Marathon Training: Report 9

Long run. 14 miles @ 10:50.

Actual workout: 14 miles in 2:29:46 (10:41 pace).

Today I faced a dilemma. Run two and a half hours on the treadmill where I might lose my mind to sheer boredom OR run outside in the snow flurries with a feels like temperature of 0.

Shockingly, for this little girl from CA, I choose the latter. After I told her what I'd done, my dear friend Monica made the following supportive comment:

I just think you're an idiot.

Probably. I just love true friends.

I knew I would be cold, though I didn't fathom just how so and I wasn't sure how to layer. I wore my running hat, a fleece headband/ear warmer, three long sleeve running shirts, leggings, running pants, two pairs of socks, and my running gloves with mittens over the top. I shed the fleece headband pretty quickly, and took the mittens off a few times when my hands got too warm.

Got to try out the new Fuel Belt too.

Good news:

I am getting so much better at hydration and balancing my electrolytes. No massive stomach illness after this run. I am using a combination of water and Gatorade with Gu gels and Clif Shot Bloks. I still can't eat anything more than a banana before I run, or I get sick. But today was a good indication that I am learning how to support my body properly.

Things I didn't expect on this run:

1. I ran from my home, downtown, all around downtown, and home again. Though I have driven this way many a time I never noticed in the car just how much downhill there is on the way...and uphill on the way back. Nice.

2. When it is that cold outside if your eyes tear up and you blink, they can become frozen shut. Sweet.

3. Freezing temps=freezing liquids in the Fuel Belt. Though the Gatorade and water started out at room temperature, a little more than halfway through the run I realized the only way to get liquid was to shake the bottles around to break up the ice, unscrew the lid, and get a bit of ice into my mouth. Really didn't foresee that one. Good times.

4. It is hard to get the legs moving when it is so cold. I ran my first mile super duper slow for my current training level, like 12:30, and that was the best I could do. Then of course I ran too fast to compensate. Just can't seem to get that pacing down. Awesome.

5. What I wore was okay on top, but not warm enough on the legs. They suffered. I am more sore today than I have been in months. Fabulous.

Thank goodness for a step back week next week! All easy runs, of 7, 7, and 6 miles. Still amazes me sometimes to see how far I've come. I never in a million years would have ever imagined the day would come where I could consider a 7 mile run an easy run. It's amazing what consistent training can do.


Happy running!

Marathon Training: Report 8

Tempo run, 5 miles including warm-up, 3 miles @ 9:14, cooldown. This was scheduled for Wednesday, but postponed to Thursday.

After the disappointment of an indoor treadmill run on Tuesday, I was determined to go outside yesterday. However, when I discovered a "feels like" temp of -5, the treadmill suddenly appealed to me. I didn't get an early enough start, and some of the kids woke up earlier than usual. So the run went down as follows:

1 mile in 10:59.

Jump off. Change Max's diaper. Get milks for Max and Little Mommy. Settle them with a morning show. Wake up the Actress and the Artist so they could start getting ready for school. Help Mr. Bloomers finish making his lunch and drive him around the corner to meet the bus. Run back down to the basement. Spend a tenth of a mile just getting the treadmill back up to speed before officially starting the time and distance clocks.

3 miles in 27:42.

Jump off. Make lunches for the big girls. Make sure they have everything ready for school. Wake Princess. Load kids in the car. Walk the big kids to the door of the school with my winter coat over my running shorts. Almost become hyphothermic. Drive home. Fix breakfast for little kids. Put Princess in high chair with her breakfast. Run back to the basement.

1 mile in 10:25.

Kind of an anticlimactic cool-down, but I got the miles in!

Have to start runnning by about 5:30 AM tomorrow to get 14 in before they miss me. Mr. Bloomers has a longer run of his own and we have a Primary Activity at the church at 10 AM.


Happy running!


PS Reached a fun milestone with this run. 500 miles since I started diligently tracking my miles on August 1st.

It's On

I have officially engaged in a power struggle with the two year-old.

If there is anything I've learned in parenting thus far, it's that you cannot win in an open power struggle with a two. Yet I am casting all parenting wisdom aside. It's Max versus The Mommy in an all out no holds barred potty training war.


Don't be fooled by this adorable face. This is the child that hid in the empty storage space under his captain's bed tonight just after the bath while I dressed Princess. And pooped. Before I had his diaper on. He is at that stage of "I-know-when-it's-coming-and-so-I-will-hide-and-find-privacy-like-under-the-table-or-in-a-closet." But this time, he was diaperless. AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

I have news for you Max...the restroom IS private. And when you're done we can simply flush the mess away.

The boy's birthday is in a few weeks, and I have been warning him that when he's three he will need to give up the diapers. Despite the Superhero briefs and promises of rewards galore, he has yet to act all that interested.

I've trained three girls (or rather set the stage for them to train themselves), but this boy has pushed all my buttons and I feel at a complete loss.

If there were a "toddler whisperer" who could potty train overnight, she'd be hired. But since I haven't seen any ads to this end, I'm afraid I'm on my own.

Take pity and give me your best tips for potty training a boy. I sure need 'em.

Marathon Training: Report 7

Easy Run, 5 miles @ 10:50

Actual workout, 5 miles in 53:54 (10:46 pace)

This was yesterday's workout, but I postponed in order to have an extra recovery day.

My training indescretions of the last week caught up with me today. Little sleep, not enough water, and not the best food choices made this easy run not as easy as it should have been.

Yesterday I introduced my kids to Crispix puppy chow. They loved it, but I can't resist it. I cautioned them not to eat too much or they would be sick. They listened to such sage advice. I did not.

Back on the treadmill today after a full week outside due to the frigid temps and my own wimpiness, but still this run was better than no run at all.

And now I'm off to sneak a little more puppy chow. Can't wait till it's gone.


Happy running!

Marathon Training: Report 6

I don't usually do speedwork the day before a long run, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

My Saturday schedule called for:

Long run, 12 miles at 10:50.

I didn't try to pace myself according to the Garmin, but just according to what felt right to pace with pre-funeral feelings. My running time for 12 miles was 2:05:13, which was a 10:26 pace.

At the funeral home Friday night, my running came up in conversation with some of my cousins who seemed almost confused that I would get up to run 12 miles the next morning. It is bizarre.

I was sharing a hotel suite with one of my sisters and her daughter. When I told my neice that I would be leaving between 5:30 and 6 AM to go run 12 miles the next day, and that I hoped to come back before Princess woke up she responded with, "You're kidding, right?" and she couldn't believe that I wasn't.

But despite the shock of my family, this run was just what I needed to work through my grief before the funeral. I left when it was still dark as night, and found the trail unlit. I didn't have time to wait until sunrise to run, so I made two 2.17 mile loops in the streetlight filled neighborhood near the trail to get started. It poured through much of these loops and I became pretty drenched pretty quickly.

The homes were dark, but I knew that if anyone were to wake up and see me out their window they would think I was nuts to run in the dark in the rain...this is California folks. When it pours, people just wait to move on with their lives, putting off anything they possibly can until the weather changes.

But I kept on. Much of my time on the trail was almost sacred. I was able to ponder through my feelings not just about Grandma's passing, but about my Aunt Kathy's as well. I cried. And I admit I shared some of my feelings aloud with Grandma, hoping she would get the message. I think she did.

And when I was done my heart felt lighter, and I had found the peace I needed to move forward.


Happy running!

Marathon Training: Report 5

Wednesday should have been speedwork:

5 miles including Warm; 2x1600 in 8:43 with 800 jogs; Cool

Instead I spent Wednesday making preparations to fly to my childhood home, to the home my parents have lived in since about 1967, to be with family for Grandma's funeral. I stayed up all night Wednesday making sure everything was in order at home, and that I was prepared with everything I thought I would need in CA.

Thursday was an overwhelming travel day. We had to leave just after 5 for an early morning flight, and by time we had arrived, we were over an hour later than scheduled. I spent the afternoon and evening with my parents, and also had a nice visit with Grandpa, but had no time or energy for a run, so I postponed again.

So Friday was the day. I got up early and dressed quickly, hoping to finish before Princess woke up. I discovered that Dad was getting ready too, as he wanted to take me to the trail where he does his daily walk. It is about 3.6 miles up and back, and he walks it most days in about in hour. He figured he could walk it once while I ran it twice, and that is about how it worked out, though I didn't go quite all the way to the end the second time through.

It was looking a little drizzly, but a quick check to the weather channel predicted that it would only get worse, so we were off before it got any later. I borrowed a water repellant jacket from Mom so I would be at least a little prepared.

The trail was great. Totally empty, thanks to fair weather Californians. The landscape was nice, and the variety of birds even nicer. It did rain, but I didn't care. At least it was warm (relative to Chicagoland anyway). I think it was quite an adventure for Dad. By the end, we were both pretty soaked. He remarked that he had never gone when it was raining like that before.

I ran a few miles before starting in on my speedwork. Some time ago I had done the conversion for 1600 meters and remember it being about a mile. In lieu of the speedwork I was supposed to do, I ran four half miles in about 4:15 each. I paused the Garmin and walked a couple of minutes in between each one, which is unusual for me, but seemed appropriate for my energy level.

I completed 6 miles in 57:32, definitely running harder than I should have in warming up and cooling down, but I felt so uplifted by this run that I really didn't care. It was great, and so fun to be out with Dad.


Happy running!

Home

This long weekend in CA was such a blessed opportunity for me. I am so grateful to have gone, and did my best to make the very most of my time there.

Consequently, in the last four nights I have slept about fourteen hours combined. (I did have a couple of airplane naps you could add on there too.)

In the last sixty hours I've run eighteen miles, with several in the rain. I cried along the way a few times and felt such relief from my grief through my time on the trail.

I've seen my grandmother's peaceful body. Prayed with the family, and watched the funeral director close the casket. I was uplifted by her beautiful funeral, where all thirteen of her grandchildren gathered with dear friends and family to honor her.

I spent some precious time with Grandpa, my parents, my siblings, and other family members. I feel at peace now, and so very thankful.

And ready for bed.