1/27/07: Lost Run #4…

SIDENOTE: Please note that I shall refer to the next month or so of running as the ‘lost runs;’ the runs that were short, boring, and had no influence or baring on the quality (if any) of my training…

This is my long run for the week…I didn’t really have motivation to anything other then this today anyhow. I guess you can say I have the post-marathon running blues…little to no motivation;(


THE STATS:
6 miles total
About 57 minutes

Weather: mid to upper 50’s?
Heartrate:n/a

1/24/07: Lost Run #3

SIDENOTE: Please note that I shall refer to the next month or so of running as the ‘lost runs;’ the runs that were short, boring, and had no influence or baring on the quality (if any) of my training…

30 minutes inside on the treadmill. Ugh. It’s still cold outside.


THE STATS:
3 miles total
About 30 minutes

Weather: a/c
Heartrate:n/a

1/23/07: Lost Run #2…

SIDENOTE: Please note that I shall refer to the next month or so of running as the ‘lost runs;’ the runs that were short, boring, and had no influence or baring on the quality (if any) of my training…

30 minutes inside on the treadmill. Ugh. It’s cold outside.


THE STATS:

3 miles total
About 30 minutes

Weather: a/c
Heartrate:n/a

1/21/07: Lost Run #1…

SIDENOTE: Please note that I shall refer to the next month or so of running as the ‘lost runs;’ the runs that were short, boring, and had no influence or baring on the quality (if any) of my training…

30 minutes inside on the treadmill. Ugh.


THE STATS:
3 miles total
About 30 minutes

Weather: a/c
Heartrate:n/a

1/20/07: My First Run Since the Marathon!

I honestly KNEW I wasn’t going to be able to NOT run for longer then a week after the marathon, and I was sooo right. And this run meant the WORLD to me although it was ‘just’ on the treadmill. It meant…I am alive, I am a runner, a MARATHONER, and life goes on after running 26.2. It feels good to be moving again, and I am not THAT sore after the fact…

THE STATS:

3 miles total
About 30 minutes

Weather: a/c
Heartrate:n/a

LOOK-LOOK: 2007 HOUSTON MARATHON OLDIES BUT GOODIES!

I have taken the last few days of not running to do several things: RELAX! Most importantly and recover. I feel almost 100% and back to my old self four days after the big race, and almost good enough to start slowly running again. I will probably run an easy-slow 3 miles tomorrow to see how everything feels, but I think I will be okay. I got a massage yesterday and I think that really helped. Other then extreme pain in my IT bands and tight hamstrings, everything felt really good to get worked on.

I made a list of things I learned before, during AND after the marathon, and while they are fresh on my mind, I would like to share them. I learned beforehand from Mr. Sean Wade that you should never try to make up a miss split in the next mile. If you still feel good after mile 18 or so, start to bump up the pace then. I also learned to stay relaxed and have fun. Easier said then done, but it was a good reminder, because in the ‘heat of the race,’ I needed to be reminded of both of these things.

I learned during the marathon that I can’t waste energy early in the race, especially in the beginning with the hype of the cannon and the crowds around the GRB. I also learned how important it was to have support on the course. My men Ash and Wes saved my *@# by refueling me with food and drink both early and late during the race. Plus having my friends watching and cheering for me was such an emotional boost when I really needed it. And it never hurts having your name on your shirt!

I learned after the marathon that I should listen to my body better when it comes to pain. The tightness I had in my legs during my last run on Wednesday should have been a ‘red flag’ that something was wrong. I am not sure what it meant, but I am quite positive this affected me on race day. Possible causes: lack of hydration, lack of stretching before and after running, ??? I will have to stay on top of this before my next Marathon. This killed the 4:00 hour marathon finish I was going for. I also learned that I sweat A LOT during a marathon. I may change shirts during the marathon next year or at least wear my number on a racebelt so I can change shorts or shirts easily while on the run.

On to more positive things, memories of the race. I have to admit I don’t remember many minute details of the race anymore. I have a bad long-term memory that I need to work on improving. I do remember silly things though, that I figure I wouldn’t remember, like the lady with the HUGEEEEE pink flamingo and the really hairy dude with no shirt on. I also remember how supportive the crowds were through West U (my favorite crowds, by far) and the line of dudes peeing in public during the first few miles of the race.

I also remember that I hardly talked to any ‘strangers’ during the race and how delicious the beer was at mile 24. I drank almost the whole thing like it was water, yummy and tasty. I remember how silly I thought the belly dancers looked and how awesome the Bubbles truck was (it really made bubbles). I also remember high-fiving a few kids and eating an orange slice towards the end of the race since I needed the distraction, although citrus and I don’t mix well at all (it makes me sick to my stomach).

Lastly, I remember passing by some TNT runners that had their patients pictures on their backs and how it made me want to cry and want to thank them for what they were doing. I also loved the people that had a sense of humor, such as the guy that had the ‘Single girls, catch me if you can’ written on the back of this shirt and all the TV news crews everywhere and feeling light as a feather as I crossed the finish line. It still makes me cry thinking about it that single-most important moment right now…

Now for the tid-bits:) Here are my splits from the Marathon folks:

Start: 7:01:42am
10k: 58:52
Half: 2:04:49
30k: 2:59:20
Finish: 4:19.37

Clock time: 4:22:05
Pace: 9:54

Placement:
Overall-2395
Gender-613
Divison-104


And here are my BestBuy updates:

00:58:52 @ 10k, pace 9:28. predicted 4:08:11
2:04:48 @ Half, pace 9:31. predicted 4:09:30
2:59:20 @ 30k, pace 9:37. predicted 4:12:07
4:19:37 @ Finish, pace 9:54.

Here are some cool graphical info sheets on me:
http://www.runpix4.com/hou07/ge.php (bib#6135)

Here is my finish line video:
http://www.marathonvideo.com/houston2007/
(I almost take the photographer out on camera2 angle!)

Here are my race photos:
http://www.brightroom.com/find.asp?CAT=SPORTS&EV=RECENT
Click on ‘Houston Marathon’

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WOooo…tired and yet ready to get back to running! A nice 5k and 10k PR are yearning to be earned this spring and TRI season is right around the corner! Let's go!

1/14/07: MY FIRST (HOUSTON) MARATHON: 4:19:35!

More later, but I finished. I freaking finshed. I would like to thank The Academy, my parents and the Houston Striders…And all my amazing friends that were there to cheer for me when the going got tough (which, was most of the race).

---

So at this time last year I became a long-distance runner.

Today I became a small part of that ‘less then 1% of people in the world’ statistic and became a marathon runner!

Was it what I expected? I really don’t quite know what to think yet. Believe me though when all I could say when I finished the damn thing is that ‘I’m crazy, I’m crazy.’ I seriously think those were the only words I could say for about 20 minutes after the race, which is kind of funny now that I think of it. I think Coach Steeeeve (bless his heart) was really worried about me. All I could think of was feeling crazy and then crying like a baby. It was quite a mix of emotions.

Sooo…backtracking to the actual race. I must say I seriously felt like 100% going into this thing this year, as opposed to my Half-Marathon debut last year where I felt extremely sick to my stomach the entire race and even afterwards. I had ‘learned my lessons’ though and figured out how to eat, how to sleep and how to mentally prepare for a daunting race of a Marathon’s proportions. Unfortunately, there were also a few things I didn’t learn until AFTER the marathon…but I will touch on those points later.

I was a little worried about running by myself and the weather. The weather, obliviously is NOTHING I had control over so I just went with the punches and packed a long sleeve shirt and gloves ‘just in case.’ The ‘running by myself’ thing actually worked its way out quite well as I ran into Holden while we were waiting to use to porta-cans inside the GRB. (By the way, hug Holden next time you see him…he has discovered the ‘secret’ of short porta-can waits inside the GRB so ask him nicely and he might tell you where they are…) Holden mentioned he was going to do a 9:15 or so pace. I had in the back of my head of holding a 9:10 pace but with the weather, I even doubted I could hold that pace for half the race.

We lined up by the 4:00 hour pace group (no sense in lining up too far back as we have both done in past races) and stretched and wished each other luck. And right then I saw Striders Aimee and Kate and suddenly felt comfortable, happy and not a tinge of nervousness. I had my Striders running family and we all knew what we were about to set out and do. I felt so extremely determined and ready to go.

The cannon was off and it took about 2 minutes to cross the start. I hated that wait. I wanted to go (as did everyone else) and there was NOwhere to go…finally we were off. I knew my first mile would be slow, so Holden and I were steady and avoided weaving around others. The coolest thing about the corral system for the marathoners is that people actually abided by it this year (at least around me). I was able to run ‘at pace’ with minimal passing, weaving around others and other stupid things to waste my energy early in the race. After about 4 miles I finally felt warmed-up (as did Holden) so he let loose and got in front of me. I was okay with that as I knew I needed to run my own race anyhow.

I ‘ran into’ Strider John shortly afterwards, who said it wasn’t his day. We ran together for about 2 miles and it was nice to have that distraction of talking…it made the time fly by. I saw Striders Pam and Frank very shortly after that. They were holding steady on their pace and it was really comforting to see and talk to them too. I caught back up to Holden at this point, I think. My splits were looking good and I was feeling good and steady. I saw my boyfriend Ash shortly after who had food for me. Ahhh…what a lifesaver. I was starving for some odd reason. I was also blessed by the church, which gave me a surge of reassurance and I said a quick prayer for even more reassurance.

But mile 10 is where the trouble began and I knew something was wrong. My feet began to cramp up in ways I have NEVER EVER felt before. EVER. Not running, not from walking, not from ANYTHING. I popped two more 8 Hour Tylenols hoping they would help out somehow. I would change my gait a little and it would help, but then I could feel my body tiring out from that, so I stopped and just ‘dealt with it.’ I tore off my 4:00 pace band shortly after that, and watched it splash onto the ground like a shattered dream. But, I wasn’t down yet…I want to finish after all, and I still had goals!

I saw my co-worker Staci and her boyfriend at mile 15 and that was great. She is the reason why I decided to do the Power in Motion 5k clinic ‘so many years ago’. I realized then it was also great having my name on my shirt, so I had fans cheering for me wherever I ran. It really does help. I then knew I would see my brother Pat soon so I tried to stay cheerful as he is a runner too and I didn’t want to look too bad for him. I didn’t see him but I did see a good friend from college with her babies who I haven’t seen in 3 years. That was pretty cool.

I started to fall apart pretty quickly after that. Around mile 16 I started to get light-headed and feeling like I was bonking. It was funny to me to think I would ‘hit THE wall’ there and not at mile 18. But….wait…just wait, I should have thought. I saw Wes (my best friend) at mile 17 and he saved the day again with a bottle of fresh Gatorade and some more snacks. I almost started crying when he asked how I felt. I felt so bad and just wanted to hug him, but I knew if I stopped running it was really really going to hurt.

I knew I was going to see another friend after Tanglewood so I only stopped long enough to try to stretch out my cramping feet while I was alone again. No luck, stopping wasn’t going to do it at all. I kept trucking on, feeling pain wanting to escape as tears down my face. The pain in my feet has escalated to tight calves and hamstrings at this point, and the camber in the road was killing my IT band (both of them, to be exact). I had never experienced pain like this in my life and I made a point of running in the middle of the road. I needed more distractions.

I looked for my friend and never saw him and knew I wasn’t going to pull through this thing without ‘something.’ My iPOD, of course! I put that baby on full blast and convinced myself I was going to buy every Green Day album after the race…just let me pull through this thing. Man…and then there was mile 20. I guess you can say if I hit a wall (although not mentally) it was then. The dumb Clif Shot section angered me and the fact I was actually walking a little was killing my body even more. I fought off the emotions as much as I could, as I could feel myself want to hyperventilate anytime I thought about anything emotional. My parents, friends, music, running…you name it and it bothered me. I tore off my 4:05 pace band and told myself it was ‘okay.’

At this point I was just trying to get ‘in the zone’ and finish. I didn’t care if people were cheering for me, but I didn’t want to walk. I knew walking was going to kill my time, but I hurt so bad that I reasoned with my body ‘okay, just walk until those people watching over there.’ I didn’t want people to see me walk…I wanted to appear ‘okay.’ When Ash saw me again, I don’t know how I was still running. I would get in zones like that on-and-off. It was bad, mentally and physically. I was slowing down each and every mile…walking more and more. I have NEVER walked while running so my body was freaking out to with the quick changes of pace.

The funny thing (if there is such a thing at this point) is that everyone else was miserable around me too. I was amazed by a few ‘hardy souls’ that passed me at a good clip this late in the race. How they still had ‘it’ in them, I don’t know and I was impressed. I drank a beer and it tasted good, other then the carbonation. It was another distraction and I needed it. ANY distractions were good at this point. I don’t remember much else from here on, other then the awesome Strider water station (I almost started crying again since I felt so bad but everyone was cheering for me) and knowing the less I walked, the sooner I could finish. The 4:15 pace group passed me and I tore off my last pace band for 4:10.

At this point, I just wanted to finish, but I knew 4:20 (my original first Marathon goal) was still way within reach. But I was walking so much now, maybe walking more then I was running. I reasoned with myself that I HAD TO make this goal, and the only way how was to walk as little as possible after the mile 25 marker. So I ran, or shuffled or whatever I did that had me moving. The pain started to go away, probably because I was so determined to just get it done. I felt myself walk and would yell at myself to keep going. As I turned the final corner to the finish line (where it is still a mile away), I knew I was going to finish and I knew I was going to finish in 4:20.

No more walking, no more walking, no more walking, I told myself. This is it. So I ran, and ran and ran. I took my headphones off and heard the roar of the crowd people have told me about at the finish. I wanted to cry. I finally saw ‘the cute guy’ that my coworkers told me to find and follow and saw he was in a lot of pain. ‘Come on,’ I said, ‘Let’s go, let’s go.’ He (his name was Eric) looked like he was in more pain then me and I saw how young he was and it was killing me to see him hurt like that. It was another distraction but I wanted him to finish. I think he finished in front of me, but I never saw him again. I just hope he finished. He was so close.

The finish line, it came up so fast. I heard my friends cheering again and all I could say was ‘YES, YES, YES’ and I threw my arms up and felt elated as I stepped on the timing mat. Then I felt crazy and knew I needed to cry. All in a matter of a second. Then I managed to stubble inside and get a medal and then see the glorious Houston Striders who wished me congrats. I started to cry and knew I had done it. I finished the Marathon. 26.2 miles, with 16.2 of those feeling like Hell.

I don’t remember much else, other then getting my finishers shirt, getting food, crying, stretching, getting a massage, eating, talking to friends and feeling like a celebrity up until the painful (but yet, not really!) ice bath once I got home. Then I ate an amazing tuna sandwich and fell asleep for five hours. It was the best. Now the day after, I am sore as all getup. But you know what? I am a freaking marathoner. That’s pretty amazing and well-worth feeling tired, sleepy and sore all-over. And when’s the next one? Hmmm…

I can't wait! :)

THE STATS:
26.2 Miles!

4:19.37 official chip time
9:54/ave per mile

10:30, 9:19, 9:15, 9:08, 9:10, 9:19
9:29, 9:17, 9:21, 9:35, 9:47, 9:48
9:46, 9:40, 9:44, 9:44, 9:49, 10:03
9:40, 10:40, 10:11, 10:15, 10:36, 11:20
11:32, 10:32, 1:55

Heart-rate: n/a
Weather: low 50’s throughout, 90% humidity

Sean Wade’s ‘Tips for Top Marathon Performance’

Sean Wade, who is the 2003 Houston Marathon winner, will be running the Houston Marathon on Sunday to attempt to qualify for the Olympic ‘A’ Standard Team. Sean had previously finished 1,2, 3 and 6 in other Houston Marathons.

Sean’s biggest piece of advice is to not try anything new the day of the race. He suggests that you carbo-load by eating 4 pasta servings with 100g of carbs each on the Friday and Saturday before the Marathon. He suggested no lasagna or heavy sauces. Stick to basic pasta dishes.

On the topic of sleep, Sean suggested to get a lot of sleep on Thursday and Friday, since you will probably be restless Saturday night. He also suggested staying off your feet as much as possible in the few days leading up to the Marathon.

In terms of actual race day strategies, Sean said to get up 2-3 hours early and eat a breakfast with carbs (but again, nothing new). Drink 16 oz. of Gatorade at this time, also. He said you will know when you are properly hydrated when you are using the restroom twice an hour.

Sean said to get to the race site at least an hour and a half early. Don’t forget to bring an extra $5.00 for parking. Make sure you review which start you are at and which corral you belong in. Generally the Houston Marathon places the 3:45 and faster marathoners in the front corral. Double check to make sure you are wearing your chip.

In terms of the weather, Sean predicts warmer then normal weather for race day. Sean said that anything under 60 degrees shouldn’t affect your performance if you are properly prepared. All you should wear is your singlet, shorts and NO warm-ups. You might need an extra top or gloves, but don’t worry about a hat. Don’t forget the Vaseline!

Sean advises that for a pre-marathon warm-up, only jog to warm-up if you jog faster then your marathon pace. Most importantly, when it comes to pace, know your previous races. Try to hit your pace right away and hit every split. Don’t try to make up time on the next mile. Just worry about making up time at the end of the race, if you think you can.

Sean doesn’t advise pace groups, unless you have used them before. They generally use yellow visors, red singlets and multi-colored balloons.

Going back to the weather, Sean advises that you adjust your pace to the weather. There should be no adjustment is the weather is below 60. If it is between 60-65, add 5 seconds to each mile. If it is between 65-70, add seconds to each mile. If it is above 70, add 5 seconds per 5 degrees. There will be a water station very 1.5 miles-drink every time, even if you aren’t thirsty.

For a course mile-by-mile breakdown, Sean says there will be a headwind in the first mile. In the second mile, the course will merge with the half marathoners, but don’t get caught in their pace. In miles 2-6, hit pace and drink water. Your goal for the first half should be to conserve energy. At miles 6-8, there is the hill under 1-10: jog here and pickup speed after it crests. At miles 8-13, it is flat and now you can worry about your own time.

At mile 14, the Westpark hill is very long. Don’t worry about making up time until the downhill. Miles 15-22 are pretty flat, but don’t pick-up time yet. If you feel good at mile 18, then start to pick up the pace. The hardest miles are mile 22-END. There is an immediate hill at mile 22. Miles 23-25 are good for jogging/crusing up the hills. Make up any time on the flat sections. Mile 23 is where you can let loose if you feel good at this point.

Don’t worry about running negative splits, said Sean. Run quicker on the first half of the race (but only by 1-2 minutes only). Your steady PACE is the key to a successful marathon. First timers: Don’t worry about it if you have trained right. The last 4 miles are challenging but just keep your emotions in check.

GOOD LUCK!

1/12/07: The Marathon Expo!

I zipped through work today and left early all giddy and ready to celebrate the BIG DANCE, in true Pre-Marathon fashion. I found some great close parking, tied on my running shoes and got ready to spend some money, see some friends, and most importantly, PICKUP MY CHIP AND NUMBER!

The expo wasn’t as crowded as last year to me, and I was able to comb through all the exhibits in record time. Scored some sweet tri shorts from Luke’s Locker (my 2nd favorite running store in Houston!) and clif bars (yummy oatmeal walnut raisin-for my Marathon snack bags!) and almost bought some new shoes (but I don’t need them right now).

Ran into my Strider girls: Hillary, Nancy, Stacie, Pony and my Strider boy Santos too:) Santos recommended for me not to run anymore, so I guess my last run was Wednesday and that will have to be that…I am kind of worried about the tightness I expierenced though in my legs…

Met Mr. Jon Walk and scored a press pass and sat through Sean Wade’s presentation about ‘Tips for Top Marathon Performance.’ I will hopefully be able to blog about it tonight or tomorrow….look for the blurb about it here:

http://harrahoustonmarathon.blogspot.com/

That’s about it…two pasta parties (Houston Running Bloggers and Houston Striders) to go and then it’s showtime.

Best wishes everyone…don’t be nervous…Trust your training and HAVE FUN! Most importantly for the first-timers: This is only the first of many! Relish it! :)

1/10/07: Easy(?) Memorial Park/Jackson Hill Run

Tonight was possibly my last run before the Marathon on Sunday! It was just an ‘easy’ 4.5 mile jaunt that is an out-and-back. HOWEVER, I did notice some strange tightness/soreness in my legs and I am not sure why…maybe not stretching enough? Cold weather? Or can I just write it off as pre-Marathon jitters (Coach Steeeve said everyone hurts and aches the week of a Marathon). Hmmm…

THE STATS:

4.5 miles total
about 45 minutes running

Weather: cold
Heartrate:n/a

1/9/07: 5 Miles by the House!

Ran a lonely (but insightful) 5 miles by my house tonight. I didn’t really think about running a particular pace, but just ran to run and plan out my marathon waist pack. I decided to go as minimal as possible, partially due to space constraints and partially due to the weight issue (don’t want to feel weighed down at mile 20!) I decided that I will pack 4 GU’s, my iPOD, four 8-hour Tylenol, three impodiums, some pepto chewables and ginger mints to settle my stomach, biofreeze and waterproof lotion in a squeeze package (for chafing). I will also Velcro on my 10oz bottle of Gatorade for the first 18 miles and then get my bottles switched out to my 7oz bottle for the last 8 miles. Hope this is enough, lol.

Just like a women to feel overpacked to run a marathon! ;)

THE STATS:

5 miles total
about 50 minutes running

Weather: cold-upper 40’s.
Heartrate:n/a

1/8/07: LAST SMART workout!!!

Tonight was another ‘milestone’ workout before the marathon-the last SMART workout! The workout itself was pretty long: 2 mile warmup, 3.5 miles at marathon pace (.5 mile at marathon pace-4:30 or so and then .5 recovery) and a 2 mile cooldown. I really enjoyed it though since it was ‘the end.’ I probably enjoyed the workout too much, as I ran faster then then the 4:30 pace I wanted to maintain. I averaged about 4:25! Whoops, and a little too fast. The clock is ticking!

THE STATS:
7.5 miles total

2 mile warmup
3.5 miles at marathon pace (.5m on then .5m recovery)
2 mile cooldown

Weather: cold-upper 40’s.
heartrate: n/a

1/6/07: Last Long Run-River Oaks 9 Miler?!

So the question mark in the title comes from the fact that this is pretty widely known as a 11.3 mile route in the Strider circle, but somehow I made it into an even 9 miles. Am I complaining? No way. 9 Miles with my fellow Striders and running buddy Strider Hillary in good cool weather in one of my favorite neighborhoods in Houston with a fabulous IHOP breakfast afterwards is always my idea of a good time! This training run will always last in my mind as a good memory of training for the 2007 Houston Marathon!

Less then a week away from the Big Day as I write this…got my confirmation card and my bib #:6135! Looks like a good number to me! Pasta parties are all the rage this week, with the SMARTie one on Thursday, HRB’s on Friday and Striders on Saturday! Hip-hip-hooray as I eat my way to carbo-loading bliss!

THE STATS:

9 miles
About 1:32 running

Heart-rate: n/a
Weather: cool.

1/4/07: A Great and Energetic 6 Miles at the Park!

Sometimes I want to run ‘fast.’ (Haha, fast is a funny word to say when I am training for a Marathon and speed really isn’t my goal…) Tonight was one of those nights. The weather was right, the music on my iPod was perfect, so I just ran and ran and ran. And I love this cool weather we are having!

THE STATS:

6 miles total
55:35 mins running ave

ave 9:15/mile
9:01, 9:27, 9:26, 9:06, 9:16, 9:17

Heart-rate: n/a
Weather: cool.

1/2/07: 6 Miles at M. Park with Aimee!

Strider Aimee and I got a nice little run together at the Park tonight. The SMARTie workout was designed with tapering in mind, which is nice: 6 miles easy, with the 4th mile at 10k pace. However, neither one of us were really up to run ‘fast’ so we just did two loops and called it a night. The tasty Gatorade at the end provided by Strider Matt really made the workout ‘worth it.’ :p

THE STATS:

6 miles total
57:06 mins running

ave 9:30/mile
9:22, 9:15, 9:21, 9:23, 9:48, 9:55

Heart-rate: 168/ave 177 max
Weather: cold-upper 40’s.

12/31/06: 5 Mile Recovery and Last Run of 2006!

Just a ‘short’ 5 mile run to work out the aches of yesterday’s Yasso workout and end the year on a good running note. The workout was good but I was a little tired still.

Happy 2007 everyone!

THE STATS:

5 miles total
about 50 mins of running

Heart-rate: n/a
Weather: cool mid-afternoon