Week 1 of 18: 3 miles (1)

Distance: 3 miles
Course: 1 mile on track, 2 miles rolling hills
Weather: Crisp/Chilly, Dark
Pace: 11.16 per mile

Honestly, I don't believe the pace on this one. I know it's not actually that fast in the grand scheme of things, but for me, this is a good one.

I got some serious, uterus clawing it's way out of my stomach cramps on mile two and I slowed way down, and almost considered calling it a draw and coming home half way through, but I kept going and just let the pain run with me. After about a quarter mile I just had a stitch so I was able to push it again and came home at a super fast speed.

Great way to start the training.

Week -1 of 18: 3 miles

I was supposed to do this run on Tuesday, but as I've said earlier this week, I've been having some motivation problems. Anyway, the treadmill called out to me, and since I'd rather miss a cross training session than a run, I opted to do the run. I also wanted to challenge myself by increasing my speed. I think I actually accomplished that. I worry when I'm running outside about pushing it too hard for some reason, it's like I don't want people to see that I'm actually really sweating and breathing heavy. Something I'll have to work on in the future obviously.

Distance: 3 miles
Course: treadmill
Pace: 11.88 per mile

Tomorrow is thankfully a rest day, which means I get to do some cooking. Hooray!

Week -1 of 18: 6 miles

dear lord this was hard.

Distance: 6 miles
Course: treadmill
pace: (don't laugh) 13.1 per mile

I'm housesitting this weekend and they have a treadmill. Which I was really excited about. I remember it being such a good workout when I used to have a gym membership. I remember how fast the miles would go by. I must have been on drugs back then, because while it was a good workout, it was pretty tough to say the miles flew by. At mile 3.5 I was about to throw in the towel. Not only did I think I was hitting a wall, but also, I think I might have been a bit bored. So I told myself if I could get to 60 minutes I could quit, knowing that if I got that far into a run I totally would have to prove it to myself that I could finish it. Which is exactly what happened. I don't really understand how I can trick myself. I guess I'm easily swayed.

I had to walk a bit, but it was only for about a minute before I convinced myself to run again. It was a rough workout. But worth it. For tonight, I get pizza!

Week -1 of 18: 3 miles

I came home last night in a bad mood. Traffic was terrible. That was the only reason. It's an hour of traffic. Every night. I wish I could crochet and drive at the same time. Or there was a really direct bus that I could take.

Anyway, I got home and plopped on the couch, announced I wasn't going running and the guilt began. I sat there for a good 40 minutes, stewing about how my commute was ruining my training, when I remembered that last year I managed it. I would manage it again this year. So at 8pm, I got up and went running. It was painful, but I did it.

Distance: 3 miles
Course: 1 mile on the track, 2 miles rolling hills
Weather: crisp, dark
Pace: 12:00 per mile

Everything hurt. It was dark and late. There was a skunk in the neighborhood grossing everything up. Sometimes I wonder why I'm doing this to myself.

Week -1 of 18: 3 Miles

That's week negative one. I'm a dork and didn't read my calendar right. oops! So I have 19 weeks until the marathon, which strangely (or not, I don't know) makes me feel so much better.

Distance: 3 miles
Weather: Crisp, dark
Course: 1 mile on the track, 2 on rolling hills
Pace: 11:45 per mile

I felt good this run, I was pushing it a little (which you can't really tell by my pace) but I didn't feel like I was over doing it. I got whooped at 3 times (yes, I counted) and I enjoyed my music. Which incidentally, I've totally taken over Tavia's comment section with suggestions, if you're reading this and have any for her go on over and give her some, mine are veeeery pop and mostly old. I'm sure she'd appreciate a different view point.

It was a great way to start this training program. And I just want to remember that in 19 weeks. 19 long and hard weeks.

Sun. Oct. 22nd

Distance: Cross Training
Time: around 45 minutes to an hour
Weather: Warm

I went for a hike in Griffith Park. I don't know if it is technically "Cross Training" but I didn't feel like digging my bike out from under all the crap that is now stored on it. So, it had to do for this last week of non "official" training.

Real training starts tonight with a 3 miler. It was supposed to start last night, but I find procrastination to be a useful motivator. (Shut up. I know that doesn't make sense.)

Sat. Oct. 21st

Distance: 4 miles
Weather: Nice, dusk
Course: Up Los Feliz to Western and back
Pace: 12:40 per mile

I was feeling a little weird about posting how ridiculously slow I ran that 4 miles, but I figured there's about 2 people reading and I know those people will only silently judge me instead of sending me mocking e-mails about how I should just call it "Bouncy walking" and give up.

Anyway, I haven't run farther than 2 miles in... months? I don't know, it's been a long time. The last time I did I got such bad cramps I had to walk for a while. This time I got a small stitch in my side on one of the upsides of the rolling hills on Los Feliz Blvd. Other than that, I felt fine if not extremely exhausted. I think I need to start with the multi-vitamin again and get the Gatorade going before these longer runs.

Today, I cross train by going for a short hike in Griffith Park.

Friday, Oct. 20th

Distance: 2 miles
Weather: Moderate, dark
Course: Up to Vermont and back
Pace: 11:30 per mile

I was looking at all the training guides to see if I wanted to do anything different this time for the marathon and had a little heart attack. The marathon is two weeks earlier than last year. So my extra two week cushion to lose some weight and get my mileage up is kind of gone. Especially if I do the Hal Higdon program, which is 18 weeks.

Gah.

I have a 4 mile run planned for this afternoon. Wish me luck with that.

Thursday, Oct. 19th

Distance: 2 ish
Weather: moderate, dark
Pace: Fuck if I know, I ran for 24 mins. 50 secs.

I don't know why I get so frustrated about not knowing how far I've run or how fast I went, but it really irritates me that I can't figure out how long that stupid track is.

It was a good run, despite all that. I didn't get any cramps (heh, I typed that 'craps' first... which, would be horrible...) and I still pushed myself a little harder than normal. This time instead of sprinting the back curve, I just 'picked it up'. Anyway, I feel good about the work out.

I've somehow managed to gain weight in the last week, and I'm really hoping it's just that body change that happens when you're rebuilding muscle and not quite shedding the fat. It's frustrating because I don't feel like I've been terrible about what I've been eating. Oh well. I just have to keep an eye on it I guess.

Mon. Oct 16th

Distance: 2 ish?
Weather: Cold, dark
Pace: unknown, I ran for 26 minutes

I thought I would try and figure out the local high school track and see if it really is shorter than a regulation track, but I screwed up my own test by not running at my usual pace. I decided to do some sprints. So I arbitrarily chose the back curve of the track to sprint each lap. I managed to do that for 5 laps before I totally cramped up and thought I might die so I slowed way down. I ended up running 8 laps, plus to the track and back... so it's two and a 1/4 miles? Maybe.

The plus side is I got really worn out and there's nothing I like more than a work out that really works me.

Sunday, Oct. 15th

Distance: 2 miles
Weather: Overcast, brisk
Route: Down to the bridge and back
Pace: 11:30

They have fertilzer all over the field by the fountain on Los Feliz and Riverside Blvds. making for a not so pleasant run in that area. That might explain why I shaved off 5 seconds. (ha.)

Tomorrow I think I'm going to run the track, give my knees a rest.

Saturday, Oct. 14th

Distance: 2 miles
Weather: Cloudy and crisp
Per mile: 11:39

I gave myself some serious stomach cramps on this one. I'm going to have to step it up in the next couple of weeks so I'll be ready to start training again.

My sister is training to do her first 5k ever. I'm so proud of her. My parents aren't what you'd call 'athletic', although early in her life my mom was really into skiing and then later in life she's been into walking. My mom might very well walk faster than I jog. Um... oh yeah, so my point is, we didn't have a lot to go by with my parents, I was involved in sports early on, but then kind of went the drugs and drinking direction in high school, my sister was an actress and a club type girl in high school. So I'm proud of her. I hope she sticks with it, but I know how hard these things can be.

I think I'm going to do the LA Marathon again. I'll decide by Nov. 11th, that's when I started training last year, so that's my deadline to decide.

Sunday run

Distance: 2 miles
Weather: Crisp

Oops. I guess I haven't been doing what I set out to do. But at least I ran. Right?

Week 1: Run 1 of 4

Distance: 2 miles
Temp: Dark and brisk
Course: Moderate (House to Vermont and back, some hills.)
Pace per mile: 11:35 (heh, I thought I was so much faster than my last run...)

I have been putting off running. I keep deciding I'm too tired or hungry or just burnt out and instead I sit on the couch and feel bad about myself. Shame spiral!

The run was good. I felt like I was pushing much harder than I did on Sunday and I either have my distances totally off or I'm just pretty out of shape. I'm guessing it's the latter. Considering I ran the marathon at about the pace I'm running now (can that be right?) I think I need to step it up. I'm also trying to be sure I don't hurt myself.

This week I'm probably getting off to a bad start because unless I drag my ass out of bed in the morning, I'm not going to get another run in. Off to New York tomorrow night!

New Goals, Same Shoes

Miles: 2
Temp: Kind of hot and sunny
Course: (Easy/Hard) Down Los Feliz Blvd. hill to the overpass and back up.
Average pace per mile: 11:45 (yikes, that's slow)

It's been a long time since I've actively tracked my runs, my last post was in May and before that I was kind of half assing it in this big black book of runs I was keeping. I've been reading JB's training blog,Gorilla Hunting, since its inception and I'm getting a little inspired to start training again. My big problem has been that I'm not sure if I want to do the LA Marathon again next year or wait a little longer and do the San Diego Marathon in June of next year. I don't have the confidence to do both, and I'm thinking I'd like to do a different course for my next marathon, but that puts my goal a long, long way away. I guess the obvious thing would be to find and train for a 10k or Half Marathon in the meantime, but I'm such a slow runner (as evidenced above) that I don't really want to be the slowest girl in the race.

I've gained a little weight since the marathon and I'd like to tone up again and lose those extra pounds. I'd also like to get my pace down to around 10:30 per mile or less. I don't think that will be too hard, but then again, I've never trained for speed before.

So for now, my goal is simply to run four times a week, for at least 2 miles until November when I have to decide whether or not I'm training for the LA Marathon. Additionally after four weeks, I'd like to add a cross training day to either do some weights, yoga, go for a bike ride or jump rope.

New Running Partner

Last night Louie went for a run with me. I am so lucky to have such a great boyfriend.

Scheduled: 2
Actual: 2
RPE: 6

He is a faster runner than I am so I was pushed a bit. I think in the long run we're both going to end up in better shape. Maybe I'll be able to get him to do a marathon with me next year.

Fingers crossed.

Los Angeles Marathon XXI

The night before:
Apparently there is much debate about whether or not an athlete should carb load before a big event. My bible (which I followed religiously) told me I should carb up all week, and if I felt like I hadn't eaten enough carbs that on the night before I should eat a particularly carby meal. Since I feel like I could never eat "enough carbs" I decided to go for a nice Italian meal. I wanted to go early (6pm is early meal time in LA, for some people it's even considered a late lunch...) and was unpleasantly surprised by the shit-tastic service we got from a normally delicious and low key restaurant. It probably didn't help that I had been sitting in the auto shop all day with my car, so waiting an hour and fifteen minutes for food was not on my 'things to do' list. I've crossed that restaurant off my list. Il Capricio - if you were wondering.

The morning of:
I woke up at 3:45AM and kind of tossed and turned until 5:30AM. I was fretting about what to wear, if I should eat, was I going to have to go number 2 during the course, etc, etc. Finally I got dressed and Louie came to pick me up. He dealt with my nerves and my non-specific directions as best as he could. I am a trial.

The Line Up:
I met Eric, Dave, Karma and Joe at the corner of 4th and Fig, which was a block away from the start line. It was freezing. I was wearing shorts. Goose bumps and white legs. Sexy.

Eric gave me some pointers and tips and before too long we heard the gun and Randy Newman's "I Love LA" playing, and we were off. Sort of. The start line is packed about a block and a half deep, so we walked until we crossed the actual start line and then Eric and Dave took off, and Karma and I puttered along.

Mile 1 through 6:
It is an amazing thing running with 25,000 strangers. You can only hear their footsteps and clothing and see the mass of heads bumping along in front of you. I did my best not to over run the first six miles, just took it slow and hydrated at every water stop. Karma had to pee at about mile 3 or 4, so I was alone running along, and at mile 6 I decided I need to pee to. I lost about 5 to 7 minutes in line for the portapotty, but wasn't about to drop trou like the crazy people and pee beside a building. When I started back up again, I picked my pace up a bit, but not too much, I wanted to make up time, but I wasn't terribly worried about it.

Mile 6 through 13.2:
People were out everywhere cheering for the runners, calling out the names they could read on people's bibs, banging pots together. I started using my iPod around here, just to pass the time. I could have done it with out, but I figured since I was carrying it, I might as well listen to it. In two places "Eye of the Tiger" which is on my iPod was being played live, but the "On Course Entertainment." I expected to feel really tired at the half way mark, but the only thing I felt was a little mental twinge. I was tired, but the mental image of doing what I had just run, except with more hills, made me a little... weary. I used the techniques my training bible taught me and that went away pretty quickly. At some point Karma reappeared, and we ran together for a while. I slowed down a bit and she kept going. Around here I took 2 more Advil and got drank/ate a Cliff Shot (the Vanilla flavor is delicious.)

Mile 13 through 19:
There were a few small hills to contend with, but nothing like what I had been training on, so that was a total relief. In fact, if anyone wants to train in Los Angeles for the marathon, I highly recommend Los Feliz/Silverlake/Echo Park. Our hills are killer. We started moving through neighborhoods I'm very familiar with on this part of the course, because of my commute to and from work, so that was nice. Running up Wilshire Blvd, there was a big cold wind blowing right in your face, then it would switch and be at your back, I almost put my wind breaker back on, but before too long we were on 6th Street and the wind was gone. At mile 18 they had a "Salonpas" pain relief station, where they sprayed some kind of Ben Gay type solution on your legs. It might be a pure placebo effect, but it felt great. Then I got just passed mile 19 and a group of my friends were there cheering me on. I was so happy to see them. Louie took a few photos.

Mile 20 through 26:
Wow. This is a blur for me because as they say, the last six miles are the last half of the marathon. You know you can finish, you just don't know how. I saw a man in the middle of the street, he had collapsed and a couple of people were trying to help him. I'm not sure if he was one of the two people that died. I kept going. I walked a few times in this last six just to give my knees some relief. I was also getting worried about my left foot. I was experiencing some numbness in the pad and two of my toes. At mile 26, Karma and I reconnected and I started to push pretty hard.

Mile 26.2:
There is no way for me to describe running up Flower seeing the finish line, knowing that the past sixteen weeks had led up to this one moment. I crossed. I got a little choked up. They took off my timing chip and I half limped to get my medal. I kind of had to lean down because the woman was so short. It felt heavy around my neck. I had finished it.

Post Marathon:
After the medal you run the gauntlet of water, gatorade, shiny blankets, cliff bars and I devoured one and a half. (Which is probably why I got a little sick when we got to the car.) Louie was there with flowers and I was ready to start planning my next one.

I can't believe how awesome it feels to do this. I love it and will do it again.

THE MARATHON

Scheduled: 26.2
Actual: 26.2
RPE: 7

I have a long post planned for this, but there are some highlights I want to remember right now.

Running the first four miles it's hard not to get caught up in the excitement and out run yourself. People are passing you, and you want to keep up, but you listen to your weeks of training and pace yourself.

The first eight miles are as easy as your 5 milers usually are. The excitement is still there and you know you've got a lot left in you.

Hearing people you don't know shout out your name is really amazing. I wish I had that in my every day life. Just walking down the street having someone say, "You can do it, Tamara!" would make me a lot happier person.

The halfway point sort of made me depressed. I knew it was going to feel that way because I know how hard running 18 miles is, but I was depressed nonetheless.

The Salonpas site at mile 18 was heaven. I don't know if what they spray on you really works, but it gives your brain the idea that you can finish. Only 8 miles to go.

Seeing my friends and boyfriend at mile 19 was so awesome. I didn't think I wanted people there to cheer me on, but I was so happy to see them, and I felt so good that mile that it was just... amazing.

It's true what they say about the last 6 miles being the last half of the marathon. I had to walk a bit those last six miles. Not as much as I wanted to, but I did walk. There was so much pain. My left foot was numb from the pad of my foot to my big and pointer toe. I thought I was doing permanent damage. My knees were in agony, but I just kept moving. Kept struggling through.

Crossing the finish line was so incredibly emotional. When the tiny woman put my medal on I got a little choked up. I haven't ever felt acheivement in that way. I usually just let success go unrewarded, but this... this felt like I... I don't know, like my work paid off, like I deserved a medal. Amazing.

Week 16: Run 2 - MARATHON WEEK

Scheduled: 3
Actual:3
RPE: 3

Awww.... my last training run. It was kind of awesome because DA saw me running and it gave me a little preview of the cheering section I'm getting for the marathon.

Tonight I do a 3 mile walk. Then Sunday, I run 26.2 miles. Check back here Monday or Tuesday for a full update on how it went.

Week 16: Run 1 - MARATHON WEEK

Scheduled: 3
Actual: 3
RPE: 4

I wanted to push this one a little harder than I normally run because I'm feeling soooo stressed about the marathon. It went by so quickly. Glad it's almost over, but also a little sad.