with a little help from my friends

The past couple of weeks, training-wise, have been good...but difficult too. I'm at the stage where I know I'm ready for this half, but sometimes my doubts get the better of me. Just last Saturday I did a 6.6mi training run, a run I have done countless times before, and it felt incredibly tough. I felt like I couldn't finish...and it was only 6mi (remember, distance is relative).

There's a bit more to that run: it was 80deg, it was super humid, and the sun was blazing down. Um, it's September...I'm looking for 60deg, not so humid, and partly cloudy. It felt like a June/July day. Also, I've been trying to drop a few pounds and I hadn't been eating as well (or as much) as I needed to be. All that combined has made for some tough couple of weeks.

Fastforward to the other (Weds) night. I drove into the city (well, I crawled into the city...traffic was beastly), met my friend near Fenway and we headed out for a nice 5-6mi along the Charles River. It was a loop that she and I, along with our friend Jodi, had done when training for our very first half marathon way back in May '07. There were a few things going on in my head: 1. holy smokes, we're truckin'! 2. I really miss Jodi. 3. This is the best I've felt in a long time. 4. I remember this loop being toooough last time, now it's a breeze. 5. dang, are we still plugging along this fast?!

We made it back to the car in 51:13 after doing 5.7mi. Folks, that's 8:59min/mi. Chyeah. The best part, I was able to talk the entire time. Poor Kirsten had to listen to me rambling on about my life and how God's working in it...she loved it. ;) Towards the end she did most of the talking but I was still able to get some words and full sentences in...which let's me know I'm doing this whole training thing/running thing right.

We've been talking a lot at church, in Gravity especially, about community. And it dawned on me recently that I've developed a running community! Mostly, I like to run along...but I've started to run with other people. Some are faster than me and I have to strain to keep up (see above story), some are a bit slower and I need to check my pace. Either way, I've found that it is a joy to run with other people. It's fun to encourage one another. It's fun to share life together while we focus on taking care of the bodies God gave us. A group of friends who hold each other accountable to doing the very best we can, to reaching goals and having fun! In this community we spur one another on to get through just one more mile or to push the pace just that much faster.

I couldn't help seeing the similarities between my running community and my Gravity community; my small group. In our group we have all different personalities, likes, dislikes, and interests. In the same way my running buddies will spur one another on, my small group can do the very same thing in a different way. We can encourage one another as we go into school each day and face pressures and stress. We can encourage one another to love our families better. We can encourage one another when we find hobbies or activities that interest us. And it is a JOY to do so!

The writer of Hebrews puts it this way: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approching." Heb 10:24-25

Let us not give up meeting together as a small group of girls so that we may continue to spur one another on to love others and do good deeds in Christ's name until He comes again! And let us not give up running together so we may spur one another on to honor God by taking care of the bodies He has given us.

Run on. With a little help from my friends.

ellipti-GO!

I've heard of this but never seen one in person...until last night! The Ellipti-GO machine is an elliptical machine on wheels! No more need to go to the gym or to stay inside to get an elliptical workout, just get an Ellipti-go!

For the record, I'm not interested in getting one and I only use the elliptical machine at the gym when I'm injured and can't run. I hate the elliptical. It makes my feet go numb...weird, I know.

Just one more week till Portland! I cannot wait to get on this course...the leaves are changing at a rapid pace and I'm thinking it will be absolutely gorgeous the day we're racing through the country side just outside the city.

Also, I decided to add another race to my list this fall (since I'm only doing a half next week), I signed up to do the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women. I've heard a lot about this race for years, saw so many women wearing the tshirts...and figured now was as good a time as any. One wrinkle: It's the day after our high school fall retreat. If last winter's retreat is any indication, I will be utterly exhausted. Hey, just another challenge, right?!

So, if you've got the day off on Columbus Day (10.11.10) and you're in the Boston area, c'mon down to the city and cheer on the thousands of women running this race!

Nothing new to report in the training dept. The IT Band is still sensitive but getting better. I can run many miles with no pain (just last night my friend and I did 5). I'm shooting for 10 tomorrow and we'll see how it goes.

a random recap

Just a post to keep you updated: I got a long run in this weekend, 9.5mi. I was going to try for 12 but knew I didn't have it in me after a rough week. So I decided to scale back to 10. Once I did my lake loop (6mi) I thought, "Hmmm, it'd be fun to mix it up and tack my hill loop on to this!" So that's what I did. Saving two giant hills for 2/3s into my run.

For the most part, it was great! I had some moments of discomfort around the normal times (1.5mi, 4mi) then at about 7, I was in some serious pain...about a mile from home and not sure if I could (or should!) continue! I pressed on since I was on a downhill and that's when the pain typically comes in full force. Sure enough once I was back on the uphill, the pain went away. Although, I have to admit, I was nearly spent and did walk a short portion of the uphill...

I made it home with not too much more pain (mostly just discomfort) and lived to run another day. Which turned out to be yesterday.

UUUUUUGH. That pretty much sums up yesterday's run. For some reason I was feeling...off...yesterday. Not sure why I felt like this, but I knew that I wanted to get a run in. Did my 6.6mi loop (minus .3mi). Now, tell me this....how does a 20mph wind blow at me when I'm running in different directions?! Not only was the wind out of control, I also felt like I was either going to die or throw up at mile 3. Thankfully I did neither, but pressed on. I finished, but it was ugly. Still under 10min/mile so I suppose it wasn't too horrible.

Today is officially the last day of summer: I will celebrate with a run with two friends along the Charles River. DEEEEE-lightful.

marathon: halved

Well, readers, a decision has been made. I believe it is the right one for me...although it's not the one I wanted. I will be running the Maine Half Marathon, not the Maine Marathon.

The decision comes on the heels of my final attempt at a 20miler. My last attempt ended in a very painful 8 miles that left me limping just a bit for the next day. That was 2 weeks ago. I knew what the problem was and what the solution could be and so I worked hard at that: Run slower. Strengthening exercises. Ibuprofen. Icing. Foam Roller.

Good news, all that worked and helped me get stronger and able to run without pain for short distances (7mi or so). So it was with hesitation and expectation that I set out on Saturday for my final long run. It was a beautiful day, 65deg, sunny, breezy. The first 9 miles felt great! I ran a familiar route for about 4miles then decided to switch it up and head up a street I didn't know so well.

I planned it so that at mile 9 I would be at a water fountain (the fateful water fountain that foiled a 12mile run not too long ago...my first face plant). There I had a packet of GU and still felt pretty fresh. My leg wasn't hurting quite yet, but I could feel the pain beginning to formulate.

I ran thru my town over to the lake. Being a Saturday in early fall, and a gorgeous day at that, the lake loop was pretty busy...but that makes for great people watching. :) It was at about mile 13 or so that the pain was getting a bit more pronounced, and by mile 14 it was making itself known for real. Instead of looping the lake again (which would have given me over 17miles) I decided to call it a day. It was another .5mi home from the lake and that proved to be the most painful part of the run.

Once home, I went thru the stretching, strengthening, Ibu-ing and icing routine and haven't felt pain since. Of course, I haven't been on a run since...

So, it is a wise decision for me to concede this marathon in the hopes that I will be strong, ready and healthy for the Kalamazoo Marathon on Mothers Day (May 8th). I am still excited to do the half, thankful that I'm not missing out completely on the excitement of the day. And this time I'll beat my super speedy friend...by running half the distance she is. Ha! :)

Here's to getting stronger every day and to making wise choices, even when you don't want to.

nervous to run

(I'll forgo the "I'm sorry for not posting" triteness and simply get to the post...you understand.)

And here's why: My IT Band is inflamed, again. This time with just weeks until the marathon. At least last time, it was months prior to the marathon. Although it did make me miss a favorite half. I'll spare you the details of how it happened, or rather, why it happened.

Instead, here I am: Exactly one month from Marathon Day and I sit with Ibuprofen in my blood stream, ice on my knee and a foam roller within arms reach. In just 7 days I will attempt a SLOW, like S L O W!, 20 miler and if that goes all kinds of wrong, I will bump down to the half marathon on Oct 3rd instead of attempting the full.

Friends, this makes me sad, and discouraged, and frustrated, and mad at running. The last doesn't make much sense I understand, because in all actuality, I did this to myself. But still. Ugh, the nerve of RUNNING!

This week I have tried a 4mi walk (felt fine!) a 3mi run (felt ok!) and a 4.76mi run (felt eh!). Tomorrow I'll try a slow 6mi and see how we do.

Highlight of todays run: Hurricane Earl made a brief appearance half way thru my run! It was windy and rainy from mile 2.5 till about mi 3.5...then it was just wicked humid again. Hopefully we'll see some action later on tonight!