Monday, September 29, 2014

Rising up, back on the street


For the first time in over six months, I got to experience race day jitters this weekend.  Thankfully, these jitters were more out of excitement than nervousness...I was nearly giddy as I got closer and closer to the oceanfront early Saturday morning.  The earlybirds out for their morning stroll on the boardwalk may have wondered who that fruitcake was, riding her bike with coffee in hand and demeanor much too chipper for 7am on Saturday.  I practically sang a delightful "Good morning!" to anyone I made eye contact with as I rode from 1st to 24th Street on my beloved beach cruiser.  It was a perfect late September morning and I was racing again...what could be better?  

Seriously, what could be better?

I had a few goals in mind, starting with the most important:

1.  Have fun!  It had been way too long since I pinned a race bib on my shirt, and there was so much emotion surrounding that cold March morning that this time I felt nothing but happiness and gratitude.

2.  Run your own race.  My injury has taught me to stay within myself while running.  Sure, people could be passing me left and right, but that's their race.  My race is going on in my body and between my ears.  Let them pass, focus on you.

3.  Have no fear.  Don't be afraid to push it a little.  You had two solid weeks with hard, pain-free speed work leading up to this race.  Let 'er rip.  

Those three goals were paramount.  These next two would be icing on the cake:

1.  PR.  My last 8k was two and a half years ago and my PR (40:40) came two years before that and does not reflect the runner I've become since then.  No need to shatter that time, but beating it seemed entirely possible if I was having a good day.

2.  Finish time of 39:xx.  A finish under 40 minutes would be grounds for major celebration. 

I got to the start with plenty of time to loosen up, relax, and use the little girls' room as many times as I needed.  With no husband or kids there to worry about (they were all at soccer games), I was as relaxed as I think I've ever been before a race.  I think not putting any pressure on myself to have a stellar performance had a lot to do with that as well.  

I watched a few minutes of the 5k and was in awe of the assortment of people crossing the finish line under 20 minutes...tall and skinny dudes, shorter and bulkier dudes, adolescent dudes, and a couple of totally bad ass ladies.  It'll take some serious work, but I'd love to be in their company someday.  Feeling inspired, I hit the ladies' room one last time and got ready to start.

While I was watching the 5k, I heard the announcers say that gun time (not chip time) equals race time, so I made sure I was right up at the front of the pack to ensure the most accurate time for my own personal knowledge.  The gun went off and we were underway.  I kept to the side to stay out of the way of any speed demons coming up behind me and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.  I always find it hard to tell how fast I'm going out of the gate, and I let myself fall back and settle in to my pace while the front runners gained some distance ahead of me...if I was keeping up with them, I was starting out way too fast!  

For the first half mile, it was me and the guys.  There were two women ahead of me that I could see, and by the time we turned around to head south, two more had passed me.  Tempted to try to keep up with them, I had to remind myself to let them go.  There was a lot of race left and the last two miles were into some pretty stiff wind.  With perfect timing, I spotted Kristy from Breath of Sunshine pushing her stroller up to the curb just as I was running by.  She was quick to the draw and managed to get this photo of me gleefully running by:


 Yes, I really was that happy.  And then that other smiling woman behind me crept up and passed me.  But I was ok with it.  Really.  As far as I knew, I was the 6th woman as we approached the 3 mile mark of my first race post-injury...20 more people could have passed me and I would've been ok with it!  I've never ever in my own personal history of running known how many women were ahead of me, so just being able to keep count was pretty thrilling.  I thought of just holding on for 2 more miles...

By the time I saw Kristy again near the 4 mile mark, she told me I was 5th.  I don't remember when I passed that happy lady in black, but I must have at some point if Kristy's count was right.  I believe I told her to shut up and kept on running.  I got to 17th Street and was counting down the blocks to the finish at 24th.  I picked up my pace a bit at 22nd and then gave it my all for the last block.  I crossed the finish and stopped my watch.

37:45

Love their happy dance

Grinning from ear to ear, I collected my post-race snacks and poured myself a beer.  I enjoyed the warm sunshine while I stretched and sipped.



While chatting with a friend, I spotted someone in an Ithaca Cross Country hat and was drawn to him like a magnet.  Turns out he and his wife graduated a year before me and have lived in VB for several years now.  They had their two daughters in the stroller, complete with Ithaca XC t-shirts.  Always incredible to run into fellow Bombers way down here in Virginia, even if it never fails to make me long for a trip up north.  

Somewhere during our conversation, it dawned on me - if I was really the 5th woman overall, there's a really good chance I placed in my age group.  A few minutes later, they posted the results on the bath house wall:



Seinfeld quote - Elaine: 'Get Out' (her signature response & push)

 I'm pretty sure I squealed.  Out loud.  But I don't care.  This was too much.  I was elated just starting this race, so to finish 1st in my age group had me over the moon.  I absolutely had to stick around for the awards, so I hauled ass on my bike to feed the meter where my car was parked to avoid getting a ticket, then hauled ass back up to 24th Street.  I finally caught up with Kristy, and I got a little choked up when I saw her.  Before I even met her in person, she was cheering me on and offering support throughout my marathon training and injury.  I met up with her several times throughout the summer for sunrise runs on the boardwalk where she showed me empathy and encouragement.  Her own comeback story this past winter has always been a source of inspiration to me during this tricky time of rest and rehabilitation.  It was only fitting that she was the friendly face I saw on the race course and the first one to celebrate this huge milestone with me in person.  I am forever grateful.  



I feel this race closes the "Injured Runner" chapter and is freeing me up mentally to get back to working hard.  I will continue as planned to follow my training plan loosely, listening to my body and keeping it in good running (ha ha) order.  I love having a few races on my calendar, and will be grateful for every chance I get to be at the starting line.  

"Every Day Is A Good Day When You Run" - Kevin Nelson

And in case you didn't know...


...by the looks of my coveted trophy, King Neptune and Jesus were brothers.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Ride into the danger zone

Do you smell that?  

IT'S RACE WEEK!!!

It's been more than six months since my last race, and I'm ridiculously excited to stand at the starting line as this new version of my running self.  I whole-heartedly agree with the saying that "the person who starts a marathon isn't the same person who finishes it," and I feel like a prime example of that. The marathon training itself taught me I am capable of more than I thought. The IT band injury reminded me that tough as I may feel, I am not bulletproof.  Finishing the race and achieving my B goal of 3:xx showed me I have another gear I didn't know I had, and now I know it's in there, I can't forget to tap into it when I deem necessary. That race, and the subsequent time off that followed, reminded me that running (ironically) makes me feel good, and I am a better version of me when I can run regularly (and pain-free).  Even if my races are few and far between, I can show up and compete with myself week in and week out. And the beauty of it is that


I've learned a lot in the past six months, and I'm ready for the test.  Hell, I even bought myself a sweet new shirt to wear for such a special occasion. You'll have to wait until race day to see it though.  Oh, the suspense!!!

Last week's runs were just what I needed heading into a race.  After surprisingly fast 1600s, I was faced with a tough tempo run on Thursday. My P90X schedule called for the stretch video (it was a recovery week), but I took it as an opportunity to stretch the amount of sleep I got that night instead.  With plenty of Fancy to keep me busy while the girls are at school, I was kicking myself for not getting up and running early instead.  The old version of Karen the Runner ruled with an iron fist and would have punished the new version for wasting such an opportunity.  That dictator is no longer in charge, however, and I made the most of my midday time slot and headed to the oceanfront on a perfectly sunny end-of-summer day. The running gods rewarded me handsomely.

 
The Navy's air show took place this past weekend, so all week long we were treated to watching the Blue Angels practice their stuff around town.  I always seem to pick up my pace a little once I hit the boardwalk, and Thursday was no exception.  I mean, who wouldn't run a little faster when the Blue Angels are speeding along the boardwalk with you???  It was such a cool experience, and just another of the many reasons I love this town.  

Thursday's task:  1 mi w/u, 2 mi @7:41, 1 mi easy, 2 mi @7:41, 1 mi c/d
Thursday's outcome: 9:05, 7:31, 7:24, 7:32 (oops), 7:14, 8:44

Since I have yet to run 7 easy miles, I cut this run back to 6 miles to play it safe.  And finally!  A tempo run that didn't start off with a 7:52!  I think what happened with that way-too-fast recovery mile was that the first three were into the wind, so when I turned around, the effort felt a lot easier.  That had a trickle down effect on my last tempo mile...since I was running "easy" at 7:32, I picked it up a bit and ended up nearly killing myself with a 7:14.  I'm hoping that with each passing week, I'll be able to feel these paces better and better.  I got in a good stretch in a scenic spot while watching those Navy pilots do their thing overhead.

Nowhere does it say "No Stretching!"

I completed the week's runs with an easy 5 miler somewhere in the 8:00-8:10 range.  Ryan ran beside me with Camryn in the stroller (had to save her legs for her soccer game later that day!), and Brynn rode her bike up ahead of us.  I do hate that summer is over, but being able to sleep until 7 and enjoy a family workout session without anyone complaining about the heat is simply priceless.  

This week's schedule called for some grueling intervals, but since I'm racing this weekend, I cut back a bit on the intensity.  And being that yesterday was officially the last day of summer, I didn't want to be anywhere but the beach.  I gave Camryn the option of biking or riding in the stroller for my boardwalk run, and she chose to be a queen in her chariot.  I used my phone to figure out my intervals, but paid no attention to how quickly (or not so quickly) I finished them.  All I know is I ran hard for 400 meters at a time, and the one interval I did into the wind was a killer!

Monday's task:  800, 600, 400, 400, 600, 800 (1 mi w/u and c/d, 400m RI)
Monday's outcome:  4 x 400m (1 mi w/u, 400m RI, 5 minute c/d)

At one point during a sprint, Camryn yelled back to me, "I love it when you run fast, Mommy!"  Me too, sweet girl!!!  We've come a long way from the days of her asking if I was running or walking!  I treated her to some playtime at the park on the beach, and finished our visit with a race down to the water's edge:

Pure joy on this kid's face when she runs.  

My days of post-run toe dipping are numbered...have to get 'em in while I can!

I'm being dragged into fall kicking and screaming, but I know there are some great running days in the weeks ahead.  

Motivational Poster #59 | Runner's World: No one appreciates the arrival of fall like a runner appreciates the arrival of fall.
Too far?





Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Learning to fly

Week 3, Day 2 is when the honeymoon of the new school year came to a bitter end.  I have now heard the "I don't want to go to school"s, the "I hate doing homework!"s, and the "Why can't you just tell me the answer?"s.  And Camryn doesn't even start with homework until next week!  To use a running analogy, the first two weeks of school are the nice, easy warm up, and now I'm staring down the barrel of 800m repeats until June.  I know there will be rest intervals here and there, but I fully expect there to be times where I'm utterly exhausted and unsure if I can make it to the end.  


I'm still trying to settle into the schedule of the new school year.  I have a few hours with Camryn in the morning before she's off to afternoon kindergarten, and I've been planning our morning activities on a day to day basis, according to what kind of mood that little firecracker wakes up in.  Most days, we manage to find a good balance of work and play...either a quick clean up around the house followed by a bike ride, or a trip to Walmart to stock the fridge followed by a trip to the park to work on our ninja skills.  



Since I am no longer actively parenting 14 hours a day, I find I have more energy after the kids go to bed.  Well, most nights, anyway!  It truly is perfect timing, as I've had a surge in Fancy orders and am working hard not to fall behind on completing them.  Naturally, pumpkins are quite popular this time of year, but I've actually had quite an assortment of projects lately, and it's been a fun challenge to come up with fresh ideas on my most popular Fancy items.  

Photo: Switched gears from pumpkins to a pretty purple princess lap desk for Rowan. #giftsforkids #princess
A lap desk for pink, purple, and princess-loving Rowan.  Found this crown when I Googled "princess crown clip art" and thought it was just my kind of Fancy.

I've been working hard to put the Fancy back in the Fonts.  Instead of going with fonts I've done before because it's easy, I've been attempting some new stuff (on paper first, of course!) and loving the outcome.

I typically only make custom orders, as I don't have the budget (or storage space!) for loads of inventory, but I couldn't resist making this cute little pumpkin just for the fun of it.  It's available for purchase, but I won't be heartbroken if it has to stay at my house forever.

As for my running, I have been faithful in adhering to my training plan (training for what, I'm not exactly sure!).  I'm getting my three key runs in every week, and each good workout has set me up for another.  Last week's intervals were a real confidence booster, and I went into last week's tempo run with a hopeful heart.  While I didn't quite hit my paces with the consistency I was aiming for, my average pace for the three faster miles was just two seconds off my goal pace.  But more than anything, I was excited when I realized those 5 miles finally felt like a regular run instead of a long run.  My knee seems to be holding up to the workload, and I'm thrilled to be running freely again.  

Thursday's task:  1 mile warm up, 3 miles @7:41, 1 mile cool down
Thursday's outcome:  9:26, 7:52, 7:47, 7:32, 8:25

A scheduling conflict compounded by a miscommunication led to my putting off my Saturday miles to Sunday.  I was invited to join a friend and her friend at First Landing State Park Sunday morning, and I jumped at the opportunity.  I have always wanted to run there, but I run because it's convenient, and it's a bit of a hike to get to the trail (ha ha...get it?  Hike?  Trail?  I'm hilarious.).  I'm so glad I went though, because the change of scenery was refreshing, and navigating the terrain of the trails brought my inner athlete back to the surface.  Leaping over mud puddles, stumbling (and more importantly, recovering) over tree roots, and quick stepping over sandy spots made me feel so much more in tune with my body than the monotony of a paved trail does.  Only one of my six miles was at (well, under) my goal pace, but it was a great run regardless.  And I got to finish up with some stretching at the beach, so chalk that one up in the win column.

Saturday's task:  6 miles @8:11
Saturday's outcome:  6 miles @8:47

My, what long legs you have.

64th Street

After yoga and a day off of running on Monday, it was time to hit the track (and by track I mean sidewalk) for intervals again yesterday.  

Yesterday's task:  2 x 1600 @7:08, 1 x 800 @3:26 (1 mile w/u, 1 mile c/d, 400m RI)

I was feeling really intimidated by this workout.  I don't know what a 7:08 mile feels like anymore.  The miles I've run in the 7:30s felt like all out efforts, so I wasn't sure I had 7:08 in me just yet.  I warmed up for a mile, paced around for a few seconds, took a deep breath, then gunned it.  At around the halfway point, I was struggling.  The Dominion Power truck parked completely across my path didn't help.  I kept my eyes focused straight ahead on my end point, and my mind focused on my form and my breath (which was labored, at best!).  I stopped my watch when I reached the end, afraid of what it might say.  I would have been upset with anything over 7:15.

6:24

Shut the Front Door Free Printable & Canvas

WHAT THE???  Wow.  It certainly wasn't pretty.  It definitely wasn't quiet.  But it was done.  And I had to do it again.  Only this time I got to slow it down a little.  But I'm still figuring out how to do that.  How to slow down just enough instead of too much.  So I walked my 400m rest interval in the hot sun, took another deep breath, and got back on my horse.  The last 400m felt incredibly difficult, compounded by the hot, stinky garbage cans I was running past.  Got to my end point and looked at my watch.

6:46

I have more boards then 1 not 1person follows my board and I'm getting upset I follow every one on pinterest that I've heard of

I was that weird chick, walking by all the landscapers at these fancy houses, exhausted, dripping with sweat, yet grinning from ear to ear.  Just one 800 meter dash and I'd be done with my work for the day.  I could have completely blown that last interval and I wouldn't have cared.  Legs like jelly, into the wind, I hit my 800m dead on at 3:26.  Little did I know, hitting this workout would give me enough of a mental boost to get me through an afternoon of hissy fits and bad attitudes from my children.  In more ways than one, 

Mostly my own.  But sometimes my children's.  

Tomorrow's tempo is a scary one, and I haven't yet decided if I'm going to modify it or not.  I'm feeling good and strong, and I'd like to keep it that way, even if it means cutting back here and there on the training plan.  I get to race in 10 days (EEEEEK!!!) and I want to feel nothing but strong and confident going into it.  It's been six months since my last race, and I can't wait to toe the line!!!

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Gimme steam

I entered this week feeling less than stellar about how last week's runs went.  My intervals were decent, but my tempo run was inconsistent and my "long" run was 8 seconds/mile slower than my target pace.  I keep reminding myself that the first couple of weeks of this program felt incredibly hard the first time I tried it, so this will most likely be no different.  What's important is that my runs have been pain free, allowing me to keep on keepin' on.  My foam roller and I remain quite close, my massage skills have been revived, and I am enjoying the fruits of my laborious Saturday long runs:

Triple fisting it - water for hydration, smoothie for recovery, and iced coffee for sanity

With my focus this summer being on my legs and returning to running, my upper body was shown some serious neglect.  If it wasn't already obvious by looking in the mirror, this morning's chest, shoulders, and triceps workout made it crystal clear.  I have lost strength and definition in my upper body, and today's workout made me feel like a dog owner who came home to find their loyal companion has pooped all over the floor out of spite.  Think you're gonna do 20 push-ups with a side arm balance on the med balls like you used to?  HA!  Try 14.  Ten chaturanga rockers?  Nope.  Six.  With half of those being on your knees.  While I still feel my focus was in the right place for me this summer, I now realize just how much work I need to do this fall to regain some overall strength.  

When I got done with the pain and torture workout, it was raining buckets.  Again.  


We had torrential rains all day yesterday, and since they were calling for more today, I had decided last night to do my intervals at the rec center after Camryn went to school.  I didn't feel I had it in me to do 800s in the dark and a monsoon, so waiting seemed like a good choice.  The rain let up and I decided to get my workout done outside (running in sprinkles is actually quite enjoyable).  And then Camryn got on the bus.  And the sun was out.  And it was steamy.  Literally.  There was steam rising from the roads like hot breath on my legs.  Between that and the sun beating down, I knew I was in for a less than comfortable run.  

Upon leaving the house, my head was full of negativity.  I was tired (Camryn's bad dreams kept us both up last night), hungry, hot, sticky, and had the magic number of 3:26 looming over me like the dark clouds I was begging to return.  I had already decided yesterday I was doing four 800s instead of five, and I really didn't think 3:26 was realistic with my mindset at the time.  Then I ran into Sara from RunLifeRunLove, who was out cursing Mother Nature as well.  I guess misery loves company because after about 1/4 mile with Sara, I was ready to tackle those dreaded 800s.  

Today's task:  5 x 800s @3:26 (with 1 mile w/u and c/d, 400m RI)
Today's weather:  77 degrees, 80% humidity

Today's outcome:  4 x 800s - 3:14, 3:12, 3:21, 3:18

Long story short, they were hard.  It was hot.  I walked my rest intervals.  But I put up numbers reminiscent of my pre-injury self.  I showed a bit of consistency with my pace (that third interval felt harder than the rest for some reason, as proven by the spike in pace).  I really can't ask for much more than that.

Glad I opted for the outdoors today...treadmill runs don't get you dirty, and that's no fun!

If a glass of chocolate milk is great for recovery, then a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bar must be even better.  Google it.  

Looking ahead, I know Thursday's tempo run will be a challenge for me.  I have a target pace, my my main goal will be consistency.  I'm starting to get excited about racing in a few weeks, and I plan to add a few more races to the calendar if I continue to feel good with the increased work load.  These feet will be Fancy once more!

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Every day for us something new

I always thought that if I could have any superpower, I'd want it to be flying.  I wouldn't use it all the time, maybe just to get out of traffic or hop on up to NYC for a weekend.  But today has me thinking that the ability to manipulate time might be a great and useful superpower.  At a dreadfully boring office party?  No problem...just speed up time a little and you're outta there in a flash.  Can't stand the thought of summer ending and putting your baby on a school bus?  Slow down those hands of time and make those beach days stick around just a little bit longer.  

 Sweet snuggles
My big girl

 Camryn's first funnel cake

Bucket o' beach beers

Solving the world's problems over Sun Chips 

 So there's no fighting over who goes first

BBFL - beach buds for life

While I can't say sending Camryn off to kindergarten was any easier than when Brynn started, it was definitely different.  Different because unlike 5 year old Brynn, 5 year old Camryn knows that school inside and out.  She's been there countless times and even knows her teachers and classroom because Brynn had them as well.  The fear of the unknown has been quelled for her, and certainly for me as well.  I know she is in the best of hands at that school, and I can't wait for her to skip off the bus and tell me about her day.  

Brynn was off to school like a seasoned veteran, but even her send off felt so different this year.  Not one of our bus stop buddies from last year still lives in our neighborhood, and I really missed seeing them race to be first in line to board the bus...not to mention getting to chat with their moms, too!  A new school year has brought new faces and new opportunities for friendships for us all.  


These big moments in our lives always make me think of Peggy...as a retired school teacher herself, I know she would have been so tickled to see these first day of school photos of the girls.  Missing her adds another layer to an already emotional day for me, but luckily, I've had my buddy Jude here with me today to provide some comic relief, much like he did the day Peggy died.  

The first day of school wasn't the only thing causing the pit in my stomach when I woke up this morning.  After nearly six months of a runner's nightmare combo of rest and rehab, I started Day 1 of a training plan today.  EEEEEEEK!!!!  Much like the first day of school, I was  both nervous and excited about today's intervals.  Would I remember how to run fast?  Would it hurt?  Would I pee or poop or puke???  Oh God, please don't let me poop or puke!  Yeah, peeing a little during speed work is almost inevitable and I came to terms with it a long time ago. 

Since I was going solo, I went as late as I could to give daylight a chance to break.  I stepped out the door and was punched in the gut by 80 degrees and what felt like 118% humidity.  Hot and sticky, just the way my knee (but not the rest of my body) likes it.  I was dripping with sweat after the calisthenics this old lady has to do before running a single step these days, and hit the road at a nice, easy pace.  After about a 14 minute warm up and quick little pep talk to myself, I was off and sprinting my first 400 in ages.  

My training plan called for 8x400s at a 1:41 pace, with 400m rest intervals in between.  On my way out to my designated interval spot, I was doing the mental math of all of that and decided to do only 4x4oos instead.  My longest run in recent weeks was 6 miles and that was nice and slow...I didn't think 6 miles with speed work thrown in would be wise right now.  But let me tell you how incredible those four little 400s felt!!!  

Splits
1:38, 1:27, 1:31, 1:32

I think I started off a little timid out of the gates, but I'm pleased that my last three intervals were a little more consistent with each other.  In an attempt to keep me from doing too much too soon, the 1:41 target pace was based off a 5k time much slower than my best.  We'll see how the rest of this week goes and determine if I can step it up a little next week.  A little being the key words here.  Even with just four sprints, my hamstrings were like


That familiar burn felt so good, and I'm hopeful that my hamstrings will be all that ache tomorrow.  I'm confident in my decision to cut the workout short, and I have made an oath to only loosely abide by the training plan.  I do solemnly swear that I will listen to my body and ease my way back into this running thing.  I have achieved my goal of running a marathon, and from here on out, there is no race or PR so important it's worth risking injury.    I'm working on setting goals for the fall, and the top three go a little something like this:

1.  Stay healthy
2.  Stay healthy
3.  Stay healthy

Because like Metallica says,