Excited!

Along Coal Creek Trail

Happy Thanksgiving!

it's one of my favorite holidays. We usually host family for the meal. We've got it down pretty well too so it's not a big deal.  So much so that we were able to go off and do a small little race the morning of Thanksgiving. 

The Magnuson monthly run series sure is convenient.  I'd planned on this 10k but my back was a bit tight earlier in the week.  That meant I held off and registered the day of the race.  usually that is prohibitively expensive but for this race, it's just a normal race fee.  It's a no frills, no chip timed get out there and race sort of an event.  Most run the 5k so just one loop but it's a convenient venue to get a consistent 10k effort for me.  5k?  yeah, with marathon training, i think the 10k distance is a bit better for me.

Lots of rain at the Coal Creek Falls.

K came along just to do a longer mid-week run since it is easy access to a running path. MK a running friend from my work building was there too.  he's a fast master's runner and is always fun to chat with.  It was a lot more crowded than i was expecting.  So with registration and parking, i had scant time to do a 1 mile warm up.  I'd prefer a longer warm up but that would do.

I wasn't sure what pace to expect.  I'd had a long run and then a workout just days before.  My legs felt a bit stiff. and with a "ready, set, " we were off.  This 5k course that I'd run twice is always being tweaked a bit.  There is always Kite Hill and then some gravel/many turn sections.  This time there was a featured grass interlude as they are doing some construction.  No worries.  I felt pretty strong and even passed someone up the hill.  That's a first!  The hairpin turn at the end of mile 3 always feels awful but this time it was better.  maybe i slowed a bit on teh second lap and that was mostly because i was worried about blowing up!  There are many fewer runners who run the second lap so it also becomes a lesson in maintaining focus.  I did better than i have.  

I was delighted to see the clock reading well under 48 minutes as I came through.  MK was cheering for me too which was a nice touch. This course always reads a bit short on my garmin.  It think it is just a 10k and with the multiple turns with that hairpin turns it reads short.  Either way, the well under 48 minutes (47:36 by my watch) astounds me!  It has been since early 2007 since i've run under 48.  Yippee!

Dinner was fabulous and it was nice to visit with everyone.  And then we had friday with pouring rain, a clean house and a lot of leftovers.  That's right.  I never even got dressed for the day.  I knit and relaxed and watch movies.  it's the perfect holiday!

Saturday was pleasantly non rainy and because we had no plans, i was able to go off and get in a longer trail run.  Of course the rain, rain, rain we'd had meant i had to chose my trail carefully.  I didn't want such a bog that i was having to hike about a lot.  There would be no falling or slipping! And the Coal Creek Trail in Newcastle is really good for this.  They've done a lot of work on the trails in the past couple years and it shows with how well drained it is.  Sure there are still some boggy sections but not bad at all.  And i saw a coyote!  Twice!  At first I thought it might be a dog as it was trotting along on the trail behind me (I was stopped quietly enjoying the view and having a gel) but that intelligent considering look was just not dog-like.  I called out to make sure it saw me and to make sure there weren't any humans about with it.  Nope, it was just out for a trail run too.  

RPD at mile 12.

Today was the Seattle Half and Full Marathon.  I was not running it but i had many friends who were doing various events.  I hopped onto the course at mile 9 with RPD to pace him through the final hills of Interlaken.  he was running really strongly and I was excited for him.  I don't think I've ever had a run where I am passing so many people on the uphills.

After 2.9 miles, i turned back wishing him well (stay strong!) and jogged back on course seeing a couple other people out running.  I got back to my car and ate and had some coffee (I'd brought snacks and a thermos of coffee) to wait for TR.  She was running her first marathon and we'd done a lot of training runs together the past couple months.  She's not had a lot of folks cheering her efforts so i thought it would be nice to jump on course with her as well.

Right on schedule she came through and was moving pretty well.  She was quiet and hurting a bit but still maintaining a smile.  She ended up stopping just once to stretch out some verging on cramping hamstrings but got right back to running.  Even though she was hurting you couldn't tell and I was quite inspired by her efforts.

Yep, i'm excited to race in a couple weeks and it was a great weekend to remind myself of all that I am thankful for every day. This was a great way to start a taper. 

It's that time of year...

Yep, it happens every year about now.  You know what I mean. All of a sudden it is dark and cold and wet outside.  Sometimes it is windy too.  The better days for running re-set standards.  Not raining, only a little breezy and 40 degrees?  Wow, that is good running weather.

I'd planned to be done with marathon training by the end of October but of course my plans were derailed.  I took a week off to regroup and figure out what I wanted to do.  I wanted to run a marathon and soon.  So the past three weeks have been high mileage for me which is 40, and then back to back 50 mile weeks.

And yeah the weather has sucked.  How do I keep it going?  It has helped that I've had someone to run with once or twice a week.  Those miles go much quicker when chatting companionably with someone.  Even better if we are doing a "workout" and are going at a faster pace which requires concentration.  Those are always easier with other people.

I've figured out how to check audio books out of the library and I've been listening to those for certain longer runs.  Normally I prefer not to listen to anything.  Listening to music doesn't do much for me but a good, well read book?  Oh yes, that holds my concentration very well but it does not detract from the mindful running I prefer. 

I try to get out to trails for easy recovery runs.  Of course that can only be on the weekend when i'm not working but a trail run is always better in the rain than a road run.  Recovery runs are particular pleasant on trails as I love the better range of movement i get on trails.

I've also added back in a more consistent weight training routine.  I'd normally do some upper body weights, core and hip strength work twice a week generally.  I'd really wanted to look into a more consistent routine and finally decided on the p90x program.  Note: I am not receiving anything for reviewing their product.

Why this program?  Mostly because they had an app for my iphone.  Yes, really.  I didn't want to go to a gym (although I'd looked at some kettlebell programs) nor did i really want a set of dvds.  Our player is so slow to load and truthfully i get bored!  I need to be able to do a program while watching something i want to watch (not an exercise video).

The app lets you track and schedule the program and you can download (for a fee - much less than the dvd set) guided workouts for the program.  I've picked a program (lean) and I'm doing it concurrently with my run schedule.  I generally keep the specific strength workouts for arms/shoulders/abs/legs/back and am for now skipping the other workouts besides Core Synergy.  I don't feel all that comfortable adding in such different cardio workouts on top of the running.  If I am tired or sore from running I have skipped the strength workouts or kept them easy.  It's worked though.  Even in a few weeks I feel stronger especially in upper body.  I wasn't sure about the leg or back work but it turned out I could either modify it or have found those movements useful.

it's a good reminder about one of the reasons I enjoy running. Keep moving!  I'm not getting any younger or stronger by just sitting on the couch! There are so many reasons to strength train in addition to my regular running routine. 

And yep, that helps me get out the door to get in my runs when it is raining, windy, dark and cold.  

Reboot

Did Not Finish.

Those are hard. I think this one was even harder because it hadn't even crossed my mind that I'd not finish.  I hadn't even though of it as an option.  And yet, at mile 13.75, it was the right thing to do.

So then what?  I went through the thoughts of I am never running again.

Really?  You love running. It makes you relaxed and happy most every day of the week and lets you do super fun things including keeping you fit for walking and gardening.  And now we've watched the East Coast get pounded with Hurricane Sandy and we've seen the drama of the 2012 Election and thinking about this more, it sure is a privilege being able to run daily and in fun events all over the country.

That doesn't mean I won't be trying again and soon.  It just means I needed a bit of time to think about it all.  I took 4 days off from all activity besides a super cool walk in a national monument.  It was the right thing to do.  I needed to want to run again and it took that much time. 

The super cool National Monument? I highly recommend going to the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument just north of Albuquerque if you ever get a chance. It's a new-ish designation and not a lot of ammenities.  No matter as the scenery more than makes up for it! 

And ABQ Marathon?

I'm not sure where to even begin so I'll just lay it out.

DNF at 14.  That means I Did Not Finish and dropped at the 14 mile mark.

Sigh.  I'd trained marathon pace at 8:20 but knew with my lower miles overall that even though that was the correct pace to train at, I'd not be able to run a marathon at that pace.  My plan was to go out at a 8:45 pace for the first half except for mile 12/13 which had a bit more uphill.  I'd hoped to then speed up to 8:35-8:40 or just maintain.

I'd felt pretty terrible through taper but mentally focused on the training I'd hit. I'd managed 6 days of running most weeks and felt great and had solid miles.  I'd had a solid 10k which predicted marathon pace and I'd felt i was holding back a bit on that 10k because of the course. I'd not had any aches or pains. My cycle was finally lining up correctly for a race.

I went in with the idea that I'd just relax and coast and enjoy the first 10 miles.  I knew it would start to feel hard somewhere after that and that was ok.  I was ready.

I went out right on pace (8:45) and then hit the next two miles a bit faster as it was downhill towards the river (8:40).  Once on the river path I was back comfortably at 8:45.  This is ever so slightly uphill for the next 10 miles.  I think i felt good from about mile 4-6. And then I wanted to slow because it was feeling harder.  And I did to 8:50.  That's ok, i told myself.  No need to beat my head about this.  Stay focused and relaxed and smart.

The best part of this race was taht it was an out and back along a bike path with easy access in a lot of places for course support.  We were at this race with a big group of runango marathon online forum friends who were all doing the marathon to get NM checked off their 50 states/50 marathons list.  K was spectating with S who was the wife of a runango runner i've known online for years.  He was running the half as he's recovering from an injury and their daughter was running the full marathon.  There was another spouse out there cheering for his wife who was running the full.  So I'd have my own personal cheering section in a few different places and it was wonderful! 

I'd figured out fueling/hydration needs and decided to carry water in my race vest. This was a wise decision as they had these itty bitty little cups out there with water.  I had fuel in a small handheld carrier and stuck to my plan and felt good about that.

So what happened?  By 10, my pace had slowed more.  I just didn't feel like i could push it at all.  then at 12 a more gradual uphill started.  I'd expected to slow quite a bit here but it felt like i hit a wall.  Uh ok.  K and S were at the 12.8 mark as I'd requested a drop of more fuel here.  I reached the turnaround and came back and walked with K just a bit to use the inhaler again.  I was having a bit of a hard time taking a deep breath although i wasn't wheezy.  I fully expected to stay in the 9 range and that would've been fine.

I left K and S and it was not fine.  My pace was slowing even more even though i was going downhill now.  It felt even harder and everything was starting to ache.  I crossed a main road (the trails cross underneath the roads) and realized that I was going to start having to walk and even hitting 10 minute miles was going to be tough.

Really?  Did i want to finish just to finish even though it was going to turn into a death march for 12 miles?

No.  I've done death marches and really I didn't need another one.  I stopped and texted K that I was done.  And that was it.

Now the rest of the day was great because we went back to the finish to cheer the rest of the runners in and there were some spectacular performances that were just thrilling to be there for.  As a large group we went off to my favorite restaurant on my recommendation and had lots of fun celebrating the victories.  And then we went and did the Tram.  AFter 20 years of visiting ABQ, I finally did this most popular tourist activity.

So what was the problem people kept asking?  Altitude?  ABQ is at 5000 feet.  Uh maybe? Low miles overall?  Maybe? I'm just not mentally cut out to race a marathon?  Probably.

Overall I really enjoyed the Hanson Marathon plan and hope to incorporate those principles into my training going forward.  I've never been able to hit such consistent miles on 6 days of running and feel so good and strong.

What's next?  We are enjoying summer again in Albquerque and I hear winter has hit Seattle.  I'm not really looking forward to a lot of running right now in rain and wind but we shall see.  I need a bit of a break from formal training for sure.