I am a finisher!

I am sitting in Grandma Jane's den at the moment taking advantage of her massaging chair.  As you know I have spent the last 6 months training for the Rock N Roll Marathon in San Diego which occurred yesterday.  Since I got back to California from Colorado I had a hard time training, I was hitting walls very early into my runs and was completely drained of any energy.  I was very anxious and worried that would not be able to do the marathon at all until 2 weeks ago.  I decided I would do the marathon and try to finish in anyway I could.  Then I went out for a run and 10 miles later I hadn't walked once and I knew I could still pull it off.  I did my longest run last Monday and then flew to Detroit with my parents to begin my brother's wedding celebrations.  We had a wonderful time in Detroit, the wedding was beautiful and the couple very clearly happy and madly in love.  I was the emotional sap the entire day and cried more than my Mom!  I couldn't be more thrilled to welcome Brittani into our family and am thinking relaxing thoughts for them while they honeymoon in Antigua this week.

The wedding was friday and saturday I flew out L.A. and met up with my friends Shannon and Jocelyn.  We headed out the San Diego and picked up Jocelyn's sister Jenna who had decided to join us at the last minute but didn't have any expectations of finishing the marathon.  We were all exhausted and got into bed around 9pm and woke up at 4:30am to head to the start line.

I was nervous, it was sinking in that I was about to attempt something absolutely ridiculous!  We got to the start line and stretched out before entering our corral to start the race.  I joined Jocelyn and Jenna in the 6hr 30min corral.  There were SOOOOOOOOOOOO many people, it took us 10 mins to go from our corral to the actual start line!  The 3 of us hung together for the the first 9 miles and we were making good time and running very consistent 12 min miles.  Around mile 10 Jocelyn stopped to fix her shoe and I went ahead we didn't end up meeting up again until the finish line.  Miles 8 to 12 were my least favorite because they were on the highway and cantilevered, running on the slant is very tiring and easy to injury yourself on.  I was really happy to run up the on ramp and turn into Fashion Valley with the flat road!  I saw Shannon at mile 13 and I was feeling great I hadn't walked yet and was in the zone.  Apparently I looked good too because Shannon said I looked like I had just run 5 miles instead of 13!  Shannon picked up some pretzels cause I was worried about losing too much salt.  It wasn't exactly hot in San Diego but we were sweating a lot.  It was an overcast morning with some drizzle so the humidity was more than I had expected.  I was very anxious about fueling and hydrating during the race so I took the approach of not turning anything down.  I took a drink at all stations, took Cytomax ( a Gatorade like drink) when they offered it and at the last few took both. Around mile 15 I took two tylenol from the medical aid tent, that made the last part of the marathon much easier.  Nothing was hurting at the time but it took the edge off of my joint pain and minor muscle tweaks.  I knew I was in good shape because between mile 16 and 25 you could see people's pain in their movements.  I was still jogging at that point and feeling good.  It's always painful to go from walking back to running but it dissipates if you push through the first minute.  I tried not to walk for long periods because I knew the longer I walked the harder it would be to start running again.  Instead I walked shorter amounts a bit more frequently.  I still didn't walk anywhere near as much as I thought I would.  

I didn't do any appreciable walking til I hit mile 16 but I was still running at least 90% of each mile.  It wasn't until I hit mile 18 and was still feeling so great that I realized I was going to finish the marathon better than I had thought I could.  Mile 20 came and went with no problems, it was kind of cruel that the most infamous mile in any marathon was on the incline of a bridge, thanks Rock N Roll you made my day *rolls eyes*.  Mile 20 is known as "The Wall" it is the most common place that runner's hit the wall as far as energy, if there was a wall there I ran through it and never knew it was there.  I felt great, my feet hurt but nothing I couldn't push through.  I finished the last 6 miles with about 10 minutes of walking and a sprint across the finish line.  Shannon was right there and as soon as I saw her I burst into tears as did she.  

I am officially a marathon finisher, it's something I never thought I would be able to do.  Not only did I finish it but I enjoyed it!  I actually had fun the whole time and would willingly do another one!  I crossed the line at 5 hours and 48 minutes, Jenna finished 3 minutes before more and I waited for Jocelyn to cross at 6 horus and 8 minutes, she cried as well which made me cry again!  We got our finisher's medals, which are really heavy!  I think it's hilarious that after 26.2 miles of running they expect us to be able to hold up our necks with these heavy ass medals on!  I wouldn't trade mine for the world though!

I am defiantly sore but nothing like what I had expected.  I'm just about as sore as I have been after my other long runs.  My knees are the worst though, they have taken a lot of pounding and are talking back!  My shoulders are very tight as well so I am keeping heat on them to keep them loose.  I am going to treat myself to a massage this week cause I earned it!  I had my camera with me on the course and I took videos at different points which I am posting here so be sure to check those out!  When I get photos from jocelyn and shannon I will post those as well.  There was a live feed of the finish line that my parents were able to watch me finish.  The feed will be post on their website this week so if you want to see me finish go check it out!  I am bib #12215 and I finished around 5:58 on the finish line clock.  This is the link to my results.  

I will post another recap of the race later on but I knew many of you were eager to hear how it went!

Less than a week to RnR!!!!!!!!!!

Howdy all!  

So I've been running this week and biking so as to not wear out my legs again.  Yesterday I went for my longest run but unfortunately had to stop 3 miles shy of my intended distance.  I woke up and headed out and felt fantastic through the first 3 hours of the run until in the last half hour my monthly friend reared it's ugly head with back and stomach cramps.  Had it not been for that I would have finished 18 miles in a about 4 hours and feeling great!  I feel prepared for the marathon and ready to get into my corral.

My friend Erin was up for a visit and it was so good to talk to her because she's done a marathon and many other running races.  When she tells me she has no doubts I will finish the marathon I knew I could do it.  I was pleasantly surprised with how quickly the 3.5 hour run passed it wasn't has boring as I thought it would be at all.  I ran the first 10 miles without any walking and then didn't walk as much as I thought would through the last 5 miles.  My body hurt but nothing that I couldn't just grin and bear.  

I can't believe RnR is less than 6 days away!  I am sitting in the Oakland Airport right now waiting to board my flight to Detroit for my brother's wedding on Friday.  I plan on running 2 to 3 times while I'm there, just short 6 milers or less to keep my heart in shape but nothing too taxing.  I've tweaked a muscle in my groin which has been tender on the last 2 runs.  If it's still sore tomorrow and Thursday I'm going to focus more on swimming than running to less the pull on it.  I have my outfit picked out and my body glide in my suitcase!  I am so excited to do this marathon.  The training part of it for the last 6 months has been fun but now that we are so close I am really ready to have it over with.  Aside from actually finishing the Marathon I have achieved the goals that I meant a lot to me, I have stayed with the training program as best as I could (meaning I actually went running on regular basis), I increased my fitness level, and I enjoy running now it's no longer painful.  I know after the marathon I will continue to run, I've found my favorite distance is 10 miles, they have been my best runs and my most enjoyable.

HOLY CRAP I'M GONNA RUN A MARATHON!!!!!!! JOCELYN I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE YOU!!!!!!!!

Hurts so good!

I'm back in action and feeling amazing! Yesterday I got up at 6 and headed out to see how I felt running.  I've noticed that my runs are a lot more successful in the morning as opposed to mid-day or evening.  I didn't set any goals other than to just get out and try.  10 miles later I felt AMAZING!  I ran 10 miles WITHOUT WALKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

I couldn't believe it, I thought I had done 12 miles so I was flipping out when I did it in 2 hours but then I realized I had miscalculated my laps in this one neighborhood. But who cares I still ran the entire time! I didn't walk until I was in sight of my house which is only possible about .10 of mile out. I started crying around mile 6 because I realized I was back in the game and that doing the marathon was still very possible.

I am so happy to know that my wind and fitness level are still intact. I've been so scared these past few months that I was losing them since I couldn't run at the same level. This past month has been so hard on me because I have wanted this so badly. It's also been hard for another important reason, every time I have started a training or weight loss regime I have started out fine then hit a roadblock, become discouraged and quit.  It's exactly what happened here, and it killed me because I had come so far in this endeavor.  This has been the first time I've actually seen the results of my hard work, being able to run 7, 8, 9, 10 then 12 miles made me feel so accomplished.  Then I moved home and felt as those I had smacked straight into a concrete wall.  The quitter in my went to work and I allowed this speed bump to become an impassable mountain. My Mom recognized what was happening and that's why last Sunday she worked me over.  I finally recognized what I was doing and decided to work with my challenge instead of raging against it.  

I wanted to push for more mileage yesterday but didn't want to push it and hurt myself.  It was so great not to have that energy crash a mile in.  Instead of pushing it on one day I got up again this morning and ran 8 miles, which even though I slept in between the runs was hella hard!  My hips and legs were very sore so going out running again was hard.  Runner's World talked about ways to train for a marathon without a lot of time in your day, one of the suggestions was to spilt your long run over two days because it will tax your body the same as in one day.  So Monday was 10 and today was 8 which is similar to an 18 mile run.  Oh it felt like it too!  It really made me understand what the 2nd half of this marathon is going to be like, painful!  But I was very pleased with how I was able to push myself and make it comfortable and  still ran over all the hills!  So San Diego here I come!

Turning a Corner

I spent today talking to my Mom about this whole thing and feeling awful that I'm not as excited as I should be for San Diego.  I made a decision, I'm going to run the Marathon. I will be at the start line in San Diego at 6:30am with Jocelyn, whether or not I cross the finish line is another story.  I've been really hard on myself for not feeling well. But I can't feel sorry for myself anymore, I just have to work with what I have. I am going to just keep running as much as I can until the marathon.  If I have to drop out then I have to drop out but I won't give up before I've evened tried.  I told Jocelyn I'd be there with her and I will at least start it with her.

And now I'm excited I get to see my best friends and make some awesome memories.  This will be my first marathon but will not be my last!

Depressed as Hell

Howdy all,

I am so down, I don't think I've been this down since I broke up with my ex-boyfriend a year ago. It's not looking like I'm going to be able to do this marathon, at least not the way I was hoping too. Mentally I am totally psyched out of running because every time I've tried in the last month has been a disaster minus one glorious 6 miler a few weeks ago. I am crushed that I am not well.  I am still waiting to hear about the blood tests that I had done on Tuesday. I am praying that it will be something with a simple fix in enough time for me to at least have the energy to drag through 26.2 miles.

It is heartbreaking to have your dream so close but it feels like it's slipping through your fingers. The marathon was my idea, I was the one who roped Jocelyn and Shannon into it.  The thought of not running next to Jocelyn 14 days makes me cry. She is doing so well, she is a testament to hard-work and perseverance. I feel awful because I'm not jumping up and down about San Diego right now and she is and she should be she's ready and going to do great.

My parents are telling me to chill and not run, what's the big deal? No one understands the pain and the suffering you go through to do this unless you've done it. I am trying to decide what I'm going to do, not run and cheer Jocelyn on louder than even her sister could do (Sorry Jenna but I would at least owe her that.) or run and take my chances that I have to drop out.  I'd love advice, feedback, anything.  This fucking sucks and there's no nicer way of putting it. I WANT MY MARATHON!

Where the hell have you been?

ok so it's been an obscene amount of time since I have posted to my blog and now we are 17 days away from the marathon.  I'm sure many of you are wondering where my training is at now, well it's at a dead stop and has been for a few weeks unfortunately.  Last I left you I was getting ready to go to Eugene for Grad School open house, I actually blogged from my phone but it didn't get posted so I will post that one for you to see where I was then.  While I was in Eugene I did a 6 mile run in just about an hour which is really fast for me.  It was my first time running at sea level in 6 months and it felt really good. The next day I woke up and was sick, I had a sinus/flu type of thing.  I flew back to Colorado that day which only made it worse.  When I got to Colorado we got hit by 3 huge snow storms and it completely shut down my running along with being sick.  So then I moved back home to California for the final phase of training and the transition between Colorado and Oregon.

I haven't felt like myself since I got home.  I tried to go for a run the day after I got home with my parents on their bikes and it was ugly. I tried some GU before I left and it tore up my stomach so I had to give up 4 miles in and my Dad came back with the car and picked me up.  I tried to take it easy since I had been working 60hr weeks for the last month I was in Colorado plus running.  I kept trying to run but I just felt sick and about a mile in crashed.  So I took some time off to rest then 2 weeks ago I ran 6 miles and felt great then I did a bunch of 4 mile speed workouts and felt like I was back on track.  Then I went up to Eugene to get a place to live and was so drained of energy the entire time I couldn't run while I was there. Then I came home and tried for a 12 mile run last friday, I felt fantastic up to mile 3 and then I crashed.  It felt like I had been running for 10 miles but I was only at mile 3.  I pushed through and ended up with a 9 miler but I probably only ran about 50% of it since I had to walk the last 3 miles home.  I have been sleeping 8+ hours every night and still waking up tired and crashing in the middle of the day.

I went to the doctor yesterday and they are doing some blood tests so next week hopefully I'll have an answer as to what is going on.  I am thinking it's anemia or a thyroid problem, the doctor is ruling out Mono but he was leaning towards some kind of virus that is hanging on in my system.  Either way I am not a happy camper.  I have been dreaming of this marathon for so long and now it's so close and I don't know if I will be physically capable of doing it.  Unless the doctor tells me I can't run it I think I will just try and if I have to drop out I have to drop out.  Please pray for me that my energy and motivation returns and that my body will respond to the rest.  I am going to try later today for a 6 miler because I'm feeling pretty good today.

Also if you'd like check out the photos of my new place in Eugene!  Best part? There's is a huge park with an awesome running trail next door!

So close...

Well after a rest from running this week I decided to hit it hard and go for 12 miles today. I have been skiing all week, because we've gotten hit with this FANTASTIC storm! 35 inches of new snow in 7 days, and I got in 4 powder days this week! I could not be happier. Yesterday I wanted to do my long run but I've had 4 days in a row where I've had to be at work before the sun was up so needless to say yesterday I was a bit tired so I relaxed at home. I worked 6am to 10am this morning and it was a nice sunny day so I decided to go for it.

First of all I have to say that I didn't give myself enough of a time buffer for this run. I wanted to start at 11 but didn't leave until 11:45 and I had to be at work at 2:15. The first 6 miles were fantastic, I felt great, nice pace, very comfortable and fun. Then as I neared my turn around point the wind picked up which was great to get me to my turn around. However I turned around and ran smack into the wind. I felt the extra effort and I definatly had to work much harder. My back fatigued much earlier than I had expected and that made it even more difficult to finish the run. Mentally I was on top of it though, I kept myself up beat and pushing forward.

It is very clear to me now that I have to focus more on strengthing my core and back, it's going to play a huge roll on finishing this race in May. I also became very aware that my runs are reaching to point where I shouldn't be running without water or gatorade. I was really thirsty today and there was only so much snow I could eat to compensate. This week I'm going to go in search of a water bottle lumbar pack. If anyone has any recommendations I'd greatly appreciate it!

The end of the run was really painful, my feet hurt and my back was fatigued, I also ran out of time so I couldn't push for the full 12 but instead I did 11.7 miles, close enough? I am going to try for 13 next week but only after I get in 2 mid-distance runs this week. I was reading my Runner's World and discovered that my long runs should be half of my total weekly distance. Lately I've just been doing my long runs and 1 or 2 3 mile runs, definatly time to up the mileage!

Congrats to Jocelyn for finally getting to Central Park for a run. It's amazing how different the road is compared to a treadmill!

Rest Week

So after the most amazing run of my life I had 2 very unamazing runs. I promised myself a rest week after I hit 10 miles and the timing couldn't have been better. I am fighting with all my might not getting sick so trying for a long run this week would have been disaster.

Instead I did one hill repeat workout and one short run. My hill repeat workout was basically me running 2.8 miles straight uphill, I walked then ran, walked than ran and repeated that. It was a 45 minute workout and a solid effort so I was pleased. Then yesterday I was going to go out for a longish run, 5 to 6 miles, before work. It was a disaster, my mind and body were totally disconnected. I was really angry because I wanted a solid run and instead walked most of it. I'm way to hard on myself sometimes and freaked out that after running 10 miles I had rested too long and was now screwed.

The guy I'm seeing calmed me down after the run and made me see that since my body is fighting off being sick it's not going to have much energy for a run. He was totally right, I was just too caught up in wanting to have another amazing run to give myself a break. Another co-worker pointed out, "At least you went out for a run!" Which is a good point, I tried, it wasn't what I had hoped it would be but some effort is better than no effort right?

We are getting hit with a big snow storm right now so we'll see how conditions are tomorrow for a post work run. This week though I am going for 12 miles probably on Saturday so wish me luck!

And big ups to Jocelyn for running 10 miles tonight! You make me so proud I could cry lover!

The most AMAZING run of my life!

10 Miles Baby!  I can not believe it that I actually did it but this morning I got up and headed out.  To start out I wasn't really sure I was mentally up for the run but I just decided I would get as far as I could.  4 miles in I was feeling AMAZING!  I knew that today would be the day that I would run 10 miles.  Today was also one of those days where you could feel the pay off from all the work you've been doing.  The run out to Eagle-Vail was a bit uphill but I tell you I could barely feel it. I also ran way more of this run than I did my 9 mile run.  I allowed myself 2.5 hours for the run but shockingly I finished the run in exactly 2 hours! That means I ran each mile in 12 minutes which for such a long run is a great pace.  

During the run I couldn't believe how good I felt.  My hip flexors got tight so I would stop to stretch them but other than that I never felt like I was dying throughout the whole thing.  Just a few months ago I was sitting around thinking about how excited I was to get to running 10 miles and how amazing it would feel to hit that mile marker.  When I started this blog running 4 miles at home was brutal and now here I am 6 months later running 10 miles and it felt like a breeze.  This whole experience has been an amazing lesson in discipline for me.  I've never been a very well disciplined person.  Especially the past 5 years of my life, I've been wanting to do an Ironman since I was 21 years old but I've allowed life to interrupt my training a lot.  Now I see what I am capable of, I have doubted for a long time whether or not I would really ever be able to do something like this.  I don't have doubts anymore about what I can do.

This past  year I allowed someone to break my spirit and make me doubt myself again.  This marathon is my way of showing myself just how important I am and how important my wants in life are to me.  You can't break me again, and you'll never catch me.

 I actually ran up the hill by my apartment in the last 1/2 mile that I normally walk after my shorter runs! So Mr. Rainman stick that in your pipe and smoke it!

I now am going to purchase myself a full body massage as a reward for my efforts as well as some tape for my feet because now I'm starting to get blisters on my toes!  Pretty soon I'll start a photo album like Jocelyn's!

I also got some great news at work, I've won an award called "The Spirit of Beaver Creek." It's very  hard award to get and you have to be nominated for it.  It's like the equivalent to an Employee of the Year Award.  So I get to go to a banquet and I now have a chance to win an all expense paid trip to Cancun!  Literally they whisk you off the day after the season ends and you fly to Cancun to an all inclusive resort with $500 in spending money.  Should I get this trip I would get to take one person with me from here, it's so exciting because I would LOVE to get this trip it is so needed!  

Anyways so today, is an awesome day I feel amazing I spanked 10 miles and can't wait to spank that marathon baby!

Rainman

Ok so for those of you who have ever trained for any kind of endurance event, even a simple 5K I'm sure you've encountered them, "The Rainman."

I am not a big fan of ranting on blogs but it's enviable that you will encounter some situation in which you just have to vent and since this one is related to my marathon this is where I'm gonna vent.

So there is this guy at work, he's an older gentleman and he has run some marathons.  On my 7 mile run day I went through the office on the way home to get a drink of water.  He was there on the computer and that's when he discovered I was training for a marathon.  He asked what my longest run was and I announced (with pride) that is was today's 7 miles.  He asked when the marathon was and then the rain came down on my parade.  He proceeded to give me unsolicited advice on how hard it was going to be and how far behind I was in my training.  I was as polite as I could be and headed home.  Well of course who do I see all the time now? RAINMAN!  

Every time he sees me, "What's your longest run?"  At least I've been able to announce longer runs each time but he is still shaking his head at me and telling me how far behind I am.  Then yesterday he proceeded to mention that he might be in San Diego around the marathon. Oh joy just what I want at the end of the greatest achievement in my athletic career, you shaking your head at me looking for vindication that you were in fact right. Seriously dude I'm not trying to win the damn thing I just want to finish!

Ok so here's the rant, Why must you rain on my parade?  This is my personal decision to run this marathon, it has nothing to do with speed or time, I just want to cross the finish line and know that I pushed and succeeded.  I want to hold my friend's hand and look at her and say, "We did it!"  So why do you, Mr. Former Marathoner, feel the need to be so negative towards me?  I know I am more sensitive to it than most but still I am the one who has to suffer through the marathon, not you.  And why must you be around every corner?  In the bus while I'm the attendant and I have to talk to you every 20 minutes? Or in the suburban driving up to the Wolf Lot with me? Egads man get a life and go away!

And what is with the people who react horrified and offended when you tell them you are training for a marathon.  As if you're announcement is an invitation for them to join you.  Who hasn't experienced the, "Yeah I'm training for a marathon," "That's insane! I would never do that! That's ridiculous!"  Well Miss ShockedandHorrified, I think I said that I AM training for a marathon not that I am recruiting for my marathon running cult.

Anyone else experience this? Please share!

twofer

Well normally I get caught up on my blogging and email during my call taking shifts but the past two I've had were really busy and I never did it!

So here it is, last week I did an 8 mile run!  I ran out to Edwards and back which sounded like a great route however I forgot that go to Edwards is a nice gentle downhill and coming back is well uphill!  the first 4 miles were amazing, felt great, good pace no real walking breaks etc.  Then I turned around to head back and it was U-G-L-Y!  It became painfully obvious that I need to really focus on my back and core strength.  The more tired I became the more I leaned forward and my back fatigued really quickly.  It's an awful feeling because it's all the muscles in your upper back around your lungs so you start to feel like you can't breathe.  But none the less in 1 hour 45 mins I completed 8 miles which until today was the farthest I'd ever run.

Now to this week! I fit in a quick 3.5 mile speed workout which I've been neglecting and realize now will really help my long runs.  The funny story of the week involves this run.  So about 3 weeks ago I was sick with the flu and after getting better I tried for a long run which didn't go well.  I tried going up to the Village but had to turn back about a 1.5 miles in.  I felt as though I couldn't breathe.  I chalked it up to being sick.  Then this week I went out for a quick run and again felt as though I couldn't breathe.  It didn't make any sense because I had done the 8 miles about 2 days before and thought maybe it was because I didn't have enough water in me.  

Here's the "Ah Ha!" moment, I had chosen to wear one of my new sports bras and it's a pull over style with a clasp for extra support.  It's a tight fitting bra so I thought it'd be perfect for running.  About 2.5 miles into the run I realize that it could be the sports bra making it so hard for me to breathe.  So I undo the clasp and the heavens opened and a choir of angels sang "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH."

So turns out this bra, a tad too tight for running, great for weight lifting or a cycling class but no more running!

The big news is that today I did 9 miles!  I decided that I would be smarter to get the uphill portion of my run out of the way in the beginning.  So I started out heading up village road.  It took 45 minutes to do 3 miles and I gained about 700 feet in elevation, a challenge to say the least!  Then it took about 30 minutes to get back down.  I then tacked on another 3 miles running around the river and through Avon.  I felt amazingly great in the last 4 miles of the run which was a great mental boost.  My timer on my iPod said 2hrs 10 minutes when I got back to my apartment but I had taken 2 bathroom breaks and stopped to talk to a friend at the end for about 10 minutes so I think the time was closer to 1 hr 50 mins.

I am really starting to see and feel changes in my body and am looking forward to getting my 10 mile run done next week cause after that I get a massage!!!!!!!!!!!

Ups and Downs

Well it has truly been a roller-coaster of a week for me.  Last thursday I ran the farthest I've ever run in my life (High) then my favorite people came in for the weekend (high) unfortunatly Jocelyn got sick the morning she flew out and ended up being sick all weekend (lo).  I was happy to just have the time with my ladies but we were limited as to what we could do.  The weekend was still awesome and I miss them so much.  Having to say goodbye to Shannon and Jocelyn were definite lows in the week.  Part of me wanted to get on the planes with them and leave Colorado.  I have loved this winter in many ways and it truly has been a healing experience for me.  However I feel like it's time for me to move beyond this lifestyle and get on with my life.

Here's where the ultimate high of the week comes in, as you've read I've been slacking on my posts because I've been applying to Graduate School, well I GOT IN!!!!  My top choice school, The University of Oregon, sent me an early notification email and the first word is Congratulations!  I was floored, I didn't know whether to cry or scream or stare in disbelief at the computer screen, I may have actually done all 3 I can't recall. I so needed this news this week to lift me out of my funk and look forward again.  

This past year has been an incredibly painful one for me and I have at times not known how to feel about the future.  I have made choices on where I've gone and what I've done more so out of a need to get away.  People try very hard to runaway from their lives and reality.  I in many ways went to Alaska and to Colorado to runaway from a very painful breakup.  However I knew that no matter where I went it would be waiting for me when I got there.  That's the thing, you can run as far and as  fast as you want but life will always beat you to your destination.  I feel as though I've faced my reality and what has transpired.  I'm not totally over it yet but I'm on my way.  I am so happy to be accepted into a Graduate School program I can't even put it into words.  I feel like now I am moving on with my life in the direction I want to be going. I worked hard to get to this place and I'm going to enjoy it!

I know this doesn't have much to do with my marathon training but it's one of those things that has really affected my training.  I had an easy run yesterday, 3.5 miles and even though I didn't get tired during it I walked more than I normally would.  The only reason I did was because my mind was preoccupied with what had happened that week. I was in someways reliving some very painful parts of this last year.  I allowed worry to get in and distract me.  I feel a huge weight lifted, I have something to look forward to past the marathon and a new adventure ahead of me.  

I feel recommitted to the marathon too.  Like, "Ok now let's get down to business!"  So tomorrow I am going to go for my 8 mile run, it'll be the longest I've ever done again so wish me luck and say your prayers!

FARTHEST RUN EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok so I've been a total slacker about blogging because all of my freetime has been spent skiing or doing grad school applications but those are finally over!!!!

So last Saturday the weather was really unpredictable, it went from blizzard to sunshine to blizzard to overcast.  I opted not to try and run outside and instead went to the gym and hopped on a treadmill.  I ended up doing 4.5 miles on the treadmill and HATED IT!  I'm sorry to those of you who are treadmill lovers but I loathe them.  I can handle them for sprint or interval workouts but long runs make me wanna scream.  It's amazing too because at my gym all the treadmills have little TV's on them so you can plug in your headphones and watch whatever you want.  I managed to find Cliffhanger on TBS and thought that'd be a great distraction.  I love that movie but it didn't do squat to keep my mind occupied.  It was a painful 4.5 miles, I am so ADD on the treadmill it's not even funny.  I never feel like I can set my own pace either cause I have to go certain speed and  I can't adjust based on how my body feels. I was trying to think of other things I could put in front of me on the treadmill to motivate me and I don't even think a hot guy would do it...hmmm too bad!

The past month my friends and I have been going to Yoga class on Tuesday and it's been really nice as a cross train for my running.  I know that the more flexible and strong my body is the better it will handle the running training.  This past Tuesday we did timings, that's were we had to hold poses for a minute.  We did it for 20 minutes and I was sweating by the end but I was pleased with how strong I felt.

Then today I finally had time to go for a long run, I started out and told myself, "Today is the day you will run the longest you've ever run."  I didn't know if I could actually do it but I felt pretty good.  I did my normal 5 mile loop and kept reminding myself that on the way out I go down in elevation and on the way back I have to climb a bit.  I felt surprisingly good when I hit the 5  mile mark so I knew I had to go for it.  Man I had the best mental dialogue going on.  I defiantly slowed down in the last mile but at this point who cares about speed?  I stopped into work with a HUGE smile on my face to get some water and then finished out my run.  On the pedometer it says 6.95 miles but whatever I did 7 miles!!!!!!! The farthest I've ever run in my whole life!!!!!  I'm so excited and exhausted but I feel like I'm back on track.  

Now I can relax and enjoy Shannon and Jocelyn's visit tomorrow!!!  We're defiantly going to be active and have tons of fun!  I would never have survived this past year without these two people and I can not wait to show them this episode of my life.  So hurry up Vegan and Sumara!!!!

Funk

So I finally got out for a run again after being sick for a week.  I was looking forward to a long run and possibly hitting the 7 mile mark.  I headed out and felt a little short of breath.  I was doing well until I decided to run up to the village instead of along the river.  It's 3 miles up to the village with about a 700 ft gain in elevation.  I'm not sure why I thought it would be a good idea, it was a disaster.  I could barely run and ended up stopping and walking alot. I turned around very early and headed home the long way.  I ran for an hour and only covered 4 miles, it's frustrating for me because I had been doing 5.5 miles in a hour.  I'm not sure if it's being sick or what but my legs felt like lead.

It wasn't the run I was hoping for at all.  Lately I've been in a funk, I am feeling restless and eager for something new.  I'm not sure what I need to do but hopefully my friend Becca and I are going to go to Aspen soon for a change of scenery.  As frustrated as I am about the run I will try again, maybe tomorrow or Monday, 7 miles is in my future and it's not a distant one!

Getting Healthy

Now that I am registered for the Marathon and the $100 has left my bank account I am really feeling the pressure to get in shape.  I caught a not so fun case of the flu this week and it has now become a cold which has stolen my voice for the 3rd time this winter!

I am usually an awful patient and will run with runny noses and hacking coughs but this week I tried to be good and not doing anything. Finally yesterday I was feeling better so I went to the gym with my friend Jenn.  I wanted to run but thought better of it and instead walked on the treadmill for an hour.  I walked on a 6-7% incline at about 3.5 mph for 60 minutes!  I didn't break a wicked sweat like I do on my runs but it was still a good workout.  I am hoping to do a 6 mile run tomorrow or Wednesday.  I will keep ya posted!

For Better or for Worse

Well it's official I'm registered for the San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon May 31st 2009, crap that's getting close! 

I wish I could be reporting on a week of great runs but unfortunately my last workout was last Saturday and it was a 30 minute lifting session.  After that I got the flu, oh yeah it was fun.  It's just now turned into a head cold so as that works it's way through my system I will get back into running.  

I'm hoping to be back running on Monday, I think Monday's will be my long run day.  I have to revise my training schedule then I'll post it up here.  Happy running!

These are a few of my favorite things

Greetings all! Well I went for a great run yesterday, 5.8 miles! I didn't time myself but I would estimate that it was around 1 hr 15 mins. I had gone for a quick 2 mile run the week earlier and was so frustrated by my headphones. I've had problems with my iPod ear buds ever since I got them, they just don't stay on my ears. I think my ears are too small for them so they pop out. I have been looking for new headphones for awhile but with no luck. I finally found a pair that I love and took them out yesterday. It led me to think about my other favorite running items. I thought I'd post about them.

My new Nike Vapor Headphones, they stay in place and are very comfortable!

My Sporthill Running Shirt, this thing is the best! I found it on SteepandCheap, it has an arm pocket for my ipod with a slit in it for the headphone cord so the cord doesn't flop around on the outside. It also has a back pocket big enough for my cell phone, keys and a snack. The fleece lining and windproof fabric keep me really warm and the cut fits amazng and never rides up! Definatly look at Backcountry's Outlet to find the best deals on thier products.
My new Athleta Walkabout Tights, a late Xmas gift from my parents, they are pretty warm consisdering they're just spandex and the waistband doesn't dig in to my still soft tummy ;-) I love that they are a tight fight but the kind of tight that makes your body feel solid. Not to mention the cool reflective designs to keep me safe in low light runs. P.S. I LOVE Athleta's products, a bit $$ but I would have to argue that the products are worth it.
My Mizuno Wave Inspire Running shoes, they make pounding the pavement that much easier. I love how light they are and good my feet feel in them, thanks to Fleet Feet in Santa Rosa for getting me outfitted with these bad boys!
So these are just a fwe of my favorite things, I hope they either inspire you or help you find some of your own favorite things.

Why do you run in 2009?

So it is the new year and with a new year comes new goals. I thought I'd write about mine but more importantly about why I run and will run in 2009.

I run because I want to call myself a finisher

I run because one day I will do an Ironman

I run because it makes me feel good

I run because I make really good cookies and like to enjoy them!

I run because my dreams have changed

I run because I want to make my dreams come true

I run because someone broke my heart

I run because I know I can never run away from life instead I can run with it

I run because it's healing

I run because I know I deserve better

I run because I have something to prove to myself

I run because there's nothing like snowflakes falling on your face and watching your breath in front of you

I run because it makes skiing more fun

I run because I won't let life's happenings take me down

I run because I have two friends who are running with me

I run because I have great music to listen to 

I run because people believe in me
I run because I believe in me
I run because I have faith

And finally I run because I can.

So why do you run?

I'm still here!

Sorry folks I'm still here and still running. The holidays have been really crazy for me, between working and traveling I haven't had much time to think about blogging. My grad school applications are coming due too so most of my computer time has been spent doing those. But anyways I ran 7 miles the week of christmas, a 5 miler and a 2 miler in Denver. I've been skiing a lot and using that as my cross traing. I am hoping to get out for a run tomorrow during my break between shifts otherwise Wednesday morning the road is MINE!