Long holiday weekend...

After taking Monday and Tuesday off after the HM, I was back at it the rest of the week:
*4 mi Wednesday
*5 hilly mi Thursday, then I proceeded to drink an entire bottle of wine myself, while enjoying a day-long feast at my parents' house, along with some football and soccer with my brother, sister, SIL and neices and nephews
*5 mi at the shore Friday
*9.5 mi (LR) Saturday, with a break early in to spectate and cheer on friends in a 5k

Then I joined the new gym. I got a good deal, so my infrequent trips there won't make me feel guilty. I will continue to do the majority of my running outside, but I wanted the option of taking it in when the weather gets nasty during the winter. This gym also has a pool, so I really don't have any excuses for not getting some swimming in before summer.

But I took today off from working out. I did some core work and stretching, but the rest of my physical activity took the form of overdue housework.

It was a long holiday weekend, but in a way, I almost feel like this whole week was a diversion from my normal routine. I know I've gained about 3 pounds, and that's frustrating. I've gotta get my focus back, drop the extra pounds, and set a schedule for my runs this week. Then I've got to decide what my next goal is -- I'm not good without a plan to follow.

Back at it tomorrow...

Philadelphia Half Marathon 2008

This has been a long fall racing season for me. I’ve had some good races – my Endless Summer Tri and the Marine Corps Marathon, and I had a rough race – the LBI 18 miler. I’ve run a lot, and after MCM, I was feeling really ready for a rest.

But I had one more race to run. I had registered for the Philadelphia Half Marathon, mainly because I’d have running friends in town and I knew I’d want to be running something that day. It wasn’t going to be a goal race, so I figured I’ll just take it easy and enjoy the day…

The weekend started with a trip to the expo where I got to meet Chris, one of my online running friends and a pacer for the Clif Bar pace team, for the first time. Fantastic! My sister and I wandered around and bought some supplies, and headed home with full bags of fun stuff. Later, I met up with my good friends, Lori and Maureen, for dinner and a chance to catch up.

Saturday brought a chance for a brief and COLD pre-race shake-out jog with some of the guys at the second annual Schwetty Balls Run. Larry and I enjoyed a leisurely pace, while Chris, Tom, and Walt sped on ahead. We all took note of how windy and cold it was, and hoped Sunday would be a bit more comfortable.

The whole group gathered at Ralph’s for dinner, and had a great evening of stories, pasta, and yummy desserts. We said our goodnights and planned on our morning meeting spot.

Sunday morning arrived early and I forced a bagel and cup of applesauce and part of a banana down and finally decided what to wear in the low-20* weather for the race. I picked up my sister and headed to Philly. After finding a parking spot close to the start/finish, we made a pit stop and headed to the pre-race meet-up with my friends. We all huddled together, shook off some pre-race nerves, and wished each other good luck.

My sister and I headed to drop off our bags and throw some extra stuff in the car, and then make our way to the start with a quick stop by the 3:10 pace group to wish Chris a good race.

Soon enough, the race started and the marathoners were off. We were in wave one, but on the HM side, and there seemed to be a little confusion about delaying our side’s start. People started moving just a short time later, and as we crossed the starting mat, we heard the announcers fumbling through their own confusion. “I guess those half-marathoners are ready to get their own race started!” was one thing we heard, and I commented to my sister that I hoped they had started our side’s timing mat! (This may play into things later.)

As we made our way through the early miles, the crowd was thick and it was tough to set a pace. I knew we were running comfortably, but I couldn’t tell our pace since the mile 1 marker seemed off. We started peeling off some throwaway layers and settling in. As we ran up Columbus Blvd, I spotted the fire truck supporting Larry’s 4 in 4 fundraising challenge and yelled his name and waved. The firemen cheered and waved as we went by.

We wound our way through the streets of Philly and took note of the cold, the slippery water stops, the crowds, the pace, and the incline. I had run this route last year in the full marathon, and didn’t remember feeling the incline and the hills in this first half like I was feeling as we ran our way through the first 8 miles today. I checked in periodically with my sister, reminded her that our plan was for either of us to move on ahead whenever we felt ready, and agreed with her that we were holding a challenging, but good, pace for that day.

I could go on and on about my fingers, as always, really feeling the cold (despite 3 layers of gloves), the guy in the full-on spiderman costume running near us much of the way, the shouts of, “Look! They’re twins!” as my sister and I passed by people (we are twins, but we had also unintentionally dressed similarly), and the countless times we mentioned how glad we were that we were only running 13.1 instead of 26.2 in the cold today. Instead, I’ll say that as we approached mile marker 9, I knew we were working hard, but I also knew we were looking at a PR pace (both of us have a HM PR of 1:58:14) and if we could just hold on through the climb into Fairmount Park, we’d be ok.

That climb into the park was tough, but we kept on going. As we hit mile 10, I knew we were almost home. Less than a 5k left! We rode down the hill out of the park and onto West River Drive and headed to the Art Museum. I’ve run this loop a ton of times, so I reminded my sister that except for the little climb up to the circle, the rest of our run was going to be flat. We stayed steady until about mile 11ish, picked things up just a little, then made our way up to the circle. Once we were up there, we turned it on. We cruised around the circle, glanced to the bleachers to try to locate my friends, and crossed the line side by side.

By our watches, we finished somewhere in the 1:52:02 area. I stopped my watch after crossing the timing mat. A 6+ minute PR! We got our medals, some food, a pic, and changed out of our sweaty clothes. My sister got a ride home with friends, and I made my way to our cheering section with Lori, Heather, Maria, and Maya -- my running friends sidelined by injuries or other reasons -- by the finish.

The race itself was great, but I really enjoyed getting the opportunity to cheer on my fellow racers the rest of the morning. I got to see Matt and Moe finish their HM’s, Chris bring in his group on time (as always! Machine!), and Missy, Dan, Walt, and Larry finish their 26.2 waving and looking great. Alexis was right near me at the HM finish, so I didn't see her until we were both in the stands. My friend TJ was also running the full, and while he didn't run the BQ time he wanted, he did finish with a huge PR and a fantastic 3:19:xx.

One of the best moments of the day was watching Tom hammer in with his 2:49:something marathon debut. I had tears in my eyes, I was so happy for him and proud of him!

After much cheering and catching up in the stands, we scattered to shower and meet up at the bar. That was just as much fun!

It is interesting to note that my chip time was listed Sunday as 1:51:59, but today is showing 1:52:8 . I’m not sure what’s up with that, but other people in wave 1 are seeing somewhere around 9 seconds added to their time as well… That’s definitely a handful of seconds slower than my watch time, but it’s still a solid PR, so… I also finished in the top 1000 of the 5000+ HM runners! (I'd post the place, but that keeps changing each time I look...)

This was a fun, unexpectedly good race for me. I didn't expect my tired legs to run as strongly as they did. My sister and I both agree we couldn’t have run any better, so that’s a great feeling – capping off a wonderful weekend with friends!

1:51:59

A 6+ minute PR!

Huh. Who would've thunk it?!

Aim and I ran together the whole way. We both agree we couldn't have run any better today.

Cool. I'll write up more later, but now I need to get showered and meet my friends at the bar for some food and beers!

Night before a half...

I'm running the Philadelphia Half Marathon tomorrow.

It's going to be cold.

I haven't done any speedwork since before the MCM, except to throw some tempo miles in the middle of a short run this past week.

I haven't been really excited about my running for the past few weeks, but I think I've figured out why, so I'm not too worried about that.

Figuring out what to wear is ridiculous. How do you dress for a race that will take you (hopefully) just shy of 2 hours to complete when the temperature will feel like 17* at the start and actually barely even hit 30* by the time you finish? How do you get it right? You'll either overdress and be uncomfortable (or throw away stuff you hadn't intended to) or you'll underdress and be uncomfortable (and seriously contemplate picking up stuff you see that someone else threw away -- or actually do it).

I'm not sure what to expect tomorrow. I really don't care about how I do -- I haven't trained to race this one -- but I'd like to come in under 2 hours.

It's gonna be cold.

New stuff and running in the dark

I stopped and picked up a new pair of Nike capri running tights today at REI. They aren't exactly what I wanted, but they were on sale, and I needed a new pair. I'm still searching for the perfect ones, though. I'm short, so the length is sometimes funny, especially since I always buy a size or so up with tight shorts or capris because I don't like all my rear-end jiggly stuff to be so pronounced. I also like the capris to have a bit of form or structure to them to make me feel like they are holding me together. It's helpful if they have a zipper pocket or at least a foldover pocket to hold a gel or lifesavers or a car key. Capris have become my favorite cold-weather go-to instead of pants. I think I only wore long pants a handful of times last winter. Hence, my search for the perfect pair continues...

I also picked up some blinky lights and a headlamp at the running store the other day. I'm not sure I'm comfortable running in the nighttime yet, but on days like today, when I get home too late to get the full run in in the daylight, these things will come in handy.

I set out for about 5 miles, all geared up with my reflector thingy that looks like the thing I wore for safety patrol in grade school and my blinky lights. I decided it wouldn't be dark enough for very long in my run to break out the headlamp. Um, I was wrong.

About 2 miles into my run, it was pretty dark. By the middle of mile 3, it was pitch black -- and there weren't any streetlights where I was running. Rats. This wasn't in the plan. There were enough cars driving by on the road that I didn't feel nervous or anything, but I could have been running with my eyes closed. Couldn't see where I was running at all. Great.

As I made my way back to my house, I was tentative with each step. I did not want to roll another ankle or trip on a curb. But I was also thinking how cool it was to start another run in the daylight that finishes in the complete darkness. It's neat to be out there while the sun is setting -- and to run through the end of the day.

It hurts, it doesn't hurt...

Did about 9.5 miles yesterday morning. Cool, crisp, sunny morning. Nice. Ran with my sister and did a route similar to the 12 miler on Monday. My foot was hurting pretty bad this weekend --ok, that probably had something to do with staying out 'till 2am, drinking lots and lots of beer and dancing all night with the guys from the running store on Friday night -- but luckily, it didn't bother me in my running too much. Of course, I rolled my ankle again. That's happened EVERY single time I've run this week. Stupid inches and inches of leaves covering the ground!

So I saw the chiropractor today about the foot. I was pretty sure it wasn't a bone out of place or anything like that, but I knew that the electrical stimulation thingy they've used on my foot and ankle before worked really well, so I figured that was worth the visit alone. I like my doc. He works with many of the local pro athletes, like the 76ers. He's funny. Anyway, since I pay the same co-pay regardless of what the doc does, when he started adjusting my back, I figured what the hell. Straighten me out! He then worked on my foot, did the laser and electrical thing, and sent me on my way. My foot didn't feel 100%, but I did feel taller! :D

I'll put some miles in tomorrow and see how the foot does. It seems to bother me more in my regular walking around than it does mid-run, which is weird. Sometimes I barely notice it while running, even though it was bad before the run...

It hurts, it doesn't hurt...

Things aren't right...

It's dark early. Grr. My day, which is primarily spent in a windowless classroom, feels shorter because of the lack of daylight I get to experience.

I'm not sleeping as much as I should. Grr. I'm yawning and tired during the day, but yet I can't seem to feel tired enough to fall asleep at a decent hour.

I've gained about 2 or 3 pounds in the past two weeks. Grr. I was, without even trying, holding to just under 120 pounds through all of October. Now I'm consistently around 121-122. I know it doesn't sound like much, but at 118-119, I felt good about my weight. Now I'm worried about moving back towards where I was. If I'm not careful, I'll inch up to 125 again, then who knows -- I might even hit 128 again. I know it won't really happen if I keep running, but I used to weigh a lot more than I do, and I don't want to be that uncomfortable in my own body again. I know it won't happen if I keep running, but...

I'm not as hard-core about my running these days. Grr. I know it's just my body telling me that after a long season of triathlons and road races, including an 18 mile race and a marathon, I need a break, but it scares me a little. I can't afford to NOT run a lot. I'll fall out of the habit, I'll gain weight, I'll feel like a blob. I can't afford NOT to run, because running keeps me out of trouble. It keeps me from drinking a lot with my friends. It keeps me from being lazy. It keeps my brain occupied and focused. It gives me purpose.

Things aren't right right now. I know how strange this whole entry sounds because of my really good run on Monday, but that run feels like the exception these days. I know this is probably just temporary. I know much of it is probably related to the lack of sunshine and daylight. I am powered by the sun. I know I am still running, and I know I will keep running. But things aren't right, and it's uncomfortable.

Veteran's Day

Today is a day to honor the men and women who have served our country -- those who are veterans of war.

My grandfather was a veteran of WWII. I thought of him today, and I thought of all those who have sacrificed for our country. I wore my American flag charm around my neck, and I had my students write letters of thanks to the men and women in our military.

Thank you to all our veterans. Thank you to those men and women serving today.

It wasn't supposed to be that easy...

After a long day of travel on Sunday and getting home at 10:30pm, then getting back into the swing of a 5:30am wake-up call and teaching middle schoolers, plus the weird pain in my left foot hanging around, I set out for a longer run when I got home from work yesterday. I really wasn't wasn't sure how it would go...

I was tired, my foot still hurt a bit, and I knew it would start to get dark by the end of my run. I took small water bottle, ate two shot blocks, and headed out the door. In shorts and a long sleeved T with a tank underneath, I thought I'd be fine. I guess my body wasn't used to the chilly wind after being in the caribbean for a bunch of days, because I never quite warmed up well. Half a mile in, I rolled my left ankle. Bad. Whoa. Can I continue? Yep, seems I can. Huh. Maybe rolling the ankle dispersed the weird pain in that foot -- or just masked it with the pain in the ankle. Cripes, maybe I'll only do 10 instead of the 12 I'd mapped out.

A mile in, I start to run smoothly. I notice how clear and crisp it is outside today. I notice how easily I'm running, and I force myself to slow down a little. I don't really look at my watch, but I know I'm running a little faster than this run should be done. I'm comfortable, though, so I don't worry about it much.

By 3 or 4 miles in, I'm really enjoying the run. It's all coming together, I'm floating along, and with the exception of still feeling cold and wishing I had a warmer top (or at least gloves) I'm feeling good.

By mile 5 I'm starting to hit the hilly part of the route I mapped out. This is part of the running store loop. I know my daylight is disappearing, and I'm concerned about getting out of this back part of town -- it's hilly and not well-lit -- before dark. I keep moving along. I still feel really good. How can this be? I'm tired. My foot's hurt. Right?

I climb up those hills, feeling the power in my legs and remembering how those hills helped me run well on the hills at MCM. I soak it in. It's getting dark, but I'm climbing the last hill and making my way back into town. I still have about 4 miles to go, but I can do those on the sidewalks, so it's ok that the sun has set. My legs are still moving, and I'm almost giggling as I realize how good I'm feeling. Don't jinx it! You aren't home yet!

As I make my way around the park, I start taking inventory and storing notes about this run in my mind. You can run well, even after a long day of work. You can run well, even after a few days off. You can run well, even when you think you won't.

I finish the last few miles in the pitch dark. Dangerous, because I don't have reflective stuff on (it got darker quicker than I planned!). Dangerous, because I can't really see what's under all those leaves that are covering the path and I've already rolled my ankle once today. Satisfying, because I have covered so many miles that I started in the daylight and I'm still running now, in the dark.

When I finish the last mile, mile 12, with two loops around my development, I realize I really could keep going. I don't want to stop, but I know I should. I soak in the good feelings this run brought. I'm thankful for this run.

I felt invigorated. I felt accomplished. I felt lucky to have had this run. It wasn't supposed to be that easy...

Mini vacation...

I was able to jet down to the Turks and Caicos for about 5 days and get my face in the sun and my butt in the ocean.

Perfect medicine.

My cold is gone, my body is recovered (sort of - more on that later), my being re-set. My cheeks are sun-kissed. I read a book, ran a little, swam a little, drank wine and ate good food.

And I got to spend some good, quality time with my brother -- the most prized benefit of this trip, by far.

It's been a week...

And while I didn't mean to let a week go by without posting, it's been a crazy one and I just haven't had a chance to write out all the stuff I'm thinking... So, look forward to some upcoming posts about running without a watch, what I'm doing between now and the Philly HM in 3 weeks, what I learned at MCM, balancing running with a social life with my (non-running) friends, and more...

It's been a week, and today I was on the other side of a race. I worked a water stop at a local 10k that the running store where I worked this summer sponsored. I had a blast with my coworkers today -- cheering everyone on and getting them water was really fun. I got to cheer on a few friends and my sister, too. My sister ran her very first 10k, and her first race that I wasn't running, too. She did great! 51:07 was her chip time!

Of course I was excited for her, and wanted to hear all the details from the running side. This is a race I've had my eye on for the past few years, but I've never been able to do it because of other distance races around the same time. Now here's where this post gets tricky. I know she has read my blog, and so there's a good chance she'll read this....

When I heard her time, I was excited for her, and then a little jealous that she seems to have gotten the natural runner genes that I didn't get. I work hard at my running; she only puts in about half the time I do, and yet always seems to run fast. Naturally, I wondered how well I'd do in a 10k -- I've never raced one.

So I set out for my run this afternoon, and planned on about 6 or 7 miles. By the end of the first mile, I thought about running hard to see if I could pull off a time close to hers for the 6.2. So I pushed it. It didn't hurt, and I really didn't pay attention to my watch, but I knew I was running harder than I should a week out from the marathon. Let's see what happens, is what kept running through my head.

Ok, so the distance wasn't certified, and I did have to stop twice briefly for red lights/traffic, but when I hit what I thought was the 6.2 mark, my watch said 51:01. Huh. Maybe I could hang with her in a 10k. Turns out when I g-mapped the run, I hit the 6.2 mark a little before where I thought it was, so I suppose that means I would've come in just under 51.

Not that it matters, really. I know running is an individual thing. It just sticks in my head sometimes that it seems to come so easy to her, and not to me. I really am happy for her that she had a great race today. There isn't anything she said she would've changed about the race, and that's a great feeling.