A Dopey Kind of Weekend

Little did I realize what I was signing up for when I decided to run Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge plus the Family 5K. I knew that running 3 races in a row was not something I should do on a regular basis but once should be okay and it is Disney so...I did my research on how to train for such a Dopey kind of race and waited for October 1 to arrive. I wasn't prepared for the foot injury that was to befall me in July. I blame too much/too soon trail running. My achilles and other areas of my foot would hurt after my training runs and the next morning but not during the run generally. This caused my mileage to be lower than what I was used to. Couple that with a 5 day sickness around Thanksgiving and you have someone who was supposed to be training at around 45-55 miles per week that was barely running 4-5 days some weeks. I did manage to squeeze in 3-20 milers (only one of which was 21 miles and the other 2 were 20) and one double back weekend (I ran 18 miles one day and 13 the next). I was supposed to do 2 double back weeks but ran out of time. As I averaged my weekly mileage during this training cycle I was quite distraught when I realized I had only averaged 28 miles per week for the 3 months. Good grief, how in the world am I going to last 42.4 miles at Disney? I was pretty nervous-I tried to hide it from everyone. Maybe I can still BQ I said all the while thinking, yeah right, in your dreams!! Fast forward to race weekend. Day 1-5K, I ran about a 10 minute pace for the 5K. No big deal, I felt good. I knew this was the easy part! I was back at the hotel before it was light. Day 2-Half marathon, I felt pretty good the first few miles and was having trouble keeping my pace easy so I stopped several times to walk and go to the bathroom. Half marathon complete in under 2:10-not too bad. I was amazed my foot wasn't hurting either! Day 3-Marathon, I wake up at 2am feeling pretty good. Not sore really at all and my foot isn't hurting either. Maybe this won't be as bad as I think. I get to the start line and find the 3:45 pace group. I tell Bill that I'm going to stay with him as long as I can. I followed Bill and his balloons for about 2 miles. It was then I knew it was going to be a very long day...What happens through the next 24 miles is a back and forth with running at a comfortable pace, walking at a fast pace, shuffling along, passing other run/walkers, being passed by the same run/walkers, and thinking that this is the craziest thing I've ever done and I won't be signing up for it again. My iShuffle got overheated at mile 8 and I am very glad Disney has some of the best entertainment around, I didn't even miss my music. At mile 15 I seriously thought that I was going to walk the last 11 miles. As it turns out, I was able to eek out a 5:08. I was surprised I made it in such a fast time considering how much I had to walk. As I passed the 24 mile marker I thought, the best thing about this race other than actually crossing the finish line, is that I never have to sign up for anything like this again. That was the first thing I told Will too! And here we are 3 days later...guess what, I still feel the same way! As I try to analyze what went wrong I don't have too many answers other than my terrible training cycle and that I am still working on my nutrition during the race. No excuses though. I did what I could and am thankful to have finished all 3 races! Mickey Mouse was proud of me too! And, even Goofy bowed down to me in the park! And it is Disney!! Next up is the Myrtle Beach Marathon in mid-February. That is only 5 weeks away, hardly enough time to make up for a terrible training cycle since October but, I will do what I can and then regroup for the next marathon. Yes, I still think I enjoy the marathon distance. I can't say farewell without listing some of the interesting things I saw during the race... 1. Of course, public urination is perfectly acceptable during races. I found my spot in the woods before the race start along with the other needy ones. Yes, I always have my toilet paper! 2. Several men were wearing tutus 3. Will saw one guy running the race backwards 4. Volunteers are the best at Disney races 5. One guy was actually running in sandals Happy Running and Hello Better!!

Ode to Mr. Taper and Nervous Energy

It is hard to believe the Disney race is almost here, I mean, I've only been thinking and planning for this for the last half year. If you had told me 5 years ago that in a few days I would not only be racing for 3 days in a row but completing my 5th marathon, I would have laughed out loud. Long gone are those sluggish days where I could hardly wait to get into bed...wait, I still can't wait to go to bed but at least now it's not because I'm sluggish! Running has transformed my life in so many ways, I can't believe I am where I am today. I am thankful to be here though and that I have the opportunity to coach others to reach their goals. But this is supposed to be an ode to Mr. Taper...you can tell I have nervous energy already! I don't like the taper period simply because you don't run your regular mileage. Granted, you need to rest up and store that glycogen in your muscles for the big race but still...anyway, it is a necessary evil and one that is almost over. Come Sunday morning at 3am I may be wishing I was tapering again. Not sure if I will have time to blog again before the race so I wanted to let you know my "plan". I plan to run the 5K and half marathon at an easy pace. My goal for the 5K is anywhere between 26-28 minutes and the half is anywhere around 2 hours. Come marathon day, I will begin with the 3:45 pace group and see how that goes. I'm not really expecting to BQ but I would seriously kick myself in the butt if I woke up and felt the best I ever felt and had not prepared to race for a BQ. I told Will to not worry as I may be way past 4 hours, even 5. Who knows how my body will respond to what I'm getting ready to put it through. You can be sure of 1 thing-whatever time I finish is pretty much all I had to give that day. There will be other races--Myrtle Beach in fact--Really the important thing for this weekend is to complete the Dopey Challenge, get those 4 medals, wear them proudly in the park (for about 5 minutes) and get my picture taken with the Big Mouse himself. I will ask him once again if he is proud of me and I know he will shake his head furiously!! I think I need to get my picture taken with Goofy and Dopey too now that I think about it! Thanks to you all for your support! I know many of you have told me that you enjoy the runner tracking and hearing about my racing ventures so that you don't have to run yourself haha or you just like living through me and my crazy running and I appreciate that more than you know! It's been a fun journey getting to this really crazy race--and no, no, no- Charles, Joey, Jack, John, Blanca, and all you other ultra runners--I have no plans to switch to the dark side. My race is over a 3 day period-you crazies do yours all in one day! Check my facebook page on race day and you will see the split times!

Dopey Challenge

The Goofy/Dopey Challenge will be here soon! I can't say this has been the greatest of training cycles, actually it has been a terrible training cycle! From being sick to having my foot give me problems, it has seemed like a never ending battle to finally get to taper time. I've been grouchy enough these past few months that I don't think anyone will notice it is taper time, haha! I honestly don't know what is going to happen that weekend but you can be sure that my stubbornness will manifest itself many times. Nevertheless, it is Disney after all, and I will enjoy racing with all the other Mickey Mouse lovers! Let me clarify that I will be running the 5K and half marathon at an easy pace. I will be racing the full...still dreaming of that BQ. It most likely won't happen at Disney but I have to at least start out with that mentality and they do have a 3:45 pace group so... On a happier note, my run group, NEXT STEP Performance Training begins Jan 21. I will also be coaching with some others down in Myrtle Beach beginning Jan 6. I'm very excited about these opportunities! Fit-tastic begins in early March so I'm gearing up for some busy months ahead. Thank you for your time...now get out there and exercise!

Fit-tastic Completed and Other Interesting Things!

Since my last blog many things have happened:

The fall Fit-tastic season finished and several ran in the Monster Dash 5K at CRW. They did a fantastic job! I was very proud of them! Several have made a commitment to continue running! Yay!

I was a "medaler" (handed out finisher medals) at the Myrtle Beach mini marathon. I had a great time! It was neat to see people crossing the finish line and accomplishing various goals. For all you racers, just know this, there are many things that occur at the finish line that we have no idea about...cleaning up vomit, proposals, medic assistance, etc. It was a wonderful experience!!

 I competed in my first relay race. Jackie, Ed, Ronnie and I were on the marathon relay team for Capital RunWalk at the City of Oaks Marathon. It was a different but fun experience. Our team finished 15th overall with a time of 3:34. Not too bad for a bunch of oldies! haha! Blue Ridge Relay here we come!!

I did my first 20 miler of my marathon training plan yesterday. Only 8 weeks until the Dopey challenge! I'm so excited to be racing again at Disney! I've gotta start choosing my racing wardrobe! 3 different days = 3 different shoes, 3 different outfits, etc. What fun!!

NEXT STEP Performance Training begins again! January 7 is the information and registration meeting! Check out the information on my FB page. Email me with any questions!

New things I've been doing during my training include:

1. Using 5 hour energy during my long runs (I will use this during races too)

2. Taking a caffeine pill before my long runs

3. Wearing compression socks and sleeves (during long and short runs and sometimes none at all) I like them!

And, last but not least, a new opportunity for coaching...this one at Myrtle Beach. If all works out, I will be part of a training committee with the Grand Strand Running Club to help train beginner, etc. runners for a target 5K race in March. I am very excited about this opportunity!!

Thank you for taking time to read! Remember: Run hard when it's hard to run!
                                                                                                          

Team 1: Lindsey, Candace, Barry, Dunford

/Team 2: Jackie, Dawn, Ed, Ronnie

Upcoming Races and New Logo

Fit-tastic group is doing well. The target 5K race is the Monster Dash at Capital RunWalk on October 28. I'm excited to see how the group does. It is neat to hear many of them comment how much they can tell they have improved and how much easier it is to run than when we began. I have officially begun my marathon training. Disney is only 3 months away so I better get busy. I have to increase my own endurance and get those 20 milers in. After the Monster Dash, I will have a couple other races before Disney. I'm running my first relay with some of the runners from CapRun. The City of Oaks Marathon Relay is early November. Then the 8K at Myrtle Beach is Thanksgiving Day. I will once again try to lower my PR at this race, take a nap, eat some turkey, and then go night shopping with all the other crazies at the beach. I don't usually race in December, but I'm planning to run the Jingle Bell because it is early December and won't interfere with the last weeks of training before the Goofy/Dopey Challenge. Speaking of Disney, I have to plan 3 days of racing and what to wear, not to mention the shoes...This will take some thought. One last thing, I have a new logo for NEXT STEP. It's very cool! My next run group will be after Disney, around the 3rd week of January. I'll post details at a later date.

Happy running and when you face those down days, just hold your head up and realize that's what it is, just another day and it will pass. Consistency in training is important! I have to remind myself of this quote a lot (I have it at my desk too) "It's hard to train for a marathon, but it's even harder to not train for one."

Run Smart, Run Long...

Do you want to run for a long time? I'm not talking about doing an ultra race (those people are crazy...haha)...I'm talking about running for the rest of your life. In order to do that you have to run smart and learn from your mistakes and realize it's okay to make a change.

I like to think of myself as a seasoned runner and in many ways I think I am but then something happens to knock me off my pedestal. You see, I've been pretty stubborn my whole life and if you knew my mama, you'd know the apple didn't fall far from the tree. Anyway, that stubbornness has helped me in more ways than just running, and, yes, it's also gotten me into quite a bit of trouble-even as a "mature" adult. Being stubborn, I will push through injuries until the last minute and then let them heal, run those "junk" miles to hit my weekly goal, etc.  But then my body rebels and reminds me that although I am in the best shape I've ever been in, I am almost 42 years old and can't quite do what I could were I in my 20's.

I will make an assumption now that most runners are like myself and set pretty lofty goals, realizing they may not ever reach some of them. We don't always share these goals with others but they are there nonetheless.

Did you know that you CAN actually run too much? I didn't think I would ever say that but recently, I realized you can actually run too much and then, guess what, your training will begin to falter and you may not even realize why until it's almost too late. Don't get me wrong, I love running as much as ever (I can talk about it all day if you want to) but it is important for you to sit back and take stock every now and then to see if you need to make a change. My body made me sit back and take stock and I realized that over the past month I have been running too many times a day, not having a true rest day when needed, and when I finally realized that, I made some adjustments. One of those adjustments was hard to say goodbye to but necessary for my personal training not to suffer any longer. The difference in my training mileage over the past month was a deficit of 10-15 miles per week. I couldn't believe I had gotten that far behind. My August mileage was the lowest I can remember in at least 1.5 years. Not good...Yep, I cried when I saw the numbers...that's how important it is to me. Nope, some of you don't understand me, it's okay, just keep reading.

So, maybe it is time for you to sit back and think about your own training. Some things to think about-I put my answers for you to see: 

1. are you tired even after a good night's sleep? Yes
2. has your nutrition been lacking? Yes, I've gained about 5-7 pounds this summer
3. are you able to complete your scheduled runs or do you have to cut them short because of fatigue? I've had to cut some short
4. do you have some aches and pains that weren't there before?Yes

Okay, pity party over! Marathon training begins October 1! Until then I will be building my base to 45-50 miles per week.

Run Smart! Run Long! Thanks for reading!!

The shoe review of an addicted runner...I only have 15...

Yes, I own a lot of running shoes but you will come to understand they all have a different purpose for me. I have a neutral foot and enjoy wearing minimalist shoes even during my long training runs. My feet do very well with the lighter weight shoes. I wear racing flats for training shoes but it works for me.
I am probably termed a Brooks girl but wear Saucony and Mizuno brands as well.

Here is my personal shoe review of my trainers and racers and even one shoe that is a loser...

Beginning left to right in the back:

Row 4: These shoes are on the way out, I don't wear them too much anymore, except for some junk miles or when the weather is muddy.

1. Brooks Launch: A nice trainer shoe, I just can't wear them over 7 miles or they hurt my feet.
2. Brooks Pure Connect: A minimalist shoe that I am trying to like. It's been a hard sell. My mind isn't made up on this one yet.
3. Mizuno Wave Rider 14: A trainer shoe I used to wear all the time before I switched to Brooks. I love the hard feel on the bottom.
4. Mizuno Wave Rider 14: See above description

Row 3:

1. Brooks Green Silence: These shoes are really racing flats but I use them for my training. Proud I have almost 643 miles on these shoes!! I love, love, love them...and they are going to quit selling them. Boo!!
2. Blue Brooks Green Silence: I just call them blue to distinguish from the black and purple ones. Same as above
3. Saucony Kinvara 3: These may be the replacement trainers for my Green Silence when I can't buy them anymore. These remind me of the Mizuno Wave Riders with the hard bottom. Love them!
4. Purple Green Silence: Still in the box waiting to use. 

Row 2:

1. Mizuno Ronin 3:These I call my "loser marathon shoes" because they let me down in my big qualifier marathon and therefore they will never grace another "big race" again! Loser!! Thanks a lot!!
2. Brooks T6 Racers: My 5K and 8K racing flats. They make me feel like Dorothy in Wizard of Oz and I pretend I can move fast! Sometimes I actually do haha.
3. Saucony Fastwich:My 5K racing flats I wear sockless. It is a different feel and I enjoy racing with the wind running through my toes.
4. Mizuno Ronin 2: My yellow Mickey marathon shoes. These have done well for me in long distances and I'm not done with them yet!

Row 1:

1. Nike Zoom Spikes: I wear these sockless at the track meets during the summer. They make me feel fast!
2. Saucony Kinvara Trail: Since I'm helping coach Cross Country this year, I figured I needed some trail shoes. These are more minimalist and crossover to run on asphalt as well. I've enjoyed them so far.

So, there you have it. I wear the Brooks Green Silence, Blue Green Silence and Saucony Kinvara 3 mostly. 

I do have a pair of Mizuno Wave Riders down at the beach for the time I actually decide to run on the sand. Not sure when that time will come but the shoes are there waiting.


Hope you enjoyed my little review. I think I have all different terrains covered but if you can think of another kind of shoe I need, just let me know...:)