A couple of weekends ago, I ran a 5k at a local park. It was a night race, running under Christmas light displays that have been set up in the park for the holidays.
I didn't taper for the race since my goal race is getting closer and I don't want to take any more time off, but I was still hoping to get that elusive sub 20 time. The race was at 6pm, and since I usually run better in the afternoons than in the mornings, I figured that one day of rest, plus a whole morning of rest, would equal a fast time. :-)
Well, I didn't count on the weather...at the race start, it was just under 80 degrees, with 80% humidity. I was dripping with sweat after jogging next to Buttercup in the kids' race, so I changed my goal and aimed to just run as fast as I could. I didn't wear my Garmin because I felt like I was going to run around 21:30 or slower, and I didn't want to see my pace while I was running!
The race started, and I was behind one woman right in front of me (we were literally rubbing elbows at one point since she was drafting off of me -- annoying!!), but since it was dark I couldn't tell if there were any other women in front.
We ran through the lights and, aside from the drafting that was going on, the first half was fine. I felt good, my legs were nice and loose, I wasn't breathing too hard, etc. The only thing was, there were no mile markers and no crowd support (except at the one water stop at the halfway point) -- 2 things that you don't realize you'll miss until they're not there! And then, at one point I finally got so annoyed with the woman drafting that I ran behind her and on the other side of the road, just to get away from her! It's hard enough running through blindingly bright lights, in the dark, with speed bumps, without having someone breathing down your neck the whole time. :-P
The course was very quiet, except for the sound of the runners' breathing and feet hitting the pavement. Then up ahead I could hear the announcer at the turn-around point, then I could actually see the turn-around. As the front runners passed me on their way back to the finish line, I saw a woman running with the lead pack of guys, so that meant that I was currently in 3rd place (Drafting Woman was a couple of seconds ahead).
I passed the halfway point at 10:30 something, which made me feel better, since I felt a little off without my Garmin. I had no clue what my pace was, or if I had gone out too fast, but I was trusting myself to listen to my body and I felt like I was running a consistent pace.
The second half of the race was also uneventful. I did the math in my head and assumed that I would run a low 21 race, which I was okay with! It was much warmer and more humid than I prefer for running, and I'd had a big week of running, so at that point I was happy with whatever I got. :-)
I had about 1/2 mile left to run, when I ran under the last big light display. It was a tunnel of flashing lights, and right when I got to the end of the tunnel, the lights went out at my end! As if that wasn't bad enough, the race photographer took my picture right at that moment, so I was blinded from the flash for about 5 seconds. :-P
Finally, I had just a tiny hill and then about 1/4 mile left to go. I knew there were 2 women in front of me (one whom I could possibly catch, one whom I couldn't), and I didn't even try to catch the woman in front of me since there was no chance of coming in first anyway. Then I got passed by a high school girl, who then passed the woman right in front of me!
I finished in 20:53, which means I ran a negative split in a hot race! That's 6:43 pace, which isn't too bad. :-) And, according to the race results, I came in 3rd overall (not 4th, like I'd thought)...not sure what happened to the first woman I'd seen at the turn-around!
According to race calculators, a 20:53 5k predicts a 1:36 1/2 marathon...which would be an improvement over this year's time (1:46, ugh!) but would not be a PR, nor is the time that I've been training for. However, the 5k would have been faster with cooler weather, so Lord willing, the weather will be nice and chilly the morning of my goal race! If not, hopefully I won't run another personal worst. ;-)
Showing posts with label Running Thoughts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Running Thoughts. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Thundercloud Subs Turkey Trot 5 miler race report
I have time to blog today! I was originally planning on putting up a bunch of beautiful pictures from our post-Thanksgiving hike last week, but I still have to get the pictures from my hubby's computer to my computer, so . . . instead you get an awesome race report. Ha ha ha ha ha.
Every Thanksgiving, there's a 5 mile race downtown. I'd never run it before (and never planned to run it, since downtown Austin is nothing but hills and I hate running on hills!), but a good friend of mine recently started running races, and she talked me into running it with her. Another good friend signed up, too, and our kids were all signed up for the kids' race, so it looked like it was going to be a fun morning!
I decided to skip a couple of easy runs that week so I would have 2 days off before the race. I also decided to use the race as my hill workout for that week. :-) Going in to the race, I was hoping to run under 35 minutes. However, that goal quickly went out the window since it was a warm morning, and because of the HILLS! Oh my word, the 3rd hill in particular was so difficult. I don't understand why so many people sign up for the Austin Marathon -- I could hardly do 5 miles on those hills, much less 26.2!
Anyway! My goal was sub 7 minute pace, but I didn't meet my goal. I did, however, finish in 36:39, which got me 9th place in my age group (I think that is my best placement in a big Austin race!) and was also about 30 seconds per mile faster than my pace in the Statesman Capitol 10k in March. :-) Whoo hoo!
My splits were pretty even:
Mile 1: 7:15
Mile 2: 7:33
Mile 3: 7:18
Mile 4: 7:08
Mile 5: 7:13
Overall, it was a really fun race, and a great way to start the Thanksgiving holiday! Here are some pictures from the race (Theodore was home with Aunt Anna and Granddaddy):
Every Thanksgiving, there's a 5 mile race downtown. I'd never run it before (and never planned to run it, since downtown Austin is nothing but hills and I hate running on hills!), but a good friend of mine recently started running races, and she talked me into running it with her. Another good friend signed up, too, and our kids were all signed up for the kids' race, so it looked like it was going to be a fun morning!
I decided to skip a couple of easy runs that week so I would have 2 days off before the race. I also decided to use the race as my hill workout for that week. :-) Going in to the race, I was hoping to run under 35 minutes. However, that goal quickly went out the window since it was a warm morning, and because of the HILLS! Oh my word, the 3rd hill in particular was so difficult. I don't understand why so many people sign up for the Austin Marathon -- I could hardly do 5 miles on those hills, much less 26.2!
Anyway! My goal was sub 7 minute pace, but I didn't meet my goal. I did, however, finish in 36:39, which got me 9th place in my age group (I think that is my best placement in a big Austin race!) and was also about 30 seconds per mile faster than my pace in the Statesman Capitol 10k in March. :-) Whoo hoo!
My splits were pretty even:
Mile 1: 7:15
Mile 2: 7:33
Mile 3: 7:18
Mile 4: 7:08
Mile 5: 7:13
Overall, it was a really fun race, and a great way to start the Thanksgiving holiday! Here are some pictures from the race (Theodore was home with Aunt Anna and Granddaddy):
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Running randomness and cute kid-isms
Currently I'm following a new running training program for the 3M half marathon (in January). I'm going to try my hardest to follow the plan to a T, and so far (3 weeks in) I'm off to a good start. Okay, so I still have a problem with running my long runs too fast, but I've been doing a lot better at making sure I get the quality workouts in and not just doing longer runs instead. Last week I actually did hill repeats (although I should more accurately say "hill" repeats, since there are no real hills in our neighborhood).
Today was speedwork day for me, and I had planned to go to the track to run my 400 repeats, but as things go, I slept in and had to do sprints on the treadmill instead. I was (am) determined to do this right, so I calculated how fast I needed to run each 400 (1/4 mile on the treadmill), and what speed that would be. I do all of my treadmill runs at 1% incline, so based on that, I would have to run all 7 of the 400s at 10.2 mph. :-O That's really fast. I wasn't sure I could do it, and since I have a little bit of a cold I decided to cut myself a little slack and aim for 10.0 instead. I ran the first 4 at 10.0 and actually felt (relatively) comfortable, so I ran the last 3 at 10.1. I really felt like puking on the last two, which makes me think that I did it right. :-) Yay for God! He is awesome for giving me the ability to do this!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now, cute kid stuff!
Before we go somewhere, do something or, in general, transition from one thing to another, I have a habit of saying something like, "Who wants to go hiking/outside/to the store/swimming, etc?" and Oliver and Buttercup usually answer, "Me!" Well, Theodore has picked up on that, and now when I ask those questions, he'll chime in with, "Me!" in his sweet baby voice! Sometimes he'll also respond that way if I say something like, "Let's go get in the car!" ["Me!"] or we can also ask him something like, "Who's a sweet baby boy??" ["Me!"] Adorable!
Here are some funny things that Buttercup said over the past couple of days:
-- [While flipping through the Carter's catalog]
Me: What are you looking at?
Buttercup: I'm looking to see which baby sister I want.
-- [Last night, while I was tucking her in]
Buttercup: I love you so much, Mama! I want to live with you forever!
[Five minutes later, after I reminded her to stay in her bed]
Buttercup: I'm going to steal all of the sound machines, and run away from you and Oliver and never see you again!
-- [This morning, while picking out clothes for school]
Buttercup: I want to wear my jack-o-lantern shirt and dress up like a pumpkin patch.
Me: Do you mean dress up like a pumpkin?
Buttercup: No. I said a PUMPKIN PATCH. You know, where they make the pumpkins?
-- Her prayer at lunch today:
"Dear Jesus, thank you for this new, great day. And please help us love each other
better. And thank you for this beautiful lunch my mom made for me. Amen."
Today was speedwork day for me, and I had planned to go to the track to run my 400 repeats, but as things go, I slept in and had to do sprints on the treadmill instead. I was (am) determined to do this right, so I calculated how fast I needed to run each 400 (1/4 mile on the treadmill), and what speed that would be. I do all of my treadmill runs at 1% incline, so based on that, I would have to run all 7 of the 400s at 10.2 mph. :-O That's really fast. I wasn't sure I could do it, and since I have a little bit of a cold I decided to cut myself a little slack and aim for 10.0 instead. I ran the first 4 at 10.0 and actually felt (relatively) comfortable, so I ran the last 3 at 10.1. I really felt like puking on the last two, which makes me think that I did it right. :-) Yay for God! He is awesome for giving me the ability to do this!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now, cute kid stuff!
Before we go somewhere, do something or, in general, transition from one thing to another, I have a habit of saying something like, "Who wants to go hiking/outside/to the store/swimming, etc?" and Oliver and Buttercup usually answer, "Me!" Well, Theodore has picked up on that, and now when I ask those questions, he'll chime in with, "Me!" in his sweet baby voice! Sometimes he'll also respond that way if I say something like, "Let's go get in the car!" ["Me!"] or we can also ask him something like, "Who's a sweet baby boy??" ["Me!"] Adorable!
Here are some funny things that Buttercup said over the past couple of days:
-- [While flipping through the Carter's catalog]
Me: What are you looking at?
Buttercup: I'm looking to see which baby sister I want.
-- [Last night, while I was tucking her in]
Buttercup: I love you so much, Mama! I want to live with you forever!
[Five minutes later, after I reminded her to stay in her bed]
Buttercup: I'm going to steal all of the sound machines, and run away from you and Oliver and never see you again!
-- [This morning, while picking out clothes for school]
Buttercup: I want to wear my jack-o-lantern shirt and dress up like a pumpkin patch.
Me: Do you mean dress up like a pumpkin?
Buttercup: No. I said a PUMPKIN PATCH. You know, where they make the pumpkins?
-- Her prayer at lunch today:
"Dear Jesus, thank you for this new, great day. And please help us love each other
better. And thank you for this beautiful lunch my mom made for me. Amen."
Friday, October 12, 2012
IBM Uptown Classic race report
This past weekend I ran the IBM Uptown Classic 10k. I ran it for the first time 3 years ago in 43:07 and had really good memories of the race, so I was looking forward to running it again. I started training specifically for this race around the end of June with the hopes of getting a new PR, and I had 3 months of solid running, with several good long runs and speedy runs. I decided to do a real taper for the race, and everything was going great, and then I ended up having some random knee/calf pain last week (during my lowest mileage week in months!!!). I'd heard of runners getting weird pains during their taper weeks, but this is the first time it happened to me. I took an extra day before the race off to rest my knee, but it was still bugging me the morning of the race, so I decided to forget about trying for a PR and just run it at a pace that made my knee feel the most comfortable.
I ended up running it in 45:16, which is a little over 2 minutes slower than my PR, but is also 3 minutes faster than the 10k I ran in March. :-) I also ran at a consistent pace, which is something I've always struggled with (part of the reason why I love running on the treadmill!). My knee did bug me during the race, but thankfully it's just fine now. :-)
Splits from the race:
7:31
7:18
7:16
7:22
7:11
7:17
Oh, and this was the first race where Oliver and Buttercup both got to do the kids' run. They ran a 1k, which is just about 3/4 mile. :-) Here are some pictures of them before their run! Way to go, guys!!
I ended up running it in 45:16, which is a little over 2 minutes slower than my PR, but is also 3 minutes faster than the 10k I ran in March. :-) I also ran at a consistent pace, which is something I've always struggled with (part of the reason why I love running on the treadmill!). My knee did bug me during the race, but thankfully it's just fine now. :-)
Splits from the race:
7:31
7:18
7:16
7:22
7:11
7:17
Oh, and this was the first race where Oliver and Buttercup both got to do the kids' run. They ran a 1k, which is just about 3/4 mile. :-) Here are some pictures of them before their run! Way to go, guys!!
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Running stuff
Wow, God has really blessed my running in the past few months. I started a new training plan after the 3M half marathon, and so far it has been working wonders for me! I love it. The weekly long run is more of a progressive run (where you run about 3/4 of the mileage easy, then the last 1/4 at a faster pace), which works out really well for me. And the speedwork is written so that it's easy to do on a treadmill, which is also great for me since I don't have the time to get out to the track once a week. So far, I've been hitting all of my paces perfectly, including the easy runs, which is something I've really needed to work on in the past! Every run is an answer to prayer and I'm just so thankful for it. I have even been getting up well before the sun twice a week to get my runs in so I'll have more time with the kids, and it has all been going so well. Hooray!
This week I ran 45 miles for the first time in several years. Wow! I still can't believe it! Not only just the mileage, but also the fact that I'm not injured, plus I've been able to do some really hard workouts with ease. I feel like I'm a completely different runner than I was 5 months ago, and I love the feeling of finally getting back in shape after 2 years! I also love that being older and wiser also means that I don't turn every run into a race, and that I'm truly running my easy runs easy. But mostly, I'm so thankful that I'm running with my heart and mind in the right place! Such an answer to prayer. :-)
I'm planning to race a 5k in a couple of weeks, so next week's mileage will be closer to 40 miles, and then the following week I'm planning to taper down to 25-30 miles so I'll have fresh legs for the race. Can't wait to run fast!
This week I ran 45 miles for the first time in several years. Wow! I still can't believe it! Not only just the mileage, but also the fact that I'm not injured, plus I've been able to do some really hard workouts with ease. I feel like I'm a completely different runner than I was 5 months ago, and I love the feeling of finally getting back in shape after 2 years! I also love that being older and wiser also means that I don't turn every run into a race, and that I'm truly running my easy runs easy. But mostly, I'm so thankful that I'm running with my heart and mind in the right place! Such an answer to prayer. :-)
I'm planning to race a 5k in a couple of weeks, so next week's mileage will be closer to 40 miles, and then the following week I'm planning to taper down to 25-30 miles so I'll have fresh legs for the race. Can't wait to run fast!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Not a personal worst! Statesman Capitol 10,000 race report
This morning I ran a local 10k race. It's one of the biggest races in Texas (supposedly!) and is the biggest race in Austin! It looks like a fun race, but I've never run it before because it's a hilly course, and I don't do well on hills. (Probably because I don't train on hills . . . but I digress.) This year I decided to do it because 1) I felt like I needed a confidence boost after that half marathon in January, 2) I've been using a new training plan and I wanted to see if it's really working, and 3) I was just ready to run another race! :-)
I didn't really taper last week. I did my regular speed work and long run last week, but I cut one of my easy runs in half and skipped my usual easy run on Saturday. On second thought, it looks like I kind of did taper . . . just a mini-taper and not a full one. ;-)
Because of the hills, I wasn't sure what time to aim for. I felt confident that I could pull off 7:15-7:20 pace on a flattish course, but was pretty sure that was out of the question on a hilly course. So I decided to aim for 46:30ish, but mainly I wanted to 1) not go out too fast, and 2) keep my pace consistent. Oh, and not finish slower than my personal worst of 48:44.
This morning we all went to the race and I jogged down to my corral and was ready to go with about 15 minutes to spare before the gun went off. Whoo hoo!
As the race started and I waited to cross the start line, I prayed that I would run the race with the right attitude (both during and after), run a consistent pace and finish strong.
Then we were off! The course was flat for about 1/2 a mile, and then I hit the first hill. It wasn't too bad, and I made sure that I was going slow enough that I wouldn't feel like I was dying after the next one. Even though it was a warm morning and the hills kept coming, I felt really good and strong.
Immediately after mile 2, there was a steep downhill. I mean, steep. I wasn't expecting it, either! I had just gone up a hill, and then when I got to the top there was nothing but a steep drop. It was fun running down it though, and I was thisclose to running under 6:00 pace for a brief second.
Around mile 3, I was still feeling strong, but was starting to get really hot. Fortunately, a water stop was right ahead, so I ran to it and grabbed a cup of water, drank some, then dumped the rest down my shirt and on my head. Felt much better after that! Unfortunately, the mile 3 marker came up shortly after and my time was 23:3x . . . which meant I needed to run a negative split to make my 46:30 goal. And I didn't see that happening!
Thankfully, the first half of the race was the hilly part, so as I got closer to mile 4 the course was mostly flat with a few gently rolling hills. Whew! I was still hot and getting hotter, so I jogged through every water stop and drank a little bit of water and dumped the rest on my head.
Shortly after mile 5, I started to feel discouraged. I glanced at my Garmin to check my time and it was just over 39 minutes! Ugh, definitely not what I wanted to see. I had about 1 1/4 miles left, and I would have to run something like 6:00 pace to meet my time goal. I felt like stopping, but God was there with me! It was only another mile, with a little bit extra. No big deal. Besides, I was getting closer to the finish line, and I didn't want my kids to see me walking!! I was able to pick up the pace a little bit, but only through God's help. :-)
Finally, I was close enough to the finish line that I could hear the announcer. Yay! My Garmin said that I'd run 6 miles in 45:2x. I was ecstatic. I could maybe (I'm horrible at math, especially while running), finish close to my goal! (Or not, like I said, I'm horrible at math.) Or, at the very least, run under 47 minutes??
And then, then, then, then. Then. Up ahead I saw the actual mile 6 marker. Which meant I'd run a little bit extra on the course, and there was no way I was going to run under 47 minutes. Because I passed the mile 6 marker at 46:xx. Wah. Oh well!
I had enough gas left in the tank to sprint up the bridge, down the road, and cross the finish line in 48:15. For a 6.2 mile pace of 7:46, and a 6.39 mile (the distance I actually ran!) pace of 7:38. I'm going with my Garmin on this one! Ha ha.
Here are my splits:
miles 1-3 (I forgot to push the lap button): 23:35 (7:43 pace)
mile 4: 31:16 (7:38 pace)
mile 5: 38:57 (7:35 pace)
mile 6: 46:47 (7:40 pace)
0.2: 1:28 (6:45 pace)
So obviously, God completely answered my prayers for this race! I ran it for Him and not myself, I couldn't have had a more consistent pace, and I absolutely finished strong. I felt so strong during the entire race, and I'm so thankful to Him that I am able to enjoy running and racing again! I'm looking forward to testing out my 5k pace sometime in the early summer, and in the fall I'm aiming for (Lord willing!) a 10k PR -- on a flat course. :-)
Oh, and in case you're wondering, I finished 900-something out of over 23,000 runners, and was 30-something in my age group out of over 800 ladies. That is a whole lot of people! Oh, and Buttercup and Oliver both really liked getting to watch some fast people run this morning. First man ran under 30, and the first woman was 35:xx. :-)
Monday, January 30, 2012
A personal worst . . . and some post-baby personal bests! 3M half marathon race report
Yesterday morning I ran my 4th half marathon. I'm so thankful to be able to run, and after tackling the distance again, I'm in even more awe of ultrarunners who run so much farther than 13.1 or 26.2 miles!
This was my 3rd time running this race, and although I hadn't put as much effort into training for it as before (only running 15-20 miles per week this time around, as opposed to 35-45 in previous years, and not doing any speedwork this time around), I felt fairly confident that I'd either be able to finish under 1:40, or at least under 1:44 (8:00 minute pace). At any rate, I was 100% sure that I would not be any slower than my first half marathon (1:44:26). (Famous last words!)
I was so nervous when I woke up, and I didn't feel like eating anything but nibbled on a Clif bar before I left the house so my stomach wouldn't be totally empty. I also grabbed an extra energy gel to take before the race in case I felt like it, but my stomach was so tied up in knots that just the thought of eating it made me feel like puking!
The race started out really well. I felt good (although I was still a bundle of nerves!) and the weather was perfect (high 30s, dry, no wind). I started just in front of the 1:40 pace group, intending to hang near them for the race so I'd meet my goal.
Mile 1: 7:58 . . . dodging runners in front of me
Mile 2: 15:26 . . . big downhill
Mile 3: 23:xx . . . starting to feel warmed up
Mile 4: 30:47 . . . feeling like I was hitting my stride, although I was starting to get a little hungry
Mile 5: 38:18 . . . still feeling good, but definitely needing some energy and in desperate need of water
Mile 6: 46:xx
Mile 6 was where the wheels started to come off. I stopped at a water stop to drink a cup of Gatorade and eat my first gel (I am not coordinated enough to do either of those while running), and my right hamstring was so tight when I started running again. :-( I stopped briefly to stretch it, but it never loosened up again during the race, so I wasn't able to get my stride back. I was still a minute or so under 8:00 pace though, so I felt like I could make it.
Mile 7: I missed the mile marker, so I don't know what my time was. I do remember that this was around the point that the 1:40 pace group blew by me like I was standing still. Whoops!
Mile 8: 1:02:xx . . . only 5 miles left to go, and I was starting to feel pretty tired but could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I walked through another water stop. Still under 8:00 pace!
Mile 9: 1:10:56 . . . I was praying all through mile 8 that I would make it to the mile 9 marker before 1:11! :-)
Mile 10: 1:18:xx . . . I was definitely tired of running at this point. I felt like I needed my last energy gel, but I didn't feel like eating it at all. A cup of Gatorade helped me feel better, but my hamstring was really bugging me and I gave up on running and walked for about a minute before running again. About 100 people passed me while I was walking.
Mile 11: 1:28:xx . . . I just wanted it to be over! My hamstring was hurting, I couldn't extend my leg, and all I could think about was how 2 years ago I had less than a mile left at that time, and this time around I still had a little over 2 miles left. I was d-o-n-e and couldn't even remember why I liked running in the first place. I started walking again and was immediately passed by 25-50 people. Every time someone passed me, I felt a little more annoyed with myself for walking and could just see my finishing time sink lower and lower on the list of results. Right about that time, a tall woman with a pink shirt and bright green knee socks ran up behind me, slapped me on the back and told me to keep going. I was grumpy and really didn't want to start running again, but I could see her ponytail bobbing above everyone in front of me, and figured I might as well try to keep up, because at least then I'd be finished faster than if I kept on walking. :-)
Mile 12: 1:37:xx . . . I started feeling better and better, and my hamstring even started to feel not quite as tight, so I was able to run a little bit faster. And there were more and more spectators cheering the runners on, which also helped! Finally, finally, finally there was the last turn and the finish line was up ahead.
Mile 13.1: 1:46:03 (official time) Whew, I was SO GLAD TO STOP RUNNING, ha ha ha!
So, I didn't meet any of my goals, and I also ended up with a new personal worst, which I was least expecting! But what's really great is that I am just so thankful for being able to run, and that is such an answer to prayer. I'd much rather have a slow time or a bad race and end up with the right attitude, than be the way I used to be. God is so good! :-)
And, while I had a personal worst finishing time, I ended up running the race at 8:06 pace -- which is about 15 seconds per mile faster than any of my long runs in the past 18 months. :-) I will admit though, I was pretty disappointed with my time at first and was expecting a time much closer to my previous race times. But for those races, my babies were older (and sleeping through the night!!), and I only had 1 or 2 babies and could take them out in the running stroller whenever I felt like it. That makes a big difference!
I'm looking forward to taking a couple of days off of running, but I'm also already looking forward to next year's race!
This was my 3rd time running this race, and although I hadn't put as much effort into training for it as before (only running 15-20 miles per week this time around, as opposed to 35-45 in previous years, and not doing any speedwork this time around), I felt fairly confident that I'd either be able to finish under 1:40, or at least under 1:44 (8:00 minute pace). At any rate, I was 100% sure that I would not be any slower than my first half marathon (1:44:26). (Famous last words!)
I was so nervous when I woke up, and I didn't feel like eating anything but nibbled on a Clif bar before I left the house so my stomach wouldn't be totally empty. I also grabbed an extra energy gel to take before the race in case I felt like it, but my stomach was so tied up in knots that just the thought of eating it made me feel like puking!
The race started out really well. I felt good (although I was still a bundle of nerves!) and the weather was perfect (high 30s, dry, no wind). I started just in front of the 1:40 pace group, intending to hang near them for the race so I'd meet my goal.
Mile 1: 7:58 . . . dodging runners in front of me
Mile 2: 15:26 . . . big downhill
Mile 3: 23:xx . . . starting to feel warmed up
Mile 4: 30:47 . . . feeling like I was hitting my stride, although I was starting to get a little hungry
Mile 5: 38:18 . . . still feeling good, but definitely needing some energy and in desperate need of water
Mile 6: 46:xx
Mile 6 was where the wheels started to come off. I stopped at a water stop to drink a cup of Gatorade and eat my first gel (I am not coordinated enough to do either of those while running), and my right hamstring was so tight when I started running again. :-( I stopped briefly to stretch it, but it never loosened up again during the race, so I wasn't able to get my stride back. I was still a minute or so under 8:00 pace though, so I felt like I could make it.
Mile 7: I missed the mile marker, so I don't know what my time was. I do remember that this was around the point that the 1:40 pace group blew by me like I was standing still. Whoops!
Mile 8: 1:02:xx . . . only 5 miles left to go, and I was starting to feel pretty tired but could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I walked through another water stop. Still under 8:00 pace!
Mile 9: 1:10:56 . . . I was praying all through mile 8 that I would make it to the mile 9 marker before 1:11! :-)
Mile 10: 1:18:xx . . . I was definitely tired of running at this point. I felt like I needed my last energy gel, but I didn't feel like eating it at all. A cup of Gatorade helped me feel better, but my hamstring was really bugging me and I gave up on running and walked for about a minute before running again. About 100 people passed me while I was walking.
Mile 11: 1:28:xx . . . I just wanted it to be over! My hamstring was hurting, I couldn't extend my leg, and all I could think about was how 2 years ago I had less than a mile left at that time, and this time around I still had a little over 2 miles left. I was d-o-n-e and couldn't even remember why I liked running in the first place. I started walking again and was immediately passed by 25-50 people. Every time someone passed me, I felt a little more annoyed with myself for walking and could just see my finishing time sink lower and lower on the list of results. Right about that time, a tall woman with a pink shirt and bright green knee socks ran up behind me, slapped me on the back and told me to keep going. I was grumpy and really didn't want to start running again, but I could see her ponytail bobbing above everyone in front of me, and figured I might as well try to keep up, because at least then I'd be finished faster than if I kept on walking. :-)
Mile 12: 1:37:xx . . . I started feeling better and better, and my hamstring even started to feel not quite as tight, so I was able to run a little bit faster. And there were more and more spectators cheering the runners on, which also helped! Finally, finally, finally there was the last turn and the finish line was up ahead.
Mile 13.1: 1:46:03 (official time) Whew, I was SO GLAD TO STOP RUNNING, ha ha ha!
So, I didn't meet any of my goals, and I also ended up with a new personal worst, which I was least expecting! But what's really great is that I am just so thankful for being able to run, and that is such an answer to prayer. I'd much rather have a slow time or a bad race and end up with the right attitude, than be the way I used to be. God is so good! :-)
And, while I had a personal worst finishing time, I ended up running the race at 8:06 pace -- which is about 15 seconds per mile faster than any of my long runs in the past 18 months. :-) I will admit though, I was pretty disappointed with my time at first and was expecting a time much closer to my previous race times. But for those races, my babies were older (and sleeping through the night!!), and I only had 1 or 2 babies and could take them out in the running stroller whenever I felt like it. That makes a big difference!
I'm looking forward to taking a couple of days off of running, but I'm also already looking forward to next year's race!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
I think I can, I think I can
My running is going pretty well these days. I'm getting ready for the 3M half marathon in January (less than 2 months away!) and my longest recent long run was about 12 miles, and I felt pretty comfortable during that run and my legs weren't too trashed after. So the distance is there, but I really need to work on speed. I really doubt that I'll have a fast time at the race, but I'd like to surprise myself and run it faster than I've been running lately. Since the big kids are in preschool on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, I had high hopes of taking Theodore to the track one of those days every week and doing speedwork with him in the running stroller . . . yeah, that hasn't happened yet (and is probably not going to). I also thought I could just do speedwork on the treadmill instead, but anyone who has tried speedwork on a treadmill knows that it's . . . kind of horrible. The miles go by a lot faster, but it's not fun at all.
So. In lieu of speedwork, I'm trying to talk myself into running a 5k this Sunday evening. I usually run faster later in the day, so I might not be too embarrassed by my time. And the weather looks like it will be cool and not windy, which will also only end up helping me. Problem is, we have other commitments that afternoon, so running a race might not fit in too well, plus Hubby is on call and might not be able to take care of the kids during that time. Sigh. (Side note: all I want for Christmas is 30 hours in a day and the ability to clone myself. That would be awesome.)
Hopefully I'll be successful at talking myself into running the 5k on Sunday. But if not, then I hope to have a nice long run instead and aim for another short race sometime in the future.
So. In lieu of speedwork, I'm trying to talk myself into running a 5k this Sunday evening. I usually run faster later in the day, so I might not be too embarrassed by my time. And the weather looks like it will be cool and not windy, which will also only end up helping me. Problem is, we have other commitments that afternoon, so running a race might not fit in too well, plus Hubby is on call and might not be able to take care of the kids during that time. Sigh. (Side note: all I want for Christmas is 30 hours in a day and the ability to clone myself. That would be awesome.)
Hopefully I'll be successful at talking myself into running the 5k on Sunday. But if not, then I hope to have a nice long run instead and aim for another short race sometime in the future.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Ah, that's better.
I've been trying to get back into running regularly, which has been much more difficult than after having Oliver and Buttercup -- mainly because I don't have a triple running stroller. :-) But I'm slowly getting there. What helps is that Theodore has pretty consistent sleeping habits now, so I feel like it's okay for me to get up early on Saturday mornings and go for a long run, or run on Sunday afternoons. Another big help is that Oliver and Buttercup are in preschool on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, so I'm not only able to get in a good run on both mornings, but I also get to choose if I want to run on the treadmill or if I want to put Theodore in the running stroller and run outside! Yay! It's the little things. :-)
I seem to have finally hit my stride (ha, ha) with a running plan, so running has been easier since it's becoming more of a habit. And as a result of running more consistently (plus the weather getting a little bit cooler!), my times have been dropping. My first long run after having Theodore was 6 miles, and I ran around 9:30 pace. It was horrible and I hated it. I felt good for getting out there when I was done, but it was one of the worst runs I've had.
I've had both good and bad long runs since then -- including a terrible one last weekend -- but so far today's was the best! It was about 60 degrees with very low humidity when I started running, and I finished 10 miles at 8:36 pace. And the best part is that I felt like I could have run another mile or two after I finished. Yay! I really needed that boost of confidence!
I've signed up for the 3M half marathon again (thanks, Dad!), and after this morning's run I'm really motivated to try for a new PR. 1:34:22 (7:13 pace) is the time to beat. Not sure if I can do it, but I'm going to try!
I seem to have finally hit my stride (ha, ha) with a running plan, so running has been easier since it's becoming more of a habit. And as a result of running more consistently (plus the weather getting a little bit cooler!), my times have been dropping. My first long run after having Theodore was 6 miles, and I ran around 9:30 pace. It was horrible and I hated it. I felt good for getting out there when I was done, but it was one of the worst runs I've had.
I've had both good and bad long runs since then -- including a terrible one last weekend -- but so far today's was the best! It was about 60 degrees with very low humidity when I started running, and I finished 10 miles at 8:36 pace. And the best part is that I felt like I could have run another mile or two after I finished. Yay! I really needed that boost of confidence!
I've signed up for the 3M half marathon again (thanks, Dad!), and after this morning's run I'm really motivated to try for a new PR. 1:34:22 (7:13 pace) is the time to beat. Not sure if I can do it, but I'm going to try!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Declare the glory of God!
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
Psalm 19:1-3
This morning I got up early and went out for my weekly long run. I was up early enough to watch the sunrise, and Psalm 19:1-3 started running through my head as I watched the sky and clouds change color. I really started thinking about the first verse, particularly the phrase "the heavens declare the glory of God." The heavens declare the glory of God! How cool is that, that you can just look up and see His handiwork, see all of the beautiful, wonderful things that He has made!
Further into my run, I was still singing the psalm to myself, as my feet pounded on the trail in cadence with the tune. The tune stuck in my head was written by one of the teachers at the private Christian school that I attended from kindergarten through 6th grade. It's funny that I remember that song from so long ago. Ten years ago, I wouldn't have thought that I would end up where I am right now. Back then, I didn't think it was a big deal that my parents were Christians and that I was raised in a Christian home. But now that I have two kids of my own, I realize how truly important it is. Proverbs 22:6 says it best: "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." It's been a long, bumpy road for me, one where I didn't always make the best choices, but I'm thankful for God for His forgiveness and for giving me Christian parents and a loving home to grow up in, and I'm thankful for my parents for leading me when I was young enough to be led, letting go when I was old enough to make my own decisions, and loving me no matter what.
I love you guys!!
Psalm 19:1-3
This morning I got up early and went out for my weekly long run. I was up early enough to watch the sunrise, and Psalm 19:1-3 started running through my head as I watched the sky and clouds change color. I really started thinking about the first verse, particularly the phrase "the heavens declare the glory of God." The heavens declare the glory of God! How cool is that, that you can just look up and see His handiwork, see all of the beautiful, wonderful things that He has made!
Further into my run, I was still singing the psalm to myself, as my feet pounded on the trail in cadence with the tune. The tune stuck in my head was written by one of the teachers at the private Christian school that I attended from kindergarten through 6th grade. It's funny that I remember that song from so long ago. Ten years ago, I wouldn't have thought that I would end up where I am right now. Back then, I didn't think it was a big deal that my parents were Christians and that I was raised in a Christian home. But now that I have two kids of my own, I realize how truly important it is. Proverbs 22:6 says it best: "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." It's been a long, bumpy road for me, one where I didn't always make the best choices, but I'm thankful for God for His forgiveness and for giving me Christian parents and a loving home to grow up in, and I'm thankful for my parents for leading me when I was young enough to be led, letting go when I was old enough to make my own decisions, and loving me no matter what.
I love you guys!!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
One of my worst -- Vern's 5k #15 race report
First woman overall, finishing time: 21:51.
My time goal, as usual, was to finish this 5k in under 20 minutes. I have been chasing this goal ever since I started running 7 years ago. I ran 3.1 miles in 19:56 during a pace run about 4 1/2 years ago, but I don't think that time counts since it wasn't in a race! I got very close to my goal last month, and I was confident that it was in the bag for today's race. Ha!
I didn't sleep very well last night, and when I woke up this morning I had that weird, shaky, nauseous feeling that I get when I don't get enough sleep. Before the race started, I did a short warmup and for some reason my legs were just really tired and heavy. I was jogging at a slow pace, but it felt like way too much effort for that pace. I tried a few strides to loosen my legs, but that didn't help at all.
The race started, and I went out at 6:25 pace and managed to sustain that for the first mile. I wasn't actually feeling too bad at that point. But as I got halfway into mile 2, my legs started to get SO tired. Running at 6:30ish pace felt like a sprint and I just could not do it anymore. I gave up and walked for a little bit before trying to run again. I managed to stay under 7:30 pace. In mile 3, I stopped at a water stop to dump a cup of water on my head. That helped cool me off, and I was able to run at close to 7:00 pace for the rest of that mile.
Finished as the first woman in 21:51. It was one of my worst races, but a good learning experience. It's normal to have an "off" day. And I still believe that I will someday run a sub 20 5k!!! :-)
And the most fun part of the morning? Exploring the park with my sister, Oliver, and Buttercup! Although eating ice cold watermelon at the race finish was pretty nice, too. :-)
My time goal, as usual, was to finish this 5k in under 20 minutes. I have been chasing this goal ever since I started running 7 years ago. I ran 3.1 miles in 19:56 during a pace run about 4 1/2 years ago, but I don't think that time counts since it wasn't in a race! I got very close to my goal last month, and I was confident that it was in the bag for today's race. Ha!
I didn't sleep very well last night, and when I woke up this morning I had that weird, shaky, nauseous feeling that I get when I don't get enough sleep. Before the race started, I did a short warmup and for some reason my legs were just really tired and heavy. I was jogging at a slow pace, but it felt like way too much effort for that pace. I tried a few strides to loosen my legs, but that didn't help at all.
The race started, and I went out at 6:25 pace and managed to sustain that for the first mile. I wasn't actually feeling too bad at that point. But as I got halfway into mile 2, my legs started to get SO tired. Running at 6:30ish pace felt like a sprint and I just could not do it anymore. I gave up and walked for a little bit before trying to run again. I managed to stay under 7:30 pace. In mile 3, I stopped at a water stop to dump a cup of water on my head. That helped cool me off, and I was able to run at close to 7:00 pace for the rest of that mile.
Finished as the first woman in 21:51. It was one of my worst races, but a good learning experience. It's normal to have an "off" day. And I still believe that I will someday run a sub 20 5k!!! :-)
And the most fun part of the morning? Exploring the park with my sister, Oliver, and Buttercup! Although eating ice cold watermelon at the race finish was pretty nice, too. :-)
Saturday, May 8, 2010
The PR that almost didn't happen -- Wellness for Life 5k race report
Hebrews 12:1b, 2a
Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus . . .
This morning I raced my first 5k in Baton Rouge in over 4 years. I found the race online a couple of weeks ago, and decided to run it to test my speed. (There are NO hills in Baton Rouge!) :-) But as the week wore on, I started to talk myself out of it. "Too much of a hassle," "legs feeling sluggish," and "I'm tired," were a few of my complaints. But, my biggest cheerleader (thanks, Mom!) talked me into it yesterday morning. "I really want to be there to see you run," she said. And after I tried a couple of speedy intervals on the treadmill, I figured that my legs were up to the challenge, and I decided to do it. It was going to be fun! And the weather was supposed to be nice, and the kids would have fun looking at the trains, seeing the old State Capitol, and watching the fountains at the Shaw building.
I did not sleep well at all last night and woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck, and my legs felt really stiff. But I was ready to not only beat my 5-year-old PR (20:30), but try to finish under 20 minutes. Eeek! [FYI: a sub 20 5k = running 6:26 minute miles back-to-back for 3.1 miles. And speediness is not my strong point. It was going to hurt!] But, above all, my goal was to run the best that I could and have a good time!
Mom and I got the kids up early and they ate their breakfast in the car on the way to the race. I missed pre-registration yesterday (oops!) so I left the kids and Mom and jogged down to the registration booth. This was an inaugural race, so there were very few people there. I got my race number, and found Mom and the kiddos. Buttercup is teething and doesn't like being separated from me, so Mom whisked her and Oliver off to look at the freight train car on the Capitol grounds while I did my warm up. It was a very humid morning (Texas summers have made me weak!), so I picked up a water bottle to carry with me and splash on my face while I was running.
Then I looked around, ready to go, and . . . there was no activity anywhere indicating that there was going to be a race any time soon. I talked to another woman near where I was stretching, and she said she didn't know when the race was starting, what the course was, or where the finish line was. So we chatted until one of the runners said, "Hey, runners, over here!" and motioned for the crowd to follow him. There were only 4 people lined up in the front -- an old guy, a man in his 40s wearing bike shorts, a college-age guy with an iPod, and me. Then someone said, "Okay . . . runners, GO!" And we were off.
My first goal was to not go out too fast. I wanted to PR, and, as I've discovered through trial and error, the best way to not PR is to try to run with the big boys for the first mile of the race. However, this race was so small that I was one of the big boys, LOL! Bike Shorts Guy was in the lead by several seconds, and I ended up in step with iPod Guy. Old Guy dropped back immediately. I kept my eyes glued to my Garmin to make sure that my pace stayed around 6:25-6:30. I felt like I wasn't going too fast, which seemed about right, because I knew that I would definitely be feeling the pace in the next mile! There was a slight incline at the end of mile 1. I was the first woman and third runner overall at this point.
Mile 1: 6:36
My second goal was to keep my pace consistent. In other 5ks, mile 2 has been the toughest. But in this race, we had a slight downhill in mile 2, which helped me make up some time. IPod Guy dropped back around the middle of mile 2, so I was the second runner overall. The guy on the lead bicycle started cycling around me, giving me pointers and encouragement. At this point, I kind of thought that I could not only get a sub 20 5k, but I might also be able to beat Bike Shorts Guy and win the race overall.
Mile 2: 6:06
My third goal was to finish under 20 minutes. But, I think I went through mile 2 too fast and my legs were just d-o-n-e. And I was h-o-t. Bike Shorts Guy was picking up speed, and I was slowing down. The guy on the lead bicycle noticed me falling behind, and he said, "Hey, hand me that water bottle! Use your arms!" He grabbed my water bottle and I started working my arms, hoping their momentum would pull me faster across the finish line. But I was tired, and I gave up. The guy on the bicycle said, "Okay, half a mile left, you can do it! Here's your water!" and then he dumped the rest of the water bottle on me, LOL! It was hilarious because I was expecting him to hand me the bottle, not dump the water on me. But it was definitely what I needed at that moment!
Mile 3.1: 7:31
Finish time: 20:13. First woman overall, 2nd runner overall. So, I didn't get my sub 20, but I have a new official PR!!!! For the first time in over 5 years!!!! Thank you, God!
And thanks, Mom, for motivating me to run this morning!
Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus . . .
This morning I raced my first 5k in Baton Rouge in over 4 years. I found the race online a couple of weeks ago, and decided to run it to test my speed. (There are NO hills in Baton Rouge!) :-) But as the week wore on, I started to talk myself out of it. "Too much of a hassle," "legs feeling sluggish," and "I'm tired," were a few of my complaints. But, my biggest cheerleader (thanks, Mom!) talked me into it yesterday morning. "I really want to be there to see you run," she said. And after I tried a couple of speedy intervals on the treadmill, I figured that my legs were up to the challenge, and I decided to do it. It was going to be fun! And the weather was supposed to be nice, and the kids would have fun looking at the trains, seeing the old State Capitol, and watching the fountains at the Shaw building.
I did not sleep well at all last night and woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck, and my legs felt really stiff. But I was ready to not only beat my 5-year-old PR (20:30), but try to finish under 20 minutes. Eeek! [FYI: a sub 20 5k = running 6:26 minute miles back-to-back for 3.1 miles. And speediness is not my strong point. It was going to hurt!] But, above all, my goal was to run the best that I could and have a good time!
Mom and I got the kids up early and they ate their breakfast in the car on the way to the race. I missed pre-registration yesterday (oops!) so I left the kids and Mom and jogged down to the registration booth. This was an inaugural race, so there were very few people there. I got my race number, and found Mom and the kiddos. Buttercup is teething and doesn't like being separated from me, so Mom whisked her and Oliver off to look at the freight train car on the Capitol grounds while I did my warm up. It was a very humid morning (Texas summers have made me weak!), so I picked up a water bottle to carry with me and splash on my face while I was running.
Then I looked around, ready to go, and . . . there was no activity anywhere indicating that there was going to be a race any time soon. I talked to another woman near where I was stretching, and she said she didn't know when the race was starting, what the course was, or where the finish line was. So we chatted until one of the runners said, "Hey, runners, over here!" and motioned for the crowd to follow him. There were only 4 people lined up in the front -- an old guy, a man in his 40s wearing bike shorts, a college-age guy with an iPod, and me. Then someone said, "Okay . . . runners, GO!" And we were off.
My first goal was to not go out too fast. I wanted to PR, and, as I've discovered through trial and error, the best way to not PR is to try to run with the big boys for the first mile of the race. However, this race was so small that I was one of the big boys, LOL! Bike Shorts Guy was in the lead by several seconds, and I ended up in step with iPod Guy. Old Guy dropped back immediately. I kept my eyes glued to my Garmin to make sure that my pace stayed around 6:25-6:30. I felt like I wasn't going too fast, which seemed about right, because I knew that I would definitely be feeling the pace in the next mile! There was a slight incline at the end of mile 1. I was the first woman and third runner overall at this point.
Mile 1: 6:36
My second goal was to keep my pace consistent. In other 5ks, mile 2 has been the toughest. But in this race, we had a slight downhill in mile 2, which helped me make up some time. IPod Guy dropped back around the middle of mile 2, so I was the second runner overall. The guy on the lead bicycle started cycling around me, giving me pointers and encouragement. At this point, I kind of thought that I could not only get a sub 20 5k, but I might also be able to beat Bike Shorts Guy and win the race overall.
Mile 2: 6:06
My third goal was to finish under 20 minutes. But, I think I went through mile 2 too fast and my legs were just d-o-n-e. And I was h-o-t. Bike Shorts Guy was picking up speed, and I was slowing down. The guy on the lead bicycle noticed me falling behind, and he said, "Hey, hand me that water bottle! Use your arms!" He grabbed my water bottle and I started working my arms, hoping their momentum would pull me faster across the finish line. But I was tired, and I gave up. The guy on the bicycle said, "Okay, half a mile left, you can do it! Here's your water!" and then he dumped the rest of the water bottle on me, LOL! It was hilarious because I was expecting him to hand me the bottle, not dump the water on me. But it was definitely what I needed at that moment!
Mile 3.1: 7:31
Finish time: 20:13. First woman overall, 2nd runner overall. So, I didn't get my sub 20, but I have a new official PR!!!! For the first time in over 5 years!!!! Thank you, God!
And thanks, Mom, for motivating me to run this morning!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Feel Like Running Some Hills? Texas Round-Up race report
Official Results
Finish time: 44:27, 7:10 pace.
1st in age group (out of 86 women)
10th woman overall (out of 484 women)
67th runner overall (out of 1,001 runners)
The 10k (6.2 miles) is not my favorite race distance. I like it because it's not quite the lung- and leg-burning effort as the 5k (3.1 miles), but still it's not long enough to really get into a groove and run at a comfortable pace. In other words, you don't have to run as hard as in a 5k, but the hard running lasts for twice the distance. The first 3 miles are fine. I love the first 3 miles. I always feel strong and like I could run at that pace forever. It's the last 3 miles that are the problem! By that point, my legs are tired and I'm ready to slow down or quit, but there are still about 3 more miles to go.
My last 10k was in October, on a flat course. I had been doing (almost) weekly speed work at the track all summer, running about 35 miles per week, and finished the race in 43:07, which was a PR by over 2 minutes. Since the marathon I ran in February (2010), I have done speed work exactly 3 times -- once at the track alone, twice at the trail with a group of runners -- and my running mileage has topped out at 18 miles per week. But I've also been swimming laps 3 times per week, which I think has helped my fitness. I've been feeling faster and stronger on my runs, so I signed up for a 10k, partly to see how slow/fast I've gotten, and partly to see if I could PR again.
I chose the Texas Roundup 10k. Why? Because the timing was right. But . . . it's a hilly course. See how hilly? (blue = 5k, red = 10k)
And it was very hilly to me, because I'm used to mainly running on flat roads and trails. I haven't done any hill sprints or hill repeats or hill intervals or hill anything in over a year. Oh yes. The hills definitely got to me this morning.
We woke up early and I was pumped and ready to run fast. See that scary look in my eyes? That's determination. Or too much coffee, perhaps?
Oliver and Buttercup ate their breakfast on the way downtown. Oliver was adamant about bringing his binoculars along so he could look through them and watch me running. Such a cutie. I just love these kids!
Going into the race, I had a plan of averaging 6:45 min/miles for a 41:30 finish. I would run 6:45s on the flat parts, 7:00/7:15s on the uphills, and make up for lost time on the downhills. Sounds perfect, right?
The end result? I managed 6:40-6:50 pace on the flats, 6:10-6:20 pace on the downhills, and 8:30-9:00 pace on the steep uphills. OUCH.
What did I learn from this race?
- that I need to start doing some hill workouts;
- that I should probably be more consistent with speed workouts, too;
- that, surprisingly, I do have some self control and I was able to not go out too fast with the pack of 5k runners (this was a huge deal for me, because I have a major tendency to get caught up in the adrenaline rush and go out too fast!);
- that I might be capable of running a 6:45 pace 10k on a FLAT course.
All in all, I'm very pleased with the race from this morning. I ran relatively even splits (if you factor in the hills), I didn't go out too fast, and I finished feeling strong but that I gave it all I had. And -- even though I ended up almost 3 minutes over my goal time -- I still ran my 2nd fastest 10k road race this morning.
And the best part? My prayer was to run it to the best of my ability, have fun with it, and just enjoy the gift that God has given me. And that is exactly what happened. Praise His name! :-)
Official finish time: 44:27, 7:10 pace.
Splits:
- mile 1: 7:06
- mile 2: 6:38
- mile 3: 7:21
- mile 4: 6:59
- miles 5 and 6: 7:21 average (I was apparently working too hard going up another hill and didn't notice when I passed the mile 5 marker)
- final 0.21: 7:00
"Mom, I looked for you with my binoculars, but I couldn't see you." "Can you see me now?" "YES!"
Will I run this race again? Hmmm, maybe. But only if I do some hill training first. :-)
Finish time: 44:27, 7:10 pace.
1st in age group (out of 86 women)
10th woman overall (out of 484 women)
67th runner overall (out of 1,001 runners)
The 10k (6.2 miles) is not my favorite race distance. I like it because it's not quite the lung- and leg-burning effort as the 5k (3.1 miles), but still it's not long enough to really get into a groove and run at a comfortable pace. In other words, you don't have to run as hard as in a 5k, but the hard running lasts for twice the distance. The first 3 miles are fine. I love the first 3 miles. I always feel strong and like I could run at that pace forever. It's the last 3 miles that are the problem! By that point, my legs are tired and I'm ready to slow down or quit, but there are still about 3 more miles to go.
My last 10k was in October, on a flat course. I had been doing (almost) weekly speed work at the track all summer, running about 35 miles per week, and finished the race in 43:07, which was a PR by over 2 minutes. Since the marathon I ran in February (2010), I have done speed work exactly 3 times -- once at the track alone, twice at the trail with a group of runners -- and my running mileage has topped out at 18 miles per week. But I've also been swimming laps 3 times per week, which I think has helped my fitness. I've been feeling faster and stronger on my runs, so I signed up for a 10k, partly to see how slow/fast I've gotten, and partly to see if I could PR again.
I chose the Texas Roundup 10k. Why? Because the timing was right. But . . . it's a hilly course. See how hilly? (blue = 5k, red = 10k)
And it was very hilly to me, because I'm used to mainly running on flat roads and trails. I haven't done any hill sprints or hill repeats or hill intervals or hill anything in over a year. Oh yes. The hills definitely got to me this morning.
We woke up early and I was pumped and ready to run fast. See that scary look in my eyes? That's determination. Or too much coffee, perhaps?
Oliver and Buttercup ate their breakfast on the way downtown. Oliver was adamant about bringing his binoculars along so he could look through them and watch me running. Such a cutie. I just love these kids!
Going into the race, I had a plan of averaging 6:45 min/miles for a 41:30 finish. I would run 6:45s on the flat parts, 7:00/7:15s on the uphills, and make up for lost time on the downhills. Sounds perfect, right?
The end result? I managed 6:40-6:50 pace on the flats, 6:10-6:20 pace on the downhills, and 8:30-9:00 pace on the steep uphills. OUCH.
What did I learn from this race?
- that I need to start doing some hill workouts;
- that I should probably be more consistent with speed workouts, too;
- that, surprisingly, I do have some self control and I was able to not go out too fast with the pack of 5k runners (this was a huge deal for me, because I have a major tendency to get caught up in the adrenaline rush and go out too fast!);
- that I might be capable of running a 6:45 pace 10k on a FLAT course.
All in all, I'm very pleased with the race from this morning. I ran relatively even splits (if you factor in the hills), I didn't go out too fast, and I finished feeling strong but that I gave it all I had. And -- even though I ended up almost 3 minutes over my goal time -- I still ran my 2nd fastest 10k road race this morning.
And the best part? My prayer was to run it to the best of my ability, have fun with it, and just enjoy the gift that God has given me. And that is exactly what happened. Praise His name! :-)
Official finish time: 44:27, 7:10 pace.
Splits:
- mile 1: 7:06
- mile 2: 6:38
- mile 3: 7:21
- mile 4: 6:59
- miles 5 and 6: 7:21 average (I was apparently working too hard going up another hill and didn't notice when I passed the mile 5 marker)
- final 0.21: 7:00
"Mom, I looked for you with my binoculars, but I couldn't see you." "Can you see me now?" "YES!"
Will I run this race again? Hmmm, maybe. But only if I do some hill training first. :-)
Friday, April 23, 2010
A Comedy of Errors
Note: This kind of morning happens more often than not, but I just chose to write about today's events while they were still fresh in my head. :-)
This morning I needed to go to south Austin to pick up my race packet for a 10k I'm running tomorrow morning. The kids and I stayed home almost every morning this week, so I thought they would both be happy to go somewhere new.
Right off the bat, things started to go wrong. Buttercup choked during breakfast and vomited. Oliver spilled milk all over his crab PJs (which, if you don't know, is pretty much the end of the world for him). I got the kids cleaned up, and started cleaning up the kitchen. Then I mentioned to Oliver that we were going to a running store to pick up my race packet. And then things really started to go downhill. Oliver was whining, "But I don't want to go to a running store! I want to stay home!" Buttercup was screaming because she wanted to wear pants, no she didn't want to wear pants, yes she did want to wear pants, no she DIDN'T want to wear pants, yes she DID WANT TO WEAR PANTS!!! And the poor cat was endlessly meowing because she wanted canned food, but I fed her the last can yesterday. Oi!
So I got myself dressed, threw some snacks together for the kids, dressed the kids as fast as possible, and we left the house. Never mind that it was 8:30 and the running store didn't open until 10:00, it was time to get out of the house! Since we had so much time to spare, we made a stop at Target to get cat food and also spent about 30 minutes on the toy aisles, playing with the different toys. Buttercup refused to get back in the cart after playing, so I held her while we went through the checkout and paid for our stuff.
"Oliver, do you need to potty?" "Nope!"
We walked out of the store, I was still holding Buttercup and pushing the cart, and Oliver was holding onto my pants pocket because I didn't have an extra hand for him to hold. Then we stepped out into the parking lot, and Oliver started galloping. While holding onto my pocket. And my pants are a little bit loose. Can you see where this is going? Yep, that's right, my pants slid halfway down my behind before I could get them up. Guess this is why you should always wear underwear?
We got to the car. I loaded our stuff in, while holding Buttercup. I opened Buttercup's door to put her in, and she started screaming bloody murder. I had just gotten her buckled in -- still screaming and flailing and trying to bite me -- when Oliver said, "I have to poo!" Okay. I was actually kind of relieved, because Buttercup was definitely happier (and quieter!) out of her seat.
We made it back inside the store, and took 2 steps forward. "I don't have to potty anymore." Sorry, kiddo, you're going to potty.
In the bathroom, Oliver wanted his privacy and didn't want me to help him in the stall. "Are you sure you don't need help?" "I'm sure! I can do it myself!" I was standing outside his stall door while Buttercup wandered around the bathroom. She found a wad of toilet paper on the floor and, before I could stop her, wiped her nose with it. Oh, lovely.
Oliver was awfully quiet in his stall. "Do you need help?" "Nope!"
Then a minute later, "Mom, I need some help, please!"
Five minutes later, we were back in the parking lot. Fortunately, Buttercup was much happier getting into her seat this time! I handed out snacks, and the kids ate while I drove us out of the parking lot and got back on the interstate to head to the running store. I plugged the running store address into my handy dandy TomTom, and I am happy to say that I did not get lost once!
We made it to the running store at 10:15, walked right in and picked up my race packet. It was a nice, sunny morning, so we walked around the shopping center for about 30 minutes. I remember thinking, "Good, it's only 10:45, we'll have plenty of time to get home and play before lunch." Ha, famous last words!
I needed to change Buttercup's diaper before we drove home, but none of the nearby stores or restaurants were open, and the running store didn't have a changing table in the restroom. So I changed her diaper on the front seat of the car. I asked Oliver to sit or stand on the curb while I was busy. He chose to sit, and I could see the top of his head, so I knew he was okay. But he was awfully quiet. I leaned my head back until I could see what he was doing -- he was running both hands over the front wheel of the car, and now both of his hands were black with dirt and who knows what else. I finished up with Buttercup, and right then Oliver announced that he had to pee. Fine with me, because then he could wash his hands before heading home.
We headed back into the running store, and I steered Oliver straight to the back of the store. We had to dodge long lines of people waiting to get their race packets. We got to the restroom door, and Oliver stopped for a minute to talk to a policeman waiting outside. The policeman held out his hand for Oliver, and Oliver gave him a high five with one hand, then reached out with his other hand to touch the policeman's uniform and smeared black dirt on his pants. Sigh.
We got inside the bathroom, and Oliver needed privacy in his stall again. But this time Buttercup decided she wanted to go in. She and Oliver fought over the door until I finally got her interested in something else. When Oliver came back out, I helped him wash his hands to get all of the dirt off. While I was busy helping him, Buttercup was pulling toilet paper off of the roll and stuffing it into the toilet and trash can. I left Oliver to dry his hands by himself and shooed Buttercup out of the stall. But as she backed away from the stall door, she decided to close it and smashed her fingers in the process. :-( She screamed and screamed, and it was about 50 times louder and shriller than usual because of the acoustics in the bathroom! Oliver started hollering at Buttercup because she was hurting his ears, which made Buttercup scream louder, which made Oliver yell louder, etc. And all of this was happening in the tiny bathroom in the running store, where there were about 100 people waiting to pick up their race packets. Needless to say, I was sweating by the time.
I got the kids calmed down, and we walked out of the restroom. Almost everyone in the store was staring at us. I thought, "Whew, now we can just go home!" Nope, sorry! Oliver was behind me, and I held the heavy bathroom door open for him to walk through. The policeman told Oliver "hi" again, and Oliver looked up at the policeman, and I looked at Oliver, and . . . then the heavy door closed on Oliver's fingers. Poor kiddo! It looked so bad, too. And he screamed and cried, and I picked him up and somehow got the heavy door open again, and carried him and Buttercup back into the bathroom. He refused to let me look at his fingers or run cold water over them, so I grabbed a paper towel and wet it to hold against his hand. He was still screaming, but was starting to calm down and then he let me look at his fingers. Then the policeman knocked on the door to see if he could help. When I opened the door, Oliver started screaming again, so I figured that he was probably more embarrassed than hurt, and that we should just make a break for it and head home before something else happened.
I had one kid on each hip and race-walked past all of the people and out of the store, into the parking lot, and strapped the kids in their car seats as quickly as I could. Buttercup started screaming again, Oliver was moping in his seat, and I was sweating profusely.
Maybe next time we should just stay home. ;-)
This morning I needed to go to south Austin to pick up my race packet for a 10k I'm running tomorrow morning. The kids and I stayed home almost every morning this week, so I thought they would both be happy to go somewhere new.
Right off the bat, things started to go wrong. Buttercup choked during breakfast and vomited. Oliver spilled milk all over his crab PJs (which, if you don't know, is pretty much the end of the world for him). I got the kids cleaned up, and started cleaning up the kitchen. Then I mentioned to Oliver that we were going to a running store to pick up my race packet. And then things really started to go downhill. Oliver was whining, "But I don't want to go to a running store! I want to stay home!" Buttercup was screaming because she wanted to wear pants, no she didn't want to wear pants, yes she did want to wear pants, no she DIDN'T want to wear pants, yes she DID WANT TO WEAR PANTS!!! And the poor cat was endlessly meowing because she wanted canned food, but I fed her the last can yesterday. Oi!
So I got myself dressed, threw some snacks together for the kids, dressed the kids as fast as possible, and we left the house. Never mind that it was 8:30 and the running store didn't open until 10:00, it was time to get out of the house! Since we had so much time to spare, we made a stop at Target to get cat food and also spent about 30 minutes on the toy aisles, playing with the different toys. Buttercup refused to get back in the cart after playing, so I held her while we went through the checkout and paid for our stuff.
"Oliver, do you need to potty?" "Nope!"
We walked out of the store, I was still holding Buttercup and pushing the cart, and Oliver was holding onto my pants pocket because I didn't have an extra hand for him to hold. Then we stepped out into the parking lot, and Oliver started galloping. While holding onto my pocket. And my pants are a little bit loose. Can you see where this is going? Yep, that's right, my pants slid halfway down my behind before I could get them up. Guess this is why you should always wear underwear?
We got to the car. I loaded our stuff in, while holding Buttercup. I opened Buttercup's door to put her in, and she started screaming bloody murder. I had just gotten her buckled in -- still screaming and flailing and trying to bite me -- when Oliver said, "I have to poo!" Okay. I was actually kind of relieved, because Buttercup was definitely happier (and quieter!) out of her seat.
We made it back inside the store, and took 2 steps forward. "I don't have to potty anymore." Sorry, kiddo, you're going to potty.
In the bathroom, Oliver wanted his privacy and didn't want me to help him in the stall. "Are you sure you don't need help?" "I'm sure! I can do it myself!" I was standing outside his stall door while Buttercup wandered around the bathroom. She found a wad of toilet paper on the floor and, before I could stop her, wiped her nose with it. Oh, lovely.
Oliver was awfully quiet in his stall. "Do you need help?" "Nope!"
Then a minute later, "Mom, I need some help, please!"
Five minutes later, we were back in the parking lot. Fortunately, Buttercup was much happier getting into her seat this time! I handed out snacks, and the kids ate while I drove us out of the parking lot and got back on the interstate to head to the running store. I plugged the running store address into my handy dandy TomTom, and I am happy to say that I did not get lost once!
We made it to the running store at 10:15, walked right in and picked up my race packet. It was a nice, sunny morning, so we walked around the shopping center for about 30 minutes. I remember thinking, "Good, it's only 10:45, we'll have plenty of time to get home and play before lunch." Ha, famous last words!
I needed to change Buttercup's diaper before we drove home, but none of the nearby stores or restaurants were open, and the running store didn't have a changing table in the restroom. So I changed her diaper on the front seat of the car. I asked Oliver to sit or stand on the curb while I was busy. He chose to sit, and I could see the top of his head, so I knew he was okay. But he was awfully quiet. I leaned my head back until I could see what he was doing -- he was running both hands over the front wheel of the car, and now both of his hands were black with dirt and who knows what else. I finished up with Buttercup, and right then Oliver announced that he had to pee. Fine with me, because then he could wash his hands before heading home.
We headed back into the running store, and I steered Oliver straight to the back of the store. We had to dodge long lines of people waiting to get their race packets. We got to the restroom door, and Oliver stopped for a minute to talk to a policeman waiting outside. The policeman held out his hand for Oliver, and Oliver gave him a high five with one hand, then reached out with his other hand to touch the policeman's uniform and smeared black dirt on his pants. Sigh.
We got inside the bathroom, and Oliver needed privacy in his stall again. But this time Buttercup decided she wanted to go in. She and Oliver fought over the door until I finally got her interested in something else. When Oliver came back out, I helped him wash his hands to get all of the dirt off. While I was busy helping him, Buttercup was pulling toilet paper off of the roll and stuffing it into the toilet and trash can. I left Oliver to dry his hands by himself and shooed Buttercup out of the stall. But as she backed away from the stall door, she decided to close it and smashed her fingers in the process. :-( She screamed and screamed, and it was about 50 times louder and shriller than usual because of the acoustics in the bathroom! Oliver started hollering at Buttercup because she was hurting his ears, which made Buttercup scream louder, which made Oliver yell louder, etc. And all of this was happening in the tiny bathroom in the running store, where there were about 100 people waiting to pick up their race packets. Needless to say, I was sweating by the time.
I got the kids calmed down, and we walked out of the restroom. Almost everyone in the store was staring at us. I thought, "Whew, now we can just go home!" Nope, sorry! Oliver was behind me, and I held the heavy bathroom door open for him to walk through. The policeman told Oliver "hi" again, and Oliver looked up at the policeman, and I looked at Oliver, and . . . then the heavy door closed on Oliver's fingers. Poor kiddo! It looked so bad, too. And he screamed and cried, and I picked him up and somehow got the heavy door open again, and carried him and Buttercup back into the bathroom. He refused to let me look at his fingers or run cold water over them, so I grabbed a paper towel and wet it to hold against his hand. He was still screaming, but was starting to calm down and then he let me look at his fingers. Then the policeman knocked on the door to see if he could help. When I opened the door, Oliver started screaming again, so I figured that he was probably more embarrassed than hurt, and that we should just make a break for it and head home before something else happened.
I had one kid on each hip and race-walked past all of the people and out of the store, into the parking lot, and strapped the kids in their car seats as quickly as I could. Buttercup started screaming again, Oliver was moping in his seat, and I was sweating profusely.
Maybe next time we should just stay home. ;-)
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Finally, a good run!!
Lately, I've been feeling like a slacker in the running department. Ever since my IT band injury in December, I've only been running 15-20 miles per week, and I just haven't been feeling like I've been running to the best of my ability. Then after the marathon in February, I started swimming and cut back on running even more -- partly because I was afraid I would get re-injured, partly because . . . well, I was tired of running. ;-)
But as it turns out, taking a break from running seems to be just what I needed.
For the past 2 weeks I've been slowly adding in mileage and speedwork, but I've been feeling overdue for a good run. You know, one of those runs that makes you feel invigorated, powerful, and full of energy; the kind of run that doesn't happen very often, but when it does, you are so thankful for it. And it turns out that this morning's run was that kind of run! What's funny is that I almost didn't go running, because I couldn't drag myself out of my nice, warm bed early enough. I had intended to try a 12 mile long run this morning, but by the time I got dressed and ready to go, I only had 1 hour to run before I had to be back home. That left me just enough time for an easy 8 miles. But after 1 easy mile, I was feeling really good and ready to run, so I decided to turn my 8 miler into a time trial! I ran 1 mile easy, 2 miles at 10k pace, 1 mile easy, 1 mile at 10k pace, and then 3 miles easy, for a total of 8 miles, and I got back to the house in 1 hour and 5 seconds. Wow, God was totally with me out there and it was just an awesome run. It was a beautiful morning, and I had so much fun, and I'm so thankful that God has given me the ability to do something that I enjoy so much! I can't believe that I managed to run 3 miles at 6:40 pace. Just can't believe it. It was definitely one of those runs that I'll remember for a long time.
But as it turns out, taking a break from running seems to be just what I needed.
For the past 2 weeks I've been slowly adding in mileage and speedwork, but I've been feeling overdue for a good run. You know, one of those runs that makes you feel invigorated, powerful, and full of energy; the kind of run that doesn't happen very often, but when it does, you are so thankful for it. And it turns out that this morning's run was that kind of run! What's funny is that I almost didn't go running, because I couldn't drag myself out of my nice, warm bed early enough. I had intended to try a 12 mile long run this morning, but by the time I got dressed and ready to go, I only had 1 hour to run before I had to be back home. That left me just enough time for an easy 8 miles. But after 1 easy mile, I was feeling really good and ready to run, so I decided to turn my 8 miler into a time trial! I ran 1 mile easy, 2 miles at 10k pace, 1 mile easy, 1 mile at 10k pace, and then 3 miles easy, for a total of 8 miles, and I got back to the house in 1 hour and 5 seconds. Wow, God was totally with me out there and it was just an awesome run. It was a beautiful morning, and I had so much fun, and I'm so thankful that God has given me the ability to do something that I enjoy so much! I can't believe that I managed to run 3 miles at 6:40 pace. Just can't believe it. It was definitely one of those runs that I'll remember for a long time.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Running Article from Active.com
I like to run, and I think of myself as a runner. However, I don't consider myself to be a "hardcore" runner. If I were to categorize my running style, I would say that I'm actually kind of a lazy runner. I like to do speedwork, but it's easy for me to talk myself out of doing long runs and short, easy runs. I didn't want to run a marathon for the longest time because I didn't want to have to put in the effort of doing a 3 to 4 hour long run every weekend! That is a really, really, really long time to run.
But, as it turns out, running that long in preparation for a marathon might not be such a great idea after all. I found this article today, and it really makes a lot of sense to me -- it suggests that faster runners only need to run 2.5 hours for a pre-marathon long run. I ran my first marathon with a long run of only 2 hours and 8 minutes and ended up finishing with an okay time. It's all just very interesting! Good to have more food for thought before I decide on a training plan for my fall marathon. :-)
But, as it turns out, running that long in preparation for a marathon might not be such a great idea after all. I found this article today, and it really makes a lot of sense to me -- it suggests that faster runners only need to run 2.5 hours for a pre-marathon long run. I ran my first marathon with a long run of only 2 hours and 8 minutes and ended up finishing with an okay time. It's all just very interesting! Good to have more food for thought before I decide on a training plan for my fall marathon. :-)
Friday, March 5, 2010
Decisions, Decisions
Right now I'm trying to make a decision about which big race to run next. I just finished my first marathon and ended up qualifying for the Boston Marathon. (As a side note, I actually thought that I needed a finishing time of 3:30:59 or faster to qualify, so I was surprised that I ended up qualifying with my time!). After I finished the race, almost everyone asked if I was planning to run Boston . . . well, no! Running the Boston Marathon has never been a dream of mine. I figure I'll qualify for it again in the future, so I can run it then when we have more money.
So now I'm planning to focus on 5ks and 10ks this spring, hopefully will get my weekly mileage up to 40 miles per week, and in the summer I'll begin training for a fall marathon. I'm thinking of running the Chicago Marathon in October, but my "dream" marathon (in other words, if I could run any marathon in the continental US, this would be the one) is the NYC Marathon. Up until this week, I thought you could only register to run it if you were an elite runner (which I am definitely not!) or if you were selected through their lottery. Well, as it turns out, I am actually eligible to register for the NYC Marathon this year based on my finishing time from the 3M Half Marathon in January! So I should obviously sign up for it, right? The problem is that it will cost a ton of money for registration, airfare, hotel, and food. Not to mention childcare if we leave the kiddos at home.
The application for the NYC Marathon closes on March 15, so over the next week or so I will be spending some time in prayer trying to figure this out. God is such a good and patient teacher, and I am looking forward to learning what His will is for this next step in my life!! :-)
So now I'm planning to focus on 5ks and 10ks this spring, hopefully will get my weekly mileage up to 40 miles per week, and in the summer I'll begin training for a fall marathon. I'm thinking of running the Chicago Marathon in October, but my "dream" marathon (in other words, if I could run any marathon in the continental US, this would be the one) is the NYC Marathon. Up until this week, I thought you could only register to run it if you were an elite runner (which I am definitely not!) or if you were selected through their lottery. Well, as it turns out, I am actually eligible to register for the NYC Marathon this year based on my finishing time from the 3M Half Marathon in January! So I should obviously sign up for it, right? The problem is that it will cost a ton of money for registration, airfare, hotel, and food. Not to mention childcare if we leave the kiddos at home.
The application for the NYC Marathon closes on March 15, so over the next week or so I will be spending some time in prayer trying to figure this out. God is such a good and patient teacher, and I am looking forward to learning what His will is for this next step in my life!! :-)
Monday, March 1, 2010
My First Marathon!
Hebrews 12:1
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."
Philippians 4:13
"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This weekend I ran my first marathon! And I absolutely could not have done it without God. My entire marathon training has been a lesson in God's will versus my own, and how to live my life and use my talents in a way to bring Him glory.
I started following a marathon training plan over the summer, with the (vain) hopes of blasting out a really fast race. Things appeared to be going well, but I found myself spending more of my solo running time focusing on myself and how fast I was going to run the race -- instead of spending that solo time praying and talking with God as I usually do. I also spent less of my time on Bible study and more time thinking and planning that week's runs. Tsk, tsk! But, as we Christians know, if God wants to teach you something, He'll find a way to do it. ;-)
Around the middle of December, I had finally gotten my weekly running mileage up to 48 miles per week. I ran an 8 mile pace run on Saturday, and a 17.5 mile long run the following Sunday. I was feeling pretty strong and sure of myself. Proverbs 16:18, anyone? :-) The following week, I was out for an easy 10 mile run and noticed that my left quad muscle felt weird. I didn't pay much attention to it and finished my run. The next morning, it still felt weird when I walked around, but I decided to try an 18 mile long run anyway. I only made it 6 miles before I had to limp back to the car. I took the rest of the week off and fortunately was able to get a week's worth of massages (from the best massage therapist in Red Stick!) and seemed to be on my way to recovery. But the next week I could barely make it through a 2 mile run without pain and had to take at least 1 day of rest between runs.
By this time, it was January 1 and I was signed up to run a half marathon at the end of the month. I was sure I wouldn't be able to do it! So I did what I should have been doing from the beginning -- I spent a lot of time in prayer, seeking God's forgiveness and guidance. I began slowly adding in longer runs, until I was able to get through an 8 mile run without pain. Then I tried a 14 mile run and I ended up having to walk back to the car in pain. The half marathon was in 6 days, and I couldn't even bend my leg because my knee hurt so much, and it even hurt to walk the next day! Thankfully, after stretching and rolling my leg, it felt good enough to run a little bit toward the end of that week, and I was able to run the 3M Half Marathon in 1:34:22.
After the half marathon, I had more knee pain, but it was gone 2 days after the race. The marathon was 4 weeks away! I was able to run 8 miles without pain, but still hadn't run further than a half marathon without pain in almost 2 months. I was afraid to try a longer run, but I had to do it if I wanted to try to run the full marathon. I was praying about it but still wasn't sure if it was God's will for me to run the half or full race. Then I realized that His will was done -- I was focusing on HIM and not the silly race! That was a great moment for me, and I feel like a fool for it taking so long to sink in. But that's what happens sometimes! I'm just thankful for such a merciful, loving God who cares so much to teach me these little lessons. :-)
Well, finally 3 weeks before the marathon, I did a fantastic 16 mile run on the trail near our house with absolutely no pain. Things were looking up! I was planning on a 19 mile run the following Sunday, but then . . . we all came down with a stomach virus and I couldn't even run 2.5 miles that weekend. I decided to defer to the half marathon instead because I was sure I wouldn't be able to run a marathon in 2 weeks with a recent long run of 16 miles and total weekly mileage of 20 miles per week!
But God kept speaking to me, and almost everyone I know kept telling me to just go for the marathon. So I decided to do it, and what do you know, I actually finished it!! I couldn't believe it. After mile 16, I was literally astonished at every mile that I was able to run. I had never run that far before, and I had a huge smile on my face! I was -- and still am! -- so thankful for a God who cares so much about me.
So my first marathon is done! A huge lesson learned, and 26.2 miles run. That is a really, really, really long way to run. I think I'll stick to 5ks and 10ks for a while. :-)
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."
Philippians 4:13
"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This weekend I ran my first marathon! And I absolutely could not have done it without God. My entire marathon training has been a lesson in God's will versus my own, and how to live my life and use my talents in a way to bring Him glory.
I started following a marathon training plan over the summer, with the (vain) hopes of blasting out a really fast race. Things appeared to be going well, but I found myself spending more of my solo running time focusing on myself and how fast I was going to run the race -- instead of spending that solo time praying and talking with God as I usually do. I also spent less of my time on Bible study and more time thinking and planning that week's runs. Tsk, tsk! But, as we Christians know, if God wants to teach you something, He'll find a way to do it. ;-)
Around the middle of December, I had finally gotten my weekly running mileage up to 48 miles per week. I ran an 8 mile pace run on Saturday, and a 17.5 mile long run the following Sunday. I was feeling pretty strong and sure of myself. Proverbs 16:18, anyone? :-) The following week, I was out for an easy 10 mile run and noticed that my left quad muscle felt weird. I didn't pay much attention to it and finished my run. The next morning, it still felt weird when I walked around, but I decided to try an 18 mile long run anyway. I only made it 6 miles before I had to limp back to the car. I took the rest of the week off and fortunately was able to get a week's worth of massages (from the best massage therapist in Red Stick!) and seemed to be on my way to recovery. But the next week I could barely make it through a 2 mile run without pain and had to take at least 1 day of rest between runs.
By this time, it was January 1 and I was signed up to run a half marathon at the end of the month. I was sure I wouldn't be able to do it! So I did what I should have been doing from the beginning -- I spent a lot of time in prayer, seeking God's forgiveness and guidance. I began slowly adding in longer runs, until I was able to get through an 8 mile run without pain. Then I tried a 14 mile run and I ended up having to walk back to the car in pain. The half marathon was in 6 days, and I couldn't even bend my leg because my knee hurt so much, and it even hurt to walk the next day! Thankfully, after stretching and rolling my leg, it felt good enough to run a little bit toward the end of that week, and I was able to run the 3M Half Marathon in 1:34:22.
After the half marathon, I had more knee pain, but it was gone 2 days after the race. The marathon was 4 weeks away! I was able to run 8 miles without pain, but still hadn't run further than a half marathon without pain in almost 2 months. I was afraid to try a longer run, but I had to do it if I wanted to try to run the full marathon. I was praying about it but still wasn't sure if it was God's will for me to run the half or full race. Then I realized that His will was done -- I was focusing on HIM and not the silly race! That was a great moment for me, and I feel like a fool for it taking so long to sink in. But that's what happens sometimes! I'm just thankful for such a merciful, loving God who cares so much to teach me these little lessons. :-)
Well, finally 3 weeks before the marathon, I did a fantastic 16 mile run on the trail near our house with absolutely no pain. Things were looking up! I was planning on a 19 mile run the following Sunday, but then . . . we all came down with a stomach virus and I couldn't even run 2.5 miles that weekend. I decided to defer to the half marathon instead because I was sure I wouldn't be able to run a marathon in 2 weeks with a recent long run of 16 miles and total weekly mileage of 20 miles per week!
But God kept speaking to me, and almost everyone I know kept telling me to just go for the marathon. So I decided to do it, and what do you know, I actually finished it!! I couldn't believe it. After mile 16, I was literally astonished at every mile that I was able to run. I had never run that far before, and I had a huge smile on my face! I was -- and still am! -- so thankful for a God who cares so much about me.
So my first marathon is done! A huge lesson learned, and 26.2 miles run. That is a really, really, really long way to run. I think I'll stick to 5ks and 10ks for a while. :-)
Monday, January 25, 2010
Happy Birthday, Anna! and 3M Half Marathon report
We had a very busy and fun weekend! Sunday was Anna's birthday and also the day of the 3M Half Marathon. Anna and I spent most of Saturday afternoon together. We had so much fun hiking and throwing huge rocks in Barton Creek (shhh- don't tell Oliver about that!). After that, we ate dinner at California Pizza Kitchen, and watched a bunch of Friends episodes at her apartment.
The next morning (Anna's actual birthday) was the 3M Half Marathon. Anna very kindly woke up super early to make me coffee and drive me to the race start. She is an awesome sister and friend!
Turns out we didn't really need to get up quite so early though -- the race ended up being delayed for 45 minutes! The wind kept blowing barricades over and Austin PD had to weigh them down with sand bags before the race could start. While I was standing in line for 45 minutes, I started to think that maybe I shouldn't run the race after all . . . my knee hurt really badly during my long run the previous weekend, and although it was feeling okay the morning of the race, I wasn't quite sure I should run it. But I did anyway!
The wheelchair racers started first, then 2 minutes later our gun went off. I finally got to cross the start line, and I just felt really good, praise God! I love running races. :-) The first 2 miles of the race are flat, then miles 3 and 4 are mostly downhill, then the rest of the race is equal parts uphill and downhill, with a flat finish. I was anticipating that my knee would start to hurt during the downhills of the race, but thank God it was A-OK!
Finish time was 1:34:22, which beat my previous PR of 1:34:54.
Splits:
miles 1 & 2: 15:05 (I forgot to push the lap button when I reached mile 1). Still dodging people at this point.
mile 3: 7:07
mile 4: 6:54 <---- downhill
mile 5: 6:55 <---- downhill. I distinctly remember thinking, "Oh wow, this is so easy!" Yeah, right! I sure wasn't thinking that 30 minutes later!
mile 6: 7:02
mile 7: 7:13 <---- big uphill at the end of mile 6
mile 8: 7:21 <---- some uphill, starting to get tired
mile 9: 7:13
mile 10: 7:14 <---- really tired
mile 11: 7:04 <---- trying to convince myself to run a sub 21:00 5k to finish in 1:32
mile 12: 7:04 <---- downhill
mile 13: 7:03 <---- tiny downhill, mostly flat, but thankfully adrenaline kicked in! Overall, it was a great race and I'm looking forward to the next time I get to run it!
The next morning (Anna's actual birthday) was the 3M Half Marathon. Anna very kindly woke up super early to make me coffee and drive me to the race start. She is an awesome sister and friend!
Turns out we didn't really need to get up quite so early though -- the race ended up being delayed for 45 minutes! The wind kept blowing barricades over and Austin PD had to weigh them down with sand bags before the race could start. While I was standing in line for 45 minutes, I started to think that maybe I shouldn't run the race after all . . . my knee hurt really badly during my long run the previous weekend, and although it was feeling okay the morning of the race, I wasn't quite sure I should run it. But I did anyway!
The wheelchair racers started first, then 2 minutes later our gun went off. I finally got to cross the start line, and I just felt really good, praise God! I love running races. :-) The first 2 miles of the race are flat, then miles 3 and 4 are mostly downhill, then the rest of the race is equal parts uphill and downhill, with a flat finish. I was anticipating that my knee would start to hurt during the downhills of the race, but thank God it was A-OK!
Finish time was 1:34:22, which beat my previous PR of 1:34:54.
Splits:
miles 1 & 2: 15:05 (I forgot to push the lap button when I reached mile 1). Still dodging people at this point.
mile 3: 7:07
mile 4: 6:54 <---- downhill
mile 5: 6:55 <---- downhill. I distinctly remember thinking, "Oh wow, this is so easy!" Yeah, right! I sure wasn't thinking that 30 minutes later!
mile 6: 7:02
mile 7: 7:13 <---- big uphill at the end of mile 6
mile 8: 7:21 <---- some uphill, starting to get tired
mile 9: 7:13
mile 10: 7:14 <---- really tired
mile 11: 7:04 <---- trying to convince myself to run a sub 21:00 5k to finish in 1:32
mile 12: 7:04 <---- downhill
mile 13: 7:03 <---- tiny downhill, mostly flat, but thankfully adrenaline kicked in! Overall, it was a great race and I'm looking forward to the next time I get to run it!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Running and Rolling Pins
I'm in the process of training to run my first marathon. I am so very excited and thankful for the opportunities that God has given me! I began an 18 week training program over the summer -- about 40 weeks before the actual marathon. What can I say, I like to be prepared! Good thing for my early preparation though, because I ended up with a running-induced injury last month, the week before I was going to try my first 20 mile run. I've had to take the last 2 weeks very easy, so I haven't been getting in all of the mileage that I was hoping to at this point. But God is good and His plans are the right plans! I haven't lost very much fitness because I've been running consistently for so long, and it just so happened that we were at my parents' house during one of the weeks that I couldn't run, and my dad (a massage therapist) fixed me up with a daily massage and my leg pain was gone!
But on the long drive back to our house, my leg started bothering me again. The first night back at home, I tried to stretch it out, but I just couldn't stretch it out where it needed to be stretched. I really needed another massage! Then the next evening, the light bulb went off -- I could use the rolling pin! The kids were in bed and Dennis was watching a movie on the couch, so I got out our wood rolling pin and rolled all of the kinks out of my leg. Sounds funny, but it really worked! I've been using it every day since then and I haven't had any trouble at all while running, praise the Lord! I've even tried a little bit of speedwork this week, and was pain-free! God is good! I just need to trust Him and wait for His plans!
16 days until the 3M Half Marathon! I'm hoping to get a new PR (personal record). The time to beat is 1:34:54, so we'll see how I do!
But on the long drive back to our house, my leg started bothering me again. The first night back at home, I tried to stretch it out, but I just couldn't stretch it out where it needed to be stretched. I really needed another massage! Then the next evening, the light bulb went off -- I could use the rolling pin! The kids were in bed and Dennis was watching a movie on the couch, so I got out our wood rolling pin and rolled all of the kinks out of my leg. Sounds funny, but it really worked! I've been using it every day since then and I haven't had any trouble at all while running, praise the Lord! I've even tried a little bit of speedwork this week, and was pain-free! God is good! I just need to trust Him and wait for His plans!
16 days until the 3M Half Marathon! I'm hoping to get a new PR (personal record). The time to beat is 1:34:54, so we'll see how I do!
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