Ok, so I'm doing this differently

My last post was a while ago.  I  have been away.  Away from posting, and running.  I went through a physical injury (IT band Syndrome) and a bit of a mental hurdle as well.

I think my knee was trying to tell me something.  I was doing so well doing things my own way, then I began to doubt my own inner running brain and tried to start altering my training based on other people.  I was doing way too much mileage way to soon after Cowtown thinking I needed to pile runs on top of runs to be successful.  Well, success for one person is not the same as success for another.  I find success in completing things and being happy about my accomplishment.  NOT Comparing myself to others.  I do however love coming home with rewards for a job well done.  So I realize I need to alter my training and running so that I have the best outcome for ME.  I know that trails here in Arkansas are very technical,  There are lots of races here that are far to technical and I know they will not be happy runs for me.  Those I will avoid from now on.  I know that there are certain situations in the past that I have put myself in that are stressful. .  I will avoid those.  Choosing running partners is a tricky thing also. Sometimes it's best to run alone when you can so that you don't stress your body unconscionably.   Yes, unconsciously!  You can think your run is an equal event but you don't know your not running your race, your running somebody else s and you will end up with an injury.  The same goes with training schedules, training styles and techniques. 

I will make my own schedule because I know my own body and I will not let anything outside influence me.  I have run over 24 marathons and two ultra marathons and I'm pretty sure I know what I need to do to increase mileage in my own way.  I need adequate rest after an event.  EVERY event.  I need adequate rest after every long run.  I don't care what others say about training any more. ....I'm going to do this my way because when I try to do things like others do them I end up with an injury.  I know I can do this....I will do it my way.

So!

This weekend I'm planning to hit the trail again.  :)  whoo hoo
I spent 11 weeks recovering from IT band syndrome, hopefully that is behind me now and I can continue training for my big events.  I can't wait!

Poky Ultra is back and Pokier than ever!  :)

I must confess...

Right now I'm having trouble writing this blog.  Last weekend I was supposed to run 35 miles as preparation for running 50 miles in April.  Recently my old friend IT band friction syndrome crept up and took hold of my knee making it impossible for me to run my training distance and almost forced me to stop at the half way mark.  Fortunately I found some wonderful people to walk the second half with me. 

Anyhoo, my training did not get done. and I'm left wondering if I can even do the marathon distance in April.  I'm seeing a sports med doc and a Physical Therapist to get the issues under control.  And according to some people, I cant really say I have run an ultra unless I have run 50 miles.  I guess there are multiple opinions out there because at Cowtown I was given a shirt and award that clearly said "Ultra" on it. 

So you may not hear from me for a while. 

So Fast Forward

After running several marathons after that, my times continued to get better, until I peaked at 4 hours 10 minutes.  I was running in Carlsbad California, I had gone to San Diego with my mom and brother to visit my moms sister, Aunt Margaret.  We stayed with her then drove the Carlsbad the night before the marathon.  It was about a 45 minute drive.

I don't remember the start of this race.  At the time I was not even focused on running it quickly.  I was just running comfortably and kept a good pace along the California Coastline enjoying the views and the beautiful weather.  I remember the surfers coming up out of the ocean to take a break from their waves to cheer us on.  I also remember beautiful seas side homes, beach shacks and friendly aid stations.

I remember trying to keep my pace strong as I finished and tried to hang with a couple folks I had run several miles with and I did really well until the very end.  I had a strong finish and did not even realize how close I was coming to a real marathon landmark.  The sub 4 marathon.

That unattained goal would haunt me, yet that PR would stick with me until the winter of 2011...That's how long it took me to break that personal best in Carlsbad California.

That was the past...

So that was my first marathon experience.  I went on to train and run the Midsouth Marathon that same year in November.  My training was better, I had friends pacing me on my 20 miler.  Sheila meet me an ran 10 miles with me.  I ran 5 on my own, then Debbie meet me for the last 5 miles. 

On race day my friend Cindy ran 4 to 13 miles with me and Hollowell ran 13 to 26 with me.  My finish: 4:43!  Well with in my goal.

I have to tell you that at mile 20 a fresh orange slice handed to you by a volunteer can be the most succulent of amazing foods you will ever eat.  Steve grabbed about 3 in each hand and handed them to me as we trecked down the highway.  He also mixed my Gatorade and water cocktails for me and shielded me from the wind.  I don't think it would have been as fun or easy with out the two of them. 

I also passed a former training buddy who scoffed at my desired finish time and running pace as too slow.  We did two training run together until he decided I was running too slow and he wanted to finish much faster than I was planning to finish and running-dumped me.   I passed him at mile 22.  He went out way too fast and died someplace between mile 13 and 18.  Every race after that I made it my personal mission to finish ahead of him. I beat him again the following year at Midsouth...again.

I took home an award that day also.  Second in my age division! 

This was also the first marathon I told my parents about.  They drove up with their RV and camped at the state park.  We grilled burgers that night and roasted marshmallows, of course it took me a while before I could eat.  The extra effort I put forth on this run truly made a difference on how I felt afterward.  I was unable to eat at all until 6:30 that evening, I felt nauseous during the awards presentations and nearly threw up the home baked cookie I had eaten post race.  I learned its a dangerous game you play with the long run and staying hydrated and nourished to the end.  Its a delicate line between awesome running and injury.  run to the end of that line, but be sure not to cross it....

Well, it was momentus...

In my last post I sort of left my first marathon achievement in the cold.  Yes it was exciting that I completed my first marathon.  I was happy that I completed it.  It is just I knew in the back of my mind that I did not work as hard at it as I could have.  But I have to keep reminding my self that simply completing was the point.  I do thinks very step by step.  Focus on one thing at a time, complete that, then go for more later.

I do want to acknowledged the lovely volunteer at mile 13 who ran down to me and took my water bottle, asked me what I wanted and had it filled and waiting for me by the time I actually got to the end of the aid station.  I want to give Kudos to the radio disk jockey camped out under the Cantrell road train bridge blasting hip hop music.   There were lots of wonderful things that happened on that day.

However, there were much more exciting things to come....

Marathon Day

So with my training done, clothing picked out, laundry done, dinner pre-prepared and the house cleaned.  I embarked on my first marathon.

When I described all this to one of my friends, about the house cleaning and dinner preparing, she stated "You were preparing for death!".  I guess I was.  I was prepared for how I was going to feel after this thing was done.  Driving home after running 26.2 miles and functioning for the rest of the evening.  I did not want to have to do anything but sit, and eat my prepared dinner...

So of course I was overdressed for the day, too many layers of clothing because you are worried that you may get stranded in the middle of nowhere, lost, injured and thus left for dead at mile 18 with absolutely no shelter....

 Well, that did not happen.  I simply shed the outer layer and tied it around my waist at mile 18.  I trudged along at a very very slow pace, drank water, had my Gu, and completed the race with little to no hoopla.  It was pretty uneventful.  I drove home, of course, sore, washed off the salt that had accumulated under my eyebrows in a hot shower and settled on the couch.  My finish time was 5 hours 23 minutes....

I called my brother,

Me: "Hey, I did the marathon today."...

Brother "Oh, that's cool"

Me "yeah,  want to come over for soup"

Brother..."Mmm I don't think so"

Me.."Ok, well I'll have leftovers if you want 'em"



After hanging up I thought to my self....I can do better than 5 hours 23 minutes.  So I decided to register for another.

Marathons are cool...

So after getting a good feel for the longer distance running, I decided to go for the next big challenge.  The Marathon.  Everything I read about running your first marathon focused on finishing.  Finishing uninjured and wanting to do another.  It seems that most people with marathon on their bucket list quit running after they achieve that goal.  I was determined not to be that statistic.

At the time some of the girls I was running with in the mornings were training for marathons.  I decided that if they could do it, I could do it.  I accompanied them on their training runs and then developed a training plan of my own that would get me to the Little Rock Marathon in March 2005.  My goal, to finish, and go on to do a second.

I do things a little differently than most.  I started training for this marathon without really telling anybody.  I figured the fewer people who knew, the fewer people I would have to explain things to if it did not go well.  My family did not know, most of my friends did not know.  A couple co-workers knew, and a couple running friends who would help me with training. 

I remember my first 20 miler, I was in Lake Charles LA celebrating Mardi Gras with my cousins.  I was staying with my cousin Dece and the night before we went around her neighborhood in her car and drove off a 20 mile route.  It was pretty easy considering Lake Charles is very flat and the blocks are all square miles.  The next day I got up and took of at a very slow pace (finishing was the goal)  I took my phone and water bottle and started off on the run alone.  About midway through I got a couple check up calls.   but beyond that I did my first 20 completely by myself.  As I was making my way back down Dece's street, I saw her pulling out of her side street.  she looked my direction and smiled.  I waved my hands in victory because I was almost done. when I finished she was waiting for me on the porch and said " I was about to come looking for you"  I looked at my watch and I was 35 minutes later that the time I had predicted finishing "Oh, I'm sorry! " I frantically started to apologize. She just smiled, laughed,  and shook her head.  It was a good day.