Almost There!

Here we are again. Since it is Tuesday now, it's 4 days until 26.2 2.0. Whoa. I was thinking about how different this training season was than the first go 'round. I'm not sure if it's all the other things going on right now (school, ending my current job, moving, etc.) or having one of these things under my belt, but I don't feel as anxious about this one. I should be!: The course is crazy hilly, I'm running in the desert, and getting into Las Vegas about 12 hours before I need to wake up for this run. I just feel I've done all I could do. I've run every long run to completion. Only had to skip a couple short runs these last couple weeks. I think I'm ready for this one! (Well, as ready as one can be for a 26.2 mile adventure ahead!)

Let's do this.

You're doing this again??

So, if I wasn't crazy enough the first time, I decided it would be a brilliant idea to give this marathon gig another go. With the draw of a free race entry to a Vegas run, how could I say no? Not only would I get to run for "Free.99" as Monsay would say, I would also get to check off state number 4 on my 50 state race adventure, plus a long weekend in Vegas with some of my girls. Done and done. I also decided about 1.39850 seconds after Minneapolis last year that I could do better. I HAD to do better. A 5:50 performance is more sub-par than sub-par itself, and ultimately this is why I needed to take the challenge on again. That's right, needed. The race is in about a month, and today I did 18 miles in 3:10:15. And I could even walk, talk, and eat a bit afterwards, so I'll chalk that up as a success! About a month ago I was really questioning my motivation and stamina (of the mental variety). What was I thinking? Aren't work and school enough? Don't you remember how painful it was the first time? All of this doubt really started dragging me down, but I was able to fight through it. I knew I had to keep my head up and sneakers on and just keep going no matter how slow the pace. Heck, the plane tickets were already purchased....there was no going back! So tough through it I did until last weekend's WRTC 10 mile race. I really hit my stride and the confidence came flooding back, particularly after I passed the red balloons with less than a mile to go, turning "I can't" to "I can" to "I will"...and then, "I did!!" Then I had the answers to those questions: I am thinking it will be better this time because I know what's coming, scary as it may be. I know what I need to do to prepare. I KNOW it will be better. No, they're not :) Running is so personal (borderline selfish, perhaps?) that nothing else could really fulfill that space in my life reserved for personal achievement. Actually, I had forgotten about all that pain, though it took about a month for that to happen! "It hurts so good" is never more true than during race season. But, the funny thing is, you know it's going to end. Pain really is temporary (or at least the really intense pain is. The nagging type can be more chronic :) ).

I Can't Believe That Just Happened!

That's what I've been saying this past week as I try to wrap my head around that fact that I completed 26.2 miles last Sunday. I know that I did it (my sore muscles were a testament to that), but it is so hard to fathom! Here's a recap:
-Wake, eat breakfast (eggs and toast)
-Arrive at the Depot around 6 a.m.
-Warm-up, wait in line for the bathroom, gather at start line
-RUN! Gave mom a hug. Pretty emotional and nearly started crying. Thought: "I gotta keep this together...I have to run 26 miles!!"
-First 9 miles were pretty good. Knee was sore at the start line, but I tried to push through it. It likes 8 hours of sleep, and that just wasn't possible the few days leading up to 6/5/11.
-Shawna was staked out around mile 9, though I did not see her. I knew she was there though, and that was so helpful and meaningful!
-10-13 was pretty difficult, or at least more difficult than they should have been and than I had expected. I got hungry, so ate a Cliff bar. It was starting to get warmer and more sunny. Hips were in pain, which was totally new and completely unexpected. Wierd.
-13 saw Kelsey and Melissa! They were staked in the perfect place to see me 3 times. So glad to have them there.
-13-19 in the woods at Fort Snelling. I often wondered what happened to people in the woods. Now I know. I wish I didn't :) Those miles were particularly tough, for a number of reasons I think.
>Those miles are always tough
>Being in the woods, there weren't any spectators. I didn't realize how critical that support is until I didn't have it.
>Hill McNasty at mile 18. Thanks to Barb (who was running her 102nd marathon!) I was able to muster up some strength to get up that hill. I am so grateful for her chatting with me and keeping me company, and then still talking to me after I got too cocky and had to walk up McNasty's younger sister. Walking (which actually looked more like me pushing on my knees to make my legs move) up McNasty was the first time I walked. I had previously thought that I would run the whole thing no matter how slow that was. Then I turned that sharp corner in the woods, saw "Welcome to Hill McNasty!" in chalk, looked up and saw that 45 degree incline and that dream vanished.
-Got out of the woods around mile 19.
-Bathroom around mile 19-20.
-Walked some more.
-Mile 21-ish big cheering section (with Jolly Ranchers and pretzels!). They really got me back running again after second bathroom stop (can't remember if there were 2 or 3 total. I think 3, but I only clearly remember 2). Mom ran with me for a mile or so around this point.
-Don't remember much between 21 and 26. I remember bits and pieces, but do not know when they happened.
>Mom biked pretty close to me for much of this stretch.
>I could not consume enough liquids even though my stomach felt distended from all the fluid.
>Feeling it my feet. Like a raw feeling. Not bad, but enough to be noticable.
>Really doubting my sanity at this point. Questioning why I thought I needed to do this. What was I thinking? Knowing I won't be reaching my goal. Thinking: "Shoot! I have to do this ALL AGAIN???!" due to the fact that I wouldn't be making my goal.
>Realizing that my mind is now outside of my body and they are no longer connected. Once I notice that I am walking, but do not know for how long. I definitely had not made a conscious decision to do so! The body does so crazy things when it's in survival mode. I really had to concentrate and focus on getting my body to run instead of walk.
>Duking it out with orange Du jersey girl. Tried to encourage her, but she had none of that.
-Saw Kevin around mile 25-ish. Definitely didn't expect that! He ran with me to about mile 26 and then met me after I crossed the finish line. Was definitely grateful that he was there to pick up the pace a bit and be distracting.
-Cross finish line 5:50:44. Got a bit emotional. More feeling of relief and disbelief and a bit of satisfaction.

This has been such a fantastic journey. The support I received was amazing and I am so thankful for it. I am looking forward to when this actually sinks in!

Let's Do This

The day is upon us! Here I am, an hour after my proposed marathon bed time, but I just wanted to get one last entry in before I run.
It's been a fantastic journey and the support I have received these past few weeks has been nothing short of inspirational. Between "Good luck"s, cards, phone calls, facebook notes, and the like I have been so moved. When the race gets hard tomorrow I will think of everyone who supported me (and those who had less faith, cuz that's just as strong a motivator) and let them take me the rest of the way.
I am so blessed to be able to have a body and mind which allows me to run down my dreams. Literally.

Race Strategy

Last Saturday (5/7) I ran a 10K, the last race before the marathon three weeks from today! I used my usual race-day strategy to get prepared for the 6.2 miles ahead. I got to White Bear Lake about an hour before the start of the race, got my packet and shirt, got in a little warm-up and during the stretching portion I began to scope out the competition. Racers were there of all ages and abilities, and even species (as dogs were allowed to race as well). With about 10 minutes before the start of the race I picked out my prey: 2 skinny b*tches (and I use that term in the most loving way) which I would pummel with my unexpected speed.
I kind of have a chip on my shoulder for skinny runners, as I am not one, but I've wanted to be. I don't care if an 80-year-old passes me, but if the girl in the pink shorts or the girl in the green and black tank do so, I am upset. Luckily, I was able to leave the girl in the pink shorts in the dust at the beginning of the race and overtook the green and black tank girl with about 1/2 to 1 mile to go after she passed me mid-way through. Race strategy and PR complete!
I got to thinking about that strategy on a shorter run earlier this week, and thought, "What if I am someone's skinny b*tch?" Now, I know this is thinking too highly of myself, but insert any trait and we could all be someone else's race strategy. "The guy with the flashy gold shoes". "The one who has run the same number of races as me". "The other local who is at every race in town and I've never beaten". "The neighbor with the ferocious Pekingese".
Some might say this isn't a healthy way to think or a good way to go about a race, but I disagree. For the averagely competitive runner (or the average runner with a high level of competitive spirit) this spices things up a little bit. Gives one a reason to pound the hills. Run through the rain. Chew up the 1/13 mile indoor track. It puts a smile on my face to know that at the next race there will be someone there who I might surprise, and someone who will surprise me.

CrAzY

The most common response to telling people that I'm running a marathon is "You are crazy!".
Maybe I've always been a little crazy. I like to play basketball with one ACL. I enjoy track meets when there's a good down pour. I smile when my muscles, bones, and eyelashes ache after a hard work out. I push. I only have one body, one life and I intend to use it. All of it.
So, if pushing my body to its fullest potential is a little crazy, then I am.

Long Run

Yesterday (4/9/11) I put in 14 miles in one go: the longest run of my life. The days leading up to the "event" were full of anticipation and excitment. I was a bit nervous as I didn't know how I'd fare. I had memories of the half I did a couple years ago and how I was pretty much down for the count for a few days afterwards. But it was exciting to see how far I could push my body. Where are my boundaries? How far is too far? (It better not be 14 miles!). But the more daunting fact is not this one outing, but that every week from now until June 5 I will have a new longest lifetime run. I've had months to prepare for this one, but now I only have 5-7 days to get my body and mind geared up for the next longest runs of my life. AND we're at less than 2 months until the real long run.
I told Lauren that I have no doubt that my mind can run a marathon. And my heart and lungs could run marathons for days. I just don't want to hit the point where my body's ability trumps my mind's. (But is that even possible?) I also have a feeling that I will look back and think, "What was I so nervous about? Let's do this again tomorrow!" :)