I’ve got some humble pie left over if you want some

Part of my recap for my training this past week includes a half marathon race.

I’ll start there.

The Gilbert 1/2 was an anticipated race because it’s local–like less than two miles away from where I live. This being the case, the route was along roads and canals that I frequent making the course advantageous to me in some ways.

Yeah, uh huh.

I woke up and got ready, dressed in shorts and my run club shirt. I packed an extra set of clothes in case I wimped out being so exposed. (Yep, I later redressed in my car.)

I met up with my run club amigos near the start and we talked about how silly we were for being so cold–considering those in the east coast were suffering through record breaking snow.

I chit chatted with Harry (who ran a 1:34!) and he pep-talked me into running the race hard. I had been going back and forth between treating the race more like a training run–considering I’d run a marathon 4 weeks earlier) or taking advantage of the familiarity of the course and attempting another sub 2 hour–maybe even PRing.

I decided on the latter.

The first four miles were great. I was feeling pretty good and well under the pace I needed to sub 2. I made a mental challenge to try and continue to keep my splits under 9 minutes. The next 3 miles were pretty darn close but still successful.

Then I started feeling twinges of pain in my groin around mile 8 and felt myself slow down considerably. I felt that I was still on pace to get a sub 2 though and didn’t let my spirits falter despite registering the next 2 miles well above 9 minutes.

I don’t know what the hell happened to mile 11 and it wasn’t until after the race that I saw it had been an almost 10 minute mile!Somehow, I had missed hearing the beep of the split and failed to see how much my pace had slowed. To me, I felt like I had still been maintaining pace (funny how that happens huh?)

I attempted quick math in my head to see what I needed to do to finish strong but saw again, for the millionth time in my life, how much I struggle with simple addition and subtraction. I decided to just finish as strong as I could so when I saw mile 12 approaching, I began to speed up.

And that’s when my calves awoke. The worst calf cramping I’d ever experienced joined me on that last mile. I cursed and swore and yelled at myself (in my head) that there was no way in hell these cramps were going to keep me from sub 2ing.

I hopped, tip-toed, skipped–did whatever I could to cross that finish line without stopping, trying my hardest to not lose that sub 2.

IMG_20141122_102118

My official time was 2:00:16.

 

TWO HOURS AND 16 SECONDS.

Seventeen seconds people. Seventeen seconds.

And I have absolutely nothing and no one to blame but myself.

I had been so confident that I had that sub 2 in the bag, I let it run away. The race wasn’t finished at mile 8, when I had comforted my concerns at having had 2 miles so close to the necessary, required pace. The race wasn’t done at mile 10 either, when I again eased any fears at having registered two miles well over the necessary time.

Waking up at mile 12, by then it was too late.

When I crossed that finish line I was so upset at myself. I was upset that I had let myself run that race so badly. I was upset that I wasn’t celebrating with my friends who had subbed 2’d.

I was upset that at mile 7, I had already been celebrating.

IMG952014112295120352-1

I have no idea where I was here but I apparently was still in high spirits.

 

It took a few minutes for me to regroup and set aside my own frustrations to focus on my friends, several of whom had achieved a major goal of sub 2ing for the first time. They had been training long and hard and it really was no surprise they’d done it. They’d trained and ran a smart race (unlike me). I took several pics with them and helped them celebrate a well earned PR. I sincerely was/am happy for them as they truly deserved that accomplishment.

When I walked back to my car, I sent a message to my husband to call me as soon as he could. He’s been out of town the country for several weeks and it’s been so hard without him. I really needed him at that moment.

He called me and just like I knew he would, made me feel so much better. He let me know what a dummy I was but told me that this was what I needed. That I got much more from this race than what I would have gotten had I actually subbed 2.

And he’s so right.

When I got my sub 2 earlier this year, I had worked so hard for it. I put months of training (this was 6 months after having my second baby!), studied the course, practiced my splits, thought about it constantly. Crossing that finish line at 1:58:11 was seriously one of my biggest accomplishments ever–even surpassing running my first marathon. I was so emotional and so proud of myself.

I didn’t deserve this sub 2 and now, a couple of days post race, I’m really glad I didn’t get it.

————————

The rest my training week prior was somewhat uneventful–well, kinda.

On Monday I met up with my co-workers and did more stadium drills. On Tuesday I ran 4 miles with my run club at half marathon pace (ja!) and I took a rest day on Wednesday.

Thursday was the last Adventure Run my local shoe store was hosting so a bunch of people from my run club met up to run it. A lot of us were taking it easy considering we had the race that following Saturday.

I was happy with the 3 miles we mapped out but as we were reaching the end, my throat felt scratchy. Then I started to feel my palms itch. And then my legs.

I was having another allergy attack.

I was able to finish and I sat down to organize my tickets for the raffle and hoped the symptoms would just fade away.

They didn’t.

I told a friend I was feeling an attack coming but that I felt okay enough at the moment to drive myself home. I promised to text her as soon as I got there. As soon as I got home, I took some Benedryl and lay down.

The race on Saturday looming, I wondered whether or not I should run it. But yeah, we know what happened lol!

I’m frustrated that these attacks keep happening and that I’ve never gotten a clear explanation on what causes them. The doctor said it was just Exercise Induced Anaphylaxis and that there are really no preventative measure besides not running. (Yeah, no.) He suggested I take allergy medicine prior to each run but I don’t like that idea. It figure it’s just something I’ll have to deal with. It doesn’t happen every time I run or exercise and luckily I can feel the symptoms as they arise and take care of it as soon as they come. It’s just scary and frustrating.

Anyway, how was your running weekend?

Have you ever had a character building run/race? What are some things you’ve learned from running?

Phoenix Marathon Training Week 1 Recap

Here we go again!

So pretty much my blog is about training recaps. LOL! I hope I don’t bore you!!!

I mentioned in my previous post that I’m on a mission. I really, really want that PR. Typically, I’m not crazy overly goal driven. Like, I have a goal in mind but I’m never super bummed or upset if I don’t get it. But for some reason, this goal of getting a marathon PR is something I’m very serous about….as evident in my Week 1 Training Recap 🙂

Sunday was Bunday. Yes, you read that right. I did a series of videos focusing on hips and glutes and worked my ass off. Literally. I feel like this is an area (ahem) that I need to work on to help improve my running/fitness so I’m making it a priority in my training.

Actually, strength training is something I feel like I’ve lacked and need so I’m def making sure to include it this time around. I’m not much of a free weights/machines person but prefer body weight strength training like pilates-esque stuff.

Monday I met up with some teacher co-workers for a post work workout (<—try saying that ten times). We met at the football field and did some stadium drills, track lunges, and core work. While I had a blast with them, having just had Bunday the day before, I was hurting.

received_10104350856819951

Upness

I met up with my run club Tuesday evening, got in a nice 4 miler, and worked the core after.

Negative splits? Yes, please!

Negative splits? Yes, please!

Wednesday was speed work at the track but it was SO cold out (I know, I know, here’s Helly starting her complaining it’s cold when it’s barely 60 degrees out) and I was so sore that I made it a mile (8:30) before I called it quits. I didn’t want to push it so I went home, foam rolled, and stretched instead.

I’ve decided to try running after work on Thursdays before I head home to pick up the kids. I figure I can get in a decent 4-5 miler in the time I have. So as soon as the bell rang, I changed in the faculty bathroom and headed out for an easy, breezy 4

From work to play :)

From work to play 🙂

Friday was rest day and it felt oh, so good! Even my kids partook in resting with mama and wore their pajamas to school (I kinda wish I could’ve too!)

Pajama Day @ school! :D

Pajama Day @ school! 😀

Normally, I run long with my run club Saturday mornings but it’s been a tough bedtime/morning with my kids lately so I knew it was unlikely I’d be able to make it. I took advantage of grandma and one toddler’s nap and went later in the morning. I had 8 miles on the schedule and was able to check it off–and be happy with the results! I even managed to squeeze in a couple of core vids later that evening 🙂

IMG_20141115_132705

^^ Along the lines of my thoughts during my run

Overall, I am digging the start of this training and hope it continues this way throughout. I’m going into it very motivated and inspired and with positive thinking that I can accomplish my goal. We shall see! 🙂

Total miles: 17 miles
Soda update: I am doing pretty good with this–averaging one a day!

How was your running week?
Do goals motivate you to train harder/better?
Do you strength train? What do you do?

 

Back on the Marathon Train-ing!!

I know, I know. I just ran a marathon.

Lemme ‘splain.

When I put my name in the Marine Corps Marathon Lottery, I really had NO idea I’d get picked the first time I tried. So I signed up for Phoenix Marathon (Feb. 28) thinking I’d at least have that marathon to train for if I didn’t get in. Yeah, you know what happened..lol

I took an entire full week off post Marine Corps. No running, no cross training, no nothing except for indulging in all things food and soda (and surprising, I didn’t drink that much!). Then the following week I started to ease back in.

But this week starts the first week of official Phoenix Marathon Training!
Screen Shot 2014-11-11 at 7.38.56 AM I’ve decided to go back to Hal on this one and do a modified Higdon plan. I still need to recap Run Less, Run Faster and really stress how my experience with it really shouldn’t be taken with much confidence as I was pretty terrible at following it 😦 but more on that later.

For Phoenix, I’m on a mission. I’m going to lay it out there.

I want a sub 4:30.

I really, really do. Last year, I finished at 4:44 and I really think I got it in me to nail a big PR like that. I was 7 months post pregnancy when I did my first marathon, I have a lot more training under my belt, and I simply have more some okay, two marathons of experience. Plus, this race is in my hometown, so no traveling (I think that’s a big point there) and I can’t neglect to mention the elevation course: Screen Shot 2014-11-11 at 8.08.56 AM Which leads me to this: I was talking to a girl about how I wanted to get a sub 4:30 and when I said I was hoping to do it at Phoenix she scoffed and said, “Yeah, that’s all downhill so you’re lucky. Should be easy to get it.”

Ummm, I didn’t get it when I ran the marathon the first time, missy (it sure as hell wasn’t easy either!) And neither did thousands of people who ran it that day. Huumpf!!!

I just don’t get how runners can be so negative to other runners. Runners are known for being such nice people and it’s those handful out there, like the girl I was talking to, who are blemishing our reputation. So if I do get my sub 4:30 do I have to put a little asterisk saying I did it at Phoenix, a course known for being fast?? If someone BQs do they have to add a disclaimer that it was done on a downhill course? I mean, really?

Get off my marathon train-ing. Guh-bye!

–What do you guys think? Does someone need to explain their PR or BQ?

I hope you all have a good week! To those in the U.S., Happy Veteran’s Day!!–make sure to tip your hat to those who served 🙂