I have to be honest. When I embarked on the running quest mid-April, I thought this will be simple and straightforward. I watch what I eat, I log the training runs and I show up on 1/2 marathon day 100 pounds lighter and an Olympian runner who would run 7 minute miles without breaking a sweat. How hard can running be, no equiptment needed, no experience or gym membership required, just slap on those running shoes and go.
BOY WAS I Mistaken!
Running is an extremely complex sport. I feel like I am learning a new language or getting another degree. And it is not inexpensive either!! I had to learn about running sneakers, then I had to learn about inserts, then proper clothes, then the science of hydration and electrolites, how not to injure myself, nutrition, training schedules, training methods, training races, heart rate monitors, ipods, phew, my head is spinning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is fun to get engrossed in this new world though. There is a huge community of runners out there and they are not all the fastest and the fitest. There are plenty of people like me I am discovering.
I ran a 5K in Newburyport last night in 90 degree heat and humidity and it was hard, ok it was hell. Afterward I had serious leg cramping for the first time and today I am destroyed. I should have been drinking electrolytes so now I need to find a hydration system $$$$. I need to get a heart rate monitor $$$. I stuck with it though and finished despite wanting to quit.
I am still at a standstill with my pace. Still stuck in the 13 minute mile pace. Now I have to start researching how to improve that.
I have my first long 6 mile run I need to push through this weekend, wish me luck!
Also, random question why do the course designers need to always put a large hill at the end of a 5K. Do they think we enjoy that? I certainly do not, rolling hills are fine, but a 1/4 mile long steep hill at the end of the course just takes all of the fun out of the race.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
I may be crazy, but I know I am commited
So this is how my evening went:
Last night I registered for this 5 mile race in Boston. I was drawn by the charity of the event and the gorgeous, FLAT OCEAN course, there are few flat courses in NE, so I jumped on this!!!
I asked my husband who can never dictate the time he is home to request to be let out early. He did. At 3pm I started the panicked pages, are you done, when will you be done??? No good responses.
At 3:40 desperately page babysitter, can you come? Yes she could.
At 5:20 to Husband when will you be home? No answer.
At 5:21 Leave four kids with babysitter off racing into Boston at rush hour traffic.
RACE STARTS AT 6:30
Immediately I realize I have to Pee, not good.
6:00 enter 93 South tunnel in Boston, stopped in deadlocked traffic.
STILL HAVE TO PEE.
6:15 make the exit and take the wrong *&%(*^(*)*&)&( turn
6:25 at traffic light waiting to take the right turn.
6:26 take the right turn and park.
6:26 sprinting across busy road to get my number wiping away tears of frustration.
6:27 grab my number and run to potty.
6:29 sprinting to start line
6:30 the race starts with me there still wiping away tears.
Am I nuts??? Or just really getting into this, not many people would drive into the heart of the storm, BOSTON Rush hour traffic to go run 5 miles. SO I must either A. be nuts or B. Be really commited and getting into this.
I choose B. I finished the race in 1 hour and 9 minutes and discovered the challenge of running into a headwind for 2.5 miles.
I discovered another thing. I like races. Why you might ask ok, well picture yourself on an average training day. You know you have to run lets say five miles today. You head out alone and start the battle of the run alone, work through the pain alone, maybe you have water, maybe you don't, you might want to stop after a few miles, but that is you alone deciding that.
Ok, now let's compare that experience to a race. You have to pay a small fee to enter, but hey you have been meaning to make a charitable donation right? You get a cool number and instead of running alone are surrounded by other people who also are doing the same thing, you are not alone. If they can do it you can too!! You have people cheering you on along your run, clapping for you, applauding you, when you are thirsty there are people handing you water. You get scared, there are police there to protect you. You are worried about that strange ache in your knee, there is a first aid person at the end of your run waiting to take care of you. And congrats for doing your training here is a nice t shirt for your hard work and some yummy fruit and water and snacks.
HMMMM train alone or do a race you decide which experience is more motivating for you???
I know what I like now, I have become a spoiled runner in training and I like it!!!!!
10K 's here I come!!!!!!
Last night I registered for this 5 mile race in Boston. I was drawn by the charity of the event and the gorgeous, FLAT OCEAN course, there are few flat courses in NE, so I jumped on this!!!
I asked my husband who can never dictate the time he is home to request to be let out early. He did. At 3pm I started the panicked pages, are you done, when will you be done??? No good responses.
At 3:40 desperately page babysitter, can you come? Yes she could.
At 5:20 to Husband when will you be home? No answer.
At 5:21 Leave four kids with babysitter off racing into Boston at rush hour traffic.
RACE STARTS AT 6:30
Immediately I realize I have to Pee, not good.
6:00 enter 93 South tunnel in Boston, stopped in deadlocked traffic.
STILL HAVE TO PEE.
6:15 make the exit and take the wrong *&%(*^(*)*&)&( turn
6:25 at traffic light waiting to take the right turn.
6:26 take the right turn and park.
6:26 sprinting across busy road to get my number wiping away tears of frustration.
6:27 grab my number and run to potty.
6:29 sprinting to start line
6:30 the race starts with me there still wiping away tears.
Am I nuts??? Or just really getting into this, not many people would drive into the heart of the storm, BOSTON Rush hour traffic to go run 5 miles. SO I must either A. be nuts or B. Be really commited and getting into this.
I choose B. I finished the race in 1 hour and 9 minutes and discovered the challenge of running into a headwind for 2.5 miles.
I discovered another thing. I like races. Why you might ask ok, well picture yourself on an average training day. You know you have to run lets say five miles today. You head out alone and start the battle of the run alone, work through the pain alone, maybe you have water, maybe you don't, you might want to stop after a few miles, but that is you alone deciding that.
Ok, now let's compare that experience to a race. You have to pay a small fee to enter, but hey you have been meaning to make a charitable donation right? You get a cool number and instead of running alone are surrounded by other people who also are doing the same thing, you are not alone. If they can do it you can too!! You have people cheering you on along your run, clapping for you, applauding you, when you are thirsty there are people handing you water. You get scared, there are police there to protect you. You are worried about that strange ache in your knee, there is a first aid person at the end of your run waiting to take care of you. And congrats for doing your training here is a nice t shirt for your hard work and some yummy fruit and water and snacks.
HMMMM train alone or do a race you decide which experience is more motivating for you???
I know what I like now, I have become a spoiled runner in training and I like it!!!!!
10K 's here I come!!!!!!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Diet, Increasing Mileage and more family adventures
The idea of running 13 miles when it was 8 months away seemed completely reasonable. The idea of running 13 miles now that it is just 6 months a way is starting to feel a bit scary and challenging.
I have been working hard at taking weight off slowly while revolutionizing my lifestyle and diet habits. It is going very well! It is now becoming a habit and normal to make the sensible choices and don't get me wrong I still eat all the "bad" foods and eat what I want, just in smaller portions. I don't do the "oh well, I cheated now I can eat the whole pizza and whole cake that leftover bag of chips and a bottle of wine. Now if I want cake I have one bite, if I want chips, I have a small handful, If I want a cheeseburger,I have one without the bun. The weight is slowly coming off just like it slowly went on.
On the running front, I know I have to increase my mileage slowly and have been trying to get in three runs a week and two swims and the other days I want to strength train or bike. I once again have found that increasing my mileage like so many other aspects of running is about training my body yes, but that comes naturally if I do the three runs a week. It is in fact more of a mental war against myself and the I can't do its. I find myself constantly making these crazy statements to myslef and then having to prove myself wrong. For example, I have to run first thing in the morning, because I am too tired at the end of the day. Well, no, I am mentally tired, but my body can do it, so I give myself the choice, if I can't wake up it means I am running later in the day. I just go and do it.
I have also found myself saying I can't run that much it is too far or I can't run a hilly course, I just can't. Well, last weekend I ran my first 4 mile race and this past weeeknd I ran my first 4.8 mile race with hills! I did it, I finished dead last, with grandpa passing me in the final stretch, but I finished, check me out, dead last:
I have been working hard at taking weight off slowly while revolutionizing my lifestyle and diet habits. It is going very well! It is now becoming a habit and normal to make the sensible choices and don't get me wrong I still eat all the "bad" foods and eat what I want, just in smaller portions. I don't do the "oh well, I cheated now I can eat the whole pizza and whole cake that leftover bag of chips and a bottle of wine. Now if I want cake I have one bite, if I want chips, I have a small handful, If I want a cheeseburger,I have one without the bun. The weight is slowly coming off just like it slowly went on.
On the running front, I know I have to increase my mileage slowly and have been trying to get in three runs a week and two swims and the other days I want to strength train or bike. I once again have found that increasing my mileage like so many other aspects of running is about training my body yes, but that comes naturally if I do the three runs a week. It is in fact more of a mental war against myself and the I can't do its. I find myself constantly making these crazy statements to myslef and then having to prove myself wrong. For example, I have to run first thing in the morning, because I am too tired at the end of the day. Well, no, I am mentally tired, but my body can do it, so I give myself the choice, if I can't wake up it means I am running later in the day. I just go and do it.
I have also found myself saying I can't run that much it is too far or I can't run a hilly course, I just can't. Well, last weekend I ran my first 4 mile race and this past weeeknd I ran my first 4.8 mile race with hills! I did it, I finished dead last, with grandpa passing me in the final stretch, but I finished, check me out, dead last:
452 60/60 F4049 Janet Sweeney 46 F North Falmouth, MA 1:04:27 13:24
453 40/41 F3039 Sara Coady Howe 30 F Milford, MA 1:04:27 13:24
454 76/76 M4049 Bill Connell 41 M Falmouth, MA 1:04:52 13:30
455 15/17 M6069 Harvey Ko 65 M Elliott, MD 1:05:27 13:37
456 16/17 M6069 Chris Polloni 66 M N. Falmouth, MA 1:05:27 13:37
457 17/17 M6069 Rob Grey 65 M Cambridge, MA 1:06:43 13:53
458 41/41 F3039 Amanda Gonzales 36 F Marblehead, MA 1:08:00 14:09
Ok, I lied three grandpas edged me out, sigh. That's ok, grandpa,
I will take that
one for the grandpa team.
I have been following the Jeff Galloway book and according
to the plan, I have to
increase my mileage every weekend. I have found that
if I find a race to do that
helps me
increase and build in a family adventure, it helps
me to accomplish this
daunting task.
Fellow teammates and new friends Caliin and Josh
invited me to do the Falmouth race and
I could not decide until 9:30pm the night before,
I was terrified. How can a big old
Heffalump run 4.8 miles??? I felt like I was doing
a trust fall blindly when I said ok
let's do it. Luckily I am blessed to have a wonderful
husband and family who like me love
to take on adventures and travel in a heartbeats decision.
So, at 6:30 am we were off driving to
Falmouth.
The race was amazing, so may supporters and families
were out on the road cheering the
runners on, handing out water, spraying us with hoses,
it was amazing and I did it.
Afterwards we spent the most incredible and relaxing day
with Caliin and Josh and
their beautiful family at the beach. What an amazing
adventure! It never would have
happened if I had not embarked on this journey. Thanks
Caliin and Josh for a fantastic
and inspirational day!
I am now searching for new family adventures wrapped
around a race with increasing
mileage for the weekends. I think this weekend will
be a journey to RI to visit
my old stomping grounds in Narraganset after a race.
Nik is usually more agreeable if the
their is lobster and beer at the end of the adventure for him.
Duh, of course for all of you who know me well and are
wondering of course i am trying to
make a race happen in Disney on a weekend before January.
So come run with me, if I can do it, you can do it!!!
It's all in the state of mind!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Insecurity and humiiation
Ok, so I like doing races. They are a challenge, an excitement. It is fun to scope out a race on cool runnings and make it happen. I have to say though once I get there I am a ball of nerves and insecurity.
I AM THE FAT CHICK!!!!!
Everyone there is sculpted and formed, muscles ripling, doing funky warm ups and exercises and then there is me, the Heffalump eating hay before the race. People look at me and quickly look away avoiding eye contact.
I know that once the race starts I will be the last one.
As hard as it is for me to swallow it is ok because I am the last one running the race, not the last one thinking about it or almost signing up for it, but I am doing it.
Ok, I sound brave, but really I am ashamed, embaresed and humiliated. I use those feelings though to go on.
Today was tough, I was of course the last one, all alone, but I did it. I ran a four mile race today. I DID IT! Alone, but I did it. It hurt, but I did it. I was slow, but I did it.
I feel good, still insecure, but proud. I am on my way. Three races under my belt, and I am enjoying them.
It is still not getting easier but that has to change at some point.
Come on everyone come run with me, if I can do it anyone can!!!
Success depends on a fellows will for its all in the state of mind......
I AM THE FAT CHICK!!!!!
Everyone there is sculpted and formed, muscles ripling, doing funky warm ups and exercises and then there is me, the Heffalump eating hay before the race. People look at me and quickly look away avoiding eye contact.
I know that once the race starts I will be the last one.
As hard as it is for me to swallow it is ok because I am the last one running the race, not the last one thinking about it or almost signing up for it, but I am doing it.
Ok, I sound brave, but really I am ashamed, embaresed and humiliated. I use those feelings though to go on.
Today was tough, I was of course the last one, all alone, but I did it. I ran a four mile race today. I DID IT! Alone, but I did it. It hurt, but I did it. I was slow, but I did it.
I feel good, still insecure, but proud. I am on my way. Three races under my belt, and I am enjoying them.
It is still not getting easier but that has to change at some point.
Come on everyone come run with me, if I can do it anyone can!!!
Success depends on a fellows will for its all in the state of mind......
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Oh the Places You'll Go
It is funny because I always thought of this as my personal journey, but it is actually my families journey as well. My son is now getting into running and wants to run with me. I did my second 5K this weekend in Ipswich at this beautiful farm called Appleton Farms. It was a gorgeous day!
The course wound through a path in the farm by orchards, cows and horses.
It was a tough race for me due to many hills and the heat. I did it though and it felt great. Afterwards, Gabe ran in his first race. A 1/4 mile kids race where he came in fourth and won a medal. Did I win a medal? No. Anyway, I never thought that I would insprie him to run and race, but now he has picked up this interest. Ironic, while I have been spending hundreds of dollars the past several years, having him try karate classes, and swimming and soccer and on and on and he loves running!
Afterwards we enjoyed a beautiful farm in Ipswich and went strawberry picking and had a delicious lobster dinner. Would we have gone to Ipswich or this farm had I not done this race? Probably not. Running and this journey is starting to take my family to some amazing places. It is exciting and adventurous for all of us.
We went away on Sunday so no workouts this week. I am supposed to have running class tonight, but I am hearing the rumbling of thunder so not sure if that will happen. I am hoping to do a track workout with the North Shore Striders a running group I have joined tomorrow night. Every Thursday they do a track workout with a coach and a long run on Sundays.
I am also hoping to do a 4 mile race in Swampscott on Saturday.
I need to purchase a garmin if you see any good sales, let me know.
The weather has been making running tough, it rains every day.
That is my update for now. I am still doing weight watchers as well.
The course wound through a path in the farm by orchards, cows and horses.
It was a tough race for me due to many hills and the heat. I did it though and it felt great. Afterwards, Gabe ran in his first race. A 1/4 mile kids race where he came in fourth and won a medal. Did I win a medal? No. Anyway, I never thought that I would insprie him to run and race, but now he has picked up this interest. Ironic, while I have been spending hundreds of dollars the past several years, having him try karate classes, and swimming and soccer and on and on and he loves running!
Afterwards we enjoyed a beautiful farm in Ipswich and went strawberry picking and had a delicious lobster dinner. Would we have gone to Ipswich or this farm had I not done this race? Probably not. Running and this journey is starting to take my family to some amazing places. It is exciting and adventurous for all of us.
We went away on Sunday so no workouts this week. I am supposed to have running class tonight, but I am hearing the rumbling of thunder so not sure if that will happen. I am hoping to do a track workout with the North Shore Striders a running group I have joined tomorrow night. Every Thursday they do a track workout with a coach and a long run on Sundays.
I am also hoping to do a 4 mile race in Swampscott on Saturday.
I need to purchase a garmin if you see any good sales, let me know.
The weather has been making running tough, it rains every day.
That is my update for now. I am still doing weight watchers as well.
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