You should stop running!

Posted on December 6, 2011 by ssnaugher

Image courtesy of http://aolanswers.com/questions/eric_stromer_home_improvement_951782291809318/

Yep – you read that correctly… You should stop running! That is IF your body is telling you that you need a break. I think I kept telling my body to shut-up and deal with it instead of listening. When I finished the Chicago Marathon, I noticed that my left heel was hurting really badly, but I was hurting everywhere and didn’t really give it a lot of thought. I took 6 days off after completing Chicago and started back running the Saturday afterwards. During that first run back, my heel started hurting when I first got going but subsided about a mile into the run. Again, I didn’t give it a whole lot of credence since I had just ran 26.2.

A month later I was trying to maintain somewhat of a normal schedule of running and hoping to get at least 3 days a week and a target of 20-25 miles per week in. Problem was, my heel had now gotten worse and even more concerning to me, my lower calves were achy and hurting every time I ran and for hours after I ran.

I ran the Bass Pro Shops Half Marathon exactly a month after the Chicago Marathon and set a new PR and felt pretty good while running it. The week after Bass Pro, things slowly started going downhill. My heel was now a full-on case of Plantar Fasciitis. I have battled this before so I knew it was normally not a quick recovery and one that in some cases can end up resulting in months off. I was determined that I could beat it and just run through it. The Friday after Thanksgiving I headed out for what I had planned on being about an 8 miler. The weather was great, and I really needed to get that run in to help offset the Thanksgiving feast and for my mental well being. After running less than 200 yards, I had to stop and limp back to the house.

Talk about total defeat… I was as deflated as you can be. Less than 60 days prior, I had ran my first marathon, and 4 weeks after that set a new PR for my half marathon and now… 200 yards in and had to limp back into the house. My heel felt like it had been hit with a ball-peen hammer and the lower calf on that leg ached for a good part of the afternoon. Depression set it and even though I tried to offset that with a raging weights workout, all I ended up with is a sore chest to go along with my aching legs.

That’s when I decided … I needed to stop running. No, I am not talking stop all-together, but I needed an extended rest. I took the rest of Thanksgiving weekend and the entire next week completely off from running. I made an appointment with the sports doc again. Mainly because I was worried that it could be something other than the Plantar Fasciitis causing my heel to hurt and especially concerning was the aching in my lower legs. I read a great article on the Physiology of Marathon Running. Turns out, it can actually take up to 3 months for your body to completely heal. I was just too dumb to listen.

I saw the sports doc the Monday after Thanksgiving and he confirmed that I did have a pretty good case of Plantar Fasciitis. More importantly he informed me that the aching in my lower calf and leg was primarily due to me compensating for my heel pain by running and walking out the outside edge of my foot. Additionally the sports doc pointed out that the stretching that I had been doing to supposedly stretch the Plantar was really not doing anything for it. I had been mainly doing the “wall stretch” prior to any running activity.

Image courtesy of http://www.fitness.gov

However he pointed out that while that stretch is great for the Achilles it really did not stretch the Plantar effectively. Instead he indicated that I needed to stretch my foot by pulling the big toe back as far as comfortable and holding and doing a set of 10 of these 3 times a day. Another uh-oh moment was when he told me that it was more important for me to stretch after my runs and throughout the day than prior to running.

So has it worked? Well this past Monday was my first run after taking 10 days completely off in entirety from running. Some may say, well that is not really stopping running and I agree. However that is the longest stretch that I have gone without running since February. I have to tell you it drove me nuts!!

Secondly I ordered a Pro-Stretch Plus from @Medi-dyn. They sponsored the last runchat that I participated in and I received pretty good feedback on the product which is targeted for runners that experience Plantar Fasciitis. It arrived last Friday evening so I have had 4 days using it for stretching. I can tell a big difference already! The stretch that is puts on my foot zeros in on the Plantar as the sports doc indicated.(Will give a full review once I have had more time with it but so far – I am impressed) Combine that with a full 10 days off from running and my first run back from the time off was great yesterday. I imagine that part of that was the exhilaration of being able to get back out there, but I felt great the entire run and afterwards had no pain in my heel the rest of the day.

I am continuing with the stretching using the Pro-Stretch and am going to try to keep this week an easy week in terms of mileage(really hoping to stick to that). However based upon my first run back on Monday – I feel totally renewed. So was 10 days off enough for my body to rest and repair? Only time will tell. With Little Rock now just 12 1/2 weeks away… time is going to be very important.

I do see now that your body really will tell you when you need to rest. I simply kept telling my body to shut-up and if finally told me to shut-down. So the lesson that I take forward from this … Stop Running if you body tells you to!! And make sure you incorporate the proper stretching for your body to keep you moving forward. As hard as it was to go 10 days without running… the thought having to take months off is unimaginable for me at this point.

I could never do that!

Posted on November 29, 2011 by ssnaugher

Image via Wikipedia

I am not sure about you but I had a wonderful Thanksgiving and feel like I gained about 5 pounds in the 4 days off from work and the normal schedule. Over the holidays I was able to catch up with friends and family that I normally don’t get to talk to on a daily basis. One of the topics that came up several times last week was running. The conversation either went something like – “Are you crazy?? Running all those miles and in the heat of summer and now in the freezing cold” or it went like “Wow that is great – glad that you can do that but I could NEVER do that”. The first comment could be a little true. I think that it takes a little bit of crazy to aspire to run distances of a marathon or longer especially more than one time. However the second comment was one that I hung on to.

I have had numerous comments like that over the past 6 months or so with the training schedule I tried to maintain. Each time I always respond with a pretty similar answer – you absolutely could if I could! I promise there is really nothing special about my abilities or my desires to do this. I like to tell people it is the only sport I can participate in because I have no sports talents, but I am extremely stubborn Truth be told, running is the one sport I like because you don’t have to have born with a great aptitude for it to participate in it. That is what makes it so great… from the slowest walker/jogger to the competitors that qualify and run Boston every year – it is an all welcoming sport. The only competition the majority of us face is within our self.

Another common comment I hear is – “I just couldn’t find time to do that”. To which I normally respond – I also couldn’t “find time” either – I had to make time. I think the real issue with this question comes back to the comment of “I could never do that”. Think about it… if everyone actually believed they could cross the finish line of a marathon, or a 100 mile bike race, or climb Mt. Everest – don’t you think we would have a lot more people making time to do these things? If someone were to tell you that tomorrow only, you will have unlimited abilities to do anything you have ever dreamed of doing – all you have to do is just try it. Would your response be, “Sorry I really don’t have time to try anything”?

So the first step is to believe that you really can do these things or any other goal that you have had, with the right attitude. Whether you know it or not, you have the ability and CAN do it! So if you believe that you can accomplish it, the next step is to make it happen and to make it happen you have to have a plan and commit to stick to it. Yes – making time to meet the commitments required to do anything worthwhile requires you to make choices and sometimes give up things you may not always want to. In my case, that normally equated to less sleep. I want to run marathons(and maybe even ultras). To do that I have to schedule time to run and frequently - for hours at a time. I don’t want to take time away from my family any more than I have to so the answer was getting up sometimes at 4:45am to get them in. The reality was – I made the time to do it.

You can make the time to do it as well if it is something you really want. I promise you that between the time we spend watching TV, sitting in front of the computer on Facebook, and just plain old sitting on the couch – there is time to work it in to your day. So unless you are a single parent working 3 jobs to support your family you can work it out to make the time. That is by no means a criticism – far from it – I want it to be an encouragement! I like watching TV and jumping on Facebook as much as anyone – I just have to constantly remind myself what I want to accomplish.

A bible study I just attended had a big focus on the impact of our attitudes and positive thinking. There are numerous references in the bible that back up this idea that if you immerse yourself in positive thoughts and the right attitude you really can do anything you desire. The opposite also holds true! If you tell yourself – I could never do that!! or I just can’t find the time…. I can promise you that you will also be correct. The only difference between can and can’t is what you believe. It is all up to you!!

So maybe a marathon has no appeal to you at all. Maybe you just want to get healthier, or finish a 5K, or want to finish up your degree. Whatever your dreams and goals are – go after them and believe that you are going to accomplish them!! And if you want to go for a run… just let me know!

Bass Pro Half Marathon Recap

Posted on November 6, 2011 by ssnaugher

Picture is kinda dark but it was kinda dark at the start this morning

Great run this morning at the Bass Pro Cohick Half Marathon! I ended up with a new PR and breaking 2 hours. I had thought that it would be nice to break 2 hours, but wasn’t really thinking it was going to be a possibility just yet. Thanks to Vickie – we pushed each other enough for both of us to break the 2 hour mark and finish strong.

This was the first time I had ran any of the Bass Pro events and all in all – I have to say they did a great job! Parking was really not an issue this morning with the lots across the street and being able to get inside Bass Pro beforehand helped keep everyone warm since the winds were pretty strong and cool.

I won’t go into huge detail on this race but there were some things I take away from it. I was able to meet up with Devra and Vickie before the start which was awesome! I saw them and Amy in Chicago, but with the magnitude of people there it was a slim chance of us meeting up before. Starting out was crazy as usual… weaving in and out of people to get to a comfortable pace. Since this is a smaller race there were no time designations for lining up, so it took about the first mile and a half to get to a point where you could run comfortably. Devra took off within the first half mile or so and we told her we would see her at the end. Vickie and I stayed together, and at about the 3 mile point we both realized that we were way ahead of our pace. At one point I looked at my Garmin and it was clocking a 8:20 pace(which is waaay too fast for me).

By mile 5 we had settled into a good, but quick pace for us and were staying right around the 9:00-9:15 pace and I was feeling pretty good. The water stops were very well placed and they even seemed to sneak up on us several times before we thought it was time for another one. At mile 8 Vickie said that she would feel better when we hit the mile 10 mark. At the 10 mile mark, I did the math quickly in my head and told Vickie that if we could keep the pace that we were at, we could have a shot at breaking the 2 hour mark.

Vickie had come close at the last Bass Pro Half and was just a few seconds off. My first half marathon last year I ended up with a 2:21 time and have had a few training runs that I had been in the 2:05 range but never under 2:00. So we both kept pushing. By mile 12, I knew we had it as long as nothing fell apart. The last half mile of the race seemed to be 5 miles for some reason. I think I was really worried at this point about pushing to get under 2 hours and was starting to get tired. Finally I turned the last corner to see the finish line and looked at my Garmin, and it showed that I was at 1:59:45. I wasn’t sure I was going to make before it hit 2:00 so I gutted out anything I had left and crossed at 1:59:58… just barely making it, but making it nonetheless. Vickie crossed about 5 seconds ahead of me and Devra was at the finish waiting for us.

Devra set a new PR as well crossing at 1:53.45. So all three of us had a great run! I know the key for me today was being able to run with Vickie and the two of us pushing each other to hit the target we wanted. Devra did awesome as well since she has been fighting with a leg injury since she has been back from Chicago.

Getting home, the kids and Sharena were excited for me, and each of the kids wanted to wear the finishers medal. Sharena had really wanted to bring the kids up to watch. I finally convinced her it would have been a really early morning for them, and really cold for anyone watching. The kids had made a sign for me when I got back that said I was their rockstar… super cool feeling to share this with them!

I had worried last night that my pace would suffer today due to the bit of Platar Fasciitis I had been battling, but everything felt good during the run. My knee felt good as well. The temps were just about perfect… mid 50s at the start and by the end low 60s. All in all… I am really pleased with the outcome today especially with the limited training I have been able to do since Chicago.

So now I have decided…. my next marathon is going to be….

Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation

Posted on August 2, 2011 by ssnaugher

I am fortunate enough to be a part of a great team for the upcoming Chicago Marathon – Team Bear which is part of Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation. As a parent I know there is nothing that I would not do for my children and especially when they are sick. That is why this cause is so important to me. I want to do anything I can to help make sure that I make a difference for a family or a child that is dealing with the unimaginable. Please take a few minutes and watch these videos that highlight the good work that Bear Necessities does for families affected by pediatric cancer. Then I would love it if you clicked on the link at the bottom and helped me reach my goal of $1000 to go towards this great cause! No matter how great or small your donation – every donation will make a difference to a child and family!

Click Here To Donate

Chasers

Posted on August 1, 2011 by ssnaugher

There’s always a first for everything and this morning was no exception. I have, for the most part been running the same route for the last 2 years. I have never had a dog or any other animal even act like it wanted to bother me. Just about every morning I see numerous deer and that is really neat to see as the sun is coming up. This morning however…. that all changed for some reason.

In the first half mile of my run as it was barely getting light, I noticed something just off to the left of the road as I was approaching and then realized it was moving. As I got closer my heart almost stopped as I realized it was a skunk when I was less than 20 feet away!! I immediately darted off to the right only to have this skunk chase me!!! I had no idea they would chase you…. Granted it gave up within about 5 seconds but let me tell you…. I was hitting about a 4 minute mile pace. So much for a slow easy start to my long run.

Then about 9 miles into my run I heard a distant growling and barking sound. Now I listen to a wide variety of music while I run so at first I was thinking…. WOW I don’t remember that being in 10 Seconds Down(from the early days of Sugar Ray before they went pop). Then again the same panic hit me as the barking got louder… as I turned to look behind me – sure enough there was a long haired mutt chasing me at full speed. Again – I without thinking darted. It makes me wonder though… that probably was not the smartest thing to do since 9 miles in I am not sure how long I could hold that speed. Luckily the dog lost interest after about 30 seconds but that still didn’t stop me from turning and looking every few seconds for the next mile.

Finally at mile 12, I was on the last tough uphill stretch when a brown very muscular boxer darted out of a garage straight at me. This time I stopped in my tracks and snapped the towel I had taken with me to keep the sweat out of my eyes at him and yelled at him to get back – and weirdly enough – he did.

So for all the runs without incident this morning more than made up for it. Got a little speed work in on my long run day as well. All in all the run was much better than last weeks long run. My GPS app stopped working 4.4 miles in so all I could use to gauge my distance was what I thought my pace was and the total time running. I ended up with 14.25 for the day. Was hoping for 15 but will take the 14.25 with unexpected speed work thrown in

Hit the wall

Posted on July 30, 2011 by ssnaugher

I wrapped up this week with an overall increase in mileage up to 40 miles after my run in this morning. So an increase is good, right?? Well this week definitely was a big struggle. I really hit the wall this week and mentally it has worn on me the entire week.

I remember running track in high school and letting the emotions of a highly competitive meet get the best of me and starting out way too fast for the mile race. I can still remember the feeling of the lactic acid buildup causing the cramps and my legs feeling like petrified tree trunks trying to move. Unfortunately I had another bout of those same feelings this past Monday. I had planned on Monday being my long run day with a target of 14 miles(just as my training plan outlined) and was hoping to beat it and go 15 miles. I started out the run feeling sluggish but just attributed it to being so early and not getting enough sleep. After the first couple of miles I still was struggling, and even trying to pick up the pace was not happening no matter how fast I felt like I was increasing. By mile 8, I was barely at a shuffle on the main uphill stretch on my return route. By mile 10, my form was completely gone – head down, body leaning forward completely and just hoping to make it back. I didn’t think I could lift my legs another step and my stomach was cramping which made it tough to even remain partially upright. Add to that a very strange feeling of dizziness and you get the idea that I was not a pretty sight. I ended up logging 13 miles that morning but eventually ended up at not much more than a brisk walking pace by the last half mile. Normally after running and having time to cool down the rest of my day I am pumped about the morning run and how good it makes me feel. On Monday the entire day I went back to the morning run to try to figure out what happened to have hit the wall so hard and consequently wondering if I am not where I am supposed to be in the training program.

I rested on Tuesday and tried to regroup mentally and physically. I tried to recap the 24 hours leading up to the Monday run to try to figure out what went so wrong. What I ended up with is the following;

The day before I did not hydrate properly
The night before I did not get to bed early enough for my 5am alarm
I ran on an empty stomach – no food or drink
I did not drink very regularly during my run
I did use some sport beans during my run but ran out before I was halfway through
The past 4 weeks of highs in the upper 90s/low 100s and high humidity is starting to weigh on me.

So on Wednesday when I got up at 5am to run again I was very nervous about how I was going to perform. The past two days had given me plenty of opportunity doubt myself – am I running far enough on my non-long run days, can I continue running like this in this heat, and probably the most scary one – am I really going to be able to do this… I mean if I struggled with 13 miles how am I going to be able to do 26??? So Tuesday I started out to make sure I eliminated as many of those bullet points as possible. I drank lots of water and Gatorade the night before, I at salty foods the evening before, I switched from water in my fuel belt to frozen Gatorade. I got more sport beans, I ate a granola bar before running, and I made the decision that I need to increase my non-long run days to at least 10 miles each.

So on Wednesday I had a better run, and stayed hydrated throughout the run, and logged a 10 mile run and actually felt pretty good when I got done(with the exception of the half dollar sized blister that formed on the arch of my left foot from my shoes being soaked with sweat by the time I got back. What I ended up deciding is that on Monday I was most likely experiencing dehydration and mild heat sickness. I always weigh myself before and after running to help monitor my loss of fluids. On Monday it was 77 when I left with 82% humidity and I ended up losing 7.3 pounds in a little over 2 hours! I normally sweat pretty heavily and most people say – oh yeah me too…. but take a look at the picture at the top of this post and you will see that it looks like I have jumped in a pool when I get back. That picture is a pretty normal depiction of what my running shirt is like when I get back now… dripping wet with sweat.

So this morning I logged another 10 mile run and felt OK with it but sweated like crazy again and added the new struggle of running with a very sore blister. More importantly – I am still struggling mentally with the run from Monday. I am just hoping that I can fight through this physical wall and the associated mental wall that resulted. I am 10 weeks away from Chicago now… I really can’t afford any delays or variance in the schedule.

Stripping at 6AM

Posted on July 17, 2011 by ssnaugher

Ok – so NO… I was not “stripping” but rather taking in “The Strip” at 6AM. I must say however that this was one of the highlights of my trip to Vegas this past week for the Cisco Live Conference!(Guess this makes me pretty nerdy huh) I had myself pretty worked up and nervous about running while I was out in Vegas since in the past years the temps were in the 105-110 degree range while we were out there and I couldn’t imagine running and not overheating. However I was lucky – the temps were in the mid 90s the whole week and were dropping down into the upper 70s at night. With the humidity in the the 30% range it was incredibly comfortable!!

The first night we got there we were delayed on our flights out due to a “problem” with the plane and we were lucky enough to have Allegiant Air leave us sitting on the plane for almost an hour with no airconditioning and temps close to 100 in Springfield. Then the unexpected fuel stop in Fayetteville AR of all places in which we had another hour of sitting in the un-airconditioned plane had me soaked with sweat before we even got to Vegas. So needless to say by the time I got to the hotel that night, I was less than enthusiastic about getting out and running the next morning. I had gotten input from those that had ran in Vegas before on where to run and when and several said – just check with the concierge at the hotel and they should be able to give you several routes based upon how long I wanted to run. So at 9pm before going to bed(I know in Vegas this is a no-no but I didn’t want to end up running with the heat) – I stopped by the concierge and asked about where I could run the next morning. The very professional gentlemen explained that I could just run around their pool area…. I explained I was really looking for about an 8 mile run and his look changed and he suggested that if I was looking for something like that I would need to take a cab to a park and run there that there was really no where on the strip to run “like that”. So I decided that the next morning would just have to be an experience since I was not going to call a cab to take me to a park and then have to hope one showed back up to get me.

So to combat the heat I set the alarm for 5am and woke up with the sun creeping over the mountains outside of Vegas. After several pep talks with myself I left the 20th floor heading down to the lowest level of the hotel and when the elevator opened the cleaning crew all stopped waxing the floors and cleaning the windows to take a look at the guy coming OFF of the elevator in this crazy looking running gear at 5:30am.

Once I got outside – surprisingly it was really comfortable. The temps were in the upper 70s with a light breeze. I stretched in front of about half a dozen cabs waiting and a couple staggering through the front doors laughing hysterically. After getting my playlist going and starting the GPS app on my phone I started down The Strip towards the north.

It was incredible taking in The Strip this early in the morning and the temps being half-way comfortable. It was also amazing how many people were STILL out at this time of the morning – and almost all of them laughing hysterically. I even got heckled by a group of guys with british accents who asked loud enough for me to hear through my earbuds – Who are you running from this time of the morning. As I made my way down the strip it was invigorating to see half a dozen other runners out and all of them looked as happy as I was to see other runners out. The challenging part was the major intersections where I had to run up the pedestrian bridges to cross over the roads. I had not planned on the extra stair workout but it was worth it. I ended up back at Mandalay with 6 miles under my belt and barely a sweat. If I didn’t have to be at the conference at 7:30 I would have gone further.

I ended up getting another good run in on Thursday going the other direction out past the legendary Las Vegas sign and back on the back road behind the casinos that gave me a good 8 mile run – again with very comfortable temps. I only brought running clothes for 2 days and wish I had brought another one. I even got a little trail running in past the Las Vegas sign since the sidewalk ended and just was desert dirt for about half a mile.

Getting back home to 100 degree temperatures with high humidity was like a huge punch in the gut. Saturday I set the alarm for 5:30 and ended up out the door at 6 with temps at 77 with 83% humidity and hopes of getting my long run of the week in. I ended up cutting the run short at 7 miles simply because the humidity was a shock after this week and I was COMPLETELY SOAKED with sweat and struggling to get back home – even my shoes were squishy by the time I got home.

So the lesson – running in the desert is much more preferable to running humidity of Southwest Missouri. I missed a day of running due to the conference this week as well as mileage on my long run day. So this next week I am going to have to kick it back up again and try to acclimate to the “Excessive Heat Warning” that is effect for the next 7 days.

MapMyRun links for the runs in Vegas this past week (keep in mind there were several places where I had to backtrack due to inability to cross or deadend sidewalks) -

http://www.mapmyrun.com/profile/920094/

Bowling for Soup and Running through soup

Posted on August 29, 2009 by ssnaugher

So far this week has been great. I got three runs in – Mon, Wed, and today, all at a little over 5 miles each. Monday and Wednesday were really strong. Mainly due to the weather being unseasonably cool still. Wednesday felt the best with me finishing up at 5.1 miles and feeling like I could have gone another half mile to mile.

Today’s run was much different. We were gradually warming up all week and yesterday had highs back in the mid 80s with lots of humidity. Overnight we had storms ahead of another cold front. This morning I had set my alarm for 5:45 so that I could get a little more time in to run another half mile longer. When I got outside at 6:10 this morning it was still very dark and very damp from the rains. So when I was running and hit a song from Bowling for Soup on my iPod – it just came to me that it felt like soup that I was running though. I still pushed through and got my 5 miles in but was complete drenched by the time I got back. Starting my run while it was still dark was a different experience. I ended up waking up a group of deer that were sleeping in the grass beside the road about a quarter of a mile up the road from the house and they scared the heck out of me when they jumped straight up and ran right in front of me. I am sure it was humorous from there perspective watching me.

All in all – a good week so far. I had wanted to push to get to 5.5 – 6.0 miles but didn’t make it. I am hoping to hit the road bike this weekend and get some cross training in. My legs are really tired and sore tonight. The heel is very tender and calves are really tight. Maybe a couple of days off from running will give them time to recuperate.

What a difference!!

Posted on August 24, 2009 by ssnaugher

Road-Bicycling So maybe a cold front was all I needed to get things back in gear. Friday morning we woke up to temps in the upper 50s! – In August!!! Absolutely gorgeous weather. Turns out it make a world of difference. I had the alarm set for 5:55am so that I could be on the road by no later than 6:15. Yesterday was my daughters first day back to school and we have to leave the house by 8am to make sure she gets to school on time. Needless to say, the other kids(and Skylee as well) kept us up much later than we wanted – think I finally got to sleep around midnight. So when I woke up to an alarm that had been going off for some time – I had to think twice about whether I could motivate myself to run or come up with lame excuses about how I couldn’t take a chance on being late for the second day of school. I hurriedly got dressed and out the door and on the road by 6:30. With the cool temps and MUCH lower humidity, it was great to be out that early. I wasn’t the only one that thought so as I almost ran head on to a deer munching in our yard. The workout was great – was able to get in 4.85 miles at a decent pace and could have gone more if I had more time. The crisp air made it seem much less draining the entire run.

This upcoming week starts the 10 week training program for the half marathon and it involves cross training a couple of days a week in between running. I got an email from the local bike shop reminding everyone about an organized ride on Saturday – the American Cancer Society’s Bike to Battle Cancer – so that worked perfectly. The only problem there was, – I haven’t ridden in almost 6 months. My camelback is done and needs to be replaced. My road bike needs a good once over and tuneup. I didn’t have any chain cleaner or lube. All of these were things running through my head at 9pm on Friday basically trying to come up with an excuse why I could not ride on Saturday. Luckily I had talked to a couple of friends about the ride and one of them had committed to going up for the ride as well – so accountability wins again! Saturday started early( 5:45) so that I could get up and dressed and all the gear loaded up to meet Eric at 7:30 and be at the ride by 8am since the email said that the 25K ride started at 9am. Overslept(again) – no suprise, and Eric was late so we ended up getting to the ride at 8:20. What made matters worse was that the email was incorrect – the 25K ride actually started at 8:30. So we arrive 10 minutes before the ride begins, and ask the traffic director where to go – he tells us he “thinks” it is the third entrance on the left - no dice! We ended up driving through the livestock barn and looping back around to where we found most of the cars parked. Continuing on we found out why he didn’t send us that way - we were headed straight in to the starting line for the ride. Talk about embarrasing – the starter for the ride was very nice and asked the bikes to please make way for us to come through - lots of glares and stares on that!!

After we got unloaded and started(10 minutes late) the ride was incredible! The weather was awesome – cool – almost no humidity, and a gentle breeze. I had forgotten how much I love to ride I really is an invigorating workout. Different from running in that my legs are always the first to give out. However the running made a big difference in my lungs – I was able to ride all of the hills without stopping which is not the norm for me. The route was great – big climb about 4 miles into the ride to get you breathing hard and then some flats with smaller climbs thrown in here and there. The route was mostly through rural countryside with trees overhanging the roads in places and several one lane bridges over the creeks. After all was said and done – the 25K was actually about 26K(18.1 miles) but a nice segway to get back into biking again.

I am sore today(Sunday) so it will be a couple of days before I can hit the bike again – but I am really looking forward to it on a regular basis. Tomorrow I will see how I feel once I get on the asphalt and with the weather holding maybe try for a little over 5. Need to hit the sack so that I don’t oversleep once again!!

Doubt

Posted on August 20, 2009 by ssnaugher

doubt Heat and humidity have been back the past few days. Makes for a uncomfortable run even early in the morning. Monday I was able to get a longer run in -somewhere between 4.3 and 4.5 miles(following the 10% rule in increasing mileage). I can’t say for sure because the MapMyRun app on my iPhone crashes just about every day that I use it. I have just gotten into the habit of making sure to note the time I start running and the time I finish up and using the website to edit the run and route details. Pretty much useless when it comes to getting real time feedback on pace and distance while running.

Today I am 3 weeks in on the trek to the half marathon and I am having my first session of doubt. I knew ahead of time that doubt would come into play at some point during the training – just didn’t realize it would be this quickly. Monday I set the goal to increase my mileage by 10 % and did – but not without feeling worn out at the end. Today I planned on an “easy 3 miles” to rest and then try to get another long run in on Friday. Easy is relative – I still feel like 3 miles is kicking my butt when it comes to my lungs. My legs seem to be OK – but my lungs don’t hold up. I am not sure if the hilly route near my house is the issue, the humidity, or that I am just that out of shape in endurance. In any case, today the first case of doubt came into play as I was finishing up the last few minutes of the run. Seems that if I am struggling with endurance with runs under 10 miles – how will I be able to reach 13 in just another 10 weeks?? Guess doubting will not change anything – if I am going to make it, I will make it and if not – then it should at least put me that much closer to the next half marathon. Hopefully Friday I can knock out a really good run to help boost my spirits on it. It should be quite a bit cooler and less humidity – so there’s at least one variable eliminated from the mix.

It could also be that we have a couple of really big personal decisions we are looking at as a family. Both of which are some of the biggest changes we have looked at in a long time. We as a family are trying to remember to not tackle this on our own and turn it over to God to direct us. That is the toughest part in any struggle I guess.

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Category Archives: Half Marathon