I Ran Seattle

I feel like the training is paying off.  Mostly I have secretly wondered how this marathon training plan is really going to do anything since it doesn’t seem that hard to me.  It seems very manageable and thus I’m not really sure how it’s going to affect my outcome.  I run like 3 small short runs during the week and a long run on the weekend and it doesn’t even want me to run that fast.  It’s bizarre but I have been going for it obviously.  I realized this Saturday during my half marathon that it is in fact working.  It’s working because while the weekly runs might not be challenging sometimes they are mentally tough and not what I want to do and forcing myself to complete them is training unto itself.  Something is working.

I had the single most comfortable half marathon race I think I’ve ever had.  And this was despite some of the hills of Seattle. This is despite the course being extra-long, which I knew it was since it was the same course as last year that ran long.  It was officially according to my Garmin 13.48 miles so basically 13 and a half miles.  All of that didn’t matter.  What mattered was how unbelievably good I felt pretty much the entire race.  How comfortable and in the zone I was.  I remember liking the course last year but the hills kind of got me.  Same exact course and last year it took me 2:35:49 to complete it.  This year, 2:17:52. SAME exact course.   

More than the time I was happy about how good I felt.  Not that running a half is ever totally easy but it just felt really good.  I was beaming most of the time because I was just enjoying myself or else running a half was exactly what I needed on that day.  I am sure there are a lot of factors that go into why some runs just feel great and others not so great but I will totally take it.  Oh and at mile 13.1, a true half marathon I checked my time just to see and it was 2:13:30 so that made me happy. If the course had been less I would have had a great time for me and that is exciting!

Anyway, I should back all of this up to last Thursday.  Where we last left off in the exciting and yet boring big adventure of Emily.  Thursday I was in a shit mood, right? I had had a fairly shitty week mostly last week.  Some weeks are sincerely just like that I guess.  So shitty week it was.  I did go to the gym Thursday night and managed to run 4.5 miles as per the training plan so I hit every weekly goal for my training plan as outlined. Yeah me!  I went home and started to get my stuff together for my adventure to Seattle on Friday.

Chris was supposed to go to Seattle with me but honestly he has hurt his knee and can’t run and then he wanted a break, a weekend to himself and I said that was fine. I totally understood that so instead my mom went with me.  It was actually nice to have some one on one mom time.  Never take your parents for granted.  It worked out for the better anyway because a drive to Seattle can be long and tedious.  So I got up and we drove the miles to Seattle.  It was an adventure to say the least and sometimes these are the coolest things.  Those random moments with someone that forever bond you with shared experiences.

I went to the big arena in Seattle for packet pick up and got my stuff.  We then headed to the hotel to check in for the night.  This turned out to be an epic fail.  Of course the front desk person didn’t show up and the previous desk person left. It was horrible. Anyway, bottom line is we waited for 1.5 hours to check in with an entire rotating group of comical characters.  It was actually quite entertaining.  Ah life.  We finally got checked in and then went out to eat.  Long day in the car, hungry at this point. We hit up Bahama Breeze.  We don’t have any in Oregon. I know it’s a big chain restaurant but I’ve only ever eaten at it in Seattle and remember liking it.  Anyway, I ordered 2 happy hour margaritas. Typically I try not to drink too much before a run but I didn’t care. It was delicious.

Half price appetizers, yes we were there for happy hour so apps and drinks it was for us.  Sometimes I splurge with my calories. Honestly by about 7 PM we were both pretty tired and headed back to the room.  We had to wake up at 4:30 AM to leave the hotel by 5 AM to procure our spot in the parking garage downtown before 6 AM. I am always early mostly.  The run didn’t start until 7 AM and that was the first fast people.  Realistically I knew I wasn’t running until 7:30 AM.   In hindsight I am pretty certain having the full 3 hours from wake up to run is part of what contributed to my fabulous race feeling.

I had a really good time walking around the Space needles getting settled in with Mom.  Explaining events to her, talking. I was thankful she was with me.  It was nice to have the company.  She brought her iPad mini and was prepared to just chill for the 2 plus hours I was running.  Eventually it was time for my corral to go and honestly I was feeling so good and relaxed that I kind of figured it was going to be a good race for me.  As soon as I started I felt amazing.  The miles just ticked away and I was in my zone.  A happy perfect running high/zone.  In fact the first miles I was keeping great pace.  In fact by the time I hit mile 6 and was ultra-comfortable I realized my average overall pace was below 10 minute miles. I was curious how long I could keep that up. I knew it would eventually falter.  But I was proud because up until mile 9 I noticed my pace was 10:02 miles.  I was thrilled with this.

After mile 9 things did start to slow down for me.  As we started to get back into town where the hills were much steeper. At mile 11 it was a giant uphill climb, which I did run, but VERY slowly.  And then it was a sporadic climb from there on out.  All the way until 13.5 miles.  I knew it was going to be extra-long so I wasn’t stressed at all.  And I am not going to lie when I finally crossed the finish line or came into the home stretch I felt SO good and happy that I almost kind of had tears of happiness.  Because I felt so good.  Because this was the best run I’ve had in ages. Because I feel like I’m improving. Because I feel like the training is paying off. Because I felt like I could keep doing this.  Because I was certain that I can do more which means marathon. 

Lots of happy feelings going on.  I crossed the line and nothing hurt on me.  My legs weren’t tired.  I felt great.  And I know I am ready to run a marathon.  I know my body can handle it and that is a spectacular feeling.  I found my mom at the finish and I was just so glad about everything. Really.  So we made the epically long journey back to Oregon. I say epically because traffic was a total bitch and it took a very long time to get home.

Anyway, Seattle swag and such:

On the way home I had to stop for gas and food and oh yeah because immediately following a run my system does get sick when I pretty much get in a car with any amount of motion. I kind of get motion sickness anyway so this doesn’t help in the least.  I got a very plain Subway sandwich not my favorite but what was available to me.  It helped. The bread soaked up some stomach acid and things felt better. Continued on the journey home.

Finally made it home late and showered and was exhausted. Mostly from waking up at 4:30 AM and driving for 5 plus hours.  I started watching the new season of Orange is the New Black of course.  Saturday night I cranked out 6 episodes and went to bed.  Oh and I ate a shit ton of crap because I was hungry.  Really hungry. Such is life.  Sometimes you win, sometimes you keep eating to quench the hunger.

Sunday I woke up and was meeting Amanda for a workout and lunch.  We needed a good girl catch up session.  So it was leg day. MMM… yeah.  My legs felt fine overall from running but it’s still crazy all things considered.  I went with it.  I meet my girl at 11 AM.  We did HEAVY leg stuff.  Stuff I haven’t done in a while.  Lots of heavy squats and then we did 185 freaking pound lunges. It was brutal. My legs felt very wobbly and unsteady.  Amanda stood behind me.  Its fine to squat that weight (we actually squatted 225 pounds) but lunges on a single leg at 185 pounds is intense.  I knew my legs or more specifically my ass was going to hurt today as a result.

After we worked out and destroyed my ass, we went to lunch and chatted. It was a very nice time.  I then went home and changed and Chris and I went and saw Jurassic Park Lost World in 3D.  And it was awesome.  Totally everything one expects of a good dinosaur movie. It was really good. Chris Pratt is awesome. LOVE him. Love him even more in this movie. 

Afterwards we went home where I watched 3 more episodes of Orange is the New Black where I proceeded to once again eat too much. Some weekends are just like that I guess.  I am now at 9 episodes out of 13 into Orange is the New Black.  I will probably finish it up this week sometime.  But today is a new day. Today I am back at 100% eating healthy and getting back at it. Good solid food choices and good workouts.

My ass is sore today. Not surprised.  What did surprise me is the kink in my shoulders and my back and then I realized they are sore from holding that heavy ass bar on my neck for the squats and lunges.  Its having 200 pounds resting on my back while making my ass sore. So yup, that’s why it hurts.  Anyway. Today my training plan calls for a  3 mile run.  I will get that done.  I actually agreed to a 5:30 training session with Amanda tonight to do chest. So that is going to happen and fry me out.  And then I will run my 3 miles. 

The rest of the week I have 2 more 4.5 mile runs on the agenda between Tuesday and Thursday.  Friday will be rest day and Saturday I have a Rugged Maniac Obstacle course to do with Sunday being another half marathon.  This is a good fun one too so I’m excited about that. It’s definitely running season for me. 

So one last thing, I took a bunch of random selfies of course and some bikini pictures this weekend.  I am at about 3 months out from Maui so these are my progress photos.  I’d like to get a little leaner and more toned for Maui but I can live with the girl I see in these photos. I can go to Maui tomorrow just as I am and be happy. I’m not a skinny mini but I’m pretty okay with what I see. My lower body is definitely softer than my upper but oh well.  I do have some time for improvements to come.  If I keep doing what I’m doing I am sure I will see some improvements eventually.  

I am in a much better mood today than last week so I will take that as well.  Excited about possibilities and my running and my lifting and how things are going. I am feeling it this week and I’m ready to kill it!