I Get Knocked Down, But I Get Up Again

Today, I present you with a list of things I have learned and experienced in my first 6 weeks of training for the Illinois Marathon.  I will even bullet this list to make it seem important.

• Things almost never go according to plan.
• I did not include a "Flu Week" in my original training plan.  I was made painfully aware of this oversight.
• The flu vaccine is less than 50% effective at preventing flu this season.
• It's very difficult to run when you have a 101° fever, head-to-toe muscle aches, and an overwhelming urge to never ever get out of bed.
• Never underestimate the healing power of Girl Scout Cookies. Especially the peanut butter ones. And especially the ones that magically materialize in your mailbox thanks to a sneaky and loyal friend (you know who you are).
• The first post-flu run can make an experienced runner feel like she is just learning to walk.
• It is possible to come back from illness even stronger than before.

Flu bug nastiness aside, my training for the Illinois Marathon has been going exceptionally well.

Maybe a little too well.

I mean, I know it was my plan to go for another sub-4:00 marathon.  But now that I'm actually training for it, and my training is going even better than my training for Lakefront 2011, I'm starting to get nervous. I'm actually going to have to do this. And it's going to hurt.

The last time I ran a sub-4:00 marathon (and incidentally, the only time), it was a beautiful, crisp fall day in Milwaukee, and everything, I mean everything, was on my side that day. The wind was at my back, the temperature was near perfect, the course was a net downhill (though, to be fair, there was still plenty of uphill).  I had also just been crowned the Bung Queen by Lakefront Brewery the day before the marathon.  Nothing could go wrong. I was Bung Queen, for crying out loud!  I ran the race of my life that day, and it was the most physically demanding thing I have ever done, even in perfect conditions.

But what if the stars and planets don't align this time around? What if it's 80° and pouring rain, or 20° with 25mph wind? What if I'm not crowned the Bung Queen???  What if.... what if.... what if?  Will I be well-trained enough to pull off a sub-4:00 in less-than-ideal conditions?

These are the voices in my head that could spiral out of control if I let them. But there will always be more marathons. Heck, I'm already signed up for a fall marathon.  If Illinois doesn't go according to plan, due to forces beyond my control, I'll pick myself up, dust myself off, and get back to work so I can try again in the fall. That is the beauty of running, and of life in general.

We may get knocked down, but we can always get back up again.

And admit it; now you have that song stuck in your head. You're welcome!

Peace. Love. Train.

Confessions of a Delinquent Blogger

Forgive me Michele, for I have blog-sinned. It has been 84 days since my last blog post. 

My dear friend, and only blog fan Michele (who tries to cheat in 5k races), pointed out to me today that I haven't updated my blog in, like, forever. So I am here to rectify that, and keep Michele from crying over my lack of blog posts.

I tried to tell her that I have nothing interesting to say.  I haven't been running with the FAST group, because it just doesn't fit well with my schedule.  I haven't seriously trained for anything in months. I haven't even run any races at all since October. So what should I talk about?

*scratching head*

Well, I guess I can talk about my future running plans.

My big running news for 2013 is that Marathon Evily is on her way back. I have not seriously raced a marathon since October 2011. I took a year off due to major personal life changes, and I am just now regaining my 2011 fitness levels.  I have now built my running base up to 40 miles per week, consistently, and I feel I am truly ready to begin serious marathon training again.

I am registered for the Illinois Marathon on April 27. And, as of today, I am also registered for the inaugural Naperville Marathon on November 10. That gives me two chances this year to prove my marathon prowess.     I am really hoping at least one of those will be a sub-4:00 victory.

Of course, simply hoping for a sub-4:00 really isn't enough. I'm going to have to work my ass off to get there, just like I did in 2011. My training plan for Illinois is aggressive (for me, at least), and similar in total mileage to my training for Lakefront Marathon 2011.  I figure I may as well start with what worked for me before.

I will peak at about 55 miles per week in this training cycle, barring injury or illness or total burnout. It's scary to think about running that much mileage after a year of barely being able to get in 30 miles per week. But I am in a better place now, mentally and physically, and I feel well-prepared to handle it.

Also, I have new shoes.

*squeeeeee!*

There is nothing more motivating than shiny, pretty, colorful, cushy new shoes to run in. I mean, aside from the desire to achieve one's goals, blah blah blah.

So remember, there are three important benefits of marathon training: (1) the satisfaction of achieving one's goals (2) improving one's fitness and performance, and (3) pretty new shoes. Not necessarily in that order.

Peace. Love. Train.

'Tis The Season...

...for a lot of indoor running!

In less than a month, winter will officially be upon us, and already we are being subjected to crappy weather and a severe lack of daylight in good ol' Central Illinois.  Distance runners like me have two choices: (1) suck it up and run outside in the freezing cold and pitch black dark, or (2) act like wusses and run in the temperature-controlled and well-lit indoors on treadmills and tracks.

I'm a wuss and I'm proud of it.

It's not that I don't like running in the cold, but the fact that cold is often accompanied by rain, snow, sleet, ice, and a ridiculous amount of wind.  I HATE WIND!  (The fact that I typed that in all caps, bold and italics should adequately reflect my level of hatred for strong wind.)  So in order to avoid the adverse conditions of the upper Midwestern winter, I find myself running indoors a lot these days.

I'm currently in training for the Walt Disney World Goofy Challenge in January.  For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, it's a half-marathon on Saturday followed by a full marathon on Sunday...  That's right: over 39 miles in 2 days.  For fun!  My good friend, marathon training buddy, and Bad Axe Pigeon bandmate, Kristi is also engaging in this crazy endeavor with me.  Thank goodness for that, because I'm not sure I could get through the long runs without her.

Just this morning, we did a 16-mile long run on an indoor track.  On this particular track, that was 120 laps.  There's no feeling quite like being on a 120-lap run, feeling like you've already run 75, and looking at the lap counter on your watch and seeing you've only run 10.  Even with a great running buddy, an indoor long run can be mentally fatiguing.  People often ask us how we do it.

How do we combat the mental fatigue when running around in circles for hours and hours?

Well, it's not easy, but we've found that a clinically-proven combination of guided imagery and creative visualization really helps.

Will run for food/beverages.  Mmmmm...  falafel.

Peace. Love. Train.

Happy Pain

It's no secret that runners are kind of a strange breed.  Running is a sport that many people associate with pain, and while it doesn't always hurt, those of us who partake in running do derive some sick sense of satisfaction from an especially difficult or painful effort.  It's a happy sort of pain, though - the pain of hard work and accomplishment.

Since last week was my peak marathon training week, it was time to bring on the happy pain.  I wanted to sufficiently wear my legs out, without injuring them, before beginning my beloved/dreaded taper.  So I logged 30 miles of easy- and moderate-paced running during the weekdays.  And then I had a brilliantly crazy plan to put my pre-fatigued legs to the test over the weekend: 

• A 5k race on Saturday.  Yes, a race race.  An all out, balls to the wall, give it all I've got kind of race. 
• And a ridiculously hilly half-marathon on Sunday...  as part of my 22-mile long run.

I know what you're thinking.  Holy crap, woman, what are you smoking???  Okay, I didn't know you were thinking that. But if you must know, I am not smoking anything.  I am in complete control of my mental faculties.  True story.

So on Saturday morning, I headed down to Pekin to run the Marigold Festival 5k.  It was like déjà vu all over again, because the race was on the same course and had the same race director as the Running With The Saints 5k I ran earlier this year, and my coworker/friend Mike was running it too.  Even the trophies were the same.

Hey, did somebody say "trophies"???

That was all I needed to hear.  I put on my game face.  I was in it to win it.  I didn't know if I would be able to set another PR, since I had just set one two weeks earlier, but I was going to run the best I could and try to score some hardware in the process.

After a short warm-up jog, we lined up for the start.  I knew Mike was shooting for a PR, and I knew what his goal pace was.  I didn't think I could run quite as fast as his goal, so I was fully prepared to watch him run out ahead of me and leave me in his dust.  When the race started, and he didn't pass me, I grew concerned.  I glanced down at my Garmin and saw that I had started off at about a 6:45 pace for the first 1/4 mile.

Oops.

Well that was way too fast.  Far faster than my goal pace, and even Mike's goal pace.  And Mike, who happened to be running just behind me, told me as much.
 

 Running like I'm being chased...

(photo by Stephanie M)

For most of the race, I was aware of Mike running just behind me.  This put a little pressure on me (okay, a lot of pressure).  I didn't want him to rely on me for pacing and then end up falling short of his goal if I died off (as I tend to do in short races).  I pushed on as best I could.  As the frontrunners started coming back the opposite direction from the hairpin turn, I was vaguely aware that there were three females ahead of me, and none of them looked to be in my age group (although you can never really be sure with runners).  If I could hang on, I stood a very good chance at earning some hardware.

With about 1/4 mile left to go and the finish line in sight, Mike dropped the hammer and finally passed me.  I experienced feelings of intense pride (since I am his running coach and I knew he was about to PR), mixed with feelings of intense nausea (since I was accelerating for a finishing kick myself).

I watched Mike cross the finish in 23:04 - his best time by nearly 2 minutes. And I stumbled across the finish shortly thereafter, in 23:13 - a PR by 23 seconds.  Considering my previous PR was set just two weeks earlier, this was pretty significant. I was ecstatic!  I checked my splits and was pleased to see 7:16, 7:42, and 7:18.  The middle mile was a killer (it was mostly uphill), but I somehow managed to speed back up for the final mile.  And for the last 0.1 mile I managed to kick it up to a 6:50 pace.  I was very pleased with how I ran.

But wait; there's more!  I also won the Female 30-39 age group.  And that meant a shiny trophy for me.  Score!!!

First place, biznitches!!!  Is it just me, or does the trophy figure look like she's bowling instead of running?

You would think that running a 5k PR would be enough happy pain for one weekend.  And normally you would be right.  But I needed to get in 20+ miles on Sunday, and I sure didn't want to run it alone.  I knew a lot of fellow FASTies and Stashies were running the IVS Half Marathon in the beautiful Springdale Cemetery, and I thought it would be fun to incorporate this race into my long run. (I use the word "fun" loosely here.)  My plan was to run 6-7 miles before the half-marathon, run the half, and then run 1-2 miles afterward, giving me a total of 20-22 miles.

I stumbled out of bed at 4am and had a light breakfast and some much-needed coffee.  Then, at 5:20, despite the fact that I really wanted to crawl into bed and go back to sleep, I headed out the door and enjoyed one of the most peaceful runs I've had in a very long time.  I donned my headlamp and reflective vest, and ran all over the still-sleeping town under a starry night sky, with the full moon slowly sinking toward the western horizon.  I saw Orion to the south, and the big dipper to the north.  All was quiet, except for chirping crickets, my own easy breathing, and my gentle footfalls on the road.  The air was crisp and cool.  I felt like I could run forever.  I really hoped that feeling would continue, because I had a lot more miles to cover yet that morning.

After logging just over 7 miles on my own, I headed to the half-marathon start as the sun was starting to come up.  I had never run the IVS Half-Marathon before, but I have run in Springdale Cemetery enough to know that there were going to be a lot of hills.

Hills?  More happy pain, right?  Bring it.

As runners lined up at the start, we had a brief moment of silence in remembrance of 9-11.  Then it was time for the national anthem, but for whatever reason, the sound system wasn't cooperating and the music wouldn't play.  In a beautiful display of unity and patriotism, all the runners, volunteers and spectators began singing The Star-Spangled Banner, sans accompaniment, perfectly on-key.  It was better than any pre-recorded version of the song ever could have been. 

Then we were off.

The half-marathon course consists of two identical 6.55-mile loops through the cemetery.  The first loop is hilly but beautiful.  The second loop is brutally mountainous and never-ending.  Yes, the loops are identical on paper.  But they are not the same when you're actually running them. 

 After the first loop, I still felt pretty good.  This feeling would not last.

(Photo by Becky T)

My goal was to at least run even splits.  I didn't really care much what my pace was since it was just part of a training run for me, as long as my pace didn't slip in the 2nd loop.  This made the 2nd loop a right pain in the ass.  And the quads.  And the calves.  And the hamstrings. 

Pain.everywhere.

As I climbed all those hills a second time, I cursed myself for thinking this was a good idea.  Who, in their right mind, runs an uber-hilly half-marathon as part of a 20+-mile training run? 

Clearly, I'm not in my right mind. 

It was nice the way the course wound through the cemetery in  way that allowed you to pass by runners both ahead of and behind you, going the opposite direction.  So every time I ran past a fellow FASTie or Stashie, I got a little mental boost.  I tried not to think about the fact that when I was at Mile 9 of the race, I was actually at Mile 16 of my long run. I also tried not to think about the fact that the sun was getting hot.  My calves screamed with every steep uphill climb, and my quads protested with every steep downhill descent.  "Happy" pain, my foot!!!  All I wanted was to be done with the hills.  Fortunately, the final mile and a half are mostly a gentle downhill, and I was able to cruise into the finish with renewed vigor. 

 Did I say the course was hilly?  I meant freakin' mountainous.  Over 1,000 ft of climb (and descent).  My quads still haven't forgiven me.

With a finish time of 2:05:51, my third fastest half-marathon ever, I was very pleased.  I expected to be closer to 2:10 or 2:15, given the hilliness of the course.  Even better, I exceeded my goal of running even splits, running the first half in 1:03:20 and the second half in 1:02:31.  No wonder my legs were weeping!

I had run just over 20 miles so far.  But I really wanted to get to 22.  I reset my Garmin and headed back down the path toward the cemetery for another couple miles.  It was very tough at that point.  I didn't get anywhere near the steep hills, but my legs shook with fear.  Or fatigue.  Probably a bit of both.  I ran past other runners who were on the home stretch, and I gave them all a "Good job; you're almost there!"  Then I turned around and started heading back, and people started telling me "Good job; you're almost there!"  They thought I was just finishing the half-marathon, but I was actually just finishing an epic (for me) day, weekend, and week of running. 

A hilly half-marathon, a 5k PR, and a 56-mile training week - good job, indeed.  I had accomplished everything I set out to accomplish in my peak week of marathon training, and much more.  Yes, it was definitely all happy pain.

You all know what this means, though.  Now that my peak training week is over, it's time for... 

TAPER MADNESS  *scream*

You have been warned.

Peace. Love. Train.

So, what's next?

Alright, so I achieved my sub-5-hour marathon goal, I'm pretty much recovered from the marathon, and more importantly, from the Post-Marathon Syndrome. I had a wonderful 10 mile run this morning, even though my training plan only called for 8 miles (shhhh, don't tell my coaches!), so I think I'm ready to get back to my regular running routine.

So now what? *scratching head*

That is an excellent question, my friends. An excellent question indeed.

Well, in a nutshell, I figured I would just keep on running, maybe run some races, maybe run some new PR's, and pretty much try to have a good time doing it. But, and I know this will come as a shock to many of you, I am not doing anymore marathons in 2011. *gasp* I know, I know. Now, I didn't say I wasn't doing anymore marathons EVER. Just not this year. I want to focus my efforts on the shorter distances (half-marathon and shorter) and work on improving my speed, because I do think I have a little more speed in me. Then next year I will revisit the marathon. I have run 3 marathons (and over a dozen other shorter races) in the last 9 months and I think the ol' legs need a little break from the 20+ mile runs.

First up on the agenda are some fun races. I'm not going to worry about my time or my pace. I'm just going to run and have fun. First, there will be the triple-race weekend of the Flying Pig on April 30 - May 1. I will be running the 5k, 10k, and half-marathon events with some good friends. We are going to take our time, enjoy the awesome spectators of Cincinnati, maybe dance with Elvis, take some pictures at the top of the Big Hill (aka, Eden Park), eat a lot of bananas, and have a generally good time. Then, the following weekend (May 7), I will be heading to Indianapolis to run the Festival 500 Mini-Marathon. This race, which is the largest half-marathon in the country, has already been sold out for over a month. But I planned ahead and got spots for myself and my hubby. Several of our FAST friends will also be joining us at that event.

The Mini-Marathon allows runners to apply for entry into seeded start corrals if they meet certain requirements (based on performance in past races). Well, for the first time ever in any race, I actually qualified for a Preferred corral. I am not sure whether it's because I'm fast, or because their standards are pretty low (I would guess the latter), but after spending 45 minutes waiting to get to the starting line of this race from Corral S two years ago, I ain't complaining. Maybe this year I'll only have to wait 20 minutes to get to the start once the gun fires.

I think I will find other fun races to run in the spring months too. Last year's Lincoln Memorial Half-Marathon was really scenic and I loved the giant penny medal - I may run that one again. And I'm sure I'll find some local 5k's to run for speedwork.

But what about racing races? Yes, I plan to do that too. But not until summertime. I will race my usual summertime event - the Steamboat Classic 4-Mile - with a goal to run it under 35:00. God willing, it will be my 6th consecutive Steamboat race. And my main event for the year (besides last month's Icebreaker Marathon, that is) will be the Fox Valley Half-Marathon. I just signed up for this fabulous-sounding event last week and am planning to make this my A-race for the half-marathon distance. I feel fairly confident that I can run it under 2:10. But depending on how my training goes, I may attempt a more challenging goal. Time will tell.

So there you have it - that's what's next for this little piggy. No more marathons in 2011. And that's final. So please, I beg you, do not forward me links to really awesome-sounding marathons, because I don't need the temptation. M'kay?

Peace. Love. Train.

Dude, you gotta try this!

Or not.

Running is a very individual thing. What works well for one runner might cause a different runner to get shin splints. Or chafing. Or a tummy ache. Or all three. Which could be truly disastrous in a race, to say the least. We have all seen that guy struggling at the end of a race, a look of pain and desperation on his face. It's gotta be the shin split - chafing - tummy ache triple combo. It claims millions of runners every year.* (*I completely made up this statistical fact. It is, in fact, a mythical non-truth. But I'm trying to make a point here, so humor me.) That guy probably took the advice of one of his runner buddies who very enthusiastically and convincingly said "Dude, you gotta try this! It has done amazing things for my running!"

While there's generally no harm in trying new things in your running (and some new things can, in fact, lead to increased performance, comfort, happiness, etc), there is a good time to try new things and there is a bad time to try new things. Let's start with the bad time. During a race. Never ever, ever, ever, EVER try new things during a race. I repeat, do NOT try new things during a race. Now, when is it good to try new things? Any other time besides a race, aka, during training. That's what training is for - to figure out what works for you, the individual, so that you will have an arsenal of strategies and tactics to get you through your target race.

With that said, I'm now going to list all of the things that do and do not work for me. I will not say "Dude, you gotta try this!" because I know that what works for me may not necessarily work for anybody else on the planet. But feel free to give these things a whirl in your training (NOT during a race) if you like. However, I do not claim any responsibility for any cases of shin splits, chafing or tummy aches that may result from trying these things.

Things That Work

1. Oatmeal, bananas, green tea, Sharkies, and Bonk Breakers. Not all at once, mind you. My standard pre-long-run breakfast is oatmeal, a banana and a cup of hot green tea. It has been for ages. It's easy on the tummy, provides lots of easily digested carbs (both simple and complex) and gets me going, in more ways than one (I'll let you all ponder the meaning of that) without upsetting my tummy like coffee might. Sharkies are my in-run fuel of choice. I've tried Jelly Belly Sport Beans, and while I love them for the taste, they do not contain any complex carbs. Sharkies are loaded with complex carbs for sustained energy, and they're easy to eat when nothing else is appealing (as is often the case late into a long run). Finally, after a long run, a Bonk Breaker bar is a surprisingly welcome bit of solid food with the optimal recovery ratio of carbs to protein (4:1). The peanut butter chocolate chip flavor is supremely yummy.

2. Injinji Toe Socks. They look weird. They are weird. But they are incredibly comfortable and they keep my toes from rubbing together and making big ugly blisters. Plus, the rainbow ones are made of recycled materials - how cool is that?

3. CW-X tights. You need a giant shoe horn to get them on - they're that tight. But once they're on, they feel fabulously supportive and aerodynamic. Compression speeds recovery, so I leave them on for a while after my long run.

4. The Garmin 405cx. I crave data. The Garmin gives me data. Lots of it. Maps of where I ran, charts of my pace, graphs of my heart rate, plots of elevation... I love it. But, I am an engineer, not a normal human being. I suspect that normal human beings do not need or want all this data...

5. Cross-training. Specifically, resistance and flexibility training. I do weights twice a week. Heavy weights, not wussy pink girly weights. Part of this is because I'm also training for the Pump N Run Challenge. But part of it is because lifting heavy weights works. It builds strength, power, and develops more fat-burning muscle. During marathon training, a time when the body cannibalizes muscle, weight training keeps me from losing muscle. I also incorporate plyometrics into my strength training to build power. Running and lifting heavy weights make a person tight and inflexible. When I get tight, things hurt. I gotta stretch. My new favorite way to stretch is Active Isolated Stretching. I also enjoy doing Yoga.

Things That Do Not Work

1. Frickin' frackin' water bottle holders that go around your waist. I hate these things. They are great in theory - they allow you to carry water with you without having to carry a bottle in your hands. But for people like me, who are high-waisted, and do not want to wear these things right up under their boobs, they are the most annoying thing ever invented in the entire history of running. See, I don't want to wear it around my natural waist. I want to wear it on my hips, so it doesn't cut into my stomach and lungs. But try as I might to get the thing to stay down on my hips, it always migrates up to my waist after a while. So I am constantly pushing the stupid thing down. Unfortunately, I have not found a better solution to the need for hydration, so I suffer with it. Fortunately, I will not have to suffer with it on race day, because races provide plenty of water (usually).

2. Running shorts. You know the ones. The short shorts with the revealing side slits. Yeah, I can't wear 'em. They look heinous on me, for one thing. If I had a runner's body, perhaps they would work for me. But I do not. I have stubby legs. Short shorts just make them look stubbier. And they rub between my thighs, which of course leads to chafing. I am also convinced they cause shin splints and tummy aches. Okay, maybe just tummy aches. The thought of wearing them definitely turns my stomach.

3. Running in the rain. I love the concept of running in the rain. Unfortunately, as a wearer of strong prescription eyeglasses, I find that rain just makes it very very hard to see where the heck I'm going. If someone could invent some eyeglass windshield wipers for just this purpose, I would be eternally grateful.

4. Using races as "training runs". Yeah, refer to last weekend's half-marathon "training run" for the scoop on that. I simply cannot run a race "easy". My brain won't let me.

5. Gels, Gu, Cliff Shots, etc. They cause shin splits, chafing and tummy aches. And IT band syndrome! True story. Okay, maybe it's not exactly like that. For me, it's a texture thing. The mere thought of energy gels makes me gag. So there's no way I'm consuming them during a long run when I am already adverse to food. Lots of people swear by them. Maybe you are one of those people. In that case, I have a collection of various gels that I've picked up at races and expos that I'm not going to use - do you want them?

Peace. Love. Train.

I just can't get enough challenges!

I love me a good challenge. Which is why I love running so much - because it's so challenging. There's always another level to push yourself toward. Er. Toward which to push yourself. Ack. Technically, one is not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition, but sometimes the "correct" wording just sounds so snooty. I do not have a winter home in the South of France, and I don't own a collection of expensive artwork, so therefore I shall end sentences with prepositions if I so choose. And I would like to point out that Grammar Girl agrees with me. So now let us continue our discussion of challenges, shall we?

With running (and fitness in general) there is always the opportunity to challenge oneself. And beating a challenge is the ultimate reward for all that hard work. Whether it's finishing a marathon, or breaking a 4-minute mile, or being able to do one push-up, or 100 push-ups, or qualifying for Boston, or *insert goal here*, when the goal is finally met, the feeling of pride and accomplishment is like nothing else. And if you happen to get a shiny medal for it, even better! (Have I mentioned that I'm a sucker for a cool medal? I have? *ahem* Well, it probably won't be the last time... Just sayin')

So what are my personal challenges? Well, as you may recall, I joined the Runner's World Challenge Team not too long ago. The opportunity to take advantage of their pre- and post-race support (specifically, the private bathrooms), special training tools and online forums, and the possibility of meeting Bart Yasso, made it impossible to pass up. Is it really a "challenge" if I was already going to run this marathon anyway? Well, no. And yes. You see, yesterday I received my official Runner's World Challenge gear (see photo below). Including my official Runner's World Challenge technical shirt. Now I'm representing a team. So in a way, it adds to the challenge I had already placed on myself, because Runner's World wants and expects me to do well. And, because if I'm going to use their private bathrooms, the least I can do is finish the darn marathon.


But that's not the only challenge I have going for this marathon. Because just running a marathon isn't enough of a challenge *insert crazed laughter here*, I have also signed up for the Pump N Run Challenge. The Pump N What, you ask? Allow me to direct you here for a good explanation. Basically, it is an upper body strength challenge that can earn one a reduction in one's marathon run time. Not officially of course. In other words, I don't think the Boston Athletic Association will allow me to qualify for their famous marathon if my actual marathon run time is 5:15, but I bust out enough bench presses to get a Net Run Time of 3:45. But I am extremely curious as to just how much "time" I can shave off my marathon time.

For my age and gender class, I will have to bench press 60% of my body weight, which is really quite heavy (not because I'm particularly heavy, but because that's more weight than I would typically use for bench press - that's a weight that requires a spotter). So I'm training for the Pump N Run Challenge by lifting heavy weights (for upper body) and doing straight-legged push-ups as a substitute for heavy bench press. What is my goal for the Pump N Run Challenge? Well, I'd like to get at least a Bronze Medal (10 reps). I think I'm going to have to work pretty hard to get there, though. Good thing I still have over a month to train!

I have plenty of other challenges to look forward to after this marathon as well: Continuing my Steamboat Classic streak (this year will make the 5th year in a row I've run it). Finishing my first ever Warrior Dash. Raising money for the Organization for Autism Research as I train for the Chicago Marathon. Running a sub-5:00 marathon in Chicago (this one has me quakin' in my LunarGlides). Running a new 5k PR. Running a new half-marathon PR. I may not meet all of these challenges - they wouldn't be very challenging if they were all easily attainable.

Now, if anyone else has any other challenges to throw at me, I'm all ears. I don't accept every challenge that comes my way, especially if it's not realistic (i.e., don't challenge me to qualify for Boston 'cuz it ain't gonna happen). But I do like the opportunity to push myself. Especially if there's a cool medal involved.

Peace. Love. Train.

A few words on being a klutz and other random stuff

Today's post should just be called "Random Crap" because, well, that's what it's going to be. I have a couple different topics to talk about, and little subtopics within those topics... so buckle your seat belts and strap on your protective hard hats. It's going to be a bumpy ride!

Topic #1 - Yesterday's Run

Oh what a lovely day it was yesterday! The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and it was 56 degrees!!! Spring is springing, and that makes us runners very happy people. I've had about all I can take of running around in circles on an indoor track. Or worse, running in place on that glorified hamster wheel known as the treadmill. It's nice to have these things when the weather is bad or when injury necessitates it... but they just don't compare to the feeling of being on the open road, wind in your hair, sun on your face, cars swerving to avoid hitting you, bloodthirsty dogs chasing after you... Such fun! Okay, so maybe those last two things aren't so great. But they are rare situations, thankfully.

So I left work a bit early yesterday because I was feeling utterly craptastic. My sinuses were completely clogged up, my nose was pouring, I was sneezing constantly. I was pretty sure my coworkers wanted me to leave. You know that look people give you when they think you have the plague - that look of "OMG ewww, get away from me!". Yeah, people were giving me that look. So I bid them all a fond adieu (or maybe it was a fond achoo!) and headed to The Heights for a run with my husband. "The Heights", for those of you not in the Peoria area, refers to Peoria Heights, which is a popular running area around here. It has lots of hills, lots of spectacular views, and lots of of friendly runners and walkers.

It's amazing how sunshine and fresh air can instantly make you feel better. As soon as I started my run, I felt my sinuses clear and my nose stop pouring. Fabulous! We started our run from The Tower and ran down Grandview Dr. Running down Grandview Dr is literally running down Grandview Dr. It's a net downhill of probably about 300 feet over 2 miles. Which means when you turn around to run up Grandview Dr, it's, well, really hard. I had decided when I started the run that I wanted to run up Grandview Dr faster than I ran down it. It would be a sort of hill-speed-tempo workout. This is what happens when I don't have a coach telling me what to do - I make up some bizarre mish-mash that probably has no cardiovascular or performance benefit. Spring FAST can't start soon enough!

Anyway, it was a wonderful run. Except for the part where I tripped and fell. I mean like splayed-across-the-ground-facedown-with-scraped-up knees fell. Oh don't worry, I was fine. My pride was wounded more than anything. It's just one of the pitfalls of being a klutz. I don't fall often while running, but when I do, it tends to be dramatic. I picked myself up, dusted myself off and continued on. And as if that wasn't embarrassing enough, as I was powering up Grandview Dr, feeling all strong and zippy, some skinny woman pushing a huge jogging stroller with a kid in it passed me like I was standing still. Hmph. Showoff.

But other than that, it was a very good run, especially considering I was sick. My run graph and map are below:

It's hard to tell from the speed graph, but I did run up Grandview faster than I ran down it, so my goal was met. Go me!

And speaking of meeting goals.... My husband, aka Zippy McSpeedypants, had such a great run last night that he beat his 10-k race goal. And it wasn't even a race! Not only that, it was crazy-hilly! Methinks he needs a new 10-k race goal now.

Topic #2 - The Runner's World Challenge

Yesterday I signed up for the Runner's World Marathon Challenge. What's that? Well, I'm glad you asked. Let me show you. Click here to read about it. The Flying Pig Marathon and Half-Marathon are official Runner's World Challenge events for 2010 - how cool is that? I hadn't signed up for this sooner because (1) I already had a race entry, and until recently there was no way to sign up for the RW Challenge without also getting a race entry, which would have meant I would have had TWO race entries, and I sure as hell ain't running this marathon twice. And (2) I didn't really need any coaching or training plans because I have a coach.

But recently, they've made it possible to sign up for the run-with-us option without having to buy another race entry. Ooooooo, now they've got my attention! Of course, I still didn't really need a training plan, but look at all the other perks:

• A technical t-shirt with the RW Challenge logo, and a book (I selected The Runner's Rule Book)
• Private pre-race gathering area with food, drinks, gear check, and PRIVATE BATHROOMS inside Paul Brown Stadium (where the Cincinnati Bengals play)
• Private post-race party area with lots of tasty food and drinks, free massages, and PRIVATE BATHROOMS in the Great American Ballpark (where the Cincinnati Reds play)
• The chance to meet Bart Yasso, one of the RW editors
  
• Access to RW Personal Trainer online training tool
  
• Oh yeah, and did I mention, PRIVATE BATHROOMS????

I think the RW Challenge fee is worth it just for the private bathrooms. Not having to stand in ridiculously long lines before the race is a huge benefit. HUGE. Sign me up.

Now, I've only been signed up for a day, but I gotta say, the RW Personal Trainer thingy is actually really slick. I can track my workouts, my training plan, my running shoes' mileages, my diet, my running routes... and the really cool thing is that I can import data from my Garmin and see it presented in an even nicer format than the Garmin website presents it. (Sorry, Garmin!) Wanna see? I pulled my Garmin data from yesterday's run into the RW Personal Traininer. Here's what it looks like: Clicky

Cool, huh? (Well, except for that ad with Ryan Hall in it - sorry to have to subject you all to that) And the user interface is even more impressive, but I can't show you that without giving you my login and password. I've got a 4-month Premium subscription to the Personal Trainer tool for now (it was part of the RW Challenge perks). I think this might be something worth keeping around, though. There is a free version of the tool, but it has limited features and customizability, and of course it is probably laden with advertisements. But that shouldn't stop all you runners out there from checking it out and letting me know what you think.

Peace. Love. Train.

Listening to my body...

...can be really hard to do when it's telling me "Whoah, take it easy there!" I hate it when I can't do my scheduled run. I feel lazy and I get all panicky that I'm deviating from my schedule. So you may have noticed that I rarely miss a run. In fact, today is my first missed run of marathon training. I feel terrible about it. But my body is screaming at me to take it easy.

Two main issues are at play here. First of all, and I didn't mention this in my last long run post because it didn't seem important at the time, but I somehow managed to hurt my big toe during my 12 miler on Saturday. Not the actual toe, but the ball of foot just behind my big toe. I didn't even notice the pain until after the run, so I didn't think too much of it. But the pain has persisted for a couple days now. A little internet research (Dr. Google can bring such wisdom when he isn't making you feel like you're an inch from death) revealed that the likely cause of my discomfort was Sesamoiditis.

Sesama-what? Well, copying and pasting a definition is easier than trying to explain in my own words, so here's what Foot.com has to say about it:

Sesamoiditis is a common ailment that affects the forefoot, typically in young people who engage in physical activity like running or dancing. Its most common symptom is pain in the ball-of-the-foot, especially on the medial or inner side. The term is a general description for any irritation of the sesamoid bones, which are tiny bones within the tendons that run to the big toe. Like the kneecap, the sesamoids function as a pulley, increasing the leverage of the tendons controlling the toe. Every time you push off against the toe the sesamoids are involved, and eventually they can become irritated, even fractured. Because the bones are actually within the tendons, sesamoiditis is really a kind of tendinitis - the tendons around the bones become inflamed as well.

The article goes on to say that it can be caused by various things including increased hill work - ahhhh, well, my 12 miler was rich with steep hills. So that was probably the source of my ailment. The article also says that treatment involves rest. Well crap. I don't want to rest! I'm supposed to run 6 miles tonight! That's the training plan!

But what's the most important run in marathon training? For me, it's the long run. So the question is - would I rather have a so-so 6 mile run tonight and maybe make my foot worse and be unable to run my 16 miler on Saturday? Or would I rather take it easy today (and as many days this week as necessary) and have a successful 16-miler? Definitely the latter option.

So I'm taking an unscheduled rest day. I hate it. I'd rather be running. But it's more important that I run pain-free, so that means temporarily restricting myself. And to make sure I really got it through my thick skull, Mother Nature has also given me a developing head cold to deal with. Gee, thanks. Like the toe thing wasn't bad enough.

The good news is that over the course of today, the pain in my foot has nearly disappeared. I am going to try going for an easy run tomorrow after work and see how it goes. That is, if this head cold doesn't get a lot worse and I can still breathe tomorrow.

Peace. Love. Train.

A brief history of FAST

So what is this FAST thing I'm always talking about? Well, in short, it's a running group. But that really doesn't do it justice. It's so much more than just a group of people who run together. Those of you who are a part of FAST know what I'm talking about (and feel free to post comments here about what FAST has done for you!).

First, a little history. FAST stands for Fun And Smart Training. The group is a program offered by the Peoria Area Track & Field Club. Despite the acronym, it really has nothing to do with being fast (although I believe many participants have become faster runners as a result of FAST). A direct quote from the website:

"FAST will be a program for you as an individual. Through tailored personalized programs based on your mileage, your abilities, and your goals, FAST, is designed to work with you to become the athlete you want to be. FAST does not care if you run a 4:00 minute mile or a 10 minute mile! This program is for YOU to achieve your personal goals!"

That pretty much sums it up in a nutshell. We have two coaches who provide individualized training schedules and instruction to help us reach our goals. Some people are training for 5ks, some for marathons, and everything in between. In the winter season, FAST meets as a group once a week at an indoor track. The workout is usually some type of speedwork, whether it's fartleks (or "fartskis", as my mom likes to call them), or 400m repeats, or 1 mile repeats, or a 3-mile time trial. And following the run is some sort of core routine, involving various forms of crunches and planks. Every week is something different, which keeps things fresh and reduces the boredom of running around in circles. We are not there to race each other (although I know I have used faster runners as "targets" to try to catch up to, or hang with, even if only for a short while). It's never a competition, except to compete with yourself, as you strive to become a better runner than you were a week ago, a month ago, or a year ago.

As a group, we support and encourage each other. I have never been a part of a group that gives as many high fives, and "good job"s and other words of encouragement. We may not run together in the literal sense, because we all run at different paces, but we always run together. We are friends and comrades. Faster runners will wait around for the slower runners (like me) to finish. More experienced runners will offer advice and tips to newer runners. We swap race stories, talk about past mistakes and triumphs, empathize with each other over injuries, and talk excitedly about our future running plans. After our runs, many of us go out for dinner together, where we take great pride in stinking up entire restaurants with our sweatiness, and ordering large volumes of water.

And I can't forget our fabulous coaches, Brad and Bekah. They rock! They push us farther than we think we can go, but never past our breaking points. They know exactly what to say to get just a little more effort out of us. They have led many of the members of FAST to PR's (including me), but they never claim that our victories were their doing. They are, in short, very very good at what they do. And we are very fortunate to have their leadership and wisdom.

So as you can now see, FAST is far more than a running group. FAST is a team.

Summer FAST 2009, at one of our track meets.

Peace. Love. Train.

The training plan

This is the part where I post my training plan, and you all hold me accountable. Not that I don't already have plenty of people holding me to it. I have a running coach (two coaches, actually). And my husband. And my running group (more on that in another post). But sometimes it takes the collective efforts of all of cyberspace to get my butt out of bed at 6am on a Saturday morning to run 18 miles. So here's the schedule, in a nutshell.

M - 6 mile progressive build run (pace increases each mile, so you are running faster at the end than at the beginning)
T - easy 3 miles, and strength training
W - FAST (that's my running group, and the workouts vary each week, but usually incorporate some kind of speedwork)
Th - strength training
F- rest
Sa - long run
Su - BodyFlow class (yoga, pilates and tai chi)

That's the schedule for the next month. The midweek runs will probably change a little bit in April, due to my running group meeting on different nights. But that's not all that important. The core of marathon training is the long run, so named because, well, it's freaking long. For slowpokes like me, it can take upwards of 3-4 hours. So what does the long run schedule look like?

Starting with this coming Saturday (Feb 13), the long runs are (in miles unless otherwise noted):

12, 14, 16, 12, 16, 18, 20, 14, 22, 16, 2 hours, marathon day (26.2)

This is a pretty typical marathon training plan. For those unfamiliar with training for long-distance races, you may be wondering why it doesn't just keep increasing steadily the entire time. And why isn't the 22-miler the last long run before the marathon? Put simply, recovery time is when strength is created. Incorporating recovery weeks every 3 weeks helps the body adapt and regenerate so it is strong for the next ramp up in mileage. This is also the reason for the "taper" (as it is known to marathoners everywhere) - the decrease in mileage and intensity during the 3 weeks leading up to the marathon event.

So, is everyone bored yet? Are you all sleeping out there? ;-) It's okay. Training plan talk can be, well, boring. But at least now you know what I'm supposed to be doing this Saturday (and every Saturday for the next 11 weeks). And you know that tonight, I have FAST (which stands for Fun And Smart Training). So of course you can expect a blog post tomorrow about my FAST adventures... because it's always an adventure at FAST!