Sunday, October 30, 2011

One Week!

Well, here we are. Not a lot to say quite yet. I have a lot of reflections, but none that have yet to form into a cohesive thought. So this will be brief. This is where we stand:

End of Week 18 of 19-week training cycle

1-35 (long run: 12 miler - two weeks after Grandma's Marathon)
2-28 (long run: 14 miler)
3-45 (long run: 16 miler)
4-39 ((long run: 18 miler)
5-28 (12 miler - bailed due to heat)
6-45 (long run: 18 miler)
7-7 (no comment)
8-27 (long run: 15 miler)
9-41 (long run: 17 miler)
10-46 (long run: 18 miler)
11-41 (half marathon PR!)
12-50 (long run: 20 miler)
13-48 (long run: 16)
14-7 (bad hamstring trouble following terrible massage, did some XT)
15-39 (long run: 20) Still recovering, hamstrings not quite right, jogged Army-10 the day after the 20.
16-43 (long run: 22) Massive back pain early in the week - not sure the cause. Eased up by the end of the week.
Taper
17- 34 (long run: 13)
18- 21 (long run: 8)
19- Next week = Race Week!

So many things didn't go as planned - yet so much went well. I grew as a runner both mentally and physically in ways I honestly never imagined. I can't wait for the next cycle...but I am getting ahead of myself.

So, what are we attempting to do here. It seems a bit absurd when I actually write it. I am trying to cut 48 minutes off of my marathon time with 6 months of training. (Woah!) I cut 24 minutes off in June at Grandma's Marathon...we were shooting for a 21-minute PR back then and I exceed it by 3 minutes by executing a conservative race plan. So now, well, 24 more minutes to go! It's neat how the numbers worked out that way...

It's exceptionally ambitious, I might say, and there are moments when I am like: Sara! Take this step by step! That's SO MUCH TIME! As a former 100-meter-dash runner, I used to lay in bed at night dreaming of cutting hundredths of seconds off of my PR. So 48 minutes - or 24 minutes - either way you slice it, it's a big undertaking.

But I 100% believe I am capable. Now, marathons are crazy events and the stars really to have to align to have the perfect day. There is so much that can go wrong, much of it beyond your control. But that's no reason not to give it a go. So I'm goin' for it.

I get my race plan from Wendy tonight. As of right now I have no idea how I am executing this race. I know we are starting slow (something smart to do in any marathon - but particularly in NYC on the bridge) and are going to shoot to negative split. After my success with this sort of plan at Grandma's, I completely believe in this strategy. This one will just be a bit more nuanced as it's a much more complicated course.

Maybe I'll get Wendy to do a blog post about how she developed my plan and I'll link to it here... :) She doesn't have much to do since she just defended her dissertation and become a doctor (PhD!) last week. If you haven't already realized, Wendy = rock star.

OK, that's it for now. But I'll be back this week to discuss some other exciting thing about the race, including my running as a part of Team Up! With Autism Speaks, my excitement that my parents will be in NYC for the race, the theme songs and pump up songs I've chosen for the occasion, and my plan to dedicate the miles I run...

Stay Tuned!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Lucky 13

When, last night, Wendy told me to run 13 miles today, I had to chuckle a little. Or maybe snort. 13? Really? Not 12 or 14? Nice coach. When I set out this morning, I had decided there was no way I was going to run that unlucky number of miles. I'll do 14, I decided. And just take it very easy at the end.

Well, with the comedy of errors - or bad luck - or whatever this run ended up being...in the end 13 seemed decidedly appropriate. And while I was completely miserable for a good portion of this run, a little part of me inside was smiling. I have often had one, terrible, horrendous, problem-filled run leading up to race day. My runs had been going so well as of late (particularly my great 22-miler last weekend) I knew I was due.

It was 48 degrees when I headed out: perfect for this Northern Minnesota girl. I decided not to carry water - it was only 13 miles, it's cool, and there are water fountains every 2-3 miles on this path. No need. But I still needed to carry a small running pack as the capri tights I was wearing had no place for my inhaler. That was fine, I thought. I'll start with running gloves and then have a place to put them when my hands get hot, as the inevitably do. But when I stepped outside, it felt really warm. No need for gloves, I thought. I threw my gloves back inside the door and headed out on my way.

I got to the first water fountain about a mile in, but was not at all thirsty yet and ran right by. I'll hit the next one. About this time, though, I realized my hands were starting to feel very stiff. Damn, I thought. Why didn't I bring those gloves? I am wearing this stupid belt! There was no reason NOT to carry them. Stupid. At least my running was feeling good and easy at this point and I was enjoying the fall scene. At about the three mile marker I hit the next water fountain...I was feeling a little thirsty so decided to stop. It was dead. Awesome. Great plan, SJ.

Onward. I plugged along - my hands getting increasingly cold. It was massively uncomfortable, but ah well...nothing I could do about it. Around about the 5 mile mark my hamstrings decided to rebel. They weren't so much in they type of pain that they have been when they have been aggravated throughout this cycle - though I did run 5 Marathon Pace miles yesterday and I am sure that tired them out. But they were in pain from numbness. Not directly from the cold, I surmised, but because this pain is referred from my sciatic nerve, and when my back gets tight, my hamstrings get tight and start to hurt. They were feeling increasingly numb but, again, not directly from the cold, but numbness that felt like the cutting off of blood. I decided that what was probably happening was that my back was tighter than usual because of the cold and that was having a negative effect on my hams. If that assessment makes any sense. Whatever was going on, it sucked. It was VERY uncomfortable. Again, not like I'd re-injured them, but just like they would NOT work and were completely lacking blood flow. Even though I felt great otherwise, and my HR was exceptionally low, it was very hard to run - my legs just did not want to turn over.

Around this time, 6 miles in, I also started to feel hungry. No, not hungry - STARVING. And I have no idea why. I barely even need to fuel on a normal training run of this length. Thankfully I had grabbed an already opened, half pack of Gu chomps before heading out. When I got to 6.5, my halfway point where there was thankfully a working water fountain, I hate the near-frozen chomps, got some water, and tried to stretch. As I started to head home, however, I realized my stretching attempt was less than successful. It was gonna be a long jog.

Shortly after the turn around, and even though it was getting warmer outside, my hands all of the sudden felt VERY cold. And not just cold, numb. I couldn't make fists and there were jolts of numbness vibrating down from my arm. It was an awful feeling. I have no idea why it was happening. My fingers shouldn't have been that cold. Lots of other runners were passing me with no gloves and they seemed fine, but I was exceptionally uncomfortable. I tried my best to pull the sleeves of my tight-fighting long-sleeve running top over my hands and plugged along. Again, it was so strangely uncomfortable I just kinda had to chuckle. 13 miles Wendy? Really?

When I had about 3 miles left, I started to have to go to the bathroom. Bad. And not the kind a girl can do easily in the bushes. Thankfully, I knew there was a port-o-pottie coming up. The port-o-potties on this running route are very well maintained and are almost always clean and, even if not super clean, well stocked. I got to the john, stepped inside and, of course, there was no paper. Awesome. I promptly left and decided to forge ahead to the next one, which was about 2 miles away and a mile from my house. But I got about 15 seconds away when I realized I had no choice. I turned around, sprinted back, and used the not-so-well-maintained pottie. Again, awesome.

I forged ahead. This running route ends with a 1/2 mile long, very steep, climb. I have been very proud of the way I have pounded up this hill at the end of run after run during this training cycle. When I got there today, with 12.30 miles showing on my watch, I decided to cut my losses - and give my poor, numb, non-functioning hamstrings a break. I walked. Not because I had to...I wasn't even physically tired. I just decided it was the right thing to do. :-)

Anyway, it was quite a run. When I finished (and after I called the deli next door and ordered an everything bagel with bacon, egg, and cheese - remember, I was STARVING), I texted Wendy the following:

Awful run...exactly what I needed. :) I believe in the karma of one horrendous run this close to race day.

She replied:

Awful how?

To which I responded:

I'll blog.

Exactly two weeks from today, at 10:10am, I will start my sixth marathon.

I am ready...and I can't wait.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Getting Close: Taper

Yes, I've been bad about my blogging again. Urgh. I really do enjoy doing this for myself as much as anyone who might read it. It's a good exercise.

Anyway, my hamstrings are gradually improving, just like they did last time. Now that I am in taper, I am feeling confident that that will be decent come race day.

Here is where we stand:

End of Week 16 of 19-week training cycle (...starting week 17)

1-35 (long run: 12 miler - two weeks after Grandma's Marathon)
2-28 (long run: 14 miler)
3-45 (long run: 16 miler)
4-39 ((long run: 18 miler)
5-28 (12 miler - bailed due to heat)
6-45 (long run: 18 miler)
7-7 (no comment)
8-27 (long run: 15 miler)
9-41 (long run: 17 miler)
10-46 (long run: 18 miler)
11-41 (half marathon PR!)
12-50 (long run: 20 miler)
13-48 (long run: 16)
14-7 (bad hamstring trouble following terrible massage, did some XT)
15-39 (long run: 20) Still recovering, hamstrings not quite right, jogged Army-10 the day after the 20.
16-43 (long run: 22) Massive back pain early in the week - not sure the cause. Eased up by the end of the week.
Taper
17-37 is scheduled for this week, long run: 16
18-taper week 2, mileage will be drastically cut
19-Race Week!

Again, not ideal. And not what we planned. But it's what I've done and what I've got.

Anyway, I am feeling GREAT! My 22-miler Sunday was my longest training run ever and my hamstrings felt REALLY good. Of course my legs were tired at the end - but normal-I-worked-hard-tired, not something-is-wrong-with-me tired. I am pleased.

My goal? I don't know. I have absolutely no idea how to wrap my head around it at this point. I know I am capable of running sub-4. I am just not sure if it might be too little too late for everything to come together given all of my hiccups and problems. All I know is that I feel very strong. I haven't had a lot of the old problems I used to have running (asthma trouble, IBS, blood sugar issues, etc.). From where I stand, I am not sure if I have done enough - and I wish I hadn't needed all of the rest time - but I am going to give it a shot. My biggest mistake this cycle, I have determined, is the complete lack of strength/core work. I need it. Clearly. My big goal following this marathon (yes, I am getting ahead of myself) is to completely tackle that issue before I start training for the next one. I think I could see some major improvements if I added a significant amount of core training. And I think I need the strength work to get this hamstring working properly and not requiring so much rest time.

Getting excited about the trip and the race!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

More Hamstring Hiccups

Well after two stellar weeks - a huge 1/2 marathon PR followed by my strongest 20-miler to date, my hamstrings started rebelling again. Same thing as before. Exactly the same. They just get so tight and achy. It's a nerve thing. It's from my sciatic and the pain refers down into and numbs my calf muscles. I decided to get a deep tissue massage, just like I did before. Unfortunately, the massage sucked. Not only did it suck, but it aggravated me far, far worse. As a result, I ran only about 7 miles this week - during what was supposed to be longest week of the cycle: 56 miles. I am frustrated, but not as angry or hopeless as I was in August. Because I know it will be short lived. And I know rest cures it. I am not injured, I just haven't figured out a way to keep my hamstrings going strong for more than a month or so.

Now, a lot of the blame (well, all of it I s'pose!) falls on me. I don't stretch nearly enough. Hardly at all. And really good, solid stretching is what cures this. And not just hamstring stretches but lower back stretches too. Stretching takes time, running takes time, and I just have so little time these days! But that's a bad excuse for allowing myself to get to this place again. I screwed up. I am learning my lesson. I hope.

So today, instead of running 22 miles, I went to spinning class. Well, this whole thing may have been a blessing in disguise. I had a blast and felt SO STRONG! I don't think I have ever taken a spinning class when I was this fit before. Spinning is HARD (for me) but I was able to keep pushing and pushing through this one in a way that was exhilarating. Now, yes, one uses one's hamstrings to cycle too. And I felt them. But eliminating the pounding of unassisted gravity helped things and I was able to get in a really solid, albeit anaerobic, workout. I also realize I miss having a more diverse workout routine. I am NOT one of the people who like fitness for fitness' sake. I am an athlete and I like training. But I do like mixing it up. Trying to get my runs in has taken up so much time that I have completely eliminated cycling, core/strength, or any other kind of training. And I think that has been a big mistake for me both mentally and physically. I am very fit overall, but I am not particularly strong right now. And I keep getting slightly burned out on running. Next cycle - even if it means less miles, I need to find time to get this other stuff in as well.

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I have been going through a lot of old pictures lately. (After getting my life out of storage - where it spent the last two years)...lots of fun pictures from my track and soccer days. I have had this whole hamstring problem since it first reared its ugly head in the middle of a 100-meter dash at the Lake Superior Conference Track meet in 10th grade. Right in the middle of the race it snapped - it literally felt like I had been shot - and next thing I knew I was on the ground. There were only a few weeks until the Section 7AA meet and in that time I only did pool workouts. We didn't know if I'd be able to run at Sections. In order to try, the athletic trainer rigged up a sort of wrap for me, using ace bandages and therabands, that went around my waist and around my quad, creating a sort of sling. It made it MUCH harder for me to pull my leg down to get it to turnover, but the sling allowed it to bounce right up (which is what I was unable to do because of the hamstring tear)...well, it was a bit of a miracle fix. I was able to run top speed and qualify for the state meet again. Anyway, here is a picture that was in the newspaper where you can see my crazy wrap:


My 4 x 1 relay team also qualified by winning the meet:


And thus ends my trip down memory lane to the beginning of my hamstring problems.

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I Hope to get back to a full week of running this week - and to get in a good long one next Sunday. That marathon is coming up FAST!