Where's the Beach?

No matter how you end up signed up for a race, any race, you're going to find yourself training. You can either follow a strict plan, a loose plan, but you'll be following some sort of plan if you want to cross the line without injuries and especially if you have a goal in mind. Since I've already touched on how I ended up signed up for the Chicago Marathon and an injury, let's jump into the training. During my first marathon training, I had set up a plan for myself that allowed for 2 weeks worth of padding in case I had to cut a long run short or life in general. I did the same this round. I ended up having to use up all the padding to cover my 15 days off because of my injury. While my plan was fairly loose in terms of the miles or exact pace each and every run, I had a general idea of what I was going to do and had really banked on the extra weeks because I knew the hot weather may force me to cut a long run short. Well, for this Type-A gal, not having that pa...

I've started this post in my head a dozen times. I'm still not entirely sure where to begin. I haven't been blogging consistently. That's obvious right? That also means I've not talked a great deal about training for the Chicago Marathon, training during a Southern summer, over-coming yet another injury, and everything else that goes along with training for a race. Do I start at the beginning or do I do the race recap while it's fresh in my mind? Do I let the race settle in my head so that I can adequately attempt to talk about it? Because I'm a Type A person, I'm going to start at the beginning. The signing up for the race and the training. If you can hang with me, we'll get to race day. And I hope you will stick with me. After my first marathon in December, I ended up with a nice stress fracture. I had a slow road to recovery. An even slower road to building back up my running - both distance and pace. I ran two half marathons and a 10k, none...

Not sure what it was about this week, but it felt never-ending. Sort of like my runs have been feeling honestly. Summer has hit us fast and hard here. When you wake up and the "low" is hovering near 80 with dew points at 72 and above, you know your run is going to be bumpy at best. Rather than moan and complain about how hard marathon training is during the summer (what the heck was I thinking by the way) I thought it'd be fun to jump on the Runfessions train this Friday courtesy of Marcia at Marcia's Health Slice  (you must go read hers too). Runfessions for June For the past 2 weeks my runs have left me feeling defeated and I'm questioning my sanity for having signed up for a fall marathon. Well, a marathon period, but fall? What on earth was I thinking? I've been very remiss recently with stretching and rolling out after runs. Well, at all. Instead I just fall out in the floor in front of the fan wishing for winter. << Yes, I did just type t...

As I mentioned, I may have taken a break from blogging , but I jumped right back into running and racing. Downtown Dash After the Little Rock Half Marathon, I was signed up for the Downtown Dash 10K to support the Junior League. I had done this race last year, and thought it'd be a good race to try to help me continue to regain my endurance, and confidence truth be told. Though, I knew that the course was kind of tricky. It's a double loop and there are some challenging long, gradual inclines. It may not be a straight up big hill, the those gradual inclines really sneak up on you. The race started just over a mile from my house, so I did a slow, easy warmup run down to the start. Only it was warm and humid. I knew right away it was not going to be a good running day. Not only was my cardio still down, but the humidity is never good for my asthma. I lined up near the front. Unfortunately, several kids and slower runners did as well. It's a small race so maybe it...

Knock knock.  Who's there?  Me.  Me Who? Oh you know, the gal that used to blog ... After 5 1/2 years of blogging, I simply needed a break. I needed to reconnect to my life, not an online life. It was beyond refreshing I must say. Also, I felt like my posts were starting to feel contrived, especially after finishing my first full marathon and then ending up sidelined with that good old stress fracture . I didn't know what more to say. I wasn't feeling inspired in the kitchen. I most definitely wasn't inspired by running, since I couldn't. I didn't want my posts to be all "woe is me" because in the grand scheme of everything in life, my life wasn't necessarily bad. I was just having some set backs. After my injury, I set on the road to regaining my running endurance - both distance and cardiovascular endurance. It was hard. It was frustrating. Any runner who's been sidelined knows all about the comeback game. It's as mentall...

On Sunday, March 1, I woke up and ran the  Little Rock Half Marathon  for the 5th time. I'm beginning to think this race is completely cursed for me. The only time I've run it well was my first time. Since then, it's been injuries, torn plantar fascia, craptastic weather ... and this year it was seemingly all of the above. Even the finisher medals hadn't arrived! (Though, while we didn't get our real medals, the race directors made certain that we had a temporary medal after we crossed that line.) So, here I was completely untrained coming off of a stress fracture. 100% chance of rain, cold rain at that. I had only been running again for 2 weeks. No speed work, longest distance was 8 miles (done the day before). However, I was feeling pretty good overall. No foot pain. Just a lowered endurance level, to be expected after not running for 37 long days. I didn't really announce that I was going to run. I wasn't completely sure I would. But, when it came d...

After 37 days of not being able to run because of my stress fracture , I finally set out for a run on Valentine's Day with Jason. Seems like the ideal gift for a runner right? The temperatures were in the low 70s, perfectly clear skies. I didn't even mind the gusting winds. I was just happy to be outside, running. It wasn't fast. It wasn't easy. But it felt amazing. We did 3 miles of walk/run intervals. Jason made sure to keep my speed and distance well in check. And the best part was that there was no pain at all. That hard part was holding myself back. Every ounce of me just wanted to take off at full speed like a child might. Sunday the temperatures were much colder, and there was actually ice in the forecast for Monday. So, I layered up and headed out for a solo walk/run. I ended up with 4 miles and didn't mind that my face was frozen. Funny how I was in shorts and a tank one day then layers and gloves the next. I will say that it was much harder th...

Happy Friday (the 13th)! Anyone else feel like this has been the longest week ever? I think part of it for me is that I am thisclose to being able to start attempting to run again. So close ... And oddly, even though every ounce of me wants to run, now I'm afraid to try. I can't wait to get out on the roads again, but now I'm fearful of another stress fracture. As much as I'm sick of the bike trainer and the full-body circuits I've been doing, they feel very safe to me now. This got me to thinking (uh oh right) ... Do you ever feel like you're completely bi-polar, or have dueling personalities? No? Just me then? I thought it'd be fun to share some of my idiosyncrasies, those weird things that I both like and dislike. I love to do home decor, redecorating projects, yet I'm really bad about always following through to the end. So things get started with great intention, but then I may not finish the fine details. Example, I refinished a chair ...

Injury Update I decided to go see a podiatrist. Not because I didn't fully believe or trust my doctor, but I really wanted to get a full understanding from someone who only deals with feet and ankle injuries. I'm exactly 4 weeks out on this stress fracture and was (key word) in the boot for 3 weeks. The podiatrist said that a full break takes 8-12 weeks to heal and a stress fracture about half of that time. That means at 4 weeks, I'm totally on the mends. He gave me the OK to do non-impact workouts like cycling and even said to try the elliptical. I admitted I'd been doing the bike and he said that was perfectly fine as long as there had been no pain. Phew! Oh, and the biggest news was that I could ditch the boot! That in and of itself was like angels from heaven. I'm still not cleared to run, but at least there's an end in sight to the injury. He said to wait 2 more weeks then start going out for test runs. The biggest thing is that I have to realize that...

In all honesty, I wasn't planning a post today. I feel like I'm losing my momentum with blogging. A lot of it has to do with not being able to run right now. You'd think I'd turn back to blogging as an outlet. But, I feel like such a Debbie Downer that I don't really want to use this space for that. Runners all get injured. Been there, done that. No one wants to read about how down and out someone is. I mean, you've been there too as a runner. You get it, but guess what, you're not the only one who's been through it. But, after reading Katie at Moms Little Running Buddies post The Running Effect: How Has Running Changed You? I was inspired to write. Maybe not running means I can reflect on exactly why this injury has me so down. It's not just not being able to run and burn off some calories. Not at all. It's about not being able to do the one thing that brings me so much peace and joy and release. Running has changed me in many ways over the...

If you had asked me what my running and racing plans were for 2015 right after my full marathon at the end of December, I would have told you about races that I had planned. Funny thing is that I really don't love to race. It makes me a nervous mess, but I keep finding myself going back for more. I tend to want to race the same ones I have done previously as well. Perhaps it's because I've been there, done that and have the t-shirt to prove it. Last year, my first 2014 race was the River Trail 15K . So, it made sense that it'd be my first race for 2015 as well. The race is this Saturday, however. And I am still in a walking boot. Last year I ended up with an age group placement and a nifty cup. This year, well, I can use the cup at least right? The 15K was used as more of a training run for me for the Little Rock Half Marathon . I thought it would help me get into the racing mindset, plus I needed the miles of course. The Little Rock Half Marathon was my very f...

When things happen to you, like an injury that is obvious, it's kind of amazing what tends to happen. Hobbling around in a walking boot is uncomfortable enough, but I have been really surprised at the responses it/I have gotten. Complete strangers have stopped to ask me what I did to cause my injury. I've had people just stare down at my boot like it was a third boob. I've had people try to joke around, real comedians I tell ya, others like to make comments about getting a matching boot, or that it matches my outfit. If I tell someone that it is an overuse running injury coupled with being vitamin D deficient as well as other workouts (like plyo) then I get that knowing smug look and nod then something about how running will kill you or some such crap. As if sitting around on your rear eating ho-hos and cheetos won't. But ... I digress and won't touch that tangent today. Along with some insanely ridiculous comments, I have gotten a fair amount of advice, sugge...

Last Tuesday I mentioned that I had a stress fracture, or a possible stress fracture pending MRI confirmation. Well, Thursday I went in for my MRI. Friday morning I got a call from my doctor's office. I was told it was a fracture in my 3rd metatarsal and that they wanted me to come in and get the dreaded boot. I only met with the nurse, and not the doctor unfortunately. So I really only know what she told me. I have no idea on the severity of the fracture. And I was simply told to come back in 3 weeks for a re-check. Of course I have questions after the fact that I didn't think about the day of. I don't know if I'm supposed to be sleeping in it, hope not because I'm not. I don't know if it's ok to go for a walk with it on. I have. Though, walking isn't easy. There is a good 2 1/2 to 3 inches discrepancy when I wear the boot and my other foot. This means walking is really cumbersome unless I have on a wedge shoe of some sort on my left foot. A...

Saturday morning I did something I swore I'd never do. I ran a marathon. On a complete whim, I had signed up for the Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon . I won't lie, I may have had some wine that particular evening. Then I saw a Facebook update that there were only 5 spots left. I said something to Jason and he handed me my credit card. The rest? History (as they say). I feel like I should apologize for the rambling, jumble of a recap in advance. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the whole experience. Preface I think I should do a preface about this race, about the emotions surrounding it. Jacob Wells was the race director. He started this race last year. Sadly, he passed away unexpectedly in November during a marathon. The Arkansas running community is a very tight community. So his death was a huge loss. I never knew Jacob personally. I had seen him at races. He was known for giving high fives and shouting out kudos. Let's just say that his spir...

Who's happy it's Friday? Silly question right? I almost went with a more serious tone today. Lisa over at RunWiki did a post yesterday that really spoke to me "The Truth Is." I think it resonated with me so much right now because I have a lot of truths that I'm not confessing. Oh, nothing crazy serious, mostly around my mental state about the upcoming marathon. I thought I'd save that post for next week though and stick with something more light-hearted today. I mean, it is Fun for Friday after all. Marcia does these fun Runfession posts that I always enjoy reading and have borrowed the idea several times. Once again, I'm taking a cue from Marcia and doing my last Runfessions for 2014 . Final Runfessions of 2014 1. I'm not ready to back down on my miles and taper for my marathon next Saturday. I thought I would whole-heartedly embrace taper time, but I have actually enjoyed the training and the miles. 2. I'm afraid that after my maratho...

Half Marathon number 10 is in the books with a shiny new PR! Saturday I ran the CASA Half Marathon . This was the 2nd time running this particular race. It's a smaller race, but for a great cause as it supports the CASA Women's Shelter. It's still a new race, and is continuing to grow, and for good reason. It's truly a flat and fast course. I earned a PR last year at the race actually. Because of my marathon training, I initially wasn't sure if I would go into this as a race or as a training run. The day of, I knew I was racing 100%. It was in the mid- to upper-40s at the start with overcast skies, but very little wind. My plan was to just go with how I was feeling, find a pace and try to sustain it for as long as possible. I know many runners start out slower and increase their pace. I tend to be pretty consistent with my splits throughout. I did a super easy 1 mile run to warm up before heading to the start. I wanted up closer to the front, but not the very ...

Well, I did it!  As I mentioned on Friday , I had my last 20-mile run planned for Saturday. Amy has been helping me get through a large chunk of the miles for my long run, but this weekend she needed to get her miles done pretty early. I almost had a panic attack thinking I was going to be solo for 20 miles. Thankfully, I have found two more running friends over the course of this training. Let's just say that during the last two solo miles I was thinking, "It takes a village." I was also thinking, how many people does it take to help one runner train for a marathon? You know, kind of a joke but I couldn't come up with a punch line, because it's really true. You need far more support than you think you're going to need and it comes from a variety of sources. Saturday morning ended up being another randomly warm day, and super windy. How was I wearing double layers in November yet tank and shorts in December? I knew this could affect my run negatively. I s...

Happy Friday! So, a bit of rambling today. I have to admit that it feels weird not blogging as much or as consistently. I know this means fewer interactions with my blogging friends. That's probably what I'm missing the most with blogging less. And while I don't feel the pull to blog as frequently as I once did, I still want a place to share thoughts, share recipes or workouts and to converge with others over similar life happenings whether it be weight lifting or marathon training or just enjoying the heck out of time with family and friends. I never thought I would run a full marathon. So, of course, I never thought I'd be blogging about my training. Blathering away about long runs, hitting the wall, feeling great or feeling pukey. I never thought I would feel so much gratitude towards someone helping me make it through all of this either. Tomorrow marks my last truly long run - 20 miles (more only if I am feeling up to it). Then I begin my taper period. I'm...

Happy Hump Day. Since it's already Wednesday, guess it'd be a good time to do a quick weekend recap, that included an accidental 19-mile run and a 3rd Thanksgiving meal. Long Run Saturday morning Amy agreed to run with me for what was a planned 18-mile run. I was going to head out and get in some miles before she arrived then run 10 together, then finish out solo. I got in 5 miles exactly, then we set out on a meandering route around the neighborhood. The temperatures were suddenly back into the 60s with high humidity and even higher winds. Thankfully it was cloudy. The positives were that we were most certainly not freezing and the wind did help dry us off. Amy had said 10 miles, but then decided she could do another mile with me. We made another loop before getting back to my house. Her watch said 11 miles on the dot, mine was behind showing 15.85 miles. For some reason, I got it stuck in my head that I was at mile 15 and needed 3 more - even said that out loud a ...