The nerves were all for nothing; however, I would bet they gave me my initial kick to start the Baltimore half this past weekend. A beautiful day for a run - overcast, mid-60s and spitting rain that lasted throughout the race. The marathoners started the first half of their race early. The half-marathon was scheduled to start at the marathon halfway point, allowing both groups of racers to finish together. Containing my nerves was quite the task before the race. When I woke up it was more or less controllable. It's when I walked downstairs to get breakfast (half a bagel with light butter) and to gather my things to leave it started to sink in. Then when we got to the race - I felt like the nerves were protruding from my skin. I asked Chris to hug me many times because it almost felt like he was holding them in! That relaxed me. Finally Marley, Ashley and I headed for the start line with about 10 minutes to go and our boyfriends all left to head for their first stop to cheer us on.
Race organizers shared some announcements over the loudspeaker and then someone sang the National Anthem. Before I knew it the gun sounded to signify the start of my very first half-marathon. My watch was ready to go and the crowd slowly jogged to the start banner. I reached the strip that activated the electronic timing chip that was attached to my shoe, which means GAME ON! Here comes the adrenaline rush ... it strung through my entire body like a lightening bolt, struck my legs and I took off. During the first mile I looked down at my watch once and noticed I was running at a 8:28 pace. Quickly I decided that going to be the last time I saw those numbers, and the last time I saw anything higher than eight. I thought my speedy start was going to make me pay later but luckily that wasn't the case.
Little did I know Baltimore has some pretty unforgiving hills. From miles three through 10 the racers experienced some gradual and steep hills. They all lasted between half a mile and one mile long. Training in Raleigh had thoroughly prepared me to face them though so they didn't slow up my pace too much, if at all. We weaved in and out of the ghetto of Baltimore. The marathoners started their race around the Inner Harbor and through Federal Hill - a much nicer part of the city - and then when they met up with us, we were the fortunate ones to get to see the less fortunate areas. Boarded up doors, shattered windows, detached siding ... quite the scene. But despite my surroundings I still enjoyed the run and all it had to offer very much. The support was great - running thin in some areas but flooding with enthusiasm in others. Something to expect from most any race I would assume.
I believe it was mile seven where we ran a one-mile loop around a beautiful lake outlined by a fence. I had two of my GU Chomps here. Two others I had right before the start, too - in hopes eating something would calm my nerves. There were groups of people on the side of the streets handing out peanut M&Ms, gummy bears, chips, bananas, among other things. I helped myself to some M&Ms. They are a weakness when I'm not running and apparently I can't turn them down when I'm in motion either. Bad idea. I took a handful and since they immediately started melting in my hand I popped them all into my mouth. Well when you have a mouthful of food it's hard to breath, and it's also hard to chew. About 20 minutes later I wanted to throw up chocolate. I don't hold a grudge against the M&Ms though - they are forgiven. :-) Halloween is right around the corner afterall!
I wore my water belt so to hold all my crap. I had chapstick, a few pieces of gum, GU Chomps, chafing cream that didn't get used, my phone and my disposable camera. I took pictures during the race - I forgot how bad the quality is with those cameras. I'll post them in addition to my other pictures taken with my digital camera. I like to keep my phone because after the race it's pure chaos and it's helpful to be able to call whoever you're with and find a meeting place. Also, I save draft text messages with various mileage numbers. This time I saved, 5, 8, 10 and 12. When I hit those marks I send the saved text to Chris so he knows where I am and where to find me. After the boys saw us in between mile one and two, they headed for the finish line. It helps him to know where I am so he isn't searching around aimlessly for one person out of 20,000 runners. Anyway - I didn't use the water bottles on the belt so to lighten to load and I knew I had multiple water stations to take advantage of along the course. The chaffing cream was not used but let me tell you - there have been more long runs where I wished I had some so it's worth being prepared!
The last few miles were great. Hundreds of people gathered on the outskirts of the course to cheer us on to the end. This really helps motivate a strong finish. We entered Camden Yards at mile 12 or a little after and ran on the brick path in the concourse of the baseball field. Then I heard a familiar shout - Chris and the boys were cheering and waving! He snapped a picture of me and then I crossed the finish line. What a feeling! I posted my results on the left side bar but to reiterate - I finished in 1:41:41 averaging a 7:46 pace. This was much better than I anticipated. To my surprise (again) I finished 8th in my division! :-) Now I'm more motivated than ever to kick some full marathon butt! It's going to be ruthless and exhausting but I know it's going to be well worth the work put in.
A spectator was holding a sign that caught my attention about halfway through the race ... "Pain is temporary but pride is forever." I really liked this and I kept thinking about it for the duration of the half. It'll be stored in the back of my mind whenever I need it to get me through any grueling runs.
Another thing that kept me going was having points in my mind to look forward to. As I mentioned before - I set text messages to send to Chris notifying him of my progress. So miles 5, 8, 10 and 12 were something to look forward to. I also was excited to see mile 6.55 ... halfway there! Then at mile 10 I knew after looking at the elevation map that most of the last three miles of the race was downhill, which gave me a little more of a boost. It helps me mentally to set little goals to reach the big one. If you break down the major goal into parts it doesn't make it seem as difficult to achieve anymore.
This was a great race and I recommend it to anyone. Baltimore was a wonderful host and Under Armour was a tremendous sponsor - mainly because of the awesome bag and shirt we got from participating. :-)
The day wasn't all good for everyone. A 23-year-old male marathoner collapsed and died at mile 25, just shy of the finish. They still don't know why. It's saddening to think about such a young life lost at a great event. My thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones.
Please check out the results image, my photos and the updated training schedule for this week. I'll be in touch with my continued marathon training. One goal down - one to go! This weekend will be my longest long run before the race - 22 miles. AND I have to knock it out while visiting my alma mater - Indiana University. What a great way to get reacquainted with the school again.
Thanks for the support! :-) Happy running!!
- merebrown01
- Raleigh, NC, United States
- Ex-field hockey player turned runner! After school I started running to keep in shape. I ran a few shorter races until I played a hand on a marathon. I qualified for the Boston Marathon on the first shot and then qualified again. There's nothing like pushing yourself so hard for something that not everyone has the guts to do ... and experiencing a rewarding accomplishment. These are my thoughts when I'm hitting the pavement.
Showing posts with label pace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pace. Show all posts
Monday, October 12, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Hitting the Hills
Finally I did the hill workout I've been wanting to do. I basically switched yesterday and today's workout. Yesterday I ran four miles on the treadmill like I said and today I ran six miles with hills (many, many hills). The first time I came across this monster in the midst of a long run (several months ago), I turned the corner of the street and I think every single car driving in my direction could read my lips and it's not something I would repeat in my very innocent blog. :-)
It was a little over a two mile run to the spot. Typically I would sprint up the hill, jog back down and then rest but this time I pushed myself harder. As I approached the bottom of the hill I picked up my speed and ran hard (I wouldn't call it a dead sprint) to the top. Without rest I turned around and jogged back down. I think running down a hill is almost as challenging as conquering the upward of it. It takes a lot of muscle control and careful footwork. Anyway, I reached the bottom of the hill, did a sharp pivot without taking a break and headed right back up the hill. I did this for roughly half a mile.
On my way back I encountered many more hills in my route and on side roads stemming from the major road I was running on. My plan of attack ... whenever I pass a hill or come up against one - RUN IT! Steep hills, gradual hills, short inclines, longer sprints - you name it, I did it tonight. I found myself back at my apartment after a smudge longer than six miles of running. With hills and recovery jogs included, I averaged an 8.05 pace. Without the recovery jogs, I would claim to have averaged a 7.30 pace. Easy. I was cruising tonight and really feeling good. Water has crept up to the top of my priority list recently, which I think had a big impact in my successful workout this evening. Forcing myself to drink water has finally turned it into habit. I still have a cup of coffee in the morning and a diet soda during the day, but I've made progress. There's really nothing wrong with coffee or soda as long as it's all in moderation. But back to the water ... now that I've seen the outcome of it, I will be sure to keep including that as a major part of my lifestyle and diet.
That's actually a great example of something that often times happens to me, as well as many other runners and athletes that I know. People fall into ruts and goodness knows I have stumbled into my fair share of unmotivated holes. Sometimes it revolves around running entirely and then there are moments that it deals with various facets of running, like drinking water, working on core or eating healthy. You just don't want to. It becomes so much more than you want to deal with. It's understandable ... everyone leads a busy life. But all it takes is to see the results, to know when you put in the work a difference will be made. Running can feel like a nuisance but until you experience that one energizing run or if you see a pound shed, it becomes a different story. For me with water, once I felt the difference it made in a run I quickly realized it's a vital part of training. If you know in your mind it's good, there comes a point when you need to simply force yourself to follow what you know no matter how much it sucks at the time. It'll pay off. There's no secret to training or dieting success, it all takes a lot of effort, commitment and of course, heart.
I might snap a shot of some of the hills I ran tonight and post them tomorrow. Hill workouts help in significantly strengthening your legs. The extra energy your body uses to drive yourself to the top of the hill is a very rewarding exercise and acts as a weight room for the runner. Runner's World discusses four types of hill workouts and when you should think about doing each one of them. RW also suggests not incorporating hill workouts more than two times a week into your training since it's a very exhausting and demanding activity.
Thanks for reading!!
It was a little over a two mile run to the spot. Typically I would sprint up the hill, jog back down and then rest but this time I pushed myself harder. As I approached the bottom of the hill I picked up my speed and ran hard (I wouldn't call it a dead sprint) to the top. Without rest I turned around and jogged back down. I think running down a hill is almost as challenging as conquering the upward of it. It takes a lot of muscle control and careful footwork. Anyway, I reached the bottom of the hill, did a sharp pivot without taking a break and headed right back up the hill. I did this for roughly half a mile.
On my way back I encountered many more hills in my route and on side roads stemming from the major road I was running on. My plan of attack ... whenever I pass a hill or come up against one - RUN IT! Steep hills, gradual hills, short inclines, longer sprints - you name it, I did it tonight. I found myself back at my apartment after a smudge longer than six miles of running. With hills and recovery jogs included, I averaged an 8.05 pace. Without the recovery jogs, I would claim to have averaged a 7.30 pace. Easy. I was cruising tonight and really feeling good. Water has crept up to the top of my priority list recently, which I think had a big impact in my successful workout this evening. Forcing myself to drink water has finally turned it into habit. I still have a cup of coffee in the morning and a diet soda during the day, but I've made progress. There's really nothing wrong with coffee or soda as long as it's all in moderation. But back to the water ... now that I've seen the outcome of it, I will be sure to keep including that as a major part of my lifestyle and diet.
That's actually a great example of something that often times happens to me, as well as many other runners and athletes that I know. People fall into ruts and goodness knows I have stumbled into my fair share of unmotivated holes. Sometimes it revolves around running entirely and then there are moments that it deals with various facets of running, like drinking water, working on core or eating healthy. You just don't want to. It becomes so much more than you want to deal with. It's understandable ... everyone leads a busy life. But all it takes is to see the results, to know when you put in the work a difference will be made. Running can feel like a nuisance but until you experience that one energizing run or if you see a pound shed, it becomes a different story. For me with water, once I felt the difference it made in a run I quickly realized it's a vital part of training. If you know in your mind it's good, there comes a point when you need to simply force yourself to follow what you know no matter how much it sucks at the time. It'll pay off. There's no secret to training or dieting success, it all takes a lot of effort, commitment and of course, heart.
I might snap a shot of some of the hills I ran tonight and post them tomorrow. Hill workouts help in significantly strengthening your legs. The extra energy your body uses to drive yourself to the top of the hill is a very rewarding exercise and acts as a weight room for the runner. Runner's World discusses four types of hill workouts and when you should think about doing each one of them. RW also suggests not incorporating hill workouts more than two times a week into your training since it's a very exhausting and demanding activity.
Thanks for reading!!
Monday, September 14, 2009
14 and Cruising!
It's been awhile! Sorry about that ... I had a busy weekend and then wasn't feeling great today.
Back to training. Last Friday I was good and didn't do anything active. I was hoping for another successful long run like the week before. I was almost superstitious in how I spent the night before the 14-miler, imitating the same routine from the previous Friday. In the back of my head I couldn't keep from worrying about my ankle and how that might feel for 14 miles. I dug up my hockey gear knowing there had to be some kind of ankle brace or wrap that I could use. Ankle injuries aren't a foreign occurrence for me ... high ankle sprains, regular ankle sprains - you name it, I had it. I even played with a walking cast my junior year at IU during field hockey season. Anyway, my confidence was right on the money ... low and behold, an ankle brace. I threw that on top of my already prepared pile of running stuff for the next morning including my running clothes, shoes, Garmin watch, water bottle belt and the GU. My sister gave me her running belt to use the week before and it came in handy. There are far too many runs where I am dying for water toward the end. There's also a pocket attached, which is nice for my GU.
Waking up to "All I Want To Do" by Sugarland doesn't get me excited as I was hoping it would ... but that's what I got to wake up to at 6:45 last Saturday morning. After rolling around in my bed for a few minutes, I got up, got dressed, brushed my teeth and then armed myself. I feel like I'm going to war with all that stuff I have. Each run I leave my apartment with something new. This time I took my phone just in case I needed to call someone to pick me up if my ankle acted up. I also had a route written out on a little piece of paper. It's a good skeleton and then with my Garmin I can fudge it how I want to. So am I ready to go? Ankle brace ... check. Watch ... check. Water belt ... check. GU ... check. Phone ... check. Directions ... check. Yup - here goes nothing. Just going on another run - like any other run I've walked out the door for.
Other than having to loosen the brace somewhere in that first mile (it's probably good to keep blood circulating), it was an excellent run! I felt very good despite normal aches and pains. It was even a hilly course and that didn't get to me much either. I stopped once around the seven and a half mile mark and did the GU. This time I tried the tri berry GU and actually kind of liked it. That was a first for me (trying the gel GU, that is) but it's just as it sounds, berry-flavored gel. It surprised me how much of it there was though, which kind of grossed me out after awhile. My ankle cooperated more or less. I catered to it during the last four miles when it started to hurt again. I had to be careful pushing off it when running up hills and then when I was running up and down the curbs and in the grass when there wasn't a sidewalk. My finishing pace was a nine minute mile and I'm definitely okay with that.
To make a long story short, I took off Sunday and enjoyed watching the Eagles beat the Panthers in Charlotte. Today I took it easy too as I wasn't feeling up to par. I get pretty bad headaches and I woke up with a screaming one this morning. I attempted the elliptical a little later in the evening. Easy did it. Tomorrow I'm scheduled for a seven- to eight-mile run; we'll see how many I feel like doing, or have time to do.
Check out the new week's training schedule on the side bar! :-) Thanks for reading and happy running!!
Back to training. Last Friday I was good and didn't do anything active. I was hoping for another successful long run like the week before. I was almost superstitious in how I spent the night before the 14-miler, imitating the same routine from the previous Friday. In the back of my head I couldn't keep from worrying about my ankle and how that might feel for 14 miles. I dug up my hockey gear knowing there had to be some kind of ankle brace or wrap that I could use. Ankle injuries aren't a foreign occurrence for me ... high ankle sprains, regular ankle sprains - you name it, I had it. I even played with a walking cast my junior year at IU during field hockey season. Anyway, my confidence was right on the money ... low and behold, an ankle brace. I threw that on top of my already prepared pile of running stuff for the next morning including my running clothes, shoes, Garmin watch, water bottle belt and the GU. My sister gave me her running belt to use the week before and it came in handy. There are far too many runs where I am dying for water toward the end. There's also a pocket attached, which is nice for my GU.
Waking up to "All I Want To Do" by Sugarland doesn't get me excited as I was hoping it would ... but that's what I got to wake up to at 6:45 last Saturday morning. After rolling around in my bed for a few minutes, I got up, got dressed, brushed my teeth and then armed myself. I feel like I'm going to war with all that stuff I have. Each run I leave my apartment with something new. This time I took my phone just in case I needed to call someone to pick me up if my ankle acted up. I also had a route written out on a little piece of paper. It's a good skeleton and then with my Garmin I can fudge it how I want to. So am I ready to go? Ankle brace ... check. Watch ... check. Water belt ... check. GU ... check. Phone ... check. Directions ... check. Yup - here goes nothing. Just going on another run - like any other run I've walked out the door for.
Other than having to loosen the brace somewhere in that first mile (it's probably good to keep blood circulating), it was an excellent run! I felt very good despite normal aches and pains. It was even a hilly course and that didn't get to me much either. I stopped once around the seven and a half mile mark and did the GU. This time I tried the tri berry GU and actually kind of liked it. That was a first for me (trying the gel GU, that is) but it's just as it sounds, berry-flavored gel. It surprised me how much of it there was though, which kind of grossed me out after awhile. My ankle cooperated more or less. I catered to it during the last four miles when it started to hurt again. I had to be careful pushing off it when running up hills and then when I was running up and down the curbs and in the grass when there wasn't a sidewalk. My finishing pace was a nine minute mile and I'm definitely okay with that.
To make a long story short, I took off Sunday and enjoyed watching the Eagles beat the Panthers in Charlotte. Today I took it easy too as I wasn't feeling up to par. I get pretty bad headaches and I woke up with a screaming one this morning. I attempted the elliptical a little later in the evening. Easy did it. Tomorrow I'm scheduled for a seven- to eight-mile run; we'll see how many I feel like doing, or have time to do.
Check out the new week's training schedule on the side bar! :-) Thanks for reading and happy running!!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Good Run, New Gear and Some Other Stuff
So I ran five miles tonight and then went out to eat some Mexican ... bad combo. On the better note, the run was good; it was a route that my boss alerted me to. It's pretty hilly but it's one of my go-to runs. I mean really, there aren't many places to run in Raleigh that isn't a hill-fest!
After work today I went to Raleigh Running Outfitters to check out some kicks. I think I found the ones I want to get. Nike Structure Triax. I didn't go for it tonight because I wanted to check and see if I could get them any cheaper anywhere else. Good rule of thumb: I typically wear a size 7 heel, probably a size 7.5 sneaker, but I tried on an 8.5 and they said that's the best fit for me. The guys helping me said having about a thumb's width of extra space is good since your feet will swell after such long runs. Anyway, they were having a 50% on-the-rack sale so I got two pairs of Nike running shorts, a Nike sports bra and then a few GU packs (all for $50!). I've never tried GU so this weekend we'll see what the fuss is all about. I also bought the GU Chomps - apparently they're new. I have a feeling I'll be able to tolerate those a little better. Something about the texture of the straight-up GU makes me nervous.
So I saw this cool little thing today on Runner's World. Marathon Pacing Temporary Tattoos. It's called PaceTat and it lists every mile split and finishing times. Looks like a good tool if you don't have a good watch or like Runner's World suggests, if you're running solo. They say it's pretty durable. I would hope so if it needs to last 26.2 mile! Could you imagine that ... mile 22 and you wipe the string of sweat dripping from your hairline with your forearm. Awesome ... miles 22 through 26.2 is now on your face.
Thanks for checking out my blog, I appreciate the support! 'Til next time! :-)
After work today I went to Raleigh Running Outfitters to check out some kicks. I think I found the ones I want to get. Nike Structure Triax. I didn't go for it tonight because I wanted to check and see if I could get them any cheaper anywhere else. Good rule of thumb: I typically wear a size 7 heel, probably a size 7.5 sneaker, but I tried on an 8.5 and they said that's the best fit for me. The guys helping me said having about a thumb's width of extra space is good since your feet will swell after such long runs. Anyway, they were having a 50% on-the-rack sale so I got two pairs of Nike running shorts, a Nike sports bra and then a few GU packs (all for $50!). I've never tried GU so this weekend we'll see what the fuss is all about. I also bought the GU Chomps - apparently they're new. I have a feeling I'll be able to tolerate those a little better. Something about the texture of the straight-up GU makes me nervous.
Thanks for checking out my blog, I appreciate the support! 'Til next time! :-)
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Big Adjustments
Pacing myself. Yup - that's been tough to get used to. Like I've said before, I've always been told to go fast and faster. Now, I have to mentally tell myself, It's okay I'm not making a certain time ... it's okay to get passed, in the beginning at least. Hey - I'm still competitive. You don't want to be the one challenging me near the end of a race. During my marathon training (and half-marathon too, I guess) I've begun my long runs at a painfully slow pace and then my body just naturally picks up a comfortable speed. Hopefully my recent investment, the Garmin Forerunner 205, will help me gauge a good speed for me. I'm still eagerly waiting for it to arrive, but I am thrilled to not have to map a run online first and then having to stick to that route. I'll have mileage, pace and calories burnt (among other features) right there on my wrist. If you do have to map a run, I recommend Map My Run. It's free and very simple to use.
And then there's my other biggest adjustment ... being an individual and not a part of a team. Maybe this is why pace has been such a hard part of competitive running for me to adapt to. I am running for me and I don't have others depending on me. When I played field hockey for IU, I ran so I wouldn't let down my teammates, so my team as a whole would get better. I hustled for a ball so that my team had a better chance in succeeding. I sprinted in recovery to help my defense against the opponent's attack. I was constantly communicating, organizing and motivating a group of girls that were in it together. Now it's all about me. I'm trying to get in my own head and play the mental game. Come on Mere, only a few more miles. You feel great. You can do it. Of course, the other guy gets in my head and cuts me off towards the end of those long runs, What the hell are you talking about?! Your legs are deader than a mouse in a snake cage! There is a brick wall in front of you! The hard part about that is - sometimes the other guy is a little more accurate in how I'm feeling. I've had to actively block it out and stick to my goals.
Again, when I played FH I went to practice because I had to, I lifted when I was told to, I ran to fill the requirement. Of course I loved it. I worked hard, I held people accountable and I pushed my teammates. But now I do this because I WANT to. I run to color in a blank page in my life that most other things can't, at least not with as vibrant of colors. It's my ME time. What I find most engaging about the sport: you can quit it you want, no one else cares if you hit the road that day ... but you get out there because it's part of you. I like that. I'm addicted to that.
And then there's my other biggest adjustment ... being an individual and not a part of a team. Maybe this is why pace has been such a hard part of competitive running for me to adapt to. I am running for me and I don't have others depending on me. When I played field hockey for IU, I ran so I wouldn't let down my teammates, so my team as a whole would get better. I hustled for a ball so that my team had a better chance in succeeding. I sprinted in recovery to help my defense against the opponent's attack. I was constantly communicating, organizing and motivating a group of girls that were in it together. Now it's all about me. I'm trying to get in my own head and play the mental game. Come on Mere, only a few more miles. You feel great. You can do it. Of course, the other guy gets in my head and cuts me off towards the end of those long runs, What the hell are you talking about?! Your legs are deader than a mouse in a snake cage! There is a brick wall in front of you! The hard part about that is - sometimes the other guy is a little more accurate in how I'm feeling. I've had to actively block it out and stick to my goals.
Again, when I played FH I went to practice because I had to, I lifted when I was told to, I ran to fill the requirement. Of course I loved it. I worked hard, I held people accountable and I pushed my teammates. But now I do this because I WANT to. I run to color in a blank page in my life that most other things can't, at least not with as vibrant of colors. It's my ME time. What I find most engaging about the sport: you can quit it you want, no one else cares if you hit the road that day ... but you get out there because it's part of you. I like that. I'm addicted to that.
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