random thoughts

this movie looks terrific and totally inspiring...


Hood To Coast Movie Trailer #2 for Race Website from HoodToCoastMovie on Vimeo.

as 2010 comes to a close...i can't help but be thankful

for the many blessings God has given me...

for family and friends.

and for the ability to run.

and i've been running alot.

and it feels awesome.

finally back up to 40 miles a week

and have been doing strength/core work twice a week.

i've started running with a group in the mornings

which has been really fun.

ended up the year with 1345.24 miles

that is alot of miles

especially since i really didn't run until march

due to my plantar fasciitis at the beginning of the year.

i'll be back tmr with some thoughts/goals for the new year.

yesterdays run:  6.03mi./ 54:03/ avgHR 167/ avg. 8:57



'tis the season

lots of rain happening here.

crazy amounts.

finished shopping.

this is going to be a barbie/army christmas.

the wrapping has started.

drinking lots of coffee to keep warm.

pumpkin spice creamer = love

celebrated christmas with my parents monday night

very fun.

traditional saurkraut & kielbasa for dinner

(kids had sloppy joes)

opened gifts

shannon played barbies

boys ran around the house with their nerf guns

talked

apple pie & ice cream

watched miracle on 34th street

the kids loved it

nice, quiet evening with grandma & grandpa

break in the rain yesterday

went to riverpark to walk around

and looked at lights & decorations

in n out burger for dinner

woke up ready to run

pouring rain/still dark

i think i'll wait til its light out

and then go : )

btw...vanilla gingerbread Gu...thumbs up!  very yummy

yesterday's run:   8.58mi / 1:18:10/ avgHR 161/ avg. 9:06

finally....
things are slowing down.
school is finished. yay!
(got A's in both classes)
time for a needed break.  next semester its organic chemistry and statistics.

the kids are on vacation after today, and so is rich.  two weeks to enjoy and just relax, play and run :)  maybe we'll hit the snow.  i would love to try snowshoeing.
been running 4-5 days a week and doing my strength/core work twice a week.  i ran with the 5 a.m. group from sierra challenge express yesterday morning. very fun to run with such a large group of people, eventhough i was bringin up the rear.  these are some fast people. the weather has been foggy in the mornings with a light mist, so its even more beautiful to run by headlamp.

the tree is up. and we lucked out this year. got an 11 ft flocked tree. and it is gorgeous!  i put the lights on it, and the kids added all the ornaments.  my friend, kristina, bought me a special ornament with 26.2 on it to commemorate the year i ran my first marathon.  such a thoughtful gift. love it.  we've been enjoying the tree by playing lots of board games while laying in front of it with a crackling fire in the background.

i've been building back up my mileage. this week i will be up to 35 miles, and next week up to 40 or so. i plan to keep running with the group on tuesday/thursday mornings, and maybe sundays for my long run.   

looking forward to the weekend, my sister is coming for a visit and just want to enjoy the time we spend together.  want to soak in all the time with her and the kids and really enjoy and relish in time spent with family.  we have a craft for the kids planned and then roasting marshmallows in the fireplace and making smores.  its supposed to rain, so this will be fun. 

i'll be back soon to update.

things are CRAZY busy right now :)

lots of end of the semester assignments

and finals are coming up next week.

but i'm running...

started back on weight watchers...

and am wondering when i will have time

to christmas shop :)

here's another picture from the marathon

i stole it from my sister's blog. (thanks lisa!)

jump 4 joy!!



outtake from our christmas card photo shoot :)

 this is what i feel like inside :)
finally...the fog has lifted.
i feel like i'm finally back to my normal self after the marathon.
the motivation is back...and i'm ready to go.
been thinking lots about my goals & new challenges (running-wise) i'd like to pursue this next year.
* i need to run another marathon. i want redemption...i know i can do better.
   i've been marathon shopping, and a few have caught my eye.  but my plan is to run CIM next december.

* i want to do some trail runs. pinnacle training systems is putting on a trail series near here, lake hensley. it features both mountain biking and trail running.  i would love to do the 10k trail run....maybe even the duathlon (1mi run, 4mi bike, 1 mi run) 

*i want to race some shorter stuff.  i have yet to run a 5k...must do that. 

* i want to build up my base of miles.  i want to keep my average weekly mileage about 45-50 miles.

* i want to run some half marathons.

* i want to improve my core/leg strength.  that means incorporating more weight/strength training.

so...
i'm planning on doing a trail run...jan 23, feb 6, or feb 20
feb. 19th....local 5k...judicata run
april 23...shinzen run/walk 5 mi race
may 22nd...fresno classic half marathon
june 19th..father's day run 6 mi run
july 4th...fourth of july run 4 mile
sept...smokey bear 10k
nov...two cities half marathon
dec...CIM

that is my plan.
here's to a new year filled with lots of running :)

10.15mi/ 1:42:16/ avgHR 156/ avg pace 10:04
longest run since the marathon. ran with kristina...nice and easy :)

a little hail and a whole lot of happiness

i've really been getting the urge the last couple days to run long.

its been 2 weeks since the marathon.

and boy, have i missed running.

i love that "urge", that feeling, to run...

its a great feeling...

the anticipation...

i was so excited when i woke up this morning to go run.

planned on going slow.

just enjoying the run.

all 12 miles of it.

set out this morning at 7 with my tunes

within ten minutes it was drizzling.

no big deal.

wore my new rain jacket,

had my gloves & hat on

no problem.

then it was pouring...loved it :)

i was only about 3 miles into my run

huge lightening lit up the sky.

rain...i like

lightening...i don't

turned around and headed home.

a little bummed,

but i was sloshing in the rain

so i could only smile.

the raindrops were huge...

and then they turned into hail

little hail ball were falling all round me.

and i just laughed.

made it back home

and was soaked,

but i was happy :)

not the 12 miles i was hoping for,

but any day i get to run is a good day.

5.41mi/ 52:51/avgHR 164/ avg. pace 9:45

back on track...hopefully.

i ran today.

actually i ran 6 mi last sunday.

but i think i overdid it...

i came home hobbling...

wasn't sure if it was my shoes,

or if i still wasn't recovered.

but i've been resting since sunday,

and today went for an EASY 3 miles.

it felt pretty good.

so nice to be out running again.

i also followed it up with alot of stretching

and some core/leg work.

i've been lamenting the retirement

of my favorite shoes...

nike pegasus 26's.

after running the marathon

they were about at their top mileage.

i have a pair of the pegasus 27's,

but i'm not too fond of them.

they are not as cushioned as the 26's.

i thought about venturing out

and finding another brand that feels good

but...i'm a creature of habit :)

so i've been scouring the internet

and finally found a pair

in size 10

so i ordered them :)

makes me so happy!!

i will be back running in cushioned bliss next week.



just like you were there...mile 18

post marathon blues.

yep, i've got 'em.

i think its partly because i don't have a training plan or a race picked out to train for,

but also that the marathon didn't turn out how i wanted.

my mind is ready to run, but my body says otherwise.

so, what to do?

i guess i need to figure something out.

i'm still a little sore...mostly in my quads.

but that is finally subsiding a little bit today.

i think i'll be ready for a run by the weekend.

just an easy one.

maybe i should sign up for the turkey trot?

or maybe not...

maybe i'll just run...to run.

two cities race report

picture lisa took @ mile 18




The Good

i finished!

i'm a marathoner!
chip time 4:30:06

gun time 4:30:35

409/741 total

142/299 females

26/56 30-39 age grp

avg. 10:19 pace

splits:
10k 57:34 (9:17)
1/2M 1:07:16 (9:45)
20mile 1:09:44 (10:06)
10K 1:15:29 (12:10)
time back 1:29:46
not sure what time back is??

so i guess if you add
those first two...
then that is my
half marathon time
2:04:50 *new PR

The Bad

Since i got sick on wednesday
i had been downing tons of vitamins, airborne, inhalers,
afrin, sudafed, tylenol & doing nasal rinses.
i was really congested and my breathing was not normal.
i just prayed it would get better by sunday.
had a great night's sleep on friday-9 hours.
dranks tons of water and continued carbo-loading.
sat night...didn't sleep great...took afrin before bed..kept waking up.
sun morning up at 5...got dressed...ate...and debated about taking any meds...
and if i decided to take any...which ones.
i was really worried that any of them would raise my heart rate,
but i was pretty congested and couldn't breath great anyway.
decided to take my inhaler and the afrin.

left the house at 6:10...drove down the street to pick up my neighbor Kristina who was running the half.
not much traffic out...got there pretty fast...parked and walked over to the start.
headed over to the portapotties.
there were so many potties, and no line.


about mile 2



walked around a bit to see if there was anyone i knew

and stretched a little bit.

went potty again...just to be safe.

then got in my corral...

talked with another gal who was also runnning alone until the start.

kept telling myself to go SLOW.

i didn't know how my breathing would be..

told myself to keep it about 9:30 or so.

i had already given up on my "a" goal when i got sick

my "b" goal was to go sub 4...



and realistically wasn't too sure about that either.

i found a 4 hr pace band that had time allotted for 2 warm up miles around 9:30

so i went with that thinking i'll start slow and if i feel good..i'll speed up

well, right off the bat my HR was high...160's...not good

(usually is in the 140's for the first mile and

 then stays pretty constant in the low 150's)

(on my 22 mi long run....i ran 22 miles @9:30avg pace @avgHR152)



about mile 4



i should have known right then...to slow down...

but in my head i kept thinking about my 22 mile run

and i didn't want to go slower than 9:30

i saw mom and dad at mile 1...waved to them

a little ways down were the hoffman's..

about mile 2 was rich and ryne

rich & ryne showed up again at mile 4

so nice to see everyone. gave me such a lift.

feeling ok at this point, but i knew my HR was high,

but foolishly, i thought it would come down.

 so we're running along this trail towards old town clovis.
about mile 5, i see drew's 2nd grade teacher.

old towne clovis- about mile 8

9:25, 9:07, 9:18, 9:16, 9:12 (miles 1-5)

got into old towne clovis and there were tons of people. lots of people cheering.
saw rich & ryne again about mile 8...
rich knew i was off my sub 4 pace and kept
asking if i was ok.
just kept saying yes...and smiling.
but deep down i knew.
HR was too high...still in the mid 160's.
(miles 5-10) 9:27, 9:24, 9:30, 9:32, 9:21

about mile 11

i'm still smiling, trying to get my breathing under control.
there was a girl in pink that i was runnning with in the beginning
and her and i were staying close to one another...
i just kept telling myself to stay with her.
i remember getting to the halfway and they were calling times.
2:04...is what i thought i heard.  i was thinking ok...
just keep this pace and you'll come in with a respectable time
about mile 14.5 i hear tons of cheering...
my sister, Lisa, her husband, Chris, their kids, my sister, Ally, and her kids, and my mom were all there cheering for me. so exciting!!
(miles 11-15) 9:35, 9:27, 9:38, 9:35, 9:33

mile 16 is where you round the corner and head down a long stretch of road called friant.  it seems to go on forever. and this is when my ipod died.


The Ugly

about mile 18...everyone was there again...rich & ryne, shannon, drew, chris, mr. & mrs. sly, jeff and katie, all the kids, and lisa is running at me with her camera. she got a great picture of me. the last one that i was probably smiling in. because after that...the wheels started to come off.  i remember looking down at my watch and looking at my HR still in the mid 160's...and thinking that it's been over 3 hours with my HR that high.

about mile 20 is when i saw the 4 hour pacer on the other side of the road. and not long after the 4:15 pacer came up behind me..i thought to myself...try and keep up with him...but nope. no way.

about mile 13



(miles 16-21) 9:47, 9:52, 10:20, 10:57, 10:40, 10:33

from mile 21 on was pretty much miserable.  i walked for a minute and then would try to run again. my legs were just tightening up...my heart rate had dropped alot...was in the 150's now.  i had followed my hydration/fueling plan, no problems. taken all my gu's and my salt tabs, and i was drinking tons.  i just kept at it. even if i walked...i tried to do it fast. and 21 is when the hill started.  it is a gradual hill that lasts for about 2 miles. pretty much power walked up the hill.  at mile 23 my HR was down into the 140's. just kept doing the run/walk thing.  kept telling myself, if i keep walking...its just gonna take longer. and i kept thinking...don't let the 4:30 pacer pass you.  make it in under 4:30!  everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. at about mile 25 i hear someone calling my name.  it was my friend, kristina...she came to find out where i was.  she saw the 4:15 pacer come in and worried about where i was.  she grabbed my hand and tried to get me to run.  i did for a minute or so...and then said i couldn't....she walked with me that last mile holding my hand the whole way, until i got to the chute. and she told me to run up the chute, so i pretty much mustered up everything i had and ran that last .2 and as i started to run i saw the 4:30 pacer pass me. bummer.

(miles 22-26) 11:35, 11:23, 11:53, 13:07, 13:55

running up the chute

saw mark and kym and connor cheering for me,

then i saw rich, ryne, shan, & drew.

and finally...i crossed the finish line.

after that the only thing i could think about was finding a place to sit down.  i got my medal, sweatshirt and then stood in line for breakfast of scrambled eggs, potatoes, fruit, & sausage.  couldn't stomach eating any of it. tried a bite of the scrambled eggs and almost threw up.  then i saw kristina again and she told me to sit down...so we sat, and she called rich and told him where we were.  she went and got us our ice cream/brownie sundaes.  they tasted SO good.  chatted with everyone at the end.  rich kept saying i looked as white as a ghost, and i was freezing, so my lips were nice and blue.

we left pretty quickly. walked out of the park and across the street to the cars.  the kids wanted to come with kristina and i, so we meandered over to where we thought the car was...and rich found his car.  kristina and i could not remember where we had parked the car...there were so many buildings over there and TONS of cars. so we called rich and had him come back to look for the car.  he found it in two minutes, and we were all on our way home.



almost to the finish line



got home, dranks tons of water and had a nice warm shower.

rich ordered pizza and waited on me :)  such a great guy. totally took care of me.

ready to rest for a few days...but i'm sure by the end of the week i'll be running again.

haven't decided on my next race yet...but i'll let you know.

i'll be fighting tomorrow.

don't know if i'll be able to sleep tonight.

in less than 12 hours i will be at the starting line for my first marathon.

kinda scared, but really excited.

can't wait to get out there and run.

a look back...

marathon training officially began june 28th

19 weeks long.

ran 795.24 miles.

i completed 89 runs during training.

lots of runs in the early morning hours and the dark.

not to mention the 2+ hours every sunday.

(thanks katie for being my pit crew on several of those sundays!)

just thinking about 26.2 miles

made me break out in a cold sweat and caused my heart to race,

but my training has given me the confidence that i can do it.

i started with a long run of 12 miles

and ended up running two 20 milers and one 22 miler.

my first week of training i ran 37.9 miles

my highest week was 55.47 miles.

in july i ran 160.89mi

in august...191.39mi

in sept...200.75mi

in oct 203.71mi

finally (thanks tony) figured out

my fueling/hydration plan.

7.4.10...     12.36mi/  2:07:27/  avgHR 151/  avg pace 10:18

10.10.10...  12.48mi/  1:59:22mi/  avgHR 151/  avg pace 9:33

HUGE IMPROVEMENT!!!

ran a 10k in 50:55 and took 3rd in my age group.

so many changes,

so many milestones.

i am a different person

than i was 4 months ago.

i am so grateful for

the support of my family & friends

through this journey.

thanks for coming with me on my runs,

for listening to my constant babbling about times, & runs, & pace predictions,

for checking up on me during & after my runs,

for refilling my gatorade and giving me a mental boost,

for understanding when i had to get up at 4:30a.m. to go for my long run,

for calming me down when i get stressed out,

for the countless amounts of cheerleading

and

for endless amounts of love.

i am SO grateful.

love you all!!

update: still taking tons of vitamins, airborne, and doing the sinus rinse.   throat is a little sore, but i think it may be just the postnasal drip from the Afrin i took.  head is still a little stuffy.  drinking tons of water and resting today.  hoping for the best :)

just what i needed to hear...

Be Strong and Courageous
Thursday, November 4th, 2010

READY:

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
-Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

SET:
The Israelites had just lost their leader Moses. It had fallen to his second-in-command to take over. Joshua had led before, but never had he been THE man. And on top of that, he was replacing a legendary figure. The expectations would be enormous. Joshua had to have been terrified.

Sometimes we find ourselves in over our heads. Fresh out of seminary, I applied for my first campus ministry position expecting to be an associate campus minister. Well into the interviewing process, I was informed that I had been misinformed. If I were hired, I would be THE campus minister. With no real experience and no other offers looming, I accepted the position. I was terrified. Yet, I remained in that position for over 20 years.
Four years ago, I was called to a new ministry in a place where I knew no one and had the challenge of taking over a ministry struggling to survive financially. On top of that, during the first semester nearly 200 students became involved. Being the lone staff, I was overwhelmed.

What I discovered in both situations is what Joshua discovered--God goes with us wherever we go. He does not abandon us, and He helps us to overcome the challenges that confront us. With the Almighty God with us, we have every reason to be strong and courageous.

Today, whatever challenges you may be facing or that are looming just over the horizon, do not be afraid. The Lord will remain by your side.



This was in my mailbox this morning...love how god reassures me :)

so my sore throat is gone and my breathing is better, but i've been sneezing and i'm a little stuffed up. i was supposed to have my last run this morning, but i was pretty much up all last night sneezing. i thought it best to stay in bed and rest.  maybe i'll do a couple miles tmr, maybe.

hoping this cold passes quickly.  gonna rest today.

all the kids are back at school and are on the mend.

the next three days are gonna be full of rest, water, and carbs :)

i got an email...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2010 Eye-Q Two Cities Marathon and Half Marathon
E-Confirmation & Bib Number Assignment Information
Below is your bib number assignment and race information.

Name: MacIver, Rachelle (F39)
Bib #: 1698
Race: Marathon Run

today...

so i'm a little bit calmer.

my breathing is better.

went for my run this morning and it felt good.

my throat is a little bit sore, but manageable.

getting excited.

trying to relax & rest.

checking weather.com often   high of 73, low of 51  :)

trying to visualize myself running and finishing strong.

psyching myself up...

knowing it will be hard at the end

knowing i will push through

knowing i will give it my all.

my last run before the marathon is tmr morning.

it's almost here  3 days  19 hours  31 minutes......

i'm...
anxious
restless
depressed
scatter-brained
feeling fat
worried
happy
excited
frustrated
confidant
overwhelmed
stressed.
all rolled into one.

i'm a mess.

6 days 21 hours...

the countdown has begun.
had my last "long run" this morning.
12 miles.
and to be honest,
it didn't feel that great.
my breathing has not be good.
the asthma/coughing has taken hold.
so my HR was higher while running.
12.10mi/ 1:55:29/ avg HR 156/ avg pace 9:32

drew's fever has finally broken,
after 6 days,
but shan is sick now.

i feel fine except for the breathing part.
but i am taking my inhalers...
and my vitamins...
and my airborne...
and praying my breathing gets better.

i have 3 short runs this week.
mon-rest
                                                                                tues-7 easy
                                                                                wed-5 mi. dress rehearsal...w/2 mi @MP
                                                                                thurs: 5 recovery
                                                                                fri-rest
                                                                                sat-rest/hit the expo
                                                                                sun-SHOW TIME

my goal this week is to REST, and get better :)

during the month of october i ran 203.71 miles a new PR/ 1206.34mi YTD

A letter to my support team...

As the support team for a Marathoner you are entering a very tricky period. Your Marathoner has been training hard through the summer and into the fall in preparation for the big day. The hard work is done and TAPER MADNESS is ahead.

Marathon training is a stair-step type process where muscles are broken down for several weeks and then an easier week is thrown in for recovery. Finally three weeks before the Marathon, one last long run is completed and it’s time for recovery. The last three weeks are a period of descending running mileage. This period allows the body to fully recover from the training and rest in preparation for the Big Day, this period is called the Taper.

This all sounds well and good, however, the Taper is a period of great anxiety for many Marathoners (first-timers and veterans alike). Over the course of training for a Marathon, an athlete becomes accustomed to running many miles each week and constantly feeling the rush of endorphin driven highs and the persistent fatigue and soreness of effort. The athlete becomes addicted to these emotions and craves both the highs and lows.

The Tapering Marathoner will be irritable, anxious, nervous, overly emotional, short-tempered, restless, tired, cranky, and depressed (even more than normal). Sounds like a great three weeks doesn’t it? It is not unlike the heroin addict going cold turkey. This is a span of time where most Marathoners go a bit crazy. For most it passes after Marathon day. Of course there are the post-marathon blues, but that’s the subject for another day.

The first week is not too bad. It’s really like most “easy weeks” following a twenty mile run. Recovery is critical and the mileage is not dropping by a large amount. They are so tired from the 50 mile week that the rest and recovery is welcomed. Do yourself a favor, block HYPERLINK "http://www.weather.com" www.weather.com and HYPERLINK "http://www.accuweather.com" www.accuweather.com from your internet service, unless you enjoy continuous updates of the weather forecast for 18 days in the future. Nerves may begin to fray but the best is yet to come – trust me!

During the first part of Taper Madness you will hear about every small ache and pain and how it may be a broken leg or torn ligament or some other traumatic injury. Every twinge becomes a reason to think about postponing the marathon effort. Every sneeze, sniffle, cough or pimple becomes a life-threatening virus or infection. Tight hammies, inflamed ITB, tweaked Achilles, plantar fascitis, black toenails, bloody nipples, chafing, and this is just during breakfast.

The second week starts the deep depression. The tapering Marathoner starts to really miss running. There are no more double-digit runs before the marathon. The longest run for the next two weeks will be 8 miles. Just 8 miles, how many used “just” and “8 miles” in the same sentence prior to training for the marathon. The body is really starting to recover and therefore has more energy than needed. Therefore, the Marathoner becomes restless. No “extra” running is allowed. The tapering Marathoner can feel the fitness draining out of their body. Ask them, they will tell you, they are getting slower every day! This is not happening but the feelings are real. Physiologically, there is nothing but positives from a 3 week taper prior to running a marathon, however, it feels quite the opposite. This restlessness often becomes frustration and a very short-tempered athlete. Understand that this frustration will be projected at anyone and everyone within reach. It’s nothing personal; it’s the lack of mileage talking.

So it’s now six or seven days before the Marathon. The last 8 mile run is done and all that’s left is 3 easy short runs and the BIG EVENT. For the first time Marathoner and some experienced folk, this week is nothing but self-doubt and worry. “I’ll never make it. My foot hurts. My nose is running. I’m not ready. My last 20 miler sucked, I’ll die out there. I’m getting fat and slow. My shoes are dead, my shoes are too small, my shoes are too big, My legs are different lengths, my head hurts, I have a splinter, I have a hang nail, I hate running.” These are some of the things going through the mind of a Marathoner in their last few days before the Marathon. Not to mention the nervous energy that is overflowing. Not to mention that there may be a couple of extra pounds after cutting back on the running for 3 weeks. Not to mention that the trips to the bathroom are increasing geometrically as the hydration dance starts in earnest. Many find concentrating on anything other than the upcoming race difficult. By the way, Marathoners in the final days before a race often make poor babysitters.

Two nights before the marathon are critical to the marathoner. This night is probably the last chance for a good nights sleep. The night before is typically restless and worrisome (what if the alarm doesn’t go off). A sleepless night preceding a marathon will not have a dramatic impact on chances for success. Adrenaline will offset missing that night’s sleep and get the Marathoner through the race. The morning of the marathon is all about getting some food, using the bathroom and getting to the race. My suggestion, don’t get in the way.

I am sure your marathoner appreciates all the support they have received during the training program. The last few weeks are critical to a successful marathon effort. Please understand that the emotional wreck will disappear after the marathon. The Taper can be especially difficult and frustrating for everyone. The good news, it ends with the race.

I hope this sheds some light on TAPER MADNESS. Sometimes insight makes things a bit easier to understand. Of course, your experience may differ greatly but I’ll bet it doesn't.

hope this clears up why i have been acting the way i have....
found this letter on a blog i read often, and it definitely applies :P

so i've been feeling like i'm about to go crazy...drew is sick, and i mean sick. he has been runnning a fever since monday, so i will be taking him to the dr's today.

but in the mean time, i have been trying to keep my distance as much as i can, while still giving him loves. i think i have used a whole bottle of hand sanitizer already. i'm downing vitamins, resting, washing hands, taking airborne, resting, washing hands, running, resting, studying, praying i don't get sick, resting, trying not to eat, resting, drinking lots of water, praying i don't get sick & resting. all of this added to my worries about the marathon.

but this morning i sat down, took a bunch of deep breaths...and prayed.

prayed that god would give me peace & take away my worries, and keep me healthy.

i am choosing to be confident & rest in HIM. i am not alone in this battle. HE is right by my side, with me every step of the way.  this has been a long journey...and however it ends, it is to bring HIM glory.  this journey would not have been possible without HIM. HE is my strength.   from the weight loss, to the injury & recovery at the beginning of the year, to ramping up my mileage in such a short time, to completing a really challenging training plan, to making huge improvements, to giving me the opportunity to meet new people, and cheerlead for some.   through all of this, i hope that i have been "a light" for Christ.  "let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matt. 5:16)   HE deserves all the praise & glory.  i will rest in HIM.  my confidence lies in CHRIST.

check out this recording of "my hope is found".  so amazing!

this mornings run:  6.92 mi/ 1:05:10/ avgHR 153/ avg pace 9:24

still so hard

why is it still so hard...

 after all this time...

and after losing all this weight...

why is it so hard to not eat junk food?

you'd think it would be second nature by now,

that i would have lost my craving

or something...

that it would have gotten easier.

but no.

it's still

SO

VERY

VERY

hard.

yeah...i was bad today.

after my run this morning,

the kids wanted donuts...

so i had one...

you know..carbo-load after my run..

high glycemic carbs to replace my lost glycogen :P

then i had some fruit, an apple & a banana

then i had a bowl of honey-nut cheerios,

a piece of ham...

lots of water,

and because we worked around the house all day,

and i didn't feel like cooking,

we went to mcdonalds for dinner.

yep...i ate mcdonalds.

i can't believe it.

its been months since i've had mcdonalds.

(the fries tasted SO good though :)

well...that is my confession.

and it seems like once i start eating the junk

it's really hard to stop.

i will be back on the wagon tomorrow.

and because tmr is a rest day...

so no running...

i had an idea.

my strategy...

everytime i walk into the kitchen

and open the cabinets or refridge...

i will guzzle some water and

do 10 push-ups.

maybe that will stop me :)

long run this morning.

16.09mi/ 2:36:11/ avgHR 151/ avg pace 9:42

43.98mi this past week

1173.51mi YTD

only 32 miles planned this week.

i need to keep busy.

a reminder...

 

Friday, October 22nd, 2010
Who is running with you?

READY:

“…God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
-Hebrews 13:5b

SET:
Recently, I was serving as a course marshal for my school's cross country meet. That basically meant that I stood at a certain place and made sure the runners went the right direction. The high school students had to make three laps, so I saw all of them three times.

One particular runner was fourth-from-last on the first lap. On the second lap, he was last, and I thought there was no way he would even finish. He was struggling to breathe with each step he took. On the final lap, as he approached me, a man from the sidelines joined him and completed the race with him. The man was definitely not dressed to run as he was in street clothes, yet he stayed with the runner to the end. Perhaps without the man running beside him, this runner might not have finished.

After the race was complete, I saw the man and asked if he was the coach. He said, “No, I am his father." As I reflected on his comments, I thought, "What a great example of what my heavenly Father does for me." When I am gasping for breath, struggling with each step, my Father is running with me to encourage me each step of the way.
GO:
1. In life, do you ever feel like this runner?
2. Do you believe that God is with you at all times?
3. Do you have Christian brothers and sisters in your life who can encourage you in tough times? If so, how does that help you realize God’s presence in your life?
4. How can you encourage someone today who is struggling?
WORKOUT:
Exodus 17:8-16
Psalm 86:15
1 Thessalonians 5:11

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dona Banks became a Christian at FCA Camp in high school. She has served as an FCA Camp Huddle Leader and staff for more than 20 years.

Now it's your Turn. Write your own FCA Devotional. . . Go to www.fca.org and click the "Submit your own FCA devo! " link on the right side.
For more information about FCA please visit FCA.org.

I get these devotionals in my inbox every morning...love them and wanted to share :)
Today was a rest day,
stats from yesterday:  9.59mi/ 1:25:25/ avgHR 158/avg pace 8:54

on my mind...

1.  i found a new chafing spot on sunday after my run...the insides of my knees.  didn't think much of it. then yesterday while doing my intervals on the treadmill...i noticed the knees rubbing together.  have my massive thighs finally thinned out enough that they no longer rub...and now the rubbing has moved down to my knees??

2.  wore my new cute compression socks this morning for a test run, and i'm happy to report they are OSOM!

3.  trying to be extra careful with my diet. making sure not to eat junk, but give my body only healthy fuel that it loves :)

4. "Stepping outside the comfort zone is the price I pay to find out how good I can be. If I planned on backing off every time running got difficult I would hang up my shoes and take up knitting."
-Desiree Davila, marathoner and member of the Hansons-Brooks Original Distance Project

5.  trying to keep my mind busy, while resting my body.  taper has started, and it was really weird to only run four miles this morning.  school is getting busy; a chem test on friday, nutrition test next week, and a nutrition research paper due soon.

6.   had an awesome run yesterday. 8 mi total.  vo2max w.5x600m @2:40 (RI 1:30). warm-up miles...9:32,9:14,9:13,9:03,8:51...intervals 2:50(164),  2:41(168),  2:40(170),  2:39(172),  2:38(172)...1 mi cooldown.  the intervals were run at avg 7:00m/m pace.

7.  "The best pace is a suicide pace, and today is a good day to die."  -Pre

8.  last week i ran 55.47 mi.   that is a new weekly high for me :) 

9.  1129.53 mi year to date.

10.  thinking about upcoming races...

11.  does dedicated = crazy???

the hay is in the barn

so the saying goes..."the hay is in the barn", meaning that the meat & potatoes of my training is over. there really isn't anything more i can do...just rest and keep reminding my body how it feels to run.

i will still be running, but with a decrease in miles.  this will give my body a chance to rest and repair itself and be refreshed for race day.

my run today was amazing. it felt so good. my last & longest run of this training cycle, 22 miles.  my intent was to take this run super slow. and just really concentrate on my endurance and maximize time on my feet.  i was shooting to keep my pace about 10 minutes.  well, i didn't succeed.  i ended up running a little faster.  i really tried to keep it slow, especially the first half.  i'd catch myself speeding up and would slow it back down.  wanted to keep my heartrate super low.

i wanted to use this run to actually run the marathon course as closely as i could.  so i planned that i would just drive over to woodward park and leave my car there. i ran to old towne clovis and back, following the marthon route and then took the eaton trail all the way to the end and back, added in a couple extra miles around the park and that was it.  i got my second wind about mile 15, and wanted to fly, but didn't. i restrained myself.  but my legs felt strong and my spirits were great.  i took all four of my gels (two chocolate, 1 espresso, and a jet blackberry), and 4 salt tabs.  i ended up taking the salt tabs when i gu'd. covered in salt by the end and super happy.

here's the stats:

22.17 mi/ 3:31:25/ avgHR 152/ avg pace 9:32

9:41

9:49

9:45

9:37

9:33

9:31

9:34

9:43

9:46

9:47

9:05

9:32

9:18

9:27

9:39

9:13

9:32

9:35

9:33

9:23

9:27

9:24

1:31(9:08)

i am beyond excited!!! 20 more days :)

garmin says i burned 2600 calories, so i'm gonna go have a celebratory lunch full of carbs :)

race day attire

so here it is.

my marathon outfit.

i had really wanted to get a running skirt, but couldn't find one that fit right and so i decided i'd run in my comfy nike shorts. i may also have to sport some black gloves if the morning is really chilly. i remember last year is was about 40 degrees at the start. so they may be necessary :) tell me what you think?

i've also been studying the course map incessently. just trying to figure out where the water stops will be, and looks like they have TONS of porta-potties on the course, just in case :)  i tried to post the course map, but blogger is being mean :)  so here is the link. i ran this morning after the kids left for school, so i could soak up some sun, but didn't plan on it being so warm.  why is it 94 degrees in october?

stats: 11.16mi/1:44:57/avgHR 158/avg pace 9:24

planning.

 lots of preparation goes into running a marathon.

it started with

 the base-building period...

when i tried to figure out which training plan to use,

and built up my weekly miles.

the training itself...

18 weeks long.

the planning of routes to use for training runs

and where i would get water on those routes.

planning what to wear

 and what to bring with me

on each run,

 & what i'd need for fueling/hydration.

through all this planning i learned

what worked & what didn't.

this is especially important for long runs.

this is when i tried out how things would work

for marathon day.

the 20+ milers are the absolute test,

they are the runs that closely mimic the marathon,

in terms of time on feet and fueling/hydrating.

and let's not forget,
my favorite part of the preparation...
(thank you, Type A personality)
 all the planning/contemplating over my run stats.
should i change the next workout?
what pace should i run it at?
is this pace possible based on what i did last week?
i love to analyze everything.

as the race gets closer
(26 days)
and training is winding down,
(this is my last week of high mileage)
and my 3 week taper starts...
(next week)
planning the race has become my focus.
thinking about pacing strategies...
trying to figure out what my marathon pace will be...
do i go out fast?
do i go out slow?
wait to see how i feel?
do i run with a pace group? or not?
what are my goals?
are my goals attainable?
and what am i going to wear on marathon day?
which shoes?
i have to make sure everything feels right,
and i don't chafe.
and that i look cute :)

and you know what???
I LOVE ALL THE PLANNING.
love getting my ducks in a row.



source



"The body does not want you to do this.
As you run, it tells you to stop but the mind must be strong.
 You always go too far for your body.
You must handle the pain with strategy...It is not age; it is not diet.
It is the will to succeed. "


Jacqueline Gareau, 1980 Boston Marathon champ 

no show

woke up this am and my sore throat is back.

and my asthma has kicked in.

so i'm not gonna race.

i'm bummed.

but i think its best.

don't know if my body can take it

and i've been weighing the benefits from the race

vs. the cons.

and the cons outweigh the pros...

so i will sit this one out.

i am going to try to get out the door a little later

to do some of my long run miles

nice & SLOW.

today i've been resting and doing homework.

i went to bed early last night, feeling run down.

and woke up this morning with a little sore throat. 

but i've been resting all day and hopefully i'll be fine for tmr.

 staying positive.

i'm going to try out my marathon race shirt tomorrow and see how it feels.

so funny that my shirt is the middle blue color on the logo above. 

 race time is 7:45 and i'm getting excited. 

my goal for this race is to break 50:00. 

and after the race i will be running another 10 miles..to make 17 for the day :) 

update tmr.

 wish me luck :)

the dark

getting used to running in the dark has been a hard transition for me.

i don't really enjoy it.  my headlamp isn't the best, and i get freaked out running by myself in the pitch dark.

like yesterday...i had 12 miles on the schedule.  and i usually run my mid/week runs over on the trail a few miles from our house. the trail is usually super dark except in spots where it comes closer to the road and you can see the traffic lights.

well yesterday, it was cool, 55 degrees, and a little bit of fog. the light from my headlamp was bouncing off the fog and made it really hard to see and somewhat scarier than usual LOL.

i'm on the trail pretty much by myself (with peperspray in hand)...a handful of other runners with headlamps are out and of course there are always a couple "ninja" runners, which scare me half to death, cuz i never see them coming ( i guess that's why they are ninja)   :) 

my intention was to push the pace a little bit, which was no problem, cuz i had a little adrenaline rush going on with being a little freaked out in the dark. LOL   so yeah...i'm cruising along, trying to get in a zone & control my breathing...and out of the corner of my eye, to the left, i see someone. without thinking i get my pepperspray ready to shoot, and then i realize its my shadow.

i sorta half-laughed to myself...but i'm still freaked out at this point.  just keep running...i'm telling myself to keep going...its only about 50 minutes on the trail and i'm already about halfway.   at the turn around there seemed to be more lights...or maybe it was the stars or maybe i was just starting to lose it.

i see a couple people on bikes... and then i'm by myself again.  the trail starts to head around and behind this little hill...almost around and it happened again.  my shadow was there to scare me half to death.  but boy, i'm telling you...i'm so ready to shoot that pepperspray.  my breathing is through the roof at this point...CALM DOWN!  i can see the end of the trail about half mile in the distance and am so thankful. i head off  the trail and was so happy to be running in the glorious glow of the streetlights.

only 1 more midweek med/long run to go...

stats for yesterdays run:   12.39mi/ 1:52:50/ avgHR 156/avg. 9:06

                                       9:21,9:31,9:26, 9:01, 9:07, 9:03, 8:59, 8:49, 9:12,9:13,9:01,8:57,3:10(8:09)

                                       (highlighted miles are the trail miles :)

today was 5.5 recovery miles, nice and slow :)

only 7 more runs until taper...and only 18 more runs 'til the big day.  EEEEK!!!