October 12, Get Here Already

I’ve been meaning to talk about running more than I have been but [insert excuse here]. It’s four weeks until Chicago. Or less. I don’t even know anymore. Basically, it’s gotten to that point where I’ve gone from supercrazyexcited to uncomfortably nervous.

Shameless Hannibal plug right there. Someone start watching that show so we can talk. That’s Hugh Dancy if you didn’t know and he is so ahh-maze-ing. He makes everyone else who has played the Will Graham character look like amateurs.

Anyway, running. I’ve been really good at finding excuses to skip my Tuesday runs, which I’m sure is doing wonders for my overall training. While I am so over training, I still feel like I might be running too few miles but I’m not motivated enough to change that. My long runs have been going ok, but they’re slow. I know that’s normal, I know I’m running on the face of the sun down here, and I walk at least .10 of every mile which all factors into my pace, but seeing my pace at the end of a run still hurts my ego a little.

This past weekend, Brad and I hit our peak 22 mile long run which I ran with a cold, thankyouverymuch.

Even sick, it was still better than our first 12 and 14 milers, which was surprising. The “highlights” – Having Fools Gold by Fitz and the Tantrums in my head for 10 straight miles (I was not amused) and Brad describing a whole horror movie plot he made up involving runners who are systematically killed off. That was a fun story at four in the morning in the pitch black next to the woods.

Also making me nervous is the thought of 1.8 million spectators at the race. ONE.POINT.EIGHT.MILLION. I don’t even know how that number is possible. Spectators stress me out with their cheering and their happiness and their motivation. It’s the worst when all you need to do is walk but there’s a group of cheering people making you feel like an ass for it.

I’m trying to decide whether or not to wear my Camelbak during the race. I’ve run one marathon with it and one without. I wear it during all my long runs and fill it with a mixture of half water/half Powerade Zero but it’s empty around mile 18 and becomes this annoyance because it no longer serves a purpose. I thought about carrying a water bottle with my half/half mixture (I can’t drink the regular Gatorade on the course) but this past weekend I found that I kinda like the Hammer Perpetuem powder for running nutrition.

That’s a problem because you mix it with water, which is something else I’d need to carry. It tastes like licking an old chalkboard but I prefer drinking to chewing. Chewing during runs makes me nauseated. If I want both drinks, I would need to carry a water bottle while wearing a Camelbak, which is a lot of weight and super annoying. Plus, I hate having anything in my hands while running.

My other option is no Camelbak, holding a water bottle, stuffing a bunch of PB&Js in my sports bra, and not using the Perpetuem. I don’t love that idea either. You know me, I’m never happy. What I need is for volunteers to be at specific miles of the race to hand me things exactly when I need them so I can be the snobby running princess I’m meant to be.

Marathon Training in July

So, marathon training. That’s still happening. I’ve been meaning to update more regularly but I’m always so busy with something else, like watching four seasons of Archer and live-tweeting Sharknado 2.

Seriously. Did anyone watch that? It was all I dreamed it could be and more.

Anyway, things have been going pretty well on the running front, all things considered. My calf issue was over until it wasn’t. On my 14-miler a few weeks ago, I jumped a curb and felt a little twinge again. The pain wasn’t terrible and I didn’t need to stop but it also didn’t feel good. So, I pushed August’s calf raking to last week and things seem to be back to normal. I also had the massage therapist work on my shoulder because that pain has been back since I started wearing my CamelBak again. Whoever said running is free can kiss my ass because this crap is expensive. That massage was $25 short of a new pair of running shoes. Luckily, I just don’t know what to do with it all.

The only thing that makes me feel better about dropping money I don’t have is that the massage was good. Really good. And so, so helpful. Usually I go to massage therapists and think hub’s massages are 10x better. This guy is worth it, so I guess I don’t feel like it was wasted.

I also did a Crossfit workout a couple weeks ago, on a Monday, that made me crazy sore all week long. In case you’re looking for a workout that will make you think twice about wanting to stand up or sit down or stand idlely.

4 rounds:

• 400m on the rower
• 50 squats with the bar (45lbs)
• 25 forward lunges
• 25 backward lunges
• 25 stiff-leg dead lifts with the bar (45lbs)

I swear my trainer told me he was going “lighter” before he gave me this workout since we weren’t using any significant weight. I could barely move for two days and I was still sore by my run on Saturday. I think my trainer feels bad because I’ve been getting some easier workouts since that one which I have been more than okay with.

Last weekend was supposed to be a 16-miler but Brad wasn’t able to run. I suppose I could have run on my own but I’m not that motivated so I slept in. I didn’t even know what to do with my Friday night.

Oh, right. Yes I did.

We changed our 16-miler to this weekend and next weekend’s 10-miler is now 18 so we won’t have a drop in mileage for a few weeks. High mileage = 3am wake-ups to beat the sun because we usually walk a mile or more of all our long runs. #noshame

Since I’m not on Daily Mile anymore, I’m tracking my shoe mileage on a note app on my phone. That’s working pretty well.

Yes, I’m a spoiled brat with three pairs of running shoes. I’m hoping I won’t need to buy new ones until after this running season because I hate changing shoes in the middle of training.

This time around, I’m also tracking all my runs and paces with a calendar to check my improvement over the months and to be able to look back and do it again if I kill this race. (The c’s are crossfit days.)

That’s assuming I’ll run another marathon after this year which is unlikely because…

I skipped a few runs because of calf pain and unexpected schedule changes. I used to beat myself up over missing runs and now I couldn’t care less. I’m following my plan about 85% and I think it’s making training way more enjoyable this time around.

A Decent Run and a Good Cause

I mentioned that marathon training started last weekend. I met up for my first long run with my training bud, Brad, on Saturday. I guess the run went ok for my first 10-miler in three months. My shoulder was hurting again (it’s been a year since that’s bothered me), my calf ached for miles 5-10 because of all the uneven pavement and brick, it was face-of-the-sun hot, and the humidity made breathing suck but, I didn’t wish for actual death so I’m going to consider that one a win.

Since my calf is still the bain of my existence, my Crossfit trainer recommended a massage guy to me that “rakes” calves. I don’t know what “raking” calves means and I’m scared to look it up. Raking anything sounds terrible.

I finally made an appointment, which I’ve put off for a month because I know it’s going to hurt and I’m a big baby. Why can’t problems just disappear if you ignore them? I would rather get a pap smear if that tells you how much I don’t want this “massage” but I would also rather not limp the marathon. So, I sucked it up. I’m tempted to live tweet the massage so we can see what new swear words I invent.

You probably know by now that I’m running Chicago in support of the American Heart Association. Well, I’m also supporting another charity event – the Taste of the Nation Orlando – which raises money for the Share our Strength’s efforts to end childhood hunger. This is the same event that Michelle and I supported last year.

Back in the days of long hair and new boobs. This year I’ll support them with short hair and old boobs.

This is also the event in which I ate and drank my face off and posed with food.

Ok, that’s all events but this one has all sorts of different food and drinks from awesome restaurants in the Orlando area. Plus, everything that is left over is donated so nothing is wasted.

Taste of the Nation Orlando is running its final discount code. So if you’re in the Orlando area, you’d like to support a great cause, and want to test the limits of your stomach and liver with me, you can get $10 off your ticket through the 11th. (Buy tickets with this link.)

The deets:

2014 TASTE OF THE NATION ORLANDO
WHEN:
Saturday, August 9, 2014
6:45 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

WHERE:
Orlando World Center Marriott
8701 World Center Dr., Orlando

Now, who knows what raking calves is and what am I in for?

Four More Sleeps

I reached my fundraising goal, guys.

I have the feels. All of them. Relief that I made my goal when I wasn’t so sure I could going into the fundraising thing for the first time. Happiness that I might be helping someone out in need. Gratitude that so many people in my life were willing to give. ALL THE FEELS. There is no way I’ll run this race without crying. I can already tell I’m going to be a hot mess. So thank you all who donated again. I swear I’ll stop thanking you at some point. Maybe. Probably not.

It’s almost June so that means I have exactly four Saturdays left to sleep in until marathon training starts.

I’m trying my hardest to make them count by drinking as much as possible so I’m unable to get out of bed. It’s the little goals.

I’m actually looking forward to training this time around. I say this having not run in humidity in a year, so plan on that perspective changing.  My runs lately have been short and all sorts of crappy because I have this giant knot in my left calf that hurts like a bitch. I told my trainer about it (I thought it was a pulled muscle) and he worked it out as best he could while dealing with all my squirming and complaining.

I legit broke a sweat while he was “massaging” my calf. I use the term massage lightly because the next day, I had a 3-inch long bruise on my calf from his thumb. The good news is, it’s 70% better but I need it to be 100% before I start this long run business back up otherwise it’s just going to get worse. It’s getting better way too slowly for my taste so now I’m icing and stretching and foam rolling. All the things I hate.

I can’t remember if I mentioned this or not, but I’ll be doing all my training with my friend, Brad, this time around.

I met Brad in my running group a few years ago and he ran the Savannah Rock n Roll marathon (my first) with Michelle and I. We’re pace twins and we both have no problem walking if the other one is dying, so we’re a good training match. If you’re wondering why I don’t train with Michelle – it’s because she needs to do her long runs on Sunday because of her hub’s work schedule and mass quantity of children, and Saturday runs work better with my schedule. It’s not because I hate her.

Anyway, Brad and I have one goal for marathon training this year: not gaining weight. So we’ll see how that goes. I’ll try to remind myself that burgers for every meal on days I run over 10 miles isn’t a good plan.

Speaking of that goal, my work is trying to kill me with delicious food and desserts. We had a Memorial Day potluck. Who does that?

Well, I did. But besides that. (Stole that pic from Michelle.)

I’ve never worked at a place that has so many damn potlucks. My last job had one a year, at Thanksgiving. I have been at my current job for eight months and we have had EIGHT potlucks. A breast cancer awareness potluck (not kidding) and then one for Thanksgiving, Christmas, two going away potlucks, one baby shower potluck, and one team potluck. Even when I avoid them, the leftovers are in the kitchen afterwards. And don’t even suggest using “self-control” and “not eating the food in the kitchen” because that isn’t a thing in which I’m capable.

In addition to the potlucks, we have breakfast on Friday, birthday cake once a month, and random donut bringer-inners. I can’t win this fight.