High energy

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I’m bubbling with energy today. I woke up at 4:20 and bounded out of bed to go to the gym. Seriously that never happens. I always have the best of intentions to get my workout done early before my husband goes to work so I don’t have to do it later in the day especially since I have to work tonight. I did a speed training workout, some upper body strength training and then back at home I did an hour of Plyometrics. As tough as it is to wake up that early I am always much more energetic when I do.

Before I even got to Florida for the marathon I had my mind set on my next goal…improve my speed. The last two years I have competed in the Bridge of Flowers 10K in Shelburne Falls, MA. It is one of my favorite races. In 2010 I ran it in 1:07:36 and last year I finished in 1:04:16. I was floored that I had managed to shave 3 minutes off my time especially given that mile 3 is a seriously steep ascent up what is known as Crittendon Hill. Hill my ass. It is a small mountain. Yet despite the “hill” I know I can do better. I am determined to get my 10K time at this race under 1:00 and 59:59 would be acceptable!

I have until August to get ready for the Bridge of Flowers so in the meantime I’ve got my sights set on the Holyoke, MA St. Patrick’s Day 10K Road Race. I’ve never run this race before despite the fact that it is a very popular race in my area and the hospital I work for is usually a sponsor of the race. This is a big weekend in Holyoke which at one time boasted a large Irish immigrant population. An interesting fact, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade which is held the day after the race is the 2nd largest in the country. Second only to New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

I’m not Irish and I’m not a huge fan of parade’s, but running I can do. I’m excited to run this race. I know lots of people running it and I’ve run much of the course without even realizing it when I was training for the marathon. It’s not an easy course either. There are multiple good size hills to contend with.

The St. Patrick’s Day Race will serve as a test run, if you will, for Shelburne Falls. I will be able to gauge my time, my strengths and weaknesses. Once again I am following a Hal Higdon training plan. I preplanned my 10K training schedule prior to the marathon. After the marathon I gave myself a full week off save for a couple of very slow, short runs just to stretch my legs out and a few walks. The next week I began my new training schedule but it started out with some easy running and strength training.

It’s hard to believe that I just started week 4 of the training. I am loving it so far. It is a mix of tempo runs, pace runs, speed intervals training, strength training and I’ve also thrown in some Plyometrics for good measure. A coworker who has worked as a track coach recommended the plyometrics to improve speed, balance and agility. I just so happened to have a burned copy of the P90X Plyometrics DVD. It’s lots of squats with bursts of jumps amongst other exercises. I couldn’t walk the day after I did it for the first and second time. Today was my third attempt. We’ll see how I’m doing tomorrow!  

I am working on putting my race schedule together for the year. That sounds really weird to write. Seriously who am I that I have a race schedule? It’s really fun to check out races all over the place and figure out what new and interesting locales I can check out this year. Anyway it’s looking really exciting but not written in stone just yet so more on the schedule once I am able to actually register for some of the races. I can say that there may be another marathon, a possible international race and as I mentioned above a return to an old favorite with a big PR goal. 

Disney Marathon Part 4

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Let the Races Begin

Grab a cup of coffee, tea or whatever you wish. This is one wordy post. My apologies in advance, but I promise by the end of this post I will finally finish that darn marathon I keep talking about!

The Disney Family Fiesta 5K

The 5K began at 6:30am on Friday, January 6,2012. My friend, her husband, her daughter and I all got up around 4 that morning. She came into the kitchen looking absolutely gorgeous despite the wretched hour.

Just a little background on my best nursing school friend. She has never been a runner. After recovering from foot surgery she announced that she was going to start running with hopes of completing a 5K. She followed the Jeff Galloway run/walk method throughout her training. In April 2011 we ran a local 5K together along with her husband and her next door neighbor. She finished it and later decided to sign up for this race.

We left early because we weren’t sure what to expect with traffic and road closings. The weather was very cool, in the 40s. There was a fun vibe at the starting area with a DJ blasting music. I was getting very excited about my own race. Many of the runners were wearing adorable and interesting costumes. As they announced the start the daylight began to break.

We said our goodbyes as my friend walked, nervously over to the starting area. We headed to the bleachers at the finish line. The amazing thing about a 5K is that within 15 minutes you have your winner. Incredible!

Disney Family Fiesta 5K Finish Line

My friend did an amazing job. She finished the race and didn’t come in last as she feared. We knew she wouldn’t come in last. I’m so proud of her. She admits that she has not quite fallen in love with running. If she never runs again that’s ok. She committed to running the races, trained for them and completed them. I give her so much credit. Not that it matters, but my friend turned 50 the week after the Disney race. I wish I could put her photo up because she is one stunning lady who doesn’t look a day over 40 in my opinion.

The 2012 Disney World Half Marathon

Next up was my friend’s husband, “D,” who ran the half marathon on Saturday morning. His race was scheduled to begin at 5:30am. The plan was to bring D to the starting area around 4, return to the hotel for about an hour and then head out again to try to catch him on the course before heading over to the finish line.

Our plan was foiled a bit because we kept getting directed in circles as we tried to find our way to the parking area in the Magic Kingdom. Roads were closed and spectator traffic was heavy even at the early hour. We finally managed to park and made our way to one of the spectator zones near the Polynesian Hotel. It was still fairly dark out and though my friend caught a glimpse of D pass quickly by, I missed him. I must have blinked! At this point he was doing great. We were receiving text updates of his time and pace.

D was a serious runner years ago when he was in the military. He talks about when he could run a 6 minute mile with ease. He has suffered from some knee and calf problems in recent years making running a bit of a struggle. His training was derailed a few times by pain and injury. To me the fact that he was out there at all was a triumph in and of itself, but I was in awe of the pace he was maintaining.

We hopped on the monorail and headed over to Epcot to get a spot at the finish line. We were cutting it close and ended up running from the monorail to the finish area. We scored a great viewing spot about 300 yards from the finish line. The crowd was going wild, cow bells and loud cheers surrounded us. My friend held up the neon yellow sign we had made for each of us so D could easily find us. I had my camera ready to shoot. Then we saw him coming around the bend. He looked strong, gave us a wave and pushed forward towards the finish.

Half marathoners still smiling as they near the finish line

Ultimately D’s goal was to simply finish the race. His A+ goal was to finish in just under 2 hours. He was a little disappointed by his official time which was just under 2:05, but he shouldn’t have been. He did start hurting in the second half of the race. For his first half marathon in many years and a challenging training, I think he had a lot to be proud of.

My friend and her husband have been so encouraging of my running. I was honored to be there to watch them accomplish their own running goals.

Spectating races is almost as much fun as running them. I loved being there on the side lines cheering other runners on as they passed by. The energy of the crowd was infectious. As faces go by I wonder what their running story is because everyone has one. One particularly interesting runner was a blind man running the Goofy Challenge which involves running the Half Marathon and the Full Marathon and in his case he also ran the 5K. Can you imagine running over 42 miles in 3 days never mind running it tethered to another person who is acting as your guide? Talk about inspirational!

The 2012 Disney Marathon

My alarm sounded at 2am on Sunday, January 8, 2012 but let’s back up a little. On Saturday I received an incredible surprise. If you haven’t read about it please do. You’ll find my post here. My pre-marathon carb loading fest was a family affair with my Mom, sister, Dad and his girlfriend, my husband and son. We met my cousin who was participating in the marathon as a Team in Training coach. She always goes to the same Italian restaurant in Celebration, FL the night before the marathon. I stuck to a simple bowl of pasta with marinara sauce. Dessert took place at a near by ice cream sweet shop. I treated myself to a small bag of chocolate truffles.

Back at the hotel I prepared my things for the morning and settled down to sleep around 8:30pm. I was up at 2:15 before my alarm even went off. I was surprised at how good I felt. No headache, my voice was back and there wasn’t even a hint of a cough or congestion. I took a quick shower to wake up, ate my typical long run breakfast of peanut butter toast and banana.

Pre race breakfast: Peanut butter toast with smooshed bananas!

I took a photo of myself and texted it to the girls at work! Who the heck else is up at such a ridiculous hour?

Marathon Prep

My race bib: I was way too excited that it had my name on it!

After the half marathon we discovered that the hotel did indeed have a shuttle bus going to the starting area. We had asked previously and had been told that they weren’t having any shuttles. Apparently it was a last minute decision. I woke up my husband and he and D walked me over to the bus around 3:30. I wasn’t feeling nervous. I was sort of anxious to get started.

Despite the more than 15,000 runners arriving at the starting area I managed to literally bump into my cousin, Jenna within 5 minutes of getting off the shuttle.

Cousins!

I was so happy to see a familiar face. She had done the Disney Marathon 5 times before so I just followed her lead. We hit the port-a-potties and then filtered into the herd of runners heading to the starting line. I really did feel like I was one in a herd of cattle. The mood was oddly somber and we were walking at such a slow pace. It was dark and cool out, but the temperature was comfortable. I never needed the blanket I brought so I ditched it in a pile of other discarded clothing to be donated by the marathon organizers.

I bid my cousin and her team farewell as they dropped me off at Corral D. I found my spot on the far right about 3/4 of the way to the back of the corral. I soaked up the scene. The DJ was playing music. All I remember is Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” Before I knew it Mickey and friends hit the stage, the fireworks erupted and the wheel chairs took off. Next Corral A, then B, then C and then finally it was my turn. I have learned the hard way never to start out at a race with a fast pace. This was no exception. I hit the ground at a slow jog, picking up my pace slowly. I do not wear my Garmin when I race and the time clocks along the way were reflective of the time that the 1st group started. However, I knew by the 5K mark that I was doing well, better than I expected. I fell into a comfortable pace and I stayed there for a while.

The race was well organized in my opinion. There was a water station and a medic station at every mile. Twice there were volunteers handing out bananas and twice Clif representatives were on the course passing out Gu and other Clif products.

Running a Marathon

I am one of those runners who just runs. I don’t stop too often other than to drink or if I really need to take a walking break. I run alone. I tend to get lost in my thoughts or my music. My pace during a long run is often the result of whatever is playing on my iPod.

I ran my heart out on January 8, 2012. I took in all the sights and sounds of the race. We ran through Epcot, the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Disney Hollywood Studio. I was motivated along the way by the spectators who were cheering and waving. Having my name on my bib was more exciting than I thought as people called out encouraging words to me; people I didn’t even know! I saw my friend and her daughter around mile 9 across from the Shades of Green Hotel. I know they couldn’t tell, but my eyes immediately welled up with tears when I spotted them holding that big fluorescent yellow sign.

Running through Cinderella’s castle was so exciting. The Magic Kingdom was lined with spectators and their energy was infectious.

Approaching Cinderella's Castle

I saw my cousin around mile 21 and she ran for a little bit with me before turning back to be there for her team.

The spectators grew in numbers as I neared the finish line. Having been at the finish line for D’s race the day before I knew exactly when to expect to see my family and friends. I was propelled through the last half mile by the energy of the crowd. Seeing my little guy again brought tears to my eyes.

Getting emotional as I pass my family

I’m not going to lie, my legs were really sore and I don’t know where the will came from but I picked up my speed and crossed the finish line with a sense of determination I have never felt before. As one of the volunteers placed the medal over my head I started to cry.

Me and my husband: I am verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves.

I really can’t seem to come up with the right words to describe this experience. I accomplished a goal I never thought possible. In all the years I have struggled with my weight and body image it never occurred to me that I would someday be fit enough to run a marathon. I’m so proud of myself. I’ve also never said those words.  Truthfully this was one of the most incredible days of my life. It is astonishing how empowering it can be to push yourself physically and mentally past your comfort zone and beyond any limits you had previously set. Crossing that finish line eliminated any doubt that I can do anything I set my mind to. There was never a moment during the race that I thought I might not finish. I dug in with my heels and I went for it with all I had.

Though I don’t place too much emphasis on speed I did have some goals in mind. First and foremost I was intent on finishing the race, but I knew it was a reasonable challenge to set my A+ goal to finish in just under 5 hours.

5:01:37 on the clock. I wasn’t disappointed though. After all wasn’t it Walt Disney himself who said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.”

Disney Maraton Finisher's Certificate: I did it! Official chip time 4:48:19

My official chip time was 4:48:19. What!!!! I couldn’t believe it. I still can’t. I exceeded even my own expectations. I have been walking on air since. Every time I think about the marathon I smile. I beamed nonstop for at least a week. I actually wore my medal into work my first night back!

Thanks for staying with me through this loooonnnngggg post! I appreciate all the support I received here on the blog. I have enjoyed getting to know many of my visitors as well. The marathon may be over, but that was just beginning. I will be back with some upcoming plans.

Disney Marathon Part 3

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My official last week of marathon training was 1/1/12 to 1/7/12. There was very little running as it was the week of the marathon. On New Year’s Day I did run 10 miles. It was not part of my training plan. I did it for myself. I needed it both physically and mentally. On Monday, 1/2/12 I went to the gym and enjoyed a rather leisurely hour on the Arc Trainer.

Tuesday, 1/3/12 was a day of last minute preparations before our flight on Wednesday morning. I managed to book a very last minute hair appointment when my stylist cancelled. I had my hair colored and cut, did some shopping, got a pedicure and finally settled down to pack around 9pm!

My day was so busy that kept trying to ignore the fact that I didn’t feel great. My head throbbed all day long and I could feel my throat getting scratchier and scratchier. I was popping Vitamin C and drinking Airborne fizzy tabs as often as possible. I took multiple doses of Motrin with little effect on the headache. By the time I went to bed around 11:30 I had been up for over 24 hours, I felt like crap and I had to get up in about 4 hours. Needless to say I did not do any exercise.

Wednesday, 1/4/12 arrived far too quickly, but despite the early alarm we are all very excited about the trip. I felt even worse upon waking, but I was determined to fight this head cold with everything I had. I left the house with a big mug of Airborne. I had a bag full of remedies. Game on sickness! If you consider that other than the rib injury back in September I haven’t called out sick since April of 2007 then you will understand how rare it is for me to be grounded by illness (knocking on wood right now).

Our flight was uneventful. We met our friends at the airport and all drove to their timeshare together. My dearest friend from nursing school and her husband graciously invited us to spend our time in Orlando at their unbelievably gorgeous timeshare.

Our home away from home

By the time we checked in, got unpacked, had lunch, did a little grocery shopping and explored the  resort it was nearing 8pm. I had almost no voice and I felt horrible. I tried to stay up a little longer but I ended up falling asleep before Carlos. Once again I did no running or any exercise to speak of.

On Thursday, 1/5/12, I went to Disney’s Health and Fitness Expo at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. My friend was registered to run the 5K and her husband was running the half marathon. It was the biggest expo I’ve ever been to and being around so many runners, picking up my race bib and seeing Jeff Galloway was just about enough to make me giddy with excitement. I’m a bit of a dork like that. I had a huge smile on my face (much bigger than the one in the photo below!) the entire time. I was just soaking it all up.

Inside the Expo

Jeff Galloway speaking at the Expo

Jeff Galloway is synonymous with the Disney Marathon and serves as a Run Disney Training Consultant. He is well known for his walk/run programs. I don’t personally utilize any of his programs but I don’t hesitate to recommend them to people who don’t feel like they can maintain a running pace for an entire race.

Meanwhile there was a lot of this going on back at the hotel.

Carlos in the pool

The temperature in Orlando our first two days was a bit cool. Fortunately the swimming pools were heated. Carlos and Orlando love swimming together so they enjoyed the morning in the pool. My little guy was so anxious to get to the Magic Kingdom, but he behaved with the patience of a saint.

I had completely lost my voice at this point, but I was somewhat reassured by the fact that it was the only remaining symptom. The headache had passed and I never developed any chest congestion or a cough. I was hopeful that by race day I would be feeling fine. I decided that since we had a long afternoon and evening of Disney World ahead of us I would consider all the walking I would be doing my workout for the day. We had no set plan. We just let Carlos decide what he wanted to do more or less. We saw two parades, a show, rode Thunder Mountain, the Haunted Mansion, the Tea Cups, the Jungle Cruise, Race Cars and a few other rides I am forgetting. Carlos’ favorite hands down was Thunder Mountain.

In front of the Magic Kingdom

In line at Thunder Mountain

Waiting so patiently to get on Thunder Mountain

The weather was gorgeous, sunny and cool. Carlos was in awe of everything we saw. The park was sufficiently crowded to draw long lines, but that didn’t matter. My husband and I aren’t exactly what you call Disney people, but seeing it through the eyes of a child makes it a truly magical experience.

Where dreams do come true!

We enjoyed a delicious dinner at Tony’s Restaurant on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. It was late and we were starving. We watched the fireworks from the restaurant and finally returned to the hotel on one of the last shuttles of the night. By the time we got to the hotel it was past 10pm. I had a 4am wake up call so I could accompany my friends to the 5K. The Run Disney races began on Friday, January 6, 2012 with the 5K. I was excited about attending both the 5K and the half marathon. It’s awesome running a race, but it is a wonderful feeling cheering on other runners. I love seeing the determination and joy on the faces that speed by.

This trip was all about family. I chose to run the Disney Marathon because I wanted to make the experience fun for all of us. Training was truly a family affair. I spent many a weekend morning running for hours. I set out as soon as my husband returned home from work on my nights off to get the miles in. My husband and I coordinated schedules, sometimes we bantered about how I would fit in a double digit run on weekends he had to do side jobs, but we always found a way to compromise. My son grew to understand that I was going for my runs like it or not. He’s a bit of a Momma’s boy (I love it!) and would get whiny at times, but after a few months he would send me off with good lucks and high fives. My husband and my son accompanied me to races, cheered me on and took care of me when I broke my rib so that I could realize this marathon dream. I wanted to show my son that we can do anything we set our mind to. I know he is still a bit too young to fully understand the significance of what I did, but I think he will someday.

Disney Marathon Part 2

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Seeing Green

In my previous post I wrote about my reaction when I was unable to run that first 5K I trained for. Instead of being motivated by watching others run the race I was jealous and responded by quitting running. I have been thinking about that over the past few days. It stirred up some vivid memories of what I now see as my Healthy Tipping Point.

A couple of years before I started running one of my younger cousins began training for the Disney Marathon as a member of Orlando’s Team in Training for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The family was so proud of her when she completed the marathon. My initial response to her success as a runner was, “good for her, but why would anyone want to run that far. I’ve got better things to do with my time. I would never run a marathon.” Yes I said those words out loud to other people. Clearly I was envious that my cousin was doing something so incredible. I couldn’t get my own words out of my head for a long time.

I’ve been unhappy with my body for as long as can remember, all the way back to my pre-teen years, but my disdain for my body had reached it’s peak. On top of how I was feeling physically I was also very unhappy at work. Unhappiness breeds even uglier emotions like jealousy and negativity. It’s hard to be happy for others when you’re so unhappy with yourself.

Spurred on by my cousin’s enthusiasm for running and my sister’s encouragement I reluctantly began running and eventually training for that fateful 5K. My friend ran that race while I stood by watching. Sure I cheered for her and the other runners, but I probably had a smug scowl on my face. I was miserable with the way I felt and with my life in general. I hated my job, my body and as a new mom with few “mom” friends I was also very lonely. My life was in a flux. I guess I didn’t realize how much it showed.

I am so fortunate that my friend loved me enough to tell me, in not so many words, that I had become a serious drag to be around. Her words stung initially. I cried a lot during that time. I was so disappointed in myself and very tired of this monotonous struggle with my weight. I had gotten further and further away from my goals to lose weight and become healthier. I’m not sure I ever told my friend that she did me a huge favor by being honest. We all say that’s what we want from our friends but then we get angry when they point out the obvious. I knew she was right. I felt horrible about myself. I’m so grateful that my friend valued me and our friendship enough to tell me the truth. She remains a very dear and trusted friend to this day. After a little soul searching I transferred to another unit at work, began running and taking care of myself again.

As I mentioned in the last post I knew before I was even done running the half marathon that I would have to eat my words. I called my cousin after I finished my first half marathon and excitedly proclaimed right then and there that I was going to sign up for the Disney Marathon in 2012 proving to myself once again why I should never say never!

Since that first marathon at Disney, my cousin has run that race a total of 6 times both as a member of Team in Training and more recently as a coach for the organization. She has run the Marine Corps Marathon, the Paris Marathon and a number of shorter races. She is motivating and inspiring. I have since thanked her for her encouragement and shared with her how inspiring she has been to me. Her teammates are so lucky to have her as a coach. I am so grateful she was there at my first marathon.

I have stopped being jealous of others’ accomplishments. I have come to realize that envy is an ugly, self-destructive emotion. If I want something bad enough then I know I need to be the one to get out there and get it. I went from being a bystander to a go getter.

I promise I will get to the marathon very soon. I didn’t realize how reflective the marathon experience would make me. To go from being the girl in gym class who sat on the bleachers nearly failing gym class because I was so self-conscious about my body to running a marathon is a big deal for me.

Disney Marathon Part 1

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“The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.” Arthur C. Clarke

Running a marathon was never on my list of things to do. It wasn’t a goal I had always hoped to achieve. I never really aspired to athleticism of any level really.

When I started writing my recap of my first marathon experience I kept going back many years before. For those reading this I hope you don’t mind taking this journey with me. It wasn’t until I was running the actual marathon that I began thinking about the road I took to get to that very moment. My memories reminded me of how far I’ve come. The outcome of the race has inspired me to go further than I ever dreamed.

Boston 

Years ago in college I accompanied a friend to Boston to work at the Boston Marathon. Her aunt and uncle owned a rental company that supplied a variety of equipment to the marathon. They operated out of a trailer at the finish line. I did a number of odd jobs to help set up the marathon. The day of the race I actually had the opportunity to see the winners cross the finish line. They were super human to me. How could anyone run that fast? The sheer magnitude of what they had accomplished made me tear up.

Yet it wasn’t the elites that really touched my heart it was all the others. One after another the runners finished. All seemed to have a story in their eyes. The tears, the hugs, the silver blanket, the medal, family members rushing up to greet them and it repeated over and over again, each time just as touching. It never crossed my mind that I too could accomplish a similar feat. I was heavier than I had ever been, out of shape, a smoker, occasional drinker and didn’t eat nary a vegetable.  I said things like, “Those people are crazy. I would never run a marathon, hell I probably couldn’t even run to the end of the street.” That was in April 1998.

Baby motivation

Fast forward to December 2006. My life changed forever when my son was born. I instantly felt a surge of love that I have never felt for anyone before. The thought of possibly not being around to see my son grow up frightened me. I had quit smoking 9 years earlier thanks to an infection in my pinky finger. That is another story for another time. Postpartum I was just a few pounds less than I had weighed in 1998 and the scale tipped at just over 200. I had no medical issues but I knew that at the rate I was going I would someday.

It took me a year to lose the “baby” weight and by Carlos’ first birthday I was down to about 180 pounds. I worked out sporadically, mostly walking. Carlos began walking at 10 months and 2 weeks to the day. His walk quickly turned into a run. I knew that it was just a matter of time before I would be lagging behind huffing and puffing to catch my breath. I had to do something. Something had to change.

I thought about running as a form of exercise because working full time at night and taking care of Carlos during the day I wasn’t able to find the time to go to the gym. I figured running would be the easiest thing to do, tie my sneakers and go. I tried and hated it. HATED it! My sister finally gave me some advice that helped. She told me to run the long sides of a track and walk the short sides. With a little nudging I tried it and slowly conquered the track at the local college. There was a third of a mile loop around the real track for anyone interested in running or walking. I did the run/walk method three times around to equal a mile. Sometimes I did two miles. I wish I had documented my progress, but at some point I started running the entire loop, then two, then three. Below the track was a pond with a one mile trail around it. Once I could run three loops around the track I took my run down below. It was much more scenic and made the run seem less tedious. Running was starting to feel good.

The race that never was

My friend and I signed up for a 5K race in Binghamton, NY where she was living at the time. It was in the fall of 2008. I steadily built up my mileage to 3 miles. I’m certain I even got to 4 at some point in the training. I wasn’t fast but I was ready and really excited. Then circumstances beyond my control made it impossible for me to run. Instead I was there as a spectator. My friend did an incredible job for her first 5K. I was so happy for her, but really jealous. I wanted to cross that finish line too. I had worked so hard. Instead of feeling drive and motivation from watching my friend and others run the race I quit!

My first 5K and a Half

I stopped running for a while. It wasn’t until the following year when I decided to give it another try. By this time I had discovered the healthy living blog world. So many women just like me were running and racing. The recaps were so inspiring to read. They were all shapes, sizes, ages and backgrounds. I signed up for another 5K in my area for the fall of 2009. At the last minute my sister offered to run it with me. The morning of the race we woke up to rain and cold. I made my husband and son stay home because I didn’t want them out in the bad weather. My goal was simply to finish, but I knew I was capable of a 12 minute mile. My sister pushed me and encouraged me the entire way. Imagine my surprise when we approached the finish line and the time clock read 31:09. I felt so victorious and in the blink of an eye I caught the race bug.

We were nearing winter and the racing season was all but finished, but I decided that I would keep running at least once a week. I actually ran during light snowfalls on a few occasions and loved it. I didn’t run far and still wasn’t running very fast, but I kept it up through spring typically running 2-3 times a week. By spring I was back to running outdoors. My breathing was easier to control, my legs felt more comfortable and seemed to yearn for more at the end of a 3 mile run. I knew I wanted to race again. I saw something about a half marathon in Hartford, CT in early October 2010. I had plenty of time to prepare. I signed up, read up on training plans, picked one, made a schedule and the rest is history. Prior to my first half I ran a total of two 5Ks and a 10K.

Hartford ING Half Marathon

Once on the half marathon course I knew I had trained well. I felt fantastic. I never once thought of giving up. I had my usual goals in mind the first being to finish and the second was to come in under 2:30. I wasn’t wearing a Garmin or using anything to track my time during the race. I simply ran to the best of my ability. I was floored when I pulled into the finish line at 2:21:49. I exceed even my own expectations. I wasn’t even finished running the half marathon when I knew I would run a full marathon. It wasn’t because I felt ready to run 26.2 miles. It was because I knew with proper training I could do it and at that point I really wanted to know what it would feel like to run a marathon.

Carlos and I at the starting line at the Hartford ING Half Marathon

Friend Makin’ Mondays: Getting to Know You

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I am awaiting some photos from my friends who were at the finish line of the marathon, but I am working on my recap post. I am hoping to have it up this weekend. Right now I’m relaxing in Ft. Lauderdale, FL at my Dad’s. Carlos is having a great time playing with his Grandpa. My husband unfortunately had to return home on Sunday to go back to work on Monday. This has been a fabulous vacation so far. The best part is that I don’t have to return to work until Sunday night. So I will have a few days after I return home to settle in and get organized for the week ahead.

I love these Friend Makin’ Monday posts even if I don’t get them up until Tuesday. Please visit Kenlie’s site to read hers and many more.

1) What is one of your favorite ways to spend a Saturday? I enjoy going for a long run in the morning. Then it depends on my husband’s work schedule and Carlos’ activities for the day. I just kind of go with the flow. I absolutely love when we can all do something as a family like go for a hike or go for a drive to someplace new. I also love to visit with family.

2) List your top three favorite TV shows.  I honestly don’t watch TV, but I do try to follow the Amazing Race and the Biggest Loser online. I also love House Hunters International and I usually catch about 10 minutes of it with my husband before I go to work at night.

3) Would you rather be in pictures or take them? Oh take them definitely, but this is something I am working on. When my son was almost a year old I was going through all the photos of his first year to put together photo books and calendars for Christmas gifts. I realized sadly that there were few photos of the two of us. I always avoided photos because I hated the way I looked in them, but I didn’t want my son’s life to be devoid of photographic memories of me. This was part of the reason I decided to start living a healthier lifestyle. One of my goals for this year is to have professional family photos done before the holidays.

4) Why do you blog? I started this blog to document my marathon training. It has been a really fun experience and I plan to continue blogging now that the marathon is over.

5) Share five websites that you visit regularly…

OK this is a boring list I know. Yahoo is where I get most of my email. Strange to think I’ve had my Yahoo email account since 1996. CNN for a quick check of the news because a girl’s got to stay in tuned to the world! Amazon is my go to place for online shopping. Twitter just because it fascinates me. My home page on my web browser is set to my iGoogle account where I can scan my Google Reader, Gmail, Gcal and my to do list. Of course I also visit my favorite blogs regularly.

6) If you could have lunch with one person from your Twitter list who would it be? Right now it would have to be Hal Higdon @higdonmarathon. I followed his training plans for my first half marathon and my first marathon. He has run 111 marathons so he certainly knows what he’s talking about. I felt very prepared in both cases and I would love to thank him in person and hear all about his incredible experiences both as a runner and a long time writer.

7) List a few of your favorite snacks. Fruit, granola bars and nuts. I also enjoy baking healthy snacks.

8 ) Do you have a pet? If so, what kind? No we don’t have any pets.

9) Which three material possessions would you struggle to live without? My iPhone, iPod and my laptop.

10) What’s your favorite drink? I am a water girl, just plain old water.

11) Do you enjoy cooking? Yes I love cooking. It’s a relatively new hobby for me and I credit the blog world for inspiring me to start cooking. I’ve grown more adventurous and ambitious in the kitchen.

12) Do you have children? I have one adorable 5 year old son.

13) What are your favorite hobbies? Cooking, reading, hiking and running.

14) Would you consider yourself to be shy or outgoing? I think I’m outgoing for the most part but I can be reserved at times.

15) If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change? I would stop sweating the small stuff (oh and of course lose those last 15-20 pounds!).

16) Who is your favorite actor/actress? I don’t really have a favorite actor or actress.

17) What’s the coolest thing you’ve done this week?  I ran my first marathon!!!

18) Do you live near your family or far from them? I live about 15 minutes from my Mom and my Grandmother. My sister is about an hour and 15 minutes away. My Dad lives in Florida which is a 3 hour plane ride away. My in-laws live in Mozambique.

19) List three of your talents. When I think of talent I think of the arts. There are few things I am decent at though. I think I’m a pretty good mother. I’m a really good listener. I also have good organizational skills.

20) What is your greatest attribute? Determination!

Hope you are having a great day! I’m off to have some fun in the sun.

Wishes do come true

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Before we left for Disney my son told my mother that he wished she could come too. She told him to make a wish when he got to the castle and that sometimes dreams do come true.

This morning while sitting out at the pool watching my husband and son swimming. I caught my husband making a funny face in the direction behind me. I turned and this is what I saw.

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That is my Mom and sister! Needless to say I was speechless and immediately began to cry. They flew in last night and they will be at the finish line. Way back when I started this journey I had fleeting thoughts about how incredible it would be to have my family see me cross the finish line, but Florida is not exactly close by. In the end I will have quite a cheering squad when I finally finish my very first marathon tomorrow. My husband, son, mother, sister, father, father’s girlfriend, one of my dearest friends, her husband and their daughter will be cheering for me! I feel so blessed to be surrounded by family today. So I guess sometimes wishes do come true.

The Disney Marathon supports the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I will be running this in honor of someone special at home who is fighting a courageous fight against leukemia. My thoughts, prayers and wishes are with her. For her I will cross that finish line.

Greetings from Disney

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This is just a quick post to thank everyone who commented. Your encouragement is so appreciated. I am getting very excited about the race on Sunday and a bit nervous too. My friend, her husband and I attended the expo yesterday. It was wild compared to the one expo I have been to for the Hartford ING Half Marathon. I even briefly got to see Jeff Galloway, of run/walk fame. My friend ran the 5K this morning and the energy was incredible. There were lots of families, kids, people dressed up in all sorts of Disney characters and runners from all over the world including lots from Brazil and the female winner was from Australia.

We are just about to head to Epcot so I will end this with a few pictures.

A fun photo taken at the expo. My friends were after me and held their race bibs in front of them. Duh!

Dorkin' out on the airplane

Carlos was dying to get in the pool despite the very cool temps our first day here. He won!

I will be back with lots more from Disney.

Marathon Training Week 24

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What would seem to be the easiest part of marathon training has been, by far, the most challenging. The taper portion of marathon training is designed to repair muscle damage, minimize fatigue and in general refresh your body. Tapering usually begins 2-3 weeks before the marathon and after the longest run of training. For me it should have begun after my 22 mile run, but it didn’t. Truth be told I ignored all advice, training plans and proven research. I didn’t really taper. I fell into a trap that is not uncommon for a first time marathoner. I was too afraid of losing my level of fitness so I compensated by continuing to run. Also as someone who struggles with weight the taper period couldn’t have come at a worse time, the holidays! Confronted with sweets, desserts and other seasonal treats I caved and relied on running and exercise to maintain my weight so that I could enjoy the more than occasional bite. I did decrease my mileage, just not as much as I should have. I also didn’t care for my body the way that I should have in these last few weeks pre-marathon.

So for those of you thinking of running a marathon or other race do not take a page out of my book. Do read this article at Runner’s World, “It’s Taper Time” by Bob Cooper.

Here is what my week in running looked like:

Date

Scheduled Run

Actual Workout
Sunday, 12/25/11 Long Run Christmas Day became a rest day and mostly a day of carb loading!
Monday, 12/26/11 3 Mile Run 13.1 Mile Run – I felt horrible and reacted to overeating by over-running.
Tuesday, 12/27/11 Rest Day 5 Mile Run
Wednesday, 12/28/11 4 Mile Run 4 Mile Run
Thursday, 12/29/11 Rest Day Rest Day
Friday, 12/30/11 2 Mile Run 3 Mile Run
Saturday, 12/31/11 8 Mile Run 1 hour on the Arc Trainer and 40 minutes on the stationary bike at the gym

As you can see I was a bit all over the place. This mirrored my life last week. Everything about last week was all over the place. It’s no secret by now that I overdid it this holiday season. Wow did I pay for it with headaches, bloating and moodiness. My husband was off on Monday. My son was on school vacation. My Dad was visiting from Florida. My mother was on vacation. Everyone wanted to spend time with Carlos but on their schedules not mine. Speaking of which, in a fit of temporary insanity I picked up 3 extra shifts last week. The money is good, at the time I picked up the shifts my husband was laid off, plus I figured I would have lots of extra hands around to help me with Carlos. This is a luxury I never have and the same rang true for last week. By Thursday, my only day off, I was definitely ready for a rest day. In fact I was so ready I fell asleep around 7pm shortly after putting Carlos to bed. Ridiculous!

I have learned a lot about marathon training this week and a lot about myself. I have made grave mistakes which I will not do again, should there be a second marathon. I ran my last long run yesterday on New Year’s Day. I, of course, screwed up and ran more than I should have and more than I was scheduled to run because I took a different route. What’s done is done. Time to move on.

Today I came home from work and cleaned my house from top to bottom. My husband was off from work and he helped a lot. Are we the only weirdos that do this before going away? I love the feeling of coming home to a really clean home. I am going to try to get some packing done before I go to bed. Tonight is my last night of work for 12 nights.

We have absolutely no plan for our time in Florida other than to go to Disney World and of course the marathon on Sunday. My Dad and his girlfriend are traveling to Orlando on Saturday to offer their support. I will be a spectator at both the 5K on Friday and the half marathon on Saturday to cheer on my friends. I am excited to attend the expo and see Disney through my son’s eyes. Most of all I can’t wait to cross that finish line. After the marathon we will be spending a little time with my Dad in Ft. Lauderdale. The break is much needed.

I am feeling oddly calm at the moment about the marathon. In my heart, although I may not have trained perfectly, I know that I did my absolute best. I followed a legitimate training plan despite taking my own liberties to adjust it during these last few weeks. September threw an enormous wrench in my plans when I first broke my toe on my anniversary in Bermuda and then broke my rib after falling down the stairs at home less than two weeks later. I recovered and in some ways I think I’m stronger now as a result.

As I explain to my 5-year-old son, I will not win this race by crossing the finish line first, I will win it because I will cross the finish line. He doesn’t understand why coming in first isn’t important. He will some day. For me this will be an accomplishment like no other. This is one of those things I adamantly refused to believe I could do. How many times did I say, “I can’t run” as though it was something to be proud of? The truth is I was jealous of those that did run or accomplish other major fitness goals. I always assumed I had to reach that perfect weight before running a race. I’m glad I stopped with that thinking. I’m still not at my goal weight or even a number close to it, but my body has changed so much in the last year and a half. I went down two sizes and now feel so much more comfortable in my own skin. I also used to feel as though I didn’t have the time. You know I’m busy after all! Well aren’t we all. I managed to work full-time and did most of my training on the three mornings my son is in preschool and on the weekends when my husband is home during the day to watch Carlos. I got up really stinking early on my Saturdays off to go for long runs if my husband had to work. Some mornings I was done with 10 or 12 miles by the time most people were just waking up.

I stopped with the excuses and did something I never thought I could do. I really do believe that if I can do this so can anyone. It might not be a marathon. It might be a triathlon or a hike or playing golf. Whatever it is, don’t wait. Get out there and do it. You might just surprise yourself.