Choking on Race Day

In school I knew the material (as long as it wasn't related to history) and could generally talk about it and do well.  Sit me down with a piece of paper and a pencil for a test and all the information disappeared and I'd generally do much worse than I should have on tests.

Race day is similar to test day.  I'm ready.  I've run the miles.  I'm relaxed and ready to go.  And then I toe the line and something happens, or to be correct - something doesn't happen.

Almost every distance I've run a race there has been a time prior to the race that I have had a faster and much better training run.  Not on purpose, but it happens for almost every distance.  The marathon is the exception because my longest run was definitely NOT 26.2 miles long.


So, with this weekend's race in a few short days I want to put this out there.  I am running 4 miles on Saturday morning.  It will be wonderful.  I've done the miles and I'm ready.  But, at some point on Saturday I will step up to the start line of the race and it will all go away.  It is me and I'm fine with it (this time).  Knowing what I do about me and racing I am hoping to hit 40 minutes for the race (10 min/mile).  It is a relatively small race (capped at ~750 people).  40 minutes.  40 minutes.

Last weekend I went out and ran 4 miles by feel.  I didn't look at my watch, though I did listen for the mile chimes so that I could stop it at the four mile mark.  I had an amazing run.  I only felt like I was working for the last 1/2 mile or so, and that 1/2 mile was right after an uphill I really don't like.

4 miles...most of it on a bike path

Imagine my surprise when I got home and downloaded the data from my garmin:

yeah, it's small but you can click on it for the deets 

Here's the part that really surprised me:

Does that say 9:19/mile????  SHOCKING!  And I felt great doing it.  I'm still hoping for 10/mi on Saturday regardless of what this 4 miles was like.

New Shoes!

It is a great day! I went shopping and found new running shoes.
I've run in the Asics GT 2100 series for about 6 years and now they give me blisters. I've tried all kinds of preventive things and nothing seems to work so off to Fleet Feet I went. I have new shoes to try out tomorrow. New brand, new weight, and very purple! (Purple isn't important to me but Punky approved of the shoes as any pink & purple loving 1st grader would.). I canNOT wait to go running tomorrow!!!

Putting on the Pounds

I have not been running outdoors this winter (despite the warm temps).  I have been fine with it and have put my miles in on my treadmill.  I found out a negative to all the indoor running this week:  putting on the pounds!

our small amount of snow

I'm happy to say that I haven't gained any weight, but Maddie has!  She had a bath on Monday and I was able to see some extra weight on her so I decided to skip the treadmill today and head outside.  The temp certainly helped.

52F!!  (Yes, it was only 61F inside when I got home...no sense in turning the heat up when no one is in the house)

Our 'normal' runs go like this:  Maddie "pulls" me for a mile, she runs next to me for a mile, I "pull" her for the last mile.  Well, today was not the norm.  She was ahead* of me for the first half mile and then dropped back and ran beside me.  By 1.5 miles she was lagging behind me and looking longingly at all the walkers.  Just past mile 2 we passed another runner (who was doing great, but stopped for a moment so we could run by) and Maddie spent the next .5 miles looking back wanting to run with the guy.

Maddie's splits:  10:22, 10:04, 8:08 (for a 9:50 equiv).  She may not have wanted to go, but she did manage some negative splits.

I was encouraging and went slower than our 'normal' runs and yet Maddie wasn't up for our normal.  We cut our run short at 2.8 miles.  I dried her off...those puddles make a dog's belly dirty...and made sure she had lots of water before I cleaned up.  Maddie has spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping.  

I think I need to take my fuzzy one on more runs so we can get back up to 3 miles without me feeling like I'm pulling Maddie along.  And, running will help Maddie drop those pounds she has put on this winter.

*I run with Maddie on a leash and pulling is not literal pulling, rather one of us leading the other.

I Changed My Mind

I had this great plan of not doing any longer races until next fall and I lasted all of 2 months.  I felt like I was spinning my wheels so I went and found myself a spring half marathon.  Not only did I find one, I'm registered and ready to go!

Well, not completely ready to go as my longest run in the past few months was yesterday at 8 miles.  Eight is a long way from 13.1, but I've got 14 weeks to get there!  I'll be running the Lake Placid Half Marathon in June.

According to their website, why pick this race?

The Lake Placid Marathon & Half was recently ranked by a Runner's World Magazine survey as the #2 "Best Destination" race in the United States!! (Runner's World Magazine, January 2010 Issue, page 71) The Lake Placid Marathon & Half Marathon is a high quality premier early season race held in the charming Olympic Village of Lake Placid, New York USA home of the 1932 & 1980 Winter Games.

Sounds good to me!  The downfall of this race is the hill "thing."

The most significant hills are near the ski jumps on Route 73 (once for the half marathon and twice for the full marathon) and leading up to the finish behind the Lake Placid High School (once for the half marathon and once for the full marathon). Each of these hills is approximately 3/10 of a mile long. Chuck Engles winning time of 2:34:39 from 2006 proves the course is reasonable and fair.

Um, time to find a hill to practice running on.

The most important thing:  I'm excited!!!  I will say it now:  I AM RUNNING THIS FOR FUN AND NOT FOR TIME.  I'll be happy with anything between 2:10 and 4 hrs.  (Yeah, that's quite a window but I dont' want to put any pressure on the fun I'm going to have.)

February by the Numbers

February was a month of 'let's get in a running groove' again.  I didn't quite accomplish getting back in a groove, but I did much better than December and January so for that I am thankful.

February Mileage:  69.7 miles (had I only known in February I was so close to 70...)

February Days Run:  18 (62%)

2012 Mileage:  120.4 (10% to my goal)

February races:  1 (Winter Marathon Relay)

The part I do not like about my February runs is that there was only one outdoors and that was a race.  It has been wonderfully warm (for winter) and I've been keeping myself to the treadmill.  I hope to change this in the coming months.

What Now?

Conversations I had over the weekend helped me to realize that I need to put some of my running goals on the back burner.  I hate to do it and I don't want to, but I need to.

Once upon a time is how I'd like to start this, but it isn't a cinderella story.  Not long after getting married, but before having kids I was diagnosed with Orthostatic Hypotension.  Huh, what?  Mayo Clinic says:

Orthostatic hypotension — also called postural hypotension — is a form of low blood pressure that happens when you stand up from sitting or lying down. Orthostatic hypotension can make you feel dizzy or lightheaded, and maybe even faint.

Orthostatic hypotension is often mild, lasting a few seconds to a few minutes after standing. 

The thing is that it only took numerous doctor visits and three specialists in different areas to diagnose.  It took a while to figure out how to maintain my blood pressure high enough so I wouldn't white out or faint when I stood up.  First there was medication then I altered my diet so I could do it without medication (eat more salt, eat more salt...and after over a decade I still have to remind myself daily to eat more salt).  I was fine for years and years.

Now, all of a sudden it's happening again.  Only it is happening not only when I change positions, but also when I run.  Talk about frustrating!  I had my blood work done to eliminate some medical-type-things that could be causing the light headedness.  I'm healthy with all my numbers in the normal range except vitamin-D.  So, now I'm taking vitamin-D.  I have a follow-up doctor appointment in March and I hope to figure out what is going on.

This doesn't affect my life all that much, but I don't want to push myself running (distance or speed) until I get some answers.  If last weekend's race is any indicator, I'm fine with a few miles, but once I start adding on more miles I have more troubles keeping my electrolytes level, which in turn allows my blood pressure to drop enough so I get light headed.  FRUSTRATING!!!  So, who knows what my running will be like this year.  Once I get some answers and stop getting light headed while I run then I'll get back to longer distances.

FWIW, I was fine running my 2 miles this morning on my squeaky treadmill.

Winter Marathon Relay, Year 3

Three years, three ladies and a lot of miles.  Last Sunday Amanda, Felice and I ran in the Winter Marathon Relay for the third year!  Just like 2011 and 2010 it was a lot of fun and worth every moment.  Unlike 2011, when it was 16F outside, it was warm (36F).  Unlike 2010 when we had 40 mph gusts stopping us in our tracks, there was only a light breeze to help cool me off.

Last year and this year there was a second relay team of runners that we know (well, Amanda and Felice run with the group from this year and I know them through an online running group).  We managed to get a group picture before the start of the race!

Notice the LACK OF SNOW in the pictures!  Grrrrrr.  I love running when it is dry and a little warmer (a.k.a. 40F), but we have had next to no snow this winter and it is a real bummer to me because I love snow.

I was able to snag the shortest leg of the race for the second year in a row.  Amanda took the first leg and Felice brought our team in strong.  Amanda (to the right) ran the 9.73 mile leg and then tagged me and I was off.  The first two miles were beautiful.  My breathing was great.  My body felt great.  The "hills" (the on-ramp to the circle) didn't even wind me.  It was glorious.  And then at the end of mile 3 I started feeling light headed.  I stopped at the water stop at the beginning of mile 4 and had a glass of water, recouped and tried to pick it up again.  It was hard going for miles 4 and 5.  I kept on moving though - I needed to finish so I could send Felice out.  I tried to pick it back up for the last half mile.

Amanda tagging me...off I go

I told Felice 54-55 minutes for my leg of the race (supposed to be 5.49 miles) and I finished 5.52 miles (according to my garmin) in 54:55 for an average of 9:37/mi.  I am happy with the first three miles (9:36, 9:36, 9:46), frustrated with the next two miles (10:31 and 10:37), and glad I could finish strong (.52 mi in 4:50 for an equiv of 9:22).  Despite being light headed and having a rough two miles, I'm happy with my time because I came in right when I told Felice I would be there.

DONE!

Felice had the longest leg of the race at 10.99 miles.  (Where did they come up with the distances 9.73, 5.49 and 10.99?)  She ran a good race and I am sure you'll find her race report interesting to read here.

Felice at the finish line

Our official time this year was 4:11:06!  We are all pleased with the time and cannot wait for round four.  Although, it has been said that I haven't run the long leg yet so next year I will probably be running last.

2012's Schedule is Floundering

Most of the blogs I read have put up 2012 race schedules or goals or something having to do with 2012 and exercise.  I have not for the simple reason that my 2012 schedule and goals are BLAH.  The goals aren't solidified.  They aren't different.  I don't know if they are really goals, just little things I want to do this year.  My problem is that I am a goal oriented person so without defined goals I feel like I'm just doing the motions and I don't like it when it comes to running.  I need to work on some good goals, both attainable and ones to strive for.

My race schedule is coming together.  It looks, to me, a lot different than the past years because I have no long distance races on it yet.  I do have a race planned every month but August.  I have never done a race every month before so I may go for it this year.  

This is what 2012 is looking like (dates are estimates):

• 1/8 Winter Series #3 (3 miles done!)
• 2/19 3-Person Marathon Relay (same relay team as the past two years, I have the 5.49 mile leg this year)
• 3/17 Runnin' of the Green, 4 miles (new race for me)
• 4/14 Annual Furry Fun Run/Walk, 5K, benefits the rescue we found our Maddie through (new race for me)
• 4/21 St. Peter's Keys, 5K (I have a time goal for this one, new race for me)
• 5/13 Mother's Day 5K (a maybe race, seems like lots of friends run this one, new race for me)
• 6/17 Mud Mania!, ~2.8 miles (I hope to get a group together for this one...Amanda???)
• 7/9 Pine Bush Triathlon, sprint distance (plan to see how my old mountain bike holds up, I don't know if I'll be around for this race so I'll need to come up with another July race)
• August:  nothing yet
• 9/30 Wineglass Half Marathon...I'm debating this as my only long race of the year (would be a new race for me)
• 10/15 Annual Mohawk Towpath Byway Duathlon, 2.2 mile run-16 mile bike-2.2 mile run (getting the bike out again for this one, new race for me)
• 11/12? Stockadeathon, 15K (I loved the cool weather for this race in 2011!)
• 11/25 HMRRC Turkey Raffle Hour Run (I didn't win anything in 2011 so I should in 2012)
• 12/9 Winter Series Race #1

I did try to toss in some new races this year to help east the monotony, but I just am not feeling "it" for 2012.  Maybe it is because I have two races that include a bike.  Have I mentioned I'm not a fan of biking?  Well, I'm not.  I hope once my running mileage increases again I'll feel better about 2012.

Running Limitations

I have enjoyed every run I've taken these past few days.  Since being cleared to run on Thursday I have hit the treadmill on Thursday and Friday and Saturday and again this morning!!  Woo Hoo!  I am so happy to be "back."

However there are limitations to my running and now that I've gotten in a few short runs, these limitations are hampering my miles.  I do not want to come off as whiney...but I haven't had a good, longer run in 22 days!  The limitations:

• No getting sweat in eyes  What???  Where is the sweat supposed to go?  These days I am being very careful to wipe the sweat from my face.
• No rubbing eyes  So while I'm wiping the sweat from my face I have to be extremely careful so nothing touches my eyes.  While I consider myself talented...I don't dare close my eyes to wipe my face while still running on the treadmill.  So, every time I want need to wipe my face I have to hop off the TM to do it.  
• No going where there will be excessive tearing Upstate NY + winter  = cold weather.  Cold weather + running = lots of tears.  I'm on my treadmill for a while (thank goodness I love my TM!).
• No hard workouts  That speed I was trying to get back isn't coming back anytime soon.  I think I can start adding in speed-work in another week or two as long as I follow the rest of the 'rules.'
• Keep eyes lubricated  Treadmill minus fan = sweaty mess.  I cannot turn my fan on because it dries my eyes too much.  No fan means even more sweating.  More sweating, well, go back to the top of this list.

The list is longer than this, but these are the ones that have bugged me the most.  Regardless, I have about one month to get back to 6 mile runs so I can run my leg of the Winter Marathon Relay (same team as last year).

Today I ran 3 miles and then did a kettle-bell workout.  It's been a couple weeks since picking up my kettle-bells and I can already tell I'm going to be sore tomorrow.  

Wonderful and Amazing

It was nothing less than wonderful and amazing!  Last Friday this was me:

I was frozen and doing my best not to itch my eyes in the picture.  Friday morning I had LASIK (on both eyes).  The first hours are uncomfortable.  The first two days are hazy and dark (constant sunglasses).  The rest of the week was fine, but there is no running allowed.

This morning I went in for my one week appointment and after my eyes were checked (20/20 in both eyes!!) and the technical questions were answered I asked the one I'd been dying to ask since  I stepped into the office, "Can I run again?"  YES!!!  His answer was longer and more detailed than just "yes," but the it was the word I wanted to hear.  I cannot rub my eyes and should probably stay indoors (it's been cold here).

I was home less than 10 minutes and I was on my treadmill for a v.e.r.y. .s.l.o.w. 2 miler.  I don't care how slow or short my run was, it was so great to be back running.  I plan to take it easy this week and go on a lot of short, slow runs on the treadmill.  I have no doubt I'll love every step I take.

Who knew a week would feel so long and make a simple and short run so amazing?