Wordless Weekend x2!

Yeah. I know. I promised. I failed. I'm kinda busy in the "off season" of training. And I was a little hurt. But I'm better now and as much as I would like to think my life is slowing down, I know I'm kidding myself! So here are my musings from the last 2 weeks! Enjoy!!

Run. Strong.
-t-

Wordless Weekend

Haven't blogged much. Been busy. Time to start something new. Soooo here goes...

WORDLESS WEEKEND. 

Some bloggers do a "Wordless Wednesday" and they post pictures and a few words. I'm gonna go for the whole weekend! Why not! AND! I am going to try and blog more weekly. It keeps me motivated. And interesting. And accountable.

For the first Wordless Weekend, it will be a snapshot of the last couple of weeks starting with some of the random shots from the Akron 1/2 and carry you thru this weekend...

This will be fun!!! So hang in there with me on this new journey of Me and the Half...

 

 

 
 Run. Strong.
-t-

Akron 1/2 Marathon 2013 Recap

I have tried writing this post for a few days now. My thoughts have been all over the place. I think I have it figured out...

It's done. 4th 1/2 Marathon in the books.  Will there be a 5th? Time will only tell...most likely. 

The morning started off pretty good. Slept great. Woke up feeling great. Toni texted that she was on her way from Cleveland . I wasn't able to "do my business". Everyone was out the door on time. At my dad's on time. Again, a fail in the "business" area.

Me. Deb, Dad

Head down to the parking zone.  All is good! Dad's relay team is there. Deb's marathon partner is there. Toni made it in time! Onward to "poop alley". Maybe the smell will get things moving.

WINNER!  It did.

Snap my picture with my dad and Deb. Get into our corral and wait for the day to begin.  Few more photo ops with the girls and I huddle Kelly and Cristen to give them a few last minute words of encouragement: Have fun! This is YOUR race! You trained for this! Enjoy it! Take it all in! I am so proud of you!!!

Then I huddle with Toni. She's been battling shin splints the last 2 weeks. She's worried. "If you have to walk, you have to walk. Don't hurt yourself. Stop. Go easy. There will be other races." 

Me, Cristen, Deanna, Toni, Kelly

Speedy-feet and I glance at each other. She knows what I am thinking. She knows I am worried. I can see the excitement in her eyes. We don't need to speak. We know. 

And the gun goes off. 

Speedy-feet and I start out together. 

We get to my mom and Terry! Big smiles. 

Head onto the bridge. Give Speedy the nod and she's off. Cristen and Kelly catch up. We run a little together. It's kind of a blur honestly. Back across the bridge and it's all coming back to me now. "Business". Ugh. I talk to Cristen. Fill her in. Start to tear up. Not again. Not. Again. 

Mile 4.5. Send her ahead. Just go. I will try and catch up. Big. Line. Damnit. Text bffae. She always knows what to say at this time. 

Start back out. And this is about where I say I am never doing another 13.1. "I'm done. Retiring. Hanging it up. I think I will concentrate on improving my shorter distances. Make the 10-15k my race. Will I have to change my blog name? Oh ok what if Cristen and Kelly want to do another one. Crap. CAF wants to run one next fall. Just run Tami."

Yeah. Those were the exact thoughts. 

I know Nate will be at mile 8. I can get there. So will my niece and my sister and brother-in-law. Oh an Madi (Speedy-Feet's daughter)! 

And I do. And I smile. And cry. And touch their faces. I keep going. However, yell back to them "I'm NOT doing this next year!" People around me are laughing. If they only knew I wasn't kidding...at least not at that moment! 

Keep going. It changes thru the university. This will be new scenery. Something new. Boy has that university changed in the oh, 20 years since I first started college. Ha!

Back at mile 10 and I see my mom. Give her a kiss. Tell her thank you. Love you. And keep going. Cristen is only about 5 minutes ahead of me. I can catch her. 

Go across the bridge. Half way across I see Kelly! We high 5! You got it!! GO! I keep going. Got. To. Find. Cristen. 

Back across the bridge. Smile at the hottie cops at the intersection. Yeah, I'm smiling. I'm almost done! Woooohoooooo!

Turn the corner. Oh the finish line is right there. Find my song on my iPod and put it on repeat. 

Keep going. Almost there! 

Turn the corner. Down the ramp. Into the stadium. OMG I am finishing. I take off on a HOLY HELL I AM A KENYAN SPRINT! (Pretty sure I look ridiculous but I know the people are cheering so I am gonna do it and DO IT BIG!). 

And I cross the finish line. I'm done. 

No PR. At least not from last years time at the same race. But it's a PR overall in my 13.1 career. I will take it.  

Find my girls. And start to cry. Sob. 

I'm done. Race is over. Not sure what comes next. Or when. 

I had fun. And I got 2 of my besties to do something they never thought they could.  

That is a victory itself. 

Run. Strong. 

-t-

'Twas the night before race day...

"And all thru the town...

All the runners and walkers all snuggled and down.

Shoes set out by the clothes they would don

For each and everyone had a goal in sight!

To be there before the first light!

Carbed up a ready to go 

I must close my eyes. "

Yeah. That was a LOT harder than running! 

At any rate. Expo was good. Nothing new and exciting. Except maybe the Bondi  Band booth. But it's always my favorite. I'll detail that in another post.

So here I go into la-la land for a good nights sleep and rest with prayers and dreams of a PR. 

UNTIL TOMORROW...

Run. Strong. 

-t- 

Almost there...

I finally got my 2 miles in tonight. With Boss Lady. I seriously wanna cry and say "she made me do it" and it wouldn't be far from the truth either! Shhhhheeeee said that Training Planner Lady would say the same thing...and she is probably right!  Gotta keep the muscles loose. 

Either way, I got the 2 miles in, albeit a decent mix of walking and running. Something about the evening run after all day working, being up since 0530 and everything else. I was exhausted. The air I thicker. Excuses, excuses.  I despise running at night. 

I'm all packed. iPod has been shuffled with new music and it's charged. Watch is charged. Thoughts have been gathered. I think I'm ready. 

And if I'm not, there's another half in 2 weeks. Here in Dayton. And if I don't get my PR on Saturday....well, lets just wait until Saturday.

Stay tuned for Expo pics tomorrow!

Run. Strong. Pray for a PR!

-t-

Eve to the eve to the eve before RACE DAY!

Go ahead. Call me a dork. I did. Out loud too.  But it's true! It's the Eve to the Eve of the Eve before race day...that's 3 days till race day. Oh. My. Goodness. 

I overslept this morning. Missed my 2 mile long run. Please don't make me repeat that.  So disappointed. People said I needed the rest. Thank you. But I really needed that run. 10 weeks of training and I sleep thru my alarm THE LAST WEEK?! I guess it's better than missing a longer run or speedwork. But still. 

Friends said that one run isn't gonna make or break me now. True. One friend, who completed the AF Marathon (half) this past weekend, PR'd and only did long runs for her training. 

Then why am I still fretting over missing a 2 mile run?! Because I put so much pressure on myself for this race. I have to PR. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I don't care if it's 2 minute PR. I JUST WANT TO BEAT MY TIME!   

I made a statement/comment/remark...  If I don't PR on Saturday then I will sign up and run the Dayton Corridor Classic 1/2 in 2 weeks. It sounds like a great idea. At least right now. Boy am I praying that I PR on Saturday. 

That's the end. 

I will write more tomorrow. I have lots going on in my head. 

Run. Strong. 

-t-

It's been awhile

...since I have posted an update. And for no other reason than that time has gotten away from me. But rest assured, the training has not.

photo cred: http://lopvilleliving.com

Life just throws you ups and downs. I can't say I have had more of one or the other. Just have had them. And plenty of them. Moments when I thought I was slipping down a rocky cliff. And then moments when I was dancing on the clouds. I have been really working at having more cloud dances, or as I like to term "Rainbows and Unicorns" happy times. It's not always that easy. 430am wake up calls 4x a week, 9 hour work days, tending to a home and teenager all the time, phone taking a dump just as the warranty ended, losing everything on it because this girl didn't back up to the Cloud all the time,  doesn't always bring a "Rainbow and Unicorn" but the run/workout does make me feel a little better. At least immediately after...

Some days the workouts are easier than others. And some days I ask myself "what the hell was I thinking???" Even 2 weeks out from Akron 1/2, I am asking myself that....

It's different this time around. And I can't pinpoint exactly why, but I do have a few thoughts...and not in any particular order...

1. It's the second time I will be doing this particular 13.1 (well 3rd if you count the time Runner Dad and I biked it). And really this is a lame reason because I have done plenty 'o-5k's on the same route/race. But those 5k's are just 3.1 miles, roughly 38 minutes....not 13.1 miles and roughly 3 H-O-U-R-S
2. This next thought, may come across realllly bad, and I apologize for sounding rude/inconsiderate/selfish/mean. Training hasn't been "all about ME!" Selfish. Go ahead. Say it. I do. Every. Single. Time. I. Think. It. I have my Kelly and Cristen training too! And I am sooooo thrilled for them! So excited to see them do this 1/2 and I just hope I can finish before them! I want to see THEM CROSS THE FINISH LINE! So maybe it isn't selfish after all. 
3. And the training hasn't been as "stellar" as it was last year. Maybe I am too confident? Looking back I was actually on injury this time last year. Butt pain. Ha. Pain in the butt...yep, that's me. This year, injury free.  KNOCK ON WOOD!
4. The weather. It's been so crazy. I have worn shorts and a tank top. Capri's and a long-sleeve shirt. Capri's and a short sleeve shirt. Capri's and a tank top. Just weird. No gloves yet. I refuse. But there have been many a chilly and many a hot mornings! Rain, nor, sleet, nor snow have slowed me down though. Tiredness, well, yeah. 
5. Tired. Yes, definitely a noticeable amount of tiredness. May be relate-able to #4 above. It could be age. I am approaching 39, for the first time I might add.

So the runs. Yep, done them all, well minus the tempo's. But I didn't do them last year! Sure, I know, new and improved! But it doesn't make sense in a laundry detergent, how can it make sense in a training plan. I am sure Training Planner will chime in somewhere with the relation. So I will wait for that. Speedwork, done. Long Runs, done (even a 12 miler that I did not do last year due to injury). Hills, done. Bleachers, done. Casual 5ks, done. I guess I am good to go. Still yearning for that PR in 2 weeks. And still believe it can happen. Even 2 minutes. PR is PR. 

I have a plan in mind to get me thru the next 2 weeks. It started with trying to shed a few pounds (Advocare 10 Day Herbal Cleanse). And I have. 6 to date. And I feel lighter. Wasn't the smartest decision as it didn't allow the carbs I enjoy, er I mean need, prior to my long runs, or running at all [insert: PIZZA, PASTA, BREAD]. But I managed with sweet potatoes, bananas, quinoa, you know the "healthier carbs". 

It worked. The 12 miler on Saturday was good. I was not deprived. My body felt great. I was starving after the run and for most of the day though. I used my chews and gu's without concern as I knew I was burning it off as I was running.  But even more so, I did it in new shoes. Say what?! Yep, new shoes. 

I noticed my Asics were well worn about 3 weeks ago, so I ordered a new pair. Well, within 3 runs/15 miles, they were wearing down again in the same spot. I continued to wear them and this past week Speedy-Feet and I went to RoadRunner Sports in Columbus to discuss the shoes with the store. I did another gait test and found that I was actually running more stable that I thought I was. My foot was landing straight, my ankles had plenty of flexibility, and I wasn't striking bad. She wanted to put me in a Neutral shoe. I hesitated. She saw that. We discussed the 1/2 in 2 weeks and my apprehensions about switching shoes this close. Then it was decided to switch to a Stability shoe vs. a Motion Control Plus shoe which I was currently wearing. It's just a step down and in the "middle" before a Neutral. They are so smart up there. I tried the Asics Kayano 19, nice. I thought, Asics are my brand, let's try it first. It felt good, but not great. Tried a Nike something. Not nice. Rather uncomfortable. IMO, Nike is a style shoe, not a running shoe. Next up, Saucony PowerGrid Hurricane.

Oh my. This shoe was unbelievable. It was cushioned, it was light, it just felt good. Great actually. Again, expressed my concern. She reminded me that I was a VIP (yes, corny I know, but at this store, VIP is pretty awesome!) and that if I didn't like them I could bring them back for a full refund or exchange within 90 days. Or if I did like them and didn't want the original Asics, I could return the Asics as I was only 20 days into them. It was also suggested that I do some short runs in them. Get used to them. I will know right away if they will work or not. And I did find out on my 12 miler, but I think I will save that for a separate post because that was an A-W-E-S-O-M-E run.

So, that's where we stand. Life's ups and downs. With less than two weeks left, 12 days to be exact, I am determined to write more in the coming weeks. It is a good release. Keeps me focused. Something to think to about when I am out there running, thinking about life's ups and downs. 

Run. Strong.
-t-