In today's world of social media, everyone's trying to put their best face forward. I am guilty as much as anybody of only posting the pretty things, the happy moments, the big events, etc. As much as I cite the challenges I've overcome or the long journey I've taken through running, I can see where it may look as if all my runs are "good" and "fun". IT. IS. NOT. EASY. I repeat...IT. IS. NOT. EASY. Today's run was a reflection of that and I think it's just as important to talk about the bad, sucky, and ugly runs too.
To start off with, I was scheduled to run my 12 mile training run yesterday so I spent all day yesterday feeling guilty for putting it off. That made today's run start off on a sour note. Getting ready I anticipated that it was going to be pretty cold so I prepared as such with my hat and gloves and layers. Once I started running I realized it was deceptively warm outside. The sun was hot and I was sweaty within my first mile. At mile 2 I ditched my gloves. Even more irritating was the fact that my pants didn't fit right. I could not run more than a minute without my pants falling down. I was constantly pulling them up and readjusting my gear and it was incredibly distracting! I tried to focus on the running and settle into a good pace but it just never happened. About mile 4 I really contemplated turning around and calling it quits. I needed some major inspiration to keep myself going. I got on my phone to find a running meditation I had downloaded a couple weeks ago....and my phone died. No joke. Shortly after that I turned a corner running west and faced a gnarly headwind. I wished I had my gloves because now I was freezing. No music, no meditation, no inspiration, no warmth, pants falling down....I wanted to quit so bad. I knew that to get through this I was just going to have to dig deep and rely on my experience and the goals that lie ahead. I kept telling myself that I'm an ultrarunner and I've been through much worse than this. But when I say this was a constant battle, I mean it. With every uplifting, positive thought I tried to have, I could only think about the pain, the discomfort, and suckiness of it all. Even with all the negativity, moving forward was still progress so I soldiered on. About mile 5 or 6, I came to my favorite hill. I thought "I'm already suffering, I might as well suffer some more." So I did hill repeats right there in the middle of my run. I had no idea how far I had run or if I'd meet my 12 mile distance (because my phone had died) but it didn't really matter anymore. Just getting through this run was my only goal. And wouldn't you know if, after those hill repeats, things started to perk up. My pants were still annoying but I found my thoughts focused on my upcoming marathon and future 50 miler. About mile 9 my phone had warmed up enough (after keeping it in my bra), that it turned back on. About mile 10 I came back around to where I had ditched my gloves and my hands warmed up. And after I got home and logged my route, I realized I had indeed ran 12.08 miles.
As weird as it may sound that I run for imperfection, I really do. Just like in life, the struggles make you appreciate the good moments that much more. When I'm having an awful run like I did today, I embrace the suck. I think about why it sucks and I use it as an opportunity to learn something, to better myself. Once again IT. IS. NOT. EASY. My greatest achievements have all come from a fair amount of suffering or struggle. (minus my first Chicago Marathon which was pretty damn perfect)
Marathon 1 - Just hoping that my left knee would hold it together, only to have my right knee blow out at mile 17.
Marathon 2 - Passing out at mile 19, spending 45 minutes at the medical tent thinking I would have to DNF.
Marathon 4 - Wanting so badly to push and go faster, but having my body rebel against me with leg cramps out of this world.
Table Rock 35K - Trying for my first 50K, thinking what in the world have I gotten myself into, and turning around at mile 10 to finish only 35K.
Table Rock 50K - 30 minutes from the summit, thinking I would never make it by the cutoff time.
I could focus on all the bad moments of my past races but I would feel incredibly defeated. Instead I look at those moments and I accept them for what they are. From each I have learned so much - a new running form, the effect of being undertrained, the importance of electrolytes, proper nutrition and hydration, the importance of hill work and elevation training, knowing your race route and cutoff times. Through all of the learning experiences, I've grown into the runner I am today. I am able to persevere through the ugliest of training runs, put it behind me, and continue with relentless forward progress. I don't know how my next long run will go nor do I know how my marathon will turn out or if I will accomplish my ultimate goal of completing my first 50 miler. However, I know for certain it will be an adventure and a challenge worth fighting for.
Showing posts with label challenges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label challenges. Show all posts
Sunday, February 4, 2018
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
I run for...50K.
It's official. I completed my first 50K!! The year of the comeback is (almost) complete. This was the biggest part of my comeback story this year - to train for and complete the very same race that was the beginning of the end for me last year. I finished in 10:38:12. My conservative goal was to finish in roughly 10 1/2 hours so I'm pretty proud of myself, even if it is slow. Just took a look at the race results and I just happened to be the ONLY Illinoisan to compete. The great majority of the people in the race were from North Carolina and I'm sure they are very familiar with the mountains and the trails. So overall, I can't complain. Here's the official race report.
The day started bright and early at 4:00am. I kept to my Keto diet that morning by taking in some MCT oil with my coffee and then eating a Quest bar for breakfast. My nutrition plan for the day was to stick to what I had been doing in training - almonds, reduced sugar craisins, and bacon jerky. I packed up all these goodies in the morning and as a safeguard I threw in one GU gel (Campfire S'mores flavor!! Yum!). I also packed plenty of Saltstick tabs to replenish electrolytes and filled my water bottle with Nuun. After packing my supplies and getting ready, I used the rest of my time to chill out. I read some pages out of my book "Born to Run" and then repeated my mental block busters to myself. About 5:30am my personal support team, comprised of my son and my husband, woke up and within 30 minutes we made the drive to the race start.
The race begins at the Steele Creek Campground, which is about a 30 minute drive from downtown Morganton. There were lots of runners that slept in tents at the campground the night before. Maybe one day I'll be that hard core. Since we got to Morganton late on Friday night, I had to do packet pickup before the race. I walked over and got my race bib and t-shirt. One last trip to the potty and then I was ready to go. I stood by the start line with my son and husband and I was in great spirits! Not too nervous at all. One woman came up to me and shared her concerns that I she had packed too much. She had on an unusual hydration pack that was obviously full of supplies and had collapsible poles attached. We chatted briefly about doing the race last year and she shared with me that she had just run the Boston Marathon this year. Wow! She told me she'd see me around and well, I knew I probably wouldn't be seeing her again. If she ran Boston, she'd definitely be too fast for me to keep up.
I made it to the start line. The race director made his announcements and we started promptly at 7:00am to the sound of banjo music. Just one of those things that makes me love this race so much. I knew from last year that the first 5 miles were where I needed to make up some time if I wanted to start off on the right foot. I started out faster than I typically would and stayed pretty well within the middle of the pack. The first mile is completely flat but you are running through a giant field (that will also be the last mile of the race). After that you hit the first section of single track trails. This section slowed me down some because runners were lined up one by one trying to make it through. After this section of single track, you cross another big pasture and on to some rolling hills. These hills are very similar to most of the hills I run during training so again, this is where I knew I could push myself a little harder. Up and down on soft grass laden trails with the sound of creeks nearby. This part is SO enjoyable. First aid station comes in at mile 4.8. I made it there with an average of about 15min/mile (my aggressive goal). It was a hot day so I filled up my bottle and away I went.
After aid station #1, I knew what was ahead. This was the part that got me last year. Lots of single track trails, lots of creek crossings, lots of switchbacks up the mountain. I stayed in a positive mood the whole time and kept thinking of getting farther than I did last year. The switchbacks were still a challenge for me this year but I did not let myself stop. I powered through the pain and the fatigue and just kept climbing. Shortly after I finished with the switchbacks, I made my way up to aid station #2 on the gravel access road. This is again where I knew I could push myself a little harder because at the end of it was aid station #2 and my first cutoff time. Aid station #2 comes in at mile 10.2 and you must make it there by 11am - that's 4 hours from the start time. Last year I barely made the cutoff and this was a big factor in my decision to drop to the 30K. This year I made it to the aid station with an hour to spare! And to top it off I was feeling great! I filled up my bottle once more and took some time to rest before heading out on the next part. The guy at the aid station gave me some great advice on using my time on the gravel access road wisely. He forewarned me about the climb to Table Rock and wanted me to make sure I made the cutoff.
On to Part 2. To make the 50K distance (and the elevation gain) more manageable, I broke the race into 3 parts. The first part was everything I did last year up to aid station #2. Part 2 was the meat of the race. 10.2 mile aid station to the Table Rock summit and to the last aid station cutoff. This is what I was most worried about. As I made my way from aid station #2 to aid station #3 at mile 16.5, the very slightest bit of doubt started to set in. Thankfully I was at the back of the pack with some amazing runners. Every so often I would pass someone or someone would pass me and I would hear "Good job" or "Looking good. Keep it up." or "You got this." So, so wonderful to know that there is a sense of "we're all in this together" when you're running one of the hardest races around. The trek to mile 16.5 was not an easy one. I tried, like the guy at aid station #2 said, to use the gravel access road to my advantage but it was steady uphill for at least 4 miles. I got to aid station #3 though and filled up my bottle once more. So far I had only eaten some bacon jerky and about half of my almond/craisins mix but I was still feeling satiated and had not experienced a bonk yet. Still feeling good I made my way to the summit of Table Rock.
This next section was nothing but single track trail and it was ALL. UP. HILL. Every single bit of it. I began to panic for the first time in the race because I was having a hard time remembering whether the next cutoff time was 1:00pm or 2:00pm. About 30 minutes before I reached aid station #3, I had texted my husband to ask him and he gave me his reply: "Looks like 1:00pm". Time to push. I really didn't think I was going to make it to the summit before then. My husband also tells me that aid station #4 is the summit but that didn't sound right to me either. Then he tells me that the summit is at 19.3 miles but I was pretty sure it was around mile 17 or 18. AHHH! What was happening?! I tried not to think about the time too much and just kept pushing. The uplifting part about this section up to Table Rock is that you also pass all the people who've already reached it and are on their way down the mountain. Everyone was SO encouraging. Once again I was flooded with these cheers: "Looking great", "Good job", "This is the hardest part. I swear.", "You're 15 minutes from the top. You got this." I even saw that lady from the start of the race when I didn't think I was going to see her at all! I stayed positive and repeated my mantras to myself. At one point, the most I felt like I could do was climb for 30 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds. Climb for 30, rest for 10. I did this for what seemed like forever but it was really only like a mile. Once I reached the rocky portion of the Table Rock Summit, I felt such great relief. It leveled off some and became easier to climb but then....I would turn a corner and there was another section to climb. Then another corner, another section to climb. How is this possible?! How can I still be climbing?! I looked down at my watch. Big mistake. 12:54pm. If the cutoff was truly at 1:00pm, I would not make it. How could I bring myself to say "I reached the summit" but then have to drop due to not making the cutoff time?
As I neared the summit, I saw a familiar face from the back of the pack. She cheered me on as I came up to join her next to the photographer. The photographer took my picture and then it was up a few more steps to get my race bib marked. I thought it was weird that they would go through all that hassle if I was going to end up dropping the race. So I asked the lady in front of me, "Do you by chance know when the next cutoff time is?" She said, "Oh we have plenty of time honey. We have a good 48 minutes or so." Wait, what? The cutoff time was actually 2:00pm!! Hooray! About that time we made it to aid station #4 with about 45 minutes to spare. Hallelujah! Everyone at this aid station was so relieved. It was the last cutoff we would have to make before the end of the race. I took quite a bit of time to rest at aid station #4 because I just wasn't feeling right. When I sat down I started feeling lightheaded and ended up lying on the ground with my feet up on a cooler. I stayed horizontal for awhile before I got up to fill my bottle again. I attempted to eat a PB&J but that just made me sicker. I decided to just push through the feeling. The section right after aid station #4 was another short jaunt uphill before taking the plunge down the gruesome trails you just climbed.
You would think after 17-18 miles of running mostly uphill that you would welcome the chance to go downhill, to give yourself a little "break". Nope. Not the case. In fact, after running uphill for 17-18 miles it is the hardest thing ever to try to control your legs to run downhill and OUCH does it hurt. There's a tendency to want to let yourself go and especially make up the time that you spent climbing uphill but there's just no way it can be done safely unless you are very, very skilled at running downhills and do this for a living. And I am not that person. Haha. I think I went downhill just as slow as I went uphill. Eventually I made it back to aid station #3, which was also aid station #5. All I needed was to fill up my bottle and I was off again.
Part 3 of the race...the last 10 miles. I had about 4 1/2 hours to do it. I totally got this. For the first time all day, I felt the need to crank up my music and not because I needed the motivation, but because I was ready to celebrate this accomplishment. For the most part, the trails the rest of the way down were easy compared to all the rest. I covered some new territory but eventually got back to the same section of gravel road and single track that we ran on the way up. I felt the urge to take in some GU right before aid station #6 and I'm glad I did. It was just the kick in calories and carbs that I needed to make it the rest of the way. At aid station #6 I switched over to filling my bottle with Gatorade for the extra calories and off I went to the last 4.8 miles of the race. Right here and now I was in uncharted territory. I had never ran this far before. Would I feel any different?
I absolutely felt different in the most wonderful way possible. It's not really something I can even explain. Yes, my legs were hurting. My feet were DEFINITELY hurting. I couldn't be certain but I was pretty sure that my feet were bleeding or had blisters on them. My back hurt. Even my arms hurt. But I soldiered on. I walked when I had to but I pushed myself to run as much as I could. The nice rolling hills from the first 4.8 miles were a comforting sight. The air was cooling. Finishing this race was becoming a reality. Last section of single track. Boom. Last mile through the pasture. Boom. I crossed the bridge and turned towards the finish line. There was my son waiting and cheering me on. A group of runners sat at a picnic table cheering me in as well. I saw my husband as I closed in on the finish. The race director stood at the finish giving me a high five as I made my way across. My prize? A gray 50K hoodie that I will cherish for a lifetime. This feeling. This feeling right then and there...is priceless. It's this crazy, undeniable thirst and desire for more and more adventure and more and more life. There will be more races like this in my future. There will be a 50 miler and a 100 miler. As long as I continue to have blood in my veins and air in my lungs, I will continue to push myself beyond my limits to see how far I can truly go.
That's it! After the race we spent the evening in Charlotte, NC. I got my pizza and chips as my reward meal. I definitely had some nasty toe injuries...one black toenail and a gnarly blood blister on another. It's day 4 post-race and I don't have any more soreness. Finally feeling back to normal again. Now I'm settling into a post-taper run routine. I'll be training soon in the hopes of gaining another PR at my 5K race in October. That's really all that's on the race agenda for the rest of year but you never know!
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| Me & Hubby |
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| Me & my son |
The race begins at the Steele Creek Campground, which is about a 30 minute drive from downtown Morganton. There were lots of runners that slept in tents at the campground the night before. Maybe one day I'll be that hard core. Since we got to Morganton late on Friday night, I had to do packet pickup before the race. I walked over and got my race bib and t-shirt. One last trip to the potty and then I was ready to go. I stood by the start line with my son and husband and I was in great spirits! Not too nervous at all. One woman came up to me and shared her concerns that I she had packed too much. She had on an unusual hydration pack that was obviously full of supplies and had collapsible poles attached. We chatted briefly about doing the race last year and she shared with me that she had just run the Boston Marathon this year. Wow! She told me she'd see me around and well, I knew I probably wouldn't be seeing her again. If she ran Boston, she'd definitely be too fast for me to keep up.
I made it to the start line. The race director made his announcements and we started promptly at 7:00am to the sound of banjo music. Just one of those things that makes me love this race so much. I knew from last year that the first 5 miles were where I needed to make up some time if I wanted to start off on the right foot. I started out faster than I typically would and stayed pretty well within the middle of the pack. The first mile is completely flat but you are running through a giant field (that will also be the last mile of the race). After that you hit the first section of single track trails. This section slowed me down some because runners were lined up one by one trying to make it through. After this section of single track, you cross another big pasture and on to some rolling hills. These hills are very similar to most of the hills I run during training so again, this is where I knew I could push myself a little harder. Up and down on soft grass laden trails with the sound of creeks nearby. This part is SO enjoyable. First aid station comes in at mile 4.8. I made it there with an average of about 15min/mile (my aggressive goal). It was a hot day so I filled up my bottle and away I went.
After aid station #1, I knew what was ahead. This was the part that got me last year. Lots of single track trails, lots of creek crossings, lots of switchbacks up the mountain. I stayed in a positive mood the whole time and kept thinking of getting farther than I did last year. The switchbacks were still a challenge for me this year but I did not let myself stop. I powered through the pain and the fatigue and just kept climbing. Shortly after I finished with the switchbacks, I made my way up to aid station #2 on the gravel access road. This is again where I knew I could push myself a little harder because at the end of it was aid station #2 and my first cutoff time. Aid station #2 comes in at mile 10.2 and you must make it there by 11am - that's 4 hours from the start time. Last year I barely made the cutoff and this was a big factor in my decision to drop to the 30K. This year I made it to the aid station with an hour to spare! And to top it off I was feeling great! I filled up my bottle once more and took some time to rest before heading out on the next part. The guy at the aid station gave me some great advice on using my time on the gravel access road wisely. He forewarned me about the climb to Table Rock and wanted me to make sure I made the cutoff.
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| There's Table Rock in the distance. How much farther?! |
This next section was nothing but single track trail and it was ALL. UP. HILL. Every single bit of it. I began to panic for the first time in the race because I was having a hard time remembering whether the next cutoff time was 1:00pm or 2:00pm. About 30 minutes before I reached aid station #3, I had texted my husband to ask him and he gave me his reply: "Looks like 1:00pm". Time to push. I really didn't think I was going to make it to the summit before then. My husband also tells me that aid station #4 is the summit but that didn't sound right to me either. Then he tells me that the summit is at 19.3 miles but I was pretty sure it was around mile 17 or 18. AHHH! What was happening?! I tried not to think about the time too much and just kept pushing. The uplifting part about this section up to Table Rock is that you also pass all the people who've already reached it and are on their way down the mountain. Everyone was SO encouraging. Once again I was flooded with these cheers: "Looking great", "Good job", "This is the hardest part. I swear.", "You're 15 minutes from the top. You got this." I even saw that lady from the start of the race when I didn't think I was going to see her at all! I stayed positive and repeated my mantras to myself. At one point, the most I felt like I could do was climb for 30 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds. Climb for 30, rest for 10. I did this for what seemed like forever but it was really only like a mile. Once I reached the rocky portion of the Table Rock Summit, I felt such great relief. It leveled off some and became easier to climb but then....I would turn a corner and there was another section to climb. Then another corner, another section to climb. How is this possible?! How can I still be climbing?! I looked down at my watch. Big mistake. 12:54pm. If the cutoff was truly at 1:00pm, I would not make it. How could I bring myself to say "I reached the summit" but then have to drop due to not making the cutoff time?
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| Almost there...but not quite |
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| The view from the top! |
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| Finally! |
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| Back down I go... |
You would think after 17-18 miles of running mostly uphill that you would welcome the chance to go downhill, to give yourself a little "break". Nope. Not the case. In fact, after running uphill for 17-18 miles it is the hardest thing ever to try to control your legs to run downhill and OUCH does it hurt. There's a tendency to want to let yourself go and especially make up the time that you spent climbing uphill but there's just no way it can be done safely unless you are very, very skilled at running downhills and do this for a living. And I am not that person. Haha. I think I went downhill just as slow as I went uphill. Eventually I made it back to aid station #3, which was also aid station #5. All I needed was to fill up my bottle and I was off again.
Part 3 of the race...the last 10 miles. I had about 4 1/2 hours to do it. I totally got this. For the first time all day, I felt the need to crank up my music and not because I needed the motivation, but because I was ready to celebrate this accomplishment. For the most part, the trails the rest of the way down were easy compared to all the rest. I covered some new territory but eventually got back to the same section of gravel road and single track that we ran on the way up. I felt the urge to take in some GU right before aid station #6 and I'm glad I did. It was just the kick in calories and carbs that I needed to make it the rest of the way. At aid station #6 I switched over to filling my bottle with Gatorade for the extra calories and off I went to the last 4.8 miles of the race. Right here and now I was in uncharted territory. I had never ran this far before. Would I feel any different?
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| 1 mile to go. 1 happy girl. |
That's it! After the race we spent the evening in Charlotte, NC. I got my pizza and chips as my reward meal. I definitely had some nasty toe injuries...one black toenail and a gnarly blood blister on another. It's day 4 post-race and I don't have any more soreness. Finally feeling back to normal again. Now I'm settling into a post-taper run routine. I'll be training soon in the hopes of gaining another PR at my 5K race in October. That's really all that's on the race agenda for the rest of year but you never know!
Sunday, March 19, 2017
I run for...healing.
This post is a long time coming...almost 6 months to be exact. If you will think back with me, my last blog post was a recap of the Table Rock Ultra, a race that was disappointing to say the least. It seems as though since then my running journey has been through its ups and downs. After Table Rock I knew that an ultra was still my dream. I trained to run the 50K at Table Rock so the mileage was there. I quickly signed up for my next attempt, the Land Between the Lakes Ultra in March.
Training for the Land Between the Lakes Ultra started off great. I kicked things off in the first week of November with a 10 mile run. The weekend of Thanksgiving I ran a total of 23 miles in 3 days. I was feeling great, ready for the opportunity to redeem myself. Then in December things started to go downhill. I was hit with a sinus infection that had me struggling to get through my workouts. Despite going to the doctor and taking an antibiotic, I was not recovering. (This has been an ongoing issue for me the last 4 winters. I have had sinus infection after sinus infection with no relief until spring hits). My doctor finally recommended that I see an ENT. It was about that time that I quickly realized that running made my sinus inflammation worse. The doctor advised that I take it easy. I followed doctor's orders as much as a stubborn and crazy runner can. I still got in about 10-15 miles on the weekends but the fatigue and pain in my sinuses made it hard for me to keep up with my weekday workouts. Not to mention I had all of this going on with the stress of the holidays upon me.
January 1, 2017 was my last long run in training for my redemption race. 13.1 miles to kick off the new year. A week later I had strep throat. When the antibiotics for that were finished, I still had symptoms and was diagnosed with yet another sinus infection...3rd for the winter. I had my appointment with my ENT and it confirmed what I had feared...I would require surgery to fix my sinus issues. The scan of my sinuses showed that almost my entire left side was swollen shut. That was the pain and the pressure that I was feeling for months! It was somewhat of a relief to have some answers but with this news, my journey to the Land Between the Lakes Ultra was over.
I ran one time between January 1 and March 1 (the date of my surgery). After being down and out for 3 days after this short 1 mile run on the treadmill, I gave up trying to tough it out. I would just have to wait until after my surgery to get back into the swing of things. I walked A LOT and it was so depressing. All I wanted to do was run. The fear of the surgery almost had me wanting to reschedule for later in the year. Then I remembered how much this has been affecting my running and I knew I needed relief sooner rather than later.
Surgery went SO well! Of course it was painful but I only had to take a few days off work and after about 5 days, the difference was remarkable! I could breathe much easier, my smell and my taste improved, and I had no more pain and pressure. In this moment, it was hard for me to pull back on the reins and not jump straight into running. I waited the required amount of days (10!!) before easing into some exercise once more.
Day 11 post surgery - walked 30 minutes.
Day 13 post surgery - FIRST RUN COMPLETE - 2.26 miles on the treadmill
Day 15 post surgery - 2.72 miles OUTSIDE
And today, 18 days post surgery, I completed 3.7 miles outside. I would call that progress! It's so weird for me to be in this place. After every marathon there was definitely time for recovery and healing but it was 3 weeks at the most and I could still do some easy running/jogging. Two months of NO running is completely new for me. Starting from square one is completely new for me. So this year is all about healing and staging a comeback! I need to prove to myself once again how strong I am. I need to recover and heal from the disappointment of failing to complete my 50K last year. I am going to better, stronger, faster.
The first goal on my journey to a comeback is to complete the Illinois Marathon 10K with my mom. Last year we ran this together in the freezing rain and ended up losing each other at the end. It was hours (probably not that long but it felt like it) before we found each other. My goal is simple - to finish with a better time than last year. After this my slate is clean and I will start the scouting process for what races I want to run this year and I will start to plan my training in accordance.
Training for the Land Between the Lakes Ultra started off great. I kicked things off in the first week of November with a 10 mile run. The weekend of Thanksgiving I ran a total of 23 miles in 3 days. I was feeling great, ready for the opportunity to redeem myself. Then in December things started to go downhill. I was hit with a sinus infection that had me struggling to get through my workouts. Despite going to the doctor and taking an antibiotic, I was not recovering. (This has been an ongoing issue for me the last 4 winters. I have had sinus infection after sinus infection with no relief until spring hits). My doctor finally recommended that I see an ENT. It was about that time that I quickly realized that running made my sinus inflammation worse. The doctor advised that I take it easy. I followed doctor's orders as much as a stubborn and crazy runner can. I still got in about 10-15 miles on the weekends but the fatigue and pain in my sinuses made it hard for me to keep up with my weekday workouts. Not to mention I had all of this going on with the stress of the holidays upon me.
January 1, 2017 was my last long run in training for my redemption race. 13.1 miles to kick off the new year. A week later I had strep throat. When the antibiotics for that were finished, I still had symptoms and was diagnosed with yet another sinus infection...3rd for the winter. I had my appointment with my ENT and it confirmed what I had feared...I would require surgery to fix my sinus issues. The scan of my sinuses showed that almost my entire left side was swollen shut. That was the pain and the pressure that I was feeling for months! It was somewhat of a relief to have some answers but with this news, my journey to the Land Between the Lakes Ultra was over.
I ran one time between January 1 and March 1 (the date of my surgery). After being down and out for 3 days after this short 1 mile run on the treadmill, I gave up trying to tough it out. I would just have to wait until after my surgery to get back into the swing of things. I walked A LOT and it was so depressing. All I wanted to do was run. The fear of the surgery almost had me wanting to reschedule for later in the year. Then I remembered how much this has been affecting my running and I knew I needed relief sooner rather than later.
Surgery went SO well! Of course it was painful but I only had to take a few days off work and after about 5 days, the difference was remarkable! I could breathe much easier, my smell and my taste improved, and I had no more pain and pressure. In this moment, it was hard for me to pull back on the reins and not jump straight into running. I waited the required amount of days (10!!) before easing into some exercise once more.
Day 11 post surgery - walked 30 minutes.
Day 13 post surgery - FIRST RUN COMPLETE - 2.26 miles on the treadmill
Day 15 post surgery - 2.72 miles OUTSIDE
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| First outside run! |
The first goal on my journey to a comeback is to complete the Illinois Marathon 10K with my mom. Last year we ran this together in the freezing rain and ended up losing each other at the end. It was hours (probably not that long but it felt like it) before we found each other. My goal is simple - to finish with a better time than last year. After this my slate is clean and I will start the scouting process for what races I want to run this year and I will start to plan my training in accordance.
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| Ready for my comeback! |
Saturday, June 11, 2016
I run for...badassery.
So as some of you may know I miscalculated my training weeks for the ultra. I'm actually ahead of schedule. Yippee! So last week was my "first" week of training and then this week I just repeated last week's workouts. The long run scheduled for today was a 10 miler, which I just ran on Sunday. I woke up this morning feeling sick. I had a nasty cough and a sinus headache. I had lots of energy though and kept telling myself, "This is ultra running." Meaning...I just have to suck it up and go. That's what ultra runners do. I find that this has been my new mantra lately. Today I also planned on a 4:30am wake-up due to the high temps and humidity forecast for today. Instead I woke up at 5:45am. Initially I started thinking that maybe I should do this run tomorrow, give myself another chance to wake up early and get a day's rest in. Nope! I wouldn't allow it. I told myself, "This is ultra running." and by 6:30am I was out the door. By the first mile I was already drenched in sweat and regretting my decision to go. But...you guessed it, I told myself, "This is ultra running." and I kept going.
This new mantra reminds me that I'm basically training to be a badass. Here are some of the badass ultra runners that I follow and look up to...
Like I said...badass.Today when I reached mile 4, I intended to turn around and run back another 4, leaving me 2 miles short of 10. Then that mantra hit me again. This is ultra running. I didn't care if I was sick. I didn't care if I was hot. These little moments are what it will take for me to push through 50K. When I'm pounding out another 5-8 miles on the treadmill and dreading every minute of it, I will think, "This is ultra running." When it's Friday night and I want to have fun, relax, have a drink, I will go to bed at 9pm thinking to myself, "This is ultra running."
I don't know if I'm a badass yet. The last 4 years of marathon training have made me feel "comfortable". I know I can run 26.2 and I'm confident in that whether I undertrain or overtrain (or train just right). Ultra marathon training is unfamiliar territory for me. My mindset has completely changed and I think that's a good thing. I could skip a workout during marathon training knowing that in the long run it didn't make much of a difference. I could make allowances for the heat, humidity, rain, the dreaded treadmill run and opt to do it another day. But my "This is ultra running." mindset eliminates all excuses. I run no matter what.
Week 2 of 50K training starts tomorrow. I headed for a 12 mile run next weekend. Not too worried about my workouts leading up to July but July brings vacation and my first 20 miler. I just keep telling myself, "This is ultra running." and I know I will crush any challenges that are headed my way. Badassery at its finest. :)
Happy running,
Amanda
This new mantra reminds me that I'm basically training to be a badass. Here are some of the badass ultra runners that I follow and look up to...
 |
| Jenn Shelton and Anton Krupika on mile 97 of the Western 100. |
 | |
| Scott Jurek - Vegan ultra runner who ran 2,189 miles on the Appalachian Trail in 46 days, 8 hours, 7 minutes. That's almost 50 miles a day! |
 |
| Dean Karnazes - ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days |
Like I said...badass.Today when I reached mile 4, I intended to turn around and run back another 4, leaving me 2 miles short of 10. Then that mantra hit me again. This is ultra running. I didn't care if I was sick. I didn't care if I was hot. These little moments are what it will take for me to push through 50K. When I'm pounding out another 5-8 miles on the treadmill and dreading every minute of it, I will think, "This is ultra running." When it's Friday night and I want to have fun, relax, have a drink, I will go to bed at 9pm thinking to myself, "This is ultra running."
I don't know if I'm a badass yet. The last 4 years of marathon training have made me feel "comfortable". I know I can run 26.2 and I'm confident in that whether I undertrain or overtrain (or train just right). Ultra marathon training is unfamiliar territory for me. My mindset has completely changed and I think that's a good thing. I could skip a workout during marathon training knowing that in the long run it didn't make much of a difference. I could make allowances for the heat, humidity, rain, the dreaded treadmill run and opt to do it another day. But my "This is ultra running." mindset eliminates all excuses. I run no matter what.
Week 2 of 50K training starts tomorrow. I headed for a 12 mile run next weekend. Not too worried about my workouts leading up to July but July brings vacation and my first 20 miler. I just keep telling myself, "This is ultra running." and I know I will crush any challenges that are headed my way. Badassery at its finest. :)
Happy running,
Amanda
Monday, January 4, 2016
I run for...the fight.
Greetings!! A new year and a new blog post! I realize it's been awhile. I took a much needed break from my blog and from running over the holiday season.
In the last four years, a "break" was never something in my running vocabulary. In fact I never went more than a week without running. But I have a confession to make. This year's marathon really discouraged me. Having done everything right leading up to race day it broke my spirit to know I couldn't rise to my full potential. Just like in life sometimes we have no control over what happens.
I had a Turkey Trot 5K in November that I was looking forward to post-marathon but I just couldn't get into my training. I did almost no speedwork leading up to it. I did alright on race day, finishing at around 33:00, but not being able to match my sub-30 from last year led to further discouragement.
After the 5K I only ran twice the rest of November and then in December I only ran 5x, never faster than 12 min/mi. December 14th was my last run for the year and at that point I wasn't sure how I was going to proceed in making my running goals for 2016. I had lost the desire to run another marathon. I thought about refocusing my time and energy on another pursuit - like cycling, yoga or weight training. Thankfully my 17 day hiatus from running allowed me to put things into perspective.
If there is one thing I have learned about myself it's that I need a challenge. I think I was right on about not wanting to run another marathon. I've already ran four! It's time to take things up a notch. That's why this year my goal is to run my first ultra marathon (defined as any distance over 26.2). I have not picked which race I'm doing yet but I have my sights on a 50 miler in the Fall.
With this new challenge, I know I need to run a lot more miles for the year. My goal is 1200 miles. That's double what I ran in 2015 but only 400 off from what I completed in 2014. It's totally possible. To jump start this new year's goal I have committed myself to keeping a running streak. I am currently on day 4 for the year and at 9 miles total. I'm hoping to make it to at least 100 days.
One thing that I forgot to mention in chronicling marathon day 2015 was my power song - Fight Song by Rachel Platten. This song is now my 2016 anthem.
This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I'm alright song
My power's turned on
Starting right now I'll be strong
I'll play my fight song
And I don't really care if nobody else believes
Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me
There you have it! My goals for 2016. Join me in the fight, find your strong, break through your comfort zone, set the bar higher, challenge yourself, and above all...have fun!
Happy running!
Amanda
In the last four years, a "break" was never something in my running vocabulary. In fact I never went more than a week without running. But I have a confession to make. This year's marathon really discouraged me. Having done everything right leading up to race day it broke my spirit to know I couldn't rise to my full potential. Just like in life sometimes we have no control over what happens.
I had a Turkey Trot 5K in November that I was looking forward to post-marathon but I just couldn't get into my training. I did almost no speedwork leading up to it. I did alright on race day, finishing at around 33:00, but not being able to match my sub-30 from last year led to further discouragement.
After the 5K I only ran twice the rest of November and then in December I only ran 5x, never faster than 12 min/mi. December 14th was my last run for the year and at that point I wasn't sure how I was going to proceed in making my running goals for 2016. I had lost the desire to run another marathon. I thought about refocusing my time and energy on another pursuit - like cycling, yoga or weight training. Thankfully my 17 day hiatus from running allowed me to put things into perspective.
If there is one thing I have learned about myself it's that I need a challenge. I think I was right on about not wanting to run another marathon. I've already ran four! It's time to take things up a notch. That's why this year my goal is to run my first ultra marathon (defined as any distance over 26.2). I have not picked which race I'm doing yet but I have my sights on a 50 miler in the Fall.
With this new challenge, I know I need to run a lot more miles for the year. My goal is 1200 miles. That's double what I ran in 2015 but only 400 off from what I completed in 2014. It's totally possible. To jump start this new year's goal I have committed myself to keeping a running streak. I am currently on day 4 for the year and at 9 miles total. I'm hoping to make it to at least 100 days.
One thing that I forgot to mention in chronicling marathon day 2015 was my power song - Fight Song by Rachel Platten. This song is now my 2016 anthem.
This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I'm alright song
My power's turned on
Starting right now I'll be strong
I'll play my fight song
And I don't really care if nobody else believes
Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me
There you have it! My goals for 2016. Join me in the fight, find your strong, break through your comfort zone, set the bar higher, challenge yourself, and above all...have fun!
Happy running!
Amanda
Monday, January 27, 2014
I run for...routine.
Sounds boring I
know. But I would be nothing without the routine that running and training
brings to my life.
This winter has
SUCKED! I typically like the cold and snowy winter months but this winter has
been outrageous and we still have roughly 2 months left of it. My point is…I
have not ran as often as I would like. I love running outdoors but when it is
-15 degrees outside it is hard to motivate myself to get out there. Not to
mention the amount of prep and recovery time involved. So for about the past
month I have only been running once a week.
This is where
routine becomes important. I notice a HUGE difference when I don't get at least
3 runs in a week. I'm more irritable. I'm more stressed. I'm more tired, lazy,
indulgent, etc. I was really becoming restless staying indoors and needed a fix
and quick! So I bought a treadmill.
I think I've
mentioned before that I absolutely loathe treadmills. The majority of my runs
are done outdoors. There are a lot of reasons for this but namely I like the
environmental connection and it most aptly prepares me for races - since they
are solely ran outdoors.
But I've had a
treadmill for the last 11 days and I've ran 5 of those days for a total of 22
miles. Ahhhhhh! That feels SO much better.
Getting back into a
routine is now even more important because this week marks the first week of my
half marathon training program. I am also set up to complete a new challenge
for the month of February. I will be running every day! Can't wait!
This February
challenge is part of my New Year's "resolution" to complete a
different challenge every month. Not every challenge is devoted to
fitness/running but I thought I would highlight them here in this blog. Maybe
it will inspire you to do the same.
FUN FACT about me: I
have never NOT completed a New Year's resolution. I am tenacious. When I make
up my mind to do something, I do it!
So here are my
monthly challenges for the year 2014…
January - 21 Day
Sugar Detox - Successfully completed as of yesterday!
February - Run every
day. - Developed to jump start my half-marathon training program and keep me
motivated through the winter.
March - Meditate
every day. - Switching gears to focus more on spiritual development and mental
well being.
April - Push up
challenge. - Let's face it. I'm a runner. My legs are strong but my arms are
puny. This will hopefully help me bulk up my upper half.
May - End each day
reading a book. - I love to read but don't do it enough. Ending each day
reading a book will hopefully get me in the habit of reading for pleasure more
often.
June - 30 random
acts of kindness. - This year I turn 30. *gasp* And it just so happens that the
month of June has exactly 30 days leading up to my 30th birthday on July 1st.
This way my turning 30 will not be defined by growing older but rather by helping
others.
July - Spend an hour
outside every day.
August - Write every
day. - I have a lot of stories up in my head that I've never put down on paper.
This challenge will hopefully inspire me to write the children's books that
I've always wanted to write. I might even start journaling and writing poetry
again.
September - Go
Vegan! - I've been a vegetarian in the past. Longest time as a vegetarian was 5
years (sophomore year of high school through college). I just want to try
something different and see how being vegan feels.
October - 31 movies
I've never seen. - I've already got my list of movies. A lot of them are scary
movies which is appropriate for October. I'm so excited for this one!
November - Write a
letter every day. - Writing letters is unfortunately becoming a lost art. I'm
hoping to write meaningful letters to loved ones that they may cherish for a
lifetime, including a letter to my son to open whenever he turns 18.
December -
Technology Fast. - This was a hard one to come up with because I know December
will be so crazy and hectic. But that is ultimately why I decided to do a
technology fast. So that I can spend all my free time, enjoying the holiday
season, with the people that mean the most to me.
Stay tuned for
regular updates now that my training is in full swing!
Happy running!
Amanda
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
I run for...improvement.
A big part of making improvements is making goals for yourself. In life I have learned that I need challenges. Challenges pose as opportunities for improvement. This is also true for my running. I have never been one to make it "easy" on myself. Right out of the gate, with just 2 months of consistent running experience under my belt, I made a new year's resolution to not only run 500 miles in 2012 but to also run my first marathon. Guess what? I did it! Crazy as that may have seemed at the time it was that commitment that drove me to success.
Last year with 2012 coming to an end I once again made a commitment to running 500 miles for the year, running a marathon, and adding in an additional race, a half-marathon, in the Spring. DONE! I have surpassed my goal of 500 miles (555 miles to be exact). I ran the Go! St Louis Half-Marathon in April 2013 and the Rock N' Roll Savannah Marathon in November 2013.
In 2014 I plan to push myself even farther.
#1 - Run 600 miles for the year.
#2 - Half Marathon in May - The Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati (possibly making this a marathon run)
#3 - Marathon in November - Pensacola Marathon in Florida
And most likely, I will add a few other fun races in there too. I've always wanted to do a color or neon run and the hot chocolate run sounds awesome too!
So what are your goals for the year? I CHALLENGE you to do more running this year. Do you need to commit to a race this year? Running faster or farther? Or maybe you just need to commit to getting out the door. Whatever your goals may be I know you won't be disappointed with the rewards that running can bring you.
Happy New Year! Best wishes (and running!) to you in 2014!
Love, Amanda
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