The Marathon

I won't leave you in too much suspense -- yes, I did it.  I successfully completed my first marathon.  And I met two of my goals by not only finishing, but finishing under five hours (4:46:17 was my finish time).

I woke up at 3:00 am on Sunday to get ready to leave for Vermont by 4:00 am.  Those of you who know my current weekday routine know that this is par for the course for me.  It took about two hours to get to Vermont, during which time I saw the sunrise over the mountains and encountered several white-tailed deer and little fawns.  At 6:45 I was on shuttle bus from the finish line in Manchester to the start in Bennington.  Then I checked in, picked up my goodie bag (why don't they wait to distribute these until AFTER the race???), and geared up physically and mentally.

The race started at 9:00 am.  At the time, the temperature was cool and there was a light sprinkling of rain, which felt pretty good.  The first five miles were spent finding my pace (holding back to save energy for the rest of the race) and enjoying the nice scenery.  We went through Bennington College, which had a hill that would not end...and then just as it began to turn around a bend, it went up some more.  Crazy.

Then the rain got heavier.  By mile six we were officially running in a downpour.  It didn't take long for me to be soaked to the bone -- shirt, shorts, socks, and shoes.  For those of you who have done the Warrior Dash, imagine how soaked you were after the moat obstacle.  Now imagine running like that for 20 more miles.  With heavy, water-logged shoes that feel like they have three-pound dumbbells in the soles and no promise of sun to dry you out.  Only steady, chilling rain.

Regardless, I was feeling pretty good and had a strong, relaxed pace up to mile 17.  Miles 17-19 were hell.  That's all I have to say.  Regardless, I kept running and was very proud to run the first 20 miles of the race without walking (the only stop was a port-a-potty break after mile 18....but this was highly necessary).

I took a short walk break during mile 21 and that seemed to do the trick.  I regained some life and ran up to mile 22 with a little more "oomph."  And then my hips locked up and my thighs tightened.  Each step became a struggle and my stride shrunk down to a sad little shuffle.  My cardio was fine -- I could've kept going at a faster pace, but my legs would not allow it. 

No one can prepare you for how hard those last few miles are.  No marathoner you talk to can effectively explain the amount of willpower involved to keep going when your body wants to give up.  It amounts to a tears-in-your-eyes battle with yourself to just put one foot in front of the other and convince yourself that each step takes you closer to the four miles you have left.

I did what I had to do to keep going.  I walked, I jogged, I even tried interval running a little, although my runs were more like jogs.  The race volunteers were AMAZING.  Just when you felt like you'd had enough punishment, you could hear voices cheering just over the next hill at the aid station, and that gave you the drive to make it there.  And when you got there:  "Water?"  "Gatorade?"  "You're looking good!"  "Almost there!"  "You can do it!"

A few miles later, I approached the bend of the last road that would lead me towards the finish line.  The course was set up so that you were led PAST the finish area, up around another curve, and then back towards the finish -- which I found very cruel.  But soon I was on the grassy patch of the home stretch.  I kicked it in -- although at that point my kick was more of a jog -- and crossed the finish line victoriously.

I wasn't doubled-over or panting for breath.  I was hobbling a little due to my fried quadriceps and -- as I would later find out -- a monster blister on my right instep the size of a cherry.  But overall I had a great finish and have a wonderful sense of accomplishment.  I realize what I am capable of when I put my mind to something 100%.

There is no cheating with running.  You'd either put in the work or you didn't.  You can't just show up at the race without training and be like, "I think I'll run a marathon today."  Every single person who showed up to that race put in the time it took to get their body into a state where they could survive the distance.  I was so proud to be a part of that race yesterday.

Would I do another marathon?  Maybe.  I think it's similar to what people say about child birth.  After enough time passes, you forget about the pain and want to do it all over again.  We'll see.  There are definitely lots of things I learned and that I would do differently next time around (such as not getting sick the last two weeks before the race, ha ha).  Maintaining better and more consistent nutrition remains at the top of my list.  Despite knowing better, I adopted "marathon runner's diet," where you figure you ran a ton of miles so you can afford yourself indulgences.  I'd like to see what I could achieve by sticking to a more sound fueling plan.

In the meantime, I've set my next goal as my first triathlon with the Crystal Lake Triathlon in August.  I don't think I'll start up another blog for that, but I will keep Facebook updated with my training experiences and musings.

I could not have completed this marathon without the help of many people who, whether they know it or not, propelled me towards my personal victory yesterday.  Here are the people who helped me make my goal happen:

• Laurie - who first put the idea in my head this past fall.  Your victory gave me the gumption to try it on my own.
• Allison - for cheering me on in all my endeavors, including this one.
• The one and only Mr. Jim Murphy - for always singing my praises and lending me Hal Higdon's marathon book -- the guide to my success.
• Jared - thanks for your great tips and coaching this winter.
• My sissy Wauwa - who was simultaneously running her "marathon" as I was training for mine.  Thanks for the encouragement and congratulations on earning your degree.
• Emily - for reading my rantings on this blog religiously and putting up with my training recaps every morning.
• Nancy and Michaela - you are both such an inspiration to me and others.  Best of luck to you as you train for the Mohawk-Hudson River Marathon.
• Pattie, Rose, Linda, and Carrie - you guys are my own personal cheer-leading squad!  Thanks for reading my blog and giving your wonderful words of encouragement.
• Frank - for being my informal running coach and giving me your sage advice.  We can't all be as tough as you, but we can try.
• Tom - for swapping running stories as we each work towards our running goals.  Who knows -- maybe ultras are in our future!
• All the Autotaskers who took five minutes in the cafeteria to ask me how my training was going.  Those little exchanges really gave me a boost.  Thank you.
• My Boot Campers - you guys are rock stars and provide me with inspiration every single day.  Watching you grow is a real privilege.
• And finally, most importantly, Mom.  You were my fan club on both the days when I could've just as easily skipped training AND on the days when I was feeling great.  Thank you for doing the crazy things most fan clubs do, like waiting in the car for four hours in the rain while I ran so that I could hug you at the finish line.  It's easy to believe I can achieve anything when you already believe it for me.

Thank you for sharing my adventure over the past several months.  I hope that you are inspired to start one on your own.  It doesn't have to be a marathon.  It can be anything -- a 5K, going back to school, getting a new job, learning a new instrument, or starting a business.  Just set a goal, make a plan, and get busy!

3 Days to Go!

Sorry for the lack of posts -- I've spent the last 2 weeks getting my strength back after being knocked out by a nasty virus.  But as of Monday, I was back to my normal training schedule.  Although my legs feel a little sluggish from not running in a while, the gears are starting to turn again and I'm getting psyched for the race on Sunday.

The race goes from Bennington to Manchester, VT.  I have to arrive early enough to take a shuttle bus from the finish line to the start.  From there, I pick up my packet and get pumped for the 26.2-mile run.  There are going to be many aid stations along the way with water, Gatorade, gels, and port-a-potties.  I'm also planning on wearing my CamelBak and bringing Clif Shots and Sports Beans to make sure I am well fueled.

Here are my three race goals, modified slightly based on the fact that I had a setback due to illness:

• Goal I can live with:  Finish the race, even if I have to walk some of it.
• Goal that will make me happy:  Finish the race in 5 hours (modified originally from 4.5 hours).
• Goal that will be cause for celebration:  Finish the race in 4.5 hours (modified originally from 4 hours).

In the meantime, I will be continuing my workouts, eating clean foods (my new favorite is avocado smeared on Ezekiel toast -- yummy!), and preparing mentally for the race.

Thank you to everyone for reading my blog and offering your support.  It means so much to have you cheering me on through the good times and bad.  I couldn't have gotten through it without knowing you're there for me.

A Rocky Week

Murphy's Law is coming into full effect during my taper time.  No sooner did I finish the hardest part of my training than did I get infected with a severe virus that has had me out of commission since Thursday.  Hence my lack of blog posts.  I've barely been operational enough to breathe (at times only through my mouth).  I haven't had the energy to use a computer and running has been out of the equation for several days.

I attempted a workout Monday and got about 10 minutes in before I realized I couldn't breathe and had to discontinue.  A trip to the doctor revealed that I had severe head congestion; everything except my left ear was plugged up and I was wheezing with each breath.  Deep breaths were causing coughing fits.  I was prescribed two nasal sprays and an inhaler.  As opposed as I am to medications, I'm in enough misery to be taking all three religiously in the hopes that I'll be well enough to continue my training.

My original intent was to heal up this past weekend so that I can salvage the two weeks before my race.  Now that I'm about midway into week one, I'm scaling back my goal to healing up by next week so I can at least get my legs moving before May 15.

I'm hoping that all the training I've been putting in since December will not be undone by this setback.  I am not going to give up.  Whatever I can do, I will do.  And on race day, I'll make it to the finish line one way or another.

The Longest Run is DONE!

It's all downhill from here.  I just completed 23 miles, taking some walk breaks, but overall at a strong pace and feeling pretty good.  If not for the winds, which were overwhelming at times, I think I would've fared even better.  But I accomplished 23 miles in about 3 hours and 40 minutes.

At the beginning of my training, I set my typical three event goals:

• The goal I can live with:  To finish the race.
• The goal that will make me happy:  To finish the race in under 5 hours.
• The goal that will be cause for celebration:  To finish the race in under 4 hours 30 minutes.

It looks like I am well on my way to celebration on event day.  Even though it was tough to do 23 today, I'm glad I tacked on the extra 3 miles rather than sticking to another 20 mile run -- as many marathon training plans advocate.  It gave me a little taste of feeling so beat up and tired that you don't want to take another step, but you do anyway.  I'll need this for the extra 3.2 miles on race day.

So the hard work is over.  I've put in my training, and I have a nice, restful (somewhat!) taper ahead of me.  I start to cut back my miles with the Lake George Half-Marathon this weekend.  I'm not saying it will be easy; it will just be a nice change of pace and a good trial for my fueling and hydration strategies.

Today I think I nailed the fueling.  I filled my CamelBak with Gatorade and brought a Clif Shot for about midway.  The only flaw was that I ran out of Gatorade at about mile 18.  However, if I supplement my hydration system with on-the-course Gatorade at the aid stations, that should work perfectly.

Another happy note -- Mama's Ice Cream in Burnt Hills is now OPEN!  My mid-week 10 milers are much easier motivation-wise, because instead of bringing my Gatorade, I pick up an Only 8 cone at the halfway point.  Yummy!  If you have never had Only 8 Frozen Yogurt, you need to try it.  It only has 8 all-natural ingredients and 32 calories per half-cup serving.  I estimate a small cone has about 100 calories.  I am totally obsessed.

Anyway, with less than a month left before the big day, I'm feeling pretty good about where I am and I'm ready to tackle the race!

The Runner's Toe Trilogy

Four out of 10 toenails are now black.  See the fun picture here...the second and third toes on each foot are now afflicted with the aesthetically icky, yet painless condition.

I had thought that getting new running shoes back in August would've cured this -- after all, that was my impetus for getting fitted for new shoes in the first place.  A solitary toenail had changed colors, so off I went to Fleet Feet for better kicks.  And that resolved the problem for a while.

Then you'll remember a few weeks ago I got it on another toe.  And now two more.  So something clearly was not right -- and I found myself loosening the shoelaces of my regular sneakers during the day because they felt tight around my feet.

I returned to Fleet Feet and, come to find out, my feet have grown a half-size since August when I was last fitted.  The explanation?  The constantly-swollen state of my marathon-trained feet are making my current shoes too small.  Which leads to more runner's toe.  So I got a new pair of shoes (the same ones I wear now, just a half size bigger) and tested them out on my run today (they were super comfy).  And that brings us to...

Today's Run

I had 14 miles on the agenda for today -- shorter than usual because this is a recovery week.  However, this was an excellent opportunity to test my pacing and fueling for the Lake George Half-Marathon in two weeks.  This race will be my "staging race" for the big day in May, to give me a feel for racing at a longer distance and a last chance to iron out the details.

I did a few things differently today.  First off, no iPod.  Many of you are probably like, "WHAAAAT???" but I did this for a couple of reasons.  Some of my upcoming races are official USA Track and Field events and do not allow headsets on the course.  The second reason was that I noticed over the past few weeks that I'm not really listening to my music anymore.  I'm zoning in on my pace, my form, and paying more attention to my running and less attention to the music.  Truthfully I can say I didn't miss having music and will probably continue to run without my music machine.

Secondly, I actually PACED myself today (novel concept, right?).  Even though I felt like I could maintain an 8:30 minutes per mile pace right off the bat, I forced myself to slow down to 9:00.  This way, I felt strong at the halfway point and most of the way through the last half.  I did slow down near the end though (more details on this in a sec), but completed the run with an average pace of 9:16 minutes per mile...AND finished the 13.1 miles of a half-marathon distance within two hours, so that will be my target time on race day.

As for the sluggishness over the last four miles of the run, I attribute that to my change in fueling today.  I am getting quite sick of Gatorade, and today the idea of it made me very nauseous.  So trying something new, I filled my hydration pack with plain water and brought only Clif Shot gels as fuel.  I think my body missed the electrolytes because, even though my cardio and my legs were still strong, I started to feel a little light-headed and walked a bit near the end. 

Next week, I am going to try adding diluted Gatorade to my hydration pack and only using one gel.  The second gel almost made me sick today.  What ISN'T going to turn my stomach????  It's also getting pretty warm out when I do my runs, so I'm going to add some ice cubes to the bladder of my hydration pack to keep my water cool.

I only have ONE MORE long run in my training plan before I begin to taper (which means cutting down my mileage slowly to allow my body to heal for the race).  The marathon seemed so far away when I started; it's hard to believe it's almost here!

20 Miles of Potty Mouth

Today was the monumental 20 miler, and it did not go as well as expected, for the following reasons:

1. Coming off of last week's excellent 18-mile run, I expected 20 to feel just as good.
2. Despite my reading otherwise in many, MANY different marathon training guides, I did not pace myself correctly in the first half of the run.  I went out way too fast because I was feeling good and was overconfident from last week's great run.
3. My negligence to research my routes' topographies finally bit me, and this route had more steep hills than all my other runs put together.
4. I forgot that last week's run followed a "recovery" week, and this week's run followed an 18-mile run.
5. The wind!  Maybe not a huge deal to the passerby, but those big wind gusts can be crushing to runners.  Especially at the end of the run.  And especially when that last part of the run is INTO the wind.

All complaining aside, I did finish faster than I expected.  And, even though the last 10 miles were hell on Earth and I had to use every mental trick to keep putting one foot in front of the other, my average pace was only 10 seconds per mile slower than when I did my awesome 18-mile run last week.  Who cares if I was dropping obscenities for an hour and a half straight?  Yes, I was swearing at the wind.  A lot.

On the plus side -- I had to buy a carabiner at the hardware store, so I planned my route so it went right by Aubuchon.  What better way to run an errand than on foot?  Even though the hardware dudes gave me some weird looks.  They were probably just jealous of my CamelBak.

By the way, does anyone reading this drive a red truck with a bumper sticker on the back?  This is like the third time this truck has passed by me while I'm running and laid on the horn like crazy.  If I know you, sorry for not waving back -- I can't get a good look at you to see who you are!  Or maybe it's just a very supportive person who doesn't know me at all!

So -- the 20-mile run is done, and while I finished it (and with a respectable time at that... just over 3 hours), I am determined to feel better running this distance.  After all, the marathon is 6.2 miles longer than this!  My next long run is in two weeks.  This week is another recovery week, ending with a 14-mile run, and then the following week I will do either 22 or 23 miles...I have not decided yet.  I will try to make that one the best run yet.  Because after that, the long runs are over and I have to rely on all the training I've done up until that point to serve me well on marathon day.

I'm also starting a new workout program to assist with my cross-training.  I attribute cross-training to the fact that I have not experienced a serious injury during this whole marathon training plan.  Anyway, the program I'm starting is called Rip:60 (you can take a look at it on http://www.rip60.com/).  By the way, this is the reason I needed the carabiner, in case you were wondering. 

The Rip:60 infomercial boasts that it's better than both P90X and Insanity...a statement that's gotten them in hot legal water with Beachbody.  As a lover of both P90X and Insanity, I'm eager to give it the true test and see how the thing holds up against my two favorite exercise programs.  Upon inspection of the DVDs and documentation, it's based on solid exercise and even more solid nutrition, so right away that's a good sign (no miracle pills or potions).  I'll let you know how it goes.

Bonk!

So today was my mid-week mid-distance run.  Ten miles -- no biggie.  I was so certain it would be cake, that I didn't even bother adding Gatorade to my waterbottle; I just filled it with plain water.

And I was going strong... until after mile 7, when I began to bonk.  If you're not familiar with the term "bonk," it's basically a word that describes when your muscles run out of stored carbs for fuel and you begin to essentially "run on empty."  Your muscles won't respond well, your mind gets foggy, and every step gets hard.  This was my situation during miles 8, 9, and 10.

BUT, looking on the bright side, as I try to do occasionally, I kept telling myself, "What if this happens in the marathon?  Do you expect to feel fantastic for all 26.2 miles?"  And in reality, this tired, heavy, hopeless sensation is probably close to how miles 20-26.2 will feel.  So I pretended I was in my race and I HAD to finish.  I kept putting one foot in front of the other and plowing through it.  I played games -- run hard 30 seconds, run easy 30 seconds, keep alternating, keep going. 

And it worked!  Not only did it work, but I finished this 10-mile run (ACTUALLY, 10.5-mile run.... THANK YOU MapMyRun.com for your accuracy...) with an average pace of 8:44 minutes per mile, which is a pretty speedy pace for a long training run for me.

This weekend:  20 MILES!  THE MONSTER!!! DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNN!