Now What?

I finished my goal race (in decent time, too!). I have hung the medal on the Race Bling plaque, worn the race shirt out on the town, picked up my (self-taken) photos from the race...

Now what? How do I keep my motivation?

I've talked to the trainer, to the man, to other fitness friends, and I think I came up with a plan. The problem is, this plan involves a year- A YEAR!- of dedication to the program.

November 10: Laingsburg LEAF 10K
November 28 (Happy Turkey Day!): Detroit Turkey Trot 10K
December 1:  **Start training program (6 mo) for Lansing Half Marathon**
December 14: Jingle Belle Run/Walk with the Barbies
May 3, 2014: Lansing Half Marathon
**June 16: Start Hal Higdon Training**
October 19, 2014: Detroit FULL Marathon

Between those dates, I will continue doing 5K and 10K races-- I enjoy those kinds of races, and I promised the oldest girl that she can start racing with me if she can handle 3 miles at a time without complaining (she may or may not be getting an iPod Shuffle for Christmas, so she can listen to music and run, too). I'm not totally sold on the idea of doing the Warrior Dash for a 4th year, but there are some other fun runs I want to do, like the Color Run.

I plan on continuing Spin class and training with Amy. I love those sessions too much to give either up, and both are great cross-training workouts to season in between running sessions.

I'm also planning on signing up for Team Playmakers in January. This is a training team that provides support, logistics, coaches, and "running buddies" for any distance. Runs are Saturday morning at 7:30am. through the session. I'm not sure if I want to do the spring (through June 13) AND summer (through Detroit Marathon) training programs, or just one of them. It's $95 for one program, and $65 for every additional program after. I like the idea of the assisted long runs (complete with water stations and course assistance- and again, running buddies), and I like that it will force me to get out of bed and run on Saturday mornings whereas I would be sleeping. My biggest hurdle to doing the long runs has been the lack of water/Gatorade stations. Because of that (and because I know that by passing my house on a run, I would totally quit and go and lie on the couch), I was training at the gym. Treadmill running is definitely not the same as road or trail running, plus the treadmill stops cold at the 60 minute mark- causing me to lurch forward and almost fall off of the treadmill (ok, not "almost." More like "stumble backwards and lose my iPhone on the treadmill.")

But, will I realistically get out of bed on a Saturday morning to go and run outside during the winter?? Will paying $95 guilt me into going running every Saturday morning through June?

And, why do you people run SO early in the morning?!

I've re-evaluated my calorie goal-- seriously, losing 8 lbs and getting a year older (less than 2 months away) only reduced my calories by 7?! Sweet.

I know it's not all about running. I enjoy the running, and I enjoy my workout classes too. But I also (really) enjoy the couch. If I can capitalize on the enjoyment factor, the rest should fall in line. Right?

Trainer says I need to get my knee evaluated before I sign up for any marathon- my knee is not "tracking" properly, and if I can't get that under control, I may be in for a world of hurt. Hopefully when I go for my annual exam in January, I can get a referral to a specialist- and a referral to a nutritionist. My insurance covers 6 visits/year to a nutritionist, and it would be nice to have someone who specializes in the field set a calorie goal, realistic fitness goals, and help me get out of the food rut.

I came up with that last idea as I was sitting on the couch, eating a bag of mini-Reeses cups. King size, baby. Thankfully those have all been consumed and there are no more Reeses in the house-- now, the other Halloween candy, that's another story..

I did it!

 

I finished. Holy Hell, I finished my first half-marathon-- and I feel like I could fly! I've been proud of myself before, but this is a new feeling. I feel proud, invincible, like a bad-ass, and SORE. Holy hell, I hurt everywhere. But it's a good soreness, like I just gave a huge ass-whooping to something/someone that deserved it. 

I completed the race in 2:48:07-- and that's with a 7 min 41 second "pee break." Most of that break was waiting in line, but still... if I deduct the wait time from my overall race time, it puts me at about a 12 minute mile. That's amazing for a first-time, still-round runner. 

The entire experience was amazing, from the moment I got to Detroit on Saturday until after the race on Sunday evening. I pull up to Greektown Casino and, hey!, complimentary valet parking! Score! I check into the hotel and I get two $10 vouchers for casino cash and a door tag, signifying that I'm a racer and BE QUIET around my room. Bad ass. I check in at the Expo which is crazy busy and realize that- hey- I signed up for the race 5 months and 30 lbs ago. I ordered a XXL women's shirt, which is too big, and I put myself in a 15 minute/mile group-- with walkers. Apparently I didn't have high hopes for myself...

The man and I watched Michigan almost lose at the casino sports bar, had dinner in Greektown (New Parthenon!), grabbed post-race treats at Astoria, and went to gamble a bit. After we were both up some $$, we watched the Tigers and retired early.

I was up at the crack of dawn, got dressed, had the in-room coffee pot brew me a cup of caffeine, and I was ready to go. With a good luck kiss from the man, I was out the door and to the People Mover in record time. There were only 5 other runners on the train that early in the morning, but I didn't care. My nerves were shot and I was ready to go. I get to the race drop off (smart move by the race coordinators, putting the start/finish right by a People Mover stop), and HOLY SHIT. There are lights, people, porta potties, and balloons everywhere. It was like an evening street fair without the Elephant Ears. I hid in the People Mover station for a bit, since it was about 34 degrees outside. More runners came off of the People Mover and stayed in the station too, trying to warm up and *do* warm ups. I finally decided to brave the cold and hit the porta potties before the race started. I got a few pictures by the start line and made my way to my wave, letter "N," as in "Not really running."

I warm up, even get on the ground to do some stretches, and look behind me. There's the lady I feared the most-- the lady with the "last chance to get through the tunnel" sign. If you don't pass her in the race, you're not crossing the border. That's it. Race over. A bus will escort you to the finish line for your finisher medal. New goal for the day-- finish the race, but finish it before that lady does! 

The music starts going, announcer is getting the crowd warmed up, you can't even see the start line from my wave start- and then the horns go off. The first wave, the hand cyclists- are off. Then, the hard-core runners. Every 2 minutes after that, another wave (another letter in the alphabet) is set off to run. Then it's my groups turn. I take off, making sure I stay slower than my normal pace- I have to keep it up for 13 miles and I know my adrenaline is going to push me faster. I keep it all in check and tune into my music and watch Detroit roll by.

First, it was a shady-type area of Detroit. OK, I can handle that. I dodge a few potholes and keep going. Then... the bridge. I see it coming up, then I start seeing US Customs agents lining the road. They're looking for liquids, making sure everyone is safe, all of that stuff. We run through a toll booth entrance, and BAM. We're on the bridge overlooking the Detroit River. Thankfully I stayed on the inside track for most of the bridge, because bridges freak me out a bit and I knew that would mess with my brain. We crossed into Canada, where the Customs agents were greeting us with high fives and cheers. Aww, I love Canada! 

Of course, the first thing you see beyond the toll booths in Canada is a BK. Oh, how I wanted a coffee... I kept jogging. I had to pee thanks to my pre-race water (I should've waited to drink it - I knocked it back at 7am, but didn't run until closer to 7:30. No chance to sweat it out.), so I waited for close to 8 minutes. Used the clean facility (nice work, again, by the volunteers), and ran along the Canadian shoreline. It was beautiful. The sun was up, things were starting to warm up, and the crowds were there in full force. It was awesome- the signs were encouraging and hilarious at the same time, people were cheering for you even though they didn't know who you were-- it was a great feeling. 

We keep weaving through Canada until we hit the tunnel. It's downhill, so people are coasting. The wave times kept people really well spaced out so the tunnel wasn't crowded at all. I loved the tunnel- it was muggy, sure, but people were cheering (Racers, not spectators), stopping to pose by the "Line of Demarcation" between the US and Canada, and it wasn't until coming out of the tunnel when fatigue started to hit. The hill coming out of the tunnel had to be the worst incline of the race. Not only was it steep, but it was 8 miles into the race-- so you're contending with lead legs, stale tunnel air, etc. It was rough. 

Customs officers were there to cheer us on- I've never seen so many officers giving out high fives and clapping before. We run under a banner that says "Welcome Back to the USA"- I run and jump up, hitting the banner (because the guy in front of me did it and it seemed like a good thing to do- my brain is broken at this point, so just roll with it.). We run towards Cobo, past Joe Louis Arena, and loop towards Corktown and Mexicantown. Text messages from my amazing friends and boyfriend start pouring in (I had the phone off in Canada- actually, I had it off when we started the race because apparently the Free Press parking lot/start line puts you in Canada per Verizon's cell towers-- or because 27,000 of us were trying to use our phones at the same time), telling me they're tracking me, my pace is good, they're proud of me... I keep going. 

Mile 10, I grab some Gatorade from a volunteer and I feel myself getting a little light headed. My thighs started to turn into Jell-O- it was the oddest feeling, thinking that my bones were going to become liquid. Literally, it felt like a wave of liquid took over for my thigh muscles. I shook it off, grabbed some water with my Gatorade, and kept going. 

FINALLY, I see the sign directing half-marathon runners to go one way and marathon runners to go the other way. I know this means I have about a mile left. I start kicking it in, knowing that the man is waiting for me at Mile 13. I see him, call out his name, smile/wave, and keep going. I sprint at the end, not letting the woman directly in front of me cross before me. I smile as I cross the finish line- and I start deep breathing so I don't hurl on someone. I get my finisher's medal (woo!) and a plastic bag for my food. Next, I get a foil body wrap to keep in the body heat. Then, I get ushered into a water/food line, manned by awesome volunteers. It was like trick-or-treating for healthy foods. Carrots, hummus, granola, chocolate milk...

Post Race Rewards!

I try to exit the food area to find my man. I get told by security that I need to go around the block. Finally, I meet up with the man and tell him that he has to hug me despite the sweat because I feel light headed and so proud I could cry. I get a good hug- with a promise of a better one after my shower. We get on the People Mover, go back to the hotel, and take the best shower of my life.

It was a very rewarding experience. I can't wait to do it again next year- maybe it will even be the full marathon (we'll see in May when I do my next half-marathon).

 

Half Marathon Eve

Here I am, sitting in a Greektown Casino Sports Bar, drinking water while the man drinks a tasty Vanilla Java Porter. Why? Because my half marathon starts in less than 12 hours. My panic this week has been at an all-time high- poor Jim has put up with so many mood swings, he deserves a medal (yes, I'm buying his beer tonight) just for supporting my training for the last few months. 

I'm checked in, laid out my clothes for the AM, checked the easiest route to the start line in the morning...but it's hard to rest. It's hard to trust my training, to know that I can do it. I mean, worst case, I get bussed back to the finish line and I get to keep the t-shirt. Best case, I cross the line around 2:45 mark, get my medal, cry tears of joy and pain, and shower. 

I'm as ready as I'll ever be... Bring it on, Detroit.

Battle Tested and Approved

A lot of half-marathon/marathon training sites recommend making no changes to your race day attire. Everything you plan to wear on race day should be "race tested" prior to the big day. The last thing you want is to be worrying about wardrobe malfunctions while facing down some hefty mileage. I have my tried and true pants and shirts, however, I wanted to treat myself to something new- and my tried and true clothes are getting a little baggy, causing some unpleasant issues while running (like mooning people). So I got some new gear and did the Playmakers Autumn Classic 8K last weekend while decked out in the gear to make sure it would hold up during some distance. While 5 miles is not too much distance, I figured it was a good trial run. Then, the weather started...

It rained the ENTIRE RACE. I'm talking start to finish, there was rain. It didn't stop until I got home 2 hours later (that included drive time, finish line food eating, etc. My race time was only 57 minutes). Let's just say that the weather + the distance provided for a good gear testing ground.

Here's a review of the gear I tested- and will now be wearing in 20 days...

* Shoes: I bought a pair of New Balance Minimalists a few weeks back, after being told that my left foot pigentoes (points in) when I run. The Minimalists help adjust the gait, but provide minimal support to the foot/leg area. It's like running barefoot- it makes running FUN for me. It reminds me of when I'd try and run as a kid- though now, I can keep going. Here's the Runner's World review of the shoe:

 "The lightest shoe in this guide, the Minimus feels like a sock with an outsole. The synthetic mesh upper wraps the arch well, but opens up to provide a little breathing room through the toes. But it's not as wide as the other minimal shoes in this guide. The shape and fabric earned high marks from wear-testers for comfort. Only efficient should log a lot of miles in these shoes."

That last sentence should have been a key for me-- My legs ache after running 5+ miles in these shoes. Apparently the minimalist type shoes work more of your leg muscles, especially in the lower leg, since the shoe lacks basic structure. I keep running in them because I love the shoe, because I want to be "efficient," and because my Nike's get tighter the further I run. I'll deal with the lower leg pain the day or so after the race just be in comfy shoes during the run.

Since I'm cheap, I went with last year's model of shoe. Because I'm cheap AND not very girly, I went with a men's design pattern. I was assured by Playmaker's staff that there was no real difference between men's and women's shoes in this brand, so I would be fine. Plus, black goes with pretty much everything.

What I didn't anticipate was the smell. OH MY GOSH, my shoes smell like a wild animal nested and died in there. There were claims by New Balance that these shoes were odor resistant, but many runners disagree- they are the worst smelling shoe ever. And I wear socks with the shoes!! There are a couple of different ways to wash the shoe- you can soak it in a baking soda/water mix, use a sock filled with kitty litter and stick the sock in the shoe, and (though not recommended by New Balance) you can wash the shoes in cold water in a non-agitating washing machine-- complete with detergent and OxyClean. Any way you go, the shoes have to air dry and it's recommended that you shove paper into the shoe so the shoe keeps it form.

* Socks: I've just used plan old white socks from Target. It was recommended that I try a pair of SmartWool running socks with the Minimalists, as the socks will wick away moisture, help with the swelling, and not blister the feet. I caved and bought a pair (though really, $14 for a pair of socks!?).  Again, I went with men's gear because I didn't want pink or purple. If I'm spending that kind of cash on socks, they better be green and white. The socks held up, despite the rain and porous nature of the shoes! Color me impressed, SmartWool! Now if we could just lower the price a bit...

* Pants: I had to buy new ones. I searched high and low for a pair of 3/4 length capri running pants with pockets- that were reasonably priced (I'm looking at you, Fila!). Apparently that's too much to ask for.  I opted for a pair of Champion compression running pants that stop just short of the ankle. No pockets. The pants do the job- they fit, don't ride up anywhere evil, they hold it all in- but it's like stuffing a sausage back into its casing. Just not pretty. I joked with the man of the house that he was going to have to help me get out of the pants because I was so jam packed into them. He told me to deal with it and roll around the floor if it helped me. Supportive my ass...! (Just kidding, sweetie)

Yes, this is the obnoxious pattern I got (peace signs)

* Fanny Pack/Belt type apparatus: If you've read my travel blog at all, you would know about my dislike for fanny packs. While running, I need to have access to my iPod, energy chews (more on that later), and my ID in case I get stopped at Border Patrol. I saw a mini-run belt at Playmakers, and the lady at the register suggested that I try the SPIBelt. It looks like a mini pouch of fabric that won't hold anything. Surprisingly, it holds EVERYTHING I need it to- last weekend for the run, it held my iPod, car key, and ID- with room to spare. It was cheap (cheaper than online), works great, and despite my initial belief, fit me just fine. And I can easily hide it, so I don't look like an elderly tourist on a cruise ship. It'd be nice if it was waterproof though, but that's a small thing to ask for.

* T-shirt: notice I said "t-shirt" because the idea of running in long sleeves at a long distance is icky to me. I mean, I can do it, but I know I'll sweat and be uncomfortable. I bought a new (clearance) Nike dry-wick shirt with a v-neck (I can't run in non-v neck shirts- drives me nuts). The shirt is long enough to cover the SPIBelt, but short enough to not be a night gown. And its fitted. The shirt is cute- I didn't notice until I brought it home that, when you put the shirt on, it says "Get it Done/Be Amazing"- but you can only really see it if you're looking down at the shirt from the wearer's perspective. Aww, thanks Nike for the vote of confidence! The only downside is that the sleeves are a little short, in that I can't use the end of the sleeve to wipe sweat off of my face. Oh well.

*Over-the-Shoulder-Boulder-Holders (sorry guys): Never underestimate the power of a good sports bra. I've always went cheap- Old Navy, Target, even Mejier. It's just going to get sweaty and nasty anyway. But investing in a good sports bra is as important as investing in a good pair of shoes. The stability and non-jigglyness of a good bra is key and makes me want to run more. I went with recommendations from my trainer and from Playmaker's staff and went with the Moving Comfort brand. You can pick your activity intensity, wire/no wire, full coverage- the options were nearly endless. I picked up two of these bad boys - both on clearance- and I want more. Granted, they were still $33 each at the clearance rate, but again- totally worth the investment.

I can't get the picture to flip for the life of me- but you get the point!

*Head/Sweat Band: I thought about going all 1980's NBA player and getting a big ol' sweatband, but I found something a little classier- SweatyBands. These little pieces of magic hold the hair back from the face without moving. It absorbs some sweat, but at some point it's just too saturated. But it's not just about the sweat for us long-hair beauties. We need the hair to stay away from the face while working out. SweatyBands are designed to be no-slip, and they are true to their word. I bought 3- the one in the picture is the one I wore at the last race, but I may change it to the black/pink polka dot one on race day. Either way, I will have a SweatyBand on that day- and I guess there will be some for sale at the race expo prior to the race, too. Maybe a Detroit-themed one...?

The only thing left I need to get is a good pair of headphones. I like my iPhone earbuds as they have a good sound quality and the volume can be operated from outside of the phone, however, the left earbud just won't stay put sometimes. That being said, I may run part of the race with only one earbud in, as the race organizers recommend not wearing headphones at all. Silly coordinators, music keeps me on pace!

On a side note- I have officially signed up for my SECOND half-marathon-- I'm doing the Lansing Half in May 2014. This is in prep for the ultimate goal of the full marathon next October. I'm feeling confident, but fully know that this is nuts.