Home from Boston

My family and I returned from Boston tonight.  Since Monday night we have been in New Hampshire staying with my cousin and her family in their log cabin.  It was the perfect retreat when we needed it. We were with family and visited the coast of Maine.  I checked Facebook while I was away and read a few quick news stories from my phone.  I have not had access to TV, newspapers or a computer.  When I got to the airport today, I bought a Boston newspaper and read it for hours in the airport and on the plane.  I am still processing what has happened as is most everyone else.  I have spoken with two reporters who asked me to share my story, a quite unremarkable one, but a unique one just as has each runner, spectator, volunteer, responder and Bostonian.  I will begin to write my story and share it in the days to come.  My heart is heavy, and my thoughts and prayers are with those who need comfort at this time.

Up and Onward! Boston Bound!

I should be packing for my family's trip to Boston. Instead, you could say I am procrastinating. But unlike my college days, I'm not procrastinating over writing. This morning I am in a much better place mentally than when I wrote my post last night. What a downer of a post that was! As my dear readers know, I have lots of ups and downs. Today I am up, and it's only up and onward from here!

I had a great run with my coach this morning. Just when I thought I was too tired to go on with this training, she was there for me with more encouragement than ever. I was able to nail the three miles at an 8:15 pace while we talked easily about our lives - our families, work (part-time jobs beyond running our households) and running. I have missed such conversations with other runners during this training season. I pretty much trained alone or at a considerable distance behind my training partner.

Talking with my coach made me realize that running alone has made me tougher. I can do this alone.  Even though 20,000 + runners will be in the race, and the crowd support will be unlike any other race, I will be running alone, and I am ready for that.

One Week Until the Boston Marathon

I'm a new member of a Facebook group of Boston runners, and one runner posted on Monday about her thoughts exactly one week before the race - during the time the race will be run.  She commented that she was happy and nervous at the same time.  I read her post on Monday night.   My Monday went by in a flash and without thoughts about running.  It was a "rest" day for me.  This is what I was doing exactly one week from the race:  1) Volunteering in my 1st-grade daughter's classroom during literacy centers and stuffing homework folders, 2) Eating a protein-loaded salad while mentally suffering from carbohydrate withdrawal before carbo loading begins, and 3) Making a mad dash to a tween girls' clothing store for appropriate shorts for my growing 5th-grade daughter after seeing the shorts that she tried to wear to school on the first warm day.

It doesn't seem like it can be only a week away.  During the taper I've felt the expected nervous energy, but I haven't wanted to run, almost dreading each run because I'm just so tired of running and meeting objectives, specific times and paces.  Friends and acquaintances have been kind to wish me well.  I really do appreciate it.  I find it interesting when some ask if I've run a marathon.  I simply answer yes.  Not everyone lives in the world of running and understands that one qualifies for Boston?

Today I am conflicted as I go into the home stretch.  I am grateful for my healing and my ability to run.  The competitor in me is sad that I was not able to train to the fullest,  and I have doubts about my readiness for the hills.   Now that I've acknowledged that I feel this way, I can let it go and do what I can on race day.

Training this past week as I tapered with two weeks to go:
Monday:  Day off
Tuesday:  6 miles; 8:46 pace
Wednesday:  2 miles warm up, 1 mile cool down and 6X800m at 7:27 pace with 200m jogs in between
Thursday:  cycling class
Friday:  6 miles; 4 miles at 9 minute pace and 2 miles at 8:15 pace
Saturday:  Day off
Sunday:  12 miles; 9:11 pace


Last week of training:

Monday:  Day off
Tuesday:  5 hilly miles at 9 minute pace
Wednesday:  7 miles; 4 easy and 3 at 8:15 pace,  plus deep tissue massage
Thursday night:  4 miles at  9 minute pace plus 6x100 strides
Friday:  day off (for travel)
Saturday:  day off
Sunday:  2 easy miles
Monday:  BOSTON MARATHON


I will probably post a quick update to my blog after the race and then write a race report in the week(s) following the race.

Running Sucks

My husband shared a podcast with me this week entitled "Running SUCKS."  The message is really that running is enjoyable.  The podcast begins by focusing on the joy of running in early childhood.  Small children run a lot just because they can, and it's fun for them.  Then when children enter the school years and have to compete against each other in gym class, etc., some children decide that running sucks (although let's hope they don't express themselves in that way).  I did not feel that way, but I imagine that a lot of kids do.  I noted what I couldn't do well in comparison to others.  For instance, during my junior high years, volleyball sucked.  It hurt to serve the ball with my arm, and I was clearly no good at it in front of my peers.   To this day I have no interest in playing volleyball --- ever.  And, I talk to numerous adults who have no interest in running -- ever.

The premise of the podcast is that adults can find joy in running again.  When you grow up, you can run for the fun of it without an audience, with no one hovering with a stop watch (although you might subject yourself to something similar by strapping a sports watch or Garmin to your wrist).   You don't have to run in a gym or on a track.  You can decide with whom, where, and how far, how fast and for how long.

In my last post, I mentioned that this is the time when I need to be at my most mentally tough during my training for Boston.  This past week had its highs and lows.  On Monday my packet from the Boston Athletic Association arrived in the mail.  I was happy and excited to have my "Passport" for the event.  On Wednesday I met with my coach to prepare for the race.  She talked so highly of it that I was excited again.  And then came my one and only 22 miler on Thursday. (I missed some high mileage runs because of a minor injury.)

During that run, my legs felt like lead.  I maintained my target pace of 9:15-9:30 for 16 miles, and then I ran slower with each passing mile.  I remembered the podcast and actually thought running sucks!  I felt defeated.  This will be my last marathon...  I was so slow that I stopped after mile 21 and stood motionless and exasperated on the trail.  I had not been able to muster any positive mantras or affirmations as I had last week when I was "running with joy and gratitude."  Running sucked in that moment.  I was able to finish the run.  Amazingly, when all the miles were factored together, my overall pace was pretty much on target at 9:31.  Now, where can I find a volleyball?

Three Weeks to go until Boston:

Mon.:   6 hilly miles; 9:24 pace
Tues.:   6.62 miles; 4 x 1200m at 7:45 pace with 400m jogs in between, plus warm up and cool down
Wed.:   day off
Thurs.: 22 miles; 9:31 pace
Fri.:      day off
Sat.:      5 hilly miles at 9:46 pace
Sun.:   15 miles: 9:10 pace

The link below is the podcast that my husband shared with me.  He knows the man named Cliff who wanted his wife to pull the car to his exact location after finishing a race.  I can relate.
Running SUCKS

Running with Joy and Gratitude

I am currently in the midst of the most grueling part of my Boston training and am testing my mental toughness.   I usually like each Runner's World quote of the day, but this week I especially related to the following Kristin Armstrong quote:

"I think I run my strongest when I run with joy, with gratitude, with focus, with grace.  With that strategy in place I can push myself for pleasure, not punishment.  Maybe you can only really go when you let go."

I repeated "I am running with joy and gratitude" as my mantra and affirmation during a few runs this week.    When running is this much work, I have to remind myself of this.

Boston Marathon Training this Past Week:

Mon.:  8 hilly miles; 8:57 pace
Tues.:  3 miles warm up/cool down + 5 x 600's at 7:30 pace with 400m jogs in between (I estimated distance and pace because I wasn't on a traditional track and couldn't see my pace well in the dark.)
Wed.: cycling class + yoga class
Thurs.: 9 miles; 9:11 pace
Fri.: 8 miles:  6 miles at 8:02 pace
Sat.: 11 miles; 8:49 pace

Rambling On about This and That

Yesterday afternoon I worked the Tuna Run 200 information booth at the Tobacco Road Marathon Expo.  I enjoyed talking to runners about the race in an effort to promote and grow the race in its second year.  I had plenty of energy for the first four hours, and then I got tired.  I had more stamina for the expo than I anticipated after my 20 miler in the morning on the American Tobacco Trail.

The Trail was almost deserted after an influx of runners in recent weeks preparing for this weekend's marathons in Cary, Virginia Beach, Wrightsville Beach, and D.C.  With few distractions, I began planning my parents' 50th wedding anniversary celebration in June of 2014.  Besides that I concentrated on how I felt during the run.  At mile 15 I got a boost as I was followed and passed by the Dartmouth Men's Cross Country Team.  I saw them assembling on the Trail as I passed the White Oak parking area.  I tried to keep an even pace but picked it up a little when I heard them.  I was running a little slower than my marathon race pace, and they breezed past me on their warm up.  I can only wonder why the Dartmouth Team was here in the Triangle on the trail.  I felt great with my quickened pace for a few miles.  By mile 19, I wanted to be finished and "hit the wall."  I've hit the wall a couple of times in high mileage training.  I don't like it, but I am always grateful that it happens in training and somehow, so far, I have avoided it in races.

This was an intense training week and rather comical as I returned to speed work.  I faced a rainy, dark, but not too cold, morning for a track workout. The problem was that I wouldn't have had training company on that morning at the track, so I was grateful that my Boston training partner had a morning run planned in a flat subdivision.  We met and did two different workouts, but it was nice knowing she was out somewhere in the same neighborhood in the dark and rain.  It was comical because I was supposed to alternate between 800's and 400's at two different paces.  I understand how to execute this plan on a track, but not so much in an unfamiliar neighborhood when it's too dark to see my distance and pace on a Garmin.  I made it work.  Speaking of my Garmin, this week the strap near the clasp broke on one side as I secured it for a run.  At least it didn't happen on race day.  I've heard from a runner friend who had a strap break, that if one breaks, you pretty much have to buy a new Garmin.  I haven't looked into this, but I plan to hold this one together with duct tape for a while.

Training this past week:

Mon.: 7 hilly miles; 8:55 pace
Tues.: 6.8 miles:  3.8 miles alternating between 800's and 400's at 7:30-7:40 pace and 8:30 pace
Wed.: cycling + yoga
Thurs.: 11 miles; 8:49 pace
Fri.: 30 minutes cycle + yoga
Sat.: 20 miles; 9:06 pace

Unleashed

I'm learning to run again, again.  With the help of my physical therapist assessing a video of my running, I learned that I have been under striding.  A year ago I decided to change my running form from heel striker to mid foot striker.  According to my PT, my foot strike is good, but my stride length is short.  This week I tried to lengthen my stride while maintaining my usual cadence, and my speed increased. I felt unleashed!

Training This Past Week:

Mon.: 7 miles, hilly with some speed intervals; 8:47 pace
Tues.: 8 miles, some hills; 9:05 pace + 8 x 100 strides
Wed.: Cycling class
Thurs.: 7 miles; 8:15 pace
Fri.: no workout
Sat.: 18 miles; 9:02 pace