A Little Help From My Friends

I must say, I never thought I would feel so great after a 20 mile run!

Don’t get me wrong…it was very very difficult. In fact, I was NOT in the mood and I really didn’t think I was going to make it.

Let me back up…

It is not a good sign when you don’t sleep very well because you are dreaming that you wake up an hour and a half late for your 20-miler. Stress. Plus, I just really really didn’t feel like doing 20 miles. I had carb loaded all day Friday, went to bed early, etc, but it just didn’t matter. Plus, I was stupid and wore my skirt without the pockets, so I had no place for my Gu. My running buddy, Lindsey suggested sticking them in my sports bra. Knowing my history of chafing, I made sure I used BodyGlide first. It ended up working out perfectly! So now I have a new trick.

We were off to a slow start, with a 13 minute first mile. Everyone I run with started freaking out because we were going too slow. I was like “No! No! I would rather go slow at first and have energy at the end!” We weaved our way through Hyde Park and then through Mariemont. It seemed to take forever. I couldn’t believe that our first water stop was only 3.5 miles in. I was already tired.

The way the run was set up was that it was 16.75 miles. If you wanted to add on, you could do the 1.7 mile loop in the middle of the run 2 more times, or you could add 4 miles on at the end. My group decided on the pretty, flat, 1.7 miles in Mariemont in the middle of the run rather than adding on at the end. Not only is it a mental block to end at the Running Spot and then know you have 4 miles to go, but those 4 miles happened to be in Eden Park which means HILLS. We were also like “Aww. It’s so cute here! I’m glad we’re doing our loops here!” But by the third loop we were like “AGH! Get me out of Mariemont!” As we ran out onto Wooster Pike Sarah even said “Wow! Civilization! I feel like I’m back out of 1940!”

By this time I was feeling like it was the longest run ever. Sarah felt like it was the shortest run ever and Lindsey said she felt in-between. That made me laugh.

Next came Wooster Road. Let me just say…I have a new appreciation for Eastern. I just canNOT run on industrial roads. They make me crazy. Not to mention the fact that some of it did not have sidewalks and I felt like I was going to be run over by a car. I was so glad I have driven that way to my friend’s, because I knew where I was going and didn’t second guess myself. All the girls kept asking “are you SURE we are going the right way?” Then Sarah and I saw a big group of people. I thought it was weird because there shouldn’t be another water stop for awhile. They were all wearing really bright colors. Like day-glo orange. Yes, they were a juvenile detention work crew. Bizarre, the things you see on your runs. ☺

By the time we made it to Lunken I really didn’t know if my legs could move anymore. Lindsey and I debated walking when we got to Delta. I was not looking forward to our home stretch. We only had 4.25 miles left, but it was all up hill.

I shot another Gu. I have to admit…they are awesome. Lindsey laughs at me because she says I ‘take them like a pro’ now. They keep my legs going when I swear there is no human way that my legs could still be moving.

I thought about walking even more as we finally hit Delta. But my legs just kept moving. I wasn’t going to stop them. But by this time my body was in robot mode. So much so, that when I could not go straight because a car was blocking a driveway in front of me it took TONS of effort (mental and physical) to go around it.

We stopped for water one last time with a little more than a mile to go. I walked two blocks to Stettinius, and started running again. I knew I had exactly one mile left. When we got to the O’Bryonville shops I even kicked it up a notch. I looked at my watch. 3:30!!!!

I have no idea how that is possible, but I was soooooooo pumped. I realized that if it wasn’t for the girls, I would not have done it. I so would have been walking for a lot of those 20. I was so impressed with us! Hurrah!

Despite Eastern...

OK. So we all know how much I hate running on eastern. So I was not exactly ecstatic when for my 18 mile run this weekend 10 of those miles were on Eastern. Luckily, it was not very hot (since there is basically not a lot of shade). The next 8 miles of the run was around the Lunken Airport bike trail. I don’t know which one is worse!

Despite all of this, I was feeling pretty good when I woke up. I met up with my fellow Chicago group (there are about 5 of us in the group that are running Chicago and we are all around the same pace.) Saturday we were light, because of vacations…there were only 3 of us. Anyway, I felt like we were kind of taking it out a little fast. Especially since I REALLY have to get into a groove on Eastern since it is sooooooo BORING. I was a little worried.

Our first mile was 10:16. Our next was 10:11. This was not boding well because we all try to keep our splits between 10:30 and 11:00.
We got back on track with the next one, with a 10:23. I was starting to feel really great. Our first five we finished at 51:00.

After turning around at Montgomery Inn, I felt super powerful. Maybe it was the disgusting Gu that I gagged down.
I broke away from the group. I knew that I would probably poop out in the last few miles, but I wanted to test it. I figured, maybe I CAN run a 10-10:15 minute mile pace the whole time. No better time to test it in a long run. My splits were getting super fast (for me). 10:00. 9:50!!!

Then they started to drop back. I was back to my normal 10:22s and 10:39s. Even a 10:50.

BUT the slowest split I had was 12:00 (that was my 18th mile). So, I KNOW that I can’t really take all of my mileage at 10:00, because I would die at the end. But I do know that if I’m feeling good, its ok to do a few miles at sub 10:30. That made me feel pretty good about my training!

Out of Commission

So, I don’t know if I should have run Saturday or not. The thing is, I was feeling pain in my legs on Friday. So much so, that I had to ask my friends/husband during lunch ‘should I run tomorrow if my legs hurt like they do today?’…which is actually a sign to me that no, I should not run. I have been having a lot of pain in my shins and knees, right where the bone is. I have had issues with vitamin D deficiency before (which causes bone pain) so I was thinking that might be why.

So, against my better judgement, I went running on Saturday. I made it about a half of a mile when my lower leg started feeling really tight. So I stopped to stretch it out. Then I picked up running. It hurt more. I decided to make it across the bridge into Ohio before I stopped to stretch again. Now the pain was shooting up into my knee and right above my knee. I started walking. It felt better so I thought I could run again. Ran for about 2 minutes through really bad pain. Walked. Ran. Nope. More pain. Walked and felt fine.

This is when I ran into Coach Joe B and told him my predicament. His solution was to walk (since I felt okay when I walked) and then when I saw people turning back from the first group, to turn back as well. Also, I need to see someone from the clinic, which is on Saturday, at the latest. Pttt.

Walking sucks. Especially by yourself and especially on Eastern and especially when you want to run.

But I just called to get a referral for a sports medicine specialist. I really want to run this marathon and I KNOW that running injured is a bad idea but I can already tell that it is going to drive me absolutely crazy if I cannot run for more than like 2 days. I am already going nuts just thinking about it!

Oh, and the reason I think it was good that I went running? Because if I hadn't, I probably would have ignored the problem. Having a coach tell you to see someone about your problem actually makes you think that you should do it.

Upping the Mileage

This marathon training has gone so fast! I don't remember upping my mileage this much this quickly...but maybe that is because I was just so amazed I was running double digit mileage at the time.

Tomorrow is 15-16 miles for me. It starts at Newport on the Levee and is described as a "pretty flat run". I know exactly what that means: Eastern Avenue. Oh how I love Eastern avenue (see hereand here). I am obviously being sarcastic. That just means I have to get mentally pumped up tonight. AND load up my ipod with really great music. At least I can be guilt free when I go out with my friends tomorrow night to gorge on bad food. :)

I didn't get to run or workout at all last night because I ended up working really late. This is doubly bad because there is nothing open downtown for takeaways and I always end up eating really bad food, and then not being able work it off. It also sucks because running gets rid of all the cortisol I work up inside after a stressful day...and of course days where you have to work late are the most stressful. Oh well, I am going to try and get some good sleep tonight so I can have a kick-butt run tomorrow!