Treadmills, Logging the Miles but Getting Nowhere

Tuesday night was my weekly Run Club. Me and Patrick are just within reach of a PR but we never quite get there. Honestly I feel if we participated in an acutal race as opposed to running on Bayshore, chatting and having to cross into traffic we would shave serious time. But when we finally reach that goal I know we are going to be super proud. Maybe to be in true running shape we should start skipping the beers and upping the mileage, haha! No thanks.

Wednesday we had a down pour of rain. I had packed my running clothes so I could run right after work, but instead of hitting the pavement, I was a treadmill rat. Personally I hate running on treadmills. I get so bored and 3 miles can literally turn into the most painful run of my life. Call me crazy but when I am running I like to actually get somewhere, not watch the calories I am burning slowly rise. I tried to keep a good attitude, knowing that I need my upmost mental toughness if I am going to get this done. I plugged in my iPod and was ready to go. This is going to sound very narcissistic, but I loved watching myself in the mirror when I ran. I literally could not take my eyes off of myself. I most certainly was not checking myself out and thinking how good I looked, but it was so interesting to actually see what I look like while I am running. I found myself lifting my knees and dropping my shoulders. For 4 miles I literally watched myself run, and although I felt like a freak I really enjoyed watching my pony tail bounce back and forth as I ran. But don't think this little bout of self adoration is going to sway my opionion, I am an outdoor runner for life.

So Much to be Thankful For

With the Holiday long weekend I didn't get too off track. I did miss one short run but did manage to get my long run in for the week, which is a small victory when there were tons of distractions (food and football) to get in the way. I can't take too much credit though, my long run for the week was only 6 miles.

I may not have achieved my max mileage over the holiday weekend but I did realize how lucky I am and that I have many reasons to be thankful. I have my health and the ability to train and be a part of something great. Only a small percentage of people ever run a marathon in their lifetime and in a few short months I am going to be one of them. My Mom has started her radiation and in 5 weeks this whole cancer nightmare will be a thing of the past and my family can begin to move forward. I have great family and friends, who are the best support system ever. I am lucky enough to have a job, when so many people are unemployed. I have realized how truly blessed I am, even if it took dragging my turkey filled tummy for 6 miles to figure it out.

10th Time is a Charm!

So this is about a week late, but no less important. Last Tuesday me and Patrick celebrated our 10th run with the Four Green Fields Running Group! The official dry fit t-shirts we have been eying all these weeks were finally ours. Family and Friends came to celebrate with us, but I think they were just all looking for an excuse to drink. We even stayed for dinner, seriously the best burger I have ever had. It was a super fun, impromtu way for everyone to get together. My sisters home from college even made a cameo! I am not going to lie, the Blue Moons tasted much better when I wasn't the one footing the bill! Next goal is our 25th run, we get a shamrock patch to put on our shirt. And yes I am definitely going to be one of those losers that takes a pic in my FGF running jersey and tags it on the facebook page after I finish the marathon!

Women's 1/2 Marathon!

I had a crazy busy weekend and I can't believe that it is Monday already! Saturday I worked the expo for the event and it was awesome. Everything there was so nice and the race packet was seriously the cutest once I have ever received. There were 5,000 runners, 70 of which were men. So you can imagine how girly, pink, and fun the expo and race both were! I loved getting a chance to see all my coworkers again, it has been forever since I have worked an event. Getting to meet all different women who are running the same race you are, and sharing their stories is such a rare experiene that I am so grateful to have!

Sunday was race day and I was up bright and early! My parents were my cheerleaders and drove me to the race. The 3 half marathons I had done in the past I was always out of town, so it was a new experience for me knowing I had fans cheering for me on the coarse. Race day was alot hotter than I had anticipated so I made sure to take advantage of all the water stations. The coarse was so beautiful, all along the water front of downtown St. Petersburg. We even were able to run a lap around Tropicana Field where the Tampa Bay Rays play! I ran 1:57. Not exactly my PR but I was happy to break 2 hours. Also the medals were so cool. The center was a detachable charm that you can put on a nacklace or bracelet, or you could leave it as it. I haven't decided what I am going to do with mine yet!

I am not going to lie, my favorite part of race day was going to see New Moon later that afternoon with two of my girlfriends. Something about those adolescent werewolves and vampires can even get this runner girl's heart racing!

Working in my Running Shoes

I am running a half marathon this Sunday so I took Thursday off to rest my legs. Today I ran 4.5 and had a great run. It may have been in the pitch black, but I am pleased to report that I was almost hit by a car only once! May seem like a small victory but I live to run another day. I am hoping I can feel as good as I have this week at my race on Sunday, so fingers crossed. The coarse and weather are supposed to be fantastic, so now it's just up to me to take advantage and run the race I know I can.

Saturday I am working at the subscription booth at the Women's Running Magazine 1/2 Marathon Expo. I worked for the magazine part-time as an expo rep before getting my full-time big girl job. I traveled to races across the country and even ran in a few. It was the best opportunity I could have asked for and I am thrilled to be able to help out at the expo and run the race this weekend. I love the vibe of expos before racing, everyone there is so excited for the upcoming race. You can feel the energy surrounding you and it's hard not to be motivated to do your best. It is going to be a long day and I am going to be on my feet for most of it, but the past 3 half marathons I have run I have worked prior so you could say I am used to it. I get to see my co-workers and even pick a few of their brains for any advice on marathon training. This is going to be a great weekend!

Run, Eat, Sleep, Run.

Running Club was Tuesday! Me and Patrick are only one week away from getting out official Four Green Fields Run Club t-shirts. Once you have been to 10 runs you get a dry fit t-shirt with the club logo on it! We are so excited and our parents are even going to come next week for the presentation, very kindergarten I know, but hey just another excuse to have Blue Moons! My legs were a little tired from my long run the night before, so I let Patrick run ahead of me. He is really improving, I can't believe that just a couple of months ago he had never run a 5K!

After a quick dinner and a few hours sleep I was up again this morning for yet another run. I am giving this whole running before work thing a try. I ran 5 miles and took it easy. I noticed the early morning has a whole different breed of runners. They all looked like they were on a mission and very serious about their training, much different than the social vibe I get from my after work evening runs. I also think getting on this schedule will help me to stay on task and avoid those distractions that have a tendency of popping up after a long work day.

Lesson Learned....Well Sort Of.

As part of my penance for missing a whole week of training I had an 8 miler on the schedule. Some might be daunted by such high milage after a week long hiatus, but I was actually excited for the challenge. I wanted to prove that I could come back and gain a good momentum. I strapped on my Spi Belt made sure I had my GU Chomps and set out. I of coarse had my blinking light on, getting run over while training for a marathon would not be conducive to a successful race day performance. It was a great night and I felt a freshness in my legs that made for a fantastic run. I finished inspired by my performance over the 8 miler, hoping that I will feel and run this well over the weekend during my race.

I was anticipating that this long run would punish me and teach me a very valuable lesson. I just didn't learn the lesson I expected. The days when I am looking forward to running and wanting to get out there are the days when I am going to have my best runs. Last week I lost myself and for whatever reasons didn't get my butt out there. But now I am rested and ready for this week, a week when I am looking forward to my runs, a week where I am participating in a Half Marathon, and week where my legs are rested and ready for the miles ahead. It seems my unintentional step back not only strengthened my desire to get out there, but gave me a fresh set of legs and an enthusiastic outlook on the road ahead. No more speedbumps though, this race will be here sooner than I think and I need to be ready!

A Promise to Be Better

It may seem that I have gone dark for the past week and that would be a correct perception. I went rogue as I sometimes do and I am definitely regretting it. What started off as Monday with a 6 mile run quickly turned into after work beers with my parents. Tuesday and Wednesday were rained out and Thursday, well I guess I am not the kind of girl who skips a wine tasting with her Mom so she can run. It's not in my nature, I can't pretend I am something I am not. Friday, Saturday Sunday I was playing "Mommy" to my next door neighbors while their parents are out of town. Did I make more per hour than I do at my full-time big girl job? Yes. Did I manage to get away from those children for more than 2 minutes? No. Right there a week of my training gone.

Luckily it is early enough in the game where there is no real harm done. I am putting this week behind me and moving forward with a greater resolve to be a better runner and more focused on my training. I now see that distractions are more likely to occur after work and I may need to consider.....GASP.....early morning runs. Can't belive I just said that. But I am serious about this race and I am serious about doing well so I need to buckle down and make the sacrifice. From this moment forward I am in marathon mode and it is going to take much more than a Sparkling Wine Tasting to knock me off coarse.

That's What Friends Are For

I needed to get my run in before work again, and I was a little nervous about running in the dark by myself. I recruited my BFF and running club buddy Patrick to come with me. He lives right down the street and loves early morning workouts so I knew he would say yes. I was out the door by 6:15 and he startled me standing there on my porch ready to go. I noticed that it wasn't nearly as pitch black as the week before. I decided that since I had a companion, I just wasn't as paranoid. As we were running I noticed the sun rising and the sky was lighting up right before my eyes. I commented how last week it was much scarier and darker. I felt like a baby needing a bodyguard in the morning daylight. Patrick looked at me like I was learning disabled and said "Time change you clown." If I were a cartoon character a lightbulb would have literally gone off over my head. It was a great run and I definitely enjoyed the company. I know Patrick liked getting another 3 miler in for the week, he is a beginning distance runner. If you can't get your friends to run with you at the butt crack of dawn then who will.

I am off to the Gainesville this weekend for the Gator game with my Dad for Tridelta Father Daughter Weekend. I am so excited to spend time with my sisters and see the Gators play! I have a feeling my Sunday run may get pushed to Monday again. But this is the last weekend, I promise ;)

Mother Knows Best, Some of the Time

This morning I was talking to my Mom over breakfast and she started grilling me about this whole marathon thing. I guess she is finally starting to take the idea seriously. She had read an article about marathon training in the newspaper, so she was obviously now an expert on the subject. She was telling me how I need to be walk running and cross training as much as possible. I demanded to see this article where she got literally all of her knowledge on running from. The article was geared towards older, beginner runners so I scoffed and told her she did not know what she was talking about. Come on I am a 23 years old and have spent the last 9 years of my life running, I am practically a seasoned veteran. She was right though, alot of the more recent schools of marathon training are encouraging cross training, to avoid injuries and keep your legs fresh. However I do have my pride, and I will never walk run.

My Mom pushed on with more advice and opinions, desperate for me to take her seriosusly. She started asking about nutrition and special diets for marathoners, demanding that as my training progresses I need to stop avoiding carbs. Again I knew she was right and that this was something I definitely need to look into. I can't just expect my body to take on the next several weeks of training and mile after mile of running without the proper fuel. Since she has so much free time on her hands and loves to boss me around I challenged her to become my nutritionist and come up with some tasty ways for me to fuel up before and after my runs. I am sure she won't disappoint me. So today on my 4 mile run after having a delicious pre-workout snack of grapes and almounds I couldn't help but think about how my Mom's literal ingorance in the sport of running helped bring a fresh perspective to one runner who thinks she knows it all.

The Ultimate Decision

In the spirit of full disclosure, and me chronicling all the gory details of my training, I have a confession to make. I expect full judgment and even some grimaces, but this is a recurring predicament for me. What do you do when you are on a run, and there is no bathroom in sight? 4 miles is never a traumatizing experience but I knew there were going to be issues one mile in. My choices were few to none in the restroom department, so I had to get creative. I spied some mangroves on the water, hidden from the roadway by a sand dune. To describe my situation as dire would be an understandment. I scrambled down the dune, through the tall grass, praying no one could tell what I was up to. I hoped if someone was watching me they would sense my desparation and kindly understand. I emerged from my hide-a-potty a new woman, and jogged away as if nothing shameful had happened. My initial reaction was guilt with a dash of embarassment, but after breaking into my stride I felt nothing short of relief. As a matter of fact, I felt great and decided I wouldn't have done a thing differently. Yes, I may have lightened my load in an inappropriate fashion, but I immediately felt better and had a great run. Don't judge someone until you have run a mile, or four, in their shoes. And hopefully during that run you don't find yourself having to make the ultimate decision.

Running, A Great Way to Check the Ladies.

So tonight was the weekly Run Club. It was cooler and darker outside so all signs pointed to me and Patrick knocking more time off of our 5k PR. We kept to the front of the pack and both of us were feeling good. The lack of extreme heat seems to do wonders for my running stride, confidence and performance. We crossed paths with the girls cross country team on our way out and I enthusiastically yelled "Hey Coach!" as we passed. Once we reached the turn around I definitiely picked it up so I could try and catch up. Patrick on the other hand had his own agenda. A little less than a mile later we had caught the pack. I immediately slowed, to talk to my Coach for a qucik catch-up. Patrick settled in behind the girls and patiently waited for me to stop my chitchat and finish our run. Obviously once we finished we were a minute shy of our PR, and I apologized to Patrick for holding us up. He smiled and said " No problem, while you were yammering on I got to watch the hot schoolers run! It was awesome!" So lesson learned, it's not about the times or the PR's, it is about enjoying yourself along the way.

Finishing Strong

First off today was my Mom's LAST CHEMO!!! I am so excited. Back in July when we first got started with treatments, November seemed like so far away. I am so proud of her and this is one more check on list of recovery.

Secondly congrats to American Meb Keflezighi for winning the New York City Marathon. He ran in 2 hours 19 minutes and 15 seconds, which is kick ass. To put it into perspective for myself I realized that my HALF marathon time is only 27 minutes faster. So a little SAT lesson for you is Katie:Meb as 13.1:26.2.

So compared to those two my 5 mile run today seems kind of lame, haha. I was supposed to run yesterday but being the bad runner that I am i didn't make it out there. I may or may not have been too hung over for my Sunday afterrnoon run, but switching a long day with a rest day never hurt anyone right? I definitely need to work on becoming more disciplined over my weekends because that is when I am going to log my long mileage. My days of happy hours are soon going to be replaced with running for hours. So here's to chugging lots of water and taking shots of Gatorade, oh us runners are party animals!

Scaredy Cat

This morning I woke up at 6am to get my run in before work. My usual work day routine involves me begrudgingly rolling out of bed and getting ready half asleep at 7:30 am. You can only imagine how thrilled I was to be up before the sun. I made sure I had my blinking light strapped to my waistband and off I went. I was a little nervous running in total darkness but my neighborhood is very safe so I had nothing to really worry about. On tap for today was a 3 mile tempo run, and there is nothing like a wild imagination to scare you into running faster. I was weary of every moving shadow and even screamed when a cyclist zoomed by me. Flashforwards of me getting snatched off the side of the road, and leaving my iPod at the sceneof the crime so my Mom could use her CSI skills to find me filled my mind. So faster I ran. I even ran a longer way home because I knew there were more street lights. When I finished I felt foolish at my overwhelming sense of relief. I had managed to survive getting run down by a crazed motorist and foiled any attackers who were trying to catch me, all in my mind. The reality was everyone was in their beds except for the sleepy high schoolers waiting for the bus. I had managed to scare myself with my gruesome, sometimes outlandish imagination. I can only laugh and wish myself and everyone else a very fun, safe and Happy Halloween!

Blast From the Past

Another 4 miler was on the schedule for today and I headed to Bayshore after work and a quick Target stop. I pulled in the parking lot and noticed a familiar group of cars. The girls cross country team and my coach from my high school were out on a run. I was so excited, thinking I would get a chance to see my old coach who was like a 2nd father to me my 4 years of high school. I started my run all the while looking ahead of me to see if I could spot the familiar pack of runners making their way their way up the grass. I started to approach my turn around and began to get nervous. If I hadn't crossed paths with them by now, then they will be behind me! AH! Now I had to kick it into gear so this tall skinny mustached man and his pack of seven 100 lb. girls can't catch me. It was as if I was running for my life. My hearing went into extra sensory mode and I swear I could hear the shuffle of their feet and the sounds of their breath catching me. I finished, running the 2nd half of the run much faster than I had intended to, and had not been caught. I looked behind me and they were about a 1/3 of a mile behind me. My victory however, was short lived because I realized that they probably ran 6 compared to my 4 measly miles. It's funny to think that even now as a 23 year old the thought of my cross country coach and the pack catching up to me on a run still puts the fear of God in my heart, just like it did when I was 15.

Loving running.....for now anyways.

Today I had a 4 miler and decided to hit Bayshore for my run. I couldn't help but think how lucky I was to have such a gorgeous place to run. My iPod shuffle knew exactly what songs I wanted to hear (Backstreet Boys and ABBA were 2 favs!) and I was having one of those workouts where I was loving being a runner. I relaxed my shoulders and really concentrated on my stride and imagined myself looking this pulled together come race day, I hope. I noticed all the different runners, with individual goals and reasons for running. Those just starting out, those wondering what the hell they were thinking registering for that upcoming race, and those strapped up with fuel belts just trying to log those miles. I saw myself in each one of them. I know there are going to be days when I really don't want to be out there, and there are going to be days when my mileage seems endless. I will have to remember the good runs, forget the bad and be inspired by the great. I will look to my fellow runners and peers on the pavement when the miles seem endless and the goal too great. It hit me today that I am actually going to do this, the race is no longer an abstract thought. I am actually going to run this marathon and have already set in motion the steps to get there.

Will Run for Beer too!

I couldn't have asked for a more fun way to kick-off to my training! Oddly enough Mondays are my days off during my training so yesterday I was able to relax, and remind myself that I need to take it easy when I can. I have a long fews months ahead of me! Today was my first official run that just happened to coincide with my running club Holloween Costume Fun Run! We have a group that meets every Tuesday night at a local Irish Pub, Four Green Fields, and we run a 5K then stay for beers and food. It also gives us stereotypically loner runners a chance to socialize. In honor of Holloween a few of us dressed up, I went with the 80's runner look and donned of super loud jungle spandex leggings. They were eye catching to say the least, but not too fun to run in when it's still 80 degrees outside. I did survive and managed to even break a PR with my running buddy Patrick. Every week we try to run just a little bit faster, with thoughts of ice cold beers at the finish keeping us inspired. We finished just before the rain storm and enjoyed Blue Moons with the rest of our fellow runners. Power outages didn't deter anyone from having a good time, but did make the bar smell a little more ripe than usual. Marathon training is real tough when you run with friends in costumes and are rewarded with beers at the end, but I am ready and willing. I have a feeling I will need to remember this day and remind myself how much I enjoyed running a few weeks down the road.

Why I Am Running.

Before my 18 week adventure and 26.2 mile trip across the finish line begins I want everyone to know why I run and why I have decided to take on this challenge. This race is much more than an insanely long run and a medal at the finish line. It is a journey, that for me began five and half months ago….

In May my life and the life of my family changed forever. My mother was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer and it is an understatement to describe our reaction as devastated. Yes I knew she had felt a lump in her left breast and there had been spots on her mammogram. Yes, I was aware of her biopsy the week before. Was I prepared to walk into my house that evening and hear the word “Cancer”, no I was not. Me and my sister held my Mom and cried, not believing that this could be happening to us. Afraid for her and the fight she had ahead.

After the initial shock all I wanted was to start the process of getting my Mom well again. Approvals from insurance for scans and surgeries were wasting time and I couldn’t help but thinking of this cancer as a ticking time bomb. I wanted the fear that my entire family was living in to go away. I went into survival mode and after my freak out that first night I decided to be strong in front of everyone. I needed to be strong for my Mom because her world was crumbling, I needed to be strong for my Dad because he was the one my Mom was most relying on, and I needed to be strong for my sisters because they needed some one to look to for comfort and assurance.

That’s when running came into play and became an even more important aspect of my life. It was a time when I could really think about and feel all of my emotions. For a while that was my time to have a melt down. I felt so camouflaged with my sunglasses, Ipod and hat that I could just let it all out. I would literally go on my 5 mile runs and cry the whole time. I could then come home and deal with the pain and uncertainty we were all living with and tackle it head on. After a while though, the crying stopped and the strength kicked in. I would go on my morning runs and think about the success of my Mom’s double mastectomy, her heroics during her rounds of chemo therapy and I would feel inspired. I was so proud of her and I wanted her to feel pride for me too.

Our lives have adapted and we are now a family living with cancer. Chemo, shots, and blood tests are apart of my Mom’s life and a part of our everyday vocabulary. I have learned more about breast cancer than I ever care to know. I am automatically drawn to scarf section, to see if there is anything my Mom would look cute in. I look forward to the day when I can look back and think of the past few months as a mere bump in the road that brought my family closer together.

Now starts my long trek towards the finish line, and it is going to take me about 18 weeks of training to get there, but I am ready to meet the challenge. I am steeling a mantra from my Mom/Tim Tebow with a promise to “Finish Strong”. So I am selfishly starting this blog to not only to motivate myself to keep going even when the road is hard, but to hopefully inspire others to do the same.

On your mark, get set, GO!