Monday, July 25, 2011

Back to Training

Yesterday was my first team practice in a little while. We were in Valley Forge, bright and early (7:30a). When we trained there for the Spring Team in 09-10 the trails by the river were covered in snow, so we always ran the main loop at the park. Now that it’s summer we have been running the River path, because for the most part it is shaded. And it is Flat! It’s in the woods which is really pretty.





I told the coach that I didn’t think I could run the full 9 miles because I did 61 last weekend. He had the typical reaction, called me crazy, and they told me to run 30-35 mins today and work my way back up this coming week. When we got together to stretch he told the group that I ran that far and they all clapped, so I got bashful but it was cool. I ran for about 24 mins then turned around and went back to the water stop to hang out with the mentor running it, Lauren. Since I was taking it slow, I had a chance to take some pics!




















I did about 36 mins, once I was back to the water station so I’m assuming close to 3 miles. The downhill from the bridge made my knee hurt but other than that it wasn’t all that bad. I will need to work on the transition from running to walking to see if there are methods to help my bones. I talked with Lauren about being a mentor and let her know I applied to be one for Winter. I know I sign up for something new every week, but I am just looking in the grand scheme. Next Fall I will hopefully be starting Nursing school and I won’t be able to run marathons or anything like that for a very long time. Close to 3 years, with clinical on weekends. So I am trying to get my fill now so I don’t wish I did more later. I haven’t heard yet about the mentor thing, but I think they said this week or next we will know. If I do get it, then I am going to run Disney Full next year with the team. And if I don’t get it I will probably still run a FL full marathon before Spring. Sean caught the running bug and so I figure I can meet him somewhere down there.



 

I am going to run tomorrow morning, It’s suppose to be mid 70s. Perfection!




This pic above reminded me of Robert Frost's poem 'The Road Not Taken.' But it depends on the way you see it. Could be one road going into two or two coming together to make one...I was standing on the larger path where they both ended up going anyway, but for creativity sake that road's not in the pic :)


"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
~Robert Frost





Saturday, July 23, 2011

On The Road Again..

I just went for my first run since the race. Just under a mile. It felt okay when I was jogging but once I stopped my knee hurt again. Maybe I will use jogging as my main form of transportation here on out.

Oh and I saw Evelyn who I totally forgot to write in the last post that she ran the midnight run. She showed up with glow necklaces and it was awesome. Just another reminder of how freaking supportive people are. I'm one lucky girl..and also my theory that 'if you post it, they will come' once again was proven.

I'm gonna bring the black brace with me around this weekend and put it on if I need to. I didn't feel much of a difference but isn't that how meds work too? Which reminds me, It was suggested I take ibuprofen too. I need to set my watch alarm to bleep and let me know it's time for my vitamins, don't judge.

"Ambition is the path to success, persistence is the vehicle you arrive in." ~Bill Bradley


Thursday, July 21, 2011

The Aftermath

This time tilt to the left


My knee is still bothering me. I'm posting this as I'm icing it sitting on the Couch. I think it'll be okay in another day or two.


Wednesday, July 20, 2011

50 Mile Paperweight

Just tilt your head to the right


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Philadelphia

24 hrs and 61 Miles Later :)

There are so many things that I can say about the race this past weekend! Let me start off by thanking EVERYONE who came out! You are all amazing and I can’t imagine being out there on my own. I would have never lasted. Maggie was right when she said we were probably the reason they ran out of Pacer bibs :)
My total in accordance to the BOMF 20in24 website results was 61.722 Miles!
Maggie came in with 97.136 Miles!
Maggie was 22nd Overall and 7th Female. I was 95th Overall and 30th Female!
Success!


This was the pic taken at the very end...still smiling!





Before Pic at the CAMP (Chance and Magatron)


Let’s get back to the Awesome Crew we had. JP (Maggie’s Bro) went above and beyond (there are pics to prove it). Rubbing Maggie’s feet with Vaseline, tying her shoes…He is a for sure candidate for Best Crew member award.




But wait then we get to the Pacers: My Bro- Sean, ran 3 Loops! (25.368miles) without any training. We were a sight to see crossing the finish at 2:30am(him on his 3rd and me on my 6th). Looked like were just lost a battle with oncoming traffic. Then there was Holly, Matt, Annukka, Caroline, Tony, Joe, Clare, Patrick, Erin… the list goes on and on. And of Course Both sets of Parents! We kept saying how lucky we are to have such awesome family and friends!



Sean, Me, and Caroline (4th Loop Crew)


OK so we got to Lloyd Hall around 6:30am. Maggie scoped a spot right behind the Volunteer tent which was perfect! We set up, walked to Little Pete’s (on Fairmount), ate Pancakes, came back, lathered on the sunscreen and glide, listened to some spokespeople talk and before we knew it…It was 10am!

My first lap I ran 15 mins and walked 5. My adrenaline was going and it really was a great day for a run. I finished in 1hr 40mins which is really good for me and I didn’t see that time again. The second lap I made so many friends! Everyone was so nice and talkative. I met one guy because we had the same pace so when he was on his run he would pass me then when he stopped for a walk break I would pass him. He was some crazy marathoner and he introduced me to 3 others in their group. I was getting excited because we all seemed to have around the same pace. I started to think that maybe this is what my body is built for (mind you I was only 2 laps in).

When I got back to the tent after the second lap a lot of friends had come by and it was cool to see everyone. Sean (bro) ran the 3rd lap with me..(technically not as a pacer because he was just running and I honestly had no idea he would last more than one lap.) When we were about to finish he said he wanted to go again. I was so happy because running for hours with nothing but your own mind can become negative and boring very fast. But you get some fresh blood in there some people ready to run and it changes everything. Caroline was there when we got back and she said she would run with us. Caroline! We came up with the phrase ‘Motivatingly Annoying’ for her. Because she like would not let me walk long. I was trying to walk, I planned from the beginning of training on having this be more of a walk. That did not happen. We finished the 4th in under 2 hrs which I was happy about at the end, during I was a little angry. Could have been the fact that I was now 30 miles in or the fact that my legs were starting to ache more with every step. I took a break again, this time longer, at the tent. Now Bonnie and Matt had showed up and said they would run with me.

This lap turned dark on us. I waited to start my 5th for Maggie because I hadn’t seen her since the start. I was hearing updates from everyone like ‘she changed her socks, are you going to change yours?’ and ‘she wasn’t feeling good, got pulled for vitals, put she puked and she’s better now.’ But I was happy to see her! She left a couple mins after me but of course caught up. We passed each other back and forth that lap and it got completely dark. I had been eating every time I went back to the tent and drinking A LOT of water, but I didn’t know what was going on with Maggie. She had lots of Gus I think and her stomach was not happy. I finished my 5th lap and took another break. Sean was ready to go again and we ran to my 50th mile! The end of that 6th loop my knees were killing me. I kept stopping to grab them and rub them. Serge (the overall winner) ran by at one point and something motivational but I couldn’t make it out because he was gone again before I stood up completely.

After my 50 I was exhausted and sat for awhile. I got a massage at 3am and took a nap 4:15-5:15a. Decided I met my goal but I would run again once the sun came up. I was waiting for Maggie to leave after her 8th or 9th loop before I fell asleep because I didn’t want her to see me napping. But I was dozing off anyway and she mumbled that she was jealous. Maggie went on to run under a 10 min mile for every mile in the last 6 hrs of the race. I wanted to be on the loop again before she got back so I cracked a red bull and figured I had some time, but Annukka came running over saying she wasn’t going to stop. Joe looked at me and said ‘let’s go’ So I grabbed a water and left. My legs were like bricks. My jog looked pitiful and I was roughly a 17-20 min mile. But I was still jogging when I could. I am happy to report that I ran more than I walked (except the last 2.5 miles which I walked basically the whole thing).

Jenna came skating up on her roller skates around 7am when I had about 2 miles left of the 7th lap. She was so awake and chipper! She just told me stories as I had little to no response to anything. Joe kept me going, made me eat and drink and I hated him. But he got me there. After that lap I decided to finish it like I wanted to from the beginning and be picked up by the van. So I went with Patrick, Erin, and my dad to walk the last 2.5 miles to the first rest stop.
It was absolutely a team effort. The 2nd overall winner and top female, Sabrina, was behind me in the van. She got sick and just looked up apologizing. She ran 137 miles, I would have thought there was something wrong if she wasn’t throwing up. When I got out of the van Maggie was right behind me. She looked spent. She was sad she didn’t get the last 3 miles to break 100 but she was the first runner under 100 (closest to breaking it out of everyone else).

It was such an experience and I have not stopped talking about it for the last 3 days.
My legs are working for the most part again. My knees are still getting the kinks out but I think I should be ok in a few more days. I am going to try to run tomorrow and see what happens. It seems like such a long time until my next race (Sept 18). I have plenty of non-running things to keep me busy until then but it just seems like it might be a long two months.




I couldn't reach my foot to do this stretch so big bro, Patrick, had to help me out. Also, the 3rd candidate for Best Big Bro award!


At the end, Maggie's cousin Joe (my 7th loop pacer) said he got me a Bday present...This bag of Ice.



Oh and I forgot, Just around Midnight...There was cake! Sean's birthday is Sunday and he is already back on FL so we got to celebrate both our Bdays. I think the last time we did it was at Avalon Campground and it was a Pocohontas cake..I was maybe 10 or 11..

There were balloons on the tent and I wore a shirt that said 'It's my Birthday' Most Happy Birthdays ever!

I wanted to remember my 27th Birthday which is why I signed up for this crazy race and join Maggie. I am happy to report that mission was accomplished.


(and if you noticed my countdown is now set for the Philadelphia Marathon in November- 122 days...No time to waste)


Friday, July 8, 2011

In One Week...

In one Week I will be going to the Expo and picking up my packet. Actually I am not sure if there is an expo but I imagine so. In one week I will be counting how many bottles of water I drink in preparation for the next day when I will run/walk farther than I ever have before. In one week I will be making Pb & J sandwiches with Maggie and trying to figure out if we need to stash our own Gels on the course and where we should. In one week I will be trying really hard to sleep but I know that the excitement will be bubbling from my toes to my stomach to my head and out my over excited eyeballs. In one week from today, I’ll be 17 hrs away from starting the coolest race I have ever done.