Rumpshaker

I have to say that I am so proud for 3 of my friends that have signed up to do their FIRST 5K with me at Rumpshaker! We didn't have enough people for a team, but that doesn't matter in the end. Those that will be joining me are Lauren (friend and coworker), Kathryn (Matt's sister) and Amy (running/walking buddy with who/whom? I have standing Sunday morning 'date'). It took a lot of courage for these ladies to sign up and I look forward to cheering them on in the days leading up to and on race day! Today I caught Lauren (friend/coworker) looking up 2009 results from the race and she was relieved to know she wouldn't be last!

I find it interesting, but also relate to, that the fear of "being last" can keep us from going into unknown territory (race length, certain races, trying something new completely unrelated to running). I find myself looking up past results of races to see if they're something "suitable" for me to run. There is a local 15K with a really great and scenic course that I pondered doing in April, but a look at the past finish times dissuaded me from signing up b/c I didn't want to be last! All of the runners seemed super speedy and I didn't want to stand out in a bad way. Same with smaller races. I want to blend in, not be identified from the crowd when it comes to my running.

Why should this even matter? Would I love any of my friends any less if they were "last"? NO! OF COURSE NOT! I would be upset if they let their fear paralyze them from trying something new, especially if it's something they wanted to do. Would I hate myself for being last in the Statue to Statue run? No. I should be more angry with myself for letting my irrational fear stop me from doing something I know I can do. I can run 9.3 miles. I've run further than that on more than one occasion. And frankly, who gives a shit anyway? Does this mean I'm signing up for Statue to Statue? I wish it did, but I'm not quite there. I'm working on it...

In other news, I KILLED my 7 miles (7.35) on Saturday!! 5 x 400s were great yesterday too (legs felt awesome, I just need to get my lungs to catch up with what the rest of my body is capable of). Schedule for the week:

Sunday: 4 miles (new trail with Amy with hills that literally kicked our butts)
Monday: 5 x 400 IW (I did the last one at 8:50 min/mile...I'm getting there!)
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 3 miles
Thursday: 35 min tempo run (ugh, I need to get a better attitude about these)
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 8 miles

Better day today!

After mentally struggling with my run Saturday, "not feelin' it" on the trail Sunday, and having "ok" interval work on Monday, I would be lying if I said I wasn't kind of dreading my run after work today. 3 miles working at a quicker speed (5.7mph), which (other than the speed aspect) isn't anything really "new". I am happy to report that the run went GREAT tonight! It was storming outside so I fully expected a crowded gym, but it was actually nearly vacant and I got one of my favorite treadmills directly below a ceiling fan. Hey, it's the little things! I felt absolutely great during the run and really got lost in my own thoughts (started drafting a document for work; I hope I can remember it tomorrow!). There was a woman a few treadmills down pounding it out at 7.5min miles and I could tell she was only in there b/c of the conditions outside. She was really kicking it and I thought of all the speedy bloggers out there, hoping everyone was having a great run tonight.

Some of my friends had expressed interest in running the Rumpshaker 5K at the end of March, so I went to the "trouble" of setting up a team and not a damn person has registered and team registration ends Friday. While initially I admit I was a BIT pissed, I am looking at this as an opportunity. Knowing that most of these gals were not runners, I was feeling kind of guilty trying for a PR and not hanging back and being encouraging, so I was thinking of ditching the PR goal and just running for fun and finding another race for myself within the following weeks. Well, now the quest for the PR is ON! I am pretty confident that I can make my time goal by just running hard for the 3.1, but I'm wondering what how interval strategy would work for race day. Honestly, I have no doubt I will PR b/c I am a heck of a lot stronger than I was at BE&K last Feb (which is where my current known PR sits), it's being able to achieve a time beginning with 2X.XX. A side note: I may actually have had a PR at Komen in October but due to the mass crowds and no staging, corrals, etc and HUGE groups of walkers, I don't pay the extra $10 for the chip timing b/c conditions don't warrant it.

I have a 30 min tempo run on the blocks for tomorrow but I also have an early day and then Bunco after work, so I might *gasp* deviate from training and take a rest day. I'm actually packing a gym bag so that if weather is cooperating I can run around my friend's neighborhood for a bit (likely not a full on tempo run though). Either way, 7 up for Saturday and looking forward to it.

Next Up...

Now that the half is over, I need a new goal. I actually started developing one nearly a month (if not more!) before I was even finished training for the half. I knew it wasn't going to be 26.2 right away due to the time it takes (and who wants to run a warm weather marathon?!?!) but I wanted a new challenge that would help me (somewhat) maintain my distance so that if I ever wanted to run a half again (and we have established after the fact that I do) I wouldn't have to start from scratch. All that to say, I decided I wanted to work on my speed. I'm aiming for the Rumpshaker 5K at the end of this month, but the program has me going a little past that time-wise, so if I don't meet my ultimate goal on March 27, I should be able to find another race shortly thereafter.

I've chosen an intermediate 5K training program that incorporates "X"x400 interval work, tempo runs, regular mileage and long runs up to about 8 miles. Last night I decided to modify the long run distances to push up to 10-11 miles so that I'll either be prepared to run Talladega 21000 (looking less and less likely from a mental perspective in 2010) or the Country Music 1/2 at the end of April. My best friend, Wendy, is training for the full but my understanding is that the half and full courses are together for much of the time (much like Mercedes) and I think this might be a lot of fun. She and I run at nearly the same pace which is also convenient so it's not like "oh let's do this together" while one person is screaming out 7 minute miles and the other person is huffing it out at an 11 min/mile pace.

Back to the 5K. While not a lofty goal for those elite folk out there, I would like to run a sub-30 minute 5K, which averages just faster than 6mph (10 min miles). It's a completely different mindset for me to go out for 3 miles and give it everything until I'm spent, instead of training for the long haul and needing to conserve for a longer distance (be it 6, 10 or 13.1 miles). I keep telling myself that if I could maintain a 11:30 min mile for the first 10K of the half (and didn't feel spent and had plenty of fuel to keep going for another 7 miles) then certainly I can pick up knowing that I only need to go 3.1! Hell, I run nearly 3 miles just doing IW where my fast 400s (.25 mile) are at 9min miles and I am fine at end. So, we'll see.

I'm in week #2 of the training program and this is what I did last week:

Sunday: 3 miles with running buddy, Amy
Monday: 4 x 400 Intervals for a total running distance of 2.75 (3 with wu/cd)--fast intervals at 6.5mph, recovery jog at 5.1mph
Tuesday: Rest (and I didn't have to work late this week!!)
Wednesday: 2 mile run...did 1st mile at 5.5mph (slightly under 11 min mile) and it felt too slow, so I kicked the 2nd one up to 5.7mph (total distance: 2.5miles)
Thursday: 30 minute tempo run (1st 5 minutes easy pace..5.1mph, next 20 at a comfortably hard pace...5.5mph and it completely kicked my butt...5 minutes at same easy pace) I think the running distance here was somewhere between 2.7 and 2.9 miles (total mileage: 3.1?) also came home and did Ab Ripper X (from P90X) with Matt
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 6 miles probably at 5.1 or 5.2mph pace (The schedule actually calls for 5, but I'm modifying as state above)

I have to document for myself that Thursday's run was REALLY painful and I can't figure out why. Wearing same shoes and socks as usual but I got very painful shin spilts about halfway through the run and then with about 10 minutes left, my whole left foot started to go numb. I don't think my shoes were tied any tighter than normal and the shoes also have plenty of life in them (I got them mid-Jan). Also, the 5.5 mph pace was KILLING me which I think is funny, because the day before it felt "too slow". Must be something about the tempo nature of the run, which works on the lactate threshold. After 2 weeks of them, I do think tempo runs are my least favorite and that the IW are my favorite...very challenging but with respite! I have a love/hate relationship with my long runs. On one hand, I feel so accomplished at the end. On the other hand, sometimes getting in the mental groove and letting go can be a challenge for me. And with that, it's to lace up and go!

13.1 in the books!

Well, after all the training and anxiety, I successfully finished the Mercedes Half Marathon in just over 2.5 hours. I had absolutely ZERO expectations in time so I am quite happy with my results! I still can't believe it was only 2 1/2 weeks ago. It feels longer and like yesterday all at the same time.

The weather on the days preceding the race was unseasonably cold with a few inches of snow accumulating on Friday. I actually managed to leave work a little early on Friday and head to the expo at the BJCC to pick up my race packet and I almost slipped/twisted my ankle on some black ice while wearing my high heels!

On race day, it was in the low/mid-30s when I headed out at around 5:45 to make it downtown for the 7am start. I ended up driving myself since it was A. so early and B. so cold and I just didn't think it was fair to my mom or Matt to make them be there so early when I knew this run was going to take me a while! As I was traveling downtown and headed north I could see all the marathon and half marathon signs/route guides and my anxiety began to turn to excitement. I was READY! I was able to find parking easily in a deck adjacent to the starting corral but I admit it killed me to pay $8 when I knew there were free options if I cared to look. However, I wanted to have plenty of time to go to the restroom and get my bag checked and do a little warming up, so the $8 was worth the peace of mind in the end.

Even though the race has a few thousand registered runners there aren't time corrals so it's up to the runners to use judgment when placing themselves in the starting chute. Knowing that I'm no speed demon (obviously), I headed toward the back and ran into my friend from GBHS (Lisa) that I knew was running (and also slow) and a grad school classmate/coworker's wife (Lauren) who had trained around the same pace. It was the first half for all of us and we shared our anxiety and excitement. I lost them shortly after the gun went off, partly because of the chaos and partly because of my intentions. I wanted to run my own race and I was afraid if I stuck with people I knew, I would feel pressure to keep their pace (if it was too fast) or to perform a "certain way" (whatever that means). I know running can be a social sport and I like sharing training tips, war stories and the like, but I really like the solitude and losing myself to the moment which is why I also train(ed) solo instead of with a group. (no pressure!)

I was really worried about pacing myself since I had done every single training run on the treadmill and I let the machine dictate what my legs did. In the end, my legs knew what to do and I learned I need to trust myself more. Around mile 1.5-2, I saw the telltale green shorts of my boss-once-removed (so in essence, my boss's boss...BB) and another University superior just ahead of me and I was closing in. At this point I actually did worry a little about my pace since I know BB's 5K pace is much faster than mine but my watch was keeping me honest so I just went with it. They both knew I was running the race but I debated on whether or not to greet them. (hi, BB, in your super short man shorts, look at me in my skin tight running tights! and my oh so sexy hot pink Bondi band!) I decided to stay even and run on the other side of the street until at some point we converged and I turned to them and smiled and said hello. We chatted for a few minutes and I was feeling pretty good at that point, so I trotted off ahead of them so I could avoid any more awkwardness and the pressure to talk. For the record, they passed me around mile 5 but they SWEAR and have told all of our coworkers that I blew past them never to be seen again! (How did you miss passing the hot pink ensemble!)

My initial race plan had been to walk through all of the water stops, alternating water and gatorade. I actually didn't walk through any of them until the one at mile 5. I only allowed myself 1 minute of walking though to avoid getting out of the groove. I hit a major slump around mile 11 (maybe mentally more than anything) but I wonder if next time (yes, next time) I should think about taking in more sports drink than water to keep the energy up or trying some of the gel blasts or something equivalent around the 7-8 mile mark. As I have said, I am quite the sweat-machine and even though it was cold and I didn't feel like I was sweating, let me just say my clothes were soaked when all was said and done.

Overall I though the course was great, and I really enjoyed experiencing Birmingham from a new perspective. I am very familiar with most of the area we ran through but it's always been traveled by car and usually when there is quite a bit of traffic; not exactly ideal conditions for taking in the scenery. I REALLY enjoyed the part of the course from 5 points south and down Highlands and through Forest Park. Lauren actually passed me just past the golf course (mile 9.5?) but I was running positive splits at this point (boo) so there was no keeping up. (I made sure she stayed within my sights for the rest of the race, though, so much for "running my own race"?). However, while some of the industrial parts were interesting on the first half of the course, running through Avondale up until about mile 12 was brutal...the one bright spot was watching and cheering for the MARATHON winners as they passed us!!

As I was coming into the finisher's "corral" or whatever it's called, I was giving whatever I had left and scanning the sides for my mom and Matt. I noticed the corral was kind of devoid of spectators which has not been the experience I have had running downtown before, but I never saw them as I crossed the finish line! As soon as I crossed (and they called my name which was cool) and got my medal, I saw mom and Matt and a ton of other spectators basically trapped behind a tall fence. They were scanning for me and I was standing right in front of them! Turns out it was just bad logistics to get into the spectating area at the finish if you didn't know to come in through the front of the park. And because all of the parking was at the back of the park, since the front of the park is on the race route, most finish line spectators got trapped behind the fences (hopefully something they fix in the future). I was so glad to see them and I was feeling absolutely fantastic at this point! I picked up my finisher's shirt, sucked down a Powerade and was reunited with them in no time. We made a quick stop by the post-race party and I picked up some Jim N Nick's to go. (free for runners) I am not ashamed to admit to you that I ate a pork BBQ sandwich on the way home(!!) but I was so hungry. Not too much different than eating a biscuit, right? ;)

I have to say, if you can't already tell, this was SO MUCH FUN! Yes, it was a ton of hard work but it was worth it for every single second I was out there on the course. I tried to smile at volunteers and supporters and enjoyed the "you got it girl" comments from some of the Birmingham PD that were blocking off numerous intersections. I know I must have looked like a smiley idiot at times but I was really trying so hard to soak in every moment. The weather was so beautiful despite the cold...I actually think that might be perfect running weather. While I had been worried about boredom with the iPod, I could barely tell you what played during the race b/c I was really just tuned into my surroundings. However, I do remember that appropriately, "I Got a Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas started playing just as I was hitting the last .25 miles.

I am DEFINITELY going to do another and I could see this being a "regular" thing. The distance is long enough to be consistently challenging but still allows for evening and weekend training that also allows me to have a life. I am *beginning* to toy with the idea of 26.2 since I honestly felt SO GREAT after the race, both immediately and in the days following, but I haven't locked into that goal yet. BB and US (University superior) are actually trying to coax me into running Talladega 21000 in April and I haven't ruled it out, but I may need to make some adjustments to my current training plan. The concept of that half seems pretty cool (running around Nascar Track, heading into Talladega proper and then back to the track to finish, with pics taken in Pit Road), but it seems to be a smaller race (less than 1000 runners last year) and I still worry about "standing out" (and not in a good way) since, go figure, I still don't totally consider myself "a runner". We shall see! I am working on speed right now (more on that to come) so maybe I'll feel better about this in another 6 weeks.

And because the race photographers got NO postable pics of me, here are a couple of snapshots from race day.

Trying to get to mom and Matt


Mom and I


Matt and I (or as mom called him: Secret Agent Man)

Eve of the Race

Clothes are laid out, iPod charged, number and timing chip waiting to be appropriately placed. Mom and Matt are here and while I would prefer to be in bed right now, I can't sleep so we're all watching the Olympics. I have no reason to be nervous, as I know I followed my training diligently and to the very best of my ability, but I still am...
In less than 12 hours I will have (God, willing) finished the race!

What (Not?) to Wear

Barring no major complictions, this time 3 days from now I will be finished with my race!

Since I have been training on the treadmill in a (relatively) temperature controlled environment, to say that I am nervous about the cold temps this weekend would be an understatement. The forecast for Birmingham this weekend/race day is in the 30s-40s which is a far cry from the temps in the gym. I understand from my reading that I should dress as if it's 20 degrees warmer than the actual air temp and I know I can always shed layers if I need them (any discarded clothing is donated to local shelters). I also know that I should abide by the "nothing new on race day" philosphy but I am just going to have to trust that my top layer is going to work for me since I really don't have a desire to pass out from heatstroke at the gym. (And to my credit...rationalizing...I have worn the top in my cross training and it's quite comfortable)

So here's my planned outfit for Sunday morning:

UnderArmour running tights as seen here but in a capri length (which really fit like full length on me anyway!)I tested these for the first time this past week and they are super comfortable!

UnderArmour 3" inseam running shorts in black/teal/white Mine are actually an older style (or possibly not even the Escape, though I do own this exact pair as well) which I prefer to the newer cutaway design

White short sleve "base layer"I had no idea that this was made from recycled bottles when I bought it. I wondered what "green tee" meant! Also super comfy and really wicks away sweat. Obviously anything "all cotton" when you're trying to stay warm and dry is a no-no, thought my Old Navy $1 tanks sure have served their purpose during training!

I couldn't find a pic of my top layer, which is a light pink Reebok "Play Dry" long sleeve top. It's got a zipper only at my chest and utilizes much of the same technology as above. It was a Christmas gift from Matt and is super comfy.

And now maybe the most important: shoes! I am well aware that these are not the most attractive shoes on the planet and that they are fairly pricey, but they are so incredibly comfy. I'm on my 4th pair of this style (Mizuno Wave Nirvana) and have never found shoes that have fit my feet so well. I actually went to a local track store after the holidays to get professionally fitted and have my gait analyzed and guess what shoes were recommended?

Also have some great socks (NOT cotton) that I was given for Christmas (can't remember the brand) that generally round out the ensemble, in addition to the cheap pink and black Armitron watch I picked up last night at Academy so that I can monitor my pace. (Incredibly important b/c I can run at an increasingly decent clip for about the first 4 miles, but I would be paying for it by mile 10 and I need to hold myself back if I would like to not spend a great deal of time walking and sucking wind). I have some light weight throw-away gloves that I received at the BE&K 5K last year and ended up not needing and a fleece headwrap that I wouldn't mind losing if I had to, though I know my ears will thank me if I can manage to keep it on!

Also, while being brutally honest, I would have LOVED to have found a great sports bra for the occasion but so many of the "good" ones are cut so far up under my armpits that it's painful just standing there, much less applying movement/friction. This will be something I will investigate further in the days/weeks post-race when I have more time (work begins to calm down, training backs off a bit). If anyone has any suggestions though, please feel free to pass them along!

Just registered!

Nothing like waiting until the 11th hour! I'm still here and I've been following my training plan diligently. This week has been more than a little whacked out as I've come down with some congestion and have been battling it and an insane work schedule.

This past week I did a 3 mile recovery on Sunday, 25 minutes on Monday (insane work schedule didn't have me leaving until almost 8pm so this was my compromise between 4 miles and nothing!) Tuesday: rest, Wednesday: supposed to be cross training but I was feeling like death and had a huge work event/presentation the next so I opted for passing out on the couch. I thought I was feeling better on Thursday and managed to squeeze in 3.5 miles before comedy club for a friend's birthday. Friday: rest. Today I was supposed to do 11.5 but I could barely climb the stairs in my house without being short of breath plus I am majorly congested. Soooo...tomorrow I will be making my very best attempt to get in my last long run before next Sunday's race. HOLY ****! Thankfully, this congestion doesn't seem to have moved into my chest (no cough) so I am going to go for it. I don't think this is going to jeopardize the run next weekend and I would feel WAY too anxious knowing that I hadn't run considerable distance in the 2 weeks leading up to the race.

I have no idea what I'm going to wear next weekend which is also making me nervous. ("Nothing new on race day") I bought some running tights last weekend which I need to test out. I expect it's going to be pretty chilly on race day and since I have been training indoors and TMI: sweating profusely through my running shorts and tank tops, I'm not really sure how to adjust for the outside weather. I know running in 40 degree weather in shorts and a tank top is not really an option as I am no speed demon and will be out there from anywhere to 2 1/2 to 3 hours. I am also still on the hunt for an el cheapo watch to wear so I can use something to help me stay on pace. Any suggestions on either are appreciated!