Taper Time

I HATE the taper!!  I know I should be resting to allow myself to properly recover from all of the long training hours I have done, but mentally, my mind says I should be going, going, going!!  With only 9 days to race day, I am starting to feel the anxiousness of the taper.  During the taper, I typically get sick, but this time I have been filling my body with healthy, whole foods, lots of vitamins, minerals and probiotics.  So far, I have been able to fend off any potential illness heading my way.

I'm excited for race day!!  It has been a few years since I have run a stand-alone marathon, so I am a little nervous.  I know I will successfully finish.  Then why am I nervous you might ask?  That is an easy answer...I have a time goal in mind for finishing this marathon.  Hopefully the nerves will fuel a performance that will allow me to achieve my goal.

Little Rock Marathon...I hope you're ready...HERE I COME!!

My Longest SUCKMILL Run

After last year's mild winter weather, I decided to train for a March marathon this year.  Our most recent Iowa weather has not been the best for my outdoor run training...Last Sunday we had a freezing rain/snow mix and this last Wednesday we had a snow day at school due to a snow storm with lots of blowing winds.  Thursday and Friday we had high temperatures at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit with the windchill factored in.

What is a girl to do in these weather conditions?!?!?!?!?  Hit the mill...the SUCKMILL that is!!

I decided to run on the treadmill in the workout room at school, so I wouldn't have to potentially give up my treadmill at the gym.  I knew this would provide me with VERY LIMITED company on a Friday afternoon/evening as there are very few people who use these facilities to begin with...let alone on a Friday.  The first hour wasn't so bad...a couple of teachers were using the facilities, so I had company for the whole hour.  This allowed me to keep my mind off of the run and enjoy conversations from others.  I took the first hour to warm up nice and easy gearing up physically and mentally for what would be a long run.  Since the treadmill stops at an hour, I decided I better take a photo of the treadmill after each hour to help me remember how far I had ran.

Hour 1 complete

The second hour was ok as well.  My husband came to school to complete his hour run on a treadmill next to me, so I was able to chat with him.  I decided to increase my pace a little for this second hour.

Hour 2 complete

After completing my second hour I thought, "I'm 2/3 of the way done.  I CAN do this!!"  I started off the 3rd hour at the same pace I was at for my second hour.  At this point, I felt good and was mentally confident about the run.  After about 20 minutes, my mind started to play games with me and I began to doubt myself.  "Can I really finish this last hour?  Why am I doing this again?  Oh...Is that a cramp in my calf?  Boy am I getting tired.  Maybe I should just stop running.  UGH!!  This is a LONG, BORING run!!"  That is when I called upon my husband to come chat with me...he was still in the workout room lifting weights.  I needed the change from being in my own head and knew he would help motivate me to keep going.  He talked with me for about 20 minutes and then decided to head home.  This left me with 20 minutes to complete on my own.  Could I do it????  I decided I WOULD do it and pushed forward!!

Hour 3 complete

I was SO HAPPY to have that treadmill quit for the last time!!  I thought about a friend who recently ran for 24 hours on the treadmill to raise money for MS.  I had a new found appreciation and respect for him and his accomplishment!!  It made my 3 hours on the treadmill seem so minuscule!!  After 19.01 miles in 3 hours and some serious stretching, it was now time for a shower and a LOT of food!!  Man was I hungry!!

Sports Bra Review

I have had many troubles with sports bras while running and have tried many different sports bras as a result.  Here is my review of what I have tried so far:

Champion C9 Sports Bras:
Chaffing above and below the breasts after about 90-120 minutes of running

Nike Pro Sports Bras:
Chaffing below the breasts after about 60-90 minutes of running

Adidas Techfit Sports Bras:
Chaffing below the breasts after about 60-90 minutes of running

Fiona Bra by Moving Comfort:
SERIOUS chaffing below the breasts after 90 minutes of running (blood was present with this one after 2 hours)

This was a bloody mess after my 2 hour run.

With the help of a friend, I have come to find that if I wrap 3M Microfoam tape on the underside of my heart rate strap (sticky side stuck to the heart rate strap), put the sensor on the back of my chest and put the heart rate strap on under my bra I have ZERO chaffing!!  It has even been successful for nearly 3 hours of running.  I think I may have a solution!!

Now, who's going to make a sports bra that has this Microfoam material as a part of the sports bra?!?!?  Will it hold up in the wash???  How will this material hold up over time????  Is it possible to have the sports bra be a combination of Microfoam where needed and technical fabric elsewhere???

Lots of questions to consider...At least I know what works for me!!

2013 Race Reviews

28th Annual Resolution Run - West Des Moines, Iowa

January 1, 2013...Starting the year off right!!

Temperature at the start of the race: -11°F (yes there is a negative sign in front of this temperature)
Distance: Advertised as a 5K (3.1 miles), but was actually only 2.8 miles
Terrain:  The run was all on sidewalks with rolling hills (they were not cleared off very well in many spots and were thus icy)
Number of Participants:  There were 280 registered participants, but I know they didn't all show up!!
Post Race Grub:  Hot Caribou Coffee, water, apples and bananas
This race is not chip timed and the fan support was very limited.  Who can blame anyone though...I don't want to stand outside on a very cold Iowa morning and cheer on a bunch of crazy runners and I happen to be one of those crazy runners!!

Goals for 2013

Many people are setting New Year's Resolutions.  While New Year's Resolutions are a great concept, many people choose unrealistic resolutions that they can't stick to.  Of the people who set New Year's Resolutions, only about 8% of them successfully achieve their resolutions.  Many people have too many resolutions or their resolutions are far to large or broad for people to achieve.

I think that it is important to instead set goals that one can stick to.  I refer to them as goals, because for me, the stigma of the "resolution" that so many fall short of is not there with the term "goals."

My Goals for 2013:

1.  Lose 25 pounds...I realize many people want to lose weight as a "New Year's Resolution," but I have already set the wheels in motion for this and have lost 7 pounds since Thanksgiving.  For me, it is about getting to a healthy race weight that will help me achieve my race goals more efficiently.  By losing the weight at a slower rate, I am more likely to keep it off.

2.  I have the goal of eating more natural foods (less processed foods)...This shouldn't be too challenging since we don't consume many processed foods, but I am looking to eliminate even more of them.  By incorporating more natural foods into my diet, I am hopeful I will have more energy, lose a few unwanted pounds and feel better about myself.

3.  I am have some running goals for this year as well.

• I am running the Little Rock Marathon on March 3rd.  My goal for this race is to run between 4 hours and 4:15:00.
• I am also running the Drake 1/2 Marathon in April.  My goal for this race is to set a PR...This will require me to run sub 1:45:00.  It will be a challenge, but I KNOW I CAN DO THIS!!
• I will be running the Twin Cities Marathon in October.  My goal for this race is to break the 4 hour mark.

4.  I am competing in a 1/2 Ironman Distance event in June and another in August.  My goal for one of these is to go sub 6:00:00...My current PR is 6:32:44 for the 70.3 mile distance.  I would be happy to break 6:30:00, but I will continue to push my body to new limits to break 6 hours!!

5.  I am planning to compete in Ironman Wisconsin in 2014, so I want to make sure I have a great base and remain injury free going into 2014.

Slip Slidin' Away

Thursday I went for a short run through Riverside Park and experienced Iowa winter running.  My run started off very well and was very beautiful and peaceful on the trails through the park.  There weren't many people out as it was a pretty chilly day and the trails weren't cleaned off very well.  In some places, the snow was packed onto the trail making the trail very slick and in other places, the snow was covering up the packed ice below.  Because of these slick spots, I managed to fall twice and ended up with both knees and my right hip bruised.  OUCH!!

My recent falls made me apprehensive to run outside on Saturday for my long run.  I knew I was to run 2:15:00 or approximately 15 miles and was seriously considering completing this run on a treadmill at the gym.  UGH!!  I'm not a fan of the dreadmill!!  When I woke up on Saturday morning, I decided to wait til midday to see what the roads would be like since we had received a light dusting of snow on Friday and into the overnight hours.

At about 1:30 pm I donned my winter gear (the windchill was only 2 degrees Fahrenheit after all) and ventured out onto the winter Iowa roads.  This turned out to be a very good decision!!  I was able to run outside in fresh air I didn't slip and fall on any snow or ice and I didn't have to run on the dreadmill!!  YIPPEE!!  Successful all the way around!!

So This is What it Feels Like to be a Hamster

Due to the extremely cold weather (the high was -9 degrees Fahrenheit with windchill) in northwest Iowa, I opted to run inside today at the local YMCA.  The local YMCA is a great facility that has an indoor track.  I was surprised at the large number of people working out on Christmas Eve...it makes me happy to see that many people focusing on their health!!

My goal: to run for 2:15:00.
Actual accomplishment:  1:26:00 for 10 miles

I called it quits because my feet were blistered (when you run in a relatively tight circle for so long, it is bound to happen), my arm pit was chaffed and the YMCA was going to be closing soon since it was Christmas Eve.

This was a day of mental fortitude.  Counting laps gave me something to do, but I'm pretty sure I ran more than the 110 laps I counted.  Yes...you read correctly...110 laps...running in a circle...just like a hamster on a wheel.  I think hamsters are mindless animals that have no real thought while they run in a circle on their wheel.  This is where the similarity between us ends.  I could not stop thinking about why I was pushing through on this run and what I would gain from it.  The ability to push your mind will keep your body going...even in the most difficult times!!  Mental toughness...I own you!!