P.M.S

I ran the Denver Rock and Roll Marathon in October. I was sore for three days and had a runners "high" for a about a week. 

Now............ I feel lost

I hit "the wall" about mile 18 and I didn't run nearly as well as I thought I would.  I feel slightly embarrassed about my time, I really thought I would have finished in the four hour mark.  I know that I should feel great about finishing A MARATHON, but honestly I feel like I didn't do as well as I could.

Why the fog? Why the lack of drive? Why the lack of interest?


It is simple....P.M.S other wise known as Post Marathon Syndrome. 



It is time to "re-focus" my running lens.  Time to take a second look at what I want to do and where I want to go.  I am training for the half in December, but I just don't have the drive I had when I trained for the marathon.  Maybe it is knowing that I CAN run that far.  For me setting the goal to run the marathon was knowing that 26 miles was something I hadn't done and I wanted to know IF I could do it.  Now that I know that I can do it, I feel like there is no challenge.

Finding the "why" in running has been a little hard for me.  I will say that recently I have started to help a fellow runner learn how to run.  Teaching her what I know and what I have learned has helped me re-focus my passion.  I never lost the love of running, but I have lost the drive.  Helping Chris and seeing her reach her potential is rewarding.  I am starting to see her grow as a runner and I see that she really wants to learn.  So I really want to help her. 

Chris, we all start somewhere and we all learn sometime, I am happy that I can see you grow.  At the same token thank you for unknowingly that you are helping me out of my P.M.S.

How about you, have you ever experienced P.M.S?

How did you get out of your funk?

New shoes will make all the difference

I told myself that I would set out to buy myself a new pair of shoes once I finished my Marathon, as a reward to myself for all my hard work.
I tend to overpronate and have low arches.  This causes me to wear out sides of my shoes. The pair of shoes that I have are worn in well and with quite a few miles on them.  This has triggered a wicked case of plantar faciitis on my right foot.  I don't think I was properly fitted for these shoes, so I am very eager to get a new pair.

I spent some time reading about different brands and what uses have to say about these.  My last few pairs have been Nike+ shoes that have a chip insert in the inside of the shoe.  With the new design of the shoes I don't really like they way they are built.  Nike moved the post on the shoe and the cradle of the shoes is much heaver then the way they used to be.
Some things that I considered when I decided to get new shoes.

• Shoes with more meat on the sole, I want to get more than 250 miles out of a pair of shoes.
• The shoes should be lighter, on those long runs ever ounce counts
• There needs to be more cushion, the ones I have a bit of rubber on them and do not respond well
• The toe box needs be bigger, I have been hitting to top of my last shoes bruising my toe nails
• Arch support, the ones I have are too high and rub

The cost of a pair shoes is not a factor in my decision making process.  These are my feet and you can not put a price on running pain free.   Think of feet as the foundation to your house.  When you have a weak foundation it causes other problems down the road.

I went down to Boulder Running Company with two pair of shoes in mind.  The Brooks Adrealine GTS 11 and the Brooks Ghost 4. 

Well, what did I go with?  Neither! 

I went Brooks Glycerin 9.  Aren't these just the sexiest thing you have seen? I am in love with them.  I have already put 10 miles on them and they feel great, There was no "breaking" in time and they are light.  I am very happy with my new buy. 

What's Next?

I have noticed that I have been asked a few time

"now that you have finished a Marathon, what's next?" 

Just as the high of running a Marathon starts to wear off, you do start to ask yourself that same question.  What am I going to do next; this can't be it, can it?  To answer myself, yes I have been kicking around some ideas.  I have thought about working on my 5K times, placing in my age group is something I really want to accomplish and I am almost there, completing an accent, trying a 14er, becoming a half fanatic.  All of these would be tougher than a Marathon and I like pushing myself to do tougher things.  As of today, I have committed to doing the Rock Canyon Half Marathon on December 3rd with my friend Kim.

The Rock Canyon Half Marathon will be a challenge within it's self.  Pueblo is 45 miles south on Colorado Springs, even though it is at a lower altitude, Pueblo can experience cold weather.  This time of year, there is little to no snow, however in December, temperature averages can range from 49°F and 18°F. The trail will be an out and back and settles in the "banana belt" this means usually when it is snowing around the area, the trail tends to stay dry.

So, that being said, it can get COLD.  I don't mind running in the cold, as long as I am prepared for it.  Today, makes day one of getting ready for this run, I will not have to train as hard for this run since I am all geared up from the Marathon, I will just tapper up a little and then back down, I am planning to run at least 20 miles a week and 30 being the max that I hit.  Today marks day one of training, so away we go again. 

Today's run felt ready even though it was cold, but guess I should start getting used to that.  I also run better in the cold, since I have been training in the hot summer days. I decided that I would stick to the outlined Half Marathon training guide a little better than I did the Marathon.  Today, I did an easy four miles. I ran at my goal pace for two miles then, I ran a little harder for 5 minutes, then back down to my goal pace for five and repeat for the last two miles.  I was happy to see that I had negative splits at the end of my run.This is what my splits looked like:

At mile 1 I like to walk a quarter to get my legs warmed up and then I start my run, so this will typically be slower.  However, for there on out, I steadily got faster. I will defiantly have to incorporate the leg work into my routine.  You know something I discovered.  When I was running faster, I did breath deeper, and when I slowed down, my breathing became faster? I have yet to figure this part out.  If any of you know why let me know.



Marathon Recaps

As I walked around Boulder Running Company looking for a pair of running sleeves to help keep me warm on my first Marathon I saw I magnet that jumped out at me it said "Marathon Freak" I giggled and thought to myself, it should really read "freak marathon". You know six months ago when I started to look at Marathons and wanted to get this off my "bucket list" I thought at the time I can do this. However as the days drew closer, I started to re-evaluate my "great idea" My mind started to get consumed with thoughts of

"am I eating properly, am I drinking enough, will I make the distance..."

To help prepare I started to drink ridiculous amounts of water which has the wonderful return effect of having to make it to restroom every 30 minutes and waking up in the middle of the night with an ever full bladder. I started to carb load, which I was not so happy with. There once was a day that I loved to consume carbs and looked forward to the weekly plate of pasta. With my diet change having to eat REAL carbs was not as appealing as it once was.

I had read an article that said that I should not be surprised that I would be putting on about 4 additional pounds prior to the race due to the carb load and the water intake. All I could think of was that means more weight, so that means there is a potential that I would run slower. The idea of having a slower time bothered me more than the weight gain?!?!

Saturday rolled around and I got ready to head out to Denver. I walked around the expo and picked up all the goodies, met Dan Evens from season five's Biggest Loser. That was an inspiration to see his before picture and see him now. I picked up a few more goodies then headed to the hotel to get checked in. I dropped all my gear and left to get to Maggiano's for dinner.
 

Maggiano's was special to me since I have one is San Jose, and I have many significant memories there so to me it only felt fitting to have dinner there. You would have thought that after a big plate of pasta, glass of wine and 45 minutes in the hot tub I would be ready to sleep soundly.

I laid out my outfit packed my belt with my phone, ID, four gel packs, and some lemon heads. I carefully pined on my number and my sign that I made for my Mom. I wanted everyone to know why I was running. Even with all the preparation I couldn't sleep well. I kept thinking about how far I was about run and how hard it was going to be. I rolled over to look at the clock and it only said 11pm! Eventually I fell asleep and the alarm came quickly! I POPED out of bed and dashed for the fridge. I knew I had to get food in my stomach quickly so I wouldn't get the STICH that would make me start walking.


I walked to the gear check and over to the start line, with one last deep breath I headed out to the masses to get ready to start my long journey.  I was nervous and excited at the same time. I always get a little teary eyed right before I start because I always feel Mom with me right before I start and I say a silent prayer to myself "Mom, this is for you.. please lord please give me the strength to carry me through the toughest times and when I feel alone and ready to give up give me strength to keep going"

The buzzer goes off and we slowly start heading down the street. I thought to myself, wow I am doing this, there is no turning back now. Just me and the road. I ended up syncing up with a fellow marathoner with the same pace and stopped every few mile to stop and take pictures along the way.

Louie helped me out by stopping and taking some pictures with me. I was really glad that he insisted that I capture my journey. Thank you Louie! Here I am at 15k. I was in such great sprits little did I know how far I really had left :)

This was right before my STICH hit me, at this time I was running low on energy so I pumped in a GU, and I regret that. That wall was coming my body started to use up all it had stored. At this time I wished I was overweight. I started to wonder if I was going to finish. My feet started to hurt. Walking hurt more than running so I switched to a very slow jog.

I was so tired when we hit this spot. I kind of look like striper that has had a long night and working her way down the pole. That wall was creeping up on me. I had slowed down in Gel intake, because that awful STICH crept up on me between 30k and 35k. I ate a banana and a GU, then I felt better and was in the way to the finish!

I was so happy to cross that finish line.  One of the volunteers who was medaling runners was a fellow marathoner  and friend and who had my medal. To me it was significant, because he has known me over the years and to have someone who has seen you go through your life altering journey and that person is the who gives your medal instead of a stranger, is special.  Thank you Roger for waiting for my slow ass to get in!

Everyone told me I would break down when I crossed the finish line, but one thing the road and I will know, and you that follow me. Is that I did break down; I cried at mile 23. People were yelling at me

"Go you can do it, you're almost there, do it for Mom"

It gave me that push I needed to finish.  At that time is when I realized that I have done it, I pounded out 26.2 miles and I was going to finish it. I am going to be in the 1% of the world population that has completed a Marathon.  When I hit 26 after that it was all mine and I ran it out with perfect form and happiness. Everyone who waited at the rail gave me high five's on the way in. I could see Roger with his hands held high and I fist pumped my whole way in!

I know he said some kind words to me, but I was so pumped with adrenaline, I couldn't tell you a word he said. I remember something like you did it. I was a little discombobulated at this point.

Do I recommend Marathons to others, no not really I think we all find our own path and if it happens to lead you to a Marathon, than that is great I will be there to encourage you along the way. I can say finishing a Marathon is an experience that I will never forget. The pride that comes with it and the bragging rights feels empowering! Thank you all for following me and giving me advice when I needed it. Who knows what's next but this I tell you. Even with all the pain I have I am already thinking of when I will do this next.

These are my split, I am overall happy with my times!

I am officaly a Marathoner

Well, I finished my first Marathon.  I am soaking my feet in Epsom salt right now as we speak.  I will post my thoughts a little later.  Thank you all who have supported me though this journey.

How Do You Train?

A friend of mine asked me the other day,

"How do you train for your marathon?  I can't even begin to imagine how to do it"

I know she reads my blog so instead of repeating myself, I thought I would post my training regiment.  So, Linda, here you go:

Week 3 - I was sick

Week 10 - I was in Nebraska

I am now on my last few weeks, and I am feeling okay. I know that I could tackle a Half Marathon, easily however it's that other half that I am feeling unsure.  There is no doubt that I won't finish the race, but I defiantly think this will be one of the harder things that I am going to do.

The practice runs have been good for me to guage what I need.  I know that I need some type or sugar about every 40 minutes, if I go longer my sugar levels start to drop and I start to get weak and light headed also, the recovery takes to longer.  In my utility belt, I plan to carry one bottle with water, the other bottle with a Gatorade, or some other type of sports drink.  I also plan to carry a few gel packs or sports beans in my pack.  People who have done this race have told me that there are plenty of aid stations.  I do not always like to rely on aid stations, I like to have my stuff on me when I need it.  I have also been told that Ibuprofen will be my BFF.  So, check got that.  I have no clue what the weather will be like in Denver the day of the run, but the expo I am sure will have all that I need.

Mental Blocks, Ackes and Pains

With 49 days or 8 weeks and 1 day to go until the Denver Rock and Roll Marathon, I am starting to feel like I may have bitten off to much to chew. I recently had a conversation with our cross country coach about my training. We talked about the mental blocks I am having a hard time getting over, my times, and the body ackes. He told me that I am on the right track and I have plenty of time until the Marathon so taking a week off to rest is okay. He told me:

"listen to your body, trust your instincts. You have been running 20-25 miles a week your can get injured easier and you can get sick real easy. Your body has less time to recover and if you push it to hard you'll be watching the Marathon from the TV."

I sat and marinated on his comments and thought to myself, Randy has been a long distance runner for 20+ years and has coached many great runners, I should really take his advice.

All week I have been resting and not getting out to run has been hard for me. I really feel better after I run, I feel like I can clear my head of all the noise of life and just "be one with the road".  I ran Wednesday for Rock Bottom, but it was such a bad run. We all have our off days but today took the cake. I couldn't wash out the noise in my head. It was that mental block I had mentioned a little earlier. The thoughts that many runners say that they face when training are things like:

• What am I thinking? I am never going to be ready for the Marathon
• I still have 8 weeks and I am nowhere near the mileage that I need to be putting in
• My training runs are not long enough or fast enough
• Why should I push myself on this run, I will just walk more than normal, who cares

All these mental blocks are difficult to get over. I feel that I am a fairly confident person and defiantly secure with myself, but this is something new to me. I have read about this and I thought to myself I would not be like the other runners, but you know what? I am like the other runners. I had been told that training and running a marathon will test your mental state and there will be alot of emotional journey's that you will go on. I though to myself these peole are just not tough enough. I was wrong and now I am eating my words. But you know what? It is making me more of a humble person.

So as I sit here all the while I am thinking of lacing up, but the leg ackes and foot pains remind me that I need to rest and take it easy. I am sure a week off will do my body good and I will be back out on the road soon.