Big Sacrifices and ... Longest Run Yet!

I made what I will call my first "real" sacrifice today. I went to Syracuse University, which is 5 hours from where I live now. Due to the fact that I have a Monday through Friday job and long runs on Saturday mornings, it's very difficult for me to get to Syracuse to watch any basketball games. Fortunately, Syracuse plays Providence today in Providence - yay! I could finally go to a game! Or so I thought. BMC had an 18.3 mile run scheduled and now I had a decision: attend 'cuse vs. friars or run 18.3 miles. Easy choice, right? Maybe to the non-runner, yes. However, I'm a runner now. I chose 18.3 miles and I am glad that I did. That's right, glad, happy... actually, ecstatic! (OK, maybe now I'm pushing it.)

Today's run was just like every Saturday long run - cold. Except today, we also got some wind. Fun stuff! It didn't feel that bad though because Sarah, Stephanie and I were talking so much (we're girls, that's what we do) that I didn't think much about the cold and wind. I had two GU packets, gatorade, water, gummy worms and pretzels to help me through. I really have to thank everyone who does the water/snack stops - you treat all of us so great, I really appreciate everything you do!

I felt really good through the entire run. Almost too good. I just get nervous that maybe I'm not pushing hard enough, but I also don't want to push too hard and get hurt.

I'm excited to have accomplished another PF. It's such a great accomplishment. I had a big smile on my face when we got back to Fitcorp. I felt a bit crazy at that point for smiling, but hey, I'm crazy for doing this and I'm OK with it.

I started to stretch when we got back to the gym. I did my usual quad stretch (lift your foot behind you to your butt and stretch), however it took me three attempts to get my foot up. My hamstring just kept stinging saying "Hey, put that foot down and stretch me first!" That has never happened before. It felt really odd. The right leg was better, but that left leg, well she was just being a b*$%&!

After the run, Maureen and BMC treated the team to bagels at Finagle. It was so great! I had a bagel with cream cheese and coffee (coffee in a cup, not on the bagel). Delicious! This also gave us a little opportunity to mingle with the rest of team. By rest of the team, I mean the fast people I normally can't talk to because they are too far ahead of me. :)

Next week we are scheduled to run 10.5 miles from the Woodland T station to Fitcorp at One Beacon. A few of us from the team are considering replacing this run with a trip out to Hopkinton to run the start and maybe increase the miles to 12. The downhill stretch at the beginning concerns me because I don't know what it looks like and everyone with Boston experience says to be careful and not go too fast in the beginning. I think it would be great if we can all get out there next Saturday for a run instead of doing our usual 10.5. I don't need to see Heartbreak again... I own it. Haha!

Oh and before I leave off today, I just want to say, "Hi, Kevin!"

And now I have to wach the last 7:43 of the 'cuse game. Let's go 'cuse!!
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Post game update...

Game tied at 65 with 30-ish seconds left to go. Nichols ('cuse) hits a three, I jump with excitement and smack my knee on the coffee table. Oops!
Syracuse wins!! 71 to 67. Good job, guys!! We're all winners today! (Ha! I'm so corny.)

Another 10.5 in the Books

On Saturday, I finished another 10.5 miles with Team BMC. The sun was shining, which created a nice "hot" winter day - if you exclude the sheets of ice that still blanketed the sidewalks.

I wasn't really looking forward to this run when I first woke up. I had new shoes - same brand, different style - that I was hesitant about and I was afraid they wouldn't work. I also just didn't feel in the mood to wake up. Even though I wasn't excited before hand, I couldn't have been happier when it was finished. I ran an 8:37 min./mi. pace. My fastest so far on a long run! It felt good to run fast (no knee, or foot pain!), but it got me thinking whether or not I could have lasted an entire marathon at that pace. Part of me really wants to see how fast I can run on April 16th, but the another part of me - and probably the one I should listen to - says to forget about time and pace and just run to finish. But then again... do I really want to just play it safe? Ah... decisions! I hate them! Help!


54 days!!

Quote

Identify your personal limits and then push past them.

Then set new barriers, and repeat the process, again and again and again.

-- Nicole Haislett, Swimmer, Olympic Gold Medalist
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62 days until Boston!

New Personal Farthest - 16.5 miles

I finished my new personal farthest today - 16.5 miles. I have to be honest now... it look a lot out of me. Not energy wise because I was hydrated and had enough to eat before, during and after the run. It took a lot out of me physically and mentally.

Luckily, I had no toes problems (excluding a huge blood blister), but my knees decided to tighten up towards the end of the run. All I can really say is... Ouch! Stairs?! Who invented stairs?! I need to call my landlord to get an elevator installed in my building - or at least one of those cool wheelchair/elevator things for the stairs - before the marathon. I'm icing (again!) and I bought some glucosamine & chondroitin pills with msm today so I'm hoping the combination of these will relieve some pain.

I now understand how much a run can take out of someone mentally. It got tough around mile 14/15 just staying focused and not thinking about how far I had left to run. Even running with Sarah, I still started to notice some mental breadown, but then she saved me:

"Just five more minutes," Sarah said.
"What?!," I said.
"Yeah, you can do anything for five minutes."

It's such a good way to look at a run and I'm definitely keeping that in mind going forward. If I can clean a toilet for five minutes (ew!), then I can run for five minutes.

This is what training is all about: getting your body ready to physically handle the marathon, getting your brain ready to mentally handle the marathon and getting your system ready to handle the fluid and food take. It's all trial and error and on April 16th, it will all come together.

My Boston Entry is Accepted!

i just got the e-mail that my entry to run the 2007 Boston Marathon was accepted. I have known for a few months now that I'll be running, but just seeing my name on the entrants list makes it real!

If just getting the e-mail that my entry was accepted gets me this excited, I can't imagine what I'll feel like when I receive my race packet in early April or even when I pick up my bib number!

Baby, It's Cold Outside

It is cold out! According to thebostonchannel.com we are looking at 16ºF with a -3ºF wind chill. Brrr! So in light of the chilly weather (and the fact I'm staying in for my lunch break), I thought I'd post some links about cold weather running - all from runnersworld.com.

The main article, Run Through the Cold, contains links to many other articles telling you how to do just that.

One link I found particularly interesting was Is Cold-Weather Running Bad for You? This is a definite must read because it contains a story about a man and his frozen penis. Yes, you read that right. Frozen penis.

The second link that interested me was Winter Advisory, which has a brief section at the end containing cold weather running suggestions from the members of Running Club North in Fairbanks, Alaska. Some of their recommendations include: don't worry about pace, give your shoes a five minute blast with a hairdryer (at a distance) before heading out, and switch your schedule so you can run during warmer parts of the day. The two pieces of advice that struck me most were...

1. "Wearing a balaclava warms and humidifies the air you breathe in." In fact, many of the members say they feel naked running without one.
2. Change into dry clothes - like a fleece and sweatpants (oddly one of my favorite outfits) immediately when you are done with your run because damp clothes will increase heat loss.

All of this information is so beneficial, especially on these chilly days. I can't believe there are actually people in Alaska running outside everyday. I have to admit, I'd probably wuss out on the outdoor stuff and head inside to the treadmill.

Quote

Believing in yourself is everything. If you don't believe in what you can do, it's almost impossible to achieve it.

-- Sylvie Bernier, Canadian Olympic Diver

Ice & The Pessimists

I hate to say this, but this Saturday's run was warm. That's right it was somewhere around 30 degrees with wind of of the west (a.k.a. directly at my back - thank goodness!) and sunny! Now that makes for a great day of winter running. The only bad thing was the amount of ice that was on the sidewalks.

After we all got off the "T" in Woodland for our 10.5 miles, we were forced out into the road to dodge traffic because the sidewalks were just way to slippery to run on. There was one point, when Sarah, Kevin and I were crossing on a median and all three of us went for a little skating lesson across it. We just had to hold on. Luckily we made it and no one fell! Actually, Sarah and I ran our fastest pace of training - go us!

Good news about today's run (in addition to lightning speed), was that my swollen toe did not bother me at all. Not during the run and not after. The other good thing (yes, there is more) was that the knee pain I've had has decreased drastically. They get slightly tight during the runs, but nothing bad at all. Today after the run, they didn't bother me at all!

So to those people, The Pessimists, who told me "Oh, if you're having knee pain after 12 miles, how are you ever going to make it for 26.2?" All I have to say is... training, practice, strengthening and stretching. I will make it 26.2. Just wait and see. Anyone else have anything to say?

Longest Run Ever!

Today Team BMC ran 14.5 miles from our Fitcorp training center at One Beacon Street out to Centre Street in Newton and back. This is my longest run ever. Ever couple weeks I'll be running my furthest. What a great feeling!

It was a nice run because we got to run Heartbreak Hill (which is now becoming a close friend of mine since I see it every weekend). The worst part of the day was the fact that is was so cold! It was only about 12 degrees when I left my apartment - not accounting for the wind chill. I bundled up for the run and got warm after about 15 minutes or so, but it was definitely cold out!

I tried GU for the first time. Although it was slightly frozen it wasn't too bad. I had trouble opening it because my hands were so cold when I took them out of my mittens, but all in all it was OK. I'm sure I'll be trying it again when the 16 miler comes up in a couple weeks.

On Wednesday, I ran 6 hill repeats on Beacon Hill with about a 1 mile warmup and 1 mile cool down. By the time I went to bed Wednesday night, my left middle toe was swollen and sore. It felt like my fingers did when I would jam them during basketball. I talked to my boss about it on Thursday and he talked to his running friend and they concluded that my shoes could be too small or too big. Hm... I have quite the dilemma. If they are too small my toes are jamming all the time. If they are too big, the downhills could be forcing my foot to the front of the shoe and jamming my toe. Looks like I'll be taking a couple days off so that I'm ready for this weekends 10.5 mile run. I plan to see how that goes and from there I may be headed back to Marathon Sports to see what advice they can give me.