Sunriver, Oregon
Saturday June 28th
5am alarm clock
Another alarm at 5:15.
out of bed by 5:30
dressed for the race by 5:45
Power bar, Water, a half cup of coffee @ 6am
Pacing our rental house until leaving for the race @ 6:45
Bib # -- check
Timing chip -- check
Sports beans -- check
I talk to a man about to begin his 871st marathon.
He ran his 870th last weekend.
At 7:15 it's already 65 degrees.
Athletes walk to starting line
Quick debriefing
7:30 am start gun goes and we're off
Mom and uncle Ivan at the start snapping pictures and cheering me on.
Passed mile 1 just before 10 min.
Temperature is already quite warm
Pacing feels pretty good--"slow and steady" I say to myself
Reached mile 2 @ about 20 min.
Cory is waiting there with cheers and Gatorade
Ken-from-Indiana and I play leapfrog for several miles.
Miles 3 -5 are done in another 30 minutes.
Josie is @ mile 4 with Gatorade
She holds a sign saying "You can do it Miriam"
I'm on my target pace, but....
By mile 5 I'm usually feeling warmed up. Limber, and settled into my pace.
I am guessing it's 70 degrees by now.
My body feels sluggish and heavy, but I press on--slowing pace slightly.
Mile 6--Scott and Cory greet me with more electrolytes and encouragement
By now, Ken-from-Indiana and I have passed each other several times
Mile 8--Ben is there with more to drink and a pat on the back.
I've settled into a good pace now and finally feel like I'm in a bit of a groove.
I slowly pull ahead of several runners I've been tailing.
Mile 10--the path changes from partly shady to direct sun.
Shade no longer exists.
The scenery is beautiful.
golden grass, snow-capped peaks, a lazy river.
It's hot.
It's getting hotter.
Mile 10 - 13.
I keep a steady pace.
Mom, Christa, Jaxon and Ivan make several appearances.
Aid stations provide water which I immediately dump over my head.
Thank God I bought a visor just before the race.
Spectators are few and far between, but they are enthusiastic.
A 7 yr. old girl tells me I'm strong and I can do it!
I pass a line of people headed out on a horseback ride.
Many Half-Marathoners begin passing me--
(they started 1/2 hour later than the marathoners)
They are on the home stretch.
I'm almost half way.
I pass a runner who tells me the 2nd lap sucks. (Gee, thanks!)
My hip is feeling stiff and soar.
I begin to get that "popping" sensation.
I can hear the annoncer as I round the corner back to the beginning of the course.
He is announcing 1/2 marathon finishers.
They go to the right,
Marathoners continue to the left.
13.1 miles down.
Scott, Josie, and Cory are at the halfway point!
It's nice to see familiar faces.
I finish the first half in 2 hrs. and 20 min.
My hip is really getting soar and my knee is starting to hurt.
I try to push the pain out of my mind.
Mile 14, the pain becomes unbearable while running.
With each step it worsens.
I can make it a few minutes before I'm forced to a shuffle
I slow my pace down and insert more frequent walk breaks.
My hip is soar while walking, but it's bearable.
Mile 15-16 I manage to keep running off and on but it hurts.
The temperature has reached 85 degrees by 10 am.
I am pissed. I'm frustrated. I'm in pain.
I'm in denial.
I shed a few tears.
I take stalk of the situation and decide what I'm capable of.
I AM GOING TO FINISH THIS THING!
I decide I will continue to walk and insert very minimal running breaks.
My primary goal has been to finish
My secondary goal was a 4:30 -40 time. That is no longer possible.
I spend miles 17-20 accepting my new pace.
A mental challenge.
The heat and elevation add another level of difficulty.
Mile 21--Mom, Christa, Ivan, Jaxon, and Ben are welcoming faces.
I burst into tears.
I explain the situation.
Christa offers to walk with me.
A woman and her husband are there, too, cheering me on.
Later I find out that Ben had told them my success story.
The woman insisted on staying to see me pass by!
Only 5 miles to go.
Christa decides to meet up with me a little further down the road.
The temperature has now reached the low 90's.
I waddle my way through the beautiful, tree-lined path--
Nearing the part where the path breaks into the open valley.
"Holy @#$%, It's hot out here", I proclaim to myself.
I pass two marathoners.
One woman tells me she is going to throw up.
I ask her if she needs help.
She says no, she'll be fine.
Ken-from-Indiana passes me at about mile 23.
Christa comes from around the corner at about the same time.
She has on my Mom's tennis shoes and walks with me.
We talk about the marathon.
We talk about Jaxon.
She tells me that Dad called to wish me luck, and she's called him with updates on my progress.
The company is good.
We reach mile 24, then mile 25.
Cory and Scott are walking towards us just after mile 25.
The 4 of us walk, and take a couple of very short jog intervals together.
They stay with me until the last 1/2 mile, then run ahead to the finish line to wait for me.
I pass a wedding rehearsal at the Sunriver Lodge.
Spectators grow in numbers as I get closer to the Village finish line.
I can hear the annoncer calling names at the finish line.
I hear him say the temperature is 96 degrees.
I'm close. Very close.
As I head down the last bit of the course before the it curves into the finish line,
I feel a whirlwind of emotions.
Excitement.
Exhaustion.
Accomplishment.
I'm about to finish.
I'm going to be a marathoner.
I see the crowd of people.
I hear the cheers.
I jog the last bit of the course.
I round the corner and there is my family--
lined up with cameras. Cheering, Hollering!
The crowd goes crazy!
The announcer calls my name.
I cross the finish line in 5:28.
I burst into tears.
A volunteer collects my timing chip.
Another volunteer gives me a towel soaked in ice water, and a bottle of water.
At the end of the line I bough my head to accept my finisher's medal.
It feels good to be done.
I go into the athlete's pavillion to get some food and collect my t-shirt.
I meet with my family.
Lots of pictures! Lots of hugs!
We stay to watch other finishers cross the line.
First finishers of the Half-Iron are just starting to cross the finish line.
I wonder what time they started.
My mom treats me to a 20 min. sports massage.
My hip and knee are very soar, and the massage feels great.
I have a slight headache.
Standing in the heat is uncomfortable.
I get some more water, eat a mojo bar, and we begin a slow walk back to the car.
Time to head back to our rental house.
We have a big family celebratory greek-style lunch.
As always, Ben is an amazing chef!
I'm very tired, but not ready to sleep yet.
The night air is still very warm.
It's 9:40 pm.
I'm kind of floating on a cloud right now.
I think this will all slowly sink in over the next several days.
...post-marathon thoughts to follow in coming days......
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
On the Road to Pacific Crest.....
Here I sit in the cozy upstairs bedroom of Barb and Frank Stanley's wonderful house in Ellensburg. Stacy (Hi Stac!), their daughter, is a good friend of mine from college. They were so great to put me up for the night! Cory and I left Seattle after work yesterday so he could drop me off here. My Mom and Stepdad, Ben, will pick me up here in a couple of hours.
Cory had to turn around and drive right back to Seattle last night to work today. He and Christa and my nephew will make the trip down to Oregon tomorrow morning. (Thanks Cor for bringing me over--I know it was an extra long day!)
It is a beautiful, sunny morning here. The ever-present Ellensburg gale is rustling only slightly this morning, gently swaying the trees outside the window. Mojito, the Stanleys' big grey and white kitty, has jumped up into my lap and is fighting for my affection. Ella, one of two dogs, is also nuzzling in for some love. Konia (dog #2), is still a little unsure of me, and is content to just keep to her own affairs.
Barb took me on a tour of Ellensburg last night to see how much things have changed in the short time since I've been gone.
Lots of new businesses I see--ever-changing.
An unbelievable number of housing developments.
A brand new Student Union and Rec Center on Campus.
Many businesses now closed downtown.
They closed down my favorite D&M Coffee spot (Though only for leasing reasons, the company is still alive and thriving!)
I CAN'T WAIT to get my cup of D&M this morning after my parents arrive. Nothing compares!
After spending some time catching up with Barb last night, I snuggled in with a book, and shortly fell asleep. This morning I woke up at about 6am, and spent the morning lying in bed with my book and just thinking about Saturdays race.
I feel really good. I feel well prepared and that I planned my time well. Today and tomorrow are crucial for resting. I'm glad we arrive in Sunriver today so I can check out the course and relax in the house and enjoy the beautiful weather and time with my family.
Last Saturday was my final 8 miler. I had a full day planned, so I got up and hit Alki early--8am. Felt physically and mentally strong. Spent part of the day at the Fremont Solstice, then went to a baby shower in the afternoon.
Sunday and Monday were both rest days. I did an easy 3.5 mile run Tuesday. Rested yesterday, and will do an easy 1-2 mile at some point today--probably consisting mostly of walking. No running tomorrow.
26.2 miles on Saturday.
I've been spending some time mentally rehearsing the race. Thinking about ways of getting myself through some rough spots--should they arise. Again, I feel really well prepared. The one thing I'm concerned a bit about is the weather. Forecast says 90 as the high that day. BUT, the race starts at 7:30, so I should be finishing around the time it will really start getting hot. And, I'll just have to slow down if the weather is hot....and that is okay! The important thing is to be smart, pace myself, and just finish!
Today slight carb loading begins, and will kick up tomorrow--along with increased fluid intake. 6-8oz. every hour--alternating between gatorade and water. Small meals about every 1.5 hours consisting mostly of carbs--avoiding high fat/ high protein/ high sodium foods. Essentially I'll be eating a lot of cereal and powerbars--foods that are easy to digest and will load up my glycogen stores!
I'll be thinking of all of you throughout the next couple of days. I most certainly could not have met this challenge without the incredible support I've received from everyone! Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart! I can't think of a single person that has not been supportive--all of you have allowed me to succeed!
Happy Trails!
Cory had to turn around and drive right back to Seattle last night to work today. He and Christa and my nephew will make the trip down to Oregon tomorrow morning. (Thanks Cor for bringing me over--I know it was an extra long day!)
It is a beautiful, sunny morning here. The ever-present Ellensburg gale is rustling only slightly this morning, gently swaying the trees outside the window. Mojito, the Stanleys' big grey and white kitty, has jumped up into my lap and is fighting for my affection. Ella, one of two dogs, is also nuzzling in for some love. Konia (dog #2), is still a little unsure of me, and is content to just keep to her own affairs.
Barb took me on a tour of Ellensburg last night to see how much things have changed in the short time since I've been gone.
Lots of new businesses I see--ever-changing.
An unbelievable number of housing developments.
A brand new Student Union and Rec Center on Campus.
Many businesses now closed downtown.
They closed down my favorite D&M Coffee spot (Though only for leasing reasons, the company is still alive and thriving!)
I CAN'T WAIT to get my cup of D&M this morning after my parents arrive. Nothing compares!
After spending some time catching up with Barb last night, I snuggled in with a book, and shortly fell asleep. This morning I woke up at about 6am, and spent the morning lying in bed with my book and just thinking about Saturdays race.
I feel really good. I feel well prepared and that I planned my time well. Today and tomorrow are crucial for resting. I'm glad we arrive in Sunriver today so I can check out the course and relax in the house and enjoy the beautiful weather and time with my family.
Last Saturday was my final 8 miler. I had a full day planned, so I got up and hit Alki early--8am. Felt physically and mentally strong. Spent part of the day at the Fremont Solstice, then went to a baby shower in the afternoon.
Sunday and Monday were both rest days. I did an easy 3.5 mile run Tuesday. Rested yesterday, and will do an easy 1-2 mile at some point today--probably consisting mostly of walking. No running tomorrow.
26.2 miles on Saturday.
I've been spending some time mentally rehearsing the race. Thinking about ways of getting myself through some rough spots--should they arise. Again, I feel really well prepared. The one thing I'm concerned a bit about is the weather. Forecast says 90 as the high that day. BUT, the race starts at 7:30, so I should be finishing around the time it will really start getting hot. And, I'll just have to slow down if the weather is hot....and that is okay! The important thing is to be smart, pace myself, and just finish!
Today slight carb loading begins, and will kick up tomorrow--along with increased fluid intake. 6-8oz. every hour--alternating between gatorade and water. Small meals about every 1.5 hours consisting mostly of carbs--avoiding high fat/ high protein/ high sodium foods. Essentially I'll be eating a lot of cereal and powerbars--foods that are easy to digest and will load up my glycogen stores!
I'll be thinking of all of you throughout the next couple of days. I most certainly could not have met this challenge without the incredible support I've received from everyone! Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart! I can't think of a single person that has not been supportive--all of you have allowed me to succeed!
Happy Trails!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Taper Madness
A WEEK AND A HALF UNTIL RACE DAY!!!!!!!!
Holy smokes--I can barely believe it. In my last post I said that it had been about 6 months of training, but after looking at a calendar, it's really been about 9 months in the works.
Last week was slightly tough. I felt really tired all week long, but I got all the miles in. Saturday was a 12 miler. It was hot. I couldn't find my sports watch to help me with my pacing. I think the heat, coupled with a bit of a faster pace than I should've been running, made me lose steam for the last couple of miles. I finished, but not strong.
I thought I might not enjoy the taper period since it meant that I'd have to cut back mileage and food intake, but it has been a really nice change. My daily runs have been shorter, and I'm finding how much my speed has improved with these shorter workouts. I'm also reminded of how good it feels to run short and "fast", and how my body is loving these quick cardio bursts! I thought it might be hard to cut back on the food, too. But, again, it's been a nice change to shift focus a bit. It has been a bit hard to adjust to eating less--but only psychologically, and I welcome the challenge!
Monday was an easy 5 miles. Off Tuesday. Wednesday was a 4 mile tempo run, and today was a 3-mile w/hills. I worked out at the Gym the last two mornings. I think I will eventually get back to those early morning workouts. I miss them. It's tougher for me to find the energy at the end of the day to get it in. Tomorrow is a rest day, then 8 miles Saturday morning!
Next week will be just a couple of days of short runs. Then Wednesday night I leave for Ellensburg where I will stay with my friend Stacy's parents--Barb and Frank Stanley! (Thanks Guys!) My Mom and Ben will pick me up there and we'll head to SunRiver, OR Thursday morning. We have a house rented for 4 days. Cory, m
Holy smokes--I can barely believe it. In my last post I said that it had been about 6 months of training, but after looking at a calendar, it's really been about 9 months in the works.
Last week was slightly tough. I felt really tired all week long, but I got all the miles in. Saturday was a 12 miler. It was hot. I couldn't find my sports watch to help me with my pacing. I think the heat, coupled with a bit of a faster pace than I should've been running, made me lose steam for the last couple of miles. I finished, but not strong.
I thought I might not enjoy the taper period since it meant that I'd have to cut back mileage and food intake, but it has been a really nice change. My daily runs have been shorter, and I'm finding how much my speed has improved with these shorter workouts. I'm also reminded of how good it feels to run short and "fast", and how my body is loving these quick cardio bursts! I thought it might be hard to cut back on the food, too. But, again, it's been a nice change to shift focus a bit. It has been a bit hard to adjust to eating less--but only psychologically, and I welcome the challenge!
Monday was an easy 5 miles. Off Tuesday. Wednesday was a 4 mile tempo run, and today was a 3-mile w/hills. I worked out at the Gym the last two mornings. I think I will eventually get back to those early morning workouts. I miss them. It's tougher for me to find the energy at the end of the day to get it in. Tomorrow is a rest day, then 8 miles Saturday morning!
Next week will be just a couple of days of short runs. Then Wednesday night I leave for Ellensburg where I will stay with my friend Stacy's parents--Barb and Frank Stanley! (Thanks Guys!) My Mom and Ben will pick me up there and we'll head to SunRiver, OR Thursday morning. We have a house rented for 4 days. Cory, m
Monday, June 9, 2008
The Final Countdown
Cory found some old pictures while cleaning out our spare-music-office-guest room today. Some of them were pictures of him as a teenager--including a classmate of his that I was MADLY in love with as a pimply-faced, permed 12 year old girl. Sean Pegram was his name. Oy Vey...the memories. Too funny.
He also found a stack of pictures from his 10 year high school reunion we attended 3 Summers ago. It was astonishing to see the "old" me. The pictures were taken about 5 months before we joined Weight Watchers. I had begun to do a few things on my own to get my health under control--so had dropped maybe 10-20 pounds at that point. But not enough to make a huge difference. That would come in the next 2 years.
Looking at the pictures, I think it has finally sunk in my own brain that I am not the"old" me. She's a distant cousin--you can see the resemblance, but it's not me. She's definitely not the person I always felt I was. I feel like my mind is finally catching up with my body. It's a VERY strange thing to lose 125 pounds. (yes, folks.....125. It's not an exaggeration.) More than the physical changes, there has been (and continues to be) many mental changes to conquer and adjust to. In a way, I feel like I've had to completely re-learn who I am. I KNOW how very cliche' that sounds--but honestly, the best way I can describe an overall feeling is that I've had to rediscover who I am.
When I began to really get serious about exercise, the thought of running never even crossed my mind. It was a struggle to walk a 3.5 mph pace for more than 30 minutes. As I shed some pounds and was able to do more and running came into the picture--I never thought that I would ever run more than a few minutes--or ever have the desire to go any further. As I began training for my first 5k, I remember struggling to hold a 12 min. mile and wondering how in the heck anyone could run faster or further??? But many things kept me motivated and striving to go a little longer and a little harder.
Thinking back to beginning the marathon training, it seems impossible it was more than 6 months ago that I decided to take this on. I can't believe the progress I've made--how far I'm able to run and the pace I'm able to keep. It has been (and continues to be) a VERY interesting ride to say the least. Always learning something new. Always readjusting my thinking. Setting and Facing new goals/challenges, no matter now big or small--in every run.
I'm thrilled to be on the beginning of my taper. I'm anticipating missing the intensity that I've been training at, but I know I have to begin reserving my energy to be well rested and prepared for the "race". I know I'm going to have to start cutting back a bit on my food intake while I'm running less. It's good practice though--a continuation of better habits.
So for tapering they say the first week of your taper, you should reduce your total weekly mileage to 75% of your last big week. I ran about 41 miles the previous week, so I did a total of 31 this past week. I had closer to 4 weeks of taper than the usual 3 built in to my program. So This week I will reduce by another 15 - 20%. Mostly, I will be eliminating my Thursday run. I will end up doing about 25 miles this week.
I had an excellent 14 mile run yesterday. I tried a little something different with my pacing early on in the run, and I think it really helped for me to have a little extra kick of energy towards the end. There were a couple of runners ahead of me for a good portion of my run yesterday that I tried to keep pace with. It was good motivation. They were just enough faster than me that I had to really stay on my toes. I finished in 2 hrs;16 min; 04 seconds. That's a 9:43 per mile pace. If I can run that pace for 14 miles, I should be able to maintain the 10:35 pace I want to hold for the full marathon. A reminder though that my overall goal is to just finish the darn thing. My secondary goal is to finish in 4:30-4:40.
So this week will probably be 5 miles easy Tuesday, 5 miles/tempo run Wednesday, Thursday off, 3 miles easy Friday, 12 mile long-run Saturday. (I am doing the long run Saturday rather than Sunday this week because of Father's Day travels).
Okay, I've blabbed enough. Stay tuned.
He also found a stack of pictures from his 10 year high school reunion we attended 3 Summers ago. It was astonishing to see the "old" me. The pictures were taken about 5 months before we joined Weight Watchers. I had begun to do a few things on my own to get my health under control--so had dropped maybe 10-20 pounds at that point. But not enough to make a huge difference. That would come in the next 2 years.
Looking at the pictures, I think it has finally sunk in my own brain that I am not the"old" me. She's a distant cousin--you can see the resemblance, but it's not me. She's definitely not the person I always felt I was. I feel like my mind is finally catching up with my body. It's a VERY strange thing to lose 125 pounds. (yes, folks.....125. It's not an exaggeration.) More than the physical changes, there has been (and continues to be) many mental changes to conquer and adjust to. In a way, I feel like I've had to completely re-learn who I am. I KNOW how very cliche' that sounds--but honestly, the best way I can describe an overall feeling is that I've had to rediscover who I am.
When I began to really get serious about exercise, the thought of running never even crossed my mind. It was a struggle to walk a 3.5 mph pace for more than 30 minutes. As I shed some pounds and was able to do more and running came into the picture--I never thought that I would ever run more than a few minutes--or ever have the desire to go any further. As I began training for my first 5k, I remember struggling to hold a 12 min. mile and wondering how in the heck anyone could run faster or further??? But many things kept me motivated and striving to go a little longer and a little harder.
Thinking back to beginning the marathon training, it seems impossible it was more than 6 months ago that I decided to take this on. I can't believe the progress I've made--how far I'm able to run and the pace I'm able to keep. It has been (and continues to be) a VERY interesting ride to say the least. Always learning something new. Always readjusting my thinking. Setting and Facing new goals/challenges, no matter now big or small--in every run.
I'm thrilled to be on the beginning of my taper. I'm anticipating missing the intensity that I've been training at, but I know I have to begin reserving my energy to be well rested and prepared for the "race". I know I'm going to have to start cutting back a bit on my food intake while I'm running less. It's good practice though--a continuation of better habits.
So for tapering they say the first week of your taper, you should reduce your total weekly mileage to 75% of your last big week. I ran about 41 miles the previous week, so I did a total of 31 this past week. I had closer to 4 weeks of taper than the usual 3 built in to my program. So This week I will reduce by another 15 - 20%. Mostly, I will be eliminating my Thursday run. I will end up doing about 25 miles this week.
I had an excellent 14 mile run yesterday. I tried a little something different with my pacing early on in the run, and I think it really helped for me to have a little extra kick of energy towards the end. There were a couple of runners ahead of me for a good portion of my run yesterday that I tried to keep pace with. It was good motivation. They were just enough faster than me that I had to really stay on my toes. I finished in 2 hrs;16 min; 04 seconds. That's a 9:43 per mile pace. If I can run that pace for 14 miles, I should be able to maintain the 10:35 pace I want to hold for the full marathon. A reminder though that my overall goal is to just finish the darn thing. My secondary goal is to finish in 4:30-4:40.
So this week will probably be 5 miles easy Tuesday, 5 miles/tempo run Wednesday, Thursday off, 3 miles easy Friday, 12 mile long-run Saturday. (I am doing the long run Saturday rather than Sunday this week because of Father's Day travels).
Okay, I've blabbed enough. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
TWENTY point FIVE-SEVEN (to be exact)
Date: Sunday June 1, 2008
20.57 miles completed.
It's just over a 10 mile loop from our apartment, down to the East side of Alki, West through Alki, around the West side of Beach drive and then up Fauntleroy Way back home. I did 2 loops.
I purposely took it extra slow (just to ease up on my hip a bit and concentrate on pacing, and to save energy for the actual 26.2)
It was a good day!
I needed a little motivation to get me moving before I started. I've been training for so "long" now (6-ish months), that I think I'm starting to get a little bored. Mostly, this drizzly, grey weather is REALLY eating at me. I just really notice how my mood changes when the some comes 'round!
So, I asked Cory to help "pump me up" for the run. He gave me a great pep talk! And I decided to make it a little fun. I took a sharpie, and on the back of my singlet wrote:
"I'm running 20 miles right now
First Marathon June 29th, SunRiver, OR
Motivation"
It felt a little narcisistic, but it's the ONLY time I've ever done anything like that. I was hoping I'd get some encouragement from passers-by, but either they didn't even notice, or they just ignored me. Cory snapped a picture. I'll post it soon. Anywho--at least it got me moving! Also, cory promised me encouraging euphamisms at each water stop. And he delivered. Examples of his captivating knowledge:
"If your world turns upside down, squat, squat, squat your way to the top"
"When the wicker chair breaks, reach for the bean bag of hope"
"A wise man once said, DUH....but a wiser man said, NO DUH"
It helped give me something to focus on--and was entertaining to say the least.
I have been paying really close attention to how/when I'm fueling my body and my fluid intake over the last week. And, I'll continue this through the marathon. I want to be sure I'm doing everything I can to be well-prepared. Now is the time to focus.
Sunday's 20-miler went well. NO stomach problems, and I think I found the best foods to prep the day before. Also, I decided to try those "orange slices" gummy candies to use to fuel during the race rather than any gels or power bars. Eureka! The consistancy was perfect, and NO stomach issues. Hopefully I've found the right combo! As long as I eat a powerbar or something a few hours before I run, I don't need to start fueling during the run until about 80 minutes in. I usually eat a small piece of candy/powerbar about every mile starting around mile 8. I'm thinking I might need to start fueling a little earlier than that since I seem to really hit the wall towards the end--though that may be impossible to avoid with the length of the run.
Things I encountered along the way:
Huge mass of Sunday divers at Alki--much more than usual
STRONG winds West bound on Alki Drive
A very loud, arguing couple near the Alki Beach House
Some sort of mariachi band performing and videotaping scantily-clad ladies near New York Alki.
Lots of bicycle carriages stuffed with people (they rent them near the beach house)
The entrails of a dead bird--yuck! I almost stepped on it!
Still road/sewer construction going on East of the beach house--still smells!
There are lots of houses for sale along Fauntleroy Way.
Running up the long hill of Lincoln park way has become much easier.
Running a mile downhill starting my second loop was just as hard as going up Lincoln Park Way.
West seattle bridge to Beach Drive seemed to pass really quickly!
Group of teenage boys w/guitars and tambourines singing modest mouse songs.
Cute place on Beach Dr.--retail space, still empty. Bad location for a business.
My energy dropping at mile 17--worrying about running 26.2
Fighting those negative mental thoughts, and winning!
Idiot drivers
Finishing!
I start tapering this week. At this point, mostly my long run just decreases. My daily runs stay about the same. I did 6 miles Tuesday, cross-trained on the eliptical last night (1 hour), and will do 7 easy miles this evening, then 4 easy miles tomorrow. Rest Saturday. 14 miles Sunday.
I haven't had enough sleep this week, but I am just really trying to pay attention to my body. If I need an extra rest day, I'll take one. So far so good, though.
20.57 miles completed.
It's just over a 10 mile loop from our apartment, down to the East side of Alki, West through Alki, around the West side of Beach drive and then up Fauntleroy Way back home. I did 2 loops.
I purposely took it extra slow (just to ease up on my hip a bit and concentrate on pacing, and to save energy for the actual 26.2)
It was a good day!
I needed a little motivation to get me moving before I started. I've been training for so "long" now (6-ish months), that I think I'm starting to get a little bored. Mostly, this drizzly, grey weather is REALLY eating at me. I just really notice how my mood changes when the some comes 'round!
So, I asked Cory to help "pump me up" for the run. He gave me a great pep talk! And I decided to make it a little fun. I took a sharpie, and on the back of my singlet wrote:
"I'm running 20 miles right now
First Marathon June 29th, SunRiver, OR
Motivation"
It felt a little narcisistic, but it's the ONLY time I've ever done anything like that. I was hoping I'd get some encouragement from passers-by, but either they didn't even notice, or they just ignored me. Cory snapped a picture. I'll post it soon. Anywho--at least it got me moving! Also, cory promised me encouraging euphamisms at each water stop. And he delivered. Examples of his captivating knowledge:
"If your world turns upside down, squat, squat, squat your way to the top"
"When the wicker chair breaks, reach for the bean bag of hope"
"A wise man once said, DUH....but a wiser man said, NO DUH"
It helped give me something to focus on--and was entertaining to say the least.
I have been paying really close attention to how/when I'm fueling my body and my fluid intake over the last week. And, I'll continue this through the marathon. I want to be sure I'm doing everything I can to be well-prepared. Now is the time to focus.
Sunday's 20-miler went well. NO stomach problems, and I think I found the best foods to prep the day before. Also, I decided to try those "orange slices" gummy candies to use to fuel during the race rather than any gels or power bars. Eureka! The consistancy was perfect, and NO stomach issues. Hopefully I've found the right combo! As long as I eat a powerbar or something a few hours before I run, I don't need to start fueling during the run until about 80 minutes in. I usually eat a small piece of candy/powerbar about every mile starting around mile 8. I'm thinking I might need to start fueling a little earlier than that since I seem to really hit the wall towards the end--though that may be impossible to avoid with the length of the run.
Things I encountered along the way:
Huge mass of Sunday divers at Alki--much more than usual
STRONG winds West bound on Alki Drive
A very loud, arguing couple near the Alki Beach House
Some sort of mariachi band performing and videotaping scantily-clad ladies near New York Alki.
Lots of bicycle carriages stuffed with people (they rent them near the beach house)
The entrails of a dead bird--yuck! I almost stepped on it!
Still road/sewer construction going on East of the beach house--still smells!
There are lots of houses for sale along Fauntleroy Way.
Running up the long hill of Lincoln park way has become much easier.
Running a mile downhill starting my second loop was just as hard as going up Lincoln Park Way.
West seattle bridge to Beach Drive seemed to pass really quickly!
Group of teenage boys w/guitars and tambourines singing modest mouse songs.
Cute place on Beach Dr.--retail space, still empty. Bad location for a business.
My energy dropping at mile 17--worrying about running 26.2
Fighting those negative mental thoughts, and winning!
Idiot drivers
Finishing!
I start tapering this week. At this point, mostly my long run just decreases. My daily runs stay about the same. I did 6 miles Tuesday, cross-trained on the eliptical last night (1 hour), and will do 7 easy miles this evening, then 4 easy miles tomorrow. Rest Saturday. 14 miles Sunday.
I haven't had enough sleep this week, but I am just really trying to pay attention to my body. If I need an extra rest day, I'll take one. So far so good, though.
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