progress

Well, my legs are about 75% now.

Our coach Troy has said to wait a week before starting to run again- but I know that Teri said she was hoping to run by Friday, nurses do make such bad patients =). I think I will wait a couple more days.

Women from our church are going hiking Friday morning and I am planning to attempt that. Shouldn't be too difficult of a hike- and my FIRST since the summer so I can't wait.

Here we are tired, clean, happy and full after our post-race Mexican fare.
Chips and salsa never tasted so good!

half-crazy

My mind is filled with so many thoughts generated from yesterday's race that it is hard for me to think and write lucidly. I will attempt to give my low-down.

First, let me preface that it was an amazing experience and I would do it again next week if my legs would only let me. My quadriceps are extremely sore & achy; the first of their kind. I kept an electric warmer on my legs all night while I slept- pretty sure it didn't help. I attempted to jog across my house this morning to grab something for my daughter, and in the midst of that moment of mental amnesia, had to grab at my legs because of the weirdest sensation of my muscles spasming so oddly. Definitely could not run to save my life right now.

Looking back over this past year and the last 3 months of rigorous training, I would definitely say that the worst part of all of this was Saturday's pre-race anxiety and lack of sleep. Sunday morning, when our hotel room's alarm clock finally turned 0400, we were amazed to find out that not one of us had a decent night's sleep. But as Teri wrote, I too, experienced a complete sense of calm once we were out of bed and preparing for the race ahead of us. It was as if there was nothing more to worry about, so we didn't.

The morning of the race is pretty surreal to me now. We drove over in a chartered bus from our hotel at 0500. The bus driver was pretty funny making good-natured jokes about us half-marathoners being only "half-crazy" and telling us he would be thinking of us as he drove through Dunkin Donuts on his way home back to bed!

We arrived at our starting point at 0600- and except for the bright generated electric lights, could see absolutely nothing. It was great fun attempting to use the port-a-potties in the pitch black freezing weather (I think it was in the 50s or even cooler).

By the time 0700 came around, the sun had begun to peek around the mountains (we were up in them by Tucson's Biosphere). We had our gloves and layers on ready to begin. It was getting pretty exciting- tons of people, loud music, desert for miles, and one big hug before we were off!

As far as the race went, Kim and I make a great team. She has this internal pacing ability (befitting her personality) while I tend to run faster and then slower depending on my whim (befitting my personality). She is so good for me! We actually didn't talk too much, instead concentrating on our running, breathing and the people we would pass. Having her there, for me, was better than an iPod. Unspoken companionship. From the start, Teri, who is stinkin' fast, was off. She ran her race with the more competitive runners. Periodically, I would think about her or strain my eyes to the course ahead to see if I could pick her out. To run with friends is a great and rare gift I think.

The entire race, we plugged along, never stopping (a successful goal!) though I must admit to the occasional envious glance at the men who would dash into the desert for a quick bathroom break. So completely unfair. Compared to our long runs back at home the miles seemed to go by so quickly for me. At mile 9 I swallowed down some vanilla bean Gu (which actually tasted good for the first time) and then some water (which actually went down the wrong pipe. sheesh.) to help give me some energy- both physical and mental for the last 4 miles left.

For some reason, I didn't have my normal aches and pains and felt really strong the entire race. Only after I saw my husband, kids and mom at mile 11 did I slow down a bit because it definitely made me emotional (Kim and Teri too, such good friends!)and I then needed to get control as the biggest hill of all was looming ahead. Once we hit that the end was near.

All in all, a most amazing experience on so many levels.

We did it!

It is difficult to summarize our amazing weekend experience. Our drive to Tucson was fun and full of fun conversation. Our nervousness became more apparent as we went and picked up our information from the racing event. The evening was fun and we enjoyed our carbohydrate loaded dinner. We were all amazed by our lack of ability to sleep the night before, despite our exhaustion. Okay, enough with the play-by-play!

One thing that surprised me the most was how calm I felt as I dressed for the race that morning. I had difficulty sleeping that night and thought I would just be a wreck as the morning went on. Much to my surprise the bus ride to the race was quite calming. I had the privilege of sitting next to a fifty year old woman who had recently qualified for the Boston marathon. She talked with me about her family and racing experiences. She was very inspiring to talk to, and has me wondering if maybe someday I will want to try and qualify for a major race. Once we arrived at the start line I truly felt better and ready.

The race was amazing. It was a perfect race for an amateur and was an enjoyable course. I was surprised by how many people were out there running. People of all ages. We all were a little disappointed by the walkers/runners who sometimes lacked racing etiquette, but I am sure I frustrated people along the way as well. I want to thank everyone who was praying for our race. I can say that I truly felt your prayers and most importantly God giving me strength. Thank you to all of our friends and family who have supported and encouraged us along the way.

I also want to say a special thank you to my fellow two half-marathon friends. I will never forget our weekend and first half-marathon. You both are very special to me, and I feel like we now share a special bond. Thank you for your support and encouragement along the way. I hope we continue training, and who knows maybe we'll end up in El Paso in the spring.

i'm a real runner!

Wow, I didn't realize how many readers we had out there that would be excited to hear how we did! Thanks so much! Ok, I'll let the other girls share their experience, but here's mine.

2:22:44 was my time. If I'm doing the math correctly, that is a little less than an 11 min. mile pace (by just a tad). I am EXTREMELY happy with this time. The race course was great, a very easy course for us first timers, in my opinion. Candace and I ran the entire race without stopping, which was another of our goals. Slow and steady the whole way! We powered up one hill towards the end of mile 11, which I was really proud of.

I have to tell everyone that Candace really kicked it in gear at mile 12 and left me in the dust - I was so proud of her! (She won't tell you this out of humilty and I hope she doesn't mind me telling you, but she had such drive, it was inspiring!)

This experience has meant a lot to me. Setting your sight on a goal and achieving it feels wonderful. Being a part of the running community is wonderful. Carrying on the family tradition for my Dad who was a GREAT runner (much faster than I'll ever be!) is wonderful. Setting a great example for fitness to my kiddos is wonderful. I could go on and on, but enough said. The longer I sit in the chair, the harder it's gonna be to get out!

weekend preview

We are driving down to Tucson tomorrow- the 3 of us. It will be fun to enjoy the last leg of this experience together.

We plan on hitting the marathon's expo for a couple of hours to get all the freebies and last minute advice we can. Then on to a pasta dinner for the much recommended carb fill-up. The hot tub will be the last stop before bed. We are PRAYING for good sleep Saturday night so we can be as rested as possible before our early 5 am departure to the starting line. Our race starts at 7 a.m.

symptomatic

the countdown is almost complete. race day is almost here. just writing this causes my heart to palpitate and my hands to feel weak. i have been pretty calm and collected up until now. i am not sure what really is starting to freak me out.

tonight at dinner, i was attempting to explain to my husband my anxiety symptoms. as i was doing so, it hit me that i have felt this way before. it took a few minutes of mental contemplation to figure out when, in the past, i have felt this exact same way. it hit me. public speaking. yup, feels the same HORRID way.

it's almost here!

Today was the last run on our training schedule. The next run will be THE RACE! I'm getting really excited - a little nervous - but mostly excited. I know my body can do this because it is prepared. I don't want to start getting nostalgic about how far we've come just yet. I'll save that for when we've actually completed the race. However, it is nice to know we have now completed the training portion of this journey. Now on to the race portion! This is a chance to do something out of the ordinary; a first. Happy running and let's be swift on Sunday. :)

toes

It's official - I'm a runner. I have 1 "black toenail" and 1 toenail that is pretty much hanging by a thread. I ran a couple weeks back in some older shoes that are a little on the big size now, (I didn't realize feet could gain/lose weight during pregnancy, but apparently they can), which caused the toenail issues. The shoe situation is under control now, but when will these toenails be normal again? My Dad, who was an avid runner in his 30's and 40's, told me one of his black toenails took a YEAR to be normal. That makes me giggle.

the beauty of 10 miles

Tuesday morning we awoke at 4 am.

Interestingly, I was dreading the early morning wake time above the 10 mile run we were about to embark on.

Running in complete blackness with the occasional vehicle interrupting the desert's eerie quiet is an experience. To see the sunrise slowly over the mountains is exquisite. Your senses are alert to every noise, smell and sight. I focused on my breathing, the rotating aches and pains, the mild rubbing pain on my toe, and the divots in the dirt ahead of me.

Arizonans run in the morning to escape the desert's arid heat- even in November. The downside would be that total darkness leads to vision impairment. Kim actually twisted her ankle at one point during this run on a rock she didn't see(which fortunately didn't have any lasting effects).

As this is the longest run any of us have done, we are feeling pretty proud and very satisfied! It felt no longer than last week's 8 and we have completed our last long run before the half.

There are so many pieces to running. Even this dreaded but beautiful early morning run. Not many get to experience nature in the way that a runner can.

contagious

My dad is getting the running bug. Doesn't help that I pester him every chance I get. I am hoping he starts seriously running for a few of the following reasons:

1. His health. He is in his mid-fifties and is not physically active other than the occasional walk around the neighborhood. Being naturally thin with a musical-genius bent, exercise is something he is not prone towards. As his daughter, I desperately want him to have a strong heart, healthy body and longevity.

2. Another jogging partner. This one is purely selfish. I enjoy my dad's company. Out of all my family members, he is the one to join me in my impromptu adventures. I LOVE that about him and we have some great memories. From the few times we have jogged together, I already know its a perfect fit. Good pace and entertaining conversation. I love my dad and this would be just another way for us to spend time together.

3. Develop a hobby. Running, I am finding, is a club all its own. I love that. If I could choose a hobby for my dad, outside of his extremely busy life (he is a pastor, a husband, a grandpa, and a published musician), I think running which combines exercise and discipline would be perfect. It can also be a social sport and that is definitely him.

Today he took his first big step. He got fitted for running shoes and invested in them. When he spends money, it is not done lightly. My dad is on his way to being a runner.

running children and serious runners

Kim and I met this morning at the grand opening of the Road Runner Store. I had been looking forward to this store finally opening locally. Kim was on the hunt for some good quality running pants, insoles for her running shoes (more cushion), and socks. I was searching for running shorts, tanks and a light-weight water bottle. Come to find out they have really cute running t-shirts that I couldn't pass up either. Such is the way with shopping.

So our shopping experience would have been perfect except for one tiny detail: our four children ages 6 and under. God-given gifts they may be, put them together in an adult oriented store contaminated with serious runners, the combination is not pretty. Not too mention that it is quite hard to shop or even think when you are attempting to corral your children.

A mutually frustrating and rewarding experience as we both came out with full shopping bags, freebies (gym bag & t-shirt), and crying children. However, just another way in which to expose our little ones to running and the strength and health it brings. They definitely had more fun than us.

Note: pretty sure the store's management did not design the running shoe sculpture to be a child's slide.

upping the ante

Our last scheduled long run is next week. According to our training program we are supposed to be running 9 miles. Our coach Troy is encouraging us to increase that to 10 so our confidence will increase as well. Makes sense to me...on the day of the race, adding only 3 more miles versus 4 sounds a lot less in the grand scheme of all things running.

Definitely this second 8-miler was easier than the first time around and we felt we could have kept going. What an amazing feeling!

Physical discipline- in the form of running- is truly an amazing process.

sunrise!

I thought I would be the first to blog today, but I'm happy to see that Teri was as excited and motivated as I was after today's run. We are on our way to a great race. This morning's run was so nice and the 8 miles didn't feel as long as it did last week, which was surprising. We chatted and commented how great we felt for it being so EARLY. (As our military friends would say, "zero dark thirty.")

I need to send out kudos to Candace for pulling us together and encouraging us to start this endeavor in the first place. Thanks for putting yourself out there and being you!

As we could see the bright orange glow of the sun peeking over the mountains, I was reminded of the things that matter in this life and sharing is one of them. Sharing this experience with you gals is so rewarding - thanks!
P.S. Thanks to our "trainer" for making the early trek out to run with us - your support and advice is generous!

Are we there yet?

Today was our second eight mile run. I am amazed at our ability now to run eight miles (without stopping!). If you were to tell me ten years ago I would be training for a half marathon, I would have told you that you were crazy. It is amazing what good friends, fellowship, and dedication can do for a person. I want to tell you ladies, although I feel like a slacker for not physically running next to you, having you out there with me is motivating. I am so thankful for you both.

Today I was talking with our "coach" about dinner the night before the race as well as what we should do that morning. He told me that they ate at an Olive Garden in Tucson the night before the race, and he gave me some tips for what we should eat. I am so thankful for him and his willingness to share his expert advice with us.

I don't know about you girls, but when I start thinking about the race my stomach feels queasy, and I start getting nervous. However, they say a little bit of nervousness is helpful. I am to the point where I am ready to "get it over with." Not like the race is a bad thing, I am looking forward to the experience.

Have a great week girls! Happy running.

amazing

Click here to read why Runners World listed this nun as one of their 2007 Heroes.

so proud

Our training has reached the point of no return. Last night we ran 8 miles with the company of our "trainer," a seasoned marathon runner who gave us sage advice and nice conversation. He suggested a "out and back" route, which we all agreed was good mentally. There is something about getting to the 1/2 way point, turning around and running the way in which you came that SEEMS shorter. I say SEEMS, because that run was still long.

Looking back, we may have started off a little too fast, but still managed to finish strong without stopping. As the long runs get longer, the more nervous I become! Yesterday, I must have got anxious thinking about "8 miles" at least 10 times. I'm so proud that we are attempting this instead of letting the scariness of it get the best of us. We've done 8 miles now, then 9 and then we're onto the 1/2 marathon! Our dedication will pay off! No fear, ladies, we will do it.

evolution

When I started on the path of running, January of this year, a big catalyst for me was weight loss. I needed to find an aerobic activity that would get me into shape and get rid of the extra poundage. Running was something that always fascinated me because it was always something that I definitely didn't think I could do. Happily, I have proven myself wrong. Really on two accounts. Let me explain.

As I was recovering and stretching the other day following a good run, my mind started wandering. From the glorious relief of accomplishing yet another long run, to the realization that this whole running journey, for me, has evolved.

Though I still check the scale periodically, and have found that numerically the numbers haven't much changed, mentally I am changed. It is no longer a goal to magically shed weight; it is a desire to get stronger.

I am running because I am beating my body. I am running because I am strengthening my body. I am running because I have two little ones who I want to model health for. I am running because.

novice notes

some positive things i have experienced as a novice runner:

1. body glide works.

2. as i increase my mileage in my long runs, what once seemed so long (5 miles, for example) is now not.

3. to stop means i might not restart.

4. i am learning to listen to my body. i am learning to speak to my body.

5. i am overwhelmingly proud of myself; possibly more than i have ever been before.

flying (or at least feeling like i am)

This week began our longest run to date: the infamous 7 miler. As "the day" loomed ever nearer, just thinking about running that far was making me very nervous. Not to mention my symptomatic anxiety an hour before I ran... aching stomach, sweating feet (a new one for me and quite gross), racing mind. You get the picture.

Fortunately, I got myself under control with a good mental beating. I am strong. I have been safely and slowly getting myself ready to be at this point. I can fly.

And I did.

Of course the next day the bird wasn't flying so well. I was limping around at work because I didn't stretch very well and pulled a muscle in my leg. It lasted only a day with some TLC. Lesson learned.