The big day!

The big day was one week ago (sorry for the delay).  There was a bit of worry over the weather because it rained most of Saturday and was foretasted to rain most of Sunday morning as well.  We knew we'd have colder temps, so we tried to be prepared for the cold and the possible rain.

In the end, we got so lucky.  We left our hotel to walk 2 blocks to our start, and it was clear and crisp though chilly - still very bearable.  Backing up a step, the boys had stayed back at our house with Paige with the plan for them to come meet us at the finish line later in the morning.  The race was scheduled to start at 7am.  There was a time change that gave us an extra hour.

Very thankful that we got to the starting line on a clear morning with no sickness and no injuries - all my prayers were answered!  We had plenty of time for bag check and to get warmed up a bit and in place to start near the front...turns out about 3500 of the 5000 registered were there that morning. 

There was a really tough start - up a hill first thing.  I thought I'd collapse right there.  I knew there'd be hills, but not at the start and I just wasn't ready, but got past that....and kept going.  I ran as much as I could - keeping up with the other runners helped, but tons of people were passing me at the beginning as the runners spread out and sort themselves by their running pace.  It was a bit intimidating.  I missed Ginger!

Anyway, we ran about 5-6 miles before we got to the bridge..the bride was a bit colder and also a bit intimidating.  Nice view, but you could also see the churning  salt water of the bay under us - very far down under us.  Maybe the adrenalin of fear helped - who knows.  Soon enough, I was nearing the end of the bridge.  There had been a lot of construction on and around the bridge (they are retro fitting it for earthquake preparedness - frightening and good!)...so, they had course changes and some closures....there's one part on the bridge (might bear mentioning they didn't close any lands of traffic on the bridge for us - just the one side pedestrian path which gets pretty narrow) - anyway, there's at least the one place on the bridge where it is at best single file with one runner each way squeezing by each other creating a HUGE bottle neck.  All I knew, was that near the end of the bridge, I (and all my fellow runners) had to stop for almost 10 full minutes!  Not cool!  It was a nice break on one hand, and we got to enjoy the view, but it hurt our times, our momentum and it was really tough to get started again especially when just on the other side of the bridge there was a hill that we could see already that was almost straight up!

Anyway, made it through, and the bridge on the way back and the rest of the course and finished! I FINISHED! 

David was there (he had finished well over an hour before me!), and he re-ran the last few yards with me.  The boys were there with cute posters with Paige at the finish line!  It was so great to see all their faces - so meaningful to me!  (I'll get photos of their posters from Paige to share soon).

Last Training Run

Today was *planned* to be my last and longest run - 10-12ish miles.  I planned to make it a trial run for this Sunday's big race - same clothes down to the socks, water and 'fuel' (gu or bloks or running beans).  The only differences would be that I wouldn't have Ginger with me on race day, and I wouldn't have my hydration back pack (carrying the weight of water).

Got off to a decent start...the beginning and the ending are the hardest.  The beginning is just a struggle to get your body moving in the proper motions and getting over the first aches and pains and your brain screaming for you to stop...and your breathing to change over to be able to fuel your muscles in their new cardio needs.  The ending is just tough because you have used up all your physical and mental reserves. 

Regardless, about mile 2, I find that my drinking spout isn't working.  I can't get water through it.  We had already had to stop twice - once for Ginger to pee and once to poo.  I decided I'd stop to see if I could get it to work because I didn't think I could make my distance without water.  I took too long and was annoyed with myself.  Had to take my pack off and take the hydration bag out...couldn't get it working after all that!  AND the worst part, that I realized a few minutes later that it was now leaking!  Actually, I felt the cold wetness on my lower shirt and upper shorts.  Thought it was just some of the water that came out when I was trying to fix the hose.  So, I kept going.  By the time I realized that it must be an active leak....I was pretty soaked and cold water was actually trickling down my legs and getting my socks wet in my shoes....not to mention my wet underwear. 

When I got to the bathroom, I stopped to check it out to see if I could dry off - no towels and you can only do so much with toilet paper....I dumped the rest of my water, dried off the best I could...and I had to make a decision.  Do I try to continue on to my 10 mile goal wet and without water to drink.  My biggest concern was the wet clothing and chafing or blisters it might cause that would then be an issue for me on Sunday.  I decided to turn and head back.  I ended up with just under 6 miles which is a bit disappointing.  What can I do?  It is too late to fit in another long run - today was pushing it.  I will have to wing it on race day and hope that I can manage the full 13 miles and that I can do it in less than 3 hours AND that I can refuel while running and not throw it back up. 

Wish me luck!!!

New Longest Run

I have to say that it was tough....and makes me worried about the 13.1 looming before me....but I did it.  Longer than I have ever run before in my life!

8.34 miles
in 1 hour 48 minutes
just under a 13 minute mile

It was acceptable but not great and still well short of what I will need to do on race day from a distance standpoint.  I ran with my new hydration pack today which was a life saver because I was SO THIRSTY! 

I probably only have time to fit in one other long run.  Likely early next week - maybe Monday?  In the meantime, I will continue to cross train (elliptical) and maybe even a shorter but much quicker run?  Need to figure that out.

Getting Close

I really wish I had more time to keep up with my training plans on this blog, but there is just too much to balance.  The good news is that I have been able to stay on track through everything with training - not perfectly, but good enough - I HOPE!

Today, with just over 2 weeks left until race day, I did my longest and fastest run to date. 

6.5 miles (half the race distance)

1 hour 19 minutes

12:09 minute/mile

I realized about 2 weeks ago, that while my training was progressing well enough, I was almost exclusively training on the treadmill at PrimeTime - and this half marathon will not be on a treadmill!!  I decided to move ALL my runs outside.  We have some great local trails, but most won't allow dogs, so Ginger almost always goes with me and that limits us.  It's fine though, we have a great trail that is right on the bay with a great view of the bay and the airport and even a really nice golf course along the way!

I then realized early last week that I was doing just fine increasing my distances and I knew that I could go the full 13 miles if I needed to - but not at any reasonable race pace - not one that will get me to finish the race before the pacer car picks me up.  I was just moving too slowly and walking too much.  Part of it was low energy and not feeling well and on top of that we had some warmer days, and I was running in the heat and sun.  Alas, NO EXCUSES!  So, I have stepped it up....I can just hope it is enough and in enough time.

I am hopeful - since today I did a just over a 12 minute mile and I could have gone longer if needed.  I like to think I could have doubled that distance and especially in a race day environment, but I just don't know.  I hope to do 8-12  miles for my last long run late next week, so we will see!

Training Week 2

Well, I survived the first week!  To update you, I took last Friday off completely from all forms of working out which was the general plan...though I had hoped to make it to the gym to stretch and maybe do the steam room, but I had a room rep meeting (I'm Ry's room mom this year).

Saturday, I decided to do my bigger run this day versus Sunday.  I did 4.43 miles total on the treadmill at the gym.  I was feeling a bit tired and still sore a little, so my time was off a bit.  I did 3 miles in 40 minutes (again, that includes my much slower warm-up pace).  Then I did the next mile in 13.20 minutes. 

On Sunday, we went to a local trail.  It runs right along the coast of the bay just South of the airport.  So, you are literally right on the water and have a great view of all the airplanes taking off and landing.  Of course, it's a pretty busy area with lots of restaurants and hotels on the water too.  The whole family went including Ginger.  It was David's long run (8 miles), so that left me with the boys and Ginger to do a walk/run (at their pace) which was fine since it was suppose to be an easy day for me.  The boys and I had fun (mostly) of picking our run intervals ('let's run to that next building/sign/fence').  We did a total of 2.71  miles (which is GREAT for the boys!).  I added a little extra on my own w/Ginger when David came back to stretch and cool off and the boys had a snack...I logged a total of 3.21 for the day.

This week, I have a general plan.  Today was suppose to be a longer run - I actually did 5.25 miles (in 71 minutes) on the treadmill this morning at the gym after carpool. 

Tuesday - cross training (probably the elliptical in the evening since I have a school meeting and a dr appointment during the day and it is early release this week at 1:30pm). 

Wednesday - easy run and maybe some cross train OR maybe spin?

Thursday - strength and a bigger run (at least 5 miles) OR I might switch the longer run to Wed and then do strength and an easy/shorter run on Thursday since my strength class is an hour and I'll need to run for well over an hour - makes for a long day at the gym

Friday will be an off day again.

Overall, I'm happy with my training.  I am happy to be adding distance and coping with the achenes.  I do know that I will have to improve my pace.  I REALLY wish the race allowed longer than 3 hours to finish.  I am really worried about that at this point, but I still have nearly 7 weeks left to work on it. 

Thursday's Run

Despite all my best efforts, I was still a little sore this morning.  It wasn't bad, but I knew I had to make it through strength and a run, so I took a couple advil.  Headed to the gym after carpool and did my 1 hour strength class (total body) - thank goodness the focus was more on arms and abs today!

Then, after a quick bar, I hit the treadmill.  Did a 2 min warm-up and then 5 minute brisk walk then a 10 minute run.  I was feeling a bit achy and stiff but tried to push through it and not let it get to me.  I was hoping the endorphins (or whatever) would make it diminish or become unnoticeable, and it did, it just took way longer than I thought - about 1.3 miles in....I just noticed that I wasn't feeling all the soreness in my legs anymore.

Unfortunately, that is about the time that a little nausea hit.  I have an issue with fueling that I have to figure out.  I had a protein shake made with coffee for breakfast, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to make it through 1 hour of strength AND the run without something between, thus the bar.  It is small and well balanced (protein, carbs, fat), and didn't sit heavy in my stomach, but it was still not digesting so well.  Anyway, pushed through that, but had to slow my next run interval a bit.

Regardless, made it through - did 4 miles in 53 minutes (13.25 min/mile) TOTAL which includes my slower warm-up pace.  Then I did about another 1/4 mile as a cool down, but didn't want to include that...if I could figure out a way to not include the warm-up I would, but it is too complicated to try to remember time/distance of the warm-up for the whole workout - I'm a baby I know.  If I were running outside, I'd do my warm-up and then start my running watch to only record the real 'work'.  Which reminds me, I need to find a good running route for Ginger and I.  The weather is just too great here to not be out there!

Tomorrow (Friday) is my off day.  I think I will make a brief appearance at the gym to just stretch and do the steam room or sauna.  Then I have another run this weekend - not sure if I will do it Sat or Sun. 

Running Buddies

If you regularly run, walk, bike, spin, elliptical - anything and you want to join me online to track and encourage each other....I'm on dailymile.com.  Here's my profile:
http://www.dailymile.com/people/Angela27#ref=tophd

You will need to create a FREE account, but then you can 'friend' me and we are off - literally and figuratively. 

If you have been looking for a motivation to start a walking, running, ...routine, let this be it! It is great to log those miles! 

Training Update - Week 1

Most of the week has gone as planned.  I have already reported about Monday's 'RUN'.  Tuesday, I made it to the evening spin class (while the boys did a kids' yoga class!).  I missed my strength class due to a long PTA meeting :(  which is probably for the best since I have been pretty sore from Monday.  Nothing too bad - just achiness in my quads (front upper leg) and hip flexors (front hip/groin area).   It always amazes me that running uses many other muscles than just lower body.  I have felt some mild soreness all through my core - front and back AND even some upper body, shoulder blades, etc.  It is all from the stability that you need to stay balanced and the way you hold/use your upper body - you are engaging those muscles as well.  I think this will diminish as my body grow accustomed to doing this since it isn't particularly the focus or terribly strenuous, but still interesting to know!

I have been stretching and getting extra protein to help recover.  I don't have another run until tomorrow (Thursday), but I want to be able to do it.

Today, Wednesday, I made it to yoga.  It was tough - in a different way.  It is an 1 1/2 class and lots of poses.  It wasn't a beginner class, so they were moving pretty fast and it was tough to keep up, but it helped accomplish the three things I wanted/needed.  It was good to help stretch - nothing targeted just an overall good stretch, it was relaxing, and it was different - a change from all the cardio and weights and fast paced everything.

So far so good.  We will see how my 4-ish miles tomorrow go - wish me luck!

Training Plan - Week 1

Day One - what a lonely, daunting but strangely exhilarating place to be.  All things seem possible if not far off, but I am well aware that I have ALOT of work ahead of me.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I want online and used my research to piece together a starting plan.  For now, I am taking it one week at a time.  All the beginner plans have the caveat that you should be able to run 30 minutes, no matter the pace, without stopping EVEN if you plan to walk and run the event.  Check on that one.  Thanks to my spin habit, I am doing pretty well in the cardio area though it is a drastically different exercise outside of the heart and lungs!

I decided that I would start Monday (today).  I haven't run in months, so I wanted to start at 3 miles and just get a baseline of a time for that, a 5K.  I decided to walk and run in intervals so as to not overdo it for now.  I don't want to waste precious training time with excessive soreness or an injury!!

I settled in on this plan:

Monday - walk/run for 3.1 miles 5 minutes walk then 10 minute run - repeat until done
Tuesday - strength and spin
Wednesday - rest or yoga
Thursday - walk/run for 4 miles with intervals same (5/10)
Friday - Rest
Saturday - spin
Sunday - 3-5 miles depending on how the Monday and Thursday runs go

From there, I'll have a better idea where I am and where I can go for the next week.  It puts me in about week 4 of most 'beginner' plans.  My hope was to set a good pace and then just increase my distance over the next 8 weeks.

How'd it go??

I decided to do my run on the treadmill at the gym.  I haven't mapped any outside runs or found any safe trails nearby yet - though there are tons of options for that and the weather is GREAT! 

Did my warm-up 5 minutes which was a blended speed, jogged (AKA run - but by real standards, I'm not running!  but, we will call it that).  10 minutes, walked 5, ran 10, walked 5 and ran a few more to finish out my 3.1.  Then did a cool down walk after that.

My official time for the 5K was 38:09, putting my pace at just under 12.5 minute miles (blended rate or my walk/run).  It would put me at about 2 hours 43 minutes on race day *IF* I could maintain it for 13 miles.  I really need to better it a bit to allow cushion time for hydration and bathroom delays (if people do that - how can you not go to the bathroom for 3 hours?).  I guess I have some more research to do....I also need to know how much cushion to add for comfort - I DO NOT want the pacer car to be trying to catch me!!!

It wasn't super easy, but it wasn't so bad either.  I could have gone further - at least to 4 or 5 miles with my intervals.  I will have to see how sore I am tomorrow.  I just don't know how/if I can ever make it over that 6 mile hump?!?  Baby steps right - as long as those baby steps are faster than a 14 minute mile pace!

The Scoop

I've never considered myself a 'runner'.  I have yet to ever get that elusive 'RUNNERS' HIGH' some brag about.  I don't *love* running, but there is something unique and rewarding after it's done.  It's difficult to describe, but is a mixture of accomplishment (I set out to do this and I just finished it) and just physically using your body in a way it was meant to be used but rarely is in this modern world - harkens back to cave days when you survived because you ran - either to catch food or away from a predator. 

So, why on earth have I just signed up to run a 1/2 marathon in 2 months time?  That's an excellent question, and I'll be sure to let you know when (if) I figure it out. 

I have run the occasional 5K and even the Peachtree a couple times (a 10K in the brutal GA heat and humidity), and survived.  David (the hubs) has run a couple 1/2's, and its not exactly that he makes it look easy because I see all the careful training and running he does leading up to an event (He follows a training plan to the exact detail)....but, he accomplishes it, completes it...I wanted to see what it was like to experience the other side. 

It is as much a mental feat for me as it is a physical one - and make no mistake, it is a FEAT of ginormous proportions on both levels.  Anyone, can finish the last mile of a half marathon (which for the record is about 13.1 miles - thus the name of this blog).  The real challenge lies in facing the daunting prospect at the start of knowing that you will literally be running for HOURS.  A GOOD time would take you through a feature-length movie! 

Regardless, I digress too much into the *why* of it all and what I really wanted this blog to be about was my journey.  My mental and physical odyssey from a non-runner to a marathon finisher.

Started last weekend - got a Groupon email with a deal for the VIP package for the US Marathon in my new home city of San Francisco.  The race course goes over the Golden Gate Bridge - twice - which really lured me in!  Not to mention the other scenic areas of the North part of the city.  I mentioned it to David thinking why not - and voila - we were both in.  We booked the race and a hotel room for the night before within walking distance of the start and finish line. 

Then it started to set in - what will we do about the kids and how are we going to train for this in how many weeks - oh yeah, just 8!

Time to make the rest happen!  I googled some beginning programs all a minimum of 10 weeks, and pieced together something that should work for me.  I just want to FINISH this, my first Half - no time goals - other than to finish before the pace car has to pick me up!!!  Seriously, they close the course after 3 hours and pick up any stragglers!  It is a 14 minute mile pace.  If I can walk, run or some combination and manage to AT LEAST keep at 14 minute mile pace, then I'm golden.  When you look at it that way, it doesn't seem so bad - I could probably do that now - for about 4 miles or so....anything beyond that and I'd be really TIRED and really SORE - for weeks!  That's where the training and nutrition come in.

That's the SCOOP of how I got myself in this situation:

A non-runner, non-athlete, almost middle-aged, overweight mom of two signed up for a 1/2 marathon in 2 months!!!  More on my training and plan in the next post.