I had been thinking about challenges/goals for the coming year. I wasn’t sure what it would be.
The goal came to me.
I had forgotten that I put in for the NYC Half lottery. I was reminded, when I got the email.
I wasn’t sure how happy I was because logistically NYC events are a bit of a pain. Worth it, but still a pain. The exciting part is that 2 of my running friends also got in. So misery loves company.
I’ve been thinking about goals for event now too. I’m thinking if I could finish the Bethlehem Running Festival in 2:41:08 after running 3 other races that weekend, I would train for a possible 2:30 half. We shall see. We shall see.
Then after wrapping my head around that, two of my suns have roped me into a 6K Spartan race. Fortunately that won’t be till summer. So one goal at a time.
Last year I trained as hard as I could for the Bethlehem Running Festival. I went in feeling like I could do it and I did. This year I followed the same training plan and went in feeling like I could do it and I did.
This year though, I went in with goals. I picked a goal race. Mine was the 10K. I also planned to start the half with the 2;45 pacer and see what happened. As it was, I ended up running the half with my son. By about mile 9 we came across the 2;45 pacer and we went back and forth with who was in front.
The biggest difference this year though was being on Yorvipath. It allowed me to follow my training plan more closely. Although I will say towards the end, I was less perfect than I should have been. Last year, I was worried about adding calcium supplements and making sure not to crash and burn with calcium crash. On Yorvipath, those fears are less and less, but I do still keep calcium with me.
So how do things compare
While on face it doesn’t look like a huge on the smaller races, there is a huge improvement on the half.
Another big difference is the almost 25 pounds I have lost, but that is for another post.
I do know that I would not have had this improvement if not for the Yorvipath. No, it doesn’t make me run faster, but it does make my body work the way it is supposed to work. I have more energy. I don’t have the muscle cramping and I have not had a calcium crash or anything close to it since I started. Now, I am still figuring it out. I’ve recently upped my dosage and hope to go for blood work this week to see how levels are looking.
So now that this goal is done, it is time to look forward and figure out my next goal.
There will be a day I can not run…… Today is not that day!
Day3 was the warmest of all three days, but a perfect day for running.
Not too cold.
Not to Hot.
Just right!
Luckily I only packed shorts to run in because I really wasn’t prepared. Day 1 & 2, I wore the long sleeved race shirts. At the trail event, I wore the bright orange from last year. Then Saturday, I wore this years grey. I have to say while nice, I think a bolder color is better.
Sunday, I ended up going with short, tankand running sleeves. Perfection.
As you can see, I started in the back…….In the way way way back. The goal for me was tru a smart race. While I had no concrete goal, I did plan to start around the 2:45 pacer and take it from there.
I started with my son and his friend. This was both their first marathons. Justin has not been running long and his training was lots of hiking, climbing, and. Some running. His longest run was 10 miles. I wanted him to run conservative as I knew he would finish either way, but I didn’t want it to be the hard way.
So we ended up starting together behind the 3 hour pacer. We did our own thing. We walked when needed and I tried to keep conversational. There were some times where I would point out we were running in the 10’s. We pushed when needed. We walked some of the hills. We ran and most of all, we had a good time!
Then at mile 11, I told them to run the paces that they wanted. The ran ahead and I kept doing my thing.
By this point we were running near the 2:45 pacer again. so I thought maybe, just maybe it would happen.
Another day. Another race. Actually 2 races today.
Logistics: 5K stared at 7:30. In order to get there, find parking and not feel rushed we decided to leave at 6:00. That meant an early morning waking up at 5:00. Only race mornings will get me out that early.
Hypopra: New dosage of 24 of Yorvipath seems to be working. Still, I did prepare taking calcium with me. Did not need it at all. Did not feel symptomatic either. So we will call this a win.
Races
5K
We lined up at the start. Willa went to the front of the pack as see had fire. Worked for her as she placed number 1 in her age group. Justin and I started towards the back. This was not my goal race, so we ran together.
This was the first time my son did a big event like this and it was fun to run the race together. We chatted the miles away and kept an easy going pace.
I will say at the end, I jokingly said lets race to the finish…. So we did.
As you can see, he smoked me! But it was fun:). Finish time was 39.10 which I was happy about. This was supposed to be exactly what it was…. A run with more runs to follow.
10K
This has been my goal race. Justin and I started together, but did not run the race together. I did not for a specific time, but to run it and run it well. I feel like that is exactly what I did. I pushed. I walked some. I ran and I ran hard. It was reflected in a strong finish.
Overall, I am pleased with the way I have been running the races. Tomorrow is another day and we shall see what happens there.
After the race there was some down time, refulling and now an early night to bed.
Today I ran the first of my 4 races at the Bethlehem Running Festival
I signed up to do this one again because of my son and his girlfriend. They signed up and so I had to do too.
As you know, this is my first big event after starting Yurvipath. Training has been going well on it. I did just up my dose (like on Sunday). So we will see how it goes. Honestly, I am not worried since it is higher dose. Anyway, still running with extra calcium pills just in case.
Started off morning getting manicure and relaxing with my mother.
Then lunch followed by getting it together for bib pick-up. I then met my son, girlfriend and their friend at bib pick-up as they were driving all the way from AlbanyNY
This is first time running this event where I was running with others. I have met running friends during event but this was first time going with others. So special that it is family!!!
Last year I ran the trail run with 16:10 Pace finishing in 1:01:25.
It seems like training lasts forever and then before you know it the race is around the corner!
Training has been going well. While I have not been sticking to my trianing plan 100%, I feel confident in my training. I’ve been for the most part hitting all the long runs or the multple day runs.
As a reminder, I am training for the Bethlehem Running Festival which consists of 3 days, 4 events totalling 26.2 miles. I’ve done this event a few times and am excited to do it again. I wasn’t planning to do this but got talked into it by my son and his girfriend to do it with them. How could I say no?!
Todays run was 11 miles. It was hot today. I’ve been having some very minor low calcium symptoms .
Dancing muscles as I call them. Technical term is muscle spams.
I’ve had a few other very minor symptoms. I had blood work done Thursday and my levels were just at the low level. My doctor plans to up my Yorvipath dosage, but since it’s a daily injection I need to wait for new pen. The pen has 3 different dose levels and my current one is already the max for the pen
So in order to make sure that I didn’t have any issues, I put some powdered calcium in an extra water bottle that I took on the run. My thought was to just see if I needed it. Well since it was in the mid 80’s, I needed it. I didn’t wait till I felt like I needed it, I drank it preemptively which I’m glad I did. When I got home I did show minor symptoms but nothing to worry about.
The run was hard. I took it easy and tried to be consistent. The heat made the run not as enjoyable as it has been but you can’t pick your wheather. I feel like I am ready for this event, but we shall see.
After stretching, I made a protein calcium packed smoothie.
I am starting to form ideas of how I want to run this event. More on that this week. As its tine for some rest
I can’t believe how much Yorvipath is making a difference. Not just in my running, but my day to day life as well.
While I love what this is doing for my running, I am not just taking this to be able to run. That is just a bonus. Living with untreated PTH loss (aka Hypoparathyroidism) was like living with one hand tied behind my back. Some days both.
As I told my family, I made it look easier than it actually was because what was the point otherwise. The constant worry if my calcium would crash. The self monitoring. The leg cramps. The cramping of hands.
So even if I wasn’t running, I would happily take it. The running is just a bonus.
Training has been going well. I even hit 20 miles for the week. Runs have felt good. Legs have felt good. To be honest, I am waiting for the shoe to drop it has been going so well.
I have also been working on controlling my pace. Thinking about which of the fall races will to be my goal race. Consistency will be the key.
My goal is not perfection, but to follow the plan as best I can.
2016 was the year I began tryin to take my running to the next level. I was working with a running coach. I had goals. There was no stoping me….. or so I thought.
Then, as I’ve said before, two weeks after running NYC Marathon which I crashed and burned because I went out WAY too fast I had my thyroid out. As you know this was the surgery that left me with Hypoparathyroidism.
I’ve started thinking about new goals now that I am on the Yorvipath hormone replacement therapy. It has gotten me looking at where I’ve been with my running and what I might now be able to do now that my body seems to be working again.
The following year, I wanted to push myself to run another marathon. It was hard. It was hot. I did it. I finished in 5:48:52. My marathon times only got slower from there. I usually finished shortly after 6 hours. My slowest being in 2023 at 7:14.
It was always a struggle. I had to balance the need to replenish my calcium supplies for running while taking into account my kidneys. Then there was also the issue of making sure not to allow calcium to get to low causing a crash.
I pushed myself.
Now that I am taking my Yorvipath, it appears that my body is able to once again do what is asked. Suddenly I can push to hit 12 minute paces. I still. Have much to go, but it is a start. My Garmin even recorded a best pace of 9:24. No, I can’t sustain that but the fact that I hit it is a start.
So as I get ready to train for Bethlehem festival, it is time for new goals…..
I’ve been talking a lot about my pre-training for my October Bethlehem Running Festival races. Pre-training will officially turn into training this week.
What does the week look like now that it’s go time.
4 mile run
5 mile run
4 mile run
7 mile long run
Am I ready for this level of training? I guess we will find out. Here is what I do know……
I am down now over 15 pounds thanks to following WeightWatchers!
I am 100% off all supplements and currently my Yorvipath dosage is keeping my calcium stable. I’ve gone for several runs in the heat, with fast paces, and even shortly before my injection was due without issues. Fingers crossed this keeps up.
I will say that I feel once again like me. I will also say that after Natpara getting pulled once I got used tot his feeling that part of me worries that something similar will happen. Although I don’t think this will get pulled, I think my concern is more about insurance suddenly not approving it. It is nice not to constantly deal with effects of low calcium and have a stable level at 9.6!!!
With that being said, I do feel like I am at a good place to begin this training plan. There are no excuses. If I follow the plan it is on me. If I don’t it is on me as well. As long as my Yorvipath continues to work, I need to do my part.
Currently, I am totally off Calcitriol and only taking one dose of calcium. Last bloodwork was taken when I was taking two doses of calcium. Corrected calcium level of of 9.7. I have yet to get bloodwork with the one dose.
This weekend I went out for two runs.
Saturday
It was HOT. It was humid. I got out early, but really didn’t matter. I am in pretraining for the Bethlehem Running Festival, so I am just testing things out. I also am testing how I feel with Yorvipath. This will give me ideas for training and goals.
Got out the door and about half mile in I realized that I didn’t take my morning calcium since I left earlier than I normally take it. Figured this would bee a good test and I wasn’t worried because I had my extra calcium. So I just kept going. I will say around mile 2 I felt a little tingle in my upper arms. Could have been just due to the heat, but I took my calcium just to avoid any issues especially since I don’t know levels.
Not too bad:)
Today, I intentionally went out not taking my morning calcium as a test. Don’t worry, I was again packing my morning dose. It was still warm but not as hot as day before. July humidity that’s for sure. My today was just to run a decent pace and run the whole thing without walking. While I did again stop to take calcium around 2 miles, I did pretty much run the whole way. I’m not sure if I necessarily needed calcium physically as much as mentally I needed it. Better safe than sorry.
Today was a beautiful run with negative splits, pushing myself but still feeling I could push more.
I am still not sure if the heart rate was right today as that seems low. My resting heart rate is normally in 70’s an I’ve had to watch heart rate from going too high previously. So something to watch. Other than that I really couldn’t have asked for better run.
The Accidentally Running Mama 