Marathon Dreamer

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Hard bike at level 9 for 60 minutes for about 16 miles. Giving myself some credit towards my mileage this week. Did arms and abs after.

3 easy miles followed by 2000 meter row.

Slow and a bit painful from mile 13 onward.  It was a lot warmer today than I am used to ...low 80's. I think that is why I was cramping.

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3 miles easy, 1 mile at 8:13, 1 mile at 8:21, 1 mile at 8:34.  I am tired from working the past few nights. abs, arms and squats.

6 mile gentle bike.

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Decided to run this race last weekend while chatting with my husband one morning.  He was doing his first triathlon scheduled for Saturday 3/10 and I said to him, wouldn't it be an awesome challenge for you to do that on Saturday and then run a half marathon on Sunday?  Dave is always up for a challenge.  I also decided to challenge myself by running this and then running my full the following weekend.

Perfect running weather this morning.  Dave and I arrived at the start.  He was feeling a little tuckered from his triathlon the day before but I knew that he would hold tough.  No major tummy issues for me, so I felt good.  I started in coral 3 with my husband.  I had hoped to run this with him, but from the start, he took off.  I am slow to get warmed up and don't usually run like a bullet at the start so I lost him in the crowd.

Felt strong today.  My plan was to run this like a tempo run but not too hard as too burn myself out for the full marathon.  I finally saw the back of Dave at around mile 7 and soon I reached and passed him waving and said, "Hey!"  He later said to me after the race, "I couldn't believe how strong you were at mile 8."  Dave was doing great and I was really impressed with how fast he was running despite his race the day before.

At around mile 9 or so, the "fun" began.  Hills and then a stinking monster hill about a mile long.  It was eating up the runners.  Because of my Ultra training, I have learned to run walk hills like this and it paid off.  Those around me that were running the entire time I kept up with and at the top, I wasn't tired.  When the downhill began for the next several miles that lead into Petco Park Baseball Stadium, I was tired mentally but physically felt good.  At times I hit low 6's on my pace and stopped once to collect myself.  As I came into the stadium, people were cheering.  I was pumped and sprinted to the finish!  All smiles and very happy with my time.  I wasn't tired and knew at this point that if I had raced this, I could probably have pulled at least a 1:46.  This was the first time I ran a 1:48 in an "official" half marathon.  The last time I ran a time like that was when I lived in Mazatlan and ran 13.1 miles with my friend Alan.  I remember how exhausted I was after I had done that in Mazatlan.  Total different story now.  I am just hoping that I have not jeopardized the marathon next weekend with this run, but I do think that I have the ability to recover quickly since I held back.  My husband finished up with a 1:51:35.  So proud of him!!!

After the race, Dave and I kicked back and watched other people finish at the stadium.  Saw Meb as he was there to give us all inspiration.  It was great seeing my friend Mary and Ele. A few beers together in the stands with live music put a great ending on a wonderful race.  Loved the course despite the monster hill and the finish at the stadium was truly epic!!!  Now... time to recover and gear up for LA on 3/18!!! 

Gentle bike at the gym... 30 minutes. Gave myself a little mileage credit.

One mile brisk walk on the treadmill. Tried running but just wasn't feeling it so I hopped off and went to the recumbant bike for 30 minutes on there. Gave myself some credit for what I did although it wasn't much.

Very easy pace today. mid 9's on pace with my friend Ellie followed by abs and arms at the gym.  Feeling a bit fatigued but I did work the past 2 nights.  I am sure it will come together by Sunday for the marathon.

Gentle 6 mile bike at the gym. 2000 meter row, I am not in the mood to run.

Another gentle bike 10 miles today and weights.

REST

I was concerned about the weather all week.  Each forecast that I looked at was calling for rain and a lot of it for LA on Sunday for the marathon.  I absolutely hate running in the rain.  I hate being frozen to the bone from it.  I knew that if the weather held true to the forecast, that this race would indeed be one of my most difficult.

I slept pretty well up until around 3 am.  There were people loudly talking to one another in a different language for about an hour and a half out in the hall.  Some people are so rude and oblivious.  I probably should have opened the door and said something, but now a days, you just don't know if it will make people act worse, so I rolled over and mumbled to myself. 

When I opened the curtains that morning and looked out at the sky from our hotel room window in downtown LA, the clouds seemed to scream rain.  I touched the window pain and felt the chill in the air through the glass.  I must have shifted through my clothing for about 20 minutes just trying to figure out how to dress.  I usually like to dress a bit stylish for a marathon.  After all, they cost a bit to enter and if I'm going to run all that way by choice, I choose also to look good doing it!  ;-)  

This morning was a different story.  I dressed for warmth and comfort.  I wore my LA issued long sleeved tech shirt over my singlet, brought a rain jacket, and one of those emergency rain ponchos.  My lucky superman fleece pants completed the ensemble and I was out the door by 5:15 with a kiss for luck from Dave.  I was prepared.  I had a great day the day before driving around and seeing some of the local sites including the Hollywood sign and La Brea Tar Pits.  A great meal at The Cheesecake Factory topped off the afternoon and I hoped that my stomach would tolerate it.  Thankfully, I was ok this morning.  As I left the room, one thing that I was sure not to forget was my gloves.  Now with this Raynaud's that I have, my hands have to be covered or they get so painful and numb that I seriously think that it could put me out of a race if coldness was allowed to settle into them.

I walked about 2 blocks to the shuttle pickup with several other marathoners and hopped on board the warm bus.  The ride was short and sweet.  I had an hour and a half until the race start, so I hit up the bathroom and found a nice warm spot next to the spot light generator.  It was blowing out hot air.  I had it blowing onto my backside and I faced outward as to not breath in the fumes.  Before too long, I had several other people standing there with me.  I stood there until 6:45 then I shed my layers, dropped my gear bag, and lined up to enter the corral.  It was already full to the brim.  I couldn't see the pacing group and I knew that I may be on my own to try and pace myself.

After a great vocal from one of the Pussycat Dolls singing the national anthem, the race began.  The horns blared and the wave start surged forward.  To this day, I still don't understand why someone that runs a 10 minute pace would get in a corral for an 8 minute pace.  I was stuck behind slower runners quite frequently throughout the race.  The first several miles, it was like playing a game of dodge ball, weaving in and out of people trying to avoid being stepped on or elbowed.  I kept pace with my little moving guy pacer on my garmin, and held that pace regardless.  I named him "Ralph."  The silly things we do when we are alone with our own thoughts.  I needed someone to encourage me and keep me focussed and the little digital man "Ralph" on my watch did just that.

It was a hilly course but I kept my mind focussed on pace.  At least when I ran up a hill, I knew that there would be either a level or some downhill on the other side.  To PR on this course would be a challenge and to BQ would be even a greater challenge.  I was determined to make one of those things happen today.  I had trained really hard the past 2 months, and I wanted to see results.

By mile 4, my long sleeved shirt was off tied around my waist.  I kept my pull off sleeves on along with my gloves.  There was a head on wind that varied from 5-15 MPH throughout the race, but amazingly no rain.  The clouds gave way to peeking sun and brought with it some much needed warmth along the course.  The "bad patches" would come and go where I would feel terrible... I would say "Talk to me Ralph" and look down at my watch.  I would then hear my affirmations.  "Yes, you can do this, disappointment is forever and pain is only temporary, so suck it up!"  It works for me.

The hydration stations are my only area where I typically allow myself to walk.  I can't drink and run at the same time.  It always leads to choking and burping which I really don't care to experience while racing.  This is an area where I lose time and I do need to work on this because I could shave off minutes in my marathons if I could run and drink but it is a mental relief to me to know that I have a place to rest and regroup along the way. I lost track of the miles and deliberately didn't look at that on my watch.  I didn't want to know what mile I was at because I don't like counting them down.  I took the race moment my moment and suddenly my watch died ( I guess around mile 17).  Along with that, there went my pacer "Ralph."  I had to judge pace the last several miles.  I think it was mile 20 when I finally asked someone what mile it was.  I was feeling a lot of pain in my upper left shoulder blade.  My right foot had pain in the pad of it (I think I have a morton's neuroma) which I have been trying to ignore the existence of it for the past several months.  Then soon, my left foot toe area lit on fire.  I knew that either meant bleeding toes or blisters.

 I had several stops the last few miles because of the knot in my upper back.  It was so bad that I was having a hard time even swinging the left arm while running.  I think I may have run too fast early on and was now paying the price.  At several points earlier in the race I was ahead of "Ralph" on my watch.  The last 2 miles, I could feel the wind really picking up.  Gusts of 30 mph make it for an interesting end.  Finally when I could see the finish line, it almost seemed like it took forever to reach it.  When I crossed and heard Dave yell my name, I felt like at that moment, everything came together.  I knew that a BQ didn't happen for me today, but I knew it was close.  I was feeling confident about a PR though.  Sure enough... it was mine.  I finally felt like I reaped some of the rewards of hard training and consistency that I have put into my training over the last several months.  True disappointment for me, comes in the form of seeing lack of improvement or progress.  I am indeed a work in progress and I do know one thing to be true.... I have only just begun.

 Splits-

10k 54:06

20k 1:47:03

30k 2:40:26

40k 3:37:25 

Gentle bike at the gym for recovery...45 minutes. Will give myself some mileage credit. Hit up the weights.

More biking. 45 minutes.

More biking... I have no urge to run at the moment... hit up the weights.  I am heading to Mazatlan in about two weeks, so having some decent looking abs in a bathing suit has motivated me to do lots of crunches!!!

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Added a little intensity... biked for 12 miles. 

6 mile slogger at 9:03 average pace, then 7 mile bike at moderately hard intensity. Ouch. Gave myself some credit for mileage on the bike. Then hit the weights with my usual routine of upper body work, abs, and squats... the legs will feel this tomorrow.

I am sick with a cold but I sucked it up and hit the gym anyway. 45 minutes on the Elliptical.  My legs are fried. I have a race this coming Sunday... the Carlsbad All Day 25k- five 5k races in a row!  I hope to have some snap in these legs by then!  Last year I was 3rd in my division and didn't realize that until a day or two later when I looked at my results.  This year, I hope to kill it and stick around after the race... an award would be nice!!!

Moderate to hard 18 mile bike in 60 minutes, intervals with setting 7, 8, 10 alternating. Gave myself 6 mile credit. Lower abs today.

60 mins on the elliptical in the AM then weights and I was working hard! 4 mile run in the PM with friends!

45 minutes of intervals on the elliptical, 20 minute bike, worked chest, shoulders, upper abs..

spent the day in bed with the stinking flu...

45 minute bike.... I have no desire to run. I am sick and I have a race this sunday.

easy 6 mile bike...