Running for my life

A little background: I didn't start running until I was 34 years old. I consider myself a turtle - slow and steady. I started running because I wanted to lose weight but after I started I got the running bug. I set goals for myself - first a 5k, then a 10k, then a half marathon (I actually got talked into this one and thought I was crazy for even considering it). And then, the big one - the full marathon. If I can do it, anyone can do it. I'm posting my race reports from my two full marathons. I am signed up to do another one this year in October but I don't know if I will make it to the full. I might down-scale to the half - you know what they say about half marathons - half the distance, twice the fun.

June 4, 2006 San Diego Rock and Roll Full Marathon

RACE REPORT

My Friends! Thank you for the emails!!! Well...total honesty...here it comes...IT WAS BRUTAL! I felt great for the first 20 miles...really...I was cheering on other people that weren't doing so well. Then after 20 came 21 and I hit the proverbial wall. I kept telling myself NO, the wall isn't real, it's just psychological, but my legs were saying Bullshit...I'm done. Slowed down, I made it o.k. to 22 but by 23 I saw my family and I was bawling. I told them This is Brutal but they gave me so much encouragement I had to keep going. It was critical to have them there. (They saw me at 14 looking SO STRONG and at 23 crying). At about 21 I started saying in my head This is Brutal, This is Brutal and then I realized I had to stop so I said YES, it is Brutal but I am strong and I can do this! I'm raw...but I've been through harder things in my life than running a marathon and I CAN DO THIS! So after seeing my family at mile 23 it was really just about getting across that finish line...it felt like I was barely picking up my feet and my body was tired but my mind was strong. I didn't walk...I didn't stop...I didn't get on the bus...I ran across that finish line...5 hours almost to the minute! And then I thought I was going to throw up and pass out so I slowly made my way to the medical tent where they gave me a pack of salt to swallow and water, ice on my knees which were going into rigamortis and I laid on the cot...sucked on pretzels and viola I felt better. I got up and joined the others in the *walking wounded shuffle.* I ate a little yogurt, a little bagel (very little), a banana, and an orange. I felt SO much better. I met up with my family and really felt great. I DID IT!!! I met my goals...I made it across the finish line, I ran the whole time/no walking for me, and I did in a reasonable amount of time. It was my first and I am SO proud of myself...and even though it was so physically brutal it was so emotionally wonderful that I will probably do it again. Am I crazy? Maybe. ;)

July 29, 2007 San Francisco Full Marathon

RACE REPORT

Thanks for the good wishes on my marathon this past weekend. Here is my official race report...

My race was AWESOME!!! I'll start off by saying that I took a friend's advice and incorporated strategic walk breaks into my race this time, and along with some other nutritional changes, it made a HUGE difference in how I felt at the end of the race. AND...I finished faster!!!!

As most of you know, I ran my first full marathon down in San Diego last year...my goals were to finish and to run the entire way. I accomplished my goals but I felt like crap at the end. I felt like I was barely running b/c my legs were so heavy and fatigued. When I crossed the finish line I was dizzy, nauseous, and I thought I was going to pass out. I had to make a b-line to the Medical Tent. Thank goodness for those people. They saved me. They dosed me up on salt and I felt much better. I drank way too much water...not enough electrolyte replacement, and I should have walked, stretched my legs during the race. Live and Learn. Finish time was 5 hours.

Fast forward to Sunday, July 29th (my daughter's birthday). This marathon experience was 180 degrees from last year. My plan was to walk the hills to save my quads and consume table salt the last half of the race. I did both of those things. I walked almost every hill but I walked briskly. I stretched my legs a few times. I carried salt packets with me and consumed those on the last half of the race. I drank Cytomax at the water stations. I took one Energy Gel and ate half a banana during the race. I felt so good. I kept thinking I was going to hit the wall. I knew I could go 22 -23 miles feeling pretty good but I was scared about the wall after that. I was especially concerned b/c my last long training run was 22.5 miles and I threw up a lot of water & felt awful. Unfortunately, I had a migraine on Saturday before the race so I was really just hoping to make it to the race and finish in 5 - 5 1/2 hours without getting sick.

Well, not only did I finish this race without getting sick...I never hit the wall, I felt fantastic and I finished in 4 hours 40 minutes. 20 minutes faster than last year in San Diego. I couldn't believe it! My husband was shocked! He had to hustle from mile 22 to the finish line to see me finish. My kids were cheering me on! It was so amazing! I couldn't stop smiling! I could have kept running, I felt that good!

The walk breaks made all the difference in the world and the salt replacement for me was key. I am thrilled and I can't wait to take on the challenge of a triathlon and dare I say an ultramarathon sometime in the future. :)