Runner's Trots and Pit Stops

Yesterday was supposed to my long run for this training week. One 7 mile run at 11:02 minutes per mile. However, I was busy yesterday and by the time I got home from actually having a social life I wasn't in the mood to run. So, I decided to put my long run off til today. Also, last night I decided that to see what the Runner's World SmartCoach had to say if I entered my most recent 10K time of 1:00:08 instead of my most recent (and fastest time ever) 5K time of 27:23. The minute per mile paces for my various runs ended up being about 30 second slower using my 10K time. Therefore, I decided to try to keep the pace for my runs no slower than the times suggested by the 10K-based plan and no faster than the ones suggested by the 5K-based plan. I think this will keep me from feeling frustrated if I fail at meeting the paces laid out in my original 5K-based training plan.

So, this morning I slept in, ate pancakes and an egg for breakfast, burned the first 5 episodes of How I Met Your Mother to DVD, drank lots of water, and grabbed a few tortilla chips before hopping on the treadmill. I set the treadmill to 5.2 MPH (that's about an 11:32 minute/mile pace which is exactly what the 10K plan suggested for this run).

I made it just around 3 miles before I accidentally pulled the emergency stop line on the treadmill bringing me to a screeching halt and clearing my time and distance gauges. Oops. At least I had recently looked at the screen and knew about how far I'd gone. So, I started it back up and moved the speed up to 5.3 MPH.

And that's when the intestinal cramps hit me. I made it another three quarters of a mile before I HAD to stop and run for the restroom. Thank goodness I was in my own basement and not far away from the toilet. Ugh. As I sat there sweating I wondered what could be causing this. Did I need more water? Did I need more salt? Did I need more carbs? What was going on? I drank some water and ate a few more tortilla chips and headed back downstairs. The cramps stayed at bay for a while but then reared their ugly heads once again. All in all, I had to take three restroom breaks during those last 3.25 miles. But, I finished all 7 miles mostly at the 11:32 pace.

I still don't know what caused the cramping. I admit I felt a little dizzy and light headed each time I got off the treadmill for a restroom break. Did I wait too long after eating breakfast to run? Did I not wait long enough? I was also having some intestinal issues yesterday but I chalked that up to nervousness about attending a new social event. But perhaps that wasn't the reason. Maybe the sore throat I thought I'd been fighting off has settled in my gut. Whatever the cause, it wasn't fun and I really hope I don't experience this during any of my runs during this upcoming week. Runs on the run equal not so fun.

Trying Tempo Run

Photo found at http://hoardedordinaries.wordpress.com/

This morning, like every morning for the past week, I awoke feeling achy and with a sore throat. I'm unsure as to whether or not the sore throat is just from breathing all this cold air, from breathing all the warm, dry air in our bedroom at night, or if I'm honestly getting sick. Just in case it was the latter, I decided to stay home from work today and chill.

Except that about 1:00 I realized that I felt fine. It was too late in the day to go into work (really, I would have been there for less than three hours. I didn't see the point) but perhaps not too late to go running. The sun was out, the wind was negligible, and the temperatures were actually above 30^oF! The first day in almost a month that would allow me to run outside without freezing to death and I was going to pass it up because of a possible illness? No way! In addition, I skipped my run last night because we were busy seeing Monty Python's Spamalot.

So, I grabbed my Garmin Forerunner 405 and went to turn it on. Nothing. Apparently taking it off the charger and then not using it for three weeks still drains the battery. Even with the GPS function off. Who knew? I was irritated. I put it back on the charger but I had no idea if it would have enough juice in time for me to squeeze in an outdoor run before the sun set. I decided to wait until 3:00 and see where it stood. If it was charged enough to use then I'd run outside. Otherwise, it would be back to the treadmill once again.

Around 3:00 I checked it and it was 75% charged. Good enough for me! I quickly changed into outdoor running gear. Lined Under Armour running tights, SmartWool socks, shorts over the tights, sports bra, short-sleeved sweat-wicking t-shirt, long-sleeved sweat-wicking t-shirt, zip-up fleece jacket, mittens, and fleece ear-covering headband. And shoes of course. As you can see, getting ready to run outside in winter is quite a task!

I grabbed the Garmin and tried to turn on the GPS function. No go. It seemed to be stuck in some strange mode. Then I realized that it had somehow lost all my user information such as weight, gender and age. I futzed with it for awhile. I went outside and walked around the block to see if that would trigger the GPS function. Nothing. Finally, frustrated, I went back inside, re-read the manual, and figured it out. I have no idea how it got set to the "Navigation" setting but whatever. I FINALLY made it out for my run around 3:45 PM.

Today's run was supposed to be a tempo run meaning that I would run a warm-up mile, three miles at a 9:25 minute per mile pace, and then a cool-down mile. This would be my first attempt at running outside and trying to keep a pre-determined steady pace. I think I got a little ahead of myself. I didn't take into account the fact that A. I have yet to actually do one of these tempo runs at the pace indicated in my training plan (I always end up going slower), B. I may or may not be coming down with something, C. This was my first run outside since December 30th, and D. There's still snow on the sidewalks. In fact, although I did not take that picture above, that is still pretty much what it looked like on 75% of my route today.

And I don't have YakTrax.

Running on snow and ice and slush is interesting. By the end of the run my shoulders hurt and my abs and back ached from tensing up from fear of slipping. I walked a lot of times not only because I needed a break but also because I just didn't want to risk face-planting. I couldn't get into a good rhythm because I had to keep slowing down when I'd come to a patch of snow or ice. I had to leap the left-over snow plow banks where the sidewalks crossed the streets.

Overall it was not the best run I've ever had. However, even though I felt liked I walked a lot, every time I looked down at my Garmin it informed me that I was running an average 10:00 per mile pace or an at-the-moment sub-9:00 minute per mile pace. Apparently I couldn't quite hit it in between. And, as you can see from the following charts and graphs, there is some discrepancy between what uploaded from the Garmin to the Garmin Training Center software and how that translated to the BiM Active website.

Data from Garmin Training Center:



Information from BiM Active:

Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 629 ft Location: Forest Park, IL Elev. Gain: +0 ft Date: 01/22/09 Up/Downhill: [+98/-98] Time: 03:43 PM Difficulty: 2.4 / 5.0   Weather: Partly Cloudy   35 F temp; 61% humidity   35 F heat index; winds S 7 Performance Distance: 5.01 miles Time: 0:52:32 Speed: 5.7 mph Pace: 10' 29 /mi Calories: 435 Map   Elevation (ft)   Pace (min/mile)   Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Elevation Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 9' 50 -0' 39 6.1 +0.4 +7 ft 2 9' 41 -0' 48 6.2 +0.5 +6 ft 3 10' 48 +0' 19 5.5 -0.2 -6 ft 4 9' 56 -0' 33 6.0 +0.3 +17 ft 5 12' 04 +1' 35 5.0 -0.8 -19 ft end 19' 10 +8' 41 3.1 -2.6 0 ft Versus average of 10' 29 min/mile

Posted from bimactive.com

So, in the end, I didn't hit my goal of running three straight miles at a 9:25 pace and I definitely started out too fast, but the end result wasn't as horrible as I had feared. I'm not really sure what happened in mile three, though. I think that's when I tried running the street instead of on the snowy sidewalk only to discover that I had to slow down to avoid parked cars and, well, driving cars. Also, if I recall correctly, I was feeling pretty beaten down by the fact that I couldn't get into the groove and zone out. I think I walked a lot of mile three. But obviously when I was running I must have been doing decently in order to keep the average time below 11:00. Interesting.

I don't know when I'll have another opportunity to run outside. This weekend has highs in the teens and I don't plan to take any more time off work that would allow me to get any weekday daylight runs in. Ah, well, I enjoyed it while it lasted.

Stretching My Goal

This time last year I made it my goal to be able to execute and hold the above Pilates move. It's typically called a teaser or a v-sit. And it's HARD. It requires ab strength and hamstring flexibility. Both of which I lack.

I never did accomplish this goal before I moved and stopped taking my Core & More class. A few times here and there I got close, but was never able to hold it for more than half a second and never with my legs full extended.

Now I'm taking Pilates again and interestingly enough I've found that my core strength is returning rather quickly. There are still things that are difficult for me and the teaser is still one of them. However, my current Pilates instructor builds up to the position by having us do it with one leg raised at a time before we raise both legs. I've found this easier to approach. In fact, last night I almost held the full teaser for more than half a second before my hamstrings informed me that they would not be stretching out anymore, thank you. And believe it or not, it's still hard to balance even with your legs bent at a 90 degree angle.

The weird thing is that I can touch my toes and, on a good day, I can even put my hands flat on the floor. In this position I can get my butt all the way against the wall without feeling much of anything. But ask me to do any other position that stretches my hamstrings and I suddenly become the least flexible person ever. Especially if it requires stretching both hamstrings at the same time.

I don't do a lot of stretching post-run and I don't do any before my runs. There are conflicting schools of thought as to whether stretching before or after a run really helps or not. After most runs I do a few stretches (calves, quads, IT Band, hamstrings) but I probably spend less than 5 minutes stretching. Perhaps if I ever want to achieve my goal of holding the teaser position I need to start stretching more. Either way, I'm not giving up. I may run a marathon before I can hold the teaser position, but I will do it!

Tires for my feet

Photo from http://www.brooksrunning.com

Tonight was my easy 2 mile run. I like my Monday easy runs. I can knock them out in less than 30 minutes. That's not even enough time to listen to an entire episode of Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!.

Anyway, since I don't have much to report about my run (other than I will be super thrilled when I can get off the treadmill and tell you about things I see outside. Yeah, I remember outside....barely) I thought I'd tell you about my running shoes.

I got my first pair of running shoes a birthday gift from my mom back in 2005. We went to the local running store and they had me run on a treadmill and all sorts of other fun stuff in order to fit me for shoes. Together we decided on a pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS's. That was before I even considered myself a runner. I had a treadmill and thought about running but wasn't sure where to start. But I knew I needed good shoes.

Those first pair of Adrenalines lasted me two years before I replaced them with, yep, another pair of Brooks Adrenalines. That second pair took me through training with the Beginning Women's Running Group and my first 5K. I then decided that I should treat myself to yet another pair of shoes. Good shoes are one of the key components in avoiding injury. Back to the local running store I went to buy ANOTHER pair of Adrenalines. I swear I tried on every other shoe in the store but it appears that I'm an Adrenaline girl. I remember when I bought this third pair the sales guy was incredibly apologetic about the color. "I can check in the back and see if we have these in any other color if you want" he kept saying. But the thing about running shoes is that you can't base your decision on looks. So what if they're yellow and baby blue. Do they fit? Then there you go.

Anyway, here's my second pair (on the right) of shoes with my third pair (on the left) keeping them company.



I still have that second pair of shoes. They've been my non-running gym shoes for awhile.

That third pair of shoes lasted me through many training miles, my longest run to date, my first 10K, and several other races. However, shortly after moving to Forest Park I decided to patronize my new local running store and buy a new pair of shoes. Once again, I tried on a few options but, as always, ended up back with the Adrenalines. The only change was that they suggested I go down a half size. I haven't noticed a difference.

The photo at the top of this entry is my current running shoes. When I decided to write an entry about my shoes I went over to the Brooks website to find a picture of them. I clicked on the link to the Adrenalines only to discover that they were on sale! See, running shoes are sort of like cars. The manufacturers come out with new models every year and then discount last year's models. January is a great time to buy running shoes because last year's styles are always on sale. I just forgot it was that time. Imagine how excited I was to see my shoes listed for only $61 when they typically retail for close to $100. In addition, they had them in a color I've never seen in a store: pink! Okay, technically they might be more red than pink in person but either way, it's something other than blue! As you can see from the previous photos, all my prior shoes have been some shade of blue. I'm so excited about pink/red shoes it's ridiculous. You might be able to tell from my blog layout that I like pink.



Brooks's website allows you to choose "in-store pick-up" as a possible option. You enter your zip code and they attempt to find a store in your area that has your shoes in stock. If they find one, they email or text message you with the store information. If they can't, they ship you your shoes. Even with shipping these were a great deal. I don't technically need new shoes quite yet, but I will soon. Plus, the idea of having two pairs of running shoes that I can alternate makes me giddy. My Beginning Women's Running Group coach and mentor always talked about how she alternated her shoes. It made me think that "real" runners had more than one pair of shoes. I'm sure that's not true, but realizing that I will have two pairs of shoes to use gives me a sense that I'm more than just a casual jogger. It makes me committed! As if deciding to train for a half-marathon didn't or something.

Regardless, I love my Adrenalines. And you know, even if you aren't planning on running even a block, I highly recommend going to a good sport shoes store (not somewhere like Dick's Sporting Goods or Sports Authority. Head to a local running store or even a chain like Fleet Feet instead.) and get fitted for a good pair of sneakers/running shoes/tennis shoes/gym shoes/whatever you call them. You wouldn't drive your car with bald tires, why should you drive your body in your feet's equivalent?

Treadmill Ennui

more animals

This morning I woke up around 7:30, ate some cereal, dropped Trinka Deu off at the groomer's, and then checked the weather. As I was checking the weather it start to snow. Again. I was really hoping to be able to do my long run outside today (and use my Garmin Forerunner 405...which hasn't seen use since just after Christmas!) but with a temperature of 10^oF and snow and wind I just couldn't face it.

So it was once more into the treadmill breach. I didn't have a DVD to watch so instead I just put on the trusty iPod and set the treadmill to 5.4 miles per hour (about an 11:07 minute/mile pace...just five seconds slower than my training plan says). After a few miles I moved it up to 5.5 MPH. And during my favorite Miley Cyrus song I did 5.6 MPH.

The first two miles went by quickly. The third mile was a little tougher. The fourth and fifth seemed to take forever. But my final mile went by quickly. I wasn't fatigued. My legs weren't tired. But my mind was bored. Today was definitely a struggle of will to complete my entire six miles. But complete them I did.

If all of you could think good thoughts for no more snow and maybe temperatures in the 30s for next weekend I would greatly appreciate it. Or maybe send me a balaclava to wear? Either way, if I don't get running outside it's going to be one interesting transition when it comes to actually doing this half-marathon in April.

My inner greyhound

Photo from http://www.pinkfromage.com

All day I'd been dreading my evening run.

Treadmill? Blech.

First attempt at speedwork? Double blech.

Speedwork, by the way, is the process of teaching your body that it can run faster by running it faster. And the way to run it faster is to run shorter distances at a faster pace.

For example, this evening my training plan told me that I needed to run a total of five miles. One mile of a warm-up jog, 1600 meters (or one mile) at a 8:54 minute/mile pace, an 800 meter (or half mile) recovery jog, followed by another 1600 meters at 8:54, followed by another 800 meter jog, and then a cool-down mile.

To put that in perspective, all my other training runs have been done at either 9:25 or 11:02 minute/mile paces. Or something close to that, anyway. Typically a little slower.

I hate running fast on the treadmill. It's very difficult for me. So, I was definitely not looking forward to running at almost my fastest race pace ever on the 'mill.

I changed into my running clothes, bemoaned the fact that all my good running socks just went into the dryer, grabbed my iPod, and set off for my warm-up mile at 5.0 MPH. For the first half mile every little thing was bothering me. Is that a twinge in my left hip? My triceps are sore from Pilates yesterday. My iPod is irritating me. I think my tank top is chafing my armpit. Oooh, is that a new twinge in my right foot?

As I closed in on the end of the warm-up mile I began to feel nervous. Could I really run a mile on the treadmill that fast? Before heading to the basement I'd checked the treadmill pace conversion chart and decided I'd run my fast miles at 6.4 or 6.5 MPH. That wasn't quite as fast as the training plan wanted me to run them, but it was still faster than any of the my other training runs. Especially if you consider that I still have no idea what incline my treadmill is set at.

When the warm-up mile ended, I punched the buttons to take the treadmill up to 6.4 MPH. It felt fast. It felt hard. But it also felt good. I put on some of the music I mentioned in my last post and resolved not to look at the distance counter until the end of each song. As I ran, I started to get goosebumps. Was I really going to run an entire mile on my treadmill at a speed faster than I'd ever dared before? In fact, I was. And, in fact, I felt so confident that I went ahead and nudged it up to 6.5 MPH. I finished that first interval feeling strong.

Now, I admit that I walked the first quarter mile of my half mile recovery jog. I probably could have run the entire half mile, but I wanted to actually recover and be able to complete the next speed interval without dying. As my recover half mile ticked down, my confidence grew. I planned out my songs and had them queued up. I figured that at 6.5 MPH it would only take about three songs to make it through my mile.

I started my next interval at 6.4. Then, after about a half mile, I kicked it up to 6.5. It still felt hard but it also felt as though it was flying by. The music had me pumped. And while I was running I thought about all the people I know who inspire me to run:

Lindsay because she ran outside in the incredibly horrible weather we've been having. Because she ran her first marathon in December and is already training to run another one in April. Because she's the best running supporter you could meet.

Holly because this time last year she was laid up after knee surgery but recovered and did two triathlons in 2008. Because she has increased her speed and endurance in amazing ways. Because she has immersed herself body, heart and soul into becoming the best runner she can. And when I need an extra push, I envision how we're going to look crossing the finish line together at our half marathon in July. I dream of holding hands and lifting them above our heads in our finish line photo.

Aimee because she has the most amazing view on body image of anyone I know. Because she looked at her health and said she wanted to improve it. And she did. Because she runs, bikes, Yogas, strength-trains for the pure joy of it.

Thinking of those girls and all that they've accomplished kept me going strong. So strong, in fact, that I pushed that 'mill up to 6.8 and then, for the final tenth of a mile, to 7.0 MPH.

Then I walked a little less than a quarter mile before resuming my recovery jog. I finished up with my one mile cool-down going from 5.5 MPH to 5.1. Five miles total. In less than 55 minutes.

I kicked that speed work out's butt. I hope my inner greyhound is here to stay.

Music to my feet?

Photo from PS Graphix

Tonight was my "easy" 2 mile run at an 11:02 minute/mile pace. As usual, it had to be done on the treadmill since it's still snowing!

So, I got home from work, changed into running gear, strapped on my iPod, and headed down to the basement. I did a 4 and a half minute warm-up walk and then launched into running with the treadmill set at 5.4 miles per hour. After about .7 miles, I punched it up to 5.5 mph.

Tonight felt good! I felt as though I could have run at that speed for quite awhile. Perhaps I could have gone even faster.

I credit my iPod. I don't always run with it when I run on the treadmill, typically preferring to watch a DVD instead. But I've found that good music really helps when it comes to the 'mill. Tonight definitely proved that.

Here's what I listened to:

"Come What May" - Moulin Rouge soundtrack (warm-up walk)
"Animal" - Nickleback
"Easy Lover" - Phil Collins
"See You Again" - Miley Cyrus
"Misery Business" - Paramour
"Crush Crush Crush" - Paramour
"Shake It" - Metro Station

If only all my runs could be like tonight.

Stay tuned for Wednesday when I attempt intervals on the treadmill!

Winter Long Run Blues

Photo courtesy of http://www.bigfoto.com

According to my training plan, Saturdays are supposed to be my long run days. These are the days when I build up my endurance. I prefer to do long runs outside but this Saturday Mother Nature had other plans.

It started snowing on Friday and continued until approximately 4 PM on Saturday for a total of 8 inches of snow. Add that to the inch or so we got earlier this week and you've got 9 inches of snow coating the sidewalks and streets. While there are people who run in the snow, I'm not one of them. At least, not yet. So, instead, I got up, ate a bowl of cereal, and hopped on the treadmill for my long run of 6 miles at an 11:02 mile per minute pace.

It did not go very well. 11:02 felt very fast, I felt very tired and dehydrated, and, generally, I just didn't want to be on the treadmill. I knew that if I was outside I could run this distance at this pace but the treadmill was mentally beating me.

I ended up running just under 3.5 miles and walking another .25 before I ran out of time. I had places I needed to be on Saturday so I didn't have the luxury of just running the six miles at a more comfortable pace.

I'm disappointed in myself that I didn't make the whole distance on the treadmill. But, to be honest, I've NEVER run that distance on the treadmill at that pace.

I just want the snow to stop. I want to run on dry sidewalks. I don't want to worry about how to keep my feet warm and dry while running. Sadly, the weather isn't listening to me. This week is supposed to be another snowy cold snap.

I really want to do well at my first half-marathon. I just don't know if I can do this training in this weather.

To try and make myself feel better I just spent some time entering my previous race reports into this blog. I also need to figure out why my race countdown clock seems to think I only have 30 days left until my half-marathon on April 11th.

Treadmill Tempo Trials

Click the center of the picture to play a short video

According to my training plan, last night was my first tempo run. A tempo run, according to Hal Higdon, is "a continuous run with a buildup in the middle to near race pace." As a Runner's World article says, "it's what I call 'comfortably hard. You know you're working, but you're not racing. At the same time, you'd be happy if you could slow down."

When I calculated my training plan using the Runner's World Smart Coach, I used my best 5K time (27:23...an 8:49 minute per mile pace) as the basis. Maybe not such a smart idea. Last night's tempo run consisted of a mile warm up, a mile cool down, and three miles at a 9:25 minute per mile pace. Obviously I can run that fast for three miles as evidenced by my previous 5K time. It's just that I've never run that fast for that long on a treadmill.

Needless to say, I was a little apprehensive. I'm one of those people who can run faster outside than indoors on a treadmill. I've seen discussions about this phenomenon in online running communities, and the responses are always the same: Your treadmill's not calibrated correctly. It's all in your head. You're just bored and don't want to push yourself. Personally, I think it's because when running outdoors you naturally speed up and slow down for very, very short periods of time, thus giving you an overall pace instead of the exact same pace for the entire run. The treadmill, however, forces you run at the exact same pace for every second of your run.

Regardless of the reason, last night's tempo run was hard. I actually ended up trying to run those three miles with my treadmill set at 6.3 MPH. Assuming that I had my treadmill set to a 1% incline (while my treadmill has an incline function, it doesn't have a display screen to tell me what incline it's actually set at), this translates to approximately a 9:26 minute/mile pace. Close enough, I figured. Sadly, I didn't run all three miles at this pace. I ran some of those miles, sure. But I took quite a few breaks and just let the treadmill spin while I stood on the side rails. Then I gave up on the 6.3 speed and lowered it to 6.0. Also, for the last quarter mile of my cool down, I decided to walk.

Overall, I did my five miles on the 'mill. It didn't go as well as I'd hoped, but at least I made it through the mileage and didn't end up flat on my back like our polar bear up above. Maybe by the end of this training plan I'll be looking forward to tempo runs instead of dreading them.

New Year, New Schedule, New Cross-training

Photo courtesy of Oak Park YMCA website

When I lived in Champaign I developed a fitness routine that got me an hour and a half of workouts two days a week plus running three days a week and still allowed me to have dinner on the table by 7:30 PM most nights (with some help from the husband, of course). Getting off work at 4:30 and having no commute certainly helped.

Now, though, I get off work at 5:00 PM and have a 45-50 minute commute. This most recent fall I signed up for a class called "Ultimate Sculpt" (cardio combined with some strength training) that started at 7 PM and ended at 8 PM. My original plan was to come home from work, change into workout clothes, drive to the YMCA, do some cardio, and then head to class. Dinner wouldn't be served until after 8 PM but it's not like we have kids to feed before bedtime or anything.

However, Ultimate Sculpt kicked my butt and I just couldn't fathom doing additional cardio beforehand. Plus, by the time I changed and got to the gym I'd be lucky to get a half hour of cardio in before class. With this schedule I felt as though I was wasting a lot of time and not getting as much cross-training as I would have liked.

So now I've changed up my schedule a little bit. Tuesdays and Thursdays I plan to arrive at work a half hour earlier and then leave at 4:30 instead of 5:00. I've signed up for an hour-long Pilates class at the YMCA that starts at 6:00. After class I can jump on an elliptical trainer (see photo above) and get in my 30-45 minutes of cardio cross-training. I'll still get home around 8:00 PM but I've begun to adjust to eating dinner that late.

Last night was my first evening of this schedule. The Pilates instructor asked me if I'd ever done Pilates before. "Sort of," was my reply.

Turns out that I have. It's just that my class in Champaign didn't refer to it as such. My previous Core & More class, as well as the Ultimate Sculpt class, actually prepared me quite well for the exercises we did last night. After my first week of Core & More this time last year I wanted to cry because the moves were so difficult for me. Last night I did most of the moves with very little frustration. I find it amazing to learn what your body can do.

After class it was time to check out the elliptical machines. This was my first time in the fitness room at the YMCA. Sadly, they have half-hour limits on the machines and you have to sign-up for them in half-hour increments. Technically you're supposed to get off the machine at the 30 minute mark and re-sign up for the next 30 minutes if you want to be on longer. I figure I'll watch the behavior of the other patrons and see if people really follow these rules. Regardless, I behaved and only did 30 minutes last night. Plus, it's been almost six months since I've been on an elliptical machine and I didn't want to kill myself.

And although the YMCA membership is twice as expensive as my previous gym membership, it does come with additional perks. For instance, each elliptical machine has its own television. How cool is that?

Treadmill Training Blahs

Hello. Come on in. Welcome to my training dungeon. Okay, it's not really a dungeon. It's just my treadmill set-up in what I like to call "the scary basement." Sure, sure, I've got a tv and a DVD player and large booming speakers but what you can't see in the picture is the tub of recycling and the pile of empty boxes and the paint that's flaking off the floor.

Training utopia it ain't. But it's what I've got since it's winter.

The problem with winter, you see, is that it's dark outside when I have time to run. And it's cold all the time. I don't like to run in either condition. However, half-marathon training started tonight with an easy two-mile run so running on the treadmill is where it's at.

(And in case you're wondering what training plan I decided to go with, well, I'm sort of using a Runner's World Smart Coach plan. Except that some of the speedwork will most likely just get converted into straight running.)

So, tonight after work I changed into my running stuff, started dinner, grabbed my iPod, and jumped on the treadmill. Two miles at an 11:02 min/mile pace? I should be done in less than half an hour if you count warm-ups and cool-downs. Sadly, due to my horrible math skills I set the treadmill speed too slow and ended up running a 12:00 min/mile pace instead. Regardless, I got my two miles in and I found a Treadmill Pace Conversion Chart for next time.

I'm sure by the time April rolls around the treadmill and I will be best buds!

How to break in a 13.1 Virgin

Image courtesy of Runners' Lounge


Welcome to my little part of the Interwebs! This blog is for all of you who want to follow me as I start to tackle distance running.

Quick, let's do a crash course in distances for those who don't know (for those who do, you can skip this part):

Typical race distances
5K = 3.1 miles
8K = 5 miles
10K = 6.2 miles
Half-marathon (or 21K) = 13.1 miles
Marathon = 26.2 miles

(there are other race distances, but we'll stick with these for now)

Since I started running in June of 2007, I've raced five 5Ks, one 8K, and three 10Ks. And countless training miles (well, okay, I could have counted them but I didn't).

But, as you can see, I've never run a race longer than 6.2 miles. In fact, my longest training run to date has been just over 9 miles. So, I'm definitely a virgin when it comes to anything longer than that.

Most veteran runners will suggest that you use a training plan when attempting a new distance. Why do you want a training plan? It helps keep you on track, accountable and, most of all, it helps prevent injury. Training plans allow you to increase your weekly mileage in a nice, controlled manner. There are few things worse than running too much too soon and injuring yourself.

The hardest part (for me at least) comes when trying to choose a plan. Hal Higdon, Cool Runnings and Runner's World are some of the most well-known training plans. But, as you can see, there are difference among them. Nine week or twelve week? Beginner or intermediate? Speedwork (also known as intervals) or not? And this doesn't even get into the training plans that various running clubs use with their members or the question of whether or not you should run with a training group!

How to decide? I'm definitely a runner who needs a plan to follow. I've used Hal Higdon's 10K Novice plan in the past. My original thought was to use his Novice Half-Marathon plan for my first half-marathon in April. This will give me time to figure out how to do the speedwork/intervals required for most of the other plans. And then when I start training for my second half-marathon I can use an intermediate plan.

So why tell you all this about training plans? Because this blog will be a record of what I do during and between the runs laid out in whatever plan I choose. You'll see photos of things I encounter while running, charts and graphs of speed and distance, race reports of any lead-up races I might run, and general information about my fitness regime.

I welcome any and all readers who wish to join me on my journey whether in mind, body or spirit.

Stay tuned! Whatever training plan I choose most likely starts in the next week or two!

Westchester VeteRUN 10K

Yesterday I braved the cold, the clouds and the occasional snow flake to run the Westchester VeteRUN 10K. All the proceeds from this race to go the Wounded Heroes Foundation to help with the financial needs and support of wounded veterans. This race has been going on for years and it's always been in support of veterans.

On the advice of Lindsay I decided to wear my running tights with a pair of shorts over them, a short-sleeved shirt, and my long-sleeved fleece jacket. I accessorized with a trademark bandanna and a pair of gloves. When Jason and I arrived at the race venue just a little before 8:15 AM the temperature was hovering around 35^oF. I immediately headed to the chip pick up tent to grab my chip (which ended up being one of those triathlon chips that velcro around your ankle) and then we ducked inside the larger tent the race organizers had set up to keep us out of the cold while waiting for the start. We ventured out of the tent briefly so that Jason could visit the Saturn booth and register to win a car. He also picked up one of the cowbells they were giving away. For those of you that have never attended a race with lots of spectators, cowbells are a common form of cheering. And now Jason has one he can bring with him to all my races! I also grabbed another sign from the Adidas truck and wrote my name on it. Then it was back to the tent to try and stay warm.

Trying to stay warm and look like I'm having fun




I felt bad for the race organizers because they were attempting to have a flag raising and dedication ceremony outside the tent but no one wanted to leave the warmth! In fact, it wasn't until shortly before the start of the race that most people ventured outside. We walked briskly over to the start line and I queued up towards the back of the pack. My goal time was anything under an hour and I planned to start off slow so I knew I didn't want to be at the front of the pack. About 9 AM a pitiful sounding start gun went off and we shuffled towards the timing mats.




The first three miles were nice. I warmed up quickly and part of the first half was on the bike path that I usually do my long runs on. It was a little crowded at first but people slowly began spreading out along the path and I didn't have to dodge very many people after a few minutes. I felt strong just before the three mile mark. Strong enough to wave like a fool at Jason when I passed him. Sadly, he didn't get a picture of that.

Me just before the mile 3 marker



You can see that my sleeves are still down, my gloves are still on, and my bandanna is still over my ears. Also, I tried my darnedest to pace that woman in the fuchsia and purple and did pretty well until the last 1.2 miles.

They had clocks at each mile marker and I saw that I was running about a ten minute mile. I knew I had to speed up some if I wanted to make my time goal. However, the stretch between mile three and mile four was brutal and when I got to the four mile marker I felt spent. I don't know if I was dehydrated, if it was the cold, if I was just worn out from racing so hard the previous Sunday or what. But after mile four I started to go downhill and, sadly, not literally. I was warm enough to wish I hadn't put my race number on over the zipper on my jacket so instead I just pushed up the sleeves, took off my gloves, and moved the bandanna off my ears.

I grabbed water at the mile four marker, swished it around in my mouth, and spit it out. I didn't want to take any chances of aggravating the side cramp that had started to fade in and out. But at mile five I decided to walk part of the water station and drink a few sips of water. I could feel my energy level fading fast. I wished I had remembered to grab some of those sport beans at Target the day before. The English muffin with peanut butter I'd eaten at 7:15 AM just wasn't working any more. But after a very short walk and water break, I picked up running again. I tried to up my pace but could only manage to speed up for a few hundred yards.

Between mile five and six I got a spirit boost from an elderly couple standing at the end of their driveway with a card table full of drinks and a boombox playing Sousa marches. At this point I was literally just putting one foot in front of the other and it was nice to have a little distraction.

I saw Jason again and I could see the mile 6 marker, too. I knew I only had a quarter of a mile left to go. But the clock said 58:something. Could I do a quarter mile in less than 2 minutes? I was so tired. I was almost crying. I'd long since lost the woman in fuchsia and the man running in front of me was loudly grunting with every step. I tried my hardest to speed up and I think I did sprint some of the final distance.


But I don't remember if that's a smile or a grimace on my face




I had no idea what the time was when I crossed the finish line. All I could do was stagger to end of the chute and stare helplessly at the guys holding the chip collection basket. One of them was kind enough to squat down and remove my chip from my ankle. I was afraid if I bent over I would pass out. I wandered around in a daze until Jason found me. We grabbed bagels and chicken noodle soup from the food tent and went back to the big tent to stand in the warmth so that I could stretch.

They were posting some of the final times after the race but mine wasn't listed. They only had the top twelve women in my age group and, well, I wasn't in the top twelve. This particular race is not only on the Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA) circuit it also gets rated very highly by CARA members each year. I knew the field would be fairly fast. And, you know, I didn't have a very good feeling about how well I would do in this race. In fact, I'd had nightmares the night before about chip difficulties and other assorted running fears. I haven't been running many long distances (as in, longer than 10K) for awhile now and I just didn't feel like I was at my best. So, yeah, while I had a feeling I wouldn't beat an hour I was still hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

This morning the official times were finally posted online. My final time? Well, they gave us both gun time and chip time.

Gun time: 1:00:36.4

Chip time: 1:00:08.8

Pace: 9:46/mile

14 out of 15 in Age Group

331 out of 411 Overall

So close to under an hour but not quite there. Part of me thinks that if I hadn't stopped for water I would have made it. But another part thinks that maybe I would have been slower if I hadn't taken those breaks. I'll never know.

Regardless, I know I have a lot of work to do this winter if I want to finish strong at my first half-marathon in April.

Golden Apple 5K

For the past few weeks I had been seeing signs around town for the Golden Apple 5K race on November 2nd. My plan had been to run one race a month but I had to skip October due to various issues. So, I thought about doing this race as my October race. Two days into November is close enough to October, right? Anyway, I forgot all about it until Friday afternoon. After I found out that my mom wanted to visit, I emailed her to see if she was okay with cheering me on on Sunday morning. She was more than okay with it and on Saturday I went and registered to race.

I was a little apprehensive because I skipped almost an entire week of exercising with my Vegas trip and then almost another entire week due to being sick and work commitments. The only runs I had done were one 45 minute treadmill run after Vegas but before sickness and a 4 mile outside run with Trinka Deu this Saturday. Plus I'd only been to my Ultimate Sculpt class once in the past two weeks. But, I knew I could run 3.1 miles no problem and could possibly PR if I pushed myself.

Aside: I can't believe I am now the type of person who can say "I could run 3.1 miles with no problem." Still experiencing shock and awe.

Plus, when I realized that the start line for the race was less than a mile from my house and the race course went through my neighborhood, well, there was no way I could skip it. So, on Sunday morning I hopped out of bed (which was much easier to do than normal due to the time change), ate breakfast, and gathered my mom, Jason, and Trinka Deu and walked to the start line.

Another aside: I LOVE that I could walk to the start line. How cool is that??

The morning started out a little chillier than I would like but I knew that with the sun and the exertion I would soon wish I was wearing a tank top and shorts instead of a capris and a short-sleeved top.

Once at the start line I got my timing chip (yet another aside: I LOVE that all the races here use timing chips) and Jason took some "before" pictures.

I wore my brightest shirt so that my mom and Jason would be able to pick me out of the crowd.



See the start line in the distance?




With about five minutes until the gun I made my way to the starting line. I started much further up in the chute than I normally do. I was feeling fast and it didn't look like the crowd was all that big or hardcore. My mom asked me what my goal time was. "Anything under 28 minutes," I said. My mom and Jason went off to stand at the side and wait for the race to start. I decided to stay close to the edge of the crowd so that they could see me.





The gun went off with very little fan fair and, for the first time in my life, I was across the start line before I knew it. I saw Jason with the camera and I hear my mom cheering. And I waved.



(The start line and the finish line were in the same place which is why the sign above my head says "Finish". It's the back side of the Start sign.)

I started out super fast in that first mile. That's the hazard of starting so close to the start line; you get caught up with the faster runners. But I knew that if I wanted to meet my goal of 28 or less I had to keep to a 9 min/mile or less pace. That's really pushing it for me so I tried to pace myself off some of the faster runners. For awhile I was running behind a woman with neon green soles on her shoes. I tried to pace her but lost her after the first mile. That first mile, by the way, I ran in something like 8:45! This race was great in that they had clocks at both miles 1 and 2.

I was thankful that the hill in mile 1 is something I've run numerous times before so it didn't wipe me out. But I admit that I paid zero attention to my surroundings during miles 2 and 3. I felt myself slowing down after the first mile but I knew I had to push it if I wanted to meet my time goal. I also admit that there were a few times that I really did feel like walking. That's how I knew I was running harder than normal. Plus, a good section of miles 2 and 3 was run on old brick streets so a lot of my attention was diverted to making sure I didn't twist my ankle. The trade off for running on old brick streets through residential neighborhoods, though, is that the people who live in those neighborhoods cheer from their porches. My mom asked me after the race if having random strangers yell encouragement really helps. "Yes! It most certainly does!" I told her. In fact, the guy running in front of me for awhile was so grateful for the encouragement that he yelled back "Thank you!" to the people cheering from the sidelines.

Mile 3 was the same as mile 1 but in reverse. I honestly had no idea if I was on target time-wise or not. I ended up starting my watch late and I was running so hard that the time on the clock at mile 2 didn't even register. Once we finally got in site of that blasted hill I knew we were close; I run that part of the route all the time so I had a good idea of how much longer it was. I pushed through the hill and cruised through the downhill portion. At the bottom of the hill is the local dog park. As I came near I looked over at all the dogs. There was a line of them running full speed through the park. "Now that's some inspiration," I thought. And then I realized that the last dog in the line was Trinka Deu! Then I saw my mom and Jason. As I ran past my mom cheered me on.

Here's what Jason, Trinka Deu and my mom were doing while I was running.



And here's my mom (in the white sweater) cheering me on:




As I rounded the corner to the finish line I was once again hit by the desire to walk. But with the finish line so close I dug deep and sprinted the last 200 meters. Again, the time on the clock didn't even register. 28 something? Who knew.

The lovely volunteers removed my timing chip, I grabbed some water, and walked around while waiting for Jason and my mom to return. When they got back, my mom grabbed one of the signs they were giving out. She's going to use it again when it comes time for my half marathons.





While we were standing around waiting for the post-race festivities, a man came up to me and said, "I was about 30 feet behind you the entire race and was trying to catch you the entire time. I never did!" That made me feel fabulous.

After a muffin and a raffle drawing where I didn't win anything (but a nine year old did win a night at the Hyatt!) we walked back home where I showered and then we headed back out for brunch.



And my time? I looked it up later Sunday evening.

27:23

And 7th out of 31 in my age group! 122 out of 323 overall.

By the way, that time means I averaged 8:49 min/mile.

I kicked my time goal's ass. I shaved 50 seconds off my last 5K time. You think I can get that time under 27 minutes?

Yeah, so do I.

Run for Their Lives 8K

Sunday morning (the 28th) found me being awakened by my alarm blaring at 6:30 AM. Why? Because at 9:00 AM I was running the PAWS Chicago Run for Their Lives 8K.

PAWS Chicago is Chicago's largest no-kill humane society. Read more about them on their website. Humane societies and pet rescues are near and dear to my heart so I felt that this was the perfect event for me. And thanks to my friends and family I raised $165 dollars, all of which goes directly to PAWS Chicago.

The event consisted of either a 4K walk (that you could do with your dog) or an 8K (4.97 miles) race (that you were supposed to do sans dog). They also had quite the set-up at Montrose Harbor. A doggie agility course you could try, quite a few sponsor tents giving away free goodies (we scored a bandanna and a portable foldable water bowl), dog and human massage stations, and a well-stocked beverage and food tent. The grassy area just north of the harbor was humming with people and dogs.



Jason and I decided to bring Trinka Deu with us as a treat. She had quite the time looking at all the people and greeting other dogs. She was perfectly well-behaved and posed for a few pictures.



The race day packet pick-up was incredibly well-organized. Such a change from the Nike+ Human Race! The goody bag was even better, too. Two-week pass to Bally Fitness, a package of doggie-doo clean up bags, dog treats, and a magazine. And I think the t-shirt might be my favorite shirt of any race I've ever done.



Shortly after I grabbed my packet and timing chip it was time to do a quick warm-up with the girls from Bally Fitness. They lead the crowd in a few stretches and mild aerobic exercises. Well, I should say they attempted to lead the crowd. It looked like there were a lot of people signing up or doing packet pick-up last minute. In addition, they did the warm-up at 8:15 even though the race didn't start until 9:00. So participation was a bit sparse.



After the human warm-up it was time for doggy yoga. We decided to skip that :-) Instead I hit the port-a-potty and then we wandered over to the edge of the grassy area to look out at the lake. Once again Trinka was kind enough to pose.



I hit the port-a-potty one more time (look, I drank a lot of water before the race) and then it was time to head over the start line. I left Trinka Deu and Jason and joined a large group of people waiting to run. I ended up pretty far at the back of the pack. So far back, in fact, that I couldn't even see the start line. Apparently there were approximately 3000 runners signed up. Anyway, we ended up standing there for a while. The woman in front of me was talking to her companion about how she was hoping to run a 9:15/mile pace. Hmm, I thought, I'm hoping to run a 9:30/mile pace. I should try and keep this woman in my sights. Thankfully she was wearing a bright pink shirt.

Now, I should mention that this was the first race I've ever gone into with an idea of what pace I wanted to run. Usually I just run my hardest and hope I beat my previous time. But for this race I used a pace calculator to figure out what time my watch should say when I hit each mile. I decided my goal time was going to be 47:30. I wanted to run under a 10 minute mile but I wasn't entirely sure how much under I was capable of. I chose 9:30/mile as my goal. I really had no idea if it was reasonable or not. The calculator spit out my split times and before I left for the race I wrote them down on the back of my hand, hoping that my sweat wouldn't wash them away.

After a slight delay to the start time, the gun finally went off and we shuffle/walked towards the start line. After a minute or two it was time to cross the starting line. I clicked the start button on my $5 sports watch's stopwatch function as we passed over the timing mat. However, a few feet past the start line the course narrowed to a small walking path and we literally had to slow down to a walk. Thankfully it cleared quickly and we were off.

It was a great day for running. In the mid-60s, overcast, and a slight breeze. The sky seemed to be threatening rain but none ever materialized. For the first mile of the course I dodged in and around people running in gravel, sand, and grass at various points. I managed to keep the lady in pink in my sight for the entire first mile. However, when we hit the first mile marker she sped up. I looked down at my watch and it said 9:50! I honestly felt as though I had gone out too fast but apparently I was going too slow! Maybe all that dodging and weaving had taken it's toll.

I picked up my pace. On my way through the second mile I looked up to see the lead runner headed back our way. That's the problem with an out-and-back race course: while you're excited to see the speed at which some people can run, those of us that are slower can feel a little disheartened that the leaders are over halfway done before we have even hit the halfway point. But, as I always try to tell myself, speed doesn't matter. The fact that I am out there at all is what matters.

I hit the two mile marker and the turn around point feeling strong. I was remembering to keep my shoulders relaxed and trying to focus on my form. Nothing hurt and I wasn't feeling too tired. Also, it helped that I was only a few seconds off of my goal time for that point (at least according to my watch). Between miles two and three we ran closer to the harbor. It's so cool for me to go from running through residential neighborhoods and university buildings to passing sailboats and beaches. When I hit mile three I was pleased to see that I was right on target time-wise.

Between miles three and four my energy started to lag. I felt as though it was getting harder and harder to maintain my pace. It didn't look like the 4 mile marker was ever going to appear. I admit I was sorely tempted to walk but I didn't. I knew I could run this entire distance. I run 4 miles at least twice a week! I've done two 10Ks! Finally the mile marker appeared and as we passed it we could see the parking lot and the race vendor tents in the distance. It also helped that when I looked at my watch I was ahead of my goal time! That must be why this mile felt so much harder. Oops.

The final almost-mile dragged at first but then I got a second wind and it started flying by. As I got closer and closer to the finish I heard the jingling of a dog collar behind me. A woman and her husky were on my right. The husky was going strong. Stupid as it sounds, I didn't want to get beaten by a girl and her dog. So, I sped up just a little bit. Then I was in the final straightway to the finish. I pushed myself harder and passed a few more people. As I crossed the timing mats I remembered to hit the stop button on my watch (that may be a first for me) and slowed to a walk. I looked down at my watch to see that it said 46:50! Yes!

I found Jason who, sadly, missed getting a picture of me coming through the finish line. However, he was sweet enough to have grabbed me an energy bar and to regale me with funny stories of what happened when he took Trinka Deu down on the beach. I decided that I had to see what she thought of the sand and water for myself.

We walked down to the sand and then out towards the water. Trinka Deu didn't seem to excited about either. The first time a wave touched her foot she skittered backwards. I guess the first time you experience that it can be unnerving. She was kind enough to oblige us with a few photos, though.







After torturing Trinka I decided that I needed more sustenance than a mini energy bar. The English muffin with peanut butter I ate at 7 AM wasn't cutting it any longer. At the food tent we discovered they had boxes and boxes and boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts. I don't normally like donuts but for some reason they sounded really good right about then. I grabbed one for myself and one for Jason and we chowed down. I followed that up with half a bagel. Our food eaten we made the decision to head home. I knew that I wouldn't be winning any awards and Trinka was experiencing some dog fatigue. That is to say, she was tired of other dogs.

Once we got home my cheering section zonked out. I guess all that excitement just wore them out.





And me? What did I do? I mowed the lawn. I guess running 8K in 46:49 (official chip time) gives you energy to spare.

By the way, I came in 79th out of 216 women in my age group and 339th out of 769 overall. And since this is my first race at the 8K distance, it's technically a new personal record!

Nike+ Human Race 10K - Chicago

Yesterday evening at 6:30 PM I joined approximately 14,000 other people to run the Nike+ Human Race 10K in Chicago. About two and a half hours before the start time, I got ready, packed my bag, put on my race shirt, put on my timing chip (my first ever!) and headed out the door to catch the train.



At first I was a little annoyed that I would haven't a separate race bib number to put in my race scrapbook, but I have to admit it was nice not to have to worry about pinning anything to my shirt.

After taking a train and a very slow-moving bus and chatting with a couple people who drove in from Iowa City, I found myself at Soldier Field, the home of the Chicago Bears and lots of history-making events. It was amazing to look around and see so many red shirts.

This is the starting line:



And the outside of the stadium:



By the time I got there it was still an hour to race time. I checked my bag at the bag check which was surprisingly not as crazy as I had anticipated. I then headed out to wander around. I realized after a few minutes that I had left my free Powerbar and granola in my bag along with my signature bandanna. I didn't feel like going back and getting them. Luckily they were handing out lots more free Powerbars and granola. I grabbed a packet of granola and a bottled water and fueled myself up. Then I found a spot in the grass to do some light stretching.

About 6:00 the announcers asked us to start lining up at the start line according to our project minute per mile pace. They had placed signs along the sides of the corral indicating sub-8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 minutes miles. What they failed to account for were the large numbers of people who, well, don't run a sub-8 mile. Those of us in the 10 minute mile area were so squashed together. When the first gun went off at around 6:45 (15 minutes late) they asked just the sub-8 mile people to start and the rest of us to wait. Well, you can't put 14,000 eager runners at a start line and ask them to shuffle slowly to the mats. Haven't these people ever run a race? So, those of us towards the back slowly inched up to the actual start line. This meant my start was horrible. More like one of those tiny, tip-of-the-toes comical jogs that you do when you're trying not to step on the person in front of you.

The people never really thinned out. I felt as if I was dodging walkers and slower runners the entire race. I couldn't find anyone to pace off of, either. I really got the impression that there were a TON of people for whom this was their first racing experience. Lots of walkers in the middle of the road, lots of people starting out too fast. People changing speeds all the time. Perhaps this is always the case at such a large race (this was the largest race I've ever run. Prior to this my largest race was about 600 people) but either way I found it incredibly annoying. And it was really difficult to pass people because our running path kept getting narrower and narrower.

We started out with about four traffic lanes to ourself. Sadly, these four lanes were underneath the McCormick Place convention center where the air was still and it was hot as blazes. However, people were making the best of it by whooping and hollering to hear their voices bounce off all the concrete surrounding us. Once we exited the convention center our running space dwindled down to two traffic lanes. This two lanes thing continued the entire way down Lake Shore Drive. Once we crossed over Lake Shore Drive and head back north it got worse. Suddenly we were on a bike path. A bike path for 14,000 people? Ridiculous!

I had made it to the half-way point in just over 30 minutes and felt good. I was planning on amping it up for the second half but there were just so many people to dodge. Every time I'd find a good pace I'd come up against a wall of people and have to slow down while I waited for a chance to go around them. I skipped all the water and Gatorade stations because the crush of people was insane and since my goal was a sub-60 minute time I didn't want to waste it on fighting a crush of people for water. In addition, I've yet to have a good experience with drinking anything while racing. It usually just makes my stomach cramp up.

There were a few bands and a DJ along the course playing music to keep us motivated. We ran past several pre-Labor Day picnics and lots of those people cheered us on. Little kids and adults alike stood by the side of the bike path with their hands out-stretched to give us five. One group of kids I passed was keeping track of how many people actually slapped their hands. The crowds were definitely encouraging.

Night started to fall and it became very dark on the bike path. I couldn't see my watch anymore and I had no idea how much further we had to go after awhile. Finally we hit the 5 mile mark and I tried my darnedest to ramp up my speed. I passed a woman who was talking to herself saying "You can do it. You can finish strong. You can finish in under an hour." I looked over at her and said, "I think you're reading my mind." "Then let's do it!" she said. Sadly, I lost her in the darkness and the throngs of people. Once again, as hard as I tried to push it I felt as though I was being thwarted by slower-moving people at every step. Mile 5 felt like the longest mile of my life. I had managed to keep my shoulders from aching until then but during that last mile they became very painful. Suddenly there was the mile 6 marker and I knew we only had .2 to go. I sped up just a little bit. I still couldn't see my watch so I had no idea how close I was to my goal time. Finally I could see the finish line. I sprinted around several people as I ran for my life towards that timing mat. I think the clock said 1:15 and I prayed that it had taken me more than 15 minutes to make it across the start line.

As always, they were telling us to keep moving and not to block the finishing chute, but it was still packed with people. Volunteers were handing out finishers bracelets in what looked like cardboard relay batons. We were herded through a narrow walkway to a chip-removal station. It was hot, I was tired, I was thirsty and, honestly, I felt like I was going to pass out. I'm not typically claustrophobic but at that moment I had to squelch the urge to scream at the top of my lungs that I wanted out. The chip removal women were very nice and I felt sorry for them that they were working in essentially pitch blackness (um, hello, it's night! You might want to get these people some flashlights or something). But, really, all I wanted was water. The guy next to me expressed that sentiment out loud and we were told to keep moving. After what felt like an eternity we found the water station. It wasn't cold but I didn't care. I downed that thing and then wandered zombie-like over to the free food stations. Our choices? Yogurt, granola, or Powerbars. I grabbed a fruit smoothie Powerbar and ate it while I wandered around in a daze. I called my husband and my mom to let them know I finished. We chatted for a little bit. I picked up my bag from the bag check. Then I asked someone to take my picture.



The post-race entertainment was a concert by Fall Out Boy but I really had no idea what time it started. Around 8:30 I wandered into Soldier Field and lo and behold they had already started. I hung out on the floor for awhile, got my picture taken at professional photo booth (I have no idea when those will be available), and decided I'd better get something more than a Powerbar to eat. I debated buying a beer but for $7.00 and on a mostly empty stomach I decided that would be a bad idea. What I really wanted was a big soft pretzels but I didn't see any. Nachos I saw. Hot dogs I saw. Finally I saw someone with pizza and that sounded fabulous. I finally found the pizza stand only to discover that they were running really behind on making them. I didn't feel like waiting. I figured my Powerbar would do until I could get home.

Fall Out Boy was okay. I'm not a huge fan of concerts in general and especially not when I'm there by myself. However, seeing the sea of red on in the seats and on the floor of the field was certainly impressive.



Also, I'm not even a big football fan but to stand in the middle of the arena and look up and realize that this is what professional football players see was pretty cool.

Around 9:30 Fall Out Boy called it a day and I headed out to find my way home. I chatted with two guys from Vegas who were combining a vacation to Chicago with running the race. I told them that my goal had been to run a sub-60 race. One of the guy's goals was to run it in 1:15 and the other one just wanted to finish. It was his first race. I lost them at some point because I think they were more wiped out than I was. That's hard to believe, though, because the 1.5 mile hike to the train station felt like the Bataan Death March. My feet hurt, I was tired and achy, and craving pizza. Also, I don't think my stomach really enjoyed that Powerbar because it felt kind of crampy.

After the trudge to the train station I waited what was an interminably long time for the first train. Then, once that one took me to where I wanted to be, I waited for my train home. On the train I stupidly decided to eat my second Powerbar. All that did was make my stomach feel even more strange. I finally made it home around 10:30 PM. I debated ordering pizza or just going to bed. I ended up ordering pizza. I collapsed on the couch and found A Knight's Tale on the free movie channel. I was too exhausted to pay much attention, though. My pizza finally arrived around 11:30. I scarfed it down and then collapsed into bed.

This morning I looked up my time. I have to admit, I'm disappointed. My official time is 1:02.18. Sigh. I think this is a combination of lots of things. Moving and changing jobs took up a lot of my time and energy in June, July and August. It took until last week to get into a strength training class when before I had been taking a combination yoga/pilates/weight lifting class twice a week since the previous fall. I'd lost out on two days of cross-training cardio for almost all of July and August. And my running in June and much of July was sporadic at best. My training before my 59:59 10K was much better. However, there are also the race factors themselves to consider. My first race was done in April on a strangely cold, snowy and drizzly day. It was a much, much smaller race and it wasn't chip-timed. So, fewer people to dodge combined with human error on the timing could account for the time differences. The Nike+ race was much, much larger, I felt like I was dodging people the entire time, my start was crappy, and it was chip-timed. So, who knows? So, yes, I'm disappointed that my official time was not sub-60 but at least now I have a goal to work towards. Get it back under an hour!

Freedom 5K

Earlier today I ran my fourth 5K race and my fifth race overall. It was the Freedom 5K and we went along the Fourth of July Parade route for my town. Sans parade, of course.

The day started out cool and rainy but, of course, a few minutes before the race was to start the sun came out and the temperature warmed up considerably. I had been hoping for cloudy and rainy since I haven't been doing much running in the heat and sun but I guess it wasn't to be. When I was getting dressed this morning I opted for short-sleeves as opposed to a tank top. As the sun came out I wished I had worn the tank top but it was too late to change. I pinned on my number (1111!), hit the port-a-potty before the line got too long and was ready to run.



I started out at the back of the pack. I'm certainly not the slowest runner out there but we have people who can run these races in 15 minutes! I let those people hang out at the front. It was a large group for our area. I'm really bad at guessing how many people were there, but last year there were over 400 participants. I'm guessing this year was similar? Anyway, the siren went off and out we went.

It was an out-and-back course so I knew that the faster people would pass us on the way back. Luckily they had closed both the four-lane streets we were running on so there was plenty of room for everyone. I was struggling during this race. More so than usual. I don't know if this was due to the fact that my running really suffered during the months of May and June or if it's just that I'm still not re-acclimated to running in the sun and heat. A weird stomach cramp started up almost as soon as I started but I just kept running through it. I was tempted to stop and walk but I never did. I just kept trudging along.




I didn't pass a lot of people but I also didn't get passed very much either. I did, however, end up passing that girl in the dark pink in the previous photo. I think the worst mistake I made (other than not training enough) was to accept water at the last aid station. I grabbed the cup and took two swigs and poured the rest down my front. I normally don't drink when I run but I was so hot and sweaty that I thought it would help. It didn't. In fact, when I got within sight of the finish I tried to sprint only to feel the water I had just drank bouncing and sloshing around in my stomach. I tried to sprint the last .1 miles only to slow back to my trudge just before the finishing chute. It made me sad since I love to sprint to the finish. But at least I got to sprint a little bit.



It occurs to me after looking at the pictures of me running, I really need to work on my form. I'm sure that will help my times, too. Speaking of times, I had started my watch when I went past the start line and stopped it when I got to the end of the finishing chute. My watch tells me I ran this 5K in 28:41. The photographic evidence indicates something else.



That's me with my arms raised trying not to puke. I know that if I had sprinted all of the last .1 miles I would have thrown up. So, I sacrificed some time for my stomach contents.

Official results are not posted yet. Hopefully they will be by the end of the weekend. But I know I finished with a time of 28:something. I was seriously hoping for a time of 27:something but I'll take the 28:something time. I'm very curious to see the official time. If it's what it said on the finishing clock than it may be a PR (by only a few hundredths of a second, but still). If it's what it said on my watch then it's slightly slower than my PR. Regardless, I suppose I should be proud of that when I take my lack of training for the past two months and the sun and heat into account.

Let's review my previous 5K race times -

First 5K ever: In September, shady, perfect temperature: 33:23
Second 5K: In November, great temperatures, included some trail running: 29:27.44
Third 5: In March, 15^oF: 28:23


Overall it felt like the most difficult race I've ever run. It even felt harder than the 10K I ran in April. I suppose that's what a lack of training for two months will do to you!

EDIT: Times are posted! My official race time was 28:14.1. That's a personal record! I guess even though the race felt difficult I did my best ever anyway. Yay!