The Slingshot Effect

I have always thought of rest being a lot like pulling a slingshot.  My theory is that rest prepares my body, developing momentum and the itch to run so that when it is time to run (or race) again, I am ready to fly!

This theory works for me because while I see the benefits of rest, I still find it hard to do.  If it were up to me and if my body would cooperate I would run every day.  And some weeks I do.  But I know if I want to perform well, I've got to give my body a break.  This past Saturday I was sort of forced into a rest day by the weather.

And then this week I got to experience the slingshot effect... 

Sunday's run with Shannon and Kristi was a good one, despite the weather still being on the nasty side.  I felt a little tired afterward and even told Jason it felt like I'd run much farther than 10 miles.  When Monday morning rolled around, I did not really have an agenda.  Another gray day greeted me as I stepped out the door and I thought, "Just get through it."  I took off and and felt surprisingly fresh.  So I pushed.  The first mile was 7:46 and I thought it would be good if I could keep it there.

I seem to run these inverted tempo runs when I run alone.  The first and last miles are the fastest, with all the miles in the middle being slower.  I had some tough hills to climb on my route, but I told myself to hold it as best I could.  I did a total of seven, running miles two through five around 8:20 pace or faster.  When I turned around for the final two miles home, I decided to kick it up.

Sometimes I use a mental trick where I tell myself to forget what I've already run and to think only about what I am about to run.  That left me looking at only two miles.  Mile six was 7:32 and mile seven was 7:23.  I was pretty excited about that.  Those miles pulled my average down to an 8:02 and, for me that is a rare average when I am not racing.

This morning I met the girls at 5:00 a.m. and we tackled what has been dubbed "The Dragon."  This is a steep hill about half a mile long sitting amidst lots of other hills.  One of these other hills is called the Little Dragon and it is equally as mean, just shorter than the big guy (or girl as it was decided this morning).  We ran the little dragon twice before and after the big dragon, returning to our cars at 5.5 miles.  I wanted a few more, so after a few minutes of stretching I stuck my earphones in and headed back out.  It was still early and the sky was just growing light.

My total for the morning was 9 by the time I quit and the average pace was 9:06.  That too is rare when the dragon is involved.  At the end my legs felt seriously fatigued, but I liked it.  It is rare that my legs actually burn during a run these days, but they burned today and the feeling afterward was pleasant.  The morning was pleasant too and I would have liked to continue running these tired legs until I couldn't anymore.

These last three days are why I love to run.  The friendships, the miles, the work, the paces.  That feeling when my body is ready to hit it hard once again and see what it can do.  That feeling of fatigue in muscles that have worked hard to climb and push and dial it up a notch when asked.  I love that.

Tuesday's Treat

One thing I really like to see on a food label is a short list of ingredients.  If you are selling me cheese, why are there three paragraphs of ingredients?  The same goes for chocolate chips or juices or anything that claims, "This is good for you!"  It isn't good if it is full of fake or harmful ingredients (although I don't think chocolate chips claim that). 

I am certainly not an expert on what exactly every single ingredient is, but I know some of the bad ones.  And when the list is short and sweet, like in Triscuits Thin Crisps, I like that a lot!  The ingredients are whole wheat, soybean/palm oil and salt.  I can eat about 15 of them for 130 calories.

In addition to this little cracker I like to add a wedge of Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss or Light Mozzarella, Sun-dried Tomato and Basil.  One wedge is 35 calories and just enough for my 15 thin crisps.  The ingredient list for these is short as well, and I have yet to discover anything harmful in them.

I am usually VERY cautious about choosing a "lite" or "fat free" version of a food because most of the time that means they have substituted something bad with something worse.  If you compare the labels between a regular potato chip and a "lite" version of the same chip, you will see that fat may go down, but carbohydrates go up, along with sodium content and/or sugar.  I have also found a longer list of unknown ingredients in the lighter or fat free versions.  Sometimes, like with many cheeses, they have simply used skim milk instead of whole milk, but I like to read the labels just in case to see what they did to change the fat or calorie content.

I think in many cases the best choice is to buy the regular item and stick to the serving size.  It may be hard at first to put those 9 potato chips in your lunch bag, but after a few days I think you will find that one serving is sufficient. 

So there is your Tuesday Treat for today.  Enjoy!

A Weekend Wash

My three-day weekend was a wash, and when I say wash, I literally mean it rained for most of it. 

Friday went mostly as planned...sort of.  I awoke at 5:00 and looked at my clock, which also tells me the temp outside.  It said 50.  I thought that was just about perfect.  I put on my calf-length tights and a long sleeved running shirt, put my hair up and drove to Julie's.  When I got out at Julie's however, the weather felt significantly colder than 50 degrees.  Julie looked at me funny when I walked in.  I said, "It is a cold 50 outside."  She responded, "It isn't 50, it's 37," and showed me the weather on her iphone.  Oops.  She gave me a jacket and we stood there whining about the cold until she said, "We could just have coffee and then drive to meet our people."  Deal.

So we drove to our meeting spot and only the other coaches were there.  We talked to them for a few minutes and then hopped back into our car and went to Kroger for a few groceries before driving back to her house.  We did not run a step and in 37 degrees we were okay with that.

I came home to see Jason off to work and did some chores around the house before heading to Fayetteville. I hung out with Mom and Dad for a bit before Mom and I ran 6 miles.  Dad had his physical therapy appointment and then a doctor's appointment, so we dropped him off at the first and went to look for a giant pot for my pine.  After that I drove home, stopping at Lowe's on the way for potting soil.

Saturday was a total wash - literally.  I awoke to storms, which was extremely pleasant so I lounged in bed until 8:30 (which, for me, is extreme sleeping in).  Jason made pancakes and I made coffee and the lounging continued...and continued...and continued.  But in my defense, so did the rain outside.  It was fun despite not getting to run, and I knew I would probably benefit from the rest.

Sunday I made plans with Shannon and Kristi to run 10 miles after church.  This plan came to fruition and I had a wonderful, albeit chilly run with them.  We ran 10 at 9:15 pace, climbing some pretty mean hills in Shannon's neighborhood toward the end.  I felt good, except for a few aches and pains from a body that did not move much the previous day.

I stopped by the grocery store on my way home and stocked up for the week.  Then came home and ate some cheerios with some banana added in before spending some much needed time on the foam roller.  I couldn't bear it very long so I soon gave up and hopped into a blissfully hot shower. 

So the entire weekend consisted of only 16 miles and zero yard work.  It did contain a lot of relaxing, resting and rejuvenating though, so I'm not really complaining.  Just explaining what really happened.

When Thursday is Friday

Today is Thursday, but it is my Friday because UAH has given us one whopping day for Spring Break.  That's okay.  I'll gladly take it.  I've got plans and I can't wait to get to them!

Tomorrow (the real Friday) I'm getting up early to go to Julie's and run the 1.8 miles with her to meet any of our No Boundaries runners who show up for the alternate weekly run.  We will run and walk 1 mile with them and then Julie and I will run back to her house.  To get there and back, we must traverse a massive hill.  I am proud of Julie for braving it.  I think she is still unsure about this running thing.  She likes it and she doesn't.  She thinks I am some sort of fast and dedicated runner (her words) and I want to constantly remind her that I started exactly where she is.  And "fast" is a relative term anyway.  But I digress.

After that, I will see my sweet husband off to work and then make my way to Fayetteville to hang with my parents.  I am SO ready to see Dad again (who is doing wonderfully, by the way) and Mom wants to run with me.  I will confess that usually this is hard for me to do.  I have become extremely selfish when it comes to my running (although Mom may assert that I have always been so).  It is not that I want every single run to be fast and furious, but I want some to be, and I want all of them to be at a certain level.  I just do.  That level requires an average pace of 10 minutes per mile or less.  And I want to get in several runs each week that are quite a bit less.  That is just where I am right now.

Fridays, however, are my free-for-all days.  I look forward to them all week, because on Friday mornings I go with my sister and do whatever it is she wants to do.  Sometimes we do 2 miles, sometimes 3 - always at her pace.  We drink coffee beforehand and talk the entire time.  During the No Boundaries season, we share these runs with our runners.  But I still look forward to them all the same.

So this Friday it is easier to run with Mom because it is my rest day and Saturday I will be hitting one more long run as hard as I can.  I'd like to do 18-20 miles somewhere under a 9:00 minute average pace.  But if I don't do the mileage or the pace...I think I'll be okay with that too.  I feel my marathon season coming to a close and with it my motivation to run all of these miles.  It is time to do other things in the sun besides run.  Other things like yard work.

It has always been my dream to have a beautiful yard.  Flowers, plants, green grass, no weeds, trees, a bird bath.  Each year, however, my yard gets less and less attention as I give it all to my running.  This year I want to find a better balance.  After the marathon in April, I'm going to cool it and do other things.  Sure, I still want to run every day, but if I dial it down a notch, I should have more energy to do other things.  And with this spring weather and extra sunshine each day, I am itching to get out there, stick my hands in the dirt and see some color growing in my flower beds.

These are the things I think about when Thursday is Friday.  Flowers and running...and clock watching until I can do those things.

Tuesday's Treat

Today's healthy treat is carrots with hummus.  This may sound weird...or it may be something you discovered long ago.  I'm not sure how I came across the idea, but I like carrots and I like hummus, and both are easy to pack for lunch. 

I like to think of hummus as the healthier version of ranch dressing or some other dip for veggies.  If you don't know what hummus is (which I did not for a long time), it is smashed up chick peas with different spices for flavor.  It may not sound good, but give it a try before you make up your mind.

This little snack is tasty as well as healthy, and can be turned into a meal with some pita bread or pita chips to go along with it.  Add another veggie such as tomatoes or celery, and you have yourself a very healthy lunch that will give you energy without sitting heavy on your stomach.   

I came across this recipe for making your own hummus, if you'd like to give that a try.  Or you can buy it in little tubs at your local grocery store - found most of the time near the specialty cheeses near the bakery.  My favorite brand of pita chip (so far) is Stacy's - and they come in every possible flavor you can imagine.  I think the serving size is 10 chips for 130 calories, but this depends on what flavor you get.

So try some carrots and hummus, make your own modifications and enjoy!

The Week in Miles

One of the most satisfying things to me is to look back at a week and see successful training plan execution.  I have run long enough to know that sometimes life gets in the way of a training plan.  And that is really okay.  I make all of my training plans in pencil, should I need to change the daily mileage for any reason.  Family, work, weather, injury or being simply worn plum out - these things can cause the need for flexibility.  But sometimes everything comes together just as I had planned, and that feels good. It gives me confidence that I will be able to achieve whatever I am training to do.

This week was one of those successful training weeks. 

Sunday, March 13 - I started the week off with a rest day.  After a 62 mile week with a half-marathon and an attempted long run, I figured a rest day was in order before I tried to rev things up again.

Monday, March 14 - 8.5 early morning miles with Julia and Katie averaging a 9:52 pace.  I felt good after my rest day, but my right leg was a bit sore.

Tuesday, March 15 - I ran 6.2 miles at lunch alone averaging an 8:13 pace.

Wednesday, March 16 - This was my speed work day.  I met Julia at 5:15 a.m. and we did 1 warm-up mile followed by 4 x 1600 at 7:40 pace with an 800 jog in between.  We followed this up with  a 1.5 mile cool down.

Thursday, March 17 - Early morning run with Kristi hitting our big, mean hill right in the middle.  We ran 10 miles right at 10:00 pace.  That afternoon Jason and I put on our green and went to Fleet Feet to run the St. Patrick's Day Fun Run.  I ran 2.1 miles at 8:18 pace.

Friday, March 18 - This is supposed to be a semi-rest day, but after sitting inside at work all day I was irritable when I got home so Jason sent me out for a quick 3 miler.  I averaged 8:10 pace, sweating out all the behind-the-desk-ness.

Saturday, March 19 - Long run day with Shannon.  We met in Mooresville at 7:00a.m. and ran 5 miles before the Rocket Run 10 Mile averaging 9:44 pace.  I ran the Rocket Run 10 mile at an 8:29 pace and followed that up with 5 more miles with Shannon, Katie and Julia at a 10:14 pace.  A GREAT day to be out, and I saw many running pals I had not seen in a while.  Shannon completed her first ever 20 miler in order to get ready for her first marathon.  It was great to be a part of that!

The total was 57.8 for the week and I was pleased with that (despite the slightly annoying closeness to 58).

I'd like one more week like this one before starting to taper somewhat for the April marathon coming up.  It is my hope that the high mileage coupled with the weekly speed work will help me shave a few more minutes off the latest marathon PR.  If not, that is okay too.  I'm still sort of basking in that one.

Change Those Voices

This morning as I drove to work a song by Pink came on the radio and it is one I like.  The clean radio version of the song is called "Less Than Perfect" and there was some controversy over the video.  I watched it to see what the fuss was all about, and I decided I liked it.  Her video portrays explicitly how some people deal with feeling inadequate (which may be an inadequate way of describing how they feel), and I thought it was...brave to make a video like that.  And honest.


My favorite lyrics go like this:

You're so mean when you talk about yourself
You are wrong
Change those voices in your head
Make them like you instead

I love that part.  I think it applies to everyone.  Not just those who have suffered in ways we can't imagine, but also the regular average guy who hasn't suffered at all. The guy who has a good job, a wife and 2.5 kids.  I think we all have those voices that tell us untrue things about how we can't do this or that, how we are not good enough to get this or that, that others probably don't like us because of this or that, and that we are simply no good.  To anyone.  Period.

As Pink sings in her song, these voices are wrong.  As a Christian, I believe I am an amazing creature, fearfully and wonderfully made, and in God's image too!  Sure, I forget this every single day, but that does not make it any less true.  I think I (along with everyone else) am so used to hearing these voices, that I don't even realize when they fill my mind with doubts about my value.  I get so used to hearing them, I forget to disagree. 

It is when I begin to question these voices in return that things happen.  I am brave enough to try something new.  I believe I will succeed.  I'm not overly upset when I don't, because I know I can try again.  And if I can't do it...that is really okay too (although I don't think that will be the outcome).  It does not affect my value at all. 

When I think about this, I often think about running.  And it seems the more I change those voices, the more I am willing to try to achieve.  But this applies to way more important things than just running.  I believe the entire course of one's life can change if they change the voices they are listening to.  And despite what you may think - you DO have the power to change those voices. There is an amazing God to help you, and probably some friends and family as well. 

So what are you waiting for? 

Tuesday Healthy Eats and Treats

I've decided to start a series.  As a health conscious runner who has a busy life, I am constantly on the lookout for yummy, healthy snacks to grab and throw in my lunch box each morning before work.  Packing a healthy, filling lunch is important to me because I'd rather eat something that keeps my energy up and gives my body what it needs to do this whole running thing, than anything in the vending machine.  But I need a little convenience too.  I'm busy.  And who isn't?

I also think food products attempt to disguise the bad stuff they contain, which is why reading labels is important.  Now, I do not know what every ingredient is, but I do know some of the bad ones and I try to avoid as many of those as I can.

This series is going to address all of those things.  Each Tuesday (for it starts with a T - just like "treats"), I am going to address one healthy eat or treat that I believe is good for us and convenient.  I'm going to read labels, consider cost and location, taste test and tell you what I think.

And if you have something you think I should try, send it to me at Jane.Reneau@gmail.com.  If you notice I've included a treat that is NOT as healthy as I think, you should definitely comment and give me and the other readers the scoop!

So, let's get started!  My first healthy eat and treat is an all time favorite that I discovered at a race expo.  It is the Cascadian Farms granola bar.  I eat one of these almost every day.  This brand is organic and they make cereal, granola bars, jellies, frozen dinners, and juices.  But my most favorite is the granola bar.  My flavors of choice are the chocolate chip, peanut butter chip, and white chocolate chip (although I bet all the others are pretty great as well).

The chocolate chip has 140 calories.  That may sound like a lot, but take into consideration that it satisfies that craving for something sweet, has nothing harmful to you in it (unless you have certain allergies), and keeps you full for a while due to the rolled oats.  Most candy bars contain double the amount of calories as one of these.

I have found them at Kroger, Publix, Earth Fare, and Wal-mart, although that is not an exhaustive list.  They are usually a little over $3.00, but you can usually find coupons for them and Kroger sometimes has sale going.

So grab a box the next time you are grocery shopping and I bet you won't regret it!  And tune in on Tuesdays for the next healthy treat!

Training Sabotage

This Saturday was a gorgeous day.  Warm sunshine, bright blue skies, light cool breezes.  It was perfect for a long run and I could not wait to get out in it for my 18 miler.  I just knew, on a day like that, it would be a good one.

The thing I misjudged was that it was warmer.  Much warmer than my previous training runs.  I had planned to use my sister's house as an aid stop, but she and her family had gone to Mom and Dad's, so that option was out.  Instead of coming up with a plan B, however, I just left it at that and began my run without a water bottle and without a plan of when I would refuel.

The sun was warm on my skin and I felt really good.  I wasn't overly concerned with my pace, keeping it around 8:40.  It was warmer and I'd had a big mileage week, so my goal was to simply get the mileage in at a relatively decent pace.

Around mile 10 my pace began to slow.  I figured this was because I was so thirsty so I began to head home.  I knew I would reach my house around mile 12 and planned to drink a little Gatorade before doing my last 6 miles.

When I stopped, however, it really hit me.  I was tired and thirsty and hot, and my muscles felt as if they'd run a lot more than 12 miles.  Still, I headed back out to finish the run.  After slogging through 3 miles, I knew it was not doing me any good, and I called it at mile 15.  My pace was dropping significantly and my legs felt so heavy, as if they were running through mud.  I was mad at myself when I realized this was all my doing.  I should have started earlier.  I should have taken aid.  I should have carried my water bottle.  The list goes on.  At the end of the day, I knew it could have and should have been avoided. 

I felt pretty worn out the rest of the day.  I was covered in salt when I got home, more so than usual. I  replenished with water and Gatorade, took a shower, ate some cereal and rested on the couch for a bit.  I was a little disappointed that I did not get in my 18, but not overly concerned about it.  The total mileage for the week was 62 and I had started it with a half-marathon.  I wondered if I'd been fooling myself to think I could start the week with a half marathon and finish it with an 18 miler.

Either way, what's done is done.  I sabotaged my own training run, but I still have time to get in a few more before the next marathon. This coming Saturday I'm running a 10 mile race with a 5 miler before and after with a friend.  With the bonus of a buddy along with me and being smarter about my fuel, I think my next attempt will be a success.

Vacation Training

I view vacation time as time to relax, read, enjoy being outside and spend quality time with Jason, but I also view it as time to RUN.  I can run whenever I want, however long I want and I can recover as I need to from whatever I decided to do each day.  So despite the fact that we spent our first day in Seaside, FL racing the half-marathon, I knew I wanted to take advantage of all those wide open vacation days along the shore.

After each run, I walked down to the ocean and stood in it.  The first day I did this was warm and the seas were calm. Even though the water was cold, it felt great to stand in it.  I walked in up to my knees, the waves occasionally hitting me even higher.  It was cold but refreshing and felt great on my tired legs and feet.  I stood in the crystal clear ocean looking out at the vastness of it and talked to God for a bit.

Here is the training schedule I followed.  I ran whatever I felt each day, pushing the pace when I had energy to use, and just getting through the miles when I didn't.  There is a wide path along the coast that is somewhere around 16 miles or so.  I ran on this path each day, running over bridges, by bays, through lush grasses, enjoying the different scenery.

Sunday, March 6 - 13.1 miles, 1:44:17 - 7:56 average pace
Lots of walking around Seaside afterward and fish tacos at Bud and Alley's taco bar.  Our plan had been to try out several restaurants in the area but...after our first day here, we returned every afternoon.

Monday, March 7 - 7 miles, 58:39 - 8:22 pace average pace
I felt surprisingly good on this run and tried to push.  This was the day that was so gorgeous and the ocean was clear and calm.  Lots of walking around afterward and, of course, fish tacos.

Tuesday, March 8 - 6 miles, 53:01 - 8:50 average pace
I was super tired on this day and all I wanted to do was get through the miles and get to my fish tacos. This was also Jason's 35th birthday, so he had gotten me up at 6:00 a.m. to go to the Donut Hole.  That may have something to do with how I felt on my run. We followed up our fish tacos with a long walk on the beach.

Wednesday, March 9 - 8 miles, 1:08:10 - 8:31 average pace
A very windy run, although I felt pretty good.  A storm was blowing in so we went quickly down to the ocean for one last soak and then into Destin for seafood and shopping.  We sat eating shrimp overlooking the ocean as the storm blew in bringing thunder, lightning and even hail along with it.  We got coffee and shared a piece of cake while we waited.  Then we hit the shops. 

Thursday, March 10 - 7 miles, 58:49 - 8:24 average pace
This was my last run on my coastal path.  I felt pretty good, although the wind was still pretty strong.  It was a gorgeous day, and so I visited the ocean one last time before we packed up and headed home. 

Friday, March 11 - 6 miles, 1:02:45 - 10:27 average pace
I pulled myself out of bed at 5:00 to meet the girls for a morning run before work.  It was a jolting 34 degrees, but I had their company and that was worth it.  I was super tired and happy to get in 6 miles while catching up with my girls.

That brings me to this very moment - 8:36 a.m. on a Saturday morning.  I have had coffee and cinnamon toast, and I am mentally preparing myself for an 18 miler.  For some reason no matter how many times I've done this, these long runs always seem daunting.  It is a gorgeous day outside and I have no real pace in mind.  Something around 8:45 or less would do just fine.  If I complete the full 18 miles, that will give me 64 miles for the week.  That may be a weekly mileage PR for me...

It was a wonderful vacation.  I am glad to be home, but I know I will miss those wide open days full of running, walking everywhere we went, the smell of the ocean and those amazing fish tacos.  

No Boundaries

For our fourth season, my sister and I will be coaches for the No Boundaries program, which trains new and returning runners to complete a 5k.  I love this program.  Actually, what I love is encouraging people to do something challenging, something they aren't quite sure they can do.  I love promoting fitness and health.  I love talking about running.  And I love running with all kinds of people at all kinds of fitness levels and getting to know them.

Simply put, this program is GREAT (and not just because I love it)!  We start off small, walking 2 minutes and running for 1 minute, and we build from there.  It is so gradual, that if you follow your weekly training plan, it almost sneaks up on you and before you know it...you are running 3.1 miles.

I call our group the Madison Maniacs and we run primarily in Madison, AL on Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m.  My sister and I offer an alternate run early Friday mornings for any interested in running with us again each week.  That also takes place in Madison.  This Monday, March 14, we will meet at our local Fleet Feet in Huntsville for orientation and then our first run will be Tuesday, March 22, 2011.  We will train for 10 weeks and then we will run the Cotton Row 5k on May 30, 2011. 

We currently have 15 people registered to train, and we have slots for 30.  That means you can still register if you are interested.  If so, follow the link below. The cost is $85.00 plus your $4.00 sign up fee.  And you get stuff - a tech shirt, a hat, a water bottle, and when you finish your 5k, a cool New Balance finishers jacket.

No Boundaries Madison Registration

Unsure about all of this? E-mail me at Jane.Reneau@gmail.com and I will talk you into it.

Against the Wind

I awoke early Sunday morning in a cute little cottage by the sea and I could hear the wind howling outside.  It had finally quit storming, but no one had informed the wind and it was still going strong.  As I listened to it whip around the palm trees outside my window I said a prayer.  I try not to rush into the presence of God these days full of requests and things I want Him to do for me, but on this blustery day I walked quickly to His presence and said good morning.  I told him I knew He controlled the winds and told him of all the stories I'd read where He had done it.  Then I asked him if He would consider bringing it down a few knots.  I had a half marathon to run in 5 hours.

I had very little emotionally invested in this half-marathon.  Sure, I would have liked to PR and I believed I had it within me to do so.  But, I was still basking in my marathon PR and that was a bigger deal for the time being.  Still...listening to that wind I did not look forward to running in that at all.

My alarm woke me up again around 5:30 and I laid there listening...I could hear it, but it did not sound as angry as it did earlier.  Weather.com said it was 24 mph and 54 degrees outside.  I began to prepare myself mentally to just get through it.  I needed a long run that weekend and this would just be a way of getting that done.

Jason and I had coffee and got dressed, and then walked the 3 quarters of a mile to the start line.  I wore my long sleeved red Rocket City Marathon shirt and my black shorts from the Mercedes marathon.  Normally I would wear short sleeves in those temperatures, but with the wind I figured I would want sleeves for protection against it.

When the race began I still hadn't decided what sort of pace or strategy to follow.  In those few seconds of inching my way to the start line I decided to experiment.  Since I really was not emotionally invested, what if I tried to run hard the whole way?  If I bonked, I bonked.  But if I didn't, I'd PR.  So I ran.  I held my pace under 8 minutes until around mile 8, and that mile was an 8:01.  I told myself I did not need to run over 8's yet, and to get it back down to 7's.

I tried to utilize something Jason had told me.  He said he tries to run each mile for that mile only.  So in a marathon, he does not think of all the miles to come, he thinks only of the mile he is currently running and how fast he wants to run that mile.  So that is what I did.  I told myself I was not tired and for one more mile I could keep a sub-8 minute pace.  And then for one more and one more and one more. 

I did begin to feel fatigued around mile 10.  And it got worse after that.  Still, I did not want to drop pace and so I began to think about my friend Katie and her amazing 3:18 marathon.  Toward the end, when she began to grow tired, her mantra became "disassociate yourself" and she told herself she was really lying on a beach somewhere relaxing.  So, holding my pace as hard as I could (it had begun to creep over 8 by this point), I disassociated myself but not before I reminded myself that there was some GREAT seafood waiting for me after I finished this thing. 

At this point in the race the crowd of runners had thinned considerably.  I was still running with many of the people I'd seen in front of me, and as I watched their legs move over the pavement I wondered how they could run that fast.  Then I wondered how I could stay with them.  Little whispers of doubt crept in saying I was not that kind of runner. I could not hold sub 8 that long and I needed to slow down.  I fought these thoughts while willing my own legs to keep moving.

At last I saw the finish line and I knew I had a PR.  I ran for all I was worth telling myself to give it if I had it.  I started to catch a girl who had been running a good deal ahead of me the whole race.  She wasn't having it though and she shot forward, slowing back down after her brief spurt.  Still, I was not racing her.  The only girl I cared about beating on this day was myself and I took her DOWN.  I crossed the finish line in 1:44:19, a little over 3 minutes below my current PR of 1:47:44. 

I heard Jason's cheer and I smiled at him.  As I walked through the finishing shoot he said, "Don't pick blue."  I wasn't sure what he meant until I spotted the tables of Vera Bradley bags we got to choose from as our prize for finishing the race.  I picked green. 

I exited the shoot with my bag, banana and water bottle and told Jason I had PR'd.  I asked about his race and he said he had not run as fast as he'd wanted, but that he had still finished 2nd over all with a 1:19.  He said the course was much hillier than he thought it would be and I agreed.  He also complained about the horrible wind. 

The wind...I had hardly noticed it.  Thinking back, I could remember a few strong gusts at the very beginning but nothing after that.  I had run an average of 7:56 pace in supposedly strong winds, and I had not even noticed.  God may not have calmed the wind that day, but he made me strong enough to run against it.  As I stood on the beach looking out at the ocean the next day I told Him thank you.  It doesn't seem like enough, but my heart was much fuller than those two words can express.

Blog Suggestions

Well, my few devoted readers, I may be MIA from blogland for a few days, but I will be back!  While I'm gone, however, I thought I'd point you to a few blogs I love to read.  That way, if you need a few moments of procrastination from work or the next household chore, or if you need some lunchtime reading - you have options. 

The first blog is that of my good running friend, Katie.  We met when we were both on the Fleet Feet Racing Team.  She found my blog, knew I lived near her and that I graduated from Auburn, so she sent me an e-mail.  I invited her to run with me and the morning gaggle, she said yes, and the rest is history.  She has become a dear friend and great running resource as well.  She recently ran a 3:18 marathon, which was a PR for her and her story is amazing. 

For the amazing marathon story, go here. 

For the moving and insightful story about her struggle with anorexia, go here. 

The second blog belongs to an old friend of mine named Brett Harrison.  We met...oh back in my middle school and high school days at Camp Wiregrass, were in China at the same time, and now he, his wife and his little girl are currently missionaries in Tanzania.  His blog contains a variety of things from his interpretations of stories and passages in the Bible, to his experiences in Tanzania, to his own athletic pursuits. 

His blog is worth a read. I always find something of interest there, and sometimes something a little life-changing as well. Visit http://jamesbrett.wordpress.com/.

That is all for now!  Have a great week!  When I return to my computer, I will have stories to share, and I'm also throwing around the idea of my first series.  More on that to come!

Two Thursday Things

The First Thing
I get to go straight home from work today.  STRAIGHT HOME.  This is kind of exciting.  Monday night I attended Bodypump at the gym after work. Tuesday night I attended Turbokick at the gym after work.  Wednesday night I had class and taught my first 5-minute group fitness segment.  But tonight...I will get off work and go straight home.

This is usually my schedule each week.  Sometimes I go to the gym on Thursday evenings too, and that may still occur from time to time.  But not tonight!  I ran 10 miles with Kristi this morning and that is enough for today. 

It is a good thing Jason is a sweet and understanding fellow athlete who likes to cook.   For the last two months (and possibly longer) he has done most (let's say 95%) of the cooking.  And laundry.  And dishes.  Without complaint.  While running, cycling and going to work every day.

But tonight...TONIGHT...is my night.  I already have salsa chicken cooking in the crock pot.  Look out Suzy Homemaker!  Jane is stepping up! (But just for tonight.  Let's not get carried away.) 

The Second Thing
I think I have a psychological issue with bananas.  I believe that I should eat one every day in order to be healthy, strong and to run well. I believe this so strongly that it REALLY bothers me when I don't have one to eat.  I actually spend time worrying about it.  I realized this just a few minutes ago when I thought of all the weeks not to eat a banana every day, why did I run out the week before a half-marathon?  I even figured I probably would not run very well due to this fact.  I tried to make myself feel better by reminding myself that I packed an orange in my lunch.  But then I firmly informed myself that an orange was not as good as a banana.  I think it has something to do with believing I should always have banana nutrients in my bloodstream.

Should I get counseling or buy stock in Chiquita?  Even more strange is the fact that I don't even like them that much.  They are tolerable, and I can usually get one down while working or doing something to distract myself from the fact that I am eating a banana.  But it takes some doing. 

None of it makes sense.  But there it is.  Those are my two things on this lovely Thursday morning.

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And here is a cool little banana recipe and some banana facts that make me seem a little less insane.

Speeding with Friends

As I mentioned in my last post, I have a new training plan that is helping me (hopefully) shave a few more minutes off my marathon time (3:45 currently).  This training plan includes once-a-week speed work, which is something I detest.  Still, I thought it is just once a week and when I saw the workouts, they were something I could wrap my mind around actually doing.

The first was this morning.  The workout consisted of a 1 mile warm up, 4 x 1600 at 7:45 pace with 800 jogs in between.  My friend, Julia, joined me and since neither one of us are fans of the track, she mapped out a nice little neighborhood route with as few hills as possible. 

The workout was a success!  It was great having a buddy to talk to during the half-mile rests, and since Julia is faster then me, she provided someone to hang on to during the miles so that I did not drop pace when it got uncomfortable.  At one point when she began to pull ahead, I glanced at my watch to see that we were running 7:13 pace.  I laughed and gave myself permission to slow a bit as Julia ran effortlessly (so it appeared) in front of me.

As we ran through the neighborhoods of our town, the sliver of moon was replaced by the sunrise and it was lovely to see.  As we pushed the pace from street to street, I thought, at least we have that to look at while we do this.  All in all, however, it was not that bad.  When we reached the end of our last cool down 800, I asked Julia if she was up for 1 more mile and she said yes.  Despite the faster pace, I was feeling pretty good when we were finished and I was not ready to stop.

Next week's speed work takes the form of a tempo run, and Julia said she would join me once again.  We will be running 1 warm-up mile and then 6 miles at 8:20 or less pace, with 1 cool down mile afterward.  That work out doesn't sound so bad either, and I find myself actually looking forward to it after today's mile repeat experience.

Running the Huntsville half marathon with Julia in 2009...back when
she thought she needed to hang on to ME.

On the Road Again

I find it difficult to remain goal-less.  I don't mind setting long term goals that take several months to work toward, and sometimes right after a big event I remain without a goal in order to fully recover.  But always in my mind resides the constant question asking what is next. I don't mind waiting for it, but I like knowing what it will be. I'm not sure what it is about myself or human nature that constantly seeks that.  Maybe because I simply enjoy it or maybe there is some hole of deficiency in life that I seek to fill...either way, I have yet to find a reason to stop.

I basked in my marathon PR until Dad's accident and then I was distracted by that and nothing else seemed to matter.  Now that he is home and on the mend, my mind returns to the course it was on.

What's next? 

Short term I have a half marathon this Sunday.  I am not sure what I will be able to do.  I'd love a PR and I intend to shoot for a 1:45, which would take 2 minutes off my current best.  I love half marathons, but to me they are somewhat tricky.  Still a long run so some conservation of energy seems needed, but not much.  Finding that balance for the 13.1 miles is harder for me to do and I find myself dropping pace around mile 10.  I have to admit that I rarely conserve in this race.  I just run.  As hard as I can as long as I can.  Maybe a new strategy is in order, but I'm not sure what it should be.  For now, I run them as well as I can, enjoying a longer run at a faster pace.

Long term I have another marathon planned for April.  Jason has helped me find a plan that should train me to shave off a few minutes from my 3:45.  Nothing overly dramatic, just some added speed work each week - something I can wrap my mind around. 

Longer term than that I am looking at a 40 miler on the ROAD in May.  I plan to train for this, using the half marathon for the marathon training and the marathon for the 40 mile training. However, if the weather forecast says it is going to be hot on the 40 mile day, I won't sign up.  I've run enough hot races in my time to know that is not for me.

For now that is it. Unless injury or weather or some other circumstance calls a halt, that is what I will be working toward as I run down the road. Again.