Focusing on the Bigger Picture

After running New York I spent some time thinking about what I wanted to focus on in 2014. I knew I didn't want to run another fall marathon so I could turn all my attention to triathlons over the summer but my plans for the spring were up in the air. Initially I wanted to run a spring half and try to PR. When I started mapping things out I started to feel stressed. My knee was still bothering me but if I wanted to try to PR I would have to start building a base soon. Looking at everything I felt overwhelmed and that should have been my first sign not to do a spring half. I liked the idea of taking it easy in the spring and building a really solid base for triathlon training but I felt guilty about it. I'm not really sure why but I felt this pressure to run a spring half.

I haven't run in two and a half weeks and I am completely okay with that. I've been going to a hot vinyasa yoga class this week (post to come!) but that's about all I've been doing on the exercise front. Since I haven't run, I have no idea how my knee is doing. I haven't been foam rolling, stretching or doing my exercises so I probably haven't made too much progress. I am picking these things back up this week though.

I mentioned in my last post that I entered the lottery for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. Well I got in! I will be doing this race with my mom, my cousin, and his wife. Even though there isn't too much difference between running a half and a 10 miler I feel so much pressure lifted off of me having this as my main goal for the spring. I ran one 10 miler last spring and I definitely think I can PR but to be honest that isn't that important to me. Yes I like to race, and yes I'm going to run to the best of ability that day but I'm also going to be more relaxed with my training.

I just listened to an interview with Kara Goucher where she talked about being injured for so much of 2013. She says she was in such a hurry to get ready for the next race that she was training at a level her body wasn't ready for. This really clicked with me. I have some big goals for 2014 but I won't be able to achieve them if I don't let my body heal 100%. I don't like being injured but I need to think more long term.

For now I'm going to fill my weeks with fun cross training to enjoy the off season. I do want to start running again but I don't want to worry about not running fast enough or far enough. I'm going to do whatever I can now to get my body ready for what I want it to do come August and September. Right now the only running I want to do is trail running so that's what I'm going to do. I don't want to pay attention to anything other than how beautiful the snow covered trails are.

Triathlon, I Love You

I know I've mentioned this since starting triathlon training a few weeks ago but I am surprised how much I am loving this sport. It makes sense, considering I grew up as a swimmer and have been running for a couple years now. Last summer when I trained for my first triathlon, I wanted to love the sport but truth be told I didn't. I hated biking and was still at war with the pool since quitting swimming. My first triathlon was somewhat of a nightmare due largely to temps well over 100.

I enjoyed the race but felt very intimidated by all of the faster athletes with all of their fancy gear. My second triathlon was my first glimpse into how much I would come to love this sport. I had a plan and despite having a mechanical error that had me sidelined for a few minutes I was able to really push it on the bike and still hammer on the run. I very quickly jumped into a half-assed marathon training cycle that has left me still nervous about training for another marathon.

After I quit swimming I took up running because I wanted something else to do. I had identified as a swimmer for the majority of my life and suddenly I was no longer a swimmer. After watching coverage of the NYC Marathon from my tiny dorm in Pittsburgh I decided I wanted to be a runner. Even though I had always been terrible at running it seemed logical to me at the time and so I started my journey to becoming a runner.

This past spring I trained for the first time for a running race with a true goal in mind. I worked really hard and crushed my goal but something was still missing. I had to really force myself to do a lot of the training and even though I told myself I was loving it I really wasn't. Don't get me wrong, there were a lot of things I did love about training but finding the motivation to get out and train every day was more of a struggle than it should have been. And despite running a marathon and five half marathons with my PR being a 1:49 I still didn't feel comfortable calling myself a runner.

I wanted to be a runner but I didn't feel like one. I felt like I didn't love running enough to be a runner. I also didn't think I had the experience or was fast enough. I blamed this on swimming. I was a good swimmer and swam for almost 10 years. I earned my right to be called a swimmer. For a while I accepted that I would never be a runner but rather a person who did running races (yes there is a difference).

Then I started triathlon training. Under Mike's guidance I feel like my training has a purpose and a plan. Between the last few weeks of training and my two first races of the season I feel amazing. I had a breakthrough in the pool and am finally able to enjoy swimming again, and I am loving biking. Last year I dreaded riding and this year I'm practically counting down the days until I can ride again.

I am excited about training every single day and look forward to putting in more, harder work. During this weekend's race was when I noticed the transformation though. I was nervous before the race, but not because I was nervous about failing to meet my goal, but rather because it actually meant something to me. As soon as I got in the water my mind calmed and my body just knew what to do. And on both the bike and the run I couldn't help but think that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

I doubted, and still do I must say, my abilities as a runner. With triathlon it's different. I want to be good and I'm not scared about finding out how good I can become. I want to do the work and I believe I am capable of a lot more. I can't quite put into words why but I feel completely at ease calling myself a triathlete. Despite having minimal racing experience both my mind and my body somehow knew what to do on Sunday and I trusted that because it felt so right. I haven't felt this at ease or natural with something since swimming and I am excited to see where it takes me.

What I Learned from My First Marathon: The Race

I decided to split my typical "what I learned" post into two parts since my first marathon was such a big deal to me. Training and the actual race were two different beasts so I wanted to treat the post as such. If you missed what I learned from training for my first marathon you can read it here. Now onto what I learned from the race

1. If possible, have your spectator carry extras of everything
I was lucky enough to see my parents multiple times during the Harrisburg Marathon. I took the idea from the Ironman to have a special needs bag filled with stuff just in case I needed it. In the bag was extra GU & Shot Bloks, socks, bodyglide, chapstick, hair ties and other stuff that I am forgetting. At first I thought the idea was stupid but when my Shot Bloks fell out of my pocket at mile 5 and I didn't have any extra with me I was so glad I had extra in that bag. I saw my parents around mile 8 and never ran into any fueling issues.

2. Run your own race no matter what
I started the race with the 4:45 pace group because I didn't know where else to start. For the first 10 miles I stuck with the group despite that the pace didn't feel as easy as it should have. I knew I should have slowed down but I liked the idea of running a 4:45 and so I clung onto the group for as along as possible. Miles 10-20 were absolutely miserable because I was already feeling pretty crappy. Lesson learned. Pay attention to your body and don't get caught up in what others are doing.

3. You are always more capable than you think
I felt so crappy during miles 17-20 that I walked almost all of them. I was going to walk the last six miles too had Robert not come to the rescue. I ran the last six miles only stopping at water stations and felt pretty damn good for the last six miles of a marathon. I was amazed with myself the entire time. I had all but given up and then ended up passing everyone in sight and cruising to the finish. The mental aspect of racing and training has repeatedly proven to be my downfall.

4. Make friends with the people around you. 26.2 miles is a long time to get to know people
When I was running with the 4:45 pace group I was constantly talking to the others about what races were their favorites where they were from, what their goals were, etc. Despite how bad I felt it really made the time go by quicker. And those last 6 miles with Robert, they were something I never thought possible. I was in a lot of pain but we kept chatting and stopped paying attention to the fact that we were running a marathon. We talked about everything and just enjoyed being out there. And in the (delayed) spirit of Thanksgiving, I am incredibly grateful to Robert for taking me under his wing and helping me as much as he did.

5. 26.2 miles is a long time, period
The thing about the marathon is you can experience just about every emotion possible throughout the course of the race. Just because you are feeling great now doesn't mean you won't feel crappy later and vice versa. I learned the hard way that you can't dwell on things. No matter how bad you feel you will also feel better for times. Those hard mental times make it really easy to give up and throw in the towel but it is so important to just ride out the storm.

6. Running a marathon is 90% mental
Honestly, when I woke up the morning of the race I wasn't mentally into it. I didn't want to race that day and from the minute I crossed the starting line my legs felt heavy and slow. I was upset about not running New York and just couldn't get excited for this race. My attitude was bad and only got worse. Running a marathon is not something to be taken lightly. If you are not excited for it it will show in your performance.

What I Learned from My First Marathon: Training

When I signed up to run the ING New York City Marathon back in March I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. I was intrigued by the marathon and wanted to give it my best shot. I pictured myself doing all the things that I thought marathons did, like ice baths, foam rolling, compression socks. I thought if I acted the part then I would be a real marathoner. The problem is, nothing ever goes according to plan. Even after finishing the Harrisburg Marathon I still don't feel like a marathoner. I don't even feel comfortable calling myself a runner yet. Despite all this, I learned more than I could have ever imagined. I think it is important to write down these things so I don't forget them the next time around, and hopefully they provide some help to others. So here we go.

1. Long runs will end up consuming the entire day
I lucked out in that I could do my long runs on Friday since I didn't have class and then have the rest of the weekend to do weekend things. The trail that I did my long runs at was anywhere from 30-45 minutes away depending on traffic so that added 60-90 minutes to the whole trip total. The actual runs lasted anywhere from 2-4 hours depending on how long I was running plus a few minutes here and there for switching out my water bottles. I would have to wake up early in order to eat breakfast in plenty of time. Then after the run I often would take a nap because I was tired. My day would start at 6:00 and I wouldn't be back to the apartment until 1:00. This ended up working out for me since I had no Friday classes but it sure took up the entire day.

2. Expect setbacks during training
The month of September was pretty rough for me. Instead of really pushing myself and getting into the heart of training I had to take a week off from running to rehab a strained quad muscle. Even before that week I had backed off of training quite a bit to try to relieve some of the pain. Then I had to ease back into training. I didn't really plan for anything to go wrong and so the rest of my training was messed up. I did the best I could for the rest of training but that setback really messed some things up. I am now allowing for setbacks in my training so that if something does go wrong it won't greatly affect my race.

3. A running partner is a wonderful luxury
I did almost all of my training by myself and I was fine with it most of the time. I truly like running by myself so I really didn't mind it. It was the long runs that really got to me. I was constantly doubting myself and I often cut runs short because I thought I was doing terribly. For my last three long runs I asked my dad my bike alongside with me to keep me company. What a difference. The time flew by and I knew I couldn't bail out early. I still don't have anyone to run with though (hint, hint anyone who lives in Baltimore County).

4. Long runs are invaluable to training
Due to my minor injury in September I got behind on my long runs. I did two 14 milers, a 15 miler, a 16 miler and a 20 miler. Next time I want to do a lot more long runs to get more comfortable running for longer distances. While my training did get me across the finish line in under 5 hours I know I can make significant improvements with more endurance training. I also think it's important to do some longer runs during the week to held build endurance. My brain hasn't quite caught up to my body so I kept thinking 7-8 miles was too much plus a long run but when I did try it I did absolutely great.

5. Bad runs are just a part of the program
At the end of the summer I wrote a post about how I had been having some really great training runs. I most likely jinxed myself because I had a whole slew of bad runs throughout September. Bad runs are annoying but they will always happen.

6. Strength training and other forms of cross training will help keep you healthy and happy
When I first started marathon training I was also training for a triathlon. I ran 3-4 times a week, biked twice, swam once, did yoga 1-2 times and did strength work 2 times a week. I saw great improvement in every area and I felt great. Once school started and I was pretty much only running I strained a muscle in my quad. I don't think that was a coincident. I put so much importance of the actual running that I neglected to do anything else. Not again.

Starting to Feel Like Marathon Training

Even though I haven't started official training for the NYC Marathon I am working on building my base right now. I find it difficult to focus on training for more than one race at a time so right now I am focusing on triathlon training for another two weeks before transitioning into marathon training. By doing this my "official" marathon training plan will only be 10 weeks, but fear not because I have surely been training for the past few weeks like everyone else. It is just mentally easier for me to call the first six weeks my base phase. It puts less pressure on my running and allows me to establish a solid base before things get real. And hopefully by that point my "official" training won't seem so daunting.

It is difficult, though, with so many other people already into full swing with their training. I have to keep telling myself this is my first marathon, I need to trust my plan. At this point I am getting really anxious and excited to start official training and not have to worry about swimming and biking. My next race is a triathlon with some serious hills during the bike leg, which means I have been spending the past four weeks climbing every hill I can find. This triathlon is not going to be an easy feat and consequently requires specific training. If it was a general easy triathlon I wouldn't be worrying about training for it so much. 

Right now all I want to do is tell people that I am training for a marathon. If I allow myself to thing with that mindset then I will stop wanting to train for my triathlon, which I very much need to continue training for. But since I refuse to say I'm in marathon training for the next two weeks I wanted to write a blog post about it. I want to feel included!

When I started training for my upcoming triathlon I made training more of a habit, which in turn has prevented training from seeming like a struggle or hassle. I look forward to training, and don't question it. I just do it. In the past I have had to really fight myself to get out for a run. Now I look forward to running and miss it on days when I am riding or swimming.

After a hard track workout last week I took my very first ice bath like it was no big deal. I jacked all of the ice from the icebox in our kitchen and put it into my bathtub. With drink in hand and a sweatshirt on I hopped in and soaked my tired muscles until they were numb. I probably didn't need the ice bath but I have been doing some high-intensity workouts lately and my muscles wanted the recovery.

I have also been wearing my compression sleeves before & after hard workouts, paying more attention to what I'm eating in terms of fueling and refueling, and making social arrangements around my training plan. The longest run I have done so far is 9 miles but I already feel so accomplished with my training. I can tell I'm making progress.

Honestly, I am loving everything about (almost) marathon training!

Missed Workouts

For any of you who were keeping up with my weekly posts about how my triathlon training is coming along you might have noticed that there was no week five recap. Well that's because five really didn't happen. The week started off great on Monday with a strength session in the morning and a 50 minute trainer ride in the afternoon. Tuesday wasn't so bad either, with a 30 minute trainer ride. But then Wednesday happened. I fully intended to do my scheduled brick but then something came up with school and I found myself working on a group project all night instead of getting my sweat on. I was so frustrated about missing Wednesday's workout that I stopped training until Monday. A little dramatic, yes. During these days I was extremely unproductive and just wallowed in my misery.

But my pity party is officially over. I woke up this morning all ready to set my alarm for 90 minutes later so I could sleep in some more, but instead pleaded with myself to do something. I was already awake so why not be productive, right? It was raining out so I didn't want to do for a run, a strength session didn't sound too appealing, but a nice short ride on my trainer where I could just zone out sounded perfect. So I put on an episode of Friends and rode. And because of that simple little ride this morning my day has been infinitely better. I have gone to the grocery store, cleaned my apartment, finished my lingering homework, and even prepared dinner all before three o'clock.

And now I actually want to workout again. It is amazing how all it takes is one sweat session to get you hooked and back for more. For me, staying in a rhythm is necessary or else I fall off the wagon. I know that missing one workout should not have derailed my entire week and then some but there is nothing I can change about that now. I am really learning a lot about myself during this training cycle, both good and bad things. But I am grateful for both because I can use this to my advantage. As far as training and motivation go I want to be as prepared for when marathon training happens because that is when shit gets real. I know I can muster out a triathlon without too much training but there is no way in hell that I can do that with a marathon, and frankly I don't want to try.

So sorry for this random post. I got a little carried away.

Like Winning the Lottery

About a month ago after I finished running my second half marathon the idea of running a full marathon started to creep into my mind. I've known that I wanted to run a marathon for some time now but it still never seemed real. But today that far-fetched dream of mine started to become a reality.

I have dying to announce it to the blog world, and to everyone in general that I will be running the 2012 ING New York City Marathon!

I have expressed my feelings about this race before and when I say that running this race is an absolute dream come true I really mean it. I have dreamed about this race since the first time I heard about during my freshmen year of college but I wasn't sure if I would ever get the chance to run it because of the lottery system.

Right after I decided that I wanted to try to run a fall marathon my cousin, who works for the NYCM informed me that she would be able to get me into the race even if I didn't get in through the lottery. I applied for the lottery assuming I wouldn't get in and that I would just have my cousin use her super powers to get me in.

Except when I logged on today I saw that I had been accepted. I would have never tried to run this great race this year partly due to its ridiculously high cost and the slim chance that I would actually get in. And as corny as this sounds, I really feel like it was fate. 

As excited as I am to start this new adventure I am still in triathlon training. I am going to finish my training and then switch over to MARATHON training! And I can promise that I am going to document every aspect of the journey. This is something that I never want to forget.

Inspired by the Boston Marathon

As I'm sure all of you know by now, yesterday was the Boston Marathon. Up until a year or two ago when I first became interested in running I didn't know anything about the Boston Marathon. Yeah, I knew it existed. But I had no idea that there were qualifying times to run it. I didn't know the race had such a history. I couldn't comprehend how much it represented in the running world.

I still do not know all that much about the Boston Marathon, but what I do know is that I want to qualify for it someday. I am by no means a fast runner and I am okay with that. For the time being. One day I want to experience for myself what all the hype is about. I want to wear the finishers jacket with pride everywhere I go. I want to be a part of something that it so influential and powerful in this community.

This is the 2012 color of the jacket.

Yesterday was the 116th running of the Boston Marathon. 116 years is not any kind usual anniversary but this year's race was truly special because it marked the 40th anniversary of women being allowed to run in the race. It also marked the 45th anniversary of a female, Kathrine Switzer, running the Boston Marathon.

Even though I have only been running for about a year now, there has never been a time when I felt like I wasn't a runner or an athlete simply because I was a female. I am lucky to be a part of a community where being female is not a bad thing. Most races now are mostly comprised of female runners in fact!

Besides the history aspect of the race, yesterday's Boston Marathon was special because of the record setting temps. The high in Boston yesterday was around 90 degrees, which is unthinkable for this time of year. The race organizers put out multiple warnings about the dangerously hot weather and advised people to not go all out during the race.

It was 90 degrees here in Baltimore yesterday and I can tell you 90 degrees is really effing hot. I can't even imagine running a marathon in those temps. I was sweating as soon as I went outside and opted for a trainer ride in the air conditioning instead of braving the heat for a run.

Despite the offer to transfer your entry until next year due to the heat, many people ran anyway because they had already payed to travel all the way there. Everybody who ran in yesterday's race amazed me. I am not sure what I would have done if I was in that situation but I do know it wouldn't have been pretty. To those of you who stuck it out and ran despite the heat, you deserve and extra medal. You should be more than proud of yourselves. And to those runners who opted to not run the race and chose the deferment instead, you are very smart. Don't think you quit or took the easy way out. Running in those temps is very dangerous and not worth it. There is always next year.

Dream Big: 26.2?!

Now that I have run two half marathons (you can read my recaps here and here) I have been thinking more and more about making the jump to the full marathon. Ever since reading about the New York City Marathon a year and a half ago I have known that I wanted to run a marathon. I have dreamed about what it would be like to train for and run 26.2 miles. But at the same time, it was all just a dream. It was something that I said I was going to do at some point in my life, but it didn't matter when I did it. It was not something that I was ready for yet. Until now.

Since I ran my first half marathon in October I have been tossing around the idea of running a marathon this fall. But that's all it was: an idea. I liked to think that I was going to run a marathon but in reality it probably wasn't going to happen. But all of that changed on Monday.

These people can run 26.2 miles!

I was talking with a family friend who used to be a runner about the Rock N' Roll USA Half Marathon and the Rock N' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon in September. He has done both races, but before they were bought by Competitor. He asked me if I had ever run a full marathon and when I said no he asked completely seriously why not. I told him I wanted to run one at some point but that I was happy running half marathons right now. He didn't like my answer.

After talking for awhile longer he had convinced me that I really could run a marathon in the near future. I liked knowing that a very experienced runner was telling me that I was ready to make that leap.

When I came home I told my mom about what our friend had said. I expected her to say that I didn't have enough experience as a runner and that a marathon was realistic but in a few more years. She did not give me the response I was expecting.

She said she thought I could run a full marathon this fall. At that moment, the idea of running a marathon became real. It became no longer something so far fetched. All I keep thinking is that this is now real. I am still not sure if I am going to run a marathon this fall but only because I want to make sure that I will have time to properly train (I need to figure out my schedule for next fall first).

Yay, more marathon pictures!

This may not seem like a big deal to all of you who run multiple marathons a year but this is huge for me. Running a marathon is no longer one of those bucket list items that we say we want to do and really intend to do at some point but never get around to. Running a marathon is becoming a reality.

And it is scary, but something I have been dreaming of for a long time now.

This is not me telling you that I am running a marathon this year, but rather this is me telling you that once I am sure that I can dedicate the proper amount of time to training I will run a marathon.

I love pictures of people running.

I haven't scheduled my classes for next fall yet but I can tell you that based on the classes that I am planning on taking I will most definitely have the time to embark on this journey. I have already been looking at what marathon I would run in the fall if the opportunity presents itself and I think I have made my decision.

All I have left to say is that if I do run a fall marathon it will be the best time of my life!