May the odds be ever in your favor...

One thing that's looking pretty nice is the weather forecast:

The low from Saturday going into Sunday is 44, so a pair of toss-away gloves and some arm warmers to start should be more than adequate I think (hope?). A toss-away shirt is likely easier but I'm not really looking to warm my core even more than usual and I know from experience that I can easily tie those to my shadow pack and will not notice them during the run. I'll pack for both options though b/c thinking as I type this, standing around in a tank top in the dark may not be my wisest move. With a start time at 7:00, I LOVE that my first hour will be in the dark though, as it should make time pass fairly quickly.

I completed my last run this morning. 2 miles with no Garmin. Truthfully I was probably going faster than I should and I had wanted to use this run to try and zero in on pace for the marathon. But I walked outside in the mid-40s temps (shorts, s/s top, arm warmers) and realized my Garmin was inside. I just didn't feel like going inside to get it, wait for it to pick up signal, etc. So off I went...conquered a couple hills (no way around it) and felt great.

My goal for the first half of the race is really to run by feel as much as possible. Trying not get my heart rate too elevated or get more tired than needed. I've been able to do this in my training and I need to TRUST IT and stop doubting myself. I've gone back and read my previous race reports where the wheels just flat out CAME OFF at the end and I am determined not to let that happen here. I would love to get the 5 hour monkey off my back (and I was on pace at Chickamauga hitting mile 20 at 3:50:00 but totally lost it later on coming in more like 5:20? Is it sad I don't know my marathon time?) but I don't want to put undue pressure on myself so that I feel like a failure (a la Mercedes Half Marathon 2012...my 13.1 PR but I look at the race as utter failure b/c I didn't make my time goal) Anyway, 90 minutes for a 10K is totally wheels coming off and breaking apart!! (Especially when I never got passed after mile 15.5 and continued to pass people until there just were no more people!) and I just don't want that to happen again. I guess all in all I just want to run a smart race and enjoy the beautiful fall scenery...and there will be a medal waiting for me at the end.

In the spirit of A, B and C level goals:
A Goal: 5 hours or bust!! Woo hoo!
B Goal:  PR--most specifically doing so while not having a mental breakdown somewhere on the course ;)
C Goal: Finish uninjured and with a smile on my face

It's Marathon Week!

Otherwise known as "operation: hydrate like it's your job"

But seriously, I can't believe that the time is actually HERE! My lack of posting hasn't represented a lack of training, or wanting to post but has simply resulted from lots of LIFE "stuff" (some good, some not-as-good) and some changes to the routine as a result of the above.

That being said, it's amazing to me that the emotional anticipation of race day is still so big for me. Not as much in the day-to-day obsession pre-marathon (or half marathon) #1 but really starting last week thinking "wow...I will be running 26.2 miles in less than 2 weeks" (cue nervous butterflies in the stomach at that point) In fact, as I was driving back from Tallahassee (FSU) this weekend I looked at my cousin Jimmy around 12:00 and said, "well at this time next week I should be done running...the marathon will be over" It actually made me a little sad, but also putting it that way made it feel very "do-able" at the same time. It's funny... going into #3 I know what I need to do to get myself across the finish and there is no doubt (barring serious on-course injury) that I can do THAT... but there is still the voice that wonders if I can beat my personal best, since my training has taken a bit of a different focus that has certainly made me stronger and has allowed me to bounce back after long runs as if they were almost nothing but has not necessarily made me faster and has me questioning how I should attempt to attack things on race day. I am not fast but I want to attempt to leave it all out there on the course without blowing up. Lots of things to think about before Sunday.

It's also been marathon/ultra-marathon central in my Google Reader the past couple weeks and I will say that reading race recaps (especially those new to a particular distance) NEVER gets old for me. It's so inspiring and refreshing and makes me truly believe that I can push through and make the race my own.

That ALSO being said, I have been a bit overly emotional (even for me) the past couple weeks and I'm going to totally blame it on the taper. Maybe being tired (and who knows what training does to hormone levels) but I can hardly read the new marathoner recaps without tearing up and holy hell, I went to Skull Session at FSU this weekend (it's where the marching band puts on sectional and full band performances 2 hours before kick off) and (Laura--you will appreciate this) I freaking teared up at the "Charlie Carter warm up music" I mean, I was this.close to moving to a full on sob. WTF people?!?! Thank God for dark glasses...seriously.

I'd like to wrap up some other thoughts prior to the marathon, so hopefully with a renewed sense of "free time" this week, I might actually get some other posts up.

Weekly schedule looks like this:
Monday: Run (3.5 miles)--no watch, but done with Matt so I was "working" but not dead at the end (hilly neighborhood route)
Tuesday: Massage (yay! I'm not trying to cram this in 2 days before the race as per the usual)
Wednesday: Run (Track Shack 3 miles)--easy run with friend MSN
Thursday: Rest/Yoga/Stretching
Friday: Run (2 miles)--hoping to get this in before work and take Bali along, just trying to shake my legs out and clear my mind
Saturday: REST!! Drive to Chattanooga.
Sunday: Seven Bridges Marathon...26.2 :)

You've Got Mail

Guess what just arrived?

So excited to take these for a spin this evening! I swear, getting new running shoes makes me feel like a kid at Christmas!

Running for Time vs. Running for Mileage

I guess I am going to start by saying that while training has officially (and belatedly) kicked off for the 7 Bridges Marathon I REALLY need to get my a** in gear. This would mark week #3 in a 14 week plan and while generally things have gone according to "plan", that "plan" really only exists in my mind (also why it's not a traditional 18 week plan). I keep going back to last years training plan and making sure I am generally "where I should be" mileage and workout-wise but I am the type who loves to analyze/mix and match various training plans, create detailed logs of planned/actual, so this "wing it" mentality is not sitting well with me.

I know, I know, Melissa...just sit down with Excel and prior training notes (and the 3 books on marathon training that you checked out from the library 2+ weeks ago) and DO IT already. For some reason, I'm just finding myself zapped when I get home and not wanting to focus on this. I'm not sure if it's a motivation issue or the heat, or what though I suspect it's the latter feeding a bunch of negative thoughts. I'm not having any problems getting out there and getting my workouts done but I am feeling SO UNinspired by my pacing right now. The heat and humidity (which I should be used to, right?) just seem to be sucking the life out of me and I feel like any progress I had previously made on my already slow (to me) pace has been reversed. I'm sure if I could manage to get my weight under control (read: lose the 15 pounds that I have been talking about for a year now) it would certainly help, but I'm pretty much nailing my treadmill work/"speed" and have been more consistently active during the off season that prior years (with both running and cross training) so I know I'm not totally out of shape. I probably just need to not pay super close attention to pacing right now but it's really hard when you feel like you're the only one suffering.

That being said, the point of this is to discuss a potential long run strategy  that gets me more focused on time on my feet and less on true mileage at least during the excruciatingly hot and humid month of August...and that is to run my long run based on "time" versus distance. It's something I did a bit of last fall when I was trying to juggle road trips to Auburn/early kick off times/return trips to Bham on Sundays which often left me time crunched. Sometimes my plan would call for 13+ but I would really only have time for "2 hours" (I don't run a sub-2 HM, closer to 2:20 when all things are firing) so I would get out there and run for an hour one way and then turn around and run back. Sounds pretty simple though purists might argue that I am selling myself and my training short. However, I managed to run nearly 30 minutes faster than my 1st marathon (though it would have been harder to be much slower!) so doing "something" rather than beating myself up for a variety of other reasons was probably better than setting myself up for failure, which is kind of how I'm feeling right now.

I don't think I want to build a plan with only time-focused LRs though...I think for me it's key to hit a 13.1, 15, 18 and 20, at least mentally, knowing that I have covered the full distance before. Does anyone reading have any additional experience with running on a time-focused plan? My M-F workouts ARE distance based, just for the record. (And yes, I ran 90 minutes for my LR on week #1 and 1hr 50 mins last week...the plan was 2 but I was back at my car...woo hoo massive negative split!...and I was just spent)

I am challenging myself to get my training plan up and "out there" (here) this week. I know training logs are not the most interesting read, BUT they are one of the things that people have searched and spend time looking at so if my training for "xyz" marathon can be of help to someone down the road then I am happy to at least put the info out there!

Happy 4th of July from the "other" side of Peavine Falls

Happy 4th of July! I hope everyone (in or from the U.S.) has had a wonderful day celebrating in whatever way you see fit!

It's been a pretty chill day here so far, though I did start the morning bright and early volunteering for the 31st  annual Peavine Falls Race I would say the race is pretty well known throughout the Birmingham running community though I have never actually run it as (I won't lie) the elevation gain combined with Alabama heat/humidity on July 4 (for 8+ miles) scares me just a bit.

Yes, that's the course elevation

The race director (Rick) and I frequent the same Starbucks and he has encouraged me to come out and run it  on more than one occasion (ahh, the benefits of sporting the 26.2 car magnet) so when I saw the Birmingham Track Club put out a call for volunteers, I didn't hesitate since I knew we didn't have any specific plans today. (Side note: why is it so easy to be up at 5:15 to volunteer for a race, but getting up at 5:15 for work seems like torture?!?!)

I got to Oak Mtn around 6:10 where there was already a huge line to get in but made it to the race area no problem. I wasn't exactly sure *what* I would be doing today but no matter. Well, I got assigned (to me), a really cool job...I got to enter everyone in the timing system and then run the finish line timing with Rick :)

Pre-race...499 registered participants

I looked so official for a while...but had to take this off after the bees started swarming all over the shirt and computer...yuck!

There is no mat timing on this course, they tear off the bib stubs once you get into the finishing chute, but Rick and I were the people synching each finisher with the clock. We used the select timing method (you can read about it in the link) and I have to say I had a LOT of fun watching all of the finish line action and even learning about timing. I loved watching the super competitive sprints to the finish, watching people get "chicked" (woo hoo!), and watching the last minutes 'passing' right before the chute.


And toward the end of the race, I got to meet L. from Yo Momma Runs--congrats on placing in the top 10 females! (I hope I did not freak you out with my weirdness!)


Anyway, all in all a great way to spend the morning. Matt and I enjoyed some coffee and lazing around watching re-runs (but new to us!) of the Olympic Track and Field qualifiers and I met up with a relatively new running friend at 4:00 (brilliance, I tell you) at Jemison to run an efficient progression run with a couple of sprints thrown in for good measure. I was having a really strong day today and wish all runs could feel that great.


Now I'm drinking a glass of this (so good!):

and snuggling with Roxy

and waiting for Matt to get home from playing golf to see how the rest of the evening shapes up!

Father's Day

When I was running this morning I was thinking about my dad. I really don't want to say that we have a complicated relationship because that makes it sound like the relationship is BAD or fraught with drama or resentment and that's not the case. It's more that my dad is *somewhat* of a stereotypical Italian male and in many ways I am NOT your stereotypical Italian female :) (As a side note: I generally dislike stereotypes but there are too many stereotypical shows out there right now re: Italians--Cake Boss, RHONJ and of course the older but much-loved Sopranos...) Anyway, I was actually thinking that I am not a stereotypical (Italian) female because of my dad which is actually kind of funny/ironic. My dad nurtured my sense of curiosity from an early age and never made me feel that I couldn't or shouldn't do anything because I was female. Among other things, he taught me how to read a map, use tools/assemble almost anything, work on my car, understand the stock market and to love sports (notably, Auburn football and Atlanta Braves baseball).

We don't talk on the phone all that often, but I know that I can call him at ANY time and for anything. We actually have talked a bit on the phone more recently and had some wonderful conversations, but I know not something likely to materialize on a regular basis. That being said, my dad has never met a stranger and he has an amazing ability to relate to people from all walks of life.

My dad and I are both highly emotional/sensitive and either of us are more likely to tear up at the little things in every day life than at a funeral (though we both cry at those too). I am highly driven and much of my early drive stemmed from not wanting to disappoint my dad in any aspect of my life. I am sure I have disappointed him many times anyway, but I know he is incredibly proud. School programs, dance recitals, band concerts and everything in between he was ALWAYS there. He is the dad that would introduce himself to my band directors/college professors/other random people who were in a superior role to me, and with tears in his eyes, thank them for the role they serve, not only to me but to the group at large. Used to be soooo embarrasing but now I know, that's just my dad. And now? I actually find it kind of endearing.

At the "Monkey Park" (1981)

He took me to the park and to get ice cream as a child (a Sunday tradition); taught me the transactional value of the dollar and the rewards of hard work; paid my out of state tuition even when times were tough; reminded me that at the end of the day, we only have our "name" to fall back on...to treat others with fairness and respect and usually the favor will be returned.

To say that I love my dad is an understatement. Our relationship may not always look like a Hallmark card, but it's OUR relationship to nurture and grow and for that I am grateful.

Happy Father's Day!

Auburn Football Game (2009 or 2010)

Impromptu racing...and a streak ends...and begins again

After a whirlwind week of "maid of honor-ing", work travel and catching up back at the office, I think I know my name again. But seriously...holy shite this has been a rough 7 day stretch. Total FWP, I know, and I am grateful for all that I have, but I'm pretty tired and ready to curl up on the couch tonight catching up on "Sister Wives" and other really bad TV.

That being said, "the streak" ended and began again in DC after I arrived too late to make it to the hotel gym (11:15p) though I picked it up the next morning with a 4.6(ish) mile run (according to g-map pedometer since I forgot to charge my Garmin) and then another 6+ miles of walking later that day. I had actually planned to run at home that Sunday morning but I woke up nauseous with a horrible migraine and went straight back to bed with just enough time to get packed and ready to head to the airport for my (delayed) flight to DC. I really would have hopped on the mill at 11:15p but I was staying at a boutique hotel and the gym truly was closed (I couldn't just access through a key card.) Anyway, not one to let a single day lost stop me, I'm back and committed to moving on through July 4.

A few cell phone pics from DC...

This is what happens when you ask a nice stranger to take your picture...he only gets the FEET in the background. Oh well!

 View from WWII Memorial looking towards the Washington Monument

I was zoomed in from across the street. I was originally trying to run where those tourists were and got yelled at by security/the Secret Service! I have probably never run so fast the other direction in my life!

So now, my latest "dilemma"...I got a notification Wednesday (either from BTC or Active or some such) about a 5K this weekend "Strides for Steel"  that advertised itself as all downhill (point to point) and FAST. I pretty much decided that I would probably sign up and do it and even though I haven't been doing any specific speed training and that it might be hotter than hades with a 9a start it might be a good place to try and FINALLY get my sub-30 5K. I know, maybe not particularly fast for most but it's still a 9:39 pace and fast for me and given course conditions maybe I could pull it off?

I was texting with Amy yesterday and we were trying to reschedule our running plans for this week and she mentioned that she was doing this same 5K this weekend. Hmmm....she is a great sport at letting me push her but I know her training hasn't been where she wants it lately and I don't know if she would be game for this.

So the question is: do I run with my friend or do I try to PR?  I have run many races with friends where the goal between us was clear (stick together no matter what, stick until someone needs to drop, run at different paces and meet at the end) and I always say there is a place for social running and goal running and it's important to have both. I would like to hang out with my friend but I also really want to get this sub-30 monkey off my back so I can move on for a little while! Thoughts?