Color Me Retired

I haven't blogged in many, many moons; but I did run the Chicago Marathon three days ago.  My finish time was dang near exactly one minute slower than my PR (results can be seen more clearly if you click on the image).  Considering I had a pit stop early on that probably cost me about five minutes AND the fact that I really didn't feel particularly ready for this event (I ran a decent number of miles, but did pretty much zero hill or speed workouts), I'm quite happy with the end result.  

Happy enough, in fact, to retire from this particular event.  As I trained for this one, I told anyone who crossed my path that I would be done with the marathon once I crossed the finish line.  Few seemed to believe me, but I tell you it's TRUE.  

Why, you ask?  (I know, you didn't ask, but I'm going to tell you anyway).  There are many reasons.
1.  I think I've done as well as I can do in this event.  After a very successful summer/fall in 2011, I decided to really buckle down and see what I could do.  Yes, visions of Boston (in a few years) danced in my head.  I undertook an extremely aggressive training plan and spent my spring of this year running and running and running.  And doing killer speed work.  And... I was getting faster.  A month before Grandma's marathon I was feeling oh so ready to kick some booty.  Then something happened in my lower left leg.  I still don't know what the heck it was (MRI showed absolutely nothing wrong), but it hurt like a son of a gun.  I didn't run a single mile in the three weeks leading up to Grandma's.  I ran the marathon anyway, and it was a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day (for a lot of reasons).  My conclusion:  when I do the kind of training needed for me to improve, I break.  I do not want to break.

2.  My kids are growing up and taking on lots of activities of their own.  My husband's a full time attorney who has started an internet company on the side.  In short, we're a busy family.  Training time is an issue.  This may sound like I'm putting everyone else's needs ahead of my own, but I can tell you that's not the case.  I'm ultimately a super selfish witch.  If I wanted to continue, I would.

3.  I got to the point where I was really having to psyche myself up each. and. every. time I needed to go out for a run.  The joy was gone.  That's unacceptable.  Running so much that I don't want to run any more is not a vicious cycle I'm willing to take part in.  

4.  The way I need to train (being super serious about putting the SLOW in long slow distance), is not real compatible with my run club peeps.  Circumstances were such that I became the lone middle of the packer, which took a fair amount of fun out of it for me.  

5.  I miss training with my husband.  He's still recovering from hip surgery.  His prognosis for a return to the marathon is iffy at best.  If he does get back into the game, he's the only person that will be able to bring me out of said retirement. 

I could go on and on.  But my five readers are smart folks, and I know they get it.  I look forward to a future of 5k's, 10k's, and half marathons.  And, maybe even some triathlon training.  Who wants to buy me a bike??  :-) 

It's Evolution, Baby

Well... Grandma's Marathon is 10 days away and...
I've got something going on in my lower left leg.  Something bad, I fear.  In some ways, the pain is not like that of the stress fracture I probably had years ago.  In some ways, though, it's also not unlike it.  It is in a different location, more on the outside of the leg than inside; but it hurts pretty much every time my foot strikes the ground while running.  No bueno.  
I'm going to see the fabulous Dr. Boren tomorrow and get her take on the situation, but I'm mentally preparing myself for the fact that I will not be running a marathon in 10 days.  It hurts too dang much right now, and I feel like it would take a small miracle for it to turn around in such a short time.  
All that being said, I had a situation like this last year, and it resolved quite quickly.  So, there could be hope.  Optimism has never been my thing, though.
Despite the fact that I have trained like a beast for this race, I am, strangely, at peace with this situation.  I knew there was some risk with undertaking such a high mileage plan.  I also knew that it was the only way I was likely to shave off any time.  Was it a good choice to train the way I did?  Maybe not.  Do I have any regrets?  Absolutely not, which is why I've included evolution in the title of this post.  A year ago this situation would've given me an anxiety attack.  Having a few marathons behind me, though, seems to lessen the depression of potentially not running this one.  We shall see what tomorrow brings...

Blah Blah Blah

Hey!  Have I mentioned I'm training for a marathon?  


I know, I know... I've only mentioned it about 1001 times.  If it makes you feel any better, I'm as sick of me talking about it as you are.


AAAAAAAnyhoo.... Still training, still on the high mileage plan.  Last week I set a personal record for mileage at a whopping 57.  It was supposed to be 58, but I had yet another tempo run "incident." Last Saturday I ran what will be my longest single training run of the plan... 18.  I've been very disciplined about putting the 'S' in my LSD.  That's Long Slow Distance for you folks that don't obsess over this silly game like I do.  I ran the 18 miler at 10:03 pace, which was cool, because I felt like I could have gone on and on and on and on and on, even at the end.  It was a new and different long run experience for me.  


Other than psyche crushing tempo runs, my training has gone pretty much swimmingly.  There is one other issue, however.  My long time running partner in crime (who I also happen to be married to) has a labral tear and is scheduled for surgery on July 10th.  I was supposed to be logging a whole lot of these miles with him, and now I can't.  Which sucks.  I miss my running buddy, he misses running (though has probably, if truth be told, enjoyed the break from having to run with his gritchy wife), and training just isn't quite as fun as it used to be.  


So... there's the training update.  Grandma's marathon is 21 days away.  I'm interested/excited/scared to see how it goes after this completely different method of training.


In other (not) running news...
I'm still mentoring.  It's been about six months now.  Boy howdy, do 13 year old girls change in that amount of time!  She's gone from sweet kid to completely schizophrenic teenage girl.  Not like mentally ill schizophrenic, but just normal teenage girl schizo.  We got together last night and she spent the bulk of the time texting her frenemy (I can think of no better word), about their scheduled fight.  It was originally scheduled to go down after school was over for summer, but apparently panties were in such a wad that it was going to need to happen sooner.  


This all causes me to sigh deeply.  I grew up in the sticks, was non-confrontational to a fault, and was very, very white (the only part of that equation that has changed, really, is where I live).  My mentee is African-American and lives a very urban, somewhat rough area of north Minneapolis.  At this age and stage of my life, I'd have a hard time wrapping my mind around the mystery that is ANY American teenage girl.  Throw in the other factors and it's darn near impossible.  Her attitude isn't bad, but I see it declining.  I'm not judging, because, despite my mostly non-confrontational manner,  you could search the whole world over and not find a kid with an attitude any crappier than mine was at age 13.  As far as I can tell, she's completely and totally developmentally appropriate.


My struggle, though, is that even though she's behaving normally, the implications are far more serious for her.  In some ways, I don't feel she has the luxury of being normal, which seems completely unfair.  She needs to keep her head screwed on straight.  She needs to be rational.  She needs to do well in school.  All things that can be really, really tough for a kiddo that's 13 years of age.  


At any rate, we will keep on keepin' on.  All I can do is be there and listen, and try to occasionally dole out some advice without sounding like a geeky, annoying adult.  It's amazing how invested I feel in her success after such a short time.

Old Enough to Know Better

I think Grandma's Marathon is something like six weeks away.  As mentioned in a previous post, I actually paid for a training plan this time, and it's been a whole new beast.  I'm running a lot (50 miles last week and ultimately this week, with a weekly mileage peak of 58 in the next couple of weeks).  


Generally speaking, I've liked the plan.  I like running, so I don't mind logging the miles, and most of them are prescribed to be at 8:15-10:00 pace, which tends to feel delicious.  This last little bump in mileage, however, is creating fuel issues.  I ran six miles yesterday, and the poor friend running with me had to hear me bellyache for the last three about how hungry I was.  Well, it's a good thing I ran alone today, because a running buddy would've gotten quite the earful.  I was straight up outta gas and it suuuuuucked!!!  I walked out the door to hit the trail right after the kids got on the bus, and it started raining buckets, so I came inside.  Upon checking the forecast, it seemed that all I needed to do was wait it out and the rain would subside.  It did, which was good, but I ended up hitting the road for my 10 mile tempo run about 10:45.  I knew I was going to run through my normal lunch time, but I ate a banana and thought I'd be good to go.  Had I been able to start running when I planned, I think this run would've been a different experience.  


By mile five, I gave up on the effort being a tempo run and decided to just get the miles covered.  In addition to my lack of fuel, the downpour that preceded my run created quite the sauna effect.  I was completely wrecked by the time I finished.  Hungry, sweaty, cranky.  After a couple of hours (which included a nap) to process it, I'm feeling better.  There's comfort in knowing where I went wrong.  Now if I can just remember it for next time.  If running after about 10:30am, EAT A SIGNIFICANT SNACK before taking off.  We'll see if I've learned my lesson.

The Big Three-Six

I turned 36 on Saturday.  Not a landmark birthday in any way shape or form, but I find the way I celebrated to be a little remarkable.

I spent the day with this fantabulous group of people.  My husband and kids, Kam and Alayna, and Felipe the great.  Exactly half of this group (or more than half if you count my hubby) is made up of people from the greatest run club ever.  Here's a picture of the whole blam dam runnin' fam:

I think I've written before about how much I think of this crew.  If not, I'll just say it:  I think a lot of this crew!!

Anyhoo... the group in the top picture helped me celebrate my birthday with a road trip to Ames, Iowa to watch the KU/ISU game.  Kam's from Kansas, Alayna went to ISU, and Felipe's always ready for an adventure.  Kam & Alayna are a whole lot younger than us.  They are kid free and fabulous.  After six hours in the car with my kids, they're likely to stay that way!!!  

We watched the game.  KU played like complete crap.  ISU, not so much.  They done good and beat my Jayhawks.  But, hey, we'd won the last 13.  All good things must come to an end.  After the game, we loaded up to head home.  We dropped the kids off at my folks' place and got cleaned up to hit the bar.  

Good Peeps here, even if they do look a little demonic.

Why, you ask, do I describe any of this as remarkable?  Well, it's just kind of amusing to me that I spent my day with runners, fellow marathoners, people from my gym of all places.  It's amusing because if you'd have told me 10 years ago that I'd run a marathon, or that I'd be spending my b-day with runners, I would have told you to lay off the crack pipe and get serious. You just never know where life is going to take you.  I'm thankful mine's brought me here.  Running is great.  The people it brings into your life are way better than great.

I am, admittedly, a little mushy and gushy with this post.  I once wrote a small blip about Heather.  I know Heather because she is best buds with Tiffany (seated next to me in the pic) and because she works at the YMCA.  She beat breast cancer.  I learned last week that she now has spots on her brain.  I am but a peripheral by-stander in this whole scenario, but seeing someone so young, with kids near the same age as mine, who is clearly so loved by so many going through such complete and total bullshit is shaking me a bit.  I want to be a better person, and I want the people in my life to know I value them.  Life is too short and too uncertain to behave any other way.  Please keep Heather in your thoughts and prayers.  Be good to everyone you meet.  

Bolder Options Update/ Running Minutiae

No, I haven't quit mentoring.  I'm just a crappy blogger.  
We did run (run/walk) our first 5k the first weekend in December.  It wasn't too cold, thankfully, and we had a pretty good time.  Other December activities:
The Bolder Options holiday party-- good times
Another swim


I haven't seen my mentee since before Christmas due to holiday craziness, but on Thursday we're headed to a photography exhibit, 'Of Sadness and Hope:  Images from the Northside Tornado.'  This is definitely a perk of volunteering... I'd never take the time to go check this out, even though I really want to see it.  Mentoring gives me a great excuse to take the time.  


Overall, so far, this has been a great experience.  It can be a bit of a struggle to find the time some weeks (this issue is further complicated by my better half's lack of wheels).  But, so far, a great experience.  


In non-mentoring related news, I am signed up for marathon #4.  Craziness!  Since I've been through this a few times and had a little success (in my own mind, anyway), I'm trying something new this time.  I paid for a training plan made by Luke Humphrey.  I received said plan yesterday, along with an email containing the following statement:


As far as your schedule goes, I think your biggest thing will be getting mileage and maximizing your aerobic fitness first. I really think you can run 3:45 from just that. 


I don't know about any 3:45.  He's a pretty smart guy, though, and seems to really know what he's talking about... so we'll see.  The plan itself is going to be an interesting ride.  It starts gently, with a lot of miles at 'easy' pace, then after a few weeks he's thrown in some tempo runs that are going to be pretty intense for someone as completely genetically un-predisposed for running as myself!

A Daily Mission

It's been a while since I posted one of these.  I like today's, and I'm totally stealing my response.

Today's #dailymission

What's Your Running/Biking/Swimming New Years Resolution?

To set higher goals and be willing to fail.  

We'll see how that goes...

Mentoring

As planned, my mentee and I had our second meeting (for lack of a better word) yesterday.  The plan had been to go swimming, but she called me in the morning to tell me she'd gotten her hair done and couldn't get it wet... but she still wanted to get together (insert sigh of relief here, because it's just kind of hard to tell if you're connecting with a 13 year old or not). 

Since swimming was off the table, we decided to hit some of the exercise machines at the Y.  We rode the bike, spent some time on the elliptical, and did some sort of recumbent stair stepper thing.  These are all things I would never do, but I told her she was in charge and that I'd do what she did.  

We also did a little exploring, as neither of us had been to that Y branch before.  We discovered the gym, an indoor track, and checked out the pool.  Upon seeing the pool, she asked, "Can we put our feet in?".  I said sure, and we dipped our feet in the hot tub.  

As we sat there chatting, she started dropping hints that she'd rather come back next Saturday and swim instead of the planned Reindeer Run 5k.  Argh!  Swimming is really not my favorite, and I'd really been looking forward to the 5k, as it was going to be our first chance to meet some of the other mentor/mentee pairs.  However, in my head, I could hear Chris saying, "It's not about you Anne."  Yes, I have a tendency to be a wee bit self-centered.  So, I questioned her a little bit:  You don't want to run?  Won't some of your friends be there?

After a couple of minutes, she was pretty torn.  She wasn't wanting to swim to get out of doing the run, she just REALLY likes to swim and really got the itch to hop in the pool once we were in the pool area.  Admittedly pushing my own agenda a bit, I explained that we've got a long winter ahead and that there would be lots of occasions to swim.  Long story short, the plan now is that we're going to get together on Friday and go for a QUICK swim, and will still do the run on Saturday.  Meeting twice a week is typically not a workable situation for me, but we'll go with it for this week.  

So... Friday swimming, Saturday 5k, and next Wednesday will be the holiday party.  

Bolder Options

Had a little post-mary blogging hiatus... survived the post marathon crash/depression... now blogging again... 'til the next hiatus...


The biggest news of late in my little running world is that I've completed the application process to be a mentor with Bolder Options.  In case you don't feel like clicking the link, here's the gist of it:


Bolder Options is an innovative program focused on healthy youth development. Uniting one-on-one mentoring with goal setting, physical activity, tutoring, and leadership opportunities the program builds confidence, maximizes potential, and encourages healthy life skills.


The application process consisted of filling out an online form, attending mentor orientation, an interview, and a background check.  I met my mentee (who will henceforth be referred to as mentee, so as to respect her privacy) last Monday.  


I definitely had a little anxiety surrounding meeting her.  Change/new experiences can be a challenge for me, and this was no different.  However, upon reaching her north Minneapolis home, I was quickly put at ease.  Although she has what I would consider to be typical 13 year old shyness, she's extremely sweet; and her parents are great.  


While the website describes the program as being for kids 'at risk for dropping out of school or becoming involved in delinquent or unhealthy behaviors,' I learned through the orientation process that it's also for kids who are on the right track and trying to stay that way.  Mentee is definitely in the latter category.  


Today we had our first outing.  I took her to buy shoes (provided as part of the Bolder program).  Considering that we could probably both be described as introverts, we did a good job of keeping awkward silences at a minimum on the 20 minute drive from her house to the shoe store.  That being said, she was likely getting a little fed up with all my typical lame adult inquiries:  siblings, favorite subject in school, least favorite subject in school, etc., etc.  But, she was a great sport and answered all my questions.  Math is her favorite subject because the teacher is great.  Science is not, because the teacher is lame.  


Upon picking out the shoes and heading back to NOMI, we continued to chat.  We got back to her house a little earlier than planned and no one was home.  So, off to Mickey D's we went.  We were cautioned in orientation about taking them for 'treats,' as they may come to expect it.  However, I don't see it being an issue with mentee, and I wasn't sure what else to do with her.  


I'm glad it worked out the way it did, because I learned quite a bit more about her, including that her family had to relocate after last summer's tornado.  While the house they were renting at the time still stands, the basement had massive water leakage and they lost quite a bit of property. Good to know...


All in all, it was a good first meeting.  We plan to meet again next Sunday afternoon for swimming at the Y.  The weekend after that we'll be participating in the Reindeer Run 5k (we're to do three 5k's throughout the year).  


My plan (famous last words) is to journal our year together on this blog.  Hopefully I'll be posting in a week!  


Happy Thanksgiving!!

Pics!

The end is in sight!

My best running bud

With Felipe, fellow member of the world's best run club

Suit Man

 

Here's the dude that nearly took me out in the final 0.2 with his antics.  He got is picture in the strib.  I beat him.  Not that I'm obsessive enough to look up his results or anything.  Not that it matters.  But I did beat him.  Proof is here.

The Semi-Annual, Excessively Long Post Marathon Post

Twin Cities Marathon-- The Sequel

Yesterday I completed the Twin Cities Marathon for the second time.  When I entered for the 2010 event, it was with every intention of getting it done, checking it off the bucket list, and going back to shorter distances.  Yesterday marked my third marathon in a year's time, so I guess we have essentially chucked that plan out the window.  More on that later.

Anyhoo, let's talk about yesterday.  I once again completely hosed the lining up process.  In last year's post race report, I stressed that I had not gotten out to the starting corral early enough to line up where I wanted, which was kind of a bad, bad thing.  It was a mistake that I fully intended to NOT make again.  Well, I didn't, which is good.  But as a result, I did not have time for the all important pre-race emptying of the bladder, which is bad.  I had to pee pretty much from the get-go.  I did start with the four hour pace group as planned, though.  This marks my first experience of starting with a pace group that I actually intended to stick with for the duration of the race.  

I have to say, based on yesterday's experience, I'm not a fan of pace groups.  Here's why:

1. 4:00 pacer man started us off like a bullet.  According to my Garmin, mile 1 and 2 splits were 8:37 and 8:33 respectively.  Four hour pace is 9:09.  Running is definitely an individual sport, and while we have a lot of common threads, no two runners are alike.  For this runner, that was simply not an ideal starting pace.  I'm all about getting a little time in the bank at some point, but not at miles one and two.  
2. The pace group concept creates quite the cluster of runners, and for me, it was simply way too crowded.  When we hit the area around the lakes (miles 3-8), it was downright dreadful.   The roadway gets pretty narrow there.  Not pretty.  I think I thought I would be able to just go into cruise control and follow.  That's way easier said than done with SO MANY people around you.  
3. I hesitate to write this one, because it's going to sound super snotty.  But, here goes.  You get a lot of folks in the area who don't have much business running with the group they've put themselves in (this admittedly would've been yours truly had I gotten lined up with the four hour pace group like I wanted to last year).  There are a lot of people around that simply cannot keep up, yet they won't give up, and they create congestion among congestion.  I'm not proud of writing this, but I'm also not going to delete it, so there ya go.  

I'm not sure exactly when it was (somewhere between miles 8 and 11, I believe), but I came across a biffy with no line, so I decided to fall out of the group and finally relieve my bladder.  I kind of regretted the decision when I got in there and the seat was half covered in crap, but I had to go.  Thank God I have about average hovering skills.  Upon finishing what was one of the most glorious pees of my life (I had to go SO badly), I took off.  I could still see the balloons, but I definitely had a little work to do to get caught up with them.  

This brings me to one of my prouder moments of the race.  Historically I likely would've half sprinted to get caught up with them.  I did a good job of telling myself that I could make up the ground little by little; and that's what I did.  The gentle surge method worked beautifully.  So well, in fact, that once I caught up with them, I was feeling so good that I went ahead of them.  HALLELUJAH!  It was so good to get out of that pace group, I can't even tell you.  Suddenly I had room to breathe, and I liked it!  

I was slightly concerned that the surge was going to come back to haunt me, but I decided to ride the wave; mainly because I couldn't stand the thought of rejoining the cluster around the four hour pacer.  It ultimately worked out for me.  I didn't see those balloons again, and it made for a far less stressful last two thirds of the race.  

Another perk of the surge was that upon passing those balloons, I came upon Chris.  We ran together for awhile, which was nice.  He may not agree, but I enjoyed it.  Miles 13-22 of this course are tough.  Well, hell, I suppose they're tough on any marathon course, but there are some pretty unfortunate hills.  Around 18 he told me he wasn't going to make it to the finish in four hours.  I made a meager attempt at a pep talk, but ultimately ended up leaving him behind.  Don't judge me... we have an agreement for such situations!

Miles 18-22 went pretty well for me.  I'm not saying they were super pleasant, mind you, but I was able to maintain a good pace.  I didn't exactly feel like a million bucks, but one perk of having previous marathon experience is knowing that you don't have to feel like a million bucks.  You just have to keep moving.  

From mile 22 on, I felt impending disaster.  My legs seemed to be on the verge of major cramping.  I was downing two cups of powerade and two cups of water at each water stop in an effort to keep the cramping at bay.  By the mile 25 water stop, the thought of more powerade was wretched, but I got the stuff down and managed to keep it down.  I guess the strategy worked, I definitely did not cramp the way I did at Grandma's.  Certainly not pleasant though!

And... we're to the end of the course (but don't be thinking you're at the end of my excessively long race report)!!  Mile 26 was strong.  Yeah!!!  I managed to clock a pace of 8:34.  I'm pretty sure that mile was more like 11 or 12 minutes last year, so I'm pretty stinking proud of the improvement.  My biggest issue with the end is that I finished near 'suit guy' who had run the entire race in a suit.  I'm happy for him, and he was a big hit with the crowd, but in an effort to garner more attention, he was weaving all over the place and taking up way too much of my personal space.  I was fully ready to punch him if he so much as brushed me.  Thankfully that didn't happen, because I was a little tired!

Now, for the less text intensive portion of the post:

The route:

Please note that I actually ran 26.59 miles (because 26.2 is for whimps).

The bling:

(This clearly is not a photography blog)

The pig (who I desperately did not want to get beat by... and DIDN'T!!):

You can read the full story on "Mudonna" here.  I'm not proud of having a goal of beating a pig running to raise money for Tsunami victims, but I'm also no good at lying.  I REALLY wanted to finish before the pig!

The stats:

 2011 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon - Marathon 
        ANNE HOLT        Age: 35             Residence: EDINA, MN 

24M	3:36:39
20M	2:59:57
30K	2:48:22
13.1	1:58:14
10K	55:35
5K	27:31

 9:01 per mile (view kilometer pace) 
 58 percent (view time) 
 2584 out of 8531 
 715 out of 3676 Females 
 133 out of 570 Females in the F3539 Age Group
                                     (See complete F3539 results)

Location	Race Time	Time of Day	Overall Place	Division Place	Sex Place
Time	3:55:58	12:00:03	2584/8531	133/570	715/3676
24M	3:36:39	11:40:44	2798/8524	144/570	775/3669
20M	2:59:57	11:04:02	3296/8519	167/570	940/3667
30K	2:48:22	10:52:27	3437/8501	174/570	980/3663
13.1	1:58:14	10:02:19	3678/8330	184/558	1095/3625
10K	55:35	8:59:40	3683/8513	185/570	1095/3667
5K	27:31	8:31:36	3442/8502	173/570	1004/3664
GunStart	00:00	8:00:11
ChipStart	3:55	8:04:06	2996/8531	156/570	885/3676

Overall PlaceSex PlaceDivision PlaceTime24M20M30K13.110K5K

You placed 2584 out of 8531 runners overall

24M to FINISHYou passed 192 runners in the overall categoryYou were passed by 5runners in the overallcategory