May 8, 2013
With just one week to go before her 9 month birthday (when dogs reach full physical maturity) I’ve started taking Kaylee out for runs with me. Last night we did our longest run yet- 2.5 miles! She is doing so well on these runs, keeping pace, not pulling too much, and only throwing her entire bodyweight against me to stop and smell something occasionally. There was one moment where we were coming down a wooden ramp on the wharf and she started to tear off to smell another dog that I thought I was going to fall and break my neck, but I didn’t, so we’re good. I’ve been running with her in the regular harness because she HATED the Gentle Leader so intensely, but it’s sort of a pain because she knows how to pull in it and just leans her (very strong) muscle weight against it. Our friends recommended a harness with a front leash attachment so I think we’ll be checking that out once we return from New Orleans. (pictured: her wiped out on the floor after our run last night)

With just one week to go before her 9 month birthday (when dogs reach full physical maturity) I’ve started taking Kaylee out for runs with me. Last night we did our longest run yet- 2.5 miles! She is doing so well on these runs, keeping pace, not pulling too much, and only throwing her entire bodyweight against me to stop and smell something occasionally. There was one moment where we were coming down a wooden ramp on the wharf and she started to tear off to smell another dog that I thought I was going to fall and break my neck, but I didn’t, so we’re good.

I’ve been running with her in the regular harness because she HATED the Gentle Leader so intensely, but it’s sort of a pain because she knows how to pull in it and just leans her (very strong) muscle weight against it. Our friends recommended a harness with a front leash attachment so I think we’ll be checking that out once we return from New Orleans.

(pictured: her wiped out on the floor after our run last night)

March 21, 2013 • 1 note

So I wanted to wrap up the whole marathon saga with a few thoughts. 

- I’m really, really glad it’s over. I also feel absolutely no listlessness or regret that it’s over and I’m done training. I feel free. And sore.

- Blisters are still emerging in my feet. Immediately after the race I had two small blisters, but since then three or four other (bigger) ones have worked their way up on my feet. Related, blisters suck.

- Other than blisters, I made it 26.2 miles injury free. I also did not fall, which is a damned miracle.

- On the Saturday before the race I had a panic attack because I was convinced there was absolutely no way I was going to be able to finish before the 6 hour cutoff. I was telling people I was shooting for 5 1/2 hours with a 12-13 minute average pace, but I was completely sure I was going to run 15/mile and then die on the course. 

- This is to say, finishing in a completely respectable time of 5.14.44 (official chip time) is amazing. And hats off to the winner of the race who ran it in 2 1/2 hours or something insane. You’re a beast.

- I finished 410 out of 458 marathoners. For my first marathon, I think that’s not bad at all.

- The course was really, really boring. I knew that going in because I ran it on my 20 mile training run but holy hell. Most of the run was through a bland suburban neighborhood and that was kind of terrible. 

- The best sign said “Worst St. Patrick’s Day Parade EVER.”

- Phone hit low battery with 5 miles to go, so I stopped listening to podcasts and just counted to 100 over and over again. I now see the advantage of a GPS watch/separate music device.

- To answer the question I’ve been getting a lot- I did, in fact, run all 26.2 miles in my Vibram Five Fingers.

- I don’t feel nearly as terrible as I did in the days after the Neusiok trail race. Probably because I didn’t fall down five times or run through a swamp.

- The ice bath was totally the worst part.

- They really undersell how miserable that last .2 miles is going to be.

- Bless the volunteers, spectators, and my amazing husband, father, and stepmother for coming, cheering, and being awesome. Because most of the runners (2400 of the 2800) ran the half most of the people were gone when I finished. so those people who were still around smiling and cheering made it all better.

- Next time I’m running a more scenic, shady course.

- That will not be anytime soon.

- Bless my parents for leaving donuts at the house.

- I am still amazed that just a few months ago I couldn’t finish a 10 mile run because of IT band related pain. I credit a lot of stretching and my newfound love of yoga for the fact that I got through the whole marathon with no unusual pain. A little soreness, sure, but nothing that stood in my way.

- I also never hit the wall. There was never a moment where I thought I couldn’t go on. I ran/walked so I ran 9 minutes, walked 1 (which is what I trained for), and I was able to maintain that pattern throughout the race.

- I packed raw chocolate coconut GORP and chocolate covered almonds, filled my pack with NUUN water, and drank Gatorade at every stop past mile 10, and I felt great.

- Thank you, This American Life and Fresh Air for making the middle 15 miles interesting.

- I really need to work on straightening my back when I run. I look all slouched over and exhausted in those crossing-the-finish photos. Stand up straight, Elena! 

March 17, 2013 • 1 note

I did it! Five hours, fifteen minutes, two small blisters, and complete exhaustion later, my first marathon is over. I am tired but feel great. I’m so proud of myself, I did a lot better than I expected and don’t think I could have done better.

My parents came down and we went out for lunch, which was great. Now I’m curled up on the couch with a glass of wine and Gilmore Girls. I cannot tell you how relieved I am that it’s over.

March 16, 2013

With less than 10 hours before the start of the race the panic is starting to set in. I woke up at 6 this morning, wide awake, and have been a bit of a nervous wreck all day. Visiting the expo actually made it worse, I felt awkward and out of place, felt weird about being in the slow wave, felt anxious about finishing. 

My stomach has been pitching all afternoon so I just had a bowl of plain basil fettuccine for dinner, skipping our plans to have stir fry. I laid out all of my gear for tomorrow morning, went for a shake out run, and drank as much water as I could. 

The weather is supposed to be sunny, in the 70’s by midday, winds pitching 7 knots from the west. I’m terrified, but by noon tomorrow it will be over, no matter what. I just have to get a good night’s sleep and hope that come tomorrow my legs are strong and the wind is at my back.

February 27, 2013
So with approximately three weeks before the marathon I can say this- I am really damn tired of training. When I started running I did it with 5k and then 10k programs in mind, setting my goals on races I never ended up running. I continued to push myself to 10, 12, 14, 18, 20+ miles always on a schedule. The first run that I trained for was the Neusiok and I parlayed that into my current marathon training. Which means that I’ve been training for an endurance race since September and I feel like I’ve been training and running scheduled runs for nearly two years. I’m tired of my calendar telling me when and how far to run. I want to free run. I want to go out there because I’m in the mood for a run and go as long and as hard as my body tells me.  Last Thursday I went out for an easy 6 mile run and after 2.5 I had to stop. My knees were killing me, my shins hurt for the first time in two years, and my left ankle was throbbing. I had done a sore but successful 3 miler the day before, but after a 20 mile training run my body was beat, not ready for more running. Now I’m totally guilty of pushing myself further than I should but I do occasionally know when to stop. So I stopped. I didn’t run Friday, I didn’t do my scheduled 6 miles Saturday, and I skipped my scheduled 12 miles Sunday. Yesterday, because it was pouring, I skipped the 4 mile run I was planning. And to be honest, I feel great. I’m excited to head out on a 6 miler tonight and I feel confident that I’ll be able to keep on track with the 4, 6, and 18 milers I have planned later this week. My body needed a break, and I listened. My hope is that my body is better for it and it pays off to give myself a little rest during the marathon and doesn’t backfire. After a month trial membership Dan and I joined the yoga studio last night. I’ve been going to three to four classes a week and I’ve been feeling great. I love hot yoga more than I ever thought that I would and I always leave feeling worked but stronger. I can tell the difference in my running and how I feel in general, and I can see the difference in my body. Arm muscles!  Come April I’m excited to find a healthy balance between running, yoga, biking (and swimming when it warms up!) that leaves me feeling strong and well. I think it’ll be a while before I commit to another distance race, I’m going to give myself some time to fall back in love with the act of running. I don’t like that it has become a chore, something I feel like I have to do, not something that I want to do. I need to get back to the root of it all, find myself in the exciting wind in my hair place.

So with approximately three weeks before the marathon I can say this- I am really damn tired of training.

When I started running I did it with 5k and then 10k programs in mind, setting my goals on races I never ended up running. I continued to push myself to 10, 12, 14, 18, 20+ miles always on a schedule. The first run that I trained for was the Neusiok and I parlayed that into my current marathon training. Which means that I’ve been training for an endurance race since September and I feel like I’ve been training and running scheduled runs for nearly two years. I’m tired of my calendar telling me when and how far to run. I want to free run. I want to go out there because I’m in the mood for a run and go as long and as hard as my body tells me. 

Last Thursday I went out for an easy 6 mile run and after 2.5 I had to stop. My knees were killing me, my shins hurt for the first time in two years, and my left ankle was throbbing. I had done a sore but successful 3 miler the day before, but after a 20 mile training run my body was beat, not ready for more running. Now I’m totally guilty of pushing myself further than I should but I do occasionally know when to stop. So I stopped. I didn’t run Friday, I didn’t do my scheduled 6 miles Saturday, and I skipped my scheduled 12 miles Sunday. Yesterday, because it was pouring, I skipped the 4 mile run I was planning. And to be honest, I feel great. I’m excited to head out on a 6 miler tonight and I feel confident that I’ll be able to keep on track with the 4, 6, and 18 milers I have planned later this week. My body needed a break, and I listened. My hope is that my body is better for it and it pays off to give myself a little rest during the marathon and doesn’t backfire.

After a month trial membership Dan and I joined the yoga studio last night. I’ve been going to three to four classes a week and I’ve been feeling great. I love hot yoga more than I ever thought that I would and I always leave feeling worked but stronger. I can tell the difference in my running and how I feel in general, and I can see the difference in my body. Arm muscles! 

Come April I’m excited to find a healthy balance between running, yoga, biking (and swimming when it warms up!) that leaves me feeling strong and well. I think it’ll be a while before I commit to another distance race, I’m going to give myself some time to fall back in love with the act of running. I don’t like that it has become a chore, something I feel like I have to do, not something that I want to do. I need to get back to the root of it all, find myself in the exciting wind in my hair place.