The Obligatory 2012 in Review Post

2011 was a great year for me. There were a lot of ups, and very few downs. I guess I just expected 2012 to be the same way - full of lots of running cheer and PR's. I got greedy, I suppose.

Instead, 2012 was full of ups and downs. It started out with so many downs, in fact, that by the end of April I had deemed 2012 as just "not my year." To be honest, there were many times throughout the year where I was downright deflated. But, as always, tides turn and I ended up finishing the year on a positive note.

Here is my 2012 in review...

January:

We head to Phoenix to run the Rock & Roll Marathon. 

I wouldn't be smiling much on race day...

A few days prior to the race, however, I felt a slight pull in my glute/hamstring when I was doing some squats. I didn't think anything of it until I went for a shakeout run a few days prior to the marathon. I made this entry in my running log, never thinking that it might cost me a DNF in a race.

Cue, my first DNF. I swore I would never quit, never give up, never "did not finish" a race, but in Phoenix it happened. It was humbling and it was heartbreaking. I found solace in an Irish pub somewhere on Arizona State's campus.

To add salt to the wounds, I lost a bet to my Twitter buddy Jim and had to race Phoenix in a Univ of Kentucky shirt. Being a Louisville alumna, that sucked. The damn shirt was bad juju! :) 

Clearly hating life.

I come back from Phoenix, go to the doctor, am told I have pissed off my sciatic nerve and need to take 2 weeks off from running. This would be my longest break from running ever.

I don't run a step for two weeks then got back to training (albeit too aggressively). And I am super inspired to get back at it and decide to sign up for the Woodlands Marathon in early March to get redemption on that DNF!

February:

Running is going better at times, but I am still experiencing sharp leg pain in runs over 14 miles. This does not bode well for my March marathon. I decide to pull the plug on the race. 

March:

Things get better. I'm signed up to race Boston in April and I finally start to run double digits without pain. I even get back into racing, albeit I'm slower than I want to be and it's humbling.

This is the race where the girl in front of me literally shit herself. Suddenly things weren't so bad on my end.

April:

Things continue to go well until they don't. I pull a muscle mis-stepping in a hole doing a fartlek workout on the grass. Same sad story, same sad injury - that darn left leg again. I just keep irritating it. The Boston Marathon is just around the corner. I debate whether to even run or not, but I do.

To add more insult to injury, Boston experiences a heat wave on race morning. I limp through Boston in ridiculously warm temps and pretty much run a personal worst. I barely scrape in under 4 hours.

After Boston, I really struggle with my feeling about running. I feel lost and frustrated. I really struggle with comparing my current fitness level to where it was at the same time in 2011. 

I decide to shift focus for awhile and train for another Half-Ironman. I decide to train for Buffalo Springs Half-Ironman in June, hoping to get revenge on a killer course that brought me to my knees back in 2009.

I start biking again and am in the pool 5 days a week. I'm still running, but double digit runs over 10 miles are few and far between in order to keep my leg issue at bay.

Things are getting better. June approaches and I decide to make it a double race weekend in Lubbock and race the Sprint Triathlon the day before the Half-Ironman. 

I finish 4th female overall and win my age group in the Sprint triathlon.

Posting with my Yosemite Sam Award

The next day I successfully get revenge on the Buffalo Springs Course, besting my previous time by 25 minutes.

July:

I start training for the Baltimore Marathon. My goal is to go Sub-3:10 and best my current marathon PR of 3:10:25. I work hard and my running fitness starts to come back.

August:

I decide to race a local duathlon (5k run/18 mile bike/5k run) though I haven't been on my bike since June. My goal with racing this event is to try to go sub-21 on both 5ks. I do (19:44 and 20:20). I finish second female overall.

Receiving my award!

September:

I am feeling more and more confident. I win the Burning Pines 10k in Bastrop. 

Bastrop 10k

I PR in the 5k in 19:16.

Then things go awry again with my damn left leg. I over stride in a track workout, irritating my hamstring again. The pain radiates up and down my leg left and it's deja vu all over again. I sit out of a planned relay I am supposed to run that weekend and freak the hell out that a PR in Baltimore in a few shorts weeks is out of the question.

I enter taper for Baltimore and I am unsure of whether my left leg will hold up for 26.2, or is the same old issues will resurface.

October:

I run a local 10k the weekend before Baltimore and run horribly. I am highly doubtful at this point of being able to run anything faster than a 3:15 in Baltimore.

But, somehow, I manage to PR in Baltimore, running a 3:08:05 to finish 11th woman and 2nd in my age group. I am beyond thrilled.

After Baltimore, I give myself a week of celebration (basically gluttony) but then it's back to work because I have the Rock & Roll San Antonio Marathon a few weeks later, then the BCS Marathon a few weeks after that. I really struggle with how to recover from Baltimore and keep myself motivated for the next two marathons.

November:

The Rock & Roll San Antonio Marathon approaches, and in true San Antonio fashion, the weather looks miserable. I have nothing to lose with this race so decide just to roll with the punches and take what the day gives me.

What I thought was going to be a miserable day, turned into a magical day. I finish 2nd overall female in 3:15 and win $1,000 and a memory that will last a lifetime. I still tear up thinking about it. I am reminded that hard work and pure mental grit does in fact pay off.

Sheer excitement

December:

I have one more marathon on my schedule and I again struggle to stay motivated to run another marathon. Holiday mode takes over me, but I make it to the start line of the BCS Marathon. We're faced with another positively shitty weather day - no other way to put it - but I make it through in 3:19. I finish 3rd female and win another $200, which made it worth the suffering. 

What? You've seen this outfit before? Not sure why I have  drawers full of running clothes  yet wear the exact same thing for every marathon. Superstitious, I guess.

BCS Awards Ceremony

Since then? I've been enjoying (my own) version of the off-season until I start training for my Spring Marathon (TBD yet whether this will be Eugene or Louisville).

MIGAS. If you don't live in Texas, you probably don't know what this is, but it's Mexican breakfast, otherwise known as one of the best things on earth.

Tailgating Sampler from Buffalo Wild Wings

I've also been hanging out a lot with this guy.

2012, to me, was a reminder to me that in life there will always be difficulties, trials and adversities to overcome. Sometimes you have to fall down (several times) before you can get back up, and you only become stronger by doing so. 

Cheers to (an injury free) 2013!

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday: Holiday Edition

If you've read my blog for awhile, you may remember when I asked my husband to put up Christmas lights last year and came home to this:

Yes, that is duct tape.

Welcome to Redneck Christmas

Even better was when it rained and the duct tape (and the lights) began to hang off the house. It was lovely, really.

I had one specific instruction for Dan when putting up the Christmas lights this year: No Duct Tape. Perhaps I should have been more specific in my instructions.

This year, I came home to this:

Did he raid his work office cabinet for those binder clips?

How about a close up?

Better than duct tape, I suppose. Le Sigh...

(love you though dear!)

BCS Marathon Race Report

To be completely honest, there were several times last week where I almost bailed on this race. I just wasn't really motivated to run another marathon, I was preparing for a big work event Saturday before the race, I ended up going home sick on Wednesday and blah blah blah. Laundry list of excuses I was feeding to myself. Dan kept telling me I didn't have to do this race, and had I not already bailed on several races this year due to injury that I paid good money for and already proclaimed to the internet that I was running, I probably would not have made it to the starting line. But I did, and as always, it was worth it.

I didn't really have a plan for this race. As I said on Facebook, I just wanted to finish the year off strong and run a race I was proud of. Dan couldn't make the trip with me, so I was traveling alone and on my own. As soon as I got done with work on Saturday, I packed up the car and made the 1 hr 45 min drive to College Station. Picked up my packet, went to the mall for some Christmas shopping, had an early dinner at Jason's Deli, watched the Heisman presentation then lights out around 8:30 PM. As usual, I slept pretty fitfully. Since Johnny Football won the Heisman the entire town was going bananas so I would hear random people hooting and hollering 'Gig Em' throughout the night.

Woke up at 4:45 and first thing I did was check the weather on my phone. I guess I was hoping the cold front would come through a day early (because today the high is in the 40's!!) but no such luck. The weather gods weren't going to play nice. No pain, no glory, right?

Made it to the race start around 5:45 and was able to park pretty close to the start/finish line. The race started and finished right next to a mall which was awesome because there was tons of close parking. I did my normal 2 mile warm-up and decided at the last minute to change my outfit. I ended up changing into the exact same outfit I've worn my past 2 marathons. Don't know what it is, but out of the 10 zillion pairs of running shorts/tops I own, I feel like this particular outfit is lucky. So I literally stripped in my car. My apologies to anyone who may have been walking by and got a show. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Race start was 7 AM. I decided I would run with the 3:15 pace group (fastest they had). I really wanted to make sure I ran even splits and felt like a 3:15 was an attainable goal. Obviously, I didn't make it (I ran a 3:19) but sadly no one from the 3:15 pack made the cut...not even the pacer who started to walk at Mile 18...yeah...

A note about the pace group. I've generally had really good experiences with pace groups, but occasionally you get some that aren't as experienced. Lucky for me, I wasn't dependent on this group. I really just wanted some company and someone to keep me in check from going out too fast. The pacer was super nice, said he ran a sub 3 marathon at the Chicago Marathon in October, but admitted he didn't have experience pacing. This became evident pretty quickly (and nothing against him, I know it's a hard job).

The first seven miles went by relatively quickly. We had a large pack of 3:15ers (me and a bunch of dudes) and it was really nice to have company to take my mind off of the conditions. It was just so damn humid that I was having trouble finding air if that makes sense. Miles 1-7 were 7:16, 7:21, 7:18, 7:19, 7:27, 7:25, 7:14. I was matching the pacer step for step and as you can see we were too fast for a 3:15 (7:27 avg pace) and pretty sporadic with the splits. I guess I could have slowed down and gone on my own, but I really wanted company because I knew later on the pack would fall apart, as it always tends to do, and I would be on my own.

Around Mile 7, I saw my friend Dorothy from my run group. I was so excited see her and her cheers throughout the day were a bright part in my day. She told me I was 5th woman, and at this point I could see #4 not that far ahead.

I kept on trucking with the 3:15 group. We were still in tact at this point. Miles 8-10 were 7:24, 7:18, 7:18. Still too fast. We caught the #4 woman around Mile 8.5, but she jumped into our group and ran a few steps behind me until Mile 13. The pace felt comfortable at this point, but my leg started bothering me. Much of the course was on a slanted road which my left leg (the bad one) did not appreciate. I got the "leg lock" feeling a few times over the next couple of miles and fell a few steps behind.

Miles 11-13, I struggled. 7:24, 7:20, 7:26. Mile 12 marked the casualties of much of our pace group as well.
Crossing the half-way split, it was just myself, the pacer and 2 other guys. The sun came out, and I am really having to dig deeper and deeper to stay on pace. The humidity is beating me down and my legs feel like dead weights. Around Mile 14.5, I fall back from the pacer and let him go.

Miles 15-17, I am HATING life. Like cursing Texas, its weather and myself for signing up for another marathon. I am running alone and just wanting to be done. I see the #3 woman ahead though, and will myself to try and keep her in sight. I wasn't sure that I could catch her, but it seemed like I was closing the gap. Those miles ticked by slowly at 7:31, 7:41 and 7:42.

Around Mile 17, I find myself side by side with another guy from the 3:15 pace group, and we start chatting. His name was Andy, he was from Austin as well, and he turned out to be a godsend. He kept me moving forward and took my mind off the pain. Plus, he went to A&M, so I had a personal tour guide for the miles I ran with him. Chances that he reads this is slim, but just in case, thank you Andy.

Just past Mile 17, we meet back up with our pacer who is at this point walking. Poor guy was very apologetic and tells us to keep going but he can't. At this point, I am not very far behind the third place woman. Andy and I make the pass around Mile 18, and I recognize her from San Antonio! She was the 2nd place woman that I passed around the exact same point in that race - talk about deja vu. She is super nice and gracious in the pass. We joked briefly about how the marathon gods must hate us with the crappy weather these last 2 marathons. I didn't see her afterwards, but I hope she ended up finishing strong.

I saw my friend Dorothy around Mile 19 and again her cheers kept me going. It’s pretty amazing how seeing a familiar face can revitalize you in a race. I told her I was struggling but just trying to stay strong.

I ran with Andy until around Mile 21, and I would definitely have slowed down had it not been for him. It was getting more and more lonely out there, and I was thankful for the company. Miles 18-21 were 7:36, 7:29, 7:29, 7:48. We were pretty much running alone at this point, and through campus where it wasn't always clear where to turn and at one point veered off course, but only for a few seconds thankfully.

I pulled ahead of Andy when we hit mile 21 and from there on out I was alone (until we merged with the half marathoners, then I was dodging them). Mile 22 is when things started to unravel. Each step harder than the last because at this point my body hates me, my legs feel like sand bags, and I cannot get enough water to quench an overwhelming thirst. I took water and gatorade at every single water stop, but still feel dehydrated and to be honest, just plain old fucking tired.

Mile 22 is when we merge with the half marathoners, and I am dodging them while trying just to keep moving forward. I keep telling myself only 4 more miles. That's nothing. Only 4 freaking miles.

I actually ended up passing several marathoners in the final four miles. Not because I was running fast, but because I was one of the few still running. A lot of people walked. I could feel their pain, but it still surprised me to see runners stopping on that final miles. At that point, it was easier to push ahead and finish strong. Besides, walking would just extend the hardship. But, that being said, I have walked before in marathons and sometimes you simply cannot run another step.

Miles 22-26 were somewhat of a death march for me: 7:49, 7:43, 7:42, 7:52, 7:44 and 7:04 pace for the last .6 (according to Garmin). They kept feeling longer and longer. To be honest, this is the part of the race where I am a little disappointed in myself. Instead of racing for the best time I could possibly run on that day, I just ran for third place. I knew there wasn't a woman close behind me, and woman #2 was nowhere in sight. Had she been, maybe I would have run stronger those final miles? I don't know. I just felt like I kind of gave up mentally and accepted whatever time the clock would read. But sometimes I also think you gotta know when to hold them and know when to fold them. Maybe I could have run a few minutes faster but would it have really mattered? Third place was third place.

My Garmin beeped 26 miles...then 26.2...then 26.4...then 26.5... and I am wondering WHERE THE HELL IS THE DAMN FINISH LINE??? Seriously, I was cooked - both mentally and physically. Finally saw the finish line and nearly trampled some half marathon walkers trying to get across it (sorry).

Crossed the line in 3:19:29, stumbled around aimlessly until I gathered myself and made the way to my car to change clothes before the awards ceremony. Realized I didn't bring a change of clothes for the car ride home, cursed myself for being an idiot then sat around until the Marathon Awards ceremony at 11:30.

The awards ceremony was nice. Pretty short and sweet. I didn't realize this at the time, but this was a money race so I ended up winning $200 cash. That was a nice surprise.

The car ride home was in many ways more painful than the actual marathon. I couldn’t find a comfortable position in my seat. My feet hurt and my ass hurt and by the time I got home my entire body radiated with pain.

Marathons always teach me something. This one, similar to San Antonio, taught me a thing or two in humility, perseverance, and outright pain & suffering. I learned that I can push through anything and still cross that finish line. I learned that despite what you think or what you predict, the situation you’re in at that moment can change in an instant, and how you adapt reflects on who you are.

Likes:
- Relatively low registration fee comparative to Rock & Roll, Austin & Dallas marathons.
-Great swag: received a long sleeve shirt upon check in and dri-fit finishers shirt at the finish line.
-Awesome post race spread, including 3 different types of beer and margaritas.
-Extremely well organized. Fantastic communication via participants on Facebook. Probably the best use of social media I seen from a race director.

Dislikes:
-Not much crowd support. Texas A&M students, where were you? Probably sleeping. Don't blame you.
-Camber on much of the route. Running on slanted roads is very painful for my hip/leg/hamstring.
-Course was kind of boring. I don't know what I was expecting, but it seemed a lot of it was running on highways.

I am hobbling around like a 90 yr old woman today. I think the culmination of 3 marathons in a row, combined with a big year of running in general, has left my tank on empty. I used to be able to run back to back marathons like it ain't no thing, but I guess it's time to face the fact that I am no longer a spring chicken and need to take time to recover and take a break from structured training. And, believe me, I am looking forward to it. I have some big goals and big plans for 2013, but for now I need to step back and take a breather before attacking those goals. I'll be spending a lot of time in the pool and getting back to core work and most importantly on things that don't involve sweating. I'll work out when I feel like, but on my own terms.

Thanks for reading my ramblings and for all of the encouragement along the way! I really do appreciate it. I started this blog as a journal for myself, never expecting that anyone would care to read it, but the support and encouragement I have received along the way has been overwhelming. Thank you.

Marathon #21

And that's a wrap, folks. I survived another Texas marathon, and I'd be lying if I said it was easy and effortless to knock out the 3:19:29 (official results) race that I ran today. It was fucking hard! I awoke at 4:45 AM to already 71 degree temps with 100% humidity in College Station, and I knew I'd be in for a long day. I'd also be lying if I said I had a ton of fun out there, but daggumit I got it done.

On a positive note, I was third women overall and won $200 cash! That was a nice surprise. I ran my way from 5th to 3rd around Mile 15, so somewhat of deja vu from last month in San Antonio (though sadly no bike escort this time).

Now if you excuse me, my entire body hurts - not helped by a 1 hr 45 min drive home - so it's time for me to lay in the couch in comatose position with my basset hounds and bon bons :)
Full race report to follow...

Obligatory pre race self portrait (fail). You're welcome.

Winnings!

Obviously I ran the tangents TERRIBLY. Also I missed a turn at one point. Would have been pissed had it cost me third.

Hope everyone had a good weekend, and those who raced, ran well!

It's Race Week (Again) & Pictures with Santa

First things first: Family Photos with Santa at Petsmart! Let me just say that I was very disappointed with Santa this year. He certainly wasn't very jolly (as you can see from his facial expressions he looks thrilled). I thought maybe it was because I freaking brought my entire extended family to get our picture taken (my parents were still in town from VA so they came along) as well as two hyper basset hounds...but he was really sullen with everyone. Didn't say a word or move an inch. I wanted to tug at his beard to see if he was even alive.

Anyhow, after about 100 attempts, we managed a few decent photos, though still dysfunctional looking. ;) They are scanned, so excuse the poor quality.

[I realize I probably lose major street cred by taking my dogs to have their photo taken with Santa and then posting them on the internet, but whatever, I am a 100% dog lover & enthusiast through and through]

The entire family. As you can see, both Santa and Dan are thrilled to be there.

The four of us with bad Santa

It's also race week! On Sunday, I will be running Marathon #21 in College Station, Texas. This is actually a race I have not run before, so I am excited. I love touring places I've never been on foot!

I really struggled with some runs last week (both with motivation to do them and the actual runs themselves being crappy), and I also had some good ones. At this point in the year, I've logged countless miles and raced more times than I can count, fell short on some goals and accomplished others, ran 4 marathons, did a half ironman and off season is just around the corner so I think it's normal to feel my flame burning low.

As is typical in December in Texas, you never know what you're going to get as far as weather. Sunday looks to be on the warm side and humid. Slightly better than what I ran in last month in San Antonio though (not as windy and maybe a degree or two cooler).

The weather doesn't concern me; I know I can take what the days gives me. I know I'm tough under less than ideal circumstances. And, I really don't have anything to lose on Sunday. There's not a number on the clock I am trying to hit. I simply want to finish the year strong and run a race that I am proud of. And that's what I'll set out to do.

I hope everyone has a good week! If you're running College Station this weekend and see me, say hello!

Three Things Thursday

1. I think I'm officially in holiday mode. Happens to me same time, every year. I go from being super motivated with my training to having no motivation to do anything except eat, drink and be merry. I was hoping it would hold off another week so I could get through next weekend's marathon fully focused, but so such luck. I've had little motivation to train this week, so I'll just pretend it's a taper for next weekend's race. Though holiday mode always brings me into the New Year a few pounds heavier, I'm okay with it. After training hard all year without ever really taking a break, the holidays are my perfect excuse to chill out for awhile before jumping back into training for my next big thing. Bring on the holiday cheer!

2. Next weekend I am in charge of a Fishing Derby for work. I work in Parks & Recreation, and it's one of our annual events that I am in charge of. It's also my least favorite event. One, because it requires me to be at work at 5:30 AM on a Saturday. And, two, because I know nothing about fishing and have minimal desire to manhandle fish, particularly at 5:30 in the morning. Anyway, this week I went to Cabela's to buy items for the event. I had never been to Cabela's and holy cow that place is insane. It's the size of a freaking shopping mall and was packed with people on a Monday afternoon. Sending someone who knows nothing about fishing (me) to buy fishing gear may not have been the best idea but hey...

3. I am (slightly) embarrassed to admit that I am super excited about this weekend for one reason: it's time for our Annual Family Photo with Santa. And, by photos with Santa, I mean photos with us and the dogs and Santa "Paws" at the local Petsmart. We've done this for several years, and every year I get really excited while Dan is hanging his head in embarrassment as we load up the hounds and head off to get our photo taken. I never thought I would be "one of those people" but by God, I wouldn't miss this for anything. This is what happens when you don't have kids people.

Last year's photo with Santa :)

The Inbetween

Well, it's been about a week and a half since the San Antonio Rock & Roll Marathon, and I am feeling pretty much back to normal and have turned focus forward to the BCS Marathon on December 9.

Lucky for my pants, I didn't really treat myself to another celebration week like I did after Baltimore (minus a few big Mexican meals and margaritas of course) and was back running 5 days last week.

Chips, salsa, bean dip, Gloria's margarita = happiness.

I'm in the weird stage where I am trying to recover from two marathons while staying fit enough to run the third one well and still have time for a mini-taper. Throw in the holidays, company, and planning for a work special event the day before my next marathon and things get tricky. So pretty much I am trying to do what I did after Baltimore - 2 weeks of lower mileage, 1 week of high mileage and 1 week of a mini taper on race week. I'm not following a set plan but instead just have an idea of the type of workout I want to do each day and adjust if necessary. I have the base to get the job done on December 9th, the question is just how fast?

When I signed up for 3 marathons in 3 months, I did so in case I did not hit my sub-3:10 goal in Baltimore. San Antonio was Plan B, and I signed up for BCS as Plan C. What I didn't really think about was what happened if I hit my goal in Baltimore. I suppose most normal people would treat the other two as "victory laps" and run for fun, but unfortunately we all now I am not wired that way so on December 9 I will set out again to see how fast these legs can run. I really don't have anything to lose, so if it all blows up in my face, well then I can just enjoy the beer post-race. :-)

As much as I am looking forward to this marathon - because I do love running marathons and have heard particularly great things about this particular one - I am also looking forward to taking a little break for the remainder of 2012 after this race is over. Some downtime is in order before I start training (in mid-January) for my next A race, which is the Eugene Marathon in April.

Until then I'll keep hammering away in hopes of some more marathon magic in a few weeks...

Happy Thanksgiving!

San Antonio R&R Marathon Race Report

I don't even know where to begin here. I guess I should back up about a week and a half. One thing I have always prided myself on is being a mentally tough runner. I may not be as talented as others, but there is something to be said about having a tough mental frame of mind, particularly in a marathon.

Something I've really been struggling with in 2012 is my mental game. A DNF and a 4 hour marathon performance in Boston really shook me up and made me question where I am going as a runner. I've noticed these negative feelings creep back up lately as I'm dealing with these blasted leg issues on and off (I'm sorry, I know you are sick of hearing about them). After deciding not to race Run for the Water a few weeks ago and see myself start to slip into an 'I don't give a hoot' attitude about San Antonio attitude, I decided I needed to get my act together. I am not a naturally talented runner; everything I have is due to hard work and  being as strong and stubborn as a mule. If I lost my mental toughness, well, then I might as well throw in the towel.

I began re-reading a book that I have read and re-read several times throughout my life. It's called 'Winning Every Day' by Lou Holtz. I love this book as Coach Holtz's principles apply not only to sports but to every day life. I spent last week reading this book to re-strengthen my mental game going into San Antonio. One passage that I have probably read a thousand times where Lou is addressing his team always resonates with me:

"You plan. You commit to excellence. And if it happens, if you achieve your highest goal, you have the reward of knowing it was by your efforts that you earned it. Today, that has happened. If some day it doesn't, if you don't always achieve your goal, be sure that is not for want of trying. If you gave it the best you had in you, you cannot ask yourself for more. No on can ask you for more."

So going into San Antonio, I knew I had to simply focus on doing the best I could do on that particular day. That's all I could ask of myself. There was no room for half-assing and there was no room for doubt. I would not be proud of myself if I didn't give 100%. 

In the end, I decided to go with a watch for the race, though I had planned not too. I turned the pace feature off the screen and was just left with mileage and running time. My plan was to look at my first few miles to make sure I wasn't being over ambitious and then only check time at the half and 20 mile marks.

As you know, the weather didn't cooperate for us. Over dinner the night before I expressed some concern to Dan about how I would run. Mostly I was concerned about the wind. Heat I can handle, even the humidity, but the combo of heat, humidity and wind left me a little concerned. He reminded me that I am a better bad weather runner than most. I always seem to fare better in races where conditions suck and that is in large part due to mental strength. He had confidence in me, I just needed to have confidence in myself.

Anyway, normal pre-race routine for me. Normal 2 mile warm-up, some extra hydration and lined up in Corral 1. I watched the elites warm-up in awe as I always do and tried to get psyched for what I knew would be a tough day. At 7:30 AM, the gun went off and they released the Elite Corral and Corral 1. Since they start the half marathon and marathon at the same time, it's very easy to go out too fast. Although the half marathoners had different color (blue) bibs, it's hard to tell who is running what and when you see a lot of people zoom by you, it's very easy to get caught up in it. And, I did. First mile was around 7:05. Oops.

Hey idiot, slow down! And by idiot I mean me ;)

Admittedly, I felt great the first few miles. Looking back at the results, my first 5k was in 22:27. Too fast.

At Mile 4, I started to feel the effects of starting out too fast and slowed down. I needed to stay steady - I still had a long way to go. To be honest, this race didn't start to get memorable to me until about Mile 15. I can't say much about the earlier miles expect that they were hot, and by Mile 7 I was starting to lose a little bit of focus. Instead of focusing on the mile I was in, I was already dreading reaching Mile 11 where the half would split off from the full. From past experience, I knew at that point it meant two things: 1) We would be running away from downtown, which would mean there would be no high rises to block and lessen the impact of the wind. And, 2) Once we split from the 1/2ers, it would get very lonely out there.

Oh hey guy in green - any chance you want to change bibs??

I stayed pretty steady through the split at Mile 11, though I wasn't feeling great. I would be lying if the thought of bowing out and making the split with the half-marathoners didn't briefly cross my mind. I saw other people do it. But, I plodded on. I told myself: “Erin, you can do this. Everyone else is battling the same conditions."

Miles 11-14 were tough for me. I wasn't falling off pace but I questioned my ability to keep that pace for another 13 miles. I hit the half way mark in 1:36:52. The wind had picked up, the sun was blaring and shady spots on the course were scarce. They were a few men in close proximity, but I wasn't able to find a consistent running partner for very long. Somewhere around the half way point, my leg would lock up a few times causing me to misstep, and then of course that was all I could focus on. My leg, the wind, the heat were rotating thoughts in my mind. Maybe I'll just slow down.

At Mile 15 the game changed for me. A complete 180. About Mile 14, a crew member drove by and said he thought I was in 5th place for the females. I went from thinking 'this sucks' to 'hmmm, maybe I am doing better than I thought. Let's hang in there.' At this point I couldn't see any women ahead of me so I didn't know if 5th place meant 1/2 mile behind 4th or 3 miles behind 4th. 

I was soon to find out. Just before Mile 15 we entered a part of the course which was a semi-circle loop so you could easily see runners going out and coming back. I saw a girl in my vicinity and I could tell I was closing in on her. I made the pass at Mile 15. Sweet, I thought! I guess I'm in 4th now. I'm so excited! I'll just hang here! 4th would be awesome!

About a 1/2 of a mile later, I spied another girl in sight. There was a race official riding along next to her on a bicycle. I didn't think anything of it - I had no idea the top 3 runners had bicycle escorts, obviously I have never been there before ;). I started to close the gap on her - at this point I was running with another guy and was just trying to match him stride for stride so I could have some company. As I started to close the gap on the girl in front of me, the gentleman on the bicycle let me know I was 4th woman and that the lady in front of me was third. I thanked him, and was able to make the pass and move into third.

The gentleman on the bicycle stayed with me and told me that #2 wasn't too far ahead of me and that he thought I may be running stronger than her right now and could catch her. This lit a fire under my a$$ and I surged ahead, losing the guy I was running with. The guy on the bicycle continued to ride beside me, and I am still not understanding that he is a bicycle escort who would stay with me for the remainder of the race.

Must.Not.Slow.Down

Just before Mile 17, I see #2 female. She has a gentleman riding alongside of her on a bike as well. Aha! A light bulb clicks and I realize they are bicycle escorts. Sweet!! I have a companion now if I can stay in the top 3.

At Mile 17, I make my pass and move into second place. The girl is very gracious in the pass and tells me I look strong and that she is not feeling well. I tell her to stay strong and hang with me. We only have 9 miles left. She stays about 10 seconds behind me for about a mile then my new bike friend tells me she has dropped off. He's says #1 is pretty far ahead (about a mile ahead and running strong) but thought I could take second if I keep running strong.

Miles 14-20 were actually when the wind was the worst but I will tell you once I made that pass at Mile 17, I was propelled by pure and sheer will power. I didn't think about a damn thing - not the weather, not my leg, not how far I had left - from about Mile 17-20. I powered forward not looking at my watch once for the remainder of the race - my only focus was to hang on to second place and make it to that finish line no matter what it took. I repeated over and over again to myself the following phrase: "the only thing standing between myself and 2nd place is me”.

I made it to Mile 20, and that's where the first signs of dehydration began too show. I was grabbing as much water as possible but couldn't get rid of the constant thirst. There was no shade from Mile 20 on, and the sun was starting to beat me down. I am so thankful for my new friend on the bicycle. Not only was he encouraging me, he was clearing the course for me (keeping people from running out in front of me which was even more helpful once we merged again with the half marathoners) and also letting everyone know I was #2 female coming through...which elicited tons of cheers from the crowd, ultimately willing me forward.

I did not stop running, I did not slow down. I pressed on like I stole something. I passed a lot of people struggling and several who were now walking. No one has passed me since before the half way point. At Mile 21, my bicycle escort (whose name I now know is Phil) radioed into the finish line to let them know I was 5 miles out and feeling good. He said they announced my name and status at the finish line. All I can think is that Dan will hear this and be so very proud. Again, this wills me forward. There is a sweet little girl on the sidelines cheering for me and holding out a full bottle of water asking if I want it. I graciously take it and down all 16 ounces in less than a minute while trying not to lose stride.

The last 4 miles were tough. I am having to fight harder and harder for every step; I am tired; I am thirsty; I am ready to be done. I am literally being propelled to the finish line by the energy from the crowds and Phil who is letting everyone know we have the #2 female coming through. I am so thankful that these people are cheering so loudly for me, a nobody from Georgetown, Texas, that I refuse to slow down and I acknowledge everyone I can with a thank you or a wave (when I could no longer get words out). I choke on tears more than once because I am so humbled by this entire experience. To elites this may be an every day occurrence - no big deal - but  to me it was a dream come true.

As I neared and tried to sprinted to the finish, all I could think was “you did it!”. Phil congratulated me & captured this photo at Mile 26 and it sums up exactly  how I was feeling: pure excitement.

Giddy.

Steps away from the finish line.

I will say that crossing the finish line never felt so good. Over the course of 3 hours and 15 min I went from struggling and second guessing myself to a big smile and overwhelming sense of accomplishment. What an emotional roller coaster.

If I had to choose the same conditions, I would do it all over again. Not because I ran a personal best, but because I learned some things about myself. I learned that even in times of panic that I have the ability to calm myself. I learned that even when the weather gods provides unruly conditions that I am one tough competitor. I learned that there is a reason why I work hard day in and day out. There have been (many) times over the last year when I've questioned why I do all this: why do I get up at the 4 am hour every day to run? Why do I give up my lunch break or evenings to fit in a second workout? Why, why, why do I sacrifice so much when I will never be a professional athlete, when I will never get paid to do this, when I simply don't have the genetic talent of the top runners? Well, days like Sunday are why. Though I may never finish in the top at a big race again, while I may never make another cent off of this sport, and while I may never have the pleasure of being escorted by a bike and treated like a rock star, that is okay. I got to experience it once and that was all I needed as affirmation that hard work will pay off and it is worth it.

As I said before, I'm quite confident that I would not have placed as high had the conditions had been favorable. Although this race wasn't an ideal day for many athletes, the day provided the opportunity for other athletes, like me, to shine.  And for that, I am thankful.

The day only continued to get better with the tremendous awards ceremony, VIP access and the Jo Dee Messina concert. I was (and still am) on Cloud Nine.

Thank you isn't enough to Dan, to my new friend Phil, to every single person who cheered me on, encouraged me and has congratulated me. I will never forget this day. Thank you for sharing in my excitement. I've said before and I'll say it again: if I can do it, so can you.

San Antonio Rock & Roll Marathon: What a Day

Yesterday was a day that I will never forget. I will write a full race report later, but here's a quick recap. I am still in shock and disbelief. I am proud and my eyes well up with tears when I recount everything that happened yesterday. All this is not because I PR'd - because I didn't. It wasn't a PR day for anyone. In fact, I ran a 3:15. The woman who won is a sub 3 hour marathoner and ran a 3:06. It was that kind of day. The day where mental strength was just as important- if not more - than physical strength. I dug deep out there yesterday. I was a cart horse who never gave up. And that is what I am most proud of.

I was the second place female at the Rock & Roll Marathon in San Antonio. I had a bike escort (once I moved into third place). I stood on a podium in front of thousands of people with some tremendous athletes and had my name announced while receiving flowers and a large plaque. I won prize money ($500!!). I was granted VIP access post-race and had a couple ask to have their picture taken with me. For a little peon like me from Georgetown, Texas, this was a dream come true.

I wasn't expecting yesterday to turn out as it did. In fact, had the weather been nice I would not have placed as high. To be honest, I beat some athletes who are legitimately faster than I but either pulled out due to the heat or fell way off pace. But that doesn't make my finish any less meaningful. I earned it. It was hot, it was humid and it was windy. The combo of sun and wind would be the factor that took many down on the back half of the course. I was in 5th place going into Mile 15, and ran my way into second place by Mile 18. From there, I just hung on. I never blew up; I just ran consistent. Lucky for me, as Dan reminded me, I am just a better bad weather runner than most which I was able to use to my advantage yesterday.

The podium!!

Post race celebration on the River Walk!

A big thank you to everyone for their congratulatory texts, tweets, Facebook messages etc. I read and re-read each and every one and they truly meant a lot. Also a big thank you and congratulations to my husband Dan who ran the half yesterday in under 2 hours. I am so proud of him - this was his 11th half marathon in just a 5 year span. Not bad for a golf coach ;)

Marathon #20 in the freaking books. #21 up ahead in 3 weeks. Here we go.

Race Week!

It's race week friends! On Saturday, Dan and I will be headed South to run the Rock & Roll San Antonio Half & Full Marathons.

This will be my 5th straight year running the full, and Dan's 5th year of running the half. And, in true San Antonio fashion, the weather forecast predicts another scorcher for Sunday (much like last year) with temps in the 80's with a chance of storms, wind, and of course, high humidity. We've had nice weather ONCE in the 5 years I've ran, so I would expect nothing less than warm & humid.

I love that the cold front comes through literally the next day.

And here's the thing with the weather: it's completely out of our control and everyone will have to run in the same conditions so no use bitchin'. Plus, I truly believe it's these types of races that make me stronger as a runner. Would I prefer cooler temps? Yes. But I am not going to spend the next few days worrying over something that is completely out of my control. And it's not like I haven't been there before with this race weather.

I've been asked several times if I am racing this race or running it just for fun. My answer is yes to both. Yes, I am racing and yes, I am running for fun. I will admit however, my definition of running for fun is probably different from most. Running for fun, for me, means getting out there and racing the best I can be that day. Giving it my all. I would be lying if I told you I was going to go out there and enjoy a leisurely stroll through San Antonio - that's just NOT me. It's not how I'm wired. It will not happen. And, believe it or not, I actually enjoy running marathons and pushing myself to the point of pure exhaustion. That is fun for me (which may make me a sick individual but so be it).

As far as my game plan, I will employ the same strategy I used last Saturday when I raced the 5k and that is to race without my Garmin (or watch of any kind) and run by feel. Though I did wear a watch in Baltimore, I didn't look at it much as I just hung with the pacers step for step. Unfortunately, San Antonio doesn't offer pace groups faster than 3:30 (boooo!) so I am on my own. I will run whatever pace my legs dictate to be "comfortably hard."

Time goals? I don't really have any. I am not gunning for a PR, but I would like to run a strong and solid race for me... so around a 3:15ish? I've typically run well at this race, and by now I know the course like the back of my hand so there won't be many surprises. My biggest challenge in this race is onset loneliness after about Mile 11. Once we split off from the half marathon runners, the crowd really spreads thin and every year I have found myself running completely alone. The back half of the course lacks many spectators, or much scenery for that matter, so it becomes more of a mental battle for me to hang tough and not slow down.

If you're bored and want to track me, you can do so at http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/san-antonio. My race # is 1017 and they should have live updates on their web site. Otherwise, I'll post my results on Twitter after the race.

Happy Running!

My Week in Pictures

First, I decided on my next "A" goal race:

With a half marathon option and close proximity to several breweries, I was able to convince Dan this is a must-do.

Then, Halloween came!

Yes, I dress up my dogs for Halloween. What of it?

My helpers :)

Saturday I ran a local 5k...

I won! First female in 19:35. 

Then Saturday night we attended Homecoming festivities at the school where my husband coaches and I used to work....

On Sunday, I got the pleasure of meeting and having lunch with fellow blogger and triathlete, Michelle, who was in town!

So great to finally meet the awesome and talented Michelle!!!

It's been a good week!

Oh, and I also ran 68 miles :)

Marathon #20 next weekend. Bring it.

Over Ambitious

After last week was deemed 'Celebration Week' I was determined to get back on track this week. I am running the San Antonio Marathon in like 2 weeks and was feeling the pressure (and maybe secretly hoping for another killer race) to get back at it strong.

Well, that didn't happen this week. I was over ambitious on several accounts. First, I was in charge of a large special event for work this week which would require long hours, lots of time on my feet and because I'm a worry wart, stress. So to think I was going to knock out a killer week plus host a successful work event was too ambitious. Second, and most importantly, my body just was not ready to 'get back at it'. Not at all.

I went into Baltimore less than 100%. I wasn't sand bagging when I said I was having serious leg/hip issues and have been dealing with them since January. I was serious when I said I was not confident going into the race. Some days were good, some days were bad and some days were really good and really bad, and I was lucky enough to have a great race day in Baltimore and come away with a PR. I can't be thankful enough for that. I feel like it was my body's way of saying 'Here you go. You've worked hard, overcome some obstacles, so here's your freaking PR. Now leave me the f*&k alone for awhile." I get the message now and clear now.

Long story short, I'm dealing with hip/leg issues again. I feel like someone is stabbing me in the butt with daggers at all times, now on both my left and right sides. I haven't run much this week, and I finally folded my cards yesterday and am not running (or cross training) at all this weekend (and beyond for how long?) including a DNS for a race I was supposed to run today (Sunday).

[I've also continued eating like I'm celebrating the Olympics, partly due to work stress, not giving a f, and frustration with my uncooperative legs. But hey that's what stretchy pants are for...]

#fatfluential

The weird thing is, is that I'm okay with it. Not to be uber cheesy but you know the Kenny Rogers' song the Gambler? He sings:

"You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away, know when to run"

Well, that's how I feel. I've been stubborn as shit for a long time and powered through when I've been too freaking stupid to call it a day. Always striving for some bigger, something better and something faster. I know ya'll know what I mean. After awhile it gets exhausting, and I've finally realized maybe this all is just a breath of fresh air.  And maybe it's what I need. Too often my ego gets in the way, so maybe this is all a sign that I need a change of perspective for awhile.

The past two mornings I slept til the glorious hour of 8 am. Yesterday, instead of getting up to lace up my running shoes, I stayed in my PJ's and watched my DVR'd episodes of Nashville and Jersey Shore [quality]. Once Dan got up, we leisurely had coffee, took the dogs to the park then had some greasy burgers and fries at Hardtails [also quality]. Then we hung out watching football. I imagine today will be more of the same. And I'm enjoying it.

Spending time with my favorite red head

I also got to hang out more with this guy.

Injuries happen, set backs happen. I'll take it as a sign of some much needed downtime. I may gain a few pounds. I may lose some fitness. I may run San Antonio slow or have to downgrade to the half. But, in the long run [pun intended], I am not defined by my running times. They are not my end all. I’ve learned over the years that when I let running define me, I invite a whole bunch of disappointment.

I'll be back. But for now you can find me on the couch with some good eats. :)

“One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged.” Lucille Ball

Celebration Week!

Usually after a big race I give myself a day or two and then I am all business again - looking ahead to my next big race and ready to charge ahead.

This time around was a little different. After a training cycle filled with ups and downs that took a lot out of me mentally and physically, I deemed last week Celebration Week! My husband was more than happy to oblige and we spent last week eating pure junk without giving it a second thought, not worrying about early bed times or early mornings, not planning workouts and having zero commitments for the weekend. Originally I was going to race this weekend, but decided against it - I wanted a weekend where I had nothing to do, no race to prep for and no alarm clock to set.

You would have thought I'd won the freaking Olympics last weekend the way I celebrated this week - we ate out 5 out of the 7 nights and the two nights in I ordered Papa John's one night and ate a family size serving box of Mac & Cheese in one sitting the other night. I also ate my weight in chips and queso, candy corn and swedish fish. While celebration week has come to an end (my bank account and pants are thanking me), I don't regret it at all. Sometimes you just need a break. And, while I'm typically no role model for super healthy eating, this week was over the top for even me. Celebration week was an excuse for me to just eat. And be lazy. And not worry about xyz miles that need to be run at xyz pace the next day. And maybe that's what it is - an excuse - but many athletes spend their lives regulating what they eat and always oh so focused so can you really blame them (me) when such an easy excuse presents itself?

Tomorrow it's pretty much back to business as usual. Alarm clock set for 4:45 am. Reintroducing fruits and veggies back into my life. Speed work. Early bed times. Core work.

It was fun while it lasted.