Friday's Non-Running Post

I usually take Fridays off from working out, so I decided that I will try and post something not running related on Fridays from now on. Today might be an exception to the no workout rule, though, since yesterday I went to happy hour after work and decided after two glasses of wine that going to the gym didn't sound like the greatest idea. I haven't done anything since Monday. My leg seems to be getting better, but there is still some annoying pain. Hopefully the long run tomorrow won't make things worse.

But this is a non-running post, so let's not talk about that right now. I have always loved writing, even when I was a little kid I used to love making up stories and writing poems. I used to dream of being a published writer some day and going to the library to find my book on the shelf. Sometimes I still think I would like to write a book, but what I do more of these days is poetry. I seem to be more inspired lately, so I'm going to share.

Could it almost be love
As you're breathing my air
Sink into me
For a minute I think
It could almost be love
Forgetting your words
Ignoring your silence
A pain that takes my breath away
Almost love
Your mouth on mine
No need to speak now
We are woven together
Tangled in truth
and lovely lies
Attached by this
Almost love

Back later with updates on the weekend's run and maybe some pictures if I'm feeling crazy.

The pain in my...

...yes, ASS. It hurts, crap! I don't know what is going on. Things were fine and dandy last week. I took Thursday off running and did a spinning class instead. After that I started to notice a little pain in my left leg/butt/lower back, but nothing serious, so I wasn't concerned. On Saturday the group met at the store in O'Bryonville to run 14 miles. The forecast called for rain, but it turned out to be an okay morning. We ran through Norwood again with lots of hills. I was taking it sloooow and by the time I got done, I was drenched in sweat. It wasn't a great run for me, but I was glad I got the miles in. That's the second time in a few weeks that I have seriously considered not finishing a run.
After the run we spent the day at Kings Island. It made me feel like such an old lady. I remember being able to ride roller coasters over and over with no problems. Not anymore. I rode two and I was pretty much done in. I think part of it had to do with being a little dehydrated and being in the sun too much, but I know that the other part is because I am not a kid anymore. Kind of a sad reality check. It was nice, though. We ended the day with dinner and some drinks while we watched Ohio State get killed by USC.
On Sunday we had a hurricane in Ohio. Seriously, though. I knew there was a warning about winds, but this was out of control. Trees were falling everywhere, stuff blowing all over the place, and electric going out. By the end of the day pretty much everyone was in the dark. Our electric was out until Tuesday morning - not fun.
I noticed the pain a little on Sunday while I was at the gym on the elliptical machine, but I still wasn't too worried. I had the day off on Monday and no electric, so I decided to get a run in. By the end of 5.5 miles, I the pain was definitely noticeable and annoying, but not bad. Yesterday (Tuesday) it got worse. Sitting seems to make it worse, and it comes and goes almost like a muscle spasm. WTF.. I don't know what is going on. It was pretty bad yesterday evening, but then when I got up this morning I felt much better. Now I am sitting at work, though, and it is really bothering me again. Dr. Google says that I have priformis syndrome/sciatica. Treatment involves ice, massage, and Nsaids. I really don't want to go back to physical therapy, so I'm trying to save that as a last resort. I'm planning on icing and rest tonight and then trying another 5.5 miles tomorrow morning to see how things are. Then I'm going to pick up a foam roller at the Running Spot (which is what they make you do in PT anyway.)
This weekend we are scheduled for 22 miles, our longest run before the marathon. I've never run more than one 20 mile run before a marathon, so I'm interested to see if this helps or hurts me. If I'm still having serious pain issues I may have to rethink it. I just want to be healthy for the race. Last night I skipped the scheduled hill workout and Lindsay and I went out to dinner. She is going to be in Chicago for the race to cheer me on, then the next weekend we are going to Indianapolis to run a half together. It should be really fun.
Until next time, let's hope my butt feels better.

Speedwork PR

Last night the group met in Newport for road intervals. I am not a fan of speedwork, but was glad that we are finally having cooler weather. I was wearing a running skirt and tank top and was starting to feel uncomfortably cool before we started running. So, perfect running weather, really. We had a 2 mile warm up and then re-grouped in Cincinnati for intervals. The plan was to do four 1-mile loops at one minute faster than your goal marathon pace. My goal marathon pace is 9:30, so I should have been doing my loops in 8:30, but somehow I ended up with the 8:00 minute group.
I don't think I have ever run an 8 minute mile in my life, but last night I somehow completed a loop in 7:54. What?!?! A sub 8-minute mile? Holy crap! I guess it's just that the memory of barely being able to run two minutes without stopping are still so fresh in my memory. I was so excited the first time I was able to complete 3 miles without walking, and here I am two years later actually looking and feeling like a real runner!
I guess I shouldn't be so surprised. I have worked hard over these couple years to improve my fitness, but it always amazes me. When I started running, I thought "I don't think I can do a 10k" and then I did one. Then I thought "I don't know if I can do a half marathon" and then I did that, too. Then I thought "Well, I guess I can try a marathon, but I don't think I can run that far." Then I did, twice! So I guess I shoud stop doubting myself. If I actually had more confidence maybe I could be even faster.
So I had a great workout last night, especially considering that it was two days after a 20 mile run. On Monday I had a lovely massage which probably also helped with recovery. Unfortunately, though, I woke up pretty sore this morning, and now I am starting to feel like I am getting a cold. I am a little concerned about overtraining. I don't want to get sick now in the final weeks of training, so I am going to take tonight off. Normally I run on Thursday mornings, too, but I think I'm going to sleep a little more tomorrow. If I am feeling better tomorrow afternoon, then I will run a few miles in the afternoon before my workout at the gym.
This Saturday's run is 14 miles in O'Bryonville. Hopefully I will be feeling better. Until I'll be taking it easy.

...Five Months Later

You can officially call me the worst blog updater in the world. I love following blogs and really admire people who keep theirs up to date and include fancy stuff like videos and pictures, but where do they find the time? Or more specifically, where do the find the time to update their blog AND have a life? I don't know... maybe they sleep a lot less then me. I guess it's beside the point now. Here I am, five months later, and I have a lot of writing to do to fill you in on what has happened since April. Let's call it the Reader's Digest Version:

Injury: Plica Syndrome. After my "lucky" twenty (hello, note to self: never call anything lucky again) I started having serious knee pain in my left knee. I went to the Ortho who said I have Plica syndrome. It's left over fetal tissue in the knee that can get irritated by repetetive motion (i.e. running.) I had a cortinsone shot and he told me that the decision to run the marathon was up to me and what I thought would be best. I rested for a couple weeks, but the pain was still there. As much as I wanted to run the Flying Pig, Chicago is more important to me, since I don't know if or when I will go back there again. I know I will have a chance to run the Pig again next year. It was a difficult decision, but in the end, I didn't run. Instead, I made other impulsive decisions that would have lots of implications in my life.

Personal Training: One of my impulsive decisions and efforts to make myself feel better after missing the marathon. I committed to a year and I'm trying to take my overall fitness up another level. With the trainer I work mostly on upper body and core. Having a stronger upper body has really had a positive affect on my running. Its expensive, but worth it so far. I have noticed a difference in my body, too. After so many years of being a bigger girl, its kind of strange getting used to looking different and being noticed. At first, it is flattering to know that people are looking because I look good. But the more I think about it, the more I start to wonder. Would these people have cared or gotten to know me before when I was out of shape and less attractive? Wasn't I the same person then as I am now? Wasn't I worth knowing before? The experience is just making me aware of how much looks can affect the way people are treated. People can be so superficial.

Recovery: So, I took about 3 weeks off running, then started gradually running again. First on a treadmill, then back to running outside. Once I was able to do 5 miles outside without serious knee pain, I knew I would be good to go for Chicago. That 5 miles felt so good.

So, now I am back with the training group. We started up again in June. Lindsay and Holly are both running, but they are training for a half, so I don't get to run with them very often. I have been able to pick up my pace, and have been doing my long runs at a consistent 9:30. I think it is possible that I will finish in under 4:15. It would be so sweet to be able to say I cut 40 minutes off my previous marathon time. This past Saturday we ran 2o miles. I was feeling pretty tired at the end, but still strong. The tank wasn't empty, so I think that's a good sign. The weather is cooling off and we have had a much milder summer in general compared to last year, which has really helped me.

I'm going to try and start updating regularly again. I am about 1 month away from Chicago. I also signed up for the Indianapolis half which is one week after that. I am going with Lindsay and another girl from the running group, Melanie, for a girls weekend. It should be really fun. September 20th is my last scheduled long run (22 miles) and then the taper begins. It's all about staying healthy and injury-free until race time.

Lucky 20

Is there something magical about 20 miles, or have I just been lucky up until now? This past Saturday's run went really well, but I can't say my confidence was 100% leading up to that day.

The previous week's 18 went much better than I expected, but it took a lot out of me. I felt pretty wiped out and sore afterwards. I did an easy 3 miles on Tuesday, and then we met in Norwood last Wednesday for 8.5 miles. We had a simple out and back route going down Madison to Walnut Hills. I was tired starting out, and the weather was warmer than it has been all year. I just didn't have much energy to put towards the run. Thankfully, Lindsay was there, and she wasn't feeling 100%, either. We turned around early and made it 7 instead of 8.5. I guess we wimped out, but I just wasn't feeling it, and I didn't feel like pushing myself only days before our longest training run.

I took Thursday and Friday off to recover. Since coming back from my trip, I have had nagging pain in my quads that just wouldn't go away. I decided to rest and hope that it would be enough time to let those muscles recover. I had a carb filled pasta dinner on Friday night and prayed that Saturday would go well. Weather was great for running - about 40 degrees. That's exactly how I like it, cool. Actually, it was almost a little too cold with a cold wind that didn't seem to let up. We started out in



Newport

The group met up at the Levee. Lindsay and Holly were both there, and we decided that our strategy would be to go out slow and be conservative. We set out through Kentucky following most of the Pig route and settled into a nice relaxing pace with a small group of people as everyone spread out.



Linn & 8th Street

First water stop. I thought it was a little early to be eating a Gu, so I just sipped on my diluted Endurance Formula Gatorade (can't drink that stuff straight up) and took in the lovely scenery of the west end. I also figured out where Emily and I took a wrong turn last week. We continued through downtown and then into



Eden Park

The hills that killed me during the 18 miler seemed so much easier. I was glad that I had paced myself well and made a note to remember this feeling during the marathon. If I pace myself, hopefully I will be feeling just as good as I was on Saturday. We chugged on up the hill to the second water stop at the Eden Park overlook. I enjoyed the view of the city and ate my first Gu. By this point, Lindsay was having a hard time keeping up with Holly and I. She told us to go on ahead because she wasn't feeling great. I felt bad, but we headed out with the ten minute mile group, led by one of the coaches, Brian.



Madison

I was really excited to have made it up all the major hills, especially since I was feeling really great. Runner's high in full effect. I had to keep reminding myself that I still had about 11 miles to go and that I needed to pace. Despite those reminders, I broke away from the 10 minute group and ran out ahead. I was feeling awesome as we passed the Running Spot. We turned down Erie and continued on. All the while, Coach Brian was filling us in on the Pig course. He's somewhat of an expert and was letting us know exactly what part of the course we were on, and what it would be like on race day. I ran along, content to listen and look around.



Paxton/Wasson/Marburg

At this point, I pushed further ahead of the 10 minute group. I was alone for most of this part of the run, and just let my mind wander. I ran past Coach Cathy, who was one of my mentors when I first started running. She is one of the few people who can talk non-stop while running. Her hilarious stories motivated me through many miles. At the corner of Marburg and Erie was another water stop where we fueled up again.



Delta

We headed up Erie and Coach Brian let us know that this part of our run was not part of the Pig course, which we were glad to hear, since it is enough of a hill just to be annoying. Once we hit the top, it was down, down, down Delta. I was kind of concerned about my quads bothering me again, but I kept the pace slower and I was still feeling good.



Eastern

The last few miles of the Pig. There isn't much to look at, but Brian kept it interesting with race day psychology and tips. There is a church on Eastern (I think it is St. Rose) and from that point you only have 5k to the finish. "It's all mental from this point on." I was contemplating how some people have the energy to talk almost non-stop during along run. We had another water stop, and then Holly and I continued ahead of that group again. I started to feel the pain during the last few miles on Eastern, and there is a stupid little hill that comes out of nowhere! I will be remembering that hill during the other parts of the race when I am tempted to go too fast.



Downtown

This was the last little loop that we had to add on to make it 20 miles (actually 20.5.) The wind was blowing so hard, I could hardly believe it. We were running against the wind and at times it was gusting so much that I felt like my legs were going to blow out from under me. I was wearing cut away shorts and I feel sorry for whoever was behind me and may have permanent eye damage after seeing half of my butt cheek. By that point, though, I was too tired to care.



One last bridge and we made it! I didn't walk at all and I was really happy with the run. My legs were definitely tired and sore, but I feel like I know now how to pace myself and make sure I have enough energy left to finish strong. My left knee has been bothering me a little since then, so I have been icing religiously and skipped running today for the elliptical machine. I don't want to injure myself now when we are only 3 weeks out!



I'll leave you with another picture from our trip to Argentina. I'm still recovering psychologically, but I feel much better. Here is a pic of my in-laws. (I know you can see the crazy.) Check out my mother in-law's hair. Don't worry, they don't speak English.

Mind Over Matter

I made it. It wasn't easy or pretty, but I managed to run 18 miles on Saturday. I was really excited to see Emily, but also worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up with her.
Here is the route. We met at the store. The plan was to do a loop in Hyde Park, then head downtown, through Kentucky, and back up through Eden Park. The route is for 16.5 miles. The option for 18 was to add a loop on at the end that involved passing the store. When I see the store, I am done. I have a mental block about passing it, and I knew it would be even harder considering that I would have just run 16 miles. I came up with a new plan to add on by circling mirror lake in Eden Park. The first few miles felt really fast. The whole time I was thinking, I must still be really worn out from my trip. I could tell my legs were still fatigued from Wednesday's 8 miles. We looped back to pass the store at about 3.5 miles and I was honestly worried that I wouldn't make it. Emily looked at her watch, though, and realized that we had done under 10 minute miles. No wonder it felt fast! Luckily, she wasn't feeling like it was going to be a fast day for her, either, so we slowed down as we headed down Madison to Gilbert.
At the bottom of Gilbert we had our first water stop. I did my first Gu (Espresso Love) and ate a Tums. You can imagine the delightful taste that was left in my mouth. Anyway, it was on down Eggelston and then over the first bridge into Kentucky. Once we got over the Taylor Southgate bridge, I finally started to feel better. That's when I thought, okay, maybe I can do this. We powered over the bridges (especially Clay Wade Bailey when we started talking about falling off. Yikes!) We were supposed to take Linn to 8th street or something like that, but I think we took a wrong turn and cut a little bit out. I'm still kind of confused about it, but the important thing is that we made it back downtown and down seventh street. Joe's truck was there on seventh for another water/gu stop. Someone there said we only had about 4 miles to go from there. I couldn't believe it. Then I remembered that we still had to add on in the park, but still, that was only 1.5 more miles. The first part of the run went by so fast!
I guess it was because Emily and I were chatting, which always helps runs go by faster. When we started running again after that stop, it hurt. My legs were really starting to hurt. We ran up Gilbert until we got to the Baldwin building, and then took our first walk break. We walked up the hill into the park and then started running again up to the lake and around. We circled the lake four times and then stopped for a bathroom break. Another watch check showed that we had been keeping about a 10 minute mile pace, so I didn't really feel so bad about feeling tired. We started up the hill towards Krohn Conservatory at a walk. This is the worst hill. It just is. Even when your legs aren't tired, this hill sucks, and after 15 miles, it sucks even more. As Emily and I were walking we heard this sound like a goose flying up behind us. This guy was running up the hill pushing a stroller, and on every exhale he was making this bizarre sound that was like a goose. Emily and I let him pass and then tried not to laugh out loud and he continued ahead of us. We picked up a run and managed to make it to the top. We took one more short break on Victory Parkway before running it in. From Mirror Lake on, I wanted to stop sooooo badly. My legs were hurting, but I just told myself "No, you are not stopping."
Yesterday, I definitely think that the mental part of the run was the hardest, but I made it. Having Emily there made a huge difference. I'm sure that if I had been alone, I would have walked a LOT more. Having someone there to complain with or who can entertain you with stories about college rowing team can really make a difference between a good run and a bad run. So, thanks, Emily! I wouldn't have made it without you!
Making it through that run has definitely helped me get some confidence back. I think I needed a sort of running reality check. I needed to remember that running does not always feel great, but that the pain what makes you stronger. Next weekend is our 20 miler. We are meeting in Newport, which means Eden Park hills and bridges again, but at least this time they will be at the beginning of the run.
Tomorrow's plan is 5.5 miles easy around the neighborhood. Its supposed to be nice out, so I can't wait to enjoy another great day. We were lucky with Saturday's weather, too. It was sunny and about 50 degrees, perfect running weather.
The marathon is coming up so fast, and so is the first run of the Dirt Days Trail Series. That's a series of four trail runs that the Running Spot puts on in different parks. The first race is on April 20th in Ault Park. I'm really excited, but I need to be careful not to wipe out and hurt myself before the marathon.
I think that's all for tonight. It's been one week since I got back from Argentina, and I finally feel like things are mostly back to normal. One more week of tough training, and then it's taper time!

Doubts

Leo and I at our last dinner out

How I survived (yum Brazilian beer)

Obelisco, Argentina's national landmark. It looks like its growing out of my head. I was trying not to look pissed off in this picture.

Dirrrrrty. That sums it up.

I'm back. I made it, but it was not pretty. Let's just say 2 and 1/2 weeks sharing a bathroom with 6 of your in-laws is not anyone's idea of a great vacation. Throw some roaches, family bickering, oppresive heat, and the occasional psychotic break, and you've got my trip to Argentina! I swear, I had a positive attitude going in. I was actually excited to arrive. The flights went great (I slept the whole way) and I was really excited to see my husband's face when he got to see his parents after 4 years. That first moment of seeing them at the airport was good, but it pretty much went downhill from there. It didn't take long for me to remember why I don't like it there. It's the dirtiest place I have ever been. Argentina has a big drug problem, and I know why. The people there aren't very happy, and they don't have much hope. The economy is taking baby steps to recovery after a huge collapse in 2001, but it is still very far from good. Job prospects are bad, but inflation continues. Even though you get 3 Argentine pesos for 1 dollar, when you do the math, things there cost pretty much the same as they do here. People earn about 1000 to 1500 pesos a month, though, which comes out to 300 to 500 dollars a month. Can you imagine living on that here? Well, you can't live on it there, either, but you can buy a hit of "paco," what's left over after making cocaine, for 1 peso. Can't afford to survive? Forget about it for just pesos a day...

I could go on, but I'll just say it wasn't a very good time. On top of it all, when I went out to run for the first time, I wiped out. I tripped on the crappy sidewalk in front of tons of people and scraped up my legs, so I was walking around with a lovely case of Argentine road rash. I tried to take a picture, but the camera flash kept reflecting off of the blinding whitness of my legs and it wouldn't turn out, so you will just have to use your imagination. I ran a total of 3 times. My longest run was 11 miles. I got home this past Saturday feeling exhausted. I think I"m still recovering, physically and emtionally. I held a lot in over those 2 and 1/2 weeks, and it wasn't easy.

This past Wednesday was my first day running with the group since I left. The schedule was 8 miles in O'Bryonville. I felt great for the first two miles, but then I absolutely crashed. I had to take it super slow just to be able to make it back to the store. I'm sure it didn't help that I decided to seriously cut some calories this week to make up for all the crap I ate while on vacation. Today I'm feeling sore and just tired. Hopefully I'm still recovering from the trip, but doubt is whispering in my ear. This Saturday we are scheduled to run 18 miles. My farthest run to date has been 13. I feel so far from ready. I don't know if I can make it 18 miles, let alone 20 the following Saturday. Our coaches did give us another option of doing 16 this week, 12 the next, then 20 with a two week taper. I think I need to wait and see how I feel. Honestly, I'm worried. I feel like those 2 odd weeks really screwed up my training, and I don't know if I get back to where I was.

Doubt... its gotten into my head. Now I don't know if I can get it out. Thinking back, I had the same nervousness before the last two marathons I ran, but I feel like I was better prepared then. Can I do it? I think I need to forget about 4:30 and just focus on staying injury free and having fun. I want to finish this marathon and then focus on Chicago for a personal record. If I can do two marathons in 3 weeks, I can do this... right????

We'll see how it goes on Saturday. I'm not working out tonight because I feel absolutely exhausted and sore. I"m going to try and get a light workout in tomorrow, but nothing too serious before the long run on Saturday morning. I'm going to take it pretty slow (which, unfortunately, means I probably won't be able to keep up with Emily, who is visiting from NY and will be running with our group.) If I have to make it 16, I will. The route is from the store in O'Bryonville to downtown and back. That means Eden Park hills, and at the end of the run (yipee.) I'll report back and let you know how it goes. Pics at the top are from the trip.

Of Treadmills and In-laws

It snowed... a lot. I've kind of been wishing for a nice big snowfall all winter, and I guess I got my wish. I think we got somewhere between 12 and 14 inches. It was kind of fun being snowed in all weekend, but I did start to get a little cabin fever later on Saturday. There was a level 3 snow emergency and a blizzard warning, so the coaches had to reschedule our group run to Sunday. My workout for Saturday was about 2 hours of shoveling snow, which makes me realize just how much upper body strength I lack. When I get back from my trip I definitely need to do something about that. I would like to work out with a trainer a couple times to see if they can help me get into a good routine.
So, I was stuck home on Saturday, which did not help me avoid obsessing about the upcoming trip. I knew I absolutely had to get a workout in some how. I knew the group run was rescheduled, but roads were still not going to be very good. The treadmill was the only option left. This time, I opted for the one at my parents house rather than the gym. At my parents house, I was able to pick out a movie to help keep myself entertained, and I didn't have to feel guilty for being on a treadmill for 2 hours. All I can really say about it is that I set it at 6.0, put on Legends of the Fall, and ran. It wasn't a good time, but I managed to do 11 miles. That is my personal treadmill record. I hope I never have to break it. That is waaaay to long to be running in place. Only Brad Pitt's face was enough to keep me from quitting.
The trip is coming up so fast. We leave on Thursday afternoon for Atlanta. Then from Atlanta we fly to Buenos Aires. We leave Atlanta at about 9:00 p.m. and arrive at about 8:00 a.m. the next morning. Overnight flights suck in general, but at least with this one, the time zone difference is only two hours as opposed to 6 if you go to Europe. We will be there for about 2 1/2 weeks and are staying with his family. With the two of us included, there will be eight people in this house with one bathroom. I'm seriously wondering how this is going to work out, especially because the city shuts off everyone's water at 10 p.m. Leo's mom and sister came here twice when we got married, but I've only met his brothers and father once, five years ago. My memories of his dad are good. He's the opposite of my mother-in-law. He is quiet with a kind smile. That is all I really remember about him. I remember his older brother, Sergio, as friendly, into yoga and sports and macrobiotic diet. His younger brother, Emmanuel, is another story. Emmanuel has some sort of mental illness. Every time I try and get more details, I get a different answer. I think it may be some form of schizophrenia. I only met him once briefly, so getting to know him now should be quite interesting. I've already been warned that I shouldn't take anything he says to me personally. Okay...
My mother-in-law, she is special. From an American point of view, she coddles her children way too much. She still treats them all like babies, but its a cultural difference that I've come to terms with. What I haven't come to terms with is that she and Leo's sister (okay, most of the family) all have this total obsession about food and eating. They have all these strange beliefs about combining foods and how much time you have to wait between eating certain foods or eating and sleeping. They think all certain vegetables aren't very good for you because they are too "yin." Yes, I think its all crazy macrobiotic diet stuff I don't understand. The obsession about food translates into an obsession about weight. On the night before my wedding, my mother-in-law asked "You're not going to get fat, are you?" Now she wonders why I don't just love her to pieces. I also think its strange that she openly admits that Leo (my husband) is her favorite child and is extra special to her. She loves to remind me when we talk that I'm so lucky to have him here with me. It takes all my strength not to say "Yes, he is an adult, and he chose to be here with me. I didn't TAKE him from you, so stop insinuating that I did."
I know I'm making it sound dramatic, and his family really is dramatic. I think that may be a cultural thing, too. They are all super loud and talk over each other all the time. They have weird communication issues (i.e. just last night Leo asked me not to mention to his mom that he drinks coffee. WTF? He is 34 years old, if he wants coffee, he should drink it, and his mom can get over it.)
So, those are my crazy in-laws, in brief. I don't hate them at all, but they're not easy to deal with. Also adding to my feelings of distress about the trip is my experience on our prior trip. We went to Argentina in 2004 to meet Leo's grandmother. (I'm very glad I got to meet her because she passed away about 4 months later.) On that trip, almost everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong. Our bed and breakfast was infested with roaches, my sister got food poisoning, we booked a trip to the beach only to find out that our bus tickets were for the wrong date, and got into an argument with Leo's mafioso uncle, so I let his birds out of their cages on the day we left. Oh, and the garbage collectors were on strike so there were giant mountains of garbage all over the place.
So, maybe after reading this you will have a slightly better understanding of why this trip is stressing me the hell out. Not only do I hate flying, but my last experience there was not the greatest. I plan on doing my best to keep up with my training while I am there. That means I have a 15-16 mile, and 11-12 mile long runs while I am down there, and I want to run at least once during the week also. I have a feeling I might need to sneak out more often if we are stuck in that house the whole time. We shall see.
I'm trying to have a positive outlook about the trip (though you probably don't believe that after reading this post.) I have one more group run on Wednesday before we leave. We're meeting at the store and there is a happy hour afterwards, which should be fun. This is probably my last post until I get back, and then I should have plenty of exciting stories to tell. (Hopefully all end well.) Until next time, think of me down in the southern hemisphere!

Anxiety

I have been perusing the blog universe these past few days, which has made me realize how very sub-par my little blog really is. I'm going to try and make an effort over the next few weeks (or more likely, when I get back from my trip) to jazz it up a little.
Right now, my brain is filled with a fog. Its an anxiety-induced fog. You see, in exactly 1 week at this time, I will probably be boarding my first of two flights that will take me to Argentina. I guess some people (maybe a lot of people) would say "cool." Not so for me, though. When I was a bout 14, I developed a bad case of fear of flying. It turned into a full blown phobia that I have been battling for the last 10 years of my life. I am an anxious person in general. Dealing with anxious feelings (or "de-escalating" in therapy speak) is not something I learned as a child, so I grew into a seriously anxious adult.
I have tried various methods to deal with my flying phobia: medications, therapy, online courses, and "biting the bullet." All these things have helped in their own way, but I still struggle with my fears. The worst thing for me now is the anticipation, which is what is going on right now. I think that once we are on our way, I will be fine, but right now I am struggling to keep my brain from going into the "what-if" sequence. Thinking "what-if" is something that comes so naturally to me, that my brain will automatically go there if I don't keep myself occupied.
When I was a kid, I loved flying. I can remember feeling like it was a big adventure, and how I was so lucky to be able to travel to places that a lot of other people couldn't go. I wish I could get those feelings back. I wish I could look forward to flying like I did then instead of dreading it. I'm not sure exactly what happened to my brain between then and now, but somewhere along the way I lost the ability to enjoy things in that simple way. I don't want to be afraid, but my body seems to make its own choices sometimes.
So, for the next six days I will be doing my best to distract myself. Exercise plays a big part in that. Not only does it distract me, but it helps burn away the stress hormones my body is producing. This past Tuesday is when the anticipatory anxiety really hit me with full force. That was probably partly due to the fact that I missed my usual Monday run once again. This time it was work and rain that kept me inside. When I got home Tuesday and the rain had stopped, I wanted to take advantage. I thought, what better way to de-stress. So, I set out with five miles in mind. As soon as I started running, though, I could feel the toll that freaking out had taken on my body. Being super anxious for extended periods of time (more than, say, half an hour) tends to drain me. I managed to drag myself through three miles, but my body was worn out. I headed for home without doing the second half of my usual loop. I think it did help, though, because I woke up yesterday feeling much better. Luckily, we also had a group run scheduled, all I had to do was show up.
We met at the Running Spot. The plan was seven miles through O'Bryonville and Hyde Park. The route had lots of little loops and turns. I was dreading it as we headed out, because I knew there were several pretty big hills we would have to run, but by the end of the run, I was feeling great. The weather was perfect for running, and the stupid ice is finally gone (until tomorrow when it snows again.) I may try and get a few miles in tonight again while the sidewalks are still clear.
This past Saturday, I ditched the group and ran with two girls from work. I was kind of sad that they listened to their I-pods the entire time, but I ended up being faster than them anyway. So, at least I didn't have any guilt about running ahead of them. It was a nice 10.5 miles in Northern Kentucky. There were some pretty good hills there, too. As much as I hate them, I know the hills are great prep for the Flying Pig.
On Saturday we are meeting in O'Bryonville again for 13 miles. Its supposed to be snowing, but if its just snow, I think it will be okay. It actually sounds kind of fun. I have Yak trax and I have only used them once since I got them. We'll see how the weather pans out.
Until then, I will be trying to find my way through the anxiety brain fog and starting to pack my bags. My husband and I have not seen his family in four years. Next week when we arrive, we will all be together. He deserves this time with them, so I need to get over my issues and enjoy this trip!

Planned, Unplanned

I had great intentions coming into this week. I was going to get back into the routine of working out 6 days, resting one. Life got in the way once again, though, and things did not really go according to plan.
I thought about trying to get into the spinning class again on Sunday but in the end I decided to rest. My legs were tired after last Saturday's run and honestly I was just feeling lazy. I don't know what has happened the last few weeks. I was really into the routine and now that I am out of it, I find it so much easier to make excuses.
Monday's plan was 5 miles. I thought it might be possible to run outside, too, but then Leo got sick. He wanted me to come to his doctor's appointment, which was at 5:50. We didn't get home until 7:00 and by then running was pretty much out. On Tuesday I did go to the gym. I was going to do 20 mins elliptical and 20 minutes on the treadmill with intervals. I got through the 20 mins on elliptical and was about 7 minutes into the treadmill part when Leo started bugging me to leave. Once again, laziness kicked in and I cut the work out short.
Wednesday the group met at Lunken. I was really hoping we would not run on the bike path because usually I find it so incredibly boring. Not only that, but there is a stretch of the path that is several miles long and always seems to be never ending. So, I got there Wednesday and not only were we running the bike path, but it was way colder than I thought and I under dressed. The schedule said we were going to do 7 miles, but the plan was changed to 30 minutes out and then turn around, so that is more like 6 miles for me. Lindsay and Holly were there so I stayed back with them for the first 30 mintues. It was so cold, though, no one was really saying much. Once we hit 30 minutes and turned I had run out of patience and decided to haul it back to the terminal because I was freezing. I didn't have my head gator which I usually put around my neck and pull up over my chin on really cold days, so the bottom half of my face was turning numb. I guess cold is a good motivator for me, because I just started passing everyone. The pace felt hard to me, so I started counting my steps to help myself from thinking about being tired. Eventually I made it up to another small group of people who I have been running with when Lindsay and Holly aren't there or I feel like picking up my pace. One of the women is a coach. The two of us broke away from that group and continued the hard pace. I have to say, if I had been alone I would have slowed down. I wanted to slow down, but having someone with me always helps. We ended up being the first people back, and I ran the last mile in 8:57. I think that is probably one of my fastest miles ever. Aside from my numb face, I was pretty happy. Running the bike path at night was kind of fun, too. I would never do it alone, but it was fun to look out and see all the lights of the airport and city.
Last night I went to the gym. I was going to the treadmill/elliptical combination again, but the gym was packed, and there were no elliptical machines with TVs open, so I just got on the treadmill and did an easy 3 miles. I felt like I was being kind of lazy again, but I was tired and not in the mood to push myself for the second night in a row.
Tomorrow the group is doing a 10K at Lunken (again!) I did this race last year and had a 10K PR which I beat in the Thanksgiving Day race. I am tired of Lunken and also feel like I need to get some more miles in, so I am going to be running with two girls from work who are also training for the Flying Pig. They live in Kentucky and we are meeting over there. I am not very familiar with that area, so it should be a nice change of scenery. The only thing that kind of makes me sad is that they sent me an e-mail saying that they both wear their I-pods the entire time and don't really talk. I like to have music when I am running alone, but not when I am with others. I feel like it kind of defeats the purpose of being with other people if you are just going to run as if they aren't there and not talk at all. I've never done more than 6 miles with music, so I need to beef up my playlist tonight to make sure I have enough songs to last that long.
Leo still isn't feeling well, so we are going back to the doctor this afternoon. Hopefully he can get some antibiotics and feel better, because honestly I am tired of hearing him whine. Why do men turn into gigantic babies whenever they are the least bit sick or hurt? I don't mind taking care of him sometimes, but its been a week now and I am losing patience. Oh, the joys of marriage.

Thaw Out

I am tired of this ice. Seriously. Tomorrow is supposed to warm up but then there is more snow predicted for Tuesday. While I have been dreading my trip to Argentina, I would be lying if I said I'm not looking forward to some summer weather. That's the beauty of going to the southern hemisphere - its winter here and summer there. If I can manage to get some good runs in, I will be very happy.
The ice this week made running a challenge, but I couldn't take the treadmill. Our group met downtown on Wednesday and did two 2.5 mile loops. We ran mostly in the street and it really wasn't bad. I really pushed it and did 9:15 miles almost the entire way. The only uncomfortable moments were running across the purple people bridge where there was still lots of snow and ice, and also freezing wind. I was happy just to get out. I will do just about anything to avoid the treadmill.
I skipped out on a "wine and cheese" event after my training at work to go running. The CEO of the company came to speak, but after I had already been sitting for 9 hours listening to people talk, I had to get out of there and get moving. Maybe not the most career savvy decision, but it was for my sanity. I had two more days of talking to sit through. Who knew that listening could be so exhausting? Luckily, we wrapped up early on Friday afternoon and I was able to get to the gym and do 40 minutes on the elliptical. When I found out this training was in Cincinnati, I was kind of sad. Another girl in my department go to go to Montreal for this same thing last year, and I thought that sounded kind of fun. On Friday, though, I was so happy to be able to get in my car and drive home. The rest of the people who had flown in were mostly all stuck here for another night because of all the cancelled flights due to weather.
Yesterday there was still plenty of ice and snow on the sidewalks, so I was kind of curious about how the coaches were going to pull of the group run. We met at Crossroads in Oakley and the plan was to run 11.5 through Mariemont back to Oakley. The coaches actually drove through the streets earlier that morning to check on the road conditions and modified the route so that we would only be running where there is decent footing. Sometimes I question the motives of the training group (I'm sure they make tons of money and get tons of free advertising on top of that because everything they give us has a gigantic store logo on it.) Yesterday, though, I thought they really showed that they cared about our safety. Our head coach has a big mouth and loves to hear himself talk, but I think he is a good person at heart. My efforts to dislike him are failing. I can't hate a good guy.
The run went well, although none of the friends I usually run with showed up, so I ended up running most of the way alone. I took advantage of the time alone to clear my head of all the work stuff my brain had been filled with during the past week. Running through Mariemont is fun, too, because it is such a cute neighborhood. I had one strawberry banana GU left, which I used about 4 miles into the run. The group also supplied some Clif products. The gels are not my favorite because of the thick consistency (even thicker when they are cold) but as bad as it tastes, I can't deny the effectiveness of the double espresso Clif Shot. I think it has 100 mg of caffeine. I had one of these at about mile 7 of the run and I felt so energized for the last few miles. That's not the first time that has happened either. Last year on our 20 miler during fall marathon training the same thing happened. I guess I will keep choking them down because nothing beats the wave of energy. My average mile pace was 9:40 for that run. Very good for me. I am happy. I am thinking that a 4:30 marathon might actually be possible if I can pace myself well. That and if I can keep up with my training while I am away for a few weeks.
Hopefully some of this ice will melt tomorrow so I can get a run in after work. If not, I guess its treadmill time once again. This Thursday I will be two weeks away from leaving for warm and sunny weather. Woohoo!

Free Day

I was off work today for President's Day, but Leo had to work, as did almost everyone else I know, so I was pretty much on my own for the day. I had this great plan to get some shopping done and get some warm weather clothes for Argentina, but as usual the day did not go as I planned. I managed to drag myself out of bed at 7:30 to do a 5.75 mile run through Delhi (= lots of big hills.) I felt pretty good, but I sometimes I can't shake the brain fog when I haven't had any coffee in the morning. There were some flurries falling, but the weather was not too bad. I was glad to get my run in earlier since later this afternoon the snow was falling hard and sideways. I met a friend for lunch and actually drove to the mall and turned around and went home. I was so tired, I knew shopping was out of the question. I did stop by the Running Spot to see if they had anything good left at the clearance sale. I got a sweet Triks running skirt that is actually quite flattering for 50% off. I really resisted the running skirt when they first came out, but after trying one I really liked it. They are really comfortable and cuter than most of my running shorts.
As predicted, there was tons of ice last Wednesday, and I had to forgo the group run for a fabulous six miles on the treadmill at the gym. Even with my person TV, MP3 player, and lots of people to look at, I still spent most of the time staring at the clock wishing I could just stop. I managed to force myself to do the miles, but only at 5.8 to 6.0. Its so weird, because I can do a 9:30 mile without thinking about it outside, but on the treadmill I'm doing 10 minute miles and its excruciating. Who knows, I got it over with and got the miles in. Last Saturday, the group met at Lunken. We ran down Eastern and back. Eastern is not my favorite place to run, but I will take that over the Lunken loop. It was a gorgeous morning and I felt good enough to push myself a little. It was a cut back week, so we were only doing 7 miles. (Of course, there was an optional add on at the end, but I have a mental block about adding miles on at the end of a run when I see everyone stopping.) I averaged a 9:15 mile, which I am really happy with. I also got to meet a few new people. Lindsay didn't show up and Holly wasn't feeling well enough to keep up, so I got to chat with a few new people. It was one of those runs that makes me remember why I started running. I ended feeling great physically and mentally.
On Sunday I was determined to get into the spinning class at the gym. Since 15 minutes early wasn't enough last time, I drug myself out of bed at 8:30 slightly hung over so I could get to the gym by 9:20. That's 40 minutes before the class starts, and I thought there was no way it would be full. Once again - wrong. Seriously, the peole must get there at 8:00 a.m. Either that, or someone is letting them sign up ahead of time and not sharing that information with the rest of the gym members. I was pissed but made myself stay to do 30 minutes on the elyptical and lift weights.
In all, it was an okay weekend. At least now I feel 100% healthy again and ready to resume my normal training schedule. Hopefully that will still be possible this week since I have a training for work that lasts Wednesday - Friday and is off site. We'll see.

Lost and Found

It's been a rough week, most of which I've spent recovering from this nasty cold. I am finally feeling relatively normal again, but I had to cut way back on my training. Still in denial about being sick, I decided to run last Wednesday with the group. As if that idea wasn't bad enough, earlier that evening we had a happy hour after work for someone who was leaving the company, and I decided to drink a coke and rum. Hmm, alcohol plus illness plus a six mile run. Why did I ever think this would equal feeling better?
We met at Newport for a run across the bridge and through downtown. After one mile I did experience a strange phenomenon and felt better for a brief period. It didn't last, though, and by the end of the run I was dragging. I got home and could barely keep my eyes open before falling into bed. I woke up on Thursday feeling worse than ever and broke down and made a doctor's appointment. The doctor said a had an upper respiratory infection secondary to the cold virus, so no antibiotics for me. He did give me a nasal spray and decongestant, though. I was slightly disappointed not to get an antibiotic. I wanted a guarantee that I would feel better for Saturday's run, but I did not get one. When I woke up on Friday I was still feeling pretty sketchy and needed more rest, so I took a sick day and stayed in bed. The extra rest helped a lot, and on Saturday morning I was ready to attempt a long run.
On Saturday we met at the store in O'Bryonville. I was happy to see both Lindsay and Holly were there also, and the weather was not too bad (upper 30's.) The head coach for this group was out of town, so one of the other coaches, Joe F, who headed up the fall marathon training last year, was filling in. During the fall marathon training, it seemed like every other run was in Norwood. What do you know, Saturday's run took us through Norwood also. It wasn't too bad, though. We got to run all the way down Erie as opposed to up Erie, which is always a plus. The worst thing about the run was the last 1.5 miles involved running past the store and then coming back. Maybe if I had been feeling 100%, I could have overcome that temptation to stop, but I was not. I made it 10 instead of 11.5, but all things considered, I think that was pretty good. I averaged a 10:30 mile the whole way, which is only 30 seconds off my goal pace.
Today is Tuesday and I haven't worked out since then. I had thoughts about spinning on Sunday, but I also had a lot of cleaning to do, and I didn't want to spend all my energy at the gym and then not clean. I think cleaning counts as a semi-workout anyway, and a full workout if it involves scrubbing the floor. Yesterday again I had every intention of doing my regular 5 mile loop from home, especially since they were predicting nasty weather for today which meant no outside workout. It was bitter cold, though, and I have let myself get out of the groove. Leo and I went out for Indian and then hit the grocery store where the rest of the world was preparing for armageddon/white death.
White death did come last night, with lots of ice. I could have made it to work on the bus, but the freezing rain was coming down hard, and there was a coat of ice over everything. I didn't really feel like ice skating to the bus stop, and I knew the bus wouldn't be on time, so I decided to work from home. My plan is to go to spinning tonight. Hopefully the weather will keep some of those people in so I can get a spot in the class. Tomorrow is a group run at the store again. I am hoping some of this ice will melt before then, otherwise I am condemned to the treadmill, and I haven't come up with a playlist yet that can get me through 6 miles inside.

Cold

... in more ways than one. I'm sitting here trying to remember the last few workouts I've had and my brain feels like its filled with mush. Okay, its slowly coming back to me now.
Two Saturdays ago, we met at Crossroads in Oakley. It was a cut back week as I mentioned before, so we were only running 6 miles. According to the coach's e-mail, it was a "flat" course. After that run I would beg to differ. It was pretty tough and I pushed myself hard. Lindsay was there and had brought here sister along, so they were going more slowly and chatting with a guy named Tony who Lindsay met when she was at the store buying shoes. If I may digress for a moment, I was taken back to my high school days, when my "best" friend seemed to get every guy I had a crush on. Okay, so now I am married and I hadn't even met this Tony guy, but I was annoyed. Why can't I get over it? I have a lot more self confidence since I started running and lost a lot of weight, but the echoes of doubt are still there in my head, telling me I am fat and unattractive. On top of that, I am a naturally introverted person, so making friends is just not my forte. As hard as it is for outgoing people to understand, it is really difficult for me to talk to anyone that I dont' know. But anyway, I don't want to psychoanalyze myself (I've spent plenty of time doing that already.) I ran ahead of those three and spent most of my run asking myself why I needed this validation from someone else - why do I really care if men notice me or not? I'm married, it shouldn't matter. I never came up with a good answer, but I shared those feelings with my mom who seemed to think it was because of the deep hurt I experienced when I was in high school. Who knows... at least I think I am over it now.
So, things were going well last week, except for getting to the gym for Sunday spinning only to find out that the class was already full even thought I was 15 minutes early. Seriously, when are these people going to lose their resolve and leave? Maybe I underestimated them. I was really logging the miles last week. Monday 5.5, Wednesday 5.7, Thursday 3, and this past Saturday was scheduled to be 9. That would have put me at about 23 miles last week, but my body had other plans.
Last Wednesday we did a negative split run from the Running Spot. I was feeling tired and the weather was so cold, and I almost convinced myself to skip the workout, but I went. I felt terrible. My negative split workout turned into positive splits. I had to stop and walk on the way back because I felt nauseous and just generally not good. Overtraining... the word kept bouncing around in my head, but it didn't jive because I've been working out hard and continously since November. On Thursday I dragged myself to the gym and did three miles on the treadmill, once again feeling like my legs were made of stone. I looked forward to Friday - a rest day, and a day I would also be working at home. By Friday afternoon my throat was hurting I was just feeling bad all over.
By the time I went to bed that night, I had accepted the fact that I was sick, and a nine mile run was out of the question. I spent almost all weekend on the couch feeling depressed, because I had to get sick on a weekend with perfect running weather - sunny and 40 degrees. Today I am feeling somewhat better, but still not good, so I think I am going to rest tonight. Even though I am in denial about overtraining, that could have something to do with catching a cold (can cause a weakend immune system. I also got sick after the C-bus marathon.) Hopefully I will be in good shape to work out on Wednesday. I hate missing workouts. For now, I'm popping some prescription decongestants and Zicam, and occupying my mind with contemplating whether or not to sign up for the Chicago marathon again this year. This cold is definitely getting to my brain.

The Hillz that Killz

Last Thursday, Garmy and I went to the gym to calibrate. It turned out to be a relatively painless experience, and I thought the instruction booklet explained it well. After 1 mile on the treadmill, my Garmin was showing 1.3 miles. I guess that's not quite so much when you are looking at just one mile, but over several miles, that extra 0.3 really adds up and ends up making it look like I ran much farther than I truly did. So, I did another couple miles after calibrating and called it a night.
On Saturday the group met at the Running Spot. When I say group I mean the whole group, not just the half that I belong to now that we are divided by pace. Luckily, I was able to get a parking spot. It was really cold (I think about 25 degrees) when we started, and it only got colder as the day progressed. Maybe our coaches are trying to thin the group out a little and get people to quit, because they sent us on one of the worst runs ever. It was about 8 miles through Eden Park and Mt. Adams, the two most hilly areas in the city. I was feeling kind of tired that morning, but I still managed a 9:50 average pace. (Which is really quite good considering the hills/mountains we had to traverse.) Lindsay was in Chicago for the weekend, so she was not there. I started out with Holly but soon ran out ahead of her and lost her at a traffic light after about 1 miles. So, I ended up running most of the run alone. When it comes to longer runs, I always prefer to run with others, but it was so cold and I was so out of breath on Saturday, I don't think it would have made that much of a difference. I was pretty wiped out after that run, so I skipped spinning on Sunday and spent the day cleaning.
I was off for MLK day on Monday and I promised myself that I would get a run in. I set out with the intention of doing one of my ususal 5.5 mile loops. After about 1 mile, though, I was feeling pretty good. Since I didn't have anything else going on that day, I decided to add on and ended up running 7. I was pretty proud of that, but I did use it as an excuse last night to skip working out once again. Oh well, not every week can be a hard week. I have only been resting one or two days a week since December, so I decided since we are cutting back on mileage this week, I will take it easier on the workout front as well and next week I will be back in full force.
Tonight's group run is at the Running Spot (again... for some reason the other group gets to meet in the more fun and different locations while we are stuck at the same place ever week.) The e-mail says we we have an "enjoyable" hill workout. Hm, sounds like an oxymoron to me. We'll see how it goes. I need to get a good workout in to make up for skipping yesterday. I just wish it wasn't so cold.

Garmin in a Fog

Last Saturday we met for our group run at Lunken. Rather than the boring, flat run I had half hoped for and half dreaded, we ran way from the airport down Eastern Ave and then up Delta. I think we ran about 6.5 miles, and about 1.5 of those miles were uphill. My memories of Delta were of trying to make it up during mile 17 of a 20 mile run last year. It was not easy. This time, though, it felt easy and my legs felt light. Thankfully, it was at the beginning of our route. Once again, I somehow managed to run some pretty fast miles and I pulled away from my running buddy, Holly. Apparently, my increase in speed even caught the eye of our head coach who asked me if I had picked up my pace. I think my fastest mile during that run was 8:42. For me, that is blistering.
However, that is my Garmin Forerunner time, and after last night's run, I have realized that "Garmy" has a little problem. (Garmy is the name I gave my device. The computer program that uploads that data from the Garmin asks you to give it a "friendly name.") I bought the foot pod separately after getting the watch and heart rate monitor as a birthday gift. The instructions say it is about 97% accurate without calibration. Well, why would I spend the time calibrating. 3% plus or minus was not going to bother me. Last night our run called for 5 miles in O'Bryonville. Lindsay and Holly were both there, and I did manage to keep my pace to a more reasonable level so we could all run together. When we got back to the store, though, Garmy said I had run 5.4 miles, and Lindsay's Garmin Forerunner 305 said we had run 4.9. The Forerunner 305 uses GPS technology rather than a foot pod, so it is more accurate. Apparently my foot pod was a half a mile over?? After doing some online research, foot pods can really vary from person to person depending on your form and stride. So, I guess I am going to have to take the time to calibrate, after all. Tonight my plan is to go to the gym and use the treadmill to calibrate. Hopefully that will resolve my problems and I will get more trustworthy data from now on.
As I said, Last night was a group run. On Monday I got 5.5 miles in on my own. Tuesday I rested. So far, so good. If I can just get Garmy to cooperate, I think I'll be right on target.

3 hours 40 minutes

That's what my marathon time would have to be in order to qualify for Boston. So, I'm only looking at shaving about 1 hour off my current time. While its fun to fantasize about qualifying for Boston, its not something I'm really set on. If it ever does happen, that would be great, but if not, there are lots of other fun marathons all over the world that don't require a fast time.
So, I've been slacking pretty badly with this new blog. However, I have not been slacking with my runs. This past December was much better than December 2006. I was able to run on a fairly regular basis, and I definitely worked out on a regular basis. I'm into spinning now, so I'm going to try and keep going once a week. January has arrived, though, and last week I got the last bike (i.e. the worst bike that is pretty much broken next to the 300 lb man that may have go into cardiac arrest at any minute.) I forgot that January is "resolution month" for most of the world, and all those people that stopped going to the gym suddenly crawl out of the cracks and invade group fitness classes.
Last Saturday was the official start of the Flying Pig training group. I was really excited to get an e-mail from Erik (training buddy from the fall marathon group) asking if Lindsay and I would be running with the Spot again. We both said yes, but I never got a response from Erik, and I didn't see him last week. I was really excited though, because Lindsay and Holly, friends from the last training group, were both there. We had a timed five mile run to help divide the group into two more manageable parts.
Okay, a brief rant about the group size: last year, the training group had a cap, and once that number was reached, no one else could sign up. This year, though, it looks like someone is getting greedy, because there seemed to be over 200 people that showed up last Saturday, and it was ridiculously crowded. Also, I don't know how safe you can really be with a group that size. I think that if it would have been my first training group, I would have quit after seeing how many people were there. Its mean to think it, but I can't deny that I hope some people will drop out. I just think the giant group is unmanageable.
Anywho, the cut off for the timed run was 47:00 minutes. If you were under that time, you would be in one group (the "faster" group.) Over that time, and you're in the slower group. As I've said before, I'm not fast. Ten minute miles are my friend. Somehow, though, while training for the Thanksgiving 10k, I really got speed into my brain. I don't know if its that, the spinning classes, or a combination, but somehow I have trimmed about 30 seconds off my mile time. I doubt my marathon pace is going to be 9:30, but I think it will be faster than my 11 minute miles last year. The down side to my new found speed - my buddies in the group fall behind me and I find myself running alone. This is kind of defeating the purpose of running with the group. I need to adjust my mentality back to "marathon" and hopefully I will be able to run this Saturday without going all out (like I did last Saturday and again this past Wednesday when we ran another 5 miler.)
Tomorrow we meet at lunken for 6-8 miles. I used to love Lunken because of its flatness, and the positive connotation I had with it being the first place I ever ran five miles without stopping to walk. The more I run there, though, the more I hate it. Its just boring, and I've come to learn that flat run does not always equal enjoyable run. We'll see how it goes.
I got a Garmin Forerunner for my birthday. It tracks speed, distance, heart rate, and calories burned, which I think is pretty sweet. You can then upload your workout info online. I think there is a way to link it, so I will try that next time and see if I can connect it to my blog.
Well, I think that's all for now. I will try to be more diligent about my blogging in the future, and I'm sure I will have more to write about now that Flying Pig training has officially begun.