Road trippin it to crazy

I never minded long trips as a kid. At least that's MY memory of it. My parents and siblings would probably say differently.  I knew the destination and the fun that lie ahead so I was okay with the miles, the bathroom/gas stops and annoying siblings. I was probably the annoying one!  The build up to the camping trip or California was an exciting time.  School days dragged on for what seemed like forever.  But when the time came, it was pure joy.

With a week to go before my marathon, I began prepping for the big day. The training was done and it was now "Go Time"  Time to believe in the run. Trust the training. Yet, the doubts crept in. I blame the taper.

How does one mentally prepare for 26.2 miles? The farthest I'd run was 20 miles, and I almost didn't even get that far.  Close enough some say. You don't want to put undo stress on your body or risk injury.  I probably could have gone to 22 or even 24. Would it have mattered? Probably not. Unless you've run the whole distance it's hard to know how to REALLY prepare. When race day comes, there are too many variables.

All week I drank my water, ate my food  yada yada yada.  I had it all figured out. Even my "cycle" was on board beforehand to remove that from race day stress.. Or so I thought.  I had experienced the challenge during my first and only triathlon and it was in fact a stressful time, not to mention quite the energy zapper. But I finished. And as you know, I will never do another.

We arrived to our hotel on Friday evening and then headed downtown to the expo for packet pickup. After a ton of traffic and a slight detour thanks to Siri, we were in the heart of downtown Denver. I usually don't linger at expos BUT I  really wanted to go check out InkNburn. I REALLY needed some arm sleeves. NEEDED them since it was cold. I had a light long sleeve shirt I had planned on wearing but I knew it would warm up and didn't want to just throw it. So the 4arms were a necessity.  Plus they have some really cool shit that you don't see everywhere. PLUS they had a limited edition Denver bag that I wanted. PLUS, it was free with purchase.

Saturday we took the light rail back to downtown to check out the zombie crawl and to grab some lunch. It was a great day walking around 16th street mall with my husband, daughter, son in law and grandson. They had taken time off of work to come cheer me on. I was so grateful to have them there. My son stayed behind to dog and house sit and I missed him there. We headed back to the hotel, had dinner and I got my gear all ready and called it a night.

As with other races, I woke up every hour looking at the clock. I had set an alarm but feared I would sleep through it.  I didn't.  I woke up at around 4:30 and had my normal pre race meal. Half English muffin with almond butter, bananas and honey and a shot of espresso. I made my way to the bathroom a few times before we left the hotel and almost missed the light rail. I didn't want to mess with the lines at the porta potties so I thought I would go again.Yikes.

Tailwind was mixed and ready in my handheld. I sipped on that to the start line, then dumped what was left in the Mazama. A few days before, I decided to use my Mazama hydration waist pack with Tailwind as I wasn't sure I would be comfortable with the handheld for 26+ miles

Made it to the start and ran a little to warm up. Did some stretching and then made my way through the crowds to my corral. Number 12. The previous Rock n Roll series in Arizona I had participated in the events were separated. Half marathon and Marathon starts were in separate locations. This event everyone was corralled together. We were squished pretty tight in there. A few elbows in my face and stepped on toes I was NOT a happy camper. It seemed like forever. And then my time had come.

The first couple of strides were awkward. I hadn't run with the hydration pack in a while and it felt heavy on my back. I thought about ditching it, but I knew I just needed to get used to it. My hydration and fuel were in this pack. I was depending on it. I couldn't ditch it.  Silly me.  I had to keep reminding myself to calm down and "conserve". I didn't feel like I was going too fast, I just didn't feel like I was going slow enough. A weird feeling. For the other races, I knew I could push myself a bit without feeling like I was compromising anything. This was my first 26.2 however. I could not afford a breakdown or hitting a wall. Conserve I said, conserve. So, I tried my best. At the 5k mark I was at 31 minutes. Pretty good I told myself. Conserve. Conserve. Conserve. Then right before the 10k mark I had to use the porta potty. A few people in line ahead and all I could do was wait. Tick tock. I was a little over the hour mark at that point. Conserve. Conserve. No TP in the porta potty. Damn. Too early to sacrifice a sock I thought. It was at that time I realized that I was spotting. Yep. That and my hydration pack was leaking all over my back and butt. Any smart girl would have brought along the necessary equipment, but I thought I was in the clear. Guess not. It wasn't enough to have me that worried at that point so I pulled up my big girl panties and went on my way.

The course had me all over the place in and around downtown. Weather had warmed up just a bit with a cool breeze here and there. At mile 9 I saw my husband holding his phone waiting to capture me running by.  Only he missed me.  I literally started hollering and waving my arms like a mad woman to get his attention and he was distracted by what I found out later was one person on the course accusing another person of cheating. There was a bridge with a slight incline and this person went to the flat part of the bridge on the pedestrian walk instead of the course. Any-who.  He ran ahead of me to grab this shot.

Taking in the sights and cheers of the course was a nice distraction. But somewhere around mile 11 my mind was on aunt flow (sorry guys) Another stop at the porta potty which was located next to one of the medical tents. Just in case.I wondered if they would have feminine hygiene products. Oh dear! Once again, I pressed on. My pace slowed and I was now running alongside a man. We ran together for a while around the park and had a nice chat. I asked how he was. He said his legs were lacking energy and felt heavy. We slowed to walk and chatted a bit more finally exchanging names and then I continued on ahead of him wishing each other well as we separated. Somewhere around mile 16 my stomach started complaining. Not from lack of fuel. It was AN-GRY. With no porta potty in sight I hopped into a local coffee shop and high tailed it to the bathroom. Minutes later I was back on the course singing "On the road again. I can't wait to get on the road again"

I had no idea that I would get to see my family a few miles after that. There at mile 18 was my hubby, daughter, son in law and grandson. I was beyond emotional. I tried my best to keep in together but tears were welling up in my eyes as I hugged everyone. I hated to leave them, but I was not done. I took off and my grandson was running behind me. It was exactly what I needed at that moment.

A few minutes later I caught up with Roger. "I thought you were way ahead of me" he said. I replied, "I had a bit of tummy trouble"  He responded, "Are you feeling better?" I said "Yes, I am" I asked how he was. He said, "I run when I can run but I'm walking a lot" So, I walked a while with him. We talked about how cruel it was that we could hear the finish line cheering at that mile marker. 21. He asked how I was feeling. I told him my quads were screaming at me. He said, "They hate you" AMEN.  Haha.  He said, "Jog with me"  We continued at a pretty slow pace. Walking and jogging alternately.  Then when he stopped to walk he said, "Finish strong" and I continued on ahead of him.

Miles 22,23 and 24 were around a few lakes.  Beautiful scenery as the leaves were bursting with color and the ducks were quacking and waddling around. Around the park there were several people who had stopped. Shaking out legs, stretching. Broken.  I felt a tremendous amount of sympathy for them. I was fortunate. I felt tired, sure. My quads were on fire. I was chugging along like the little engine that could. But I was good. My only fuel had been Tailwind in my leaky pack and a few cups of water. I had to spit once when the gunk was too much in the back of my throat, but overall I felt good.


When I got to mile 25 I wasn't sure how I felt. Much like the road trips I took as a kid I was excited that the destination was now within reach. The joy was around the corner. The miles were done. Yet, the fact that it was over was bittersweet. Just ahead I could hear the cheers of the crowd and then really, really loud screaming. A scream I knew. It was my daughter. "Yeah MOM!!, WOOHOO!!" I was overcome with emotion. I could feel my eyes tearing. At that exact moment, my grandson escaped through the gap in the barricade and ran to me. I grabbed his hand and we ran to the finish. As we approached the finish, my name was announced. I wanted to cry, but how could I?1 Instead I laughed. I smiled. I had finished what I set out to do. The destination was the reward, but the true reward was the journey. And oh what a journey it had been. Official time 5:06:08.

Beyond 14

I went to visit my dad the other day.  He asked if I was still running.  "Yes, dad. Still running"  It was my 170th day of streaking.  The idea that I'm streaking to him is crazy. But as runners, we take "crazy" as a compliment.

I admit, it's crazy even to ME that I've gone this far with it. But crazy is as crazy does. 

So, I'm doing. 

Finally doing my first whole crazy. That's right, 26.2! That's in one month. But before I tackle that, I have another half crazy in just a week! Another first for me..a trail race. Here's hoping I can stay vertical. If you don't follow me on Facebook, you can do so here. That way you're in the loop and don't have to wait for a blog post.

Here we are, 20 weeks into my informal training plan and I've tackled a few long runs, intervals and tempo runs. When I see the long runs in my training schedule I freak out a little. The last 14 miler I attempted back in February was a huge failure. I had pain on the outside of my right knee and pushed through 8 miles with pain. Granted it was more of a hobble, then a run or walk, but I was too stubborn to stop.

Stubborn got me a front row seat on my couch for a while catching up on The Young and the Restless and yet another character change."Phyllis" was pushed down the stairwell and is in a coma with a new face and body. Pretty remarkable. In between the daytime TV drama and character switcharoo I went to work on fixing myself. No, not the stubbornness. There's no fixing that. But I'm learning.

ITBS. When I first saw this I thought of IBS. Ya. I did. It's not the same ! Shocking. If you know what ITBS is then you know it's not related to the other. Iliotibial Band Syndrome is a common injury to runners. Mostly due to overuse. I took to the internet to learn more about how to prevent it and how to make myself better. I looked at several videos and discovered this one. I highly recommend it.

Don't underestimate the power in your ass, hamstrings and quads! Strengthen them and you will never have an issue. I have been pain free since March. It's a beautiful thing. When you feel good, you perform good. Period.

Part of feeling good has a lot to do with what's on your feet. My love of Altra's is no secret. Their shoes are the best thing that ever happened to me as a runner. I put on my first pair for my HM in January and while I should have spent a little more time in them before the race, I haven't worn any other brand since. My collection has grown quite a bit. My latest is the Lone Peak 1.5 for my upcoming trail race. But before those I bought the One2  This shoe is Ah- May- Zing! Better than the Torin's which I also love. But the One2's are ridiculously awesome. Like seriously. Go buy a pair.

Besides shoes, but just as important if not MORE important is nutrition. Let's face it, there are lots and lots of options out there.  From gels to drinks and everything in between, you are bound to find something that works for you.  It may take you a while and lots of samples, but you'll get it. I found something that works.  Read on.......

While I don't have a ton of experience as a runner, I've learned a few things along the way. Mostly from trial and error, stubbornness and a lot of it from all the great pages I follow on Facebook. Besides all the great info, there is a ton of support and encouragement from this community of runners. I invite you to check it out.

Attempting the next few long runs was going to require some encouragement and support from my family and of course my FB family.  I was truly overwhelmed with everyone's kind and encouraging words. I felt confident in getting this 16 miler done. My gadgets were charged, including my Avantree Jogger*, my shoes were tied and mentally I was pumped!


Off I went one Sunday morning before the sun came up to take in the fresh air and enjoy my long run. I opted for the route that takes me through a portion of my city. It's a mix of hills, both up and down and flat in some spots. I like the variety. Bonus is smelling the bacon frying from the Village Inn, Ihop, and coffee from Starbucks. Not to get off the subject here but I read something not too long ago about how it might be possible to get the effects/benefits of carbs by just smelling them. Huh? Okay, well, it was something along those lines.  Listen, I've never been a great joke teller. I somehow manage to mess up the punch line...Every. Single. Time.

Moving on.  I cranked along the first 8 miles no problem. I didn't bring any water so I stopped at a convenience store for a little sip of water with a splash of coke. Contemplating a snack for the way back, I remembered all the advice. Stick to what you know. Don't add anything new.  Truth is, I didn't feel hungry,but it's not about feeling hungry. It's about taking in the nutrition you NEED. I finished up my coke water and after a quick assessment of my body. No pain? Check. Sweat dripping? Check. I headed back. The visualization technique I use is probably one you've used yourself. I picture myself at a certain place in my route. Say the corner of Southern and 528. Roughly 6 miles from my current location. When I get to that location, I then visualize myself in the trail that leads to my house. And so on. The last location I visualized was in front of the fridge shoveling every piece of food in my mouth. Must have been too much for my stomach to bear, because I suddenly got a side stitch with 2 miles left to go.  I was in the home stretch with a side stitch. Awesome.

When I made it to my driveway I half expected to see a group of family and friends with lots of food and balloons and such. No. Really.  And a great big sign "You are bitchin, bitchin!" (that was for Kathryn)  While I was a little disappointed there was no DJ playing my favorite songs and there was no medal with my page name "Bitchinrunner" inscribed with a "Sweet 16" on it, I was relieved and pretty amazed at my mental and physical toughness.  Later that day, my beautiful daughter and grandson brought me my favorite ice cream and some homemade lavender soap for my soak in the tub.

Just this past Sunday I went back out to the streets for the second to the last of my long runs in my training schedule. Eighteen miles was on tap for the day and this time I packed my Mazama Side Stream**  with my lemon Tailwind Nutrition***  Before my 16 miler I had some Greek yogurt with berries and honey with an almond Perfect Bar crumbled in for breakfast and it suited my needs. Trying to stay consistent with my nutrition, I had the same thing before this 18 miler.  Along the way, I sipped on my Tailwind and when I made it to the half way point I did another quick assessment of my body. Everything felt great. No pain. No GI issues.

Finishing up that day was a myriad of emotions. Tired? yes. Hungry? yes. Sore? yes. Happy? yes. Grateful? yes. Everything all at once. Beyond 14 is a special place, really. But honestly, anything beyond zero is a huge score. ;)



*SHORT REVIEW OF AVANTREE JOGGER

This wireless Bluetooth headset is just what I needed. My iPhone earbuds are good, but I couldn't keep the wires from getting tangled in my necklace. I looked for Bluetooth headsets but everything I saw was very expensive and got okay reviews. This one was reasonably priced so I tried it.

What I liked:

-Easy to link the device to my iPhone
-Range of the Bluetooth was at least 40feet.
-Sound quality is pretty good.
-Comfortable to wear.
-Inexpensive. (under $40)

-What I didn't like:

-No battery indicator. (only beeps when it's dying)

**SHORT REVIEW OF THE MAZAMA SIDE STREAM

Trying to find a product for carrying my water/nutrition wasn't a priority for me a few months ago, but just like with the headset, I searched the web for something I would be comfortable with. I almost bought the Ifitness fuel belt or the Amphipod belt then I stumbled upon this.

What I liked:

-Compact design for carrying 1.3L
-No flasks
-Sits snug on lower back, no bouncing.
-Retractable drinking tube so you don't have to stop and sip
-Quality materials
-Pockets for carrying phone, gels etc

What I didn't like:

-Hard to get the last little bit of water out when emptying the bladder.
-The adjustable belt accommodates all waists but the excess belt just hangs down.
-A little noise from the liquid sloshing. Not a big deal really, but you can hear it

I chose this particular one for now because it sits comfortably around my waist with the bladder on the small of my back. I would eventually like to try a vest one. But this one suits my needs right now.

***SHORT REVIEW OF TAILWIND NUTRITION

I mentioned how important nutrition is. We've all had those awful moments while running and hitting that wall.  It's no fun.  But as much as it's not fun, it does significant damage to your body and recovery time. Just like you, I've tried lots of stuff. Tailwind nutrition is not new to the market, but new to me.

What I liked:

-Great flavor.  Not sugary sweet.
-Easy to mix. No residue
-No tummy problems
-All in one drink: electrolytes, energy and hydration.

What I didn't like:

-I hate to say 'nothing' but since I've tried other things I was totally impressed with it.

Mixed up the lemon flavor with the recommended 24 oz of water and added to my Mazama. Sipped the whole 18 miles. Never felt like I needed anything else the whole time. Wasn't thirsty, hungry. Didn't ever hit a tired moment during that whole run. Post run I felt great. Felt like it aided in recovery. Although it could just be that since it gives you everything you need DURING the run your body doesn't need much after.


If you have any questions about these items please ask.  Thanks for reading.



Next up:
trail running and road to crazy