Mother Nature is a Bitch!

Well last week threw a major wrench into my marathon training program. On Tuesday, I experienced my first earthquake. It is an experience that I can honestly say I NEVER want to relive. After standing outside of our office for over an hour, we were told to go home. Most people went straight home. I went to the bar. The last thing on my mind was my run. I needed a drink!

Just when we thought DC was in the clear Irene shows up on our radar. I spent the next few days following the bitch’s path. We heard she could be a possible Cat 2 or Cat 3 storm by the time it got to DC. Luckily, she wasn’t as intense as projected and she hit east of DC. No need to worry though my friends and I still had a great hurricane party.

The result of this second disaster was I missed my long run on Sunday. Sundays are the worst days to miss during the training program. I realize the hurricane was beyond my control and I can’t beat myself up about it. My number goal right now is to get back on track. The author of my program says that if you miss a run you just have to move on. So that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

I plan to run a half marathon on September 10^th in Georgetown. It’s a small 9/11 memorial race with only 250 registrants. I’m looking forward to running this race. I think it’s going to be a great motivator for the remaining days leading up to the marathon. I just hope I don’t finish last!    

It’s time!

My 16 week marathon training is in full swing. I’m really excited that I’ve started this insane journey. I am fully aware that it will be challenging. There will be times that I will love it and times where I will curse it. But there is nothing better than pushing yourself to a limit. I think much of the appeal of running a marathon is proving to yourself that you can do something many people think you can’t. That is certainly on my list of reasons… Dad!

My training program consists of 4 training runs and 2 days of core strength training. I’m not a huge fan of the core training but I know it is a necessary part of the program. I ran 8 miles yesterday and felt great. The weather cooled down slightly to 88 degrees which was nice. I still have a long way to go if I’m going to cross the 26.2 mile finish line though. I plan to just take things one mile at a time.  

Here are a couple of fun photos from a run Laura and I did over the 4^th of July weekend. Enjoy!  

Before the run


After the run

When in doubt…Run again!

Self-doubt is something I think every runner encounters at some point. I certainly suffered from it during and after my Saturday run. I wasn’t feeling great but still made it out for a 3 mile run. I struggled the entire time. Maybe it was the heat or something in the air but I just couldn’t stay positive. I beat myself up for taking a long break during the month of June and told myself there is no way I will ever be able to do a marathon.

Despite my Negative Nancy attitude on Saturday, I still woke up early on Sunday for a run. I made sure I was hydrated properly and made my way to the National Mall. I didn’t set out for any particular distance. I had hoped to complete a 4-5 mile run but just went with the flow. The weather was fantastic and the tourists were at a minimum. I completed a 5 mile run without one bit of doubt. It felt great! I definitely have my confidence and stride back!

The lesson I learned here is not to let the bad runs get to me. Every runner has their moments. You just have to shake them off and keep going.

“It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.”  ~Author Unknown

Marine Corps Historic Half

13.1 miles CHECK! I completed the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon on May 15^th. It was definitely not the easiest thing I have ever done but it was truly a great experience. The feeling you get when you cross that finish line is something I just can’t describe.

The nerves started to set in when I arrived in Fredericksburg, VA on Saturday. Driving through the Finish Line and walking up to the Packet Pick Up area made me realize there was no turning back. I had to prove to myself that I could complete this challenge if I was ever going to accomplish my full marathon goal.

Saturday night I settled into my hotel room with delicious pasta from Olive Garden. I organized my running apparel for the next morning and did everything I could to relax. However, that is much easier said than done.

5:00AM came rather early on Sunday morning. I got dressed, ate breakfast and made my way to the Starting Line. Saying I was nervous would have been a complete understatement but once the gun went off I was ready. I set myself a few corrals back so I wouldn’t be rushed at the line. I gradually worked my way into a steady pace. I felt great through the first 4 miles or so.

The spectators were hilarious throughout the entire race. There were a couple of girls dressed up as bananas. I’m still not completely sure why they dressed like bananas but it sure entertained me. I about died laughing when I saw someone holding a sign that said “I hope you don’t have the chub rub right now!”

I hit a small wall towards the end of the race. I studied the elevation chart on the course map several times. However, they failed to mention what seemed to be a small Everest mountain at mile 11. My legs started to feel like lead at this point. I pumped my arms as hard as I could to get to the top. When I made it I realized I still had a chance to meet my goal of breaking 2:30. My training guide mentioned a Self-Talk method to motivate you to do something that seems impossible at the time. I sort of laughed at the idea when I first read it but I decided to give it try. With a little less than 2 miles to go and my goal within an arm’s reach, I had nothing to lose. I kept telling myself “My ankle feels great it's not swollen at all… 2 miles is nothing…Sonic is waiting for you.” Surprisingly it worked! As I approached the finish I knew I would not only accomplish my 2:30 goal, I would break it! My official time was 2:22:53!

After a 10 minute search for my car in the Walmart parking lot, I headed back to my hotel for a shower and a quick rest. I celebrated with a trip to Sonic which was absolutely delicious! And the best part about it is I didn’t feel one bit of guilt for eating it. Running definitely has its perks.

Thank you for all of your support through my first half marathon! I’m so excited to start my full marathon training program in July. I’m sure I will have plenty of entertaining stories to share.

Official photos from the Half to come…  

Vegas...

I knew going into Marathon training that I would go through my ups and downs. Well, last week was a struggle of epic proportions. There is only one word to explain why this is: Vegas!

I recently took a trip to Las Vegas for a friend’s bachelorette party and my training runs took a backseat. Vegas clearly is a priority over a training run right?? I missed my 3 mile run on Saturday and a 5 mile run on Sunday. I did my best to return to my training as soon as possible. However, my body wasn’t exactly pleased. The first couple of runs were a complete disaster. I tried to take it slow and ease my way back into a solid pace but with each step I couldn’t help but be reminded of every drink I had in Vegas. Bad News Bears!

Last Saturday I ran a small Easter 5k race in Alexandria, VA. It was cold and rainy which never makes these things enjoyable. Despite the effects of Vegas still hovering in my system, I performed ok. I finished in just over 31 minutes. I know I can do much better than that but it’s a work in progress. Sunday was a bit more enjoyable. I completed a solid 10 mile run around the National Mall. It was a beautiful spring day in DC with fantastic weather. I kept a slow pace and completed the run without having to walk any of it.

This weekend I will run 3 miles on Saturday and 11 miles on Sunday. It should be very interesting. Happy Easter!  

100 Miles Down…A Billion More To Go

Last week marked a huge milestone for me: I officially hit the 100 mile mark for the year. This new milestone has given me even more motivation to keep up my training. One of the best parts of running is seeing the miles tally up at the end of each run.

I decided to change things up this past weekend. The Annual Cherry Blossom festival has taken over all of the great running spots in DC so I decided to travel out to the Mount Vernon Trails in VA. It was absolutely beautiful outside at the beginning of my run. The sun was shining for the first time in days and the temperature wasn’t awful for this time of year. It was a perfect day for a run!

I set out for a 9 mile run. I decided to take it slow with the new route and distance. The hills of Mount Vernon were intimidating at times but I kept a solid pace to give me enough energy to keep me going. Despite a small ankle roll at mile 2, I made it without any walking. I was exhausted by the time I finished but it was a great feeling knowing I accomplished my 9 mile run. I still have a long way to go before I am ready for the half marathon in May. My goal from here on out is to just stay focused and stick with the training program. It won't be easy but I'm sure I can do it.

Next up will be the Easter 5k on April 16^th.

First Race Complete!

Last Saturday I ran the MCM Irish Sprint 10k in Quantico, VA. It was a super cold morning that started out more stressful than I could handle. DC was hosting a half and full marathon that same morning with the start and finish lines not too far from my apartment. The streets were not schedule to close until 7am so I planned to leave between 6:15 and 6:30 just to be on the safe side.

I struggled to get out of bed around 5:45am to start my pre-race routine but forced myself to do it. I was out the door by 6:25. What did I find as I pulled my car up to Mass Ave? Oh yes that the DC police department shut down the streets a ½ hour early. I was directed into a traffic jam that forced me to make a complete circle around my apartment. 20 minutes later I drove into a super shady area just to find another way to 395. I finally made to Quantico by 8am. Good thing I planned to leave early enough.

I found my way to Butler Stadium once I arrived at the Marine Corps Base to pick up my race packet and t-shirt. Despite the super cold weather, everyone was in a great mood and super excited to be there. The 45 minutes leading up to the race was brutal. It was absolutely freezing. I tried my best to stretch out and walk around to keep the blood flowing but nothing seemed to work. By 8:45am everyone began lining up at the starting line which made the nerves kick into high gear. I tried to stay towards the back so I wouldn’t be forced into a pace I knew I couldn’t handle. As soon as the gun went off, all of my nerves went away. I worked myself into a slow pace time that I increased gradually throughout the race.

This course was a total bitch! You were either running uphill or down with the exception of the .2 miles at the beginning and end of the race. Just when I made it up a giant hill, I would see another one approaching. At one point I thought I was climbing Everest. I can now see why Matt hated Quantico so much. I kept running throughout the entire race which allowed me to keep a pretty decent pace time. My official clock time was 1:06:38.

I’m very happy with the outcome of my first race in 2011. I do think I can improve on some areas which I plan to do in the next month leading up to the Half Marathon. I am super excited to experience all of the festivities during the Historic Half. I signed up for an Easter 5k on April 16^th just to give myself one more race to prepare for it. It is all approaching so quickly. Let the next countdown begin!!