If you've been following this blog, you probably know that I ran the Austin Marathon on Sunday and maybe you've been wondering why you haven't heard any more about it. You may also know that my training went really, really well. Like me, you probably expected big things. If so, you'd be very, very disappointed. I had the absolute worst race ever. During my lowest low points, I felt like a total failure. But, even then, I'd tell myself that someone who has run three marathons can not be a failure. This would be followed by other very negative thoughts - that I really can't consider myself an athlete at all, that I don't deserve to run marathons, that I'm never going to even bother to run ever again. Of course, with some perspective, I realize that none of these things are true.
So, what happened? I'm still not entirely sure. The only thing that I can come up with is that the heat got to me and resulted in severe dehydration. I was on pace the whole way up until around the 20 mile point. At around 15 miles, I had a bathroom stop where I emptied my colon and hoped that that would be the end of it. However, around 20 miles, it hit again and I was forced to visit another port-a-potty. From that point on, I couldn't run more than a quarter mile without having to stop and walk just to try to get my tummy settled again. Those last six miles were long, hot, depressing and painful. I watched the 4:30 pace group go by... then the 4:45... then the 5:00!!! That's right, the FIVE HOUR group passed me. When I ran the Portland Marathon, my first, I finished in under five hours and was diagnosed with a stress fracture the following week. At Austin, my bowels and the heat somehow forced me into my worst ever finish. Devastating.
I'm not used to failing - in any aspect of my life. This has been a tough couple of days filled with reflection and self-soothing. I know this doesn't mark the end of my running career. It does mean, however, that I'm going to play around with electrolytes in my training since taking them on this run might have prevented the wheels flying off this bus. I had days of vibrant urine, headaches, muscle aches and feeling pretty worn down - all of which lead me to believe that I was too dehydrated. I finally got past it with a full day of taking an Advil and an electrolyte pill every four or so hours along with GALLONS of water.
I hope that I learn a good lesson from this race - even if that lesson is just that I am capable of both falling on my face and dusting myself back off so I can get back in the game. I'm taking most of this week off and planning a 12 mile-ish run for Saturday. I have a six week plan sketched out... hopefully I can redeem my battered pride on the Vernonia Marathon course!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Carbs!!!
For my last dinner in Portland, Ty whipped up my absolute favorite pasta - creamy with lots of pesto and fresh veggies from our farm. He served it up with a cold, dark beer and a big plate of toasty, buttery olive bread. Nom nom nom!!!
Austin Bound!
I'll be in Austin by this time tomorrow!! My flight leaves at the butt crack of dawn - 6:15 am. Which means that I'll be setting my alarm for 4 am!
I still have to do laundry and pack but I at least have a packing list so that I hopefully will not forget anything. At lunchtime today, I stopped at the grocery store to buy copious amounts of beer* and carb rich snacks for the flight.
The current LOW temp for Austin on Sunday is 62 degrees - which is about 15 degrees higher than the recent HIGH temps in Portland. I hope this doesn't slow me down too much but there's nothing at all that I can do about it so I'll just have to roll with it. Hopefully these last four months of solid training will pay off for me. I'm definitely the best trained that I've ever been going into any event. But, of course, I'm still nervous...
* - my Austin hosts only requested good beer when I asked them what they've been craving from home. I found some sleeves of bubble wrap in my craft room last night and I'm hoping that the six 22 ounce bottles that I'm bringing will be sufficiently cushioned to make it there! Cheers!
I still have to do laundry and pack but I at least have a packing list so that I hopefully will not forget anything. At lunchtime today, I stopped at the grocery store to buy copious amounts of beer* and carb rich snacks for the flight.
The current LOW temp for Austin on Sunday is 62 degrees - which is about 15 degrees higher than the recent HIGH temps in Portland. I hope this doesn't slow me down too much but there's nothing at all that I can do about it so I'll just have to roll with it. Hopefully these last four months of solid training will pay off for me. I'm definitely the best trained that I've ever been going into any event. But, of course, I'm still nervous...
* - my Austin hosts only requested good beer when I asked them what they've been craving from home. I found some sleeves of bubble wrap in my craft room last night and I'm hoping that the six 22 ounce bottles that I'm bringing will be sufficiently cushioned to make it there! Cheers!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Week 17
Taper feels so lazy and luxurious!! I know that there are runners out there who really struggle with the decreased activity level but I am so not one of them! I love getting the extra rest and spending so little, comparatively, time running. I couldn't do it for long but I do really cherish these respites. I know the lower activity level will not only give me the bounce I need for the upcoming race but that it also serves to give my body and mind time to heal so that they can be that much more ready for the next big task I have planned for them:).
Monday - rest
Tuesday - 5 @ 10:12
Wednesday - 4 @ 10:14
Thursday - 3 @ 10:07
Friday - rest
Saturday - 8 @ 9:59
Sunday - rest
My flight to Austin leaves on Friday and, other than the actual marathon, I only have three runs totalling 9 miles this week. I need to start my packing list and focus on eating good, high quality carbs at every meal while limiting the junk food and snacking. This is also a good time for me to pay attention to being well hydrated all day, every day. Which doesn't mean that I'll cut beer - oh, no, no, no - just that I'll limit myself to two while watching tonight's basketball game (KU v. K-State - ROCK CHALK) and one or two each night Friday and Saturday nights. I think the carbs outweigh any dehydrating factor as long as I'm keeping my consumption low and it might even help the tendency to over hydrate and the associated issues that one can have with that.
I'm getting nervous but also very excited!!
Monday - rest
Tuesday - 5 @ 10:12
Wednesday - 4 @ 10:14
Thursday - 3 @ 10:07
Friday - rest
Saturday - 8 @ 9:59
Sunday - rest
My flight to Austin leaves on Friday and, other than the actual marathon, I only have three runs totalling 9 miles this week. I need to start my packing list and focus on eating good, high quality carbs at every meal while limiting the junk food and snacking. This is also a good time for me to pay attention to being well hydrated all day, every day. Which doesn't mean that I'll cut beer - oh, no, no, no - just that I'll limit myself to two while watching tonight's basketball game (KU v. K-State - ROCK CHALK) and one or two each night Friday and Saturday nights. I think the carbs outweigh any dehydrating factor as long as I'm keeping my consumption low and it might even help the tendency to over hydrate and the associated issues that one can have with that.
I'm getting nervous but also very excited!!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Volunteering
Today, when reading the most recent Red Lizard Gazette, I came across an article describing a volunteer opportunity that involves running. Currently, some Red Lizards are partnering with the DePaul Treatment Centers to run with men in recovery. Apparently, they must have a chaperon to leave the facility - this gives them a chance to get outdoors, get some exercise and, hopefully, develop a life long relationship with running. All which will hopefully help them as they overcome their addictions.
So, I immediately sent an email off to the author and received a response from the woman who is working to get a similar program set up for the women at DePaul. She also sent me an application which I'll turning in tomorrow. Then a drug test and a criminal background check and I should be ready to take some ladies running just as soon as they get the program ready to go!
So, I immediately sent an email off to the author and received a response from the woman who is working to get a similar program set up for the women at DePaul. She also sent me an application which I'll turning in tomorrow. Then a drug test and a criminal background check and I should be ready to take some ladies running just as soon as they get the program ready to go!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
WTF, Austin!?!?
Chance of snow in Austin today!! The 10 day is showing warmer temps but I can already predict that this race is going to be very tricky on the packing front...
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Super Taper!
I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I missed last night's scheduled four mile run. After missing a day last week! This is not a good trend but I'm thinking that I'll just make up for it on Friday so I'll still be getting all my miles in for this week. I'll be sure to take it slow and easy, though, since I am technically on taper:).
Monday, February 7, 2011
Week 16
I ended up missing my planned six miler on Tuesday because I just wasn't feeling great and was worried that I might be coming down with a cold or something. As it turned out, I wasn't... but I sure don't feel bad about getting some extra rest!
Monday - 5 @ 10:15
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday - 5 @ 10:12
Thursday - 4 @ 10:19
Friday - rest
Saturday - 12 @ 9:37
Sunday - rest
On Thursday, I was supposed to have a tempo run but that didn't end up happening because I ran with Onya the Anchor. I had CPE that day and dinner with friends that evening so I had to squeeze my run in first thing in the morning. Since I was running at home for a change, I took the mutt along and she reminded me why I can get so inpatient with her sometimes!!
On Saturday, I ran around Mercer Island with Ty. We took a short cut to make the run 12 miles - it would have been 14 if we hadn't but I tend to prefer to stay as close to possible to my training plan. The run itself wasn't anything special and the road around the island can be pretty dangerous as evidenced by a ridiculous number of signs telling the drivers to share the road (I have to wonder how many runners and bikers have actually been hit to necessitate that many signs!). The final mile was primarily downhill so I turned it on and ended up running that last mile in 7:35!! I think that might be my first sub-8 mile ever. I nearly puked as soon as I stopped moving but it sure was fun... and the unplanned 12 mile tempo run gave me a good confidence boost.
Less than two weeks to go...
Monday - 5 @ 10:15
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday - 5 @ 10:12
Thursday - 4 @ 10:19
Friday - rest
Saturday - 12 @ 9:37
Sunday - rest
On Thursday, I was supposed to have a tempo run but that didn't end up happening because I ran with Onya the Anchor. I had CPE that day and dinner with friends that evening so I had to squeeze my run in first thing in the morning. Since I was running at home for a change, I took the mutt along and she reminded me why I can get so inpatient with her sometimes!!
On Saturday, I ran around Mercer Island with Ty. We took a short cut to make the run 12 miles - it would have been 14 if we hadn't but I tend to prefer to stay as close to possible to my training plan. The run itself wasn't anything special and the road around the island can be pretty dangerous as evidenced by a ridiculous number of signs telling the drivers to share the road (I have to wonder how many runners and bikers have actually been hit to necessitate that many signs!). The final mile was primarily downhill so I turned it on and ended up running that last mile in 7:35!! I think that might be my first sub-8 mile ever. I nearly puked as soon as I stopped moving but it sure was fun... and the unplanned 12 mile tempo run gave me a good confidence boost.
Less than two weeks to go...
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
January Mileage Total
I ran 176 miles in January - this is by far my highest mileage month ever. Of course, five Saturdays helped a lot since that's my long run day. Wow - I'm still not sure how I managed to get all those miles in! This puts me well on my way towards hitting my 2011 goal of 1,500 miles:).
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