Next Marathon Stop: Santa Barbara!

After weighing the pros and cons, I have registered to run the Santa Barbara International Marathon (SBIM) November 12, 2011. This is my last shot to fulfill my 2011 goal to complete a marathon without having to stop and walk. After knocking 20 minutes off my last race time, as well as choosing a course that is less challenging than San Francisco and Boston, I think I have a really good chance of getting this done! I also have a secondary goal, which is to finish in 5 hours or less (a VERY tall order!).

Thats 3 races lined up for the fall, September-October-November. Heartbreak Ridge Half, Temecula Half, and SBMI. I have never had such an intense line-up! There is something about actually being registered for a race that YOU have to pay for that makes training easier. Call me cheap, but I don't want to see that entry fee go to waste!

I think the biggest difference between this training cycle and Boston's training cycle is stress. I am much less stressed in the summer (school is out) and I have less financial stress since I'll be packing up and moving home with the parents. Finishing grad school also is a huge burden removed. The past 2 weeks I have felt so much like my old self, nothing like the I have the past 9 months. I find myself smiling when driving, laughing out loud at TV shows, excited to see people and go places. You never really realize how crummy you felt until you start feeling better. I am really looking forward to my first long(ish) run of the training plan (8 miles) which had to me moved to tomorrow AM due to heat. I bet it is going to feel GREAT.

Same thing, different year

2.6 miles, 26:00 on treadmill

Supposed to be a much grander run. Apparently a double-double and milkshake for lunch= disaster on the treadmill. That unpleasant gurgle turned into a scream of terror as I ran out of that place. So, mileage cut short.

This time last year, I registered for my first marathon. It was my plan b, just in case I couldn't find a teaching job. I wanted to have something I could work towards, something I could accomplish to feel like I was still moving forward in life. And it worked.

In the past 12 months, I have completed my credential, earned my Master's degree, nearly completed my BTSA, and ran 2 marathons, improving my PR by nearly 20 minutes. I have already completed two of my goals for the new year: set new marathon PR and donate blood. I have had a very accomplished year.  The new challenge is not to let my new life complications get in the way of my sense of accomplishment and my ability to see that I am not failing in life. I'm not going to let these grey clouds rain on my parade!

So, I have been thinking to myself tonight, hours after I received my final reduction in force notice (pink slip) if I should register for my 3rd marathon to help get me through the next couple months and give me something to focus on.

There is something about the marathon, a comfort that other races do not hold. Maybe it is my personality, the desire to always be striving towards something big, that helps me feel better in my own skin. To feel like I am still doing my best, living life to it's fullest, despite other things that seem to be falling apart. But I have realized that I am in a place in my training where, if I want to continue to enjoy a sense of accomplishment in a race, I need to step up training. This means learning to manage my stress and all the nasty things that come with it so I can stick to a training plan. How do I overcome all the anxiety, worry, and depression that so often accompanies a major life change? This is the question I need to answer if I am going to break 5 hours and really grow into the runner I have the potential to become. Is it a good idea to register for next race?

I am glad I didn't register for NWM. I need to register for a race that won't put financial strain on me if I am out of work. Maybe something flat so I can feel confident going in and increase the likelihood that I will get that feeling of accomplishment that, given the current state of the economy and education, I might really need.

This weekend will help me kick start the positive thinking train, help me get back on track and keep my spirits up: Tomorrow the fabulous, gorgeous, and intelligent Maggie will be coming over to cook dinner and elliptical. Friday I get to see a crazy fun old HS/college friend from out of state for a really yummy dinner. And Saturday my absolute favorite, glowing, mama-to-be is coming over for elliptical/breakfast/and hopefully some treats (hopefully baby likes sweetie pies!). The universe has surely aligned quite a posse of ladies to make sure there are no pity parties this weekend.

First goal for 2011 met!

I case you missed it, my goals for the new year are here. In summary, they are to donate blood at least once (needle phobia), run an entire marathon (not walk parts due to poor training), and set new PR's for 5k, 10k, half and full marathons.

The good news: I donated blood and fulfilled one of my three goals for the new year. I didn't get much feedback on my blood donation post so I assumed marathon runners don't give blood or it was just one of those lazy weeks where people don't feel like posting. Or my post was just super crappy. But probably not ;)

Now I know that people training for marathons probably aren't blood donors because it really screws up your training. The goals was to donate Friday and maybe become a regular blood donor. I hear that giving blood saves the lives of a million babies per pint, saves the world, and pretty much makes you everyone's hero. Who wouldn't want to save a million babies in 30 minutes? Instead we relived the "let's pass out in front of the students" and see the light/speak to God" experience of 2008. I believe the technical term I overheard them use as I drifted off to that mansion in the sky was "code light blue". Aren't I dramatic? Or is it just the over-use of "quotation marks"?

Long story short, they got the blood so the goal was met. Bad news is that the kind head nurse explained that some people are just not blood donors, and that I shouldn't come back for another donation. The jury is out on whether I should get a second opinion. My painfully stiff arm and my dear mother say no, the jolly phlebotomist who nursed me back to life says yes. I think we might wait 3 more years for a verdict.

Oh, and I can't do any moderate to strenuous activity for 2 days. At least I will be in the clear for my long run Sunday. I might be a bad patient and try an easy 2 miles today so I am only 4 miles behind instead of 6. Boo.

The bright side is that I am sooooo close to being done with UC Davis. My research poster looks AMAZING and it is over 50% done. Once I present on Friday (6 days!!!!!) I will pretty much be done with my Master's Degree. Sweet relief!

Next goal: run the Boston Marathon, no injuries, no walking breaks!

Donating Blood

via

One of my goals for the year is to donate blood (read my goals for 2011 here), and I am VERY excited to say I signed up for a blood drive on February 25th and plan of pumping out a pint. Not sure how this is going to play out for the rest of my day because I am donating in the middle of the school day, but I am hoping since I am more fit/healthy than last time I gave blood, I won't have the same experience. I am also going to be very conscious of what I eat before I go so hopefully I won't wake up on the floor surrounded by students.

Has anyone donated blood while training for a marathon? Not literally while training, but maybe on an easy run, cross train, or rest day? I am probably going to take it easy the day I donate (or take the day off from training entirely), but wanted to see what blogger land had to say. 

For many people, donating blood is not a big deal. But it is really hard for me to be in the same room where a needle is in someone's arm, so this is HUGE for me to go back and try this again. Sitting in the room with JF when he donated stem cells for the marrow donor program was extremely difficult. I had to get up and almost had to take a step outside. My mom was so proud of me for not letting my phobia trump my role as cheerleader/supporter. Here's hoping we can take the next step towards beating this irrational fear by becoming a regular blood donor!

(as far as Boston Training goes, today is an off day. Terrible migraine and to make sure I don't push it too far, I am going to have today be pure rest, tomorrow hill repeats on the elliptical, and Sunday the long run 10 miles. Let's keep those knees and feet happy for April 18th!)

New Year, New Goals

Better late than never, here are the big goals for 2011. This is going to be an amazing year full of big milestones and travels. The challenge: making realistic goals that are attainable but challenging. 2010 I met 2 of my 3 goals, which I am VERY proud of. I ran my marathon and got my teaching job, both of which I thought would be the harder of the three goals. So, 3 more goals to help make me a better athlete/person in the new year:

1) Donate Blood. When I first donated, I had a terrible experience, passing out on the floor at work and making a huge scene. The Red Cross says that less than 30% of first time donors return for a future donation. I don't want to be that person, so I am going to give it another shot and donate at least one time this year. One in 3 people have my same blood type (O+) so I am sure it will go to good use :) January is National Blood Donation month, btw.

2) Improve my PR's across the board. That means a faster 5k, 10k (not sure I have a PR for this), half and full marathons. If I am a good girl and run regularly, this should be attainable. More interval/speed training is also gonna make this one a reality. Setting a time just wasn't realistic last year, and I don't think it will be this year either. So progress, no matter how small the amount, is the focus of having an injury-free year. I also thought about running a minimum of 3 times a week every week, but travel is going to make that prohibitive. I am still going to try to run at least 3 times a week, but not going to sweat the weeks where this isn't possible.

3) Run (not walk) a full marathon. No stopping and walking like Nike Women's Marathon. This means making sure I don't get injured in the race by training longer and smarter. When I go back to San Francisco in October, I am going to bring it! And, my Marathon PR should improve if I am not walking around the lake.

Writing goals down is the first step to making them a reality. Help me out and hold me accountable folks! When I am not blogging, it usually is because I am not running and ashamed to show my face in bloggyland. Here's to more miles, more posts, and more pints in 2011!

4th quarter comeback

Workouts: Wednesday 30 minutes hill climb on the elliptical (my favorite inside workout) that really made me sweat, today a mile and a half with a nice hill. Keeping the runs short to help condition the foot and using lots of low impact alternatives, like weights and elliptical. Yay for not screwing my foot up! I'll be really proud if I can get 2.5 miles in Christmas Day. If Santa brings a Garmin, I am totally hitting the pavement. If not, I am hitting the tray of cookies.

Being with old friends reminds of how much I have changed since my adolescence. At one time of my life, I was the alpha personality in my social circle. Now, I am so far from that and my social circle has shrunk considerably. Is this just part of getting older?  It felt good to feel confident and laugh and have a good time. 2011 is going to focus more on feeling confident about being me and less about worrying about pleasing other people. It's time to reestablish some solid roots. Having a good talk with my marathon training buddy reminded me of the riches good friends bring to life. The past few years have been about establishing a career for myself. 2011 is going to be about building strong relationships.

On an exciting note, I bought my first dress for the Tahiti trip on clearance at Nordstrom's rack. I am so excited for everything this next year is going to bring!

I remember thinking midyear that 2010 was not the year I hoped it was going to be. I should have never given up at halftime. I have so many things to be thankful for and so fortunate for everything this past year has brought, especially the very special people in my life. Good people and new beginnings. Oh, what a wonderful year!

I'm back!

It has been 6 weeks since my last blog post. Yikes! I went back to read some old blog posts, and I can't believe I went MIA for so long. Once training went down the toilet due to the new job, grad school, and travel, I was too ashamed to show my face around these parts. But now I have something I am super stoked to brag blog about...MY FIRST MARATHON FINISH!!!!!!!!

Yesterday was the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco. After 5 hours 51 minutes and 46 seconds of joy that faded into excruciating pain, I managed to drag my sad sad body over the finish line. And I am so excited to do it again!!!!

Despite the rain and my poor month of training leading up to the marathon, I was pretty impressed with myself. It took me a lot longer to finish than I expected (I was shooting for 5:15-5:30), and I wasn't anticipating having to power walk 4 miles between miles 18 and 22 (although I did jog small amounts during that stretch) due to shooting pains in my knees. The hills were no problem. Training on Atlas Peak was a smart move in September and I am really glad I logged a thousand foot elevation gain. I know that if I can be better motivated to stick to a training schedule, I can drastically reduce my finish time.

I couldn't have done it without my support people. Seeing people who care about you along the route is so energizing and motivating, I don't think they truly realize how much a difference it makes. My mom was an angel for replenishing my gatorade so I could avoid the crowds at the refreshment stations, stowing rain gear, fueling me before and after the race, and enduring a flawed shuttle system and cold rain. Mike and Raquel put themselves at the perfect place in the race, the part where I was starting to really struggle to enjoy myself (miles 18-21), and found me after to make sure I didn't die. And Jeff really impressed the heck out of me by being by my side for the second half of the race, on bike and 6 miles on foot. He ran and power-walked beside me up hills and around the lake to make sure that I didn't get down and angry. What an amazing man. He was there when I started to feel pain unlike anything I have ever experienced while running and helped me get through it so I could get over the finish line.

What Went Well:

* Power-glide is amazing, and NOT optional. I had absolutely no chafing and only 1 real blister, despite running 13 miles in soaking wet shoes.
* I managed my fuel/water consumption beautifully. I never felt out of energy (in fact, I was so pumped during so parts I thought I would explode.
* Margarita shot blocks are a must have. 3x sodium cramp busters worked to get rid of cramps immediately, I was really really impressed.
* I didn't use my ipod once. Good company is so much better than good music (Thanks Jeff and Denise!)
* Lucky jacket came in handy and did a great job of keeping me warm when the rain really started coming down. I can't wait until I actually get to run Boston one day!
* Hill training is critical. Do bigger hills than your race requires. Then it just feels like a walk in the park.

Things To Learn From:

* Don't stop training. Log at least 21 training miles. Adrenaline only really carried me the last 4 miles.
* Put Power-glide EVERYWHERE. Cover your entire foot. Just in case.

New Training Goals:

* Short Term: Run another marathon. I am so excited to reduce my time. I am thinking about running the Napa Valley Marathon in March. I could get some good training in over the holidays, and it would be an excellent way to celebrate completing my Master's Degree the day before! Yay! Best part is, the marathon ends at my school, so I can just keep stuff in my classroom for after the race. I have until December to make up my mind :)
* Longer Term: Improve my half marathon time. I really want to get it down to 2:00:00, but I don't think I am going to met my goal of getting down that low before the end of the year. Maybe if it was on a really flat course. Hmmm.
* Really Long Term: Qualify for the Boston Marathon. Volunteering for the Boston Marathon is what inspired me to complete a marathon. I never thought I would complete that goal so soon in my life. I want to take it back to where it all started. I know I can make it up heartbreak hill. I know I can finish that race. And someday, I WILL. All it takes is a 3:40 qualifying time :)

A Year For New Things

Resolving to take 2010 by storm, I have begun to comprise my personal objectives for the year. I realize that I have set the bar for the start of the new decade ridiculously high, and I am pretty sure I will look at this list 12 months from now and laugh my fanny off. However, in an effort towards self improvement, the bar will stay at its unattainable altitude, and we'll just have see how much progress I am motivated to make:

1. Complete a half marathon in 2:00:59 or less. That would be about 26 minutes faster than last year. Ridiculous.

2. Complete a full marathon. Ideally, the Nike Marathon, but I can't put all my eggs in one raffle basket. I'll probably end up dragging myself around Sacramento. Then I can get my one and only tattoo, 26.2, in an undecided location.

3. Get a full time teaching job. Even more ridiculous than the idea of me running for over 4 hours straight, unless the economy bucks up and gets off life support.

Progress towards these objectives should minimize crazy female syndrome over the year. By crazy female syndrome, I obviously mean lack of self esteem and faith in society. My paranoia has me convinced that if I don't become a world class athlete, I'll probably get diabetes and be forced to live my life from the discomfort of a rascal scooter. And if I don't get a job, the credit card companies will repossess everything I own, including my malicious cat. Scooting around town mumbling about my lost cat only contributes to crazy female syndrome.