Mile 10

Running. All I blog about is running anymore. Maybe I'll add a little something-something at the end of this, or save it for another time when I have more clarity on the subject. We'll see.

Anyhow.

Where I last left this blog, I was still training for the marathon. Well, as you all know, I had to stop and drop to the half because of some chest pains I was having. After a few tests and head scratching and tears, there is still no definite answer to that problem. Though now it comes and goes and isn't nearly as severe. The doctor has me on vitamins and some medication to take if I feel anxious. Ugh, anxiety. 

I did make the decision to drop down to the half marathon. It was a decision I knew I needed to make and I knew the answer, but I had a very hard time doing it. I'd been mentally preparing for the full marathon since January. 

By the time I was given clearance to run again, I had a month and a half to get myself ready for the half. I left off at 12 miles for my long run, but with a month off, I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I was able to muster up 8 miles before the race, but I was still feeling uncertain.

The day before the race, I had finally gotten to the point mentally where I was okay with just doing what I could. Take it easy, have fun, run the race, walk if I have to, but mostly HAVE FUN. That evening, I fell right to sleep, something I've never done before a race. I woke up at 4am with the piece of mind that I was going to have fun that day.

My mom and I made it downtown JUST in time for the race to begin (stupid traffic). And as I waited with my group, I felt at ease. It was going to be just fine because 13.1 is MY race. I've completed it 3 times before and this is easy. 

I took my time. The bridge and tunnel are always mentally challenging, but I got over and through them just fine. Mile 6 and 7 went by without a hitch. Mile 9, I got my M&Ms, always the sugar rush I need. 

Then mile 10. After this race, I have decided mile 10 is my favorite. I appreciate mile 10. Why? Because at mile 10, I feel the best. I have it in my mind that I am going to finish the race. 3 more miles? PSH, I can do 3 miles. I also saw some friends at mile 10, and it's always good to see familiar faces. And you begin to wind your way back downtown, which means you're nearly there. 

I finished the race. I finished it running. I finished it in a way I've never finished a race before. Completed unprepared. 

But you know, I had so much fun. No PR needed. I still had a stinkin' good time. 

That crazy runner's brain is back. 

So my 2014 game plan?:

Rock CF Half Marathon

Martian FULL Marathon

Riverbank Run 25K

Detroit Half Marathon

2015?:

PR my first marathon time by running the Detroit Full Marathon. I have to run the Detroit full at least once. I love the race too much. 

To Finish What You've Started.

I suppose I was well-intentioned when I originally said that I would document my marathon training through this blog. 

Whoops. 

Well, I guess I'm here now, aren't I? 

I am a month and a half into training for the 2013 Detroit Marathon. I guess I can confidently say things are going okay so far. Except one tumble which left my face looking less than desirable for about 2 weeks. Let's just say I'm glad I don't date ever. I was looking like a hot mess. 

This week has been admittedly rough. I'm feeling especially sore and tired. And I felt dizzy yesterday, which wasn't cool. I drank a ton of water yesterday and today and that's helped a bit. But I have taken it easy these last two days because of it. I've got 12 miles planned for Saturday, so hopefully I can hold myself together until then. 

Mentally, it's been going decent as well. My long runs can get a little lonely and boring towards the end. And sometimes I'm pretty sure no one around me understands why I'm doing this. (Except the hand-full of runners I know). And truthfully, I still feel a little weird about it. 

I feel weird because it's something that not many people do, and goodness knows I never would have seen myself doing. But here I am. 

I was talking to a friend earlier about finding motivators. My motivator is to finish what I started. On October 20th, I want to be able to proudly say, "I ran a marathon today". I really do. 

Next week my training plan calls for 14 miles. That'll be the farthest I've ran. It's only .90 more, but still. I'll be passing up that 13.1 mark, with no medal or crazy crowd waiting for me. And the following week I'll have to do more, unlike the lovely resting week I give myself after the half marathons. 

So here I am, still going at it. Pray for me. Things are about to really pick up and I could really use the support. This mess isn't easy. 

But I guess, in the long run, that's why we do it. 

The Bug.

I approve of this message.

I can rarely express how much I love to travel. But I really do. 

I like new places, with new smells, new dirt and new people, new food. All of it. 

It seems like so far I've been pretty successful at traveling a new place each year for the last 6 years or so.

2007- I travelled to Biloxi, Mississippi as a part of a mission trip to help with hurricane Katrina clean-up. On that trip I was able to visit New Orleans for a day. Very cool city. I'd definitely go back. 

2008- I went to Nashville for the first time. And it was love at first sight. 

2009- This was a sad year. I didn't go anywhere new :(

2010- I definitely made up for it this year and made it all the way across the big 'ol pond to Germany. Best. Trip. Ever. I've yet to top it. 

2011- Colorado. Forced to visit because Patrick had to up and leave me. (Still slightly bitter about it) It's beautiful, I get why he likes living there.

2012- North Carolina. Again another place I was forced to visit because I was once again abandoned. :) Again, lovely state. Love the south. 

2013- ? Nowhere new yet. I'm looking ahead and I'm sure I'll make it anywhere new. I've been to Nashville already this year, and New York may be in the foreseeable future, but that may turn into another trip to Tennessee... so we'll see :)

We'll just call 2009 the dark year. It was a weird year over all. So I'll excuse it. 

I want to always do this. I want to always explore new places and see new things. To be in constant exploration of this wonderful world that God has created. So I plan to. As long as it's possible.

The Goal.

On January 1st, I registered for the 2013 Detroit Free Press Marathon. Not the half.. the full. Many of you know this already, but I have decided that I'm going to actively document this process. I know I'll need it. 

So, I'm still in the prepping stage. To keep myself from getting lazy over the winter, I ran a spring half marathon. Nashville. An absolutely soaking wet 13.1. I was so upset the morning of the race, but once we got going, I really enjoyed myself. I think I PRed by like 12 seconds. So that's something considering the hills and the rain. 

July 1st is the official start of the marathon training plan. So in June I've just been running between 3-5 miles at least 4 times a week. Next week I plan on really buckling down on consistent running and strength training. 

This past week I tried watching my caloric intake through the My Fitness Pal app, so I can maybe lose a few extra lingering pounds. However, running has been terrible this week (getting too tired), and I've been extremely hungry, constantly, all the time, so I'm thinking it's not allowing me enough calories. SO I'm giving that up for now and just going to really conscious about what I'm eating. I don't want training to be ruined by me not eating properly. But I figure that's going to be a "learn as I go" kind of thing. 

So there we go. There I go. Pretty sure this is going to completely consume my life, so I'll need some kind of outlet. Plus it'll be kind of fun to document this process. 

Bring it on!!

Bean Town.

I haven't posted here in a while. To be honest, I didn't really have much to say. Things have been cruising along per the usual. I've been training for the Nashville half marathon, but sometimes I think I talk to much about running and people get bored of it, so I've just kind of left that one alone.

However. After Monday, I feel like I need to say something. At this point I am not really sure what to say, exactly. 

I had left a home visit, and was on my way to Kohls. Why was I going to Kohls? Ironically enough, I was going to find a new running tech shirt to wear in at my race next week. I checked Facebook on my phone, and saw all the posts. I quickly turned on the radio and frantically scanned the radios for any information. I sat in my car completely shell-shocked. I felt sick to my stomach and practically on the verge of tears. 

How could this even be possible? I literally just posted my complete awe of the elite runner's finishing times not 4 hours earlier.

And then suddenly, all these years of me struggling with the idea of myself as a runner, completely faded. I am a runner. I wouldn't feel the way I felt on Monday if I didn't think of myself as a runner. My... our... running community were made into victims that day.

We aren't victims. Runners are some of the most dedicated, crazy, awesome, STRONG people you'll ever encounter. 

Races are some of the most incredible events you can go to. Having only just spectated my first marathon, I'm even more convinced of this. There are so many emotions there. Exhaustion, pride, joy, happiness, excitement, etc. 

And Boston. 

The Boston Marathon is the highlight of those runners lives. The work it takes to get there, I can't even imagine. 

And some selfish, hateful person just took that away. OR did they? The amount of support I've seen in the last few days has been incredible. The way the residents of Boston spoke up and offered anything to stranded runners, the video on the news of all those people running towards the injured after the blasts instead of away, and all those who ran yesterday and today in support. It's really incredible. 

So. Long story short, don't mess with runners. We're strong, and we're determined. 

A few people have asked if I still plan on running Nashville next week. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous about it at first. But now. Now I feel like I need to do this. Need to be a part of the wonderful community of people who won't be stopped. 

And we won't.