Metaphorically Speaking

I've heard people say that running a marathon is a metaphor for life, or that completing a marathon let's you know you can accomplish anything. Really?!?! I don't get it. Granted I never thought I'd complete a marathon. Here I am, less than 2 months out, having run 20 miles, and confident that I'll be able to complete a marathon. But let's be honest here. I can say with confidence that I'll never climb Mt. Everest.... or will I? Hmmmm. 

I ran a sprint triathlon last Fall with the other women in my family and even though I completed it, I don't consider myself a triathlete. My training consisted of biking a few miles to the train station a couple times a week, running 4 or 5 times total, and swimming a couple laps in a farm pond about a month prior to the race. It took me 2 hours to finish. I pretty much walked the entire run portion and didn't feel in any better shape after the race, than I did 6 months prior. Because I know myself, I was concerned that I would apply the same (in)diligent training technique to the marathon and would find myself completing 26.2 miles and still not feeling like a marathoner. I am no longer concerned about this. 

I can complete a dozen 5Ks in a summer and never consider myself a runner. Or a half dozen sprint tris and never consider myself a triathlete. But I can complete one marathon and consider myself a marathoner. It seems to be all about the training. 

Up until last Thursday I was dreading the thought of running 20 miles. Then I read an article about how much of a difference a positive vs. negative mental attitude can have on running performance. Because I couldn't quite figure out how to be positive about 20 miles, I chose instead to block out the negative thoughts and just focus on preparation. I ate well throughout the week, I carb loaded Thursday night, stayed away from too much booze and drank a lot of water. Saturday morning I continued to go through the motions. While everyone else was talking about their 20 mile jitters, I was feeling calm and slightly removed from the situation. 

View the 20 mile route we ran here.   

http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=312344

The run itself was long, but the change of scenery kept my interest. For training purposes, and to avoid injury, they also had us slow our pace by 2 min per mile and change our run:walk intervals to 2:2. So we ran 20 miles at a 15:30 mile pace. Although it was difficult to keep such a slow pace at the beginning, walking more and running less helped us stay slower. I think the run:walk ratio was key to our success. Around the 15 mile mark my left knee began to ache, but it was relieved by the walking. However, for the last couple miles the walking started to hurt my joints more than the running. I read a little bit today about shuffling instead, so I might try that too. 

Finally, we made it to the end. I still had enough energy left over that I was able to sprint in the last 10th of a mile. It was actually a relief to let my legs stretch and it felt great. 

This is getting pretty long, so I want to sum it up with some quick notes:

• Running with new shoes helped tremendously
• I felt better after 20 than I did after 17!
• I have switched exclusively to the Luna Moon shaped energy chews and try to eat an entire package every hour (I split half every 30 min)
• I watched Spirit of the Marathon last night and am inspired to run multiple marathons and hope to someday run the Chicago Marathon
• I need to book my flight to Hawaii soon!
• A week ago I wasn't so sure I could complete 26.2 miles, but after completing 20 miles, I'm sure that all I have to do is keep running and walking and running and walking. 

Less than 2 months to go - please donate if you haven't already!!!!

Recovery and Preparation

I noticed a lot of pain in my left knee after the 17 miler. Besides running for a ridiculously long time, the only other reason seemed to be connected to my running shoes. The treads were really getting thin in areas. So I took them to the running store last week. The salesperson checked the treads to make sure they were wearing evenly, then had me try on a few other pairs to make sure I had the right shoe. In the end I bought a new pair of the same running shoes. 

The new shoes are part of my recovery and preparation leading into the upcoming 20 mile run. I'll be honest, after running 17 miles I don't want to run 20 miles! Just the thought of it makes my legs ache and scream in pain. However, in order to prepare our bodies to make it 26.2 we need to get some of these longer distances in there. Ugh!

In the meantime, the last 2 weekends we only had 8 mile runs scheduled. My body feels fully rested and ready to take on 20 miles. I'm also trying to make sure that I'm eating well and drinking enough water so that my body has enough fuel to get it through the entire run. Of course I'll also need to stock up on the energy chews (Luna is my preference.) I think I'll need at least 6 or 7 packets for the 5 hour run.

5 hours! Let's pray for cool weather!

17 Luxurious Miles... and Counting

I apologize for taking so long to write this latest post. After my last post, some of you were probably thinking that I wasn't able to continue training. Thankfully I was able to continue training and fundraising. I've made the commitment to myself to train for and finish this marathon, I've made the commitment to all those supporting me not to give up, and I've made the commitment to the AIDS Foundation to meet my fundraising goal to help the people who really need our help. To fulfill the last part of this commitment, and to secure my entry into the Maui Marathon, I had to guarantee the funds with my personal funds. And, even though I truly believe in the AIDS Foundation, I'm unemployed and $1,700 is a huge personal donation. So, for everyone out there reading this, if you haven't donated yet and you have the means, PLEASE DONATE NOW!

Speaking of now, we are now up to 17 miles in our training. 17 miles! That's 5 miles south, past the old Coast Guard station, over the animal bridge and almost to the Jackson Park Yacht Club, before turning around and running north back to 31st Street Beach and continuing another 3.5 miles north past the aquarium, the planetarium, Soldier Field, the Buckingham Fountain and the Chicago Yacht Club, then turning around one more time and continuing back south to 31st Street Beach. There's a lot to see and keep us interested along the way. But even running past the Firefighter's Memorial and Police Memorial can't take away the beating pain that running for 4 and a half hours thrusts on your joints. 

So I tried pushing myself a little further by considering the people who don't have the luxury of fitness. I pass these people every day while running through the parks. They sleep on benches, eat at soup kitchens, beg for change, and rarely have the luxury of a shower. I have so few possessions when I run, but those few things are still more than what many of the homeless in Chicago have when they are fully clothed. In addition, I have the luxury of fitness. I am beyond merely surviving. Much of the work that the AIDS Foundation funds is to assist people in these circumstances who also have HIV/AIDS. Now when I run, I try to appreciate this simple luxury instead of treating it as another chore to fit into my days. But after 17 miles - the pain was still there and it still took everything I had to continue pushing forward and running. 

As we neared the end of the run, our group had begun to spread apart. Our fearless leader was eyeing the finish line and continued to plod along, while I struggled to stay within 10 yards of her. At the same time, the other 2 runners in our group were really struggling and lagging back another 50 yards. I was exhausted, but I knew we needed to finish together. So I called Amanda back to me and we waited for the other two. Then with all of the fervor and gusto we could muster, we hooted and hollered all the way across the finish line. And for that last quarter mile, I didn't notice the pain I'd been feeling for the previous 5 miles, because I was so proud that we all were able to pull each other along and finish together. 

In the end: We were barely able to walk to our cars; I was starving; I realized I need a new pair of running shoes; and I took a much needed nap and motrin. 

Swinging High

I feel like I either have nothing to say here, or too much. When it rains... it pours. 

First I want to tell you what I'm doing during the week to keep building my fitness level. Right now I work at a garden center. This means that I squat, bend and lift trays of plants while walking/standing on concrete for at least 8 hours. If it's cold I catch the bus to/from work. Catching the bus entails a 10 min walk each way. When it's nice out I bike to work - about 3 times per week. It takes about 20 minutes of continuous peddling on my mountain bike (not made for urban commuting) to cover the 3.5 miles each way. 

In addition to this cross-training I also run twice per week for 30/45 minutes. My friend Sara is training to run the Chicago Triathlon, so we've been trying to run together at least once a week. I never thought I'd consider running as a way to catch up with friends, but it's nice. In fact, I've never enjoyed running with anyone before. But I'm a talker, and having someone there to talk to keeps me from embarrassing myself by singing cadences.

Secondly, let's talk foot/heel pain. I've been icing my heels and taking Alieve for the past couple of nights after work. After a little bit of online research, I think I've narrowed the condition down to Retrocalcaneal Bursitis. (Really, between the pharmacist and the internet, who needs a doctor?) Basically, the bursa where the achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone is inflamed.

Although it's painful when I'm standing, walking and even resting, the pain wasn't evident at all when I was running. Thank goodness! Based on this evaluation I decided it was time to replace my old Merrells that took me across Europe in 2004. I am now wearing a comfy pair of Keens. If my toes were longer I'd cross them hoping that this works, because rest... is not an option.

Lastly, this morning I got up early to run. It was cold, windy and rainy. I tried to walk for 5 minutes as a warm-up, but after 2 minutes decided I was cooling down instead, so began my 3:1 run:walk. The first part of the run I mostly thought about the cold, the wind, the rain and how long I was running, and where/when I should turn around. Then I turned around and began running with the wind at my back. All of a sudden I noticed the sailboats rocking back and forth in the harbor and thought about owning one of my own someday. Next I saw the crabapple trees in bloom and wondered about the invasiveness of the species. A little further along the path I jogged past the boat park (I'll post a picture someday) and wondered... would swinging be a beneficial cross-training exercise? 

When all was said and done, I covered about 2.5 miles in 32 minutes. You can see most of my route on USATF America's Running Routes (of course the beginning and end have been omitted for privacy.) Training for this on the lakefront in Chicago is truly amazing!

Salvation

I went and got fitted for my new running shoes. Depending on who I've talked to, they should last me anywhere from 350-600 miles. The lady at the running store said these should last me through my marathon. I hope so, because they weren't cheap!

The fitting process:

I went in and they measured both of my feet and told me I should wear a size 7. That was a big surprise to me. I've been buying size 8-8.5 for the past few years and after a while the 8's begin to feel a little small. Anyway, she said I should go up to a size 8 because I'm running long distances (this is supposed to reduce the chances of black toe nails...yummm!) So, she sized me and then had me walk across the room and then stand on one foot like a flamingo. The results were that I'm a pronator. Who knew? 

After she decided what type/size shoe I needed I was presented with 4 brands and I tried one brand on each foot. It was like being at the eye doctor. I would tell her which one fit better or worse, until we went through all 4 pairs. The result was the Adidas AdiSTAR Salvation. 

The Salvation seems like the perfectly named shoe for me right now. In a lot of ways, that's what this run is for me. It's physical salvation for my body after years of neglect. It's mental salvation for my sanity by providing stability and focus in a time when I have no idea which path my life will take in the next few months. And, it's salvation for those people that will benefit from my fundraising efforts. Of course, I'm not talking about eternal salvation. You can't find that in a sneaker... Jesus wore sandals.