One Of Those Days

Yesterday was one of those days. 

Much like September 11th, when I first saw the plane crash into that second tower sitting in Mr. Connell's 1st period class my senior year of high school. Or April 27 2011, when I sat in my office and watched a tornado tear through my hometown of Cullman via live weather stream.

April 15, 2013 will be one of those days. 

An emotional whirlwind of helplessness, despair, fear and anger.

My family and friends are all thankful I wasn't there. 

But honestly? 

Of course I wanted to be there.

All marathon runners hope to be there one day.

The Boston Marathon is the holy grail of marathons. For some runners, qualifying for Boston may not ever happen. For others, it's something that they will work hard for their entire running careers and might get lucky enough to barely squeak by with a qualifying time.

It's an incredible longstanding tradition of celebration and victory, and puts the sport on a national pedestal and glorifies it in a giant media spotlight. 

Yesterday, at the 117th Boston Marathon, the celebration and victory at the last .2 miles was instead clouded with fire and blood soaked sidewalks. 

There were beautiful moments of sportsmanship, like one second after Kara Goucher crossed the finish line and called out for her training partner, asking How'd Shalane do?.... these incredible moments are now tainted by shrapnel and smoke. 

The uplifting last mile of the marathon was dedicated to the Sandy Hook Elementary School victims, yet the inspiration that those victim's families felt sitting in a VIP booth at the finish line quickly turned to total chaos.

When tragedies happen, there are so many questions that may never be answered and emotions that can't be fully tapped into.

Running is primal and the purest of sport, and sport cannot be defeated. 

Runners know how to deal with pain. 

We know how to keep going when the going gets tough, and push ourselves forward with enigmatic strength that only each of us individually knows how to reach from within ourselves.

I know for certain that this too will pass, and that this country and the running community will bound together with relentlessness and come back stronger than ever. We always do.

My main struggle with this entire tragedy right now is that we shouldn't have to.

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

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.

I Just Can't Get Enough (Alternate Title: Wait, That Wasn't Supposed To Happen...A THIRD Time)

So....

I'm not quite sure how to articulate my feelings on Sunday's Half Marathon PR in Sarasota. 

Mostly ecstatic. But also shocked. And confused. Very confused.

I didn't even have this race on my radar until about a week out, when I got an email that I had won a race entry. It was really awful timing -- I was feeling weak from a lingering sickness, my training schedule was basically non existent, and I had just raced 3 out of the last 5 weekends with two other half marathons and a 15K. 

Plus, I had already made plans to go out the night before to watch Eric Church and Kenny Chesney turn Tampa into a Redneck Riviera. 

Let's talk about REAL priorities, OK? 

After further debate I decided to go for it (I mean really, can I pass up a free race entry?!), but told myself I'd play it safe. If I wasn't feeling the love on Sunday morning, I'd treat it as a long run and just get my medal and my free beer and go home and not worry about my time. 

I ended up getting four total hours of sleep on Saturday night. I prepared myself for mental breakdown and total disaster as I lined up at the starting line. 

Prateek calls this "proactive pessimism". Always expect the worst. Most often it's used to describe the attitude of Philadelphia sports fans. Could also be used to describe the 2012 Auburn Tigers football season.

The Sarasota course is touted on the website as a course that was flat.

They forgot to mention the mile long BRIDGE that you had to run over TWICE.

The incline was an adrenaline killer and I was fatigued way earlier than I anticipated.

I saw Prateek at mile 6, and tried to paint on a smile for him even though I was completely exhausted.

I wasn't even halfway through the course yet and already kind of felt like hurling.

 This photo is completely fraudulent. I am getting better at spotting race photogs, though.

Every once in a while I'd look down at my watch to see how I was doing, and tried my hardest to keep my splits somewhat the same.

Total focus as I entered the finish line chute

When I saw the 1:37 on the ticker as I approached the finish line, I thought at first that for sure I had missed a turn somewhere or had cheated the system somehow. 

In the last month, I have now raced 3 half marathons (St Pete Rock N Roll and Tuscaloosa before this one) . With each one I've raced, I've PR'd by almost 4 minutes each time. 

Is this something I've had in me all along? Was this just a fluke? Maybe I just haven't been pushing myself hard enough? Or did I cross some sort of speed threshold and am reaping the benefits? Or maybe I'm just mastering the 13.1 distance after all these recent races? 

Whatever it is, I am blessed to have it and bow before the speed gods with thanks and praise. I see these numbers on paper and still can't believe they're mine.

I'm looking forward to digging into full marathon training mode and seeing what these legs can do with 26.2 miles! 

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.....

Weekend Warrior

According to Urban Dictionary (which is a fantastic source of knowledge for today's 21st century young American, by the way) a "Weekend Warrior" can be described as a person who holds a regular job during the week which restricts their ability to party/go on trips/partake in awesome activities, and thus plans epic weekend adventures to compensate.

I started off 2013 with Ragnar Relay in the Keys. A little over a month later, raced (and PR'd!) the St Pete Half Marathon. Last Saturday I raced the Gasparilla 15K and kept my pace down to a very satisfying 7:48/mile. 

I was in the top 10% of my age group (technically top 4.6%, but who's really calculating that stuff out anyway) and am getting a fancy coffee mug as an award. 

Random. 

This is actually the 5K one that I found a photo of and turned into 15K. 
My actual mug is in the mail. Thanks Microsoft Paint. 



There were, of course, ridiculously flattering race photos taken.

 I call this one "the claw". Check out my right hand. 
I was literally clawing my way to the finish line.

This is the one time on the course I saw the race photog so I painted on a plastic smile. 
This photo also reminds me that I twist my torso way too much when I run. 



Another case in point: My left T-rex arm. I should probably hide this photo from my running coach.

And this weekend? I will be in Tuscaloosa.
And there just so happens to be a half marathon on Saturday. In Tuscaloosa. 

And I am just about bat crazy enough to do it. As long as I of course sprinkle myself with holy water first.
(War Eagle.)

But really..... Who am I?! 

Between 2011 and 2012, I raced only two half marathons. Two in 2 years. Gasparilla Half in 2011 and the Iron Girl Half in 2012. I was so busy recovering from injuries and then training for my full marathons in San Francisco and Chicago that the half marathons (amongst most all other distances)  fell by the wayside. 

I am starting to really get into these short to medium distance races. 
It doesn't put such a toll on your body, your average pace makes you feel like a rockstar, and you can keep up with your regular training at the same time without major tapering. 

Plus, racing is fun! It's like speedwork, but you get a medal at the end!

And yes, during marathon training season, I am smugly saying that "medium distance" means anything less than around 15. Because I am a certified snobby brat. 


Weekend Warrior-ism also includes other awesome non-running activities, like going to polo matches and wearing giant southern belle hats with your friends and drinking champagne while stomping divots between the chukkers. 

Reeve's Charity Polo Classic - Plant City, FL 

The divot stomping photo you see above is from the good folks over at the Plant City Observer ... I'm famous in a small town, y'all. 

Spring (and all the fun activities that follow) is right around the corner.... I can feel it!