Monday, April 13, 2015

The perfect day!



Yesterday was pretty much my perfect day.  You never know how something is going to go and therefore just have to feel thankful and fortunate when it turns out better than expected. That was my yesterday.  My Saturday was pretty much a shit storm.  I woke up and lounged and was very leisurely before being invited to a brunch with my sister and brother in law.  We went and ate and I ate good bad for you food and therefore became a lazy slob the rest of the day.  I am not upset about eating the food. Not really at all. I am not thrilled with how incredibly lethargic and anti-movement it made me the rest of the day.  Seriously I don’t even remember what I did all Saturday afternoon other than to say nothing. I could muster no desire to move from my couch.  And as time ticked away on the clock at some point I realized that I actually better get up and get my shit together for my very busy Sunday.  Eventually I did manage to set out my clothes and accessories for my Sunday morning half.  We made a giant spaghetti dinner which is tradition and I tried to go to bed at a decent hour.

All of Saturday I was feeling completely unmotivated and lazy and not really sure how my Sunday run was going to go as a result.  But I do believe in the power of rest and recuperation.  It’s hard mentally to stay focused when you lounge but it does do your body entirely good to rest.  I was still sore, like almost everywhere on Saturday and that had me a little alarmed for Sunday.  I constantly make my body sore.  One has to wonder how good of a thing this ultimately is.  But my body needed the rest.  REAL rest on Saturday. 

I didn’t have to wake up CRAZY early on Sunday which was nice. We had to get up about 7:00 or so.  This really isn’t terrible at all.  I got up and put on my clothes and we were pretty much out the door at about 7:30 or so. The race was at 9 AM, and we had about a 45-60 minute drive.  I actually overestimated how much time we were going to need but in the end this might have been a good thing.  It was cold before the clouds burned off and I was concerned I was going to freeze on the race. We got to the stadium.  This particular race was being held at Oregon State University’s stadium.  As a side note both my mom and dad went to OSU so it was kind of cool to be in the vicinity.  Also the half marathon finished in the stadium itself which was cool.  Anyhow, we got our packets and I was ready to go.  Turned out the race didn’t start until 9:30 AM. I swear everything I read said 9 and now we were extra early.  There was a Dutch Brothers coffee literally on the street to the start of the race so we got a coffee and parked it.

In hindsight having about 45 minutes to veg out before a race is nice. Drinking my coffee and all. I mean with such a late start time I definitely had time to wake up properly. While in the coffee shop we were asked to take a photo of another runner and her niece.  She said it was her niece’s first half and we started talking to them for a while.  She was like, how many have you run? I slightly hate this questions because I don’t want to lie and be like a couple but I also don’t want to brag and all.  I said like 30.  And for a moment she hesitated and said, 30? Wow seriously, I thought I was doing great, this is my 5th.  I felt like I was bragging but that was not my intent obviously.  

Chris and I took this photo, which I think is cute as we were chilling.



After we were done with coffee we lined up and I have to say that I wasn’t feeling nearly as confident or ready as I did the week prior at the Hop Hop, but such is life.  The whistle blew so to speak and we were off.  I didn’t feel horrible mind you but when you are starting what you know is a 2 plus hour run and starring down 13 miles it seems like a daunting task.  I sincerely try to not focus on the miles in the beginning. Instead I try to just run, get into my groove, find my happy place and go for it.  The first 3 miles were beautiful. We literally ran around the college campus and as we all know they do try and make college campuses very appealing. It was beautiful and tree lined and everything good and pretty. And I felt pretty okay.  My first couple miles I managed about 9:30 minute miles. Not breaking speed records but not trying to run too fast to burn out either.  It was comfortable.  As we exited the campus we turned out into the country a little bit. 

The country scenery was beautiful but also the most challenging part of the course.  There were lots of gradual inclines.  Granted, it was gradual but you could definitely tell you were running uphill ever so slightly for a long period of time. I pushed on.  My body wanted to quit, but that might have been my brain trying to adjust.  Miles 4-7 were the most challenging of the whole course. I was fighting against myself and my desire.  There were even a few miles where all I could get were 11 minute miles.  And I had a moment where I was like I don’t know if I can run this whole thing. But I ran on.

I try and not think about anything before 6.55 miles. This is my half marathon rule.  I can’t calculate time or percentages or distances until I am at least over the half way mark.  Because it is too daunting and scary to think about before then.  Let’s just say up until mile 7 I wasn’t feeing too great and then suddenly out of nowhere I got my second wind.  We left the country and were back on city streets. Residential neighborhoods and there were real life people cheering us on and I broke thru my mental wall, and suddenly my legs felt refreshed and new again.  I was beyond happy to realize that my pace had entirely picked up.  This was crazy to me. And happiness.

And I watched my Garmin as the overall pace time went down. This is hard to do long term in a run. And it was exciting and exhilarating.  And I ran faster. Miles 7-10 ticked by with ease and confidence. But ultimate trepidation too.  I was waiting for the 10 mile wall.  I often hit a 10 mile wall where suddenly everything becomes hard.  And then it came and went and I felt nothing but good. And I kept feeling good. Like somehow here we are at mile 11 and I felt like I could sincerely keep going.  I was running at a comfortable 10 minute to 10:20 minute mile pace, it fluxuated a bit. But we were at mile 11 and I was feeling it.  Last weekend at mile 10, I still ran but it became hard and my pace was easily 11 minute to 11:30 minute miles at that point.  Not today I thought.  And I ran on.  Oh and about mile 9 some little tiny girl appeared in front of me and she ran at my pace for the duration of the race but she was right in front of me with the shortest little booty shorts I have ever seen and I am not joking when I say 1/3 of her entire ass was hanging out. Ass cheeks and all and I couldn’t help but look at it and wonder why on earth you’d ever wear those in public.  I don’t care if you have a great ass you shouldn’t be showing 1/3 of it while running a race.  It kept me amused and in thought for a while.

Anyhow, Mile 12 appeared and I was like hot damned 1 mile left to go and I have got this.  I still feel great and like I can keep on running a solid 10 minute mile.  This was probably the most at ease I have felt during a race ever.  Sure a few times I have had better finish times but I worked for them and struggled.  This one felt comfortable and easy.  About mile 12.5 I could see the stadium up ahead and knew I just had to run towards it. I did not let up on my speed.  And into the stadium I ran and thru the finish line and I looked down to see 2:15 and some change on my watch.  2:15, freak, that is a pretty solid time for me.  Last weekend I was 2:20 and some change. 

My personal PR was 2:09 something and that was in San Jose last October when I wanted it. Badly, and that was a total struggle honestly.  That was a fight.  I have had one or two other 2:12 races I think. Honestly at this point I’ve done so many I can barely remember. I know that depending on where I’m at in my running and fitness that I can range anywhere from about 2:15-2:30 and that is where I am typically at.  I know I had a lot of 2:17 finishes and a lot of 2:23 finishes.  I know that this 2:15 time is definitely in the top of my race finishes. 

I whole heartedly know that if I actually trained and worked at running with any effort that I could do a 2 hour half.  I just have no desire to work that hard.  I am thrilled with at 2:15 time.  Considering the lack of effort I put in to achieve it. Although one could argue the last 2 weeks I have slightly been running more/training for it.  But none of it felt like “training” it felt like my sanity and my saving grace among the crazy that is my life.




After I finished the race we walked around for a minute but honestly I had to leave, because I had to rush home to get to my concert.  I literally had no time to spare as we got home and I hopped in the shower and tried to get myself presentable. I had like 15 minutes before I was getting picked up for the show.  I was standing there with wet hair trying to throw some makeup on.  All the while feeling nauseous as shit. 

Once again post run I felt so sick. It’s that whole throw up thing. Yup, I googled it and it is so ridiculously common for endurance/distance runners to feel sick at some point during a race.  The best explanation I got was that you are going from 2 plus hours of high intensity/high heart rate where you stomach is contracting constantly to cold turkey and your body has stopped the movement but your stomach muscles are still contracting.  They recommended a cool down or a light jog to slowly ease your body down.  I guess this makes sense.  A lot of the time I don’t feel that sick post run but it’s because I ended up walking/running parts of the finish of the races and therefore my body was easing down naturally.  When I run the whole thing, every step, my body never cools down. Hence the vomit feeling. 

It is my one side effect of running.  I felt sick and light headed and no amount of food sounded good. I just wanted to throw up. But I had a schedule to keep.  So I pretty much immediately left for the concert.  My cousin and his girlfriend went with us, he drove which was nice.  We did stop before the concert for some food, which I REALLY needed.  I ate and then I did feel better, thankfully!

We made it to the Moda Center and it was a parking nightmare as expected.  It was quite insane and I was afraid we were going to be late. The concert started at 4 PM but I was rather glad to realize that they say 4 PM but he didn’t take the stage until 4:30 PM.   We were able to take our seats about 4:15 and all was good.  Um Garth Brooks is still the man!  I saw him like 18 years ago, the last time we was in Portland.   He was every bit as good as I remembered and hoped he would be.  Generally speaking country music is not my jam, but Garth Brooks transcends all of that.  He is impossibly awesome. I, like just about everyone else, know all the words to all his music.  So good. What an amazing story teller. 

The crowd was insane. The stadium was packed.  I couldn’t hear nor talk.  So off the charts.  Worth all the running around and rushing to accomplish everything.  In the end I was so glad that it was the 4 PM concert and I was out of there at like 7 PM.  It took forever to get home, you know post concert traffic.  But we make it home about 8:30 PM and by this point I was pretty much spent. Exhausted.  Chris had made dinner and I scarfed it down and we pretty much went to bed.

I went to the concert with my momma.  Here is the photo of us.



I had pretty much a perfect day!  Everything was amazing and action packed. I rarely had a moment to rest and decompress but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I should point out that after I ran 13.1, I actually truly felt good enough to keep running and this was a fabulous feeling considering I will be attempting to turn around and run that entire distance again in the future.  But I had much more hope that I could actually accomplish it after yesterday.  It keeps getting a little bit better all the time.  Of course I don’t have another half marathon on the books until May 10, so about a month which makes me kind of nervous.

Next weekend I just have a 10k and then the following weekend Chris really wants to go camping and I have to give in and do it with him. Appease the husband.  And then the following weekend we are going to Vegas.  I am going to have to try and fit in a long run at some point. Eek. We will see.  One weekend at a time.

Tonight I am going to the gym, original gym, and I am not entirely sure what I’m doing. Probably a 3 mile run followed by some upper body. Going to make Tuesday night my leg day again. That’s the plan anyway.  For now I am just going to keep plugging along at the old gym until I figure out what the hell I am doing and cancel some of my 3 gym memberships.  At least 2 of them have to go. That is all for now.

No comments: