Tag Archive | Marathon

Ruh Roh!

Jun30

ScoobyDooRuhRoh

I knew it was coming.

Sort of.

I was preparing for it.

Sort of.

But now the gauntlet has been thrown down by my running coach.    It’s Marathon Training Time.

Ruh Roh!

These last few weeks that I’ve been working with Caolan, the long running coach, have been preparing both of us for this.   Her getting to know my abilities.   Me getting to know her expectations and training ways.   It’s been working well.   Now it’s time to get serious.

Ruh Roh!

She sent me my training plan for the next two weeks with the miles building up which I was expecting.   We’ve talked about her thoughts on milage and I do know as we get further into training, the miles will build to about 40 a week.

Ruh Roh!

One of the things that I do like though is that she doesn’t think the dreaded 20 miler runs are necessarily warranted.   It’s really a case by case basis.   Some need it to mentally prepare to run a marathon, but since I’ve run one before I don’t need that mental aspect of it.    That is good, because I don’t think I could follow a plan that had 2 or 3 twenty mile runs in them.   This is not to say I will not have LONG runs, but they will be set on time.   Plus it might be multiple days of decent miles.   She feels it’s less wear and tear on the body and I will not argue with that thought process.   I like it.   Plus, we are working on getting my Plantar Fascitiis under control.   Per her suggestion, I’ve been heating instead of icing and it seems to be helping.

One thing that scared me in her last email though is the fact that she came to the conclusion on my last couple of runs that “those indicate that you can probably run faster .” 

  Damn.   Damn. Damn.

So now not only is she upping the miles, she is giving them a faster pace.   Not all as she still wants my recovery runs to be very slow, but other runs are going to speed up.

Ruh Roh!

I believe Mary said something to the effect of this on our way home from the Queens 10K,  “so your upset that your coach is making you do the things your paying her to do.”

Well yes and no.

Yes because it’s easy not to worry about where you finish when you are convinced your slower than you might actually be.   To actually try to go faster will be both a mental and physical challenge.    (You get what I’m talking about, don’t you Dawn:)

No because without her help I don’t think I would get to where hopefully I’m going to end up….

The finish line of the Marine Corps Marathon:)

Have you started your training yet?

What are you training for?

Word of the Day

Jun3

Definition of MARATHON

1:  a footrace run on an open course usually of 26 miles 385 yards (42.2 kilometers); broadly :  a long-distance race

2a :  an endurance contest

b :  something (as an event, activity, or session) characterized by great length or concentrated effort
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My mother like many non runners does not know the distance of a marathon.  She’s getting better.   When I first started running, she called all my races marathons and would tell everyone that her daughter was a marathon runner.   It used to make me feel like a fraud until I actually ran one.  Now she can say it.   She’s learning now and asks how far I’m running.  If your a runner, you know that a marathon is 26.2 miles, but you also know that it is so much more than that.   It is a run that will test your endurance.    It will test your dedication and determination.   It will test your sense of reason and logic.   It is so much more than miles.
So Much More!
I have only ever completed one marathon, The Philly Gortex, and crossing the finish line was an amazing experience made more special by the surprise visit of my mother and sister.    It was a total surprise and I really don’t know if I could have finished without their support as I was thinking of just doing the half instead of the full.   You can read more about Philly in my Hang on Snoopy post.
This was the moment where I went from thinking of giving up, to the moment where I knew that I had to finish.
Philly Video
My Mother’s excitement was contagious and I heard her over the announcer saying, “Half Marathoners finish to the right”  which made me stay to the left.   Running a marathon is more than just putting one foot in front of the other although at some points you must remind yourself to do that.   A marathon is a mental game from start to finish.
It is mental game just with the first thought of signing up and it only gets more intense.
In 2014 according to Marathon Statistics there were 590,145 marathon finishers for races in the U.S. and Canada.
Here are the Statistics from the 10 biggest Marathons again in the U.S. and Canada

Finishers (2014):

Race Finishers
New York City Marathon 50,564
Chicago Marathon 40,802
Boston Marathon 31,926
Honolulu Marathon 21,824
Los Angeles Marathon 21,506
Marine Corps Marathon 19,689
Walt Disney World Marathon 19,235
Philadelphia Marathon 10,363
Twin Cities Marathon 8,853
Houston Marathon 6,945
When you are in a running group where so many of the Mama’s have run multiple marathons, you start to think that everyone has done one.    Then you realize that is not the case as the numbers don’t lie.   I am happy to see that the Philadelphia Marathon made the top 10 list of largest marathon finishers and happy to be in that number.   This year I am running the Marine Corps Marathon and in 2016 I hope to run the biggest marathon, the New York City Marathon!
Hmmm, then maybe I should start making travel plans for the other ones:)    Wouldn’t that be nice.   I can dream the dream.   One never knows as the oldest woman marathon finisher just competed a marathon last month at the age of 92!
OldestFinisher
For now, it is nice to know that I’ve completed one, am training for my second, and will run the ultimate marathon in 2016.
  One marathon at a time:)
Have you ever run a marathon?
Is it on your bucket list?

Friday Five – 5 Reasons to have a Running Coach

May29

Friday Five Link-up with by Eat, Pray, Run DC,   Mar on the Run, and You Signed Up for What?

Today’s Theme is a Free Friday.

I went with 5 Things I Like about Having a Running Coach.

For those that have been here, you might remember that I recently started with a Running Coach.    Yes, I still feel funny saying it and somehow I even felt a little bit of a fraud like who am I to have a Running Coach.   Then I remind myself that I’m me and that not only can I have one, but so can anyone.   She is my running personal trainer and I deserve one.

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1.   I no longer need to spend countless hours trolling to find the right plan to follow and then let wondering if it is the right one for me.   Caolan sends me a plan customized for me and my goals.   It is not a one stop shopping plan.  It’s a what does Christine need to do plan.

2.   I am learning.   Yes, I’ve read books, blogs, and talked to other runners before but somehow this is different.   Since I’ve been working with her I feel like I have learned so much.   If there is something in my plan that I don’t understand why she wants me to do it a certain way all I have to do is ask.    She then explains her reasoning, what she is looking for me to get out of it, and why she thinks its an important part of my training.

Case in point – Monday’s are the days that I normally do my long runs.   On the schedule for next week, she wants me to do my 9 miles with no fuel making sure to have my recovery drink ASAP when done.   This seemed strange to me, so I asked.   She then explained that ” Doing long runs at an aerobic pace without fuel forces your body to rely on fat for fuel rather than (limited) glycogen. This only works at an aerobic pace where you can actually rely on fat. At faster paces we must use glycogen (which is why races and tempos must be with fuel).”   She also suggested it is good for mental training and some other stuff.  Her explanation made sense to me and maybe it’s a good thing to try to tap into my fat as I do have some to spare:)

**edited to add that she further explained this is not done for weight loss but that it does encourage fat metabolism which most of us can tap into.

3.   I don’t have to think anymore about “What I should do today?”   I already know.   It’s actually helps me plan out my week and is a real time saver too:)

4.   It’s keeping me on target while training smarter not harder.    The first thing she had me do is slow down my everyday aerobic runs as I was running them close to a minute too fast.   I used to do most of my runs at a 10:20 pace or faster.    She has slowed me down to at least as she calls it a 11+ and many and 11++.    My post half recovery run was done at an 11+++ which was lovely.   So now most of my runs are at and 11:20 pace.    You wouldn’t think a minute makes that much of a difference, but it does.

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5.  It is giving me confidence as I gear up to start my MCM training that I will be able to meet my goal.   Caolan knows my goal is to finish MCM strong.   I’m not going in this to be fast and in our conversations we are thinking possibly a 4:30ish time or that’s what she thinks.   That is 15 minutes faster than Philly, but I must remind myself that I jumped into Philly last minute without a lot of “real” marathon training.  I will trust her and the process and see where it takes me.    More important to me though is to run the whole race unless a planned walk is built into it.   I walked at the end of Philly (unplanned) and for some reason it bugs me.   I know that MCM ends on a hill or there is a hill very close to the end.   I want to go into this with the confidence that when I get there I will still be running.

Have you ever had a Running Coach?

Lastly,

I wrote about this is my Blog Post Dreaming The Dream Until I can’t Dream It Anymore.   I’m not your typical runner.   I don’t have the runner’s body (what ever that is).   I wasn’t athletic ever, but I’ve become a runner along the way.  I have a passion for it.   I have a need for it.   I love to share it.   So I think to myself, why couldn’t I win to be on the cover of Runner’s World.   Wouldn’t it be cool if just your average running mom made the cover?    So, please vote for me here.

Anyone Can Run…..

Apr15

athlete

Anyone can run.   Really.   Unless there is a medical reason, anyone can run.   Not everyone likes to run.  I know that too being someone who used to say she hated running.   Although in retrospect it isn’t that I hated running.   It was more that I had never given running a chance.   So I unequivocally state again that anyone can run.   That being said, there is a difference between just running and running well.   This is the crossroads that I am at now.  I’ve been running for a while now and I’ve gotten to the point that I might just want to run well.

Now I am not saying that I want to move to the top of the Pack or become a leading Master runner.   I am saying that I think it might be time to take my running up a notch.   Take it the the next level.   Right now, I’ve been following generic training plans for specific events.   I will say these have been amazingly helpful and I’ve learned from them.   I know that without my Runner’s World Hat Trick Specific Training Plan that I would not have been able to run those events as well as I did.    Online training plans are wonderful and will get you where you need to go.   My problem that I am encountering and is starting to freak me out a bit is that I need to form my plan to start training for the Marine Corps Marathon while being prepared for other events.   I seem to be going a few different directions at once.

Case in Point….

  1. Running many events of different distances for the 9 plus 1 plan
  2. Training for the Iron Girl Sprint Triathlon
  3. Training for the Marine Corps Marathon and the final hill at the end of it.

Now I would have no problem following a plan on my own to train for one of these events, but I’m really having a problem wrapping my head around training for all of them at once.   Probably because I don’t know what I’m doing and have no background in this field.   Yes, I read my Runner’s World, Running Times and such but I’ve really been only running since I finished my first Tri in September of 2013.    I’m in a bit of a quandary.   I know I need to train.   I know that both the Tri and the marathon will require serious training with the marathon only being a month after the Tri, I will need to train for them at the same time.    That being said, I need to figure out how to train without over training, without causing injury, and without causing burnout.   That is where a running coach might just be what I need.

I used to think that a Running Coach would be reserved for the “serious athlete.”   The top of the Pack athlete.    The career athlete.   I used to think that a Stay-at-Home Mom wouldn’t need a Running Coach.   What would the point be?   Then I realized what the point would be?    The point would be that they know what they are doing.    The point would be that they can help me reach my goals.   The point would be that they can help  generate a plan just for me.   Just like I’ve hired a Personal Trainer at the gym in the past, a Running Coach can help put me on the right path for running smartly.   To help me run well.   A  Running Coach can help me reach my potential while at the same time giving me the skills that I will need to get to the end of the road all in one piece.

This is where I am now.   I’ve started process.    I have not hired a coach yet, but have contacted one to see her thoughts.    Surprisingly, the cost is not as high as I thought it would be.   To be honest, the monthly cost is cheaper than hiring a Personal Trainer for two sessions.  Plus the coach that I am looking at has different packages depending upon my need.   I don’t pay a gym membership right now and can justify the cost too.   Although the biggest justification of the cost will be the peace of mind it will bring me.

Even though I have not hired a coach yet and am still investigating, just the thought of it is easing the stress.    I am days away from turning 46.   I am a Stay-at-Home Mom.    I am a middle of the Pack runner.    I have much to learn about the art of running and training.   Bottom line is that I was wrong.   A Running Coach is for an athlete at any level and I am worth it.

worth it

Do you have a Running Coach??

Have you ever had one?

Marching Onward…..

Mar30

As many of you read, I got into the Marine Corps Marathon in October.   I’ve told the people I need to tell and now am moving onto the planning stage.  Yes, I know it’s 7 months away but it is never to early to plan:)   Besides, I don’t know ANYTHING about getting around DC.  Yes, I’ve got 7 months, but that will go quickly.   So much to do and so much to think about.

The first think I’m thinking though is I’m nuts.   Then again if you know me or have been reading this blog long enough you might already realize this.    I just really don’t know what possessed me to enter the lottery.   Probably the thought that I could say that I entered it, but didn’t get in so I’m not running a marathon this year.   We all know how well that worked out.

Moving Along…..

My first concern outside of having to run the marathon is where will I stay.   I know nothing about DC or the course, but I quickly learned a few things.    I then looked at the available lodging and with any luck picked the right hotel.   It seems to be in the right area for the start and finish.   At least I hope so!!!   Either way, I’ve got that reservation booked and the rest I will work out.

I’ve looked at the course and have to say I’m excited.   I’ve never been to DC.   It’s been on the list.    I think to see it all this way will be an amazing experience.   It starts between Arlington Cemetary and the Pentagon.   Then me and 30,000 other people will wind through the streets of historic Georgetown on our way near the Kennedy Center.   Then we follow the course to the “Run To Honor” section where flags commemorate fallen soldiers.   Then continue onto views of Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of American History, National Museum of Natural History,  the National Art Gallery, the Capital Dome and other DC sites.   I’m thinking I want to just run with my camera, but I think I’ll be a bit busy to take pictures.   Busy trying to muster up the strength to “Beat the Bridge” at mile 20.    Yes, this marathon apparently ends on a hill.   Oh my!!!!     I didn’t have the energy to carry a single rose at the end of Philly, I’m not sure how I will manage this.   I think the momentum of the event will have to carry me through it.   That and I’m going to train, train, train and then train some more for this:)

Can you tell that I’ve given this some thought this weekend?

Now that the shock has worn off, I’m marching forward with my plan:)

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What Was I Thinking?

Mar25

So I had a little shock this morning!   I wasn’t expecting it in the very least.   Everyone said it was so hard to get into and as my marathon lottery luck in the past left me high and dry, I had no expectations this time around.   I wasn’t even paying attention to the lottery.   I, actually, forgot about the lottery!   Then  a funny thing happened when I was checking my email this morning.   I found out that I got in.  I looked at the email.   I put the phone down and walked away because I knew I wasn’t seeing right.   I had some coffee.   I looked again and found out I was still in it.

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Holly Smokes!!!!

I was not planning on running a marathon this year.

Really.

Honestly.

But This says differently

MCM

Now this is not to say that I haven’t thought about it, but I really, really, really wasn’t planning to run one.   I never imagined that I would get to this race.   To say I was shocked is a bit of an understatement.   For those who saw my first post today, you will know this to be true,   I didn’t even finish it!!!

So maybe my luck is changing.   Either way, I guess I’m running a marathon.   Good thing I front loaded my NYRR races and will only have to do two in the fall.   Although, when I looked ahead to October this is the schedule that I have:

October 4th – Paine to Pain HM

October 11th – NYRR Staten Island HM

October 18th – Superhero HM

October 25th – Marine Corps 40th Marathon

Holly Smokes!

Breathe,  Breathe, and Breathe some more.

It will all work out.   I’ve always wanted to go to DC and this will be a lovely way to see it.

Now all I need to do is tell Dear Hubby tonight:)

Time to go inhale some calming lavender!

Has this happened to you?

Why Not?

Nov30

The night before the Philadelphia Marathon one of my MRTT Mama’s asked me,

“How did you decide that Philly would be your first marathon?”

To be honest, I really never put any thought into it.   I, actually, thought that maybe one day since I’m so close to NY that my big moment would be the NYC Marathon.   If you remember my musings in my post You Can’t Always Get What You Want, I really thought and planned to run my first full in 2015.    Then a funny thing happened.    I finished my Hat Trick and Philly which was in the far recess of my mind moved front and center.   Then I thought about it.   Took a long training run and jumped right in.   As much as a planner I am, this seems to be how I end up at the starting line more times than not.    I hear about something.   I think to myself that sounds like a fun challenge.

  I think, “Why not” and dive right in.

Why_Not

Before I even went to Philly though, I had already decided that I would try to do the 9 + 1 in 2015 which would guarantee me entry in 2016.  For those who were like me and didn’t know, the NYC Marathon is not a race you can just sign up for and it is not an easy road to get into it.

For normal people like me, you have 3 options.

  1. Be very lucky enough to win entrance through the lottery
  2. Do the 9 + 1 Plan (run 9 NYRR qualifying race and volunteer at 1 or raise $1K)
  3. Run for charity and raise a specific amount which is usually a decent amount

That’s it.   Unless you are an elite athlete which I am obviously not.   There is no gauarnteed entry to a Soccer Mom which is kind of sad as we are the ones who really have to juggle it all to get to the starting line.   Now my running cohort did complete the 9 + 1 in 2014, so she is guaranteed entry to 2015 marathon.   Yeah, Dawn!   I came to the party late.   Very late.   So I set my goals on running 2016 and just being a supportive friend in 2015.

Then a funny thing happened on Thanksgiving.   Over dinner, I was talking with my parents and hubby about Philly.    Someone made mention of me running the NYC marathon one day.   I had to explain the process of getting into the marathon and how you couldn’t just sign up.   When I said the only way to get in for next year was to raise money for charity.  NO one seemed to think that would be a problem   They all thought and said, “You could do that!”   So now the seed has been planted.   This one may not go further than the seed, but I have been looking online for charity options which will be posted in January.  This one I don’t think I can just dive right in as normal.

So only time will tell.

I will run NY one day.

I just don’t know when that day will be.

Either way, it will be a fun ride till I get there.

Either way, I still think it would be fun to run the 9 + 1 races next year too.

These Boots Were made for Walking

Nov26

Never having done a marathon before, I really did not know what to expect regarding how I would feel.  Yes, I’ve read about post marathon recovery and saw the video of the walking dead after the NYC Marathon.   But I still didn’t know how I would feel and I don’t think it’s something that you can fully explain to someone either.

I do know that by the end of the marathon, I was spent.   To the point that while running the last mile, my sister ran onto the course and gave me a rose.   I took it, but then gave it back to her telling her that I didn’t even have it in me to hold the rose.  I really wasn’t lying either because at that point my sole focus was just to keep my legs moving which is harder than it sounds.   The rose just felt too heavy, so I gave it back.   I did take it to carry over the finish line (I think).

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Of course, my legs just felt beyond tired at the end.  Although in retrospect,  I actually think that they hurt worse when Dawn and I did our 20 mile training run.   They felt heavy and tired, but it really wasn’t till I stopped putting one foot in front of the other that the realization came that although I could move forward moving up and down stairs was not easy.  I get it now.   After all those miles of making your legs move forward, they forget that the muscles need to move other ways too.   Luckily that is short term and honestly so worth the pain.

The process of training and running a marathon really is similar to childbirth in the fact that you prepare for the event for months.    You go into it very excited and nervous.  You don’t know fully what to expect (even if you’ve done it before).  The pain starts off small and builds over the miles.   By the end, you are just exhausted and want it over.   Then when your cross the finish line, you realize it was all worth it and would probably do it again.  You don’t forget the pain, but realize in the end it was worth it.

I was lucky too in that when it was all said and done, I limped away with only one blister, sore heels, one sore ankle, and of course legs of jello.   Upon arriving home in the evening, I took care of the blister and soaked in an Epsom salt bath which felt amazing.   Then off to bed  where I don’t think I moved all night.

Then in the morning when I hobbled out of bed and rolled out my legs, I put these shoes on.

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Monday

bootsTuesday

Now these might seem like odd post marathon shoes, but they worked for me.   They took the pressure off my heel and supported my sore ankle.   I wore them all day too!   Maybe this isn’t for everyone, but this seems to work for me as I did something similar after long training runs. I actually did read something about wearing heels and that is why I first tried it.  I like it.   I really do.

What are your post marathon shoes?

Girls Gone Wild

Nov25

Let me just say that this title is probably slightly misleading.

Ok, not slightly.

Completely.

I know some Mom’s who plan “Girl’s Weekend” that involve Vegas or such.

Let me interject that I hate the term Girls Weekend as I am not a girl anymore, but a woman.   I realize that Woman’s weekend doesn’t sound right, but come on.   Can’t we come up with a better term?   What would you call it?

As often, I digress.   Back to the topic at hand.

Girls Weekend.

I’ll be honest.   I’m a bit of a homebody.   Don’t feel sad that I don’t get out much.   I like it that way.   That being said, I haven’t been away from my family with friends since I think forever.    This was my weekend.   This was my kick up my heels.   I did it alright too.  I did it in style.

First there was the picking up of my wing man or wing  lady in this case.   (Yes, you Dawn).    We also had an extra passenger.   A friend of Dawn’s who was going the same way.   So as with most things.   The more the merrier!    Once we were loaded up.   Off we went to the city of Brotherly Love for our adventure.   We follow the Garmin which takes us the scenic tour, but we still get there with time to spare.

Check into the hotel and off we go for some fun!

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First stop……

The Expo!

Philly8

Where you expecting something else?

We did a few loops.  Made a few purchases and met by chance the rest of the MRTT Mama’s who were kicking up their heals in the same fashion.    We parted ways with these Mama’s at the expo as they were going out to eat and we were planning to just grab something quick and eat at the hotel.   The only snag here is when the city is booked to capacity picking up a quick dinner still turns into an hour wait.   So while waiting we hit 7-elleven for some evening snacks.   Probably not best to do while hungry.

Case in point and these are only mine.

Philly6

I will say by the time we got back to the hotel to eat, I was beyond hungry!   So hungry that when we met up with the other Mama’s in the lobby that I actually said, “I hate to be rude, but I’ve got to eat”  and then proceeded to shove the food in as fast as I could.   Carb loading at best.   Big portion of pasta with some protien of chicken parm.  Yum!

Then the party continued back in the room.   This is where we got wild.   Going through our clothes putting are final wardrobe into place.

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Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

Then off for as much sleep as can be had the night before your fist marathon.

I know.

CRAZY!

The next morning, I even woke up before my alarm at 4:45 AM.

That really is crazy!

Dress to be out in the cold for a while.

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I am what appears to be the homeless person in the middle, but I will say that I was warm.   Especially since I was in a later corral.   The tip here is BEFORE donating old coats, sweatshirts, and such, think will this make a good throw away coat at a race.   If so, put that in a separate pile.   No one wants to start a race off cold and if you are not that vain and have a good sense of humor,  you won’t mind looking like a homeless person.

Especially if by noon you can proudly say

“I just ran a Marathon today!”

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