Merry X-Mas! Lots to Catch up on!

First, I passed! I gave myself a mental test and I passed. A few weeks ago (not last Thursday, but the Thursday before) I said to myself: If I can run three miles without big pain in my right thigh and without panting to a stop, then I can and will do this half marathon with only a few weeks to train.

I did it!!!! With the help of my wonder dog, Robbie, I did it!! He gets in shape much quicker than me and he was running ahead at times. He's no longer squeamish about the ice either-- though I spent some of the run on the snow to give my bones some cushion.

When I realized I was going to make it to 3 miles, I got so excited I decided to put a wee bit more umpf in and got to a complete 5K-- just that .2 made me feel awesome. I knew I would do this half marathon.

Okay, so I got a little too pat-myself-on-the-backish about passing my own test and I didn't run again until the next Wednesday-- oooppsss!!! I went to Tony's Team in Training fundraiser at Rosie O Grady's the next Tuesday to help him raise funds since he is way under his minimum and already even ran the Hawaii full marathon (which I heard had a near monsoon descend on the runners-see Lou? Told you Arizona was the place to run). He raised nearly 400 for Leukemia/Lymphoma society in one night!! Nice!


This photo is near the end of the night—Tony's sister is the one w/ her eyes closed holding up the TNT banner and he is to the far right.


Lou told me he ran the other day at the Y and sweat after just a few miles like he had run in 80 degree weather. I told him how much I love winter running and hate, hate, hate the treadmill even more than running in the summer. I hate that unnatural pounding feeling, I hate the off balance feeling, I hate just staring straight ahead, I hate no wind, I hate no scenery, and most of all, I hate running in place--the boredom of it is enough to make me want to pull out me eyeballs and throw them outside while my disenoracular body numbly keeps running inside in place. No dog, no sparkling snow, no stars, no landmarks. Yuck. Well, Lou knows heat is my cryptonite and he reminded me of something: our race is in Arizona. Ugggh. It could get up to 60 maybe even 65 or 70 and I've been running at night in 20 degree weather. I am going to dehydrate and drain myself to a puddle of nothing in Arizona. He suggested I do at least one run at the Y since they keep it at 70 just to avoid heat shock when I get to the race.

So, that Wed. I went and I ran in three layers w/ sweats and all just to simulate Arizona. I went through my entire water bottle by mile 3 and I wanted to collapse. I hated it as much as I remembered and had to stop and walk at least 4 times. Running is so mental and w/ all that boredom of just staring ahead at a painted white cinder block wall while I ran in place just took the run right out of me. Not even Sisters of Mercy could keep me going, not even "Radar Love"-- nothing. And, like Lou, I was sweating something fierce. I even threw some of the precious water over my head and didnt care if I got electrocuted or slipped on the water and got conveyered through the treadmill to be flattened on the other side.

Oh, just so I don't forget: also no lemonade, not gulps of it anyway, just before a run.

Okay, so all this is to say: I didn't run for two of coach Kyle's long run Saturday's in a row-- missed the 5, missed the 6, and then went to Stony for TNT' longest Sat run: 20 for full and 11 for half.

I planned to do 6, maybe push to 8, then realized, I better just do 10 and so I nearly did! 9.78 miles. I stopped 3 times at the "water cooler" (TNT water, hot cider-- mmm yum--- station) and walked intermittently-- but was happy that I did nearly 10 miles. It was great to see TNT people I have not seen in a while: Coaches Sandy, Kyle, Ken--especially Ken-- I saw him running in Santa gear on my 2nd mile and ran over to give him a hug--it was awesome to see him. I saw someone else later in a tall Santa hat and didn't recognize him. Later found out it was coach Kyle! He ran with for part of my last 3 miles. I laughed at his hat and said I didn't recognize him--he said he wondered about my blank look. Anyhow admitted I hadn't stuck to his schedule. How many today? He asked-- 10 I said. He grinned: "What happened to 8 miles??" I told him I added the 8 for Sat to the 2 for Sunday and got the 10 for Sat.

Sandy asked me how it felt to be running again: AWESOME! I told her. It felt so good. There is just no, no, no therapy in the world like running.

Even better, not once did my hip flexor nor my femur give me deep down pain. Only my lungs this time were giving me a hard time. Sandy says you get it back quick.
Kyle was so awesome to run w/ me the last few miles--even though I was being a renegade and running those last few against his orders. I had to stop some and walk and as we walked he gave me some good advice. Let me know I didn't really have time for a taper. But, reminded me that I had two more weekends till the race weekend: Jan. 13.
So here's the plan we came up with: run 3-4 miles 3x's during the week and my true long run next Sat.: 11 miles.
Sunday: stretch and rest. Monday: 6, Tuesday: 2, Wed. 3, Thursday 6, Friday stretch and rest, Saturday: 8
Week of race: Sunday: 2 and stretch, Monday, 3, Tuesday, 4, wed. 2, Thursday, 2
Friday: drink lots o water on plane, Saturday: lots oh water, Sunday: race.

Okay, so today is Tuesday and I have not run since Sat. for as much as I love running, when I first start up training it's hard to get into the groove of doing it as frequently as I plan. I can see that looking back at my old logs. So, tom: 4 miles, thursday: 6 miles, Friday 2 and stretch. Saturday: 11
I know I am supposed to rest day in between/before long run and should not have let all Sunday, Monday, Tuesday go by w/out a run. But, so be it. This is my plan.

Best news? after a lung punishing 9.78 miles, very little hip flexor or thigh pain even two days later!!! yeah!

I also credit this to my very amazing physical therapist, Lisa, at Beaumont Health Center She really knows her stuff and has done wonders for my leg strength and to keep scar tissue from building around my bone injury.

I can’t wait to complete this race: by my Garmin I should be able to do it and not have to get bussed at the halfway point. Wow—just realized how eerily prophetic my early nightmare was for this marathon: dreamed I started out okay but then had to keep running inside and through all these places with pools! Then eventually get bussed to finish/start and forfeit! I will not let that last happen. I did do the pool rout w/ pool therapy but I will finish the half in 4 hours. Kyle said that’s for walkers—even w/ me running some walking some he said I would make it in that time. Still average a 13 minute pace.
I finished nearly 10 just under 3 hours (which included long stretching stops and slow sips of break time hot cider) so I can definitely get 3 or so more miles in under the 4 hour mark.

Many happy wishes to all this holiday season. I have a heartwarming story about some people I met Christmas eve day gift wrapping at Borders to raise money for TNT--but will tell that in next blog--getting sleepy. Hope everyone found something they wanted today.
Laura