Last Saturday, I ran my first 20-miler in several months.
It did not go well.
I ended up getting up about an hour later than I had planned. Because I ended up getting up an hour later, it was hot by mid-run. And the chafing. Oh, the chafing, y'all... (More about that later. I'm sure you can't wait.)
It took me more than FOUR HOURS to run that 20 miles. I was despondent. I really would like to beat my Dallas time in my next marathon. I really would like to get close to 4:30.
So I approached this morning's 20-miler with trepidation. I was scared. What if my lax attitude toward training this time around was going to fail me? What if it was too much too late?
This morning's run was not without its issues:
1. I planned to get up at 4 a.m. to get started. When 4 rolled around, I really needed 30 more minutes. So I didn't get up until 4:30.
2. Somewhere around mile 11 or so, my Garmin crapped out. This really shook me because I get a lot of validation from the data that I get from that watch. Luckily, I knew what time it was when I started the run, and I had my iPod so I'd know what time I ended. I still didn't have that ease of just looking at my watch to see my pace, though.
(I spent the rest of the run pondering which Garmin I'd buy to replace it. Got inside afterward only to realize that it ran out of charge!)
In the end, I ran my 20 miles in 3:16! That's a pace of 9.8 minutes per mile, sustained for 20 miles.
I can run six miles in less than an hour. If I can get to the 20th mile in the marathon with a little bit left in the tank, I could feasibly finish well ahead of my 4:30 hopes!
Today's going to be a great day.
---
I am not the brightest bulb in the pack, y'all. I'm not.
For MONTHS, after my long runs, I'd peel off my sweaty clothes and jump in the shower, only to be met by the most horrible stinging pain from the middle of my back and at my waist. I'd briefly wonder what that could possibly be, and then move on. A couple of times, I reached back to see if I could feel what was on my back, and I'd feel something scaly. I figured it was a rash or something, and moved on.
One day, I was in a dressing room with Katie, trying on clothes, and Katie said, "Mama! What is that on your back??"
The room was filled with mirrors and I was able to get an angle to see that my lower back was basically shredded. That scaly skin I was feeling? It was scrapes like you'd get if you skin your knee.
My sports bras and shorts/running skirts were cutting up my back whenever I ran more than 12 miles.
I bought some BodyGlide this past week and used it for the first time this morning.
OMG. That stuff is a MIRACLE. No chafing, anywhere! I got in the shower and no stinging! No tiny drops of blood on the back of my shirt!
I may have to buy stock in the company...
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Different.
I got in a 15-mile run this past Friday night. I was able to run it without any issues, any pain, any endurance issues. I was pleased.
And then I took a step back in time to see what my 15-mile times were last year...
I beat my best 15-mile last year's time by TWELVE MINUTES this past Friday. So despite the fact that I haven't been able to run as many longer runs as I would have liked to, I'm still doing good!
---
So what am I going to do differently this time around?
1. Not freak out (obviously). Last year, I was so pumped and excited that I wore myself completely out just being me.
2. I'm going to buy some real gloves. I'm hoping the weather in San Antonio won't be that cold in early November, but just in case. Last year, I bought a ton of those cheapo knit gloves at Target. Those worked fine at home, but in the windy, cold, rainy weather in Dallas, they were horrible. I might as well have been wearing nothing on my hands (and that's what I did for the last 8 or 9 miles).
3. On my training runs upcoming, I'm going to go up to 23 miles. Last time, I did just 20. I have read that when training for a marathon, there is no evidence that running more than 20 does anything special to help you run the actual race, but it does give you more opportunity for injury. I get that, I really do, but I think I need to go past 20 miles simply for the mental aspect. Last year, I knew I could run 20 miles. But 21? 23? It's a purely mental thing. Sort of "Beyond here there be dragons," if you know what I mean.
4. I'm driving home the day after the marathon. I drove home the day of the marathon last year, and I survived. I wasn't too sore or tired or anything. I got up at my regular time the next morning and got my kids off to school, and then did my whole grocery-store shopping and all that. But I would have liked more time to relax in the tub. To take a nap. To eat something really awesome but bad for me. I was starving after the marathon, but didn't want to eat too much because running 26.2 miles can do a number on your digestive system -- a number you don't want to happen while you're driving six hours home.
5. I'm going to enjoy the experience more. I'm going to be nervous, of course. I'm always nervous before a race, no matter what. But I'm not going to let myself get so tightly wound that I don't enjoy the journey.
And finally...
6. I am going to schedule myself a massage sometime afterward. I am 40 years old, I run my ass off six days a week, and I deserve one! I've been meaning to schedule one for a year, but have been reluctant to take the time. By golly, I'm going to make the time after this marathon!
(7. I will be back running the Thursday after the marathon, just like before. That, I'm not going to change!)
And then I took a step back in time to see what my 15-mile times were last year...
I beat my best 15-mile last year's time by TWELVE MINUTES this past Friday. So despite the fact that I haven't been able to run as many longer runs as I would have liked to, I'm still doing good!
---
So what am I going to do differently this time around?
1. Not freak out (obviously). Last year, I was so pumped and excited that I wore myself completely out just being me.
2. I'm going to buy some real gloves. I'm hoping the weather in San Antonio won't be that cold in early November, but just in case. Last year, I bought a ton of those cheapo knit gloves at Target. Those worked fine at home, but in the windy, cold, rainy weather in Dallas, they were horrible. I might as well have been wearing nothing on my hands (and that's what I did for the last 8 or 9 miles).
3. On my training runs upcoming, I'm going to go up to 23 miles. Last time, I did just 20. I have read that when training for a marathon, there is no evidence that running more than 20 does anything special to help you run the actual race, but it does give you more opportunity for injury. I get that, I really do, but I think I need to go past 20 miles simply for the mental aspect. Last year, I knew I could run 20 miles. But 21? 23? It's a purely mental thing. Sort of "Beyond here there be dragons," if you know what I mean.
4. I'm driving home the day after the marathon. I drove home the day of the marathon last year, and I survived. I wasn't too sore or tired or anything. I got up at my regular time the next morning and got my kids off to school, and then did my whole grocery-store shopping and all that. But I would have liked more time to relax in the tub. To take a nap. To eat something really awesome but bad for me. I was starving after the marathon, but didn't want to eat too much because running 26.2 miles can do a number on your digestive system -- a number you don't want to happen while you're driving six hours home.
5. I'm going to enjoy the experience more. I'm going to be nervous, of course. I'm always nervous before a race, no matter what. But I'm not going to let myself get so tightly wound that I don't enjoy the journey.
And finally...
6. I am going to schedule myself a massage sometime afterward. I am 40 years old, I run my ass off six days a week, and I deserve one! I've been meaning to schedule one for a year, but have been reluctant to take the time. By golly, I'm going to make the time after this marathon!
(7. I will be back running the Thursday after the marathon, just like before. That, I'm not going to change!)
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