It's not about what happened Sunday.
As poorly as I ran the Long Beach Marathon and as tough it was on me mentally and physically, it's not about that anymore. What matters, what is most important now, is how I respond.
I had the worst experience I've had in any race I've run on Sunday. I was done, gassed, toast, out of energy, wiped out before I got to Mile 15. I somehow trudged forward and made it to Mile 20 and then, with the help of my brother Danny, plugged along until the finish.
While there are some positives to take away from that, what matters more is my approach now and in the days and weeks to come.
I cannot linger on Sunday. I cannot continue to think about all the mistakes I made, both in training and on race day itself. I can't. I'm better than that. I have to move my gaze forward, have to look ahead and not back, and if I look back it's only to prod myself to look forward and focus on what's to come.
I'm not done running marathons, not by a long shot. I'm going to keep running 26.2-milers; how frequently, I don't know, but I'm going to be back out there conquering the distance again. And if I want to do it the right way, I have to respond the right way, and train the right way.
The details are, for the purposes of this post, insignificant. I've thought about how to approach my runs, my exercises and workouts and my overall training regimen, but those details are for another blog post on another day.
Honestly, what I need more than a training plan is focus and a strong determined mindset. The best training plan will fail if the approach is not proper. That goes for professional teams, and it goes for marathoners such as myself.
I've done it before, many times before. I know what it takes to get things done. And I also know what happens when I take half-hearted approaches. I now know what happens too when poor training is mixed with a poor race plan, and I don't want to experience that again.
I need a little bit of the 2008 LB. I was determined, focused, motivated. It's not that I'm not those things anymore, but my outlook on things is different. In some ways, it's natural that it's that way. After all, in 2008 I'd never run anything, at least going into that year. But in 2008 I ran my first 5K, my first Mud Run and my first 10K. Everything was new to me and I had to forge a new outlook on things. That sense of accomplishing things for the first time was what drove me then, and now that I've run marathons and half marathons, have run countless runs of 10-plus miles, that outlook no longer exists.
It's cliche and everything, but it really is harder to stay on top than it is to get there. I'm not on top necessarily, but it is harder to stay at this level I'm at, of running marathons and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, is much more difficult to keep than it was to attain. That has to change. I cannot be satisfied with anything anymore. I have to keep pushing, keep fighting, keep proving myself.
The first obstacle was this post-marathon recovery period. Physically, it was no different than other marathons but mentally it was unique. I felt utterly disappointed with myself, and that's not something I've felt before. I felt embarrassed and ashamed, felt like I let a lot of people down. But what I realize now is that the only way to atone for myself, to make things right, is by my response.
I'm ready for the challenge. Today is the first day in a long time where I feel energetic about my approach to my training. I'm regaining some of those empowering feelings I felt throughout my weight-loss journey and along the path towards my first marathon. It took a horrendous marathon experience to snap me out of it but I do feel much more stronger now than I did just one week ago.
I'm refreshed. I'm refocused and recharged. I'm ready for the challenge.
Nothing is going to stop me.
Showing posts with label motivation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motivation. Show all posts
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Why Do I Run?
Why do I run? Why do I get out there and hit the asphalt or treadmill or dirt or what-have-you? What's the purpose of all of this?
Is it for my health?
Do I enjoy the sense of accomplishment?
Or maybe it's because I have a few loose screws?
All those may be true but that's not the real reason why I run, the real reason why I set out on my fitness journey five years ago.
The little girl next to me is Yvie, and the one in my arms is Kennedy. At the time, Yvie was 2 and Kennedy was all of 3 months. And I was obese.
I had always felt bad about my weight, and it spiraled out of control. I didn't care about the weight anymore. Sure, it was rough but I tried to lose it and it wasn't going anywhere. Nobody said anything to me about it anymore; they just accepted me as a big guy and that was that.
But that was the problem. Acceptance. I was overweight. That's what people saw me as, an overweight guy, a *fat* guy. And that's how my daughters were going to see me. They'd grow up seeing their dad as, well, their dad. They wouldn't know any different. They wouldn't know that daddy was hopelessly overweight, that underneath those mounds of fat, he suffered from self-esteem issues.
My daughters would love me for who I was, I tried to make sure of that. I tried to give them unsolicited affection and love and kisses and hugs and anything I could to show them how incredibly happy I was to be their daddy. I wasn't so much worried about them not loving me. But I was worried about embarrassing them, about them having the *fat* dad, about being the really really big guy picking up his girls from school.
I did not want that... for them, for me, for anybody. That's the last thing I wanted.
So with the help of my wife, I got serious about it. I got serious about the one thing that I never thought I would be able to be serious about - my fitness. I set all the doubts and negativity, all the feelings of despair and helplessness and went for it. I went after my health.
Not for me. No, believe me. If I would have set out on a fitness journey for my own betterment and nothing else, I would not have come close to seeing it through.
I did it all for my daughters.
I wanted to be able to keep up with them. I wanted to be able to have fun with them. I wanted to enjoy life with them.
Now, I didn't exactly picture running races and getting them involved in racing. I set out to get fit and healthy but where that would ultimately take me, I had no idea. I just wanted to get fit and healthy.
And I did. I dropped more than 120 pounds over 20 months, and I showed to myself that I can achieve things previously thought impossible. I have been able to show my girls that life is fun, that being fit and active is enjoyable.
Sure, I'd like for them to be proud of their dad, but really all I want is for them to know that nothing is impossible, that nothing is out of reach, that if they try their hardest, they can achieve. All I ever ask from them is what I couldn't do for so many years, to try their hardest. No matter what happens, I tell them, if they try their hardest, they can take pride in whatever it is they're doing.
On Saturday, when I'm running my fourth marathon, I'm going to think about them a lot. They are going to get me to yet another finish line. They've been able to make me go places I didn't think I could go, to do things I didn't think I could do, and now they're going to do that one more time.
And I promise you, my babies, that Daddy won't let you down.
Is it for my health?
Do I enjoy the sense of accomplishment?
Or maybe it's because I have a few loose screws?
All those may be true but that's not the real reason why I run, the real reason why I set out on my fitness journey five years ago.
The little girl next to me is Yvie, and the one in my arms is Kennedy. At the time, Yvie was 2 and Kennedy was all of 3 months. And I was obese.I had always felt bad about my weight, and it spiraled out of control. I didn't care about the weight anymore. Sure, it was rough but I tried to lose it and it wasn't going anywhere. Nobody said anything to me about it anymore; they just accepted me as a big guy and that was that.
But that was the problem. Acceptance. I was overweight. That's what people saw me as, an overweight guy, a *fat* guy. And that's how my daughters were going to see me. They'd grow up seeing their dad as, well, their dad. They wouldn't know any different. They wouldn't know that daddy was hopelessly overweight, that underneath those mounds of fat, he suffered from self-esteem issues.
My daughters would love me for who I was, I tried to make sure of that. I tried to give them unsolicited affection and love and kisses and hugs and anything I could to show them how incredibly happy I was to be their daddy. I wasn't so much worried about them not loving me. But I was worried about embarrassing them, about them having the *fat* dad, about being the really really big guy picking up his girls from school.
I did not want that... for them, for me, for anybody. That's the last thing I wanted.
So with the help of my wife, I got serious about it. I got serious about the one thing that I never thought I would be able to be serious about - my fitness. I set all the doubts and negativity, all the feelings of despair and helplessness and went for it. I went after my health.
Not for me. No, believe me. If I would have set out on a fitness journey for my own betterment and nothing else, I would not have come close to seeing it through.
I did it all for my daughters.
I wanted to be able to keep up with them. I wanted to be able to have fun with them. I wanted to enjoy life with them.
Now, I didn't exactly picture running races and getting them involved in racing. I set out to get fit and healthy but where that would ultimately take me, I had no idea. I just wanted to get fit and healthy.
And I did. I dropped more than 120 pounds over 20 months, and I showed to myself that I can achieve things previously thought impossible. I have been able to show my girls that life is fun, that being fit and active is enjoyable.
Sure, I'd like for them to be proud of their dad, but really all I want is for them to know that nothing is impossible, that nothing is out of reach, that if they try their hardest, they can achieve. All I ever ask from them is what I couldn't do for so many years, to try their hardest. No matter what happens, I tell them, if they try their hardest, they can take pride in whatever it is they're doing.
On Saturday, when I'm running my fourth marathon, I'm going to think about them a lot. They are going to get me to yet another finish line. They've been able to make me go places I didn't think I could go, to do things I didn't think I could do, and now they're going to do that one more time.
And I promise you, my babies, that Daddy won't let you down.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Happenings
I'm running a marathon on Sunday.
You might be aware of that if you've read this blog at all in the last few weeks. I think I've mentioned it once or twice. It doesn't seem so far-fetched now, that I'm running a marathon. Stupid? Possibly. Crazy? Some would say so, yes. But far-fetched? Not any more.
Although, there was a time when anything more than a few steps for me would have been out of the question. Aside from the fact that it was all but physically impossible for me to do any sort of running, I had zero desire to run. I remember being in Las Vegas the first weekend of December 2005 and some of the streets were blocked off because of a race. Not once did I think "Gee, maybe I should try a race" or anything to that effect.
While it was unfathomable to have running part of my life at one point, now it's unfathomable to not have running as part of my life.
The change in mentality did not happen in one day, one week or even one month. It did not happen because I went running once.
But it happened.
And that's what matters the most. It happened that I got turned on to running, that I found something I was good at (not speed here folks, just finishing runs), that I found something I could be proud of, something that was healthy and fit into my new lifestyle like a glove.
It happened.
I'm a different person now, mostly. I look a whole helluva lot different, that's for certain.
Before big events like Sunday's Surf City Marathon, I like to look back at the changes I've made to give me some confidence. I don't need reminding that I used to be big and that I lost all that weight. That's in the forefront of my mind. But having lost 120 pounds has given me a never-ending well of confidence, and trying to tap into that before a race, particularly a marathon, is not a bad idea.
Also, I hope that by putting it out there, by showing you what I went through and where I'm headed, that maybe the challenges you have in front of you, the ones you might think are impossible, maybe they're not mountains after all. Just have a little faith in yourself, put in some honest effort and you'll get to places you never thought possible.
It happens.
You might be aware of that if you've read this blog at all in the last few weeks. I think I've mentioned it once or twice. It doesn't seem so far-fetched now, that I'm running a marathon. Stupid? Possibly. Crazy? Some would say so, yes. But far-fetched? Not any more.
Although, there was a time when anything more than a few steps for me would have been out of the question. Aside from the fact that it was all but physically impossible for me to do any sort of running, I had zero desire to run. I remember being in Las Vegas the first weekend of December 2005 and some of the streets were blocked off because of a race. Not once did I think "Gee, maybe I should try a race" or anything to that effect.
While it was unfathomable to have running part of my life at one point, now it's unfathomable to not have running as part of my life.
The change in mentality did not happen in one day, one week or even one month. It did not happen because I went running once.
But it happened.
And that's what matters the most. It happened that I got turned on to running, that I found something I was good at (not speed here folks, just finishing runs), that I found something I could be proud of, something that was healthy and fit into my new lifestyle like a glove.
It happened.
I'm a different person now, mostly. I look a whole helluva lot different, that's for certain.Before big events like Sunday's Surf City Marathon, I like to look back at the changes I've made to give me some confidence. I don't need reminding that I used to be big and that I lost all that weight. That's in the forefront of my mind. But having lost 120 pounds has given me a never-ending well of confidence, and trying to tap into that before a race, particularly a marathon, is not a bad idea.
Also, I hope that by putting it out there, by showing you what I went through and where I'm headed, that maybe the challenges you have in front of you, the ones you might think are impossible, maybe they're not mountains after all. Just have a little faith in yourself, put in some honest effort and you'll get to places you never thought possible.
It happens.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Favorite Moment Of 2010: My Bib
This year has been an amazing ride for me. To have run the races I ran far exceeded the expectations I'd set for myself at the beginning of the year, and to have logged the countless training runs and logged more than 1,300 miles is also rarified air for me. All those miles left me numerous moments that I've stored in my memory.
There were moments that made me smile (finishing a 5K in 23:02), moments that made me cry (after a brutal, solo 20-mile run in June), moments in which I showed myself what I can accomplish (every time I made it up Mt. Rubidoux). Hopefully I've done well to log as many of those moments as possible here on this blog so I can recall them as the days, weeks and months progress.
Still, in thinking back on the year that was, there is one moment that stands out above the rest.
Wearing this on my back at the Surf City Marathon was something I will treasure forever.
Wearing this on my back brought my two toughest journeys together - losing weight and training for my first marathon. It was my way of saying not only "Look how far I've come" but also of telling others that nothing is impossible. I believed that before I ran my first marathon and I believe it now.
Nothing is impossible.
That was a pretty good day, pretty good moment.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Motivational Mondays: Best Racing Year Ever
It's not quite the end of the year yet, not quite time to do year-end recaps, but for me it is.
When I ran the Mission Inn Half Marathon on Nov. 14, I also completed the races I'll have run in 2010. It's kind of a downer to know that I won't race again until February but that just means I'll be able to focus on my next race, the Surf City Marathon on Feb. 6.
Anyway, I wanted to look back at the year I had in races. In terms of running, this has been the best year ever.
My first marathon! How superb it was to start the year off with a bang, jumping feet first into my first-ever 26.2-mile effort. I'd trained for the marathon so hard and did everything by the book beforehand. I was nervous, anxious, excited and worried about the race. The race itself went off without too many problems until I got past the Mile 22 mark. I hit the wall hard at Mile 23 and it felt like the last three miles took an hour. But I survived and shuffled across the finish at 4:42:26.
The whole race and the days leading up to it were very special moments to me. It sort of culminated all of what I'd gone through for the previous four years, from having weighed 308 pounds to having lost 120 to then having taken up running. I wore a bib on my back with an inspirational message I wrote and it really hammered the point home. I became a marathoner on Feb. 7, and that's something that nobody can ever take away from me.
Race report here.
Will I run this again in 2011? I am already registered! So, barring injury, this will be Marathon No. 3.
After having tackled a marathon, the thought of running a 5K seemed insignificant. However, this race was anything but. First, I wanted to get a more accurate read of the type of runner I was now. My only other 5K had been my first-ever race, back in 2008 when I was a newbie who didn't know what was going on. Also, I bet my brother, my more-athletic, in-shape, works-hard plays-hard brother, that he couldn't beat me in a 5K. We had a lot of fun talking smack before the race and we really did want to compete and beat one another.
I had one of my strongest performances here. Since it was only a 3.1-mile run, I went all out. I hit top speed and stayed there. I finished in 23:03 and beat my brother by more than one minute. I still talk smack to him about this race, and I know it eats at him. I've offered a re-match but he's scared; he just won't admit it.
Race report here.
Will I run this race again in 2010? Well, considering it was free, I'd like to. But I won't run it for speed. I'll save my thoughts on this one until I know it's going to happen but I'll probably be there one way or another.
Another free race. I signed up for this mostly because it was free, reason enough to get me out there in the fierce wind and run. Also, I enjoyed the race because it was at a bit of a unique place. How often, after all, can you run on a NASCAR track? The best part of the race, bar none, was running on the track at the California Speedway. There were so many skid marks and tire marks on the course, it was unreal. My favorite memory of this race was running down pit row and seeing all the pit areas up close.
Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Not sure. If it's held again I might want to run it again.
The challenge, should I have chosen to accept it, was to run a half-marathon in under two hours. I ran with Loper pal (and then-blog buddy) Angie since she also wanted to PR. It was a hilly course and the sun began to weigh on us the further we went along but that wasn't enough to stop a pair of determined runners. We each set a PR, each got under two hours for the first time and each were proud of our accomplishments. My year wasn't close to being over after this race but I believe this was my best performance of the year, that I ran my best race in April, in Redlands.
Race report here.
Will I run this race again in 2011? If I don't take a break after the LA Marathon, I might want to run this again.
I had run my first marathon, shattered my 5K PR and gotten under the two-hour mark in a half marathon. But there was one more obstacle to tackle. I wanted to get under 50 minutes in a 10K. The Run For Rescue course was uphill for a good portion, making the task more difficult. Despite fretting about the hills, I got through them just fine and at the end of the race I knew I was close to a sub-50 minute finish. I was all but out of gas but still fought through and crossed the finish at 49:42. I even placed fourth in my age group!
What also stands out is that my daughters ran their first race afterward. It was called the Kiddie K but it really was just a loop around the parking lot. It was a fun experience for all of us.
Race report here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Probably not. The race was actually for a good cause and it's a small race but I don't know that I'll be up for a 10K in early May.
I didn't want to find a closer and better race than Camp Pendleton - and didn't - but rather I wanted for my daughters to participate in a Mud Run. The SBSD Mud Run had a children's 1K Mud Run and this was the main reason why I chose to run this race. The course was not as challenging as Camp Pendleton and the obstacles seemed to be just pure mud, mostly mud pits. It was a 5K so not a lot of running either but I still enjoyed myself out there and got plenty muddy. The kid's course, though, was a true 1K; the first portion mostly running and the last part the same exact obstacles we had to go through. Yvie surprised me with her determination while Kennedy cried through a lot of the race but still pushed through. In the end, we were all muddy and all proud of what we'd done.
Race report here
Will I run this race again in 2011? It's a pretty safe bet that we will. I don't know if I'll do the 5K but the girls ask about the Mud Run and seem excited about it.
The race that started it all for me. The bonus this year - I got to meet blog reader Anne (aka Tahoegirl) and her husband. The race was fun as always, perhaps made even more challenging because of my inactivity. I didn't run at all the week before to see if rest would help my ongoing heel issues. I didn't bother trying for a PR and I didn't come close to it. But that didn't diminish from the experience at all.
Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Yes, the only question is the date. I'm hoping for June 18.
The mother of all hilly runs. I took this one on head-first. I wanted my second marathon to be special, and this one certainly was. Mrs. LB and I traveled up to San Francisco and made a weekend out of it.
This race had so many special moments, it's tough to narrow them down. The few miles I spent running on the Golden Gate Bridge were an absolute highlight of my running life. The hills, though, took their toll on me and the last few miles my legs were shot. However, I tried to finish strong and fought through the hill-induced aches. I finished in 4:37:51 as I bested my Surf City time by about five minutes. I also got to meet three blog buddies! Amanda of Fat Wuz Here, Katie of One Run At A Time and Jill of Run With Jill. And Mrs. LB and I had a fantastic weekend - how's that for a race experience?
Race report here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Even though I told my wife as Ihobbled walked back to the hotel room that I would not run the full marathon there again, I am all but sold on the idea of running that race once more.
I had already set a half-marathon PR earlier in 2010 but I wanted to beat it. I wasn't sure if I could but my previous PR was on a hilly course. Long Beach was advertised as "flat and fast" and it lived up to the billing. Despite sleeping only four hours, I was up for the race. My Garmin, though, was not. The Garmin was not reading accurately in Mile 3 so I stopped relying on it.
The loss of the Garmin made me focus on simply getting to the next mile marker. I enjoyed the beachfront path and the smell of the ocean. Once off the path and headed down the stretch, I knew I was close to a PR. I cruised into the finish but still wasn't sure what my official time was. However, a few minutes after finishing Mrs. LB sent me a text with my official time - 1:55:03!
Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? If I run this race, I might run the full. Otherwise, I might just pass altogether.
I closed out the year with my local race, the Mission Inn Run. I'd run the 10K the last two years but opted for the half marathon this time (it's only been the second year the race has featured a half marathon). I wasn't feeling confident about setting a PR - and didn't - but I knew I had a strong race inside of me. I figured that if I ran strong and ran a good race, I would be happy. I did that and finished strong. My time of 1:56:20 is not my PR but it's still a time I was very happy with.
Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? I'd like to. It's my local race so that makes it very appealing.
When I ran the Mission Inn Half Marathon on Nov. 14, I also completed the races I'll have run in 2010. It's kind of a downer to know that I won't race again until February but that just means I'll be able to focus on my next race, the Surf City Marathon on Feb. 6.
Anyway, I wanted to look back at the year I had in races. In terms of running, this has been the best year ever.
Feb. 7: Surf City Marathon
My first marathon! How superb it was to start the year off with a bang, jumping feet first into my first-ever 26.2-mile effort. I'd trained for the marathon so hard and did everything by the book beforehand. I was nervous, anxious, excited and worried about the race. The race itself went off without too many problems until I got past the Mile 22 mark. I hit the wall hard at Mile 23 and it felt like the last three miles took an hour. But I survived and shuffled across the finish at 4:42:26.The whole race and the days leading up to it were very special moments to me. It sort of culminated all of what I'd gone through for the previous four years, from having weighed 308 pounds to having lost 120 to then having taken up running. I wore a bib on my back with an inspirational message I wrote and it really hammered the point home. I became a marathoner on Feb. 7, and that's something that nobody can ever take away from me.
Race report here.
Will I run this again in 2011? I am already registered! So, barring injury, this will be Marathon No. 3.
March 13: ARMC 5K
After having tackled a marathon, the thought of running a 5K seemed insignificant. However, this race was anything but. First, I wanted to get a more accurate read of the type of runner I was now. My only other 5K had been my first-ever race, back in 2008 when I was a newbie who didn't know what was going on. Also, I bet my brother, my more-athletic, in-shape, works-hard plays-hard brother, that he couldn't beat me in a 5K. We had a lot of fun talking smack before the race and we really did want to compete and beat one another.I had one of my strongest performances here. Since it was only a 3.1-mile run, I went all out. I hit top speed and stayed there. I finished in 23:03 and beat my brother by more than one minute. I still talk smack to him about this race, and I know it eats at him. I've offered a re-match but he's scared; he just won't admit it.
Race report here.
Will I run this race again in 2010? Well, considering it was free, I'd like to. But I won't run it for speed. I'll save my thoughts on this one until I know it's going to happen but I'll probably be there one way or another.
March 27: Lefty's 5K
Another free race. I signed up for this mostly because it was free, reason enough to get me out there in the fierce wind and run. Also, I enjoyed the race because it was at a bit of a unique place. How often, after all, can you run on a NASCAR track? The best part of the race, bar none, was running on the track at the California Speedway. There were so many skid marks and tire marks on the course, it was unreal. My favorite memory of this race was running down pit row and seeing all the pit areas up close.Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Not sure. If it's held again I might want to run it again.
April 19: Run Through Redlands Half Marathon
The challenge, should I have chosen to accept it, was to run a half-marathon in under two hours. I ran with Loper pal (and then-blog buddy) Angie since she also wanted to PR. It was a hilly course and the sun began to weigh on us the further we went along but that wasn't enough to stop a pair of determined runners. We each set a PR, each got under two hours for the first time and each were proud of our accomplishments. My year wasn't close to being over after this race but I believe this was my best performance of the year, that I ran my best race in April, in Redlands.Race report here.
Will I run this race again in 2011? If I don't take a break after the LA Marathon, I might want to run this again.
May 1: Run For Rescue 10K
What also stands out is that my daughters ran their first race afterward. It was called the Kiddie K but it really was just a loop around the parking lot. It was a fun experience for all of us.
Race report here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Probably not. The race was actually for a good cause and it's a small race but I don't know that I'll be up for a 10K in early May.
May 22: San Bernardino Mud Run
Race report here
Will I run this race again in 2011? It's a pretty safe bet that we will. I don't know if I'll do the 5K but the girls ask about the Mud Run and seem excited about it.
June 5: Camp Pendleton Mud Run
Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Yes, the only question is the date. I'm hoping for June 18.
July 25: San Francisco Marathon
The mother of all hilly runs. I took this one on head-first. I wanted my second marathon to be special, and this one certainly was. Mrs. LB and I traveled up to San Francisco and made a weekend out of it.
This race had so many special moments, it's tough to narrow them down. The few miles I spent running on the Golden Gate Bridge were an absolute highlight of my running life. The hills, though, took their toll on me and the last few miles my legs were shot. However, I tried to finish strong and fought through the hill-induced aches. I finished in 4:37:51 as I bested my Surf City time by about five minutes. I also got to meet three blog buddies! Amanda of Fat Wuz Here, Katie of One Run At A Time and Jill of Run With Jill. And Mrs. LB and I had a fantastic weekend - how's that for a race experience?Race report here
Will I run this race again in 2011? Even though I told my wife as I
Oct. 17: Long Beach Half Marathon
The loss of the Garmin made me focus on simply getting to the next mile marker. I enjoyed the beachfront path and the smell of the ocean. Once off the path and headed down the stretch, I knew I was close to a PR. I cruised into the finish but still wasn't sure what my official time was. However, a few minutes after finishing Mrs. LB sent me a text with my official time - 1:55:03!
Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? If I run this race, I might run the full. Otherwise, I might just pass altogether.
Nov. 14: Mission Inn Half Marathon
Race recap here
Will I run this race again in 2011? I'd like to. It's my local race so that makes it very appealing.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Motivational Mondays: Me, A Leader?
I've been with my running group, the Loma Linda Lopers, for two years now. This is my second year, and I feel like I've learned a lot and have a lot to offer because of it.
Now, I've been given the chance to influence others a bit more directly.
I have the chance to become a pace leader of my pace group, the 10:30s. I filled in a little bit on Sunday during our 14-mile run, and filled in a little bit the time before that, two weeks ago on a 13-miler.
Our pace group has two leaders already but one is 15 weeks pregnant and probably won't be able to log long runs before too long. We have 15 planned for Sunday and then have 15 and 18 on consecutive Sundays in December. Our other pace leader has had foot problems and recently was forced to take a month off from running. He's slowly working his way back.
So they've turned to me to see if I would be able to fill in. I said I'd do it and am grateful and humbled to be thought of in that way.
To be honest, I thought that it would be interesting and perhaps enjoyable to be a pace leader someday. I thought that it would be rewarding to help first-time marathoners get through the training and then run a full marathon for the first time, run it alongside them and help them get to the finish, but I didn't expect it to happen so quickly.
Now, the thing about our group that might make it more appealing to have me aboard is that this is an experienced group. We've had some members drop off so we have either one or two runners who haven't run a marathon yet but not sure if they are still with our group since I haven't seen them in a few weeks. Nevertheless, had our group had more first-timers maybe the group would have needed someone with more than two marathons to help the first-timers run their first marathon.
Still, I do feel that I have some good qualities that will help me be a good pace leader. The main quality I feel I bring to the table is strength. I can get through runs. I'm determined to get through runs. And group members need a leader who is strong and who can finish runs.
Sunday was a good example of that. I really didn't feel like running 14 miles in the rain but when I was out there on the course I felt good. After two miles, one of the pace leaders asked me if I would be able to lead and I agreed so I jumped to the front and led. My first mile in front, I ran it at 10:35. That's perfect. I kept us in that range for the four miles until our group had whittled down to four. We were pretty much running in pairs at that point but I still wanted to be strong for the other runners' sake. I think it's more encouraging when you have someone who looks like they're strong and have energy remaining, and I don't anticipate that being a problem when I'm in charge.
Next week we have a 15-mile run planned. I may be in front the whole time next week or it may be a mixture as it was this week. Whatever the case, I'll be up for it.
All eyes will be on me so I don't have a choice but to respond with another strong effort.
Now, I've been given the chance to influence others a bit more directly.
I have the chance to become a pace leader of my pace group, the 10:30s. I filled in a little bit on Sunday during our 14-mile run, and filled in a little bit the time before that, two weeks ago on a 13-miler.
Our pace group has two leaders already but one is 15 weeks pregnant and probably won't be able to log long runs before too long. We have 15 planned for Sunday and then have 15 and 18 on consecutive Sundays in December. Our other pace leader has had foot problems and recently was forced to take a month off from running. He's slowly working his way back.
So they've turned to me to see if I would be able to fill in. I said I'd do it and am grateful and humbled to be thought of in that way.
To be honest, I thought that it would be interesting and perhaps enjoyable to be a pace leader someday. I thought that it would be rewarding to help first-time marathoners get through the training and then run a full marathon for the first time, run it alongside them and help them get to the finish, but I didn't expect it to happen so quickly.
Now, the thing about our group that might make it more appealing to have me aboard is that this is an experienced group. We've had some members drop off so we have either one or two runners who haven't run a marathon yet but not sure if they are still with our group since I haven't seen them in a few weeks. Nevertheless, had our group had more first-timers maybe the group would have needed someone with more than two marathons to help the first-timers run their first marathon.
Still, I do feel that I have some good qualities that will help me be a good pace leader. The main quality I feel I bring to the table is strength. I can get through runs. I'm determined to get through runs. And group members need a leader who is strong and who can finish runs.
Sunday was a good example of that. I really didn't feel like running 14 miles in the rain but when I was out there on the course I felt good. After two miles, one of the pace leaders asked me if I would be able to lead and I agreed so I jumped to the front and led. My first mile in front, I ran it at 10:35. That's perfect. I kept us in that range for the four miles until our group had whittled down to four. We were pretty much running in pairs at that point but I still wanted to be strong for the other runners' sake. I think it's more encouraging when you have someone who looks like they're strong and have energy remaining, and I don't anticipate that being a problem when I'm in charge.
Next week we have a 15-mile run planned. I may be in front the whole time next week or it may be a mixture as it was this week. Whatever the case, I'll be up for it.
All eyes will be on me so I don't have a choice but to respond with another strong effort.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Motivational Mondays: Allure Of Racing
Is there anything more motivating than race day?
I've thought about races a lot recently - how my races have gone this year, what races I want to run next year, how many races I want to run in 2011 - and no matter what I come back to the same thing: racing is fun.
My next race will be Sunday, the Mission Inn Half Marathon in Riverside, which has spurned all these thoughts about races.
It's fun to participate in such events simply because of the energy alone. There are so many people out there, all trying to reach some sort of goal, and everyone is focused and prepared and concentrated (well, at least it feels that way). And everyone is also sort-of on edge as everyone's trying to push those last-minute doubts and jitters aside.
Once the race starts, we're off! I still remember the feeling I had in my first race, a 5K in Fontana in June 2008. I had a smile from ear to ear when we started the race, for no other reason than I was excited about racing. I had no goal in mind, no time to beat, no past performance to atone for, no bar to set. I just had fun because I was racing.
Things have changed a little since then. I look at races as a measure of where I am in my training. Races give me something tangible to prepare for, to train for, to bust my butt for. Usually during training runs, I think about upcoming races to get me nice and motivated.
Next week's race will be fun, like all other races I've done. This one is my local race. The start/finish line is about six miles away and I can zip in and out of the area without fear of hitting traffic or getting lost. The course will take me along a bike path which I've not run but might incorporate into my upcoming runs. It will also be the longest I've run in Riverside city limits. Technically we live in an unincorporated area of Riverside so within the city's boundaries I've not run 13.1 miles before.
On Sunday then, I will have a good measure of where I'm at, a decent gauge of what I am capable of and what areas I should try and improve on. The best part about that is I will get to do so while knocking out yet another race.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Motivational Mondays: A Running Tourist
I've always liked traveling. When I was younger, I liked the idea of traveling since I didn't have much money for... anything, let alone traveling. As I got a little older and started to work, I did some traveling.
In my pre-weight loss days, I visited such countries as Trinidad & Tobago, Japan and Germany and went to cities like Dallas and Chicago. I did some sightseeing, some touristy stuff while in those respective locations (all but Germany were work-related trips).
Now that I'm slimmer and enjoy running, I look back and think of those trips as missed opportunities. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed those trips... most of them. But looking back on it now, I could have logged some awesome, memorable and unique runs. I mean, how many people can say they've run in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad? It's a bummer too because Port-of-Spain has a huge park in the middle of the city, the Queen's Park Savannah, or the Savannah as the locals call it. It's a little more than two miles around the diameter of the Savannah, and along one side are these cool Victorian homes called the Magnificent Seven. Not sure if they are government buildings or just some old homes that used to house royalty or British elite (Trinidad was a former British colony) or what. How cool would it have been to run alongside that?
Or how about the Schwarzwald in Germany, otherwise known as the Black Forest. How awesome would it have been to say that I've run in the frickin Black Forest? Or in Munich where we stayed one night? I could easily have gotten up early and knocked out a four-miler the morning we were in Munich. I mean, had I been in the shape I am now back then. I wouldn't have been able to run four miles anywhere in 2004... you get the point.
Grrr....
Well, instead of fretting too much, I use that as motivation. I was a different person when I went on those trips. I looked different and had different priorities. Exercise was not among those priorities.
Now, of course, I love to run. I am a runner. I am a marathoner. When I think of far-flung cities like Seattle (where I spent the weekend), Denver, Salt Lake City or foreign countries like Greece and China, I think of runs and races. I'd love to go back to Seattle and run a marathon. I'd love to run a marathon in Salt Lake City and Denver and Chicago and Phoenix and Athens and the Great Wall of China. Mrs. LB said she is down with me running the Athens Marathon so one day, we'll make it happen.
But I'd also just love to run through such cities, even if no race was involved. No matter how you experience cities, to me the best way to experience any of them is on foot, not in a car or bus or cab or on a train or airplane. So when I run somewhere new, I'm seeing things up close and am taking time to absorb them.
That's what made my first trip to San Francisco so memorable. I got to run past Fisherman's Wharf and on The Embarcadero. I got to run on the Golden Gate Bridge. My first time on the Bridge was on a run. How awesome is that?
Trips to Seattle, Montreal, Mexico City and San Diego in the last 18 months have all included runs, none of them were races, all of them were memorable.
Running has opened the door for many memorable moments, and I'm taking full advantage of them now.
In my pre-weight loss days, I visited such countries as Trinidad & Tobago, Japan and Germany and went to cities like Dallas and Chicago. I did some sightseeing, some touristy stuff while in those respective locations (all but Germany were work-related trips).
Now that I'm slimmer and enjoy running, I look back and think of those trips as missed opportunities. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed those trips... most of them. But looking back on it now, I could have logged some awesome, memorable and unique runs. I mean, how many people can say they've run in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad? It's a bummer too because Port-of-Spain has a huge park in the middle of the city, the Queen's Park Savannah, or the Savannah as the locals call it. It's a little more than two miles around the diameter of the Savannah, and along one side are these cool Victorian homes called the Magnificent Seven. Not sure if they are government buildings or just some old homes that used to house royalty or British elite (Trinidad was a former British colony) or what. How cool would it have been to run alongside that?
Or how about the Schwarzwald in Germany, otherwise known as the Black Forest. How awesome would it have been to say that I've run in the frickin Black Forest? Or in Munich where we stayed one night? I could easily have gotten up early and knocked out a four-miler the morning we were in Munich. I mean, had I been in the shape I am now back then. I wouldn't have been able to run four miles anywhere in 2004... you get the point.
Grrr....
Well, instead of fretting too much, I use that as motivation. I was a different person when I went on those trips. I looked different and had different priorities. Exercise was not among those priorities.
Now, of course, I love to run. I am a runner. I am a marathoner. When I think of far-flung cities like Seattle (where I spent the weekend), Denver, Salt Lake City or foreign countries like Greece and China, I think of runs and races. I'd love to go back to Seattle and run a marathon. I'd love to run a marathon in Salt Lake City and Denver and Chicago and Phoenix and Athens and the Great Wall of China. Mrs. LB said she is down with me running the Athens Marathon so one day, we'll make it happen.
But I'd also just love to run through such cities, even if no race was involved. No matter how you experience cities, to me the best way to experience any of them is on foot, not in a car or bus or cab or on a train or airplane. So when I run somewhere new, I'm seeing things up close and am taking time to absorb them.
That's what made my first trip to San Francisco so memorable. I got to run past Fisherman's Wharf and on The Embarcadero. I got to run on the Golden Gate Bridge. My first time on the Bridge was on a run. How awesome is that?
Trips to Seattle, Montreal, Mexico City and San Diego in the last 18 months have all included runs, none of them were races, all of them were memorable.
Running has opened the door for many memorable moments, and I'm taking full advantage of them now.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Weigh-less Wednesdays
So, how'd you do it?
It's easily the question I get asked the most when people find out about my weight loss.
How'd you do it?
Sometimes I wish I really did have a secret. I wish there was something that would make people gasp, or run out to the nearest grocery store or drug store and buy Secret Weight Loss Formula.
But I don't have a secret. And it's really deflating, because inevitably there is no payoff. Question-asker goes away feeling empty-handed while answer-giver feels helpless.
How'd I do it?
There was no miracle cure. No magic potion. No pills or shots or vitamins or creams or lotions.
How'd I lose 120 pounds? I just ate right and exercised.
The exercise part... well, that's tough. Yeah, I can explain all about where I am now, how running 25-30 miles a week is great because I actually have to eat more calories than I would otherwise in order to sustain my body and give it the ability to log that many miles. But I only took up running after I crossed the century mark with my weight loss.
I could tell them about the initial exercises I did when I weighed more than 300 pounds, about how the first gym session I had with my trainer I did eight minutes on an exercise bike and seven minutes on an elliptical and how I was sore for about three days afterward, and how I started from the ground up, but a lot of the actual exercises and pieces of machinery I used would require us to go to the gym, and maybe the answer to "How'd you do it?" wasn't really intended to include a gym outing.
But I can tell them about the first part of my anticlimactic response, the "eat right" part. Now, I can't tell them specifically what kinds of foods to eat or rather stay away from. It's easier to say "omit sodas, fast food, chips, candy, cookies, things like that from your meal plan" than it is to say "incorporate more vegetables and fruits and whole grains" and such because the latter only works if you give up the former.
What I can tell them that will work, that is something I can personally say with utmost certainty, is this: eat five small meals a day.
Breakfast. AM snack. Lunch. PM snack. Dinner.
It worked for me. And isn't that what they wanted to know in the first place?
How'd you do it?
I counted calories. I limited myself to about 1800 calories a day (I believe the exact figure was 1734). I ate five small meals a day. I had a breakfast, like a bar or small bowl of cereal, which was about 200-300 calories. A piece of fruit for a snack added another 100 or so, and then at lunch I had maybe a sandwich and some plain yogurt with fruit, or a veggie wrap and some fruit, and that was maybe another 300-400 calories. After another piece of fruit for a PM snack I had only eaten about 900 calories, so I had about 800 calories to play with at dinner. Do you know what you can have for 800 calories? Lots of good stuff, like a chicken breast with some rice and maybe a roll, or a bowl of chicken tortilla soup, or even a plate of pasta with some garlic bread.
Well, that's kind of a long answer. But that's the heart of the matter. When I feel someone is genuinely interested in how I did it, I'll give them that sort of answer. If they're just reacting to having found out that I dropped more than 100 pounds, I'll say "It was the easiest plan to come up with but the hardest to follow: I ate right and exercised." I can sometimes feel the air come out of their balloon of excitement, as if they really did want the name of the magic elixir I used. And I really don't like to disappoint people, but they wanted the response.
I think sometimes they want me to say "I got surgery" which a lot of people assume I had. In fact, some people used to ask me if I had gotten sick. Now that I run marathons and half-marathons, it's pretty evident that I'm not sick so those assumptions went by the wayside.
Still, getting sick, having surgery or having consumed the perfect weight-loss drink would likely appease people more than saying "I ate right and exercised."
Boo! That's BORING!! That ain't no kind of answer!!!
Perhaps, but it's true.
I ate right.
I exercised.
I lost 120 pounds.
What more is there to say?
Monday, October 25, 2010
Motivational Mondays: My Race Bling
It's all about the bling.
Running marathons and half marathons, you are left with lots of things afterward - a feeling of satisfaction at job well done, some pain that will eventually dissipate and race pictures that may or may not turn out.
But easily the most rewarding benefit to running 26.2 or 13.1 is the race medal. There's something about the medal that makes you feel as if your efforts were worth it. Long after you've ran the race, after all the sweat and blood and pain has disappeared, a glance at the medal can bring it all back.
When I ran the Long Beach Half Marathon, I did so for the medal. Having already run Surf City Marathon and the San Francisco Marathon, I only needed to run the Long Beach Half Marathon in order to get my California Dreamin' medal and jacket.
Signing up for and running Long Beach was a no-brainer then. I had run two grueling marathons and felt that running Long Beach would help me complete my conquest of California.
After the Long Beach half, I was immediately given my race medal. But several minutes later I walked around looking for the place where I could get my CA Dreamin' medal. A helpful runner helped me locate the tent and pretty soon I was handed my bonus medal.
I know it sounds cheesy but when I put that medal on I felt like a champ. I was proud all over again of having run Surf City and San Francisco. Surf City was of course my first marathon and I broke my half marathon PR in Long Beach but I felt like I earned my medal in San Francisco. Long Beach was a breeze compared to that.
Regardless, each race was difficult and presented its own set of challenges, and to have them all brought together with one medal makes it special for me.
After the race I was lucky enough to spend time with Katie of One Run at a Time. We posed for celebratory pictures as she had done well in conquering her own half marathon.
I told Katie that since she did San Francisco and now Long Beach, she had to complete the series and run Surf City in February. Sadly, the California Dreamin series is going away, and Surf City is the final race in that series. I'm not sure why this is, but that's what's going on. I wonder if something new will take its place.
Anyway, the series for me also included San Francisco...
... and Surf City...
My beloved CA Dreamin medal
And the four medals I earned.
I like to think that I put a lot into running, into training for races, and into the races themselves. These medals will always serve as a reminder of the blood, sweat and tears that went into each mile out there on these respective race courses.
Running marathons and half marathons, you are left with lots of things afterward - a feeling of satisfaction at job well done, some pain that will eventually dissipate and race pictures that may or may not turn out.
But easily the most rewarding benefit to running 26.2 or 13.1 is the race medal. There's something about the medal that makes you feel as if your efforts were worth it. Long after you've ran the race, after all the sweat and blood and pain has disappeared, a glance at the medal can bring it all back.
When I ran the Long Beach Half Marathon, I did so for the medal. Having already run Surf City Marathon and the San Francisco Marathon, I only needed to run the Long Beach Half Marathon in order to get my California Dreamin' medal and jacket.
Signing up for and running Long Beach was a no-brainer then. I had run two grueling marathons and felt that running Long Beach would help me complete my conquest of California.
After the Long Beach half, I was immediately given my race medal. But several minutes later I walked around looking for the place where I could get my CA Dreamin' medal. A helpful runner helped me locate the tent and pretty soon I was handed my bonus medal.
I know it sounds cheesy but when I put that medal on I felt like a champ. I was proud all over again of having run Surf City and San Francisco. Surf City was of course my first marathon and I broke my half marathon PR in Long Beach but I felt like I earned my medal in San Francisco. Long Beach was a breeze compared to that.
Regardless, each race was difficult and presented its own set of challenges, and to have them all brought together with one medal makes it special for me.
After the race I was lucky enough to spend time with Katie of One Run at a Time. We posed for celebratory pictures as she had done well in conquering her own half marathon.
I told Katie that since she did San Francisco and now Long Beach, she had to complete the series and run Surf City in February. Sadly, the California Dreamin series is going away, and Surf City is the final race in that series. I'm not sure why this is, but that's what's going on. I wonder if something new will take its place.
Anyway, the series for me also included San Francisco...
... and Surf City...
My beloved CA Dreamin medal
And the four medals I earned.
I like to think that I put a lot into running, into training for races, and into the races themselves. These medals will always serve as a reminder of the blood, sweat and tears that went into each mile out there on these respective race courses.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Motivational Mondays: PR at Long Beach Half Marathon
For me, there was both promise and doubt heading into race weekend. The Long Beach Half Marathon was upon me and while I felt confident about testing myself at that distance, I was also worried that I hadn't done enough during my training to get the time I wanted.
Nevertheless, I was set to tackle the half-marathon challenge. I'd met up with Katie of One Run At A Time on Saturday night for a carbo-load dinner (her mom and uncle were with us as well) and that was a very enjoyable way to prepare for the race. The game I had to cover afterward was not, and thus I did not get to bed until close to 1 a.m. I'd set my alarm for 5:07 but I woke up often.
I got up, felt energized, felt ready to challenge myself. I pulled into the parking lot at about 6:15 a.m., plenty of time before the 7 a.m. start. However, I was unable to find either Katie or Tina before the start. With some 20,000 half and full marathoners, it was always going to be challenging.
At about 6:45 I gave up and decided to try and snare a spot close to the Wave 2 start. I was worried also that the course was too snug at times, and that it was going to be difficult to find room to move. Since we were herded like cattle at the start, being amidst the masses did little to quell my fears.
Wave 1 left, then I found myself walking to the start. Excitement had given way to focus as I had to ensure that I run a smart race at the start in order to give myself the chance of a PR. As soon as we crossed the start, I felt relieved about the crowd. There was plenty of room. Sure, it was crowded and I had to dart in and out of packs, speed past some runners, move out of the way of others, but overall it was not the crowd I expected.
Before I knew it, I was at Mile 1. I looked down at The Garmin and saw that I'd run it in about 8:20. It was a little fast but I figured better to have that extra time to play with. I did however try to slow down some in the second mile and I was a bit upset that I had slowed down too much. Mile 2 was 9:20.
I tried to run a stronger more consistent pace for the third mile and was anxious to see what my split was. I glanced at The Garmin and it read 2.90. I approached the Mile 3 sign, looked down at The Garmin and saw it was at 2.86. Figuring I read it wrong the first time, I looked ahead. A little bit later I glanced at it again and saw it was at 2.89. There was no way. I had been running a lot farther than that.
I hadn't given up yet on The Garmin but I was sure glad I had The Polar with me, my Polar F4 heart rate monitor. I'd started it just before the start line and once The Garmin started acting up, I switched from the heart rate to stopwatch display.
At about Mile 3 and change, I took my first GU. I had four packets with me but wasn't sure if I would take all of them. I was about 25 minutes in and I did feel a little strange taking one but figured I'd best stick with my plan, so GU I took.
I'm not sure what brought them upon but the mental demons were out in full force.
"You shot too high. No way you're gonna do it." "Just run at a comfortable pace from here on and forget about the PR - that way you won't be disappointed."
I did my best to fight them off, those mental demons. I tried to keep focused on whatever was in front of me, be it a runner or group of runners, the street or the people on the sidewalks.
Also, it was nice having some scenery to keep me distracted from what was going on in my head. I remember reading how the course for the half marathon was 100 percent along the shoreline but that doesn't necessarily mean a 13.1 mile beach path. Off to my right at around 3-4 miles are what looked like oil rigs. It said "along the shoreline" not "along the beach."
We got to an area where there were some restaurants on one side and a lot of boats on the other side, and I inhaled the unmistakable aroma of fish.
All along, I felt strong, though, felt good, regardless of what the mental monsters were trying to convince me. I got to Mile 6 at about 52 minutes, which was right around the time I wanted to be at. At Mile 7 I was just under an hour and that's when I was thinking that my PR was possible. I figured, if I ran the next six miles in about the same time as I'd run my first six miles, I'd be fine.
The course took us to some familiar territory. In 2009, I ran along the a paved path on the beach with my brothers on two occasions so that brought back some good memories of those runs.
Once I got close to Mile 9, I decided I'd take another GU. I'd taken GUs at Mile 3 and 6 or so, and even though I wasn't exactly craving one, I wanted to stick to the game plan of taking GUs every 25-30 minutes or so. I walked a little, caught my breath and took off once more. I had given up on The Garmin's help. As Katie later said, the Garmin Gremlins got the best of the device.
We ended up spilling off the beach path and onto the street. I saw the Mile 10 marker up ahead. I reached it at just under 1:27, which still had me on track to PR. I figured even if I couldn't hit the high gear, if I just ran a little better than a sub-10 minute pace the rest of the way, I'd PR.
I felt empty, though. I felt like I was moving as fast as syrup running down the side of a bottle. I tried to pick up the pace, but there wasn't much there and what was there was tough to maintain. More runners passed me by than I was passing. But my watch told me that I was doing fine. Mile 9 took me roughly 8:30 or so, as did Mile 10 and 11. I had to do quick calculations in my head so it may have been more or less.
At the Mile 11 sign, I stopped, walked for a bit and took my final GU. I really didn't feel like taking it but I wanted to stick with the plan. I didn't want to not PR and then use that as an excuse. When it came time to run once more, I wanted to run hard, fast and strong the rest of the way.
I wasn't quite feeling it, didn't have the afterburners going then but I pushed myself. I figured the pace that seemed slow to me was stronger than I thought so as long as I would get in some bursts of speed here and there I'd be good. I also reminded myself that I was here, I was in the throes of a race and that I had the PR in front of me. All I had to do was get it.
I got to Mile 12 at around 1:47 and figured that even a 10-minute mile-plus would get me my PR.
There was a gift waiting for us close to the finish. The course suddenly went downhill. Not sure what was going on with that but I didn't care. All I saw was the street slope downward and knew that a PR was mine. I raced down, picked up the speed and felt my legs respond. Up ahead, I saw the Mile 13 sign, and then just past that the finish line.
I sprinted. My legs didn't have much left but I didn't want to leave anything in them. I churned and churned. The time read 1:59:xx but since I started in the second wave, I knew that I was going to set a PR. I crossed the finish line, raised my hands, smiled and made sure to not look at my watch until I was well past the finish line.
Shortly afterward I talked to Mrs. LB who congratulated me on the time. She forward me the text-message alert that read my official time of 1:55:03. I was ecstatic with the time. Hobbling around after the race, I knew that I had earned my time.
Eventually I got my California Dreamin' medal and found Katie and her mom. Katie had also run the half marathon (she came in at 1:44:56!) and we swapped our stories and just relaxed for a while.
All in all, quite an enjoyable time in the LBC.
Nevertheless, I was set to tackle the half-marathon challenge. I'd met up with Katie of One Run At A Time on Saturday night for a carbo-load dinner (her mom and uncle were with us as well) and that was a very enjoyable way to prepare for the race. The game I had to cover afterward was not, and thus I did not get to bed until close to 1 a.m. I'd set my alarm for 5:07 but I woke up often.
I got up, felt energized, felt ready to challenge myself. I pulled into the parking lot at about 6:15 a.m., plenty of time before the 7 a.m. start. However, I was unable to find either Katie or Tina before the start. With some 20,000 half and full marathoners, it was always going to be challenging.
At about 6:45 I gave up and decided to try and snare a spot close to the Wave 2 start. I was worried also that the course was too snug at times, and that it was going to be difficult to find room to move. Since we were herded like cattle at the start, being amidst the masses did little to quell my fears.
Wave 1 left, then I found myself walking to the start. Excitement had given way to focus as I had to ensure that I run a smart race at the start in order to give myself the chance of a PR. As soon as we crossed the start, I felt relieved about the crowd. There was plenty of room. Sure, it was crowded and I had to dart in and out of packs, speed past some runners, move out of the way of others, but overall it was not the crowd I expected.
Before I knew it, I was at Mile 1. I looked down at The Garmin and saw that I'd run it in about 8:20. It was a little fast but I figured better to have that extra time to play with. I did however try to slow down some in the second mile and I was a bit upset that I had slowed down too much. Mile 2 was 9:20.
I tried to run a stronger more consistent pace for the third mile and was anxious to see what my split was. I glanced at The Garmin and it read 2.90. I approached the Mile 3 sign, looked down at The Garmin and saw it was at 2.86. Figuring I read it wrong the first time, I looked ahead. A little bit later I glanced at it again and saw it was at 2.89. There was no way. I had been running a lot farther than that.
I hadn't given up yet on The Garmin but I was sure glad I had The Polar with me, my Polar F4 heart rate monitor. I'd started it just before the start line and once The Garmin started acting up, I switched from the heart rate to stopwatch display.
At about Mile 3 and change, I took my first GU. I had four packets with me but wasn't sure if I would take all of them. I was about 25 minutes in and I did feel a little strange taking one but figured I'd best stick with my plan, so GU I took.
I'm not sure what brought them upon but the mental demons were out in full force.
"You shot too high. No way you're gonna do it." "Just run at a comfortable pace from here on and forget about the PR - that way you won't be disappointed."
I did my best to fight them off, those mental demons. I tried to keep focused on whatever was in front of me, be it a runner or group of runners, the street or the people on the sidewalks.
Also, it was nice having some scenery to keep me distracted from what was going on in my head. I remember reading how the course for the half marathon was 100 percent along the shoreline but that doesn't necessarily mean a 13.1 mile beach path. Off to my right at around 3-4 miles are what looked like oil rigs. It said "along the shoreline" not "along the beach."
We got to an area where there were some restaurants on one side and a lot of boats on the other side, and I inhaled the unmistakable aroma of fish.
All along, I felt strong, though, felt good, regardless of what the mental monsters were trying to convince me. I got to Mile 6 at about 52 minutes, which was right around the time I wanted to be at. At Mile 7 I was just under an hour and that's when I was thinking that my PR was possible. I figured, if I ran the next six miles in about the same time as I'd run my first six miles, I'd be fine.
The course took us to some familiar territory. In 2009, I ran along the a paved path on the beach with my brothers on two occasions so that brought back some good memories of those runs.
Once I got close to Mile 9, I decided I'd take another GU. I'd taken GUs at Mile 3 and 6 or so, and even though I wasn't exactly craving one, I wanted to stick to the game plan of taking GUs every 25-30 minutes or so. I walked a little, caught my breath and took off once more. I had given up on The Garmin's help. As Katie later said, the Garmin Gremlins got the best of the device.
We ended up spilling off the beach path and onto the street. I saw the Mile 10 marker up ahead. I reached it at just under 1:27, which still had me on track to PR. I figured even if I couldn't hit the high gear, if I just ran a little better than a sub-10 minute pace the rest of the way, I'd PR.
I felt empty, though. I felt like I was moving as fast as syrup running down the side of a bottle. I tried to pick up the pace, but there wasn't much there and what was there was tough to maintain. More runners passed me by than I was passing. But my watch told me that I was doing fine. Mile 9 took me roughly 8:30 or so, as did Mile 10 and 11. I had to do quick calculations in my head so it may have been more or less.
At the Mile 11 sign, I stopped, walked for a bit and took my final GU. I really didn't feel like taking it but I wanted to stick with the plan. I didn't want to not PR and then use that as an excuse. When it came time to run once more, I wanted to run hard, fast and strong the rest of the way.
I wasn't quite feeling it, didn't have the afterburners going then but I pushed myself. I figured the pace that seemed slow to me was stronger than I thought so as long as I would get in some bursts of speed here and there I'd be good. I also reminded myself that I was here, I was in the throes of a race and that I had the PR in front of me. All I had to do was get it.
I got to Mile 12 at around 1:47 and figured that even a 10-minute mile-plus would get me my PR.
There was a gift waiting for us close to the finish. The course suddenly went downhill. Not sure what was going on with that but I didn't care. All I saw was the street slope downward and knew that a PR was mine. I raced down, picked up the speed and felt my legs respond. Up ahead, I saw the Mile 13 sign, and then just past that the finish line.
I sprinted. My legs didn't have much left but I didn't want to leave anything in them. I churned and churned. The time read 1:59:xx but since I started in the second wave, I knew that I was going to set a PR. I crossed the finish line, raised my hands, smiled and made sure to not look at my watch until I was well past the finish line.
Shortly afterward I talked to Mrs. LB who congratulated me on the time. She forward me the text-message alert that read my official time of 1:55:03. I was ecstatic with the time. Hobbling around after the race, I knew that I had earned my time.
Eventually I got my California Dreamin' medal and found Katie and her mom. Katie had also run the half marathon (she came in at 1:44:56!) and we swapped our stories and just relaxed for a while.
All in all, quite an enjoyable time in the LBC.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Motivational Mondays (Oct. 11)
On Sunday I will run my third half-marathon. The Long Beach Half Marathon will be a special race for me because it will conclude my California Dreamin' Racing Series, which means I'll get a jacket and special medal. Having ran the Surf City Marathon and the San Francisco Marathon, this race was almost a no-brainer in order to get the jacket and medal.
But this race isn't special just because of that. Like all the other races I run, this race is special because I am participating. For me, showing up and running the race is a victory.
It's been right around three years now that I completed my 120-pound weight-loss journey, and about two years now that I became a runner, but I never take anything for granted. In some ways, it feels like just yesterday that I was wearing XXL shirts and size 44 pants.
When my wardrobe featured such clothes, I never thought I'd run a race. Never thought I'd run a marathon. Or a half marathon. Or a 10K. Or a 5K. Or a mile. Or anything.
In 2005; after my first marathon, in Feb. '10
Now, distance running is part of my life. It encompasses so much of what I strive to do and what I try to emulate in my life - perseverance, determination, motivation, grit, mental strength... so many things that I can and try to carry over to my personal and professional life. And I get a nice set of runner's legs for no extra charge.
Still, what running races reminds me the most is that I have come a long way, and I know that if I can get to the start line of a half marathon for the third time, that there are others in a similar situation that I was at who can do so as well. All you have to have is a little faith in yourself and a little determination.
Crossing the finish in San Francisco; in 2004
So when I set out to conquer Long Beach and try to get my PR, I will walk away with my glory no matter what time I finish in.
But this race isn't special just because of that. Like all the other races I run, this race is special because I am participating. For me, showing up and running the race is a victory.
It's been right around three years now that I completed my 120-pound weight-loss journey, and about two years now that I became a runner, but I never take anything for granted. In some ways, it feels like just yesterday that I was wearing XXL shirts and size 44 pants.
When my wardrobe featured such clothes, I never thought I'd run a race. Never thought I'd run a marathon. Or a half marathon. Or a 10K. Or a 5K. Or a mile. Or anything.
In 2005; after my first marathon, in Feb. '10Now, distance running is part of my life. It encompasses so much of what I strive to do and what I try to emulate in my life - perseverance, determination, motivation, grit, mental strength... so many things that I can and try to carry over to my personal and professional life. And I get a nice set of runner's legs for no extra charge.
Still, what running races reminds me the most is that I have come a long way, and I know that if I can get to the start line of a half marathon for the third time, that there are others in a similar situation that I was at who can do so as well. All you have to have is a little faith in yourself and a little determination.
Crossing the finish in San Francisco; in 2004So when I set out to conquer Long Beach and try to get my PR, I will walk away with my glory no matter what time I finish in.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Motivational Mondays (Oct. 4)
For the first time in nearly two months, I will have a race coming up. The Long Beach Half Marathon will sort of kick off a bit of a racing spree for me. I'm running that race on Oct. 17, and then will run another half marathon, the Mission Inn Half, four Sundays after that, and then the Loper Classic 15K three Sundays after that. So in a span of about seven weeks I will run three races.
Races are exciting and enjoyable, definitely memorable, but what I've learned is that the work you put during training, in the weeks and months leading up to the race, is what can make or break the race for you.
Long Beach will be my third half-marathon ever. What happened to me before, during and after Half No. 1, the 2009 Run Through Redlands, and Half No. 2, the 2010 Run Through Redlands, is a pretty clear indicator that your training can make the race a success or destroy it for you.
Prior to my first half-marathon, I'd never run the distance before. I'd only run two runs of 10-miles plus, a 10-miler and a 12-miler. I was running at the most 20 miles a week. I didn't know about hydration, about proper pre-race fuel, about fueling up during races, about pacing. I was determined to finish, as determined as ever, and that carried me a long way. It carried me right up until the finish line, but I was about to collapse at the end. I drank only water, took no energy gels and did not eat anything during the race. It took me quite a few days to recover from the race.
Prior to my second half-marathon, I'd already run a marathon. I'd run double-digit mileage runs most every weekend for the six months before the race. I knew about hydration - got me a little fuel belt - and was properly versed on energy gels - GU was, and is, my gel of choice. I was running regularly, about 30-plus miles a week leading up to the race, and did well to eat the right things not just before the race or the days leading up to it but in general. During the race I paced myself early on, ran at speeds I felt comfortable maintaining, took walk breaks, ate and drank my Gatorade at the proper times and did well to break my previous time. After the race, I felt great and ran another 30-mile week after the race.
My time dropped from 2:14:50 to 1:56:58 from the first race to the next.
Regardless of the time - and time really is not the end-all be-all measuring stick for race performance - I had a far better experience with the second race. My training was better and I was a more knowledgeable runner.
Now with two marathons under my belt and the successful half marathon behind me as well, do I expect another drastic PR? Of course not. Am I a better runner now than I was in April? I'd like to think so, but then I'd like to think that I'm constantly improving and developing as a runner, which equates to being a better runner.
Does that mean a PR is a slam dunk then? Hardly.
Just because I did well to get my sub-2 hour half-marathon doesn't mean I can just relax and reach that again. In fact, it means I need to work harder. I can't slow down now. I can't regress and feel satisfied. I've got to work harder.
I'm never going to win a half-marathon or place in the top three. I get that, so I'm not trying to act as if I'm some Olympic runner. But I work hard to top myself, to improve myself and to keep moving forward. And I need to prove that once more to myself, both in my training and during the Long Beach Half Marathon.
If I PR, great. If I don't, fine. As long as I give it all I've got, both during my training and the race, I'll be happy.
Races are exciting and enjoyable, definitely memorable, but what I've learned is that the work you put during training, in the weeks and months leading up to the race, is what can make or break the race for you.
Long Beach will be my third half-marathon ever. What happened to me before, during and after Half No. 1, the 2009 Run Through Redlands, and Half No. 2, the 2010 Run Through Redlands, is a pretty clear indicator that your training can make the race a success or destroy it for you.
Prior to my first half-marathon, I'd never run the distance before. I'd only run two runs of 10-miles plus, a 10-miler and a 12-miler. I was running at the most 20 miles a week. I didn't know about hydration, about proper pre-race fuel, about fueling up during races, about pacing. I was determined to finish, as determined as ever, and that carried me a long way. It carried me right up until the finish line, but I was about to collapse at the end. I drank only water, took no energy gels and did not eat anything during the race. It took me quite a few days to recover from the race.
Prior to my second half-marathon, I'd already run a marathon. I'd run double-digit mileage runs most every weekend for the six months before the race. I knew about hydration - got me a little fuel belt - and was properly versed on energy gels - GU was, and is, my gel of choice. I was running regularly, about 30-plus miles a week leading up to the race, and did well to eat the right things not just before the race or the days leading up to it but in general. During the race I paced myself early on, ran at speeds I felt comfortable maintaining, took walk breaks, ate and drank my Gatorade at the proper times and did well to break my previous time. After the race, I felt great and ran another 30-mile week after the race.
My time dropped from 2:14:50 to 1:56:58 from the first race to the next.
Regardless of the time - and time really is not the end-all be-all measuring stick for race performance - I had a far better experience with the second race. My training was better and I was a more knowledgeable runner.
Now with two marathons under my belt and the successful half marathon behind me as well, do I expect another drastic PR? Of course not. Am I a better runner now than I was in April? I'd like to think so, but then I'd like to think that I'm constantly improving and developing as a runner, which equates to being a better runner.
Does that mean a PR is a slam dunk then? Hardly.
Just because I did well to get my sub-2 hour half-marathon doesn't mean I can just relax and reach that again. In fact, it means I need to work harder. I can't slow down now. I can't regress and feel satisfied. I've got to work harder.
I'm never going to win a half-marathon or place in the top three. I get that, so I'm not trying to act as if I'm some Olympic runner. But I work hard to top myself, to improve myself and to keep moving forward. And I need to prove that once more to myself, both in my training and during the Long Beach Half Marathon.
If I PR, great. If I don't, fine. As long as I give it all I've got, both during my training and the race, I'll be happy.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Motivational Mondays (Sept. 27)
Mrs. LB has offered up another guest post. I think she'd be a pretty good blogger, but until that happens, I'll be lucky to have her as a guest blogger.
Here's her latest offering.
When it comes to fashion have you ever wished you were the kind of person who could pull something off? For example, some women look great in unique tights in the winter. Some guys look cool in warm up suits. Some women have the ability to pull off the vest and tie look while some men can pull off the skinny jean look (beware of this one, guys, I have a feeling you’ll be looking back on these pics in the future and wishing it weren’t so).
My point here is that for the most part people live in the mainstream of fashion. There aren’t many people who take risks. And among those who do - there are even fewer who make it work.
I always wanted to be the kind of woman who could pull off hats or cool headbands. I love to accessorize and the head seems like another obvious place of adornment. I’ve tried many hats. When I was younger, my girlfriends would convince me in the store I was so a “hat person.” Let it be said here that I now know they were lying.
I have tried headbands of all types - glittery, flower-adorned, preppy, wide, skinny, patterned, solid, etc. You get the picture. For some reason, I cannot accessorize my head. I’ve mostly given this up except for the occasional day when my hair is just not cooperating and then I might steal one of my girls’ headbands to get me through the day. This, by the way, is always a bad idea. It’s usually the day I have an impromptu meeting with a VP or CEO and the headband keeps slipping or makes me look like I’m 12 - not a 30-something HR professional who knows how to guide a corporation in personnel matters.
Anyway, this brings me to my actual point. My husband has always wanted to be the type of guy who looks good wearing a jersey. Soccer, football, baseball and hockey jerseys - he has them. He loves them and likes wearing them. This was difficult for him before he changed to a healthy lifestyle.
We used to have to try and buy them as big as we could find them. This is not possible in the world of soccer jerseys. Maybe you could get away with finding a XXL guy playing football but nobody who plays soccer is large. It’s not possible to run for 90 minutes and be big. So, the manufacturers assume that the fans are also not XXL-wearing kind of people. While this is a bad assumption, it just is what it is.
Recently, I watched my husband as he coached our oldest daughter’s soccer team, The Pink Jaguars, and he was running around in a soccer jersey we had previously deemed decorative since he couldn’t fit into them before. And he looked good. He looked lean and energetic. He looked like a guy you would find on a soccer field.
I know how good he feels when he can buy off the rack. I bought him a Japan national team jersey for his birthday last month and his brother brought him home an awesome Ecuador national team jersey from his South American trip. I was so happy to see Luis’ smile when he slid both of these on and they fit. He’s still self-conscious about anything being too form fitting on top but that’s mostly in his head.
Saturday, he put his navy blue Ecuadorian jersey on over another shirt after taking team pics with The Pink Jaguars and had no trouble at all sliding it down his lean torso.
I hope he rewards himself with many more jerseys in the future as a reminder of how far he’s come.
Here's her latest offering.
When it comes to fashion have you ever wished you were the kind of person who could pull something off? For example, some women look great in unique tights in the winter. Some guys look cool in warm up suits. Some women have the ability to pull off the vest and tie look while some men can pull off the skinny jean look (beware of this one, guys, I have a feeling you’ll be looking back on these pics in the future and wishing it weren’t so).
My point here is that for the most part people live in the mainstream of fashion. There aren’t many people who take risks. And among those who do - there are even fewer who make it work.
I always wanted to be the kind of woman who could pull off hats or cool headbands. I love to accessorize and the head seems like another obvious place of adornment. I’ve tried many hats. When I was younger, my girlfriends would convince me in the store I was so a “hat person.” Let it be said here that I now know they were lying.
I have tried headbands of all types - glittery, flower-adorned, preppy, wide, skinny, patterned, solid, etc. You get the picture. For some reason, I cannot accessorize my head. I’ve mostly given this up except for the occasional day when my hair is just not cooperating and then I might steal one of my girls’ headbands to get me through the day. This, by the way, is always a bad idea. It’s usually the day I have an impromptu meeting with a VP or CEO and the headband keeps slipping or makes me look like I’m 12 - not a 30-something HR professional who knows how to guide a corporation in personnel matters.
Anyway, this brings me to my actual point. My husband has always wanted to be the type of guy who looks good wearing a jersey. Soccer, football, baseball and hockey jerseys - he has them. He loves them and likes wearing them. This was difficult for him before he changed to a healthy lifestyle.
We used to have to try and buy them as big as we could find them. This is not possible in the world of soccer jerseys. Maybe you could get away with finding a XXL guy playing football but nobody who plays soccer is large. It’s not possible to run for 90 minutes and be big. So, the manufacturers assume that the fans are also not XXL-wearing kind of people. While this is a bad assumption, it just is what it is.
Recently, I watched my husband as he coached our oldest daughter’s soccer team, The Pink Jaguars, and he was running around in a soccer jersey we had previously deemed decorative since he couldn’t fit into them before. And he looked good. He looked lean and energetic. He looked like a guy you would find on a soccer field.I know how good he feels when he can buy off the rack. I bought him a Japan national team jersey for his birthday last month and his brother brought him home an awesome Ecuador national team jersey from his South American trip. I was so happy to see Luis’ smile when he slid both of these on and they fit. He’s still self-conscious about anything being too form fitting on top but that’s mostly in his head.
Saturday, he put his navy blue Ecuadorian jersey on over another shirt after taking team pics with The Pink Jaguars and had no trouble at all sliding it down his lean torso.
I hope he rewards himself with many more jerseys in the future as a reminder of how far he’s come.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Motivational Mondays (Sept. 20)
For a while, I've been thinking of doing something like this. I don't know why I've never done it, I guess I felt it was... hmmm, well, I don't have a good reason why I suppose.
This video I stumbled across through a friend's FB account.
His story is a lot like mine, except that A) it took him less time to lose 120 pounds, and B) I ain't no Boston marathoner. But most of the things he writes about I am completely familiar with and that may as well have been my story.
Good stuff. I applaud him for everything he did to get to where he is. It isn't easy, but it is addicting and once you get used to losing weight and seeing changes and becoming someone you didn't realize you were, it's motivating.
So what do you think? Should I do something like this about myself? I've got plenty of pictures of myself from pre-2006, during my weight-loss journey and, of course, now that I'm a marathoner. I might have to pick a different group though to play my story to. Just sayin'...
This video I stumbled across through a friend's FB account.
His story is a lot like mine, except that A) it took him less time to lose 120 pounds, and B) I ain't no Boston marathoner. But most of the things he writes about I am completely familiar with and that may as well have been my story.
Good stuff. I applaud him for everything he did to get to where he is. It isn't easy, but it is addicting and once you get used to losing weight and seeing changes and becoming someone you didn't realize you were, it's motivating.
So what do you think? Should I do something like this about myself? I've got plenty of pictures of myself from pre-2006, during my weight-loss journey and, of course, now that I'm a marathoner. I might have to pick a different group though to play my story to. Just sayin'...
Monday, September 13, 2010
Motivational Mondays (Sept. 13)
To say this has been a good year of running would be perhaps a massive understatement.
Since Jan. 1, when I ran 10 miles to ring in the New Year, my legs have been churning. I've slogged through runs, have sped through others, have scampered and darted and sprinted and powered through, have trudged and hiked and schlepped and shuffled. From fast to slow, from challenging to not-so-much, I've had many upon many runs.
The mileage has added up.
After Sunday's 11-mile run, my mileage stands at 991 for the year. If I stick to my planned schedule for the week, I will cross the 1,000-mile mark on Wednesday.
1,000 miles worth of runs.
I don't know how many miles I ran last year. I tried to count, to work backwards but best guess I ran somewhere around 600, give or take, and most of those were in the last 4-5 months of the year.
But 2010 has helped me break through in running. I've become a marathoner. I've taken the next step past where I was at the end of 2009 by doing that and have tried to live up to that status. I'm always grateful that I have the ability to run, never forgetting for a second where I was five years ago and the long road I took to where I am today. I also never forget that there are others who would love to run but can't, whether it's because of injury or illness. Running is a gift, a privilege and I never view it as anything but.
I enjoy my runs. Most of those 991 miles have been enjoyable. The work that has gone into them has been vast, but the payoff is even greater. I firmly believe that the most important run of my life is my next one, so I always prepare diligently for runs and always try and be in the best mental condition before taking off on those runs. It's tough sometimes to do that but that's what I strive for.
I'm not quite sure yet how I want to commemorate my thousandth mile. If I run six or seven on Tuesday, then I will cross that mark early in Wednesday's run. I might head up to Mt. Rubidoux and run there. The thousandth mile then might be the second mile up there, which would be the mile that gets me to the top.
I think that would be fitting, to have a run like that, a feat like that serve as a symbol of what this year has been. Running Mt. Rubidoux, of course, is challenging, as too is getting to 1,000 miles in a calendar year, but once you get to the top of Mt. Rubidoux, the view from above is awesome and you can take pride in looking down at the path you just ran, knowing you were strong and determined enough to reach the top.
I'm strong. I'm determined. I'm getting my 1,000 miles.
And I'm not stopping there.
Since Jan. 1, when I ran 10 miles to ring in the New Year, my legs have been churning. I've slogged through runs, have sped through others, have scampered and darted and sprinted and powered through, have trudged and hiked and schlepped and shuffled. From fast to slow, from challenging to not-so-much, I've had many upon many runs.
The mileage has added up.
After Sunday's 11-mile run, my mileage stands at 991 for the year. If I stick to my planned schedule for the week, I will cross the 1,000-mile mark on Wednesday.
1,000 miles worth of runs.
I don't know how many miles I ran last year. I tried to count, to work backwards but best guess I ran somewhere around 600, give or take, and most of those were in the last 4-5 months of the year.
But 2010 has helped me break through in running. I've become a marathoner. I've taken the next step past where I was at the end of 2009 by doing that and have tried to live up to that status. I'm always grateful that I have the ability to run, never forgetting for a second where I was five years ago and the long road I took to where I am today. I also never forget that there are others who would love to run but can't, whether it's because of injury or illness. Running is a gift, a privilege and I never view it as anything but.
I enjoy my runs. Most of those 991 miles have been enjoyable. The work that has gone into them has been vast, but the payoff is even greater. I firmly believe that the most important run of my life is my next one, so I always prepare diligently for runs and always try and be in the best mental condition before taking off on those runs. It's tough sometimes to do that but that's what I strive for.
I'm not quite sure yet how I want to commemorate my thousandth mile. If I run six or seven on Tuesday, then I will cross that mark early in Wednesday's run. I might head up to Mt. Rubidoux and run there. The thousandth mile then might be the second mile up there, which would be the mile that gets me to the top.
I think that would be fitting, to have a run like that, a feat like that serve as a symbol of what this year has been. Running Mt. Rubidoux, of course, is challenging, as too is getting to 1,000 miles in a calendar year, but once you get to the top of Mt. Rubidoux, the view from above is awesome and you can take pride in looking down at the path you just ran, knowing you were strong and determined enough to reach the top.
I'm strong. I'm determined. I'm getting my 1,000 miles.
And I'm not stopping there.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Motivational Mondays (Sept. 6)
Today my motivation is rest.
Of course, today is one of the biggest rest days of the year, being Labor Day and all. But for me, even though I can't really take the day off from working, I can and will take the day off from running.
I ran 11 miles on Sunday and 34 for the week. All day Sunday, though, I felt wasted. Fatigued. Exhausted. Like, the kind of tired where the muscles feel it and are begging to rest.
I don't want to overreact (like I've been known to do) but this might be because of my long weeks of running. In the past I've not usually run five days a week. I've made do with three- or four-day run weeks before. I've still been able to get my miles in that way, but still had four or three days of rest.
So I'm wondering if I felt the way I felt because I'm running too many days. I mean, 11 miles is a longer run but it's not a distance that's going to floor me for a day.
I'm going to keep playing Sunday over in my head. Maybe I didn't do what I needed to do to recover properly. Maybe it was the previous night's sleep, or the run itself...
Regardless, there will be no Labor Day fun run for me. Rest, recover and prepare for another week of running. I'm anxious to crack 30 miles for the third consecutive week but now will have to have two plans: a four-day run week and a five-day run week.
We'll see what my schedule - and body - allow for.
Of course, today is one of the biggest rest days of the year, being Labor Day and all. But for me, even though I can't really take the day off from working, I can and will take the day off from running.
I ran 11 miles on Sunday and 34 for the week. All day Sunday, though, I felt wasted. Fatigued. Exhausted. Like, the kind of tired where the muscles feel it and are begging to rest.
I don't want to overreact (like I've been known to do) but this might be because of my long weeks of running. In the past I've not usually run five days a week. I've made do with three- or four-day run weeks before. I've still been able to get my miles in that way, but still had four or three days of rest.
So I'm wondering if I felt the way I felt because I'm running too many days. I mean, 11 miles is a longer run but it's not a distance that's going to floor me for a day.
I'm going to keep playing Sunday over in my head. Maybe I didn't do what I needed to do to recover properly. Maybe it was the previous night's sleep, or the run itself...
Regardless, there will be no Labor Day fun run for me. Rest, recover and prepare for another week of running. I'm anxious to crack 30 miles for the third consecutive week but now will have to have two plans: a four-day run week and a five-day run week.
We'll see what my schedule - and body - allow for.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Finding Time
Running takes up a lot of my time.
The more I progressed as a runner, the more time it took up. And when I got into the Lopers and into marathon running, the time commitment grew even more.
I bring this to light because one of my awesome blog readers commented on here recently with the following statement/question:
"My family, besides my husband, is so UN-supportive of this marathon thing it makes me sad and distant. The question I get the most is "why"? I want to say, "because I can and you can't" but I really have had no comeback. Same when we ran the Mud Run on vacation...why would you want to do something like that on vacation?
"How much has running interrupted your daily routine? Do you cancel or change plans because you have a long run planned the following morning? I like that I am disciplined enough to get a run in at 4:30am and then put in a full day of work, but I hate making (excuses) for NOT doing activities because of running. How do you balance this?"
I have quite a few thoughts on the first part, the un-supportive family, but I will answer that in a separate post. For now, I want to tackle her questions about the routine and discipline.
Now, I think I am in a unique situation. I work from home - most of the time anyway - so I have the flexibility many don't. I can (and do) plan runs at 8 a.m. on weekdays for instance. I can (and do) spend 60-90 minutes at the gym on a Thursday. Now that Kennedy and Yvie are both in school, I've started filling up my mornings with runs and cardio and resistance training.
So I definitely take advantage of my schedule to run and work out and have for a while. I think it often, that if I would have had a 9-to-5 job these last four years, I'd still weigh 300 pounds and I wouldn't be running marathons.
I definitely have a lot of respect for runners who work a full-time job and carve out time to knock out mid-week 6-mile runs, 10-mile runs, whatever kinds of runs.
As far as canceling plans or changing up my social life... well, since I have children I don't have much of a social life. Now, I do work on Saturday nights a lot, at least from March through November, so a lot of times I am getting 5-6 hours of sleep on Saturday and then running 10-plus miles on Sunday morning. I can actually get a lot done on little sleep that way. I know it's not the healthiest thing in the world but I have to adjust.
I think the biggest thing that I've had to be disciplined about is alcohol. I don't drink much anymore but have had that problem arise too. On New Year's Eve, for instance, I'd decided that I was going to run 10 miles the next day, on Jan. 1, but actually went to a New Year's Eve party. We'd hardly ever had the chance to go out on Dec. 31 but we did, and of course there was alcohol. I had said beforehand that I would not drink because I didn't want to miss my run but in the end I gave in and drank some beers. I had about two or three I think, but always made it a point to keep at least some beer in my bottle, so I would be able to say 'Oh, I'm still working on this one.'
I've been there, where if you aren't holding a beer in your hand, you get one thrust in there whether you want one or not. I did not want to let myself go and get plastered and miss my run. I know a missed run doesn't seem like a big deal but to me it's more than that, it's a reflection of my own discipline and commitment.
I guess what it boils down to is that. I like to think that I'm disciplined enough to put running ahead of a lot of things. I suppose that's why runners tend to gravitate towards one another, because there are few people who are willing to get out of bed at 4:30 a.m. to go on a run, who are willing to bypass open bars and nights out on the town because it will disrupt the next morning's run, who are willing to plan vacations around races. And when one of us comes across another person crazy enough to do the same, it's only natural to create a bond.
Of course, I don't think it's necessarily good to stifle yourself all the time either. It's just a matter of moderation, like most things.
The more I progressed as a runner, the more time it took up. And when I got into the Lopers and into marathon running, the time commitment grew even more.
I bring this to light because one of my awesome blog readers commented on here recently with the following statement/question:
"My family, besides my husband, is so UN-supportive of this marathon thing it makes me sad and distant. The question I get the most is "why"? I want to say, "because I can and you can't" but I really have had no comeback. Same when we ran the Mud Run on vacation...why would you want to do something like that on vacation?
"How much has running interrupted your daily routine? Do you cancel or change plans because you have a long run planned the following morning? I like that I am disciplined enough to get a run in at 4:30am and then put in a full day of work, but I hate making (excuses) for NOT doing activities because of running. How do you balance this?"
I have quite a few thoughts on the first part, the un-supportive family, but I will answer that in a separate post. For now, I want to tackle her questions about the routine and discipline.
Now, I think I am in a unique situation. I work from home - most of the time anyway - so I have the flexibility many don't. I can (and do) plan runs at 8 a.m. on weekdays for instance. I can (and do) spend 60-90 minutes at the gym on a Thursday. Now that Kennedy and Yvie are both in school, I've started filling up my mornings with runs and cardio and resistance training.
So I definitely take advantage of my schedule to run and work out and have for a while. I think it often, that if I would have had a 9-to-5 job these last four years, I'd still weigh 300 pounds and I wouldn't be running marathons.
I definitely have a lot of respect for runners who work a full-time job and carve out time to knock out mid-week 6-mile runs, 10-mile runs, whatever kinds of runs.
As far as canceling plans or changing up my social life... well, since I have children I don't have much of a social life. Now, I do work on Saturday nights a lot, at least from March through November, so a lot of times I am getting 5-6 hours of sleep on Saturday and then running 10-plus miles on Sunday morning. I can actually get a lot done on little sleep that way. I know it's not the healthiest thing in the world but I have to adjust.
I think the biggest thing that I've had to be disciplined about is alcohol. I don't drink much anymore but have had that problem arise too. On New Year's Eve, for instance, I'd decided that I was going to run 10 miles the next day, on Jan. 1, but actually went to a New Year's Eve party. We'd hardly ever had the chance to go out on Dec. 31 but we did, and of course there was alcohol. I had said beforehand that I would not drink because I didn't want to miss my run but in the end I gave in and drank some beers. I had about two or three I think, but always made it a point to keep at least some beer in my bottle, so I would be able to say 'Oh, I'm still working on this one.'
I've been there, where if you aren't holding a beer in your hand, you get one thrust in there whether you want one or not. I did not want to let myself go and get plastered and miss my run. I know a missed run doesn't seem like a big deal but to me it's more than that, it's a reflection of my own discipline and commitment.
I guess what it boils down to is that. I like to think that I'm disciplined enough to put running ahead of a lot of things. I suppose that's why runners tend to gravitate towards one another, because there are few people who are willing to get out of bed at 4:30 a.m. to go on a run, who are willing to bypass open bars and nights out on the town because it will disrupt the next morning's run, who are willing to plan vacations around races. And when one of us comes across another person crazy enough to do the same, it's only natural to create a bond.
Of course, I don't think it's necessarily good to stifle yourself all the time either. It's just a matter of moderation, like most things.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Motivational Mondays (Aug 30) - Guest Blogger Extraordinaire
As promised, this is Mrs. LB's guest post. Mrs. LB asked if she could post this and I gladly accepted her. With any luck, she'll do this regularly.
Now, onto Mrs. LB's post...
Okay, I admit it, my eyes do glaze over when runners talk about running. Someone pointed this response out at my husband’s running banquet and I immediately recognized myself in her speech.
I want to pretend that I’m insanely interested in how song 12 on the playlist led to a faster mile or how in mile 4 of 21 the incline started to have an affect. But, I’ll be honest, mile 4 sounds exactly like mile 21 to me. One mile sounds just as torturous as the next.
Obviously, I am not a runner. Not even close. I understand that it’s one of those activities that you have to experience to truly understand. I am so proud of my husband’s efforts; his drive and motivation to become healthy, fit and eventually a full-blown marathon runner. I brag about him and tell people his story. I’m amazed at his fortitude and willingness to push his body to even longer distances.
Having said all that, my eyes still glaze over when he tells me about the 12-mile turnaround run to his parents’ house and back. I try. I really do. Asking questions helps but I know he can feel my eyes getting that far off look. I sometimes feel like a bad runner’s wife so I try to make up for it by helping him get in as many runs as he can.
I’m also beginning to see that long-distance running is like a religious experience for those who do it. In some ways, I kind of get it. The faith it takes to believe you can finish 26 miles before collapsing. The way you feel almost invincible in leading the battle against those 26 miles. The zen-like state you must be in when you keep moving your legs no matter how much they hurt or how much you’re bleeding. The heaven you must feel crossing the finish line as all your emotions rush forward and flood your fatigued body.
But, I get it in a way a documentarian understands the tribe she has spent time filming. I see it but I don’t feel it.
Before any of you readers think about suggesting I can feel it if I only start today - just one mile and then one more - don’t try it. In the same way long-distance running is like a religion, so is the attempts to convert that go along with it. Some people can’t be converted. Let’s just count me as one of them for now.
So, in the vein of religion, I guess I’m asking for a little absolution for my eye glazing. I will cheer my husband in as many races as I can get to in order to do my part. I actually enjoy watching races. I have now learned that marathoners don’t like to be told they’re almost there - even if they’re literally almost there. I guess it’s not helpful after 25 miles.
I will volunteer and run water stations when I can to support my husband’s efforts. I will help him find the best shoes out there and get carb-filled food before a long run. I will wash (and rewash) the smelliest running gear ever so they’re fresh and ready for the next run.
I will not, however, be able to truly understand how he felt when he crested the hill near our house in record time. I’m going to keep trying though and maybe one day my eyes won’t glaze over.
Now, onto Mrs. LB's post...
Okay, I admit it, my eyes do glaze over when runners talk about running. Someone pointed this response out at my husband’s running banquet and I immediately recognized myself in her speech.
I want to pretend that I’m insanely interested in how song 12 on the playlist led to a faster mile or how in mile 4 of 21 the incline started to have an affect. But, I’ll be honest, mile 4 sounds exactly like mile 21 to me. One mile sounds just as torturous as the next.
Obviously, I am not a runner. Not even close. I understand that it’s one of those activities that you have to experience to truly understand. I am so proud of my husband’s efforts; his drive and motivation to become healthy, fit and eventually a full-blown marathon runner. I brag about him and tell people his story. I’m amazed at his fortitude and willingness to push his body to even longer distances.
Having said all that, my eyes still glaze over when he tells me about the 12-mile turnaround run to his parents’ house and back. I try. I really do. Asking questions helps but I know he can feel my eyes getting that far off look. I sometimes feel like a bad runner’s wife so I try to make up for it by helping him get in as many runs as he can.
I’m also beginning to see that long-distance running is like a religious experience for those who do it. In some ways, I kind of get it. The faith it takes to believe you can finish 26 miles before collapsing. The way you feel almost invincible in leading the battle against those 26 miles. The zen-like state you must be in when you keep moving your legs no matter how much they hurt or how much you’re bleeding. The heaven you must feel crossing the finish line as all your emotions rush forward and flood your fatigued body.But, I get it in a way a documentarian understands the tribe she has spent time filming. I see it but I don’t feel it.
Before any of you readers think about suggesting I can feel it if I only start today - just one mile and then one more - don’t try it. In the same way long-distance running is like a religion, so is the attempts to convert that go along with it. Some people can’t be converted. Let’s just count me as one of them for now.
So, in the vein of religion, I guess I’m asking for a little absolution for my eye glazing. I will cheer my husband in as many races as I can get to in order to do my part. I actually enjoy watching races. I have now learned that marathoners don’t like to be told they’re almost there - even if they’re literally almost there. I guess it’s not helpful after 25 miles.
I will volunteer and run water stations when I can to support my husband’s efforts. I will help him find the best shoes out there and get carb-filled food before a long run. I will wash (and rewash) the smelliest running gear ever so they’re fresh and ready for the next run.
I will not, however, be able to truly understand how he felt when he crested the hill near our house in record time. I’m going to keep trying though and maybe one day my eyes won’t glaze over.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Motivational Mondays (Aug. 23)
Since I scrapped the idea of running a third marathon in 2010, I decided to take a bit of a mini-break after San Francisco. That mini-break is now over.
I didn't exactly stop running altogether, although I did go eight days (gasp!) without running after the San Francisco Marathon. I've not taken a total break after the marathon but I've been running around 20-24 miles a week since then, if that.
Now, I'm going to crank up the mileage. Part of it is because I can. I'm feeling good. I think I'm recovered from the marathon, and I think my body is ready to run long distances again. The longest I've ran since SF was a 12-mile run last weekend. I've ran six miles a few times, and everything else has been less than five. I've incorporated no speedwork.
But I'm going to get back to the 30 miles-plus per week grind. It's not really a grind, of course, since it is still fun for me, but I want to have more time on my feet and since I have time I can accomplish that goal.
My initial plan: rest Monday, 4 miles Tuesday, 6 miles Wednesday, 4 miles Thursday, rest Friday, 12 miles Saturday, 5 miles Sunday. That would get me to 31 on the week. I'm hoping to be able to continue my core/cross training. Rest today, for instance, is rest from running as I'm planning a gym session first thing this morning.
Maybe my plan is ambitious. And I might be gassed midway through the week. But I've got my sights set on the Long Beach Half Marathon so I'm going to give it my all now so I can reap in the rewards then. And giving it my all means a lot of miles this week.
I didn't exactly stop running altogether, although I did go eight days (gasp!) without running after the San Francisco Marathon. I've not taken a total break after the marathon but I've been running around 20-24 miles a week since then, if that.
Now, I'm going to crank up the mileage. Part of it is because I can. I'm feeling good. I think I'm recovered from the marathon, and I think my body is ready to run long distances again. The longest I've ran since SF was a 12-mile run last weekend. I've ran six miles a few times, and everything else has been less than five. I've incorporated no speedwork.
But I'm going to get back to the 30 miles-plus per week grind. It's not really a grind, of course, since it is still fun for me, but I want to have more time on my feet and since I have time I can accomplish that goal.
My initial plan: rest Monday, 4 miles Tuesday, 6 miles Wednesday, 4 miles Thursday, rest Friday, 12 miles Saturday, 5 miles Sunday. That would get me to 31 on the week. I'm hoping to be able to continue my core/cross training. Rest today, for instance, is rest from running as I'm planning a gym session first thing this morning.
Maybe my plan is ambitious. And I might be gassed midway through the week. But I've got my sights set on the Long Beach Half Marathon so I'm going to give it my all now so I can reap in the rewards then. And giving it my all means a lot of miles this week.
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