THE MARATHON - St. Jude Country Music Marathon, April 28 2012, Nashville TN

Saturday April 28, 2012.

5:45am... the girls all met in the hotel lobby and headed to the start line of the Country Music Marathon.  Alison and I were READY with our matching tops!!

Alison and I

We got into our starting positions in Coral 17 and slowly walked our way up to the front in waves.  The other girls all held their emotions in check quite well so I couldn't really tell what they were feeling but me - I was ready.  I wasn't nervous or emotional... just ready to run and loving every moment of it. 

I said to Alison - soon we'll be one of them! One of the 1% of the population that has run a full marathon!! Iona quickly said that's about the same percentage as those who have joined the mile-high club... and maybe we shoulda trained for THAT instead.  LOL!! 

Our significant others had already mapped out a route of where they'd be spectating, and I could have sworn I heard them say they were going to be at Mile 4, Mile 11, Mile 17, and the finish, but once the gun went off my mind went numb and I really couldn't remember much of anything.  I spent the first five miles being conscious of not going too far to one side of the road or the other - just in case I spotted Greg.  I was looking for his red Buffalo Bills hat as my marker.  Thank goodness I had that to occupy my mind because MY GOODNESS those hills in the beginning were horrendous!! Keeping my eyes peeled for red and keeping a good form juuuuust in case he spotted me first was a great mental challenge to keep my mind off the burning in the legs. 

At mile 8 I passed two of my friends that had stopped to pee.  They are super fast though so I knew I'd see them again!  A little while later one of them did pass me, letting me know the other was in a bathroom line and I'd be seeing her soon!

At mile 9 I ran up on this girl with a gorgeous running top! it was a halter but the back had a string of ruffles from the neck to the middle of the back, it was pink and frilly - I just had to compliment the girl! Come to find out her name is Moe and she's a transplant from Lansing to Nashville. It was her 2nd time running the Country Music Half Marathon and this time she had a specific mission: count the inclines.  Apparently the first time she ran the intense 13.1 she had trouble describing just how hilly the course was, so this time she counted.

BY MILE 9.3 SHE HAD COUNTED 14 INCLINES.

I couldn't help but think - oh boy what have I gotten myself into...

Now its mile 10 and I'm back to looking for a red hat.  Nothing in sight.  I come to find out later that at mile 11 Greg saw me, and he even ran up a hill to try and catch me! But it was no use... Speedy Brandy was gone :)

Right around mile 11 is where the half-ers peeled off to finish on their own.... it was an interesting feeling because 3 times now I've run races with full and half marathoners on the same course and I was always on the half-er side of life.... peeling off to the finish thinking "wow-those other runners are amazing - they're just halfway!" ..... and now, here I was one of those "wow" runners.  It felt damn good.

Somewhere just past the halfway point the heat really started to get to me.  Pouring water on my head didn't seem to be enough and my long shorts had now been pulled up to daisy dukes.  I have no idea what possessed me to, but of all the people on the sidelines one older guy sitting on his cooler caught my eye.  I ran up towards him asking if he had ice in his cooler, and if I could grab a handful.  He was more than accommodating - if he ever reads this - THANK YOU.  I threw a small handful of ice cubes down my sports bra.  It was the first time in hours that I felt like I was cooling down for more than just a few seconds.  The ice-in-the-sports-bra routine would continue throughout the course.

At right around mile 15 I got a tap on my shoulder... it was Iona!!! (one of the speedy ones that had stopped to pee).  She said she was content running my pace for a while so we headed off to tackle the next set of miles together.  She had asked me if I had seen the guys and I told her I hadn't seen a soul that I knew.  She said they would be just up ahead at mile 17 so I should finally get to see Greg - who was holding cereal bars and gummies for me.

Iona and I running together

Somewhere near mile 16 we were on a street in a part of the course that had runners crossing paths.  Iona and I started to look for Alison and hoping like hell that somehow out of 30,000 runners, in this little spot in which to see runners that are at a different pace than you, that we would spot her.  To my amazement there she was! It was a 4 lane road with a grassy median.  Alison and I ran towards eachother and hugged on the grass.  Fans on the sidelines reacted with "awwww's" and cheering and applause.  Ali and I wished eachother well and kept on our separate ways.

At the 17 mile mark Iona and I found our guys.  And to my shock there was Greg - holding a huge sign with a picture of Ethan and the words "GO MOM GO" - there was more on there but I just couldn't process the whole thing.  He knew how much those kinds of signs got me emotional so when I saw him he hugged me and kissed me and after asking if I needed my cereal bars or gummies he said "Don't Cry and Have Fun!" .... I yelled back at him that if there was any way he could - I needed more ice after the 20 mile mark. 

I found out after the race that my mom and Greg had hatched a plan and mom and Ethan made the sign for Greg to hold at the race.  Man oh man it means the world to me that my family thought THAT much of me to make me a sign and hold it for me!

Shortly after that, Iona and I came up on Aymee and we ran the better part of 5 miles together the three of us.  We saw a running juggler, two guys running in matching white suits, and plenty of zany race signs.  Somewhere between 15-20 miles we also ran through the frat-house area of Vanderbilt University.  Man were those kids a HOOT!! they had awesome music blaring - so awesome that I was doing some crazy dance-running, and they were SO supportive yelling CMONNNN ROOKIE!!!

Somewhere in there is when the heat and hills really got to us as well.  We walked through the water stations and started power-walking any steep inclines.  I watched a woman get weary and almost fall right in front of me, and that was enough to keep me in the mindset of having fun and being SAFE, not overdoing anything and risking injury or worse.  So many great fans and volunteers offered fruit and beer, and there were also plenty of hoses and sprinklers to run through! We stopped at every one of them to take a moment and cool off.

When we got to mile 20 I knew we had one thing left to do.... "run to the park and back".  I remembered from watching the race video that the last leg of the race had us running to a park, then running through it and then coming back to the finish line.  I also remembered this part of the video being the flattest and the most shaded of the entire race.  I was feeling good and having a fantastic time and I was very lucky not be alone.  Iona offered me a Jolly Rancher - and I tell ya as soon as I put it in my mouth it took me right back to my youth... I just kept thinking to myself "imagine running like when you were a kid".

At this point though the run started to take a bit of a toll on my body.  For the first time in my running career my ankles started to ache.  They felt as though I had been on ice skates for way too long.  Although it wasn't unbearable it certainly wasn't comfortable!

At 23 miles Aymee picked up the pace and quickly put distance between her and us.  Congrats to her for finishing strong! Iona and I hung back together, continuing to run-walk as we needed to.

As we came out of the park and headed towards the finish line - at mile 25ish there we were again, for a short time passing those runners just entering the park.  I hoped there was a chance to see Alison again to encourage her and wish her well on her last bit - and BAM  there she was!! We hugged again - she said she was tired but she looked good and was taking care of herself and going the safe pace she needed to.  I was so proud of her and of us because we were THIS CLOSE to accomplishing our goal!!

The spectators at the end knew just what to say.... for the last few miles I kept hearing "only 3 more miles and you won't be a rookie anymore" and "only 2 more miles..." They were SO motivating and I swore at that moment that the only way I'd run another full is with another top that would garner that kind of response!

At mile 26 there was Greg again - I just kept saying to him "baby I'm doing it!!!" He was apologetic for not getting to me sooner or having ice, but I made out just fine! Just knowing he was there for me meant everything to me.  I may have been out there for hours but I TRAINED FOR THIS! He was a trooper that day!

Iona and I finished side by side.

FINISH TIME: 5:07:51

Training for my First Marathon: Week 14

I'M LOVING THIS TAPER SCHEDULE!!

Only 27 miles this past week... I'm spending more time planning the rest of my Nashville vacation than I am out on the pavement - and its been a looooong time since I could say something like that!

I have been focusing I have my packing list done, my race day list done, have been focusing on hydrating, had my tattoo consultation to commemorate my first marathon, and am already planning my post-marathon races.   

Thank goodness we have vacation planning and packing to think of this week, because if I was running a local race and didn't have all those other "to-do"s I think I would go bonkers with nervous excitement.

All there is left to do is run it.... and memorize the elevation chart... which looks like THIS:

One word to describe this chart... EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!

It will take everything in me this Sunday to NOT over-train on the hills.  It is my last hills run and because of the pent up energy (on account of the tapering) all I want to do is pour my guts into the hills to 'prepare'.  But my mind knows better...

Pour my guts all over Nashville - not Windsor Ontario.

I still have never forgotten my dear friend Aymee's comment at the beginning of this training: "just wait till the end of the schedule when you're SO HAPPY your long run is ONLY 13 miles"!!  I thought she was nuts - but she was certainly right! 


This weekend its just a simple 10k followed by 5 miles on the hills.  I am only running one day next week and resting my legs after that.  With the race in 8 days, the last thing I want to do is wear myself out.


For the first time I feel like I'm at a loss for words... I am ready.  I am comfortable.  I am getting my race shirt (and Alison's too) printed with MARATHON ROOKIE this weekend.  All plans are set and all details ironed out.  I won't bother posting a blog next week and will instead provide you with as detailed a blog as I can the following week - chronicling my adventures during my very first full.


Thank you to EVERYONE that has emailed, facebooked, tweeted, and commented on here wishing me well.  Thanks for the feedback and the advice - I have truly taken it all in.  It will be very interesting when this is all said and done to go back and read this blog from week one - see me "scared" to run 15 miles.  Those feelings were - and always will be - valid.  Now they just seem like a lifetime ago.


After this marathon I will likely take a break from blogging for a couple of weeks but not TOO long because I have yet another challenge ahead of me... 

First thing's first though... 

Country Music Marathon

Run Rock N Roll Nasvhille 

7Days 15Hours 32Min 53Sec

Training for my First Marathon: Week 13

The week of the 20 miler...... dun dun DUNNNNN...

I had some pretty solid mid-week runs and I'm pretty sure I'm still on a runner's high so I wasn't all that concerned about running the dreaded 20-miler >> until of course Saturday morning when the day actually came!

My 4 year old woke me at a decent time - 8am-ish, and him and I had a nice breakfast and relaxed with a movie on the couch before my noon run date with my mom.  I started to feel sleepy at 10:30am and worried if my low iron would keep me from having the kind of run that I needed in order to feel confident for Nashville.


I did my best to get rest even if it wasn't sleep, and hoped that my nerves would turn into excitement and give me the boost of energy I needed to start the longest journey of my running life...


I had the whole run planned out... my mom would meet me at noonish for a 10 mile run, and as we headed out the door I would text my friend Steph who would meet us approx. 1h40min later at my house and join me for the second 10 miles.  My goal was to get 20 miles in and if I could do that with company I knew it would be SO much easier!  The weather was great. The sun was bright but the wind was chilly, which made for a gorgeous day for a run.  Mom and I did a 10mile out-n-back.  I 'gu'd at 7 miles.  When we got back, Steph was only 2 minutes away and was ready for our 2nd 10 miles! Mom stayed with us for the first bit but had to turn around as she was out of time to run.  Steph reminded me to 'gu' at 14 miles, and she also kept reminding me that I WAS DOING GREAT and if I needed to slow down or walk it was PERFECTLY OK. 


Neither one of us could believe the miles were ticking off as easily or as quickly as they did! With 2.5 miles left in the run and approx. 3 miles left to my house I felt it necessary to quickly run in to a convenience store and grab some gatorade - I knew as soon as my GPS read "20 miles" I would NEED fluid.  Steph and I each carried a bottle... I refused to stop and fill my fuelbelt bottles - I didn't want to stop for any long amount of time and seize up with such a short and critical distance to go!


Boy was it a miracle to get to 20 miles... my legs felt FANTASTIC but my arms and shoulders? DEAD from carrying a measly gatorade bottle!!! I guess after 18 miles of running my body didn't want ANY added weight or stress.


To my amazement my GPS read: 

20.0 miles in 3:33:45 >> A FREAKIN 10:41 PACE ON A TRAINING RUN!!!

And by some miracle, I wasn't that sore the next day and even made it out for a 4 mile hill training run! 
 
Between my Around the Bay race and my 20 miler man oh man do I ever feel unstoppable! I KNOW I KNOW... the race is NOT 20 miles its 26.2 and that last 6.2 is likely the hardest thing I'll ever do in life other than natural childbirth (and yes, been there done that).  And my training has been FLAT and Nashville is NOT... but I truly feel I can handle anything that course throws at me.  I will not finish first, but I WILL FINISH.  And that has been my goal all along.


And now?! TAPER TIME!! >> the gun goes off in just 16D14H1M38S!
 

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: Weeks 8&9

Well, the nasty flu bug caught me again.  I'm starting to think that this Alopecia is really wearing on my system and all these miles are making me quite susceptible to viruses.  I was better prepared this time and I allowed myself to slow way down and just try to log miles regardless of pace, and I refused to get down on myself.  My poor friends had to put up with this process but they didn't complain one bit.  I have the best friends and running partners on the planet... did I mention that?!

Back to running...so between running and resting I figured it was best to just combine the blogs instead of trying to think of what to write with a foggy brain (insert funny joke here - ha ha).  So my week 8 mileage was 36 miles and my week 9 was 33.  Up next - CUT BACK WEEK!!

And I realized this week my shoes have almost 400 miles on them, and I'm starting to feel back pain and fatigue.  That can only mean one thing.... its time to BUY MY MARATHON SHOES!! Its pretty exciting to think these are the shoes I'm breaking in to run the biggest race of my life! Might sound silly for some but, for me it just makes that light at the end of the tunnel a little brighter!

Its bittersweet though, because my mid-training race is almost here - March 25th 30k Around the Bay in Hamilton Ontario.

I never thought I'd get to the place where I feel "prepared" for a race of that distance, but I really am ready.  The bittersweet part is that this experience is almost over (just over a month to go till Nashville) and also my mom won't be running my long runs with me anymore.  The 30k race is HER longest race ever and its her goal for this spring... so once that's done she really has no reason to run 19 miles the following weekend (or 20 miles the weekend after that) lol.  I wouldn't have gotten through this without her.  I wouldn't get through this LIFE without her, so its only fitting that I lean on her so much for this life-changing experience.

I <3 YOU MOM!

I'm starting to really get excited for this Hamilton race... to be honest up till now I haven't really thought about it or cared about that race... just figured it would be an interesting way to get a long run in... but you can't take the competitor out of this girl... I already have my race plan and goal time set for the 30k - promise that I'll share these HONESTLY once the race is done.

LOOK AT THIS WEATHER!! Doesn't matter if you run, walk, bike or blade... get out there!