What really happened when training for the Boston Marathon

It’s something I stopped talking about once the pain set in and I realized that the only way to run was going to be to run with pain.  The marathon training plan I had set out in early January was really a work of art.  It included hills, intervals, speed work, and of course long runs.  It was one of the very best training plans I have ever came up with.  Then the Disney World marathon happened. I thought it was just my IT band and I would be back running within a week or maybe two, no big deal. We make plans and God laughs.

This undiagnosed knee injury was incredibly annoying. One opinion was that there was a problem with my fibula bone and that all the muscles in my leg stopped reacting causing pain (part right). The second opinion was that it was popliteus tendinitis or strain. The third and final opinion was that it could be the popliteus, but it was likely something else causing the pain.  The third opinion came by the way of a Physical Therapist who was able to provide some solutions through dry needling and exercises.

First of all, no matter what anyone says, dry needling hurts – a lot. The very first session I had addressed the popliteus issues, but also the calf and hamstring. When I got home, I could barely walk across my room.  The pain was intense, but because I wanted to get back to running, I kept going back for more. After a few more sessions, it became clear that the problem was in the quad area, maybe hamstring.  After these areas were needled, I was dragging my leg along when I walked since the pain prevented me from fully bending my leg. 

I did feel the treatments were improving and after the first few weeks, I started stringing very slow walking miles together and some very short runs of about ¼ mile. The pain was still there, and it was still settled in the one spot on the side of my knee. By the end of February, I had enough and started running through the pain with permission from my PT. It was a little dejecting at first not to be able to run at a 7 minute or even 8 minute pace.  However, running in the 9’s was way better than spending 2-3 hours on an elliptical trying to replicate a long run. 

For March, I felt that I had to ‘cram’ to train for Boston.  Despite my best efforts, I lost fitness and muscle endurance in my legs, back, and arms, and would really have to work to get it back.  I was able to run a total of 250 miles in March – the most mileage in one month that I had ever done.  Yet, it came at a price.  At the beginning of the month, I realized that my ‘injured’ leg was not pushing off and my right leg was doing most of the work.  I had to relearn how to push off my left leg and it involved a lot of pain in the process. The first 4-6 miles of any run was agonizing and I usually wanted to quit after the first 2 miles.  I had to push through the pain because I knew once I got further into the mileage, my knee area would get better and allow me to go 16-22 miles.

The running was getting better and I was even able to pick up some of my speed again.  But from the moment I would step off the treadmill, my knee would hurt, my right ankle would sometimes hurt, and it would mean spending the rest of the day with my new friend the heating pad.  Not to mention, going from 0 miles up to about 50 per week was leaving me completely exhausted.  Every muscle in my body hurt and my legs were very tired. Still, the whole focus was running and Boston.

With two weekends left in March, my knee was at about 65-70% back where it should have been.  My left leg was able to push off much better, but still had lazy moments, and the pain was more sporadic and would last maybe a mile or two.  Then, during what was supposed to be an 18 mile run, I strained the inside of my right quad – my good leg that had been doing all the work.  Even though I pushed to 17, I knew I should have stopped a few miles earlier. After a day or so, it felt fine…until the 20 mile run the week later. This was the last 20 miler of whatever plan I still had left, so I was going to complete that thing no matter what.  I ran that 20 miles with mild soreness in my knee, a sore right quad at about mile 12, and a strained tendon in the right arch of my foot from my run the day before.  It was pretty safe to say that by this point, I was being held together by tape.

As I sit here and write this on the eve of the two weeks before I leave for Boston, I really have no idea what is going to happen in the marathon. I can now say that the injury to my knee is very likely a meniscus injury or tear, and my PT has mentioned this several times throughout my therapy, but he also knows how important Boston is and he has also said he will do everything to get me there.  After the marathon – who knows? Depending on how things hold up or not hold up, it could mean an MRI or more than that.  And while I don’t know how I will do in the marathon, that really doesn’t matter to me. Not only am I determined to get to the START line, I am more determined to get to the FINISH line – no matter what. I will not quit, I will not be defeated.

While the last two and a half months has been full of pain, exhaustion and a lot of tears, it has also been full of hope, excitement and anticipation.  Everytime I was ready to give up, I had a reason to keep going. So many, many, many members of my faMMily have inspired me and pushed me to continue just by being the wonderful people they are. I am running this marathon for me, for every painful moment of my past, for everyone that told me I was not smart enough or fast enough or good enough.  Even though I run by myself, I never run alone anymore. Sometimes in life, if we are lucky enough, God lets us pick the family we were meant to have. A family that makes us laugh when we cry, pray with us through hard times, challenge each other, support each other, and inspire each other.  We really do run together.

January 13 near Lake Buena Vista, FL

It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small, and the fears that once controlled me, can't get to me at all. It's time to see what I can do, to test the limits and break through...

Next up...Boston!!!

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 2014

Even thought there will probably be about 20,000 other recaps about the WDW Marathon weekend, this is mine and we all have a different story.

Just getting to Orlando from Wisconsin was like a mental, stressful marathon with cancelled flights, delays, no sleep, and wondering if there would even be a way to get there.  After sitting in an airport for almost five hours, watching and waiting for a flight to come in from Atlanta, hope seemed to be diminishing.  When I saw that the flight from Atlanta was cancelled, and the time of departure for our flight was changed back to the original departure time, I started crying.  A minute later came the announcement that the Atlanta flight was cancelled, BUT they had a spare plane and a spare crew to get us to Atlanta and be the only flight to leave the Appleton/Green Bay area since that Saturday (it was Tuesday when we left).  Finally arrived in Orlando and got to the hotel at 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday, just in time to get a very few hours of sleep and get to the expo. 

I got to the expo at about 11:00 on Wednesday and it was so empty, mainly due to the long, long, long, lines of people waiting to get runDisney New Balance shoes.  Already knowing my corral placement for the marathon in C, the lowest I have ever been, I was a little nervous about my 5k and 10k placements.  When I got my 10k bib and saw C, I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry right there in the middle of the expo floor.  Not only had I been training for this marathon, but doing many Friday 8 mile runs at my 10k speed to try and place.  I knew there was little to no chance of changing my corral, but I had to try. 

First person at Runner’s Relation that I talked to was very short with me, looked me up in the computer and saw I had no proof of time, and would not help.  When I said that I probably had no chance of placing now, she said I was probably right.  Got back in line to talk to another person, who was much nicer, and she told me that she couldn’t do anything, but to go upstairs to the other RR booth.  When it finally clicked that I did send proof of time and I could have the e-mails to prove it.  But, after searching and searching on my phone, I could not find any of the e-mails except the ones for Wine and Dine proof of time.  I knew when they were sent, I even knew the name of the person I e-mailed with – which really helped.  Eventually, they agreed to change it to A, but it really is frustrating. 

I said it so many times over the first few days, but it really sucks when the dishonest people ruin it for everyone else.  This includes those that lie to get placement in a better corral that they have no business being in, without thinking of anyone behind them that might get hurt by having to pass them or really, without thinking of anyone but themselves.  I know a lot of people weren’t happy with their half marathon or marathon placements, but I think it was better overall than in years past. 

Next up was the 5k on Thursday morning.  I was in Corral C, but snuck into B because I didn’t want to get hurt by tripping over someone or getting cut off.  I am that person I complain about that cuts into another corral.  I was still mad that I was in B and not A, so I ran the race mad, which was not a good idea.  Usually for a 5k I am in the front of the pack and can stop at all the character spots for pics without a line.  But, by the time I got to any characters, the lines were crazy long and I just wanted to finish.  After I got past all the walkers from corral A, I finished with the middle of the A corral.  Running a 5k, that was not timed and just a fun run, in under 23 minutes when I still had a 10k and a marathon do to, was not in my plans.  But, I have my rubber Pluto medal from running the 5k.

Next up on Friday morning was the 10k.  After all the drama of getting into Corral A for the 10k, I felt that I had to run the best I could and try to place.  All I wanted was the chance, and starting in C would not have given me the chance.  The morning of the race, it was really hot and humid, like running in soup.  Since it was a new course, I didn’t really know what to expect.  I found the first three miles that were out of the part to be rather boring, with not really too much to look at other than the road.  After mile 3, the turn off on the road went into EPCOT, and at this point, I could feel the runners that were around me start to slow down, but I just pushed on because there were only three more miles left. 

Once inside EPCOT, the route became familiar – go around the countries, turn left to the International Gateway, once around the Boardwalk/Yacht/Beach Club resorts and back to EPCOT that would be going in the same entrance as the end of the Wine and Dine course.  One thing about the 10k’s at Disney, there is always the question of who is going to show up and how fast they are going to be.  If I would have known that I was in second in my age group with a minute and a half to spare, I would have stopped by one character stop, but I still got four of them after the race.  When in line for Minnie Mouse, I got the text from my friend Kacey that I was in second in my age group.  I almost started crying.  All I wanted was the chance, and sometimes it pays to fight for yourself to prove that you are capable of taking that chance and doing great things. 

Saturday was a rest day, a big rest day.  After very little sleep during the week up to that point, I think I slept for about ten hours.  I don’t think I left the room for a long period of time since I was trying to rest up for the marathon and make sure everything was recovered from the 10k before Sunday. 

After only three hours of sleep Saturday night, the wake-up call at 2:00 a.m. for marathon day came way too soon.  I was on the very first bus at 3:00 a.m. to get to the race retreat.  The previous two years, I had gone to the race retreat, sitting at a random table and hoping that someone would talk to me to calm me down since I get so nervous before marathons.  However, this year was different.  For the first time, I was not alone.  I had a table of familiar faces and wonderful people to talk to, which was such a welcome change of pace.  I didn’t have any goals set for myself for this marathon, and my dad kept saying that I had nothing to prove.  I had already qualified for Boston 2015, so for this marathon, I didn’t have to push to get that qualifying time.  It was refreshing to have people tell me before the race to just have fun because it really helped take the pressure off.

I am a race perfectionist.  I have had a Boston Qualifying time in the four prior marathons before this one, and didn’t really know if I could even put the thought in my head of not getting another BQ time.  I put a lot of pressure on myself and sometimes feel that if I don’t get a certain time or if I don’t live up to certain expectations that I fail.  Sometimes it is a burden to be known as a fast runner because if you don’t get the right time, or get the right placement, it feels like a huge let down.  I don’t know why I run fast and I don’t know how it happened.  I don’t know what type of race I will have on a given day, which makes running this big unknown. 

However, the day of this marathon, I felt different and that the pressure was off.  Nothing to prove. 

Starting in Corral C was a whole new thing for me.  Never have I been below B, but I was also with Kacey, who I’m sure had never been in C before either.  I knew we would not run the first half together since I go out too fast, but I thought she would catch me and we would run the second half together.  The first few miles are always tough as I try to find my pace and adjust to the road.  I knew by the time I got to Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) that I was off pace from the previous year, and I think that played with my head a little bit, but seeing all the fans at TTC was just amazing. 

The down and up hill by the Contemporary Resort is always a little tough, especially going up, but it isn’t nearly as bad as some of the monsters I had conquered in previous months.  Next up was the Magic Kingdom, and I was so ready for the first park because I was just feeling a little off. 

In the backlot of the Magic Kingdom, “Miracles Happen” started playing on my ipod and it gave me so much energy that I ran into the Magic Kingdom with my arms up and screaming.  The crowd went crazy.  I ran down Main Street slapping hands with as many spectators as I could before making the turn into Tomorrowland.  Then I saw Tigger, and if there would not have been a five person line for him, I would have stopped.  I got so excited when I started running towards the back of the castle.  Once inside, I yelled “okay everyone, arms up!”  The guy next to me looked at me a little funny before reluctantly putting his arms up – he’ll understand when he looks at his castle pictures.

One of the things I remembered when I was running out of the castle was the picture in front of the castle.  When I ran in 2012, my dad went to the Magic Kingdom to watch me and told me to get in front of the castle for a picture.  However, I refused and kept on running.  This year, I saw a girl in front of me run over for a picture, so I did too.  In my absolute marathon crazy mind, I jumped in front of the castle, something I would probably regret a few miles later, but I finally got my picture in front of the castle during the marathon. 

I’m always a little disappointed that the time in the Magic Kingdom is so short.  It seems like we just get in and minutes later, it’s all over.  I wasn’t enjoying my time on the road from the Magic Kingdom to the Disney Speedway.  It was dark, the road was black and there were car lights on the right that were playing tricks with my eyes.  But, still pushing on and waiting for the Speedway to have something else to look at.

Then it happened.  I think what is any runner’s worst fear during any race, an injury.  At exactly mile 7, right when I got to the mile 7 marker, I felt a very sharp pain in my left knee and I knew immediately it was my IT band.  I didn’t stop running, but there were so many things going through my head very quickly.  What if I couldn’t finish? If I kept going would I make it worse? If I quit I wouldn’t get my medal.  If I quit, I would be a quitter.  About half a mile later I passed buses that would be taking people to the finish line if they were to get swept.  For a second I thought about getting on the bus, then I thought about how disappointed I would be and everything changed. 

I had to keep pushing on.  I knew that if I completely fell apart, at some point, someone would see the orange MM bib on my back and would help me finish.  I knew that I was not a quitter and I would get through this, and I had the words “we are blessed to be doing this” running through my head.  But there was no question, I would be running the remaining 19 miles in pain.

Once I hit the flat part of the Speedway, things started feeling a little better.  I set a new goal in my head to finish in under four hours, so I took the pressure off of trying to get a BQ time and had it in my head to have fun.  I could either complete the next 18-19 miles in pain, and be miserable; or I could be in pain and have as much fun as a person in pain and running a marathon can possibly have.    

Right after the Speedway, I got locked into about a 7:45 pace with another runner who would run with me until we got to Animal Kingdom (AK).  We ran next to each other, looked for each other when someone cut between, and for those fourish miles, we were totally in sync – until my AK bathroom break.  I have one planned break in this marathon, and it is the bathroom right before Everest in the AK because it is the best bathroom on the whole course.  I think I really took my time, even fueling up outside the bathroom before getting back on course – probably a total of about 2 to 2 ½ minutes.  Oops!  It was necessary.

I then did something I have never done during a Disney marathon, I stopped for a character pic.  Baloo had no line, and I ran to give him a big hug.  I then ran to the next character pic with Minnie and Daisy.  It was the most fun I have ever had running through AK because I usually HATE running through that park – with a passion. 

I started to have a bit of a hard time on the highway heading to Wide World of Sports (WWoS).  I had some walk breaks, and water breaks, but still kept going forward.  I had known that Kacey would catch me, and she did with her pace group just before mile 15.  I ran with them for a few minutes, as long as I could, but I couldn’t keep a consistent pace with a group and when I dropped back I yelled to her to go be amazing (and she was). 

Running through the WWoS was a little difficult.  For one, I had some guy that kept on getting in front of me, like right in front of me, and cutting me off when there was no one else within ten feet of us.  And, running in WWoS takes forever.  I do like the change of surface when running on the track and the softer gravel.  It was a wonderful for my legs to have something more cushiony to run on.  I do like running in Champion Stadium and always remember the many Braves Spring Training games and all the great baseball players I had watched over the years play on the field.  I wanted to touch the outfield wall where the Braves logo was, but there was a big puddle in front of it. 

Running out of WWoS and near mile 20, my left IT band started to hurt all the way up to my hip, and my right ankle, that had been bothering me for weeks, was throbbing.  I just kept thinking that it was almost over, and I had come this far – no quitting.  Then came the turn onto ‘Hell Highway,’  the highway stretch on the way to Hollywood Studios that seems to claim so many runners year in and year out.  As always, the Green Soldier was at the corner to motivate all runners to keep going.  I am always so determined not to let this stretch of road beat me, but I did have to take at least one walk break (but so did many others). 

After making the turn into Hollywood Studios (HS), there was a new pain in my right hip, the one that usually hurts.  At that moment, I thought of an attorney running friend, a cancer survivor, who has run many marathons and I’m sure in a lot of pain.  Yet, he always shuffles through, keeps a steady pace, and finishes.  There was no way I could stop when I know that there are runners out there, and those that can’t run, who are in much more pain than me everyday.  Keep smiling, keep having fun, push through.

I saw a lot of people during the course of the marathon that were struggling or maybe having an off day, and if they started walking and I ran past them, I would make sure to ask if they were okay.  When I was in a tunnel at HS, two runners were holding up another runner who was not looking good at all.  I ran ahead to the end of the tunnel and saw two volunteers.  I yelled to them that there was someone in the tunnel that needed help, and about 100 yards later, I saw two medics running back in that direction.  Never want to see anyone get hurt or be in poor health during a marathon – I knew he would be well taken care of, but it rattled me a bit to see someone struggling that badly.

Finally, seeing the hat and knowing that HS was almost over is a great feeling since HS is always park since it falls on miles 22-23ish of the course.  When running out of HS, I passed the point by the bathrooms where in 2012 I had such bad pain in my right IT band, I screamed and almost fell to the ground in pain.  I shook my head this time and said that I might be in pain, but you are not getting me this year. 

The crowd at HS and going to the Boardwalk path was a little thin this year, but the fans that were there cheered as loud as they could.  I kept running on as much as I could and was not even thinking about taking walking breaks.  I wasn’t even looking at my pace at this point, I think I stopped about mile 18.  I just knew I was almost at the end and had to get going.

There was a moment that sticks in my head, and I don’t know why I thought it, but just after the Swan/Dolphin bridge and making the right turn onto the boards at Yacht Club, I thought, ‘I am so glad that my parents taught me not to quit.’  I don’t know where it came from, but thinking about it later on how many times I wanted to quit piano and guitar lessons to have more time to spend with my friends that weren’t tied down to lessons and practicing, but the answer was always no.  There was no quitting.  It was one of those things where parents say – you’ll thank me later.  Well, it came about twenty something years later, but the thank you came.

Flashback over, back to the marathon.  I got so excited when I got to Epcot – just ONE mile left.   I tried to run as much as I could, and just before my iPhone died, I knew I was doing about an 8:12 pace, which was crazy.  I wasn’t shuffling, I was freaking running.  Well, running, with a few walk breaks since the pain was pretty intense.  Then I saw him…Duffy the Disney Bear.  My favorite made-up Disney character!  There was no line for Duffy, so I ran to him with open arms.  If there was ever a character to have an ‘oh crap’ moment, I think it was Duffy when I ran at him as fast as I could, almost knocking him over when I hugged him.  I was so excited to get my last character pic with Duffy before making my way to the finish.

I ran out of EPCOT with the biggest smile on my face I could have.  As soon as I saw the crowd, my arms were pumping and I was screaming and they were cheering.  It’s the best feeling ever.  There was a huge smile running to the finish line, and a huge feeling of accomplishment.  I finished with a time of 3:44:38, while in pain and injured.  It wasn’t a BQ time, but I felt pretty bad ass.  I had so much fun on the course. 

I had thought I would have been so disappointed if I failed to get a BQ time, but looking back on the race, and knowing what I pushed through and battled through physically, it felt like I accomplished so much more.  I keep thinking in my head that if I can run 3:44 injured, just imagine what I can do when I rest and heal. 

In a few days, I will start the next cycle of training for a marathon, but this time it will be different, I will be training to run my first Boston Marathon.  Because of all the events surrounding the marathon this year, it feels like the whole world will be tuning into an event that I will be running.  No pressure, right?

What I did not put into this recap are the things that happened before and after the races and meet-ups with the most amazing running faMMily ever.  I am not going to name any names or even our faMMily name, but without these wonderful people, I would not be able to do what I do.  The support that we give each other by far surpasses anything that could come from a running group.  We laugh and cry together, and I think that I know more about them than I do my own family.  It doesn’t matter who is fast or slow or somewhere in between, because we care about each other as people, not as runners.  Running is just one of the main things we have in common and it brings us together.  I love my faMMily and feel so blessed to be a member. 

Walt Disney World 5k, 10k, and Marathon – mission complete. 

Next up…Boston Marathon.  I’ll be ready.

Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon May 5, 2013 – Where Pigs Fly

The Flying Pig Marathon was something I anticipated for months and months, then weeks and weeks, especially after Boston.  I had my mind set on breaking 3:30, even if it was by one second.  I had looked at the course map, the elevation, and really didn’t think too much of the hills everyone had warned me about.

I went to the expo on both Friday and Saturday because it was amazing!  I don’t think I have ever been to an expo that was so big and had so many quality vendors.  Everything was themed “Flying Pig” from the decorative pigs to the pig shaped balloons.  By the time I got to the end of the expo to pick up my t-shirt, poster, and cooler (great race swag), my plastic bag check bag was already full of great free expo stuff.  I went back on Saturday 'just to get a t-shirt' and ended up with arm sleeves, three tech shirts, a stuffed pig, magnets, oh, and a t-shirt.

Any Saturday before a marathon is what I deem to be very lazy time.  It’s about concentrating on eating the right things, nothing new, and making sure that there is enough, but not too much, fuel in the tank for the marathon.  Since the Hyatt restaurants were under construction, they had a make-shift, all you can eat, pasta bar.  I think I would have failed on the all you can eat part, but I took it to go and made it dinner for Saturday and Sunday nights. 

The morning of the marathon is always full of anxiety for me, but I was much, much calmer at the start of the Flying Pig than I was at the start of the Disney Marathon just a few months before.  For instance, I didn't doubt that I could run and finish the course in the time I wanted, and I didn’t almost start crying 10 minutes before the start (but after knowing the course now, maybe I should have).  

The pre-race tribute to Boston with Amazing Grace being played on the bag pipes was very moving and I think it reminded all of us why we were there and that we can do this, overcome, and stand strong as a running community.  We are runners, nothing will stop us.  Suddenly, the gun went off to start.  I started in Pig Pen B, so as I inched toward the starting line, I could hear Sweet Caroline playing, and took off. 

The first mile was deceiving because it was flat, but shortly after, there was a turn onto a bridge and then it’s Kentucky.  So I guess I ran a marathon in two states in one day, right?  The next turn I remember was a turn on another bridge to go back to Ohio, and then it was a slow uphill on that bridge until the course flattened out for the next few miles. 

The fan support running on 7^th Street just at mile 5 and beyond, was constant and it was one of the best miles of the marathon, probably because it was before all the pain of the hills that were just around the corner - I had no idea what was coming up ahead.

OMG the hills!  Even at the expo when I watched the hills and talked about them with some of the people at various booths, nothing could have prepared me for the hills.  Biggest lie – after the hill around miles 6-8, it’s flat until the finish.  There must have been about 5 or 6 hills after that.  I do enjoy the going down part, but the up really trashed my legs.

The mile 6ish hill was long and steep, and then there was a turn onto another shorter, steep hill.  I have never walked so early in a marathon before, ever, but I didn’t want to completely blow it at mile 6.  I was able to get back on track once it flattened out at the top of the hill, and regained my normal pace.  I crossed the half mile mark at about 1:41, which is on long run pace for me.

It was about the 13 mile mark when the 3:25 pace team caught up with me.  For about the next 5 to 6 miles, I ran either ahead, or with this pace team, which allowed me to stop thinking, stop looking at my watch, and just keep pace.  I kept thinking that if I stuck with them, even if I dropped off a few minutes, they would get me to my goal pace and get me to Boston. 

One of my things that I really like when I am running is seeing all the dog fans that bring their humans out for the marathon.  At about mile 17, I saw an Old English Sheepdog, and thought of my Dublin and Abbey.  Seeing their little faces in my head helped me push through the next few miles.

I started struggling a bit at mile 20, and struggled more at mile 22 when it started raining.  Most of this part of the course was flat, but things started hurting, so I walked through water stations and took water to calm things down.  At mile 24, I my knee started to feel awkward – a little pain, but some indication it was my IT band – and my thighs were just thrashed from the hills. 

From mile 24 to about 25.5 I was doing a run walk because of the pain.  Mentally, I was losing it because I didn’t know where the finish line was and the miles just seemed to get longer and longer.  It was then at about mile 25.5 when someone came from the sidewalk, grabbed my hand and ran with me.  When I thought I couldn’t go any longer, she kept telling me what I great time I had and that I was almost there.  Then she told me to finish, and I was doing great.  Her name was Candace and she’ll never know how much she saved me at that moment.  It goes to show that our marathon spectators are so awesome, and Cincinnati did all spectators proud. 

When I finally made it to the finish line, I was greeted by a man in a suit that shook my hand and congratulated me.  Then I got my medal, my awesome Flying Pig Marathon medal!  

Overall, I did not hit my goal of 3:30 or better, which means back to the training schedule and trying to fix what went wrong – HILLS!!  I didn’t know what to expect in Cincinnati, but the reception from everyone in the city, especially for us crazy marathon runners, was overwhelmingly positive.  I don’t know if I will ever be back to Cincinnati to run this again, since there are so many other marathons on my bucket list and so little time, but I would definitely recommend this marathon to other runners – just train for the hills.

And…shortly after finishing all of the above while waiting at the airport, a guy sits next to me, sees my big black box that contains my poster and asks me how I did.  I told him I was shooting for a 3:30, but was happy with 3:35:50 after all the hills.  He said that no one comes to Cincinnati to qualify for Boston, it’s a tough course.  But…I did get a BQ time, so I am still really, really happy with my time.

On a side note, the money spent on compression socks for recovery is so worth every cent.  I can’t wait to train and run in them!  And hopefully, more pictures to come...

36 Seconds…

I missed qualifying for the 2013 Boston Marathon by 36 seconds.  As I was watching the marathon this morning, I was tearing up looking at the course, and seeing all the ‘normal’ people getting ready to run.  I could have been there…I should have been there.

Now, even an hour after hearing that bombs went off at the Finish Line, I can only think that those 36 seconds might have saved my life or my dad’s life by neither one of us being there this year. 

We runners are a strange grouping, but a family like no other that is not only made up of runners, but our extended family of spectators, volunteers, and those that support us daily.  We will not quit, and I will be at Boston in 2014 – stronger than ever.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims, their families, and friends.  God Bless.

More Bitter than Sweet – Boston Marathon 2013

I would never have considered myself a runner until I completed the Disney World Marathon in 2012.  Even then, it was hard to believe that someone who had previously been allergic to the sport, was now a runner.  That marathon was my first full marathon, and I had run my first half about four months before.  The Boston Marathon was seemingly an impossible task, and the ultimate goal.  How was I supposed to go from a 4:19:21 marathon time to under 3:35?  And not get injured?

Yet, after the Disney Marathon, I knew it was not the end.  After taking a few weeks off for recover, I set my sites on the Green Bay Cellcom Marathon (Wisconsin) to try to qualify for Boston.  I ran a half marathon in between with a time under 1:45, so I knew it was at least possible to get under 4:00 and just try to keep getting better. 

However, the Cellcom Marathon was a disaster.  In May, in Wisconsin, there was a heat advisory at the temperature at the start of race time was already about 70 degrees and climbing fast.  I did not think I went out too fast, but when the full and half marathoners start at the same time, it’s hard to know who you are pacing with and what race they are pacing. 

The first half of the marathon was fine, but at about mile 14, it all started to fall apart.  The temperature was getting hotter, and there was little shade to hide from the hot sun.  The water stops started to have ice delivered for the water, and very few people were not stopping for water.  I remember very little from miles 16 to 20, other than the bridge in De Pere was very long, there was a little girl handing out Coca-Cola to runners, and the hot blacktop trail from miles 17 to 20+.   There was more than one time on this blacktop trail that I thought I was going to pass out, and I started walking in the sun areas and running in the shaded areas.

This was only my second marathon ever, and I did not know that marathons could be cancelled until I got stopped and pulled off the trail at mile 19.90.  One of the volunteers said the marathon was cancelled and we were to get back on the bus to go back to Lambeau Field and the finish line.  So I stopped, and looked around confused.  There were still people running and not stopping, so I got back on the trail to run to my dad who was waiting at mile 20.  He said that if people wanted to continue they could, so I restarted my Nike + and walked the last 6.2 miles.  At some point, my iPhone died, so I will never know my time, but at 20 miles, it was 3:06.  I think it took at least an hour and a half to two hours to walk the rest of the race because I could not accept the medal if I did not finish.

As mad as I was that the race was called, I am sure it was the right decision (though it still ticks me off a little bit the way it was handled).  But something happened during those 26.2 miles that pushed me, motivated me, and made me more resilient.  Someone made the decision to tell me (and the other runners) that they could not do something.  I don’t like being told no and I don’t like being told that I can’t or something that I worked for is not possible.  The training for the next marathon began the next week, and I had one focus – Boston.

After several short distance races – 5ks and a 10k – and a half marathon at Disneyland, it was time for an emotional Fox Cities Marathon.  I will always consider this marathon and half marathon something that my mom would have and could have done if she were still alive.  Since this marathon is very close to the anniversary of her death, I decided that Boston will happen when it’s supposed to happen, but this marathon was for my mom. 

It was a chilly September morning in Menasha, Wisconsin for the start of the Fox Cities Marathon in 2012, but I was focused and very excited to be running through my city and an area familiar to me.  The first half of this marathon was great.  The fan support, the relatively flat course, and even the weather, were all perfect.  At about the 12 mile mark was the cemetery were my mom is, and running past that spot, and seeing my dad and pup Dublin lined up on the sidewalk, got me though the next difficult hilly miles.

After the first half, the marathon course started to go against the wind, and it was getting tough with little fan support on some of the country roads.  By mile 20, things started to hurt and pushing forward was getting harder.  Just past mile 23, my calf muscles were so tight and sore that they felt like someone had poured cement into my legs, and I had to stop and stretch them out.  I looked at my pace at this point and realized all I had to do was a 10 minute mile or better and I would qualify for Boston.  I kept pushing on, doing a run/walk, but my the pain in my legs was awful.

With one mile left, I was getting very disappointed in myself as it all seemed to be slipping away.  It was hard to run for even two straight minutes, but when I saw the finish line, I gave it a final push, but it was not going to be enough.  I missed qualifying for the 2013 Boston Marathon by 36 seconds, with a finish time of 3:35:36. 

However, this was a bittersweet moment.  At 34 years old, I was at the last age of the age bracket that had to get 3:35 or better to qualify for Boston.  So as someone turning 35 in 2013, and I will be 35 at the 2014 Boston Marathon, I do qualify for 2014.  Missing Boston and making it at the same time, again, bittersweet.

I know there are others that miss the qualifying time by seconds or minutes, but those 36 seconds pushed me through the 2013 Disney World Marathon to get a better time of 3:33:43.  Now I get to register in week one.  Sometimes things don’t always work out the way we want them too, but in the end, they work out for the best. 

Good Luck and Best Wishes to everyone running the 2013 Boston Marathon!  See you in 2014!

St. Pat’s 17k race recap

St. Pat’s 17k and 5k – Kimberly, Wisconsin; March 17, 2013

So everyone knows that Wisconsin is cold, but in March, it is usually at least in the upper 30’s, low 40’s, and last year, even made it up into the 70’s.  When I signed up for this race about two months ago, I knew it could be cold, but not freezing.  The temperature for the start of the race was a warm 13 degrees.  At that moment at the starting line, I thought of about 50 things in a 2 minute time span that I would rather be doing or where I would rather be.  I do not run in the cold.  I have a treadmill and it works for me, so this cold thing was going to be a shock.

Pre-Race...still warm

Even though it was cold, I was so excited to run this race.  It was my first race post-Disney Marathon, and probably my last until the Flying Pig Marathon.  I needed this long run race to gauge my training and how fast or slow I was really running.

The race course started at a bar, and went through a local community out to the trail along the highway.  I had been watching that trial all week since it had been snow and ice covered all winter, but the race organizers did a great job at breaking up the ice, shoveling/plowing the snow, and salting the icy areas that could not be broken up. 

The one thing I always have to remember about any race is that I’m a distance runner and my first one to two miles I just have to find my pace.  The first mile really sucked.  Every breath was cold and my face was freezing, but it went away towards the end of the first mile.  Since there were also 5k runners that started with the 17k runners, I was very happy to split off onto the trail so I could pace myself with the longer distance runners.

Finish Line! 

The first part of the trail was a little slick and I lost some time so I wouldn’t slip.  Eventually, I caught up to near the front of the pack and started to pass a few of the girls that were ahead of me.  I knew there would be a loop that I would be able to see and count the amount of girls ahead of me to know where I could place in age or overall.  I really wanted to place – there had to be a reason to be awake at 5:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning and freeze.

Once back on the trail and heading back to the bar to the finish, I passed another girl, so by my count, there were about 5 girls in front of me.  It was about mile 8 ½ when I realized that I not only had about 2 and ½ miles to go, but I was running by myself.  I could see one person in front of me, about 100 yards, and the guy I passed was about another 100 yards behind me.  My biggest thought was – don’t get lost.  Yet again, the course was so well marked, this was not possible.

After getting off the trail again, the next stop was to go down a few more streets to the finish.   The finish line area was not as icy as it was at the start, so I could actually run on it.  I finished in about 1:21.  The list and times were on the wall and I counted the number of girls ahead of me and their ages.  I was 5^th out of all the girls, and I thought 2^nd in my age group.  I was going to get a trophy!!

I got a little trophy :)

The awards for the 17k were announced in my age group, 31-34, and I heard 3^rd place, and then 2^nd place – but it wasn’t my name.  I had a moment of panic.  Did I count wrong?  Then I heard 1^st place was me!!!  First place in my age group, seriously?!

Even though it was freezing, and I thought my face was going to fall off and my head was going to explode after the race, having the little trophy made it all worth it.

Shout outs to my Green KT tape for holding my IT band together once again and my new Team Sparkle Skirt.  Also to my recently retired running shoes that came out of retirement for one last race.  They are double Boston Marathon qualifiers, one half marathon 3rd place age group finishers, and now one age group first place finisher.  They are now permanently retired!  

Disney’s Wine and Dine Half Marathon 2012 Recap (Flashback)

Why was I so incredibly excited to run this race?  Well, it would be run at night, and I really like to run at night.  I was just coming off a good half marathon time at Disneyland and a good Marathon time, so I had a chance of doing really well.  Finally, I wanted to finish the year off on a positive note – I wanted to place in my age group. 

2012 was the first full running year I had.  It felt like I spent 2011 just training for this year and getting through all the bumps in the road to get me this far.  After two fourth place finishes and two top ten finishes at my last four timed races, I was done with just missing out on an age group placement.  I was going to go all out for this half, try to get a new PR under 1:40, and try to get in the top five for my age group.

While I was excited for the half, I was just as excited to attend my first Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT.  For the first time in 2012, there was a special vegan booth.  Seriously?  Is Disney finally getting on board the vegan bandwagon and realizing that there are vegans (or people that don’t eat meat and have dairy allergies) that visit their parks?  The vegan booth did not disappoint, and the fake-meat and dessert was great.  I just wish it was a daily offering at all the parks. 

One of the best things about running at Disney is the massive Expo.  While the Wine and Dine Expo was a little less crowded than the marathon expo, I am a lover of free stuff, especially food items.  I always enjoy a free Clif bar sample and applesauce in a squeeze pouch…wonderful creation for the wait time on the night of the half.

There are two races over the weekend, or on Saturday, the 5k in the morning and the half marathon at night.  I signed up for both, for no other reason than I really liked the name of the 5k – the Jingle Jungle 5k through the Animal Kingdom.  There was already Christmas everywhere at Disney in the beginning of November.  The 5k race went so fast.  Since it is untimed, I do stop to take pictures with all the characters, who of course were Christmas themed.  It seems like it’s almost a race to get from one character to the next just to see who it is.  The 5k’s at Disney are over far too fast, and before I knew it, I was slapping mittens with Minnie and Mickey at the finish line.

Finish Line of the 5k - slapping mittens with Mickey and Minne

Once the 5k was over, the wait began for the 10 or so hours until it was time to board the bus for the half marathon.  Some people spend the day in the parks, or relaxing at their resorts, but since I hit the elliptical to make sure my legs were lose and that my muscles weren’t tightening up.  Then it was food time, and nap time.  I have never prepared for a night race before, so I didn’t really know what to do.  But there was a lot of pacing around the hotel room, a lot of listening to “Run This Town” and A LOT of nervous energy. 

All I could think of on the walk from the hotel to the Boardwalk to catch the bus was that I was here to accomplish something and even if I didn't place, I was going to try my hardest.  Once the bus got to the Wide World of Sports complex (WWoS), and there were so many people, it does get overwhelming.  But standing at the start line, almost on top of the start line, I knew I was ready to either run the race or get it over and done with - and hopefully, not get run over by the thousands of people behind me.

The fireworks went off and the race started, even in the dark, the course was so well lit and there was so much to see.  The road from the WWoS to the Animal Kingdom was not the most exciting, but there were still Disney characters on the route.  The worst part was entering into the Animal Kingdom park.  Once inside, the path was lit up by fluorescent lights in the shape of tusks, but it was still dark and the footing was a little bit difficult.  I don’t know the Animal Kingdom as well as I know the other parks, so after this short path, I had an anxiety attack as something went through my head that I didn’t know where I was or where I was going.  It was hard to stay in the mental moment that I was running and had to keep going. 

Once I recognized the entrance, or exit, from the Animal Kingdom that I had run earlier that day during the 5k, things calmed down a bit…well, until I saw the lit up alligator at the side of the road.  I didn’t enjoy that at all and may have screamed.  I don’t like alligators. After the Animal Kingdom, and running on the road around the parking lot, it’s back on the highway to Hollywood Studios.  Again, this road is pretty uneventful, but I had found my happy pace and was focused on keeping pace and getting to the next park.

After running on Hell Highway, it was into Hollywood Studios.  The route in the park was different than the route for the marathon course as it went down the street in front of the Tower of Terror instead of behind.  Then once at the big blue hat, the course again turned to go somewhere…but I could no longer see any one in front of me and I had no idea where I was supposed to go.  I just kept following the road until there were finally yellow cones to show that I was to go past the Toy Story area, and I saw the guy that had been running in front of me.  The last thing I wanted to do was get lost on the course.

The time spent in Hollywood Studios seemed to take forever.  I’m pretty sure we ran past every attraction, went down every back road, and around every possible curve to get all the miles that we needed to get.  Not that it was bad, but I was anticipating the finish.  After mile 10, we were finally running out of Hollywood Studios and onto the path to the Boardwalk/Yacht and Beach Club resorts. 

The entrance into EPCOT is again different from the marathon as the entrance is near the former Figment Attraction (now Caption EO I think), but it also means that the finish line comes sooner.  Running into EPCOT was an amazing experience as there were spectators lining both sides of the walkway all the way to the big EPCOT ball.  The cheering was so loud and I had a huge smile on my face.  It was almost over, I looked at my phone and knew I was going to break 1:40, but I didn't know by how much.

Leaving EPCOT and racing to the finish line, I shut off my ipod to hear “Firework” by Katy Perry as I was running through a tunnel of light (wondering where in the world the finish line was since I didn’t see the mile 13 marker).  After the tunnel of light, there it was the finish line.  I crossed it, shut of my GPS, and turned around to see my time.  I really did it as I saw the 1:39 flash on the time clock.  My GPS recorded 1:38:58, so I knew it was close.  All that mattered was that it was a new PR by at least a minute. 

The medal from the Wine and Dine is one of my favorite medals and it was so good to finally have it in my possession, especially to wear at the after party.  But, the after party for me was hoping EPCOT would be open long enough for me to walk to the Swan since immediately after the race my legs cramped up.  What made it even more interesting was that I had a checked bag that I was lugging (or dragging) with me that weighed about 5-7 pounds. 

The best moment from the night, or the early morning of the next day, was sitting in the garden behind the UK waiting for the band to play.  It was 1:52 a.m. on Sunday, when I saw the results on my iphone and started crying.  I got third place in my age group.  Finally, I placed.  This is what I had come here to do, and I did it (which is a whole new meaning to my pink Wine and Dine I Did It t-shirt). 

Of all the events from the weekend, the Food and Wine Festival, the expo, running the 5k, and running the half marathon, the details will eventually fade.  But the feeling at that one moment…I hope will never get lost.