Running in the Rockies

Sorry, I'm a day late posting this!  Sometimes, life gets away with you!!  ; )

Where to begin.... 

I picked this Half Marathon months and months ago but then injured my hips and thought I wouldn't be able to run in it.  But after 2 months of physical therapy, I hoped I could still make it.  I mentioned my desires to a friend of mine, and she decided to start training for it too!  A running partner!  And then, I teasingly told Lybi that she should join me and actually James, her husband DID!  So, I had a partner to train with and a sister and brother-in-law coming up for it!  So exciting!!!!

We had fun on Saturday and Sunday with Lybi and her family, my parents, and Rebecca, my older sister, and her family.  A household with 20 people is always fun - and crazy!  But, Monday morning was the day of reckoning!  I got up at 5:00 and started getting ready.  The funny thing is, I think I got more nauseous nervous with my 10k than for my half marathon.  Weird.

We got to the starting area at about 6:00.  When we lined up at 6:30 (James at the front, and me ... not so much in the front.   ha!) I kept waiting for someone with a loud speaker to tell us when we were beginning.  But finally, after a few minutes delay, I realized the people ahead of me were starting.  Well, that was anti-climatic!!  But, here we go!  My pace is always the best way to tell my story, so let me add those now:

mile 1 - 10:03

mile 2 - 10:17

mile 3 - 10:22

mile 4 - 10:48

mile 5 - 10:50

mile 6 - 10:09

mile 7 - 10:11

mile 8 - 9:53

mile 9 - 10:29

mile 10 - 10:47

mile 11 - 11:01

mile 12 - 10:32

mile 13 - 10:59

last .24 - 2:22 (a little long according to my garmin)

At around mile 5 or so, I saw James walking ahead of me.  He had felt some pain in his calf on Saturday and I was worried it would get in the way today.  So, I felt really sad to see him, but then very grateful as he paced me until the finish line!  And then, Lybi, who was strategically at a park along the way, joined me at mile 8.5, so I had 2 pacers!!!!  Is that lucky or what!?!?!  An interesting sensation happened around mile 11.  My arms began to feel like they didn't belong to my body.  They felt bloated and unnatural and I kept looking down at them to make sure they were still my arms.  Very bizarre.  Luckily that sensation passed and I could just concentrate on finishing.

During mile 12, there were runners right behind me and I was trying to stay ahead of them.  I did NOT want someone to pass me so close to the finish line.  But I was exhausted and when they finally passed me, I think I got a little de-moralized.  When we got to the park and I knew the finish line was within view, I was able to pass my last roadkill - 2 men.  So, even though I was dying at this point, at least I still had that much effort left.  When I crossed the finish line, my husband was there; and I all but fell into his arms.  Once I started walking, everything started hurting more and I began limping.  But after about 10 minutes, that began subsiding and I was able to go get some food and drink without looking like I was on death's door.  ; )

Lybi convinced me that I should take an ice bath - a horrific experience, I should add.  And after that and a warm shower, I crashed on the bed.  Happy to be horizontal finally, but also profoundly happy to have raced my first half marathon and been somewhat consistent and strong to the finish. I DID IT!!!

Sadly, I took way too much time off of running this week.  I was sore in my hip flexors for a couple of days after my race; but I really should've run on Thursday and Friday.  When I went today, my left hip got pretty tight at mile 3, so I stopped and stretched it and kept running.  Silly hips.  Does anyone else have constant problems with their pelvis, low back, tailbone, and hips being "out"?  My chiropractor is always having to adjust those.  What an odd area to be out so often.  It sure is irritating.

 ave pace: 10:47  (obviously that's for my records - certainly not brag-worthy.  Hahaha)

I didn't have much time to run before my Visiting Teaching appt today, so I quickly got in 3 miles.  It's still amazing to me that I ran 10 MORE than that less than 2 weeks ago.   That half marathon has given me an amazing sense of accomplishment!  But, I've kind of fallen off the wagon since then.  Part of it is the weather - it's getting colder (40's) and dark at 6:00 in the morning, so I'm less anxious to get out and run .... especially since I know it's only going to get colder.  So, I actually ran during the middle of the day today (wed - I'm blogging this a day later) and enjoyed the sun and warm temps.  

What a pathetic 2 weeks!  Will somebody kick my butt in gear!  (or fix my dumb low back.  Rotten back.)

 5 miles on the treadmill 2% incline - felt great!  Nice slow pace. 

4 miles outside - gorgeous late summer evening!!!!

I've decided to take Carolyn up on her invitation and prepare for a 10 mile race on October 11.  It's good to have a goal and a focus again.  Thanks!  Another reason I love this FRB.  (It's probably time to make a donation again, eh?)

I really am in denial that colder weather is coming.  I absolutely refuse to run in the cold until it's unavoidable!  I ran in the hottest part of the day today - 2:30!!  So there.  (hee,hee)  It was nice to be running while it was warm and sunny.  But I should've drunk more water before.  I was parched.  Nice run;  the last mile I struggled with a really painful stitch in my side.  I hate those!  There's supposed to be some magical way of getting rid of them; but no matter what I did, I was still grimacing with each step - especially downhill.  

I got all dressed and ready to run on the treadmill this evening, but I had another stupid cramp in my side that was killing as soon as I started running!  What's up?  Hmmm...I wonder if these new Fiber One bars are wreaking havoc on my intestines.  Maybe I'll try avoiding them tomorrow...

4 miles on TM

We took our girls out to a restaurant this evening, and I was very happy with how well it went!  Considering we have a 17 mos old, a 2 year old, and 7 year (with special needs), most restaurant trips end with me and my husband feeling exhausted, embarrassed, and determined to never go out again!!!  ;o)  It's nice to see the girls are growing up.  Don't get the wrong idea, we had a TON of food on the floor that we kept trying to clean up during the meal, and Cami made a disgusting mess eating her pie ... but everyone stayed in their seats, they actually ate, and there were no tantrums!!!  That counts for a GREAT evening!  Ahhhhh.

6 miles outside with my husband (we actually got a babysitter for running!!!) and then 2 more on the treadmill.  

Five on the treadmill.  The funniest thing happened:  I was watching the BYU version of Pride and Prejudice and I actually FORGOT that I was running!  Crazy, huh?  I thought it might be too slow; I usually try to watch action movies while I run.  But, for whatever reason, this one worked for me tonight.  I actually felt like I could've run further, but it's already pretty late and I'm tired of burning the midnight oil night after night.

On the treadmill again - 3 miles at 11:00 pace and the last mile at 9:15.  Sometimes I like doing speed work on the treadmill because then I can't slow it down without consciously pushing the button.  When I'm outside, I have to keep checking my garmin to make sure I haven't slowed - and then my garmin isn't always accurate at a specific point in time.

Treadmill again - late at night.  ugh.

 3.8 miles at 10:42, then 1.2 miles at 9:05

I'm determined to break my late-night running streak.  So, I only ran 3 miles tonight and I'm getting up early to run first thing in the morning.  Who knows ... I might even gt 6 runs in this week - my elusive goal:  4 down - 2 to go!

[By the way, Carolyn, I've never run on the treadmill without watching some movie or the Olympics.  Last night it was Nancy Drew and tonight The Reading Room.  I've actually never tried it without something to watch.  I'm sure it would be tons harder!]

4 ... Outside ... In the MORNING! Yea!  Of course, I didn't go at the crack of dawn because I don't have a light or any reflective tape or anything.  So, I drove my husband crazy hitting the snooze button until I started to see a little bit of dawn coming.  :o)  The weather was even nice this morning - only in the low 50's!  Hey, I'll take that over 39 any day.  It felt great to be outside again, and it'll be nice to have my run done for the day.

Yea!  I did it!! 6 runs in a week.  I looked through my calendar and I've only done that one other time in the last year - last November!  And I remember that it was mentally fatiguing to do it then.  I don't feel physically or mentally tired from the effort this week!  In fact, it wasn't until Wednesday that I realized I was on a roll.  That makes me happy; it tells me that I'm becoming more of a runner.  I've watched Lybi run 6 times a week for weeks - even months!  And I've always just said that I wasn't ready for that.  But maybe I am now.  

My garmin actually ran out of battery before the end of my run, so I used the cool course tool to check my mileage (it's a fun tool).  While on my run, I found a new path that I'm so excited about; and it actually had another trail that it intersected, so I'm anxious to check that one out too!  Yea!!

Today was a good day.  I had wanted to get in a long run today, but my hip - or more appropriately my femur - did something very weird last night.  It didn't hurt, but it was obviously not in it's correct position.  It felt soooo wrong just walking.  I kept stretching my hip, and it helped a little; but that in addition to getting to bed at midnight made it a little too tempting to turn the alarm clock off this morning (plus, my girls were up multiple times last night!)  I took my 7 year old to a birthday party, where 3 other girls with special needs were invited to a party for just them.  The birthday girl is such a little angel - she really loves special needs children.  (I love those kind of children.)  Cami did better than I thought she would.  She ... kind of played the games, and was very happy decorating her own little cake; and then we went to McDonalds (always a good thing in Cami's book).  And then, this evening, I got to go to the RS Broadcast and enjoy a chocolate fountain afterwards!  Sooo fun.  I ended up talking the whole evening with a lady who had adopted a little boy who was 4 days old.  She grew up in MI, in the ward that we lived in 5 years ago.  Such a small world!  So, we laughed about the funny people in that ward, and the interesting experiences of adoption. 

[By the way, my femur and pelvis are dong much better today.  I felt it the whole run, but it's been 4 hours and I'm not sore or hurting - so that's a very good sign!]

Holy smokes -- have I ever written such a long post!?!?  I'm in a real gabby mood!  ;o)

5 miles on the treadmill watching Princess Bride.  I haven't watched it in years!  It's a classic, though.  ;o)   Just for kicks, I thought I would really crank up the speed.  I tried 7:30 for a while.  Holy smokes, Lybi!!  How did you do your 5K at that pace?!?!  I'm so impressed.