Week in Review: Be Happy Where you are on the way to where you want to be

This is me tapering for Kiawah :-) Still putting in some miles but mostly keeping them easy. I was feeling off at the beginning of the week with low body temps (thyroid) so I pushed my workout till Tuesday and was rewarded with feeling fast and smooth on my fartlek reps. I could have done several more with ease which is great sign. I needed that one extra day of recovery.

So this is my 2 weeks out from Kiawah taper week which I think it is great. Not going overboard on tapering and making myself crazy without the miles. This is sort like a 10 day steep taper which I feel better suits me.

Week in Review

Monday 11.50 easy
Tuesday 11 with 8 x 3 minute fartlek at 6;18 with 2 minute easy recovery
Wednesday 7 miles easy
Thursday 8 miles easy
Friday 10.20 easy
Saturday 3 miles easy
Sunday 7.50

Total - 59 miles

6 days to the Kiawah Island marathon - Basically this quote below is my state of mind regarding it.

I am always dreaming of that day where I can run feeling amazing! I hope it is that day but whatever kind of day I still will enjoy the hell out this part of my adventure.

Weeks in Review - It has been too long - I know!

I am going to do that last 2 weeks in review in one post. I need to keep writing in here as I am really feeling like I am growing a lot not particularly in my running per see but mental shifts I have made that are exciting me. Even huge emotional and personal growth since Chicago which feels really good.

I have gotten to that place of surrender and completely content with where I am. I know no longer feel that angst about feeling like I should be in some other place with my running.

Right here, Right now, what is here and happening is the only important thing to me.

It is sounds cliche and I have written about it before but my soul and spirit really get it now!

Focus on the journey and not the destination! How many time do you see this written or piece of advice given? Yeah, Yeah, Yeah - It's the journey not the destination. Right?

Well I get it now! I see the value in just enjoying myself where I am at and getting there isn't why I am going on this journey. I am going because I am suppose enjoy the process of becoming and be happy with adventure of it all. The people, the places, the experiences....

I am learning, growing and expanding!

This is why I set out on this journey in the first place.

It is the becoming and journey that makes the story so wonderful and beautiful!

How many times does a story start with I decided to accomplish this goal and than I did - The End.

NO!! Boring! Really??? Who want to read a story like that? Who want to live a story like that?

It is the pages filled with hope, hurt, determination, obstacles, joy, happiness, and the overcoming that make the story beautiful, wonderful and worth the journey.

This blog and my life story is about all that.

My mental focus will be on making the most out of my adventures and opportunities and one day I will arrival at my goal, Until than I plan on making the most delish, fun, happy, adventure that I can!

Last weeks of miles -

Monday 9 miles - 7 x 3 minute fartlek at 6:18 pace with 3 minute easy running recovery
Tuesday AM 6.50 easy  PM 6 easy
Wednesday 11 easy
Thursday AM 7.5 easy PM 4.5 easy
Friday AM -16 miles (10 at 7:30 average) - PM 4.5 easy
Saturday 6 easy
Sunday 10 miles easy

Total - 80 miles

This week of miles -

Monday 11 miles fartlek - 4 x 8 minutes at 6:30 pace with 3 minutes if easy running between
Tuesday 10.5 easy
Wednesday 10 easy
Thursday 10.5 easy
Friday 18 easy
Saturday 7 easy
Sunday 10 easy

Total miles -78 miles

And she writes again....

You know one of the hardest things about having a thyroid disorder and being a coach is knowing the training works but not being able to run to my potential in race. I do not like explaining myself to people that I have a thyroid disorder. Most people have no idea what that means anyways. I do not want to have a reason not to run well. I do not like explain myself away on day I had when I race and it wasn't there or I felt bad thyroid wise. 

I love finishing no matter what knowing that whatever that time it says on the clock - I fought hard physically and mentally for it and being happy with whatever that days brings. It is always discerning to me when someone wants to know I didn't run faster or to their eye I didn't ran a great race.

Having the hormonal fluctuation that makes counting on being able to run to my potential is the most difficult part of my journey. I know without a shadow of a doubt how fit I am - I have had glimpses of the amaziness during my training cycles. 

I have played around with every variable when it comes to marathons and tapers such how much time I need to recover from a work out, how much of a taper I need into to recovery both glycogen stores and T3 levels. When to do acupuncture and when to take iodine and when not to get acupuncture and when not to take iodine. 

Trying to figure out if my T3 levels dip to much in the later miles or the mild asthma is at plan when I have a hard time closing well in a marathon. These are just variables I am working on...

I am constantly experimenting with how my body (thyroid) will react to training, mileage, intensity and nutrition and treatment (thyroid). 

I am constantly keeping my eye on where I want to be! What is my goal? Remember, Jamie, your goal not your obstacle.

Would I love to be able to run 3-3;10 hours like my training paces suggest I can run!! Hell Yeah! I am happy that I can run at all! Hell Yeah! I am happy that I am putting myself out there many times over to try! Hell Yeah! I am happy with every opportunity I have to run! Hell Yeah!

While my progression may not look likes yours or anyone else does - that is okay! I am making progress because I learn new things about myself and my body every time I try! 

The most important part of all this is keeping my dreams and hopes alive. Nurturing them with belief and hope!

Mostly I dream of the day when all my hard work, commitment, passion, perseverance, and determination come together in divine timing and I run so fast and so free! I imagine what it will feel like to run without thyroid yuck and very feel strong and knowing that it is my day!! 

I know that is possible so I will keep dreaming of that day.

Keep Dreaming of your possibilities,

Jamie

Week in Review: 2 weeks to #Chimarathon

So I am very excited to say the least about going to Chicago and having the opportunity to run the marathon. So awesome!! I am happily tapering too! No taper madness or crazies with the reduction of miles.

I think my body was screaming for the taper last week as I developed a few aches and pains that I normally never have to deal with - one ITband and a very tight quad. I was able to run through it while having it worked on but it was touch and go. I admit to being slightly concerned. I had one ART treatment on it and a very deep tissue massage on both that left them quite sore for 3 days. By Sunday, I was feeling okay we are on top of this and everything is going to okay.

It was completely my bad I had done way too many miles on the roads and sidewalks. I needed to be getting a lot more of miles on soft surfaces. So that is my goal this week to run on all soft surfaces so my muscles can bounce back and be ready to take the pounding 26.2 miles.

Week in Review:

Monday 10.25 miles easy
Tuesday 16 miles with 2 x 6 miles (7:15 first step & 7:10 second set)
Wednesday Yoga class
Thursday 10.5 miles easy
Friday 16.25 miles moderate effort & Pilates Class
Saturday OFF
Sunday 13.75 miles

Mileage - 66ish miles on the week

Very happy with the taper mileage! Enough to keep the aerobic system up and enough to allow for some recovery on my legs. Very thankful for where I am right now!

Week in Review - Just keep running cause life is pretty awesome and funny!

Such a big and awesome week for me! I got a last minute entry into the Chicago Marathon. Truly amazed and feeling so blessed by this amazing opportunity to run my dream marathon. I have actually registered for it 2 times before and things just prevented me going and running. Life is amazing how when you least expect it a miraculous twist of fate has you doing something you have always wanted to do!

This week was a great last week of training before I taper for Chicago. I felt pretty strong all week. I did have a bit a achy arch on one foot after one of my long runs. I got a deep tissue massage on it and haven't heard from it since. And I will admit to feeling a bit snackered this weekend but still got the mileage in so I am happy.

Here is the week:

Monday (AM) 8.5 miles easy (PM) 4.5 easy
Tuesday 16 miles @ 8:01
Wednesday 18 miles @ 7:59
Thursday 8.5 recovery
Friday (AM) 14 with 3 x 3 mile reps with 3 minutes rest in  6:47, 6:45, 6:39 (PM) 5 miles + 1 hours Pilates Class
Saturday 7 recovery
Sunday 11 easy/recovery

Mileage Total - 93 miles

I am still standing - 2 weeks in the 90s! Yeah! Definitely gives me some confidence! I am mostly in awe that I am not smackdown tired at all. I am have been sleeping well and trying to get enough carbs too this week.

Week in Review: Biggest Week Ever

I am sort of stunned at how good I feel! I keep wondering how in the world I had the energy to complete this week. Totally in awe of the energy level and rhythm in found I high mileage.

I am getting better at fueling (eating enough) but still have room to really get this right running higher miles. I can really feel it on some runs and end up having to really knock back a few more gels that I thought I would need. I found out that I can get a terrific amount of carbs from black beans 41 grams of carbohydrate per cup! So I will be eating lots of black beans and rice to keep my energy stores high in coming weeks as I build to 100 miles a week.

I set the goal to hit 90 miles at the beginning of the week, never really doubting I could do it but run by run, mile by mile I felt so good and happy. Totally celebrating hitting this huge milestone for me and I ended up running 92 miles total!

Here is how it went:

Monday 10 easy
Tuesday 16 @ 8:07
Wednesday 16 @ 8:00
Thursday AM 8.50 Recovery PM 4 Easy
Friday AM 14.5 with 10 at 7;10  PM 4 easy & Pilates Class (1 hour)
Saturday 7 Recovery
Sunday 12 easy

Total miles - 92

I keep thanking God for the return to feel great running again! I am so blessed to be able to run this much and I keep thinking about how far God has taken me.

My goal is to keep my eyes on the stars, dreaming and believing! And enjoying the work as I so love running!

Week in Review: Keeping on Grooving

I had a great mileage week and a few workouts tossed in to keep the legs moving. I am pretty happy with the week as I felt strong for most of the miles and still feeling fresh after 3 weeks in the 80s and moving onto 90 this week.

Here is how my week looked overall:

Monday 8 easy
Tuesday AM 12 miles with 16 X 400 @ 6;18 pace PM 4 miles recovery
Wednesday 10 recovery
Thursday AM 8 with 2 x 2 miles @ 6:50 pace with 3 minute recovery PM - 5 easy miles
Friday 10 easy
Saturday 20 easy
Sunday 6 recovery

Total - 84 miles

I had hoped to get to 88 miles but with traveling for work/Running Camp and such. I will take it!

Feeling optimistic and just loving the groove of training.

Week in Review: Found my Groove

Well this week was fabulous running wise! After getting Acupuncture done on Monday and some cooler less humid weather I was feeling amazing running this week. Put in the mileage I had hope to hit and everything feels good. I think I was able to eat enough to support the runs as I felt pretty great in all my runs this week.

I got in my first back to back long run this week as well! Ultramarathoning, here I come!

Monday 11 easy
Tuesday 16 @ 8:18
Wednesday 16 @8:11
Thursday 7 recovery
Friday 14 with 5 x 1.5 miles @ 6:40-6:55 with 60 sec rest
Saturday 7 recovery treadmill (slow @9:39)
Sunday 13 easy

Mileage total - 84 miles

Sleeping and Eating has been great so I need to keep up with the little things to stay healthy. My energy level was high this week so that makes me hopeful. I really hope to hit 12-14 weeks of high mileage like this before my marathon and 50K.

Here in a couple weeks - we'll get some cooler temps and I just know I will feel amazing! I have never started a fall training cycle this strong before so I my hope is the strong and consistent mileage will help me breakthrough in the marathon and than help me be really strong in the 50K.

Week in Review and Trying start a fire

I will first do a week in review for last week. After feeling pretty behind the 8 ball with training, I was able to rally last week and put in a solid week.

Monday 8 miles recovery
Tuesday 10 miles with 5 tempo @7:16 average + Pilates Class
Wednesday 7 miles Recovery
Thursday AM 5 miles easy PM 4 miles easy
Friday 18 miles easy - slow and Hilly/hot
Saturday 6 recovery miles - treadmill
Sunday 13 miles easy

Mileage total - 71 miles

I had a few really good days and a few really slow days but nothing to build momentum off of so I went into this week feeling mentally and emotionally lackluster about training and the fall season. Keep trying to "fake it till you make it" but deep down I have not been feeling it. The pure excitement of training hasn't been there. I keep thinking I will find it if I put the work in and it will find me out there working the motivation and inspiration.

Well today I finally found some inspiration and mojo doing work! I had woke up to do my first speed work session in my training cycle and since the blood donation. I wasn't totally into it which concerned me a bit. I was sort low on energy and enthusiasm this AM. I keep thinking what is wrong with me - where is my totally usually happy chirpier excitement.

Well it wasn't there at all. I listen to a podcast of Joel Osteen in my warm up and that at least got my mind in the right space. Than during my workout and the music I just got happier and happier and more confidence that I will rise again and be stronger.

By the time I completed the workout, I was happy and positive and more me! Funny how running hard can bring me back to myself. I found my excitement for training and running and motivated to run and train.

I will let todays run breed excitement and hope for all the good to come this fall.

Doing the best I can in Summer

Geez..I have so not been writing in here much lately. Why? I have no idea but summer is sort of a distracting and demanding time.

Today I got the bug to get my thoughts out.  So I thought should write a bit about what I have been doing and where I am intend to do this fall. I am so excited that I am going to do a 50K and than a 50 miler in the  early spring.

Very excited by these new goals and looking forward to the adventures that they will bring.

I will have 2 marathons in route to the 50K and than hopefully be ready for the 50 miler by early spring. That is what has been in the planning stages.

I just now have to get really rolling on towards my goals. Summer is always so distracting and hard to stay focused due to vacations and kids being home and the frickin heat making running higher mileages so difficult.

Additionally I got a bit more behind on mileage due to recently being diagnosed with an Blood disorder where my body is holding on to Iron. I had my iron levels checked due to a routine blood work up and they found too much Iron in my blood stream basically Iron overload which is dangerous and high levels of Iron in your blood is toxic and can result in tissue and organ damage.

Anyway they only way to address is through blood donation. I knew going into the blood donation that giving blood would definitely affect my running for a couple months but I also knew that it was the only way to correct this iron overload. Hopefully I will also feel way better too with all that iron out of my system and will feel better running wise down the road in a couple of months.

I donated blood on July 21st which is almost 3 weeks ago. It takes the body 56 days to regenerate blood levels to pre donated state. It was especially difficult to run the first week after blood donation so my mileage was lower. Last week, I started feeling better and got my mileage up 59 miles and this week will be like 51 miles which is a bit low but acceptable given we were on vacation at the beach and I took 2 days off.

In just over a week, I will have my kids back to school and hopefully the heat and humidity will keep going down for the next two months. I got through 3 months of heat and humidity and only 2 more to go.

I hope to really start building mileage and getting back into the routine of life and working towards my goals.

This next week I will try to enjoy the last few days of summer break but also really focused on getting my mileage up into the mid 60s. I have 12 weeks till my first marathon this fall and that is going come up pretty quickly.

Week in Review

Monday Off
Tuesday 8 miles (10 X 1 minute on, 1 minute off fartlek)
Wedneday 7 miles easy
Thursday Off
Friday 16 miles with 9 @ 7:20-7:53
Saturday 8 miles
Sunday 12 miles

Total - 51 miles

Next week I get on track!! Yippee!!

What up! The Waiting Place

So it has been so long since I wrote something and this is a long overdue entry into my blog.

I was just sitting staring at my laptop trying to think of what to write about but what is weird is I really do not know where I am training wise. Sort of lost boat afloat.

Recovery post Grandmas went well but I started really experiencing heavy legs when I tried to resume training. I took a full week off and that started back with easy runs than I did a workout and a steady run which left me feeling gassed and trying to recover and feel good for the half marathon I ran last weekend.

Just days before my half, I got blood work from my check-up that would add insight to my not feeling great in marathon as well as why I was feeling gassed post Grandmas. My thyroid function was off but importantly I had developed a condition called hemochromatosis. My blood tested review my Iron levels were way off in a bad way but the opposite of anemia. This condition is when your body starts Iron Overloading and I had too my Iron circulating in my blood stream which essential can cause the same feeling of Anemia. Weakness, shortness of breath and muscle heaviness and aches which sums of the last 4 to 8 weeks.

The only solution for this is donating blood. You can to get rid of the Iron overload and the only was to literally bleed it out of you.

I knew going into the half marathon that I might not be feeling great and to give it my best effort and I seriously was hoping for the best enough my legs were heavy and weak just going up the stairs.

Fingerscrossed! I showed to the race with a couple of girlfriends and enjoyed the pre-race excitement.
The half is in the mountains and had some steep downhills and a couple long a grinding uphills but overall net elevation loss so I was excited to see how my legs faired on the long downhill sections.

Once the race started, I fought the heavy legs for first 3 miles and kept telling myself I would feel better on the downhills. And I did but than came the uphills and I felt gassed. Than the final mile in was uphill to flat but was a dirt road that turned into a very slippery surface in the last mile due to heavy rains. I really struggled to hang on in that mile and sure I lost a minute or more. I felt like I was barely moving.

I finished in 1:37:46 which was good for a 1st in age group and I think a 8-10 sec PR. Yes, I totally wanted more but considering I felt so bad during the race I will take it.

I took my butt to the donation center on Monday to donate blood and now will have a 4 to 6 week period of sub optimal training as it takes that long for the blood to recovery the blood cells. So my training will be mostly be easy miles with some strides through this time.

This week I have been in 100% recovery mode again though as my legs were really fried from the steep downhill sections.

At least when I start training again, I will be free of all that built up iron and hope that I got rid enough that I will not have to do that again in 6 weeks.

I am in that place between places where it feels weird and uncomfortable. Where you just do not know what direction to take and hope it comes to you when the timing is right.

Definitely like the waiting place in Dr. Suess's Oh that places will go....

Grandmas Marathon Race Report

Not sure why it has taken me so long to write this race report but part of me was still processing how I felt about the race and also enjoying the days disconnected from running and being focused on training.

I have taken this week off, sleeping in, enjoying my children, chatting with friends, enjoying the Carolina heat and just soaking up the non running life. It has been refreshing in a way I didn't really think it could be. I keep saying wow I am so relaxed and happy. It has been the perfect recharging week.

I, of course, have mixed feeling about this race. I know I am much fitter than what I been running my last couple of marathons. Why my fitness has not translated into race day results? I do not know but I have a few ideas. One being that I had an especially intense training segment both in mileage and work out load and my body was just not ready to translate into a breakthough race.

I do know that both Boston and Bayshore, I had some thyroid issues leading up to race day that played into how I felt during the race but that as not the case at Grandmas. I was perfectly healthy thyroid wise. Why didn't I race well? Another 3:32 :-)

I think it was fatigue. I felt super good through mile 11-13 and than bamb I didn't feel good at all and by 16 mile I turned to someone I was running and said "Okay, this just got real!" from there on I was fighting for every step. My legs felt heavy in a way I had never experienced before and it was taking tremendous energy to get them to move. Lemon Drop hill at mile 22 just about killed me. I was fighting the voice that said walk and my glutes where like bitch we are not pushing you up this hill. Someone I made it though but it took about 30 seconds out of that miles and 10-15 seconds from my next mile trying to recover from that hill.

I know it was this was mostly due to the fact that I didn't take anytime off from my last marathon and rolled into some hard work outs and a hard long run. In retrospect, I should just been running easy between marathon or maybe just one workout. If I had one more week to taper I also think I would have felt even better. I have done multiple marathons before and always did well in subsequent marathons but I rested a ton between the events. Those races were also 5-7 weeks apart whereas these marathons were 4 weeks which I really think is 1-2 weeks too short.

I did not at all regret going for it another marathon at all. It was a phenomenal race and day! It was a great experience and I loved every minute of it. Well maybe not that last 6 miles :-) but I proud of myself for fighting and not letting negative voices win on that day. I walked away proud of my effort. I felt a peaceful and happy acceptance at the results.

I also know that I just have to keep going, never giving up and staying in faith that I will accomplish what I set out to do.

I recently was listening to a talk where they asked a famous entrepreneur if he knew it was going to be as tough as it was when he set out - he laughed and shook his head probably not.

Knowing that anything really worth doing is going to be really hard sometimes and you have to have passion and love for what you are doing to get you through the bumps. You have to be willing to keep trying and keep moving forward no matter what appears to the contrary.

In the words of Jim Carey, I would rather fail at something I love than fail at something I do not love because I wanted to play it safe.

I will be recovering and enjoying the summer and the moving on in my training for an awesome Fall season!! Life is pretty darn awesome.

Week in Review: Shaking off the Funk

Not sure why but I have been feeling sort of funky. Loving my runs they have been such a great stress reliever for life right now but generally I haven't felt like over top jazzed about anything which so not like me. I usually super stoked about life and just anything...

I think it is lack of a groove of training and getting excited about the next big workout or run. I am in a place of maintenance where I am not trying to push myself body over the edge with big runs or big miles in prep for my next marathon in 2 weeks. Additionally I always get the taper blues, missing the big miles and workouts and the generally happy groove of training.

Plus I know after Grandmas I need to go into recovery which is so not my favorite part of training but necessary if I want to have a strong fall training season. I have a few projects I will be working on after the marathon so I am hoping the mental engagement will help me not get the post marathon blues and I can just enjoy the recovery.

Here is my week

Monday 10.25 easy
Tuesday 3 w/u, 2 X 5K miles with 3 minutes jog rest - Rep# 1 6:42, Rep#1 6:35 1.5 C/D + Pilates Class
Wednesday 7 recovery
Thursday 9.5 easy
Friday 11 miles - Fartlek - 2 minutes ON @ 6:22 4 minutes OFF @ 7:24 x 6
Saturday Rest Day
Sunday 12.6 easy

Total miles - 61

Feeling good overall and energy level has been high. I think that I maybe a tad hyper (thyroid) right now and I am fingers crossed settles down in 2 weeks. Although I have been feeling good running fast so I pray that continues.

Back to Training: Week in Review

So I did take 2 days off after Bayshore as I was surprised at how recovered I felt both with my body and energy levels. I had planned to take 3-4 days off but energy was high and I was ready to go.

All week I feel good but kept it easy and mileage light.

Monday OFF
Tuesday 5 easy
Wednesday 6 Easy & Pilates Class
Thursday 7 with 7 X 90 second fartleks @ 6:30 pace
Friday 5 Easy
Saturday YOGA
Sunday 10 easy

Mileage total - 33 miles

Body feels good overall. Just the calves a bit tight and massage next week should help me work through that.

Looking forward to running more next week! I am excited about the next step in my journey.

Bayshore Race Report

So I am literally forcing myself to write this as I need to get out what I am feeling and writing always helps me to do so.

I felt very hopeful in the days leading up to Bayshore that I would feel as good on race day as I had felt in some of my awesome workout days. I had a slight glitch about 4 days out from the marathon that I tried to say positive about and not worry about.

Here is it, so if you read this blog for any period of time you know that I an autoimmune disorder called Hashimotos. It can make my swing from hyper-thyroid to hypo-thyroid states and for periods of time I can be normal. I manage the disorder with diet and other natural ways. I do not take hormone meds as they always makes things worse. So anyway I monitor my metabolic (thyroid) health by taking my rising temps everyday. If they are higher than normal, I know that my body is in a hyper state and if lower than I am hypo and normal is normal.

So long story short, I had been normal for weeks and about 4 days before I noticed a 1 degree increase but luckily I wasn't experiencing the rapid heart rate and breathlessness that I usually feel when I am hyperthyroid. So I was staying positive that even if I was hyper at the moment that it was a mild swing and it would be good on race day. I felt great in most all way so I was staying super positive that all would be fine on race day

At the start of the race and in the first few miles, I never felt good but kept hoping I would feel better as the miles clicked by. That can happen to me when the first couple miles of a workout feel difficult and than it turns and I feel great. So I was hoping for that but it just never happened. I feel like I was working really hard and difficult to get air.

I also wonder if the allergy/pollen level had anything to do with that as it was bloom season in Traverse City as they were just starting to get their spring.

Either way thyroid or allergy season, I just did not feel good.

I did make a pacing error in the first 6 miles. I had planned to go out about 10-15 seconds slower than I actually did go out. My garmin wasn't working in the first couple of miles so I relied on my speedy friend to pace us through the first few miles and I let the pace get quicker than planned. As soon as I realized that I was going too fast, I let my friend go and try to resettle into my race plan. I do not think my fade at the end would have been as bad if those first miles didn't go out so quick.

I was grinding these miles away on mental will not to let another marathon end up in a DNF. I really thought crap what the heck at mile 16. I felt so relieved when I saw the 20 mile sign know I would finish this one. I finished with a time of 3:32:18 - yup that ties my PR exactly to the second :-) and my 3rd 3:32.

I have so mixed emotions on this race. I was very happy and relieved that I was able to finish and not fall completely apart. I was satisfied with how I performed mentally but part of me is questioning why it wasn't there. I gave it my best shot and know that it is just a step in my journey.

I have another marathon on the horizon, so we shall see if I can get lucky :-) I can shake this one off and set my mind and focus on the whats to come. Keep moving forward!

And at the end of the day, I know I am beyond blessed to be pursing my passion and crossing finish lines at all. Bayshore marked my 16th marathon in 5 years.

For now it is a bit of recovery..........

Week in Review: Less than a week...

With one week to go to Bayshore. I am trying to rest and get excited. These last couple of weeks with life have been busy and leaving me very little mental and emotional energy to focus on this goal. So my goal for this week it is stay centered and relaxed and get focused on accomplishing my goal.

Last week was a pretty good week running-wise. I tapered and tapering much more smartly :-)

Monday 6.5 Easy
Tuesday 14 with 8 @ 7;03
Wednesday 6 Easy
Thursday 7.25 Easy
Friday Off
Saturday 10 with 8 (maybe 9 - lost count) x 1 minute Fartlek @ 6:15-6:25 with 4-5 minutes easy running @ 8:00-8:16 pace
Sunday Off

I wasn't planning on taking Sunday off but I was wiped out in many ways from a busy week last week. So I rested.

Looking forward to a week where I place priority on relaxing a bit and not letting life get to me so much.

1. 

Week in Review - 2 weeks till Bayshore Marathon

Wow..2 weeks till my goal marathon that I feel like I have been working towards for a year especially after having a great fall training season that climaxed into a dismal early Winter marathon yuck at Kiawah and a DNF at Charleston Marathon.

I had worked hard in the fall on my speed and getting my thyroid issues in order. Only to have a hyper-thyroid swing right before Kiawah that stuck with me and got worse at Charleston. (I had no business being on that course in Charleston but I couldn't let go of the hope that I might feel good on race day).

After these 2 marathons gone bust, I did what I always do, I moved on! I started my next training cycle. For 90% training, I have felt great. I have had a few minor hypo and hyper swings but mostly I have felt great.

I have high hopes for Bayshore. I will not lie and say I don't. I have dreamed of times that I could run if my ducks line up. I have run 3 20 milers, 1 26.2, countless speed and tempo workouts, 14 weeks of solid mileage all behind me. I know I have done the work, prepared my body the best I can for this marathon. I have prepared by mind for the grind of the last 10K. I have controlled what I can control. The rest I leave up to the higher powers that will determine race day weather and all those things you just can not foresee or control. I will go in with a flexible mind and be ready to adapt to whatever happens.

If it is meant to be my day, I will be in the perfect place mind, body and soul to seize the opportunity.

 

Week in Review

Monday - 17 Miles @ 7:37 - 12 miles @7:05 pace
Tuesday - 7 Miles Recovery
Wednesday - 9 Miles Recovery @9:08
Thursday - 10 miles with 3 X 2 miles @ 6:28-6:31 with 2 minutes recovery jog - Treadmill
Friday - 12 @8:48
Saturday OFF
Sunday - 9 Miles

Total - 64 miles

Believe. Obey. Endure

I have been wanting to write something in my blog lately and have not been sure of the topic but something came to mind today while hammering a hard workout.

Simply reminding myself to Obey. Believe. Endure

I can go through times where I even doubt the course I have set sail on. I have worked my tail off in the last 2 years and have not had a race time yet to prove how fit I am. I still on occasion go through swings in hormone levels which makes running to my potential impossible. I so do not like having explain to friends and family that are cheering me on that my hormone levels are off and so my race sucked. Sometimes I let the frustration and doubt be bigger than my Belief and Faith. 

But I also know I am on the right path and I need to stay the course no matter how many times it does not work out. I know that all my hard work is making a difference and that one day it will all come together if I believe. obey and endure.

Back to my workouts today when I visited the hurt locker and used this mantra to give me strength to run this workout - 

4 miles easy, than fartlek 3x(3 minutes @ 6:03 pace, 2 minutes @ 5:56, 90 seconds @5:52, 1 minute @5:49 pace with equal recovery jog) 1 mile cool-down 

These are the days that keep me going and remind me that it is all worth it!

Boston Strong

Not exactly sure how to start. I am so blessed to have been apart of Boston 2014. It was so beautiful in ways that you one can not fully comprehend unless there experiencing it and being opened to its beauty. The weekend was amazing with sharing the fun of pre-race excitement with so many runners from around the country to being with lots of Charlotte friends.

The city of Boston poured their hearts out into this marathon and it's runners. The crowds of spectators were so overwhelming and powerful.

I didn't really know what the day would hold when I left in the morning but I was open to whatever it was going to be. I had a general idea that I wanted to run pretty easy through the first 6-8 miles and than start working to pick up pace and have a strong second half.

I never felt great but I not bad either. I stopped for a few pics to be taken and texted to my hubby during the first 8-10 miles. I slapped hands like it was my job and soaked up the crowds. I remember taking my second gel around 10 and having a kick in my step. I think I was feeling pretty good around mile 10-11 but wondered okay can I hold this up through the Newton hills?

Than somewhere around mile 12-14 miles, I came upon this runner that was very young and who was having a difficult time running. I slowed to see how he was doing and if I could help him in anyway. His ITband was doing a number on him. He was not in good condition but was determined to finish Boston. He had a red bib in 2000s so I knew he having a bad day. Just from our few second interaction I knew I could not leave him. I turned off my watch and made the commitment to help him as far as I could. He had such a fighting spirit and was in so much pain but he stayed positive and kind. He and I shared our stories with each other during these miles.

He was 22 yrs old and had qualified for Boston with 2:53 marathon and was from Massachusetts. He had such a sweet and kind dissipation that he reminded me of my son.  Around mile 20, we came upon another Charlotte runner friend I knew and she was having a tough day. It was hot and the sun was taking it's toll on many runners. Pat the young runner told me I should go on and told me he was going to finish Boston no matter what. We exchanged information and hugged good-bye.

I left with my Charlotte running friend and up Heartbreak we went and said we would finish Boston together. I let her go for a minute to jump in a Porta-potty to pee when I noticed blood running down my legs. I had severe chaffing and I just happen to be next to a Med tent.

I asked them if they had any band-aids. Little did I know the chaffed area was much wider than a mere band-aid could cover. They cleaned the area, applied gauze and bandages so I could continue on. I never caught back up with my Charlotte friend as I was at med-tent for about 10 minutes. So I pressed on finishing out the last 5 minutes soaking in the crowd.

Finishing I was very happy and satisfied with my Boston experience. It was a beautiful adventure, I had fun and I connected with the city and the running community. Boston for me was not about PRs but about showing up and opening up to something greater than myself.

Pat finished his first Boston in 4:41! He showed more strength, perseverance and character than I have seen in someone before. I am so honored to be apart of his day.