Cherry Blossom 10-miler 2013

I had quite the eventful weekend.  I admit, I haven't exercised much due to laziness and the "I don't have time" excuse, but also because of injury.  Last week, I managed to squeeze in a trainer appointment followed by a 3 mile run and that's about it.

Friday night, the minute my husband walked in the door from work, I flew out in a hurry to make it to packet pick-up for the Cherry Blossom 10-miler.  I made it there in an hour.  The building was beautiful and packet pick-up was a breeze with no line. 

I like how Metro added the Cherry Blossoms to their stations. I made it back home with my packet and a Smartrip card for race morning.

Saturday morning, I took my girls to a kids dash.  It was freezing, but so much fun.  My older daughter, Zoe, took off like a flash and she loved it.  My little one, Sydney, cared more about the cute clothes but she finished the race like a little star.  I'd love to take them to do it again sometime - maybe when it's not so cold.  It's one thing for me to suffer in the cold for a race, but my girls are too young for that misery. 

I spent the night at my running buddy's apartment since she lives closer to the city.  We feasted on pizza and snacks and eventually went to sleep.  I got up around 4:30AM, had some coffee and 1/2 bagel.  I also realized that I forgot my emergency TP stash so I asked my friend for a ziplock and some paper towels.  I mention this because it is critically important later in the day.

Rather than walking, we cabbed over to a Metro stop for the ride in.  I think I had too much coffee, because this situation was happening on the train ...

Normally, we try to stay warm in the station but the police booted us out into the cold.  It wasn't terribly cold, but the wind made it feel pretty brisk.  Here I am at the starting line trying to avoid hypothermia ...

After bag checking and the requisite potty stop, we headed to the corrals which were empty but filled to the brim fast.  The race started and the corrals were off one by one.  We were in the corral for about 30 min. and by that time, I had to pee again (too much coffee!) and my friend - well, she had other issues.  Finally, our corral was off with only my fingers and feet suffering frost bite.

Everything was fine and as we got to the first water stop, I asked my friend if she wanted to stop at the potties there.  She said she did, but she didn't want to stand in the line.  I hadn't even noticed the crazy line.  We ran on.

Passed another water stop.  Same situation.  This whole time we were on the look-out for bushes, but things were pretty bare.  Finally, at the third water stop, there was a lovely group of large bushes and we headed toward them.  My friend asked for the ziplock bag.  I asked her how many she needed - ALL of them!  I took one since my situation wasn't dire and gave her the rest.  I went right onto the bushes ignoring the fact that they were thorny and tearing at my arms and legs.  I was pretty well covered but I figured if anyone saw me, it's not like I was ever going to see them again.  I found relief and was glad I no longer had to think about how bad I had to pee. 

I came out to see my friend only backed up into the bushes and still clearly visible to the world including the hundreds of runners that passed.  I told her this and she didn't seem at all concerned.  As I waited, a man approached me and asked if she was ok.  I looked up and realized he was a medic.  I told him she was fine and he just said, "Oh, just mother nature?"  Yep.  Then another runner came over in desperate need of a relief.  She seemed really concerned about whether people would see.  I told her what I'd just said to myself - You will never see any of these people again.  Off she went.

We returned to the course and there were some people cheering for us.  It was all such a comical sutation!  As my friend said - Gotta take care of business. 

That's bad?  Well, to me, what happened next is worse.  Around mile 7, I started having serious problems with my knee.  I had been running slow expecting to speed up in the final miles, but I ended up having to slow way down.  I was in serious pain.  I tried walking, but that was actually worse, so I just decided to run to the finish as best I could.  On the way there, we saw a woman on the ground surrounded by medics and later an ambulance on the way to get her.  I figured things could be worse for me.

I told my friend that I needed to head to the medical tent at the finish.  I was ok, but happy the race wasn't a half and that it was over.

We walked and walked and walked ... and finally got water.  I didn't see food anywhere and figured the next best thing to do was to get my checked bag.  It was windy and cold and I knew my temp would drop fast.  After wandering around in the general direction of bag check, I finally found a very small banana and a small muffin.  I was starving so I scarfed that down quickly.  Luckily, I had thrown a Clif Bar in my bag so I ate that as well.  I was a little surprised by how little food there was compared to other races I've done.

The race was really crowded.  To me, this was nothing more than a long run so I didn't care much about speed, but it was tough running surrounded by so many people.  I mean, my worst race experience was running from the last corral at the Disney Princess half which was so bad that I had to walk in several places and ran in the grass most of the race but this wasn't too much better.  For this reason, I'm not sure I'd do it again.

I ended up skipping the medical tent because I was feeling ok walking at that point so instead we headed to the Metro.  We went for breakfast and when I got up to walk out, the pain was really bad.  We stopped at a running store for a patella strap since it was on the way back so I can try that in the future.  However, the pain at this point was so bad, I could barely walk.  My friend even carried me part of the way back to her apartment.

We were supposed to go to a wine tasting, but since I couldn't move fast, time was short and we decided to skip it.  We ended up just hanging at my house with ice on my knee.

 

And so, I won't be doing much of anything this week.  Also, this does not bode well for my next few races.  I'm definitely worried. 

2012-2013

Ah, 2012 ... So much happened.  My goal was to run 12 races and I just barely made it.  Why?  Well, injury and illnesses.  But let me back up. 

I didn't run a lot last summer.  I don't enjoy running in the heat and my kids are out of school, so it's not the best time for me.  Still, I did what I could to semi-train for the Tower of Terror 10-miler in September.  I wanted it to just be a fun run and a nice weekend for my husband and myself.  We really did enjoy our time away together.

The race itself?  Meh.  I had a good time with my friends, but the course was really boring highway miles and not so much fun.  Also not much fun was the fact that I spent way too much time on my feet trying to get in as much as possible in two days.  Every step I took after the race was pure pain, but I came away with this nonetheless ...

The next weekend, I did the Run for Parks 10k.  I finished in 1:03:17 which beat my previous time.  Happy camper!

Next was the Army 10-miler.  I was having leg issues at this point and didn't want to push it.  No big race time for me, but I finished it and that was my only goal.

After the Army 10, I was signed up to do the MCM 10k, but I got really sick that weekend and unfortunately, had to skip it.  Maybe next year.  This is an issue with having small children.  They're major germ carriers and bring home every virus imaginable from school!

Shortly after this, I had to confront something I'd been avoiding since I started running a couple of years ago.  Shin problems.  I have a pretty serious pronation problem despite support shoes and inserts.  I finally went to an orthopedist and he pretty much told me that there wasn't anything I could do that I hadn't already done (stretching, ice, etc.).  He said I needed 6 weeks off.  He also suggested custom inserts but he didn't seem to have much hope.  I went home heartbroken.

I listened to what he said though and took the 6 weeks off.  During this time, I decided to join a gym so at least I could cross-train.  I didn't have the best attitude about it.  Well, guess what?  I loved it!!  I started taking Body Pump, Cycling and using the Elliptical.  I also went to get fitted for those custom inserts. 

After 6 weeks, I threw in the new inserts and did a 5k PR.  My goal for the year was to do a 5k in under 30 min.  I knew this course was flat and I had a chance.  I came in at 29:41 at the Run for Shelter 5k.  I almost puked and fainted at the finish, but I was ecstatic!  I'm sure I shouldn't have run that hard so soon after the break, but my spirit needed the boost and I don't have a single regret about it.

I did another 5k in December and that wrapped up the year for me.  12 races in total.

This brings me to 2013.  My plan for this year was to do Disney Coast to Coast.  One half-marathon in Disney World and one in Disney Land.  My Disneyland race was the Tinker Bell Half in January.  I had never been to Disneyland (or California) so there was that incentive as well. 

I also signed up for the Neverland 5k.  A crazy mistake knowing that I would be on my feet too much (again) but whatever.  I actually had THE BEST time during this 5k.  It was untimed.  No chip.  No pressure!  My friend and I just ran and took pictures.  It was a good lesson for me to not always be so hard on myself and remember why I started running.  Because it's FUN!  We decided to dress up as Winter Fairies.

                                 At the Start ..                                                  After the finish ...

We had some fun in the parks and the next morning bright and early we were at the half.  I will likely never be in a front corral for any other races, but I was lucky enough to find myself in corral A at Tinker Bell.  This was great because it meant I wouldn't have to deal with the weaving that hurt me so much at the Princess Half when I started in the last corral (H).  It was bizarre to be in that corral and actually be able to see the starting line.  A much different experience from my last race.

I should also mention that besides the injury that had me out of training for 6 weeks, I was also sick with a terrible chest cold for 3 weeks.  My training for this was a giant failure, but I tried to run as much as I could when I was well, especially that last month.  I knew that starting in that front corral meant it was possible for me to beat the Princess time that was a huge disappointment for me, so that was my goal.  I knew cross-training and strength training had made me stronger.  I just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. 

Oh, I suffered.  I had trouble keeping a consistent pace because I usually rely on the crowd to hold me back.  In the A corral, there was no one to hold me back.  I wonder if it would have helped to start at the very back of the corral, but I couldn't have known what to expect.  I may try this for my next Disney race though.  My feet were numb by mile 4, but I kept on.  I also had to pee and I was melting in the tall socks, gloves and arm warmers.  The arm warmers and gloves were easy enough to toss.  I finally found a bathroom at around mile 5 and took the time to peel off the socks and remove the final shoe pouf that barely clung to my shoe.  They were fun to start with but I was done with them.

I was pretty miserable, but I finished in 2:23:24 which beat my Princess Half time 2:32:something.

SUCCESS!

Next up, I'm doing the Rock 'n Roll Half D.C. in March.  This race scares me a little because the course includes some serious hills in the first few miles.  I will likely walk a lot because I can't risk hurting my legs.

Then in April, the Cherry Blossom 10 miler, and GW Parkway 5k (It was my first race and now tradition to do it every year) and the NWM 1/2.  However, I'm focusing my training on the NWM 1/2 on April 28.  For both halfs I've done, I've been pretty miserable, so my hope is to finish strong and not in so much pain.  I'm sure that not spending days on my feet like I have at Disney will also be helpful.

I've struggled a little bit with direction after races.  Over the weekend with the help of my running friend, I spent some time trying do decide on a plan and I've found one that I think works for me so I'm hoping this should keep me on track.  I'm tring to be really careful with my legs and so far, so good.  The inserts have really helped.  Just hope it stays that way.   

After the last April race, I hope to take a break from running races for the summer since I prefer running in cooler weather.  I'll start up again in September to start training for the Wine & Dine Half in Disney World.

Also of great importance ... In August, I will make a decision on whether or not to register for the Paris Marathon.  I want to do this as a gift for my 40th birthday.  Whether or not I think my legs and feet will hold up for this is to be determined.  I need to see how the next few months go for me before I decide.

To be continued ...

Hello, Tower of Terror Training

Why am I being laughed at in my own home?  Not only does this look good, but it feels great ... especially with my matching blue shirt.

It's been a while since I blogged, but I'm still running.  I've officially started training for the Tower of Terror 10-miler in September.  More importantly, I signed up for 4 other races nearly back-to-back including the Army 10-miler in October that I'd do with a friend. probably carrying me on her back.  I honestly wasn't paying attention to how many races I signed up for and didn't do it intentionally.

Anyway, the sleeves above are now necessary with the increase in mileage and occasional circuit training I'm throwing in there.

It's going to be a busy summer.

P.S.  Love my "Villain" shoes!