Why We Train

I learned a little about training this morning.

It is not just for the race.

It is not just so we can run faster.

It is not just so we can run more efficiently.

It is not just so we can run farther.

This morning, I learned that training is also for after the race.

It allows us to be able to move our bodies days after taking a beating.

It allows us to soar when our minds say it shouldn't be possible.

It allows us to crave a run.

I have not run since Saturday morning.

Sunday, I could barely walk.

Monday, I was much better. Only slightly sore.

Last night? Man, I was craving a good run.

This morning, I was shooting for 2 or 3.

Not much, but enough to loosen up the legs.

Keep 'em moving for Sunday.

Last time I ran after a race, I felt like an elephant moving down the road.

Today? A gazelle.

Training.

Miles and miles ran.

Early mornings.

Pouring rain.

It has all paid off.

3 miles.

Nice and easy.

9:43's

Feeling amazing.

SO excited for Eugene.

Really thinking under 2:00 is within my reach.

Pace band printed and ready to go.

Is it too early to pack my bag?

I cannot wait!!

What I Did - Hood To Coast 2010

Thursday night I began packing for my adventure. Brilliant move by my procrastinating self... Thankfully, I have an amazing husband who helped me through it. Making sure I had everything I needed and didn't even say a word when I realized that I almost forgotten my sleeping bag and pillow!

As I stood putting things in my bag, I honestly told Cory, "If I would've known that I would have to get up at 3:00 a.m. and ride in a van with a bunch of women that I don't know, I would've said no!" Yes. I did. I said that. I was a little crabby. I was constantly having to remind myself that I WANTED to do this. That I said "yes" to this. That I had paid money to do this.

The alarm went off at 3:00 and I begrudgingly got out of bed. Got dressed. Made coffee. Packed up the car and out the door I went. Stomach turning...

I arrived at Karen's house and was thankfully NOT the last one there! (I am ALWAYS late.) We introduced ourselves. Waited for the other girls to get there. I think we were on our way by 4:30.

The drive to Mt. Hood was peaceful. Chatting. Getting to know each other. I was the rookie in the van. And at this point, the ONLY person who was anxious. The closer we got to Timberline, the more my stomach turned...

Frigid and beautiful is how I would describe it. The mountain, the sky, vans parked side by side. Anxious runners. Rookies and the experienced, side by side. Teeth chattering, we waited for our wave to start. 6:45 and Tammi was off!

Then Kailey.

Then Kim.

Then me.

Ready to puke. I stood like a child. Not knowing what to do. Not confident. Kim was fast approaching and as I waited to take the bracelet from her in the exchange area, a man pushed me out of the way so he could get the bracelet from his teammate. I just kept saying, "this is my girl" as I tried to stand my ground... pushy man took off in front of me and off I went.

The adrenaline surged and I was off. Looking at my watch. Slowing myself down. 6:45 is what my pace was when I started. Yeah. THAT would not be smart running! First mile ended up at an 8:18.

Downhill.

Running hard.

Watching the beauty fly by.

A little anxious about the semi's driving by.

Passing 9.

Even pushy guy!

Getting passed 3 times.

Never by pushy guy!!

It was over all too soon.

7.22 miles. 1:03:07. Average pace - 8:45!

Feeling great. Nervous stomach gone. Confident.

It was fun!

Karen's turn.

Then Katy.

Van exchange in Sandy. Then time for a shower and some rest!

5:00 came and Tammi was off again. Running from OMSI. Here we go again...

7:46 and my leg starts.

Holy cow. I was not nervous. Just tired. And when I started running, my legs gave me some sass and I had to push hard to keep going. I. Was. Tired!

Only 3.54 miles, but the longest 3.54 miles of my life! It was dark. I didn't see my van drive by. The entire run I was worried about them. Were they okay? What if they weren't there when I got there.? Would I have to keep running?? And holy cow!! I am close to those semi's!!!

Pushing hard I see the end. Wait for the light to turn. Cross. Wait again. Cross. I did NOT like having to stop just as I was starting my final kick! Approaching the exchange. SO relieved to see Karen!

3.54 miles. 31:16. Average pace - 8:50

We finished our legs around 9:30. Did the van exchange at the fairground in St. Helens (I think!) and headed to the next van exchange in Mist. Down the windy road. Barely able to keep our eyes open. It felt so much later! I remember driving by a house and thinking it was crazy for someone to still be up. Then I looked at the clock... it was only 9:45!

We pulled into the field/parking lot in mist. Parked strategically. Put the tarp on the ground. Rolled our sleeping bags out. And crawled in. Stinky. Filthy. Sweaty. Tired.

I thought it was crazy that I could find comfort on the hard ground, in a field, with a car tire by my head. That lasted a minute. The rest of the night I lay there. Listening to cars pull in. People crawl into sleeping bags. People packing up. A man snoring LOUDLY right next to us!

Around 2:30 I went to get something out of the car and Karen, who had slept in the car, said she kept hearing something beep. Then, we heard it again. It was the walkie talkie (no cell coverage in mist) "Rain Runners are you there??" We scrambled looking for the walkie talkie. Found it. Tried to talk back and only got a man telling me we must have the same channel, but he was not the Rain Runners. Oh, be quiet!! Is all I wanted to say... Then, we hear them again, "Van 1, Rain Runners, we're 25 minutes away!!" Holy cow!!! We jumped out of the van. Woke everyone up. Packed up. Our runner ran to the exchange JUST as their runner came in. We jumped in the car and headed for the next exchange.


Ready to puke again. Beyond exhausted. Wondering how in the world I'm going to get this body to go. My legs already felt like bricks. It was pitch dark. How in the world??

Tammi finished. So relieved to be done.

Then Kailey.

Then Kim.

Off I went.

I really wanted to soak up my last run. Enjoy the beauty. Enjoy the experience. Adrenaline surged as I started running. And running. Passing by 4 or 5 people. Running uphill. Then, it was just quiet. And dark. And I was all alone. And did I mention it was dark??

I kept praying that someone would pass me so I could at least have someone near me. I could not see the ground. I was praying I would not step in a pothole and turn my ankle. I was praying a car would not hit me. I was praying no one would attack me. I kept hearing things and at one point thought I heard a bike behind me on my right. I'm sure I would have laughed had I not been so freaked out... turning my head every 10 seconds to look over my shoulder.

At one point, all I could see was a cliff to my left and lots of clouds/fog below.

Pushing as hard as I possibly could. Feeling like I was crawling. I don't even remember what my exchange looked like. I just remember seeing Karen. Giving her the bracelet and the vest. Thankful to be done!

4.09 miles. 38:37. Average pace - 9:27.

Karen was next and her leg was one that made me want to cry for her. Uphill for about 3.6 miles and then all downhill. At the top of the hill there was an aid station with a sign that said, "congratulations! You made it!!" Seriously. She made it and did an amazing job!

Katy finished her leg.

We saw van 2 one last time. And off we went to Seaside.

Holy cow.

We were tired!

Hobbled into Starbucks. Got a wonderful cup of coffee. So thankful to be done!

We walked around Seaside for a bit. Sat in the van a bit. Waiting for van 2 to finish. Waiting to go home.

It was awesome down at the beach. Seeing all the teams. Watching the runners come in.

At one point, "Mom's Bucket List" ran across the line. With a tear in my eye, I realized, that's what this was for me. A wonderful experience. Something I was so glad I did. One of those things I could check off. One of those things that I NEVER wanted to do again!

Our last runner came in and we all crossed the finish line together. Got our medals. Pictures taken. And home we went.

What a crazy race! I went in saying I was going to just enjoy my runs and run nice and easy. Yeah right! Can anyone ever run a race nice and easy?? I pushed myself on each and every run... even when my legs no longer wanted to carry me. I gave it my all! I survived on clif bars, zone bars, fruit leathers, sports drinks and water. For 2 days. (And some cashew clusters that proved to be a bad idea for my tummy!) I slept a few minutes here and there. I rolled over in my sleeping bag and got a whiff of myself - not so pretty! I peed in pitch dark port-a-potties (maybe that was a good thing!) I met some great women. I saw some beautiful things. I was scared out of my mind. I was glad to have finished.

Two days later and I'm able to say that I will do it again someday. First I said, "maybe in 5 years." Then, while talking to my brother yesterday, he asked if I would do it with him. Absolutely! We're hoping for Hood To Coast 2012! A healthy brother to run with would make me do it again in a heartbeat!

I have never been so tired. Well, okay, I guess maybe I have. I have birthed 4 babies, after all!! But, I am sore as can be. Sleeping like crazy. Catching up on all the sleep I missed. Taking care of my body and wondering what this next weekend will be like as I head to Eugene to do the Eugene Women's Half!

What Did I Do??

What did I do?

That's what has been going through my head the last couple weeks.

What did I do??

People are either introverts or extroverts. Thriving and re-energizing by being around people or not...

There are those that can walk into a room and have no problem starting conversations. Meeting people they don't know. Never getting a bit anxious.

Then, there are those that hate going places where they know no one. That do have problems starting conversations. Those that feel much more comfortable around those they know. Those, whose bellies start turning at the thought of knowing no one.

That's me.

So, as Hood to Coast has gotten closer and I've realized that I only know ONE person in my van of 6. That there is another person that I have met once, so at least I would recognize her. But, that's it. That, on top of the fact that I have NO idea what to expect from the weekend, has made my stomach turn and has made me wonder why I signed up to do this in the first place.

Then, I remembered.

The team that I had signed up to run with is no longer the team that I am now on. 3 of the girls that were originally on it were either injured or not far enough along in their training to run. I had signed up not only because of the run, but also because of the chance to spend time with some amazing women.

Then, yesterday, while trying to calm my already reeling stomach, I got an email telling me that not only was the girl I knew injured, but so was her friend... the other girl I had met once. There I sat. Ready to puke. Really?? Now I know no one?? Makes me want to cry just thinking about it.

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

I started making phone calls. Started praying. And every time the anxiety starts to take over, I've been handing it to God. Knowing that this is an opportunity for growth. Knowing too that I'm pretty sure this is a 1 and done type of race.

Then, this morning, when I opened up my RW quote of the day, I got this...

"You only ever grow as a human being if you're outside your comfort zone." Percy Cerutty

That is exactly where I will be Friday and Saturday. Completely outside my comfort zone.

I ran a good 5 this morning. Cleared my head. Continually handed my anxiety to the Lord. And every time I get a lump in my throat thinking about it, I'm choosing to suck it up. Give it to God. And look forward to some SERIOUS growth!

Light At The End Of The Tunnel

I love learning things about myself.

Crazy, to me, that I'm still learning at the age of 33!

Things like...

I'm not motivated by friends. I have some other motivation inside me and while running with friends is a wonderful benefit, I do not NEED to have someone there to meet me. I will still run if there is no one.

I'm high maintenance. I like creamer in my coffee. I shave my legs everyday. I like sleep. I like quiet. I cannot eat food with wheat in it, so, therefore, stopping at Subway for dinner just does not work for me. And, if I'm eating with a group of friends and they all get their delicious pizza, it does not matter that there are good salads available. That is NOT the same!

I CAN run without music. And I REALLY like it!

I can run farther than I ever thought I would with less effort than I thought it would take.

I REALLY do want to run a marathon.

I would LOVE to run a lot of 1/2's and see how fast I can get.

But, that would require some pain. And as I mentioned before, I don't like to hurt. Of course, I love labor without epidurals, so really, maybe I do? Maybe it's just pushing past the pain and seeing the beauty of it all.

And my most recent discovery? When I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, I start to shut down...

If I have 4 miles to run, I get tired at mile 3.

If I have 10 to run, mile 9 is crazy hard.

14 to run just because, man 13 was a killer.

Tell me I'm doing 14? Mile 3 is easy. Mile 10 feels great. You get the picture.

And now that I'm nearing the end of my training schedule, I find I have less motivation the closer it gets.

Instead of running 4 days this week, I did 3.

Instead of running 12 on Thursday, I ran 7.

I know that I've got the mileage in me to get it done. And right now? I'm tired. I haven't been sleeping. School is about to start. Sleeping in on a summer day is going to be long gone pretty soon. So, I'm sleeping when I can. Running for the fun of it. Lunging my heart out with my kids. Making myself push until I reach the end of the current tunnel. Hood To Coast. Then, Eugene Women's Half. Then, a month of who-knows-what kind of running schedule and then on to my last race of the year, the Girlfriend's Half.

I'm looking forward to running what I feel like when I feel like it. But know too, that I have no desire to do that for the long term. I LOVE building my miles. Seeing the progress. Achieving a goal.

Speaking of goals, Cory and I were talking about marathons last night. Looks like Vancouver USA is going to be mine! Training to come February 27th. That will be a fun tunnel to get through :)

Good Morning Tuesday!

I slept like absolute garbage last night. It's been warm here and I love to be warm, but, at night? I prefer nice cool nights.

I tossed and turned. 4 more hours of sleep. 3 more hours of sleep. 2 more hours of sleep. 40 more minutes of sleep. Soon, it was go time.

There was a small part of me hoping that my running friend would cancel. Hoping that I could just crawl back in bed.

I walked to the kitchen to make coffee. Rubbing my eyes. Trying to wake up. Turned on my phone and... beep. beep. beep.

She canceled.

What I love? Instead of crawling back to bed, I continued making coffee. Got dressed. Ate some yogurt. Drank some joe and headed out the door.

After all. In less than 2 weeks I will GET to run when I'm beyond exhausted. When I've had VERY little sleep. When, from what I hear, my body will be put to the test.

So, instead of sleeping. I ran.

And ran I did...

My fastest 3. On little sleep.

My fastest 3!!

I find it funny though. And not in the ha ha kind of way... I push and push myself and still find that I'm scared. Scared to completely let myself go. What if I push so hard that I have nothing left and end up crawling at the end? What if I push so hard that I have nothing left to sprint to the end? What if I fail?

I can say that I was hurting this morning. Finishing mile 2 and heading into 3, I kept telling myself it was okay to hurt. It's okay to hurt. It's okay to hurt... I don't like to hurt. I let up for the 1st .25 of mile 3. I am a wuss.

My mile times...

Mile 1: 8:20
Mile 2: 7:53
Mile 3: 7:59

Average pace: 8:04!!
Max pace: 5:34
Calories burned: 333

Now for an easy 3 tomorrow. 12 Thursday. 8 Saturday. Then, counting down!

Can I Pretend?

Can I just pretend that running 7.5 miles at 3,000 feet is the same as running 12 miles at my normal 0-600 feet??

Can I just pretend that running while filthy and camping can count for more?


Can I just pretend that if I run on trails that look like this it doesn't matter that I didn't do my scheduled 12??


Never mind. Looking at those makes me think I should've gone longer to enjoy more...

Can I pretend that attempting to swim in FRIGID water and raising my heart rate in seconds can count for something??


Can I just pretend that since I ran 37 miles (which is my highest mileage week ever!) that I did enough??

Never mind. I don't really want to pretend.

I'll just switch some stuff around.

Do 12 Thursday since I was supposed to do 8.

Then, 8 on Saturday.

And then??

Hood To Coast!!

So excited.

A little anxious.

Not sure how me, on very little sleep, with a bunch of girls I don't know, running 14.9 miles in 2 days, looks like. But, I know it will be fun (right?) and so very worth it!

Off to do lunges before the temps get too high.

Holy Bunzos Batman!

As per the Legs Love Lunges Challenge, I did the required lunges yesterday. Up part of my driveway and down. I think I counted to 40 each way.

Then, came core work. My kids have rarely seen me do this. When I do get it done it's after they've gone to bed. So, their reactions cracked me up! While doing the first one, arms outstretched down my sides and feet a few inches off the floor, one of the kids said, "what's Mom doing??" To which Ella replied, "I think she needs help up!!" Giggles ensued and then they joined in the fun.

And. Holy Bunzos Batman!!

I am sore.

As I headed to bed last night, I begrudgingly set the alarm to... 4:45!!! I tossed and turned all night. Trying to come up with some good reason as to why I should not be running TEN miles on a Thursday morning. Trying to come up with some good reason as to why I should NOT be getting up at 4:45. None of the reasons were good enough. And when it really came down to it, I knew that my body would be better for it.

4:45. The alarm went off. When Cory asked me where I would be running, I told him. Then followed that with, "But, I'm going to meet up with Mandi at 1 mile. I mean 1 1/2 miles. I mean 3 miles!" Apparently, the think tank does NOT work that early!

I dinked around for 10 extra minutes just so I wasn't running in the pitch dark and headed out the door.

The first 3 miles flew by and I found myself having to make myself slow down. Those quick 3 milers are REALLY helping my pace! But, I knew I had 10 to do and I knew that after last weeks 14 and this weekends 12, I needed to take it a bit slower.

Mile 1: 9:09
Mile 2: 9:14
Mile 3: 9:14

Got back to Mandi's to pick her up and off we went.

Mile 4: 10:03
Mile 5: 10:08
Mile 6: 10:02

Feeling great. Thankful to have such a great friend to run with. Still amazed that I'm running TEN miles on a Thursday!

Mile 7: 9:49
Mile 8: 10:04

At this point, I realized I needed to get going. Cory leaves for work at 7:30 and I wanted to be respectful of that. So, we picked it up a bit.

Mile 9: 9:17

I looked down at the time and knew I REALLY needed to go. Mandi told me to go ahead and as I apologized for leaving her I took off...

Mile 10: 7:48!!

Holy Bunzos Batman!!

I jumped into the car and headed home and when I got home and got out of my car, all I could think was...

Holy Bunzos Batman!!!

I've since done my core work, push-ups and made sure to stretch REALLY good. However, I still feel like my buns and inner thighs are screaming at me. So, if you see me at the store today and I'm walking a little funny, just remember... Not only is this the highest mileage that I've ever done in a week, I also decided to throw lunges in there just for fun! Please. Don't laugh at me!

Legs Love Lunges - A Challenge

Life has thrown a couple of curve balls into my workout schedule. Since I've either been watching my niece and nephews, at the hospital, or just trying to catch my breath, Jazzercise has had to take a bit of a backseat. And. I. Miss. It. A lot!

I miss it not only for the social aspect... LOVE my instructor and my friends there, but, my body also misses it. My mid-section is pooching. My biceps are shrinking. My rear is dimpling. It's not pretty.

So, when I came upon 5 Miles Past Empty, I jumped at the chance to participate in her challenge. I also decided to throw daily crunches in there. And some push-ups too. Nothing like a little accountability to get me going.

I started by taking the required pictures and now I'm heading out to love my legs by making them lunge. Anyone want to join??

A Few Things

I am a country girl.

I am a home body.

I am NOT adventurous.

I am a creature of habit.

I hate driving.

I hate parking even more.

I hate driving in the "city".

However.

When it came time to celebrate my friend, Ashley, I decided I could handle the drive to the "city", find a parking spot that wouldn't get me ticketed, park, and walk to watch her and several other friends run the Skirt Chaser 5k.

I'm not kidding when I say I hate driving in the city though.

By the time I got to the race, I might as well have looked like I had already ran a race. Pitted out and heart pounding, I was ready to cheer them all on...


And, oh my word, what FUN that was!

However.

While standing with my friend's husband waiting for the race to start I noticed a girl in the very front wearing briefs and a sports bra. I ever so non-judgementally rolled my eyes and commented on the fact that this wasn't an Olympic event. It was just a little 5k in a little city. I went on to say that if she was going to rock that outfit, she really better rock the race too. Because, if you going to dress like that, you better be fast. My friend's husband then pointed out that there was another one right next to her with about zero percent body fat. Seriously. Even her tight short shorts were about an inch lose on her waist.

Off the girls went. 3 minutes later, the guys took off.

And guess who came in running a 5k at 16:55??? Yep. You guessed it. Little Miss Briefs. And 2nd place you may ask?? Yep. Little Miss Zero Percent Body Fat. I'll just keep my mouth shut next time, thank you very much!

And then, I found out that Little Miss Briefs was asked to run and try to win the race so that she could donate the money to the Ethiopia Project because, she, of course, cannot keep the money. She, of course, is an Olympic qualifier. She, of course, is a collegiate athlete.

Way to feel like a complete idiot.

My friends rocked the race as well and I had so much fun cheering for them and everyone else. It really made me feel like I would love to volunteer to help at races. Something to do in my free time...

After the race we headed up to the hotel room where everyone got ready and then we walked to dinner. Great dinner. Celebrating a great friend.

Ashley, Julie and I spent the night at the hotel and the next morning headed out for our long run of the week. Their 14. My 12.

I felt amazing. I had had 2 days of rest (I normally do my long run on Saturdays). They, however, didn't feel as amazing. They had, after all, just raced a 5k the day before. I, ever so selfishly, decided that it was God's way of putting us on a more even playing field. They are much faster than I, their heavy legs allowed me to keep up!

12 miles in and I was still feeling great. I decided to keep going. And going. And there it was. 14 miles. 14 whole miles. Holy cow. My longest run and I felt great. It was amazing! Even more amazing was looking down and seeing that we finished at a 9:37 pace. Right in the target for their run. A great pace for me for 14. I have to say I was so stinkin' excited!

14 miles.

14 miles that had me feeling quite sore as the afternoon wore on. Wonderfully sore. A sore that I have not been since I ran my 1/2 marathon. A sore that left a smile on my face knowing I had pushed my body and my muscles would thank me for it later. And today, 2 days later, my thighs are still talking to me.

It was a wonderful weekend and I was so thankful to have been invited to celebrate Ashley and get some great girl time. It took me away from the realities of life that was truly quite needed. It was a breather. And as I headed home, reality came back to life, and tears streamed down my face as I talked to my sister in law about my brother having a fever, about her driving home, about her leaving their kids. Again.

My brother is currently at the hospital. Day +1 since his stem cell transplant. 3 days since his last chemo. When I went for my run this morning I went without my I-pod. Just me. The sun peaking through. And God. We talked, God and I. I ran, half the time closing my eyes, face turned to the sun. It was one of the most peaceful runs I've had. I went into the run wanting to take it easy. And while my body soared, feeling easy as can be, my Garmin told me a different story.

I was going faster than intended and I didn't care. My run this morning had nothing to do with what I should be doing. I didn't care that it should be slower. My run this morning was just me and God. Letting go. Praying. Praying. Praying.

Complete therapy.

And surprisingly enough, at the end of the run, I was a bit surprised to see my split times...

8:55
8:33
8:22

A run, that by looking at the times should have been challenging. A run, that was anything but. A run that left me feeling more peaceful. Less sad. Closer to God.

Thankful for friends to laugh with. And cry. Thankful for runs with friends. Thankful for runs with God.

Good Times

I've said it before and I'll say it again...

I LOVE the friendships that are built during runs!

There is just nothing like it. Okay, maybe there is. But, that looks like me sitting in my living room with a cup of coffee in hand and having my friend sitting there with me. And at that point, it really wouldn't be the same, because there would be X amount of kids running around screaming and THAT definitely is not the case on ANY of my runs!

And as I've also said before, I love running with people who challenge me just enough and with those that I can challenge just enough. There seems to be a great balance.

Wendy and I took off on Saturday morning for my 11 miler and her 14. We had talked the night before and while I had hoped we could run at race pace because I felt like the timing was right, Wendy really just wanted to run at a 9:30 pace. Which, truly, was just fine.

Mile 1: 8:44

Uh, Wendy, if you're shooting for that 9:30, we should probably slow down!

Mile 2: 8:48

No, really. This isn't really looking like a 9:30

Mile 3: 8:52

Okay. I fine with going faster, but, remember? You really wanted to do a 9:30.

Mile 4: 9:21

That was a great hill!! But, are we seriously only 4 miles in?? My body is fine, but my mind feels like we've been running forever (new course for me on a road I've never been on. Funny how the mind works!)

Mile 5: 9:21

Feeling great still, but where are we??

Mile 6: 9:03

Mile 7: 8:53

Mile 8: 8:47

Um. HOW did we get to mile 8?? Are we really already back at the hill? Where in the world did the last 3 miles go?

Mile 9: 9:07

Yeah. I think I'll stick with 11 today. (I was thinking of doing 12)

Mile 10: 9:10

Almost there. Don't give up now.

Mile 11: 8:52

Are you kidding??? We did it!! 11 miles at a 9 minute pace!!

I was so excited. My fastest 11. My goal for my half in September is to get in under 2:00. If I can pull off a 9 minute pace, I can do it! Of course, I will have also just ran Hood To Coast the weekend before and I have NO idea how my body will feel after that. But, I'm hoping that I'm going in as prepared as I can be. And that I can keep that pace. However, it's going to be such a fun weekend away with friends, that I'm okay too if my body is not able to pull it off. We'll just have to see. And I can't wait!