Getting My Confidence Back

A week ago I had a terrible run.  I set out to run 12 miles and was only able to cover 6 before I ran out of both water and energy.

Statistically, it was bound to happen, but a week before a half marathon I bonked at last year, it couldn't have come at a worse time.  I didn't want to write about it because I was so disappointed in myself.  I'd had a beer the night before, I dressed too warmly, I ate something I wasn't used to before I set out, and I brought water with me instead of Gatorade.  In short, I set myself up for failure.

I didn't have a chance to run again until Wednesday, spending three days dwelling on my failure and worrying about the Frederick Half this weekend.  That evening I hesitantly laced up my running shoes and hoped for the best.  Despite stopping at multiple traffic lights and being held up by a motorcade (only in DC...), I average sub-9:00 miles for a 5.2 mile run.  When I finished, I felt great.

Despite the 4am wake-up call and hilly finish, I'm ready for Frederick tomorrow.  My plan is to start slow and try for a negative split.  Maybe this time I can PR and finish strong.

A Monumental Run

Saturday I went for my first non-race long run of 2013.  I ran through Rock Creek Park to the waterfront, crossed the Potomac to pass Arlington National Cemetery, then back in to DC around the monuments.  It was a beautiful day, sunny and cool, but not cold, with a light breeze.  My feet and heart, felt light; instead of pushing myself, I glided along.  It was the kind of run I can always appreciate, but never get used to.

Sometimes I feel spoiled.  My runs take me by and through places many people only hope to see.  On Saturday I savored every moment of it, stopping to take photos like a tourist.  Below are a sampling, because a picture is worth 1,000 words.

A Good Morning

This morning I...

• Said "good morning" to a tiger
• Waved at an orangutan
• Blew a kiss to a panda

...all while breaking in a new pair of running shoes.

I can run through the zoo any time of year, but it's a real treat to run through on a nice spring morning when the animals are out.

Happy Thursday!!

#runforBoston

Most days I run for me.  Today I ran for Boston.

For the first mile, I ran in sadness.  I ran for the three people that lost their lives.  I ran for the hundreds of others who were injured.  I ran for those who escaped uninjured, but with haunting memories they will never escape.

I ran to the top of Deal Hill, took in the view, and had a private moment of silence.

Then I continued on.

As my legs loosened up and my thoughts began to flow more freely, I changed my focus.  I ran for the first responders, the brave individuals who disregarded their personal safety and ran toward the blasts to help others.  I ran for the blood donors, whose generosity more than met the demand for blood in the hours after the bombs went off.  I ran for the ordinary people who did extraordinary things to help others.  I ran for these individuals who, after an act intended to cause fear, created hope, and whose actions warmed my heart.

I finished my run feeling lighter than I have in days.

Bunny Running

For the past few years, my friend Damon has organized a bunny run to raise awareness and funds for Easter Seals. I participated last year and, despite the fact that I landed in the states less than 24 hours prior, I knew I needed to run this year.

So what's a bunny run?

It involves running around town dressed like this:

We started off at Stoney's, giving everyone a chance to change and circle up before heading toward the monuments.  From there, we went to the White House, Washington Monument, WWII Memorial, then the Lincoln Memorial.  I had to split from the group after the Lincoln, but I hear they made quite a few more stops.

While running around DC's busiest tourist attractions dressed in adult bunny costumes is a blast, it also garners a lot of attention.  Last year we handed out flyers, while this year Damon created an easily searchable fundraising website through Easter Seals.  If you're interested in donating, you can do so here.

Lessons Learned

This week has been trying, to say the least, but I managed to stay on track and work out Monday - Friday.

On Wednesday I learned the true value of social running groups.  I'd had a bad day at work and all I wanted to do was go home and curl up on the couch, but I promised some friends that I'd go to run club.  Reluctantly, I dragged myself to lululemon and was met with... ugly Christmas sweaters.  My mood brightened immediately.

Photo c/o the lululemon Bethesda Run Club Facebook page

There was no way I would have worked out on my own that evening and that would have been to my detriment.  As each mile passed, I felt the stress from my day melt away.

Yesterday I learned how far I've come.  During Bikram I was completely focused on my practice, barely noticing anyone around me.  This may not be impressive to most people, but when I first started practicing yoga I spent a lot of my class looking around the room at everyone else and trying to figure out how much time had passed.  When I fell out of a pose, instead of getting frustrated, like I had in the past, I simply got back in to it.  My patience and ability to focus made the class far more enjoyable and reminded me of why I started practicing yoga in the first place.

This morning I learned the value of making a plan and sticking to it.  It's been a bit over a year since I started working with my trainer and each time we meet I can feel myself getting stronger.  I'm lifting heavier weights and using machines I would have been far too intimidated to try a year ago.  When I first started training with Rob, I thought I'd meet with him for a year, then train on my own; now our sessions have become so ingrained in my weekly routine that I can't imagine foregoing them.

Part of reaching the end of a year is reflecting on experiences and lessons learned.  I like what I'm seeing so far.

For those of you counting:
MYB Challenge workouts 12-15 of 22 completed.

Kicking Off the Holiday Season

Last night was my first holiday party of the 2012 season.  If it's any indication of what's to come, I'm in for a lot of fun, festive cocktails, and unhealthy (but extremely delicious) food.  That all sounds super until I think about it in light of the fact that I will be laying out on a beach in Mexico in less than a month.

I'm no teetotaler and I love food, so not drinking and refusing to eat at parties is out of the question.  I want to try everything!  So what's a girl to do?

My plan is to keep working out regularly and eat as healthy as possible on my "off days."  Ever since I got back from Morocco I've been craving fresh fruits and vegetables and healthy, but hearty, meals.  I've been eating a lot of baked fish and chicken, gilled meats, quinoa, and salads.  As for vegetables, I'll take them any way I can, but prefer them fresh or steamed.  Hopefully this will cancel out some of my bad eating habits at parties.  I can't help myself when it comes to dips and cheese trays.

This week I've done pretty well with workouts.  Run club on Wednesday was a great reminder that I don't have to work out alone - it's far more fun with friends!  I had a great time catching up with the lululemon Bethesda run club crew during our chilly evening run.  Our run was after dark and parts were in quiet areas where we could see the stars.  It reminded me a lot of my night legs during relays, except I had some great people telling entertaining stories to keep me company.  It also made me feel much better about my 8k coming up on Sunday.

Yesterday I worked out with Rob during lunch.  It was a tough workout, heavy on squats, lunges, and balancing exercises to get me ready for my ski trip.  I am starting to get a little concerned because my left hamstring has been acting up the past few workouts.  It gives a little warning (not much), then seizes up.  If anyone has any recommendations I would love to hear them.

For those of you counting:
MYB Challenge workouts 4 and 5 of 22 completed.

Scavenger Hunting

This morning I participated in a scavenger hunt organized by the lululemon Bethesda run club.  We had an hour to go around Bethesda taking photos doing activities at various landmarks.  Our team covered about 4 miles and, while we didn't win, we took a lot of fun photos and had a great time.  Below are some of the best ones.

5 points for a photo of the team jumping for joy in front of this posh Bethesda gym which offers classes such as "Treadmill Race Training."

5 points for a photo of your team running up an escalator

5 points for your team in front of and imitating this large, yellow sculpture which is 18 feet high, 12 feet wide

5 points.  Snap a "photo finish" of your team on a local high school track.

15 points.  It's almost Halloween!  Snap a photo of a member of your team running in a Halloween costume.

15 points for a photo of the team doing jumping jacks in from of the "Welcome to Bethesda" sign.

15 points for a photo of the group doing handstands in front of NIH.

5 points for a photo of a group doing burpees outside of a Crossfit gym.

2 points for each photo of your team doing downward facing dog with an actual dog.

5 points for spelling the word "LOVE" with your bodies on Bethesda Lane.

Thank you Emily, Amanda, and Matt for being amazing teammates!!

This and That

Yesterday I took time off to celebrate with family and kick off the new year with a 10 mile run.  A storm was rolling in and I timed things just right to enjoy the clouds and breeze, finishing just before the downpour started.

I took a route similar to this one and was pleased to see the reflecting pool filled once again.

I am definitely feeling the uphill portions of my run today.  Rob took no mercy on me during today's workout, which means tomorrow is sure to be a tough day.

I was hoping to do a packing post for Ragnar Relay this week, but it'll be a miracle if I manage to pack more than an hour before I leave.  It'll also be a miracle if my body holds up through al of my assigned legs.  I'm slated to run a total of 22.2 miles, 83% of which are described as "hard" or "very hard."  I've been feeling under the weather (again) lately, so hopefully my legs are ready and can carry the rest of me!

Happy Friday!

I love the crisp morning air that gives way to a beautiful, sunny afternoon.  There's something about fall...

I love heading out while it's still dark out and watching the sun rise as I run.  There's something about getting home when the city starts to wake...

I love the people I've met and the experiences I've had through my involvement with the La Casa team. There's something about Back on My Feet...

...and all of these somethings add up to something wonderful.  I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face this morning.  Hopefully it sticks around all weekend.

Easing In

I'm still getting over my summer "cold," so I've been taking it relatively easy lately and trying to get as much sleep as possible.  Yesterday I decided enough was enough and headed out on a morning six-miler with one of my faster friends.

We did an out-and-back on route 1, using the first three miles of this run.  It was overcast and relatively cool (low 80s) when we set out, but as the run progressed the humidity started to climb and the sun started to come out.  The more uncomfortable we got, the faster we ran, resulting in a negative split.

It was a pancake-flat, easy run which felt great and put my mind at ease.  Tough Mudder is next Saturday and I'm starting to get nervous - it seems as though I am always recovering from illness or injury before a big race.  Hopefully I can get things in check and get back to training properly for Marine Corps Marathon.

I'm Baaaack

Yesterday I woke with alacrity and cheer - my return to running was finally here!

Ok, so I'm not Dr. Seuss, but getting to run again after over a week of being confined to my couch is exciting!

I decided to go to run club for my first run back - I figured if I was moving slower than usual I would have people to keep me company and keep me motivated to continue regardless of how I was feeling.

I got to lululemon early and was happily surprised to see a Mizuno rep there. We all got to test-run new shoes! I tried the spiffy-looking Wave Elixir 7s, which clashed with my orange socks, but felt great.

I did a 4.5 mile out-and-back on the Capital Crescent Trail.  Some folks cut the run off at 3 miles.  Others went out to 6.  I thought about joining the 6-miler fred, but didn't want to push myself too hard while I'm still recovering.  That turned out to be a good plan.  The first 4 miles felt great - I didn't time them, but I could feel myself going at a comfortably fast pace (if I had to guess, I'd say I was running 8:30ish miles).  The last .5 was another story entirely.  My body decided to let me know that yes, I am still sick, and I should be taking it a bit easier.  My legs felt heavy, my lungs felt congested, and I'm sure I slowed down considerably.  I was able to catch up with some faster runners at a traffic light and run the final stretch with them, which felt great.  When we got back to lulu we were greeted with cold water, high-fives, and "good job"s.  I forgot how much I love run club.

The shoes were phenomenal.  They're less cushioned and supportive than my go-to shoes (Brooks Adrenaline), but they felt great throughout the entire run.  They are a lot lighter than my Adrenalines, which was a nice change.  I have narrow feet and was worried about my heel slipping, but the shoes stayed on surprisingly well.  I was impressed.  I think I'll stick with my Adrenalines for longer runs, but I'm definitely considering picking up a pair of Elixirs for shorter runs.  They retail for about $120, so I'm hoping to find them on sale or use some sort of discount code.  If anyone knows of any they'd like to pass along, I would be very grateful!

Muggy Monday

This morning's weather was pretty deceptive.  It was in the 60s and there was a slight chill in the air as I walked to my car, but as soon as we started warming up at La Casa, the 89% humidity was noticeable.  It was like running in chilled soup.

We got in a nice 3-miler at a pretty quick pace.  I started out at the front of the pack, but at least half of our team passed me before the end of the run!  5:45 is a pretty amazing time to run - as you take off, most of the city is still asleep, but as you finish your run you start to see a lot of other people out and about starting their days.

I laid low and took time off after last Monday's run because my left calf was bothering me.  Given my history with shin splints I figured being conservative was the way to go.  I'm feeling pretty good now and hope things hold - between two more Back on My Feet runs, softball playoffs, and run club I've got a busy week ahead of me!

Lunch Run: Hill Edition

It's been a while since I've written about a run... probably because I haven't gone on many lately.  Work has kept me extremely busy and the lack of sleep has made it hard to find the motivation to go on training runs.

Today I decided "enough is enough" and dragged my poor, stressed, tired body on a lunchtime run.

Huge mistake.

DC humidity is no joke.  Just because it was "only" 88 degrees out does not mean it felt like 88 degrees.  I started sweating the second I walked out of the gym.  I should have known better than to attempt a hill run, but I hope you know by now that once I get an idea in my head I can't seem to give it up.  I wanted an outdoor run and there was no way I would settle for a treadmill session.

As I've mentioned before, I work on the top of a hill.  The beginning of any run is a delightful downhill stretch, and today was no exception.

Unfortunately, once I hit the 1.5 mile mark I encountered this:

I call this my favorite hill in DC.  It's terrible to run - steep and long - but I used to sled down it when I was little and once you get to the top you're rewarded with some pretty nice views.

Not the most picturesque view on cloudy day, but on a clear day you can see across the Potomac to Virginia.

I was incredibly tired after cresting this hill, but I still had 2.5 miles to go.

This hill was the kickoff of a cruise down memory lane.  I ran past soccer and softball fields I played on when I was little, homes of childhood friends, and my elementary school.

At one point, I realized I was only a few blocks from my childhood home and decided to run by it.  I was rewarded by the observation that the current (and, perhaps, prior) owners have maintained my mother's rose garden on the side of the house, which made me incredibly happy.

As I passed the house and ran though the park I played in when I was little, an ice cream truck drove by.  I wish I'd had some cash to buy a popsicle.  No, I'm not joking.

The last few miles were pretty tough - the heat and humidity got to me and I had to walk a bit.  I really hope it was due to the conditions and not because I'm out of shape, but only time will tell.  I haven't done many hill workouts lately because of my shin splints, so maybe that's to blame.  I can only hope that I'm good to go for Sneaks Come Out at Night on Saturday.

Woke Up Today to Everything Great

(I've got to stop using Guster lyrics as post titles.)

This morning I dressed in all black and snuck out at sunrise like a ninja. My (seemingly never-ending) rest period was over - it was finally time to start training for Marine Corps Marathon.

Since technically I am still recovering from 20in24 I didn't want to push things too hard too fast. I decided on 8 miles - far enough to test my legs but short enough not to re-aggravate any lingering injuries.

As I stepped out the door I immediately noticed the humidity. Regardless of the fact that it was only in the 70s it was bound to be a hot, sweaty run.

One thing I love about early morning runs, especially on Sundays, is that there aren't many people out. I only saw a couple of other runners on my first few miles. It was so quiet - all I heard was the rustling of leaves and chirping of birds. At one point I was startled by the sound of a duck landing on the creek. I know this isn't the first time I've said it - and it certainly won't be the last - one of the reasons I love DC is that you can feel like you've completely escaped the city while you're in the middle of it.

The closer I got to Georgetown, the more people I started to run in to. The sun was fully up and out at this point, and the views of the Potomac were gorgeous.

Somewhere around Mile 6 I got to the mall and did a little stair running at the Lincoln Memorial.

Hi, Abe.

It was nice to see the construction on the reflecting pool (finally) coming along. Hopefully by next summer it'll be filled and this view will be much more picturesque.

From there I headed past the WWII Memorial, my softball field, and the Washington Memorial.

I decided that since I was already at mile 7 I'd head toward the Dupont metro stop and end things there. I passed the South lawn of the White House and headed up 17th street.

I ended my run at the Dupont farmers' market. It wasn't open yet, but the smells of fresh fruits, vegetables, and cheeses emanating from the stands were a treat.

I ended up covering 8.9 miles - farther than I'd originally intended - and kept a decent (sub-9:00/mile) pace throughout the run. I'm feeling great, though I do have some stiffness in my Achilles tendon. If anyone has experienced this and has recommendations for me on what to do, I'm all ears.

All in all it was a great run and a great start to my last day of being 27. If I can close out 28 in a similar fashion, I'll be thrilled.

20in24: Laps 4-6

As I started lap 4, the sun started to come out.  Unfortunately, as the sun came out, the temperature started to climb.  Since I could finally take my iPhone out without worrying about it getting drenched, I decided to take some photos of the course on this lap.  This was a great way to entertain myself as I didn't think to bring music with me and the course had started to thin out to the point where I wouldn't see volunteers or other runners for 10-15 minute blocks.

During the first mile of each lap we ran by the Philadelphia Art Museum, which was pretty, but crawling with tourists - it was like an obstacle course running by there!

From there, we would run up one bank of the Schuylkill river.

Cross over a bridge.

Then run back up the opposite bank of the Schuylkill.

As we got closer to the end of the lap, there were some great views of the Philadelphia skyline.

Halfway through lap 4 I realized my armpit was chafing pretty badly.  I stopped at the medic tent on the course for some Vaseline.  I thought they would let me put it on myself, but instead I ended up having a complete stranger lube up my armpit and side-boob.  So awkward.  As I got toward the end of the lap I started to chafe again and realized the gauze and tape I had on my arm was to blame.  My legs were still feeling pretty good, so I decided to make a quick stop at the finish line medic tent to have them remove the gauze and re-lube me, and set off on mile 5.  The medic who lubed me up was nice enough to give me a "go pack" of Vaseline... in a rubber glove.  Of Mice and Men immediately came to mind.

Lap 5 is when things started getting weird.  I knew at some point I would get in to a funky zone where time seemed to pass a lot more slowly and I didn't seem to be making much forward progress.  I hit that point around mile 3 of lap 5, which, compounded with the fact that the sun was setting, made it feel like  I'd lost all sense of time.  I probably had.  I forged on, run/walking, until I felt an unfamiliar and uncomfortable tightness stretching from my left hip to knee.  I'd never had IT band issues before, but I knew right away that was what was bothering me.  I sucked it up and tried to push through the end of the lap before the sun set completely.  I got a good photo of sunset over the river before I finished.

The second I finished lap 5, I beelined to the massage area.  I knew I needed to have someone work on my IT band if I planned on finishing the race.  What I didn't plan on was two people working on my legs.  Amazing.

After my massage, I headed over to the medic tent to get a blister taken care of.  By this point I was on familiar terms with quite a few of the people working there.  You would be too if it was your fourth time visiting the medics.  Once all the sources of pain were addressed I ate something, threw on some reflective gear, grabbed my dad to pace me, took a quick photo, and set out on my last lap.

I should probably mention that lap 6 is where I hit my point of being "over it."  I was tired, dehydrated, sore, overheated, and had multiple blisters starting to form on my feet.  My poor dad thought he'd be running a bit more than we did, and I'm sure he thought I'd be in a better mood.  A couple of miles in to the lap, the tightness in my IT band came back with a vengeance.  This time my right leg tightened up as well.  The pain was so bad I couldn't make conversation - all I could do was make random noises to let my dad know I was still listening to him.  The lights for the medic tent seemed like a mirage when I finally saw them.  I'm pretty sure I thanked the medic who stretched me out no less than 16 times, which is impressive because I was there less than 10 minutes.  The relief only lasted about a mile and a half, but at that point I was taking whatever I could get.  We passed another Lone Ranger and his pacer, who was in the middle of commenting on how wonderful of a night it was to be out walking when he told her to "shut up."  I couldn't help but to burst out laughing.  This guy clearly felt the same way I did.

I hobbled along the rest of the loop until I saw the lights indicating that we were about a half mile from the finish line.  At that point I told my dad we were running.  I think he was a little worried about me breaking myself, but all I could think about was finishing the race.  I was desperate to stretch, take a hot shower, and go to bed.  As I crossed the finish line, all I could feel was relief.  I went straight from the finish line to the award tent, grabbed my award, and collapsed on a cot in the medic tent.  Surprise!  My friend who stretched me out at the other medic tent was there.  As it turns out, he was one of two attending physicians on the course and had come over to the main medic tent to cover for the other physician while he took a nap.  He stretched me out again (while making fun of me for knowing which faces I make when I am being stretched to my limits), congratulated me, and sent me on my way.

Before I packed things up and left, I got a photo in front of the 20in24 sign.

Want a close-up of what was in my hands?

That's right.  50 MILES.