Fall long runs and the Harvest

Confession: I never run hills. I am usually at the track ,so I avoid hills in that regard, but a month ago I not only embraced the hills I ran long really long. 16 miles! Yea! finally. I was going to go the track, but I was pretty sure I would loose track of my laps and end up running less or more and that drives me nuts! This was going to be a really long long run. I needed that open road. So I headed up the canyon. It was in full swing of changing colors and falling leaves so the scenery couldn't have been more perfect. I was thinking that I would run two miles up, then two back to my car and repeat four times so I wouldn't have to carry that much liquid with me. Bad move. I started running and decided I had enough with me ( 17 ounces of water and 32 ounces of gatorade) dumb!

I was really fine for the first half. I was running at a more intense incline that I had anticipated, but didn't really notice till I drove the route later. I just kept going. My music was great and so I wasn't noticing my depleating water supply. I got to the top ( mile 8 ) changed my shirt ( what is it about running that makes you more of an exhibitionist? Oh yea necessity! I had a jacket that put on after stripping in broad daylight on a street. Never wouldn've done that anywhere else. I still use the changing rooms at the gym, but I had no choice otherwise hypothermia may have set in.) About mile nine just as I had finished Journey's Don't stop believe in my ipod cut out. I had forgot to charge it the night before. Honestly I think I would've thrown in the towel, but I had no way else to get back to my car other that run it. To my surprise though it was a really theraputic run. I watched for animals, listen to the river and really relaxed. However as I was slowly rationing my liquid I ran out officially two miles before the end. Some people stopped there car and asked me if I was okay. I am sure I looked like death because I was seriously dehydrated and my left foot was screaming at me, but I told them I was okay and kept going ( I was afraid if I asked for water and they didn't have they might have convinced me to accept a ride and I wanted to finish!) During those last two miles I saw water bottle after water bottle on the side of the road. I was so tempted to pick one up, but I figured botulism wouldn't be worth it. during the last eight or ten minutes I sang to my self journey's song ( partly becuase it was stuck in my head) and finally made it to my car where my wonderful water and powerade awaited.

I then went and took the quickest shower possible and headed off to bed for a nap! I had a test the next morning and figured I would do fine, I knew my stuff, but I needed a nap. Well I ended up sleeping almost 18 hours and I woke up totally confused and then furious realizing that I had missed my test. I was so happy I had completed my run, but just figured I had failed this class. I wrote an email to my teacher explaining what had happened. My BF told me not to say I'd been running, in his words "he'll think your insane." But I also knew my professor was a marathoner. I figured he'd understand. He did. Not only did he understand and let me make up the test, but he kind of thought it was funny. What a lucky break. But it shows the amazing brother and sisterhood that accompanies the running community. And I am thankful for that.

I also finally made it to 30 miles that week. And since then I have also done another 16 mile run ( on the treadmill which actually went pretty well) I wasn't super psyched to run that long on a machine, but it did help me work on my form and allowed me to drink whenever I needed to. My other longest run since has been twelve miles, which was awful because I had to stop almost every two miles. But I made up for it two days later with a great ten miler. Altotether in came in at 86 miles for september and I am hoping to beat that for October! We'll see.

Also I picked everything from my garden this year!



I didn't get as much as I had hoped I planted peppers, tomatoes and onions, but I only grew one little tomatoe and a bunch of onions, but the peppers did the best. I think the biggest problem was the pots. I couldn't afford to build a raised bed, so I did pots and I think I will plant everything differently next year so I can actually make spaghetti sauce. I don't even think I'll be able to make verde with what grew, but I'll see what I can come up with. I also got a score back from a test I was sure about this week and I did okay! I also managed to do the same for a quiz this week. I think I am on track to graduate! Yea. I am so excited for the rest of the year, and I can't wait to see how my training and goals turn out. Here's to more hard work, and long and fabulous fall runs.
Happy Harvest!
Meagan

Remembering why I love this sport

I don't always like the journey. I have a small amount of paitence for what seems like busy work. Work that fills the allotted amount of time I am required to be in class. Work that fulfills a requirement that basically reiterates everything I have already done in a class, but does nothing to help me learn something else. That is why sometimes I am so surprised sometimes that I love running. I love the act of running. I love the training portion of it. As monumentous as running the marathon in January is going to be and as much as I desperately want to be able to go the distance sometimes it just takes a fabulous run to remind myself, that yeah I can do it, I will complete the marathon, but I think for most runners who find themselves constanly out on the road, the track, the treadmill we answer that question that people are always asking ( "why would you ever want to run that far?") with every workout. We train because we love to train. We run because we love to run.

Don't get me wrong, my sights are absolutely set on finishing the Walt Disney World Marathon in January, but this past week throughout my runs I am reminded of why I wanted to invest so much time into one goal that all comes down to one day of 26.2 miles.

I downloaded some new music to my ipod and was excited to try it out this past week. I was feeling really run down on Sunday, so I bagged my long run. Monday though I made it to the gym for five miles on the treadmill with new music. I thought it would be harder than it was, ( And maybe it was considering my pace) but I enjoyed every minute of it and loved the energy that the combination of music brings to essentially running around on a hamster wheel. On Tuesday though I was sick as a dog, but the weird thing was as sick as I was I wanted to run, I kept thinking "it will make you feel better... however the fatigued sick little devil on my shoulder won out and I went back to bed. Friday I felt good enough to want to get out, but I had classes that were taking priority as well as meetings with counselors to finally get a confirmation- that yes if you pass all your classes this semester you will graduate! I went to the gym that night to do a long run, but they were closing early. Saturday I attempted to do a Tempo run on the treadmill. I can't ever think of a reason why I would do speedwork on a treadmill, but tempo's on the treadmill make sense for now as I am trying to incorporate them into my training. Kind of like bumper gaurds for bowling when you first start out. It went well. I did the first 1.75 miles as a warm up them tried to maintain a 9:40-9:49 minute pace for two miles, finished that and then added another 1.25 mile cooldown.

Sunday my goal was fifteen miles. ( If your keeping track that would have given me 30 for the week.) I woke up late, but decided I needed this. I was gonna go for it. However despite my love for the track, driving back to Logan this past week ( At 5:30 in the morning) I thought about how it would be a beautiful long run if I ran early enough in the morning. Despite the heat at 11:00 I went out anyway. I also chose the road that eventually leads into I-15, because it had mile markers and I still can't just go run. I have to know my miles. I parked at a hotel and walked up to a mile marker. I was nervous about carrying a pack with me for my first fifteen miles, but I needed the water. I started my run and was surprised how comfortable it became. I was enjoying the scenery ( but not the dead skunk smell) and was holding a pretty even pace. I stopped about every two miles for water and powerade from my pack and also got a lot of strange looks from people in their cars, but kept at it. I hit the 6 mile mark and decided I should turn around so I could go to work. On the way back though I found that second wind, that kick where you know you have it in you to push the pace. I also knew that I had to cover 7 miles no matter what, ( I had talked my self down to 12 as the clock sped up and my pace crept up) so I might as well run through. Several times during this run I would crank up the music and sing along. ( I am sure I looked crazy, but I didn't care it was my workout and I was going to enjoy it.) I passed bikers and waved and shared in this family of those who must sweat, because we love it.

As I made it to my final mile marker that brought me into 13 miles I was overwhelmed with how much my legs were talking to me as I walked back to my car. I hadn't been in pain or really felt like I was tanking, but it was weird that my body knew what I was expecting of it, it knew I had to get back to the car before it could rest and then it let me know about all the aches and pains. I think that is what training will teach me. That our bodies have the power to keep us in this state of disbelief. That if there is anything really serious going on we will be made aware, but until then they are content to just let us pound away at the pavement and sing like no one is watching.

Here's to loving the training
Meagan

Quit or Commit

Quit or Commit. That's what I've been wrestling with these last few weeks. Not running of course, but weather or not I am going to really become a marathoner. I have come to that point where running has become just something you put on your checklist and there was one week in the past month where all I ran was 5 miles.

Not a good way to start off marathon training.

Running itself and the continuation of it is easy, but training I've learned is another thing alltogether. A runner can run her three to five mile loop every morning and call it good. A marathoner needs to make sure her workouts are meeting not just that day's objective of excercise, but that day's intended workout, that weeks intended mileage and that months bench mark of work completed. It is not just about running. It is about training and not about training harder. It is about training smarter.

However. I am not liking having all my workouts written out and decided for me before I even drink my morning Dr. Pepper. A few days after I ran my debut long run I scoured the internet for marathon training plans. I also reffered to back issues and current issue of Runnersworld magazine. I then applied to the plans what we runners do to our bodies: I honed and I fine tuned. I scheduled long runs for days that I believed I would have extra time. I scheduled rest days with optional or mandatory swim or weight lifting. I even carved out six weeks where I would be running hills ( or in my case walking hills, but in a weight vest.) and I begrudgingly started to inch up the mileage on speedwork days.And alas my longest long run since the 18th of June has been 11 miles and I have yet to run more that 22 miles in any single week since that run.

Talk about having an identity crisis.

I can blame my watered-down-oatmeal approach to training on alot of things. The heat. The power bump that rendered my alarm clock useless. My sweet boyfriend who showed up at my house one morning to take me to breakfast. ( where I ate way to much and called a long run at 5 miles instead of the prescribed 14 again.) Or I can blame it on one person who holds all the control when things get out of control: Me.

I think my problem is I was overwhelmed once the plan was out there in front of me. I need to take it the way I approach running itself - one mile at a time. I also need to realize not doing something 100% does not equate failure. I have to be willing to do the best I can while still maintaining the integrity of the training.

So here are three goals I am going to work on:

1. Make sure I run at least 3 times a week ( including a maintenance run, a speedworkout or tempo run, and a long run.) This will be a tough one I think. It is so easy to just do two 5 milers back to back and then a long run, but I know the speedwork is important, because it will help me improve and that will hopefully keep me interested. The key is to get in early in the week so that its not constantly hanging over my head.

2. Swim or weight lift at least once a week. This will be a sanity and time saver. Weights I can do just in my room on days when I am running out of time and swimming is really good for days when my right hamstring is talking too much.

3. Work on waking up earlier. I think just setting my alarm clock for six has not been working. I'm going to try to work up to that in increments of 15 min and see if that will awaken my inner morning person. I also think getting it done early would ensure that it does get done. My boyfriend doesn't support the running thing. I am trying to get him on board with it and he is doing better, but I know going out to dinner or to a movie will always take precedence because he will never understand that it is more than a way to stay fit.

On the schedule for tomorrow: A speedworkout. I'm thinking a 1.5 mile warm up with 4 repeats of 1200's and 1600's with a cool down of another 1.5 miles will be a great way to start to the week. However if I feel like I can do all 1600's or only 1200's then I'll consider it a successful day of training.

Here's to not only committing to the training, but to the actual workout itself and accepting it once its done, because I am committed. Quitting is not an option.

Meagan

The official long run

Last week I did it. I broke out of the half marathoner mentality and took that step forward and literally ran the extra mile. I finished a fourteen mile run. 14 miles! The funny thing is I would've thought that seeing as how it was my fourth run of the week it would've made it easy to hit my 30 mile mark. It didn't. I did two maintenance runs of 3 and 3.25 miles and a speedworkout that came in at 4.25 miles. But I gave it a really good effort and I was really stoked with the way my speedworkout turned out. I did a total of 5 repeats of 1200's and 1600's. Starting with 1200's. I started and ended both 1200's at 6:36 which I think means I am much more consistent with pace than I ever thought. The good thing is that my first mile repeat came in at 8:33 and then the final at 8:25. I think that is a really good sign that I was able to shave those 7 seconds off and that I didn't think I was going to be able to make that reapeat faster,so yea:) If only I had been able to hit 30 miles!

The fourteen miler went really well though. I had my bagel, Dr. Pepper and bananna for pre run fuel. ( A defineate go-to breakfast for long runs from now on!) Then just brought water and Powerade to the track. I ran for three miles and then took a drink and five minute break. Then ran for five more miles, then took a Powerade break. I got back on that track and ran until twelve. I was gonna stop at eleven, but pushed for twelve, because I figured it would be easier to get back on the track for eight more laps. I was right. I got back on that track and I knew I was gonna be slow, but I was really loosing steam. I ran a couple laps and thought about how it would've been so great to have someone at the track, just for those last couple laps to pull me through. I thought about saying a prayer, but some how that just seemed a little too self indulgent. I mean I do need to get my mileage up and my endurance up, but I also don't really need to. So instead of a prayer, I just asked Christ to run with me. Seems really silly, but it was nice to feel like someone was with me. Like I would disappoint more than just myself if I didn't finish. I had a reason to finish.

I ran two more laps trying to focus, I was plodding along at turtle pace by this point, and encouraged my self with a strong ARRRHHHHH! Not sure what it means, or if I creeped out any strangers that were possibly nearby, but it did pick me up a bit. When I hit the 13 mile mark and knew I could finish. I turned my focus back on. I ran solid and to the tune of Bonnie Tyler's Holding out for a Hero. I had a good rhythm and I remember in that last lap she was talking about fire in the blood. I just pushed and repeated a mantra of "fire, fire, fire," talking at this point to my quads ( they really needed the attention and encouragement!) and I finished! I felt invincible. I mean I was kind of out of commission for the rest of the day, taking an extra long shower was almost taxing (took a fifteen minute ice bath first) I took a nap and watched a movie, but the nice thing was that I really wasn't muscle sore the next day. I irritated some sort of muscle or whatever in my left glute, but I was fine on Sunday.

I am so thankful this run went well. So thankful for the help I recieved in getting over this mental hurdle, and I can't wait for the next long run! Here's to all the things we aren't sure we can do and to knowing that yeah, it is possible. Rock on and fire!

Meagan

Excuses

How on earth can I have an excuse to not run when I can run on this?

I always can tell a runner from a non runner by the way they define good and bad weather. To some an 80 degree day with the sun shining and not a cloud in the sky is deemed good weather. No thanks, not my kind of weather, but I'll run, because I need to. When you're a runner you live for those days that are perfect, say 55 degrees, slightly overcast and strong chance of rain? Wohoo! Where are my running shoes? This past Sunday was a hot day. I wasn't tempted to bag as I needed this run to make up for the days that I had missed, but it was a scorcher with a high of 82 degrees! ( Thus my 14 miler became a 7 miler - making it 19 for the week.) Yesterday was about ten degrees cooler, but today it shot back up there and I gave myself an out as I "waited for the perfect time" to go run. It never got cool enough and then I got busy.

I am tired of my own excuses.

I am trying to come up with solutions to exercising problems. I need to be more dedicated. I need more of a schedule. Heat is defineatly a problem. I am hoping to get a gym membership this year, so I can run and swim all year round, but until then I need to find ways to really get the workouts in- in any form- regardless of what my excuse is. Do I have a pulled hammy? Okay lets do some in door planks, push ups and tricep work. Too hot outside? Get out the bike and create my own air conditioning. Charli puppy ate a hole through the only clean sports bra? Find that swim suit and get in the pool and push it! Can't sleep? Well leave the window open, listen to some Bach, or take a pill ( and I don't really do pills!) Too tired to get out of bed for early morning run? Think how tired you'll be once it warms up!

I am really hoping to find more energy and solutions this summer. I am also going to try to get that gym membership so I can take more classes. I am not good about doing strenght work at all and I think it would be fun to work out more with people and that seems like it would be the perfect opportunity to get in the workout on the days where my excuse list for not sweating is longer than my last tempo session.

So in an effort to nip my "I didn't have time to excercise" excuse tomorrow here's to signing off early and getting to bed.
Meagan

Don't Honk for Gu! ( GU Giveaway!)

Recently I was at the track. My beautiful track on an even more beautiful rainy cloudy day ( I love rain!) and I ran my three miles and then headed for home. On the way I stopped at the store. I was driving very slowly and to my right a car was exiting his parking spot and so I waited so I could have it. It couldn't have been more than three seconds when the driver in the vehicle behind me laid on his horn. Now for those of you who don't know this about me. Let me make it very clear there are only a few reasons that warrent the appropriate timing and use of the car horn.

1. There is a child or adult lying behind/in front of your car.
2. There is a puppy/kitty behind/in front of your car.
3. There is an object lying behind/in front of your car and you shouldn't run over it.
4. You have been kidnapped and the kidnapper does not look like a lost tourist who needs help.

Drivers: IF NEITHER OF THESE SITUATIONS APPLYS TO THE CURRENT SITUATION YOU ARE FACING - PLEASE DON'T USE YOUR HORNS.

Many people think that it is okay to use their horns for other purposes. Such as saying hello to the driver next to them, or telling them their lights are not on ( true story, I was driving one day and this guy honked at me and gave me a dirty look, I got out of his way, drove behind him, drove in front of him, slowed down/ sped up. Thirty terrifying minutes (of which he honked at me the whole time) later I am shaking as he pulls up to me and motions for me roll down my window and angrily tells me "you need to turn your lights on!" I said "oh!" and smiled and then waved. He glared at me as he rolled up his window and muttered somthing to his wife.) Then there are those who honk to tell people to speed up, slow down. Or like the situation I had the other day, they honk to tell people that they are in a hurry and your causing them to wait five seconds ( and it wasn't even five seconds) is so inconvenient that they feel the need to communicate in the most confrontational, obnoxious,and meaningless way possible. Think about it no one knows what a honk actually means and when coupled with the fact that the person responsible for expressing such an action is driving a gazillion ton vehicle how on earth are we supposed to respond to a honk with anything other than "oh yeah, hit me. My mechanic thanks you and your husband/wife will hate you" Of course there are other ways or mechanisms with which to respond when drivers issue such statements of self importance.
1. You can mutter bad words
2. You can count to ten
3. You can respond with a visible gesture ( However I would suggest using #1 instead. A gesture is confrontational and that's kind of the point of not beating your steering wheel, but however at least its much easier for the other driver to translate than a honking horn.)

Okay okay, I might be taking this a little too personal. But there is a reason that I don't live in New York. Although horns honking in New York wouldn't bother me as much, becuase they would be honking at my poor taxi driver not me and he can retaliate with his own. ( I think I have used mine a total of three times in the eight years I've had my car and yes once was because a car was inches away from backing into me see the first set of rules and refer to number 3.)


However here comes the giveaway! I will give away a box of GU to two readers (who become followers) who also let me know in the comments their way for being paitent on the road that doesn't involve their horn. Lets pass this along. Please be paitent on the road. Please drive carefully and with consideration. And when all else fails run it off.

Last week: 9.8 miles

Well I didn't make it last week. I did that trail run, then my five miler and then those three miles of 1200 repeats and after that run I was out of commission with a pulled or sore left hammy until Wednesday. I did actually go to the track on Sunday because I was so sick of not running, but I decided that I wouldn't risk further injury and just walked for about 45 minutes instead of doing a glorious long run.

This week I have done two workouts so far. 2 miles on Wednesday and then 2 X 2400 meter repeats today. I just ran out of time or I would've done more. ( Also the track people showed up and they practice the shot put right on one of the lanes and I didn't want to get bludgeoned so I called it a day.) I'm thinking I'll do a five or six miler tomorrow or maybe more repeats since I didn't work it that hard today and then a long run for Sunday. I don't want to write it, because I don't want to jinx it, but I am just going to go for as many miles as I can. We'll see what happens. I'm trying to stay positive with this running thing. I do love it and I am trying not get bogged down in the constant "I missed my 30 mile goal". I will keep trying and hopefully at the end of the year with all of my full marathon training the miles will all even out.
Meagan