Do I lose weight from one run? No. Is that my goal? No. Do I drop a pants size from one run? No. Is that my goal? No. When I talk about running and training, I think a lot of people think of the physical challenges and balk at it. Yes, it's difficult. Yes, running is a lot about physicality. Do I become stronger with each run? Yes, I believe so. Do I add miles to my bank for endurance? Yes. But obviously I run for more reasons that just the physical ones. I've cataloged a lot of those reasons on this blog, some vague and some very specific, such as weather, my sanity, the feeling, freedom, hope, etc. But today's blog post is about the lesser considered benefits of running. I've entitled the blog post productivity because of all the things I am able to accomplish when running.
I've now been on this running journey for almost 7 years and I get a lot of feedback from people about "time" I spend on running, the implied "time" I could be spending time with my family or cleaning house or working or [insert something more acceptable than running here]. My argument is always going to be that running allows me the extra "time" to devote to those things because I am operating at my best because...I'm a runner. I'm healthier, less stressed, happier, and more confident, to name a few. If I didn't run, I'm certain that many areas of my life would be neglected. This brings me to productivity. As a way to illustrate this, I'm going to list all of the things I was able to accomplish on my 9 mile run this morning.
1. I listened to 2 podcasts - one about current events/news and one about self-improvement/leadership
2. I came up with a new book idea and even "wrote" the first line.
3. I came up for the idea for this blog post
4. I ran through the cemetery and visited my uncle Marty. I drew inspiration from a conversation I had with him right before my first marathon.
5. I processed through the events of the last week and thought ahead to next week's agenda.
6. I "wrote" an important email in my head.
7. I created my to-do list for the day.
8. I got some much needed sunshine and time in nature.
9. As an introvert, I got some much needed time to myself to recharge.
10. I listened to my 50 mile playlist, creating a mental connection from today's run to what will eventually be race day.
11. I encountered 8 different people out running or biking in my community and I was able to connect with them by smiling and saying good morning.
Sure, some of these things could have also happened had I not ran but it would have been less likely. For one, I got up at 5:45 am and had all of this accomplished by 8:30 am. If I didn't get up to run, I would have slept at least another 2 hours. I also would have likely spent my time with a mind numbing activity like watching TV or surfing the internet. You see, running is my brain fuel, making all the above possible during the course of a 9 mile run. Running is good for the brain! This is scientifically proven. Many studies have shown that running (and physical exercise in general) increases the generation of neurons and blood vessels which aid in learning and memory. Running also benefits your sleep - you fall asleep quicker and sleep longer, and running boosts the immune system making you more resilient to common illnesses. Ain't nobody got time for that!! I don't know about you but when I have trouble sleeping and I'm sick, my productivity goes way down. Just more proof that running is good for productivity.
This blog is for all of you out there. If "time" is a frequent excuse for why you don't or can't run, please consider what I've told you. I used to be there too. When I first started 7 years ago, my commitment to running was 1x a week for 1 hour or less. That's all I felt like I had "time" for. When I'm in the peak of my training, I'm running 5 to 6 days a weeks for hours at a time. Running is a much better use of my time than anything else I could be doing. I've also learned that you make time for what matters. Running is a top priority in my life for all the reasons why I run. It could be that way for you too. Get started and reap the benefits of having a more productive lifestyle.
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Saturday, September 29, 2018
Sunday, January 28, 2018
I run for...a happy new year!
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| This view at the top of Table Rock cannot be beat! |
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| Such a happy day! Completing my first 50K! |
Once I opted out of doing the 50 miler, I began focusing my energy on completing our local Trick or Trot 5K sponsored by the agency for which I work. I do this race every year as a final cap on my racing season so it's more for fun than anything else, just an opportunity where I can dress up in costume and hang out with family, clients and coworkers. To my surprise this year, I won first in my age group and for best costume! That was an added bonus to an already amazing year for my "Year of the Comeback".
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| First in my age group and for best costume! |
1. Running streak of at least 100 days
2. Spring Marathon
3. First 50 mile race
Current status:
1. I started my running streak on New Year's Eve with a 7.6 mile run. I have run every day for the last 28 days and still going strong. Total running streak mileage equals 82.4 miles. I've learned so far that there is time in every day for at least one mile if not three or four. It's not that much time out of my day! So my goal is 100 days but I highly anticipate that it will go beyond that. After 100 days, I just can't imagine myself being like "Okay, that was cool. Now I'm done. No run tomorrow." I also recently saw on one of my ultra running Facebook groups that one of my idols (Catra Corbett) has been doing a running streak for over 5 years!! Say what?! This amazing woman had to drop from a 100 mile race because she had the flu but still managed to shuffle for a couple miles to keep her running streak alive. I strive to have that kind of determination. I guess in 5 years we'll see. Lol. :)
2. My decision to do a Spring marathon was kind of just because it made the most sense. For the last 2 years my mom and I have done the 10K on the weekend of the Illinois Marathon in Champaign, IL. Last year we both had a great race. For one, we didn't lose each other like we did the year before. Secondly, we both got PRs! Last year my mom went on to complete her first half marathon and has discovered that just crossing that off a bucket list is not that easy. Lol. So this year for the Illinois Marathon weekend she is going to do the half marathon. I looked at my training schedule and my mileage and I'm practically already trained for the half marathon so I thought I might as well do the full! April 28, 2018 is the date. We are 12 weeks away and training is going exactly to plan. I'm excited to potentially get a PR for the first time at the marathon distance.
3. This is the big one. There are literally hundreds of different 50 mile races I could choose from. I spent hours upon hours researching, planning, crossing off, prioritizing, wondering, dreaming, etc. about which race to choose. And wouldn't you know it that the race I've chosen is not for the faint of heart. It's a challenge for sure! I have finally settled on The Hitchcock Experience 50 mile race on December 8, 2018 in Honey Creek, IA. The race consists of a 12.5 mile loop (4x) with an overall elevation gain of 9856 ft (that's almost double what I did last year in the TRU 50K). The challenge of it is a big reason why I chose this race. Another is the location...I've never done a race in Iowa and I'm trying to expand on the number of states where I've done races. I ultimately would like to do a race in every state. (currently: IL, MO, OH, NC, GA). This race also has a 100 mile race along side it. In my research, I have found that cutoff times for the 50 mile race were more generous when a 100 mile race was going on at the same time. That will be of huge benefit to me, especially in a race that has so much elevation gain! Even though training won't officially start until August, you better believe that everything that I do this year is in preparation for this race. I want to achieve this goal SO bad I can't stand it. Because the truth is....I really want to be doing the 100 miler but I am trying to have patience and go through the proper steps first. Finishing this 50 miler will mean I'm finally ready to make the leap to the 100 miler - a dream that seems elusive now. One day....There you have it! My goals for 2018. The beginning of a new year also means that I do a lot of reflecting on my running journey as a whole. It helps keep things in perspective for me and I get a lot of inspiration from how far I've come. Here are some of the more interesting things that I've found:
Since November 5, 2011 when I started my running journey, my total mileage equals 3,759.
My initial commitment to myself was to run at least once a week. In the entire 6 years and 2 months since I started, I've ran 282 weeks out of 320.
I ran the most miles in 2014 - 804 miles.
The most amount of miles in a month - August 2016 @ 106.28 miles.
The least amount of miles in a month - February 2017 @ 3.43 miles (chronic sinus infections)
Number of miles in my first month (Nov 2011) - 6 miles
Number of miles in the last month (Jan 2018) - 82 miles (with 4 days to go)
Number of 20+ mile runs - 17 (10 in the last 2 years)
While my running journey is mine, I also seek to inspire others. I'm here to tell you that once you ignite the spark inside of yourself, you'll never know what you can accomplish. I share a lot of my past and my stats because in the beginning I was where so many of you are now. It's not easy but it starts with the simplest of steps/goals. If all you can commit to is once a week (that where I started), then do it! I promise you that after you conquer that, you will be on to the next thing and then before you know it, you'll be running marathons or even ultras. :)
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!
Friday, September 22, 2017
I run for...the mountains
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| Elevation Profile - Last year I made it to the 10mi turn around |
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| The 50K course map |
Mental training part 1: Every year this means something different to me. This year it's more important than ever. I've reviewed last year's race over and over again. I know that in the moment deciding to drop to the 35K was the best decision for me but I cannot shake the feeling that mentally, I could have been better prepared. I big reason for last year's failure had to do with not understanding the course or the elevation and have lofty goals for myself. Once I realized I could not run my 10-11min miles, I immediately got discouraged. This year I'm more realistic. I have three goals: a conservative one, an aggressive one, and one somewhere in the middle of those two.
#1 (conservative) - Pace: 20min/mi Overall finish time: 10.5 hours
#2 - Pace: 17min/mi Overall finish time: about 9 hours Projected finish time: 3:56pm
#3 (aggressive) - Pace: 15min/mi Overall finish time: about 8 hours
Mental training part 2: As I'm writing this, I'm currently listening to my Ultra/Mountain playlist.A mix of motivational songs and mountain songs to keep me focused on the task at hand. I don't plan on listening to music on the race course but will listen to it all the way leading up to the race. It will also be ready to go on the course if needed for an extra boost. This year's theme song - Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons.
I was born to run, I was born for this
Whip, whip
Run me like a racehorse
Pull me like a ripcord
Break me down and build me up
I wanna be the slip, slip
Word upon your lip, lip
Letter that you rip, rip
Break me down and build me up
Run me like a racehorse
Pull me like a ripcord
Break me down and build me up
I wanna be the slip, slip
Word upon your lip, lip
Letter that you rip, rip
Break me down and build me up
Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do whatever it takes
'Cause I love how it feels when I break the chains
Whatever it takes
You take me to the top I'm ready for
Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do what it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do whatever it takes
'Cause I love how it feels when I break the chains
Whatever it takes
You take me to the top I'm ready for
Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do what it takes
Mental training part 3: I've come up with some mental block "busters" to help motivate me during the race. Typically I will come up with a mantra or two each year but this year I've created a whole list. I need all the motivation I can get.
1. One foot in front of the other. 1, 2 (this has a nice cadence to it and I've used it during training runs)
2. I love doing this (sometimes I need convincing)
3. My legs don't hurt
4. I can breathe. My lungs are open.
5. I did 21 miles of this course last year.
6. I did 4000ft of the 5700ft of elevation gain last year
7. I run for those who can't (and I will keep those individuals in my mind throughout the race)
8. I run in remembrance of those I've lost (and I will think of them individually)
9. Pain is only temporary, the feeling of achievement lasts forever.
10. Keep going.
11. Run happy. Smile.
12. I have completed 4 marathons. I can do this.
13. I can eat whatever I want after this. (Carbs included!!)
14. Giving up is not an option.
15. The time is now.
16. Be fearless
17. You are tougher than you think you are
18. Think - easy, light, smooth & fast (from Born to Run)
So that's it folks. Nothing left but to conquer that mountain. This has been quite a journey this year. Last year's failure. Being sidelined from running for at least 2 months. Surgery 6.5 months ago. A spring PR at the Illinois Marathon 10K. Signing up for Table Rock 50K again. Training on the trails and through the heat. All to hopefully be able to officially call myself an ultrarunner and on to my first 50 miler or 100 miler.
Stay tuned for the race report to come in a couple days. Thanks for everyone's support!
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
 |
| 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.
 |
| Ready for my comeback! |
Sunday, October 2, 2016
I run for...the hills.
I aptly named today's blog post after the hills. Hill has a totally new meaning to me after my first 50K attempt. This blog post is coming to you 8 days after one of the most brutal races I've ever ran in my life, the Table Rock Ultra 50K. So here's my full race report with all the nitty gritty details.
My husband and I got to Morganton, NC on Friday afternoon and headed straight to the packet pickup. I have to admit that I was immediately intimidated as we drove into town and could see Table Rock from the road. It was massive. I could not believe that I would be at the summit of that mountain in less than 24 hours. After packet pickup there was no time to waste. I settled into my pre-race routine - meditation, a bottle of Nuun, and carb loading. I went to bed totally at peace and ready to embark on the uncharted territory of my first ultra.
Race day began as per usual. I was surprisingly well rested. The cough and cold I had been nursing the whole week prior to the race had seemingly disappeared. I drank my coffee and ate my oatmeal. Then, I just kept doing the visualizations that I had been practicing in the weeks prior.
Driving out to Steele Creek Park for the start of the race, I was definitely nervous. It was dark and I didn't have a head lamp so I was really hoping the sun would be up soon. I checked in with the race directors and then made my last pit stop to the restroom. I was pleasantly surprised when I realized the long line I saw was for the men's restroom. So I was in and out and had only a few minutes before we began. I packed everything I needed into my handheld water bottle or my flip belt. Then, got some love and encouragement from my husband before heading to the start line.
I stayed at the back of the pack, making sure I had someone to follow so I didn't get lost. The sun was starting to rise and I no longer had a fear of it being too dark. The race began slow and steady. It was flat at first and we started out racing across a huge pasture. It was like this for maybe the first 2 miles and then we hit the first section of single track trail.
Oh. Em. Gee. Nothing could have prepared me for this. This was not even the hardest part of the race but I knew if this was what was yet to come then I was in for a world of hurt. By the end of this short single track section, my legs were already burning and I had to stop to walk multiple times because there was just no "running" to some of those trail sections.
As predicted the next couple miles were nice rolling hills that were much more my caliber. I was actually able to make up quite a bit of ground on this section and passed a handful of people. One group of young men I caught up to had an injured friend that had twisted his ankle in the first couple of miles. They stuck with him and helped him as much as they could but I found out later he had to drop at the first aid station.
When the first aid station approached, I had no idea how I was doing on time. I felt like I was going at a snail's pace and sure enough I was right. I think it took me a little over an hour to make it 4.2 miles. My next aid station wasn't until 10.2 and the cut-off time was 11am. At the rate I was going I wasn't sure if I'd make it. I just knew those next 6 miles were going to be a true test for me and the thought had already crossed my mind that I might need to drop to the 30K. I had no idea what was in store for me next.
Those next 6 miles were mostly single track trail. Steep inclines, multiple creek crossings, lots of rocks and boulders and tree limbs. I could not only feel my legs burning but now my lungs. That cough and cold I had been nursing all week caught up with me. Every push to run a little faster threw me into a coughing fit. And if it wasn't the coughing, it was my legs screaming for a rest. But I pressed on. I knew every step forward was progress. I tried not to think about the time but it was hard. I was starting to get passed by all the 30K people who had started 30 minutes after me. One lady stopped to walk with me a bit. She asked how I was doing when I clearly wasn't doing well. I told her "I think I bit off more than I can chew". She said, "No! This is just a hike in the woods. We've got all day." This put a huge smile on my face and definitely renewed my confidence. Yes, this was going to be hard but yes, I am going to be able to do this.
Slowly but surely I made it up those steep climbs. They were absolutely brutal. There is no other word for it. However, I was relishing in the atmosphere. The views were spectacular. I'm not sure when I actually made the decision to drop to the 30K but as I got closer to the 10.2 mile turnaround, I knew I had made the right decision. I barely made the cut-off time for the 10.2 aid station at 10:30am. 3 1/2 hours after I had started the race. I can walk 10.2 miles faster than that! At the aid station, I filled my water bottle and got some carbs in me. Then, I asked if I could drop to the 30K. The man radioed down to the race director and he made the changes from there. The 30K was a true out and back course. Now all I had to do was run back the way I came.
I was definitely re-energized at that 10.2 turnaround. Giving myself a new goal to finish the 30K, not risking a DNF with the 50K, made me feel much better about myself. For awhile, I was running and running fast. I passed several people again on the way down the mountain. I had expected to really feel the downhill after running uphill for so long but I was feeling great. I made it down to my first creek crossing and knew there was going to be an uphill again. I saw the tape that was there to mark the course but there was fork in the trail and I couldn't figure out which way to go. I choose left and I was wrong. I went out of my way for about 100 yards before I realized I was ducking out of the way of tree limbs way too much. I turned around and headed back and sure enough, I had missed the second strand of tape off to the right.
I got back on the right trail and continued on. The trail started to get to me again. The sections of trail with the huge rocks and boulders were not runnable at all and some of those steep uphill climbs with rocks and tree limbs littering the pathway were treacherous to go down. I ended up falling pretty hard down one of them and caught the whole thing on camera.
After the last aid station, with 4 miles left to go, my heart was already filled with regret and disappointment. I faced the reality that I was going way too slow. The best I could do was to just keep moving forward. I soaked in the beautiful scenery as much as I could. In the last 2 miles, one of the 50K guys stopped next to me to ask me how I was doing. I was honest. Haha. Nevertheless, we gave each other some encouragement and he bounded up to the finish line. I continued to take my time until making the turn toward the finish and then finished strong.
All that being said, I'm extremely proud of what I accomplished. It really was the hardest run of my life. I was devastatingly unprepared for this ultra but I'm hoping that my experience has brought me that much closer to being prepared for my next one. I won't give up on this dream to be an ultrarunner.
How am I doing now? I've recovered for the most part. Physically, I stopped being sore about 4 days later. Mentally, I still battle those inner demons that tell me I've failed or that I could have done better. I really wanted to go out this past weekend and knock out 31.5 miles just to prove that I could do it but I know my body needed to rest. I felt the urge to run Wednesday-Saturday but I didn't get around to it until tonight. I'm glad I waited. Even after waiting 8 days, my legs still aren't the same. I got in 6.2 miles tonight and it helped mostly to clear the fog in my head and refocus my energy on my next goal.
Every year after my marathons, I sign up for a 5K to keep myself motivated. This year is the UMCH Trick or Trot 5K on October 22nd. I have now switched gears from ultra training to 5K training which means lots of speed workouts. 2 years ago I was able to meet my goal of finishing under 30 minutes. This year I hope to the do the same but getting a PR would be icing on the cake.
After the 5K, you better believe that I'll start training for the next 50K. I've scouted out a couple of race possibilities at the beginning of next year. I will be coming into this next attempt with more determination than ever before. Stay tuned...
Happy running!
Amanda
My husband and I got to Morganton, NC on Friday afternoon and headed straight to the packet pickup. I have to admit that I was immediately intimidated as we drove into town and could see Table Rock from the road. It was massive. I could not believe that I would be at the summit of that mountain in less than 24 hours. After packet pickup there was no time to waste. I settled into my pre-race routine - meditation, a bottle of Nuun, and carb loading. I went to bed totally at peace and ready to embark on the uncharted territory of my first ultra.
 |
| Yikes! |
Driving out to Steele Creek Park for the start of the race, I was definitely nervous. It was dark and I didn't have a head lamp so I was really hoping the sun would be up soon. I checked in with the race directors and then made my last pit stop to the restroom. I was pleasantly surprised when I realized the long line I saw was for the men's restroom. So I was in and out and had only a few minutes before we began. I packed everything I needed into my handheld water bottle or my flip belt. Then, got some love and encouragement from my husband before heading to the start line.
 |
| Me and my amazing husband |
Oh. Em. Gee. Nothing could have prepared me for this. This was not even the hardest part of the race but I knew if this was what was yet to come then I was in for a world of hurt. By the end of this short single track section, my legs were already burning and I had to stop to walk multiple times because there was just no "running" to some of those trail sections.
As predicted the next couple miles were nice rolling hills that were much more my caliber. I was actually able to make up quite a bit of ground on this section and passed a handful of people. One group of young men I caught up to had an injured friend that had twisted his ankle in the first couple of miles. They stuck with him and helped him as much as they could but I found out later he had to drop at the first aid station.
When the first aid station approached, I had no idea how I was doing on time. I felt like I was going at a snail's pace and sure enough I was right. I think it took me a little over an hour to make it 4.2 miles. My next aid station wasn't until 10.2 and the cut-off time was 11am. At the rate I was going I wasn't sure if I'd make it. I just knew those next 6 miles were going to be a true test for me and the thought had already crossed my mind that I might need to drop to the 30K. I had no idea what was in store for me next.
Those next 6 miles were mostly single track trail. Steep inclines, multiple creek crossings, lots of rocks and boulders and tree limbs. I could not only feel my legs burning but now my lungs. That cough and cold I had been nursing all week caught up with me. Every push to run a little faster threw me into a coughing fit. And if it wasn't the coughing, it was my legs screaming for a rest. But I pressed on. I knew every step forward was progress. I tried not to think about the time but it was hard. I was starting to get passed by all the 30K people who had started 30 minutes after me. One lady stopped to walk with me a bit. She asked how I was doing when I clearly wasn't doing well. I told her "I think I bit off more than I can chew". She said, "No! This is just a hike in the woods. We've got all day." This put a huge smile on my face and definitely renewed my confidence. Yes, this was going to be hard but yes, I am going to be able to do this.
Slowly but surely I made it up those steep climbs. They were absolutely brutal. There is no other word for it. However, I was relishing in the atmosphere. The views were spectacular. I'm not sure when I actually made the decision to drop to the 30K but as I got closer to the 10.2 mile turnaround, I knew I had made the right decision. I barely made the cut-off time for the 10.2 aid station at 10:30am. 3 1/2 hours after I had started the race. I can walk 10.2 miles faster than that! At the aid station, I filled my water bottle and got some carbs in me. Then, I asked if I could drop to the 30K. The man radioed down to the race director and he made the changes from there. The 30K was a true out and back course. Now all I had to do was run back the way I came.
I was definitely re-energized at that 10.2 turnaround. Giving myself a new goal to finish the 30K, not risking a DNF with the 50K, made me feel much better about myself. For awhile, I was running and running fast. I passed several people again on the way down the mountain. I had expected to really feel the downhill after running uphill for so long but I was feeling great. I made it down to my first creek crossing and knew there was going to be an uphill again. I saw the tape that was there to mark the course but there was fork in the trail and I couldn't figure out which way to go. I choose left and I was wrong. I went out of my way for about 100 yards before I realized I was ducking out of the way of tree limbs way too much. I turned around and headed back and sure enough, I had missed the second strand of tape off to the right.
I got back on the right trail and continued on. The trail started to get to me again. The sections of trail with the huge rocks and boulders were not runnable at all and some of those steep uphill climbs with rocks and tree limbs littering the pathway were treacherous to go down. I ended up falling pretty hard down one of them and caught the whole thing on camera.
After the last aid station, with 4 miles left to go, my heart was already filled with regret and disappointment. I faced the reality that I was going way too slow. The best I could do was to just keep moving forward. I soaked in the beautiful scenery as much as I could. In the last 2 miles, one of the 50K guys stopped next to me to ask me how I was doing. I was honest. Haha. Nevertheless, we gave each other some encouragement and he bounded up to the finish line. I continued to take my time until making the turn toward the finish and then finished strong.
 |
| This was the last two miles. Beautiful! |
How am I doing now? I've recovered for the most part. Physically, I stopped being sore about 4 days later. Mentally, I still battle those inner demons that tell me I've failed or that I could have done better. I really wanted to go out this past weekend and knock out 31.5 miles just to prove that I could do it but I know my body needed to rest. I felt the urge to run Wednesday-Saturday but I didn't get around to it until tonight. I'm glad I waited. Even after waiting 8 days, my legs still aren't the same. I got in 6.2 miles tonight and it helped mostly to clear the fog in my head and refocus my energy on my next goal.
Every year after my marathons, I sign up for a 5K to keep myself motivated. This year is the UMCH Trick or Trot 5K on October 22nd. I have now switched gears from ultra training to 5K training which means lots of speed workouts. 2 years ago I was able to meet my goal of finishing under 30 minutes. This year I hope to the do the same but getting a PR would be icing on the cake.
After the 5K, you better believe that I'll start training for the next 50K. I've scouted out a couple of race possibilities at the beginning of next year. I will be coming into this next attempt with more determination than ever before. Stay tuned...
Amanda
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
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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