Training for my First Marathon: Week 12

I'm pretty sure THIS is what a runner's high feels like.... I certainly don't remember ever having quite this feeling before.  Here I am, on week 12 of a 16 wk marathon training program and a week after my first 30k race and I'm just as excited as ever to lace up my NB860s.  I was able to log 30 miles in my post-race training week and even completed my long 18 mile run on the weekend.  I would have been happy with any tapering necessary to let my legs recover from the race, but for some reason it just wasn't necessary.

I even managed to make it to hill training the day after my 18 miler! I headed to malden park to support some dear friends that ran the Miracle 5k and 10mile race, and cheered them on before taking the hills on myself.  Although I only got 5k of hills complete before I tapped out, I was glad that I had taken the time to volunteer and cheer for my friends, because they were the inspiration I needed to complete my own workout that day.

More than looking behind and reviewing the past week of training I can't help but look ahead.  The finish line is in sight.  Our travel and post-run vacation plans have been booked, my post-race tattoo consultation has been booked, and I only see ONE MORE hurdle on my training schedule: this week's 20-miler.
 
I am working hard on my nutrition for the last 4 weeks of training... I figure any 'dead' weight I can drop before the Marathon will make those last miles that much easier.  I even bought a picnic basket and filled it with fruits and veggies and put it at my desk for the week.  I will do this every week from now until the race.  If I can keep my nutrition in check and eat whatever quantities I need (as long as its healthy) I will feel that much better about making it to 26.2.

I can't thank my friends and family enough - the support, the encouragement, the kind words - they have all made such a difference.  This once daunting 16 week schedule is almost completely checked off... and I must admit, its kinda bittersweet. 


Countdown to Nashville: 22Days 18Hours 59Minutes 23Seconds

Training for my First Marathon: Week 11 Around the Bay 30k Road Race

So, this is the week that my long run would take place in Hamilton Ontario.... with a race bib on... with ohhhh 12,000 or so other people - and one BIG ASS hill.

Around the Bay 30K Road Race. 

I did my best to take as many notes as possible for this blog post.  We caravan-ed in 2 vehicles up to Hamilton the day before.  2 carloads of my favourite people on the planet including my mom, my 2 best friends, and my awesome next door neighbour!  All the way up I don't think we talked running at all... we may have been a bit too nervous for that topic.  

At the expo, we bought a few things and picked up our packets.  When we saw the arena with the assembled finish line I couldn't help but get choked up.  It was the first time it really hit me that it was a "race" weekend.  I have been so concerned with my health and my mileage and my horrendous training pace that I didn't even take the time to consider that I had a RACE IN THE MORNING!!

At dinner, the 7 of us sat at a great restaurant and watched the wind rip through flags and rain moving almost completely sideways.... we were all hopeful that FOR ONCE the weatherman would be right and the weather would clear up in the morning. He was.  And if I ever met him I would thank him personally for that lol.

The race started right on time - 9:30.  We had overcast and 40F weather to start.  It was PERFECT.  My goal was to run each of the first two 10k's in an hour, and the third 10k in 1h20m (allowing for the tough hills I had heard about quite a bit).  I wanted to run the first 25k, then power-walk the "big hill" and continue running as soon as I reached the top and finish strong.

My goal was to finish in 3h20m - as LONG AS i was having fun :)


I was not going to allow myself to suffer through a long hilly course all alone.  I made a few decisions within the first kilometer of the race:
- I am going to read every single spectator sign and do my damnedest to remember the best ones.
- I am going to hi-five every little kid with their hand out along the route... if they can stand out there for hours the least I can do is make them feel appreciated. 

Looking for great signs and committing them to memory and looking for little hands to slap sure did keep my mind occupied and kept a smile on my face.


Here are some of the great signs I read - I hope I never forget these words:

"THERE ARE RUNNERS THAT CAN'T HANDLE THE ENDURANCE OF A LONG RACE LIKE THIS.  THE POLITE TERM IS SPRINTERS."

"EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOURSELF YOU LEARN IN 30K"

"MY NEW HERO IS: ME"

I started the race with my mom.  She's in the grey coat next to me in this pic.

I waved at every spectator that I recognized, and made SURE to smile for every camera that I saw.  I think my body language at 29.3K shows how I truly felt during the whole race:

I felt so amazing to cross the finish line and see that even the GUN TIME had beaten my goal!! I figured I started a couple minutes after the gun so MAN was I happy to stop my GPS after the finish line and see approx 3:15ish... 

OFFICIAL TIME: 03:14:48!!!!!!!!

What an amazing experience! Don't look now - I might just be ready for Nashville!!!!


Oh and in case you're wondering.... 

This lovely lady whoooooomped my butt by 18 minutes - SHE'S AMAZING!!

Official countdown begins: 29 days 21 hours till the start of Rock n' Roll Nashville!!!

Training for my First Marathon: Week 10

Ahhhh the cutback week.... how BEAUTIFUL it was to see that!! Not only was it a cutback week, but the weather turned SUMMER on us! we went from gloves and tights to fuel belts and running skirts - it was a great no-stress running week for me.

This week I made sure to be on the right schedule for my meds, and was focused on a lot of water intake.  I'm trying to get healthy and be at my best for Around the Bay 30k March 25th.  

Speaking of the race, boy did my heart DROP when I got the email with my Bib #!! I'm just so excited to be completing a race at that distance.  (my bib # is 7055 for anyone wondering lol).

For the first time this week, I also looked ahead in my training schedule.... I realized that I only have TWO MORE long runs after Around the Bay before my marathon!!! The end is IN SIGHT!! I am feeling so good and so excited just to run! I can honestly say that I'm not concerned with goal times - I just want to have a good race and know that I can run 30k (18.64 miles) with hopefully minimal walk breaks.

My next blog will be all about my ATB experience, with likely a zillion photos and insight into the travel and fun times spent with some of the greatest friends a girl could ever ask for.... a preview for Nashville I'm sure!

~just put one foot in front of the other and see what happens~

Training for my first Marathon: Week 6

Week 6 was officially my highest mileage week EVER.  38 whoppin' miles including a 9 miler while most of my friends were on romantic Valentine's dinners.  

On that note I want to take a moment and say a huge THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to my boyfriend Greg.  With his support I am able to run while my son is sleeping, and on most occasions I return home to a cleaner house than I left it.  My running girls have been my rock on the pavement, but man oh man this training challenge would have been immensely more difficult without his support, love, care, and amazing understanding.

Ok enough of the sappy stuff...

On that V-Day 9 miler I made a decision: I AM COMMITTED TO ENJOYING EVERY TRAINING RUN and if that means the pace on my running app doesn't have the numbers I want to see, then OH WELL!! I do not run for numbers.  I run for my life. 

My long run was 15 miles on a windy windy Saturday.  Mom and I headed out on the Greenway and luckily dealt with almost all cross-wind.  It felt good to do the distance, but at the tail end of the run I thought to myself "now imagine adding 11 more miles..." - - - I have a LOT more training to do!

Sunday's hill training was SO fun because I got to have my 2 best friends along with me.  Thank goodness for the laughs and good conversation because after the 15 miler the day before, my legs were jello!

I also decided that my Monday 3 milers will be taken off my schedule.  I need the three days of rest: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays.  

Next week's schedule looks to be quite like this one, so we'll see how my legs feel after 2 heavy mileage weeks!

STAY TUNED!    

A loss is a loss is a loss... Right?!

Well after a less than stellar week of nutrition I managed to rid myself of half a pound in the scale this week. My weight now is 162.5. Last week was one of those weeks, a week that all us busy working parents can relate to; where what can go wrong WILL go wrong, and the world feels as though it's crashing around you. When you can hardly sleep how do you work out right?? And if you're like me and you're an emotional eater how do you curb it??

I put my 'operation black skirt' on hold for part of the week and just focused on getting through life. Once things calmed down I convinced myself to get back on the healthy train. I couldn't do it alone. I really wonder if anyone can! Thank goodness I have a planned run date each and every Saturday and this week, the run turned out to be a half marathon alongside my amazing mom.

It was just what I needed because I know no matter what life brings me I will always run.

My suggestion to you is to find ONE activity you love and stick with it, use it as your outlet. It will make your head better AND your jeans looser! It even acts as a safety net to work off the extra calories and stress that have been built up as well.

I learned this week that it IS ok to put the weightloss goal on the back burner when 'life' happens, so long as I go back to it when life sort of settles down.

This week I'm hoping for the ability to focus on losing the pounds but if life takes over, I know that running may save my weight as well as my sanity.

How was everyone else's week??