A New Outlook

Ive been in a running rut since I got sick a month ago. Almost no run has been "good", and I have had a huge amount of self doubt lately. I have found it difficult to run the planned distances, even with Matthew by my side. We havent ran the whole planned distance since our first half marathon and I have been extremely disappointed in my mental, and physical, performance.

Matthew is gone for the next two weeks, and it gets dark around 5pm now. I get home from work around 330, so that doesnt leave much time to run after work. I do get in a run, or at least a workout, at lunch everyday, but there is no way to get in my planned mileage.......or is there?

We have three dogs, Zolten, Storm, and Dakota. I decided to try running with them...but dont ask me why. Our dogs are "leash trained", aka they will allow us to put the leash on them before taking off pulling as hard as they can, usually for the whole walk. So I am not sure what I was thinking when I decided I would take them running with me!!!

I needed to get in 3 more miles to keep my sanity yesterday, and it just so happens I have three wild and crazy dogs who love walks. So I took each dog out for 1 mile each.

First up was Zolten, our 60 pound 6.5 year old german shorthaired pointer. She is our biggest, and oldest dog...but the most hyper. I have a heavy duty leash for her since she has a pulling problem, and has failed doggy obedience class. Surprisingly she did amazing on the run! After she figured out what was going on, she got her little doggy legs moving in cadence with mine, and we completed the mile in 9:02. Not bad for her first time running. And I was happy.

Next up was Storm. She is our most well behaved polite mannered dog. She is approximately 3 years old and 50 pounds. She is the biggest cuddle bug dog I have ever met and is usually fairly well behaved on the leash. I dont think she really understands running on a leash. She kept trying to sprint across streets then slow down on the sidewalks. She would swerve right in front of me then turn around and sit. Maybe she doesnt like running...yet. But she made it the full mile as well, in 9:04. Not too bad of a time...now to fix that behavior!

Last, but certainly not least is our newest addition to the family, Dakota. Shes about 3 years old and 50 pounds like Storm is. However, she is completely opposite of Storm behavior-wise. She is a punk, there is nothing else to say. She wasnt sure about going with me since the other girls had to stay behind, but once she realized it was ok, her ears perked up and she seemed fine. We were going at a pretty good pace and she was actually behaving really well...until 0.6 miles in. She started running into my legs every few steps, she would try to stop and walk, she even tried to sit MID RUN. I ended up having to encourage her quite a bit to finish out the mile, and we came in at 9:11. She needs some remedial running training as well...maybe a Couch 2 5K for dogs. 

I had been in a rut. Nothing felt good about running and my motivated was squashed. But running with the dogs was a very enjoyable experience, despite the small issues we had together. While Matt is gone for the next two weeks, I plan on running with them more often. Its fun and different, and I feel safe running alone with three cute and cuddly dogs. But the best part of running with the dogs..........bed time!

Feeling Incompetent

Im sure everyone has those days, or weeks, that they just feel off. Since the last half marathon, I have not had a good strong run. I havent felt like running or been motivated to get out there and push myself. When I do run I cut them short and struggle to even finish the abridged version. I dont get it.

Im hoping this doesnt last very long. It is really a horrible feeling and just thinking about it makes me feel even worse about it. I started running so I could lose some weight and fit into my mom's wedding dress. The dress fits...and now I have to maintain for another 5 months. Maybe I am a little bitter about the fact that it is going to take constant work, for the rest of my life, in order to stay at the level I am at...or was at a few weeks ago.

Or maybe its because I had to travel for work the week after the HM, then it was the week of Thanksgiving, and now Matthew is traveling for work for two full weeks. Maybe that is what is causing the funk. Running alone sure does suck. Matt and I almost never actually talk during the run, but it is very comforting to be with him. Running has brought us closer to each other, mainly because we have set out to do something we thought was impossible just a few months ago. We have had to help each other and encourage each other to get through each and every run. We have done it all together...and now Im on my own for the next two weeks.

My goal for the next few days is to get feeling better, get my motivation back, and have at least one good long run. Is that really too much to ask for? I just want to feel like a competent runner, and not like the completely incompetent runner that I have been feeling like the past 2 weeks.

So I Dress A Little Strange

When I started running, I could hardly stand to wear running shorts. They are so short...and my legs werent exactly thin. But I got over that issue after a few months and have come to love my running shorts. All of my running clothes are the most comfy things I own, and I can often be found lounging around in a running shirt.

This weekend, it was about 50 degrees out, so I decided to try some of my super cool cold weather running gear. I bought the capris a few months ago, and they didnt fit. But I have lost some weight and some inches so they fit now YAY. But, as with my issue with running shorts in the beginning, I was not comfortable wearing ONLY running capris. So I wore shorts on top.

Top it off with a long sleeve shirt and a super cool bandana...and I look pretty dorky. At least I didnt freeze to death...or chafe! Score 2 for the capris!

Oh, and Matt looks pretty silly too in his cold weather clothes. Compression shorts are about as warm as he goes.

Mental health

There is something amazing about a good hard run on a cold day under the sun. 

We finished training early today so I got to run outdoors!!!!! Right by the hotel there is a small pond and a path that goes all the way around. The path had some fun ups and downs. One lap was about 0.4 miles. I ran at a quick but manageable pace. At 2.8 miles I went as fast as I could to finish my planned 3 miles.

Out of breath, legs burning, and nose running I finished the run smiling. And life is good again. A good run does amazing things for ones mental health!

No Running Blues

This week I am in Washington D.C. for work. We are locked in training for 8 hours a day. We don't even get out at lunch. I haven't gotten in hardly any miles and they have all been on the treadmill. I'm getting really bummed out. Little exercise, long days of sitting, and eating out nightly has taken a toll.

I can feel the difference between my normal lifestyle and this travel one. Im sad and sluggish and have aches and pains all over. I'm ready to be home!

A painful half.

Why do races have to be so early in the morning...and 2 hours away? Three days before the race it had been almost 90 degrees, but the morning of the race it was only 2 degrees above freezing. I don't really like cold weather and have zero experience running in it.

We were the first runners to arrive and get our bibs, then quickly scurry back to the car to defrost. We stayed in the car as long as possible but we knew eventually we would have to get out to get ready to run.

 The race was staged at a high school stadium and the best part of that was they had real bathrooms! Best pre race toilet stop ever!!
Before we got half a mile, Matt was hit with a sharp side pain and we almost had to stop and walk. He complained for another half mile before the  pain went away.
 










By mile 2 I started to feel my toes and they hurt already. At mile 3 I dodged a spider and felt my hamstring pull. Great. 


Around half way, there was a group of kids with signs and one said "chuck Norris never ran a half marathon". I love seeing encouraging people on the route. That was the pick me up I needed to get through the next few miles.


 One thing that really started to piss me off was a group of 3 girls. They would run for a minute or two then stop and walk. Now there is nothing wrong with that...except that when they walked they would be three wide. The running lane was about 3 wide in most areas so it was incredibly frustrating. We passed them and they passed us at least 15 times in the first three quartets of the race.

 

By mile 10 I was fading fast. I grabbed a banana from the aid station and did my best to keep pace. Between mile 11 and 12 things started to fall apart quickly. I got a horrible side pain (but not as bad as the last half marathon) and Matt got his strange pain. We really struggled to keep moving.

We rounded the corner  toward the finish line and Matt saw the race clock. He knew my goal was to beat 2:15:00...and about 100 yards away we had 8 seconds to make it. I had assumed we lost too much time when I had to walk for a minute so I wasn't thinking about meeting my time goal. We took off as fast as possible but I knew it wasn't possible. We crossed the line at 2:15:04 and promptly collapsed to the grass. Our only hope of breaking our goal was the official chip time.

After a few minutes of laying down we got up and went to the free food. Then when we got the strength to walk to the car we went and turned the heater on. In over 2 hours it had only warmed up 7 degrees. Yuk.

This was the most painful race I have done. It almost makes me question my ability as a runner. And really makes me question whether I want to attempt a full marathon.

Our chip time came in at exactly 2:15:00. One freaking second short of my goal. Maybe next time I guess.

Cold & Cold

We have a half marathon coming up this next weekend. I had a great run on Sunday and felt confident for the next half marathon. Then, Sunday night, doing absolutely nothing, I got punched in the face with a cold. All week I have had a hard time breathing, and its almost impossible to breathe while running. For the whole week, my mileage has been a measly 6 miles, all of which have been a struggle. I am still planning on running the half this weekend, but maybe I shouldnt expect to meet my original time goal. Maybe just surviving and finishing will be enough.

Also, we have been enjoying lovely temperatures lately in the high 80s, with lows in the 50s. Well, this weekend, a cold front and winter storm are moving in. GREAT! Its going to be all of 35 degrees at race start with a high of 58 for the whole day! Terrific! Running with a cold IN the cold.

Oh, and have I mentioned, I own running tights.......but have never ran more than a mile in them! So I cant wear them for the race for fear of severe chaffing. Not pleasurable. I also havent worn my capri's for longer than 2 miles, so thats not an option either. And that doesnt even begin to approach the "what kind of underwear do you wear with tights!?!?" issue...guess it will be running shorts, long socks, and a long sleeve shirt. Wish us luck!

Firefighter's Charity 5K

Exactly one week after the A Mountain half marathon, still slightly sore and tired, we dragged our tired booties out of bed for another race. Yes, it was only a 5K...but we had big dreams for today. We wanted to PR.

Matt hadnt run all week due to his toe hurting. He finally decided to call the doctor, but they didnt have any appointments until Monday. So he had no choice but to run on a slightly painful toe and hope something wasnt broken.

There were only about 120 people at the race, the smallest by far that we have done! Matt thought he could do really well in the field of runners. I wasnt so sure. I told him he can go ahead of me. I know he can run faster than me...he is a whole foot taller than me!

I kept up with him for the first 3/4 mile. I crossed the 1 mile marker at 7:30 (the fastest mile I have EVER run). I had to slow down after that as I was having trouble. I saw Matt at the turnaround point and told him the time. I think he sped up even more! I had a hard time finishing the 5K at all, let alone keeping the fast pace.

I crossed the line at 25:35 and promptly felt like dying. Matt had crossed nearly 2 minutes before me and already had grapes and a banana in hand, which I snatched as soon as I had the strength!

Overall, this race was a success. We both PR'd and didnt die. I never thought I would get my 5K time under 27 minutes for the year, let alone to where I've gotten it. So Im happy and dont plan on trying to break it until next spring. I dont know about Matt's intentions, he always wants to be better. As long as no one dies, Im ok with that.

Taper Tantrum & the Tucson A Mountain Half Marathon

The taper period before a large race can be quite traumatic. After struggling the last few weeks to complete my long runs, I was not feeling particularly confident in my ability to complete the upcoming half marathon. Even worse, the half marathon goes up A Mountain in Tucson. A 1.5 mile climb that gains nearly 500 feet, then 1.5 mile fall...all of that in the middle of the race!

We tapered for two weeks. The first week of the taper we cut mileage to 75% of normal. I didnt have any trouble during this week mentally, but I struggled physically. All that rest can wear you out! My legs felt heavy during runs, my breathing struggled to stay under control, and I lost even more confidence. The second week of the taper, we cut mileage to 25% of normal. We only ran twice in the evenings, both 6 milers. The first 6 miler of the week I was feeling horrible. I just could not keep pace, or focus. I had a slight panic attack at mile 3, then got up and finished. This definitely worried me about the race!

The night before the race, we had gotten a hotel room a mile away from the start line. We got up there, and lo and behold, a car had run into the hotel and it was closed. So we got moved to a partner hotel down the road...and officially in the ghetto! It was an interesting night and I didnt get much sleep. Thanks nerves!

Race morning was fine. It wasnt too hot or too cold. We picked up our packets really early and brought our shirts to the car. We ran a little to warm up, then sat around and waited for the start. I visited the port-a-john a few times hoping, no praying, for something to get moving. But of course, it wouldnt. Thanks, nerves, again!

The course did a 5K loop before taking off on the long out and back course. Luckily, that meant we would run by the port-a-johns at the 3 mile mark...just when I needed it! After a brief pause, we were all business to finish the race! I was pumped! We were actually doing it!

Throughout the course, I kept thinking of all the hard work we had put in training to get to this race and how important the race was to me. My parents were even driving up from home to watch us finish. I think all this added to the stress, which finally broke at the top of A Mountain. I got a horrible side pain. Not a stitch or a cramp, but an internal organ area pain. It lasted 2.5 miles and every step sucked. Then, as quickly as it came, it went away.

Matt's legs started to give out around the 12 mile mark, and again at the 13 mile. We were so close. I told him just keep going, we will see the finish line any second now. Then we did! I saw my parents with their cameras, and my brother recording a video. Matt grabbed my hand and we ran the last .1 mile together, hand in hand. I shed a tear about 20 feet from the finish line, then smiled for the camera (of course!). 

We got our finishers medals and found my parents. I think they were as happy as we were! 6 months ago, I told my mom I wanted to run a half marathon (this was the day I ran 1 mile straight for the first time ever), and she said "Lets start at 5K". To finish a half marathon, with her there cheering me on, was a great feeling! We posed for some pictures, went out to IHOP for breakfast (and splurged on food we would never had eaten on a normal day), then drove home. I smiled all day.

We were pretty sore the next day (or two, or three). Matt hurt his toe during the half and was sidelined for a whole week. I ran a few times, feeling pretty good each run, but I could feel the mountain for a few days!

The Great Pumpkin Run 5K

A Halloween themed run, through a pumpkin patch, and ending with a race through a corn maze! It sounded fun, but we didnt sign up in advance. The night before the race, I looked up the address online and it was a full 2 hours from home, and started at 615 AM. I guess it was going to be an early morning.

What we didnt expect, was that the temperature would go from summer to winter in one day! The day before the race, it was almost 90 degrees. The morning of the race, it was a brisk 44 degrees at the starting gun. We were under dressed and COLD.

The race was another cross country style race, an area we are certainly deficient in. We zigged and zagged back and forth through the pumpkin patch, making sharp turns, jumping over dead and broken pumpkin, and running in tire tracks. We looked back about half way through the course and the field looked really cool. Lines of runners going back and forth...and for the first time ever, we were towards the front.

We got into the corn maze and Matt took off, bouncing off the walls of corn to his advantage and not missing a step going over the planting rows. I stumbled a few times, hit the corn once or twice, and was relieved when I got out of the maze and saw the finish line. We both PR'd at this race, by large amounts.

The best part of the day was picking pumpkins after the race. We picked four different pumpkins, walked through the little crafter's market, then went to the mall. Overall, a great (and cold) day!

Saguaro National Park 8 Miler

The Saguaro 8 Mile run is a challenging run through a National Park. It is kind of like a roller coaster ride with it's up and down. Until mile 4 when the course changes from a fun up and down to a complete up hill run. 1.5 miles straight up the side of the mountain. It was a challenge to not stop running, but I knew if I stopped, I probably would have a hard time stopping. After getting to the top of the hill, I was hoping for a nice downhill race to the finish, but boy was a wrong! It continued to go up and down like the first part of the course all the way to the finish. I can honestly say I left everything I had on the course for this race!

This is how Matt felt about the course profile!

After the race...exhausted!

Im confident as ever!

After the race, I asked Matt if he would want to do it again next year. He said climbing a hill like that is something he only wants to do once, so no. I said "We'll see", then we hobbled to the car. We were sore for three days after this race, and I started to think the same as Matt on the whole never again thing...

Tombstone Vigilante Days 10K

Every year, Tombstone Arizona celebrates it's history and holds the Vigilante Days. The organization dresses up in old western clothes and walks around Tombstone. Its pretty much a tourist trap...but they hold a 10K. This isnt any ordinary 10K. Tombstone is known as "The Town Too Tough To Die", and the 10K had 2 hills called "The Hill Too Tough To Climb". Not one, but two! And they were tough! It was another hot day (the summer in Southern AZ sure is hot), but at the 2 and 4 mile marks, they had a water station and a misting shower to run under. It was awesome turning the last corner and running the last quarter mile on the famous Allen Street which was lined with fans of all ages, shapes, and apparel. The finish line was at the entrance to the OK Corral, and in the courtyard, a keg of free beer for all the finishers. Beer at 730am: no thanks, but an interesting post run hangout to say the least. We took a quick picture with one of the Vigilantes, then went home to ice our blistered feet. Our first experience with hill running had left some lovely toe tip blisters. Surely, it wouldnt be the last.

 

4th of July Freedom 5K

Today's only goal was to beat our prior 5K time. It was a hot and humid morning and we struggled to wake up on time to get up to Tucson to run. That hour and a half drive seems to take forever at 4am!  We even drove through fog on the way up to Tucson, definitely not something seen every day in Southern Arizona.

About to go into the fog.

This race was much smaller than our first one, so finding our proper place was much easier. We lined up and took off! What we didnt know was that this race was on gravel and dirt paths, and with the rain the night before, it was more like mud bogs and gravel roads. All the runners crossed the small wooden bridge at the same time, which the bridge wasnt too appreciative of. It started bouncing up and down and felt like it was about to snap! But we survived the bridge and had a good run. We accomplished our goal, finishing in 29:02. It was a great way to start the holiday!

Lining up!

After the race, yes, I know Im red.

Meet Me Downtown Tucson 5K

Our first race was the Meet Me Downtown Tucson Night Run 5K. We were not sure what to expect as far as the whole race thing went. We got there really early and got our bibs and shirts and got ready to go. An hour later we lined up. Another predicament...where do we line up in the big mob? Surely we werent fast, but we were going to be running. We picked a spot and hoped for the best.

It was over 100 degrees, even after the sun had set. It was a struggle to run the whole thing, and once we turned the last corner and saw the finish line, I turned to Matt and asked if he had any kick left. Of course he said no, then smiled, then took off. I took off after him. We finished in 31:02 and argued about who really finished first. In the long run, it didnt matter. All that mattered is we finished, together!

A Brief History

Hey everyone! I started running in April 2012 as a way to lose weight to fit into my mother's wedding dress. I definitely was not a natural born runner. I was always an athlete, playing soccer, softball, karate, and swim & dive throughout my adolescent years, but I always hated running. Ive had knee surgery and hammer toe surgery and have been told by a few podiatrists that running is just something I had to be ok with not doing. I had accepted this as truth for a while, and never really gave it a second thought.

Then I saw the wedding dress! I knew I had to lose weight in order to be able to wear it, and I knew that dieting and walking wasnt enough. I had been dieting since Matthew proposed to me in January, and walking a minimum of two miles a day every day. But I had only lost about 5 pounds, and if I fell off the wagon, the weight quickly came back. So Matthew said, well, why dont you try to run?

Simple question. And I had a simple answer: My doctor's all said I cant. Plus, my foot hurts too bad and is always swollen. But that triggered something in the back of my mind. So that day at the track, instead of just walking my two miles, I tried to run the last lap. I probably didnt look real smooth, barely staggering across the finish line with a beet red face, but I did it. And it sucked. And I quickly said to myself "See, you will never be a runner".

Over the next 6 weeks, I built up my time running slowly. I started running the straight-a ways of the track for 4 laps, then 6 laps, then all 8 laps. Then I started a whole lap at a time, then two laps, then...4 whole laps! Without stopping I ran 4 whole laps. A mile. For the first time in many many years! I was so proud of myself I had the stupidest grin on my face. That was May 11th.

Ive been going non-stop since then, working up to a 5K, then 10K, 8-miler, then half marathon. Its been a long hard road, but my fiance and I have ran it all together.