What The Hill?

Flights are confirmed. Hotel is booked. Vacation days are submitted.

Ragnar Wasatch Back is official. 

All I can keep thinking is....what in the good Lord's name am I doing?!

It all started in 2012 when I serendipitously met a bunch of crazy fools who called themselves the "Saints and Sinners". They were a Ragnar team that established in 2008. I hopped onto the team as a rookie for Ragnar Key West a few years ago (recap of that experience here) and have been running with them ever since.

It just so happened that in 2009, a year after we established the Saints and Sinners team, that Ragnar came out with a new "double medal" concept: run 2 races, get a special medal. They called it the "Saints and Sinners" medal, and it required running Ragnar Wasatch Back and Ragnar Las Vegas in the same year.

Wasatch Back runs through the mountains from Logan to Park City Utah, while Las Vegas runs through the Red Rock Canyon.

If you flip the medal upside down, it says Sinners. I know, so cool right?! 

Obviously, our Saints and Sinners team had to make this double medal a bucket list item. 

Our fearless captain decided 2014 was gonna be our year....so here I am!

All the logistics are finally coming together. I have 3 weeks until I get on a plane to Utah.

Now all I have to worry about is...you know... the race itself. 

If you hadn't remembered, I live in the flattest state in the country. 

Yes, it's even flatter than Kansas. Google it, y'all.

Besides being altitude-challenged, I'm also recovering from a torn tibial tendon that left me sidelined from January through May.

But hey, who needs conditioning for the mountains of Utah?! That'll be a piece of cake!

Yeah OK Mary, maybe a piece of cake made of titanium alloy. 
 

My first leg has a little over 1,200 feet of elevation gain. Put into perspective: the Clearwater Causeway is only 80 feet high. I'm essentially running the equivalent of 15 straight bridge inclines over 7.4 miles along a dusty gravel mountain road.

 

This leg even has it's own nickname -- "What the hill?" 

A leg with it's own nickname. How nice. I am so lucky.  

And that's only my first run of 3.  But let's be real. The scariest part of this leg is not the elevation. It's that I have to run across cattle guards. Does anyone realize how klutzy I am?! I can barely even walk across grated street vents without twisting my ankle! I am sooooo done.

What's funny (OK it's actually not that funny for anyone except for me) is that my legs are literally some of the easiest on the team. I got the injured runner's special! Thanks y'all!

Over 196.4 miles, there is 15,896 ft of elevation gain and 13,769 ft of elevation loss.

That's 29,665 ft total change.

From a team that trains at sea level.  

Hey, at least we'll be super cheap dates at the finish line! 

2 beers + 7,000 ft elevation = :) :) :) :) :) :)

If anyone needs me the next few weeks, I'll be out in Clearwater doing bridge repeats until I collapse into the Gulf of Mexico. 

No, really. Call it. I need one.

The Renegade of (Running) Funk

Sometimes, in life, you get into funks. 

 Not this kind of funk though - this is the good kind.

Funks can reach all levels of life and can sometimes be interpreted as burn-out. Whether it's a dead-end job or a writer's block or a weight loss plateau, we've all gotten into ruts of some form. Things aren't what they used to be, you no longer see progress, and fun activities no longer seem fun. 

It also can take it's toll on running.

I had been battling the running funk for a few weeks. Maybe it was the summer heat, or maybe it was borderline burnout. I tried new playlists. I tried running with no music at all. I tried running with friends. I tried bartering with myself (if you can run this entire route at goal pace, we can have Yogurtology later!) but nothing seemed to be working. 

And let's be honest, I had that frozen yogurt anyway. To drown my sorrows, of course.

 EAT ALL THE TOPPINGS! 

So, I did the unthinkable: I took a week off.

*GASP*

Yes. It's true.

Every run I was embarking on just wasn't fun anymore. I was stopping every few miles, pausing my Garmin, trying to re-energize myself. I was taking unnecessarily long water breaks. I was late going out the door and having to cut runs short. I started making excuses.

 I needed to do some serious re-focusing. 

I've been on a routine training schedule since March, and that doesn't include the multitude of half marathons that came before that. I also delved into another round of marathon training immediately after the Newport Marathon.

I haven't had a "break" in what seems like an eternity.

So, for 7 days, I did nothing. Not one trip to the gym, not one lacing-up of the Brooks. 

Nothing.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I was definitely antsy, but nothing like the taper tantrums of marathons past. I wasn't as hungry and ate meals much more similar to my peers instead of Michael Phelps. I didn't have nearly as much stinky laundry piling up. I didn't have to set my alarm for 4:45 AM.

By the end of my time off, I missed running. Missing something means you want it, so it was the exact feeling I wanted to achieve.  

And guess what? My first run back, I hit negative splits and felt great doing it.

And didn't even have to bribe myself with frozen yogurt.

Moral of this post -- don't be afraid to give yourself a break. Sometimes, not only do you deserve it, but you also need it.

 

Pre-Race Marathon Diva

Mood swings. Carb destruction. Sleeplessness. PR Obsession. Hyper spaz-outs. Listlessness. Freakouts. Ghost Injuries. Meltdowns. Elation. Sobriety. Excitement. Dread. Nerves. Appetite. OCD. Joy. Sadness. Entertainment needs. Pace calculations. Fuel nerves. Exhaustion. Energy. Extreme happiness. 
 
  No, these are not traits of someone with major PMS. Or Jekyll and Hyde.

These are traits of a runner, in the few weeks leading up to a marathon.

This time around I didn't think the tapering would be so bad. Newport is a really small race, not a big corporate machine with a lot of hype and weekly email blasts and twitter hashtags to keep your nerves on edge.

This is as fancy as the Newport Marathon gets:

 Only one email saying that I'm in and good luck to me? I love it.


I was right- tapering this time around wasn't bad. I was actually pretty proud of myself for holding it together.
After my last super long run, I was totally fine.
During my first week of full taper, I was still feeling pretty good.

For some reason, this week, I started to fall apart a little bit.

The advantage now is that I can recognize the symptoms and mostly deal with them and take a deep breath and let it go.

Mostly.

 It started with small things, like almost crying when I couldn't immediately find my ID (I found it about 15 seconds later), or feeling enraged at the airport security lady for having to re-scan my bag. 

Now that I'm about 24 hours away from flying to Oregon, the freak outs are really starting to progress.

OMG I haven't packed yet and I need to buy more Gu and I haven't arranged my playlist and I need to print out my pace charts and I don't know what shoes I'm wearing and I haven't been hydrating enough and I swear my knee is starting to hurt and....

Yeah. Welcome to my thought process today. 

Everyone keeps asking what my goal is. 
To be honest, I don't know. 
My goal is to run as fast as I can. Whatever time that turns out to be, that is my time goal.

Not to sound like a total blowhard, but I'm about 99% sure I will PR. I'm feeling stronger than I was in Chicago last year and am not injured this time, so I should be able to crush my previous PR of 3:53, barring any on-course injuries or cramps. So I guess my goal is something in the 3:40's. Or faster.  

I'm taking pace time charts with me for finish times of 3:45, 3:40, and 3:35. We'll see what happens and at what point I crash and burn.

The current forecast for race day is a perfect partly cloudy morning in the 50's, so that will help.

 I'll also have views like this all along the course to keep me motivated.

 

Lastly, for all the non runners out there, here are some fantastic tips from Oiselle on how to deal with a Marathon Diva.
 

Not that I am one or anything..... 

Uncertainty Is The Refuge Of Hope

Well, here we go.

Everyone knew it was coming. It was only a matter of time.

One of those awful words that we all hate has creeped into my vocabulary once more.

DOUBT.

I chose Bachelor #2 from my Marathon Dating Game . The Newport Marathon is now only 30 days away. I committed to it, registered, bought my flight, and reserved a hotel. 

Every time I mention the Oregon Coast, people collectively oooh and aaah over how beautiful it is, so I feel confident in my decision. If nothing else, it sounds like will be a great weekend getaway from the Florida humidity.

There is one thing I don't feel confident in. 

My legs.

Some days I feel awesome. 
Like, I am going to eat 26 miles for breakfast and then go back for seconds awesome.

 Others I feel really slow and weak and pitiful and can barely muster up the energy to finish three miles.

On my 20-miler last weekend, I don't' know that I could have physically gone another 6.2. 
That scares me. 

Even on my 6 miler this morning, I was exhausted after I finished. 

I want to push myself hard. But am I pushing too hard? Am I expecting too much? 

Did I get too arrogant after my 1:37 half marathon PR in Sarasota this year and think this would be a piece of cake? 

My previously-stated goal from a few posts ago remains the same.

  The goal is to push myself hard and see where I stand in the 2013 quest for marathon speed.
 If I crash and burn, that's OK. I'll have all summer and the beginning of fall to get ready for an attempt at chasing the 3:35 pace group in Twin Cities come October. 

Now I just have to remind myself of that goal. 

And that sometimes you have to risk crashing and burning to know what you're capable of. 

And that there are always more chances. 

Right? 

The Dating Game

Choosing a marathon is like a metaphor for relationships. 

You find out as much as you can about it, do your research, commit to it, accept it's flaws, and maintain a healthy level of stress and excitement about it.

In the end, you still don't know if you'll succeed or fail. You don't know how amazing or grueling it may become. Sometimes, it all comes down to your weakest moments - will you continue on and push past the fatigue, not knowing what other hills or obstacles may lie ahead? Or will you be overcome with exhaustion, fall to your knees, beg for mercy and withdraw yourself? 

Originally I had pretty much come to the conclusion that Grandma's Marathon was going to be the best option for a late spring race.This marathon has it's flaws (lodging being the main one) but it had awesome weather and a great looking course, and most importantly it gave me until late June to get my legs ready to dominate. I even created a training schedule based on that date.  

Turns out, now there is a big conflict with that weekend. So, I have to break up with this marathon before I really even got to know it. I'm sure it's a nice race and has a lot to offer some lucky girl out there, but the timing in my life is just wrong right now. 

It's not you, Mr Marathon, it's me.

Thankfully I have backups, like any wise girl should, and immediately delved into research on my next marathon relationship. 

Bachelor #1:

A running friend ran the Lake Placid Marathon last year and sang it's praises. Come to find out, it was ranked the #2 "Best Destination Race in the USA" by Runners World a few years ago. I can totally see why after looking at course photos-  it's a breathtaking double loop course in the Adirondacks.

Bachelor #2:

Newport also has it's advantages. It's known to be an incredible course to PR on (and is on the Runner's World list of best and fastest courses for 2012), and runs out and back along Yaquina Bay on the beautiful Oregon coast. The weather will be incredible and the views spectacular. 
Newport is also the headquarters of Rogue Ales, so I would know exactly where to go for some post race recovery! (Priorities!)

Bachelor #3:

Calgary was the original race I was considering for the late spring. The end of the course runs along the Bow River and promises for nice cool temperatures. It would be amazing mostly because it would mean I get to see my sister! Plus, I would have a place to stay and have someone to chauffeur me around the city like a diva.

The Cons? 

Lake Placid is not easy to get to. At all. And it would be a tough course... there's even a comment on the website that the course finishes with "a significant hill" in the final mile. As a Floridian, the thought of what a significant hill might be to someone who lives in the Adirondacks makes me shiver.

Newport is a little over a 2 hour drive from Portland, so would require some logistical planning (although not nearly as challenging as Lake Placid). It's a smaller race - only 800 runners ran last year - so there's a good chance I'd be running alone for some of the course. Which means no pacers or drafting of big groups. 
It could be liberating, but could also be a disaster.

Calgary is a week earlier than Newport, which means even less time to prepare. It's also a pretty significant trip to take just for a weekend. And the course is tough. Oh, and I will be going BACK to Calgary in July for Stampede as well...so this one might not be the best use of resources. 

Keeping P in mind, (you know, my real life boyfriend!), from a spectator standpoint I think they're all probably about even. Oregon may have a slight advantage only because it's a much smaller race and it will be easier for him to navigate without city traffic and road closures. 

 

I've come to terms with the fact that I don't have enough time to fully get my legs ready to attempt a major PR in such short notice.The goal for my late spring race at this point, for whichever bachelor I choose, is to push myself hard and see where I stand in the 2013 quest for marathon speed. 

 If I crash and burn, that's OK. I'll have all summer and the beginning of fall to get ready for an attempt at chasing the 3:35 pace group in Twin Cities come October.

The clock is ticking! 

Decisions, decisions..... 

The Bare Necessities -AKA The First World Crap I Can't Live Without

Sometimes I think back to around April of 2010 when I first started running -- back when I didn't have a clue about all the fancy stuff like Thorlo socks and Body Glide and Garmin watches. How did I ever survive?! 

Jump ahead three years, and some people (ahem, Prateek) may have the audacity to suggest that I have turned into a running snob. 

That is totally false only partially true.

There are certain things I do that get me in a groove. If I don't experience those things or have those things at my disposal, I get a little thrown off my game.

I am also really superstitious. For example, those PR pants I wore at the Sarasota Half Marathon? They will now only be making appearances when speed is completely necessary - like on the track or a long tempo run with friends where I don't want to be embarrassingly slow. 

Once a garment has proven itself worthy, it goes into a special pile in the closet.

Laugh all you want, it totally works!

Here's a list of things I can't seem to live without lately:

Beware-- this is a glimpse into my inner psyche. 

You've been warned.

• I never do any sort of workout, whether it be weights at the gym or going to yoga or doing a 20 mile long run, without my Hanuman necklace. He's the Hindu deity of strength and perseverance, and he comes with me everywhere.

• My hair has to be in a braid. I have resorted to the fact that my hair is way too long to leave in a simple ponytail, because it whips my face in the wind and gets in my mouth and eyes and makes me wish I had no hair at all. You don't want me going Britney circa 2007 on y'all, right?

• A picture of my dad in my arm band. Everyone has a hero, I just so happen to have a picture of mine and keep it with me on every run. I like thinking of him being with me in a physical sense.

• A cup of coffee and peanut butter toast before every workout. I'll add nutella if I'm feeling feisty that morning. 

• A playlist full of fist-pump worthy EDM...well, 99% of the time. I've recently started doing my long runs with friends, but every other time during the week when I'm on a solo training run my earbuds are blasting to the likes of Benny Bennassi, Nero, and Tiesto. If you ever see me randomly flail my fist like I'm punching the air, don't worry. It's not epilepsy. I'm just in the moment. Let me be. 

• My Forerunner 405.  I can say with almost complete certainty that this watch is why I crossed the threshold of speed this year during my half marathon crazed winter. Every once in a while it's nice to do a run without it, but beyond that, you'll have to pry it out of my cold dead fingers. Plus, it's green and it matches my shoes. Which brings me to my next necessity. And next sore subject.
  
• My Saucony Hurricane 13's. I've been in the Hurricane since the 11 came out. It's the first "real" running shoe I ever purchased specifically for my foot/gait type, and we've put many miles on the road together. The 13's are what carried me through this year of speed so far, and as I previously mentioned, I am very superstitious and don't want to switch to the next version because this one is so awesome and want to buy like 3 more pairs. Sadly, I can't find these shoes ANYWHERE online. And I consider myself a fantastic google-r. Even sadder? Saucony changed the style and fit of this shoe pretty drastically beginning with the 14's, and the reviews are not positive.

We've had a wonderful history together, but it might be time to break up with Saucony. I've been having major anxiety over it. I haven't lost sleep yet, but I'm sure that part is coming.

I've almost been talked into the Brooks Trance or Adrenaline. If you have feedback on either of these, I welcome your comments with open arms.

• Last but certainly not least, I love having a Dri Fit Nike hat. I like the Dri-Fit because I can't even feel it on my head, but sadly can only wear the ones in the men's section because my head is gargantuan compared to most women. Otherwise I stick to Sweaty Bands. (They really don't slip!) I would almost rather not run than run without something holding back the hair and perspiration from my face. Almost. 

Other than that, I am very simple. 

 My list really isn't THAT bad.... right?!

Wow, I look like a total running diva.

Of course, at the end of the day, if I didn't have my music or my watch or my hat or whatever else in the world I feel like I can't life without on a day to day basis...I would still run. 

Because that's what runners do.

Run Naked - It Adds Color To Your Cheeks

Running naked is extremely liberating.

And by naked, of course, I mean without a Garmin and without headphones and without any other electronic devices.

What did you THINK I meant?! 

I woke up this morning feeling very discombobulated. I had a total mismatched outfit on and looked like a hobo, my Garmin wasn't charged, my arm strap for my iPhone was breaking apart, I couldn't find my lucky necklace, the coffee I made tasted terrible, blah blah blah, bring out the baby violin and play me a ballad.

I'd like to hear Tchaikovsky's Serenade Melancolique, please.

I watched the minutes tick by on the clock and got so fed up that I just ran out the door with nothing but my house key. 

About a half mile in I started to panic --  how far am I supposed to go today? how fast am I going right now? how do I know what time it is so I know when to head back? what if I pass a pack of people and they totally judge my outfit and think I'm a loser?  OMG what if someone attacks me and I don't have my phone to call anyone?! This could be it. My life is over.

The fear started to wear off, and for the next few minutes I started to notice things about running that I had never realized: 

1. I sound like a Clydesdale when I run. Which is no surprise, because it's the same when I walk. I have a heavy heel strike and the word "tip toe" is not in my vocabulary.
2. I breathe very awkwardly. People ask me for tips on breathing methods sometimes, and I never know what to say because I always just kind of....well....do it.  If a fish out of water made a sound, as it were gasping for the sea, that is what I would sound like. Similar to dying, but a little more deep belly, and less wheezy. I was very thrown off by the sound of my own breath, and shiver at the thought of what the runners near me are hearing by the end of my races.
3. Besides my deep belly panting and my heavy feet, there is not much else making noise at 5 o'clock in the morning along my route. It is quiet and eerily peaceful. Every once in a while I heard a Pelican dive bomb into the Bay or would hear some bugs chirping, or hear the wind rustle through the palm trees. The sound of silence was a refreshing change. 

Most importantly, this run reminded me of why I even starting running in the first place. 

Back then, it wasn't about if my outfit matched, or if I had cute shorts that made my butt look good, or what my current pace was, or what my splits were, or the particular order my songs were listed on my playlist based on the terrain/elevation gain I was likely experiencing at that very point in my run. (Yes, I do that. Sometimes.)

Running back then was just about how it made me feel. 

It was oversized T shirts and shorts that were two sizes too big and 5 year old gym shoes from Target. 

I first fell in love with running with no Garmin, no music, no clue or care in the world as to what my splits were, while looking like a hobo. 

I think I re-fell in love with it this morning.

Y'all..... take a chance and run naked sometime. It's unbelievable for the soul. 

Wait, That Wasn't Supposed To Happen...AGAIN!

Someday, the running gods will not look down upon me with adoration and bestow bountiful race day wishes.

Saturday March 2nd in Tuscaloosa, AL was not that day. 

Three weeks ago, I ran the St Pete Half Marathon and PR'd by 4 minutes. I signed up 10 days in advance and hadn't really been training.

That PR wasn't supposed to happen.

Last weekend, I registered for the Tuscaloosa Half Marathon at the very last possible minute.

And PR'd by another 3 minutes off of that.

That REALLY wasn't supposed to happen.

I've never raced back to back, 3 out of 4 weekends, doing two half marathons and a 15K. Would my legs even be strong enough to handle such a ridiculous race schedule? 

There was only one way to find out.

I wasn't certain what to expect out of Tuscaloosa. I was coming to town to visit my friend Jackie and her new baby (who is stubborn and has not been born yet!), and this half marathon just so happened to be on that same weekend. I hadn't been in the city in almost 10 years so I didn't even really remember what it looked like, much less the terrain and elevation.
 All I knew was that it was supposed to be in the low 30's with snow flurries on race morning.

Cue high-anxiety-packing mode. I took 3 different outfits with me to Alabama. 

Florida people just don't know how to dress for sub-50 temps.  

 Rachel was running it too, and it was so nice to have a familiar face out there!

Here we are rocking out our throw-away jackets before the race started
(Photo stolen from Rachel)

The first part of the course was very emotional. I don't know what that Forest Lakes area looked like before the tornado swept through, but I do know what destruction looks like because of seeing the aftermath in my hometown of Cullman (which got hit by an F4 tornado that same day, April 27th 2011). The empty lots, the driveways that lead to nowhere, the mailboxes with no homes behind them, the trees that are stripped of branches but still standing tall like leafless twigs - I recognized it all and felt a huge wave of sorrow. I was running through hallowed ground, where people lost everything including their lives, and I almost flat out cried on the course.

Seeing the empty lots, next to new houses being built, next to houses that were spared, it struck a cord in my soul. 

Course map superimposed onto tornado damage path

The course may as well have been a mini version of San Francisco's elevation chart. 

Hills, hills, hills. Rolling ones. Up, down. Up, down. Just when you think you get some recovery...NOPE! There's another hill waiting for you.

By around the 7th mile I already felt out of steam. I struggled mentally more than I can remember struggling in any race ever, marathons included. I knew I went out fast, and wanted to keep it up, but could feel the fatigue coming over me like a heavy blanket.

I was also all by myself (cue sad music)--- since I've been running, I don't remember ever being alone during a race. There were no strangers to pace with, or draft, or focus on keeping up with to push me a little harder, so the drive to keep going completely fell on my own strength and focus. 

This is where my loner tendencies kinda came in handy, since I almost always run by myself during training. 
 

 These extremely photogenic race shots sum up my feelings of the final 6 miles as a whole.

I was overcome with joy to see that finish line. And even happier to see the time on my Garmin. 

Official Race Results: 

1:41:08 (PR)

7:43/mile

66th overall 

2nd in age group 

After all that struggle, I ended up with a 3 minute and 15 second PR.

I made my way to the finish area to try and catch Rachel as she crossed, and I almost missed her because she was so speedy and crushed her goal with a new 2:02 PR! 

Finish line photo op!

Although Jackie's baby was due THAT DAY, she still came out and supported me at the finish line.

 2nd in my age group meant I got an award.

Cash money! 
Thank you Delane for letting me steal your jacket when my lips turned blue 

So then I was doing some thinking.

The spread on a half marathon and full marathon pace is around 30-40 seconds-ish, right?
Let's theoretically say 30 for this particular demonstration.

If I add 30 seconds to my 7:43 half marathon pace, that is an 8:13 full marathon pace.

(Yay, I can do math.)

But.... 
Do y'all realize what an 8:12 marathon pace would get me? Just one second faster per mile than that?

 A BOSTON QUALIFYING TIME!!

That is, theoretically of course.

Forget the 3:40's, I'm going for a time in the 3:30's this year. You heard it here first, friends.

Now I just have to find a good course.....