The Las Vegas Rock and Roll Half Marathon - MY FIRST!

It finally came....the day I'd been training for! The day that has been 5 MONTHS in the making!

I look back to the posts I wrote when I initially decided to do this, and I'm pretty surprised at where I'm sitting now. I went in thinking I had plenty of time. Five months of time to be exact. At least I'd hope that was enough. I was never a runner, and I didn't even know if it would be possible to get myself to the mileage level, let alone the mentality to get myself through. Ok, well that's kind of a lie. Over the last year and a half I've done a pretty good job of fixing my mental state of mind to reach some goals that were pretty far off! But running has always been this impossible hurdle for me. One I've fought to conquer my whole life.

And then not to mention after 4 months, with ONE month to go, I ran into knee problems. Problems that for awhile I figured might take me out of the race completely. BUT thanks to some amazing time with two different PTs I worked my way back to at least be good to finish the race. It may be walking, it may be run/walking, but it would be finished. SOMEHOW!

The last time I posted I told you about my PT. The hope that I'd gotten back when it came to this race. My first night after seeing her I'd run 5 miles on the treadmill. Before that my last long distance was 9 miles. BUT the whole thing had been walking. And let me tell ya....it is SO much HARDER to walk that distance than run it. Weird....I know. But when you know you can run all you want to do is run it. Walking takes longer and puts more wear and tear on the joints. So when I could start running again I was stoked.

After getting in to see my new PT, we came up with a run/walk strategy to try out as my last long run before the race. And it instilled more hope for me. The run/walk combo for my last long distance was 11 miles. I started with a walk and then rotated to a run about every other mile. We went with the following pattern 1/1/1/2/1/2/1/1/1. Starting and ending with walks. And I completed it with minimal pain to the knee, and a pretty decent pace. It was an average of 11:30 per mile. Not what I had thought it would be months ago, but the fact I could handle the distance meant everything in the world to me. I worked with my PT the week before Vegas, and I had a well laid plan going in. To go at it easy, with a run/walk combo. And just finish. After I'd finish I could work on the NEXT race. And work to get stronger and faster and have the race I'd wanted. To run it all!

Well the road to hell is paved with good intentions......but I'm getting ahead of myself


RACE DAY
The day started with me up bright and early. Even though the race wasn't until 5:30 that evening, and I'd gone out the night before. I was restless. I knew after the last two weeks long runs that I'd be able to finish the race, but I had this underlying fear that the knee would give out, that I'd get too tired, or that something would go wrong.

I spent the day relaxing for the most part. Mom and I grabbed breakfast at the Treasure Island buffet....DELICIOUS. And it was a champagne brunch....I gave mom mine since it probably wouldn't be the BEST idea to drink day of! We walked the strip a little, picked up some supplies at Walgreens and headed back to the room at Encore to get a little rest.

Tried napping but no luck. So instead I woke up and started prepping my gear for the race.....TEAM ALEX all the way!

Go Team Alex!

Waiting for the tram at the Wynn

With my energizer powered light for the night race!!

At 4pm mom and I headed down to catch the tram at the Wynn. Trams were to be running every 15 minutes so I figured getting down there an hour and a half before the race would leave us PLENTY of time. Even if the trams were running late or there were tons of people! Well I was wrong....45 minutes later not ONE tram had come....Then finally 3 came. We got on....but it took an HOUR to get from the Wynn to Mandalay Bay....which is only 3 miles away...SERIOUSLY?! Traffic was horrible, and technically we didn't even really reach the Mandalay Bay. We were going through the back roads and traffic stalled. It was 5:50 at this point. Race had started....and my corral was about 10 minutes out from start. Everyone on the tram convinced the driver to cut through a dirt lot and for us to get off in the middle of nowhere and  basically run to the start.

I had enough to time to use the restroom and hop into my corral. And then we were off....

So if you remember from before, my plan was run walk/run it....and it was supposed to start with a walk as a warm-up....well starting it walking felt...wrong....So I decided last minute to start with a light jog, and that would be my warm up in this cold weather, and then fix the rotation of my walk/run.. Well one mile in I was feeling good. No knee pain at all and so I decided to keep going and at the end of mile 2 I'd go to my walk/run plan. Because that would have been when I would've been walking next anyway. End of mile 2 came around and same thing. No knee pain, but I was like ok I'll walk....10 steps in and it felt wrong...I should be running, the walk pace was just slower than what felt good. So I started running again and decided to take it mile by mile. To assess the knee and take care of it whenever anything felt slightly painful. 

Next thing I knew it was the end of mile 5....and I was still running. With NO pain. WTF? I was pretty astounded at this point. This was pretty damn great! So I kept on keeping on. And the next thing I knew it was mile 8. My energy was still pretty good, and my legs were good. There were moments between mile 6 and mile 9 where I had moments of wanting to walk and rest a little. Where my side would hurt, or my energy levels started to drop. I pulled out my sport energy beans for a little bit of energy....but most importantly of all my mom kept me going. She was phenomenal. Throughout the ENTIRE race she sent me text messages to inspire me. "Go Amy!", "I'm so proud of you", "Go Team Alex".....she was my source of strength throughout the race. She seemed to be able to read my mind and would come through with a text whenever I was starting to drop in energy.

The other things that kept me going throughout the race were the inspiring people around me. I've heard of race day high, but I don't think there are words to describe this experience. Running with 44,000 other people. All with their own story of why they're there running. I saw so many things that made me cry throughout the race (yes I really cried....multiple times) and made me smile. A couple with the Crohn's and Colitis team....names on their backs, and the husbands with an arrow to his wife and below it said "I run for her."

There was one particular woman who was in front of me the entire race. The back of her t-shirt said "Last Chemo Treatment 11/16/2011." THAT did it for me. This woman had chemo 3 weeks before the race....and she was running. The whole thing she ran. If she could do it than I needed to suck it up and DO IT. If that isn't inspiration enough for you I don't know what is.

There were groups of girlfriends dressed up, bridal parties, Elvis costumes, people with their loved ones names on their shirts. Me with my Team Alex down my legs. Those letters inspired me throughout. Knowing I was running for my adorable little nephew. 

And then the crowds surrounding the race. Volunteers with signs to make you laugh (like "Just Keep Going....That's What She Said", people dressed up on the sidelines, kids with signs for their mom or dad that was running, students with signs for their teacher, the bands. Needless to say it was one large mix of inspirational things!

Before I knew it we were at mile 10....and at that point we were back on the strip for the last 3.1 miles!! And I was STILL running. Well once I hit the strip again I knew there was no stopping. And I have to say that the last 3 miles were extremely emotional for me. I realized that I was ACTUALLY going to do this. That my dream of finishing this race running the WHOLE thing was going to happen. That even after being sidelined for a month that I'd somehow fought back and made it. 

There were so many times in that last month that I could've said screw it. Tossed in the towel and gave up. But I didn't. And I think that's one thing I've learned most about myself in the last 2 years. My willpower and strength....things that for a long time I thought I'd lost....they were there...I just needed to believe in myself.  

At the end of mile 11 it was my music that gave me more inspiration (it had given it throughout due to my awesome mix, but the ending miles it seems that my iPod KNEW what songs to save for the end). "All I Do is Win" by DJ Khaled came on and I was SO pumped. It was this burst of energy..only TWO miles left!! PUSH IT PUSH IT PUSH IT! I seriously threw my hands up a couple times as I was running :)

The Mandalay Bay came into sight and I knew it was almost done! The big finish line signs saying "VICTORY IS YOURS!" And all I could think is HELL YES ITS MINE! This is where I pretty much lost it emotionally. Free flowing tears the last mile of the race. I was doing it. Finishing. Running. I thought back to where I was two years ago. Overweight, unhappy, in a job that made me miserable. No way two years ago would I have imagined myself finishing a half marathon. Having accomplished the goals I'd set for myself physically. 

I'd changed my life. I'd rewritten my story. No longer was I the girl who was lying in bed dreaming of what my life would be like when I took the weight off and turned things around. I WAS that girl now. Doing the things I wanted to do and achieving goals. I'd known for a very long time that I'd been doing great things for myself. Losing the weight, pushing myself physically. My friends and family have been amazing in constantly supporting me throughout and reinforcing my accomplishments. Being MY source of inspiration to KEEP going!

But there was something in this finish...THIS accomplishment....that made it so real. Maybe it was the obstacles I'd overcome, maybe it was the distance, the stories around me.....I don't know. It just was PERFECT. 

Not to mention the last half mile of my run my FAVORITE song of the moment (Jessie J - Domino) came on....it was the PERFECT way to end my run...to give me that last OOMPH to burst through the crowds and pick up my pace!

Arms up as I crossed the finish line...I DID IT.

Jenny and I...my running buddy and constant source of inspiration!

Me and Steph....Miss IronWOman

At the end of the race!

Finisher!

The medal!

Me and My Medal! I did it!

And below are some pictures from in general before the race. Me at the expo and some of the signs set up around the strip :)

My race bib! 

A New PT - New Hope!

Its been 4 weeks since my knee decided to crap out on me. Four weeks in which I have done a total of 3 runs. None of which were over a mile and a half. None of which did not consist of my knee flaring up and having to stop. And looking ahead to my half marathon I have to say that I was worried. What if everything I'd worked for was now impossible. I was pretty sure I could walk the whole thing, but that is NOT how I had planned this journey.

Even if I had not planned it this way, I had come to grips that the most important thing was recovering and working toward the next half marathon. But after one month of some but not much improvement I was looking for answers. So I got the name of a sports rehab specialist from a coworker and made an appointment. I felt bad. Like I was cheating on my other PT. But at the same time this is about my health and body. And I love my other PT, she is so nice and understanding and helpful, but she's not specialized in sports rehab.

And so yesterday I went to see my new PT. We went over all of my symptoms, how the pain started, she evaluated me the same as my other PT and agreed with her assessment that I had some weakness in my inner quads and butt (again I say ALWAYS a good thing to hear that your butt needs work. Thank you Dr. Quinn). What she also did is assess more of HOW my foot strikes the ground, and what she found is that my left foot collapses on the arch A LOT, which is most likely what causes the pain in my outer knee. She fixed a wedge under my insole, taped my knee up and told me to go run that night. To see if I could run 3 miles without pain, and continue if I could go further. She also showed me a few additional exercises to strengthen my butt, as well as how to reengage my fibular head (which is where my pain is), if it begins hurting during a run. Real life examples of what to do to help myself when NOT at the doctors office.

I went to the gym that night and got on a treadmill. Still going at a slower pace (5.5 on the treadmill - about 10.5min/mile). I reached 3 miles and no pain. So I kept going. Four miles passed......little to no pain. I stopped about half way through mile 5 to work on my knee for the slight pain and then kept going. And by 5 miles reached I was still good. I was in awe. WHAT?! Five miles was what was on my ORIGINAL training schedule for that night. A schedule I had revised like 5 times since I hurt my knee. So that's where I stopped.

After one hour in her office she had seemed to figure out what the root cause of my problem was. And suddenly I had hope. I didn't think I could run the whole half, but this gave me hope that I could at least do portions of it and not suffer pain. The great thing though is that it wasn't as if she said that what I'd been doing for the last month was wrong. She reaffirmed that I'd been working to fix the problem, and that obviously my gait had changed and things were getting better. BUT she gave me a solution. Not just fixes.

So here I sit. Hopeful. And for now that is all that matters.

Friendsgiving

After college I started a little tradition of Friendsgiving...or what I have entitled my Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving Feast. The holidays are all about spending time with family; but my friends are also my family and before we all head off every year I love being able to pull all of us together to enjoy the same thing we will with our family. A Thanksgiving feast! With all the trimmings.

I've been doing it now for 5 years, and every year is different. Each year has a new obstacle to overcome (typically its with one of the side dishes going awry). One year it will be not having enough space to cook all the food and transporting the turkey from one location to another (cooked - with the juices going all over the car...awesome smell afterward let me tell ya). The next year it will be the turkey not being cooked on time. THIS YEAR was the mashed potatoes. My beloved potatoes. MY FAVORITE PART of thanksgiving.

I tried a new recipe this year, and must have mismeasured or something....added to much milk to quickly and they became mushed potatoes. A somewhat runny potatoes that were not clear mush but not real potatoes.....damn it. They did settle somewhat after standing a bit....but not to MY liking. They still tasted good and everyone seemed to like them (as there were ZERO leftovers), but it was my own personal disaster.

BUT besides that it was a wonderful day. Full of friends, food, drinking, football. I find myself constantly reminded of how blessed I am. To be surrounded by such amazing people. My friends and family are the most wonderful source of love and support for me. The only thing missing from the day was my sister who was unfortunately stuck home sick. But I did send her leftovers that she was able to enjoy days later when she regained her taste for food.

Hoping everyone else is able to spend their holidays truly grateful for what they have in their lives. Because no matter how hard things may get, and how hard our lives can sometimes seem the one thing we should realize is that typically we're better off than majority of the population. We're unbelievably spoiled in our lives and if I can provide only a portion of the happiness in my life to those around me then I can feel like I've done at least something right.

Peek a boo!

My organizational skills at their best...damn I'm a nerd

Turkey - all wrapped in love and yumminess!

Mom helping with the prep work

more organization

veggies extreme!

the aftermath...yum yum delicious

Ms. Rich and I pregaming 

its as big as my FACE!

All decked out for the party!

The 30 day challenge....Update

Approximately 17 days ago I set off on a 30 day Bikram challenge....I made it successfully through 12 of those days (Yay me!). And now I sit 2 days later having not gone to yoga for the last 2 days. :(

When I set out on this journey it was to give myself something of a challenge while I was on a 'no run' ruling. And believe me it was challenging. The first week was amazing. Each day I went and I felt wonderful. I was motivated and excited each day to go. It was how I felt cleansed at the end of the day. Then in the second week I had a few days of being 5 minutes in and thinking "dear lord get me the hell out of this room."

But I pushed through those times and when I got out I DID feel better. It was my own inner struggle. But I think I then pushed it too hard. I thought I could do everything at once. I could do yoga AND my personal training sessions (which kick my ass to the wall by the way), and I'd be all happy and fit and things would be great. Well apparently I'm not superwoman. Go figure (and damn I'd been banking on that fact!). On day 13 my body failed me. I just didn't have the energy to do it. I fought internally with myself for several hours before class saying 'Yes you can do it. You've had tough days before and its just one of those.' It wasn't a fight to prove how bad ass I am. Or how fit I was. It was a fight to prove that mentally I could concur anything, and I felt by NOT going that I was somehow failing myself.

So hours later, I had to come to grips that maybe I should listen to my body and that it wasn't a failure on my part. And that maybe the failure would've been if I had pushed myself to go and ended up fainting or getting it injured. I made the decision not to go and to preserve my energy and start again the next day if I felt I could handle it. And I'm even more grateful now that I could understand my body's limits because the next day I got sick and was in bed for 2 days.

I'm only now feeling back to 100% and reevaluating where to go from here. I know that to just hop right back in would most likely put me right back into bed, so for now I'm going to just plan to go to try and do yoga when I can along with my personal training sessions. I think for me the lesson in all this is realizing that while I love and need to be ambitious I also need to not view every set back as a failure. There are twists and turns in the road, and its how you respond to where your path takes you that really defines you. Without setbacks there is no room for growth. And what I want most in this life is to constantly grow and improve myself. Hopefully I can be that person.

Physical Therapy and Keeping Perspective

Yesterday was my fourth physical therapy session since my knee brought me to a point where I couldn't just work through it on my own. The first two sessions were pretty much just an analysis of my legs. Bending/stretching/rotating them all of the place to see what hurt, where my strenghts laid and trying to define the root of the problem. After those first two sessions last week the thought is primarily that it is an IT Band issue. I'm working through it by taping my knee, icing, elevating, stretching my IT band and using my foam roller.

This week my two sessions consisted of 1) video taping me running on a treadmill; and 2) using an ultrasound machine on my knee and some soft tissue work. I got on the treadmill on Monday and ran for about a mile at a 10 min pace. It actually felt pretty good too. There wasn't really any pain during the run. We sat down after and reviewed the tape to see if something in my run was actually affecting my knee. Overall my PT told me I had a pretty great form. Wasn't bouncing too much, striking the ground in a good way, legs looked strong. Only problem was when we got a look from the back. Seems like I'm doing some kind of slight swing kick out with my left foot which could be causing my pain. Only thing is trying to figure out WHY my foot does that.

We also tested my leg strength to see if maybe I'm over compensating some where. After doing some strength tests she said my outer quads and hamstrings are really nice and strong. But I could use a little work on strengthening the inner quads as well as the butt...GREAT. Isn't that what EVERY girl wants to hear? But at least its getting closer to pinpointing what the heck I really need to do to FIX this versus just NOT running. So she gave me a couple more exercises to specifically target my problem areas, and she'll be working with another one of the physical therapists while looking at my video to try and identify what is happening with that left foot.

Other things to note from my PT sessions....looks like overall my hips are aligned evenly, my right leg is actually slightly longer than my left, but only by about a centimeter so nothing crazy to worry about. The shoes I bought at RoadRunner Sports seem to be good for my running form, but I may need to look at better shoes for normal day to day wear (e.g. less high heels and more shoes with good arch support - damn it).

But other than that they seem to keep telling me that I did all the things I should've done right. (because that makes this so much LESS frustrating....riiiiight). But we seem to be honing in on what I need to do to get going, but in all honesty I feel like once again the answer is not going to be an easy fix. Its going to mean me going to the gym and actively working on weak areas, etc. Which, hey it'll be a process...but you gotta put in the time for the things you love right? Because I COULD just say screw it. I'll just stop running, the pain will go away and then we wouldn't be having these conversations right? But I DO love it, and I'm NOT willing to give it up, or take the easy road.

I've got two more weeks of physical therapy and then it will be a meeting between my normal physician and the PT to decide a course of action from there. But one way or another we're going to figure out a course of action. And one way or another I'm crossing that finish line in Vegas. For the half marathon course you have 4 hours to complete it, which is roughly an 18 minute and 19 second pace. More than doable, especially if I am able to run at least portions of the course. It may not be the way I originally envisioned completing my first half, but I also have the Cleveland Half in May to think about too. And by then I should be kicking ass and taking names!!!

My 30 Day Bikram Challenge

I was only about a week into my true "No Run" ruling by my doc, and about 2-3 weeks into my seriously cut back running schedule when I hit a breaking point. Although I'd started to hit up the gym and do more weights and other types of training, my mind and body were both feeling a little less than happy. I wasn't getting nearly the workout I wanted, or was used to at this point. These days I'm used to getting home and running at least 4 miles, or going out and doing the bike, hitting up yoga class, or SOMETHING. And while I've been hitting up the bike and elliptical at the gym, it just wasn't the same because I didn't have those 3-4 times a week where I was able to get out and run.

Running has become a huge cathartic activity for me. It allows me to get out and workout my frustrations with the road, to feel challenged, to have a goal to strive for. And lets face it....if you know me you know that I'm goal driven. That I do best when I have something to aim for. Because I'm a very determined person. I don't like failing. And we saw what happened after college when I all of a sudden did not have a clear set goal path in front of me. I became lazy, I put on weight and became a generally unhappy person. 

Well I'm determined not to let that happen again. Now, let me just say first off that I KNOW I may be a little overworried at this point. REALISTICALLY I know that having to stay off my running schedule for a few more weeks won't kill me and won't dredge me back to the horrible place I was a few years ago. I really DO know this. Especially since I have been keeping up my good eating habits, and my other workouts. BUT, I also know the difference between how I feel when I'm really happy and when I'm not, and how thats affected by the amount of activity I'm getting on a daily basis. 

SO I was in search of something that might give me a new goal for the time being while I heal my knee, and rehab myself into better running shape. Low and behold I already had my answer. I'd received it at the beginning of my training by a good friend of mine (Miss Bulgatz). Bulgatz and I had started talking about training activities for my half way back at the beginning of my training in July. She'd done a couple half marathons before and told me how much easier her second training had gone when she'd added Bikram yoga to the mix, and that was after she'd just finished a 30 day Bikram challenge (doing 30 classes in 30 days - no days off).

Now I'd already been doing bikram/hot yoga on and off throughout my training. I mean you all should know considering HOW MANY times I'm pretty sure I've told you that I LOVE hot yoga. That WAS me right? I said that? I'm not just pretending I'd written that somewhere? Or am I?

Well, 4 months later we come full circle and I started talking to her about it again. And I thought more and more about it. It really made sense. 30 days of going to a class that is fully focused on stretching and strengthening your entire body (and mind might I add). It seemed like JUST what I needed. A brand NEW focus to keep me going and challenged, as well as something that will help strengthen me toward my end goal of doing my half marathon. BINGO! Ding ding ding ding ding! We have a winner. 

So today I sit here on day 6 of my Bikram challenge. Yes I've almost completed the entire first week successfully (woohoo)! And I won't lie to you its been challenging. And I know it will only continue to be challenging as I go on. BUT in the 5 classes I've taken so far I feel happier on a daily basis, I feel more focused, I feel stronger, and my flexibility has already improved dramatically from day 1. The 30 days ends on Tuesday, November 29th. This little plan takes me directly through Thanksgiving (which I think is a complete blessing!). Not only will it keep me focused/balanced, it will help me survive the first of the holidays this season without going overboard. 

I can't wait to see what the rest of the challenge brings my way, and how I feel at the end given how I feel after just this first week.

The Knee That Just Wouldn't Cooperate

By now, most of you know that for the last few weeks I've been having problems with my left knee. What started out as just a slight pain turned into something that side-lined me for two weeks of training, and stopped me completely mid-race.

Well on Monday, October 24th I got to go to my doctor to start figuring out WHAT was wrong. The recap....they're not REALLY sure. My doctor came in and tested my range of motion, putting pressure on my knee, my heel, twisting me, poking me, prodding me...trying to provoke my symptoms. Well of course, now that I was FINALLY in my doctor's office, my knee didn't seem to want to show any signs of pain. Perfect. Freaking figures my body won't cooperate. Of COURSE my body wanted to be difficult and be the oddball...would anyone expect ANY less from me? Seriously? :)

Well it turns out maybe that's a good thing when it comes to my knee. Because it was a sign that there is no tear in the tendons/ligaments/meniscus. There was no swelling or tenderness to the touch, and the twisting and pressure giving no pain was also a good sign that there was stress fracture either. Nothing appeared in my exam that would give the doc cause for significant worry, or additional testing (e.g. MRI, x-ray, etc). Well that's all great news (seriously it is) but COME ON! Give me a diagnosis! Tell me what I can do! And in a way she did..but it wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear.....No running for a month.....that was the original order.

I guess I say goodbye to the half.....not so fast she says. My doc seems to think if I keep up my endurance training (low/non-impact), that I could still run my half...IF my knee gets better. In the meantime I was ordered to physical therapy twice a week for the next month. Well I wasted no time called up the PT office and made my appointment for a couple hours later.

I went in and basically got a more in depth evaluation than my first doctor did. Lots more twisting, pressing on my ankles, testing strength in my legs....trying to provoke my knee pains. Nothing really happened, except for when they'd ask me to flip from my back to my stomach, or when I'd lower my leg down from some random position. I have to grimace at the fact that I'd have the pain on the most RANDOM times....but it also makes me laugh because it 100% matches my personality. Go figure. I'm a quirky chick.

After the first session, there really wasn't any specific diagnosis other than what they could rule that it WASN'T. Again, no thoughts of any real tears to tendons/ligaments etc. Probably that my knee was just irritated with the increases in distance and pace. Maybe an IT band issue, or patella tracking. They gave me a couple of leg strengthening exercises to do while I'm not running and then we scheduled the remaining appointments.

I will say that it was hard NOT to be downhearted at the end of that day at the doctors office. I mean....I continuously thank my lucky stars that I didn't do something TERRIBLE to my knee, BUT it is almost MORE frustrating to sit in this limboland. To have no idea what caused it, and to not know a straight path as to how to fix it and get back on my feet (literally). I sat in bed that night wondering how in the world I could make my training schedule work with being off my runs for a month. That would mean I'd be cleared to run MAYBE on the 17th of November, which would give me only a week and a half before the taper week for race day. Could I really just hop back on and do an 8 or 9 mile run in that time, and then be prepared to bust out 13.1 on race day? And would that be smart?! Because after no running on the knee I feel like just hopping back into that distance would probably work ON race day, but afterward I'm sure that my knee would be putting up a major fight. But maybe it wouldn't....TOO MANY MAYBES!

I guess its just a wait and see game. Which SUCKS for me because I don't tend to have much patience to just wait and see what happens....I think for me its going to be a new type of training. Training my mind to deal with things one day at a time, and not allow myself to get downhearted before the game has ended. Because nothing is ever lost. Maybe delayed but never lost. Because you can always change, adapt and grow. You just have to have a little faith... a little hope...a little strength.

Training Week #15

So as you know, during week 14 I had started feeling quite a bit of pain in m knee and so for week 15 in the training schedule I got a free guest pass to LA Fitness by my work and each day I'd go in and do the bike for 40 minutes. NO PAIN! YAY! I didn't even try to walk Green Lake (grumble grumble). Nothing with an impact that could set back my knee. If it hurt my knee I stopped immediately. Icing it every night, I even went and got an IT band roller to work out my leg (at the advice of multiple running friends). 

After a full 5 days of no running, and no pain it was Dawg Dash 10k time. The morning of the race I felt good. I'd been able to go up and down stairs with no pain, walking around with nothing hurting and so I thought it was a sign of my knee healing up. 

I started the race and felt pretty good for the first mile. I had a slight twinge one mile in, but it quickly subsided and I thought it was just part of my body getting warmed up since it went away. Throughout mile 2 it started to kick in a lot more though. Especially on the hills. I ended up having to stop and walk for little pieces, resting the knee and when I'd start back up the pain would subside. And then it'd increase and I'd have to walk. This continued through mile 2 and 3. During Mile 4 it started to be pretty damn excruciating. I was basically running in constant pain and bending my knee was starting to get pretty difficult. 

I'd made it a little over the 4 mile mark and at this point was pretty much just walking. And by walking I mean limping. And by limping I mean hobbling along being able to walk with my right and pretty much being locked leg on my left because bending my knee made me want to scream. And at this point in the race I was on a very narrow path. Runners for the 10k going both directions (there was a turn around at one point on the path). And I was pretty much directly in everyone's way. AWESOME. Given the amount of pain just hobbling around, I stopped and told a volunteer I was injured and needed to be brought back to the finish. Well apparently these volunteers SUCKED. No way to communicate with the main camp and no way to transport injured people off the course....SERIOUSLY PEOPLE?! At the 26th Annual Dawg Dash you have NOT YET figured out that people get injured and MAY need help getting off the course?!?! I wanted to bitch slap the idiot volunteers who told me I would just have to WALK the last 2 miles back. If I COULD walk I WOULD you freaking MORON!!!

Luckily, the point in the course was just directly across from the parking lot we'd parked in. So I texted my mom and told her to meet me at the car, and then proceeded to hobble my ass down the hill and across the street to the lot. By this point I'm infuriated. Infuriated at the incompetent volunteers, at the horrible pain in my knee and the fact that I see the last almost 4 MONTHS of training slipping out from under me.....I'm basically a MONTH till race day and I can't run 4 miles without my knee going out of commission....W. T. F.

The rest of the day was spent with my knee iced and elevated. Most of which I could not bend it without pain. But by the evening my range of motion had improved drastically, and I had my cousin Annie running me through some positions via phone (btw Annie you're thebomb.com! Thank you for dealing with my depressed as via phone to help figure out what the heck was going on!) to try and figure out if I'd done something severe to my knee. I was able to do a lot of the movements without pain which was a good sign. And luckily a week ago during the 7 miler I couldn't finish I'd been smart enough to request an appointment with my doc. 

Through it all I was trying to keep my motivation and positive frame of mind. That this was NOT going to sideline me for this race. That I'd push through. Figure out a solution......because nothing is EVER lost. 

Training Week #14

This week is not as happy as the last.... Started off the week by taking a break on Monday. After the awesome 7 miler I did on Sunday my legs were pretty freaking tired. So I took it as a sign to rest and stretch.

Tuesday rolls around and Jenny and I headed out around Green Lake for a nice 4.5 mile run (since when do I think this is NICE?! I remember when I looked at the 1 mile on my schedule like a death trap!). Felt great the whole time until about the last mile. Started feeling a slight bit of tightness in my outer left knee. Nothing too crazy but it was definitely uncomfortable. The following day when I woke up it continued to give me some slight irritation, and so for my own well being I decided not to push it the rest of the week. Didn't run Wednesday, Thursday, and then Friday/Saturday when my leg felt better I only went out for a walk. 

I will tell you that this SUCKED. After the training program I've been on for over 3 months having 3-4 days of pretty much NOTHING was just plain annoying. I felt trapped in the house, needed to have SOMETHING going on. It was just playing tricks on my mind!! But I know that pushing through an injury is not always a great idea. 

So Sunday morning rolls around and my knee is feeling good. No pain and so I headed out for my long run. Another 7 miler. I headed out and everything felt great. Around 1.5 miles in I felt a slight twinge in my left knee again, but it quickly passed and I continued on the run. Come to mile 3 and I have a pretty consistent twinge. Nothing major, nothing that makes me think whoa this hurts BAD I NEED to STOP! I get right at the start of mile 4, and my knee buckles slightly....and the pain starts. With this I stop....I walk it out a little and its got a pretty steady pain going through. I try stretching it, and then a slight jog....still painful. So I stop. 

Heading home to ice and elevate.....severely PISSED off. I mean come on! WHAT is going ON!? I'd rested it, I'd iced it, I'd elevated, stretched....everything I could do to give it time to recoop. And now its worse?! And what ticks me off even more is that overall I felt GREAT on the run. My stomach was great, my heart rate was great, breathing great, felt energized and ready to go! But my damn knee had different thoughts in mind. 

And I kinda wallowed in this for about an hour. Getting upset that after ALL of my hard work this was going to set me back. But I reminded myself that I had 6 weeks till race day. Better to rest it now than make it worse and really count myself out. So I bucked up and figured out an alternative. What could I do to keep myself from going stir crazy, get in a workout to keep up my cardio endurance so when I start running again I don't keel over. The Gym! Week 15 here I come!

Training Week #13 - Let FALL begin

So week 13 has turned out to be quite the week let me tell ya! After a beautiful sunny weekend with 85 degree weather in San Diego I returned to 60 degree weather (sometimes chillier) and rain.....oh. yay.

Needless to say our beautiful summer (or lack thereof) is gone, and we're now in full swing of Fall weather. Gotta get used to it though. Vegas in December...at NIGHT...going to be CHILLY..frigid even. So as much as I am tempted to go run on a treadmill inside (although I HATE treadmills), I will refrain and suck it up. Get tough!! It's all for the greater good right?!

Other than the chillier weather though the week went pretty damn smoothly. Monday evenings training was somewhat difficult as I'd been up since oh 4am getting ready to get on a plane return to Seattle, and put in a full days work. BUT I sucked it up and did a 6 mile bike ride. Not the original plan (I was GOING to run but that thought was somewhat painful as I sludged through my work day). The quads got a GREAT workout, and I felt good that I'd at least gotten a cross train in. Tuesday and Thursday were my run days. Getting in two great 4 mile runs. My pace on both days were sub 9 minute miles. Pretty damn good if I do say so myself! My timing seems to be getting better, but its not by anything that I'm specifically trying to do. I'm not forcing a faster pace it just seems to be coming in on its own. Wednesday and Saturday were hot yoga days....again I have to give my love for hot yoga a major shout out. I mean it really just cleanses me mind, body and spirit (Am I becoming a hippie? Has Seattle gone to my head????)

Sunday was the long run. First 7 miler of the training series. Jenny and I went out to Alki Beach (my most beloved spot for a run I must say), and somehow I pulled off one of the best runs I've EVER done. It was a pretty decent evening out. Not really too cold or windy (Thank GOD!). I had some pretty stupid stomach issues to deal with along the way but it didn't hinder my pace. I ended up at an 8:51 pace....ummm HOW?! No idea. It was my first 7 miler and yet somehow I managed to pull out a better average time than I had with any of my previous long runs.....will I take it?! YES!

Vegas looks so close yet so far still, but as I have no surpassed the halfway point in mileage I'm feeling more and more comfortable and confident at how the race will go.

Training Week #12 - 2 months till VEGAS!

This week's training did not necessarily go as well as I would've hoped. It didn't necessarily go BADLY, but I think my expectations were a little higher. I had planned to have 4 run days (totaling 18 miles) and a cross train day, with the long mileage being 6 miles. And those 6 miles were being run in San Diego.

Well I only had 3 run days and one walk day. After doing our 8 mile hike on Saturday, a 6 mile run on Sunday, I woke up Monday and decided that it was going to be a rest day. The body (and knee) needed some recovery time and I didn't want to push it too hard. Tuesday I set off as planned and ran my 4 miles. Feeling good but definitely could tell I was still tired from all the weekend activity. Wednesday was my walk night and just did a nice walk around the lake with mom. Thursday was supposed to be another 4 mile run, but around 2pm my body tanked on me. I was dizzy, lightheaded, and feeling sick to my stomach. I thought maybe I just hadn't eaten enough. Took down a granola bar. No help. Got home, took a little nap, and woke up still feeling the same. By about 6pm when nothing had changed I thought I should TRY to get something down. So I had some ground turkey meat and veggies I'd cooked the night before. Not kidding, two minutes after I took in the turkey I started feeling better. Apparently my body needed protein FAST! 

Needless to say even though I felt better I wasn't going to push it and try to run. But the next morning I woke up feeling great and didn't have to get into work until a little later so I did a quick 3 mile run. It was still rough. Given it was at 6:30 in the morning and very very cold. Probably shouldn't have pushed it so soon but that's a lesson to learn! 

Saturday was my attempted 6 miler in San Diego. I pulled out 5, which I have to say I'm pretty proud of. SD was WAY different than running in Seattle. Probably a lot of it was the mental factor. I'd been prebuilding that it was gonna be a rough run. So I think i MADE it rough. But it was also at 6:30 in the morning, after going out the evening before and having a few cocktails. It was also VERY humid that morning. By 6:30 there was no marine layer at the beach and was bright and sunshiny. I loved it don't get me wrong, but made for a more interesting run. 

So the week was not as successful as it could've been, but overall still pretty good. And given that I seemed to have exhausted myself the weekend before I think I was wise not to push it too hard and risk injury. This week also marked the end of basically 3 months of consistent training. WOOT WOOT! 2 months (and a week technically) to go!! Vegas baby!

The runner's bug....have I caught it?!?!

Now I have to start this post off by reminding everyone that when I started this venture into running a half marathon I HATED RUNNING...I mean I pretty much LOATHED it. I used to watch people running by me around Green Lake thinking, "No one running ever REALLY looks happy to be doing it. That's just STUPID. I will NEVER think to myself at the end of a days work...wow I really wish I could go run 5 miles right now. That would feel GREAT!"  Well....3 months into my training I'm sitting here eating my own words. Typical.

I should've KNOWN never to say never. It's like when I used to say "I will NEVER say that all I want is a nice cold beer right now." (Yeah that one was stupid too)...or "I will NEVER like coffee! It tastes like crap!".....Now here I sit an avid coffee drinker, who on a hot Saturday or Sunday afternoon while watching football, or at a baseball game, or just sitting at my house will think DAMN a nice cold beer would be AWESOME! Pass me one please! Yeeeahhhh...obviously I should realize by now that things I say NEVER about ALWAYS go the opposite way.

So here I am now and I'm pretty sure I've caught that runners bug...I've got the runners high. I'm sitting here still 2 months away from my first half marathon and I'm already planning my NEXT races. I'm adding to the list of what can I do next, where will I run?! And it changes on a daily basis at this point.

I've OFFICIALLY signed up for my second half marathon. The Cleveland Rite-Aid Half Marathon on May 20, 2012. I'll be running it with my Uncle Bill, cousin Lizzie, and any of the other cousins/fam that decide to participate :)

But as for the other races..those things are all still being tossed around in my head. Currently the races I'm considering are as follows:

Disney Princesses Half Marathon (Orlando, FL) - February 2012
Nisswa Marathon (Full - in Minnesota) - end of April 2012
Seattle R&R Half Marathon - end of June 2012
Las Vegas R&R Full Marathon - December 2012

Yeah.....lots of races....lots and lots and lots. I'll either stick with the half marathons for the first part of 2012, and then branch out to the Full Marathon NEXT December in Vegas, or I'll eliminate the other half marathons and do the Full in Minnesota...tough choices.

NOT to mention the fact that I'm trying to figure out when I will do my first triathlon now....crazy CRAZY CrAzY!!! The Seattle TriRock (put on by the same crew that does the Rock & Roll marathon series) is Summer of 2012....

Anyway. Needless to say I think the verdict is in and I'm officially addicted. Katie was right...she told me before she left that I would love it. That I just needed to get started and I would be hooked. Well Katie...congratulations on your prediction! It came true! :)

Now the question is...what's next?!

Halfway There!! Rock on!

Can you BELIEVE IT?! I can't!

11 weeks of 21 weeks COMPLETE! Over half way there and ALMOST half way through the mileage. We'll be running the 6 milers for a few more weeks, but then we up to 7 in week 14! And I will OFFICIALLY be over the half point in mileage.

YOU CAN DO IT BABY! ROCK ON!

Training Week #11

HALF WAY POINT GOT REACHED THIS WEEK! Wahoo!

BUT starting the week we've had a little snafoo....Not sure how but I seemed to have tweaked my right knee a little. I never felt anything weird on my runs or as I was doing yoga or whatnot...but Monday morning I woke up and had slight stiffness and soreness on the inside of my right knee. I was able to stretch it out and it didn't hurt at all on my run so I was thinking it was ok, but as the week progressed the weird feeling in my knee continued.

It never really HURT. Just felt...different.

I did a 4 mile run on Monday and a 3.2 mile run on Tuesday. Didn't push it to 4 on Tuesday because of my knee, and then Wednesday I took the day off to rest it, and only walked on Thursday (albeit 6 miles walked, but at a leisurely pace). And it actually felt GOOD to get my legs going. Warmed up the knee and the pain was gone. It only seems to really feel WEIRD when I've been sitting at work all day, in the cold office building and then get up to move around. Its just stiff.


So after a couple days off it seemed to be feeling a little better, and I was jonesing for a run....I know I should probably rest it more but it didn't seem to be hurting much. But to be careful I went to my local Road Runner sports (my fave store now) and asked the rep about something to help support my knee. I bought a Pro-Tec knee band and strapped it on for my 3.2 miler that night. And the knee felt great throughout the run! No pain no weirdness. And I stretched it super long that evening.

The pain seemed to be even less Saturday morning when I woke up so I'm thinking the band is helping majorly! I strapped it on that morning as me, Jenny and Jillian set off for our 8 mile roundtrip hike to Lake Serene (see Lake Serene post for pics and details). Got through the hike with no real pain in the knee and even went on a leisurely walk that evening to keep the blood flowing through.

Another walk the next morning and then our 6 MILE run that evening. FIRST 6 miler of the training block and finished it with a 9:30min/mile pace! Wahoo! Feels good to know that I'm almost half way up there in the mileage, and now I'm halfway through the training block. The 6 mile run was down on Alki. Which I have to say is surely becoming one of my favorite spots to run. Makes me feel like I'm in San Diego, but keeps me firmly grounded in Seattle as I watch the Seattle city skyline across the Puget Sound. Absolutely beautiful. And to make the run even better it was rounded out because I had Jenny and Jillian both along for the ride. I honestly feel like running with friends is one of the things that gets me through all these training sessions. Gotta stick together right?

At the end of the week my knee is feeling better, much more with the support of the knee band. And I'm hoping that if I continue to take it easy on the knee it will be all good to go. BUT to be safe I've scheduled a full physical on Tuesday, October 4th, just to be safe. Want to make sure the knee and everything else with the body is good and set for the last half of my training. :)

And now for the weekly recap of stats!


WEEK 11 STATS (Sept 19 - Sept 25)

Total Miles Run - 16.6
Total Miles Planned- 18


Long Run - 6 miles
Total Miles Walked - 12
Lake Serene Hike - 8 miles

Training Week #10

Training week 10!!! Holy cow we're almost to the half way point! Can't believe that we're already to this point though. I mean it does NOT seem like I've been training that long. And while it doesn't it does at the same time...but then I can't believe that I STILL have another 11 weeks after this...and yet again I DO believe it. Am I making ANY sense to ANYONE?! Hopefully because I'm pretty sure I don't understand what I just wrote.

Moving on. Week 10 was actually a pretty standard week. So this week I had two 3.6 mile runs, a hot yoga night and then a 5 mile run on Sunday. TWO rest nights this week but only because one of the days I was just BEAT after work and couldn't muster it up to go do anything. Ehh oh well. I've typically been doing 4 runs a week, a cross train and then one rest day. And really my rest days are a walking evening. Because I still like to have movement in my legs. Nothing crazy. Not a high paced walk or anything. Just something to keep the blood flowing and keep me feeling active. I've now started feeling like a loadtoad if I am not out at least walking or something. Gotta feel productive at the end of my day! So I don't feel bad that for one week I took an extra rest day.

The one cross training I DID do this week was hot yoga....and oh let me tell you I LOVED IT. I don't think I've said enough how MUCH I LOVE hot yoga. Well just know that I do. It just works you to the core and cleanses you mind body and soul. I sound hippyish but oh well...I live in Seattle right?! Where all the hippies are.....

This was also coupled with A LOT of walking around on Saturday and Sunday as my friend Rosie came to visit from SD! We went around and saw the sights. Walked Pike Place and just thoroughly enjoyed a relaxed touristy weekend...complete with rain in TRUE Seattle tradition :)

My average pace for the week ranged from 9min/mile to 9:20/mile so things seem to be going pretty well on the pacing side. Not TRYING to go fast at all, just going with what my body tells me. 

And for all you stat keepers out there here's the facts for the week!

WEEK 10 STATS (Sept 12 - Sept 18)

Total Miles Run - 12.2
Total Miles Planned- 12

Total Miles Walked - 3
Hot Yoga Classes - 1

Long Run - 5 miles

Athleta Iron Girl - 5k Race # 2!

My SECOND official race! This one was conveniently located right outside my house at Green Lake. Not gonna lie...this was phenomenal. I was able to wake up early, enjoy the morning without racing around getting ready and then just walk down to the course. Green Lake was SWAMPED! Almost 1500 people in just the 5k....and another 500 or so in the 10k. PLUS there were mother daughter teams signed up.....it was Ridiculous....seriously....ridiculous.

I knew going into this that the course would be swamped. I mean, Green Lake on an average day can be hard to maneuver with strollers, bikers, casual walkers, kids playing around etc. Cram 2000 people on the course and its gonna get sticky. Especially when you put everyone on the outer path which is WAY smaller than the inner path. So given all this I knew that this wasn't going to be a course that I could set any kind of PR on. I was just trying to improve upon the last race. That meant RUNNING the WHOLE. FREAKING. THING! (my first race still bums me out to this day....) And then learning from the mistakes I made. Not jumping into the middle group where I'd be forced to up my pace to get around the walkers...etc....

Well this race I did just that. I waited for everyone to go before I started thinking I'd have some clear room...WRONG. Because the course was much smaller of a path, waiting till the end actually on made it WORSE to dodge people. I spent 90% of the race weaving in and out of the groups of people there. Even after I got out of the huge groups you'd have smaller groups just walking or running 5 people wide. Now I know that some of these people are doing it more for just fun and having conversation while they run or whatever....but on such a tight course it was SLIGHTLY annoying.

Not to mention it was a VERY warm day again. Lucky me. Race day seems to have been the time for Seattle to be gorgeous.

BUT I finished the race without walking and made it in about the same time I did my first race. Still at about 30 minutes with a 9:40/mile pace. No PR, but close! Ranking wise I did pretty well too! I ranked 40th out of 210 in my division (age range 25-29), and 40th out of the 1432 5k participants. That means I was in the top 20% of racers my age and in the top 3% of all 5k participants. Not too shabby right??? For my second race I think NOT! I'm pretty sure though that most people participating were more in it for fun than the actual idea of racing or setting great times. So I take the results with a grain of salt....but then I think I'm PRETTY DAMN AWESOME :)

Sorry...ego boost that I had to give myself right there. :)

Check out the race results and my Athlinks profile at the links below!


Athleta Iron Girl 5k Race Results
http://www.onlineraceresults.com/race/view_race.php#racetop

My Athlinks Account
http://www.athlinks.com/racer.aspx?rid=101108156

Training Week #9

After last week's amazing 40 minute 5 miler I started off the training week pretty freaking excited :)

I think the most contagious thing about running for me so far has been the ability to take on new mileage, new running spots and come out successful. There are the every once in awhile snags but for the most part I've been able to conquer the goals I've been setting and thats ALWAYS encouraging. Not to mention I've had the support from my amazing running partner Jenny, as well as friends/family along the way. Running with me, sending love, whatever.

This week was quite the ambitious week as I was taking on my typical mileage PLUS the Athleta Iron Girl 5k. Hitting almost 20 miles in the week is somewhat crazy now that I sit back and look at the mileage I pulled in. Not to mention that 2 of the days were in Minnesota, one day was after being up since 3am to catch a flight back from MN, working that whole day and THEN running, and then doing a 5 miler all by myself. It was a continuous reminder that when you set your mind to something you can do it! And listen to me Miss Suzie Sunshine blah blah blah blah blah... Don't mind me I think it may just be the runner's high! :)

My second 5 miler was nowhere near as impressive as the first, but I put that largely due to the fact that I'd already run 10.5 miles during the week, traveled back from Minnesota and was just tuckered out. Plus I was also running solo. Which, don't get me wrong I love getting out on the road and just running, but I feel I truly push myself to do better when I have my friends with me. It's just a feeling of working toward a goal versus a leisurely run. Totally a mental game (and lets face it we all know I'm a little cooky). One of the MANY mental facets of running I'm still trying to figure out how to overcome. Pushing myself when NO ONE is watching. Tricky tricky tricky I tell ya.

Anyway - the week capped off with the Athleta Iron Girl 5k, which is its own post all on its own so enough about that for now!

Week 9 complete! 12 more to go! Technically this would be where the TRUE Hal Higdon training schedule would start....and I'm right on track. His training schedule suggests you be running 3-5 miles roughly 3-4 times a week at this point and looky looky! That is EXACTLY what I'm doing! Wow...its as if someone PLANNED it that way...oh wait that would be me :)

Happy running!

WEEK 9 STATS (Sept 5 - Sept 11)

Total Miles Run - 18.6
Total Miles Planned- 15.1

Hot Yoga Classes - 1

Long Run - 5 miles

Races Completed - Athleta Iron Girl 5k

End of Summer - Minnesota Style!

Labor Day weekend....the culmination of all things summer....damn it...did i GET a summer this year?! Well given that Seattle's summer only started oh 3 weeks prior to Labor Day it seems weird to already be saying goodbye to it....but such is the life of a Seattlite. 

I was lucky enough this year to be able to jet off somewhere new for Labor Day while being brought back together with old friends. Minneapolis was the destination to visit my fabulous roomie (I refuse to call her my ex-roomie btw) Katie. We may live thousands of miles apart but we are still and will always be roomies :)

By the time I arrived it had been two months since she'd moved back to Minnesota and I think we were both ready for the return of some normalcy....even if we were not in our old apartment and in a completely different state. We were reunited....and it feeeeels so good! Sorry....I'll stop singing...promise!

The weekend was exactly what I had asked for and exactly what the doctor ordered. I arrived Thursday evening and Katie and I made dinner at her house and sipped on some wine, catching up on ALL the things that happened over the last couple months. We'd been saving up all the good stories from our phone convos because we knew that dishing in person would be so much better. 

Friday was a chill day as Katie headed out to work and I used the day to detox from work and life in general. Getting a nice 3.5 mile run in and exploring her neighborhood.....I will say that somehow I got lost on my run (Still not ENTIRELY sure how)....considering it was supposed to be a loop around the lake....only THIS girl could get lost when supposed to be running in a circle :)

We headed north that afternoon to Katie's hometown to enjoy some much anticipated homemade cooking, lake time and family time with the Rasinski clan. The weekend consisted of some true Minnesota activities!! Horseback riding, apple picking, driving tractors, bonfires, a turkey feed, tubing, waterskiing, and just enjoying the amazing outdoors. I honestly can say that this was THE BEST weekend I've had in a VERY LONG time. It was just refreshing to be in a place where you could be out and about, with family, friends, and having a great time. Her family took me in as their own and I cannot tell you how much it warms my heart. Her mom and dad, Dyana and baby C! I love them to pieces. And this whole trip made me miss my roomie very much though! Leaving Minnesota was almost as hard as the day that Katie moved. 

Its brought some serious thoughts about looking at potential opportunities out in Minneapolis...but those are thoughts to mull over in my head for now.

Here are some pics from the weekend festivities!