Food fun

Big lunch fav:
Tuna capers almond apples mayo

Big snack fav:
Raw oats coconut maple syrup almonds soymilk apples peanut butter

Fish Tacos & other goals

Gotta chat about my 3 (bad) recovery runs & goals post marathon. Also have to recap marathon. Soon.

"I think I get addicted to the feelings associated with the end of a long run.  I love feeling empty, clean, worn out, starving, and sweat purged.  I love the good ache of muscles that have done me proud" ~Kristin Armstrong, author of Mile Markers.  Might explain why I was sad yesterday to not be running 26.2 in Maui like I was a week before, even though it was really hard, there is a sense of elation that only fitness endorphins bring.

Sunset

Sunrise Haleakala

Done!

Not sure why my GPS had me going past 26.2 but I'll take it. Darn proud!

Tired 26.2 mile feet

Finish line of Maui Marathon

Marathon Recap:

I have to honestly say that the marathon prep vs. the prep I did to be away from my family for 5 days was far bigger in my mind than running 26.2.  I like to run and now I have the confidence that I can run/walk/crawl for as long as I need to, anywhere at any time and so the thought of the marathon was not too daunting.  Leaving my family and being a whole ocean away was the crazy part.  I am a worst case scenario girl and so I had all these visions (as I always do) about earthquakes, disasters, etc that may keep me from getting back to my family.  That is an aspect of my personality I can not seem to change and I am damn proud of myself for forcing (literally forcing) myself to do things like Maui, that pitch me so far out of my comfort zone that I am free-falling.  If I didn't force myself, I would be a shut-in and my son would have that Flowers in the Attic pallor but hey "we'd be safe & sound right"?  Wrong!  There are no guarantees in life so I have chosen to LIVE, as freaking scary as that is on a daily basis.

So I packed and got on the plan and then walked out into the tropical Maui warmth and breeze and AHHHHHH it felt amazing!  The entire time I was away I had a dull ache for my family but I also pressured myself to relax and enjoy this time.  It would have been silly & insensitive (to my husband) to waste my alone time pining for them.  I missed them most when I thought about our daily or nightly routine going on without me, which really drove home my feelings that I am living a life of pure joy & bliss, if I am missing brushing my kids teeth & making him breakfast!

Ok, the race.  All was good.  I had inklings of wanting to do the early start at 4:30am, giving me an extra hr on the course but more so I was thinking it would be cooler for longer before the sun came up.  My partner didn't want to do that and so I would have needed to catch a cab, etc to the start and it was just too many more details to work out.  I drank water like a fish on the day before, my biggest fear was dehydration and being 'that guy' who collapsed because they weren't prepared.  Having endured Portland I was also terrified of the dreaded dead legs of miles 14-26 or so, where the back of my legs get so tight and feel like they are being suffocated by lactic acid to the point I can't run...not a pretty picture huh?  Overall I was pretty chill in prepping for the race, being without my family I had the time to just CHILL and do everything for me and that was awesome.  I slept well the night before, which never happens and on race morning felt good but had to choke down bread & egg, was not hungry but I know 5+ hours of running makes you ravenous.. so I tried.

I love all my gear and my running outfit, I changed nothing up from when I run at home.  Same clothes, carried the same items, everything...nothing NEW.  Although we ran in the dark for an hour or so I decided not to wear my fancy new headlamp because I had nowhere to put it once the light came out.  Good decision on my part since anything extra you're carrying well into 26.2 feels like 5 lbs!  The start was dark & fun and it was a small race (that did make me nervous, I dread being dead last, ego aside...last is last!)  They did a traditional Hawaiian prayer and conch shell blowing, and it made me cry.  I hit the porta potty line one minute before the race started and I did not like that type of stress, won't do that again.  My running friend also had a bad cough and I was worried about her most the race, we don't run together (she is faster than me by miles) but I did not see her all of the race & worried about her more than I should have (she was fine).

First few miles in the dark were awesome but already warm, I had a thin layer of sweat on my face the first hundred yards & my heart was beating fast anticipating the heat to come as the sun rose but I got myself to just chill out, 'it is what it is', I told myself.  Not sure why but I started getting mongo hot spots early on and that was a bummer.  Mile 8 I took off my shoe and put on second skin and a band aides but for a few miles those felt awkward and all I could think of was how hot & lumpy my feet felt.  The focus on my feet subsided finally and I relaxed.  The course looks deceivingly flat but it is in fact a steady slight uphill and I really felt that as we climbed a portion with a headwind.  UGH.  A lot of people walked but I jogged since walking just took longer!  Overall I was feeling good and having fun and looking at the gorgeous ocean view.  It got pretty hot and I was thankful for the 3 layers of sunscreen I had slathered on.  I did not enjoy that 3/4 of the course was along the highway, exhaust and gawking drivers.  I hit the bathrooms so often (too often) because I was drinking so much water due to the sun/heat.  Overall I was feeling groovy until about 17/18...then I had to really push myself forward.  More walking than running.  Legs felt ok, not the pain & tightness of Portland but they didn't feel rad either.  I think the final 3 miles was the worst, time and miles crawled by...I would run for a while and look at my watch and it said 2 minutes...time was going soooooo slow.  I knew I would finish but it seemed to take forever!

I was so happy to be finished!  My friend had done well despite her cough but she was tuckered the rest of the day.  I was perky, I owe that to being a slower runner, I don't tax my body as much and so after almost all half marathon & my two marathons I feel pretty good afterwards!  The next day & following I was super duper sore though (holding on to the wall to sit down kinda sore!) SOOOOO worth it though, man what a high!

Family did awesome while I was away, I did well being away, a great combo of relaxed and missing them.  Only thing I want to do next time is more time on the Maui beach & swimming!  Overall, a HUGE milestone for me to travel so far alone, do a marathon in a place where people usually go to do nothing, improve my performance and time tons over my first marathon (6:18 Portland & 5:26 Maui) and even though I should have trained more, ran more, stuck to a plan more, done loads more Fonda~I still felt pretty awesome and never once felt ike the walking dead...I am just very proud of myself more than anything, I feel so blessed to be a runner & be able to do what I love, for ME.  Although running is the one thing in my life that is all MINE, I could not do it without an awesome husband & lifetsyle & mental strength/determination to give myself that self-care & love that is so essential...so I can be a great wife, mom, friend, human being in return!

For Me...

As I run around getting ready to leave for Maui Marathon, I am anxious & a bit stressed.  Not about covering 26.2 miles in humid warm weather, instead I am anxious about buying groceries for the boys while I'm gone, getting new wiper blades for the car since it's raining & I want the car to be good 7 safe while I am away, setting out clothes & packing bags for kiddo to go to grandma's & school while I am away.  All of this prep and attention reminds me of how much I do for others, how I love doing it, and overall how running is ALL MINE and all the prep I do for it, is FOR ME & only me.  Running relaxes me, energizes me, soothes me, makes me happy.  All of these other activities of care-taking the ones I love make me feel wonderful as well but running is the only thing that truly belongs to me & I do for me.  Which is why I LOVE it.

This time before my last marathon I was injured with a major hamstring pull, pain and basically had not run for 3 weeks.  I was sick with anxiety about what a real marathon would feel like, look like and if it would be difficult (so much more than I anticipated unfortunately).  This time around I am healthy, as in shape for running as I can be (I can be a lot more physically fit in so many ways, I plan to address this after the event!), I am injury-free and I am excited for the event instead of anxious.  So glad to be where I am right NOW :-)  it's all good.  See ya on the coastline...

Feeling great & gearing up for oceanfront running

Maui....here goes something...in the next few days :-)

Cold....blech.....aaarrrgghhhhh

Lunch during Ride

Riding

Well, that was fun!

Great RUN!  Things to remember:

Lentils=power

hydrate hydrate hydrate

Galloway walk

stretch

drink drink drink drink

you got hungry at hour 3, bring fuel/food

Calm before the...

FOUR days off. I haven't taken four lazy days off in.... I don't know how long. Ran 15, 2.5 & then 4.5 and these past four days I've done NADA. I feel so lazy & blech, which I need to think about. If four day off exercise endorphins makes me feel junky, I'm definitely addicted :-). There's worse addictions I guess.

BIG run tomorrow 18-20 miles. Last big run before Maui. Hoping it's awesome, smooth & a total ego boost. Most likely will be so hard, slow & gut-wrenching but it'll be done. If four days off doesn't allow me to run well (or basically just get 'er done) then any future marathons are sooooo not bring signed up for. I can't wait to return to the HALF, those are so easy & fun!

Excited for a spring filled with run, bike, swim and strength training! Goals & aspirations: run 3 times a week (4-10 miles each, one long run of 11-13 a week), swim 2-3 times, bike 1 time. Start lifting weights or just core training on my own (push up, squads, lunges)...also walk, read, watch movies, write.

New Year 2012

Foggy & cozy at the coast today. Took a great 4.5 miler in heavy ocean mist, fabulous. I love the consistency & truths of running. I always know the first 1-2 miles will be sucky. If I run 14 miles, the first 1-2 are rough. If I run 5, the first 1-2 are rough. Nice to know :-). Always nice to know I feel great after a run, no matter the distance, always.

Dawn...

Dreams & more....

The night after I pounded out 15 miles I had the best dream.  I was running the Nike Half with Jen & Gina and I was FLYING.  It was a glorious dream.  Sometimes after a long run, you are sore and not feeling so footloose & fancy free but this dream was the opposite.  It felt amazing to be running running running in this dream.  I woke up with legs ready to go and slogged out a crunchy/sore 2.5 to get in a last run of 2011.

I'm still pensive about Maui in a few weeks.  I think it is the memory of Portland (pain, injury, pounding rain, desolate train yards, crazy hill up to the bridge, 23 min miles...) that is freaking me out.  The BEST thing about Portland were my amazing friends who were there to cheer me on & drink afterwards & watch the Giants game in the hotel bar.  I won't have that this time and I'm already missing it.  I love to have the opportunity (and physical body) to run and am excited to have the 'time' to just run, like Nike Half.  I was so excited to just be alone (amongst 20k) and running on a great day, no place I'd rather be.  I know I'll feel that way about Maui come game day but right now...I do have a wee bit of the NERVES.

This is making me feel better though, can't ask for better conditions:
78% of a full moon too!

The course starts at 112' in Wailea and is a "rolley" downhill to sea level at 1.3 miles, then flat.  
At mile 10 starts the “Long Green Mile”uphill to mile 11 at 157'.  Mile 12 is 132', the Tunnel is at 16 miles and 106', 17 miles is at sea level and FLAT to the finish.