Miracle Match 2015 Training Shenanigans

This was my first week back into half-marathon training. I’ve been out of the running long distance game for what seems like forever. I have done a couple of 5ks over the past few months but the last time I ran anything longer than 3.1 miles was in April (just a few short weeks after my failed marathon.)

After devoting so much time to running over the past few years, I think I got a little burned out. I told myself that when I start running again, I want to do quality over quantity. I mean, last year I ran 14 races. FOURTEEN. I never really got much better/faster even though that’s something I kept saying I wanted. I’m pretty sure it was because I refused to focus my energy on one race. Instead, I was all like I WANT ALL THE RACES AND I WANT THEM NOW. It was fun though.

Also, race registrations can be expensive and with the starting of Alfred’s business, I’ve been a little more conservative in my spending.  When I chose my next long-distance race I wanted to devote some quality running to it.

So, what race did I choose?

Miracle Match 5k & Half-Marathon 2015!

I ran this last year as part of my marathon training. I love the course, it’s practically in my backyard & you get extra swag for running the 5k on Saturday, then the half on Sunday. I do love me some swag. (Also, this was my first ever 5k five years ago, so it holds a special place in my heart.)

But to make this even more exciting I’m actually going to meet Amanda from The Lady Okie. I plan on giving her a wonderfully awkward hug & forcing her to take fake running selfie’s with me.

Here is my tentative training schedule. This is fairly fluid, depending on what’s going on in my life I’m up to being flexible as long as I end up getting my long runs in. We shall see.

On the speed/tempo days I’m just going to use my Jeff Galloway running app. It will tell me exactly what to do and when. I’m clueless when it comes to actually getting faster, so I’m just going to trust he knows what he’s talking about and take it from there.

Moj days are whatever she sets up for us. Sometimes that’s a 40 minute burpee session, other times it’s a 40 minute stair workout. She likes to make me swear & sweat. I like her for putting up with my snarky attitude. Win/Win.

Rest/Lift days are just that. If running is wearing me out, I’ll take a rest day. If I feel up to a weight lifting day, I’ll pop open my BodySpace app and get some dead lifts in.

I’m excited to see how this training schedule will work with my WeightWatchers. I’ve never actually lost weight on a running plan (EAT ALL THE FOODS) and it will be interesting to see if it can be done.

(I know it can but dude, running has the ability to make the best of us HANGRY, so yeah.)

Any races in your future?!

20 Miles

Last Friday I felt ready to tackle my long run for the weekend (20 miles). I had read weather reports and thought it would be similar to what I’ll encounter during my marathon.

In short, it was not.

But this is a blog, who wants the short of it?  So, let me give you the long of it instead. (Ha. That’s what he said.)

Alfred had to work Saturday morning, but I managed to convince my sister to stay the night Friday and watch Lillie for me in the morning. I wanted to do all 20 miles out on the road (since those miles always go faster than treadmill miles) and had planned to break them up into two 10 milers. After the first 10, I would be back at the house to refill my water bottle, let them know I’m still alive and then head back out.

I had a pretty horrible chafing experience during my 18 miles, so I slathered on some Vaseline, procrastinated a bit and hit the door about 8:30 am. I wore a pair of running capris, a long sleeve tech shirt, my Spibelt (filled with my phone & some GU) and had my water bottle.

Well, I thought I had my water bottle. By mile 3 I realized I had forgot to grab it. Instead of turning around I figured I would just power through.

Note: Do not “power through” a 10 mile run with no water.

I had expected the clouds to open up and the sun would beam through around 9:30 am and things would be glorious. That did not happen. It actually seemed to get colder, the wind picked up and I was running through mist/fog situation that seemed as though it was out to get me. Pretty similar to Lost actually.

Around mile 4 & mile 6 of my run I had to take a miniature break and run some cattle that had gotten out onto the road back into the pasture. Country life, y’all.

At about mile 7, I was so fucking over it. I felt like I was barely able to pick up my feet and my body felt cold. Like, I felt warm but touching my actual body it was freezing. I didn’t wear a jacket or anything because I had thought it would warm up. I told myself just to make it to 10 (I’d be back at the house) and then I’ll just go from there.

I knew the second I walked inside I wasn’t going back out in the weather and I sent the husband a text to say as much.

Normally, I love his tough love approach (it usually does the trick) but this time - turns out, I’m a puss.

I finished the last 10 on the treadmill inside the house hating and loving the decision simultaneously. I was so red and cold when I came in from the first 10, my sister even gave me the side-eye. I managed to watch Hercules and answer 20 questions from Lillie while I did the second 10.

Mom, why you running?
Mom, where is bear?
Mom, where is my milk?
Mom, can I have candy?

…and repeat.

About mile 5 I seriously considered bucking the fuck up and finishing outside just to get away from the questions, but then I looked out the window and settled on the lesser of two evils.

All-in-all, it was a shitty run. But it was still a great training run. For those that don’t run, that may not make sense, but for those that do – I know you feel me. I learned not to forgo water. I learned that Vaseline works wonders on chub rub thigh chafing.I learned not to underestimate the weather. I learned not to wear that particular purple tech shirt because it has a horribly placed tag on it resulting in a SpongeBob band aid.

I just took this photo, I promise it looked about 20 times worse than this on Saturday. Or maybe it just felt 20 times worse. Either way – sad face.

But I think the most important thing I learned was, even if the situation got shitty I still powered through and ultimately, I think that’s what I needed to know about myself before I tackle 26.2.

Here’s to powering through!

What do you know? A post about running.

So, let’s talk running. Specifically, let’s talk about my running. I mean, we can talk about your running if you would like but you’ll have to email me for that. You know, since blogging can be kind of one-sided when writing posts.

Well, if you haven’t noticed lately, I’ll be running my very first marathon in less than a month.

Before I hit the register button for this race I remember feeling incredibly nervous because dude, that’s 26.2 freaking miles I’m committing too. At one time. And I’ve continued to feel that way throughout my training – as well, as anxious, scared to fucking death and completely underprepared.

But you know what else I’ve felt throughout all of those emotions – really fucking excited. Excited for myself because not only have I come so far in my journey as a runner but excited to to know I can do it. I took something I once thought was completely impossible and turned it into a possibility. It blows my freaking mind.

You know what else blows mind? That last year 8 miles was my long run and this year it’s my short run. Cuh-razy.

I’ve increased my mileage from a 5k, to a 10k, to a half, to 16 miles (all done on a treadmill, mind you), to 18 miles and tomorrow, I’ll be able to add 20 miles to that list. Which means, after this weekend, I’m officially in taper mode where my mileage will be cut back so my legs are fresh for March 2nd.

I’ve been hounding the shit out of the website for the most current information and trying to figure out the game plan. I’ve even looked at weather a month ahead trying to predict what I need to wear.  And it looks like tomorrow and race day could be pretty similar. I’m hoping that’s a good sign for my two 10 milers I’m doing back to back (that’s what I’m telling myself because 10 miles seems much more do-able than 20.)

Things that make me nervous

• This will be my first point-to-point race. Everything else I’ve done has been out-and-back, a loop or at least ends up right back at the starting line, somehow.
• The course will shut down after 7 hours. That means there’s a 16 minute mile pace required. I don’t really doubt I can do that but then again, I’ve never ran 26.2 miles, so who freaking knows.
• This is The Army Marathon – there’s going to be some badass soldiers/veterans running this. I’m usually really good at not comparing myself with faster runners but I still can’t help but feel like I’m going to the last one to cross the finish line, or even worse not being able to finish at all.
• I had a serious chafing issue with my 18 miles I did two weeks ago and I really hope that doesn’t happen again. It won’t stop me from running, but it will slow me down and make the next week miserable. I only want to be normal miserable from a marathon not extra miserable. That makes sense, right?

I feel a little better after typing out my nervous points. Blogging – good for the soul.

I have two goals for this race.

Ultimate goal: Finish. With this being my first one, my focus is to cross the finish line and enjoy the experience.

The following goal is what I’m shooting for but not at the expense of the first goal. I don’t want to out so strong that I can’t finish.

Extra goal: Finish under 6 hours (preferably closer to 5:30). I am not what I think of as a fast runner (single digit miles) and I know I’ll be even slower trying to pace myself for 26 miles. Right now based on running calculators it has my finish time at 6 hours or later.

And there’s my running spill for the day. If you have any advice, etc please please comment or shoot me a message. I am not to proud to say that I will need all the help I can get come race day.

In other non-running news, I thought I’d update my blog for 2014. I used PicMonkey to edit my photos and then just kind of googled ‘how-to's’ for the rest of the content. I think it turned out pretty swell (please feel free to nod in agreement).

Stay safe out there this weekend, friends!

Underprepared 2.0

A few weeks ago I had written how I felt underprepared for a 10k I participated in. I didn’t think I was (obviously not, I mean I did PR – yahoo!) but I sure felt that way. Even though I had been following my training plan, I guess I was just nervous because it was the longest distance I had covered in months.

And tomorrow, I’ll be throwing down twice that with a half-marathon I signed up for on a whim.

But where I felt underprepared for that 10k, for this half – I actually am underprepared.

I haven’t ran anything in over a week (I have done a few other workouts though) and my longest run so far has been an 8 miler (done about 3 weeks ago). If you’ll look over most training plans circulating the internets they have you run at least one 10-miler and yeah, uh, oops.

I thought about bailing. (I couldn’t really since I have a friend running with me. Hi Courtney!) And who knows, I may get to mile 8 and just can’t go anymore, but I’m still going to go for it. If I didn’t, I think I’d really just be disappointed in myself. But I have no intention of trying to push the hell out of myself to PR. When I said I was going to run a marathon I planned on killing my training schedule, just knocking that shit right out of the park but other things have taken priority (one of the reasons I’ve been fairly absent around here) and like I said, the past couple weeks have been a struggle for me emotionally & physically. All of the races I’m participating in up until the big 26.2 are on my schedule with the understanding that they should be handled as a training run. (Just, like one with 300 other people.) Even though when I step up to that starting line the little bit of competitiveness I do have surges forward and I want to smash any of my old times.

This time last year I had just finished my first half in Vegas and completely stoked about it. Crazy where a year can take you. It almost feels like I’ve been lazy with my training simply because I know my body is capable of running 13.1 miles already.

I feel like this race tomorrow is going to be a massive failure on my running ego, but I’m still excited for it. Weird, right? It’s supposed to be in the 40s but with the wind chill, low 30s and for this Texas girl, that’s going to be um, interesting. Hopefully the rain will stay far, far away but even if doesn’t - been there, done that.

So, here’s to me – admitting my faults as a runner and saying, “Fucking shit. Sometimes I suck at running…and pig & cow shaped pancakes. Definitely suck at those.”

 

Marathon Madness

Did you miss me? No need to answer, I already know.

I don’t have much of a reason or excuse as to why I haven’t been around much, other than life had me re-prioritize things for a bit (like hanging out with a lemur) and then I just got kind of lazy and thought…

“I’ll just post that tomorrow”

And then when tomorrow came, it was today and I had other things to do so I put it off until another tomorrow and now it’s a month later and I’ve somehow convinced myself to register for a marathon.

I wasn’t sure how to segue from not being around at all to being all like, “hey kids, I want to run 26.2 miles for fun! Who wants to join me?!” But I got to say -

Nailed it.

I’ve been somewhat willy-nilly with my training over the past couple of months – I’ll do great one week and then the next I’m lucky to get my running shoes out once. I just didn’t have anything to focus my efforts on and it all just went to the wayside. I had already planned on running a marathon (initially I thought it’d be the OKC Marathon) and with the registration for that not starting until September 1st – I’ve just been wandering aimlessly from one treadmill to the next.

Then, I got an email that mentioned The Army Marathon. It sparked a memory in me from all the way back to this past January at the Miracle Match 5k expo. I was checking out all the booths while I picked up my bib and happened to stop at The Army Marathon, it was their inaugural year this year, and they tried to convince me to sign up. Even though I had two half-marathons under my belt at that point I was not mentally ready to commit to the fact that I could run 26 freaking miles.

I started reading about dates/times and thinking how that would work with my current race schedule as far as training and y’all, I had no excuse. I couldn’t put it on the back burner any longer (much like writing for this janky ol’ blog y’all love so dearly) and I just said, “Fuck it” as I hit the register button.

And just like that, there was no turning back.

I still would really like to run Oklahoma but ultimately chose to go with this since it’s much closer to home for me (Killeen-Temple area). I traveled for my first half, and while it was an amazing experience, it also added a lot of extra stress I probably could have avoided.

Running 26.2 miles is no freaking joke and I want to be as prepared as possible come race day so cutting out travel seemed fairly logical. Also, this way I can force my family/friends to come & cheer me on along the way.

I’ve created a marathon schedule that I believe will work for me (please feel free to give me any and all your insights!) with my main focus simply being on finishing. My first official week was, uh this one. And I can already feel my focus on workouts coming back, it’s been a good week.

I kept stairs as a workout because I feel like that really helped prepare me other races – it’s hard work guys. Seriously, up and down stairs for 45+ minutes and you’re sweating like raccoon in a hat-making contest. Cross training with Moj is basically whatever strength workout Moj has cooked up for us to do. Today involved a lot of planks and incline push-ups. I seriously have no idea how I even put my shirt on after it.

I’m nervous but more than that, I’m really excited to push myself and see what I’m capable of. I can remember thinking there’s no way I’ll ever be able to run 3 miles and now, here I am ready to tackle 26. It’s a helluva feeling and I’m glad I get to share it with you guys.

So, you tell me – what’s something on your schedule you’re pumped about? I’ve missed y’all!

Training Tuesday 8.13.13

<a href="http://lehmannlaughter.blogspot.com/search/label/Training%20Tuesday" width="200" src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a611/Tamara0827/2f34edc7-7101-4a2c-bcab-611d13987963_zpsa1b488d9.jpg" height="200" /></a>

This link-up is just a way to talk about training [in any way, for anything] to help hold ourselves accountable and possibly brag a bit. I mean, you ran 1 mile without stopping – you totally deserve a chance to brag about it! That shit is hard. You did 10 push-ups in a row, HOLLLEERRR.

My Training

I did Insanity a couple times last week and then Lillie had – get this – a 104.5 fever at daycare and the remainder of my week was focused on nestling her back into her sweet-natured self. You know, the self that chases the cat around, somehow manages to catch her & then force her to lay still underneath a blanket on the recliner. You can just see the love in Smokey’s face.

I started working on marathon plans, but was getting stupid overwhelmed. So I’ve decided that I will just focus on each upcoming race that I have already in the books and base my plan(s) off that. I have a pretty strong base already when it comes to 5ks since I’ve been running fairly consistently for the past year at that distance. So I haven’t created a 5k plan, I just jumped right into the 10k.

Last year when I created a 10k plan I was just focused on the miles to put in. I wasn’t concerning myself with time since no matter what I did I was going to PR (the joy of racing a distance for the first time!) But this year, I want to be faster so I’ve actually incorporated tempo runs. This is totally new to me, so I’m excited to jump in and complain about it all to whoever will listen. (Read: You guys)

You’ll also notice Manic Moj Monday – if you’re new here you’ll hear me talk about Mojgan on occasion. She is a beast in the gym and has been an amazing inspiration to me when it comes to working out and (trying) to eat better. She loves running stairs & I think it will only help me be stronger when it comes to to the hills of the 10k I’m running (and for the half in January that follows a similar course – HILLS & MORE HILLS). 

If you have any suggestions on the plan above or just want to say hello, comment below!