Runner's Itch

I DID IT!!!!

2010-03-16T00:31:00.000-07:00

I DID IT! I ran 13.1 miles!! WOO!! It was amazing!! I'm definitely hooked and want to do it again!
I ran the whole time, I didn't walk at all as a result of being tired. I kept my slow & steady pace and made it to the finish!!
I finished the race in 2:25:48. I'm very happy with my time, I just wanted to A.) Finish B.) Finish under 2:30 HRS if I was able to! <--I knew if I kept my pace steady, I could do this.

My husband, myself, & my 2 fellow runners went to Dallas on Saturday to get to the Expo, get our packets/shirts, & check in to our hotel in order to wake up bright and early on Sunday morning for the race!
(I even bought a foam roller @ the expo = good decision on my part.) None of us really had a solid nights sleep the night before the race, partially due to jitters and partially do to the fact that we SPRING AHEAD time change took place late Saturday night/early Sunday morning.... awful. Either way, it worked out. We woke up early, showered to wake up... I ate half a banana & a Nutrigrain bar to fuel for the race. The race used water, Cytomax (Ew), & GU gel(Double Ew) on the course. I trained with Gatorade, so I filled my 4 Fuel Belt bottles with Gatorade. I knew 4 bottles of Gatorade would be enough for my 13.1 run + the water on the course. If I ran a full (26.2), obviously just 4 little bottles of Gatorade wouldn't be enough, but it worked out pretty well here.
The race started at 8 AM, so we left he hotel around 7. My awesome husband dropped us all off and then took care of the car situation so he could meet us at the finish! It was NOT warm that morning, especially when you're only wearing a tank top & shorts. We got there, got in line for the portapotty ASAP....race day jitters made the bathroom a much visited place for everyone that morning! haha. We checked our gear and then went to our corrals. Amelia & I were in the same corral and Neil was like 5 corrals in front of us. It was COLD... I kept stretching, but the cold made it a little difficult to keep my muscles warm and willing to move around. They used a wave start - which meant 1 corral at a time would start into the race. Our corral didn't start until like 20 minutes into the race. At this point, we all just REALLY wanted to get started. We finally started.... for the first mile or so I was still really cold, my hands were numb and 2 middle toes in each foot were numb too...weird I know. I was worried they'd stay like that the whole race, but it went away pretty quickly which I was very happy about. I was running just behind Amelia until about mile 2 or 3, when I stopped for a 4 second potty break...it was distracting me & I really had to go!! I didn't have to wait in line at all and I attached my fuel belt on the run again, as to not waste any time.... probably the fastest bathroom break I've ever had. It was nice to run through Dallas, we ran through some beautiful neighborhoods with some serious houses. Wow.
It warmed up pretty nicely as the race went on too. The sun was out & it was turned into a perfect day for running. I had a t-shirt on over my tank top and wanted to take it off, so I did without stopping to walk. Keep in mind my BIB# was pinned to my t-shirt and my fuel belt was over my t-shirt too... so I had to pull the shirt out from under the fuel belt, un-safety pin my BIB#, take off my headphones, take off my shirt, tuck my shirt in my fuel belt (all while BIB# & headphones in my mouth and STILL running), plug my headphones back in and put back in my ears, and re-safety pin my BIB# to my tank top. Now that's multi-tasking for ya. People watching probably thought I was nuts, but there is no way I was stopping. Anyway, SUCCESS... runing in tank top commenced. The race had a 2 person relay too...so at about mile 7 was the relay switch. When people were switching out, I was thinking; "Crap, that's it? I've only done half?! Oh well, I'll keep going." So that's what I did! They passed out GU at mile 9-ish (Gross). No, I didn't take any. I would have for sure tossed my cookies. I just can't get past the texture, so I just kept up with my Gatorade! Mile 10 I was feeling pretty good... pretty sore, but pretty good. My knees were a little sore (which isn't something that normally bothers me), my hips were sore, my feet were sore, my calves were sore... quads & hams actually felt ok. I just ignored the pain and kept on! My friend gave me an awesome quote the day before by an awesome author I've read - "If you can't run, then walk. And if you can't walk, then crawl. Do what you have to do. Just keep moving forward and never, ever give up." ~Dean Karnazes (Author or Ultra-Marathon Man, Confessions of an All-Night Runner) I kept thinking that in my head. Mile 11 I got a second wind somehow! I felt pretty good... only 2 miles to go. Starting picking up the pace a little at 11.5 (couldn't believe I still had some wind in me to do this). Mile 12 I really sped up, the spectator crowds started to thicken, I felt closer to the end, and I wanted to finish with a decent time! I turned up my music and ran faster than I had throughout the whole race. I don't really know where that last kick came from, but it came from somewhere down deep and it felt awesome! I was passing virtually everyone around me (let me tell you, I'm not a fast runner, so this was a new feeling for me.) I could see the finish, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people were cheering, the announcing was excited & urging everyone to the end and BAM! I crossed the finish line!! One of the best, most accomplishing feelings I've ever felt! Like 5 seconds after I crossed I found Neil & Amelia and we all celebrated together!! I got my finisher's medal and we moved through the 'Runner's Secure Zone' - we took our Finisher's picture, grabbed some water, fruit, muffins, bagels, basically anything we could get our hands on. We were HUNGRY! As soon as we walked out of the Secure Zone, we found my husband! It was awesome to see him. I will say... the only negative thing of the day, while he was waiting for us and using the portapotty - his Rayban sunglasses fell off his head and into the toilet. GROSS. Poor thing was understandably bummed about that, but he was still awesome to us and very happy at our success!! (I think I may have even converted him!!! He might do a half with me!! He could feel the excitement everyone was experiencing.)
All in all, it was a GREAT experience. Pete(my husband) drove us to Chipotle (the BEST Chipotle I have ever tasted - if you know me, you know how much I love that place and how depressed I am that we don't have one where we live.) We hobbled around a bit, then crashed in our hotel for a couple hours... we were all pretty drained. We went the Dallas Galleria mall today and walked around a bit - which I was impressed we could even do this, but we did! It helped our sore muscles to move around a bit. We're all still pretty sore and probably will be for a couple days. Here's what's sore right now: hip flexors, hips, calves, my right achilles tendon is pretty tight - my quads & hams actually aren't too bad. But guess what?! NO major shin splints!! I have some shin soreness, but it really isn't bad! I'm so happy about that...considering it put my training on hold for a short bit. I love my foam roller that I bought at the expo - I had been using the one at the gym, so I'm glad I have one for home.

So now that I've had such a successful experience with my first half marathon, here's my next debate:
Chicago Marathon - 10/10/10 <--how cool is that? Also the race I was training for last year, before I got shingles. Now that I've done a half, part of me says "If I can do a half, I can do a full with proper training." and the other part of me says, "Don't push your luck, stick with a half, because you know you can do it."
OR
Chicago Half-Marathon - 9/12/10 <--I know I can do a half, and mayyyybe just maybe I can convince Pete to do this one with me!

I also am pretty set on doing the Soldier Field 10-Mile on 5/29/10.
So basically I need to choose from the Chicago Half or the Chicago Full. Decisions, decisions!! Input would be greatly appreciated!!

Here are some pictures from race day! Enjoy! I know I did!

)

13.1 is almost here!!

2010-03-03T20:55:00.000-08:00

So last weekend I ran 10 miles on Saturday, it was definitely not my easiest run but I managed to get through 100% of the run without stopping. It was SO nice out, like 54 degrees, perfect running weather for me. It felt really good to just get out there and slam out 10 miles. I busted out my fuel belt for the first time during this training. I simply have to have that now that I'm running longer distances. In the past, I've used 2 bottles of water & 2 bottles of Gatorade. For this 10 mile, I used only 4 bottles of water.... Mistake. I was dyyying. I really think I would have felt a little stronger if I had that Gatorade as an extra push. I cannot use gels, chews, or energy bars while I'm running. Gels gross me out, the texture makes me want to barf (pardon my lack of tact for using the word barf). Energy bars make me too thirsty. Gatorade seems to be the best option for me. So this weekend, I think I've got an 11 mile run planned.... and I'll definitely be using Gatorade.

I was thinking the other day, why am I doing this? Why do I enjoy running long distances and putting myself through all of this training. Am I crazy?!! Yep, probably a little bit. But here's the real reason I enjoy it, I like pushing myself to do something that I couldn't just wake up and do one morning. I have to have self-discipline and I have to train for it. It's not something that everyone could do, so I like the fact that I'm willing to try and so far I've met my training goals. The race is in less than 2 weeks! I'm getting REALLY excited! Gotta get to bed.

Be back soon!

8 & Counting...

2010-02-18T21:12:00.000-08:00

Oookkk I know I know.... I'm terrible at blogging. I'm trying to be consistent... but life keeps getting in my way.
ANYWAY, let me give you a little update on my training. My long runs on Sundays are up to 8 miles. This Sunday I have 9 miles on the calender. I've been doing most of my runs on treadmills.....Ugh. I need to get off those things, but I have to either run in the AM before work & it's too cold to run OR I have to run after I get off work after 7PM and it's too dark out to run alone outside (esp. in this town.) I think it's supposed to rain Sunday, so I may do my long run on Saturday outside - it's supposed to be about 45 I think, that'll be a good temp for a long run.

Our 'team' (I think that's what I'll call the 3 of us running the half-mar...even though we all run at different speeds & will probably separate shortly after the gun.)...anyway- Our 'team' + my husband booked a hotel room in Dallas a couple days ago. We're not going to rush back here after the race, we're staying an extra night to relax & celebrate!! We also just bought our bright pink shirts (in recognition of Susan G. Komen as the Official Charity of the Dallas Rock n' Roll Half-Marathon!

My running partner saw an Ortho Dr. today to get her knee looked at. Hopefully, she's still able to run on March 14! I'll let you know. My shins are still bothering me just a little, not enough to stop running and it's not getting any worse. I still ice them and use a foam roller after I run and that seems to help.

I'll be back!!

Could have used some YakTrax

2010-02-07T21:01:00.000-08:00

Well hello!
Yes, I know I've been AWOL lately. But I'm back! I haven't been quite as diligent about running the past 2 weeks as I should have been. I was really trying to do some light work outs because of my shin splints. They are feeling better and hopefully I'm back to it. Just over a month left, so I don't really have time to be playing hooky. :)
Last weekend, we had a ridiculous ice storm. My house lost power from Thurs (1/28) afternoon to Sunday (1/31) night. We had to stay with some friends (lucky they took us in!) and we had to put Addison (our dog) in the kennel that had generators/heat. Some people STILL don't have power, so we are very thankful to have power back, but then they had a 'water scare' this last week. The entire area had to conserve water, because the generators responsible for pumping water to the city broke and we were getting water from just 1 location (a smaller pumping station). I don't really know how it all works, but that's all I know about this situation. Well, of course people blew it out of proportion and started rumors that our town would run out of water....and like CRAZY people, everyone went flying to the stores to buy up all the water. No...... we never ran out of water. I swear these ppl here are craaazy sometimes.

Last Sunday, when we still had no power, I had a 6 mile run scheduled as my long run. I really could have used some YakTrax around this time. Considering the city was still pretty ice covered, I opted to run it inside....on a treadmill. Ugh. Talk about a never ending run. My running partner & I battled out those 6 miles... but it was brutal. And now she's having some knee troubles, she's been resting it up most of the week, but hopefully it goes away soon enough so she's still about to run RNR with me! Or at least Run/Walk at the least!
Today, I had a 7 mile run scheduled as my long run.... I'm a wuss and didn't feel like running in the cold, so I ran my 7 inside on a treadmill again. I really need to stop doing that. It's just SO boring!!! Granted the treadmills have TV's, but there really wasn't anything interesting on today (No, this was not @ Superbowl time). I have to try and get back outside next week, esp for my long run, I dont know if I can do 8 mi on a tread. I can only handle so much! Plus, I think that's what gave me shin splints in the first place.

I'll try to post some pics of the ice storm we had. I broke so many of the towns trees... there were broken limbs, branches, & trunks everywhere blocking streets, on top of power lines, you name it. Some trees even uprooted from the ground and completely fell over. A large branch/trunk in our backyard fell on our neighbors house, luckily it didn't cause any damage. It was horrible, but definitely a sight to see. Pretty sad that some of these really old trees were destroyed so easily.

More to come.
Happy Running.

Thank You, Hal Higdon.

2010-01-22T22:31:00.000-08:00

I've been saying I'll put up my training plan, so here it finally is. I'm using Hal Higdon's Half Marathon training plan. I liked his because it includes a stretch & strengthen day, which I think is important for any training plan. It also has cross training options too, which is also nice to switch it up a little. I crossed off what we've done so far, so you can see how far we are into the plan.

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	Stretch & Strengthen	~~3 m run~~	~~2 m run or cross~~	3 m run + strength	~~Rest~~	30 min cross	~~4 m run~~
2	Stretch & Strengthen	~~3 m run~~	~~2 m run or cross~~	3 m run + strength	~~Rest~~	30 min cross	~~4 m run~~
3	Stretch & Strengthen	~~3.5 m run~~	~~2 m run or cross~~	3.5 m run + strength	~~Rest~~	40 min cross	~~5 m run~~
4	Stretch & Strengthen	~~3.5 m run~~	~~2 m run or cross~~	3.5 m run + strength	~~Rest~~	40 min cross	~~5 m run~~
5	Stretch & Strengthen	~~4 m run~~	~~2 m run or cross~~	4 m run + strength	~~Rest~~	40 min cross	6 m run
6	Stretch & Strengthen	4 m run	2 m run or cross	4 m run + strength	Rest or easy run	Rest	5-K Race
7	Stretch & Strengthen	4.5 m run	3 m run or cross	4.5 m run + strength	Rest	50 min cross	7 m run
8	Stretch & Strengthen	4.5 m run	3 m run or cross	4.5 m run + strength	Rest	50 min cross	8 m run
9	Stretch & Strengthen	5 m run	3 m run or cross	5 m run + strength	Rest or easy run	Rest	10-K Race
10	Stretch & Strengthen	5 m run	3 m run or cross	5 m run + strength	Rest	60 min cross	9 m run
11	Stretch & Strengthen	5 m run	3 m run or cross	5 m run + strength	Rest	60 min cross	10 m run
12	Stretch & Strengthen	4 m run	3 m run or cross	2 m run	Rest	Rest	Dallas Rock n' Roll Half Marathon 3/14/10

Check out halhigdon.com for more training plans!
Happy Running!

Let's try this again....

2010-01-22T22:05:00.000-08:00

So I've been trying to rest up and let my shin splints heal... I work at a gym (Anytime Fitness, to be specific) and I've been talking to our trainers as well. One trainer showed me a good stretch/tension to put on my calves/shins using a foam roller. I've been taping them too (yep, I've been doing it myself.) I looked up some athletic trainer videos online on how to properly tape your calves/shins..... which may or may not have been a good idea, but I did it anyway. Our male trainer said it looked okay. I may look into seeing a Doctor specializing in sports injuries, per recommendation from our female trainer. They may be able to help me from continuously getting shin splints, since I seem to get them so easily.

I've been icing them quite a bit and cross training using low impact cardio. So I wanted to try running today... for some reason I feel like treadmills are what gave me shin splints. I know cement on streets/sidewalks is a harsher surface, but I've never gotten them this quickly before now. This time around, I was strictly running on treadmills for about 2 weeks, so I feel that had to be it. My running partner & I ran our 4 mi today instead of using other cardio to replace running, and we ran it OUTSIDE. It felt AH-MAZING. I've had the running itch for the past week & a half... so this was awesome. The run, surprisingly, wasn't that difficult either. I thought for sure it'd be a hard run after my rest period. I tried to run on grass when I could and only run on the street when I had to & that seemed to help. The pain in my shin was a little noticeable, but it definitely didn't get any worse. I take that as a good sign. I'll continue to ice it, take ibuprofen and run on surfaces that aren't too harsh. I may look into seeing a specialist in sports injuries.

Tomorrow is a rest day, we switched a couple days in our training plan this week. And Sunday is our long run as usual, 6 miles here we come!

A quote I found that I really liked.....for anyone who's THINKING about whether they can be a runner or not, read this!
"If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now. Don't spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it."
-Priscilla Welch ( And no, I have NO idea who Priscilla Welch is... haha)

Happy Running!
Jen

2010-01-17T21:53:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics from the 5K Run I directed with my co-worker (as mentioned in my profile).
The Run For Your Life 5K Run/Walk benefited the American Cancer Society/Relay for Life. We managed to raise nearly $4,000 to contribute to this wonderful cause!

To the right: Just some of our AWESOME volunteer crew. We could not have done any of it without their help.

Race Directors with 2 lovely ladies from ACS. They were a HUGE help.

Check out our awesome t-shirts too!!

Here are some more pictures of the runners mid-race if you'd like to look: Run For Your Life - Runner Pics.

The Infamous Shin Splints

2010-01-17T21:28:00.000-08:00

Problem #1 of Dallas Rock & Roll 1/2 Marathon Training:
The Infamous Shin Splints
Infamous: having an extremely bad reputation; deserving of or causing an evil reputation. <-- sounds about right, doesn't it?

If you've ever ran in your life you've probably gotten shin splints. For some reason, I get them more easily than most. I've gone to professional running shoe stores, they've looked at my pronation, I have the right shoes with the right amount of cushion, I don't think I increased my mileage too quickly, I haven't been running on cement....
See my problem?

Like I said, I've dealt with them before so I've read up on what your supposed to do to treat them. And now that they've decided to make another appearance...so continues my research. Oh how I wish there was a "magic cure."
Here's what I've done this time around:

wrap with ace bandage (per instructions i found online)
purchased training tape - haven't used yet. found a "how to" video online showing how to properly wrap.
ibuprofen
ice pack
elevate while icing
stretttttch

As of now, I'm sitting on my couch icing my elevated leg. I haven't run since... last Thurs? I was supposed to run 3.5 mi last Thurs & only could run 1 mi before I had to stop. I've been crosstraining since then. Today was supposed to be my long run, 5 mi. Didn't run... but did go to the gym and do 5 mi worth of cardio on an elliptical & bike. All of the "research" I've read says to keep training, just don't run... give yourself time to heal. Blahblahblah... I've got the itch to run!! There's nothing worse than WANTING to go out for my 5 mi run & not be able to.

I found mayoclinic.com to be one of the most helpful sites, especially when it comes to prevention. Thought I might share my new knowledge with you....
Prevention:

Choose the right shoes. Wear footwear that suits your sport. If you're a runner, replace your shoes about every 350 to 500 miles.
Consider arch supports. Arch supports can help prevent the pain of shin splints, especially if you have flat arches.
Lessen the impact. Cross-train with a sport that places less impact on your shins, such as swimming, walking or biking. Remember to start new activities slowly. Increase time and intensity gradually.
Add strength training to your workout. To strengthen your shins, try toe raises. Stand up. Slowly rise up on your toes, then slowly lower your heels to the floor. Repeat 10 times. When this becomes easy, do the exercise holding progressively heavier weights. Leg presses and other exercises for your lower legs can be helpful, too.

It's also important to know when to rest; at the first sign of shin pain, take a break.
They also have great info. on treatments, causes, etc. For more info., check out MayoClinic - Shin Splints

I'm definitely open to tips on a quick recovery. In the meantime, I'll be here... trying to get these stupid things to heal. Tomorrow is a stretch & strengthen day, so another day of rest will be good. Tuesday I'm back to running... so we'll see how I feel then.

I'll be posting my training schedule soon too; another effort to keep myself accountable.
Back soon!

Get Inspired

2010-01-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

These are some good running books I recommend to any level runner, incl. non-runners:

Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner
By Dean Karnazes

This book was truly inspiring. It explains Dean's journey from non-runner to ultra-marathoner. His journey was amazing and fascinating to read about. A definite must-read for ANY level runner. I even recommend this book to non-runners.

Marathoning for Mortals - "A Regular Person's Guide to the Joy of Running or Walking a Half-Marathon or Marathon."
By John "The Penguin" Bingham & Coach Jenny Hadfield

The books provides a great mix of advice - anything from training plans, what to eat, what to drink, energy gels, running shoes, etc. It's a great tool to jump start a beginner's running program. I know it was helpful for me.

These 2 books specifically really helped motivate & educate me. When I first started training, there was a lot I didn't know and the second book especially helped with tips & advice for beginning runners. The authors of "Marathoning for Mortals" are from Runner's World.
I got the following book for Christmas, it's next on my "To Read" list.

My Life on the Run - "The Wit, Wisdom, & Insights of a Road Racing Icon."
By Bart Yasso

I almost got to meet him too - a local marathon called "Spirit of Survival" invited Mr Yasso to a luncheon in which he spoke and I wasn't able to make it.

I'll be sure to let you know what I think when I complete this book.

More to come.
Jen

Why Hello. Good to meet you.

2010-01-13T21:25:00.000-08:00

Let me introduce myself....

I've been running on and off for about 10 years, basically to stay active & healthy. My passion for running didn't really start growing until about a year ago. Some friends & family members of mine were running the Walt Disney World Marathon last January, I tracked their times & progress via the text msging the marathon had set up... I was so excited FOR them while they were running. I thought to myself... "Hey, I could do that." It actually sounded fun (running 26.2 miles sounds fun?! some of my family & friends thought I was craaaazy). What an amazing accomplishment that would be!

Well I spoke to a friend about his experience with running marathons, got some tips, researched training plans and finally chose one from runnersworld.com. I started training and all was going pretty well. Late August I started not feeling well and wasn't able to run for the entire last week of August...the Dr's couldn't really figure out what was wrong for about a week. Long story short, after tons of tests, pain meds, multiple Dr's. They finally figured out I had shingles....Shingles?!? Really?? I'm not 83, what 25 yr old gets shingles?! If you're not familiar with Shingles - here's an explanation (thx to shinglesinfo.com): Shingles is a disease which can cause a painful rash- it is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. If you’ve had chickenpox, the virus can live, but remain inactive, in your body for many years. If it becomes active again — usually later in life — the chickenpox virus can give you Shingles.

Shingles, is without a doubt, the most painful thing I have ever experienced in my life. Each Shingles case can vary in severity, mine was pretty severe. My rash appeared on the left side of my face, scalp, & partially into my eye. At one point, I couldn't see of out my eye. It was constant, throbbing and stabbing pain. I also experienced Allodynia (pain from a source that would not normally cause pain — such as pain from a slight breeze over the skin or the touch of clothing on the skin). It took over a month for the actual pain to go away, then it was still sensitive to touch for awhile, then as it started to heal it was extremely itchy. I still get pangs of pain from time to time, not very severe, some days worse than others. Shingles CAN come back, but is supposedly rare. They don't actually know what caused it. It could be many things; stress, weakened immune system, certain meds, or the virus can just "wake up" when it wants to for no reason at all.... which they're thinking was my case. I wasn't really under an unusual amount of stress, I wasn't sick prior to the Shingles...etc. My ONLY guess was that I was training for the Chicago Marathon so my body was being put under a lot of physical stress but...... I don't like to stick to that conclusion. I won't let Shingles get me down again.

Moral of the story: I obviously couldn't run the marathon, considering I was still healing from Shingles. Running was out of the question from Day 1. A slight breeze brought on excruciating pain, so running was certainly not an option. I was NOT happy about that, all the time & effort I put in didn't get to see an end result.

This post was not meant to be a sob story, I just wanted you to see how I got to where I am today. I began running again & searching for a nearby half or full marathon. I'm originally from Northern Illinois, hence the Chicago Marathon, but I now live in Oklahoma. My husband is in the US Army & is stationed at Ft. Sill. My searching brought me to the Dallas Rock & Roll Half Marathon....what a perfect transition back into my long term goal of running a marathon! I've heard good things about the Rock & Roll Half&Marathons. A friend & I are now officially registered for it. It's nice to have a training partner (even tho we don't run at the same speed, I'm a little slower). I didn't have a training partner in the same town last time, so this is a great way to be held accountable. My previous marathon training brought me to about 13 or 14 miles, so I know I can run a Half. I'm just excited for the race experience itself! I can't WAIT!

You'll get to hear about my experiences along the way, but I'll also try to post things I learn throughout my training, tips I get from other runners & info that I think may be helpful for other new runners.

Thx for reading!
Back soon!

Aw man, I'm a n00b?!?!

2010-01-11T22:30:00.000-08:00

You'll have to forgive me... I just got this bad boy up and running tonight. I'm still figuring out how blogger.com works....

Any helpful tips would be greatly appreciated.

Entertainment to arrive shortly.