Ellicott City Labor Day Running Classic

Somehow, I manage to keep running. This year I began running in the early months of the year and then cut my running down to once a week during the 7-week semester. When that was over, I slowly added runs back into my week, running about 1.5 miles with a generous walk/run ratio. Then I built up to 2 miles at a time for weekday runs with 3 miles on the weekend.

At this point in life, I had no desire to increase my base miles or increase the number of times a week I run. My whole goal has been to maintain a very small base. Instead, I've experimented with longer ratios to increase my endurance and added speedwork to the mix. I was trilled that I was able to keep running throughout the buildup to our summer conference and after.

Running add so much to my quality of life, and I believe that I feel better, think better and function better on the days that I run. This is no longer simply a personal belief or a fuzzy notion that I've encapsulated in my personal philosophy of "yin and yang" in which I seek to counterbalance the mental activity and stress of work and school with the opposing physical activity of running (and swimming and biking). It is now backed by scientific evidence in the book "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" by John Ratey and Eric Hagerman that suggests that exercise affects the brain cells in specific ways that boost our mood and improve our focus.

I've put aside racing because my mileage is so low...but of course, I couldn't resist a 5K and scheduled the "race of the year" for the end of summer, when I had time to prepare and establish a small, but consist base.

Ellicott City Labor Day Running Classic

I'd known about this race for a long time, but somehow never ran it because I was in the midst of preparing for other races and it didn't fit into my mileage or schedule. This year, they offered a new 5K route in effort to attract runners interested in a shorter distance.

The fluorescent yellow race shirt left something to be desired. Although wearing the race shirt on race day is supposed to be bad juju and one shouldn't wear a shirt unless it is earned by running the race, I decided to eschew these traditions and wear the shirt that I probably wouldn't wear anywhere else.

The race is held at the Shrine of St. Anthony, which is located on the IronGirl bike route. I'd ridden past this many times in training and racing and even driving along the route always brings back IronGirl memories.

The entire race was well run, from the volunteers that guided our parking on the grass surrounding the monastery, to the abundant and helpful announcements, to the well-positioned course marshals and the post-race food.

The event organizers made clear in the race materials and at packet pickup that half of the route was on paved roads and half was on paths. However, it was much more of a trail run than originally described and was very different than the wide, smooth paths through the woods that I'm accustomed to running on. The trail that winds through the woods on the property is narrow and the ground ranges from spongy material to a solid dirt path with tree roots emerging. The volunteers had done a wonderful job of spray painting the roots so that people like me would not trip over their own feet and there was plastic tape so that people would not wander off the path.

The trail run provided interesting mental and physical challenges that kept me focused as I navigated the uneven and changing terrain and avoided the spraypainted roots. It a nice diversion that kept me externally focused and prevented me from thinking about myself and my fatigue during the race.

I did an 2/8 ratio throughout the race and from the beginning, I found myself in competition with another middle-aged portly man who seemed older than me. I would run forward and then he would catch up and pass me. He also was using a walk/run strategy, although his walks were shorter and did not seem to fall according to any pattern. During the middle of the race on the trail he charged ahead and was a good distance in front of me as I focused on navigating the trail.

Normally, I follow the ratio strictly, with a rule that I must run when the walk interval ends, even if that is a hill...but the hills on the trail and the grassy portions were unexpectedly steep and I found myself walking up a few. I was glad to be out of the woods, but knew I would encounter one last hill as we climbed toward the finish. It was there that I passed the older man who was my personal competitor. I still had energy in my tank as I charged toward the finish and conquered the final hill. Due to the terrain and the hills, my time was much slower than it ordinarily would have been, but I was satisfied all the same.

Running into the Future

Will I be able to keep running into the fall? I don't know. I'm headed into a very busy fall with work and school. I'm strategizing ways that I can keep my momentum, rather than continue the cycle of stopping and starting as I've done over the past several years. I am anxious to complete the grad school marathon, and to move on to other things in life...but I worry that my running ambitions could be eclipsed by age and injury. We'll see what the future holds.

Run for Your Life, Part II

It was the end of the academic semester and three months before our major convention. In addition to part-time staff, I had an intern last summer, but this time I didn't. And there are only so many hours in the day. The stress wrapped itself around me like a vise. I felt tense all of the time. I developed problems sleeping and would wake up before my alarm went off and start thinking about work. Getting back to sleep was impossible, so I just went to work. I developed problems with eating.

Out of all this...a really great thing happened. I once again decided to get on the treadmill at 4:30 a.m. to run and walk. Just 1.5 miles at first. Then 2 miles with a generous walk/run ratio. Just two weekdays. My "long" runs on the weekends were at most just one more mile. Running is always hard at first because there are a lot of aches and pains. It was the only time when the stress melted away. I felt like a million and sometimes the effect lasted for the rest of the day. And sooner - or later - running gets easier and 2 miles isn't so hard. I still have a tiny base, and I have no plans to do anything except increase my base little by little. Consistency is still a challenge. I've run two 5Ks this summer and I hope to find another one. I hope to continue.

Run For Your Life

Not long ago, I left a staff position at a large association that I’d held for 13 years and took a management position at a small nonprofit. I had stayed in my previous position due to many externalities related to being a married working mother and longed for a change. The new position was one that I’d said I’d hoped one day to hold on my graduate school applications. The career move changed my entire life, but left me wondering if it was for the better.

I’d previously worked about 40 hours a week, commuted two hours daily, and completed two graduate classes a semester. I ascribed to a philosophy of yin and yang—as I understood it—and counterbalanced work and studying by the equal and opposing physical activity of training for and running my third half marathon. However, my training plan and fitness level were modest. In my new position, I worked about 50 hours a week, commuted up to 3 hours daily, and completed a single graduate class a semester. As the pace of the job sped up and the months flew by, life got out of balance as I found it difficult to get back into a fitness routine and fended off minor stress-related physical problems. At my lowest point, after a difficult day at the office, I sprained my ankle getting up from the couch, and after sitting on the couch another month to recuperate, I could barely walk two blocks without getting winded.

I've greatly enjoyed the ups and downs of running and multisport. I originally started running to lose weight. Then I ran for various other reasons...

Reasons Why….

• I run because it’s a back-to-nature experience and I enjoy seeing the local ecosystems change with the seasons
• I run for the endorphins
• I run because I want to give it another season
• I run because it allows me to run away from my stress at the end of the day
• I run because it wakes me up in the morning (if I can get up to run!)
• I run because it allows me to review my class material
• I run because I think it might reduce migraines (of course, there’s no proof, but it’s motivating!)
• I run because I want to tri

But now, I'm not running to race or to have a racing season. I'm running for my life. I want to run because it's the only way that I can relieve stress.

I'm ready to ponder the central theme of Joanne Ciulla’s book, The Working Life: The Promise and Betrayal of Modern Work (2000), which focuses on the meaning of work, it's place in our lives, and leisure. Send your muse my way because that's the topic of my next paper.

So Much Change

My entire multisport life has been a complete wash. In the past, I've been able to get back to multisport during the summer and use the time away from grad school to get back into shape. But this year, I've been swept away with a busy new job, grad school, and then a work-related summer conference. I signed up for three races - two before I took the position - and I think I'm going to forego all of them.

There have been some highlights. My husband and I and our youngest son took a weekend trip to Snow Hill, Maryland. The highlight was cycling from Snow Hill to Berlin. It was 50 miles roundtrip, but for the most part, the miles were easy because the terrain was flat. We followed parts of the Seagull Century route, which made me want to do the Seagull Century. The only difficult part was heading back at the end of the day when we were tired and facing a strong headwind.

Our kid and a friend cycled to Ocean City, accompanyed by a girl who asked if they needed "a partner in crime." She was an experienced cyclist who took a water pack and had clipless pedals, so I though she was a good match. Their journey was longer, and they also faced the headwind. It was an awesome, enjoyable trip--something that I put together at the spur of the moment, and thoroughly enjoyed. Sometimes the weekend trips are the best.

For the most part, I spent the summer trying to get back into running, but never quite doing it. I'd eat an ice cream cone and read the latest issue of Runners World. But I'm still trying to get back into running, and I hope to succeed, even as the school year begins. I have no vision of racing....right now. I simply want to stay in shape, enjoy the stress relief, and get some semblance of worklife balance. I actually feel grumpy if I can't get a bike ride in during the weekend. And there's never a time when I see a cyclist pass me in D.C. that I don't wish that I was riding my bike. This effect is only intensified when I see someone riding clipless.

It doesn't help that my husband has an ankle injury. He's been to an othopod, PT and had xrays and an MRI. But he's still experiencing pain and injury that affect his everyday life. We have another appointment coming up, and I'm crossing my fingers that we'll get some better answers.

Philadelphia Half Marathon: The 13.1 mile fun run

This is a half-marathon that almost didn't happen.

I signed up for this race because it was the day after my association's annual convention ended, and I thought it might be fun. I also realized that it was a late-season race that was well into my grad school semester, which might make training challenging--and it was. I fell down on my training in the face of multiple school projects, and I really debated whether I should run the race because I felt seriously undertrained. Then, of course, there were some benefits to being undertrained, as some of the aches and pains that I'd been experiencing faded away. But there was another unanticpated challenge: walking about 3 miles for three days in the convention center with professional footwear. My feet were really sore and felt like they were developing blisters and my legs felt like they were developing shin splints.

My husband came up to Philly and we enjoyed ourselves, carbo loading at a nice Italian place. Frankly, I think he just enjoyed spending some quality time with me! He ran the Rothman 8K the day before, the first run after the Marine Corps Marathon several weeks earlier. They started the race by playing the theme song to Rocky, which got my husband off to a really fast start and a PR.

My race was the next day. I still couldn't believe I was going to run 13.1 miles! The race was an opportunity to upgrade my winter running attire and I had a new Sport Hill top that was both cute and very practical with a zippered pocket in the back.

We headed over to the race start in darkness and I walked around and warmed up and then got into the corral. This was the largest race I've ever been in, and somehow it never dawned on me how long it would take for my race to get started--I didn't cross the starting line until a half hour after the gun went off. The sun was up now and it was a beautiful cold fall day.

My whole goal was to keep running until mile 10. I knew that if I could get to that point without major pain, I could finish. I started conservatively, setting an easy pace.

I've run the Baltimore half-marathon twice, so to me, despite what the race elevation chart said, the course seemed flat except for a 2-mile stretch between miles 8 and 10 which was pretty much a long uphill climb. People started walking, but I was determined to power through and keep on running.

I really enjoyed running through the streets of Philadelphia and seeing all of the homes and businesses in the different neighborhoods. The crowds were very supportive. Around mile 6, I felt like eating a Shot Block, but decided to wait, but at mile 7 my hand reached in my back pocket. I had another at mile 8. Then, at mile 9-10 there was Gu. I normally hate the taste and texture of gels, but decided to try it. The vanilla Gu wasn't that bad. I washed it down with a sip of water or gatorade at every stop. By the time I got to the band playing at mile 10 in Fairmount Park, I was amped up on all the Shot Blocks, gel, and gatorade and I was feeling pretty good.

I decided it was time to play the passing game and began to pass people as I headed to the finish. And at about mile 12, I was really ready for the race to be over and began looking for the place where the marathoners split from the half marathoners. At the very end of the race, we headed out of the park and back into the city toward the finish line and I was done.

The whole race was really well organized. After the finish line, runners went into a chute where they received post-race food and drinks and could pick up their bags, and there were no lines.

I finished about 3 minutes slower than a previous HM on a much hillier course. I was really glad that I ran the race. Sometimes, just being in the game is what counts.

Yin and Yang

This picture is courtesy of Race Pace Bicycles. I just had to post this because it reminds me of all of those summer bike rides. There's a spot on the Iron Girl course that goes past cornfields... but not the cows. Thanks for the memories.

To Baltimore, Reluctantly

I'm going to try to write a paper today, so I'm try to briefly journal before getting to my main project.

The story of my life this fall is about how the best-laid plans fall apart. I entered graduate school--a goal I've had for 19 years--and am taking 6 credits of grad classes, more than I've ever taken on before. I applied to three programs (2 MBA programs, one master's in management) and was accepted into all three. I decided to enter the master's in management program because it would mean less time to degree, but the opportunity cost was the logistical difficulties of commuting to class. In contrast, the MBA programs offered a great deal of logistical convenience, but the opportunity cost was a 4-5 year time to degree (assuming summers off for triathlon and some R&R). In the end, however, I was reluctant to sign on to a 4-5 year project.

Although I never said anything on my graduate admissions essay, I read the program's brochures and the web site and envisioned myself specializing in marketing, as marketing and communications are related disciplines. Imagine my surprise when, 30 days later, the graduate catalog was revised and the marketing specialization disappeared. When I asked about it, I was told that it was being phased out and I would be unable to specialize in marketing. What a bitter disappointment.

Should I try to talk with someone to see if an exception can be made? Are any of the other specializations even relevant? Or, should I just live with in and do an "individualized specialization" or the eclectic approach? Should I reapply to my second-choice MBA program, knowing that my classes would likely not transfer? What about math demands of the program, given my tenuous relationship with X and Y? Should I apply to an online school and enjoy the greater convenience, with a less prestigious degree? These are just a few of the questions going through my mind. For right now, I'm trying to get through the semester and then think about the best option.

The half marathon is another case of great plans falling apart. I had a wonderful tri season last summer and felt stronger than before and invincible. But when I did the final Baltimore marathon supported course run, I could barely run 10 miles. In the final mile or so, my left leg started hurting and I found it difficult to keep running. What's with that? Did the hills sap my strength? It was only after I went into the taper and my left leg hurt after 7 miles that it dawned on me: ITB friction syndrome. And only then did I remember all of those 9, 10, and 11 mile runs without any problem.

So, I'm not ready to run the race I planned to run. In fact, the only reason that I'm going to Baltimore at all is because my husband is going to run the marathon. My husband, who scolded me before my first triathlon that I was "overly worried" is now extremely preoccupied with his marathon.

The one good thing is that I suddenly found my favorite running book under my nightstand right before the race, John Bingham's "Marathoning for Mortals." Bingham encourages us to set our own goals, strategies, and objectives (although I find these somewhat confusing).

My goal now is simply to complete the race.

Plan A--The "blessed by the gods" strategy is to PR in the race. This was my original goal.

Plan B--To run the entire race without stopping.

Plan C--To run 10 miles and then to adopt and walk/run ratio that will get me to the finish line.

Ideally, I'll start out slow and keep a good, but steady pace. My strategy on the hills will be as Coach Jenny explains is to run them mindfully, using the same effort level as I go up the hill, even though it may mean a slower pace. I want to run faster around Lake Montebello, which is two miles of flat land, to make up for the slowness on the hills. After that, my strategy will be to keep running to the finish line.

Later today, I'll go get a ITB strap, which might help reduce some of the friction. I'll pin my race number to my shirt and then wear my race belt. This way, I can take a few tylenol and also some snack bags for my implant processor in the event that it gets really wet. I'll also get some trash bags, as there is a 50% chance of showers when the marathoners take off. I'm planning to wear my "dress up" :) shorts, and last year's race shirt. I'll also wear my yellow bike jacket (or maybe another windbreaker) just to keep the rain off a little bit. It will be fairly warm, and the chance of showers decreases as the morning goes on. I'll bring some of my textbooks to read while Tim finishes the marathon, and I can take shelter in Pickles Pub and maybe figure out a few other nearby haunts.

Slowly, But Surely

The thing I'm most thankful for is just staying upbeat. I finally got back into a training routine at the end of January. Training is going along slowly, but surely, which is a good way for things to go. I'm training with fingers crossed as I build up for my spring races. I signed up for a long ride in effort to improve my cycling skills. I wanted to sign up for a spring half marathon, but I knew I didn't have a good base from which to train, so I scrapped that idea in favor of a slightly shorter summer race. I'm looking forward to both, and I have my eyes on several other summer races, but I'm trying to cut back on my multisport expenses so I'm limiting myself to nearby races that don't require travel.

My mornings alternate between spinning with Troy or running. Cycling and running seem to go together like peas and carrots in the way that they complement one another. One midweek run is a slow and easy run-walk and the other spicy speedwork.

On the weekends, I'm slowly building up my long run by 1/2 mile at a time. I feel stronger now, and I've abandoned the run-walk strategy for now. Instead, I try to run slow and keep on running. I have a new Garmin--a Christmas gift from my husband and something I never thought I'd have in real life--which is set to show the average pace. This is a wonderful tool for helping me maintain a particular pace during a long run, such as a 12 or 13 minute mile. I'm gradually trying to incorporate an itty bitty core workout, as I really notice that my core muscles are weaker now than last fall when I did core workouts once or twice a week. The biggest loss is my husband as my running partner. I miss him running alongside me on longer runs, even if he did wear an iPod and start singing along.

In the evenings, I'm going to trade swimming for studying as I'm working toward an academic goal. Right now, I'm not at all sure about the outcome. The more I study, the worse I seem to do. The only thing that keeps me going is the thought that this is the last shot at pursuing an academic goal--and even if I fail, I want to go down trying.

My older son is having a rebuilding semester. He likes his apartment and his friends come to visit. He's spending every last dime on the slopes, although I wish he would stay out of Teocalli Bowl and the double-black diamond runs. My youngest is very popular and thinks about Woodward all of the time.

"Your journey began from a single point. You travel in a straight line; sometimes the slope may be steep and the distance seems far, but you you are at midpoint. The endpoint is in sight."

---Bob Miller

Maybe someday I'll be able to calculate the slope of this line.

But for now, I had a really nice Saturday morning run twice around Elkhorn and into the woods. It's an unseasonally warm spring day that started out cool in the morning when I ran, and then got up into the 50s! The lake was mostly frozen and there were about three flocks of birds in various parts of the lake that had patches of open water. I always think of winter as a dormant, silent time, but there was a lot more bird call than I thought. At one point, people stood watching an entire flock of birds fly noisily overhead. Then, I saw a blue jay in a bush. The run went well and I ran the whole 4.5 miles without walk breaks, keeping pace by listening to my breathing.

On Sunday, it was 61 degrees--a breath of spring in February!!!! I took my bike off the trainer and went for a 19.5 mile ride. There was a really strong blow-me-over 22 mph wind, especially at the beginning of the ride. To avoid the combination of a strong wind and big hills, I began to do the route out of order and backwards, first heading over into the Clemens Crossing and Hickory Ridge neighborhoods and expanding my route a bit. Then I headed down onto the hilly, scenic part of the route. Except for one long steep incline hill, I could swear the route is easier in this direction and that's why I see so many cyclists heading in the opposite way when I go down this route. I saw probably half a dozen cyclists and two dozen motorcyclists as well as people in cars, just getting out and enjoying the beautiful unseasonably warm afternoon. At the end of the ride, I felt like I could have gone further but I headed back. I was sore yesterday after the run and I'm anticipating a case of Monday morning DOMS, but I don't care.

Musings for the New Year

For anyone who wants to know what I do at master's swimming, just take a look! The group is temporarily crowded into a very small pool, so we're focusing on stroke and the coach is videotaping team members and critiquing our stokes. It was really neat. I have a hard time finding myself on the video--despite watching it several times!! I'm the one with the great stroke, right? Nope, I need to work on keeping my head level with the water at my hairline, which should help me breathe more efficiently. (There may have been complaints about posting the video to YouTube, and if that happens, it will disappear from this blog.)




It's a new year and it's time for some goal setting. After my half marathon, I fell off the bandwagon with all three sports. I worked out periodically during the week, always trying to get back into a routine, but never achieving my goal. At night, I just wanted to go to bed and pull the covers over my head, and there were days I did that. I came to realize the value of going to swim practice and engaging in an endorphin-producing activity with people that seemed happy. Sometimes the good mood even rubbed off on me, even if just for a little while.

My son came back from college for winter break and with both kids home, I took the last two weeks of the year off for a blissful time of relaxing with family, sleeping, eating, watching R-rated movies (I could have lived without) and playing Monopoly (my oldest son became very strategic with the game). My husband and I ran together down our favorite trail, taking our first steps to getting our base back...




Hubby decided that a marathon is on his Bucket List (although I think he's too young to have one). Maybe it was watching me to a half marathon....maybe it was watching the marathoners, run, walk, and crawl to the finish line...or maybe it was the movie and the New Year...but he says that he needs to do the marathon this year.

He's been running for two years; however, he isn't consistent in the days/miles he runs per week and the most he's ever run is 15 miles per week. The longest race he's ever done is a 10K. When I posted his background info to an e-mail discussion group, wondering if perhaps a marathon was a crazy proposition, all I received were words of encouragement. The marathoners who responded said that if he trains consistently and builds a decent base, he can do it. Of course, if he gets serious, I'll be thinking about it too.

I have a lot of big goals this year with sports and studying. And as I try to regroup and rebuild, I hope my son does too. This should be an interesting year, and we'll see how it goes!

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.

11 miles

Today, I did the longest run I've ever done...11 miles in 2 hours. I'd been looking forward to this run for a long time. I ran the IronGirl route twice, then ran another lap around the park. The run was supposed to be a 10 miler, but I knew the route was longer and I wanted to stary on my feet for 2 hours. I've been using a run/walk ratio of 4/1 and not only is this easier on my body, it doesn't slow me down at all. When I compare my long runs this year to similar runs last year, I find that I'm running just as fast, if not faster. The temperature was cooler, around the mid-60s and it feels like fall weather is starting to come on. I'm training with fingers crossed...and I'll see how it goes!

Women's Distance Festival 5K

I wanted to do this race for several years, after volunteering at another race and hearing someone comment that this was a fun race to run. Yesterday was the first time I got the chance to do it. Last year I was injured and the previous year I was on vacation. And the volunteer was right -- it's a fun race.

I wasn't really sure how I'd do in the race because when I woke up, my muscles were sore from gardening the day before. I did my at-home stretching exercices and then used the foam roller. When I got there, I did some stretching and then a short jog. And pretty soon we were off. I tried to hit my chrono button on my watch at the starting line, but the starting line wasn't clearly marked so I wasn't sure if I passed it or not. The course was really flat, except for one small hill. I know I started out fast, and I was surprised to see my 1 mile time, but I thought that had to be wrong...at 2 miles, I was still doing good but slowing down. I felt like I was really slow and dragging...but my surprise was the finish line clock which showed that I was coming in for my fastest 5K ever. I'm happy, but deep down inside, I still feel that I could have pushed myself more.

I think I need some positive affirmations during races. Something besides, "I'm tired. I'm in the middle of the pack...Where's the finish line?" My goal will be to think of some positive affirmations to tell myself during my next race.

Overall, a really fun race. They served watermellon after the race, which is the perfect post-race food. I never feel like eating after I run hard and races with a lavish post-race buffet make me feel like it's a waste. The watermellon was cool, juicy, and perfect on this hot and humid day. I chatted with a few other women, and it was a nice time.

Above: I always look like a grumpy old lady in race photos. I'm wearing my "girly" outfit with a running skirt for this all-woman race.

First Brick

I did my first brick today by cycling 2 miles to my favorite park, running 2 miles on the trail, and then cycling 2 miles back home, and then running a short distance around the neighborhood. The shorter distances suited me fine, and I could see that the repetition of the final run was helpful, as that's where I felt the slowest on a morning that was heating up quickly. On the trail, I could also see a lot of other folks had the same idea of getting their runs in early before the heat came on.

Cycling back home, there's a long, steep hill and a sign prohibiting truckers with heavy loads. All last summer, I could never make it up that hill and always wound up walking halfway up. Today, I had no problem getting up the hill. And as LeftRightRepeat says, this is a small victory!

Discouraged

I've avoided posting this for a while....but I'm feeling really discouraged about all three sports. Back in April, a sore right arm after a swim workout evolved into a rotator cuff injury. It's not bad, but it's June and I've done all the right things and it's just not gone. I also got sick a lot in April, so I took two weeks off. When I tried to go back to things, my knee started to talk to me in a way that I didn't like. Of course, it's all on one side of my body. Now I'm trying to come back from another two weeks off due to injury/schedule, and I don't know if it will be a success.

I'm going to a chiropractor who cracks my back and my neck only because I didn't want to go to an orthopod and inevitably get referred off to a PT. My insurance only allows five sessions of PT and I'd rather save it for a bigger injury. Don't know if the chiropractor is doing any good, but the one nice thing about him is that he's patient with people like me who read the Internet too much and worry. "If it were that, you'd feel this...so it's not that."

When I was last swam with the team, it wasn't an encouraging night. I come, I swim, and I go. Sometimes I feel as though I'm on the outside looking in, listening to everyone tell their stories when I have none of my own.

Sometimes I feel that three sports means triple the injuries. It's the story of my middle-aged athletic life: I had a grand vision, I tried to train sensibly, but then I always wind up injured. I'm worried that my season will be over even before it begins.

I'd sit on my couch, but I wake up before my alarm clock goes off and think about swimming, biking, and running. I like all three flavors of stress-reliever.

Cheers for Oscar Pistorius!

I think that athletes with and without disabilities should be able to compete together.

Amputee Sprinter to Compete for Spot on S. Africa Olympic Team
Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius will be allowed to compete for a spot on the South African Olympic team after a sport regulatory body ruled today that his carbon-fiber prosthetic limbs do not give him an advantage over other runners.

To My Sister: You Go Girl!!!

I sent my coach's report of the swim meet around to my family, as that's the kind of things moms and other folks like to read.

My sister e-mailed back and says that she is also swimming, biking, and running and is thinking of trying a triathlon. Isn't that weird? My sister and I almost never talk to each other--we haven't had any contact in more than a year, and we're practically estranged. And now--separated by 1,500 miles, three states, and a lack of communication--we happen to be doing the same three sports???!!! Is it coincidence, or something more? Is it hereditary, or the environment? Or...is there something devine that bonds sisters?

So often I've wondered why I'm doing this. Now I know. I hope this triad of sports brings us closer together, but I'm also realistic.

To my sister: YOU GO GIRL!!! I hope you try a tri!!

Above: My younger sister (at left) and I growing up in Wisconsin, where we had a suburban home on an acre of land. My mom made the outfits, as you can tell.

Sunday Run

I had a really nice run with my husband today. But it didn't start out being that way. It was a cool, drizzly morning that makes one have second thoughts about running. My husband proposed running from Patuxent Branch, around Lake Elkhorn and back, a 6-mile route. I wasn't really quite up to 6 miles yet, so I wanted to walk quite a bit.

My husband started out fast, and then midway through the run, he had a neat idea. He suggested that we run from bridge to bridge, and then walk a bit. Apparently, he doesn't like to run over bridges, and the walking part was fine with me. It turned out to be a really enjoyable run. I like running side-by-side with him, even if he listens to his iPod and then starts singing along! At the end of the run, the sun came out and raindrops hung from the branches, glistening with sunlight.

The run capped off a weekend that started with a Saturday morning 1,300 yd swim that included two 400m time trials, to get a seed time for a race I'm thinking about entering. It was a really warm, spring day, so I got in a 9-mile bike ride in the afternoon, and topped it off with my core routine. Then I did the run on Sunday and an abbreviated core routine. Afterwards, I was just pooped! When I look back at previous posts, I realize that I'm slower to hit milestones this year, like a 6-mile run, but at the same time, I feel stronger and things seem easier.

Dare I Dream?

When I wrote the "Rebuilding" post back in November, I wasn't feeling positive about running and wanted to quit. So I started to play mind games with myself. One trick was to write a blog post that was positive to give myself positive throughts to rally around. Another strategy was based on what Jenny Hadfield wrote:

"Follow the three-week rule. Practice patience. Being a runner takes time. It takes 21 days to create a new habit. Running regularly will become a habit over time. A body that is active, will want to stay active. A body that is inactive will want to stay inactive. The first 3 weeks is the most challenging."

After reading this, I decided to wait 21 days before I quit running to get in the habit again and rebuild. If I felt like quitting, I could write that in my log -- in big bold letters if need be. Of course, if there was anything actually enjoyable about the run, I had to write that. Pretty soon, there were more entries about enjoyable moments than not.

As the result, I didn't give up and I didn't quit. It's still challenging around this time of year to go out on cold, dark, windy days and watch the steam rise from my breath in the light of my headlamp. Some days my motivation seems to be gone with the daylight. I'm truely just getting back into running and have an itty bitty teeny weeny very small recreational base from which to build. Swimming is going along well, and I'm swimming 1,000 yards to a mile. Cycling is still my weakest link and I can barely spin in lowest gear for any length of time.

Dare I dream?

Photo courtesy of Steven Glass, Colorado Runner

Rebuilding

I haven't been running regularly at all, except for going out on the weekends with my husband. I've introduced him to my favorite trail which is a path through the woods where the leaves are turning color. I only run 2 miles now, so that means that I follow him for a mile, and then walk while he goes to the turnaround point and comes back, at which point I follow him again. I like the feeling of running and gliding along with a thick carpet of leaves beneath my feet. That's the enjoyable part.

Getting back into running regularly on the weekdays has been a huge challenge. I think I'm going about it all wrong. I finally Googled up articles on returning to running after injury, and I now believe the best way to do this is to start by walking 30 minutes with a 5 minute run, gradually increasing the length of the running portion, and then increasing the run to walk ratio, until I'm running 30 minutes. This should take about 4 weeks. I'll see how this works out.

Just to make it more challenging, my treadmill broke. This means no indoor running in the comfort of my basement, even if I'm staring at my insulation. I've been getting up in the wee predawn hours to jog outside, armed with a headlamp and dressed warmly, although the temperatures keep dropping. My biggest surprise is that I'm not the only one stirring at this hour. I see about three other cars warming up and getting ready to go to work.

Right now, swimming is the best thing that I've got going. It always makes me feel like a million, like running used to. After swimming, I'll get in the car and drive to work in bumper-to-bumper traffic, and it won't bother me. Ohmmmmmmm! I actually decided to cut back on swimming and gradually build up. I'll warm up, then swim about 800 yards working on my flip turns. Then I'll do another 500 free at a very relaxed pace, almost a cooldown, until I've been in the water for 40 minutes or so.

I'm reaching to the finish line with CAE studying. I've got one more domain to tackle and a final exam with my online course. I also need to produce notes for my study group on D10. After that, I'll begin taking practice tests and reviewing everything as I head for the finish line.

With the half marathon, I was completely unprepared for any alternate outcomes. But with the CAE exam, I've met *more* than a half dozen people who didn't pass the test the first time around--really bright people--and I'm mentally prepared for either outcome. And as I head into the final stretch, I have this feeling that 2008 is going to be redemption year -- the year that I try to accomplish what I don't accomplish in 2007.