On to Baltimore

I'm getting ready to run the Baltimore Half-Marathon on Saturday. This has been a year in the making and a testament to the notion that sometimes failure can lead to bigger and better things. Last year, I got injured trying to train for my first half-marathon. True, injury isn't personal failure, but when I set a goal, I like to achieve it, and I was upset when I didn't. But the injury led to swimming in the morning. And as I swam with two arms and one leg at first and watched the sun rise outside the window of the pool, I thought that maybe I should join the master's swim team. The triathlon seed had already been planted in my mind from a serendipitous combination of events, and I gradually began building up a base in three sports. I knew deep down that a stronger base was what I needed for the half marathon.

I used the same training plan this year from John Bingham's book, Marathoning for Mortals. (No, it's not a free plan online; you have to buy the book.) I really like his brand of good common sense. But this time around, I took the plan and made several modifications to suit my tastes:

• Walk/Run plan--I scaled back and used this plan, and all of my runs are built around some type of walk/run ratio. However, I've modified the ratios in the plans to suit my preferences, and my brainpower, as I find a ratio based on a 5- or 10-minute interval is easier to work with. My mid-week runs focus on my favorite run/walk 7/3 ratio, and later 8/2. I did some long runs based on the 3/2 ratio in the plan, but later I went to a 4/1 ratio and latched onto that.
• Mid-week treadmill runs--I read that it's easier on the knees, so all of my mid-week runs were on the treadmill instead of outdoors, which was challenging when I began the program in summer when it was light out in the morning and in the mid-70 degrees in the afternoon. The runs were time-based, and I modified the plan so that these runs approximated the longer time called for in the "run half marathon" plan.
• Interval workouts--I don't really know what's properly considered an "interval" as I'm not all that familiar with running terminology or speedwork. the plan called for a moderate run + form strides. But I switched to an "interval" run in which I alternate running-walking a slower and faster level on my treadmill, using a ratio that suits my mood. Later, for the last minute or two, I used an even faster level.
• Centennial Park long runs--I didn't do any hill work, but I knew the race course is hilly, so I did all of my long runs (with the exception of recovery week runs) on the hilly IronGirl route.
• Swimming and cycling--each week, I've done two workouts with the swim team and I tried to go cycling on Sundays, but then my knee hurt on Mondays, so I quit cycling for a while.
• Core workouts--my goal was to do 2-3 core workouts a week, but I find them really boring and slacked off.
• Massage--I went to a really great masseuse who I highly recommend!! This is probably the most selfish, frivilous expenditure I've ever made, but I enjoyed every single minute. Even without telling her the exact spot that I’m sore, she’ll find it and massage it.
  
  At heart, though, I’m a complete wimp. I like working out, but I hate the soreness. Even so, I cancelled a few appointments when things were going well and subsequently had a few cases of Monday Morning DOMS. After working out on the weekend, I'd waddle into work and take the elevator--right up to the second floor. It's silly. Of course as I continue to run, I’ve discovered other favorite home remedies, like foam rolling, self-massage, icing, hot Epsom salt baths, and cold water baths after a long run.

Instead of a public training blog, I kept a private journal, but I was grateful to be able to compare how I was feeling this year with what I wrote last year on my blog. I knew exactly at what point in the training program that I crashed and burned last year, and as the weeks went by, I began to get increasingly optimistic...and excited.

Of course, there were challenges...like the week my migraine stole my motivation...and moments of utter and complete stupidity...like when I inadvertently gave myself frostnip with my ice pack....and technical challenges...like when I bought a new Nike+iPod sensor, then had to buy a whole new system to get it to work, but then I lost a sensor on the run, so it worked out OK...and injury...I developed tendinitis on the top of my right foot during the taper. I iced and took ibuferin. I didn't swim last week for various reasons, and then when I went back to swimming this week, I re-injured the area and now it's worse than before, which concerns me. I fully expect that my foot will be talking to me several miles in the race. I've heard that everything hurts more in the taper, but this is getting ridiculous. Every part of my body that's ever bothered me is now making itself announced. I woke up this morning with a sore back....from sleeping??!!!! Hear me whine and see me foam roll!!!

But things could be worse. Earlier this week, the weather called for light rain. Now, it's changed to sun. Thousands of runners must have done a dance for the sun gods!

Whatever happens Saturday, I am going to try to be pleased with the outcome.