Finish Line

Workouts and Races – Triathloning

OutForARunAdmin — Fri, 31 May 2013 14:46:00 +0000

Yesterday, I swam 2750 yards and ran 8 miles. This was the longest swim I’ve ever done by 500 yards, it was quite the accomplishment in my book. I felt really good and actually felt like I could just swim forever. I’m not sure how far I could have gone if I would have just kept going. I have some pretty stellar endurance (for me) with the swimming these days, (considering 500 yards was where I started 8 weeks ago) but I’m still super slow. I think I brought up my swim to Glenn 4-5 times over the course of the day yesterday… he just didn’t seem excited enough so I kept reminding him how far I swam. I would compare it to how it might feel to run 10 miles for the first time? Not sure really, but it’s fun to make the comparison.

The 8 miles were at an easy pace, but they felt hard. It was after my swim, pretty hot out and I was strollering it. When I finished the run, I was feeling pretty beat. I had my first big moment of feeling discouraged about the upcoming 70.3 race. I’m not concerned that I can complete it, I know I’ve been putting the work in to do that and will continue to do so. But, it’s like I was dreading the moments of misery during the race. You know when you have those moments during workouts and races and you really wonder what the heck you are doing and why you are putting yourself through it?

I know at some point on the bike, I will feel a little hopeless and crappy and I don’t know when, but I’m guessing it might be around mile 20, when I still have a long way to go but am getting to be right smack dab in the middle.

The run will be hard, I’d like to run sub 8 minute pace, but I’m really just throwing that out there, I’ve never run 13.1 miles after swimming 1.2 and biking 56. I’ve ran between 7:15-8:15 pace for all of the brick runs that I’ve done but they were only 4 miles. I know there will be moments of the “misery” feeling on the run, but I also know there will be moments of victory as well. I don’t want to crawl to the finish line. I will have to force myself not to go out all crazy miles 3-7 after I’m warmed up on the run. That is just asking for disaster for the last 6.

Reminiscing on past marathons, I think the worst I’ve ever felt was in Chicago 2010. (Boston, 2009 is a close 2nd, another story for another day). We ran Chicago a week after getting back from our bike trip to New York. I had the cardiovascular endurance to run 26.2, but my legs weren’t recovered from the trip and I didn’t have but maybe one 16 miler under my melt in my “training”. This wasn’t a race that I was going for a PR at, but I didn’t expect it to be so tough at the end. (A lot of the reason it was so tough at the end is because I stupidly went out too hard, thinking I was stronger than I was.) This might have been my worst second half split of any marathon.

I remember literally crying around mile 22 when I felt hopeless and I was shuffling. Literally shuffling. I never once walked, but that was one slow shuffle. There were moments in the race where I stupidly ran 7:20 pace (around mile 8? You know how you feel really good at mile 8?) and moments where my pace dipped down to 11:00 pace. Every marathon since then, I think back to how I felt then and tell myself, “you don’t feel as bad as you did in Chicago, so buck up and keep moving to the finish line.”

So I will remember Chicago, when it hurts on the run in Muncie. I will keep it in my back pocket like I always do and remind myself, that I’ve been in the “HURT” before and I can push through it.

I did not like the feeling I had after that 8 miles yesterday one bit. The feeling made me want to crawl under a hole and forget about the whole 70.3 all together. It almost felt like a minor moment of panic. That would be quitting and I really hate quitting. Although it hurts A LOT workouts and races at times; the moments of victory make it all worth it.

And when I have moments of BLAH in training or after a bad workout, I know it’s always important to remember how crushing a new goal makes you feel. It’s easy to think “why the heck am I doing this” but once you’ve crossed one finish line, you get addicted, you want that feeling again. To me, the finish line makes me feel, strong and happy… and ready to do it all over again.

What I love about the sport is, you are competing against yourself, it’s you and the run, you and the bike and what I’m most excited about for this triathlon thing is, no matter what time I do for my upcoming sprint tri and ultimately the half Ironman is, it’s my first and it will be my new PR. No matter what I do, I will have finished something brand new to me. Do I want to do well? Yes. Do I think I will be as fast at triathlon as I am at just running? No. Do I have major improvements to make in all three disciplines? Yes. And I’m excited to see what I can do. I’ll have to remind myself over and over again in the race to focus on what I’m doing right then, do not get bothered by people swimming or biking past me. Now, once the run starts, I’m ok with being a little more bothered by people passing me. I’m hoping that will be my turn to pass.

Oh and PS- my first triathlon – (sprint) will be June 15th at Eagle Creek. Anyone doing it?

What is your favorite discipline in a triathlon?

The Finish Line

OutForARunAdmin — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 19:18:00 +0000

The finish line of a marathon is one of the most joyful places I’ve ever been.

Running the Boston Marathon is a dream for most runners. People work for years to qualify. It’s a celebration race for many. Some don’t qualify and are running for something they strongly believe in, they work hard to raise money for worthy causes and dedicate each mile to that cause. They are running with just as much passion as those who qualify. Some people have overcome a lot just to get to the start line, let alone the finish line.

The finish line is where you know you’ve conquered a beast. The finish line is when you know your strong, where you feel invincible. Where you forget about the bad things in life.

Yesterday morning I was glued to the race, live streaming it on my computer. We decided not to go this year, because we didn’t want to spend the money on the trip. We’ve both ran it now and decided it would be an every 5 year type of thing from now on. I tweeted in the morning “Just a little sad I’m not hanging out on Boylston st. watching the race like last year.” We’ve been to Boston for the marathon twice. In 2009, Glenn, my parents and friend Brooke were all posted up at the finish line waiting for my arrival. In 2012, I was 7 months pregnant posted up at the finish line with Glenn’s parents waiting for his arrival.

It’s the people who love the runner most out there cheering at their races. It was the people who LOVED the runners who were hurt and killed. It’s not fair. How can there be human beings out there with so much hate in their hearts. It’s pure evil and it makes me sick. These people were likely the moms and dads, brothers and sisters, kids, family and friends cheering for their loved ones to finish a race they probably worked really hard to get to.

I can’t stop thinking about the little boy who was killed. He was there to watch his father finish the Boston Marathon. All I can think is, had the dad ran by yet? Were they still waiting for him? Was he out at mile 24 when he heard what happened and got stopped and had no clue if his family was OK? How did these runners find their families if they were stopped out on the course miles away from the finish line? I can not fathom the panic and terror you would feel out there, knowing that your family or friends where waiting for you to finish and right where they were waiting was where it happened.

Today I ran my scheduled 7 miles. I felt weary and heavy and I had tears as I ran. I feel connected to this tragedy in a real way and all I can do is pray for the individuals effected from afar. I know I’m in the company of thousands of runners who feel the same way.

You just can’t make sense of what happened. It was senseless. My heart is heavy for every single person effected by yesterdays tragedy. I’m not sure I’ll ever go on a run again without thinking about Boston 2013.

Sister Trip & Marathon Weekend

OutForARunAdmin — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:28:00 +0000

On Wednesday morning I woke up with mile repeats on the mind. I was doing 4 of them. It felt kind of weird to do 4 mile repeats three days before running a marathon. Glenn reminded me I’m not racing. I think he will be actually upset with me if I make the bad decision and run faster than he’s told me to. Such a stickler that guy.

After I finished my workout, I walked down the stairs at the gym, having a wave of anxiety and guilt. My sister and I were heading out to DC to visit our other sister the next day.

My first trip away from Marshall. No, I’m obviously not worried about his well-being, I’m leaving him with Glenn and Glenn’s parents are also coming down to babysit on Friday while he’s at work. I’ve just never been away from the little guy.

Don’t do anything new while I’m gone buddy. (You’d think I was leaving for a 4 month trip.)

I didn’t sleep well last night, but don’t think it had anything to do with being away from Marshall, I was just restless. Two more nights and one marathon away from being back with my baby boy.

I’m enjoying the trip, it’s weird to be away from someone you have spent every day and most hours of your life with for the last 5 months.

I told Glenn he’ll need to text me a minimum of 50 pictures and give him 100 kisses from me everyday.

Last night we all went to dinner at Red Rocks for some yummy fire brick pizza and margaritas. I started off with a skinny girl or three before we headed out, we were all giggly and having fun.

Tomorrow, sister Ericka and I will be running the Rehoboth Beach Marathon. We are heading over that way in a few hours. Sister, Shelby will be the professional spectator/picture taker.

My Marathon Pledge:

I will not be an idiot and go out fast. I will run comfortable, 8:00-8:20 miles for the first 13 miles and slowly speed up from there. I will not get overly excited at mile 7 when I feel great (if I do in fact feel great) and speed up. I will hang tight and enjoy the view. (which I’m thinking might be pretty since it’s a beach marathon?) I will enjoy this race and be grateful that I came and that I have the ability to not only run, but make a trip like this. I will come up with something I am thankful for at every mile and think about that. I will finish this race feeling like I could run 5 more miles if I wanted to. I will go find my sister and cheer her in once I”m finished. I will eat amazing food when we are done and enjoy the rest of my trip.

See you at the finish line.

Here are some pics from our weekend so far: