It's hard to believe I'm now logging double digit runs every week. It seems like only yesterday I was worried about running 6 miles.
So, to update on the last week: When it came time for me to run my 11-mile run, I actually found enough adrenaline at the end to crank out an extra half-mile! So I ran 11.5 miles in just under 2 hours. It was AWESOME. The new development though, was that as soon as I stopped running and started walking, my legs just ACHED! I mean, serious discomfort from overworking my muscles. I went home and took some ibuprofen, drank my chocolate milk, and kept hydrating... but I stayed sore for the next 4-5 days. It was crazy! I'm realizing now that I should consider taking those ice-baths... but I honestly have nowhere to submerge legs in water right now. I might have to get creative.... (put some ice in the horse trough, anyone? eh? eh?)
I kept trudging though, however... stretching every day and was feeling really great as the weekend arrived. I was fighting a sore throat in the mornings, but was able to alleviate it with Airborne, lots of tea, and rest. I spent Monday with my folks, as they were in town for the Faire, and then headed out for my 12-mile run on Tuesday. (Mind you, at this point, I was fighting my sore throat ALL day, not just in the mornings.)
So, after having my PowerBar, and stocked up with two bottles of water and some Starburst for extra energy if needed during the run, I began my run. Honestly - the first 9 miles were great! I kept a good solid pace, which actually seemed a bit quicker for me without any extra effort. Around mile 9 however, I noticed that my knees were feeling a little stiff. To try and loosen them up a bit, I decided to run a few strides where I would be "kicking my butt" so-to-speak. I wanted to flick my legs higher up in the back to help stretch out my knees a bit. I've done this before without any issue... but as soon as I did it on this particular run, I involuntarily yelped "Ow! OW!" It felt like I just overstretched a muscle that I wasn't supposed to stretch. So I slowed my pace a little, until I finally decided to stop and stretch. As soon as I went to do a quad stretch, hoping it would loosen my knees a bit... my hamstrings cramped up! I then stretched those muscles and just took a few minutes to stretch my legs and feet overall. I mean, I see runners doing this all the time during races - so I figured this was totally fine. I walked for another minute, then picked up my jogging pace again.
About 3/4 of a mile later, my arch in my left foot started cramping up. I tried to focus on just relaxing my foot a bit in my stride... but no dice. Within a few strides, I once again, involuntarily, yelped "Ouch!!" I had to stop. I worked out my foot a bit, walked a bit more... but at this point, I had started to cry. I was so frustrated. The entire run I was coughing, spitting out phlegm (which was far more than usual due to my cold) and now I was having to stop due to random body pains. Of course, the crying only made things worse, since it caused my throat to close up... preventing me from taking a deep breath. (NOT a good thing when your heart rate is elevated!) To prevent further damage, I began to walk slowly, forcing myself to calm down. When I reached a calm enough place, I started to jog again. I fought through the discomfort and the frustration - and I finished that freakin' run!! What's worse... I'm not sure if I pushed too hard, or I drank too much water, or I ate the PowerBar too soon before the run... but as I'm walking to my car, I found myself feeling incredibly nauseous. Sure enough, by the time I reached my car... I puked. I've read stories about runners puking after long runs... I was just sort of hoping it wouldn't be me. I suppose it's badge of honor though. I just want to make sure I don't have to do it again!
After the run, I was so cold and uncomfortable that I had to wrap myself in blankets and just sleep for a solid hour when I got back. My temperature was still a little elevated 2 hours after the run, so clearly I didn't hydrate enough. (I think!) The cold that was only in my nose, has shifted into my chest... but I'm still fighting it! Hopefully, it will be gone by the weekend.
What I've learned? That running isn't always easy. It isn't always "fun." But it is, in the end, rewarding, and I will feel like an entirely new, empowered person when I finish this marathon. I'm a little scared, a lot excited... and I can't wait.
Signed,
Your-puking-but-persevering-runner,
Kelly
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Ah, humidity... How I did not miss thee!
So far so good on the running... made my 4 mile run this week, and went out for my 5 mile run, but only manage 3.5 miles due to time constraints. I intend to get another 4 miler in this weekend! (gulp!)
Interestingly though - I ended up sweating more on my 4 mile run than I did on my 10 mile run! The humidity out here right now is unreal. I am literally dripping wet with sweat after these short runs! I suppose it's just something I need to get used to. It will certainly be interesting if it ends up being a humid day on marathon day!! (another gulp!)
Just a quick update for now... Faire weekend looms on the horizon!
Signed,
Your-unbelievably-sweaty-runner,
Kelly
Interestingly though - I ended up sweating more on my 4 mile run than I did on my 10 mile run! The humidity out here right now is unreal. I am literally dripping wet with sweat after these short runs! I suppose it's just something I need to get used to. It will certainly be interesting if it ends up being a humid day on marathon day!! (another gulp!)
Just a quick update for now... Faire weekend looms on the horizon!
Signed,
Your-unbelievably-sweaty-runner,
Kelly
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
New shoes.. and a 10-mile run!!!
UPDATE! I finally bought new running shoes and boy what a difference they make! No more heel pain, no knee pain, and any discomfort that I feel in the initial stages of the run passes away as quickly as I feel it. I had no idea shoes could make such a difference!
For those who are interested, the shoes I bought are Asics GEL-Kayano 15. They are AMAZING. Heck - they even have their own website! Feel free to check it out: My awesome shoes!
I will say it took a good two runs (short runs) to break them in, as they were a bit sore in the toe on my first run. However, I was running on a treadmill, which is unusual for me these days. I was able to fully break in the shoes on an outdoor trail run.
Speaking of outdoor trail runs... (drum roll, please)....
I RAN 10 MILES YESTERDAY!!!!
Yup, that's right. I broke my own record for distance. It was my first time ever hitting double digits in mileage - and it felt great! I was a little worried at first, as the first three miles were a bit rough, but after that I just hit my stride and felt like I was coasting the rest of the way. I'm starting to notice that no matter what distance I run, the first three miles are my most difficult. If I know that ahead of time, I think I will be less inclined to "worry" about why I'm struggling at first.
Post-run, I had actually received a bit of advice from a cousin of mine who is a devoted runner. She recommended that I drink a serving of full-fat chocolate milk within 30-45 minutes after the run. Following this advice, though milk never would have been my personal choice, I stopped at the gas station on my way back from the running trail. I saw the lowfat milk options, and the only "full fat" option was this "CHUG - Creamy Chocolate Milkshake" I will be honest in saying that I would have NEVER picked this up of my own volition. In 12 ounces of liquid, it had 420 calories!!!! But, on the flip side, it had more protein than any of the other milk drinks, a little fiber, and the right kind of fats. I bought it, blindly following my cousin's advice...
It was the most heavenly thing I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. :)
And ironically enough, coupled with the two ibuprofen I took afterwards, I never had any pain, soreness, or swelling - and I actually wasn't hungry until 6 pm that night! (I drank the shake at 11 am). I made sure to keep hydrating throughout the day, and then went out for a nice dinner that night. But, wow! Who would have thought crazy creamy chocolate milk could have been so good for me in that situation?! Apparently, my cousin did - and she was right. :) Thanks, Caroline!
I have to say, running 10 miles was the first time in a while that I found that I have inspired myself. I feel renewed in my running ambitions now and I can't wait for next week's 11 mile run. I'm all positive now in my running statements, and looking forward to crossing that marathon finish line in November. I know I will - and I know it will be glorious!
I leave you all with my positive paragraph - an exercise that I was asked to do in my "Marathon Training Guide for Non-Runners." I carry this with me at all times:
"I am a marathoner. I love to run and I run EVERY training run. I am in great shape now and my legs look AMAZING! I own the world when I run in the mornings and I feel energized and strong when I finish each run. I love to tell people that I am a runner and I am proud of my accomplishments. I am a marathoner!"
Signed,
Kelly.... the marathoner
For those who are interested, the shoes I bought are Asics GEL-Kayano 15. They are AMAZING. Heck - they even have their own website! Feel free to check it out: My awesome shoes!
I will say it took a good two runs (short runs) to break them in, as they were a bit sore in the toe on my first run. However, I was running on a treadmill, which is unusual for me these days. I was able to fully break in the shoes on an outdoor trail run.
Speaking of outdoor trail runs... (drum roll, please)....
I RAN 10 MILES YESTERDAY!!!!
Yup, that's right. I broke my own record for distance. It was my first time ever hitting double digits in mileage - and it felt great! I was a little worried at first, as the first three miles were a bit rough, but after that I just hit my stride and felt like I was coasting the rest of the way. I'm starting to notice that no matter what distance I run, the first three miles are my most difficult. If I know that ahead of time, I think I will be less inclined to "worry" about why I'm struggling at first.
Post-run, I had actually received a bit of advice from a cousin of mine who is a devoted runner. She recommended that I drink a serving of full-fat chocolate milk within 30-45 minutes after the run. Following this advice, though milk never would have been my personal choice, I stopped at the gas station on my way back from the running trail. I saw the lowfat milk options, and the only "full fat" option was this "CHUG - Creamy Chocolate Milkshake" I will be honest in saying that I would have NEVER picked this up of my own volition. In 12 ounces of liquid, it had 420 calories!!!! But, on the flip side, it had more protein than any of the other milk drinks, a little fiber, and the right kind of fats. I bought it, blindly following my cousin's advice...
It was the most heavenly thing I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. :)
And ironically enough, coupled with the two ibuprofen I took afterwards, I never had any pain, soreness, or swelling - and I actually wasn't hungry until 6 pm that night! (I drank the shake at 11 am). I made sure to keep hydrating throughout the day, and then went out for a nice dinner that night. But, wow! Who would have thought crazy creamy chocolate milk could have been so good for me in that situation?! Apparently, my cousin did - and she was right. :) Thanks, Caroline!
I have to say, running 10 miles was the first time in a while that I found that I have inspired myself. I feel renewed in my running ambitions now and I can't wait for next week's 11 mile run. I'm all positive now in my running statements, and looking forward to crossing that marathon finish line in November. I know I will - and I know it will be glorious!
I leave you all with my positive paragraph - an exercise that I was asked to do in my "Marathon Training Guide for Non-Runners." I carry this with me at all times:
"I am a marathoner. I love to run and I run EVERY training run. I am in great shape now and my legs look AMAZING! I own the world when I run in the mornings and I feel energized and strong when I finish each run. I love to tell people that I am a runner and I am proud of my accomplishments. I am a marathoner!"
Signed,
Kelly.... the marathoner
Thursday, August 6, 2009
A point of concern...
I suppose it's inevitable that every runner incurs some form of injury - and I KNOW it's inevitable that every runner incurs some form (if not SEVERAL forms) of discomfort. With this knowledge in mind, I have adopted a mental state to help me run with initial discomfort: I say "Hello _______, come run with me." In other words, if my knees feel stiff, I say "Hello uncooperative knees, come run with me!" It quickly gets me to stop focusing on the discomfort and back to focusing on my form and my breathing. The discomfort always fades and my run continues. (And I provide a bit of light entertainment for anyone who catches me talking to myself!) :)
However, this morning, I did not experience discomfort... I experienced what would be borderline pain. It was a severe stiffness and soreness in my left heel. More specifically - in my left achilles tendon, both at the base of the tendon as well as its attachment point at the back of my heel. As I have been reading a lot about running lately, I recognized this as an early sign of what could become achilles tendonitis... aka, an early sign of what could be a MAJOR problem. :(
To be safe, I did not run this morning. I stretched my calves and my tendon a good deal, and just went for about a mile walk. It took a good 1/2 mile before the pain went away. Yes, it did go away, but from what I can tell, pain in my achilles tendon from the moment I wake up is the sign that I could be approaching a "pull" or some kind of "tear." I've emailed the man who I work for at the health center in NYC to seek his advice - and we'll just see how it feels over the next day or two. I'm concerned it may be my running shoes, as they are due to be replaced. I just haven't been able to go shopping for new ones yet!!
I've put off the run for today, and I'm going to try for the 5-mile run again tomorrow. I'm supposed to get another 3-mile run in on Saturday, before I get ready for the Faire day, rest on Sunday, then my long run of 8-miles on Monday. If I'm still experiencing pain tomorrow morning, I'm going to be sure to get to the gym ASAP so I can cross-train on an elliptical, thus avoiding impact.
I will keep you all updated. In the meantime, I'll be stretching, cross-training, and seeking some new running shoes ASAP.
Signed,
Your-slightly-frustrated-runner,
Kelly
However, this morning, I did not experience discomfort... I experienced what would be borderline pain. It was a severe stiffness and soreness in my left heel. More specifically - in my left achilles tendon, both at the base of the tendon as well as its attachment point at the back of my heel. As I have been reading a lot about running lately, I recognized this as an early sign of what could become achilles tendonitis... aka, an early sign of what could be a MAJOR problem. :(
To be safe, I did not run this morning. I stretched my calves and my tendon a good deal, and just went for about a mile walk. It took a good 1/2 mile before the pain went away. Yes, it did go away, but from what I can tell, pain in my achilles tendon from the moment I wake up is the sign that I could be approaching a "pull" or some kind of "tear." I've emailed the man who I work for at the health center in NYC to seek his advice - and we'll just see how it feels over the next day or two. I'm concerned it may be my running shoes, as they are due to be replaced. I just haven't been able to go shopping for new ones yet!!
I've put off the run for today, and I'm going to try for the 5-mile run again tomorrow. I'm supposed to get another 3-mile run in on Saturday, before I get ready for the Faire day, rest on Sunday, then my long run of 8-miles on Monday. If I'm still experiencing pain tomorrow morning, I'm going to be sure to get to the gym ASAP so I can cross-train on an elliptical, thus avoiding impact.
I will keep you all updated. In the meantime, I'll be stretching, cross-training, and seeking some new running shoes ASAP.
Signed,
Your-slightly-frustrated-runner,
Kelly
Monday, August 3, 2009
Rounding out the end of Week 3
To finish out my training for my "Official Week 3" of my marathon training program, I ran a 7 mile run. Huzzah!
It was interesting... I actually hit what I feel like was my first real "zone" while running. I've always had those points where suddenly the running isn't "hard" anymore, or I finally don't want to stop, lol... but today I actually found myself in a ZONE! I was running on the trail, at about 2.5 miles in, and I found myself truly feeling like I was "falling." It was that sensation where I wasn't moving myself forward anymore, I was just "falling" forward. I was running faster, and all I was thinking about was "up, up, up, up" with each strike of my foot. The air was moving past me so quickly, it was a constant breeze... it was just AMAZING! I was concerned that perhaps I was pushing myself too hard. I mean, surely, I shouldn't be going this fast. But I checked my heart rate monitor, and sure enough, I was still beating along at a consistent 158 bpm! I know it was a true "zone" because this lasted me for a full mile (roughly 10 minutes). It felt incredible!
The other good thing of note, is that I really didn't hurt anywhere during this run. I had a vague phantom pain for about 3 minutes in one of my shins, so I focused really hard on the POSE technique (not doing heel-strikes) and the pain went away! Very exciting. :)
The big thing I'm still fighting though is my mind at the start of a run. I intimidate myself with the upcoming distance. I want to turn back around and not do it. If I'm thinking this way on a 7-mile run... how the HECK am I supposed to convince myself to do 26.2 miles?!? I just have stay focused on the day by day though. Next week my long run is only 8 miles. I already ran 7... I can run 8. 26.2 is a long time away!! :)
Signed,
Your-in-the-zone-runner,
Kelly
COUNTDOWN TO MARATHON: 90 days!!!!
It was interesting... I actually hit what I feel like was my first real "zone" while running. I've always had those points where suddenly the running isn't "hard" anymore, or I finally don't want to stop, lol... but today I actually found myself in a ZONE! I was running on the trail, at about 2.5 miles in, and I found myself truly feeling like I was "falling." It was that sensation where I wasn't moving myself forward anymore, I was just "falling" forward. I was running faster, and all I was thinking about was "up, up, up, up" with each strike of my foot. The air was moving past me so quickly, it was a constant breeze... it was just AMAZING! I was concerned that perhaps I was pushing myself too hard. I mean, surely, I shouldn't be going this fast. But I checked my heart rate monitor, and sure enough, I was still beating along at a consistent 158 bpm! I know it was a true "zone" because this lasted me for a full mile (roughly 10 minutes). It felt incredible!
The other good thing of note, is that I really didn't hurt anywhere during this run. I had a vague phantom pain for about 3 minutes in one of my shins, so I focused really hard on the POSE technique (not doing heel-strikes) and the pain went away! Very exciting. :)
The big thing I'm still fighting though is my mind at the start of a run. I intimidate myself with the upcoming distance. I want to turn back around and not do it. If I'm thinking this way on a 7-mile run... how the HECK am I supposed to convince myself to do 26.2 miles?!? I just have stay focused on the day by day though. Next week my long run is only 8 miles. I already ran 7... I can run 8. 26.2 is a long time away!! :)
Signed,
Your-in-the-zone-runner,
Kelly
COUNTDOWN TO MARATHON: 90 days!!!!
Friday, July 31, 2009
How quickly the time passes!
Even though my writing has been sparse, my running has been plentiful! Not perfect, but plentiful.
I'm on Official Week 3 now - which culminates with a long run of 7 miles on Sunday. I'm a day late in doing one of my 3-milers this week... but we just performed our Summer Youth Day here at the Faire on Thursday, and there was just no way my body was willing to get up early and go running this morning.
On a more frustrating note, my voice is hurting again. I quickly discovered that my vocal troubles occur from my street work... so I'm back to resting and caring for it again. I'm not worried though - I know how to handle it all this time. It's just frustrating. Maybe running can help me relieve that frustration.
A lighter note - my birthday was AMAZING!!! And my loving parents gave me a monetary gift solely for the purpose of.... drumroll please... new RUNNING SHOES! Hooray! I need to get them soon so I can break them in. I'm super excited!
Not too much else to report as of yet. Just running, and running, and working, and running. Promise I'll try to update more soon!
Signed,
Your-super-busy-but-still-devoted-runner,
Kelly
PS - It's below the 100-day mark for a countdown!!! CRAZY!
I'm on Official Week 3 now - which culminates with a long run of 7 miles on Sunday. I'm a day late in doing one of my 3-milers this week... but we just performed our Summer Youth Day here at the Faire on Thursday, and there was just no way my body was willing to get up early and go running this morning.
On a more frustrating note, my voice is hurting again. I quickly discovered that my vocal troubles occur from my street work... so I'm back to resting and caring for it again. I'm not worried though - I know how to handle it all this time. It's just frustrating. Maybe running can help me relieve that frustration.
A lighter note - my birthday was AMAZING!!! And my loving parents gave me a monetary gift solely for the purpose of.... drumroll please... new RUNNING SHOES! Hooray! I need to get them soon so I can break them in. I'm super excited!
Not too much else to report as of yet. Just running, and running, and working, and running. Promise I'll try to update more soon!
Signed,
Your-super-busy-but-still-devoted-runner,
Kelly
PS - It's below the 100-day mark for a countdown!!! CRAZY!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Fighting my own thoughts
Well, I'm finishing up week 1 of my marathon training and so far, I'm right on target. However, I have discovered what may be my biggest obstacle: MY MIND.
I'm not referring to my mind while running, as I'm actually able to stay pretty focused on my running form. I'm referring to my state of mind when I wake up in the morning - or the state of my mind a few hours before I'm supposed to start a run. My mind is a vicious, self-centered, cruel being that tells me all the reasons why I shouldn't run:
"Your knees will hurt."
"You don't really know how to correctly run with this new running technique - why bother?"
"Sleeping would be so much better for you."
"No one will care if you don't run today."
"C'mon... you can skip a day. It's fine!"
and the worst one... "You're never going to able to actually finish that marathon. Stop wasting your time."
This is what my mind says to me before runs. But so far, I have told my mind to shut up, and I've managed to get out for those runs. I've just got to keep trying... and hopefully my mind will start coming along for the joy ride that is running.
Now... I'm off for a 7 mile run. Hooray!
Signed,
Your crazy minded runner,
Kelly
Countdown to NYC Marathon: 119 days!
I'm not referring to my mind while running, as I'm actually able to stay pretty focused on my running form. I'm referring to my state of mind when I wake up in the morning - or the state of my mind a few hours before I'm supposed to start a run. My mind is a vicious, self-centered, cruel being that tells me all the reasons why I shouldn't run:
"Your knees will hurt."
"You don't really know how to correctly run with this new running technique - why bother?"
"Sleeping would be so much better for you."
"No one will care if you don't run today."
"C'mon... you can skip a day. It's fine!"
and the worst one... "You're never going to able to actually finish that marathon. Stop wasting your time."
This is what my mind says to me before runs. But so far, I have told my mind to shut up, and I've managed to get out for those runs. I've just got to keep trying... and hopefully my mind will start coming along for the joy ride that is running.
Now... I'm off for a 7 mile run. Hooray!
Signed,
Your crazy minded runner,
Kelly
Countdown to NYC Marathon: 119 days!
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