Let's Do This (again)

This is a bit of a cheat. I actually drafted this post before my first marathon, back in October. I set it to publish Sunday morning, the day of the race, but it never did.
I still like it, though, and found it fitting as I'll be running my SECOND marathon, tomorrow.

Enjoy!

By the time you read this, I will either be pounding out 26.2 miles (consecutively, apparently?!) or will be finished doing so and whining things like " why did I EVER think that would be a good idea?!" (clean version of what I'll actually be saying)

While I could type, endlessly, about my feelings about this upcoming race. I'll spare you and keep this short, honest and only mildly dorky.

You're welcome.

GOALS : in reverse order, 'cause no one can stop me.

C : Finish with a smile on my face and a strong desire to race this distance, again. Yes, yes, I have read and been told that "finish" should be my one and only goal for the first marathon. Turns out I'm way too stupid over-acheiving for that nonsense. Really, though, I'm not taking it lightly. I respect the distance and have felt the pain of long-distance racing.

B. Sub 4:00. Without the whole stress fracture business messing with my fragile brain, I'd think this would be totally do-able. The facts remain, though. I was forced to sit and not run for seemingly endless weeks during this training cycle. This goal may turn out to be extremely difficult to reach.

A. 3:45 I have struggled, for months, to come up with realistic, fearful-smile-inducing goals. Earlier this week, though, I had a total moment of peace and clarity. 3:45 it would be. The icing on the CrazyGoal Cake? Afterward my a-ha moment, I plugged my most recent 10k time into Mr. McMillan's calculator. He predicts, based on that stat alone, that my marathon finishing time could be 3:45:12.

The nerves and stress are astronomical. Not only am I venturing into completely unknown territory, but I'm also taking my entire family with me.

Imagine packing your suitcase for your very first marathon.
Now imagine it's also out of the Country.
And you have to pack everything your family of five will need for several days.

SeewhatImean?

The Middlest, demonstrating Freakout Mode

 

It'll all come together. It won't be easy,  it will absolutely be life-changing, and I am so excited I can hardly wait.

 

Please stop back by for a marathon of a recap. 

 



Only Nineteen Left

As would be the case in a marathon, that phrase is far from encouraging. These posts aren't nearly as painful or sweaty, though. Ooh! Maybe I'll give myself a medal upon completion, too?!

 

a small part of my collection. Definitely needs a Blogging Streak addition.

 

Today's Topic : My Six Worst Running Experiences (in no particular order)

 

•  The final run before my Stress Fracture diagnosis. Read all about it in this post. The worst part? Up until the point where I was fighting back embarassing tears of pain, it was one of the most successful Tempo Runs I'd had in months.

 

soooo not worth it

 

• The attempted Tempo Run just prior to the aforementioned Disaster Jaunt. I have no post to bore you with, as it was prior to my blogging. In retrospect, the looming Stress Fracture might have had almost everything the teensiest bit to do with the failed workout. I warmed up for a mile and could not. complete. a single tempo mile. I was a physical and mental mess. We have all had failed workouts. This one was bad enough to stick in my mind as one of the most demoralizing training runs I've ever had. It was particularly bad because it followed...

• The OTHER attempted Tempo Run just prior to the aforementioned Disaster Jaunt. Yes, it was Summer. Yes, it was disgustingly hot and humid. Yes, I had nagging pain which eventually turned into a full-blown injury. At that time, in my training, though, none of those factors were able to erase the defeat I felt when I was unable to complete this speedwork. They were workouts I'd done before. The pace was slower than my 5k pace, for goodness' sake! Those runs lead me to question everything about my running, for the first time, ever. I know how dramatic that sounds, but I had never before had to wonder "why am I even putting myself through this?" Up 'til that point, running had been fun. Even when it was competetive, it was still fun, for me. Now, with a goal of "Marathon", everything began to unravel. It was a very dark time, indeed.

"ooh, how artistic! See how she uses the photo to simulate the shadow falling on otherwise happy times!"

 

• This 10k was so awful for so many reasons.

ugh

I was so excited about this race. It was the first in a set of races appropriately named Tour De Pain Extreme. The 10k was held in the morning, followed by a 5k the same evening and a half-marathon the following morning.

 

I realize that concept doesn't seem tempting to any most people.

 

I love 10ks, though, I love the idea of running fast after a morning race (the 5k) and would have a perfect excuse for why I sucked it up in the 1/2 the next morning. (uh...I just ran 2 races, yesterday...). In my usual form, I failed to peek at that above course map, prior to the race. Apparently, the "Extreme" portion of the title wasn't a fluke. There were four bridge crossings. In 6.2 miles. It was hot, hideous and such a disappointing start to the fun weekend I'd built up, in my mind. For the first time, ever, I didn't even look at the posted results, after the race. It was that bad.

 

•  This 5k. Other than the quickie Genuine Mile race I'd done, it was my first post-injury race. I was so happy to be in racing shape, again, and had set my expectations way too high. I was simply not as ready as I'd hoped I was. It was so discouraging and, for the first time, made me question if I ever wanted to race a 5k, again. After some time, I was able to shake off the race, but it still haunts me, a bit, when I look at my upcoming race calendar.

somehow, the bands on the course had the oppostite effect of "motivating me"

• And, finally, my first 18-miler. Again, pre-blogging days, so there's no link to an overly-dramatic and blurry photo-filled post. It was supposed to be a "long, slow day". My furthest distance, to date, had been 16 miles, so I thought it would be totally do-able. Five miles in, I had the first inklings of panic, about the heat and the way my body was feeling. When, at seven miles, I realized that I would have to finish out fourteen miles, just to get back to my car, the full-blown nausea and defeat set in. (it was an out & back, paved trail). I remember hating the lucky people on bikes. I shot desperate looks at anyone who passed, hoping they'd offer me some sort of solution to this situation I'd gotten myself into. 

  I stumbled to my car, at mile 14 and ripped off my sweat socked socks & shoes. I literally had to wring them out. A frustrated, whiny phone call to The Husband somehow provided the kick in the butt I needed. I shoved my blistered, wrinkled feet back into my shoes, and set back out to finish out those four miles.

Luckily, the experience provided me with a comprehensive list of "What Not to do on Long Run Days".

Bottom line :

To acheive runs that leave you feeling like this:

 

 

 

...sometimes you have to go through ones that make you look like this:

 

 

In lieu of Today's link sharing, you get the above picture.

 

You're welcome! 



 

 





 

 



Adventrageous!!

new word
new plan
new post every day from now 'til Dec 25th
All from me...just for you

our actual advent calendar

I'm not nearly creative enough to come up with interesting stories twenty-five days straight. I can likely scrounge up a few, but my main purpose was to give and share. Each day I will share a blog or site I frequent, in the hopes that I can give you all something better other than my nonsense, to read.

Sometimes.

You should totally still read my blog!

Feel free to show your appreciation to me, in the form of lavish gifts and/or money.

Today's Advice : Don't be lazy with your schoolwork and produce a horrific Progress Report. Instead of sleeping in and enjoying a relaxing Saturday, you will be dragged, pre-dawn, to volunteer at a local race.

our family's version of Community Service

 

Don't pity him too terribly much. He got a free, Krispy Kreme doughnut out of the deal. Plus, he got to spend quality time helping and hanging out with his dearest mommy.

 

"If I take your picture can I get another doughnut?"

 

The first blog I'd like to introduce you to is Tia's. She's a mom of four and a strong, fast runner. I chose her, for today, because she just ran her second marathon in four weeks, this morning!

 

I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just give you a hint. She accomplished a PR (personal record) in both.

 

Ridiculous, right?

 

What was the worst punishment you ever had to endure?



 



Round Two

While I don't feel I'm a slave to training plans, I do like having somewhat of a guide when venturing into unknown running territory. See, the day after I registered for my first marathon, I went ahead and signed up for my second (third...and fourth. I may have a problem).

more on this, soon!





Two days after my marathon, I felt completely fine. Yes, this could be a sign of good training. It could've also had something to do with the fact that I didn't actually run it at my "race pace". I am so happy with everything about that race, so I'm not regretting my pace. My current mentality, however, is along the lines of : Now we know we can successfully run for 26.2 miles. Let's do it faster!

Mr Higdon actually has training plans for idiots runners participating in multiple marathons. I jumped right into his 8 week plan, after the NFIM. A few days into it, though, I was feeling completely bored and unfulfilled. My body felt great and I was totally fired up. "2 easy-paced miles" for my daily workout was just not cutting it.

real snail. Not actually a picture of me...just what I felt like

 

I launched into some obsessive research and came up with a newer and decidedly tougher plan. Again, I'm not exactly Type A about running...or anything for that matter. However, I am definitely not experienced enough to try to improve my Marathon time "on the fly".

 

Plans are good.

 

Plans are our friends!

 

I'll end up with a lot of miles by the end of this first, full week. They'll include 7xHill Repeats, a 10 mile, goal marathon-paced run AND a long run. For some reason the daunting aspect of these workouts is making me ridiculously happy! I'm being rigid about my stretching, foam rolling, yoga, Epsom baths, compression and rest, too. Extra and/or difficult miles are only a teensy part of training.

really it's all an excuse to get to dress like this 

 

My new schedule is making me optimistic and deliciously spent at the end of each day. Had the ol' injury not joined the previous Prepping For a Marathon Party, I undoubtedly would have been able to train harder, then, too. All of my workouts, post-stress fracture, though, were forced to be altered. The fact that I was still able to succesfully complete a marathon, after all that, reinforces my belief that I went about things the right and patient way.

 

Granted, during my disgusting run, Sunday, I had to repeatedly remind myself : "This is what YOU wanted!". While the affirmation did nothing to stop my audible? mental whining, it did keep me going. (that, and the thought of the pizza I was going to devour upon finishing)

 

While I'd love to ramble more, here, I just realized the awful scent I keep catching a whiff of is actually me. Turns out I wasn't actually able to fit in a shower after running ten miles, this morning...

 

If you think that's nasty, you should check out my Marathon Souvenir:

Runners can be pretty gross, eh?

 

Want to share something icky? Now's your chance! 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 



 

S&SS - "Recipe" Edition

Have you been having too many good-feeling or rewarding runs, lately?

Want to mix things up and toss in miles horrendous enough to make you wish a sinkhole would open up and swallow you so you don't have to run another step?

I have the formula to produce what you're looking for! The process takes a couple of days, so be sure to set aside enough time and follow the instructions, carefully.

Ingredients :

• 1 hilly 10k race, run hard
• 3 hours of soccer games
• 1 annoyed afternoon with no soreness, leading you to believe you hadn't raced at maximum effort, after all
• 1 ill-timed core workout, due to the lack of pain from race
• 4-6 friends
• 2 (many) adult beverages
• 0 allergy medications
• 12 additional, hilly miles
• 75 degrees (normally this temperature could be combined with shade and/or clouds. You won't need either for this recipe)

Instructions:

• Run the hard and fast race, on a challenging course. Optional : wear racing flats you haven't used in months!
• Sneak in some half-hearted stretching while watching your kids run around, outdoors.
• Spend the rest of the day deciding if you're happy or sad that you're not experiencing any aches or pains from the morning's race.
• Go ahead and try a new Abs Workout routine
• Invite over friends and family to hang out and watch an outdoor movie. Make sure you stay up with them well past your bedtime. For best results, eat and/or drink more than necessary, as well.
• Forget to take your allergy pill
• Wake up the following morning, stuffy and congested, with the worst case of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) you have ever had. (Pain from your ribcage to your toes, preferrably)
• Decide to go ahead and run your 12, scheduled miles, anyway.
• Idiotically forget the fact that gorgeous, cooler weather that graced your fine city, last week is gone. Realize this when you're 4 miles into the blazing hot run, check your phone and see that the current temperature is not appealing to any normal people...runners or otherwise.
• Don't forget to complain to your internet friends about a situation you had total control over and simply made poor choices. Repeatedly.
• Enjoy!

Do you have a favorite recipe to share?

Friday Fastie

bite-sized goodness

 

heaven in a giant bowl

 

1. Where have these things been, all my life?

 

2. Will someone please take them out of my life? Now.

 

Luckily, I can race off some of those (delicious) calories tomorrow morning.

River City 5k/10k

 

This is a very small, local, race I've participated in the past 2 years. Small, as in, I was 1st Overall Female, last year with a underwhelming time of 46:02.

I've never done the 5k route. Both distances include some (Florida) hills, but "luckily" they're mostly at the end. 10ks are hard to come by, in this area, so we have to take what we can get. The way I figure, though, is I can still race against my own time. If that means I only win or lose to 4 other runners, so be it.

 

Some of my very best lady friends are running their first 10ks (!!) there, too. These are the same ones who just killed their old 5k PRs (personal records), so I expect this to be a fine morning for all. I'll be there to represent our running group, too. Just a bit more pressure to perform well.

 

January was the last time I raced (a 5k) and came away with a new PR. Every race after that, although fun and rewarding, did not produce record-breaking results.

 

It's time. For real.

 

What are your goals for your Saturday?



Niagara Falls International Marathon Stuffs

The first two parts of My First Marathon Recap can be found here and here. This post is more about the actual race setup and weekend. Fun to learn about and especially useful for people like this sweet girl who is planning to conquer this actual marathon!

I have a dangerous habit of RRUI (Race Registering Under the Influence). The kids get tucked in bed, lunches made, dishes done ignored and it's time to settle down at the ol' PC to start scanning race calendars. More often than not, sleep deprivation, paired with an adult beverage, leads to some sketchy decisions and morning-after panic. This marathon, though, was carefully chosen and researched.

Not a tough sell with a finish line like this

The Niagara Falls International Marathon options include a 5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon AND marathon relay. Sounds like a cluster, huh? All events are capped at reasonable numbers, though, (1,500 for the full) and it's been held, annually for many years.

The Site:
The website could be better. Info is found in odd spots and there are entire omissions (race results, for example). Beyond that, though, they do provide a ton of links for participating hotels and transportation. This was perfect for out-of-towners, like ourselves.

Travel:
We went with a shuttle service that picked us up from the airport, stopped and waited for us at customs and then took us directly to our hotel. It was cheaper and way less stressful than renting a vehicle for our family of five. Every rep we spoke to, including our driver, was extremely friendly and helpful.

Locale:
We checked into the hotel and went to grab a late lunch. This was when we discovered the big Niagara Falls Downer. Being the vacation spot it is, everything was waaayyy overpriced. Convenient? Yes. Restaurants, Casinos and shops were plentiful and all within walking distance. However, due to all the tourists and crazy Canadian sales taxes, a plate of pancakes at IHOP was $20.

the free ice cream cones made everyone happy, though

 

Health & Fitness Expo/Packet Pickup:

With some free time after our mediocre-tasting, $100 lunch, (yeah for vacation!) we decided to hit up the expo. Note : For this race, go to the expo Friday. Avoid going Saturday at all costs. When my sister popped into Canada, Saturday, for her surprise visit, we went back to the expo to get the stuff for her race. The lack of lines and quiet excitement were replaced with tons of people and claustrophobia-inducing chaos. Blech.

 

The bib pickup was quick and painless. Find your bib # on the wall, get in the appropriate, well-marked line and get your color-coded bib, complete with name. (I love personalized bibs!!) You then walk through a little hallway to activate your chip and proceed into the expo.

 

If you're running in the Full Marathon, you have to show your I.D. or passport at the expo to actually get a bib. You're  rewarded with a cute, red, maple leaf stamp on your hand.

 

I carried my first marathon bib as though it were a precious newborn kitten as we walked around to check out the different vendors. (No! Don't put it in that bag! You might scrunch it!) There were a lot of different companies and plenty of free samples and giveaways. For the small-ish number of entrants, it was a pretty well-stocked expo. Girls were even walking around passing out tiny cookies with the race logo on them.

the boys were SO pleased when I told them these were now "souvenirs" and mustn't be eaten

 

Marathoners were given giant, clear goody bags (as they'd double as drop bags for the race). I believe all other distances got standard-sized bags. Each distance featured a completely different shirt, too. Mine was long-sleeved and neon yellow. My sister's 10k one is short-sleeved and black. None of the shirts have any sponsor logos on them, either. This wasn't something I'd seen before and none of the volunteers seemed to be able to explain the reason for this.

 

We killed at least an hour at the expo, stopped by The Falls for a few quick photos and then headed back to the hotel to see what treasures that giant bag contained.

yes, I had a ratty ponytail. No, I wasn't even running that day.

 

goody bag delights displayed on sensibly patterned hotel room carpet

 

That's my fancy shirt in the upper left. There was also a full (not sample) sized bag of whole wheat pasta and totally addicting Werther's Caramelts. It also included some tasty bars, a snack pack of almonds, liquid tea mix, biofreeze, and a ton of the standard race flyer, coupons, pens, etc.

It was a nice assortment, for sure. (my sister got all the same stuff in her 10k bag, too)

 

Race Weekend Extras:

Saturday morning held an opportunity for runners, and their families, to get together for a short run. This is followed by a (free!) breakfast at Planet Hollywood. I ended up skipping the run, as it was rainy and I didn't want to get my marathon shoes soggy. We did, however, walk the mile (in beautifully cold weather) to the restaurant for the group meal.

 

The volunteers who'd set it up were so friendly and accommodating. The race director was there, as well, and seemed more than happy to be answering all the questions runners had for him. There was a well-stocked spread of fresh bagels (assorted varieties), cream cheese, butter, peanut butter, tons of muffins, bananas, coffee, juices, waters, hot chocolate and teas.

 

Bonus : Planet Hollywood was *just* close enough to the US Border that our cell phones had reception!

 

Before we left, the volunteers insisted we load up with extra goodies. This turned out to be perfect, as the bagel I stashed in my pocket ended up being my race-day breakfast. Upon their urging, the boys each grabbed another bottle of juice and we took a leisurely, scenic walk back to the hotel to enjoy the indoor, heated pool.

Bagel in pocket: yes. Banana nestled under arm: check. Ratty ponytail: mmm hmmm

 

One thing lacking from the expo and/or goody bags : any sort of written instructions. Most other races I've participated in, especially half-marathons, provide you with some sort of last-minute or race day reminders. There was nothing. We had to rely on the website. With our spotty internet access, this proved to be tricky and increased my stress levels.

My advice : print as much info as you'll need before you go.

 

Race Day :

The marathon & marathon relay runners get bussed (from one spot) to the US starting line. All the other races actually start in Canada and every distance shares the same, scenic finish line. Of course, if you're already in the US, you can simply drive to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.

I'm pretty sure there was no parking, though, so you'd have to be dropped off. I'm also sure there was no race day packet pickup, so that'd need to be done the day before, as well.

 

Due to the unusual setup, the buses leave between 7:00-7:45 am, but the race doesn't actually start until 10:00 am. They need to allow time to get through customs and get everyone transported on time. When it runs smoothly, though, this can mean waiting for over two hours for the race to begin. Not fun, but it could've been worse.

 

Plus : We were able to wait inside the art gallery (no standing outside shivering!)

Minus : We were not allowed to bring food or drinks in there

Plus: Indoor bathrooms!

Minus: Three stalls (I later learned there were also a ton of port-o-potties outdoors)

Plus: Comfy seats in the auditorium/holding area

Minus: I fell asleep, briefly

Plus: There was some really lovely artwork on display

Minus: There was also some really hideous, lewd pieces

 

About 15 minutes before the start, I made my way outside to the buses where you could drop your bags. There were quite a few and they were designated by bib numbers. The line was short and efficient. I was able to wear my (ugly) jacket right 'til the end, too.

 

The Course:

The course was well marked, but there weren't really very many opportunities to get lost, anyway. Most roads were completely closed for the runners. There were never any traffic issues, so it must've been well-controlled. A majority of the race is run on a scenic parkway, in Canada. That's also closed to traffic for the race.

 

The water/Cytomax stops were plentiful and well-manned. I detailed that a bit more in the 2nd part of my recap. I noticed some port-o-potties on the course, but have no idea how many or where they were, exactly. Had I needed one, at some point, I'm sure I would've paid more attention to this detail. 

 

There were lots of spectators in the first few miles, but that was all through downtown Buffalo. Once we got into the more nature-ish areas, it got a bit lonely.  

 

The Finish/After Party:

The finish line was jam-packed with excited spectators. That, combined with the loud music and announcer made it very cool. I was quickly given a medal, shiny blankie and water bottle. The advertised "bag of food" was nowhere to be found. Boo.

I didn't see anyone else walking around with them, either, so I don't think I just missed the table. I'm pretty sure I saw a table with a small number of bananas and granola bars, but nothing stood out as : Come Get Your Tasty Post-Race Food, Here!

I had no appetite, anyway, so I didn't really care, at that point. My sole focus was on finding ice for my rapidly swelling left foot.

 

I hobbled over to the Medic Tent and was greeted with concerned-looking paramedics. I quickly assured them that I was fine and just needed some ice.

 

"Are you injured?" one asked. "No, no...my foot's just sore and I wanted to put some ice on it." I responded.

They directed me to the massage tent and told me I could get ice for "that sort of thing" there.

I limped aalll the way back to that tent and repeated my request. The man directed me to some young volunteers, in the back, who were instructed to give me a "handful of ice" to wrap up in my foil blankie.

One girl proceeded to open a cooler (full of ice packs) to show me that all their ice cubes were nearly melted.

It was, at this point, that I offered to buy a handful of ice from them. I also made the (apparently crazy) suggestion that they just let me use one of their ice packs. The girls assured me that they couldn't possibly do either and watched me shuffle back out of the tent.

Eventually, my husband went back to the medic tent and used his no-nonsense tone with them. I'm way too nice, in these situations. One of the guys sneakily slipped me an ice pack (for real. it was like a behind-the-tent, shady drug deal) and told me to tell anyone that asked that I'd found it on the ground.

 

My advice: BYOI or don't swell. Post-race ice is just simply too risky and precious to count on as an option.

 

I hope I've given off the impression that this race is awesome and that I'd recommend it 100%. I'm sure I'm slightly biased, as it was such a big deal to me. Beyond that, though, it really did provide for an amazing experience and every part we encountered (not including the Ice Fiasco) ran like clockwork.

My Medal Model

Feel free to ask me any other questions I didn't cover

 



 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 





 

 



That Day I Ran To Canada

...Eh

Two important notes before we begin/continue :
First : Part One of this saga can be read and enjoyed here.
Second : The oatmeal I'm eating, right now, has thirteen components. Beat that.

The Husband was kind enough to walk me to the bus that would take me to the Start Line, way back in the USA. My mom accepted the enviable task of subduing the rowdy boys in the hotel room. (thanks, mom!)
I skipped the line for the first bus, which already looked pretty full and hopped in line for the second. I'd been waiting less than a minute when a lady, about my size, picked me up by my shoulders to physically move me out of the line.

"No, no!" She exclaimed. "You can't go on this bus. This Japanese bus!"

uhhhh...ok? A bit shell-schocked, I stumbled over to the next bus and wondered what nationality it was reserved for.
A volunteer was stationed at the bus doors, verifying that every person had their passport, before stepping onto the bus. He asked me, so I patted my pocket to double-check and then nodded.

"Good. First marathon, eh?"

Whaaa? How did he know? Dangit! That Japanese Bus Incident must've been a total giveaway.

The trip from Canada, to the US start, was pretty uneventful.

hi, USA!!

Oh, unless you count the part about where the idiot on our bus lied about having his passport and our entire bus had to wait at Customs for the issue to get resolved. Other than that it was a breeze.

Despite the frustrating setback, we arrived at the art gallery/holding station with plenty of time to spare. I relaxed, ate my bagel, sipped some electrolytes and felt surprisingly calm. Not as calm as this guy, mind you...

not dead, just napping (?)

 

Finally, I went outside, stuffed my jacket in my drop bag, hooked up my ipod, hitched up my arm warmers and found a little niche in the starting area. There were around 1,300 people registered for the full. There was also a Marathon Relay, though, so half of those people started with us, too. (the others were waiting at mile 13.1, where the Half Marathon also started)  They played both the Canadian and US National Anthems, pumped up the music and we were off.

 

The tears I'd been expecting never came. Instead, I thought my face was going to split from the smile I couldn't shake.

 

The temperature was just below 50F, it was sunny and cloudless with a very light breeze. This was exactly what I'd hoped for when I registered for a Northeastern, Fall race to reward myself for training all Summer, in Florida.

 

Miles 1-3 : We ran through a really pretty part of Buffalo. I kept my music off, as there was plenty of chatter, spectators and traffic to keep me occupied. I waved at all the families with their noisemakers and signs and thanked all the law enforcement and volunteers I could. I was carrying my big handheld bottle, filled with water and GU brew. It's what I trained with and felt no need to change this procedure. The cool air and earlier stomach troubles left me feeling a bit dehydrated, so I just sipped whenever I needed to.

Mile 1 Goal : 9:11 Actual : 9:10 I actually said "whoo-ha!" or something like that, when I saw the # on my garmin. The couple beside me looked at me like I was a nutjob.

Mile 2 Goal: 8:41 Actual: 8:42 For real? This whole pacing thing is a breeze!

Mile 3 Goal: 8:11 Actual: 8:25 After analysis, I think I know what happened here. I was still in a pretty large pack of people, who were keeping more of a steady 9ish mm, pace. All the weaving and acceleration I'd avoided in the 1st two miles needed to happen now. There was just too much traffic to do so.

 

Miles 4-6: No fatigue, whatsoever. I know the adrenaline and change (for me) in conditions made a huge difference, but everything felt absolutely perfect.

Mile 4 Goal : 8:06 Actual: 8:18 The end of this mile involved crossing the Peace River Bridge. I'd totally psyched myself out for it, having experienced other races with bridges o'death. By the time I was on the decline I  had to turn around to make sure I'd actually gone up the thing. It slowed my pace the teensiest bit, but was a total non-issue.

Mile 5 Goal: 8:01 Actual : 8:09 As planned, I had my 1st GU (complete with caffeine & inspiration from my sissy) after the 5th mile. I had a few seconds of nausea, trying to digest, but that's pretty common for me.

Mile 6 Goal : 8:01 Actual: 8:26 Bye-Bye NY, Hello Canada (eh)! The rest of the race would wind around the shores and parks of little rivers from Lake Erie. Near the 10k point, I got a little panicky, realizing I had 20 miles left.

 

It was, at that moment, that I decided to stop thinking, stop looking at my Garmin and enjoy this gorgeous course and amazing opportunity.

 

Also worth noting, while marvelling at the view of Ontario, across the expanse of sparkly water, I encountered World's Biggest Downer. The runnerguy (appropriately dressed in black from head to toe) saw my relaxed smile and said " We still have SUCH a LOOONNNG way to go!"

 

Coincidentally, that's when I first turned on my ipod. Loudly.

 

Miles 7-10 I really didn't look at my Garmin during this stretch. I was running at a comfortable pace, fearful of my inevitable freakout I tend to get during races. The spectators were few and far between, as there weren't many places to park and wait during this stretch.

Mile 7: 8:37

Mile 8: 8:24

Mile 9: 8:29 The bottom of my left foot started aching and burning, at this point. It's been a troublesome spot, before, so I didn't pay too much attention. Other than that, everything felt dandy

Mile 10: 8:55 I took another GU (minus caffeine) at the 10th mile and noticed I was getting low on water. I jogged through the water stop to grab a cup and try to just pour the whole thing in my bottle. That was a fumbling mess, naturally.

Near the water, there were some pretty windy spots. I kept trying to get behind bigger people, but no one was really forming any sort of pack. I'd also hoped to try to latch onto someone at a similar pace, as I would've been able to talk and run at the speed I was going. No such luck.

beautiful...and windy

 

 

Miles 11-15 Somewhere in here, water stops started appearing every mile. Since there was only scattered spots of other cheering sections, I really welcomed this. Most were run by schools or organizations and they were very loud and encouraging. I started walking, through every other one. I wasn't feeling the need for walk breaks, but I needed to take the top off my bottle, pour in the cups and stockpile liquid.

Once I got my bottle full, I added my extra GU tab & enjoyed the fizzy, lemon-lime electrolytes. The little slow-downs were also, obviously, helpful in staving off overall pain and fatigue.

Bonus : the on-course photographer snapped away while I walked through one of the stops. I was not thinking pleasant words to him.  

Mile 11: 8:37

Mile 12: 9:09

I knew my pace was getting slower and was totally okay with it. At that point, I came to the realization that I just wanted to be able to tell The Husband, upon finishing, that I had done my best.

The strangest? coolest thing occured, about 10 seconds later. I came to a neighborhood where one of the families had written, in four-foot high chalk letters, "YOU'RE DOING YOUR BEST" in the middle of the street.

 

Whoa.

 

Mile 13:9:03 At 13.1, there was a huge station where the relay runners met and it had been the start line for the halfers. I kinda felt like stopping, and calling it a day...

Mile 14: 9:01 Officially farther than I have ever raced!

I was feeling good, physically, but a bit lonely. There was a good chance none of my family would actually be able to get transportation to spots on the course, and would only be at the Finish Line. I bided my time by pretending other families were mine, and waving wildly at them while they looked past me for their loved one. Running a marathon = free pass to act like a lunatic.

Mile 15: 9:13 Took a GU Roctane, here, as they generally stick with me a bit longer. My tummy still felt great. I contemplated switching my music off, and turning on my audiobook. My poor ipod's been sweat-bathed so many times, though, the buttons are a bit iffy. I was nervous that if I messed with it, it'd rebel and turn off for the day. Music it was, then.

 

Miles 16-22 If it weren't for the constant, confusing signs (miles and kilometers markings were showing up for the marathon, half-marathon AND 10k by this point) and frequent water stops, these miles would've been pretty desolate. Yes, the surrounding scenery was breathtaking. Yes, the people stopping to vomit and/or otherwise relieve themselves in the woods was entertaining. Other than that, though, this was totally new territory for me.

Mile 16: 9:22

Mile 17: 9:26 Finally saw my loudly cheering husband, boys AND Canadian sister-in-law with her husband and sons! They were probably bursting with pride when they saw me walking through the water stop, pouring liquid everywhere.

the "action" shot The Husband got

 

The oldest ran out to hand me a handful of gummy bears. See, I'd told my other sis-in-law a tale of woe about another half-marathon I'd run. We'd been promised a Gummy Bear station, at mile 10 and I was devastated when none were to be found. Having heard my whiny story, she asked my family to be sure to give me the gooey treats when they saw me.

Aren't my people awesome?!

I felt so bad that my Canadian family had driven all that way to see me walk/jog by for 10 seconds. Spectating is a thankless job, for sure.

Mile 18: 9:29 Seeing some of my family had given me a huge mental boost. I was still so nervous about the seemingly inevitable wall , though. It seemed so much safer to just maintain, at this point, and hope for the best. I had sneaked a peek at my watch, though, and was suddenly focused on how do-able it'd be to finish with a sub-4. That became my sole thought and focus.

Mile 19: 9:21

Mile 20: 9:19 Knowing I only had 10k to go made me feel cautiously giddy. I kept evaluating and was amazed to discover how great I felt. Granted, I was tired and sore but nothing alarming or out of the ordinary, at all. The left foot was becoming more of an issue, but I consoled myself with the thought of shoving it in a bucket of ice, at the finish.

Mile 21: 9:34 Officially farther than I'd ever run, before. This thought was met with panic, but quickly squelched.

Mile 22: 9:28 Taking my fourth, and final GU was thrilling. We had moved out of the more scenic area, and into the city, though. I was having a bit of trouble zoning out and was starting to notice so many other marathoners walking.

 

Miles 23-26.2 (or .45, if you ask my Garmin) I'd hoped to speed up for the final 5k, but was still pretty much gripped by fear. Since I hadn't hit any sort of wall, it had to be coming any moment, right? I was terrified to increase my effort, for fear of totally crashing.

Mile 23: 9:45 My slowest mile. I'd done some spotty math and knew I'd only have to maintain a 10 mm pace to get in under 4 hours. This suddenly didn't seem so easy.

Mile 24: 9:44 Seriously?! I finally come up with a goal I'm totally hungry for and I'm not going to make it?! Then, I saw a familiar form running towards me. As per usual, my dad knew where and when to be. I was surprised that I was able to converse with him and was oh-so grateful for the distraction and comfort he offered. I turned off my ipod and most of my brain.

Mile 25: 9:21 This goal was NOT going to slip away, now. I'd wanted it for over a whole hour! The husband had been able to get to this part of the course, as well, (regular Houdini, eh?!) and joined my dad and I.

Another plus to a smallish marathon : No one minded my bandit pacers.

My dad took my sweaty water bottle and made his way back off the course to try to make his way over to the finish line. The poor husband, in jeans and long-sleeved shirt, was doing his best to encourage me and try to decipher my ever-so-attractive grunts and babbles.

Me: "Sub 4. (grunt) Just wanna (grunt) under 4 hours"

Him: "Not sure what you're saying but you sure look pretty" (or something like that)

I was so freaking tired at this point and so upset that they'd actually made the final mile another 14 miles long. (seriously. that thing seemed to go on forever!!)

He told me he was so proud of me. I, in the final mile of my first marathon, insisted on starting an argument.

"You're not allowed to say that 'til I finish!"

At that point, he told me I "had this" and made his way back off the course.

 

I knew, in that moment, that he was right.

 

I was about to finish a marathon. In under four hours.

this being the finishing view didn't hurt

 

 

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my mom, sister and niece. They were shaking cowbells and yelling wildly. I couldn't even smile or wave, though. All I could focus on was that finish line.

 

Mile 26: 9:03

.45: 8:17

 

When I came through the finisher's chute, the announcer yelled out my full name, city and state. That warranted my first-ever Hands In the Air, dorky-feeling finish.

Gun Time : 3:58:50

Chip Time : 3:58: 24

16/74 F35-39

72/476 F

 

I took a couple steps forward to get my medal and the gasping sobs began. Granted, they were happy convulsions, but pretty nasty, nonetheless. I hobbled around, looking for faces I knew so I could tell them I was going to grab some ice. We all reunited, hugged and I was able to congratulate my sissy on her awesome, first-ever 10k, too.

 

• I didn't run into any, dreaded, race-day disasters. No wall, no potty breaks, no hunger, no dehydration, no vomiting, no debilitating pain. I had a fueling plan, executed it pefectly and felt amazing.
• Could I have made it hurt more, in the middle, and ended up with a better result? Who knows. I found a groove, stayed in it and avoided any crashes. For that, I am grateful and can look back on this race with nothing but joy.
• My one regret : not being able to find someone to run and chat with. That would've been a great boost
• I am totally and completely addicted to the marathon. Next one's in 8 weeks. Stay tuned for that action.
• My family & friends/support system is the best. Hands-down.

 The next post will break down the actual race structure and weekend, if anyone's interested. Teaser for Part Three :

 

Niagara Falls International Marathon : Where ice cubes are more precious than gold

 

Thank you all for reading (or skimming) about my race. I love other people's recaps and hope there's some useful tidbit in here. Since I already posted the post-finish pic, I'll leave you with the goofy one leading up to that one. Enjoy :

luckily, The Husband decided to take another shot after this

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pink Feet 10k/5k Recap

Aka : Weekend, Part Two. In case you've just joined us, the previous weekend wasn't that exciting. I just got tired of typing it all out, yesterday.

Mysterious Miles :  Ideally, I would like to have used a local half-marathon as a tune-up race for my Full. Unfortunately, those are few and far between, this time of year, in Florida. Having no desire to tack on travel expenses to races fees, for a glorified training run, I set my sights on using a 10k, instead. (Obviously, the distance is less than 13.1 miles, but the overall concept remains.) It just so happened that an inaugural 5k/10k event was being planned for the Sunday right before my marathon.

Bonus :  Some of the Pink Feet 10k/5k/s proceeds would also be donated to the local hospital group (Florida Hospital) for Breast Cancer research. Our family participates in some sort of event, every October, specifically for this purpose. This way I could kill two birds with two pink feet!

It's easiest to say that I wasn't going into this race with PR (personal record) expectations. However, that's not necessarily the most truthful statement. In reality, all of the miles I've put in for marathon training, (minus that whole injury hiatus) should enable me to run shorter races, faster. When I raced my fastest 10k, last November, the conditions were near-perfect, all around. That aside, I felt very strong and confident this past Sunday morning, too. I was shooting for a sub 46 finish and would not have been surprised to see a 45:xx on the clock at the end.

spoiler







I'm still trying to come to terms with what went wrong.

My first mile was an easy-feeling 7:22. The second and third were slightly slower, on purpose. I was suddenly starving (a new and unpleasant feeling, for me, mid-race) and didn't want to burn out too early. The whole experience, though, was nothing like last month's icky 5k, so I was still feeling cautiously optimistic.

I turned on my music at the 5k split and felt like I was coasting on auto-pilot. After an extensive "status check", I happily realized nothing hurt. There was a male and female in front of me, but I had no desire to pass. Using them as pacers seemed a much better plan.

There were a couple of issues, towards the end of the race.
1. The enormous hill, right at the end of mile 5, sputtered out my slowest split (8:04)

2. The guy in front of me walked off course, apparently finished for the day, right before mile 6. (wth?) I stopped, thinking there was a problem. Still not sure if he never intended to actually race, was my own, little hallucination or was a secret plant to mess with my head. Either way, it was weird.

3. Lack of signage/direction coming around the final turn. I couldn't find the finish line, or the race leader. The lady with the megaphone was lovely and encouraging but would not, for the life of her, just point a finger in the right direction. I had to (again) stop to say "which way?!". Her ever-so-helpful response : "Girl! You lookin' GOOD!"

I agreed, took a gamble and turned the blind corner. I knew, long before this point, that my overall time wasn't great, but I was very happy with how well I was feeling. Little did I know, the way I was feeling on the inside, was definitely not reflecting outwardly :

Holy Geez. What am I even doing there? At least this explains why my right hip hurt, afterwards.

 

After uglying up the Finisher's Chute, I saw my guys, got some amazing news about some 5kers, took a few sips of water and headed out to finish my run. If I'd waited any longer, I would've definitely talked myself out of those last, hotter (but slower) six miles. My lovely sister-in-law kept me company for most of them, so it wasn't all bad. 

 

The Good News :

1. I felt really strong and happy and ended up winning 2nd, overall.

treat for them : they got to put the medal around my neck after I ran an additional 6 miles!

 

It was a small race. Just a little over 250 participants and most were walkers or people who chose the 5k. First overall was actually a female, too!

when I grow up, I want to look like that when I finish a race

 

2. For an inaugural race, there were very few hiccups. The parking area was over a mile from the start line. Not ideal, but we knew in advance and the directors did everything they could to make it more pleasant.

Packet pickup was IN the parking lot, so you could stash your stuff before making the trek to the start.

They also semi-lit the super-dark, in-the-woods, paved trail so we'd be able to see the bear/bobcat coming to eat us, long before it pounced.

It was supposed to be chip-timed, at the start, but didn't end up being so. Don't know why.

I'm not real sure about the post-race amenities as I was out running while others were enjoying them. I do know they had a kids' race, very cute medals and lots of pink.

 

3. Hot on the heels of my medal-winning sister, our partners-in-crime/running, destroyed their former 5k PRs on this fine, Sunday morning.

beat her best time by TWO minutes!!

 

Kristi-Anne's time was good enough for third female, overall, in the 5k and Kim's (above) medal was for placing first in her division!

 

To paraphrase my new, directionally-challenged volunteer friend  : "Girls, you lookin' GOOD!"

 

I'll have plenty of time to figure out how to make those great-feeling race miles faster. I've done it before and am confident I'll do it again. For now, I can ride high on the happiness of this past weekend with family and friends and enjoy this low-maintenance, high-stress taper-time!!

 

Giveaway coming soon!!