast but then I settled in. Then we set out for the 5 miles of the race and we had faster miles each and every mile. It felt exhausting. I even had to get water at the aid station to keep from feeling aweful. Once we finished I had a few orange pieces and a few cups of water. We then headed out for our last 4 miles. They were slower than the race but it was such a beautiful day out and Jenn and I have a tendency to get lost looking at the beautiful houses (I envision myself owning a house with an enclosed patio where Joe and I can eat dinner outside every night and have breakfast/coffee every morning). We also had a goal - to get to the Perfect Blend at the four corners in Delmar to get an iced coffee or smoothie. I had been telling Jenn that I bribe myself to run long runs by promising myself a frappucino if I finish my miles but it has been so cold that I haven't had the ability to bribe myself with a cold drink - I just want tea or coffee after every run to warm up lately. Today it was a perfect ending to a really good day of running (11 miles in 1 hr 53 min).

I feel like the next three weeks are all over the place. 1st we head to Boston to do the BAA 5K with Shauna, then we get to watch the Boston Marathon (looking forward to seeing Ryan Hall, Robert Cheruiyot, and Kara Goucher). I then head to Nashville for the Country Music Half Marathon with Jenn, Erin, Kim, Gretchen, and Maisie. This will be Kim's 1st half marathon ever and I am really excited for her! I see a PR in Jenn's future too. I am looking forward to our girls weekend in a place I have never vistited before.

The exciting part of this weather is that I will start biking outside tomorrow!! I am very much looking forward to seeing how spinning paid off! I have a 50 mile bike ride to train for now. I just have to get my butt in the pool consistantly soon. Hopefully all of these things will make me faster in the Lake Placid 1/2 Marathon in June too!

Thanks for reading! Enjoy the weather!

Getting my act together and Runnin of the Green

January and February brought more shoveling than anything else (or at least this is how I felt). It has been so nasty out that I really couldn't bring myself to run outside for the most part. I also went to Jamaica for a week! I have finally been running well though. I got into the pool and have still been spinning. I finally feel like a triathlete again.

Runnin of the Green
Stacy, Jenn, and I set out to run 8 miles total on the day of Runnin of the Green. It seemed to be the perfect day for a run, 40, cloudy, with only a slight wind on a flat course. We did the first 2 miles at 21:30 and then raced the 4 mile course in 38:03. This is my PR in that distance. It was tough and faster than I normally train at but felt great to be pushing so hard. Prior to this race I had run a 38:50 2 years ago. This was 4 min faster than last years race. We ran a pretty smart race starting out at a 10 min mile then getting down to a 8:58 mile for the last mile. It was difficult but great. We finished up with 2 miles at 22:15. 8 miles total and it was fantastic.

I think I am on the right course to do Nashville in April now and I am excited about it. I can't wait to have girls weekend with an event that I love to do in the mix! The weather is getting better out so I will have more opportunities to run outside on mixed terraine and soon enough the bike will come out! I am so excited! I am unsure when my next race is but I am sure it will be great!

We did well ladies!

Year Re-cap

What a year it has been!!! Tour de Cure 63 miler, the Lake Placid 1/2 marathon in June, Tinman 70.3 in June, Ironman in July, and the NYC marathon in November, as well as every traing day in between. My goal was to not overtrain for Ironman like I did last year and thus my numbers are lower this year than they were last year. This is a lot of racing (313.2 miles in those races alone). I remember the feeling of complete excitement that I did the Lake Placid 1/2 marathon in the fastest time I have ever done that race. I remember the sinking feeling when I woke up the day of Tour de Cure to very cold temps and driving rain and instead of the 100 miler I did the 63 miler (good thing too, they cleared the course before I would have finished due to a tornado warning). I remember feeling fabulous after taking time off from last years time at Tinman and knowing I was in great shape even though I tore my leg up in the process (Joe's comment was "Your missing a chunk of your leg. Oh, there it is on your other leg!") I gave back to the running community by volunteering at the No Boundaries program and met really fabulous mentees (Ron, Eeyore, Daci, Jess, and Janice) even though the rest of the experience was a little interesting. I went into Ironman having swapped out my bike seat knowing that I couldn't ride it anymore and ended up with major lower back and IT band issues 1 week before the Ironman. I also knew my training was great up until then. On Ironman day, we were given a perfect day (thanks Melinda). I was going to the start knowing that Christine, Melinda, Kate, and Joe out there as well as many other people I had met on my journey to the starting line and knowing that I was a veteran of Ironman and have accomplished this before. My parents, Alynn, Erin, Sam, and Daci were all there to cheer us on and Jenn and Andrew surprised me on the hill out of Lake Placid. It wasn't exactly my day with my swim being a little slower than last year (the extra people in the water were noticeable) and my bike being exactly the same as last year. I realized that being a seasoned Ironman, it also allowed you to feel this one more since you have been here and didn't have as much adrenaline running through your body the 2nd time around. My run was horrible (although faster than last year)and I remember telling my dad when we were walking back into town that "I need one more shot at this race as I do not have the training down yet and think I have learned a lot over the past two years." I left Ironman with a 16:09 finishing time (15 min faster than last time) and even though I said never again all through training, I now had a vision of doing 5 of these and then calling it quits (haha - those of you who know me know I dream of doing an Ironman when I am 80). I took August extremely easily and then ramped up for marathon training. Then I got strep and had a pretty big set-back. NYC marathon was amazing any way you look at it even though it wasn't fast (I was just getting my money's worth). It was one of the most amazing experiences outside of Ironman. From there I decided to do 30 min of activity 5 days a week for the remainder of the year. I ended the year running again. I ended the year biking again. I haven't quite gotten up to swimming yet but it is on the way. I ended the year excited about my prospects for the new year.

In the new year, I have deemed it the year of speed!!! I can't wait to do an olympic distance triathlon (I don't know when I did this distance last). I will use my time this summer to nurture my garden and keep fit and fast. I started the year on the correct foot in my year of speed. I ran a 3.5 miler today with Jenn and ran it in a 35:35!!! That is by far the fastest I have run in recent history. In the year ahead, I will be going to Jamaica in February with Joe, Kate, and Jeff. This will be our first actual vacation since our honeymoon in 2007! I will be heading off to Boston in April to see the Boston marathon, Shauna, Brenda, Scott, and their new baby. I will be heading to Nashville for the first time ever to do the Country Music Marathon with many friends including Kim - I will be running with her since this is her 1st 1/2 marathon and I always said I would run with her when she decided to do her first 1/2. Joe and I are hoping to do a 1/2 marathon in early April where he can qualify for NYC again and I can get a PR! The Lake Placid 1/2 marathon, Boilermaker, Tour de Cure 50 miler, the Lake George Olympic distance triathlon, and the HMRRC 1/2 marathon in October are also on the list. I expect this year to be full of excitement and enjoyment. I am looking forward to fun runs with friends since I can do any distance short of 13.1 whenever I want to! I am looking forward to volunteering and signing up for the Ironman again too. This will be a great year!

Stats for 2010:
278 days of working out (that I logged)
Swim distance of 44.74 miles
Swim time: 30 hrs 15 min
Bike distance of 1847.66 miles
Bike time: 139 hrs 44 min
Run distance of 568.05 miles
Run time: 108 hrs 43 min
Other distance (elliptical) 10.27 miles
Other time: 10 hrs 4 min
Total distance:2470.74 miles
Total workout time: 288 hrs 45min (12 full days of working out)