Ft Lauderdale 13.1 Pre Race Thoughts

I'm running his race as a training run to practice my marathon race pace strategy, but I still plan to do my best and shoot for a slight PR. A few facts to support my goal to PR tomorrow while not jeopardizing my marathon training:

• I set my half marathon PR of 2:28 (11:19 pace) almost 1 year ago, after coming back from an injury and before I began doing any speed work. 
• This training cycle has been amazing, filled with consistent and purposeful runs including hills and speed.
• My target marathon race pace (11:15) will actually be a half marathon PR without the need to go all out. (See why I keep freaking out about this marathon goal?) 
• I will pay close attention to my body and will pull back if anything doesn't feel right because I am keeping my eye on the the prize so I can do my best at my A race: the marathon.

Ok, enough caveats; let's get specific.

• My primary goal is 2:24 (sub-11 pace) or anything sub-2:28 for a PR. 
• pacing strategy: 11:30 or slower through mile 5, speed up to 11:15 by mile 9, then bring it home at sub-11.
• I considered shooting for 2:21 (10:45 pace)
• This is what I'll need to run for the 2nd half of the marathon to meet my goal with my chosen negative splits strategy, but I'm terrified of hurting myself. 
• If the weather is perfect and I feel amazing, I may naturally run that pace, but I don't want to focus too much on it. 
• A sub 11-pace is already faster than my 4:55 (11:15 pace) marathon goal, but per my magic mile I am capable (under perfect conditions) of: 
• 4:46 (10:56 pace) for a marathon and 
• 2:12 (10:06 pace) for a half marathon, 
• so I am confident that an 11:00 pace is a safe goal. 

Let's see what happens :) 

Track Me:

• http://www.xacte.com/templates/ftl131/ - sign up to receive alerts via text or email
• I signed up and splits should post to my Facebook and Twitter pages during the race, but I have no idea how frequently.
• http://bit.ly/umT5dY - track me live on a map starting at 6:13 am.

Chill Day on a Train

Happy Veteran's Day to my dad and all those who fought for our country.

Today was a pretty chill day. We had the day off from work, so I got to sleep in until almost 8 am! :) I started the day with an hour of yoga, and really tried to focus on enjoying it and letting everything else melt away. It was wonderful!

We took the train to Fort Lauderdale for my race this Sunday and spend the weekend with Jason's parents. I love traveling by train. It's usually cheaper than flying and driving. The seats are huge, with plenty of leg room, easy to sleep in, and they have power outlets. The train ride is 5 hours, only 1 more than it would take us to drive, but it is a lot more enjoyable and relaxing.

Tomorrow, other than packet pickup, I have a whole lot of nothing planned. But I really wish the race was tomorrow because I'm getting really antsy to run already! :)

Three Things Thursday: Run, Yoga, Taper

Running - I had a great run this morning with my group. My goal was race pace (11 min/mi) with 2:1 intervals to remind my legs how to do that for Sunday's race. We actually ran a tad faster than that (10:45), but kept it short and it felt great. It was the confidence booster I needed and got me out of my nervous funk. Bring on this half! I'm ready!

Yoga - I've been rocking yoga all week. I've done at least 15-20 each day, even on the bus :) I'm up to 5 sessions, for a total of almost 2 hours. It's really helping me stay loose and calm me down. My Marathon Stick has also been my best friend this week to roll my hamstrings, quads, and calves at least once a day.

Taper Madness Update - I actually feel better and much calmer since writing that taper madness post. Nervousness has been replaced with ridiculous excitement for Sunday's race. It always helps to vocalize your fears/doubts and reassure yourself that you've done all you can, and that others feel the same. Thanks for all the encouraging words.

I may have figured out a way to carry my phone for the marathon. I'm going I try it next week and see how it goes because I'll need all the encouragement I can get when I'm digging deep during that second half, and I'll also have a camera if I want it.

Fun Races

I've got writer's block, so here are a few photos from some of the funnest races I've done, in no particular order. This is not an exhaustive list, just a sampling. (Edit: This post should really be called "Running in Costume" but there are a few where I didn't. But the fact remains, if you want more fun, run in a costume :))

Watermelon 5K with my Parents - ran whole race with mom

Halloween Half Marathon - where my love for running skirts began

Firefighter Challenge - hardest 11 minutes of my life

Muddy Buddy Orlando - was so fun to dress up

UCF Adventure Race -Just Something Different: Bike, Run, Canoe, Ropes

BCM Relay - Doing this as a family was priceless!

Iron Girl Half Marathon - being all girly and geocached during the race

Taper Madness

One week into taper, and the madness is starting to creep in. I'm not afraid of the distance. I know I'm more than ready to cover the distance, but having a time goal increases my anxiety. (For contrast, read what I wrote during taper for my 1st marathon.) I know I've trained for this, but since I respect the distance I know that anything can happen during 26.2 miles. I'm actually more nervous of not making it to the start line, so I feel like I'm walking on egg shells these next 3 weeks.

• I've been doing yoga religiously and stretching/icing as needed immediately after every run. In fact, this week I plan to take a later bus to work if needed just so I have time for a post-run stretch. And I've been doing yoga on the bus and bus stop more than usual.

• I'm terrified of getting hurt doing something stupid before this marathon that I refuse to even get on a bike for fear of slipping on a pile of leaves (yes it has happened) and breaking my knee.

• I ask Jason, at least once a day, "is it race day yet?" :)

• I'm insane jealous of everyone who ran a marathon this weekend and I'm anxious for it to be my turn.

• I keep freaking out that I haven't done enough speed work (I skipped a few due to mild injury or recovery or taper) but I'm also afraid of overdoing it so close to race day so I play it safe.

• I constantly worry that a sub-5 hour marathon is too ambitious, so I redo the math to confirm it is indeed conservative and I could push harder if I wanted. I probably look at my pace chart at least once a day.

• I think about, and try to discuss with Jason daily, what I should wear on race day (this goes double for this weekend's race too!). It's important! I have to look cute AND be comfortable for 5 hours. =P

• I keep debating whether I should carry my phone during the marathon. Even though I'll have my dad's Garmin to help pace me, I'd love to have my splits posted to Facebook periodically and be able to hear/read your encouragement while on the course. But I really do not want to run with my fuel belt and carrying it on my skirt would drive me crazy. Arg!

• I really should stop reading NYC marathon race reports because, while very inspiring, most are about how challenging the race was and it makes me start thinking about worse case scenarios for my own race. 

I am sure there is more, but that is all that comes to mind right now. All I can really do at this point is take a deep breath (hence all the yoga) and trust in my training. I KNOW I can do this, and if I don't meet my goal is not the end of the world; it will be due to reasons beyond my control (and I hate when I'm not in control), but I'll be happy as long as I do my very best.

Marathon 2 Training - Week 23

The first week of taper went well and I logged 19 miles of running over 4 days. I may have over done it a little bit on the pace on some of those runs, but I'm being diligent with the yoga and everything feels good. The madness started setting in over the weekend, and I am sure Jason wants marathon day to be here just as much as I do :) Coming up this week, 2 short runs and some walking to/from the bus, then we head down to Fort Lauderdale on Friday for the half marathon. More about my race goals and how to track me later in the week.

Last week's stats:

• ran 19 miles
• walked 11 miles
• 4 yoga sessions (78 minutes)
• total: 30 miles; 8.5 hours

This week's goals:

• run 20 miles
• 5 yoga sessions/1.5 hours
• half marathon PR

New York City Marathon

Today I spent the day spectating the New York City Marathon from my couch. It was incredibly  inspiring to watch the elite runners attempt to break course and world records. The weather was apparently the best it's been in years.

The women's race, who started 30 minutes before the rest of the field, was intense. I watched in awe as this women broke off from the pack around mile 2 and ran the entire marathon by herself with a 2 minute lead until the last 10K when 2nd and 3rd place started bridging the gap. Once they were within view, you knew it was going to be an exciting finish as none were going down without a fight. They eventually passed her with a mile to go, and she ended up in 3rd place.

It was heartbreaking to watch, but so inspiring to see their focus and resolve. The leader simply did not have anything left for a final push once they caught up to her, but the other 2 had fresher legs from starting at a slower pace and drafting off each other, so they were able to dig deeper to win. This is exactly why I always stick to a negative splits strategy. The men's race was even better as the pack stayed together well after the halfway mark and it was anyone's guess who'd surge ahead or when. With about 10K to go, the winner broke off and easily won the race with negative splits, and he shattered the course record.

After the broadcast of the elite's finished, I followed my friends' progress online and cheered them on. I hope my positive vibes helped them run strong! :) Seeing and hearing the crowds cheer on the runners made me a little emotional and I can't wait to experience this myself in 2012 or 2013. I am applying to the lottery for the 3rd time this year, but if I do not get in I'm guaranteed entry in 2013. I'm pumped for my marathon in 3 weeks and getting antsy. It's a good thing I have a half marathon next weekend to distract me a little bit longer :)

Busy Day

It's been a very busy and productive day. It started at 5 am and just now at 7 pm am I getting around to writing about it.

I got to sleep in for a Saturday and ran with my group at 6 am. Yes, that is sleeping in for us :) It was pretty cold for us Floridians, around 55º, so I had to break out the arm warmers and wind breaker, but I still wore a running skirt. I shed the jacket within the first 2 miles, but never the arm warmers. The temps felt awesome once I warmed up and I was shocked to see we ran 8 miles at my target marathon race pace (11:15) without really trying. We even threw in some hills at the end. It was a solid run with great company and it felt great!

I paired the skirt with Saucony Elite compression knee high socks because I wanted to test them out during a run (instead of for recovery). I read some reviews that they were not tight enough to stay up, but they didn't budge for me. I was more concern that they were too thin and my feet would slide around my shoes, but that was not a problem either. I love these socks because they keep my legs warm without making my feet hot, and they feel wonderful with just the right amount of compression. I think I'll wear them during the marathon since it will be a bit cold at the start and they make my legs and feet feel awesome.

I forgot to eat anything during the 8 miles, so was starving at the end. As soon as I got in my car I devoured a banana and half a luna bar. After a quick stop at Target, I took the time to do almost 20 minutes of yoga to make sure I'd recover well from this run since I pushed harder than I intended and I have a race in a week. I finished refueling after a warm shower with some eggs, then began to tackle the laundry. It was a marathon laundry session today, including sheets, bedding, towels and a ton of running gear. (Laundry tip: to help your clothes dry faster on a lower setting throw a dry clean towel in the dryer. It soaks up the moisture from the wet clothes. I'm always amazed at how well this works, specially when drying other towels or bedding that always seem to come out damp otherwise.)


I spent the morning between loads of laundry tracking my running group as they ran the Savannah Rock n Roll half and full marathons. Everyone did a great job! I also got to play along from home with others who were doing the Urban Dare this year. It was fun to look up the clues for them, and they seemed to have a great time.

My sister and her kids went to Lake Eola for the Fiesta in the Park and stopped by after while I was making dinner (Quiche!). The kids are getting so big! I love that they both love lego and she recognizes them right away (I have some on my fridge) though she still refers to them as blocks. Bella eventually stop begin shy and asked to play with them, but I think her dad had more fun building a taser lol It was a fun afternoon and the perfect end to a great day. We ended the evening with Quiche, Mythbusters, and homemade ice cream. Tomorrow will be another lazy day as I track others from my group at the New York City Marathon.

Writing Process

Today I'm going to answer a few questions and prompts about my writing process. 

When you are writing, do you prefer to use a pen or a computer? (NaBloPoMo prompt) 

I prefer to write on a computer because I am a bit of a perfectionist and I constantly edit everything I write. Everything you see posted here has gone through many revisions, and sometimes rewritten from scratch. There are times when the feel of putting pen to paper is nice, but I don't care for my handwriting and I don't feel I can write nearly as fast as I can type. If I were to write by hand, I'd probably use a pencil because I can erase it quickly, but I do like the feel of writing with a pen much better than a pencil.

What is your favorite part about writing? (NaBloPoMo prompt) 

My favorite part is when I start writing a piece without much direction, only a vague idea, and in the process of rambling I have an epiphany and the post writes itself. This blog gives me an outlet to process the crazy thoughts a runner deals with during intense training, and most importantly a place to share my struggles with others going through the same thing. It's therapy for me, and hopefully inspiration and motivation for others. Knowing that jotting down my thoughts could help someone else get through a rough patch or be the catalyst that finally gets them on the path to fitness motivates me everyday.

Your blog posts are very well-written and photographed. How long, on average, does it take you to write one of them? And do you have any tips to make the process easier? (from Rachel) 

Thanks Rachel! :) This varies greatly, but I would say a minimum of an hour. Even what may seem like a simple post, usually goes through several iterations once I actually start writing, but I often spend time researching too if it's something more involved. It may not be research in the academic sense, but I may need to pull stats from my own fitness data to illustrate a point, or find just the right photo for the post. Photography is one of my other hobbies, one I've been neglecting lately, so that makes it a little easier if I can just find a photo within my collection or go snap one quickly. 

A few tips:

• I try to use the weekends to begin drafting several posts, but I rarely finish them ahead of time and queue them. I find that I always have last minute changes or if they are not that time sensitive they'll get posted later if something "newsworthy" happened that day that I would rather blog about. 
• When I get an idea for a topic, I'll begin a new draft and at least post an outline of what I'd like to cover with links to any supporting material I may want to include. 
• Sometimes I get overwhelm by everything I want to say, such as when writing a race report, that I get writer's block and can't get it written for days or even weeks. What usually helps is to just start writing fragments and details, without much thought to how everything flows. Eventually those fragments fill the page enough that the gaps don't seem so big. I can quickly narrow the gaps and before I know it the post is done. 
• I try to remember that not every post has to be lengthy or profound. Sometimes jotting down some bullet points is enough to get me going for a more in depth post or there are enough items to just make a list post.
• I use relevant memes to help me draft a quick post in a pinch, such as Friday Five or Three Things Thursday.
• Lastly, I also use Evernote to collect topic ideas and write drafts while on the bus using my iPhone. It's nice because I can then access those notes from any device. 

Got a question or topic you'd like me to address in an upcoming post? Leave me a comment!

Three Things Thursday - Running and Eating

#1 - Running Bonds - I love how running brings people together. Last night I met a friend for a fun run and dinner who I've only known online, but because we share a love for running as well as similar fitness journeys, it felt like I was hanging out with old friends. We've been motivating each other via Dailymile and Facebook for a long time, and it was nice to finally meet in person. I love how comfortable it felt, and it was nice to enjoy a fun run then share race stories over a meal.

#2 - Short Work Day - We had a half day at work today because UCF has a home game tonight and they needed us out of the parking lot. Since we would spend almost as much time on the bus as we would be at work, we drove. I got to sleep in, do 30 minutes of yoga, go out to breakfast and still be the first one at work. I got to enjoy a relaxing afternoon at home and great solo run tonight.

#3 - Taper Nutrition - I planned to eat really clean the entire month of November in preparation for this marathon, but only 3 days in is already not going so well. The abundance of Halloween candy everywhere is making it difficult, and I've already gone out to eat a few times, but I'm still going to do my best to limit my intake of processed foods (which I don't eat all that often anyway) and cook at home as much as possible. I want to feel great and full of energy come race day, so I need to put premium fuel in my body if I expect it to perform at its best. Maybe I'll be a little lighter too :) I've been hovering under 125 lately, which is about as low as my body likes to go, and I'd like to keep that way or maybe even shed a pound or two before then. Not eating meat makes this so much easier.